Technology and Health Care - Volume 30, issue S1

Authors: Zhang, Peng | Wang, Wendong | Shi, Yikai

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: High installation and operating cost have limited applications for many circumstances. In practice, primary and shielding coils cannot insert into the magnet pole simultaneously owing to deficient workspace for the planar permanent MRI systems OBJECTIVE: To minimize eddy currents induced in the resist-eddy current plates and pole piece when the gradient coil current switches on and off rapidly. METHODS: A theoretical framework that have minimum power dispassion and magnetic energy with eddy plate is proposed for a planar gradient coil. The mirror image of the magnetostatic model is substituted into the stream …function for designing a minimum power dispassion planar gradient coil. A finite-difference is used to formulate the coil distribution that makes magnetic field similar to the required magnetic field for gradient coil design. RESULTS: A coil designed with actively shielded was simulated and compared with the designed gradient coils using mirror image theory and piece pole effect. According to the numerical evaluation of the x and z coils, the operating currents in the cases were reduced to 34.4% using magnetostatic mirror-image method to replay the active shielding. Moreover, there was a significant improvement on the shielding effect when added to resistive eddy current plate. CONCLUSIONS: Using the magnetostatic mirror image theory and mirror-image model, the current density function that could not only gives the minimum power dissipation and magnetic energy with the presence of the eddy plate and pole piece effect, but also provides excellent coil performance compared with active shielding solution. Show more

Keywords: MRI, coil design, eddy plate, mirror image

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228030

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 315-328, 2022

Authors: Chen, Yun-Chih | Lin, Hung-Chih | Lai, Wei-Hou | Hung, Hung-Chang | Tseng, Hsien-Chun | Chen, Chien-Yi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The routine radiation therapy treatment planning does not include secondary radiation and peripheral doses resulting from radiotherapy exposure in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) undergoing Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) using an linear accelerator (linac) of Axesse (Elekta 2538). OBJECTIVE: VMAT has a better dose conformity of the tumor and is also operated by adjusting the shapes of mulileaf collimator. However, such treatment is potentially important to improve the accuracy of estimated health risks. METHODS: This study aimed to evaluate the equivalent dose of organ or tissue (D T ) …and effective dose (E ) for normal organs using the Alderson Rando phantom as an equivalent of the human body. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD-100H) were calibrated by 6 MV X-ray originated by the linac. A total of 252 TLDs were used. These TLDs were inserted into phantom organ or tissue which closely approximated to these places. RESULTS: The thyroid dose (D 𝑡ℎ𝑦 ) had the highest dose, 1840 ± 202 mSv/treatment. The E of the Rando was 7.11 ± 0.61 mSv/treatment, as estimated using ICRP 103. The skin doses (D 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛 ) varied significantly outside the treatment field and decreased as the distance from the treatment field increased. CONCLUSIONS: This study can be referred to practical guidance regarding radiation protections of the public. Show more

Keywords: Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), Axesse linac, effective dose (E), TLD-100H; Rando, ICRP 103

