Moderate exercise blunts oxidative stress induced by normobaric hypoxic confinement

PURPOSE: Both acute hypoxia and physical exercise are known to increase oxidative stress. This randomized prospective trial investigated whether the addition of moderate exercise can alter oxidative stress induced by continuous hypoxic exposure. METHODS: Fourteen male participants were confined to 10-d continuous normobaric hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.139 +/- 0.003, PIO2 = 88.2 +/- 0.6 mm Hg, approximately 4000-m simulated altitude) either with (HCE, n = 8, two training sessions per day at 50% of hypoxic maximal aerobic power) or without exercise (HCS, n = 6). Plasma levels of oxidative stress markers (advanced oxidation protein products [AOPP], nitrotyrosine, and malondialdehyde), antioxidant markers (ferric-reducing antioxidant power, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase), nitric oxide end-products, and erythropoietin were measured before the exposure (Pre), after the first 24 h of exposure (D1), after the exposure (Post) and after the 24-h reoxygenation (Post + 1). In addition, graded exercise test in hypoxia was performed before and after the protocol. RESULTS: Maximal aerobic power increased after the protocol in HCE only (+6.8%, P < 0.05). Compared with baseline, AOPP was higher at Post + 1 (+28%, P < 0.05) and nitrotyrosine at Post (+81%, P < 0.05) in HCS only. Superoxide dismutase (+30%, P < 0.05) and catalase (+53%, P < 0.05) increased at Post in HCE only. Higher levels of ferric-reducing antioxidant power (+41%, P < 0.05) at Post and lower levels of AOPP (-47%, P < 0.01) at Post + 1 were measured in HCE versus HCS. Glutathione peroxidase (+31%, P < 0.01) increased in both groups at Post + 1. Similar erythropoietin kinetics was noted in both groups with an increase at D1 (+143%, P < 0.01), a return to baseline at Post, and a decrease at Post + 1 (-56%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that 2 h of moderate daily exercise training can attenuate the oxidative stress induced by continuous hypoxic exposure.

Activité physique et sportive à l'adolescence: un défi pour les médecins, un défi pour la société. [Sports activity during adolescence: a challenge for health professionals and for the society]

The rate of teenagers who engage in sports activity on a regular basis has decreased since ten years, whereas the rate of overweight and obesity is steadily increasing. This paper discusses the meaning as well as the limits of sports activity during adolescence. Guidelines for sports participation include: a discussion of the frequency and duration of sports training sessions, which have to be adapted to the growth and pubertal stage of the adolescent. Any symptoms suggesting overuse should be tackled seriously. Physician's counselling in the field of protective behaviour (injury prevention) is effective. Finally, the majority of chronic conditions are compatible with moderate sports activity.

Teaching cardiac auscultation to trainees in internal medicine and family practice: does it work?

BACKGROUND: The general proficiency in physical diagnostic skills seems to be declining in relation to the development of new technologies. The few studies that have examined this question have invariably used recordings of cardiac events obtained from patients. However, this type of evaluation may not correlate particularly well with bedside skills. Our objectives were 1) To compare the cardiac auscultatory skills of physicians in training with those of experienced cardiologists by using real patients to test bedside diagnostic skills. 2) To evaluate the impact of a five-month bedside cardiac auscultation training program. METHODS: 1) In an academic primary care center, 20 physicians (trainees in internal medicine and family practice) and two skilled academic cardiologists listened to 33 cardiac events in 13 patients directly at bedside and identified the cardiac events by completing an open questionnaire. Heart sounds, murmurs and diagnosis were determined beforehand by an independent skilled cardiologist and were validated by echocardiography. Thirteen primary cardiologic diagnoses were possible.2) Ten of the physicians agreed to participate in a course of 45-minute sessions once a week for 5 months. After the course they listened again to the same patients (pre/post-interventional study). RESULTS: 1) The experts were the most skillful, achieving 69% recognition of heart sounds and murmurs and correct diagnoses in 62% of cases. They also heard all of the diastolic murmurs. The residents heard only 40% of the extra heart sounds and made a correct diagnosis in 24% of cases. 2) After the weekly training sessions, their mean percentage for correct diagnosis was 35% [an increase of 66% (p < 0.05)]. CONCLUSIONS: The level of bedside diagnostic skills in this relatively small group of physicians in training is indeed low, but can be improved by a course focusing on realistic bedside teaching.

