Technology and Health Care - Volume 24, issue s1

Authors: Chen, Weiling | Kan, Chung Dann | Kao, Rui-Hung

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Vascular access dysfunction commonly occurs in hemodialysis patients. Regularly monitoring and evaluating the vascular access condition is an important issue for these diseased patients. The objective of this study was to identify acoustic parameters and hemodynamics that related to changes in the stenosis of vascular access. In-vitro experimental circulation system offered pulsatile and physiological condition to simulate the arteriovenouse access in hemodialysis patient. We created the environments of various degrees of stenosis (DOS) inside the arteriovenouse access to simulate the stenotic conditions in patients. And we also used the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate the pressure distribution, primary axial …velocity distribution, and secondary flow distribution in the same various DOS and boundary condition. There are two findings, one is recorded the bruit which caused by the fluctuation of fluid in different severe stenosis, the other is described the correlation between bruit and hemodynamic parameters. Experimental results show the time constants have linear regression with a positive correlation as the degree of stenosis (DOS) increases. Finally, in contrast to CFD computerized analysis and acoustic methods, the proposed parameter provides a feasibility index for evaluating the risk of AVG dysfunction in on-line/real time analysis. Show more

Keywords: Vascular access dysfunction, stenosis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151081

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S245-S252, 2016

Authors: Vijayaraghavan, Pramila | Veezhinathan, Mahesh

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Spirometry evaluates the integrated function of lung capacity and chest wall mechanics measuring the total volume of air forcefully exhaled from a fully inflated lung. This non-invasive, informative technique for characterizing pulmonary function has an important role in clinical trials to narrow the differential diagnosis of subjects being assessed for pulmonary disorders. The test however requires patient co-operation and sometimes sub maximal effort affects the results potentially thereby leading to incomplete test and misdiagnosis. The aim of this work is to develop a prediction model based on Multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) technique to estimate the spirometric parameter Peak Expiratory …Flow (PEF) volume. In the present study, flow-volume data from N = 220 subjects are considered. Model performances are evaluated statistically with coefficient of determination (R2 ) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). The significant spirometric features captured in the model were FEV1 , FEF50 , FEF25 and the demographic parameter weight. Bland-Altman plots for the estimated PEF values showed a minimal bias. The MARS model successfully adopted the important features for prediction of PEF parameter with overall good fit and these findings can assist clinicians with enhanced spirometric investigations on respiratory disorders. Show more

Keywords: Peak expiratory flow, spirometry, multivariate adaptive regression splines

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151082

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S253-S260, 2016

Authors: Ku, Hao-Hsiang

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Nowadays, people can easily use a smartphone to get wanted information and requested services. Hence, this study designs and proposes a Golf Swing Injury Detection and Evaluation open service platform with Ontology-oritened clustering case-based reasoning mechanism, which is called GoSIDE, based on Arduino and Open Service Gateway initative (OSGi). GoSIDE is a three-tier architecture, which is composed of Mobile Users, Application Servers and a Cloud-based Digital Convergence Server. A mobile user is with a smartphone and Kinect sensors to detect the user's Golf swing actions and to interact with iDTV. An application server is with Intelligent Golf Swing Posture Analysis …Model (iGoSPAM) to check a user's Golf swing actions and to alter this user when he is with error actions. Cloud-based Digital Convergence Server is with Ontology-oriented Clustering Case-based Reasoning (CBR) for Quality of Experiences (OCC4QoE), which is designed to provide QoE services by QoE-based Ontology strategies, rules and events for this user. Furthermore, GoSIDE will automatically trigger OCC4QoE and deliver popular rules for a new user. Experiment results illustrate that GoSIDE can provide appropriate detections for Golfers. Finally, GoSIDE can be a reference model for researchers and engineers. Show more

Keywords: Open service platform, ontology, case-based reasoning, quality of experience, Golf swing