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228031

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 329-336, 2022

Authors: Chen, Weixu | He, Zhiyan | Ran, Shujun | Liang, Jingping | Jiang, Wei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The occurrence and development of caries is a complex process affected by multiple factor. OBJECTIVE: The present study was envisaged to evaluate the plaque fluid in caries free children and children with high caries, in order to establish a data set of bacterial secretion proteomics. A non-labeled quantitative technique based on two-dimensional liquid chromatography-series mass spectroscopy was employed to detect plaque fluid. Based on the proteomics data, the database search, data processing and pathway analysis illuminated the function of these proteins, and clarified the role of plaque microecology in caries occurrence and development. …METHODS: The study enrolled 8 caries free (CF) children, whose decayed-missed-filled surface of teeth is 0 (dmfs = 0), and caries sensitive (CS) children, whose decayed-missed-filled surface of teeth is > 10(dmfs > 10) (3 ∼ 5 years old) for the smooth tooth plaque and the plaque in the high caries group. The plaque protein was extracted using the unlabeled quantitative technique like liquid chromatography-series mass spectrometry, using DeCyder TM MS Differential Analysis Software (version 1.0, GE Healthcare) that detected and compared the spectra, and quantified the full scanning before series mass spectroscopy. After obtaining all peptides with quantitative information, significantly differential polypeptide molecules were obtained (p < 0.05), and a metabolic pathway analysis was performed. RESULTS: We identified 1,804 peptides with quantitative information, including 39 in CF, 30 in CS, and 1,735 similarly expressing peptides. After statistical analysis, 603 statistically different expression peptide data sets were obtained, including 202 high-expressed peptides in Group CF, 33 greater than 1.5 fold peptides, 401 high-expressed in Group CS and 199 greater than 1.5 fold peptide (173 nonredundant proteins). CONCLUSION: Our study obtained the largest known dataset of the bacterial secretion protein in children with high caries, and screened the data set of high caries state. 603 peptides were statistically rich in 101 pathways, including glycolysis pyruvate acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, pentyl phosphate pathway, fructose mannose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and ABC transporters. Show more

Keywords: Proteomics, caries-free children, high caries children

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228032

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 337-361, 2022

Authors: Liu, Yanyi | Gan, Zekun | Hu, Fei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Hydroxyapatite bioceramic is a kind of bone implant commonly used in oral clinic treatment. In the early stage of tissue repair, cells will suffer hypoxic due to the interruption of blood supply. OBJECTIVE: Studying the expression of osteoblasts in hypoxic environment will help us to understand the expression and response mechanism of osteoblasts at the implantation site of hydroxyapatite in the early stage of hypoxia. METHODS: MG63 osteoblast cell line was used in this study. The cells of normal group were incubated under normal oxygen and hydroxyapatite ceramics condition. The cells of …hypoxia group were incubated under hypoxia (37 ∘ C, 8% CO 2 , 8% O 2 , 86% N 2 ) and hydroxyapatite ceramics condition. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK8 assay. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was measured by ALP kit. Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-α ) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared to the normal group, the cells of hypoxia group showed a dramatically higher proliferation ability, especially at 48 h (P < 0.05). Due to hypoxia, cell apoptosis was induced, but there is no difference between these two groups. Interestingly, the ALP activity of hypoxia group was higher than that of normal group at 24 h and 48 h (P < 0.05). Mechanically, western blot result showed that the protein level of both HIF-α and VEGF were up-regulated in hypoxia group. CONCLUSIONS: Under hypoxia condition, hydroxyapatite bioceramics can promote the proliferation of MG63 osteoblasts, elevate the activity of alkaline phosphatase and upregulate HIF-α and VEGF expression without effect on apoptosis. Show more

Keywords: Hypoxia inducible factor, hydroxyapatite, hypoxia, osteoblasts

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228033

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 363-369, 2022

Authors: Bi, Jiaqi | Jing, Hong | Zhou, ChenLiang | Gao, Peng | Han, Fujun | Li, Gang | Zhang, Shiwei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: A low-frequency electromagnetic field (LF-EMF) exerts important biological effects on the human body. OBJECTIVE: We previously studied the immunity and atrophy of gastrocnemius muscles in rats with spinal cord injuries and found that LF-EMF with a magnetic flux density of 1.5 mT exerted excellent therapeutic and preventive effects on reducing myotubes and increasing spatium intermusculare. However, the effects of LF-EMF on all stages of skeletal myogenesis, such as activation, proliferation, differentiation, and fusion of satellite cells to myotubes as stimulated by myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), have not been fully elucidated. METHODS: …This study investigated the optimal LF-EMF magnetic flux density that exerted maximal effects on all stages of C2C12 cell skeletal myogenesis as well as its impact on regulatory MRFs . RESULTS: The results showed that an LF-EMF with a magnetic flux density of 2.0 mT could activate C2C12 cells and upregulate the proliferation-promoting transcription factor PAX7. On the other hand, 1.5 mT EMF could upregulate the expression of MyoD and myogenin. CONCLUSION: LF-EMF could prevent the disappearance of myotubes, with different magnetic flux densities of LF-EMF exerting independent and positive effects on skeletal myogenesis such as satellite cell activation and proliferation, muscle cell differentiation, and myocyte fusion. Show more

