Long-term Adoption Research Articles

Farmer perceptions of plant–soil interactions can affect adoption of sustainable management practices in cocoa agroforests: a case study from Southeast Sulawesi

Despite extensive research focused on increasing the sustainability and productivity of agricultural systems in the tropics, adoption rates of improved management solutions often remain low among smallholder farmers. To address this, we evaluated how local knowledge and perceptions influenced decision-making processes among smallholder cocoa farmers. We conducted individual semistructured interviews with 72 cocoa farmers in Southeast Sulawesi and documented local knowledge about soil fertility indicators, nutrient cycling processes, and the interactions among shade trees, cocoa trees, and soils in cocoa agroforests. We further collected data regarding farmers' fertilizer preferences, additional income sources, and perceived barriers to improved cocoa production. We found that farmers' understanding of biophysical interactions in Southeast Sulawesi was comprehensive, mostly accurately aligned with scientific literature, and sometimes provided additional complementary knowledge. Cocoa farmers in Southeast Sulawesi approached decision making in a holistic way, integrating personal observations, information from external sources, and socioeconomic limitations and priorities. This finding highlights the value of flexible conservation farming approaches that allow farmers to minimize trade-offs and prioritize their households' needs. Finally, we identify a dual knowledge gap on the part of farmers and scientists regarding the direct benefits of shade tree inclusion for improved yields and income security. Addressing this through further research and targeted knowledge dissemination could contribute to an increase in the long-term adoption rates of more sustainable cocoa cultivation practices.

Identifying marginal land for Multifunctional Perennial Cropping Systems in the Upper Sangamon River watershed, Illinois

Conservation-oriented land practices have long been a strategy for mediating the environmental issues resulting from conventional agriculture. However, there is limited economic support and incentive for landowners to transition the sensitive marginal lands that need mitigation the most. To improve this approach, information tools built out of landowner preferences may help facilitate successful long-term adoption of diverse systems that achieve production and conservation goals, such as Multifunctional Perennial Cropping Systems (MPCs). Previous work has recognized MPCs to have the potential for providing both ecosystem services and perennial crops such as fruits, nuts, and grasses on land that landowners would otherwise consider marginal. To prioritize efforts for implementation of MPCs and provide tailored information to landowners, this study introduces a suitability model that identifies marginal land based on soil erosion, crop productivity, and other land traits that are important to landowners. Information provided by this tool can inform land management decisions. The land traits were spatially analyzed using a geographic information system (GIS) and parameterized to encode the magnitude of each variable9s effect on MPCs suitability. Applied in the Upper Sangamon River watershed, central Illinois, we identified 18,685 ha of highly suitable cropland for MPCs. An 8.5 m spatial resolution allowed identification of subfield suitability areas, in addition to locating target regions of extensive occurrences of high suitability. The distribution of target areas was often located where crop productivity was low and topographic potential for erosion was high. For 26,743 ha of cropland, potential erosion was estimated to be greater than the soil loss standard, particularly in the northeastern section of the watershed where there was higher relief and peri-urban or riparian areas surrounding cropland. In a scenario in which landowners would implement MPCs on identified target regions, simulated soil erosion was reduced by 56% across the watershed. The model provides a simple and effective management tool for identifying priority areas for MPCs implementation, giving landowners and researchers actionable information to improve upon conservation strategies for marginal cropland.

Adoption of Security and Privacy Measures in Bitcoin Stated and Actual Behavior

Bitcoin is a digital monetary system that functions without any central authority and pre-assumed identities among participants. Contrary to a popular belief, Bitcoin is not inherently anonymous or secure. In this article, we survey security and privacy risks in Bitcoin and related countermeasures. We also examine self-reported and actual adoption of important security and privacy measures, based on an online survey with 125 active Bitcoin users and an extensive analysis of all Bitcoin transactions through the years from the beginning until June 2017, collected from the public transaction ledger (blockchain). According to our user survey, the knowledge about some of these measures among Bitcoin users is relatively high. However, others are not well known. Both studies show an extremely high adoption of single-use or fresh addresses, but a lower adoption of the remaining measures, as well as instability in case of stealth addresses, and stagnation for pay to script hash (P2SH) and multisigs. Furthermore, P2SH is used almost exclusively for multisigs. Our findings suggest that existing protection mechanisms require further usability improvements and user awareness should be strengthened to increase adoption. Against this background, our work can also serve as a methodological guideline for long-term adoption studies.

