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Price: EUR 150.00Authors: Jiang, Ziwei | Yi, Peiling | You, Jinping | Cai, Erwei
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a digestive tract malignancy microRNAs (miRNAs) have attracted much attention as biomarkers in tumor studies. OBJECTIVE: This work focused on the predictive potential and mechanism of miR-4310 in CRC. METHODS: The miRNA expression profile sets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and the appropriate miRNA was screened by GEO2R. The CRC tissues and control tissues of 88 patients with CRC were collected, and the expression of miR-4310 was detected by quantitative real-time PCR, and the efficacy of miR-4310 in diagnosing CRC was evaluated by the …receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). The effects of miR-4310 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells were explored by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell experiments. Predicting the potential binding sites of miR-4310 and Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) by four predictive websites. The relationship between miR-4310 and RUNX1 was confirmed by a double luciferase reporter gene experiment. RESULTS: The bioinformatics analysis found that miR-4310 was differentially expressed in CRC tissues and this finding was certified by the expression of miR-4310 in CRC tissues of collected patients and cultured CRC cell lines. The expression of miR-4310 had a predictive possibility for CRC patients. MiR-4310/RUNX1 pathway had effects on CRC viability, migration, and invasion. CONCLUSION: MiR-4310 had the potential to be a biomarker for early screening of CRC. MiR-4310 and RUNX1 participated in the regulation of CRC cells. Show more
Keywords: miR-4310, RUNX1, colorectal cancer, biomarker, mechanism
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230472
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Yao, Xiaohui | Liu, Shan | Xia, Huan | Li, Hanhan | Wang, Zhijie | Su, Le | Guo, Wei | Chen, Hanrui
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Recurrence is the main cause of death in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after liver resection. OBJECTIVE: The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported participated in progression and prognosis of HCC, however, the vital role of lncRNA in postoperative recurrence of HCC has rarely been systematically identified. METHODS: RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed between orthotopic model of HCC and hepatoma postoperative recurrent model to comprehensively analyze the integrated transcriptome expression profiles of lncRNA and mRNA. Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was then conducted to quantify the expression levels of DElncRNAs and their …target mRNAs. RESULTS: In our study, 211 lncRNAs (P -value < 0.05) and 1125 mRNAs (P -adjust < 0.05) were significantly differentially expressed (DE) between two groups. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed that DElncRNAs and DEmRNAs were mainly enriched in lipid metabolism, including Arachidonic acid metabolism, PPAR signaling pathway, Steroid hormone biosynthesis, Linoleic acid metabolism, Inflammatory mediator regulation of TRP channels, and Fatty acid degradation. Furthermore, we constructed lncRNA-mRNA interaction networks and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and verified by qRT-PCR, suggesting that increased DEIncRNAs (XLOC_063499 and XLOC_042016) may prevent HCC recurrence after surgery by upregulating on targeted cytochrome P450 (CYP) family genes in the lipid metabolism pathway, such as cyp3a16, cyp3a44, cyp2c39, cyp2c40 and cyp2c68. CONCLUSION: Overall, Our findings provided new insights for further investigation of biological function in lncRNA related HCC recurrence. Show more
Keywords: LncRNA, RNA-seq, postoperative recurrence of HCC, HCC recurrence, hepatoma postoperative recurrent model, CYP
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230123
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Tang, Bei | Ouyang, Wenbin | Deng, Jing | Huang, Xin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In the wave of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, there is a need to investigate the mental health status of Chinese university students. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of witnessing cyberbullying on psychological distress and the mediating role of coping on these effects in Chinese university students, which is yet to be examined. METHODS: 306 Chinese university students were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Linear regression was conducted to analyze the relationship between depression, anxiety and being a bystander to cyberbullying, whereas the bootstrapping approach tested the mediation effects of coping strategies. …RESULTS: Results indicated that 27.12% of subjects (95% CI: 22.22%, 32.48%) suffered from anxiety and 44.12% (95% CI: 38.47%, 49.88%) were depressed. Meanwhile, 89.87% of subjects were involved in witnessing cyberbullying. Being a bystander to cyberbullying was weakly but significantly associated with anxiety (β = 0.195, 95% CI: 0.068, 0.292) and depression (β = 0.223, 95% CI: 0.113,0.333). Negative coping partially mediated between witnessing cyberbullying and anxiety, with mediation effect values of 0.04 (P < 0.05). While being a bystander to cyberbullying was only directly associated with depression. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, college students in Hunan, China, are experiencing anxiety, depression and cyberbullying after COVID-19. Being a bystander to cyberbullying is associated with coping styles, anxiety, and depression. Cyberbullying has a direct impact on anxiety, but it also influences anxiety through mediating effects on coping. Show more
Keywords: Bystander of cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, coping strategies, mediation analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230305
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Chen, Ping-Shun | Lai, Chin-Hui | Chen, Ying-Tzu | Lung, Ting-Yu
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Scheduling patient appointments in hospitals is complicated due to various types of patient examinations, different departments and physicians accessed, and different body parts affected. OBJECTIVE: This study focuses on the radiology scheduling problem, which involves multiple radiological technologists in multiple examination rooms, and then proposes a prototype system of computer-aided appointment scheduling based on information such as the examining radiological technologists, examination departments, the patient’s body parts being examined, the patient’s gender, and the patient’s age. METHODS: The system incorporated a stepwise multiple regression analysis (SMRA) model to predict the number of …examination images and then used the K-Means clustering with a decision tree classification model to classify the patient’s examination time within an appropriate time interval. RESULTS: The constructed prototype creates a feasible patient appointment schedule by classifying patient examination times into different categories for different patients according to the four types of body parts, eight hospital departments, and 10 radiological technologists. CONCLUSION: The proposed patient appointment scheduling system can schedule appointment times for different types of patients according to the type of visit, thereby addressing the challenges associated with diversity and uncertainty in radiological examination services. It can also improve the quality of medical treatment. Show more
Keywords: Data mining, decision tree, patient appointments, appointment scheduling system, stepwise multiple regression analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230374
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-17, 2023
Authors: Hong, Mei | Zhao, Yi-Dong | Zhong, Too-Li | Lu, Ming | Sun, Wen-Hao | Chen, Tian-Yuan | Hong, Nan | Zhu, Yao | Yu, Da-Hai
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There are 1.8 million lung cancer deaths worldwide, accounting for 18% of global cancer deaths, including 710,000 in China, accounting for 23.8% of all cancer deaths in China. OBJECTIVE: To explore the out-of-set association rules of lung cancer symptoms and drugs through text mining of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment of lung cancer, and form medical case analysis to analyze the experience of TCM syndrome differentiation in its treatment. METHODS: The medical records of all patients diagnosed with lung cancer in Nanjing Chest Hospital from January to December 2018 were collected, and …the out-of-set association analysis was performed using the MedCase v5.2 TCM clinical scientific research auxiliary platform based on the frequent pattern growth enhanced association analysis algorithm. RESULTS: In terms of TCM treatment of lung cancer, the clinical symptoms with high correlation included cough, expectoration, chest distress, and white phlegm; and the drugs with high correlation included Pinellia ternata , licorice root, white Atractylodes rhizome , and Radix Ophiopogonis ; with the prescriptions based on Erchen and Maimendong decoctions. CONCLUSION: This analytical study of the medical cases of TCM treatment for lung cancer was performed using data mining techniques, and the out-of-set association rules between clinical symptoms and drugs were analyzed, including the understanding of lung cancer in TCM. Moreover, the essence of experience in drug use was gathered, providing significant scientific guidance for the clinical treatment of lung cancer. Show more
