Developing an entrustable professional activity for providing health education and consultation in occupational therapy and examining its validity.

Background: Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA)-based assessment is easily and intuitively used in evaluating the learning outcomes of competency-based medical education (CBME). This study aimed to develop an EPA for occupational therapy focused on providing health education and consultation (TP-EPA3) and examine its validity.

Methods: Nineteen occupational therapists who had completed online training on the EQual rubric evaluation participated in this study.

Effect of Mat Pilates Training on Blood Pressure, Inflammatory, and Oxidative Profiles in Hypertensive Elderly.

To determine the effects of mat Pilates training on blood pressure, inflammatory, and antioxidative markers in hypertensive elderly people, 34 hypertensive subjects aged 60-75 years were randomly divided into a control group (CON; = 17) and a mat Pilates training group (MP; = 17). The CON participants conducted normal daily activities and participated in neither organized exercises nor sports training, while those in the MP group received mat Pilates training for 60 min three times/week for 12 weeks. Parameters including blood pressure, cardiovascular function, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrotic factor-alpha (TNF-α), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malonaldehyde (MDA) were collected at baseline and the end of 12 weeks.

Motor Skills, Heart Rate Variability, and Arterial Stiffness in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children has been recently increasing. The severity of symptoms greatly varies between individuals with ASD, ranging from relatively mild to extremely severe. It is important to have a clearer understanding of the possible adverse consequences resulting from this disorder, such as delayed motor development, autonomic dysregulation, and arterial stiffness.

Chondrocyte Thrombomodulin Protects against Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent form of arthritis that affects over 32.5 million adults worldwide, causing significant cartilage damage and disability. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective treatments for OA, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches.

Anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic efficacy of exercise training in hypertensive hearts: A systematic review.

Background: This review aims to summarize the antiapoptotic, pro-survival, and antifibrotic effects of exercise training in hypertensive hearts.

Methods: Keyword searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus in May 2021. Research published in English on the effects of exercise training on the apoptosis, survival, and fibrosis pathways in hypertension was included.

Defecation enhances cerebral perfusion and delays fatigue in elite triathletes.

Background: Rectal distension increases regulatory burden to autonomic nervous system in the brain.

Purpose: To determine the effect of rectal defecation on endurance performance and blood supply to the prefrontal brain and sub-navel regions of elite triathletes.

Methods: Thirteen elite triathletes completed a cycling time trial (80% VO) under defecated and non-defecated conditions, using a counterbalanced crossover design.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids Supplementation Does Not Accelerate Recovery after a Change of Direction Sprinting Exercise Protocol.

BCAAs supplementation has been widely used for post-exercise recovery. However, no evidence is currently available to answer the question of whether BCAAs supplementation can attenuate muscle damage and ameliorate recovery after a bout of change of direction (COD) sprinting, which is an exercise motion frequently used during team sport actions. This study aimed to assess the effect of BCAAs supplementation on muscle damage markers, subjective muscle soreness, neuromuscular performance, and the vascular health of collegiate basketball players during a 72 h recovery period after a standardized COD protocol.

Effects of Acute Aquatic High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise on Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Postmenopausal Women with Different ACE Genotypes.

The present study investigated the effects of acute aquatic high-intensity intermittent jumping (HIIJ) on blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with different angiotensin-converting enzyme genotypes (ACE). We recruited 12 postmenopausal women carrying the ACE deletion/deletion (DD) genotype and 61 carrying the insertion/insertion or insertion/deletion (II/ID) genotype. The participants performed 12 trials of 30 s, 75% heart rate reserve (HRR) jumping, and 60 s, 50% HRR recovery, and 3 trials of 40 s upper limb resistance exercises were performed as fast as possible.

Exercise intervention prevents early aged hypertension-caused cardiac dysfunction through inhibition of cardiac fibrosis.

Background: An inappropriate accumulation of fibrillar collagen is a common pathologic feature of early aged hypertensive heart disease, but little information regarding the effects of exercise training on cardiac fibrosis in hypertension is available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training on cardiac fibrotic pathways in early aged hypertensive rats.

Methods: Masson's trichrome staining and Western blotting were performed on the excised left ventricle from twenty male spontaneously hypertensive rats at age of 48 weeks, which were randomly divided into either a sedentary hypertensive group (SHR) or exercise hypertensive group (SHR-EX, running on a treadmill running occurred 5 days/week for 60 min/day, for 12 weeks), and from age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto normotensive controls (WKY).

Differences between Elite Male and Female Badminton Athletes Regarding Heart Rate Variability, Arterial Stiffness, and Aerobic Capacity.

Cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity play crucial roles in determining the performance of athletes in the highly competitive sport of badminton. Few studies have directly compared heart rate variability (HRV), arterial stiffness, and aerobic capacity between male and female athletes, especially among badminton athletes. This study investigated sex differences in HRV, arterial stiffness, and aerobic capacity in badminton athletes.

Cerebral Cortex Apoptosis in Early Aged Hypertension: Effects of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate.

This study aimed to investigate cerebral cortex apoptosis on the early aged hypertension and the effects of green tea flavonoid epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Twenty-four rats were divided into three groups: a control Wistar-Kyoto group (WKY, = 8), a spontaneously early aged hypertensive group (SHR, = 8), and an early aged hypertension with EGCG treatment group (SHR-EGCG, = 8; daily oral EGCG 200 mg/kg-94%, 12 weeks). At 48 weeks old, blood pressures (BPs) were evaluated and cerebral cortexes were isolated for TUNEL assay and Western blotting.

Anti-apoptotic and pro-survival effect of exercise training on early aged hypertensive rat cerebral cortex.

The anti-apoptotic and pro-survival effects of exercise training were evaluated on the early aged hypertensive rat cerebral cortex. The brain tissues were analysed from ten sedentary male Wistar Kyoto normotensive rats (WKY), ten sedentary spontaneously 12 month early aged hypertensive rats (SHR), and ten hypertensive rats undergoing treadmill exercise training (60 min/day, 5 days/week) for 12 weeks (SHR-EX). TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells, the expression levels of endonuclease G (EndoG) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) (caspase-independent apoptotic pathway), Fas ligand, Fas death receptor, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, TNF receptor 1, Fas-associated death domain, active caspase-8 and active caspase-3 (Fas-mediated apoptotic pathways) as well as t-Bid, Bax, Bak, Bad, cytochrome c, active caspase 9 and active caspase-3 (mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways) were reduced in SHR-EX compared with SHR.

Aging Additively Influences Insulin- and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1-Mediated Endothelial Dysfunction and Antioxidant Deficiency in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

This study aimed to investigate the aging-related endothelial dysfunction mediated by insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and antioxidant deficiency in hypertension. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs) were randomly divided into 24-week-old (younger) and 48-week-old (older) groups, respectively. The endothelial function was evaluated by the insulin- and IGF-1-mediated vasorelaxation of aortic rings via the organ bath system.

Exercise training attenuates cardiac inflammation and fibrosis in hypertensive ovariectomized rats.

This study investigated the effects of exercise training on cardiac inflammatory and cardiac fibrotic pathways in female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which were divided into a sham-operated sedentary hypertensive group (SHR-S), a sedentary hypertensive ovariectomized group (SHR-O), or a hypertensive ovariectomized group with treadmill exercise training (SHR-OT; 60 min/day, 5 days/wk) for 8 wk. Normotensive female Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) served as controls. SOD and catalase (CAT) activities were significantly increased in the SHR-OT group, when compared with the SHR-S or SHR-O groups.

Antiapoptotic and mitochondrial biogenetic effects of exercise training on ovariectomized hypertensive rat hearts.

This study was to investigate the effects of exercise training on antiapoptotic pathways and mitochondrial biogenesis in ovariectomized hypertensive rats. Histopathological analysis, TUNEL assay, and Western blotting were performed on the excised hearts from female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which were divided into a sham-operated sedentary hypertensive (SHR-S), a sedentary hypertensive ovariectomized (SHR-O), and hypertensive ovariectomized rats that underwent treadmill exercise training (SHR-OT; 60 min/day, 5 days/wk) for 8 wk, along with normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). When compared with the WKY group, the SHR-S group exhibited decreased protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial OPA-1 (mitochondrial biogenesis) and decreased further in the SHR-O group.

Twelve-Week Protocatechuic Acid Administration Improves Insulin-Induced and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1-Induced Vasorelaxation and Antioxidant Activities in Aging Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Protocatechuic acid (PCA), a strong antioxidant, has been reported for its cardiovascular-protective effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PCA administration on vascular endothelial function, mediated by insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and antioxidant activities in aging hypertension. Thirty-six-week-old male aging spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into vehicle control (SHR) and PCA (SHR+PCA) groups, while age-matched Wistar⁻Kyoto rats (WKY) served as the normotensive vehicle control group.

Combined effects of 17β-estradiol and exercise training on cardiac apoptosis in ovariectomized rats.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined 17β-estradiol (E2) and exercise training on cardiac pro-survival and anti-apoptotic pathways in ovariectomized rats.