Iowa Workforce Monthly, September 2009, Issue 8

Highlights: * U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis visited Iowa at the end of July....pg. 2 * The Shoes for Veterans campaign began following a visit to a homeless shelter in the Quad Cities....pg. 2 * Are You Prepared? An emergency – be it a flood, tornado, winter storm or power outage – can occur quickly and without warning...pg. 3 * The Southwest Iowa Employers’ Council & Iowa Workforce Development in conjunction with the Iowa Committee for ESGR will present two valuable training sessions for businesses.....pg. 3

Role of physical exercise in low back pain rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial of a three-month exercise program in patients who have completed multidisciplinary rehabilitation.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of an exercise program or routine follow-up on patients with chronic low back pain who have completed functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation. The short- and long-term outcome in terms of symptoms and physical and social functioning was compared. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Systematic reviews have shown that functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation improves physical function and reduces pain in patients with chronic low back pain. However, long-term maintenance of these improvements is inconsistent and the role of exercise in achieving this goal is unclear. METHODS: One hundred five chronic patients with low back pain who had completed a 3-week functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation program were randomized to either a 3-month exercise program (n = 56) or routine follow-up (n = 49). The exercise program consisted of 24 training sessions during 12 weeks. Patients underwent evaluations of trunk muscle endurance, cardiovascular endurance, lumbar spine mobility (flexion and extension range-of-motion, fingertip-to-floor distance), pain and perceived functional ability at the beginning and the end of functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation, at the end of the exercise program (3 months) and at 1-year follow-up. Disability was also assessed at the same time points except at the beginning of functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation. RESULTS: At the end of the functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation, both groups improved significantly in all physical parameters except flexion and extension range-of-motion. At the 3 month and 1 year follow-up, both groups maintained improvements in all parameters except for cardiovascular endurance. Only the exercise program group improved in disability score and trunk muscle endurance. No differences between groups were found. CONCLUSION: A favorable long-term outcome was observed after functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation in both patient groups. Patients who participated in an exercise program obtained some additional benefits. The relevance of these benefits to overall health status need to be further investigated.

Cardiovascular and metabolic responses during isokinetic shoulder rotators strength testing in healthy subjects

Background: Although there have been many studies on isokinetic shoulder exercises in evaluation and rehabilitation programs, the cardiovascular and metabolic responses of those modes of muscle strength exercises have been poorly investigated. Objective: To analyze cardiovascular and metabolic responses during a standardized test used to study the internal (IR) and external (ER) rotators maximal isokinetic strength. Methods: Four days after an incremental exercise test on cycle ergometer, ten healthy subjects performed an isokinetic shoulder strength evaluation with cardiovascular (Heart rate, HR) and metabolic gas exchange (&Vdot;O_{2}) analysis. The IR and ER isokinetic strength, measured in seated position with 45° of shoulder abduction in scapular plane, was evaluated concentrically at 60, 120 and 240°/s and eccentrically at 60°/s, for both shoulder sides. An endurance test with 30 repetitions at 240°/s was performed at the end of each shoulder side testing. Results: There was a significant increase of mean HR with isokinetic exercise (P< 0.05). Increases of HR was 42-71% over the resting values. During endurance testing, increases of HR was 77-105% over the resting values, and corresponded to 85-86% of the maximal HR during incremental test. Increase of &Vdot;O_{2} during isokinetic exercises was from 6-11 ml/min/kg to 20-43 ml/min/kg. Conclusion: This study performed significant cardiovascular and metabolic responses to isokinetic exercise of rotators shoulder muscles. A warm-up should be performed before maximal high-intensity isokinetic shoulder testing. Our results indicated that observation and supervision are important during testing and/or training sessions, especially in subjects with risk for cardiovascular disorders.

LSTA Five Year Plan Evaluation Report 2008-2012, March 29, 2012

The evaluation’s overarching question was “Did the activities undertaken through the state’s LSTA plan achieve results related to priorities identified in the Act?” The evaluation was conducted and is organized according to the six LSTA priorities. The research design employed two major methodologies: 1. Data sources from Iowa Library Services / State Library of Iowa2 as well as U.S and state sources were indentified for quantitative analysis. These sources, which primarily reflect outputs for various projects, included: Statistics from the Public Library Annual Survey Statistics collected internally by Iowa Library Services such as number of libraries subscribing to sponsored databases, number of database searches, attendance at continuing education events, number of interlibrary loan transactions Evaluation surveys from library training sessions, professional development workshops and other programs supported by LSTA funds Internal databases maintained by Iowa Library Services Impact results from post training evaluations conducted by Iowa Library Services 2010 Iowa census data from the U.S. Census Bureau LSTA State Program Reports for the grant period 2. Following the quantitative analysis, the evaluator gathered qualitative data through interviews with key employees, a telephone focus group with district library consultants and two surveys: LSTA Evaluation Survey (Public Libraries) and LSTA Evaluation Survey (Academic Libraries). Both surveys provided sound samples with 43 representatives of Iowa’s 77 academic libraries and 371 representatives of Iowa’s 544 public libraries participating. Respondents represented libraries of all sizes and geographical areas. Both surveys included multiple choice and rating scale items as well as open-ended questions from which results were coded to identify trends, issues and recommendations.

