The Effect of Ionized Bracelets on Pain and Function in Individuals with Arthritis

Arthritis is a prevalent condition found throughout the entire population. Manifestations of this disease can lead to increased pain in multiple joints leading to decreased functional mobility and limitations in activities of daily living. Ionized bracelets have become an increasingly popular non-traditional, conservative treatment for decreasing pain and improving well-being in persons with multiple diagnoses and body system involvement. Very little research has been conducted on the effects of ionized bracelets; therefore, additional research needs to be conducted to validate these theories. The purpose of our study is to determine the effect of ionized bracelets on pain and function in individuals diagnosed with arthritis. Fifty subjects over the age of 18 and diagnosed with arthritis were recruited to participate in this double blind, randomized controlled trial. The subjects were required to wear either an ionized or placebo bracelet for a four week time period. A pre screening questionnaire was used to collect general demographic data and as a screening tool to exclude those with any pathology/conditions that could have been adversely affected by the ionized bracelets. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups (19 ionized, 31 placebo). Subjects rated their pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and measuring functional activities using the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Statistical analysis using a mixed groups factorial ANOV A showed no significant interaction of treatment groups and time as related to pain and function. In the ionized group, a significant difference was found using a paired t-test when evaluating the main effects of time on the Bodily Pain subset in the SF-36, but not in the VAS. This group showed a decrease in pain over the four week course. A significant level of improvement of function was also found in the Vitality and Social Functioning subsets of the SF-36. This significance was found only in the placebo group, not in the ionized. In the General Health subset of the SF-36 a significant difference was found when looking at both ionized and placebo groups together, but no significance was found when analyzed separately. With so many inconsistencies, the results of this study have illustrated the need for further research regarding the effects that ionized bracelets have on arthritic pain and function. Further research should focus on more precise single variables such as pain as opposed to multiple factors, such as pain and function. These studies should be performed with larger sample sizes and over longer periods of time. Only as research accumulates will consumers be able to make informed decisions regarding the use of alternative therapies such as ionized bracelets

Maine Impact Week 2021 Faculty Mentor Impact Awards : Karissa Tilbury

Earlier this year, we asked students to nominate faculty members who had an important impact on them and the response was incredible. Through online videos and announcements, we are featuring the nine faculty members who won 2021 Faculty Mentor Impact Awards. Click the download button for a machine-generated, English transcript

Comparison between plasma lactate and lactate clearance with the impact of acute phase complication in burn injury patient

Severe burn can cause rapid loss of intravascular volume with resultant adecrease in peripheral blood flow which reduces tissue oxygen transport and inturn, increases plasma lactate. Plasma lactate and lactate clearance are usefulparameters to compare complicated and uncomplicated burn patients in theacute phase. The study aimed to evaluate the initial and 24-h plasma lactatelevels as well as lactate clearance as useful parameters to assess acute phasecomplications of burn patients. This was a cross-sectional study involving35 burn patients who admitted at Abdul Wahab Sjahranie District Hospital,Samarinda during the period of September 2018 to September 2019. Thestudy was immediately begun after admission of the patients. Plasma lactatelevels were measured at admission and24-h after the first measurement. Theacute phase complication was assessed 72 h after burns from the laboratoryparameter. Fisher’s exact test and t test using SPSS software version 24wereapplied for statistical analysis. The 24-h plasma lactate level (p= 0.001) andplasma lactate clearance (p = 0.002) were significantly correlated with theoccurrence of acute phase complications of burns. However, the initial plasmalactate level was not significantly correlated (p = 0.609). In conclusion, there isa significantly correlation between 24-h plasma lactate level and plasma lactateclearance are with the occurrence of acute phase complications of burns

Using poultry litter as fertilizer

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Using poultry litter as fertilizer

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Exercise does not increase cyclooxygenase-2 myocardial levels in young or senescent hearts