Methods: Fifty-six female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a sham-operated (Sham), a bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX), an OVX treated with E2 (OVX-E2; 10μg/kg/day), and an OVX with E2 and treadmill exercise training (OVX-E2-EX; 60 min/day, 5 days/week) for 10 weeks. Following 10 weeks of exercise training, rat hearts were isolated for the evaluation of Histopathological analysis, TUNEL assay, and Western blotting.

Anti-Renal Fibrotic Effect of Exercise Training in Hypertension.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training on renal fibrosis in hypertensive rats. Masson's trichrome staining and Western blotting were performed on the excised renal cortex from sixteen male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which were randomly divided into either a sedentary hypertensive group (SHR) or exercise hypertensive group (SHR-EX, running on an exercise treadmill for 60 min/day, 5 sessions/week, for 12 weeks), and from eight male Wistar-Kyoto rats which served as a sedentary normotensive group (WKY). The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and renal fibrosis in hypertensive rats improved after exercise training.

The Construct of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 for the Population of Taiwan.

This study examines the factor structure of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 (SQLS-R4) for inpatients with schizophrenia in a psychiatric hospital in southern Taiwan. All the participants ( = 100) filled out the SQLS-R4, Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) under the supervision of one experienced occupational therapist. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we first determined that a 29-item model was more satisfactory than the original 33-item model based on the findings of better fit indices for the 29-item model.

Comparing two schizophrenia-specific quality of life instruments in institutionalized people with schizophrenia.

Clinical health professionals may have difficulties to select appropriate schizophrenia-specific Quality of life (QoL) instruments because of the limited information regarding their psychometric properties. Two widely used schizophrenia-specific QoL instruments (Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 [SQLS-R4] and Lancashire Quality of Life Profile [LQOLP]) were compared in institutionalized people with schizophrenia, and useful recommendations for clinical health professionals were provided. Participants (n = 100) filled out the two instruments twice.

Using children as standardized patients in OSCE in pediatric occupational therapy.

Background: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) have been administered in physical and psychiatric occupational therapy (OT) education, but not in pediatric OT education. The objectives were to examine the satisfaction and the influences of OSCE in pediatric OT on all participants.

Methods: The OSCE contained evaluation, intervention, and parent education stations.

The Coexistence of Hypertension and Ovariectomy Additively Increases Cardiac Apoptosis.

To investigate whether the coexistence of hypertension and ovariectomy will increase cardiac Fas receptor and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways, histopathological analysis, the TUNEL assay and Western blotting were performed on the excised hearts from three groups of female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which were divided into a sham-operated group (SHR-Sham), bilaterally ovariectomized group (SHR-OVX) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Compared with the WKY group, the SHR-Sham group exhibited decreased protein levels of ERα, ERβ, p-Akt/Akt, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and p-Bad and decreased further in the SHR-OVX group, as well as protein levels of t-Bid, Bak, Bad, Bax, cytochrome , activated caspase-9 and activated caspase-3 (mitochondria-dependent apoptosis) increased in the SHR-Sham group and increased further in the SHR-OVX group. Compared with the WKY group, protein levels of Fas ligand, TNF-α, Fas death receptors, TNFR1, FADD and activated caspase-8 (Fas receptor-dependent apoptosis) increased in the SHR-Sham group, but did not increase in the SHR-OVX group, except Fas ligand and TNF-α.

Antiapoptotic effect of exercise training on ovariectomized rat hearts.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training on cardiac Fas receptor-dependent and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways in ovariectomized rats. Histopathological analysis, TUNEL assay, and Western blotting were performed on the excised hearts from three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats, which were divided into a sham-operated group, a bilaterally ovariectomized group (OVX), and a bilaterally ovariectomized group that underwent treadmill running exercise for 60 min/day, 5 sessions/wk, for 10 wk (OVX-EX). The abnormal myocardial architecture, cardiac trichome-stained fibrosis and cardiac TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells in ovariectomized rats improved after exercise training.

Myeloid thrombomodulin lectin-like domain inhibits osteoclastogenesis and inflammatory bone loss.

Osteoclastogenesis is an essential process during bone metabolism which can also be promoted by inflammatory signals. Thrombomodulin (TM), a transmembrane glycoprotein, exerts anti-inflammatory activities such as neutralization of proinflammatory high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) through TM lectin-like domain. This study aimed to identify the role of myeloid TM (i.

Improvement of Acetylcholine-Induced Vasodilation by Acute Exercise in Ovariectomized Hypertensive Rats.

Postmenopause is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension. However, limited information is available regarding effects of exercise on cardiovascular responses and its underlying mechanisms in the simultaneous postmenopausal and hypertensive status. We aimed to investigate whether acute exercise could enhance vasodilation mediated by acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in ovariectomized hypertensive rats.