Motor Tests Research Articles

Effects of Glechoma longituba (Nakai) Kuprian on Motor and Cognitive Functions in a Traumatic Brain Injury Mice Model

Background Glechoma longituba (Nakai) Kuprian (GL) is primarily used to treat urinary tract infections and traumatic injuries in traditional medicine in East Asia. Various components of GL are reported to show beneficial activities on brain diseases, including cerebral infarction and brain trauma. We hypothesized that GL extract may potentially have a beneficial effect against traumatic brain injury (TBI) animal model. Purpose This study aims to investigate the effects of GL extract on TBI mouse model. Materials and Methods The water extract of GL (GLDW) was obtained by boiling with water. The TBI model was established using ICR mice with controlled cortical impact injury. The experimental groups were divided into sham, control, and three GLDW groups (30–300 mg/kg p.o.). Brain damage, neuronal density, and activated microglial density were evaluated. Motor functional deficits were evaluated using Rotarod test and Balance beam test, and cognitive functional deficits were done using novel object recognition (NOR) test and Y-maze test. Result Oral administration of GLDW did not reduce brain damage or neuronal death. However, it improved motor and cognitive functions in a dose-dependent manner in both motor tests and NOR test except Y-maze test. Conclusion GLDW can improve the impairment of motor and cognitive functions induced by TBI, but it does not have a protective effect against brain damage and neuronal death. Further studies are necessary in order to investigate the mechanisms GLDW’s functional recovery effect on TBI.

Smartphone automated motor and speech analysis for early detection of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease: Validation of TapTalk across 20 different devices.

Smartphones are proving useful in assessing movement and speech function in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Valid outcomes across different smartphones are needed before population-level tests are deployed. This study introduces the TapTalk protocol, a novel app designed to capture hand and speech function and validate it in smartphones against gold-standard measures. Twenty different smartphones collected video data from motor tests and audio data from speech tests. Features were extracted using Google Mediapipe (movement) and Python audio analysis packages (speech). Electromagnetic sensors (60Hz) and a microphone acquired simultaneous movement and voice data, respectively. TapTalk video and audio outcomes were comparable to gold-standard data: 90.3% of video, and 98.3% of audio, data recorded tapping/speech frequencies within±1Hz of the gold-standard measures. Validation of TapTalk across a range of devices is an important step in the development of smartphone-based telemedicine and was achieved in this study. TapTalk evaluates hand motor and speechfunctions across a wide range of smartphones.Data showed 90.3% motor and 98.3% speech accuracy within +/-1Hz of gold standards.Validation advances smartphone-based telemedicine for neurodegenerative diseases.

Mical1 deletion in tyrosinase expressing cells affects mouse running gaits.

Neuronal development is a highly regulated process that is dependent on the correct coordination of cellular responses to extracellular cues. In response to semaphorin axon guidance proteins, the MICAL1 protein is stimulated to produce reactive oxygen species that oxidize actin on specific methionine residues, leading to filamentous actin depolymerization and consequent changes in neuronal growth cone dynamics. Crossing genetically modified mice homozygous for floxed Mical1 (Mical1fl/fl) alleles with transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of a tyrosinase gene enhancer/promoter (Tyr::Cre) enabled conditional Mical1 deletion. Immunohistochemical analysis showed Mical1 expression in the cerebellum, which plays a prominent role in the coordination of motor movements, with reduced Mical1 expression in Mical1fl/fl mice co-expressing Tyr::Cre. Analysis of the gaits of mice running on a treadmill showed that both male and female Mical1fl/fl, Tyr::Cre mutant mice had significant alterations to their striding patterns relative to wild-type mice, although the specific aspects of their altered gaits differed between the sexes. Additional motor tests that involved movement on a rotating rod, descending a vertical pole, or crossing a balance beam did not show significant differences between the genotypes, suggesting that the effect of the Mical1fl/fl, Tyr::Cre genetic modifications was only manifested during specific highly coordinated movements that contribute to running. These findings indicate that there is a behavioral consequence in Mical1fl/fl, Tyr::Cre mutant mice that affects motor control as manifested by alterations in their gait.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ИНТЕРАКТИВНОГО ФИЗКУЛЬТУРНОГО КОМПЛЕКСА НА РЕАБИЛИТАЦИЮ ДЕТЕЙ С ЗАДЕРЖКОЙ ПСИХИЧЕСКОГО РАЗВИТИЯ

