A 10-week exercise program can improve coronary artery disease risk factors in the absence of weight loss

Background: Census data indicate a dramatic increase in the population of older adults, whereby more than 1 in 5 Americans are expected to be 65 or older by the year 2030. Purpose: To develop an introductory fitness program for a middle-aged sedentary population that meets the Surgeon General 's physical activity recommendations for health improvement (caloric expenditure of approximately 1000 kcal/week) and evaluate whether an intervention on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease occurs. Methods: Ten previously sedentary subjects (6 females and 4 males) ranging in age from 40 to 52 years were included in the study. Program data was collected before, during, and after a 10-week progressive jogging and resistance-training program. Measurements included body weight and girth, caloric expenditure, cardiorespiratory and blood pressure responses, fasting blood lipid profiles, fasting blood glucose, diet composition, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Baseline and program completion scores were compared across all variables. Results: The exercise program resulted in a significant reduction of 5.5% for total cholesterol (p=0.04) and 13.9% for triglyceride levels (p=0.05). Although there were no significant changes in body weight among the subjects, body fat decreased by 11.9% (p=0.002), waist-to-hip ratio decreased by 2.4% (p=0.035), fat mass decreased by 10.8% (p=0.006), and fat-free mass increased by 5.6% (p=0.0001). Cardiorespiratory fitness as measured by submaximal V02 improved by 11.6% (p=0.001 ). Improvements in back and hamstring flexibility, muscular endurance, and muscular strength were also observed throughout the 10 weeks of training. Conclusions: A 10-wee.k introductory exercise training program expending 1000 to 1250 kcal/week can significantly intervene on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, in the absence of weight loss, in individuals over the age of 40 who are sedentary but otherwise healthy.California State University, Northridge. Department of Kinesiology.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-48

Drama, performance and touch in the medieval convent and beyond

In this analysis we explore the sensory performances of the performer, rather than the spectator, in medieval convent drama, particularly the tactile experiences of clothing, props, wigs, and beards worn by female performers presenting male and female characters

Who Should Certify the Pediatrician?

You may be interested in the following comments about examinations for certification by the American Board of Pediatrics. The comments were related to me by a colleague who, after recently (and successfully) completing the oral portion of the board examination, was asked to submit some comments about the examination. Medical board examinations for the purposes of certification should be discontinued. Certification ought to be the prerogative of the individual(s) conducting the training program, for he is a better judge of the suitability of the candidate than the purveyors of examinations.</jats:p

MHD Coal Fired Flow Facility. Quarterly technical progress report, July-September 1980

Significant activity, task status, planned research, testing, development, and conclusions for the Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) Coal-Fired Flow Facility (CFFF) and the Energy Conversion Facility (ECF) are described. On Task 1, the first phase of the downstream quench system was completed. On Task 2, all three combustor sections were completed, hydrotested, ASME code stamped, and delivered to UTSI. The nozzle was also delivered. Fabrication of support stands and cooling water manifolds for the combustor and vitiation heater were completed, heat transfer and thermal stress analysis, along with design development, were conducted on the generator and radiant furnace and secondary combustor installation progressed as planned. Under Task 3 an Elemental Analyzer and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer/Graphite Furnace were received and installed, sites were prepared for two air monitoring stations, phytoplankton analysis began, and foliage and soil sampling was conducted using all study plots. Some 288 soil samples were combined to make 72 samples which were analyzed. Also, approval was granted to dispose of MHD flyash and slag at the Franklin County landfill. Task 4 effort consisted of completing all component test plans, and establishing the capability of displaying experimental data in graphical format. Under Task 7, a preliminary testing program for critical monitoring of the local current and voltage non-uniformities in the generator electrodes was outlined, electrode metal wear characteristics were documented, boron nitride/refrasil composite interelectrode sealing was improved, and several refractories for downstream MHD applications were evaluated with promising results

Quantifying forest cover loss in Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2000-2010, with Landsat ETM+ data

Forest cover and forest cover loss for the last decade, 2000â2010, have been quantified for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) using Landsat time-series data set. This was made possible via an exhaustive mining of the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) archive. A total of 8881 images were processed to create multi-temporal image metrics resulting in 99.6% of the DRC land area covered by cloud-free Landsat observations. To facilitate image compositing, a top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance calibration and image normalization using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) top of canopy (TOC) reflectance data sets were performed. Mapping and change detection was implemented using a classification tree algorithm. The national year 2000 forest cover was estimated to be 159,529.2 thousand hectares, with gross forest cover loss for the last decade totaling 2.3% of forest area. Forest cover loss area increased by 13.8% between the 2000â2005 and 2005â2010 intervals, with the greatest increase occurring within primary humid tropical forests. Forest loss intensity was distributed unevenly and associated with areas of high population density and mining activity. While forest cover loss is comparatively low in protected areas and priority conservation landscapes compared to forests outside of such areas, gross forest cover loss for all nature protection areas increased by 64% over the 2000 to 2005 and 2005 to 2010 intervals