Predictors of long-term bladder management in spinal cord injury patients-Upper extremity function may matter most.

Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is the gold standard for neurogenic bladder management in most patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). There is nonetheless a lack of long-term adherence to CIC, with up to 50% discontinuance at 5-year follow-up. We hypothesize that limitations in upper extremity (UE) motor function represent a strong predictor for long-term CIC adoption. We assessed Forms I and II data from the 2000-2013 National SCI Database. Bladder management was determined at initial discharge and 1-year follow-up. Upper extremity (UE) motor scores were transformed using a previously published algorithm to predict a patient's ability to independently self-catheterize. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression modeling was performed to assess risk factors affecting: a) a lack of CIC adoption at rehabilitation discharge, b) CIC discontinuance by 1-year follow-up (CIC "dropout"), and c) adherence to management with an indwelling catheter rather than conversion to CIC at 1-year follow-up. For all three modeled scenarios, UE motor function represented the most significant predictor for lack of CIC adoption (OR range 2.1-6.3, P ≤ 0.003 for all). Other predictors included increasing age (OR 1.01-1.02, P ≤ 0.001 for all models) and female gender (OR 1.6-1.7, P < 0.001 for lack of CIC adoption at discharge). Among physically limiting factors, impairment in UE motor function appears to be the most significant predictor of a lack of long-term CIC adoption at 1-year follow-up.

Understanding sustained use of ecological sanitation in rural Burkina Faso

Access to safe sanitation services is fundamental for healthy and productive lives, but in rural Burkina Faso only around 7% of the population uses improved sanitation. Ecological sanitation (ecosan) systems that allow safe agricultural reuse of nutrients in human waste have been promoted in these areas, as a way to meet sanitation needs while contributing to food security. However, little is known about the success of these interventions in terms of both sustained use of the toilet and safe excreta reuse practices. We assessed the use of ecosan systems in 44 rural communities where such interventions had taken place. Structured interviews and observations conducted at 520 randomly selected concessions (residential properties), suggested a large-scale shift from open defecation to ecosan toilet use. However, only 58% of surveyed concessions reported ever emptying the ecosan toilet vault, which is required for optimal long-term functioning. Concessions that received ecosan training programmes with a greater emphasis on agricultural reuse were more strongly associated with toilet use and emptying than those that whose training focused more on sanitation access and health benefits. The findings suggest that the safe agricultural reuse of nutrients can provide a strong motivation for long-term adoption of improved sanitation among rural smallholders.

Future Application of Multitheory Model of Health Behavior Change for Skin Cancer Prevention Behaviors

ABSTRACT Skin cancer is a global health issue and constitutes the most common form of cancer worldwide. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is a primary skin cancer risk. Engaging in sun protection behavior could mitigate this risk. Several sociobehavioral theories can be used to better explain and predict health behaviors. Unfortunately, application of theories has yielded mixed results with variable predictability. Most importantly, they do not impact long-term changes in behavior. Therefore, there is still a need to develop theoretical models that better explain and predict health behaviors, in particular, sun-safe behaviors. A recently proposed health behavior theory, called the multitheory model of health behavior change, may be the answer. The multitheory model has been shown to be effective in changing attitudes toward other health behaviors such as physical activity, portion size control, and sleep deprivation. It is unique from established health behavior theories because it emphasizes long-term change over short-term behavior modification, which is more likely associated with relapse. It does this by separating factors that lead to short-term change from those that promote long-term behavior adoption. This article presents the application of the principles of multitheory model to skin cancer preventative behaviors.

Facilitating transformative change in medication adherence practices

ABSTRACTThis article explores how healthcare consumer collectives integrate self-service technology as part of their everyday lives on a long-term basis. Combining previously published research with data collected from field observations, in-depth interviews and focus groups, the author uncovers distinct adoption styles and then links these to well-being in a chronic healthcare context. Importantly, findings from the research suggest that successful long-term adoption of new technology depends not only on improving a targeted practice (medicating patients in this case), but also other affected everyday practices in the lives of consumers. By drawing on insights from the literature of service-dominant logic and practice theory, the author identifies ‘value-in-context’ and ‘lifestyle fit’ that underlie resource integration in medication adherence. Four adoption styles were uncovered, in which two in particular, ‘door opener’ and ‘transformative change,’ should be emphasized by healthcare managers and developers as they tend to be associated with higher well-being.

Self-Recalibrating Surface EMG Pattern Recognition for Neuroprosthesis Control Based on Convolutional Neural Network.

