The Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia on Neurofilament Light and Phosphorylated Tau in Individuals with a Concussion.

Background: Concussions damage neurologic tissue, increasing release of intercellular proteins including phosphorylated Tau (pTau) and neurofilament light (NfL). Disrupted sleep from a concussion negatively impacts the ability of the glymphatic system to remove cellular waste from the brain.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if enhancing sleep using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) impacts pTau and NFL levels following a concussion.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Improves Sleep Outcomes in Individuals With Concussion: A Preliminary Randomized Wait-List Control Study.

Objective: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard treatment for insomnia, but there is limited evidence on the treatment effect of CBT-I in individuals after a concussion. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment effect of CBT-I on sleep outcomes and postconcussion symptoms.

Setting: This study was conducted at an academic institution.

Assessing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia to Improve Sleep Outcomes in Individuals With a Concussion: Protocol for a Delayed Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Sleep disturbances post concussion have been associated with more frequent and severe concussion symptoms and may contribute to poorer recovery. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective treatment for insomnia; however, it remains unclear if this treatment method is effective in improving sleep outcomes and reducing concomitant postconcussion symptoms.

Objective: The hypotheses for this study are that (1) CBT-I will improve sleep outcomes and (2) CBT-I will improve concomitant postconcussion symptoms.

Self-perceived occupational performance of community-dwelling adults living with stroke.

Background.: Stroke has long-term consequences for functional performance of daily activities. Evaluating client-perceived occupational performance provides insight for designing stroke-specific programs supporting home and community participation.

Interventions to Address the Needs of Adults With Postconcussion Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) affects physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning. Existing reviews of interventions to address PCS are limited to psychological and rehabilitation interventions and to child and adolescent populations. We conducted a systematic review integrating current evidence about interventions for adults with PCS.

Reliability and validity of a motion-based reaction time assessment using a mobile device.

Information processing speed is often altered following a concussion. Few portable assessments exist to evaluate simple reaction time (SRT) in hospitals and clinics. We evaluated the use of a SRT application for mobile device measurement.

Mouse Behavior Tracker: An economical method for tracking behavior in home cages.

Analysis of mouse behavior often requires expensive equipment and transfer of the mice to new test environments, which could trigger confounding behavior alterations. Here, we describe a system for tracking mouse behavior in home cages using a low-cost USB webcam and free software (Fiji and wrMTrck). We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method by tracking differences in distance traveled, speed, and movement tracks between wild-type mice and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) model mice (SOD1G93A).

Spousal Caregiver Perspectives on a Person-Centered Social Program for Partners With Dementia.

This qualitative study explored spousal caregiver perspectives on the experience and impact of a person-centered social program for partners with dementia. Interviews with 5 caregivers and the spouses with dementia were conducted 7 to 8 months after the program ended to explore the sustained impact of the program. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to support in-depth exploration of interviews.

Perspectives of People with Dementia About Meaningful Activities: A Synthesis.

Qualitative studies were synthesized to describe perspectives of people with dementia regarding meaningful activities. Themes of connectedness were identified using a meta-ethnography approach. The theme of being connected with self encompasses engagement for continuity, health promotion, and personal time.

Inpatient rehabilitation outcomes of patients with apraxia after stroke.

Background: Stroke-induced paresis commands much attention during rehabilitation; other stroke-related consequences receive less consideration. Apraxia is a stroke disorder that may have important implications for rehabilitation and recovery.

Objective: To investigate association of apraxia with stroke rehabilitation outcomes during inpatient rehabilitation.

Hyperbaric oxygen improves engraftment of ex-vivo expanded and gene transduced human CD34⁺ cells in a murine model of umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Delayed engraftment and graft failure represent major obstacles to successful umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation. Herein, we evaluated the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy as an intervention to improve human UCB stem/progenitor cell engraftment in an immune deficient mouse model. Six- to eight-week old NSG mice were sublethally irradiated 24 hours prior to CD34⁺ UCB cell transplant.

Honokiol inhibits pathological retinal neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy mouse model.

Aberrant activation of the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway is the underlying cause of retinal neovascularization, one of the most common causes of blindness worldwide. The HIF pathway also plays critical roles during tumor angiogenesis and cancer stem cell transformation. We have recently shown that honokiol is a potent inhibitor of the HIF pathway in a number of cancer and retinal pigment epithelial cell lines.

Employer perceptions of stress and resilience intervention.

Objective: To understand employers' perceived organizational strengths in addressing stress and resilience-building to help expand theoretical knowledge and guide interventions.

Methods: Interviews and discussion groups with 46 employer representatives using grounded theory methodology for sampling and analysis of narrative data.

Results: Participants detailed three levels of approaches: (1) preventing stress/building resilience; (2) providing information, resources, and benefits to employees; and (3) intervening actively with troubled employees.

A survey of evidence-based practise among Dutch occupational therapists.

This study explored how the evidenced-based practise (EBP) is perceived by Dutch occupational therapists (OTs), what sources of research data are used to make clinical decisions, and what barriers are identified in implementing EBP. A self-administered, pre-tested, questionnaire was distributed through an email survey and postal mail among the 200 randomly stratified selected OTs out of a total population of 2,019 Dutch OTs. Analyses of data comprised descriptive statistics of all variables and test statistics to evaluate the differences between demographical groups.

The genetic control of avascular area in mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy.

Purpose: The C57BL/6ByJ and BALB/cByJ inbred strains of mice are, respectively, susceptible and resistant to oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). The purpose of this work was to investigate the genetic control of the retinal avascular area in mouse OIR using a mapping cross.

Methods: The central retinal avascular area was measured on postnatal day 16 (P16) in C57BL/6ByJ, BALB/cByJ, 101 (C57BL/6ByJ x BALB/cByJ)F₂, and 116 (BALB/cByJ x C57BL/6ByJ)F₂ mice that had been subjected to the OIR protocol.

Improved function after combined physical and mental practice after stroke: a case of hemiparesis and apraxia.

This study describes change in functional performance and self-perception after participation in combined training with physical practice followed by mental practice. The patient was a 44-yr-old white man who experienced a single left ischemic stroke 7 mo before enrollment in the study. He engaged in physical and mental practice of two functional tasks: (1) reaching for and grasping a cup and (2) turning pages in a book with the more-affected arm.