Insulin-mediated increases in arterial baroreflex control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity following meal intake in humans [abstract]

Animal studies indicate that insulin enhances arterial baroreflex (ABR) control of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA); however, the extent to which these findings can be extrapolated to humans is unknown. To begin to address this, we utilized a mixed meal as a physiological method to evoke sustained increases in plasma insulin

Interactive Group Learning in the Legal Writing Classroom: An International Primer on Student Collaboration and Cooperation in Large Classrooms

Research has long shown that students who work in small groups learn and retain more than students who are taught by other techniques. This crucial bit of information has led many scholars and educators to explore a variety of models for supporting and involving students in group learning. Part II of this article will provide an overview of the scholarship of collaborative and cooperative learning and the associated definitions and techniques. Part III discusses the application of collaborative and cooperative learning techniques in the law school classroom and special considerations and suggestions for international and large law school classrooms. Finally, Part IV brings together and provides suggestions for collaborative and cooperative learning exercises and techniques for legal writing classrooms. This article concludes that collaborative and cooperative learning prepares law students to successfully meet the challenges of a diverse and changing profession

Application of the speed-duration relationship to normalize the intensity of high-intensity interval training

The tolerable duration of continuous high-intensity exercise is determined by the hyperbolic Speed-tolerable duration (S-tLIM) relationship. However, application of the S-tLIM relationship to normalize the intensity of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has yet to be considered, with this the aim of present study. Subjects completed a ramp-incremental test, and series of 4 constant-speed tests to determine the S-tLIM relationship. A sub-group of subjects (n = 8) then repeated 4 min bouts of exercise at the speeds predicted to induce intolerance at 4 min (WR4), 6 min (WR6) and 8 min (WR8), interspersed with bouts of 4 min recovery, to the point of exercise intolerance (fixed WR HIIT) on different days, with the aim of establishing the work rate that could be sustained for 960 s (i.e. 4×4 min). A sub-group of subjects (n = 6) also completed 4 bouts of exercise interspersed with 4 min recovery, with each bout continued to the point of exercise intolerance (maximal HIIT) to determine the appropriate protocol for maximizing the amount of high-intensity work that can be completed during 4×4 min HIIT. For fixed WR HIIT tLIM of HIIT sessions was 399±81 s for WR4, 892±181 s for WR6 and 1517±346 s for WR8, with total exercise durations all significantly different from each other (P<0.050). For maximal HIIT, there was no difference in tLIM of each of the 4 bouts (Bout 1: 229±27 s; Bout 2: 262±37 s; Bout 3: 235±49 s; Bout 4: 235±53 s; P>0.050). However, there was significantly less high-intensity work completed during bouts 2 (153.5±40. 9 m), 3 (136.9±38.9 m), and 4 (136.7±39.3 m), compared with bout 1 (264.9±58.7 m; P>0.050). These data establish that WR6 provides the appropriate work rate to normalize the intensity of HIIT between subjects. Maximal HIIT provides a protocol which allows the relative contribution of the work rate profile to physiological adaptations to be considered during alternative intensity-matched HIIT protocols

The career decision making of individuals with mild developmental disabilities

Individuals with mild developmental disabilities have traditionally been excluded from full participation in their career decision making due to the stereotyping of their perceived incompetence. This view forms a mind-set or stigma that is recognized as the disability myth. This study initially addressed the vocational development of individuals with mild developmental disabilities. A selected group of seven were identified from a population of 70. These seven had participated in a high school intervention program that was vocationally based and were deemed as most likely to demonstrate vocational maturity. They provided information regarding their vocational development through unstructured interviews. Donald Super speculated that individuals with disabilities could benefit from the existing theories of vocational development; his theory of vocational development described the seven participants. All seven were vocationally mature. All had independent adult status. All were employed and had continuous employment histories. None of the seven were receiving income replacement or benefits from dependency programs, such as, Medicaid, Food Stamps, or Supplemental Security Income. All seven participants had well defined vocational self-concepts and well developed self-concept systems. Super further speculated that persons with disabilities may need a special application of a vocational development theory although not a different one; this conjecture was not applicable to the seven participants. Further research on the applicability of Super's theory should focus on other individuals with mild developmental disabilities who are not employed; those receiving assistance from income replacement or dependency programs should also be studied. Qualitative methods will be essential to conducting these studies. The applicability of his theory to those with other types of disabilities should also be tested. The seven participants seemed to have benefited from the vocationally-based intervention program. The relative benefit of each component of the intervention should be studied

