An exploration of insomnia, its correlates and psychological treatment options in younger and older adults, and in post stroke survivors

Background: Previous research has found an association between loneliness and insomnia however it is unclear if this link exists within a student population and if so, whether it is mediated by feelings of anxiety and depression. This study explores this further. Methods: Secondary data was analysed on 1117 undergraduate students, across 6 UK Universities, who had completed self-report measures of insomnia, loneliness, anxiety, and depression Results: A moderate association (r=-.388, p<.001) was found between loneliness and insomnia. Multiple regression indicated that depression fully mediated the relationship between loneliness and insomnia, whilst there was no mediating effect of anxiety. Conclusion: Students with symptoms of insomnia and loneliness are likely to experience symptoms of depression although not necessarily anxiety. Although loneliness is not classed as a psychiatric disorder, treating symptoms of depression may benefit those with complaints of loneliness and insomnia since a reduction in depression may indirectly reduce these symptoms too

A perspective on trends in Australian government spending

This paper provides a summary of trends in government spending, revealing strong growth in government spending and the size of government, particularly over the past four years. It also discusses the distribution and sustainability of spending and notes the importance of high quality spending and flexibility in resource allocation in responding to future pressures

Pole dancing for fitness: The physiological and metabolic demand of a 60-minute class

Nicholas, JC, McDonald, KA, Peeling, P, Jackson, B, Dimmock, JA, Alderson, JA, and Donnelly, CJ. Pole dancing for fitness: The physiological and metabolic demand of a 60-minute class. J Strength Cond Res 33(10): 2704–2710, 2019—Little is understood about the acute physiological or metabolic demand of pole dancing classes. As such, the aims of this study were to quantify the demands of a standardized recreational pole dancing class, classifying outcomes according to American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise-intensity guidelines, and to explore differences in physiological and metabolic measures between skill- and routine-based class components. Fourteen advanced-level amateur female pole dancers completed three 60-minute standardized pole dancing classes. In one class, participants were fitted with a portable metabolic analysis unit. Overall, classes were performed at a mean Vo2 of 16.0 ml·kg−1·min−1, total energy cost (EC) of 281.6 kcal (4.7 kcal·min−1), metabolic equivalent (METs) of 4.6, heart rate of 131 b·min−1, rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of 6.3/10, and blood lactate of 3.1 mM. When comparing skill- and routine-based components of the class, EC per minute (4.4 vs. 5.3 kcal·min−1), peak Vo2 (21.5 vs. 29.6 ml·kg−1·min−1), METs (4.3 vs. 5.2), and RPE (7.2 vs. 8.4) were all greater in the routine-based component (p \u3c 0.01), indicating that classes with an increased focus on routine-based training, as compared to skill-based training, may benefit those seeking to exercise at a higher intensity level, resulting in greater caloric expenditure. In accordance with ASCM guidelines, an advanced-level 60-minute pole dancing class can be classified as a moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise; when completed for ≥ 30 minutes, ≥ 5 days per week (total ≥ 150 minutes) satisfies the recommended level of exercise for improved health and cardiorespiratory fitness

Pole dancing for fitness: The physiological and metabolic demand of a 60-minute class

Nicholas, JC, McDonald, KA, Peeling, P, Jackson, B, Dimmock, JA, Alderson, JA, and Donnelly, CJ. Pole dancing for fitness: The physiological and metabolic demand of a 60-minute class. J Strength Cond Res 33(10): 2704–2710, 2019—Little is understood about the acute physiological or metabolic demand of pole dancing classes. As such, the aims of this study were to quantify the demands of a standardized recreational pole dancing class, classifying outcomes according to American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise-intensity guidelines, and to explore differences in physiological and metabolic measures between skill- and routine-based class components. Fourteen advanced-level amateur female pole dancers completed three 60-minute standardized pole dancing classes. In one class, participants were fitted with a portable metabolic analysis unit. Overall, classes were performed at a mean Vo2 of 16.0 ml·kg−1·min−1, total energy cost (EC) of 281.6 kcal (4.7 kcal·min−1), metabolic equivalent (METs) of 4.6, heart rate of 131 b·min−1, rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of 6.3/10, and blood lactate of 3.1 mM. When comparing skill- and routine-based components of the class, EC per minute (4.4 vs. 5.3 kcal·min−1), peak Vo2 (21.5 vs. 29.6 ml·kg−1·min−1), METs (4.3 vs. 5.2), and RPE (7.2 vs. 8.4) were all greater in the routine-based component (p \u3c 0.01), indicating that classes with an increased focus on routine-based training, as compared to skill-based training, may benefit those seeking to exercise at a higher intensity level, resulting in greater caloric expenditure. In accordance with ASCM guidelines, an advanced-level 60-minute pole dancing class can be classified as a moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise; when completed for ≥ 30 minutes, ≥ 5 days per week (total ≥ 150 minutes) satisfies the recommended level of exercise for improved health and cardiorespiratory fitness

Non-linear hierarchy of the quorum sensing signalling pathway in bloodstream form African trypanosomes.

Trypanosoma brucei, the agents of African trypanosomiasis, undergo density-dependent differentiation in the mammalian bloodstream to prepare for transmission by tsetse flies. This involves the generation of cell-cycle arrested, quiescent, stumpy forms from proliferative slender forms. The signalling pathway responsible for the quorum sensing response has been catalogued using a genome-wide selective screen, providing a compendium of signalling protein kinases phosphatases, RNA binding proteins and hypothetical proteins. However, the ordering of these components is unknown. To piece together these components to provide a description of how stumpy formation arises we have used an extragenic suppression approach. This exploited a combinatorial gene knockout and overexpression strategy to assess whether the loss of developmental competence in null mutants of pathway components could be compensated by ectopic expression of other components. We have created null mutants for three genes in the stumpy induction factor signalling pathway (RBP7, YAK, MEKK1) and evaluated complementation by expression of RBP7, NEK17, PP1-6, or inducible gene silencing of the proposed differentiation inhibitor TbTOR4. This indicated that the signalling pathway is non-linear. Phosphoproteomic analysis focused on one pathway component, a putative MEKK, identified molecules with altered expression and phosphorylation profiles in MEKK1 null mutants, including another component in the pathway, NEK17. Our data provide a first molecular dissection of multiple components in a signal transduction cascade in trypanosomes