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PubMed1998

Difficulty of a spatial task and sex difference in gains from practice.

The influence of practice on a difficult spatial task in a small sample of 11 men and 16 women was investigated. Participants were tested on a rotated embedded figures task modified from the Gottschaldt Hidden Figure Test prior to being given practice in identifying rotated and nonrotated embedded figures. One week after the pretest and practice session, the posttest was given. In the small sample studied, the number of correctly identified rotated figures on the posttest was significantly increased relative to pretest scores for men and women. However, the tendency for women to score higher than men after practice was not significant.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Qualitative analysis of the overhand throw by undergraduates in education using a distance learning computer program.

The purpose was to (a) examine whether computer-based distance learning could enhance the qualitative analysis skills (error detection in the overhand throw) of undergraduates in education and (b) examine the effectiveness of several methods of information presentation (video file and text) on distance learning. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups, to detect errors in an incorrect throwing motion of a model on the computer screen. Group 1 (n=13) was the control; Group 2 (n=13) viewed a video of the appropriate throwing mechanics; Group 3 (n=13) viewed text information describing the appropriate mechanics of the overhand throw; and Group 4 (n=16) received a combination of video and text information. On Day 1 participants took a pretest. Treatment and testing occurred on Days 2 through 8. Then 5 days later participants took a retention test. One-way analysis of variance confirmed no significant differences between groups at Pretest (Day 1). An analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated learning over practice. Paired-sample t tests between Days 1 and 8 showed the video plus text group without significant change.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Premotor and motor reaction time of educable mentally retarded youths in a Taekwondo program.

This study investigated the educational effect of a Taekwondo program on premotor and motor reaction time in high school students who were mentally retarded but educable. Subjects were voluntarily recruited from the Special High School for the Mentally Retarded in Busan, South Korea. Subjects were divided into a trained group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10) with balanced ages, physical conditions, and IQ. Subjects took part in pretests after practicing a Taekwondo motion 10 times with a signal presented randomly between 2 and 8 sec. after "Ready!" The motion was raising the right knee powerfully enough to crush a pine board. Subjects in the trained group took a Taekwondo course three times a week for 7 mo. This program was designed for the cognitive and physical characteristics of mentally retarded persons. After 7 mo., all subjects underwent posttests like the pretests. A four-channel EMG analyzing device (LAXTHA Inc., 2001) recorded EMG activity. Analysis of co-variance analyzed the difference of mean pre- and posttests for the two groups. For premotor RT, mean performance of the groups showed no significant difference, but significant improvement in mean motor RT by the trained group (p <.01) was noted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Locus of control and perceived alcohol ingestion in performance of a fine motor skill.

To investigate the influence of locus of control on a fine motor corrdination task where subjects had ingested or believed that they had ingested alcohol, 60 men who were enrolled in introductory psychology and scored in the upper or lower thirds of the population on Rotter's I-E Scale (30 external and 30 internal scorers) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: a control group (no alcohol expected/no alcohol received), an alcohol group (alcohol expected/alcohol received), and a placebo group (alcohol expected/no alcohol received). Pretest and posttest measures of performance on the Purdue Pegboard Test were obtained from all subjects. Subjects in the control groups were given three 6-oz. (177.4-ml) glasses of fruit punch over a 35-min. waiting period between pretest and posttest on the Purdue Pegboard. The alcohol groups drank a sufficient number of similar glasses (usually three) to produce a 0.1% measure on a breathalyzer before completing the posttest on the Purdue. Pegboard. The placebo groups were told that they were drinking an alcohol-based drink but were served three glasses of a nonalcoholic, rum-flavored fruit drink. These groups were also told that they measured 0.1% on a breathalyzer. Control groups, both internal and external scorers, showed essentially no change from pre- to posttest on the Purdue Pegboard. The alcohol groups, on the other hand, both internal and external scorers, showed a significant decrement in performance. The internal-placebo group did not differ from the two control groups and showed no decrement in performance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation of an intervention designed to improve patients' hospital experience.

