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Applied Ergonomics Sep 2023While the biomechanical effects of exoskeletons are well studied, research about potential side-effects and adverse events are limited. The aim of this systematic review... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
While the biomechanical effects of exoskeletons are well studied, research about potential side-effects and adverse events are limited. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an overview of the side-effects and adverse events on shoulder- and back-support exoskeletons during work tasks.
METHODS
Four in-field studies and 32 laboratory studies were included in this review, reporting on n = 18 shoulder exoskeletons, n = 9 back exoskeletons, n = 1 full body with a supernumerary arm, and n = 1 combination of shoulder and back exoskeleton.
RESULTS
The most frequent side-effect reported is discomfort (n = 30), followed by a limited usability of the exoskeleton (n = 16). Other identified side-effects and adverse events were changes in muscle activity, mobility, task performance, balance and posture, neurovascular supply, gait parameters and precision. An incorrect fit of the exoskeleton and the decreased degrees of freedom are most often reported as causes of these side-effects. Two studies did not find any side-effects. This review also showed that there are differences in the occurrence of side-effects in gender, age, and physical fitness. Most studies (89%) were conducted in a laboratory setting. Most studies (97%) measured short-term effects only. Psychological and social side-effects or adverse events were not reported. Side-effects and adverse events for active exoskeletons were understudied (n = 4).
CONCLUSION
It was concluded that the evidence for side-effects and adverse events is limited. If available, it mainly consists of reports of mild discomfort and limited usability. Generalisation is limited because studies were conducted in lab settings and measured short term only, and most participants were young male workers.
Topics: Humans; Male; Shoulder; Exoskeleton Device; Upper Extremity; Posture; Task Performance and Analysis; Biomechanical Phenomena; Electromyography
PubMed: 37146320
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2023.104042 -
Accident; Analysis and Prevention Jan 2015Strategies to contend with driver distraction may no longer be sufficient for the emerging variety of contemporary driver distractions. A more systematic and systemic... (Review)
Review
Strategies to contend with driver distraction may no longer be sufficient for the emerging variety of contemporary driver distractions. A more systematic and systemic approach holds promise for improved road safety but is not currently being developed. This systematic review of multiple driver distractions aims to address this gap and presents two key findings. Systematic classification of distracting tasks with respect to driving is challenging, and engagement with Multiple-Additional-to-Driving (MAD) tasks is almost universally detrimental to driving performance. A model is presented to assist in systematically characterising multiple driver demands. Identified literature is placed into context using the model and shortfalls are identified.
Topics: Attention; Automobile Driving; Humans; Safety; Systems Analysis; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 25073420
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2014.07.006 -
Applied Nursing Research : ANR Feb 2022To examine the effect of sleep deprivation (total and partial) on neurobehavioral function compared to a healthy sleep opportunity (7-9 h) in young adults 18-30 years.
AIM
To examine the effect of sleep deprivation (total and partial) on neurobehavioral function compared to a healthy sleep opportunity (7-9 h) in young adults 18-30 years.
BACKGROUND
More than one-third of young adults are sleep deprived, which negatively affects a range of neurobehavioral functions, including psychomotor vigilance performance (cognitive), affect, and daytime sleepiness.
METHODS
A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on sleep deprivation and neurobehavioral function. Multiple electronic databases (Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science) were searched for relevant RCTs published in English from the establishment of each database to December 31, 2020.
RESULTS
Nineteen RCTs were selected (N = 766, mean age = 23.7 ± 3.1 years; 44.8% female). Seven were between-person (5 were parallel-group designs and 2 had multiple arms), and 12 were within-person designs (9 were cross over and 3 used a Latin square approach). Total sleep deprivation had the strongest detrimental effect on psychomotor vigilance performance, with the largest effects on vigilance tasks in young adults in the included studies.
CONCLUSION
Acute sleep deprivation degrades multiple dimensions of neurobehavioral function including psychomotor vigilance performance, affect, and daytime sleepiness in young adults. The effect of chronic sleep deprivation on the developing brain and associated neurobehavioral functions in young adults remains unclear.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Psychomotor Performance; Sleep; Sleep Deprivation; Wakefulness; Young Adult
PubMed: 35034695
DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2021.151552 -
Journal of Health Services Research &... Oct 2007To examine the effect of computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) on nursing performance and patient outcomes. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) on nursing performance and patient outcomes.
METHOD
Fifteen databases, including Medline and CINAHL, were searched up to May 2006 together with reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews. Randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before and after studies and interrupted time series studies that assessed the effects of CDSS use by nurses in a clinical setting on measurable professional and/or patient outcomes were included.
RESULTS
Eight studies, three comparing nurses using CDSS with nurses not using CDSS and five comparing nurses using CDSS with other health professionals not using CDSS, were included. Risk of contamination was a concern in four studies. The effect of CDSS on nursing performance and patient outcomes was inconsistent.
