Effects of Real-Time Feedback Methods on Static Balance Training in Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of real-time feedback methods on static balance training in stroke patients. There are two types of real-time feedback methods, as follows: one is Knowledge of Result (KR), and the other is Knowledge of Performance (KP). METHOD: Thirty stroke patients participated in this study and were randomly assigned to the KR group (n = 15) or the KP group (n = 15). All of the groups underwent real-time feedback training for four weeks (30 min per session, five sessions per week). The primary outcomes were sway length, sway velocity, and area 95%, which were assessed before and after the intervention. The secondary outcomes included the Berg Balance Scale, the Fugl Meyer Assessment for Lower Extremity, the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Trunk Impairment Scale, and the Fall Efficacy Scale. A group × time interaction was assessed using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. RESULT: There was a significant increase over time in all outcomes (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed for a group × time interaction in sway length and area 95% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Real-time feedback training for static balance enhanced stroke patients' static balance abilities, clinical outcome assessments, and promoted self-efficacy against falls.

Donor-set-induced coordination sphere and oxidation-state switching in the copper complexes of O2S2X (X = S, O and NH) macrocycles.

Reaction of the O(2)S(2)X-macrocycles (L(1), X = S; L(2), X = NH; and L(3), X = O) with Cu(ClO(4))(2) x 6 H(2)O affords 1:1 (M/L) square-pyramidal Cu(II) complexes when X = S and NH but yields a rare 1:2 sandwich-type tetrahedral Cu(I) complex when X = O; the X-ray structures of all three complexes are reported. Substitution of O for S or NH in the ligand structure thus results in a donor-set-induced II/I oxidation state change of the copper, and this is accompanied by a square-pyramidal to tetrahedral topological change in the solid state. Spectrophotometric titration data (including Job plots) indicate that similar behavior occurs in acetonitrile. In further experiments aimed at investigating the generality of the above redox behavior, it was shown that the 16- and 18-membered analogs of the 17-membered L(3) also induce a similar II/I redox change in acetonitrile. It was demonstrated for L(3) that the above-induced Cu(II/I) change is also maintained when the reaction solvent is changed from acetonitrile to methanol or ethanol.

Development of soft plasma ionization (SPI) source for analysis of organic compounds.

We present a newly designed soft plasma ionization (SPI) source developed for mass spectrometric study of organic compounds in this study. The SPI cell having a relatively small size consists of a hollow anode and a hollow mesh cathode. The voltage-current characteristic depending on the pressure was investigated, indicating that it has similar characteristics to conventional hollow cathode glow discharges. To investigate the emission characteristics of the SPI source, some molecular band emission spectra (N(2), N(2)(+) and OH(+)) were measured by using argon and helium discharge gases. The SPI source was installed to a commercially used quadrupole mass analyzer for analyzing organic compounds. To demonstrate the SPI source, the mass spectra of some organic compounds (methylene chloride, toluene, benzene, cyclohexane and chloroform) were measured. The organic compounds were ionized with good stability in the plasma, and the fragmentation depended on the applied current. When helium and argon gases were used as the discharge gas, the helium plasma was more suitable for SPI-MS rather than argon because the argon plasma not only suffers from spectral interference but also has lower sensitivity.

Donor effect on supramolecular structures of silver(I) perchlorate complexes of macrocycles with O2S2X (X=S, O and NH) donor sets.

By virtue of simple one donor variations of O(2)S(2)X-donor macrocycles (L(1): X=S, L(2): X=O and L(3): X=NH) towards silver(I) perchlorates, four supramolecular complexes (1-3) with different topologies have been isolated; L(1) afforded solvent- and anion-free sandwich complex (1), otherwise L(2) and L(3) gave the dimeric (2a), 1-D polymeric (2b), and tetrameric bowl-type (3) complexes with solvent or anion coordination.