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Price: EUR 150.00Authors: Luo, Linjie | Li, Ying | Zhang, Lin | Yang, Lijie
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a prevalent form of lung cancer, is characterized by its high global mortality rate. Previous studies have demonstrated the significance of Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NME) in various cancers; however, the specific role of NME6 in LUAD remains inadequately understood. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to enhance our understanding of LUAD by investigating the expression level, epigenetic mechanism, signaling activities, and immune infiltrating characteristic immune cells of NME6 in patients. METHODS: The NME6 expression was explored between LUAD and normal tissue samples using GEPIA, UALCAN and HPA databases. The survival analysis …was performed by Kaplan-Meier plotter. The Shiny Methylation Analysis Resource Tool was employed to examine the methylation characteristics of NME6. The Tumor Immune Single-cell Hub (TISCH) and CIBERSORT algorithm were utilized to analyze immune infiltrating characteristic immune cells between NME6 high- and low-expression group in LUAD. RESULTS: According to GEPIA, UALCAN, and HPA databases, NME6 is highly expressed in LUAD compared to normal tissues. At the same time, elevated levels of NME6 were found to be significantly correlated with inferior overall survival outcomes in LUAD patients. Subsequently, the top 10 genes interacted with NME6 were mainly involved in seven pathways, such as p53 signaling pathway, glutathione metabolism, thiamine metabolism, metabolic pathways, and drug metabolism. Notably, NME6 methylation in LUAD samples was lower than in normal samples. The methylation of cg04625862 has a significant impact on the regulation of NME6 expression in LUAD. Furthermore, high NME6 expression in LUAD was associated with tumor stages and relative abundance of tumor infiltrating immune cells, such as Macrophage M2, activated mast cell, and neutrophil. Moreover, NME6 regulated the expression of m6A modification of genes related to LUAD, including METTL3, WTAP, RBM15B, METTL14, RBMX, VIRMA, YTHDC1, RBM15, ZC3H13, YTHDF1, YTHDC2, IGF2BP2, YTHDF3, HNRNPA2B1, YTHDF2, HNRNPC, FTO, and ALKBH5. CONCLUSION: The analysis showed that NME6 is a crucial prognostic factor for LUAD patients. NME6 regulates genes related to m6A modification and immune cells infiltration. Furthermore, NME6 could sever as a potential therapeutic target for LUAD. Show more
Keywords: Nucleoside diphosphate kinase 6, lung adenocarcinoma, DNA methylation, survival analysis, immune infiltration, m6A modification
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231058
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-15, 2024
Authors: Kim, Juhee | Bae, Young-Hyeon | Ho, Seung Hee | Lee, Hyungjoo | Park, Hyukyoung
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: People with disabilities face challenges in daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic, including limited access to care, exposure to lifestyle-related diseases, and difficulties in regular exercise. Therefore, it is important to establish health safety nets using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in communities. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop an m-Health-based personalized lifestyle intervention algorithm targeting high-risk groups of lifestyle-related diseases (including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity) among people with hemiplegic disabilities, and to verify its feasibility. METHODS: Six people at a high risk of lifestyle-related diseases participated in an 8-week lifestyle intervention …using a wearable device and the S-Health program. The self-health management areas included walking, moderate-intensity exercise, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, diet, calorie intake, heart rate, sobriety, no smoking. Health, physical, psychological, and social changes were measured before and after the study. RESULTS: The intervention had a positive impact on the participants’ health, with statistically significant differences found in fasting blood glucose, highest systolic blood pressure, grip strength, and motor function assessment. Quality of life, health-related quality of life, and self-efficacy improved post-intervention. CONCLUSION: Our findings can be used as preliminary evidence for establishing m-Health-based health safety net systems for people with disabilities who live in communities. Show more
Keywords: Community, stroke, m-Health, lifestyle interventions, feasibility
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230857
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Su, Xiufeng | Liu, Weiyu | Jiang, Suyi | Gao, Xiaozhong | Chu, Yanliu | Ma, Liyong
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The gastroscopic examination is a preferred method for the detection of upper gastrointestinal lesions. However, gastroscopic examination has high requirements for doctors, especially for the strict position and quantity of the archived images. These requirements are challenging for the education and training of junior doctors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to use deep learning to develop automatic position recognition technology for gastroscopic examination. METHODS: A total of 17182 gastroscopic images in eight anatomical position categories are collected. Convolutional neural network model MogaNet is used to identify all the anatomical positions …of the stomach for gastroscopic examination The performance of four models is evaluated by sensitivity, precision, and F1 score. RESULTS: The average sensitivity of the method proposed is 0.963, which is 0.074, 0.066 and 0.065 higher than ResNet, GoogleNet and SqueezeNet, respectively. The average precision of the method proposed is 0.964, which is 0.072, 0.067 and 0.068 higher than ResNet, GoogleNet, and SqueezeNet, respectively. And the average F1-Score of the method proposed is 0.964, which is 0.074, 0.067 and 0.067 higher than ResNet, GoogleNet, and SqueezeNet, respectively. The results of the t -test show that the method proposed is significantly different from other methods (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The method proposed exhibits the best performance for anatomical positions recognition. And the method proposed can help junior doctors meet the requirements of completeness of gastroscopic examination and the number and position of archived images quickly. Show more
Keywords: Gastroscopic image, anatomical position recognition, convolutional neural network
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248004
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Castro-Egler, Cristina | Garcia-Gonzalez, Antonio | Aguilera, Jose A. | Cerezo, Pablo M. | Lopez-Crespo, Pablo | González-Herrera, Antonio
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There are different ways to analyze energy absorbance (EA) in the human auditory system. In previous research, we developed a complete finite element model (FEM) of the human auditory system. OBJECTIVE: In this current work, the external auditory canal (EAC), middle ear, and inner ear (spiral cochlea, vestibule, and semi-circular canals) were modelled based on human temporal bone histological sections. METHODS: Multiple acoustic, structure, and fluid-coupled analyses were conducted using the FEM to perform harmonic analyses in the 0.1–10 kHz range. Once the FEM had been validated with published experimental data, its …numerical results were used to calculate the EA or energy reflected (ER) by the tympanic membrane. This EA was also measured in clinical audiology tests which were used as a diagnostic parameter. RESULTS: A mathematical approach was developed to calculate the EA and ER, with numerical and experimental results showing adequate correlation up to 1 kHz. Another published FEM had adapted its boundary conditions to replicate experimental results. Here, we recalculated those numerical results by applying the natural boundary conditions of human hearing and found that the results almost totally agreed with our FEM. CONCLUSION: This boundary problem is frequent and problematic in experimental hearing test protocols: the more invasive they are, the more the results are affected. One of the main objectives of using FEMs is to explore how the experimental test conditions influence the results. Further work will still be required to uncover the relationship between middle ear structures and EA to clarify how to best use FEMs. Moreover, the FEM boundary conditions must be more representative in future work to ensure their adequate interpretation. Show more
Keywords: Finite element model, energy absorbance, auditory system
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248001
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2024
Authors: Heo, Sung-Phil | Choi, Hojong | Yang, Yeon-Mo
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The stability criterion approach is very important for estimating precise behavior before or after fabricating brain computer interface system applications. OBJECTIVE: A novel approach using the Routh-Hurwitz standard criterion method is proposed to easily determine and analyze the stability of brain computer interface system applications. Using this developed approach, we were able to easily test the stability of technical issue using simple programmed codes before or after brain computer interfaces fabrication applications. METHODS: Using a MATLAB simulation program package, we are able to provide two different special case examples such as a …first zero element and a row of zeros to verify the capability of our proposed Routh-Hurwitz method. RESULTS: The MATLAB simulation program provided efficient Routh-Hurwitz standard criterion results by differentiating the highest coefficients of the s and a . CONCLUSION: This technical paper explains how to use our proposed new Routh-Hurwitz standard condition to simply ascertain and determine the brain computer interface system stability without customized commercial simulation tools. Show more
Keywords: Stability approach, Routh-Hurwitz, brain computer interface, system stability, standard criterion method
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248002
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2024
Authors: Hao, Chenru | Su, Rui | Dong, Chunnan | Zhang, Jingjing | Chi, Ziqiang | Meng, Fanzhen | Zhao, Ruibin | Wu, Yanru | Wang, Linlin | Li, Pengfei | Chen, Chengwei | Lian, Qingjie | Cheng, Li
