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Background: The mobile device diffusion has increasingly highlighted the opportunity to collect patient-reported outcomes (PROs) through electronic patient-reported outcomes measurements (ePROMs) during the clinical routine. Despite the ePROMs promises and advantages, the equivalence when a PRO measure is moved from the original paper-and-pencil to the electronic version is still little investigated. This study aims at evaluating equivalence between PROMs and ePROMs self-administration in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); in addition, preference of self-administration type was evaluated. Methods: The Manual Ability Measure-36 (MAM-36) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) were selected for the equivalence test. The app ABOUTCOME was developed through a user-centered design approach to administer the questionnaires on tablet. Both paper-and-pencil and electronic versions were randomly self-administered. Intrarater reliability between both versions was evaluated through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, excellent for values ≥ 0.75). Results: Fifty PwMS (35 females) participated to the study (mean age: 54.7±11.0 years, disease course: 27 relapsing-remitting and 23 progressive; mean EDSS: 4.7±1.9; mean disease duration: 13.3±9.5 years). No statistically significant differences were found for the means total scores of MAM-36 (p = 0.61) and FSS (p = 0.78). The ICC value for MAM-36 and FSS was excellent (0.98 and 0.94, respectively). Most of participants preferred the tablet version (84%). Conclusion: The results of the study provide evidence about the equivalence between the paper-and-pencil and electronic versions of PROs administration. In addition, PwMS prefer electronic methods rather than paper because the information can be provided more efficiently and accurately. The results could be easily extended to other MS PROs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apps for drawing are present in our children's life. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of mobile technology on the freehand drawing educational activity. There are few works which are contextualised within short periods of time, with teachers who are not theirs and, in some cases, outside the children's classroom. In this paper, we are focussed on the use of technology on freehand drawing activity. Thus, we have compared the graphics produced by 4- and 5-year-old children with paper&crayon in comparison with those with tablet-finger. Children made the drawings during a planned free-drawing activity, in their ordinary classrooms, with their teachers and during five sessions. Assessment of drawings has evidenced tablet feasibility for making graphics. Nevertheless, with the passing of time, quality of graphics (tablet-finger vs paper&crayons), are nearly matched, demonstrating the low impact level technology has on this activity. In addition, if drawings are analysed specifically according to ages, results have shown that both groups have to develop adaptation strategies of visual perceptual skills and fine motor skills for the touch screen in order to obtain the same quality in the drawings made on both support types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates whether Intensive Mobility training with Variability and Error (iMOVE) therapy is as effective as conventional therapist-directed (CONV) therapy in enhancing gross motor development in young children with cerebral palsy.

The article examines the effectiveness of intensive child-initiated mobility training with variability and error (iMOVE) compared to conventional therapist-directed training in improving gross motor skills in young children with cerebral palsy.

The article focuses on a critically appraised paper titled "Hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy including lower extremities (HABIT-ILE) improves bi-manual performance and gross motor function in pre-school children with unilateral cerebral palsy." It discusses the efficacy of HABIT-ILE in enhancing manual dexterity and overall motor function in young children diagnosed with unilateral cerebral palsy, highlighting its potential benefits for this specific population.

Folding paper is a seemingly simple act that requires planning, bimanual coordination, and manual strength and control to produce specific forces. Although paper folding has been used as an assessment tool and as a way to promote spatial skills, this study represents the first attempt to document when paper folding emerges across early childhood. Seventy-seven children (ages 18 months to 7 years) and an adult reference group (24 college-aged adults) completed three pre-specified folds on a single piece of paper. Dependent variables included whether children attempted each fold and, if so, the accuracy of each fold. Grip strength, pinch strength, and developmental level were examined as potential correlates of paper folding. The results demonstrated that paper folding emerges as early as 27 months of age but becomes more accurate with age. At least 50% of children between 4 and 5.5 years of age completed folds. Additionally, children with more age-appropriate problem-solving skills attempted more folds, independent of age. These findings provide a descriptive framework for the ages at which paper folding emerges and suggest that paper-folding interventions could be implemented at even earlier ages than what previously has been examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Question In people who have undergone surgical carpal tunnel release, do sensorimotor-based exercises performed on the touchscreen of a tablet device improve outcomes more than a conventional home exercise program prescribed on paper? Design Randomised, parallel-group trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants Fifty participants within 10 days of surgical carpal tunnel release. Intervention Each participant was prescribed a 4-week home exercise program. Participants in the experimental group received the ReHand tablet application, which administered and monitored exercises via the touchscreen. The control group was prescribed a home exercise program on paper, as is usual practice in the public hospital system. Outcome measures The primary outcome was functional ability of the hand, reported using the shortened form of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were grip strength, pain intensity measured on a 10-cm visual analogue scale, and dexterity measured with the Nine-Hole Peg Test. Outcomes were measured by a blinded assessor at baseline and at the end of the 4-week intervention period. Results At Week 4, functional ability improved significantly more in the experimental group than the control group (MD –21, 95% CI –33 to –9) on the QuickDASH score (0 to 100). Although the mean estimates of effect on the secondary outcome also all favoured the experimental group, none reached statistical significance: grip strength (MD 5.6 kg, 95% CI –0.5 to 11.7), pain (MD –1.4 cm, 95% CI –2.9 to 0.1), and dexterity (MD –1.3 seconds, 95% CI –3.7 to 1.1). Conclusion Use of the ReHand tablet application for early rehabilitation after carpal tunnel release is more effective in the recovery of functional ability than a conventional home exercise program. It remains unclear whether there are any benefits in grip strength, pain or dexterity. Trial registration ACTRN12618001887268. