Skeletal Muscle Health and Cognitive Function: A Narrative Review

Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function with advancing age. It involves both complex genetic and modifiable risk factors, such as lack of exercise, malnutrition and reduced neurological drive. Cognitive decline refers to diminished or impaired mental and/or intellectual functioning. Contracting skeletal muscle is a major source of neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which regulate synapses in the brain. Furthermore, skeletal muscle activity has important immune and redox effects that modify brain function and reduce muscle catabolism. The identification of common risk factors and underlying mechanisms for sarcopenia and cognition may allow the development of targeted interventions that slow or reverse sarcopenia and also certain forms of cognitive decline. However, the links between cognition and skeletal muscle have not been elucidated fully. This review provides a critical appraisal of the literature on the relationship between skeletal muscle health and cognition. The literature suggests that sarcopenia and cognitive decline share pathophysiological pathways. Ageing plays a role in both skeletal muscle deterioration and cognitive decline. Furthermore, lifestyle risk factors, such as physical inactivity, poor diet and smoking, are common to both disorders, so their potential role in the muscle–brain relationship warrants investigation.     

Ausbau des Stichkanals nach Salzgitter von SKS‐km 3,550 bis 14,918

Expansion of the branch channel to Salzgitter from SKS‐km 3,550 to 14,918 The branch channel to Salzgitter will be extended to the waterway category Vb in the next years. This will enable inland waterway vessels with a width of 11,45 m and a loaded draft of 2,80 m to run it without limitations. The reaches Wedtlenstedt and Üfingen will be extended in most areas to a trapezoidal cross section with a width at water level of 36,90 m and a water depth of 4,00 m. The exit basins of the locks will be extended on one side. Overall about 1 000 000 m² of soil will be moved. About 300 000 m² of clay sealing and 460 000 m² of rip‐rap will be installed. Three culverts have to be replaced by new constructions to adapt to the new cross section of the channel. In addition two bridges will be modified to allow for a clearance of 5,25 m. At present the plan approval procedure is carried out. It is expected to achieve the plan approval order in 2017. The construction is planned to start in 2018. Completion is scheduled for 2024.     

Great cities look small

Great cities connect people; failed cities isolate people. Despite the fundamental importance of physical, face-to-face social ties in the functioning of cities, these connectivity networks are not explicitly observed in their entirety. Attempts at estimating them often rely on unrealistic over-simplifications such as the assumption of spatial homogeneity. Here we propose a mathematical model of human interactions in terms of a local strategy of maximizing the number of beneficial connections attainable under the constraint of limited individual travelling-time budgets. By incorporating census and openly available online multi-modal transport data, we are able to characterize the connectivity of geometrically and topologically complex cities. Beyond providing a candidate measure of greatness, this model allows one to quantify and assess the impact of transport developments, population growth, and other infrastructure and demographic changes on a city. Supported by validations of gross domestic product and human immunodeficiency virus infection rates across US metropolitan areas, we illustrate the effect of changes in local and city-wide connectivities by considering the economic impact of two contemporary inter- and intra-city transport developments in the UK: High Speed 2 and London Crossrail. This derivation of the model suggests that the scaling of different urban indicators with population size has an explicitly mechanistic origin.     

Factor structure and criterion-related validity of the metaperspective version of the Coach–Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q).

The coach–athlete relationship has been purported to be shaped by coaches’ and athletes’ self-perceptions (e.g., I trust my coach/athlete) and metaperceptions (e.g., My coach/athlete trusts me) of closeness, commitment, and complementarity (3Cs). The development of the Coach–Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q; S. Jowett & N. Ntoumanis, 2004) has enabled the assessment of coaches’ and athletes’ self-perceptions of the relationship as defined by the 3Cs. The author conducted 2 studies to examine the factor structure and criterion-related validity of the CART-Q when its items are worded to express metaperceptions. In the 1st study, confirmatory factor analyses employing a sample of athletes (n = 201) supported the validity of a 3-dimensional model in which the factors were separate but correlated for metacloseness, metacommitment, and metacomplementarity. The 2nd study provided further evidence of validity when the 3 factors were examined relative to criterion variables with 2 independent samples: athletes (n = 189) and coaches (n = 138). These results highlight that the conceptual model from which the CART-Q was developed captures the relationship quality through athletes’ and coaches’ feelings (closeness), thoughts (commitment), and behaviors (complementarity). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Energy efficiency actions related to the rollout of smart meters for small consumers, application to the Austrian system

Smart meters (SM) may provide large benefits to all stakeholders by providing the information required to implement certain sets of demand response actions. Benefits produced by SM related actions depend on the features of these actions, the system and the targeted consumer group.We first lay out an analytical framework to analyze the application of Demand Response (DR) actions. Based on this framework, we describe a way to determine the response of domestic load in a system to the implementation of DR actions. We propose determining the overall change in the consumption behavior of domestic load based on previously obtained estimates of the peak load and overall consumption reduction for different types of consumers in different types of systems resulting from the application of each set of actions. We have carried out a comprehensive literature review to provide here such estimates.We apply the analytical framework and methodology developed to characterize the reaction of consumers in the Austrian system to different SM related actions. Finally, we provide guidelines on which DR actions to implement in this system and how to implement them. The use of advanced indirect feedback on consumption behavior, critical peak prices and simple time-of-use tariffs is advocated.