Signed Rank Test Research Articles

Effects of traditional and dry bed baths on patients admitted in intensive units: A randomized crossover clinical trial.

The bed bath is an important part of nursing care. There are few studies evaluating the effects of traditional and dry bed baths on patients. This study was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of traditional and dry bed baths given to intensive care unit patients on the patients' hemodynamic parameters, the duration of the bathing procedure and the cost of consumable items. This was a randomized crossover clinical trial and a prospective study. The study was conducted in a General Surgery Intensive Care Unit with 22 intensive care patients aged 18 and over, who had a nursing diagnosis of bathing personal care deficiency. Each patient was given two types of bed baths at an interval of 24 h: a traditional bed bath and a dry bed bath performed with single-use tissues. Immediately before each bath, in the 5th, 10th and 15th minute of bathing, immediately after bathing and 30 min after bathing, body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and peripheral oxygen saturation measurement changes over time were compared within the group using the Friedman test. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare the variables of bathing duration and bathing consumable item costs between the bathing procedures. It was found that at the completion of traditional and dry bed bathing, the participants' body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate parameters were statistically significantly lower than before bathing, whereas peripheral oxygen saturation values showed a significant increase (p < 0.05). It was found that the dry bed bath took a statistically significantly shorter time than the traditional bed bath and that the cost of consumable bathing materials was less (p < 0.05). It was concluded that traditional and dry bed baths given to intensive care patients affected their hemodynamic parameters and that the dry bed bath was superior to the traditional bed bath in that it took less time and that it cost less.

Swimming exercise support respiratory functions of children with mild intellectual disabilities: controlled study

Children with mild intellectual disabilities have lower lung function than typically developing peers. The aim of this study is to analyse the effects of an 18-week medium-intensity swimming exercise on lung parameters of children with mild intellectual disabilities. In the study, participants were divided into experimental (n:8) and control group (n:8). An 18-week basic swimming exercise (60 min/3 days/18 weeks) was performed in the experimental group, while no practice was performed in the control group. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Tiffeneau Index (FEV1/FVC ratio), Vital Capacity (VC) and Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) parameters of the participants were measured. Pre-test and post-test comparisons of experimental and control groups were made with the Mann Whitney U-Test. In addition, analysis of lung values of experimental and control groups before and after exercise was performed with the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test. We also calculated the effect size (ES) results of the interactions between the variables, using partial eta squared and Cohen’s d. Statistically there was significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores of VC parameter in experimental group. Examining the effect sizes, experimental had a higher impact level in FEV1/FVC, VC, MVV (.571medium/0.647medium/.490small). The results indicate that the Swimming is more effective in FEV1/FVC, MVV and VC. In order to understand the effectiveness of swimming exercise on lung function, studies which include time and training models (duration, severity, intensity) should be conducted in the future.

Is the time of anthesis in rice (Oryza sativa) influenced by photoperiod?

Photoperiod sensitivity in rice cultivars is defined when the cultivar begins anthesis on a relatively invariant date, varying by < 7days, regardless of the date of sowing or germination. While the date of flowering in photoperiod sensitive (PPS) rice cultivars is characteristically determined by the day length, especially during the short-day season (September-December), the response of the flower opening time (FOT) to photoperiod remains hitherto unexplored. This paper examines whether day length restrains year-to-year variation in FOT in PPS cultivars. We examined 105 PPS and 173 photoperiod insensitive (PPI) cultivars grown in different years and estimated their year-to-year FOT difference (or FOTD) and the year-to-year difference of sunrise to anthesis duration (or SADD). Wilcoxon signed rank test and bootstrap test were then performed to test whether these descriptors significantly differed between PPS and PPI groups of cultivars. The means of FOTD and SADD were detected to be significantly less in the PPS group than in the PPI group of cultivars, indicating significantly lesser variability of FOT in PPS than in PPI cultivars. This is the first report of a strong restraining influence of photoperiod on FOT variability in PPS cultivars.