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human performance modeling is a core topic in ergonomics. In addition to deriving models, it is important to verify the kinds of tasks that can be modeled. Drury's law is promising for path tracking tasks such as navigating a path with pens or driving a car. We conducted an experiment based on the observation that paper-cutting tasks using scissors resemble such tasks. The results showed that cutting arc-like paths (1/4 of a circle) showed an excellent fit with Drury's law (R2 > 0.98), whereas cutting linear paths showed a worse fit (R2 > 0.87). Since linear paths yielded better fits when path amplitudes were divided (R2 > 0.99 for all amplitudes), we discuss the characteristics of paper-cutting operations using scissors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasticity includes the ability of the nervous system to optimize neuronal activity at a cellular and system level according to the needs imposed by the environment. Neuroplasticity phenomena within sensorimotor cortex are crucial to enhance function to increase skillfulness. Such plasticity may be termed “adaptive” to indicate its ecologically beneficial role. In professional musicians, enhanced adaptive plasticity is associated with one of the highest level of motor skill a human being can achieve and the amount of these changes is even dependent on the age at which instrumental playing was started. In addition, adaptive neuroplastic changes occur when nervous system try to repair itself thus compensating dysfunctions. However, when these adaptive phenomena are pushed to an extreme, they can produce a maladaptive sensorimotor reorganization that interferes with motor performance rather than improving it. The model we discuss here is focal hand dystonia I which an intrinsic abnormality of neural plasticity, in some predisposed individuals, may lead to abnormal sensorimotor integration and to the appearance of a characteristic movement disorder. Deficient homeostatic control might be an important mechanism triggering this maladaptive reorganization, and future behavioral studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis. In the second part of this consensus paper, we will critically discuss as a second model, the hypothesis that levodopa-induced dyskinesia correlate with an aberrant form of plasticity in the human primary motor cortex, possibly because of abnormal oscillations within the basal ganglia loop. Disorders of cortical plasticity have not in the past been considered as possible causes of human clinical states. The recognition that this can occur, together with a speculative mechanism, generates an important and provocative hypothesis for future research at the clinical-scientific interface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The need to complete multiple tasks concurrently is a common occurrence both daily life and in occupational activities, which can often include simultaneous cognitive and physical demands. As one example, there is increasing availability of head-worn display technologies that can be employed when a user is mobile (e.g., while walking). This new method of information presentation may, however, introduce risks of adverse outcomes such as a decrement to gait performance. The goal of this study was thus to quantify the effects of a head-worn display (i.e., smart glasses) on motor variability during gait and to compare these effects with those of other common information displays (i.e., smartphone and paper-based system). Twenty participants completed four walking conditions, as a single task and in three dual-task conditions (three information displays). In the dual-task conditions, the information display was used to present several cognitive tasks. Three different measures were used to quantify variability in gait parameters for each walking condition (using the cycle-to-cycle standard deviation, sample entropy, and the “goal-equivalent manifold” approach). Our results indicated that participants used less adaptable gait strategies in dual-task walking using the paper-based system and smartphone conditions compared with single-task walking. Gait performance, however, was less affected during dual-task walking with the smart glasses. We conclude that the risk of an adverse gait event (e.g., a fall) in head-down walking conditions (i.e., the paper-based system and smartphone conditions) were higher than in single-task walking, and that head-worn displays might help reduce the risk of such events during dual-task gait conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tábano is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The author comments on the critically appraised paper "Non-invasive brain stimulation does not enhance the effect of robotic-assisted upper limb training on arm motor recovery after stroke" which was published within the issue.

Background: Food allergy (FA) affects approximately 8% of children and may be immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated or non-IgE-mediated. It is recognized clinically that children with both subtypes of FA may present with features of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD); however, there is currently a limited detail of presenting characteristics. Objective: The objective of this study was to synthesize the current evidence regarding the feeding characteristics of children with FA, with a focus on the feeding skills and psychosocial domains of PFD. Method: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Papers published between 2001 and 2022 describing feeding characteristics in the feeding skills and psychosocial domains in children with FA/history of FA were included. Papers that focused solely on characteristics from the medical or nutritional domains were excluded. Descriptive information regarding demographics, methodology, allergy profile and history, and the characteristics of PFD observed was extracted using a preconceived data extraction form. Results: Overall, 40 papers contained descriptions of feeding characteristics of children with non-IgE-mediated FA (n = 22) and IgE-mediated FA (n = 11), while four were nonspecific. In the psychosocial domain, food refusal/aversion, anxiety with eating, and poor intake were the most frequently reported, regardless of FA subtype. Less information was reported regarding feeding skills, although slowness in eating, immature diet, and delays in oral sensory-motor skills were described. Conclusions: Children with FA/history of FA may present with a range of characteristics that map across the feeding skill and psychosocial domains of PFD. Systematic research is needed to fully describe the feeding characteristics of children with FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on implicit motor learning is not superior to explicit motor learning for improving gait speed in chronic stroke.