Keywords: C2C12 cells, low-frequency electromagnetic field (LF-EMF), MyoD, myogenin, Pax7

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228034

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 371-382, 2022

Authors: Koo, Dohoon | Pathak, Prabhat | Moon, Jeheon | Panday, Siddhartha Bikram

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have critical biomechanical impairments such as increased ligamentous laxity, muscle hypotonia, and dysfunctional motor coordination, which makes performing everyday tasks challenging. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to explore the differences in the vertical joint stiffness, plantar force, and range of motion during drop landing for DS and age-matched typically developing children. METHODS: Six young male children with DS and age-matched seven healthy typically developing children (TD) assessed joint strength using an isokinetic dynamometer and performed five trials of single-leg drop jump using force platform and …motion capture system. RESULTS: The peak vertical ground reaction force (VGRF), Range of motion (ROM), joint stiffness, and joint strength of lower limb were calculated and compared across DS and TD groups. The results revealed a significantly larger peak VGRF [z = - 2.857, p < 0.001] values for the DS group compared to the TD groups. The results of Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between hip joint stiffness and knee joint ROM [r = - 0.886, p < 0.05] and ankle joint stiffness and knee joint ROM [r = - 0.829, p < 0.05] for DS. CONCLUSIONS: The abnormal movements observed among DS was not due to the difference in stiffness of the lower extremity but due to the utilization of different landing mechanisms with changes in ROM. Show more

Keywords: Down syndrome, joint stiffness, joint strength, drop-landing

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228035

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 383-390, 2022

Authors: Zhang, Chi | Tian, Jing | Li, Deyu | Hou, Xiaoxu | Wang, Li

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The imaging photoplethysmography (IPPG) technology has been demonstrated to be an effective method for heart rate (HR) monitoring. However, some interference caused by the ambient illumination variation and facial motion severely influences the accuracy of the HR measurement. Some color spaces and color formats are assumed to reduce the interference, and enhance the accuracy of HR estimation. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to identify the optimal color space and format for IPPG based HR measurement. METHODS: Six color spaces and 3 color formats are compared in this study, based on an IPPG based …HR measurement system. 424 pieces of videos captured by the system are used for the selection of the optimal color channel and color space; while 10 pieces of videos are for the identification of the optimal color format. RESULTS: The results shows that the green channel of RGB space is the optimal color channel, and RGB is the optimal color space, in respect of the mean squared error of HR estimation. BayerBG 8bit is found to be the optimal color format for video recording, which can significantly reduce the HR estimation error. CONCLUSIONS: BayerBG 8bit color format for video recording, and RGB color space for video analysis is suggested for the IPPG based HR measurement system. The suitable configuration of color space and format could enhance the accuracy of HR measurement. Show more

Keywords: Heart rate, color space, color format, IPPG, independent component analysis

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228036

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 391-402, 2022

Authors: Yang, Yajie | Hu, Chen | Zhang, Yanli | Wang, Linlin | Shao, Longquan | You, Jie

