A Case Study of Muscular Strength, Endurance, and Power Responses to a 6-Week High Intensity Training Program

We evaluated the muscular strength, endurance, and power responses of 12 college students, ranging in age from 19-40 years, who participated in a 6-wk high-intensity training program commonly used to improve muscular endurance. Muscular strength was measured by a one repetition maximum (1RM) bench press test and a 1RM Hammer bench press test; muscular endurance was measured by administering a 70-percent 1RM test to failure on the Hammer bench press; and upper body power was measured by adminstering a medicine ball throw test. We observed a 4.8-percent improvement of 2.7 kg on the bench press, a 14.6-percent improvement of 10.5 kg on the Hammer bench press, a 45.5-percent improvement with an average increase of five repetitions on the submaximal test to failure and an average improvement of ~ 20 percent, 60 cm, for the medicine ball throw. Foe our subjects, a commonly used high-intensity training muscular endurance program resulted in improved performance on tests measuring muscular strength, endurance, and power, and resulted in zero reported injuries during training or assessment procedures.

Effect of high-intensity statin therapy on atherosclerosis in non-infarct-related coronary arteries (IBIS-4): a serial intravascular ultrasonography study

AIM The effect of long-term high-intensity statin therapy on coronary atherosclerosis among patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unknown. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of high-intensity statin therapy on plaque burden, composition, and phenotype in non-infarct-related arteries of STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS Between September 2009 and January 2011, 103 STEMI patients underwent intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) and radiofrequency ultrasonography (RF-IVUS) of the two non-infarct-related epicardial coronary arteries (non-IRA) after successful primary PCI. Patients were treated with high-intensity rosuvastatin (40 mg/day) throughout 13 months and serial intracoronary imaging with the analysis of matched segments was available for 82 patients with 146 non-IRA. The primary IVUS end-point was the change in per cent atheroma volume (PAV). After 13 months, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) had decreased from a median of 3.29 to 1.89 mmol/L (P < 0.001), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels had increased from 1.10 to 1.20 mmol/L (P < 0.001). PAV of the non-IRA decreased by -0.9% (95% CI: -1.56 to -0.25, P = 0.007). Patients with regression in at least one non-IRA were more common (74%) than those without (26%). Per cent necrotic core remained unchanged (-0.05%, 95% CI: -1.05 to 0.96%, P = 0.93) as did the number of RF-IVUS defined thin cap fibroatheromas (124 vs. 116, P = 0.15). CONCLUSION High-intensity rosuvastatin therapy over 13 months is associated with regression of coronary atherosclerosis in non-infarct-related arteries without changes in RF-IVUS defined necrotic core or plaque phenotype among STEMI patients.

Changes of coronary plaque composition correlate with C-reactive protein levels in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction following high-intensity statin therapy.

OBJECTIVES Levels of inflammatory biomarkers associate with changes of coronary atheroma burden in statin-treated patients with stable coronary artery disease. This study sought to determine changes of plaque composition in vivo in relation to high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) receiving high-intensity statin therapy. METHODS The IBIS-4 study performed serial (baseline and 13-month), 2-vessel intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and radiofrequency-IVUS of the non-infarct-related arteries in patients with STEMI treated with high-intensity statin therapy. The present analysis included 44 patients (80 arteries) with serial measurements of hs-CRP. RESULTS At follow-up, median low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels decreased from 126 to 77 mg/dl, HDL-C increased from 44 to 47 mg/dl, and hs-CRP decreased from 1.6 to 0.7 mg/L. Regression of percent atheroma volume (-0.99%, 95% CI -1.84 to -0.14, p = 0.024) was accompanied by reduction of percent fibro-fatty (p = 0.04) and fibrous tissue (p < 0.001), and increase in percent necrotic core (p = 0.006) and dense calcium (p < 0.001). Follow-up levels of hs-CRP, but not LDL-C, correlated with changes in percent necrotic core (p = 0.001) and inversely with percent fibrous tissue volume (p = 0.008). Similarly, baseline-to-follow-up change of hs-CRP correlated with the change in percent necrotic core volume (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS In STEMI patients receiving high-intensity statin therapy, stabilization of VH-IVUS-defined necrotic core was confined to patients with lowest on-treatment levels and greatest reduction of hs-CRP. Elevated CRP levels at follow-up may identify progression of high-risk coronary plaque composition despite intensive statin therapy and overall regression of atheroma volume.

