Effects of portable pedal machines at work on lipoprotein subfraction profile in sedentary workers - the REMOVE study.

BACKGROUND: Sedentary behaviour at work is a major cause of atherosclerosis, particularly in tertiary workers. However, no studies have ever assessed the effect of active workstation on lipoprotein subfraction profile. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 12-week portable pedal machines (PPMs) on lipoprotein subfraction profile among healthy sedentary workers. METHODS: Healthy administrative workers were randomized into an intervention group using PPMs for 12 weeks or a control group using normal-desk. Lipoprotein subfractions were assessed using Lipoprint® electrophoresis. Main outcomes were explored using mixed models with sensitivity analyses (four models). RESULTS: We included 40 participants (43.7 ± 8.6 years old, 100% women, BMI 23.8 ± 3.4 kg/m2; sedentary time at work 7.7 ± 1.8 h/day). Groups did not differ at baseline in any outcomes. 32 participants finished the trial. Changes in lipoprotein subfractions were especially marked for LDL profile. There was an interaction time x group for all parameters related to LDL and their subfractions: total LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.012), LDL particle size (p = 0.027), large LDL subfractions 1 and 2 (p = 0.001), and small dense LDL subfractions 3 to 7 (p = 0.046), using the crude model. The interaction reflects difference in the direction of changes between groups. The LDL particle size significantly increased in the intervention group (from 271.9 ± 2.5 at t0 to 272.8 ± 1.9 Ångström at t1, p = 0.037) while it did not change in the control group (272.5 ± 1.7 at t0 to 271.8 ± 1.5Å at t1, p = 0.52). All interactions were constantly significant whatever the models. Influencing variables were mainly stress at work that was associated with an increase in total LDL-cholesterol (coefficient 3.15, 95CI 0.20 to 6.11 mg/dl, p = 0.038), and BMI that was associated with Large-LDL, Large-HDL, IDL-C and triglycerides. CONCLUSIONS: Lipoprotein profile was improved after a 12-week PPMs intervention at work in healthy administrative workers. Changes were mainly showed for LDL and LDL subfractions. Lipoprotein profile was worsened by stress at work, BMI and age. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04153214.

Filtered Lebedev quadrature method for robust and efficient beam shape coefficient estimation in acoustic tweezers calibration.

Acoustic tweezers offer a contactless, three-dimensional, and selective approach to trapping objects by harnessing the acoustic radiation force. Precise control of this technique requires accurate calibration of the force, which depends on the object's properties and the spherical harmonics expansion of the incident field through the beam shape coefficients. Previous studies showed that these coefficients can be determined using either the Lebedev quadrature or the angular spectrum methods. However, the former is highly susceptible to noise, while the latter demands extensive implementation time due to the number of required measurement points. A filtered method with a reduced number of points is introduced to address these limitations. Initially, we emphasize the implicit filtering in the angular spectrum method, allowing relative noise insensitivity. Subsequently, we present its unfiltered version, enabling force estimation of a standing field. Finally, we develop a filtered method based on the Lebedev quadrature, requiring fewer points, and apply it to focused vortex beams. Numerical evaluation of the radiation force demonstrates the method's resilience to noise and a reduced need for points compared to previous methods. The filtered Lebedev method paves the way for characterizing high-frequency acoustic tweezers, where measurement constraints necessitate rapid and robust beam shape coefficient estimation techniques.

EPA prevents fat mass expansion and metabolic disturbances in mice fed with a Western diet.

The impact of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, and DHA on obesity and metabolic complications was studied in mice fed a high-fat, high-sucrose (HF) diet. HF diets were supplemented with ALA, EPA, or DHA (1% w/w) and given to C57BL/6J mice for 16 weeks and to Ob/Ob mice for 6 weeks. In C57BL/6J mice, EPA reduced plasma cholesterol (-20%), limited fat mass accumulation (-23%) and adipose cell hypertrophy (-50%), and reduced plasma leptin concentration (-60%) compared with HF-fed mice. Furthermore, mice supplemented with EPA exhibited a higher insulin sensitivity (+24%) and glucose tolerance (+20%) compared with HF-fed mice. Similar effects were observed in EPA-supplemented Ob/Ob mice, although fat mass accumulation was not prevented. By contrast, in comparison with HF-fed mice, DHA did not prevent fat mass accumulation, increased plasma leptin concentration (+128%) in C57BL/6J mice, and did not improve glucose homeostasis in C57BL/6J and Ob/Ob mice. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, DHA stimulated leptin expression whereas EPA induced adiponectin expression, suggesting that improved leptin/adiponectin balance may contribute to the protective effect of EPA. In conclusion, supplementation with EPA, but not ALA and DHA, could preserve glucose homeostasis in an obesogenic environment and limit fat mass accumulation in the early stage of weight gain.

