Impact of Tai Chi exercise on multiple fracture-related risk factors in post-menopausal osteopenic women: a pilot pragmatic, randomized trial.

Background: Tai Chi (TC) is a mind-body exercise that shows potential as an effective and safe intervention for preventing fall-related fractures in the elderly. Few randomized trials have simultaneously evaluated TC's potential to reduce bone loss and improve fall-predictive balance parameters in osteopenic women.

Methods: In a pragmatic randomized trial, 86 post-menopausal osteopenic women, aged 45-70, were recruited from community clinics.

Variation in arterial inflow temperature: a regional quality improvement project.

Peer-reviewed evidence (Class IIa, Level B) suggests that arterial blood temperature should be limited to 37 degrees C during cardiopulmonary bypass. We implemented a regional quality improvement initiative to reduce regional variability in our performance around this recommendation at four northern New England medical centers between January 2006 and June 2010. Cardiovascular perfusionists at four medical centers collaborated by conference calls regarding blood temperature management.

Tai Chi for osteopenic women: design and rationale of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Background: Post-menopausal osteopenic women are at increased risk for skeletal fractures. Current osteopenia treatment guidelines include exercise, however, optimal exercise regimens for attenuating bone mineral density (BMD) loss, or for addressing other fracture-related risk factors (e.g.

Increasing research capacity at the New England School of Acupuncture: building grants management infrastructure.

A significant practical, yet perhaps under-appreciated, barrier to a more active role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) institutions in research is the organizational infrastructure required for submitting and managing research grants. In this article, we discuss how the New England School of Acupuncture, in collaboration with the Harvard Medical School Osher Institute and with the support of a Developmental Center for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine grant awarded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health, developed its grants management infrastructure and increased its research capacity. We highlight initiatives that have been successful, challenges we have encountered, and lessons we learned that may be relevant to other CAM institutions that may wish to develop a research program.