Conventional Programming Research Articles

Telerehabilitation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western India: A 3-month Follow-up Study

Abstract Introduction: India grapples with a mounting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) crisis driven by pervasive air pollution, especially from biomass burning. New Delhi’s classification as the capital with the worst pollution, with 35 other Indian cities in the global top 50, underscores the severity. COPD, the third-leading cause of global mortality, claimed 3.23 million lives in 2019, with a projected surge due to prevalent smoking and ongoing pollution. Domestically, COPD accounts for 9.5% of all deaths. Emphasizing the urgency of Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 to reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases, including chronic respiratory diseases, cost-effective pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), particularly telerehabilitation, emerges as a promising avenue for comprehensive COPD management in this challenging landscape. Methods: Patients with COPD (gold stages 1–3) confirmed by pulmonary function tests were enrolled. Functional exercise capacity, dyspnoea levels and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed using the 6-min walk test (6MWD), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnoea scale and SGRQ-C questionnaire, respectively. Participants received home-based PR and attended one 2-h PR session 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Follow-up was conducted telephonically monthly, and a final assessment was done at the end of the 3rd month. Results: Of the 88 initially recruited patients, 26 were lost to follow-up, leaving 62 who completed the 3-month programme. Significant improvements were observed in exercise tolerance (6-min walk test [6MWD]), with mean values increasing from 383.00 ± 71.22 to 441.3 ± 87.3 (P < 0.001). HRQoL, assessed by SGRQ-C, showed an overall improvement, with statistically significant reductions in total scores (42.15 ± 3.52–39.54 ± 3.41, P < 0.001) and in each domain (symptom, impact and activity). Conclusion: The study affirms telerehabilitation’s efficacy in enhancing exercise capacity and improving the quality of life for COPD patients, advocating its integration, particularly in regions with limited access to conventional rehabilitation programmes.

Developing agricultural pest management strategies with reduced-risks to surface water: An economic case study of California's Central Coast region

Pesticides are critical for protecting agricultural crops, but the off-site transport of these materials via spray drift and runoff poses risks to surface waters and aquatic life. California's Central Coast region is a major agricultural hub in the United States characterized by year-round production and intensive use of pesticides and other chemical inputs. As a result, the quality of many waterbodies in the region has been degraded. A recent regulatory program enacted by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board set new pesticide limits for waterways and imposed enhanced enforcement mechanisms to help ensure that water quality targets are met by specific dates. This regulatory program, however, does not mandate specific changes to pest management programs. In this study, we evaluate the economic, environmental, and pest management impacts of adopting two alternative pest management programs with reduced risks to surface water: 1) replacing currently used insecticide active ingredients (AIs) that pose the greatest risk to surface water with lower-risk alternatives and 2) converting conventional arthropod pest management programs to organic ones. We utilize pesticide use and toxicity data from California's Department of Pesticide Regulation to develop our baseline and two alternative scenarios. We focus on three crop groups (cole crops, lettuce and strawberry) due to their economic importance to the Central Coast and use of high-risk AIs. For Scenario 1, we estimate that implementing the alternative program in the years 2017–2019 would have reduced annual net returns on average by $90.26 – $190.54/ha, depending on the crop. Increased material costs accounted for the greatest share of this effect (71.9%–95.6%). In contrast, Scenario 2 would have reduced annual net returns on average by $5,628.12 – $18,708.28/ha during the study period, with yield loss accounting for the greatest share (92.8–97.9%). Both alternative programs would have reduced the associated toxic units by at least 98.1% compared to the baseline scenario. Our analysis provides important guidance for policymakers and agricultural producers looking to achieve environmental protection goals while minimizing economic impacts.

WITHDRAWN: Movements of blue shark (Prionace glauca) inferred from oceanographic conditions in the northeastern Pacific using conventional tagging.

