Aim
To investigate the effects of branched‐chain amino acids and vitamin D supplementation on physical function, muscle strength, muscle mass, and nutritional status in sarcopenic older adults undergoing hospital‐based rehabilitation.
Methods
We carried out an 8‐week, multicenter, randomized, controlled, blinded outcome, two‐cohort parallel group intervention trial of sarcopenic older adults undergoing in‐hospital rehabilitation. The eligibility criteria included older adults (aged ≥65 years) with low muscle strength (handgrip strength) and low muscle mass (calf circumference) according to the cut‐off values for older Asians. The intervention group received branched‐chain amino acids and vitamin D supplementation, whereas the control group did not. Both groups underwent low‐intensity resistance training in addition to the post‐acute rehabilitation program. The primary outcome of physical function (Functional Independence Measure‐motor scores), and the secondary outcomes of muscle strength (handgrip strength), muscle mass (calf circumference) and nutritional status (body mass index) were measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention.
Results
Finally, a total of 68 patients were analyzed (intention‐to‐treat analysis): 35 in the intervention group and 33 in the control group. Functional Independence Measure‐motor scores increased significantly in both groups over time (P < 0.05). However, no treatment‐by‐time effects were observed (median estimated difference 2.4, 95% confidence interval −1.2 to 7.1). Handgrip strength, calf circumference and body mass index increased significantly in both groups over time (P < 0.05), with significantly greater improvements in the intervention group (P = 0.041, 0.033 and 0.035, respectively).
Conclusions
We showed that an 8‐week intervention of branched‐chain amino acids and vitamin D supplementation with low‐intensity resistance training improves muscle‐related outcomes in sarcopenic older adults undergoing hospital‐based rehabilitation (UMIN000006238). Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 12–17.
The fracture arrest of high pressure gas pipelines is one of the keen subjects for application of high strength line pipes. To examine the arrestability of high strength line pipes against crack propagation, several full scale fracture propagation tests have been conducted. The fracture propagation tests of X100 or X120 under high pressure revealed that the existing models of arrest energy prediction failed to predict the arrest energies. By careful investigations of the test results, it is found that the failure in prediction is mainly due to the uncertainty of crack velocity curve prediction. On the other hand, accuracy of predicted gas decompression curve is relatively high even in the case of high pressure condition. Experimentally, the arrest energies have been determined by full-scale fracture propagation tests with increasing toughness arrangement. Different from actual pipeline, extremely low toughness pipe has been employed in crack initiation pipe with intention of getting steady state propagation. However, arrestability of pipe might be underestimated in the increasing toughness arrangement test as the initial crack velocity increases. Together with recalibrated crack velocity curve, Sumitomo model (HLP method with Sumitomo’s crack velocity curve) predicts that even toughness arrangement, which is the case of real pipelines, could arrest the propagating shear fracture in high pressure gas pipelines by X100.
This study was planned as a part of a test program to confirm the effect of girth welds on the strain capacity of pipes. In this study, full-scale pipe bending tests are performed by using X80 SAW pipe. This paper covers pipe manufacturing procedure, developed welding procedure to obtain even match weld metal and properties of welded joints. And this work demonstrated that the X80 pipes welded under the developed procedure fractured in base metal remote from girth welded portion by full scale pipe bending test conducted under the internal pressure of 72% SMYS of X80.
Several patients undergoing physical therapy have nutritional problems. Knowledge of nutrition is necessary for addressing nutritional problems, such as malnutrition, sarcopenia, frailty, and cachexia. However, the relationship between physical therapy and nutrition is not fully understood. Physical therapy plays an important role in nutritional management, and evaluations, such as muscle strength and muscle mass evaluations, play an important role in nutritional screening and diagnosis. Exercise, as the core of physical therapy, is essential for nutritional interventions. Several recent studies have suggested that a combination of nutrition and physical therapy interventions can maximize the function, activity, participation, and quality of life of patients. The combination of nutrition and physical therapy interventions is key to addressing the needs of modern and diverse populations. This position paper was developed by the Physical Therapist Section of the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Nutrition in consultation with the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Swallowing Physical Therapy.
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