Keeping it off: the challenge of weight-loss maintenance

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Numerical simulation of unsteady viscous flows

Most unsteady viscous flows may be grouped into two categories, i.e., forced and self-sustained oscillations. Examples of forced oscillations occur in turbomachinery and in internal combustion engines while self-sustained oscillations prevail in vortex shedding, inlet buzz, and wing flutter. Numerical simulation of these phenomena was achieved due to the advancement of vector processor computers. Recent progress in the simulation of unsteady viscous flows is addressed

The effectiveness of a weight maintenance intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity: a single stranded study

Background: The evidence base for weight management programmes incorporating a weight loss and a weight maintenance phase for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) is limited. This study describes the weight maintenance phase of a multicomponent weight management programme for adults with intellectual disability and obesity (TAKE 5). Materials and Methods: Thirty-one participants who had completed the 16 week TAKE five weight loss intervention (Phase I) were invited to participate in a 12 month weight maintenance intervention (Phase II). Content included recommendations of the National Weight Control Registry. Results: Twenty-eight participants completed Phase II with 50.4% maintaining their weight (mean weight change −0.5 kg, SD 2.2), 28.7% gaining weight (mean weight gain 5.4 kg, SD 2.2) and 21.6% losing weight (mean weight loss −8.0 kg, SD 3.0) at 12 months. Conclusion: Further research is justified to investigate the efficacy of weight loss maintenance interventions in adults with intellectual disability and obesity, using controlled study designs

Design and Synthesis of Non-estrogenic Bisphenol A Mimics from Renewable Feedstocks

Undergraduate Basi

CAM Modalities Can Stimulate Advances in Theoretical Biology

Most complementary medicine is distinguished by not being supported by underlying theory accepted by Western science. However, for those who accept their validity, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities offer clues to understanding physiology and medicine more deeply. Ayurveda and vibrational medicine are stimulating new approaches to biological regulation. The new biophysics can be integrated to yield a single consistent theory, which may well underly much of CAM—a true ‘physics of physick’. The resulting theory seems to be a new, fundamental theory of health and etiology. It suggests that many CAM approaches to health care are scientifically in advance of those based on current Western biology. Such theories may well constitute the next steps in our scientific understanding of biology itself. If successfully developed, these ideas could result in a major paradigm shift in both biology and medicine, which will benefit all interested parties—consumers, health professionals, scientists, institutions and governments

Effects of moderate weight loss on anginal symptoms and indices of coagulation and fibrinolysis in overweight patients with angina pectoris

Objective: To evaluate the effects of moderate weight loss, in overweight patients with angina, on plasma coagulation, fibrinolytic indicies and pain frequency. Design: Single- stranded 12-week dietary intervention, an individualised eating plan with quantitative advice delivered by a dietitian. Target weight loss of 0.5 kg per week. Setting: Outpatient research clinic. Subjects: Fifty-four volunteers with angina pectoris were recruited. Five subjects withdrew, so 27 males, 22 females, mean body mass index (BMI) 29.3 (s.d. 4.3) kg/m(2) and age 60.3 (s.d. 6.5) y completed the intervention. Measurements: Body weight and frequency of anginal pain. Plasma fibrinogen, red cell aggregation (RCA), viscosity, factor VII activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity, tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA), plasma cholesterol, triglyceride and insulin. Results: After the 12-week dietary intervention period, mean body weight fell by 3.5 (s.d. 2.6) kg or 4.3% (P = 0.0001), range -11.7 to +1.7 kg. Mean angina frequency fell by 1.8 (s.d. 3.6) from 3.2 to 1.4 episodes/week (P = 0.009) and plasma cholesterol by 0.4 (s.d. 0.7) from 6.3 to 5.9 mmol/1 (P = 0.0001). HDL cholesterol and triglyceride were unchanged. Of the coagulation and fibrinolytic factors, factor VII activity and RCA were significantly reduced by 5 (s.d. 20), IU/dl (P = 0.04) and 1.3 (s.d. 1.3) arbitrary units (P = 0.014), respectively. Conclusions: A conventional dietetic intervention, resulting in 4% weight loss, offers the potential to reduce atherosclerotic and thrombotic risk, and to reduce pain frequency, in angina patients. Given the importance of this result in a public health context, these results indicate that this may be a fruitful area for future nutrition research

Eating the elephant whole or in slices: views of participants in a smoking cessation intervention trial on multiple behaviour changes as sequential or concurrent tasks

Background: This paper explores smoking cessation participants’ perceptions of attempting weight management alongside smoking cessation within the context of a health improvement intervention implemented in Glasgow, Scotland. <p/>Methods: One hundred and thirty-eight participants were recruited from smoking cessation classes in areas of multiple deprivation in Glasgow and randomised to intervention, receiving dietary advice, or to control groups. The primary outcome of the study was to determine the % change in body weight. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 intervention and 15 control participants at weeks 6 (during the intervention) and 24 (at the end of the intervention). The current paper, though predominantly qualitative, links perceptions of behaviour modification to % weight change and cessation rates at week 24 thereby enabling a better understanding of the mediators influencing multiple behaviour change. <p/>Results: Our findings suggest that participants who perceive separate behaviour changes as part of a broader approach to a healthier lifestyle, and hence attempt behaviour changes concurrently, may be at comparative advantage in positively achieving dual outcomes. <p/>Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to assess participants’ preference for attempting multiple behaviour changes sequentially or simultaneously in addition to assessing their readiness to change. Further testing of this hypothesis is warranted