CONCLUSION
The introduction of CDSS may not necessarily lead to a positive outcome; further studies are needed in order to identify contexts in which CDSS use by nurses is most effective. CDSS are complex interventions and should be evaluated as such; future studies should explore the impact of the users and the protocol on which the CDSS is based, reporting details of both. Contamination is a significant issue when evaluating CDSS, so it is important that randomization is at the practitioner or the unit level. Future systematic reviews should focus on particular uses of CDSS.
Topics: Decision Support Systems, Clinical; Humans; Nursing Staff; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 17925077
DOI: 10.1258/135581907782101543 -
Acta Oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) Dec 2016Decision making regarding cancer treatment is challenging and there is a need for clinical parameters that can guide these decisions. As physical performance appears to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Decision making regarding cancer treatment is challenging and there is a need for clinical parameters that can guide these decisions. As physical performance appears to be a reflection of health status, the aim of this systematic review is to assess whether physical performance tests (PPTs) are predictive of the clinical outcome and treatment tolerance in cancer patients.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted on 2 April 2015 in the electronic databases Medline and Embase to identify studies focusing on the association between objectively measured PPTs and outcome. No limitations in language or publication dates were applied.
RESULTS
The search retrieved 9680 articles, 16 publications were included involving 4187 patients with various cancer types and different treatments. Reported median or mean age varied from 58 to 78 years. Nine studies used the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, five the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and five studies focused on gait speed. Poorer TUG, SPPB and gait speed outcome were associated with decreased survival. TUG, SPPB and gait speed were also associated with treatment-related complications. Furthermore, two studies reported an association between poorer TUG and SPPB outcome with higher rates of functional decline.
CONCLUSION
PPTs appear to show a significant correlation with survival and these tests could be used as a prognostic tool, particular for older adult patients. A less explicit correlation for treatment-related complications and functional decline was also found. To optimize decision making, future research should focus on developing and validating individualized treatment algorithms that incorporate PPTs in addition to cancer- and treatment-related variables.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Disability Evaluation; Geriatric Assessment; Health Status; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Predictive Value of Tests; Psychomotor Performance; Survival Rate
PubMed: 27718777
DOI: 10.1080/0284186X.2016.1219047 -
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Sep 2020We performed a systematic and meta analytic review of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) for various symptoms and human functioning. We analyzed all problems... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
We performed a systematic and meta analytic review of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) for various symptoms and human functioning. We analyzed all problems addressed by HRVB and all outcome measures in all studies, whether or not relevant to the studied population, among randomly controlled studies. Targets included various biological and psychological problems and issues with athletic, cognitive, and artistic performance. Our initial review yielded 1868 papers, from which 58 met inclusion criteria. A significant small to moderate effect size was found favoring HRVB, which does not differ from that of other effective treatments. With a small number of studies for each, HRVB has the largest effect sizes for anxiety, depression, anger and athletic/artistic performance and the smallest effect sizes on PTSD, sleep and quality of life. We found no significant differences for number of treatment sessions or weeks between pretest and post-test, whether the outcome measure was targeted to the population, or year of publication. Effect sizes are larger in comparison to inactive than active control conditions although significant for both. HRVB improves symptoms and functioning in many areas, both in the normal and pathological ranges. It appears useful as a complementary treatment. Further research is needed to confirm its efficacy for particular applications.
Topics: Athletic Performance; Behavioral Symptoms; Biofeedback, Psychology; Health Status; Heart Rate; Humans; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 32385728
DOI: 10.1007/s10484-020-09466-z -
Disability and Rehabilitation Nov 2021To systematically review the effectiveness of dance-based programs to improve motor-cognitive dual-task performance in middle-aged and older adults. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
To systematically review the effectiveness of dance-based programs to improve motor-cognitive dual-task performance in middle-aged and older adults.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Five scientific databases were selected to identify the articles included in this systematic review. Ninety-one articles were found in the electronic databases. Fourteen articles fulfilled all inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with a modified version of Downs and Black checklist. PRISMA guidelines were followed in the data extraction process. The overall effect size of the improvements was calculated through a meta-analysis.
RESULTS
All the studies had an acceptable methodological quality. Dance-based interventions had a duration of 8-52 weeks, 1-3 sessions per week, with sessions lasting 40-90 min. According to the overall effect size, dance-based interventions significantly improved dual-task performance (-0.48 with a 95% confidence interval from -0.88 to -0.08).
CONCLUSIONS
Dance-based intervention programs may be effective at improving the performance on motor-cognitive dual-task in middle-aged and older adults. Apart from the effects on the cognitive Time Up and Go test, dance interventions may also improve speed walking with a cognitive task. All these conclusions must be taken with caution due to the heterogeneity and the small number of articles. Future research can be developed to increase the knowledge on these issues.Implications for rehabilitationInterventions based on dance as part of rehabilitation can improve the performance on TUG under dual-task condition in aging.Interventions based on dance can be effective to improve the development of some tasks of daily life by reducing time in a motor task under dual task condition in aging.Physical therapists, personal trainers and other clinicians can use different types of dance for improving dual-tasking among the adults.