The influence of a videotape, shown in a hospital admitting room, on patients' state anxiety and concerns about hospitalization was assessed in a preliminary study. For both state anxiety and specific concerns regarding hospitalization the pretest scores on each variable accounted for the preponderance of the variance in the posttest scores. In both instances, the intervention and the interaction of the intervention with the pretest scores accounted for less than 1% of variance in the outcome. While finding small effects to be significant for such a small sample (N = 93) is unlikely, the sample size was adequate to detect medium to large effects. More important was the fact that 73.33% of the videotape intervention group indicated that they did not watch the video, which leads us to the conclusion that this intervention as tested is not worthwhile.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1999

Physiological and psychological effects of active-alert hypnosis.

10 female physical education students were given posthypnotic suggestions alluding to economy of effort in exercise. These suggestions were affirmed under self-hypnosis over two weeks. Experimental subjects pedalled on an exercise bicycle for 20 min. at 60% of their maximal work capacity while listening to suggestions from a hypnotist. The Control group (n = 9) showed no differences between mean pretest and posttest scores on physical self-efficacy, trait anxiety, state anxiety, heart rate, blood pressure, and perceived rate of exertion. The average systolic blood pressure of the experimental group was the only positive significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Anticipating the correct matching response in a second-order matching-to-sample task.

A study was designed to evaluate the effects of anticipating the matching response on acquisition and transfer of a second-order matching-to-sample task. 40 college students of both sexes were assigned to different anticipation procedures that involved several verbal descriptions of the correct response, as well as others not involving explicit descriptions. All subjects were exposed to a pretest, two training blocks, two transfer test blocks, and a posttest. Anticipation procedures were evaluated during the first training block using an observational training procedure, except for 8 subjects, who were exposed to two training control procedures. Analysis showed acquisition and transfer of successful matching seems to depend on a verbal discrimination of the matching criterion exemplified by second-order stimuli. This discrimination was facilitated by prior conditions, as when subjects showed correct matching performance at pretest or was established with anticipation procedures that required explicit reading of verbal descriptions of the response choice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The relative effectiveness of three forms of visual knowledge of results on peak torque output.

Therapists often search for more efficient and effective ways to provide patients with information regarding their performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether certain types of machine-based visual displays could be used as a source of error-correction information to facilitate the immediate and/or delayed performance of a maximal effort isokinetic movement of the knee. The relative effectiveness of the knowledge of results (KR) provided by visual displays that differed in degree of precision and presentation schedule were compared during a practice and retention test phase. Twenty-four healthy male subjects (mean age = 22 years) performed isokinetic extension and flexion of the knee at low (120 degrees/sec) and high (240 degrees/sec) exercise speeds. A no-KR maximal effort pretest was followed by two practice sessions during which three groups each received one form of visual KR and a fourth group practiced without KR. A no-KR maximal effort posttest was administered to all groups following a 1-day rest interval. Although visual KR did not result in any significant differences in mean peak torque output during practice, between-group comparisons of pretest to posttest changes in mean peak torque indicated that groups receiving visual KR in addition to practice demonstrated significantly greater (p < .03) improvements in mean peak torque in three of the four conditions tested when compared with the group that practiced without KR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Effect of foot position on gastrocnemius/soleus stretching in subjects with normal flexibility.

Following injury to the ankle or lower extremity, stretching of the gastrocnemius/soleus complex is commonly prescribed. Many authors recommend stretching the gastrocnemius/soleus complex with the foot placed in a supinated position. No research is available, however, that supports the efficacy of stretching in the supinated vs. the pronated position. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effect of stretching the gastrocnemius/soleus complex in two foot positions: supinated and pronated. Eleven female and eight male subjects completed 10 stretching sessions with one foot supinated and the other foot pronated. Each stretching session consisted of four 20-second stretches. On pretest and posttest measurements, maximum dorsiflexion range of motion and stretching force exerted through the foot were recorded for each subject. Foot position for the testing procedures and the stretching phase was standardized with individually constructed footprint templates. A two-way analysis of variance (stretching position and time) was used to compare pretest and posttest ankle dorsiflexion measurements. Results indicated a significant increase in dorsiflexion (p = 0.01, pronation + 6.36%, supination + 6.24%) but no significant difference between stretching positions (p = 0.23). We concluded that gastrocnemius/soleus complex stretching in either foot position is effective for increasing dorsiflexion range of motion in healthy subjects with normal flexibility of the gastrocnemius/soleus complex.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Muscle torque changes caused by inertial exercise training.

