Clinical trials

This study aims to examine the effects of a newly developed training program on the empathy of undergraduate nursing students. The objectives are: (i) designing and implementing an User Interface (UI) using Unity featuring 3D virtual clients representing individuals with physical disabilities, bodily discomforts, and psychosocial disturbances, paired with a chatbot interface for interactive questions-and-answers; (ii) developing a brief empathy training program incorporating AI-generated virtual clients into traditional teaching methods, including didactic lectures, skills rehearsal, mindfulness-based training, and practice with AI-generated virtual clients; and (iii) assessing the impact of this training program on the empathetic attitude, empathetic communication skills, and cognitive flexibility of undergraduate nursing students.

The objective of this project is to assess the effectiveness of a low-calorie and very low-calorie Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND-HK) diet in improving glycemic control and cardiovascular outcomes in adults with T2DM. A total of 180 participants aged 40 to 70, diagnosed with T2DM, will be recruited and randomized into three groups: intervention 1 following the low-calorie MIND-HK diet, intervention 2 following the very low-calorie diet, and an attention control group. The two intervention groups will attend four in-person nutrition counseling sessions (one per week, 60 minutes per session, followed by a 30-minute Q\&A) at a community centre and will use KetoMetrics Breath Ketone System and dietary mobile app, to track diet and monitor daily ketone levels for early signs of ketosis that may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The attention control group will receive an equal amount of attention through four in-person infectious disease counseling sessions. The primary outcome will be HbA1c levels. Secondary outcomes include fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, breath ketone, scores from the Summary Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) Questionnaire, and MIND diet scores. This study will contribute to the growing body of evidence on dietary interventions for managing T2DM in adults.

The goal of this pilot study is to test the feasibility and preliminary impact of "MyGlucoCare," a smartphone-based program designed to support women with gestational diabetes (GDM). The main questions it aims to answer are: Is the "MyGlucoCare" program practical and acceptable for participants? Does it show preliminary signs of improving self-management, blood sugar control, and well-being in women with gestational diabetes (GDM)? Researchers will conduct a single-arm study to gather initial data on the program's use and effects, which will be used to plan a larger future clinical trial. Participants will: Use the "MyGlucoCare" app for 8-12 weeks during their pregnancy. Receive personalized education, support from a clinician, and access to a moderated peer group through the app. Complete questionnaires and log health data via the app at the start, near the end of pregnancy, and after giving birth. Some participants will also take part in an interview to share their feedback on the program.

This pilot study aims to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a brief self-compassion writing intervention on body image, minority stress, and sexual self-efficacy among gay men in Hong Kong.

This study examines whether a single session of exergaming-based seated Tai Chi can acutely improve working memory, executive function, and prefrontal cortical efficiency in younger and older adults, compared with seated stretching. Using a within-subject crossover design, 40 participants aged 18-30 years and 60-75 years will complete both conditions in counterbalanced order on separate days. Cognitive performance will be assessed with Flanker and n-back tasks, while prefrontal activity will be recorded with fNIRS over the dorsolateral, ventrolateral, and frontopolar prefrontal cortex. Neural efficiency will be estimated by integrating task performance with task-evoked oxygenated hemoglobin responses. The Tai Chi intervention is a 40-minute seated, exergame-guided 12-form routine preceded and followed by brief warm-up and cool-down periods. The control condition is a time-matched seated stretching programme without Tai Chi-specific movements or game feedback. Both conditions will be delivered at light-to-moderate intensity and supervised for safety and adherence. The study tests whether acute exergaming-based seated Tai Chi produces greater post-intervention improvements in cognitive performance and more efficient prefrontal activation than stretching, and whether these effects differ by age group. Findings may clarify how a feasible seated mind-body exergame influences acute cognitive and neural responses across the adult lifespan.

Nurses play a pivotal role in assessing, educating, and regularly reviewing patients' inhaler techniques. However, inadequate knowledge and skills among nurses can hinder their ability to accurately assess patients' inhaler technique or provide effective guidance to those receiving inhaler therapy. This project aims to develop an effective educational tool/program on inhaler education for healthcare workers and nurses. This is an assessor-blinded, two-armed randomized controlled trial with a 4-month follow-up. The study will be conducted at a training institute of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, the Institute of Advanced Nursing Studies. The intervention consists of a theory-based, face-to-face inhaler training workshop grounded in Social Learning Theory. The workshop integrates cognitive aids, hands-on demonstrations, and competency assessments using a standardized checklist. To support ongoing learning, participants will receive follow-up instructional videos and periodic reminders to reinforce and maintain their skills in patient inhaler education. Questionnaires will be used to collect participants' demographic information and knowledge and skills regarding inhaler use at baseline, immediate post-training session and 4-month follow-up. Qualitative feedback from trainees will be collected.

This study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the PASS in patients with OSA. Second, the study examines its effectiveness in improving PAP uptake and adherence, self-efficacy in self-care, changes in health-related habits, and health outcomes. We also assess the facilitators and barriers to implementing the PASS. This is a two-group pilot randomized controlled trial (n=60) with a 4-month follow-up. Subjects assigned to the intervention group will receive a 4-month Personalized and Adaptive Sleep Support (PASS) program, a digital platform-based intervention. The 4-month program incorporates: i) a 20-minute brief motivational interviewing session; ii) a digital platform where users can view personalized OSA health-related videos and information, track their adherence to prescribed treatments, log their daily activities and dietary intake, and set personal health goals; and iii) continuous personalized chat-based messaging and phone call support. Participants in the control group will receive a 4-month general hygiene program, including (i) a 20-minute session, (ii) messaging, and (iii) phone call support. The feasibility and acceptability of the PASS will be evaluated via semi-structured interviews at the 4-month follow-up. Self-administered questionnaires will be used at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months, and objective assessment tools (such as sleep tests) will be used at baseline and at the 2- and 4-month follow-ups. PAP adherence data will be downloaded from PAP machines (if available) for all subjects in both groups at baseline and at month 4.

This pilot study explores the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of Digital-supported Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (d-MFT), an innovative program combining facial recognition technology with evidence-based orofacial exercises for individuals with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The d-MFT program aims to strengthen oropharyngeal muscles, improve airway function, and reduce OSA severity. Participants receiving 3-month d-MFT (n=30) are expected to demonstrate greater improvements in OSA severity, sleep-related symptoms, and quality of life compared to those in the waitlist control group (n=30). Feasibility and acceptability will be evaluated through outcome-based questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to explore participants' experiences, satisfaction, and perceived barriers to adherence.

This research proposal aims to explore the impact of poem writing on the well-being of adult volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness in Hong Kong. The research design was a single-arm intervention study with 30 participants. The intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing, each lasting for 3 hours, led by experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors. The themes of the poems will focus on accomplishment, joy, and gratitude. The primary outcomes are mental well-being and happiness, measured using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and a single-item happiness scale. Feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, retention rate, and acceptability of the interventions. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety, interest in poem writing, perceived benefits after the activity, and the number of successfully written poems. The proposal also includes plans for in-depth interviews with participants to gather qualitative data. The results will be analyzed descriptively and narratively, with no efficacy statistical tests due to the nature of this feasibility study. The proposal highlights the potential of poem writing as a therapeutic tool for volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness, enhancing their overall well-being.