Hand movement classification based on surface electromyography (sEMG) pattern recognition is a promising approach for upper limb neuroprosthetic control. However, maintaining day-to-day performance is challenged by the non-stationary nature of sEMG in real-life operation. In this study, we propose a self-recalibrating classifier that can be automatically updated to maintain a stable performance over time without the need for user retraining. Our classifier is based on convolutional neural network (CNN) using short latency dimension-reduced sEMG spectrograms as inputs. The pretrained classifier is recalibrated routinely using a corrected version of the prediction results from recent testing sessions. Our proposed system was evaluated with the NinaPro database comprising of hand movement data of 40 intact and 11 amputee subjects. Our system was able to achieve ~10.18% (intact, 50 movement types) and ~2.99% (amputee, 10 movement types) increase in classification accuracy averaged over five testing sessions with respect to the unrecalibrated classifier. When compared with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier, our CNN-based system consistently showed higher absolute performance and larger improvement as well as more efficient training. These results suggest that the proposed system can be a useful tool to facilitate long-term adoption of prosthetics for amputees in real-life applications.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors After an Employer-Based Risk Reduction Program: An Observational Cohort Study.

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be a public health concern. Workplace interventions that focus on modifying lifestyle habits may reduce CVD risk factors in people at risk. To determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive lifestyle intervention program that integrated dietary modification, physical activity, stress management, and behavior modification counseling to reduce the risk of CVD in at-risk adults. Twelve 1-year cohorts who participated in a comprehensive employer-sponsored lifestyle intervention program targeting diet, exercise, behavior modification, and stress management between 2006 and 2010 at a rural university in Appalachian Ohio were studied. Body composition, fasting glucose and lipid levels, and maximal oxygen consumption were measured at baseline, after 100 days, and at 1 year. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were conducted to compare measures at baseline with measures at 100 days and at 1 year. Seventy-four participants (57 women [77.1%], 17 men [22.9%]) of 97 completed the program (76.3% completion rate). Body weight (P<.001); percentage of body fat (P<.001); fat mass (P<.001); body mass index (P<.001); waist circumference (P<.001); blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (P=.035), low-density lipoprotein (P=.011), and glucose (P=.008); serum triglyceride levels (P=.019); blood pressure (systolic P=.028; diastolic, P=.001); and maximal oxygen consumption (P<.001) improved from baseline to 1 year after the intervention. Lean body mass (P=.111) and total cholesterol (P=.053) did not improve. This employer-based lifestyle intervention program was effective in reducing CVD risk factors after 1 year of treatment. Future studies should examine the effects of the intervention at 2 and 5 years to further assess long-term adoption of the lifestyle changes and maintenance of health promoted by this program.

Planes actuales de restauración ecológica en Latinoamérica: Avances y omisiones

La meta Aichi 15 del Convenio sobre la Diversidad Biológica, el Reto de Bonn y la Iniciativa 20x20 son iniciativas orientadas a impulsar la restauración en Latinoamérica, sin embargo, son esfuerzos que no especifican los procesos de restauración.En este estudio se buscaron los países que cuentan con un plan de restauración en Latinoamérica para, posteriormente, analizar los alcances de estos. Los países con un plan de restauración fueron Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador y Guatemala. El análisis mostró que sus objetivos y enfoques de restauración coinciden. Destaca la consideración del establecimiento de objetivos hacia la recuperación de servicios ecosistémicos de manera sostenible, la adopción de enfoques de restauración a escala del paisaje y de largo plazo. La asistencia de la sucesión ecológica es considerada una vía costo-efectiva para la restauración. La participación social es importante para la construcción y operación de las iniciativas y existe un marco legal asociado a los planes. No obstante, falta fortalecer en los planes el marco filosófico, incluir criterios socioeconómicos y de éxito de la restauración en la priorización de áreas, desarrollar enfoques ascendentes en los procesos de restauración que beneficien su financiamiento. En los planes también deberán incluirse protocolos para el monitoreo de aspectos biofísicos y socioeconómicos de la restauración. Los planes examinados constituyen un gran paso para cumplir con los compromisos internacionales, sin embargo, el desafío no solo radicará en consolidar talesinstrumentos, sino en que los elementos que los compongan permitan la recuperación a gran escala de los ecosistemas.

