Manual aiming in healthy aging: does proprioceptive acuity make the difference?
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Helsen WF
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5005912 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundProprioceptive acuity and impairments in proprioceptively guided reaches have not been comprehensively examined in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).ObjectiveTo examine proprioceptive acuity in people with MS who self-report and who do not self-report upper limb (UL) impairment, and to determine how people with MS reach proprioceptive targets.MethodsTwenty-four participants with MS were recruited into two groups based on self-reported UL impairment: MS-R (i.e. report UL impairment; n = 12) vs. MS-NR (i.e. do not report UL impairment; n = 12). Proprioception was assessed using ipsilateral and contralateral robotic proprioceptive matching tasks.ResultsParticipants in the MS-R group demonstrated worse proprioceptive acuity compared to the MS-NR group on the ipsilateral and contralateral robotic matching tasks. Analyses of reaches to proprioceptive targets further revealed that participants in the MS-R group exhibited deficits in movement planning, as demonstrated by greater errors at peak velocity in the contralateral matching task in comparison to the MS-NR group.ConclusionOur findings suggest that people with MS who self-report UL impairment demonstrate worse proprioceptive acuity, as well as poorer movement planning in comparison to people with MS who do not report UL impairment.
| S-EPMC9274812 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPrefrontal dopamine is catabolized by the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme. Current evidence suggests that the val/met single nucleotide polymorphism in the COMT gene can predict the efficiency of executive cognition in humans. Individuals carrying the val allele perform more poorly because less synaptic dopamine is available.Methodology/principal findingsWe investigated the influence of the COMT polymorphism on motor performance in a task that requires different executive functions. We administered a manual aiming motor task that was performed under four different conditions of execution by 111 healthy participants. Participants were grouped according to genotype (met/met, met/val, val/val), and the motor performance among groups was compared. Overall, the results indicate that met/met carriers presented lower levels of peak velocity during the movement trajectory than the val carriers, but met/met carriers displayed higher accuracy than the val carriers.Conclusions/significanceThis study found a significant association between the COMT polymorphism and manual aiming control. Few studies have investigated the genetics of motor control, and these findings indicate that individual differences in motor control require further investigation using genetic studies.
| S-EPMC4067272 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Aim of the study was to examine the expression of calsequestrin isoforms in zebrafish adult brain. By quantitative PCR we found three RNA transcripts coding for Casq1a, Casq1b and Casq2. In brain homogenate, two protein isoforms were detected by western blotting and mass spectrometry. Whole brain fractionation experiments revealed that Casq2 isoform was enriched in a heavy fraction containing microsomes and synaptic membranes, while Casq1a was recovered also in a light cytosolic-enriched fraction. By immunofluorescence, we found that calsequestrins show different cellular localization and we confirmed heterogeneous cell expression of Casq1a and Casq2 mRNA by in situ hybridization. Both isoforms were expressed in cerebellum, and cerebellum-like structures of the brain, Casq2 more concentrated in Purkinje cells, and Casq1 equally distributed in granular and Purkinje cells. At sub cellular level, in Purkinje cells, Casq2 was localized in cell bodies, dendrites and axons, while Casq1 was restricted to cell bodies and axons. Data are discussed in relation to the heterogeneous cellular and subcellular distribution of other Calcium store markers of cerebellum and are evaluated with respect to the relevance of calsequestrins in neuron-specific functional activity.
2020-05-27 | PXD015577 | Pride
Project description:BackgroundIt has been suggested that patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) perform poorly in postural tasks when compared to healthy individuals. Despite its importance in posture and alignment of the trunk in relation to the head, neck proprioception has not been examined in patients with low back pain. The purpose of this study was to compare neck proprioception in patients with CNSLBP with healthy individuals.MethodsCervical joint reposition error was measured five times consecutively in the neutral head position, 30° and 60° left and right head rotation. The main outcome measure was the mean cervical joint repositioning error of the head.ResultsForty-six participants with (n = 24, 54 ± 16yrs SD, 14 females) and without (n = 22, 36 ± 13yrs SD, 13 females) CNSLBP were included in the study. Comparison of mean cervical joint repositioning error between patients and healthy controls showed no statistically significant group difference in any of the applied positions. The range of deviation in CNSLBP patients was between 1.57° and 3.27° compared to 1.46° to 2.26° in healthy controls. An overshooting tendency for both groups was found in the neutral head position.ConclusionThe ability to accurately position the head does not seem to be impaired in patients with CNSLBP. This may suggest that sensorimotor control is affected on other levels of the movement system and future research should focus on methods to identify the source of these aberrations.
