Animation-assisted CPRII program as a reminder tool in achieving effective one-person-CPR performance.

PubMed

Choa, Minhong; Cho, Junho; Choi, Young Hwan; Kim, Seungho; Sung, Ji Min; Chung, Hyun Soo

2009-06-01

The objective of this study is to compare the skill retention of two groups of lay persons, six months after their last CPR training. The intervention group was provided with animation-assisted CPRII (AA-CPRII) instruction on their cellular phones, and the control group had nothing but what they learned from their previous training. This study was a single blind randomized controlled trial. The participants' last CPR trainings were held at least six months ago. We revised our CPR animation for on-site CPR instruction content emphasizing importance of chest compression. Participants were randomized into two groups, the AA-CPRII group (n=42) and the control group (n=38). Both groups performed three cycles of CPR and their performances were video recorded. These video clips were assessed by three evaluators using a checklist. The psychomotor skills were evaluated using the ResusciAnne SkillReporter. Using the 30-point scoring checklist, the AA-CPRII group had a significantly better score compared to the control group (p<0.001). Psychomotor skills evaluated with the AA-CPRII group demonstrated better performance in hand positioning (p=0.025), compression depth (p=0.035) and compression rate (p<0.001) than the control group. The AA-CPRII group resulted in better checklist scores, including chest compression rate, depth and hand positioning. Animation-assisted CPR could be used as a reminder tool in achieving effective one-person-CPR performance. By installing the CPR instruction on cellular phones and having taught them CPR with it during the training enabled participants to perform better CPR.

Performance improvements from imagery: evidence that internal visual imagery is superior to external visual imagery for slalom performance

PubMed Central

Callow, Nichola; Roberts, Ross; Hardy, Lew; Jiang, Dan; Edwards, Martin Gareth

2013-01-01

We report three experiments investigating the hypothesis that use of internal visual imagery (IVI) would be superior to external visual imagery (EVI) for the performance of different slalom-based motor tasks. In Experiment 1, three groups of participants (IVI, EVI, and a control group) performed a driving-simulation slalom task. The IVI group achieved significantly quicker lap times than EVI and the control group. In Experiment 2, participants performed a downhill running slalom task under both IVI and EVI conditions. Performance was again quickest in the IVI compared to EVI condition, with no differences in accuracy. Experiment 3 used the same group design as Experiment 1, but with participants performing a downhill ski-slalom task. Results revealed the IVI group to be significantly more accurate than the control group, with no significant differences in time taken to complete the task. These results support the beneficial effects of IVI for slalom-based tasks, and significantly advances our knowledge related to the differential effects of visual imagery perspectives on motor performance. PMID:24155710

Comparative cross-sectional study of masticatory performance and mastication predominance for patients with missing posterior teeth.

PubMed

Iwashita, Hayato; Tsukiyama, Yoshihiro; Kori, Hidehiro; Kuwatsuru, Rika; Yamasaki, Yo; Koyano, Kiyoshi

2014-10-01

Missing posterior teeth can decrease masticatory function and cause horizontal mastication deviation, i.e., mastication predominance. Mastication predominance may lead to abnormal tooth attrition and temporomandibular disorders. This study evaluated masticatory performance and mastication predominance in patients with missing posterior teeth to investigate effects of missing posterior teeth on masticatory performance and mastication predominance. Thirty volunteers with normal dentition (control group), 30 patients with unilateral missing posterior teeth (unilateral group), and 23 patients with bilateral missing posterior teeth (bilateral group) participated. Gummy jellies were used to evaluate participants' masticatory performance, and electromyography was used to assess the degree of mastication predominance. Chewing gums, gummy jellies, and peanuts were used as foods of various hardnesses for evaluating mastication predominance. Compared with the control group, masticatory performance did not differ in the unilateral group but was significantly decreased in the bilateral group. With chewing gum and gummy jellies, the degree of mastication predominance was significantly increased in both unilateral and bilateral groups than the control group. With peanuts, the degree of mastication predominance was significantly increased in the unilateral group than the control group. Although masticatory performance was not decreased in the unilateral group, the degree of mastication predominance was increased. Decreased masticatory performance was observed in the bilateral group, and for foods with normal hardness and soft foods, the degree of mastication predominance was increased. These results suggested that mastication predominance should be considered in the recovery of masticatory performance in patients with missing posterior teeth. Copyright © 2014 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lack of transfer of skills after virtual reality simulator training with haptic feedback.

PubMed

Våpenstad, Cecilie; Hofstad, Erlend Fagertun; Bø, Lars Eirik; Kuhry, Esther; Johnsen, Gjermund; Mårvik, Ronald; Langø, Thomas; Hernes, Toril Nagelhus

2017-12-01

Virtual reality (VR) simulators enrich surgical training and offer training possibilities outside of the operating room (OR). In this study, we created a criterion-based training program on a VR simulator with haptic feedback and tested it by comparing the performances of a simulator group against a control group. Medical students with no experience in laparoscopy were randomly assigned to a simulator group or a control group. In the simulator group, the candidates trained until they reached predefined criteria on the LapSim ® VR simulator (Surgical Science AB, Göteborg, Sweden) with haptic feedback (Xitact TM IHP, Mentice AB, Göteborg, Sweden). All candidates performed a cholecystectomy on a porcine organ model in a box trainer (the clinical setting). The performances were video rated by two surgeons blinded to subject training status. In total, 30 students performed the cholecystectomy and had their videos rated (N = 16 simulator group, N = 14 control group). The control group achieved better video rating scores than the simulator group (p < .05). The criterion-based training program did not transfer skills to the clinical setting. Poor mechanical performance of the simulated haptic feedback is believed to have resulted in a negative training effect.

Cognitive inhibition in students with and without dyslexia and dyscalculia.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Chih; Tasi, Hung-Ju; Yang, Hsien-Ming

2012-01-01

The present study presents a comparison of the cognitive inhibition abilities of dyslexic, dyscalculic, and control students. The participants were 45 dyslexic students, 45 dyscalculic students, and 45 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched control students. The major evaluation tools included six cognitive inhibition tasks which were restructured during principal component analysis into three categories: graph inhibition, number inhibition, and word inhibition. Comparisons of the 3 groups of students revealed that in graph inhibition, dyscalculic students performed worst of the 3 groups, with dyslexic students also performing worse than control students in this category. For number inhibition, the control students' performances were equal to those of dyslexic students, with both groups performing better than dyscalculic students. For word inhibition, control students' performances were equal to those of dyscalculic students; both groups had shorter response times and lower incorrect rates than dyslexic students. These results suggest the complexity of the different cognitive inhibition abilities displayed by dyslexic, dyscalculic, and control students. However, some regular patterns occurred. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of clinical pilates exercises on bone mineral density, physical performance and quality of life of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

PubMed

Angın, Ender; Erden, Zafer; Can, Filiz

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of Clinical Pilates Exercises on bone mineral density (BMD), physical performance and quality of life (QOL) in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Forty-one women were recruited to the study. The subjects were divided into two groups, as the Pilates group and the control group. Subjects were evaluated for BMD at the lumbar region. Physical performance level was measured. Pain intensity level was scored with Visual Analogue Scale. QUALEFFO-41 was used for assessing QOL. BMD values increased in the Pilates group (p < 0.05), while BMD decreased in the control group (p< 0.05). Physical performance test results showed significant increases in the Pilates group (p< 0.05) whereas there was no changes in the control group (p> 0.05). Pain intensity level in the Pilates group was significantly decreased after the exercise (p< 0.05), while it was unchanged in the control group. There were significant increases in all parameters of QOL in the Pilates group. Conversely, some parameters of QOL showed decreases in the control group (p< 0.05). Pilates Exercises is effective to increase BMD; QOL and walking distance and also beneficial to relieve pain. Physiotherapist can use Pilates Exercises for the subjects with osteoporosis in the clinics.

WAIS Performance in Unincarcerated Groups of MMPI-Defined Sociopaths and Normal Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allain, Albert N.

1974-01-01

This investigation examines WAIS performance in groups of 32 sociopaths and 33 normal controls defined by Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory criteria. Sociopaths and normal controls show no differences in overall level of intellectual functioning. (Author)

Preschool Inhibitory Control Predicts ADHD Group Status and Inhibitory Weakness in School.

PubMed

Jacobson, Lisa A; Schneider, Heather; Mahone, E Mark

2017-12-26

Discriminative utility of performance measures of inhibitory control was examined in preschool children with and without ADHD to determine whether performance measures added to diagnostic prediction and to prediction of informant-rated day-to-day executive function. Children ages 4-5 years (N = 105, 61% boys; 54 ADHD, medication-naïve) were assessed using performance measures (Auditory Continuous Performance Test for Preschoolers-Commission errors, Conflicting Motor Response Test, NEPSY Statue) and caregiver (parent, teacher) ratings of inhibition (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool version). Performance measures and parent and teacher reports of inhibitory control significantly and uniquely predicted ADHD group status; however, performance measures did not add to prediction of group status beyond parent reports. Performance measures did significantly predict classroom inhibitory control (teacher ratings), over and above parent reports of inhibitory control. Performance measures of inhibitory control may be adequate predictors of ADHD status and good predictors of young children's classroom inhibitory control, demonstrating utility as components of clinical assessments. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Intervention Study of a Mindfulness-Based Self-Leadership Training (MBSLT) on Stress and Performance.

PubMed

Sampl, Juliane; Maran, Thomas; Furtner, Marco R

2017-01-01

The present randomized pilot intervention study examines the effects of a mindfulness-based self-leadership training (MBSLT) specifically developed for academic achievement situations. Both mindfulness and self-leadership have a strong self-regulatory focus and are helpful in terms of stress resilience and performance enhancements. Based on several theoretical points of contact and a specific interplay between mindfulness and self-leadership, the authors developed an innovative intervention program that improves mood as well as performance in a real academic setting. The intervention was conducted as a randomized controlled study over 10 weeks. The purpose was to analyze the effects on perceived stress, test anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and the performance of students by comparing an intervention and control group ( n  = 109). Findings demonstrated significant effects on mindfulness, self-leadership, academic self-efficacy, and academic performance improvements in the intervention group. Results showed that the intervention group reached significantly better grade point averages than the control group. Moreover, the MBSLT over time led to a reduction of test anxiety in the intervention group compared to the control group. Furthermore, while participants of the control group showed an increase in stress over time, participants of the intervention group maintained constant stress levels over time. The combination of mindfulness and self-leadership addressed both positive effects on moods and on objective academic performance. The effects demonstrate the great potential of combining mindfulness with self-leadership to develop a healthy self-regulatory way of attaining achievement-related goals and succeeding in high-stress academic environments.

Mental skills training effectively minimizes operative performance deterioration under stressful conditions: Results of a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Anton, N E; Beane, J; Yurco, A M; Howley, L D; Bean, E; Myers, E M; Stefanidis, D

2018-02-01

Stress can negatively impact surgical performance, but mental skills may help. We hypothesized that a comprehensive mental skills curriculum (MSC) would minimize resident performance deterioration under stress. Twenty-four residents were stratified then randomized to receive mental skills and FLS training (MSC group), or only FLS training (control group). Laparoscopic suturing skill was assessed on a live porcine model with and without external stressors. Outcomes were compared with t-tests. Twenty-three residents completed the study. The groups were similar at baseline. There were no differences in suturing at posttest or transfer test under normal conditions. Both groups experienced significantly decreased performance when stress was applied, but the MSC group significantly outperformed controls under stress. This MSC enabled residents to perform significantly better than controls in the simulated OR under unexpected stressful conditions. These findings support the use of psychological skills as an integral part of a surgical resident training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Driving performance in adults with ADHD: results from a randomized, waiting list controlled trial with atomoxetine.

PubMed

Sobanski, E; Sabljic, D; Alm, B; Dittmann, R W; Wehmeier, P M; Skopp, G; Strohbeck-Kühner, P

2013-08-01

To investigate effects of a 12-week treatment with atomoxetine (ATX) on driving performance in real traffic, driving-related neuropsychological performance tests and self-evaluation of driving in adult patients with ADHD compared to an untreated control group with ADHD. Parallel group design with an ATX and a waiting list group. At baseline and endpoint patients were evaluated with a standardized on-road driving test (SDBO), a driving-related neuropsychological test battery (Act and React Test System [ART2020]), and subjective measures of driving performance (one-week driving diary, Driver Coping Questionnaire). Forty-three of the 64 included patients completed the study (n=22 ATX, n=21 controls). Mean intervention period was 11.9±3.0 weeks, mean daily ATX dosage was 71.6±14.9mg. At endpoint, 60.1% of patients treated with ATX and 0% of waiting list group had reduced ADHD symptoms by greater or equal to 30%. In SDBO, ATX group reduced driving errors in three of four driving performance categories (attention, P<0.05; risk-related self-control, P<0.005; driver skills, P<0.001), number of driving errors remained stable in control group. At endpoint, 47.6% of control group and 18.2% of ATX group (P<0.05) did not fulfil the driving fitness criteria according to German Guidelines (percentile rank less or equal to 16 in one or more subtests in ART2020). Total number of self-reported critical traffic situations decreased from 12.0 to 6.8 per week in ATX group (P<0.05) and remained stable in controls by 9.3 and 9.9 at baseline and endpoint (ns). Coping strategies with stressful traffic situations did not change within both groups. Our study provides first evidence that treatment with ATX improves driving performance in real traffic in adults with ADHD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Different types of exercise in Multiple Sclerosis: Aerobic exercise or Pilates, a single-blind clinical study.

PubMed

Kara, Bilge; Küçük, Fadime; Poyraz, Esra Coşkuner; Tomruk, Melda Soysal; İdıman, Egemen

2017-01-01

The aim of our study is to examine effects of aerobic and Pilates exercises on disability, cognition, physical performance, balance, depression and fatigue in relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients as compared to healthy controls. The subjects were divided as aerobic exercise (n = 26), Pilates (n = 9), and the healthy control group (n = 21). We used MSFC, physical performance, Berg balance scale, Beck depression scale, fatigue impact scale. All evaluations were performed before and after exercise training. There are statistically meaningful differences between Nine hole testing, PASAT 3, physical performance and fatique impact scale before and after aerobic exercise. Also we found significant difference for physical performance in the Pilates group. There are no significant differences in measures of fatique impact scale and depression between aerobic exercise group and the healthy controls after exercise. We found significant differences between Pilates and control group's after measurements except depression. There were significant differences between the Pilates and aerobic group for cognitive tests in favor of the Pilates group. Aerobic exercise and clinical Pilates exercises revealed moderate changes in levels of cognitive, physical performance, balance, depression, fatigue in MS patients.

Evaluating the Specificity of Cognitive Control Deficits in Schizophrenia Using Antisaccades, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Healthy Individuals With Poor Cognitive Control.

PubMed

Rodrigue, Amanda L; Schaeffer, David J; Pierce, Jordan E; Clementz, Brett A; McDowell, Jennifer E

2018-01-01

Cognitive control impairments in schizophrenia (SZ) can be evaluated using antisaccade tasks and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Studies, however, often compare people with SZ to high performing healthy people, making it unclear if antisaccade-related disruptions are specific to the disease or due to generalized deficits in cognitive control. We included two healthy comparison groups in addition to people with SZ: healthy people with high cognitive control (HCC), who represent a more typical comparison group, and healthy people with low cognitive control (LCC), who perform similarly on antisaccade measures as people with SZ. Using two healthy comparison groups may help determine which antisaccade-related deficits are specific to SZ (distinguish SZ from LCC and HCC groups) and which are due to poor cognitive control (distinguish the LCC and SZ groups from the HCC group). People with SZ and healthy people with HCC or LCC performed an antisaccade task during fMRI acquisition. LCC and SZ groups showed under-activation of saccade circuitry. SZ-specific disruptions were observed in the left superior temporal gyrus and insula during error trials (suppression of activation in the SZ group compared to the LCC and HCC group). Differences related to antisaccade errors may distinguish people with SZ from healthy people with LCC.

Impact of music type on motor coordination task performance among introverted and extroverted students.

PubMed

Jamshidzad, Maryam; Maghsoudipour, Maryam; Zakerian, Seyed Abolfazl; Bakhshi, Enayatollah; Coh, Paul

2018-06-26

People are interested in music. In this study, we assessed the impact of music type on objective performance. We distributed 64 medical science students in Tehran into four groups: Iranian pop music, traditional music, Mozart's classical music and control groups. All participants performed the two-arm coordination test once without music and once with music (except for the control group), with an interval of 1 week. In the music groups, music was playing during the performance of the test. Participants were categorized as either introverted or extroverted and were distributed equally in the groups. There was a significant decrease of test time in the second trial, observed in all music groups, and no significant difference identified in the control group. The traditional music group had less difference of mean time compared to the pop music group. The differences in the traditional and classical groups were not significantly different. In the music groups, both extroverted and introverted students decreased their test time significantly after music intervention, but extroverted students decreased more. Listening to music would enhance the speed of performance. Music with a higher tempo, such as pop music, increased the speed more.

Verbal communication improves laparoscopic team performance.

PubMed

Shiliang Chang; Waid, Erin; Martinec, Danny V; Bin Zheng; Swanstrom, Lee L

2008-06-01

The impact of verbal communication on laparoscopic team performance was examined. A total of 24 dyad teams, comprised of residents, medical students, and office staff, underwent 2 team tasks using a previously validated bench model. Twelve teams (feedback groups) received instant verbal instruction and feedback on their performance from an instructor which was compared with 12 teams (control groups) with minimal or no verbal feedback. Their performances were both video and audio taped for analysis. Surgical backgrounds were similar between feedback and control groups. Teams with more verbal feedback achieved significantly better task performance (P = .002) compared with the control group with less feedback. Impact of verbal feedback was more pronounced for tasks requiring team cooperation (aiming and navigation) than tasks depending on individual skills (knotting). Verbal communication, especially the instructions and feedback from an experienced instructor, improved team efficiency and performance.

Impact on learning of an e-learning module on leukaemia: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Morgulis, Yuri; Kumar, Rakesh K; Lindeman, Robert; Velan, Gary M

2012-05-28

e-learning resources may be beneficial for complex or conceptually difficult topics. Leukaemia is one such topic, yet there are no reports on the efficacy of e-learning for leukaemia. This study compared the learning impact on senior medical students of a purpose-built e-learning module on leukaemia, compared with existing online resources. A randomised controlled trial was performed utilising volunteer senior medical students. Participants were randomly allocated to Study and Control groups. Following a pre-test on leukaemia administered to both groups, the Study group was provided with access to the new e-learning module, while the Control group was directed to existing online resources. A post-test and an evaluation questionnaire were administered to both groups at the end of the trial period. Study and Control groups were equivalent in gender distribution, mean academic ability, pre-test performance and time studying leukaemia during the trial. The Study group performed significantly better than the Control group in the post-test, in which the group to which the students had been allocated was the only significant predictor of performance. The Study group's evaluation of the module was overwhelmingly positive. A targeted e-learning module on leukaemia had a significant effect on learning in this cohort, compared with existing online resources. We believe that the interactivity, dialogic feedback and integration with the curriculum offered by the e-learning module contributed to its impact. This has implications for e-learning design in medicine and other disciplines.

Quiet Eye Training Facilitates Competitive Putting Performance in Elite Golfers

PubMed Central

Vine, Samuel J.; Moore, Lee J.; Wilson, Mark R.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a brief quiet eye (QE) training intervention aimed at optimizing visuomotor control and putting performance of elite golfers under pressure, and in real competition. Twenty-two elite golfers (mean handicap 2.7) recorded putting statistics over 10 rounds of competitive golf before attending training individually. Having been randomly assigned to either a QE training or Control group, participants were fitted with an Applied Science Laboratories Mobile Eye tracker and performed 20 baseline (pre-test) putts from 10 ft. Training consisted of video feedback of their gaze behavior while they completed 20 putts; however the QE-trained group received additional instructions related to maintaining a longer QE period. Participants then recorded their putting statistics over a further 10 competitive rounds and re-visited the laboratory for retention and pressure tests of their visuomotor control and putting performance. Overall, the results were supportive of the efficacy of the QE training intervention. QE duration predicted 43% of the variance in putting performance, underlying its critical role in the visuomotor control of putting. The QE-trained group maintained their optimal QE under pressure conditions, whereas the Control group experienced reductions in QE when anxious, with subsequent effects on performance. Although their performance was similar in the pre-test, the QE-trained group holed more putts and left the ball closer to the hole on missed putts than their Control group counterparts in the pressure test. Importantly, these advantages transferred to the golf course, where QE-trained golfers made 1.9 fewer putts per round, compared to pre-training, whereas the Control group showed no change in their putting statistics. These results reveal that QE training, incorporated into a pre-shot routine, is an effective intervention to help golfers maintain control when anxious. PMID:21713182

Tablet vs. Paper: The Effect on Learners' Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dundar, Hakan; Akcayir, Murat

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare primary school 5th-class students' electronic text reading performance, reading speed and reading comprehension with tablet PCs and printed books. This study examined a sample of 20 students. The students were randomly divided into two groups, a control group and a treatment group. The control group students…

The effect of motivation and positive affect on ego depletion: Replenishment versus release mechanism.

PubMed

Zhu, Ze; Li, Jian; Zhang, Bo; Li, Ye; Zhang, Houcan

2017-12-01

In this study, 2 experiments were conducted to investigate whether motivation and positive affect can alleviate ego depletion and to elucidate their possible mechanisms. In Experiment 1, a crossing-out-letter task was adapted to reach an ego depletion state for Chinese participants. Participants were then randomly assigned to the extrinsic motivation group, the positive affect group or the depletion control group. After the experimental treatment, a dumbbell task was used to measure participants' remaining self-regulatory resources. The results showed that participants in the motivation and positive affect groups performed better on the dumbbell task than participants in the depletion control group. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 except that participants were asked to perform an additional unexpected dumbbell task after a neutral video following the above procedure. The results of Experiment 1 were replicated; however, participants' performance on the additional dumbbell task differed. The positive affect group performed better than the depletion control group, indicating an increase in self-regulatory resources and thus supporting the replenishment effect of positive affect. No significant difference was found between the motivation group and the depletion control group. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Bilinguals Use Language-Control Brain Areas More Than Monolinguals to Perform Non-Linguistic Switching Tasks

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Pujadas, Aina; Sanjuán, Ana; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Román, Patricia; Martin, Clara; Barceló, Francisco; Costa, Albert; Ávila, César

2013-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that early bilinguals use language-control brain areas more than monolinguals when performing non-linguistic executive control tasks. We do so by exploring the brain activity of early bilinguals and monolinguals in a task-switching paradigm using an embedded critical trial design. Crucially, the task was designed such that the behavioural performance of the two groups was comparable, allowing then to have a safer comparison between the corresponding brain activity in the two groups. Despite the lack of behavioural differences between both groups, early bilinguals used language-control areas – such as left caudate, and left inferior and middle frontal gyri – more than monolinguals, when performing the switching task. Results offer direct support for the notion that, early bilingualism exerts an effect in the neural circuitry responsible for executive control. This effect partially involves the recruitment of brain areas involved in language control when performing domain-general executive control tasks, highlighting the cross-talk between these two domains. PMID:24058456

Effectiveness of autogenic training in improving motor performances in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Ajimsha, M S; Majeed, Nisar A; Chinnavan, Elanchezhian; Thulasyammal, Ramiah Pillai

2014-06-01

Relaxation training can be an important adjunct in reducing symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Autogenic Training (AT) is a simple, easily administered and inexpensive technique for retraining the mind and the body to be able to relax. AT uses visual imagery and body awareness to promote a state of deep relaxation. To investigate whether AT when used as an adjunct to Physiotherapy (PT) improves motor performances in PD in comparison with a control group receiving PT alone. Randomized, controlled, single blinded trial. Movement Disorder Clinic and Department of Physiotherapy, Sree Chithira Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology in Trivandrum, Kerala, India. Patients with PD of grade 2 or 3 of Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) scale (N = 66). AT group or control group. The techniques were administered by Physiotherapists trained in AT and consisted of 40 sessions per patient over 8 weeks. Motor score subscale of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was used to measure the motor performances. The primary outcome measure was the difference in Motor score subscale of UPDRS scores between Week 1 (pretest score), Week 8 (posttest score), and follow-up at Week 12 after randomization. The simple main effects analysis showed that the AT group performed better than the control group in weeks 8 and 12 (P < .005). Patients in the AT and control groups reported a 51.78% and 35.24% improvement, respectively, in their motor performances in Week 8 compared with that in Week 1, which persisted, in the follow-up (Week 12) as 30.82% in the AT group and 21.42% in the control group. This study provides evidence that AT when used as an adjunct to PT is more effective than PT alone in improving motor performances in PD patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moderate running and plyometric training during off-season did not show a significant difference on soccer-related high-intensity performances compared with no-training controls.

PubMed

Nakamura, Daisuke; Suzuki, Tomohiro; Yasumatsu, Mikinobu; Akimoto, Takayuki

2012-12-01

Several investigators have reported the effects of reduced training and interrupted training on athletic performance, but few reports are available for soccer players. The purpose of this study was to examine, using the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 2 (YoYoIR2) test and sprint performance, the effects on soccer players of a reduced training program consisting of either moderate running training, plyometric training. After the completion of a competitive season, 29 male soccer players were divided into 3 groups: the running group (n = 13), the plyometric group (n = 11), and the control group (n = 5). Both training groups completed either running or plyometric training sessions 2 d·wk(-1) for 3 weeks, whereas the control group was not allowed to perform any training. The subjects performed YoYoIR2 and 20-m sprint tests before (pre) and after (post) the experimental period. Neither training group showed any significant training effects on the YoYoIR2 performance or 20-m sprint times compared with the control group. This study suggests that neither endurance running nor plyometric training 2 d·wk(-1) for 3 weeks has a significant effect on high-intensity performance compared with a nontraining regimen. However, our results do not support complete inactivity. These results may have important implications for the management of training cessation for a few weeks.

Alterations of motor performance and brain cortex mitochondrial function during ethanol hangover.

PubMed

Bustamante, Juanita; Karadayian, Analia G; Lores-Arnaiz, Silvia; Cutrera, Rodolfo A

2012-08-01

Ethanol has been known to affect various behavioral parameters in experimental animals, even several hours after ethanol (EtOH) is absent from blood circulation, in the period known as hangover. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of acute ethanol hangover on motor performance in association with the brain cortex energetic metabolism. Evaluation of motor performance and brain cortex mitochondrial function during alcohol hangover was performed in mice 6 hours after a high ethanol dose (hangover onset). Animals were injected i.p. either with saline (control group) or with ethanol (3.8 g/kg BW) (hangover group). Ethanol hangover group showed a bad motor performance compared with control animals (p < .05). Oxygen uptake in brain cortex mitochondria from hangover animals showed a 34% decrease in the respiratory control rate as compared with the control group. Mitochondrial complex activities were decreased being the complex I-III the less affected by the hangover condition; complex II-III was markedly decreased by ethanol hangover showing 50% less activity than controls. Complex IV was 42% decreased as compared with control animals. Hydrogen peroxide production was 51% increased in brain cortex mitochondria from the hangover group, as compared with the control animals. Quantification of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential indicated that ethanol injected animals presented 17% less ability to maintain the polarized condition as compared with controls. These results indicate that a clear decrease in proton motive force occurs in brain cortex mitochondria during hangover conditions. We can conclude that a decreased motor performance observed in the hangover group of animals could be associated with brain cortex mitochondrial dysfunction and the resulting impairment of its energetic metabolism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attention and response control in ADHD. Evaluation through integrated visual and auditory continuous performance test.

PubMed

Moreno-García, Inmaculada; Delgado-Pardo, Gracia; Roldán-Blasco, Carmen

2015-03-03

This study assesses attention and response control through visual and auditory stimuli in a primary care pediatric sample. The sample consisted of 191 participants aged between 7 and 13 years old. It was divided into 2 groups: (a) 90 children with ADHD, according to diagnostic (DSM-IV-TR) (APA, 2002) and clinical (ADHD Rating Scale-IV) (DuPaul, Power, Anastopoulos, & Reid, 1998) criteria, and (b) 101 children without a history of ADHD. The aims were: (a) to determine and compare the performance of both groups in attention and response control, (b) to identify attention and response control deficits in the ADHD group. Assessments were carried out using the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA/CPT, Sandford & Turner, 2002). Results showed that the ADHD group had visual and auditory attention deficits, F(3, 170) = 14.38; p < .01, deficits in fine motor regulation (Welch´s t-test = 44.768; p < .001) and sensory/motor activity (Welch'st-test = 95.683, p < .001; Welch's t-test = 79.537, p < .001). Both groups exhibited a similar performance in response control, F(3, 170) = .93, p = .43.Children with ADHD showed inattention, mental processing speed deficits, and loss of concentration with visual stimuli. Both groups yielded a better performance in attention with auditory stimuli.

Self-controlled video feedback on tactical skills for soccer teams results in more active involvement of players.

PubMed

van Maarseveen, Mariëtte J J; Oudejans, Raôul R D; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

2018-02-01

Many studies have shown that self-controlled feedback is beneficial for learning motor tasks, and that learners prefer to receive feedback after supposedly good trials. However, to date all studies conducted on self-controlled learning have used individual tasks and mainly relatively simple skills. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine self-controlled feedback on tactical skills in small-sided soccer games. Highly talented youth soccer players were assigned to a self-control or yoked group and received video feedback on their offensive performance in 3 vs. 2 small-sided games. The results showed that the self-control group requested feedback mostly after good trials, that is, after they scored a goal. In addition, the perceived performance of the self-control group was higher on feedback than on no-feedback trials. Analyses of the conversations around the video feedback revealed that the players and coach discussed good and poor elements of performance and how to improve it. Although the coach had a major role in these conversations, the players of the self-control group spoke more and showed more initiative compared to the yoked group. The results revealed no significant beneficial effect of self-controlled feedback on performance as judged by the coach. Overall, the findings suggest that in such a complex situation as small-sided soccer games, self-controlled feedback is used both to confirm correct performance elements and to determine and correct errors, and that self-controlled learning stimulates the involvement of the learner in the learning process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Athletic Performance at the National Basketball Association Combine After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Mehran, Nima; Williams, Phillip N.; Keller, Robert A.; Khalil, Lafi S.; Lombardo, Stephen J.; Kharrazi, F. Daniel

2016-01-01

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are significant injuries in elite-level basketball players. In-game statistical performance after ACL reconstruction has been demonstrated; however, few studies have reviewed functional performance in National Basketball Association (NBA)–caliber athletes after ACL reconstruction. Purpose: To compare NBA Combine performance of athletes after ACL reconstruction with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group of players with no previous reported knee injury requiring surgery. We hypothesized that there is no difference between the 2 groups in functional performance. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 1092 NBA-caliber players who participated in the NBA Combine between 2000 and 2015 were reviewed. Twenty-one athletes were identified as having primary ACL reconstruction prior to participation in the combine. This study group was compared with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group in objective functional performance testing, including the shuttle run test, lane agility test, three-quarter court sprint, vertical jump (no step), and maximum vertical jump (running start). Results: With regard to quickness and agility, both ACL-reconstructed athletes and controls scored an average of 11.5 seconds in the lane agility test and 3.1 seconds in the shuttle run test (P = .745 and .346, respectively). Speed and acceleration was measured by the three-quarter court sprint, in which both the study group and the control group averaged 3.3 seconds (P = .516). In the maximum vertical jump, which demonstrates an athlete’s jumping ability with a running start, the ACL reconstruction group had an average height of 33.6 inches while the controls averaged 33.9 inches (P = .548). In the standing vertical jump, the ACL reconstruction group averaged 28.2 inches while the control group averaged 29.2 inches (P = .067). Conclusion: In athletes who are able to return to sport and compete at a high level such as the NBA Combine, there is no significant difference in any combine performance test between players who have had primary ACL reconstruction compared with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group. Clinical Relevance: Athletes with previous ACL reconstruction who are able to return to high-level professional basketball have equivalent performance measures with regard to speed, quickness, and jumping ability as those athletes who have not undergone knee surgery. PMID:27294169

Athletic Performance at the National Basketball Association Combine After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

PubMed

Mehran, Nima; Williams, Phillip N; Keller, Robert A; Khalil, Lafi S; Lombardo, Stephen J; Kharrazi, F Daniel

2016-05-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are significant injuries in elite-level basketball players. In-game statistical performance after ACL reconstruction has been demonstrated; however, few studies have reviewed functional performance in National Basketball Association (NBA)-caliber athletes after ACL reconstruction. To compare NBA Combine performance of athletes after ACL reconstruction with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group of players with no previous reported knee injury requiring surgery. We hypothesized that there is no difference between the 2 groups in functional performance. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. A total of 1092 NBA-caliber players who participated in the NBA Combine between 2000 and 2015 were reviewed. Twenty-one athletes were identified as having primary ACL reconstruction prior to participation in the combine. This study group was compared with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group in objective functional performance testing, including the shuttle run test, lane agility test, three-quarter court sprint, vertical jump (no step), and maximum vertical jump (running start). With regard to quickness and agility, both ACL-reconstructed athletes and controls scored an average of 11.5 seconds in the lane agility test and 3.1 seconds in the shuttle run test (P = .745 and .346, respectively). Speed and acceleration was measured by the three-quarter court sprint, in which both the study group and the control group averaged 3.3 seconds (P = .516). In the maximum vertical jump, which demonstrates an athlete's jumping ability with a running start, the ACL reconstruction group had an average height of 33.6 inches while the controls averaged 33.9 inches (P = .548). In the standing vertical jump, the ACL reconstruction group averaged 28.2 inches while the control group averaged 29.2 inches (P = .067). In athletes who are able to return to sport and compete at a high level such as the NBA Combine, there is no significant difference in any combine performance test between players who have had primary ACL reconstruction compared with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group. Athletes with previous ACL reconstruction who are able to return to high-level professional basketball have equivalent performance measures with regard to speed, quickness, and jumping ability as those athletes who have not undergone knee surgery.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effects of Competition on the Development of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills

PubMed Central

Hashimoto, Daniel A.; Gomez, Ernest D.; Beyer-Berjot, Laura; Khajuria, Ankur; Williams, Noel N.; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

2015-01-01

Background Serious games have demonstrated efficacy in improving participation in surgical training activities, but studies have not yet demonstrated the effect of serious gaming on performance. This study investigated whether competitive training affects laparoscopic surgical performance. Methods Twenty novices were recruited, and 18 (2 drop-outs) were randomized into control or competitive (CT) groups to perform 10 virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC). Competitiveness of each participant was assessed. The CT group was informed they were competing to outperform one another for a prize; performance ranking was shown prior to each session. The control group did not compete. Performance was assessed on time, movements, and instrument path length. Quality of performance was assessed with a global rating score (GRS). Results There were no significant intergroup differences in baseline skill or measured competitiveness. Time and GRS, at final LC, were not significantly different between groups; however, the CT group was significantly more dexterous than control and had significantly lower variance in number of movements and instrument path length at the final LC (p=0.019). Contentiousness was inversely related to time in the CT group. Conclusion This was the first randomized controlled trial to investigate if competitive training can enhance performance in laparoscopic surgery. Competitive training may lead to improved dexterity in laparoscopic surgery but yields otherwise similar performance to standard training in novices. Competition may have different effects on novices versus experienced surgeons, and subsequent research should investigate competitive training in experienced surgeons as well. PMID:26169566

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effects of Competition on the Development of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Daniel A; Gomez, Ernest D; Beyer-Berjot, Laura; Khajuria, Ankur; Williams, Noel N; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

2015-01-01

Serious games have demonstrated efficacy in improving participation in surgical training activities, but studies have not yet demonstrated the effect of serious gaming on performance. This study investigated whether competitive training (CT) affects laparoscopic surgical performance. A total of 20 novices were recruited, and 18 (2 dropouts) were randomized into control or CT groups to perform 10 virtual reality laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs). Competitiveness of each participant was assessed. The CT group members were informed they were competing to outperform one another for a prize; performance ranking was shown before each session. The control group did not compete. Performance was assessed on time, movements, and instrument path length. Quality of performance was assessed with a global rating scale score. There were no significant intergroup differences in baseline skill or measured competitiveness. Time and global rating scale score, at final LC, were not significantly different between groups; however, the CT group was significantly more dexterous than control and had significantly lower variance in number of movements and instrument path length at the final LC (p = 0.019). Contentiousness was inversely related to time in the CT group. This was the first randomized controlled trial to investigate if CT can enhance performance in laparoscopic surgery. CT may lead to improved dexterity in laparoscopic surgery but yields otherwise similar performance to that of standard training in novices. Competition may have different effects on novices vs experienced surgeons, and subsequent research should investigate CT in experienced surgeons as well. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol on trunk control recovery in patients with subacute stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dell'Uomo, Daniela; Morone, Giovanni; Centrella, Antonio; Paolucci, Stefano; Caltagirone, Carlo; Grasso, Maria Grazia; Traballesi, Marco; Iosa, Marco

2017-01-01

Despite upper limb rehabilitation is widely investigated in patients with stroke, the effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation on trunk stabillization are mainly unknown. To test the effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol on trunk control recovery in patients with subacute stroke. A pilot randomized controlled trial with two groups of 14 patients each one performing 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks in add on to standard therapy. Experimental group performed a specific scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol aiming to improve trunk competencies whereas control group performed conventional arm rehabilitation. Clinical scale tests and accelerometric evaluations were performed pre- and post-treatment. Experimental groups showed better scores at discharge at Trunk impairment Scale (p < 0.001), Barthel Index (p = 0.024), Trunk Control Test (p = 0.002), Sitting Balance Scale (p = 0.002), but neither at Fugl-Meyer Scale (p = 0.194) nor Modified Ashworth Scale (p = 0.114). Accelerometric analysis showed higher stability of trunk for experimental group especially during static and dynamic items. The recovery of scapulohumeral functions also acts on trunk stabilization post-stroke.

The role of motivation in distracting attention away from pain: an experimental study.

PubMed

Verhoeven, Katrien; Crombez, Geert; Eccleston, Christopher; Van Ryckeghem, Dimitri M L; Morley, Stephen; Van Damme, Stefaan

2010-05-01

Research on the effectiveness of distraction as a method of pain control is inconclusive. One mechanism pertains to the motivational relevance of distraction tasks. In this study the motivation to engage in a distraction task during pain was experimentally manipulated. Undergraduate students (N=73) participated in a cold pressor test (CPT) and were randomly assigned to three groups: a distraction-only group performed a tone-detection task during the CPT, a motivated-distraction group performed the same task and received a monetary reward for good task performance, and a control group did not perform the tone-detection task. Results indicated that engagement in the distraction task was better in the motivated-distraction group in comparison with the distraction-only group. Participants in both distraction groups experienced less pain compared to the control group. There were no overall differences in pain intensity between the two distraction groups. The effect of distraction was influenced by the level of catastrophic thinking about pain. For low catastrophizers, both distraction groups reported less pain as compared to the non-distracted control group. This was not the case for high catastrophizers. For high catastrophizers it mattered whether the distraction task was motivationally relevant: high catastrophizers reported less intense pain in the motivated-distraction group, as compared to the non-distracted control group. We conclude that increasing the motivational relevance of the distraction task may increase the effects of distraction, especially for those who catastrophize about pain. Copyright 2010 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of plyometric training and creatine supplementation on maximal-intensity exercise and endurance in female soccer players.

PubMed

Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; González-Jurado, José Antonio; Martínez, Cristian; Nakamura, Fábio Yuzo; Peñailillo, Luis; Meylan, Cesar M P; Caniuqueo, Alexis; Cañas-Jamet, Rodrigo; Moran, Jason; Alonso-Martínez, Alicia M; Izquierdo, Mikel

2016-08-01

To investigate the effects of a six-week plyometric training and creatine supplementation intervention on maximal-intensity and endurance performance in female soccer players during in-season training. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Young (age 22.9±2.5y) female players with similar training load and competitive background were assigned to a plyometric training group receiving placebo (PLACEBO, n=10), a plyometric training group receiving creatine supplementation (CREATINE, n=10) or a control group receiving placebo without following a plyometric program (CONTROL, n=10). Athletes were evaluated for jumping, maximal and repeated sprinting, endurance and change-of-direction speed performance before and after six weeks of training. After intervention the CONTROL group did not change, whereas both plyometric training groups improved jumps (ES=0.25-0.49), sprint (ES=0.35-0.41), repeated sprinting (ES=0.48-0.55), endurance (ES=0.32-0.34) and change-of-direction speed performance (ES=0.46-0.55). However, the CREATINE group improved more in the jumps and repeated sprinting performance tests than the CONTROL and the PLACEBO groups. Adaptations to plyometric training may be enhanced with creatine supplementation. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Control Group Paradigms in Studies Investigating Acute Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Performance-An Experiment on Expectation-Driven Placebo Effects.

PubMed

Oberste, Max; Hartig, Philipp; Bloch, Wilhelm; Elsner, Benjamin; Predel, Hans-Georg; Ernst, Bernhard; Zimmer, Philipp

2017-01-01

Introduction: Many studies report improvements in cognitive performance following acute endurance exercise compared to control group treatment. These cognitive benefits are interpreted as a result of a physiological response to exercise. However, it was also hypothesized that expectation-driven placebo effects account for these positive effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute endurance exercise and multiple control group treatments. Methods: Healthy individuals ( N = 247, 24.26 ± 3.88 years) were randomized to eight different groups watching videos of a moderate, a vigorous exercise treatment or one control group treatment (waiting, reading, video-watching, stretching, myofascial release workout, and very light exercise). Then, they were introduced to three commonly used cognitive test procedures in acute exercise-cognition research (Stroop-test, Trail-Making-test, Free-recall-task). Participants rated the effect they would expect on their performance in those tasks, if they had received the treatment shortly before the task, on an 11-point Likert scale. Results: No significantly different expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute moderate exercise and control group treatments could be revealed. Participants expected significantly worse performance following vigorous exercise compared to following waiting and stretching for all cognitive tests. Significantly worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to after very light exercise was expected for Stroop and Free-recall. For Free-recall, participants expected worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to myofascial release training as well. Conclusion: Our results indicate that expectation-driven placebo effects are unlikely to cause the reported greater cognitive improvements following acute moderate and vigorous endurance exercise compared to following common control group treatments.

[Effects of Self-directed Feedback Practice using Smartphone Videos on Basic Nursing Skills, Confidence in Performance and Learning Satisfaction].

PubMed

Lee, Seul Gi; Shin, Yun Hee

2016-04-01

This study was done to verify effects of a self-directed feedback practice using smartphone videos on nursing students' basic nursing skills, confidence in performance and learning satisfaction. In this study an experimental study with a post-test only control group design was used. Twenty-nine students were assigned to the experimental group and 29 to the control group. Experimental treatment was exchanging feedback on deficiencies through smartphone recorded videos of nursing practice process taken by peers during self-directed practice. Basic nursing skills scores were higher for all items in the experimental group compared to the control group, and differences were statistically significant ["Measuring vital signs" (t=-2.10, p=.039); "Wearing protective equipment when entering and exiting the quarantine room and the management of waste materials" (t=-4.74, p<.001) "Gavage tube feeding" (t=-2.70, p=.009)]. Confidence in performance was higher in the experimental group compared to the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant. However, after the complete practice, there was a statistically significant difference in overall performance confidence (t=-3.07. p=.003). Learning satisfaction was higher in the experimental group compared to the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (t=-1.67, p=.100). Results of this study indicate that self-directed feedback practice using smartphone videos can improve basic nursing skills. The significance is that it can help nursing students gain confidence in their nursing skills for the future through improvement of basic nursing skills and performance of quality care, thus providing patients with safer care.

Latent vulnerability in cognitive performance following chronic cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Porter, Jessica N; Gurnsey, Kate; Jedema, Hank P; Bradberry, Charles W

2013-03-01

Cocaine use is associated with cognitive impairment which impacts treatment outcome. A clearer understanding of those deficits, and whether particular environments exacerbate them, is needed. This study evaluated whether previously observed domain-specific cognitive deficits persisted following a 3-month cessation from chronic cocaine self-administration, as well as the impact of novel and cocaine-associated attentional distractors. Control and experimental groups of monkeys performed stimulus discrimination, stimulus reversal, and delayed match-to-sample (DMS) tasks. After establishing post-cocaine baseline performance, we examined general distractibility in both groups, using brief novel distractors counterbalanced across each task. After testing the novel distractor, an identical approach was used for exposure to an appetitive distractor previously associated with cocaine in the experimental group or water in the control group. Post-administration baseline performance was equivalent between groups on all tasks. In the cocaine group, stimulus discrimination was unaffected by either distractor, whereas reversal performance was disrupted by both the novel and appetitive distractors. DMS performance was impaired in the cocaine group in the presence of the novel distractor. The control group's performance was not affected by the presentation of either distractor on any task. Our results reveal that despite normalized performance between groups, there exists in the cocaine group a domain-specific latent vulnerability of cognitive performance to impairment by environmental distractors. The pattern of vulnerability recapitulates the frank impairments seen in drug-free animals during an active self-administration phase. A greater impact of the cocaine-associated distractor over the novel one was not observed.

Functional performance testing in participants with functional ankle instability and in a healthy control group.

PubMed

Buchanan, Amanda S; Docherty, Carrie L; Schrader, John

2008-01-01

Functional ankle instability (FAI) affects a large part of the population. Inconsistent findings have been reported regarding the existence of functional performance deficits in individuals with FAI. To examine functional performance in participants with FAI compared with participants in a control group during 2 hopping tests. Case-control study. Athletic training research laboratory. There were 40 college-aged individuals who participated in our study: 20 with FAI and 20 without FAI. We defined FAI as history of an ankle sprain and residual episodes of "giving way." Participants completed 2 functional performance tests (FPTs): the single-limb hopping and the single-limb hurdle tests. Time to complete each test was recorded. Following each FPT, participants were asked if their ankles felt unstable during the test. We found no difference between participants in the FAI and control groups for the hopping or hurdle tests (P > .05). When asked if their ankles felt unstable during the FPTs, approximately half of the participants in the FAI group and none of the participants in the control group reported a feeling of instability. Subsequently, a secondary analysis of variance was calculated with participants grouped into 3 categories: control participants, FAI participants reporting instability symptoms during FPT (FAI-S), and FAI participants not reporting instability symptoms during FPT (FAI-NS). Results revealed a difference among the 3 groups for the single-limb hopping test (P < .01). Post hoc analysis revealed a difference between the FAI-S participants and both the control and the FAI-NS participants. No difference was identified for the single-limb hurdle test (P = .41). The FAI-S participants had performance deficits during the single-limb hopping test. Therefore, clinicians could use this simple hopping test as an additional method to determine the presence of FAI.

Effects of online games on student performance in undergraduate physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadiq, Irfan

The present state of physics teaching and learning is a reflection of the difficulty of the subject matter which has resulted in students' low motivation toward physics as well as lack of meaningful and deeper learning experiences. In light of an overall decline in interest in physics, an investigation of alternate teaching and learning methods and tools was appropriate. The research posed the following question: To what extent do online games about kinematics and two-dimensional motion impact student performance in undergraduate general physics as measured by a unit posttest? Two intact classes of 20 students each were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. Only the experimental group received the treatment of using online games. The duration of topics covered in the game content was identical to the lecture on kinematics and two-dimensional motion. Instructors for the experimental group incorporated online games in their regular classroom teaching, whereas those in the control group continued with their previously used curriculum without games. This study was conducted in three weekly sessions. Although students were not selected using random sampling, existing classes were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. There were 20 students in the experimental group and 20 students in the control group. The independent samples t test was conducted to compare the means of two independently sampled experimental and control groups. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine if the two groups were significantly different with regard to their general physics performance on the posttest while controlling for the pretest scores. Analysis of posttest and pretest scores revealed that game-based learning did not significantly impact student performance.

When Does Stress Help or Harm? The Effects of Stress Controllability and Subjective Stress Response on Stroop Performance

PubMed Central

Henderson, Roselinde K.; Snyder, Hannah R.; Gupta, Tina; Banich, Marie T.

2012-01-01

The ability to engage in goal-directed behavior despite exposure to stress is critical to resilience. Questions of how stress can impair or improve behavioral functioning are important in diverse settings, from athletic competitions to academic testing. Previous research suggests that controllability is a key factor in the impact of stress on behavior: learning how to control stressors buffers people from the negative effects of stress on subsequent cognitively demanding tasks. In addition, research suggests that the impact of stress on cognitive functioning depends on an individual’s response to stressors: moderate responses to stress can lead to improved performance while extreme (high or low) responses can lead to impaired performance. The present studies tested the hypothesis that (1) learning to behaviorally control stressors leads to improved performance on a test of general executive functioning, the color-word Stroop, and that (2) this improvement emerges specifically for people who report moderate (subjective) responses to stress. Experiment 1: Stroop performance, measured before and after a stress manipulation, was compared across groups of undergraduate participants (n = 109). People who learned to control a noise stressor and received accurate performance feedback demonstrated reduced Stroop interference compared with people exposed to uncontrollable noise stress and feedback indicating an exaggerated rate of failure. In the group who learned behavioral control, those who reported moderate levels of stress showed the greatest reduction in Stroop interference. In contrast, in the group exposed to uncontrollable events, self-reported stress failed to predict performance. Experiment 2: In a second sample (n = 90), we specifically investigated the role of controllability by keeping the rate of failure feedback constant across groups. In the group who learned behavioral control, those who reported moderate levels of stress showed the greatest Stroop improvement. Once again, this pattern was not demonstrated in the group exposed to uncontrollable events. These results suggest that stress controllability and subjective response interact to affect high-level cognitive abilities. Specifically, exposure to moderate, controllable stress benefits performance, but exposure to uncontrollable stress or having a more extreme response to stress tends to harm performance. These findings may provide insights on how to leverage the beneficial effects of stress in a range of settings. PMID:22701442

When does stress help or harm? The effects of stress controllability and subjective stress response on stroop performance.

PubMed

Henderson, Roselinde K; Snyder, Hannah R; Gupta, Tina; Banich, Marie T

2012-01-01

The ability to engage in goal-directed behavior despite exposure to stress is critical to resilience. Questions of how stress can impair or improve behavioral functioning are important in diverse settings, from athletic competitions to academic testing. Previous research suggests that controllability is a key factor in the impact of stress on behavior: learning how to control stressors buffers people from the negative effects of stress on subsequent cognitively demanding tasks. In addition, research suggests that the impact of stress on cognitive functioning depends on an individual's response to stressors: moderate responses to stress can lead to improved performance while extreme (high or low) responses can lead to impaired performance. The present studies tested the hypothesis that (1) learning to behaviorally control stressors leads to improved performance on a test of general executive functioning, the color-word Stroop, and that (2) this improvement emerges specifically for people who report moderate (subjective) responses to stress. Experiment 1: Stroop performance, measured before and after a stress manipulation, was compared across groups of undergraduate participants (n = 109). People who learned to control a noise stressor and received accurate performance feedback demonstrated reduced Stroop interference compared with people exposed to uncontrollable noise stress and feedback indicating an exaggerated rate of failure. In the group who learned behavioral control, those who reported moderate levels of stress showed the greatest reduction in Stroop interference. In contrast, in the group exposed to uncontrollable events, self-reported stress failed to predict performance. Experiment 2: In a second sample (n = 90), we specifically investigated the role of controllability by keeping the rate of failure feedback constant across groups. In the group who learned behavioral control, those who reported moderate levels of stress showed the greatest Stroop improvement. Once again, this pattern was not demonstrated in the group exposed to uncontrollable events. These results suggest that stress controllability and subjective response interact to affect high-level cognitive abilities. Specifically, exposure to moderate, controllable stress benefits performance, but exposure to uncontrollable stress or having a more extreme response to stress tends to harm performance. These findings may provide insights on how to leverage the beneficial effects of stress in a range of settings.

Effects of team-based learning on problem-solving, knowledge and clinical performance of Korean nursing students.

PubMed

Kim, Hae-Ran; Song, Yeoungsuk; Lindquist, Ruth; Kang, Hee-Young

2016-03-01

Team-based learning (TBL) has been used as a learner-centered teaching strategy in efforts to improve students' problem-solving, knowledge and practice performance. Although TBL has been used in nursing education in Korea for a decade, few studies have studied its effects on Korean nursing students' learning outcomes. To examine the effects of TBL on problem-solving ability and learning outcomes (knowledge and clinical performance) of Korean nursing students. Randomized controlled trial. 63 third-year undergraduate nursing students attending a single university were randomly assigned to the TBL group (n=32), or a control group (n=31). The TBL and control groups attended 2h of class weekly for 3weeks. Three scenarios with pulmonary disease content were employed in both groups. However, the control group received lectures and traditional case study teaching/learning strategies instead of TBL. A questionnaire of problem-solving ability was administered at baseline, prior to students' exposure to the teaching strategies. Students' problem-solving ability, knowledge of pulmonary nursing care, and clinical performance were assessed following completion of the three-week pulmonary unit. After the three-week educational interventions, the scores on problem-solving ability in the TBL group were significantly improved relative to that of the control group (t=10.89, p<.001). In addition, there were significant differences in knowledge, and in clinical performance with standardized patients between the two groups (t=2.48, p=.016, t=12.22, p<.001). This study demonstrated that TBL is an effective teaching strategy to enhance problem-solving ability, knowledge and clinical performance. More research on other specific learning outcomes of TBL for nursing students is recommended. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact on learning of an e-learning module on leukaemia: a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background e-learning resources may be beneficial for complex or conceptually difficult topics. Leukaemia is one such topic, yet there are no reports on the efficacy of e-learning for leukaemia. This study compared the learning impact on senior medical students of a purpose-built e-learning module on leukaemia, compared with existing online resources. Methods A randomised controlled trial was performed utilising volunteer senior medical students. Participants were randomly allocated to Study and Control groups. Following a pre-test on leukaemia administered to both groups, the Study group was provided with access to the new e-learning module, while the Control group was directed to existing online resources. A post-test and an evaluation questionnaire were administered to both groups at the end of the trial period. Results Study and Control groups were equivalent in gender distribution, mean academic ability, pre-test performance and time studying leukaemia during the trial. The Study group performed significantly better than the Control group in the post-test, in which the group to which the students had been allocated was the only significant predictor of performance. The Study group’s evaluation of the module was overwhelmingly positive. Conclusions A targeted e-learning module on leukaemia had a significant effect on learning in this cohort, compared with existing online resources. We believe that the interactivity, dialogic feedback and integration with the curriculum offered by the e-learning module contributed to its impact. This has implications for e-learning design in medicine and other disciplines. PMID:22640463

Reading Comprehension Assessment through Retelling: Performance Profiles of Children with Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Disability

PubMed Central

Kida, Adriana de S. B.; de Ávila, Clara R. B.; Capellini, Simone A.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To study reading comprehension performance profiles of children with dyslexia as well as language-based learning disability (LBLD) by means of retelling tasks. Method: One hundred and five children from 2nd to 5th grades of elementary school were gathered into six groups: Dyslexia group (D; n = 19), language-based learning disability group (LBLD; n = 16); their respective control groups paired according to different variables – age, gender, grade and school system (public or private; D-control and LBLD-control); and other control groups paired according to different reading accuracy (D-accuracy; LBLD-accuracy). All of the children read an expository text and orally retold the story as they understood it. The analysis quantified propositions (main ideas and details) and retold links. A retelling reference standard (3–0) was also established from the best to the worst performance. We compared both clinical groups (D and LBLD) with their respective control groups by means of Mann–Whitney tests. Results: D showed the same total of propositions, links and reference standards as D-control, but performed better than D-accuracy in macro structural (total of links) and super structural (retelling reference standard) measures. Results suggest that dyslexic children are able to use their linguistic competence and their own background knowledge to minimize the effects of their decoding deficit, especially at the highest text processing levels. LBLD performed worse than LBLD-control in all of the retelling measures and LBLD showed worse performance than LBLD-accuracy in the total retold links and retelling reference standard. Those results suggest that both decoding and linguistic difficulties affect reading comprehension. Moreover, the linguistic deficits presented by LBLD students do not allow these pupils to perform as competently in terms of text comprehension as the children with dyslexia do. Thus, failure in the macro and super-structural information processing of the expository text were evidenced. Conclusion: Each clinical group showed a different retelling profile. Such findings support the view that there are differences between these two clinical populations in the non-phonological dimensions of language. PMID:27313551

Effect of video-game experience and position of flight stick controller on simulated-flight performance.

PubMed

Cho, Bo-Keun; Aghazadeh, Fereydoun; Al-Qaisi, Saif

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of video-game experience and flight-stick position on flying performance. The study divided participants into 2 groups; center- and side-stick groups, which were further divided into high and low level of video-game experience subgroups. The experiment consisted of 7 sessions of simulated flying, and in the last session, the flight stick controller was switched to the other position. Flight performance was measured in terms of the deviation of heading, altitude, and airspeed from their respective requirements. Participants with high experience in video games performed significantly better (p < .001) than the low-experienced group. Also, participants performed significantly better (p < .001) with the center-stick than the side-stick. When the side-stick controller was switched to the center-stick position, performance scores continued to increase (0.78 %). However, after switching from a center- to a side-stick controller, performance scores decreased (4.8%).

Structural Hippocampal Anomalies in a Schizophrenia Population Correlate with Navigation Performance on a Wayfinding Task

PubMed Central

Ledoux, Andrée-Anne; Boyer, Patrice; Phillips, Jennifer L.; Labelle, Alain; Smith, Andra; Bohbot, Véronique D.

2014-01-01

Episodic memory, related to the hippocampus, has been found to be impaired in schizophrenia. Further, hippocampal anomalies have also been observed in schizophrenia. This study investigated whether average hippocampal gray matter (GM) would differentiate performance on a hippocampus-dependent memory task in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Twenty-one patients with schizophrenia and 22 control participants were scanned with an MRI while being tested on a wayfinding task in a virtual town (e.g., find the grocery store from the school). Regressions were performed for both groups individually and together using GM and performance on the wayfinding task. Results indicate that controls successfully completed the task more often than patients, took less time, and made fewer errors. Additionally, controls had significantly more hippocampal GM than patients. Poor performance was associated with a GM decrease in the right hippocampus for both groups. Within group regressions found an association between right hippocampi GM and performance in controls and an association between the left hippocampi GM and performance in patients. A second analysis revealed that different anatomical GM regions, known to be associated with the hippocampus, such as the parahippocampal cortex, amygdala, medial, and orbital prefrontal cortices, covaried with the hippocampus in the control group. Interestingly, the cuneus and cingulate gyrus also covaried with the hippocampus in the patient group but the orbital frontal cortex did not, supporting the hypothesis of impaired connectivity between the hippocampus and the frontal cortex in schizophrenia. These results present important implications for creating intervention programs aimed at measuring functional and structural changes in the hippocampus in schizophrenia. PMID:24672451

Structural hippocampal anomalies in a schizophrenia population correlate with navigation performance on a wayfinding task.

PubMed

Ledoux, Andrée-Anne; Boyer, Patrice; Phillips, Jennifer L; Labelle, Alain; Smith, Andra; Bohbot, Véronique D

2014-01-01

Episodic memory, related to the hippocampus, has been found to be impaired in schizophrenia. Further, hippocampal anomalies have also been observed in schizophrenia. This study investigated whether average hippocampal gray matter (GM) would differentiate performance on a hippocampus-dependent memory task in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Twenty-one patients with schizophrenia and 22 control participants were scanned with an MRI while being tested on a wayfinding task in a virtual town (e.g., find the grocery store from the school). Regressions were performed for both groups individually and together using GM and performance on the wayfinding task. Results indicate that controls successfully completed the task more often than patients, took less time, and made fewer errors. Additionally, controls had significantly more hippocampal GM than patients. Poor performance was associated with a GM decrease in the right hippocampus for both groups. Within group regressions found an association between right hippocampi GM and performance in controls and an association between the left hippocampi GM and performance in patients. A second analysis revealed that different anatomical GM regions, known to be associated with the hippocampus, such as the parahippocampal cortex, amygdala, medial, and orbital prefrontal cortices, covaried with the hippocampus in the control group. Interestingly, the cuneus and cingulate gyrus also covaried with the hippocampus in the patient group but the orbital frontal cortex did not, supporting the hypothesis of impaired connectivity between the hippocampus and the frontal cortex in schizophrenia. These results present important implications for creating intervention programs aimed at measuring functional and structural changes in the hippocampus in schizophrenia.

Latent vulnerability in cognitive performance following chronic cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys

PubMed Central

Porter, Jessica N.; Gurnsey, Kate; Jedema, Hank P.; Bradberry, Charles W.

2012-01-01

Rationale Cocaine use is associated with cognitive impairment which impacts treatment outcome. A clearer understanding of those deficits, and whether particular environments exacerbate them, is needed. Objectives This study evaluated whether previously observed domain-specific cognitive deficits persisted following a three month cessation from chronic cocaine self-administration, as well as the impact of novel and cocaine-associated attentional distractors. Methods Control and experimental groups of monkeys performed stimulus discrimination, stimulus reversal, and delayed match-to-sample (DMS) tasks. After establishing post-cocaine baseline performance, we examined general distractibility in both groups, using brief novel distractors counterbalanced across each task. After testing the novel distractor, an identical approach was used for exposure to an appetitive distractor previously associated with cocaine in the experimental group, or water in the control group. Results Post-administration baseline performance was equivalent between groups on all tasks. In the cocaine group, stimulus discrimination was unaffected by either distractor, whereas reversal performance was disrupted by both the novel and appetitive distractors. DMS performance was impaired in the cocaine group in the presence of the novel distractor. The control group’s performance was not affected by the presentation of either distractor on any task. Conclusion Our results reveal that despite normalized performance between groups, there exists in the cocaine group a domain-specific latent vulnerability of cognitive performance to impairment by environmental distractors. The pattern of vulnerability recapitulates the frank impairments seen in drug free animals during an active self-administration phase. A greater impact of the cocaine-associated distractor over the novel one was not observed. PMID:23108938

Effect of cellooligosaccharide or synbiotic feeding on growth performance, fecal condition and hormone concentrations in Holstein calves.

PubMed

Hasunuma, Toshiya; Kawashima, Kenji; Nakayama, Hirofumi; Murakami, Toshiaki; Kanagawa, Hiroyuki; Ishii, Takashige; Akiyama, Kiyoshi; Yasuda, Kenji; Terada, Fuminori; Kushibiki, Shiro

2011-08-01

We investigated the effect of cellooligosaccharide (CE) or a combination of dextran and Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei strain JCM1134(T) (synbiotic; SB) feeding on growth performance, fecal condition and hormone concentrations in Holstein calves. Fifty-two female Holstein calves were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: CE feeding group (n = 16), SB feeding group (n = 18), and control group (n = 18). Body weight at 90 days of age, as well as daily body weight gain (DG) and feed efficiency after weaning to 90 days of age were greater (P < 0.05) in the CE feeding group than in the control group. The total fecal score tended to be lower (P < 0.1) in the SB feeding group than in the control group. Plasma insulin concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in the CE feeding group than in the control group at 90 days of age. Our results indicate that CE feeding improved DG and feed efficiency in calves. On the other hand, there was less effect on growth performance and fecal Escherichia coli counts in calves fed SB. 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Motor Learning in Stroke: Trained Patients Are Not Equal to Untrained Patients With Less Impairment

PubMed

Hardwick, Robert M; Rajan, Vikram A; Bastian, Amy J; Krakauer, John W; Celnik, Pablo A

2017-02-01

Stroke rehabilitation assumes motor learning contributes to motor recovery, yet motor learning in stroke has received little systematic investigation. Here we aimed to illustrate that despite matching levels of performance on a task, a trained patient should not be considered equal to an untrained patient with less impairment. We examined motor learning in healthy control participants and groups of stroke survivors with mild-to-moderate or moderate-to-severe motor impairment. Participants performed a series of isometric contractions of the elbow flexors to navigate an on-screen cursor to different targets, and trained to perform this task over a 4-day period. The speed-accuracy trade-off function (SAF) was assessed for each group, controlling for differences in self-selected movement speeds between individuals. The initial SAF for each group was proportional to their impairment. All groups were able to improve their performance through skill acquisition. Interestingly, training led the moderate-to-severe group to match the untrained (baseline) performance of the mild-to-moderate group, while the trained mild-to-moderate group matched the untrained (baseline) performance of the controls. Critically, this did not make the two groups equivalent; they differed in their capacity to improve beyond this matched performance level. Specifically, the trained groups had reached a plateau, while the untrained groups had not. Despite matching levels of performance on a task, a trained patient is not equal to an untrained patient with less impairment. This has important implications for decisions both on the focus of rehabilitation efforts for chronic stroke, as well as for returning to work and other activities.

Contralateral comparison of wavefront-guided LASIK surgery with iris recognition versus without iris recognition using the MEL80 Excimer laser system.

PubMed

Wu, Fang; Yang, Yabo; Dougherty, Paul J

2009-05-01

To compare outcomes in wavefront-guided LASIK performed with iris recognition software versus without iris recognition software in different eyes of the same patient. A randomised, prospective study of 104 myopic eyes of 52 patients undergoing LASIK surgery with the MEL80 excimer laser system was performed. Iris recognition software was used in one eye of each patient (study group) and not used in the other eye (control group). Higher order aberrations (HOAs), contrast sensitivity, uncorrected vision (UCV), visual acuity (VA) and corneal topography were measured and recorded pre-operatively and at one month and three months post-operatively for each eye. The mean post-operative sphere and cylinder between groups was similar, however the post-operative angles of error (AE) by refraction were significantly smaller in the study group compared to the control group both in arithmetic and absolute means (p = 0.03, p = 0.01). The mean logMAR UCV was significantly better in the study group than in the control group at one month (p = 0.01). The mean logMAR VA was significantly better in the study group than in control group at both one and three months (p = 0.01, p = 0.03). In addition, mean trefoil, total third-order aberration, total fourth-order aberration and the total scotopic root-mean-square (RMS) HOAs were significantly less in the study group than those in the control group at the third (p = 0.01, p = 0.05, p = 0.04, p = 0.02). By three months, the contrast sensitivity had recovered in both groups but the study group performed better at 2.6, 4.2 and 6.6 cpd (cycles per degree) than the control group (p = 0.01, p < 0.01, p = 0.01). LASIK performed with iris recognition results in better VA, lower mean higher-order aberrations, lower refractive post-operative angles of error and better contrast sensitivity at three months post-operatively than LASIK performed without iris recognition.

Electrocardiographic anxiety profiles improve speech anxiety.

PubMed

Kim, Pyoung Won; Kim, Seung Ae; Jung, Keun-Hwa

2012-12-01

The present study was to set out in efforts to determine the effect of electrocardiographic (ECG) feedback on the performance in speech anxiety. Forty-six high school students participated in a speech performance educational program. They were randomly divided into two groups, an experimental group with ECG feedback (N = 21) and a control group (N = 25). Feedback was given with video recording in the control, whereas in the experimental group, an additional ECG feedback was provided. Speech performance was evaluated by the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) speech ability test, which determines the 10 different speaking categories. ECG was recorded during rest and speech, together with a video recording of the speech performance. Changes in R-R intervals were used to reflect anxiety profiles. Three trials were performed for 3-week program. Results showed that the subjects with ECG feedback revealed a significant improvement in speech performance and anxiety states, which compared to those in the control group. These findings suggest that visualization of the anxiety profile feedback with ECG can be a better cognitive therapeutic strategy in speech anxiety.

Risky Decision Making Assessed With the Gambling Task in Adults with HIV

PubMed Central

Hardy, David J.; Hinkin, Charles H.; Castellon, Steven A.; Levine, Andrew J.; Lam, Mona N.

2010-01-01

Decision making was assessed using a laboratory gambling task in 67 adults with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV+) and in 19 HIV-seronegative (HIV−) control participants. Neurocognitive test performance across several domains was also analyzed to examine potential cognitive mechanisms of gambling task performance. As predicted, the HIV+ group performed worse on the gambling task, indicating greater risky decision making. Specifically, the HIV+ group selected more cards from the “risky” or disadvantageous deck that included relatively large payoffs but infrequent large penalties. The control group also selected such risky cards but quickly learned to avoid them. Exploratory analyses also indicated that in the HIV+ group, but not in the control group, gambling task performance was correlated with Stroop Interference performance and long delay free recall on the California Verbal Learning Test, suggesting the role of inhibitory processes and verbal memory in the poorer gambling task performance in HIV. These findings indicate the usefulness of the gambling task as a laboratory tool to examine risky decision making and cognition in the HIV population. PMID:16719628

The use of cognitive task analysis to improve the learning of percutaneous tracheostomy placement.

PubMed

Sullivan, Maura E; Brown, Carlos V R; Peyre, Sarah E; Salim, Ali; Martin, Matthew; Towfigh, Shirin; Grunwald, Tiffany

2007-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of using cognitive task analysis (CTA) to develop a curriculum to teach the behavioral skills and the cognitive strategies of a percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) placement. Postgraduate 2, 3, and 4 general surgery residents were randomly assigned to either the CTA group (N = 9) or the control group (N = 11). The CTA group was taught percutaneous tracheostomy placement using the CTA curriculum. The control group received the traditional curriculum. The CTA group performed significantly higher on the PT procedure at 1 month (CTA: 43.5 +/- 3.7, control 35.2 +/- 3.9, P = .001) and at 6 months post-instruction (CTA: 39.4 +/- 4.2, control: 31.8 +/- 5.8, P = .004). In addition, the CTA group demonstrated superior cognitive strategies than the control group (CTA: 25.4 +/- 5.3, control: 19.2 +/- 2.0, P = .004). The use of CTA was effective in improving the cognitive processes and technical skills of performing a PT for surgical residents.

Limited value of haptics in virtual reality laparoscopic cholecystectomy training.

PubMed

Thompson, Jonathan R; Leonard, Anthony C; Doarn, Charles R; Roesch, Matt J; Broderick, Timothy J

2011-04-01

Haptics is an expensive addition to virtual reality (VR) simulators, and the added value to training has not been proven. This study evaluated the benefit of haptics in VR laparoscopic surgery training for novices. The Simbionix LapMentor II haptic VR simulator was used in the study. Randomly, 33 laparoscopic novice students were placed in one of three groups: control, haptics-trained, or nonhaptics-trained group. The control group performed nine basic laparoscopy tasks and four cholecystectomy procedural tasks one time with haptics engaged at the default setting. The haptics group was trained to proficiency in the basic tasks and then performed each of the procedural tasks one time with haptics engaged. The nonhaptics group used the same training protocol except that haptics was disengaged. The proficiency values used were previously published expert values. Each group was assessed in the performance of 10 laparoscopic cholecystectomies (alternating with and without haptics). Performance was measured via automatically collected simulator data. The three groups exhibited no differences in terms of sex, education level, hand dominance, video game experience, surgical experience, and nonsurgical simulator experience. The number of attempts required to reach proficiency did not differ between the haptics- and nonhaptics-training groups. The haptics and nonhaptics groups exhibited no difference in performance. Both training groups outperformed the control group in number of movements as well as path length of the left instrument. In addition, the nonhaptics group outperformed the control group in total time. Haptics does not improve the efficiency or effectiveness of LapMentor II VR laparoscopic surgery training. The limited benefit and the significant cost of haptics suggest that haptics should not be included routinely in VR laparoscopic surgery training.

Saving robots improves laparoscopic performance: transfer of skills from a serious game to a virtual reality simulator.

PubMed

IJgosse, Wouter M; van Goor, Harry; Luursema, Jan-Maarten

2018-01-18

Residents find it hard to commit to structural laparoscopic skills training. Serious gaming has been proposed as a solution on the premise that it is effective and more motivating than traditional simulation. We establish construct validity for the laparoscopic serious game Underground by comparing laparoscopic simulator performance for a control group and an Underground training group. A four-session laparoscopic basic skills course is part of the medical master students surgical internship at the Radboud University Medical Centre. Four cohorts, representing 107 participants, were assigned to either the Underground group or the control group. The control group trained on the FLS video trainer and the LapSim virtual reality simulator for four sessions. The Underground group played Underground for three sessions followed by a transfer session on the FLS video trainer and the LapSim. To assess the effect of engaging in serious gameplay on performance on two validated laparoscopic simulators, initial performance on the FLS video trainer and the LapSim was compared between the control group (first session) and the Underground group (fourth session). We chose task duration as a proxy for laparoscopic performance. The Underground group outperformed the control group on all three LapSim tasks: Camera navigation F(1) = 12.71, p < .01; Instrument navigation F(1) = 8.04, p < .01; and Coordination F(1) = 6.36, p = .01. There was no significant effect of playing Underground for performance on the FLS video trainer Peg Transfer task, F(1) = 0.28, p = .60. We demonstrated skills transfer between a serious game and validated laparoscopic simulator technology. Serious gaming may become a valuable, cost-effective addition to the skillslab, if transfer to the operating room can be established. Additionally, we discuss sources of transferable skills to help explain our and previous findings.

Effects of Dietary Fermented Seaweed and Seaweed Fusiforme on Growth Performance, Carcass Parameters and Immunoglobulin Concentration in Broiler Chicks

PubMed Central

Choi, Y. J.; Lee, S. R.; Oh, J-W.

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of brown seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) by-product and seaweed fusiforme (Hizikia fusiformis) by-product supplementation on growth performance and blood profiles including serum immunoglobulin (Ig) in broilers. Fermentation of seaweeds was conducted by Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae. In a 5-wk feeding trial, 750 one-d-old broiler chicks were divided into 5 groups, and were assigned to the control diet or experimental diets including control+0.5% brown seaweed (BS) by-product, control+0.5% seaweed fusiforme (SF) by-product, control+0.5% fermented brown seaweed (FBS) by-product, and control+0.5% fermented seaweed fusiforme (FSF) by-product. As a consequence, body weight gain (BWG) and gain:feed of seaweed by-product groups were clearly higher, when compared to those of control diet group from d 18 to 35 and the entire experimental period (p<0.05). In mortality rate, seaweed by-product groups were significantly lower when compared to control diet group during entire experimental period (p<0.05). However, Feed Intake of experimental diets group was not different from that of the control group during the entire experimental period. Whereas, Feed Intake of fermented seaweed by-product groups was lower than that of non-fermented seaweed groups (p<0.05). Total organ weights, lipids, and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) of all treatment groups were not different from those of control group. However, glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) of all treatment groups was higher than that of control group at d 17 (p<0.05). In case of serum Igs concentration, the concentration of IgA antibody in BS, SF, FSF treatment groups was significantly higher than in control group at d 35 (p<0.01). IgA concentration in FBS supplementation groups was negligibly decreased when compared to the control group. IgM concentration in the serums of all treatment groups was significantly higher than in control group (p<0.05) and in fermented seaweed by-product groups were much higher than in non-fermented seaweed groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, IgG concentrations in all treatment groups were lower than in control group (p<0.05). Taken together, our results suggest that by-product dietary supplementation of BS, SF, FBS, and FSF in poultry may provide positive effects of growth performance and immune response. PMID:25050025

Building Kindergartners' Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Jordan, Nancy C; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2012-08-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups ( n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business as usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate post test, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held eight weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures.

The effect of feedback-assisted reduction in heart rate reactivity on videogame performance.

PubMed

Larkin, K T; Manuck, S B; Kasprowicz, A L

1990-12-01

In 67 male volunteers, we examined the reduction of cardiovascular responsivity to a psychomotor challenge (videogame) achieved by use of heart rate (HR) feedback and effects of these procedures on concomitant behavioral performance. Each subject participated in a pretraining assessment of his cardiovascular responses to the videogame, a training condition, and a posttraining assessment identical to the initial evaluation. During training, subjects were assigned to one of four conditions: (a) a habituation control group receiving no instructions to alter HR (HC); (b) an instructions-only control group receiving instructions to maintain a low or unchanged HR during videogame presentations (IC); (c) a feedback group receiving instructions to reduce HR using ongoing HR feedback (FB-); or (d) a feedback group receiving instructions to lower HR and given HR feedback plus a score contingency in which total game score was jointly determined by subjects' game performance and success at HR control (FB+). Subjects receiving feedback (FB+, FB-) exhibited greater reductions in HR response to the videogame in the posttraining assessment than control (HC, IC) subjects; FB+ subjects showed greater HR reductions than subjects in any other group. FB+ and FB- subjects showed a lower SBP at posttraining relative to the two control groups, but no reduction in task-induced blood pressure reactivity. There were no group differences in videogame performance, either before or following training.

Mental practice with interactive 3D visual aids enhances surgical performance.

PubMed

Yiasemidou, Marina; Glassman, Daniel; Mushtaq, Faisal; Athanasiou, Christos; Williams, Mark-Mon; Jayne, David; Miskovic, Danilo

2017-10-01

Evidence suggests that Mental Practice (MP) could be used to finesse surgical skills. However, MP is cognitively demanding and may be dependent on the ability of individuals to produce mental images. In this study, we hypothesised that the provision of interactive 3D visual aids during MP could facilitate surgical skill performance. 20 surgical trainees were case-matched to one of three different preparation methods prior to performing a simulated Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). Two intervention groups underwent a 25-minute MP session; one with interactive 3D visual aids depicting the relevant surgical anatomy (3D-MP group, n = 5) and one without (MP-Only, n = 5). A control group (n = 10) watched a didactic video of a real LC. Scores relating to technical performance and safety were recorded by a surgical simulator. The Control group took longer to complete the procedure relative to the 3D&MP condition (p = .002). The number of movements was also statistically different across groups (p = .001), with the 3D&MP group making fewer movements relative to controls (p = .001). Likewise, the control group moved further in comparison to the 3D&MP condition and the MP-Only condition (p = .004). No reliable differences were observed for safety metrics. These data provide evidence for the potential value of MP in improving performance. Furthermore, they suggest that 3D interactive visual aids during MP could potentially enhance performance, beyond the benefits of MP alone. These findings pave the way for future RCTs on surgical preparation and performance.