Prevalence of Liver Steatosis in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Patients: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease caused by pathogenetic variants in either the TSC1 or TSC2 genes. Consequently, the mechanistic target of the rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway, a regulator of cell growth, metabolism, and survival, becomes inappropriately activated, leading to the development of benign tumors in multiple organs. The role of mTORC1 in lipid metabolism and liver steatosis in TSC patients has not been well-studied, and clinical data on liver involvement in this population are scarce. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study to compare liver steatosis in TSC patients with age-, sex-, BMI-, and diabetes status-matched controls. Participants with a definite diagnosis of TSC were recruited from the TSC clinic at UZ Brussel. Liver steatosis was quantified using the fat signal fraction from in-phase and out-of-phase MRI, with a threshold of ≥5% defining the presence of steatosis. We also evaluated the prevalence of liver angiomyolipomata in the TSC group and analyzed risk factors for both liver steatosis and angiomyolipomata. Results: The study included 59 TSC patients and 59 matched controls. The mean fat signal fraction was 4.0% in the TSC group and 3.9% in the controls, showing no significant difference (two-tailed Wilcoxon signed ranks test, p = 0.950). Liver steatosis was observed in 15.3% of TSC patients compared to 23.7% of the controls, which was not statistically significant (two-tailed McNemar test, p = 0.267). Liver angiomyolipomata were identified in 13.6% of the TSC cohort. Conclusions: Our study, describing in detail the liver phenotype of TSC patients, did not reveal a significant difference in the prevalence of MRI-assessed liver steatosis in a large cohort of TSC patients compared to a closely matched control group.

Disaster Risk Management Model for Enhancing the Preparedness of Pregnant Women in Response to the Eruption of Mount Agung: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Volcanic eruptions can harm pregnant women in the absence of disaster risk management. Health personnel have not adequately prepared pregnant women for disaster-prone eruptions. Objectives: This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a disaster risk management model in enhancing the preparedness of pregnant women in anticipation of the eruption of Mount Agung. Methods: The research employed a quasi-experimental design, utilizing a pre-test-post-test control group method. Conducted in Bali, Indonesia, in 2022, the study involved a sample of 200 participants, divided equally into two groups of 100 each. Participants were selected using quota sampling. Preparedness questionnaires were administered before the educational intervention (pre-test) and again after two weeks of education (post-test). The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: It was found that in the intervention group, the preparedness of most pregnant women was categorized as fair (55%) before the intervention and high (65%) after the intervention (p &lt; 0.001). In the control group, most pregnant women's preparedness remained in the fair category both before (66%) and after (65%) the intervention (P = 0.085). Additionally, there was a significant difference in the preparedness levels between the groups after the intervention (P = 0.015). Conclusions: Health workers can enhance the eruption emergency preparedness of pregnant women through educational classes specifically designed for them.

Omadacycline drug susceptibility testing for non-tuberculous mycobacteria using oxyrase to overcome challenges with drug degradation

BackgroundDrug susceptibility testing (DST) protocol of omadacycline against non-tuberculous mycobacteria has not yet been established. We developed a method to accurately determine MIC omadacycline MIC against Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab), Mycobacterium avium-complex (MAC), and Mycobacterium kansasii (Mkn). MethodsFirst, we identified the oxyrase concentration not affecting Mab, MAC, and Mkn growth followed by omadacycline MIC experiments with and without oxyrase using reference and clinical strains. ResultsOxyrase 0.5 % (v/v) stabilized omadacycline in the culture medium. The median omadacycline MIC was 1 mg/L for Mab and 8 mg/L for Mkn. For MAC, the median omadacycline MIC was 2 mg/L for M. avium, 256 mg/L for M. intracellulare, and 4 mg/L for M. chimaera (p < 0.0001). Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test revealed statistically lower MICs with oxyrase for all MAC subspecies (p < 0.0001), all Mab subspecies (p < 0.0001), and Mkn (p = 0.0002). The decrease in MICs with oxyrase was 17/18 of Mab, 14/19 of Mkn, 8/8 of M. avium, 4/5 M. chimera, but only 11/18 of M. intracellulare (p < 0.013). ConclusionUse of 0.5 % oxyrase could be a potential solution to reliable and reproducible omadacycline MIC of Mab. However, oxyrase demonstrated a variable effect in reducing MICs against MAC and Mkn.

GPT-4 Turbo with Vision fails to outperform text-only GPT-4 Turbo in the Japan Diagnostic Radiology Board Examination.