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Flight accidents caused by spatial disorientation (SD) greatly affect flight safety. OBJECTIVE: Few studies have been devoted to the evaluation of SD. METHODS: 10 pilots and 10 non-pilots were recruited for the experimental induction of SD. Videos for giving optical flow stimuli were played at two different flow speeds to induce SD. Subjective judgment and center of foot pressure (CoP) data were collected from the tests. The data were combined to determine the occurrence of SD and analyze the SD types. RESULTS: The number of self-reported SD events …was slightly smaller in the pilots than in the non-pilots. The average upper bound of the confidence interval for the standard deviation of CoP was 0.32 ± 0.09 cm and 0.38 ± 0.12 cm in the pilots and non-pilots, respectively. This indicator was significantly lower in the pilots than in the non-pilots (P = 0.03). The success rate of the experimental induction of unrecognized SD was 26.7% and 45.0% in the pilots and non-pilots, respectively. CONCLUSION: The method offered a new to analyze unrecognized SD. We could determine the occurrence unrecognized SD. This is an essential means of reducing flight accidents caused by unrecognized SD. Show more
Keywords: Optical flow, plantar pressure, spatial disorientation, unrecognized
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248030
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Gómez, Carlos | Liu, Feng
Article Type: Research Article
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248000
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-1, 2024
Authors: Gong, Wontae
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Maintaining gait stability is an important factor for preventing falls of normal adults. Thus, it is necessary to conduct research on gait variables in normal adults. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we conducted research on the effect of rhythmic exercise using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns on gait variables in normal adults. METHODS: Thirty-two subjects were divided into two groups, the training and control groups, with 16 subjects in each group. We measured various gait variables step time difference (STD), step length difference (SLD), single support difference (SSD), stance phase difference (STPD) and …swing phase difference (SWPD) for the pre-test and post-test in each group. RESULTS: As a result of paired t-tests on various gait variables (STD, SLD, SSD, STPD, SWPD) of the training and control group, the training group showed significance in SLD, STPD and STD and the control group had no significance in all items. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, which verified the effect of rhythmic exercise using the PNF patterns on the gait variables of normal adults, there was statistical significance in SLD, STPD, and STD showing that dynamic exercise using the PNF pattern is helpful in improving the walking ability of normal adults. Show more
Keywords: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, rhythmic exercise, OptoGait, gait analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248036
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2024
Authors: Lin, Zhong | Yang, Guang-Ming | Ye, Xiu-Bi | Liu, Xiang-Bo | Chen, Song-Sen | Zhang, Yu-Ling | Zhuo, Pi-Qi
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With the widespread use of low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) and increasing awareness of personal health, the detection rate of pulmonary nodules is steadily rising. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success rate and safety of two different models of Hook-Wire needle localization procedures for pulmonary small nodule biopsy. METHODS: Ninety-four cases with a total of 97 pulmonary small nodules undergoing needle localization biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were divided into two groups: Group A, using breast localization needle steel wire (Bard Healthcare Science Co., Ltd.); Group B, using disposable pulmonary nodule …puncture needle (SensCure Biotechnology Co., Ltd.). All patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for nodule removal on the same day after localization and biopsy. The puncture localization operation time, success rate, complications such as pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, and postoperative comfort were observed and compared. RESULTS: In Group A, the average localization operation time for 97 nodules was 15.47 ± 5.31 minutes, with a success rate of 94.34%. The complication rate was 71.69% (12 cases of pneumothorax, 35 cases of pulmonary hemorrhage, 2 cases of hemoptysis), and 40 cases of post-localization discomfort were reported. In Group B, the average localization operation time was 25.32 ± 7.83 minutes, with a 100% success rate. The complication rate was 29.55% (3 cases of pneumothorax, 15 cases of pulmonary hemorrhage, 0 cases of hemoptysis), and 3 cases reported postoperative discomfort. According to the data analysis in this study, Group B had a lower incidence of puncture-related complications than Group A, along with a higher success rate and significantly greater postoperative comfort. CONCLUSIONS: The disposable pulmonary nodule puncture needle is safer and more effective in pulmonary small nodule localization biopsy, exhibiting increased comfort compared to the breast localization needle. Additionally, the incidence of complications is significantly lower. Show more
Keywords: CT-guided, pulmonary small nodule, needle localization, Hook-Wire needle
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248027
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2024
Authors: Shen, Cheng-Mao | Lin, Ya-Hui | Li, Dian-Fong | Pan, Lung-Kwang | Peng, Bing-Ru
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cerebral examination via CTA is always the first choice for patients with unexpected brain injury or different types of brain lesions to detect ruptured hemangiomas, vascular infarcts, or other brain tissue lesions. OBJECTIVE: This study innovated the acrylic gauge with five eccentric circles for computed tomography angiography (CTA) analysis to optimize the spatial resolution via Taguchi’s methodology. METHODS: The customized gauge was revised from the V-shaped slit gauge and transferred into five eccentric circles’ slit gauge. The gauge was assembled with another six acrylic layers to simulate the human head. Taguchi’s L18 …orthogonal array was adopted to optimize the spatial resolution of CTA imaging quality. In doing so, six essential factors of CTA are kVp, mAs, spiral rotation pitch, FOV, rotation time of the CT and reconstruction filter, and each factor has either two or three levels to organize into eighteen combinations to simulate the full factor combination of 486 (21 × 35 = 486) times according to Taguchi’s recommendation. Three well-trained radiologists ranked the gauge’s 18 CTA scanned imaging qualities according to contrast, sharpness, and spatial resolution and derived the unique fish-bone-plot of six factors for further analysis. The optimal factor combination of CTA was proven by follow-up verification and ANOVA to obtain this study’s dominant or minor factor. RESULTS: The optimal factor combination of CTA was A2 (120 kVp), B3 (200 mAs), C1 (Pitch 0.6), D2 (FOV 220 mm2), E1 (rotation time 0.33 s), and F3 (Brain sharp, UC). Furthermore, deriving a quantified MDD (minimum detectable difference) to imply the spatial resolution of CTA, a semiauto profile analysis program run in MATLAB and OriginPro was recommended to evaluate the MDD and to suppress the manual error in calculation. Eventually, the derived MDDs of the conventional and optimal factor combinations of CTA were 2.35 and 2.26 mm, respectively, in this study. CONCLUSION: Taguchi’s methodology was found applicable for quantifying the CTA imaging quality in practical applications. Show more
Keywords: Eccentric circles gauge, spatial resolution, Taguchi optimization, MDD
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248006
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2024
Authors: Yin, Shuang | Han, Fujun | Zhou, Chenliang | Zhao, Yonghou
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The process of wound healing is complex, and expediting it remains a challenge. The advantages of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (ELF-EMF) are its non-invasive treatment, promotes healing and promotes myogenesis of C2C12 cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is known to play a vital role in promoting wound healing, so a combination of ELF-EMF and EGF can have far-reaching significance. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of recombinant murine epidermal growth factor (rmEGF) combined with ELF-EMF on wound healing. METHODS: Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group, EGF …group, and ELF-EMF+ EGF group, and a 20 mm × 20 mm dorsal wound was made. The wound healing rate of rats was calculated on the 3rd, 7th, 11th and 15th day. HE staining was used to observe the micro-morphological changes during the wound healing process. RESULTS: The wound healing rate of EGF+ ELF-EMF group was better than other groups. On the 15th day of wound healing, the wounds of each group were completely healed. On the 3rd, 7th, 11th and 15th day of HE staining, the early inflammatory cell infiltration, the arrangement of fibroblasts and the number of new capillaries in the wounds of EGF+ ELF-EMF group were better than those of the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: rmEGF combined with ELF-EMF significantly promotes wound healing in SD rats. Show more
Keywords: Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field, ELF-EMF, recombinant murine epidermal growth factor, rmEGF, epidermal growth factor, EGF, epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR, sprague-dawley rats, SD rats
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248028
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2024
Authors: Li, Chenxi | Li, Jian | Lu, Yao | Hou, Jiahui | Zhi, Zhaoyu | Zhao, Baocun | Zhang, Xiumei
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) guided by ultrasound is a novel radiation therapy technique that facilitates the delineation of the tumor target area under image guidance, enhancing the precision of radiation therapy and maximizing the protection of surrounding tissues. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of VMAT under ultrasonic guidance for cervical cancer patients and its impact on radiotherapy dosage and prognosis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis encompassed 128 instances of cervical cancer patients who were admitted to our medical facility between April 2019 and April 2021. The …patients were categorized into an observation cohort and a control cohort, depending on variations in treatment modalities post-admission. The control group underwent conventional radiotherapy, whereas the observation group received VMAT guided by ultrasound. Clinical efficacy, average radiation dosages (in the radiotherapy target area, rectum, and bladder), radiotherapy-related toxicities during treatment, and one-year survival rates were compared between the two groups. Additionally, variances in pre- and post-treatment serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724) were subjected to assessment. RESULTS: When compared to the control group (64.52%), the observation cohort’s comprehensive effectiveness rate was considerably greater (80.30%). The observation group saw lower average radiation exposures and a reduction in the post-treatment concentrations of CEA, SCC-Ag, and CA724. The overall incidence of adverse effects from radiation treatment also declined. The observation group had a greater one-year survival rate (90.48%) than the control group (73.33%). When comparing the observation cohort to the control group, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a significantly higher one-year survival rate (Log-Rank = 6.530, P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: VMAT guided by ultrasound for patients with cervical cancer demonstrates promising short- and long-term treatment outcomes. It also leads to improvements in serum CEA, SCC-Ag, and CA724 levels, as well as reductions in the average radiation dosages to the radiotherapy target area, rectum, and bladder. This approach warrants attention from clinicians in clinical practice. Show more
