Oxygen uptake plateau occurrence depends on oxygen kinetics and oxygen deficit accumulation

We tested the hypothesis that participants with an oxygen uptake () plateau during incremental exercise exhibit a lower VO₂‐deficit (VO_2DEF)‐accumulation in the submaximal intensity domain due to faster ramp and square wave O₂‐kinetics. Twenty‐six male participants performed a standard ramp test (increment: 30 W·min^?1), a ramp test with an individualized ramp slope and a two‐step (moderate and severe) square wave exercise followed by a ‐verification bout. VO_2DEF was calculated by the difference between individualized ramp test O₂ and O₂‐demand estimated from steady‐state O₂‐kinetics. Twenty‐four participants verified their O_2max in the verification test. Ten of them showed a plateau in the individualized ramp test. VO_2DEF at the end of this ramp test (4.34 ± 0.60 vs 4.54 ± 0.43 L) was not different between the plateau and the non‐plateau group (P > 0.05). The plateau group had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower VO_2DEF 2 minutes before termination of the individualized ramp test (2.24 ± 0.40 vs 2.78 ± 0.33 L). This coincided with a shorter mean response time (43 ± 9 vs 53 ± 7 seconds), a higher increase in O₂ per W (10.1 ± 0.2 vs 9.2 ± 0.5 mL·min^?1·W^?1) at the individualized ramp test as well as shorter time constants of moderate (36 ± 6 vs 48 ± 7 seconds) and severe (62 ± 9 vs 86 ± 10 seconds) square wave kinetics (all P < 0.05). We conclude that the O₂‐plateau occurrence requires a fast O₂‐kinetics and a low VO_2DEF‐accumulation at intensities below O_2max.     

Melde- und Informationssystem für bedeutsame Vorkommnisse bei Strahlenanwendungen in der Medizin: Struktur,Zuständigkeiten und Meldekriterien

The increasing frequency and complexity of medical radiation exposures to humans inevitably result in higher risks of harmful unintended or accidental radiation exposures. To ensure a high level of protection and its continuous improvement, the Directive 2013/59/Euratom thus requires to systematically record and analyze both events and near-miss events as well as, in the case of their significance, to disseminate information regarding lessons learned from these events promptly and nationwide to improve radiation protection in medicine. These requirements have been transposed into German legislation by the new radiation protection law and radiation protection ordinance that entered into force simultaneously on December 31^th, 2018. The reporting and information system as provided by these regulations as well as the tasks, duties and powers of the parties involved are presented in the first part of this review article. In the second part, the established application-specified criteria for the significance – and thus the notification requirement - of (near-miss) events are itemized and explicated.     

AktivMobil – ein betriebliches Gesundheitsprogramm

Background

Workplace health promotion programs (WHPP) are becoming increasingly important. AktivMobil is a behavioral preventive WHPP that was developed for an occupational group with increased work-related strain. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of the program, consisting of a check-up session and a subsequent 20-week virtual and 6?hour personal coaching, on health-related quality of life and physical activity.

Methods

Health-related quality of life and physical activity were quantified by the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in a quasi-experimental, controlled trial. In all, 28 employees took part in the intervention and were compared to 20 employees without intervention.

Results

The physical component summary score, physical functioning, physical role functioning, pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, mental health and health transition improved significantly in the treatment group after 20 weeks. However, no significant effects were observed for total physical activity and leisure time physical activity. In addition, there was no significant difference between treatment and control subjects at the second evaluation point.

Conclusions

The findings speak for the effectiveness of AktivMobil on promoting health-related quality of life, which is also an indicator of absenteeism. However, the combination with work-related strategies should not be ignored.

     

Evaluation of oral health status of retirement-age population in Latvia

INTRODUCTION. Latvian government Health care financing regulations do not envisage free dental care in nursing homes. Consequently, in this situation arises need to carry out comparative evaluation of oral health status and quantity indicators of dental prosthodontics among retirement-age population in Latvia. The aim of the study was to estimate oral health and dental prosthodontics indicators among retirement-age population in Latvia. PATIENTS AND METHODS. We examinated 465 retirement-age inhabitants in Latvia. We assessed dental status, quantity and quality of the existing complete dental prostheses. We also evaluated the DMF-T index. RESULTS. Oral health indicators among Latvian retirement-age population are better than those for nursing homes residents in the same age group. Complete dental prostheses used by nursing homes residents do not meet denture's quality criteria. Retirement-age patients have oral hygiene problems. CONCLUSIONS. DMF-T index among Latvian retirement-age population is lower than among residents of nursing homes. The major component of DMF-T index is the number of lost teeth. The assessment of dental prostheses among residents of nursing homes showed unsatisfactory results. Retirement-age population in Latvia needs treatment of oral mucosal diseases, improvement of oral hygienic measures and increase of amount of dental prosthodontics.     

Parents’ experiences of childhood abuse and neglect are differentially associated with behavioral and autonomic responses to their offspring

Although childhood maltreatment has been shown to compromise adaptive parental behavior, little is known what happens in terms of physiological regulation when parents with a history of childhood maltreatment interact with their offspring. Using a sample of 229 parents (131 women), the present study examined whether childhood maltreatment experiences are associated with parents’ behavioral and autonomic responses while resolving conflict with their offspring. Self-reported experienced child maltreatment was measured using a questionnaire assessing abuse and neglect. Parents (M_age = 52.7 years, range_age = 26.6–88.4 years) and their offspring (M_age = 24.6 years, range_age = 7.5–65.6 years) participated in a videotaped parent–offspring conflict interaction task. Parental warmth, negativity, and emotional support were coded. In addition, their pre-ejection period and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were measured as indicators of underlying sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system reactivity, respectively. Findings demonstrated that experiences of abuse and neglect were associated with behavioral and physiological responses in different ways. Separating these two types of maltreatment in research and in clinical practice might be important.