Visualizing flood risk, enabling participation and supporting climate change adaptation using the Geoweb: the case of coastal communities in Nova Scotia, Canada

Impacts of climate change have been observed in natural systems and are expected to intensify in future decades (IPCC in Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPPC, Geneva, 2014). Governments are seeking to establish adaptive measures for minimizing the effects of climate change on vulnerable citizen groups, economic sectors and critical infrastructure (Adger et al. in Global Environ Change 15(2):77–86, 2005. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2004.12.005 ; Smit and Wandel in Global Environ Change 16(3):282–292, 2006. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.03.008 ). Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to changing conditions due to rising sea levels and storm event intensification that produce new flood exposures (Richards and Daigle in Government of Prince Edward Island, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2011 http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ccscenarios.pdf ). However, communities oftentimes lack access to locally-relevant climate change information that can support adaptation planning. This research introduces the use of a Geoweb tool for supporting local climate change adaptation efforts in coastal Canadian communities. The Geoweb tool (called “AdaptNS”) is a web-based visualization tool that displays interactive flood exposure maps generated using local climate change projections of sea level rise and storm surge impacts between the years 2000 and 2100. AdaptNS includes participatory features that allow users to identify and share specific locations to protect against present and future coastal flood events. By soliciting feedback from community members, AdaptNS is shown to support local adaptation through the provision of flood exposure visuals, as a platform for identifying adaptation priorities, and as an avenue to communicate local risks to external entities that could facilitate local adaptation initiatives (e.g. upper levels of government). Future Geoweb research directions include improving the visualization of climate change projection uncertainties, the expansion of informational and participation capabilities, and understanding the potential for long-term adoption of Geoweb tools in adaptation decision-making.

Abstract PR14: Development of a cancer risk prediction tool for use in the Risk Estimation For Lifestyle Enhancement Combined Trial (REFLECT)

Abstract Exposure to modifiable lifestyle and environmental risk factors accounts for approximately 40% of all cancers in the UK. Therefore, primary prevention is of growing importance and an effective and engaging strategy that encourages long-term adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviours is required. Several multivariable risk prediction models have been developed to assess an individual's risk of developing specific cancers. Such models can be used in a variety of settings for prevention, screening, and guiding investigation and treatment. Models aimed at predicting future disease risk that contains modifiable factors may be of particular use for targeting health promotion activities at an individual level. We have therefore developed a UK version of the well-established U.S. derived “YourDiseaseRisk” model which allow users to quantify their individual risk of developing individual cancers relative to the population average risk. The UK-Manchester version of “YourDiseaseRisk” computes 10 year cancer risk for 11 cancer types utilising UK figures for prevalence of risk factors and cancer incidence. The model can be used to estimate cancer risk for use in community settings. Using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods we have assessed the impact of the REFLECT risk model on public understanding of cancer risk factors and UK NHS Cancer Screening programs. We have also explored public opinion and perceptions regarding the provision of information on of genetic susceptibility to aid in further personalising cancer risk information. This abstract is also being presented as Poster B10. Citation Format: Artitaya Lophatananon, Kawthar Alajmi, Emma Thorpe, John Hughes, Joanna Blodgett, Bernadette Fisher, Simon Rogers, Erika K. Waters, Kenneth R. Muir. Development of a cancer risk prediction tool for use in the Risk Estimation For Lifestyle Enhancement Combined Trial (REFLECT). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Improving Cancer Risk Prediction for Prevention and Early Detection; Nov 16-19, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(5 Suppl):Abstract nr PR14.

Understanding community health workers’ intentions to participate in mHealth studies within developing countries

ABSTRACTIn relation to mobile health (mHealth) initiatives, early engagement by potential end users has been established to have a positive impact both in the medium- to long-term adoption of the solution. However, there remains a paucity of research which focuses on participant recruitment for mHealth initiatives in developing countries. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to examine community health workers’ (CHWs’) intentions to participate in a mHealth pilot study in Malawi, Africa. A conceptual model with three characteristics is derived from the existing literature which may influence a CHW’s intentions: namely, (1) participant, (2) pilot study, and (3) social and contextual characteristics. A paper-based survey of CHWs was employed to examine the model, analysed using the partial least squares method of structural equation modelling. This study reveals that participant and pilot study characteristics primarily influence the decision-making process of CHWs when considering their participation in pilot studies. Health policy-makers and professionals should focus on reducing uncertainty by promoting the importance of the study at individual and societal levels and ensuring that potential end users are competent interacting and using mHealth.

