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- Creators: Arizona State University
Effect of a Wii Fit® intervention on balance, muscular fitness, and bone health in middle-aged women
Description
Sustaining a fall can be hazardous for those with low bone mass. Interventions exist to reduce fall-risk, but may not retain long-term interest. "Exergaming" has become popular in older adults as a therapy, but no research has been done on its preventative ability in non-clinical populations. The purpose was to determine the impact of 12-weeks of interactive play with the Wii Fit® on balance, muscular fitness, and bone health in peri- menopausal women. METHODS: 24 peri-menopausal-women were randomized into study groups. Balance was assessed using the Berg/FICSIT-4 and a force plate. Muscular strength was measured using the isokinetic dynamometer at 60°/180°/240°/sec and endurance was assessed using 50 repetitions at 240°/sec. Bone health was tracked using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for the hip/lumbar spine and qualitative ultrasound (QUS) of the heel. Serum osteocalcin was assessed by enzyme immunoassay. Physical activity was quantified using the Women's Health Initiative Physical Activity Questionnaire and dietary patterns were measured using the Nurses' Health Food Frequency Questionnaire. All measures were repeated at weeks 6 and 12, except for the DXA, which was completed pre-post. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in diet and PA between groups. Wii Fit® training did not improve scores on the Berg/FICSIT-4, but improved center of pressure on the force plate for Tandem Step, Eyes Closed (p-values: 0.001-0.051). There were no significant improvements for muscular fitness at any of the angular velocities. DXA BMD of the left femoral neck improved in the intervention group (+1.15%) and decreased in the control (-1.13%), but no other sites had significant changes. Osteocalcin indicated no differences in bone turnover between groups at baseline, but the intervention group showed increased bone turnover between weeks 6 and 12. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that WiiFit® training may improve balance by preserving center of pressure. QUS, DXA and osteocalcin data confirm that those in the intervention group were experiencing more bone turnover and bone formation than the control group. In summary, twelve weeks of strength /balance training with the Wii Fit® shows promise as a preventative intervention to reduce fall and fracture risk in non-clinical middle aged women who are at risk.
ContributorsWherry, Sarah Jo (Author) / Swan, Pamela D (Thesis advisor) / Adams, Marc (Committee member) / Der Ananian, Cheryl (Committee member) / Sweazea, Karen (Committee member) / Vaughan, Linda (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
In many natural systems aqueous geochemical conditions dictate the reaction pathways of organic compounds. Geologic settings that span wide ranges in temperature, pressure, and composition vastly alter relative reaction rates and resulting organic abundances. The dependence of organic reactions on these variables contributes to planetary-scale nutrient cycling, and suggests that relative abundances of organic compounds can reveal information about inaccessible geologic environments, whether from the terrestrial subsurface, remote planetary settings, or even the distant past (if organic abundances are well preserved). Despite their relevance to planetary modeling and exploration, organic reactions remain poorly characterized under geochemically relevant conditions, especially in terms of their reaction kinetics, mechanisms, and equilibria.
In order to better understand organic transformations in natural systems, the reactivities of oxygen- and nitrogen-bearing organic functional groups were investigated under experimental hydrothermal conditions, at 250°C and 40 bar. The model compounds benzylamine and α-methylbenzylamine were used as analogs to environmentally relevant amines, ultimately elucidating two dominant deamination mechanisms for benzylamine, SN1 and SN2, and a single SN1 mechanism for deamination of α-methylbenzylamine. The presence of unimolecular and bimolecular mechanisms has implications for temperature dependent kinetics, indicating that Arrhenius rate extrapolation is currently unreliable for deamination.
Hydrothermal experiments with benzyl alcohol, benzylamine, dibenzylamine, or tribenzylamine as the starting material indicate that substitution reactions between these compounds (and others) are reversible and approach metastable equilibrium after 72 hours. These findings suggest that relative ratios of organic compounds capable of substitution reactions could be targeted as tracers of inaccessible geochemical conditions.
Metastable equilibria for organic reactions were investigated in a natural low-temperature serpentinizing continental system. Serpentinization is a water-rock reaction which generates hyperalkaline, reducing conditions. Thermodynamic calculations were performed for reactions between dissolved inorganic carbon and hydrogen to produce methane, formate, and acetate. Quantifying conditions that satisfy equilibrium for these reactions allows subsurface conditions to be predicted. These calculations also lead to hypotheses regarding active microbial processes during serpentinization.
In order to better understand organic transformations in natural systems, the reactivities of oxygen- and nitrogen-bearing organic functional groups were investigated under experimental hydrothermal conditions, at 250°C and 40 bar. The model compounds benzylamine and α-methylbenzylamine were used as analogs to environmentally relevant amines, ultimately elucidating two dominant deamination mechanisms for benzylamine, SN1 and SN2, and a single SN1 mechanism for deamination of α-methylbenzylamine. The presence of unimolecular and bimolecular mechanisms has implications for temperature dependent kinetics, indicating that Arrhenius rate extrapolation is currently unreliable for deamination.
