Although no amount of physical activity can stop the aging process, a moderate amount of regular exercise can minimize the physiological effects of an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and increase active life expectancy by limiting the development and progression of chronic disease and disabling conditions. Ideally, exercise prescription for older adults should include aerobic, muscle strengthening, and flexibility exercises. In addition, individuals at risk for falling or mobility impairment should also perform specific exercises to improve balance. The intensity and duration of physical activity should be low at the outset for those who are highly deconditioned, are functionally limited, or have chronic conditions affecting their ability to perform physical tasks. Furthermore, the progression of activities should be individualized and tailored to tolerance and preference. Incorporating principles of behavioral change into the design and application of exercise and physical activity programs will increase the likelihood of an individual initiating and maintaining a regular program of exercise and/ or physical activity. Strategies for maintaining physical function and improving overall health of older adults with chronic conditions and disability are discussed. All older adults with and without disabilities should be encouraged to develop a personalized physical activity plan that meets their needs and personal preferences.

We synthesized TiO2 mesocrystals using a hydrothermal method and investigated the effect of calcination temperature (100–800 °C) on their morphology, crystallinity, and photocatalytic activity. While no appreciable changes in the shape, dimension, and crystal structure of the TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were observed as the calcination temperature increased to 300 °C, the crystallinity improved with increasing temperature. The mesocrystal form of the NPs began to disappear at 400 °C, and the specific surface area significantly decreased with increasing temperature owing to the reduced boundaries between the subunits and surface roughness of the NPs. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 NPs improved when the temperature increased to 300 °C because of the enhanced crystallinity and elimination of byproducts; on the other hand, it degraded above 400 °C due to the decreased surface area. These results suggest that controlling the calcination temperature is an effective way to tailor the morphology, crystallinity, and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 NPs.

The objective of this study is to investigate effects of precursor concentration on dimensional size, defect state, and gas sensing performance of MoS 2 sheets synthesized by hydrothermal method with various precursor concentrations (0.14-1.4 M) in fixed HCl solution (7 M). The MoS 2 sheets show a defect-rich and strained structure. When precursor concentration is increased, dimensional size of the sheet is increased while the specific surface area of the sheet is decreased. The MoS 2 sensor made with 0.14 M precursor solution exhibits superior sensing performance with high sensitivity (372%) and rapid recovery time (<16 min) at room temperature in a 500 ppm NO 2 gas atmosphere due to enhanced active site resulting from the highest specific surface area. In addition, all MoS 2 samples show a complete recovery after response to NO 2 gas probably related to the defective and strained surface resulting from the use of HCl surfactant.

On May 1, 2001, a coalition of national organizations released a major planning document designed to develop a national strategy for the promotion of physically active lifestyles among the mid-life and older adult population. The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older was developed with input from 46 organizations with expertise in health, medicine, social and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, gerontology/geriatrics, clinical science, public policy, marketing, medical systems, community organization, and environmental issues. The Blueprint notes that, despite a wealth of evidence about the benefits of physical activity for mid-life and older persons, there has been little success in convincing age 50+ Americans to adopt physically active lifestyles. The Blueprint identifies barriers in the areas of research, home and community programs, medical systems, public policy and advocacy, and marketing and communications. In addition to identifying barriers, the Blueprint proposes a number of concrete strategies that could be employed in order to overcome the barriers to physical activity in society at large. This report summarizes the outcome of the National Blueprint Consensus Conference that was held in October 2002. In this conference, representatives of more than 50 national organizations convened in Washington, D.C. with the goal of identifying high priority and high feasibility strategies which would advance the National Blueprint and which could be initiated within the next 12 to 24 months. Participants in the consensus conference were assigned to one of five breakout groups: home and community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. Each breakout group was charged with identifying the three highest priority strategies within their area for effectively increasing physical activity levels in the mid-life and older adult population. In addition to the 15 strategies identified by the breakout groups, three "cross-cutting" strategies were added which were considered to be broad-based in scope and which applied to more than one of the breakout themes. A national organization was identified to take the lead in planning and implementing each strategy. A summary of the 18 strategies and lead organizations is presented. The National Blueprint Consensus Conference has identified an ambitious agenda of strategies and tactics that will need to be implemented in order to overcome societal barriers to physical activity among the mid-life and older adult population. More than 50 national organizations have expressed a commitment to work towards the implementation of the Blueprint agenda. Eighteen priority strategies have been identified in the areas of home and 170 National Blueprint Conference Summary Report community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. The organizations charged with the task of implementing the high priority strategies will use professional networks and established delivery channels and communication systems to translate...

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