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151083

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S261-S270, 2016

Authors: Hung, Chih-Ching

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In lighting application, the color mixing of the RGB LEDs can provide more color selection in correlated color temperature and color rendering. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to propose a RGB color mixing mechanism by applying the mechanism design. Three sets of lamp-type RGB LEDs are individually installed on three four-bar linkages. A crank is used to drive three groups of RGB LEDs lamp-type to project lights onto a single plane in order to mix the lights. And, simulations of the illuminance and associated color temperatures are conducted by changing the distance to the projection plane, under the …assumption that the stability of the color temperature of the projected light does not change according to the projecting height. Thus, the effect of change in the color temperature on color determination by the humans' eyes was avoided. The success of the proposed method will allow medical personnel to choose suitable wavelengths and color temperatures according to the particular requirements of their medical-examination environments. Show more

Keywords: Color temperature, RGB LEDs color mixing, illuminance, projection distance, mechanism design

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151084

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S271-S280, 2016

Authors: Lai, Yi-Horng

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The application of information technology in health education plan in Taiwan has existed for a long time. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between information technology application in health education and patients' preoperative knowledge by synthesizing existing researches that compare the effectiveness of information technology application and traditional instruction in the health education plan. In spite of claims regarding the potential benefits of using information technology in health education plan, results of previous researches were conflicting. This study is carried out to examine the effectiveness of information technology by using network meta-analysis, which is a statistical …analysis of separate but similar studies in order to test the pooled data for statistical significance. Information technology application in health education discussed in this study include interactive technology therapy (person-computer), group interactive technology therapy (person-person), multimedia technology therapy and video therapy. The result has shown that group interactive technology therapy is the most effective, followed by interactive technology therapy. And these four therapies of information technology are all superior to the traditional health education plan (leaflet therapy). Show more

Keywords: Health education plan, healthcare, patients' knowledge, network meta-analysis

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151085

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S281-S288, 2016

Authors: Lee, Cheng-Jong | Tseng, Chun-Chi | Liu, Mei-Yu

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The aim of this study was to discuss the Research of Community Tai Chi Chuan Participants' Leisure Benefits and Well-being. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the community Tai Chi Chuan participants in Taoyuan city. A total of 500 valid questionnaires were retrieved, and the data were analyzed with SPSS 12.0 and AMOS 7.0 structural equation model analysis (SEM). The findings were as followed: 1) The background variables of the community Tai Chi Chuan participants in Taoyuan City: Gender had no difference in the factor of ``psychological benefit'' of leisure benefits. Occupation, age, education, the number of times a week …to participate community Tai Chi Chuan and participation in seniority reached significant difference in leisure benefits. 2) The background variables of the community Tai Chi Chuan participants in Taoyuan City: gender, occupation, age, education, the number of times a week to participate community Tai Chi Chuan, participation in seniority reached significant difference in well-being. 3) The study showed community Tai Chi Chuan participants' leisure benefits had a significant positive correlation in well-being. Based on the findings, suggestions were proposed to related Taiwan Tai Chi Chuan promotion for reference. Show more

Keywords: Community, Tai Chi Chuan, leisure benefits, well-being

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151086

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S289-S295, 2016

Authors: Chang, Sho-Fang | Hsieh, Ping-Jung | Chen, Hui-Fang

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The study explores the perceptions of physicians and hospital managers regarding the key success factors (KSFs) of a clinical knowledge management system (CKMS). It aims to eliminate the perception gap and gain more insights for a successful CKMS. A survey was conducted in four medical centers in Taiwan. A total of 340 questionnaires, including 15 for hospital managers and 70 for physicians in each hospital, were administered. The effective response rates are 78.3% and 56.1% respectively. Partial least square (PLS) were used to analyze the data. The results identified six KSFs of CKMS including system software and hardware, …knowledge quality, system quality, organizational factors, user satisfaction, and policy factors. User satisfaction and policy factors have direct effects on perceived CKMS performance. Knowledge quality is regarded as an antecedent to user satisfaction, while system quality is the antecedent to both user satisfaction and policy factors. System software and hardware was supported only by managers, and organizational factors were supported only by physicians. Among the factors, this study highlighted the policy factor. Besides, the study provides hospital managers additional insights into physician requirements for organizational support. Third, more physician participation and involvement are recommended when introducing and developing a CKMS. Show more