Keywords: Cervical cancer, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, ultrasound, radiation dosage, prognosis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231977
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Kuppusamy, Ramesh | Murugesan, Anbarasan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In recent times, there has been widespread deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, particularly in the healthcare sector, where computations involving user-specific data are carried out on cloud servers. However, the network nodes in IoT healthcare are vulnerable to an increased level of security threats. OBJECTIVE: This paper introduces a secure Electronic Health Record (EHR) framework with a focus on IoT. METHODS: Initially, the IoT sensor nodes are designated as registered patients and undergo initialization. Subsequently, a trust evaluation is conducted, and the clustering of trusted nodes is achieved through the …application of Tasmanian Devil Optimization (STD-TDO) utilizing the Student’s T-Distribution. Utilizing the Transposition Cipher-Squared random number generator-based-Elliptic Curve Cryptography (TCS-ECC), the clustered nodes encrypt four types of sensed patient data. The resulting encrypted data undergoes hashing and is subsequently added to the blockchain. This configuration functions as a network, actively monitored to detect any external attacks. To accomplish this, a feature reputation score is calculated for the network’s features. This score is then input into the Swish Beta activated-Recurrent Neural Network (SB-RNN) model to classify potential attacks. The latest transactions on the blockchain are scrutinized using the Neutrosophic Vague Set Fuzzy (NVS-Fu) algorithm to identify any double-spending attacks on non-compromised nodes. Finally, genuine nodes are granted permission to decrypt medical records. RESULTS: In the experimental analysis, the performance of the proposed methods was compared to existing models. The results demonstrated that the suggested approach significantly increased the security level to 98%, reduced attack detection time to 1300 ms, and maximized accuracy to 98%. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparative analysis affirmed the reliability of the proposed model across all metrics. CONCLUSION: The proposed healthcare framework’s efficiency is proved by the experimental evaluation. Show more
Keywords: Cluster Head (CH), Electronic Health Records (EHR), Student’s T-Distribution employed Tasmanian Devil Optimization (STD-TDO), Swish Beta activated-Recurrent Neural Network (SB-RNN), Neutrosophic Vague Set Fuzzy (NVS-Fu)
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231895
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-21, 2024
Authors: Barberis, Luca | Sabatini, Luigi | Pellegrino, Andrea | Galletta, Claudia | Risitano, Salvatore | Capella, Marcello | Massè, Alessandro | Schiraldi, Marco | Indelli, Pier Francesco
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Bicruciate-retaining (BCR) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has seen renewed interest due to the potential for more natural knee kinematics with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) retention. OBJECTIVE: The present study attempts to determine differences in the 2-year survivorship and patient-reported outcomes between two surgical strategies (traditional instrumentation versus robotics) applied to the extensive use of a modern, 2nd generation BCR TKA design. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study with prospectively collected data of 113 patients who underwent primary TKA between 2018 and 2020 using a 2nd generation BCR TKA implant. Patient …demographics, PROMS, and intra/post-operative complications were collected. Patients were also evaluated according to the use or not of robotics. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate revision-free survival at follow up. RESULTS: 102 patients were enrolled: 90 received traditional surgery and 12 robotic-assisted surgery. The mean age was 68 years (SD 7.76) with an average BMI of 29.6 kg/m2 (SD 3.56). The mean follow up (FU) was 32.4 ± 6.2 months (range 24–45 months). Survivorship at 2 years was 98% (95% CI: 92.4–99.5). Revisions/reoperations were performed for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear (1/4), pain (1/4), arthrofibrosis (1/4) and acute periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) (1/4). At final FU, 92 patients (90.2%) considered themselves satisfied, showing a mean OKS of 40.6 (SD 5.1) and a mean FKS of 76.7 (SD 11.8). No differences in the outcome were found between traditional and robotic-assisted procedures. CONCLUSION: The modern BCR design evaluated in this study achieved excellent results in terms of implant survivorship, low rate of reoperation and clinical results, independently from the use of enabling technologies. Show more
Keywords: Arthroplasty, replacement, knee, anterior cruciate ligament, TKA, BCR, instability
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231608
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2024
Authors: Zhang, Zanhua | He, Fang | Lin, Zhebing | Li, Zhisu | Xiang, Fei | Cai, Weiwei
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: At present, there are few studies on the technical requirements of manual bedside placement of post-pyloric tube in Intensive Care Unit patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application value of downward tract adherence method in the manual bedside placement of jejunal tubes. METHODS: In the downward group, 160 patients underwent manual bedside placement of jejunal tubes by a downward tract adherence method. In the conventional group, 144 patients were treated with conventional gas injection during the placement. The success rate, average time, and adverse reactions of the placement in the two groups were …investigated and compared. RESULTS: The success rate of the placement in the downward group was significantly higher (95% vs. 75%, P < 0.001) and the average time for the successful placement was shortened (23 ± 5.91 min vs. 26 ± 5.49 min, P = 0.025) than that in the conventional group. No treatment-related adverse reactions occurred in either group, and there were also no significant differences in vital sign changes. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the downward tract adherence method in the manual bedside placement of postpyloric tubes for the intensive care patients at the bedside has a higher success rate, effectivity and safety. Show more
Keywords: Blind bedside, critical care patients, enteral nutrition, insertion skill, nasojejunal tube
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230824
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Khusheim, Lina H.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Hospitals employ many social workers, whose tasks are complicated and arduous. Quality of life assessments by healthcare professionals (HCWs) are essential for better healthcare and skillful health service delivery. HCWs have been under tremendous mental and psychological strain and at high risk of virus acquisition since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated public hospital efficiency issues and remedies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The study examined leadership styles and job satisfaction among Saudi Arabian healthcare workers (HCWs). Between September 1 and December 31, 2021, a descriptive cross-sectional investigation …was conducted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a verified web-based survey reached the appropriate sample and data was collected. A web-based self-administered survey collected demographic data, leadership style using Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Form 6-S (MLQ-6S), and health care employee satisfaction (SEHC) from HCWs. RESULTS: Leadership styles affected HCW job satisfaction, according to this study. Individual concern, idealized influence, contingent compensation, and inspiring motivation were negatively correlated with work satisfaction ratings. CONCLUSION: Creating a special training programme for new leaders should cover leadership styles and approaches, the skills needed to foster a productive workplace with high-quality care, and the creation of motivated work opportunities that can boost worker engagement and satisfaction. Show more
Keywords: Leadership style, transformation leadership, transaction leadership, job satisfaction, healthcare worker, COVID-19
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230945
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-19, 2024
Authors: S.S., Akilan | Devprasad, Kayathri Devi | J, Raja Sekar
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) are integral to modern healthcare systems, providing continuous health monitoring and real-time data transmission. The sensitivity of medical data being transmitted makes security a significant concern in WBANs. OBJECTIVE: This study explores the application of the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)-based Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange (ECDH) algorithm to enhance security within WBANs. METHOD: The study investigates the suitability of ECC for this context and evaluates the performance and security implications of implementing ECDH in WBANs. RESULTS: The findings reveal that ECDH provides a robust and computationally …efficient solution for secure key exchange in WBANs, addressing inherent vulnerabilities. CONCLUSION: The adoption of ECC-based ECDH is poised to bolster data confidentiality and integrity in WBANs, promoting trust and widespread use of these networks in healthcare applications. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding security measures in WBANs and opens new avenues for the secure transmission of sensitive medical information. Show more
Keywords: Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs), security, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), Diffie-Hellman key exchange (DHE), ECDH
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231614
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-20, 2024
Authors: Ding, Sheng | Wang, Jingchao | Sun, Qing | Zhang, Jianpo
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: This article has been retracted, and the online PDF has been watermarked ``RETRACTION''. The retraction notice is available at http://doi.org/10.3233/THC249001.