Keywords: Data mining, lung cancer, traditional Chinese medicine, out-of-set association
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230269
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Liu, Xinyi | Liu, Hao | Liu, Yuanji
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: During an outbreak such as COVID-19, hospital staff needs to be in close contact with all types of patients visiting the hospital and the risk of cross-infection is extremely high. Payment and medication pickup is a mandatory part of a patient’s hospital visit, with direct contact between healthcare workers and patients, and long waiting times in the hospital area, which can easily lead to the spread of disease infection. OBJECTIVE: This paper designed the prototype of a contactless smart medicine cabinet based on RFID technology and optimized the patient consultation and medication pickup process to …address these problems. METHODS: We conducted a 50-day field observation of patients for consultation and medication pickup at the First Hospital in H city, Jiangsu Province, China, and randomly timed 1600 sets of data from Surgery (ophthalmology) and Internal patients, then we designed the prototype of a contactless smart medicine cabinet based on RFID technology, optimized the patient consultation and medication pickup process, comparing the traditional and intelligent models using AnyLogic. RESULTS: The results show that this contactless medicine cabinet was able to reduce the time taken by patients in consultation and medicine pickup by 19.24 minutes, increasing the overall efficiency of the consultation by 32.20%. The simulation revealed that this contactless intelligent medication pickup model was able to reduce the time taken by patients in consultation and medicine pickup, increasing the overall efficiency of the consultation, effectively reducing the frequency of contact between healthcare workers and patients, and reducing the risk of disease infection. CONCLUSION: The proposed technical model provides a new idea to solve the problems of long queues, low efficiency and high risk of infection for patients to consult and get medicine during epidemics. Especially within hospitals it has important theoretical and practical implications for epidemic prevention and control as well as future hospital management. Show more
Keywords: COVID-19, RFID, contactless, hospital, intelligent medication pickup
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230027
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-19, 2023
Authors: Kamm, Christian P. | Kueng, Roger | Blättler, Remo
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Impaired manual dexterity is frequent and disabling in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting activities of daily living and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To develop a new immersive virtual-reality (VR) headset-based dexterity training to improve impaired manual dexterity in persons with MS (pwMS) while being feasible and usable in a home-based setting. METHODS: The training intervention was tailored to the specific group of pwMS by implementing a simple and intuitive application with regard to hardware and software. To be efficacious, the training intervention covers the main functions of the hands and arm …relevant for use in everyday life. RESULTS: Taking clinical, feasibility, usability as well as technical aspects with regard to hardware and software into account, six different training exercises using hand tracking technology were developed on the Meta quest 2 using Unity. CONCLUSION: We report the developmental process of a new immersive virtual VR headset-based dexterity training for pwMS implementing clinical and technical aspects. Good feasibility, usability, and patient satisfaction was already shown in a feasibility study qualifying this training intervention for further efficacy trials. Show more
Keywords: Development, multiple sclerosis, manual dexterity, hand and arm function, virtual reality, immersive, training intervention
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230541
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Lian, Weizhen | Lian, Kaimei | Lin, Teng
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Early breast cancer diagnosis is of great clinical importance for selecting treatment options, improving prognosis, and enhancing the quality of patients’ survival. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the value of virtual touch tissue imaging average grayscale values (VAGV) helper Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in diagnosing breast malignancy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 141 breast tumors in 134 patients. All breast lesions were diagnosed pathologically by biopsy or surgical excision. All patients first underwent conventional ultrasound (US) followed by virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI). The measurement of the VAGV of the lesion was …performed by Image J software. BI-RADS classification was performed for each lesion according to the US. We performed a two-by-two comparison of the diagnostic values of VAGV, BI-RADS, and BI-RADS+ VAGV. RESULTS: VAGV was lower in malignant tumors than in benign ones (35.82 ± 13.39 versus 73.58 ± 42.69, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC ) value, sensitivity, and specificity of VAGV was 0.834, 84.09%, and 69.07%, respectively. Among BI-RADS, VAGV, and BI-RADS+ VAGV, BI-RADS+ VAGV had the highest AUC (0.926 versus 0.882, P = 0.0066; 0.926 versus 0.834, P = 0.0012). There was perfect agreement between the two radiologists using VAGV (ICC = 0.9796) and substantial agreement using BI-RADS (Kappa = 0.725). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that VAGV can accurately diagnose breast cancer. VAGV effectively improves the diagnostic performance of BI-RADS. Show more
Keywords: Breast lesion, average grayscale value, virtual touch tissue imaging, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230306
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Yue, Lei | Huo, Hai-Yang | Yang, Wei | Zhang, Ying-Huai
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dental implant restoration is an effective therapy for missing teeth and is widely used in clinical practice to provide more treatment options for patients. OBJECTIVE: To explore the application of a positioning annular gingival cutter in minimally invasive stage II implant surgery and to evaluate its clinical effects. METHOD: Stage II implant surgery using a positioning annular gingival cutter was performed on 15 selected patients at 15 implant sites with sufficient keratinized gingival width in the posterior region. The patient underwent crown restoration 2 weeks after surgery and returned for follow-up 3 …months later. The surgical effects were recorded for each patient, including the duration of surgery, postoperative pain and swelling, keratinized gingiva width, probing depth (PD) measurements, and the percentage of bleeding on probing (BOP) before surgery, during crown restoration, and 3 months after crown restoration. The data were subjected to a paired sample t-test using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) 25.0. RESULTS: The duration of stage II implant surgery using a positioning annular gingival cutter was 9.23 ± 1.63 min, and the duration of postoperative pain and swelling was 0.73 ± 0.35 and 0.81 ± 0.35 d, respectively. The keratinized gingiva width was 2.93 ± 0.41 mm before surgery and 2.91 ± 0.46 mm after crown restoration, demonstrating no significant reduction (P > 0.05). The keratinized gingiva width remained stable 3 months after crown restoration, with an average of 2.85 ± 0.49 mm, without significant reduction (P > 0.05). No obvious inflammation is observed. PD was 2.60 ± 0.52 mm and BOP was 10%. CONCLUSION: The use of a positioning annular gingival cutter in stage II implant surgery achieves a positive and stable clinical effect within a short time. Show more
Keywords: Circumferential supracrestal fiberotomy, keratinized gingiva, stage II implant surgery
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230262
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-7, 2023
Authors: Nie, Xiaojuan | Wang, Dandan | Pan, Ye | Lü, Peng | Yang, Yanhua
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas system is an acquired immune system of bacteria and archaea. Continued research has resulted in the identification of other Cas13 proteins. OBJECTIVE: This review briefly describes the discovery, classification, and application of the CRISPR-Cas13 system, including recent technological advances in addition to factors affecting system performance. METHODS: Cas13-based molecular therapy of human, animal, and plant transcriptomes was discussed, including regulation of gene expression to combat pathogenic RNA viruses. In addition, the latest progress, potential shortcomings, and challenges of the CRISPR-Cas system for treatment of …animal and plant diseases are reviewed. RESULTS: The CRISPR-Cas system VI is characterized by two RNA-guided higher eukaryotes and prokaryotes nucleotide-binding domains. CRISPR RNA can cleave specific RNA through the interaction between the stem-loop rich chain of uracil residues and the Cas13a protein. The CRISPR-Cas13 system has been applied for gene editing in animal and plant cells, in addition to biological detection via accurate targeting of single-stranded RNA. CONCLUSION: The CRISPR-Cas13 system offers a high-throughput and convenient technology for detection of viruses and potentially the development of anti-cancer drugs in the near future. Show more
Keywords: ???
