Relative contribution of sensory and motor deficits on grip force control in patients with chronic stroke.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize grasping behavior in static (weight-dependent modulation and stability of control) and dynamic (predictive control) aspects specifically focusing on the relative contribution of sensory and motor deficits to grip force control in patients with chronic stroke.

Methods: Twenty-four chronic stroke patients performed three manipulative tasks: five trials of 5-s grasp-lift-holding, 30-s static holding, and vertical dynamic/cyclic oscillation of holding the object.

Results: Exerted static grip force on the paretic side exhibited statistically greater than that on the non-paretic side.

Temporal characteristics of facial ensemble in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: examination from arousal and attentional allocation.

Introduction: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show atypical recognition of facial emotions, which has been suggested to stem from arousal and attention allocation. Recent studies have focused on the ability to perceive an average expression from multiple spatially different expressions. This study investigated the effect of autistic traits on temporal ensemble, that is, the perception of the average expression from multiple changing expressions.

Use of General Health Examination and Cancer Screening among People with Disability Who Need Support from Others: Analysis of the 2016 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan.

Research on preventive healthcare services among people with disability in Japan is scarce. This study aimed to (1) examine the relationship between disability and the use of general health examination (GHE) and cancer screening (lung, gastric, colorectal, breast and cervical cancer) and (2) explore the reasons for not using GHE. This cross-sectional study used secondary data from individuals aged 20-74 years ( = 15,294) from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions of 2016.

Therapeutic potential of robots for people who stutter: a preliminary study.

Introduction: Growing anecdotal evidence suggests the feasibility of robotic intervention for people who suffer from disorders related to state anxiety. Few studies have been conducted on utilizing robots for persons who stutter (PWS). The present study examines the feasibility of using a robot for speech therapy for PWS.

Factors associated with cam deformity in Japanese local residents.

Femoroacetabular impingement has increasingly been recognized as a cause of primary hip osteoarthritis; however, its epidemiological indications remain unclear. We aimed to clarify the epidemiological indications and factors associated with cam deformity in a large-scale population-based cohort in Japan. Overall, 1480 participants (2960 hips) (491 men, 989 women; mean age, 65.

Fatiguing unilateral handgrip influences force during force-matching task with lower limb.

This study aimed to test the hypotheses that fatiguing unilateral handgrip contraction exhibits different changes in corticomotor excitability, which is evaluated by motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), in the lower limbs ipsilateral and contralateral to the fatigued hand, and that the changes in corticomotor excitability estimated by MEPs in the non-fatigued lower limbs affect the force exerted based on the sense of effort. Ten healthy males completed fatiguing unilateral handgrip contraction and force-matching tasks by static dorsiflexion before, immediately after, and 10 min after handgrip contraction. MEPs in the tibialis anterior (TA) were also measured before, immediately after, and 10 min after handgrip contraction.

Barriers to the Utilization of Low-Vision Rehabilitation Services among Over-50-Year-Old People in East and Southeast Asian Regions: A Scoping Review.

East and Southeast Asia (ESEA) are facing age-related eye health issues. Low-vision rehabilitation (LVR), which is a special rehabilitation service for individuals with vision impairment, is a promising solution for these health issues; however, poor accessibility to LVR services has been reported globally, including ESEA. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to summarize and understand the barriers to accessing LVR services in ESEA.

Longitudinal Analysis of Dysphagia and Factors Related to Postoperative Pneumonia in Patients Undergoing Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer.

Few studies have quantified longitudinal changes in swallowing in patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. This study longitudinally analyzed the changes in the Modified Barium Swallow Study Impairment Profile (MBSImP™) scores, swallowing kinematic measurements, and swallowing-related symptoms in patients undergoing esophagectomy. We also examined the association between identified swallowing impairment and aspiration pneumonia after surgery.

Statistical model of trajectories of reduced mobility in older people with locomotive disorders: a prospective cohort study with group-based trajectory model.

Background: Today we experience "Super-aged society", and a drastic increase in the number of older people needing assistance is an urgent matter for everyone from medical and socio-economical standpoints. Locomotive organ dysfunction due to musculoskeletal disorders is one of the main problems in these patients. Although the concepts of frailty and sarcopenia have been proposed for functional decline, pain remains the main and non-negligible complaint in these of such disorders.

