The Co-Treatment of Physical Therapy and Music Therapy and Its Effect on Parkinson\u27s Disease: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Background. A multidisciplinary approach combining physical therapy and music therapy can improve functional mobility in individuals with Parkinson\u27s Disease. Objective. The authors studied whether a multidisciplinary approach of PT and MT would reduce the primary symptoms associated with PD. Methods. In a single subject design, one patient participated in the following interventions; seated activities, task-specific training, balance and posture, pre-gait activities, and gait activities. The patient was evaluated on the first, mid-term, and last days of treatment. Evaluations included the Parkinson\u27s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG), Five Times Sit-to-Stand (STSTS), GAITrite® assessment, and the Functional Reach. Results. The patient improved scores on the PDQ-39, FOGQ, BBS, and the STSTS at the end of 12 weeks of treatment. Improvements were shown on the TUG at mid-term but the patient could not maintain these improvements for the entire length of treatment due to comorbidities. Conclusion. Patients with PD can achieve improvements in functional assessments, outcome measures, functional mobility, and quality of life from a multidisciplinary approach of physical therapy and music therapy

Functional vs. Traditional Resistance Training: Affective Response and Exercise Enjoyment in College-Age Females

As young women enter college-age, their rates of physical activity decrease while rates of psychological distress increase. Resistance training (RT) has been shown to have positive effects on the musculoskeletal system, glucose metabolism, body fat, insulin resistance, blood pressure, resting metabolic rate and psychological health. Within the types of RT, there is increased interest in functional resistance training (FRT), which uses multi-joint full-body movements; however few studies have been conducted to date examining FRT in college-aged females. Preliminary evidence indicates FRT leads to increases in fitness and may address the barriers common to traditional RT including embarrassment, enjoyment and concerns of masculinity. The purpose of this study is to compare affective responses, enjoyment, and self-efficacy between FRT and traditional resistance training (TRT) in college-age females. A randomized crossover experimental design in which each participant will experience both types of training in a random order is being conducted. Thirty-four females will be recruited to complete 2 sessions for each type of training, including a familiarization session where they will perform a 10-repetition maximum (RM) test for 8 exercises, followed by an assessment session with 2 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise. Statistical analysis will include correlational test and paired t-tests to assess relationships between type of training and outcome variables of interest. It is hypothesized that females will experience greater enjoyment, positive affect and self-efficacy as well as decreased state anxiety in the FRT group as compared to the TRT group. Data collection is currently underway and preliminary results will be reported

Body Image Quality of Life Related to Light Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Young Adults with Overweight/Obesity

Sedentary behaviors, low levels of physical activity (PA), and low body image quality of life have been identified during college years and associated with poor health outcomes. Public health efforts have recently focused on decreasing sedentary time by increasing light physical activity, both of which have been associated with body image quality of life, though mainly through self-report. In this cross-sectional study, we examined objective actigraphy and survey data from 404 of 459 young adults with overweight and obesity (mean age 23.3 +/- 4.4 years, 78.4% female, 55.4% white). PA was measured using an accelerometer worn during waking hours for \u3e 10 h/day for four days. Body image quality of life was assessed using the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory Scale. Body image was positively correlated with light PA (r = 0.15) and inversely correlated with BMI (Pearson\u27s r = -0.20) and sedentary time (r = -0.10), but not moderate PA, vigorous PA, or MVPA. Light PA and sedentary time were significantly inversely correlated (r = -0.38). When controlling for covariates, higher body image quality of life was significantly associated with higher levels of light PA (beta = 0.39; p \u3c 0.01) and lower sedentary time (beta = -0.39; p = 0.02). Participants with lower body image quality of life enrolled in weight loss interventions may benefit from prescriptions of light PA in conjunction with decreasing sedentary behaviors

Psychological Symptoms Among 2032 Youth Living with HIV: A Multisite Study

This study determined the prevalence and patterns of psychological symptoms in adolescents and young adults living with HIV (YLWH) in medical care and relationships between psychological symptoms, route and duration of infection, and antiretroviral treatment (ART). A clinic-based sample of 2032 YLWH (mean age 20.3 years), recruited from 20 adolescent medicine HIV clinics, completed a cross-sectional survey of health behaviors and psychological symptoms using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Overall, 17.5% of youth reported psychological symptoms greater than the normative threshold on the Global Severity Index. A wide variety of symptoms were reported. The prevalence of clinical symptoms was significantly greater in youth with behaviorally acquired HIV compared to those with perinatally acquired infection (20.6% vs. 10.8%, OR=2.06 in Multiple Logistic Regression (MLR)), and in those not taking ART that had been prescribed (29. 2% vs. 18.8%, OR=1.68 in MLR). Knowing one's HIV status for more than one year and disclosure of HIV status were not associated with fewer symptoms. A large proportion of YLWH have psychological symptoms and the prevalence is greatest among those with behaviorally acquired infection. The high rate of psychological symptoms for youth not taking ART that is prescribed is a cause for concern. Symptoms do not appear to be a transient reaction to diagnosis of HIV.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140176/1/apc.2014.0113.pd

Visit-to-visit variability in multiple biological measurements and cognitive performance and risk of cardiovascular disease:A cohort study

