The effect of ß-alanine on buffering capacity and exercise performance during and following high-intensity exercise in healthy males

Introduction Intense exercise induced acidosis occurs from the accumulation of hydrogen ions as by-products of anaerobic metabolism. Oral ingestion of ß-alanine, a limiting precursor of the intracellular physiochemical buffer carnosine in skeletal muscle, may counteract any detrimental effect of acidosis and benefit performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ß-alanine as an ergogenic aid during high intensity exercise performance in healthy males. Methods Five males ingested either ß-alanine (BAl) (4.8 g.d-1 for 4wk, then 6.4 g.d-1 for 2wk) or placebo (Pl) (CaCO3) in a crossover design with 6 wk washout between. Following supplementation, participants performed two different intense exercise protocols over consecutive days. On the first day a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test of 5 x 6s, with 24s rest periods, was performed. On the second day a cycling capacity test measuring the time to exhaustion (TTE) was performed at 110% of their max workload achieved in a pre supplementation max test (CCT110%). Non-invasive quantification of carnosine, prior to, and following each supplementation, with magnetic resonance spectrometry was performed in the soleus and gastrocnemius. Time to fatigue (CCT110%), peak and mean power (RSA), blood pH, and plasma lactate were measured. Results Muscle carnosine concentration was not different prior to ß-alanine supplementation and increased 18% in the soleus and 26% in the gastrocnemius, respectively with 6 wk supplementation. There was no difference in the measured performance variables during the RSA test (peak and average power output). TTE during the CCT110% was significantly enhanced following the ingestion of BAl (155s ± 19.03) compared to Pl (134s ± 26.16). No changes were observed in blood pH during either exercise protocol and during the recovery from exercise. Plasma lactate in the BAl condition was significantly higher than Pl only from the 15th minute following exercise during the CCT110%. FIG. 1: Changes in carnosine concentration in the gastrocnemius prior and post 6 week chronic supplementation of placebo and β-alanine. Values expressed as mean.* p<0.05 from Pl at 6 weeks, # p<0.05 from pre supplementation. Conclusion/Discussion Greater muscle carnosine content following 6wk supplementation of ß-alanine enhanced the potential for intracellular buffering capacity. However, this only translated into enhanced performance during the CCT110% high intensity cycling exercise protocol, with no change observed during the RSA test. No differences in post exercise and recovery plasma lactates and blood pH, indicates that 6wks ß-alanine supplementation has no effect on anaerobic metabolism during multiple bout high intensity exercise. Changes in plasma lactate during recovery supports that ß-alanine supplementation may affect anaerobic metabolism however during single bout high intensity.

The effect of ß-alanine on buffering capacity and exercise performance during and following high-intensity exercise in healthy males

Intense exercise induced acidosis occurs after accumulation of hydrogen ions as by-products of anaerobic metabolism. Oral ingestion of ß-alanine, a limiting precursor of the intracellular physiochemical buffer carnosine in skeletal muscle, may counteract detrimental effects of acidosis and benefit performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ß-alanine as an ergogenic aid during high intensity exercise performance. Five healthy males ingested either ß-alanine or placebo (Pl) (CaCO3) in a crossover design with 6 wk washout between. Participants performed two different intense exercise protocols over consecutive days. On the first day a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test was performed. On the second day a cycling capacity test measuring the time to exhaustion (TTE) was performed at 110% of maximum workload achieved in a pre supplementation max test (CCT110%). Non-invasive quantification of carnosine, prior to, and following each supplementation, with in vivo magnetic resonance spectrometry was performed in the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle. Time to fatigue (CCT110%), peak and mean power (RSA), blood pH, and plasma lactate were measured. Muscle carnosine concentration was not different prior to ß-alanine supplementation and increased 18% in the soleus and 26% in the gastrocnemius, respectively after supplementation. There was no difference in the measured performance variables during the RSA test (peak and average power output). TTE during the CCT110% was significantly enhanced following the ingestion of BAl (155s ± 19.03) compared to Pl (134s ± 26.16). No changes were observed in blood pH during either exercise protocol and during the recovery from exercise. Plasma lactate after BAI was significantly higher than Pl only from the 15th minute following exercise during the CCT110%. Greater muscle carnosine content following 6wk supplementation of ß-alanine enhanced the potential for intracellular buffering capacity. This translated into enhanced performance during the CCT110% high intensity cycling exercise protocol but not during the RSA test. The lack of change in plasma lactate or blood pH indicates that 6wks ß-alanine supplementation has no effect on anaerobic metabolism during multiple-bout high-intensity exercise. Changes measured in plasma lactate during recovery support the hypothesis that ß-alanine supplementation may affect anaerobic metabolism particularly during single bout high intensity.

Duty to the court and the administration of justice : some examples, implications and clarifications

No liberal democracy can survive without popular trust in its judicial system. The legal profession and the judiciary enjoy a level of independence and autonomy from the executive that makes them both powerful and privileged. A UNIQUE AND ORGANIC DUTY: So long as the courts are seen to fulfil their duty to guard against encroachments by the executive on the freedoms and rights of individual citizens with integrity and credibility, they maintain enough public support to retain their normative authority. But support for those with power and privilege is easily undermined. It is contingent upon trust. Lawyers who breach that trust in ways that go to the heart of the legal system ought to expect to be made examples of and to suffer severe penalties. The good news is that the sorts of breach discussed here should be neither difficult to anticipate nor to avoid – in theory. In practice, smart and honest lawyers sometimes fall foul of these duties for all sorts of understandable (if not condonable) reasons. Law does not get practised in a social or cultural vacuum. Lawyers are people, and people have weaknesses, failings and stresses...

The psychology of containment : mis/representing emotional and behavioural difficulties in Australian schools

The number of students in special schools has increased at a rapid rate in some Australian states, due in part to increased enrolment under the categories of emotional disturbance (ED) and behaviour disorder (BD). Nonetheless, diagnostic distinctions between ED and BD are unclear. Moreover, despite international findings that students with particular backgrounds are over-represented in special schools, little is known about the backgrounds of students entering such settings in Australia. This study examined the government school enrolment data from New South Wales, the most populous of the Australian states. Linear and quadratic trends were used to describe the numbers and ages of students enrolled in special schools in the ED and BD categories. Changes between 1997 and 2007 were observed. Results showed an over-representation of boys that increased across the decade and a different pattern across age for boys and girls. Consistent with international findings, these results indicate that trends in special school placements are unrelated to disability prevalence in the population. Rather, it is suggested that schools act to preserve time and resources for others by removing their more challenging students: most typically, boys.

The influence of psychosocial factors on expectations and persistent symptom report after mild traumatic brain injury

This thesis examines how psychosocial factors influence the report of persistent symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury. Using quasi-experimental methods, the research program demonstrates how factors unrelated to trauma-induced physiological brain damage can contribute to persistent symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury. The results of this thesis highlight the possibility that outcome from mild traumatic brain injury could be improved by targeting psychosocial factors.

Supporting the needs of public health decision-makers and review authors in the UK

Introduction Systematic reviews, through the synthesis of multiple primary research studies, can be powerful tools in enabling evidence-informed public health policy debate, development and action. In seeking to optimize the utility of these reviews, it is important to understand the needs of those using them. Previous work has emphasized that researchers should adopt methods that are appropriate to the problems that public health decision-makers are grappling with, as well as to the policy context in which they operate.1,2 Meeting these demands poses significant methodological challenges for review authors and prompts a reconsideration of the resources, training and support structures available to facilitate the efficient and timely production of useful, comprehensive reviews. The Cochrane Public Health Group (CPHG) was formed in 2008 to support reviews of complex, upstream public health topics. The majority of CPHG authors are from the UK, which has historically been at the forefront of efforts to promote the production and use of systematic reviews of research relevant to public health decision-makers. The UK therefore provides a suitably mature national context in which to examine (i) the current and future demands of decision-makers to increase the use, value and impact of evidence syntheses; (ii) the implications this has for the scope and methods of reviews and (iii) the required action to build and support capacity to conduct such reviews.

The role of δ-opioid receptors in learning and memory underlying the development of addiction

Opioids are important endogenous ligands that exist in both invertebrates and vertebrates and signal by activation of opioid receptors to produce analgesia and reward or pleasure. The μ-opioid receptor is the best known of the opioid receptors and mediates the acute analgesic effects of opiates, while the δ-opioid receptor (DOR) has been less well studied and has been linked to effects that follow from chronic use of opiates such as stress, inflammation and anxiety. Recently, DORs have been shown to play an essential role in emotions and increasing evidence points to a role in learning actions and outcomes. The process of learning and memory in addiction has been proposed to involve strengthening of specific brain circuits when a drug is paired with a context or environment. The DOR is highly expressed in the hippocampus, amygdala, striatum and other basal ganglia structures known to participate in learning and memory. In this review, we will focus on the role of the DOR and its potential role in learning and memory underlying the development of addiction.

