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Introduction: Osteoporosis exercise guidelines recommend functional and balance training, progressive strength training, and weight-bearing or impact exercises. While the recommendations are recognized by the scientific community, translation of the guidelines into practice receives little attention. Before developing interventions to improve uptake of the guideline, we should explore perspectives on the recommendations. The aim of this study was to understand the perspectives of adults with osteoporosis on starting or continuing moderate or high impact exercise and strength training. Methods: We conducted one-on-one interviews with people ≥50 years with osteoporosis or low bone mass (T-score < - 1) who were presently, previously, or not active. We recruited individuals nationally and internationally through our email distribution list, social media, and snowball sampling. Transcripts were transcribed verbatim and uploaded to Nvivo. We used inductive thematic analysis to analyze the data. Results: We interviewed 43 individuals (68±6.9 years); 19 people had prior fragility fractures. We identified 3 themes. Knowledge: Participants were aware that weightbearing and strength training were recommended to manage osteoporosis. Individuals had a basic understanding of strength training and those currently training used resistance bands, free weights, or body weight to perform single joint movements. There was limited insight on how to progress the exercise program, reach muscle fatigue, or incorporate sets and repetitions. Participants had limited knowledge of impact exercise and associated the term impact with jolting and bursting movements. Capability: All participants were willing to engage in moderate or high intensity strength training; however, they expressed a variety of views about doing moderate or high impact exercises. Those with prior injuries or fractures were less comfortable engaging in impact exercise. Exercise support: Participants reported several types of resources to support their involvement in moderate or high intensity training including videos, printed materials, and community classes led by exercise professionals with knowledge in osteoporosis. In addition, participants emphasized that ongoing support and accountability were needed to keep them motivated. Conclusion: Participants had a good understanding of the recommendations, but there is limited knowledge on how to maximize benefits. They also mentioned several types of patient-mediated tools and support systems to keep them motivated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present study, preliminary data was obtained regarding the mortality rate of the Amazonian anophelines, Anopheles nuneztovari, Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles braziliensis when subjected to treatment with Bacillus sphaericus strain 2362, the WHO standard strain. Initially, experiments were conducted to test the mortality rate of the three species of anopheline larvae. The third larval instar of An. nuneztovari and the second and third larval instars of An. darlingi proved to be the least susceptible. In other experiments, the same three mosquito species were tested with the standard strain 2362, An. nuneztovari was the least susceptible to this insect pathogen, while An. braziliensis was the most susceptible. This latter species showed a difference in the level of LC50 concentration, when compared to the former, of 2.4, 2.5 and 1.8 in readings taken 24, 48 and 72 hours after exposure to the bacillus.

In this work, bioassays were carried out in laboratory conditions (average temperature 26 +/- 2 degrees C) to test ten strains of Bacillus sphaericus, isolated from Brazilian soils against third instar larvae from anopheline species recorded as malaria vectors in Amazonian-Anopheles nuneztovari and An. darlingi. With the former mosquito, three strains--S2, S20 and S46 showed relative activity, in 24 and 48 hr exposure to the B. spahericus strains. With the latter only the S2 and S20 were effective in the 48 hr reading. The studied strains that showed the most adequate response in the Amazonian region were S2 and S20 showing broader and more efficient results. Therefore, S2 was the most effective when the 24 and 48 hr readings were considered, because it showed the greatest relative activity values.