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There are few studies on the differences in clinical outcomes with implant guides made by different methods in cases with a single tooth loss and adjacent tooth support OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of digital and traditional implant guides in patients whose first molars are absent and who are undergoing implant restoration. METHODS: This study included 42 patients with first molars missing who were randomly divided into two groups: the digital group (n = 21) and the control group (n = 21). …A CAD/CAM digital implant guide was used in the digital group, whereas a traditional impression was used in the control group. Then, the labor time, the intraoral fit of the implant guide, and the deviation of the screw access channel position were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The impression time and implant surgery time in the digital group were less than in the traditional group. The intraoral first fit of the guide in the digital group was higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). The one-time satisfaction rate of the digital group was 100%, while five cases in the control group needed to be redone. In the digital group, there was no significant difference in the deviation of the screw access channel position between implants on the left and right sides. In the control group, the deviation of the screw access channel position on the right side was significantly lower than on the left side. Overall, the deviation of the screw access channel position was significantly lower in the digital group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In a first molar implant, the digital implant guide can effectively reduce the clinical operative time and the screw access deviation and improve efficiency. The clinical results with the digital guide provide a basis for its use in implant therapy for single missing teeth. Show more

Keywords: Implant, digital guide, digital impression, deviation, dentistry

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228037

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 403-412, 2022

Authors: Sun, Jung-Chang | Hsieh, Bor-Tsung | Hsieh, Chih-Ming | Tsang, Yuk-Wah | Cheng, Kai-Yuan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The gel dosimeter is a chemical as well as a relative dosimeter. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of using N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) gel dosimeter to observe the dynamic dose effects and quantification of the respiration, and to help determine the safety margins. METHODS: The NIPAM gel dosimeter combined with the dynamic phantom was used to simulate radiotherapy of lung or upper abdominal tumor. The field set to 4 × 5 cm 2 , simulate respiratory rate of 4 sec/cycle, and motion range 2 cm. MRI was used for reading, …and MATLAB was used for analysis. The 3%/3 mm gamma passing rate > 95% was used as a clinical basis for evaluation. RESULTS: The dynamic dose curve was compared with 4 × 5, 4 × 4, 4 × 3 cm 2 TPS, and gamma passing rates were 74.32%, 54.83%, 30.18%. Gamma mapping demonstrated that the highest dose region was similar to the result of the 4 × 4 cm 2 TPS. After appropriate selection and comparing that the ⩾ 60% part of the dose curve with TPS, the gamma passing rate was 96.49%. CONCLUSIONS: Using the NIPAM gel dosimeter with dynamic phantom to simulate organ motion during respiration for dynamic dose measurement and quantified the dynamic dose effect is feasible. The results are consistent with clinical evaluation standards. Show more

Keywords: NIPAM gel dosimeter, dynamic dose effects, MRI

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228038

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 413-424, 2022

Authors: Qiu, Tianzhu | Zhang, Diancai | Xu, Jing | Li, Xiao | Wang, Deqiang | Zhao, Fengjiao | Qian, Yingying | Xu, Jin | Xu, Tongpeng | Zhang, Hao | Chen, Xiaofeng

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Yes-associated protein (YAP) has been reported to act as a candidate human oncogene and played a critical role in the development of multiple cancer types. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the expression, function, and underlying mechanisms of YAP in gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: Expression levels of YAP in gastric tissues were tested. CCK8 assay, clonogenic assay, apoptosis assay, transwell assay, cell scratch assay and animal study were conducted to explore the function of YAP. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and luciferase reporter assay were performed to explore the underlying mechanism. Survival analysis was …carried out to reveal the relationship between YAP and clinical outcome. RESULTS: YAP was upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and correlates with poor prognosis. YAP could promote GC cells proliferation, metastatic capacity, inhibit GC cells apoptosis in vitro and in vivo . Bothβ -catenin and YAP were mainly localized withi the tumor cell nuclei. β -catenincould upregulate YAP expression by binding to the promotor region of YAP. Patients with both YAP and β -catenin negetive expression had a better prognosis than others. CONCLUSIONS: YAP overexpression is driven by aberrant Wnt β -catenin signalingand then contributed to the GC tumorigenesis and progression. Thus, YAP might be a potential target for GC treatment. Show more

Keywords: YAP, β-catenin, gastric cancer, prognosis, tumorigenesis

DOI: 10.3233/THC-THC228039

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 30, no. S1, pp. 425-440, 2022