Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing Proprioceptive Function: Evaluating Joint Position Matching Methods Against Psychophysical Thresholds

Background The importance of assessing proprioceptive function for rehabilitation after neurological or orthopedic injury has long been recognized. Yet, neither the validity nor the accuracy of the available tests is firmly established. Testing typically involves repeated matching of a given joint position with the same or opposite limb where the difference between the 2 positions indicates proprioceptive acuity. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare position sense acuity between ipsilateral and contralateral matching methods against a psychophysical threshold method to establish the accuracy and relationships between these models. Design A repeated-measures design was used. Method Assessment of forearm position sense for a 10-degree reference position in 27 young adults who were healthy. Results Psychophysical thresholds were revealed to be the most precise and least variable acuity measure. The mean (±SD) threshold (1.05°±0.47°) was significantly lower than mean position errors obtained by both joint position matching tasks (ipsilateral: 1.51°±0.64°; contralateral: 1.84°±0.73°)—a 44% to 75% difference in measurement accuracy. Individual participant position errors correlated poorly with respective thresholds, indicating a lack of concurrent validity. Position errors for both matching methods correlated only mildly with each other. Limitations The data represent performance of a healthy, young adult cohort. Differences between methods will likely be more pronounced in aging and clinical populations. Conclusions Threshold testing and joint position matching methods examine different physiological aspects of proprioceptive function. Because threshold testing is based on passive motion, it most closely reflects afferent sensory feedback processing (ie, proprioception). Matching methods require active motion and are consequently influenced by additional sensorimotor processes. Factors such as working memory and transmission between brain hemispheres also influence joint matching task outcomes.
Acute and subchronic toxicity evaluation of the hydroethanolic extract of mangosteen pericarp

In this study, we examined the effects of a hydroethanolic extract from the fruit pericarp of mangosteen, that contained epicathechin based tannins as a major constituent, upon acute and subchronic treatments to experimental animals. Intragastric administration of this extract to Swiss albino mice at a single dose of 2 and 5 g/kg body weight produced no toxicity signs during 14 days of observation. For the subchronic toxicity study, the mangosteen extract at 400, 600 and 1,200 mg/kg body weight was administered by oral gavage to male and female Wistar rats daily for 12 weeks. In all instances, consumption of the extract showed no effect on behavior, food and water intake, growth or health status of these animals. In both sexes, their hematology values monitored throughout the study period did not alter from those of the control. After the 12 weeks, no significant dose-related differences in blood biochemical parameters were detected among the female groups, but in all male groups, there were dose-variation increases in direct bilirubin compared with the control. However, either gross necropsy or histopathological examination of their livers as well as other internal organs did not reveal any abnormal appearances. Key words: Acute toxicity, Garcinia mangostana, hydroethanolic extract, mangosteen, pericarp, subchronic toxicity.
An Overview of 5 Years of Patient Self-Referral for Physical Therapy in the Netherlands

Background Self-referral for physical therapy was introduced in 2006 in the Netherlands. Internationally, debate on self-referral is still ongoing. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of self-referral for physical therapy in the Netherlands, focusing on volume of general practice and physical therapy care (incidence rates and utilization of services). Design The study was based on monitoring data from existing data sources. Methods Longitudinal electronic medical record data from general practitioners (GPs) and physical therapists participating in the NIVEL Primary Care Database were used, as well as public data from Statistics Netherlands. Descriptive statistics and Poisson multilevel regression analyses were used for analyzing the data. Results Incidence rates of back (including low back), shoulder, and neck pain in general practice declined slightly from 2004 to 2009. No linear trends were found for number of contacts in GP care for back (including low back) and neck pain. The number of patients visiting physical therapists and the proportion of self-referrers are growing. Self-referrers receive treatment less often after initial intake than referred patients, and the mean number of visits is lower. Limitations This study was based on data of various patient populations from existing data sources. Conclusions The current study indicates that self-referral in the Netherlands has fulfilled most expectations held prior to its introduction, although no changes to the workload of GP care have been found. Use of physical therapy grew, but due to population aging and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, it remains unclear whether self-referral affects health care utilization. Therefore, cost-benefit analyses are recommended.
Validity of Maximal Exercise Testing in People With Multiple Sclerosis and Low to Moderate Levels of Disability

