scholarly journals Acute and Chronic Periocular Massage for Ocular Blood Flow and Vision: a Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-13
Author(s):  
Naoyuki Hayashi, PhD ◽  
Lanfei Du, MSc
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Vascular Function ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Ocular Blood Flow ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Before And After

Introduction: The ocular blood flow (OBF) is responsible for supplying nutrition to the retina, which plays a fundamental role in visual function. Massage is expected to improve the blood flow and, consequently, vascular function. The aim of this study was to determine the shortterm and long-term effects of periocular massage on OBF and visual acuity. Methods: The OBF and visual acuity were measured in 40 healthy adults aged 20–30 years before and after massage, and also in control subjects. Three massage methods were used: applying periocular acupressure (“Chinese eye exercise”: CE), using a facial massage roller (MR), and using an automated eye massager (AM). The OBF and visual acuity were first measured before and after applying each type of massage for 5 min. Eye massage was then applied for 5 min once daily over a 60-day period, while the control group received no massage. The same measurements were then performed again. Results: Performing short-term periocular massage showed significant interactions in time and massage effects on visual acuity in CE and AM groups, and on OBF in AM group, while 60-day massage period exerted no significant effects. No significant relationship was found between OBF and visual acuity changes. Conclusions: These results suggest that short-term periocular massage with Chinese eye exercise and automated eye massager can improve OBF and visual acuity, although no causal relationship was supported.

A Behavioral Workshop for Training Immediate Supervisors: The Key to Neck and Back Injuries?

1991 ◽  
Vol 73 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1159-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven James Linton
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Injuries ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Target Behaviors ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Railroad System ◽  
And Behavior

This study investigated the short-term effects of a workshop for 22 immediate supervisors designed to reduce musculoskeletal pain injuries. One group of supervisors received training on how to deal with musculoskeletal injuries, while the control group of 14 received no training. 36 male immediate supervisors and 171 male employees within the Swedish railroad system completed questionnaires before and after the intervention. The trained supervisors' ratings showed that they enjoyed the workshop and believed that it improved their skills. Moreover, trained supervisors significantly more often than the controls showed target behaviors and attitudes compatible with course content. Finally, employees of the trained supervisors reported significantly more often than the control group that their supervisor used target behaviors. It is concluded that an educational program for immediate supervisors is viable and may lead to changes in attitude and behavior. Teaching supervisors to work with employees is a rich field for future investigation; the long-term effects of such programs need to be studied.

scholarly journals Feasibility and Enjoyment of Exercise Video Games in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 559-559
Author(s):  
Sara Freed ◽  
Briana Sprague ◽  
Lesley Ross
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Xbox Kinect ◽  
Game Developers

Abstract Interventions using exercise video games, or exergames, have shown short-term cognitive and physical benefits to older adults, though long-term effects are less promising. Enjoyment of exergames may promote exergame use after the intervention period, though little work has examined older adults’ views of exergames before and after gameplay experience. We invited 20 older adults between 65 and 84 years of age (M=73.30, SD=5.95) to play two Xbox Kinect games, Just Dance and Kinect Sports Rivals, for twenty minutes. In our presentation, we will present qualitative and quantitative findings of this pilot study, including findings that older adults reported that they were not likely to play similar exergames in the future and that they did not find the exergames to be more fun compared to other ways of exercising. We will discuss implications for game design and research relevant to game developers, manufacturers, and researchers. Part of a symposium sponsored by Technology and Aging Interest Group.

Low Mortality of Larval Lampreys from Electrofishing, Suction-pumping, Anesthesia, and Handling

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 640-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C. Jolley ◽  
Christina T. Uh ◽  
Gregory S. Silver ◽  
Timothy A. Whitesel
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Pacific Lamprey ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Delayed Mortality

Abstract Native lamprey populations are declining worldwide. In the Pacific Northwest focus on conservation and management of these ecologically and culturally important species has increased. Concern has emerged regarding the effects of sampling and handling of lamprey, with little to no attention given to the larval lifestage. We monitored the survival of larval Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus and Lampetra spp. after backpack electrofishing, deepwater electrofishing and suction-pumping, anesthesia, and handling. We performed survival trials on wild-caught lamprey (n = 15 larvae in each trial) collected from the Clackamas River drainage in Oregon, USA, coupled with control group trials from lamprey sourced from a hatchery (n = 10 larvae). Short-term (96 h) survival was >98% with only one observed mortality. Delayed mortality (1 wk) was observed for four individuals that had fungus; two of those were positive for the bacteria Aeromonas hyrdrophila. We recorded blood hematocrit as a secondary measure of stress. The baseline, nonstressed larvae hematocrit levels did not differ from those of fish that had undergone stress through electrofishing, suction-pumping, and handling without anesthesia. Electrofishing, suction-pumping, and anesthesia showed no short-term negative effects on larval lamprey although potential long-term effects remain unstudied. These techniques appear to provide efficient and relatively safe methods for collecting and surveying larval lamprey.

