Comparison of embedded and added motor imagery training in patients after stroke: Study protocol of a randomised controlled pilot trial using a mixed methods approach

Copyright @ 2009 Schuster et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background: Two different approaches have been adopted when applying motor imagery (MI) to stroke patients. MI can be conducted either added to conventional physiotherapy or integrated within therapy sessions. The proposed study aims to compare the efficacy of embedded MI to an added MI intervention. Evidence from pilot studies reported in the literature suggests that both approaches can improve performance of a complex motor skill involving whole body movements, however, it remains to be demonstrated, which is the more effective one.Methods/Design: A single blinded, randomised controlled trial (RCT) with a pre-post intervention design will be carried out. The study design includes two experimental groups and a control group (CG). Both experimental groups (EG1, EG2) will receive physical practice of a clinical relevant motor task ('Going down, laying on the floor, and getting up again') over a two week intervention period: EG1 with embedded MI training, EG2 with MI training added after physiotherapy. The CG will receive standard physiotherapy intervention and an additional control intervention not related to MI.The primary study outcome is the time difference to perform the task from pre to post-intervention. Secondary outcomes include level of help needed, stages of motor task completion, degree of motor impairment, balance ability, fear of falling measure, motivation score, and motor imagery ability score. Four data collection points are proposed: twice during baseline phase, once following the intervention period, and once after a two week follow up. A nested qualitative part should add an important insight into patients' experience and attitudes towards MI. Semi-structured interviews of six to ten patients, who participate in the RCT, will be conducted to investigate patients' previous experience with MI and their expectations towards the MI intervention in the study. Patients will be interviewed prior and after the intervention period.Discussion: Results will determine whether embedded MI is superior to added MI. Findings of the semi-structured interviews will help to integrate patient's expectations of MI interventions in the design of research studies to improve practical applicability using MI as an adjunct therapy technique

Wake Up Sleeping Beauty: Strong Heroines for Today's World

Fairy tales have been described as the remains of ideas and social practices of the past (Yearsley, 1924). As thumbprints of history, fairy tales teach about the cultures of people while entertaining and explaining the world to the next generation (Yolen, 1992; Zeece, 1996). While the tales are valued as a kind of historical archive and a great source of entertainment, researchers have found that fairy tales have an impact in shaping the ways children view the world. Bettelheim (1976) stated that fairy tales are instrumental in stimulating the imagination of children. He and others maintain that fairy tales answer important questions about the world and how it works. These perceptions of how the world works are influential and long-lasting because the impressionable child will make judgments concerning what is admirable in terms of acceptable behaviors and character traits of people based on what they learn in fairy tales (Hurley, 2005; Storr, 1986; Yolen, 1992)

Wake Up Sleeping Beauty: Strong Heroines for Today's World

Fairy tales have been described as the remains of ideas and social practices of the past (Yearsley, 1924). As thumbprints of history, fairy tales teach about the cultures of people while entertaining and explaining the world to the next generation (Yolen, 1992; Zeece, 1996). While the tales are valued as a kind of historical archive and a great source of entertainment, researchers have found that fairy tales have an impact in shaping the ways children view the world. Bettelheim (1976) stated that fairy tales are instrumental in stimulating the imagination of children. He and others maintain that fairy tales answer important questions about the world and how it works. These perceptions of how the world works are influential and long-lasting because the impressionable child will make judgments concerning what is admirable in terms of acceptable behaviors and character traits of people based on what they learn in fairy tales (Hurley, 2005; Storr, 1986; Yolen, 1992).</jats:p

On the lack of interior regularity of the p\it p-Poisson problem with p>2

In this note we are concerned with interior regularity properties of the $\it p$-Poisson problem with $\Delta_{\it p}(\it u)$ = $\int$ with $\it p$ > $\bf 2$. For all 0 < $\lambda$ $\leq$ $\bf 1$ we constuct right-hand sides $\int$ of differentiability - 1 + $\lambda$ such that the (Besov-) smoothness of corresponding solutions $\it u$ is essentially limited to 1 + $\lambda$/($\textit {p - 1})$. The statements are of local nature and cover all integrability parameters. They particularly imply the optimality of a shift theorem due to Savaré [J. Funct. Anal. 152 (1998), 176–201], as well as of some recent Besov regularity results of Dahlke et al. [Nonlinear Anal. 130 (2016), 298–329]

Large-scale boron-lined neutron detection systems as a 3He alternative for Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing

Cosmic-Ray neutron sensors are widely used to determine soil moisture on the hectare scale. Precise measurements, especially in the case of mobile application, demand for neutron detectors with high counting rates and high signal-to-noise ratios. For a long time Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing (CRNS) instruments have relied on He-3 as an efficient neutron converter. Its ongoing scarcity demands for technological solutions using alternative converters, which are Li-6 and B-10. Recent developments lead to a modular neutron detector consisting of several B-10-lined proportional counter tubes, which feature high counting rates via its large surface area. The modularity allows for individual shieldings of different segments within the detector featuring the capability of gaining spectral information about the detected neutrons. This opens the possibility for active signal correction, especially useful when applied to mobile measurements, where the influence of constantly changing near-field to the overall signal should be corrected. Furthermore, the signal-to-noise ratio could be increased by combining pulse height and pulse length spectra to discriminate between neutrons and other environmental radiation. This novel detector therefore combines high-selective counting electronics with large-scale instrumentation technology

Logística reversa, legislação e sustentabilidade: o óleo de fritura residual como matéria-prima para produção de biodiesel

Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar uma discussão sobre a logística reversa, legislação e sustentabilidade com relação ao uso do óleo de fritura residual, o qual pode ser matéria-prima para produção do biodiesel no Brasil. A pesquisa é de caráter exploratório, e bibliográfico quanto aos métodos de coleta de dados. Os ganhos ambientais, econômicos e sociais que podem ser obtidos com a venda do resíduo para transformação em biodiesel, pode ser limitado pela falta de Leis específicas e de incentivos federais no país para este fim. Uma forma de reduzir o custo do biodiesel produzido a partir desta matéria-prima é utilizar uma rota otimizada de coleta e transporte deste resíduo, o qual se encontra disperso em áreas urbanas. Através da logística reversa do óleo de fritura residual, aponta-se que a sustentabilidade em seus aspectos social, econômico e ambiental, a aplicação de uma legislação eficaz e a otimização da rota de coleta, são condicionantes para criação de um efetivo programa do uso desse resíduo para produção de biodiesel.</jats:p

Modeling Non-Standard Text Classification Tasks Faculty of Media

Dr. rer. nat