Technology and Health Care - Volume Pre-press, issue Pre-press

Authors: Liu, Lin | Xu, Xian | Li, Xu | Wu, Wei | Cai, Junfeng | Lu, Qingyou

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical effects of individual placement of intramedullary nail guided by digital technique in the treatment of tibial fractures. METHODS: Thirty-two cases of unilateral tibial fractures treated with individual placement of intramedullary nail guided by digital technique or conventional surgery were collected from October 2010 to October 2012. In the experimental group, the size of intramedullary nail, as well as the distance between the insertion point of tibial …intramedullary nail and the line perpendicular to the tibial plateau of the tibial tubercle were measured by digital technology preoperatively to select suitable intramedullary nail and appropriate insertion point. RESULTS: The operative time and bone healing time of the experimental group didn't change significantly (P > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the number of X-ray examinations and the distance between actual and planned nail placement point between experimental group and control group. The excellent and good rate of functional recovery for the experimental and the control group was 100% and 87.50%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with the conventional surgery, individual placement of intramedullary nail guided by digital technique in tibial fractures might have superior outcomes. Show more

Keywords: Digital, tibial fractures, intramedullary nail, individual

DOI: 10.3233/THC-140830

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2014

Authors: Todd, Catherine | Albadi, Shaikha | Sayed, Nour El | Makary, Mina | Mahmoud, Omar

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Involuntary human tremor due to clinical disorders may inhibit daily activities and can severely restrict lifestyle. Such tremor is associated with rhythmic movement of one or more body parts, where muscles contract and relax, causing twitching or sudden movement. Symptoms are most commonly the result of a psychological illness that causes the muscles to act involuntarily. Medical treatments to human tremor may pose harmful side effects, including hallucinations, and drugs used for treatment have varying degrees of success in reducing the symptoms of the illness. Our research provides a new, assistive technology that minimizes the effects of hand tremor, as …a substitute for drug-related therapy. The device is intended for use in creative art; a paint brush attachment, for application in painting. The engineering solution promises greater application for attachment to a variety of aids, such as for writing, eating or instructional, for device stabilization as used by persons suffering from hand tremor, irrespective of medical cause. Show more

Keywords: Hand tremor, Parkinson's, active cancellation, activity aid, SMA wires, smart device

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151053

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2015

Authors: Todd, Catherine | Watfa, Mohamed | El Mouden, Yassine | Sahir, Sana | Ali, Afrah | Niavarani, Ali | Lutfi, Aoun | Copiaco, Abigail | Agarwal, Vaibhavi | Afsari, Kiyan | Johnathon, Chris | Okafor, Onyeka | Ayad, Marina

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Indoor flight, obstacle avoidance and client-server communication of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) raises several unique research challenges. This paper examines current methods and associated technologies adapted within the literature toward autonomous UAV flight, for consideration in a proposed system for indoor healthcare administration with a quadcopter. We introduce Healthbuddy , a unique research initiative towards overcoming challenges associated with indoor navigation, collision detection and avoidance, stability, wireless drone-server communications and automated decision support for patient care in a GPS-denied environment. To address the identified research deficits, a drone-based solution is presented. The solution is preliminary as we develop and …refine the suggested algorithms and hardware system to achieve the research objectives. Show more

Keywords: Medical decision support, healthcare, unmanned aerial vehicle, drone, autonomous flight, collision detection, obstacle avoidance, indoor flight

DOI: 10.3233/THC1046

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2015

Authors: Qin, Yanguo | Li, Xuezhou | Chen, Shangjun | Liu, Liang | Gao, Zhongli | Wang, Jincheng | Xiao, Jianlin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The acetabular component orientation during total hip arthroplasty (THA) impacts future hip function and early revision. Correcting pelvic obliquity may improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To correct pelvic obliquity in the lateral position by applying a gradienter and plumb during THA using fluoroscopy. METHODS: Fifty patients undergoing THA were randomized and divided into 2 groups. In controls, acetabular components were placed using traditional methods. In experimental patients, acetabular components were placed after correcting pelvic obliquity. We measured pelvic obliquity and recorded intra-operative and post-operative abduction angles, comparing abduction angle bias between post-operative measurements and …intra-operation estimations. RESULTS: Before correction, the average pelvic obliquity was - 1.647 ∘ ± 4.512 ∘ in experimental patients. The average abduction angle in experimental patients was 42.685 ∘ ± 3.355 ∘ postoperatively, differing by 1.962 ∘ ± 1.515 ∘ from intra-operative estimates, while in control patients, it was 44.534 ∘ ± 4.844 ∘ postoperatively, differing by 4.244 ∘ ± 3.042 ∘ from intra-operative estimates. The bias of the abduction angle was much greater in control than in experimental patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The pelvic obliquity in the lateral position affects surgeon judgment during THA. By correcting pelvic obliquity with a gradienter and plumb, the abduction angle bias can be reduced. Show more

