Action observation training for rehabilitation in brain injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background : To systematically review and analyse the effects of Action Observation Training on adults and children with brain damage. Methods : Seven electronic databases (Cochrane, EBSCO, Embase, Eric, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science) were searched up to 16 September 2018 to select Randomized Controlled Trials focused on adults and children with brain damage that included AOT training on upper and/or lower limb carried out for at least 1 week. Identification of studies and data extraction was conducted with two reviewers working independently. Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (March2009) – Levels of Evidence and Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale were used to grade studies. The data collected from the articles were analysed using software R, version 3.4.3. Hedge’s g values were calculated and effect size estimates were pooled across studies. Separate meta-analyses were carried out for each ICF domain (i.e. body function and activity) for upper and lower limb. Results : Out of the 210 records identified after removing duplicates, 22 were selected for systematic review and 19 were included in the meta-analysis. Thirteen studies included in the meta-analysis focused on upper limb rehabilitation (4 in children and 9 in adults) and 6 on lower limb rehabilitation (only studies in adults). A total of 626 patients were included in the meta-analysis. An overall statistically significant effect size was found for upper limb body function (0.44, 95% CI: [0.24, 0.64], p<0.001) and upper limb activity domain (0.47, 95% CI: [0.30, 0.64], p<0.001). For lower limb, only the activity domain was analysed, revealing a statistically significant overall effect size (0.56, 95% CI: [0.28, 0.84], p<0.001). Conclusions : Action Observation Training (AOT) is an innovative rehabilitation tool for individuals with brain damage, which shows promising results in improving the activity domain for upper and lower limbs, and also the body function domain for the upper limb. However, the examined studies lack uniformity and further well-designed, larger controlled trials are necessary to determine the most suitable type of AOT particularly in childre

Differences and variations in the patterns of early independent walking

The early development of walking was investigated in 25 normal fullterm and in 25 low-risk preterm infants. All subjects were videorecorded within 3-4 weeks of the beginning of independent walking and again 4 months later. Analysis of the videos was carried out according to a predetermined list of items, with a semiquantitative score for each. The results indicate wide interindividual differences in normal infants in the form of independent walking. Several items seemed to be associated in different ways in different individuals. Age of onset, as long as the corrected age was considered, did not differ between preterm and fullterm infants, neither did their walking patterns. Gait asymmetries were often observed in both groups and they were related with asymmetries observable in prewalking locomotor behaviour. Toe-strike often occurred at the beginning of walking, but not after 4 months; in preterm infants the toe strike pattern correlated significantly with certain motor characteristics observed during the first weeks of life

DIFFERENCES AND VARIATIONS IN THE PATTERNS OF EARLY INDEPENDENT WALKING

The early development of walking was investigated in 25 normal fullterm and in 25 low-risk preterm infants. All subjects were videorecorded within 3-4 weeks of the beginning of independent walking and again 4 months later. Analysis of the videos was carried out according to a predetermined list of items, with a semiquantitive score for each. The results indicate wide interindividual differences in normal infants in the form of independent walking. Several items seemed to be associated in different ways in different individuals. Age of onset, as long as the corrected age was considered, did not differ between preterm and fullterm infants, neither did their walking patterns. Gait asymmetries were often observed in both groups and they were related with asymmetries observable in prewalking locomotor behaviour. Toe-strike often occurred at the beginning of walking, but not after 4 months; in preterm infants the toe strike pattern correlated significantly with certain motor characteristics observed during the first weeks of life

The effect of iron and alkali on the nanocrystal-free viscosity of volcanic melts: A combined Raman spectroscopy and DSC study

The iron coordination, its oxidation state (Fe2+/Fetot.), and alkali ratio [Na/(Na + K)] greatly influence the structure and thus the viscosity of volcanic melts, which is known to play a key role in the dynamics of volcanic eruptions. Furthermore, it has been recently reported that volcanic melts can contain iron-bearing nanocrystals and this makes it difficult to isolate and quantify the chemical contribution to the viscosity of magmas. Here, we present Raman spectroscopic and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data on nanocrystal-free peralkaline rhyolites with different Fe2+/Fetot. (0.15–0.84) and Na/(Na + K) (0–1) molar ratios. Raman spectra are used to infer the structural changes occurring with varying iron oxidation state and alkali content, whereas the combination of Raman spectroscopy and DSC measurements allow the characterization of the anhydrous nanocrystal-free viscosity as a function of temperature. Results suggest that at similar and high Fe2+/ Fetot. ratio the Raman spectral feature controlled by the iron coordination changes with Na/(Na + K). Conversely, the change of alkali content at a fixed Fe2+/Fetot. ratio results in a variation of the spectral feature that reflects the size distribution of rings of tetrahedra in the melt structure. We further discuss the implications of our findings for magma transport and estimate that the viscosity of anhydrous peralkaline rhyolites at the eruptive temperature of 750 ◦C can increase up to 3.5 log units when Fe2+/Fetot. and Na/(Na + K) ratios decrease contemporaneously from 0.84 to 0.15 and from 1 to 0, respectively. Finally, the comparison of our viscosity data with those from the literature suggests that the DSC-approach presented and adopted in this study is independent on chemical composition and thus can be used also to retrieve the effect of nanocrystals on the viscosity of volcanic melts. The results presented here have profound implications for the modelling of magma viscosity

Predictive validity of the Hand Assessment for Infants in infants at risk of unilateral cerebral palsy

Aim To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI) in identifying infants at risk of being diagnosed with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP), and to determine cut-off values for this purpose.Method A convenience sample of 203 infants (106 females, 97 males) was assessed by the HAI at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Cut-off values were derived for different ages. The clinical outcome (unilateral CP yes/no) at 24 months or more served as an external criterion to investigate the predictive validity of HAI.Results Half of the infants developed unilateral CP. The area under the curve ranged from 0.77 (95% CI [confidence interval] 0.63-0.91) to 0.95 (95% CI 0.90-1.00) across HAI scales and age intervals. Likewise, sensitivity ranged from 63% to 93%, specificity from 62% to 91%, and accuracy from 73% to 94%.Interpretation HAI scores demonstrated overall accuracy that ranged from very good to excellent in predicting unilateral CP in infants at risk aged between 3.5 and 12 months. This accuracy increased with age at assessment and the earliest possible prediction was at 3.5 months of age, when appropriate HAI cut-off values for different ages were applied