The impact of changes in the geomagnetic field on the human body remains the subject of studies across the world, yet there is no consensus. Current studies are observing effects that require further work by researchers in order to find out the mechanisms that would allow a proper assessment of the correlations between the Earth‘s magnetic field variations and changes in human organisms. The main purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlations between the strength of time-varying aspects of the local Earth’s magnetic field and incidence of myocardial infarctions. Study participants included 435 males and 268 females who had diagnosis of myocardial infarction during the period of 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and attended the Department of Cardiology at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS), Kauno klinikos. Time varying magnetic field data was collected at the magnetometer site located in Lithuania. After mathematical analysis, the results support the hypothesis that the Earth’s magnetic field has a relationship between the number of acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation (STEMI) cases per week and the average weekly geomagnetic field strength in different frequency ranges. Correlations varied in different age groups as well as in males and females, which may indicate diverse organism sensitivity to the Earth’s magnetic field.

The objective of this study is to assess and compare the effect of applying a computerised cognitive training programme and virtual environment rehabilitation system on cognitive functions in patients after a stroke. Methods. A controlled trial included 121 persons referred to second stage rehabilitation. The subjects were differentiated into three impact groups by a single blinded trial. Results. The trial revealed that cognitive functions improved in all patient groups (p<0.001). A paired comparison analysis of all groups demonstrated a tendency for cognitive functions, evaluated by the MoCA–LT test, to be more strongly improved in patients who practised a computerised cognitive training programme during their OT sessions than those who did not (p=0.054). Conclusions. The final outcome of the trial was that cognitive functions significantly improved in patients who practised computerised cognitive training programmes or virtual environment rehabilitation systems, compared to those participants who only had occupational therapy sessions.

Both patients' groups improved arm function after occupational therapy sessions, but the patients who underwent conventional occupational therapy along with differential training-based occupational therapy recovered their arm function more effectively than their counterparts after conventional occupational therapy.

This study examined characteristics of trunk muscles electrical activity in young adults performed in the course of static and dynamic trunk muscles strengthening exercises using different lumbar spine stabilization manoeuvres. Twenty young adults (Mage = 25.5 SD = 2.91) participated in this study. Of the 20, 11 subjects (5 males and 6 females) reported no history of pain, 9 subjects (5 males and 4 females) reported lower back pain (LBP) within the last three months. Subjects performed lumbar spine stabilization manoeuvres (abdominal bracing (AB) and abdominal hollowing (AH)) with static and dynamic abdominal muscles strengthening exercises (i.e., plank, side-bridges, and curl-ups). Noraxon Telemyo twelve channel electromyography device (Noraxon USA, Inc.) was used to record EMG data from rectus abdominal muscle (RA), external oblique muscles (EO), internal oblique muscles (IO), and erector spine muscles (ES). In static exercises such as side-bridge exercise, significantly higher RA muscle electrical activity was recorded with AB manoeuvre compared to AH manoeuvre both on the right side and left side respectively (Z = -2.17; p = 0.03; Z = 3.40; p = 0.001). In dynamic exercises such as curl-up exercise, during the lifting phase, median value of RA muscle activity with AB was significantly higher than with AH (Z = -2.315; p = 0.021). Median value of IO muscles activity with AH was significantly higher than with AB (Z = -3.230; p = 0.001). Our findings indicated that although surface muscles are more activated with AB manoeuvre exercises, deep abdominal muscles are more activated in exercises with AH manoeuvre. These findings can help practitioners design interventions to integrate AH manoeuvre for benefiting persons with lumbar instability.

PurposeThis study aimed to examine the incidence of the oculocardiac reflex during a non-invasive intracranial pressure measurement when gradual external pressure was applied to the orbital tissues and eye.MethodsPatients (n = 101) and healthy volunteers (n = 56) aged 20–75 years who underwent a non-invasive intracranial pressure measurement were included in this retrospective oculocardiac reflex analysis. Prespecified thresholds greater than a 10% or 20% decrease in the heart rate from baseline were used to determine the incidence of the oculocardiac reflex.ResultsNone of the subjects had a greater than 20% decrease in heart rate from baseline. Four subjects had a greater than 10% decrease in heart rate from baseline, representing 0.9% of the total pressure steps. Three of these subjects were healthy volunteers, and one was a glaucoma patient.ConclusionThe incidence of the oculocardiac reflex during a non-invasive intracranial pressure measurement procedure was very low and not associated with any clinically relevant effects.