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230258
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-19, 2023
Authors: Zhao, Li | Xu, Wen-Kui | Wang, Ying | Lu, Wei-Yan | Wu, Yong | Hu, Rong
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The evolution of critical care medicine and nursing has aided and enabled the rescue of a large number of patients from numerous life-threatening diseases. However, in many cases, patient health may not be quickly restored, and the long-term prognosis may not be optimistic. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for accurate, precise, and objective identification of the severity of chronic critical illness (CCI) in patients. METHODS: We used a retrospective case-control and prospective cohort study with no interventions. Patients diagnosed with CCI admitted to the …ICU of a large metropolitan public hospital were selected. In the case-control study, 344 patients (case: 172; control:172) were enrolled to develop the prognosis prediction model of chronic critical illness (PPCCI Model); 88 patients (case:44; control: 44) in a prospective cohort study, served as the validation cohort. The discrimination of the model was measured using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). RESULTS: Age, prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV), sepsis or other severe infections, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), mean artery pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), oxygenation index (OI), and active bleeding were the nine predictors included in the model. In both cohorts, the PPCCI model outperformed the Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) in identifying deceased patients with CCI (development cohort: AUC, 0.934; 95%CI, 0.908–0.960; validation cohort: AUC, 0.965; 95% CI, 0.931–0.999). CONCLUSION: The PPCCI model can provide ICU medical staff with a standardized measurement tool for assessing the condition of patients with CCI, enabling them to allocate ward monitoring resources rationally and communicate with family members. Show more
Keywords: Chronic critical illness, critical care, model, prediction, prognosis, score
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230359
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Kayama, Mizue | Takashi, Takai | Futagami, Takao | Terasawa, Koji
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The actual changes in biological and physiological parameters during walking are little understood in multiple aspects. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to examine and link the disparate measures of motor, vision, and brain activity for elderly and young adults. METHOD: The participants were 15 elderly adults and 10 young adults. Accelerometry, eye tracking, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were used to evaluate the participants in a 10-m walking test. RESULT: The results for the elderly adults were 1) low variabilities of …velocity and acceleration along the front-back and up-down axes, 2) a wider gaze range on the right-left axis than the young adults, 3) a high mean PFC activity, and 4) a larger number of high-relation pairs than the young adults for the correlation coefficients of both gait vs. gaze and gait vs. PFC activity. The variabilities of velocity and acceleration, gaze and PFC activity changes for the young adults were selective. CONCLUSION: Measuring 10-m walking in a polymetric approach may capture some indicators related to physical and cognitive difficulties such as frailty and dementia. Show more
Keywords: 10-m walking, gait, gaze, PFC activity, polymetric approach, elderly adults
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220447
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Zhang, Xuelan | Peng, Yuan | Li, Gaoyang | Li, Jiehua | Luo, Mingyao | Che, Yue | Zheng, Liancun | Anzai, Hitomi | Ohta, Makoto | Shu, Chang
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Acute type B aortic dissection (ATBAD) is a life-threatening aortic disease. However, little information is available on predicting and understanding of ATBAD. OBJECTIVE: The study sought to explore the underlying mechanism of ATBAD by analyzing the morphological and hemodynamic characteristics related to aortic length. METHODS: The length and tortuosity of the segment and the whole aorta in the ATBAD group (n = 163) and control group (n = 120) were measured. A fixed anatomic landmark from the distal of left subclavian artery …(LSA) to the superior border of sixth thoracic vertebra was proposed as the proximal descending thoracic aorta (PDTA), and the dimensionless parameter, length ratio, was introduced to eliminate the individual differences. The significant morphological parameters were filtrated and the associations between parameters were investigated using statistical approaches. Furthermore, how aortic morphology influenced ATBAD was explored based on idealized aortic models and hemodynamic-related metrics. RESULTS: The PDTA length was significantly increased in the ATBAD group compared with the control group and had a strong positive correlation with the whole aortic length (r = 0.89). The length ratio (LR 2 ) and tortuosity (T 2 ) of PDTA in the ATBAD group were significantly increased (0.15 ± 0.02 vs 0.12 ± 0.02 and 1.73 ± 0.48 vs 1.50 ± 0.36; P < 0.001), and LR 2 was positive correlation with T 2 (r = 0.73). In receiver-operating curve analysis, the area under the curve was 0.835 for LR 2 and 0.641 for T 2 . Low and oscillatory shear (LOS) was positive correlation with LR 2 , and the elevated LOS occurred in the distal of LSA. CONCLUSION: Elongation of PDTA is associated with ATBAD, and the length ratio is a novel predictor. Elongated PDTA induced more aggressive hemodynamic forces, and high LOS regions may correspond to the entry tear location. The synergy of the morphological variation and aggressive hemodynamics creates contributory conditions for ATBAD. Show more
Keywords: Aortic dissection, aortic elongation, length ratio, hemodynamics, low and oscillatory shear
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230194
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Wu, Qingqing | Li, Xihong | Li, Li | Yan, Ouyang | He, Qingwen
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have focused on reducing patient absences and effectively scheduling exams. However, very few studies have analyzed the factors influencing examination time and predicted examination time. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the factors affecting ultrasound examination visit length and provide a reference for interventions to optimize ultrasound appointments. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a fertility clinic in China. Ultrasound examination time and clinical characteristics were obtained from the electronic records. Univariate and multivariate analyses used 33,432 patients who attended our clinic center between August 1 and October 30, 2018. A quantile …regression model was constructed to examine associations between ultrasound examination time and statistically significant variables in the univariate analysis. RESULTS: Of the 33,432 patients included in this study, 29,085 (87%) were female and 4,347 (13%) were male. Their mean examination time was 6 ± 3 minutes. The doctor’s title and gender, equipment, and patient’s age, examination site, gender, and origin were all statistically significant. Physical examination and outpatient clinic patients had shorter examination times than inpatients. Female physicians had longer examination times than male physicians. Examination time was positively correlated with thyroid, breast, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, kidney, heart, vascular, adrenal, gynecological, early pregnancy, nuchal translucency, prostate, scrotum, and mid-to-late pregnancy fetal sites. Moreover, NT and mid-to-late pregnancy fetal sites showed a clear and continuous positive trend with increasing examination time. CONCLUSION: The length of the ultrasound examination was correlated with the examination site, physician title, physician gender, patient age, patient gender, patient origin, and instrumentation. The reliability of inspection time predicted by variables such as the physicians’ title, sex, sites examined, and the number of sites examined was higher when they were longer. Show more
Keywords: Assisted reproduction for pregnancy, ultrasound, examination time
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230406
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Ochiai, Ryoichi | Terada, Takashi | Sakamoto, Noriaki
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Several monitors have been developed that measure stroke volume (SV) in a beat-to-beat manner. Accordingly, Stroke volume variation (SVV) induced by positive pressure ventilation is widely used to predict fluid responsiveness. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of two different methods to predict fluid responsiveness using SVV, stroke volume variation by esCCO (esSVV) and stroke volume variation by FloTrac/Vigileo TM (flSVV). METHODS: esSVV, flSVV, and stroke volume index (SVI) by both monitoring devices of 37 adult patients who underwent laparotomy surgery, were measured. …Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. RESULTS: The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of esSVV was significantly higher than that of flSVV (p = 0.030). esSVV and flSVV showed cutoff values of 6.1% and 10% respectively, to predict an increase of more than 10% in SVI after fluid challenge. The Youden index for esSVV was higher than flSVV, even with a cutoff value between 6% and 8%. CONCLUSION: Since esSVV and flSVV showed significant differences in AUC and cutoff values, the two systems were not comparable in predicting fluid responsiveness. Furthermore, it seems that SVV needs to be personalized to accurately predict fluid responsiveness for each patient. Show more
Keywords: Estimated continuous cardiac output, stroke volume variation, stroke volume index, pulse wave transit time, pressure wave analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220849
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Li, Wenzhe | Xu, Li | Wang, Yajing | Li, Wenjun | Maimaiti, Meiligu | Kou, Bin | Liu, Chenchen | Zhang, Meng | Xia, Hongjuan | Yuan, Fang
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Without timely and effective interventions or treatments, radiation-induced liver damage (RILD) can lead to serious consequences for the patients and their families. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia preconditioning (IHHP) in RILD. METHODS: Male adult SD rats were randomly divided into 8 groups including one control group, one only irradiation group and other experimental groups. Blood routine tests and liver function tests were all assessed with abdominal venous blood. Moreover, hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry assay were used to detect the histopathological changes and expressions of transforming …growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β 1), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α ) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α ) in radiated liver sections. RESULTS: Blood routing tests showed that RBC, WBC and Hb were all significantly increased while the differences of these results between different groups with same simulated altitude were approximate. However, liver function in the IHHP plus irradiation at 4000 m group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) compared to only irradiation groups, and the manifestation of HE and lower positive expression of TNF-α showed improved histopathological changes in the liver section. Furthermore, no significant difference of HIF-1α expression between any two groups treated with IHHP was observed. CONCLUSION: IHHP at the altitude of 4000 m group could alleviate the radioactive liver damage by downregulating TNF-α and less strong positive expression of TGF-β 1. Furthermore, patients exposed to radiation might benefit from this treatment to prevent or reduce the RILD. Show more
