Study of space shuttle environmental control and life support problems

Four problem areas were treated: (1) cargo module environmental control and life support systems; (2) space shuttle/space station interfaces; (3) thermal control considerations for payloads; and (4) feasibility of improving system reusability

Charting the progression of disability in parkinson disease: study protocol for a prospective longitudinal cohort study

Journal ArticleBackground: People with Parkinson disease (PD), even in the presence of symptomatic relief from medical, surgical, and rehabilitative interventions, face a persistent worsening of disability. This disability is characterized by diminished quality of life, reduced functional mobility, declining performance in activities of daily living and worsening neurological impairments. While evidence has emerged supporting the clinically meaningful benefits of short-term exercise programs on these underlying factors, assertions regarding the effects of sustained programs of exercise and physical activity on the trajectory of disablement in PD are made in the absence of direct evidence. Indeed, the natural decline in quality of life and functional mobility in people diagnosed with PD is poorly understood. Moreover, outcome measures commonly used in clinical exercise trials typically do not capture the full spectrum of disability as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods/Design: The objective of this multicenter prospective study will be to examine the 2-year trajectory of disablement in a cohort of persons with PD. Two hundred sixty participants will be recruited to produce an expected final sample size of 150 individuals. Participants will be included if they are greater than 40 years of age, have a neurologist confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic PD, and are at Hoehn and Yahr stages 1 through 4. Data will be collected every 6 months during the study period. Primary outcome measures reflecting a broad spectrum of disablement will include, but will not be limited to, MDS-UPDRS, Timed Up and Go, Berg Balance Test, Nine Hole Peg Test, PDQ-39, and directly monitored ambulatory activity. Self-reported exercise and physical activity data also will be recorded. Statistical analyses will be used to characterize the trajectory of disablement and examine the influence of its underlying contributing factors. Discussion: Tertiary prevention is an important component of contemporary healthcare for individuals living with degenerative disease. For individuals with PD, there is growing recognition that exercise and/or physical activity efforts to slow the rate of functional mobility decline, in particular, may be critical for optimizing quality of life. By describing the natural trajectory of disablement, exercise habits, and physical activity in a cohort of persons with PD, this investigation will establish an important foundation for future intervention research. Specifically, through the evaluation of the influence of sustained exercise and physical activity on disablement, the study will serve as a preliminary step toward developing a randomized controlled trial of long-term exercise in persons with PD

The effects of exercise on balance in persons with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review across the disability spectrum

Background and Purpose: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects neurophysiologic function, movement abilities, and quality of life (QOL). Research examining the effects of exercise has suggested benefits related to a variety of outcomes; however, no reviews have synthesized research findings across the spectrum of disability. This project sought to systematically review studies that examined the impact of exercise interventions on balance outcomes for people with Parkinson's disease, within the categories defined by the World Health Organization in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model. Methods: A systematic review of medical literature databases was performed using keywords Parkinson's disease and exercise. Studies were eligible if the intervention included exercise and examined variables within one of the three ICF categories. Following the ICF model, outcomes regarding Body Structure and Function, Activity, and Participation were measured, respectively, in terms of postural instability, balance task performance, and QOL and fall events. Results: Within the Body Structure and Function category, there was moderate evidence that exercise resulted in improvements in postural instability. Within the Activity category, there was moderate evidence that exercise was effective for improving balance task performance. In contrast, within the Participation category, there was limited evidence that exercise resulted in improvements in QOL measures or fall events. Discussion and Conclusions: Regardless of the strength of the evidence, the studies reviewed all report that exercise resulted in improvements in postural stability and balance task performance. Despite these improvements, the number and quality of the studies and the outcomes used were limited. There is a need for longer term follow-up to establish trajectory of change and to determine if any gains are retained long term. The optimal delivery and content of exercise interventions (dosing, component exercises) at different stages of the disease are not clear

Eccentric exercise versus usual-care with older cancer survivors: the impact on muscle and mobility- an exploratory pilot study

