Wanyi Wang

Harris, SM, Wang, W, Morrow, RM, Hutton, M, and Gleeson, P. Abdominal hoop stress: A field-deployable instrument for quantifying bracing during the squat and deadlift in powerlifters. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2026—Abdominal bracing is widely taught for spinal protection during heavy lifts, yet no field-deployable measure quantifies it directly during the squat and deadlift. We piloted a strain-gauge weightlifting belt that records peak abdominal hoop stress (AHS) in collegiate powerlifters and examined its consistency and associations with low back pain (LBP) history and maximal performance. Twenty-five powerlifters (17 men, 8 women; ages 18–25 years) completed squat and deadlift sets at 25, 50, 75, and 100% of a 75%-1RM target. Within-session repeatability used duplicate measures in 10 subjects. Independent t -tests, Pearson correlations, and general linear mixed models related peak AHS to LBP history, sex, body mass index (BMI), exercise type, and weight lifted. Abdominal hoop stress showed high reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (2, 1) ≥ 0.996) and correlated strongly with maximal squat ( r = 0.752) and deadlift ( r = 0.654; both p < 0.001). Lifters with prior LBP showed substantially lower AHS (Cohen's d = 1.38; p = 0.002). After adjustment for exercise, sex, BMI, and prior LBP, weight lifted remained independently associated with AHS (β = 0.05, p < 0.001). These pilot data support AHS as a feasible field measure of abdominal bracing warranting further evaluation as a candidate screening signal and training target.

Occupational therapists engage in critical thinking to integrate knowledge into clinical application. Academic curricula offer critical thinking strategies to facilitate flexible thinking and innovation to optimize clinical outcomes. Prior research has demonstrated that a gist-based reasoning program called Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) is beneficial in improving critical thinking skills in both healthy and clinical populations. The current study examined the benefits of the SMART program in masters-level occupational therapy (OT) students. Fourteen students between the ages of 22 and 45 (M = 25.71, SD = 6.34) completed the research study. The SMART program teaches strategies of strategic attention, integrated reasoning, and innovation. The group-based program was 10 hr long, over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. The design of the study is a pre-post crossover waitlist randomized trial. Non-parametric and paired t-tests analyses compared the pre-SMART to post-SMART scores. Findings demonstrated improvements in abstract thinking and innovation. Gains were also found on non-trained domains of memory and reduction in stress related scores. Students applied the strategies in real-life contexts, including school, home management, and social life. The SMART strategies could be integrated into OT curricula, including lectures and experiential learning. Future research should continue to explore long-term benefits of SMART program.

Background/Objectives: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood motor disorder, with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) presenting with asymmetrical motor function that can cause decreased upper limb function. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is an evidence-based intervention that addresses upper limb functional limitations, but further study on combining interventions with CIMT is warranted. Combining CIMT with virtual reality (VR) is hypothesized to enhance engagement and therapeutic outcomes. This study compared the effectiveness of CIMT alone versus CIMT combined with VR (CIMT + VR) in improving upper limb function and occupational performance in children with UCP. Methods: A blinded, randomized, controlled trial included children aged 5–13 years with Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels I–III. The participants were randomized into CIMT or CIMT + VR groups and completed a standardized 10-day camp protocol (60 h). Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments included the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Secondary measures included acceptability ratings of VR devices and fidelity. Results: Thirty-two participants, with a mean age of 9 years and 3 months (3 years 1 month), MACS I = 4, II = 20, and III = 8, completed this study. CIMT and CIMT + VR led to significant improvements in upper limb function, with no statistically significant differences between the groups in bilateral hand use and occupational performance. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the efficacy of CIMT while highlighting the potential of VR to enhance engagement when the child prefers to interact with the technology, underscoring the importance of individualized approaches that consider a child’s preferences and responsiveness to different intervention modalities.

Delirium is a common complication in acute stroke patients. A 2011 meta-analysis showed an increased risk of in-hospital mortality and mortality within 12 months post-stroke, longer hospitalization durations, and increased likelihood of being discharged to a nursing home for patients experiencing post-stroke delirium. There is a need for an updated meta-analysis with several new studies having been since published. The PubMed and Scopus databases were screened for relevant studies. Inclusion criteria were as follows: retrospective or prospective studies reporting on the effects of delirium accompanying acute stroke on mortality, functional outcomes, length of hospital stay and need for re-admission. Strength of association was presented as pooled adjusted relative risk (RR) for categorical outcomes and weighted mean difference (WMD) for continuous outcomes. Statistical analysis was done using STATA version 16.0. The meta-analysis included 22 eligible articles. Eighteen of the 22 studies were prospective follow ups. Included studies were of good quality. Post-stroke delirium was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality, as well as mortality within 12 months post-stroke. Patients with delirium experienced increased hospital stay durations, were at greater risk for hospital readmission, and showed elevated risk for poor functional outcome. Compared to those who did not have delirium, stroke patients with delirium were 42% less likely to be discharged to home. Acute stroke patients with delirium are at an increased risk for poor short- and long-term outcomes. More research is needed to identify the best set of interventions to manage such patients and improve outcomes.

Background: Mental Practice (MP) is an effective intervention to address upper extremity (UE) hemiparesis post-stroke. However, parameters for the delivery mode of MP have not been defined. Therefore, this study's purpose was to define delivery mode parameters by comparing the effectiveness of audio-guided and video-guided MP. Method: Eighteen participants, < 1-month post-stroke, with UE hemiparesis were randomized to a MP, repetitive task practice (RTP) or control group. The MP groups performed audio-guided or video-guided MP, 5x/week. The RTP group physically performed the functional tasks. The control group received traditional stroke rehabilitation. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UE) and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) were used to assess change in UE hemiparesis. Results: Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated audio MP increased FMA-UE scores from pretest (Mdn = 34.0, Mean = 34.0, SD =9.56) to posttest (Mdn = 49.0, Mean = 49.6, SD =7.5), p = .042, r = .64. Similar improvement in FMA-UE scores was found with traditional therapy. Audio MP decreased WMFT time, pretest (Mdn = 10.5, Mean = 49.9, SD = 59.1) to posttest (Mdn = 4.1, Mean = 3.5, SD = 1.4), p =.043, r =.63. Conclusion: Audio MP and traditional therapy appear to decrease impairment and increase the functional abilities of the UE following stroke. Video MP and RTP does not have this effect.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) offers school librarians a systematic process for developing, assessing, and revising their school library programs. Two of the seven steps in this process involve collecting and sharing meaningful evidence with appropriate stakeholders, often for advocacy purposes, strategically selecting communication channels and methods aligned with target audiences. Through a survey collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, 161 school librarians in Kentucky, Virginia, and Texas shared their experiences with evidence-based practice. The study reported here focuses on school librarians’ evidence collection and sharing practices. Findings indicate school librarians collect easily obtainable data and share evidence of practice widely; however, they are most likely to share with building-level administrators, and the channels through which they communicate with school personnel differ from those chosen to communicate with other stakeholder groups. Approximately half of participants share evidence for advocacy purposes, and only slightly more than half share evidence of their practice with other school librarians.

Introduction: Functional challenges persist even years following brain injury. Integrating multiple domains as part of therapy may improve global outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among cognitive, physical and functional domains in adults with chronic brain injury. Material and methods: Seventeen community-dwelling brain injury survivors (Stroke n = 8, TBI n = 9) aged 20–60 years, long-term post-brain injury participated in the study. Cognition, including attention, memory, and executive functioning, were examined by select measures of Woodcock-Johnson tests; physical abilities were determined based on muscle strength, gait and balance; functionality was measured based on self-reported questionnaires: community-integration, activities of daily living (ADLs), and satisfaction with life. Results: The relationships between cognitive, physical and functional domains were evaluated using Spearman's nonparametric correlational analyses. The physical domains of balance and mobility correlated positively with the cognitive domains of visual-auditory learning (r = 0.90, p = 0.037), as well as with the functional domain scores for Satisfaction with Life (r = 0.671, p = 0.048). Similarly, the productivity subscale of the Community Integration measure was significantly associated with the cognitive domain of concept formation (r = 0.676, p = 0.032). Higher scores on the productivity subscale were moderately related to higher memory scores (r = 0.588) and fluency (r = 0.531). Conclusions: The relationships between physical, cognitive, and functional domains could be exploited in long-term periods of recovery following a brain injury. Engagement of one domain to help improve another domain could enhance rehabilitation outcomes. More research is needed to explore the feasibility and benefits of integrative therapies.

The purpose of this study was to explore barriers Texas Woman’s University (TWU) students face in accessing on-campus food pantries. This cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted in Fall 2021. Students’ use of the food pantries and barriers to utilization, including qualitative questions, were evaluated using descriptive statistics and thematic analyses. Students (n = 529) completed the survey. Despite a high prevalence of food insecurity (49.2%), most students reported never using the pantries (89.8%). Almost half of the students were unaware that these pantries existed on campus (47.8%). More than one in four students believed there were barriers to accessing the pantries, with time tissues, lack of transportation, limited food pantry hours of operation, and social stigma most commonly cited as major barriers to access. Food insecurity remains an urgent problem at TWU since the prevalence has remained high since 2019 despite the institutions’ efforts to reduce it. One of those resources has not been utilized as expected, which might impede improvements in food security among students. TWU on-campus food pantries can use these findings to address major barriers by offering after-hours access through the libraries or campus police, partnering with public transportation, and normalizing accessing food assistance.

This study aimed to investigate consumer expectation of flavored water and potential consumer segments. The results showed flavored water was ranked the fourth most popular drink, after plain water, tea, and coffee, by 901 participants. Consumers highly expected functional flavored water with refreshing (87.4% selection), thirst-quenching (73.7%), and tasty (65.7%) qualities, containing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and providing energy. Expected flavored water sensory qualities included temperature (62.4%), flavor (52.4%), and sweet taste (47.4%); lemon, berry, and lime flavors were most preferred, while bitterness, irritation, astringency, and sourness were least preferred. Pure sugar and honey were rated highest as the sweeteners for flavored water. Likewise, consumers were mostly concerned with taste followed by calories. Single demographic variables (age, reported health condition, drinking frequency, educational level) significantly influenced (p ≤ 0.05) flavored water function, sensory quality, and sugar reduction expectations. Females had higher expectation of flavored water’s refreshing and antioxidant functions. Cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments. The younger, low-education, self-reportedly less healthy cluster (mainly college students) expected various functions and flavors such as low temperature, cooling taste, diverse flavors, and sweet taste (and disliked bitterness). The older, educated, employed, self-reportedly healthy cluster had lower expectations of flavored water functions, were less sensitive to bitterness, and preferred no sweetness or little sweetness. These findings provide informative data to establish marketing and sales strategies for promoting flavored water.

To investigate what factors are associated with food insecurity (FI) among freshman students and identify potential solutions.73 freshman students.Cross-sectional, Internet survey-based study. Fish...