An urgent issue today is the increase in the number of children with mental retardation. Statistics from the last five years show that more than 20% of children are born with lesions of the central nervous system. Perinatal pathology leads to a delay in mental and motor development and subsequently contributes to the risk of children's academic failure, maladjustment and social deviation. For a comprehensive solution to the problem, rehabilitation methods should be correctly selected, aimed at improving mental functions, developing physical qualities and forming motor skills. The purpose of the study is to study the effectiveness of an interactive physical education complex in the rehabilitation of children with mental retardation. The results obtained made it possible to identify the effectiveness of the use of a non–drug rehabilitation method - an interactive physical education complex for the development of cognitive functions and physical qualities of primary school children with mental retardation. To identify the level of logical thinking, the "Exclusion of excess" method was used, dexterity of movements was assessed by the "Darts" test, communicative activity was identified using a questionnaire for parents using the Makarchuk A.V., Gorinova E.V. method, large hand motor skills were assessed by a functional motor test, fine hand motor skills were assessed by the Grizik T.I., Tymoshchuk L.F. method. In the study of logical thinking in children after the rehabilitation course, an increase in the average values of the indicator was revealed in the main group, there were no changes in the control group. The results of the dexterity assessment test showed that after rehabilitation, the average values of the indicator increased only in the main group where the interactive complex was used. When evaluating communicative activity, it was revealed that when comparing groups, no changes were found in the average values of the indicator, however, the level of social interaction in the main group moved from "average" to "high" on a point scale, in the control group the level remained the same. When evaluating large hand motor skills, it was revealed that after rehabilitation in the main group, in which an interactive physical education complex was used, the average values of the indicator increased and began to correspond to the assessment "good", in the control group the indicator did not change – the assessment "satisfactory". In the study of fine motor skills, an increase in the average values in the main group was revealed: from the level of "poor development" to the level of "insufficiently good development", there were no changes in the control group. Thus, the interactive physical education complex increases the indicators of logical thinking, dexterity of movements, large and small hand motor skills and improves the level of communicative activity.

Correlation between social intelligence and motor development of children in the 4.0 era

Social intelligence and motor skills are essential for a child's development. This study in the Sleman Regency investigates the relationship between social intelligence and motor skills development in 170 primary school students. The data collection instruments included a Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS-T), a questionnaire, and Nurhasan’s motor ability test. The data used meet the normality and linearity conditions, as indicated by the coefficients of 0.721 and 0.108, each greater than 0.05, respectively. The results show that 71.17% of the sampled students have above-average social intelligence (SI). The sampled children’s SI can be grouped into very good (top 10%), good (next 18.82%), average (middle 42.35%), poor (next 25.29%), and extremely poor (bottom 25.29%); the respondents' rates in each category are as mentioned. Regarding motor development, 8.24% of the students were categorised as very good, 20.59% as good, 36.47% as average, 32.35% as poor, and 2.35% as extremely poor. The study found a moderate positive correlation (r value of 0.344) between social intelligence and motor development. With the determinant R2=0.118, given the variable indicators, high importance on communication and physical interaction explains at least 11.8% of the variation in the students’ motor skills development. The researchers recommend that further studies on the habits of electronic gadget usage by the sampled children be carried out to shed light on unexploited frontiers for children with poor and extremely poor social intelligence.

Which muscle is the external rotation compensator after superior capsular reconstruction?