Background Cardiopulmonary exercise testing can be considered the gold standard for assessing cardiorespiratory fitness. Little is known about the criteria for maximal exercise testing in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and how these criteria behave across different levels of neurological disability. Objective The study objectives were to determine the criteria for maximal exercise testing across various levels of disability and to assess concomitant subgroup differences in measures related to the participant, disease, and function. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was conducted with a sample of 56 participants with MS. Analysis of variance was used to assess the criteria in participants with MS and low, mild, and moderate levels of disability. Results Mean peak oxygen consumption (V̇o2peak) was 21.4 (SD=7.1) mL·kg−1·min−1. An oxygen consumption (V̇o2) plateau was seen in 37.5% of participants. A respiratory exchange ratio of 1.10 or greater was achieved by 69.6% of the participants, a maximal heart rate within 90% of their age-predicted maximal heart rate was achieved by 48.2% of the participants, and 23.2% of the participants perceived their exertion to be 18 or greater on the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion (scores of 6–20). The values for achieved heart rate and incidence of a V̇o2 plateau were significantly lower in participants with moderate levels of disability than in those with mild levels of disability. Limitations The primary limitations of this study were its cross-sectional nature and relatively small sample of participants with moderate levels of disability. Conclusion The findings suggest that the outcome of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in people with MS and low to mild levels of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale scores of ≤4.0) is a valid measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, whereas the outcome in people with moderate levels of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale scores of >4.0) is most likely symptom limited.
On the Mini-BESTest: Scoring and the Reporting of Total Scores

The Mini-BESTest1 was published in 2010 to introduce a shorter version of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest). The Mini-BESTest has gained in popularity both as a clinical tool and as a research outcome measure of dynamic balance control. The test is freely downloadable and can be found at the BESTest website (www.BESTest.us) (Appendix). It has come to our attention both through our own studies and through published manuscripts that there is a discrepancy in how people are scoring and reporting total scores. Part of …
A multi-biomarker disease activity score for monitoring rheumatoid arthritis

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php Current Biomarker Findings 2015:5 69–78 Current Biomarker Findings Dovepress
Role of Body-Worn Movement Monitor Technology for Balance and Gait Rehabilitation

This perspective article will discuss the potential role of body-worn movement monitors for balance and gait assessment and treatment in rehabilitation. Recent advances in inexpensive, wireless sensor technology and smart devices are resulting in an explosion of miniature, portable sensors that can quickly and accurately quantify body motion. Practical and useful movement monitoring systems are now becoming available. It is critical that therapists understand the potential advantages and limitations of such emerging technology. One important advantage of obtaining objective measures of balance and gait from body-worn sensors is impairment-level metrics characterizing how and why functional performance of balance and gait activities are impaired. Therapy can then be focused on the specific physiological reasons for difficulty in walking or balancing during specific tasks. A second advantage of using technology to measure balance and gait behavior is the increased sensitivity of the balance and gait measures to document mild disability and change with rehabilitation. A third advantage of measuring movement, such as postural sway and gait characteristics, with body-worn sensors is the opportunity for immediate biofeedback provided to patients that can focus attention and enhance performance. In the future, body-worn sensors may allow therapists to perform telerehabilitation to monitor compliance with home exercise programs and the quality of their natural mobility in the community. Therapists need technological systems that are quick to use and provide actionable information and useful reports for their patients and referring physicians. Therapists should look for systems that provide measures that have been validated with respect to gold standard accuracy and to clinically relevant outcomes such as fall risk and severity of disability.
APPLICATION OF DIRECT CONTACT TEST IN EVALUATION OF CYTOTOXICITY OF ACRYLIC DENTURE BASE RESINS

The use of acrylic denture base resins is widely spread in dental practice. They belong to the group of biomaterials due to their role of morphological and functional substituent in the mouth. However, clinical practice has shown that some toxic ingredients of these materials may lead to adverse local and even systemic changes. The aim of the study was to evaluate cytotoxic effect of various denture base resins on cell culture using direct contact test. The effect of four different acrylic materials on HeLa cell structure was evaluated. Upon light microscopy analysis, MTT test was performed without previous removal of material samples. The obtained values of MTT indicate that cell proliferation is dependant on the type of acrylic denture base resins. Cold polymerization denture base resins showed mild inhibitory effect on the cell culture growth. The signs of toxicity were not observed in heat polymerization denture base resins. Acta Medica Medianae 2012; 51(1):66-72.
Experiences of First-Time Mothers With Persistent Pelvic Girdle Pain After Childbirth: Descriptive Qualitative Study

