IntroductionA common complication of stroke is upper limb dysfunction. Chinese calligraphy handwriting (CCH) is an aesthetical exercise developed from the traditional way of writing in China and holds potential to become a rehabilitation method to improve upper limb functions in patients with stroke. This study aims to design a randomised controlled trial to assess the effect of a customised CCH-based exercise for poststroke rehabilitation of upper limb dysfunction.Methods and analysisA single-blinded randomised controlled trial will be conducted on 60 stroke patients. The patients will be randomly allocated into three groups: (1) conventional occupational therapy (COT) group, (2) COT+CCH group, (3) COT+Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP) group. For the COT group, patients will receive COT treatment of 1 hour/day. For the COT+CCH group, patients will receive 30 mins COT treatment and 30 mins CCH training. For the COT+GRASP group, patients will receive 30 mins COT treatment and 30 mins GRASP training. All the interventions will be performed 5 days per week for a total of 3 weeks. The upper limb functions will be assessed before and after the interventions using a series of rating scales.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committees of the Second Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai (study ID: 2020-32-01) and the Shanghai University of Sport (study ID: 102772021RT043). Results will be directly disseminated to the patients at the end of the study and to the public via publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations in conferences.Trial registration numberChiCTR 2100043036; Chinese Clinical Trials Registry.

Background At present, agricultural robots are produced in large quantities and used in agricultural planting, and the traditional agricultural model is gradually shifting to rely on the Internet of Things and sensors to accurately detect crop growth information. The scientific and rational design of agricultural robots plays a huge role in planting and production efficiency, however, the factors affecting their design are complex and ambiguous, so it is necessary to use a rational evaluation system to make a preferential decision among multiple design options. Purposes In order to reduce the subjectivity and blindness of program selection in the process of agricultural robot design, make the decision more objective and reasonable, and thus enhance the practicality and scientificity of the program, a new comprehensive evaluation method based on user requirements is proposed. Methods First, after researching and interviewing users and farming operations, obtaining raw information on requirements, using the Kano model to classify the requirements and establishing an evaluation index system. Secondly, the combination of hierarchical analysis(AHP) and entropy weighting method is used to assign weights to the evaluation index system, calculate the weight value and importance ranking of each index, and carry out various program designs based on the ranking. Finally, the VIKOR method was applied to evaluate and rank the design solutions. Results The new evaluation method can better complete the preferential decision of the agricultural robot design scheme and get a more perfect design scheme, which reduces the influence of human subjective thinking in the decision-making process. Conclusions The method not only corrects the traditional evaluation method, but also effectively improves the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the design evaluation process. It also provides a reference for designers to preferably select design solutions and promotes the development of small mobile machines in the context of smart agriculture.

Background: Since the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten global stability. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is mostly by respiratory droplets and direct contact but viral RNA fragments have also been detected in the faecal waste of patients with COVID-19. Cleanliness and effective sanitation of public toilets is a concern, as flushing the toilet is potentially an aerosol generating procedure. When the toilets are of the squatting type and without a cover, there exists a risk of viral contamination through the splashing of toilet water and aerosol generation. Objective: This study aims to determine whether the cleanliness of public toilets was a concern to the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether a squatting toilet was preferred to a seated design. Methods: A questionnaire was designed and posted on “WeChat” contact groups of the investigators. Results: The survey showed that 91% of participants preferred squatting toilets, but that 72% were apprehensive of personal contamination when using public toilets. Over 63% of the respondents had encountered an incidence of water splash and would prefer public toilets to be covered during flushing and 83% of these respondents preferred a foot-controlled device. Conclusion: This survey suggests that consideration should be given to the installation of a simple foot-controlled device to cover public squatting toilets to help restrict potential COVID-19 contamination and to meet hygienic expectations of the public.

Background: Self-administered rehabilitation exercises can improve upper limb (UL) function in stroke patients, but their effects depend on successful integration of fundamental principles of neurorehabilitation. This study aimed to validate the effect of a modified calligraphy exercise for improving UL function in subacute stroke patients. Methods: 30 subacute stroke patients were randomized into experimental and control groups. Patients in the experimental group received three-week calligraphy interventions. Patients in the control group received education protocol. Fugl-Meyer Assessment for UL (FMA-UL), Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) assessment were performed before and after the interventions.Results: Both groups got significantly higher FMA-UL scores after the interventions (P < 0.001), but no significant improvement was found in the DASH assessment in the experimental (P = 0.336) or the control group (P = 0.024). For the MBI assessment, significant improvements after the interventions were found in the experimental (P = 0.001) and the control groups (P < 0.001). It was also found that patients in the experimental group had significantly better performance in the post-intervention FMA-UL assessment than patients in the control group (P = 0.001). However, patients in the experimental group did not get significantly higher scores in the post-intervention MBI assessment than patients in the control group (P = 0.243).Conclusions: The outcomes indicated that the modified calligraphy exercise improved the motor impairments in the patients’ UL, suggesting its potential as a self-administered exercise for facilitating UL function recovery in subacute stroke patients.Trial RegistrationThis study was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on Feb. 4, 2021, and was assigned of a trial registration number: ChiCTR2100043036.

Background: Since the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten global stability. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is mostly by respiratory droplets and direct contact but viral RNA fragments have also been detected in the faecal waste of patients with COVID-19. Cleanliness and effective sanitation of public toilets is a concern, as flushing the toilet is potentially an aerosol generating procedure. When the toilets are of the squatting type and without a cover, there exists a risk of viral contamination through the splashing of toilet water and aerosol generation. Methods: This study reports an online survey of 134 people in China to determine whether the cleanliness of public toilets was a concern to the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether a squatting toilet was preferred to a seated design.Results: The survey showed that 91% of participants preferred squatting toilets, but that 72% were apprehensive of personal contamination when using public toilets. Over 63% of the respondents had encountered an incidence of water splash and would prefer public toilets to be covered during flushing and 83% of these respondents preferred a foot-controlled device.Conclusions: This survey suggests that consideration should be given to the installation of a simple foot-controlled device to cover public squatting toilets to help restrict potential COVID-19 contamination and to meet hygienic expectations of the public.