The cheese paradox: How do vegetarians justify consuming non-meat animal products?

Researchers interested in animal ethics have proposed the 'meat paradox' - psychological discomfort arising from people's affinity for animals and conflicting desire to consume their flesh. Yet what can be said about the psychology of consuming an animal's non-meat products, in an age where most beings in these industries are harmed, and ultimately killed? Non-meat animal products (NMAPs) such as eggs and dairy entail the same, and perhaps even worse ethical issues as meat yet receive disproportionately less critical attention. Therefore, unlike meat, very little is known about the psychology of egg and dairy consumption.

Drone exploration of bat echolocation: A UAV-borne multimicrophone array to study bat echolocation.

Multimicrophone array techniques offer crucial insight into bat echolocation, yet they severely undersample the environments bats operate in as they are limited in geographic placement and mobility. UAVs are excellent candidates to greatly increase the environments in which such arrays can be deployed, but the impact of UAV noise on recording quality and the UAV's behavioral impact on the bats may affect usability. We developed a UAV-borne multimicrophone setup capable of recording bat echolocation across diverse environments.

Towards best practice in physical and physiological employment standards.

While the scope of the term physical employment standards is wide, the principal focus of this paper is on standards related to physiological evaluation of readiness for work. Common applications of such employment standards for work are in public safety and emergency response occupations (e.g.

Fluid Spatial Dynamics of West Nile Virus in the United States: Rapid Spread in a Permissive Host Environment.

Unlabelled: The introduction of West Nile virus (WNV) into North America in 1999 is a classic example of viral emergence in a new environment, with its subsequent dispersion across the continent having a major impact on local bird populations. Despite the importance of this epizootic, the pattern, dynamics, and determinants of WNV spread in its natural hosts remain uncertain. In particular, it is unclear whether the virus encountered major barriers to transmission, or spread in an unconstrained manner, and if specific viral lineages were favored over others indicative of intrinsic differences in fitness.

The effect of hand cooling during intermittent training of elite swimmers.

Background: The aim of this paper was to determine the effects of using intermittent hand cooling during high intensity, intermittent training on thermoregulatory, performance and psychophysical variables in elite level swimmers in a training pool (30.5±0.5 °C).

Variability in performance on a work simulation test of physical fitness for firefighters.

The Canadian Forces Firefighter Physical Fitness Maintenance Evaluation (FF PFME) requires firefighters in full fire-protective ensemble, including self-contained breathing apparatus, to correctly complete 10 work-related tasks on a measured and calibrated course. Fitness for duty is inferred from completion time of the course. We hypothesized that completion time may be dependent on pacing strategy and day-to-day fluctuations in biological function.

Establishment of performance standards and a cut-score for the Canadian Forces firefighter physical fitness maintenance evaluation (FF PFME).

The bookmark method for setting cut-scores was used to re-set the cut-score for the Canadian Forces Firefighter Physical Fitness Maintenance Evaluation (FF PFME). The time required to complete 10 tasks that together simulate a first-response firefighting emergency was accepted as a measure of work capacity. A panel of 25 Canadian Forces firefighter supervisors set cut-scores in three rounds.

Avian botulism and avian chlamydiosis in wild water birds, Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, USA.

In 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, conducted a diagnostic investigation into a water bird mortality event involving intoxication with avian botulism type C and infection with avian chlamydiosis at the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, USA.

Interprofessional jargon: how is it exclusionary? Cultural determinants of language use in health care practice.

Language can impact significantly on the ways in which health care professionals relate and provide clinical services, as well as the way in which patients conceptualize their role in the healthcare encounter. The aim of this project was to explore the barriers and challenges to developing a collaborative approach in health care. A hermeneutic research approach was used with a convenience sample of international key informants representing 6 disciplines.

The effects of load and training pattern on acute neuromuscular responses in the upper body.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of repetition maximum (RM) loads and training patterns on acute neuromuscular responses in the upper body. Markers of fatigue were monitored under a descending pattern (DP), in which repetitions decreased in subsequent sets, and an ascending pattern (AP), in which repetitions increased in subsequent sets. Both training patterns were performed using 5- and 10-RM loads.

Pathogenicity of West Nile virus and response to vaccination in sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) using a killed vaccine.

West Nile virus was introduced into the United States in the vicinity of New York, New York, USA in 1999. The virus has since killed large numbers of birds nationwide, especially, but not limited to, crows (Corvus brachyrhinchos). One sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at the Bridgeport Zoo (Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA) reportedly died from West Nile virus, so sandhill cranes and endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana), both in the wild and in captive breeding colonies at United States Geological Service (USGS) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Laurel, Maryland, USA) were considered at risk.

Changes in West Nile virus seroprevalence and antibody titers among Wisconsin mesopredators 2003-2006.

After the 2001 occurrence of West Nile virus (WNV) in Wisconsin (WI), we collected sera, during 2003-2006, from south-central WI mesopredators. We tested these sera to determine WNV antibody prevalence and geometric mean antibody titer (GMAT). Four-fold higher antibody prevalence and 2-fold higher GMAT in 2003-2004 indicated greater exposure of mesopredators to WNV during the apparent epizootic phase.

Postactivation potentiation of force is independent of h-reflex excitability.

