Effect of Forward Reaching With a Modified Sitting Position on Muscle Contraction in the Paretic Lower Extremity of Individuals in the Early Sub-Acute Phase of Stroke: A Randomized Control Trial.

Introduction Forward reaching in sitting has been shown to facilitate muscle contraction in the paretic lower limb of stroke survivors. Change in the sitting surface has been shown to alter the contribution of lower extremity muscles to maintain postural control. This study investigated the effect of forward reaching in a modified sitting position on the paretic lower extremity muscles of patients with stroke.

Functional Training for Lower Extremities in Stroke Survivors: A Scoping Review.

Engaging in meaningful and repetitive goal-oriented functional tasks can effectively enhance neuroplasticity and facilitate recovery following a stroke. This particular approach has primarily been studied in relation to functional outcomes and has predominantly focused on late subacute and chronic stroke patients. However, there is a lack of information regarding the standardized protocol of lower extremity functional training, its constituent elements, and its impact on motor recovery during the early subacute phase of stroke.

Effect of daily zinc supplementation for 12 weeks on serum thyroid auto-antibody levels in children and adolescents with autoimmune thyroiditis - a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the effect of daily zinc supplementation for 12 weeks on thyroid auto-antibodies - thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), and oxidative stress in children with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) compared to standard therapy.

Methods: This open-labeled, parallel, randomized controlled trial was done in a tertiary care teaching institute in south India. Children aged 3-18 years with AITD were randomized to receive 25 mg elemental zinc daily for 12 weeks or standard therapy alone.

Computer-Aided detection of tuberculosis from X-ray images using CNN and PatternNet classifier.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease that mainly affects the human lungs. The gold standard for TB diagnosis is Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/ resistance to rifampicin (MTB/RIF) testing. X-ray, a relatively inexpensive and widely used imaging modality, can be employed as an alternative for early diagnosis of the disease.

Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of ReWin-A digital therapeutic rehabilitation innovation for people with stroke-related disabilities in India.

Background: Developing culturally appropriate, scalable interventions to meet the growing needs for stroke rehabilitation is a significant problem of public health concern. Therefore, systematic development and evaluation of a scalable, inclusive, technology-driven solution for community-based stroke care are of immense public health importance in India. ReWin is a digital therapeutics platform that was developed systematically.

A comparison of physiotherapy students' perception about blended learning with online learning during COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed method of study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected face-to-face teaching across the globe. The sudden shift in learning methods has impacted learning experiences significantly. Students' perception about online compared to blended learning might affect learning.

Delivery Strategies for mRNA Vaccines.

The therapeutic potential for messenger RNA (mRNA) in infectious diseases and cancer was first realized almost three decades ago, but only in 2018 did the first lipid nanoparticle-based small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy reach the market with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of patisiran (Onpattro™) for hereditary ATTR amyloidosis. This was largely made possible by major advances in the formulation technology for stabilized lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs). Design of the cationic ionizable lipids, which are a key component of the LNP formulations, with an acid dissociation constant (pKa) close to the early endosomal pH, would not only ensure effective encapsulation of mRNA into the stabilized lipoplexes within the LNPs, but also its subsequent endosomal release into the cytoplasm after endocytosis.

Entry level nursing graduate students' perception and readiness toward online component of blended learning: A mixed method study.

Background: Blended learning (BL), the integration of online with face to face teaching, is established as a teaching method in higher education. Understanding the learner's readiness toward online component of BL is important in designing and delivering BL. Nursing students require proficiency in interpersonal relationship and social interaction apart from knowledge and skills.

Blended learning and health professional education: Protocol for a mixed-method systematic review.

Blended learning (BL) refers to a systematic teaching method, which combines the aspects of face-to-face and online interactions using appropriate Information and Communication Technologies. This mixed-method systematic review (SR) protocol is developed with the objective to determine the effectiveness and appropriateness of BL in the health-care professional education. Mixed-method SR protocol: For the purpose of this SR, PICO is defined as P-entry level graduate students of health sciences program; I-BL; C-traditional face-to-face training; and O-achievement of learning outcomes, learner's and teacher's perception (primary).

Effect of unstable surface sitting on paretic anterior tibial muscle following stroke.

Introduction: Postural reactions have been used to facilitate dorsiflexor activity following stroke. However, the effectiveness of this method is not clear in the literature. This study is designed to test the effect of postural reactions provoked by sitting in an unstable surface on dorsiflexor activity in acute stroke.

Feasibility of SaeboFlex upper-limb training in acute stroke rehabilitation: a clinical case series.

Upper-limb (UL) recovery following stroke is often poor. UL rehabilitation therefore continues to be a major focus for occupational therapy. Published evidence for the effectiveness of SaeboFlex training in acute stroke rehabilitation is scarce.

Apical ballooning syndrome in first degree relatives.

Apical ballooning syndrome (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is an unusual stress-related reversible cardiomyopathy occurring commonly in postmenopausal females. Genetic etiology of this condition is uncertain. A 68-year-old female and her daughter aged 43 got admitted to our institute simultaneously with acute chest pain following demise of one of their close relative.

Effects of chain length on oligopeptide hydrogelation.

The co-assembly of mutually complementary, but self-repulsive oligopeptide pairs into viscoelastic hydrogels has been studied. Oligopeptides of 6, 10, and 14 amino acid residues were used to investigate the effects of peptide chain length on the structural and mechanical properties of the resulting hydrogels. Biophysical characterizations, including dynamic rheometry, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and fluorescence spectroscopy, were used to investigate hydrogelation at the bulk, fiber, and molecular levels, respectively.

Effect of temperature during assembly on the structure and mechanical properties of peptide-based materials.

Mutually complementary, self-repulsive oligopeptide pairs were designed to coassemble into viscoelastic hydrogels. Peptide engineering was combined with biophysical techniques to investigate the effects of temperature on the structural and mechanical properties of the resulting hydrogels. Biophysical characterizations, including dynamic rheometry, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and fluorescence spectroscopy, were used to investigate hydrogelation at the bulk, fiber, and molecular levels, respectively.

Peptide-based viscoelastic matrices for drug delivery and tissue repair.

Molecular self-assembly has paved the way to create novel, supramolecular, functional biomaterials. Peptide-based biomaterials are gaining interest as a result of their programmability, biodegradability, and bioresorbability. Further, unlike polymeric materials, peptides can be made monodisperse with precise control over sequence, chain length, and stereochemistry.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency resulting in a hitherto unseen presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma: polycythemia but with normal alpha fetoprotein.

Polycythemia is a known paraneoplastic manifestation of hepatoma, but only in the presence of alpha-fetopro (AFP). We present a case of polycythemia in the absence of AFP, and suggest concurrent alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency as the cause for breaking this rule. We also suggest a reason for the apparent constant conjunction between polycythemia and AFP in hepatoma.

Repeated rapid shear-responsiveness of peptide hydrogels with tunable shear modulus.

A pair of mutually attractive but self-repulsive decapeptides, with alternating charged/neutral amino acid sequence patterns, was found to co-assemble into a viscoelastic material upon mixing at a low total peptide concentration of 0.25 wt %. Circular dichroism spectroscopy of individual decapeptide solutions revealed their random coil conformation.