This study aimed to investigate the association between 15 min of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and subsequent muscle strength and balance in older adults. Data concerning ...community-dwelling older Taiwanese adults (mean age, 69.5 years) were collected during the baseline period (2018) and at a 12-month follow-up survey (2019). Time spent performing MVPA was objectively assessed using a triaxial accelerometer (ActiGraph wGT3x-BT) at baseline. Upper and lower limb muscle strength were measured using handgrip strength and a five-times sit-to-stand test, respectively. Balance was assessed using a one-leg standing test. The 12-month variations in muscle strength and balance were calculated through subtracting follow-up data from baseline data. A forced entry-adjusted logistic regression analysis was conducted. In total, 65.2% of participants engaged in at least 15 min of daily MVPA in the baseline survey. After adjusting for confounders, older adults who achieved 15 min of daily MVPA during the baseline period were more likely to maintain or improve balance performance (odds ratio, 8.12). Performing 15 min of daily MVPA was found to benefit older adults' subsequent balance performance but not muscle strength.
This study investigated the associations between total and domain-specific sedentary time with the risk of overweight in older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted by administering ...computer-assisted telephone interviews to 1046 Taiwanese older adults (aged ≥65 years) residing in two regions in Taiwan in 2015. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to examine the associations between self-reported total and six domain-specific sedentary times and body mass index status (calculating by self-reported height and weight) by using logistic regression analyses. The results showed that compared with older women in the lowest quartile of the total sedentary time, those in the highest quartile were 1.87 (95% CI: 1.10-3.21) times more likely to be overweight, after adjustment for potential confounders. The total sedentary time was stratified into six specific domains, and only watching television more than 2 h per day was positively associated with overweight (OR, 1.55; 95% CI: 1.08-2.25) in older women, whereas no other sedentary time domains were associated with the risk of overweight. No significant associations were observed in older men. Further studies using prospective designs are required to confirm the presently observed effects of total and domain-specific sedentary behavior on the health of older adults.
We have developed a rapid atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) sintering process for nanoporous TiO2 containing large cavities (of the order of a few hundreds of nanometers to a few micrometers) ...using an economically favorable NaCl solution. Screen-printing was used to administer mixed pastes consisting of TiO2 nanoparticles and NaCl solutions, following which APPJ sintering was conducted. During APPJ-sintering, numerous NaCl crystals precipitated and their sizes (large cavity sizes after DI-water rinsing) increased with the NaCl concentration of the added solution. The dual-scale porous TiO2 was then used as the photoanode of a DSSC. With an 1-wt% NaCl solution added to the TiO2 pastes, the efficiency (photocurrent density) increased from 5.89% (11.68 mA/cm2) to 6.57% (12.75 mA/cm2). The efficiency and photocurrent density of DSSC decreased as the NaCl concentration exceeded 1 wt%. Large cavities could enhance light scattering and light trapping, thereby increasing the photocurrent (short-circuit current) and efficiency. The oversized cavity, in turn, reduced the surface area for dye-adsorption (and therefore, the dye-loading) as well as the effective photocurrent transport path, leading to the reduction in the photocurrent and efficiency.
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•Dual-scale porous TiO2 was prepared by screen-printing and APPJ-sintering.•A low-cost NaCl solution was added into the TiO2 nanoparticle pastes.•During APPJ sintering, NaCl crystals precipitated as molds for large cavities.•DI water rinsing dissolved NaCl to form large cavities in nanoporous TiO2.•DSSCs with dual-scale porous TiO2 photoanodes show improved performance.
Chemotherapy is used as a primary approach in cancer treatment after routine surgery. However, chemo-resistance tends to occur when chemotherapy is used clinically, resulting in poor prognosis and ...recurrence. Currently, Chinese medicine may provide insight into the design of new therapies to overcome chemo-resistance. Furanodiene, as a heat-sensitive sesquiterpene, is isolated from the essential oil of
. Even though mounting evidence claiming that furanodiene possesses anti-cancer activities in various types of cancers, the underlying mechanisms against chemo-resistant cancer are not fully clear. Our study found that furanodiene could display anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell viability, inducing cell cytotoxicity, and suppressing cell proliferation in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, furanodiene preferentially causes apoptosis by interfering with intrinsic/extrinsic-dependent and NF-κB-independent pathways in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells. These observations also prompt that furanodiene may be developed as a promising natural product for multidrug-resistant cancer therapy in the future.
This study examined the prevalence of dog ownership and dog walking and its association with leisure-time walking among metropolitan and nonmetropolitan older adults.
A telephone-based ...cross-sectional survey targeting Taiwanese older adults was conducted in November 2016. Data related to dog ownership, time spent dog walking (categorized as non-dog owner, non-dog walkers, and dog walkers), and sociodemographic variables were obtained from 1074 older adults. Adjusted binary logistic regression was then performed.
In this sample, 12% of Taiwanese older adults owned a dog and 31% of them walked their dogs for an average of 232.13 min over 5.9 days/week (standard deviation = 2.03). Older adults living in nonmetropolitan areas were more likely to own a dog (14.7% vs. 9.1%) but less likely to walk their dog (25.9% vs. 39.6%) than were those living in metropolitan areas. Compared with non-dog owners, only older adults living in nonmetropolitan areas who were dog walkers achieved 150 min of leisure-time walking (odds ratio: 3.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-8.77), after adjustment for potential confounders.
Older Taiwanese adults living in nonmetropolitan areas who owned and walked their dogs were more likely to achieve health-enhancing levels of leisure-time walking. Tailored physical activity interventions for promoting dog walking should be developed for older adults who are dog owners living in nonmetropolitan areas and who do not engage in dog walking.
In this work, we report the use of bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (BMNs) and dynamic magnetic resonance (DMR) to characterize the time-dependent spin-spin relaxation time for sensitive ...bio-detection. The biomarkers are the human C-reactive protein (CRP) while the BMNs are the anti-CRP bound onto dextran-coated Fe3O4 particles labeled as Fe3O4-antiCRP. It was found the time-dependent spin-spin relaxation time, T2, of protons decreases as time evolves. Additionally, the ΔT2 of of protons in BMNs increases as the concentration of CRP increases. We attribute these to the formation of the magnetic clusters that deteriorate the field homogeneity of nearby protons. A sensitivity better than 0.1 μg/mL for assaying CRP is achieved, which is much higher than that required by the clinical criteria (0.5 mg/dL). The present MR-detection platform shows promise for further use in detecting tumors, viruses, and proteins.
There is limited evidence for the associations of area-level crime with older adults’ physical activity and sedentary behavior, especially in Asia. This study explored the association of area-level ...crime with older adults’ active and sedentary behavior. A telephone-based survey of Taiwanese seniors was conducted in September–November of 2017. Data related to sociodemographic factors, residential neighborhood (objectively recorded area-level crime incidence), and time spent in physical activity and sedentary behavior, were obtained from 1068 older adults. Adjusted binary logistic regression was analyzed. Fully adjusted analyses showed older adults living in neighborhoods with a higher incidence of drug crime (odds ratio, OR = 0.71, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.52–0.96), car theft (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.51–0.95), and locomotive theft (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.51–0.94) were found to be less likely to achieve the recommendation on physical activity. In addition, those living in neighborhoods with a higher incidence of theft (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.05–3.55), drug crime (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.05–3.55), breaking and entering (OR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.11–3.76), and rape (OR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.20–4.06) were more likely to have more sedentary time. There were sex differences in the association of area-level crime incidence with physical activity and sedentary behavior. These findings suggest that crime prevention should be considered when designing physical activity and sedentary behavior interventions for older adults.
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