Exploring New Tools in Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke Using an Exoskeletal Aid: A Pilot Randomized Control Study.

Background/objectives: Spasticity commonly occurs in individuals after experiencing a stroke, impairing their hand function and limiting activities of daily living (ADLs). In this paper, we introduce an exoskeletal aid, combined with a set of augmented reality (AR) games consisting of the Rehabotics rehabilitation solution, designed for individuals with upper limb spasticity following stroke.

Methods: Our study, involving 60 post-stroke patients (mean ± SD age: 70.

Effect of pelvic floor muscle training on urinary incontinence symptoms in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Urinary incontinence (UI) is common in women of all age groups, but postmenopausal women (MW) have a higher incidence of these symptoms. The International Continence Society suggests that women with UI should first try a conservative treatment, such as pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), which aims to enhance the strength and rectify the activation patterns of the pelvic floor muscles. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of PFMT, either on its own, or in conjunction with other physical therapy, in reducing the severity of UI symptoms in MW.

Predictive and classification capabilities of the timed up and go as a physical performance measure in hip osteoarthritis: a retrospective study of 606 patients.

Introduction: Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint pathology that significantly constrains functional capacity. Assessing the impact of hip OA on functionality is crucial for research and clinical practices. The study aimed to assess hip OA patients' functionality using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and to evaluate its diagnostic ability to differentiate between different grades of hip OA.

Stair Climbing Ability and Identification of the Nine Stairs Ascent and Descent Test Cut-Off Points in Hip Osteoarthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives As the prevalence and incidence of hip osteoarthritis (hip OA) continue to rise, measuring the impact of hip OA severity on a patient's functionality is essential. Stair walking is a particularly relevant task to assess hip OA patients, as difficulty with stair ascent is one of the driving factors in deciding to undergo a total hip arthroplasty. Although stairs tests often arise in post-arthroplasty measures, there is a lack of reported stairs performance time in hip OA patients.

Does Therapeutic Exercise Support Improvement in Cognitive Function and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Patients with Mild Alzheimer's Disease? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of therapeutic exercise on cognitive function and daily activities in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). A total of 171 patients with mild AD from the Amarousion Day Care Center of the Alzheimer Society of Athens and the Athens General Hospital "G. Gennimatas" were randomly divided into three groups.

All-Orders Quadratic-Logarithmic Behavior for Amplitudes.

We classify origin limits of maximally helicity violating multigluon scattering amplitudes in planar N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory, where a large number of cross ratios approach zero, with the help of cluster algebras. By analyzing existing perturbative data and bootstrapping new data, we provide evidence that the amplitudes become the exponential of a quadratic polynomial in the large logarithms. With additional input from the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz at strong coupling, we conjecture exact expressions for amplitudes with up to eight gluons in all origin limits.

The Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercises on the Cognitive and Physical Function of Persons with Mild Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.

Dementia causes deterioration in cognitive and physical functions. The scope of this study is to investigate the effect of different exercise programs on cognitive functions and functionality of persons suffering from mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) by generating information on the exercise types and their parameters. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be performed involving aerobic and resistance exercise interventions, taking place both at the sample collection center and at home.

Volar Metacarpophalangeal Dislocation of Fingers: Review of the Literature.

Isolated volar metacarpophalangeal dislocations of fingers are extremely rare. There are few cases published in English and French literature. In this article, we aim to review the literature and present a case of isolated open volar dislocation of a finger.

Application of Wearable Sensors Technology for Lumbar Spine Kinematic Measurements during Daily Activities following Microdiscectomy Due to Severe Sciatica.

Background: The recurrence rate of lumbar spine microdiscectomies (rLSMs) is estimated to be 5-15%. Lumbar spine flexion (LSF) of more than 10° is mentioned as the most harmful load to the intervertebral disc that could lead to recurrence during the first six postoperative weeks. The purpose of this study is to quantify LSFs, following LSM, at the period of six weeks postoperatively.

Development of a clinical prediction model to inform clinical decision making for classification of patients with sciatica, based on their clinical characteristics, in the Greek health system: protocol for a prospective predictive exploratory study.

Introduction: Sciatica is one of the most common reasons for seeking healthcare for musculoskeletal pain. Sciatica is primarily considered as neuropathic in nature when neural tissue in the low back is compromised, but sometimes other non-neural structures may be involved. Appropriate assessment and management are important for patients with sciatica.

Comparing hip and knee focused exercises versus hip and knee focused exercises with the use of blood flow restriction training in adults with patellofemoral pain.

Background: Hip and knee strengthening exercises are implemented in rehabilitation of patellofemoral pain patients, but typically use high loads (70% of 1 repetition maximum). This may lead to increased patellofemoral joint stress. Low load training (20-30% of 1 repetition maximum) with blood flow restriction could allow for exercise strength benefits to proximal and distal muscles with reduced joint stress and by promoting hypoalgesia.

Lymphedema duration as a predictive factor of efficacy of complete decongestive therapy.

Lymphedema is a common condition with global impact and a multitude of complications, however, only a few professionals specialize in its management. A retrospective analysis of 105 subjects with unilateral lymphedema upper or lower limb was performed to investigate whether the duration of lymphedema constitutes an important factor associated with the efficacy of complete decongestive therapy (CDT). Subjects were classified into two groups according to the duration of lymphedema, prior to CDT: group A (≤1 year) and group B (>1 year).