Growth performance and histological intestinal alterations in piglets fed dietary raw and heated pigeon pea seed meal.

PubMed

Mekbungwan, A; Yamauchi, K

2004-04-01

Histological intestinal villus alterations were studied in piglets fed raw (PM) or heated (HPM) pigeon pea seed meal. The trypsin inhibition rate was 99.15% in PM and 54.31% HPM. The PM and HPM were added into the basal diet (crude protein; 176.3 g/kg, gross energy; 4.15 kcal/g, control) at 20% and 40% levels, respectively. The diets were formulated in order to adjust protein to 180 g/kg and gross energy to about 4.20 kcal/g. The feed intake was not different among groups. The daily body weight gain and feed efficiency tended to decrease with the increasing PM level, and they decreased significantly in the 40% PM group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). However, HPM groups showed a growth performance similar to the control. The villus height, cell area and cell mitosis tended to decrease with the increasing PM level, and they decreased significantly in the 40% PM group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In HPM group, these villus height, cell area and cell mitosis were significantly higher than those of the 40% PM group (P < 0.05), and did not show a significant difference compared with the control. Compared with the duodenal villus surface of the control group, the PM groups had a smooth surface due to flat cells and the HPM group showed a rough surface due to protuberated cells. The current histological alterations of intestinal villi demonstrate that the villi might be atrophied in the piglets fed raw PM due to anti-nutritional factors, resulting in the decreased growth performance, and that heating PM might abolish such a harmful effect of the anti-nutritional factors on the villus function, resulting in a similar growth performance to the control. Raw PM could be incorporated under a level of 40%, but heated PM increases the incorporation rate up to the 40% level.

Perceptual training effects on anticipation of direct and deceptive 7-m throws in handball.

PubMed

Alsharji, Khaled E; Wade, Michael G

2016-01-01

We examined the effectiveness of perceptual training on the performance of handball goalkeepers when anticipating the direction of both direct and deceptive 7-m throws. Skilled goalkeepers were assigned equally to three matched-ability groups based on their pre-test performance: a perceptual training group (n = 14) received video-based perceptual training, a placebo training group (n = 14) received video-based regular training and a control group received no training. Participants in the perceptual training group significantly improved their performance compared to both placebo and control groups; however, anticipation of deceptive throws improved less than for direct throws. The results confirm that although anticipating deception in handball is a challenging task for goalkeepers, task-specific perceptual training can minimise its effect and improve performance.

Effects of a resistance training program performed with an interocclusal splint for community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Hirase, Tatsuya; Inokuchi, Shigeru; Matsusaka, Nobuou; Nakahara, Kazumi; Okita, Minoru

2016-01-01

[Purpose] To examine whether resistance training for elderly community-dwellers performed with an interocclusal splint resulted in greater lower extremity muscle strength and better balance than resistance training performed without an interocclusal splint. [Subjects and Methods] Eighty-eight elderly persons using Japanese community day centers were randomly divided into two groups: an intervention group (n=45), which performed resistance training with an interocclusal splint; and a control group (n=43), which performed resistance training without an interocclusal splint. The resistance training program comprised a 40-min session performed twice a week for 12 weeks. Outcome measures were the chair stand test (CST), timed up and go test (TUG), and one-leg standing test (OLST). Assessments were conducted before the intervention and every 2 weeks after the start of the intervention. [Results] There was a significant group × time interaction for the OLST, with the intervention group showing significant improvement from 8 to 12 weeks compared to the control group. For the CST and TUG, no significant differences were found between the two groups throughout the 12 weeks. [Conclusion] Resistance training with an interocclusal splint improved the balance ability of elderly community-dwellers more effectively than resistance training without an interocclusal splint. PMID:27313359

Effects of a resistance training program performed with an interocclusal splint for community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hirase, Tatsuya; Inokuchi, Shigeru; Matsusaka, Nobuou; Nakahara, Kazumi; Okita, Minoru

2016-05-01

[Purpose] To examine whether resistance training for elderly community-dwellers performed with an interocclusal splint resulted in greater lower extremity muscle strength and better balance than resistance training performed without an interocclusal splint. [Subjects and Methods] Eighty-eight elderly persons using Japanese community day centers were randomly divided into two groups: an intervention group (n=45), which performed resistance training with an interocclusal splint; and a control group (n=43), which performed resistance training without an interocclusal splint. The resistance training program comprised a 40-min session performed twice a week for 12 weeks. Outcome measures were the chair stand test (CST), timed up and go test (TUG), and one-leg standing test (OLST). Assessments were conducted before the intervention and every 2 weeks after the start of the intervention. [Results] There was a significant group × time interaction for the OLST, with the intervention group showing significant improvement from 8 to 12 weeks compared to the control group. For the CST and TUG, no significant differences were found between the two groups throughout the 12 weeks. [Conclusion] Resistance training with an interocclusal splint improved the balance ability of elderly community-dwellers more effectively than resistance training without an interocclusal splint.

Evaluation of selected auditory tests in school-age children suspected of auditory processing disorders.

PubMed

Vanniasegaram, Iyngaram; Cohen, Mazal; Rosen, Stuart

2004-12-01

To compare the auditory function of normal-hearing children attending mainstream schools who were referred for an auditory evaluation because of listening/hearing problems (suspected auditory processing disorders [susAPD]) with that of normal-hearing control children. Sixty-five children with a normal standard audiometric evaluation, ages 6-14 yr (32 of whom were referred for susAPD, with the rest age-matched control children), completed a battery of four auditory tests: a dichotic test of competing sentences; a simple discrimination of short tone pairs differing in fundamental frequency at varying interstimulus intervals (TDT); a discrimination task using consonant cluster minimal pairs of real words (CCMP), and an adaptive threshold task for detecting a brief tone presented either simultaneously with a masker (simultaneous masking) or immediately preceding it (backward masking). Regression analyses, including age as a covariate, were performed to determine the extent to which the performance of the two groups differed on each task. Age-corrected z-scores were calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of the complete battery in discriminating the groups. The performance of the susAPD group was significantly poorer than the control group on all but the masking tasks, which failed to differentiate the two groups. The CCMP discriminated the groups most effectively, as it yielded the lowest number of control children with abnormal scores, and performance in both groups was independent of age. By contrast, the proportion of control children who performed poorly on the competing sentences test was unacceptably high. Together, the CCMP (verbal) and TDT (nonverbal) tasks detected impaired listening skills in 56% of the children who were referred to the clinic, compared with 6% of the control children. Performance on the two tasks was not correlated. Two of the four tests evaluated, the CCMP and TDT, proved effective in differentiating the two groups of children of this study. The application of both tests increased the proportion of susAPD children who performed poorly compared with the application of each test alone, while reducing the proportion of control subjects who performed poorly. The findings highlight the importance of carrying out a complete auditory evaluation in children referred for medical attention, even if their standard audiometric evaluation is unremarkable.

Effects of pivoting neuromuscular training on pivoting control and proprioception.

PubMed

Lee, Song Joo; Ren, Yupeng; Chang, Alison H; Geiger, François; Zhang, Li-Qun

2014-07-01

Pivoting neuromuscular control and proprioceptive acuity may play an important role in anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The goal of this study was to investigate whether pivoting off-axis intensity adjustable neuromuscular control training (POINT) could improve pivoting neuromuscular control, proprioceptive acuity, and functional performance. Among 41 subjects, 21 subjects participated in 18 sessions of POINT (three sessions per week for 6 wk), and 20 subjects served as controls who did their regular workout. Both groups received pre-, mid-, and postintervention evaluations. Propensity score analysis with multivariable regression adjustment was used to investigate the effect of training on pivoting neuromuscular control (pivoting instability, leg pivoting stiffness, maximum internal, and external pivoting angles), proprioceptive acuity, and functional performance in both groups. Compared with the control group, the training group significantly improved pivoting neuromuscular control as reduced pivoting instability, reduced maximum internal and external pivoting angles, increased leg pivoting stiffness, and decreased entropy of time to peak EMG in the gluteus maximus and lateral gastrocnemius under pivoting perturbations. Furthermore, the training group enhanced weight-bearing proprioceptive acuity and improved the single leg hop distance. Improvement of pivoting neuromuscular control in functional weight-bearing activities and task performances after POINT may help develop lower limb injury prevention and rehabilitation methods to reduce anterior cruciate ligament and other musculoskeletal injuries associated with pivoting sports.

Sex Differences in Working Memory after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Functional MR Imaging Study.

PubMed

Hsu, Hui-Ling; Chen, David Yen-Ting; Tseng, Ying-Chi; Kuo, Ying-Sheng; Huang, Yen-Lin; Chiu, Wen-Ta; Yan, Feng-Xian; Wang, Wei-Shuan; Chen, Chi-Jen

2015-09-01

To evaluate sex differences in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) with working memory functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Research ethics committee approval and patient written informed consent were obtained. Working memory brain activation patterns were assessed with functional MR imaging in 30 patients (15 consecutive men and 15 consecutive women) with MTBI and 30 control subjects (15 consecutive men and 15 consecutive women). Two imaging studies were performed in patients: the initial study, which was performed within 1 month after the injury, and a follow-up study, which was performed 6 weeks after the first study. For each participant, digit span and continuous performance testing were performed before functional MR imaging. Clinical data were analyzed by using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed rank, and Fisher exact tests. Within- and between-group differences of functional MR imaging data were analyzed with one- and two-sample t tests, respectively. Among female participants, the total digit span score was lower in the MTBI group than in the control group (P = .044). In initial working memory functional MR imaging studies, hyperactivation was found in the male MTBI group and hypoactivation was found in the female MTBI group compared with control male and female groups, respectively. At the 6-week follow-up study, the female MTBI group showed persistent hypoactivation, whereas the male MTBI group showed a regression of hyperactivation at visual comparison of activation maps. The male MTBI group was also found to have a higher initial ß value than the male control group (P = .040), and there was no significant difference between the male MTBI group and the male control group (P = .221) at follow-up evaluation, which was comparable to findings on activation maps. In the female MTBI group, average ß values at both initial and follow-up studies were lower compared with those in the female control group but were not statistically significant (P = .663 and P = .191, respectively). Female patients with MTBI had lower digit span scores than did female control subjects, and functional MR imaging depicted sex differences in working memory functional activation; hypoactivation with nonrecovery of activation change at follow-up studies may suggest a worse working memory outcome in female patients with MTBI.

Functional added value of microprocessor-controlled knee joints in daily life performance of Medicare Functional Classification Level-2 amputees.

PubMed

Theeven, Patrick; Hemmen, Bea; Rings, Frans; Meys, Guido; Brink, Peter; Smeets, Rob; Seelen, Henk

2011-10-01

To assess the effects of using a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint on the functional performance of activities of daily living in persons with an above-knee leg amputation. To assess the effects of using a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint on the functional performance of activities of daily living in persons with an above-knee leg amputation. Randomised cross-over trial. Forty-one persons with unilateral above-knee or knee disarticulation limb loss, classified as Medicare Functional Classification Level-2 (MFCL-2). Participants were measured in 3 conditions, i.e. using a mechanically controlled knee joint and two types of microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joints. Functional performance level was assessed using a test in which participants performed 17 simulated activities of daily living (Assessment of Daily Activity Performance in Transfemoral amputees test). Performance time was measured and self-perceived level of difficulty was scored on a visual analogue scale for each activity. High levels of within-group variability in functional performance obscured detection of any effects of using a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint. Data analysis after stratification of the participants into 3 subgroups, i.e. participants with a "low", "intermediate" and "high" functional mobility level, showed that the two higher functional subgroups performed significantly faster using microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joints. MFCL-2 amputees constitute a heterogeneous patient group with large variation in functional performance levels. A substantial part of this group seems to benefit from using a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint when performing activities of daily living.

Effects of aquatic PNF lower extremity patterns on balance and ADL of stroke patients.

PubMed

Kim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Young-Mi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns in the lower extremity on balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty poststroke participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The experimental group performed lower extremity patterns in an aquatic environment, and the control group performed lower extremity patterns on the ground. Both exercises were conducted for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Balance was measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stand Test (OLST). Activities of daily living were measured with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). A paired t-test was used to measure pre- and post-experiment differences, and an independent t-test was used to measure between-group differences. [Results] The experimental and control groups showed significant differences for all pre- and post-experiment variables. In the between-group comparison, the experimental group was significantly difference from the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that performing aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns in the lower extremity enhances balance and ADL in stroke patients.

Effects of aquatic PNF lower extremity patterns on balance and ADL of stroke patients

PubMed Central

Kim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Young-Mi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns in the lower extremity on balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty poststroke participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The experimental group performed lower extremity patterns in an aquatic environment, and the control group performed lower extremity patterns on the ground. Both exercises were conducted for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Balance was measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stand Test (OLST). Activities of daily living were measured with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). A paired t-test was used to measure pre- and post-experiment differences, and an independent t-test was used to measure between-group differences. [Results] The experimental and control groups showed significant differences for all pre- and post-experiment variables. In the between-group comparison, the experimental group was significantly difference from the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that performing aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns in the lower extremity enhances balance and ADL in stroke patients. PMID:25642076

Whole-Body Vibration Training and Its Application to Age-Related Performance Decrements: An Exploratory Analysis.

PubMed

Hawkey, Adam; Griffiths, Katie; Babraj, John; Cobley, James N

2016-02-01

Middle age is associated with a pronounced decline in power and flexibility. Whilst whole-body vibration training (WBVT) improves performance in a range of populations, whether WBVT can improve muscle power and flexibility in a middle-aged population is not known. The present study aimed to determine the influence of 5 weeks progressive WBVT in middle-aged (45-55 years) and younger (20-30 years) recreationally active females. Participants in each age group were randomly allocated to an intervention (WBVT) or control group. The WBVT groups trained for 5 weeks on a vibration platform, while the control groups performed identical exercises, with no vibration. Prior to, and after, the 5-week study vertical countermovement jump (VCMJ) and range of motion (ROM) performance were measured. WBVT significantly (p = 0.001) improved VCMJ performance when compared to the control groups. This improvement was significantly (p = 0.001) greater in the middle-aged compared with the younger WBVT group. WBVT significantly (p = 0.001) improved ROM irrespective of age. Taken together, these results suggest that WBVT can off-set age related performance decrements, which has therapeutic implications for musculoskeletal aging. Therefore, WBVT could be undertaken to minimise age-related performance deterioration in middle-aged female populations.

PixEye Virtual Reality Training has the Potential of Enhancing Proficiency of Laser Trabeculoplasty Performed by Medical Students: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Alwadani, Fahad; Morsi, Mohammed Saad

2012-01-01

To compare the surgical proficiency of medical students who underwent traditional training or virtual reality training for argon laser trabeculoplasty with the PixEye simulator. The cohort comprised of 47 fifth year male medical students from the College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. The cohort was divided into two groups: students (n = 24), who received virtual reality training (VR Group) and students (n = 23), who underwent traditional training (Control Group). After training, the students performed the trabeculoplasty procedure. All trainings were included concurrent power point presentations describing the details of the procedure. Evaluation of surgical performance was based on the following variables: missing the exact location with the laser, overtreatment, undertreatment and inadvertent laser shots to iris and cornea. The target was missed by 8% of the VR Group compared to 55% in the Control Group. Overtreatment and undertreatment was observed in 7% of the VR Group compared to 46% of the Control Group. Inadvertent laser application to the cornea or iris was performed by 4.5% of the VR Group compared to 34% of the Control Group. Virtual reality training on PixEye simulator may enhance the proficiency of medical students and limit possible surgical errors during laser trabeculoplasty. The authors have no financial interest in the material mentioned in this study.

Effects of neck exercise on high-school students' neck-shoulder posture.

PubMed

Lee, Myoung-Hyo; Park, Su-Jin; Kim, Jin-Sang

2013-05-01

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of deep flexor muscle-strengthening exercise on the neck-shoulder posture, and the strength and endurance of the deep flexor muscles of high-school students. [Subjects] The subjects were 30 seventeen-year-old female high-school students who complained about bad posture and chronic neck-shoulder pain. They were randomly divided into an experimental group of 15 subjects, who performed a deep flexor muscle-strengthening exercise and a control group of 15 subjects, who performed a basic stretching exercise. [Methods] The experimental group of 15 subjects performed a deep flexor muscle-strengthening exercise consisting of low-load training of the cranio-cervical flexor muscle, and the control group of 15 subjects performed a basic stretching exercise consisting of seven motions. [Results] The experimental group showed statistically significant changes in head tilt angle, neck flexion angle, forward shoulder angle, and the result of the cranio-cervical flexion test after the training. In contrast, the control group showed no statistically significant changes in these measures following the training. When the results of the groups were compared, statistically significant differences were found for all items between the experimental group and the control group. [Conclusion] Strengthening cranio-cervical flexor muscles is important for the adjustment of neck posture, and maintaining their stability is required to improve neck-shoulder posture.

Control Group Paradigms in Studies Investigating Acute Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Performance–An Experiment on Expectation-Driven Placebo Effects

PubMed Central

Oberste, Max; Hartig, Philipp; Bloch, Wilhelm; Elsner, Benjamin; Predel, Hans-Georg; Ernst, Bernhard; Zimmer, Philipp

2017-01-01

Introduction: Many studies report improvements in cognitive performance following acute endurance exercise compared to control group treatment. These cognitive benefits are interpreted as a result of a physiological response to exercise. However, it was also hypothesized that expectation-driven placebo effects account for these positive effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute endurance exercise and multiple control group treatments. Methods: Healthy individuals (N = 247, 24.26 ± 3.88 years) were randomized to eight different groups watching videos of a moderate, a vigorous exercise treatment or one control group treatment (waiting, reading, video-watching, stretching, myofascial release workout, and very light exercise). Then, they were introduced to three commonly used cognitive test procedures in acute exercise-cognition research (Stroop-test, Trail-Making-test, Free-recall-task). Participants rated the effect they would expect on their performance in those tasks, if they had received the treatment shortly before the task, on an 11-point Likert scale. Results: No significantly different expectations for cognitive benefits toward acute moderate exercise and control group treatments could be revealed. Participants expected significantly worse performance following vigorous exercise compared to following waiting and stretching for all cognitive tests. Significantly worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to after very light exercise was expected for Stroop and Free-recall. For Free-recall, participants expected worse performance after vigorous exercise compared to myofascial release training as well. Conclusion: Our results indicate that expectation-driven placebo effects are unlikely to cause the reported greater cognitive improvements following acute moderate and vigorous endurance exercise compared to following common control group treatments. PMID:29276483

Effects of knee and ankle muscle fatigue on postural control in the unipedal stance.

PubMed

Bizid, Riadh; Margnes, Eric; François, Yrieix; Jully, Jean Louis; Gonzalez, Gerard; Dupui, Philippe; Paillard, Thierry

2009-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acute muscle fatigue of the ankle and knee musculature on postural control by immediate measures after performing fatiguing tasks (POST condition). One group of subjects (n = 8) performed a fatiguing task by voluntary contractions of the triceps surae (group TRI) and the other (n = 9) performed a fatiguing task by voluntary contractions of the quadriceps femoris (group QUA). Each muscle group was exercised until the loss of maximal voluntary contraction torque reached 50% (isokinetic dynamometer). Posture was assessed by measuring the centre of foot pressure (COP) with a force platform during a test of unipedal quiet standing posture with eyes closed. Initially (in PRE condition), the mean COP velocity was not significantly different between group TRI and group QUA. In POST condition, the mean COP velocity increased more in group QUA than in group TRI. The postural control was more impaired by knee muscle fatigue than by ankle muscle fatigue.

No evidence for true training and transfer effects after inhibitory control training in young healthy adults.

PubMed

Enge, Sören; Behnke, Alexander; Fleischhauer, Monika; Küttler, Lena; Kliegel, Matthias; Strobel, Alexander

2014-07-01

Recent studies reported that training of working memory may improve performance in the trained function and beyond. Other executive functions, however, have been rarely or not yet systematically examined. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of inhibitory control (IC) training to produce true training-related function improvements in a sample of 122 healthy adults using a randomized, double-blind pretest/posttest/follow-up design. Two groups performed either adaptive (training group) or nonadaptive (active control) versions of go/no-go and stop-signal tasks for 3 weeks. Training gains as well as near-transfer to an untrained Stroop task and far-transfer to psychometric fluid intelligence were explored. Although the adaptive group could substantially improve overall IC task performance after training, no differences to the active control group occurred, neither at posttest nor at follow-up testing. A large decrease in response latency from pre- to posttest (and from pretest to 4 months' follow-up testing) was found when the training group was compared to the passive control group, which, however, does not sufficiently control for possible confounds. Thus, no conclusive evidence was found that this performance increase mirrors a true increase in IC function. The fact that training improvement was mainly related to response latency may indicate that individuals were more focused on performance gains in the prepotent go trials but less on the stop trials to meet the requirements of the tasks as well as possible. The challenges for response inhibition training studies are extensively discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Reactive and regulative temperament in patients with compulsive buying and non-clinical controls measured by self-report and performance-based tasks.

PubMed

Voth, Eva M; Claes, Laurence; Georgiadou, Ekaterini; Selle, Janine; Trotzke, Patrick; Brand, Matthias; de Zwaan, Martina; Müller, Astrid

2014-10-01

To examine reactive and regulative temperament in patients with compulsive buying (CB) by means of self-report measures and performance-based tasks and to explore the relationship between both measurement approaches. The study included 31 treatment-seeking patients with CB (25 women, 6 men) and an age and gender matched non-clinical control group without CB (CG). All participants answered the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS). Reactive temperament was assessed using the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scales (BIS/BAS) and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Regulative temperament was measured using the Effortful Control subscale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ-EC) and a computerized version of the Stroop Task. To control the results for depression, the Patient Health Questionnaire-Depression Scale (PHQ-9) was administered. Crude group comparisons revealed higher BIS and BAS scores, poorer IGT performance and lower ATQ-EC scores in the CB-group compared to the CG. The groups did not differ in their performance on the Stroop task. After controlling for depressive symptoms that were significantly higher in the CB-group, only the group differences in BAS reactivity remained significant. No significant associations were found between questionnaires and performance-based tasks. Overall, the findings indicate that CB in the present clinical sample of treatment-seeking patients was mainly associated with higher approach tendencies and more depressive symptoms. The lacking correlation between self-reports and performance-based tasks is in line with prior research and suggests that both methodologies tap into different aspects of temperament. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Videotaped Feedback Method to Enhance Learning in Preclinical Operative Dentistry: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Shah, Dipali Yogesh; Dadpe, Ashwini Manish; Kalra, Dheeraj Deepak; Garcha, Vikram P

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate if a videotaped feedback method enhanced teaching and learning outcomes in a preclinical operative laboratory setting for novice learners. In 2013, 60 dental students at a dental school in India were randomly assigned to two groups: control (n=30) and experimental (n=30). The control group prepared a Class II tooth preparation for amalgam after receiving a video demonstration of the exercise. The experimental group received the same video demonstration as the control group, but they also participated in a discussion and analysis of the control groups' videotaped performance and then performed the same exercise. The self-evaluation scores (SS) and examiner evaluation scores (ES) of the two groups were compared using the unpaired t-test. The experimental group also used a five-point Likert scale to rate each item on the feedback form. The means of SS (13.65±2.43) and ES (14.75±1.97) of the experimental group were statistically higher than the means of SS (11.55±2.09) and ES (11.60±1.82) of the control group. Most students in the experimental group perceived that this technique enhanced their learning experience. Within the limits of this study, the videotaped feedback using both ideal and non-ideal examples enhanced the students' performance.

Long-term treatment with antioxidants and a program of behavioral enrichment reduces age-dependent impairment in discrimination and reversal learning in beagle dogs.

PubMed

Milgram, Norton W; Head, Elizabeth; Zicker, Steven C; Ikeda-Douglas, Candace; Murphey, Heather; Muggenberg, Bruce A; Siwak, Christina T; Tapp, P Dwight; Lowry, Stephen R; Cotman, Carl W

2004-05-01

The effects of long-term treatment with both antioxidants and a program of behavioral enrichment were studied as part of a longitudinal investigation of cognitive aging in beagle dogs. Baseline performance on a battery of cognitive tests was used to assign 48 aged dogs (9-12 years) into four cognitively equivalent groups, of 12 animals per group: Group CC (control food-control environment), group CE (control food-enriched environment); Group AC (antioxidant fortified food-control environment); Group AE (fortified food-enriched environment). We also tested a group of young dogs fed the control food and a second group fed the fortified food. Both groups of young dogs received a program of behavioral enrichment. To evaluate the effects of the interventions on cognition after 1 year, the dogs were tested on a size discrimination learning task and subsequently on a size discrimination reversal learning task. Both tasks showed age-sensitivity, with old dogs performing more poorly than young dogs. Both tasks were also improved by both the fortified food and the behavioral enrichment. However, in both instances the treatment effects largely reflected improved performance in the combined treatment group. These results suggest that the effectiveness of antioxidants in attenuating age-dependent cognitive decline is dependent on behavioral and environmental experience.

40 CFR 79.62 - Subchronic toxicity study with specific health effect assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... exposure and control groups are anaesthetized and heart punctures are performed on all members. After... control group when combining a 90-day toxicity study with a fertility assessment. (C) The tester shall provide a group of 10 animals (five animals per sex per experimental/control groups) in addition to the...

40 CFR 79.62 - Subchronic toxicity study with specific health effect assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... exposure and control groups are anaesthetized and heart punctures are performed on all members. After... control group when combining a 90-day toxicity study with a fertility assessment. (C) The tester shall provide a group of 10 animals (five animals per sex per experimental/control groups) in addition to the...

40 CFR 79.62 - Subchronic toxicity study with specific health effect assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... exposure and control groups are anaesthetized and heart punctures are performed on all members. After... control group when combining a 90-day toxicity study with a fertility assessment. (C) The tester shall provide a group of 10 animals (five animals per sex per experimental/control groups) in addition to the...

40 CFR 79.62 - Subchronic toxicity study with specific health effect assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... exposure and control groups are anaesthetized and heart punctures are performed on all members. After... control group when combining a 90-day toxicity study with a fertility assessment. (C) The tester shall provide a group of 10 animals (five animals per sex per experimental/control groups) in addition to the...

40 CFR 79.62 - Subchronic toxicity study with specific health effect assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... exposure and control groups are anaesthetized and heart punctures are performed on all members. After... control group when combining a 90-day toxicity study with a fertility assessment. (C) The tester shall provide a group of 10 animals (five animals per sex per experimental/control groups) in addition to the...

40 CFR 63.138 - Process wastewater provisions-performance standards for treatment processes managing Group 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... each treatment process. (b) Control options: Group 1 wastewater streams for Table 9 compounds. The... section. (c) Control options: Group 1 wastewater streams for Table 8 compounds. The owner or operator...) Residuals. For each residual removed from a Group 1 wastewater stream, the owner or operator shall control...

40 CFR 63.138 - Process wastewater provisions-performance standards for treatment processes managing Group 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... each treatment process. (b) Control options: Group 1 wastewater streams for Table 9 compounds. The... section. (c) Control options: Group 1 wastewater streams for Table 8 compounds. The owner or operator...) Residuals. For each residual removed from a Group 1 wastewater stream, the owner or operator shall control...

40 CFR 63.138 - Process wastewater provisions-performance standards for treatment processes managing Group 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... each treatment process. (b) Control options: Group 1 wastewater streams for Table 9 compounds. The... section. (c) Control options: Group 1 wastewater streams for Table 8 compounds. The owner or operator...) Residuals. For each residual removed from a Group 1 wastewater stream, the owner or operator shall control...

Impact of Motivation on Cognitive Control in the Context of Vigilance Lowering: An ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonnefond, Anne; Doignon-Camus, Nadege; Hoeft, Alain; Dufour, Andre

2011-01-01

We assessed the effects of time-on-task on cognitive control expressed by the CRN/Nc and the extent to which motivation modulates this relationship. We utilized two groups of participants, who were told that their performance would (evaluation condition) or would not (control condition) be evaluated online. Both groups performed a version of the…

THE EFFECTS OF INSTRUMENT ASSISTED SOFT TISSUE MOBILIZATION ON LOWER EXTREMITY MUSCLE PERFORMANCE: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.

PubMed

MacDonald, Nicole; Baker, Russell; Cheatham, Scott W

2016-12-01

Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) is a non-invasive therapeutic technique used to theoretically aid in scar tissue breakdown and absorption, fascial mobilization, and improved tissue healing. Researchers have hypothesized that utilizing IASTM will improve muscular efficiency and performance; yet previous Investigations has been focused on treating injury. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the effects of IASTM on muscle performance to assess if typical treatment application affected measures of muscular performance. A pretest-posttest randomized control design. A convenience sample of 48 physically active adults (mean age 24 ± 4 years), randomly assigned to one of three groups: quadriceps treatment group, triceps surae treatment group, or control group. Participants performed a five-minute warm-up on a Monark bicycle ergometer before performing three countermovement vertical jumps (CMJ). Immediately after, the IASTM treatment was applied by one researcher for three minutes on each leg at the specified site (e.g., quadriceps) for those assigned to the treatment groups, while the control group rested for six minutes. Immediately following treatment, participants performed three additional CMJs. Pre- and post-testing included measures of vertical jump height (JH), peak power (PP) and peak velocity (PV). There were no statistically significant differences found between treatment groups in JH, PP, or PV or across pre- and post-test trials. These preliminary findings suggest that standard treatment times of IASTM do not produce an immediate effect in muscular performance in healthy participants. This may help clinicians determine the optimal sequencing of IASTM when it is part of a pre-performance warm-up program. Future research should be conducted to determine the muscle performance effects of IASTM in individuals with known myofascial restriction and to determine optimal treatment parameters, such as instrument type, amount of pressure, and treatment time necessary to affect muscular performance. 1b.

Improving Exercise Performance with an Accelerometer-Based Smartphone App: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Bittel, Daniel C; Bittel, Adam J; Williams, Christine; Elazzazi, Ashraf

2017-05-01

Proper exercise form is critical for the safety and efficacy of therapeutic exercise. This research examines if a novel smartphone application, designed to monitor and provide real-time corrections during resistance training, can reduce performance errors and elicit a motor learning response. Forty-two participants aged 18 to 65 years were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Both groups were tested for the number of movement errors made during a 10-repetition set completed at baseline, immediately after, and 1 to 2 weeks after a single training session of knee extensions. The treatment group trained with real-time, smartphone-generated feedback, whereas the control subjects did not. Group performance (number of errors) was compared across test sets using a 2-factor mixed-model analysis of variance. No differences were observed between groups for age, sex, or resistance training experience. There was a significant interaction between test set and group. The treatment group demonstrated fewer errors on posttests 1 and 2 compared with pretest (P < 0.05). There was no reduction in the number of errors on any posttest for control subjects. Smartphone apps, such as the one used in this study, may enhance patient supervision, safety, and exercise efficacy across rehabilitation settings. A single training session with the app promoted motor learning and improved exercise performance.

Dissociation between facial and bodily expressions in emotion recognition: A case study.

PubMed

Leiva, Samanta; Margulis, Laura; Micciulli, Andrea; Ferreres, Aldo

2017-12-21

Existing single-case studies have reported deficit in recognizing basic emotions through facial expression and unaffected performance with body expressions, but not the opposite pattern. The aim of this paper is to present a case study with impaired emotion recognition through body expressions and intact performance with facial expressions. In this single-case study we assessed a 30-year-old patient with autism spectrum disorder, without intellectual disability, and a healthy control group (n = 30) with four tasks of basic and complex emotion recognition through face and body movements, and two non-emotional control tasks. To analyze the dissociation between facial and body expressions, we used Crawford and Garthwaite's operational criteria, and we compared the patient and the control group performance with a modified one-tailed t-test designed specifically for single-case studies. There were no statistically significant differences between the patient's and the control group's performances on the non-emotional body movement task or the facial perception task. For both kinds of emotions (basic and complex) when the patient's performance was compared to the control group's, statistically significant differences were only observed for the recognition of body expressions. There were no significant differences between the patient's and the control group's correct answers for emotional facial stimuli. Our results showed a profile of impaired emotion recognition through body expressions and intact performance with facial expressions. This is the first case study that describes the existence of this kind of dissociation pattern between facial and body expressions of basic and complex emotions.

No effect on performance tests from a neuromuscular warm-up programme in youth female football: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Lindblom, Hanna; Waldén, Markus; Hägglund, Martin

2012-10-01

The objective of the present randomised controlled trial was to study the effect of a neuromuscular warm-up programme on performance tests in youth female football. Four youth female football teams with players aged 12-16 years were randomised into an intervention group and control group. The intervention was a 15-min neuromuscular warm-up programme carried out twice a week during the 11-week study period. Baseline and follow-up measurements of performance were made indoors and included the star excursion balance test, a countermovement jump test, a triple-hop for distance test, a modified Illinois agility test, and 10- and 20-m sprint tests. Fifty-two players (intervention 28; control 24) took part in baseline measurements, and after dropout, 41 players (intervention 23; control 18) were included for analysis. Minor positive changes were seen in the control group compared to the intervention group for a sub-score of the star excursion balance test (P < 0.05) and in the modified Illinois agility test (P < 0.05). No improvement was seen in the intervention group from baseline to follow-up. The study showed that a neuromuscular warm-up programme carried out during 11 weeks did not improve performance in youth female football. This could indicate that the programme does not contain sufficient stimulus to improve performance. A low player attendance at training sessions, and low specificity between exercises in the warm-up programme and the evaluated performance tests may also contribute to the lack of effect. I.

Planning and Performance in Small Groups: Collective Implementation Intentions Enhance Group Goal Striving.

PubMed

Thürmer, J Lukas; Wieber, Frank; Gollwitzer, Peter M

2017-01-01

There are two key motivators to perform well in a group: making a contribution that (a) is crucial for the group (indispensability) and that (b) the other group members recognize (identifiability). We argue that indispensability promotes setting collective ("We") goals whereas identifiability induces individual ("I") goals. Although both goals may enhance performance, they should align with different strategies. Whereas pursuing collective goals should involve more cooperation, pursuing individual goals should involve less cooperation. Two experiments support this reasoning and show that planning out collective goals with collective implementation intentions (cIIs or "We-plans") relies on cooperation but planning out individual goals with individual implementation intentions (IIs or "I-plans") does not. In Experiment 1, three-member groups first formed a collective or an individual goal and then performed a first round of a physical persistence task. Groups then either formed a respective implementation intention (cII or II) or a control plan and then performed a second round of the task. Although groups with cIIs and IIs performed better on a physical persistence task than respective control groups, only cII groups interacted more cooperatively during task performance. To confirm the causal role of these interaction processes, Experiment 2 used the same persistence task and manipulated whether groups could communicate: When communication was hindered, groups with cIIs but not groups with IIs performed worse. Communication thus qualifies as a process making cIIs effective. The present research offers a psychology of action account to small group performance.

Enhanced performance feedback and patient participation to improve hand hygiene compliance of health-care workers in the setting of established multimodal promotion: a single-centre, cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Stewardson, Andrew James; Sax, Hugo; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Touveneau, Sylvie; Longtin, Yves; Zingg, Walter; Pittet, Didier

2016-12-01

Hand hygiene compliance of health-care workers remains suboptimal despite standard multimodal promotion, and evidence for the effectiveness of novel interventions is urgently needed. We aimed to assess the effect of enhanced performance feedback and patient participation on hand hygiene compliance in the setting of multimodal promotion. We did a single-centre, cluster randomised controlled trial at University of Geneva Hospitals (Geneva, Switzerland). All wards hosting adult, lucid patients, and all health-care workers and patients in these wards, were eligible. After a 15-month baseline period, eligible wards were assigned by computer-generated block randomisation (1:1:1), stratified by the type of ward, to one of three groups: control, enhanced performance feedback, or enhanced performance feedback plus patient participation. Standard multimodal hand hygiene promotion was done hospital-wide throughout the study. The primary outcome was hand hygiene compliance of health-care workers (according to the WHO Five Moments of Hand Hygiene) at the opportunity level, measured by direct observation (20-min sessions) by 12 validated infection control nurses, with each ward audited at least once every 3 months. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN43599478. We randomly assigned 67 wards to the control group (n=21), enhanced performance feedback (n=24), or enhanced performance feedback plus patient participation (n=22) on May 19, 2010. One ward in the control group became a high-dependency unit and was excluded from analysis. During 1367 observation sessions, 12 579 hand hygiene opportunities were recorded. Between the baseline period (April 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010) and the intervention period (July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2012), mean hand hygiene compliance increased from 66% (95% CI 62-70) to 73% (70-77) in the control group (odds ratio [OR] 1·41, 95% CI 1·21-1·63), from 65% (62-69) to 75% (72-77) in the enhanced performance feedback group (1·61, 1·41-1·84), and from 66% (62-70) to 77% (74-80) in the enhanced performance feedback plus patient participation group (1·73, 1·51-1·98). The absolute difference in compliance attributable to interventions was 3 percentage points (95% CI 0-7; p=0·19) for the enhanced performance feedback group and 4 percentage points (1-8; p=0·048) for the enhanced performance feedback plus patient participation group. Hand hygiene compliance remained significantly higher than baseline in all three groups (OR 1·21 [1·00-1·47] vs 1·38 [1·19-1·60] vs 1·36 [1·18-1·57]) during the post-intervention follow-up (Jan 1, 2013, to Dec 31, 2014). Hand hygiene compliance improved in all study groups, and neither intervention had a clinically significant effect compared with control. Improvement in control wards might reflect cross-contamination, highlighting challenges with randomised trials of behaviour change. Swiss National Science Foundation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does dual task training improve walking performance of older adults with concern of falling?

PubMed

Wollesen, B; Schulz, S; Seydell, L; Delbaere, K

2017-09-11

Older adults with concerns of falling show decrements of gait stability under single (ST) and dual task (DT) conditions. To compare the effects of a DT training integrating task managing strategies for independent living older adults with and without concern about falling (CoF) to a non-training control group on walking performance under ST and DT conditions. Single center parallel group single blind randomized controlled trial with group-based interventions (DT-managing balance training) compared to a control group (Ninety-five independent living older adults; 71.5 ± 5.2 years). A progressive DT training (12 sessions; 60 min each; 12 weeks) including task-managing strategies was compared to a non-training control group. group based intervention for independent living elderly in a gym. ST and DT walking (visual verbal Stroop task) were measured on a treadmill. Gait parameters (step length, step width, and gait line) and cognitive performance while walking were compared with a 2x2x2 Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance. Participants in the intervention group showed an increased step length under ST and DT conditions following the intervention, for both people with and without CoF compared to their respective control groups. Foot rolling movement and cognitive performance while walking however only improved in participants without CoF. The results showed that DT managing training can improve walking performance under ST and DT conditions in people with and without CoF. Additional treatment to directly address CoF, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, should be considered to further improve the cautious gait pattern (as evidenced by reduced foot rolling movements). The study was retrospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS; Identification number DRKS00012382 , 11.05.2017).

Effects of Pivoting Neuromuscular Training on Pivoting Control and Proprioception

PubMed Central

Lee, Song Joo; Ren, Yupeng; Chang, Alison H.; Geiger, François; Zhang, Li-Qun

2014-01-01

Purpose Pivoting neuromuscular control and proprioceptive acuity may play an important role in ACL injuries. The goal of this study was to investigate whether pivoting neuromuscular training on an offaxis elliptical trainer (POINT) could improve pivoting neuromuscular control, proprioceptive acuity, and functional performance. Methods Among 41 subjects, 21 subjects participated in 18 sessions of POINT (3 sessions/week for 6 weeks), and 20 subjects served as controls who did their regular workout. Both groups received pre-, mid-, and post-intervention evaluations. Propensity score analysis with multivariable regression adjustment was used to investigate the effect of training on pivoting neuromuscular control (pivoting instability, leg pivoting stiffness, maximum internal and external pivoting angles), proprioceptive acuity, and functional performance in both groups. Results Compared to the control group, the training group significantly improved pivoting neuromuscular control as reduced pivoting instability, reduced maximum internal and external pivoting angles, increased leg pivoting stiffness, and decreased entropy of time to peak EMG in the gluteus maximus and lateral gastrocnemius under pivoting perturbations. Furthermore, the training group enhanced weight-bearing proprioceptive acuity and improved the single leg hop distance. Conclusion Improvement of pivoting neuromuscular control in functional weight-bearing activities and task performances following POINT may help develop lower limb injury prevention and rehabilitation methods to reduce ACL and other musculoskeletal injuries associated with pivoting sports. PMID:24389517

Influence of visual observational conditions on tongue motor learning.

PubMed

Kothari, Mohit; Liu, Xuemei; Baad-Hansen, Lene; Kumar, Abhishek; Bin, Guo; Svensson, Peter

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of visual observational conditions on performance during a standardized tongue-protrusion training (TPT) task and to evaluate subject-based reports of helpfulness, disturbance, pain, and fatigue, due to the observational conditions on 0-10 numerical rating scales. Forty-eight healthy participants performed a 1-h standard TPT task. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the following three groups with different observational conditions: group 1, model observation (participants watched a prerecorded video showing standard TPT before optimal TPT being performed); group 2, self-observation (participants watched live video feedback of their own TPT performance); and group 3, control group (participants performed the TPT with no conditioning). There was no overall difference between groups but TPT performance increased over time. A significant group×time interaction indicated that the self-observation group performed significantly better than the model-observation group in the last 20 min of TPT. The subject-based reports of video helpfulness showed that the model-observation group rated the prerecorded video as more helpful for TPT performance compared with the other groups but there was no significant difference between groups regarding the level of disturbance, pain, or fatigue. Self-observation of tongue-training facilitated behavioral aspects of tongue motor learning compared with model observation but not compared with control. © 2016 Eur J Oral Sci.

Unsedation colonoscopy can be not that painful: Evaluation of the effect of "Lamaze method of colonoscopy".

PubMed

Yu, Shao-Ping; Lin, Xiao-Dong; Wu, Guang-Yao; Li, Song-Hu; Wen, Zong-Quan; Cen, Xiao-Hong; Huang, Xian-Guang; Huang, Mei-Ting

2015-10-25

To evaluate the pain relieving effect of intervention with "Lamaze method of colonoscopy" in the process of colonoscopy. Five hundred and eighty-five patients underwent colonoscopy were randomly divided into three groups, Lamaze group, anesthetic group and control group. Two hundred and twenty-four patients of Lamaze group, the "Lamaze method of colonoscopy" were practiced in the process of colonoscopy. The Lamaze method of colonoscopy is modified from the Lamaze method of childbirth, which helped patients to relieve pain through effective breathing control. One hundred and seventy-eight patients in anesthetic group accepted sedation colonoscopy. For 183 patients in control group, colonoscopy was performed without any intervention. The satisfactory of colon cleaning, intestinal lesions, intubation time, success ratio, pain grading and complications were recorded. All data were statistically analyzed. There were no significant differences at base line of the three groups (P > 0.05). Anesthetic group shows advantage in intubation time than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Lamaze group shows no advantage in intubation time than that in control group (P > 0.05). The anesthetic group showed an apparent advantage in relieving pain (P < 0.01). Therefore, the "Lamaze method of colonoscopy" performed in colonoscopy could relieve pain effectively comparing with control group (P < 0.05). The patients in anesthetic group had the highest incidence of complications (P < 0.05). The performance of the "Lamaze method of colonoscopy" in the process of colonoscopy could relieve patients' pain, minimize the incidence of complications, and is worthy promotion in clinical practice.

Unravelling the influence of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) on cognitive-linguistic processing: a comparative group analysis.

PubMed

Barwood, Caroline H S; Murdoch, Bruce E

2013-06-01

Cognitive-linguistic deficits often accompany traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can negatively impact communicative competency. The linguistic sequelae underpinning mild TBI (MTBI) remain largely unexplored in contemporary literature. The present research methods aim to provide group evidence pertaining to the influence of MTBI on linguistic and higher-level language processing. Extrapolating on the findings of recent case reports, it is hypothesized that performance of the MTBI patients will be significantly reduced compared to normal controls performance on the employed high-level linguistic tasks. Sixteen patients with MTBI and 16 age- and education-matched normal control participants were assessed using a comprehensive battery of cognitive-linguistic assessments. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences between MTBI and normal control group performance across a number of higher-level linguistic, general cognitive and general language tasks. MTBI group performance was significantly lower than the normal control group on tasks requiring complex lexical semantic operations and memory demands, including: Recall, organization, making inferences, naming and perception/discrimination. These outcomes confer that post-MTBI, cognitive, high-level language and isolated general language performance (e.g. naming) is significantly reduced in MTBI patients, compared to normal controls. Furthermore, the detailed cognitive-linguistic profile offered provides a necessary direction for the identification of areas of linguistic decline in MTBI and targets for therapeutic intervention of impaired cognitive-linguistic processes to ultimately improve communicative outcomes in MTBI.

Building Kindergartners’ Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Jordan, Nancy C.; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2015-01-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business as usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate post test, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held eight weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures. PMID:25866417

Managerial Perceptions of Performance: A Comparison of Japanese and American Work Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Jeremiah J.; And Others

1986-01-01

Identifies various theories of individual and group influences on the performance control process. Both Japanese and American managers have a Rational Man theory of the individual. However, Americans see groups as helping to reduce the risk of poor performance, whereas Japanese see them as enhancing good performance. (Author/LHW)

Core stabilization exercise with real-time feedback for chronic hemiparetic stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Chung, Eunjung; Lee, Byoung-Hee; Hwang, Sujin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of core stabilization exercise with real-time feedback on balance and gait function in patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Nineteen stroke subjects were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into the experimental (n = 10) and control groups (n = 9). Subjects in the experimental group performed core stabilization exercise with real-time feedback training for 30 minutes per day during a period of six weeks. Subjects in the control group performed core stabilization exercise during the same period. This study assessed the kinematic parameters using a portable walkway system, and timed up-and-go test. Gait velocity showed significantly greater improvement in the experimental group (7.3 ± 5.0 sec) than in the control group (-0.7 ± 10.6). Stride length showed significantly greater increase in the experimental group (13.2 ± 7.9 on the affected side and 12.6 ± 8.0 on the less affected side) than the control group (3.5 ± 8.7 on the affected side and 3.4 ± 8.5 on the less affected side). After training, change in results on the timed up and go test was significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group. Core stabilization exercise using real-time feedback produces greater improvement in gait performance in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients than core stabilization exercise only.

Visual abilities are important for auditory-only speech recognition: evidence from autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Schelinski, Stefanie; Riedel, Philipp; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2014-12-01

In auditory-only conditions, for example when we listen to someone on the phone, it is essential to fast and accurately recognize what is said (speech recognition). Previous studies have shown that speech recognition performance in auditory-only conditions is better if the speaker is known not only by voice, but also by face. Here, we tested the hypothesis that such an improvement in auditory-only speech recognition depends on the ability to lip-read. To test this we recruited a group of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition associated with difficulties in lip-reading, and typically developed controls. All participants were trained to identify six speakers by name and voice. Three speakers were learned by a video showing their face and three others were learned in a matched control condition without face. After training, participants performed an auditory-only speech recognition test that consisted of sentences spoken by the trained speakers. As a control condition, the test also included speaker identity recognition on the same auditory material. The results showed that, in the control group, performance in speech recognition was improved for speakers known by face in comparison to speakers learned in the matched control condition without face. The ASD group lacked such a performance benefit. For the ASD group auditory-only speech recognition was even worse for speakers known by face compared to speakers not known by face. In speaker identity recognition, the ASD group performed worse than the control group independent of whether the speakers were learned with or without face. Two additional visual experiments showed that the ASD group performed worse in lip-reading whereas face identity recognition was within the normal range. The findings support the view that auditory-only communication involves specific visual mechanisms. Further, they indicate that in ASD, speaker-specific dynamic visual information is not available to optimize auditory-only speech recognition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Twelve-Week Exercise Influences Memory Complaint but not Memory Performance in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Iuliano, Enzo; Fiorilli, Giovanni; Aquino, Giovanna; Di Costanzo, Alfonso; Calcagno, Giuseppe; di Cagno, Alessandra

2017-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different types of exercise on memory performance and memory complaint after a 12-week intervention. Eighty community-dwelling volunteers, aged 66.96 ± 11.73 years, were randomly divided into four groups: resistance, cardiovascular, postural, and control groups (20 participants for each group). All participants were tested for their cognitive functions before and after their respective 12-week intervention using Rey memory words test, Prose memory test, and Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q). Statistical analysis showed that the three experimental groups significantly improved MAC-Q scores in comparison with the control group (p < .05). The variation of MAC-Q scores and the variations of Rey and Prose memory tests scores were not correlated. These results indicate that the 12-week interventions exclusively influenced memory complaint but not memory performance. Further investigations are needed to understand the relation between memory complaint and memory performance, and the factors that can influence this relationship.

Peer-based control in self-managing teams: linking rational and normative influence with individual and group performance.

PubMed

Stewart, Greg L; Courtright, Stephen H; Barrick, Murray R

2012-03-01

The authors use a multilevel framework to introduce peer-based control as a motivational state that emerges in self-managing teams. The authors specifically describe how peer-based rational control, which is defined as team members perceiving the distribution of economic rewards as dependent on input from teammates, extends and interacts with the more commonly studied normative control force of group cohesion to explain both individual and collective performance in teams. On the basis of data from 587 factory workers in 45 self-managing teams at 3 organizations, peer-based rational control corresponded with higher performance for both individuals and collective teams. Results further demonstrated that the rational and normative mechanism of peer-based control interacted to explain performance at both the individual and team levels. Increased peer-based rational control corresponded with higher individual and collective performance in teams with low cohesion, but the positive effects on performance were attenuated in cohesive teams.

False Memory in Adults With ADHD: A Comparison Between Subtypes and Normal Controls.

PubMed

Soliman, Abdrabo Moghazy; Elfar, Rania Mohamed

2017-10-01

To examine the performance on the Deese-Roediger-McDermott task of adults divided into ADHD subtypes and compares their performance to that of healthy controls to examine whether adults with ADHD are more susceptible to the production of false memories under experimental conditions. A total of 128 adults with ADHD (50% females), classified into three Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV-TR) subtypes, were compared with 48 controls. The results indicated that the ADHD participants recalled and recognized fewer studied words than the controls, the ADHD groups produced more false memories than the control group, no differences in either the false positives or the false negatives. The ADHD-combined (ADHD-CT) group recognized significantly more critical words than the control, ADHD-predominantly inattentive (ADHD-IA), and ADHD-predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (ADHD-HI) groups. The ADHD groups recalled and recognized more false positives, were more confident in their false responses, and displayed more knowledge corruption than the controls. The ADHD-CT group recalled and recognized more false positives than the other ADHD groups. The adults with ADHD have more false memories than the controls and that false memory formation varied with the ADHD subtypes.

[Dyslexia as a disfunction in successive processing].

PubMed

Pérez-Alvarez, F; Timoneda-Gallart, C

We present a study on reading and writing difficulties after normal instruction during a year. Verifying if these patients showed a specific pattern of PASS (Planning, Attention, Sequential and Simultaneous) cognitive processing; if so, it allows us a rapid diagnosis and a useful cognitive remediation according to the PASS theory of intelligence. Thirty patients were selected from neuropediatric patients because of learning disability. They were selected according to their performance on several tests of phonological aware and a test of writing to discover errors in spelling. Patients with verbal language problems, as in dysphasia, and patients with learning difficulty not determined by reading or writing were ruled out. A control group of 300 scholars was used. The translated DN:CAS battery was administered to the study group and the control group for assessing the PASS cognitive processing. Statistical factorial analysis of the control group was performed as a validity confirmation to discriminate the four PASS cognitive processes. Cluster analysis of the study group was performed to discriminate its homogeneity. Differences between means were tested with the t-Student. The four PASS cognitive processes were identified in the control group. The study group scored less than minus 1 SD in successive processing, the rest of the processes being clearly higher than minus 1 SD, and the mean of study group was inferior to control group (p = 0.001). A kind of dyslexia may be defined by disfunction in PASS successive processing.

The impact of using different doses of progesterone on memory performance.

PubMed

Roozbehi, A; Sharafi, M T; Karimi, F; Kamali, A M

2017-01-01

Progesterone is a sex hormone and its receptors are expressed throughout the hippocampus. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of different doses of progesterone on memory. Male rats were arbitrarily assigned to nine groups, namely Group I: control, Group II: control-cannula, Group III received 0.5 μl of saline by cannula, Groups IV , V, VI, VII and VIII received progesterone in doses of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 μg/ 0.5 μl by cannula, respectively. Group IX received 0.5 μl almond oil by cannula. Memory performance was tested in form of passive avoidance task. Our results indicated that progesterone at doses of 1.5 and 2 µg (p < 0.05) significantly increased the memory performance while at a dose of 3 µg (p < 0.05), it significantly decreased memory as compared to the control group. The current study revealed that the influence of progesterone on memory is related to its dose (Fig. 1, Ref. 25).

Locus of Control and Neuropsychological Performance in Chronic Alcoholics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shelton, M. D.; And Others

1982-01-01

Examined correlated neuropsychological performance in male chronic alcoholics and non-alcoholic controls. Results showed external locus of control (LOC-E) scores to predict performance on neuropsychological tests in alcoholics but not in controls. Suggests the LOC-E variables cannot account for the widespread differences between the groups on…

An intervention approach for children with teacher- and parent-identified attentional difficulties.

PubMed

Semrud-Clikeman, M; Nielsen, K H; Clinton, A; Sylvester, L; Parle, N; Connor, R T

1999-01-01

Using a multimodal and multi-informant method for diagnosis, we selected 33 children by teacher and parent nomination for attention and work completion problems that met DSM-IV criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Of the 33 children in this group, 21 participated in the initial intervention, and 12 were placed in an ADHD control group and received the intervention after pre- and posttesting. A similarly selected group of 21 children without difficulties in attention and work completion served as a control group. Each child was assessed on pre- and posttest measures of visual and auditory attention. After an 18-week intervention period that included attention and problem-solving training, all children in the intervention and control groups were retested on visual and auditory tasks. Children in both ADHD groups showed significantly poorer initial performance on the visual attention task. Whereas the ADHD intervention group showed commensurate performance to the nondisabled control group after training, the ADHD control group did not show significant improvement over the same period. Auditory attention was poorer compared to the control group for both ADHD groups initially and improved only for the ADHD intervention group. These findings are discussed as a possible intervention for children with difficulties in strategy selection in a classroom setting.

Focus of Attention and Putting Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boutcher, Stephen H.; Crews, Debra J.

The effect of a preshot attentional/behavioral routine on putting performance was investigated. Subjects were randomly assigned to four groups: (1) Male Routine (MR); (2) Female Routine (FR); (3) Male Control (MC); and (4) Female Control (FC). Subjects in the FR and MR groups were given individualized putting routines which focused on specific…

Sustained effect of simulation-based ultrasound training on clinical performance: a randomized trial

PubMed Central

Tolsgaard, M G; Ringsted, C; Dreisler, E; Nørgaard, L N; Petersen, J H; Madsen, M E; Freiesleben, N L C; Sørensen, J L; Tabor, A

2015-01-01

Objective To study the effect of initial simulation-based transvaginal sonography (TVS) training compared with clinical training only, on the clinical performance of residents in obstetrics and gynecology (Ob-Gyn), assessed 2 months into their residency. Methods In a randomized study, new Ob-Gyn residents (n = 33) with no prior ultrasound experience were recruited from three teaching hospitals. Participants were allocated to either simulation-based training followed by clinical training (intervention group; n = 18) or clinical training only (control group; n = 15). The simulation-based training was performed using a virtual-reality TVS simulator until an expert performance level was attained, and was followed by training on a pelvic mannequin. After 2 months of clinical training, one TVS examination was recorded for assessment of each resident's clinical performance (n = 26). Two ultrasound experts blinded to group allocation rated the scans using the Objective Structured Assessment of Ultrasound Skills (OSAUS) scale. Results During the 2 months of clinical training, participants in the intervention and control groups completed an average ± SD of 58 ± 41 and 63 ± 47 scans, respectively (P = 0.67). In the subsequent clinical performance test, the intervention group achieved higher OSAUS scores than did the control group (mean score, 59.1% vs 37.6%, respectively; P < 0.001). A greater proportion of the intervention group passed a pre-established pass/fail level than did controls (85.7% vs 8.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusion Simulation-based ultrasound training leads to substantial improvement in clinical performance that is sustained after 2 months of clinical training. © 2015 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. PMID:25580809

Effectiveness of the Power Dry-Land Training Programmes in Youth Swimmers

PubMed Central

Sadowski, Jerzy; Mastalerz, Andrzej; Gromisz, Wilhelm; NiŸnikowski, Tomasz

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the dry-land power training on swimming force, swimming performance and strength in youth swimmers. Twenty six male swimmers, free from injuries and training regularly at least 6 times a week, were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of two groups: experimental (n=14, mean age 14.0 ± 0.5 yrs, mean height 1.67±0.08 m and mean body mass 55.71 ±9.55 kg) and control (n=12, mean age 14.1 ± 0.5 yrs, mean height 1.61±0.11 m and mean body mass 49.07 ±8.25 kg). The experimental group took part in a combined swimming and dry-land power training. The control group took part in swimming training only. The training programmes in water included a dominant aerobic work in front crawl. In this research the experimental group tended to present slightly greater improvements in sprint performance. However, the stroke frequency insignificantly decreased (−4.30%, p>0.05) in the experimental group and increased (6.28%, p>0.05) in the control group. The distance per stroke insignificantly increased in the experimental group (5.98%, p>0.05) and insignificantly decreased in the control group (−5.36%, p>0.05). A significant improvement of tethered swimming force for the experimental group (9.64%, p<0.02) was found, whereas the increase was not statistically significant in the control group (2.86%, p>0.05). The main data cannot clearly state that power training allowed an enhancement in swimming performance, although a tendency to improve swimming performance in tethered swimming was noticed. PMID:23486353

Efficacy of gait trainer as an adjunct to traditional physical therapy on walking performance in hemiparetic cerebral palsied children: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gharib, Nevein Mm; El-Maksoud, Gehan M Abd; Rezk-Allah, Soheir S

2011-10-01

To assess the effects of additional gait trainer assisted walking exercises on walking performance in children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy. A randomized controlled study. Paediatric physical therapy outpatient clinic. Thirty spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsied children of both sexes (10-13 years - 19 girls and 11 boys). Children were randomly assigned into two equal groups; experimental and control groups. Participants in both groups received a traditional physical therapy exercise programme. Those in the experimental group received additional gait trainer based walking exercises which aimed to improve walking performance. Treatment was provided three times per week for three successive months. Children received baseline and post-treatment assessments using Biodex Gait Trainer 2 assessment device to evaluate gait parameters including: average step length, walking speed, time on each foot (% of gait cycle) and ambulation index. Children in the experimental group showed a significant improvement as compared with those in the control group. The ambulation index was 75.53±7.36 (11.93 ± 2.89 change score) for the experimental group and 66.06 ± 5.48 (2.13 ± 4.43 change score) for the control group (t = 3.99 and P = 0.0001). Time of support for the affected side was 42.4 ± 3.37 (7 ± 2.20 change score) for the experimental group and 38.06 ± 4.63 (3.33 ± 6.25 change score) for the control group (t = 2.92 and P = 0.007). Also, there was a significant improvement in step length and walking speed in both groups. Gait trainer combined with traditional physiotherapy increase the chance of improving gait performance in children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy.

The effects of intervention based on supportive leadership behaviour on Iranian nursing leadership performance: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Shirazi, Mandana; Emami, Amir Hossein; Mirmoosavi, Seyed Jamal; Alavinia, Seyed Mohammad; Zamanian, Hadi; Fathollahbeigi, Faezeh; Masiello, Italo

2016-04-01

To assess the effects of a workshop on supportive leadership behaviour (SLB) on the performance of head nurses, using a randomized controlled trial design. The effect of transformational leadership on SLB in nursing management is emphasised. A total of 110 head nurses working at university hospitals were included randomly in two control and intervention groups. The head nurses in the intervention group participated in supportive leadership training, but the control group did not. Performance in supportive leadership was assessed with a validated instrument, which six subordinates used to assess their head nurse (n = 731). There was a significant difference in SLB scores from baseline to the 3 month follow-up (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the post-intervention scores were significantly higher in the intervention group, compared with the control group (P < 0.0001). The results showed that in the intervention group, the effect sizes were greater for males (50%) than for females (36%) and greater for married participants (42%) than for single participants (37%). The workshop on supportive leadership behaviour, particularly the interactive multifaceted training, improved the leadership performance of the head nurses who participated in this study. Health policy decision makers should apply SLB, which is a significant leadership style, to improve the outcomes in other groups of health-care management, such as physicians. Future studies are needed to investigate the effects of such workshops in longer periods of follow up. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Plyometric Training and Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Maximal-Intensity Exercise and Endurance in Female Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Rosas, Fabián; Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Martínez, Cristian; Cañas-Jamet, Rodrigo; McCrudden, Emma; Meylan, Cesar; Moran, Jason; Nakamura, Fábio Y.; Pereira, Lucas A.; Loturco, Irineu; Diaz, Daniela; Izquierdo, Mikel

2017-01-01

Abstract Plyometric training and beta-alanine supplementation are common among soccer players, although its combined use had never been tested. Therefore, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to compare the effects of a plyometric training program, with or without beta-alanine supplementation, on maximal-intensity and endurance performance in female soccer players during an in-season training period. Athletes (23.7 ± 2.4 years) were assigned to either a plyometric training group receiving a placebo (PLACEBO, n = 8), a plyometric training group receiving beta-alanine supplementation (BA, n = 8), or a control group receiving placebo without following a plyometric training program (CONTROL, n = 9). Athletes were evaluated for single and repeated jumps and sprints, endurance, and change-of-direction speed performance before and after the intervention. Both plyometric training groups improved in explosive jumping (ES = 0.27 to 1.0), sprinting (ES = 0.31 to 0.78), repeated sprinting (ES = 0.39 to 0.91), 60 s repeated jumping (ES = 0.32 to 0.45), endurance (ES = 0.35 to 0.37), and change-of-direction speed performance (ES = 0.36 to 0.58), whereas no significant changes were observed for the CONTROL group. Nevertheless, compared to the CONTROL group, only the BA group showed greater improvements in endurance, repeated sprinting and repeated jumping performances. It was concluded that beta-alanine supplementation during plyometric training may add further adaptive changes related to endurance, repeated sprinting and jumping ability. PMID:28828081

Effects of Plyometric Training and Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Maximal-Intensity Exercise and Endurance in Female Soccer Players.

PubMed

Rosas, Fabián; Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Martínez, Cristian; Caniuqueo, Alexis; Cañas-Jamet, Rodrigo; McCrudden, Emma; Meylan, Cesar; Moran, Jason; Nakamura, Fábio Y; Pereira, Lucas A; Loturco, Irineu; Diaz, Daniela; Izquierdo, Mikel

2017-09-01

Plyometric training and beta-alanine supplementation are common among soccer players, although its combined use had never been tested. Therefore, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to compare the effects of a plyometric training program, with or without beta-alanine supplementation, on maximal-intensity and endurance performance in female soccer players during an in-season training period. Athletes (23.7 ± 2.4 years) were assigned to either a plyometric training group receiving a placebo (PLACEBO, n = 8), a plyometric training group receiving beta-alanine supplementation (BA, n = 8), or a control group receiving placebo without following a plyometric training program (CONTROL, n = 9). Athletes were evaluated for single and repeated jumps and sprints, endurance, and change-of-direction speed performance before and after the intervention. Both plyometric training groups improved in explosive jumping (ES = 0.27 to 1.0), sprinting (ES = 0.31 to 0.78), repeated sprinting (ES = 0.39 to 0.91), 60 s repeated jumping (ES = 0.32 to 0.45), endurance (ES = 0.35 to 0.37), and change-of-direction speed performance (ES = 0.36 to 0.58), whereas no significant changes were observed for the CONTROL group. Nevertheless, compared to the CONTROL group, only the BA group showed greater improvements in endurance, repeated sprinting and repeated jumping performances. It was concluded that beta-alanine supplementation during plyometric training may add further adaptive changes related to endurance, repeated sprinting and jumping ability.

Influence of thermal stimulation during the late phase of incubation on hatching results and post-hatch broiler performance under commercial conditions.

PubMed

Elmehdawi, A S; Hall, M A; Skewes, P A; Wicker, D L; Maurice, D V

2016-12-01

Two experiments, which differed in breeder age, strain and season, were conducted to study the influence of low-intensity, short-duration thermal stimuli during the late phase of incubation on hatchability and performance. The first experiment conducted in April-June used eggs from Cobb × Ross broiler breeders at 35-41 weeks of age and the second experiment performed in February-April used eggs from Hubbard × Cobb broiler breeders at 49-53 weeks of age. Eggs in the test group had the same physical environment as eggs in the control group except that incubation temperature was increased by 1˚C for 2 h/d above the control group from 18 to 20 d of incubation (DI). The results demonstrated that thermal stimulation of 1˚C for 2 h/d above control incubation temperature during 18-21DI did not have any adverse effects on hatch and post-hatch performance of broilers. In both experiments, treatment did not significantly alter the secondary sex ratio in hatched chickens, but hatch residue showed that the proportion of unhatched male embryos was significantly lower in the test groups than in the control groups. In the first experiment, thermal stimulation improved feed conversion by 1.82% compared with the control.

Effects of whole body vibration training on postural control in older individuals: a 1 year randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bogaerts, An; Verschueren, Sabine; Delecluse, Christophe; Claessens, Albrecht L; Boonen, Steven

2007-07-01

This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a 12 month whole body vibration training program on postural control in healthy older adults. Two hundred and twenty people were randomly assigned to a whole body vibration group (n=94), a fitness group (n=60) or a control group (n=66). The whole body vibration and fitness groups trained three times a week for 1 year. The vibration group performed exercises on a vibration platform and the fitness group performed cardiovascular, strength, balance and stretching exercises. Balance was measured using dynamic computerized posturography at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. Whole body vibration training was associated with reduced falls frequency on a moving platform when vision was disturbed and improvements in the response to toes down rotations at the ankle induced by the moving platform. The fitness group showed reduced falls frequency on the moving surface when vision was disturbed. Thus, whole body vibration training may improve some aspects of postural control in community dwelling older individuals.

Effects of plyometric training on maximal-intensity exercise and endurance in male and female soccer players.

PubMed

Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Vergara-Pedreros, Marcelo; Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos; Martínez-Salazar, Cristian; Alvarez, Cristian; Nakamura, Fábio Yuzo; De La Fuente, Carlos I; Caniuqueo, Alexis; Alonso-Martinez, Alicia M; Izquierdo, Mikel

2016-01-01

In a randomised controlled trial design, effects of 6 weeks of plyometric training on maximal-intensity exercise and endurance performance were compared in male and female soccer players. Young (age 21.1 ± 2.7 years) players with similar training load and competitive background were assigned to training (women, n = 19; men, n = 21) and control (women, n = 19; men, n = 21) groups. Players were evaluated for lower- and upper-body maximal-intensity exercise, 30 m sprint, change of direction speed and endurance performance before and after 6 weeks of training. After intervention, the control groups did not change, whereas both training groups improved jumps (effect size (ES) = 0.35-1.76), throwing (ES = 0.62-0.78), sprint (ES = 0.86-1.44), change of direction speed (ES = 0.46-0.85) and endurance performance (ES = 0.42-0.62). There were no differences in performance improvements between the plyometric training groups. Both plyometric groups improved more in all performance tests than the controls. The results suggest that adaptations to plyometric training do not differ between men and women.

An Evaluation of the Effect of a Quality Circle Intervention on Attitudinal Variables in Three DoD Organizations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

and Control Groups on the Pretest .......................... 57 XI. T-tests Between Full-term QC and Control Groups on the Posttest ...two groups differed at the pretest in terms of self-rated job performance and job involvement. At the posttest , one significant result emerged. Table...8 Static Group Designs .......................... 9 Pretest / posttest Designs ...................... 9 Nonequivalent Control Group

The effects of a human patient simulator vs. a CD-ROM on performance.

PubMed

Johnson, Don; Corrigan, Theresa; Gulickson, Gary; Holshouser, Elizabeth; Johnson, Sabine

2012-10-01

Military health care personnel need to have skills relative to caring for patients on the battlefield. No studies have compared the two teaching strategies of using the human patient simulator (HPS) and a CD-ROM in caring for combat injuries. The objective of this study was to determine if there were statistically significant differences in HPS and CD-ROM educational strategies relative to caring for patients who have trauma. A pretest/post-test prospective experimental design was used. Anesthesia students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: HPS, CD-ROM, or a control group. A valid and reliable instrument, Combat Performance, was used to evaluate the participant's ability to give care to trauma patients. A repeated analysis of variance and a least significant difference post hoc test were used to analyze the data. The HPS group performed better than the CD-ROM and control groups relative to performance (p = 0.001). There was no difference between the CD-ROM and control group (p = 0.171). We speculate that the HPS group performed better than the CD-ROM group because of the realism. In this study, the HPS method of instruction was a more effective method of teaching than the CD-ROM approach.

Effect of vaginal spheres and pelvic floor muscle training in women with urinary incontinence: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Porta-Roda, Oriol; Vara-Paniagua, Jesús; Díaz-López, Miguel A; Sobrado-Lozano, Pilar; Simó-González, Marta; Díaz-Bellido, Paloma; Reula-Blasco, María C; Muñoz-Garrido, Francisco

2015-08-01

To compare the efficacy and safety of Kegel exercises performed with or without, vaginal spheres as treatment for women with urinary incontinence. Multicentre parallel-group, open, randomized controlled trial. Women were allocated to either a pelvic floor muscle-training program consisting of Kegel exercises performed twice daily, 5 days/week at home, over 6 months with vaginal spheres, or to the same program without spheres. The primary endpoint was women's report of urinary incontinence at 6 months using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF). Secondary outcome measures were the 1 hr pad-test, King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) and a five-point Likert scale for subjective evaluation. Adherence was measured with the Morisky-Green test. Thirty-seven women were randomized to the spheres group and 33 to the control group. The primary endpoint was evaluated in 65 women (35 in the spheres group vs. 30 controls). ICIQ-UI-SF results improved significantly at 1-month follow-up in the spheres group (P < 0.01) and at 6 months in the controls. The 1 hr pad-test improved in the spheres group but not in the control group. No significant differences were found in the KHQ results or in the subjective evaluation of efficacy and safety. Adherence was higher in the spheres group but differences were not significant. Mild transient side effects were reported in four patients in the spheres group and one in the control group. Both treatments improved urinary incontinence but women who performed the exercises with vaginal spheres showed an earlier improvement. Vaginal spheres were well tolerated and safe. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Attention and memory impairments in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease in comparison to healthy controls.

PubMed

Piasecki, Bartosz; Stanisławska-Kubiak, Maia; Strzelecki, Wojciech; Mojs, Ewa

2017-10-01

The main aim of the study was to analyze and compare attention and memory performance in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in healthy controls. 28 patients with CF, 30 patients with IBD and 30 healthy subjects took part in the study (all in age range of 7-17). All subjects were in intellectual norm. To analyze the functioning of attention, the d2 Test of Attention by Brickenkamp (d2 test) was applied. Memory performance was assessed using the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) and the Trial of 10 words. The CF and IBD groups committed significantly more errors in the d2 test than the healthy controls. The CF group also had significantly higher fluctuation rates and received significantly lower scores in overall concentration performance than the control group. Patients with CF made more mistakes and had fewer correct memory projections in BVRT than the healthy controls. Patients with IBD committed significantly more errors in BVRT than the control group. Patients with CF and IBD also got significantly lower scores in the Trial of 10 words than the control group. Pediatric patients with CF and IBD performed more poorly than the healthy controls on attention and memory tests. More distinct cognitive impairments were observed in the CF group. Further research is needed to find the underlying mechanisms and clinical and/or functional significance of observed cognitive deficits. © American Federation for Medical Research (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Effects of Dual-Task Management and Resistance Training on Gait Performance in Older Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Wollesen, Bettina; Mattes, Klaus; Schulz, Sören; Bischoff, Laura L; Seydell, L; Bell, Jeffrey W; von Duvillard, Serge P

2017-01-01

Background: Dual-task (DT) training is a well-accepted modality for fall prevention in older adults. DT training should include task-managing strategies such as task switching or task prioritization to improve gait performance under DT conditions. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a balance and task managing training (BDT group) in gait performance compared to a single task (ST) strength and resistance training and a control group, which received no training. A total of 78 older individuals (72.0 ± 4.9 years) participated in this study. The DT group performed task managing training incorporating balance and coordination tasks while the ST group performed resistance training only. Training consisted of 12 weekly sessions, 60 min each, for 12 weeks. We assessed the effects of ST and BDT training on walking performance under ST and DT conditions in independent living elderly adults. ST and DT walking (visual verbal Stroop task) were measured utilizing a treadmill at self-selected walking speed (mean for all groups: 4.4 ± 1 km h -1 ). Specific gait variables, cognitive performance, and fear of falling were compared between all groups. > Results: Training improved gait performance for step length ( p < 0.001) and gait-line (ST: p < 0.01; DT p < 0.05) in both training groups. The BDT training group showed greater improvements in step length ( p < 0.001) and gait-line ( p < 0.01) during DT walking but did not have changes in cognitive performance. Both interventions reduced fear of falling ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Implementation of task management strategies into balance and strength training in our population revealed a promising modality to prevent falls in older individuals. Trial registration: German register of clinical trials DRKS00012382.

Deep-breathing exercises reduce atelectasis and improve pulmonary function after coronary artery bypass surgery.

PubMed

Westerdahl, Elisabeth; Lindmark, Birgitta; Eriksson, Tomas; Friberg, Orjan; Hedenstierna, Göran; Tenling, Arne

2005-11-01

To investigate the effects of deep-breathing exercises on pulmonary function, atelectasis, and arterial blood gas levels after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. In a prospective, randomized trial, patients performing deep-breathing exercises (n = 48) were compared to a control group (n = 42) who performed no breathing exercises postoperatively. Patient management was similar in the groups in terms of assessment, positioning, and mobility. The patients in the deep-breathing group were instructed to perform breathing exercises hourly during daytime for the first 4 postoperative days. The exercises consisted of 30 slow, deep breaths performed with a positive expiratory pressure blow-bottle device (+ 10 cm H(2)O). Spirometric measurements, spiral CT (three transverse levels), arterial blood gas analysis, and scoring of subjective experience of the breathing exercises were performed on the fourth postoperative day. Atelectasis was only half the size in the deep-breathing group compared to the control group, amounting to 2.6 +/- 2.2% vs 4.7 +/- 5.7% (p = 0.045) at the basal level and 0.1 +/- 0.2% vs 0.3 +/- 0.5% (mean +/- SD) [p = 0.01] at the apical level. Compared to the control subjects, the patients in the deep-breathing group had a significantly smaller reduction in FVC (to 71 +/- 12%, vs 64 +/- 13% of the preoperative values; p = 0.01) and FEV(1) (to 71 +/- 11%, vs 65 +/- 13% of the preoperative values; p = 0.01). Arterial oxygen tension, carbon dioxide tension, fever, or length of ICU or hospital stay did not differ between the groups. In the deep-breathing group, 72% of the patients experienced a subjective benefit from the exercises. Patients performing deep-breathing exercises after CABG surgery had significantly smaller atelectatic areas and better pulmonary function on the fourth postoperative day compared to a control group performing no exercises.

Interpersonal Problem-Solving Deficits in Self-Poisoning Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeavey, Breda C.; And Others

1987-01-01

Compared self-poisoning patients with psychiatric patients and nonpatient controls on problem-solving skills and locus of control. The psychiatric and self-poisoning groups showed deficits on interpersonal problem solving compared with nonpatient controls. The self-poisoning group performed below or at the level of the psychiatric group. Locus of…

78 FR 58415 - Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Reconsideration of Certain Provisions of New Source Performance...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-23

...). C. Group 1 Storage Vessel Affected Facility Control Requirements The final amendments retain the... Control Requirements and Applicability We received comments requesting clarification regarding Group 1... there was confusion regarding the applicability of Group 1 storage vessel affected facility control...

Effects of task-irrelevant emotional stimuli on working memory processes in mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Berger, Christoph; Erbe, Anna-Katharina; Ehlers, Inga; Marx, Ivo; Hauenstein, Karlheinz; Teipel, Stefan

2015-01-01

Research suggests generally impaired cognitive control functions in working memory (WM) processes in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and incipient Alzheimer's disease (AD). Little is known how emotional salience of task-irrelevant stimuli may modulate cognitive control of WM performance and neurofunctional activation in MCI and AD individuals. We investigated the impact of emotional task-irrelevant visual stimuli on cortical activation during verbal WM. Twelve AD/MCI individuals and 12 age-matched healthy individuals performed a verbal WM (nback-) task with task-irrelevant emotionally neutral and emotionally negative background pictures during fMRI measurement. AD/MCI individuals showed decreased WM performance compared with controls; both AD/MCI and control groups reacted slower during presentation of negative pictures, regardless of WM difficulty. The AD/MCI group showed increased activation in the left hemispheric prefrontal network, higher amygdala and less cerebellar activation with increasing WM task difficulty compared to healthy controls. Correlation analysis between neurofunctional activation and WM performance revealed a negative correlation between task sensitivity and activation in the dorsal anterior cingulum for the healthy controls but not for the AD/MCI group. Our data suggest compensatory activation in prefrontal cortex and amygdala, but also dysfunctional inhibition of distracting information in the AD/MCI group during higher WM task difficulty. Additionally, attentional processes affecting the correlation between WM performance and neurofunctional activation seem to be different between incipient AD and healthy aging.