To assess the performance of GPT-4 Turbo with Vision (GPT-4TV), OpenAI's latest multimodal large language model, by comparing its ability to process both text and image inputs with that of the text-only GPT-4 Turbo (GPT-4T) in the context of the Japan Diagnostic Radiology Board Examination (JDRBE). The dataset comprised questions from JDRBE 2021 and 2023. A total of six board-certified diagnostic radiologists discussed the questions and provided ground-truth answers by consulting relevant literature as necessary. The following questions were excluded: those lacking associated images, those with no unanimous agreement on answers, and those including images rejected by the OpenAI application programming interface. The inputs for GPT-4TV included both text and images, whereas those for GPT-4T were entirely text. Both models were deployed on the dataset, and their performance was compared using McNemar's exact test. The radiological credibility of the responses was assessed by two diagnostic radiologists through the assignment of legitimacy scores on a five-point Likert scale. These scores were subsequently used to compare model performance using Wilcoxon's signed-rank test. The dataset comprised 139 questions. GPT-4TV correctly answered 62 questions (45%), whereas GPT-4T correctly answered 57 questions (41%). A statistical analysis found no significant performance difference between the two models (P = 0.44). The GPT-4TV responses received significantly lower legitimacy scores from both radiologists than the GPT-4T responses. No significant enhancement in accuracy was observed when using GPT-4TV with image input compared with that of using text-only GPT-4T for JDRBE questions.

Comparison of trunk muscle activity during lumbar stabilization exercises on stable and unstable surfaces.

Lumbar stabilization exercises (LSE) provide dynamic trunk stability, promote muscle strength and endurance, and improve low back pain rehabilitation and performance. To clarify the differences in trunk muscle activity during LSEs on stable and different unstable surfaces. Fifteen healthy males performed three exercises (elbow-toe, hand-knee, and side bridge) on stable (floor) and unstable surfaces. Muscle activity of the bilateral rectus abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, and erector spinae were recorded. Data were compared using the Friedman test. Pairwise comparisons were performed using Wilcoxon's signed rank test if significant differences were observed. In the elbow-toe exercise, muscle activity of the rectus abdominis and right internal oblique increased in the following order: floor, low-difficulty, and high-difficulty unstable surface. In the hand-knee exercise, muscle activity of the internal oblique on the lower-extremity elevated side, external oblique, and erector spinae on the upper-extremity elevated side were greater on unstable surface exercise performance. In the side bridge exercise, rectus abdominis muscle activity was highest on a high-difficulty unstable surface. Trunk muscle activity increased during exercise on unstable surfaces. Since the effects of unstable surfaces vary depending on muscle and exercise types, exercise difficulty and surface stability must be considered accordingly.

Preventable trauma deaths in the Western Cape of South Africa: A consensus-based panel review.

Injury causes 4.4 million deaths worldwide annually. 90% of all injury-related deaths occur in low-and-middle income countries. Findings from expert-led trauma death reviews can inform strategies to reduce trauma deaths. A cohort of trauma decedents was identified from an on-going study in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. For each case, demographics, injury characteristics, time and location of death and postmortem findings were collected. An expert multidisciplinary panel of reviewed each case, determined preventability and made recommendations for improvement. Analysis of preventable and non-preventable cases was performed using Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. A rapid qualitative analysis of recommendations was conducted and descriptively summarized. 138 deaths (48 deceased-on-scene and 90 pre- or in-hospital deaths) were presented to 23 panelists. Overall, 46 (33%) of deaths reviewed were considered preventable or potentially preventable. Of all pre- and in-hospital deaths, late deaths (>24 hours) were more frequently preventable (22, 56%) and due to multi-organ failure and sepsis, compared to early deaths (≤24 hours) with 32 (63%) that were non-preventable and due to central nervous system injury and haemorrhage. 45% of pre and in-hospital deaths were preventable or potentially preventable. The expert panel recommended strengthening community based primary prevention strategies for reducing interpersonal violence alongside health system improvements to facilitate high quality care. For the health system the panel's key recommendations included improving team-based care, adherence to trauma protocols, timely access to radiology, trauma specialists, operative and critical care.

