Background: Stroke defined by diminished cerebral blood flow, results in brain damage and neurological impairments. It often leads to considerable difficulties, such as limited mobility and compromised hand function, usually manifesting as a weakening in the ability to open and shut the hand. Objective: The study evaluates the differences between opening and closing hands when utilizing a soft robot. Methods: The study was conducted in the Mosul Specialist Rehabilitation Center which involved 68 participants, all over 20 years old, with visual impairments. The Iranian Clinical Trials Registry and Ministry of Planning approved the study, The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity Action Research Arm Test, and Arm Motor Ability Test were used to assess finger extension and flexion. Results: A study revealed that stroke patients who utilized a soft robotic glove experienced notable improvements in hand functionality. Average hand closure scores increased significantly, from 8.14 to 20.36 out of 21 points. Women demonstrated greater progress in hand opening rates compared to men, with an average improvement of 1.91 times between pre- and post-assessments. In contrast, the control group exhibited similar hand-opening advancements across genders. Patients with both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes showed enhanced abilities in opening and closing their hands. Additionally, the study identified a statistically significant improvement in hand function improvements based on stroke type. Conclusion: The study found that stroke patients using a soft robotic glove showed significant improvements in hand-closing abilities, while exercise had minimal impact. Women showed an average increase in hand opening rate. Both male and female patients showed improvement, with hemorrhagic strokes showing remarkable advancements.
Recurrent strokes can be devastating, often resulting in severe disability or death. However, nearly 90% of the causes of recurrent stroke are modifiable, which means recurrent strokes can be averted by controlling risk factors, which are mainly behavioral and metabolic in nature. Thus, it shows that from the previous works that recurrent stroke prediction model could help in minimizing the possibility of getting recurrent stroke. Previous works have shown promising results in predicting first-time stroke cases with machine learning approaches. However, there are limited works on recurrent stroke prediction using machine learning methods. Hence, this work is proposed to perform an empirical analysis and to investigate machine learning al
... Show MoreBackground: The main drawback of soft lining materials was that they debonded from the denture base after a certain period of usage. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine the impact of oxygen and argon plasma treatment on the shear bonding strength of soft liners to two different kinds of denture base materials: conventional acrylic resin and high impact acrylic resin. Materials and Methods: Heat cure conventional and high impact acrylic blocks (40 for each group) were prepared. A soft liner connected the final test specimen of two blocks of each acrylic material. Shear bond strength (SBS) was assessed using universal testing machine. Additional blocks were also prepared for analyzing Vickers microhardness, contact ang
... Show MoreThe importance of the research is evident in the use of exercises with the training device, which is one of the modern techniques in teaching the abilities of players, especially in teaching the skill of the backhand, and in improving the accuracy of the performance of players and increasing the contribution to the formation of a base for the game for players who have a good level of learning and upgrading the game to reach a certain achievement, and the research issue was represented in the lack of accuracy in sending balls to the required areas to achieve points, especially in the performance of the skill of the backhand due to the speed of play during the course of the match, and the study aimed to introduce modern technology usi
... Show MoreOne of the common geotechnical problems is the construction on soft soil and the improvement of its geotechnical properties to meet the design requirements. A stone column is one of the well-known techniques used to improve the geotechnical properties of soft soils. Sometimes thick layers of soft soil imposed the designer to use floating stone columns for improvement of such soil; in this case, the designer will be lost the end bearing of the stone column. In this study, the effects of several patterns of floating stone columns distribution under footing on the bearing capacity of soil and the distribution of excess porewater pressure are investigated. The soft soil used in this study has a very low undrained shear strength (cu) of
... Show MoreIschemic stroke is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Autophagy, a process of intracellular degradation, has been shown to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as essential regulators of autophagy in various diseases, including ischemic stroke. Recent studies have identified several lncRNAs that modulate autophagy in ischemic stroke, including MALAT1, MIAT, SNHG12, H19, AC136007. 2, C2dat2, MEG3, KCNQ1OT1, SNHG3, and RMRP. These lncRNAs regulate autophagy by interacting with key proteins involved in the autophagic process, such as Beclin-1, ATG7, and LC3. Understanding the role of lncRNAs in regulating auto
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on emergencies and pain among orthodontic patients attending a teaching hospital. The study was conducted among orthodontic patients receiving active orthodontic treatment or in a retention period at the College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Iraq. Their participation was voluntary, and they filled out an Arabic-translated questionnaire. The survey included general information, orthodontic problems, and a numerical rating scale for pain assessment. We used descriptive and inferential statistics (frequencies and intersecting frequencies), chi-square test and linear regression. Out of 75 orthodontic patients, only 54 (15 males and 39 females) were included in the s
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