Increased myocardial cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity is essential for late phase ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Currently unknown is whether cardioprotection elicited by exercise also involves elevated myocardial COX-2 activity. This investigation tested whether aerobic exercise elevates myocardial COX-2 protein content or enzyme activity in young and senescent male Fisher 344 rats assigned to sedentary or cardioprotective endurance exercise treatments (3 consecutive days of treadmill exercise, 60 min/day @~70% VO2max). Assay of cardiac COX-2 protein content, catalytic activity, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein content reveal that exercise did not alter COX-2 activity (PGE2, p = 0.866; PGF1α, p = 0.796) or protein levels (p = 0.397) within young or senescent hearts. In contrast, myocardial iNOS, an up-stream mediator of COX-2 expression, was over-expressed by an average of 37% in aged hearts (p = 0.005), though iNOS was not influenced by exercise. Findings reveal exercise does not elevate cardiac COX-2 activity and suggests that mechanisms responsible for cardioprotection differ between IPC and aerobic exercise

Whitefield News

File includes: January 2017 Volume 4, Issue 7 February 2017 Volume 4, Issue 8 March 2017 Volume 4, Issue 9 April 2017 Volume 4, Issue 10 May 2017 Volume 4, Issue 11 June 2017 Volume 4, Issue 12 July 2017 Volume 5, Issue 1 August 2017 Volume 5, Issue 2 September 2017 Volume 5, Issue 3 October 2017 Volume 5, Issue 4 November 2017 Volume 5, Issue 5 December 2017 Volume 5, Issue

Anadromous Arctic Char Microbiomes: Bioprospecting in the High Arctic

Northern populations of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) can be anadromous, migrating annually from the ocean to freshwater lakes and rivers in order to escape sub-zero temperatures. Such seasonal behavior demands that these fish and their associated microbiomes adapt to changes in salinity, temperature, and other environmental challenges. We characterized the microbial community composition of anadromous S. alpinus, netted by Inuit fishermen at freshwater and seawater fishing sites in the high Arctic, both under ice and in open water. Bacterial profiles were generated by DNA extraction and high-throughput sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S ribosomal RNA genes. Results showed that microbial communities on the skin and intestine of Arctic char were statistically different when sampled from freshwater or saline water sites. This association was tested using hierarchical Ward's linkage clustering, showing eight distinct clusters in each of the skin and intestinal microbiomes, with the clusters reflecting sampling location between fresh and saline environments, confirming a salinity-linked turnover. This analysis also provided evidence for a core composition of skin and intestinal bacteria, with the phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Cyanobacteria presenting as major phyla within the skin-associated microbiomes. The intestine-associated microbiome was characterized by unidentified genera from families Fusobacteriaceae, Comamonadaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Vibrionaceae. The salinity-linked turnover was further tested through ordinations that showed samples grouping based on environment for both skin- and intestine-associated microbiomes. This finding implies that core microbiomes between fresh and saline conditions could be used to assist in regulating optimal fish health in aquaculture practices. Furthermore, identified taxa from known psychrophiles and with nitrogen cycling properties suggest that there is additional potential for biotechnological applications for fish farm and waste management practices

Respiratory mucosal immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 after infection and vaccination

Respiratory mucosal immunity induced by vaccination is vital for protection from coronavirus infection in animal models. In humans, the capacity of peripheral vaccination to generate sustained immunity in the lung mucosa, and how this is influenced by prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, is unknown. Here we show using bronchoalveolar lavage samples that donors with history of both infection and vaccination have more airway mucosal SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and memory B cells than those only vaccinated. Infection also induces populations of airway spike-specific memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that are not expanded by vaccination alone. Airway mucosal T cells induced by infection have a distinct hierarchy of antigen specificity compared to the periphery. Spike-specific T cells persist in the lung mucosa for 7 months after the last immunising event. Thus, peripheral vaccination alone does not appear to induce durable lung mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2, supporting an argument for the need for vaccines targeting the airways