Given that blue shark (Prionace glauca) is the most caught species in Northeast Pacific by the Mexican fleet in target and bycatch fisheries, it is essential to understand its movement behavior under mesoscale oceanographic conditions to maintain a sustainable fishery. Through the initiative of the conventional shark tagging program in the artisanal fleet for research purposes in the region, this program is being expanded to cover a larger area in the Northeast Pacific Ocean through the support of the industrial fleet. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to verify the differences in size and sex of conventionally tagged blue sharks with respect to the type of hooks where they were caught. The horizontal distribution and effect of environmental-oceanographic variables on the yield of conventional tagging using the generalized additive model (GAM) were also examined. In the 2010-2018 period, 870 blue sharks were tagged by the artisanal and industrial fleets, of which 8.4% were recovered, showing that the size of the sharks is conditioned to the fishing area of each fleet, but not to the type of hook used. Their movements reflected a horizontal distribution with no fixed course but preferring temperate anomaly waters, mainly near cyclonic eddies. Assessing that the best tagging yield was proportional to the abundance, the GAM confirmed that the explanatory variables (Lat-Long, Year, Curl, Lunar Index, SSTa and Douglas sea scale) have explained 41.9% of the total deviance, whereof spatial interaction with both fleets was the main predictor followed by Year which was influenced by climatic events.

ANALYSIS OF CAUSES AND POSTOPERATIVE RECOVERY OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY CAUSED BY AEROBICS IN KNEE JOINTS

Background: During the process of aerobic exercise, there are a lot of jumping and split movements, which can easily cause anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the knee joint. After undergoing ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgery, postoperative recovery is crucial. Currently, many methods have been applied, but research on water exercise is still limited. Purpose: This paper aims to understand the role of water exercise in the recovery of athletic ability after ACLR and provide guidance for athletes’ postoperative rehabilitation. Methods: Forty athletes with ACL injuries caused by aerobics practice or competition and undergoing surgery were randomly assigned to either group A or group B. The former received six weeks of a conventional postoperative recovery program, and the latter received six weeks of a water exercise postoperative recovery program. Knee joint range of motion (ROM), swelling value, visual analog scale (VAS) score, knee joint function score, and passive angle reproduction (PAR) were measured before and after the experiment. Results: After six weeks of recovery, the knee ROM was [Formula: see text], the swelling value was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm, the VAS score was [Formula: see text], the Lysholm score was [Formula: see text], and the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score was [Formula: see text] in group B, which were significantly lower than those before recovery and those in group A ([Formula: see text]). After recovery, the PAR of the affected side was still different from that of the healthy side in the two groups ([Formula: see text]), but the PAR of group B was better than that of group A ([Formula: see text]). Conclusion: Compared to the conventional program, the water exercise-based postoperative recovery program demonstrates better performance in improving knee joint ROM, functionality, and proprioception, and can be used for practical post-ACLR rehabilitation.

A novel model-based welding trajectory planning method for identical structural workpieces

Welding robots have been widely used with the development of manufacturing industry. At present, welding trajectory planning and programming of welding robots are performed separately for similar (structural) workpieces with different dimensions or deformations. Besides, the welding torch pose planning using conventional robot programming methods is time-consuming for workpieces with complex welding trajectories. To realize automatic planning of the welding torch pose for similar workpieces and improve the programming efficiency of welding robots, we propose a novel model-based welding trajectory planning method for welding robots. We create a basic model (point set) containing information on welding seam trajectory planning for similar workpieces. The welding seam trajectory extraction of similar workpieces is achieved by the non-rigid point set registration of the feature point cloud of similar workpieces with the basic model. Then, the welding torch pose planning is implemented by the geometric projection method of the local point cloud of the welding seam trajectory. Finally, the results of offline experiments and online experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Learning Abstraction Selection for Bayesian Program Analysis

We propose a learning-based approach to select abstractions for Bayesian program analysis. Bayesian program analysis converts a program analysis into a Bayesian model by attaching probabilities to analysis rules. It computes probabilities of analysis results and can update them by learning from user feedback, test runs, and other information. Its abstraction heavily affects how well it learns from such information. There exists a long line of works in selecting abstractions for conventional program analysis but they are not effective for Bayesian program analysis. This is because they do not optimize for generalization ability. We propose a data-driven framework to solve this problem by learning from labeled programs. Starting from an abstraction, it decides how to change the abstraction based on analysis derivations. To be general, it considers graph properties of analysis derivations; to be effective, it considers the derivations before and after changing the abstraction. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach using a datarace analysis and a thread-escape analysis.