Keywords: Liver injury, irradiation, radiation induced liver damage (RILD), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), intermittent hypobaric hypoxia preconditioning (IHHP), oxidative stress
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220718
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Narula, Gagan | Boss, Jens | Seric, Marko | Baumann, Daniel | Salles, Joan P. | Fröhlich, Jürg | Baumann, Dirk | Keller, Emanuela | Willms, Jan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Intracranial pressure (ICP) is a vital parameter that is continuously monitored in patients with severe brain injury and imminent intracranial hypertension. OBJECTIVE: To estimate intracranial pressure without intracranial probes based on transcutaneous near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). METHODS: We developed machine learning based approaches for noninvasive intracranial pressure (ICP) estimation using signals from transcutaneous near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as well as other cardiovascular and artificial ventilation parameters. RESULTS: In a patient cohort of 25 patients, with 22 used for model development and 3 for model testing, the best performing models …were Fourier transform based Transformer ICP waveform estimation which produced a mean absolute error of 4.68 mm Hg (SD = 5.4) in estimation. CONCLUSION: We did not find a significant improvement in ICP estimation accuracy by including signals measured by transcutaneous NIRS. We expect that with higher quality and greater volume of data, noninvasive estimation of ICP will improve. Show more
Keywords: Brain injuries, intracranial pressure, machine learning, spectrum analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230329
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Shukla, Anuj K. | Chaturvedi, Saurabh | Ahmed, Abdul Razzaq | Abouzeid, Hoda Lofty | Suleman, Gazala | Sharif, Rania A. | Gurumurthy, Vishwanath | Cicciù, Marco | Minervini, Giuseppe
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Phonetics with mechanics and aesthetics are considered cardinal factors contributing to the success of complete dentures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the changes in speech in complete denture patients with and without palatal surface changes. METHODS: The data collected for the study involved completely edentulous Patients (n = 80). Patients were divided into two groups. Group A: Up to 50 years (n = 40); Group B: Above 50 years (n = 40) …(including male and female). Each group was further divided into four subgroups for speech analysis-without dentures (A1/B1); with conventional dentures (A2/B2); dentures with a palatogram (A3/B3) and dentures with palate sandblasted (A4/B4). The speech sounds of all patients were evaluated for pitch and intensity using a spectrophotogram (Praat software) and Likert scale. The data so obtained from the quantitative and qualitative analysis were statistically analysed through one-way ANOVA, unpaired student’s t -test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Qualitative analysis was done with the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The maximum mean value of the pitch and intensity in Groups A and B was subgroup A3 (Palatogram) 190.37 ± 21.50 and 77.07 ± 7.58, B3 (Palatogram) 190.87 ± 24.36 and 75.33 ± 8.12. When comparing Groups A [A1, A2, A3, A4] and B [B1, B2, B3, B4] on the basis of pitch and intensity, a statistically insignificant value was found. No changes in speech sounds (pitch and intensity) were observed in terms of age. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis results showed that speech sounds in the patients with palatogram, had the highest pitch and intensity and were most clear to the listener and there were statistically significant differences from other groups. CONCLUSION: Speech was better in palatogram-based dentures in comparison to a sandblasted denture, conventional denture and without denture in terms of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The physiologic nature of the palatogram fabrication technique produces the palatal part of the denture more compatible with the tongue, thus producing better speech. Show more
Keywords: Palatal surface, speech, edentulous, prosthodontics, dentistry
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230477
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Dong, Haonan | He, Zexi | Wang, Haifeng | Ding, Mingxia | Huang, Yinglong | Li, Haihao | Shi, Hongjin | Mao, Lan | Hu, Chongzhi | Wang, Jiansong
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common pathological type of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and effective biomarkers will improve diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated NPEPL1 expression in ccRCC through public databases and clinical samples and assessed its correlation with clinicopathological features and patient prognosis. METHOD: Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and clinical specimens were gathered, NPEPL1 expression levels were analyzed; a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of NPEPL1; and clinicopathological data was used to study the correlations between expression …and clinical parameters. NPEPL1’s prognostic value was appraised using a Kaplan–Meier (K–M) survival curve, Cox regression analysis, and a nomogram model; Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of differently expressed genes between tissues with high and low NPEPL1 expression were used to estimate the underlying mechanisms involved. RESULTS: NPEPL1 was significantly higher-expressed in ccRCC tissue. ROC analysis showed that NPEPL1 had noteworthy diagnostic efficacy. NPEPL1 expression was closely related to clinicopathological parameters, such as T and M stage. K–M analysis showed that overall survival was significantly shortened with high NPEPL1 expression. Cox regression analysis showed that NPEPL1 expression was an independent risk factor predicting overall survival. The nomogram showed a significantly high clinical value in predicting the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival probabilities in ccRCC. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that NPEPL1 may promote the occurrence and development of ccRCC via the Ras signaling and other pathways. CONCLUSION: NPEPL1 expression in ccRCC was higher than that in normal kidney tissues and was significantly associated with advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis. Therefore, NPEPL1 is a promising prognostic biomarker. Show more
Keywords: Renal clear cell carcinoma, NPEPL1, Clinicopathology, prognosis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230282
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2023
Authors: Mur, Linda | Annon-Eberharter, Natalee | Gombos, Petra | Wald, Martin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dead space is the part of the airway where no gas exchange takes place. Any increase in dead space volume has a proportional effect on the required tidal volume and thus on the risk of ventilation-induced lung injury. Inserts that increase dead space are therefore not used in small preterm infants. This includes end-tidal CO 2 measurement. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the end-tidal CO 2 measurement adapter on ventilation. METHODS: In an experimental setup, an end-tidal …CO 2 measurement adapter, three different pneumotachographs (PNT-A, PNT-B, PNT-Neo), and a closed suction adapter were combined in varying set-ups. The time required for CO 2 elimination by a CO 2 -flooded preterm infant test lung was measured. RESULTS: PNT-A prolonged CO 2 elimination time by 0.9 s (+ 3.3%), Neo-PNT by 3.2 s (+ 11.6%) and PNT-B by 9.0 s (+ 32.7%). The end-tidal CO 2 measurement adapter prolonged the elimination time by an additional second without the pneumotachograph (+ 3.6%) and in combination with PNT-A (+ 3.1%) and PNT-Neo (+ 3.1%). In conjunction with PNT-B, the end-tidal CO 2 measurement adapter reduced the elimination time by 0.3 seconds (- 1%). The use of a closed suction adaptor increased the CO 2 elimination time by a further second with PNT-Neo (+ 3.1%) and by an additional two seconds with no flow sensor (+ 6.9%), with PNT-A (+ 6.4%) and with PNT-B (+ 5.5%). CONCLUSION: The flow sensor had the greatest influence on ventilatory effort, while end-tidal CO 2 measurement had only a moderate effect. The increased ventilatory effort levied by the CO 2 measurement was dependent on the flow sensor selected. The use of closed suctioning more negatively impacted ventilatory effort than did end-tidal CO 2 measurement. Show more
Keywords: Neonatal intensive care units, tidal volume, extremely premature infant, ventilator-induced lung injury, mechanical ventilators
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230195
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-7, 2023
Authors: Elrashid, Afra Hassan | Alsarh, Sarah Ahmad | Alotaibi, Dalia Saleh | Albaqami, Majed Adi | Algadhi, Saleh Khalid | Alfaraj, Reham Ahmad | Cicciù, Marco | Minervini, Giuseppe
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Bleaching is a highly common method used nowadays to treat tooth discolouration because it is a significant cosmetic issue, particularly with anterior teeth, however bleaching itself results in microleakage. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the impact of in-office bleaching on class V restoration microleakage with type 1 and type 2 composite restorations. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty healthy, caries-free removed human anterior teeth were used in this in-vitro study. All extracted teeth had their buccal and lingual surfaces uniformly prepped for class V cavities. The 120 removed teeth were divided …into two groups, with Group 1 receiving Tetric N-Ceram nanohybrid composite restorations and Group 2 receiving 3 M Filtek Z350 XT nanohybrid composite restorations. Groups 1 and 2 were further broken into four more subgroups of four each. The restorations were sealed with a G-Coat Plus resin. The p -value was kept at 0.005 for the data analysis using the Chi-square and Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: Allocating microleakage among 320 study models revealed that 141 (44.1%) study samples had no microleakage, whereas 20 (6.3%), 54 (16.9%), and 105 (32.8%) study samples had microleakage up to, between, and greater than two-thirds of cavity depth. With a statistically significant p -value of 0.001, no microleakage was discovered in 85 (53.1%) lingual surfaces with Tetric N-Ceram nanohybrid composite restoration and 56 (35%) buccal surfaces with 3M Filtek Z350 XT nanohybrid composite restoration. 19.1% of samples of N-Ceram that were sealed and not bleached had no microleakage, according to analysis of microleakage across several groups. With a p -value of 0.001, the distribution of microleakage among various clusters was statistically notable. CONCLUSION: According to the findings of the study, hydrogen peroxide bleaching has an enhanced impact on micro escape during dye dispersion. Both with and without bleaching, resin coating can be utilised to minimise marginal microleakage. Show more
Keywords: Microleakage, resins, bleaching, composite restorations
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230213
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Ju, Jieqin | Mao, Liqing | Wang, Yuejing | Xie, Haofen | Zhou, Shengjun
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Femoral artery puncture is still the most used surgical approach. Because the operation requires local anaesthesia, the patient may not be able to exert full self-control, and their upper and lower limbs and trunk need to be constrained by a protection device. OBJECTIVE: To explore the safe application effect of a new type of anti-movement protection device for upper and lower extremities, shoulders and chest in patients undergoing interventional therapy via the femoral artery approach. METHODS: This is a prospective randomised controlled study. A total of 230 patients were randomly divided into …two groups: the study group (n = 115) and the control group (n = 115). The time needed to implement the restraint operation and the loosening of the restraint device in the two groups was recorded, and the satisfaction of surgeons and nurses was investigated. RESULTS: The time needed to perform restraint operation in the study group was significantly less than that in the control group (4.06 ± 0.61 min vs. 7.01 ± 0.76 min, P < 0.05). The satisfaction of surgeons and nurses with the use of the new protective device was significantly better than that of the conventional restraint band (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The new anti-movement protection device for upper and lower limbs, shoulders and chest can conveniently and quickly achieve effective protection and braking of patients, ensure the safety of surgery and improve satisfaction. Show more
Keywords: Nursing safety, protective device, patient care, physical restraints, transfemoral intervention
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230254
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Li, Miao-Miao | Pan, Jian-Xia | Wang, Jin-Hang | Hu, Zi-Lei | Zhao, Jing | Wei, Hai-Cheng
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a chronic disease that can lead to a variety of complications and even cause death. The signal characteristics of the photoplethysmography signals (PPG) and electrocardiogram signals (ECG) can reflect the autonomic and vascular aspects of the effects of diabetes on the body. OBJECTIVE: Based on the complex mechanism of interaction between PPG and ECG, a set of ensemble empirical mode decomposition-independent component analysis (EEMD-ICA) fusion multi-scale percussion entropy index (MSPEI) method was proposed to analyze cardiovascular function in diabetic patients. METHODS: Firstly, the original signal was decomposed into multiple Intrinsic …Mode Function (IMFs) by ensemble empirical mode decomposition EEMD, principal components of IMF were extracted by independent component analysis (ICA), then the extracted principal components were reconstructed to eliminate the complex high and low frequency noise of physiological signals. In addition, the MSPEI was calculated for the ECG R-R interval and PPG amplitude sequence.(RRI and Amp) The results showed that, compared with EEMD method, the SNR of EEMD-ICA method increases from 2.1551 to 11.3642, and the root mean square error (RMSE) decreases from 0.0556 to 0.0067. This algorithm can improve the performance of denoising and retain more feature information. The large and small scale entropy of MSPEI (RRI,Amp) was significantly different between healthy and diabetic patients (p < 0.01). RESULTS: Compared with arteriosclerosis index (AI) and multi-scale cross-approximate entropy (MCAE): MSPEI 𝑆𝑆 (RRI,Amp) indicated that diabetes can affect the activity of human autonomic nervous system, while MSPEI 𝐿𝑆 (RRI,Amp) indicated that diabetes can cause or worsen arteriosclerosis. CONCLUSION: Multi-scale Percussion Entropy algorithm has more advantages in analyzing the influence of diabetes on human cardiovascular and autonomic nervous function. Show more
Keywords: Diabetes, electrocardiogram, photoplethysmography, empirical mode decomposition-independent component analysis, multi-scale percussion entropy
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230243
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Han, Xueyan | Dong, Litong | Zhang, Wenxiao | Liang, Chun | Wang, Zuobin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cells adherence provides specific information about physiology and pathology, the adhesion measurement between living cells and nanostructures can be measured by atomic force microscopy, but this detection technique is difficult to operate and costly. The adhesion height and effective contact area between cells and substrates are also the key factors affecting measurement value of the overall impedance. These factors change with structural parameters of the substrates, so the adhesion measurement between living cells and substrate can be indirectly reflected by the impedance value. OBJECTIVE: To establish a mapping relationship between the impedance measurement and the …adhesion measurement of living cells. The possibility of dynamic measurement of adhesion is realized by this method, and the experimental process is simplified. METHODS: Laser interference technology was used to prepare nanoarray structures with different periods on the surface of silicon wafers for cells culture. Under the same experimental conditions, the impedance of living cells on the substrates of different cycle sizes were measured. The adhesion between cells and different substrates were analyzed by measuring impedance after the interaction between cells and substrate. RESULTS: The adhesion of living cells on the substrates of different sizes be analyzed, and the mapping relationship between the impedance and the adhesion measurement was established. The results showed that, the larger the impedance value between cells and substrate, the larger the effective contact area and the smaller the gap between them. CONCLUSION: The difference of adhesion height and effective adhesion area between living cells and substrates were obtained. This paper, a new method to measure the adhesion properties of living cells is presented, which provides theoretical basis for the related research. Show more
Keywords: Living cells, nanostructure, impedance, adhesion, effective adhesion areas
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220584
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Yuan, Gaoteng | Zhai, Yi | Tang, Jiansong | Zhou, Xiaofeng
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) reactivation is the most common complication for patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) after radiotherapy. How to reduce the reactivation of HBV has been a hot topic in the study of postoperative radiotherapy for liver cancer. OBJECTIVE: To find out the inducement of HBV reactivation, a feature selection algorithm (MIC-CS) using maximum information coefficient (MIC) combined with cosine similarity (CS) was proposed to screen the risk factors that may affect HBV reactivation. METHOD: Firstly, different factors were coded and MIC between patients was calculated to acquire the association …between different factors and HBV reactivation. Secondly, a cosine similarity algorithm was constructed to calculate the similarity relationship between different factors, thus removing redundant information. Finally, combined with the weight of the two, the potential risk factors were sorted and the key factors leading to HBV reactivation were selected. RESULTS: The results indicated that HBV baseline, external boundary, TNM, KPS score, VD, AFP, and Child-Pugh could lead to HBV reactivation after radiotherapy. The classification model was constructed for the above factors, with the highest classification accuracy of 84% and the AUC value of 0.71. CONCLUSION: Comparing multiple feature selection methods, the results showed that the effect of the MIC-CS was significantly better than MIM, CMIM, and mRMR, so it has a very broad application prospect. Show more
Keywords: HBV, MIC, cosine similarity, feature selection, classification
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230161
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-15, 2023
Authors: Petrović, Nikola | Mandić, Sanja | Borojević, Svetlana | Gazivoda, Nemanja | Sovilj, Platon
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cognitive neuroscience experiments require accurate and traceable methods of measuring cognitive phenomena, analyzing and processing data, and validating results, including measurement of impact of such phenomena on brain activity and consciousness. EEG measurement is the most widely used tool for evaluation of the experiment’s progress. To extract more information from the EEG signal, continuous innovation is necessary to provide a broader range of information. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a new tool for measuring and mapping cognitive phenomena using time window-based multispectral brain mapping of electroencephalography (EEG) signals. METHODS: The tool was developed …using Python programming language and enables users to create brain maps images for six spectra (Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Mu) of EEG signal. The system can accept an arbitrary number of EEG channels with standardized labels based on the 10–20 system, and users can select the channels, frequency bandwidth, type of signal processing, and time window length to perform the mapping. RESULTS: The key advantage of this tool is its ability to perform short-time brain mapping, which allows for the exploration and measurement of cognitive phenomena. The tool’s performance was evaluated through testing on real EEG signals, and results demonstrated its effectiveness in accurately mapping cognitive phenomena. CONCLUSION: The developed tool can be used in various applications, including cognitive neuroscience research and clinical studies. Future work involves optimizing the tool’s performance and expanding its capabilities. Show more
Keywords: Biomedical engineering, cognitive neuroscience, electroencephalography, brain mapping, biomedical measurement and instrumentation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230241
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Liu, Bin | Sun, Chuan | Zhao, Xinyu | Liu, Lingyu | Liu, Shuang | Ma, Haichuan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Surgery is the preferred treatment for rectal cancer, but surgical treatment alone sometimes does not achieve satisfactory results. OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of multimodal Magnetic Resonance (MR) images in evaluating T staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy and to compare and analyze with pathological results. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed 232 patients with stage T3, T4 rectal cancer between January 1, 2017 and October 31, 2022. MR examination was performed within 3 days before surgery. Different MR sequences were used for mrT staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy and …compared with pathological pT staging. The accuracy of different MR sequences in evaluating T staging of rectal cancer was calculated, and the consistency between the two was analyzed by kappa test. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of different MR sequences in evaluating rectal cancer invading mesorectal fascia after neoadjuvant therapy were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 232 patients with rectal cancer were included in the study. The accuracy of high-resolution T2 WI in evaluating T staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy was 49.57%, and the Kappa value was 0.261. The accuracy of high-resolution T2WI combined with diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in evaluating T staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy was 61.64%, and the Kappa value was 0.411. The accuracy of high-resolution combined with DCE-MR images in evaluating T staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy was 80.60%, and the Kappa value was 0.706. The sensitivity and specificity of high-resolution t2-weighted imaging (HR-T2WI) combined with dynamic contrast-enhancement magnetic resonance (DCE-MR) in evaluating the invasion of mesorectal fascia were 83.46% and 95.33%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with HR-T2WI combined with DWI images for mrT staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (N-CRT), HR-T2WI combined with DCE-M has the highest accuracy in evaluating mrT staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy (80.60%), and has a high consistency with pathological pT staging. It is the best sequence for T staging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. At the same time, the sequence has high sensitivity and specificity in evaluating mesorectal fascia invasion, which can provide accurate perioperative information for the formulation of surgical plan. Show more
Keywords: Rectal cancer, neoadjuvant therapy, efficacy, re-staging, magnetic resonance
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220798
