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Abstract Background Meaningful activity participation has shown good predictability for healthy ageing in older adults, and their participation can be assessed using the Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment (MAPA). However, the MAPA has never been validated in any Taiwanese population. Moreover, different cultures may interpret meaningful activity participation differently. This study thus aimed to cross-culturally adapt the MAPA into a Taiwan version (i.e., the T-MAPA) and to investigate the psychometric properties of the T-MAPA in older adults in Taiwan. Methods This study consisted of 3 phases. First, the original MAPA was cross-culturally adapted in 6 stages, including forward, synthesis of, and back translations, cognitive debriefing, expert review, and pilot testing on 18 older adults. Second, a Rasch–Andrich rating scale model was applied to evaluate the psychometric properties (including category function, unidimensionality, item functioning and targeting, and reliability) of the adapted version in a sample of 146 older adults. Lastly, the convergent validity and test–retest reliability were examined on 120 and 49 older adults, respectively. Results After cross-cultural adaptation, the first version of the T-MAPA contained 29 items. Optimal category function was obtained by reducing the response categories of the frequency subscale to 4 and retaining a 5-point rating for the meaningfulness subscale. After the removal of 1 misfit item, a 28-item T-MAPA was generated. This version demonstrated unidimensionality, measurement invariance among different subgroups (regarding sex and education), acceptable item targeting ( 4), confirmed convergent validity (absolute r = .49–0.54 with psychological well-being, depressive symptoms, and mental and physical health), and excellent test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.94). Conclusion The cross-culturally adapted 28-item T-MAPA is suitable for application to the older population in Taiwan to measure meaningful activity participation. Future examinations of the T-MAPA in other populations with specific clinical features are warranted to extend its utility in practice.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system injury that can cause sensory or motor dysfunction. Although mortality rates for people with spinal cord injuries have dropped dramatically with advances in medicine, chronic long-term sequelae after SCI persist. The most bothersome problems reported by patients include pain, spasticity, urinary dysfunction, and loss of motor function. Thus, quality of life (QoL) is an essential issue in chronic SCI. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) applies an adjustable, nondamaging electrical pulse that can reduce uncomfortable comorbidities and improve mobility, thus enhancing the QoL of patients with SCI. This review summarizes pivotal breakthroughs from SCS for individual clinical impairment from SCI. We conclude that careful evaluation of SCS can help improve neuropathic pain, spasms, motor symptoms, and voiding dysfunction in patients with SCI, thus improving QoL.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) improves Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms by suppressing neuropathological oscillations. These oscillations are also modulated by inhalational anesthetics used during DBS surgery in some patients, influencing electrode placement accuracy. We sought to evaluate a method that could avoid these effects. We recorded subthalamic nucleus (STN) neuronal firings in 11 PD patients undergoing DBS under inhalational anesthesia. Microelectrode recording (MER) during DBS was collected under median nerve stimulation (MNS) delivered at 5, 20, and 90 Hz frequencies and without MNS. We analyzed the spike firing rate and neuronal activity with power spectral density (PSD), and assessed correlations between the neuronal oscillation parameters and clinical motor outcomes. No patient experienced adverse effects during or after DBS surgery. PSD analysis revealed that peripheral 20 Hz MNS produced significant differences in the dorsal and ventral subthalamic nucleus (STN) between the beta band oscillation (16.9 ± 7.0% versus 13.5 ± 4.8%, respectively) and gamma band oscillation (56.0 ± 13.7% versus 66.3 ± 9.4%, respectively) (p < 0.05). Moreover, 20-Hz MNS entrained neural oscillation over the dorsal STN, which correlated positively with motor disabilities. MNS allowed localization of the sensorimotor STN and identified neural characteristics under inhalational anesthesia. This paradigm may help identify an alternative method to facilitate STN identification and DBS surgery under inhalational anesthesia.

