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Research Paper

Effect of Brain Gym Exercises on Postural Balance and Health-Related Quality of Life in School-Going Hearing Impaired Children: An Experimental Study

Children with sensorineural hearing loss often have impaired Balance and postural instability issues occur because of the shared inner ear pathology. Brain Gym exercises combine cross body movements that helps in cross-lateral sensory processing in the brain which may improve postural stability, moreover limited clinical evidence exist regarding its effectiveness in hearing impaired children. Objective: To compare the effect of Brain Gym exercises against standard physical exercises for static, dynamic balance and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in hearing-impaired school going children. Methods: 30 students (age 10–15 years, hearing loss > 40 dB, Pediatric Balance Scale score < 52) were recruited through purposive sampling from special schools in Vadodara and assigned to Group A (Brain Gym, n=15) or Group B (General Physical Exercises, n=15). Both groups were given exercise protocol for 35–40 minutes per session, 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Outcomes measured were static balance (Flamingo Balance Test), dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test composite score), and quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0). Results: Both groups showed statistically significant within-group improvements (p < 0.001), Group A achieved greater gains. Fall attempts during Flamingo test decreased significantly more in Group A compared to Group B (Right: t = 2.16, p = 0.03; Left: t = 2.31, p = 0.02). Group A also showed greater improvement in Y-Balance Test composite reach (Right: t = 6.25, p < 0.001; Left: t = 4.96, p < 0.001) and overall PedsQL scores (t = 6.18, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Incorporating Brain Gym exercises into pediatric rehabilitation of deaf children substantially impacts postural control and quality of life than general physical exercises alone.

Published by: Dr. Hunita Dhanju (PT), Dr. Hemangi Parmar (PT), Dr. Zeel Tusharkumar Shah (PT), Dishaba Yogendrasinh Solanki

Author: Dr. Hunita Dhanju (PT)

Paper ID: V12I5-1160

Paper Status: published

Published: September 21, 2026

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Research Paper

Effect of Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation Versus Non-Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation Training on Lower Extremity Motor Control and Functional Mobility in Sub-Acute and Chronic Stroke Patients: An Experimental Study

Stroke frequently damages the brain pathways responsible for planning and carrying out movement, leaving many survivors with weakness, poorly coordinated lower limb movements that make standing, walking and turning difficult. Pacing a patient's steps to an external sound, generally called rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS), is a promising add-on to ordinary physiotherapy, but it remains unclear how much of the benefit comes from the steady beat itself rather than from listening to sound during exercise in general. This experimental study compared a rhythm-based auditory cueing programme with a non-rhythmic (ambient) auditory programme, using identical balance and gait exercises, in patients recovering from stroke. Twenty-two sub-acute and chronic stroke patients aged 40-70 years were selected by purposive sampling and divided into two equal groups. Group A practiced balance and gait exercises paced to metronome beats matched to their own walking cadence; Group B performed the same exercises while listening to ambient music with no fixed beat. Both groups additionally received conventional physiotherapy, three sessions a week for four weeks. Lower-limb motor control, dynamic balance and walking speed were assessed by using Fugl-Meyer Assessment (Lower Extremity), the Dynamic Gait Index and the Ten-Meter Walk Test. Both groups improved significantly on all measures (p<0.001), but gains were consistently larger in the rhythm-cued group, particularly in voluntary motor control, coordination/speed, dynamic balance and walking speed (p<0.05 to p<0.001); reflex-related scores changed little in either group. These findings indicate that pairing balance and gait training with a steady auditory beat produces greater improvement in lower-limb motor control and functional mobility than the same training paired with non-rhythmic sound, supporting rhythmic auditory stimulation as a simple, cost effective addition to stroke rehabilitation.

Published by: Dr. Hunita Dhanju (PT), Dr. Krina Trivedi (PT), Bhargavi Dharmendrasinh Rana

Author: Dr. Hunita Dhanju (PT)

Paper ID: V12I5-1163

Paper Status: published

Published: September 21, 2026

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Research Paper

Generative AI in Statistics Education: Predicting Students’ Confidence in Evaluating AI-Generated Answers

Students are increasingly using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for learning, problem solving and understanding statistical concepts. However, the effective use of such tools requires the ability to critically assess and validate AI-generated solutions. In this study we investigate GenAI use among undergraduate Statistics students, focusing on Perceived Learning Benefits (PLB), Verification Behavior Score (VBS) and confidence in judging AI-generated statistical solutions. Data were acquired from 294 undergraduate students (244 GenAI users) through a structured online questionnaire. Perceived learning advantages and verification behavior were assessed using multi-item measures. A Random Forest classification model was constructed to predict students’ confidence in judging AI-generated statistical answers from AI-use patterns, learning advantages, verification behavior, Statistics experience and year of study. We tested the model with a stratified 5-fold cross-validation. The results point to the pedagogical value of GenAI and the need for verification and critical evaluation skills in AI-assisted learning of Statistics.