Plyometric jumping performances of male and female gymnasts from different heights.

PubMed

Marina, Michel; Jemni, Monèm; Rodríguez, Ferran A; Jimenez, Alfonso

2012-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the factors influencing plyometric jumping performance between well-trained gymnasts and a control group. Seventy-six gymnasts and 91 moderately active subjects volunteered to participate in this study. Drop jumps (DJ) were performed from 20-, 40-, 60-, 80-, and 100-cm heights. Flight time (FT) and contact time (CT) were recorded using contact mat. Flight time to contact time (FC) ratio and Bosco expression (BE) were calculated. Male gymnasts scored similar FT to their controls, whereas female gymnasts had significantly longer FT compared with their peers. The gymnasts obtained significantly shorter CT than their control groups, whereas their FC ratios were significantly higher and increased when the height of the drops was close to 60 cm. Moreover, gymnasts' BE was greater in comparison to their respective control groups independent of the drop height. The height of the drop that produced the best FC ratio and BE varied between the groups. The best performances were obtained between 40- and 60-cm drop height for both groups. Female control group showed a trend toward a continuing decline with the increase of the drop height. The best gymnasts (finalists at World Championships) obtained their best performance at 80-cm drop. Flight time is the less discriminating factor distinguishing gymnasts' DJ performances. Considering CT, FC, and BE results all together could better profile the gymnasts rather than taken separately. Bosco expression was shown to be more sensitive to the increase in FT; we suggest BE as the best criteria to assess the appropriate drop height for plyometric training purposes in gymnasts as it has been significantly correlated to FT.

A Multicomponent Exercise Intervention that Reverses Frailty and Improves Cognition, Emotion, and Social Networking in the Community-Dwelling Frail Elderly: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Tarazona-Santabalbina, Francisco José; Gómez-Cabrera, Mari Carmen; Pérez-Ros, Pilar; Martínez-Arnau, Francisco Miguel; Cabo, Helena; Tsaparas, Konstantina; Salvador-Pascual, Andrea; Rodriguez-Mañas, Leocadio; Viña, José

2016-05-01

Frailty can be an important clinical target to reduce rates of disability. To ascertain if a supervised-facility multicomponent exercise program (MEP) when performed by frail older persons can reverse frailty and improve functionality; cognitive, emotional, and social networking; as well as biological biomarkers of frailty, when compared with a controlled population that received no training. This is an interventional, controlled, simple randomized study. Researchers responsible for data gathering were blinded for this study. Participants from 2 primary rural care centers (Sollana and Carcaixent) of the same health department in Spain were enrolled in the study between December 2013 and September 2014. We randomized a volunteer sample of 100 men and women who were sedentary, with a gait speed lower than 0.8 meters per second and frail (met at least 3 of the frailty phenotype criteria). Participants were randomized to a supervised-facility MEP (n = 51, age = 79.5, SD 3.9) that included proprioception, aerobic, strength, and stretching exercises for 65 minutes, 5 days per week, 24 weeks, or to a control group (n = 49, age = 80.3, SD 3.7). The intervention was performed by 8 experienced physiotherapists or nurses. Protein-calorie and vitamin D supplementation were controlled in both groups. Our MEP reverses frailty (number needed to treat to recover robustness in subjects with attendance to ≥50% of the training sessions was 3.2) and improves functional measurements: Barthel (trained group 91.6 SD 8.0 vs 82.0 SD 11.0 control group), Lawton and Brody (trained group 6.9 SD 0.9 vs 5.7 SD 2.0 control group), Tinetti (trained group 24.5 SD 4.4 vs 21.7 SD 4.5 control group), Short Physical Performance Battery (trained group 9.5 SD 1.8 vs 7.1 SD 2.8 control group), and physical performance test (trained group 23.5 SD 5.9 vs 16.5 SD 5.1 control group) as well as cognitive, emotional, and social networking determinations: Mini-Mental State Examination (trained group 28.9 SD 3.9 vs 25.9 SD 7.3 control group), geriatric depression scale from Yesavage (trained group 2.3 SD 2.2 vs 3.2 SD 2.0 control group), EuroQol quality-of-life scale (trained group 8.2 SD 1.6 vs 7.6 SD 1.3 control group), and Duke social support (trained group 48.5 SD 9.3 vs 41.2 SD 8.5 control group). This program is unique in that it leads to a decrease in the number of visits to primary care physician (trained group 1.3 SD 1.4 vs 2.4 SD 2.9 control group) and to a significant improvement in frailty biomarkers. We have designed a multicomponent exercise intervention that reverses frailty and improves cognition, emotional, and social networking in a controlled population of community-dwelling frail older adults. ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT02331459. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Performance Management Framework for Civil Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

cultural change. A non - equivalent control group design was chosen to augment the case analysis. Figure 3.18 shows the form of the quasi-experiment. The...The non - equivalent control group design controls the following obstacles to internal validity: history, maturation, testing, and instrumentation. The...and Stanley, 1963:48,50) Table 7. Validity of Quasi-Experiment The non - equivalent control group experimental design controls the following obstacles to

Statins Affect Skeletal Muscle Performance: Evidence for Disturbances in Energy Metabolism.

PubMed

Allard, Neeltje A E; Schirris, Tom J J; Verheggen, Rebecca J; Russel, Frans G M; Rodenburg, Richard J; Smeitink, Jan A M; Thompson, Paul D; Hopman, Maria T E; Timmers, Silvie

2018-01-01

Statin myopathy is linked to disturbances in mitochondrial function and exercise intolerance. To determine whether differences exist in exercise performance, muscle function, and muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity and content between symptomatic and asymptomatic statin users, and control subjects. Cross-sectional study. Department of Physiology, Radboud University Medical Center. Long-term symptomatic and asymptomatic statin users, and control subjects (n = 10 per group). Maximal incremental cycling tests, involuntary electrically stimulated isometric quadriceps-muscle contractions, and biopsy of vastus lateralis muscle. Maximal exercise capacity, substrate use during exercise, muscle function, and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Peak oxygen uptake, maximal work load, and ventilatory efficiency were comparable between groups, but both statin groups had a depressed anaerobic threshold compared with the control group (P = 0.01). Muscle relaxation time was prolonged in both statin groups compared with the control group and rate of maximal force rise was decreased (Ptime×group < 0.001 for both measures). Mitochondrial activity of complexes II and IV was lower in symptomatic statin users than control subjects and tended to be lower for complex (C) III (CII: P = 0.03; CIII: P = 0.05; CIV: P = 0.04). Mitochondrial content tended to be lower in both statin groups than in control subjects. Statin use attenuated substrate use during maximal exercise performance, induced muscle fatigue during repeated muscle contractions, and decreased muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity. This suggests disturbances in mitochondrial oxidative capacity occur with statin use even in patients without statin-induced muscle complaints. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Educational interventions to improve screening mammography interpretation: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Geller, Berta M; Bogart, Andy; Carney, Patricia A; Sickles, Edward A; Smith, Robert; Monsees, Barbara; Bassett, Lawrence W; Buist, Diana M; Kerlikowske, Karla; Onega, Tracy; Yankaskas, Bonnie C; Haneuse, Sebastien; Hill, Deirdre; Wallis, Matthew G; Miglioretti, Diana

2014-06-01

The objective of our study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial of educational interventions that were created to improve performance of screening mammography interpretation. We randomly assigned physicians who interpret mammography to one of three groups: self-paced DVD, live expert-led educational seminar, or control. The DVD and seminar interventions used mammography cases of varying difficulty and provided associated teaching points. Interpretive performance was compared using a pretest-posttest design. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated relative to two outcomes: cancer status and consensus of three experts about recall. The performance measures for each group were compared using logistic regression adjusting for pretest performance. One hundred two radiologists completed all aspects of the trial. After adjustment for preintervention performance, the odds of improved sensitivity for correctly identifying a lesion relative to expert recall were 1.34 times higher for DVD participants than for control subjects (95% CI, 1.00-1.81; p = 0.050). The odds of an improved PPV for correctly identifying a lesion relative to both expert recall (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.24-3.05; p = 0.004) and cancer status (OR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.01-3.23; p = 0.045) were significantly improved for DVD participants compared with control subjects, with no significant change in specificity. For the seminar group, specificity was significantly lower than the control group (OR relative to expert recall = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-1.00; p = 0.048; OR relative to cancer status = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65-0.95; p = 0.015). In this randomized controlled trial, the DVD educational intervention resulted in a significant improvement in screening mammography interpretive performance on a test set, which could translate into improved interpretative performance in clinical practice.

When doubting begins: exploring inductive reasoning in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Pélissier, Marie-Claude; O'Connor, Kieron P; Dupuis, Gilles

2009-03-01

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that inductive reasoning plays a role in obsessional doubting by comparing an OCD sample with a non-OCD control group in performance of an inductive reasoning task. The 'Reasoning with Inductive Arguments Task' (RIAT) measures inductive performance using arguments drawn from both given vs. self-generated sources and containing neutral vs. OCD-related content. Both an OCD group recruited from clinical referrals and a control group recruited from the general population were compared on performance of the RIAT. People with OCD tended to doubt an initial conclusion much more than controls in the light of subsequent alternative conclusions given by the experimenter. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the self-generated condition. The OCD group doubted more regardless of whether the items were OCD-relevant or neutral. The control group also doubted the initial conclusions but not to the same extent as the OCD group in the 'given' condition and their degree of doubting did not differ between self-generated or given items. People with OCD may create doubt because they are giving too much credit to mental models given from external sources.

Myocardial Performance Index for Patients with Overt and Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Karabulut, Aziz; Doğan, Abdullah; Tuzcu, Alpaslan Kemal

2017-05-25

BACKGROUND Hypothyroid has several effects on the cardiovascular system. Global myocardial performance index (MPI) is used in assessment of both left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function. We compared MPI in hypothyroidism patients vs. normal control subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty-two hypothyroid patients were divided into 2 groups: a subclinical hypothyroid (SH) group (n=50), and an overt hypothyroid (OH) group (n=32). The healthy control group (CG) constituted of 37 patients. TSH, FT3, and FT4, anti-TPO, anti-TG, insulin, lipid values, and fasting glucose levels were studied. All patients underwent an echocardiographic examination. Myocardial performance indexes were assessed and standard echocardiographic examinations were investigated. RESULTS MPI averages in OH, SH, and control groups were 0.53±0.06, 0.51±0.05, and 0.44±0.75 mm, respectively. MPI was increased in the OH and SH groups in comparison to CG (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS MPI value was significantly higher in hypothyroid patients in comparison to the control group, showing that regression in global left ventricular functions is an important echocardiographic finding. Future studies are required to determine the effects of this finding on long-term cardiovascular outcomes.

Does hydrotherapy help or hinder adaptation to training in competitive cyclists?

PubMed

Halson, Shona L; Bartram, Jason; West, Nicholas; Stephens, Jessica; Argus, Christos K; Driller, Matthew W; Sargent, Charli; Lastella, Michele; Hopkins, Will G; Martin, David T

2014-08-01

Cold water immersion (CWI) may be beneficial for acute recovery from exercise, but it may impair long-term performance by attenuating the stimuli responsible for adaptation to training. We compared effects of CWI and passive rest on cycling performance during a simulated cycling grand tour. Thirty-four male endurance-trained competitive cyclists were randomized to CWI for four times per week for 15 min at 15°C or control (passive recovery) groups for 7 d of baseline training, 21 d of intensified training, and an 11-d taper. Criteria for completion of training and testing were satisfied by 10 cyclists in the CWI group (maximal aerobic power, 5.13 ± 0.21 W·kg; mean ± SD) and 11 in the control group (5.01 ± 0.41 W·kg). Each week, cyclists completed a high-intensity interval cycling test and two 4-min bouts separated by 30 min. CWI was performed four times per week for 15 min at 15°C. Between baseline and taper, cyclists in the CWI group had an unclear change in overall 4-min power relative to control (2.7% ± 5.7%), although mean power in the second effort relative to the first was likely higher for the CWI group relative to control (3.0% ± 3.8%). The change in 1-s maximum mean sprint power in the CWI group was likely beneficial compared with control (4.4% ± 4.2%). Differences between groups for the 10-min time trial were unclear (-0.4% ± 4.3%). Although some effects of CWI on performance were unclear, data from this study do not support recent speculation that CWI is detrimental to performance after increased training load in competitive cyclists.

Can task-switching training enhance executive control functioning in children with attention deficit/-hyperactivity disorder?

PubMed

Kray, Jutta; Karbach, Julia; Haenig, Susann; Freitag, Christine

2011-01-01

The key cognitive impairments of children with attention deficit/-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include executive control functions such as inhibitory control, task-switching, and working memory (WM). In this training study we examined whether task-switching training leads to improvements in these functions. Twenty children with combined type ADHD and stable methylphenidate medication performed a single-task and a task-switching training in a crossover training design. The children were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group started with the single-task training and then performed the task-switching training and the other group vice versa. The effectiveness of the task-switching training was measured as performance improvements (relative to the single-task training) on a structurally similar but new switching task and on other executive control tasks measuring inhibitory control and verbal WM as well as on fluid intelligence (reasoning). The children in both groups showed improvements in task-switching, that is, a reduction of switching costs, but not in performing the single-tasks across four training sessions. Moreover, the task-switching training lead to selective enhancements in task-switching performance, that is, the reduction of task-switching costs was found to be larger after task-switching than after single-task training. Similar selective improvements were observed for inhibitory control and verbal WM, but not for reasoning. Results of this study suggest that task-switching training is an effective cognitive intervention that helps to enhance executive control functioning in children with ADHD.

Can Task-Switching Training Enhance Executive Control Functioning in Children with Attention Deficit/-Hyperactivity Disorder?

PubMed Central

Kray, Jutta; Karbach, Julia; Haenig, Susann; Freitag, Christine

2012-01-01

The key cognitive impairments of children with attention deficit/-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include executive control functions such as inhibitory control, task-switching, and working memory (WM). In this training study we examined whether task-switching training leads to improvements in these functions. Twenty children with combined type ADHD and stable methylphenidate medication performed a single-task and a task-switching training in a crossover training design. The children were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group started with the single-task training and then performed the task-switching training and the other group vice versa. The effectiveness of the task-switching training was measured as performance improvements (relative to the single-task training) on a structurally similar but new switching task and on other executive control tasks measuring inhibitory control and verbal WM as well as on fluid intelligence (reasoning). The children in both groups showed improvements in task-switching, that is, a reduction of switching costs, but not in performing the single-tasks across four training sessions. Moreover, the task-switching training lead to selective enhancements in task-switching performance, that is, the reduction of task-switching costs was found to be larger after task-switching than after single-task training. Similar selective improvements were observed for inhibitory control and verbal WM, but not for reasoning. Results of this study suggest that task-switching training is an effective cognitive intervention that helps to enhance executive control functioning in children with ADHD. PMID:22291628

Selective impairment of decision making under ambiguity in alexithymia.

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Wang, Xue; Zhu, Yu; Li, Hongchen; Zhu, Chunyan; Yu, Fengqiong; Wang, Kai

2017-11-28

Alexithymia is characterised by difficulties identifying and describing emotions. Few studies have investigated how alexithymia influences decision-making under different conditions (ambiguity and risk). This study aimed to examine whether alexithymia contributes to impairment in decision-making. This study included 42 participants with high scores in the Chinese version of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (alexithymia group), and 44 matched subjects with low scores (control group). Decision-making was measured using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT). The main findings of this study revealed selective deficits in IGT performance for the alexithymia group, while GDT performance was unimpaired when compared with the control group. In IGT, total netscores were lower for the alexithymia group compared to the control group, particularly with regard to block 5. Moreover, the alexithymia individuals selected significantly more adverse cards than the controls, indicating significant decision-making impairments. Alexithymia selectively influences decision-making under ambiguity.

Effect of a brief training program based on cognitive behavioral therapy in improving work performance: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kimura, Risa; Mori, Makiko; Tajima, Miyuki; Somemura, Hironori; Sasaki, Norio; Yamamoto, Megumi; Nakamura, Saki; Okanoya, June; Ito, Yukio; Otsubo, Tempei; Tanaka, Katsutoshi

2015-01-01

Efforts to improve performance in the workplace with respect to positive mental health have increased, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has recently attracted attention as an intervention measure to this end. Here, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief training program on CBT for improving work performance of employees. The participants were employees of an electric company in Japan. The intervention consisted of 1 group session of CBT (120 min) and web-based CBT homework for 1 month. We evaluated employees in both the intervention and control groups at baseline and follow-up after three months. The main outcome was work performance, which was evaluated by a subjective score from 1 to 10. The secondary outcome was self-evaluation of cognitive flexibility. Analyses were conducted based on ITT. In the intervention group, 84 participants attended the group session, with 79 subsequently completing at least 1 instance of online homework. ITT analysis showed that the subjective performance of the intervention group was significantly improved compared with that of the control group (1.47 vs. 0.69, mean difference 0.78 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.05 to 1.51], Cohen's d=0.31). The ability to recognize dysfunctional thinking patterns and change them to positive ones significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (0.71 vs. 0.26, mean difference 0.45 [95% CI 0.06 to 0.83], d=0.33). However, after adjustment for baseline scores, no significant difference was observed. The ability to view a situation from multiple perspectives and expand one's repertoire of thought patterns in the intervention group also significantly improved (0.83 vs. 0.35, mean difference 0.48 [95% CI 0.35 to 0.95], d=0.29), but here again, significance was lost after adjusting for baseline scores. Our results suggest that a brief training program that combines a group CBT session with web-based CBT homework improved subjective work performance. In addition, this program might help improve employees' cognitive flexibility.

Improving Resident Performance in Knee Arthroscopy: A Prospective Value Assessment of Simulators and Cadaveric Skills Laboratories.

PubMed

Camp, Christopher L; Krych, Aaron J; Stuart, Michael J; Regnier, Terry D; Mills, Karen M; Turner, Norman S

2016-02-03

Cadaveric skills laboratories and virtual reality simulators are two common methods used outside of the operating room to improve residents' performance of knee arthroscopy. We are not aware of any head-to-head comparisons of the educational values of these two methodologies. The purpose of this prospective randomized trial was to assess the efficacy of these training methods, compare their rates of improvement, and provide economic value data to programs seeking to implement such technologies. Orthopaedic surgery residents were randomized to one of three groups: control, training on cadavera (cadaver group), and training with use of a simulator (simulator group). Residents completed pretest and posttest diagnostic knee arthroscopies on cadavera that were timed and video-recorded. Between the pretest and posttest, the control group performed no arthroscopy, the cadaver group performed four hours of practice on cadavera, and the simulator group trained for four hours on a simulator. All tests were scored in a blinded, randomized fashion using the validated Arthroscopy Surgical Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET). The mean improvement in the ASSET score and in the time to complete the procedure were compared between the pretest and posttest and among the groups. Forty-five residents (fifteen per group) completed the study. The mean difference in the ASSET score from the pretest to the posttest was -0.40 (p = 0.776) in the control group, +4.27 (p = 0.002) in the cadaver group, and +1.92 (p = 0.096) in the simulator group (p = 0.015 for the comparison among the groups). The mean difference in the test-completion time (minutes:seconds) from the pretest to the posttest was 0:07 (p = 0.902) in the control group, 3:01 (p = 0.002) in the cadaver group, and 0:28 (p = 0.708) in the simulator group (p = 0.044 for the comparison among groups). Residents in the cadaver group improved their performance at a mean of 1.1 ASSET points per hour spent training whereas those in the simulator group improved 0.5 ASSET point per hour of training. Cadaveric skills laboratories improved residents' performance of knee arthroscopy compared with that of matched controls. Residents practicing on cadaveric specimens improved twice as fast as those utilizing a high-fidelity simulator; however, based on cost estimation specific to our institution, the simulator may be more cost-effective if it is used at least 300 hours per year. Additional study of this possibility is warranted. Copyright © 2016 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Matter over mind: a randomised-controlled trial of single-session biofeedback training on performance anxiety and heart rate variability in musicians.

PubMed

Wells, Ruth; Outhred, Tim; Heathers, James A J; Quintana, Daniel S; Kemp, Andrew H

2012-01-01

Musical performance is a skilled activity performed under intense pressure, thus is often a profound source of anxiety. In other contexts, anxiety and its concomitant symptoms of sympathetic nervous system arousal have been successfully ameliorated with HRV biofeedback (HRV BF), a technique involving slow breathing which augments autonomic and emotional regulatory capacity. This randomised-controlled study explored the impact of a single 30-minute session of HRV BF on anxiety in response to a highly stressful music performance. A total of 46 trained musicians participated in this study and were randomly allocated to a slow breathing with or without biofeedback or no-treatment control group. A 3 Group×2 Time mixed experimental design was employed to compare the effect of group before and after intervention on performance anxiety (STAI-S) and frequency domain measures of HRV. Slow breathing groups (n=30) showed significantly greater improvements in high frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio measures of HRV relative to control (n=15) during 5 minute recordings of performance anticipation following the intervention (effect size: η(2) =0.122 and η(2) =0.116, respectively). The addition of biofeedback to a slow breathing protocol did not produce differential results. While intervention groups did not exhibit an overall reduction in self-reported anxiety, participants with high baseline anxiety who received the intervention (n=15) displayed greater reductions in self-reported state anxiety relative to those in the control condition (n=7) (r=0.379). These findings indicate that a single session of slow breathing, regardless of biofeedback, is sufficient for controlling physiological arousal in anticipation of psychosocial stress associated with music performance and that slow breathing is particularly helpful for musicians with high levels of anxiety. Future research is needed to further examine the effects of HRV BF as a low-cost, non-pharmacological treatment for music performance anxiety.

Biomechanical analysis of knee and trunk in badminton players with and without knee pain during backhand diagonal lunges.

PubMed

Lin, Cheng-Feng; Hua, Shiang-Hua; Huang, Ming-Tung; Lee, Hsing-Hsan; Liao, Jen-Chieh

2015-01-01

The contribution of core neuromuscular control to the dynamic stability of badminton players with and without knee pain during backhand lunges has not been investigated. Accordingly, this study compared the kinematics of the lower extremity, the trunk movement, the muscle activation and the balance performance of knee-injured and knee-uninjured badminton players when performing backhand stroke diagonal lunges. Seventeen participants with chronic knee pain (injured group) and 17 healthy participants (control group) randomly performed two diagonal backhand lunges in the forward and backward directions, respectively. This study showed that the injured group had lower frontal and horizontal motions of the knee joint, a smaller hip-shoulder separation angle and a reduced trunk tilt angle. In addition, the injured group exhibited a greater left paraspinal muscle activity, while the control group demonstrated a greater activation of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and medial gastrocnemius muscle groups. Finally, the injured group showed a smaller distance between centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure, and a lower peak COM velocity when performing the backhand backward lunge tasks. In conclusion, the injured group used reduced knee and trunk motions to complete the backhand lunge tasks. Furthermore, the paraspinal muscles contributed to the lunge performance of the individuals with knee pain, whereas the knee extensors and ankle plantar flexor played a greater role for those without knee pain.

Attentional focus and performance anxiety: effects on simulated race-driving performance and heart rate variability.

PubMed

Mullen, Richard; Faull, Andrea; Jones, Eleri S; Kingston, Kieran

2012-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that an external focus can enhance motor learning compared to an internal focus. The benefits of adopting an external focus are attributed to the use of less effortful automatic control processes, while an internal focus relies upon more effort-intensive consciously controlled processes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a distal external focus with an internal focus in the acquisition of a simulated driving task and subsequent performance in a competitive condition designed to increase state anxiety. To provide further evidence for the automatic nature of externally controlled movements, the study included heart rate variability (HRV) as an index of mental effort. Sixteen participants completed eight blocks of four laps in either a distal external or internal focus condition, followed by two blocks of four laps in the competitive condition. During acquisition, the performance of both groups improved; however, the distal external focus group outperformed the internal focus group. The poorer performance of the internal focus group was accompanied by a larger reduction in HRV, indicating a greater investment of mental effort. In the competition condition, state anxiety increased, and for both groups, performance improved as a function of the increased anxiety. Increased heart rate and self-reported mental effort accompanied the performance improvement. The distal external focus group also outperformed the internal focus group across both neutral and competitive conditions and this more effective performance was again associated with lower levels of HRV. Overall, the results offer support for the suggestion that an external focus promotes a more automatic mode of functioning. In the competitive condition, both foci enhanced performance and while the improved performance may have been achieved at the expense of greater compensatory mental effort, this was not reflected in HRV scores.

'Reading the Mind in the Eyes': an fMRI study of adolescents with autism and their siblings.

PubMed

Holt, R J; Chura, L R; Lai, M-C; Suckling, J; von dem Hagen, E; Calder, A J; Bullmore, E T; Baron-Cohen, S; Spencer, M D

2014-11-01

Mentalizing deficits are a hallmark of the autism spectrum condition (ASC) and a potential endophenotype for atypical social cognition in ASC. Differences in performance and neural activation on the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes' task (the Eyes task) have been identified in individuals with ASC in previous studies. Performance on the Eyes task along with the associated neural activation was examined in adolescents with ASC (n = 50), their unaffected siblings (n = 40) and typically developing controls (n = 40). Based on prior literature that males and females with ASC display different cognitive and associated neural characteristics, analyses were stratified by sex. Three strategies were applied to test for endophenotypes at the level of neural activation: (1) identifying and locating conjunctions of ASC-control and sibling-control differences; (2) examining whether the sibling group is comparable to the ASC or intermediate between the ASC and control groups; and (3) examining spatial overlaps between ASC-control and sibling-control differences across multiple thresholds. Impaired behavioural performance on the Eyes task was observed in males with ASC compared to controls, but only at trend level in females; and no difference in performance was identified between sibling and same-sex control groups in both sexes. Neural activation showed a substantial endophenotype effect in the female groups but this was only modest in the male groups. Behavioural impairment on complex emotion recognition associated with mental state attribution is a phenotypic, rather than an endophenotypic, marker of ASC. However, the neural response during the Eyes task is a potential endophenotypic marker for ASC, particularly in females.

Improvement of burn pain management through routine pain monitoring and pain management protocol.

PubMed

Yang, Hyeong Tae; Hur, Giyeun; Kwak, In-Suk; Yim, Haejun; Cho, Yong Suk; Kim, Dohern; Hur, Jun; Kim, Jong Hyun; Lee, Boung Chul; Seo, Cheong Hoon; Chun, Wook

2013-06-01

Pain management is an important aspect of burn management. We developed a routine pain monitoring system and pain management protocol for burn patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of our new pain management system. From May 2011 to November 2011, the prospective study was performed with 107 burn patients. We performed control group (n=58) data analysis and then developed the pain management protocol and monitoring system. Next, we applied our protocol to patients and performed protocol group (n=49) data analysis, and compared this to control group data. Data analysis was performed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) of background pain and procedural pain, Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale (STAIS), and Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale (HRSS). The NRS of background pain for the protocol group was significantly decreased compared to the control group (2.8±2.0 versus 3.9±1.9), and the NRS of procedural pain of the protocol group was significantly decreased compared to the control group (4.8±2.8 versus 3.7±2.5). CAPS and HDRS were decreased in the protocol group, but did not have statistical significance. STAIS and HRSS were decreased in the protocol group, but only the STAIS had statistical significance. Our new pain management system was effective in burn pain management. However, adequate pain management can only be accomplished by a continuous and thorough effort. Therefore, pain control protocol and pain monitoring systems need to be under constant revision and improvement using creative ideas and approaches. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Whole Body Vibration Training Improves Walking Performance of Stroke Patients with Knee Hyperextension: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

PubMed

Guo, Chuan; Mi, Xun; Liu, Shouguo; Yi, Wenchao; Gong, Chen; Zhu, Lan; Machado, Sergio; Yuan, Ti-Fei; Shan, Chunlei

2015-01-01

To investigate the effect of 8-week whole body vibration training on gait performance and lower extremity function in stroke patients with knee hyperextension. Total 30 subjects with stroke were randomized into the control group (n=15) or the intervention group (n=15). The patients of intervention group were treated with whole body vibration while the control group was treated with placebo. The walking function, lower limb function and knee hyperextension times were assessed in this study. Gait performances were evaluated by 10-meter walk test. The knee hyperextension times was visually observed and counted. The lower limb function was evaluated by Fugl-Meyer motor assessment. The times of the knee hyperextension of the intervention group was significantly decreased compared with control groups (P=0.000, d=1.749, 95%CI[2.915,7.285]). The walking function assessed by 10-meter test of intervention group was significantly improved compared with control group (P=0.001, d=1.345, 95%CI[1.896,6.704]). The performances of all the three tests were improved after training in both groups (P=0.000/P=0.000, d=1.500/d=1.952, 95%CI[3.309,9.891]/ 95%CI[5.549,12.45]; P=0.000/P=0.000, d=2.015/d=2.952, 95%CI[5.214,11.39]/95%CI[9.423, 15.98]; P=0.000/P=0.000, d=3.537/d=5.108, 95%CI[19.05,12.35]/95%CI[16.52,22.28]). The results suggest that 8 weeks whole body vibration training can reduce knee hyperextension and increase ambulatory speed in stroke patients.

The Effects of Highly Challenging Balance Training in Elderly With Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Conradsson, David; Löfgren, Niklas; Nero, Håkan; Hagströmer, Maria; Ståhle, Agneta; Lökk, Johan; Franzén, Erika

2015-10-01

Highly challenging exercises have been suggested to induce neuroplasticity in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD); however, its effect on clinical outcomes remains largely unknown. To evaluate the short-term effects of the HiBalance program, a highly challenging balance-training regimen that incorporates both dual-tasking and PD-specific balance components, compared with usual care in elderly with mild to moderate PD. Participants with PD (n = 100) were randomized, either to the 10-week HiBalance program (n = 51) or to the control group (n = 49). Participants were evaluated before and after the intervention. The main outcomes were balance performance (Mini-BESTest), gait velocity (during normal and dual-task gait), and concerns about falling (Falls Efficacy Scale-International). Performance of a cognitive task while walking, physical activity level (average steps per day), and activities of daily living were secondary outcomes. A total of 91 participants completed the study. After the intervention, the between group comparison showed significantly improved balance and gait performance in the training group. Moreover, although no significant between group difference was observed regarding gait performance during dual-tasking; the participants in the training group improved their performance of the cognitive task while walking, as compared with the control group. Regarding physical activity levels and activities of daily living, in comparison to the control group, favorable results were found for the training group. No group differences were found for concerns about falling. The HiBalance program significantly benefited balance and gait abilities when compared with usual care and showed promising transfer effects to everyday living. Long-term follow-up assessments will further explore these effects. © The Author(s) 2015.

What's the secret behind the benefits of whole-body vibration training in patients with COPD? A randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Gloeckl, Rainer; Jarosch, Inga; Bengsch, Ulrike; Claus, Magdalena; Schneeberger, Tessa; Andrianopoulos, Vasileios; Christle, Jeffrey W; Hitzl, Wolfgang; Kenn, Klaus

2017-05-01

Several studies have shown that whole-body vibration training (WBVT) improves exercise capacity in patients with severe COPD. The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of improved exercise capacity following WBVT. Seventy-four COPD patients (FEV 1 : 34 ± 9%predicted) were recruited during a 3-week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program. Conventional endurance and strength exercises were supplemented with self-paced dynamic squat training sessions (4bouts*2min, 3times/wk). Patients were randomly allocated to either a WBVT-group performing squat training on a side-alternating vibration platform (Galileo) at a high intensity (24-26 Hz) or a control group performing squat training without WBVT. Patients in the WBVT group significantly improved postural balance in several domains compared to the control-group (i.e. tandem stance: WBVT +20% (95%CI 14 to 26) vs. control -10% (95%CI 6 to 15), p < 0.001; one-leg stance: WBVT +11% (95%CI 4 to 19) vs. control -8% (95%CI -19 to 3), p = 0.009). Six-minute walk distance and muscle power but not muscle strength were also significantly improved compared to control group. Implementation of WBVT improves postural balance performance and muscle power output. The neuromuscular adaptation related to improved balance performance may be an important mechanism of the improvement in exercise capacity after WBVT especially in COPD patients with impaired balance performance and low exercise capacity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of continued psychological care toward brain tumor patients and their family members' negative emotions.

PubMed

Xiao, Ning; Zhu, Dan; Xiao, Shuiyuan

2018-01-01

Numerous studies have confirmed that brain tumor patients and their family members frequently exhibit negative emotional reactions, such as anxiety and depression, during diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Family members experience increasing pressure as the year of survival of patient progress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the continued psychological care (CPC) toward the brain tumor patients and their family members' emotions. The asynchronous clinical control trial was performed, and 162 brain tumor patients and their family members were divided into the control group and the intervention group. The control group was only performed the telephone follow-up toward the patients. Beside this way, the intervention group was performed the CPC toward the patients and their family member. The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to measure the negative emotions of the patients and their family members, and the patients' treatment compliance and the incidence of seizures were compared. The SAS and SDS scores of the intervention group on the 14 days, 28 days and 3 months of the CPC were significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05); the SAS and SDS scores of the intervention group after the intervention were significantly lower than those at the discharging (P < 0.05), the treatment compliance of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05), and the seizure incidence of the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05). The CPC could effectively reduce the anxiety and depression among the brain tumor patients and their family members.

Early stage second-language learning improves executive control: evidence from ERP.

PubMed

Sullivan, Margot D; Janus, Monika; Moreno, Sylvain; Astheimer, Lori; Bialystok, Ellen

2014-12-01

A growing body of research has reported a bilingual advantage in performance on executive control tasks, but it is not known at what point in emerging bilingualism these advantages first appear. The present study investigated the effect of early stage second-language training on executive control. Monolingual English-speaking students were tested on a go-nogo task, sentence judgment task, and verbal fluency, before and after 6 months of Spanish instruction. The training group (n = 25) consisted of students enrolled in introductory Spanish and the control group (n = 30) consisted of students enrolled in introductory Psychology. After training, the Spanish group showed larger P3 amplitude on the go-nogo task and smaller P600 amplitude on the judgment task, indicating enhanced performance, with no changes for the control group and no differences between groups on behavioral measures. Results are discussed in terms of neural changes underlying executive control after brief second-language learning. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Working memory training shows immediate and long-term effects on cognitive performance in children

PubMed Central

Pugin, Fiona; Metz, Andreas J.; Stauffer, Madlaina; Wolf, Martin; Jenni, Oskar G.; Huber, Reto

2014-01-01

Working memory is important for mental reasoning and learning processes. Several studies in adults and school-age children have shown performance improvement in cognitive tests after working memory training. Our aim was to examine not only immediate but also long-term effects of intensive working memory training on cognitive performance tests in children. Fourteen healthy male subjects between 10 and 16 years trained a visuospatial n-back task over 3 weeks (30 min daily), while 15 individuals of the same age range served as a passive control group. Significant differences in immediate (after 3 weeks of training) and long-term effects (after 2-6 months) in an auditory n-back task were observed compared to controls (2.5 fold immediate and 4.7 fold long-term increase in the training group compared to the controls). The improvement was more pronounced in subjects who improved their performance during the training. Other cognitive functions (matrices test and Stroop task) did not change when comparing the training group to the control group. We conclude that visuospatial working memory training in children boosts performance in similar memory tasks such as the auditory n-back task. The sustained performance improvement several months after the training supports the effectiveness of the training. PMID:25671082

The effect of learning climate on snack consumption and ego depletion among undergraduate students.

PubMed

Magaraggia, Christian; Dimmock, James A; Jackson, Ben

2013-10-01

We explored the effect of controlled and autonomous learning choices on the consumption of a high-energy snack food, and also examined whether snack consumption during a controlled choice learning activity could 'up-regulate' subsequent performance on a self-regulation task. Participants were randomly assigned to a controlled choice learning condition in which food was provided, a controlled choice learning condition in which food was not provided, or an autonomous choice learning condition in which food was provided. Results indicated that the autonomous choice group consumed significantly less snack food than the controlled-choice-and-food group. Participants in the autonomous choice condition also performed better on the subsequent self-regulation task than the controlled-choice-and-food group, even after controlling for the amount of food consumed. Furthermore, within the controlled-choice-and-food condition, there was no association between food consumption and subsequent self-regulation task performance. Discussion focuses on the potential impact of a controlled learning climate on snack food consumption and on the degradation of self-regulation capacities. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abnormalities of the executive control network in multiple sclerosis phenotypes: An fMRI effective connectivity study.

PubMed

Dobryakova, Ekaterina; Rocca, Maria Assunta; Valsasina, Paola; Ghezzi, Angelo; Colombo, Bruno; Martinelli, Vittorio; Comi, Giancarlo; DeLuca, John; Filippi, Massimo

2016-06-01

The Stroop interference task is a cognitively demanding task of executive control, a cognitive ability that is often impaired in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to compare effective connectivity patterns within a network of brain regions involved in the Stroop task performance between MS patients with three disease clinical phenotypes [relapsing-remitting (RRMS), benign (BMS), and secondary progressive (SPMS)] and healthy subjects. Effective connectivity analysis was performed on Stroop task data using a novel method based on causal Bayes networks. Compared with controls, MS phenotypes were slower at performing the task and had reduced performance accuracy during incongruent trials that required increased cognitive control. MS phenotypes also exhibited connectivity abnormalities reflected as weaker shared connections, presence of extra connections (i.e., connections absent in the HC connectivity pattern), connection reversal, and loss. In SPMS and the BMS groups but not in the RRMS group, extra connections were associated with deficits in the Stroop task performance. In the BMS group, the response time associated with correct responses during the congruent condition showed a positive correlation with the left posterior parietal → dorsal anterior cingulate connection. In the SPMS group, performance accuracy during the congruent condition showed a negative correlation with the right insula → left insula connection. No associations between extra connections and behavioral performance measures were observed in the RRMS group. These results suggest that, depending on the phenotype, patients with MS use different strategies when cognitive control demands are high and rely on different network connections. Hum Brain Mapp, 37:2293-2304, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PTS performance by flight- and control-group macaques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washburn, D. A.; Rumbaugh, D. M.; Richardson, W. K.; Gulledge, J. P.; Shlyk, G. G.; Vasilieva, O. N.

2000-01-01

A total of 25 young monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained with the Psychomotor Test System, a package of software tasks and computer hardware developed for spaceflight research with nonhuman primates. Two flight monkeys and two control monkeys were selected from this pool and performed a psychomotor task before and after the Bion 11 flight or a ground-control period. Monkeys from both groups showed significant disruption in performance after the 14-day flight or simulation (plus one anesthetized day of biopsies and other tests), and this disruption appeared to be magnified for the flight animal.

The effect of bench model fidelity on fluoroscopy-guided transforaminal epidural injection training: a randomized control study.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Cota, Alan; Chiravuri, Srinivas; Stansfield, R Brent; Brummett, Chad M; Hamstra, Stanley J

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether high-fidelity simulators provide greater benefit than low-fidelity models in training fluoroscopy-guided transforaminal epidural injection. This educational study was a single-center, prospective, randomized 3-arm pretest-posttest design with a control arm. Eighteen anesthesia and physical medicine and rehabilitation residents were instructed how to perform a fluoroscopy-guided transforaminal epidural injection and assessed by experts on a reusable injectable phantom cadaver. The high- and low-fidelity groups received 30 minutes of supervised hands-on practice according to group assignment, and the control group received 30 minutes of didactic instruction from an expert. We found no differences at posttest between the high- and low-fidelity groups on global ratings of performance (P = 0.17) or checklist scores (P = 0.81). Participants who received either form of hands-on training significantly outperformed the control group on both the global rating of performance (control vs low-fidelity, P = 0.0048; control vs high-fidelity, P = 0.0047) and the checklist (control vs low-fidelity, P = 0.0047; control vs high-fidelity, P = 0.0047). Training an epidural procedure using a low-fidelity model may be equally effective as training on a high-fidelity model. These results are consistent with previous research on a variety of interventional procedures and further demonstrate the potential impact of simple, low-fidelity training models.

Both texting and eating are associated with impaired simulated driving performance.

PubMed

Alosco, Michael L; Spitznagel, Mary Beth; Fischer, Kimberly Hall; Miller, Lindsay A; Pillai, Vivek; Hughes, Joel; Gunstad, John

2012-09-01

Distracted driving is a known contributor to traffic accidents, and many states have banned texting while driving. However, little is known about the potential accident risk of other common activities while driving, such as eating. The objective of the current study was to examine the adverse impact of eating/drinking behavior relative to texting and nondistracted behaviors on a simulated driving task. A total of 186 participants were recruited from undergraduate psychology courses over 2 semesters at Kent State University. We utilized the Kent Multidimensional Assessment Driving Simulation (K-MADS) to compare simulated driving performance among participants randomly assigned to texting (N = 45), eating (N = 45), and control (N = 96) conditions. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted to examine between-group differences on simulated driving indices. MANOVA analyses indicated that groups differed in simulated driving performance, F(14, 366) = 7.70, P < .001. Both texting and eating produced impaired driving performance relative to controls, though these behaviors had approximately equal effect. Specifically, both texting and eating groups had more collisions, pedestrian strikes, and center line crossings than controls. In addition, the texting group had more road edge excursions than either eating or control participants and the eating group missed more stop signs than controls. These findings suggest that both texting and eating are associated with poorer simulated driving performance. Future work is needed to determine whether these findings generalize to real-world driving and the development of strategies to reduce distracted driving.

Neuropsychological mechanisms of Digit Symbol Substitution Test impairment in Asperger Disorder.

PubMed

Yoran-Hegesh, Roni; Kertzman, Semion; Vishne, Tali; Weizman, Abraham; Kotler, Moshe

2009-03-31

Our aim was to investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms recruited by adolescents with Asperger Disorder (AD), in comparison to controls, and to detect the underlying mechanisms during the complex information processing required for the performance of the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Male adolescents (n=23; mean age 15.1+/-3.6 years) with a DSM-IV diagnosis of AD were compared with a normal male control group with similar demographic characteristics (n=43; mean age: 15.1+/-3.6 years). A computerized neurocognitive battery was administered and included: Inspection Time (IT), Finger Tapping Test (FTT), Simple Reaction Time (SRT), Choice Reaction Time (CRT), Digit Running task (DRT), Stroop test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Adolescents with AD performed significantly worse than controls on the DSST. This impaired DSST performance was related to cognitive mechanisms different from those employed by normal controls. Motor slowness and inability to deal with increased amounts of information affected the performance of the AD group, while shifting of attention was the limiting factor in the controls. Both groups were similarly dependent on response selection. This study demonstrated differences in performance in complex cognitive tasks between adolescents with AD and normal controls that may be related to differences in neurocognitive mechanisms underlying information processing. Future neuroimaging studies are needed to clarify the neural network involved in the differences in cognitive performance between AD subjects and normal controls.

Influence of Whole-Body Vibration Training Without Visual Feedback on Balance and Lower-Extremity Muscle Strength of the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Tseng, Shiuan-Yu; Lai, Chung-Liang; Chang, Kai-Ling; Hsu, Pi-Shan; Lee, Meng-Chih; Wang, Chun-Hou

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of whole-body vibration (WBV) training without visual feedback on balance and lower-extremity muscle strength in the elderly.Elderly subjects who did not exercise regularly participated in this study. Subjects were randomly divided into a WBV with eyes open group, a visual feedback-deprived plus WBV (VFDWBV) group, and a control group (0 Hz, eyes open). WBV training was provided over a 3-month period, 3 times per week for 5 min each session. Balance performance was measured with the limits of stability test, and muscle strength was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer.A total of 45 elderly subjects with an average age of 69.22  ±  3.97 years, divided into a WBV group (n = 14), a VFDWBV group (n = 17), and a control group (n = 14), completed the trial. Statistically significant differences were found in the balance performance of the 3 groups at different time points (time × group interaction: F = 13.213, P < 0.001), and the VFDWBV group had more improvement in balance than the WBV and control groups. The strength of the knee extensor and flexor muscles had time × group interactions: F = 29.604, P < 0.001 and F = 4.684, P = 0.015, respectively; the VFDWBV group had more improvement on lower-extremity muscle strength than the WBV and control groups. The 6-month follow-up showed that the rates of hospital visits for medical services due to falls were 0% in the WBV group (0/14), 0% in the VFDWBV group (0/17), and 28.57% in the control group (4/14).Results showed that WBV training at 20  Hz without visual feedback can significantly improve the balance performance and lower-extremity muscle strength of the elderly.

Context matters: Social cognition task performance in psychometric schizotypes.

PubMed

Pflum, Madeline J; Gooding, Diane C

2018-06-01

Patients with schizophrenia show performance deficits on tasks requiring empathy-related social cognition. The extent to which empathy impairments are observed in psychometric schizotypy is unclear. We compared accuracy and reaction time in three groups of individuals characterized by positive schizotypy (n = 79), negative schizotypy (n = 123), or low schizotypy group (n = 137). On a social cognition task that provided context, namely, the Emotion Perspective Taking Task, the positive schizotypes showed poorer performance than the negative schizotypy and control groups. These results suggest that some schizotypes differ in their ability to make use of context (e.g., social cues from the environment) to affect their social cognitive performance. However, on the Affective Responsiveness Task, in which no context was given, both groups of psychometric schizotypes displayed lower performance than the controls. These findings highlight the importance of assessing multiple groups of schizotypes as well as the value of including several social cognition tasks in order to reveal relative performance deficits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of yoga in stress reduction for dental students performing their first periodontal surgery: A randomized controlled study

PubMed Central

Shankarapillai, Rajesh; Nair, Manju Anathakrishnan; George, Roy

2012-01-01

Context: The dental students experience a lot of stress, which increase when they perform their first surgical procedure. Yoga as an anxiolytic tool in anxiety reduction has been practiced over centuries in India. Aim: To assess the efficacy of yoga in reducing the state trait anxiety of dental students before their first periodontal surgery performance. Settings and Design: A randomized controlled study using a two-way split plot design (pre-post-test) was conducted in the department of periodontics, Pacific Dental College, Udaipur, India. Materials and Methods: One hundred clinical dental students who were ready to perform their first periodontal surgery were selected. Students were randomly assigned to two groups and were given a 60-min session on stress reduction. Group A, yogic intervention group, were instructed to do yoga and their performances were monitored for a period of one week and Group B, control group, were given a lecture on stress reduction without any yoga instructions. The investigator who was unaware of the groups had taken the state trait anxiety score of the students three times a) before assigning them to each group, b) prior to the surgical procedure and c) immediately after the performance of surgery. Statistical Analysis Used: Analyses of variance (ANOVA) by SPSS V.16. Results: The statistical results showed a significant reduction in the VAS and state trait anxiety of Group A compared to Group B (ANOVA; P<0.001). Conclusions: This study concludes that Yogic breathing has a significant effect on the reduction of state trait anxiety level of dental students. PMID:22346066

Lasting effect of an oral hygiene care program for patients with stroke during in-hospital rehabilitation: a randomized single-center clinical trial.

PubMed

Kim, Eun-Kyong; Park, Eun Young; Sa Gong, Jung-Whan; Jang, Sung-Ho; Choi, Youn-Hee; Lee, Hee-Kyung

2017-11-01

Because the oral hygiene is poorly prioritized in the immediate post-stroke period, we implemented an oral hygiene care program (OHCP) for stroke in-patients and evaluated its persistence after discharge. In all, 62 patients with stroke who were admitted to the rehabilitation ward were randomly assigned to two groups: 33 patients to the intervention group and 29 to the control group. The OHCP, including tooth brushing education and professional tooth cleaning, was administered to the intervention group twice a week six times during in-hospital rehabilitation. Oral health status was examined both at baseline and three months after discharge from the hospital. Oral hygiene status was examined at three- to four-day intervals five times during the hospitalization period. After OHCP, oral hygiene status including the plaque index, calculus index, and O'Leary plaque index improved significantly in the intervention group, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In the intervention group, after administration of the OHCP for the fourth time, the O'Leary index improved significantly, and remained high when checked three months after discharge (p < 0.001). An OHCP conducted during in-hospital rehabilitation was effective in improving oral health and plaque control performance among patients with stroke, with effects still seen three months after discharge from the hospital. Implications for Rehabilitation Initial oral hygiene status and plaque control performance were poor in stroke patients who were in rehabilitation center. An oral hygiene care program during in-hospital rehabilitation was effective in improving oral hygiene status and plaque control performance among stroke patients at three months after discharge. Repeated tooth brushing education and professional tooth cleaning were necessary to improve plaque control performance of stroke patients.

The perception of lexical tone contrasts in Cantonese children with and without specific language impairment (SLI).

PubMed

Wong, Anita M-Y; Ciocca, Valter; Yung, Sun

2009-12-01

This study examined the perception of fundamental frequency (f0) patterns by Cantonese children with and without specific language impairment (SLI). Participants were 14 five-year-old children with SLI, and 14 age-matched (AM) and 13 four-year-old vocabulary-matched (VM) controls. The children identified a word from familiar word pairs that illustrated the 8 minimally contrastive pairs of the 6 lexical tones. They discriminated the f0 patterns within contrastive tonal pairs in speech and nonspeech stimuli. In tone identification, the SLI group performed worse than the AM group but not the VM group. In tone discrimination, the SLI group did worse than the AM group on 2 contrasts and showed a nonsignificant trend of poorer performance on all contrasts combined. The VM group generally did worse than the AM group. There were no group differences in discrimination performance between speech and nonspeech stimuli. No correlation was found between identification and discrimination performance. Only the normal controls showed a moderate correlation between vocabulary scores and performance in the 2 perception tasks. The SLI group's poor tone identification cannot be accounted for by vocabulary knowledge alone. The group's tone discrimination performance suggests that some children with SLI have a deficit in f0 processing.

Changes in performance over time while learning to use a myoelectric prosthesis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Training increases the functional use of an upper limb prosthesis, but little is known about how people learn to use their prosthesis. The aim of this study was to describe the changes in performance with an upper limb myoelectric prosthesis during practice. The results provide a basis to develop an evidence-based training program. Methods Thirty-one able-bodied participants took part in an experiment as well as thirty-one age- and gender-matched controls. Participants in the experimental condition, randomly assigned to one of four groups, practiced with a myoelectric simulator for five sessions in a two-weeks period. Group 1 practiced direct grasping, Group 2 practiced indirect grasping, Group 3 practiced fixating, and Group 4 practiced a combination of all three tasks. The Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP) was assessed in a pretest, posttest, and two retention tests. Participants in the control condition performed SHAP two times, two weeks apart with no practice in between. Compressible objects were used in the grasping tasks. Changes in end-point kinematics, joint angles, and grip force control, the latter measured by magnitude of object compression, were examined. Results The experimental groups improved more on SHAP than the control group. Interestingly, the fixation group improved comparable to the other training groups on the SHAP. Improvement in global position of the prosthesis leveled off after three practice sessions, whereas learning to control grip force required more time. The indirect grasping group had the smallest object compression in the beginning and this did not change over time, whereas the direct grasping and the combination group had a decrease in compression over time. Moreover, the indirect grasping group had the smallest grasping time that did not vary over object rigidity, while for the other two groups the grasping time decreased with an increase in object rigidity. Conclusions A training program should spend more time on learning fine control aspects of the prosthetic hand during rehabilitation. Moreover, training should start with the indirect grasping task that has the best performance, which is probably due to the higher amount of useful information available from the sound hand. PMID:24568148

The Effects of Smartphone-based Nebulizer Therapy Education on Parents' Knowledge and Confidence of Performance in Caring for Children with Respiratory Disease.

PubMed

Lee, Jung Min; Kim, Shin-Jeong; Min, Hae Young

This study aimed to identify the effects of smartphone-based nebulizer therapy education on the knowledge and confidence of parents while performing care for their children with respiratory disease. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design using a nonequivalent control group. Data were collected from children's parents who had not used nebulizer therapy for their children previously. Both the groups were given nebulizer therapy education using the same content but different learning methods. The experimental group (n=36) was taught using smartphones, while the control group (n=36) was taught using verbal and paper-based methods. The data were analyzed using the Chi Square test, repeated measures analysis of variance, and t-test. The mean scores on knowledge improvement (F=100.949, p<0.001) and confidence in performing care (t=-6.959, p<0.001) were significantly higher for the experimental group as compared to the control group. Further, the scores on satisfaction with the learning method were significantly higher for the experimental group as compared to the control group (t=-5.819, p<0.001). Our results suggest that smartphone-based education on nebulizer therapy might be effective in improving parents' knowledge and confidence in performing care for their children. This study suggests that smartphone-based education needs to be considered as an effective educational intervention in providing nursing support for parents of children with respiratory disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attentional functions in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with and without comorbid tic disorder.

PubMed

Greimel, E; Herpertz-Dahlmann, B; Günther, T; Vitt, C; Konrad, K

2008-01-01

Although the coexistence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and tic disorder (TD) is common, the nature of association is yet not fully understood. Thus, the aim of the present study was to explore attentional dysfunction in children with pure ADHD compared to children with comorbid ADHD + TD. Three groups of 20 children each, aged 8-15 years with either ADHD, ADHD + chronic tic disorder or Tourette syndrome (ADHD + TD) and a healthy control group were compared in their performance on three computerized attention tasks. Tasks of sustained attention, selective attention and interference control were employed. In addition, parental ratings of ADHD symptom severity and behaviour problems were obtained. Both clinical groups were rated as equally inattentive, however, externalising symptoms were more severe in the ADHD group. Objective measures of attentional performance revealed differences between the groups: whereas the ADHD group was markedly impaired in sustaining attention and selective attention/inhibitory control, the ADHD + TD group only showed marginal deficits in selective attention/inhibitory control. Possible explanations for the superior performance of the comorbid group are discussed: In particular, the results may indicate that in some patients, the tic disorder produces behavioural symptoms of ADHD, but not the broad neurocognitive deficits that usually are associated with ADHD. Alternatively, compensatory neural mechanisms of TD patients may result in a better neuropsychological performance of comorbid patients relative to patients suffering from pure ADHD.

Writing Impairments in Japanese Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and with Mild Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Hayashi, Atsuko; Nomura, Hiroshi; Mochizuki, Ruriko; Ohnuma, Ayumu; Kimpara, Teiko; Suzuki, Kyoko; Mori, Etsuro

2015-01-01

We investigated writing abilities in patients with the amnestic type of mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). To examine the earliest changes in writing function, we used writing tests for both words and sentences with different types of Japanese characters (Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji). A total of 25 aMCI patients, 38 AD patients, and 22 healthy controls performed writing to dictation for Kana and Kanji words, copied Kanji words, and wrote in response to a picture story task. Analysis of variance was used to test the subject group effects on the scores in the above writing tasks. For the written Kanji words, the mild AD group performed worse than the aMCI group and the controls, but there was no difference between the aMCI group and the controls. For the picture story writing task, the mild AD and aMCI groups performed worse than the controls, but the difference between the AD and the aMCI groups was not significant. The mild AD group showed defects in writing Kanji characters, and the aMCI group showed impairments in narrative writing. Our study suggests that narrative writing, which demands complex integration of multiple cognitive functions, can be used to detect the subtle writing deficits in aMCI patients.

Combined use of autogenic therapy and biofeedback in training effective control of heart rate by humans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowings, P. S.

1977-01-01

Experiments were performed on 24 men and women (aged 20-27 yr) in three equal groups who were taught to control their own heart rates by autogenic training and biofeedback under dark and sound-isolated conditions. Group I was parasympathetic dominant, group II was sympathetic dominant, and group III consisted of parasympathetic-dominant subjects and controls who received only biofeedback of their own heart rates. The results corroborate three hypotheses: (1) subjects with para-sympathetic-dominant autonomic profiles perform in a way that is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from subjects with sympathetic-dominant autonomic profiles; (2) tests of interindividual variability yield data relevant to individual performance in visceral learning tasks; and (3) the combined use of autogenic training, biofeedback, and verbal feedback is suitable for conditioning large stable autonomic responses in humans.

Communication training improves sense of performance expectancy of public health nurses engaged in long-term elderly prevention care program.

PubMed

Tanabe, Motoko; Suzukamo, Yoshimi; Tsuji, Ichiro; Izumi, Sin-Ichi

2012-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of a communication skill training based on a coaching theory for public health nurses (PHNs) who are engaged in Japan's long-term care prevention program. The participants in this study included 112 PHNs and 266 service users who met with these PHNs in order to create a customized care plan within one month after the PHNs' training. The participants were divided into three groups: a supervised group in which the PHNs attended the 1-day training seminar and the follow-up supervision; a seminar group attended only the 1-day training seminar; a control group. The PHNs' sense of performance expectancy, and user's satisfaction, user's spontaneous behavior were evaluated at the baseline (T1), at one month (T2), and at three months (T3) after the PHNs' training. At T3, the PHNs performed a recalled evaluation (RE) of their communication skills before the training. The PHNs' sense of performance expectancy increased significantly over time in the supervised group and the control group (F = 11.28, P < 0.001; F = 4.03, P < 0.05, resp.). The difference score between T3-RE was significantly higher in the supervised group than the control group (P < 0.01). No significant differences in the users' outcomes were found.

Fault-tolerant control of electric vehicles with in-wheel motors using actuator-grouping sliding mode controllers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Boyuan; Du, Haiping; Li, Weihua

2016-05-01

Although electric vehicles with in-wheel motors have been regarded as one of the promising vehicle architectures in recent years, the probability of in-wheel motor fault is still a crucial issue due to the system complexity and large number of control actuators. In this study, a modified sliding mode control (SMC) is applied to achieve fault-tolerant control of electric vehicles with four-wheel-independent-steering (4WIS) and four-wheel-independent-driving (4WID). Unlike in traditional SMC, in this approach the steering geometry is re-arranged according to the location of faulty wheels in the modified SMC. Three SMC control laws for longitudinal velocity control, lateral velocity control and yaw rate control are designed based on specific vehicle motion scenarios. In addition the actuator-grouping SMC method is proposed so that driving actuators are grouped and each group of actuators can be used to achieve the specific control target, which avoids the strong coupling effect between each control target. Simulation results prove that the proposed modified SMC can achieve good vehicle dynamics control performance in normal driving and large steering angle turning scenarios. In addition, the proposed actuator-grouping SMC can solve the coupling effect of different control targets and the control performance is improved.

Effects of a psychosocial intervention on breast self-examination attitudes and behaviors.

PubMed

Fry, Rachel B; Prentice-Dunn, Steven

2006-04-01

An educational intervention to promote breast self-examinations (BSEs) among young women was tested. In a group (intervention versus control) x time (Session 1 versus Session 2) mixed design, 172 college females were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control condition. Both groups attended two sessions; the second session was 48 hours after the first. The intervention consisted of an essay, lecture, video portraying young survivors of breast cancer, group discussions, self-test and instructions on performing BSEs. The control group had the same format; however, the information was focused on nutrition and exercise. Participants in the intervention group scored higher on rational problem solving and behavioral intentions, suggesting that the intervention increased adaptive responses to breast cancer threat. Conversely, control participants scored significantly higher on maladaptive reactions (e.g. hopelessness, avoidance and fatalistic religiosity) to breast cancer threat. For intervention participants, the initial decline in maladaptive reactions remained stable at 3-month follow-up, but adaptive reactions decreased. Intervention participants had greater confidence in performing BSEs compared with controls but performed them on an irregular basis. Results were interpreted in terms of protection motivation theory, a model that applies the social psychology of persuasion to preventive health.

Brain activation for response inhibition under gaming cue distraction in internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Liu, Gin-Chung; Yen, Ju-Yu; Chen, Chiao-Yun; Yen, Cheng-Fang; Chen, Cheng-Sheng; Lin, Wei-Chen; Ko, Chih-Hung

2014-01-01

We evaluated neural substrates related to the loss of control in college students with internet gaming disorder (IGD). We hypothesized that deficit in response inhibition under gaming cue distraction was the possible mechanism for the loss of control internet use. Eleven cases of IGD and 11 controls performed Go/NoGo tasks with/without gaming distraction in the functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner. When the gaming picture was shown as background while individuals were performing Go/NoGo tasks, the IGD group committed more commission errors. The control group increased their brain activations more over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and superior parietal lobe under gaming cue distraction in comparison with the IGD group. Furthermore, brain activation of the right DLPFC and superior parietal lobe were negatively associated with performance of response inhibition among the IGD group. The results suggest that the function of response inhibition was impaired under gaming distraction among the IGD group, and individuals with IGD could not activate right DLPFC and superior parietal lobe to keep cognitive control and attention allocation for response inhibition under gaming cue distraction. This mechanism should be addressed in any intervention for IGD. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Improved oxygenation during standing performance of deep breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure after cardiac surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pettersson, Henrik; Faager, Gun; Westerdahl, Elisabeth

2015-09-01

Breathing exercises after cardiac surgery are often performed in a sitting position. It is unknown whether oxygenation would be better in the standing position. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxygenation and subjective breathing ability during sitting vs standing performance of deep breathing exercises on the second day after cardiac surgery. Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 189) were randomized to sitting (controls) or standing. Both groups performed 3 × 10 deep breaths with a positive expiratory pressure device. Peripheral oxygen saturation was measured before, directly after, and 15 min after the intervention. Subjective breathing ability, blood pressure, heart rate, and pain were assessed. Oxygenation improved significantly in the standing group compared with controls directly after the breathing exercises (p < 0.001) and after 15 min rest (p = 0.027). The standing group reported better deep breathing ability compared with controls (p = 0.004). A slightly increased heart rate was found in the standing group (p = 0.047). After cardiac surgery, breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure, performed in a standing position, significantly improved oxygenation and subjective breathing ability compared with sitting performance. Performance of breathing exercises in the standing position is feasible and could be a valuable treatment for patients with postoperative hypoxaemia.

Resistance Training Improves Muscle Function and Cardiometabolic Risks But Not Quality of Life in Older People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Hsieh, Ping-Lun; Tseng, Chin-Hsiao; Tseng, Yufeng Jane; Yang, Wei-Shiung

In older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the effects of aging and T2DM may compromise the function of skeletal muscle, deteriorate metabolic status, and jeopardize physical performance, aerobic capacity, and quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of resistance training (RT) on muscle function, physical performance, cardiometabolic risks, and QoL in older people with T2DM. This study was a randomized controlled trial that employed block randomization, assessor blinding, and the intention-to-treat principle. Thirty people 65 years or older with a diagnosis of T2DM were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a control group and were further stratified by gender. The exercise group performed 8 RT exercises in 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions at 75% 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) 3 times per week for 12 weeks. The control group received usual care and maintained their daily activities and lifestyle. Muscle function (1-RM and muscle oxygenation responses), physical performance (5-repetition sit-to-stand test and Timed Up and Go test), cardiometabolic risks (aerobic capacity, blood pressure, body composition, glycemic control, lipids levels, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels), and QoL (Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life 19) were assessed at baseline (week 0) and after the 12-week interventions (week 12). The 1-RM chest-press and leg-press strength and physical performance in 5-repetition sit-to-stand test were significantly improved in the exercise group compared with the controls after the interventions. The exercise group had significantly lower resting systolic blood pressure (by -12.1 mm Hg, P = 0.036) than did the controls after 12 weeks of RT, without any significant within-group change in either group after intervention. The waist circumference, fasting glucose levels, and peak diastolic blood pressure tended to favor RT over usual care after the interventions. Twelve weeks of RT increased the maximal strength in chest-press and leg-press tests, and improved 5-repetition sit-to-stand performance in older people with T2DM. Our study demonstrated that supervised, structured RT was able to promote muscle function and alleviate cardiometabolic risks in people with T2DM 65 years or older.

The Role of Physical Fitness in the Neurocognitive Performance of Task Switching in Older Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Tsai, Chia-Liang; Pai, Ming-Chyi; Ukropec, Jozef; Ukropcová, Barbara

2016-04-23

Although elderly people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have been found to show impaired behavioral performance in task switching, no research has yet explored the electrophysiological mechanisms and the potential correlation between physical fitness and neurocognitive (i.e., behavioral and electrophysiological) performance in aMCI. The present study was thus aimed to examine whether there are differences in electrophysiological (i.e., event-related potential) performance between aMCI participants and controls when performing a task-switching paradigm, and to investigate the role of physical fitness in the relationship between neurocognitive performance and aMCI. Sixty participants were classified into aMCI (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups, and performed a task-switching paradigm with concomitant electrophysiological recording, as well as underwent senior functional physical fitness tests. The aMCI group showed comparable scores on most parts of the physical fitness tests, but reduced lower body flexibility and VO2max as compared to the control group. When performing the task-switching paradigm, the aMCI group showed slower reaction times in the heterogeneous condition and larger global switching costs, although no significant difference was observed in accuracy rates between the two groups. In addition, the aMCI group showed significantly prolonged P3 latencies in the homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions, and a smaller P3 amplitude only in the heterogeneous condition. The level of cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly correlated with P3 amplitude in the aMCI group, particularly in the heterogeneous condition of the task-switching paradigm. These results show that the aMCI group exhibited abnormalities in their neurocognitive performance when performing the task-switching paradigm and such a deficit was likely associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness, which was shown to be the important predictor of neurocognitive performance.

Training attention improves decision making in individuals with elevated self-reported depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Cooper, Jessica A; Gorlick, Marissa A; Denny, Taylor; Worthy, Darrell A; Beevers, Christopher G; Maddox, W Todd

2014-06-01

Depression is often characterized by attentional biases toward negative items and away from positive items, which likely affects reward and punishment processing. Recent work has reported that training attention away from negative stimuli reduced this bias and reduced depressive symptoms. However, the effect of attention training on subsequent learning has yet to be explored. In the present study, participants were required to learn to maximize reward during decision making. Undergraduates with elevated self-reported depressive symptoms received attention training toward positive stimuli prior to performing the decision-making task (n = 20; active training). The active-training group was compared to two other groups: undergraduates with elevated self-reported depressive symptoms who received placebo training (n = 22; placebo training) and a control group with low levels of depressive symptoms (n = 33; nondepressive control). The placebo-training depressive group performed worse and switched between options more than did the nondepressive controls on the reward maximization task. However, depressives that received active training performed as well as the nondepressive controls. Computational modeling indicated that the placebo-trained group learned more from negative than from positive prediction errors, leading to more frequent switching. The nondepressive control and active-training depressive groups showed similar learning from positive and negative prediction errors, leading to less-frequent switching and better performance. Our results indicate that individuals with elevated depressive symptoms are impaired at reward maximization, but that the deficit can be improved with attention training toward positive stimuli.

[Effect of a physiotherapy exercise program on physical performance in institutionalized elderly].

PubMed

Chávez-Pantoja, Mariana; López-Mendoza, Mariella; Mayta-Tristán, Percy

2014-01-01

To evaluate changes in physical performance in institutionalized older adults through a program of physiotherapy exercises. A quasi-experimental study was conducted on adults over 60 years-old, institutionalized in Lima, Peru. The exercise program was implemented in 45minutes sessions included warming-up, muscle strengthening exercises, balance, gait training and cooling phase, three times a week for 12 weeks. Physical performance was measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) one week before and after the intervention. It included 45 participants, of whom 16 did not attend any of the sessions and was used as a control group. The mean age was 77.6±7.1 years, and 62.2% were women. The mean baseline SPPB was 7.0±1.6 in the intervention group, and 6.9±1.9 in the control group (P=.90). A change of 2.6±1.8 was observed in the SPPB of the intervention group versus -1.4±2.0 in the control group (P<.001). The development of a physiotherapy exercise program for institutionalized elderly increases physical performance, which could be implemented in care centers for elderly. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Effects of disease severity and medication state on postural control asymmetry during challenging postural tasks in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Barbieri, Fabio A; Polastri, Paula F; Baptista, André M; Lirani-Silva, Ellen; Simieli, Lucas; Orcioli-Silva, Diego; Beretta, Victor S; Gobbi, Lilian T B

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of disease severity and medication state on postural control asymmetry during challenging tasks in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Nineteen people with PD and 11 neurologically healthy individuals performed three standing task conditions: bipedal standing, tandem and unipedal adapted standing; the individuals with PD performed the tasks in ON and OFF medication state. The participants with PD were distributed into 2 groups according to disease severity: unilateral group (n=8) and bilateral group (n=11). The two PD groups performed the evaluations both under and without the medication. Two force plates were used to analyze the posture. The symmetric index was calculated for various of center of pressure. ANOVA one-way (groups) and two-way (PD groups×medication), with repeated measures for medication, were calculated. For main effects of group, the bilateral group was more asymmetric than CG. For main effects of medication, only unipedal adapted standing presented effects of PD medication. There was PD groups×medication interaction. Under the effects of medication, the unilateral group presented lower asymmetry of RMS in anterior-posterior direction and area than the bilateral group in unipedal adapted standing. In addition, the unilateral group presented lower asymmetry of mean velocity, RMS in anterior-posterior direction and area in unipedal standing and area in tandem adapted standing after a medication dose. Postural control asymmetry during challenging postural tasks was dependent on disease severity and medication state in people with PD. The bilateral group presented higher postural control asymmetry than the control and unilateral groups in challenging postural tasks. Finally, the medication dose was able to reduce postural control asymmetry in the unilateral group during challenging postural tasks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of different doses of high-speed resistance training on physical performance and quality of life in older women: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Diaz, Daniela; Martinez-Salazar, Cristian; Valdés-Badilla, Pablo; Delgado-Floody, Pedro; Méndez-Rebolledo, Guillermo; Cañas-Jamet, Rodrigo; Cristi-Montero, Carlos; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Celis-Morales, Carlos; Moran, Jason; Buford, Thomas W; Rodriguez-Mañas, Leocadio; Alonso-Martinez, Alicia M; Izquierdo, Mikel

2016-01-01

Objective This study aimed to compare the effects of two frequencies of high-speed resistance training (HSRT) on physical performance and quality of life of older women. Methods A total of 24 older women participated in a 12-week HSRT program composed of either two or three sessions/week (equated for volume and intensity). Women were randomized into three arms: a control group (CG, n=8), a resistance training group performing two sessions/week (RT2, n=8), and a resistance training group performing three sessions/week (RT3, n=8). The training program for both experimental groups included exercises that required high-speed concentric muscle actions. Results No baseline differences were observed among groups. Compared with the CG, both training groups showed similar small to moderate improvements (P<0.05) in muscle strength, power, functional performance, balance, and quality of life. Conclusion These results suggest that equated for volume and intensity, two and three training sessions/week of HSRT are equally effective for improving physical performance and quality of life of older women. PMID:28008239

Effects of different doses of high-speed resistance training on physical performance and quality of life in older women: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Diaz, Daniela; Martinez-Salazar, Cristian; Valdés-Badilla, Pablo; Delgado-Floody, Pedro; Méndez-Rebolledo, Guillermo; Cañas-Jamet, Rodrigo; Cristi-Montero, Carlos; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Celis-Morales, Carlos; Moran, Jason; Buford, Thomas W; Rodriguez-Mañas, Leocadio; Alonso-Martinez, Alicia M; Izquierdo, Mikel

2016-01-01

This study aimed to compare the effects of two frequencies of high-speed resistance training (HSRT) on physical performance and quality of life of older women. A total of 24 older women participated in a 12-week HSRT program composed of either two or three sessions/week (equated for volume and intensity). Women were randomized into three arms: a control group (CG, n=8), a resistance training group performing two sessions/week (RT2, n=8), and a resistance training group performing three sessions/week (RT3, n=8). The training program for both experimental groups included exercises that required high-speed concentric muscle actions. No baseline differences were observed among groups. Compared with the CG, both training groups showed similar small to moderate improvements ( P <0.05) in muscle strength, power, functional performance, balance, and quality of life. These results suggest that equated for volume and intensity, two and three training sessions/week of HSRT are equally effective for improving physical performance and quality of life of older women.

Improving everyday memory performance after acquired brain injury: An RCT on recollection and working memory training.

PubMed

Richter, Kim Merle; Mödden, Claudia; Eling, Paul; Hildebrandt, Helmut

2018-04-26

To show the effectiveness of a combined recognition and working memory training on everyday memory performance in patients suffering from organic memory disorders. In this double-blind, randomized controlled Study 36 patients with organic memory impairments, mainly attributable to stroke, were assigned to either the experimental or the active control group. In the experimental group a working memory training was combined with a recollection training based on the repetition-lag procedure. Patients in the active control group received the memory therapy usually provided in the rehabilitation center. Both groups received nine hours of therapy. Prior (T0) and subsequent (T1) to the therapy, patients were evaluated on an everyday memory test (EMT) as well as on a neuropsychological test battery. Based on factor analysis of the neuropsychological test scores at T0 we calculated composite scores for working memory, verbal learning and word fluency. After treatment, the intervention group showed a significantly greater improvement for WM performance compared with the active control group. More importantly, performance on the EMT also improved significantly in patients receiving the recollection and working memory training compared with patients with standard memory training. Our results show that combining working memory and recollection training significantly improves performance on everyday memory tasks, demonstrating far transfer effects. The present study argues in favor of a process-based approach for treating memory impairments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of oral iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex supplementation on hemoglobin increase, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance of adolescents with varying iron status: a single centre prospective placebo controlled study.

PubMed

Devaki, Pallaki Baby; Chandra, Ranjit K; Geisser, Peter

2009-01-01

To assess the effects of iron supplementation on iron status, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance in adolescents with varying iron status. Adolescents of both sexes with varying iron status were allocated to four treatment groups by using inclusion criteria. Three of the four groups (iron deficient anemic, iron deficient and control supplement) received iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex (IPC, Maltofer) containing 100 mg of elemental iron 6 days a week for 8 months, while the fourth group (control placebo) was given a placebo. Hematological parameters, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance were assessed at baseline, 4 months and 8 months of supplementation. Cognitive and scholastic performance test scores for the three supplemented groups increased from baseline to 4 months and from 4 months to 8 months (with concomitant increases in hematological parameters), whereas no increase was observed in the placebo group. No increase was seen in affective behavior scores for any of the groups during or after supplementation. IPC supplementation for eight months yielded significant improvements in cognitive function and scholastic performance in Indian adolescents with and without iron deficiency and anemia.

Effects of vestibular rehabilitation on gait performance in poststroke patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mitsutake, Tsubasa; Sakamoto, Maiko; Ueta, Kozo; Oka, Shinichiro; Horikawa, Etsuo

2017-09-01

The effects of vestibular rehabilitation on poststroke patients are unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether or not vestibular rehabilitation would improve both the vestibulo-ocular reflex and gait performance of patients with poststroke hemiparesis. Twenty-eight patients with stroke were assigned randomly to either an experimental group (N=14) or a control group (N=14). The experimental group performed the conventional physical therapy for 40 min and vestibular rehabilitation for 20 min, as a 60 min session, during the first 3 weeks and then completed only the conventional intervention for 60 min for the following 3 weeks. The control group performed only the 60 min conventional physical therapy for 6 weeks. Both groups were measured using the gaze stabilization test, the 10 m walking test, the timed up and go test, and the dynamic gait index. Patients were assessed at baseline, and at 3 and 6 weeks. Although the control group showed no significant difference in any outcome measures, the experimental group showed an improvement in gaze stabilization test scoring, which increased significantly after 3 weeks compared with the baseline (P=0.030). The dynamic gait index was also significantly increased after 3 and 6 weeks compared with the baseline (P=0.049 and 0.024, respectively). This study indicated that vestibular rehabilitation might improve poststroke patients' vestibulo-ocular reflex. Moreover, patients might show improved gait performance at least up to 3 weeks after the vestibular intervention by the sensory reweight to coordinate vestibular input.

Effect of stretching program in an industrial workplace on hamstring flexibility and sagittal spinal posture of adult women workers: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Muyor, José M; López-Miñarro, Pedro A; Casimiro, Antonio J

2012-01-01

To determine the effect of a stretching program performed in the workplace on the hamstring muscle extensibility and sagittal spinal posture of adult women. Fifty-eight adult women volunteers (mean age of 44.23 ± 8.87 years) from a private fruit and vegetable company were randomly assigned to experimental (n=27) or control (n=31) groups. The experimental group performed three exercises of hamstrings stretching of 20 seconds per exercise, three sessions a week for a period of 12 weeks. The control group did not participate in any hamstring stretching program. Hamstring flexibility was evaluated through the passive straight leg raise test and toe-touch test, performed both before and after the stretching program. Thoracic and lumbar curvatures and pelvic inclination were measured in relaxed standing and toe-touch test with a Spinal Mouse. Significant increases (p < 0.01) in toe-touch score and straight leg raise angle (in both legs) were found in the experimental group during post-test, while the control group showed a non-significant decrease for both toe-touch score and straight leg raise test. A significant decrease in thoracic curve and significant increase in pelvic inclination were found in the toe-touch test for the experimental group (p <0.05). However, no significant changes were found in standing posture for any group. Hamstring stretching exercises performed in the working place are effective for increasing hamstring muscle extensibility. This increase generates a more aligned thoracic curve and more anterior pelvic inclination when maximal trunk flexion is performed.

Impaired work performance among women with symptomatic uterine fibroids.

