New Worlds Observer Telescope and Instrument Optical Design Concepts

Optical design concepts for the telescope and instrumentation for NASA s New Worlds Observer program are presented. A four-meter multiple channel telescope is discussed, as well as a suite of science instrument concepts. Wide field instrumentation (imager and spectrograph) would be accommodated by a three-mirror-anastigmat telescope design. Planet finding and characterization, and a UV instrument would use a separate channel that is picked off after the first two mirrors (primary and secondary). Guiding concepts are also discussed

Frailty predicts short-term incidence of future falls among British community-dwelling older people: a prospective cohort study nested within a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Although population-based studies have shown frailty predicted future falls, their follow-up periods were one year or longer and short-term fall risks associated with frailty are unknown. METHODS: A prospective cohort study nested within a randomised controlled trial was conducted to examine associations between frailty and short-term incident future falls among community-dwelling older people. Two hundred forty eight community-dwelling people > =65 years without history of > =three falls and allocated to a usual care arm of exercise intervention trial were prospectively monitored for falls over 24 weeks. Frailty index (FI) was constructed from 40 deficits at baseline. The future fall risks according to frailty status was examined using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of 248 participants, 46 were classified as frail and 57 had one or more falls during follow-up. Both each 0.01 increase in FI and frailty defined as FI > =0.25 were significantly associated with higher risks of future falls in multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender and history of two falls in the previous year (odds ratio (OR) = 1.05, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) = 1.02-1.07, p < 0.001; OR = 3.04, 95 % CI = 1.53-6.02, p = 0.001, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed FI predicted future falls with fair accuracy with area under ROC curve of 0.62 (95 % CI = 0.53-0.71, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty was a significant and independent predictor of short-term future falls among community-dwelling older people who had volunteered for a physical activity study. It is important for healthcare practitioners to recognise frailty as a risk factor of imminent future falling even in older people who appear to be ageing well

Exercise for reducing fear of falling in older people living in the community: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To determine the effect of exercise interventions on fear of falling in community-living people aged ≥65 years. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Bibliographic databases, trial registers and other sources were searched for randomised or quasi-randomised trials. Data were independently extracted by pairs of reviewers using a standard form. Results: Thirty trials (2878 participants) reported 36 interventions (Tai Chi and yoga (n=9); balance training (n=19); strength and resistance training (n=8)). The risk of bias was low in few trials. Most studies were from high income countries (Australia=8, USA=7). Intervention periods (26 weeks=7) and exercise frequency (1-3 times/week=32; ≥4 times/week=4) varied between studies. Fear of falling was measured by single-item questions (7) and scales measuring falls efficacy (14), balance confidence (9) and concern or worry about falling (2). Meta-analyses showed a small to moderate effect of exercise interventions on reducing fear of falling immediately post intervention (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.37, 95% CI 0.18, 0.56; 24 studies; low quality evidence). There was a small, but not statistically significant effect in the longer term (<6 months (SMD 0.17, 95% CI -0.05, 0.38 (four studies) and ≥ 6 months post intervention SMD 0.20, 95% CI -0.01, 0.41 (three studies)). Conclusions: Exercise interventions probably reduce fear of falling to a small to moderate degree immediately post-intervention in community-living older people. The high risk of bias in most included trials suggests findings should be interpreted with caution. High quality trials are needed to strengthen the evidence base in this area

Technology Advancement of the Visible Nulling Coronagraph

The critical high contrast imaging technology for the Extrasolar Planetary Imaging Coronagraph (EPIC) mission concept is the visible nulling coronagraph (VNC). EPIC would be capable of imaging jovian planets, dust/debris disks, and potentially super-Earths and contribute to answering how bright the debris disks are for candidate stars. The contrast requirement for EPIC is 10(exp 9) contrast at 125 milli-arseconds inner working angle. To advance the VNC technology NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, in collaboration with Lockheed-Martin, previously developed a vacuum VNC testbed, and achieved narrowband and broadband suppression of the core of the Airy disk. Recently our group was awarded a NASA Technology Development for Exoplanet Missions to achieve two milestones: (i) 10(exp 8) contrast in narrowband light, and, (ii) 10(ecp 9) contrast in broader band light; one milestone per year, and both at 2 Lambda/D inner working angle. These will be achieved with our 2nd generation testbed known as the visible nulling testbed (VNT). It contains a MEMS based hex-packed segmented deformable mirror known as the multiple mirror array (MMA) and coherent fiber bundle, i.e. a spatial filter array (SFA). The MMA is in one interferometric arm and works to set the wavefront differences between the arms to zero. Each of the MMA segments is optically mapped to a single mode fiber of the SFA, and the SFA passively cleans the sub-aperture wavefront error leaving only piston, tip and tilt error to be controlled. The piston degree of freedom on each segment is used to correct the wavefront errors, while the tip/tilt is used to simultaneously correct the amplitude errors. Thus the VNT controls both amplitude and wavefront errors with a single MMA in closed-loop in a vacuum tank at approx.20 Hz. Herein we will discuss our ongoing progress with the VNT

‘We got more than we expected.’ Older people’s experiences of falls-prevention exercise interventions and implications for practice; a qualitative study

