Physiological muscle adaptations due to resistance training are still not fully known. The rate and area of hypertrophy could drastically help or hinder athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to observe the changes in lean body mass (and related factors), relative allometrically scaled strength and absolute strength through an 11-week block periodized resistance training program. The subjects (n = 15) realized an increase in total body water (pre = 49.77Kg; post = 51.70Kg), lean body mass (pre = 67.98Kg; post = 70.63Kg), adjusted lean body mass (pre = 20.35Kg; post = 21.03Kg) and cross sectional area (pre = 32.73 cm2; post = 36.33cm2). Subjects (n= 15) were divided into either a strong (1 RM ≥ 1.75x body weight), moderate (1 RM = ≥ 1.25-1.74x body weight), or weak (1 RM < 1.25x body weight) group and data were analyzed in pre-post training. While all subjects showed gains in LBM and related factors, initial strength levels altered these adaptations. Subjects with a lower initial maximum strength level tended to make greater gains. However, due to the increase in total body water and relatively small increases in adjusted LBM, it appears, among this group, that little myofibrillar hypertrophy occurred during this short training period. These data suggest that greater accuracy for measures of alterations in LBM and related factors may require measures of total body water.

This study examines a possible relationship between Total Body Water (TBW) levels, osteoarthritic pain and functional performance in a sample of untrained adults. Participants complete a Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire, TBW is measured using single-frequency bioelectrical impedance (SF-BIA) and strength, balance and physical function are measured by the completion of 7 standardized functional tests. Participants in this study will include adult men and women, age 35 years and older, who have been previously diagnosed with Osteoarthritis (OA) in the hip or knee, or who score 35 or higher on the WOMAC. This study aims to determine if TBW values, specifically its intracellular compartment (ICW), will have a relationship to WOMAC scores and if intracellular water (ICW) will have a positive correlation to participants’ overall performance on balance, strength, and physical function tests. It is hypothesized that the data will show a negative correlation between ICW and WOMAC scores and a positive correlation between ICW and performance on balance, strength and physical function tests. Little research exists on the relationship between TBW and functional performance in older adults; particularly those whose TBW may be affected by inflammatory conditions such as OA. A goal of this study is to contribute to existing research on the relationship between performance and TBW, while providing insight and data on this relationship in an untrained population.

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of alternative cropping systems on farm net returns, and nitrate-N and sediment yields in Thomas Brook Watershed (TBW). The study involved integrated bio-physical and economic optimization modelling. Crop yield and nitrate-N pollution response functions were estimated and then used in trade-off analysis between farm returns and environmental quality improvement. Five crop rotation systems were evaluated for seven fertilizer levels under conventional tillage (CT) and no-till systems (NT). Nitrate-N leached, as well as estimated maximum economic rate of N (MERN) fertilizer level and marginal abatement costs depended on crop type, rotation system, and tillage type. The most cost effective cropping systems that met restrictions on Health Canada maximum limit on nitrate-N in water included corn-corn-corn-alfalfa-alfalfa under NT for corn-based cropping systems, potato-winter wheat-carrot-corn under CT for vegetable horticulture-based and potato-barley-winter wheat-potato-corn under NT for potato-based cropping systems.