Cost-utility analysis of a three-month exercise programme vs usual care following multidisciplinary rehabilitation for chronic low back pain.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cost-utility of an exercise programme vs usual care after functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation in patients with chronic low back pain. DESIGN: Cost-utility analysis alongside a randomized controlled trial. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS: A total of 105 patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: Chronic low back pain patients completing a 3-week functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation were randomized to either a 3-month exercise programme (n = 56) or usual care (n = 49). The exercise programme consisted of 24 training sessions during 12 weeks. At the end of functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation and at 1-year follow-up quality of life was measured with the SF-36 questionnaire, converted into utilities and transformed into quality--adjusted life years. Direct and indirect monthly costs were measured using cost diaries. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated as the incremental cost of the exercise programme divided by the difference in quality-adjusted life years between both groups. RESULTS: Quality of life improved significantly at 1-year follow-up in both groups. Similarly, both groups significantly reduced total monthly costs over time. No significant difference was observed between groups. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 79,270 euros. CONCLUSION: Adding an exercise programme after functional multidisciplinary rehabilitation compared with usual care does not offer significant long-term benefits in quality of life and direct and indirect costs.

Mesura de la força i de la potència en l'esport. Aplicació del chronojump boscosystem

El propòsit del Treball de Fi de Grau és dissenyar un document que serveixi als usuaris del Chronojump Boscosystem per aprendre a utilitzar-lo i treure’n el màxim rendiment. Previ a l’elaboració d’aquest, s’ha requerit un treball de documentació teòrica, fet a través de la revisió bibliogràfica i entrevistes a experts en preparació física dintre del món de l’entrenament esportiu, procés que ha servit per a establir les bases i els fonaments del dossier didàctic. Aquest últim està compost per deu pràctiques on, en cadascuna d’elles, es treballen aspectes concrets del programa Chronojump. Cada una d’aquestes consta d’una primera part més teòrica on es defineixen els aspectes a tractar, seguit de la seqüència de passos a fer per a portar a terme la pràctica i, finalment, deu preguntes tipus test per a saber si s’ha comprès la informació donada i el funcionament del programa. En les pràctiques on s’ha de passar algun test, s’afegeix també un suport audiovisual per tal de deixar clar l’execució i la tècnica correcta de la prova en qüestió.

Preparació física específica en l'esport col·lectiu del futbol. Estudi de la millora i el manteniment del valor del VO2màx

En el treball que es mostra a continuació podrem observar un estudi sobre la preparació física aplicada a l’esport del futbol. A més, farem un estudi dels nivells del volum màxim d’Oxigen (Vo2màx) a través d’un procés d’obtenció de resultats indirecte (Test de Course Navette) tenint present el nombre de sessions setmanals. Observarem les diferències en la definició del paràmetre segons Zintl (1991), Diéguez (1997), Gómez, Aranda i Ferrer (2010), entre d’altres. També observarem els nivells que s’han de tenir a partir d’autors com Zintl (1991), Rivera i Avella (1992), Sánchez i Salas (2008). Per dur-ho a terme, farem un estudi hipotètic-deductiu a través d’un mostreig no probabilístic. Observarem els valors del Vo2màx. assolits en el període preparatori, comparats amb el manteniment, la millora o la pèrdua d’aquest després d’un període d’entrenament diferenciat entre una i tres sessions. Un cop realitzat el procés, hem pogut veure que els nivells assolits després del període preparatori (60.87+ 8.81 ml/kg/min) són majors respecte l’inici del període (44.38 +8.92 ml/kg/min.). Posteriorment, al observar les diferències entre els dos grups de la mostra, podem afirmar que amb tres sessions realitzades no es poden mantenir els nivells anteriors (57.80 +10.16) respecte els (56.73 +9.24) de l’últim test. Per últim, el grup 2, amb una única sessió setmanal els valors baixen més, es passa dels (63.93 + 6.24 ml/kg/min.) als (56.50 + 7.52 ml/kg/min)

