Notes from the Editor-in-Chief

Abstract

Over the past few months, our dedicated team of editors and reviewers have been working tirelessly to curate a collec-tion of articles that offer valuable insights and advancements in their respective fields. We have strived to maintain the highest standards of quality and integrity in the selection process, ensuring that only the most rigorous and innovative research makes its way into our journal.

In today’s rapidly evolving world, where new discoveries and breakthroughs occur at an unprecedented pace, it is crucial for us to stay at the forefront of knowledge and provide a platform for researchers and scholars to share their findings. Our commitment to fostering the dissemination of cutting-edge research remains unwavering, and we will continue to serve as a bridge between the scientific community and the wider public.

The first article of this issue is a randomized controlled trial conducted by Kittinanon N and Sukpongthai T. They studied the effect of vitamin D supplements in acute spinal cord injury patients and suggested that the patients with acute spinal cord injuries should receive vitamin D supplements to reduce existing vitamin D deficiency.

In the second article, Tikkapanyo N and her college studied  about the factors associated with the good outcome after a single injection of platelet-rich plasma in patients with osteoarthritic knee and found that less than half of the participants had a clinically significant improvement in VAS after a single injection of IA PRP. The authors concluded that their study did not have sufficient statistical power to determine associated factors for good outcomes, possibly due to a small sample size.

Next, Mbada CE et al. compared the effects of singing during the Six-minute Treadmill Walk Test (6MTWT) and Six-Minute Treadmill Sing Walk Test (6MTSWT) on cardiovascular parameters in thirty-five healthy individuals. They concluded that slow-tempo singing decreases pulse rate and resting pulse rate significantly during 6MTWT among their participants.

Ammawat W and her college conducted the study to  affirm the construct validity and internal consistency reliability  of the Thai version of the Telephone-Based Cognitive Screening  Tool (Thai-TeBCOG) in 225 healthy adult volunteers and found that this questionnaire has acceptable internal consis-tency and the construct validity of the tool was evaluated  using EFA, and four extracted factors accounted for 54.48% of the total variance.

Pongratanakul R and her colleges developed and evaluated psychometric properties of a short-form of the Barthel Index in a university hospital in Thailand and recommended the use of the 3-item version as a screening tool for detecting  functional changes in older adults undergoing abdominal surgery because of it is superior responsiveness to change, requires less assessment time and more practical for use in clinical practice.

Chootip C and her colleges reported their study about the feasibility and effect of gait training with assistance from a  motorized wheelchair with a built-in bodyweight support frame on the balance and walking ability of elderly individuals with a risk of falling. They found that their innovative technology has the potential for use as an assistive device for training at home which would also reduce the burden on public healthcare.

Yanyong K studied the cost-effectiveness of intensive  intermediate care rehabilitation using direct cost and effectiveness for inpatient and outpatient stroke patients in Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital and found that the treatment program statistically significantly improved BI scores. She suggested that further study about cost-effectiveness should be carried out.

The last articles of this issue is a case report conducted by Thanakorn T and his colleges. They demonstrated the efficacy of ortho-prosthesis and knee ankle foot orthosis on functional gait activities in pediatric congenital limb deficiency. They focused at the design of prosthesis and gait aid after surgical management and demonstrated the results in improving balance and functional gait activities.

I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to the authors who have entrusted us with their work. Your dedication to advancing knowledge and pushing the boundaries of your respective fields is truly commendable. Your contributions are the lifeblood of this journal, and we are grateful for the opportunity to showcase your research to a global audience.