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Results for “Balance ability”

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PubMed1999

[Cardiac failure treatment with berlipril: effects on hemodynamics, neurohumoral status and activity of free radical lipid peroxidation].

AIM: To test the ability of ACE inhibitor berlipril to control neurohumoral hyperactivation and reestablish balance between oxidant and antioxidant systems in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) associated with heart failure (HF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 145 patients (mean age 51.5 +/- 3.94 years) with IHD class II-III associated with circulatory insufficiency NYHA class II-III received berlipril for 6 weeks. RESULTS: Berlipril treated patients exhibited decreased class of HF, improved left ventricular conductivity, attenuated neurohumoral stimulation, intensity of cell membrane peroxidation, increased plasmic pool of antioxidant enzyme systems. CONCLUSION: 6-week berlipril treatment promoted a pronounced improvement of neurohormonal profile of plasm and recovery of free radical lipid peroxidation which resulted in reduction of HF.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Urinary incontinence in older persons: a simple approach to a complex problem.

Urinary incontinence is a major geriatric syndrome with significant morbidity and even mortality. However, it is under-recognised and inadequately managed despite its impact and cost. Continence in the older person is maintained by the fine balance between the integrity of the lower urinary tract, the cognitive ability and motivation to keep dry, and adequate mobility and dexterity to void; impairment of any of the three can result in incontinence. The management of older persons with urinary incontinence involves, i) identifying and reversing transient incontinence, ii) excluding urinary retention, iii) deciding on the need of special tests (imaging, screening for malignancy, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] for spinal cord, urodynamic assessment) to exclude sinister causes, and iv) deciding on the need to refer the specialist. With careful evaluation, continence in the older persons can be restored in most cases.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Effect of a cetylated fatty acid topical cream on functional mobility and quality of life of patients with osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of a topical cream consisting of cetylated fatty acids on functional performance in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) of one or both knees. METHODS: Forty patients diagnosed with knee OA were randomly assigned to one of 2 topical treatment groups: (1) cetylated fatty acid (CFA) (n = 20; age 62.7 +/- 11.7 yrs); or (2) placebo group (n = 20; age 64.6 +/- 10.5 yrs). Patients were tested on 3 occasions: (1) baseline (T1), (2) 30 min after initial treatment (T2), and (3) after 30-day treatment of cream application twice per day (T3). Assessments included knee range of motion (ROM), timed "up-and-go" from a chair and stair climbing, medial step-down test, and the unilateral anterior reach. RESULTS: For stair climbing ability and the up-and-go test, significant decreases in time were observed at T2 and T3 compared to T1 in the CFA group only. These differences were significant between groups. Supine ROM of the knees increased at T2 and T3 in CFA group, whereas no difference was observed in the placebo group. For the medial step-down test, significant improvement was observed at T2 and T3 compared to T1 in CFA group. For the unilateral anterior reach, significant improvement was observed for both legs in CFA group and in only the left leg in the placebo group. However, the improvements observed in CFA group were significantly greater than placebo group for both legs. CONCLUSION: Use of a CFA topical cream is an effective treatment for improving knee ROM, ability to ascend/descend stairs, ability to rise from sitting, walk and sit down, and unilateral balance.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

Roles of reactive oxygen species and selected antioxidants in regulation of cellular metabolism.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for life of aerobic organisms. They are produced in normal cells and formed as a result of exposure to numerous factors, both chemical and physical. In normal cells, oxygen derivatives are neutralized or eliminated owing to the presence of a natural defense mechanism that involves enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase) and water or fat-soluble non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamins C and E, glutathione, selenium). Under certain conditions, however, ROS production during cellular metabolism also stimulated by external agents may exceed the natural ability of cells to eliminate them from the organism. The disturbed balance leads to the state known as oxidative stress inducing damage of DNA, proteins, and lipids. An inefficient repair mechanism may finally trigger the process of neoplastic transformation or cell death. Reactive oxygen species are also an integral part of signal transduction essential for intercellular communication. The balance between pro- and antioxidative processes determines normal cellular metabolism manifested by genes activation and/or proteins expression in response to exo- and endogenous stimuli.

Antioxidants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Periodontal ethics and referral modes.

