Comparative effects of EMG-driven robot-assisted therapy versus task-oriented training on motor and daily function in patients with stroke: a randomized cross-over trial

Background Robot-assisted hand training has shown positive effects on promoting neuromuscular control. Since both robot-assisted therapy and task-oriented training are often used in post-stroke rehabilitation, we raised the question of whether two interventions engender differential effects in different domains. Methods The study was conducted using a randomized, two-period crossover design. Twenty-four chronic stroke survivors received a 12-session robot-assisted intervention followed by a 12-session task-oriented intervention or vice versa. A 1-month washout period between each intervention was implemented. Outcome measures were evaluated before the intervention, after the first 12-session intervention, and after the second 12-session intervention. Clinical assessments included Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity, Wolf Motor Function Test, Action Research Arm Test and Motor Activity Log. Results Our findings suggested that EMG-driven robot-assisted therapy was as effective as task-oriented training in terms of improving upper limbs functional performance in activity domain, and robot-assisted therapy was more effective in improving movement duration during functional tasks. Task-oriented training showed better improvement in body function domain and activity and participation domain, especially in improving spontaneous use of affected arm during daily activities. Conclusions Both intervention protocol had their own advantages in different domains, and robot-assisted therapy may save manpower and be considered as an alternative intervention to task-oriented training. Combining the two approaches could yield results greater than either alone, which awaits further study. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03624153. Registered on 9th August 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03624153.

Effect of six-week traditional resistance and functional training on functional performance in female netball players

Background Improving the quality of functional movements in athletes generally requires additional training targeting specific functional deficiencies. However, well-rounded, traditional strength and conditioning program should also improve player’s movement quality. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to compare the effect of two different six-week interventions on the functional score of female netball players. Methods In a randomized controlled study, players were divided into control and intervention group. Both groups completed identical six-week strength and conditioning program, with the intervention group also completing additional corrective exercises three sessions per week during the same period. Results The FMS® score was significantly higher in the intervention group after 6-week program (f = 9.85, p = 0.004). However, the differences in total score may be attributed mainly to differences between groups in active straight leg raise (p = 0.004) and trunk stability push-up test (p = 0.02), as other individual tests demonstrated similar time and group effect. Conclusion These results indicate that although FMS® based intervention may improve overall functional movement score, the athletes in both groups have demonstrated similar improvements in most of the individual tests. Hence, a well-rounded strength and conditioning program incorporating athlete-specific exercises based on limitations identified in the functional movement screen, may result in a balanced training strategy and reduce the need for supplementary functional training sessions.

Magnetic Stimulation Allows Focal Activation of the Mouse Cochlea

Cochlear implants (CIs) strive to restore hearing to those with severe to profound hearing loss by artificially stimulating the auditory nerve. While most CI users can understand speech in a quiet environment, hearing that utilizes complex neural coding (e.g., appreciating music) has proved elusive, probably because of the inability of CIs to create narrow regions of spectral activation. Several novel approaches have recently shown promise for improving spatial selectivity, but substantial design differences from conventional CIs will necessitate much additional safety testing before clinical viability is established. Outside the cochlea, magnetic stimulation from small coils (micro-coils) has been shown to confine activation more narrowly than that from conventional micro-electrodes, raising the possibility that coil-based stimulation of the cochlea could improve the spectral resolution of CIs. To explore this, we delivered magnetic stimulation from micro-coils to multiple locations of the cochlea and measured the spread of activation utilizing a multi-electrode array inserted into the inferior colliculus; responses to magnetic stimulation were compared to analogous experiments with conventional micro-electrodes as well as to the responses to auditory monotones. Encouragingly, the extent of activation with micro-coils was ~60% narrower than that from electric stimulation and largely similar to the spread arising from acoustic stimulation. The dynamic range of coils was more than three times larger than that of electrodes, further supporting a smaller spread of activation. While much additional testing is required, these results support the notion that coil-based CIs can produce a larger number of independent spectral channels and may therefore improve functional performance. Further, because coil-based devices are structurally similar to existing CIs, fewer impediments to clinical translational are likely to arise.

Association between Inter-Limb Asymmetries in Lower-Limb Functional Performance and Sport Injury: A Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies

Background: Inter-limb asymmetry in lower-limb functional performance has been associated with increased risk of sport injury; however, findings are not always consistent. Purpose: To conduct a systematic review on whether inter-limb asymmetry in lower-limb functional performance can predict sport injury. Methods: Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and SportDiscus) were systematically searched for prospective cohort studies reporting the association between inter-limb asymmetry in lower-limb functional performance and sport injury. Results: A total of 28 prospective cohort studies were included in the analyses. Collectively, the findings were highly inconsistent, and a clear statement on the association between each asymmetry and sport injury was difficult. Conclusions: Highly inconsistent findings make it difficult to create clear recommendations on the relationship between the inter-limb asymmetry in lower-limb functional performance (power, muscle flexibility, and dynamic balance) and sport injury. The influence of potential factors (selection of tests/parameters, participant characteristics, definition of injury, and ways of calculating asymmetry) should be considered when using previous findings.