Background Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is common during pregnancy and negatively affects women's lives. When PGP persists after the birth, the way it affects women's lives may change, particularly for first-time mothers as they adjust to motherhood, yet the experiences of women with persistent PGP remain largely unexplored. Objectives The objective of this study was to explore primiparous women's experiences of persistent PGP and its impact on their lives postpartum, including caring for their infant and their parental role. Design This was a descriptive qualitative study. Methods Following institution ethical approval, 23 consenting primiparous women with PGP that had started during pregnancy and persisted for at least 3 months postpartum participated in individual interviews. These interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Four themes emerged: (1) “Putting up with the pain: coping with everyday life,” in which women put up with the pain but had to balance activities and were grateful for support from family and friends to face everyday challenges; (2) “I don't feel back to normal,” in which women's feelings of physical limitations, frustration, and a negative impact on their mood were described; (3) “Unexpected,” in which persistent symptoms were unexpected for women due to a lack of information given about PGP; and (4) “What next? ,” in which the future of women's symptoms was met with great uncertainty, and they expressed worry about having another baby. Conclusion For first-time mothers, having persistent PGP postpartum affects their daily lives in many ways. These findings provide important information for health care providers, which will improve their understanding of these women's experiences, will enhance rapport, and can be used to provide information and address concerns to optimize maternity care during pregnancy and beyond.
The move from a long-stay learning disabilities hospital to community homes: a comparison of clients' nutritional status.

Background Adults with learning disabilities have a greater incidence of health problems than the general population. It is now well established that they are a nutritionally vulnerable group with polarized weight distributions. Aim This study was undertaken to investigate the nutritional consequences of the closure of a large learning disabilities hospital and the resettlement of clients in small community homes. Methods The nutritional changes were measured using a locally devised nutrition screening form. This had previously been tested for reliability and validity. Clients were screened in the month prior to their discharge from Stallington Hall and at 1 year post-discharge. The two screening forms for each client were then compared. The screening form assessed risk in three areas: nutritional adequacy, weight and nutrition-related problems. Results A number of significant increases in risk between the two screens were seen. In particular, there was an increase in overall risk relating to food groups, unintentional weight gain and loss and overall risk relating to weight. At the first screen, 70% of the women and 55% of the men were outside the normal weight ranges and by the second screen these percentages had increased to 82% and 60%, respectively. It was not possible to weigh 15% of the study participants at the second screen because suitable scales were not available. Conclusions The study confirms the nutritional vulnerability of the participants and highlights a number of adverse nutritional changes. It supports the need for regular screening and dietetic input.
Activity Participation and Well-Being of People with Dementia in Long-Term—Care Settings

This study examines the activities engaged in by nursing home residents with dementia and their states of well-being. Dementia Care Mapping was used to record the activities engaged in by, and the well-being of, 43 participants during a 6-hour period. The average age of the group was 81 years and length of stay at the nursing home was 27 months. Fourteen percent of participants had received a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score of 1 (mild level of cognitive impairment), 35% had a CDR score of 2 (moderate impairment), and 51% had a CDR score of 3 (severe impairment). Results indicated that the three CDR groups engaged differently in activities. The CDR1 group participated significantly more in therapeutic/leisure activities and activities of daily living than did the CDR2 group (p < .001 and p < .05) and CDR3 group (p < .001). Conversely, the CDR3 group engaged in significantly more passive activities than did the CDR1 group (p < .001), and had fewer social interactions and displayed more negative behavior than the other two groups (p < .05). Moreover, their well-being was significantly worse than that of the other two groups (p < .001). A majority of participants (82%) demonstrated poor to very poor well-being. Because better well-being was associated with positive and enjoyable engagement in activities (τ = +0.67, p < .001), the low level of activity participation demonstrated by low-functioning individuals with dementia needs to be addressed. Moreover, further studies are indicated to explore the possible factors influencing their limited activity participation.
Contact-sensitive artefacts: implementing tangible interfaces through force-torque sensing

