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There is a paucity of research focused on salivary bacteria analyzed through real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) among adolescents. The current study determined the quantity of Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Lactobacillus (LB) in saliva obtained from Taiwanese adolescents and investigated the association between the oral bacteria and untreated dental caries. This cross-sectional study recruited Taiwanese students aged 10−18. Saliva was collected using a Salivette kit and then analyzed through qPCR. The relative quantification values of SM and LB were coded based on mean fold ratios, with values > 2 coded as high and other values coded as low. Untreated dental caries was assessed through standard oral examinations. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between the levels of bacteria in the saliva of the study participants and the presence of untreated caries. The study involved 421 adolescents. 56 (13.3%) had both SM and LB values of >2 and were coded as having high levels of bacteria, whereas the other 365 (86.7%) students were coded as having low levels. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that adolescents who had high combined salivary SM and LB levels had an odds ratio of having untreated dental caries of 2.05 (95% CI = 1.09, 3.86, P = 0.027) compared with those who had low salivary SM and LB levels. The results of the present study indicate that salivary SM and LB levels are significantly associated with adolescents having untreated caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of stroke rehabilitation is to establish a robust protocol for patients to live independently in community. Firstly, we examined the impact of 3 hybridized transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)-mirror therapy interventions on activities of daily life (ADL) in stroke patients. Secondly, we explored the underlying therapeutic mechanisms with theory-driven electroencephalography (EEG) indexes in the alpha band. This was achieved by identifying the unique contributions of alpha power in motor production to ADL in relation to the premotor cortex (PMC), primary cortex (M1), and Sham tDCS with mirror therapy. The results showed that, although post-intervention ADL improvement was comparable among the three tDCS groups, one of the EEG indexes differentiated the interventions. Neural-behavioral correlation analyses revealed that different types of ADL improvements consistently corresponded with alpha power in the temporal lobe exclusively in the PMC tDCS group (all rs > 0.39). By contrast, alterations in alpha power in the central-frontal region were found to vary, with ADL primarily in the M1 tDCS group (r = −0.6 or 0.7), with the benefit depending on the complexity of the ADL. In conclusion, this research suggested two potential therapeutic mechanisms and demonstrated the additive benefits of introducing theory-driven neural indexes in explaining ADL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Task-specific training generally targets motor function, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to determine whether motor function indirectly affects QoL through daily use of the affected arm and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with chronic stroke. This was a retrospective cohort study of 155 patients who received training for 90–120 min/session, 3–5 sessions/week, for 4–6 weeks. The training involved specific mirror or robot-assisted therapy, followed by functional task practice for 15–30 min in each session. Patients were assessed before and after the intervention. At both pre-test and post-test, significant indirect effects of motor function on QoL through daily use of the affect arm and ADL were observed (β = 0.087–0.124). When the change scores of the measures between the pre-test and post-test were used, significant mediating effects of daily arm use on the relationship between motor function and QoL were identified (β = 0.094–0.103). Enhanced motor function after intervention may lead to an increase in arm use for daily activities and subsequently result in an improvement in QoL. These results highlight the critical role of daily arm use in task-specific training aimed at improving QoL. Task-specific training may improve motor function, daily arm use, activities of daily living, and quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate arm hemiparesis. To improve quality of life in task-specific training, clinicians may work in sequence from motor function to daily arm use and then to activities of daily living. Emphasizing the use of the affected arm in daily life is critical to improve quality of life in task-specific training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A fully integrated fluxgate magnetometer has been developed to monitor motor current in a finger exoskeleton device. The use of a fluxgate sensor can provide more accurate and natural movement of the fingers, as well as reducing the weight and complexity of the exoskeleton design. The sensor we developed incorporates several advanced features that provide enhanced sensitivity and accuracy compared to existing state‐of‐the‐art sensors. These features include a fluxgate frontend readout circuit with chopping stabilization technology, which achieves a gain of 14.3 V/T, a low noise density of 4.5 nT/√Hz, and a wide measurement range of ±1.5 mT. The gain variation of the sensor is only 1.5% at an 850 kHz bandwidth, and it has a wide dynamic current range from 0.005 mA to 100 A. The sensor also features an integrated 2.4 GHz wireless circuit for easy data transmission. The use of a fluxgate sensor in monitoring motor torque in the proximal interphalangeal joint can provide more precise and natural finger movement and reduce the weight and complexity of the exoskeleton design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]