The efficacy of sports vision practice and its role in clinical optometry*

For years it has been recognised that many sports place demands on vision and particular visual skills. There is much evidence to show that the correction of visual dysfunction such as ametropia and binocular and accommodative anomalies results in improved sporting performance for those sports. More controversial and of special interest is the suggestion that it is possible to train visual abilities of subjects who do not present with traditionally recognised functional disorders of vision. It has been proposed that sporting performance can be improved as a result of this training. However, this review found the evidence to be inconclusive. In addition, there are studies that suggest athletes have better visual abilities than non-athletes and good athletes have better abilities than less skilled athletes. However, it has not been determined whether these superior abilities are innate to the athlete or have developed through practice. A review of the available literature was unable to prove (or disprove) either of these proposals. However, there appears to be enough evidence to warrant further investigation of these questions, in order that the area of sports vision and vision training can be more fully understood. This will enable clinicians to take full advantage of the potential of sports vision practice to assist athletes. (Clin Exp Optom 1995; 78: 3: 98–105)     

Teaching Culturally Appropriate Care: A Review of Educational Models and Methods

The disparities in health care and health outcomes between the majority population and cultural and racial minorities in the United States are a problem that likely is influenced by the lack of culturally competent care. Emergency medicine and other primary-care specialties remain on the front lines of this struggle because of the nature of their open-door practice. To provide culturally appropriate care, health care providers must recognize the factors impeding cultural awareness, seek to understand the biases and traditions in medical education potentially fueling this phenomenon, and create a health care community that is open to individuals' otherness, thus leading to better communication of ideas and information between patients and their health care providers. This article highlights the rationale for and current problems in teaching cultural competency and examines several different models implemented to teach and promote cultural competency along the continuum of emergency medicine learners. However, the literature addressing the true efficacy of such programs in leading to long-lasting change and improvement in minority patients' clinical outcomes remains insufficient.     

The Effect of Acute and Chronic Exercise on Thyroid Hormones in Obesity

Abstract Thyroid hormones were measured before, during and after acute exercise (60 min) or physical training (3 months) in obese women. Thyroid stimulating hormone concentration increased during acute work and decreased immediately after. No changes were seen during the two following days. An increase was seen after ten days as well as after three months of physical training. Thyroxine concentrations showed no changes. 3,5,3′-Triiodothyronine decreased slightly immediately after acute exercise, and after three months of physical training, 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine (reverse triiodothyronine) increased slowly during and after acute exercise. A negative correlation was found between changes in fasting insulin and thyroxine and a positive correlation between changes in blood pressure and triiodothyronine after training. Lack of agreement in previous reports is probably due to methodological differences such as methods more or less susceptible to fatty acid interference, and thyroid hormones changing differently during acute work and before and after physical training. The duration of the study may also be of importance, even 3 months possibly being too short for attaining equilibrium in thyroid homeostasis.     

心理训练对高特质焦虑新兵生理指标和考核成绩的影响

目的研究心理训练对高特质焦虑新兵考核时生理指标和成绩的影响。方法采用个人评价问卷（PEI）、状态．特质焦虑问卷（STAI）和简易应对方式问卷对参加考核的新兵实施团体测试。将被试者分为对照组、低特质焦虑组、高特质焦虑组和干预组，对干预组进行自我评价、潜能开发、团队精神强化、应对方式的心理训练。测试考核前后生理指标差值及考核成绩的变化。结果干预组新兵军事考核前后收缩压、舒张压和脉搏三项生理差值与考核成绩明显优于高特质焦虑组（P〈0．05）。结论系统的心理训练可有效改善新兵对应激情景的生理和心理反应，提高作业绩效。     

Early neuromuscular customized training after surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a prospective controlled study