We describe the technology and diverse applications of a novel approach for transforming both pre-existing and purpose-designed physical artefacts into contact-sensitive interfaces and installations. Our approach builds upon attaching or embedding a six degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) force-torque sensor into a physical artefact. By this, artefacts can be transformed into active, computationally mediated interfaces for users to engage with associated digital media such as sounds, images, videos and graphics. We are able to sense the position of physical forces; the orientation and magnitude of these forces; and inductively, the presence, number and entrance/exit of multiple physical entities within such interfaces. Our approach is applicable across a number of materials and use contexts, ranging from millennia-old stone sculptures, to three-dimensional printed medical artefacts, to many-object game boards and well beyond. This paper focuses on the technical implementation, design criteria and limitations of the approach, illustrates example for uses and suggests promising domains for future applications.
Ethics of Tissue and Stem Cell Transplantation

Tissue and cell transplantation are regarded as a popular procedure in clinical sciences, prospecting a new horizon for several incurable diseases. Along with its usefulness, many ethical concerns accompany this development. The ethical issue of organ transplant is unique to the source used which includes: living related, living unrelated, cadaveric, and xenotransplant. Obtaining organs has a separate set of ethical concerns which are discussed under two headings, namely salvage and donation. Then there is the issue of organ marketing and the ethical, social, and economical issues it encompasses. All these are active areas of debate, and we have touched upon them by turn. This century has brought a new aspect of transplantati on into the light, stem cell transplantation. Here we present some work done recently on mesenchymal stem cells and their outcome. These cells are now being employed in the therapy of some incurable ailments. It seems this kind of transplantati on, although possessing its own range of issues, could prove to be the way of the future.
Life Satisfaction Among Israeli Youth in Residential Treatment Care

This study is a preliminary examination of life satisfaction among 103 children in one residential treatment care (RTC) setting in Israel. Life satisfaction was examined using the Multidimensional Students Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS). Gender differences in life satisfaction and correlations with background and in-care variables were examined. The study revealed that girls were more satisfied with RTC-specific domains than boys and that the residential child-care worker-child relationship plays a major role in the child's life satisfaction. Findings provided some support for the utility of the MSLSS to describe RTC children and youth's life satisfaction across a number of important life domains. Ongoing administration of such scales has the potential to monitor RTC chil dren's life satisfaction and its correlates throughout their stay in care.
The Effect of Study Skills Training on United States Air Force Allied Health Students

Study skills intervention was shown to significantly increase end-of-course scores and decrease remedial instruction for 90 randomly selected students attending a three month Air Force allied health technician course. Additionally, students who received the study skills intervention graduated at a higher rate than those who did not. Study skills training in a corporate setting can enhance student learning and significantly reduce training costs. The American public education system and national network of colleges and universities are designed to enhance the capabilities of our most valuable national resources, our people. However, many of our educational institutions assume that people know how to learn and know how to study. The teaching of study skills enhances student ability to succeed both academically and in the workforce. An illustration of the value of teaching study skills can be found in the United States military. Recruits are brought on active duty, receive formal training, and then are assigned to a duty position in their career field. Students who fail in technical For further information contact: John C. Griffith • 8230 Phoenix Avenue • Universal City, TX 78148 • (210) 536-8037 • fax: (210) 536-2984 • e-mail: jgriff60@aol.com
System deep usage in post-acceptance stage: a literature review and a new research framework

The adoption process within organisational settings, which is different from traditional individual adoption, involves both primary adoption by managers and secondary adoption by employees. Understanding what determinants influence employees to deeply use Information Systems (IS) would help managers improve the process of facilitating system implementation. The aim of this study is to identify the determinants of system deep usage during the post-acceptance stage and propose a broader conceptual framework to better understand employees' deep usage in an organisational context in order to provide a focus for future research. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature related to post-acceptance behaviour in voluntary and mandatory contexts, a new framework is developed that combines insights from the post-acceptance model of IS continuance, as well as from the innovation dissonance theory. Finally, this paper concludes with the implications of the proposed model.
Performance of 6-Month-Old Asian American Infants on the Movement Assessment of Infants

The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of Asian American infants on the Movement Assessment of Infants (MAI). The sample consisted of 30 full-term 6-month-old Asian American infants. These infants tended to have slightly slower integration of some primitive reflexes and to acquire automatic reactions and volitional motor skills at a slightly different rate than the predominantly Caucasian group of infants in a previous study. When the Washington and Deitz 6-Month Profile was used with the Asian American infants, 40% of them were identified as having risk scores higher than any of the infants in the Washington and Deitz study. This occurred even though the Asian American infants were full term, with unremarkable birth histories and, according to parent report, had no developmental concerns identified by either a parent or a health care provider. This finding suggests that clinicians should be cautious when using the MAI 6-Month Profile to assess Asian American infants.