The most difficult task of dental practitioners today is not how to physically carry out the individual dental procedures. Without proper diagnosis even the most sophisticated dental procedure is doomed to failure. The skill of the practitioner is always balanced with the needs of the patient and the patient's ability to understand those needs. Never before in our professional lives has the need to communicate been more important. As a profession we should avoid the conviction that we were trained in dental school to do all phases of dentistry and that when we get into private practice we should "do it all." Information in the specialties is continually augmenting to the point that what is current today may not be current tomorrow. The individual dentist should take this situation to suggest that he should use dental specialists as an extension of his/her practice-that the specialist can provide the expertise that can benefit the patient directly-that in doing so he/she is fulfilling the moral and ethical commitment made in his/her dental licensure.

Ethics, Dental↗

PubMed1984

The relative effects of different types of growth factors on DNA replication, mitosis, and cellular enlargement.

It was recently demonstrated that growth in cell size can be dissociated from DNA synthesis and mitosis. 3T3 cells starved to quiescence in low serum concentration can be stimulated to undergo DNA synthesis and one cell division without growing in size (unbalanced growth) (42-44). We report here that in cells stimulated to undergo unbalanced growth, the cell nucleus undergoes balanced growth, i.e., nearly doubles in size prior to mitosis. The reduced ability to grow in cell size under unbalanced growth conditions is thus mainly ascribable to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, the extent to which cells grow in size prior to mitosis is dependent on the serum concentration in the tissue culture medium (44). This data suggests that some macromolecular factor or factors in serum are required for growth in cell size prior to mitosis. We report in this study that epidermal growth factor (EGF) alone exerts a small but significant stimulatory influence on DNA synthesis and mitosis but does not affect cellular enlargement. In contrast, insulin added at supraphysiological concentrations does not stimulate quiescent cells to enter S phase but instead stimulates growth in cell size in the small fraction of dividing cells. Furthermore, cells stimulated to proliferate by EGF could be induced to undergo balanced growth when insulin was added concomitantly. Finally, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulates quiescent sparse 3T3 cells to undergo DNA synthesis and mitosis. PDGF also exerts a limited but significant effect on cellular enlargement. However, PDGF alone could not induce a complete balanced growth, i.e., a doubling in cell size prior to mitosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Motor ability: protective or risk for school injuries?

The study aims were to assess the independent contribution of motor ability to the incidence of school injuries. The study included 2057 pupils in grades 3-6 of primary schools in a city in the north of Israel. A surveillance system gathered information about injuries that occurred on school premises or during school related activities and required medical treatment or caused limitation of usual activities. Children provided information on sensation seeking, self-appraisal of health, academic performance, physical activity, and dominant hand; anthropometric measurements and motor ability tests were performed. The incidence of injury events was 4% (95% CI=3.2-5.0). Injuries increased with increased balance and agility, but there were no differences according to reaction time. No other study variables were associated with the incidence of injuries. Our findings of an increase in the incidence of injuries with better motor ability may express differences in exposure to risk situations between children with better and poorer motor abilities.

Child↗

PubMed2006

Developmental origins of midlife physical performance: evidence from a British birth cohort.

The authors hypothesized that 1) physical growth, as a marker of the early development of muscle fibers, and 2) advanced childhood motor and cognitive abilities, as markers of central nervous system development, would be positively related to midlife standing balance and chair rising, independently of later life experiences. They tested these hypotheses in a representative British sample of 1,374 men and 1,410 women aged 53 years in 1999 with prospective childhood measures of heights and weights, age at first standing and walking, cognitive ability, and motor coordination. Weight gain before age 7 years was positively related to adult performance in men but not women, independently of later body size, social class, physical activity, and health status. Attainment of motor milestones at the modal age and higher scores on tests of cognitive ability and motor coordination were associated with better performance, independently of other factors. This study is the first to show that childhood growth and development affect midlife performance; prevention of disability and frailty in later life may need to start early.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2026