AIM: To explore the experiences of older adults participating in strength and balance exercise programmes and understand participants' rationale for programme uptake and completion. BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity, specifically strength and balance exercises, has been shown to improve health and well-being and reduce the risk of falling in older adults. With the number of people living into older age increasing, understanding older people's experiences of strength and balance programmes and what encourages their take-up and completion is extremely important. This paper reports on the qualitative experiences of older adults that previously participated in ProAct65+, a randomised controlled trial of Falls Management Exercise (FaME) programme and Otago Exercise Programme (OEP) versus usual care. METHODS: Ten general practices in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, England, who participated in the ProAct65+ trial were approached to take part. Using maximum variation sampling (age, gender, falls history, fear of falling and trial arm) we recruited, via the practices, 30 people that had participated in the FaME (n = 15) or OEP (n = 15) trial arms. Participants were interviewed in their own homes. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. FINDINGS: We identified five themes: choice of exercise programme; commitment, discipline and motivation; benchmarking, feedback and monitoring; benefits of the exercise programmes and reactions to the end of the programmes. There were four sub-themes within the benefits theme: pleasure and boredom, social interaction and isolation, physical benefits, and knowledge and understanding.This study has outlined the experiences and identified specific barriers and facilitators to uptake and completion of falls-prevention exercises by older adults. The perspective and experiences of these participants is important if programmes are to be designed to meet the needs of the target population. Insights from this study will enable commissioners to develop and provide appropriate falls-prevention exercise programmes that encourage high uptake and programme completion

Use it or lose it: a qualitative study of the maintenance of physical activity in older adults

BACKGROUND: Lack of physical activity (PA) is a recognised global public health problem, which is increasing in prevalence with a detrimental impact on the pattern of disease worldwide. In the UK, older adults comprise the most sedentary group, with only 57% of males and 52% of females aged 65-74 years and 43% of males and 21% of females aged 75-84 years meeting PA recommendations. PA confers multiple health benefits including increased stamina, muscle, bone and joint strength, increased independence and reduced risk of falls in old age. Despite benefits experienced during time-limited PA programmes, increased PA is not always continued. This study aimed to provide a better understanding of PA maintenance behaviours in older people

Keeping active:maintenance of physical activity after exercise programmes for older adults

Objectives: To explore factors associated with maintenance of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years after completing a 24-week exercise programme.Study design: Cohort study nested within a randomised controlled trial evaluating group and home-based exercise programmes for older people in England.Methods: MVPA levels and factors potentially associated with physical activity (PA) were self-reported at recruitment, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months post exercise programme. Multilevel logistic regression estimated odds ratios for achieving target MVPA level (150 minutes/week) 6-24 months after exercise programmes ended.Results: Older people (OR per year increase: 0.89, 95%CI 0.86, 0.93) and women (OR 0.47, 95%CI 0.33, 0.67) were less likely to achieve target MVPA. Those physically active at recruitment (OR 11.28, 95%CI 7.95, 16.01), with wider social networks (OR per unit increase in Lubben Social Network Scale: 1.06, 95%CI 1.03, 1.10) and performing more sit-to-stands in 30 seconds (OR for quartile 3 compared to quartile 1: 1.87, 95%CI 1.12, 3.10) were more likely to achieve target MVPA. Negative exercise expectations increased the odds of achieving target MVPA, but only amongst the less active at recruitment (OR per unit increase in Outcome and Expectation for Exercise Negative Subscale: 1.90, 95%CI 1.39, 2.60). Associations did not differ significantly across the follow-up period.Conclusion: A range of factors are associated with maintenance of PA 6-24 months after exercise programmes. Factors are not more strongly associated with shorter versus longer term PA maintenance. Commissioners and providers should consider targeting maintenance interventions to those least likely to maintain PA

Improving safety for older public transport users (OPTU) - a feasibility study

On the whole, the UK public transport system is generally considered to provide a safe means of mobility. However, each year, around 6,000 people are reported by the UK police to be injured whilst using buses with more than 400 persons killed or seriously injured. Approximately 50% of those injured or killed are aged over 65 years (Department for Transport 2008). However it is thought that there are many more injured older bus-users who are not included in the national statistics and whom may now avoid travelling on public transport because of previous injuries and experiences. Whilst free travel (particularly on buses) has allowed senior citizens the freedom to travel for pleasure and social inclusion, injuries or near-falls that may occur during the journey can impact on future decisions to travel leading in some cases to anxiety/fear of sustaining further injury, loss of personal mobility and ultimately social isolation. This Feasibility Study was funded within the Medical Research Council (MRC) Lifelong Health and Wellbeing programme in order to examine the general safety (but not security) of older public transport users. It explores injury type and causation and proposes design interventions for injury prevention with an overall objective of exploring how public transport use could possibly be made safer for older transport-users. A mixed methods design was used to collect and collate data from a number of sources. These included published research literature, national accident datasets, bus-operator records, service user consultations and other stakeholder consultations with groups representing the 60+ year’s age group. The ultimate aim was to develop a pilot injury surveillance database that could in principle be used to determine vehicle design requirements, transport operator procedures and transport-user behaviors that could prevent injuries from occurring...(continues)