Comparison of a Barbell Weight Training Program to a Universal Gym Weight Training Program on the Development of Leg Strength in Secondary School Boys

In the United States over the past few years a great number of conditioning machines have been purchased by schools, clubs, hospitals and private citizens to supplement or replace barbell weight training equipment. Some reasons given for the recent popularity of the new weight training machines over the more conventional barbells are that they: provide greater safety, save time, and do the job as well or better than conventional barbells. Studies showing strength increase involving barbell weight training, or isotonic training, as well as those involving isometric training have been quite popular. Yet despite the many studies there appears to be a lack of information on the comparison of a barbell weight training program and a weight training program which utilizes a conditioning machine such as the universal gym. Due to the lack of information on comparing the barbell weight training program and the conditioning machine weight training program the author believes this study will be of value as a source of information pertaining to the comparison of the similar yet different weight lifting programs

B cells are capable of independently eliciting rapid reactivation of encephalitogenic CD4 T cells in a murine model of multiple sclerosis

<div><p>Recent success with B cell depletion therapies has revitalized efforts to understand the pathogenic role of B cells in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Using the adoptive transfer system of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of MS, we have previously shown that mice in which B cells are the only MHCII-expressing antigen presenting cell (APC) are susceptible to EAE. However, a reproducible delay in the day of onset of disease driven by exclusive B cell antigen presentation suggests that B cells require optimal conditions to function as APCs in EAE. In this study, we utilize an <i>in vivo</i> genetic system to conditionally and temporally regulate expression of MHCII to test the hypothesis that B cell APCs mediate attenuated and delayed neuroinflammatory T cell responses during EAE. Remarkably, induction of MHCII on B cells following the transfer of encephalitogenic CD4 T cells induced a rapid and robust form of EAE, while no change in the time to disease onset occurred for recipient mice in which MHCII is induced on a normal complement of APC subsets. Changes in CD4 T cell activation over time did not account for more rapid onset of EAE symptoms in this new B cell-mediated EAE model. Our system represents a novel model to study how the timing of pathogenic cognate interactions between lymphocytes facilitates the development of autoimmune attacks within the CNS.</p></div

A Storage Ring based Option for the LHeC

The LHeC aims at the generation of hadron-lepton collisions with center of mass energies in the TeV scale and luminosities of the order of $10^{32}-10^{33} cm^{-2} sec^{-1}$ by taking advantage of the existing LHC 7 TeV proton ring and adding a high energy electron accelerator. This paper presents technical considerations and potential parameter choices for such a machine and outlines some of the challenges arising when an electron storage ring based option, constructed within the existing infrastructure of the LHC, is chosen

A predictive model for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalisation of premature infants born at 33–35 weeks of gestational age, based on data from the Spanish FLIP study

Background: The aim of this study, conducted in Europe, was to develop a validated risk factor based model to predict RSV-related hospitalisation in premature infants born 33-35 weeks' gestational age (GA). Methods: The predictive model was developed using risk factors captured in the Spanish FLIP dataset, a case-control study of 183 premature infants born between 33-35 weeks' GA who were hospitalised with RSV, and 371 age-matched controls. The model was validated internally by 100-fold bootstrapping. Discriminant function analysis was used to analyse combinations of risk factors to predict RSV hospitalisation. Successive models were chosen that had the highest probability for discriminating between hospitalised and non-hospitalised infants. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. Results: An initial 15 variable model was produced with a discriminant function of 72% and an area under the ROC curve of 0.795. A step-wise reduction exercise, alongside recalculations of some variables, produced a final model consisting of 7 variables: birth +/- 10 weeks of start of season, birth weight, breast feeding for = 2 years, family members with atopy, family members with wheeze, and gender. The discrimination of this model was 71% and the area under the ROC curve was 0.791. At the 0.75 sensitivity intercept, the false positive fraction was 0.33. The 100-fold bootstrapping resulted in a mean discriminant function of 72% (standard deviation: 2.18) and a median area under the ROC curve of 0.785 (range: 0.768-0.790), indicating a good internal validation. The calculated NNT for intervention to treat all at risk patients with a 75% level of protection was 11.7 (95% confidence interval: 9.5-13.6). Conclusion: A robust model based on seven risk factors was developed, which is able to predict which premature infants born between 33-35 weeks' GA are at highest risk of hospitalisation from RSV. The model could be used to optimise prophylaxis with palivizumab across Europe

Effects of red blood cell transfusion on patients undergoing cardiac surgery in Queensland – a retrospective cohort study

Background: Packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion is a relatively safe and mainstay treatment commonly used in cardiac surgical patients. However, there is limited evidence on clinical effects of transfusing blood nearing end-of shelf life that has undergone biochemical changes during storage. Objective: To investigate evidence of associations between morbidity/mortality and transfusion of blood near end of shelf-life (> 35 days) in cardiac surgical patients. Methods: Data from the Queensland Health Admitted Patient Data Collection database 2007–2013 was retrospectively analysed. Coronary artery bypass graft and valvular repair patients were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the effect of pRBC age ( 4) were supported

