Effects of Rhythm Step Training on Foot and Lower Limb Balance in Children and Adolescents with Flat Feet: A Radiographic Analysis.

Background and Objectives: Owing to the recent reports regarding the efficacy of rhythm step training (RST) in lower limb muscle development and motor skill enhancement, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of RST on foot and lower limb balance in children and adolescents diagnosed with flat feet using radiographic analysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 children and adolescents diagnosed with flat feet from a hospital in Seoul were randomly assigned to the general flat feet training (GFFT) (n = 80) or RST (n = 80) group. Patients in both groups exercised for 50 min once a week for 12 weeks. Key variables, such as quadriceps angle (Q-angle), calcaneal pitch angle (CPA), calcaneal-first metatarsal angle (CFMA), and navicular-cuboid overlap ratio (OR) were measured before and after the intervention. Results: Significant improvements in Q-angle (p < 0.001), CPA (p < 0.001), CFMA (p < 0.001), and navicular-cuboid OR (p < 0.001) were observed in the RST group compared to the GFFT group. RST was found to be more effective in normalizing the biomechanical function of the calcaneus and improving lower limb function. Conclusions: RST significantly enhances foot and lower limb balance in children and adolescents with flat feet, suggesting its potential use as an effective intervention for this population. The study did not specifically analyze the effects of various components of rhythm training, such as music, exercise intensity, and frequency, on the outcomes. Further research is needed to determine how each of these elements individually influences the results.

Magnetic-Map-Matching-Aided Pedestrian Navigation Using Outlier Mitigation Based on Multiple Sensors and Roughness Weighting.

This research proposes an algorithm that improves the position accuracy of indoor pedestrian dead reckoning, by compensating the position error with a magnetic field map-matching technique, using multiple magnetic sensors and an outlier mitigation technique based on roughness weighting factors. Since pedestrian dead reckoning using a zero velocity update (ZUPT) does not use position measurements but zero velocity measurements in a stance phase, the position error cannot be compensated, which results in the divergence of the position error. Therefore, more accurate pedestrian dead reckoning is achievable when the position measurements are used for position error compensation. Unfortunately, the position information cannot be easily obtained for indoor navigation, unlike in outdoor navigation cases. In this paper, we propose a method to determine the position based on the magnetic field map matching by using the importance sampling method and multiple magnetic sensors. The proposed method does not simply integrate multiple sensors but uses the normalization and roughness weighting method for outlier mitigation. To implement the indoor pedestrian navigation algorithm more accurately than in existing indoor pedestrian navigation, a 15th-order error model and an importance-sampling extended Kalman filter was utilized to correct the error of the map-matching-aided pedestrian dead reckoning (MAPDR). To verify the performance of the proposed indoor MAPDR algorithm, many experiments were conducted and compared with conventional pedestrian dead reckoning. The experimental results show that the proposed magnetic field MAPDR algorithm provides clear performance improvement in all indoor environments.

Efficacy of Pericapsular Nerve Group Block for Pain Reduction and Opioid Consumption after Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for comparison of the effectiveness of pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block with that of other analgesic techniques for reduction of postoperative pain and consumption of opioids after total hip arthroplasty (THA). A search of records in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases was conducted in order to identify studies comparing the effect of the PENG block with that of other analgesics on reduction of postoperative pain and consumption of opioids after THA. Determination of eligibility was based on the PICOS (participants, intervention, comparator, outcomes, and study design) criteria as follows: (1) Participants: patients who underwent THA. (2) Intervention: patients who received a PENG block for management of postoperative pain. (3) Comparator: patients who received other analgesics. (4) Outcomes: numerical rating scale (NRS) score and opioid consumption during different periods. (5) Study design: clinical RCTs. Five RCTs were finally included in the current meta-analysis. Significantly lower postoperative opioid consumption at 24 hours after THA was observed in the group of patients who received the PENG block compared with the control group (standard mean difference=-0.36, 95% confidence interval -0.64 to -0.08). However, no significant reduction in NRS score at 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery and opioid consumption at 48 hours after THA was observed. The PENG block showed better results for opioid consumption at 24 hours after THA compared with other analgesics.

Influence of Comprehensive Lifestyle Intervention (LSI) Program on Health, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged Women.

Background: Middle age is one of the most important times in a woman's life, and it is a time when multiple changes occur that affect the body and health. The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a comprehensive lifestyle intervention (LSI) program, including stress management, on middle-aged women's physical, physiological, and mental health. Methods: A total of 40 middle-aged women participated in a short-term LSI program, nutrition, exercise, and mental and physical management with various experiential activities. Physical measurements, biochemical indicators, stress hormones, chronic fatigue, and quality of life indicators were evaluated to interpret the clinical efficacy of the program. Results: LSI program significantly improved satisfaction and quality of life in participants. Total chronic fatigue scores reduced significantly compared to scores before the start of the program. Moreover, fat mass and body fat were reduced without loss of muscle mass. Further, blood pressure and triglyceride levels significantly decreased after completing the LSI program. However, changes in stress hormone levels remained insignificant. Conclusion: Adoption of LSI in middle-aged women demonstrated positive implications of the program. LSI efficiently regulates body fat, fat mass, fatigue, hypertension, and triglyceride levels which play a critical role in determining the quality of life. Thus, the LSI program could spread healthy lifestyles among middle-aged women.

Extremely Low-Cost, Scalable Oxide Semiconductors Employing Poly(acrylic acid)-Decorated Carbon Nanotubes for Thin-Film Transistor Applications.

In this study, we report for the first time a simple bar-coating process of soluble metal oxide semiconductors, consuming the 0.1 g of precursor solution in 4 in. sized devices with a cost of only $0.05. To resolve the issue of critical degradation in device performance observable in slow-evaporation-based film formation processes, we incorporate the unprecedentedly developed, poly(acrylic acid)-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in oxide semiconductors. It is demonstrated that a field-effect mobility is improved to the value of 7.34 cm2/(V s) (improvement by a factor of 2) without any critical variation in threshold voltage and on/off current ratio.