Effects of Learning on Smooth Pursuit During Transient Disappearance of a Visual Target

2003 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 972-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Madelain ◽  
Richard J. Krauzlis
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Pursuit ◽  
Visual Target ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Velocity Gain ◽  
Visual Inputs ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Pursuit Velocity

Previous research has demonstrated learning in the pursuit system, but it is unclear whether these effects are the result of changes in visual or motor processing. The ability to maintain smooth pursuit during the transient disappearance of a visual target provides a way to assess pursuit properties in the absence of visual inputs. To study the long-term effects of learning on nonvisual signals for pursuit, we used an operant conditioning procedure. By providing a reinforcing auditory stimulus during periods of accurate tracking, we increased the pursuit velocity gain during target blanking from 0.59 in the baseline session to 0.89 after 8 to 10 daily sessions of training. Learning also reduced the occurrence of saccades. The learned effects generalized to untrained target velocities and persisted in the presence of a textured visual background. In a yoked-control group, the reinforcer was independent of the subjects' responses, and the velocity gain remained unchanged (from 0.6 to 0.63, respectively, before and after training). In a control group that received no reinforcer, gain increased slightly after repetition of the task (from 0.63 to 0.71, respectively, before and after training). Using a model of pursuit, we show that these effects of learning can be simulated by modifying the gain of an extra-retinal signal. Our results demonstrate that learned contingencies can increase eye velocity in the absence of visual signals and support the view that pursuit is regulated by extra-retinal signals that can undergo long-term plasticity.

scholarly journals Control Study of Short-Term Aftereffect in Diving Exposure Related Pulmonary Ventilation Function

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Ventilation ◽  
Flow Index ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Expiratory Flow ◽  
Hyperbaric Exposure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pulmonary Ventilation Function

Objective: Ventilation attenuation often happened in professional divers due to long-term cumulative effects in diving exercises. By case-control experiments, we observed the immediate effects of pulmonary ventilation before and after the exposure of 12m-depth underwater for 20 min to discuss the relationships between the short-term and long-time effects caused by diving environment. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned into the Experimental Group (EG) who stayed for 20 min under 12-m water environment or the Control Group (CG) who stayed in hyperbaric chamber under the pressure of 2.2ATA. Pulmonary ventilation function parameters including VC, FVC, MVV and MV were detected respectively before and after hyperbaric exposure by the Spirometer. Immediate effects of pulmonary ventilation before and after diving were compared by paired t test to reveal the different influence caused by environmental pressure. Results: The value of VC appears to rise while the MV, MVV were detected decreased after the exposure of 2.2ATA of environment pressure for 20min in the two groups. VC increased more significantly in the CG (t=-1.26, p=0.23) after hyperbaric exposure, that leads to the FEV1.0%t (=FEV1.0/VC %) increase in EG (t=-0.73, p=0.48) while decrease in CG (t=0.42, p=0.17). The same trend in VC, MV and MVV after high pressure exposure in the two groups mainly due to the effect of common factors –the pressure. In addition to the impact of the pressure itself, EG members also face diving related immersion effect, influence of diving equipment load and water under low temperature. The FVC is detected decreased in EG (t=1.21, P =0.25) while it increased in CG (t=-0.42, P =0.68) , but the differences are not significant and couldn’t affect the measured FEV1.0% (=FEV1.0/FVC %) values showed both increasing in EG (t=-1.48, P =0.16) and in CG (t=-0.23, P =0.82). The expiratory flow rate including PEF, FEF25-75, MEF75, MEF50 increased in EG (t are -0.72, -0.69, -0.87 and -0.36 respectively with P all greater than 0.05) while decreased in CG (t are 1.67, 0.50, 1.53 and 0.71 respectively with P all greater than 0.05). MEF25 is the expiratory flow index of not affected by respiratory muscle force and the measured values of MEF25 increased in the EG (t=-0.68, P =0.51) and in the CG (t=-0.36, P =0.72). Conclusion: Water immersion and water temperature during diving exposure could cause and accelerate hemodynamic changes in pulmonary circulation induced pulmonary interstitial edema and led to the increase of external respiratory work. Instant effects of diving exposure in the study are quite consistent with the long-term cumulative effect of professional divers in previous research, which is FVC reduced because small airway become narrower. The results illustrate even the small depth of short-range diving exercise have definite influences on pulmonary ventilation, which mainly comes from the environmental factor but not the pressure increases.