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Radivoje, Radakovic | Lazar, Dasic | Milivoj, Dopsaj | Nenad, Filipovic
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Being in peak physical condition and having specific motor abilities are necessity for every top-level soccer player in order to achieve success in competition. In order to correctly assess soccer players’ performance, this research uses laboratory and field measurements, as well as results of competitive performance obtained by direct software measurements of players’ movement during the actual soccer game. OBJECTIVE: The main goal of this research is to give insight into the key abilities that soccer players need to have in order to perform in competitive tournaments. Besides training adjustments, this research also gives insight …into what variables need to be tracked in order to accurately assess the efficiency and functionality of the players. METHODS: The collected data need to be analyzed using descriptive statistics. Collected data is also used as input for multiple regression models that can predict certain key measurements: total distance covered, percent of effective movements and high index of effective performance movements. RESULTS: Most of the calculated regression models have high predictability level with statistically significant variables. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of regression analysis it can be deduced that motor abilities are important factor in measuring soccer player’s competitive performance and team’s success in the match. Show more
Keywords: Effective movement, motor abilities, soccer player’s competition performance, total distance covered
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230275
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Huang, Ting | Duan, Miao
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Hyperbilirubinemia is a common disorder in neonates, with premature infants at higher risk of developing the disorder. OBJECTIVE: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene detection was used to determine the incidence of G6PD deficiency and analyze the etiologies of G6PD deficiency in neonates with hyperbilirubinemia in the Zunyi region with the aim of providing scientific evidence for the clinical diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: For the gene detection, 64 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia were selected as the observation group and 30 normal neonates were selected as the control group, and the risk factors for hyperbilirubinemia were …investigated by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the neonates in the observation group, 59 cases had the G1388A mutation (92.19%) and 5 cases had the G1376T mutation (7.81%). No mutation was detected in the control group. In the observation group, the proportion of neonates who were born prematurely, with artificial feeding, with the age of starting feeding of more than 24 h, the time of first bowel movement of more than 24 h, premature rupture of membranes, infection, scalp hematoma, and perinatal asphyxia was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that prematurity, infection, scalp hematoma, perinatal asphyxia, the age of starting feeding of more than 24 h, and the time of first bowel movement over 24 h were risk factors for the development of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The G1338A and G1376T mutations were important features of the genetics of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and genetic detection together with the prevention of prematurity, infection, scalp hematoma, perinatal asphyxia, the age of starting feeding, and the time of first bowel movement would help reduce the incidence of this disease. Show more
Keywords: Neonate, hyperbilirubinemia, gene detection, G6PD, risk factor
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220472
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Wang, Wei-Zhong | Ying, Li-Jun | Liu, Wei-Dong | Zhang, Pan | Li, Shun-Fa
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Providers should adjust the depth of sedation to promote lung-protective ventilation in patients with severe ARDS. This recommendation was based on the assumption that the depth of sedation could be used to assess respiratory drive. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between respiratory drive and sedation in patients with severe ARDS by using ventilator-measured P0.1 and RASS score. METHODS: Loss of spontaneous breathing was observed within 48 h of mechanical ventilation in patients with severe ARDS, and spontaneous breathing returned after 48 hours. P0.1 was measured by ventilator every 12 ± …2 hours, and the RASS score was measured synchronously. RESULTS: The RASS score was moderately correlated with P0.1 (R 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛 , 0.570; 95% CI, 0.475 to 0.637; p = 0.00). However, only patients with a RASS score of - 5 were considered to have no excessive respiratory drive, but there was a risk for loss of spontaneous breathing. A P0.1 exceeding 3.5 cm H 2 O in patients with other RASS scores indicated an increase in respiratory drive. CONCLUSION: RASS score has little clinical significance in evaluating respiratory drive in severe ARDS. P0.1 should be evaluated by ventilator when adjusting the depth of sedation to promote lung-protective ventilation. Show more
Keywords: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, P0.1, respiratory drive, mechanical ventilation, sedation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230096
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Pan, Liang | Shan, Rui-Ying | Gao, Su-Fang | Zhou, Yan | Bao, Yuan-Yuan | Fu, Wenjing
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In malignant tumours of the female reproductive system, cervical cancer is second only to breast cancer, seriously threatening the health and safety of most women. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical value of 3.0 T multimodal nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics’ (FIGO) staging of cervical cancer. METHODS: The clinical data of 30 patients with pathologically diagnosed cervical cancer admitted to our hospital from January 2018 to August 2022 were analysed retrospectively. Before treatment, all patients were examined with conventional MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging and multi-directional contrast-enhanced …imaging. RESULTS: The accuracy of multimodal MRI in the FIGO staging of cervical cancer (29/30, 96.7%) was significantly higher than the accuracy obtained in a control group (21/30, 70.0%), with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.013). In addition, there was good agreement between two observers applying multimodal imaging (kappa = 0.881) and moderate agreement between two observers in the control group (kappa = 0.538). CONCLUSION: Multimodal MRI can evaluate cervical cancer comprehensively and accurately to enable accurate FIGO staging, providing significant evidence for clinical operation planning and subsequent combined therapy. Show more
Keywords: Multimodal imaging, uterine cervical neoplasms, magnetic resonance imaging
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230252
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Wang, Pu | Fu, Yan-Hua | Qi, Hong-Feng | He, Peng | Wang, Hai-Feng | Li, Chao | Liu, Xue-Cong
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Radical resection of lung cancer and chemotherapy are the main methods for the treatment of early lung cancer, but surgical treatment is still the key and preferred method. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The clinical cohort studies on the comparison of the effects of RATS and VATS in the treatment of NSCLC published in Web of Science, PubMed, The National Library of Medicine (NLM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang database …from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2022 were searched. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, such as operation time, intraoperative conversion rate, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, and evaluated the quality of the included literature based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meat analysis. RESULTS: A total of 18 articles and 21,802 subjects were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the intraoperative blood loss of RATS was significantly less than that of VAS, and the difference was statistically significant [MD = - 38.43 (95% CI: - 57.71, - 19.15, P < 0.001)]. Compared with VATS, the number of lymph nodes dissected in RATS was significantly higher [MD = 2.61 (95% CI: 0.47, 4.76, P = 0.02)]. The rate of conversion to thoracotomy in RATS was lower, and the difference was statistically significant [OR = 0.59 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.70, P < 0.001)]. There was no significant difference between RATS and VATS in operation time [MD = - 9.34 (95% CI: - 28.72, 10.04, P = 0.34)], postoperative thoracic drainage time [MD = - 0.08 (95% CI: - 0.42, 0.26, P = 0.64)], postoperative hospital stay [MD = - 0.05 (95% CI: - 0.19, 0.08, P = 0.42)], postoperative mortality [OR = 0.88 (95% CI: 0.56, 1.36, P = 0.56)] and postoperative complications [OR = 1.03 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.13, P = 0.57)]. CONCLUSION: Compared with VATS, the number of lymph nodes dissected in RATS was significantly more, and the removal of lesions and lymph nodes was more thorough and accurate. More flexible and precise operation avoids the injury of important blood vessels during operation, effectively reduces the amount of blood loss during operation, shortens the indwelling time of thoracic drainage tube, and is conducive to postoperative rehabilitation of patients. Show more
Keywords: Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, video assisted thoracic surgery, non-small cell lung cancer
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230201
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Lin, Bi-Hua | Zhong, Gui-Qin | Meng, Xiao-Hong | Han, Hai-E | Hu, Xue-Qin | Lin, Jing-Jing | Zhong, Shi-Chai | Lin, Yan-Juan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With improving living standards, the incidence of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) has become increasingly high. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to explore the effect of diversified health-promoting models on rehabilitation exercises in patients with CSM after an operation. METHOD: This was a randomized controlled trial, wherein 107 patients with CSM treated by neurosurgery were selected as the subjects. Of those, 52 patients in the control group adopted the conventional health-promoting model, while the remaining 55 patients in the intervention group adopted diversified health-promoting models. The effect of rehabilitation exercises in the two groups …was evaluated according to the self-efficacy rehabilitation outcome scale, grip strength measurement of the affected limb, and Barthel index. RESULTS: At Day 3 post-operation and before discharge, the self-efficacy management of rehabilitation exercises in the intervention group was better than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The grip strength measurement of the affected limb, Japanese Orthopedic Association score of the cervical vertebra, and Barthel index of the two groups at Day 3 post-operation were lower than before the intervention and were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, these three items before discharge were improved when compared with those of before intervention and were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Postoperative rehabilitation exercises guided by the diversified health-promoting models for patients with CSM can improve the patients’ self-efficacy management ability in rehabilitation exercises, help improve grip strength, and promote the recovery of cervical vertebra function, thereby improving the patients’ quality of life. Show more
Keywords: Diversified, health-promoting, publicity and education, cervical spondylotic myelopathy, rehabilitation exercise
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230056
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Gao, Jingfang | Zhu, Yuxin | Zhang, Congcong | Yin, Xinxin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is widely used in chemotherapy of children with malignant tumors because of its safe operation and long indwelling time. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of intracavitary electroencephalogram (CEEG) localization technique on the success rate and complications of PICC in infants. METHODS: A total of 180 children with PICC catheterization and maintenance at Shijiazhuang First Hospital from January 2017 to January 2020 were selected and divided into control group (n = 90 cases) and observation group (n = …90 cases). The control group observed the tip position of the fixed catheter through X-ray film and adjusted the catheter until its tip was located in the superior vena cava. The observation group used intracavitary electrocardiogram positioning technology. Comparison of the effects of two groups on the success rate and complications of PICC puncture in infants and young children. RESULTS: The success rate of one puncture in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Within one month of catheterization, 13 cases had complications, with an incidence rate of 16.00% lower than the control group’s 34.00% (27/80) (P < 0.05). The screening test results showed that the specificity, sensitivity, Youden index, accuracy, kappa coefficient, positive and negative predictive value were 88.89%, 97.56%, 0.86, 96.00%, 0.86, 0.86, respectively. The measured values were 97.56% and 88.89% respectively, and the cost and time of localization were lower than those of X-ray. CONCLUSION: The technique of intracavitary electrogram can be more accurate for infants to place the tip of central venous catheter through peripheral vein, which can effectively improve the success rate of one puncture with low cost, and has high reliability, accuracy and practicability, which is safe and effective. Show more
Keywords: Intracavitary electrocardiogram, infants, peripherally inserted central venous catheter, puncture, complications
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230014
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Sayed, Mohammed E. | Jain, Saurabh | Jokhadar, Hossam F. | Alshahrani, Ahid Amer | AlResayes, Saad Saleh | Alqahtani, Saeed M. | Alqarni, Hatem | Anab, Najwa Ali | Alsubeaie, Nouf H. | Alsubaie, Shaa H. | Khalid, Asaad | Franco, Rocco | Minervini, Giuseppe
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Provisional fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) plays an important role during fixed prosthodontic therapy till the definitive. Discoloration of materials used for provisional FDPs can cause patient dissatisfaction and may create doubt about the color stability of the definitive FDP. Surface roughness is the other major property to be taken into consideration for provisional FDP materials. Smokeless tobacco is reported to affect the color stability and surface roughness of different prosthetic materials. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of two types of smokeless tobacco (black and white) on color stability …and surface roughness of 3D printed, CAD/CAM milled, and conventional provisional FDP resin materials. METHODS: A total of 144 disc-shaped specimens were fabricated using four techniques CAD/CAM subtractive technique (milling), CAD/CAM additive technique (3D Printing), and conventional technique using autopolymerized PMMA, and autopolymerized Bis-acrylic resins. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups of twelve specimens each, and were submerged into three solutions (artificial salivary substitute, black smokeless tobacco, white smokeless tobacco). The change in color and surface roughness was evaluated and the data collected were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: It was observed that black smokeless tobacco caused the maximum color change and the effect was highest in autopolymerized PMMA resin specimens (Δ E = 9.343 ± 0.489), followed by 3D printed (Δ E = 7.187 ± 0.391), autopolymerized Bis-acryl (Δ E = 6.464 ± 0.453) and milled (Δ E = 4.978 ± 0.227). White smokeless tobacco was found to cause a maximum change in surface roughness and the effect was highest in autopolymerized Bis-acryl specimens (Δ Ra = 0.321 ± 0.015 μ m), followed by autopolymerized PMMA (Δ Ra = 0.297± 0.015 μ m), 3D printed (Δ Ra = 0.191 ± 0.019 μ m), and milled (Δ Ra = 0.168 ± 0.014 μ m). Statistically significant (p -value < 0.05) differences were observed among all techniques and solutions. CONCLUSIONS: The change in color and surface roughness were maximum in the case of FDPs prepared using autopolymerizing resins, followed by 3D printed, and CAD/CAM milled reins. Show more
Keywords: Smokeless Tobacco, PMMA; 3D printing, CAD/CAM Milling, color stability, surface roughness, Provisional fixed dental prosthesis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230723
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-15, 2023
Authors: Su, Shunqing | Xiong, Disheng | Zeng, Zhijian | Ding, Xiumei | Kuang, Jinan | Lin, Yuechun | Wu, Yongwei
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers remain a worldwide problem. OBJECTIVE: To introduce an intermittent and feasible wound treatment method for the treatment of pressure ulcers in elderly patients. METHODS: This surgical procedure was performed on eight elderly patients suffering from pressure ulcers. Microskin measuring 0.1 × 0.1 centimeters was cut from a small amount of thin skin and then grafted onto the wound surface in conjunction with closed negative pressure therapy. RESULTS: Seven patients had their wounds closed after a single surgery, while one patient required two surgeries to …close the wound. CONCLUSION: Autologous microskin implantation for the treatment of pressure ulcers in the elderly is an effective method to close the wound, which can prevent the elderly from living with wounds in their later years and is a viable treatment option. Show more
Keywords: Elderly patients, pressure ulcers, skin grafts, vacuum sealing drainage, wound repair
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230707
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-7, 2023
Authors: An, Peng | Liu, Junjie | Yu, Mengxing | Wang, Jinsong | Wang, Zhongqiu
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common chronic airway diseases in the world. OBJECTIVE: To predict the degree of mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO 2 ) impairment in patients with COPD by modeling using clinical-CT radiomics data and to provide reference for clinical decision-making. METHODS: A total of 236 patients with COPD diagnosed by CT and clinical data at Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital (n = 157) and Xiangyang Central Hospital (n = 79) from …June 2018 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into group A (SvO⩾ 2 62%, N = 107) and group B (SvO< 2 62%, N = 129). We set up training set and test set at a ratio of 7/3 and time cutoff spot; In training set, Logistic regression was conducted to analyze the differences in general data (e.g. height, weight, systolic blood pressure), laboratory indicators (e.g. arterial oxygen saturation and pulmonary artery systolic pressure), and CT radiomics (radscore generated using chest CT texture parameters from 3D slicer software and LASSO regression) between these two groups. Further the risk factors screened by the above method were used to establish models for predicting the degree of hypoxia in COPD, conduct verification in test set and create a nomogram. RESULTS: Univariate analysis demonstrated that age, smoking history, drinking history, systemic systolic pressure, digestive symptoms, right ventricular diameter (RV), mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), cardiac index (CI), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), 6-min walking distance (6MWD), WHO functional classification of pulmonary hypertension (WHOPHFC), the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to the forced vital capacity (FEV1%), and radscore in group B were all significantly different from those in group A (P < 0.05). Multivariate regression demonstrated that age, smoking history, digestive symptoms, 6MWD, and radscore were independent risk factors for SvO 2 impairment. The combined model established based on the abovementioned indicators exhibited a good prediction effect [AUC: 0.903; 95%CI (0.858–0.937)], higher than the general clinical model [AUC: 0.760; 95%CI (0.701–0.813), P < 0.05] and laboratory examination-radiomics model [AUC: 0.868; 95%CI (0.818–0.908), P = 0.012]. The newly created nomogram may be helpful for clinical decision-making and benefit COPD patients. CONCLUSION: SvO 2 is an important indicator of hypoxia in COPD, and it is highly related to age, 6MWD, and radscore. The combined model is helpful for early identification of SvO 2 impairment and adjustment of COPD treatment strategies. Show more
Keywords: Cardiac function, cardiac index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), digestive symptoms, hemodynamics, mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), pulmonary systolic pressure, WHO functional classification of pulmonary hypertension
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230619
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Yang, Li | Song, Ling-Xia | Zhang, Yong-Mei | Liu, Han-Mei
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Population aging is a social problem that is being faced in most countries. OBJECTIVE: To apply the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) for an early warning on the vital signs and consciousness of elderly patients who are hospitalized in the gastrointestinal surgical department and to provide a reference for early detection of changes in illness severity in elderly patients by studying the correlation between NEWS value and changes in illness severity. METHODS: We enrolled 528 elderly patients who were hospitalized in the gastrointestinal surgical department of a tertiary grade A hospital in …Guizhou Province between June 2020 and May 2021, to analyze how NEWS max value correlates with illness severity and obtain the optimal NEWS cutoff value for both potentially critically ill and critically ill elderly patients using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in NEWS values between elderly patients with various illness severities (P < 0.05). NEWS values correlated positively with illness severity (r = 0.605, P < 0.001). Based on the ROC curve, early warning trigger values for NEWS to identify potentially critically ill, critically ill and terminally ill elderly patients were 6, 7 and 8, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) for potentially critically ill, critically ill and terminally ill elderly patients was 0.907, 0.921 and 0.939, respectively. NEWS performed better in detecting patient illness severity than Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) in AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden’s index, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: An early warning on the vital signs and consciousness of hospitalized elderly patients using NEWS can facilitate advanced detection of changes in illness severity of elderly patients by medical staff and enable timely treatment, thus significantly lowering the risks of illness deterioration. Show more
Keywords: Gastrointestinal illness, geriatric, illness severity assessment, National Early Warning Score
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230369
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Yu, Yong Ming | Hu, Yang