PubMed

Lerner, Debra; Mirza, Fadi G; Mirza, Fadi; Chang, Hong; Renzulli, Karen; Perch, Katherine; Chelmow, David

2008-10-01

To assess the work impact of symptomatic uterine fibroids (UFs). A cohort study compared 58 employed women with symptomatic UFs to 56 healthy controls. Data sources included a self-administered mail questionnaire and medical charts. At-work performance limitations and productivity loss were measured with the Work Limitations Questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate case-control group differences were tested. Based on adjusted mean scores, the UF group had significantly more at-work limitations and productivity loss than controls, while absence rates were similar. The UF group's performance was impaired 18% of the time on average versus 8% for controls (P-values, 0.005-0.040). At-work limitations were explained by depression symptoms, Non-White race/ethnicity, and poorer health-related quality of life. Fibroids and related symptoms impose a burden on the working lives' of women, their employers, and the economy.

A Post-Hospital Home Exercise Program Improved Mobility but Increased Falls in Older People: A Randomised Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Sherrington, Catherine; Lord, Stephen R.; Vogler, Constance M.; Close, Jacqueline C. T.; Howard, Kirsten; Dean, Catherine M.; Heller, Gillian Z.; Clemson, Lindy; O'Rourke, Sandra D.; Ramsay, Elisabeth; Barraclough, Elizabeth; Herbert, Robert D.; Cumming, Robert G.

2014-01-01

Background Home exercise can prevent falls in the general older community but its impact in people recently discharged from hospital is not known. The study aimed to investigate the effects of a home-based exercise program on falls and mobility among people recently discharged from hospital. Methods and Findings This randomised controlled trial (ACTRN12607000563460) was conducted among 340 older people. Intervention group participants (n = 171) were asked to exercise at home for 15–20 minutes up to 6 times weekly for 12 months. The control group (n = 169) received usual care. Primary outcomes were rate of falls (assessed over 12 months using monthly calendars), performance-based mobility (Lower Extremity Summary Performance Score, range 0–3, at baseline and 12 months, assessor unaware of group allocation) and self-reported ease of mobility task performance (range 0–40, assessed with 12 monthly questionaries). Participants had an average age of 81.2 years (SD 8.0) and 70% had fallen in the past year. Complete primary outcome data were obtained for at least 92% of randomised participants. Participants in the intervention group reported more falls than the control group (177 falls versus 123 falls) during the 12-month study period and this difference was statistically significant (incidence rate ratio 1.43, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.93, p = 0.017). At 12-months, performance-based mobility had improved significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group (between-group difference adjusted for baseline performance 0.13, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.21, p = 0.004). Self-reported ease in undertaking mobility tasks over the 12-month period was not significantly different between the groups (0.49, 95% CI −0.91 to 1.90, p = 0.488). Conclusions An individualised home exercise prescription significantly improved performance-based mobility but significantly increased the rate of falls in older people recently discharged from hospital. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12607000563460 PMID:25180702

Bench model surgical skill training improves novice ability to multitask: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Grierson, Lawrence; Melnyk, Megan; Jowlett, Nathan; Backstein, David; Dubrowski, Adam

2011-01-01

Skills training in simulation laboratories is becoming increasingly common. However, the educational benefit of these laboratories remains unclear. This study examined whether such training enables better performance on the simultaneous execution of technical skill and knowledge retention. Twenty-four novice trainees completed the elliptical excision on baseline testing. Following baseline testing twelve of the novices completed a technical practice (simulation training group) session, while the other twelve did not (control group). One week later, all participants returned for dual-task follow up testing in which they performed the excision while listening to a didactic lesson on the staging and treatment of cutaneous melanoma. The dual-tasking during the post test was standardized, whereby excision sutures 3 and 5 were performed alone (single), and sutures 4 and 6 were performed concurrently with the didactic lecture (dual). Seven additional trainees also participated as controls that were randomized to listen to the didactic lesson alone (knowledge retention alone group). Knowledge retention was assessed by a multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ). Technical performance was evaluated with computer and expert-based measures. Time to complete the performance improved among both groups completing the elliptical excision on follow-up testing (p<0.01). The simulation training group demonstrated superior hand motion performance on simultaneous didactic lesson testing (p<0.01). Novices from the no-training group performed statistically worse while suturing concurrently with the didactic lesson (p<0.01). The pretraining of novices in surgical skills laboratories leads to improved technical performance during periods of increased attention demands.

The Effects of Phonological Short-Term Memory and Speech Perception on Spoken Sentence Comprehension in Children: Simulating Deficits in an Experimental Design.

PubMed

Higgins, Meaghan C; Penney, Sarah B; Robertson, Erin K

2017-10-01

The roles of phonological short-term memory (pSTM) and speech perception in spoken sentence comprehension were examined in an experimental design. Deficits in pSTM and speech perception were simulated through task demands while typically-developing children (N [Formula: see text] 71) completed a sentence-picture matching task. Children performed the control, simulated pSTM deficit, simulated speech perception deficit, or simulated double deficit condition. On long sentences, the double deficit group had lower scores than the control and speech perception deficit groups, and the pSTM deficit group had lower scores than the control group and marginally lower scores than the speech perception deficit group. The pSTM and speech perception groups performed similarly to groups with real deficits in these areas, who completed the control condition. Overall, scores were lowest on noncanonical long sentences. Results show pSTM has a greater effect than speech perception on sentence comprehension, at least in the tasks employed here.

40 CFR 63.845 - Incorporation of new source performance standards for potroom groups.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the effective date of this subpart, the existing potroom group was designed to accommodate that.../ton) from sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for all new potroom groups... sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for potroom groups or sections of potroom...

40 CFR 63.845 - Incorporation of new source performance standards for potroom groups.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the effective date of this subpart, the existing potroom group was designed to accommodate that.../ton) from sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for potroom groups or sections... by the regulatory authority; and that the potroom group and associated air pollution control...

40 CFR 63.845 - Incorporation of new source performance standards for potroom groups.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the effective date of this subpart, the existing potroom group was designed to accommodate that.../ton) from sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for all new potroom groups... sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for potroom groups or sections of potroom...

40 CFR 63.845 - Incorporation of new source performance standards for potroom groups.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the effective date of this subpart, the existing potroom group was designed to accommodate that.../ton) from sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for all new potroom groups... sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for potroom groups or sections of potroom...

40 CFR 63.845 - Incorporation of new source performance standards for potroom groups.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the effective date of this subpart, the existing potroom group was designed to accommodate that.../ton) from sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for all new potroom groups... sampling secondary emissions and the primary control system for potroom groups or sections of potroom...

Performance evaluation of nursing students following competency-based education.

PubMed

Fan, Jun-Yu; Wang, Yu Hsin; Chao, Li Fen; Jane, Sui-Whi; Hsu, Li-Ling

2015-01-01

Competency-based education is known to improve the match between educational performance and employment opportunities. This study examined the effects of competency-based education on the learning outcomes of undergraduate nursing students. The study used a quasi-experimental design. A convenience sample of 312 second-year undergraduate nursing students from northern and southern Taiwan participated in the study. The experimental group (n=163) received competency-based education and the control group received traditional instruction (n=149) in a medical-surgical nursing course. Outcome measures included students' scores on the Objective Structured Clinical Examination, Self-Evaluated Core Competencies Scale, Metacognitive Inventory for Nursing Students questionnaire, and academic performance. Students who received competency-based education had significantly higher academic performance in the medical-surgical nursing course and practicum than did the control group. Required core competencies and metacognitive abilities improved significantly in the competency-based education group as compared to the control group after adjusting for covariates. Competency-based education is worth implementing and may close the gap between education and the ever-changing work environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a normal control group: are they healthy?

PubMed

Aine, C J; Sanfratello, L; Adair, J C; Knoefel, J E; Qualls, C; Lundy, S L; Caprihan, A; Stone, D; Stephen, J M

2014-01-01

We examined the health of a control group (18-81years) in our aging study, which is similar to control groups used in other neuroimaging studies. The current study was motivated by our previous results showing that one third of the elder control group had moderate to severe white matter hyperintensities and/or cortical volume loss which correlated with poor performance on memory tasks. Therefore, we predicted that cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, high cholesterol) within the control group would account for significant variance on working memory task performance. Fifty-five participants completed 4 verbal and spatial working memory tasks, neuropsychological exams, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and blood tests to assess vascular risk. In addition to using a repeated measures ANOVA design, a cluster analysis was applied to the vascular risk measures as a data reduction step to characterize relationships between conjoint risk factors. The cluster groupings were used to predict working memory performance. The results show that higher levels of systolic blood pressure were associated with: 1) poor spatial working memory accuracy; and 2) lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values in multiple brain regions. In contrast, higher levels of total cholesterol corresponded with increased accuracy in verbal working memory. An association between lower FA values and higher cholesterol levels were identified in different brain regions from those associated with systolic blood pressure. The conjoint risk analysis revealed that Risk Cluster Group 3 (the group with the greatest number of risk factors) displayed: 1) the poorest performance on the spatial working memory tasks; 2) the longest reaction times across both spatial and verbal memory tasks; and 3) the lowest FA values across widespread brain regions. Our results confirm that a considerable range of vascular risk factors are present in a typical control group, even in younger individuals, which have robust effects on brain anatomy and function. These results present a new challenge to neuroimaging studies both for defining a cohort from which to characterize 'normative' brain circuitry and for establishing a control group to compare with other clinical populations. © 2013.

An anatomically sound surgical simulation model for myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion.

PubMed

Hong, Paul; Webb, Amanda N; Corsten, Gerard; Balderston, Janet; Haworth, Rebecca; Ritchie, Krista; Massoud, Emad

2014-03-01

Myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion (MT) is a common surgical procedure. Although surgical simulation has proven to be an effective training tool, an anatomically sound simulation model for MT is lacking. We developed such a model and assessed its impact on the operating room performance of senior medical students. Prospective randomized trial. A randomized single-blind controlled study of simulation training with the MT model versus no simulation training. Each participant was randomized to either the simulation model group or control group, after performing an initial MT procedure. Within two weeks of the first procedure, the students performed a second MT. All procedures were performed on real patients and rated with a Global Rating Scale by two attending otolaryngologists. Time to complete the MT was also recorded. Twenty-four senior medical students were enrolled. Control and intervention groups did not differ at baseline on their Global Rating Scale score or time to complete the MT procedure. Following simulation training, the study group received significantly higher scores (P=.005) and performed the MT procedure in significantly less time (P=.034). The control group did not improve their performance scores (P>.05) or the time to complete the procedure (P>.05). Our surgical simulation model shows promise for being a valuable teaching tool for MT for senior medical students. Such anatomically appropriate physical simulators may benefit teaching of junior trainees. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Pilates Exercise in Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Duff, Whitney R D; Andrushko, Justin W; Renshaw, Doug W; Chilibeck, Philip D; Farthing, Jonathan P; Danielson, Jana; Evans, Charity D

2018-01-01

Pilates is a series of exercises based on whole-body movement and may improve mobility in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Pilates on walking performance in people with MS. 30 individuals with MS who were not restricted to a wheelchair or scooter (Patient-Determined Disease Steps scale score <7) were randomized to receive Pilates (twice weekly) and massage therapy (once weekly) or once-weekly massage therapy only (control group). The Pilates was delivered in a group setting (five to ten participants per session). The primary outcome was change in walking performance (6-Minute Walk Test) after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included functional ability (Timed Up and Go test), balance (Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale), flexibility (sit and reach test), body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), core endurance (plank-hold test), and muscle strength and voluntary activation (quadriceps). Intention-to-treat analysis was performed using a two-factor repeated-measures analysis of variance. Walking distance increased by a mean (SD) of 52.4 (40.2) m in the Pilates group versus 15.0 (34.1) m in the control group (group × time, P = .01). Mean (SD) time to complete the Timed Up and Go test decreased by 1.5 (2.8) seconds in the Pilates group versus an increase of 0.3 (0.9) seconds in the control group (group × time, P = .03). There were no other significant differences between groups over time. Pilates improved walking performance and functional ability in persons with MS and is a viable exercise option to help manage the disease.

Effects of Long-Term Speech-in-Noise Training in Air Traffic Controllers and High Frequency Suppression. A Control Group Study.

PubMed

Pérez Zaballos, María Teresa; Ramos de Miguel, Ángel; Pérez Plasencia, Daniel; Zaballos González, María Luisa; Ramos Macías, Ángel

2015-12-01

To evaluate 1) if air traffic controllers (ATC) perform better than non-air traffic controllers in an open-set speech-in-noise test because of their experience with radio communications, and 2) if high-frequency information (>8000 Hz) substantially improves speech-in-noise perception across populations. The control group comprised 28 normal-hearing subjects, and the target group comprised 48 ATCs aged between 19 and 55 years who were native Spanish speakers. The hearing -in-noise abilities of the two groups were characterized under two signal conditions: 1) speech tokens and white noise sampled at 44.1 kHz (unfiltered condition) and 2) speech tokens plus white noise, each passed through a 4th order Butterworth filter with 70 and 8000 Hz low and high cutoffs (filtered condition). These tests were performed at signal-to-noise ratios of +5, 0, and -5-dB SNR. The ATCs outperformed the control group in all conditions. The differences were statistically significant in all cases, and the largest difference was observed under the most difficult conditions (-5 dB SNR). Overall, scores were higher when high-frequency components were not suppressed for both groups, although statistically significant differences were not observed for the control group at 0 dB SNR. The results indicate that ATCs are more capable of identifying speech in noise. This may be due to the effect of their training. On the other hand, performance seems to decrease when the high frequency components of speech are removed, regardless of training.

Interpersonal problem-solving deficits in self-poisoning patients.

PubMed

McLeavey, B C; Daly, R J; Murray, C M; O'Riordan, J; Taylor, M

1987-01-01

Self-poisoning patients (n = 40) were compared with psychiatric patients (n = 40) and nonpatient controls (n = 20) on measures of interpersonal problem-solving skills and locus of control in an effort to determine the importance of these cognitive and personality variables in self-poisoning behavior. The psychiatric and self-poisoning groups showed deficits on measures assessing interpersonal problem solving when compared with nonpatient controls. The self-poisoning group performed below the level of the psychiatric patients on all except one test, on which they performed at the level of the psychiatric group. Locus of control did not differentiate self-poisoning patients from nonpatient controls, and it was concluded that this variable is not an important factor in self-poisoning behavior.

Effect of magnetic therapy on selected physical performances.

PubMed

Schall, David M; Ishee, Jimmy H; Titlow, Larry W

2003-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of magnetic therapy in the form of shoe insoles on vertical jump, bench squat, 40-yd dash, and a soccer-specific fitness test performance. Subjects were 14 collegiate male soccer players who were pretested, retested 3 weeks later, and then placed into a double-blind control or treatment group using a matching procedure. The control group received magnetic shoe insoles with a rating of 125 gauss, and the treatment group received insoles with a rating of 600 gauss. Subjects wore the insoles during practice and games for 7 weeks and were then retested. Results indicated significant differences among test scores during the 3 time periods but not between the treatment and control groups. There was a decline in 40-yd dash performance from the initial evaluation (5.10 seconds) to the final evaluation (5.08 seconds). There were no other significant differences. Within the limitations of the study, magnetic therapy did not improve physical performance.

Intraoperative bowel irrigation improves anastomotic collagen metabolism in the left-sided colonic obstruction but not covering colostomy.

PubMed

Duraker, N; Bender, O; Memişoğlu, K; Yalçiner, A

1998-01-01

This study investigated the effects of intraoperative colonic irrigation and proximal diverting end colostomy after segmental bowel resection in experimental left-colonic obstruction on anastomotic healing. Simple obstruction of descending colon was performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 24 h we performed segmental colonic resection and anastomosis in the control group (n = 15); resection, anastomosis, and covering colostomy in the colostomy group (n = 14); resection and anastomosis after antegrade colonic lavage through cecum by using isotonic saline solution in the irrigation group (n = 13). In rats that were killed 7 days later anastomotic dehiscence and bursting pressure and tissue hydroxyproline concentration at the anastomosis were measured. No significant differences were observed between groups in terms of anastomotic dehiscence, bursting site, or pressure. The hydroxyproline concentration was significantly higher in the irrigation group than the control group (P = 0.025) and the colostomy group (P = 0.029), but no difference was noted between the control group and the colostomy group. These findings suggest that intraoperative antegrade colonic irrigation in the acute left-sided colonic obstruction positively affects collagen metabolism at the anastomotic site; if the anastomosis is performed without bowel cleansing, covering colostomy does not improve collagen metabolism.

Influence of dietary supplementation of prebiotics (mannanoligosaccharide) on the performance of crossbred calves.

PubMed

Ghosh, Sudipta; Mehla, Ram Kumar

2012-03-01

Thirty-six Holstein cross calves 5 days of age in their preruminant stage were used to study the effect of feeding prebiotic (mannanoligosaccharide) on their performance up to the age of 2 months. Treatment and control groups consisted of 18 calves each. Treatment group was supplemented with 4 g prebiotic (mannanoligosaccharide)/calf/day. Performance was evaluated by measuring average body weight (BW) gain, feed intake [dry matter (DM), total digestible nutrient (TDN) and crude protein(CP)], feed conversion efficiency (DM, TDN, and CP), fecal score, fecal coliform count and feeding cost. Body weight measured weekly, feed intake measured twice daily, proximate analysis of feeds and fodders analyzed weekly, fecal score monitored daily and fecal coliform count done weekly. There was a significant increase in average body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency; and a significant decrease in severity of scours as measured by fecal score and fecal coliform count in the treatment group compared with control group (P < 0.01). Feed cost/kg BW gain was significantly lower in the treatment group compared to control group (P < 0.01). The results suggest that prebiotic (mannanoligosaccharide) can be supplemented to the calves for better performance.

The effects of analogy-based instruction on concept learning and retention in a non-formal coral reef ecology program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brylske, Alexander Frederick

While a number of instructional models focus on the use of analogies, research into their effectiveness in enhancing comprehension and retention of scientific concepts, particularly involving adult learners, has been limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of using the common teaching strategy for comparing the function of a coral reef to that of a city by using an analogy-based instructional model termed FAR. The training program entitled "Marine Resource Management for Dive Professionals" (MRMDP) was developed for this study. It was targeted to professionals in the recreational scuba industry to improve their understanding of coal reef ecology, as well as orient them to pertinent marine resource management issues, and promote environmentally-responsible attitudes and diving practices among their clients. A quasi-experimental pre-post-delayed posttest control group design was used to explore five research questions and corresponding hypotheses. A 55-item researcher-developed test of coral reef ecology was administered pre and post instruction. The delayed posttest was self-administered by the subjects three weeks after course completion. Data on seven experiential variables hypothesized as research factors were collected. Ten MRMPD courses were taught in seven nations, involving 194 subjects (85 subjects in four control courses, 109 in six treatment course). The results were analyzed using multiple regression/correlation (MRC) techniques to determine: (1) any significant relationship between pretest performance and experiential variables, (2) treatment versus control group posttest performance, and (3) treatment versus control group delayed posttest performance. Within the treatment group, learning gains and retention were determined by t-test analysis. Results indicated: (1) all research factors except one were significant predictors of pretest scores in the presence of the covariate; (2) no significant difference was found between control and treatment groups' pretest scores; (3) a significant interaction effect from a MANCOVA analysis, and resulting aptitude-treatment interaction analysis, showed group membership had a differential effect on the posttest relative to pretest scores; (4) the contribution of group membership to delayed posttest performance was significant; and (5) the treatment out-performed the control group on the posttest and delayed posttest. T-test analyses of treatment group performance showed a significant positive gain and retention.

The effect of observing novice and expert performance on acquisition of surgical skills on a robotic platform

PubMed Central

Harris, David J.; Vine, Samuel J.; Wilson, Mark R.; McGrath, John S.; LeBel, Marie-Eve

2017-01-01

Background Observational learning plays an important role in surgical skills training, following the traditional model of learning from expertise. Recent findings have, however, highlighted the benefit of observing not only expert performance but also error-strewn performance. The aim of this study was to determine which model (novice vs. expert) would lead to the greatest benefits when learning robotically assisted surgical skills. Methods 120 medical students with no prior experience of robotically-assisted surgery completed a ring-carrying training task on three occasions; baseline, post-intervention and at one-week follow-up. The observation intervention consisted of a video model performing the ring-carrying task, with participants randomly assigned to view an expert model, a novice model, a mixed expert/novice model or no observation (control group). Participants were assessed for task performance and surgical instrument control. Results There were significant group differences post-intervention, with expert and novice observation groups outperforming the control group, but there were no clear group differences at a retention test one week later. There was no difference in performance between the expert-observing and error-observing groups. Conclusions Similar benefits were found when observing the traditional expert model or the error-strewn model, suggesting that viewing poor performance may be as beneficial as viewing expertise in the early acquisition of robotic surgical skills. Further work is required to understand, then inform, the optimal curriculum design when utilising observational learning in surgical training. PMID:29141046

Ascorbic acid and melatonin reduce heat-induced performance inhibition and oxidative stress in Japanese quails.

PubMed

Sahin, N; Onderci, M; Sahin, K; Gursu, M F; Smith, M O

2004-02-01

1. The effects of ascorbic acid (L-ascorbic acid) and melatonin supplementation on performance, carcase characteristics, malondialdehyde (MDA) as lipid peroxidation indicator, ascorbic acid, retinol, tocopherol and mineral status in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) exposed to high ambient temperature were evaluated. 2. Two hundred and forty Japanese quails (10 d old) were randomly assigned to 8 treatment groups consisting of 10 replicates of three birds each. The birds were kept in a temperature-controlled room at 22 degrees C (Thermoneutral, TN groups) or 34 degrees C (for 8 h/d; 09:00 to 17:00 h; Heat stress, HS groups). Birds in both TN and HS were fed either a basal (control) diet or the basal diet supplemented with 250 mg of L-ascorbic acid/kg of diet (Ascorbic acid group), 40 mg of melatonin/kg of diet (Melatonin group) or both (Ascorbic acid + Melatonin group). 3. Supplementing heat-stressed quails with ascorbic acid and melatonin improved performance compared with the control group. Effects generally were greatest in quails supplemented with both ascorbic acid and melatonin. 4. Although supplementation did not consistently restore the concentrations of serum ascorbic acid, retinol and tocopherol to those of TN groups, these concentrations increased significantly with supplementation. Furthermore, serum and liver MDA and serum cholesterol and glucose concentrations were lower in the supplemented groups than in the heat-stressed controls. 5. Within each environment, excretion of Ca, P, Mg, Zn, Fe and Cr were lowest in the combination group and, in all cases, highest in the HS group. Interactions between diet and temperature were detected for live weight gain, cold carcase weight, MDA, ascorbic acid, tocopherol concentrations and excretion of zinc. 6. The results of the study indicate that ascorbic acid and melatonin supplementation attenuate the decline in performance and antioxidant and mineral status caused by heat stress and such supplementation may offer protection against heat-stress-related depression in performance of Japanese quails.

Comparison of the T2-star Values of Placentas Obtained from Pre-eclamptic Patients with Those of a Control Group: an Ex-vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

PubMed

Yurttutan, Nursel; Bakacak, Murat; Kızıldağ, Betül

2017-09-29

Endotel dysfunction, vasoconstriction, and oxidative stress are described in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia, but its aetiology has not been revealed clearly. To examine whether there is a difference between the placentas of pre-eclamptic pregnant women and those of a control group in terms of their T2 star values. Case-control study. Twenty patients diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and 22 healthy controls were included in this study. The placentas obtained after births performed via Caesarean section were taken into the magnetic resonance imaging area in plastic bags within the first postnatal hour, and imaging was performed via modified DIXON-Quant sequence. Average values were obtained by performing T2 star measurements from four localisations on the placentas. T2 star values measured in the placentas of the control group were found to be significantly lower than those in the pre-eclampsia group (p<0.01). While the mean T2 star value in the pre-eclamptic group was found to be 37.48 ms (standard deviation ± 11.3), this value was 28.74 (standard deviation ± 8.08) in the control group. The cut-off value for the T2 star value, maximising the accuracy of diagnosis, was 28.59 ms (area under curve: 0.741; 95% confidence interval: 0.592-0.890); sensitivity and specificity were 70% and 63.6%, respectively. This study, the T2 star value, which is an indicator of iron amount, was found to be significantly lower in the control group than in the pre-eclampsia group. This may be related to the reduction in blood flow to the placenta due to endothelial dysfunction and vasoconstriction, which are important in pre-eclampsia pathophysiology.

A novel system for automated propofol sedation: hybrid sedation system (HSS).

PubMed

Zaouter, Cedrick; Taddei, Riccardo; Wehbe, Mohamad; Arbeid, Erik; Cyr, Shantale; Giunta, Francesco; Hemmerling, Thomas M

2017-04-01

Closed-loop systems for propofol have been demonstrated to be safe and reliable for general anesthesia. However, no study has been conducted using a closed-loop system specifically designed for sedation in patients under spinal anesthesia. We developed an automatic anesthesia sedation system that allows for closed-loop delivery of propofol for sedation integrating a decision support system, called the hybrid sedation system (HSS). The objective of this study is to compare this system with standard practice. One hundred fifty patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: HSS-Group (N = 75), in which propofol was administered using a closed-loop system; Control Group (N = 75), in which propofol was delivered manually. The clinical performance of the propofol sedation control is defined as efficacy to maintain bispectral index (BIS) near 65. The clinical control was called 'Excellent', 'Good', 'Poor' and 'Inadequate' with BIS values within 10 %, from 11 to 20 %, 21 to 30 %, or greater than 30 % of the BIS target of 65, respectively. The controller performance was evaluated using Varvel's parameters. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation, groups were compared using t test or Chi square test, P < 0.05. Clinical performance of sedation showed 'Excellent' control in the HSS-group for a significantly longer period of time (49 vs. 26 % in the control group, P < 0.0001). 'Poor' and 'Inadequate' sedation was significantly shorter in the HSS Group compared to the Control Group (11 and 10 % vs. 20 and 18 %, respectively, P < 0.0001). The novel, closed-loop system for propofol sedation showed better maintenance of the target BIS value compared to manual administration.

Comparison of virtual patient simulation with mannequin-based simulation for improving clinical performances in assessing and managing clinical deterioration: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Liaw, Sok Ying; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Chen, Fun-Gee; Hooi, Shing Chuan; Siau, Chiang

2014-09-17

Virtual patient simulation has grown substantially in health care education. A virtual patient simulation was developed as a refresher training course to reinforce nursing clinical performance in assessing and managing deteriorating patients. The objective of this study was to describe the development of the virtual patient simulation and evaluate its efficacy, by comparing with a conventional mannequin-based simulation, for improving the nursing students' performances in assessing and managing patients with clinical deterioration. A randomized controlled study was conducted with 57 third-year nursing students who were recruited through email. After a baseline evaluation of all participants' clinical performance in a simulated environment, the experimental group received a 2-hour fully automated virtual patient simulation while the control group received 2-hour facilitator-led mannequin-based simulation training. All participants were then re-tested one day (first posttest) and 2.5 months (second posttest) after the intervention. The participants from the experimental group completed a survey to evaluate their learning experiences with the newly developed virtual patient simulation. Compared to their baseline scores, both experimental and control groups demonstrated significant improvements (P<.001) in first and second post-test scores. While the experimental group had significantly lower (P<.05) second post-test scores compared with the first post-test scores, no significant difference (P=.94) was found between these two scores for the control group. The scores between groups did not differ significantly over time (P=.17). The virtual patient simulation was rated positively. A virtual patient simulation for a refreshing training course on assessing and managing clinical deterioration was developed. Although the randomized controlled study did not show that the virtual patient simulation was superior to mannequin-based simulation, both simulations have demonstrated to be effective refresher learning strategies for improving nursing students' clinical performance. Given the greater resource requirements of mannequin-based simulation, the virtual patient simulation provides a more promising alternative learning strategy to mitigate the decay of clinical performance over time.

[Effects of psychological stress on performances in open-field test of rats and tyrosine's modulation].

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Qiang; Cheng, Yi-Yong; Li, Shu-Tian; Hong, Yan; Wang, Dong-Lan; Hou, Yue

2009-02-01

To explore the effects of different doses of tyrosine modulation on behavioral performances in open field test of psychological stress rats. The animal model of psychological stress was developed by restraint stress for 21 days. Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 10) as follows: control group (CT), stress control group (SCT), low, medium and high-doses of tyrosine modulation stress groups (SLT, SMT and SIT). The changes of behavioral performances were examined by open-field test. Serum levels of cortisol, norepinephrine and dopamine were also detected. The levels of serum cortisol were all increased obviously in the four stress groups, and their bodyweight gainings were diminished. The behavioral performances of SCT rats in open-field test were changed significantly in contrast to that of CT rats. However, The behavioral performances of SMT and SHT rats were not different from that of CT rats. In addition, the serum levels of norepinephrine and dopamine were downregulated obviously in SCT and SLT groups, and no differences were observed in other groups. Psychological stress can impair body behavioral performances, and moderate tyrosine modulation may improve these abnormal changes. The related mechanisms may be involved with the changes of norepinephrine and dopamine.

Cognitive Performance, Sleepiness, and Mood in Partially Sleep Deprived Adolescents: The Need for Sleep Study.

PubMed

Lo, June C; Ong, Ju Lynn; Leong, Ruth L F; Gooley, Joshua J; Chee, Michael W L

2016-03-01

To investigate the effects of sleep restriction (7 nights of 5 h time in bed [TIB]) on cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood in adolescents. A parallel-group design was adopted in the Need for Sleep Study. Fifty-six healthy adolescents (25 males, age = 15-19 y) who studied in top high schools and were not habitual short sleepers were randomly assigned to Sleep Restriction (SR) or Control groups. Participants underwent a 2-w protocol consisting of 3 baseline nights (TIB = 9 h), 7 nights of sleep opportunity manipulation (TIB = 5 h for the SR and 9 h for the control groups), and 3 nights of recovery sleep (TIB = 9 h) at a boarding school. A cognitive test battery was administered three times each day. During the manipulation period, the SR group demonstrated incremental deterioration in sustained attention, working memory and executive function, increase in subjective sleepiness, and decrease in positive mood. Subjective sleepiness and sustained attention did not return to baseline levels even after 2 recovery nights. In contrast, the control group maintained baseline levels of cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood throughout the study. Incremental improvement in speed of processing, as a result of repeated testing and learning, was observed in the control group but was attenuated in the sleep-restricted participants, who, despite two recovery sleep episodes, continued to perform worse than the control participants. A week of partial sleep deprivation impairs a wide range of cognitive functions, subjective alertness, and mood even in high-performing high school adolescents. Some measures do not recover fully even after 2 nights of recovery sleep. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 497. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Hemispheric processing of vocal emblem sounds.

PubMed

Neumann-Werth, Yael; Levy, Erika S; Obler, Loraine K

2013-01-01

Vocal emblems, such as shh and brr, are speech sounds that have linguistic and nonlinguistic features; thus, it is unclear how they are processed in the brain. Five adult dextral individuals with left-brain damage and moderate-severe Wernicke's aphasia, five adult dextral individuals with right-brain damage, and five Controls participated in two tasks: (1) matching vocal emblems to photographs ('picture task') and (2) matching vocal emblems to verbal translations ('phrase task'). Cross-group statistical analyses on items on which the Controls performed at ceiling revealed lower accuracy by the group with left-brain damage (than by Controls) on both tasks, and lower accuracy by the group with right-brain damage (than by Controls) on the picture task. Additionally, the group with left-brain damage performed significantly less accurately than the group with right-brain damage on the phrase task only. Findings suggest that comprehension of vocal emblems recruits more left- than right-hemisphere processing.

Virtual surgery simulation versus traditional approaches in training of residents in cervical pedicle screw placement.

PubMed

Hou, Yang; Shi, Jiangang; Lin, Yanping; Chen, Huajiang; Yuan, Wen

2018-06-01

The cervical screw placement is one of the most difficult procedures in spine surgery, which often needs a long period of repeated practices and could cause screw placement-related complications. We performed this cadaver study to investigate the effectiveness of virtual surgical training system (VSTS) on cervical pedicle screw instrumentation for residents. A total of ten novice residents were randomly assigned to two groups: the simulation training (ST) group (n = 5) and control group (n = 5). The ST group received a surgical training of cervical pedicle screw placement on VSTS and the control group was given an introductory teaching session before cadaver test. Ten fresh adult spine specimens including 6 males and 4 females were collected, and were randomly allocated to the two groups. The bilateral C3-C6 pedicle screw instrumentation was performed in the specimens of the two groups, respectively. After instrumentation, screw positions of the two groups were evaluated by image examinations. There was significantly statistical difference in screw penetration rates between the ST (10%) and control group (62.5%, P < 0.05). The acceptable rates of screws were 100 and 50% in the ST and control groups with significant difference between each other (P < 0.05). In addition, the average screw penetration distance in the ST group (1.12 ± 0.47 mm) was significantly lower than the control group (2.08 ± 0.39 mm, P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that the VSTS as an advanced training tool exhibited promising effects on improving performance of novice residents in cervical pedicle screw placement compared with the traditional teaching methods.

Is the main goal of mastication achieved after orthodontic treatment? A prospective longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Gameiro, Gustavo Hauber; Magalhães, Isabela Brandão; Szymanski, Mariana Marcon; Andrade, Annicele Silva

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the masticatory and swallowing performances in patients with malocclusions before and after orthodontic treatment, comparing them to an age- and gender-matched control group with normal occlusion. Methods: Twenty-three patients with malocclusions requiring orthodontic treatment were included in this prospective study. One month after appliance removal, seventeen patients completed a follow-up examination and the data were compared with those of a control group with thirty subjects with normal occlusion. Masticatory performance was determined by the median particle size for the Optocal Plus® test food after 15 chewing strokes, and three variables related to swallowing were assessed: a) time and b) number of strokes needed to prepare the test-food for swallowing, and c) median particle size of the crushed particles at the moment of swallowing. Results: At the baseline examination, the malocclusion group had a significantly lower masticatory performance and did not reach the particle size reduction at the moment of swallowing, when compared with the control group. After treatment, the masticatory performance significantly improved in the malocclusion group and the particle size reduction at swallowing reached the same level as in the control group. Conclusions: The present results showed that the correction of malocclusions with fixed appliances can objectively provide positive effects in both mastication and deglutition processes, reinforcing that besides aesthetic reasons, there are also functional indications for orthodontic treatment. PMID:28746490

The effects of distant healing performed by a spiritual healer on chronic pain: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tsubono, Kenjiro; Thomlinson, Paul; Shealy, C Norman

2009-01-01

Many individuals suffer from various kinds of chronic pain. Some controlled studies on distant healing for chronic pain exist, but no definitive conclusion has been established. To study the effects of distant healing performed by a professional Japanese healer on chronic pain. A double-blind randomized controlled study. Holos University, Fair Grove, Missouri. People suffering from chronic pain (not caused by clear organic diseases or that persists long after a reasonable period of healing following injuries or surgery) were recruited through local radio and newspaper advertising. Subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment group or control group using a double-blind procedure. All subjects met the healer at the initial session at Holos University. At the session, a 20-minute group meditation was performed. The healer went back to Japan after the session and started distant healing only to the treatment group for a 2-month period. All participants were asked to meditate for 20 minutes every day during this 2-month period. The visual analog scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire. A total of 17 subjects were recruited, and 16 subjects completed the study. Comparison of pretreatment and posttreatment visual analog scale indicated a slightly significant effect of distant healing (P=.056). The Present Pain Intensity Scale showed significant improvement in the treatment group compared to the control group (P=.0016). The Pain Rating Index showed improvement in the treatment group, but the difference between both groups was not statistically significant (P=.12).

Virtual Reality Exposure Training for Musicians: Its Effect on Performance Anxiety and Quality.

PubMed

Bissonnette, Josiane; Dubé, Francis; Provencher, Martin D; Moreno Sala, Maria T

2015-09-01

Music performance anxiety affects numerous musicians, with many of them reporting impairment of performance due to this problem. This exploratory study investigated the effects of virtual reality exposure training on students with music performance anxiety. Seventeen music students were randomly assigned to a control group (n=8) or a virtual training group (n=9). Participants were asked to play a musical piece by memory in two separate recitals within a 3-week interval. Anxiety was then measured with the Personal Report of Confidence as a Performer Scale and the S-Anxiety scale from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y). Between pre- and post-tests, the virtual training group took part in virtual reality exposure training consisting of six 1-hour long sessions of virtual exposure. The results indicate a significant decrease in performance anxiety for musicians in the treatment group for those with a high level of state anxiety, for those with a high level of trait anxiety, for women, and for musicians with high immersive tendencies. Finally, between the pre- and post-tests, we observed a significant increase in performance quality for the experimental group, but not for the control group.

The Effects of Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving on High School Students' Chemistry Problem-Solving Performance and Verbal Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Kyungmoon; Huffman, Douglas; Noh, Taehee

2005-10-01

This study investigated the effects of a thinking aloud pair problem solving (TAPPS) approach on students' chemistry problem-solving performance and verbal interactions. A total of 85 eleventh grade students from three classes in a Korean high school were randomly assigned to one of three groups; either individually using a problem-solving strategy, using a problem-solving strategy with TAPPS, or the control group. After instruction, students' problem-solving performance was examined. The results showed that students in both the individual and TAPPS groups performed better than those in the control group on recalling the related law and mathematical execution, while students in the TAPPS group performed better than those in the other groups on conceptual knowledge. To investigate the verbal behaviors using TAPPS, verbal behaviors of solvers and listeners were classified into 8 categories. Listeners' verbal behavior of "agreeing" and "pointing out", and solvers' verbal behavior of "modifying" were positively related with listeners' problem-solving performance. There was, however, a negative correlation between listeners' use of "point out" and solvers' problem-solving performance. The educational implications of this study are discussed.

Depth of word processing in Alzheimer patients and normal controls: a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) study.

PubMed

Walla, P; Püregger, E; Lehrner, J; Mayer, D; Deecke, L; Dal Bianco, P

2005-05-01

Effects related to depth of verbal information processing were investigated in probable Alzheimer's disease patients (AD) and age matched controls. During word encoding sessions 10 patients and 10 controls had either to decide whether the letter "s" appeared in visually presented words (alphabetical decision, shallow encoding), or whether the meaning of each presented word was animate or inanimate (lexical decision, deep encoding). These encoding sessions were followed by test sessions during which all previously encoded words were presented again together with the same number of new words. The task was then to discriminate between repeated and new words. Magnetic field changes related to brain activity were recorded with a whole cortex MEG.5 probable AD patients showed recognition performances above chance level related to both depths of information processing. Those patients and 5 age matched controls were then further analysed. Recognition performance was poorer in probable AD patients compared to controls for both levels of processing. However, in both groups deep encoding led to a higher recognition performance than shallow encoding. We therefore conclude that the performance reduction in the patient group was independent of depth of processing. Reaction times related to false alarms differed between patients and controls after deep encoding which perhaps could already be used for supporting an early diagnosis. The analysis of the physiological data revealed significant differences between correctly recognised repetitions and correctly classified new words (old/new-effect) in the control group which were missing in the patient group after deep encoding. The lack of such an effect in the patient group is interpreted as being due to the respective neuropathology related to probable AD. The present results demonstrate that magnetic field recordings represent a useful tool to physiologically distinguish between probable AD and age matched controls.

Dissociation between controlled and automatic processes in the behavioral variant of fronto-temporal dementia.

PubMed

Collette, Fabienne; Van der Linden, Martial; Salmon, Eric

2010-01-01

A decline of cognitive functioning affecting several cognitive domains was frequently reported in patients with frontotemporal dementia. We were interested in determining if these deficits can be interpreted as reflecting an impairment of controlled cognitive processes by using an assessment tool specifically developed to explore the distinction between automatic and controlled processes, namely the process dissociation procedure (PDP) developed by Jacoby. The PDP was applied to a word stem completion task to determine the contribution of automatic and controlled processes to episodic memory performance and was administered to a group of 12 patients with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD) and 20 control subjects (CS). Bv-FTD patients obtained a lower performance than CS for the estimates of controlled processes, but no group differences was observed for estimates of automatic processes. The between-groups comparison of the estimates of controlled and automatic processes showed a larger contribution of automatic processes to performance in bv-FTD, while a slightly more important contribution of controlled processes was observed in control subjects. These results are clearly indicative of an alteration of controlled memory processes in bv-FTD.

[The role of physical training in patients after myocardial infarction].

PubMed

Lazović, Milica; Devecerski, Gordana; Lazović, Marko; Zivković, Vesna

2006-01-01

Physical training is an optimal method of rehabilitation of cardiovascular patients, especially in patients with myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical training in patients with myocardial infarction during the post-hospital phase and prolonged rehabilitation by determining the test exercise parameters. This prospective clinical study included 230 patients after myocardial infarction. Group A (180 patients) participated in organized forms of exercise (post-hospital rehabilitation and prolonged rehabilitation at home) for 48 +/- 6.4 months, while the control group was without physical training. The first clinical examination and the exercise test were performed in group A after post-hospital rehabilitation and after 191 +/- 16.4 days in the control group. In all patients the last control was performed 48 +/- 6.4 months after myocardial infarction. After the first control, the mean physical workload in group A was significantly higher compared with the control group (p < 0.05). After a 48 month follow-up period the physical workload was significantly higher in group A (p < 0.01), while in the control group a significant increase of workload was not observed (p > 0.05). Comparing the duration of exercise testing, significant differences were found after the first and last control (p < 0.05; p < 0.01, respectively). The double product was significantly higher in group A than in the control group after the first and last control (p < 0.05; p < 0.01, respectively). Prolonged physical training is beneficial for patients after myocardial infarction, because it improves cardiovascular functions and physical work capacity, improves angina threshold and the patient's general health.

Role of Biofeedback in Optimizing Psychomotor Performance in Sports

PubMed Central

Paul, Maman; Garg, Kanupriya; Singh Sandhu, Jaspal

2012-01-01

Purpose Biofeedback is an emerging tool to acquire and facilitate physiological and psychological domains of the human body like response time and concentration. Thus, the present study aims at determining the reconstitution of psychomotor and performance skills in basketball players through biofeedback training. Methods Basketball players (N=30) with different levels of expertise (university, state and national) aged 18-28 years (both male and female) were randomly divided into 3 equal groups - Experimental group, Placebo group and Control group. The experimental group received Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback training for 10 consecutive days for 20 minutes that included breathing at individual's resonant frequency through a pacing stimulus; Placebo group was shown motivational video clips for 10 consecutive days for 10 minutes, whereas Control group was not given any intervention. At session 1, 10 and 1month follow up, heart rate variability, respiration rate, response time (reaction and movement time), concentration and shooting performance were assessed. Results Two way repeated measure ANOVA was used to simultaneously compare within and between group differences. Response time, concentration, heart rate variability, respiration rate and shooting differences were statistically significant in each group along with interaction of group and time (P<0.001). Also, all the measures showed statistically significant inter group difference (P<0.05). Conclusion The results of the study suggest that biofeedback training may help to train stressed athletes to acquire a control over their psychophysiological processes, thus helping an athlete to perform maximally. PMID:22461963

Energy management using virtual reality improves 2000-m rowing performance.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Charles P; Filippeschi, Alessandro; Ruffaldi, Emanuele; Bardy, Benoit G

2014-01-01

Elite-standard rowers tend to use a fast-start strategy followed by an inverted parabolic-shaped speed profile in 2000-m races. This strategy is probably the best to manage energy resources during the race and maximise performance. This study investigated the use of virtual reality (VR) with novice rowers as a means to learn about energy management. Participants from an avatar group (n = 7) were instructed to track a virtual boat on a screen, whose speed was set individually to follow the appropriate to-be-learned speed profile. A control group (n = 8) followed an indoor training programme. In spite of similar physiological characteristics in the groups, the avatar group learned and maintained the required profile, resulting in an improved performance (i.e. a decrease in race duration), whereas the control group did not. These results suggest that VR is a means to learn an energy-related skill and improve performance.

Improvements in cognition, quality of life, and physical performance with clinical Pilates in multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Küçük, Fadime; Kara, Bilge; Poyraz, Esra Çoşkuner; İdiman, Egemen

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the effects of clinical Pilates in multiple sclerosis patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty multiple sclerosis patients were enrolled in this study. The participants were divided into two groups as the clinical Pilates and control groups. Cognition (Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite), balance (Berg Balance Scale), physical performance (timed performance tests, Timed up and go test), tiredness (Modified Fatigue Impact scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and quality of life (Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire) were measured before and after treatment in all participants. [Results] There were statistically significant differences in balance, timed performance, tiredness and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite tests between before and after treatment in the clinical Pilates group. We also found significant differences in timed performance tests, the Timed up and go test and the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite between before and after treatment in the control group. According to the difference analyses, there were significant differences in Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite and Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire scores between the two groups in favor of the clinical Pilates group. There were statistically significant clinical differences in favor of the clinical Pilates group in comparison of measurements between the groups. Clinical Pilates improved cognitive functions and quality of life compared with traditional exercise. [Conclusion] In Multiple Sclerosis treatment, clinical Pilates should be used as a holistic approach by physical therapists. PMID:27134355

Improvements in cognition, quality of life, and physical performance with clinical Pilates in multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Küçük, Fadime; Kara, Bilge; Poyraz, Esra Çoşkuner; İdiman, Egemen

2016-03-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the effects of clinical Pilates in multiple sclerosis patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty multiple sclerosis patients were enrolled in this study. The participants were divided into two groups as the clinical Pilates and control groups. Cognition (Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite), balance (Berg Balance Scale), physical performance (timed performance tests, Timed up and go test), tiredness (Modified Fatigue Impact scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and quality of life (Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire) were measured before and after treatment in all participants. [Results] There were statistically significant differences in balance, timed performance, tiredness and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite tests between before and after treatment in the clinical Pilates group. We also found significant differences in timed performance tests, the Timed up and go test and the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite between before and after treatment in the control group. According to the difference analyses, there were significant differences in Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite and Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire scores between the two groups in favor of the clinical Pilates group. There were statistically significant clinical differences in favor of the clinical Pilates group in comparison of measurements between the groups. Clinical Pilates improved cognitive functions and quality of life compared with traditional exercise. [Conclusion] In Multiple Sclerosis treatment, clinical Pilates should be used as a holistic approach by physical therapists.

EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL SKILLS CURRICULUM IN ENHANCING SURGICAL PERFORMANCE: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

PubMed Central

Stefanidis, Dimitrios; Anton, Nicholas E; Howley, Lisa D; Bean, Eric; Yurco, Ashley; Pimentel, Manuel E; Davis, Cameron K

2016-01-01

Introduction We hypothesized that the implementation of a novel mental skills curriculum (MSC) during laparoscopic simulator training would improve mental skills and performance, and decrease stress. Methods Sixty volunteer novices were randomized into intervention and control groups. All participants received FLS training while the intervention group also participated in the MSC. Skill transfer and retention were assessed on a live porcine model after training and 2 months later, respectively. Performance was assessed using the Test of Performance Strategies-2 (TOPS-2) for mental skills, FLS metrics for laparoscopic performance, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) and heart rate (HR) for stress. Results Fifty-five participants (92%) completed training and the transfer test, and 46 (77%) the retention test. There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. Compared to controls the intervention group significantly improved their mental skill use, demonstrated higher laparoscopic skill improvement during retention, and reported less stress during the transfer test. Conclusions The MSC implemented in this study effectively enhanced participants’ mental skill use, reduced cognitive stress in the operating room with a small impact on laparoscopic performance. PMID:27908500

Experimental Effects of Acute Exercise on Prospective Memory and False Memory.

PubMed

Green, David; Loprinzi, Paul D

2018-01-01

Research demonstrates that acute exercise can enhance retrospective episodic memory performance. However, limited research has examined the effects of acute exercise on prospective memory, and no studies have examined the effects of exercise on false memory performance. This study examined the potential effects of acute exercise on prospective memory and false memory performance. A between-group randomized controlled trial was employed, with participants (college students; M age  = 20 years) randomized into an exercise group (15-minute acute bout of treadmill walking; N = 25) or a control group (15 minutes of sitting; N = 26). Prospective memory was assessed from two laboratory and two naturalistic assessments outside the lab. False memory was assessed using a word-list trial. There were no statistically significant differences in prospective memory based on group allocation (F Group×Time  = 1.17; P = 0.32; η 2  = 0.06). However, the control group recalled more false words and had a higher rate of false memory recognition (F Group×Time  = 3.15; P = 0.01; η 2  = 0.26). These findings indicate that acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is not associated with prospective memory performance but provides some suggestive evidence that acute exercise may reduce the rate of false memories.

The Effects of Guided Imagery on Heart Rate Variability in Simulated Spaceflight Emergency Tasks Performers

PubMed Central

Yijing, Zhang; Xiaoping, Du; Fang, Liu; Xiaolu, Jing; Bin, Wu

2015-01-01

Objectives. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of guided imagery training on heart rate variability in individuals while performing spaceflight emergency tasks. Materials and Methods. Twenty-one student subjects were recruited for the experiment and randomly divided into two groups: imagery group (n = 11) and control group (n = 10). The imagery group received instructor-guided imagery (session 1) and self-guided imagery training (session 2) consecutively, while the control group only received conventional training. Electrocardiograms of the subjects were recorded during their performance of nine spaceflight emergency tasks after imagery training. Results. In both of the sessions, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), the standard deviation of all normal NN (SDNN), the proportion of NN50 divided by the total number of NNs (PNN50), the very low frequency (VLF), the low frequency (LF), the high frequency (HF), and the total power (TP) in the imagery group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Moreover, LF/HF of the subjects after instructor-guided imagery training was lower than that after self-guided imagery training. Conclusions. Guided imagery was an effective regulator for HRV indices and could be a potential stress countermeasure in performing spaceflight tasks. PMID:26137491

Training in the adolescent brain: An fMRI training study on divergent thinking.

PubMed

Kleibeuker, Sietske W; Stevenson, Claire E; van der Aar, Laura; Overgaauw, Sandy; van Duijvenvoorde, Anna C; Crone, Eveline A

2017-02-01

Prior research suggests that adolescence is a time of enhanced sensitivity for practice and learning. In this study we tested the neural correlates of divergent thinking training in 15- to 16-year-old adolescents relative to an age-matched active control group. All participants performed an alternative uses task, a valid measure to test divergent thinking, while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images were acquired before and after a training program. In between the 2 scanning sessions the experimental group completed 2 weeks of divergent thinking training (8 sessions) and the control group completed 2 weeks of rule switching training (8 session). A Group × Time interaction demonstrated stable divergent thinking performance for the experimental group, whereas in the control group performance declined. Generating alternative uses (experimental task condition) relative to generating ordinary characteristics of objects (control task condition) was associated with increased activation in the supramarginal gyrus (SMG), angular gyrus (AG), and middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Test-retest analyses showed that within-individuals-activation in these regions was stable over time in both groups. Changes in alternative uses fluency over time, however, were positively associated with changes in superior lateral PFC activation over time. Together, the results indicate that core brain regions for creativity (SMG, AG, and MTG) are consistently recruited in adolescence, and that changes in performance are associated with changes in activation in lateral PFC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Acute coordinative exercise improves attentional performance in adolescents.

PubMed

Budde, Henning; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia; Pietrabyk-Kendziorra, Sascha; Ribeiro, Pedro; Tidow, Günter

2008-08-22

Teachers complain about growing concentration deficits and reduced attention in adolescents. Exercise has been shown to positively affect cognitive performance. Due to the neuronal connection between the cerebellum and the frontal cortex, we hypothesized that cognitive performance might be influenced by bilateral coordinative exercise (CE) and that its effect on cognition might be already visible after short bouts of exercise. One hundred and fifteen healthy adolescents aged 13-16 years of an elite performance school were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group and tested using the d2-test, a test of attention and concentration. Both groups performed the d2-test after a regular school lesson (pre-test), after 10 min of coordinative exercise and of a normal sport lesson (NSL, control group), respectively (post-test). Exercise was controlled for heart rate (HR). CE and NSL enhanced the d2-test performance from pre- to post-test significantly. ANOVA revealed a significant group (CE, NSL) by performance interaction in the d2-test indicating a higher improvement of CE as compared to NSL. HR was not significantly different between the groups. CE was more effective in completing the concentration and attention task. With the HR being the same in both groups we assume that the coordinative character of the exercise might be responsible for the significant differences. CE might lead to a pre-activation of parts of the brain which are also responsible for mediating functions like attention. Thus, our results support the request for more acute CE in schools, even in elite performance schools.

Improving Pediatric Basic Life Support Performance Through Blended Learning With Web-Based Virtual Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lehmann, Ronny; Thiessen, Christiane; Frick, Barbara; Bosse, Hans Martin; Nikendei, Christoph; Hoffmann, Georg Friedrich; Tönshoff, Burkhard; Huwendiek, Sören

2015-07-02

E-learning and blended learning approaches gain more and more popularity in emergency medicine curricula. So far, little data is available on the impact of such approaches on procedural learning and skill acquisition and their comparison with traditional approaches. This study investigated the impact of a blended learning approach, including Web-based virtual patients (VPs) and standard pediatric basic life support (PBLS) training, on procedural knowledge, objective performance, and self-assessment. A total of 57 medical students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=30) and a control group (n=27). Both groups received paper handouts in preparation of simulation-based PBLS training. The intervention group additionally completed two Web-based VPs with embedded video clips. Measurements were taken at randomization (t0), after the preparation period (t1), and after hands-on training (t2). Clinical decision-making skills and procedural knowledge were assessed at t0 and t1. PBLS performance was scored regarding adherence to the correct algorithm, conformance to temporal demands, and the quality of procedural steps at t1 and t2. Participants' self-assessments were recorded in all three measurements. Procedural knowledge of the intervention group was significantly superior to that of the control group at t1. At t2, the intervention group showed significantly better adherence to the algorithm and temporal demands, and better procedural quality of PBLS in objective measures than did the control group. These aspects differed between the groups even at t1 (after VPs, prior to practical training). Self-assessments differed significantly only at t1 in favor of the intervention group. Training with VPs combined with hands-on training improves PBLS performance as judged by objective measures.

MAXCOG-Maximizing Cognition: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Goal-Oriented Cognitive Rehabilitation for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer Disease.

PubMed

Regan, Bridget; Wells, Yvonne; Farrow, Maree; O'Halloran, Paul; Workman, Barbara

2017-03-01

To review the efficacy of a home-based four-session individualized face-to-face cognitive rehabilitation (MAXCOG) intervention for clients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia and their close supporters. Randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention group (MAXCOG) with treatment as usual (control). A total of 55 client-supporter dyads were enrolled in the study and 40 completed; 25 client-supporter dyads completed MAXCOG and 15 completed treatment as usual. Both MAXCOG and control groups included more MCI cases than dementia (22 versus 3 and 12 versus 3, respectively). Four weekly individual sessions of MAXCOG consisting of personalized interventions to address individually relevant goals, supported by the provision of the MAXCOG information resource. The primary outcomes were goal performance and satisfaction, assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Questionnaires assessing mood, illness adjustment, quality of life, and carer burden were also administered. The intervention group displayed significantly higher performance and satisfaction with primary goals on the COPM post-intervention than the control group, using a per-protocol analysis. The MAXCOG intervention is effective in improving goal performance and satisfaction in clients with MCI and early dementia. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

The effect of medical clowns on performance of spirometry among preschool aged children.

PubMed

Nir, Vered; Schichter-Konfino, Vered; Kassem, Eias; Klein, Adi

2018-04-02

Medical clowns (MCs) are known to assist in reducing pain and alleviating anxiety. The objective of this study is to evaluate the ability of MCs to assist preschoolers in performing spirometry. A prospective, randomized controlled trial. Children aged 3-6 years participated. After a first spirometry, children were divided into two groups: the first performed a second spirometry with an MC. The second repeated spirometry with the technician. Primary outcome was second spirometry values compared between the groups. Secondary outcome were change in spirometry values within groups, and difference between the groups. A total of 140 children participated. The groups did not differ in age, sex, mother tongue, or weight. Nor in mean FVC (MC 89.2% ± 16.7, control 89.5% ± 16.3) mean FEV1 (MC 91.3% ± 15.6, control 94.2% ± 16.8), and expiratory time (MC 1.58 ± 0.43, control 1.7 ± 0.44) in first spirometry. In second spirometry the control group had a similar FVC, FEV1, and expiratory time. The MC group had a significant improvement in all parameters: FVC: MC 95.3% ± 15.5, control 89.3% ± 19.1, FEV1: MC 98.0% ± 15.6, control 91.8% ± 19.3, and expiratory time MC 1.96 ± 0.55, control 1.84 ± 0.52. The differences between the groups between first and second attempt were significant (P-value FVC 0.000, FEV1 0.000, expiratory time 0.003). MCs improved performance of spirometry among preschoolers. It is possible that laughter and relief of stress had a physiological effect. Further studies are required to better establish the ability of MCs to improve active participation and to better understand whether the mechanism of the improvement is better cooperation or true physiological change. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kia Kaha: Improving Classroom Performance through Developing Cultural Awareness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubie, Christine

A study of 24 Maori children in grades 3-6 who were invited to perform at a children's festival in Turkey and two control groups (control 1, n=24; control 2, n=23) of Maori children who did not participate in the festival examined the effect of an intense cultural program on children's self-esteem, locus of control, and academic performance.…

Global Stability and Control Analysis of Aircraft at High Angles-of-Attack.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-31

of interest to aerodyiTwimc-i-StT-- aircraft designers , pilots and control system analysts ever since the advent of modern high performance aircraft...6a 14 Cn6 a 15 C 16 CZ r 17 Cn 6r 18 , Cy 18 6r a) These tables are non -zero only for Control Group B; in the other Control groups the effects of these...coefficients are incorporated into the first six .L coefficients. 66 For the non -neutral control groups (A, C, D, E), each group contains six tables

The drive-wise project: driving simulator training increases real driving performance in healthy older drivers

PubMed Central

Casutt, Gianclaudio; Theill, Nathan; Martin, Mike; Keller, Martin; Jäncke, Lutz

2014-01-01

Background: Age-related cognitive decline is often associated with unsafe driving behavior. We hypothesized that 10 active training sessions in a driving simulator increase cognitive and on-road driving performance. In addition, driving simulator training should outperform cognitive training. Methods: Ninety-one healthy active drivers (62–87 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a driving simulator training group, (2) an attention training group (vigilance and selective attention), or (3) a control group. The main outcome variables were on-road driving and cognitive performance. Seventy-seven participants (85%) completed the training and were included in the analyses. Training gains were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with planned orthogonal comparisons. Results: The driving simulator-training group showed an improvement in on-road driving performance compared to the attention-training group. In addition, both training groups increased cognitive performance compared to the control group. Conclusion: Driving simulator training offers the potential to enhance driving skills in older drivers. Compared to the attention training, the simulator training seems to be a more powerful program for increasing older drivers' safety on the road. PMID:24860497

Sensorimotor Rhythm Neurofeedback Enhances Golf Putting Performance.

PubMed

Cheng, Ming-Yang; Huang, Chung-Ju; Chang, Yu-Kai; Koester, Dirk; Schack, Thomas; Hung, Tsung-Min

2015-12-01

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity has been related to automaticity during skilled action execution. However, few studies have bridged the causal link between SMR activity and sports performance. This study investigated the effect of SMR neurofeedback training (SMR NFT) on golf putting performance. We hypothesized that preelite golfers would exhibit enhanced putting performance after SMR NFT. Sixteen preelite golfers were recruited and randomly assigned into either an SMR or a control group. Participants were asked to perform putting while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded, both before and after intervention. Our results showed that the SMR group performed more accurately when putting and exhibited greater SMR power than the control group after 8 intervention sessions. This study concludes that SMR NFT is effective for increasing SMR during action preparation and for enhancing golf putting performance. Moreover, greater SMR activity might be an EEG signature of improved attention processing, which induces superior putting performance.

Lymphocyte-platelet crosstalk in Graves' disease.

PubMed

Kuznik, Boris I; Vitkovsky, Yuri A; Gvozdeva, Olga V; Solpov, Alexey V; Magen, Eli

2014-03-01

Platelets can modulate lymphocytes' role in the pathophysiology of thyroid autoimmune diseases. The present study was performed to clarify the status of platelet-lymphocyte subpopulations aggregation in circulating blood in patients with Graves' disease (GD). One hundred and fifty patients with GD (GD group) and 45 hyperthyroid patients with toxic multinodular goiter (TMG group) were recruited in the study. Control group consisted 150 healthy subjects. Immunophenotyping of lymphocytes was performed by flow cytometry. Detection of lymphocyte-platelet aggregates (LPAs) was done using light microscope after Ficoll-gradient centrifugation. The group of GD patients exhibited reduced CD8 lymphocyte and higher CD19 cell counts compared with TMG group and healthy controls. A greater number of activated CD3, HLA-DR+ lymphocytes were observed in GD than in TMG group and control group. GD group was characterized by lower blood platelet count (232 ± 89 × 10 cells/µL) than TMG group (251 ± 97 × 10 cells/µL; P < 0.05) and control group (262 ± 95 × 10 cells/µL; P < 0.05). In GD group, more platelet-bound lymphocytes (332 ± 91 /µL) were found than that in TMG group (116 ± 67/µL, P < 0.005) and control group (104 ± 58 /µL; P < 0.001). GD is associated with higher levels of activated lymphocytes and lymphocyte-platelet aggregates.

Effects of Nintendo Wii™ Training on Occupational Performance, Balance, and Daily Living Activities in Children with Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Single-Blind and Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Atasavun Uysal, Songül; Baltaci, Gül

2016-10-05

This study aimed at assessing how the addition of Nintendo Wii ™ (NW) system to the traditional therapy influences occupational performance, balance, and daily living activities in children with spastic hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP). The present study is a single-blind and randomized trial involving 24 children aged 6-14 years, classified as level I or II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System. The children were allocated into two groups: an intervention and a control group, and their families participated in the study. The activity performance analysis of the children was undertaken by using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), functional balance was measured with the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), and activities of daily living were assessed with Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI). Twenty-four children with CP were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (n = 12) and control group (n = 12). All children in both groups continued their traditional physiotherapy program twice a week, 45 minutes per session, whereas the participants in the intervention group, additionally, were trained with NW, two other days of the week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting for 30 minutes. Self-care, mobility, PEDI total, PBS, and performance of COPM scores increased in the NW group after intervention. Self-care, mobility, and total PEDI increased in the control group as well. However, there was no statistically significant difference found between the groups, except for PBS (P < 0.05). NW contributed to the implementation of occupational performance, daily living activities, and functional balance. We recommend that NW could be used in the rehabilitation program to engage play-based activities with fun.

The Picmonic(®) Learning System: enhancing memory retention of medical sciences, using an audiovisual mnemonic Web-based learning platform.

PubMed

Yang, Adeel; Goel, Hersh; Bryan, Matthew; Robertson, Ron; Lim, Jane; Islam, Shehran; Speicher, Mark R

2014-01-01

Medical students are required to retain vast amounts of medical knowledge on the path to becoming physicians. To address this challenge, multimedia Web-based learning resources have been developed to supplement traditional text-based materials. The Picmonic(®) Learning System (PLS; Picmonic, Phoenix, AZ, USA) is a novel multimedia Web-based learning platform that delivers audiovisual mnemonics designed to improve memory retention of medical sciences. A single-center, randomized, subject-blinded, controlled study was conducted to compare the PLS with traditional text-based material for retention of medical science topics. Subjects were randomly assigned to use two different types of study materials covering several diseases. Subjects randomly assigned to the PLS group were given audiovisual mnemonics along with text-based materials, whereas subjects in the control group were given the same text-based materials with key terms highlighted. The primary endpoints were the differences in performance on immediate, 1 week, and 1 month delayed free-recall and paired-matching tests. The secondary endpoints were the difference in performance on a 1 week delayed multiple-choice test and self-reported satisfaction with the study materials. Differences were calculated using unpaired two-tailed t-tests. PLS group subjects demonstrated improvements of 65%, 161%, and 208% compared with control group subjects on free-recall tests conducted immediately, 1 week, and 1 month after study of materials, respectively. The results of performance on paired-matching tests showed an improvement of up to 331% for PLS group subjects. PLS group subjects also performed 55% greater than control group subjects on a 1 week delayed multiple choice test requiring higher-order thinking. The differences in test performance between the PLS group subjects and the control group subjects were statistically significant (P<0.001), and the PLS group subjects reported higher overall satisfaction with the material. The data of this pilot site demonstrate marked improvements in the retention of disease topics when using the PLS compared with traditional text-based materials. The use of the PLS in medical education is supported.

Whole body vibration exercise improves body balance and walking velocity in postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with alendronate: Galileo and Alendronate Intervention Trail (GAIT).

PubMed

Iwamoto, J; Sato, Y; Takeda, T; Matsumoto, H

2012-09-01

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine the effect of 6 months of whole body vibration (WBV) exercise on physical function in postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with alendronate. Fifty-two ambulatory postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (mean age: 74.2 years, range: 51-91 years) were randomly divided into two groups: an exercise group and a control group. A four-minute WBV exercise was performed two days per week only in the exercise group. No exercise was performed in the control group. All the women were treated with alendronate. After 6 months of the WBV exercise, the indices for flexibility, body balance, and walking velocity were significantly improved in the exercise group compared with the control group. The exercise was safe and well tolerated. The reductions in serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen during the 6-month period were comparable between the two groups. The present study showed the benefit and safety of WBV exercise for improving physical function in postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with alendronate.

Does Guided Bone Regeneration Prevent Unfavorable Bone Shapes in Distraction Gap?

PubMed

Demetoglu, Umut; Alkan, Alper; Kiliç, Erdem; Ozturk, Mustafa; Bilge, Suheyb

2018-03-01

Complications related to distraction osteogenesis can cause degradation of newly regenerated bone. Additionally, an unfavorable shape of the regenerated bone at the distraction gap can reduce the quantity of regenerated bone. The aim of the present study was to report on the prevention of unfavorable shapes of regenerated bone using guided bone regeneration during distraction. Bilateral alveolar distraction was performed in 10 beagle dog mandibles. One side of the mandible formed the experimental group and the other side served as the control group. In the experimental group, guided bone regeneration was performed simultaneously with distraction osteogenesis. In the control group, only alveolar distraction was applied. At the end of a 1-week latent period, all mandibles were distracted 10 mm (1 mm/day). After the distraction period, 3 months were allowed for consolidation. After consolidation, all the dogs were euthanized, and the shape of the regenerated bone was determined to be either favorable or unfavorable. Densitometric evaluation and area measurements were performed using computed tomography scans. Statistical evaluation was performed using the independent t test, with a significance level of P < .05. In the experimental group, no unfavorable bone shape developed in the distraction gap, and the new bone had a surface and volume similar to those of the segments. In contrast, in the control group, 4 mandibles had an unfavorable bone shape in the distraction gap and 4 showed favorable bone healing with no defect. The surface area of the regenerating bone in the experimental group was significantly greater than that in the control group. Also, the surface area differed significantly between the experimental and control groups (P < .05). However, the densitometric values did not differ between the 2 groups (P < .05). Concomitant use of guided bone regeneration with distraction osteogenesis could be an optimal method for generating a favorable bone shape within the distraction gap. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of a Lower Extremity Preventive Training Program on Physical Performance Scores in Military Recruits.

PubMed

Peck, Karen Y; DiStefano, Lindsay J; Marshall, Stephen W; Padua, Darin A; Beutler, Anthony I; de la Motte, Sarah J; Frank, Barnett S; Martinez, Jessica C; Cameron, Kenneth L

2017-11-01

Peck, KY, DiStefano, LJ, Marshall, SW, Padua, DA, Beutler, AI, de la Motte, SJ, Frank, BS, Martinez, JC, and Cameron, KL. Effect of a lower extremity preventive training program on physical performance scores in military recruits. J Strength Cond Res 31(11): 3146-3157, 2017-Exercise-based preventive training programs are designed to improve movement patterns associated with lower extremity injury risk; however, the impact of these programs on general physical fitness has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare fitness scores between participants in a preventive training program and a control group. One thousand sixty-eight freshmen from a U.S. Service Academy were cluster-randomized into either the intervention or control group during 6 weeks of summer training. The intervention group performed a preventive training program, specifically the Dynamic Integrated Movement Enhancement (DIME), which is designed to improve lower extremity movement patterns. The control group performed the Army Preparation Drill (PD), a warm-up designed to prepare soldiers for training. Main outcome measures were the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) raw and scaled (for age and sex) scores. Independent t tests were used to assess between-group differences. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to control for the influence of confounding variables. Dynamic Integrated Movement Enhancement group participants completed the APFT 2-mile run 20 seconds faster compared with the PD group (p < 0.001), which corresponded with significantly higher scaled scores (p < 0.001). Army Physical Fitness Test push-up scores were significantly higher in the DIME group (p = 0.041), but there were no significant differences in APFT sit-up scores. The DIME group had significantly higher total APFT scores compared with the PD group (p < 0.001). Similar results were observed in multivariable models after controlling for sex and body mass index (BMI). Committing time to the implementation of a preventive training program does not appear to negatively affect fitness test scores.

Amygdala volume and verbal memory performance in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Killgore, William D S; Rosso, Isabelle M; Gruber, Staci A; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah A

2009-03-01

To clarify the relationship between amygdala-hippocampal volume and cognitive performance in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Abnormalities of the amygdala-hippocampal complex and memory deficits have been reported in both schizophrenia and bipolar illness. We examined memory performance and its relationship to the volumes of the whole brain, lateral ventricles, hippocampus, and amygdala using morphometric magnetic resonance imaging in 19 patients with schizophrenia, 11 bipolar patients, and 20 healthy controls. Schizophrenia patients performed more poorly than bipolar patients and controls on indices of memory functioning, whereas patients with bipolar disorder showed milder impairments relative to controls. The schizophrenia group showed reduced total cerebral volume and enlarged ventricles relative to controls, but no group differences were found for amygdala or hippocampal volume. Left amygdala volume was predictive of memory performance in both groups, correlating positively with better immediate and delayed verbal memory for bipolar patients and negatively with immediate and delayed verbal recall for schizophrenia patients. Amygdala volume was unrelated to memory performance in healthy subjects. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder both seem to be associated with anomalous and differential limbic volume-function relationships, such that the amygdala may facilitate hippocampal-dependent memory processes in bipolar disorder but impair these same processes in schizophrenia.

Position Affects Performance in Multiple-Object Tracking in Rugby Union Players

PubMed Central

Martín, Andrés; Sfer, Ana M.; D'Urso Villar, Marcela A.; Barraza, José F.

2017-01-01

We report an experiment that examines the performance of rugby union players and a control group composed of graduate student with no sport experience, in a multiple-object tracking task. It compares the ability of 86 high level rugby union players grouped as Backs and Forwards and the control group, to track a subset of randomly moving targets amongst the same number of distractors. Several difficulties were included in the experimental design in order to evaluate possible interactions between the relevant variables. Results show that the performance of the Backs is better than that of the other groups, but the occurrence of interactions precludes an isolated groups analysis. We interpret the results within the framework of visual attention and discuss both, the implications of our results and the practical consequences. PMID:28951725

Effects of task-oriented robot training on arm function, activity, and quality of life in chronic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Timmermans, Annick A A; Lemmens, Ryanne J M; Monfrance, Maurice; Geers, Richard P J; Bakx, Wilbert; Smeets, Rob J E M; Seelen, Henk A M

2014-03-31

Over fifty percent of stroke patients experience chronic arm hand performance problems, compromising independence in daily life activities and quality of life. Task-oriented training may improve arm hand performance after stroke, whereby augmented therapy may lead to a better treatment outcome. Technology-supported training holds opportunities for increasing training intensity. However, the effects of robot-supported task-oriented training with real life objects in stroke patients are not known to date. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness and added value of the Haptic Master robot combined with task-oriented arm hand training in chronic stroke patients. In a single-blind randomized controlled trial, 22 chronic stroke patients were randomly allocated to receive either task-oriented robot-assisted arm-hand training (experimental group) or task-oriented non-robotic arm-hand training (control group). For training, the T-TOAT (Technology-supported Task-Oriented Arm Training) method was applied. Training was provided during 8 weeks, 4 times/week, 2 × 30 min/day. A significant improvement after training on the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) was demonstrated in the experimental group (p = 0.008). Results were maintained until 6 months after cessation of the training. On the perceived performance measure (Motor Activity Log (MAL)), both, the experimental and control group improved significantly after training (control group p = 0.008; experimental group p = 0.013). The improvements on MAL in both groups were maintained until 6 months after cessation of the training. With regard to quality of life, only in the control group a significant improvement after training was found (EuroQol-5D p = 0.015, SF-36 physical p = 0.01). However, the improvement on SF-36 in the control group was not maintained (p = 0.012). No between-group differences could be demonstrated on any of the outcome measures. Arm hand performance improved in chronic stroke patients, after eight weeks of task oriented training. The use of a Haptic Master robot in support of task-oriented arm training did not show additional value over the video-instructed task-oriented exercises in highly functional stroke patients. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN82787126.

Stop of loss of cognitive performance during rehabilitation after total hip arthroplasty-prospective controlled study.

PubMed

Brem, Matthias H; Lehrl, Siegfried; Rein, Anna K; Massute, Sylvia; Schulz-Drost, Stefan; Gelse, Kolja; Schlechtweg, Phillip M; Hennig, Friedrich F; Olk, Alexander; Jacob, Harald J; Gusinde, Johannes

2010-01-01

Prolonged hospitalization is known to be associated with a loss of cognitive performance. Does playing video games (VGs) developed to improve cognitive properties delay this loss or even lead to an increase in cognitive performance? We performed a 10-day longitudinal study of patients who received total hip arthroplasty. We compared 16 patients (6 male) aged 66 ± 9 years (mean ± standard deviation) who played Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo; Redmond, Washington) on a Nintendo DS handheld console with 16 control patients (6 male) aged 69 ± 14 years. We measured cognitive performance 1 day preoperation, as well as on days 2 and 9 postoperation. With the daily exercise of a specific VG by the play group, the patients' fluid intelligence (median intelligence quotient 99-106), working memory capacity, and rate of information processing significantly improved over the course of 7 postoperative days. The cognitive performance of the control group did not increase. However, the memory spans of both groups did not systematically change. Exercise with VGs can prevent the loss of cognitive performance during prolonged hospitalization.

Comparison of bi-exponential and mono-exponential models of diffusion-weighted imaging for detecting active sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis.

PubMed

Sun, Haitao; Liu, Kai; Liu, Hao; Ji, Zongfei; Yan, Yan; Jiang, Lindi; Zhou, Jianjun

2018-04-01

Background There has been a growing need for a sensitive and effective imaging method for the differentiation of the activity of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Purpose To compare the performances of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM)-derived parameters and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for distinguishing AS-activity. Material and Methods One hundred patients with AS were divided into active (n = 51) and non-active groups (n = 49) and 21 healthy volunteers were included as control. The ADC, diffusion coefficient ( D), pseudodiffusion coefficient ( D*), and perfusion fraction ( f) were calculated for all groups. Kruskal-Wallis tests and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed for all parameters. Results There was good reproducibility of ADC /D and relatively poor reproducibility of D*/f. ADC, D, and f were significantly higher in the active group than in the non-active and control groups (all P < 0.0001, respectively). D* was slightly but significant lower in the active group than in the non-active and control group ( P = 0.0064, 0.0215). There was no significant difference in any parameter between the non-active group and the control group (all P > 0.050). In the ROC analysis, ADC had the largest AUC for distinguishing between the active group and the non-active group (0.988) and between the active and control groups (0.990). Multivariate logistic regression analysis models showed no diagnostic improvement. Conclusion ADC provided better diagnostic performance than IVIM-derived parameters in differentiating AS activity. Therefore, a straightforward and effective mono-exponential model of diffusion-weighted imaging may be sufficient for differentiating AS activity in the clinic.

Diagnostic performance of bone metabolic indexes for the detection of stroke.

PubMed

Tan, Li Ming; Wang, Lu; Chen, Juan-Juan; Li, Hua; Luo, Wen-Bo

2017-01-01

To explore the diagnostic performance of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), and osteocalcin (OC) in predicting stroke.  Methods: This retrospective survey was conducted in The Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. involved 121 cerebral infarction patients and 103 cerebral hemorrhage patients as the experimental groups, 100 volunteers as the healthy control group and 80 brain trauma patients as the disease control group. The 25(OH)D, PTH, BALP, and OC levels of all participants were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.  Results: The serum concentration of 25(OH)D in stroke patients was appreciably lower than that of the control groups (p less than 0.05), and subsequently, the deficiency level of 25(OH)D in the stroke population was considerably higher than that of the control groups (p less than 0.05). The serum concentrations of PTH and OC in stroke patients exceeded those found in the control groups (p less than 0.05), and the abnormal level in the stroke patients was also higher than that of the control. Compared with the control group, BALP concentrations in cerebral infarction patients were increased significantly. Additionally, abnormal levels of BALP in stroke patients were found to be higher than those in the control groups. However, concentrations and abnormal levels of BALP in cerebral hemorrhage patients were not found to be significantly different than those found in cerebral infarction and the control groups, There were no substantial differences between the 2 control groups. Conclusion: Lack of 25(OH)D and excessive PTH, BALP, and OC could indicate a high risk of stroke.