Keywords: Irreparable rotator cuff tears, arthroscopic acromioplasty, rotator cuff repair
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231589
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Lai, Xing | Zhang, Songsong | Gong, Jianping | Ma, Rong
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Primary liver cancer is a major health issue, so finding the most effective treatment is vital. OBJECTIVE: The present meta-analysis compares high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to radiofrequency (RF) ablation for primary liver cancer treatment. METHODS: PubMed, MEDLINE, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang were used to search for English and Chinese papers. After carefully confirming data completeness and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, RevMan 5.3 was used to evaluate the included literature. Data analysis utilized a fixed-effects model for heterogeneity between 0.1 and 0.5. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 304 patients: 119 …had HIFU and 185 RF ablation. For primary liver cancer, HIFU and RF ablation were equally efficacious (odds ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval [0.54, 1.92]). Overall survival, disease-free survival, and complications at 1, 2, and 3 years were not significantly different (odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence range [0.04, 12.79], P = 0.82). CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis shows no significant difference in efficacy, long-term survival rates, or complication rates between HIFU and RF ablation for primary liver cancer, but more large-scale, high-quality randomized clinical trials are needed to prove their equivalence. Both therapy strategies seem promising, but additional information is needed to determine their respective merits. Show more
Keywords: HIFU, radiofrequency ablation, primary liver cancer, meta-analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230868
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Farid, Farzaneh | Haider, Julfikar | Shahab, Marjan Sadeghpour | Rezaeikalantari, Nika
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: For placement of intraradicular posts the intracanal filling material has to be removed. If drills are employed for this purpose, extra widening of the canal, incomplete cracks or root perforation are probable when inappropriate size of drill is used. OBJECTIVE: This in vitro study assessed the efficacy of radiographs taken after completion of root canal therapy in selecting the appropriate-sized Peeso reamer for post space preparation. METHODS: Canals of 53 extracted maxillary and mandibular teeth of different types were cleaned and shaped. Then with acrylic resin 3-dimensional model of the intracanal …space of each tooth was fabricated. Next, all canals were filled with gutta-percha and teeth were radiographed buccolingually. Based on these radiographs two observers selected a Peeso reamer that best matched each canal’s diameter. The diameter of the selected Peeso reamer was compared to the diameter of the corresponding resin model of each canal by two independent observers and the difference was measured. The data were analyzed by paired sample t -test using SPSS version 22. RESULTS: The diameter of the selected Peeso reamers ranged from 0.21 mm smaller to 0.12 mm larger than the diameter of intracanal spaces. The difference between reamer and resin model was less than 0.1 mm in 75% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggests that post-operation endodontic radiographs are reliable means for selecting a size of Peeso reamer that does not encroach on dentinal wall during removal of intracanal filling material and post space preparation. Show more
Keywords: Root canal therapy, periapical radiographs, peeso reamer, post space preparation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231410
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2024
Authors: Zhou, Hongtao | Daud, D. Maryama Binti Ag
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Sports have been a fundamental component of any culture and legacy for centuries. Athletes are widely regarded as a source of national pride, and their physical well-being is deemed to be of paramount significance. The attainment of optimal performance and injury prevention in athletes is contingent upon physical fitness. Technology integration has implemented Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) to augment the athletic training milieu. OBJECTIVE: The present study introduces an approach for assessing athlete physical fitness in training environments: the Internet of Things (IoT) and CPS-based Physical Fitness Evaluation Method (IoT-CPS-PFEM). METHODS: The IoT-CPS-PFEM …employs a range of IoT-connected sensors and devices to observe and assess the physical fitness of athletes. The proposed methodology gathers information on diverse fitness parameters, including heart rate, body temperature, and oxygen saturation. It employs machine learning algorithms to scrutinize and furnish feedback on the athlete’s physical fitness status. RESULTS: The simulation findings illustrate the efficacy of the proposed IoT-CPS-PFEM in identifying the physical fitness levels of athletes, with an average precision of 93%. The method under consideration aims to tackle the existing obstacles of conventional physical fitness assessment techniques, including imprecisions, time lags, and manual data-gathering requirements. The approach of IoT-CPS-PFEM provides the benefits of real-time monitoring, precision, and automation, thereby enhancing an athlete’s physical fitness and overall performance to a considerable extent. CONCLUSION: The research findings suggest that the implementation of IoT-CPS-PFEM can significantly impact the physical fitness of athletes and enhance the performance of the Indian sports industry in global competitions. Show more
Keywords: Athlete physical fitness, sports training, cyber-physical systems, internet of things, performance optimization
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231435
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-20, 2024
Authors: Li, Xiang | Wang, Ke-Yi | Yang, Zi-Yi
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In recent years, exoskeleton robot technology has developed rapidly. Exoskeleton robots that can be worn on a human body and provide additional strength, speed or other abilities. Exoskeleton robots have a wide range of applications, such as medical rehabilitation, logistics and disaster relief and other fields. OBJECTIVE: The study goal is to propose a lower limb assistive exoskeleton robot to provide extra power for wearers. METHODS: The mechanical structure of the exoskeleton robot was designed by using bionics principle to imitate human body shape, so as to satisfy the coordination of man-machine …movement and the comfort of wearing. Then a gait prediction method based on neural network was designed. In addition, a control strategy according to iterative learning control was designed. RESULTS: The experiment results showed that the proposed exoskeleton robot can produce effective assistance and reduce the wearer’s muscle force output. CONCLUSION: A lower limb assistive exoskeleton robot was introduced in this paper. The kinematics model and dynamic model of the exoskeleton robot were established. Tracking effects of joint angle displacement and velocity were analyzed to verify feasibility of the control strategy. The learning error of joint angle can be improved with increase of the number of iterations. The error of trajectory tracking is acceptable. Show more
Keywords: Assistive exoskeleton robot, lower limb exoskeleton robot, kinematics analysis, dynamic analysis, gait prediction method
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248007
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-15, 2024
Authors: Li, Zongjin | Song, Changxin | Yang, Jiyu | Jia, Zeyu | Chen, Dongzhen | Yan, Chengying | Tian, Liqin | Wu, Xiaoming
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Selecting an appropriate similarity measurement method is crucial for obtaining biologically meaningful clustering modules. Commonly used measurement methods are insufficient in capturing the complexity of biological systems and fail to accurately represent their intricate interactions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to obtain biologically meaningful gene modules by using the clustering algorithm based on a similarity measurement method. METHODS: A new algorithm called the Dual-Index Nearest Neighbor Similarity Measure (DINNSM) was proposed. This algorithm calculated the similarity matrix between genes using Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation. It was then used to construct a nearest-neighbor table …based on the similarity matrix. The final similarity matrix was reconstructed using the positions of shared genes in the nearest neighbor table and the number of shared genes. RESULTS: Experiments were conducted on five different gene expression datasets and compared with five widely used similarity measurement techniques for gene expression data. The findings demonstrate that when utilizing DINNSM as the similarity measure, the clustering results performed better than using alternative measurement techniques. CONCLUSIONS: DINNSM provided more accurate insights into the intricate biological connections among genes, facilitating the identification of more accurate and biological gene co-expression modules. Show more
Keywords: Clustering, co-expression module, gene expression data, similarity measure
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248020
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Liu, Zuoliang | Nie, Jiachen | Yang, Fan | Zheng, Yi | Ding, Li
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Shoes upper has been shown to affect the shoe microclimate (temperature and humidity). However, the existing data on the correlation between the microclimate inside footwear and the body’s physical factors is still quite limited. OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether shoes air permeability would influence foot microclimate and spatial characteristics of lower limb and body. METHODS: Twelve recreational male habitual runners were instructed to finish an 80 min experimental protocol, wearing two running shoes with different air permeability. Participants wearing CLOSED upper structure shoe exhibited higher in-shoe temperature and relative humidity. …RESULTS: Although there was no significant difference, shank temperature and metabolism in OPEN upper structure shoes were lower. CONCLUSIONS: This indicates that the air permeability of shoes can modify the microclimate of the feet, potentially affecting the lower limb temperature. This study provides relevant information for the design and evaluation of footwear. Show more
Keywords: Footwear, microclimate, thermal comfort, metabolism
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248043
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2024
Authors: Shin, Eunji | Roh, Hyolyun
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Many people work in a sitting position where they have to use their upper extremities and hands. Muscle activity in sitting position is affected by the chair height of, the height of the worktable, and the distance to the working target. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in muscle activity between men and wemen at different chair heghts and working distances. METHODS: Surface electromyography (EMG) was employed to determine the muscle activity of the upper limbs and the trunk, while an arm-stretching task was performed in a sitting position. …RESULTS: Women’s muscle activity was higher than that of men in most muscles as the chair height and working distance changed. CONCLUSIONS: As the height of the chair or the working distance was changed, muscle activity was greater in women than in men for most of the muscles analyzed. Under the same conditions, women may feel more muscle fatigue than men, so it is necessary to consider gender in the working environment. Show more
Keywords: Chair height, working distance, sedentary work, surface EMG
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248049
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Zhu, Junjiang | Li, Mengyang | Liu, Renjie