BACKGROUND: Visit-to-visit variability in single biological measurements has been associated with cognitive decline and an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, the effect of visit-to-visit variability in multiple biological measures is underexplored. We investigated the effect of visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), weight, fasting plasma glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides on cognitive performance and CVD.METHODS: Data on BP, HR, weight, glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides from study visits in the Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention (ORIGIN) trial were used to estimate the association between visit-to-visit variability, cognitive performance (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score) and CVD (non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death). Visit-to-visit variation for each measurement was estimated by calculating each individuals visit-to-visit standard deviation for that measurement. Participants whose standard deviation was in the highest quarter were classified as having high variation. Participants were grouped into those having 0, 1, 2, 3, or ≥ 4 high variation measurements. Regression and survival models were used to estimate the association between biological measures with MMSE and CVD with adjustment for confounders and mean measurement value.RESULTS: After adjustment for covariates, higher visit-to-visit variability in BP, HR, weight, and FPG were associated with poorer MMSE and a higher risk of CVD. Effect sizes did not vary greatly by measurement. The effects of high visit-to-visit variability were additive; compared to participants who had no measurements with high visit-to-visit variability, those who had high visit-to-visit variability in ≥4 measurements had poorer MMSE scores (-0.63 (95 % CI -0.96 to -0·31). Participants with ≥4 measurements with high visit-to-visit variability compared to participants with none had higher risk of CVD (hazard ratio 2.46 (95 % CI 1.63 to 3.70).CONCLUSION: Visit-to-visit variability in several measurements were associated with cumulatively poorer cognitive performance and a greater risk of CVD.</p

Increasing Physical Activity in Inner City Youth Using Novel Interactive Gaming

The aim of this project was to assess the feasibility of participation in an afterschool physical activity program incorporating novel exercise technologies on changing physical activity level and physical fitness, compared to a nutrition education intervention alone. A second objective was to assess whether this type of intervention could modify cardiovascular risk factors and anthropometrics

Cognitive performance following stroke, transient ischaemic attack, myocardial infarction, and hospitalisation:an individual participant data meta-analysis of six randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND: Survivors of stroke are often concerned about cognitive problems, and information on the risk of cognitive problems often comes from small studies. We aimed to estimate years of cognitive ageing associated with stroke compared with transient ischaemic attack, myocardial infarction, and other hospitalisations in a large population.METHODS: Using data from six randomised controlled trials (ORIGIN, ONTARGET, TRANSCEND, COMPASS, HOPE-3, and NAVIGATE ESUS), we completed an individual participant data meta-analysis using data requested from the Public Health Research Institute to estimate the association of stroke (by type and severity), transient ischaemic attack, myocardial infarction, and other hospitalisations with cognitive performance measured at the end of each trial. We included participants in any of these randomised controlled trials with a cognitive assessment at baseline and at least one other timepoint. Cognitive performance was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, transformed into Z scores. We estimated Z score differences in end of trial cognitive performance between people with and without events and calculated corresponding years of cognitive ageing in these trials, and additionally calculated using a population representative cohort-the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study.FINDINGS: In 64 106 participants from 55 countries, compared with no event, stroke was associated with 18 years of cognitive ageing (1487 strokes included in the model, 95% CI 10 to 28; p&lt;0·0001) and transient ischaemic attack with 3 years (660 transient ischaemic attacks included in the model, 0 to 6; p=0·021). Myocardial infarction (p=0·60) and other hospitalisations (p=0·26) were not associated with cognitive ageing. The mean difference in SD compared with people without an event was -0·84 (95% CI -0·91 to -0·76; p&lt;0·0001) for disabling stroke, and -0·12 (-0·19 to -0·05; p=0·0012) for non-disabling stroke. Haemorrhagic stroke was associated with worse cognition (-0·75, -0·95 to -0·55; p&lt;0·0001) than ischaemic stroke (-0·42, -0·48 to -0·36; p &lt;0·0001).INTERPRETATION: Stroke has a substantial effect on cognition. The effects of transient ischaemic attack were small, whereas myocardial infarction and hospitalisation had a neutral effect. Prevention of stroke could lead to a reduction in cognitive ageing in those at greatest risk.FUNDING: Population Health Research Institute and Chief Scientist Office of Scotland.</p

Solenodon genome reveals convergent evolution of venom in eulipotyphlan mammals

Venom systems are key adaptations that have evolved throughout the tree of life and typically facilitate predation or defense. Despite venoms being model systems for studying a variety of evolutionary and physiological processes, many taxonomic groups remain understudied, including venomous mammals. Within the order Eulipotyphla, multiple shrew species and solenodons have oral venom systems. Despite morphological variation of their delivery systems, it remains unclear whether venom represents the ancestral state in this group or is the result of multiple independent origins. We investigated the origin and evolution of venom in eulipotyphlans by characterizing the venom system of the endangered Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus). We constructed a genome to underpin proteomic identifications of solenodon venom toxins, before undertaking evolutionary analyses of those constituents, and functional assessments of the secreted venom. Our findings show that solenodon venom consists of multiple paralogous kallikrein 1 (KLK1) serine proteases, which cause hypotensive effects in vivo, and seem likely to have evolved to facilitate vertebrate prey capture. Comparative analyses provide convincing evidence that the oral venom systems of solenodons and shrews have evolved convergently, with the 4 independent origins of venom in eulipotyphlans outnumbering all other venom origins in mammals. We find that KLK1s have been independently coopted into the venom of shrews and solenodons following their divergence during the late Cretaceous, suggesting that evolutionary constraints may be acting on these genes. Consequently, our findings represent a striking example of convergent molecular evolution and demonstrate that distinct structural backgrounds can yield equivalent functions