Improving walking via real-time visual feedback after stroke in treadmill training (RE-VISIT): a protocol for randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: After a stroke, most patients often suffer reduced walking ability and balance. Restoring walking ability and improving balance are major goals of stroke rehabilitation. Treadmills are often used in clinical setups to achieve these goals. Adding dimensions to the visual feedback in addition to the mirror for real-time frontal view is proven to enhance the gait. It is, therefore, important to design additional real-time visual feedback in treadmill training, in particular for the sagittal view involved side. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to test if the real-time sagittal visual feedback during treadmill training is superior to the conventional mirror feedback treadmill training program of equivalent intensity in improving walking speed and balance after stroke. METHODS/DESIGN: The RE-VISIT trial (Real-time Visual feedback after Stroke in Treadmill training) is registered in the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2023/10/058299). In this two-arm randomized control trial, which will be a single-blinded study, 42 eligible stroke survivors undergoing rehabilitation will be randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) to either real-time visual sagittal feedback along with front mirror (experimental) group or only front mirror treadmill training (control) group, all the participants will receive 15 sessions of treadmill training for up to 15 min at a safe self-selected speed over 5-6 weeks. The RE-VISIT (experimental) group will receive real-time, visual sagittal view feedback of the involved lower limb trajectory along with the routine front mirror view during treadmill training and will be asked to modify their gait pattern. The control group will receive treadmill walking training only with the routine front mirror view feedback. Clinical and gait assessments will be conducted at the baseline, immediately following the final session of training, and at the 9th week during follow-up. The outcome measures of interest are walking speed (primary) and balance (secondary), which will be measured prior to baseline, post 15 sessions of training, and at the 9th week following training. DISCUSSION: This REVISIT trial will provide insight and contribute to the existing innovation and modifications of incorporating real-time visual feedback during treadmill training in post-stroke gait rehabilitation. The findings will help the better designing of a gait rehabilitation program with a treadmill for post-stroke subjects to improve walking speed, and balance for those who have greater difficulties in community ambulation. We anticipate that those in the REVISIT training will demonstrate improved walking ability.

Data-Driven Enterprise Architecture for Pharmaceutical R&D

This paper addresses the research gap in the realm of data-driven transformation by leveraging the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory and the dynamic capabilities concept to the contours of a data-driven enterprise. It confronts the limitations of conventional digital and data transformation programs, which often prioritize technological enhancements over crucial organizational and cultural shifts. Proposing a more holistic perspective, the Data-Driven Enterprise Architecture Framework (DDA) is introduced, emphasizing the domain decomposition and productization of an architecture, distributed ownership, and federated governance, while ensuring the continuous harmonization of data, application, and business architecture. A case study featuring a leading pharmaceutical company illustrates the practical implementation of the DDA framework as a pillar of their Digital Transformation Strategy. By integrating scalable and distributed data architecture into the overarching Enterprise Architecture landscape, the company has initiated their data-driven transformation journey, showcased through their initial and very early results. This research not only offers valuable insights for pharmaceutical organizations navigating the complexities of data-driven transformations, but also addresses a research gap in the field.

THE EFFECTS OF TRANSCUTANEOUS AURICULAR VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION ON NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY, GRIP STRENGTH, PAIN, AND UPPER EXTREMITY FUNCTIONALITY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on key parameters, including nerve conduction velocity, grip strength, pain, and upper extremity functionality in individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Methods: The study involved 51 patients (90 hands) diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, comprising 12 males and 39 females, ranging in age from 18 to 58 years. Participants were divided into groups by random randomization method. Sensory branch conduction velocity of the median nerve was assessed via electromyography (EMG), hand grip strength was measured using a digital dynamometer, and pain intensity was quantified with a visual analog scale (VAS); additionally, upper extremity functionality was evaluated using the Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) scale before and after the treatment. In the experimental group, in addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, 10 sessions of auricular vagus nerve stimulation were administered; for the sham and control groups, the conventional physiotherapy program alone was conducted over the course of 10 sessions. Results: The analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups concerning variables such as body mass index (BMI), age, gender, educational background, and smoking status (p>0.05). However, within-group evaluations exhibited significant differences compared to baseline values in terms of nerve conduction velocity, pain perception, and upper extremity functionality, with no such difference observed in grip strength (p

Reviewing the essential roles of remote phenotyping, GWAS and explainable AI in practical marker-assisted selection for drought-tolerant winter wheat breeding.