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Myocardial ischemia, caused by insufficient myocardial blood supply, is a leading cause of human death worldwide. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize the prevention and treatment of this condition. Mathematical modeling is a powerful technique for studying heart diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to discuss the quantitative relationship between extracellular potassium concentration and the degree of myocardial ischemia directly related to it. METHODS: A human cardiac electrophysiological multiscale model was developed to calculate action potentials of all cells simultaneously, enhancing efficiency over traditional reaction-diffusion models. RESULTS: …Contrary to the commonly held view that myocardial ischemia is caused by an increase in extracellular potassium concentration, our simulation results indicate that level 1 ischemia is associated with a decrease in extracellular potassium concentration. CONCLUSION: This unusual finding provides a new perspective on the mechanisms underlying myocardial ischemia and has the potential to lead to the development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies. Show more
Keywords: Multi-scale model, cardiac electrophysiology, celluar automata, myocardial ischemia, extracellular potassium concentration
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248003
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Zhao, Xitong | Wen, Zhijie
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a noninvasive method used for investigating the microstructural properties of the brain. However, a tradeoff exists between resolution and scanning time in clinical practice. Super-resolution has been employed to enhance spatial resolution in natural images, but its application on high-dimensional and non-Euclidean DWI remains challenging. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop an end-to-end deep learning network for enhancing the spatial resolution of DWI through post-processing. METHODS: We proposed a space-customized deep learning approach that leveraged convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for the grid structural domain (x-space) and graph CNNs (GCNNs) for …the diffusion gradient domain (q-space). Moreover, we represented the output of CNN as a graph using correlations defined by a Gaussian kernel in q-space to bridge the gap between CNN and GCNN feature formats. RESULTS: Our model was evaluated on the Human Connectome Project, demonstrating the effective improvement of DWI quality using our proposed method. Extended experiments also highlighted its advantages in downstream tasks. CONCLUSION: The hybrid convolutional neural network exhibited distinct advantages in enhancing the spatial resolution of DWI scans for the feature learning of heterogeneous spatial data. Show more
Keywords: CNN, diffusion-weighted imaging, graph convolution, super-resolution
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248037
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2024
Authors: Jiang, Yanan | Zhang, Chengyi | Zhang, Xinyue | Lan, Na | Zhao, Zihan | Xv, Yawei | Wang, Qi | Wang, Siwei | Chen, Baifeng | Chen, Xi | Wang, Yilin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In recent years, hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis have become increasingly common, posing a serious threat to public health. Current treatments primarily involve Western medicines with associated toxic side effects. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of total flavones from Prunus tomentosa (PTTF) on a rat model of gout and explore the mechanism of PTTF’s anti-gout action through the TLR4/NF-κ B signaling pathway. METHODS: We measured serum uric acid (UA), creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α ), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β …), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological changes were observed using HE staining, and the expression levels of relevant proteins were detected through Western blotting. RESULTS: After PTTF treatment, all indicators improved significantly. PTTF reduced blood levels of UA, Cr, BUN, IL-1β , IL-6, and TNF-α , and decreased ankle swelling. CONCLUSIONS: PTTF may have a therapeutic effect on animal models of hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis by reducing serum UA levels, improving ankle swelling, and inhibiting inflammation. The primary mechanism involves the regulation of the TLR4/NF-κ B signaling pathway to alleviate inflammation. Further research is needed to explore deeper mechanisms. Show more
Keywords: Prunus tomentosa total flavones, hyperuricemia, acute gouty arthritis, TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248019
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Liao, Shijia | Wang, Bin | Lin, Shiming
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are the top cause of death in China. Manual segmentation of cardiovascular images, prone to errors, demands an automated, rapid, and precise solution for clinical diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: The paper highlights deep learning in automatic cardiovascular image segmentation, efficiently identifying pixel regions of interest for auxiliary diagnosis and research in cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: In our study, we introduce innovative Region Weighted Fusion (RWF) and Shape Feature Refinement (SFR) modules, utilizing polarized self-attention for significant performance improvement in multiscale feature integration and shape fine-tuning. The RWF module includes reshaping, weight computation, and feature fusion, enhancing …high-resolution attention computation and reducing information loss. Model optimization through loss functions offers a more reliable solution for cardiovascular medical image processing. RESULTS: Our method excels in segmentation accuracy, emphasizing the vital role of the RWF module. It demonstrates outstanding performance in cardiovascular image segmentation, potentially raising clinical practice standards. CONCLUSIONS: Our method ensures reliable medical image processing, guiding cardiovascular segmentation for future advancements in practical healthcare and contributing scientifically to enhanced disease diagnosis and treatment. Show more
Keywords: Cardiovascular image segmentation, self-attention mechanism, medical image processing, diagnostic accuracy
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248035
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Cao, Yang | Fan, Chunjiang | Li, Gang | Huang, Jian | Zhang, Jinli
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Aphasia is a communication disorder that affects the ability to process and produce language, which severely impacting their lives. Computer-aid exercise rehabilitation has shown to be highly effective for these patients. OBJECTIVE: In our study, we proposed a speech rehabilitation system with mirrored therapy. The study goal is to construct a effective rehabilitation software for aphasia patients. METHODS: This system collects patients’ facial photos for mirrored video generation and speech synthesis. The visual feedback provided by the mirror creates an engaging and motivating experience for patients. And the evaluation platform employs machine …learning technologies for assessing speech similarity. RESULTS: The sophisticated task-oriented rehabilitation training with mirror therapy is also presented for experiments performing. The performance of three tasks reaches the average scores of 83.9% for vowel exercises, 74.3% for word exercies and 77.8% for sentence training in real time. CONCLUSIONS: The user-friendly application system allows patients to carry out daily training tasks instructed by the therapists or the prompt information of menu. Our work demonstrated a promising intelligent mirror software system for reading-based aphasia rehabilitation. Show more
Keywords: Aphasia, speech rehabilitation, mirrored therapy, video generation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248047
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Kim, Heejun | Park, Chanhee | You, Joshua (Sung) H.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Conventional hamstring (HAM) stretching therapeutic effects are not substantiable in neuromusculoskeletal conditions with HAM tightness or shortness. We developed a kinetic chain stabilization exercise to provide a more sustainable effectiveness in adults with HAM tightness. However, its therapeutic effects and underlying motor mechanisms remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of traditional active HAM stretching (AHS) and kinetic chain stretching (KCS) on electromyographic (EMG) amplitude and hip flexion range of motion (ROM) in participants with HAM tightness. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 18 participants (mean age: 25.01 ± …2.47 years) with HAM tightness were assigned to the AHS or KCS group. Hip joint movement, EMG amplitude, and onset times were recorded in the bilateral erector spinae, HAM, transverse abdominis/internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), and rectus abdominis during a straight leg raise test. RESULTS: Compared to AHS, KCS led to greater increase in the hip flexion ROM and EMG activation amplitudes in the left and right EO and left IO. Post-test hip flexion ROM data in both the groups were higher than the pre-test data. CONCLUSION: KCS produced more sustainable effectiveness in hip flexion movement and EMG motor control patterns in participants with HAM tightness than AHS. Show more
Keywords: Electromyography, hamstring, kinetic chain, muscle tightness, range of motion, stabilization exercise
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248014
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2024
Authors: Zhang, Lian | Chen, Ninggang | Ye, Jingjing | Lin, Hangjuan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease with a chronic course and a high recurrence. OBJECTIVE: Based on the theory of “prevention and recovery after ulceration”, the application value and significance of compound ginseng cicada decoction in the intervention of chronic disease management in patients with AD were retrospectively analyzed. METHODS: Through clinical retrospective observation, 60 patients with spleen deficiency and moisture type AD admitted to the outpatient clinic of our hospital after January 2019 were analyzed. After comprehensive treatment until the patient’s Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) Scale score is …lower than 2 points, the study group was divided into a research group and a control group, according to the actual clinical follow-up whether to take compound ginseng cicada soup. The control group carried out chronic disease management education, conventional emollient topical with no drug maintenance intervention, and the research group included clinical patients who were orally administered to compound ginseng cicada decoction for 1 month, observed for 3 months, and compared with the clinical recurrence (recurrence rate, time to first recurrence, severity at recurrence, degree of pruritus), and the quality of life. RESULTS: After 3 months, the relapse rate, recurrence severity, itching degree and quality of life impact scores of the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group, and there were no obvious adverse events. CONCLUSION: The combined application of compound ginseng cicada decoction in the management of chronic diseases in patients with atopic dermatitis has the positive significance of reducing AD recurrence, alleviating the severity of recurrence, and effectively improving the life quality of patients. This method has high safety and is worthy of wide application. Show more
Keywords: Compound ginseng cicada decoction, atopic dermatitis, slow disease management, prevention of the recrudescence of disease
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248009
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2024
Authors: Seo, Shinbae | Kwon, Taekyu | Shin, Miyeon | Jeong, Hochoon | Yu, Mi | Jeong, Jongkyun | Yu, Changho
