Identifying discriminant factors between phantom limb pain, residual limb pain, and both in people with lower limb amputations: a cross-sectional study.

Postamputation pain is a common condition in patients with lower limb amputation (LLA), which compromises amputees' rehabilitation, use of the prosthesis, and quality of life. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of phantom limb pain (PLP), residual limb pain (RLP), or both types of pain among individuals with LLA, and to identify the factors associated with the presence of one type of pain versus the other. Patients who underwent amputation for traumatic or vascular reasons and who reported on RLP or PLP were analyzed and divided into three groups: PLP, RLP, or a group of subjects that presented both pains. We searched for factors that affect the occurrence of limb pain using univariate analyses, followed by multinomial logistic regression. Among the 282 participants with transtibial and transfemoral amputations, 192 participants (150 male and 42 female) presented PLP, RLP, or both types of pain, while 90 participants declared to perceive no pain. The estimated prevalence of any type of pain after transfemoral and transtibial amputation was therefore 68% (27% PLP, 10% RLP, and 31% both). Among the studied characteristics, only amputation level was associated with the type of pain (P = 0.001). Multinomial logistic regression identified transfemoral amputation as the only statistically significant predictor for PLP (odds ratio = 2.8; P = 0.002). Hence, it was estimated that individuals with transfemoral amputation have nearly three times higher odds of experiencing PLP compared with those with transtibial amputation.

Medial meniscal lesions increase antero-posterior laxity in knees with anterior cruciate ligament injury.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of concomitant meniscal lesions on knee laxity using a triaxial accelerometer in a large population of patients affected by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. METHODS: A total of 326 consecutive patients (261 men and 65 women, mean age 31.3 ± 11.3) undergoing primary ACL reconstruction, were preoperatively evaluated through Lachman and pivot shift tests using a triaxial accelerometer to quantify knee laxity. An analysis based on the presence of meniscal tears assessed during surgery was performed to evaluate the impact of meniscal lesions on knee laxity. RESULTS: The anterior tibial translation (Lachman test) presented significantly higher values in patients with medial meniscal lesions (7.3 ± 1.7 mm, p = 0.049) and both medial and lateral meniscal lesions (7.7 ± 1.6 mm, p = 0.001) compared to patients without concomitant meniscal lesions (6.7 ± 1.3 mm). Moreover, patients with both medial and lateral meniscal lesions presented significantly higher values of anterior tibial translation compared to patients with lateral meniscal lesions (p = 0.049). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in terms of tibial acceleration (pivot shift test). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the contribution of concomitant meniscal lesions to knee laxity can be objectively quantified using a triaxial accelerometer in ACL-injured knees. In particular, medial meniscus lesions, alone or in association with lateral meniscus lesions, determine a significant increase of the anterior tibial translation compared to knees without meniscus tears. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Telerehabilitation for Stroke: A Personalized Multi-Domain Approach in a Pilot Study.

Stroke, a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, manifests as motor, speech language, and cognitive impairments, necessitating customized rehabilitation strategies. In this context, telerehabilitation (TR) strategies have emerged as promising solutions. In a multi-center longitudinal pilot study, we explored the effects of a multi-domain TR program, comprising physiotherapy, speech therapy, and neuropsychological treatments. In total, 84 stroke survivors (74 analyzed) received 20 tailored sessions per domain, addressing individual impairments and customized to their specific needs. Positive correlations were found between initial motor function, cognitive status, independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), and motor function improvement after TR. A lower initial health-related quality of life (HRQoL) perception hindered progress, but improved ADL independence and overall health status, and reduced depression correlated with a better QoL. Furthermore, post-treatment improvements were observed in the entire sample in terms of fine motor skills, upper-limb functionality, balance, independence, and cognitive impairment. This multi-modal approach shows promise in enhancing stroke rehabilitation and highlights the potential of TR in addressing the complex needs of stroke survivors through a comprehensive support and interdisciplinary collaboration, personalized for each individual's needs.

Efficacy of non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation on postural stability in Parkinson's disease: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The implementation of regular prolonged, and effective rehabilitation in people with Parkinson's disease is essential for ensuring a good quality of life. However, the continuity of rehabilitation care may find barriers related to economic, geographic, and social issues. In these scenarios, telerehabilitation could be a possible solution to guarantee the continuity of care. AIM: To investigate the efficacy of non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation on postural stability in people with Parkinson's disease, compared to at-home self-administered structured conventional motor activities. DESIGN: Multicenter randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Five rehabilitation hospitals of the Italian Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Network. POPULATION: Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Ninety-seven participants were randomized into two groups: 49 in the telerehabilitation group (non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation) and 48 in the control group (at-home self-administered structured conventional motor activities). Both treatments lasted 30 sessions (3-5 days/week for, 6-10 weeks). Static and dynamic balance, gait, and functional motor outcomes were registered before and after the treatments. RESULTS: All participants improved the outcomes at the end of the treatments. The primary outcome (mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test) registered a greater significant improvement in the telerehabilitation group than in the control group. The gait and endurance significantly improved in the telerehabilitation group only, with significant within-group and between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation is feasible, improves static and dynamic balance, and is a reasonably valuable alternative for reducing postural instability in people with Parkinson's disease. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: Non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation is an effective and well-tolerated modality of rehabilitation which may help to improve access and scale up rehabilitation services as suggested by the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 agenda.

Which items of the modified Barthel Index can predict functional independence at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation? A secondary analysis retrospective cohort study.

The modified Barthel Index (mBI) is a well-established patient-centered outcome measure commonly administrated in rehabilitation settings to evaluate the functional status of patients at admission and discharge. This study aimed to detect which mBI items collected on admission can predict the total mBI at discharge from first inpatient rehabilitation in large cohorts of orthopedic (n = 1864) and neurological (n = 1684) patients. Demographic and clinical data (time since the acute event 11.8 ±â€…17.2 days) at patients' admission and mBI at discharge were collected. Univariate and multiple binary logistic regressions were performed to study the associations between independent and dependent variables for each cohort separately. In neurological patients, the shorter time between the acute event and rehabilitation admission, shorter length of stay, and being independent with feeding, personal hygiene, bladder, and transfers were independently associated with higher total mBI at discharge (R 2  = 0.636). In orthopedic patients, age, the shorter time between the acute event and rehabilitation admission, shorter length of stay, and being independent with personal hygiene, dressing, and bladder were independently associated with higher total mBI at discharge (R 2  = 0.622). Our results showed that different activities in neurological (i.e. feeding, personal hygiene, bladder, and transfer) and orthopedic sample (i.e. personal hygiene, dressing, and bladder) are positively associated with better function (measured by mBI) at the discharge. Clinicians have to take into account these predictors of functionality when they plan an appropriate rehabilitation treatment.

Biological intra-articular augmentation for osteotomy in knee osteoarthritis: strategies and results : A systematic review of the literature from the ESSKA Orthobiologics Initiative.

PURPOSE: To assess whether there is evidence supporting the use of augmentation strategies, either cartilage surgical procedures or injective orthobiologic options, to improve the results of osteotomies in knees with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed on the PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane databases in January 2023 on osteotomies around the knee associated with augmentation strategies (either cartilage surgical procedures or injective orthobiologic options), reporting clinical, radiological, or second-look/histological outcomes at any follow-up. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed with the Coleman Methodology Score (CMS). RESULTS: Out of the 7650 records identified from the databases, 42 articles were included for a total of 3580 patients and 3609 knees treated; 33 articles focused on surgical treatments and 9 on injective treatments performed in association with knee osteotomy. Out of the 17 comparative studies with surgical augmentation, only 1 showed a significant clinical benefit of an augmentation procedure with a regenerative approach. Overall, other studies showed no differences with reparative techniques and even detrimental outcomes with microfractures. Regarding injective procedures, viscosupplementation showed no improvement, while the use of platelet-rich plasma or cell-based products derived from both bone marrow and adipose tissue showed overall positive tissue changes which translated into a clinical benefit. The mean modified CMS score was 60.0 ± 12.1. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence to support the effectiveness of cartilage surgical treatments combined with osteotomies in terms of pain relief and functional recovery of patients affected by OA in misaligned joints. Orthobiologic injective treatments targeting the whole joint environment showed promising findings. However, overall the available literature presents a limited quality with only few heterogeneous studies investigating each treatment option. This ORBIT systematic analysis will help surgeons to choose their therapeutic strategy according to the available evidence, and to plan further and better studies to optimize biologic intra-articular osteotomy augmentation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Neurophysiological and Clinical Effects of Upper Limb Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation on Motor Recovery in Patients with Subacute Stroke: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Study Protocol.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of upper limb (UL) robot-assisted therapy (RAT) on functional improvement after stroke remains unclear. However, recently published randomized controlled trials have supported its potential benefits in enhancing the activities of daily living, arm and hand function, and muscle strength. Task-specific and high-intensity exercises are key points in facilitating motor re-learning in neurorehabilitation since RAT can provide an assisted-as-needed approach. This study aims to investigate the clinical effects of an exoskeleton robotic system for UL rehabilitation compared with conventional therapy (CT) in people with subacute stroke. As a secondary aim, we seek to identify patients' characteristics, which can predict better recovery after UL-RAT and detects whether it could elicit greater brain stimulation. METHODS: A total of 84 subacute stroke patients will be recruited from 7 Italian rehabilitation centers over 3 years. The patients will be randomly allocated to either CT (control group, CG) or CT plus UL-RT through an Armeo®Power (Hocoma AG, CH, Volketswil, Switzerland) exoskeleton (experimental group, EG). A sample stratification based on distance since onset, DSO (DSO ≤ 30; DSO > 30), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FM)-UL (FM-UL ≤ 22; 22 < FM-UL ≤ 44) will be considered for the randomization. The outcomes will be recorded at baseline (T0), after 25 + 3 sessions of intervention (T1), and at 6 months post-stroke (T2). The motor functioning assessed by the FM-UL (0-66) will be considered the primary outcome. The clinical assessments will be set based on the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF). A patient satisfaction questionnaire will be evaluated in the EG at T1. A subgroup of patients will be evaluated at T0 and T1 via electroencephalography. Their brain electrical activity will be recorded during rest conditions with their eyes closed and open (5 min each). CONCLUSION: The results of this trial will provide an in-depth understanding of the efficacy of early UL-RAT through a whole arm exoskeleton and how it may relate to the neural plasticity process. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrial.gov with the registration identifier NCT04697368.

Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Telerehabilitation System Improves Postural Balance in People with Chronic Neurological Diseases.

BACKGROUND: People with chronic neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), often present postural disorders and a high risk of falling. When difficulties in achieving outpatient rehabilitation services occur, a solution to guarantee the continuity of care may be telerehabilitation. This study intends to expand the scope of our previously published research on the impact of telerehabilitation on quality of life in an MS sample, testing the impact of this type of intervention in a larger sample of neurological patients also including PD individuals on postural balance. METHODS: We included 60 participants with MS and 72 with PD. All enrolled subjects were randomized into two groups: 65 in the intervention group and 67 in the control group. Both treatments lasted 30-40 sessions (5 days/week, 6-8 weeks). Motor, cognitive, and participation outcomes were registered before and after the treatments. RESULTS: All participants improved the outcomes at the end of the treatments. The study's primary outcome (Mini-BESTest) registered a greater significant improvement in the telerehabilitation group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that non-immersive virtual reality telerehabilitation is well tolerated and positively affects static and dynamic balance and gait in people with PD and MS.

The Use of Machine Learning for Inferencing the Effectiveness of a Rehabilitation Program for Orthopedic and Neurological Patients.

Advance assessment of the potential functional improvement of patients undergoing a rehabilitation program is crucial in developing precision medicine tools and patient-oriented rehabilitation programs, as well as in better allocating resources in hospitals. In this work, we propose a novel approach to this problem using machine learning algorithms focused on assessing the modified Barthel index (mBI) as an indicator of functional ability. We build four tree-based ensemble machine learning models and train them on a private training cohort of orthopedic (OP) and neurological (NP) hospital discharges. Moreover, we evaluate the models using a validation set for each category of patients using root mean squared error (RMSE) as an absolute error indicator between the predicted mBI and the actual values. The best results obtained from the study are an RMSE of 6.58 for OP patients and 8.66 for NP patients, which shows the potential of artificial intelligence in predicting the functional improvement of patients undergoing rehabilitation.

Action Observation Treatment for Upper Limb Rehabilitation in Patients With Stroke: Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In the last few years, new noninvasive strategies have emerged as rehabilitative treatments for patients with stroke. Action observation treatment (AOT) is a rehabilitation approach based on the properties of the mirror neuron system with a positive impact on modifying cortical activation patterns and improving the upper limb kinematics. AOT involves the dynamic process of observing purposeful actions with the intention of imitating and then practicing those actions. In recent years, several clinical studies suggested the effectiveness of AOT in patients with stroke to improve motor recovery and autonomy in activities of daily living. However, a deeper knowledge of the behavior of the sensorimotor cortex during AOT seems to be essential. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical trial, conducted in 2 neurorehabilitation centers and in patients' homes, is to investigate the effectiveness of AOT in patients with stroke, confirming the translational power of a tailored treatment. Particular emphasis will be placed on the predictive value of neurophysiological biomarkers. In addition, the feasibility and impact of a home-based AOT program will be investigated. METHODS: A 3-arm, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial will be performed by enrolling patients with stroke in the chronic stage. A total of 60 participants will be randomly allocated to receive 15 sessions of AOT with different protocols (AOT at the hospital, AOT at home, and sham AOT), 3 sessions per week. The primary outcome will be assessed using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity scores. Secondary outcomes will be clinical, biomechanical, and neurophysiological assessment. RESULTS: The study protocol is part of a project (project code GR-2016-02361678) approved and funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. The study began with the recruitment phase in January 2022, and enrollment was expected to end in October 2022. Recruitment is now closed (December 2022). The results of this study are expected to be published in spring 2023. Upon completion of the analyses, we will examine the preliminary effectiveness of the intervention and neurophysiological outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of 2 different AOT scenarios (ie, AOT at the hospital and AOT at home) in patients with chronic stroke and to assess the predictive value of neurophysiological biomarkers. Specifically, we will attempt to induce the functional modification of the cortical components by exploiting the features of the mirror neuron system, demonstrating relevant clinical, kinematic, and neurophysiological changes after AOT. With our study, we also want to provide, for the first time in Italy, the AOT home-based program while assessing its feasibility and impact. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04047134; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04047134. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/42094.

Improving Adherence to a Home Rehabilitation Plan for Chronic Neck Pain through Immersive Virtual Reality: A Case Report.

Idiopathic chronic neck pain is a highly disabling musculoskeletal condition. Immersive virtual reality shows a promising efficacy in the treatment of chronic cervical pain through the mechanism of distraction from the pain. This case report describes the management of C.F., a fifty-seven-year-old woman, who suffered from neck pain for fifteen months. She had already undergone a cycle of physiotherapy treatments including education, manual therapy, and exercises, following international guidelines. The patient's poor compliance did not allow adherence to the exercise's prescription. Home exercise training through virtual reality was therefore proposed to the patient to improve her adherence to the treatment plan. The personalization of the treatment allowed the patient to resolve in a short time period her problem and return to live with her family peacefully.

The Minimal Clinically Important Difference Changes Greatly Based on the Different Calculation Methods.

BACKGROUND: The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) expresses both the extent of the improvement and the value that patients place on it. MCID use is becoming increasingly widespread to understand the clinical efficacy of a given treatment, define guidelines for clinical practice, and properly interpret trial results. However, there is still large heterogeneity in the different calculation methods. PURPOSE: To calculate and compare the MCID threshold values of a PROM by applying various methods and analyzing their effect on the study results interpretation. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The data set used to investigate the different MCID calculation approaches was based on a database of 312 patients affected by knee osteoarthritis and treated with intra-articular platelet-rich plasma. MCID values were calculated on the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score at 6 months using 2 approaches: 9 methodologies referred to an anchor-based approach and 8 methodologies to a distribution-based approach. The obtained threshold values were applied to the same series of patients to understand the effect of using different MCID methods in evaluating patient response to treatment. RESULTS: The different methods employed led to MCID values ranging from 1.8 to 25.9 points. The anchor-based methods ranged from 6.3 to 25.9, while the distribution-based ones were from 1.8 to 13.8 points, showing a 4.1× variation of the MCID values within the anchor-based methods and a 7.6× variation within the distribution-based methods. The percentage of patients who reached the MCID for the IKDC subjective score changed based on the specific calculation method used. Among the anchor-based methods, this value varied from 24.0% to 66.0%, while among the distribution-based methods, the percentage of patients reaching the MCID varied from 44.6% to 75.9%. CONCLUSION: This study proved that different MCID calculation methods lead to highly heterogeneous values, which significantly affect the percentage of patients achieving the MCID in a given population. The wide-ranging thresholds obtained with the different methodologies make it difficult to evaluate the real effectiveness of a given treatment questioning the usefulness of MCID, as currently available, in the clinical research.

Causes and length of stay of readmission among individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury: a prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Secondary conditions may reduce function and participation in individuals with chronic Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The knowledge of reasons for readmission to the hospital may be enlightening to prevent them and remodel the health services. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter prospective observational study of all consecutive readmissions of persons with SCI after rehabilitation completion. OBJECTIVES: To explore the characteristics of individuals with SCI readmitted to the hospital, the reasons for readmissions and the burden on hospitalization in terms of length of stay (LoS) for different conditions. SETTING: 31 Italian specialized SCI centers. METHODS: Data on people with traumatic SCI readmitted to SCI centers were recorded about: age, sex, SCI level and severity group, geographical origin, readmission causes, clinical interventions during hospitalization, LoS and discharge destination. Linear and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed considering LoS (days) as dependent variable for correlations with independent variables. All tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Among 1039 persons with traumatic SCI enrolled (mean age 46, males 85%, tetraplegia 43%), 59.09% of the readmissions were caused by urological problems, 39.74% by pressure injury and 35.41% by spasticity (68% readmitted for ≥2 causes, associated with longer LoS). The mean LoS was 48 days: pressure injury, rehabilitative needs, sexual, bowel, and pain problems were associated with longer and urological problems with shorter LoS. People from the South of the country were frequently (68%) readmitted to the northern centers. CONCLUSIONS: Urological problems, pressure injury and spasticity were the most frequent causes of re-hospitalization in individuals with traumatic SCI. The migration trend seeking SCI-specific treatments suggests geographic areas to which health care organizations need to pay more attention.

Robotic versus Conventional Overground Gait Training in Subacute Stroke Survivors: A Multicenter Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Although stroke survivors can benefit from robotic gait rehabilitation, stationary robot-assisted gait training needs further investigation. In this paper, we investigated the efficacy of this approach (with an exoskeleton or an end-effector robot) in comparison to the conventional overground gait training in subacute stroke survivors. METHODS: In a multicenter controlled clinical trial, 89 subacute stroke survivors conducted twenty sessions of robot-assisted gait training (Robotic Group) or overground gait training (Control Group) in addition to the standard daily therapy. The robotic training was performed with an exoskeleton (RobotEXO-group) or an end-effector (RobotEND-group). Clinical outcomes were assessed before (T0) and after (T1) the treatment. The walking speed during the 10-Meter Walk Test (10 MWT) was the primary outcome of this study, and secondary outcomes were the 6-Minute Walk Test (6 MWT), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), and the modified Barthel Index (mBI). RESULTS: The main characteristics assessed in the Robotic and Control groups did not differ at baseline. A significant benefit was detected from the 10 MWT in the Robotic Group at the end of the study period (primary endpoint). A benefit was also observed from the following parameters: 6 MWT, TUG, and mBI. Moreover, patients belonging to the Robot Group outperformed the Control Group in gait speed, endurance, balance, and ADL. The RobotEND-group improved their walking speed more than the RobotEXO-group. CONCLUSION: The stationary robot-assisted training improved walking ability better than the conventional training in subacute stroke survivors. These results suggest that people with subacute stroke may benefit from Robot-Assisted training in potentiating gait speed and endurance. Our results also support that end-effector robots would be superior to exoskeleton robots for improving gait speed enhancement.

Baseline robot-measured kinematic metrics predict discharge rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with subacute stroke.

Background: The literature on upper limb robot-assisted therapy showed that robot-measured metrics can simultaneously predict registered clinical outcomes. However, only a limited number of studies correlated pre-treatment kinematics with discharge motor recovery. Given the importance of predicting rehabilitation outcomes for optimizing physical therapy, a predictive model for motor recovery that incorporates multidirectional indicators of a patient's upper limb abilities is needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model for rehabilitation outcome at discharge (i.e., muscle strength assessed by the Motricity Index of the affected upper limb) based on multidirectional 2D robot-measured kinematics. Methods: Re-analysis of data from 66 subjects with subacute stroke who underwent upper limb robot-assisted therapy with an end-effector robot was performed. Two least squares error multiple linear regression models for outcome prediction were developed and differ in terms of validation procedure: the Split Sample Validation (SSV) model and the Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOOCV) model. In both models, the outputs were the discharge Motricity Index of the affected upper limb and its sub-items assessing elbow flexion and shoulder abduction, while the inputs were the admission robot-measured metrics. Results: The extracted robot-measured features explained the 54% and 71% of the variance in clinical scores at discharge in the SSV and LOOCV validation procedures respectively. Normalized errors ranged from 22% to 35% in the SSV models and from 20% to 24% in the LOOCV models. In all models, the movement path error of the trajectories characterized by elbow flexion and shoulder extension was the significant predictor, and all correlations were significant. Conclusion: This study highlights that motor patterns assessed with multidirectional 2D robot-measured metrics are able to predict clinical evalutation of upper limb muscle strength and may be useful for clinicians to assess, manage, and program a more specific and appropriate rehabilitation in subacute stroke patients.

peri-Acenoacene Ribbons with Zigzag BN-Doped Peripheries.

Here, we report the synthesis of BN-doped graphenoid nanoribbons, in which peripheral carbon atoms at the zigzag edges have been selectively replaced by boron and nitrogen atoms as BN and NBN motifs. This includes high-yielding ring closure key steps that, through N-directed borylation reaction using solely BBr3, allow the planarization of meta-oligoarylenyl precursors, through the formation of B-N and B-C bonds, to give ter-, quater-, quinque-, and sexi-arylenyl nanoribbons. X-ray single-crystal diffraction studies confirmed the formation of the BN and NBN motifs and the zigzag-edged topology of the regularly doped ribbons. Steady-state absorption and emission investigations at room temperature showed a systematic bathochromic shift of the UV-vis absorption and emission envelopes upon elongation of the oligoarylenyl backbone, with the nanoribbon emission featuring a TADF component. All derivatives displayed phosphorescence at 77 K. Electrochemical studies showed that the π-extension of the peri-acenoacene framework provokes a lowering of the first oxidative event (from 0.83 to 0.40 V), making these nanoribbons optimal candidates to engineer p-type organic semiconductors.

The Reaching Phase of Feeding and Self-Care Actions Optimizes Action Observation Effects in Chronic Stroke Subjects.

BACKGROUND: The Action Observation Therapy (AOT) is a well-established post-stroke rehabilitation treatment based on the theoretical framework of the Mirror Neuron System (MNS) activation. However, AOT protocols are still heterogeneous in terms of video contents of observed actions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings in stroke patients during the observation of different videos of task-specific upper limb movements, and to define which category of actions can elicit a stronger cortical activation in the observer's brain. METHODS: Signals were analyzed from 19 chronic stroke subjects observing customized videos that represented 3 different categories of upper limb actions: Finalized Actions, Non-Finalized Actions, and Control Videos. The Event-Related Desynchronization in the µ and ß bands was chosen to identify the involvement of the cerebral cortex: the area of the normalized power spectral density was calculated for each category and, deepening, for the reaching and completion sub-phases of Finalized Actions. For descriptive purposes, the time course of averaged signal power was described. The Kruskal-Wallis test (P < .05) was applied. RESULTS: The analysis showed a greater desynchronization when subjects observed Finalized Actions with respect to Non-Finalized in all recorded areas; Control videos provoked a synchronization in the same areas and frequency bands. The reaching phase of feeding and self-care actions evoked a greater suppression both in µ and ß bands. CONCLUSIONS: The observation of finalized arm movements seems to elicit the strongest activation of the MNS in chronic stroke patients. This finding may help the clinicians to design future AOT-based stroke rehabilitation protocols. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04047134.

Kinematic Analysis of Exoskeleton-Assisted Community Ambulation: An Observational Study in Outdoor Real-Life Scenarios.

(1) Background: In neurorehabilitation, Wearable Powered Exoskeletons (WPEs) enable intensive gait training even in individuals who are unable to maintain an upright position. The importance of WPEs is not only related to their impact on walking recovery, but also to the possibility of using them as assistive technology; however, WPE-assisted community ambulation has rarely been studied in terms of walking performance in real-life scenarios. (2) Methods: This study proposes the integration of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) system to analyze gait kinematics during real-life outdoor scenarios (regular, irregular terrains, and slopes) by comparing the ecological gait (no-WPE condition) and WPE-assisted gait in five able-bodied volunteers. The temporal parameters of gait and joint angles were calculated from data collected by a network of seven IMUs. (3) Results: The results showed that the WPE-assisted gait had less knee flexion in the stance phase and greater hip flexion in the swing phase. The different scenarios did not change the human-exoskeleton interaction: only the low-speed WPE-assisted gait was characterized by a longer double support phase. (4) Conclusions: The proposed IMU-based gait assessment protocol enabled quantification of the human-exoskeleton interaction in terms of gait kinematics and paved the way for the study of WPE-assisted community ambulation in stroke patients.