Journal ArticleBackground: Resistance exercise programs with high compliance are needed to counter impaired muscle and mobility in older cancer survivors. To date outcomes have focused on older prostate cancer survivors, though more heterogeneous groups of older survivors are in-need. The purpose of this exploratory pilot study is to examine whether resistance exercise via negative eccentrically-induced work (RENEW) improves muscle and mobility in a diverse sample of older cancer survivors. Methods: A total of 40 individuals (25 female, 15 male) with a mean age of 74 (? 6) years who have survived (8.4 ? 8 years) since their cancer diagnosis (breast, prostate, colorectal and lymphoma) were assigned to a RENEW group or a non-exercise Usual-care group. RENEW was performed for 12 weeks and measures of muscle size, strength, power and mobility were made pre and post training. Results: RENEW induced increases in quadriceps lean tissue average cross sectional area (Pre: 43.2 ? 10.8 cm2; Post: 44.9 ? 10.9 cm2), knee extension peak strength (Pre: 248.3 ? 10.8 N; Post: 275.4 ? 10.9 N), leg extension muscle power (Pre: 198.2 ? 74.7 W; Post 255.5 ? 87.3 W), six minute walk distance (Pre: 417.2 ? 127.1 m; Post 466.9 ? 125.1 m) and a decrease on the time to safely descend stairs (Pre: 6.8 ? 4.5 s; Post 5.4 ? 2.5 s). A significant (P < 0.05) group x time interaction was noted for the muscle size and mobility improvements. Conclusions: This exploration of RENEW in a heterogeneous cohort of older cancer survivors demonstrates increases in muscle size, strength and power along with improved mobility. The efficacy of a high-force, low perceived exertion exercise suggests RENEW may be suited to older individuals who are survivors of cancer

Charting the progression of disability in parkinson disease: study protocol for a prospective longitudinal cohort study

Journal ArticleBackground: People with Parkinson disease (PD), even in the presence of symptomatic relief from medical, surgical, and rehabilitative interventions, face a persistent worsening of disability. This disability is characterized by diminished quality of life, reduced functional mobility, declining performance in activities of daily living and worsening neurological impairments. While evidence has emerged supporting the clinically meaningful benefits of short-term exercise programs on these underlying factors, assertions regarding the effects of sustained programs of exercise and physical activity on the trajectory of disablement in PD are made in the absence of direct evidence. Indeed, the natural decline in quality of life and functional mobility in people diagnosed with PD is poorly understood. Moreover, outcome measures commonly used in clinical exercise trials typically do not capture the full spectrum of disability as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods/Design: The objective of this multicenter prospective study will be to examine the 2-year trajectory of disablement in a cohort of persons with PD. Two hundred sixty participants will be recruited to produce an expected final sample size of 150 individuals. Participants will be included if they are greater than 40 years of age, have a neurologist confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic PD, and are at Hoehn and Yahr stages 1 through 4. Data will be collected every 6 months during the study period. Primary outcome measures reflecting a broad spectrum of disablement will include, but will not be limited to, MDS-UPDRS, Timed Up and Go, Berg Balance Test, Nine Hole Peg Test, PDQ-39, and directly monitored ambulatory activity. Self-reported exercise and physical activity data also will be recorded. Statistical analyses will be used to characterize the trajectory of disablement and examine the influence of its underlying contributing factors. Discussion: Tertiary prevention is an important component of contemporary healthcare for individuals living with degenerative disease. For individuals with PD, there is growing recognition that exercise and/or physical activity efforts to slow the rate of functional mobility decline, in particular, may be critical for optimizing quality of life. By describing the natural trajectory of disablement, exercise habits, and physical activity in a cohort of persons with PD, this investigation will establish an important foundation for future intervention research. Specifically, through the evaluation of the influence of sustained exercise and physical activity on disablement, the study will serve as a preliminary step toward developing a randomized controlled trial of long-term exercise in persons with PD

