Tissue viability imaging of skin microcirculation following exposure to whole body cryotherapy (-110°C) and cold water immersion (8°C)

Cryotherapy is currently used in various clinical, rehabilitative, and sporting settings. However, very little is known regarding the impact of cooling on the microcirculatory response. Objectives: The present study sought to examine the influence of two commonly employed modalities of cryotherapy, whole body cryotherapy (WBC; -110°C) and cold water immersion(CWI; 8±1°C), on skin microcirculation in the mid- thigh region. Methods: The skin area examined was a 3 × 3 cm located between the most anterior aspect of the inguinal fold and the patella. Following 10 minutes of rest, 5 healthy, active males were exposed to either WBC for 3 minutes or CWI for 5 minutes in a randomised order. Volunteers lay supine for five minutes after treatment, in order to monitor the variation of red blood cell (RBC) concentration in the region of interest for a duration of 40 minutes. Microcirculation response was assessed using a non-invasive, portable instrument known as a Tissue Viability imaging system. After a minimum of seven days, the protocol was repeated. Subjective assessment of the volunteer’s thermal comfort and thermal sensation was also recorded. Results: RBC was altered following exposure to both WBC and CWI but appeared to stabilise approximately 35 minutes after treatments. Both WBC and CWI affected thermal sensation (p < 0.05); however no betweengroup differences in thermal comfort or sensation were recorded (p > 0.05). Conclusions: As both WBC and CWI altered RBC, further study is necessary to examine the mechanism for this alteration during whole body cooling.

Shadow boxing with an imaginary enemy : a response to "Law and Order Blues"

In our rejoinder to Don Weatherburn's paper,"Law and Order Blues", we do not take issue with his advocacy of the need to take crime seriously and to foster a more rational approach to the problems it poses. Where differences do emerge is (1) with his claim that he is willing to do so whilst we (in our different ways) are not; and (2) on the question of what this involves. Of particular concern is the way in which his argument proceeds by a combination of simple misrepresentation of the positions it seeks to disparage, and silence concerning issues of real substance where intellectual debate and exchange would be welcome and useful. Our paper challenges, in turn, the misrepresentation of Indermaur's analysis of trends in violent crime, the misrepresentation of Hogg and Brown's Rethinking Law and Order, the misrepresentation of the findings of some of the research into the effectiveness of punitive policies and the silence on sexual assault in "Law and Order Blues". We suggest that his silence on sexual assault reflects a more widespread unwillingness to acknowledge the methodological problems that arise in the measurement of crime because such problems severely limit the extent to which confident assertions can be made about prevalence and trends.

Resistance to exercise-induced weight loss : compensatory behavioral adaptations

In many interventions that are based on an exercise program intended to induce weight loss, the mean weight loss observed is modest and sometimes far less than what the individual expected. The individual responses are also widely variable, with some individuals losing a substantial amount of weight, others maintaining weight, and a few actually gaining weight. The media have focused on the subpopulation that loses little weight, contributing to a public perception that exercise has limited utility to cause weight loss. The purpose of the symposium was to present recent, novel data that help explain how compensatory behaviors contribute to a wide discrepancy in exercise-induced weight loss. The presentations provide evidence that some individuals adopt compensatory behaviors, that is, increased energy intake and/or reduced activity, that offset the exercise energy expenditure and limit weight loss. The challenge for both scientists and clinicians is to develop effective tools to identify which individuals are susceptible to such behaviors and to develop strategies to minimize their effect.

The velocity synchronous discrete Fourier transform for order tracking in the field of rotating machinery

Diagnostics of rotating machinery has developed significantly in the last decades, and industrial applications are spreading in different sectors. Most applications are characterized by varying velocities of the shaft and in many cases transients are the most critical to monitor. In these variable speed conditions, fault symptoms are clearer in the angular/order domains than in the common time/frequency ones. In the past, this issue was often solved by synchronously sampling data by means of phase locked circuits governing the acquisition; however, thanks to the spread of cheap and powerful microprocessors, this procedure is nowadays rarer; sampling is usually performed at constant time intervals, and the conversion to the order domain is made by means of digital signal processing techniques. In the last decades different algorithms have been proposed for the extraction of an order spectrum from a signal sampled asynchronously with respect to the shaft rotational velocity; many of them (the so called computed order tracking family) use interpolation techniques to resample the signal at constant angular increments, followed by a common discrete Fourier transform to shift from the angular domain to the order domain. A less exploited family of techniques shifts directly from the time domain to the order spectrum, by means of modified Fourier transforms. This paper proposes a new transform, named velocity synchronous discrete Fourier transform, which takes advantage of the instantaneous velocity to improve the quality of its result, reaching performances that can challenge the computed order tracking.

