Quadriceps muscle activity during walking with a knee ankle foot orthosis is associated with improved gait ability in acute hemiplegic stroke patients with severe gait disturbance.

Introduction: A knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) prevents knee buckling during walking and enables gait training for acute hemiplegic stroke patients with severe gait disturbances. Although the goal of gait training with a KAFO is to improve gait ability, that is, to acquire walking with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), it is not clear how gait training with a KAFO contributes to improving gait ability. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between muscle activities during walking with a KAFO and the improvement of gait ability in hemiplegic stroke patients with severe gait disturbance.

New Artificial Intelligence-Integrated Electromyography-Driven Robot Hand for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation of Patients With Stroke: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Background: An artificial intelligence (AI)-integrated electromyography (EMG)-driven robot hand was devised for upper extremity (UE) rehabilitation. This robot detects patients' intentions to perform finger extension and flexion based on the EMG activities of 3 forearm muscles.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of this robot in patients with chronic stroke.

Prediction of gait independence using the Trunk Impairment Scale in patients with acute stroke.

Background: Gait recovery is one of the primary goals of stroke rehabilitation. Gait independence is a key functional component of independent activities in daily living and social participation. Therefore, early prediction of gait independence is essential for stroke rehabilitation.

The MMT of Elbow Flexion and the AFE Predict Impairment and Disability at 3 Weeks in Patients With Acute Stroke.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether upper extremity motor function assessment within 72 h from stroke onset can predict the functional outcomes of the upper extremity.

Design: This was a prospective, cohort study of patients with a first unilateral hemispheric stroke between May 2018 and March 2020. The motor arm item of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, manual muscle testing of the elbow and forearm, and active finger extension scale were assessed within 72 h after stroke onset.

Trunk Impairment as a Predictor of Activities of Daily Living in Acute Stroke.

Trunk function plays a key role in performing activities of daily living (ADL) including locomotion and sitting. Sitting and ADL should be performed as early as possible especially during the acute phase of stroke rehabilitation. Therefore, this study aimed to assess trunk function among patients with acute stroke using the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) and to predict its functional outcomes.

Impact of Physical Inactivity on the Risk of Disability and Hospitalization in Older Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer.

Purpose: This prospective observational study aimed to explore the influence of physical inactivity during initial chemotherapy on the risk of disability and hospitalization in later life among older patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Patients aged 70 or above who were scheduled to receive first-line chemotherapy for newly diagnosed advanced NSCLC were recruited for the study. An electronic pedometer was used to measure daily steps; based on the change rate (cutoff: -12.

Right as well as left unilateral spatial neglect influences rehabilitation outcomes and its recovery is important for determining discharge destination in subacute stroke patients.

Background: Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) can interfere with rehabilitation processes and lead to poor functional outcome.

Aim: To investigate the influence of left and right USN on rehabilitation outcomes using Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS) in stroke patients and the relationships among improvement of USN, improvement of motor autonomy (measured by functional independence measure [FIM] gain), length of stay and discharge destination.

Design: Observational study.

Impact of Cancer Cachexia on Hospitalization-associated Physical Inactivity in Elderly Patients with Advanced Non-small-cell Lung Cancer.

Objective: New or worsening disability can develop in elderly patients in just 1 week of hospitalization for acute illness. Elderly patients with cancer, particularly those with cancer cachexia, are vulnerable to disability. This study aimed to explore the impact of hospitalization and cachexia on physical activity (PA) in elderly patients during chemotherapy.

Unfavorable impact of cancer cachexia on activity of daily living and need for inpatient care in elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in Japan: a prospective longitudinal observational study.

Background: Cancer cachexia in elderly patients may substantially impact physical function and medical dependency. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of cachexia on activity of daily living (ADL), length of hospital stay, and inpatient medical costs among elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving chemotherapy.

Methods: Thirty patients aged ≥70 years with advanced NSCLC (stage III-IV) scheduled to receive first-line chemotherapy were prospectively enrolled between January 2013 and November 2014.

Skeletal muscle depletion during chemotherapy has a large impact on physical function in elderly Japanese patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Elderly patient with advanced cancer is one of the most vulnerable populations. Skeletal muscle depletion during chemotherapy may have substantial impact on their physical function. However, there is little information about a direct relationship between quantity of muscle and physical function.

Prospective phase II study evaluating the efficacy of swallow ability screening tests and pneumonia prevention using a team approach for elderly patients with gastric cancer.

Background: Aging partly impairs swallowing function, which is considered a risk factor for postoperative pneumonia (PP). We evaluated the efficacy of a new team-based strategy to reduce the incidence of PP in elderly patients with gastric cancer.

Methods: This single-center, prospective phase II study included elderly patients (≥75 years old) with gastric cancer undergoing gastric surgery.

Prognostic Factors and Multidisciplinary Postoperative Chemoradiotherapy for Clinical T4a Tongue Cancer.

Objective: The prognosis of patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue is poor. Postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves locoregional control and survival in high-risk patients. We investigated the prognostic factors for clinical T4a tongue SCC, and elucidated whether postoperative CRT has a benefit for patients with poor prognosis in terms of survival.

After-effects of pedaling exercise on spinal excitability and spinal reciprocal inhibition in patients with chronic stroke.

Purpose Of The Study: To evaluate the after-effects of pedaling on spinal excitability and spinal reciprocal inhibition in patients with post-stroke spastic hemiparesis.

Materials And Methods: Twenty stroke patients with severe hemiparesis participated in this study and were instructed to perform 7 min of active pedaling and 7 min of passive pedaling with a recumbent ergometer at a comfortable speed. H reflexes and M waves of paretic soleus muscles were recorded at rest before, immediately after and 30 min after active and passive pedaling.

[Swallowing and Voice Disorders in Cancer Patients].

Dysphagia sometimes occurs in patients with head and neck cancer, particularly in those undergoing surgery and radiotherapy for lingual, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer. It also occurs in patients with esophageal cancer and brain tumor. Patients who undergo glossectomy usually show impairment of the oral phase of swallowing, whereas those with pharyngeal, laryngeal, and esophageal cancer show impairment of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing.

Cancer Functional Assessment Set: a new tool for functional evaluation in cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measurement tool, the Cancer Functional Assessment Set (cFAS).

Design: A total of 119 inpatients with cancer participated in this prospective cohort study. This study took place in three phases: (1) item generation, literature search, and a round-table discussion by 32 rehabilitation specialists; (2) item reduction and selection of appropriate items from the first item pool; and (3) evaluation of psychometric properties.

[Rehabilitation for cancer patients].

In Japan, the number of patients with cancer is increasing drastically with the increase in number of elderly people. Therefore, recently, the necessity of rehabilitation for cancer patients has been realized. Cancer rehabilitation can be classified as preventive, restorative, supportive, or palliative and is administered according to the degree of cancer progression.

Activities of daily living (ADL) structure of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including adults.

Objective: To study the activities of daily living (ADL) structure of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Subjects: Seventy-two patients with DMD (mean [SD] age, 17.

Electromyographic findings after different selective neck dissections.

Objectives: The objective was to compare electrophysiologic investigations of the upper trapezius muscle (UT) after different selective neck dissections (SND) and analyze the differences between types of SND and the preservation and excision of the cervical nerves (the C2-4 rami of the cervical plexus).

Study Design: Retrospective study of 54 patients (average age, 65.1 +/- 9.