Effects of a Fall Prevention Program Based on Goal Attainment Theory for Homebound Older Adults With Osteoarthritis of the Lower Extremities.

This study implemented and evaluated a community-based fall prevention program based on goal attainment theory that targeted older adults with osteoarthritis. The program included education, exercise, and one-on-one counseling during which the participant and the provider set individual fall prevention goals. This study used a nonequivalent control group pre-/posttest design. Participants were older adults in senior centers with lower extremity osteoarthritis. A fall prevention program in the experimental group included group (70 minutes, once/week; education and exercise) and individual counseling (10 minutes, twice/week; emotional support and goal setting). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS/WIN 22.0 with the χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, independent t test, and Mann-Whitney U test. The experimental group experienced significantly fewer falls, less stiffness, less difficulty performing activity; more muscular strength, walking ability, and balance; as well as less fear of falling and higher falls efficacy in comparison with the control group. However, pain did not improve in either of the two groups. Fall prevention programs need to include the active involvement of carers in ensuring environmental changes to reduce fall risks. In addition, health professionals who care for community patients with osteoarthritis could strengthen interactions and exchanges to prevent falls and actively modify home hazards.

GO-DEVS: Storage and Retrieval System for DEVS Models Using Graph and Ontology Representation.

DEVS is a powerful formal language to describe discrete event systems in modeling and simulation areas and useful for component-based design. One of the advantages of component-based design is reusability. To reuse or share DEVS models developed by many other modelers, a system to systematically store and retrieve many DEVS models should be supported. However, to the best of our knowledge, there does not exist such a system. In this paper, we propose GO-DEVS (Graph/Ontology-represented DEVS storage and retrieval system) to store and retrieve DEVS models using graph and ontology representation. For effective model sharing, an ontology is introduced when a DEVS model is developed. To search for DEVS models in an effective and efficient way, we propose two types of queries, IO query and structure query, and provide a method to store and query DEVS models on an RDBMS. Finally, we experimentally show GO-DEVS can process the queries efficiently.

A Micro-Level Data-Calibrated Agent-Based Model: The Synergy between Microsimulation and Agent-Based Modeling.

Artificial life (ALife) examines systems related to natural life, its processes, and its evolution, using simulations with computer models, robotics, and biochemistry. In this article, we focus on the computer modeling, or "soft," aspects of ALife and prepare a framework for scientists and modelers to be able to support such experiments. The framework is designed and built to be a parallel as well as distributed agent-based modeling environment, and does not require end users to have expertise in parallel or distributed computing. Furthermore, we use this framework to implement a hybrid model using microsimulation and agent-based modeling techniques to generate an artificial society. We leverage this artificial society to simulate and analyze population dynamics using Korean population census data. The agents in this model derive their decisional behaviors from real data (microsimulation feature) and interact among themselves (agent-based modeling feature) to proceed in the simulation. The behaviors, interactions, and social scenarios of the agents are varied to perform an analysis of population dynamics. We also estimate the future cost of pension policies based on the future population structure of the artificial society. The proposed framework and model demonstrates how ALife techniques can be used by researchers in relation to social issues and policies.

[Pain relieving effect of yakson therapy for infants].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of Yakson therapy as a pain management tool on the physiologic and behavioral responses of infants with a painful heelstick procedure. METHOD: Infants were randomly assigned to a group that underwent a series of Yakson therapy and a control that received nothing before a heelstick. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and NIPS were compared between the experimental (n=16) and control (n=16) infants during an undisturbed baseline and after a standard heelstick procedure. Yakson therapy consisted of laying a hand on the back, and caressing the abdomen by hand for 5 minutes. RESULT: The pain scores of the Yakson group were lower than the control group. For oxygen saturation, there were statistically significant differences between groups. For heart rate, there were no statistically significant differences between groups. CONCLUSION: This data suggests that Yakson therapy had a pain relief effect in behavior responses and SaO2. Accordingly, Yakson therapy should be used as a nursing intervention for simple pain management for a heel prick.