The effects of calisthenic exercises on sleep quality, fatigue, and depression in elder adults

Purpose: The physical, psychological, even economic and environmental changes emerged with age cause problems in sleep. The lack of exercise habits could increase the incidence of unfavorable sleep disorders with depression and fatigue. The aim of this non-randomized controlled study was to investigate the considerable effects of calisthenic exercises on sleep disorders, depression, and fatigue in elder adults. Methods: The study was conducted at Pamukkale University and Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. Sixty-two individuals participated in the study between May 2018-October 2019. While the Calisthenic Group (n=32) performed calisthenic exercises for 30-45minutes/session and 3days/6weeks, and Control Group (n=30) did not performed. Fatigue, depression, and sleep quality levels were assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Beck Depression Scale (BDI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Results: Statistically significant differences among FSS (p≤0.001), BDI (p=0.022), and PSQI (p=0.006) scores were found in the Calisthenic Group after the intervention, while there were differences only in fatigue (p=0.035) and total sleep quality (p=0.035) for the Control Group. We found that the Calisthenic Group’s PSQI latency, PSQI sleep duration and PSQI total scores decreased in post-treatment. Both fatigue severity (p≤0.001) and depression levels (p≤0.001) were highly correlated with PSQI-subscores, except for sleep duration subscore (FSS p=0.934, BDI p=0.276). Conclusion: Regular calisthenic exercise programs may enable elders to better manage changes in the aging process. Physiotherapists should consider including calisthenic exercises in the rehabilitation programs for its effects on all parameters of sleep, fatigue, mental and emotional status in this population. © 2023 Turkish Physiotherapy Association. All rights reserved

Retention of signs following a one-day key word sign training

© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd We taught teachers sign language to use with children with a disability We asked teachers if they liked the training and learning signs We tested their memory of signs after training and 6 and 12 weeks later We found that teachers can learn signs in a one-day workshop and remember them later Teachers forgot some of the signs by 6 weeks later Teachers want follow-up sessions to practise the signs to help them remember the signs. Abstract: Background Children and adults with developmental disability frequently require either aided or unaided alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). Key word sign (KWS) involves using natural gesture and sign language to support the key words in spoken utterances. The purpose of this study was to determine whether communication partners of children and adults with developmental disabilities can learn and retain a basic KWS vocabulary. Materials and Methods Communication partners attended a one-day training workshop where they were taught 100 signs. Measures of sign recognition and production were taken prior to the training, immediately after the training on the day and at 6 and 12 weeks later. Results Participants were able to learn signs during the workshop and demonstrate receptive and expressive knowledge of KWS. However, sign knowledge decreased after 6 and 12 weeks. Participants noted that having to be tested again after several weeks, motivated them to practise and served as a follow-up. Conclusion This paper provides evidence that KWS training enables participants to learn and retain signs, but that there is a need for ongoing training and support even for communication partners who use sign regularly

Dancing: More than a therapy for patients with venous insufficiency

Objective: This study aims to figure out the effects of dance therapy on patients with chronic venous insufficiency disease. Methods: Forty subjects with chronic venous insufficiency were recruited to either the control group or the dance therapy group. As the severity of chronic venous insufficiency was defined with the Venous Clinical Severity Scores (VCSS), patients in control group received only medical treatment. Twenty patients with chronic venous insufficiency in dance therapy group received three times a week, for five weeks, totally 15 sessions of dance therapy in addition to medical treatment. Results: There was no significant difference in pre- and post-treatment results of Rivermead Index, VCSS parameters constipation complaint, assistive breath muscle activity, lower limb circumference, strength and range of motion between groups (p > 0.05). The remarkable result of this study was obtaining that the post-treatment quality of life scale’s bodily pain score was significantly higher in the dance therapy group than the control group (p 0.05). Conclusions: It was concluded that dance therapy has positive effects on quality of life. There were no barriers to chronic venous insufficiency patients in this form of gentle exercise, showing that it is to meliorate the cardiovascular, physical and psychological benefits of an activity that is enhancing of the self-esteem in addition to the quality of life. Treatment of chronic venous insufficiency should consist of methods that support the patient mentally, physically and psychologically, in addition to the medical treatment. Dance therapy might be a potential exercise intervention for improvements in chronic venous insufficiency patients, so clinicians focusing on them could recommend this form of gentle exercise in addition to the medical treatment. © The Author(s) 2020

The Effects of Interferon alpha 2b on Chemically-induced Peritoneal Fibrosis and on Peritoneal Tissue MMP-2 and TIMP-2 Levels in Rats

This study investigated the effect of interferon alpha 2b on chlorhexidine gluconate (CH)-induced peritoneal fibrosis (PF) in rats and assessed peritoneal tissue levels of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2. Wistar albino rats (n = 8 per group) were treated as follows: control group, 3 ml/day of 0.9% saline intraperitoneally for 28 days; CH group, 0.1% CH (200 g [3 ml]/day) in 15% ethanol and 0.9% saline intra-peritoneally for 28 days; CH + interferon (IFN) group, CH (as above) plus pegylated IFN-alpha 2b 1.5 mu g/kg per week subcutaneously on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28; IFN group, pegylated IFN-alpha 2b (as above). Parietal peritoneum samples were obtained from the left anterior abdominal wall after 35 days. Parietal thickness, degree of vascular proliferation and inflammation, and MMP-2 and TIMP-2 levels were determined. The mean peritoneal thicknesses of the control, CH, CH + IFN and IFN groups were 7.02 +/- 3.89, 156.86 +/- 29.13, 59.88 +/- 22.1, 9.27 +/- 2.03 mu m, respectively. Pegylated IFN-alpha 2b decreased CH-induced expression of MMP-2 in the parietal peritoneum, but had no effect on TIMP-2 levels. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal dosage and duration for pegylated IFN-alpha 2b treatment

