The effect of the inclusion of trunk-strengthening exercises to a multimodal exercise program on physical activity levels and psychological functioning in older adults: Secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Background Engaging in multimodal exercise program helps mitigate age-related decrements by improving muscle size, muscle strength, balance, and physical function. The addition of trunk-strengthening within the exercise program has been shown to significantly improve physical functioning outcomes. Whether these improvements result in improved psychological outcomes associated with increased physical activity levels requires further investigation. We sought to explore whether the inclusion of trunk-strengthening exercises to a multimodal exercise program improves objectively measured physical activity levels and self-reported psychological functioning in older adults. Method We conducted a secondary analysis within a single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four healthy older (≥ 60 years) adults were randomly allocated to a 12-week walking and balance exercise program with (n = 32) or without (n = 32) inclusion of trunk strengthening exercises. Each program involved 12 weeks of exercise training, followed by a 6-week walking-only program (identified as detraining). Primary outcome measures for this secondary analysis were physical activity (accelerometry), perceived fear-of-falling, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results Following the 12-week exercise program, no significant between-group differences were observed for physical activity, sedentary behaviour, fear-of-falling, or symptoms of anxiety or depression. Significant within-group improvements (adjusted mean difference [95%CI]; percentage) were observed in moderate-intensity physical activity (6.29 [1.58, 11.00] min/day; + 26.3%) and total number of steps per min/day (0.81 [0.29 to 1.33] numbers or + 16.3%) in trunk-strengthening exercise group by week 12. With respect to within-group changes, participants in the walking-balance exercise group increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (4.81 [0.06 to 9.56] min/day; + 23.5%) and reported reduction in symptoms of depression (-0.26 [-0.49 to -0.04] points or -49%) after 12 weeks of the exercise program. The exercise-induced increases in physical activity levels in the trunk-strengthening exercise group were abolished 6-weeks post-program completion. While improvements in physical activity levels were sustained in the walking-balance exercise group after detraining phase (walking only). Conclusions The inclusion of trunk strengthening to a walking-balance exercise program did not lead to statistically significant between-group improvements in physical activity levels or psychological outcomes in this cohort following completion of the 12-week exercise program

Galaxy Clusters Associated with Short GRBs. II. Predictions for the Rate of Short GRBs in Field and Cluster Early-Type Galaxies

We determine the relative rates of short GRBs in cluster and field early-type galaxies as a function of the age probability distribution of their progenitors, P(\tau) \propto \tau^n. This analysis takes advantage of the difference in the growth of stellar mass in clusters and in the field, which arises from the combined effects of the galaxy stellar mass function, the early-type fraction, and the dependence of star formation history on mass and environment. This approach complements the use of the early- to late-type host galaxy ratio, with the added benefit that the star formation histories of early-type galaxies are simpler than those of late-type galaxies, and any systematic differences between progenitors in early- and late-type galaxies are removed. We find that the ratio varies from R(cluster)/R(field) ~ 0.5 for n = -2 to ~ 3 for n = 2. Current observations indicate a ratio of about 2, corresponding to n ~ 0 - 1. This is similar to the value inferred from the ratio of short GRBs in early- and late-type hosts, but it differs from the value of n ~ -1 for NS binaries in the Milky Way. We stress that this general approach can be easily modified with improved knowledge of the effects of environment and mass on the build-up of stellar mass, as well as the effect of globular clusters on the short GRB rate. It can also be used to assess the age distribution of Type Ia supernova progenitors.Comment: ApJ accepted versio

Espécies crípticas em Pagamea coriacea sensu lato (Rubiaceae): evidências morfológicas, ecológicas e de comportamento reprodutivo em um contexto simpátrico

In this study we explore morphological and ecological variation in sympatric populations of Pagamea coriacea s.l. - a species complex from white-sand vegetation in the Amazon. A total of 147 trees were sampled and monitored at three nearby sites in Central Amazon, Brazil. Multivariate analyses of morphology indicated two distinct groups (A and B), which also differed in bark type, each containing subgroups associated with sexual dimorphism. However, a single hermaphroditic individual was observed within group B. As expected, all pistillate plants produced fruits, but 23% of the staminate plants of group B, and 5% of group A also produced fruits. This variation suggests that the sexual systems of both groups are between dioecy and gynodioecy. There was an overlap in flowering phases between the two groups, but the pattern of floral maturation differed. Ecologically, plants of group B were found in more shaded habitats and over sandstone bedrocks, while group A was prevalent in deeper sandy soils as canopy plants. The significances of morphological and environmental differences were tested by a multivariate analysis of variance, and a canonical discriminant analysis assessed the importance of variables. The coexistence in sympatry of two discrete morphological groups in the P. coriacea s.l., with different habitat preferences and reproductive behaviors, indicates they represent distinct species.O objetivo deste estudo foi testar se o complexo de espécies Pagamea coriacea inclui múltiplas espécies, usando evidências morfológicas, ecológicas e de comportamento reprodutivo. Um total de 147 árvores foram amostradas e monitoradas em três locais próximos na Amazônia Central, Brasil. Análises multivariadas de dados morfológicos indicaram dois grupos discretos (A e B), que coincidem com diferenças no tipo de casca, cada um por sua vez com subgrupos que representam dimorfismo sexual. Contudo, um indivíduo distintamente hermafrodita foi encontrado no grupo B. Todas as plantas pistiladas produziram frutos, mas também foram observados frutos para 23% das plantas estaminadas do grupo B, e para 5% das estaminadas do grupo A. Essa variação sugere que ambos grupos possuem um sistema sexual entre dioicia e ginodioicia. Houve sobreposição das fases de floração e frutificação entre os dois grupos, mas o padrão de maturação de flores foi diferente. Quanto ao hábitat, o grupo B predominou em situações de sombra e em solos arenosos rasos sobre lajes de pedra, enquanto o grupo A ocorreu em solos arenosos mais profundos e no dossel da vegetação. A coexistência de dois grupos morfológicos discretos no complexo P. coriacea s.l., com diferenças ecológicas e de comportamento reprodutivo, indica que correspondem a duas espécies distintas

Measurement of Z0 decays to hadrons, and a precise determination of the number of neutrino species

We have made a precise measurement of the cross section for e+e--->Z0-->hadrons with the L3 detector at LEP, covering the range from 88.28 to 95.04 GeV. From a fit to the Z0 mass, total width, and the hadronic cross section to be MZ0=91.160 +/- 0.024 (experiment) +/-0.030(LEP) GeV, [Gamma]Z0=2.539+/-0.054 GeV, and [sigma]h(MZ0)=29.5+/-0.7 nb. We also used the fit to the Z0 peak cross section and the width todetermine [Gamma]invisible=0.548+/-0.029 GeV, which corresponds to 3.29+/-0.17 species of light neutrinos. The possibility of four or more neutrino flavors is thus ruled out at the 4[sigma] confidence level.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28683/3/0000500.pd