BackgroundSuperior capsular reconstruction (SCR) is a surgical option for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears, particularly involving the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. In this procedure, the torn infraspinatus is not repaired or reconstructed. However, an improvement in postoperative external rotation (ER) angle and strength is observed. There is a lack of studies explaining how ER is restored after SCR. The aim of this study is to identify the ER compensator by assessing the muscle volume of the posterior deltoid and teres minor. MethodsSixty-eight patients with massive rotator cuff tears underwent SCR during 2016-2021. Of these patients, 28 who met the following inclusion criteria were retrospectively reviewed: (1) massive rotator cuff tears including the supraspinatus and infraspinatus; (2) severe muscle atrophy and fatty change; (3) intact or reparable subscapularis tendon; (4) Hamada of grade 3 or lower. Posterior deltoid and teres minor volume were measured by using an open-source medical image processing software preoperatively and 1-year postoperatively. The percentage of the posterior deltoid and teres minor muscle volume change was compared between patients with 1-year postoperative ER manual motor testing (MMT) of grade 5 and of grade < 5. The relationship between grade of fatty change, percentage of the muscle volume change, and ER angle and strength were evaluated. ResultsThere was a significant increase in the 1-year postoperative teres minor volume compared with the preoperative volume (24.6±10.3 cm³ versus 20.9±8.3 cm³, p<0.000), while the posterior deltoid volume remained unchanged (178.1±48.3 cm³ versus 178.8±47 cm³). Patients with ER MMT of grade 5 had a greater teres minor volume compared to those with an ER MMT grade of less than 5 (22.3% versus 9.4%), although this difference was not significant (p=0.074, 95% CI=-1.3–27.0). The posterior deltoid volume showed no significant change. The percentage of teres minor volume change had a weak positive correlation with ER strength (r=0.308, p=0.055, 95% CI=-0.02–1.0). There was a significant negative correlation between ER strength and the severity of both preoperative and postoperative fatty changes in the teres minor (r=-0.258, p=0.065, 95% CI=-1.0–-0.042 and r=-0.323, p=0.028, 95% CI=-1.0–-0.113, respectively). The pre- and postoperative fatty changes in the teres minor were negatively correlated with the percentage of teres minor volume change (r=-0.298, p=0.062, 95% CI=-1.0–0.031 and r=-0.413, p=0.015, 95% CI=-1.0–-0.1, respectively). ConclusionThe teres minor may serve as a potential compensator for ER in patients with massive rotator cuff tears following SCR.

Descriptive Study of the Influence of Foot Type on Physical Characteristics, Laxity, Strength and Baropodometry in Children Aged 5 to 10 Years

Background: Foot morphology in children is a crucial factor influencing multiple aspects of their physical development. Between the ages of 5 and 10 years, the critical period of child development is when the movement and stability patterns are consolidated that can affect their long-term physical performance and quality of life. The aim of this study is to analyze how the type of foot influences different physical characteristics, laxity, strength, motor tests, and baropodometric variables in children aged 5 to 10 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 196 children was conducted. Different physical characteristics, laxity, strength, motor tests, and baropodometric variables of the sample were analyzed for age and Foot Posture Index (FPI). Results: Differences in all variables were examined by age and FPI. Statistical analysis showed a moderate to high correlation (r &gt; 0.6, p &lt; 0.01) between FPI and the relaxed calcaneal stance position (RCSP) test. Some significant differences were also found in variables related to foot pronation and supination. These results provide valuable information for understanding differences in motor and functional development during childhood and pre-adolescence. Conclusions: The findings highlight the variability in physical and functional development between age and foot type groups, highlighting the importance of considering these differences in the assessment and management of foot-related conditions and biomechanics in childhood. Foot type significantly influences children’s growth and development.