Psychophysiological Control of Acognitive Task Using Adaptive Automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Frederick; Pope, Alan T. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The major focus of the present proposal was to examine psychophysiological variables related to hazardous states of awareness induced by monitoring automated systems. With the increased use of automation in today's work environment, people's roles in the work place are being redefined from that of active participant to one of passive monitor. Although the introduction of automated systems has a number of benefits, there are also a number of disadvantages regarding worker performance. Byrne and Parasuraman have argued for the use of psychophysiological measures in the development and the implementation of adaptive automation. While both performance based and model based adaptive automation have been studied, the use of psychophysiological measures, especially EEG, offers the advantage of real time evaluation of the state of the subject. The current study used the closed-loop system, developed at NASA-Langley Research Center, to control the state of awareness of subjects while they performed a cognitive vigilance task. Previous research in our laboratory, supported by NASA, has demonstrated that, in an adaptive automation, closed-loop environment, subjects perform a tracking task better under a negative than a positive, feedback condition. In addition, this condition produces less subjective workload and larger P300 event related potentials to auditory stimuli presented in a concurrent oddball task. We have also recently shown that the closed-loop system used to control the level of automation in a tracking task can also be used to control the event rate of stimuli in a vigilance monitoring task. By changing the event rate based on the subject's index of arousal, we have been able to produce improved monitoring, relative to various control groups. We have demonstrated in our initial closed-loop experiments with the the vigilance paradigm that using a negative feedback contingency (i.e. increasing event rates when the EEG index is low and decreasing event rates when the EEG index is high) results in a marked decrease of the vigilance decrement over a 40 minute session. This effect is in direct contrast to performance of a positive feedback group, as well as a number of other control groups which demonstrated the typical vigilance decrement. Interestingly, however, the negative feedback group performed at virtually the same level as a yoked control group. The yoked control group received the same order of changes in event rate that were generated by the negative feedback subjects using the closed-loop system. Thus it would appear to be possible to optimize vigilance performance by controlling the stimuli which subjects are asked to process.

Screening for Alzheimer's Disease: Cognitive Impairment in Self-Referred and Memory Clinic-Referred Patients.

PubMed

Kirsebom, Bjørn-Eivind; Espenes, Ragna; Waterloo, Knut; Hessen, Erik; Johnsen, Stein Harald; Bråthen, Geir; Aarsland, Dag; Fladby, Tormod

2017-01-01

Cognitive assessment is essential in tracking disease progression in AD. Presently, cohorts including preclinical at-risk participants are recruited by different means, which may bias cognitive and clinical features. We compared recruitment strategies to levels of cognitive functioning. We investigate recruitment source biases in self-referred and memory clinic-referred patient cohorts to reveal potential differences in cognitive performance and demographics among at-risk participants. We included 431 participants 40-80 years old. Participants were classified as controls (n = 132) or symptom group (n = 299). The symptom group comprised of subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n = 163) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 136). We compared cognitive performance and demographics in memory clinic-referrals (n = 86) to self-referred participants responding to advertisements and news bulletins (n = 179). Participants recruited by other means were excluded from analysis (n = 34). At symptom group level, we found significant reductions in cognitive performance in memory clinic-referrals compared to self-referrals. However, here reductions were only found within the MCI group. We found no differences in cognitive performance due to recruitment within the SCD group. The MCI group was significantly impaired compared to controls on all measures. Significant reductions in learning, and executive functions were also found for the SCD group. Regardless of recruitment method, both the SCD and MCI groups showed reductions in cognitive performance compared to controls. We found differences in cognitive impairment for memory clinic-referrals compared to self-referrals only within the MCI group, SCD-cases being equally affected irrespective of referral type.

Writing Impairments in Japanese Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and with Mild Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Hayashi, Atsuko; Nomura, Hiroshi; Mochizuki, Ruriko; Ohnuma, Ayumu; Kimpara, Teiko; Suzuki, Kyoko; Mori, Etsuro

2015-01-01

Background/Aims We investigated writing abilities in patients with the amnestic type of mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). To examine the earliest changes in writing function, we used writing tests for both words and sentences with different types of Japanese characters (Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji). Methods A total of 25 aMCI patients, 38 AD patients, and 22 healthy controls performed writing to dictation for Kana and Kanji words, copied Kanji words, and wrote in response to a picture story task. Analysis of variance was used to test the subject group effects on the scores in the above writing tasks. Results For the written Kanji words, the mild AD group performed worse than the aMCI group and the controls, but there was no difference between the aMCI group and the controls. For the picture story writing task, the mild AD and aMCI groups performed worse than the controls, but the difference between the AD and the aMCI groups was not significant. Conclusions The mild AD group showed defects in writing Kanji characters, and the aMCI group showed impairments in narrative writing. Our study suggests that narrative writing, which demands complex integration of multiple cognitive functions, can be used to detect the subtle writing deficits in aMCI patients. PMID:26483830

Effects of Ving Tsun Chinese martial art training on musculoskeletal health, balance performance, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Lip, Ryan W T; Fong, Shirley S M; Ng, Shamay S M; Liu, Karen P Y; Guo, X

2015-03-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ving Tsun (VT) Chinese martial art training on radial bone strength, upper- and lower-limb muscular strength, shoulder joint mobility, balance performance, and self-efficacy in elderly participants. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve seniors voluntarily joined the VT training group, and twenty-seven seniors voluntarily joined the control group. The VT group received VT training for three months, while the control group received no training. The bone strength of the distal radius was assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer. Muscular strength in the limbs was evaluated using a Jamar handgrip dynamometer and the five times sit-to-stand test. Shoulder joint mobility was examined using a goniometer. Balance performance and self-efficacy were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale and the Chinese version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, respectively. [Results] The results revealed a nonsignificant group-by-time interaction effect, group effect, and time effect for all outcome variables. However, general trends of maintenance or improvement in all outcome parameters were observed to a greater extent in the VT group than in the control group. [Conclusion] VT training might be a potential fall-prevention exercise that can be used to maintain general physique, balance, and confidence in the elderly population. A further randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm this postulation.

Effects of Ving Tsun Chinese martial art training on musculoskeletal health, balance performance, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults

PubMed Central

Lip, Ryan W.T.; Fong, Shirley S.M.; Ng, Shamay S.M.; Liu, Karen P.Y.; Guo, X.

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ving Tsun (VT) Chinese martial art training on radial bone strength, upper- and lower-limb muscular strength, shoulder joint mobility, balance performance, and self-efficacy in elderly participants. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve seniors voluntarily joined the VT training group, and twenty-seven seniors voluntarily joined the control group. The VT group received VT training for three months, while the control group received no training. The bone strength of the distal radius was assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer. Muscular strength in the limbs was evaluated using a Jamar handgrip dynamometer and the five times sit-to-stand test. Shoulder joint mobility was examined using a goniometer. Balance performance and self-efficacy were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale and the Chinese version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, respectively. [Results] The results revealed a nonsignificant group-by-time interaction effect, group effect, and time effect for all outcome variables. However, general trends of maintenance or improvement in all outcome parameters were observed to a greater extent in the VT group than in the control group. [Conclusion] VT training might be a potential fall-prevention exercise that can be used to maintain general physique, balance, and confidence in the elderly population. A further randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm this postulation. PMID:25931704

The effects of scenario-based communication training on nurses' communication competence and self-efficacy and myocardial infarction knowledge.

PubMed

Hsu, Li-Ling; Huang, Ya-Hsuan; Hsieh, Suh-Ing

2014-06-01

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of a simulated communication training course on nurses' communication competence, self-efficacy, communication performance, myocardial infarction knowledge, and general satisfaction with their learning experience. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a pre-test and two post-tests. The experimental group underwent simulated communication training course and the control group received a case-based communication training course. The experimental group made more significant improvement in competence and self-efficacy in communication from pre-test to the second post-test than the control group. Although both groups' satisfaction with their learning experience significantly increased from the first post-test to the second post-test, the experimental group was found to be more satisfied with their learning experience than the control group. No significant differences in communication performance and myocardial infarction knowledge between the two groups were identified. Scenario-based communication training can be more fully incorporated into in-service education for nurses to boost their competence and self-efficacy in communication and enhance their communication performance in myocardial infarction patient care. Introduction of real-life communication scenarios through multimedia in communication education could make learners more motivated to practice communication, hence leading to improved communication capacity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of preinjury sleep difficulties on neurocognitive impairment and symptoms after sport-related concussion.

PubMed

Sufrinko, Alicia; Pearce, Kelly; Elbin, R J; Covassin, Tracey; Johnson, Eric; Collins, Michael; Kontos, Anthony P

2015-04-01

Researchers have reported that sleep duration is positively related to baseline neurocognitive performance. However, researchers have yet to examine the effect of preinjury sleep difficulties on postconcussion impairments. To compare neurocognitive impairment and symptoms of athletes with preinjury sleep difficulties to those without after a sport-related concussion (SRC). Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. The sample included 348 adolescent and adult athletes (age, mean ± SD, 17.43 ± 2.34 years) with a diagnosed SRC. The sample was divided into 2 groups: (1) 34 (10%) participants with preinjury sleep difficulties (sleeping less as well as having trouble falling asleep; SLEEP SX) and (2) 231 (66%) participants without preinjury sleep difficulties (CONTROL). The remaining 84 (24%) participants with minimal sleep difficulties (1 symptom) were excluded. Participants completed the Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT) and Postconcussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) at baseline and 3 postinjury intervals (2, 5-7, and 10-14 days after injury). A series of repeated-measures analyses of covariance with Bonferroni correction, controlling for baseline non-sleep-related symptoms, were conducted to compare postinjury neurocognitive performance between groups. Follow-up exploratory t tests examined between-group differences at each time interval. A series of analyses of variance were used to examine total PCSS score, sleep-related, and non-sleep-related symptoms across time intervals between groups. Groups differed significantly in PCSS scores across postinjury intervals for reaction time (P < .001), with the preinjury SLEEP SX group performing worse than controls at 5-7 days (mean ± SD, 0.70 ± 0.32 [SLEEP SX], 0.60 ± 0.14 [CONTROL]) and 10-14 days (0.61 ± 0.17 [SLEEP SX]; 0.57 ± 0.10 [CONTROL]) after injury. Groups also differed significantly on verbal memory performance (P = .04), with the SLEEP SX (68.21 ± 18.64) group performing worse than the CONTROL group (76.76 ± 14.50) 2 days after injury. The SLEEP SX group reported higher total symptom (P = .02) and sleep-related symptom (P = .02) scores across postinjury time intervals. Preinjury sleep difficulties may exacerbate neurocognitive impairment and symptoms after concussion. The findings may help clinicians identify athletes who are at risk for worse impairments after a concussion due to preinjury sleep difficulties. © 2015 The Author(s).

Theory of mind performance using a story comprehension task in bipolar mania compared to schizophrenia and healthy controls.

PubMed

Rossell, Susan L; Van Rheenen, Tamsyn E

2013-01-01

Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand the mental state of self and others. There is limited research into this topic in bipolar disorder (BD), with no previous study examining ToM in a BD group within a psychotic manic phase. Twenty-eight psychotic manic BD patients were compared with 30 schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and 29 healthy controls (HC). Participants performed a ToM story comprehension task that compared ToM stories and non-ToM stories (which we relabelled non-ToM "semantic" stories). Performance was examined by answering comprehension questions. Both patient groups were equally impaired on their scores for ToM stories (scores BD = 10/24, SCZ = 9/24, HC = 14/24, p < .001). Interestingly, both patient groups showed reduced performance on non-ToM semantic stories (scores BD = 12/24, SCZ = 9/24, HC = 15/24, p < .001); SCZ showed a larger deficit. Reduced ToM performance was correlated with delusion severity in the BD group only. ToM performance was impaired in BD patients experiencing psychotic symptoms. Patient performance was also impaired on the control condition (i.e., non-ToM semantic stories) supporting an additional deficit in semantic processing.

Sex-sensitive cognitive performance in untreated patients with early onset gender identity disorder.

PubMed

Haraldsen, I R; Opjordsmoen, S; Egeland, T; Finset, A

2003-10-01

We explored whether the cognitive performance of gender identity disorder patients (GID) was comparable to that of their biological sex or skewed towards that of their gender identity. We tested four potentially sex-sensitive cognitive factors (rotation, visualization, perception, and verbalization) as well as two neutral factors (logic and arithmetic) in GID patients from Norway (GID-N, n = 33) or the USA (GID-US, n = 19) and in a control group (C, n = 29). The testing was undertaken prior to cross sex hormone treatment. Four-way ANOVA was applied in the final analysis of the cognitive performance and its dependency on different predictors (age, biological sex, education, group). In both GID groups as well as in the control group (C) males excelled in visualization and rotation, also when controlling for potential confounders (biological sex, group, age and education). No female advantage was detected. Furthermore, no interaction between biological sex and group assignment was revealed in the samples. In this study the cognitive pattern of GID patients is consistent with that of their biological sex and not that of their gender identity.

Ultrasound Mediated Microbubbles Destruction Augmented Sonolysis: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study.

PubMed

Cui, Hai; Zhu, Qiong; Gao, Yunhua; Xia, Hongmei; Tan, Kaibin; He, Ying; Liu, Zheng; Xu, Yali

2017-01-01

This study was aimed at exploring ultrasound mediated microbubbles destruction (UMMD) assisted sonolysis in both the in vitro and in vivo clots. Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) and lipid microbubbles (MBs) were used in whole blood clots and divided into the control, TUS group, and TUS + MB group. Thrombolytic rates and microscopy were performed. Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and angiography were performed to evaluate the recanalization rates and flow scores in femoral arterial thrombus (FAT) in rabbits. FAT were dyed with H&E. The average thrombolytic ratios of TUS + MB group were significantly higher than those of TUS group and the control group (both P < 0.05). Clots had different pathological changes. Recanalization rates and flow scores in TUS + MB group were significantly higher than the control and TUS group. Flow scores and recanalization ratios were grade 0 in 0% of the control group, grade I in 25% of TUS group, and grade II or higher in 87.5% of TUS + MB group after 30 min sonolysis. Both the in vitro and in vivo sonolysis can be significantly augmented by the introduction of MBs without thrombolytic agents, which might be induced by the enhanced cavitation via UMMD.

Short-term blueberry-enriched diet prevents and reverses object recognition memory loss in aging rats.

PubMed

Malin, David H; Lee, David R; Goyarzu, Pilar; Chang, Yu-Hsuan; Ennis, Lalanya J; Beckett, Elizabeth; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara; Joseph, James A

2011-03-01

Previously, 4 mo of a blueberry-enriched (BB) antioxidant diet prevented impaired object recognition memory in aging rats. Experiment 1 determined whether 1- and 2-mo BB diets would have a similar effect and whether the benefits would disappear promptly after terminating the diets. Experiment 2 determined whether a 1-mo BB diet could subsequently reverse existing object memory impairment in aging rats. In experiment 1, Fischer-344 rats were maintained on an appropriate control diet or on 1 or 2 mo of the BB diet before testing object memory at 19 mo postnatally. In experiment 2, rats were tested for object recognition memory at 19 mo and again at 20 mo after 1 mo of maintenance on a 2% BB or control diet. In experiment 1, the control group performed no better than chance, whereas the 1- and 2-mo BB diet groups performed similarly and significantly better than controls. The 2-mo BB-diet group, but not the 1-mo group, maintained its performance over a subsequent month on a standard laboratory diet. In experiment 2, the 19-mo-old rats performed near chance. At 20 mo of age, the rats subsequently maintained on the BB diet significantly increased their object memory scores, whereas the control diet group exhibited a non-significant decline. The change in object memory scores differed significantly between the two diet groups. These results suggest that a considerable degree of age-related object memory decline can be prevented and reversed by brief maintenance on BB diets. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of visual contextual information on the emergence of the especial skill in basketball.

PubMed

Stöckel, Tino; Breslin, Gavin

2013-10-01

We examined whether basketball throwing performance in general and motor skill specificity from the free throw distance in particular are influenced by visual contextual information. Experienced basketball players (N = 36) performed basketball set shots at five distances from the basket. Of particular interest was the performance from the free throw distance (4.23 m), at which experienced basketball players are expected to show superior performance compared with nearby locations as a result of massive amounts of practice. Whereas a control group performed the shots on a regular basketball court, the distance between the rim and the free throw line was either increased or decreased by 30 cm in two experimental groups. Findings showed that only the control group had a superior performance from the free throw distance, and the experimental groups did not. Moreover, all groups performed more accurately from the perceived free throw line (independent of its location) compared with nearby locations. The findings suggest that visual context information influences the presence of specificity effects in experienced performers. The findings have theoretical implications for explaining the memory representation underlying the especial skill effect in basketball.

Using a collaborative Mobile Augmented Reality learning application (CoMARLA) to improve Improve Student Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanafi, Hafizul Fahri bin; Soh Said, Che; Hanee Ariffin, Asma; Azlan Zainuddin, Nur; Samsuddin, Khairulanuar

2016-11-01

This study was carried out to improve student learning in ICT course using a collaborative mobile augmented reality learning application (CoMARLA). This learning application was developed based on the constructivist framework that would engender collaborative learning environment, in which students could learn collaboratively using their mobile phones. The research design was based on the pretest posttest control group design. The dependent variable was students’ learning performance after learning, and the independent variables were learning method and gender. Students’ learning performance before learning was treated as the covariate. The sample of the study comprised 120 non-IT (non-technical) undergraduates, with the mean age of 19.5. They were randomized into two groups, namely the experimental and control group. The experimental group used CoMARLA to learn one of the topics of the ICT Literacy course, namely Computer System; whereas the control group learned using the conventional approach. The research instrument used was a set of multiple-choice questions pertaining to the above topic. Pretesting was carried out before the learning sessions, and posttesting was performed after 6 hours of learning. Using the SPSS, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was performed on the data. The analysis showed that there were main effects attributed to the learning method and gender. The experimental group outperformed the control group by almost 9%, and male students outstripped their opposite counterparts by as much as 3%. Furthermore, an interaction effect was also observed showing differential performances of male students based on the learning methods, which did not occur among female students. Hence, the tool can be used to help undergraduates learn with greater efficacy when contextualized in an appropriate setting.

Changes in selected physical, motor performance and anthropometric components of university-level rugby players after one microcycle of a combined rugby conditioning and plyometric training program.

PubMed

Pienaar, Cindy; Coetzee, Ben

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a microcycle (4 weeks) combined rugby conditioning plyometric compared with a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program on selected physical and motor performance components and anthropometric measurements of university-level rugby players. Players (18.94 ± 0.40 years) were assigned to either a control (n = 16) or experimental group (n = 19) from the U/19 rugby teams of the North-West University (South Africa). Twenty-six direct and indirect anthropometric measurements were taken, and the players performed a battery of 5 physical and motor performance tests before and after a microcycle (4 week) combined rugby conditioning plyometric (experimental group) and a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program (control group). The dependent t-test results showed that the control group's upper-body explosive power decreased significantly, whereas the stature, skeletal mass, and femur breadth increased significantly from pre- to posttesting. The experimental group showed significant increases in wrist breadth, speed over 20 m, agility, and power and work measurements of the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). Despite these results, the independent t-test revealed that speed over 20 m, average power output at 20 seconds, relative work of the WAnT, and agility were the only components of the experimental group that improved significantly more than the control group. A microcycle combined rugby conditioning plyometric program therefore leads to significantly bigger changes in selected physical and motor performance components of university-level rugby players than a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program alone. Based on these findings, coaches and sport scientists should implement 3 weekly combined rugby conditioning plyometric programs in rugby players' training regimens to improve the players' speed, agility, and power.

Mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention.

PubMed

Jha, Amism P; Krompinger, Jason; Baime, Michael J

2007-06-01

Mindfulness is defined as paying attention in the present moment. We investigate the hypothesis that mindfulness training may alter or enhance specific aspects of attention. We examined three functionally and neuroanatomically distinct but overlapping attentional subsystems: alerting, orienting, and conflict monitoring. Functioning of each subsystem was indexed by performance on the Attention Network Test. Two types of mindfulness training (MT) programs were examined, and behavioral testing was conducted on participants before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) training. One training group consisted of individuals naive to mindfulness techniques who participated in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course that emphasized the development of concentrative meditation skills. The other training group consisted of individuals experienced in concentrative meditation techniques who participated in a 1-month intensive mindfulness retreat. Performance of these groups was compared with that of control participants who were meditation naive and received no MT. At Time 1, the participants in the retreat group demonstrated improved conflict monitoring performance relative to those in the MBSR and control groups. At Time 2, the participants in the MBSR course demonstrated significantly improved orienting in comparison with the control and retreat participants. In contrast, the participants in the retreat group demonstrated altered performance on the alerting component, with improvements in exogenous stimulus detection in comparison with the control and MBSR participants. The groups did not differ in conflict monitoring performance at Time 2. These results suggest that mindfulness training may improve attention-related behavioral responses by enhancing functioning of specific subcomponents of attention. Whereas participation in the MBSR course improved the ability to endogenously orient attention, retreat participation appeared to allow for the development and emergence of receptive attentional skills, which improved exogenous alerting-related process.

Musical dual-task training in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Ling; Pei, Yu-Cheng

2018-01-01

Dual-task training may improve dual-task gait performance, balance, and cognition in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Although music has been widely utilized in dementia management, there are no existing protocols for music-based dual-task training. This randomized controlled study developed a Musical Dual-Task Training (MDTT) protocol that patients with dementia can use to practice walking and making music simultaneously, to enhance attention control in patients during dual-tasking. Twenty-eight adults diagnosed with mild-to-moderate dementia were assigned to the MDTT (n=15) or control groups (n=13). The MDTT group received MDTT, while the control group participated in non-musical cognitive and walking activities. The effects of MDTT were evaluated through the primary outcome of attention control, and secondary outcomes of dual-task performance, balance, falls efficacy, and agitation. The MDTT group showed a significant improvement in attention control, while the control group did not ( P <0.001). A significant effect favored MDTT over control treatment for the secondary outcome of falls efficacy ( P =0.02) and agitation ( P <0.01). MDTT, a music therapy intervention that demands a high level of cognitive processing, enhances attention control, falls efficacy, and helps alleviate agitation in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia.

Musical dual-task training in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Ling; Pei, Yu-Cheng

2018-01-01

Background/aims Dual-task training may improve dual-task gait performance, balance, and cognition in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Although music has been widely utilized in dementia management, there are no existing protocols for music-based dual-task training. This randomized controlled study developed a Musical Dual-Task Training (MDTT) protocol that patients with dementia can use to practice walking and making music simultaneously, to enhance attention control in patients during dual-tasking. Methods Twenty-eight adults diagnosed with mild-to-moderate dementia were assigned to the MDTT (n=15) or control groups (n=13). The MDTT group received MDTT, while the control group participated in non-musical cognitive and walking activities. The effects of MDTT were evaluated through the primary outcome of attention control, and secondary outcomes of dual-task performance, balance, falls efficacy, and agitation. Results The MDTT group showed a significant improvement in attention control, while the control group did not (P<0.001). A significant effect favored MDTT over control treatment for the secondary outcome of falls efficacy (P=0.02) and agitation (P<0.01). Conclusion MDTT, a music therapy intervention that demands a high level of cognitive processing, enhances attention control, falls efficacy, and helps alleviate agitation in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia. PMID:29881275

Cognitive Performance, Sleepiness, and Mood in Partially Sleep Deprived Adolescents: The Need for Sleep Study

PubMed Central

Lo, June C.; Ong, Ju Lynn; Leong, Ruth L.F.; Gooley, Joshua J.; Chee, Michael W.L.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate the effects of sleep restriction (7 nights of 5 h time in bed [TIB]) on cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood in adolescents. Methods: A parallel-group design was adopted in the Need for Sleep Study. Fifty-six healthy adolescents (25 males, age = 15–19 y) who studied in top high schools and were not habitual short sleepers were randomly assigned to Sleep Restriction (SR) or Control groups. Participants underwent a 2-w protocol consisting of 3 baseline nights (TIB = 9 h), 7 nights of sleep opportunity manipulation (TIB = 5 h for the SR and 9 h for the control groups), and 3 nights of recovery sleep (TIB = 9 h) at a boarding school. A cognitive test battery was administered three times each day. Results: During the manipulation period, the SR group demonstrated incremental deterioration in sustained attention, working memory and executive function, increase in subjective sleepiness, and decrease in positive mood. Subjective sleepiness and sustained attention did not return to baseline levels even after 2 recovery nights. In contrast, the control group maintained baseline levels of cognitive performance, subjective sleepiness, and mood throughout the study. Incremental improvement in speed of processing, as a result of repeated testing and learning, was observed in the control group but was attenuated in the sleep-restricted participants, who, despite two recovery sleep episodes, continued to perform worse than the control participants. Conclusions: A week of partial sleep deprivation impairs a wide range of cognitive functions, subjective alertness, and mood even in high-performing high school adolescents. Some measures do not recover fully even after 2 nights of recovery sleep. Commentary: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 497. Citation: Lo JC, Ong JL, Leong RL, Gooley JJ, Chee MW. Cognitive performance, sleepiness, and mood in partially sleep deprived adolescents: the need for sleep study. SLEEP 2016;39(3):687–698. PMID:26612392

Performance and Return to Sport After Nonoperative Treatment of Clavicle Fractures in National Football League Players.

PubMed

Jack, Robert A; Sochacki, Kyle R; Navarro, Sergio M; McCulloch, Patrick C; Lintner, David M; Harris, Joshua D

2017-09-01

Clavicle fractures are often seen in contact sports. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) return-to-sport (RTS) rate of National Football League (NFL) players following nonoperative treatment of clavicle fractures, (2) posttreatment career length and games per season, (3) pre- and posttreatment performance, and (4) posttreatment performance compared with control players matched by position, age, years of experience, and performance. Public records were used to identify NFL players who underwent nonoperative treatment of clavicle fractures. Demographic and performance data were collected for each player. Matched controls (position, age, experience, and performance) were identified. Control and case performance scores were calculated using a standardized scoring system. Return to sport was defined as playing a minimum of 1 game after treatment. Comparisons between the 2 groups and pre- and posttreatment time points were made using paired-samples Student's t tests. Thirty players (32 fractures) were analyzed. Two players fractured their contralateral clavicle. Of the players analyzed, 96.9% were able to RTS at a mean of 244.6±119.6 days. Eight players (27.6%) returned within the same season as their injury. Overall 1-year survival rate posttreatment was 93.5%. Players with nonoperative treatment had career lengths similar to those of controls (P>.05). No significant (P>.05) differences existed in demographic, performance, or games per season data between position groups for cases and matched controls pretreatment and preindex and in posttreatment compared with pretreatment performance scores. Wide receivers played fewer games per season (P=.043) following treatment. No position group had significantly worse posttreatment performance scores when compared with postindex matched controls. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(5):e836-e843.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

The effects of physical activity on functional MRI activation associated with cognitive control in children: a randomized controlled intervention

PubMed Central

Chaddock-Heyman, Laura; Erickson, Kirk I.; Voss, Michelle W.; Knecht, Anya M.; Pontifex, Matthew B.; Castelli, Darla M.; Hillman, Charles H.; Kramer, Arthur F.

2013-01-01

This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the influence of a 9-month physical activity program on task-evoked brain activation during childhood. The results demonstrated that 8- to 9-year-old children who participated in 60+ min of physical activity, 5 days per week, for 9 months, showed decreases in fMRI brain activation in the right anterior prefrontal cortex coupled with within-group improvements in performance on a task of attentional and interference control. Children assigned to a wait-list control group did not show changes in brain function. Furthermore, at post-test, children in the physical activity group showed similar anterior frontal brain patterns and incongruent accuracy rates to a group of college-aged young adults. Children in the wait-list control group still differed from the young adults in terms of anterior prefrontal activation and performance at post-test. There were no significant changes in fMRI activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for either group. These results suggest that physical activity during childhood may enhance specific elements of prefrontal cortex function involved in cognitive control. PMID:23487583

Design, development, and validation of a take-home simulator for fundamental laparoscopic skills: using Nintendo Wii for surgical training.

PubMed

Bokhari, Ravia; Bollman-McGregor, Jyoti; Kahoi, Kanav; Smith, Marshall; Feinstein, Ara; Ferrara, John

2010-06-01

Assuring quality surgical trainees within the confines of reduced work hours mandates reassessment of educational paradigms. Surgical simulators have been shown to be effective in teaching surgical residents, but their use is limited by cost and time constraints. The Nintendo Wii gaming console is inexpensive and allows natural hand movements similar to those performed in laparoscopy to guide game play. We hypothesize that surgical skills can be improved through take-home simulators adapted from affordable off-the-shelf gaming consoles. A total of 21 surgical residents participated in a prospective, controlled study. An experimental group of 14 surgical residents was assigned to play Marble Mania on the Nintendo Wii using a unique physical controller that interfaces with the WiiMote controller followed by a simulated electrocautery task. Seven residents assigned to the control group performed the electrocautery task without playing the game first. When compared with the control group, the experimental group performed the task with fewer errors and superior movement proficiency (P < 0.05). The experimental group demonstrated increased ambidexterity with improvement in proficiency of the nondominant hand over time. In conclusion, the Nintendo Wii gaming device along with Marble Mania serves as an effective take-home surgical simulator.

Effects of a 6-week junior tennis conditioning program on service velocity.

PubMed

Fernandez-Fernandez, Jaime; Ellenbecker, Todd; Sanz-Rivas, David; Ulbricht, Alexander; Ferrautia, Alexander

2013-01-01

This study examined the effects of a 6-week strength-training program on serve velocity in youth tennis players. Thirty competitive healthy and nationally ranked male junior tennis players (13 years of age) were randomly and equally divided into control and training groups. The training group performed 3 sessions (60-70 min) weekly for 6 weeks, comprising core strength, elastic resistance and medicine ball exercises. Both groups (control and training) also performed a supervised stretching routine at the end of each training session, during the 6 week intervention. Service velocity, service accuracy and shoulder internal/external rotation were assessed initially and at the end of the 6-week conditioning program for both, control and training groups. There was a significant improvement in the serve velocity for the training group (p = 0. 0001) after the intervention, whereas in the control group there were no differences between pre and post-tests (p = 0.29). Serve accuracy was not affected in the training group (p = 0.10), nor in the control group (p = 0.15). Shoulder internal/external rotation ROM significantly improved in both groups, training (p = 0.001) and control (p = 0.0001). The present results showed that a short- term training program for young tennis players, using minimum equipment and effort, can result in improved tennis performance (i.e., serve velocity) and a reduction in the risk of a possible overuse injury, reflected by an improvement in shoulder external/internal range of motion. Key PointsA short-term training program for young tennis players, using minimum equipment and effort, can result in improved tennis performance and a reduction in the risk of a possible overuse injury, reflected by an improvement in shoulder external/internal range of motionA combination of core stabilization, elastic resistance exercises, and upper body plyometric exercises (i.e., medicine ball throws), focussing on the primary muscle groups and stabilizers involved in tennis specific movement patterns, could be appropriate for development tennis playersStretching exercises are recommended in the cool-down phase following matches or training sessions.

Effects of A 6-Week Junior Tennis Conditioning Program on Service Velocity

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Fernandez, Jaime; Ellenbecker, Todd; Sanz-Rivas, david; Ulbricht, Alexander; Ferrautia, lexander

2013-01-01

This study examined the effects of a 6-week strength-training program on serve velocity in youth tennis players. Thirty competitive healthy and nationally ranked male junior tennis players (13 years of age) were randomly and equally divided into control and training groups. The training group performed 3 sessions (60-70 min) weekly for 6 weeks, comprising core strength, elastic resistance and medicine ball exercises. Both groups (control and training) also performed a supervised stretching routine at the end of each training session, during the 6 week intervention. Service velocity, service accuracy and shoulder internal/external rotation were assessed initially and at the end of the 6-week conditioning program for both, control and training groups. There was a significant improvement in the serve velocity for the training group (p = 0. 0001) after the intervention, whereas in the control group there were no differences between pre and post-tests (p = 0.29). Serve accuracy was not affected in the training group (p = 0.10), nor in the control group (p = 0.15). Shoulder internal/external rotation ROM significantly improved in both groups, training (p = 0.001) and control (p = 0.0001). The present results showed that a short- term training program for young tennis players, using minimum equipment and effort, can result in improved tennis performance (i.e., serve velocity) and a reduction in the risk of a possible overuse injury, reflected by an improvement in shoulder external/internal range of motion. Key Points A short-term training program for young tennis players, using minimum equipment and effort, can result in improved tennis performance and a reduction in the risk of a possible overuse injury, reflected by an improvement in shoulder external/internal range of motion A combination of core stabilization, elastic resistance exercises, and upper body plyometric exercises (i.e., medicine ball throws), focussing on the primary muscle groups and stabilizers involved in tennis specific movement patterns, could be appropriate for development tennis players Stretching exercises are recommended in the cool-down phase following matches or training sessions. PMID:24149801

Attention Training in Autism as a Potential Approach to Improving Academic Performance: A School-Based Pilot Study.

PubMed

Spaniol, Mayra Muller; Shalev, Lilach; Kossyvaki, Lila; Mevorach, Carmel

2018-02-01

This study assessed the effectiveness of an attention intervention program (Computerized Progressive Attentional Training; CPAT) in improving academic performance of children with ASD. Fifteen 6-10 year olds with ASD attending a mainstream and a special school were assigned to an experimental (CPAT; n = 8) and active control (computer games; n = 7) group. Children were assessed pre- and post-intervention on measures of behavioural symptoms, cognitive skills and academic performance. The intervention was conducted in school twice a week for 8 weeks. Children in the CPAT group showed cognitive and academic improvements over and above the active control group, while children in both groups showed improvements in behaviour. Results suggest that attention training is a feasible approach to improving academic performance in this population.

Perceptual training methods compared: the relative efficacy of different approaches to enhancing sport-specific anticipation.

PubMed

Abernethy, Bruce; Schorer, Jörg; Jackson, Robin C; Hagemann, Norbert

2012-06-01

The comparative efficacy of different perceptual training approaches for the improvement of anticipation was examined using a goalkeeping task from European handball that required the rapid prediction of shot direction. Novice participants (N = 60) were assigned equally to four different training groups and two different control groups (a placebo group and a group who undertook no training). The training groups received either (i) explicit rules to guide anticipation; (ii) direction as to the location of the key anticipatory cues provided either just verbally (verbal cueing) or supplemented with color highlighting (color cueing); or (iii) undertook a matching judgment task to encourage implicit learning. Performance of the groups was compared on an anticipation test administered before training, after the training intervention, under a condition involving evaluative stress, and after a 5-month retention period. The explicit learning, verbal cueing, and implicit learning conditions provided the greatest sustained improvements in performance whereas the group given color cueing performed no better than the control groups. Only the implicit learning group showed performance superior to the control groups under the stress situation. The verbal cueing, color cueing, and implicit learning groups formulated the lowest number of explicit rules related to the critical shoulder cue although the reported use of general cues and rules based on all cues did not differ between any of the groups. Anticipation can be improved through a variety of different perceptual training approaches with the relative efficacy of the different approaches being contingent upon both the time scale and conditions under which learning is assessed.

Matter Over Mind: A Randomised-Controlled Trial of Single-Session Biofeedback Training on Performance Anxiety and Heart Rate Variability in Musicians

PubMed Central

Wells, Ruth; Outhred, Tim; Heathers, James A. J.; Quintana, Daniel S.; Kemp, Andrew H.

2012-01-01

Background Musical performance is a skilled activity performed under intense pressure, thus is often a profound source of anxiety. In other contexts, anxiety and its concomitant symptoms of sympathetic nervous system arousal have been successfully ameliorated with HRV biofeedback (HRV BF), a technique involving slow breathing which augments autonomic and emotional regulatory capacity. Objective: This randomised-controlled study explored the impact of a single 30-minute session of HRV BF on anxiety in response to a highly stressful music performance. Methods A total of 46 trained musicians participated in this study and were randomly allocated to a slow breathing with or without biofeedback or no-treatment control group. A 3 Group×2 Time mixed experimental design was employed to compare the effect of group before and after intervention on performance anxiety (STAI-S) and frequency domain measures of HRV. Results Slow breathing groups (n = 30) showed significantly greater improvements in high frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio measures of HRV relative to control (n = 15) during 5 minute recordings of performance anticipation following the intervention (effect size: η2 = 0.122 and η2 = 0.116, respectively). The addition of biofeedback to a slow breathing protocol did not produce differential results. While intervention groups did not exhibit an overall reduction in self-reported anxiety, participants with high baseline anxiety who received the intervention (n = 15) displayed greater reductions in self-reported state anxiety relative to those in the control condition (n = 7) (r = 0.379). Conclusions These findings indicate that a single session of slow breathing, regardless of biofeedback, is sufficient for controlling physiological arousal in anticipation of psychosocial stress associated with music performance and that slow breathing is particularly helpful for musicians with high levels of anxiety. Future research is needed to further examine the effects of HRV BF as a low-cost, non-pharmacological treatment for music performance anxiety. PMID:23056361

Effect of Tai Chi Training on Dual-Tasking Performance That Involves Stepping Down among Stroke Survivors: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Chan, Wing-Nga; Tsang, William Wai-Nam

2017-01-01

Descending stairs demands attention and neuromuscular control, especially with dual-tasking. Studies have demonstrated that stroke often degrades a survivor's ability to descend stairs. Tai Chi has been shown to improve dual-tasking performance of healthy older adults, but no such study has been conducted in stroke survivors. This study investigated the effect of Tai Chi training on dual-tasking performance that involved stepping down and compared it with that of conventional exercise among stroke survivors. Subjects were randomized into Tai Chi ( n = 9), conventional exercise ( n = 8), and control ( n = 9) groups. Those in the former two groups received 12-week training. Assessments included auditory Stroop test, stepping down test, and dual-tasking test involving both simultaneously. They were evaluated before training (time-1), after training (time-2), and one month after training (time-3). Tai Chi group showed significant improvement in the auditory Stroop test from time-1 to time-3 and the performance was significantly better than that of the conventional exercise group in time-3. No significant effect was found in the stepping down task or dual-tasking in the control group. These results suggest a beneficial effect of Tai Chi training on cognition among stroke survivors without compromising physical task performance in dual-tasking. The effect was better than the conventional exercise group. Nevertheless, further research with a larger sample is warranted.

The effects of spinal support device on pain and extensibility of the hamstrings in patients with non-specific low back pain.

PubMed

Jeon, Eun Tae; Jung, Jin-Hwa; Moon, Jong Hoon; Jung, Kyoung-Sim; Won, Young Sik; Kim, Sung-Jin; Hahm, Suk-Chan; Cho, Hwi-Young

2017-08-01

[Purpose] The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of spinal support device (SSD) on pain and hamstring extensibility in patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). [Subjects and Methods] 20 patients with NSLBP were recruited and randomly assigned to either the SSD group or the control group. In the SSD group, SSD was applied; in the control group, bed rest in supine position was performed. Both groups underwent treatment 20 min/day, 3 times a week, for a duration of 4 weeks. To assess the hamstring extensibility, sit and reach test (SRT) was performed. To assess pain pressure threshold (PPT) of the sacroiliac joint, a pressure algometer was used. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to quantify pain. [Results] The SSD group showed a significant improvement in sacroiliac joint pain with increased VAS, and the control group showed a significantly increased VAS after intervention. In the SSD group, VAS was significantly increased, but SRT was not changed compared with the control group. [Conclusion] These results demonstrated that an application of SSD effectively attenuates low back pain. Therefore, SSD may be a suitable intervention for pain control in patients with NSLBP.

The short-term effects of trigger point therapy, stretching and medicine ball exercises on accuracy and back swing hip turn in elite, male golfers - A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Quinn, Samantha-Lynn; Olivier, Benita; Wood, Wendy-Ann

2016-11-01

This study aimed to compare the effect of myofascial trigger point therapy (MTPT) and stretching, MTPT and medicine ball exercises, and no intervention, on hip flexor length (HFL), golf swing biomechanics and performance in elite, male golfers. Single blind, randomised controlled trial with two experimental groups (stretch group: MTPT and stretching; and the ball group: MTPT, a single stretch and medicine ball exercises) and one control group (no intervention). Professional golf academy. One hundred, elite, male golfers aged 16-25 years. HFL, 3D biomechanical analysis of the golf swing, club head speed (CHS), smash ratio, accuracy and distance at baseline and after the interventions. Backswing hip turn (BSHT) improved in the ball group relative to the control group (p = 0.0248). Accuracy in the ball group and the stretch group improved relative to the control group (Fisher's exact = 0.016). Other performance parameters such as: smash ratio, distance and CHS were not compromised by either intervention. This study advocates the use of MTPT combined with medicine ball exercises over MTPT combined with stretching in the treatment of golfers with shortened hip flexors - even immediately preceding a tournament. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurofeedback training with virtual reality for inattention and impulsiveness.

PubMed

Cho, Baek-Hwan; Kim, Saebyul; Shin, Dong Ik; Lee, Jang Han; Lee, Sang Min; Kim, In Young; Kim, Sun I

2004-10-01

In this research, the effectiveness of neurofeedback, along with virtual reality (VR), in reducing the level of inattention and impulsiveness was investigated. Twenty-eight male participants, aged 14-18, with social problems, took part in this study. They were separated into three groups: a control group, a VR group, and a non-VR group. The VR and non-VR groups underwent eight sessions of neurofeedback training over 2 weeks, while the control group just waited during the same period. The VR group used a head-mounted display (HMD) and a head tracker, which let them look around the virtual world. Conversely, the non-VR group used only a computer monitor with a fixed viewpoint. All participants performed a continuous performance task (CPT) before and after the complete training session. The results showed that both the VR and non-VR groups achieved better scores in the CPT after the training session, while the control group showed no significant difference. Compared with the other groups, the VR group presented a tendency to get better results, suggesting that immersive VR is applicable to neurofeedback for the rehabilitation of inattention and impulsiveness.

Using Technology to Expand and Enhance Applied Behavioral Analysis Programs for Children with Autism in Military Families

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

group and seven in the control group . Mean component skills implemented correctly on the pretest and posttest for the treatment and control groups for...in the control group showed no improvement (white bar on posttest column). In Figure 2, instead of reporting the percentage of trials implemented...above. Both groups performed poorly on the BISPA (Figure 3, upper-left panel) during the pretest (Ms = 19.17% and 13.89% on the pretest

Group Systematic Desensitization Versus Covert Positive Reinforcement in the Reduction of Test Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostka, Marion P.; Galassi, John P.

1974-01-01

The study compared modified versions of systematic desensitization and covert positive reinforcement to a no-treatment control condition in the reduction of test anxiety. On an anagrams performance test, the covert reinforcement and control groups were superior to the desensitization group. (Author)

Does a multicomponent exercise program improve dual-task performance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment? A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Makizako, Hyuma; Doi, Takehiko; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Daisuke; Tsutsumimoto, Kota; Uemura, Kazuki; Suzuki, Takao

2012-12-01

There has been much interest in exercise interventions as a primary behavioral prevention strategy against cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent exercise program on physical and dual-task performances in community-dwelling older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Fifty older adults (23 women) with aMCI (mean age, 76 years) were randomized to an intervention (n=25) or a control group (n=25). The intervention group received a multicomponent exercise program for 90 minutes/day, 2 days/week, or 40 times over six months. The multicomponent exercises included aerobic exercise, muscle strength training and postural balance retraining, which was conducted under multi-task conditions to stimulate attention and memory. Participants in the control group attended two health promotion education classes within six months. Physical and dual-task performances were measured before randomization and after six months. Dual-task performances using reaction times with balance and cognitive demands were measured. The improvement effects on dual-task performances with both balance and cognitive demands were not statistically significant: reaction time with balance demand F1,45=3.3, p=0.07, and cognitive demand F1,45=2.6, p=0.12. However, there was a significant group-by-time interaction on maximal walking speed, which decreased significantly in the control group (F1,45=5.9, p=0.02). This six-month multicomponent exercise program improved maximal walking speed in older adults with aMCI; however, it did not improve dual-task performances assessed by reaction times.

Iowa gambling task performance in euthymic bipolar I disorder: A meta-analysis and empirical study

PubMed Central

Edge, Michael D.; Johnson, Sheri L.; Ng, Tommy; Carver, Charles S.

2013-01-01

Background The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been recommended as an index of reward sensitivity, which is elevated in bipolar disorder. We conducted a meta-analysis of IGT performance in euthymic bipolar I disorder compared with control participants. Findings indicated that people with bipolar disorder make more risky choices than control participants, though the effect is small (g=0.35). It is not clear which of the many processes involved in IGT performance are involved in producing the observed group difference. Methods Fifty-five euthymic people with bipolar disorder and 39 control participants completed the IGT. The Expectancy Valence Model was used to examine differences in IGT. We also examined whether variation in IGT performance within the bipolar group was related to current mood, illness course, impulsivity, or demographics. Results Bipolar and control groups did not differ on the total number of risky choices, rate of learning, or any of the parameters of the Expectancy Valence Model. IGT performance in bipolar disorder was not related to any of the examined individual differences. Limitations It is possible that there are group differences that are too small to detect at our sample size or that are not amenable to study via the Expectancy Valence Model. Conclusions We were unable to identify group differences on the IGT or correlates of IGT performance within bipolar disorder. Though the IGT may serve as a useful model for decision-making, its structure may make it unsuitable for behavioral assessment of reward sensitivity independent of punishment sensitivity. PMID:23219060

The influence of the guided constructivist instructional model on attitudes toward secondary-level physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dallal, Kamel Salim

The effect of guided constructivism (bridging analogies) and expository instructional methods on the attitudes of students toward physics was investigated. A nonrandomize nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group quasi- experimental design was employed. The sample consisted of 127 eleventh-grade and twelfth-grade students from five selected classes from two private high schools in Beirut, Lebanon. Two intact classes were assigned to the control group and three classes to the experimental group. The experimental group was exposed to the bridging analogies instructional method, and the control group was taught using the traditional expository method. A Likert-type instrument, the Physics Attitude Index, was used to measure attitudes on four dimensions. The 40-item Physics Attitude Index (PAI) is a questionnaire using a five response scale. Performance in the assigned topics in physics, cognitive developmental levels, and gender were used as covariants and to examine interaction effects. The experimental groups had significantly higher means than the control groups on all criterion variables. A significant interaction was found between groups and performance levels in the following cases: (a) criterion variable of attitude toward physics; (b) views toward physics learning; and (c) enjoyment of physics. This result indicated that the low performing students among the experimental group had greater gain in attitude toward physics than the high performing students in same group. On the other hand, no interaction occurred between treatment groups and gender, which shows that in this study gender has no significant effect on attitude toward physics. Significant interactions between the treatment groups and cognitive levels were found on the criterion variable of beliefs about physics as a process of learning and enjoyment of physics. In both cases, the difference between the group means were widely different among students at the concrete and transitional levels, but narrowly different among students at the formal level.

Physical performance in recently aged adults after 6 weeks traditional Thai dance: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Janyacharoen, Taweesak; Laophosri, Maneepun; Kanpittaya, Jaturat; Auvichayapat, Paradee; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

2013-01-01

Exercise has been shown to be effective in cardiovascular endurance in the elderly. We studied the effect of Thai dancing on physical performance of Thai elderly. This was an open-labeled, randomized intervention study. The Thai dancing group exercised for 40 minutes three times a week for 6 weeks. Physical performance ability was the primary outcome, including a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), five-times sit-to-stand (FTSST), and a sit-and-reach test measured before and after 6 weeks of intervention. There were 42 subjects enrolled in the study, and 38 female subjects completed (20 in Thai dance group, 18 controls), with an average age of 65.8 ± 5.1 years. The Thai dance group had significantly better physical performance in all measurements at the end of the study. The 6MWT was longer (416.7 ± 58.7 versus 345.7 ± 55.1 m; P = 0.011), FTSST was quicker (10.2 ± 1.5 versus 14.4 ± 3.3 seconds; P < 0.001), and flexibility was higher (14.9 ± 3.5 versus 11.1 ± 5.7 cm; P = 0.002) in the Thai dance group than the control group. Thai dance can improve physical performance in recently aged (elderly) female adults.

Evaluation of the Use of a Virtual Patient on Student Competence and Confidence in Performing Simulated Clinic Visits.

PubMed

Taglieri, Catherine A; Crosby, Steven J; Zimmerman, Kristin; Schneider, Tulip; Patel, Dhiren K

2017-06-01

Objective. To assess the effect of incorporating virtual patient activities in a pharmacy skills lab on student competence and confidence when conducting real-time comprehensive clinic visits with mock patients. Methods. Students were randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. The control group completed the clinic visit prior to completing virtual patient activities. The intervention group completed the virtual patient activities prior to the clinic visit. Student proficiency was evaluated in the mock lab. All students completed additional exercises with the virtual patient and were subsequently assessed. Student impressions were assessed via a pre- and post-experience survey. Results. Student performance conducting clinic visits was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. Overall student performance continued to improve in the subsequent module. There was no change in student confidence from pre- to post-experience. Student rating of the ease of use and realistic simulation of the virtual patient increased; however, student rating of the helpfulness of the virtual patient decreased. Despite student rating of the helpfulness of the virtual patient program, student performance improved. Conclusion. Virtual patient activities enhanced student performance during mock clinic visits. Students felt the virtual patient realistically simulated a real patient. Virtual patients may provide additional learning opportunities for students.

Enhancement of Performance and Motivation through Application of Digital Games in an English Language Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wichadee, Saovapa; Pattanapichet, Fasawang

2018-01-01

The study was conducted to find out what impact a digital game had on students' learning performance and motivation. A quasi-experimental study was performed with two groups of students. The experimental group was taught using the digital game "Kahoot" whereas the control group was taught with the conventional method. Pre-tests,…

Training Attention Improves Decision Making in Individuals with Elevated Self-Reported Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Cooper, Jessica A.; Gorlick, Marissa A.; Denny, Taylor; Worthy, Darrell A.; Beevers, Christopher G.; Maddox, W. Todd

2013-01-01

Depression is often characterized by attentional biases toward negative items and away from positive items, which likely affects reward and punishment processing. Recent work reported that training attention away from negative stimuli reduced this bias and reduced depressive symptoms. However, the effect of attention training on subsequent learning has yet to be explored. In the current study, participants were required to learn to maximize reward during decision-making. Undergraduates with elevated self-reported depressive symptoms received attention training toward positive stimuli prior to performing the decision-making task (n=20; active training). The active training group was compared to two groups: undergraduates with elevated self-reported depressive symptoms who received placebo training (n=22; placebo training) and control subjects with low levels of depressive symptoms (n=33; non-depressive control). The placebo-training depressive group performed worse and switched between options more than non-depressive controls on the reward maximization task. However, depressives that received active training performed as well as non-depressive controls. Computational modeling indicated that the placebo-trained group learned more from negative than from positive prediction errors, leading to more frequent switching. The non-depressive control and active training depressive groups showed similar learning from positive and negative prediction errors, leading to less frequent switching and better performance. Our results indicate that individuals with elevated depressive symptoms are impaired at reward maximization, but that the deficit can be improved with attention training toward positive stimuli. PMID:24197612

Peer-assisted learning to train high-school students to perform basic life-support.

PubMed

Choi, Hyung Soo; Lee, Dong Hoon; Kim, Chan Woong; Kim, Sung Eun; Oh, Je Hyeok

2015-01-01

The inclusion of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in formal education has been a useful approach to providing basic life support (BLS) services. However, because not all students have been able to learn directly from certified instructors, we studied the educational efficacy of the use of peer-assisted learning (PAL) to train high-school students to perform BLS services. This study consisted of 187 high-school students: 68 participants served as a control group and received a 1-hour BLS training from a school nurse, and 119 were included in a PAL group and received a 1-hour CPR training from a PAL leader. Participants' BLS training was preceded by the completion of questionnaires regarding their background. Three months after the training, the participants were asked to respond to questionnaires about their willingness to perform CPR on bystander CPR and their retention of knowledge of BLS. We found no statistically significant difference between the control and PAL groups in their willingness to perform CPR on bystanders (control: 55.2%, PAL: 64.7%, P=0.202). The PAL group was not significantly different from the control group (control: 60.78±39.77, PAL: 61.76±17.80, P=0.848) in retention of knowledge about BLS services. In educating high school students about BLS, there was no significant difference between PAL and traditional education in increasing the willingness to provide CPR to bystanders or the ability to retain knowledge about BLS.

Microleakage along Glassix glass fibre posts cemented with three different materials assessed using a fluid transport system.

PubMed

Rogić-Barbić, M; Segović, S; Pezelj-Ribarić, S; Borcić, J; Jukić, S; Anić, I

2006-05-01

To evaluate the microleakage along Glassix fibre posts cemented with three different materials. The root canals of maxillary central incisor teeth were filled and restored with Glassix posts (Harald Nordin sa, Chailly/Montreux, Switzerland) cemented with either a zinc-phosphate Harvard cement (Richter & Hoffmann, Harvard Dental GmbH, Berlin, Germany), Fuji PLUS cement (GC Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) or Variolink II cement (Vivadent, Schaan, Lichtenstein) in three groups of 15 canals each. Twenty unrestored canals served as a control group, 10 filled with gutta-percha and sealer (negative control group), the remaining 10 with gutta-percha only (positive control group). Coronal microleakage was evaluated using a fluid transport system. The movement of an air bubble in a capillary glass tube connected to the apex of the experimental root section was measured over 5-min periods. Measurements were performed four times for each specimen and the mean values recorded. ANOVA and Duncan's test were performed. The positive control group had the highest values of microleakage. Amongst experimental groups, the highest values of microleakage occurred in the group with the posts cemented with Harvard cement, followed by Fuji PLUS and Variolink II cements. Groups with Fuji PLUS, Variolink II and the negative control group had significantly (P < 0.00001) less microleakage compared with the Harvard cement group and the positive control group. Canals with Glassix posts cemented with Variolink II and Fuji PLUS cement had the least leakage when assessed using a fluid transport system.

Comparison of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise, Volume and Flow Incentive Spirometry, on Diaphragm Excursion and Pulmonary Function in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Anand, R.

2016-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercises and flow and volume-oriented incentive spirometry on pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Methodology. We selected 260 patients posted for laparoscopic abdominal surgery and they were block randomization as follows: 65 patients performed diaphragmatic breathing exercises, 65 patients performed flow incentive spirometry, 65 patients performed volume incentive spirometry, and 65 patients participated as a control group. All of them underwent evaluation of pulmonary function with measurement of Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), and diaphragm excursion measurement by ultrasonography before the operation and on the first and second postoperative days. With the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results. Pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion showed a significant decrease on the first postoperative day in all four groups (p < 0.001) but was evident more in the control group than in the experimental groups. On the second postoperative day pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion were found to be better preserved in volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group than in the flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion showed statistically significant differences between volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group (p < 0.05) as compared to that flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Conclusion. Volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise can be recommended as an intervention for all patients pre- and postoperatively, over flow-oriented incentive spirometry for the generation and sustenance of pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in the management of laparoscopic abdominal surgery. PMID:27525116

Comparison of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise, Volume and Flow Incentive Spirometry, on Diaphragm Excursion and Pulmonary Function in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Alaparthi, Gopala Krishna; Augustine, Alfred Joseph; Anand, R; Mahale, Ajith

2016-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercises and flow and volume-oriented incentive spirometry on pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Methodology. We selected 260 patients posted for laparoscopic abdominal surgery and they were block randomization as follows: 65 patients performed diaphragmatic breathing exercises, 65 patients performed flow incentive spirometry, 65 patients performed volume incentive spirometry, and 65 patients participated as a control group. All of them underwent evaluation of pulmonary function with measurement of Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), and diaphragm excursion measurement by ultrasonography before the operation and on the first and second postoperative days. With the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results. Pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion showed a significant decrease on the first postoperative day in all four groups (p < 0.001) but was evident more in the control group than in the experimental groups. On the second postoperative day pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion were found to be better preserved in volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group than in the flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity) and diaphragm excursion showed statistically significant differences between volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise group (p < 0.05) as compared to that flow incentive spirometry group and the control group. Conclusion. Volume incentive spirometry and diaphragmatic breathing exercise can be recommended as an intervention for all patients pre- and postoperatively, over flow-oriented incentive spirometry for the generation and sustenance of pulmonary function and diaphragm excursion in the management of laparoscopic abdominal surgery.

Multi-school collaboration to develop and test nutrition computer modules for pediatric residents.

PubMed

Roche, Patricia L; Ciccarelli, Mary R; Gupta, Sandeep K; Hayes, Barbara M; Molleston, Jean P

2007-09-01

The provision of essential nutrition-related content in US medical education has been deficient, despite efforts of the federal government and multiple professional organizations. Novel and efficient approaches are needed. A multi-department project was developed to create and pilot a computer-based compact disc instructional program covering the nutrition topics of oral rehydration therapy, calcium, and vitamins. Funded by an internal medical school grant, the content of the modules was written by Department of Pediatrics faculty. The modules were built by School of Informatics faculty and students, and were tested on a convenience sampling of 38 pediatric residents in a randomized controlled trial performed by a registered dietitian/School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Master's degree candidate. The modules were reviewed for content by the pediatric faculty principal investigator and the registered dietitian/School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences graduate student. Residents completed a pretest of nutrition knowledge and attitude toward nutrition and Web-based instruction. Half the group was given three programs (oral rehydration therapy, calcium, and vitamins) on compact disc for study over 6 weeks. Both study and control groups completed a posttest. Pre- and postintervention objective test results in study vs control groups and attitudinal survey results before and after intervention in the study group were compared. The experimental group demonstrated significantly better posttrial objective test performance compared to the control group (P=0.0005). The study group tended toward improvement, whereas the control group performance declined substantially between pre- and posttests. Study group resident attitudes toward computer-based instruction improved. Use of these computer modules prompted almost half of the residents in the study group to independently pursue relevant nutrition-related information. This inexpensive, collaborative, multi-department effort to design a computer-based nutrition curriculum positively impacted both resident knowledge and attitudes.

Effect of a prior bout of preconditioning exercise on muscle damage from downhill walking.

PubMed

Maeo, Sumiaki; Ochi, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kanehisa, Hiroaki; Nosaka, Kazunori

2015-03-01

This study investigated whether reduced-duration downhill walking (DW) would confer a protective effect against muscle damage induced by a subsequent bout of longer duration DW performed 1 week or 4 weeks later. Healthy young adults were allocated to a control or one of the preconditioning exercise (PRE-1wk or PRE-4wk) groups (10 men and 4 women per group). PRE-1wk and PRE-4wk groups performed 20-min DW (-28% slope, 5 km/h, 10% body mass added to a backpack) 1 week and 4 weeks before 40-min DW, respectively, and the control group performed 40-min DW only. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) knee extension torque, plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, and muscle soreness (100-mm visual analog scale) were measured before, immediately after, and 24, 48, and 72 h after DW, and the changes in these variables were compared among groups. The control group showed symptoms of muscle damage (e.g., prolonged decrease in MVC: -14% ± 10% at 48 h post-DW) after 40-min DW. Changes in all variables after 40-min DW of PRE-1wk and PRE-4wk groups were 54%-61% smaller (P < 0.05) than the control group, without significant differences between PRE-1wk and PRE-4wk groups for MVC and plasma CK activity. Importantly, changes after the preconditioning exercise (20-min DW) were 67%-69% smaller (P < 0.05) than those after the 40-min DW of the control group. These findings suggest that 20-min DW resulting in minor muscle damage conferred a protective effect against subsequent 40-min DW, and its effect could last for more than 4 weeks.

The Trainability of Adolescent Soccer Players to Brief Periodized Complex Training.

PubMed

Chatzinikolaou, Athanasios; Michaloglou, Konstantinos; Avloniti, Alexandra; Leontsini, Diamanda; Deli, Chariklia K; Vlachopoulos, Dimitris; Gracia-Marco, Luis; Arsenis, Sotirios; Athanailidis, Ioannis; Draganidis, Dimitrios; Jamurtas, Athanasios Z; Williams, Craig A; Fatouros, Ioannis G

2018-05-01

To investigate the effect of a complex, short-term strength/power training protocol on performance and body composition of elite early adolescent soccer players. Twenty-two players (14-15 y) were randomly assigned to (1) an experimental group (N = 12; participated in a 5-wk training protocol with traditional multijoint power resistance exercises, Olympic-style lifts, plyometric drills, and speed work; 4 times per week) or (2) a control group (N = 10). Strength and power performance (jumping, speed, change of direction, repeated sprint ability, endurance, isokinetic strength of knee flexors and extensors, maximal strength in various lifts, and speed-endurance) were evaluated pretraining and posttraining. Cessation of training for 5 weeks in the control group induced a marked performance deterioration (∼5%-20%). Training not only prevented strength performance deterioration but also increased it (∼2%-30%). Endurance and repeated sprint ability declined to a smaller extent in experimental group compared with control group (15% vs 7.5%). Isometric strength and body composition remained unaltered in both groups. Results demonstrate that (1) young players exhibit a high level of trainability of their strength/power performance (but not endurance) in response to a short-term complex training protocol during early adolescence, (2) Olympic-style lifts are characterized by increased safety in this age group and appear to be highly effective, (3) lifts incorporating a hip thrust result in increased strength of both knee extensors and flexors, (4) cessation of training for only 5 weeks results in marked deterioration of strength/power and endurance performance, and (5) improvement of strength/power performance may be related to neural-based adaptation as body composition remained unaffected.

Saccadic performance in questionnaire-identified schizotypes over time.

PubMed

Gooding, Diane C; Shea, Heather B; Matts, Christie W

2005-02-28

In the present study, 121 young adults (mean age=19 years), hypothesized to be at varying levels of risk for psychosis on the basis of their psychometric profiles, were administered saccadic (antisaccade and refixation) tasks at two separate assessments. At Time 1, individuals posited to be at heightened risk for the later development of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (i.e., those individuals with elevated Social Anhedonia Scale [SAS] scores) produced significantly more antisaccade task errors than the controls. Despite apparent improvement in antisaccade task performance from initial testing to the follow-up (mean test-retest interval=59 months) across all groups, the Social Anhedonia (SocAnh) group continued to produce significantly more errors than the control group. The antisaccade task performance of the control group showed good temporal stability (Pearson's r=0.70, ICC=0.52), and the SocAnh group's performance showed excellent temporal stability (Pearson's r=0.85, ICC=0.83). The results of this investigation are twofold: First, antisaccade task performance is temporally stable, even in psychometrically identified schizotypes over long test-retest intervals; and secondly, Social Anhedonia Scale scores as well as Time 1 antisaccade task accuracy accounted for much of the variability in Time 2 antisaccade task performance. These findings add to the growing body of literature suggesting that antisaccade task deficits may serve as an endophenotypic marker of a schizophrenia diathesis.

Depression of leukocyte protein synthesis, immune function and growth performance induced by high environmental temperature in broiler chickens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamel, Nancy N.; Ahmed, Ayman M. H.; Mehaisen, Gamal M. K.; Mashaly, Magdi M.; Abass, Ahmed O.

2017-09-01

In tropical and semitropical regions, raising broiler chickens out of their thermal comfort zone can cause an added economic loss in the poultry industry. The cause for the deleterious effects on immunity and growth performance of broilers under high environmental temperatures is still poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of the current investigation was to evaluate the effect of heat stress on leukocytes protein synthesis and immune function as a possible direct cause of low performance in broiler chickens under such condition. In this study, 300 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb500™) were randomly assigned into 2 groups with 5 replicates of 30 chicks each. From 21 to 42 days of age, one group was exposed to non-stressed condition at 24 °C and 50% relative humidity (control group), while the other group was exposed to heat stress at 35 °C and 50% relative humidity (HS group). At 42 days of age, blood samples were collected from each group to evaluate stress indicators, immune function, and leukocytes protein synthesis. Production performance was also recorded. Noteworthy, protein synthesis in leukocytes was significantly ( P < 0.05) inhibited in HS group by 38% compared to control group. In contrast, the phosphorylation level on threonine 56 site (Thr56) of eukaryotic elongation factor (eEF2), which indicates the suppression of protein translation process through altering the protein elongation phase, was significantly threefold higher in HS group than in control ( P < 0.05). In addition, an increase in stress indicators was markedly ( P < 0.05) presented in the HS birds by twofold increase in heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and threefold increase in plasma corticosterone level compared to control. Furthermore, the immune function was significantly ( P < 0.05) suppressed in HS birds than control (0.99 vs. 1.88 mg/mL plasma IgG, 89.2 vs. 148.0 μg/mL plasma IgM, 4.80 vs. 7.20 antibody titer against SRBC, and 1.38 vs. 3.39 stimulation index of lymphocyte proliferation in HS vs. control group, respectively). Moreover, results on the broiler performance indicate that HS birds had a significant ( P < 0.05) lower body weight gain by 58%, lower feed consumption by 39%, higher conversion ratio by 27%, and higher mortality by more than three times, compared to control birds. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the inhibition of leukocyte protein synthesis through increasing the level of eEF2 Thr56 phosphorylation may play a key role in the observed decrease in immune function and growth performance with the high mortality rate encountered in broiler chickens under heat stress environment.

Silent Illumination: A Study on Chan (Zen) Meditation, Anxiety, and Musical Performance Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Peter; Chang, Joanne; Zemon, Vance; Midlarsky, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

This study investigated the effects of Chan (Zen) meditation on musical performance anxiety and musical performance quality. Nineteen participants were recruited from music conservatories and randomly assigned to either an eight-week meditation group or a wait-list control group. After the intervention, all participants performed in a public…

Neuropsychological performance of sexual assaulters and pedophiles.

PubMed

Scott, M L; Cole, J K; McKay, S E; Golden, C J; Liggett, K R

1984-10-01

Persons who had been arrested for sexual assault were administered the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery and the results compared to a group of normal controls. The sexual assaulters performed significantly worse on 7 of the 14 scales of the battery. The data were then broken down into three groups: (1) those who had forcibly assaulted postpubescent victims, (2) those subjects who had sexually molested a prepubescent child, and (3) normal controls. A discriminant analysis correctly classified 68% of the subjects on the basis of their neuropsychological performance alone.

Improving Primary Care Residents' Proficiency in the Diagnosis of Skin Cancer

PubMed Central

Gerbert, Barbara; Bronstone, Amy; Wolff, Mimi; Maurer, Toby; Berger, Timothy; Pantilat, Steven; McPhee, Stephen J

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether a brief, multicomponent intervention could improve the skin cancer diagnosis and evaluation planning performance of primary care residents to a level equivalent to that of dermatologists. PARTICIPANTS Fifty-two primary care residents (26 in the control group and 26 in the intervention group) and 13 dermatologists completed a pretest and posttest. DESIGN A randomized, controlled trial with pretest and posttest measurements of residents' ability to diagnose and make evaluation plans for lesions indicative of skin cancer. INTERVENTION The intervention included face-to-face feedback sessions focusing on residents' performance deficiencies; an interactive seminar including slide presentations, case examples, and live demonstrations; and the Melanoma Prevention Kit including a booklet, magnifying tool, measuring tool, and skin color guide. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We compared the abilities of a control and an intervention group of primary care residents, and a group of dermatologists to diagnose and make evaluation plans for six categories of skin lesions including three types of skin cancer—malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. At posttest, both the intervention and control group demonstrated improved performance, with the intervention group revealing significantly larger gains. The intervention group showed greater improvement than the control group across all six diagnostic categories (a gain of 13 percentage points vs 5, p < .05), and in evaluation planning for malignant melanoma (a gain of 46 percentage points vs 36, p < .05) and squamous cell carcinoma (a gain of 42 percentage points vs 21, p < .01). The intervention group performed as well as the dermatologists on five of the six skin cancer diagnosis and evaluation planning scores with the exception of the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS Primary care residents can diagnose and make evaluation plans for cancerous skin lesions, including malignant melanoma, at a level equivalent to that of dermatologists if they receive relevant, targeted education. PMID:9502368

Consecutive learning of opposing unimanual motor tasks using the right arm followed by the left arm causes intermanual interference

PubMed Central

Thürer, Benjamin; Stein, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Intermanual transfer (motor memory generalization across arms) and motor memory interference (impairment of retest performance in consecutive motor learning) are well-investigated motor learning phenomena. However, the interplay of these phenomena remains elusive, i.e., whether intermanual interference occurs when two unimanual tasks are consecutively learned using different arms. Here, we examine intermanual interference when subjects consecutively adapt their right and left arm movements to novel dynamics. We considered two force field tasks A and B which were of the same structure but mirrored orientation (B = -A). The first test group (ABA-group) consecutively learned task A using their right arm and task B using their left arm before being retested for task A with their right arm. Another test group (AAA-group) learned only task A in the same right-left-right arm schedule. Control subjects learned task A using their right arm without intermediate left arm learning. All groups were able to adapt their right arm movements to force field A and both test groups showed significant intermanual transfer of this initial learning to the contralateral left arm of 21.9% (ABA-group) and 27.6% (AAA-group). Consecutively, both test groups adapted their left arm movements to force field B (ABA-group) or force field A (AAA-group). For the ABA-group, left arm learning caused significant intermanual interference of the initially learned right arm task (68.3% performance decrease). The performance decrease of the AAA-group (10.2%) did not differ from controls (15.5%). These findings suggest that motor control and learning of right and left arm movements involve partly similar neural networks or underlie a vital interhemispheric connectivity. Moreover, our results suggest a preferred internal task representation in extrinsic Cartesian-based coordinates rather than in intrinsic joint-based coordinates because interference was absent when learning was performed in extrinsically equivalent fashion (AAA-group) but interference occurred when learning was performed in intrinsically equivalent fashion (ABA-group). PMID:28459833

Consecutive learning of opposing unimanual motor tasks using the right arm followed by the left arm causes intermanual interference.

PubMed

Stockinger, Christian; Thürer, Benjamin; Stein, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Intermanual transfer (motor memory generalization across arms) and motor memory interference (impairment of retest performance in consecutive motor learning) are well-investigated motor learning phenomena. However, the interplay of these phenomena remains elusive, i.e., whether intermanual interference occurs when two unimanual tasks are consecutively learned using different arms. Here, we examine intermanual interference when subjects consecutively adapt their right and left arm movements to novel dynamics. We considered two force field tasks A and B which were of the same structure but mirrored orientation (B = -A). The first test group (ABA-group) consecutively learned task A using their right arm and task B using their left arm before being retested for task A with their right arm. Another test group (AAA-group) learned only task A in the same right-left-right arm schedule. Control subjects learned task A using their right arm without intermediate left arm learning. All groups were able to adapt their right arm movements to force field A and both test groups showed significant intermanual transfer of this initial learning to the contralateral left arm of 21.9% (ABA-group) and 27.6% (AAA-group). Consecutively, both test groups adapted their left arm movements to force field B (ABA-group) or force field A (AAA-group). For the ABA-group, left arm learning caused significant intermanual interference of the initially learned right arm task (68.3% performance decrease). The performance decrease of the AAA-group (10.2%) did not differ from controls (15.5%). These findings suggest that motor control and learning of right and left arm movements involve partly similar neural networks or underlie a vital interhemispheric connectivity. Moreover, our results suggest a preferred internal task representation in extrinsic Cartesian-based coordinates rather than in intrinsic joint-based coordinates because interference was absent when learning was performed in extrinsically equivalent fashion (AAA-group) but interference occurred when learning was performed in intrinsically equivalent fashion (ABA-group).

Early Performance of Accountable Care Organizations in Medicare

PubMed Central

McWilliams, J. Michael; Hatfield, Laura A.; Chernew, Michael E.; Landon, Bruce E.; Schwartz, Aaron L.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND In the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), accountable care organizations (ACOs) have financial incentives to lower spending and improve quality. We used quasi-experimental methods to assess the early performance of MSSP ACOs. METHODS Using Medicare claims from 2009 through 2013 and a difference-in-differences design, we compared changes in spending and in performance on quality measures from before the start of ACO contracts to after the start of the contracts between beneficiaries served by the 220 ACOs entering the MSSP in mid-2012 (2012 ACO cohort) or January 2013 (2013 ACO cohort) and those served by non-ACO providers (control group), with adjustment for geographic area and beneficiary characteristics. We analyzed the 2012 and 2013 ACO cohorts separately because entry time could reflect the capacity of an ACO to achieve savings. We compared ACO savings according to organizational structure, baseline spending, and concurrent ACO contracting with commercial insurers. RESULTS Adjusted Medicare spending and spending trends were similar in the ACO cohorts and the control group during the precontract period. In 2013, the differential change (i.e., the between-group difference in the change from the precontract period) in total adjusted annual spending was −$144 per beneficiary in the 2012 ACO cohort as compared with the control group (P = 0.02), consistent with a 1.4% savings, but only −$3 per beneficiary in the 2013 ACO cohort as compared with the control group (P = 0.96). Estimated savings were consistently greater in independent primary care groups than in hospital-integrated groups among 2012 and 2013 MSSP entrants (P = 0.005 for interaction). MSSP contracts were associated with improved performance on some quality measures and unchanged performance on others. CONCLUSIONS The first full year of MSSP contracts was associated with early reductions in Medicare spending among 2012 entrants but not among 2013 entrants. Savings were greater in independent primary care groups than in hospital-integrated groups. PMID:27075832

Adaptive prospective ECG-triggered sequence coronary angiography in dual-source CT without heart rate control: Image quality and diagnostic performance.

PubMed

Pan, Chang-Jie; Qian, Nong; Wang, Tao; Tang, Xiao-Qiang; Xue, Yue-Jun

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of using second generation dual-source CT (DSCT) to obtain high quality images and diagnostic performance and to reduce the radiation dose in adaptive prospective electrocardiography (ECG)-triggered sequence (CorAdSeq) CT coronary angiography (CTCA) without heart rate control. No prescan β-blockers were administered. Un-enhanced CT and CTCA with adaptive prospective CorAdSeq scanning without heart rate control were performed in 683 consecutive patients divided into two body mass index (BMI) groups: BMI <25 kg/m(2) (group A, n=412) and BMI ≥25 kg/m(2) (group B, n=271). The image quality and quantitative stenosis of all coronary segments with a diameter ≥1 mm were assessed. The mean heart rate (MHR), heart rate variability (HRV) and radiation dose values were recorded. In 426 cases, the diagnostic performance was evaluated using quantitative conventional coronary angiography as the reference standard. Diagnostic image quality was obtained in 98.5% of segments in group A and in 98.8% of segments in group B, with no significant differences between the groups. No correlations were observed between the image quality score and MHR or HRV (P=0.492, P=0.564, respectively). The effective radiation doses in groups A and B were 2.57±1.01 mSv and 6.36±1.88 mSv, respectively. The sensitivities and specificities of diagnosing coronary heart disease per patient were 99.6% and 97.8% in group A and 99.5% and 97.5% in group B, respectively (P>0.05). Adaptive prospective CorAdSeq scanning, without heart rate control, by second generation DSCT had a high image quality and diagnostic performance for coronary artery stenosis with lower radiation doses.

Influence of Stepped Osteotomy on Primary Stability of Implants Inserted in Low-Density Bone Sites: An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Degidi, Marco; Daprile, Giuseppe; Piattelli, Adriano

The aims of this study were to evaluate the ability of a stepped osteotomy to improve dental implant primary stability in low-density bone sites and to investigate possible correlations between primary stability parameters. The study was performed on fresh humid bovine bone classified as type III. The test group consisted of 30 Astra Tech EV implants inserted following the protocol provided by the manufacturer. The first control group consisted of 30 Astra Tech EV implants inserted in sites without the underpreparation of the apical portion. The second control group consisted of 30 Astra Tech TX implants inserted following the protocol provided by the manufacturer. Implant insertion was performed at the predetermined 30 rpm. The insertion torque data were recorded and exported as a curve; using a trapezoidal integration technique, the area underlying the curve was calculated: this area represents the variable torque work (VTW). Peak insertion torque (pIT) and resonance frequency analysis (RFA) were also recorded. A Mann-Whitney test showed that the mean VTW was significantly higher in the test group compared with the first control and second control groups; furthermore, statistical analysis showed that pIT also was significantly higher in the test group compared with the first and second control groups. Analyzing RFA values, only the difference between the test group and second control group showed statistical significance. Pearson correlation analysis showed a very strong positive correlation between pIT and VTW values in all groups; furthermore, it showed a positive correlation between pIT and RFA values and between VTW and RFA values only in the test group. Within the limitations of an in vitro study, the results show that stepped osteotomy can be a viable method to improve implant primary stability in low-density bone sites, and that, when a traditional osteotomy method is performed, RFA presents no correlation with pIT and VTW.

The effects of level of knowledge upon human problem solving in a process control task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, N. M.; Rouse, W. B.

1983-01-01

The effect of knowledge of a system on the performance of the operator has been investigated using PLANT, a generic simulation of a process. Four sets of written instructions representing the what, how, and why of system control were utilized by groups of subjects who controlled PLANT in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar situations. Written test results at the end of the experiments showed that the instructions had no effect on the primary goal of production, but those groups receiving guidelines for operation (the how) controlled the system in a more stable manner. Principles (the why) had no apparent effect on the subjects' performance. There was no difference between groups in diagnosing unfamiliar events.

The Anatomy of Action Systems: Task Differentiation When Learning an EMG Controlled Game

PubMed Central

van Dijk, Ludger; Heerschop, Anniek; van der Sluis, Corry K.; Bongers, Raoul M.

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine to what extent the task for an action system in its initial development relies on functional and anatomical components. Fifty-two able-bodied participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups or to a control group. As a pre- and post-test all groups performed a computer game with the same goal and using the same musculature. One experimental group also trained to perform this test, while the other two experimental groups learned to perform a game that differed either in its goal or in the musculature used. The observed change in accuracy indicated that retaining the goal of the task or the musculature used equally increased transfer performance relative to controls. Conversely, changing either the goal or the musculature equally decreased transfer relative to training the test. These results suggest that in the initial development of an action system, the task to which the system pertains is not specified solely by either the goal of the task or the anatomical structures involved. It is suggested that functional specificity and anatomical dependence might equally be outcomes of continuously differentiating activity. PMID:28018278

A randomised controlled trial of blended learning to improve the newborn examination skills of medical students.

