This randomized controlled study aimed to investigate the effects of 8-week task-oriented activities of daily living (T-ADL) training on upper limb functions, activities of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QoL) in chronic stroke patients. The 33 patients were randomly assigned to the T-ADL training or conventional occupational therapy (OT) group. The respective interventions were provided for 45-min a day, five times a week for eight weeks. To compare the upper-limb function before and after the intervention, the manual function test (MFT), box and block test (BBT), and grasp power test were performed; to compare the level of ADL performance, the modified-Barthel index (MBI) was measured. To evaluate QoL, stroke-specific QoL was measured. There was a significant group-by-time interaction in the affected side MFT score and both sides of BBT scores, but no significant interaction was found in the unaffected side MFT score, ADL, and QoL. Both groups showed a significant main effect of time in their ADL and QoL after the intervention (p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate that the eight-week T-ADL training has a positive effect on upper limb functions and gross manual dexterity, and both T-ADL training and conventional OT are effective in improving ADL and QoL in chronic stroke patients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi (TC) training combined with mental imagery (MI) on blood pressure and cutaneous microcirculatory function in individuals with diabetes and age-matched healthy subjects. All subjects participated in a one-hour Yang style TC exercise with MI twice per week for 8 weeks. An activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) measurement, a single-leg stance (SLS), a functional reach test (FRT), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and skin blood flow were assessed. All functional outcomes were significantly improved in both groups, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower in both groups after the TC training (p < 0.05), but there was no significant group effect. Skin blood flow decreased in the age-matched elderly group when heat and occlusion were applied (p < 0.05), but no difference was found in the diabetes group. Combining TC with MI showed an improvement in functional outcomes and blood pressure but cutaneous microcirculatory function did not improve. Combining TC intervention with MI theory showed an improvement in functional outcomes and blood pressure, which showed cardiovascular benefits not only in diabetes but in age-matched healthy subjects. However, cutaneous microcirculatory function was increased only in age-matched healthy subjects.

As the geriatric population and life expectancy increase, the interest in preventing geriatric diseases, such as sarcopenia, is increasing. However, the causes of sarcopenia are unclear, and current diagnostic methods for sarcopenia are unreliable. We hypothesized that the changes in the expression of certain miRNAs may be associated with the pathophysiology of sarcopenia. Herein, we analyzed the miRNA expression profiles in the blood of young (3-months-old) healthy rats, old sarcopenic (17-months-old) rats, and age-matched (17-months-old) control rats. The changes in miRNA expression levels were analyzed using Bowtie 2 software. A total of 523 miRNAs were detected in the rat serum. Using scatter plots and clustering heatmap data, we found 130 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in sarcopenic rats (>2-fold change) compared to the expression in young healthy and age-matched control rats. With a threshold of >5-fold change, we identified 14 upregulated miRNAs, including rno-miR-133b-3p, rno-miR-133a-3p, rno-miR-133c, rno-miR-208a-3p, and rno-miR434-5p among others in the serum of sarcopenic rats. A protein network map based on these 14 miRNAs identified the genes involved in skeletal muscle differentiation, among which Notch1, Egr2, and Myocd represented major nodes. The data obtained in this study are potentially useful for the early diagnosis of sarcopenia and for the identification of novel therapeutic targets for the treatment and/or prevention of sarcopenia.

Background: Maintaining postural balance is crucial for various daily activities, and the vestibular system plays a significant role in this process. Dysfunction in the vestibular system can result in impaired postural control and balance. Microcurrent therapy, which uses lower current intensities than traditional electrical stimulation methods, may offer a less painful alternative for vestibular system training. Objective: This pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of microcurrent stimulation on vestibular system training for posture control, with an emphasis on sway velocity and muscle activity, and to determine its optimal frequency and electric current intensity. Materials and methods: Twenty healthy young adults (mean age, 22.35 years; 76.5% female; mean body mass index, 24.5±3.5 kg/m²) participated in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) of the tibialis anterior muscle and postural sway were measured during microcurrent stimulation at varying frequencies (0.5 Hz to 2.0 Hz) and intensities (50 μA to 400 μA) on the bilateral mastoid processes of 15 seconds each. The center of pressure displacement was recorded using a pressure platform, and muscle activity was assessed through EMG data. Results: The results showed that frequency did not significantly affect postural sway or muscle activity, whereas intensity did. Muscle activity was greatest at 1.5 Hz and 400 μA, and postural sway was most pronounced at 2.0 Hz and 400 μA. No adverse reactions were reported during or after the stimulation sessions. Conclusion: Microcurrent stimulation with optimal current and intensity may be a useful, non-invasive option for vestibular system training, particularly in populations where traditional electrical stimulation may cause discomfort. Further studies involving older adults and individuals with vestibular dysfunction are necessary to validate these findings.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of lower extremity stabilization exercises, including intrinsic foot muscle, gluteus medius, and combined exercises, on balance performance and ankle instability in elite male athletes with chronic ankle instability. This study included 42 elite male athletes from K University in Seoul. The participants were randomly assigned to the intrinsic foot muscle (n = 14), gluteus medius (n = 14), and combination (n = 14) exercise groups. All groups underwent a six-week intervention program, which was conducted three times per week. Each group underwent a common exercise program in addition to their respective interventions. The assessments included the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool to assess changes in ankle instability scores and tests to measure static and dynamic balance performance. The results revealed improvements in ankle instability scores across all three groups, with no statistically significant differences between them. Significant improvements in static balance were found in the gluteus medius and combination exercise groups. Additionally, all groups demonstrated significant dynamic balance improvements. Notably, the combination exercise group demonstrated greater changes in both static and dynamic balance compared with the other groups. In conclusion, the combination exercise program, which integrates intrinsic foot muscle and gluteus medius exercises, was more effective in improving ankle instability scores and balance performance than the single-component exercise program. Therefore, combining intrinsic foot muscle exercises with gluteus medius exercises effectively improved ankle stability and overall balance. This approach applies not only to elite athletes but also to the general population as a practical and effective intervention method in clinical settings.