A 10-Week Program of Combined Hippotherapy and Scroth’s Exercises Improves Balance and Postural Asymmetries in Adolescence Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Randomized Controlled Study

Introduction: The most frequent type of spine abnormality throughout adolescence was adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Hippotherapy improved posture, balance and gait of different musculoskeletal conditions. Therefore, this study aims to see how hippotherapy combined with Schroth exercises affected postural asymmetry and dynamic balance in AIS compared to traditional physiotherapy (Schroth exercises) alone. Materials and methods: In this randomized controlled trial, fifty-two patients with AIS (10–18 years, 37 girls and 15 boys) participated. They were arbitrarily allocated into two groups: experimental (19 female/8 male; aged 14.74 ± 1.79 years; Cobb angle 18.59 ± 2.66 degrees) and control (18 female/7 male; aged 15.04 ± 1.81 years; Cobb angle 19.32 ± 2.69 degrees) groups. Both groups received Schroth exercises for 10 weeks, three days/week. The experimental group additionally received hippotherapy training. Pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment for the scoliotic, kyphotic angle, pelvic obliquity, pelvic torsion and vertical spinal rotation and the anteroposterior, mediolateral and overall stability indices were assessed using the formetric system 4D and Biodex Balance System, respectively. Results: After intervention, both groups illustrated significant improvements in all examined variables (p < 0.05). The experimental group illustrated significant improvements in scoliotic angle, kyphotic angle, pelvic obliquity, pelvic torsion and vertical spinal rotation and the stability indices compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In adolescence idiopathic scoliosis, hippotherapy training combined with Schroth exercises improves posture asymmetry and balancing ability more effectively than Schroth exercises alone.

An objective method for predicting occurrence of pre-monsoon (March-May) thunderstorm events over Delhi using stability indices

In this paper an attempt has been made to investigate different stability indices in relation to the occurrence of thunderstorms in order to determine the critical values of these indices for Delhi (28.35° N / 77.12° E) using pre monsoon data for the years 1999 - 2004. The study shows that the critical values of Showalter Index (SI), Lifted Index (LI), K Index (KI), Total Totals Index (TTI), and Sweat Index (SWI) are respectively < 2 °C, < 0 °C, > 24 °C, > 44.5 °C and > 100 for the thunderstorm to occur over Delhi. The corresponding common critical ranges of Lifted Condensation Level (LCL), Level of Free Convection (LFC), Equilibrium Level (EL) and Precipitable Water (PW) are respectively 923 hPa – 695 hPa, 856 hPa – 504 hPa, 545 hPa – 109 hPa and 18 mm – 54 mm. Testing of critical values of indices and the corresponding common critical ranges of LCL, LFC, EL and PW during pre-monsoon seasons of the years 2005 and 2006 shows that they are matching well with the respective critical values/ranges in most of the thunderstorm days.

Modified instability index of the troposphere associated with thunderstorms / nor'westers over Bangladesh during the pre-monsoon season

The present study is an attempt to study different Modified Stability Indices in relation to the occurrence of severe thunderstorms/nor’westers in order to find out the critical values of different modified indices favorable for the formation of thunderstorms in Bangladesh. Computations have also been made for the stations in and around Bangladesh for studying the spatial distribution of the modified stability indices. The Modified Instability Indices such as Modified Cross Total Index (MCT), Modified Vertical Total Index (MVT), Modified Total Totals Index (MTT), Modified SWEAT Index (MSWI), Modified K-Index (MKI) and Modified Energy Index (MEI) show greater instability of the troposphere in the morning as compared to CT, VT, TT, SWI, KI and EI. The critical values of different modified instability indices at 0000 UTC over Dhaka are: MCT >= 20° C, MVT >= 26° C, MTT >= 46° C, MSWI > 300, MKI >= 40° C and MEI < -6 joules/gm respectively for the nor’westers to occur in Bangladesh. The spatial distributions of modified stability indices have revealed that maximum instability lies over the area of surface low pressure especially over Bihar, West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh at 0000 UTC on the dates of occurrence of nor’westers. Nor’westers occur at theeastern end of the maximum instability. For severe nor’westers of tornadic intensity, the critical values of different modified instability indices at 0000 UTC over Dhaka are: MCT >= 20° C, MVT >= 28° C, MTT >= 50° C, MSWI >= 500, MKI >= 42° C and MEI < -8 joules/gm respectively for the nor’westers to occur in Bangladesh.

Effect of functional electrical stimulation on postural control in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial

Background Children with cerebral palsy have impairments of postural control during static and dynamic activities. Improving postural control is one of the primary objectives of rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy. Therefore, the objective of this study was to study the effect of functional electric stimulation on postural control in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. A randomized controlled study was conducted on 30 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (18 boys and 12 girls) between the ages of 8 and 12 years. The children were distributed in two equal groups. The experimental group received functional electrical stimulation (pulse width 300 μs, frequency 33 Hz, 2 h/day, 3 days/week, / 3 consecutive months) in addition to the traditional physical therapy program. While the control group received the traditional physiotherapy program only for the same duration. The outcomes included postural stability indices that were measured at baseline and following 3 months of intervention using the Biodex balance system. Results A significant improvement was found in the postural stability indices of children in both groups, comparing their mean values before and after treatment. Furthermore, the results revealed a greater improvement in the postural stability of the experimental group (P < 0.001). Conclusion Functional electrical stimulation may be a useful tool to enhance the postural stability of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Clinical trial registration This study was registered in the ClinicalTrial.gov PRS (NCT04269798). https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S0009LHP&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0003GAI&ts=4&cx=74k74l

A synoptic and thermodynamic analysis for forecasting of squalls at Agartala

Thunderstorms accompanied with squalls cause a serious damage in Agartala and its neighbouring areas in the pre-monsoon season. In this paper, the synoptic conditions, stability indices and lower level wind pattern associated with squalls at Agartala (23.90° N, 93.25° E) during 2011 - 2020 are analysed to obtain their percentage contributions and critical values in occurrence of the events. Five major synoptic conditions are found to have contribution to the events, with varying percentages. The critical values of Showalter Index, Lifted Index, K-Index, SWEAT Index, Total Totals Index are obtained based on their contribution for at least 80% of the events. Wind direction at 925 hPa and 850 hPa with southerly component is found to be another important precursor for occurrence of the squalls.

Comparison of two periods of Schroth exercises for improving postural stability indices and Cobb angle in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis present postural instability when compared with healthy subjects. Although Schroth exercises therapy (SET) is broadly utilized, its effect on postural stability is still not clear. OBJECTIVES: To compare the two treatment periods of the SET for improving the postural stability indices and Cobb angle, and to examine the correlation between the Cobb angle and stability indices in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS: Twenty girls aged 10–16 years with AIS (study group) and 20 age-matched girls without AIS (control group) were examined. The Biodex Balance System was used to evaluate the overall stability index (OSI), anteroposterior index (APSI), and mediolateral stability index (MLSI) in the study group before SET and one and three months after the therapy. A plain X-ray was used to measure the Cobb angle before and three months after SET. Stability indices and Cobb angle were measured only once for the control group. RESULTS: One-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the three-month duration of SET was the most effective for improving OSI, APSI, and MLSI (p< 0.001). The significant proximities of OSI, APSI, and MLSI to the normal values post three months of SET were 29.65%, 24.07, and 20% respectively. The MLSI was robust and correlated with the Cobb angle (r= 0.85) three months post intervention. CONCLUSION: Stability indices and Cobb angles were highly improved after three months of SET compared to one month among AIS patients. The MLSI is the most substantial index correlated with the Cobb angle.

Voltage Collapse Prediction of IEEE 30-Bus system

Voltage collapse in the power system occurs as a result of voltage instability, thus which lead to a blackout, and this is a constant concern for network workers and customers alike. In this paper, voltage collapse is studied using two approved methods: the modal analysis method and voltage stability indices. In the modal analysis method, the eigenvalues were calculated for all the load buses, through which it is possible to know the stability of the power system, The participation factor was also calculated for the load buses, which enables us to know the weakest buses in the system. As for the Voltage stability Indices method, two important indices were calculated, which are: Fast Voltage Stability Index (FVSI) and Line stability index (Lmn). These two indices give a good visualization of the stability of the system and the knowledge of the weakest buses, as well as the Maximum load-ability of the load buses. The above mentioned two methods were applied using software code using MATLAB \ R2018a program to the IEEE 30-Bus test system. In the modal analysis, the buses which have the maximum participation factor are 26, 29, and 30 this indicates that they are the weakest in the system. as well as in the voltage stability indices. These buses have the lowest maximum load ability which demonstrates the possibility of using both methods or one of them to study the voltage collapse.