DEVELOPMENT OF pH AND TEMPERATURE OSCILLATIONS IN WATER CONTAINING ZnC03 CRYSTALLITES USING INTENTION IMPRINTED ELECTRONIC DEVICES

In this experimental study, two vessels, A and B, of pure water containing 0.4 wt. % sparingly soluble, small ZnC03 crystallites were positioned about 150 feet apart in separate buildings. An Intention Imprinted Electronic Device (lIED) was placed one foot from A. Both pH and temperature were monitored at B. Turning on the lIED at A led to the appearance of both short period (about one hour) and long period (about one day) pH-oscillations at location B plus a marked downward decline of the pH in the direction of the lIED intention. In one experiment, the pH declined a full pH unit in accord with the imprinted intention. In another experiment, shaking the vessel at B to redisperse the fine particles when the lIED was operating at A led to a fall in pH but plateauing somewhat short of the final pH as well as the reappearance of the short period oscillations. For control solutions with no present, no such pH behavior occurred

Amplification of fall risk in Parkinsons disease: the influence of comorbidities

Journal ArticleLong term studies examining the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) report the mean age of diagnosis to be in the mid sixties.' The diagnosis of PD typically .occurs after the presentation of motor deficits such as resting tremor, rigidity, hypokinesia, or postural instability. 2 Parkinson's disease in isolation results in worsening of motor deficits and progressive functional decline. While these problems are primarily the result of the degenerative process, underlying comorbidities may amplify or contribute to these deficits. In addition, given the typical age of onset, persons with PD will often present with a host of concurrent medical conditions (comorbidities). This is confirmed by research that estimated over 50% of Medicare beneficiaries had multiple comorbidities at the turn of the century.

Development of a scale to assess avoidance behavior due to a fear of falling: the fear of falling avoidance behavior questionnaire

Journal ArticleBackground. A history of falls or imbalance may lead to a fear of falling, which may lead to self-imposed avoidance of activity; this avoidance may stimulate a vicious cycle of deconditioning and subsequent falls. Objective. The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire that would quantify avoidance behavior due to a fear of falling. Design. This study consisted of 2 parts: questionnaire development and psychometric testing. Questionnaire development involved an expert panel and 39 residents of an assisted living facility. Sixty-three community-dwelling individuals with various health conditions participated in psychometric testing. Method. Questionnaire development included the evaluation of face and content validity and factor analysis of the initial questionnaire. The final result of questionnaire development was the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ). In order to determine its psychometric properties, reliability and construct validity were assessed through administration of the FFABQ to participants twice, 1 week apart, and comparison of the FFABQ with other questionnaires related to fear of falling, functional measures of balance and mobility, and daily activity levels using an activity monitor. Results. The FFABQ had good overall test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=.812) and was found to differentiate between participants who were considered ?fallers? (ie, at least one fall in the previous year) and those who were considered ?nonfallers.? The FFABQ predicted time spent sitting or lying and endurance. Limitations. A relatively small number of people with a fear of falling were willing to participate. Conclusion. Results from this study offer evidence for the reliability and validity of the FFABQ and support the notion that the FFABQ measures avoidance behavior rather than balance confidence, self-efficacy, or fear

Amplification of fall risk in Parkinson's disease: the influence of comorbidities

Journal ArticleLong term studies examining the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) report the mean age of diagnosis to be in the mid sixties.' The diagnosis of PD typically .occurs after the presentation of motor deficits such as resting tremor, rigidity, hypokinesia, or postural instability. 2 Parkinson's disease in isolation results in worsening of motor deficits and progressive functional decline. While these problems are primarily the result of the degenerative process, underlying comorbidities may amplify or contribute to these deficits. In addition, given the typical age of onset, persons with PD will often present with a host of concurrent medical conditions (comorbidities). This is confirmed by research that estimated over 50% of Medicare beneficiaries had multiple comorbidities at the turn of the century.

Rehabilitation and parkinsons disease

Journal ArticleGammon M. Earhart et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited