Osteo-cise : Strong bones for life': protocol for a community-based randomised controlled trial of a multi-modal exercise and osteoporosis education program for older adults at risk of falls and fractures

Background : Osteoporosis affects over 220 million people worldwide, and currently there is no 'cure' for the disease. Thus, there is a need to develop evidence-based, safe and acceptable prevention strategies at the population level that target multiple risk factors for fragility fractures to reduce the health and economic burden of the condition.

Methods : The 'Osteo-cise: Strong Bones for Life' study will investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of a multi-component targeted exercise, osteoporosis education/awareness and behavioural change program for improving bone health and muscle function, and reducing falls risk in community-dwelling older adults at an increased risk of fracture. Men and women aged 60 years or above will participate in an 18-month randomised controlled trial comprising a 12-month structured and supervised community-based program and a 6-month 'research to practise' translational phase. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the 'Osteo-cise' intervention or a self-management control group. The intervention will comprise a multi-modal exercise program incorporating high velocity progressive resistance training, moderate impact weight-bearing exercise and high challenging balance exercises performed three times weekly at local community-based fitness centres. A behavioural change program will be used to enhance exercise adoption and adherence to the program. Community-based osteoporosis education seminars will be conducted to improve participant knowledge and understanding of the risk factors and preventative measures for osteoporosis, falls and fractures. The primary outcomes measures, to be collected at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months, will include DXA-derived hip and spine bone mineral density measurements and functional muscle power (timed stair-climb test). Secondary outcomes measures include: MRI-assessed distal femur and proximal tibia trabecular bone micro-architecture, lower limb and back maximal muscle strength, balance and function (four square step test, functional reach test, timed up-and-go test and 30-second sit-to-stand), falls incidence and health-related quality of life. Cost-effectiveness will also be assessed.

Discussion : The findings from the Osteo-cise: Strong Bones for Life study will provide new information on the efficacy of a targeted multi-modal community-based exercise program incorporating high velocity resistance training, together with an osteoporosis education and behavioural change program for improving multiple risk factors for falls and fracture in older adults at risk of fragility fracture. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry reference ACTRN12609000100291

Injecting early years teaching with a strong dose of multiliteracies

Tech-savvy children elaborately dance through a myriad of informal and formal school and out-of-school literacy practices, sometimes leaving the adults who teach and care for them feeling like relics of yesterday. How can we harness what students bring to learning and reconcile that with what we have traditionally taught this age group? How do we leave our comfort zones and design meaningful experiences which transform learners (both young and not so young)?

Calcium supplementation: the bare bones

An adequate calcium intake is an essential part of the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Two to threeserves of calcium-rich foods each day provides sufficient calcium for most non-pregnant adults. If this target is not achievable, calcium supplementation is generally effective, cheap and safe for most people. Calciumcarbonate(without vitamin and mineral additives) is the preferred supplement in most cases. Problems with calcium absorption arise due to factors including high·fibre vegetarian diets, achlorhydria, long·term glucocorticoid therapy and vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in some ethnic groups and the elderly who are housebound or in residential care. These at risk groups generally require vitamin D supplementation to achieve adequate intestinal absorption of calcium.

A rationale for the strong dependence of mechanical twinning on grain size

In metals that yield as a consequence of mechanical twinning, the yield stress is a function of the grain size in much the same way as it is for dislocation glide. However, the sensitivity to grain size is typically greater. The intent of the present communication is to show that this can be understood, at least in part, in terms of a size effect that accompanies twinning. Some confirmatory data from a magnesium alloy are presented.

The strength of strong ties : how women become supporters of Australian Rules Football

Two glaring omissions in the research on sports fans are on women fans and on how people become fans. In this paper we begin to address both of these issues by examining how women become fans of Australian rules football (AFL). From data generated in single-person and focus group interviews with women AFL supporters conducted in Victoria and NSW, we use their accounts to map-out four ways in which they became fans. We show that at the heart of each of these paths to fandom are the close ties that the women formed in their social networks – either as children through their kin, or later in life through others that entered their networks. Women become fans, we argue, because of the strong social ties that they have with people who are existing fans.

Reducing seclusion in acute psychiatric inpatient settings : a need for strong leadership

Seclusion is of limited therapeutic value and can be a harmful and traumatic experience for consumers of mental health services. Many psychiatric facilities have made substantial efforts to eliminate seclusion or reduce this practice to negligible levels.

The aim is to review the research on seclusion-reduction initiatives in psychiatric facilities. We reviewed the peer-reviewed, English-language literature on seclusion reduction initiatives. We sourced 16 papers that focused on seclusion reduction initiatives and in which pre- and postseclusion data were reported. Opinion-based papers and research that focused solely on pharmaceutical methods to reduce seclusion were excluded from our review. Successful seclusion reduction initiatives typically involved senior management implementing multiple changes within the facilities. Although commonalities exist with regard to the interventions used in these facilities to reduce seclusion (e.g., treatment plan improvement, monitoring seclusion episodes, changing the therapeutic environment), the ways in which these initiatives were combined tended to be unique to each organisation. State-level organisations sometimes provided the impetus for such changes to be made. There is strong evidence that changes made to psychiatric facilities were effective in reducing or eliminating seclusion. Seclusion reduction in psychiatric facilities requires strong leadership from senior management. Sometimes leadership from state-level organisations accelerates a seclusion reduction agenda.

Reducing seclusion in acute psychiatric inpatient settings : a need for strong leadership

Background: Seclusion is of limited therapeutic value and can be a harmful and traumatic experience for psychiatric consumers. Many psychiatric facilities have made substantial efforts to eliminate seclusion or reduce this practice to negligible levels.
Aims: To review the research on seclusion-reduction initiatives in psychiatric facilities.
Methods: We reviewed the peer-reviewed, English-language literature on seclusion reduction initiatives. We sourced 16 papers that focused on seclusion reduction initiatives and in which pre- and post-seclusion data were reported. Opinion-based papers and research that focused solely on pharmaceutical methods to reduce seclusion were excluded from our review.
Results: Successful seclusion reduction initiatives typically involved senior management implementing multiple changes within the facilities. Although commonalities exist with regard to the interventions used in these facilities to reduce seclusion (e.g., treatment plan improvement, monitoring seclusion episodes, changing the therapeutic environment), the ways in which these initiatives were combined tended to be unique to each organisation. State-level organisations sometimes provided the impetus for such changes to be made. There is strong evidence that changes made to psychiatric facilities were effective in reducing or eliminating seclusion.
Conclusion: Seclusion reduction in psychiatric facilities requires strong leadership from senior management. Sometimes leadership from state-level organisations accelerates a seclusion reduction agenda.

Reducing seclusion in acute psychiatric inpatient settings : a need for strong leadership

Background: Seclusion is of limited therapeutic value and can be a harmful and traumatic experience for psychiatric consumers. Many psychiatric facilities have made substantial efforts to eliminate seclusion or reduce this practice to negligible levels.

Aims: To review the research on seclusion-reduction initiatives in psychiatric facilities.

Methods: We reviewed the peer-reviewed, English-language literature on seclusion reduction initiatives. We sourced 16 papers that focused on seclusion reduction initiatives and in which pre- and post-seclusion data were reported. Opinion-based papers and research that focused solely on pharmaceutical methods to reduce seclusion were excluded from our review.

Results: Successful seclusion reduction initiatives typically involved senior management implementing multiple changes within the facilities. Although commonalities exist with regard to the interventions used in these facilities to reduce seclusion (e.g., treatment plan improvement, monitoring seclusion episodes, changing the therapeutic environment), the ways in which these initiatives were combined tended to be unique to each organisation. State-level organisations sometimes provided the impetus for such changes to be made. There is strong evidence that changes made to psychiatric facilities were effective in reducing or eliminating seclusion.

Conclusion: Seclusion reduction in psychiatric facilities requires strong leadership from senior management. Sometimes leadership from state-level organisations accelerates a seclusion reduction agenda.

Direct synthesis and strong cathodoluminescence of Al2O3 nanotubes

α-Al₂O₃ nanotubes were synthesized in bulk quantity by using simple physical evaporation of pure aluminum powders at 1000 °C. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations show that the nanotubes have diameters smaller than 100 nm and lengths up to several microns. Cathodoluminescence measurements revealed a strong luminescence band in the wavelength range of 280–380 nm centered at 330 nm, which could be attributed to the oxygen vacancies in the α-Al₂O₃ nanotubes. Sacrificial template model is regarded as the possible formation mechanism of the nanotubes.