The Life and Death of Freya the Walrus: Human and Wild Animal Interactions in the Anthropocene Era.

Freya the Walrus, who often climbed onto docked boats to sunbathe and frolic, was euthanized by the Norwegian Department of Fisheries in the Oslo fjord in August 2022, sparking international outrage and media attention. Since walruses are social animals, and since the Anthropocene era of climate change has displaced animals from their Arctic homes, forcing them to migrate, we can expect more human-animal interactions at such places as marinas, where Freya met her end. This paper asks and attempts to answer how we can make such interactions just going forward? In cases such as Freya's, we need to reconcile three competing interests: the animal's interest in living a flourishing life as best they can in a changing climate; the public's interest in a safe and fulfilling wildlife encounter with an animal they have come to know intimately enough to name and follow devotedly on social media; and interests in maintaining private property. Examining these interests through the philosophical lenses of co-sovereignty, capability, and individuality, however, will yield more just results for animals in similar situations of conflict and co-existence with humans in urban spaces. We argue that, going forward, state resources should be expended to safeguard the public from marina access if safety is a genuine concern, while private money should be spent by marinas to enact safe animal removal with a no-kill policy.

Calibration of the axial stiffness of a single-beam acoustic tweezers.

Single-beam acoustic tweezers have recently been demonstrated to be capable of selective three-dimensional trapping. This new contactless manipulation modality has great potential for many scientific applications. Its development as a scientific tool requires precise calibration of its radiation force, specifically its axial component. The lack of calibration for this force is mainly due to its weak magnitude compared to competing effects such as weight. We investigate an experimental method for the calibration of the axial stiffness of the radiation force by observing the axial oscillations of a trapped bead in a microgravity environment. The stiffness exhibits a linear relationship with the acoustic intensity and is of the mN/m order. Then, a predictive model, loaded with the experimental acoustic field, is compared to the measured stiffness with very good agreement, within a single amplitude coefficient. This study paves the way for the development of calibrated acoustic tweezers.

Creating a multi-linked dynamic dataset: a case study of plant genera named for women.

Background: A discussion on social media led to the formation of a multidisciplinary group working on this project to highlight women's contributions to science. The role of marginalised groups in science has been a topic of much discussion, but data on these contributions are largely lacking. Our motivation for the development of this dataset was not only to highlight names of plant genera that honour women, but to enrich this information with data that would allow the names, roles and lives of these women to be shared more widely with others, both researchers and data sources like Wikidata. Amplification of the contributions of women to botany through multiple means will enable the community to better recognise and celebrate the role of this particular marginalised group in the history and development of science. New information: The innovative approach of our study resulted in a dataset that is dynamic, expansive and widely shared. We have published a static dataset with this paper and have also created a dynamic dataset by linking flowering plant genera and the women in whose honour those genera were named in Wikidata. This concurrent addition of the data to Wikidata, a linked open data repository, enabled it to be enriched, queried and proactively shared during the whole process of dataset creation and into the future. This innovative workflow allowed wide, open participation throughout the research process. The methodology and workflows applied can be used to create future datasets celebrating and amplifying the contributions of marginalised groups in science.

Prestroke modified rankin stroke scale has moderate interobserver reliability and validity in an acute stroke setting.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) is the recommended functional outcome assessment in stroke trials. Utility of mRS may be limited by interobserver variability. prestroke function, described using mRS, is often used as trial entry criterion. We assessed the reliability and validity of prestroke mRS in acute stroke. METHODS: We present two complementary analyses of the properties of prestroke mRS: (1) Paired interviewers (trained in mRS) performed independently a blinded assessment of mRS and prestroke mRS. Interobserver variability was described using percentage agreement and weighted (kw) κ statistics with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Validity was assessed by comparing prestroke mRS with other markers of function (comorbidity; medication count; need for carers). (2) We further assessed validity using a larger retrospective dataset. We compared prestroke mRS with Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and the Rockwood frailty index. Rank correlation coefficient or Fisher exact test were used as appropriate. RESULTS: Paired interviewers assessed 74 stroke survivors. Median standard mRS was 4 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-4), median prestroke mRS was 1 (IQR, 0-3; range, 0-4). Reliability for standard mRS interview was 56% agreement, kw=0.55 (95% CI, 0.39-0.71). Reliability for prestroke mRS was 70%, kw=0.70 (95% CI, 0.53-0.87). The retrospective dataset described 231 subjects. In this data set, Spearman Rho for prestroke mRS and frailty index was J. 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78-0.86); CCI 0.50 (95% CI, 0.40-0.59); patient age 0.45 (95% CI, 0.34-0.54); medication count 0.28 (95% CI, 0.15-0.40). There was no association between need for carers and prestroke mRS (p=0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Interobserver reliability of prestroke mRS is limited but comparable with standard mRS. Poor correlation of prestroke mRS with certain markers of function suggests limited validity. Our data would suggest that relying on mRS alone may be a suboptimal measure of prestroke function and could potentially bias trial samples.

