Exercise during growth provides lifelong benefit to bone structure and strength: a case study

poster abstractExercise induces greatest gains in bone health during skeletal development, yet reduced bone strength is predominantly an age-related phenomenon. This dichotomy has raised the question of whether exercise-induced changes in bone health when young persist into late adulthood where they may have benefits on bone health and fracture risk. Previous work has suggested exercise-induced gains in bone mass are lost with aging; however, 1) exercise during growth predominantly influences bone structure rather than mass to increase bone strength and 2) mechanisms exist for the long-term maintenance of exercise effects on bone structure. The aim of the current case was to explore whether exercise-induced gains in bone structure and strength accrued when young persist lifelong. The subject was a 94-year-old former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played competitively for 20 years before ceasing play in 1955. Throwing athletes are a unique model to investigate the skeletal effects of exercise as: 1) the unilateral upper extremity loading associated with throwing enables the contralateral side to serve as an internal control site and 2) throwing athletes have large dominant-to-nondominant (D-to-ND) differences in midshaft humeral bone properties. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography slices of the subject’s dominant and nondominant humerii were taken at 50% humeral length, and D-to-ND percent differences in bone properties calculated and compared to those observed previously in non-throwing controls. Exercise when young had no lasting effects on D-to-ND difference in cortical bone mass or area; however, Dto-ND difference in total area was nearly 3-times that observed in controls. The maintenance of exercise effects on total area resulted from persistence of benefits on periosteal perimeter, with the loss of cortical bone mass and area benefits being due to greater endosteal expansion (perimeter). As a result of the maintenance of exercise-induced benefits on bone structure, D-to-ND difference in ability to resist torsional forces (polar moment of inertia) was nearly double that observed due to habitual loading associated with arm dominance in controls. The maintenance of exercise-induced benefits on bone structure in the current case, despite exercise ceasing 56 years ago, supports the hypothesis that exercise when young can have lasting benefits on bone strength independent of maintenance of bone mass effects. This question is being further explored in a cohort of 100 former MLB players and 100 matched controls

Digital sleep:expert evaluation of commercially available digital sleep trackers

Abstract. The use of digital technology has become a part of people’s life globally. The rapid digitalisation has created opportunities to understand and improve our sleep by monitoring sleep patterns with physiological parameters. In this study, three expert evaluators collect and analyse the sleep data from five different sleep monitoring devices: Dreem2, Fitbit Versa 3, Polar M430, SleepScore Max and Withings Sleep Analyzer. The data consists of three weeks sleep data from all devices, each participant using all devices simultaneously for one week. This study focuses on the device’s reliability on sleep monitoring, but also user experience is noticed with surveys filled in one week before assessment nights and one week during. In addition, technology expectation discussions were held to provide user perspective on the device. All devices had some problems recognising night-time wake ups and sleep restfulness. Reliability issues also came up when only two of five devices gave significantly lower sleep score after the user had many servings of alcohol. Devices recorded different amounts of sleep stages and had different algorithms to define sleep efficiency scoring to the user. The collected data and discussions from three expert evaluators, give an overall look on today’s marketed sleep tracking equipment compered to each other highlighting some issues that came up using the devices and analysing the sleep data. These results can be used for future work, applying the sleep data gathering timeline into a study of larger group of participants, to improve sleep technology equipment.Tiivistelmä. Digitaalisten laitteiden käyttö on tullut osaksi ihmisten elämää maailmanlaajuisesti. Nopeasti kehittyvä teknologia on tuonut ihmisille mahdollisuuksia ymmärtää ja parantaa untaan tutkimalla sitä erilaisten mitattavien fysiologisten parametrien avulla. Tutkimuksessamme kolme asiantuntija-arvioijaa kerää ja analysoi unidataa hyödyntäen viittä eri unta mittaavaa laitetta: Dreem2, Fitbit Versa 3, Polar M430, SleepScore Max ja Withings Sleep Analyzer. Käsiteltävä unidata koostuu kolmen viikon ajalta kerätystä datasta, jonka aikana jokainen osallistuja on käyttänyt kaikkia laitteita samanaikaisesti yhden viikon ajan. Tutkimus keskittyy laitteiden luotettavuuteen unen mittauksessa, mutta myös käyttäjäkokemus on huomioitu kyselyllä, joka täytetään viikon ajalta ennen unimittauksia ja unimittausviikon aikana. Lisäksi käyttökokemus näkökulma on huomioitu teknologiakeskusteluilla. Jokaisen laitteen kanssa ilmeni joitain ongelmia hereillä olon tunnistamisessa. Luottamusta laitteisiin heikensi myös, kun vain pieni osa laitteista antoi käyttäjälle selvästi alhaisemman arvon unen palauttavuudesta yönä, jota edelsi usea nautittu alkoholiannos. Laitteiden mittaamat univaiheiden määrät vaihtelivat myös merkittävästi ja laitteiden eri menetelmät mitata unen palauttavuutta nousivat esille tutkimuksessa. Kolmen asiantuntija-arvioijan keräämä ja analysoima data sekä teknologiakeskustelut, antavat kokonaiskuvan viidestä nykyaikaisesta unenmittauslaitteesta vertailtuna keskenään, ja nostavat esiin ongelmia laitteiden mittauksissa. Saadut tulokset voidaan hyödyntää tulevaisuudessa tutkimuksessa, jossa unidataa kerätään suuremmalta joukolta käyttäjiä, ja näin ollen kehittää unta mittaavia laitteita

A Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Allamakee County, Iowa

Based upon field and herbarium study, the vascular flora of Allamakee County is composed of 1040 taxa (species plus hybrids), including 46 endangered and 23 threatened Iowa species. This number represents approximately 50% of the species in the state flora and is the greatest number of taxa documented for a single Iowa county. The large and diverse flora reflects the diversity of topography and habitat types within the county. The study resulted in the addition of four taxa to the state flora (Conopholis americana, Dryopteris X triploidea, Equisetum X litorale, and Polygonum douglasii) and in the location of populations of two species previously considered extirpated within the state (Dryopteris intermedia and Ilex verticillata)

Exercise Completed When Young Provides Lifelong Benefit to Cortical Bone Structure and Estimated Strength

poster abstractExercise induces greatest bone gains during growth, yet reduced bone strength is an age-related phenomenon. This raises the question of whether exercise-induced bone changes when young persist into adulthood. The current studies used Major/Minor League Baseball (MLB/MiLB) players to explore whether exercise-induced gains in humeral bone structure and strength accrued when young persist lifelong. MLB/MiLB players are a unique model as the unilateral upper extremity loading associated with throwing enables the contralateral side to serve as an internal control site and former MLB/MiLB players were consistently exposed to extreme loading reducing secular variations in exercise levels between generations. Dominant-to-nondominant (D-to-ND) differences in humeral cross-sectional properties in MLB/MiLB players were normalized to matched controls to correct for side-to-side differences due to elevated habitual loading associated with arm dominance. Exercise when young induced significant skeletal benefits, with active MLB/MiLB players having nearly double the estimated ability to resist torsion (polar moment of inertia, IP) in the humerus of their dominant arm. The cortical bone mass and area benefits of exercise observed in active MLB/MiLB players were lost in former MLB players following 40-49 years of detraining as a result of elevated medullary expansion and endocortical trabecularization. However, 42% of the total bone area benefit persisted following 50+ years of detraining and contributed to the maintenance of 24% of the benefit on IP. In MLB players who continued to exercise during aging, medullary expansion and endocortical trabecularization were reduced and there was maintenance of the cortical bone mass and area benefits of exercise. These cumulative data indicate: 1) the extreme plasticity of the growing skeleton to exercise; 2) that exercise when young has lifelong benefits on cortical bone size and estimated strength, but not bone mass, and; 3) exercise continued during aging maintains the bone mass benefits of exercise