Uuden riskien arviointityökalun käyttöönotto metsäteollisuusyrityksessä

Vuonna 2003 uudistunut työturvallisuuslaki lisäsi yritysten vastuuta oman työympäristön riskien tunnistamisessa. Laki velvoittaa yritykset tunnistamaan, selvittämään ja arvioimaan työstä ja työolosuhteista johtuvat vaara- ja haittatekijät. Perinteisesti yritykset ovat suorittaneet riskien arviointia erilaisten tarkistuslistojen avulla, mutta nykyään tietotekniikan käytön lisääntyminen on tuonut tietotekniikan myös yhdeksi riskienhallinnan työvälineeksi. Tämän työn tavoitteena oli tutkia If Vahinkovakuutusyhtiön uuden riskien arviointiohjelman käyttöönottoa metsäteollisuuden yrityksessä, ja selvittää sen vaikutuksia turvallisuustoimenpiteiden hallintaan ja vastaavuutta sille ennakkoon asetettuihin käytettävyysvaatimuksiin. Riskien arviointiohjelmaa tutkittiin pilottikohteessa Stora Enson Anjalankoskentehtailla. Tietoa kerättiin mm. käyttäjäkoulutustilaisuuksien palautekyselyillä, haastattelemalla arvioijia ja osallistumalla riskien arviointikierroksille. Tutkimuksessa seurattiin mm. ohjelman avulla syntyneiden toimenpide-ehdotuksien määrää ja laatua, ja sitä kuinka hyvin ohjelmalle suunniteltu sisältö sopii käyttöön. Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella havaittiin, että riskien arviointiin tarkoitettu tietokoneohjelma voidaan suunnitella helppokäyttöiseksi ja toimivaksi. Myös ohjelman sisältö, joka oli tarkoitettu kattamaan työturvallisuuden eri osa-alueet, havaittiin tarkoitukseen sopivaksi. Riskien arvioinnin ongelmallisin alue, eli turvallisuustoimenpiteiden suunnittelu ja seuranta, havaittiin haasteelliseksi toteutettavaksi ohjelman avulla. Yritysten erilaisiin riskien arviointikäytäntöihinsopivan raportointijärjestelmän ja toimenpideseurannan kehittäminen tulee olemaan tulevaisuudessakin tärkeä osa-alue riskien arviointiohjelmien kehittämisessä.

Value Sales Approach in Digital Printing

Digitaalinen tulostus osana informaatiologistiikan toimialaa elää murroskautta kovankilpailun ja palveluiden kehittymisen myötä. Moderni teknologia mahdollistaa uudenlaisia älykkäitä palveluita, jotka antavat lisäarvoa niin yritysasiakkaille kuin kuluttajillekin. Siten myös myyntiprosesseja kehitetään tukemaan arvon luontia. Tutkimuksen teoreettisessa osuudessa sovellettiin arvon luomiseen ja myymiseen liittyviä keskeisiä teorioita, sekä organisaation ostokäyttäytymisen ja suhdemarkkinoinnin asioita. Empiirinen tutkimus toteutettiin asiakas- ja asiantuntijahaastatteluiden sekä kansainvälisten koulutuspäivien avulla. Työn tavoitteena oli luoda teoreettisen ja empiirisen tutkimuksen tulosten pohjalta ohjeistus digitaalisen tulostuksen palveluiden arvomyyntiin. Lisäksi työssä käsiteltiin myyntiprosessiin liittyviä kysymyksiä alan ominaispiirteet huomioon ottaen.

Structured running program for health and performance promotion in hospital employees.

