Remote ischaemic conditioning combined with bimanual task training to enhance bimanual skill learning and corticospinal excitability in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: a study protocol of a single centre, phase II randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) have difficulty in bimanual coordination that restricts the child's independence in daily activities. Although several efficacious interventions to improve bimanual coordination exist, these interventions often require higher training doses and have modest effect sizes. Thus, there is a critical need to find an effective priming agent that, when paired with task-specific training, will facilitate neurobiological processes to enhance the magnitude of training effects and subsequently improve functional capabilities of children with UCP.

Bimanual Movement Characteristics and Real-World Performance Following Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

The purpose of this study was to quantify characteristics of bimanual movement intensity during 30 h of hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT) and bimanual performance (activities and participation) in real-world settings using accelerometers in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). Twenty-five children with UCP participated in a 30 h HABIT program. Data were collected from bilateral wrist-worn accelerometers during 30 h of HABIT to quantify the movement intensity and three days pre- and post-HABIT to assess real-world performance gains.

Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Training in Virtual Reality: A Feasibility Study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of virtual reality (VR) software built using the core concepts of hand-arm bimanual intensive training (HABIT) for improving upper extremity motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: Eight children with CP participated in a 10-day, 40-hour HABIT program. Half of the time custom VR software, HABIT-VR was used.

Cognitive-Motor Interference Heightens the Prefrontal Cortical Activation and Deteriorates the Task Performance in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.

Objective: To compare the prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation and task performance during single- and dual-task conditions between typically developing (TD) children and children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP).

Design: A prospective, comparative design.

Setting: Research laboratory.

Exploration of a novel physical therapy protocol that uses a sensory substitution device to improve the standing postural balance of children with balance disorders.

Objective: To explore if an intensive balance training protocol that incorporated the BrainPort sensory substitution device improves the standing postural balance of children with balance disorders.

Methods: Eight children with balance disorders received 8-weeks of balance training while using the BrainPort device. Pre- and post-intervention changes in the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency balance subtest (BOT-2) scores, standing duration on an unstable surface, and center of pressure (COP) sway were assessed.

Effects of remote limb ischemic conditioning on muscle strength in healthy young adults: A randomized controlled trial.

Remote limb ischemic conditioning (RLIC) is a clinically feasible method in which brief, sub-lethal bouts of ischemia protects remote organs or tissues from subsequent ischemic injury. A single session of RLIC can improve exercise performance and increase muscle activation. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to assess the effects of a brief, two-week protocol of repeated RLIC combined with strength training on strength gain and neural adaptation in healthy young adults.

Dose of remote limb ischemic conditioning for enhancing learning in healthy young adults.

Remote limb ischemic conditioning (RLIC) is a technique in which tissues distant from the target organ are exposed to brief, sub-lethal bouts of ischemia. The effects of remotely applied ischemic conditioning are systemically transferred to the target organ, and typically manifested as protection from subsequent ischemic injury. Previous studies in our lab have found and confirmed that RLIC enhances learning and retention during motor training on a balance task.

Sequencing of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma and Oligoastrocytoma.

Introduction: Adjuvant management of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AOs) and anaplastic oligoastrocytomas (AOAs) is guided by 2 seminal phase III trials, one of which utilized radiotherapy (RT) followed by chemotherapy (CT) (RT-CT), and the other in which CT was followed by RT (CT-RT). Both paradigms are endorsed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network because no direct comparison in the first-line (nonprogressive) setting has been performed to date. This study of a contemporary national database sought to evaluate practice patterns and outcomes between both approaches.

Remote Limb Ischemic Conditioning and Motor Learning: Evaluation of Factors Influencing Response in Older Adults.

Remote limb ischemic conditioning (RLIC) is a clinically feasible method of promoting tissue protection against subsequent ischemic insult. Recent findings from our lab demonstrated that RLIC robustly enhances motor learning in young, healthy humans. The next step is to determine which individuals would receive maximum benefit from RLIC before applying these findings to clinical rehabilitation populations such as stroke.

Impaired anticipatory vision and visuomotor coordination affects action planning and execution in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Background: Action-planning and execution deficits in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) are potentially due to deficits in the integration of sensory information, such as vision, with motor output.

Aims: To determine differences in anticipatory visual patterns in children with HCP compared to typically developing (TD) children, and to assess visuomotor coordination in children with HCP.

Methods And Procedures: We included 13 children with HCP (Age = 6.

Practice patterns and outcomes of chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for older patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.

Older patients are at increased risk of toxicities from aggressive oncologic therapy and of nononcologic death. A meta-analysis of non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancers showed no statistical benefit in adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy (RT) in older patients; another meta-analysis of RT versus chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in NPC found advantages to CRT, but vastly under-represented patients ≥70 years old. This is the largest study to date evaluating outcomes of CRT versus RT alone in this population.

Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy Improves Prefrontal Cortex Activation in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.

Purpose: To determine the changes in the prefrontal cortical (PFC) activation following hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT) in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP).

Methods: Nine children with HCP and 15 children who were developing typically participated in the study. Children with HCP received 50 hours of HABIT.

Neural activation within the prefrontal cortices during the goal-directed motor actions of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

The primary aim of the study was to explore the prefrontal cortical (PFC) activation while performing a shape-matching motor task in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) as compared with typically developing (TD) children. Fifteen TD children ([Formula: see text]) and 12 children with HCP ([Formula: see text]) were included. We assessed the PFC activation while performing an ecologically valid upper extremity shape-matching task of different complexities by measuring the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Chemoradiotherapy Versus Chemotherapy Alone for Unresected Nonmetastatic Gallbladder Cancer: National Practice Patterns and Outcomes.

Current guidelines recommend chemotherapy (CT) with or without radiotherapy for unresected nonmetastatic gallbladder cancer (GC), with little consensus. However, several small-volume, single-institution studies have documented the efficacy of local therapy for this population. This is the largest study to date evaluating outcomes of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) versus CT alone in unresected nonmetastatic GC.

Sitting postural control affects the development of focused attention in children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: To investigate whether focused attention (FA) changes over time as sitting postural control improves and whether an impairment in sitting postural control affects the development of FA in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: Nineteen children with CP, mean ages 21.47 months, were assessed for FA and sitting scores pre- and postintervention.

Delayed onset neuropathy along with recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy due to organophosphate poisoning and the role of physiotherapy rehabilitation.

Organophosphorus poisoning is a major global cause of health problems and the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the developing countries. In this, the inhibition of acetyl-choline esterase and neurotoxic esterase along with nicotinic receptor involvement produces three well-identified and documented clinical phases: The initial cholinergic phase, which is a medical emergency often requiring management in an intensive care unit; the intermediate syndrome, during which prolonged ventilator care is necessary; and finally delayed neurotoxicity. Vocal cord paralysis is rare and leads to aphonia.