Rehab Centers: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cognitive Sensory Motor Training Therapy on the Recovery of Arm Function in Acute Stroke Patients.

A randomized controlled trial of Cognitive Sensory Motor Training Therapy on the recovery of arm function in acute stroke patients.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Clin Rehabil. 2012 May 30;
Chanubol R, Wongphaet P, Chavanich N, Werner C, Hesse S, Bardeleben A, Mehrholz J

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Cognitive Sensory Motor Training Therapy (Perfetti’s method) vis-à-vis conventional occupational therapy in the recovery of arm function after acute stroke.Design: Prospective randomized controlled trial.Setting: Two rehabilitation centers in Bangkok, Thailand.Subjects: Forty first-time acute stroke patients without severe cognitive or language impairment.Intervention: All subjects were randomly divided into two groups; one was treated using Perfetti’s method and the other using conventional occupational therapy. Each group underwent therapy for 30 minutes, five times a week for four weeks.Main measures: The primary variable was arm function as assessed by the Action Research Arm Test; secondary variables were the extended Barthel Index and the box and block test score.Results: The intention-to-treat analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups at the end of treatment for any variable.Conclusions: There was no evidence of a difference between Cognitive Sensory Motor Training Therapy of Perfetti’s method and conventional occupational therapy with respect to the restoration of hand and arm function after a stroke.
HubMed – rehab

 

Is rhizosphere remediation sufficient for sustainable revegetation of mine tailings?

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Ann Bot. 2012 May 30;
Huang L, Baumgartl T, Mulligan D

BackgroundRevegetation of mine tailings (fine-grained waste material) starts with the reconstruction of root zones, consisting of a rhizosphere horizon (mostly topsoil and/or amended tailings) and the support horizon beneath (i.e. equivalent to subsoil – mostly tailings), which must be physically and hydro-geochemically stable. This review aims to discuss key processes involved in the development of functional root zones within the context of direct revegetation of tailings and introduces a conceptual process of rehabilitating structure and function in the root zones based on a state transition model.ScopeField studies on the revegetation of tailings (from processing base metal ore and bauxite residues) are reviewed. Particular focus is given to tailings’ properties that limit remediation effectiveness. Aspects of root zone reconstruction and vegetation responses are also discussed.ConclusionsWhen reconstructing a root zone system, it is critical to restore physical structure and hydraulic functions across the whole root zone system. Only effective and holistically restored systems can control hydro-geochemical mobility of acutely and chronically toxic factors from the underlying horizon and maintain hydro-geochemical stability in the rhizosphere. Thereafter, soil biological capacity and ecological linkages (i.e. carbon and nutrient cycling) may be rehabilitated to integrate the root zones with revegetated plant communities into sustainable plant ecosystems. A conceptual framework of system transitions between the critical states of root zone development has been proposed. This will illustrate the rehabilitation process in root zone reconstruction and development for direct revegetation with sustainable plant communities. Sustainable phytostabilization of tailings requires the systematic consideration of hydro-geochemical interactions between the rhizosphere and the underlying supporting horizon. It further requires effective remediation strategies to develop hydro-geochemically stable and biologically functional root zones, which can facilitate the recovery of the microbial community and ecological linkages with revegetated plant communities.
HubMed – rehab

 

[Effect of early oral enteral nutrition on clinical outcomes after gastric cancer surgery].

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2012 May; 15(5): 464-7
Mi L, Zhong B, Zhang DL, Zhou YB, Wang DS

To investigate the effect of early oral feeding with enteral nutrition preparation after surgery on clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.Sixty patients with gastric cancer undergoing radical operation between July 2010 and May 2011 were randomly divided into two groups using random digit table: experimental group(n=30, administration of water and enteral nutrition early after surgery) and control group(n=30, conventional postoperative care protocol). Clinical outcomes, immune function, and nutritional status between the two groups were compared.As compared to the control group, duration of fever was significantly shorter in the experimental group [(81.1±6.4) h vs. (87.3±8.0) h, P<0.05], as were postoperative time of flatus [(79.9±9.5) h vs. (86.6±8.7) h, P<0.05] and postoperative hospital stay [(7.83±2.23) d vs. (9.57±1.96) d, P<0.01]. The medical cost [(30,220±3,220) RMB vs.(34,600±32,120) RMB, P<0.01] was lower than that in the control group. There was no significant difference in morbidity between the two groups[13.3%(4/30) vs. 16.7%(5/30), P>0.05]. The levels of CD3(+)T, CD4(+)T, NK cell, CD4(+)T/CD8(+)T, albumin, and prealbumin were higher in the experimental group as compared to the control group on postoperative day 3 and 7(P<0.05).Early oral feeding with enteral nutrition preparation after surgery can improve the nutritional status and immune function, and accelerate the rehabilitation for patients with gastric cancer. HubMed – rehab

 

Skin adhesive low-level light therapy for dysmenorrhoea: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trial.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2012 May 31;
Shin YI, Kim NG, Park KJ, Kim DW, Hong GY, Shin BC

PURPOSE: The cause of dysmenorrhoea is an abnormal function of smooth muscles in the uterus due to long-term deficient blood supply into smooth muscle tissue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of skin adhesive low-level light therapy (LLLT) in participants with dysmenorrhoea. METHODS: Thirty-one women were included in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trial. Twenty-one women were treated with active LLLT and ten women were treated with placebo one. The therapy was performed in a laboratory room for 20 min a day over a period of 5 days prior to the expected onset of menstruation. The outcome was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) for each participant’s dysmenorrhoeal pain severity. VAS of each subject was measured every month for 6 months. RESULTS: In the active LLLT group, 16 women reported successful results during their first menstrual cycle just after active LLLT and 5 women had successful results from the second menstrual cycle after active LLLT. The pain reduction rate was 83 % in the active LLLT group, whereas there was only a slight and temporary reduction in pain in the placebo LLLT group. Changes of VAS within 6 months of LLLT showed statistical significance (p = 0.001) over placebo control. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that skin adhesive LLLT on acupuncture points might be an effective, simple and safe non-pharmacological treatment for dysmenorrhoea.
HubMed – rehab

 

A growing challenge

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Helping staff become sensitive to the challenges severely overweight residents face is a priority for facilities considering treating these people, says Mary Pidich, director of compliance and education for Select Rehabilitation in Chicago.
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