FGF-2 induces the proliferation of human periodontal ligament cells and modulates their osteoblastic phenotype by affecting Runx2 expression in the presence and absence of osteogenic inducers

The exact phenotype of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) remains a controversial area. Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF‑2) exhibits various functions and its effect on hPDLCs is also controversial. Therefore, the present study examined the effect of FGF‑2 on the growth and osteoblastic phenotype of hPDLCs with or without osteogenic inducers (dexamethasone and β‑glycerophosphate). FGF‑2 was added to defined growth culture medium and osteogenic inductive culture medium. Cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and mineralization were measured. The selected differentiation markers, Runx2, collagen type Ⅰ, α1 (Col1a1), osteocalcin (OCN) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), were investigated by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR). Runx2 and OCN protein expression was measured by western blotting. FGF‑2 significantly increased the proliferation of hPDLCs, but did not affect alkaline phosphatase activity. RT‑qPCR analysis revealed enhanced mRNA expression of Runx2, OCN and EGFR, but suppressed Col1a1 gene expression in the absence of osteogenic inducers, whereas all these gene levels had no clear trend in their presence. The Runx2 protein expression was clearly increased, but the OCN protein level showed no evident trend. The mineralization assay demonstrated that FGF‑2 inhibited mineralized matrix deposition with osteogenic inducers. These results suggested that FGF‑2 induces the growth of immature hPDLCs, which is a competitive inhibitor of epithelial downgrowth, and suppresses their differentiation into mineralized tissue by affecting Runx2 expression. Therefore, this may lead to the acceleration of periodontal regeneration.

The favelas through the lenses of photographers: Photojournalism from community and mainstream media organisations

Photographers from community and mainstream media organisations bring the everyday of favela communities to the attention of Rio de Janeiro’s society from different perspectives. While mainstream photojournalists mainly report on favelas from outside to inside, denouncing wrongdoings and human rights abuses, community photographers do it from the opposite direction, from inside to outside, presenting images of the everyday life of favela communities. This paper takes an ethnographic and discursive approach to comparing these two categories of photographers to ask how their different practices can yield benefits for the people living in marginalised communities. Furthermore, by adapting Foucault and Bourdieu’s theories, this study examines photographers’ habitus so as to determine how cultural capital and economic capital that they possess shape their subjectivity and, as such, the fields of community and mainstream photojournalism. This study has no intention of creating polarised distinctions between community and mainstream photojournalism. Instead, the research aims, through the investigation of the working practices, identities, and discourses of photographers from community and mainstream media organisations, to identify the activities and limitations of both community and mainstream in order to build an understanding about how the media ecology works best within both.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to childhood and maternal undernutrition in South Africa in 2000

OBJECTIVES To estimate the disease burden attributable to being underweight as an indicator of undernutrition in children under 5 years of age and in pregnant women for the year 2000. DESIGN World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. The 1999 National Food Consumption Survey prevalence of underweight classified in three low weight-for-age categories was compared with standard growth charts to estimate population-attributable fractions for mortality and morbidity outcomes, based on increased risk for each category and applied to revised burden of disease estimates for South Africa in 2000. Maternal underweight, leading to an increased risk of intra-uterine growth retardation and further risk of low birth weight (LBW), was also assessed using the approach adopted by the global assessment. Monte Carlo simulation-modeling techniques were used for the uncertainty analysis. SETTING South Africa. SUBJECTS Children under 5 years of age and pregnant women. OUTCOME MEASURES Mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from protein- energy malnutrition and a fraction of those from diarrhoeal disease, pneumonia, malaria, other non- HIV/AIDS infectious and parasitic conditions in children aged 0 - 4 years, and LBW. RESULTS Among children under 5 years, 11.8% were underweight. In the same age group, 11,808 deaths (95% uncertainty interval 11,100 - 12,642) or 12.3% (95% uncertainty interval 11.5 - 13.1%) were attributable to being underweight. Protein-energy malnutrition contributed 44.7% and diarrhoeal disease 29.6% of the total attributable burden. Childhood and maternal underweight accounted for 2.7% (95% uncertainty interval 2.6 - 2.9%) of all DALYs in South Africa in 2000 and 10.8% (95% uncertainty interval 10.2 - 11.5%) of DALYs in children under 5. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that reduction of the occurrence of underweight would have a substantial impact on child mortality, and also highlights the need to monitor this important indicator of child health.