PubMed

Stewart, Alice; Inglis, Garry; Jardine, Luke; Koorts, Pieter; Davies, Mark William

2013-03-01

To evaluate the hypotheses that a blended learning approach would improve the newborn examination skills of medical students and yield a higher level of satisfaction with learning newborn examination. Undergraduate medical students at a tertiary teaching hospital were individually randomised to receive either a standard neonatology teaching programme (control group), or additional online access to the PENSKE Baby Check Learning Module (blended learning group). The primary outcome was performance of newborn examination on standardised assessment by blinded investigators. The secondary outcomes were performance of all 'essential' items of the examination, and participant satisfaction. The recruitment rate was 88% (71/81). The blended learning group achieved a significantly higher mean score than the control group (p=0.02) for newborn examination. There was no difference for performance of essential items, or satisfaction with learning newborn examination. The blended learning group rated the module highly for effective use of learning time and ability to meet specific learning needs. A blended learning approach resulted in a higher level of performance of newborn examination on standardised assessment. This is consistent with published literature on blended learning and has implications for all neonatal clinicians including junior doctors, midwifes and nurse practitioners.

Spatial Working Memory Ability in Individuals at Ultra High Risk for Psychosis

PubMed Central

Goghari, Vina M.; Brett, Caroline; Tabraham, Paul; Johns, Louise; Valmaggia, Lucia; Broome, Matthew; Woolley, James; Bramon, Elvira; Howes, Oliver

2014-01-01

The goal of this investigation was to clarify the nature of spatial working memory difficulties in individuals at ultra high risk (UHR) for psychosis. We evaluated spatial working memory and intelligence in 96 individuals at UHR for psychosis, 28 patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), and 23 healthy controls. Fourteen UHR individuals developed a psychotic disorder during follow-up. Compared to controls, the UHR group was impaired in both the short-term maintenance of material and in the effective use of strategy, but not more immediate memory. These impairments were not as severe as those in the FEP group, as the UHR group performed better than the FEP group. A similar pattern of results was found for the intelligence measures. Discriminant function analyses demonstrated short-term maintenance of material significantly differentiated the UHR and healthy control groups even when accounting for full scale intelligence quotient (IQ); whereas full scale IQ significantly differentiated the UHR and FEP groups and FEP and control groups. Notably, within the UHR group, impaired spatial working memory performance was associated with lower global functioning, but not full scale IQ. The subgroup of UHR individuals who later developed psychosis was not significantly more impaired on any aspect of working memory performance than the group of UHR individuals who did not develop psychosis. Given, the relationship between spatial working memory deficits and functional outcome, these results indicate that cognitive remediation could be useful in individuals at UHR for psychosis to potentially improve functioning. PMID:24398256

Executive dysfunction among children with reading comprehension deficits.

PubMed

Locascio, Gianna; Mahone, E Mark; Eason, Sarah H; Cutting, Laurie E

2010-01-01

Emerging research supports the contribution of executive function (EF) to reading comprehension; however, a unique pattern has not been established for children who demonstrate comprehension difficulties despite average word recognition ability (specific reading comprehension deficit; S-RCD). To identify particular EF components on which children with S-RCD struggle, a range of EF skills was compared among 86 children, ages 10 to 14, grouped by word reading and comprehension abilities: 24 average readers, 44 with word recognition deficits (WRD), and 18 S-RCD. An exploratory principal components analysis of EF tests identified three latent factors, used in subsequent group comparisons: Planning/ Spatial Working Memory, Verbal Working Memory, and Response Inhibition. The WRD group exhibited deficits (relative to controls) on Verbal Working Memory and Inhibition factors; S-RCD children performed more poorly than controls on the Planning factor. Further analyses suggested the WRD group's poor performance on EF factors was a by-product of core deficits linked to WRD (after controlling for phonological processing, this group no longer showed EF deficits). In contrast, the S-RCD group's poor performance on the planning component remained significant after controlling for phonological processing. Findings suggest reading comprehension difficulties are linked to executive dysfunction; in particular, poor strategic planning/organizing may lead to reading comprehension problems.

Male and Female Performance on Military Related Tasks

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

three studies, we tested groups of men, women taking birth control pills, and normally cycling women not taking birth control pills. In Experiments...The subject groups are males and females. Because the military population used for these experiments yielded very few women using birth control pills

Effects of modified constraint-induced movement therapy on reach-to-grasp movements and functional performance after chronic stroke: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Lin, K-C; Wu, C-Y; Wei, T-H; Lee, C-Y; Liu, J-S

2007-12-01

To evaluate changes in (1) motor control characteristics of the hemiparetic hand during the performance of a functional reach-to-grasp task and (2) functional performance of daily activities in patients with stroke treated with modified constraint-induced movement therapy. Two-group randomized controlled trial with pretreatment and posttreatment measures. Rehabilitation clinics. Thirty-two chronic stroke patients (21 men, 11 women; mean age=57.9 years, range=43-81 years) 13-26 months (mean 16.3 months) after onset of a first-ever cerebrovascular accident. Thirty-two patients were randomized to receive modified constraint-induced movement therapy (restraint of the unaffected limb combined with intensive training of the affected limb) or traditional rehabilitation for three weeks. Kinematic analysis was used to assess motor control characteristics as patients reached to grasp a beverage can. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Motor Activity Log and Functional Independence Measure. There were moderate and significant effects of modified constraint-induced movement therapy on some aspects of motor control of reach-to-grasp and on functional ability. The modified constraint-induced movement therapy group preplanned reaching and grasping (P=0.018) more efficiently and depended more on the feedforward control of reaching (P=0.046) than did the traditional rehabilitation group. The modified constraint-induced movement therapy group also showed significantly improved functional performance on the Motor Activity Log (P<0.0001) and the Functional Independence Measure (P=0.016). In addition to improving functional use of the affected arm and daily functioning, modified constraint-induced movement therapy improved motor control strategy during goal-directed reaching, a possible mechanism for the improved movement performance of stroke patients undergoing this therapy.

Learning to Obtain Reward, but Not Avoid Punishment, Is Affected by Presence of PTSD Symptoms in Male Veterans: Empirical Data and Computational Model

PubMed Central

Myers, Catherine E.; Moustafa, Ahmed A.; Sheynin, Jony; VanMeenen, Kirsten M.; Gilbertson, Mark W.; Orr, Scott P.; Beck, Kevin D.; Pang, Kevin C. H.; Servatius, Richard J.

2013-01-01

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms include behavioral avoidance which is acquired and tends to increase with time. This avoidance may represent a general learning bias; indeed, individuals with PTSD are often faster than controls on acquiring conditioned responses based on physiologically-aversive feedback. However, it is not clear whether this learning bias extends to cognitive feedback, or to learning from both reward and punishment. Here, male veterans with self-reported current, severe PTSD symptoms (PTSS group) or with few or no PTSD symptoms (control group) completed a probabilistic classification task that included both reward-based and punishment-based trials, where feedback could take the form of reward, punishment, or an ambiguous “no-feedback” outcome that could signal either successful avoidance of punishment or failure to obtain reward. The PTSS group outperformed the control group in total points obtained; the PTSS group specifically performed better than the control group on reward-based trials, with no difference on punishment-based trials. To better understand possible mechanisms underlying observed performance, we used a reinforcement learning model of the task, and applied maximum likelihood estimation techniques to derive estimated parameters describing individual participants’ behavior. Estimations of the reinforcement value of the no-feedback outcome were significantly greater in the control group than the PTSS group, suggesting that the control group was more likely to value this outcome as positively reinforcing (i.e., signaling successful avoidance of punishment). This is consistent with the control group’s generally poorer performance on reward trials, where reward feedback was to be obtained in preference to the no-feedback outcome. Differences in the interpretation of ambiguous feedback may contribute to the facilitated reinforcement learning often observed in PTSD patients, and may in turn provide new insight into how pathological behaviors are acquired and maintained in PTSD. PMID:24015254

Effects of including NaOH-treated corn straw as a substitute for wheat hay in the ration of lactating cows on performance, digestibility, and rumen microbial profile.

PubMed

Jami, E; Shterzer, N; Yosef, E; Nikbachat, M; Miron, J; Mizrahi, I

2014-03-01

This study measured the effects of including 5% NaOH-treated corn straw (T-CS) as a substitute for 15% wheat hay in the control total mixed ration (TMR) of lactating cows on performance, digestibility, and rumen microbial profile. Two groups of 21 cows each, similar in initial performance, were fed individually 1 of the 2 TMR examined. Voluntary dry matter intake of cows fed the control TMR was 4.3% higher than that of the T-CS cows, but in vivo dry matter and organic matter digestibilities of both groups were similar. Crude protein digestibility was higher in the control cows but digestibility of neutral detergent fiber polysaccharides (cellulose and hemicelluloses) was higher in the T-CS TMR. This was followed by 4.6% reduction in rumination time of the T-CS group. A slightly higher milk yield was observed in the control cows compared with the T-CS group; however, milk fat and milk protein content were higher in cows fed the T-CS TMR. This was reflected in 1.3% increase in energy-corrected milk yield and 5.34% increase in production efficiency (energy-corrected milk yield/intake) of the T-CS cows compared with the control. Welfare of the cows, as assessed by length of daily recumbence time, was improved by feeding the T-CS TMR relative to the control group. As a whole, the rumen bacterial community was significantly modulated in the T-CS group in the experimental period compared with the preexperimental period, whereas the bacterial community of the control group remained unchanged during this period. Out of the 8 bacterial species that were quantified using real-time PCR, a notable decrease in cellulolytic bacteria was observed in the T-CS group, as well as an increase in lactic acid-utilizing bacteria. These results illustrate the effect of T-CS on the composition of rumen microbiota, which may play a role in improving the performance of the lactating cow. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Difference of Success Rates of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Pulpotomies Performed Both by Undergraduate Dental Students and by an Expert Operator: A Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Pasini, Marco; Giuca, Maria Rita; Gatto, Roberto; Caruso, Silvia

2017-01-01

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic success of pulpotomy on primary molars performed by dental students compared to that performed by an expert operator. The study was conducted on 142 second primary molars in 102 children. The patients were randomly selected from the available records. The test group (treated by dental students) included 51 subjects (28 males and 23 females, mean age: 7.2 ± 1) and the control group included 51 children (29 males and 22 females, mean age: 7.4 ± 1.2 years). After pulpotomy, a clinical and radiographic evaluation after 12 months was performed. Chi-square test and odds ratio were calculated and significance level was set at p < 0.05. The success rate was significantly lower, 81.6% ( p < 0.05), in the test group than in the control group (93%). The test group showed less clinical and radiographic success (86% and 80%, resp.) compared to the control group (97.2% for clinical success and 93% for radiographic success). Pulpotomy with MTA is an effective method that ensures a good percentage of success. The clinical experience of the operator is a contributing factor.

40 CFR 63.117 - Process vent provisions-reporting and recordkeeping requirements for group and TRE determinations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... and recordkeeping requirements for group and TRE determinations and performance tests. (a) Each owner or operator subject to the control provisions for Group 1 process vents in § 63.113(a) or the... recordkeeping requirements for group and TRE determinations and performance tests. 63.117 Section 63.117...

40 CFR 63.117 - Process vent provisions-reporting and recordkeeping requirements for group and TRE determinations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... and recordkeeping requirements for group and TRE determinations and performance tests. (a) Each owner or operator subject to the control provisions for Group 1 process vents in § 63.113(a) or the... recordkeeping requirements for group and TRE determinations and performance tests. 63.117 Section 63.117...

Does Musical Training Improve School Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetter, Olive Emil; Koerner, Fritz; Schwaninger, Adrian

2009-01-01

In a retrospective study, we compared school performance of 53 children practicing music (group 1) with 67 controls not practicing music (group 2). Overall average marks as well as average marks of all school subjects except sports were significantly higher in children who do (group 1) than in those who do not practice music (group 2). In a…

Comparing between results and complications of doing voiding cystourethrogram in the first week following urinary tract infection and in 2-6 weeks after urinary tract infection in children referring to a teaching hospital.

PubMed

Yousefichaijan, Parsa; Dorreh, Fatemeh; Shahsavari, Someyeh; Pakniyat, Abdolghader

2016-01-01

Urinary tract infection is the most common genitourinary disease in children so about 40% of the children with urinary tract infection suffering from reflux that caused some consequences such as pyelonephritis and kidney parenchymal injury. This research was conducted to compare the timing of voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) in children with urinary tract infection in first week and after the first week of urinary tract infection. This research is a case-control study that both case and control groups include 208 children from 1 month to 12 years old with the complain of urinary tract infection. In case group, the VCUG was performed at the first week of infection and in control group, the VCUG was performed after the first week of infection. complication such as dysuria was observed in two-thirds of children who VCUG was performed during first week after urinary tract infection. Parents stress in case group was more than the other (P=0.015). For overall, the incidence of reflux in case and control groups was 49.5% and 50%, respectively. The mean of reflux grading in right kidney in case group was lower than control group resulting in significant differences between two groups. According to higher grade of stress in parents and complications due to VCUG at the first week of urinary tract infection, it is suggested that VCUG be conducted on selective patients in the hospital at the first week of urinary tract infection and during hospitalization.

Real-time video communication improves provider performance in a simulated neonatal resuscitation.

PubMed

Fang, Jennifer L; Carey, William A; Lang, Tara R; Lohse, Christine M; Colby, Christopher E

2014-11-01

To determine if a real-time audiovisual link with a neonatologist, termed video-assisted resuscitation or VAR, improves provider performance during a simulated neonatal resuscitation scenario. Using high-fidelity simulation, 46 study participants were presented with a neonatal resuscitation scenario. The control group performed independently, while the intervention group utilized VAR. Time to effective ventilation was compared using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Providers' use of the corrective steps for ineffective ventilation per the NRP algorithm was compared using Cochran-Armitage trend tests. The time needed to establish effective ventilation was significantly reduced in the intervention group when compared to the control group (mean time 2 min 42 s versus 4 min 11 s, p<0.001). In the setting of ineffective ventilation, only 35% of control subjects used three or more of the first five corrective steps and none of them used all five steps. Providers in the control group most frequently neglected to open the mouth and increase positive pressure. In contrast, all of those in the intervention group used all of the first five corrective steps, p<0.001. All participants in the control group decided to intubate the infant to establish effective ventilation, compared to none in the intervention group, p<0.001. Using VAR during a simulated neonatal resuscitation scenario significantly reduces the time to establish effective ventilation and improves provider adherence to NRP guidelines. This technology may be a means for regional centers to support local providers during a neonatal emergency to improve patient safety and improve neonatal outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major Re-Selection Advising and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Deborah; Tan, Tony Xing; Fletcher, Edward C.; Jackson-Williams, Andrea

2017-01-01

We sought to determine whether receiving major re-selection (MRS) advising benefits undergraduate students' grade-point averages (GPAs). We used a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design to compare a treatment group (n = 219) of undergraduates who changed their majors after receiving MRS advising with a control group (n = 206) who…

Effect of Coriolus versicolor Mycelia Extract on Exercise Performance and Physical Fatigue in Mice.

PubMed

Ho, Chun-Sheng; Tung, Yu-Tang; Kung, Woon-Man; Huang, Wen-Ching; Leung, Wing-Ki; Huang, Chi-Chang; Wu, Jyh-Horng

2017-01-01

In this study, Coriolus versicolor mycelia (CVM) was evaluated the ergogenic and anti-fatigue activities. Male ICR mice were divided into four groups ( n = 8/group) to receive vehicle or CVM by oral gavage for 4 weeks at 0, 615, 1230 or 3075 mg/kg/day, which were respectively designated the vehicle, CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups. Forelimb grip strength, endurance swimming time, and levels of physical fatigue-associated parameters serum lactate, ammonia, glucose and creatine kinase (CK) after physical challenge were performed to evaluate exercise performance and anti-fatigue activity. Results revealed that the forelimb grip strength of mice in group CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X were significantly increased by 1.20-, 1.18- and 1.23-fold, respectively, compared to the vehicle group. After the 15 minute swimming exercise, the levels of serum lactate of CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups were significantly lower than the vehicle control group by 29%, 23% and 31%, respectively. The levels of ammonia in CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups were significantly lowered by 22%, 25% and 41%, respectively, compared to the vehicle control group. In addition, the levels of serum CK in CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups were significantly lowered by 13% and 11%, respectively, compared to the vehicle control group. Accordingly, the supplementation with CVM has beneficial effects on performance improvement and anti-fatigue activity, and thus has great potential as a source for natural health products.

Effect of Coriolus versicolor Mycelia Extract on Exercise Performance and Physical Fatigue in Mice

PubMed Central

Ho, Chun-Sheng; Tung, Yu-Tang; Kung, Woon-Man; Huang, Wen-Ching; Leung, Wing-Ki; Huang, Chi-Chang; Wu, Jyh-Horng

2017-01-01

In this study, Coriolus versicolor mycelia (CVM) was evaluated the ergogenic and anti-fatigue activities. Male ICR mice were divided into four groups (n = 8/group) to receive vehicle or CVM by oral gavage for 4 weeks at 0, 615, 1230 or 3075 mg/kg/day, which were respectively designated the vehicle, CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups. Forelimb grip strength, endurance swimming time, and levels of physical fatigue-associated parameters serum lactate, ammonia, glucose and creatine kinase (CK) after physical challenge were performed to evaluate exercise performance and anti-fatigue activity. Results revealed that the forelimb grip strength of mice in group CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X were significantly increased by 1.20-, 1.18- and 1.23-fold, respectively, compared to the vehicle group. After the 15 minute swimming exercise, the levels of serum lactate of CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups were significantly lower than the vehicle control group by 29%, 23% and 31%, respectively. The levels of ammonia in CVM-1X, CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups were significantly lowered by 22%, 25% and 41%, respectively, compared to the vehicle control group. In addition, the levels of serum CK in CVM-2X and CVM-5X groups were significantly lowered by 13% and 11%, respectively, compared to the vehicle control group. Accordingly, the supplementation with CVM has beneficial effects on performance improvement and anti-fatigue activity, and thus has great potential as a source for natural health products. PMID:29104465

A randomized controlled trial of Turkish folklore dance on the physical performance, balance, depression and quality of life in older women.

PubMed

Eyigor, Sibel; Karapolat, Hale; Durmaz, Berrin; Ibisoglu, Ugur; Cakir, Serap

2009-01-01

The present study has been carried out to investigate the effects of group-based Turkish folkloric dances on physical performance, balance, depression and quality of life (QoL) in 40 healthy adult elderly females over the age of 65 years. Subjects were randomly allocated into Group 1 (folkloric dance-based exercise) and Group 2 (control). A 8-week dance-based exercise program was performed. Outcome measures included a 20-m walk test, a 6-min walk test, stair climbing and chair rise time, Berg balance scale (BBS), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), and geriatric depression scale (GDS) questionnaires. In Group 1 statistically significant improvements were found in most of the physical performance tests, BBS and some SF-36 subscales after the exercise (p<0.05). In the Group 2 there was no clinically significant change in the variables. Comparing the groups, significant improvements in favor of Group 1 have emerged in most of the functional performance tests, in some of the SF-36 subscales and BBS score (p<0.05). We achieved improvements in physical performance, balance and QoL in elderly females. Application of folkloric dance specific to countries as an exercise program for elderly people may be helpful.

Efficacy of a disease management program focused on acquisition of self-management skills in pre-dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy: 24 months follow-up.

PubMed

Kazawa, Kana; Takeshita, Yae; Yorioka, Noriaki; Moriyama, Michiko

2015-06-01

We previously performed a preliminary 6-month controlled trial to examine the effect of a disease management education program on prolongation of the time to renal replacement therapy (RRT) and/or avoidance of RRT for patients with diabetic nephropathy. However, its duration was too short to follow the changes of renal function, so we performed the present study for 24 months. This was a two-group comparative study. The intervention group received self-management education from disease management nurses and was supported by the nurses in cooperation with their primary physicians for 12 months. Then this group was followed for a further 12 months. The control group received standard care and was followed for 24 months. Of the 31 subjects enrolled in each group, 26 subjects in the intervention group and 27 subjects in the control group were analyzed after excluding drop-outs. During the study period, 0 and 2 subjects in the intervention and the control group started RRT, respectively. In the intervention group, renal function was maintained, while significant worsening was observed in the control group. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) improved in the intervention group, but became significantly worse in the control group. In the intervention group, all process indicators of behavior modification increased significantly after intervention. A well-designed disease management program might be useful for maintaining renal function and improving HbA1c in patients with diabetic nephropathy. It is considered that modification of patient behavior contributed to these results.

Remember to do: insomnia versus control groups in a prospective memory task.

PubMed

Fabbri, Marco; Tonetti, Lorenzo; Martoni, Monica; Natale, Vincenzo

2015-01-01

Primary insomnia is characterized by difficulty in falling asleep and/or remaining asleep, by early morning awakening and/or nonrestorative sleep, and resultant daytime dysfunction in the absence of specific physical, mental, or substance-related causes. However, the studies on daytime cognitive functioning of insomnia patients report inconclusive results. This retrospective study aimed to compare the performance of insomnia patients (N = 54) to that of controls (N = 113) in a naturalistic prospective memory task. Task performance was defined by the percentage of times the event-marker button of an actigraph was pressed, at lights-off time and at wake-up time. The performance pattern in the prospective memory task was similar in both groups. In addition, the task was performed better at lights-off time than at wake-up time regardless of group. Post-hoc subgroup analysis showed that there were more insomnia patients who performed the task perfectly (i.e., 100%) than controls. Performance at wake-up time was significantly correlated to objective sleep quality (i.e., sleep efficiency) only in insomnia patients.

Effect of flashlight guidance on manual ventilation performance in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A randomized controlled simulation study.

PubMed

Kim, Ji Hoon; Beom, Jin Ho; You, Je Sung; Cho, Junho; Min, In Kyung; Chung, Hyun Soo

2018-01-01

Several auditory-based feedback devices have been developed to improve the quality of ventilation performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but their effectiveness has not been proven in actual CPR situations. In the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of visual flashlight guidance in maintaining high-quality ventilation performance. We conducted a simulation-based, randomized, parallel trial including 121 senior medical students. All participants were randomized to perform ventilation during 2 minutes of CPR with or without flashlight guidance. For each participant, we measured mean ventilation rate as a primary outcome and ventilation volume, inspiration velocity, and ventilation interval as secondary outcomes using a computerized device system. Mean ventilation rate did not significantly differ between flashlight guidance and control groups (P = 0.159), but participants in the flashlight guidance group exhibited significantly less variation in ventilation rate than participants in the control group (P<0.001). Ventilation interval was also more regular among participants in the flashlight guidance group. Our results demonstrate that flashlight guidance is effective in maintaining a constant ventilation rate and interval. If confirmed by further studies in clinical practice, flashlight guidance could be expected to improve the quality of ventilation performed during CPR.

The effect of teamwork training on team performance and clinical outcome in elective orthopaedic surgery: a controlled interrupted time series study.

PubMed

Morgan, Lauren; Hadi, Mohammed; Pickering, Sharon; Robertson, Eleanor; Griffin, Damian; Collins, Gary; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Catchpole, Ken; McCulloch, Peter; New, Steve

2015-04-20

To evaluate the effectiveness of aviation-style teamwork training in improving operating theatre team performance and clinical outcomes. 3 operating theatres in a UK district general hospital, 1 acting as a control group and the other 2 as the intervention group. 72 operations (37 intervention, 35 control) were observed in full by 2 trained observers during two 3-month observation periods, before and after the intervention period. A 1-day teamwork training course for all staff, followed by 6 weeks of weekly in-service coaching to embed learning. We measured team non-technical skills using Oxford NOTECHS II, (evaluating the whole team and the surgical, anaesthetic and nursing subteams, and evaluated technical performance using the Glitch count. We evaluated compliance with the WHO checklist by recording whether time-out (T/O) and sign-out (S/O) were attempted, and whether T/O was fully complied with. We recorded complications, re-admissions and duration of hospital stay using hospital administrative data. We compared the before-after change in the intervention and control groups using 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression modelling. Mean NOTECHS II score increased significantly from 71.6 to 75.4 in the active group but remained static in the control group (p=0.047). Among staff subgroups, the nursing score increased significantly (p=0.006), but the anaesthetic and surgical scores did not. The attempt rate for WHO T/O procedures increased significantly in both active and control groups, but full compliance with T/O improved only in the active group (p=0.003). Mean glitch rate was unchanged in the control group but increased significantly (7.2-10.2/h, p=0.002) in the active group. Teamwork training was associated with improved non-technical skills in theatre teams but also with a rise in operative glitches. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

White matter fiber integrity of the saccadic eye movement network differs between schizophrenia and healthy groups.

PubMed

Schaeffer, David J; Rodrigue, Amanda L; Burton, Courtney R; Pierce, Jordan E; Murphy, Megan N; Clementz, Brett A; McDowell, Jennifer E

2017-12-01

Recent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies suggest that altered white matter fiber integrity is a pathophysiological feature of schizophrenia. Lower white matter integrity is associated with poor cognitive control, a characteristic of schizophrenia that can be measured using antisaccade tasks. Although the functional neural correlates of poor antisaccade performance have been well documented, fewer studies have investigated the extent to which white matter fibers connecting the functional nodes of this network contribute to antisaccade performance. The aim of the present study was to assess the white matter structural integrity of fibers connecting two functional nodes (putamen and medial frontal eye fields) of the saccadic eye movement network implicated in poor antisaccade performance in schizophrenia. To evaluate white matter integrity, DTI was acquired on subjects with schizophrenia and two comparison groups: (a) behaviorally matched healthy comparison subjects with low levels of cognitive control (LCC group), and (b) healthy subjects with high levels of cognitive control (HCC group). White matter fibers were tracked between functional regions of interest generated from antisaccade fMRI activation maps, and measures of diffusivity were quantified. The results demonstrated lower white matter integrity in the schizophrenia group than in the HCC group, but not the LCC group who showed similarly poor cognitive control performance. Overall, the results suggest that these alterations are not specific to the disease process of schizophrenia, but may rather be a function of uncontrolled cognitive factors that are concomitant with the disease but also observed in some healthy people. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

The relationship of motion sickness susceptibility to learned autonomic control for symptom suppression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowings, P. S.; Toscano, W. B.

1982-01-01

Twenty-four men were randomly assigned to four equal groups matched in terms of their Coriolis Sickness Susceptibility Index (CSSI). Two groups of subjects were highly susceptible to motion sickness, and two groups were moderately susceptible. All subjects were given six C551 tests at 5-d intervals. Treatment Groups I (highly susceptible) and II (moderately susceptible) were taught to control their autonomic responses, using a training method called autogenic-feedback training (AFT) before the third, fourth, and fifth CSSI tests. Control groups III (highly susceptible) and IV (moderately susceptible) received no treatment. Results showed that both treatment groups significantly improved performance on CSSI tests after training; neither of the control groups changed significantly. Highly and moderately susceptible subjects in the two treatment groups improved at comparable rates. Highly susceptible control group subjects did not habituate across tests as readily as the moderately susceptible controls.

Perceptions vs Reality: A Longitudinal Experiment in Influenced Judgement Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-25

validity were manifested equally between treatment and control groups , thereby lending further validity to the experimental research design . External...Stanley (1975) identify this as a True Experimental Design : Pretest- Posttest Control Group Design . However, due to the longitudinal aspect required to...1975:43). Nonequivalence will be ruled out as pretest equivalence is shown between treatment and control groups (1975:47). For quasi

Residual effects of zopiclone 7.5 mg on highway driving performance in insomnia patients and healthy controls: a placebo controlled crossover study.

PubMed

Leufkens, T R M; Ramaekers, J G; de Weerd, A W; Riedel, W J; Vermeeren, A

2014-07-01

Residual effects of hypnotics on driving performance have been mainly determined in studies using a standardized driving test with healthy good sleepers. Responses to effects may differ, however, between insomniacs and healthy volunteers due to the underlying sleep disorder. In addition, a majority of insomniacs uses hypnotics chronically resulting in the development of tolerance to impairing effects. Impaired driving performance in healthy volunteers may then be an overestimation of the actual effects in insomniacs. The present study aims to compare the residual effects of zopiclone 7.5 mg on on-the-road driving performance of 16 middle-aged insomniacs chronically using hypnotics (chronic users), 16 middle-aged insomniacs not or infrequently using hypnotics (infrequent users), and 16 healthy, age matched, good sleepers (controls). The study was conducted according to a 3 × 2 double-blind, placebo controlled crossover design, with three groups and two treatment conditions. Treatments were single oral doses of zopiclone 7.5 mg and placebo administered at bedtime (2330 hours). Between 10 and 11 h after administration subjects performed a standardized highway driving test. Zopiclone 7.5 mg significantly impaired on-the-road driving performance in both insomnia groups and healthy controls. The magnitude of impairment was significantly less in the chronic users group as compared with the controls. The smaller magnitude of effects suggests that investigating residual effects of hypnotics in healthy volunteers may yield a minor overestimation of the actual effects in insomnia patients.

Long-term effects of three multicomponent exercise interventions on physical performance and fall-related psychological outcomes in community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Freiberger, Ellen; Häberle, Lothar; Spirduso, Waneen W; Zijlstra, G A Rixt

2012-03-01

To determine the long-term effects of three strength and balance exercise interventions on physical performance, fall-related psychological outcomes, and falls in older people. A single-blinded, four-group, randomized controlled trial. Community, Germany. Community-dwelling adults aged 70 to 90 who had fallen in the past 6 months or reported fear of falling. After baseline assessment, 280 participants were randomly assigned to the control group (CG; no intervention; n = 80) or one of three strength and balance exercise interventions (the strength and balance group (SBG; strength and balance only; n = 63), the fitness group (FG; strength and balance plus endurance training; n = 64), or the multifaceted group (MG; strength and balance plus fall risk education; n = 73). The interventions consisted of 32 one-hour group sessions in 16 weeks. Data on physical performance, fall-related psychological outcomes, and falls were collected for 24 months. Mixed-effects regression analyses showed improved short- and long-term (12 and 24 months, respectively) physical performance for the SBG and FG, particularly regarding mobility, balance, and walking speed (P < .05). The improvements in physical performance outcomes were most prominent in the FG. Fall-related psychological outcomes, number of falls, and injurious falls were not significantly different from in the control group. Training focusing on strength, balance, and endurance can enhance physical performance for up to 24 months in community-dwelling older adults. These findings did not translate to improved fall-related psychological outcomes or reduced incidence of falls. This demonstrates the need for a different approach (e.g., regarding intervention dose and components) to gain intervention benefits in the multiple domains that contribute to independence and well-being in older adults. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American Geriatrics Society.

Strengthening the afferent limb of rapid response systems: an educational intervention using web-based learning for early recognition and responding to deteriorating patients.

PubMed

Liaw, Sok Ying; Wong, Lai Fun; Ang, Sophia Bee Leng; Ho, Jasmine Tze Yin; Siau, Chiang; Ang, Emily Neo Kim

2016-06-01

The timely recognition and response to patients with clinical deteriorations constitute the afferent limb failure of a rapid response system (RRS). This area is a persistent problem in acute healthcare settings worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the effect of an educational programme on improving the nurses' knowledge and performances in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration. The interactive web-based programme addressed three areas: (1) early detection of changes in vital signs; (2) performance of nursing assessment and interventions using airway, breathing, circulation, disability and expose/examine and (3) reporting clinical deterioration using identity, situation, background, assessment and recommendation. Sixty-seven registered nurses participated in the randomised control study. The experimental group underwent a 3 h programme while the control group received no intervention. Pretests and post-tests, a mannequin-based assessment and a multiple-choice knowledge questionnaire were conducted. We evaluated the participants' performances in assessing, managing and reporting the deterioration of a patient using a validated performance tool. A significantly higher number of nurses from the experimental group than the control group monitored respiratory rates (48.2% vs 25%, p<0.05) and pulse rates (74.3% vs 37.5%, p<0.01) in the simulated environment, after the intervention. The post-test mean scores of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group for knowledge (21.29 vs 18.28, p<0.001), performance in assessing and managing clinical deterioration (25.83 vs 19.50, p<0.001) and reporting clinical deterioration (12.83 vs 10.97, p<0.001). A web-based educational programme developed for hospital nurses to strengthen the afferent limb of the RRS significantly increased their knowledge and performances in assessing, managing and reporting clinical deterioration. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The Relationship of Laboratory Performance Ratings, Information Achievement and Pencil-Paper Performance Test Scores in College-Level Electricity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Charles E.

In this study, a pencil paper performance test (PPPT) was developed and administered to an experimental group of 46 students and a control group of 48 students to determine: (1) the difference between laboratory performance and the successful completion of a laboratory course in electricity, (2) the relationship between laboratory performance as…

Enhanced control of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex neurophysiology with real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback training and working memory practice.

PubMed

Sherwood, Matthew S; Kane, Jessica H; Weisend, Michael P; Parker, Jason G

2016-01-01

Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback can be used to train localized, conscious regulation of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals. As a therapeutic technique, rt-fMRI neurofeedback reduces the symptoms of a variety of neurologic disorders. To date, few studies have investigated the use of self-regulation training using rt-fMRI neurofeedback to enhance cognitive performance. This work investigates the utility of rt-fMRI neurofeedback as a tool to enhance human cognition by training healthy individuals to consciously control activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). A cohort of 18 healthy participants in the experimental group underwent rt-fMRI neurofeedback from the left DLPFC in five training sessions across two weeks while 7 participants in the control group underwent similar training outside the MRI and without rt-fMRI neurofeedback. Working memory (WM) performance was evaluated on two testing days separated by the five rt-fMRI neurofeedback sessions using two computerized tests. We investigated the ability to control the BOLD signal across training sessions and WM performance across the two testing days. The group with rt-fMRI neurofeedback demonstrated a significant increase in the ability to self-regulate the BOLD signal in the left DLPFC across sessions. WM performance showed differential improvement between testing days one and two across the groups with the highest increases observed in the rt-fMRI neurofeedback group. These results provide evidence that individuals can quickly gain the ability to consciously control the left DLPFC, and this training results in improvements of WM performance beyond that of training alone. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Immediate effect of passive and active stretching on hamstrings flexibility: a single-blinded randomized control trial.

PubMed

Nishikawa, Yuichi; Aizawa, Junya; Kanemura, Naohiko; Takahashi, Tetsuya; Hosomi, Naohisa; Maruyama, Hirofumi; Kimura, Hiroaki; Matsumoto, Masayasu; Takayanagi, Kiyomi

2015-10-01

[Purpose] This study compared the efficacy of passive and active stretching techniques on hamstring flexibility. [Subjects] Fifty-four healthy young subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups (2 treatment groups and 1 control group). [Methods] Subjects in the passive stretching group had their knees extended by an examiner while lying supine 90° of hip flexion. In the same position, subjects in the active stretching group extended their knees. The groups performed 3 sets of the assigned stretch, with each stretch held for 10 seconds at the point where tightness in the hamstring muscles was felt. Subjects in the control group did not perform stretching. Before and immediately after stretching, hamstring flexibility was assessed by a blinded assessor, using the active knee-extension test. [Results] After stretching, there was a significant improvement in the hamstring flexibilities of the active and passive stretching groups compared with the control group. Furthermore, the passive stretching group showed significantly greater improvement in hamstring flexibility than the active stretching group. [Conclusion] Improvement in hamstring flexibility measured by the active knee-extension test was achieved by both stretching techniques; however, passive stretching was more effective than active stretching at achieving an immediate increase in hamstring flexibility.

Effect of Cocoa Butter and Sunflower Oil Supplementation on Performance, Immunoglobulin, and Antioxidant Vitamin Status of Rats

PubMed Central

Çınar, Miyase; Yalçınkaya, İlkay; Atmaca, Nurgül; Güncüm, Enes

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effects of cocoa butter and sunflower oil alone and in combination on performance, some biochemical parameters, immunoglobulin, and antioxidant vitamin status in Wistar rats. Forty-eight male rats were assigned to four groups, consisting of 12 rats with 3 replicates. Control received balanced rat diet without oil, cocoa butter group received 3.5% cocoa butter, sunflower oil group received 3.5% sunflower oil, the last group received 1.75% sunflower oil + 1.75% cocoa butter supplementation in the rat diet for 8 weeks. The total feed consumption in sunflower oil group was statistically lower than in the other groups. The serum creatinine level was decreased in cocoa butter group compared to control. Triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol levels were decreased in only sunflower oil and only cocoa butter groups as compared to control. The level of Ig M was statistically lower in cocoa butter and cocoa butter + sunflower oil groups than in control and sunflower oil groups. There were no statistically important difference in vitamin concentrations among trial groups. It was concluded that the supplementation of cocoa butter in diet decreased Ig M level, while the supplementation of cocoa butter and sunflower oil alone decreased the triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol levels. PMID:25136602

Effects of Different Types of Exercise on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, and IGF-1 in the Elderly with Sarcopenic Obesity.

PubMed

Chen, Hung-Ting; Chung, Yu-Chun; Chen, Yu-Jen; Ho, Sung-Yen; Wu, Huey-June

2017-04-01

To investigate the influence of resistance training (RT), aerobic training (AT), or combination training (CT) interventions on the body composition, muscle strength performance, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) of patients with sarcopenic obesity. Randomized controlled trial. Community center and research center. Sixty men and women aged 65-75 with sarcopenic obesity. Participants were randomly assigned to RT, AT, CT, and control (CON) groups. After training twice a week for 8 weeks, the participants in each group ceased training for 4 weeks before being examined for the retention effects of the training interventions. The body composition, grip strength, maximum back extensor strength, maximum knee extensor muscle strength, and blood IGF-1 concentration were measured. The skeletal muscle mass (SMM), body fat mass, appendicular SMM/weight %, and visceral fat area (VFA) of the RT, AT, and CT groups were significantly superior to those of the CON group at both week 8 and week 12. Regarding muscle strength performance, the RT group exhibited greater grip strength at weeks 8 and 12 as well as higher knee extensor performance at week 8 than that of the other groups. At week 8, the serum IGF-1 concentration of the RT group was higher than the CON group, whereas the CT group was superior to the AT and CON groups. Older adults with sarcopenic obesity who engaged in the RT, AT, and CT interventions demonstrated increased muscle mass and reduced total fat mass and VFA compared with those without training. The muscle strength performance and serum IGF-1 level in trained groups, especially in the RT group, were superior to the control group. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Application of Physiological Self-Regulation and Adaptive Task Allocation Techniques for Controlling Operator Hazardous States of Awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Pope, Alan T.; Freeman, Frederick G.

2001-01-01

Prinzel, Hadley, Freeman, and Mikulka found that adaptive task allocation significantly enhanced performance only when used at the endpoints of the task workload continuum (i.e., very low or high workload), but that the technique degraded performance if invoked during other levels of task demand. These researchers suggested that other techniques should be used in conjunction with adaptive automation to help minimize the onset of hazardous states of awareness (HSA) and keep the operator 'in-the-loop.' The paper reports on such a technique that uses psychophysiological self-regulation to modulate the level of task engagement. Eighteen participants were assigned to three groups (self-regulation, false feedback, and control) and performed a compensatory tracking task that was cycled between three levels of task difficulty on the basis of the electroencephalogram (EEG) record. Those participants who had received self-regulation training performed significantly better and reported lower NASA-TLX scores than participants in the false feedback and control groups. Furthermore, the false feedback and control groups had significantly more task allocations resulting in return-to-manual performance decrements and higher EEG difference scores. Theoretical and practical implications of these results for adaptive automation are discussed.

Part-task vs. whole-task training on a supervisory control task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Battiste, Vernol

1987-01-01

The efficacy of a part-task training for the psychomotor portion of a supervisory control simulation was compared to that of the whole-task training, using six subjects in each group, who were asked to perform a task as quickly as possible. Part-task training was provided with the cursor-control device prior to transition to the whole-task. The analysis of both the training and experimental trials demonstrated a significant performance advantage for the part-task group: the tasks were performed better and at higher speed. Although the subjects finally achieved the same level of performance in terms of score, the part-task method was preferable for economic reasons, since simple pretraining systems are significantly less expensive than the whole-task training systems.

Emotion recognition in Parkinson's disease: Static and dynamic factors.

PubMed

Wasser, Cory I; Evans, Felicity; Kempnich, Clare; Glikmann-Johnston, Yifat; Andrews, Sophie C; Thyagarajan, Dominic; Stout, Julie C

2018-02-01

The authors tested the hypothesis that Parkinson's disease (PD) participants would perform better in an emotion recognition task with dynamic (video) stimuli compared to a task using only static (photograph) stimuli and compared performances on both tasks to healthy control participants. In a within-subjects study, 21 PD participants and 20 age-matched healthy controls performed both static and dynamic emotion recognition tasks. The authors used a 2-way analysis of variance (controlling for individual participant variance) to determine the effect of group (PD, control) on emotion recognition performance in static and dynamic facial recognition tasks. Groups did not significantly differ in their performances on the static and dynamic tasks; however, the trend was suggestive that PD participants performed worse than controls. PD participants may have subtle emotion recognition deficits that are not ameliorated by the addition of contextual cues, similar to those found in everyday scenarios. Consistent with previous literature, the results suggest that PD participants may have underlying emotion recognition deficits, which may impact their social functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Maximal Strength Training Improves Surfboard Sprint and Endurance Paddling Performance in Competitive and Recreational Surfers.

PubMed

Coyne, Joseph O C; Tran, Tai T; Secomb, Josh L; Lundgren, Lina E; Farley, Oliver R L; Newton, Robert U; Sheppard, Jeremy M

2017-01-01

Coyne, JOC, Tran, TT, Secomb, JL, Lundgren, LE, Farley, ORL, Newton, RU, and Sheppard, JM. Maximal strength training improves surfboard sprint and endurance paddling performance in competitive and recreational surfers. J Strength Cond Res 31(1): 244-253, 2017-Upper-body (UB) strength has very high correlations with faster surfboard paddling speeds. However, there is no research examining the effects of improving UB strength has on surfboard paddling ability. This study aimed to determine the influence that improvements in UB closed-kinetic chain maximal strength have on surfboard paddling in both competitive and recreational surfers. Seventeen competitive and recreational male surfers (29.7 ± 7.7 years, 177.4 ± 7.4 cm, 76.7 ± 9.9 kg) participated in a repeated-measures, parallel control study design. Anthropometry; 5-, 10-, and 15-m sprint; and 400-m endurance surfboard paddling tests along with pull-up and dip 1 repetition maximum strength tests were assessed pre- and postintervention. Subjects in the training group performed 5 weeks of maximal strength training in the pull-up and dip. Differences between the training and control groups were examined postintervention. The training group increased their speed over the 5-, 10-, and 15-m sprint, whereas the control group became slower (d = 0.71, 0.51, and 0.4, respectively). The training group also displayed faster endurance paddling performance compared with the control group (d = 0.72). Short-term exposure to maximal strength training elicits improvements in paddling performance measures. However, the magnitude of performance increases seems to be dependent on initial strength levels with differential responses between strong and weaker athletes. Although a longer maximal strength training period may have produced more significant paddling improvements in stronger subjects, practitioners are unlikely to have any more than 5 weeks in an uninterrupted block with competitive surfing athletes. This study reveals that a "threshold" level of maximal strength that if possessed, short-term maximal strength training may only provide little improvement in paddling performance.

Effective teaching of manual skills to physiotherapy students: a randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Rossettini, Giacomo; Rondoni, Angie; Palese, Alvisa; Cecchetto, Simone; Vicentini, Marco; Bettale, Fernanda; Furri, Laura; Testa, Marco

2017-08-01

To date, despite the relevance of manual skills laboratories in physiotherapy education, evidence on the effectiveness of different teaching methods is limited. Peyton's four-step and the 'See one, do one' approaches were compared for their effectiveness in teaching manual skills. A cluster randomised controlled trial was performed among final-year, right-handed physiotherapy students, without prior experience in manual therapy or skills laboratories. The manual technique of C1-C2 passive right rotation was taught by different experienced physiotherapist using Peyton's four-step approach (intervention group) and the 'See one, do one' approach (control group). Participants, teachers and assessors were blinded to the aims of the study. Primary outcomes were quality of performance at the end of the skills laboratories, and after 1 week and 1 month. Secondary outcomes were time required to teach, time required to perform the procedure and student satisfaction. A total of 39 students were included in the study (21 in the intervention group and 18 in the control group). Their main characteristics were homogeneous at baseline. The intervention group showed better quality of performance in the short, medium and long terms (F 1,111  = 35.91, p < 0.001). Both groups demonstrated decreased quality of performance over time (F 2,111  = 12.91, p < 0.001). The intervention group reported significantly greater mean ± standard deviation satisfaction (4.31 ± 1.23) than the control group (4.03 ± 1.31) (p < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference between the two methods in the time required for teaching, the time required by the intervention group to perform the procedure was significantly lower immediately after the skills laboratories and over time (p < 0.001). Peyton's four-step approach is more effective than the 'See one, do one' approach in skills laboratories aimed at developing physiotherapy student competence in C1-C2 passive mobilisation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Efficacy of a new educational tool to improve Handrubbing technique amongst healthcare workers: a controlled, before-after study.

PubMed

Stewardson, Andrew J; Iten, Anne; Camus, Véronique; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Caulfield, Darren; Lacey, Gerard; Pittet, Didier

2014-01-01

Hand hygiene is a key component of infection control in healthcare. WHO recommends that healthcare workers perform six specific poses during each hand hygiene action. SureWash (Glanta Ltd, Dublin, Ireland) is a novel device that uses video-measurement technology and immediate feedback to teach this technique. We assessed the impact of self-directed SureWash use on healthcare worker hand hygiene technique and evaluated the device's diagnostic capacity. A controlled before-after study: subjects in Group A were exposed to the SureWash for four weeks followed by Group B for 12 weeks. Each subject's hand hygiene technique was assessed by blinded observers at baseline (T0) and following intervention periods (T1 and T2). Primary outcome was performance of a complete hand hygiene action, requiring all six poses during an action lasting ≥20 seconds. The number of poses per hand hygiene action (maximum 6) was assessed in a post-hoc analysis. SureWash's diagnostic capacity compared to human observers was assessed using ROC curve analysis. Thirty-four and 29 healthcare workers were recruited to groups A and B, respectively. No participants performed a complete action at baseline. At T1, one Group A participant and no Group B participants performed a complete action. At baseline, the median number of poses performed per action was 2.0 and 1.0 in Groups A and B, respectively (p = 0.12). At T1, the number of poses per action was greater in Group A (post-intervention) than Group B (control): median 3.8 and 2.0, respectively (p<0.001). In Group A, the number of poses performed twelve weeks post-intervention (median 3.0) remained higher than baseline (p<0.001). The area under the ROC curves for the 6 poses ranged from 0.59 to 0.88. While no impact on complete actions was demonstrated, SureWash significantly increased the number of poses per hand hygiene action and demonstrated good diagnostic capacity.

Using an emotional saccade task to characterize executive functioning and emotion processing in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Yep, Rachel; Soncin, Stephen; Brien, Donald C; Coe, Brian C; Marin, Alina; Munoz, Douglas P

2018-04-23

Despite distinct diagnostic criteria, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder (BD) share cognitive and emotion processing deficits that complicate diagnoses. The goal of this study was to use an emotional saccade task to characterize executive functioning and emotion processing in adult ADHD and BD. Participants (21 control, 20 ADHD, 20 BD) performed an interleaved pro/antisaccade task (look toward vs. look away from a visual target, respectively) in which the sex of emotional face stimuli acted as the cue to perform either the pro- or antisaccade. Both patient groups made more direction (erroneous prosaccades on antisaccade trials) and anticipatory (saccades made before cue processing) errors than controls. Controls exhibited lower microsaccade rates preceding correct anti- vs. prosaccade initiation, but this task-related modulation was absent in both patient groups. Regarding emotion processing, the ADHD group performed worse than controls on neutral face trials, while the BD group performed worse than controls on trials presenting faces of all valence. These findings support the role of fronto-striatal circuitry in mediating response inhibition deficits in both ADHD and BD, and suggest that such deficits are exacerbated in BD during emotion processing, presumably via dysregulated limbic system circuitry involving the anterior cingulate and orbitofrontal cortex. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of selenium supplementation on pigeon reproductive performance, selenium concentration and antioxidant status.

PubMed

Wang, Y; Yang, H M; Cao, W; Li, Y B

2017-09-01

The effects of dietary supplementation of sodium selenite (SS) on the reproductive performance and the concentration of selenium, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined, and expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) and bone morphogenic protein 15 (BMP15) was evaluated. Paired pigeons (n = 864) were fed: T1 received no SS, while T2, T3, and T4 received 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg of SS/kg of dry matter (DM), respectively. Treatments were performed in triplicate with 72 pairs in each replicate. The results showed that selenium supplementation significantly affected pigeon reproductive performance. Birds fed 1.0 mg of SS/kg displayed higher egg production (P > 0.05), higher birth rate, and lower dead sperm rate than the control group (P < 0.05). Selenium and biochemical analyses revealed a higher selenium concentration in the 1.5 mg of SS/kg group than in the control group (P < 0.05), while GSH-Px was higher in the 0.5 mg of SS/kg group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Neither the MDA nor the SOD content were affected significantly in liver, chest muscle, or leg muscle (P > 0.05); however, in plasma, MDA was lower in the control group (P < 0.05), while SOD was higher in the control group (P < 0.05). qRT-PCR results revealed up-regulation of GPx4 in hypothalamus, pituitary and testis tissues in supplemented groups (P < 0.05). However, expression in ovary differed; GPx4 mRNA levels were lower in the 1.5 mg of SS/kg and control groups than in the 1.0 or 0.5 mg of SS/kg groups (P < 0.05). Expression of BMP15 in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and testis tissues was unaffected (P > 0.05), while in ovary, BMP15 was down-regulated in the 1.5 mg of SS/kg group (P < 0.05). These results suggest pigeons supplemented with SS up-regulated GPx4, 1.0 mg of SS/kg exhibited superior reproductive performance, while 1.5 mg of SS/kg increased the selenium concentration, and 0.5 mg of SS/kg up-regulated GSH-Px activity. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Fine-motor skills testing and prediction of endovascular performance.

PubMed

Bech, Bo; Lönn, Lars; Schroeder, Torben V; Ringsted, Charlotte

2013-12-01

Performing endovascular procedures requires good control of fine-motor digital movements and hand-eye coordination. Objective assessment of such skills is difficult. Trainees acquire control of catheter/wire movements at various paces. However, little is known to what extent talent plays for novice candidates at entry to practice. To study the association between performance in a novel aptitude test of fine-motor skills and performance in simulated procedures. The test was based on manual course-tracking using a proprietary hand-operated roller-bar device coupled to a personal computer with monitor view rotation. A total of 40 test repetitions were conducted separately with each hand. Test scores were correlated with simulator performance. Group A (n = 14), clinicians with various levels of endovascular experience, performed a simulated procedure of contralateral iliac artery stenting. Group B (n = 19), medical students, performed 10 repetitions of crossing a challenging aortic bifurcation in a simulator. The test score differed markedly between the individuals in both groups, in particular with the non-dominant hand. Group A: the test score with the non-dominant hand correlated significantly with simulator performance assessed with the global rating scale SAVE (R = -0.69, P = 0.007). There was no association observed from performances with the dominant hand. Group B: there was no significant association between the test score and endovascular skills acquisition neither with the dominant nor with the non-dominant hand. Clinicians with increasing levels of endovascular technical experience had developed good fine-motor control of the non-dominant hand, in particular, that was associated with good procedural performance in the simulator. The aptitude test did not predict endovascular skills acquisition among medical students, thus, cannot be suggested for selection of novice candidates. Procedural experience and practice probably supplant the influence of innate abilities (talent) over time.

The effectiveness of training with an emergency department simulator on medical student performance in a simulated disaster.

PubMed

Franc-Law, Jeffrey Michael; Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Ragazzoni, Luca; Della Corte, Francesco

2010-01-01

Training in practical aspects of disaster medicine is often impossible, and simulation may offer an educational opportunity superior to traditional didactic methods. We sought to determine whether exposure to an electronic simulation tool would improve the ability of medical students to manage a simulated disaster. We stratified 22 students by year of education and randomly assigned 50% from each category to form the intervention group, with the remaining 50% forming the control group. Both groups received the same didactic training sessions. The intervention group received additional disaster medicine training on a patient simulator (disastermed.ca), and the control group spent equal time on the simulator in a nondisaster setting. We compared markers of patient flow during a simulated disaster, including mean differences in time and number of patients to reach triage, bed assignment, patient assessment and disposition. In addition, we compared triage accuracy and scores on a structured command-and-control instrument. We collected data on the students' evaluations of the course for secondary purposes. Participants in the intervention group triaged their patients more quickly than participants in the control group (mean difference 43 s, 99.5% confidence interval [CI] 12 to 75 s). The score of performance indicators on a standardized scale was also significantly higher in the intervention group (18/18) when compared with the control group (8/18) (p < 0.001). All students indicated that they preferred the simulation-based curriculum to a lecture-based curriculum. When asked to rate the exercise overall, both groups gave a median score of 8 on a 10-point modified Likert scale. Participation in an electronic disaster simulation using the disastermed.ca software package appears to increase the speed at which medical students triage simulated patients and increase their score on a structured command-and-control performance indicator instrument. Participants indicated that the simulation-based curriculum in disaster medicine is preferable to a lecture-based curriculum. Overall student satisfaction with the simulation-based curriculum was high.

The effects of respiratory muscle training on peak cough flow in patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Reyes, Alvaro; Castillo, Adrián; Castillo, Javiera; Cornejo, Isabel

2018-05-01

To compare the effects of an inspiratory versus and expiratory muscle-training program on voluntary and reflex peak cough flow in patients with Parkinson disease. A randomized controlled study. Home-based training program. In all, 40 participants with diagnosis of Parkinson's disease were initially recruited in the study and randomly allocated to three study groups. Of them, 31 participants completed the study protocol (control group, n = 10; inspiratory training group, n = 11; and expiratory training group, n = 10) Intervention: The inspiratory and expiratory group performed a home-based inspiratory and expiratory muscle-training program, respectively (five sets of five repetitions). Both groups trained six times a week for two months using a progressively increased resistance. The control group performed expiratory muscle training using the same protocol and a fixed resistance. Spirometric indices, maximum inspiratory pressure, maximum expiratory pressure, and peak cough flow during voluntary and reflex cough were assessed before and at two months after training. The magnitude of increase in maximum expiratory pressure ( d = 1.40) and voluntary peak cough flow ( d = 0.89) was greater for the expiratory muscle-training group in comparison to the control group. Reflex peak cough flow had a moderate effect ( d = 0.27) in the expiratory group in comparison to the control group. Slow vital capacity ( d = 0.13) and forced vital capacity ( d = 0.02) had trivial effects in the expiratory versus the control group. Two months of expiratory muscle-training program was more beneficial than inspiratory muscle-training program for improving maximum expiratory pressure and voluntary peak cough flow in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Efficacy of massage on muscle soreness, perceived recovery, physiological restoration and physical performance in male bodybuilders.

PubMed

Kargarfard, Mehdi; Lam, Eddie T C; Shariat, Ardalan; Shaw, Ina; Shaw, Brandon S; Tamrin, Shamsul B M

2016-01-01

It is believed that sport massage after intensive exercise might improve power and perceptual recovery in athletes. However, few studies have been done in this area. This study aimed to examine the effect of massage on the performance of bodybuilders. Thirty experienced male bodybuilders were randomly assigned to either a massage group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Both groups performed five repetition sets at 75-77% of 1RM of knee extensor and flexor muscle groups. The massage group then received a 30-min massage after the exercise protocol while the control group maintained their normal passive recovery. Criteria under investigation included: plasma creatine kinase (CK) level, agility test, vertical jump test, isometric torque test, and perception of soreness. All variables were measured over 6 time periods: baseline, immediately after the DOMS inducing protocol, right after the massage, and 24, 48, and 72 h after the massage. Both groups showed significant (P < .001) decreases in jumping, agility performance, and isometric torque, but significant (P < .001) increases in CK and muscle soreness levels. The massage group in general demonstrated a better recovery rate. As such, a post-exercise massage session can improve the exercise performance and recovery rate in male bodybuilders after intensive exercise.

Evaluation of App-Based Serious Gaming as a Training Method in Teaching Chest Tube Insertion to Medical Students: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Ober, Julian; Walker, Tilman; Bergdolt, Christian; Friedrich, Mirco; Müller-Stich, Beat Peter; Forchheim, Franziska; Fischer, Christian; Schmidmaier, Gerhard; Tanner, Michael C

2018-01-01

Background The insertion of a chest tube should be as quick and accurate as possible to maximize the benefit and minimize possible complications for the patient. Therefore, comprehensive training and assessment before an emergency situation are essential for proficiency in chest tube insertion. Serious games have become more prevalent in surgical training because they enable students to study and train a procedure independently, and errors made have no effect on patients. However, up-to-date evidence regarding the effect of serious games on performance in procedures in emergency medicine remains scarce. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the serious gaming approach in teaching medical students an emergency procedure (chest tube insertion) using the app Touch Surgery and a modified objective structural assessment of technical skills (OSATS). Methods In a prospective, rater-blinded, randomized controlled trial, medical students were randomized into two groups: intervention group or control group. Touch Surgery has been established as an innovative and cost-free app for mobile devices. The fully automatic software enables users to train medical procedures and afterwards self-assess their training effort. The module chest tube insertion teaches each key step in the insertion of a chest tube and enables users the meticulous application of a chest tube. In contrast, the module “Thoracocentesis” discusses a basic thoracocentesis. All students attended a lecture regarding chest tube insertion (regular curriculum) and afterwards received a Touch Surgery training lesson: intervention group used the module chest tube insertion and the control group used Thoracocentesis as control training. Participants’ performance in chest tube insertion on a porcine model was rated on-site via blinded face-to-face rating and via video recordings using a modified OSATS tool. Afterwards, every participant received an individual questionnaire for self-evaluation. Here, trainees gave information about their individual training level, as well as previous experiences, gender, and hobbies. Primary end point was operative performance during chest tube insertion by direct observance. Results A total of 183 students enrolled, 116 students participated (63.4%), and 21 were excluded because of previous experiences in chest tube insertion. Students were randomized to the intervention group (49/95, 52%) and control group (46/95, 48%). The intervention group performed significantly better than the control group (Intervention group: 38.0 [I50=7.0] points; control group: 30.5 [I50=8.0] points; P<.001). The intervention group showed significantly improved economy of time and motion (P=.004), needed significantly less help (P<.001), and was more confident in handling of instruments (P<.001) than the control group. Conclusions The results from this study show that serious games are a valid and effective tool in education of operative performance in chest tube insertion. We believe that serious games should be implemented in the surgical curriculum, as well as residency programs, in addition to traditional learning methods. Trial Registration German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00009994; https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00009994 (Archived by Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ytWF1CWg) PMID:29784634

Soy isoflavones improve spatial delayed matching-to-place performance and reduce cholinergic neuron loss in elderly male rats.

PubMed

Lee, Yoon-Bok; Lee, Hyong Joo; Won, Moo Ho; Hwang, In Koo; Kang, Tae-Cheon; Lee, Jae-Yong; Nam, Sang-Yoon; Kim, Kang-Sung; Kim, Eugene; Cheon, Sang-Hee; Sohn, Heon-Soo

2004-07-01

To investigate the protective activity of soy isoflavones on neurons, the effects of isoflavones on cholinergic enzyme activity, immunoreactivities of cholinergic enzyme, and delayed matching-to-place (DMP) performance were measured in normal elderly rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 48; 10 mo old) were assigned to 3 groups: CD (control diet), ISO 0.3 (0.3 g/kg soy isoflavones diet), and ISO 1.2 (1.2 g/kg soy isoflavones diet). After 16 wk of consuming these diets, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the ISO 0.3 group was greater in cortex and basal forebrain (BF; P < 0.05) than in controls. In BF, ChAT activity was also significantly greater in the ISO 1.2 group than in control rats. Acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity in the ISO 0.3 group was significantly inhibited in cortex, BF, and hippocampus and in the ISO 1.2 group in cortex and hippocampus. Choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity (ChAT-IR) in the ISO 1.2 group was significantly greater than in controls in the medial septum area. ChAT-IR in the ISO 0.3 and ISO 1.2 groups was significantly higher than in the CD group in the hippocampus CA1 area. Spatial DMP performance by the ISO 0.3 group showed significantly shorter swimming time than by the CD group. These findings show that soy isoflavones can influence the brain cholinergic system and reduce age-related neuron loss and cognition decline in male rats.

Control group design: enhancing rigor in research of mind-body therapies for depression.

PubMed

Kinser, Patricia Anne; Robins, Jo Lynne

2013-01-01

Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research.

Control Group Design: Enhancing Rigor in Research of Mind-Body Therapies for Depression

PubMed Central

Kinser, Patricia Anne; Robins, Jo Lynne

2013-01-01

Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research. PMID:23662111

Performance enhancement effects of Fédération Internationale de Football Association's "The 11+" injury prevention training program in youth futsal players.

PubMed

Reis, Ivan; Rebelo, António; Krustrup, Peter; Brito, João

2013-07-01

To evaluate if Fédération Internationale de Football Association's "The 11+" injury prevention program improves physical fitness and technical performance in youth futsal players. Randomized cohort study. Futsal club. Thirty-six futsal players (17.3 ± 0.7 years). Players were randomized to an intervention group (n = 18) or a control group (n = 18). Intervention group performed "The 11+" twice per week for 12 weeks. Isokinetic testing to access maximal quadriceps (Q) and hamstring (H) strength, vertical jump (squat jump, SJ; countermovement jump, CMJ), 5-m and 30-m sprint, agility, slalom, and balance performances were also measured. Intervention group increased (P < 0.05) quadriceps concentric (14.7%-27.3%) and hamstrings concentric (9.3%-13.3%) and eccentric (12.7%) peak torque. Intervention group improved functional H:Q ratio by 1.8% to 8.5% (P < 0.05). Intervention group improved (P < 0.05) SJ (13.8%) and CMJ (9.9%) and 5-m and 30-m sprint (8.9% and 3.3%, respectively), agility (4.7%), and slalom (4.8%) performances. Intervention group also improved balance, by decreasing the number of falls by 30% in the nondominant limb. No changes were observed in control group. The results suggest that 'The 11+' can be used as an effective conditioning means for improving physical fitness and technical performance of youth futsal players.

Adding motor control training to muscle strengthening did not substantially improve the effects on clinical or kinematic outcomes in women with patellofemoral pain: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Rabelo, Nayra Deise Dos Anjos; Costa, Leonardo Oliveira Pena; Lima, Bruna Maria de; Dos Reis, Amir Curcio; Bley, André Serra; Fukuda, Thiago Yukio; Lucareli, Paulo Roberto Garcia

2017-10-01

Randomized controlled trial. Patients with Patellofemoral pain (PFP) usually present muscular weakness, pain and impaired motor control. Muscle strengthening is an effective treatment strategy for PFP, but the additional benefits of movement control training remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of movement control training associated with muscle strengthening, with a conventional program of strengthening alone in women with PFP. Thirty-four women were randomly assigned to two groups. The Strengthening group (S group) performed 12 sessions to strengthen the knee and hip muscles. The Movement Control & Strengthening group (MC&S group) performed the same exercises and movement control training of the trunk and lower limbs. Effects of the treatment (i.e., between-group differences) were calculated using linear mixed models. Primary outcomes were function and pain intensity after completion of the treatment protocol. Secondary outcomes were; muscle strength and kinematic outcomes during the step down task after 4 weeks of treatment; and function and pain intensity 3 and 6 months after randomization. The MC&S group did not present significantly better function (MD -2.5 points, 95% CI;-10.7-5.5) or pain (MD -0.3 points, 95% CI;-1.7-1.0) at 4 weeks. There was a small difference in favour of the MC&S group for AKPS scores at 3 months (MD -8.5 points; 95% CI;-16.8 to -0.3). No significant between-group differences were observed for the other outcomes. Movement control training was no more effective than the isolated strengthening protocol, in terms of pain, function, muscle strength, or kinematics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a School-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Cognitive Performance in Danish Adolescents: LCoMotion—Learning, Cognition and Motion – A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Froberg, Karsten; Hillman, Charles H.; Andersen, Lars Bo; Bugge, Anna

2016-01-01

Background Physical activity is associated not only with health-related parameters, but also with cognitive and academic performance. However, no large scale school-based physical activity interventions have investigated effects on cognitive performance in adolescents. The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention in enhancing cognitive performance in 12–14 years old adolescents. Methods A 20 week cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted including seven intervention and seven control schools. A total of 632 students (mean (SD) age: 12.9 (0.6) years) completed the trial with baseline and follow-up data on primary or secondary outcomes (74% of randomized subjects). The intervention targeted physical activity during academic subjects, recess, school transportation and leisure-time. Cognitive performance was assessed using an executive functions test of inhibition (flanker task) with the primary outcomes being accuracy and reaction time on congruent and incongruent trials. Secondary outcomes included mathematics performance, physical activity levels, body-mass index, waist-circumference and cardiorespiratory fitness. Results No significant difference in change, comparing the intervention group to the control group, was observed on the primary outcomes (p’s>0.05) or mathematics skills (p>0.05). An intervention effect was found for cardiorespiratory fitness in girls (21 meters (95% CI: 4.4–38.6) and body-mass index in boys (-0.22 kg/m2 (95% CI: -0.39–0.05). Contrary to our predictions, a significantly larger change in interference control for reaction time was found in favor of the control group (5.0 milliseconds (95% CI: 0–9). Baseline to mid-intervention changes in physical activity levels did not differ significantly between groups (all p’s>0.05). Conclusions No evidence was found for effectiveness of a 20-week multi-faceted school-based physical activity intervention for enhancing executive functioning or mathematics skills compared to a control group, but low implementation fidelity precludes interpretation of the causal relationship. Trial Registration www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02012881 PMID:27341346

Effectiveness of a School-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Cognitive Performance in Danish Adolescents: LCoMotion-Learning, Cognition and Motion - A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Tarp, Jakob; Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Froberg, Karsten; Hillman, Charles H; Andersen, Lars Bo; Bugge, Anna

2016-01-01

Physical activity is associated not only with health-related parameters, but also with cognitive and academic performance. However, no large scale school-based physical activity interventions have investigated effects on cognitive performance in adolescents. The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention in enhancing cognitive performance in 12-14 years old adolescents. A 20 week cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted including seven intervention and seven control schools. A total of 632 students (mean (SD) age: 12.9 (0.6) years) completed the trial with baseline and follow-up data on primary or secondary outcomes (74% of randomized subjects). The intervention targeted physical activity during academic subjects, recess, school transportation and leisure-time. Cognitive performance was assessed using an executive functions test of inhibition (flanker task) with the primary outcomes being accuracy and reaction time on congruent and incongruent trials. Secondary outcomes included mathematics performance, physical activity levels, body-mass index, waist-circumference and cardiorespiratory fitness. No significant difference in change, comparing the intervention group to the control group, was observed on the primary outcomes (p's>0.05) or mathematics skills (p>0.05). An intervention effect was found for cardiorespiratory fitness in girls (21 meters (95% CI: 4.4-38.6) and body-mass index in boys (-0.22 kg/m2 (95% CI: -0.39-0.05). Contrary to our predictions, a significantly larger change in interference control for reaction time was found in favor of the control group (5.0 milliseconds (95% CI: 0-9). Baseline to mid-intervention changes in physical activity levels did not differ significantly between groups (all p's>0.05). No evidence was found for effectiveness of a 20-week multi-faceted school-based physical activity intervention for enhancing executive functioning or mathematics skills compared to a control group, but low implementation fidelity precludes interpretation of the causal relationship. www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02012881.

Interaction of bilingualism and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in young adults∗

PubMed Central

BIALYSTOK, ELLEN; HAWRYLEWICZ, KORNELIA; WISEHEART, MELODY; TOPLAK, MAGGIE

2016-01-01

One hundred and sixty-eight young adult participants were classified as monolingual or bilingual and as having a previously reported clinical diagnosis of ADHD or not to create four groups. All participants completed tests of language proficiency, ADHD ratings, and executive control. Both bilingualism and ADHD are generally associated with poorer vocabulary knowledge, but bilingualism and ADHD are associated with opposite effects on executive control. Consistent with this literature, bilinguals performed more poorly than monolinguals on the vocabulary test but contrary to predictions, the ADHD group performed somewhat better on language ability than the non-ADHD group, attesting to their high functioning status. For the flanker task, both bilinguals and non-ADHD participants showed less cost in performing in the conflict condition than in the baseline condition. For the stop-signal task, ADHD status interfered more with performance by bilinguals than monolinguals, suggesting a greater burden of ADHD on executive function for this group. PMID:28579912

Effect of herbal feed additives on performance parameters, intestinal microbiota, intestinal morphology and meat lipid oxidation of broiler chickens.

PubMed

Giannenas, Ilias; Bonos, Eleftherios; Skoufos, Ioannis; Tzora, Athina; Stylianaki, Ioanna; Lazari, Diamanto; Tsinas, Anastasios; Christaki, Efterpi; Florou-Paneri, Panagiota

2018-06-06

1. This feeding trial investigated the effects of herbal feed additives on performance of broiler chickens, jejunal and caecal microbiota, jejunal morphology, and meat chemical composition and oxidative stability during refrigerated storage. 2. In a 42 days trial, 320 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated to four groups with four replicate pens each containing 20 chicks. The control group was fed maize-soybean-based diets. The diets of the other three groups were supplemented with herbal feed additives: HRB1 with Stresomix TM (0.5 g/kg feed); HRB2 with Ayucee TM (1.0 g/kg feed); HRB3 with Salcochek Pro TM (1.0 g/kg feed). The GC/MS analysis of the feed additives showed that the major components of HRB1 were β-caryophyllene (14.4%) and menthol (9.8%); HRB2 were n-hexadecanoic acid (14.22%) and β-caryophyllene (14.4%) and HRB3 were menthol (69.6%) and clavicol methyl ether (13.9%). 3. Intestinal samples were taken at 42 d to determine bacterial populations (total aerobe counts, Lactobacilli, and Escherichia coli) and perform gut morphology analysis. Meat samples were analysed for chemical composition and oxidative stability under storage. 4. The HRB1 group had improved (P<0.05) body weight gain and tended to have improved (0.05≤P<0.10) feed conversion ratio, compared to the control group. Jejunum lactic acid bacteria counts were increased (P<0.001) in groups HRB1 and HRB3, compared to the control group, whereas caecal lactic acid bacteria counts tended to increase (0.05≤ P< 0.10) in group HRB1, compared to the control group. Breast meat fat content tended to be lower (0.05≤ P< 0.10) in group HRB1. Meat oxidative stability was improved (P<0.001) and jejunum villus height, crypt depth and goblet cells numbers were increased (P<0.001) in all three herbal supplemented groups, compared to the control. 5. In conclusion, herbal feed additives may be able to improve both growth performance and antioxidant activity of broiler chickens, based on their phenolic compound content.

[Effects of on education program for nurses on the use of restraints].

PubMed

Yeo, Jeong Min; Park, Myong Hwa

2006-06-01

This study was conducted to verify the effects of an education program of restraints use on nurses' knowledge, attitude and nursing performance related to restraints use. A quasi experimental study with a pre and post non-equivalent design was used. The subjects were nurses who met the selection criteria and worked in intensive care units of two university hospitals located at K-city, Gyeongbuk. Twenty nurses in A hospital were designated as the experimental group and 20 nurses in B hospital as the control group. The first hypothesis which assumed that the experimental group would have higher scores of knowledge than the control group was supported(F=62.66, p=0.000). The second hypothesis which assumed that the experimental group would have lower scores of attitude toward using restraints than the control group was supported(F=23.77, p=0.000). The third hypothesis which assumed that the experimental group would have higher scores of nursing performance than the control group was supported(F=3.28, p=0.032). An education program for nurses' on the use of restraints needs to be introduced to decrease inappropriate use of restraints.

Learning algorithms for human-machine interfaces.

PubMed

Danziger, Zachary; Fishbach, Alon; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A

2009-05-01

The goal of this study is to create and examine machine learning algorithms that adapt in a controlled and cadenced way to foster a harmonious learning environment between the user and the controlled device. To evaluate these algorithms, we have developed a simple experimental framework. Subjects wear an instrumented data glove that records finger motions. The high-dimensional glove signals remotely control the joint angles of a simulated planar two-link arm on a computer screen, which is used to acquire targets. A machine learning algorithm was applied to adaptively change the transformation between finger motion and the simulated robot arm. This algorithm was either LMS gradient descent or the Moore-Penrose (MP) pseudoinverse transformation. Both algorithms modified the glove-to-joint angle map so as to reduce the endpoint errors measured in past performance. The MP group performed worse than the control group (subjects not exposed to any machine learning), while the LMS group outperformed the control subjects. However, the LMS subjects failed to achieve better generalization than the control subjects, and after extensive training converged to the same level of performance as the control subjects. These results highlight the limitations of coadaptive learning using only endpoint error reduction.

External Control of Knowledge of Results: Learner Involvement Enhances Motor Skill Transfer.

PubMed

Figueiredo, L S; Ugrinowitsch, H; Freire, A B; Shea, J B; Benda, R N

2018-04-01

Providing the learner control over aspects of practice has improved the process of motor skill acquisition, and self-controlled knowledge of results (KR) schedules have shown specific advantages over externally controlled ones. A possible explanation is that self-controlled KR schedules lead learners to more active task involvement, permitting deeper information processing. This study tested this explanatory hypothesis. Thirty undergraduate volunteers of both sexes, aged 18 to 35, all novices in the task, practiced transporting a tennis ball in a specified sequence within a time goal. We compared a high-involvement group (involvement yoked, IY), notified in advance about upcoming KR trials, to self-controlled KR (SC) and yoked KR (YK) groups. The experiment consisted of three phases: acquisition, retention, and transfer. We found both IY and SC groups to be superior to YK for transfer of learning. Postexperiment participant questionnaires confirmed a preference for receiving KR after learner-perceived good trials, even though performance on those trials did not differ from performance on trials without KR. Equivalent IY and SC performances provide support for the benefits of task involvement and deeper information processing when KR is self-controlled in motor skill acquisition.

Learning Algorithms for Human–Machine Interfaces

PubMed Central

Fishbach, Alon; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A.

2012-01-01

The goal of this study is to create and examine machine learning algorithms that adapt in a controlled and cadenced way to foster a harmonious learning environment between the user and the controlled device. To evaluate these algorithms, we have developed a simple experimental framework. Subjects wear an instrumented data glove that records finger motions. The high-dimensional glove signals remotely control the joint angles of a simulated planar two-link arm on a computer screen, which is used to acquire targets. A machine learning algorithm was applied to adaptively change the transformation between finger motion and the simulated robot arm. This algorithm was either LMS gradient descent or the Moore–Penrose (MP) pseudoinverse transformation. Both algorithms modified the glove-to-joint angle map so as to reduce the endpoint errors measured in past performance. The MP group performed worse than the control group (subjects not exposed to any machine learning), while the LMS group outperformed the control subjects. However, the LMS subjects failed to achieve better generalization than the control subjects, and after extensive training converged to the same level of performance as the control subjects. These results highlight the limitations of coadaptive learning using only endpoint error reduction. PMID:19203886

Effects of mirror therapy on motor and sensory recovery in chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wu, Ching-Yi; Huang, Pai-Chuan; Chen, Yu-Ting; Lin, Keh-Chung; Yang, Hsiu-Wen

2013-06-01

To compare the effects of mirror therapy (MT) versus control treatment (CT) on movement performance, motor control, sensory recovery, and performance of activities of daily living in people with chronic stroke. Single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Four hospitals. Outpatients with chronic stroke (N=33) with mild to moderate motor impairment. The MT group (n=16) received upper extremity training involving repetitive bimanual, symmetrical movement practice, in which the individual moves the affected limb while watching the reflective illusion of the unaffected limb's movements from a mirror. The CT group received task-oriented upper extremity training. The intensity for both groups was 1.5 hours/day, 5 days/week, for 4 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment; kinematic variables, including reaction time, normalized movement time, normalized total displacement, joint recruitment, and maximum shoulder-elbow cross-correlation; the Revised Nottingham Sensory Assessment; the Motor Activity Log; and the ABILHAND questionnaire. The MT group performed better in the overall (P=.01) and distal part (P=.04) Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores and demonstrated shorter reaction time (P=.04), shorter normalized total displacement (P=.04), and greater maximum shoulder-elbow cross-correlation (P=.03). The Revised Nottingham Sensory Assessment temperature scores improved significantly more in the MT group than in the CT group. No significant differences on the Motor Activity Log and the ABILHAND questionnaire were found immediately after MT or at follow-up. The application of MT after stroke might result in beneficial effects on movement performance, motor control, and temperature sense, but may not translate into daily functions in the population with chronic stroke. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MTR and In-vivo 1H-MRS studies on mouse brain with parkinson's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Moon-Hyun; Kim, Hyeon-Jin; Chung, Jin-Yeung; Doo, Ah-Reum; Park, Hi-Joon; Kim, Seung-Nam; Choe, Bo-Young

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the changes in the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) histogram are related to specific characteristics of Parkinson's disease (PD) and to investigate whether the MTR histogram parameters are associated with neurochemical dysfunction by performing in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). MTR and in vivo 1H-MRS studies were performed on control mice (n = 10) and 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine intoxicated mice (n = 10). All the MTR and in vivo 1H-MRS experiments were performed on a 9.4 T MRI/MRS system (Bruker Biospin, Germany) using a standard head coil. The protondensity fast spin echo (FSE) images and the T2-weighted spin echo (SE) images were acquired with no gap. Outer volume suppression (OVS), combined with the ultra-short echo-time stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM), was used for the localized in-vivo 1H-MRS. The quantitative analysis of metabolites was performed from the 1H spectra obtained in vivo on the striatum (ST) by using jMRUI (Lyon, France). The peak height of the MTR histograms in the PD model group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The midbrain MTR values for volume were lower in the PD group than the control group(p < 0.05). The complex peak (Glx: glutamine+glutamate+ GABA)/creatine (Cr) ratio of the right ST in the PD group was significantly increased as compared to that of the control group. The present study revealed that the peak height of the MTR histogram was significantly decreased in the ST and substantia nigra, and a significant increase in the Gl x /Cr ratio was found in the ST of the PD group, as compared with that of the control group. These findings could reflect the early phase of neuronal dysfunction of neurotransmitters.