Motor deficits and brain pathology in the Parkinson's disease mouse model hA53Ttg.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates. The A53T missense point mutation occurs in autosomal dominant familial PD and has been found to promote the aggregation of α-syn. To investigate the role of the A53T mutation in PD, researchers have developed various mouse models with this mutation. We therefore conducted a comprehensive characterization of the tg(THY1-SNCA*A53T)M53Sud mouse model (hA53Ttg mice) for its motor and pathological features. hA53Ttg mice were tested for motor impairments in a series of motor tests at 2, 4 or 6 months of age. Human α-syn and α-syn pSer129, as well as GFAP and Iba1 signal were labeled and quantified in the cortex, hippocampus, and brainstem. Neurofilament light chain (NF-L) levels were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. Ex vivo analyses were performed at the age of 2, 4, 6, and 10 months. Behavioral tests revealed early muscle weakness and motor impairments that progressed with age. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated elevated levels of human α-syn and α-syn pSer129 in all evaluated brain regions. α-syn pSer129 labeling further revealed fiber-like structures in the cortex of older animals. Neuroinflammation was observed in an age-dependent manner. Biochemical evaluation revealed elevated NF-L levels in the plasma and CSF. Overall, our findings highlight the value of hA53Ttg mice in modeling PD-associated pathologies that closely resemble those observed in PD patients. Our results thus suggest that hA53Ttg mice are a useful tool for studying the underlying mechanisms of PD.

Physiological Profile Assessment and Self-Measurement of Healthy Students through Remote Protocol during COVID-19 Lockdown.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behaviors, negatively impacting mental and physical health. Engaging in physical activity at home during quarantine became essential to counteracting these adverse effects. To develop appropriate physical activity programs, assessing individuals' fitness levels and the impact of inactivity is crucial. This study aims to compare motor abilities-including flexibility, balance, reaction time, cardiovascular endurance, and lower and upper limb strength-assessed both in-person and remotely, to determine the accuracy and repeatability of self-administered tests. Methods: A total of 35 young subjects (age 24.2 ± 1.97 years, BMI 22.4 ± 2.61 kg/m2) participated in this study. Each participant underwent a battery of motor ability tests designed to assess various fitness components. The tests were administered twice for each subject: once in a laboratory setting and once remotely at home. The sequence of tests was randomly assigned to ensure unbiased results. Both the in-person and remote assessments were used to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of self-administered tests. Results: The comparison of test results between the laboratory and remote settings revealed percentage differences ranging from 5% to 10%. This variation is considered an acceptable margin of error, suggesting that the tests conducted remotely were relatively accurate when compared to those performed in a controlled laboratory environment. Conclusions: The findings indicate that remote fitness testing is a promising method for evaluating motor abilities. With an acceptable margin of error, remote assessments can be effectively used to personalize training programs based on individuals' physiological characteristics. This approach may be particularly beneficial during times of limited access to fitness facilities, such as during quarantine, or for individuals seeking more flexible fitness evaluation methods.