How European public sector agencies innovate: The use of bottom-up, policy-dependent and knowledge-scanning innovation methods

Factor and cluster analysis are used to identify different methods that public sector agencies in Europeuse to innovate, based on data from a 2010 survey of 3273 agencies. The analyses identify three types ofinnovative agencies: bottom-up, knowledge-scanning, and policy-dependent. The distribution of bottom-up agencies across European countries is positively correlated with average per capita incomes while thedistribution of knowledge-scanning agencies is negatively correlated with income. In contrast, there isno consistent pattern by country in the distribution of policy-dependent agencies. Regression resultsthat control for agency characteristics find that innovation methods are significantly correlated with thebeneficial outcomes of innovation, with bottom-up and knowledge-scanning agencies out-performingpolicy-dependent agencies.

The role of design in the future of digital channels: Conceptual insights and future research directions

Purpose In the past channel literature has looked to other disciplines in developing and refining their theories, models and methods in order to evolve the field. This paper traces such history and highlights the substantial changes caused by the digital age. In light of this, the inclusion of design theory into future channel management is presented to overcome existing concerns. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive review of literature on the history of channels, the emotional experience (people), limitations of digital innovation (technology) and the role of design (business) has been conducted to create a new approach, built upon the theory of the techno-economic innovation model. Findings The findings of this study propose design-led channel management as a new research area, providing novel research questions and future research directions. The inclusion of design and emotion theories indicates that the future of digital channel design requires a deeper understanding of customers and needs to go beyond technological advances. Theoretical implications The findings provide an opportunity to explore dynamic theories and methodologies within the field of design that will broaden the horizons and challenge existing notions in channel literature. Originality/value This paper is the first paper that introduces the theory of Emotionate, as the next evolution of channel literature. The value of Emotionate lies in providing a new design-led process of integrating emotion to provide advice to practitioners as well as identifies research areas for academia, thereby extending the reach and richness of this emerging research field.

Commuting mode choice in transit oriented development: Disentangling the effects of competitive neighbourhoods, travel attitudes, and self-selection

This research identifies the commuting mode choice behaviour of 3537 adults living in different types of transit oriented development (TOD) in Brisbane by disentangling the effects of their “evil twin” transit adjacent developments (TADs), and by also controlling for residential self-selection, travel attitudes and preferences, and socio-demographic effects. A TwoStep cluster analysis was conducted to identify the natural groupings of respondents’ living environment based on six built environment indicators. The analysis resulted in five types of neighbourhoods: urban TODs, activity centre TODs, potential TODs, TADs, and traditional suburbs. HABITAT survey data were used to derive the commute mode choice behaviour of people living in these neighbourhoods. In addition, statements reflecting both respondents’ travel attitudes and living preferences were also collected as part of the survey. Factor analyses were conducted based on these statements and these derived factors were then used to control for residential self-selection. Four binary logistic regression models were estimated, one for each of the travel modes used (e.g. public transport, active transport, less sustainable transport such as the car/taxi, and other), to differentiate between the commuting behaviour of people living in the five types of neighbourhoods. The findings verify that urban TODs enhance the use of public transport and reduce car usage. No significant difference was found in the commuting behaviour between respondents living in traditional suburbs and TADs. The results confirm the hypothesis that TADs are the “evil twin” of TODs. The data indicates that TADs and the mode choices of residents in these neighbourhoods is a missed transport policy opportunity. Further policy efforts are required for a successive transition of TADs into TODs in order to realise the full benefits of these. TOD policy should also be integrated with context specific TOD design principles.

Quantifying the heritability of task-related brain activation and performance during the N-back working memory task: A twin fMRI study

Working memory-related brain activation has been widely studied, and impaired activation patterns have been reported for several psychiatric disorders. We investigated whether variation in N-back working memory brain activation is genetically influenced in 60 pairs of twins, (29 monozygotic (MZ), 31 dizygotic (DZ); mean age 24.4 ± 1.7S.D.). Task-related brain response (BOLD percent signal difference of 2 minus 0-back) was measured in three regions of interest. Although statistical power was low due to the small sample size, for middle frontal gyrus, angular gyrus, and supramarginal gyrus, the MZ correlations were, in general, approximately twice those of the DZ pairs, with non-significant heritability estimates (14-30%) in the low-moderate range. Task performance was strongly influenced by genes (57-73%) and highly correlated with cognitive ability (0.44-0.55). This study, which will be expanded over the next 3 years, provides the first support that individual variation in working memory-related brain activation is to some extent influenced by genes.