Distributed ledger technology in payments, clearing and settlement

Digital innovations in finance, loosely known as “fintech”, have garnered a great deal of attention across the financial industry. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is one such innovation that has been cited as a means of transforming payment, clearing and settlement (PCS) processes, including how funds are transferred and how securities, commodities and derivatives are cleared and settled. An important goal of this paper is to examine how this technology might be used in the area of PCS, and to identify both the opportunities and challenges facing its practical implementation and possible long-term adoption. DLT has the potential to provide new ways of transferring and recording the ownership of digital assets; immutably and securely storing information; providing for identity management; and facilitating other evolving operations through peer-to-peer networking, access to a distributed but common ledger among participants and cryptography. Potential use cases in PCS include cross-border payments and the post-trade clearing and settlement of securities. These use cases could address operational and financial frictions around existing services. Nonetheless, the industry’s understanding and application of this technology is still in its infancy, and stakeholders are taking a variety of approaches toward its development. Given the technology’s early stage, a number of challenges to development and adoption remain, including how issues around business cases, technological hurdles, legal considerations and risk management considerations are addressed. To understand fast-moving developments in this area, a team of Federal Reserve staff conducted a series of discussions with approximately thirty organizations, including financial institutions, financial market infrastructures, technology start-ups, established technology firms and other government agencies.

TAPAS: A tangible End-User Development tool supporting the repurposing of Pervasive Displays

These days we are witnessing a spread of many new digital systems in public spaces featuring easy to use and engaging interaction modalities, such as multi-touch, gestures, tangible, and voice. This new user-centered paradigm — known as the NUI — aims to provide a more natural and rich experience to end users; this supports its adoption in many ubiquitous domains, as it naturally holds for Pervasive Displays: these systems are composed of variously-sized displays and support many-to-many interactions with the same public screens at the same time. Due to their public and moderated nature, users need an easy way of adapting them to heterogeneous usage contexts in order to support their long-term adoption. In this paper, we propose an End-User Development approach to this problem introducing TAPAS, a system that combines a tangible interaction with a puzzle metaphor, allowing users to create workflows on a Pervasive Display to satisfy their needs; its design and visual syntax stem from a study we carried out with designers, whose findings are also part of this work. We then carried out a preliminary evaluation of our system with second year university students and interaction designers, gathering useful feedback to improve TAPAS and employ it in many other domains.

Are we ready to embrace connected and self-driving vehicles? A case study of Texans

While connected, highly automated, and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) will eventually hit the roads, their success and market penetration rates depend largely on public opinions regarding benefits, concerns, and adoption of these technologies. Additionally, the introduction of these technologies is accompanied by uncertainties in their effects on the carsharing market and land use patterns, and raises the need for tolling policies to appease the travel demand induced due to the increased convenience. To these ends, this study surveyed 1088 respondents across Texas to understand their opinions about smart vehicle technologies and related decisions. The key summary statistics indicate that Texans are willing to pay (WTP) $2910, $4607, $7589, and $127 for Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 automation and connectivity, respectively, on average. Moreover, affordability and equipment failure are Texans’ top two concerns regarding AVs. This study also estimates interval regression and ordered probit models to understand the multivariate correlation between explanatory variables, such as demographics, built-environment attributes, travel patterns, and crash histories, and response variables, including willingness to pay for CAV technologies, adoption rates of shared AVs at different pricing points, home location shift decisions, adoption timing of automation technologies, and opinions about various tolling policies. The practically significant relationships indicate that more experienced licensed drivers and older people associate lower WTP values with all new vehicle technologies. Such parameter estimates help not only in forecasting long-term adoption of CAV technologies, but also help transportation planners in understanding the characteristics of regions with high or low future-year CAV adoption levels, and subsequently, develop smart strategies in respective regions.

Forecasting Americans’ long-term adoption of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies

Automobile manufacturers, transportation researchers, and policymakers are interested in knowing the future of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). To this end, this study proposes a new simulation-based fleet evolution framework to forecast Americans’ long-term (year 2015–2045) adoption levels of CAV technologies under eight different scenarios based on 5% and 10% annual drops in technology prices; 0%, 5%, and 10% annual increments in Americans’ willingness to pay (WTP); and changes in government regulations (e.g., mandatory adoption of connectivity on new vehicles). This simulation was calibrated with data obtained from a survey of 2167 Americans, regarding their preferences for CAV technologies (e.g., WTP) and their household’s annual vehicle transaction decisions.Long-term fleet evolution suggests that the privately held light-duty-vehicle fleet will have 24.8% Level 4 AV penetration by 2045 if one assumes an annual 5% price drop and constant WTP values (from 2015 forward). This share jumps to 87.2% if one uses a 10% annual rate of decline in prices and a 10% annual rise in WTP values. Overall, simulations suggest that, without a rise in most people’s WTP, or policies that promote or require technologies, or unusually rapid reductions in technology costs, it is unlikely that the U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet’s technology mix will be anywhere near homogeneous by the year 2045.