Topics: Aged; Cognition; Dance Therapy; Gait; Humans; Middle Aged; Postural Balance; Task Performance and Analysis; Time and Motion Studies
PubMed: 32180477
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1735537 -
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience :... Nov 2013Endophenotypes in genetic psychiatry may increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying disease risk and its manifestations. We sought to investigate... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Endophenotypes in genetic psychiatry may increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying disease risk and its manifestations. We sought to investigate the link between neuropsychological impairments and brain structural abnormalities associated with the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism in patients with schizophrenia to improve understanding of the pathophysiology of this disorder.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review using studies identified in PubMed and MEDLINE (from the date of the first available article to July 2012). Our review examined evidence of an association between the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism and both neuropsychological performance and brain structure in patients with psychosis, in their relatives and in healthy individuals (step 1). The review also explored whether the neuropsychological tasks and brain structures identified in step 1 met the criteria for an endophenotype (step 2). Then we evaluated evidence that the neuropsychological endophenotypes identified in step 2 are associated with the brain structure endophenotypes identified in that step (step 3). Finally, we propose a neurobiological interpretation for this evidence.
RESULTS
A poorer performance on the n-back task and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and smaller temporal and frontal brain areas were associated with the COMT Val allele in patients with schizophrenia and their relatives and met most of the criteria for an endophenotype. It is possible that the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism therefore contributes to the development of these neuropsychological and brain structural endophenotypes of schizophrenia, in which the prefrontal cortex may represent the neural substrate underlying both n-back and CPT performances.
LIMITATIONS
The association between a single genetic variant and an endophenotype does not necessarily imply a causal relationship between them.
CONCLUSION
This evidence and the proposed interpretation contribute to explain, at least in part, the biological substrate of 4 important endophenotypes that characterize schizophrenia.
Topics: Atrophy; Brain; Catechol O-Methyltransferase; Endophenotypes; Frontal Lobe; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Neuropsychological Tests; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Psychomotor Performance; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenic Psychology; Temporal Lobe
PubMed: 23527885
DOI: 10.1503/jpn.120178 -
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B May 2023Impaired processing speed (PS) can affect patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, it is usually considered a nonspecific clinical feature and is not... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Impaired processing speed (PS) can affect patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, it is usually considered a nonspecific clinical feature and is not measured, but this raises lexical and methodological problems. This review aims to evaluate the existing terminology and assessment methods of PS in patients with TLE.
METHODS
A scoping review was conducted based on the extended guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. The electronic literature search was conducted on Medline-PubMed, American Psychological Association-PsycINFO, Elton Bryson Stephens Company, and Google Scholar, using the keywords "temporal lobe epilepsy" and "speed" or "slowing" plus "processing," "cognitive," "psychomotor," or "mental." Peer-reviewed articles published before December 2022 were analyzed if they were in English, including patients older than 14 years and at least one neuropsychological measure, reported original research focused on PS and had the selected keywords in the title, keywords, and abstract.
RESULTS
Seven articles published between December 2004 and September 2021 were selected. The terms "processing speed," "psychomotor speed," and "information processing speed," based on similar theoretical constructs, were the most frequently used. Assessment methods included non-computerized or paper-and-pencil tests (WAIS-III Digit Symbol and Symbol Search subtests, Purdue Pegboard and Grooved Pegboard Tests, Trail Making Test and Stroop Color-Word Test) and computerized tests (Sternberg Memory Scanning Test, Pattern Comparison Processing Speed, Computerized Visual Searching). In some studies, impairment was associated with white and gray matter damage in the brain, independent of clinical and treatment variables.
CONCLUSION
Clinical research on TLE has focused inconsistently on PS. Different evaluation terms and methods have been used while referring to similar theoretical constructs. These findings highlight a gap between the clinical importance of PS and its assessment. Studies are needed to share terms and tools among clinical centers and clarify the position of PS in the TLE phenotype.
Topics: Humans; Processing Speed; Neuropsychological Tests; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe; Cognition; Temporal Lobe
PubMed: 36963317
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109169 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jul 2021Motor performance during childhood is important for prosperity in life, and the social environment may contain potentially important and modifiable factors associated...
Motor performance during childhood is important for prosperity in life, and the social environment may contain potentially important and modifiable factors associated with motor performance. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to identify social environmental factors associated with motor performance in 3- to 12-year-old typically developing children. Four electronic databases were searched, which resulted in 31 included studies. The methodological quality was determined using the Quality of Prognosis Studies in Systematic Reviews tool. Most studies were conducted in 3-6-year-old children. In the home environment, parental beliefs in the importance of physical activity and parental behaviors matching these beliefs were related to better motor performance of children, although these relationships were often sex-dependent. The school and sports environments were investigated much less, but some preliminary evidence was found that being better liked by peers, attending a classroom with a smaller age range, having more interaction with the teacher and classmates, and having a higher educated teacher was related to better motor performance. Further research is required to further unravel the relationship between the social environment and motor skills, with a specific focus on 6-12-year-old children and environments outside of the home environment.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Exercise; Motor Skills; Social Environment; Sports
PubMed: 34299967
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147516