Technology and Health Care - Volume 32, issue S1

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. 32, no. S1, pp. 115-124, 2024

Authors: Tang, Jianer | Zheng, Xiangyi | Wang, Xiao | Mao, Qiqi | Xie, Liping | Wang, Rongjiang

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy is the gold standard diagnostic test for prostate cancer, but it is an invasive examination of non-targeted puncture and has a high false-negative rate. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to develop a computer-assisted prostate cancer diagnosis method based on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) images. METHODS: We retrospectively collected 106 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy after diagnosis with prostate biopsy. mpMRI images, including T2 weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic-contrast enhanced (DCE), and were accordingly analyzed. We extracted the region of interest (ROI) about the tumor …and benign area on the three sequential MRI axial images at the same level. The ROI data of 433 mpMRI images were obtained, of which 202 were benign and 231 were malignant. Of those, 50 benign and 50 malignant images were used for training, and the 333 images were used for verification. Five main feature groups, including histogram, GLCM, GLGCM, wavelet-based multi-fractional Brownian motion features and Minkowski function features, were extracted from the mpMRI images. The selected characteristic parameters were analyzed by MATLAB software, and three analysis methods with higher accuracy were selected. RESULTS: Through prostate cancer identification based on mpMRI images, we found that the system uses 58 texture features and 3 classification algorithms, including Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Ensemble Learning (EL), performed well. In the T2WI-based classification results, the SVM achieved the optimal accuracy and AUC values of 64.3% and 0.67. In the DCE-based classification results, the SVM achieved the optimal accuracy and AUC values of 72.2% and 0.77. In the DWI-based classification results, the ensemble learning achieved optimal accuracy as well as AUC values of 75.1% and 0.82. In the classification results based on all data combinations, the SVM achieved the optimal accuracy and AUC values of 66.4% and 0.73. CONCLUSION: The proposed computer-aided diagnosis system provides a good assessment of the diagnosis of the prostate cancer, which may reduce the burden of radiologists and improve the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Show more

Keywords: Computer-aided detection, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging, prostate cancer, texture analysis

DOI: 10.3233/THC-248011

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 32, no. S1, pp. 125-133, 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. 32, no. S1, pp. 135-144, 2024

Authors: Zhang, Nan | Nie, Yanmin | Dong, Bingyue | Zhang, Da | Li, Guojun | Ning, Junyu | Xian, Bo | Chen, Weiyang | Gao, Shan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Caenorhabditis elegans is a widely used model animal. Chemotaxis assay is one of the experiments that study the effects of different chemicals on nematodes. It is mainly used to study the effects of different chemicals on the perception behavior of nematodes. By conducting this experiment, not only can the neurotoxicity of chemicals be reflected, but also the impact of chemicals on physiological functions regulated by the nervous system, such as nematode feeding behavior and basic motor ability. OBJECTIVE: The experiment of detecting the response of nematode to chemicals is also a common method of chemical …toxicity testing based on nematode models. In the analysis of worm tendency behavior, manual operations are generally used. Manually processing a large number of worms under a microscope is very time-consuming and labor-intensive. The current quantitative methods for nematode chemotaxis experiments are not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also biased in experimental results due to differences in judgment standards among experimenters. The automatic and efficient quantification method for nematode chemotaxis experiments is a very important technical difficulty in the field of nematode experiments. METHODS: Here, we have designed an automatic quantification method for nematode chemotaxis experiments by incorporating image acquisition and processing techniques into the nematode experiment. RESULTS: The experimental results show that the Pearson correlation coefficient between manual and automatic counting results is 0.978. CONCLUSION: This proves the effectiveness of our method. Applying the automatic measurement method to replace manual counting by the experimenter can improve work efficiency, and reduce errors in human counting operations. Show more

Keywords: C. elegans, image processing, behavior analysis, automatic quantification

DOI: 10.3233/THC-248013

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 32, no. S1, pp. 145-154, 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. 32, no. S1, pp. 155-167, 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. 32, no. S1, pp. 169-181, 2024

Authors: Chen, Yunyi | Quan, Lan | Long, Chao | Chen, Yuxuan | Zu, Li | Huang, Chenxi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Brain tumor is a highly destructive, aggressive, and fatal disease. The presence of brain tumors can disrupt the brain’s ability to control body movements, consciousness, sensations, thoughts, speech, and memory. Brain tumors are often accompanied by symptoms like epilepsy, headaches, and sensory loss, leading to varying degrees of cognitive impairment in affected patients. OBJECTIVE: The study goal is to develop an effective method to detect and segment brain tumor with high accurancy. METHODS: This paper proposes a novel U-Net+ ⁣ + network using EfficientNet as the encoder to …segment brain tumors based on MRI images. We adjust the original U-Net+ ⁣ + model by removing the dense skip connections between sub-networks to simplify computational complexity and improve model efficiency, while the connections of feature maps at the same resolution level are retained to bridge the semantic gap. RESULTS: The proposed segmentation model is trained and tested on Kaggle’s LGG brain tumor dataset, which obtains a satisfying performance with a Dice coefficient of 0.9180. CONCLUSION: This paper conducts research on brain tumor segmentation, using the U-Net+ ⁣ + network with EfficientNet as an encoder to segment brain tumors based on MRI images. We adjust the original U-Net+ ⁣ + model to simplify calculations and maintains rich semantic spatial features at the same time. Multiple loss functions are compared in this study and their effectiveness are discussed. The experimental results shows the model achieves a high segmention result with Dice coefficient of 0.9180. Show more

Keywords: Brain tumor segmentation, EfficientNet encoder, U-Net+⁣+ framework

DOI: 10.3233/THC-248016

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. 32, no. S1, pp. 183-195, 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. 32, no. S1, pp. 197-206, 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. 32, no. S1, pp. 207-216, 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. 32, no. S1, pp. 217-228, 2024