Background: Pregnancy imposes significant physical demands, with complications like gestational diabetes (GDM) and pre-eclampsia posing serious risks. Nutrition is crucial for mitigation, but accessing reliable guidance remains challenging. This study evaluates the feasibility of an AI chatbot providing nutritional guidance for managing these conditions. Methods: In a quasi-experimental design, 100 pregnant women will self-select into either the intervention group (n=50, using an AI chatbot) or control group (n=50, receiving standard care). The primary outcome is usability measured by the System Usability Scale (SUS) at 12 weeks, with an expected mean difference of ≥13 points. Secondary outcomes include technology acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model), user engagement, information accuracy, and changes in dietary knowledge/behaviors. Quantitative data will be analyzed using intention-to-treat and t-tests. Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants will explore user experiences through thematic analysis. Expected Results: The AI chatbot is anticipated to demonstrate superior usability and high user acceptance (TAM \>5.0/7), with improvements in dietary knowledge and behavior. Qualitative findings will provide insights into benefits, barriers, and engagement factors. Conclusion: This study will establish an evidence base on AI chatbot feasibility and acceptance for prenatal nutrition, informing tool optimization and future large-scale trials.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by varying degrees of disability and deviation in social communication, cognitive growth, and emotional expression, as well as the existence of constrained, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests and sensory processing issues. Caring for children with ASD can be a stressful and challenging life event for parents, potentially leading to a higher risk of mental health issues and other negative outcomes. Poor mental health in these parents can be attributed to various factors, such as the perception of having little control over their child's behavior, concerns about the child's intellectual development and ability to acquire adaptive behaviors, the demands of caregiving and time management, worries about parent-child relationships, and uncertainty about the child's future. The mental well-being of parents of children with ASD is essential in both clinical and research settings, as it can impact potential treatment results. Research has demonstrated that stress experienced by these parents can be linked to reduced participation in services and less favorable behavioral and developmental outcomes for their children in early intervention programs. The success of interventions mediated or delivered by parents is closely tied to their mental well-being, which affects both their involvement in treatments and adherence to them. Therefore, it is vital to focus on enhancing the mental health of parents when designing intervention children with ASD and their families. Emerging evidence supports the use of Positive Psychotherapy (PPT). PPT was originally proposed by Seligman and colleagues and consists a series of evidenced-based positive psychological skills exercises aimed at fostering positive emotions, cognition, characteristics, and behaviors. PPT focuses on individuals' strengths and resources, distinguishing it from traditional psychotherapies. PPT is brief, requiring only a few sessions, Its instructions are straightforward and easy-to-follow, allowing for self-adminstration. Research has shown that PPT not only reduces depressive symptoms, stress and anxiety, but also places equal emphasis on enhancing well-being in individuals with major depression. Taken together, the investigators hypothesize that PPT can improve well-being, reduce stress, depressive symptoms, and enhance the quality of life in Chinese parents of children with ASD. Digital health interventions, particularly Chatbots, have the potential to expand the reach and impact of positive psychology skills interventions for parents of children with ASD. There are several advantages to using Chatbots. First, Chatbots are perceived as accessible and can provide a structured set of content that simulates real-life conversations with a supportive friend. This is particularly important for parents of children with ASD who may lack social support. Second, access to the effective psychological interventions can be limited due to geographical barriers, lack of resources, or social stigma. Digital interventions, such as Chatbots, can help overcome these barriers by providing easy access to evidence-based psychological interventions. Chatbots can be available 24/7, can be personalized to individual needs, and can offer immediate feedback and support. Third, Chatbots can collect data on users' interactions, which can inform the improvement and adaptation of the intervention. The use of Chatbots to promote health conversations is an emerging field. A review of 12 studies suggested that no adverse events or harms were reported but there was a lack of studies assessing mental health outcomes. Hence, in this proposed study, the investigators will develop and test the first Chatbot to improve well-being in caregivers of children with ASD. Aims： The objective is to evaluate and test the Chatbot-based program in promoting well-being in caregivers of children with ASD. The secondary objectives are: To test if the Chatbot-based program reduces perceived stress in caregivers of children with ASD; To test if the Chatbot-based program reduces depressive symptoms in caregivers of children with ASD; To test if the Chatbot-based program improves quality of life in caregivers of children with ASD; To test if the Chatbot-based program is feasible of children with ASD. Methods: The randomised controlled trial with a mixed-method evaluation will be designed. A total of 130 caregivers of children with ASD will be randomly allocated into the control or intervention group. Participants will be randomly allocated to the Chatbot-based program and receive one-page information about ASD.

Intervention aiming to improve cardiometabolic health and physical function by reducing prolonged sitting

The goal of this mixed-methods research is to investigate the impact of interprofessional education on the professional development and clinical skills of nursing and physiotherapy students who provide home-based care to older adults in Hong Kong. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is an interprofessional home-based digital frailty management program feasible for training nursing and physiotherapy students ? 2. Can the training enhance students' skills in providing holistic, home-based care, interprofessional teamwork and communication? 3. Can the training improve elderly health awareness, behavior, and outcomes? The study will involve 50 students from Hong Kong Metropolitan University, including nursing and physiotherapy students in clinical placement courses. Approximately 100 older adults with mild health conditions, living in home-based community settings, will take part as care recipients. Students will: 1. Attend a training programme delivered by healthcare professionals, including nurses, physiotherapists, and social workers. 2. Carry out supervised home visits in pairs, working directly with older adults to assess their needs, provide health education, and support healthy lifestyle changes. 3. Use a tablet-based digital platform to record care plans, share information, and follow up with participants.

