Effect of "finite pool of worry" and COVID-19 on UK climate change perceptions.

Research reveals that a "finite pool of worry" constrains concern about and action on climate change. Nevertheless, a longitudinal panel survey of 1,858 UK residents, surveyed in April 2019 and June 2020, reveals little evidence for diminishing climate change concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the sample identifies climate change as a bigger threat than COVID-19. The findings suggest climate change has become an intransigent concern within UK public consciousness.

A preliminary evaluation of the DDT contamination of sediments in lakes Natron and Bogoria (Eastern Rift Valley, Africa).

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is still used in Africa for the indoor control of malaria and it may represent a potential hazard for wildlife. The littoral sediments of two alkaline-saline lakes, Natron (Tanzania) and Bogoria (Kenya), in the Eastern Rift Valley, supporting large populations of lesser flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor), were analysed for DDT residues. Physical-chemical analyses (temperature, conductivity, pH and dissolved oxygen) were also performed on the water of the two lakes and in the tributaries of Lake Natron, to evaluate the influence of the environmental variables on pollutant occurrence. At Lake Natron, around 1 km from the sediment collection sites, tree leaves of Acacia tortilis were also collected. The main metabolite found in all sediment samples was pp'DDE, whilst equal concentrations of pp'DDT and pp'DDE were measured in acacia leaves. The levels of DDTs measured in the sediments were within 5.9-30.9 ng g(-1) d.w., reaching the maximum value in a tributary of Lake Natron. On the whole, the contamination of Lake Natron and Lake Bogoria basins seems to be quite moderate. Nevertheless, the pp'DDE/pp'DDT ratio equals 1 in the Acacia tortilis leaves, which makes one suppose that the input of the parent compound was rather recent and could have been from aerial transport or dust from relatively close-by old pesticides storage sites.

Elderly women have blunted response to resistance training despite reduced antagonist coactivation.

PURPOSE: To test the ability of a combination high-velocity/high-resistance training program to enhance knee extensor muscle strength, power, nervous activation of muscle, and muscle activation time in inactive women and compare the response to training between young and old women. METHODS: The study involved 49 inactive women, with young (18-33 yr, n = 25) and old (65-84 yr, n = 24) distributed to training and control groups using blocked randomization. Electrically evoked muscle twitches were measured for the knee extensors; then maximal, voluntary, isometric knee extensions were performed in a visually cued reaction time (RT) task, followed by 8 wk of explosive resistance training. RESULTS: Training increased peak torque (+12%, P = 0.03) and reduced antagonist coactivation (-13%, P = 0.02) similarly for both age groups. Young training group increased the rate of torque development by 34% compared to young controls (-7%), old training (+9%), and old controls (+8%) (P = 0.002). Young training group increased impulse by 53%, which was greater than young controls (-11%), old training (+12%), and old controls (+9%) (P = 0.001). Resistance training did not change electrically evoked twitch, RT (premotor time, motor time, or reaction time), or nervous activation measures (onset EMG amplitude or rate of EMG rise). CONCLUSIONS: Explosive force training was ineffective at enhancing muscle twitch characteristics, neural drive, or RT in young or old women. It did enhance peak muscle force in both young and old, modulated through a reduction in antagonist coactivation. Older participants showed less of an improvement in the rate of torque development and contractile impulse than young, indicating either that this sample of older women had a reduced capacity to develop muscle power or that the 8-wk isokinetic resistance training program used in this study was not a sufficient stimulus for adaptation.

Explosive force and fractionated reaction time in elderly low- and high-active women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether muscle power, activation time, and neuromuscular stimulation are related to physical activity patterns in older women. METHODS: Forty women (65-84 yr) were assigned to high-active (HA) and low-active (LA) groups on the basis of a historical activity questionnaire, and then they performed a series of maximal, voluntary, isometric knee extensions in a visually cued RT task. Fractionated RT measures were taken using three landmarks in the data: the presentation of the visual stimulus, the beginning of the EMG burst, and the initiation of force development. The rate and magnitude of neural stimulation were taken from surface EMG. RESULTS: Peak torque was 15% greater, rate of torque development was 26% greater, motor time was 17% shorter, rate of EMG rise was 25% faster, and onset EMG magnitude was 15% greater in HA than in LA subjects (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that older women with a history of vigorous activity can generate greater force, power, and motor output in comparison with their less active peers. The lower-body mass index of the HA subjects and 310% greater volume of physical activity are likely to account for the enhanced neuromuscular function seen. It is plausible that in addition to aging, physical inactivity is responsible for a large portion of the loss of neuromuscular function seen in older adults.

Clopidogrel bisulfate: in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Clopidogrel bisulfate (hereafter, clopidogrel), a selective inhibitor of ADP-induced platelet aggregation, is approved for the reduction of atherothrombotic events in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In COMMIT/CCS-2, a well designed trial in 45,852 adult patients with STEMI, relative to aspirin alone, clopidogrel 75 mg/day plus aspirin treatment significantly reduced the risk of both coprimary endpoints: the composite endpoint of reinfarction, stroke, or death from any cause and the risk of death from any cause. Based on the findings of this trial, treating 1000 patients for approximately 2 weeks with clopidogrel is associated with nine fewer patient deaths, reinfarctions, or strokes during treatment. In CLARITY-TIMI 28, a well designed supportive study in 3491 adult patients with STEMI, clopidogrel plus aspirin reduced the odds that a composite primary endpoint event of an occluded infarct-related artery, recurrent myocardial infarction, or death from any cause would occur versus aspirin plus placebo. Clopidogrel treatment was generally well tolerated in these clinical trials, with no significant between-group difference in the rate of major bleeding in either trial. Experience in other patient populations (e.g. those with recent myocardial infarction, recent ischemic stroke, or established peripheral arterial disease) has shown that longer-term (< or =3 years) clopidogrel monotherapy is generally well tolerated.