Comparison of clinical and economic outcomes between high-intensity care and hospice care for the end-of-life melanoma patients

The intensity of care for patients at the end-of-life is increasing in recent years. Publications have focused on intensity of care for many cancers, but none on melanoma patients. Substantial gaps exist in knowledge about intensive care and its alternative, hospice care, among the advanced melanoma patients at the end of life. End-of-life care may be used in quite different patterns and induce both intended and unintended clinical and economic consequences. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked databases to identify patients aged 65 years or older with metastatic melanoma who died between 2000 and 2007. We evaluated trends and associations between sociodemographic and health services characteristics and the use of hospice care, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy and costs. Survival, end-of-life costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were evaluated using propensity score methods. Costs were analyzed from the perspective of Medicare in 2009 dollars. In the first journal Article we found increasing use of surgery for patients with metastatic melanoma from 13% in 2000 to 30% in 2007 (P=0.03 for trend), no significant fluctuation in use of chemotherapy (P=0.43) or radiation therapy (P=0.46). Older patients were less likely to receive radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The use of hospice care increased from 61% in 2000 to 79% in 2007 (P =0.07 for trend). Enrollment in short-term (1-3 days) hospice care use increased, while long-term hospice care (≥ 4 days) remained stable. Patients living in the SEER Northeast and South regions were less likely to undergo surgery. Patients enrolled in long-term hospice care used significantly less chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. In the second journal article, of 611 patients identified for this study, 358 (59%) received no hospice care after their diagnosis, 168 (27%) received 1 to 3 days of hospice care, and 85 (14%) received 4 or more days of hospice care. The median survival time was 181 days for patients with no hospice care, 196 days for patients enrolled in hospice for 1 to 3 days, and 300 days for patients enrolled for 4 or more days (log-rank test, P < 0.001). The estimated hazard ratios (HR) between 4 or more days hospice use and survival were similar within the original cohort Cox proportional hazard model (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.49-0.78, P < 0.0001) and the propensity score-matched model (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47-0.78, P = 0.0001). Patients with ≥ 4 days of hospice care incurred lower end-of-life costs than the other two groups ($14,298 versus $19,380 for the 1- to 3-days hospice care, and $24,351 for patients with no hospice care; p < 0.0001). In conclusion, Surgery and hospice care use increased over the years of this study while the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy remained consistent for patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. Patients diagnosed with advanced melanoma who enrolled in ≥ 4 days of hospice care experienced longer survival than those who had 1-3 days of hospice or no hospice care, and this longer overall survival was accompanied by lower end-of-life costs.^

Application of high-intensity short-pulse lasers to the mechanical and surface properties improvement of high reliability metallic components by shock processing

Outline: • Introduction • Process Experimental Setup • Experimental Procedure • Experimental Results for Al2024-T351 and Ti6Al4V - Residual stresses - Tensile Strength - Fatigue Life • Discussion and Outlook - Prospects for technological applications of LSP

Non-Maxwellian electron distributions in time-dependent simulations of low-Z materials illuminated by a high-intensity X-ray laser

The interaction of high intensity X-ray lasers with matter is modeled. A collisional-radiative timedependent module is implemented to study radiation transport in matter from ultrashort and ultraintense X-ray bursts. Inverse bremsstrahlung absorption by free electrons, electron conduction or hydrodynamic effects are not considered. The collisional-radiative system is coupled with the electron distribution evolution treated with a Fokker-Planck approach with additional inelastic terms. The model includes spontaneous emission, resonant photoabsorption, collisional excitation and de-excitation, radiative recombination, photoionization, collisional ionization, three-body recombination, autoionization and dielectronic capture. It is found that for high densities, but still below solid, collisions play an important role and thermalization times are not short enough to ensure a thermal electron distribution. At these densities Maxwellian and non-Maxwellian electron distribution models yield substantial differences in collisional rates, modifying the atomic population dynamics.

High Intensity Lasers Application to Advanced Materials Processing: Laser Peening and Related Processes

High Intensity Lasers Application to Advanced Materials Processing: Laser Peening and Related

High Intensity Low Temperature (HILT) performance of space concentrator GaInP/GaInAs/Ge MJ SCs

In the work, the results of an investigation of GaInP/GaInAs/Ge MJ SCs intended for converting concentrated solar radiation, when operating at low temperatures (down to -190 degrees C) are presented. A kink of the cell I-V characteristic has been observed in the region close to V-oc starting from -20 degrees C at operation under concentrated sunlight. The causes for its occurrence have been analyzed and the reasons for formation of a built-in potential barrier for majority charge carriers at the n-GaInP/n-Ge isotype hetero-interface are discussed. The effect of charge carrier transport in n-GaInP/n-p Ge heterostructures on MJ SC output characteristics at low temperatures has been studied including EL technique.

Cardiometabolic responses to a battling rope high intensity interval training protocol

Trata de una conferencia invitada que ganó premio a la mejor comunicación científica.

Analysis of thermo-mechanical stress effects on CPV receiver under high intensity light cycles

After construction of the LYSS (Light cYcling Stressing Source) in early 2014, several CPV receivers, with and without secondary optical element (SOE) have been aged under fast transient illumination cycling,. The test plan for Madrid consisted of 50000 cycles. Receivers with poor heat spreaders showed low reliability but those with thicker metal layers passed the test well. The operation of LYSS along 8 months, after more than 250000 cycles, did not show any significant failure, except lamp reposition every 120 hours, in average. The equipment seems valid for unveiling weak receiver designs with respect to intensive illumination, in steady and transient modes.