Age-Related Changes in Proximal Humerus Bone Health in White Males

poster abstractThe proximal humerus is a common site for osteoporotic fracture during aging, accounting for up to 5% of fractures to the appendicular skeleton. While falls onto an outstretched hand are usually physically responsible for proximal humerus fractures, the ability of the underlying bone to resist applied loads must also play a role. Few studies have assessed proximal humerus bone health with aging. The aim of the current study was to explore age-related bone changes at the proximal humerus in men. A cross-sectional study design was used to assess peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-derived bone properties of the proximal humerus in a cohort of 112 white males (age range = 30-85 yrs). A tomographic slice of the non-dominant upper extremity was acquired at 80% of humeral length proximal from its distal end—a location corresponding to the surgical neck of the humerus. Images were assessed for cortical (Ct.BMC) and trabecular (Tb.BMC) BMC, total (Tt.Ar), cortical (Ct.Ar) and medullary (Me.Ar) area, periosteal (Ps.Pm) and endosteal (Es.Pm) perimeter, cortical thickness (Ct.Th), and bone strength index for compression (BSIc). BSIc was calculated as the product of Tt.Ar and the square of total volumetric BMD. Data were plotted against age and linear regression lines assessed for their slope. Slopes were subsequently converted to percent change in the bone property per year. During aging, the proximal humerus expanded with Tt.Ar and Ps.Pm increasing at rates of 0.40%/yr and 0.19%/yr, respectively. However, Me.Ar (0.62%/yr) and Es.Pm (0.34%/yr) expanded at faster rates such that there was net loss of both Ct.BMC (-0.23%/yr) and Tb.BMC (-1.08%/yr). Also, the more rapid expansion of Me.Ar relative to Tt.Ar meant that Ct.Ar (-0.15%/yr) and Ct.Th (-0.34%/yr) both decreased with age. The net result of these mass and structural changes was progressive loss of bone strength with age, as indicated by a 0.44%/yr decline in BSIc. These data provide a picture of bone changes at the proximal humerus during aging. They suggest that between age 30 and 80 yrs, approximately 54% and 11% of Tb.BMC and Ct.BMC at the proximal humerus is lost, respectively. They also suggest that compressive strength of the proximal humerus declines by 22% between age 30 and 80 years. These declines in proximal humerus bone health have implications for fracture risk at this location during aging

Valmistavan luokan opettajien käsityksiä ja kokemuksia trauman kokeneen maahanmuuttajaoppilaan tukemisesta

Tiivistelmä. Suomalaisissa kouluissa on yhä enemmän maahanmuuttajataustaisia oppilaita, mihin on osaltaan vaikuttanut Euroopan pakolaiskriisi syksyllä 2015 sekä turvapaikanhakijoiden määrän huomattava kasvu Suomessa. Levottomista olosuhteista tulleilla maahanmuuttajaoppilailla on usein taustallaan traumaattisia kokemuksia. Tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tavoitteena on kuvata valmistavan luokan opettajien (valo-opettajien) käsityksiä ja kokemuksia trauman kokeneesta maahanmuuttajaoppilaasta sekä heidän keinojaan oppilaan selviytymisen tukemisessa. Tutkimuksen teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä kuvataan traumaa ja kriisiä ilmiönä sekä traumaattisen kokemuksen vaikutuksia lapsen ja nuoren elämään. Lisäksi siinä käsitellään maahanmuuttoon ja monikulttuurisuuteen liittyviä käsitteitä, koulun roolia monikulttuurisena toimijana sekä perusopetukseen valmistavan luokan opetusta. Tutkimus on luonteeltaan laadullinen, ja siinä on käytetty sekä fenomenografista että fenomenologista lähestymistapaa. Tutkimusaineisto on kerätty syksyn 2016 ja kevään 2017 välisenä aikana haastattelemalla viittä Pohjois-Pohjanmaan alueella työskentelevää valo-opettajaa. Haastattelut toteutettiin puolistrukturoidun teemahaastattelun avulla. Tutkimusaineisto on analysoitu teoriaohjaavaa sisällönanalyysia soveltaen. Vaikka tutkimustulosten mukaan valo-opettajilla on valmiuksia kohdata trauman kokenut maahanmuuttajaoppilas, näkevät he tarvetta lisäkoulutukselle. Erityisesti luokanopettajakoulutusta tulisi kehittää psyykkisten ongelmien tunnistamiseen ja auttamiseen liittyvissä asioissa. Valo-opettajien käyttämät keinot oppilaan selviytymisen tukemisessa olivat monipuolisia. Erityisenä voimavarana pidettiin valo-opettajien keskinäistä yhteisöä. Valo-opettajat tiedostivat varhaisen tunnistamisen ja puuttumisen merkityksen, mutta he kokivat vaikeaksi erottaa, onko oppilaan oireilun syynä trauma vai kotoutumiseen tai normaaliin ikäkauteen ja kasvuun kuuluva kipuilu. Vaikka laadullisen tutkimuksen tapaan tutkimustulokset eivät ole yleistettävissä, ne antavat ajankohtaista ja monipuolista tietoa opettajan työn arjesta sekä työnkuvan laajenemiseen ja oppilaan selviytymisen tukemiseen liittyvistä haasteista. Jatkossa olisi mielenkiintoista toteuttaa tutkimus yleisopetuksen luokan- ja aineenopettajille. Lisäksi voitaisiin tarkastella, miten traumareaktiot ja trauman käsittelytavat eroavat ylä- ja alakoulun valo-oppilailla

Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Lyon and Sioux Counties, Iowa

The combined vascular flora of Lyon and Sioux counties, Iowa, based upon field and herbarium study, is composed of 612 species, of which 454 species (74%) occur in both counties. The Lyon County vascular flora consists of 561 species, including 13 state endangered, 9 state threatened species, and 102 non-native species. The Sioux County vascular flora consists of 506 species, including 2 state threatened species and 106 non-native species. The floras are most notable for the presence of plants with floristic affinities to the Great Plains to the west of Iowa. They also have a very high percentage (18%-20%) of their floras comprised of non-native species, reflecting the intensity of human activities on the landscape

The pore size of polycaprolactone scaffolds has limited influence on bone regeneration in an in vivo model

Bone tissue engineering scaffolds should be designed to optimize mass transport, cell migration, and mechanical integrity to facilitate and enhance new bone growth. Although many scaffold parameters could be modified to fulfill these requirements, pore size is an important scaffold characteristic that can be rigorously controlled with indirect solid freeform fabrication. We explored the effect of pore size on bone regeneration and scaffold mechanical properties using polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds designed with interconnected, cylindrical orthogonal pores. Three scaffold designs with unique microarchitectures were fabricated, having pore sizes of 350, 550, or 800 Μm. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 transduced human gingival fibroblasts were suspended in fibrin gel, seeded into scaffolds, and implanted subcutaneously in immuno-compromised mice for 4 or 8 weeks. We found that (1) modulus and peak stress of the scaffold/bone constructs depended on pore size and porosity at 4 weeks but not at 8 weeks, (2) bone growth inside pores depended on pore size at 4 weeks but not at 8 weeks, and (3) the length of implantation time had a limited effect on scaffold/bone construct properties. In conclusion, pore sizes between 350 and 800 Μm play a limited role in bone regeneration in this tissue engineering model. Therefore, it may be advantageous to explore the effects of other scaffold structural properties, such as pore shape, pore interconnectivity, or scaffold permeability, on bone regeneration when designing PCL scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64538/1/32381_ftp.pd

An Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plant Flora of Guthrie County, Iowa

The known vascular plant flora of Guthrie County, Iowa, based on field, herbarium, and literature studies, consists of 748 taxa (species, varieties, and hybrids), 135 of which are naturalized. Species which appear on the state\u27s list of endangered and threatened species, or are otherwise rare, are discussed. There is an affinity of the plants of Guthrie County with those of the Ozark plateau, and with specialized habitats providing extensions of ranges for species normally found farther north or east