| S-EPMC6328243 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionPosition sense, which belongs to the sensory stream called proprioception, is pivotal for proper movement execution. Its comprehensive understanding is needed to fill existing knowledge gaps in human physiology, motor control, neurorehabilitation, and prosthetics. Although numerous studies have focused on different aspects of proprioception in humans, what has not been fully investigated so far are the neural correlates of proprioceptive acuity at the joints.MethodsHere, we implemented a robot-based position sense test to elucidate the correlation between patterns of neural activity and the degree of accuracy and precision exhibited by the subjects. Eighteen healthy participants performed the test, and their electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was analyzed in its μ band (8-12 Hz), as the frequency band related to voluntary movement and somatosensory stimulation.ResultsWe observed a significant positive correlation between the matching error, representing proprioceptive acuity, and the strength of the activation in contralateral hand motor and sensorimotor areas (left central and central-parietal areas). In absence of visual feedback, these same regions of interest (ROIs) presented a higher activation level compared to the association and visual areas. Remarkably, central and central-parietal activation was still observed when visual feedback was added, although a consistent activation in association and visual areas came up.ConclusionSumming up, this study supports the existence of a specific link between the magnitude of activation of motor and sensorimotor areas related to upper limb proprioceptive processing and the proprioceptive acuity at the joints.
| S-EPMC10050694 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeWe assessed differences in structural characteristics, quality improvement processes, and cardiovascular preventive care by ownership type among 989 small to medium primary care practices.MethodsThis cross-sectional analysis used electronic health record and survey data collected between September 2015 and April 2017 as part of an evaluation of the EvidenceNOW: Advancing Heart Health in Primary Care Initiative by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. We compared physician-owned practices, health system or medical group practices, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) by using 15 survey-based practice characteristic measures, 9 survey-based quality improvement process measures, and 4 electronic health record-based cardiovascular disease prevention quality measures, namely, aspirin prescription, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation support (ABCS).ResultsPhysician-owned practices were more likely to be solo (45.0% compared with 8.1%, P < .001 for health system practices and 12.8%, P = .009 for FQHCs) and less likely to have experienced a major change (eg, moved to a new location) in the last year (43.1% vs 65.4%, P = .01 and 72.1%, P = .001, respectively). FQHCs reported the highest use of quality improvement processes, followed by health system practices. ABCS performance was similar across ownership type, with the exception of smoking cessation support (51.0% for physician-owned practices vs 67.3%, P = .004 for health system practices and 69.3%, P = .004 for FQHCs).ConclusionsPrimary care practice ownership was associated with differences in quality improvement process measures, with FQHCs reporting the highest use of such quality-improvement strategies. ABCS were mostly unrelated to ownership, suggesting a complex path between quality improvement strategies and outcomes.
| S-EPMC6566859 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Academic medical centers (AMCs) have increasingly adopted conflict of interest policies governing physician-industry relationships; it is unclear how policies impact prescribing.To determine whether 9 American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)-recommended policies influence psychiatrists' antipsychotic prescribing and compare prescribing between academic and nonacademic psychiatrists.We measured number of prescriptions for 10 heavily promoted and 9 newly introduced/reformulated antipsychotics between 2008 and 2011 among 2464 academic psychiatrists at 101 AMCs and 11,201 nonacademic psychiatrists. We measured AMC compliance with 9 AAMC recommendations. Difference-in-difference analyses compared changes in antipsychotic prescribing between 2008 and 2011 among psychiatrists in AMCs compliant with ? 7/9 recommendations, those whose institutions had lesser compliance, and nonacademic psychiatrists.Ten centers were AAMC compliant in 2008, 30 attained compliance by 2011, and 61 were never compliant. Share of prescriptions for heavily promoted antipsychotics was stable and comparable between academic and nonacademic psychiatrists (63.0%-65.8% in 2008 and 62.7%-64.4% in 2011). Psychiatrists in AAMC-compliant centers were slightly less likely to prescribe these antipsychotics compared with those in never-compliant centers (relative odds ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.94-0.97; P < 0.0001). Share of prescriptions for new/reformulated antipsychotics grew from 5.3% in 2008 to 11.1% in 2011. Psychiatrists in AAMC-compliant centers actually increased prescribing of new/reformulated antipsychotics relative to those in never-compliant centers (relative odds ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.35-1.44; P < 0.0001), a relative increase of 1.1% in probability.Psychiatrists exposed to strict conflict of interest policies prescribed heavily promoted antipsychotics at rates similar to academic psychiatrists and nonacademic psychiatrists exposed to less strict or no policies.