Keywords: Clinical knowledge management system (CKMS), key success factors (KSFs), partial least squares (PLS)

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151087

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S297-S306, 2016

Authors: Hsiao, Rong-Shue | Mi, Zhenqiang | Yang, Bo-Ru | Kau, Lih-Jen | Bitew, Mekuanint Agegnehu | Li, Tzu-Yu

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper proposes body posture recognition and turning recording system for assisting the care of bed bound patients in nursing homes. The system continuously detects the patient's body posture and records the length of time for each body posture. If the patient remains in the same body posture long enough to develop pressure ulcers, the system notifies caregivers to change the patient's body posture. The objective of recording is to provide the log of body turning for querying of patients' family members. In order to accurately detect patient's body posture, we developed a novel pressure sensing pad which …contains force sensing resistor sensors. Based on the proposed pressure sensing pad, we developed a bed posture recognition module which includes a bed posture recognition algorithm. The algorithm is based on fuzzy theory. The body posture recognition algorithm can detect the patient's bed posture whether it is right lateral decubitus, left lateral decubitus, or supine. The detected information of patient's body posture can be then transmitted to the server of healthcare center by the communication module to perform the functions of recording and notification. Experimental results showed that the average posture recognition accuracy for our proposed module is 92%. Show more

Keywords: Bed sensing, force sensing resistor, body posture, posture recognition, healthcare

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151088

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S307-S312, 2016

Authors: Ueng, Shyh-Kuang | Luo, Cheng-Ming | Tsai, Tsung-Yu | Yeh, Hsuan-Chen

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Computerized acoustic voice measurement is essential for the diagnosis of vocal pathologies. Previous studies showed that ambient noises have significant influences on the accuracy of voice quality assessment. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a voice quality assessment system that can accurately measure qualities of voice signals, even though the input voice data are contaminated by low-frequency noises. METHODS: The ambient noises in our living rooms and laboratories are collected and the frequencies of these noises are analyzed. Based on the analysis, a filter is designed to reduce noise level of the input …voice signal. Then, improved numerical algorithms are employed to extract voice parameters from the voice signal to reveal the health of the voice signal. RESULTS: Compared with MDVP and Praat, the proposed method outperforms these two widely used programs in measuring fundamental frequency and harmonic-to-noise ratio, and its performance is comparable to these two famous programs in computing jitter and shimmer. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed voice quality assessment method is resistant to low-frequency noises and it can measure human voice quality in environments filled with noises from air-conditioners, ceiling fans and cooling fans of computers. Show more

Keywords: Human voice assessment, noise reduction, home-based medical caring system

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151089

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S313-S324, 2016

Authors: Lan, Hsiao-Ching | Li, Chih-Ping | Zheng, Hao-Wei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to construct the quality indicators of professional competence for exercise instructors of the elderly, and then to rank the importance among those indicators. This study used the Delphi technique to integrate the opinions of 11 experts to construct the indicators, and then adopts the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to calculate the relative rank among each individual indicator. Results revealed that the experts identified 3 first-degree indicators (professional attitude, professional skills, and professional knowledge), 10 second-degree indicators (teaching attitude, exercise knowledge, professional growth, exercise safety, personal characteristics, exercise instructor, gerontology knowledge, communicative competence, curriculum design, …and motor skill), and 72 third-degree indicators. In the indicator weighting system, professional attitude was the most important among all other first-degree indicators, and the teaching attitude was the most important among all other second-degree indicators. The results provided will help in planning the curriculums of training, professional growth and evaluation. The results also provide a reference for future research. Show more

Keywords: Elderly people, professional growth, Delphi technique, analytic hierarchy process (AHP)

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151090

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. s1, pp. S325-S335, 2016