Inertial exercise is a unique form of muscle loading with minimal data available regarding its use or efficacy. The purpose of this study was to describe a standardized clinical training program for inertial exercise using the Impulse system and to experimentally examine the influence of an inertial training program on muscle torque performance. The biceps brachii of 40 healthy subjects were pretested and posttested on the Lido Active dynamometer at 60 and 120 degrees/sec using the continuous passive motion mode. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control or training group. The training group exercised only the nondominant arm three times per week for 5 weeks on the Impulse system. Statistical analysis of peak torque measures between pretests and posttests of muscle torque was performed using a repeated measures analysis of variance design of one between-group (control vs. trained group) and three-within group (speed, arm, and movement; eccentric vs. concentric) factors. Posttraining peak torque measures for both the concentric and eccentric modes of exercise at 60 degrees/sec and for the eccentric mode at 120 degrees/sec were statistically significant at the p < .05 level. Complaints of muscle fatigue occurred during early training sessions, with no injuries and only minimal soreness reported. Inertial training appears to be an effective form of clinical muscular training that is measurable by muscle torque assessment.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Effects of ipsilateral anterior thigh soft tissue stretching on passive unilateral straight-leg raise.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized 3-group pretest-posttest with blind assessment of outcome. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sagittal plane hold-relax exercise applied to the ipsilateral anterior thigh, and prone positioning on passive unilateral straight-leg raise measurements. BACKGROUND: Straight-leg raising has been viewed as a measurement for hamstring muscle length, but literature suggests that other structures may affect this measurement. METHODS AND MEASURES: Sixty subjects (45 men, 15 women) qualified for inclusion into the study based on a straight-leg raise measurement of < or = 65 degrees. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, static stretch, or sagittal plane hold-relax exercise. Pretest and posttest straight-leg raise measurements of the right lower extremity were performed for each subject. RESULTS: A 1-way ANOVA of the change scores showed a significant difference between groups. A Tukey post hoc analysis of the change scores showed that both treatment groups' means differed significantly from the control group and from each other, with the sagittal plane hold-relax group exhibiting the largest change (mean of 7.8 degrees +/- 2.8 degrees). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that sagittal plane hold-relax exercise and passive prone results of this study show that sagittal plane hold-relax and passive prone positioning can significantly increase straight-leg raise range of motion, however the sagittal plane hold-relax stretching of the anterior thigh is more effective than passive prone positioning.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Effects of practice on the ability to perform lumbar stabilization exercises.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized pretest-posttest control group design. OBJECTIVES: To determine the intratester and intertester reliability of a modified isometric stability test and to use this test to evaluate the effects of practice following a 4-week stabilization exercise program with weekly reinstruction. BACKGROUND: Although "stabilization" exercise programs are commonplace in the clinic, the reliability to a tool capable of measuring changes in the ability to perform increasingly difficult stabilization exercises has not, to our knowledge, been reported. In addition, it is not clear if practice improves the ability to perform stabilization exercises. METHODS AND MEASURES: A convenience sample of 44 asymptomatic subjects was pretested using a pressure transducer placed beneath the lumbar spine to detect motion (+/- 4 mm Hg). A series of 7 exercises was attempted, which required increasing levels of muscular control of the lumbar spine for stability. Subjects received a pass or fail for each exercise level based on the pressure gauge readings and the absence of movement compensations. Subjects were assigned randomly to exercise and nonexercise groups, and posttest measurements were taken after 4 weeks. The control group did not receive additional instruction. RESULTS: The weighted kappa coefficient of 0.61 for intratester and 0.62 for intertester represents good agreement. The median level of exercise attainment increased for the exercise group but not for the nonexercise group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the modified isometric stability test was reliable and that a 4-week lumbar stabilization exercise program, with weekly intervals of reinstruction and testing, improves the ability to perform progressively difficult lumbar stabilization exercises.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Effects of halothane sensitivity on mobility status and blood metabolites of HAL-1843-normal pigs after rigorous handling.