ADAPTATION OF NAVAL PENTATHLON ATHLETES TO PHYSICAL TRAINING

Rationally planned training leads to adaptation and progress, and irrational planning leads to disruption of the course of adaptation reactions and overwork. For a rational periodization it is very important to identify training concepts based on detailed analysis of fatigue development mechanisms. Proper planning and execution of training will result in an increase in effort capacity. Adaptation, viewed from a biological point of view, is a complex defense mechanism against the demands caused by environmental changes. This requires an adequate response of the organism to environmental conditions in order to survive under the new conditions. For sports training, adaptation refers to the set of transformations that the athlete's body undergoes in training, in order to develop a superior state of bio-psycho-motor balance, materialized in the easy execution of a task. Research objectives: Initial evaluation of subjects; Development of the training program; Evaluation of the level of adaptation to physical effort obtained from specific naval pentathlon training; Development of a training planning model, allowing the improvement of physical effort capacity by means specific to the naval pentathlon. Methods: The research carried out started from the premise that the appropriate use of training means specific to the naval pentathlon can lead to an improvement of the effort capacity of military students, which fully satisfies their performance needs in fulfilling combat missions arising from the graduate's model. At a preliminary stage of the research, by applying general physical training tests, we obtained an initial assessment of the research subjects. These data were a benchmark in developing the training program and setting effort parameters. The training plan thus designed contains training sessions specific to naval pentathlon trials, adapted to the normal conditions of the naval academy training process. Results: The comparative analysis of the results, based on mathematical-statistical and graphical methods, reveals significant increases in performance recorded in the final testing stage. The dynamics of the results demonstrates a significant evolution of the results of the experimental group carried out during the training program, carried out according to the designed model. This confirms to us the effectiveness of applying the training program. The statistical results confirm a very good evolution of the results for the general motor tests and for the Ruffier test. Conclusions: Regular exercise is a particularly important stimulus for adaptation. Sports training, by its specific means, aims to increase the level of performance. In order to achieve this objective, it is necessary to apply a well-defined programme in great detail. Effective training requires constant variability in programming. In addition, in order to maximize the positive transfer of training, the means used in the training lesson should be as close as possible to the characteristics of the effort. Because of this, there is a permanent conflict in training programming, between diversity and specificity. This conflict can only be successfully managed through professional intervention on the part of the coach and involvement of the athlete according to training requirements.

Hematopoietic Endothelial Progenitor cells enhance motor function and cortical motor map integrity following cerebral ischemia.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are recruited to ischemic areas in the brain and contribute to improved functional outcome in animals. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms of improvement following HSC administration post cerebral ischemia. To better understand how HSC effect post-stroke improvement, we examined the effect of HSC in ameliorating motor impairment and cortical dysfunction following cerebral ischemia. Baseline motor performance of male adult rats was established on validated motor tests. Animals were assigned to one of three experimental cohorts: control, stroke, stroke + HSC. One, three and five weeks following a unilateral stroke all animals were tested on motor skills after which intracortical microstimulation was used to derive maps of forelimb movement representations within the motor cortex ipsilateral to the ischemic injury. Stroke + HSC animals significantly outperformed stroke animals on single pellet reaching at weeks 3 and 5 (28±3% and 33±3% versus 11±4% and 17±3%, respectively, p < 0.05 at both time points). Control animals scored 44±1% and 47±1%, respectively. Sunflower seed opening task was significantly improved in the stroke + HSC cohort versus the stroke cohort at week five-post stroke (79±4 and 48±5, respectively, p < 0.05). Furthermore, Stroke + HSC animals had significantly larger forelimb motor maps than animals in the stroke cohort. Overall infarct size did not significantly differ between the two stroked cohorts. These data suggest that post stroke treatment of HSC enhances the functional integrity of residual cortical tissue, which in turn supports improved behavioral outcome, despite no observed reduction in infarct size.

Plumbagin's Healing Effect on Motor Impairment in Rotenone-toxified Rodents.

Parkinson's disease is an illness marked by a gradual mitigation of dopamine neurons within the substantia nigra, which eventually leads to a deficiency of dopamine that further gives rise to mobility as well as cognitive impairments. Through long-established traditions, a wide array of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) have undergone testing and are employed to avoid neurodegenerative disorders. Plumbagin is the primary active component of a medication called Baihua Dan or Plumbago zeylanica L., which is clinically used in China. This study investigated plumbagin-induced alterations in a Parkinson's disease rat model instigated by subcutaneous rotenone injection. Male rats were administered subcutaneous injections of rotenone at a dosage of 1.5 mg/kg, followed by the treatment with varying doses of plumbagin (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) through the oral route. The rats underwent various motor ability tests, including the actophotometer, rotarod, open field, beam walk, gait evaluation, ability to grip, and catalepsy bar tests. Furthermore, the brain dopamine level was then estimated for the extracted tissues. Also, through molecular docking, the binding effectiveness of plumbagin was assessed for human MAO-B. After that, plumbagin was put through 100 ns of molecular dynamic simulations to examine the stability of its conformational binding to the target protein. Furthermore, ADMET tests were used to verify Plumbagin's druggability. Plumbagin was found to alleviate rotenone-induced motor abnormalities and restore brain dopamine levels. Furthermore, plumbagin showed excellent interactions with MAO-B (monoamine oxidase-B) when compared with selegiline (a standard drug for Parkinson's disease). These findings underscore the potential therapeutic efficacy of plumbagin in mitigating behavioural deficits in rotenone-induced rodents. Considering this, plumbagin might be a feasible pharmacological strategy for the control of rotenone-triggered behavioural impairment in rats (in vivo), and it might display interesting interactions with MAO-B (in silico).

