Effectiveness of videogames on balance and fear of falling in chronic stroke patient

Objectives: Balance disorder is one of the most common problems after stroke causes falling and fear of falling in some patients. The balance based video games are newly used in people with motor problems. It is very important to use different interventions for balance issues. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of videogame on balance and fear of falling in one participant. Methods: This experimental study was done in a single subject system, A-B design for one patient with chronic stroke. This method including repetitive measures conducted in two phases, baseline and then twelve intervention sessions. Berg Balance Scale, Timed up and go, Functional Reach, the maximum weight bearing in different directions and the deviation from center were conducted for balance assessing. Fear of falling questionnaire was used to assess fear of falling. Analysis of results was done by C-statistic, Bayesian factor, Mann Whitney U, and visual analysis graphs. Results: The results showed significant improvement for balance skills, the maximum force produced by lower extremities and reducing fear of falling parameters. But the deviation from center graphs did not showed distinct pattern. Discussion: All analysis confirmed the efficacy of videogames on balance skills and fear of falling improvement. However, the deviation from center did not show improvement and it seems to need more studies

A universal mechanism for long-range cross-correlations

Cross-correlations are thought to emerge through interaction between particles. Here we present a universal dynamical mechanism capable of generating power-law cross-correlations between non-interacting particles exposed to an external potential. This phenomenon can occur as an ensemble property when the external potential induces intermittent dynamics of Pomeau-Manneville type, providing laminar and stochastic phases of motion in a system with a large number of particles. In this case, the ensemble of particle-trajectories forms a random fractal in time. The underlying statistical self-similarity is the origin of the observed power-law cross-correlations. Furthermore, we have strong indications that a sufficient condition for the emergence of these long-range cross-correlations is the divergence of the mean residence time in the laminar phase of the single particle motion (sporadic dynamics). We argue that the proposed mechanism may be relevant for the occurrence of collective behaviour in critical systems

Facilitators of implementing occupation based practice among Iranian occupational therapists: A qualitative study

Background: The Occupation-Based Practice (OBP) is a central core of occupational therapy (OT).It refers to using a meaningful occupation based on the client's interests, needs, health and participation in daily life. This study aimed to explore the facilitators of implementing OBP among Iranian occupational therapists. Methods: Fourteen occupational therapists participated in this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the sampling method was purposeful. The interviews were continued until data saturation was reached, and data were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis using constant comparative analysis. Results: Our analysis explored two themes: Factors attributed to context, and factors attributed to therapists. The first theme consisted of three subthemes: Educational programs of OT department, public information about OBP and clinical setting compatible with OBP. The second theme also contained three subthemes including: Positive attitude regarding effectiveness of OBP, emphasis on client- centered and family- centered practice and convincing the clients to utilize OBP. Conclusion: The facilitators of implementing OBP are attributed to factors internal to the therapists as well as to issues in the external environment and context. Understanding these factors will help occupational therapists, OT educational staff, administrators and rehabilitation team members to facilitate the implementation of OBP

A computer-based selective visual attention test for first-grade school children: Design, development and psychometric properties

Background: Visual attention is known as a critical base for learning. The purpose of the present study was to design, develop and evaluate the test-retest and internal consistency reliability as well as face, content and convergent validity of the computer- based selective visual attention test (SeVAT) for healthy first-grade school children. Methods: In the first phase of this study, the computer-based SeVAT was developed in two versions of original and parallel. Ten experts in occupational therapy helped to measure the content validity using the CVR and CVI methods. Face validity was measured through opinions collected from 10 first-grade children. The convergent validity of the test was examined using the Spearman correlation between the SeVAT and Stroop test. In addition, test-retest reliability was determined by measuring the intra-class correlation (ICC) between the original and parallel versions of the SeVAT in a single session. The internal consistency was calculated by Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Sixty first grade children (30 girls/30boys) participated in this study. Results: The developed test was found to have good content and face validity. The SeVAT showed an excellent test-retest reliability (ICC= 0.778, p<0.001) and internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha of original and parallel tests were 0.857 and 0.831, respectively). SeVAT and Stroop test demonstrated a positive correlation upon the convergent validity testing. Conclusion: Our results suggested an acceptable reliability and validity for the computer-based SeVAT in the assessment of selective attention in children. Further research may warrant the differential validity of such a test in other age groups and neuro-cognitively disordered populations

