Effect of home-based tongue-strengthening exercise using a portable tool on oropharyngeal muscles in older adults with sarcopenic dysphagia: A randomised controlled study.

Background: Tongue-strengthening exercises may be used at home to strengthen swallowing-related oropharyngeal muscles in community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenic dysphagia; however, evidence of their effectiveness remains unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a home-based tongue-strengthening exercise (hTSE) using portable tool on swallowing-related oropharyngeal muscles in community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenic dysphagia.

Methods: Forth community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenic dysphagia were enrolled in the study.

The Relationship Between Low Back Pain and Sagittal Spinal Alignment and Back Muscle Mass in Korean Fishery Workers.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between low back pain (LBP) and sagittal spino-pelvic parameters along with the relationship between LBP and back muscle mass in Korean male and female fishery workers.

Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 146 subjects who underwent Fishermen's health survey conducted between June 2018 and August 2020. LBP was evaluated through visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).

Co-occurrence of Marchiafava-Bignami Disease and Alcoholic Polyneuropathy in Chronic Alcoholic Patient Who Had Past History of Wernicke Encephalopathy: a Case Report.

Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD), Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and alcoholic polyneuropathy (AP) are distinct diseases and all have strong relationship with chronic alcoholism. A 70-year-old male who had altered mentality and ataxia of both lower limbs and had past history of WE 3 years previously admitted with 6 months history of impaired walking. He also had a symptom of altered sensorium by impaired consciousness for 2 days.

Cephalic Index of Korean Children With Normal Brain Development During the First 7 Years of Life Based on Computed Tomography.

Objective: To identify the normal range, distribution, and age-dependent differences in the cephalic index (CI) of Korean children with normal brain development and develop a classification of the current CI for Korean children up to 7 years of age.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1,389 children who visited our hospital in the emergency room between October 2015 and September 2020 because of suspected head injuries. Finally, 1,248 children (741 male and 507 female) were enrolled after excluding abnormal medical or familial history and divided into 10 groups by age.

Ultrasound Imaging of the Trunk Muscles in Acute Stroke Patients and Relations With Balance Scales.

Objective: To examine the correlation between ultrasonographic trunk muscle parameters and balance scales in mild acute stroke patients.

Methods: A total of 55 stroke patients with hemiparesis and motor power grade ≥4 in the manual motor test were included. The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and Trunk Control Test (TCT) were used to evaluate patient balance function.

Evaluation of Ataxia in Mild Ischemic Stroke Patients Using the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA).

Objective: To demonstrate the utility of Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) for evaluation of posterior circulation-related features in patients with mild stroke.

Methods: Forty-five subjects, diagnosed with acute infarction in the cerebellum, basis pontis, thalamus, corona radiata, posterior limb of internal capsule, and their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ≤5 were enrolled. SARA scores were graded by the cut-off value of severity in dependency of activities of daily living (ADL).

Effects of resistance expiratory muscle strength training in elderly patients with dysphagic stroke.

Background: Recently, resistance expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) has been reported as a remedial treatment for dysphagia.

Objective: To investigate the effect of resistance EMST on the swallowing function in stroke patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Methods: Forty-two stroke patients with dysphagia were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (n = 13) and a placebo group (n = 13).

Acute Cerebral Infarction as a Rare Thrombotic Event in Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Case Report.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by cytopenia that results in high risks of infection and bleeding. However, there are few reports of cerebral infarction in MDS. We reported a 72-year-old female with MDS who developed acute cerebral infarction.

Changes in Activation of Abdominal Muscles at Selected Angles During Trunk Exercise by Using Ultrasonography.

Objective: To investigate the changes of activation of the abdominal muscles depending on exercise angles and whether the activation of rectus abdominis differs according to the location, during curl up and leg raise exercises, by measuring the thickness ratio of abdominal muscles using ultrasonography.

Methods: We examined 30 normal adults without musculoskeletal problems. Muscle thickness was measured in the upper rectus abdominis (URA), lower rectus abdominis (LRA), obliquus externus (EO), obliquus internus (IO), and transversus abdominis (TrA), at pre-determined angles (30°, 60°, 90°) and additionally at the resting angle (0°).

Electrodiagnostic Evaluation of Individuals Implanted With Extracellular Matrix for the Treatment of Volumetric Muscle Injury: Case Series.

Background: Electrodiagnosis can reveal the nerve and muscle changes following surgical placement of an extracellular matrix (ECM) bioscaffold for treatment of volumetric muscle loss (VML).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) changes following ECM bioscaffold placement in individuals with VML. The ability of presurgical NCS and EMG to be used as a tool to help identify candidates who are likely to display improvements postsurgically also was explored.

Analysis of Vertical Ground Reaction Force Variables Using Foot Scans in Hemiplegic Patients.

Objective: To analyze the differences in the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) variables of hemiplegic patients compared with a control group, and between the affected and unaffected limbs of hemiplegic patients using foot scans.

Methods: Patients (n=20) with hemiplegia and healthy volunteers (n=20) underwent vertical force analysis. We measured the following: the first and second peak forces (F1, F2) and the percent stances at which they occurred (T1, T2); the vertical force impulse (VFI) and stance times.

Ultrasonographic measurement of transverse abdominis in stroke patients.

Objective: To compare transverse abdominis (TrA) contractility in stroke patients with hemiparesis and healthy adults using musculoskeletal ultrasonography.

Methods: Forty-seven stroke patients with hemiparesis and 25 age-matched healthy control subjects participated in this study. Stroke patients were divided into three groups on the basis of their degree of ambulation.

Proteomic changes in rat gastrocnemius muscle after botulinum toxin a injection.

Objective: To observe the changes in protein expression induced by botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injection and to characterize the molecular and cellular action of mechanisms of BoNT-A injection on skeletal muscles using proteomic elements as biomarkers.

Methods: BoNT-A was injected into left gastrocnemius muscles of 12 Sprague-Dawley rats (2 months of age) at a dosage of 5 units/kg body weight. For the controls same volume of normal saline was injected to right gastrocnemius muscle of each rat.