A prospective and controlled study of training after surgery for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). The objective was to determine the effect of early neuromuscular customized training after LDH surgery. No consensus exists on the type and timing of physical rehabilitation after LDH surgery. Patients aged 15–50 years, disc prolapse at L4–L5 or L5–S1. Before surgery, at 6 weeks, 4, and 12 months postoperatively, the following evaluations were performed: low back pain and leg pain estimated on a visual analog scale, disability according to the Roland–Morris questionnaire (RMQ) and disability rating index (DRI). Clinical examination, including the SLR test, was performed using a single blind method. Consumption of analgesics was registered. Twenty-five patients started neuromuscular customized training 2 weeks after surgery (early training group=ETG). Thirty-one patients formed a control group (CG) and started traditional training after 6 weeks. There was no significant difference in pain and disability between the two training groups before surgery. Median preoperative leg pain was 63 mm in ETG and 70 mm in the CG. Preoperative median disability according to RMQ was 14 in the ETG and 14.5 in the CG. Disability according to DRI (33/56 patients) was 5.3 in the ETG vs. 4.6 in the CG. At 6 weeks, 4 months, and 12 months, pain was significantly reduced in both groups, to the same extent. Disability scores were lower in the ETG at all follow-ups, and after 12 months, the difference was significant (RMQ P=.034, DRI P=.015). The results of the present study show early neuromuscular customized training to have a superior effect on disability, with a significant difference compared to traditional training at a follow-up 12 months after surgery. No adverse effects of the early training were seen. A prospective, randomized study with a larger patient sample is warranted to ultimately demonstrate that early training as described is beneficial for patients undergoing LDH surgery.     

辅助发音器治疗腭咽闭合不全前后舌位置及运动特点比较研究

目的:讨论S-A治疗前后舌位置及运动形态对腭裂患者的影响。方法:采用标准头颅侧位X线片对腭裂术后VPI患者,S-A治疗前后、语音治疗一年后舌静止及运动形态进行了研究。结果:静止位S-A治疗后舌背明显降低,语音治疗后舌位逐渐抬高,发/a:/音时S-A治疗后及语音治疗一年后,不良代偿习惯逐渐消除,语音清晰度明显升高。结论:VPI的矫正及语音治疗对根除舌不良代偿习惯,获得清晰准确的发音具有重要意义。     

Changing helplessness to coping: an exploratory study of social skills training with individuals with long-term mental illness

The primary purpose of this study was to apply an occupational therapy programme for social skills training based on a cognitive-behavioural frame of reference to individuals with long-term mental illness. The goal of the social skills training group was to enable patients to develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills that could be generalised to everyday interpersonal encounters. A case example of the application of social skills training with a 38-year-old single male with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia is described. The Group-Interaction Skills Survey developed by the author served as an outcome measure. Qualitative data confirmed the researcher's hypothesis that individuals with long-term mental illness can benefit from social skills training using a combination of role-playing, sociodrama, videotape recordings and creative media. Copyright © 1996 Whurr Publishers Ltd.     

Short and long term effects of exercise training on the tonic autonomic modulation of heart rate variability after myocardial infarction

We studied the effects of cardiac rehabilitation on the sympathovagalcontrol of heart rate variability in 30 patients after a first,uncomplicated myocardial infarction. Twenty-two patients completed8 weeks of endurance training (trained), while eight decidednot to engage in the rehabilitation programme for logisticalreasons, and were taken as untrained controls. Age, site ofinfarction, ejection fraction, ventricular diameter and stresstest duration were similar in the two groups at baseline. Heartrate variability was evaluated 4 weeks after infarction beforestarting rehabilitation, and repeated 8 weeks and one year laterin both trained and untrained patients. Measures of heart ratevariability, obtained from both time- and frequency- domainanalysis of a 15 min ECG recording in resting conditions, wereas follows: mean RR interval and its standard deviation (RRSD),the mean square successive differences (MSSD), the percent ofRR intervals differing >50 ms from the preceding RR (pNTN50),the low and high frequency components of the autoregressivepower spectrum of the RR intervals and their ratio (LF/HF).At baseline, heart rate variability was similar in trained anduntrained patients. In the short term (8 weeks after infarction),training increased RRSD by 25% (P<0·01), MSSD by 69%(P<0·01), pNN50 by 120% (P<0·01), and reducedLF/HF ratio by 30% (P<0·01). The effects persistedafter one year in trained patients. In untrained patients, theautonomic control of heart rate variability did not change 8weeks after myocardial infarction and was only slightly modifiedby time. Thus, exercise training, performed for 8 weeks aftera myocardial infarction, modifies the sympathovagal controlof heart rate variability toward a persistent increase in parasympathetictone, known to be associated with a better prognosis. This maypartly account for the favourable outcome of patients who undergorehabilitation.     

What Motivates Participation and Dropout Among Low‐Income Urban Families of Color in a Prevention Intervention?*

Low‐income urban parents of color enrolled in a parent training study were interviewed to understand what motivated their participation and what led 30% of them to subsequently drop out. Most enrolled because they wanted to be better parents. Most dropped out because of time and schedule constraints. Retention was higher when parents' motivations for participation matched program goals. Program location and qualities of the recruiter were cited most often as important; financial compensation was cited least often as important.