Keywords: Arthroplasty, replacement, hip, pelvic obliquity, X-rays

DOI: 10.3233/THC-160717

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2017

Authors: Li, Dahua | Wang, Zhe | Gao, Qiang | Song, Yu | Yu, Xiao | Wang, Chuhan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Facial expression recognition plays an essential role in affective computing, mental illness diagnosis and rehabilitation. Therefore, facial expression recognition has attracted more and more attention over the years. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this paper was to improve the accuracy of the Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based facial expression recognition. METHODS: In this paper, we proposed a fusion facial expression recognition method based on EEG and facial landmark localization. The EEG signal processing and facial landmark localization are the two key parts. The raw EEG signals is preprocessed by discrete wavelet transform (DWT). The energy feature …vector is composed of energy features of the reconstructed signal. For facial landmark localization, images of the subjects’ facial expression are processed by facial landmark localization, and the facial features are calculated by landmarks of essence. In this research, we fused the energy feature vector and facial feature vector, and classified the fusion feature vector with the support vector machine (SVM). RESULTS: From the experiments, we found that the accuracy of facial expression recognition was increased 4.16% by fusion method (86.94 ± 4.35%) than EEG-based facial expression recognition (82.78 ± 5.78%). CONCLUSION: The proposed method obtain a higher accuracy and a stronger generalization capability. Show more

Keywords: Electroencephalogram (EEG), discrete wavelet transform (DWT), facial landmark localization, fusion feature vector, support vector machine (SVM)

DOI: 10.3233/THC-181538

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-15, 2019

Authors: Oh, Seung-Jun | Lee, Je-Hyeok | Kim, Do-Hyun

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Functional action observation (FAO) is likely to activate the corticospinal tract and is likely to increase the potential ability of a functional task. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of FAO training on gait ability in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with hemiparesis caused by stroke participated in this study. All subjects had suffered from stroke for more than 6 months. Subjects received either a FAO or a general action observation (GAO) training for 30 minutes each time, five times per week, for four weeks. …The GAITRite was used to measure walking velocities and spatio-temporal variables. The functional gait assessment (FGA) was used to assess gait ability. The independent t -test was used to analyze whether there were significant differences of all dependent variables between groups. RESULTS: After four weeks of training, the step length, stride length, cadence, velocity, and FGA score in FAO group were statistically different from GAO group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that FAO is an effective and easy method for improvement of gait ability in chronic stroke patients. Show more

Keywords: Action observation training, functional action observation, gait ability, stroke

DOI: 10.3233/THC-181388

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-7, 2019

Authors: Yue, Bin | Ye, Ping | Liu, Baolin | Chang, Zhaohua

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as a promising treatment strategy for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). Moreover, characteristics of Chinese patients that are different from those of patients in Western countries, such as a high prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), severe calcification, and a small peripheral artery diameter, have been observed. OBJECTIVE: A novel large medical balloon with ultra-high strength was fabricated through the blending modification of PA12/TR55. METHODS: The mechanical properties, particularly puncture resistance, of large balloons were thoroughly studied, and TR55, a modified nylon pellet …with good mechanical properties and excellent compatibility with PA12, was applied to modify PA12. RESULTS: Compared with pure PA12, the fabricated PA12/TR55 balloon exhibited a higher bursting pressure, lower compliance, and higher punctures resistance while retaining good processability and excellent biocompatibility. The improved mechanical properties can be attributed to an increase in crystallinity and densification. CONCLUSIONS: The PA12/TR55 balloon is suitable for Chinese patients with bicuspid aortic valve and severe calcification and therefore has potential for clinical application in transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Moreover, this blending modification provides a simple but efficient method of solving other problems in cardiac angioplasty or cryoablation in which mechanical reinforcement of balloons may be necessary. Show more