Research Infrastructure Contact Zones: a framework and dataset to characterise the activities of major biodiversity informatics initiatives.

Background: The landscape of biodiversity data infrastructures and organisations is complex and fragmented. Many occupy specialised niches representing narrow segments of the multidimensional biodiversity informatics space, while others operate across a broad front, but differ from others by data type(s) handled, their geographic scope and the life cycle phase(s) of the data they support. In an effort to characterise the various dimensions of the biodiversity informatics landscape, we developed a framework and dataset to survey these dimensions for ten organisations (DiSSCo, GBIF, iBOL, Catalogue of Life, iNaturalist, Biodiversity Heritage Library, GeoCASe, LifeWatch, eLTER ELIXIR), relative to both their current activities and long-term strategic ambitions. New information: The survey assessed the contact between the infrastructure organisations by capturing the breadth of activities for each infrastructure across five categories (data, standards, software, hardware and policy), for nine types of data (specimens, collection descriptions, opportunistic observations, systematic observations, taxonomies, traits, geological data, molecular data and literature) and for seven phases of activity (creation, aggregation, access, annotation, interlinkage, analysis and synthesis). This generated a dataset of 6,300 verified observations, which have been scored and validated by leading members of each infrastructure organisation. The resulting data allow high-level questions about the overall biodiversity informatics landscape to be addressed, including the greatest gaps and contact between organisations.

The Impact of Job-Demand-Control-Support on Leptin and Ghrelin as Biomarkers of Stress in Emergency Healthcare Workers.

Despite the available literature on the consequences of night shiftwork on stress and food intake, its impact on leptin and ghrelin has never been studied. We previously demonstrated that leptin and ghrelin were biomarkers related to stress, and acute stress-induced a decrease in leptin levels and an increase in ghrelin levels. We performed a prospective observational study to assess the influence of night work, nutrition, and stress on the levels of ghrelin and leptin among emergency healthcare workers (HCWs). We took salivary samples at the beginning of a day shift and/or at the end of a night shift. We also monitored stress using the job demand-control-support model of Karasek. We recorded 24-h food intake during the day shift and the consecutive night shift and during night work and the day before. We included 161 emergency HCWs. Emergency HCWs had a tendency for decreased levels of leptin following the night shift compared to before the dayshift (p = 0.067). Furthermore, the main factors explaining the decrease in leptin levels were an increase in job-demand (coefficient -54.1, 95 CI -99.0 to -0.92) and a decrease in job control (-24.9, -49.5 to -0.29). Despite no significant changes in ghrelin levels between shifts, social support was the main factor explaining the increase in ghrelin (6.12, 0.74 to 11.5). Food intake (kcal) also had a negative impact on leptin levels, in addition to age. Ghrelin levels also decreased with body mass index, while age had the opposite effect. In conclusion, we confirmed that ghrelin and leptin as biomarkers of stress were directly linked to the job demand-control-support model of Karasek, when the main cofounders were considered.

Folding and organization of a contiguous chromosome region according to the gene distribution pattern in primary genomic sequence.

Specific mammalian genes functionally and dynamically associate together within the nucleus. Yet, how an array of many genes along the chromosome sequence can be spatially organized and folded together is unknown. We investigated the 3D structure of a well-annotated, highly conserved 4.3-Mb region on mouse chromosome 14 that contains four clusters of genes separated by gene "deserts." In nuclei, this region forms multiple, nonrandom "higher order" structures. These structures are based on the gene distribution pattern in primary sequence and are marked by preferential associations among multiple gene clusters. Associating gene clusters represent expressed chromatin, but their aggregation is not simply dependent on ongoing transcription. In chromosomes with aggregated gene clusters, gene deserts preferentially align with the nuclear periphery, providing evidence for chromosomal region architecture by specific associations with functional nuclear domains. Together, these data suggest dynamic, probabilistic 3D folding states for a contiguous megabase-scale chromosomal region, supporting the diverse activities of multiple genes and their conserved primary sequence organization.