This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness of face-to-face Nonviolent Communication (NVC) intervention in improving parents' mental well-being and NVC skills, reducing parenting stress, depression and anxiety symptoms, and child emotional and behavioural problems. A total of 172 parents with primary-school-age children will be recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group will receive six weekly 1.5-hour face-to-face NVC training sessions delivered by trained social workers. Five to ten social workers will be trained by professional NVC trainers through a train-the-trainer workshop, including three sessions. Each social worker will be assessed before (TTT1), after (TTT2) the workshops and 10 months (TTT3). Assessments for participants will be conducted at baseline (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2), and at three-month follow-up (T3). After completing the assessments, the waitlist control group will receive the same sessions. Qualitative interviews will be conducted to explore participants' experiences and perceptions of NVC.

The goal of this study is to find out if a smartphone-based program (called 3S-C) can help people with COPD live better, healthier lives. It will also look at how the program affects their knowledge, habits, and overall health. The main questions the study wants to answer are: * Does the 3S-C program help people with COPD feel better and improve their quality of life? * Does it help them understand and manage their condition better? * Does it improve their health, such as reducing breathing problems or making it easier to sleep? * Can it reduce the need for hospital visits or other healthcare? Participants will be split into two groups: The 3S-C group: They will use the smartphone-based program, which includes: (i) Two short individual sessions to motivate them, (ii) helpful messages sent through apps like WhatsApp or WeChat; (iii) support through personalized messaging, phone calls, and a hotline; (iv) an online platform to track their health; and (v) a group session to connect with other COPD patients. The general hygiene (control) group: They will get information about staying healthy, such as tips on hand washing, food safety, keeping their home clean, and better sleep habits. What will participants do? Take part in the study for 12 months. visit the clinic for checkups and complete surveys and simple fitness tests at the start, after 4 months, and after 12 months. Researchers will check if the 3S-C program improves: * quality of life and how well people manage their condition. * habits like taking medication on time, exercising, eating well, or quitting smoking. * health outcomes like breathing, sleep, or feeling less anxious or depressed. This study will compare the 3S-C program to general hygiene tips to see if using a smartphone can make living with COPD easier and healthier.

This research proposal aims to explore the effectiveness of the mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on reducing young children's screen time (ST) and caring parents' psychological and social issues in Hong Kong.

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal condition characterised by unsatisfactory defecation as a result of infrequent stools, difficult stool passage or both. Overall, the average prevalence of constipation globally is estimated to be 16%. It affects approximately 14.3% of the population in Hong Kong. The condition incurs significant costs, with more than £162 million in associated costs in the UK National Health Service from 2017 to 2018. Similar expenses have been reported in Hong Kong and many Western countries. Previous studies have shown that constipation can lead to serious health complications, including paralytic ileus, faecal impaction, bowel obstruction and even premature death. It not only causes patient discomfort and reduces quality of life but also increases treatment costs. Psychiatric patients, particularly those on psychotropic drugs such as antipsychotics and antidepressants, are more susceptible to constipation, with more than one third of such patients affected in Europe. This high prevalence may be due to the side effects of these drugs, as well as factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, negative symptoms of schizophrenia, a poor mental state, an unhealthy diet and insufficient fiber intake. The physical health of individuals with severe mental illness, including constipation, has become a major concern in recent years. However, the issues are often overlooked and under-researched, making their management a critical aspect of mental health care. Common treatments for constipation include pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. While pharmacological interventions can effectively alleviate symptoms, they are short-term solutions. The long-term use of laxatives can cause serious side effects, such as bloating, allergic reactions, abdominal pain, metabolic disturbances and hepatotoxicity, which far outweigh the therapeutic effects. Alternative non-invasive interventions, such as auriculotherapy and behavioural therapy, have been found to be ineffective. Only one randomised controlled trial (RCT) of abdominal massage therapy in 60 older adults with constipation in Sweden showed decreased constipation severity and increased bowel movement frequency. However, this did not lead to a decrease in laxative intake, and the intervention requires a therapist to perform. These factors may reduce the accessibility and sustainability of the intervention. Therefore, the investigators propose to test a simpler and less expensive intervention to manage constipation in adult psychiatric out-patients. This intervention will incorporate the concept of self-help, acupressure. Self-help concept: Since the 19th century, self-care has been a crucial element of healthcare systems. It is defined as a deliberate action undertaken by an individual to enhance their health or manage a disease. Florence Nightingale underscored the significance of personal hygiene and environmental factors in health, thereby establishing self-care as a fundamental principle in public health nursing. Orem further developed the notion of self-care, classifying it into three categories: universal self-care requisites, developmental self-care requisites and health-deviation self-care requisites. Barofsky divided self-care activities into four types: regulatory, preventive, reactive and restorative self-care. Both the World Health Organization and Pender accentuated the function of self-care in health enhancement, disease prevention and health restoration. In Orem's self-care model, patients perceived as active contributors to their own care. Acupressure: Acupressure involves the application of constant pressure using a fingertip, thumb or the palm of the hand to specific acupoints to stimulate the flow of the life force known as 'Qi' in the meridians. In TCM, health problems are deemed to be due to pathogenic changes in Qi and an imbalance of 'Yin' and 'Yang'. Dysfunction of the viscera and bowels is induced by a deficiency or an excess of Qi in the body. Acupressure is based on the meridian theory, namely that Qi flows through the body along certain channels (meridians), which, if blocked, can cause illness. Stimulation at precise locations (acupoints) along these channels by a healthcare provider or the patients themselves can unblock the flow of Qi, relieving pain and restoring health. Acupressure is able to influence autonomic functions, which can affect the functioning of defecation. In addition, some studies have found that acupressure improves the symptoms of constipation in older adults and patients with stroke or with a vegetative status. Acupressure may have the positive effect of improving constipation. However, there have been no trials (RCTs or non-RCTs) assessing this in psychiatric out-patients. Therefore, the investigators propose to test the intervention in psychiatric out-patients.