Unlabelled: The contractile history of muscle can potentiate electrically evoked force production. A link to voluntary force production, related in part to an increase in reflex excitability, has been suggested.

Purpose: Our purpose was to quantify the effect of postactivation potentiation on voluntary force production and spinal H-reflex excitability during explosive plantar flexion actions.

The application of postactivation potentiation to elite sport.

Recently there has been considerable interest and research into the functional significance of postactivation potentiation (PAP) on sport performance. The interest has evolved around the potential for enhancing acute performance or the long-term training effect, typically in the form of complex training. Complex training usually involves performing a weight-training exercise with high loads before executing a plyometric exercise with similar biomechanical demands.

The effects of different sit- and curl-up positions on activation of abdominal and hip flexor musculature.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate abdominal muscle activation with variations in trunk flexion (sit or curl up) positions, including the protocol currently used by the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (CSEP) Health and Fitness Program. Electromyographic (EMG) data were collected during isometric contractions from the upper rectus abdominis (URA), lower rectus abdominis (LRA), external obliques (EO), lower abdominal stabilizers (LAS), rectus femoris (RF), and the biceps femoris (BF) in 14 subjects. Sit-up positions were varied and randomized through 3 variables: the distance the hand traveled along the floor (5, 10, or 15 cm), bent knee or extended knee, and fixed or non-fixed feet.

Influence of pelvis position on the activation of abdominal and hip flexor muscles.

A pelvic position has been sought that optimizes abdominal muscle activation while diminishing hip flexor activation. Thus, the objective of the study was to investigate the effect of pelvic position and the Janda sit-up on trunk muscle activation. Sixteen male volunteers underwent electromyographic (EMG) testing of their abdominal and hip flexor muscles during a supine isometric double straight leg lift (DSLL) with the feet held approximately 5 cm above a board.

Ventilatory gas analysis in SCUBA divers using a surface-based measurement system.

The main technological problem associated with measuring gas exchange in submerged divers breathing from a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) involves simulating ambient water pressure on the expired side of the SCUBA regulator without causing regulator free-flow. This report presents a method to acquire expired gas from exercising divers for analysis at the surface using a standard metabolic measurement system. We did this using a flat collapsible tube downstream from the expiration valve of the regulator.

Raptor mortality due to West Nile virus in the United States, 2002.

West Nile virus (WNV) has affected many thousands of birds since it was first detected in North America in 1999, but the overall impact on wild bird populations is unknown. In mid-August 2002, wildlife rehabilitators and local wildlife officials from multiple states began reporting increasing numbers of sick and dying raptors, mostly red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and great horned owls (Bubo virginianus). Commonly reported clinical signs were nonspecific and included emaciation, lethargy, weakness, inability to perch, fly or stand, and nonresponse to danger.

West Nile virus antibody prevalence in wild mammals, Southern Wisconsin.

Twenty percent prevalence of West Nile virus antibody was found in free-ranging medium-sized Wisconsin mammals. No significant differences were noted in antibody prevalence with regard to sex, age, month of collection, or species. Our results suggest a similar route of infection in these mammals.

The effects of varying time under tension and volume load on acute neuromuscular responses.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different methods of measuring training volume, controlled in different ways, on selected variables that reflect acute neuromuscular responses. Eighteen resistance-trained males performed three fatiguing protocols of dynamic constant external resistance exercise, involving elbow flexors, that manipulated either time-under-tension (TUT) or volume load (VL), defined as the product of training load and repetitions. Protocol A provided a standard for TUT and VL.

The effect of training volume on the acute response and adaptations to resistance training.

Purpose: To examine the acute response to 2 resistance-exercise protocols performed to repetition failure, but different in load configuration, and determine whether the acute response was related to strength increases after 8 weeks of training.

Methods: Eighteen resistance-trained men completed a single session of 2 resistance-exercise protocols. The constant-load protocol (CL) required subjects to complete 3 sets of single-arm preacher curls (elbow flexion) to failure using a load of approximately 77% 1RM.

Acute neuromuscular responses to resistance training performed at different loads.

The aim of this study was to compare the acute neuromuscular responses during resistance exercise performed with different loading protocols. Thirteen (N=13) college-aged male subjects experienced in weight training completed two different weight training protocols involving a single elbow flexion exercise. During both protocols subjects performed three sets of the exercise with a 3-min rest between each set.

Dynamic training volume: a construct of both time under tension and volume load.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three different weight training protocols, that varied in the way training volume was measured, on acute muscular fatigue. Ten resistance-trained males performed all three protocols which involved dynamic constant resistance exercise of the elbow flexors. Protocol A provided a standard for the time the muscle group was under tension (TUT) and volume load (VL), expressed as the product of the total number of repetitions and the load that was lifted.

Increased spinal reflex excitability is not associated with neural plasticity underlying the cross-education effect.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 5-wk unilateral, isometric strength-training program on plasticity in the spinal Hoffmann (H-) reflex in both the trained and untrained legs. Sixteen participants, 22-42 yr old, were assigned to either a control (n = 6) or an exercise group (n = 10). Both groups were tested for plantar flexion maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) and soleus H-reflex amplitude in both limbs, at the beginning and at the end of a 5-wk interval.