Testing second order cyclostationarity in the squared envelope spectrum of non-white vibration signals

Cyclostationary models for the diagnostic signals measured on faulty rotating machineries have proved to be successful in many laboratory tests and industrial applications. The squared envelope spectrum has been pointed out as the most efficient indicator for the assessment of second order cyclostationary symptoms of damages, which are typical, for instance, of rolling element bearing faults. In an attempt to foster the spread of rotating machinery diagnostics, the current trend in the field is to reach higher levels of automation of the condition monitoring systems. For this purpose, statistical tests for the presence of cyclostationarity have been proposed during the last years. The statistical thresholds proposed in the past for the identification of cyclostationary components have been obtained under the hypothesis of having a white noise signal when the component is healthy. This need, coupled with the non-white nature of the real signals implies the necessity of pre-whitening or filtering the signal in optimal narrow-bands, increasing the complexity of the algorithm and the risk of losing diagnostic information or introducing biases on the result. In this paper, the authors introduce an original analytical derivation of the statistical tests for cyclostationarity in the squared envelope spectrum, dropping the hypothesis of white noise from the beginning. The effect of first order and second order cyclostationary components on the distribution of the squared envelope spectrum will be quantified and the effectiveness of the newly proposed threshold verified, providing a sound theoretical basis and a practical starting point for efficient automated diagnostics of machine components such as rolling element bearings. The analytical results will be verified by means of numerical simulations and by using experimental vibration data of rolling element bearings.

Order tracking for discrete-random separation in variable speed conditions

The transmission path from the excitation to the measured vibration on the surface of a mechanical system introduces a distortion both in amplitude and in phase. Moreover, in variable speed conditions, the amplification/attenuation and the phase shift, due to the transfer function of the mechanical system, varies in time. This phenomenon reduces the effectiveness of the traditionally tachometer based order tracking, compromising the results of a discrete-random separation performed by a synchronous averaging. In this paper, for the first time, the extent of the distortion is identified both in the time domain and in the order spectrum of the signal, highlighting the consequences for the diagnostics of rotating machinery. A particular focus is given to gears, providing some indications on how to take advantage of the quantification of the disturbance to better tune the techniques developed for the compensation of the distortion. The full theoretical analysis is presented and the results are applied to an experimental case.

Exploring the effect of aquatic exercise on behaviour and psychological wellbeing in people with moderate to severe dementia : a pilot study of the Watermemories Swimming Club

Aim To explore the effects of a dementia-specific, aquatic exercise intervention on behavioural and psychological symptoms in people with dementia (BPSD). Method Residents from two aged care facilities in Queensland, Australia, received a 12-week intervention consisting of aquatic exercises for strength, agility, flexibility, balance and relaxation. The Psychological Well-Being in Cognitively Impaired Persons Scale (PW-BCIP) and the Revised Memory and Behaviour Problems Checklist (RMBPC) were completed by registered nurses at baseline, week 6, week 9 and post intervention. Results Ten women and one man (median age = 88.4 years, interquartile range = 12.3) participated. Statistically significant declines in the RMBPC and PW-BCIP were observed over the study period. Conclusion Preliminary evidence suggests that a dementia-specific, aquatic exercise intervention reduces BPSD and improves psychological well-being in people with moderate to severe dementia. With further testing, this innovative intervention may prove effective in addressing some of the most challenging aspects of dementia care.