scholarly journals Long-Term Effects of Financial Incentives for General Practitioners on Quality Indicators in the Treatment of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Care—A Follow-Up Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Parallel Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahel Meier ◽  
Corinne Chmiel ◽  
Fabio Valeri ◽  
Leander Muheim ◽  
Oliver Senn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Routine Data ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Patients With Diabetes

Background: The effect of financial incentives on the quality of primary care is of high interest, and so is its sustainability after financial incentives are withdrawn.Objective: To assess both long-term effects and sustainability of financial incentives for general practitioners (GPs) in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus based on quality indicators (QIs) calculated from routine data from electronic medical records.Design/Participants: Randomized controlled trial using routine data from electronic medical records of patients with diabetes mellitus of Swiss GPs.Intervention: During the study period of 24 months, all GPs received bimonthly feedback reports with information on their actual treatment as reflected in QIs. In the intervention group, the reports were combined with financial incentives for quality improvement. The incentive was stopped after 12 months.Measurements: Proportion of patients meeting the process QI of annual HbA1c measurements and the clinical QI of blood pressure levels below 140/85 mmHg.Results: A total of 71 GPs from 43 different practices were included along with 3,854 of their patients with diabetes mellitus. Throughout the study, the proportion of patients with annual HbA1c measurements was stable in the intervention group (78.8–78.9%) and decreased slightly in the control group (81.5–80.2%) [odds ratio (OR): 1.21; 95% CI: 1.04–1.42, p < 0.05]. The proportion of patients achieving blood pressure levels below 140/85 mmHg decreased in the control group (51.2–47.2%) and increased in the intervention group (49.7–51.9%) (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04–1.35, p < 0.05) where it peaked at 54.9% after 18 months and decreased steadily over the last 6 months.Conclusion: After the withdrawal of financial incentives for the GPs after 12 months, some QIs still improved, indicating that 1 year might be too short to observe the full effect of such interventions. The decrease in QI achievement rates after 18 months suggests that the positive effects of time-limited financial incentives eventually wane.

Positive Impact of Physical Exercise on Brain Activity

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Yunkyeong Nam
Keyword(s):  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Individual

A case study was conducted in order to track the human brain adapts to changing demands by physical exercise. Reaction time and amplitude discrimination capacity of the individual were measured with the Brain Gauge to monitor brain activity before and after aerobic exercise. The objective of the study was to determine if there were short-term and/or long-term effects of aerobic exercise.  The data suggests that there are short-term effects and some improvements in performance on the tasks when comparing metrics obtained after exercise to before exercise.  For this individual, aerobic exercise was a regular part of daily routine, there was no long-term effect detected over the relatively short duration of the study.

scholarly journals Effects of Long-Term Use of Insoles with a Toe-Grip Bar on the Balance, Walking, and Running of Preschool Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Hideki Nakano ◽  
Shin Murata ◽  
Teppei Abiko ◽  
Nozomi Mitsumaru ◽  
Atsuko Kubo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Length Step

This randomized controlled study is aimed at investigating the effects of long-term use of insoles with a toe-grip bar on the balance, walking, and running of preschool children. Fifty-two preschool children were randomly assigned to an intervention group or control group. Children included in the intervention group wore shoes with insoles that had a toe-grip bar, and those in the control group wore shoes with regular insoles without a toe-grip bar for 4 weeks while they were at school. The center of gravity sway (total trajectory length and envelope area), walking parameters (walking speed, cadence, stride length, step length, stance time, and swing time), and time to run 25 m were measured before and after the intervention. The 25 m running time of the intervention group was significantly improved after the intervention (F=5.66; p<0.05). This study suggests that insoles with a toe-grip bar may contribute to improvements in the running of preschool children.

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