Advancing cerebral small vessel disease diagnosis: Integrating quantitative susceptibility mapping with MRI-based radiomics.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a neurodegenerative disease with hidden symptoms and difficult to diagnose. The diagnosis mainly depends on clinical symptoms and neuroimaging. Therefore, we explored the potential of combining clinical detection with MRI-based radiomics features for the diagnosis of CSVD in a large cohort. A total of 118 CSVD patients and 127 healthy controls underwent quantitative susceptibility mapping and 3D-T1 scans, and all completed multiple cognitive tests. Lasso regression was used to select features, and the radiomics model was constructed based on the regression coefficients of these features. Clinical cognitive and motor tests were added to the model to construct a hybrid model. All models were cross-validated to analyze the generalization ability of the models. The AUCs of the radiomics and hybrid models in the internal test set were 0.80 and 0.87, respectively. In the validation set, the AUCs were 0.77 and 0.79, respectively. The hybrid model demonstrated higher decision efficiency. The Trail Making Test, which enhances the diagnostic performance of the model, is associated with multiple brain regions, particularly the right cortical nuclei and the right fimbria. The hybrid model based on radiomics features and cognitive tests can achieve quantitative diagnosis of CSVD and improve the diagnostic efficiency. Furthermore, the reduced processing capacity due to atrophy of the right cortical nucleus and right fimbria suggests the importance of these regions in improving the diagnostic accuracy of the model.

Design and Load Test of High Speed Slotless Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Round-Wire Air-Core Distributed Winding

Design and Load Test of High Speed Slotless Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Round-Wire Air-Core Distributed Winding

Peripheral neuropathy, an independent risk factor for falls in the elderly, impairs stepping as a postural control mechanism: A case-cohort study.

Peripheral neuropathies perturbate the sensorimotor system, causing difficulties in walking-related motor tasks and, eventually, falls. Falls result in functional dependency and reliance on healthcare, especially in older persons. We investigated if peripheral neuropathy is a genuine risk factor for falls in the elderly and if quantification of postural control via posturography is helpful in identifying subjects at risk of falls. Seventeen older persons with a clinical polyneuropathic syndrome of the lower limbs and converging electrophysiology were compared with 14 older persons without polyneuropathy. All participants were characterized via quantitative motor and sensory testing, neuropsychological assessment, and self-questionnaires. Video-nystagmography and caloric test excluded vestibulocochlear dysfunction. For further analysis, all subjects were stratified into fallers and non-fallers. Overall, 28 patients underwent computerized dynamic posturography for individual fall risk assessment. Regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors and predictive posturography parameters. Neuropathy is an independent risk factor for falls in the elderly, while no differences were observed for age, gender, weight, frailty, DemTect test, timed "Up & Go" test, and dizziness-related handicap score. In computerized dynamic posturography, fallers stepped more often to regain postural control in challenging conditions, while the Rhythmic Weight Shift test showed a lack of anterior-posterior bidirectional voluntary control. Our study confirms peripheral neuropathy as a risk factor for older persons' falls. Fallers frequently used stepping to regain postural control. The voluntary control of this coping movement was impaired. Further investigations into these parameters' value in predicting the risk of falls in the elderly are warranted.