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Project description:Conventionally, methanol is the solvent of choice in the synthesis of gamma-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks (γ-CD-MOFs), but using ethanol as a replacement could allow for a more food-grade synthesis condition. Therefore, the aim of the study was to compare the γ-CD-MOFs synthesised with both methanol and ethanol. The γ-CD-MOFs were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface area and pore measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading capacity (LC) of the γ-CD-MOFs were also determined for curcumin, using methanol, ethanol and a mixture of the two as encapsulation solvent. It was found that γ-CD-MOFs synthesised by methanol and ethanol do not differ greatly, the most significant difference being the larger crystal size of γ-CD-MOFs crystallised from ethanol. However, the change in solvent significantly influenced the EE and LC of the crystals. The higher solubility of curcumin in ethanol reduced interactions with the γ-CD-MOFs and resulted in lowered EE and LC. This suggests that different solvents should be used to deliberately manipulate the EE and LC of target compounds for better use of γ-CD-MOFs as their encapsulating and delivery agents.
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Project description:A key goal of aging research was to understand mechanisms underlying healthy aging and develop methods to promote the human healthspan. One approach is to identify gene regulations unique to healthy aging compared with aging in the general population (i.e., "common" aging). Here, we leveraged Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project data to investigate "healthy" and "common" aging gene expression regulations at a tissue level in humans and their interconnection with diseases. Using GTEx donors' disease annotations, we defined a "healthy" aging cohort for each tissue. We then compared the age-associated genes derived from this cohort with age-associated genes from the "common" aging cohort which included all GTEx donors; we also compared the "healthy" and "common" aging gene expressions with various disease-associated gene expressions to elucidate the relationships among "healthy," "common" aging and disease. Our analyses showed that 1. GTEx "healthy" and "common" aging shared a large number of gene regulations; 2. Despite the substantial commonality, "healthy" and "common" aging genes also showed distinct function enrichment, and "common" aging genes had a higher enrichment for disease genes; 3. Disease-associated gene regulations were overall different from aging gene regulations. However, for genes regulated by both, their regulation directions were largely consistent, implying some aging processes could increase the susceptibility to disease development; and 4. Possible protective mechanisms were associated with some "healthy" aging gene regulations. In summary, our work highlights several unique features of GTEx "healthy" aging program. This new knowledge could potentially be used to develop interventions to promote the human healthspan.
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Project description:The objective of the present study was to characterize chemical composition of hitherto unexamined aerial parts of Lactuca sativa var. angustana cv. Grüner Stern. In contrast to leafy and head varieties of the lettuces, asparagus lettuce grown in Europe is much less studied. Fractionation of a methanolic extract from leaves of L. sativa cv. Grüner Stern, supported with HPLC/DAD and 1H NMR analysis, led to the isolation and/or identification of numerous terpenoid and phenolic compounds, including five apocarotenoids-(-)-loliolide, (+)-dehydrovomifoliol, blumenol A, (6S,9S)-vomifoliol, and corchoionoside C; three sesquiterpene lactones; two lignans-((+)-syringaresinol and its 4-O-β-glucoside); five caffeic acid derivatives; and three flavonoids. Some of the compounds, to the best of our knowledge, have never been isolated from L. sativa before. Moreover, monolignols, phenolic acids and a tryptophan-derived alkaloid were found in the analyzed plant material. Stems, leaves and shoot tips of the asparagus lettuce were examined to assess their phenolics and sesquiterpene lactone content as well as DPPH scavenging activity. Another stem lettuce-L. sativa var. angustana cv. Karola, two cultivars of leafy lettuces and one species of wild lettuce-L. serriola, were also examined as a reference material using HPLC/DAD. The results have been discussed regarding our previous studies and the literature data available.
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