Original Article

Objectives: Balance disorder is one of the most common problems after stroke causes falling and fear of falling in some patients. The balance based video games are newly used in people with motor problems. It is very important to use different interventions for balance issues. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of videogame on balance and fear of falling in one participant. Methods: This experimental study was done in a single subject system, A-B design for one patient with chronic stroke. This method including repetitive measures conducted in two phases, baseline and then twelve intervention sessions. Berg Balance Scale, Timed up and go, Functional Reach, the maximum weight bearing in different directions and the deviation from center were conducted for balance assessing. Fear of falling questionnaire was used to assess fear of falling. Analysis of results was done by C-statistic, Bayesian factor, Mann Whitney U, and visual analysis graphs. Results: The results showed significant improvement for balance skills, the maximum force produced by lower extremities and reducing fear of falling parameters. But the deviation from center graphs did not showed distinct pattern. Discussion: All analysis confirmed the efficacy of videogames on balance skills and fear of falling improvement. However, the deviation from center did not show improvement and it seems to need more studies

Occupational challenges in the caregivers of people with multiple sclerosis: A qualitative study

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder. The progressive and unpredictable nature of MS indicates the patients� need for long-term care as well as the increased burden of their primary caregivers� care and occupational challenges that emerge in their daily life activities. Objectives: The current study aimed to explore the occupational challenges caused by engaging in the care process for the caregivers of people with MS Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on 21 caregivers of MS patients using a content analysis approach. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Results: Three main themes emerged: Time limitations in occupation implementation, care needs in occupation implementation, and emotional reactions affecting occupations. Conclusions: According to the results, the caregivers of people with MS were faced with a variety of occupational challenges. The time limitations for performing routine occupations and desired activities, unmet patient care-facilitating needs, and the occurrence of psychosocial reactions and behaviors were contributed to these challenges and their exacerbation. Identifying these challenges is both useful for designing interventional programs and to help caregivers to successfully perform their desired occupations in spite of challenges in the care process. © 2020, Semnan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Simian varicella virus infects enteric neurons and α4β7 integrin-expressing gut-tropic T-cells in nonhuman primates

The pathogenesis of enteric zoster, a rare debilitating complication of reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in the enteric nervous system (ENS), is largely unknown. Infection of monkeys with the closely related Varicellovirus simian varicella virus (SVV) mimics VZV disease in humans. In this study, we determined the applicability of the SVV nonhuman primate model to study Varicellovirus infection of the ENS. We confirmed VZV infection of the gut in latently infected adults and demonstrated th

Evaluation of sulfadiazine(Sdz) removal from wastewater by persulfate activated with iron sulfate

In this study, removal of an antibiotic (SDZ) from wastewater using an advanced oxidation process of persulfate (PS) in the presence of iron sulfate (S2O8 –2/Fe+2) was investigated. The operational variables such as; the effect of pH, contact time, iron and PS ion concentrations and initial concentration of SDZ on the efficiency of SDZ removal was studied. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the analysis and monitoring of SDZ concentration. It was found that the highest rates of SDZ removal were found to be 95.83±1.342%, 87.15±0.929% and 69.09±0.848%, respectively, for initial SDZ concentration of 0.08, 0.2 and 0.4 mmol. The results showed that the S2O8 –2/Fe+2 system would be optimized by contact time of 60 min, pH 4 and iron to PS molar ratio of 1. Therefore, these findings would help to better apply the AOPs to remove recalcitrance pollutants such as SDZ from wastewater

Barriers to occupational therapy fieldwork education in Iran: The perspectives of fieldwork educators and students

Background: Clinical education is a vital factor in the process of learning in medical sciences universities. The aim of the present study was to explore the perspectives of fieldwork educators and students concerning barriers to occupational therapy fieldwork education in Iran. Materials and Methods: A qualitative research was conducted from May 2019 to April 2020 to address the study objectives. The data analysis was performed using conventional content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman's approach. Purposive sampling was used to enroll 12 educators and 14 students of various backgrounds (physical disabilities-adult, physical disabilities-pediatrics, psychosocial-adult, and psychosocial-pediatrics) in the study. Results: The findings indicated that the main themes were related to fieldwork educators, fieldwork settings, educational planning, students, and educational regulation. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the perspectives of students and occupational therapy educators regarding the field of clinical education are not only important but also useful for the attainment of effective clinical education and the development of knowledge related to rehabilitation nursing education. Therefore, educational planners should develop effective programs based on these themes. © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved