Improving Balance and Movement Control in Fencing Using IoT and Real-Time Sensorial Feedback.

Fencing, a sport emphasizing the equilibrium and movement control of participants, forms the focal point of inquiry in the current study. The research endeavors to assess the efficacy of a novel system designed for real-time monitoring of fencers' balance and movement control, augmented by modules incorporating visual feedback and haptic feedback, to ascertain its potential for performance enhancement. Over a span of five weeks, three distinct groups, each comprising ten fencers, underwent specific training: a control group, a cohort utilizing the system with a visual real-time feedback module, and a cohort using the system with a haptic real-time feedback module. Positive outcomes were observed across all three groups, a typical occurrence following a 5-week training regimen. However, noteworthy advancements were particularly discerned in the second group, reaching approximately 15%. In contrast, the improvements in the remaining two groups were below 5%. Statistical analyses employing the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for repeated measures were applied to assess the significance of the results. Significance was solely ascertained for the second group, underscoring the efficacy of the system integrated with visual real-time feedback in yielding statistically noteworthy performance enhancements.

Effect of an educational intervention on compliance with care bundle items to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of our ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle implemented by education of the nursing staff, and to describe the tendency of knowledge retention. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: A prospective, before-and-after study was performed. The ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle was implemented through a single educational intervention of the nursing staff. The risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia over time was estimated using a Cox proportional cause-specific hazard model. Compliance to preventive measures was assessed at three time-points: before education, at three months and 12 months after education. SETTING: A 29-bed mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ventilator-associate pneumonia incidence densities, the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and compliance to preventive measures in the pre-implementation and post-implementation periods. RESULTS: We analyzed the data of 251 patients. The incidence density of pneumonia decreased from 29.3/1000 to 15.3/1000 ventilator-days after the implementation of the prevention program. Patients in the post-implementation period had significantly lower risk to develop pneumonia (hazard ratio 0.34, 95 % confidence interval 0.19-0.61, p = 0.001). At 3 months of implementation, a significant improvement was detected to all the individual bundle components. Complete compliance increased from 16.2 % to 62.2 % (p < 0.001). Compliance with bundle components decreased to baseline levels after 12 months of implementation apart from head-of-bed elevation. CONCLUSION: This study supports existing evidence that educational interventions improve compliance. The gained knowledge was well translated into clinical practice reflected by the decreasing ventilator-associated pneumonia rate. It may be assumed that a refresher educational session within 12 months after implementation is needed.