Palliation of heart failure: value-based supportive care

Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent condition associated with poor quality-of-life and high symptom burden. As patients reach ceilings of survival-extending interventions, their priorities may be more readily addressed through the support of palliative care services; however, the best model of care remains unestablished. We aimed to create and evaluate a cospeciality cross-boundary service model for patients with HF that better provides for their palliative care needs in the latter stages of life, while delivering a more cost-effective patient journey. Methods: In 2016, the Heart Failure Supportive Care Service (HFSCS) was established to provide patient-centred holistic support to patients with advanced HF. Patient experience questionnaires were developed and distributed in mid-2018 and end-of-2020. Indexed hospital admission data (in-patient bed days pre-referral/post-referral) were used allowing statistical comparisons by paired t-tests. Results: From 2016–2020, 236 patients were referred to the HFSCS. Overall, 75/118 questionnaires were returned. Patients felt that the HFSCS delivered compassionate care (84%) that improved symptoms and quality of life (80% and 65%). Introduction of the HFSCS resulted in a reduction in HF-related admissions: actual days 18.3 to 4 days (p<0.001), indexed days 0.05 to 0.032 days (p=0.03). Cost mapping revealed an estimated average saving of at least £10 218.36 per referral and a total estimated cost saving of approximately £2.4 million over 5 years. Conclusion: This service demonstrates that a cospeciality cross-boundary method of care delivery successfully provides the benefits of palliative care to patients with HF in a value-based manner, while meeting the priorities of care that matter to patients most

On the fate of the secondary white dwarf in double-degenerate double-detonation Type Ia supernovae

The progenitor systems and explosion mechanism of Type Ia supernovae are still unknown. Currently favoured progenitors include double-degenerate systems consisting of two carbon-oxygen white dwarfs with thin helium shells. In the double-detonation scenario, violent accretion leads to a helium detonation on the more massive primary white dwarf that turns into a carbon detonation in its core and explodes it. We investigate the fate of the secondary white dwarf, focusing on changes of the ejecta and observables of the explosion if the secondary explodes as well rather than survives. We simulate a binary system of a $1.05\,M_\odot$ and a $0.7\,M_\odot$ carbon-oxygen white dwarf with $0.03\,M_\odot$ helium shells each. We follow the system self-consistently from inspiral to ignition, through the explosion, to synthetic observables. We confirm that the primary white dwarf explodes self-consistently. The helium detonation around the secondary white dwarf, however, fails to ignite a carbon detonation. We restart the simulation igniting the carbon detonation in the secondary white dwarf by hand and compare the ejecta and observables of both explosions. We find that the outer ejecta at $v>15000\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}}$ are indistinguishable. Light curves and spectra are very similar until $\sim 40$d after explosion and the ejecta are much more spherical than for violent merger models. The inner ejecta differ significantly which slows down the decline rate of the bolometric light curve after maximum of the model with a secondary explosion by about 20 per cent. We expect future synthetic 3D nebular spectra to confirm or rule out either model.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, submitted to MNRAS, comments welcom

Planned Marketing Adaptation and Multinationals' Choices Between Acquisitions and Greenfields

International marketing studies have extensively examined the antecedents of firms' marketing standardization/ adaptation decisions. However, it is unclear whether such decisions, once planned, codetermine the choice between buying and building foreign subsidiaries. Analyzing a sample of 150 foreign entries by Dutch firms, the authors find that the level of marketing adaptation planned for a wholly owned subsidiary is positively related to the likelihood that the subsidiary will be established through an acquisition rather than through a greenfield investment. Moreover, the authors find substantial evidence that this positive relationship is stronger for firms that (1) are establishing relatively larger subsidiaries, (2) have less experience with the industry entered, or (3) are entering less developed countries. The findings show that firms pursuing higher levels of marketing adaptation assign more value to the marketing adaptation advantages of acquisitions over greenfields, especially if the risks associated with implementing the planned adaptation level are high. In addition, firms typically strive for a fit between their international marketing strategy and their mode of foreign establishment. (authors' abstract

Biological, clinical and population relevance of 95 loci for blood lipids.

Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides are among the most important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and are targets for therapeutic intervention. We screened the genome for common variants associated with plasma lipids in &gt;100,000 individuals of European ancestry. Here we report 95 significantly associated loci (P &lt; 5 x 10(-8)), with 59 showing genome-wide significant association with lipid traits for the first time. The newly reported associations include single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near known lipid regulators (for example, CYP7A1, NPC1L1 and SCARB1) as well as in scores of loci not previously implicated in lipoprotein metabolism. The 95 loci contribute not only to normal variation in lipid traits but also to extreme lipid phenotypes and have an impact on lipid traits in three non-European populations (East Asians, South Asians and African Americans). Our results identify several novel loci associated with plasma lipids that are also associated with CAD. Finally, we validated three of the novel genes-GALNT2, PPP1R3B and TTC39B-with experiments in mouse models. Taken together, our findings provide the foundation to develop a broader biological understanding of lipoprotein metabolism and to identify new therapeutic opportunities for the prevention of CAD