Loaded and unloaded timed stair tests as tools for assessing advanced functional mobility in people with stroke.

Background: The Timed Stair Test (TST) was originally designed to measure advanced functional mobility in patients who have undergone a total hip replacement. Its psychometric properties have not been examined systematically in people with stroke.

Aim: The aims of this study were to: 1) determine the intra-rater reliability of TST under loaded and unloaded condition; 2) identify the minimal detectable changes (MDCs) in TST completion times; 3) investigate the concurrent validity between TST completion times and stroke-specific outcome measures; and 4) determine the cut-off TST completion time to differentiate the performance between people with stroke and healthy older adults.

Information Communication Technology as Instrumental Activities of Daily Living for Aging-in-Place in Chinese Older Adults With and Without Cognitive Impairment: The Validation Study of Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale.

Background: The capability in applying information communication technology (ICT) is crucial to the functional independence of older peoples of community living nowadays. The proper assessment of individuals' capability of ICT application is the corner stone for the future development of telemedicine in our aging population.

Methods: With the recruitment of 300 participants of different functional and social background in home-living, hostel-living, and care-and-attention home living; and through assessing the ability of individuals in instrumental activities of daily living and cognitive assessments, this study aimed at capturing the content validity and construct validity of the Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (AIADL scale).

Sensory Behaviours and Resting Parasympathetic Functions among Children with and without ADHD.

Previous studies suggest that parasympathetic functions support sensory behaviours. However, the relationship between sensory behaviours and parasympathetic functions remain inconclusive and inconsistent among children with and without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This research aims to examine the sensory behaviours and resting parasympathetic functions among children with and without ADHD.

Reliability and validity of Six-Spot Step Test (SSST) in stroke survivors.

Background: The Six-Spot Step Test (SSST) was originally developed to assess walking ability while challenging balance during walking in patients with multiple sclerosis. It provides more comprehensive information on ambulatory abilities than several existing measures such as the Timed Up and Go test (TUG test), the Functional Gait Assessment, and the Dynamic Gait Index. To assess the advanced balance control ability of stroke survivors, we modified the SSST to serve this purpose.

Migration Influences on the Allostatic Load of Children: Systematic Review Protocol.

Background: Migration is a worldwide phenomenon in recent times. Recently, documented studies suggest that the change in environments involved in migration may have an influence on children's allostatic load related to health and well-being.

Objective: The aim of this review is to systematically search the extant literature and critically examine the evidence on how migration affects allostatic load in children and describe the relevant methods in measuring allostatic load.

The Role of Ethnicity and Environment in the Regulation of Response to Sensory Stimulus in Children: Protocol and Pilot Findings of a Neurophysiological Study.

Background: The ability to regulate the response to sensory stimuli has been associated with successful behavioral patterns necessary for daily activities. However, it is not known whether a child's ethnicity and environment can influence autonomic regulatory mechanisms.

Objective: This study aims to explore the role of ethnicity and environment in the regulation of responses to sensory stimuli in children.

Repeated treatment with oxytocin promotes hippocampal cell proliferation, dendritic maturation and affects socio-emotional behavior.

Rewarding social behaviors including positive social interactions and sexual behaviors are shown to regulate adult neurogenesis, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain elusive. Oxytocin, a neurohypophysial hormone secreted after exposure to social interaction or sexual behaviors, has a profound role in the formation of social bonding and regulation of emotional distress. While the acute effect of oxytocin was usually studied, relatively scarce evidence showed the behavioral consequence of repeated oxytocin treatment.

Sensory processing measure-HK Chinese version: psychometric properties and pattern of response across environments.

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Sensory Processing Measure-Hong Kong Chinese version (SPM-HKC), and to study the pattern of behavioral response of children towards sensory events across home and school settings. The two major forms of the SPM, Home Form and Main Classroom Form, were translated into Chinese in this study. The content validity of the SPM-HKC was reviewed by 20 expert panel members.

Development and validation of a fine-motor assessment tool for use with young children in a Chinese population.

Objectives: Most of the fine-motor assessment tools used in Hong Kong have been designed in Western countries, so there is a need to develop a standardized assessment which is relevant to the culture and daily living tasks of the local (that is, Chinese) population. This study aimed to (1) develop a fine-motor assessment tool (the Hong Kong Preschool Fine-Motor Developmental Assessment [HK-PFMDA]) for use with young children in a Chinese population and (2) examine the HK-PFMDA's psychometric properties.

Method: The HK-PFMDA was developed by a group of occupational therapists specializing in the area of developmental disabilities in Hong Kong.