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a disease that has recently become an issue, and research on various assessment methods is being conducted based on guidelines published for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. However, most assessments are complex because the inspector must measure each device to collect data, or the elderly must directly manipulate and get assessment. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we developed an sarcopenia assessment system to assess and analyze various sarcopenia in one system. METHODS: The system consists of a scaffold sensor for balance ability assessment, a chair sensor for assessing the walking and lower extremity function, and …a hand-held dynamometer for assessing grip strength. The balance pad consists of 326 FSR (Force Sensitive Resistor) sensors, and the accuracy is 10 kg/± 10%. The chair sensor applied four weight sensors (Loadcells) to the corner of the hip of the chair, and the accuracy is up to 150 kg ± 10%, and the resolution is 1 kg ± 10%. All data is transmitted to the software through a USB cable to assess sarcopenia through data analysis. The software has built a database to manage user-specific data. The assessment items consisted of “Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) Test” and “Hand Grip Strength Test.” After completion, the software automatically terminates the assessment results and classifies sarcopenia according to the presented reference value. RESULTS: The average value of the total SPPB test scores, including the balance test, gait speed test, and chair stand test, of all participants was 9.06 ± 1.97. The average values of the balance test, gait speed test, and chair stand test scores of all participants were 8.48 ± 2.80 sec (score 3.28 ± 1.23), 1.05 ± 0.26 m/sec (score 3.69 ± 0.79), and 16.05 ± 4.62 sec (score 2.08 ± 1.13). The average value of the hand grip test of all participants was 28.57 ± 2.94 kgf. CONCLUSIONS: A preliminary assessment was conducted on the elderly in their 60 s or older with the developed system, and its performance confirmed that the assessment and result analysis were conducted well without any errors in software or hardware. Future studies intend to verify the reliability and accuracy of the assessment results compared to the existing direct measurement methods. In addition, we would like to conduct a study to establish data on the muscle reduction index by age group of Koreans. Show more
Keywords: Sarcopenia, assessment system, preliminary test, rehabilitation, healthcare
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248039
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2024
Authors: Lee, Heonzoo | Park, Rayoung | Kim, Sejin | Cho, Hyong-Ho | Won, Yonggwan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The speech reception threshold (SRT), synonymous with the speech recognition threshold, denotes the minimum hearing level required for an individual to discern 50% of presented speech material. This threshold is measured independently in each ear with a repetitive up-down adjustment of stimulus level starting from the initial SRT value derived from pure tone thresholds (PTTs), measured via pure-tone audiometry (PTA). However, repetitive adjustments in the test contributes to increased fatigue for both patients and audiologists, compromising the reliability of the hearing tests. OBJECTIVE: Determining the first (initial) sound level closer to the finally determined SRT …value, is important to reduce the number of repetitions. The existing method to determine the initial sound level is to average the PTTs called pure tone average (PTAv). METHODS: We propose a novel method using a machine learning approach to estimate a more optimal initial sound level for the SRT test. Specifically, a convolutional neural network with 1-dimensional filters (1D CNN) was implemented to predict a superior initial level than the conventional methods. RESULTS: Our approach produced a reduction of 37.92% in the difference between the initial stimulus level and the final SRT value. CONCLUSIONS: This outcome substantiates that our approach can reduce the repetitions for finding the final SRT, and, as the result, the hearing test time can be reduced. Show more
Keywords: Hearing test, speech audiometry, pure tone threshold, speech reception threshold, convolutional neural network
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248017
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Li, Sujiao | Cai, Wenqian | Zhu, Pei | He, Wanying | Zheng, Jinyu | Fang, Fanfu | Yu, Hongliu
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation assessment is a critical component of rehabilitation treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study focuses on a comprehensive analysis of patients’ movement performance using the upper limb rehabilitation robot. It quantitatively assessed patients’ motor control ability and constructed an intelligent grading model of functional impairments. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of patients’ motor ability and provide valuable insights for personalized rehabilitation interventions. METHODS: Patients at different Brunnstrom stages underwent rehabilitation training using the upper limb rehabilitation robot, and data on the distal movement positions of the patients’ upper limbs were collected. A …total of 22 assessment metrics related to movement efficiency, smoothness, and accuracy were extracted. The performance of these assessment metrics was measured using the Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson correlation analysis. Due to the issue of imbalanced sample categories, data augmentation was performed using the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) algorithm based on weighted sampling, and an intelligent grading model of functional impairment based on the Extreme Gradient Boosting Tree (XGBoost) algorithm was constructed. RESULTS: Sixteen assessment metrics were screened. These metrics were effectively normalized to their maximum values, enabling the derivation of quantitative assessment scores for motor control ability across the three dimensions through a weighted fusion approach. Notably, when applied to the data-enhanced dataset, the intelligent grading model exhibited remarkable improvement, achieving an accuracy rate exceeding 0.98. Moreover, significant enhancements were observed in terms of precision, recall, and f1-score. CONCLUSION: The research findings demonstrate that this study enables the quantitative assessment of patients’ motor control ability and intelligent grading of functional impairments, thereby contributing to the efficiency enhancement of clinical rehabilitation assessment. Moreover, this method resolves the issues associated with the subjectivity and prolonged periods of traditional rehabilitation assessment methods. Show more
Keywords: Stroke, robotic rehabilitation, kinematic parameters, intelligent assessment, Brunnstrom stages
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231076
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2024
Authors: Zeng, Weijun | Xiao, Donggen | Chen, Ruitao | Lu, Yao | Liang, Weiguo | Sun, Haixuan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: High-quality control of the gas environment in incubators is crucial for in vitro embryo development, which requires high accuracy, fast recovery, and low gas consumption. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we propose a novel gas mixing and distribution system and method as an alternative solution for multi-chamber embryo incubators. METHODS: The system-based embryo incubator enables a controllable gas circulation process and a quantitative supply of CO2 and N2 . To determine the optimal parameters for the mixing time and flow rate of the circulated gases, we conducted contrast experiments on the …system-based incubator. To evaluate the performance of the gas system in the incubator, we conducted tests under four different initial conditions, simulating various practical application scenarios. Furthermore, we performed a mouse embryo assay to assess the system’s effectiveness. RESULTS: The results show that the system achieved a gas concentration accuracy of ± 0.2% (volume fraction) after stabilization, a minimum recovery time of 5 minutes, an average consumption of 8.9 L/d for N2 and 0.83 L/d for CO2 during routine operation, and a blastocyst rate exceeding 90% observed after 96 hours of culture in the incubator. CONCLUSION: The system and method demonstrate a significant advantage in terms of low gas consumption compared to existing incubators, while still maintaining high accuracy and fast recovery. Show more
Keywords: Gas mixing, gas distribution, concentration control, low gas consumption, embryo incubator
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248015
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2024
Authors: Hong, Shichai | Chen, Yihui | Lin, Yue | Xie, Xinsheng | Chen, Gang | Xie, Hefu | Lu, Weifeng
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: This study utilizes machine learning to analyze the recurrence risk of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in elderly diabetic patients, aiming to enhance prevention and intervention efforts. OBJECTIVE: The goal is to construct accurate predictive models for assessing the recurrence risk of DFUs based on high-risk factors, such as age, blood sugar control, alcohol consumption, and smoking, in elderly diabetic patients. METHODS: Data from 138 elderly diabetic patients were collected, and after data cleaning, outlier screening, and feature integration, machine learning models were constructed. Support Vector Machine (SVM) was employed, achieving an accuracy …rate of 93%. RESULTS: Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of SVM in predicting the recurrence risk of DFUs in elderly diabetic patients, providing clinicians with a more accurate tool for assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the significance of machine learning in managing foot ulcers in elderly diabetic patients, particularly in predicting recurrence risk. This approach facilitates timely intervention, reducing the likelihood of patient recurrence, and introduces computer-assisted medical strategies in elderly diabetes management. Show more
Keywords: Elderly diabetic patients, machine learning, diabetic foot ulcers, recurrence risk
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248023
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Yang, Fan | Sang, Pengzhi | Shen, Xiaojing | Yang, Sanjun | Meng, Yunchen | Hu, Huiming
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) holds profound implications for the holistic development of college students. However, students with chronic diseases or physical disabilities experience significantly limited PA during adaptive sports. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between physical activity and Functional Movement Screening (FMS) among university students who participate in the adaptive physical course. METHODS: 36 university students (from the adaptive physical course) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form (IPAQ-L). Body measurements and FMS were assessed. Correlation analysis and t -tests were used to determine relationships and differences between …various indicators. A two-way analysis of variance was used to investigate potential variations in FMS scores based on gender and weight status. RESULTS: The results show that gender, PA, and BMI significantly influence FMS scores in students participating in adaptive physical courses. FMS score is significantly negatively correlated with BMI and significantly positively correlated with PA. The FMS score for males, as well as the scores for Trunk Stability Push-Up and Rotary Stability, are significantly higher than those for females. CONCLUSION: University students in adaptive physical courses can benefit from increased PA and FMS scores. Improving functional movement and enhancing physical activity are crucial for promoting overall health in this population. Show more
Keywords: Physical activity, functional movement screen, adaptive physical courses
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248012
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Namkoong, Seung | Roh, Hyolyun