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal condition characterized by unsatisfactory defaecation as a result of infrequent stools, difficult stool passage, or both. Overall, the average prevalence of constipation was estimated at 16% worldwide. It affects about 14.3% of the population in Hong Kong. The condition incurs significant costs, with over £162 million in the UK National Health Service from 2017 to 2018. Similar high expenses are reported in Hong Kong and many Western countries. Studies have shown that constipation can lead to serious health complications, including paralytic ileus, fecal impaction, bowel obstruction, and even premature death. It not only causes patient discomfort and reduces quality of life, but also increases treatment costs. Psychiatric patients, particularly those on psychotropic drugs such as antipsychotics and antidepressants, are more susceptible to constipation, with over a third affected in Europe. This high prevalence may be due to the side effects of antipsychotics and antidepressant drugs, as well as factors like limited physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, negative symptoms, poor mental state, unhealthy diet, and insufficient fiber intake. The physical health of individuals with severe mental illness, including constipation, has become a major concern in recent years. However, these issues are often overlooked and under-researched, making its management a critical aspect of mental health care. Common treatments of constipation include pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. While pharmacological intervention can effectively alleviate symptoms, it is a short-term solution but long-term use of laxatives can cause serious side effects such as bloating, allergic reaction, abdominal pain, metabolic disturbances, and hepatotoxicity that can far outweigh the therapeutic effects of symptom reduction. Alternative non-traumatic interventions like auriculotherapy and behavioral therapy have been found to be ineffective. Only one RCT study of abdominal massage therapy to 60 elderlies with constipation in Sweden has shown decrease severity of constipation and increased bowel movement but did not lead to decrease in laxative intake, also the intervention requires a therapist to perform. This may reduce the accessibility and sustainability of the intervention to manage constipation. Therefore, the investigators propose to test a simpler and less expensive intervention to manage constipation to adult psychiatric patient. This intervention incorporates the concept of self-help, acupressure into the project. Self-help concept: Since the 19th century, self-care has been a crucial element within healthcare systems. It is characterized as a deliberate action undertaken by an individual to enhance health or manage disease. Florence Nightingale underscored the significance of personal hygiene and environmental factors in health, thereby establishing self-care as a fundamental principle in public health nursing. Orem further developed the notion of self-care, classifying it into three categories: universal self-care requisites, developmental self-care requisites, and health-deviation self-care requisites. Barofsky divided self-care activities into four types: regulatory, preventive, reactive, and restorative self-care. Both the World Health Organization and Pender accentuated the function of self-care in health enhancement, disease prevention, and health restoration. In Orem's self-care model, nursing therapeutics are divided into five categories, with patients perceived as active contributors to their own care. Acupressure: Acupressure involves the application of constant pressure by fingertip, thumb or palm to specific acupoints for stimulating the flow of 'Qi' in the meridians. In TCM, health problems are deemed to be due to pathogenic changes in 'Qi' and imbalance of 'Yin' and 'Yang'. Dysfunction of the viscera and bowels is induced by a deficiency or excess of 'Qi' in the body. The acupressure is based on the Meridian theory that a life force called 'Qi' flows through the body along certain channels (meridians), which if blocked can cause illness. Stimulation at precise locations (acupoints) along these channels by healthcare provider or patients themselves can unblock the flow of 'Qi', relieving pain and restoring health. Acupressure is able to influence autonomic functions, which can affect the functioning of defecation. In addition, Some studies found that acupressure improved symptoms of constipation in elderly, stroke, and vegetative status patients. Acupressure might have positive effect of improving constipation in patients. Unfortunately, there is no trails (RCT or non-RCT) on psychiatric patient. Therefore this intervention will be tested among the psychiatric in-patients in this study.

