Land-Based Exercise and Its Effect on Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review

Background: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine effectiveness of land-based exercise interventions for improving quality of life (QOL) of individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A systematic search included PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Premier, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Inclusion criteria included land-based exercise interventions aimed to improve lower extremity strength and QOL, published since 2000. Exclusion criteria included OA of joints other than the knee, and aquatic-based and surgical interventions. Studies were evaluated using a modified version of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) methodology score. Results: Level of evidence for 11 studies ranged from I strong (I-S) to IV. There were 1200 total participants 57.5 to 69.8 years of age with a mean of 64.5. Three common treatment groups were used; exercise, yoga, and education. Twenty outcome measures were used with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), Short Form 36 (SF-36) and strength being most common. Discussion: Inconsistencies in reporting outcome measures and their subgroups, data, and statistical analyses prevented further data analysis to compare individual intervention effectiveness. However, many articles reported significant improvements in varying QOL subgroups and strength measurements. Conclusions: This review suggests treatment approaches involving physical activity will be beneficial across all levels of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF), including QOL

Diffusion length measurements in solar cells: An analysis and comparison of techniques

A brief review of the major techniques for measuring minority carrier diffusion lengths in solar cells is given. Emphasis is placed on comparing limits of applicability for each method, especially as applied to silicon cells or to gallium arsenide cells, including the effects of radiation damage

The Collins-Roscoe mechanism and D-spaces

We prove that if a space X is well ordered $(\alpha A)$, or linearly semi-stratifiable, or elastic then X is a D-space

The Effects of a Multiflavonoid Supplement on Vascular and Hemodynamic Parameters following Acute Exercise

Antioxidants can decrease oxidative stress and combined with acute exercise they may lead to further decreases in blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 2 weeks of antioxidant supplementation on vascular distensibility and cardiovascular hemodynamics during postexercise hypotension. Methods. Twenty young subjects were randomized to placebo (n = 10) or antioxidant supplementation (n = 10) for two weeks. Antioxidant status, vascular distensibility, and hemodynamics were obtained before, immediately, and 30 minutes after an acute bout of aerobic exercise both before and after supplementation. Results. Two weeks of antioxidant supplementation resulted in a greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) decrease during postexercise hypotension (PEH) and significant decreases in augmentation index versus placebo (12.5% versus 3.5%, resp.). Also ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) increased significantly (interaction P = 0.024) after supplementation. Conclusion. Supplementation showed an additive effect on PEH associated with increased FRAP values and decreases in systolic blood pressure and augmentation index

Overexpression of the Aspergillus nidulans histone 4 acetyltransferase EsaA increases activation of secondary metabolite production

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Soukup, A. A., Chiang, Y.-M., Bok, J. W., Reyes-Dominguez, Y., Oakley, B. R., Wang, C. C. C., Strauss, J. and Keller, N. P. (2012), Overexpression of the Aspergillus nidulans histone 4 acetyltransferase EsaA increases activation of secondary metabolite production. Molecular Microbiology, 86: 314–330. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08195.x, which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08195.x. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.Regulation of secondary metabolite (SM) gene clusters in Aspergillus nidulans has been shown to occur through cluster specific transcription factors or through global regulators of chromatin structure such as histone methyltransferases, histone deacetylases, or the putative methyltransferase LaeA. A multi-copy suppressor screen for genes capable of returning SM production to the SM deficient ΔlaeA mutant resulted in identification of the essential histone acetyltransferase EsaA, able to complement an esa1 deletion in Saccharomyces cereviseae. Here we report that EsaA plays a novel role in SM cluster activation through histone 4 lysine 12 (H4K12) acetylation in four examined SM gene clusters (sterigmatocystin, penicillin, terrequinone, and orsellinic acid), in contrast to no increase in H4K12 acetylation of the housekeeping tubA promoter. This augmented SM cluster acetylation requires LaeA for full effect and correlates with both increased transcript levels and metabolite production relative to wild type. H4K12 levels may thus represent a unique indicator of relative production potential, notably of SMs