No sex difference in body fat in response to supervised and measured exercise

It is often reported that females lose less body weight than males do in response to exercise. These differences are suggested to be a result of females exhibiting a stronger defense of body fat and a greater compensatory appetite response to exercise than males do. Purpose This study aimed to compare the effect of a 12-wk supervised exercise program on body weight, body composition, appetite, and energy intake in males and females. Methods A total of 107 overweight and obese adults (males = 35, premenopausal females = 72, BMI = 31.4 ± 4.2 kg·m−2, age = 40.9 ± 9.2 yr) completed a supervised 12-wk exercise program expending approximately 10.5 MJ·wk−1 at 70% HRmax. Body composition, energy intake, appetite ratings, RMR, and cardiovascular fitness were measured at weeks 0 and 12. Results The 12-wk exercise program led to significant reductions in body mass (males [M] = −3.03 ± 3.4 kg and females [F] = −2.28 ± 3.1 kg), fat mass (M = −3.14 ± 3.7 kg and F = −3.01 ± 3.0 kg), and percent body fat (M = −2.45% ± 3.3% and F = −2.45% ± 2.2%; all P < 0.0001), but there were no sex-based differences (P > 0.05). There were no significant changes in daily energy intake in males or females after the exercise intervention compared with baseline (M = 199.2 ± 2418.1 kJ and F = −131.6 ± 1912.0 kJ, P > 0.05). Fasting hunger levels significantly increased after the intervention compared with baseline values (M = 11.0 ± 21.1 min and F = 14.0 ± 22.9 mm, P < 0.0001), but there were no differences between males and females (P > 0.05). The exercise also improved satiety responses to an individualized fixed-energy breakfast (P < 0.0001). This was comparable in males and females. Conclusions Males and premenopausal females did not differ in their response to a 12-wk exercise intervention and achieved similar reductions in body fat. When exercise interventions are supervised and energy expenditure is controlled, there are no sex-based differences in the measured compensatory response to exercise.

The adaptive metabolic response to exercise-induced weight loss influences both energy expenditure and energy intake

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVEs A decline in resting energy expenditure (REE) beyond that predicted from changes in body composition has been noted following dietary-induced weight loss. However, it is unknown whether a compensatory downregulation in REE also accompanies exercise (EX)-induced weight loss, or whether this adaptive metabolic response influences energy intake (EI). SUBJECTS/METHODS Thirty overweight and obese women (body mass index (BMI)=30.6±3.6 kg/m2) completed 12 weeks of supervised aerobic EX. Body composition, metabolism, EI and metabolic-related hormones were measured at baseline, week 6 and post intervention. The metabolic adaptation (MA), that is, difference between predicted and measured REE was also calculated post intervention (MApost), with REE predicted using a regression equation generated in an independent sample of 66 overweight and obese women (BMI=31.0±3.9 kg/m2). RESULTS Although mean predicted and measured REE did not differ post intervention, 43% of participants experienced a greater-than-expected decline in REE (−102.9±77.5 kcal per day). MApost was associated with the change in leptin (r=0.47; P=0.04), and the change in resting fat (r=0.52; P=0.01) and carbohydrate oxidation (r=−0.44; P=0.02). Furthermore, MApost was also associated with the change in EI following EX (r=−0.44; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS Marked variability existed in the adaptive metabolic response to EX. Importantly, those who experienced a downregulation in REE also experienced an upregulation in EI, indicating that the adaptive metabolic response to EX influences both physiological and behavioural components of energy balance.

A preliminary study of the effects of Tai Chi and Qigong medical exercise on indicators of metabolic syndrome, glycaemic control, health-related quality of life, and psychological health in adults with elevated blood glucose

Objectives To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effects of a Tai Chi and Qigong exercise programme in adults with elevated blood glucose. Design, Setting, and Participants A single group pre–post feasibility trial with 11 participants (3 male and 8 female; aged 42–65 years) with elevated blood glucose. Intervention Participants attended Tai Chi and Qigong exercise training for 1 to 1.5 h, 3 times per week for 12 weeks, and were encouraged to practise the exercises at home. Main Outcome Measures Indicators of metabolic syndrome (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol); glucose control (HbA1c, fasting insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA)); health-related quality of life; stress and depressive symptoms. Results There was good adherence and high acceptability. There were significant improvements in four of the seven indicators of metabolic syndrome including BMI (mean difference −1.05, p<0.001), waist circumference (−2.80 cm, p<0.05), and systolic (−11.64 mm Hg, p<0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (−9.73 mm Hg, p<0.001), as well as in HbA1c (−0.32%, p<0.01), insulin resistance (−0.53, p<0.05), stress (−2.27, p<0.05), depressive symptoms (−3.60, p<0.05), and the SF-36 mental health summary score (5.13, p<0.05) and subscales for general health (19.00, p<0.01), mental health (10.55, p<0.01) and vitality (23.18, p<0.05). Conclusions The programme was feasible and acceptable and participants showed improvements in metabolic and psychological variables. A larger controlled trial is now needed to confirm these promising preliminary results.