Dancing: More than a therapy for patients with venous insufficiency

Objective This study aims to figure out the effects of dance therapy on patients with chronic venous insufficiency disease. Methods Forty subjects with chronic venous insufficiency were recruited to either the control group or the dance therapy group. As the severity of chronic venous insufficiency was defined with the Venous Clinical Severity Scores (VCSS), patients in control group received only medical treatment. Twenty patients with chronic venous insufficiency in dance therapy group received three times a week, for five weeks, totally 15 sessions of dance therapy in addition to medical treatment. Results There was no significant difference in pre- and post-treatment results of Rivermead Index, VCSS parameters constipation complaint, assistive breath muscle activity, lower limb circumference, strength and range of motion between groups (p > 0.05). The remarkable result of this study was obtaining that the post-treatment quality of life scale's bodily pain score was significantly higher in the dance therapy group than the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions It was concluded that dance therapy has positive effects on quality of life. There were no barriers to chronic venous insufficiency patients in this form of gentle exercise, showing that it is to meliorate the cardiovascular, physical and psychological benefits of an activity that is enhancing of the self-esteem in addition to the quality of life. Treatment of chronic venous insufficiency should consist of methods that support the patient mentally, physically and psychologically, in addition to the medical treatment. Dance therapy might be a potential exercise intervention for improvements in chronic venous insufficiency patients, so clinicians focusing on them could recommend this form of gentle exercise in addition to the medical treatment.C1 [Dogru-Huzmeli, Esra; Gokcek, Ozden; Cam, Yagmur] Hatay Mustafa Kemal Univ, Hlth Sci Fac, Physiotherapy & Rehabil Dept, Antakya, Turkey.[Fansa, Iyad; Lale, Cem] Hatay Mustafa Kemal Univ, Tayfur Ata Sokmen Med Fac, Dept Cardiovasc Surg, Antakya, Turkey.[Oznur-Karabicak, Gul] Adnan Menderes Univ, Hlth Sci Fac, Dept Physiotherapy & Rehabil, Aydin, Turkey.[Cetisli-Korkmaz, Nilufer] Pamukkale Univ, Sch Phys Therapy & Rehabil, Antakya, Turkey

The Effects of Interferon α2b on Chemically-Induced Peritoneal Fibrosis and on Peritoneal Tissue MMP-2 and TIMP-2 Levels in Rats

This study investigated the effect of interferon alpha 2b on chlorhexidine gluconate (CH)-induced peritoneal fibrosis (PF) in rats and assessed peritoneal tissue levels of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2. Wistar albino rats (n = 8 per group) were treated as follows: control group, 3 ml/day of 0.9% saline intraperitoneally for 28 days; CH group, 0.1% CH (200 g [3 ml]/day) in 15% ethanol and 0.9% saline intra-peritoneally for 28 days; CH + interferon (IFN) group, CH (as above) plus pegylated IFN-alpha 2b 1.5 mu g/kg per week subcutaneously on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28; IFN group, pegylated IFN-alpha 2b (as above). Parietal peritoneum samples were obtained from the left anterior abdominal wall after 35 days. Parietal thickness, degree of vascular proliferation and inflammation, and MMP-2 and TIMP-2 levels were determined. The mean peritoneal thicknesses of the control, CH, CH + IFN and IFN groups were 7.02 +/- 3.89, 156.86 +/- 29.13, 59.88 +/- 22.1, 9.27 +/- 2.03 mu m, respectively. Pegylated IFN-alpha 2b decreased CH-induced expression of MMP-2 in the parietal peritoneum, but had no effect on TIMP-2 levels. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal dosage and duration for pegylated IFN-alpha 2b treatment

Familial Mediterranean fever is associated with a wide spectrum of inflammatory disorders: results from a large cohort study

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by recurrent short-lived/self-limiting inflammatory attacks. Besides these, a substantial number of patients with FMF present with a variety of other inflammatory diseases; however, this issue has not been systematically studied previously. Hence, we aimed to investigate the frequency of inflammatory comorbid diseases in a large FMF cohort. All patients were recruited from "FMF in Central Anatolia (FiCA) Cohort", comprising 971 (mean age 35.3 +/- 12 years, 61.5% female) adult subjects. All patients fulfilled Tel Hashomer criteria. Demographic data, FMF disease characteristics, MEFV gene mutations, and comorbid inflammatory diseases were meticulously questioned, and laboratory features and genotype data were retrieved from hospital records. There were comorbid inflammatory diseases in 205 (21.1%) patients. The most common inflammatory disease was spondyloarthritis (12.9%). Other remarkable inflammatory disorders were psoriasis, immunoglobulin A vasculitis/Henoch-Schonlein purpura, Behcet's disease and inflammatory bowel diseases. Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia is a newly defined entity in our cohort which is seemed to be associated with FMF (0.3%). Number of patients with persistent inflammation was higher in those with comorbid diseases (p < 0.001). Our results suggest that FMF is commonly associated with other inflammatory diseases. Therefore, clinicians should be cautious about comorbid inflammatory diseases in FMF patients, particularly in those with persistent inflammation. Identification of pathogenic pathways linking FMF to these diseases warrants further investigations