Effects of Exergame Balance Training with Variable Cognitive Motor Challenges on Serum BDNF, p-tau181, and Cognitive Functions in Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive-motor exergame balance training may increase attentional demands and neuronal processing, potentially affecting serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Aβ1-42, and p-tau181, as well as train cognitive abilities in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study aimed to compare the effects of exergame balance training of mild, moderate, high-difficulty, and Wii Fit™ groups on blood serum levels of BDNF, Aβ1-42, p-tau181, and cognition function in adults with MCI. METHODS: In this four-arm, parallel group randomized clinical trial, 97 adults with MCI were randomly assigned to exergame balance training groups of mild, moderate, high-difficulty, and Wii Fit exergame as a control group. All participants received 40 min/session, 3 times/week for 8 weeks. Assessment of serum levels of p-tau181, Aβ1-42, BDNF, and cognitive functions was conducted at baseline, after weeks 4 and 8. A mixed-model analysis of covariance was used, with post-baseline measurements (weeks 4 and 8) specified as the within-subject factor and the corresponding baseline value entered as a covariate to adjust for initial between-group variability. RESULTS: A significant group × time interaction was found for BDNF, F(3,92) = 6.413, P = 0.017, ηp2 = 0.181; p-tau181, F(3,92) = 4.640, P = 0.040, ηp2 = 0.138; attention, F(3,92) = 4.171, P = 0.045, ηp2 = 0.057; abstraction, F(3,92) = 4.263, P = 0.043, ηp2 = 0.058; and visuospatial skills, F(3,92) = 6.931, P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.234. CONCLUSION: Cognitive-motor challenge-based exergame balance training was associated with an increase in serum BDNF, a reduction in p-tau181. In contrast, the Aβ1-42 levels remained stable. These changes were accompanied by improvement in selective cognitive functions (attention, abstraction, and visuospatial skills) in individuals with MCI. Greater effects were observed in moderate and high-difficulty groups, suggesting the importance of intervention intensity in promoting cognitive and neurobiological outcomes in MCI.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The balanced scorecard--measures that drive performance.

Frustrated by the inadequacies of traditional performance measurement systems, some managers have abandoned financial measures like return on equity and earnings per share. "Make operational improvements and the numbers will follow," the argument goes. But managers do not want to choose between financial and operational measures. Executives want a balanced presentation of measures that allow them to view the company from several perspectives simultaneously. During a year-long research project with 12 companies at the leading edge of performance measurement, the authors developed a "balanced scorecard," a new performance measurement system that gives top managers a fast but comprehensive view of the business. The balanced scorecard includes financial measures that tell the results of actions already taken. And it complements those financial measures with three sets of operational measures having to do with customer satisfaction, internal processes, and the organization's ability to learn and improve--the activities that drive future financial performance. Managers can create a balanced scorecard by translating their company's strategy and mission statements into specific goals and measures. To create the part of the scorecard that focuses on the customer perspective, for example, executives at Electronic Circuits Inc. established general goals for customer performance: get standard products to market sooner, improve customers' time-to-market, become customers' supplier of choice through partnerships, and develop innovative products tailored to customer needs. Managers translated these elements of strategy into four specific goals and identified a measure for each.

Commerce↗

PubMed1998

The house dust mite allergen, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, promotes type 2 responses by modulating the balance between IL-4 and IFN-gamma.

A common property of allergens is their potential to generate type 2 cytokine responses. To understand the mechanisms involved in this phenomenon, we have evaluated the polarizing potential of a major allergen, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 1 (Der p 1), in an heterologous immunization system using the glutathione S-transferase of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni (Sm28-GST) as immunogen. In previous studies, we showed that immunization with the Sm28-GST emulsified in CFA induced a nonpolarized immune response. In contrast, when alum was used as adjuvant, a type 2 immune response was induced against Sm28-GST. Using this experimental model, we examined whether the administration of Der p 1 together with Sm28-GST influenced the nonpolarized and/or the Th2 profiles induced by the CFA or the alum immunization, respectively. Our results showed that the introduction of Der p 1 in the CFA immunization protocol was associated with diminished anti-Sm28-GST IgG2a Ab titers, reduced IFN-gamma mRNA expression, and frequency of IFN-gamma-producing cells. In contrast, the introduction of Der p 1 in the alum protocol did not affect IL-4 or Ig isotype responses. The effect of Der p 1 was specific, since coimmunization with tetanus toxin fragment C did not affect the profile of the response against Sm28-GST. Furthermore, inactivation of Der p 1 reduced its ability to modify the immune response profile, suggesting that its protease activity played an important role in deviating the immune response. Our results suggest that the Der p 1 has the ability to modify the profile of an immune response by modulating the balance between the polarizing cytokines IL-4 and IFN-gamma.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed2006

Developmental profiles in tick water balance with a focus on the new Rocky Mountain spotted fever vector, Rhipicephalus sanguineus.

