Researchers from The Netherlands report that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have higher levels of self-efficacy for physical activity are more likely to achieve their physical activity goals. According to the study now available in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), achievement of physical activity goals is associated with lower self-reported arthritis pain and increased health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that RA, a chronic autoimmune disease causing inflammation in the lining of joints, affects nearly 1% of the world population. In the U.S., the ACR reports 1.3 million adults suffer with RA. Studies indicate that RA patients cite pain and stiffness as the most limiting factors of their illness, and report lower HRQOL than healthy individuals. RA patients who do not engage in regular physical activity have a more pronounced effect from the disease.

For the current study, Keegan Knittle, MSc, from Leiden University in The Netherlands and colleagues surveyed 106 patients with RA to assess physical activity, motivation and self-efficacy for physical activity, level of arthritis pain, and quality of life. After six months, participants were surveyed again and asked to indicate the extent to which they achieved their baseline physical activity goal. Previous research has shown that self-efficacy, described as one's belief in his or her own capabilities to perform a specific behavior, is associated with increased physical activity participation among RA patients.

Results showed that 75% of participants rated their physical activity goal achievement at 50% or more. Higher levels of self-efficacy for physical activity increased the likelihood that patients would achieve their physical activity goals, and goal achievement had a direct positive effect upon quality of life outcomes. Researchers found that patients who achieved their physical activity goal reported less arthritis pain and greater quality of life. No differences were found between men and women who completed the surveys, or between patients newly diagnosed versus those with RA for 10 years or more.

Knittle concluded, "Our results suggest that an increased focus on self-efficacy enhancement, realistic goal-setting, and techniques that increase the likelihood of goal achievement will assist clinicians and researchers develop interventions that have a positive impact on pain reduction and quality of life outcomes for RA patients."

  • Additional
  • References
  • Citations

British researchers say they have identified the gene that controls chronic pain, opening the door to new drug therapies that block the chemical processes that cause chronic back pain, headaches or arthritis.

Chronic pain, defined as pain that is experienced most days of the week for at least three months, afflicts around 1 in 5 Australians. It commonly disrupts a sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life.

Now a team led by Professor Peter McNaughton, Head of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, has isolated a gene called HCN2 that produces a protein that causes chronic pain.

“Individuals suffering from neuropathic pain often have little or no respite because of the lack of effective medications. Our research lays the groundwork for the development of new drugs to treat chronic pain by blocking HCN2,” said Professor McNaughton.

His team conducted a series of experiments on mice genetically engineered to be born without the HCN2 gene. The researchers observed that these mice responded normally to normal acute pain (which is produced by a sudden injury) but that removing the HCN2 gene abolished neuropathic pain.

Being able to control chronic pain without affecting normal pain responses was crucial, he said.

“Many genes play a critical role in pain sensation, but in most cases interfering with them simply abolishes all pain, or even all sensation,” Professor McNaughton said.

“This finding could be very valuable clinically because normal pain sensation is essential for avoiding accidental damage.”

Professor Richard Lewis, an expert on chronic pain from the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said the breakthrough was significant.

“This work appears particularly exciting as it, for the first time, directly links pacemaker channel HCN2 — a membrane protein important in controlling cell excitability — to the development of several difficult-to-treat painful conditions but not normal pain sensations,” said Professor Lewis, who was not involved in the research.

Chemical disruption of HCN2 could form the basis of much needed new pain therapies, he said.

“Building on previous research in this area, the work now highlights opportunities to discover and develop safer and more effective pain therapies that can selectively target HCN2 in pain pathways.”

The UK study was published in the September 9 edition of the journal Science.
This story is published courtesy of the The Conversation (under Creative Commons-Attribution/No derivatives).

Provided by The Conversation

One of my favorites that she had was done by John Roeder.My sister also shares my love for folk art. I don't particularly care for his art.Another painting that I admire is called Howard in 1944.I have loved folk art paintings that depict the world of black Americans. She favors animal prints, and I found one that depicts leopards and gave it to her for her birthday. She looked so relaxed, that I could imagine what it felt like to lie there myself. I don't know whose smile is bigger, the one in the painting or the one on my face every time I look at it. It's pretty funny to me that when we were growing up, she'd cry because she wasn't allowed to play football with the boys and I used to tease her relentlessly and.....

3 million adults suffer with RA. RA patients who do not engage in regular physical activity have a more pronounced effect from the disease. His team conducted a series of experiments on mice genetically engineered to be born without the HCN2 gene. It commonly disrupts a sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life. Higher levels of self-efficacy for physical activity are more likely to achieve their physical activity goals. Provided by The Conversation .S. “Many genes play a critical role in pain sensation, but in most cases interfering with them simply abolishes all pain, or even all sensation,” Professor McNaughton said. “This work appears particularly exciting as it, for the first time, directly links pacemaker channel HCN2 — a membrane protein important in controlling cell excitability — to the development of several difficult-to-treat painful conditions but not normal pain sensations,” said Professor Lewis, who was not involved in the research. Researchers found that patients who achieved their physical activity goal reported less arthritis pain and greater quality of life. No differences were found between men and women who completed the surveys, or between patients newly diagnosed versus those with RA for 10 years or more.This story is published courtesy The painting that has touched me the most features a sad little girl and is called A Letter From My Mother. I personally don't have any of these in my collection, since I like to collect pieces that I can relate to. It's pretty funny to me that when we were growing up, she'd cry because she wasn't allowed to play football with the boys and I used to tease her relentlessly and pull her pigtails whenever I got the chance. I don't particularly care for his art. If she could kick the ball they way she liked to kick me in the knee, I'd see to it she played for my team every time.One of my favorite paintings was done in 1962 by Bill Dodge. It was painted in 1988 by Reverend Howard Finster and is done in enamel. She looked so relaxed, that I could imagine what it felt like to lie there myself. It's of a swamp house on a bayou and has a Louisiana feel to it.There is a subcategory of folk art paintings that depict the world of black Americans.There is a water scene that I really like painted in 1940. It's a beautiful painting but it's just too depressing to hang anywhere. It is done in vibrant colors and also depicts the buildings in the market like an ice cream parlor and the Hotel Van Nuys.My sister also shares my love for folk art. It's too bad my parents didn't let her play football with us.Another painting that I admire is called Howard in 1944. I spent a lot of time playing