Affordable Biocidal Ultraviolet Cured Cuprous Oxide Filled Vat Photopolymerization Resin Nanocomposites with Enhanced Mechanical Properties

In this study, Cuprous Oxide (Cu2O), known for its mechanism against bacteria, was used as filler to induce biocidal properties on a common commercial resin stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing resin. The aim was to develop nanocomposites suitable for the SLA process with a low-cost process that mimic host defense peptides (HDPs). Such materials have a huge economic and societal influence on the global technological war on illness and exploiting 3D printing characteristics is an additional asset for these materials. Their mechanical performance was also investigated with tensile, flexural, Charpy’s impact, and Vickers microhardness tests. Morphological analysis was performed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, while the thermal behavior was studied through Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The antibacterial activity of the fabricated nanocomposites was investigated using a screening agar well diffusion method, for a gram-negative and a gram-positive bacterium. Three-dimensional printed nanocomposites exhibited antibacterial performance in all loadings studied, while their mechanical enhancement was approximately 20% even at low filler loadings, revealing a multi-functional performance and a potential of Cuprous Oxide implementation in SLA resin matrices for engineering and medical applications.

Association between Kinesiophobia and Knee Pain Intensity, Joint Position Sense, and Functional Performance in Individuals with Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis

In current clinical practice, fear of movement has been considered a significant factor affecting patient disability and needs to be evaluated and addressed to accomplish successful rehabilitation strategies. Therefore, the study aims (1) to establish the association between kinesiophobia and knee pain intensity, joint position sense (JPS), and functional performance, and (2) to determine whether kinesiophobia predicts pain intensity, JPS, and functional performance among individuals with bilateral knee osteoarthritis (KOA). This cross-sectional study included 50 participants (mean age: 67.10 ± 4.36 years) with KOA. Outcome measures: The level of kinesiophobia was assessed using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, pain intensity using a visual analog scale (VAS), knee JPS using a digital inclinometer, and functional performance using five times sit-to-stand test. Knee JPS was assessed in target angles of 15°, 30°, and 60°. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and simple linear regressions were used to analyze the data. Significant moderate positive correlations were observed between kinesiophobia and pain intensity (r = 0.55, p < 0.001), JPS (r ranged between 0.38 to 0.5, p < 0.05), and functional performance (r = 0.49, p < 0.001). Simple linear regression analysis showed kinesiophobia significantly predicted pain intensity (B = 1.05, p < 0.001), knee JPS (B ranged between 0.96 (0° of knee flexion, right side) to 1.30 (15° of knee flexion, right side)), and functional performance (B = 0.57, p < 0.001). We can conclude that kinesiophobia is significantly correlated and predicted pain intensity, JPS, and functional performance in individuals with KOA. Kinesiophobia is a significant aspect of the recovery process and may be taken into account when planning and implementing rehabilitation programs for KOA individuals.

Physical Properties and Hygrothermal Behavior of Mycelium-Based Composites as Foam-Like Wall Insulation Material

This research aims to study mycelium-based composites (MBC) by assessing their performance as foam-like wall insulation material. Various substrates have been selected to get optimized performance of the composite. Results showed that a prolonged growing period arose a denser mycelium outer layer in MBC, which rendered better water resistance due to the hydrophobicity of mycelium. Thermal conductivity and mechanical properties are highly dependent on substrate choices than other parameters of MBC, which coincided with the literature. Additionally, influences of accelerated aging test and moisture buffer capacity of MBC were first studied in this research. The results indicated that MBC not only maintained good functional performance after the accelerated aging test (i.e. drying and wetting cycles) but also constituted good moisture buffer capacity. This means that MBC has key material essences to apply as internal wall insulation material and become one of the layers in vapor-permeable building envelope systems to passively regulate indoor relative humidity and thermal comfort.

A Compound Hop Index for Assessing Soccer Players’ Performance

Athletes regularly have to pass a series of tests, among which one of the most frequently used functional performance measures are single-leg hop tests. As the collected individual results of tests constitute a large amount of data, strategies to decrease the amount of data without reducing the number of performed tests are being searched for. Therefore, the study aimed to present an effective method to reduce the hop-test battery data to a single score, namely, the Compound Hop Index (CHI) in the example of a soccer team. A male, first-league soccer team performed a battery of commonly used single-leg hop tests, including single hop and triple hop for distance tests and the six-meter timed hop test. Gathered data, including Limb Symmetry Indexes of the three tests, normalized to body height for the single- and triple-hop-tests distance separately for right and left legs, and the time of the six-meter timed hop test separately for right and left legs were standardized to z-scores. Consecutively, the z-scores were averaged and formed CHI. The developed CHI represents a novel score derived from the average of z-scores that significantly reduces, clarifies, and organizes the hop performance-measures data.

Multifactorial Mechanism of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity. Role of Physical Exercise, Microbiota and Myokines

Obesity and ageing place a tremendous strain on the global healthcare system. Age-related sarcopenia is characterized by decreased muscular strength, decreased muscle quantity, quality, and decreased functional performance. Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a condition that combines sarcopenia and obesity and has a substantial influence on the older adults’ health. Because of the complicated pathophysiology, there are disagreements and challenges in identifying and diagnosing SO. Recently, it has become clear that dysbiosis may play a role in the onset and progression of sarcopenia and SO. Skeletal muscle secretes myokines during contraction, which play an important role in controlling muscle growth, function, and metabolic balance. Myokine dysfunction can cause and aggravate obesity, sarcopenia, and SO. The only ways to prevent and slow the progression of sarcopenia, particularly sarcopenic obesity, are physical activity and correct nutritional support. While exercise cannot completely prevent sarcopenia and age-related loss in muscular function, it can certainly delay development and slow down the rate of sarcopenia. The purpose of this review was to discuss potential pathways to muscle deterioration in obese individuals. We also want to present the current understanding of the role of various factors, including microbiota and myokines, in the process of sarcopenia and SO.