Insertional Achilles tendinopathy: A radiographic cross-sectional comparison between symptomatic and asymptomatic heel of 71 patients

PurposeThis retrospective study aimed to investigate whether the standard radiographic indicators for Haglund's syndrome are applicable to insertional Achilles tendinopathy. MethodsPatients who underwent surgery for insertional Achilles tendinopathy in one heel and experienced no pain in the other heel were enrolled in this study. Preoperative calibrated radiographs of the lateral view of the calcaneus were assessed using (1) calcaneal pitch angle, (2) Fowler-Phillip angle, (3) posterior calcaneal angle, (4) Chauveau-Liet angle, (5) X/Y ratio, (6) Haglund’s deformity height, (7) Haglund’s deformity peak angle, (8) calcification length, (9) calcification width, (10) parallel pitch test, and (11) presence of free body. The Wilcoxon signed rank test and McNemar’s test were used for statistical analyses. ResultsSeventy-one patients (52 males; mean age, 57.2; mean body mass index, 27.1) were included. Mean values for each index in the symptomatic and asymptomatic heels were as follows, respectively: (1) 23.5, 23.0 (p = 0.30); (2) 58.9, 57.8 (p < 0.05); (3) 7.6, 9.2 (p < 0.05); (4) 15.8, 13.9 (p < 0.05); (5) 2.8, 2.8 (p = 0.87); (6) 5.4, 5.0 (p < 0.05); (7) 99.6, 99.0 (p = 0.44); (8) 10.5, 7.6 (p < 0.001); and (9) 5.1, 4.4 (p < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve of significant indicators were as follows, respectively: (2) 0.78, 0.37, 0.55; (3) 0.45, 0.72, 0.58; (4) 0.63, 0.54, 0.57; (6) 0.45, 0.69, 0.59; (8) 0.48, 0.80, 0.66; and (9) 0.63, 0.54, 0.59. The presence of free body also showed a significant difference between both heels (p < 0.05). ConclusionSome radiographic indicators for Haglund's syndrome are applicable to the diagnosis of insertional Achilles tendinopathy. A comparison of the parameters of Haglund’s syndrome with those of insertional Achilles tendinopathy may illuminate the etiology and pathology of insertional Achilles tendinopathy and lead to novel treatments.

The Effectiveness of Peer Group Support Model Based on Chronic Care Model on Antiretroviral Compliance, Increasing Immunity (CD4, Viral Load, Opportunistic Infections), and Quality of Life of People with HIV (PLHIV)

Introduction: The role of peer groups is very important in the treatment process for HIV/AIDS patients which determines the health condition and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients, however, peer group support has not been integrated with health services. Aim: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of peer group support based on the chronic care model (CCM) on ARV treatment adherence, level of immunity, and quality of life for HIV/AIDS patients. Method: This research used a quasi-experimental design (pre-post test with control group design). The research population was patients with HIV/AIDS with a sample of 30 people in each control and intervention group. Data was collected using questionnaires and blood samples from PLHIV, then analyzed using the Chi-Square test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, and Mann Whitney. Results: Effect test results show that there is a significant influence of chronic care model-based peer group support on ARV treatment adherence (0.000), CD4 count (0.000), Viral Load (0.000), Opportunistic Infections (0.000) and quality of life (0.000) in HIV patients /AIDS. Conclusion: Peer group support based on the chronic care model affects ARV treatment adherence, level of immunity, and quality of life for HIV/AIDS patients. Peer group support based on the chronic care model increases adherence to ARV treatment, increases CD4 counts, increases viral load, reduces the incidence of opportunistic infections, and improves quality of life in HIV/AIDS patients.

Effects of Laghoo Shankaprakshalana (yogic colon cleansing) on anthropometric measurements in obese individuals.

Obesity is considered as one of the major public health burden and it is predictor of cardiovascular risk factor. Yoga is a mind-body medicine helps to promote health. This study was aimed to explore whether Laghoo Shankaprashalana (LS) reduce the body weight in obese individuals. This was a single group pre-post study. A total of 40 subjects (9 Male, 31 Female) aged between 18 and 40 years were recruited. This study was conducted in government yoga and naturopathy medical college, Chennai. Subjects were practiced weekly once LS for eight weeks (eight sessions). Subjects were assessed pre and post on body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist hip ratio, pulse rate and blood pressure. Variables were analyzed using Paired sample t test except waist hip ratio, which were analyzed using Wilcoxon's signed ranks test. There was significant reduction in the body weight (p<0.001, 5.81 %), Body Mass Index (p<0.001, 5.88 %), Waist Circumference (p<0.001, 7.20 %), Hip Circumference (p<0.001, 5.04 %), and Waist Hip Circumference (p<0.001, 3.19 %) after LS. However, there was no statistical significance difference in pulse rate, blood pressure. Eight sessions of Laghoo Shankaprakshalana helps to reduces body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist hip ratio. Reduction in the waist circumference might helps to reduce the cardiovascular risk. LS may be one of the cost effective intervention that can be incorporated in the weight loss regimen.

Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Oral Cancer Patients Reconstructed With Double Free Flaps: A Preoperative and Postoperative Assessment.

This study aimed to evaluate quality of life (QOL) in patients with locally advanced oral cancer who underwent surgical resection followed by simultaneous double free flap reconstruction. Institutional database was reviewed from 2015 to 2021 and prospectively collected University of Washington Quality of Life data that were extracted for patients who met the inclusion criteria. Mean, composite, and best percentage scores were computed. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze differences between groups. Thirteen patients completed the assessment, all of them being male with a mean follow-up of 2.2 ± 1.2 years. Most common double free flap combination was fibula osteoseptocutaneous flap and anterolateral thigh flap (n = 11). Improvement in pain (P = 0.01) domain score with decline in speech (P = 0.01) and taste (P = 0.02) was noted along with an overall decline in QOL (P = 0.001) after cancer diagnosis. A decrease in physical function was seen postoperatively. Chewing and saliva were the most cited postoperative patient-reported domain affecting QOL. In double free flap reconstructed patients, in the postoperative phase, pain scores improved, whereas speech and taste scores declined. The overall health-related QOL declined compared with before cancer diagnosis.

EPortfolios: Enhancing confidence in student radiographers' communication of radiographic anatomy and pathology. Across-sectional study.

In 2020, the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia made several revisions to its professional capabilities. To address this, medical radiation practitioners, including diagnostic radiographers, are required to escalate urgent findings in all radiographic settings. However, the confidence of radiographers in articulating descriptions of radiographic findings varies despite this requirement. This cross-sectional study explores how the implementation of eportfolio affects student self-perceived confidence in identifying and describing radiographic findings in both an academic and a clinical setting. A Qualtrics survey was distributed to second-year radiography students who had used eportfolios. The survey comprised of four questions using a Likert-scale and one open-ended question. Quantitative data were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and qualitative data was thematically assessed. Overall, 55 of 65 radiographic students (85%) completed the survey. Confidence (strongly agree and agree) decreased from 89% to 74% between academic and clinical environments when identifying abnormalities, and 89% to 73% when describing findings. This finding highlights the challenges students face when in the clinical environment. Wilcoxon signed rank test analysed a statistically significant relation between the two environments (P < 0.05). However, the relationship between identifying and describing skills was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Following a review of the qualitative data, three recurring themes were identified among responses. ePortfolios assist in improving confidence in identification and description of radiographic abnormalities, particularly in an academic setting. The clinical environment presents unique challenges which may limit student clinical performance; however, this requires further investigation.

Effects of integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise with foot core training device on balance and body composition among community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above

BackgroundEvidence on the effects of plantar intrinsic foot muscle exercise in older adults remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise program with a novel three-dimensional printing foot core training device on balance and body composition in community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above.MethodsA total of 40 participants aged ≥ 60 years were enrolled in this quasi-experimental, single-group, pretest-posttest design; participants were categorized into two groups, those with balance impairment and those without balance impairment. The participants performed a 4-week integrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise program with a three-dimensional printing foot core training device. The short physical performance battery (SPPB) and timed up and go test were employed to evaluate mobility and balance. A foot pressure distribution analysis was conducted to assess static postural control. The appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and fat mass were measured by a segmental body composition monitor with bioelectrical impedance analysis. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to determine the difference before and after the exercise program.ResultsAmong the 40 enrolled participants (median age, 78.0 years; female, 80.0%; balance-impaired group, 27.5%), the 95% confidence ellipse area of the center of pressure under the eyes-closed condition was significantly decreased (median pretest: 217.3, interquartile range: 238.4; median posttest: 131.7, interquartile range: 199.5; P = 0.001) after the exercise. Female participants without balance impairment demonstrated a significant increase in appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and a decrease in fat mass. Participants in the balance-impaired group exhibited a significant increase in SPPB.ConclusionsIntegrated intrinsic foot muscle exercise with a three-dimensional printing foot core training device may improve balance and body composition in adults aged 60 and above.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05750888 (retrospectively registered 02/03/2023).

EvolvRehab–MoveWell telerehabilitation for stroke survivors: study protocol for a feasibility with embedded initial proof-of-concept study

IntroductionStroke is a leading cause of disability throughout the world. Unilateral upper limb impairment is common in people who have had a stroke. As a result of impaired upper limb...

The Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Weight Gain in People Living with HIV Receiving a Dolutegravir-Based Antiretroviral Therapy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Pilot Single-Arm Historical Cohort Study

The Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Weight Gain in People Living with HIV Receiving a Dolutegravir-Based Antiretroviral Therapy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Pilot Single-Arm Historical Cohort Study

Gender Differences in Anthropometric, Functional Capacity Measures and Quality of Life in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

The aim of the of the current investigation was to investigate the possible differences concerning males and females in anthropometry, body composition, functional capacity, strength and quality of life variables. After obtaining signed informed consent, 37 participants (18 males; 19 females), with mean age of 39.08 and standard deviation of 11.66 years, voluntarily participated in this study. Anthropometry, body composition, functional capacity, strength, and quality of life were assessed using validated and reliable instruments and tests for this population. The males and females were compared using a Mann-Whitney U signed rank test. Significant differences were detected among the following variables, height (p = 0.028), body mass index (p = 0.033), fat mass (p = 0.002), muscle mass (p ≤ 0.001), phase angle (p = 0.005), medicine ball throwing strength (p = 0.010), and peak toque left knee (p = 0.028), with males showing better results in all the variables. The sample in this study showed differences in the anthropometric, composition, and strength variables. Studying this population can help ensure that everyone has equal access to services and adequate support for their personal needs, improving their quality of life.

Community rehabilitation by the trained village health volunteers on activities of daily living and quality of life in stroke survivors

Background: The number of people with disabilities resulting from strokes is increasing in Thailand. The major sequela of the disease was weakness in one side of the body that causes difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL) and poor quality of life (QOL) for stroke survivors. Community-based rehabilitation could be one of the strategies that enhances functional performance and improves QOL in these individuals. There were many disabled people in Mae Ka subdistrict, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai Province, where health care providers and local people were enthusiastic to take care of each other’s health in the community. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate rehabilitation outcomes in ADL and QOL of stroke participants who received rehabilitation services from trained village health volunteers (VHVs). Materials and methods: This study was a quasi-experimental research design. Subjects were recruited using purposive sampling, including 10 stroke survivors. Instruments used were 1) ADL Assessment for Occupational Therapy Clients; and 2) World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment, Short Form-Thai version. The statistics used were descriptive, as well as the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test. Results: Results demonstrated that scores of basic activities of daily living (BADL) in the participants increased significantly (p&lt;0.05) except for sexual expression. The score in the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) was also significantly higher at post-rehabilitation than pre-intervention (p&lt;0.05), as was the total ADL score. Stroke patients had significantly higher QOL scores after intervention than the pretest (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: These indicated that the community rehabilitation center at Mae Ka Subdistrict Administrative Organization, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai Province, run by the trained VHVs could promote ability in daily activities and improve QOL in stroke participants who come for their services.

Analysis of the Soundness of Government-owned Islamic Banks Before and After a Merger

This paper analyzes the soundness of government-owned Islamic banks before and after a merger. The research variables consist of Risk Profile as measured by Non-Performing Financing (NPF) and Financing to Deposit Ratio (FDR), Good Corporate Governance as measured by Net Open Position (NOP), Earnings as measured by Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE) ) and Operational Efficiency Ratio (OER), and Capital as measured by the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR). Three government-owned Islamic banks before merger, namely Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) Sharia, Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) Sharia, Bank Sharia Mandiri (BSM) and one bank after merger namely Bank Sharia Indonesia (BSI) were selected as research objects. The study uses secondary data for the first quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2022. The hypothesis was tested with the Paired Sample T-Test and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. The results show that the ratios of NPF, NOP, ROA, ROE, and OER have significant differences before and after the merger. Meanwhile, the ratios of FDR and CAR have no significant difference before and after the merger. This condition indicates that the ability of Islamic banks to manage FDR and CAR is quite good and remain in the soundness category before and after the merger. This study concludes that some of the soundness ratios of government-owned sharia banks are better after the merger. However, there are two ratios that are not significantly different either before or after the merger. The implication of this research is that the ability of the manager of a government-owned Islamic bank in managing the soundness of a bank greatly determines the sustainability of an Islamic bank. For further research, it is suggested to add the timeframe of the research. Keywords: risk profile, good corporate governance, earning, capital, merger, government owned Islamic banks