ain arthritis pin arthritis pan arthritis pai arthritis pain rthritis pain athritis pain arhritis pain artritis pain arthitis pain arthrtis pain arthriis pain arthrits pain arthriti oain arthritis psin arthritis paun arthritis paon arthritis paib arthritis paim arthritis pain srthritis pain aethritis pain atthritis pain arrhritis pain aryhritis pain artgritis pain artjritis pain artheitis pain arthtitis pain arthrutis pain arthrotis pain arthriris pain arthriyis pain arthritus pain arthritos pain arthritia pain arthritid apin arthritis pian arthritis pani arthritis pai narthritis pain rathritis pain atrhritis pain arhtritis pain artrhitis pain arthirtis pain arthrtiis pain arthriits pain arthritsi pain arthriti ppain arthritis paain arthritis paiin arthritis painn arthritis pain aarthritis pain arrthritis pain artthritis pain arthhritis pain arthrritis pain arthriitis pain arthrittis pain arthritiis pain arthritiss
Researchers from The Netherlands report that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have higher levels of self-efficacy for physical activity are more likely to achieve their physical activity goals. According to the study now available in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), achievement of physical activity goals is associated with lower self-reported arthritis pain and increased health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that RA, a chronic autoimmune disease causing inflammation in the lining of joints, affects nearly 1% of the world population. In the U.S., the ACR reports 1.3 million adults suffer with RA. Studies indicate that RA patients cite pain and stiffness as the most limiting factors of their illness, and report lower HRQOL than healthy individuals. RA patients who do not engage in regular physical activity have a more pronounced effect from the disease.

For the current study, Keegan Knittle, MSc, from Leiden University in The Netherlands and colleagues surveyed 106 patients with RA to assess physical activity, motivation and self-efficacy for physical activity, level of arthritis pain, and quality of life. After six months, participants were surveyed again and asked to indicate the extent to which they achieved their baseline physical activity goal. Previous research has shown that self-efficacy, described as one's belief in his or her own capabilities to perform a specific behavior, is associated with increased physical activity participation among RA patients.

Results showed that 75% of participants rated their physical activity goal achievement at 50% or more. Higher levels of self-efficacy for physical activity increased the likelihood that patients would achieve their physical activity goals, and goal achievement had a direct positive effect upon quality of life outcomes. Researchers found that patients who achieved their physical activity goal reported less arthritis pain and greater quality of life. No differences were found between men and women who completed the surveys, or between patients newly diagnosed versus those with RA for 10 years or more.

Knittle concluded, "Our results suggest that an increased focus on self-efficacy enhancement, realistic goal-setting, and techniques that increase the likelihood of goal achievement will assist clinicians and researchers develop interventions that have a positive impact on pain reduction and quality of life outcomes for RA patients."

  • Additional
  • References
  • Citations

British researchers say they have identified the gene that controls chronic pain, opening the door to new drug therapies that block the chemical processes that cause chronic back pain, headaches or arthritis.

Chronic pain, defined as pain that is experienced most days of the week for at least three months, afflicts around 1 in 5 Australians. It commonly disrupts a sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life.

Now a team led by Professor Peter McNaughton, Head of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, has isolated a gene called HCN2 that produces a protein that causes chronic pain.

“Individuals suffering from neuropathic pain often have little or no respite because of the lack of effective medications. Our research lays the groundwork for the development of new drugs to treat chronic pain by blocking HCN2,” said Professor McNaughton.

His team conducted a series of experiments on mice genetically engineered to be born without the HCN2 gene. The researchers observed that these mice responded normally to normal acute pain (which is produced by a sudden injury) but that removing the HCN2 gene abolished neuropathic pain.

Being able to control chronic pain without affecting normal pain responses was crucial, he said.

“Many genes play a critical role in pain sensation, but in most cases interfering with them simply abolishes all pain, or even all sensation,” Professor McNaughton said.

“This finding could be very valuable clinically because normal pain sensation is essential for avoiding accidental damage.”

Professor Richard Lewis, an expert on chronic pain from the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said the breakthrough was significant.

“This work appears particularly exciting as it, for the first time, directly links pacemaker channel HCN2 — a membrane protein important in controlling cell excitability — to the development of several difficult-to-treat painful conditions but not normal pain sensations,” said Professor Lewis, who was not involved in the research.

Chemical disruption of HCN2 could form the basis of much needed new pain therapies, he said.

“Building on previous research in this area, the work now highlights opportunities to discover and develop safer and more effective pain therapies that can selectively target HCN2 in pain pathways.”

The UK study was published in the September 9 edition of the journal Science.
This story is published courtesy of the The Conversation (under Creative Commons-Attribution/No derivatives).

Provided by The Conversation