Introduction Our institution (University hospital) is encouraging physical activities for health through various popular sporting events in the city of Lausanne, the biggest of which is a road race of 2, 4, 10 and 20km. Objective To create an efficient and sustainable training program in preparation of the race for a group of motivated hospital employees without any prior experience with structured training and to identifying the benefits and limitations encountered.. Methods Subjects of various fitness levels were recruited by add and agreed to undergo lab and field testing before a 12-week 3 times/week running program, based on maximal aerobic speed (MAS-30/30 sec intervals), running technique exercises and endurance training. The interval session was the only one supervised. Their goal was the 10km (11 subjects) and the 20km (6 subjects). Results A group of 17 subjects (7 male and 10 female), mean age 36.6±7.3 years, VO2max 44.0±5.5 ml/kg/min, filed test interval MAS 15.1±2.4 km/h started the program. 2 were lost because of injury (while skiing). Adherence to interval sessions was excellent, although 3 weekly training sessions proved to be difficult for most of the subjects. Performance in the race was satisfying for all of them, 6/7 subjects having improved their running time from the previous year, the others participated for the first time and 7/8 completed the race satisfyingly, one DNF-ed because of sinusitis. Repeat MAS field test was available for 6 subjects, who improved by 5.9% (p<0.01). Subjectively, all of the participants were very satisfied with improvement, interaction with colleagues from various professions, and with self achievement and confidence. Conclusions Implementation of a structured training program for recreational or non-athletes can be very successful in creating a better self-confidence, a better working environment inside a hospital facility and obviously in improvement of physical fitness and athletic performance. Above all, it can only encourage health institutions to promote the health of their own employees through physical activity, which can allow people to connect through sports. As a result, subjects in this study tend to encourage other employees to be more active and are hungry for more advice and continued offers for physical activities benefiting both them and the institution through better efficiency at work and less absenteeism common to more active people.

From bird to sparrow: Learning-induced modulations in fine-grained semantic discrimination.

Recognition of environmental sounds is believed to proceed through discrimination steps from broad to more narrow categories. Very little is known about the neural processes that underlie fine-grained discrimination within narrow categories or about their plasticity in relation to newly acquired expertise. We investigated how the cortical representation of birdsongs is modulated by brief training to recognize individual species. During a 60-minute session, participants learned to recognize a set of birdsongs; they improved significantly their performance for trained (T) but not control species (C), which were counterbalanced across participants. Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were recorded during pre- and post-training sessions. Pre vs. post changes in AEPs were significantly different between T and C i) at 206-232ms post stimulus onset within a cluster on the anterior part of the left superior temporal gyrus; ii) at 246-291ms in the left middle frontal gyrus; and iii) 512-545ms in the left middle temporal gyrus as well as bilaterally in the cingulate cortex. All effects were driven by weaker activity for T than C species. Thus, expertise in discriminating T species modulated early stages of semantic processing, during and immediately after the time window that sustains the discrimination between human vs. animal vocalizations. Moreover, the training-induced plasticity is reflected by the sharpening of a left lateralized semantic network, including the anterior part of the temporal convexity and the frontal cortex. Training to identify birdsongs influenced, however, also the processing of C species, but at a much later stage. Correct discrimination of untrained sounds seems to require an additional step which results from lower-level features analysis such as apperception. We therefore suggest that the access to objects within an auditory semantic category is different and depends on subject's level of expertise. More specifically, correct intra-categorical auditory discrimination for untrained items follows the temporal hierarchy and transpires in a late stage of semantic processing. On the other hand, correct categorization of individually trained stimuli occurs earlier, during a period contemporaneous with human vs. animal vocalization discrimination, and involves a parallel semantic pathway requiring expertise.

Mercury analysis in hair: comparability and quality assessment within the transnational COPHES/DEMOCOPHES project

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is an effective tool for assessing actual exposure to chemicals that takes into account all routes of intake. Although hair analysis is considered to be an optimal biomarker for assessing mercury exposure, the lack of harmonization as regards sampling and analytical procedures has often limited the comparison of data at national and international level. The European-funded projects COPHES and DEMOCOPHES developed and tested a harmonized European approach to Human Biomonitoring in response to the European Environment and Health Action Plan. Herein we describe the quality assurance program (QAP) for assessing mercury levels in hair samples from more than 1800 mother-child pairs recruited in 17 European countries. To ensure the comparability of the results, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sampling and for mercury analysis were drafted and distributed to participating laboratories. Training sessions were organized for field workers and four external quality-assessment exercises (ICI/EQUAS), followed by the corresponding web conferences, were organized between March 2011 and February 2012. ICI/EQUAS used native hair samples at two mercury concentration ranges (0.20-0.71 and 0.80-1.63) per exercise. The results revealed relative standard deviations of 7.87-13.55% and 4.04-11.31% for the low and high mercury concentration ranges, respectively. A total of 16 out of 18 participating laboratories the QAP requirements and were allowed to analyze samples from the DEMOCOPHES pilot study. Web conferences after each ICI/EQUAS revealed this to be a new and effective tool for improving analytical performance and increasing capacity building. The procedure developed and tested in COPHES/DEMOCOPHES would be optimal for application on a global scale as regards implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.