Intramuscular Lipid Metabolism, Insulin Action and Obesity

With the increasing prevalence of obesity, research has focused on the molecular mechanism(s) linking obesity and skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Metabolic alterations within muscle, such as changes in the cellular location of fatty acid transporter proteins, decreased mitochondrial enzyme activity and defects in mitochondrial morphology, likely contribute to obesity and insulin resistance. These defects are thought to play a role in the reduced skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and increased intramuscular lipid (IMCL) accumulation that is apparent with obesity and other insulin resistant states, such as type 2 diabetes. Intramuscular triacylglycerol (IMTG) does not appear to be a ubiquitous marker of insulin resistance, although specific IMCL intermediates such as long-chain fatty acyl-CoAs (LCFA-CoAs), ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG) may inhibit insulin signal transduction. In this review, we will briefly summarize the defects in skeletal muscle lipid metabolism associated with obesity, and discuss proposed mechanisms by which these defects may contribute to insulin resistance. Originally published IUBMB Life, Vol. 6, No. 1, Jan 200

Investigating mechanisms underpinning the detrimental impact of a high-fat diet in the developing and adult hypermuscular myostatin null mouse

Background: Obese adults are prone to develop metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, over-weight expectant mothers give birth to large babies who also have increased likelihood of developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Fundamental advancements to better understand the pathophysiology of obesity are critical in the development of anti-obesity therapies not only for this but also future generations. Skeletal muscle plays a major role in fat metabolism and much work has focused in promoting this activity in order to control the development of obesity. Research has evaluated myostatin inhibition as a strategy to prevent the development of obesity and concluded in some cases that it offers a protective mechanism against a high-fat diet. Results: We hypothesised that myostatin inhibition should protect not only the mother but also its developing foetus from the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet. Unexpectedly, we found muscle development was attenuated in the foetus of myostatin null mice raised on a high-fat diet. We therefore re-examined the effect of the high-fat diet on adults and found myostatin null mice were more susceptible to diet-induced obesity through a mechanism involving impairment of inter-organ fat utilization. Conclusions: Loss of myostatin alters fatty acid uptake and oxidation in skeletal muscle and liver. We show that abnormally high metabolic activity of fat in myostatin null mice is decreased by a high-fat diet resulting in excessive adipose deposition and lipotoxicity. Collectively, our genetic loss-of-function studies offer an explanation of the lean phenotype displayed by a host of animals lacking myostatin signalling. Keywords: Muscle, Obesity, High-fat diet, Metabolism, Myostati

Socio-demographic, behavioural and cognitive correlates of work-related sitting time in German men and women

Background: Sitting time is ubiquitous for most adults in developed countries and is most prevalent in three domains: in the workplace, during transport and during leisure time. The correlates of prolonged sitting time in workplace settings are not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the gender-specific associations between the socio-demographic, behavioural and cognitive correlates of work-related sitting time. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of working German adults (n = 1515; 747 men; 43.5 ± 11.0 years) completed questionnaires regarding domain-specific sitting times and physical activity (PA) and answered statements concerning beliefs about sitting. To identify gender-specific correlates of work-related sitting time, we used a series of linear regressions. Results The overall median was 2 hours of work-related sitting time/day. Regression analyses showed for men (β = -.43) and for women (β = -.32) that work-related PA was negatively associated with work-related sitting time, but leisure-related PA was not a significant correlate. For women only, transport-related PA (β = -.07) was a negative correlate of work-related sitting time, suggesting increased sitting times during work with decreased PA in transport. Education and income levels were positively associated, and in women only, age (β = -.14) had a negative correlation with work-related sitting time. For both genders, TV-related sitting time was negatively associated with work-related sitting time. The only association with cognitive correlates was found in men for the belief ‘Sitting for long periods does not matter to me’ (β = .10) expressing a more positive attitude towards sitting with increasing sitting durations. Conclusions: The present findings show that in particular, higher educated men and women as well as young women are high-risk groups to target for reducing prolonged work-related sitting time. In addition, our findings propose considering increasing transport-related PA, especially in women, as well as promoting recreation-related PA in conjunction with efforts to reduce long work-related sitting times

Endurance or sprint interval exercise, & metformin treatment differently modify insulin-induced vasodilation in skeletal muscle arterioles of obese insulin resistant rats

A key contributor to insulin-mediated glucose uptake is insulin-induced vasodilation of skeletal muscle arterioles, which is impared with obesity and Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Abnormalities in the vascular reactivity to insulin can limit perfusion, and delivery of glucose and insulin to muscle tissue. In human patients with T2D, exercise improves insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake T2D. Furthermore, we have previously shown that daily exercise prevents impairments in insulin-induced vasodilation in OLETF rats. However, the efficacy of exercise interventions which utilize different muscle recruitment patterns (i.e. aerobic vs. sprint training) to ameliorate or reverse impairments in microvascular insulin reactivity has not been elucidated. The current ADA standard of care for T2D is treatment with metformin in combination with a diet and exercise program. Therefore, we studied the effects of endurance exercise and interval sprint training with and without metformin on the vasoreactivity to insulin in skeletal muscle arterioles from red and white muscles

Increased aerobic capacity reduces susceptibility to acute high‐fat diet‐induced weight gain

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134165/1/oby21564.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134165/2/oby21564_am.pd