Marker-assisted selection (MAS) plays a crucial role in crop breeding improving the speed and precision of conventional breeding programmes by quickly and reliably identifying and selecting plants with desired traits. However, the efficacy of MAS depends on several prerequisites, with precise phenotyping being a key aspect of any plant breeding programme. Recent advancements in high-throughput remote phenotyping, facilitated by unmanned aerial vehicles coupled to machine learning, offer a non-destructive and efficient alternative to traditional, time-consuming, and labour-intensive methods. Furthermore, MAS relies on knowledge of marker-trait associations, commonly obtained through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to understand complex traits such as drought tolerance, including yield components and phenology. However, GWAS has limitations that artificial intelligence (AI) has been shown to partially overcome. Additionally, AI and its explainable variants, which ensure transparency and interpretability, are increasingly being used as recognised problem-solving tools throughout the breeding process. Given these rapid technological advancements, this review provides an overview of state-of-the-art methods and processes underlying each MAS, from phenotyping, genotyping and association analyses to the integration of explainable AI along the entire workflow. In this context, we specifically address the challenges and importance of breeding winter wheat for greater drought tolerance with stable yields, as regional droughts during critical developmental stages pose a threat to winter wheat production. Finally, we explore the transition from scientific progress to practical implementation and discuss ways to bridge the gap between cutting-edge developments and breeders, expediting MAS-based winter wheat breeding for drought tolerance.

Distributionally robust chance-constrained optimization with Gaussian mixture ambiguity set

Conventional chance-constrained programming methods suffer from the inexactness of the estimated probability distribution of the underlying uncertainty from data. To this end, a distributionally robust approach to the problem allows for a level of ambiguity considered around a reference distribution. In this work, we propose a novel formulation for the distributionally robust chance-constrained programming problem using an ambiguity set constructed from a variant of optimal transport distance that was developed for Gaussian Mixture Models. We show that for multimodal process uncertainty, our proposed method provides an effective way to incorporate statistical moment information into the ambiguity set construction step, thus leading to improved optimal solutions. We illustrate the performance of our method on a numerical example as well as a chemical process case study. We show that our proposed methodology leverages the multimodal characteristics from the uncertainty data to give superior performance over the traditional Wasserstein distance-based method.

Effects of participatory action-oriented training (PAOT) intervention for hypertension management among intercity van drivers.

This study aims to evaluated the effectiveness of participatory action-oriented training (PAOT) intervention for hypertension management among intercity van drivers. This quasi-experimental study applied concept and process of participatory actionoriented training and self-management to guide the development of the intervention addressing improvement in hypertension management behaviors. A total of 104 intercity van drivers with uncontrolled hypertension in Thailand were recruited to participate in this program. The intervention group (N = 52) received PAOT program, while the control group (N = 52) received conventional program. Data on hypertension management behaviors, and blood pressure were measured at baseline, 1 month and 3 months after intervention. At 3 months after intervention, hypertension management behavior, and systolic blood pressure were significantly different between 2 groups (p < 0.05). This PAOT was found to be feasible and could potentially improve hypertension management, and blood pressure level of intercity van drivers. The program should be applied in further studies with other workplaces in both formal and informal sectors with different characteristics and other health issues. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(2):194-204.

The psychological well-being index and quality of life after a cardiac rehabilitation program based on aerobic training and psychosocial support

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the physical and psychological benefits of an alternative cardiac rehabilitation program based on therapeutic groups during physical exercise sessions and to compare the results with those of a conventional cardiac rehabilitation program. MethodThe sample included 112 patients from the cardiac rehabilitation unit of a medical center, 91.1 % of whom were male. The control group consisted of 47 subjects, with a mean age of 57.89 ± 12.30 and the experimental group consisted of 65 subjects, with a mean age of M = 58.38 ± 9.86. Quality of life, psychological well-being, health-related quality of life, body mass index, blood pressure, abdominal circumference and resting heart rate were measured before starting and at the end of the cardiac rehabilitation program. ResultsThe experimental group improved significantly more than the control group in body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, abdominal circumference, and resting heart rate (p value < 0.005). In addition, the experimental group had significantly greater improvements in quality of life, psychological well-being, and health-related quality of life than the control group (p-value < 0.001). ConclusionsA cardiac rehabilitation program based on simultaneous aerobic training and psychosocial support improved the physical function, health-related quality of life and well-being.