Background: One aspect of development in children is fine motor development. Delays in fine motor skills can make children have difficulty exploring the environment, barriers to learning, lazy writing, lack of creativity. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of playing Origami interventions to improve preschool children’s fine motor skills in PAUD Aisiyah VI Bengkulu City. Study Design:This research is a Quasi-Experimental study with a research design of “one group pretest and post-test without control group design”, a sample of 26 preschool children using purposive sampling. The intervention was given for two weeks as many as six meetings with 30 minutes per session. Data on children’s fine motor development were collected using the DDST II screening format. Results: Analysis using the Wilcoxon test obtained ρ value 0.000 (α 0.05). In conclusion, Origami play intervention is statistically effective in improving the fine motor skills of preschool children. Conclusion: Teachers and parents should pay more attention to and increase the stimulation of preschool children’s fine motor skills by facilitating children to play folding, sticking, and paper cutting more often. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article inform people with progressive multiple sclerosis and expanded disability status scale scores are at the risk of physical inactivity, face barriers to adequate physical inactivity and require ongoing intervention to sustain the benefits of increased physical activity. Topic include comparison between standing frame intervention and other interventions for people with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores of 6.5 is warranted to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness.

The article inform children with disability need support or intervention to enable them to participate in physical activity, particularly to attain a moderate-to-vigorous level of intensity of physical activity to achieve the health-related benefits. Topic include recommendations for intensity activity were met on the functional electrical stimulation cycle and provide a option for children with cerebral palsy to achieve the physical activity levels required for health-related benefits.

The article offers information on a program of functional electrical stimulation cycling, goal- directed training and adapted cycling improves gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy. Topic discusses include using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test.

Various lines of evidence accumulated over the past 30 years indicate that the cerebellum, long recognized as essential for motor control, also has considerable influence on perceptual processes. In this paper, we bring together experts from psychology and neuroscience, with the aim of providing a succinct but comprehensive overview of key findings related to the involvement of the cerebellum in sensory perception. The contributions cover such topics as anatomical and functional connectivity, evolutionary and comparative perspectives, visual and auditory processing, biological motion perception, nociception, self-motion, timing, predictive processing, and perceptual sequencing. While no single explanation has yet emerged concerning the role of the cerebellum in perceptual processes, this consensus paper summarizes the impressive empirical evidence on this problem and highlights diversities as well as commonalities between existing hypotheses. In addition to work with healthy individuals and patients with cerebellar disorders, it is also apparent that several neurological conditions in which perceptual disturbances occur, including autism and schizophrenia, are associated with cerebellar pathology. A better understanding of the involvement of the cerebellum in perceptual processes will thus likely be important for identifying and treating perceptual deficits that may at present go unnoticed and untreated. This paper provides a useful framework for further debate and empirical investigations into the influence of the cerebellum on sensory perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor skills are required for activities of daily living. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied in association with motor skill learning has been investigated as a tool for enhancing training effects in health and disease. Here, we review the published literature investigating whether tDCS can facilitate the acquisition, retention or adaptation of motor skills. Work in multiple laboratories is underway to develop a mechanistic understanding of tDCS effects on different forms of learning and to optimize stimulation protocols. Efforts are required to improve reproducibility and standardization. Overall, reproducibility remains to be fully tested, effect sizes with present techniques vary over a wide range, and the basis of observed inter-individual variability in tDCS effects is incompletely understood. It is recommended that future studies explicitly state in the Methods the exploratory (hypothesis-generating) or hypothesis-driven (confirmatory) nature of the experimental designs. General research practices could be improved with prospective pre-registration of hypothesis-based investigations, more emphasis on the detailed description of methods (including all pertinent details to enable future modeling of induced current and experimental replication), and use of post-publication open data repositories. A checklist is proposed for reporting tDCS investigations in a way that can improve efforts to assess reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In less than three decades, the concept 'cerebellar neurocognition' has evolved from a mere afterthought to an entirely new and multifaceted area of neuroscientific research. A close interplay between three main strands of contemporary neuroscience induced a substantial modification of the traditional view of the cerebellum as a mere coordinator of autonomic and somatic motor functions. Indeed, the wealth of current evidence derived from detailed neuroanatomical investigations, functional neuroimaging studies with healthy subjects and patients and in-depth neuropsychological assessment of patients with cerebellar disorders shows that the cerebellum has a cardinal role to play in affective regulation, cognitive processing, and linguistic function. Although considerable progress has been made in models of cerebellar function, controversy remains regarding the exact role of the 'linguistic cerebellum' in a broad variety of nonmotor language processes. This consensus paper brings together a range of different viewpoints and opinions regarding the contribution of the cerebellum to language function. Recent developments and insights in the nonmotor modulatory role of the cerebellum in language and some related disorders will be discussed. The role of the cerebellum in speech and language perception, in motor speech planning including apraxia of speech, in verbal working memory, in phonological and semantic verbal fluency, in syntax processing, in the dynamics of