Skin-to-skin contact. Part one: just an hour of your time...

A growing body of evidence suggests that extended skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby immediately after birth provides numerous and significant benefits including regulating heartbeat and temperature for the baby, protecting against infections, and promoting feelings of calm and wellbeing in both mother and baby. As a result the Baby Friendly Initiative has increased the amount of time that mothers and babies should spend in skin contact to one hour minimum, and much more where possible.

'The best breastfeeding website in the world'.

The dramatically new UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative website will launch on 9 January 2011, having been successfully piloted at the recent Baby Friendly Conference in Harrogate. One new feature will be Care Pathways, so that whether you are a parent, a health worker, or an infant feeding lead, you will be able to see and understand what good care should look like at each stage of the mother's journey. Other features of the new site will be discussion forums for health professionals to share their experiences, and video and audio-clips of mothers and health professionals sharing their stories, as well as much-improved navigation and research library.

Skin-to-skin contact. Part two: the evidence.

Health professionals are increasingly recognising that skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby immediately after birth has important and significant health benefits for all babies. UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative has recently increased recommended minimum time spent in skin contact after birth from 30 minutes to one hour. This article looks at recent research into the benefits of skin contact and summarises the findings.

Conference preview: Interview with Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan.

This year's UNICEF Baby Friendly Conference in November will be as diverse as ever, with speakers touching on all aspects of infant feeding and care for new mothers and their babies. One speaker will be Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, Head of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. Nearly four decades in the police force have taught John that early years intervention and support for vulnerable mothers, in particular, are at the heart of violence reduction, and that to reduce homicide rates we must invest resources in health professionals to support the early years.

Breastfeeding and the neonatal ward.

The evidence base showing the huge importance of breast milk for preterm babies is growing all the time. Human milk can help save the lives of vulnerable babies as well as help prevent some of the long-term complications. Breast milk is being seen as one of the most potent medicines for these babies. Yet practice in many neonatal wards is lagging behind the evidence. In this article, Sarah Vincent interviews Dr Paul Meier, one of the high profile speakers coming to the 2011 UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Conference later this year, who has carried out pioneering work into caring for preterm babies at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. In her unit, where breastfeeding initiation rates are now 98 per cent, much of the care is carried out by well trained peer supporters who have been through the experience themselves and whom mothers can easily relate to. Dr Meier has also carried out research into the importance of the first two weeks for establishing a milk supply for mothers using a milk pump.

Oldham--the second PCT in the UK to gain the award.

NHS Oldham has become the second Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the country to gain full Baby Friendly status and notably has seen breastfeeding rates at six-eight weeks more than double in the past two years. Sarah Vincent talks to Joanne Mayall from NHS Oldham, and looks at how the various challenges were overcome to make Oldham such a success story.

Impact of Providing a Living Learning Community for First-Year Pre-Pharmacy Students.

Objective. To conduct a retrospective cohort pilot study to evaluate the impact of a living learning community (LLC) designed for undergraduate pre-pharmacy students interested in pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program.Methods. Persistence, retention, and progression within the pre-pharmacy program, as well as grade point average (GPA) were measured for LLC students and their pre-pharmacy peers who did not participate in the LLC. Information was obtained from the university's data system and analyzed. Persistence was defined as the student continuing at the university from the fall to spring academic terms. Retention was defined as the student being enrolled at the university during a subsequent fall term. Progression was determined by whether the student had successfully completed the pre-pharmacy curriculum and began pharmacy school within two or three years of initial enrollment in the pre-pharmacy program.Results. Despite having admissions characteristics comparable to other pre-pharmacy students, students who participated in the LLC demonstrated significantly higher grade-point averages and retention than their peers who did not participate.Conclusion. Living learning community programs may be a valuable contributor to pre-pharmacy student success in terms of students' persistence, retention, and progression in a pre-pharmacy program.

