In the first experiment, the urine metabolome of sixteen ewes showed significant difference between the CON group and FR group. Compared with the CON group, FR decreased the level of d-glucose, lactic acid, levoglucosan, α-ketoglutarate, phosphohydroxypyruvic acid, glucose 6-phosphate and the methyl donors, while increasing the level of pyruvate, fumaric acid and carnitines in urine. Both the GLY and RPC treatments counteracted some of these changes and modulated the urine metabolome in advanced pregnant ewes suffering from malnutrition.The aim of this study was to determine whether the living conditions of school children affects their body structure and muscular strength. Data were taken from 400 girls and 341 boys aged 7-15 years attending nine primary schools in Warsaw in 1997. A questionnaire was completed, anthropological measurements made and two muscular strength tests conducted. The questionnaire asked questions on the children’s level of education, their parents’ professions and monthly incomes, the number of persons in the family and the number of rooms in the family’s apartment/home. Body height, body weight, chest and arm circumferences, grip strength and vertical jump height were measured and used to calculate body mass index, Marty’s Index and the Sargent Vertical Jump Index. Statistical tests included Student’s t-test, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis. Body height, chest circumference, Sargent Vertical Jump Index and grip strength were significantly greater in the boys than the girls. Two factors, namely ‘socioeconomic status’ (F1) and ‘family size’ (F2), describing living conditions, were isolated after PCA. Boys from bigger families (F2) were shorter, with lower weights and BMIs, smaller chest and arm circumferences and greater grip strengths than those from smaller families, whereas girls from families of lower socioeconomic status (F1) weighed less and had greater BMIs and arm circumferences than those from higher socioeconomic status families. The results suggest that boys seem to be more ‘ecosensitive’ than girls.Depression is an important public health problem. The aim of the study is to explore the associations of total protein intake and protein sources with the risk of depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for the years 2007-2014. Dietary protein intake was obtained from two 24-h dietary recall interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed by a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were used to estimate the associations of total protein intake (g/kg per d) and protein sources with the risk of depressive symptoms. A total of 17 845 individuals aged 18 years and older were included in this study. Total protein intake was inversely associated with the risk of depressive symptoms. The full-adjusted OR of depressive symptoms was 0·34 (95 % CI 0·17, 0·68) for quartile (Q) 4 v. Q1 of total protein intake. For protein intake from milk and milk products, the association with depressive symptoms was significant both for Q2 v. Q1 (OR 0·61; 95 % CI 0·41, 0·93) and Q3 v. Q1 (OR 0·37; 95 % CI 0·24, 0·59) in the full-adjusted model. In the dose-response analysis, the shape of the associations of total protein intake and protein intake from milk and milk products with the risk of depressive symptoms was approximately L-shaped and U-shaped, respectively. The present study demonstrated that total protein intake and protein intake from milk and milk products might reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in US adults.China’s rapid urbanization has led to rising construction and demolition waste (C&DW) amid a quoted recycling rate of only about 10%. Previous studies on C&DW recycling in China have focused on lack of awareness, weak regulation, limited markets for recycled products, and immature recycling technology. This paper investigates the recycling rate of demolition waste (DW) through a case study of the demolition process in a highway project in Taixing, Jiangsu Province, and data collected through analyses of past documents, field observations, and interviews with key stakeholders to provide contrary evidence that the recycling rate is much higher than reported. The reason for the discrepancy is that the reported recycling rate did not include the efforts of a myriad of relocated residents, small construction businesses, informal recycling establishments, developers, and road construction contractors. Proper estimation of the DW recycling rate in China should consider these efforts, especially from the informal sector.Background Robotic Exoskeletons (EKSO) are novel technology for retraining common gait dysfunction in people post-stroke. EKSO’s capability to influence gait characteristics post-stroke is unknown.Objectives To compare temporospatial, kinematic, and muscle activity gait characteristics before and after a single EKSO session and examine kinematic symmetry between involved and uninvolved limbs.Methods Participants post-stroke walked under two conditions pre-EKSO, and immediately post-EKSO. A 10-camera motion capture system synchronized with 6 force plates was used to obtain temporospatial and kinematic gait characteristics from 5 walking trials of 9 meters at a self-selected speed. Surface EMG activity was obtained from bilateral gluteus medius, rectus femoris, medial hamstrings, tibialis anterior, and soleus muscles. Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to analyze differences pre- and post-EKSO. Single EKSO session consisted of 22.3±6.8 minutes total time (walk time=7.2±1.5 minutes) with 250±40 steps.Results Six ambulatory (Functional Ambulation Category, range=4-5) adults (3 female; 44.7±14.6 years) with chronic stroke (4.5±1.9 years post-stroke) participated. No significant differences were observed for temporospatial gait characteristics. Muscle activity was significantly less post-EKSO in the involved leg rectus femoris during swing phase (p=0.028). Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion on the involved leg post-EKSO was significantly less during stance phase (p=0.046). Differences between involved and uninvolved joint range of motion symmetry were found pre-EKSO but not post-EKSO in swing phase hip flexion and stance phase knee flexion and knee extension.Conclusions EKSO training appears capable of altering gait in people with chronic stroke and a viable intervention to reduce gait dysfunction post-stroke.The present work is focused on pyrolysis of polystyrene waste for production of combustible hydrocarbons. The experiments were performed in an indigenously made furnace in the presence of a laboratory synthesised copper oxide. The pyrolysis products were collected and characterised. see more The Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that the liquid fraction contains C-H, C-O, C-C, C=C and O-H bonds, which correspond to various aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry traced compounds ranging from C1 to C4 in the gaseous fraction, whereas in the liquid fraction 15 components ranging from C3 to C24 were detected. From the results it has been concluded that CuO as a catalyst not only increased the liquid yield but also reduced the degradation temperature to great extent. Fuel properties of the pyrolysis oil were determined and compared with standard values of commercial fuel oil. The comparison suggested potential application of pyrolysis oil for domestic and commercial use.The objectives of this paper were to (a) systematically review studies that explored the effects of exercise order (EO) on muscular strength and/or hypertrophy; (b) pool their results using a meta-analysis; and (c) provide recommendations for the prescription of EO in resistance training (RT) programmes. A literature search was performed in four databases. Studies were included if they explored the effects of EO on dynamic muscular strength and/or muscle hypertrophy. The meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model with Hedges’ g effect size (ES). The methodological quality of studies was appraised using the TESTEX checklist. Eleven good-to-excellent methodological quality studies were included in the review. When all strength tests, that is, both in multi-joint (MJ) and single-joint (SJ) exercises were considered, there was no difference between the EOs (ES = -0.11; p = 0.306). However, there was a difference between the MJ-to-SJ and SJ-to-MJ orders for strength gains in the MJ exercises, favouring starting the exercise session with MJ exercises (ES = 0.32; p = 0.034), and the strength gains in the SJ exercises, favouring starting the exercise session with SJ exercises (ES = -0.58; p = 0.032). No significant effect of EO was observed for hypertrophy combining site-specific and indirect measures (ES = 0.03; p = 0.862). In conclusion, increases in muscular strength are the largest in the exercises performed at the beginning of an exercise session. For muscle hypertrophy, our meta-analysis indicated that both MJ-to-SJ and SJ-to-MJ EOs may produce similar results.Objectives Occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions emphasizing regulation or education have had limited success in reducing agricultural accidents and fatalities. There is a growing interest in sociocultural approaches to OSH promotion amongst farmers, such as peer learning groups (PLGs). The level of OSH engagement within farmer PLGs (e.g. dairy discussion groups (DDGs)) is unknown. This study evaluates Irish DDG engagement with OSH in 2016 to better understand how DDGs contribute to OSH promotion.Methods A mixed-mode (online, postal, and telephone) retrospective survey of 121 DDG representatives (i.e. chairperson or long-term member) assessed voluntary OSH engagement in 2016, including the location, frequency, duration, and content of OSH discussions.Results Representatives of 96 DDGs participated in the survey and met the survey criteria. Most DDGs discussed OSH to some extent in 2016 (96%), including sharing personal experiences of accidents and illnesses (89%) and close calls (82%). For 76 DDGs, at least one meeting in 2016 addressed specific hazard and risk management topics. Groups were diverse with respect to discussion frequency, duration, and topics discussed.Conclusion Farmers actively engaged with OSH in most DDGs surveyed, suggesting dairy farmers value OSH discussions. The findings illustrate the role of DDGs in OSH promotion, as a space for farmer-led, peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing. Farm advisory (extension) services and OSH professionals can strengthen OSH engagement through tailored resources that reflect contemporary OSH knowledge and popular discussion approaches (e.g. experience-sharing).Purpose We aimed to compare the findings of a segmental speckle-tracking strain of right ventricle with those of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in this setting.Methods In 26 patients with operated tetralogy of Fallot (mean age, 15.35 ± 2.3 years; range 11-18 years), right ventricular segmental speckle-straining (the basal, mid, apical segments of right ventricular septum and lateral free wall, and right ventricular apex) were determined using two-dimensional echocardiography. The echocardiographic findings were compared to right ventricular ejection fraction, right ventricular indexed end-diastolic volume, indexed end-systolic volume and pulmonary regurgitation fraction at cardiac magnetic resonance.Results Right ventricular global speckle strain was -18.6 ± 3.7and lateral free wall strain was -17.8 ± 4.9. Indexed right ventricular end diastolic volume was 171.7 ± 23.3 ml/m2, indexed right ventricular end systolic volume was 95.1 ± 35.0 ml/m2 and right ventricular ejection fraction was 44.76 ± 9.39%. Basal inferior septum is correlated with indexed right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV; r = -0.