This is a cross-sectional obsessional study. This study explores how different sitting conditions affect two important muscles-the diaphragm and the sternocleidomastoid (SCM)-work during breathing exercises. The diaphragm is the main muscle for breathing, while the SCM helps when taking deeper breaths. Understanding how these muscles interact while sitting under various conditions can help improve breathing training techniques. The study's objectives are (1) to investigate the relationship between diaphragm thickness fraction with 4 different sitting conditions during loaded inspiration among healthy adults and (2) To investigate the relationship between SCM activity with 4 different sitting conditions during loaded inspiration among healthy adults. This research will conduct healthy adults, who will be instructed to breathe against resistance provided by the IMT while sitting on four different conditions: a regular chair, a soft pad with feet on the ground, a soft pad with feet on two additional soft pads, and a single soft pad with both feet on one pad. By using ultrasound to measure how thick the diaphragm gets and surface electromyography (sEMG) to track SCM activity, the data will be gathered on how these muscles function under different conditions. The goal is to find out if sitting on unstable surfaces, like soft pads, can enhance diaphragm use compared to a stable chair. These surfaces may change how effectively the diaphragm and SCM work together. This research could lead to better recommendations for inspiratory muscle training (IMT), which helps strengthen these muscles, especially for people with breathing difficulties. By identifying how posture influences muscle recruitment during breathing exercises, hoping to contribute valuable insights that can improve rehabilitation programs for individuals with respiratory conditions.

This pilot randomized controlled trial is designed to investigate the effectiveness of chair-bound exergaming on improving physical and cognitive function in pre-frail/ frail nursing home residents

This study aims to investigate the differences in muscle recruitment of the diaphragm (assessed using ultrasound), the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and trunk muscles (both measured via surface electromyography (sEMG)), during loaded breathing training performed on both stable and unstable surfaces. The goal is to understand the interaction between the inspiratory and trunk muscles during Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) across these two surface conditions.

This is a randomized controlled trial. This current RCT study will be a continuing project based on the optimal IMT intensity identified from our ongoing study. This ongoing study (registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the registration number NCT06267768) aims to explore the optimal IMT intensity for the recruitment of diaphragm muscles in people after a stroke. Based on this intensity, the aim of this RCT is to explore the effects of a 4-week protocol of IMT on respiratory function, balance control, exercise capacity, and quality of life in people after a stroke.

This study is designed to explore the effects of a 4-week protocol of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) at 50% maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) on respiratory function, diaphragm thickness, balance control, exercise capacity, and quality of life in people after stroke. To ascertain the effect of IMT on the relationship between diaphragm muscle contraction and activation of other trunk muscles, this study also explores whether any effect of the 4-week IMT protocol on balance control is associated with changes in the anticipatory posture adjustments (APAs) time - the onset time of postural muscles during a required task (e.g., the rapid shoulder flexion test).

The study aims to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) based emergency triage education tool for providing critical thinking and questioning skills training to nursing students. It also aims to contribute valuable implications by collecting the knowledge, attitudes, and compassion aspects of nursing students toward AI-based education The objectives of the study: 1. To evaluate the effectiveness of instructor-led and self-play pedagogy approaches in enhancing students' critical thinking by an AI-based emergency triage education tool. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of instructor-led and self-play pedagogy approaches in enhancing students' triage skill retention by an AI-based emergency triage education tool. 3. To evaluate students' learning motivation, simulation-based experience, and usability towards AI-based technology learning. Participants will 1. play the education tool in different pedagogy approaches 2. answer the questionnaires and receive a qualitative interview

The goal of this study is to evaluate how a Chatbot-based assistant can improve problem-solving skills and coping strategies in parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).