Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC): human studies design and protocol.

Physical activity, including structured exercise, is associated with favorable health-related chronic disease outcomes. Although there is evidence of various molecular pathways that affect these responses, a comprehensive molecular map of these molecular responses to exercise has not been developed. The Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) is a multicenter study designed to isolate the effects of structured exercise training on the molecular mechanisms underlying the health benefits of exercise and physical activity.

National Institutes of Health Research Plan on Rehabilitation: NIH Medical Rehabilitation Coordinating Committee.

One in five Americans experiences disability that affects their daily function because of impairments in mobility, cognitive function, sensory impairment, or communication impairment. The need for rehabilitation strategies to optimize function and reduce disability is a clear priority for research to address this public health challenge. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently published a Research Plan on Rehabilitation that provides a set of priorities to guide the field over the next 5 years.

Understanding the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Physical Activity-Induced Health Benefits.

The beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) are well documented, yet the mechanisms by which PA prevents disease and improves health outcomes are poorly understood. To identify major gaps in knowledge and potential strategies for catalyzing progress in the field, the NIH convened a workshop in late October 2014 entitled "Understanding the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Physical Activity-Induced Health Benefits." Presentations and discussions emphasized the challenges imposed by the integrative and intermittent nature of PA, the tremendous discovery potential of applying "-omics" technologies to understand interorgan crosstalk and biological networking systems during PA, and the need to establish an infrastructure of clinical trial sites with sufficient expertise to incorporate mechanistic outcome measures into adequately sized human PA trials.

An exploratory study of sodium, potassium, and fluid nutrition status of tube-fed nonambulatory children with severe cerebral palsy.

Children with severe cerebral palsy (CP) often have lower mineral intakes than healthy children. It is unknown if their lower nutrient intakes are adequate to meet their needs. The objective of this study was to examine the sodium, potassium, phosphate, and fluid status of primarily tube-fed nonambulatory children with severe CP.

Tobacco-free community coalitions: opportunities for enhancing oral cancer prevention programs.

Background: This study identified oral cancer (OC) education and tobacco reduction collaboration within tobacco-free community coalitions (TFCC).

Methods: Data from 4 TFCC were collected via educational intervention surveys and structured focused group Interviews.

Results: Of the 52 participants, 96% were aware that tobacco products are risk factors for OC, yet 33% were unaware of the high OC impact locally.

Randomized trial of once-weekly parathyroid hormone (1-84) on bone mineral density and remodeling.

Context: Daily PTH administration increases bone mineral density (BMD) and reduces fracture risk. However, cost and compliance significantly limit clinical use.

Objective: Our objective was to determine whether less frequent PTH administration increases lumbar spine BMD.

Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw: report of a task force of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Unlabelled: ONJ has been increasingly suspected to be a potential complication of bisphosphonate therapy in recent years. Thus, the ASBMR leadership appointed a multidisciplinary task force to address key questions related to case definition, epidemiology, risk factors, diagnostic imaging, clinical management, and future areas for research related to the disorder. This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of the task force.

Tobacco use prevention and cessation in dental and dental hygiene undergraduate education.

Oral health care professionals are aware of their responsibility to advise patients to stop using tobacco. However, they do not feel sufficiently prepared to help their patients to quit, and consequently are not confident in providing these preventive measures. This fact reflects the lack of emphasis on tobacco cessation in both dental and dental hygiene undergraduate education.

Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures.

Background: The efficacy of calcium with vitamin D supplementation for preventing hip and other fractures in healthy postmenopausal women remains equivocal.

Methods: We recruited 36,282 postmenopausal women, 50 to 79 years of age, who were already enrolled in a Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial. We randomly assigned participants to receive 1000 mg of elemental [corrected] calcium as calcium carbonate with 400 IU of vitamin D3 daily or placebo.

One year of alendronate after one year of parathyroid hormone (1-84) for osteoporosis.

Background: Since the use of parathyroid hormone as a treatment for osteoporosis is limited to two years or less, the question of whether antiresorptive therapy should follow parathyroid hormone therapy is important. We previously reported results after the first year of this randomized trial comparing the use of full-length parathyroid hormone (1-84) alone, alendronate alone, or both combined. In the continuation of this trial, we asked whether antiresorptive therapy is required to maintain gains in bone mineral density after one year of therapy with parathyroid hormone (1-84).

Effects of estrogen plus progestin on risk of fracture and bone mineral density: the Women's Health Initiative randomized trial.

Context: In the Women's Health Initiative trial of estrogen-plus-progestin therapy, women assigned to active treatment had fewer fractures.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that the relative risk reduction of estrogen plus progestin on fractures differs according to risk factors for fractures.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Randomized controlled trial (September 1993-July 2002) in which 16 608 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years with an intact uterus at baseline were recruited at 40 US clinical centers and followed up for an average of 5.

The effects of parathyroid hormone and alendronate alone or in combination in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Background: Parathyroid hormone increases bone strength primarily by stimulating bone formation, whereas antiresorptive drugs reduce bone resorption. We conducted a randomized, double-blind clinical study of parathyroid hormone and alendronate to test the hypothesis that the concurrent administration of the two agents would increase bone density more than the use of either one alone.

Methods: A total of 238 postmenopausal women (who were not using bisphosphonates) with low bone mineral density at the hip or spine (a T score of less than -2.

Perspectives on the future of bone and joint diseases.

The diseases of bones, joints, and muscles are common, chronic, and very costly to society. While the impact of these diseases falls across the age spectrum, the worldwide growth in the percentage of elderly in the population makes attention to musculoskeletal disorders and conditions particularly critical. An effective prevention strategy, driven by an understanding of the fundamental biology of bone and connective tissue, can only result from an upshift in the efforts of many sectors--public and private, academic, scientific, and patient-based--with new opportunities for partnerships and collaborative efforts flourishing.

Statin use, clinical fracture, and bone density in postmenopausal women: results from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study.

Background: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to stimulate bone formation in laboratory studies, both in vitro and in vivo. While early epidemiologic studies showed lower risk for hip fracture among statin users than nonusers, subsequent studies have produced mixed results.

Objective: To examine the association of statin use with incidence of hip, lower arm or wrist, and other clinical fractures and with baseline levels of bone density.