The Influence of Physical Fitness, Motor Skills, and Learning Motivation on Cartwheel Skills in Physical Education

Background Problems: During the observation, many students were unable to perform cartwheel skills. This research is important so that students can pass the minimum completion criteria so that their physical education learning outcomes are not low. Research Objectives: This study aims to determine the factors that influence the skills of cartwheel. Methods: This type of research is quantitative. The population amounted to 392 students in class XI. The technique used to obtain the sample is simple random sampling using the slovin formula with an error rate of 10%. Based on this, the sample amounted to 80 students. The physical fitness test instrument used the Indonesian Student Fitness Test, the motor ability test instrument used the Barrow Motor Ability Test, the learning motivation data was collected using a questionnaire, and the cartwheel skill data used an observation sheet which contained the criteria for implementing the cartwheel movement. Path analysis was used as a data analysis technique. Finding/Results: The results of the study consist of: 1. Physical fitness and motor skills have a significant influence on cartwheel skills. 2. Learning motivation has no significant effect directly on cartwheel skills. 3. Physical fitness indirectly through learning motivation has no significant effect on cartwheel skills. 4. Motor ability indirectly through learning motivation has no significant effect on cartwheel skills. Conclusion: Physical fitness and motor skills have a significant influence on cartwheel skills. Students need to do it outside of PJOK class hours. For Further Researchers Conduct research on other gymnastic movements.

Experimental Study: The Impact of Traditional Team Games on Gross Motor Locomotor Skills and Social Skills of Elementary School Children

Background: In the 21st century, children often prefer modern video games, which can lead to decreased physical activity and increased screen time. This lack of physical activity can result in poor motor skills and social skills among children. Motor and social skills are crucial for the development and growth of primary school children. Locomotor gross motor skills focus on walking, running, jumping, and skipping, which help children improve movement during physical activities. Social skills help children communicate with peers, understand friends, establish cooperation, and build healthy interpersonal relationships. It is believed that traditional games can help children aged 10‑12 improve their motor and social skills. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the impact of traditional team sports on optimizing locomotor gross motor skills and social skills in children aged 10‑12 years. Design/methodology/approach: This research study utilized a quasi‑experimental research method. The traditional games used in the study were gobak sodor and bakiak team. The study focused on children aged 10‑12 years. The instruments used for assessment were the Test of Gross Motor Development‑2 (TGMD‑II) for evaluating gross motor ability and a social skills questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a t‑test at a 5% significance level. Results and Conclusion: The analysis results of the first few t‑tests showed that the t‑count value (16.102) was greater than the t‑table value (2.093), and the p‑value (0.000) was less than 0.05. This indicates that there is an effect of traditional team games on the gross motor development of children aged 10‑12 years. The results of the second t‑test analysis also indicated that the t‑count value (14.912) was greater than the t‑table value (2.093), suggesting an effect of traditional team games on both gross motor abilities and social skills of children in the same age group. In the third t‑test analysis, the t‑count value was greater than the t‑table value, indicating differences between the experimental group and the control group. This suggests an effect of traditional team games on the development of gross motor skills and social abilities of children aged 10‑12 years.

Clinical Examination, Diagnosis, and Conservative Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review.

Chronic low back pain is one of the most frequent reasons for medical consultation. It is important to make the correct diagnosis to select the most appropriate treatment in a stepwise approach. In this narrative review, we focus on the clinical examination, the diagnosis, and the conservative treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain. Belgian guidelines for low back pain were used as a basis, followed by a snowball search starting from two articles. Besides that, the Cochrane database was consulted using the following research areas: "multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation", "physical examination of lumbar spine", and "rehabilitation back pain". Lastly, we took information from three handbooks. The diagnosis of low back pain starts with a thorough history, including red, yellow, orange, black, and blue flags. Physical, neurological, sensory, and motor testing is performed and complemented with specific tests for low back pain. With a focus on the conservative treatment, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are possible. For CNSLBP, conservative management is advised, starting with reassurance and clear patient education about the condition. While additional treatments, such as manipulation, massage, and acupuncture, can be considered, their effectiveness is not well supported by evidence. Our center emphasizes exercise within a multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation program, and although evidence for this approach is limited, we have seen positive outcomes, including improved mobility, strength, and higher return-to-work rates, particularly with the David Spine Concept (DSC).