Keywords: Aortic stenosis, large medical balloon, blending modification

DOI: 10.3233/THC-181539

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-7, 2019

Authors: Sharour, Loai Abu

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: High-fidelity simulation (HFS) as a teaching-learning method has increased, especially in medical programs. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of using HFS on the satisfaction, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and knowledge of undergraduate students in oncology care. METHODS: A pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design was utilized. Random sampling technique was used to recruit the participants. The scenarios including septic shock and infusion reaction were implemented. The training program including lectures and the simulation was run in a high fidelity simulation lab. RESULTS: There was a significant difference (t = …- 5.95, p = 0.001) between the experimental group (M = 13.95, S ⁢ D = 3.35) and the control group (M = 6.25, S ⁢ D = 2.65) regarding knowledge, confidence (t = - 22.75, p = 0.001) between the experimental group (M = 61.25, S ⁢ D = 12.10) and the control group (M = 38.50, S ⁢ D = 6.20), satisfaction level t = - 18.25, p = 0.001; experimental group – M = 42.25, S ⁢ D = 4.25; and control group – M = 28.50, S ⁢ D = 3.15), and there was a significant difference between the experimental group (M = 35.50, S ⁢ D = 3.25) and control group (M = 24.25, S ⁢ D = 2.85) regarding self-efficacy (t = - 13.25, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High-fidelity simulation in nursing increased student knowledge, self-confidence, satisfaction, and self-efficacy in managing septic shock and infusion reaction as common oncology emergencies. Show more

Keywords: Clinical simulation, confidence, satisfaction, knowledge, self-efficacy

DOI: 10.3233/THC-181543

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2019

Authors: Wang, Bin | Si, Shuaizong | Zhao, Hai | Zhu, Hongbo | Dou, Shengchang

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pulmonary nodule detection can significantly influence the early diagnosis of lung cancer while is confused by false positives. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we focus on the false positive reduction and present a method for accurate and rapid detection of pulmonary nodule from suspective regions with 3D texture and edge feature. METHODS: This work mainly consists of four modules. Firstly, small pulmonary nodule candidates are preprocessed by a reconstruction approach for enhancing 3D image feature. Secondly, a texture feature descriptor is proposed, named cross-scale local binary patterns (CS-LBP), to extract spatial texture information. Thirdly, we …design a 3D edge feature descriptor named orthogonal edge orientation histogram (ORT-EOH) to obtain spatial edge information. Finally, hierarchical support vector machines (H-SVMs) is used to classify suspective regions as either nodules or non-nodules with joint CS-LBP and ORT-EOH feature vector. RESULTS: For the solitary solid nodule, ground-glass opacity, juxta-vascular nodule and juxta-pleural nodule, average sensitivity, average specificity and average accuracy of our method are 95.69%, 96.95% and 96.04%, respectively. The elapsed time in training and test stage are 321.76 s and 5.69 s. CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed method has the best performance compared with other state-of-the-art methods and is shown the improved precision of pulmonary nodule detection with computationaly low cost. Show more

Keywords: 3D pulmonary nodule detection, small pulmonary nodule reconstruction, local binary patterns (LBP), edge orientation histogram (EOH), H-SVM classifier, CT image database

DOI: 10.3233/THC-181565

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2019

Authors: Kuresan, Harisudha | Samiappan, Dhanalakshmi | Masunda, Sam

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder, progressive in nature. In order to provide customized patient care, diagnosis and monitoring using smart gadgets, smartphones, and smartwatches, there is a need for a system that works in natural as well as controlled environments. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The primary purpose is to record speech signal, and identify whether the speech signal is Parkinson or not. For this work, a comparison of three feature extraction methods, i.e. Wavelet Packets, MFCC, and a fusion of MFCC and WPT, were carried out. Apart from the feature extraction, two classifiers were …used, i.e. HMM and SVM. RESULTS: In this study, a fusion of MFCC, WPT with HMM shows the best performance parameters. CONCLUSION: The best of the three feature extraction and classifier results are described in this paper. Show more

Keywords: Classifier, feature extraction, speech signal, MFCC, Wavelet Packet Transform

DOI: 10.3233/THC-181306

Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2019