The Effect of Intensive Close-Kinetic-Chain Exercises on Functionality and Balance Confidence After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an additional close-kinetic-chain exercise program (CKC-PT), in conjunction with the standard physiotherapy intervention (TKA-PT), on the general health status, functionality, balance confidence, and postoperative falls of knee osteoarthritic patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients and methods Thirty community-dwellers, aged >65 years, were randomized into equal groups. The Greek versions of the SF-36 version1.

Cluster Algebras for Feynman Integrals.

We initiate the study of cluster algebras in Feynman integrals in dimensional regularization. We provide evidence that four-point Feynman integrals with one off-shell leg are described by a C_{2} cluster algebra, and we find cluster adjacency relations that restrict the allowed function space. By embedding C_{2} inside the A_{3} cluster algebra, we identify these adjacencies with the extended Steinmann relations for six-particle massless scattering.

Effectiveness and Safety of Complete Decongestive Therapy of Phase I: A Lymphedema Treatment Study in the Greek Population.

Background Lymphedema is a chronic condition caused by a failure in the lymphatic system that most commonly occurs in the limbs. Complete decongestive therapy (CDT) is the gold standard for lymphedema management. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of complete decongestive therapy (CDT) of phase I in the Greek population with lymphedema.

International Hip Outcome Tool (12-items) as health-related quality-of-life measure in osteoarthritis: validation of Greek version.

Background: The 12-item International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT12) is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) designed to evaluate quality of life. We assessed the psychometric properties of the Greek version (iHOT12-Gr) in hip osteoarthritic patients.

Methods: Data from 124 patients aged > 50 years were used for factor analysis.

All-Order Amplitudes at any Multiplicity in the Multi-Regge Limit.

We propose an all-loop expression for scattering amplitudes in planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory in multi-Regge kinematics valid for all multiplicities, all helicity configurations, and arbitrary logarithmic accuracy. Our expression is arrived at from comparing explicit perturbative results with general expectations from the integrable structure of a closely related collinear limit. A crucial ingredient of the analysis is an all-order extension for the central emission vertex that we recently computed at next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy.

Origin of the Six-Gluon Amplitude in Planar N=4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory.

We study the maximally-helicity-violating six-gluon scattering amplitude in planar N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory at finite coupling when all three cross ratios are small. It exhibits a double logarithmic scaling in the cross ratios, controlled by a handful of "anomalous dimensions" that are functions of the coupling constant alone. Inspired by known seven-loop results at weak coupling and the integrability-based pentagon operator product expansion, we present conjectures for the all-order resummation of these anomalous dimensions.

Modified Harris Hip Score as patient-reported outcome measure in osteoarthritic patients: psychometric properties of the Greek version.

Introduction: This study explored the psychometric properties of the modified Harris Hip Score-Greek version (mHHS-Gr) as a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure in osteoarthritic hip patients.

Methods: Internal consistency, test-retest reliability and reproducibility were evaluated in 90 patients aged >55 years. Construct validity was tested against Greek versions of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS-Greek) and WOMAC Index (WOMAC-Gr), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and 9-stairs-ascend/descend (9S-A/D) tests.

The Effect of Intensive Abductor Strengthening on Postoperative Muscle Efficiency and Functional Ability of Hip-Fractured Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Hip fractures are common in the elderly and many patients fail to regain prefracture hip abductor strength or functional status. The purpose of this clinical trial was to compare the effects of an intensive abductor muscle exercise program versus a standard physiotherapy intervention in hip-fractured patients.

Materials And Methods: Ninety six femoral neck-fractured patients were randomized into equal-sized groups.

Association between abductor muscle strength and functional outcomes in hip-fractured patients: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To explore associations between abductor strength and functionality in hip-fracture patients.

Methods: Ninety-six participants (70-84 years) followed a 12-week physiotherapy programme emphasizing hip abductor strengthening. The abductor's isometric strength, the hip strength asymmetry (HSA), expressing the ratio of abductor strength in the fractured versus the contralateral hip, and the patients' functional level were recorded 3 months post-intervention.

Physiotherapeutic rehabilitation of lymphedema: state-of-the-art.

Lymphatic diseases, especially lymphedema, represent a serious problem in the health community. We investigated strategies and methods for physiotherapeutic rehabilitation of lymphedema by carrying out a comprehensive search of the Medline and Embase databases from 1990 to 2016 to identify relevant published studies, articles, and reviews. Approaches for conservative management of lymphedema include the following: manual lymphatic drainage, lymphedema rehabilitation exercises, compression therapy, skin care, pneumatic compression, elevation of the extremities, thermal therapy, complete decongestive physiotherapy (CDT), taping, and aqua lymphatic therapy.

Evidence for association of STAT4 and IL12RB2 variants with Myasthenia gravis susceptibility: What is the effect on gene expression in thymus?

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease mediated by the presence of autoantibodies that bind mainly to the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in the neuromuscular junction. In our case-control association study, we analyzed common variants located in genes of the IL12/STAT4 and IL10/STAT3 signaling pathways. A total of 175 sporadic MG patients of Greek descent, positively detected with anti-AChR autoantibodies and 84 ethnically-matched, healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study.

Association of high blood pressure with body mass index, smoking and physical activity in healthy young adults.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between resting blood pressure (BP), smoking, physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) in Greek young adults.

Materials And Methodology: A standardised questionnaire and the Greek version of IPAQ-short were given to 1500 randomly selected health science students, in order to record smoking behaviour, PA status, BMI and resting BP. All healthy young adults aged 19-30 years old were eligible.