Published by: Omkar Chandrashekhar Thakur

Author: Omkar Chandrashekhar Thakur

Paper ID: V12I5-1161

Paper Status: published

Published: September 20, 2026

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Research Paper

A Comparative Study on Hemodialysis Versus Peritoneal Dialysis Regarding the Efficacy and Safety in the Management of ESRD

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major clinical condition requiring renal replacement therapy. Hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) are the two commonly used dialysis modalities, but they differ in the way they remove uremic toxins and excess fluid and may therefore have different efficacy and safety profiles. Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in the management of patients with ESRD. Methods: A hospital-based prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Nephrology, King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, over a period of six months from July to December 2024. Patients with ESRD receiving maintenance HD or PD were included. Demographic characteristics, vital signs, blood urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and dialysis-related complications were assessed before and after dialysis. Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, while categorical variables were expressed as percentages. Appropriate statistical tests were applied, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Both HD and PD resulted in reductions in urea, BUN, and serum creatinine. The post-dialysis serum creatinine level was lower in patients receiving HD than in those receiving PD (3.1±1.2 vs. 4.2±1.3 mg/dL; p=0.02). Urea and BUN levels were also numerically lower following HD, although the between-group differences were not statistically significant. Vital signs remained broadly comparable between the two modalities. A significant difference was observed in the occurrence of peritonitis, which was higher among PD patients than HD patients (18% vs. 5%; p=0.002). Differences in sepsis and catheter-related infection were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Both HD and PD were effective in improving biochemical parameters in patients with ESRD. HD demonstrated greater reduction in serum creatinine and was associated with more rapid biochemical clearance, while PD provided a continuous dialysis approach with generally stable short-term vital signs. However, peritonitis was significantly more frequent with PD. The choice of dialysis modality should therefore be individualized based on the patient's clinical condition, infection risk, residual renal function, access to care, and preference.

Published by: Ratna Prabha, Dr V Snehal, Ravi, Anudeepti, Mallika

Author: Ratna Prabha

Paper ID: V12I5-1147

Paper Status: published

Published: September 20, 2026

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Review Paper

Digital Health Interventions for Breastfeeding Support: Evidence, Implementation Gaps, and The Next Generation of Equitable Lactation Care

Breastfeeding is a high-impact maternal and child health intervention, yet global exclusive breastfeeding remains at 48% among infants younger than six months, below the 60% World Health Assembly target for 2030. At the same time, the period after hospital discharge is characterized by fragmented access to skilled lactation support, creating a strong rationale for digital health interventions (DHIs). This narrative evidence review synthesizes recent evidence on mobile health (mHealth), smartphone applications, short-message services, social media and peer-support platforms, telelactation, and hybrid digital-professional models. Particular emphasis is placed on randomized evidence and on the implications for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 46 randomized or cluster-randomized trials involving 33,785 participants across 18 countries found that DHIs increased the odds of exclusive breastfeeding (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.91–3.50; 39 trials; n=11,601), although heterogeneity was substantial (I²=83%) and certainty was very low. Breastfeeding duration showed a moderate standardized benefit (SMD 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.67), while any breastfeeding was not significantly improved (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.90–1.31). Evidence suggests that digitally enabled support is most useful when it is timely, interactive, tailored, and linked to trained personnel rather than functioning as a stand-alone information repository. However, evidence on cost-effectiveness, safety, digital exclusion, implementation fidelity, and long-term scale-up remains sparse. This review argues that the next phase of digital breastfeeding support should shift from asking whether digital tools work to determining which components work, for whom, at what postpartum moment, and under what health-system conditions. Hybrid, equity-sensitive models integrated with routine maternal and newborn care appear the most defensible direction for policy and research.

Published by: Dr. Arushi Mishra

Author: Dr. Arushi Mishra

Paper ID: V12I5-1148

Paper Status: published

Published: September 20, 2026

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Research Paper

Japanese Expansion in East Asia and Its Historical Legacy

The paper focuses on how japan emerged as a dominant power in the region following commodore perry arrival and meiji restoration through the world wars and the impact it has in the contemporay world.

Published by: Sujeet Shenbagakumar

Author: Sujeet Shenbagakumar

Paper ID: V12I5-1144

Paper Status: published

Published: September 20, 2026

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