Hydrothermal experiments with benzyl alcohol, benzylamine, dibenzylamine, or tribenzylamine as the starting material indicate that substitution reactions between these compounds (and others) are reversible and approach metastable equilibrium after 72 hours. These findings suggest that relative ratios of organic compounds capable of substitution reactions could be targeted as tracers of inaccessible geochemical conditions.
Metastable equilibria for organic reactions were investigated in a natural low-temperature serpentinizing continental system. Serpentinization is a water-rock reaction which generates hyperalkaline, reducing conditions. Thermodynamic calculations were performed for reactions between dissolved inorganic carbon and hydrogen to produce methane, formate, and acetate. Quantifying conditions that satisfy equilibrium for these reactions allows subsurface conditions to be predicted. These calculations also lead to hypotheses regarding active microbial processes during serpentinization.
ContributorsRobinson, Kirtland J (Author) / Shock, Everett L (Thesis advisor) / Herckes, Pierre (Committee member) / Hartnett, Hilairy E (Committee member) / Anbar, Ariel D (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The rigidity of a material is the property that enables it to preserve its structure when deformed. In a rigid body, no internal motion is possible since the degrees of freedom of the system are limited to translations and rotations only. In the macroscopic scale, the rigidity and response of a material to external load can be studied using continuum elasticity theory. But when it comes to the microscopic scale, a simple yet powerful approach is to model the structure of the material and its interparticle interactions as a ball$-$and$-$spring network. This model allows a full description of rigidity in terms of the vibrational modes and the balance between degrees of freedom and constraints in the system.
In the present work, we aim to establish a microscopic description of rigidity in \emph{disordered} networks. The studied networks can be designed to have a specific number of degrees of freedom and/or elastic properties. We first look into the rigidity transition in three types of networks including randomly diluted triangular networks, stress diluted triangular networks and jammed networks. It appears that the rigidity and linear response of these three types of systems are significantly different. In particular, jammed networks display higher levels of self-organization and a non-zero bulk modulus near the transition point. This is a unique set of properties that have not been observed in any other types of disordered networks. We incorporate these properties into a new definition of jamming that requires a network to hold one extra constraint in excess of isostaticity and have a finite non-zero bulk modulus. We then follow this definition by using a tuning by pruning algorithm to build spring networks that have both these properties and show that they behave exactly like jammed networks. We finally step into designing new disordered materials with desired elastic properties and show how disordered auxetic materials with a fully convex geometry can be produced.
In the present work, we aim to establish a microscopic description of rigidity in \emph{disordered} networks. The studied networks can be designed to have a specific number of degrees of freedom and/or elastic properties. We first look into the rigidity transition in three types of networks including randomly diluted triangular networks, stress diluted triangular networks and jammed networks. It appears that the rigidity and linear response of these three types of systems are significantly different. In particular, jammed networks display higher levels of self-organization and a non-zero bulk modulus near the transition point. This is a unique set of properties that have not been observed in any other types of disordered networks. We incorporate these properties into a new definition of jamming that requires a network to hold one extra constraint in excess of isostaticity and have a finite non-zero bulk modulus. We then follow this definition by using a tuning by pruning algorithm to build spring networks that have both these properties and show that they behave exactly like jammed networks. We finally step into designing new disordered materials with desired elastic properties and show how disordered auxetic materials with a fully convex geometry can be produced.
ContributorsFaghir Hagh, Varda (Author) / Thorpe, Michael F. (Thesis advisor) / Beckstein, Oliver (Committee member) / Chamberlin, Ralph V. (Committee member) / Schmidt, kevin E. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Vitamin B12, found only in animal products, is a water-soluble vitamin important for DNA methylation, purine and pyrimidine synthesis, and the myelination of nerves. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include anemia, gait disturbances, altered vibration proprioception, impaired vision, psychosis, depression, dementia-like illness, and ultimately death. Because vegetarians and vegans consume fewer animal products in their diet than omnivores, they are inherently more at risk for developing these symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the correlation between nervous system markers (balance, dexterity, and vibration sensitivity) and markers of vitamin B12 nutriture (serum B12 and serum holo-transcobalamin II) in a cross-sectional study (n=38). In addition, the impact of daily oral vitamin B12 supplementation on these markers in an 8-week randomized controlled trial was also examined (n=18). The results of the cross-sectional study revealed a moderate correlation (R=-0.351, p=0.031) between serum B12 and left-hand functional dexterity. The results of the intervention study revealed no significant time*group interactions for markers of nervous system functions and biochemical values (after the removal of outliers). In addition, the time*group interaction appeared to be larger for those individuals with a baseline serum B12 of less than 303 pmol/L. These results suggest that vitamin B12 supplementation may have a more pronounced effect on those individuals who are in a state of vitamin B12 depletion (<303 pmol/L serum concentration). In addition, the results also suggest that 8 weeks of oral supplementation is not a long enough period to create significant clinical change, and it is likely that improvements in neurological measures would require long-term supplementation.
ContributorsArnold, Taylor (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Whisner, Corrie (Committee member) / Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam (Committee member) / Lee, Chong (Committee member) / Aleck, Kyrieckos (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016