Recent reports indicate that the common brown dog tick, or kennel tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Acari: Ixodidae) is a competent vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the U.S.A. This tick is of concern to public health because of its high frequency of contact, as it has a unique ability to thrive within human homes. To assess the moisture requirements necessary for survival, water balance characteristics were determined for each developmental stage, from egg to adult. This is the first time that water relations in ticks have been assessed throughout the complete lifecycle. Notably, R. sanguineus is differentially adapted for life in a dry environment, as characterized by a suppressed water loss rate distinctive for each stage that distinguishes it from other ticks. Analysis of its dehydration tolerance limit and percentage body water content provides no evidence to suggest that the various stages of this tick can function more effectively containing less water, indicating that this species is modified for water conservation, not desiccation hardiness. All stages, eggs excepted, absorb water vapour from the air and can drink free water to replenish water stores. Developmentally, a shift in water balance strategies occurs in the transition from the larva, where the emphasis is on water gain (water vapour absorption from drier air), to the adult, where the emphasis is on water retention (low water loss rate). These results on the xerophilic-nature of R. sanguineus identify overhydration as the primary water stress, indicating that this tick is less dependent upon a moisture-rich habitat for survival, which matches its preference for a dry environment. We suggest that the controlled, host-confined conditions of homes and kennels have played a key role in promoting the ubiquitous distribution of R. sanguineus by creating isolated arid environments that enable this tick to establish within regions that are unfavourable for maintaining water balance.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Habituation to galvanic vestibular stimulation for analysis of postural control abilities in gymnasts.

The possible correlation between postural control abilities in gymnasts and the sensitivity for and the degree of short-term habituation to galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) was studied. Seven balance trained young girls (Dutch National Junior Gymnasts Championship) versus seven non-trained girls and twenty-five women underwent computer-controlled GVS using a monaural continuous 1-cosinusoidal stimulus of 0.5 Hz and 2 mA, repeated three times on each side [Balter, Stokroos, Boumans, Kingma, Acta Otolaryngol. (in press); Balter, Stokroos, Eterman, Paredis, Orbons, Kingma, Acta Otolaryngol. (in press)]. Results showed that mean total galvanic-induced body sway (GBS) gain was significantly lower in the trained and untrained girls compared to the adult women (P < 0.05). Mean habituation to GVS (learning abilities), however, showed no significant differences between the three groups. We suggest that the superior balance control in professional gymnasts is primarily achieved through motor training and not by learning abilities or a higher sensitivity of the vestibular system [Neurosci. Lett. 225 (1998) 155].

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Stem cell: balancing aging and cancer.

Stem cells are defined by their self-renewing capacity and the ability to differentiate into one or more cell types. Stem cells can be divided, depending on their origin, into embryonic or adult. Embryonic stem cells derive from early stage embryos and can give rise to cells from all three germ layers. Adult stem cells, first identified in hematopoietic tissue, reside in a variety of adult tissues. Under normal physiologic conditions, adult stem cells are capable of differentiating into the limited cell types that comprise the particular tissue or organ. Adult stem cells are responsible for tissue renewal and exhaustion of their replicative capacity may contribute to tissue aging. Loss of unlimited proliferative capacity in some of the adult stem cells and/or their progenitors may have involved the evolutionary trade-off: senescence prevents cancer but may promote aging. Embryonic stem cells exhibit unlimited self-renewal capacity due to the expression of telomerase. Although they possess some cancer cell characteristics, embryonic stem cells exhibit a remarkable resistance to genomic instability and malignant transformation. Understanding the tumor suppressive mechanisms employed by embryonic stem cells may contribute to the development of novel cancer treatments and safe cell-based therapies for age-related diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Balancing homeostasis and learning in neural circuits.