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of wristband activity monitors on measuring step counts at prescribed speeds on a treadmill and under short bouts of common daily activities. Methods: Thirty healthy young adults wore three wristband activity monitors on both wrists while walking or jogging on a treadmill at different speeds (54, 80, 107, and 134 m x min-1) and performing six different common daily activities for 5 min each. The monitors included the Fitbit Flex, the Garmin Vivofit, and the Jawbone UP. The common daily activity conditions included two sitting activities (playing a tablet computer game and folding laundry), two walking activities (pushing a stroller, carrying a bag), and two stair climbing activities (down and up). Absolute percentage error (APE) scores were computed to examine the accuracy between actual observed steps and monitor-detected steps. Results: Under the treadmill condition, the APE ranged between 1.5% and 9.6%. Accuracy was improved at faster speeds (134 m x min-1) for all the monitors (APE < 2.5%). In the common daily activity conditions, substantial step counts were registered when folding laundry. All monitors significantly underestimated actual steps (all APE > 33%) when pushing a stroller. Higher APE was observed when worn on the dominant wrist under the common daily activity conditions. Conclusions: The wristband activity monitors examined were more accurate for measuring step counts between 80 and 134 m x min-1 as compared with a slower speed. Accuracy under each common daily activity condition ranged widely between monitors and activity, with less error when worn on the nondominant wrist. These results will help to inform researchers on the use and accuracy of wristband activity monitors for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies indicate that the incidence of disease, the mortality rate, and medical costs are significantly higher in people aged 65 years and over who do not engage in physical activities than in their peers who do engage in these activities. Therefore, promoting appropriate physical activity among older adults in the community is essential to delaying the health implications of aging. Purpose: This pilot test was developed to assess the effectiveness of a newly developed Senior Elastic Band (SEB) exercise program on the health of older adults in community care stations. Methods: A quasiexperimental design was used. A convenience sample of 20 participants from a community care station was recruited. The SEB intervention included three phases (warm-up, aerobic motion, and static stretching) and was conducted three times per week, 40 minutes per session for 1 month. Twelve health indicators in three categories (functional fitness, self-perceived health status, and sleep quality) were examined before and immediately after 1 month of SEB exercises. Results: Participants showed improved performance at the end of the 1-month study for the following indicators: lung capacity, cardiopulmonary fitness, upper and lower body flexibilities, upper limb muscle power, lower limb muscle endurance, and self-perceived physical health status (all ps < .05). No significant differences were identified for the other indicators. Conclusions/lmplications for Practice: The SEB exercise program shows preliminary and promising effects on improving the health of older adults in a community care station. Healthcare professionals who work with older adults living in the community may consider the SEB exercise program as a health promotion modality to recommend and implement with this population. However, we recommend further testing the long-term effects of this program on a larger population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This study aimed to investigate the shear displacement between the body and backrest/seat, range of motion (ROM), and force acting on the lower limb joints during sit-stand-sit transitions by operating an electric-powered standing wheel chair. Methods and Materials. The amounts of sliding along the backrest and the seat plane, ROM of lower limb joints, and force acting on the knee/foot were measured in twenty-four people with paraplegia. Results. Without an antishear mechanism, the shear displacement was approximately 9 cm between the user's body and the backrest/seat surfaces. During standing up, the user's back slid down and the thigh was displaced rearward, but they moved in opposite directions when wheelchair sat back down. A minimum of 60 degrees of ROM at the hip and knee was needed during sit-stand-sit transitions. The maximal resultant forces acting on the knee restraints could reach 23.5% of body weight. Conclusion. Sliding between the body and backrest/seat occurred while transitioning from sitting to standing and vice versa. A certain amount of ROM at lower limb joints and force acting on the knee was necessitated during sit-stand-sit transitions. Careful consideration needs to be given to who the user of the electric powered standing wheelchair is. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Flow over a thin strip is one of the major experimental configurations in the study of catalytic combustion. 1D laminar stagnation-flow models are generally employed to investigate the catalytic combustion characteristics in this experimental configuration. In this study, a 2D Cartesian model is developed to examine the conditions under which 1D models are applicable. The results show that the 1D model is only appropriate in the experimental configurations with a length-to-width ratio less than 1 to 3 (depending on the flow conditions). The 1D model failed because of the neglecting of transverse diffusive mass transfer (at Re < 30) and of the oversimplified convective mass transfer (at Re > 60). The calculations of the 1D and 2D models are also compared against the OH measurements performed in a typical stagnation-flow reactor with a length-to-width ratio of 16. The results show that the computations of the 2D model are in better agreement with the experimental data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]