Multicomponent and mat Pilates training increased gait speed in individuals with Parkinson's disease when walking and carrying a load: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Gait disorders in individuals with Parkinson's disease (IwPD) are among the most disabling symptoms. Physical exercise has been proposed for the treatment of IwPD because it shows positive effects on gait variables. Given the importance of physical activity in the rehabilitation process of IwPD, the assessment of interventions to identify those most promising for improving or maintaining gait performance is of great relevance. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of Mat Pilates Training (MPT) and Multicomponent Training (MCT) on the spatiotemporal variables of gait in situations of daily dual-task performance in IwPD. Gait analysis in a daily dual-task context allows the simulation of real-life conditions where individuals have a higher risk of falling than in single-task walking. METHODS: We conducted a single-blinded randomized controlled trial with 34 mild-to-moderate IwPD (Hoehn-Yahr stage 1-2). They were randomized to one of two interventions: MPT or MCT. All participants performed the training for 60 min, three times per week, for 20 weeks. Spatiotemporal gait variables were evaluated in a daily life situation to increase the ecological validity of the measurements, which included gait speed, stride time, double support time, swing time, and cadence. The individuals walked on a platform holding two bags with a load corresponding to 10% of their body mass. RESULTS: After the intervention, there was a significant improvement in gait speed in both groups: MPT (p = 0.047) and MCT (p = 0.015). The MPT group reduced the cadence (p = 0.005) and the MCT group increased the stride length (p = 0.026) after the intervention. DISCUSSION: Both groups had positive effects on gait speed with load transport resulting from the two proposed interventions. However, the MPT group showed a spatiotemporal adjustment of speed and cadence that can increase gait stability, which was not found in the MCT group.

Integration of biomonitoring and instrumental techniques to assess the air quality in an industrial area located in the coastal of central Asturias, Spain.

Throughout the world, epidemiological studies were established to examine the relationship between air pollution and mortality rates and adverse respiratory health effects. However, despite the years of discussion the correlation between adverse health effects and atmospheric pollution remains controversial, partly because these studies are frequently restricted to small and well-monitored areas. Monitoring air pollution is complex due to the large spatial and temporal variations of pollution phenomena, the high costs of recording instruments, and the low sampling density of a purely instrumental approach. Therefore, together with the traditional instrumental monitoring, bioindication techniques allow for the mapping of pollution effects over wide areas with a high sampling density. In this study, instrumental and biomonitoring techniques were integrated to support an epidemiological study that will be developed in an industrial area located in Gijon in the coastal of central Asturias, Spain. Three main objectives were proposed to (i) analyze temporal patterns of PM10 concentrations in order to apportion emissions sources, (ii) investigate spatial patterns of lichen conductivity to identify the impact of the studied industrial area in air quality, and (iii) establish relationships amongst lichen conductivity with some site-specific characteristics. Samples of the epiphytic lichen Parmelia sulcata were transplanted in a grid of 18 by 20 km with an industrial area in the center. Lichens were exposed for a 5-mo period starting in April 2010. After exposure, lichen samples were soaked in 18-MΩ water aimed at determination of water electrical conductivity and, consequently, lichen vitality and cell damage. A marked decreasing gradient of lichens conductivity relative to distance from the emitting sources was observed. Transplants from a sampling site proximal to the industrial area reached values 10-fold higher than levels far from it. This finding showed that lichens reacted physiologically in the polluted industrial area as evidenced by increased conductivity correlated to contamination level. The integration of temporal PM10 measurements and analysis of wind direction corroborated the importance of this industrialized region for air quality measurements and identified the relevance of traffic for the urban area.