A bivariate probit analysis of factors affecting partial, complete and continued adoption of soil carbon sequestration technology in rural China

ABSTRACTThere remain significant technological as well as socio-economic and behavioural challenges to conservation tillage adoption despite its acknowledged carbon mitigation potential. In this paper, we distinguish between the factors that influence partial, complete and continued adoption of conservation tillage in a rural region of north western China. As complete benefits of conservation tillage to the private farmers as well as society are realised only through continued adoption, it is important to identify and distinguish the factors that promote long-term adoption of conservation tillage from the ones that lead only to short-term adoption. Using a bivariate probit analysis, we find that government subsidy programmes and households’ wealth play a key role in the continued adoption of conservation tillage practices. Poorer farmers and those whose neighbours have abandoned conservation tillage are more likely to give up on conservation tillage, after having adopted initially. Geographical factors and fragmented land holdings encourage only partial adoption, even under government subsidies. We recommend the introduction of smaller and portable farming machines combined with long-term subsidy schemes. When faced with government budget constraints that make prolonged subsidy for all difficult, targeting the farmer groups according to their socio-economic traits is crucial.

Time-restricted feeding improves insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity

BackgroundMenopause is associated with significant hormonal changes that result in increased total body fat and abdominal fat, amplifying the risk for metabolic syndrome and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in postmenopausal women. Intermittent fasting regimens hold significant health benefit promise for obese humans, however, regimens that include extreme daytime calorie restriction or daytime fasting are generally associated with hunger and irritability, hampering long-term compliance and adoption in the clinical setting. Time-restricted feeding (TRF), a regimen allowing eating only during a specific period in the normal circadian feeding cycle, without calorie restriction, may increase compliance and provide a more clinically viable method for reducing the detrimental metabolic consequences associated with obesity. MethodsWe tested TRF as an intervention in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity. Metabolic parameters were measured using Clinical Laboratory Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS) and we carried out glucose tolerance tests. We also stained liver sections with oil red O to examine steatosis and measured gene expression related to gluconeogenesis. ResultsPreexisting metabolic disease was significantly attenuated during 7 weeks of TRF. Despite having access to the same high fat diet (HFD) as ad libitum fed (ALF) mice, TRF mice experienced rapid weight loss followed by a delayed improvement in insulin resistance and a reduced severity of hepatic steatosis by having access to the HFD for only 8h during their normal nocturnal feeding period. The lower respiratory exchange ratio in the TRF group compared with the ALF group early in the dark phase suggested that fat was the predominant fuel source in the TRF group and correlated with gene expression analyses that suggested a switch from gluconeogenesis to ketogenesis. In addition, TRF mice were more physically active than ALF fed mice. ConclusionsOur data support further analysis of TRF as a clinically viable form of intermittent fasting to improve metabolic health due to obesity.

Achilles Tendon Adaptation During Transition to a Minimalist Running Style.

Achilles tendons (ATs) adapt to increased loading generated by long-term adoption of a minimalist shoe running style. There may be difference in the chronology and extent of adaptation between the sexes. To learn the chronology of AT adaptations in female and male runners who transitioned to a minimalist running style through a planned, progressive 12-wk transition program. Prospective cohort study of well-trained, traditionally shod runners who transitioned to minimalist shoe running. Repeated laboratory assessment at baseline and 3, 12, and 24 wk after initiating transition program. Fifteen women and 7 men (of 29 enrolled) completed the study. The authors used diagnostic ultrasound and isokinetic dynamometry to generate a force elongation curve and its derivatives at each time point. Greater adaptations were observed in men than in women, with men generating more force and having greater increases in CSA, stiffness, and Young's modulus and less elongation after 12 wk of training. Men demonstrated changes in AT properties that were consistent with increased loading of the triceps surae during exercise. The women demonstrated far smaller changes. Further investigation is warranted to understand when adaptations may occur in women and the implications of altered AT mechanical properties for performance and injury risk.