Effectiveness of Shoulder Taping in Treating Hemiplegic Shoulder Subluxation: A Randomized Controlled Study of 35 Patients.

BACKGROUND Shoulder subluxation in patients with stroke impairs recovery and quality of life. Kinesiology tape is elastic and water-resistant, is commonly used to prevent musculoskeletal injury, and is increasing in use for rehabilitation of patients requiring neurological or physical rehabilitation. This study included 35 patients with shoulder subluxation following stroke and aimed to compare outcomes from standard physical therapy with and without shoulder kinesiology taping. MATERIAL AND METHODS This randomized controlled study involved 35 participants. The patients were randomized into a shoulder kinesiology taping group (n=18) or sham taping group (n=17). All patients underwent a conventional rehabilitation exercise program 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Half of the patients underwent shoulder kinesiology taping, and the other half underwent sham taping. Pre- and post-assessment scores were recorded for all participants for shoulder subluxation distance (SSD), active range of motion (AROM), visual analog scale (VAS), shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI), and modified Barthel index (MBI). RESULTS After the intervention, SSD, AROM, VAS, SPADI, and MBI improved significantly in the shoulder kinesiology taping and sham taping groups (P<0.05). Also, the shoulder kinesiology taping group showed more effective changes in SSD, AROM, VAS, SPADI, and MBI than the sham taping group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the shoulder kinesiology taping is effective in improving SSD, AROM, VAS, SPADI, and MBI in patients with hemiplegic shoulder subluxation.

Use of a precision feeding program during gestation improves the performance of high-producing sows

Current gestating sow feeding strategies are based on using a single diet regardless of parity or gestation stage. Precision feeding (PF) of the individual sows allows dynamic changes in amino acid and energy requirements throughout gestation. The hypothesis of the study was that meeting the daily predicted amino acid and energy demands of gestating sows using a mathematical model and automatic precision feeder to establish the nutrition programs, would improve reproductive and productive performance compared to conventional feeding programs. Seventy-five mixed-parity sows were distributed among 3 treatments. A treatment managed as flat curve (FLAT: 2.1 kg/d, 1 – 110 d), a high-low-high curve (HLH: 2.2 kg/d, 1 – 49 d; 2.0 kg/d, 50 – 84 d; 2.6 kg/d, 85 – 110 d), where sows received the same diet with 3.2 Mcal/kg of metabolizable energy (ME) and 0.7 g/kg of standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine. For the PF treatment, feeding level and blend of 2 basal diets (3.0 Mcal/kg of ME; 8.0 and 2.0 g/kg of SID lysine for high and low lysine, respectively) was adjusted daily for each sow to accurately meet estimated amino acid and energy requirements based on live weight, gestation stage and parity. Sows fed PF were heavier on d 110 of gestation (P = 0.011) and tended to increase total number of born (P = 0.092) and born alive (P = 0.077). Sows fed PF showed a higher litter weight (P = 0.003) at birth, lower lactation feed intake (P = 0.010), higher milk yield (P = 0.043) and a larger litter size (P = 0.050). Precision feeding sows also presented an improved maternal transformation index (P = 0.013) when compared to HLH and FLAT. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the application of PF strategies based on daily nutrient adjustments is highly beneficial for high-producing sows to support the dynamic needs for nutrient availability for the sow´s body growth, mammary gland and fetal development.

Combined Effect of Shock Wave to Conventional Physical Therapy Program on Wrist Joint Pain Intensity in Treatment of Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex

Combined Effect of Shock Wave to Conventional Physical Therapy Program on Wrist Joint Pain Intensity in Treatment of Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex

Effects of core stabilization exercises in patients with non-specific low back pain: Huber Motion Lab versus conventional