MED13L-related disorder characterized by severe motor speech impairment.

MED13L-related disorder is associated with intellectual disability, motor delay, and speech deficits. Previous studies have focused on broad clinical descriptions of individuals, but limited information regarding specific speech diagnoses and results of direct testing has been published to date. We conducted deep phenotyping to characterize the speech, language, motor, cognitive, and adaptive phenotypes of individuals with MED13L-related disorder. In this cross-sectional study, we administered standardized articulation, language, motor, and cognitive testing to 17 children and adolescents (mean age 9y 9m; SD 4y 5m; range 4y 2m to 19y 7m). In-person testing was supplemented with broad developmental, medical, and behavioral information collected virtually from a cohort of 67 individuals. All individuals who completed in-person articulation testing met diagnostic criteria for speech apraxia, dysarthria, or both. Language impairment was present in all of the in-person cohort and almost all (97%) of the virtual cohort. Those who were able to complete motor testing demonstrated significant deficits in visual motor integration (mean 57.08, SD 9.26). Full scale IQs fell in the borderline to intellectual disability range, consistent with reported cognitive impairment in 97% of the virtual cohort. Notable medical features included hypotonia (83%), vision problems (72%), recurrent otitis media (58%), gastrointestinal problems (57%), and seizures (31%). MED13L-related disorder is characterized by a high rate of motor speech disorders that occur in the context of globally impaired motor, language, and cognitive skills. Children would benefit from intensive, individualized speech therapy and the early adoption of augmentative communication strategies.

Move-PCD—a multi-center longitudinal randomized controlled superiority trial on the effect of a 6-month individualized supported physical activity (PA) program on quality of life (QoL) in children, adolescents, and adults with primary ciliary dyskinesia

BackgroundPrimary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetical disease with malfunction of the motile cilia leading to impaired muco-ciliary clearance in the respiratory tract. There is no cure for PCD, only supportive therapy aimed at minimizing the progression of the disease and improving the patient’s quality of life (QoL). Physical activity (PA) is one of these recommended supportive therapies for people with PCD (pwPCD). However, there is no scientific evidence to support this recommendation. In addition, regular medical advice to increase PA remains largely ineffective in pwPCD.MethodsTo test the main hypothesis, that an individualized and supported PA program leads to a better QoL 6 months after randomization (QoL-PCD questionnaire) compared to usual recommendation in pwPCD, 158 pwPCD aged 7 to 55 years are to be included in this multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT). After the screening visit, a 1:1 randomization stratified by age group and FEV1 will be performed. A QoL-PCD questionnaire, motor test, and lung function will be carried out at regular intervals in both groups. PA is recorded in both groups using activity trackers during the study period. The main aim of the trial is to estimate the difference in the change of QoL between the groups after 6 months. Therefore, our full analysis set consists of all randomized patients and analysis is performed using the intention-to-treat principle. Statistical software R (http://www.r-project.org) is used. Ethical approvement without any reservations: RUB Bochum Ethics Committee (No. 23–7938; December 4, 2023). Recruitment start: March 2024.DiscussionLimitations result from the rarity of PCD with its broad disease spectrum and the large age range. These are reduced by stratified randomization and the measurement of the individual change in QoL as primary endpoint. In our view, only a PA program tailored to individual needs with close contact to trainers offers the chance to meet personal needs of pwPCD and to establish PA as a pillar of therapy in the long term. The study protocol explains all procedures and methods of recruitment, implementation of the study visits and intervention, measures for patient and data safety, and for minimizing risks and bias.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) 00033030. Registered on December 7, 2023. Update 10 July 2024.Study protocol version 10Version 1.2; 12 June 2024