Neural circuits are remarkably adaptable, providing animals with the ability to modify their behavior on the basis of experience. At the same time, they are extremely robust and maintain stability despite the changes associated with adaptation. This combination of adaptability and stability is difficult to achieve, and it provides a strong constraint on any models of plasticity in neural circuits. New evidence suggests that the effect of action potential timing on synaptic plasticity may be an important element in reconciling homeostasis with adaptability. In particular, spike-timing dependent plasticity can act as both an adaptive and a homeostatic mechanism, controlling overall firing rates and distributions of synaptic efficacies while making neurons selective for certain aspects of their inputs. It can also cause networks that initially represent the present state of a stimulus to predict its future state on the basis of experience, a theoretical result supported by experimental data in behaving rats.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1991

Self-perception of the ability to work in the cold.

Accumulating evidence of beneficial effects from physical exertion must be balanced against increased risk of cardiac arrest during performance. There is evidence that, by using such cues as heart rate, individuals can monitor their level of exertion perceptually. We undertook experiments to discover whether temperature and heart rate interact to affect self-perception when the effective temperature is moved downard from the comfort zone. In the first pilot study, 36 males practiced a new game, SwedeBall, for a period of 20 minutes. Twelve were randomly assigned to play at a temperature of 22 degrees C, another 12 to play at 0 degrees C, and the remaining 12 to play at -7 degrees C. The players showed tendencies toward an overall improvement in self-evaluations after brief practice, with more favorable responses when the temperatures were lower. In a second experiment on different days, 8 men pedaled a standard bicycle mounted as a wind trainer in a controlled environment chamber where the effective temperature was set at 26 degrees C, 8 degrees C, or -10 degrees C. The first 5-minute ride at each temperature was at a heart rate of 120 beats per minute (bpm), the second at 140 bpm, and a third at 160 bpm. We measured ratings of perceived effort (RPE), thermal impression, discomfort, perceived rate of speed, and projected endurance. The result confirmed that RPE was lowered by temperature when heart rate was constant. The data also showed that the lowered temperatures uniformly produced more favorable self-perceptions on the other four scales. The outcome is related to physiological problems that might arise when temperature depresses heart rate and reduces the experience of effort.

Acclimatization↗

PubMed2004

The effects of dexamphetamine on simulated driving performance.

RATIONALE: The number of road fatalities related to the presence of amphetamines in drivers has been relatively constant over the past 10 years. However, there remains uncertainty as to the extent that these drugs induce driving impairment, and whether any such impairments translate to an increase in road fatalities. OBJECTIVES: To examine the acute effects of 0.42 mg/kg dexamphetamine on simulated driving performance, and to establish which, if any, simulated driving abilities become impaired following dexamphetamine administration. METHODS: A repeated-measures, counter-balanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled design was employed. Twenty healthy volunteers completed two treatment conditions-0.42 mg/kg dexamphetamine and placebo. Performance was assessed using a driving simulator task. Blood and saliva samples were obtained prior to the driving tasks and immediately after task completion (120 min and 170 min post-drug administration, respectively). RESULTS: Mean dexamphetamine blood concentrations were 83 ng/ml and 98 ng/ml at 120 min and 170 min, respectively. Results indicated a decrease in overall simulated driving ability following dexamphetamine administration during the day-time but not the night-time scenario tasks. Contributing to this performance reduction, "incorrect signalling", "failing to stop at a red traffic light" and "slow reaction times" were the behaviours most strongly affected by dexamphetamine. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in simulated driving ability observed during the day-time driving tasks are consistent with the perceptual narrowing or tunnel vision that is associated with dexamphetamine consumption.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Multifunctional action of antifungal polygodial against Saccharomyces cerevisiae: involvement of pyrrole formation on cell surface in antifungal action.

The antifungal activity of polygodial against Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves multifunctions. Polygodial first acts as a surface-active agent (surfactant) and then becomes involved in biochemical processes. The ability to form a pyrrole derivative with a primary amine group of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) in the outer monolayer of the plasma membrane is likely, in part, an initial step in the antifungal action of polygodial. In the lipid fraction derived from cells treated with polygodial, no PE and PS were detected, indicating a disturbance in the balance of the plasma membrane. The primary antifungal action of polygodial comes from its ability to act as a surfactant that nonspecifically disrupts the lipid-protein interface of integral proteins, denaturing their functioned conformation. Once polygodial enters the cytoplasm by destroying the membrane barrier, it reacts with L-cystein-containing cytoplasmic materials, such as a small molecule, glutathione, and a protein, alcohol dehydrogenase, to potentiate the antifungal action.

Amines↗