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effects of core stabilization exercises with Huber® Motion Lab on pain, depression, and activity levels in patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP). Materials and methods: In this study, 30 patients with non-specific LBP were allocated either to an experimental or to a control group. Both groups received a conventional physiotherapy program for 15 sessions. In addition, the control group performed 30 minutes of core stabilization exercises on the floor, whereas the experimental group used the Huber® Motion Lab device. The main outcome measures were pain severity (Visual Analogue Scale VAS), depression (Beck Depression Inventory BDI), and disability level (Oswestry Disability Index ODI) that were performed on the first and the last day of the program. Results: At the end of the program, all outcome measures improved significantly in both groups (p &lt; 0.001). Between-group comparison of mean change score revealed significantly greater improvements regarding VAS (7.40vs4.23), BDI (29.52vs13.81), and ODI score (51.78vs25.29) for the experimental group compared to the control group (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: For patients in this study with non-specific LBP, both with and without Huber® Motion Lab, core stabilization exercises in addition to a physiotherapy program were beneficial in terms of pain severity, depression, and disability level in favor of Huber® Motion Lab.

Effect of Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Programme on Playfulness in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: To investigate the effect of cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) programme on playfulness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Material and Methods: Seventy Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder participants (N=70), aged between 6-8 years were recruited from a local community-based setting. The children were divided into an experimental (n=35) and a control group (n=35). The experimental group participants received CO-OP and the control group participants received the conventional occupational therapy programme; for 12 weeks. The test on playfulness was used to measure playfulness in children.Results: There were statistically significant differences between pretest and post-test scores of the test of playfulness (TOP) in the experimental group (p-value≤0.05) components of: Extent, Intensity and Skillfulness, and there were statistically significant differences between pretest and post-test group of TOP in the control group (p-value≤0.05) in Intensity and Skillfulness. There was no statistically significant difference in pretest and post-test scores of TOP in the component of Extent. Further analysis revealed that clinically there was significant differences in the post-test scores of TOP between the control and experimental group components of Extent, Intensity and Skillfulness.Conclusion: CO-OP was effective in improving playfulness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Effectiveness of a high-intensity laser for improving hemiplegic shoulder dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial

Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is a common complication that occurs after stroke and has been reported in up to 84% of hemiplegic patients. One of the recommended treatment options for shoulder pain is high-intensity laser therapy (HILT). This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy on pain, function and hand grip strength in patients with hemiplegic shoulder dysfunction. Forty-four hemiplegic patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 (study group, n = 22) received 3 HILT sessions a week for three weeks in combination with three sessions of therapeutic exercise per week for three weeks, and Group 2 (control group, n = 22) received a conventional exercise program for HSP three times a week for three weeks. Shoulder pain was evaluated using the McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), the functional outcome of the shoulder was evaluated with the University of California–Los Angeles functional scale (UCLA), and handgrip strength was evaluated with a hydraulic hand dynamometer. The increase in the UCLA scores and the decrease in the MPQ scores after treatment were significant in the study group (p < 0.001) as well as in the control group (p < 0.05) in comparison with the pretreatment between-group comparison. Additionally, the increase in hand grip strength was significant in both groups after treatment (p < 0.001). The study group showed significant improvement over the control group with respect to the UCLA score, handgrip strength, and MPQ score (p < 0.001). HILT combined with therapeutic exercise provides greater improvement than therapeutic exercise alone in terms of hemiplegic shoulder pain, dysfunction, and handgrip strength.

Pain Neuroscience Education Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair for Patients With Rotator Cuff Tears: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

This trial examines the efficacy of the pain neuroscience education on clinical outcomes in patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. A total of 36 participants undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were assigned to either the experimental group ( n = 18) or control group ( n = 18) in this randomized study. A 6-wk-long conventional physiotherapy program was administered for both groups. In addition, a pain neuroscience education protocol was administered for the experimental group for a whole period of 6 wks (1 session/week, 15-60 mins per session). The primary outcomes were to compare pretreatment and posttreatment scores of the experimental versus control groups on the pain and disability. Our secondary outcomes included the comparisons of scores on the catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, kinesiophobia, and quality of life. The participants were assessed both at baseline and posttreatment. The improvement in pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, and kinesiophobia was greater in the experimental group ( P < 0.05). The improvement was similar in both groups in terms of the rest of outcome measures. This study showed that the pain neuroscience education improved only psychological aspects of the chronic pain in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Therefore, adding pain neuroscience education to the conventional program might be useful to improve pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, and kinesiophobia in patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.