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The dominant feature of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) is gradual cognitive decline, which can be reflected by reduced finger dexterity. OBJECTIVE: This review analyzed reports on hand function in AD patients to determine the possibility of using it for an early diagnosis and for monitoring the disease progression of AD. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane library were searched systematically (search dates: 2000–2022), and relevant articles were cross-checked for related and relevant publications. RESULTS: Seventeen studies assessed the association of the handgrip strength or dexterity with cognitive performance. …The hand dexterity was strongly correlated with the cognitive function in all studies. In the hand dexterity test using the pegboard, there was little difference in the degree of decline in hand function between the healthy elderly (HE) group and the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) group. On the other hand, there was a difference in the hand function between the HE group and the AD group. In addition, the decline in hand dexterity is likely to develop from moderate to severe dementia. In complex hand movements, movement speed variations were greater in the AD than in the HE group, and the automaticity, regularity, and rhythm were reduced. CONCLUSIONS: HE and AD can be identified by a simple hand motion test using a pegboard. The data can be used to predict dementia progression from moderate dementia to severe dementia. An evaluation of complex hand movements can help predict the transition from MCI to AD and the progression from moderate to severe dementia. Show more
Keywords: Alzheimer’s dementia, hand function, hand dexterity, handgrip strength, cognitive impairment
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248022
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Park, Seonmi | You, Joshua (Sung) H.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: While the limited ankle dorsiflexion syndrome (ADS) is common in neuro-musculoskeletal conditions, the instrument-assisted mobilization focused on the shortened gastro-soleus myofascial structure (IMI) rather than the homologous structure (both gastrosoleus and tibiliais anterior muscles, HIM). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the immediate therapeutic effects between IMH and IMI treatment groups on the ankle dorsiflexion angle, muscle activation and foot pressure distribution during dynamic gait in ADS. METHODS: Neuromechanical tests including kinematics (ankle mobility), kinetics (center of pressure distribution), and electromyography were used to determine the immediate therapeutic effects between HIM and IMI …treatment groups in 24 participants with ADS. RESULTS: The ankle joint angle analysis demonstrated a more improved active DF angle in the group who received HIM intervention when compared to the group who received IMI intervention. (11.26% and 3.58%, respectively) EMG analysis showed more decreased mean and peak TA activation amplitudes in the group who received HIM intervention (9.1% and 9%) when compared to the group who received IMI intervention (11.48% and 1.48%). Plantar pressure distribution analysis showed difference that the forefoot/area decreased in the group who received HIM intervention (8.1%), but rather increased in the group who received IMI intervention (14.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Our neuromechanical results demonstrated promising positive effects on ankle joint mobility, muscle activation and foot pressure distribution during gait in ADS. Show more
Keywords: Limited ankle dorsiflexion syndrome, instrument-assisted mobilization, electromyography
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248045
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Zhao, Xingyu | Gai, Lulu | Wang, Liang | Xu, Lei
Article Type: Case Report
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Spleen Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-positive inflammatory follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is rare, and the imaging signs are unclear. The COVID-19 has been confirmed to be the cause of pneumonia and can cause a variety of diseases including myocarditis. However, it has not been reported to be the cause of the exacerbation or activation of EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to extract the imaging features of EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS in the spleen and analyze the reasons for the special features of this case. METHODS: By analyzing the patient’s treatment process and …imaging examinations (A 77-year-old female was admitted to the hospital due to generalized discomfort and pain symptoms. When she was admitted to the hospital a year earlier with COVID-19 pneumonia, a chest CT scan showed that she had a splenic tumor. During this admission, CT scans showed two irregularly shaped and unevenly dense soft tissue density masses within the spleen, with uneven enhancement on contrast-enhanced im-aging within the solid components and along the edges. PET/CT scans revealed elevated glucose metabolism in the masses. Postoperative pathological diagnosis confirmed splenic EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS.), reading the literature, sorting out the disease cognitive process, epidemiology, and pathological data of EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS, we discussed the imaging manifestations and possible differential diagnosis of the disease. RESULTS: The patient was finally diagnosed with splenic EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS. CONCLUSIONS: Imaging features of EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS in the spleen include a high incidence of hemorrhage and necrosis, persistent moderate enhancement of the solid portion, a “capsular-like enhancement” structure at the tumor edge, and possibly active glucose metabolism with high Standardized Uptake Values (SUVs). COVID-19 infection and long-term COVID-19 sequelae may exacerbate and activate EBV-positive inflammatory FDCS in the spleen, and the mechanism remains to be further studied. Show more
Keywords: Splenic tumor, inflammatory follicular dendritic cell sarcoma, computed tomography, positron emission tomography/computed tomography
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248038
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2024
Authors: Gai, Xinghui | Cai, Huifang | Wang, Junying | Li, Xinyue | Sui, Yan | Liu, Kang | Yang, Dewu
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis is an important area of research in the field of clinical medicine. Due to the complexity in the MRI imaging sequences and the diverse structure of cartilage, there are many challenges in the segmentation of knee bone and cartilage. Relevant studies have conducted semantic fusion processing through splicing or summing forms, which results in reduced resolution and the accumulation of redundant information. OBJECTIVE: This study was envisaged to construct an MRI image segmentation model to improve the diagnostic efficiency and accuracy of different grade knee osteoarthritis by adopting the Dual …Attention and Multi-scale Feature Fusion Segmentation network (DA-MFFSnet). METHODS: The feature information of different scales was fused through the Multi-scale Attention Downsample module to extract more accurate feature information, and the Global Attention Upsample module weighted lower-level feature information to reduce the loss of key information. RESULTS: The collected MRI knee images were screened and labeled, and the study results showed that the segmentation effect of DA-MFFSNet model was closer to that of the manually labeled images. The mean intersection over union, the dice similarity coefficient and the volumetric overlap error was 92.74%, 91.08% and 7.44%, respectively, and the accuracy of the differential diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis was 84.42%. CONCLUSIONS: The model exhibited better stability and classification effect. Our results indicated that the Dual Attention and Multi-scale Feature Fusion Segmentation model can improve the segmentation effect of MRI knee images in mild and medium knee osteoarthritis, thereby offering an important clinical value and improving the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis. Show more
Keywords: Coronary atherosclerosis, morphological processing, regional growth, auxiliary diagnosis, vascular stenosis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248024
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Zhong, Fengxing | Yin, Xiuping | Liu, Xinxin | Zhang, Qiming
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Understanding how pharmaceutical formulas target specific illnesses is crucial for developing effective treatments. Enriching ion channel data is a critical first step in comprehending a formula’s mechanism of action. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the effective disease spectrum of the Qi Yu granule formula through network pharmacology analysis and backtracking, and analyze its potential curative effects on liver and spleen system diseases, particularly depression and breast cancer. METHODS: Using pharmacological tools and database analysis, the ion channel data of the formula’s components were investigated. The effective disease spectrum was determined, and …diseases related to liver and gallbladder, liver depression, and spleen deficiency were identified. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted to backtrack diseases, target gene proteins, and drug compositions. The extraction technology of volatile oil from medicinal herbs was experimentally studied to optimize the preparation process. RESULTS: The effective disease spectrum analysis identified potential curative effects of the Qi Yu granule formula on various diseases, including breast cancer. Backtracking revealed relationships between diseases, target gene proteins, and drug compositions. Experimental studies on volatile oil extraction provided insights into optimizing the preparation process. CONCLUSION: The study underscores the potential therapeutic benefits of the Qi Yu granule formula for liver and spleen system diseases. By integrating network pharmacology analysis and experimental research, this study offers valuable insights into the formulation and efficacy of the Qi Yu granules, paving the way for further exploration and optimization of TCM formulations. Show more
Keywords: Qi Yu granules, liver stagnation, edible plants, network pharmacology, spleen deficiency syndrome
DOI: 10.3233/THC-232034
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2024
Authors: Yu, Mi | Kang, Young-Soek | Hong, Hwa-Young | Hong, Chul-Un | Kwon, Tae-Kyu
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Elevator-type evacuation devices have proven to be feasible in high-rise buildings through studies on safety performance and evacuation time. However, there is a lack of research on safety using biosignal analysis in the elderly population. OBJECTIVE: A carbon material is used in this study to reduce the weight of an evacuation elevator. The impact on the human body is evaluated by conducting a satisfaction survey involving elderly and youth groups and quantitatively analyzing biological signals, including electromyography (EMG) and plantar pressure, during five repeated uses of the proposed device. METHODS: The study …involves 12 healthy adults in their 20s and 20 elderly individuals with no experience in using an evacuation elevator. The EMG and left and right plantar pressures are analyzed to evaluate the physical factors affected by repeated use. RESULTS: The experiment results showed that the normalization of EMG to maximum voluntary contraction showed a significant decrease with repeated use, especially in the right tibialis anterior muscle. Moreover, plantar pressure shows a significant difference, which decreased with repetition, and the left and right balance gradually tilted to the left. CONCLUSION: This suggests that with more repeated use, muscle tension decreases owing to adaptation, resulting in lower muscle activity and plantar pressure. Particularly, the tibialis anterior muscle experiences significant muscle activity, indicating increased load, but without any apparent danger. In the future, it will be necessary to evaluate elevators for disabled individuals. Show more