A Novel Long Noncoding RNA in Osteocytes Regulates Bone Formation through the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

The vast majority of transcribed RNAs are noncoding RNAs. Among noncoding RNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which contain hundreds to thousands of bases, have received attention in many fields. The vast majority of the constituent cells in bone tissue are osteocytes, but their regulatory mechanisms are incompletely understood.

Head Gesture Interface for Mouse Stick Users by AAGI.

We developed a gesture interface (AAGI) for individuals with motor dysfunction who cannot use standard interface switches. These users have cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, or traumatic brain injury and experience involuntary movement, spasticity, and so on. In this paper, we describe a disabled user who utilizes a mouth stick for laptop PC input in daily life.

Provision status of assistive products for cognition to older adults with cognitive impairment among rehabilitation therapists.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the provision and need for assistive products for older adults with cognitive impairment among rehabilitation therapists, identify any unmet needs, and analyze current issues in providing such products.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey with rehabilitation therapists involved in selecting and providing assistive products for cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairments. Questionnaires comprising ten items about the experience and need for cognitive assistive products were sent to 300 facilities for older adults in Japan between January and February 2021.

Neural underpinnings of processing combinatorial unstated meaning and the influence of individual cognitive style.

We investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the processing of combinatorial unstated meaning. Sentences like "Charles jumped for 5 minutes." engender an iterative meaning that is not explicitly stated but enriched by comprehenders beyond simple composition.

Regulation of Osteoblast to Osteocyte Differentiation by Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-1.

Osteocytes have recently been identified as a new regulator of bone remodeling, but the detailed mechanism of their differentiation from osteoblasts remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to identify cell cycle regulators involved in the differentiation of osteoblasts into osteocytes and determine their physiological significance. The study uses IDG-SW3 cells as a model for the differentiation from osteoblasts to osteocytes.

Interstitial-fluid shear stresses induced by vertically oscillating head motion lower blood pressure in hypertensive rats and humans.

The mechanisms by which physical exercise benefits brain functions are not fully understood. Here, we show that vertically oscillating head motions mimicking mechanical accelerations experienced during fast walking, light jogging or treadmill running at a moderate velocity reduce the blood pressure of rats and human adults with hypertension. In hypertensive rats, shear stresses of less than 1 Pa resulting from interstitial-fluid flow induced by such passive head motions reduced the expression of the angiotensin II type-1 receptor in astrocytes in the rostral ventrolateral medulla, and the resulting antihypertensive effects were abrogated by hydrogel introduction that inhibited interstitial-fluid movement in the medulla.

No differences in implicit hand maps among different degrees of autistic traits.

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or higher levels of autistic traits have atypical characteristics in sensory processing. Atypicalities have been reported for proprioceptive judgments, which are tightly related to internal bodily representations underlying position sense. However, no research has directly investigated whether self-bodily representations are different in individuals with ASD.

People with higher autistic traits show stronger binding for color-shape associations.

Non-synesthetes exhibit a tendency to associate specific shapes with particular colors (i.e., circle-red, triangle-yellow, and square-blue).

SIRT6-PAI-1 axis is a promising therapeutic target in aging-related bone metabolic disruption.

The mechanistic regulation of bone mass in aged animals is poorly understood. In this study, we examined the role of SIRT6, a longevity-associated factor, in osteocytes, using mice lacking Sirt6 in Dmp-1-expressing cells (cKO mice) and the MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cell line. cKO mice exhibited increased osteocytic expression of Sost, Fgf23 and senescence inducing gene Pai-1 and the senescence markers p16 and Il-6, decreased serum phosphate levels, and low-turnover osteopenia.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of self-care regarding sensory issues among people with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Introduction: Issues in sensory processing (hereafter, sensory issues) associated with neurodevelopmental disorders are known to be particularly prominent from 6 to 9 years of age and are a critical issue in school life. These issues affect each individual's quality of life. Some of the issues are known to be relieved by self-care while some are not.

Exploring relationships between autistic traits and body temperature, circadian rhythms, and age.

The number of clinical diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing annually. Interestingly, the human body temperature has also been reported to gradually decrease over the decades. An imbalance in the activation of the excitatory and inhibitory neurons is assumed to be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD.