Do You Have a Big Heart?

“Because the heart size of a healthy person is dependent on body weight, the ratio of heart volume (kg) to body weight was determined. The normal values for untrained males and females were 11.7 ± 0.19 and 9.7 ± 0.15, respectively. In contrast, elite athletes engaged in endurance sports reached values of 18 to 20 (114) [Reindell, Koenig… Read More

Calories for Work…

“Approximately 3,200 kcal could meet the daily energy requirements for physical exercise for a 70 kg person whereas 2,600 calories was sufficient for simple office work. The metabolism of a farm worker during harvesting would require 4,300 kcal. The peak values of the daily calorie consumption for lumberjacks would amount to approximately 6,000 kcal for a 70 kg person. Long-distance racing cyclists,… Read More

An Overview of Diabetes Mellitus in the US Armed Forces (Active Component), 2008-2015

Research Paper Title Diabetes mellitus, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2008-2015. Abstract From 2008 through 2015, a total of 9,092 incident cases of diabetes mellitus (DM) were reported among active component service members (incidence rate 82.8 cases per 100,000 person-years [p-yrs]). The overall incidence rate of type 1 DM was 3.0 cases per 100,000 p-yrs.… Read More

UK Military Personnel & Post-Deployment Screening for Mental Disorders

Research Paper Title Post-deployment screening for mental disorders and tailored advice about help-seeking in the UK military: a cluster randomised controlled trial. Background The effectiveness of post-deployment screening for mental disorders has not been assessed in a randomised controlled trial. The researchers aimed to assess whether post-deployment screening for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety,… Read More

Liquid Gold: Fancy a Drink of Water?

Did you know you can buy a bottle of water from Harrods for £80 (US$99), an upmarket department store in London (The Economist, 2017). Premium water, i.e. bottled water selling for $1.30 or more per litre, is commonly referred to as ‘liquid gold’. “According to Zenith Global, a consulting firm, the global market has grown by 9% annually… Read More

Legal Duty, Homelessness & Veterans

“Since 1979, when a homeless veteran of the Korean war successfully sued the city for failing to provide him with shelter, the city has had a legal duty to house those unable to afford a home. (New York’s state constitution says that “the aid, care and support of the needy are public concerns and shall be provided by the state and… Read More

The Thucydides Trap…

The “Thucydides trap – the disaster that befell ancient Greece when the incumbent power, Sparta, failed to accommodate the rising one, Athens.” (The Economist, 2017, p.26). Thucydides (c. 460 BC–400 BC) was a general who was exiled for his failure to defend the Greek city of Amphipolis in Thrace. During his exile, he began compiling histories and… Read More