Deep breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure at a higher rate improve oxygenation in the early period after cardiac surgery--a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Urell, Charlotte; Emtner, Margareta; Hedenström, Hans; Tenling, Arne; Breidenskog, Marie; Westerdahl, Elisabeth

2011-07-01

In addition to early mobilisation, a variety of breathing exercises are used to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery. The optimal duration of the treatment is not well evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 30 versus 10 deep breaths hourly, while awake, with positive expiratory pressure on oxygenation and pulmonary function the first days after cardiac surgery. A total of 181 patients, undergoing cardiac surgery, were randomised into a treatment group, performing 30 deep breaths hourly the first postoperative days, or into a control group performing 10 deep breaths hourly. The main outcome measurement arterial blood gases and the secondary outcome pulmonary function, evaluated with spirometry, were determined on the second postoperative day. Preoperatively, both study groups were similar in terms of age, SpO(2), forced expiratory volume in 1s and New York Heart Association classification. On the second postoperative day, arterial oxygen tension (PaO(2)) was 8.9 ± 1.7 kPa in the treatment group and 8.1 ± 1.4 kPa in the control group (p = 0.004). Arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) was 92.7 ± 3.7% in the treatment group and 91.1 ± 3.8% in the control group (p = 0.016). There were no differences in measured lung function between the groups or in compliance to the breathing exercises. Compliance was 65% of possible breathing sessions. A significantly increased oxygenation was found in patients performing 30 deep breaths the first two postoperative days compared with control patients performing 10 deep breaths hourly. These results support the implementation of a higher rate of deep breathing exercises in the initial phase after cardiac surgery. Copyright © 2010 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effects of a 6-Week Plyometric Training Program on Agility

PubMed Central

Miller, Michael G.; Herniman, Jeremy J.; Ricard, Mark D.; Cheatham, Christopher C.; Michael, Timothy J.

2006-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine if six weeks of plyometric training can improve an athlete's agility. Subjects were divided into two groups, a plyometric training and a control group. The plyometric training group performed in a six week plyometric training program and the control group did not perform any plyometric training techniques. All subjects participated in two agility tests: T-test and Illinois Agility Test, and a force plate test for ground reaction times both pre and post testing. Univariate ANCOVAs were conducted to analyze the change scores (post - pre) in the independent variables by group (training or control) with pre scores as covariates. The Univariate ANCOVA revealed a significant group effect F2,26 = 25.42, p=0.0000 for the T-test agility measure. For the Illinois Agility test, a significant group effect F2,26 = 27.24, p = 0.000 was also found. The plyometric training group had quicker posttest times compared to the control group for the agility tests. A significant group effect F2,26 = 7.81, p = 0.002 was found for the Force Plate test. The plyometric training group reduced time on the ground on the posttest compared to the control group. The results of this study show that plyometric training can be an effective training technique to improve an athlete's agility. Key Points Plyometric training can enhance agility of athletes. 6 weeks of plyometric training is sufficient to see agility results. Ground reaction times are decreased with plyometric training PMID:24353464

Diagnostic value of non stress test in latent phase of labor and maternal and fetal outcomes.

PubMed

Raouf, Shiva; Sheikhan, Fatemeh; Hassanpour, Shirin; Bani, Soheila; Torabi, Rogayye; Shamsalizadeh, Neda

2014-10-28

The Non Stress Test (NST) is the one of the significant diagnostic fetal well being testes. The purpose of this study is to access diagnostic value of NST during latent phase of labor by considering maternal and neonatal outcomes. This case study control study was performed on 450 healthy pregnant women with gestational age between 38-42 weeks in AL-Zahra teaching hospital in Tabriz, Iran. All participants underwent NST after being admitted to labor during their latent phase of delivery. Participants were divided into groups including the study group which included 150 participants with non-reactive NST results whereas 300 subjects with reactive NST results assigned in the control group. Subjects in both groups were hospitalized for pregnancy termination because of the delivery time. In order to find out the importance of routine performance of NST during delivery, the relationship between NST results and maternal and fetal outcomes was evaluated. Several criteria including type of delivery, meconium defecation, descent arrest, bradicardia, Apgar score, and still birth were compared between two types. Finding of this study showed that descent arrest occurred in 2.7% of the subjects in the study group, whereas it occurred in 4.7% of the participants in the control group (p=0.44). Bradicardia found in 28% of the participants in study group and 3.3% of the control group (p<0.001). The low Apgar Score was found in 2.7% of case group however; no the low apgar score detected in the control group. Meconium defecation observed in 11.3% of the subjects in the study group and 9.7% of the participants in control group (p=0.62). The amount of stillbirth were found in control group. There was a significant difference between the results of both groups in terms of bradicardia, descent arrest, and the low Apgar score and cesarean section. Results of this study revealed that participants in study group with nonreactive NST results had more fetal complications than those with reactive NST results. NST was found to be a value diagnostic test for diagnosis of fetal distress during delivery in the latent phase. This findings of this study suggest that NST should be performed routinely as a valuable diagnostic test during the latent phase of delivery.

Balance training with multi-task exercises improves fall-related self-efficacy, gait, balance performance and physical function in older adults with osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Halvarsson, Alexandra; Franzén, Erika; Ståhle, Agneta

2015-04-01

To evaluate the effects of a balance training program including dual- and multi-task exercises on fall-related self-efficacy, fear of falling, gait and balance performance, and physical function in older adults with osteoporosis with an increased risk of falling and to evaluate whether additional physical activity would further improve the effects. Randomized controlled trial, including three groups: two intervention groups (Training, or Training+Physical activity) and one Control group, with a 12-week follow-up. Stockholm County, Sweden. Ninety-six older adults, aged 66-87, with verified osteoporosis. A specific and progressive balance training program including dual- and multi-task three times/week for 12 weeks, and physical activity for 30 minutes, three times/week. Fall-related self-efficacy (Falls Efficacy Scale-International), fear of falling (single-item question - 'In general, are you afraid of falling?'), gait speed with and without a cognitive dual-task at preferred pace and fast walking (GAITRite®), balance performance tests (one-leg stance, and modified figure of eight), and physical function (Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument). Both intervention groups significantly improved their fall-related self-efficacy as compared to the controls (p ≤ 0.034, 4 points) and improved their balance performance. Significant differences over time and between groups in favour of the intervention groups were found for walking speed with a dual-task (p=0.003), at fast walking speed (p=0.008), and for advanced lower extremity physical function (p=0.034). This balance training program, including dual- and multi-task, improves fall-related self-efficacy, gait speed, balance performance, and physical function in older adults with osteoporosis. © The Author(s) 2014.

Aerobic Fitness and Cognitive Development: Event-Related Brain Potential and Task Performance Indices of Executive Control in Preadolescent Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillman, Charles H.; Buck, Sarah M.; Themanson, Jason R.; Pontifex, Matthew B.; Castelli, Darla M.

2009-01-01

The relationship between aerobic fitness and executive control was assessed in 38 higher- and lower-fit children (M[subscript age] = 9.4 years), grouped according to their performance on a field test of aerobic capacity. Participants performed a flanker task requiring variable amounts of executive control while event-related brain potential…

Effect of saliva decontamination procedures on shear bond strength of a one-step adhesive system.

PubMed

Ülker, E; Bilgin, S; Kahvecioğlu, F; Erkan, A I

2017-09-01

To evaluate the effect of different saliva decontamination procedures on the shear bond strength of a one-step universal adhesive system (Single Bond™ Universal Adhesive, 3M ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA). The occlusal surfaces of 75 human third molars were ground to expose dentin. The teeth were divided into the following groups: Group 1 (control group): Single Bond™ Universal Adhesive was applied to the prepared tooth according to the manufacturer's recommendations and light cured; no contamination procedure was performed. Group 2: Bonding, light curing, saliva contamination, and dry. Group 3: Bonding, light curing, saliva contamination, rinse, and dry. Group 4: After the procedure performed in Group 2, reapplication of bonding. Group 5: After the procedure performed in Group 3, reapplication of bonding. Then, composite resins were applied with cylindrical-shaped plastic matrixes and light cured. For shear bond testing, a notch-shaped force transducer apparatus was applied to each specimen at the interface between the tooth and composite until failure occurred. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in shear bond strength between the control group and experimental Groups 2 and 4 (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found for experimental Groups 3 and 5 when compared to the control group (P > 0.05). The present in vitro study showed that water rinsing is necessary if cured adhesive resin is contaminated with saliva to ensure adequate bond strength.

Use of Bacillus Subtilis PB6 as a potential antibiotic growth promoter replacement in improving performance of broiler birds.

PubMed

Jayaraman, Sathishkumar; Das, Partha Pratim; Saini, Prakash Chandra; Roy, Barun; Chatterjee, Paresh Nath

2017-08-01

The intestinal gut health is one of the primary determinants of broiler growth and performance. Among the various enteric diseases, necrotic enteritis (NE) is an enterotoxemic disease caused by Clostridium perfringens, which can result in severe economic losses in poultry farming. Antibiotics like bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) and avilamycin (AVL) are commonly used antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in poultry feed to control necrotic enteritis in birds. Bacillus subtilis PB6 was reported to prevent necrotic enteritis and improve performance in birds. This paper investigated the influence of Bacillus subtilis PB6 in improving the performance of broiler birds in comparison with BMD and avilamycin. A 35 day trial was conducted with 240 day-old commercial broiler chicks (VenCobb 400), which were divided into four treatment groups, where each treatment group was composed of 6 replicates each containing 10 birds, for a total of 60 birds per treatment. The treatment groups included a negative control (no AGP), Bacillus subtilis PB6, BMD, and avilamycin. The parameters analyzed included body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality, villus histomorphometry, and European efficiency factor (EEF). Bacillus subtilis PB6 significantly (P < 0.05) improved body weight and FCR (8 points) compared to the control. The group supplemented with B. subtilis PB6 or BMD had higher (P < 0.05) body weight compared to all other treatment groups. The supplementation of B. subtilis PB6 significantly improved the villus height (P < 0.05) compared to control and other AGP groups. The EEF was found to be the highest in the B. subtilis PB6 supplemented group at 35th day as compared to other treatment groups. The combined data from this study indicate that supplementation of B. subtilis PB6 improves overall performance of broilers compared to BMD and avilamycin, and can be used as potential AGP replacement in poultry farming. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Improved nondominant hand performance on a laparoscopic virtual reality simulator after playing the Nintendo Wii.

PubMed

Middleton, Kellie K; Hamilton, Travis; Tsai, Pei-Chien; Middleton, Dana B; Falcone, John L; Hamad, Giselle

2013-11-01

Video games have been shown to improve eye-hand coordination, spatial visualization, manual dexterity, and rapid mental processing, which are important in the acquisition of laparoscopic skills. This study investigated the relationship between playing Nintendo(®) Wii™ and virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic surgery simulator performance. We hypothesized that playing the Wii would improve surgical skills performance on a VR laparoscopic simulator and hoped to elucidate which tasks, in particular, would be most beneficial for nondominant hand training. This was a single-blinded, randomized, prospective study conducted with 23 student volunteers. VR laparoscopic skills were assessed at baseline on a Simbionix LapMentor™ Surgical Simulator (Simbionix Ltd., Israel) and after the gaming period of 2 weeks. Simulator performance metrics were compared between groups using nonparametric statistics and an alpha of 0.05. Compared with the control group, the Wii-playing group demonstrated greater improvement of six measures, including accuracy on the eye-hand coordination task (p = 0.04), faster completion time (p = 0.04), decreased number of left-handed movements (p = 0.03), decreased left handed total path length (p = 0.03), decreased total number of grasping attempts (p = 0.04), and improved left-handed economy of movement (p = 0.05) for the bimanual clipping and grasping task. When comparing the number of measures improved upon by the Wii-playing group and the control group for all three tasks, the Wii-playing group consistently outperformed the control group in 18 measures compared with the control group's improvement in 6. This study further characterizes the association between video game playing and surgical performance. Improvements following the intervention were made in the most basic of surgical skills, most notably with the nondominant hand, suggesting that short-term playing of the Wii could improve bimanual dexterity and expedite the acquisition of basic surgical skills.

Can the epirubicin cardiotoxicity in cancer patients be prevented by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors?

PubMed

Radulescu, D; Buzdugan, E; Ciuleanu, T E; Todor, N; Stoicescu, L

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess whether treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) can prevent the alteration of left ventricular systolic and diastolic performance in cancer patients treated with different chemotherapy regimens containing epirubicin. In this prospective study , 68 patients with different malignant tumors treated with epirubicin and perindopril in different chemotherapy protocols (study group), and a gender- and age-matched group of 68 patients with different malignant tumors treated with epirubicin without perindopril in different chemotherapy protocols (control group), were assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Left ventricular systolic function was assessed by measuring left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). Left ventricular diastolic function was assessed by Doppler ultrasound by evaluating the transmitral flow. We also assessed the QTc on the 12 lead electrocardiograms. At the end of chemotherapy the left ventricular systolic function was less altered in the study group compared to the control group and was superior in the study group (epirubicin+ACEI) compared to the control group (epirubicin alone). We documented a significantly deteriorated left ventricular diastolic function in both groups at the completion of chemotherapy. QTc time in both arms was also significantly prolonged. In the present echo-Doppler study we documented a preserved left ventricular systolic performance in patients with various malignancies treated with epirubicin plus perindopril. Although co-treatment with ACEI prevented the alteration of systolic performance, it failed to prevent the deterioration of the left ventricular diastolic performance impairment due to poor left ventricular compliance.

Acute exercise performed close to the anaerobic threshold improves cognitive performance in elderly females.

PubMed

Córdova, C; Silva, V C; Moraes, C F; Simões, H G; Nóbrega, O T

2009-05-01

The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of acute exercise performed at different intensities in relation to the anaerobic threshold (AT) on abilities requiring control of executive functions or alertness in physically active elderly females. Forty-eight physically active elderly females (63.8 +/- 4.6 years old) were assigned to one of four groups by drawing lots: control group without exercise or trial groups with exercise performed at 60, 90, or 110% of AT (watts) and submitted to 5 cognitive tests before and after exercise. Following cognitive pretesting, an incremental cycle ergometer test was conducted to determine AT using a fixed blood lactate concentration of 3.5 mmol/L as cutoff. Acute exercise executed at 90% of AT resulted in significant (P < 0.05, ANOVA) improvement in the performance of executive functions when compared to control in 3 of 5 tests (verbal fluency, Tower of Hanoi test (number of movements), and Trail Making test B). Exercising at 60% of AT did not improve results of any tests for executive functions, whereas exercise executed at 110% of AT only improved the performance in one of these tests (verbal fluency) compared to control. Women from all trial groups exhibited a remarkable reduction in the Simple Response Time (alertness) test (P = 0.001). Thus, physical exercise performed close to AT is more effective to improve cognitive processing of older women even if conducted acutely, and using a customized exercise prescription based on the anaerobic threshold should optimize the beneficial effects.

Fall Preventive Exercise With or Without Behavior Change Support for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Short-Term Follow-up.

PubMed

Arkkukangas, Marina; Söderlund, Anne; Eriksson, Staffan; Johansson, Ann-Christin

2017-02-27

In Western countries, falls and fall-related injuries are a well-known threat to health in the aging population. Studies indicate that regular exercise improves strength and balance and can therefore decrease the incidence of falls and fall-related injuries. The challenge, however, is to provide exercise programs that are safe, effective, and attractive to the older population. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of a home-based exercise program with or without motivational interviewing (MI) compared with standard care on physical performance, fall self-efficacy, balance, activity level, handgrip strength, adherence to the exercise, and fall frequency. A total of 175 older adults participated in this randomized controlled study. They were randomly allocated for the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) (n = 61), OEP combined with MI (n = 58), or a control group (n = 56). The participants' mean age was 83 years. The recruitment period was from October 2012 to May 2015. Measurements of physical performance, fall self-efficacy, balance, activity level, handgrip strength, adherence to the exercise, and fall frequency were done before and 12 weeks after randomization. A total of 161 participants were followed up, and there were no significant differences between groups after a period of 12 weeks of regular exercise. Within the OEP + MI group, physical performance, fall self-efficacy, physical activity level, and handgrip strength improved significantly; likewise, improved physical performance and fall self-efficacy were found in the control group. A corresponding difference did not occur in the OEP group. Adherence to the exercise was generally high in both exercise groups. In the short-term perspective, there were no benefits of an exercise program with or without MI regarding physical performance, fall self-efficacy, activity level, handgrip strength, adherence to the exercise, and fall frequency in comparison to a control group. However, some small effects occurred within the OEP + MI group, indicating that there may be some possible value in behavioral change support combined with exercise in older adults that requires further evaluation in both short- and long-term studies.

Effect of music-based multitask training on gait, balance, and fall risk in elderly people: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Trombetti, Andrea; Hars, Mélany; Herrmann, François R; Kressig, Reto W; Ferrari, Serge; Rizzoli, René

2011-03-28

Falls occur mainly while walking or performing concurrent tasks. We determined whether a music-based multitask exercise program improves gait and balance and reduces fall risk in elderly individuals. We conducted a 12-month randomized controlled trial involving 134 community-dwelling individuals older than 65 years, who are at increased risk of falling. They were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 66) or a delayed intervention control group scheduled to start the program 6 months later (n = 68). The intervention was a 6-month multitask exercise program performed to the rhythm of piano music. Change in gait variability under dual-task condition from baseline to 6 months was the primary end point. Secondary outcomes included changes in balance, functional performances, and fall risk. At 6 months, there was a reduction in stride length variability (adjusted mean difference, -1.4%; P < .002) under dual-task condition in the intervention group, compared with the delayed intervention control group. Balance and functional tests improved compared with the control group. There were fewer falls in the intervention group (incidence rate ratio, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.27-0.79) and a lower risk of falling (relative risk, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.96). Similar changes occurred in the delayed intervention control group during the second 6-month period with intervention. The benefit of the intervention on gait variability persisted 6 months later. In community-dwelling older people at increased risk of falling, a 6-month music-based multitask exercise program improved gait under dual-task condition, improved balance, and reduced both the rate of falls and the risk of falling. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01107288.

Neuropsychological assessment of driving ability and self-evaluation: a comparison between driving offenders and a control group.

PubMed

Zingg, Christina; Puelschen, Dietrich; Soyka, Michael

2009-12-01

The relationship between performance in neuropsychological tests and actual driving performance is unclear and results of studies on this topic differ. This makes it difficult to use neuropsychological tests to assess driving ability. The ability to compensate cognitive deficits plays a crucial role in this context. We compared neuropsychological test results and self-evaluation ratings between three groups: driving offenders with a psychiatric diagnosis relevant for driving ability (mainly alcohol dependence), driving offenders without such a diagnosis and a control group of non-offending drivers. Subjects were divided into two age categories (19-39 and 40-66 years). It was assumed that drivers with a psychiatric diagnosis relevant for driving ability and younger driving offenders without a psychiatric diagnosis would be less able to adequately assess their own capabilities than the control group. The driving offenders with a psychiatric diagnosis showed poorer concentration, reactivity, cognitive flexibility and problem solving, and tended to overassess their abilities in intelligence and attentional functions, compared to the other two groups. Conversely, younger drivers rather underassessed their performance.

Color vision but not visual attention is altered in migraine.

PubMed

Shepherd, Alex J

2006-04-01

To examine visual search performance in migraine and headache-free control groups and to determine whether reports of selective color vision deficits in migraine occur preattentively. Visual search is a classic technique to measure certain components of visual attention. The technique can be manipulated to measure both preattentive (automatic) and attentive processes. Here, visual search for colored targets was employed to extend earlier reports that the detection or discrimination of colors selective for the short-wavelength sensitive cone photoreceptors in the retina (S or "blue" cones) is impaired in migraine. Visual search performance for small and large color differences was measured in 34 migraine and 34 control participants. Small and large color differences were included to assess attentive and preattentive processing, respectively. In separate conditions, colored stimuli were chosen that would be detected selectively by either the S-, or by the long- (L or "red") and middle (M or "green")-wavelength sensitive cone photoreceptors. The results showed no preattentive differences between the migraine and control groups. For active, or attentive, search, differences between the migraine and control groups occurred for colors detected by the S-cones only, there were no differences for colors detected by the L- and M-cones. The migraine group responded significantly more slowly than the control group for the S-cone colors. The pattern of results indicates that there are no overall differences in search performance between migraine and control groups. The differences found for the S-cone colors are attributed to impaired discrimination of these colors in migraine and not to differences in attention.

The Effect of Metacognitive Strategy Training on the Listening Performance of Beginner Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coskun, Abdullah

2010-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of metacognitive listening strategy training on the listening performance of a group of beginner preparatory school students at a university in Turkey. Two beginner groups, a control group (n: 20) and an experimental group (n: 20), were chosen as the participants of the study. The…

Training Effects of the FIFA 11+ Kids on Physical Performance in Youth Football Players: A Randomized Control Trial.

PubMed

Pomares-Noguera, Carlos; Ayala, Francisco; Robles-Palazón, Francisco Javier; Alomoto-Burneo, Juan F; López-Valenciano, Alejandro; Elvira, José L L; Hernández-Sánchez, Sergio; De Ste Croix, Mark

2018-01-01

To analyze the training effects of the FIFA 11+ kids on several parameters of physical performance in male youth football players. Twenty-three youth players were randomized within each team into two groups (control vs. intervention). The intervention group performed the FIFA 11+ kids programme 2 times a week for 4 weeks; the control groups completed their normal warm-up routines. Thirteen physical performance measures {range of motion (hip, knee, and ankle joints), dynamic postural control (measured throughout the Y balance test), 20 m sprint time, slalom dribble with a ball, agility, vertical jumping height [counter movement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ)], horizontal jump distance, accuracy when volleying a ball [measured throughout the Wall Volley test]} were assessed. All physical performance parameters were compared via magnitude-based inference analysis. Significant between-group differences in favor of the FIFA 11+ players were found for dynamic postural control {anterior [mean and 90% confidence intervals (CI) = 1 cm, from -1.6 to 3.5 cm] and posteromedial (mean and 90% CI = 5.1 cm, from -1.8 to 12 cm) and posterolateral (mean and 90% CI = 4.8 cm, from 0.6 to 9.0 cm) distances}, agility run (mean and 90% CI = 0.5 s, from -0.9 to 0 s), vertical jump height [CMJ (mean and 90% CI = 3.1 cm, from 0.2 to 6.1 cm) and DJ (mean and 90% CI = 1.7 cm, from -0.5 to 3.9 cm)], and horizontal jump distance (mean and 90% CI = 2.5 cm, from -8 to 15 cm). The control groups showed better performance in 20 m sprint time (mean and 90% CI = -0.05 s, from -0.11 to 0.07) and wall volley tests (mean and 90% CI = 0.2, from -0.2 to 0.6) compared to the intervention group. The main findings of this study suggest that just 4 weeks of implementation of the FIFA 11+ kids produces improved physical performance compared with traditional warm-up routines in youth soccer players.

Towards Human-Friendly Efficient Control of Multi-Robot Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, Adrian; Theodoridis, Theodoros; Barrero, David F.; Hu, Huosheng; McDonald-Maiers, Klaus

2013-01-01

This paper explores means to increase efficiency in performing tasks with multi-robot teams, in the context of natural Human-Multi-Robot Interfaces (HMRI) for command and control. The motivating scenario is an emergency evacuation by a transport convoy of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) that have to traverse, in shortest time, an unknown terrain. In the experiments the operator commands, in minimal time, a group of rovers through a maze. The efficiency of performing such tasks depends on both, the levels of robots' autonomy, and the ability of the operator to command and control the team. The paper extends the classic framework of levels of autonomy (LOA), to levels/hierarchy of autonomy characteristic of Groups (G-LOA), and uses it to determine new strategies for control. An UGVoriented command language (UGVL) is defined, and a mapping is performed from the human-friendly gesture-based HMRI into the UGVL. The UGVL is used to control a team of 3 robots, exploring the efficiency of different G-LOA; specifically, by (a) controlling each robot individually through the maze, (b) controlling a leader and cloning its controls to followers, and (c) controlling the entire group. Not surprisingly, commands at increased G-LOA lead to a faster traverse, yet a number of aspects are worth discussing in this context.

Performance of target-controlled infusion of propofol using two different pharmacokinetic models in open heart surgery - a randomised controlled study.

PubMed

Mathew, P J; Sailam, S; Sivasailam, R; Thingnum, S K S; Puri, G D

2016-01-01

We compared the performance of a propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) using Marsh versus PGIMER models in patients undergoing open heart surgery, in terms of measured plasma levels of propofol and objective pharmacodynamic effect. Twenty-three, ASA II/III adult patients aged 18-65 years and scheduled for elective open heart surgery received Marsh or PGIMER (Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) pharmacokinetic models of TCI for the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia with propofol in a randomized, active-controlled, non-inferiority trial. The plasma levels of propofol were measured at specified time points before, during and after bypass. The performances of both the models were similar, as determined by the error (%) in maintaining the target plasma concentrations: MDPE of -5.0 (-12.0, 5.0) in the PGIMER group vs -6.4 (-7.7 to 0.5) in the Marsh group and MDAPE of 9.1 (5, 15) in the PGIMER group vs 8 (6.7, 10.1) in the Marsh group. These values indicate that both models over-predicted the plasma propofol concentration. The new pharmacokinetic model based on data from Indian patients is comparable in performance to the commercially available Marsh pharmacokinetic model. © The Author(s) 2015.

Visual and auditory steady-state responses in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Khaleghi, Ali; Zarafshan, Hadi; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza

2018-05-22

We designed a study to investigate the patterns of the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) and auditory steady-state response (ASSR) in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when performing a motor response inhibition task. Thirty 12- to 18-year-old adolescents with ADHD and 30 healthy control adolescents underwent an electroencephalogram (EEG) examination during steady-state stimuli when performing a stop-signal task. Then, we calculated the amplitude and phase of the steady-state responses in both visual and auditory modalities. Results showed that adolescents with ADHD had a significantly poorer performance in the stop-signal task during both visual and auditory stimuli. The SSVEP amplitude of the ADHD group was larger than that of the healthy control group in most regions of the brain, whereas the ASSR amplitude of the ADHD group was smaller than that of the healthy control group in some brain regions (e.g., right hemisphere). In conclusion, poorer task performance (especially inattention) and neurophysiological results in ADHD demonstrate a possible impairment in the interconnection of the association cortices in the parietal and temporal lobes and the prefrontal cortex. Also, the motor control problems in ADHD may arise from neural deficits in the frontoparietal and occipitoparietal systems and other brain structures such as cerebellum.

The effect of two types of memory training on subjective and objective memory performance in healthy individuals aged 55 years and older: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Valentijn, Susanne A M; van Hooren, Susan A H; Bosma, Hans; Touw, Dory M; Jolles, Jelle; van Boxtel, Martin P J; Ponds, Rudolf W H M

2005-04-01

The objective of the study was to examine the effectiveness of two types of memory training (collective and individual), compared to control (waiting list), on memory performance. Participants were 139 community-dwelling older individuals recruited through media advertisements asking for people with subjective memory complaints to participate in a study. Data were collected at baseline, and at 1 week and 4 months after the intervention. Training efficacy was assessed using measures of subjective and objective memory performance. After the intervention, participants in the collective training group reported more stability in memory functioning and had fewer feelings of anxiety and stress about memory functioning. In addition, positive effects were found on objective memory functioning. Compared with the other two groups, the collective training group participants had an improved recall of a previously learned word list. Compared to controls, participants in the individual training group reported fewer feelings of anxiety and stress in relation to memory functioning.

Efficacy of mummy on healing of pressure ulcers: A randomized controlled clinical trial on hospitalized patients in intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Moghadari, Masoud; Rezvanipour, Mozafar; Mehrabani, Mitra; Ahmadinejad, Mehdi; Hashempur, Mohammad Hashem

2018-01-01

Background Mummy is a mineral substance which according to Persian medicine texts, may be useful in treatment of chronic ulcers. Objective The present study was performed with the aim of determining the effect of mummy on healing of pressure in male patients who had been hospitalized due to cerebrospinal injury in the Intensive Care Unit. Methods This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 75 patients who had pressure ulcer at Shahid Bahonar Hospital in Kerman, Iran, from September 2016 to March 2017. The control group received normal saline and routine wound dressing, while the intervention group received mummy water solution 20% in addition to normal saline and routine wound dressing on a daily basis. Data was recorded based on the PUSH method. In both groups, ulcers were evaluated on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 for the variables of ulcer surface area, the amount of exudate and type of tissue. Data analysis was done through SPSS 21 and using t-test, Repeated Measure Analysis, Cox Regression and Chi-square. Results Both groups showed reduction in the average ulcer surface area (3.26 to 0.53 in the intervention group and 5.1 to 3.46 in the control group), the average exudate amount (1.26 to 0.26 in the intervention group and 1.83 to 1.06 in the control group) and the average tissue score (1.36 to 0.23 in the intervention group and 2.13 to 1.26 in the control group). Over the entire study period, the intervention group showed more acceptable signs of healing compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion The healing process was more prominent in the intervention group than the control group. Clinical trial registration The trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with registered NO. (IRCT2014042917494N1) (29/04/2014). Funding No financial support for the research. PMID:29588812

Kinesthetic Imagery Provides Additive Benefits to Internal Visual Imagery on Slalom Task Performance.

PubMed

Callow, Nichola; Jiang, Dan; Roberts, Ross; Edwards, Martin G

2017-02-01

Recent brain imaging research demonstrates that the use of internal visual imagery (IVI) or kinesthetic imagery (KIN) activates common and distinct brain areas. In this paper, we argue that combining the imagery modalities (IVI and KIN) will lead to a greater cognitive representation (with more brain areas activated), and this will cause a greater slalom-based motor performance compared with using IVI alone. To examine this assertion, we randomly allocated 56 participants to one of the three groups: IVI, IVI and KIN, or a math control group. Participants performed a slalom-based driving task in a driving simulator, with average lap time used as a measure of performance. Results revealed that the IVI and KIN group achieved significantly quicker lap times than the IVI and the control groups. The discussion includes a theoretical advancement on why the combination of imagery modalities might facilitate performance, with links made to the cognitive neuroscience literature and applied practice.

Aerobic training for improved memory in patients with stress-related exhaustion: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Eskilsson, Therese; Slunga Järvholm, Lisbeth; Malmberg Gavelin, Hanna; Stigsdotter Neely, Anna; Boraxbekk, Carl-Johan

2017-09-02

Patients with stress-related exhaustion suffer from cognitive impairments, which often remain after psychological treatment or work place interventions. It is important to find effective treatments that can address this problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects on cognitive performance and psychological variables of a 12-week aerobic training program performed at a moderate-vigorous intensity for patients with exhaustion disorder who participated in a multimodal rehabilitation program. In this open-label, parallel, randomized and controlled trial, 88 patients diagnosed with exhaustion disorder participated in a 24-week multimodal rehabilitation program. After 12 weeks in the program the patients were randomized to either a 12-week aerobic training intervention or to a control group with no additional training. Primary outcome measure was cognitive function, and secondary outcome measures were psychological health variables and aerobic capacity. In total, 51% patients in the aerobic training group and 78% patients in the control group completed the intervention period. The aerobic training group significantly improved in maximal oxygen uptake and episodic memory performance. No additional improvement in burnout, depression or anxiety was observed in the aerobic group compared with controls. Aerobic training at a moderate-vigorous intensity within a multimodal rehabilitation program for patients with exhaustion disorder facilitated episodic memory. A future challenge would be the clinical implementation of aerobic training and methods to increase feasibility in this patient group. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03073772 . Retrospectively registered 21 February 2017.

The influence of imagery capacity in motor performance improvement.

PubMed

Ruffino, Célia; Papaxanthis, Charalambos; Lebon, Florent

2017-10-01

Motor imagery (MI) training improves motor performance, but the inter-individual variability of this improvement remains still unexplored. In this study, we tested the influence of imagery ability on the performance improvement following MI training. Twenty participants were randomly distributed into the MI or control group. They actually performed, at pre- and post-test sessions, a revisited version of the Nine Hole Peg Test, a speed-accuracy trade-off task, commonly used in clinics. Between the tests, the MI group mentally trained on the task (5 blocks of 10 trials), while the control group watched a non-emotional documentary. Before and during MI training, we tested the imagery ability of the MI group, by the revised version of Movement Imagery Questionnaire and by the estimation of vividness for the movement task at each block (subjective evaluation-SE). In the post-test, the MI group significantly decreased the movement duration by -12.1 ± 5.7% (P < 0.001), whereas the control group did not (-2.68 ± 5%, P = 0.68). For the MI group, the percentage of improvement was correlated neither to the MIQ-R nor to the SE reported after block 1. However, we observed an evolution of the SE during training, with a positive correlation between performance improvement and SE at block 4 (R = 0.61, P = 0.03) and at block 5 (R = 0.68, P = 0.04). The current study shows that motor performance may be positively influenced, whilst not predicted, by the capacity to form vivid movement images throughout the mental training. These findings are of interest for clinical interventions using MI as a complementary rehabilitation tool.

Effects of ethanol on Pavlovian autoshaping in rats.

PubMed

Tomie, A; Cunha, C; Mosakowski, E M; Quartarolo, N M; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

1998-09-01

Approach responses, consummatory behaviors, and directed motor responses maintained by food reward resemble autoshaping CRs and are increased by lower doses of ethanol. This study evaluated the effects of presession i.p. injections of ethanol doses (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.70. or 1.00 g/kg) on the acquisition of lever-press autoshaping CR performance in groups of male Long-Evans hooded rats. Paired groups received 15 daily sessions of Pavlovian autoshaping procedures, wherein the insertion of a retractable lever for 5 s (CS) was followed by the response-independent presentation of food (US). Ethanol facilitated lever-press autoshaping CR acquisition, as revealed by dose-related increases in the number of trials on which CRs were performed. The form of the dose-effect curve was inverted U-shaped with maximal responding induced during sessions 1-5 by the 0.70 g/kg ethanol dose. A similar dose-effect curve was observed during sessions 11-15, revealing that the effects of ethanol on autoshaping CR performance were relatively stable. A pseudoconditioning control group injected presession with 0.50 g/kg ethanol received training wherein the food US was presented randomly with respect to the lever CS. Few lever-presses were performed by the Random 0.50 group, indicating that ethanol's effects on autoshaping CR acquisition and maintenance observed in the Paired 0.50 group were not due to its psychomotor activating effects. A non-injection control group performed more autoshaping CRs than did the control group injected presession with saline, indicating that daily presession i.p. injections per se suppress autoshaping CR performance. Results reveal that low doses of ethanol enhance Pavlovian conditioning of directed motor and consummatory-like responding maintained by food reward. Implications for autoshaping accounts of impulsivity and drug abuse are considered.

Microwave Ablation of Porcine Kidneys in vivo: Effect of two Different Ablation Modes ('Temperature Control' and 'Power Control') on Procedural Outcome

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sommer, C. M., E-mail: christof.sommer@med.uni-heidelberg.de; Arnegger, F.; Koch, V.

2012-06-15

Purpose: This study was designed to analyze the effect of two different ablation modes ('temperature control' and 'power control') of a microwave system on procedural outcome in porcine kidneys in vivo. Methods: A commercially available microwave system (Avecure Microwave Generator; MedWaves, San Diego, CA) was used. The system offers the possibility to ablate with two different ablation modes: temperature control and power control. Thirty-two microwave ablations were performed in 16 kidneys of 8 pigs. In each animal, one kidney was ablated twice by applying temperature control (ablation duration set point at 60 s, ablation temperature set point at 96 Degree-Signmore » C, automatic power set point; group I). The other kidney was ablated twice by applying power control (ablation duration set point at 60 s, ablation temperature set point at 96 Degree-Sign C, ablation power set point at 24 W; group II). Procedural outcome was analyzed: (1) technical success (e.g., system failures, duration of the ablation cycle), and (2) ablation geometry (e.g., long axis diameter, short axis diameter, and circularity). Results: System failures occurred in 0% in group I and 13% in group II. Duration of the ablation cycle was 60 {+-} 0 s in group I and 102 {+-} 21 s in group II. Long axis diameter was 20.3 {+-} 4.6 mm in group I and 19.8 {+-} 3.5 mm in group II (not significant (NS)). Short axis diameter was 10.3 {+-} 2 mm in group I and 10.5 {+-} 2.4 mm in group II (NS). Circularity was 0.5 {+-} 0.1 in group I and 0.5 {+-} 0.1 in group II (NS). Conclusions: Microwave ablations performed with temperature control showed fewer system failures and were finished faster. Both ablation modes demonstrated no significant differences with respect to ablation geometry.« less

Analysis of postural control and muscular performance in young and elderly women in different age groups.

PubMed

Gomes, Matheus M; Reis, Júlia G; Carvalho, Regiane L; Tanaka, Erika H; Hyppolito, Miguel A; Abreu, Daniela C C

2015-01-01

muscle strength and power are two factors affecting balance. The impact of muscle strength and power on postural control has not been fully explored among different age strata over sixty. the aim of the present study was to assess the muscle strength and power of elderly women in different age groups and determine their correlation with postural control. eighty women were divided into four groups: the young 18-30 age group (n=20); the 60-64 age group (n=20); the 65-69 age group (n=20); and the 70-74 age group (n=20). The participants underwent maximum strength (one repetition maximum or 1-RM) and muscle power tests to assess the knee extensor and flexor muscles at 40%, 70%, and 90% 1-RM intensity. The time required by participants to recover their balance after disturbing their base of support was also assessed. the elderly women in the 60-64, 65-69, and 70-74 age groups exhibited similar muscle strength, power, and postural control (p>0.05); however, these values were lower than those of the young group (p<0.05) as expected. There was a correlation between muscle strength and power and the postural control performance (p<0.05). despite the age difference, elderly women aged 60 to 74 years exhibited similar abilities to generate strength and power with their lower limbs, and this ability could be one factor that explains the similar postural control shown by these women.

Induced beliefs about a fictive energy drink influences 200-m sprint performance.

PubMed

de la Vega, Ricardo; Alberti, Sara; Ruíz-Barquín, Roberto; Soós, István; Szabo, Attila

2017-09-01

Placebo and nocebo effects occur in response to subjective expectations and their subsequent neural actions. Research shows that information shapes expectations that, consequently, influence people's behaviour. In this study, we examined the effects of a fictive and inert green colour energy drink provided for three groups (n = 20/group) with different information. The first group was led to expect that the drink augments running performance (positive information), the second group was led to expect that the drink may or may not improve performance (partial-positive information), while the third group was told that earlier research could not demonstrate that the drink improves performance (neutral/control). At baseline, the three groups did not differ in their 200-m sprint performance (p > .05). One week later, 20-min immediately after ingesting the drink, all participants again ran 200 m. The positive information group increased its performance by 2.41 s, which was statistically significant (p < .001) and also perceived its sprint-time shorter (p < .05) than the other two groups. A better performance (0.97 s) that approached but did not reach statistical significance was also noted in the partial-positive information group, and a lesser change (0.72 s) that was statistically not significant was noted in the neutral information control group. These results reveal that drinking an inert liquid, primed with positive information, changes both the actual and the self-perceived time on a 200-m sprint. The current findings also suggest that the level of certainty of the information might be linked to the magnitude of change in performance.

Planning and task management in Parkinson's disease: differential emphasis in dual-task performance.

PubMed

Bialystok, Ellen; Craik, Fergus I M; Stefurak, Taresa

2008-03-01

Seventeen patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease completed a complex computer-based task that involved planning and management while also performing an attention-demanding secondary task. The tasks were performed concurrently, but it was necessary to switch from one to the other. Performance was compared to a group of healthy age-matched control participants and a group of young participants. Parkinson's patients performed better than the age-matched controls on almost all measures and as well as the young controls in many cases. However, the Parkinson's patients achieved this by paying relatively less attention to the secondary task and focusing attention more on the primary task. Thus, Parkinson's patients can apparently improve their performance on some aspects of a multidimensional task by simplifying task demands. This benefit may occur as a consequence of their inflexible exaggerated attention to some aspects of a complex task to the relative neglect of other aspects.

Cataract surgery in eyes with low corneal endothelial cell density.

PubMed

Hayashi, Ken; Yoshida, Motoaki; Manabe, Shin-ichi; Hirata, Akira

2011-08-01

To compare corneal endothelial damage after cataract surgery in eyes with low endothelial cell density (ECD) and eyes with normal ECD. Hayashi Eye Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. Case-control study. Cataract surgery was performed in eyes with a low ECD (500 to 1000 cells/mm(2)) (low-density group) and control eyes with a normal ECD. The ECD and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured preoperatively and 1 and 3 months postoperatively, and the percentage cell loss and increase in CCT were compared. The low-density group and control group each comprised 50 eyes. In the low-density group, 39 eyes had nonprogressive endothelial pathology and 11 had Fuchs dystrophy. The mean ECD was significantly less and the CCT significantly greater in the low-density group than in the control group throughout the follow-up (P ≤.0066). However, no significant difference in the percentage of cell loss was found between groups at 1 or 3 months (5.1%, low-density group; 4.2%, control group) (P ≥.1477). The percentage increase in CCT was significantly greater in the low-density group than in the control group at 1 month (P<.0001), although there was no significant difference at 3 months (0.4% and -0.4%, respectively) (P=.2172). Corneal endothelial damage after cataract surgery in eyes with low ECD was slight and comparable to that in healthy eyes, which suggests that cataract surgery alone (without corneal transplantation) should be performed first. Copyright © 2011 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of computer-simulated experiments on high school biology students' problem-solving skills and achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmack, Gay Lynn Dickinson

2000-10-01

This two-part quasi-experimental repeated measures study examined whether computer simulated experiments have an effect on the problem solving skills of high school biology students in a school-within-a-school magnet program. Specifically, the study identified episodes in a simulation sequence where problem solving skills improved. In the Fall academic semester, experimental group students (n = 30) were exposed to two simulations: CaseIt! and EVOLVE!. Control group students participated in an internet research project and a paper Hardy-Weinberg activity. In the Spring academic semester, experimental group students were exposed to three simulations: Genetics Construction Kit, CaseIt! and EVOLVE! . Spring control group students participated in a Drosophila lab, an internet research project, and Advanced Placement lab 8. Results indicate that the Fall and Spring experimental groups experienced significant gains in scientific problem solving after the second simulation in the sequence. These gains were independent of the simulation sequence or the amount of time spent on the simulations. These gains were significantly greater than control group scores in the Fall. The Spring control group significantly outscored all other study groups on both pretest measures. Even so, the Spring experimental group problem solving performance caught up to the Spring control group performance after the third simulation. There were no significant differences between control and experimental groups on content achievement. Results indicate that CSE is as effective as traditional laboratories in promoting scientific problem solving and that CSE is a useful tool for improving students' scientific problem solving skills. Moreover, retention of problem solving skills is enhanced by utilizing more than one simulation.

Imaging frontostriatal function in ultra-high-risk, early, and chronic schizophrenia during executive processing.

PubMed

Morey, Rajendra A; Inan, Seniha; Mitchell, Teresa V; Perkins, Diana O; Lieberman, Jeffrey A; Belger, Aysenil

2005-03-01

Individuals experiencing prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia (ultra-high-risk group) demonstrate impaired performance on tasks of executive function, attention, and working memory. The neurobiological underpinnings of such executive deficits in ultra-high-risk individuals remains unclear. We assessed frontal and striatal functions during a visual oddball continuous performance task, in ultra-high-risk, early, and chronic schizophrenic patients with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Cross-sectional case-control design. Community; outpatient clinic. Patients Fifty-two individuals (control, n = 16; ultra-high risk, n = 10; early, n = 15; chronic, n = 11) from a referred clinical sample and age- and sex-matched control volunteers underwent scanning. Percentage of active voxels and percentage signal change calculated for the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), basal ganglia, and thalamus. Performance on the visual oddball task was measured with percentage of hits and d' (a measure based on the hit rate and the false-alarm rate). The ultra-high-risk group showed significantly smaller differential activation between task-relevant and task-irrelevant stimuli in the frontal regions (ACG, IFG, MFG) than the control group. Frontostriatal activation associated with target stimuli in the early and chronic groups was significantly lower than the control group, while the ultra-high-risk group showed a trend toward the early group. Our findings suggest that prefrontal function begins to decline before the onset of syndromally defined illness and hence may represent a vulnerability marker in assessing the risk of developing psychotic disorders among ultra-high-risk individuals.

The Impact of Hypnotic Suggestions on Reaction Times in Continuous Performance Test in Adults with ADHD and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Virta, Maarit; Hiltunen, Seppo; Mattsson, Markus; Kallio, Sakari

2015-01-01

Attention is one of the key factors in both hypnotic processes and patients with ADHD. In addition, the brain areas associated with hypnosis and ADHD overlap in many respects. However, the use of hypnosis in ADHD patients has still received only minor attention in research. The main purpose of the present work was to investigate whether hypnosis and hypnotic suggestions influence the performance of adult ADHD (n = 27) and control participants (n = 31) in the continuous performance test (CPT). The hypnotic susceptibility of the participants was measured by the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A) and the attentional task was a three minute long auditory version of the CPT. The CPT task was administered four times: before hypnosis (CPT1), after a hypnotic induction (CPT2), after suggestions about speed and accuracy (CPT3), and after the termination of hypnosis (CPT4). The susceptibility of the groups measured by HGSHS:A did not differ. There was a statistically significant decrease in reaction times in both ADHD and control groups between CPT2 and CPT3. The differences between CPT1 and CPT2, even though non-significant, were different in the two groups: in the ADHD group reaction times decreased whereas in the control group they increased. Both groups made very few errors in the short CPT. This study indicates that hypnotic suggestions have an effect on reaction times in the sustained attention task both in adult ADHD patients and control subjects. The theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. PMID:25962151

Simulation-based Randomized Comparative Assessment of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Bundle Completion by Emergency Medical Service Teams Using Standard Life Support or an Experimental Automation-assisted Approach.

PubMed

Choi, Bryan; Asselin, Nicholas; Pettit, Catherine C; Dannecker, Max; Machan, Jason T; Merck, Derek L; Merck, Lisa H; Suner, Selim; Williams, Kenneth A; Jay, Gregory D; Kobayashi, Leo

2016-12-01

Effective resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients is challenging. Alternative resuscitative approaches using electromechanical adjuncts may improve provider performance. Investigators applied simulation to study the effect of an experimental automation-assisted, goal-directed OHCA management protocol on EMS providers' resuscitation performance relative to standard protocols and equipment. Two-provider (emergency medical technicians (EMT)-B and EMT-I/C/P) teams were randomized to control or experimental group. Each team engaged in 3 simulations: baseline simulation (standard roles); repeat simulation (standard roles); and abbreviated repeat simulation (reversed roles, i.e., basic life support provider performing ALS tasks). Control teams used standard OHCA protocols and equipment (with high-performance cardiopulmonary resuscitation training intervention); for second and third simulations, experimental teams performed chest compression, defibrillation, airway, pulmonary ventilation, vascular access, medication, and transport tasks with goal-directed protocol and resuscitation-automating devices. Videorecorders and simulator logs collected resuscitation data. Ten control and 10 experimental teams comprised 20 EMT-B's; 1 EMT-I, 8 EMT-C's, and 11 EMT-P's; study groups were not fully matched. Both groups suboptimally performed chest compressions and ventilations at baseline. For their second simulations, control teams performed similarly except for reduced on-scene time, and experimental teams improved their chest compressions (P=0.03), pulmonary ventilations (P<0.01), and medication administration (P=0.02); changes in their performance of chest compression, defibrillation, airway, and transport tasks did not attain significance against control teams' changes. Experimental teams maintained performance improvements during reversed-role simulations. Simulation-based investigation into OHCA resuscitation revealed considerable variability and improvable deficiencies in small EMS teams. Goal-directed, automation-assisted OHCA management augmented select resuscitation bundle element performance without comprehensive improvement.

Using Technology to Expand and Enhance Applied Behavior Analysis Programs for Children with Autism in Military Families

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

the parents assigned to the control group during the pretest and posttest are depicted on the left (white bar), and the mean performance of the...technology-enhanced test group and parents in the waitlist-control group . Efficacy Outcomes a. We now have pretest and posttest data for the...other two parents in the control group , there was a minor, unsatisfactory improvement from the pretest (9% and 18%, respectively) to posttest (43

Application of Combined Cardioprotective Agents to Preserve Organ Function and Improve Survival during Experimental Hemorrhagic Shock

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

performed the studies on 15 rats (8 rats in preconditioning group and 7 rats in control group ), and observed that only 1 rat in the female preconditioning...This first set of data suggested that the goals of approximately 33% or more rats surviving over 3 days in the control group could not be reached... control group . The findings with isoflurane were unexpected but may be some of the most important findings to date. If it is protective then this

Increased engagement of the cognitive control network associated with music training in children during an fMRI Stroop task.

PubMed

Sachs, Matthew; Kaplan, Jonas; Der Sarkissian, Alissa; Habibi, Assal

2017-01-01

Playing a musical instrument engages various sensorimotor processes and draws on cognitive capacities collectively termed executive functions. However, while music training is believed to associated with enhancements in certain cognitive and language abilities, studies that have explored the specific relationship between music and executive function have yielded conflicting results. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we investigated the effects of music training on executive function using fMRI and several behavioral tasks, including the Color-Word Stroop task. Children involved in ongoing music training (N = 14, mean age = 8.67) were compared with two groups of comparable general cognitive abilities and socioeconomic status, one involved in sports ("sports" group, N = 13, mean age = 8.85) and another not involved in music or sports ("control" group, N = 17, mean age = 9.05). During the Color-Word Stroop task, children with music training showed significantly greater bilateral activation in the pre-SMA/SMA, ACC, IFG, and insula in trials that required cognitive control compared to the control group, despite no differences in performance on behavioral measures of executive function. No significant differences in brain activation or in task performance were found between the music and sports groups. The results suggest that systematic extracurricular training, particularly music-based training, is associated with changes in the cognitive control network in the brain even in the absence of changes in behavioral performance.

Comparison of tepoxalin, carprofen, and meloxicam for reducing intraocular inflammation in dogs.

PubMed

Gilmour, Margi A; Lehenbauer, Terry W

2009-07-01

To compare effects of orally administered tepoxalin, carprofen, and meloxicam for controlling aqueocentesis-induced anterior uveitis in dogs, as determined by measurement of aqueous prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) concentrations. 38 mixed-breed dogs. Dogs were allotted to a control group and 3 treatment groups. Dogs in the control group received no medication. Dogs in each of the treatment groups received an NSAID (tepoxalin, 10 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h; carprofen, 2.2 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or meloxicam, 0.2 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h) on days 0 and 1. On day 1, dogs were anesthetized and an initial aqueocentesis was performed on both eyes; 1 hour later, a second aqueocentesis was performed. Aqueous samples were frozen at -80 degrees C until assayed for PGE(2) concentrations via an enzyme immunoassay kit. Significant differences between aqueous PGE(2) concentrations in the first and second samples from the control group indicated that aqueocentesis induced uveitis. Median change in PGE(2) concentrations for the tepoxalin group (10 dogs [16 eyes]) was significantly lower than the median change for the control group (8 dogs [16 eyes]), carprofen group (9 dogs [16 eyes]), or meloxicam group (9 dogs [16 eyes]). Median changes in PGE(2) concentrations for dogs treated with meloxicam or carprofen were lower but not significantly different from changes for control dogs. Tepoxalin was more effective than carprofen or meloxicam for controlling the production of PGE(2) in dogs with experimentally induced uveitis. Tepoxalin may be an appropriate choice when treating dogs with anterior uveitis.

Effects of a single session of whole body vibration on ankle plantarflexion spasticity and gait performance in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Chan, Kwan-Shan; Liu, Chin-Wei; Chen, Tien-Wen; Weng, Ming-Cheng; Huang, Mao-Hsiung; Chen, Chia-Hsin

2012-12-01

To investigate the effects of a single session of whole body vibration training on ankle plantarflexion spasticity and gait performance in chronic stroke patients. Randomized controlled trial. Rehabilitation unit in university hospital. Thirty subjects with chronic stroke were randomized into either a control group (n = 15) or a group receiving a single session of whole body vibration (n = 15). The intervention group was actually treated with whole body vibration while the control group was treated with placebo treatment. The spastic changes were measured clinically and neurophysiologically. Subjective evaluation of ankle spasticity was performed via a visual analogue scale. Gait performances were evaluated by the timed up and go test, 10-meter walk test and cadence. A forceplate was used for measuring foot pressure. The changes between whole body vibration and control groups were significantly different in Modified Ashworth Scale (1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06~1.60). The H (max)/M (max) ratio (0.14, 95% CI = 0.01~0.26) and visual analogue scale (1.87, 95% CI = 1.15~2.58) were significantly decreased. Whole body vibration could significantly improve gait velocity, timed up and go test (6.03, 95% CI = 3.17~8.89) and 10-meter walk test (1.99, 95% CI = 0.11~3.87). The uneven body weight posture on bilateral feet was also improved after vibration. These results suggest that a single session of whole body vibration training can reduce ankle plantarflexion spasticity in chronic stroke patients, thereby potentially increasing ambulatory capacity.

Physical activity limits the effects of age and Alzheimer's disease on postural control.

PubMed

Debove, Lola; Bru, Noelle; Couderc, Martine; Noé, Frederic; Paillard, Thierry

2017-09-01

The aim was to study the possible influence of physical activity on the postural performance of subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The postural performance (i.e. surface area of the center of foot pressure displacement) of 3 groups was compared: Alzheimer active group (AA), Alzheimer non-active group (ANA) and healthy non-active group (HNA). The AA group's postural performance was superior to that of the ANA and HNA groups. AD disturbed postural performance but participation in regular physical activity made it possible to limit the disturbing effects of AD to a surprising extent, since the postural performance of active AD subjects was also superior to that of healthy subjects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Prior-to-Exam: What Activities Enhance Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhoads, C. J.; Healy, Therese

2013-01-01

Can instructors impact their student performance by recommending an activity just prior to taking an exam? In this study, college students were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (study, exercise, or meditation) or a control group. Each group was given two different types of tests; a traditional concept exam, and a non-traditional…

The Effect of Contextual and Conceptual Rewording on Mathematical Problem-Solving Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haghverdi, Majid; Wiest, Lynda R.

2016-01-01

This study shows how separate and combined contextual and conceptual problem rewording can positively influence student performance in solving mathematical word problems. Participants included 80 seventh-grade Iranian students randomly assigned in groups of 20 to three experimental groups involving three types of rewording and a control group. All…

Worse self-reported outcomes but no limitations in performance-based measures in patients with long-standing hip and groin pain compared with healthy controls.

PubMed

Wörner, Tobias; Sigurðsson, Haraldur B; Pålsson, Anders; Kostogiannis, Ioannis; Ageberg, Eva

2017-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate patient-reported outcomes as well as lower extremity and trunk muscle function in patients with long-standing hip and groin pain, in comparison with matched, healthy controls. It was hypothesized that patients with long-standing hip and groin pain would report more deficiency on the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) and have worse outcomes on performance-based measures than healthy controls. Nineteen patients with long-standing hip and groin pain and 19 healthy, activity level-, age-, gender-, and weight-matched controls were assessed with the HAGOS for self-reported outcomes, and a parallel squat (w/kg), single-leg triple jump (cm), single-leg rise (n), barbell roll-out (% of height), and plank test (s) for performance-based measures. Independent sample t test was performed to assess between-group differences. The paired t test was used to analyse between-limb differences in unilateral performance tasks. The patients had worse scores than the controls in all HAGOS subscales (p ≤ 0.001), while no statistically significant differences were observed for any performance measure between groups or between symptomatic and non-symptomatic limbs. Despite significant self-reported functional limitations on the HAGOS, there were no significant differences between groups in performance-based strength or power measures. The results of this study highlight the need to identify performance-based measures, sensitive to functional deficiencies in patients with long-standing hip and groin pain in order to complement the clinical picture obtained by patient-reported outcomes such as the HAGOS. III.

Pre-simulation orientation for medical trainees: An approach to decrease anxiety and improve confidence and performance.

PubMed

Bommer, Cassidy; Sullivan, Sarah; Campbell, Krystle; Ahola, Zachary; Agarwal, Suresh; O'Rourke, Ann; Jung, Hee Soo; Gibson, Angela; Leverson, Glen; Liepert, Amy E

2018-02-01

We assessed the effect of basic orientation to the simulation environment on anxiety, confidence, and clinical decision making. Twenty-four graduating medical students participated in a two-week surgery preparatory curriculum, including three simulations. Baseline anxiety was assessed pre-course. Scenarios were completed on day 2 and day 9. Prior to the first simulation, participants were randomly divided into two groups. Only one group received a pre-simulation orientation. Before the second simulation, all students received the same orientation. Learner anxiety was reported immediately preceding and following each simulation. Confidence was assessed post-simulation. Performance was evaluated by surgical faculty. The oriented group experienced decreased anxiety following the first simulation (p = 0.003); the control group did not. Compared to the control group, the oriented group reported less anxiety and greater confidence and received higher performance scores following all three simulations (all p < 0.05). Pre-simulation orientation reduces anxiety while increasing confidence and improving performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a computer-based training module on drivers' willingness to engage in distracting activities.

PubMed

Horrey, William J; Lesch, Mary F; Kramer, Arthur F; Melton, David F

2009-08-01

This study examines the effect of a computer-based training module on drivers' attitudes and behaviors with respect to in-vehicle distraction. Research findings on the negative performance implications of distraction call for the need to mitigate these adverse effects. Forty drivers (ages 18 to 20 yrs) were divided into two groups: a training group that completed the module and a control group that viewed an unrelated video. The training promoted enhanced metacognitive skills (e.g., planning, monitoring) and strategies to deal with distraction. Measures of willingness to perform in-vehicle activities while driving (involving the use of short videos) were assessed before and after the intervention. Drivers also performed in-vehicle tasks while driving an instrumented vehicle on a closed test track. Following the training, drivers in the training group showed a decline in their ratings of willingness to engage in distracting activities along with a corresponding increase in perceived risk. In contrast, ratings from drivers in the control group did not change on any measures. Drivers in the training group were also more likely to perform in-vehicle tasks while the vehicle was parked compared with the control group-an obvious safety benefit. However, there was no observable benefit of training for drivers who performed the distracting tasks while the vehicle was in motion. There may be some promise to such a training approach. The implications for distraction and training are discussed. Training general skills in dealing with potentially distracting in-vehicle tasks may help offset some of the negative outcomes associated with their use.

The effectiveness of an integrated conceptual approach to teaching middle school science: A mixed methods investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frampton, Susan K.

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of using traditional and integrated instructional strategies to increase student understanding of the core concepts of energy. There are mixed messages in the literature as to the success of using an integrated approach to teach science content, despite suggestions its use improves student achievement and attitudes toward science. This study used a mixed-method approach. The quantitative portion was a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design, and the qualitative portion included teacher journals, teacher interviews and student journals. There were three teacher participants, two in the treatment group from a district in Sussex County, Delaware. The third teacher participant, from a different district in Sussex County, Delaware was in the control group. The treatment group consisted of 180 students and the control group consisted of 124 students. The results of this study show that the treatment group had significantly less anxiety in science following the treatment, than students in the control group. The F value of 10.89 was significant at p = 0.001. Students in the treatment group also had more enjoyment of and motivation in science than did students in the control group. The F value of 25.025 was significant at a p = 0.000 for the subscale enjoyment of science. The F value of 14.1 was significant at a p = 0.000 for the subscale of motivation in science. Students in the treatment group performed significantly better on the achievement tests, the Integrated Summative Energy Assessment (ISEA) and the science portion of the Delaware State Testing Program (DSTP). The treatment group performed significantly better on the ISEA than did the control group, with an F value of 407.7 significant at p = 0.000. The treatment group performed significantly better on the science DSTP than the control group, with an F value of 65.81 which was significant at p = 0.000. The use of an integrated approach to science instruction decreases student anxiety, increases enjoyment of science and motivation in science more than a traditional approach to teaching science. The use of an integrated approach to science instruction increases student achievement on extended response assessments that measure integrated conceptual knowledge and increases student achievement on traditional summative assessments.

Sleep disturbance and neurobehavioral performance among postpartum women.

PubMed

Insana, Salvatore P; Williams, Kayla B; Montgomery-Downs, Hawley E

2013-01-01

Sleep disturbances cause neurobehavioral performance and daytime functioning impairments. Postpartum women experience high levels of sleep disturbance. Thus, the study objective was to describe and explore the relation between neurobehavioral performance and sleep among women during the early postpartum period. Longitudinal field-based study. There were 70 primiparous women and nine nulliparous women in a control group. None. During their first 12 postpartum weeks, 70 primiparous women wore continuous wrist actigraphy to objectively monitor their sleep. Each morning they self-administered the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) to index their neurobehavioral performance. Nine nulliparous women in a control group underwent the same protocol for 12 continuous weeks. Postpartum PVT mean reciprocal (1/RT) reaction time did not differ from that of women in the control group at postpartum week 2, but then worsened over time. Postpartum slowest 10% 1/RT PVT reaction time was significantly worse than that of women in the control group at all weeks. Despite improvements in postpartum sleep, neurobehavioral performance continued to worsen from week 2 through the end of the study. Across the first 12 postpartum weeks, PVT measures were more frequently associated with percent sleep compared with total sleep time, highlighting the deleterious consequences of sleep disruption on maternal daytime functioning throughout the early postpartum period. Worsened maternal neurobehavioral performance across the first 12 postpartum weeks may have been influenced by the cumulative effects of sleep disturbance. These results can inform future work to identify the particular sleep profiles that could be primary intervention targets to improve daytime functioning among postpartum women, and indicate need for further research on the effectiveness of family leave policies. The time when postpartum women return to control-level daytime functioning is unknown.

Physical performance in recently aged adults after 6 weeks traditional Thai dance: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Janyacharoen, Taweesak; Laophosri, Maneepun; Kanpittaya, Jaturat; Auvichayapat, Paradee; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

2013-01-01

Background Exercise has been shown to be effective in cardiovascular endurance in the elderly. We studied the effect of Thai dancing on physical performance of Thai elderly. Methods This was an open-labeled, randomized intervention study. The Thai dancing group exercised for 40 minutes three times a week for 6 weeks. Physical performance ability was the primary outcome, including a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), five-times sit-to-stand (FTSST), and a sit-and-reach test measured before and after 6 weeks of intervention. Results There were 42 subjects enrolled in the study, and 38 female subjects completed (20 in Thai dance group, 18 controls), with an average age of 65.8 ± 5.1 years. The Thai dance group had significantly better physical performance in all measurements at the end of the study. The 6MWT was longer (416.7 ± 58.7 versus 345.7 ± 55.1 m; P = 0.011), FTSST was quicker (10.2 ± 1.5 versus 14.4 ± 3.3 seconds; P < 0.001), and flexibility was higher (14.9 ± 3.5 versus 11.1 ± 5.7 cm; P = 0.002) in the Thai dance group than the control group. Conclusion Thai dance can improve physical performance in recently aged (elderly) female adults. PMID:23950640

Effect of an EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions: an RCT on professional performance, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy of occupational physicians.

PubMed

Hugenholtz, Nathalie I R; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; van Dijk, Frank J H

2008-10-01

An intervention existing of an evidence-based medicine (EBM) course in combination with case method learning sessions (CMLSs) was designed to enhance the professional performance, self-efficacy and job satisfaction of occupational physicians. A cluster randomized controlled trial was set up and data were collected through questionnaires at baseline (T0), directly after the intervention (T1) and 7 months after baseline (T2). The data of the intervention group [T0 (n = 49), T1 (n = 31), T2 (n = 29)] and control group [T0 (n = 49), T1 (n = 28), T2 (n = 28)] were analysed in mixed model analyses. Mean scores of the perceived value of the CMLS were calculated in the intervention group. The overall effect of the intervention over time comparing the intervention with the control group was statistically significant for professional performance (p < 0.001). Job satisfaction and self-efficacy changes were small and not statistically significant between the groups. The perceived value of the CMLS to gain new insights and to improve the quality of their performance increased with the number of sessions followed. An EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions is perceived as valuable and offers evidence to enhance the professional performance of occupational physicians. However, it does not seem to influence their self-efficacy and job satisfaction.

Understanding handwriting difficulties: A comparison of children with and without motor impairment.

PubMed

Prunty, Mellissa; Barnett, Anna L

The nature of handwriting difficulties have been explored in children with specific developmental disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of handwriting difficulties in children with dysgraphia, a less studied group who have significant handwriting difficulties in the absence of motor control or cognitive difficulties. The performance of a dysgraphia group aged 8-14 years was compared to a group with Developmental Coordination Disorder and to typically developing (TD) controls. Participants completed two handwriting tasks on a digitizing writing tablet. The amount and accuracy of the handwriting product was measured, plus various temporal and spatial features of the writing process. There were no significant differences in performance between the two groups with handwriting difficulties but both performed more poorly than the TD group. Individual differences in the type and severity of handwriting impairments suggest the need for a range of classroom assessments to tailor intervention appropriately.

Exploring rationality in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Revsbech, Rasmus; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Owen, Gareth; Nordgaard, Julie; Jansson, Lennart; Sæbye, Ditte; Flensborg-Madsen, Trine; Parnas, Josef

2015-06-01

Empirical studies of rationality (syllogisms) in patients with schizophrenia have obtained different results. One study found that patients reason more logically if the syllogism is presented through an unusual content. To explore syllogism-based rationality in schizophrenia. Thirty-eight first-admitted patients with schizophrenia and 38 healthy controls solved 29 syllogisms that varied in presentation content (ordinary v. unusual) and validity (valid v. invalid). Statistical tests were made of unadjusted and adjusted group differences in models adjusting for intelligence and neuropsychological test performance. Controls outperformed patients on all syllogism types, but the difference between the two groups was only significant for valid syllogisms presented with unusual content. However, when adjusting for intelligence and neuropsychological test performance, all group differences became non-significant. When taking intelligence and neuropsychological performance into account, patients with schizophrenia and controls perform similarly on syllogism tests of rationality. None. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence.

Comparative evaluation of probiotic and salinomycin effects on performance and coccidiosis control in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Abdelrahman, Wael; Mohnl, Michaela; Teichmann, Klaus; Doupovec, Barbara; Schatzmayr, Gerd; Lumpkins, Brett; Mathis, Greg

2014-12-01

The annual financial loss to the poultry industry as a result of coccidiosis has been estimated at about US $3 billion. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of probiotics and salinomycin as feed additives on performance and coccidiosis control in male broilers raised to 42 d of age. The study consisted of 360 Cobb male broiler chickens randomly allocated to 4 groups each with 3 replicates. Group 1: untreated, unchallenged negative control group (NC); group 2: untreated, challenged positive control group (PC); group 3: negative control supplemented with salinomycin 66 mg/kg, challenged group (Sal); and group 4: negative control supplemented with probiotics, challenged (Prob mix). On d 15, all birds (except group 1) were challenged with approximately 75,000, 25,000, and 75,000 of Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria tenella oocytes, respectively, that were mixed into the feed. Feed conversion ratio and mortality were recorded throughout the experiment. On d 21 and 42, intestinal lesions and litter conditions were scored. On d 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42, oocyst counts were determined from 10 freshly collected fecal samples per pen. The results showed that mortality, litter, and lesion scores at d 21 and 42, and oocyst shedding at d 21 did not differ significantly between the Prob mix and the Sal groups. However on d 28, oocyst shedding was significantly lower in the Sal group than in the PC group but insignificantly lower than the Prob mix group. Body weights of the Prob mix group at d 42 were significantly lower than the Sal group; however, the feed conversion ratio values were similar between the 2 groups. The results of this study showed that probiotics supplementation could be considered as a potential strategy to control coccidiosis in broiler chickens. ©2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Effects of chin tuck against resistance exercise versus Shaker exercise on dysphagia and psychological state after cerebral infarction.

PubMed

Gao, Jing; Zhang, Hui-Jun

2017-06-01

The incidence of stroke is high in China. The dysphagia caused by cerebral infarction (CI), seriously affects patients' life quality, and even endangers patients' lives. It is necessary to explore how to improve dysphagia caused by CI. To compare the effects of rehabilitation training on dysphagia and psychological state after CI between Shaker exercise and chin tuck against resistance (CTAR) exercise. Control study. Blind. Inpatients. A total of 90 patients with dysphagia after CI were divided into CTAR group, Shaker group and control group by random digit table (each group with 30 patients). Video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were performed on all patients before intervention. VFSS was evaluated based on Penetration-Aspiration Scale. All patients received routine treatments including internal medicine, traditional rehabilitation training and routine nursing. The patients in control group only receive the routine treatments. Besides the routine treatments, the patients in CTAR group also received CTAR exercise, and the patients in Shaker group also received Shaker exercise. VFSS was performed again on all patients, respectively, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after exercise. SDS was performed again on all patients 6 weeks after exercise. There were no statistical differences amongst the three groups in VFSS and SDS before intervention (P>0.05). After intervention, all patients had various degrees of improvement for dysphagia in the three groups, especially between 2 and 4 weeks in CTAR and Shaker groups. The total effective rate was significantly higher in CTAR group (86.67%) and Shaker group (76.67%) than in control group (43.33%) (all P<0.05). The scores of SDS was significantly lower in CTAR group than in Shaker group and control group 6 weeks after intervention (all P<0.05). For the patients with dysphagia after CI, CTAR exercise can significantly relieve depression and has the similar effect on improving swallowing function as compared with Shaker group. This study suggests that in conscious patients CTAR exercises have greater impact on CI-related depression than Shaker exercises.

The Impact of Computer and Mathematics Software Usage on Performance of School Leavers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Garth Spencer; Hardman, Joanne

2014-01-01

In this study the impact of computer immersion on performance of school leavers Senior Certificate mathematics scores was investigated across 31 schools in the EMDC East education district of Cape Town, South Africa by comparing performance between two groups: a control and an experimental group. The experimental group (14 high schools) had access…

Reality-based practice under pressure improves handgun shooting performance of police officers.

PubMed

Oudejans, R R D

2008-03-01

The current study examined whether reality-based practice under pressure may help in preventing degradation of handgun shooting performance under pressure for police officers. Using a pre-post-test design, one group of nine police officers practised handgun shooting under pressure evoked by an opponent who also fired back using marking (coloured soap) cartridges. The control group (n = 8) practised handgun shooting on standard cardboard targets instead of real opponents. Within a fortnight after the pre-test, both groups received three training sessions of 1 h, in which each person fired a total of 72 rounds. During the pre- and post test each participant took 30 shots without pressure (cardboard targets) and 30 shots under additional pressure (with an opponent firing back). While during the pre-test both groups performed worse in front of an opponent firing back compared to the cardboard targets, after the training sessions shooting performance of the experimental group no longer deteriorated with an opponent while performance of the control group was equally harmed as during the pre-test. These results indicate that training exercises involving increased pressure can acclimatize shooting performance of ordinary police officers to those situations with elevated pressure that they may encounter during their police work.

The NAD(+) precursor nicotinamide riboside decreases exercise performance in rats.

PubMed

Kourtzidis, Ioannis A; Stoupas, Andreas T; Gioris, Ioannis S; Veskoukis, Aristidis S; Margaritelis, Nikos V; Tsantarliotou, Maria; Taitzoglou, Ioannis; Vrabas, Ioannis S; Paschalis, Vassilis; Kyparos, Antonios; Nikolaidis, Michalis G

2016-01-01

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) and its phosphorylated form (NADP(+)) are key molecules in ubiquitous bioenergetic and cellular signaling pathways, regulating cellular metabolism and homeostasis. Thus, supplementation with NAD(+) and NADP(+) precursors emerged as a promising strategy to gain many and multifaceted health benefits. In this proof-of-concept study, we sought to investigate whether chronic nicotinamide riboside administration (an NAD(+) precursor) affects exercise performance. Eighteen Wistar rats were equally divided in two groups that received either saline vehicle or nicotinamide riboside at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight/day for 21 days via gavage. At the end of the 21-day administration protocol, both groups performed an incremental swimming performance test. The nicotinamide riboside group showed a tendency towards worse physical performance by 35 % compared to the control group at the final 10 % load (94 ± 53 s for the nicotinamide riboside group and 145 ± 59 s for the control group; P = 0.071). Our results do not confirm the previously reported ergogenic effect of nicotinamide riboside. The potentially negative effect of nicotinamide riboside administration on physical performance may be attributed to the pleiotropic metabolic and redox properties of NAD(+) and NADP(+).

RCT of working memory training in ADHD: long-term near-transfer effects.

PubMed

Hovik, Kjell Tore; Saunes, Brit-Kari; Aarlien, Anne Kristine; Egeland, Jens

2013-01-01

The aim of the study is to evaluate the long-term near-transfer effects of computerized working memory (WM) training on standard WM tasks in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Sixty-seven children aged 10-12 years in Vestfold/Telemark counties (Norway) diagnosed with F90.0 Hyperkinetic disorder (ICD-10) were randomly assigned to training or control group. The training group participated in a 25-day training program at school, while the control group received treatment-as-usual. Participants were tested one week before intervention, immediately after and eight months later. Based on a component analysis, six measures of WM were grouped into composites representing Visual, Auditory and Manipulation WM. The training group had significant long-term differential gains compared to the control group on all outcome measures. Performance gains for the training group were significantly higher in the visual domain than in the auditory domain. The differential gain in Manipulation WM persisted after controlling for an increase in simple storage capacity. Systematic training resulted in a long-term positive gain in performance on similar tasks, indicating the viability of training interventions for children with ADHD. The results provide evidence for both domain-general and domain-specific models. Far-transfer effects were not investigated in this article. Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN19133620.