Chinese fashion designers in Shanghai : identifying a fresh perspective about their role in the world order of fashion

Shanghai possesses an apt legacy, once referred to as “Paris of the East”. Municipal aspirations for Shanghai to assume a position among the great fashion cities of the world have been integrated in the recent re-shaping of this modern city into a role model for Chinese creative enterprise yet China is still known primarily as centre of clothing production. Increasingly however, “Made in China” is being replaced by “Created in China” drawing attention to two distinct consumer markets for Chinese designers. Fashion designers who have entered the global fashion system for education or by showing their collections have generally adopted a design aesthetic that aligns with Western markets, allowing little competitive advantage. In contrast, Chinese designers who rest their attention on the domestic Chinese market find a disparate, highly competitive marketplace. The pillars of authenticity that for foreign fashion brands extend far into their cultural and creative histories, often for many decades in the case of Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Christian Dior do not yet exist in China in this era of rapid globalisation. Here, the cultural bedrock allows these same pillars to extend only thirty years or so into the past reaching the moments when Deng Xiaoping granted China’s creative entrepreneurs passage. To this end, interviews with fashion designers in Shanghai have been undertaken during the last twelve months for a PhD dissertation. Production of culture theory has been used to identify working methods, practices of production and the social and cultural milieu necessary for designers to achieve viability.

Use of a photographic food diary method to document dietary intake in people with Parkinson's Disease

Cognitive impairment and physical disability are common in Parkinson’s disease (PD). As a result diet can be difficult to measure. This study aimed to evaluate the use of a photographic dietary record (PhDR) in people with PD. During a 12-week nutrition intervention study, 19 individuals with PD kept 3-day PhDRs on three occasions using point-and-shoot digital cameras. Details on food items present in the PhDRs and those not photographed were collected retrospectively during an interview. Following the first use of the PhDR method, the photographer completed a questionnaire (n=18). In addition, the quality of the PhDRs was evaluated at each time point. The person with PD was the sole photographer in 56% of the cases, with the remainder by the carer or combination of person with PD and the carer. The camera was rated as easy to use by 89%, keeping a PhDR was considered acceptable by 94% and none would rather use a “pen and paper” method. Eighty-three percent felt confident to use the camera again to record intake. Of the photos captured (n=730), 89% were of adequate quality (items visible, in-focus), while only 21% could be used alone (without interview information) to assess intake. Over the study, 22% of eating/drinking occasions were not photographed. PhDRs were considered an easy and acceptable method to measure intake among individuals with PD and their carers. The majority of PhDRs were of adequate quality, however in order to quantify intake the interview was necessary to obtain sufficient detail and capture missing items.

Australian domestic violence protection order legislation : a comparative quantitative content analysis of victim safety provisions

In Australia, protection orders are a key legal response to domestic violence, and are often viewed as a way of providing for victim safety. For instance, recently the joint Australian and New South Wales Law Reform Commissions recommended that a common core purpose of all state and territory domestic violence legislation should be ‘to ensure or maximise the safety and protection of persons who fear or experience family violence’ (2010:Recommendation 7-4). Drawing and building upon prior research in Australia and the United States (‘US’), this paper uses comparative quantitative content analysis to assess the victim safety focus of domestic violence protection order legislation in each Australian state and territory. The findings of this analysis show that the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria ‘stand out’ from the other jurisdictions, having the highest victim safety focus in their legislation. However, there remains sizeable scope for improvement in all Australian jurisdictions, in terms of the victim safety focus of their legislative provisions and the considerations of legislative inconsistency between jurisdictions.

Is recovery driven by central or peripheral factors? A role for the brain in recovery following intermittent-sprint exercise

Prolonged intermittent-sprint exercise (i.e., team sports) induce disturbances in skeletal muscle structure and function that are associated with reduced contractile function, a cascade of inflammatory responses, perceptual soreness, and a delayed return to optimal physical performance. In this context, recovery from exercise-induced fatigue is traditionally treated from a peripheral viewpoint, with the regeneration of muscle physiology and other peripheral factors the target of recovery strategies. The direction of this research narrative on post-exercise recovery differs to the increasing emphasis on the complex interaction between both central and peripheral factors regulating exercise intensity during exercise performance. Given the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in motor-unit recruitment during exercise, it too may have an integral role in post-exercise recovery. Indeed, this hypothesis is indirectly supported by an apparent disconnect in time-course changes in physiological and biochemical markers resultant from exercise and the ensuing recovery of exercise performance. Equally, improvements in perceptual recovery, even withstanding the physiological state of recovery, may interact with both feed-forward/feed-back mechanisms to influence subsequent efforts. Considering the research interest afforded to recovery methodologies designed to hasten the return of homeostasis within the muscle, the limited focus on contributors to post-exercise recovery from CNS origins is somewhat surprising. Based on this context, the current review aims to outline the potential contributions of the brain to performance recovery after strenuous exercise.