language production, in reading and in writing will be addressed. In addition, the functional topography of the linguistic cerebellum and the contribution of the deep nuclei to linguistic function will be briefly discussed. As such, a framework for debate and discussion will be offered in this consensus paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the cerebellum's role in motor function is well recognized, the nature of its concurrent role in cognitive function remains considerably less clear. The current consensus paper gathers diverse views on a variety of important roles played by the cerebellum across a range of cognitive and emotional functions. This paper considers the cerebellum in relation to neurocognitive development, language function, working memory, executive function, and the development of cerebellar internal control models and reflects upon some of the ways in which better understanding the cerebellum's status as a 'supervised learning machine' can enrich our ability to understand human function and adaptation. As all contributors agree that the cerebellum plays a role in cognition, there is also an agreement that this conclusion remains highly inferential. Many conclusions about the role of the cerebellum in cognition originate from applying known information about cerebellar contributions to the coordination and quality of movement. These inferences are based on the uniformity of the cerebellum's compositional infrastructure and its apparent modular organization. There is considerable support for this view, based upon observations of patients with pathology within the cerebellum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper-and-pencil Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) copy task has been extensively used to assess visuo-constructional skills in children and adults. The scoring systems utilized in clinical practice provide an integrated evaluation of the drawing process, without differentiating between its visuo-constructional, organizational, and motor components. Here, a tablet-based ROCF copy task capable of providing a quantitative assessment of the drawing process, differentiating between visuo-constructional, organizational, and motor skills, is trialed in 94 healthy children, between 7 and 11 years of age. Through previously validated algorithms, 12 indices of performance in the ROCF copy task were obtained for each child. Principal component analysis of the 12 indices identified spatial, procedural, and kinematic components as distinct dimensions of the drawing process. A composite score for each dimension was determined, and correlation analysis between composite scores and conventional paper-and-pencil measures of visuo-constructional, procedural, and motor skills performed. The results obtained confirmed that the constructional, organizational, and motor dimensions underlie complex figure drawing in children; and that each dimension can be measured by a unique composite score. In addition, the composite scores here obtained from children were compared with previsions results from adults, offering a novel insight into how the interplay between the three dimensions of drawing evolves with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some researchers suggest difficulties synchronising with a partner could underpin the social differences associated with Autism Spectrum Condition, potentially acting as a marker for autism. Social Motor Synchrony (SMS) is one aspect of synchrony that could augment observational diagnostic procedures. However, the full breadth of literature examining SMS in autism has not been systematically reviewed. A systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines yielded 29 papers meeting inclusion criteria. Of 21 studies including a comparison group, all indicated weaker SMS between two autistic partners and in mixed-neurotype partnerships compared with two non-autistic partners. Papers involving mixed-neurotype pairs without a comparison group showed higher than chance SMS and demonstrated an increase in SMS over time following rhythm-based interventions. Although research so far demonstrates weaker SMS in pairs involving an autistic partner compared with non-autistic pairs, we identified several limitations which may have influenced SMS in autistic people and their partners. Further work is needed with autistic partnerships, more natural and preferred tasks within comfortable settings and partnerships, and more work to identify the basis of synchrony differences. We set out implications for design of further research. When two people interact, they often fall into sync with one another by moving their bodies at the same time. Some say autistic people are not as good as non-autistic people at moving at the same time as a partner. This has led some researchers to ask whether measuring synchrony might help diagnose autism. We reviewed the research so far to look at differences in Social Motor Synchrony (SMS) (the way we move together) between autistic people and people they interact with. The research suggests that interactions involving an autistic partner (either two autistic partners, or an autistic and non-autistic partner) show lower synchrony than a non-autistic pair. However, we recognised elements in the research so far that may have affected SMS in interactions involving an autistic person. One way SMS may have been affected in research so far might be the way interactions have been set up in the research studies. Few papers studied interactions between two autistic people or looked at synchrony in comfortable environments with autistic-preferred tasks. The studies also do not explain why synchrony might be different, or weaker, in pairs involving autistic partners. We use these limitations to suggest improvements for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) impairs motor skills in children, particularly handwriting, which is a significant part of school activities and personal development. Current robotic assistants often lack a fully physical interaction or tangible result, thereby limiting their effectiveness in coordination development similar to handwriting. To address this gap, a robotic assistant capable of physical input and output could enhance development. This paper presents the development of a robotic handwriting assistant to aid children with DCD. The prototype is a planar robot controlled via a joystick capable of covering an 8.5" by 11" paper sheet. The paper provides insight into the causal real-world context of the prototype's development and discusses the designs considerations, the conception and the control. It concludes with intial results and the future for the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric motor development is a challenging task, as higher efficiency requirements and various interdependencies between different engineering domains must be considered. Established design approaches often lack the ability to address these interdependencies because they focus on specific domains and properties. Automated, multidisciplinary design approaches hold untapped potential for optimizing motors in terms of diverse requirements and advancing the development of more efficient and reliable motors. This paper presents a systematic literature review of the current state of research in the multidisciplinary design automation of electric motors. The literature basis comprises 1005 publications that are identified by a systematic internet search. The review of the existing approaches is based on twelve criteria that characterize the design automation task in general, such as knowledge representation or reasoning methods used, as well as criteria specific to electric motor design, such as domains considered and their coupling. The analysis reveals what current approaches are lacking: Consequent analysis and integration of domains, applicability of suggested methods, incorporation of established multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) architectures, alongside the consideration of passive components in the motor. Aside from the introduction of twelve criteria for systematic charaterization of multidisciplinary design automation of electric motors, this article expands the state of the art by proposing an initial framework to establish process chains tackling the identified gaps in the review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In any industry it is vital to know the quality of goods before they leave the manufacturer. In many cases the decision as to whether an article is above or below the required standard falls to a certain group of employees, the process of inspection usually requiring good powers of sensory discrimination, rapidity of perception and judgment, the intelligence to appreciate the standard of inspection and, frequently, manual dexterity in the handling of objects inspected. These are all qualities which can be measured by means of tests. In the following article Mr. Hearnshaw, a member of the Institute's staff, describes an investigation into the use of selection tests for those engaged on inspection processes in a paper mill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to try to present, on the basis of titles of papers published in an academic journal, knowledge production in kinesiology. The sample consisted of 781 titles of papers published in the journal Kinesiologija/Kinesiology from 1971 to 2011. The list of lexical items used for this investigation to analyse, both diachronically and contextually, knowledge production connected with the science of human movement consisted of the following: structure, structural; movement, motion, motor, motor ability; activity, exercise, sport; change, transformation; influence, impact; and effect, effectiveness. The analysis has shown the listed lexical items to appear in a multitude of combinations and contexts, i.e. linear combinations of words, thus indicating their meaning and reflecting the body of research, which consequently shapes knowledge in the scientific discipline in question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ergoscience is the property of Schulz-Kirchner Verlag Gmbh and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article offers information on maintaining tradition and celebrating culture, origami is used in early childhood education to enhance hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, geometry, and mental concentration and is a therapeutic intervention for physical and emotional trauma. It discusses that Japanese paper folding was initially known as orikata, meaning "folded shapes."

A growing portion of premedical curricula is being devoted to the study of physiological mechanisms underlying animal behavior. In the present article, I describe an activity centered around a classic Journal of Neurophysiology paper by Edward V. Evarts that lays the foundation for students to investigate common behavioral and physiological techniques used to study motor control in primates. Students will leave this activity being able to 1) critically assess behavioral, electromyographic, and single unit (extracellular) neurophysiological data typically acquired by behavioral neurophysiologists; 2) provide physiological evidence that the primate precentral gyrus (primary motor cortex) controls voluntary movements of the wrist; 3) intelligently discuss hypotheses concerning the role of the primary motor cortex in the generation of movement in mammalian species; and 4) discuss the ethical implications of using mammalian species as model organisms. The skills and background knowledge gained in this activity lay the platform for advanced study of scientific investigations into sensory, motor, and cognitive processes in undergraduate, graduate, or medical school curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of neurostimulation of the cerebellum either with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS; single pulse or repetitive (rTMS)) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS; anodal or cathodal) is gaining popularity in the scientific community, in particular because these stimulation techniques are non-invasive and provide novel information on cerebellar functions. There is a consensus amongst the panel of experts that both TMS and tDCS can effectively influence cerebellar functions, not only in the motor domain, with effects on visually guided tracking tasks, motor surround inhibition, motor adaptation and learning, but also for the cognitive and affective operations handled by the cerebro-cerebellar circuits. Verbal working memory, semantic associations and predictive language processing are amongst these operations. Both TMS and tDCS modulate the connectivity between the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex, tuning cerebellar excitability. Cerebellar TMS is an effective and valuable method to evaluate the cerebello-thalamo-cortical loop functions and for the study of the pathophysiology of ataxia. In most circumstances, DCS induces a polarity-dependent site-specific modulation of cerebellar activity. Paired associative stimulation of the cerebello-dentato-thalamo-M1 pathway can induce bidirectional long-term spike-timing-dependent plasticity-like changes of corticospinal excitability. However, the panel of experts considers that several important issues still remain unresolved and require further research. In particular, the role of TMS in promoting cerebellar plasticity is not established. Moreover, the exact positioning of electrode stimulation and the duration of the after effects of tDCS remain unclear. Future studies are required to better define how DCS over particular regions of the cerebellum affects individual cerebellar symptoms, given the topographical organization of cerebellar symptoms. The long-term neural consequences of non-invasive cerebellar modulation are also unclear. Although there is an agreement that the clinical applications in cerebellar disorders are likely numerous, it is emphasized that rigorous large-scale clinical trials are missing. Further studies should be encouraged to better clarify the role of using non-invasive neurostimulation techniques over the cerebellum in motor, cognitive and psychiatric rehabilitation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of biomechanics has grown rapidly in the past 30 years in both size and complexity. As a result, the term might mean different things to different people. This article addresses the issues facing the field in the form of challenges biomechanists face in the future. Because the field is so diverse, strength within the different areas of biomechanics also varies. Although the term might not always appear in the curriculum, principles in biomechanics are felt to be highly integrated into the broader fields of kinesiology, exercise science, etc. The major challenges facing the field, as suggested in this paper, include the development of significant hypotheses, integration with other disciplines such as psychology and motor control, "cross training" our graduate students so they might bring a richer perspective to collaborations with colleagues in other subdisciplines, and the development of funded postdoctoral experiences to support this aspect of student development. Because of the integrative nature of our work, questions are also posed related to the use of particular names, which at times places us in possibly more-restricted categories then we wish. These issues are, of course, open to debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is common among intellectual disability children that can worsen motor problems, especially motor skills. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of combining core stability exercises with coordination exercises on motor proficiency of intellectual disability children with DCD. Methods: The population was boys with intellectual disability and DCD studying in Golestan School of Tabriz randomly that were divided into two groups of 15 subjects in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Motor skills were evaluated using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Short Form in the pre- and post-test. The experimental group performed three sessions (every week) of 60 minutes of combined core stability with coordination training for eight weeks. SPSS v. 21, dependent t-test, and analysis of covariance at the significance level of P<0.05 were used for statistical analysis. Results: Comparing the means of the two groups showed a positive significant difference in running speed and agility (P=0.001), balance (P=0.001), two-way coordination (P=0.001), strength (P=0.001), upper limb coordination (P=0.001), response speed (P=0.001), speed motor vision control (P=0.001), upper limb agility (P=0.001), and the overall gross and fine motor skills scores (P=0.001) and the combined score of the short scale (P=0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that combining core stability with a coordination training program can be used to enhance the motor skills of DCD children with intellectual disabilities. Thus, sports coaches and experts, and specialists in other related fields are recommended to use these exercises to enhance the gross and fine motor skills of students with intellectual disabilities, especially those with DCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our tribute to Professor Michael Turvey, we have two parallel goals: 1) to highlight the scientific scope of Turvey’s impact on motor development; and, 2) to expose readers to papers that they may not have read but that might cast new light on age-old questions they confront in their current research on motor development. The paper is divided into two equal time periods. In Part 1, from 1975 to 1999, we trace the emergence and growth of Dynamic Systems/Ecological Realism (perception-action) paradigms. We explain how the existing paradigms in motor development research, the descriptive and information processing paradigms were, in part, replaced by new paradigms whose existence owes much to Michael Turvey and his colleagues. We suggest that this time period was one where Turvey had the most conceptual influence on the field. In Part 2, from 2000 to 2024, we describe how factors, including the emergence of two new paradigms in motor development research may have reduced Turvey’s direct influence. But we also note that there is still much research undertaken that builds off the bases of Dynamic Systems and Perception-Action Coupling approaches including research by Turvey and his students/colleagues. We end with the suggestion that the present generation of motor development researchers may have something to gain by re-/reading research from these perspectives regardless of whether it is directly from Professor Turvey’s pen or from those whom he influenced (or influenced him) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Toe function is characterised by the strength and dexterity of toe motion. However, previous studies have mostly focused on the importance of toe strength. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between flexion strength and dexterity of the toes and physical performance. METHODS: Twenty healthy participants were included in this study. The flexion force of each toe was measured using a digital force gauge, and the toe dexterity was evaluated using the marble pick-up and rock-paper-scissors tests. These parameters were statistically analysed in relation to physical performance, including repeated side step and balance ability, which was evaluated using centre of pressure (COP) data during single-leg standing, tiptoe standing, and single-leg drop-jumping. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between the first toe flexion force and the total trajectory length of the COP during one-leg standing and between the time required for marble pick-up and the rock-paper-scissors score and the COP during single-leg drop-jumping. CONCLUSION: The results underscore the importance of flexion strength and dexterity of the toes in human physical performance and the necessity for the evaluation and improvement of both functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third edition of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3; Ulrich, 2019) is one of the most frequently used assessments to measure fundamental motor skills of children. This instrument is typically administered in a low-technology format (paper/pencil). The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to determine adapted physical activity (APA) researchers, adapted physical education (APE) teachers, and APE pre-service students use of technology and 2) to evaluate the accuracy and time of the administration of a newly constructed, technology-based mode of the TGMD-3 (i.e., Google Sheets). A Google Sheets scoring tool was created to assist during administration of the TGMD-3. Participants (n = 76) completed an online survey regarding the use of technology during assessments and their perceptions of TGMD-3 Google Sheets after using the tool. The TGMD-3 Google Sheet was also evaluated for speed and accuracy (n = 14). Among most notable findings, the Google Sheets scoring tool saved time maintaining scoring records and allowed for greater efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical element of neurological function is eye–hand coordination: the ability of our vision system to coordinate the information received through the eyes to control, guide, and direct the hands to accomplish a task. Recent evidence shows that this ability can be disturbed by strokes or other neurological disorders, with critical consequences for motor behaviour. This paper presents a system based on serious games and multimodal devices aimed at improving the assessment of eye–hand coordination. The system implements gameplay that involves drawing specific patterns (labyrinths) to capture hand trajectories. The user can draw the path using multimodal devices such as a mouse, a stylus with a tablet, or robotic devices. Multimodal input devices can allow for the evaluation of complex coordinated movements of the upper limb that involve the synergistic motion of arm joints, depending on the device. A preliminary test of technological validation with healthy volunteers was conducted in the laboratory. The Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) index was used to compare hand trajectories without considering time-series lag. The results suggest that this multimodal framework allows for measuring differences between fine and gross motor skills. Moreover, the results support the viability of this system for developing a high-resolution metric for measuring eye–hand coordination in neurorehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This integrated review aims to identify and analyze the multifactorial contributors to the longevity of direct restorations, focusing on tooth-, patient-, and dentist-related factors. Materials and Methods: A search of the literature was performed using an electronic database, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, on papers published between 1980 and 2024. The titles and abstracts of papers that evaluated aspects categorized into tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors influencing restoration failure were selected and screened. Full-text assessments were conducted, and the extracted data were compiled, summarized, and synthesized. The reference lists of the collected papers were also screened, and relevant citations were included in this review. Data were gathered from clinical and laboratorial studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of restoration longevity. Results: Among the tooth-related factors, multiple-surface restorations, deep margins, tooth location, and tooth vitality significantly impact restoration survival. Patient-related factors such as medical conditions, risk predictors of caries, age, sex, parafunctional habits, smoking, periodontal health, number of restorations, and socioeconomic status all play crucial roles. Regarding dentist-related factors, the decision-making process, age, experience, and dentist manual dexterity are vital aspects. Furthermore, the technique used, including isolation methods for moisture control, as well as the type of dental practice (large group vs. small practice), notably influenced the restoration survival. Conclusions: The longevity of dental restorations is influenced by a complex interplay of tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors. Strategies to improve restoration outcomes should consider all these multifactorial contributors. Continuing professional education, diligent patient guidance on the factors that influence restoration survival, careful material selection and restorative technique, and tailored individual treatment are crucial factors to reduce failure rates and improve the lifespan of restorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physiological differences between a maturing and matured brain alters how Sports-Related Concussion (SRC) affects different age groups; therefore, a review specific to university-aged student-athletes is needed. Determine time to recovery for symptom burden, neurocognitive and Vestibular-Ocular-Motor (VOM) function and academic impact in university-aged student-athletes. Searches were conducted in PubMed, SpringerLink, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science and EMBASE. Articles were included if they contained original data collected within 30 days in university-aged student-athletes, analysed SRC associated symptoms, neurocognitive or VOM function or academic ability and published in English. Two reviewers independently reviewed sources, using the Oxford Classification of Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) and the Downs and Black checklist, and independently extracting data before achieving consensus. 58 articles met the inclusion criteria. Recovery of symptoms occurred by 7 and 3–5.3 days for neurocognition. The evidence base did not allow for a conclusion on recovery time for VOM function or academic ability. Few papers investigated recovery times at specified re-assessment time-points and have used vastly differing methodologies. To fully understand the implication of SRC on the university-aged student-athlete' studies using a multi-faceted approach at specific re-assessments time points are required. Systematic review registration number: CRD42019130685. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging muscle groups in proper order is an essential skill for human motor tasks such as welding, contributing to musculoskeletal health and task performance. However, learning the correct muscle engagement strategy for a dedicated human motion task like welding can be challenging due to the difficulty of acquiring the implicit information and carrying it over to novice trainees, which is becoming the bottleneck of workforce training. This paper proposes to monitor and model the implicit muscle engagement strategies using surface electromyographic (sEMG) sensors and provide real-time feedback to novice trainees via vibrotactile devices according to the muscle engagement models. The differences between expert trainers' and novice trainees' muscle engagement strategies are processed to control the vibrotactile patterns and magnitudes. A human-subject experiment (N=25) was performed to validate the system design in welding training. Our results, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method in capturing motor control patterns and improving motor skill learning, provide a strong foundation for its application in real-world training scenarios. Furthermore, it was found that providing haptic feedback according to muscle engagement was more effective than visual feedback, especially in force control. It was also noticed that haptic feedback could alleviate the reliance on external feedback compared with visual feedback. This paper presented a novel method and its implementation for welding training, contributing to innovative training methods for the workforce and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which assessed psychomotor performance of children on antiepileptic therapy by paper and pencil tests. Research method used; Scores achieved by the groups of children participating in the study; Key findings.

Research Background: In a changing environment, it is very important for the organizations to understand that the intellectual capital represents an asset for the organization, as it can impact its agility and performance. While previous research has explored the relationship between intellectual capital, agility, and performance, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge landscape and for the research trends when it comes to this topic. Thus, a bibliometric analysis offers a systematic and quantitative approach to map the intellectual structure, identify influential studies, and uncover emerging themes and gaps in the literature. Purpose of the article: The purpose of this research is to present a bibliometric analysis of the literature focusing on the impact of the intellectual capital in the organizational agility and performance. Methods: The methodology employed in this study is centered around a bibliometric analysis conducted using the specialized software VOSviewer. This analysis visually represents nine semantic clusters that depict the co-citation relationships among various concepts related to the search terms utilized, such as "intellectual capital," "performance," and "agility." The study utilized papers published in Scopus-indexed journals as the database. Findings and value added: The research paper's outcomes consist of graphical representations of the semantic clusters associated with the aforementioned search terms, alongside tables presenting content analysis of these clusters and other relevant publication data (e.g., top 10 countries contributing to the topic and document types retrieved). The findings unequivocally establish a significant correlation between innovation, intellectual capital, knowledge management, performance, and agility. This research makes a notable contribution as the first bibliometric analysis exploring the interrelation of intellectual capital, performance, and agility, as evidenced by the papers retrieved from the Scopus database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND CONTEXT The value of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is predicated on accurate diagnostic information and the clinical impact is contingent on effective action. Spontaneous electromyography (sEMG) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) have known limitations in diagnosing spinal nerve root motor dysfunction. In this study, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy and utility of MEPs during lumbosacral procedures in which there is elevated risk of L5 nerve root injury and consequent foot drop. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Posterior lumbosacral procedures involving the L5 vertebral level and monitored with MEPs, in mixed combination with sEMG and SSEPs, from October 2015 to October 2017 were reviewed retrospectively from a multi-institutional IONM database. Procedures involving thoracic levels, a lateral or oblique approach, pediatrics, tumors, or tethered cords were excluded. The diagnostic results of MEPs, sEMG, and SSEPs were calculated with respect to motor neurologic outcome in the immediate postoperative period. Positive diagnostic results were defined as unresolved SSEP or MEP alerts or episodes of sEMG reported to the surgeon. Fully resolved SSEP or MEP alerts, or no IONM alerts, were negative results. Deficit rates, sensitivities and specificities were calculated together with 95% Wilson confidence intervals (CIs); odds of new motor deficit were calculated using small-sample correction and Wald 95% CIs. In addition, the actions prompted by alerts were reviewed and grossly categorized as either (A) active surgical and/or pharmacological/physiological intervention, (B) patient repositioning, or (C) surgical pause. RESULTS There were 16 new onset motor deficits in 4,425 procedures (0.36%, Wilson 95% CI: [0.22, 0.59]). The sensitivity of MEPs was 93.8% [71.7, 99.7]. The sensitivities of sEMG and SSEPs were much lower, 18.8% [6.6, 43.0] and 37.5% [13.7, 69.4] respectively. MEP specificity was 97.2% [96.6, 97.6]. For unresolved MEP alerts (n=139), the rate of new motor deficit was 10.8% [6.6, 17.0]; relative to procedures with no alerts or fully resolved alerts, the odds of a new motor deficit were significantly increased (OR=257.1, Wald 95% CI: [65.9, 1918.8], p<.001]. Foot drop injuries were most common (n=11) and 44% of patients with unresolved tibialis anterior (TA) MEP alerts had new onset foot drop. There were no new motor deficits in cases with resolved MEP alerts (n=161). The response to alerts was muscle dependent. For resolved quadriceps MEP alerts, 70.0% were resolved after limb repositioning and only 3% required an active surgical response (surgical pause=27.0%). In contrast, for resolved alerts isolated to the gastrocnemius/foot muscles or to the tibialis anterior muscle, 52.7% were resolved by active surgical interventions and only 10.3% after limb repositioning (surgical pause=37.0%). CONCLUSIONS MEPs have excellent diagnostic accuracy during lumbosacral procedures involving the L5 vertebra. Unresolved TA MEP alerts are associated with a high incidence of foot drop injuries, but the resolution of MEP alerts has a demonstrable positive clinical impact. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the effect of dance and exercise on the health promotion of adults with mental health disorders. As mental health is a social issue, the characteristics of physical movement through dance and exercise were reviewed to find ways to effectively approach mental health services and treatment. Based on existing papers, a systematic review was conducted using Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus to comprehensively investigate and organise the correlation between physical movement and mental health, the characteristics of dance therapy, and psychotherapy of exercise. Studies have shown that dance and exercise therapy helps reduce side effects, relieve depression and anxiety from actual antipsychotics, and helps to recognise one's problems and increase the willingness to treat them. New therapy development according to the online era and limitations according to difficulty need to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dexterous manipulation of unknown objects performed by robots equipped with mechanical hands represents a critical challenge. The difficulties arise from the absence of a precise model of the manipulated objects, unpredictable environments, and limited sensing capabilities of the mechanical hands compared to human hands. This paper introduces a data-driven approach that provides a learning-based planner for dexterous manipulation employing an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) fed by data obtained from an analytical manipulation planner. ANFIS captures the complex relationships between inputs and optimal manipulation parameters. Moreover, during a training phase, it is able to fine-tune itself on the basis of its experiences. The proposed planner enables a robot to interact with objects of various shapes, sizes, and material properties while providing an adaptive solution for increasing robotic dexterity. The planner is validated in a real-world environment, applying an Allegro anthropomorphic robotic hand. A link to a video of the experiment is provided in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]