Keywords: Elevator-type evacuation device, fire, elderly, plantar pressure, electromyography (EMG)
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248010
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Yang, Cuiyun | Bian, Taicheng | Yang, Jin | Hou, Junyi | Cao, Yiliang | Han, Zhihui | Zhao, Xiaoyan | Wen, Weijun | Zhu, Xijun
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Plane-wave imaging is widely employed in medical imaging due to its ultra-fast imaging speed. However, the image quality is compromised. Existing techniques to enhance image quality tend to sacrifice the imaging frame rate. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to reconstruct high-quality plane-wave images while maintaining the imaging frame rate. METHODS: The proposed method utilizes a U-Net-based generator incorporating a multi-scale convolution module in the encoder to extract information at different levels. Additionally, a Dynamic Criss-Cross Attention (DCCA) mechanism is proposed in the decoder of the U-Net-based generator to extract both local and global …features of plane-wave images while avoiding interference caused by irrelevant regions. RESULTS: In the reconstruction of point targets, the experimental images achieved a reduction in Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of 0.0499 mm, compared to the Coherent Plane-Wave Compounding (CPWC) method using 75-beam plane waves. For the reconstruction of cyst targets, the simulated image achieved a 3.78% improvement in Contrast Ratio (CR) compared to CPWC. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed model effectively addresses the issue of unclear lesion sites in plane-wave images. Show more
Keywords: Reconstruction, multi-scale convolution, dynamic criss-cross attention
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248026
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2024
Authors: Dou, Yifeng | Liu, Jiantao | Meng, Wentao | Zhang, Yingchao
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With the advent of artificial intelligence technology, machine learning algorithms have been widely used in the area of disease prediction. OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) seriously jeopardizes human health worldwide, thereby needing the establishment of an effective CVD prediction model that can be of great significance for controlling the risk of the disease and safeguarding the physical and mental health of the population. METHODS: Considering the UCI heart disease dataset as an example, initially, a single machine learning prediction model was constructed. Subsequently, six methods such as Pearson, chi-squared, RFE and LightGBM were …comprehensively used for the feature screening. On the basis of the base classifiers, Soft Voting fusion and Stacking fusion was carried out to build a prediction model for cardiovascular diseases, in order to realize an early warning and disease intervention for high-risk populations. To address the data imbalance problem, the SMOTE method was adopted to process the data set, and the prediction effect of the model was analyzed using multi-dimensional and multi-indicators. RESULTS: In the single classifier model, the MLP algorithm performed optimally on the preprocessed heart disease dataset. After feature selection, five features eliminated. The ENSEM_SV algorithm that combines the base classifiers to determine the prediction results by soft voting on the results of the classifiers achieved the optimal value on five metrics such as Accuracy, Jaccard_Score, Hamm_Loss, AUC, etc., and the AUC value reached 0.951. The RF, ET, GBDT, and LGB algorithms were employed in the first stage sub-model composed of base classifiers. The AB algorithm was selected as the second stage model, and the ensemble algorithm ENSEM_ST, obtained by Stacking fusion of the two stages exhibited the best performance on 7 indicators such as Accuracy, Sensitivity, F1_Score, Mathew_Corrcoef, etc., and the AUC reached 0.952. Furthermore, a comparison of the algorithms’ classification effects based on different training set occupancy was carried out. The results indicated that the prediction performance of both the fusion models was better than the single models, and the overall effect of ENSEM_ST fusion was stronger than the ENSEM_SV fusion. CONCLUSIONS: The fusion model established in this study improved the overall classification accuracy and stability of the model to a significant extent. It has a good application value in the predictive analysis of CVD diagnosis, and can provide a valuable reference in the disease diagnosis and intervention strategies. Show more
Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, prediction, supervised learning, comparison, feature selection, ensemble learning
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248021
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2024
Authors: Zhou, Xuezhong | Li, Chenxi | Su, Hai | Tang, Zhixian | Li, Ping | Li, Yijie | Hou, Jiawei | Sun, Xun
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Computer-aided tongue and face diagnosis technology can make Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) more standardized, objective and quantified. However, many tongue images collected by the instrument may not meet the standard in clinical applications, which affects the subsequent quantitative analysis. The common tongue diagnosis instrument cannot determine whether the patient has fully extended the tongue or collected the face. OBJECTIVE: This paper proposes an image quality control algorithm based on deep learning to verify the eligibility of TCM tongue diagnosis images. METHODS: We firstly gathered enough images and categorized them into five states. …Secondly, we preprocessed the training images. Thirdly, we built a ResNet34 model and trained it by the transfer learning method. Finally, we input the test images into the trained model and automatically filter out unqualified images and point out the reasons. RESULTS: Experimental results show that the model’s quality control accuracy rate of the test dataset is as high as 97.06%. Our methods have the strong discriminative power of the learned representation. Compared with previous studies, it can guarantee subsequent tongue image processing. CONCLUSIONS: Our methods can guarantee the subsequent quantitative analysis of tongue shape, tongue state, tongue spirit, and facial complexion. Show more
Keywords: Image quality control, tongue image classification, deep learning
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248018
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Yang, Jiao | Zhao, Sha | Zhang, Rui | Huang, Cheng | Huang, Ke-Yao | Cheng, Ying | He, Cheng-Qi | Li, Ling-Xin
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of thoracic manipulation (TM) in patients with neck pain (NP). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of thoracic manipulation (TM) in patients with neck pain (NP). METHODS: Seven electronic databases were searched from their inception through October 2023 by two authors. The methodological quality assessments were performed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Pain, cervical range of motion (ROM), disability, and quality of life (QOL) were estimated for TM treatment in patients with NP. …RESULTS: Eighteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 914 patients were included with a PEDro score of 6.923 ± 3.120. Pooled effect sizes of pain (SMD = - 0.481, 95% CI - 0.653 to - 0.309, P = 0.000), disability (SMD = - 1.435, 95% CI - 2.480 to - 0.390, P = 0.007), QOL-physical component score (PCS) (SMD = 0.658, 95% CI 0.290 to 1.025, P = 0.000), ROM of flexion (SMD = 0.921, 95% CI 0.287 to 1.555, P = 0.000), ROM of extension (SMD = 0.572, 95% CI 0.321 to 0.822, P = 0.000), ROM of left lateral flexion (SMD = 0.593, 95% CI 0.075 to 1.112, P = 0.025) and ROM of left rotation (SMD = 0.230, 95% CI 0.010 to 0.450, P = 0.04) were favored by the TM group. CONCLUSIONS: TM provides short-term effect on relieving neck pain, increasing cervical ROM, and disability in patients with NP without serious side effects. Continuous therapy and distraction therapy are recommended as optimal choice on reducing pain and improving cervical ROM, especially in patients with chronic NP (> 3 months). The TM-induced improvements in the QOL of patients with NP should be verified by more further high-quality RCTs. Show more
Keywords: Thoracic manipulation (TM), thoracic spine manipulation, chronic neck pain, neck pain, cervical range of motion (ROM), disability
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248034
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2024
Authors: Kim, Ji-Won | Cha, Sang-Ho | Lee, Min-Kyun | Ko, Junghyuk | Kwon, Yu-Ri
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Studies investigating postural balance during various infant care postures have not been reported yet. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure static postural balance when holding an infant dummy in-arms and carrying an infant dummy on back according to different infant dummy weights. METHODS: Sixteen healthy young subjects participated in a balance test. Infant dummies with weights of 4.6 kg (1-month) and 9.8 kg (12-month) were used in this study. All subjects were asked to naturally stand on a force platform in two infant care postures (holding an infant in-arms and …carrying an infant on one’s back). Center of pressure (COP) was measured from the force platform. Quantitative variables were derived from the COP. Two-way repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine main effects of infant care postures, infant weight, and their interactions on COP variables. RESULTS: Back carrying a 12-month infant dummy had the greatest amplitude in all COP variables. Back carrying posture showed significantly greater mean distance and peak power, faster mean velocity, and wider COP area compared to holding posture (P < 0.05). There were significant weight effects of most COP variables mainly in AP direction (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results could contribute to the prevention of musculoskeletal diseases or prevention of fall due to various infant care activities by developing an assisting device to improve postural balance. Show more
Keywords: Infant care, center of pressure, static postural balance, infant carrying posture, infant weight
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248032
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2024
Authors: Zhang, Qiaohui | Xu, Demin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Heart failure poses a significant challenge in the global health domain, and accurate prediction of mortality is crucial for devising effective treatment plans. In this study, we employed a Seq2Seq model from deep learning, integrating 12 patient features. By finely modeling continuous medical records, we successfully enhanced the accuracy of mortality prediction. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to leverage the Seq2Seq model in conjunction with patient features for precise mortality prediction in heart failure cases, surpassing the performance of traditional machine learning methods. METHODS: The study utilized a Seq2Seq model …in deep learning, incorporating 12 patient features, to intricately model continuous medical records. The experimental design aimed to compare the performance of Seq2Seq with traditional machine learning methods in predicting mortality rates. RESULTS: The experimental results demonstrated that the Seq2Seq model outperformed conventional machine learning methods in terms of predictive accuracy. Feature importance analysis provided critical patient risk factors, offering robust support for formulating personalized treatment plans. CONCLUSIONS: This research sheds light on the significant applications of deep learning, specifically the Seq2Seq model, in enhancing the precision of mortality prediction in heart failure cases. The findings present a valuable direction for the application of deep learning in the medical field and provide crucial insights for future research and clinical practices. Show more
Keywords: Heart failure, Seq2Seq model, medical decision support, mortality prediction
DOI: 10.3233/THC-248029
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2024
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