Is there a difference in the pattern of muscle activity when performing neck exercises with a guild board versus a pulley?

Objective: Guild boards and pulleys are apparatus commonly used to train cervical muscle function for their purported benefit in facilitating activity of the deeper muscle layers, although this effect has not been substantiated. The objective of this study was to compare the activity of the different layers of cervical muscles when performing exercise with these 2 types of apparatus

Investigating the Causal Mechanisms of Symptom Recovery in Chronic Whiplash-associated Disorders Using Bayesian Networks

Objectives: The present study’s objective was to understand the causal mechanisms underpinning the recovery of individuals with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). We applied Bayesian Networks (BN) to answer 2 study aims: (1) to identify the causal mechanism(s) of recovery underpinning neck-specific exercise (NSE), and (2) quantify if the cyclical pathway of the fear-avoidance model (FAM) is supported by the present data. Materials and Methods: We analyzed a prospective cohort data set of 216 individuals with chronic WAD. Fifteen variables were used to build a BN model: treatment group (NSE with or without a behavioral approach, or general physical activity), muscle endurance, range of motion, hand strength, neck proprioception, pain catastrophizing, fear, anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, perceived work ability, disability, pain intensity, sex, and follow-up time. Results: The BN model showed that neck pain reduction rate was greater after NSE compared with physical activity prescription (β=0.59 points per month [P<0.001]) only in the presence of 2 mediators: global neck muscle endurance and perceived work ability. We also found the following pathway of variables that constituted the FAM: anxiety, followed by depressive symptoms, fear, catastrophizing, self-efficacy, and consequently pain. Conclusions: e uncovered 2 mediators that explained the mechanisms of effect behind NSE, and proposed an alternative FAM pathway. The present study is the first to apply BN modelling to understand the causal mechanisms of recovery in WAD. In doing so, it is anticipated that such analytical methods could increase the precision of treatment of individuals with chronic WAD

Factors associated with work ability in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder grade II-III: a cross-sectional analysis

Objective: To investigate the factors related to self-perceived work ability in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder grades II-III. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Patients: A total of 166 working age patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder. Methods: A comprehensive survey collected data on work ability (using the Work Ability Index); demographic, psychosocial, personal, work- and condition-related factors. Forward, stepwise regression modelling was used to assess the factors related to work ability. Results: The proportion of patients in each work ability category were as follows: poor (12.7%); moderate (39.8%); good (38.5%); excellent (9%). Seven factors explained 65% (adjusted R2= 0.65, p < 0.01) of the variance in work ability. In descending order of strength of association, these factors are: greater neck disability due to pain; reduced self-rated health status and health-related quality of life; increased frequency of concentration problems; poor workplace satisfaction; lower self-efficacy for performing daily tasks; and greater work-related stress. Conclusion: Condition-specific and psychosocial factors are associated with self-perceived work ability of individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorder

Перспективы развития логистической деятельности мелких торговых организаций Беларуси

Дана оценка логистической деятельности мелких торговых организаций Беларуси и намечены пути ее совершенствования

Программное средство выявления аномалий в потоке данных, передаваемых системой датчиков карьерного самосвала

Objective: To determine whether 3 months of neck-specific exercises (NSEs) could benefit individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) who were on a waiting list (WL) for treatment. Design: A prospective, randomized controlled study. Setting: Primary health care. Participants: Individuals (N=41; 31 women, 10 men; mean age +/- SD, 38 +/- 11.2y) with chronic (6-36mo) WAD, grades 2 and 3, were analyzed. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to NSEs or no treatment for 3 months. Main Outcome Measures: Neck-specific disability (Neck Disability Index [NDI]), neck pain (visual analog scale), general pain-related disability (Pain Disability Index [PDI]), self-perceived performance ability (Self-Efficacy Scale [SES]), and health-related quality of life (EuroQol 5 dimensions [EQ-5D]) were measured. Results: NSEs significantly improved the NDI, SES, and EQ-5D compared with WL (P&amp;lt;.01). There was significant improvement (P&amp;lt;.0001) over time in all outcomes for NSEs, and apart from the PDI, significant worsening (P=.002-.0002) over time for the untreated group. Conclusions: NSEs were more beneficial than no intervention while on a WL for individuals with chronic WAD. (C) 2016 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicin

Clinical predictive modelling of post-surgical recovery in individuals with cervical radiculopathy: a machine learning approach

Prognostic models play an important role in the clinical management of cervical radiculopathy (CR). No study has compared the performance of modern machine learning techniques, against more traditional stepwise regression techniques, when developing prognostic models in individuals with CR. We analysed a prospective cohort dataset of 201 individuals with CR. Four modelling techniques (stepwise regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator [LASSO], boosting, and multivariate adaptive regression splines [MuARS]) were each used to form a prognostic model for each of four outcomes obtained at a 12 month follow-up (disability—neck disability index [NDI]), quality of life (EQ5D), present neck pain intensity, and present arm pain intensity). For all four outcomes, the differences in mean performance between all four models were small (difference of NDI &lt; 1 point; EQ5D &lt; 0.1 point; neck and arm pain &lt; 2 points). Given that the predictive accuracy of all four modelling methods were clinically similar, the optimal modelling method may be selected based on the parsimony of predictors. Some of the most parsimonious models were achieved using MuARS, a non-linear technique. Modern machine learning methods may be used to probe relationships along different regions of the predictor space

Реконструкция системы электроснабжения ОАО "Гомельский химический завод" в связи с заменой технологического оборудования цеха сложно-смешанных минеральных удобрений

Objective The purposes of this study were to examine whether any differences in function and health exist between patients with cervical radiculopathy (CR) due to disk disease scheduled for surgery and patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) and to compare measures of patients' physical function with those obtained from healthy volunteers. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of patients with CR (n = 198) and patients with chronic WAD (n = 215). Patient data were compared with raw data previously obtained from healthy people. Physical measures included cervical active range of motion, neck muscle endurance, and hand grip strength. Self-rated measures included pain intensity (visual analog scale), neck disability (Neck Disability Index), self-efficacy (Self-Efficacy Scale), and health-related quality of life (EuroQol 5-dimensional self-classifier). Results Patient groups exhibited significantly lower performance than the healthy group in all physical measures (P &lt; .0005) except for neck muscle endurance in flexion for women (P &gt; .09). There was a general trend toward worse results in the CR group than the WAD group, with significant differences in neck active range of motion, left hand strength for women, pain intensity, Neck Disability Index, EuroQol 5-dimensional self-classifier, and Self-Efficacy Scale (P &lt; .0001). Conclusions Patients had worse values than healthy individuals in almost all physical measures. There was a trend toward worse results for CR than WAD patients

Short- and long-term effects of exercise on neck muscle function in cervical radiculopathy:A randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare short- and long-term changes in neck muscle endurance, electromyography measures of neck muscle activation and fatigue and ratings of fatigue and pain after neck-specific training or physical activity in people with cervical radiculopathy.DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial.SUBJECTS/PATIENTS: Seventy-five patients with cervical radiculopathy.METHODS: Patients underwent neck-specific training in combination with a cognitive behavioural approach or prescribed physical activity over a period of 14 weeks. Immediately after the intervention and 12 months later, surface electromyography was recorded from neck flexor and extensor muscles during neck endurance tests. Time to task failure, amplitude and median frequency of the electromyography signal, and subjective fatigue and pain ratings were analysed in 50 patients who completed at least one follow-up.RESULTS: A significant increase in neck flexor endurance time was observed for both groups at 14 weeks compared with baseline and this was maintained at the 12-month follow-up (p &lt; 0.005). No change was identified for the slope of the median frequency. For the neck-specific training group, splenius capitis was less active during neck flexion at both follow-ups (p &lt; 0.01), indicating reduced muscle co-activation.CONCLUSION: Both specific and general exercise increased neck flexor endurance, but neck-specific training only reduced co-activation of antagonist muscles during sustained neck flexion.</p