The objective of this study was to determine if HAL-1843-normal pigs that respond abnormally to halothane anesthesia were more likely to become nonambulatory (NA) when subjected to rigorous handling than pigs that exhibit a normal response to halothane. After a 1,100-km transport, pigs exhibiting low (HS-L; n = 33), intermediate (HS-I; n = 10), and high (HS-H; n = 47) sensitivity to halothane were moved through a 36.6-m long aisle that was 2.1 m wide at each end and 0.6 m wide in the middle 18.3 m. Ten groups of 8 pigs were briskly moved down the aisle and back 4 times, receiving a minimum of 1 electrical prod per pass (8 prods/pig). Before testing, rectal temperature was measured, open-mouth breathing and skin discoloration were visually evaluated, and a blood sample was collected from each pig. After the test, the pigs were returned to their pens, and the same measurements were taken immediately posttest and 1 h posttest (no blood at 1 h posttest). Pigs that were HS-H were more prone to becoming NA compared with HS-L pigs (P < 0.02). Regardless of halothane status, a greater number of pigs exhibited open-mouth breathing and skin discolorations immediately posttest than at the pretest or 1 h posttest times (P < 0.05). No differences were observed in blood metabolites between the different halothane sensitivity categories. However, pigs that became NA had elevated blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, lactate, glycerol, nonesterified fatty acids, ammonia, and urea nitrogen before testing (P < 0.05). Collectively, these data suggest HS-H pigs are more susceptible to becoming NA than HS-L. The elevated pretest blood metabolites of NA pigs suggest that they were in a hypermetabolic state that predisposed them to becoming NA.

Anesthetics, Inhalation↗
PubMed1993

Pad weighing tests with 50% or 75% bladder filling. Does it matter?

In order to evaluate the influence of bladder filling at the beginning of a 40 minutes pad test, 71 women completed this study. Thirty-six patients were randomized to pretest filling of the bladder to 50% of the bladder capacity, and 35 patients to 75% pretest filling. In all patients, a retest was performed approximately fourteen days later. The leakage in the two groups was equal. Median leakage during the first test was 3 g in both groups (p = 0.97). The leakage was numerically larger during the second test, median 6.5 g and median 13 g, respectively (p = 0.69). The test-retest variation was calculated in both groups. In patients with 50% bladder filling test-retest variation (mean +/- 2 S.D.) was -28.4% +/- 206.8%. In patients with 75% bladder filling mean variation was -58.0% +/- 203.0%. The difference in test-retest variation between groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.17). Only the subjective evaluation by the patients revealed a preference in favor of the test with 50% bladder filling. Significantly more patients in the 50% group reported that the results of the first test and the retest corresponded well with the daily urinary leakage (p = 0.04). The most striking finding of this study was that, despite filling to either 50% or 75% of the bladder capacity at the beginning of the test, the fluid load during the test, i.e. the initial volume instilled into the bladder plus the diuresis during the test, was equal in the two groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The effects of the transcendental mediation technique and progressive muscle relaxation on EEG coherence, stress reactivity, and mental health in black adults.

Eighty-three black college students, staff and adults were pretested on EEG coherence, skin potential (SP) habituation to a series of loud tones, psychometric measures of mental health (Tennessee Self-Concept Empirical Scales and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and IQ. They were then randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups: the Transcendental Meditation technique (TM); Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PR); or cognitive-behavioral strategies (C). Approximately one year later, they were posttested. TM and PR increased significantly on an overall mental health factor (p less than .036) and anxiety (p less than .0006). TM showed a greater reduction in neuroticism than PR and C (p less than .032). TM also showed global increases in alpha and theta coherence among frontal and central leads during the TM period compared to eyes closed (p less than .016), whereas PR and C did not show EEG state changes. The coherence increases during TM were most marked in the right hemisphere (F4C4). TM showed faster SP habituation at posttest compared to pretest (p less than .047) whereas PR did not (data was missing for C). None of the groups showed longitudinal changes in EEG, perhaps due to lack of regularity of participation in the treatment programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of different types of textiles on male sexual activity.

The effect of different types of textile underpants on sexual activity was studied in 50 men. All the subjects were potent and sexually active. They were divided into 5 equal groups: 4 test and 1 control. Each of the 4 test groups were dressed in one type of textile underpants made of either 100% polyester, 50/50% polyester/cotton mix, 100% cotton, or 100% wool. Sexual behavior was assessed before and after 6 and 12 months of wearing the pants, and 6 months after their removal. Behavioral response was rated as potent if the subject's penis became erect, entered the vagina, and ejaculated. The rate of potent intromission (I) to mounts (M) (I/M ratio) was determined. The electrostatic potentials (EP) generated on the penis and scrotum were measured by an electrostatic kilovoltmeter. The I/M ratio at 6 and 12 months of wearing the polyester and polyester/cotton mix pants was significantly reduced compared to the pretest levels and the controls (p < .001). The reduction was more manifest in the pure polyester than in the polyester/cotton mix group, and at the 12-month than at the 6-month examination. The I/M ratio of the cotton and wool groups showed insignificant changes during the study period. Six months after removal of the underpants, the I/M ratio had returned to the pretest levels in the two groups that had worn polyester-containing pants. The polyester-containing pants generated EP, which may induce electrostatic fields in the intrapenile structures and could explain the diminished sexual activity. The cotton and wool textiles did not generate EP. Thus, polyester underpants could have an injurious effect on human sexual activity.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relatives as lay-therapists for the severely head-injured.

Although the need for an integrated approach to the management of the head-injured patient has been recognized, and the concept of incorporating the family in the rehabilitation treatment programme suggested, there is minimal documentation of how the services of family members can be utilized to optimal effect. At a large university teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, an early intensive rehabilitation programme was pretested on 37 patients during 1984-85. The pretest was to identify the extent to which relatives could contribute input as lay-therapists to such a programme. The findings indicate that relatives can make a major time commitment to providing therapy, but that to avoid harm to both patients and relatives certain safeguards need to be enforced. These experiences and resultant recommendations may have a bearing on the organization of rehabilitation programmes for other categories of patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Personalized nursing: an effective intervention model for use with drug-dependent women in an emergency room.

One hundred and fifty five drug-dependent women in an urban hospital emergency room in Detroit, Michigan, were the subjects for this 3-year exploratory field study. Subjects were women who told the emergency room staff that while they wanted assistance with their presenting health problems, they wanted no assistance with their drug addiction. The women were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control study group. Both groups received a pretest in the emergency room, a posttest between 8 and 12 weeks after their emergency room visit, and a follow-up test 6 months after the posttest. In addition, the experimental women were seen by project nurses, primarily in their homes, for a maximum of eight visits on a once-a-week basis. The experimental women were treated using "Personalized Nursing," a nursing intervention model, which focused on providing assistance for client-identified concerns. It was hypothesized that interaction with the Personalized Nursing Intervention Model would be associated with: a decrease in daily drug cost and a decrease in perceived stress. Results show that while there were no differences between the study groups at the pretest interview, the experimental group reported a lower daily drug cost (F(1, 95) = 2.90; p = 0.09), a lower daily heroin cost (U = 165; p = .01), less perceived stress (F(1, 84) = 3.00; p = .09) and emotional distress (F(1, 83) = 3.70; p = .06) than control subjects at the 8-week posttest. The experimental subjects also reported less perceived stress (t(65) = -2.35; p = .02) at 6-month follow-up than control subjects. It was found that results could be improved if members of the experimental clients' social networks were treated simultaneously and if project nurses were correctly utilizing the model. Implications for substance abuse treatment programs are discussed. The encouraging results of this exploratory study warrant follow-up and replication.

Adaptation, Psychological↗