Science

We meet on September 15th at 10.00am in the main hall at John Godber Centre. I am pleased to report that we have a guest speaker, Isabel (Izzy) Ely, who is a postgraduate researcher at the:

Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP) Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery & Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre

In her own words this is the rationale of study that she is currently undertaking.

The loss of skeletal muscle mass (known as atrophy) is an undesirable feature of many disease and scenarios including ageing, cancer and reduced physical activity from illness, injury or increased sedentarism. One mechanism thought to influence age-related muscle mass loss is “anabolic resistance” which leads to a reduced muscle building ability in response to protein feeding and exercise. As such, the search for optimal exercise and/or nutritional strategies to combat this anabolic blunting effect remains a hot-topic in scientific research.    

The study focus

The study I am currently running is focused on a specific amino acid (the building blocks of protein) called leucine which is thought to be the most important amino acid for stimulating the muscle building process. We are investigating whether there is a dose-response of muscle protein building to “super whey” protein (a protein drink with a greater portion of leucine) at rest and during acute exercise.

I have to admit to a vested interest as I am one of the ‘specimens’ being tested.

David Rose

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National Trust Visit to Lyme Park

The National Trust group returned to Cheshire for the August trip visiting Lyme Park. Travelling across the Peak District to reach the venue we were met as usual by a National Trust member of staff who gave out tickets for the House tour and gave a brief outline of the estate.

The estate is vast and covers over 1,400 acres. The group spent the day touring the large and lovely Lyme House with its wonderful rooms.  Many members attended a talk on the history of the estate given by a very enthusiastic speaker.

There was also the opportunity to follow some lovely walks, explore the lakeside paths or woodland areas.

A large courtyard in the house also contained several places to eat, gift shops and book shops along with a chapel.

Safely back on the coach for four o’clock we returned via the Derbyshire countryside to arrive safely back in Hucknall before six o’clock.

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Pub Quiz with Lunch

The Pub Quiz took place on the 14th August when 22 of us met at The Nabb Inn.  All are welcome – we prefer a maximum of four to a team where possible as we can always add a person to another team if you would like to attend but haven’t got a team of your own.  Sometimes the quiz is easy and occasionally it is very hard, but the idea is to have a bit of fun and to socialise whilst enjoying a lunch.

The next Pub Lunch Quiz will be on Monday, 11th September at 12 noon.  Please note I shall be retiring as Pub Quizmaster after the December Quiz and we have  decided that each team will take it in turn to organise a month. The quizzes etc for that year are all in a folder ready to go so it just means turning up, reading out the questions and answers and taking the £1 entry fee.  It would be a pity if the Pub Quiz Group folded as those attending enjoy not just the quiz but the lunch and good company.

And here are the answers to the August quiz;

1. What type of trees do dates grow on? Palm trees

2. The country of Lesotho is completely surrounded by which other country? South Africa

3. In the nursery rhyme, whose wife “could eat no lean”? Jack Sprat’s

4. By land area, which is the largest state in the USA? Alaska

5. According to an old proverb, what “gathers no moss”? A rolling stone

6. Which type of cycle has only one wheel? A unicycle

7. The nickname Geordie is often given to a person from which large city? Newcastle (a Geordie is a person from the Tyneside area, which includes Newcastle)

8. What is the name of the rubber disc hit in a ice hockey match? A puck

9. Which Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain? Irish Sea

10. Which queen of the British Celtic Iceni tribe famously led an uprising against the occupying Romans? Boudica

11. What was the name of the large balloons anchored to the ground by cables in London during the Second World War? Barrage balloons (which served as an obstacle to low-flying enemy aircraft)

12. Bill Gates was the principal founder of which computer company? Microsoft

13. How many sides does a decagon have? 10

14. The first expedition to reach the South Pole was led by which Norwegian explorer? Roald Amundsen

15. If your hobby is philately, what do you collect? Stamps

16. Adolf Hitler was born in which country? Austria

17. Hollywood is a suburb of which American city? Los Angeles

18. Haematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of what? Blood

19. What type of animal are you ‘sick as’, if you are heart-broken or very disappointed? Parrot (as in sick as a parrot)

20. What do Americans call Autumn?  The Fall

And here is the September quiz:

  1. Someone who designs dance moves.                                                
  2. He makes and fits shoes for horses.                                                   
  3. A medical professional who collects and tests blood.                     
  4. A professional wine waiter.                                                                 
  5. Front of house at a restaurant.                                                           
  6. A head chef’s second in command.                                                    
  7. A brain surgeon.                                                                                                   
  8. Which stage musical tells the story of an Argentinian dictator’s wife? 
  9. Who sang with UB40 for their 1985 hit, ‘I Got You Babe’?                      
  10. Which horror film used Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ as its theme?               
  11. Who played the title role in the 50s/60s TV show, ‘Dr Kildare’? 
  12. Who was the Prince of Denmark?                                                                                   
  13. What was the name of the spaceship in Blakes 7?                                                       
  14. What is the children’s game, Noughts and Crosses, called in the USA?
  15. What two names are given to a group of swans on the ground, beginning with B?   
  16. Which of the sciences is regarded as the oldest?                                                         
  17. Born on 5 May 1818, who was known as the father of communism?               
  18. Which word can go after PUPPY and before LETTER to make new words?
  19. Which animal’s English name means earthpig in Afrikaans?                       
  20. What name is given to the chalk rocks situated in the Solent, just off the Isle of Wight?                
  21. Which book features a pub called ‘The Admiral Benbow’?                          
  22. In which year did Jesse Owens become the first black athlete win 4 gold medals at the Olympic Games?
  23. The Whitsunday Islands are located off the coast of which country?                            
  24. Which artist’s studio was known as the Factory?                                          
  25. What is the lightest of all the elements and has the atomic number 1?         
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Reading Group

The September Reading Group will meet on Wednesday, 6th September.   The August set book was the latest Robert Galbraith novel – The Ink Black Heart.  Unfortunately, the books obtained from the library were all hardbacks and had over 1000 small print pages!  Most of us gave it up as a bad job which was unfortunate because Robert Galbraith’s books (pen-name of J.K. Rowling) are usually excellent. 

For our September set book we will be using the one read by the Library’s Crime Café – The Devil’s Table by Kate Rhodes.

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Weekenders

On 12th August we had planned a Garden Meet-up at Margaret White’s but yet again we had to move indoors due to the weather but we still had a good time with lovely food. 

On 18th August we enjoyed a Non-Birthday Lunch at the Broomhill.

We are planning to re-book our trip to Boundary Mills Rotherham followed by the Whitby’s Fish Restaurant lunch on Wednesday, 20th September;  we may have places available if any U3A members are interested.

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