Additional standing balance circuit classes during inpatient rehabilitation improved balance outcomes: an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Treacy, Daniel; Schurr, Karl; Lloyd, Bradley; Sherrington, Catherine

2015-07-01

to evaluate the impact on balance (postural control) of six 1-h circuit classes that targeted balance in addition to usual therapy for rehabilitation inpatients. a randomised controlled trial with 2-week and 3-month follow-up. one hundred and sixty-two general rehabilitation inpatients, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Australia. intervention group participants received six 1-h circuit classes over a 2-week period in addition to usual therapy. Control group participants received usual therapy. standing balance performance (primary outcome) was better in the intervention group than in the control group at 2 weeks (between-group difference after adjusting for baseline values 3.3 s; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 5.7, P = 0.009), but the between-group difference was not statistically significant at 3 months (3.4 s; 95% CI -0.56 to 7.38, P = 0.092). Intervention group outcomes were significantly better than the control groups for mobility performance (Short Physical Performance Battery) at 2 weeks (1.19, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.87, P <0.01) and 3 months (1.00, 95% CI 0.00 to 2.00, P < 0.049) and self-reported functioning (AM-PAC) at 2 weeks (5.39, 95% CI 1.20 to 9.57, P = 0.012). The intervention group had a 4.1-day shorter rehabilitation unit stay (95% CI -8.3 to 0.16, P = 0.059) and a lower risk of readmission in the 3 months after randomisation (incidence rate ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.18, P = 0.184), but these differences were not statistically significant. two weeks of standing balance circuit classes in addition to usual therapy improved balance in general rehabilitation inpatients at 2 weeks. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Bariatric Arterial Embolization with Non-spherical Polyvinyl Alcohol Particles for Ghrelin Suppression in a Swine Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Jae Min; Kim, Man-Deuk, E-mail: mdkim@yuhs.ac; Han, Kichang

PurposeTo evaluate the effect of bariatric arterial embolization (BAE) with non-spherical polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles on systemic ghrelin levels, weight change, and gastric ulceration risk in a swine model.Materials and MethodsFrom March 2014 to February 2015, ten healthy swine were used in the study (mean weight 31.5 kg; range 24.0–41.5 kg). The animals were randomly assigned to two groups: the embolized group (n = 5) in which BAE was performed and the control group (n = 5). In the embolized group, BAE was performed by selectively infusing 150–250 or 50–150 μm PVA into the gastric arteries that supplied the fundus of the stomach. In the control group,more » a sham procedure was performed with saline infusion. Plasma ghrelin levels were prospectively obtained at baseline and every 2 weeks thereafter. Endoscopy was performed 3 weeks after BAE to see whether any gastric ulcer occurred. To determine the durability of the occluded arteries, repeated celiac trunk angiography was performed 8 weeks after BAE. Then, all the swine were killed and necropsies were performed.ResultsThe mean post-procedure ghrelin value decreased by 370.0 pg/mL in the embolized group at week 3 (mean 536.0 ± 334.3 pg/mL) and week 5 (mean 515.0 ± 150.0 pg/mL, p < 0.05) relative to baseline (880.0 ± 559.5 pg/mL), respectively, but ghrelin levels were not significantly decreased between the embolized and control groups. There was a significant body weight change as follows: 35.1 ± 9.5 to 46.6 ± 15.7 kg and 31.8 ± 5.8 to 41.2 ± 6.6 kg at baseline and endpoint in the control and embolized groups, respectively (p < 0.05). However, the difference between groups was not significant at endpoint. In the embolized group, ulcerations were identified in three animals (60%) and the recanalization of the embolized arteries was noted on follow-up angiography in three animals (60%), respectively.ConclusionBAE with PVA particles can transiently suppress ghrelin levels in embolized animals, but levels are not significantly different compared to controls. Stomach ulcerations were identified in 60% of the embolized animals.« less

Bariatric Arterial Embolization with Non-spherical Polyvinyl Alcohol Particles for Ghrelin Suppression in a Swine Model.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Min; Kim, Man-Deuk; Han, Kichang; Muqmiroh, Lailatul; Kim, Seung Up; Kim, Gyoung Min; Kwon, Joonho; Park, Sung Il; Won, Jong Yun; Lee, Do Yun

2017-05-01

To evaluate the effect of bariatric arterial embolization (BAE) with non-spherical polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles on systemic ghrelin levels, weight change, and gastric ulceration risk in a swine model. From March 2014 to February 2015, ten healthy swine were used in the study (mean weight 31.5 kg; range 24.0-41.5 kg). The animals were randomly assigned to two groups: the embolized group (n = 5) in which BAE was performed and the control group (n = 5). In the embolized group, BAE was performed by selectively infusing 150-250 or 50-150 μm PVA into the gastric arteries that supplied the fundus of the stomach. In the control group, a sham procedure was performed with saline infusion. Plasma ghrelin levels were prospectively obtained at baseline and every 2 weeks thereafter. Endoscopy was performed 3 weeks after BAE to see whether any gastric ulcer occurred. To determine the durability of the occluded arteries, repeated celiac trunk angiography was performed 8 weeks after BAE. Then, all the swine were killed and necropsies were performed. The mean post-procedure ghrelin value decreased by 370.0 pg/mL in the embolized group at week 3 (mean 536.0 ± 334.3 pg/mL) and week 5 (mean 515.0 ± 150.0 pg/mL, p < 0.05) relative to baseline (880.0 ± 559.5 pg/mL), respectively, but ghrelin levels were not significantly decreased between the embolized and control groups. There was a significant body weight change as follows: 35.1 ± 9.5 to 46.6 ± 15.7 kg and 31.8 ± 5.8 to 41.2 ± 6.6 kg at baseline and endpoint in the control and embolized groups, respectively (p < 0.05). However, the difference between groups was not significant at endpoint. In the embolized group, ulcerations were identified in three animals (60%) and the recanalization of the embolized arteries was noted on follow-up angiography in three animals (60%), respectively. BAE with PVA particles can transiently suppress ghrelin levels in embolized animals, but levels are not significantly different compared to controls. Stomach ulcerations were identified in 60% of the embolized animals.

Learning physics: A comparative analysis between instructional design methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathew, Easow

The purpose of this research was to determine if there were differences in academic performance between students who participated in traditional versus collaborative problem-based learning (PBL) instructional design approaches to physics curricula. This study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental design methodology to determine the significance of differences in pre- and posttest introductory physics exam performance between students who participated in traditional (i.e., control group) versus collaborative problem solving (PBL) instructional design (i.e., experimental group) approaches to physics curricula over a college semester in 2008. There were 42 student participants (N = 42) enrolled in an introductory physics course at the research site in the Spring 2008 semester who agreed to participate in this study after reading and signing informed consent documents. A total of 22 participants were assigned to the experimental group (n = 22) who participated in a PBL based teaching methodology along with traditional lecture methods. The other 20 students were assigned to the control group (n = 20) who participated in the traditional lecture teaching methodology. Both the courses were taught by experienced professors who have qualifications at the doctoral level. The results indicated statistically significant differences (p < .01) in academic performance between students who participated in traditional (i.e., lower physics posttest scores and lower differences between pre- and posttest scores) versus collaborative (i.e., higher physics posttest scores, and higher differences between pre- and posttest scores) instructional design approaches to physics curricula. Despite some slight differences in control group and experimental group demographic characteristics (gender, ethnicity, and age) there were statistically significant (p = .04) differences between female average academic improvement which was much higher than male average academic improvement (˜63%) in the control group which may indicate that traditional teaching methods are more effective in females, whereas there was no significant difference noted in the experimental group between male and female participants. There was a statistically significant and negative relationship (r = -.61, p = .01) between age and physics pretest scores in the control group. No statistical analyses yielded significantly different average academic performance values in either group as delineated by ethnicity.

Effectiveness of the Thoracic Pedicle Screw Placement Using the Virtual Surgical Training System: A Cadaver Study.

PubMed

Hou, Yang; Lin, Yanping; Shi, Jiangang; Chen, Huajiang; Yuan, Wen

2018-03-14

The virtual simulation surgery has initially exhibited its promising potentials in neurosurgery training. To evaluate effectiveness of the Virtual Surgical Training System (VSTS) on novice residents placing thoracic pedicle screws in a cadaver study. A total of 10 inexperienced residents participated in this study and were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The group using VSTS to learn thoracic pedicle screw fixation was the simulation training (ST) group and the group receiving an introductory teaching session was the control group. Ten fresh adult spine specimens including 6 males and 4 females with a mean age of 58.5 yr (range: 33-72) were collected and randomly allocated to the 2 groups. After exposing anatomic structures of thoracic spine, the bilateral pedicle screw placement of T6-T12 was performed on each cadaver specimen. The postoperative computed tomography scan was performed on each spine specimen, and experienced observers independently reviewed the placement of the pedicle screws to assess the incidence of pedicle breach. The screw penetration rates of the ST group (7.14%) was significantly lower in comparison to the control group (30%, P < .05). Statistically significant difference in acceptable rates of screws also occurred between the ST (100%) and control (92.86%) group (P < .05). In addition, the average screw penetration distance in control group (2.37 mm ± 0.23 mm) was significantly greater than ST group (1.23 mm ± 0.56 mm, P < .05). The virtual reality surgical training of thoracic pedicle screw instrumentation effectively improves surgical performance of novice residents compared to those with traditional teaching method, and can help new beginners to master the surgical technique within shortest period of time.

Magnetic versus manual catheter navigation for mapping and ablation of right ventricular outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Zhang, Fengxiang; Yang, Bing; Chen, Hongwu; Ju, Weizhu; Kojodjojo, Pipin; Cao, Kejiang; Chen, Minglong

2013-08-01

No randomized controlled study has prospectively compared the performance and clinical outcomes of remote magnetic control (RMC) vs manual catheter control (MCC) during ablation of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) ventricular premature complexes (VPC) or ventricular tachycardia (VT). The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of using either RMC vs MCC for mapping and ablation of RVOT VPC/VT. Thirty consecutive patients with idiopathic RVOT VPC/VT were referred for catheter ablation and randomized into either the RMC or MCC group. A noncontact mapping system was deployed in the RVOT to identify origins of VPC/VT. Conventional activation and pace-mapping was performed to guide ablation. If ablation performed using 1 mode of catheter control was acutely unsuccessful, the patient crossed over to the other group. The primary endpoints were patients' and physicians' fluoroscopic exposure and times. Mean procedural times were similar between RMC and MCC groups. The fluoroscopic exposure and times for both patients and physicians were much lower in the RMC group than in the MCC group. Ablation was acutely successful in 14 of 15 patients in the MCC group and 10 of 15 in the RMC group. Following crossover, acute success was achieved in all patients. No major complications occurred in either group. During 22 months of follow-up, RVOT VPC recurred in 2 RMC patients. RMC navigation significantly reduces patients' and physicians' fluoroscopic times by 50.5% and 68.6%, respectively, when used in conjunction with a noncontact mapping system to guide ablation of RVOT VPC/VT. Copyright © 2013 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Manual therapy in joint and nerve structures combined with exercises in the treatment of recurrent ankle sprains: A randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Plaza-Manzano, Gustavo; Vergara-Vila, Marta; Val-Otero, Sandra; Rivera-Prieto, Cristina; Pecos-Martin, Daniel; Gallego-Izquierdo, Tomás; Ferragut-Garcías, Alejandro; Romero-Franco, Natalia

2016-12-01

Recurrent ankle sprains often involve residual symptoms for which subjects often perform proprioceptive or/and strengthening exercises. However, the effectiveness of mobilization to influence important nerve structures due to its anatomical distribution like tibial and peroneal nerves is unclear. To analyze the effects of proprioceptive/strengthening exercises versus the same exercises and manual therapy including mobilizations to influence joint and nerve structures in the management of recurrent ankle sprains. A randomized single-blind controlled clinical trial. Fifty-six patients with recurrent ankle sprains and regular sports practice were randomly assigned to experimental or control group. The control group performed 4 weeks of proprioceptive/strengthening exercises; the experimental group performed 4 weeks of the same exercises combined with manual therapy (mobilizations to influence joint and nerve structures). Pain, self-reported functional ankle instability, pressure pain threshold (PPT), ankle muscle strength, and active range of motion (ROM) were evaluated in the ankle joint before, just after and one month after the interventions. The within-group differences revealed improvements in all of the variables in both groups throughout the time. Between-group differences revealed that the experimental group exhibited lower pain levels and self-reported functional ankle instability and higher PPT, ankle muscle strength and ROM values compared to the control group immediately after the interventions and one month later. A protocol involving proprioceptive and strengthening exercises and manual therapy (mobilizations to influence joint and nerve structures) resulted in greater improvements in pain, self-reported functional joint stability, strength and ROM compared to exercises alone. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Methylphenidate and short-term memory in young females with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging].

PubMed

Gonzalez-Garrido, A A; Barrios, F A; de la Serna-Tuya, J M; Cocula-León, H; Gómez-Velázquez, F R

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder found mainly in males, thus current knowledge on its clinical expression in female adults is extremely limited. AIM. To evaluate the behavioral and neural substrates associated with the performance of a short-term memory task in female ADHD adults, with and without methylphenidate exposure, with respect to a control group. Two groups of eight young right-handed, female, university students with ADHD and healthy controls matched by age, gender, handedness and academic level, voluntarily participated. All subjects performed twice an easy auditory short-term memory task (ADHD group without, and 90 minutes post-intake of methylphenidate 0.4 mg/kg in a counterbalanced order). The BOLD-fMRI response was used as a measure of neural activity during task performance. ADHD subjects showed a tendency to improve their performances under medication, showing an increased widespread functional activation, especially relevant over left frontal and cerebellar areas, in comparison with control subjects. Methylphenidate slightly improves short-term memory task performance in adult female ADHD subjects by modifying underlying neural functioning patterns.

Serious game training improves performance in combat life-saving interventions.

PubMed

Planchon, Jerome; Vacher, Anthony; Comblet, Jeremy; Rabatel, Eric; Darses, Françoise; Mignon, Alexandre; Pasquier, Pierre

2018-01-01

In modern warfare, almost 25% of combat-related deaths are considered preventable if life-saving interventions are performed. Therefore, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training for soldiers is a major challenge. In 2014, the French Military Medical Service supported the development of 3D-SC1 ® , a serious game designed for the French TCCC program, entitled Sauvetage au Combat de niveau 1 (SC1). Our study aimed to evaluate the impact on performance of additional training with 3D-SC1 ® . The study assessed the performance of soldiers randomly assigned to one of two groups, before (measure 1) and after (measure 2) receiving additional training. This training involved either 3D-SC1 ® (Intervention group), or a DVD (Control group). The principal measure was the individual performance (on a 16-point scale), assessed by two investigators during a hands-on simulation. First, the mean performance score was compared between the two measures for Intervention and Control groups using a two-tailed paired t-test. Second, a multivariable linear regression was used to determine the difference in the impacts of 3D-SC1 ® and DVD training, and the order of presentation of the two scenarios, on the mean change from baseline in performance scores. A total of 96 subjects were evaluated: seven could not be followed-up, while 50 were randomly allocated to the Intervention group, and 39 to the Control group. Between measure 1 and measure 2, the mean (SD) performance score increased from 9.9 (3.13) to 14.1 (1.23), and from 9.4 (2.97) to 12.5 (1.83), for the Intervention group and Control group, respectively (p<0.0001). The adjusted mean difference in performance scores between 3D-SC1 ® and DVD training was 1.1 (95% confidence interval -0.3, 2.5) (p=0.14). Overall, the study found that supplementing SC1 training with either 3D-SC1 ® or DVD improved performance, assessed by a hands-on simulation. However, our analysis did not find a statistically significant difference between the effects of these two training tools. 3D-SC1 ® could be an efficient and pedagogical tool to train soldiers in life-saving interventions. In the current context of terrorist threat, a specifically-adapted version of 3D-SC1 ® may be a cost-effective and engaging way to train a large civilian public. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of group-based exercise on cognitive performance and mood in seniors residing in intermediate care and self-care retirement facilities: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Brown, A K; Liu-Ambrose, T; Tate, R; Lord, S R

2009-08-01

To determine the effect of a general group-based exercise programme on cognitive performance and mood among seniors without dementia living in retirement villages. Randomised controlled trial. Four intermediate care and four self-care retirement village sites in Sydney, Australia. 154 seniors (19 men, 135 women; age range 62 to 95 years), who were residents of intermediate care and self-care retirement facilities. Participants were randomised to one of three experimental groups: (1) a general group-based exercise (GE) programme composed of resistance training and balance training exercises; (2) a flexibility exercise and relaxation technique (FR) programme; or (3) no-exercise control (NEC). The intervention groups (GE and FR) participated in 1-hour exercise classes twice a week for a total period of 6 months. Using standard neuropsychological tests, we assessed cognitive performance at baseline and at 6-month re-test in three domains: (1) fluid intelligence; (2) visual, verbal and working memory; and (3) executive functioning. We also assessed mood using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The GE programme significantly improved cognitive performance of fluid intelligence compared with FR or NEC. There were also significant improvements in the positive PANAS scale within both the GE and FR groups and an indication that the two exercise programmes reduced depression in those with initially high GDS scores. Our GE programme significantly improved cognitive performance of fluid intelligence in seniors residing in retirement villages compared with our FR programme and the NEC group. Furthermore, both group-based exercise programmes were beneficial for certain aspects of mood within the 6-month intervention period.

Decreased functional connectivity in an executive control network is related to impaired executive function in Internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Dong, Guangheng; Lin, Xiao; Potenza, Marc N

2015-03-03

Resting brain spontaneous neural activities across cortical regions have been correlated with specific functional properties in psychiatric groups. Individuals with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) demonstrate impaired executive control. Thus, it is important to examine executive control networks (ECNs) during resting states and their relationships to executive control during task performance. Thirty-five IGD and 36 healthy control participants underwent a resting-state fMRI scan and performed a Stroop task inside and outside of the MRI scanner. Correlations between Stroop effect and functional connectivity among ECN regions of interest (ROIs) were calculated within and between groups. IGD subjects show lower functional connectivity in ECNs than do HC participants during resting state; functional-connectivity measures in ECNs were negatively correlated with Stroop effect and positively correlated with brain activations in executive-control regions across groups. Within groups, negative trends were found between Stroop effect and functional connectivity in ECNs in IGD and HC groups, separately; positive trends were found between functional connectivity in ECNs and brain activations in Stroop task in IGD and HC groups, separately. Higher functional connectivity in ECNs may underlie better executive control and may provide resilience with respect to IGD. Lower functional connectivity in ECNs may represent an important feature in understanding and treating IGD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Gastric dynamics analysis of TEAS combined SNP induced general anesthesia when controlled hypotension dropped to 60% of the MAP baseline].

PubMed

Zhang, Le-Le; Fang, Jian-Qiao; Shao, Xiao; Lian, Lin-Li; Yu, Xiao-Jing; Dong, Zhen-Hua; Mo, Ya-Di

2015-01-01

To observe the effect of gastric dynamics by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined general anesthesia when controlled hypotension dropped to 60% of the mean arterial prenssure (MAP) baseline, and to provide experimental evidence for organ protection in clinical controlled hypotension. Eighteen male beagles were randomly divided into three groups, the general anesthesia group (blank), the general anesthesia induced controlled hypotension group (control), and the general anesthesia combined TEAS induced controlled hypotension group (experiment), 6 in each group. Controlled hypotension was performed in the latter two groups with isoflurane inhalation and intravenous injection of sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was lowered to 60% of the MAP baseline and kept for 60 min. Controlled hypotension was not performed in Beagles of the control group. For Beagles in the experiment group, TEAS [2/100 Hz, (4 ± 1) mA] was applied to bilateral Hegu (LI4), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) from stable physiological conditions to the end of maintaining stages. Changes of EGG frequencies and EGG amplitudes were monitored. Serum levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were also detected at corresponding time points during and after experiment. As for the pressure control effect of TEAS combined general anesthesia in the controlled hypotension, during the process of controlled hypotension (T1-T4), MAP levels of two controlled pressure groups remained relatively stable, and were kept at 60% of the MAP baseline. When the blood pressure dropped to the target low MAP and maintained at 60 min (T1-T4), EGG amplitudes of Beagles in all the three groups showed decreasing tendency. But it was more obviously lower than its basic level in the control group (P <0.05), while it was not obviously decreased in the experiment group (P < 0.05). EGG frequencies of Beagles in all the three groups showed no obvious change during this stage. By the end of the MAP rising stage (T8), the EGG amplitude of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group and the blank group (P < 0.05), while it didn' t show any obvious increase in the control group. During this period, EGG frequencies of the two controlled hypotension groups decreased more than those of the blank group. Two h after rising blood pressure (at T9), EGG amplitudes and frequencies in the two controlled hypotension groups basically restored to their respective baselines and levels of the blank group at T9. At 2 h (T9) after controlled hypotension, serum levels of GAS and MTL were lower than those of basic levels in the two controlled hypotension groups (P <0.05). However, serum levels of GAS and MTL had an increasing trend in the two controlled hypotension groups at 24-72 h (T10-T12). Besides, the increasing speed and amplitude was better in experiment group than in the control group at T10-T12. However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 72 h (T12) serum levels of GAS and MTL had basically restored to their basic levels in the two controlled hypotension groups and that of the blank control group. EGG amplitudes could be effectively improved in TEAS combined general anesthesia for controlled hypotension at 60% of the MAP baseline, the recovery of the serum GAS level accelerated, gastric power improved and stomach protected.

Effects of basic clinical skills training on objective structured clinical examination performance.

PubMed

Jünger, Jana; Schäfer, Sybille; Roth, Christiane; Schellberg, Dieter; Friedman Ben-David, Miriam; Nikendei, Christoph

2005-10-01

The aim of curriculum reform in medical education is to improve students' clinical and communication skills. However, there are contradicting results regarding the effectiveness of such reforms. A study of internal medicine students was carried out using a static group design. The experimental group consisted of 77 students participating in 7 sessions of communication training, 7 sessions of skills-laboratory training and 7 sessions of bedside-teaching, each lasting 1.5 hours. The control group of 66 students from the traditional curriculum participated in equally as many sessions but was offered only bedside teaching. Students' cognitive and practical skills performance was assessed using Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) testing and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), delivered by examiners blind to group membership. The experimental group performed significantly better on the OSCE than did the control group (P < 0.01), whereas the groups did not differ on the MCQ test (P < 0.15). This indicates that specific training in communication and basic clinical skills enabled students to perform better in an OSCE, whereas its effects on knowledge did not differ from those of the traditional curriculum. Curriculum reform promoting communication and basic clinical skills are effective and lead to an improved performance in history taking and physical examination skills.

Biobanking of CSF: international standardization to optimize biomarker development.

PubMed

Teunissen, Charlotte E; Tumani, Hayrettin; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan; Mollenhauer, Brit

2014-03-01

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reflects pathophysiological aspects of neurological diseases, where neuroprotective strategies and biomarkers are urgently needed. Therefore, biobanking is very relevant for biomarker discovery and evaluation of neurological diseases. Important and unique features of CSF biobanking are intensive collaboration in international networks and the tight application of standardized protocols. The current adoption of standardized protocols for CSF and blood collection as presented in this review enables biomarker studies in large cohorts of patients and controls. Another topic of this review is the selection of control groups, which influences the outcome of biomarker investigations. Control groups in CSF biobanks mainly consist of different disease controls. This is in part due to the fact that lumbar punctures are mostly performed for clinical indications and rarely for research purposes only, as it is a relatively invasive procedure. Moreover, there is a lack of homogenous criteria and definition of control groups. We therefore propose uniform consensus definitions for such control groups in biomarker research, i.e. Healthy controls (HC), Spinal anesthesia subjects (SAS), Symptomatic controls (SC), Inflammatory Neurological Disease Controls (CINDC), Peripheral Inflammatory Neurological Disease Controls (PINDC) and Non-inflammatory Neurological Disease Controls (NINDC). Another important aspect of CSF biobanking is quality control. Systematic studies to address effects of pre-analytical and storage variation on a broad range of CSF proteins are needed. In conclusion, biomarker research in neurodegenerative diseases has entered a new era due to the collaborative and multicenter efforts of many groups. The streamlining of biobanking procedures, including quality control, and the selection of optimal control groups for investigating biomarkers are important improvements to perform high quality biomarker studies. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Retention of Knowledge in Clinical Biochemistry and the Effect of the Keller Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Peter L.

1981-01-01

A controlled trial of teaching clinical biochemistry by the Keller Plan at the University of Otago Medical School is described. The Keller Plan group performed significantly better than the control group on the final examination. (MLW)

Comparison of Individualized Covert Modeling, Self-Control Desensitization, and Study Skills Training for Alleviation of Test Anxiety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Gina; Johhson, Suzanne Bennett

1980-01-01

Individualized covert modeling and self-control desensitization substantially reduced self-reported test anxiety. However, the individualized covert modeling group was the only treatment group that showed significant improvement in academic performance. (Author)

Evaluation of empowerment model on indicators of metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, a randomized clinical trial study.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Hossein; Sadeghi, Mahdi; Amanpour, Farzaneh; Vahedi, Hamid

2016-04-01

Diabetes education is a major subject in achieving optimal glycemic control. Effective empowerment approach can be beneficial for improving patients' health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of empowerment model on indicators of metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. a randomized controlled trial of 103 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to either the intervention (empowerment approach training) or the control group (conventional training) 2014. Empowerment approach training were performed for the experimental group for eight weeks. Data collection tool included demographic information form and indicators of metabolic control checklist. Analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, paired t-test, independent t-test and multiple linear regression. Before the intervention, two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic variables, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and other indicators of metabolic control. After the intervention, average HbA1C and other metabolic indicators except for LDL showed significant differences in the experimental group compared to the control group. study results indicated the positive effects of applying the empowerment model on the metabolic control indicators. Therefore, applying this model is recommended to nurses and the relevant authorities in order to improve clinical outcomes in diabetic patients. Copyright © 2015 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduced contribution of executive functions in impaired working memory performance in mild traumatic brain injury patients.

PubMed

Kumar, Sanjay; Rao, Shobini L; Chandramouli, Bangalore A; Pillai, Shibu

2013-08-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is associated with often selective impairment of both working memory (WM) and the executive functions (EFs). Research indicates that one of the commonest deficits present in MTBI patients falls in the domain of WM. We aimed to investigate the role of EFs in WM impairment following MTBI. Performance on the tests of EFs and the verbal and visuo-spatial WM of 30 consecutive MTBI patients were compared with age/education/IQ matched 30 normal healthy control participants. Correlation between EFs and WM was studied separately for the MTBI and the control group. The MTBI and control group were tested on a range of EF tests and WM. The MTBI group was demonstrated impairment on verbal and visuo-spatial WM and category fluency tests only. Furthermore, the MTBI group had fewer significant correlations between the WM and EFs (5 out of 54 possible correlations) than in the control group (13 out of 54 possible correlations). We suggest that MTBI may lead to WM deficits as the contribution of executive processes to support the WM is diminished following MTBI. Such an understanding of the poor WM performance in MTBI patients will be helpful when planning appropriate strategies for cognitive rehabilitation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is semantic verbal fluency impairment explained by executive function deficits in schizophrenia?

PubMed

Berberian, Arthur A; Moraes, Giovanna V; Gadelha, Ary; Brietzke, Elisa; Fonseca, Ana O; Scarpato, Bruno S; Vicente, Marcella O; Seabra, Alessandra G; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Lacerda, Acioly L

2016-04-19

To investigate if verbal fluency impairment in schizophrenia reflects executive function deficits or results from degraded semantic store or inefficient search and retrieval strategies. Two groups were compared: 141 individuals with schizophrenia and 119 healthy age and education-matched controls. Both groups performed semantic and phonetic verbal fluency tasks. Performance was evaluated using three scores, based on 1) number of words generated; 2) number of clustered/related words; and 3) switching score. A fourth performance score based on the number of clusters was also measured. SZ individuals produced fewer words than controls. After controlling for the total number of words produced, a difference was observed between the groups in the number of cluster-related words generated in the semantic task. In both groups, the number of words generated in the semantic task was higher than that generated in the phonemic task, although a significant group vs. fluency type interaction showed that subjects with schizophrenia had disproportionate semantic fluency impairment. Working memory was positively associated with increased production of words within clusters and inversely correlated with switching. Semantic fluency impairment may be attributed to an inability (resulting from reduced cognitive control) to distinguish target signal from competing noise and to maintain cues for production of memory probes.

Topographic analysis of individual activation patterns in medial frontal cortex in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Stern, Emily R.; Welsh, Robert C.; Fitzgerald, Kate D.; Taylor, Stephan F.

2009-01-01

Individual variability in the location of neural activations poses a unique problem for neuroimaging studies employing group averaging techniques to investigate the neural bases of cognitive and emotional functions. This may be especially challenging for studies examining patient groups, which often have limited sample sizes and increased intersubject variability. In particular, medial frontal cortex (MFC) dysfunction is thought to underlie performance monitoring dysfunction among patients with previous studies using group averaging to have yielded conflicting results. schizophrenia, yet compare schizophrenic patients to controls To examine individual activations in MFC associated with two aspects of performance monitoring, interference and error processing, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired while 17 patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy controls performed an event-related version of the multi-source interference task. Comparisons of averaged data revealed few differences between the groups. By contrast, topographic analysis of individual activations for errors showed that control subjects exhibited activations spanning across both posterior and anterior regions of MFC while patients primarily activated posterior MFC, possibly reflecting an impaired emotional response to errors in schizophrenia. This discrepancy between topographic and group-averaged results may be due to the significant dispersion among individual activations, particularly among healthy controls, highlighting the importance of considering intersubject variability when interpreting the medial frontal response to error commission. PMID:18819107

The Effect of Frequent Quizzes on Short- and Long-Term Academic Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geist, James R.; Soehren, Stephen E.

1997-01-01

This study examined effects of frequent quizzes on dental student performance in a course on introductory radiology. Results indicated the group (N=36) with frequent quizzes performed significantly better than the control group (n=35) on midterm and final examinations (but not post-tests), and assessed course content and instructor more…

Assessment of driving-related performance in chronic whiplash using an advanced driving simulator.

PubMed

Takasaki, Hiroshi; Treleaven, Julia; Johnston, Venerina; Rakotonirainy, Andry; Haines, Andrew; Jull, Gwendolen

2013-11-01

Driving is often nominated as problematic by individuals with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD), yet driving-related performance has not been evaluated objectively. The purpose of this study was to test driving-related performance in persons with chronic WAD against healthy controls of similar age, gender and driving experience to determine if driving-related performance in the WAD group was sufficiently impaired to recommend fitness to drive assessment. Driving-related performance was assessed using an advanced driving simulator during three driving scenarios; freeway, residential and a central business district (CBD). Total driving duration was approximately 15min. Five driving tasks which could cause a collision (critical events) were included in the scenarios. In addition, the effect of divided attention (identify red dots projected onto side or rear view mirrors) was assessed three times in each scenario. Driving performance was measured using the simulator performance index (SPI) which is calculated from 12 measures. z-Scores for all SPI measures were calculated for each WAD subject based on mean values of the control subjects. The z-scores were then averaged for the WAD group. A z-score of ≤-2 indicated a driving failing grade in the simulator. The number of collisions over the five critical events was compared between the WAD and control groups as was reaction time and missed response ratio in identifying the red dots. Seventeen WAD and 26 control subjects commenced the driving assessment. Demographic data were comparable between the groups. All subjects completed the freeway scenario but four withdrew during the residential and eight during the CBD scenario because of motion sickness. All scenarios were completed by 14 WAD and 17 control subjects. Mean z-scores for the SPI over the three scenarios was statistically lower in the WAD group (-0.3±0.3; P<0.05) but the score was not below the cut-off point for safe driving. There were no differences in the reaction time and missed response ratio in divided attention tasks between the groups (All P>0.05). Assessment of driving in an advanced driving simulator for approximately 15min revealed that driving-related performance in chronic WAD was not sufficiently impaired to recommend the need for fitness to drive assessment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oral nutritional supplements containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids affect quality of life and functional status in lung cancer patients during multimodality treatment: an RCT

PubMed Central

van der Meij, B S; Langius, J A E; Spreeuwenberg, M D; Slootmaker, S M; Paul, M A; Smit, E F; van Leeuwen, P A M

2012-01-01

Background/Objectives: Our objective was to investigate effects of an oral nutritional supplement containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) on quality of life, performance status, handgrip strength and physical activity in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing multimodality treatment. Subjects/Methods: In a double-blind experiment, 40 patients with stage III NSCLC were randomised to receive 2 cans/day of a protein- and energy-dense oral nutritional supplement containing n-3 polyunsaturated FAs (2.02 g eicosapentaenoic acid+0.92 g docosahexaenoic acid/day) or an isocaloric control supplement, during multimodality treatment. Quality of life, Karnofsky Performance Status, handgrip strength and physical activity (by wearing an accelerometer) were assessed. Effects of intervention were analysed by generalised estimating equations. P-values <0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. Results: The intervention group reported significantly higher on the quality of life parameters, physical and cognitive function (B=11.6 and B=20.7, P<0.01), global health status (B=12.2, P=0.04) and social function (B=22.1, P=0.04) than the control group after 5 weeks. The intervention group showed a higher Karnofsky Performance Status (B=5.3, P=0.04) than the control group after 3 weeks. Handgrip strength did not significantly differ between groups over time. The intervention group tended to have a higher physical activity than the control group after 3 and 5 weeks (B=6.6, P=0.04 and B=2.5, P=0.05). Conclusion: n-3 Polyunsaturated FAs may beneficially affect quality of life, performance status and physical activity in patients with NSCLC undergoing multimodality treatment. PMID:22234041

Self-controlled knowledge of results: age-related differences in motor learning, strategies, and error detection.

PubMed

Carter, Michael J; Patterson, Jae T

2012-12-01

Research has demonstrated that a self-controlled KR schedule is advantageous for motor learning; however, the usefulness of a self-controlled KR context in older adults remains unknown. To address this gap in knowledge, we examined whether (1) the learning benefits of a self-controlled KR schedule are modulated by the age of the learner; (2) practicing in a self-controlled KR context concurrently strengthens the learner's error detection mechanism, and (3) the KR strategy during acquisition changes as a function of practice trials completed and age. As a function of age, participants were quasirandomly assigned to either the self-control or yoked group resulting in four experimental groups (Self-Young, Yoked-Young, Self-Old, and Yoked-Old). The results revealed the Self-Young group: (1) demonstrated superior retention performance than all other groups (p<.05); (2) was more accurate in estimating motor performance than all other groups during retention (p<.05), and (3) self-reported a switch in their strategy for requesting KR during acquisition based on the number of practice trials completed. Collectively, our findings suggest that older adults do not demonstrate the same learning benefits of a self-controlled KR context as younger adults which may be attributed to differences in KR strategies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of cranio-cervical flexion training versus cervical proprioception training in patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Gallego Izquierdo, Tomás; Pecos-Martin, Daniel; Lluch Girbés, Enrique; Plaza-Manzano, Gustavo; Rodríguez Caldentey, Ricardo; Mayor Melús, Rodrigo; Blanco Mariscal, Diego; Falla, Deborah

2016-01-01

To compare the effects of cranio-cervical flexion vs cervical proprioception training on neuromuscular control, pressure pain sensitivity and perceived pain and disability in patients with chronic neck pain. Twenty-eight volunteers with chronic non-specific neck pain were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 interventions and undertook 6 physiotherapist-supervised sessions over a period of 2 months. Both groups performed daily home exercise. Performance on the cranio-cervical flexion test, pressure pain thresholds and reported levels of pain and disability were measured before and immediately after the first treatment session, 1 month after starting treatment and 2 months after starting treatment (at completion of the intervention). At 2 months, both groups improved their performance on the cranio-cervical flexion test (p < 0.05), but this did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). Both groups showed a reduction in their pain at rest and disability at 2 months, but this was also not different between groups (p > 0.05). Pressure pain sensitivity did not change for either group. Both specific cranio-cervical flexion training and proprioception training had a comparable effect on performance on the cranio-cervical flexion test, a test of the neuromuscular control of the deep cervical flexors. These results indicate that proprioception training may have positive effects on the function of the deep cervical flexors.

Cognitive aid for neonatal resuscitation: a prospective single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bould, M D; Hayter, M A; Campbell, D M; Chandra, D B; Joo, H S; Naik, V N

2009-10-01

Retention of skills and knowledge after neonatal resuscitation courses (NRP) is known to be problematic. The use of cognitive aids is mandatory in industries such as aviation, to avoid dependence on memory when decision-making in critical situations. We aimed to prospectively investigate the effect of a cognitive aid on the performance of simulated neonatal resuscitation. Thirty-two anaesthesia residents were recruited. The intervention group had a poster detailing the NRP algorithm and the control group did not. Video recordings of each of the performances were analysed using a previously validated checklist by a peer, an expert anaesthetist, and an expert neonatologist. The median (IQR) checklist score in the control group [18.2 (15.0-20.5)] was not significantly different from that in the intervention group [20.3 (18.3-21.3)] (P=0.08). When evaluated by the neonatologist, none of the subjects correctly performed all life-saving interventions necessary to pass the checklist. A minority of the intervention group used the cognitive aid frequently. Retention of skills after NRP training is poor. The infrequent use of the cognitive aid may be the reason that it did not improve performance. Further research is required to investigate whether cognitive aids can be useful if their use is incorporated into the NRP training.

A description of neck motor performance, neck pain, fatigue, and mental effort while driving in a sample with chronic whiplash-associated disorders.

PubMed

Takasaki, Hiroshi; Treleaven, Julia; Johnston, Venerina; Van den Hoorn, Wolbert; Rakotonirainy, Andry; Jull, Gwendolen

2014-08-01

Individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) often note driving as a difficult task. This study's aims were to (1) compare, while driving, neck motor performance, mental effort, and fatigue in individuals with chronic WAD against healthy controls and (2) investigate the relationships of these variables and neck pain to self-reported driving difficulty in the WAD group. This study involved 14 participants in each group (WAD and control). Measures included self-reported driving difficulty and measures of neck pain intensity, overall fatigue, mental effort, and neck motor performance (head rotation and upper trapezius activity) while driving a simulator. The WAD group had greater absolute path of head rotation in a simulated city area and used greater mental effort (P = 0.04), but there were no differences in other measures while driving compared with the controls (all P ≥ 0.05). Self-reported driving difficulty correlated moderately with neck pain intensity, fatigue level, and maximum velocity of head rotation while driving in the WAD group (all P < 0.05). Individuals with chronic WAD do not seem to have impaired neck motor performance while driving yet use greater mental effort. Neck pain, fatigue, and maximum head rotation velocity could be potential contributors to self-reported driving difficulty in this group.

Effects of live sax music on various physiological parameters, pain level, and mood level in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Burrai, Francesco; Micheluzzi, Valentina; Bugani, Valentina

2014-01-01

Few randomized controlled trial studies have focused on the effect of music in cancer patients, and there are no randomized controlled trials on the effects of live music with saxophone in cancer patients. To determine the effects of live saxophone music on various physiological parameters, pain level, and mood level. A randomized controlled trial study. 52 cancer patients were randomized to a control group (n = 26), an experimental group (n = 26) whose members received 30 minutes of live music therapy with saxophone. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, glycemia, oxygen saturation, pain level, and mood level were measured before and after the live music performance. There was a statistical difference between the groups for oxygen saturation (0.003) and mood level (0.001). Live music performed with a saxophone could be introduced in oncology care to improve the oxygen saturation and mood in cancer patients.

Efficacy of a new device to optimize positive pressure ventilation via face mask in edentulous patients: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Niño, Maria C; Pauwels, Andres; Raffan, Fernando; Arango, Enrique; Romero, David J; Benitez, Daniel

2017-04-01

Mask ventilation is routinely performed during anesthesia. Under some circumstances, it might be difficult to perform, such as in edentulous patients, due to inadequate mask seal. We developed a new device called NIPARA and studied its use For ventilation optimization in edentulous patients. This randomized controlled trial included edentulous adults who had no other predictors of difficult airway, scheduled to undergo general anesthesia. Patients were assigned either to the NIPARA device group or to the control group (oral airway only). The primary outcomes were peak inspiratory pressure and tidal volume values of the first 14 breaths. The secondary outcome was the incidence of complications. Data from 37 patients were collected during a one-year period (twenty in the NIPARA device group and 17 in the control group). The difference in mean PIP was not statistically significant. The tidal volume was 1.5 times greater in the NIPARA group than in the control group. One patient from the intervention group had minimal oral trauma. In the administration of face mask ventilation, NIPARA is an effective device that significantly improves the tidal volume administered in edentulous patients.

Suppression of Tinnitus in Chinese Patients Receiving Regular Cochlear Implant Programming.

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Wang, Hong; Han, Dong Xu; Li, Ming Hua; Wang, Yu; Xiao, Yu Li

2016-04-01

To assess the clinical effect of cochlear implant programming on tinnitus. Tinnitus patients (n = 234) were divided into 3 groups: (1) preoperative tinnitus (n = 108), (2) postoperative tinnitus occurring before implant switch-on at week 4 (n = 88), and (3) tinnitus occurring more than 1 year postoperatively (n = 44). Patients in each group were randomly allocated into a programming subgroup that received programming for 12 weeks postoperatively or after tinnitus occurrence or a control subgroup. Impedance testing and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) were performed preoperatively and at 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively (groups 1 and 2) or after tinnitus occurrence (group 3). Comparisons were performed using t tests and chi-square tests. Impedance was significantly lower in the programming subgroup than in the control subgroup in groups 1 and 2 at 8 and 12 weeks and in group 3 at 12 weeks. The THI scores decreased in both programming and control subgroups in all groups. However, this decrease was pronounced in the programming subgroup, whereas in the control subgroup, it occurred slowly over time. Cochlear implant programming decreases impedance and improves tinnitus symptoms. © The Author(s) 2015.

Early intensive postural and movement training advances head control in very young infants.

PubMed

Lee, Hui-Min; Galloway, James Cole

2012-07-01

Daily experiences are thought to play an important role in motor development during infancy. There are limited studies on the effect of postural and movement experiences on head control. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of postural and movement experiences on head control through a comprehensive set of measurements beginning when infants were 1 month old. This was a prospective, longitudinal, 2-cohort study. Twenty-two full-term infants who were healthy were randomly assigned to either a training group or a control group. Infants were observed every other week from 1 to 4 months of age. Head control was assessed using a standardized developmental assessment tool, the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP), as well as behavioral coding and kinematics of infants' head postures and movements in a supported sitting position. Caregivers performed at least 20 minutes of daily postural and movement activities (training group), or social interaction (control group) for 4 weeks. The training group had higher TIMP scores on head control-related items during the training period and after training stopped compared with the control group. Starting from the during training phase, the training group infants had their heads in a vertical and midline position longer compared with the control group infants. After training stopped, the training group infants actively moved their heads forward more often and for larger distances. The experiences outside daily training were not monitored, and the results may be specific to the experimental setup for infants with typical development. Young infants are able to take advantage of postural and movement experiences to rapidly advance their head control as early as 4 to 6 weeks of postnatal life. Infant positioning, caregiver handling, and caregiver-infant interactions were likely contributing factors. This database of comprehensive measures may be useful in future trials focused on head control in infants with special needs.

Interhemispheric Connectivity and Executive Functioning in Adults With Tourette Syndrome

PubMed Central

Margolis, Amy; Donkervoort, Mireille; Kinsbourne, Marcel; Peterson, Bradley S.

2008-01-01

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is relatively smaller, and the corpus callosum (CC) larger, in adults with Tourette syndrome (TS). The authors explored the possible roles of the PFC and the CC in mediating interhemispheric interference and coordination in TS adults. They measured performance on M. Kinsbourne and J. Cook's (1971) verbal–manual interference task and on the bimanual Purdue Pegboard in 38 adults with TS and 34 healthy adults. Compared with controls, TS subjects were impaired on the bimanual Purdue Pegboard. On the dual task, right-hand performance did not differ between groups, but the normally expected left-hand advantage (opposite hemisphere condition) was absent in TS subjects. In the control group only, better left-hand performance accompanied larger PFC volumes but not CC cross-sectional area. PFC dysfunction might have precluded executive control of interference in the TS group. PMID:16460223

Impaired Postural Control Reduces Sit-to-Stand-to-Sit Performance in Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

PubMed Central

Janssens, Lotte; Brumagne, Simon; McConnell, Alison K.; Claeys, Kurt; Pijnenburg, Madelon; Goossens, Nina; Burtin, Chris; Janssens, Wim; Decramer, Marc; Troosters, Thierry

2014-01-01

Background Functional activities, such as the sit-to-stand-to-sit (STSTS) task, are often impaired in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The STSTS task places a high demand on the postural control system, which has been shown to be impaired in individuals with COPD. It remains unknown whether postural control deficits contribute to the decreased STSTS performance in individuals with COPD. Methods Center of pressure displacement was determined in 18 individuals with COPD and 18 age/gender-matched controls during five consecutive STSTS movements with vision occluded. The total duration, as well as the duration of each sit, sit-to-stand, stand and stand-to-sit phase was recorded. Results Individuals with COPD needed significantly more time to perform five consecutive STSTS movements compared to healthy controls (19±6 vs. 13±4 seconds, respectively; p = 0.001). The COPD group exhibited a significantly longer stand phase (p = 0.028) and stand-to-sit phase (p = 0.001) compared to the control group. In contrast, the duration of the sit phase (p = 0.766) and sit-to-stand phase (p = 0.999) was not different between groups. Conclusions Compared to healthy individuals, individuals with COPD needed significantly more time to complete those phases of the STSTS task that require the greatest postural control. These findings support the proposition that suboptimal postural control is an important contributor to the decreased STSTS performance in individuals with COPD. PMID:24533072

Comparison of the effect of selected muscle groups fatigue on postural control during bipedal stance in healthy young women.

PubMed

Shirazi, Zahra Rojhani; Jahromi, Fatemeh Nikhalat

2013-09-01

The maintenance of balance is an essential requirement for the performance of daily tasks and sporting activities and muscular fatigue is a factor to impair postural control, so this study was done to compare the effect of selected muscle groups fatigue on postural control during bipedal stance in healthy subjects. Fifteen healthy female students (24.3 ± 2.6 years) completed three testing session with a break period of at least 2 days. During each session, postural control was assessed during two 30-s trials of bipedal stance with eyes close before and after the fatigue protocol. Fatigue protocols were performed by 60% of their unfatigued Maximum Voluntary Contraction of unilateral ankle plantar flexors, bilateral lumbar extensors and bilateral neck extensors. One of the three fatigue protocols was performed on each session. The result showed that fatigue had a significant effect on COP velocity and it increase COP velocity but there was not found any difference in postural sway between muscle groups. Localized muscle fatigue caused deficits in postural control regardless of the location of fatigue. Authors suggest the possibility of the contributions of central mechanisms to postural deficits due to fatigue and it seems that difference was not between muscle groups due to central fatigue.

Effect of Playing Video Games on Laparoscopic Skills Performance: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Glassman, Daniel; Yiasemidou, Marina; Ishii, Hiro; Somani, Bhaskar Kumar; Ahmed, Kamran; Biyani, Chandra Shekhar

2016-02-01

The advances in both video games and minimally invasive surgery have allowed many to consider the potential positive relationship between the two. This review aims to evaluate outcomes of studies that investigated the correlation between video game skills and performance in laparoscopic surgery. A systematic search was conducted on PubMed/Medline and EMBASE databases for the MeSH terms and keywords including "video games and laparoscopy," "computer games and laparoscopy," "Xbox and laparoscopy," "Nintendo Wii and laparoscopy," and "PlayStation and laparoscopy." Cohort, case reports, letters, editorials, bulletins, and reviews were excluded. Studies in English, with task performance as primary outcome, were included. The search period for this review was 1950 to December 2014. There were 57 abstracts identified: 4 of these were found to be duplicates; 32 were found to be nonrelevant to the research question. Overall, 21 full texts were assessed; 15 were excluded according to the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument quality assessment criteria. The five studies included in this review were randomized controlled trials. Playing video games was found to reduce error in two studies (P 0.002 and P 0.045). For the same studies, however, several other metrics assessed were not significantly different between the control and intervention group. One study showed a decrease in the time for the group that played video games (P 0.037) for one of two laparoscopic tasks performed. In the same study, however, when the groups were reversed (initial control group became intervention and vice versa), a difference was not demonstrated (P for peg transfer 1 - 0.465, P for cobra robe - 0.185). Finally, two further studies found no statistical difference between the game playing group and the control group's performance. There is a very limited amount of evidence to support that the use of video games enhances surgical simulation performance.

DELPHI AND VALUES,

DTIC Science & Technology

MANAGEMENT PLANNING AND CONTROL, DECISION MAKING), (* DECISION MAKING , GROUP DYNAMICS), (*GROUP DYNAMICS, ATTITUDES(PSYCHOLOGY)), REASONING, REACTION(PSYCHOLOGY), PUBLIC OPINION, PERFORMANCE(HUMAN), QUESTIONNAIRES, FEEDBACK

PubMed Central

D'ALATRI, L.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY This study was carried out to compare the vocal limits obtained by speech range profile (SRP) with those of voice range profile (VRP) in untrained healthy and dysphonic females. Forty-six healthy voice volunteers (control group) and 148 dysphonic patients (dysphonic group) were evaluated using videolaryngostroboscopic assessment and phonetography for voice measurements. For VRP, subjects were asked to sustain the vowel /a/ as soft and as loud possible from the lowest to the highest frequencies using an automated procedure. The SRP was obtained by recording the speaking voice (SV) and the shouting voice (ShV) asking subjects to read a list of sentences aloud and to shout / ehi/ as loud as they could, respectively. All subjects in the control and dysphonic groups were able to perform SRP. fourty of 46 (85%) and 102 of 148 (68.91%) cases, respectively in control and dysphonic groups, were able to perform VRP. Most frequently, the VRP was not recorded because of the inability to perform or, especially in the dysphonic group, for inadequacy of the vocal signal. In the control group, there were no significant differences between the mean values of Fmin, Fmax, Imin and number of semitones (st) of the VRP and those of the SRP (p > 0.05). In the dysphonic group, the mean values of Fmin, Fmax and st SV+ShV for SRP were significantly higher than those of VRP. Our preliminary results suggest that the SRP may be a useful, alternative tool to assess vocal limits in both euphonic and dysphonic females. PMID:25210219

The effects of music on the cardiac resuscitation education of nursing students.

PubMed

Tastan, Sevinc; Ayhan, Hatice; Unver, Vesile; Cinar, Fatma Ilknur; Kose, Gulsah; Basak, Tulay; Cinar, Orhan; Iyigun, Emine

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of music on the appropriate performance of the rate and depth of chest compression for nursing students. This randomized controlled study was conducted in the School of Nursing in Turkey between November 2014 and January 2015. The study's participants were second-year nursing school students with no previous formal cardiac resuscitation training (n=77). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: an intervention group with music and a control group without music. During practical training, the intervention group performed chest compressions with music. The outcomes of this study were collected twice. The first evaluation was conducted one day after CPR education, and the second evaluation was conducted six weeks after the initial training. The first evaluation shows that the participants in the intervention group had an average rate of 107.33±7.29 chest compressions per minute, whereas the rate for the control group was 121.47±12.91. The second evaluation shows that the rates of chest compression for the intervention and control groups were 106.24±8.72 and 100.71±9.54, respectively. The results of this study show that a musical piece enables students to remember the ideal rhythm for chest compression. Performing chest compression with music can easily be integrated into CPR education because it does not require additional technology and is cheap. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of mindfulness meditation on brain-computer interface performance.

PubMed

Tan, Lee-Fan; Dienes, Zoltan; Jansari, Ashok; Goh, Sing-Yau

2014-01-01

Electroencephalogram based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) enable stroke and motor neuron disease patients to communicate and control devices. Mindfulness meditation has been claimed to enhance metacognitive regulation. The current study explores whether mindfulness meditation training can thus improve the performance of BCI users. To eliminate the possibility of expectation of improvement influencing the results, we introduced a music training condition. A norming study found that both meditation and music interventions elicited clear expectations for improvement on the BCI task, with the strength of expectation being closely matched. In the main 12 week intervention study, seventy-six healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to three groups: a meditation training group; a music training group; and a no treatment control group. The mindfulness meditation training group obtained a significantly higher BCI accuracy compared to both the music training and no-treatment control groups after the intervention, indicating effects of meditation above and beyond expectancy effects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in context-dependent motor performance.

PubMed

Lee, Y-Y; Winstein, C J; Fisher, B E

2016-04-01

Context-dependent motor performance is a phenomenon in which people perform better in the environmental context where they originally practised a task. Some animal and computer simulation studies have suggested that context-dependent performance may be associated with neural activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This study aimed to determine the role of the DLPFC in context-dependent motor performance by perturbing the neural processing of the DLPFC with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in healthy adults. Thirty healthy adults were recruited into the Control, rTMS DLPFC and rTMS Vertex groups. The participants practised three finger sequences associated with a specific incidental context (a coloured circle and a location on the computer screen). One day following practice, the rTMS groups received 1 Hz rTMS prior to the testing conditions in which the sequence-context associations remained the same as practice (SAME) or changed (SWITCH). All three groups improved significantly over practice on day 1. The second day testing results showed that the DLPFC group had a significantly lower decrease in motor performance under the SWITCH condition than the Control and Vertex groups. This finding suggests a specific role of the DLPFC in context-dependent motor performance. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of a predefined mini-trampoline training programme on balance, mobility and activities of daily living after stroke: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Miklitsch, Claudia; Krewer, Carmen; Freivogel, Susanna; Steube, Diethard

2013-10-01

To investigate the effects of a predefined mini-trampoline therapy programme for increasing postural control, mobility and the ability to perform activities of daily living after stroke. Randomized non-blinded controlled pilot study. Neurological rehabilitation hospital. First-time stroke; age 18-80 years; independent standing ability for a minimum of 2 minutes. Patients were randomized into two groups: the mini-trampoline group (n = 20) received 10 sessions of balance training using the mini-trampoline over three weeks. The patients of the control group (n =20) participated 10 times in a group balance training also over three weeks. Postural control (Berg Balance Scale, BBS), mobility and gait endurance (timed 'up and go' test, TUG; 6-minute walk test, 6MWT) and the ability to perform activities of daily living (Barthel Index, BI). Measurements were undertaken prior to and after the intervention period. Both groups were comparable before the study. The mini-trampoline group improved significantly more in the BBS (P = 0.003) compared to the control group. Mean or median differences of both groups showed improvements in the TUG 10.12 seconds/7.23 seconds, the 6MWT 135 m/75 m and the BI 20 points/13 points for the mini-trampoline and control group, respectively. These outcome measurements did not differ significantly between the two groups. A predefined mini-trampoline training programme resulted in significantly increased postural control in stroke patients compared to balance training in a group. Although not statistically significant, the mini-trampoline training group showed increased improvement in mobility and activities of daily living. These differences could have been statistically significant if we had investigated more patients (i.e. a total sample of 84 patients for the TUG, 98 patients for the 6MWT, and 186 patients for the BI).

Educational interventions to improve screening mammography interpretation: a randomized, controlled trial

PubMed Central

BM, Geller; A, Bogart; PA, Carney; EA, Sickles; RA, Smith; B, Monsees; LW, Bassett; DM, Buist; K, Kerlikowske; T, Onega; B, Yankaskas; S, Haneuse; DA, Hill; M, Wallis; DL, Miglioretti

2014-01-01

Purpose Conduct a randomized controlled trial of educational interventions to improve performance of screening mammography interpretation. Materials and Methods We randomly assigned physicians who interpret mammography to one of three groups: (1) self-paced DVD; (2) live, expert-led educational session; or (3) control. The DVD and live interventions used mammography cases of varying difficulty and associated teaching points. Interpretive performance was compared using a pre-/post-test design. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated relative to two outcomes: cancer status and consensus of three experts about recall, and each were compared using logistic regression adjusting for pre-test performance. Results 102 radiologists completed all aspects of the trial. After adjustment for pre-intervention performance, the odds of improved sensitivity for correctly identifying a lesion relative to expert recall were 1.34 times higher for DVD participants than controls (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00, 1.81; P=0.050). The odds of improved PPV for correctly identifying a lesion relative to both expert recall (odds ratio [OR]=1.94, 95% CI: 1.24, 3.05; P=0.004) and cancer status (OR=1.81, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.23; P=0.045) were significantly improved for DVD participants compared to controls with no significant change in specificity. For the live-intervention group, specificity was significantly lower than the control group (OR relative to expert recall=0.80; 95% CI: 0.64, 1.00; P=0.048; OR relative to cancer=0.79; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.95; P=0.015). Conclusion In this randomized controlled trial, the DVD educational intervention resulted in a significant improvement in mammography interpretive screening performance on a test-set, which could translate into improved clinical interpretative performance. PMID:24848854

Training strategy of explosive strength in young female volleyball players.

PubMed

Pereira, Ana; Costa, Aldo M; Santos, Patricia; Figueiredo, Teresa; João, Paulo Vicente

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an 8-week combined jump and ball throwing training program in the performance of upper and lower extremities among young female volleyball players of the high school. A total of 20 young female volleyball players playing at Scholar Sport in High School at the district level were divided in two groups: the experimental group (n=10; 14.0±0.0 years; 1.6±0.1 m; 52.0±7.0 kg and 20.7±2.4% body mass) and the control group (n=10; 13.8±0.4 years, 1.6±0.1 m; 53.5±4.7 kg and 20.3±1.7% body mass). The experimental group received additional plyometric and ball throwing exercises besides their normal volleyball practice. The control group underwent only their regular session of training. Strength performance in the experimental group significantly improved (medicine ball and volleyball ball throwing: P=0.00; and counter movement jump: P=0.05), with the improvement ranging from 5.3% to 20.1%. No significant changes in strength performance were observed in the control group (P>0.05). The 8-week combined jump and ball throwing training can significantly improve muscular performance in young female volleyball players. These findings may be useful for all physical education teachers and volleyball coaches. Copyright © 2015 Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

The impact of constructive feedback on training in gastrointestinal endoscopy using high-fidelity Virtual-Reality simulation: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Kruglikova, Irina; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Drewes, Asbjorn M; Funch-Jensen, Peter

2010-02-01

Recently, virtual reality computer simulators have been used to enhance traditional endoscopy teaching. Previous studies have demonstrated construct validity of these systems and transfer of virtual skills to the operating room. However, to date no simulator-training curricula have been designed and there is very little evidence on the impact of external feedback on acquisition of endoscopic skills. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of external feedback on the learning curves on a VR colonoscopy simulator using inexperienced trainees. 22 trainees, without colonoscopy experience were randomised to a group which received structured feedback provided by an experienced supervisor and a controlled group. All participants performed 15 repetitions of task 3 from the Introduction colonoscopy module of the Accu Touch Endoscopy simulator. Retention/transfer tests on simulator were performed 4-6 weeks after the last repetition. The proficiency levels were based on the performance of eight experienced colonoscopists. All subjects were able to complete the procedure on the simulator. There were no perforations in the feedback group versus seven in the non-feedback group. Subjects in the feedback group reached expert proficiency levels in percentage of mucosa visualised and time to reach the caecum significantly faster compared with the control group. None of the groups demonstrated significant degradation of performance in simulator retention/transfer tests. Concurrent feedback given by supervisor concur an advantage in acquisition of basic colonoscopy skills and achieving of proficiency level as compared to independent training.

Physical performance measurement in persons with patellofemoral osteoarthritis: A pilot study.

PubMed

Hoglund, Lisa T; Lockard, Margery A; Barbe, Mary F; Hillstrom, Howard J; Song, Jinsup; Reinus, William R; Barr-Gillespie, Ann E

2015-01-01

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) is associated with pain and decreased self-reported function. The impact of PFOA on actual physical performance is currently unknown. To investigate the impact of PFOA on physical performance and pain. Eight participants aged 40-65 years with bilateral, symptomatic, radiographic PFOA and 7 age- and gender-matched pain-free control participants without radiographic PFOA were studied. Physical performance was measured with the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) and 50-foot Fast-Paced-Walk (FPW) tests. Dependent variables included time to complete the TUG and FPW; pretest-posttest change in pain intensity (TUG and FPW); and self-reports of perceived knee pain, stiffness, and physical function. Data were analyzed with nonparametric statistics. The PFOA group TUG time was longer than the control group (p=0.01). No difference between groups was found for FPW time. Pretest-posttest pain increased for the TUG and FPW in PFOA participants (p< 0.05). The PFOA group reported greater knee pain, stiffness, and less physical function than controls (previous 48 hours) (p < 0.01). Symptomatic, radiographic PFOA is associated with increased pain during the TUG and FPW tests and longer time required to complete the TUG. The TUG may be a more sensitive test of physical performance in PFOA.

Neuropsychological sequelae of work-stress-related exhaustion.

PubMed

Österberg, Kai; Skogsliden, Sofia; Karlson, Björn

2014-01-01

The aim was to assess long-term cognitive performance after substantial recovery from work-stress-related exhaustion, in relation to subjective cognitive complaints and return to active work. In total, 54 patients previously diagnosed with work-stress-related exhaustion participated in a neuropsychological examination ∼2 years after initial sick leave. Most participants were substantially recovered at follow-up, with only 13% still meeting the criteria for exhaustion disorder suggested by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. When participants' scores on 14 neuropsychological tests were compared to a matched group of 50 controls, the former patient group showed lower performance mainly on attention tests of the reaction time type, but also slightly lower scores on visuo-spatial constructional ability. However, the former patient group performed better than controls on two memory tests and, in part, on a test of simultaneous capacity. Self-ratings of everyday cognitive problems remained significantly higher in the former patient group than among controls, but the extent of self-rated cognitive problems was generally unrelated to performance on the neuropsychological tests. No relationship between performance on these tests and the extent of work resumption was observed. In summary, persons with previous work-stress-related exhaustion showed persistent signs of a minor attention deficit, despite considerable general recovery and return to work.

Student See versus Student Do: A Comparative Study of Two Online Tutorials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stonebraker, Ilana; Robertshaw, M. Brooke; Moss, Jennifer D.

2016-01-01

This study examines the impact on student performance after interactive and non-interactive tutorials using a 2?×?2 treatment-control design. In an undergraduate management course, a control group watched a video tutorial while the treatment group received the same content using a dynamic tutorial. Both groups received the same quiz questions.…

Theory of mind in a first-episode psychosis population using the Hinting Task.

PubMed

Lindgren, Maija; Torniainen-Holm, Minna; Heiskanen, Inkeri; Voutilainen, Greta; Pulkkinen, Ulla; Mehtälä, Tuukka; Jokela, Markus; Kieseppä, Tuula; Suvisaari, Jaana; Therman, Sebastian

2018-05-01

Deficiencies in theory of mind (ToM) are common in psychosis and may largely explain impaired social functioning. Currently, it is unclear whether impairments in ToM are explained by the more general cognitive deficits related to psychosis or whether ToM is impaired in psychosis independently of other cognitive deficits. This study examined ToM using the Hinting Task in young adults (n = 66) with first-episode psychosis and matched controls (n = 62). The participants were administered a broad neuropsychological assessment. Participants with psychosis performed worse than controls on the Hinting Task. However, 75% of the variance between the groups was explained by general cognitive deficits, especially impaired processing speed and episodic memory. Hinting Task performance of the best functioning patient group did not differ from that of the control group. When the psychosis group was divided according to diagnosis, the Hinting Task difference between individuals with schizophrenia and controls remained significant even when general cognitive performance was controlled for, suggesting specific verbal ToM deficits in schizophrenia. In contrast, those with other psychotic disorders did not differ from controls. Our results suggest that ToM deficits can be seen in early phases of psychotic disorders, schizophrenia in particular, and are partly independent of other cognitive functions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Cognitive Ability and Simulator-Based Driving Performance in Poststroke Adults

PubMed Central

Falkmer, Torbjörn; Willstrand, Tania Dukic

2017-01-01

Driving is an important activity of daily living, which is increasingly relied upon as the population ages. It has been well-established that cognitive processes decline following a stroke and these processes may influence driving performance. There is much debate on the use of off-road neurological assessments and driving simulators as tools to predict driving performance; however, the majority of research uses unlicensed poststroke drivers, making the comparability of poststroke adults to that of a control group difficult. It stands to reason that in order to determine whether simulators and cognitive assessments can accurately assess driving performance, the baseline should be set by licenced drivers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess differences in cognitive ability and driving simulator performance in licensed community-dwelling poststroke drivers and controls. Two groups of licensed drivers (37 poststroke and 43 controls) were assessed using several cognitive tasks and using a driving simulator. The poststroke adults exhibited poorer cognitive ability; however, there were no differences in simulator performance between groups except that the poststroke drivers demonstrated less variability in driver headway. The application of these results as a prescreening toolbox for poststroke drivers is discussed. PMID:28559646

Performance aspects of an injury prevention program: a ten-week intervention in adolescent female football players.

PubMed

Steffen, K; Bakka, H M; Myklebust, G; Bahr, R

2008-10-01

The injury rate in football is high, and effective injury prevention methods are needed. An exercise program, the "11," has been designed to prevent the most common injury types in football. However, the effect of such a program on performance is not known. The aim of this randomized-controlled trial was to investigate the effect of the "11" on performance after a 10-week training period. Thirty-four adolescent female football players were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n=18) or a control group (n=16). The "11" is a 15-min program consisting of ten exercises for core stability, lower extremity strength, balance and agility. Performance tests included isokinetic and isometric strength protocols for the quadriceps and hamstrings, isometric hip adduction and abduction strength, vertical jump tests, sprint running and soccer skill tests. There was no difference between the intervention and control groups in the change in performance from the pre- to post-test for any of the tests used. In conclusion, no effect was observed on a series of performance tests in a group of adolescent female football players using the "11" as a structured warm-up program.

Investigations into effects on performance and glutathione peroxidase activity in broilers when increasing selenium contents of complete diets appropriate to animals' selenium requirements by adding different selenium compounds (organic vs. inorganic).

PubMed

Salman, Mustafa; Muğlali, Omer Hakan; Selçuk, Zehra

2009-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of inorganic and organic selenium compounds supplementations to diets containing adequate selenium in broilers on performance, carcass traits, plasma and tissue glutathione peroxidase activity. A total of 150 one-day-old broilers were randomized into one control and two treatment groups each containing 50 birds; each group was then divided into 3 replicate groups. The experiment lasted 42 days. All groups were fed with broiler starter diet from day 1 to 21 and finisher diet from day 22 to 42. The basal diet for control group included adequate selenium due to vitamin-mineral premix and feeds. The basal diet was supplemented with 0.2 mg/kg organic selenium (selenomethionine, treatment group 1) and 0.2 mg/kg inorganic selenium (sodium selenite, treatment group 2). Although no significant differences were determined between treatment group 1 and the control group for mean body weights, the differences between the group given inorganic selenium and the other groups were statistically significant (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between control and treatment groups with regard to mean feed intake and feed efficiency. The dressing percentages of the second treatment group were found to be lower than the first treatment group. Treatment groups were observed to have increased levels of glutathione peroxidase in plasma (p <0.01), kidney (p < 0.05), femoral muscle (p < 0.05), heart (p < 0.01) and liver tissue (p < 0.01) compared with the control group. Results of this study indicated that the supplementation of organic selenium to diets containing adequate selenium increased plasma, liver, femoral muscle, kidney and heart tissue glutathione peroxidase activity in broilers.

Intermanual transfer in training with an upper-limb myoelectric prosthesis simulator: a mechanistic, randomized, pretest-posttest study.

PubMed

Romkema, Sietske; Bongers, Raoul M; van der Sluis, Corry K

2013-01-01

Intermanual transfer may improve prosthetic handling and acceptance if used in training soon after an amputation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intermanual transfer effects can be detected after training with a myoelectric upper-limb prosthesis simulator. A mechanistic, randomized, pretest-posttest design was used. A total of 48 right-handed participants (25 women, 23 men) who were able-bodied were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group performed a training program of 5 days' duration using the prosthesis simulator. To determine the improvement in skill, a test was administered before, immediately after, and 6 days after training. The control group only performed the tests. Training was performed with the unaffected arm, and tests were performed with the affected arm (the affected arm simulating an amputated limb). Half of the participants were tested with the dominant arm and half with the nondominant arm. Initiation time was defined as the time from starting signal until start of the movement, movement time was defined as the time from the beginning of the movement until completion of the task, and force control was defined as the maximal applied force on a deformable object. The movement time decreased significantly more in the experimental group (F₂,₉₂=7.42, P=.001, η²(G)=.028) when compared with the control group. This finding is indicative of faster handling of the prosthesis. No statistically significant differences were found between groups with regard to initiation time and force control. We did not find a difference in intermanual transfer between the dominant and nondominant arms. The training utilized participants who were able-bodied in a laboratory setting and focused only on transradial amputations. Intermanual transfer was present in the affected arm after training the unaffected arm with a myoelectric prosthesis simulator, and this effect did not depend on laterality. This effect may improve rehabilitation of patients with an upper-limb amputation.

A five-week exercise program can reduce falls and improve obstacle avoidance in the elderly.

PubMed

Weerdesteyn, Vivian; Rijken, Hennie; Geurts, Alexander C H; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Mulder, Theo; Duysens, Jacques

2006-01-01

Falls in the elderly are a major health problem. Although exercise programs have been shown to reduce the risk of falls, the optimal exercise components, as well as the working mechanisms that underlie the effectiveness of these programs, have not yet been established. To test whether the Nijmegen Falls Prevention Program was effective in reducing falls and improving standing balance, balance confidence, and obstacle avoidance performance in community-dwelling elderly people. A total of 113 elderly with a history of falls participated in this study (exercise group, n = 79; control group, n = 28; dropouts before randomization, n = 6). Exercise sessions were held twice weekly for 5 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention fall monitoring and quantitative motor control assessments were performed. The outcome measures were the number of falls, standing balance and obstacle avoidance performance, and balance confidence scores. The number of falls in the exercise group decreased by 46% (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36-0.79) compared to the number of falls during the baseline period and by 46% (IRR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34-0.86) compared to the control group. Obstacle avoidance success rates improved significantly more in the exercise group (on average 12%) compared to the control group (on average 6%). Quiet stance and weight-shifting measures did not show significant effects of exercise. The exercise group also had a 6% increase of balance confidence scores. The Nijmegen Falls Prevention Program was effective in reducing the incidence of falls in otherwise healthy elderly. There was no evidence of improved control of posture as a mechanism underlying this result. In contrast, an obstacle avoidance task indicated that subjects improved their performance. Laboratory obstacle avoidance tests may therefore be better instruments to evaluate future fall prevention studies than posturographic balance assessments. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Reproductive performance and milk production of Israeli-Holstein cows with different supplementation during the dry period].

PubMed

Francos, G; Distl, O; Ezra, E; Mayer, E

1999-06-01

In three field trials comprising 602 Israeli-Holstein dairy cows, the effect of the dry period ration on reproductive performance, culling rate and milk production was investigated. The cows were fed in groups. The basic dry period rations consisted for two herds of medium quality cereal hay and for one herd of corn straw, which were fed ad libitum. In each herd dry cows were assigned to an experimental and control group. Cows of the experimental group were supplemented with 1.5 to 3 kg of lactating cows mixed ration (LMR), whereas in the control group the amount of supplement was increased by the factor two or 3.3. In the experimental group the amount of the supplement was calculated to achieve levels of net energy and of crude protein close to NRC requirements; in the control group the level of net energy and protein was 12 to 18% higher as compared to the experimental group. The amount of LMR supplement in the experimental group of herds A, B, C were 1.5 kg, 1.9 kg, and 3 kg, respectively. In the control groups these amounts were 5 kg, 3.8 kg, and 6 kg, respectively. The groups fed moderate amounts of LMR supplement had a higher conception rate at first insemination, a higher percentage of cows conceiving and fewer cows culled in the consecutive lactation than cows fed increased amounts of LMR supplement. The lactational incidence of reproductive disorders and the milk production were not affected by the differences in feeding during the dry period. Reproductive performance and culling rate appeared to be more favorable for cows fed moderate amounts of supplement during the entire dry period or during the last 3 to 4 weeks of the dry period.

Learner-generated drawing for phonological and orthographic dyslexic readers.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Chih; Yang, Hsien-Ming; Tasi, Hung-Ju; Chan, Shih-Yi

2013-01-01

This study presents an examination of learner-generated drawing for different reading comprehension subtypes of dyslexic students and control students. The participants were 22 phonological dyslexic students, 20 orthographic dyslexic students, 21 double-deficit dyslexic students, and 45 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched control students. The major evaluation tools included word recognition task, orthographic task, phonological awareness task, and scenery texts and questions. Comparisons of the four groups of students showed differences among phonological dyslexia, orthographic dyslexia, double-deficit dyslexia, and the chronological age control groups in pre- and posttest performance of scenery texts. Differences also existed in relevant questions and the effect of the learner-generated drawing method. The pretest performance showed problems in the dyslexic samples in reading the scenery texts and answering relevant questions. The posttest performance revealed certain differences among phonological dyslexia, orthographic dyslexia, double-deficit dyslexia, and the chronological age control group. Finally, all dyslexic groups obtained a great effect from using the learner-generated drawing, particularly orthographic dyslexia. These results suggest that the learner-generated drawing was also useful for dyslexic students, with the potential for use in the classroom for teaching text reading to dyslexic students. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Haptic-Based Perception-Empathy Biofeedback Enhances Postural Motor Learning During High-Cognitive Load Task in Healthy Older Adults

PubMed Central

Yasuda, Kazuhiro; Saichi, Kenta; Iwata, Hiroyasu

2018-01-01

Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems, and sensory input impairment in older adults results in significant limitations in feedback-type postural control. A haptic-based biofeedback (BF) system can be used for augmenting somatosensory input in older adults, and the application of this BF system can increase the objectivity of the feedback and encourage comparison with that provided by a trainer. Nevertheless, an optimal BF system that focuses on interpersonal feedback for balance training in older adults has not been proposed. Thus, we proposed a haptic-based perception-empathy BF system that provides information regarding the older adult's center-of-foot pressure pattern to the trainee and trainer for refining the motor learning effect. The first objective of this study was to examine the effect of this balance training regimen in healthy older adults performing a postural learning task. Second, this study aimed to determine whether BF training required high cognitive load to clarify its practicability in real-life settings. Twenty older adults were assigned to two groups: BF and control groups. Participants in both groups tried balance training in the single-leg stance while performing a cognitive task (i.e., serial subtraction task). Retention was tested 24 h later. Testing comprised balance performance measures (i.e., 95% confidence ellipse area and mean velocity of sway) and dual-task performance (number of responses and correct answers). Measurements of postural control using a force plate revealed that the stability of the single-leg stance was significantly lower in the BF group than in the control group during the balance task. The BF group retained the improvement in the 95% confidence ellipse area 24 h after the retention test. Results of dual-task performance during the balance task were not different between the two groups. These results confirmed the potential benefit of the proposed balance training regimen in designing successful motor learning programs for preventing falls in older adults. PMID:29868597

Striatal functional connectivity changes following specific balance training in elderly people: MRI results of a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Magon, Stefano; Donath, Lars; Gaetano, Laura; Thoeni, Alain; Radue, Ernst-Wilhelm; Faude, Oliver; Sprenger, Till

2016-09-01

Practice-induced effects of specific balance training on brain structure and activity in elderly people are largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated morphological and functional brain changes following slacking training (balancing over nylon ribbons) in a group of elderly people. Twenty-eight healthy volunteers were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention (mean age: 62.3±5.4years) or control group (mean age: 61.8±5.3years). The intervention group completed six-weeks of slackline training. Brain morphological changes were investigated using voxel-based morphometry and functional connectivity changes were computed via independent component analysis and seed-based analyses. All analyses were applied to the whole sample and to a subgroup of participants who improved in slackline performance. The repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant interaction effect between groups and sessions. Specifically, the Tukey post-hoc analysis revealed a significantly improved slackline standing performance after training for the left leg stance time (pre: 4.5±3.6s vs. 26.0±30.0s, p<0.038) as well as for tandem stance time (pre: 1.4±0.6s vs. post: 4.5±4.0s, p=0.003) in the intervention group. No significant changes in balance performance were observed in the control group. The MRI analysis did not reveal morphological or functional connectivity differences before or after the training between the intervention and control groups (whole sample). However, subsequent analysis in subjects with improved slackline performance showed a decrease of connectivity between the striatum and other brain areas during the training period. These preliminary results suggest that improved balance performance with slackline training goes along with an increased efficiency of the striatal network. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Excessive daytime sleepiness in adult patients with ADHD as measured by the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, an electrophysiologic measure.

PubMed

Bioulac, Stéphanie; Chaufton, Cyril; Taillard, Jacques; Claret, Astrid; Sagaspe, Patricia; Fabrigoule, Colette; Bouvard, Manuel P; Philip, Pierre

2015-07-01

To quantify the objective level of sleepiness in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients and to determine the relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness and simulated driving performance. Forty adult ADHD patients (DSM-IV criteria) and 19 matched healthy control subjects were included between June 30, 2010, and June 19, 2013. All participants completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Manchester Driving Behavior Questionnaire. After nocturnal polysomnography, they performed 2 neuropsychological tests, a 4 × 40-minute Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, and a 1-hour driving session. The primary outcome measure was the mean sleep latency on the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test. ADHD patients were divided into 3 groups defined by their Maintenance of Wakefulness Test scores. Participants (patients and control subjects) were allocated as follows: sleepy ADHD (0-19 min), intermediate ADHD (20-33 min), alert ADHD (34-40 min), and control group (34-40 min). The driving performance outcome was the mean standard deviation of lateral position of the vehicle during the simulated session. The group mean (SD) Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was higher in ADHD patients (12.1 [4.4]) than in controls (6.0 [2.7]) (P < .001). On the basis of the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test scores, 14 patients (35%) were in the sleepy group, 20 (50%) were in the intermediate group, and only 6 (15%) were in the alert group. Sleepy ADHD patients exhibited significantly deteriorated driving performance compared to the other 3 groups (P < .01). Our study shows that a significant proportion of adult ADHD patients exhibit an objective excessive daytime sleepiness, which, in addition, has an impact on simulated driving performance. Excessive daytime sleepiness, therefore, may be a key element needed to better evaluate these ADHD patients. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01160874. © Copyright 2015 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Haptic-Based Perception-Empathy Biofeedback Enhances Postural Motor Learning During High-Cognitive Load Task in Healthy Older Adults.

PubMed

Yasuda, Kazuhiro; Saichi, Kenta; Iwata, Hiroyasu

2018-01-01

Falls and fall-induced injuries are major global public health problems, and sensory input impairment in older adults results in significant limitations in feedback-type postural control. A haptic-based biofeedback (BF) system can be used for augmenting somatosensory input in older adults, and the application of this BF system can increase the objectivity of the feedback and encourage comparison with that provided by a trainer. Nevertheless, an optimal BF system that focuses on interpersonal feedback for balance training in older adults has not been proposed. Thus, we proposed a haptic-based perception-empathy BF system that provides information regarding the older adult's center-of-foot pressure pattern to the trainee and trainer for refining the motor learning effect. The first objective of this study was to examine the effect of this balance training regimen in healthy older adults performing a postural learning task. Second, this study aimed to determine whether BF training required high cognitive load to clarify its practicability in real-life settings. Twenty older adults were assigned to two groups: BF and control groups. Participants in both groups tried balance training in the single-leg stance while performing a cognitive task (i.e., serial subtraction task). Retention was tested 24 h later. Testing comprised balance performance measures (i.e., 95% confidence ellipse area and mean velocity of sway) and dual-task performance (number of responses and correct answers). Measurements of postural control using a force plate revealed that the stability of the single-leg stance was significantly lower in the BF group than in the control group during the balance task. The BF group retained the improvement in the 95% confidence ellipse area 24 h after the retention test. Results of dual-task performance during the balance task were not different between the two groups. These results confirmed the potential benefit of the proposed balance training regimen in designing successful motor learning programs for preventing falls in older adults.