DHEA as a Biomarker of Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Psychosocial stress is a significant public health problem inducing consequences for quality of life. Results about the use of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as a biomarker of acute stress are conflicting. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate that DHEA levels could be a biomarker of stress. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched on March 19, 2021 using the keywords "acute stress" AND "DHEA" OR "Dehydroepiandrosterone." Articles needed to describe our primary outcome, i.e., induction of acute stress and at least two measures of DHEA. Results: We included 14 studies, with a total of 631 participants, in our meta-analysis. The DHEA levels increased overtime after acute stress [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.56, 95%CI = 1.13-1.99]. Stratification by time showed a main peak at the end of stress (SMD = 2.43, 95%CI = 1.59-3.27), followed by a progressive decrease (coefficient = -0.11, 95%CI = -0.19 to -0.17, p = 0.020). There was no significant change 1 h after the end of acute stress. Metaregressions showed an impact of mental stress (SMD = 2.04, 95%CI = 1.43-2.65), sex (SMD = 0.02, 95%CI = 0.00-0.04), age (SMD = -0.12, 95%CI = -0.2 to -0.05), and obesity (SMD = 0.31, 95%CI = -0.00 to 0.63). There was no difference whatever the type of fluid (blood or saliva) and the measurement technique used. Conclusions: DHEA is a biomarker of acute stress, with a short-term increase (1 h). DHEA increases following acute mental stress, whatever the type and duration of mental stress. Women, young people, and obese individuals had a higher response. Blood and saliva measures were comparable.

Deleterious Effect of High-Fat Diet on Skeletal Muscle Performance Is Prevented by High-Protein Intake in Adult Rats but Not in Old Rats.

The phenotype of sarcopenic obesity is frequently associated with impaired muscle strength and performance. Ectopic lipid deposition may interfere with muscle anabolic response especially during aging. Evidence is scarce concerning the potential interplay among aging and nutrient imbalance on skeletal muscle functionality. The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of protein intake in the context of an obesogenic diet on skeletal muscle functional properties and intramuscular lipid infiltration. Two groups of forty-two adult and thirty-seven old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: isocaloric standard diet (12% protein, 14% lipid, as ST12); isocaloric standard (high-protein) diet (25% protein, 14% lipid, ST25); hypercaloric high-fat (normal-protein) diet (12% protein, 45% lipid, HF12); and hypercaloric high-fat (high-protein) diet (25% protein, 45% lipid, HF25). The nutritional intervention lasted 10 weeks. Total body composition was measured through Echo-MRI. Lipids were extracted from tibialis anterior muscle and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. The functional properties of the plantarflexor muscles were evaluated in vivo on an isokinetic dynamometer. Maximal torque was assessed from the torque-frequency relationship in isometric condition and maximal power was evaluated from the torque-velocity relationship in concentric condition. In adult rats high-protein intake combined with high-fat diet determined a lower decrease in relative isometric torque, normalized to either FFM or body weight, compared with adult rats fed a high-fat normal-protein diet. High-fat diet was also detrimental to relative muscle power, as normalized to body weight, that decreased to a larger extent in adult rats fed a high-fat normal-protein diet than their counterparts fed a normal-fat, high-protein diet. The effect of high-fat diet observed in adults, with the enhanced protein intake (25%) conferring some kind of protection against the negative effects of HFD, may be linked to the reduced intramuscular fat in this group, which may have contributed to preserve, at least partly, the contractile properties. A potential role for high-protein diet in preventing ectopic lipid deposition needs to be explored in future research. Detrimental effects of high- fat diet on skeletal muscle performance are mitigated by high- protein intake in adult rats but not in old rats.

An Integrated Analysis of miRNA and Gene Expression Changes in Response to an Obesogenic Diet to Explore the Impact of Transgenerational Supplementation with Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Insulin resistance decreases the ability of insulin to inhibit hepatic gluconeogenesis, a key step in the development of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic alterations, fat accumulation, and fibrosis in the liver are closely related and contribute to the progression of comorbidities, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or cancer. Omega 3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), were identified as potent positive regulators of insulin sensitivity in vitro and in animal models. In the current study, we explored the effects of a transgenerational supplementation with EPA in mice exposed to an obesogenic diet on the regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) and gene expression in the liver using high-throughput techniques. We implemented a comprehensive molecular systems biology approach, combining statistical tools, such as MicroRNA Master Regulator Analysis pipeline and Boolean modeling to integrate these biochemical processes. We demonstrated that EPA mediated molecular adaptations, leading to the inhibition of miR-34a-5p, a negative regulator of Irs2 as a master regulatory event leading to the inhibition of gluconeogenesis by insulin during the fasting-feeding transition. Omics data integration provided greater biological insight and a better understanding of the relationships between biological variables. Such an approach may be useful for deriving innovative data-driven hypotheses and for the discovery of molecular-biochemical mechanistic links.