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: As a critical m6A RNA methylation regulator, HNRNPC has been revealed to serve as potential biomarkers in various human cancers. The specific expression and significance of HNRNPC in colorectal cancer remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to confirm HNRNPC expression level and evaluate its function in colorectal cancer progression. METHODS: 101 paired tissue samples were collected from colorectal cancer patients. HNRNPC levels in colorectal cancer were detected using PCR. CCK8 and transwell assays were conducted to estimate the effect of HNRNPC on cell growth and metastasis with the regulation of HNRNPC by …cell transfection. RESULTS: Upregulated HNRNPC was observed in colorectal cancer compared with normal tissues and cells. The higher HNRNPC levels in tumor tissues were associated with the advanced TNM stage and positive lymph node metastasis. Meanwhile, HNRNPC upregulation could indicate adverse outcomes of colorectal cancer patients. In vitro , the knockdown of HNRNPC significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: Upregulated HNRNPC served as a biomarker for the prognosis and development of colorectal cancer, which provides a novel therapeutic target for colorectal cancer. Show more
Keywords: N6-methyladenosine (m6A), HNRNPC, colorectal cancer, prognosis, progression
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230429
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2023
Authors: Liu, Wen-Juan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Strokes are the most common cause of death and the leading cause of acquired disability in adults worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the value of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) in the diagnosis of intracranial vascular stenosis in patients with a history of stroke. METHODS: This is a meta-analysis study of diagnostic tests. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases were systematically searched. Diagnostic tests using TCD or transcranial colour Doppler ultrasound (TCCD) for detecting intracranial arterial stenosis in patients with a history of stroke …were included, with reference standards of intracranial angiography, computed tomography angiography (CTA), or magnetic resonance angiography. The risk bias map was drawn by Revman v5.3, the sensitivity and specificity forest plot was drawn by Stata v16.0, the receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 812 patients with stroke in 12 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The estimated sensitivity of TCD or TCCD for the detection of intracranial vascular stenosis was 0.77–1.00, and the combined sensitivity was 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88–0.99); the estimated specificity was 0.32–1.00, and the combined specificity was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.82–0.98); the positive likelihood ratio was 15.8 (95% CI: 5.1–48.6); and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.04 (95% CI: 0.01–0.14). The AUC was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97–0.99). CONCLUSION: Doppler ultrasound has good consistency with conventional methods for the diagnosis of intracranial artery stenosis in patients with a history of stroke. Different reference standards may affect sensitivity and specificity; when CTA was used as the reference standard, the consistency of the TCD in the diagnosis of intracranial artery stenosis in stroke patients was relatively good. Show more
Keywords: Transcranial Doppler, stroke, intracranial artery stenosis, diagnostic value
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220844
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Salihagic, Iva Kozul | Hrkac, Adelina | Ovcaricek, Slaven | Bokarica, Pero | Gilja, Ivan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Orthotopic urinary diversion is the preferred diversion after cystectomy. Neobladder reconstruction with a longer ileum segment (60 cm) is advantageous for obtaining a large capacity and continence at the beginning; however, the long-term risk of residual urine, chronic infection, and the need for intermittent catheterization is more pronounced with the neobladder constructed with a longer ileal segment compared to the neobladder tailored from the shorter ileal segment. OBJECTIVE: To establish the differences in the functional outcome of a shorter (< 45 cm) and longer (⩾ 45 cm) ileal segment …usage in the reconstruction of the Hautmann ileal neobladder following the radical cystectomy. METHODS: Between July 2013 and September 2015, 121 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer underwent radical cystectomy and Hautmann ileal neobladder reconstruction. Patients were divided into two groups, depending on the length of the ileum used for the diversion creation: < 45 cm of the ileum was used in the first group and ⩾ 45 cm in the second group. Five-year follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months and 1 and 5 years. The main measured outcomes were functional outcomes and the quality of life. The evaluation included clinical, laboratory, and QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, ANOVA, and chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Patients with a smaller neobladder had a better quality of life, and higher global health status scale score. Thirteen early and 21 late complications developed in 10 and 17 patients, respectively. There were significant differences in the need for clean intermittent self-catheterization (CIC) between the two groups: smaller-volume pouch patients had statistically decreased need for CIC in 5 year follow-up compared to larger-volume pouch patients (χ 2 test = 8.245; df = 1; P = 0.004). Eighteen percent of patients with smaller neobladders had urinary tract infections in 5 years, compared to 35% with larger neobladders (χ 2 test = 4.447; df = 1; P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Minimizing the length of the ileal segment needed for Hautmann neobladder reconstruction is feasible and provides better long-term results than larger-volume neobladders. Show more
Keywords: Hautmann neobladder, urinary diversion, radical cystectomy, urinary retention, urinary infection, continence
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230339
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Li, Haiyan | Zhao, Zhizhen
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The disease spectrum is constantly changing, meaning patients’ medical characteristics are complex and varied, and hospital operations are facing great challenges. OBJECTIVE: To provide a basis for formulating relevant policies, promoting the continuous improvement of medical quality, improving the efficiency of medical services and proposing corresponding countermeasures. METHODS: Information on the first page of the medical cases of patients discharged from 2020–2021 in the case management system of The Second People’s Hospital of Zhangye City was collected, and statistical analysis was performed in terms of the origin, age, gender, occupation and main …diagnosis of the patients. The database was established using Excel software, and statistical description was performed using SPSS 23.0 software, in which the main indicators were the number of cases and relative numbers (%). RESULTS: The total number of inpatients in the hospital exhibited an overall upward trend, with the number in 2021 increasing by 40.53% compared with the previous year. Among them, 0.75% of the inpatients resided outside the province and 99.25% resided within the province. The proportion of inpatients within the city was 98.86%, including 85.50% in Ganzhou District and 14.5% in the five surrounding counties (districts). In 2021, the number of inpatients in the five surrounding districts increased by 60.67% compared with the previous year. The occupational structure of the inpatients was mainly farmers, accounting for 64.68%, which was higher than all other occupational groups, while public employees accounted for 17.9%. Inpatients aged 60 years and above accounted for 37.75%. In terms of disease spectrum ranking, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, injury and oncological system diseases ranked in the top five of the presented diseases, accounting for 64.47% of the total number of inpatients. CONCLUSION: The patients of the new hospital are mainly elderly patients and local farmers. The hospital development should be based on the disease characteristics of this group, improving the diagnosis and treatment capacity of the departments and strengthening the capacity building of the hospital and the level of the medical services. Show more
Keywords: Newly established hospitals, patient characteristics, development strategies
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230416
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Wang, Yanxia | Li, Yaqing | Wang, Xiaoqing | Niu, Zhancong | Zhou, Lixia
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Stroke is the second reason for global deaths and a major reason for disabilities. OBJECTIVE: To unravel the clinical value of the coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines in hemorrhagic stroke patients with pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage. METHODS: Altogether, 130 hemorrhagic stroke patients who received treatment in Hebei General Hospital from April 2019 to December 2020 were selected. Patients were classified into the infection group (n = 65) and non-infection group (n = 65) according to whether they had a …pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage of hemorrhagic stroke. Levels of coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines of patients in two groups were compared. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze pulmonary infection-related factors of hemorrhagic stroke patients. The diagnostic value of the coagulation index and serum inflammatory cytokines in pulmonary infection was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer (D-D), platelet (PLT) related to coagulation function levels and interleukin 1β (IL-1β ), interleukin 17 (IL-17) related to serum inflammatory cytokines levels of patients in the infection group were higher than those in non-infection groups (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis uncovered that FIB, D-D, PLT, and IL-17 were influencing factors of pulmonary infection in the sequelae of patients with hemorrhagic stroke (p < 0.05). Area under the curve (AUC) values of pulmonary infection in the sequelae stage of patients with hemorrhagic stroke diagnosed by FIB, D-D, PLT, and IL-17 were 0.823, 0.758, 0.660, and 0.755, respectively. CONCLUSION: FIB, D-D, PLT, and IL-17 levels could be used for pulmonary infection diagnosis in the sequelae stage of hemorrhagic stroke patients. Show more
Keywords: Coagulation index, inflammatory factor, hemorrhagic stroke, sequelae stage, pulmonary infection, diagnosis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230345
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2023
Authors: Vavrickova, Lenka | Kapitan, Martin | Schmidt, Jan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Digital impression technique or computer-aided impression (CAI) has been recently concluded as a clinically acceptable alternative to conventional impression method (CIM) in the fabrication of crowns, short fixed partial dentures (FPDs), and implant-supported crowns. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the patients’ opinion and subjective perception of two different ways of impression – digital and conventional. METHODS: A total of 45 patients were treated with CAI and CIM for the fabrication of tooth or implant-supported crowns. They fulfilled a questionnaire including 11 questions regarding the treatment time, gag reflex, …discomfort related to manipulation, and other aspects of treatment. RESULTS: CAI was considered the preferential method for future treatment in 53% of patients, whereas 28.9% of the respondents preferred CIM. The preference for the impression method was influenced by the total time spent with the procedure, discomfort during manipulation with the tray or scanning head, size of the tray or scanning head, maximal opening discomfort, and (the tendency towards) gag reflex. CONCLUSION: CAI was considered a more comfortable and preferential method. Discomfort or difficulties during CAI negatively affected the patients’ attitude to CAI, whereas the difficulties associated with CIM did not have any influence on the preferred method. Show more
Keywords: Dentistry, conventional impression, digital impression, implant-supported crown, tooth-supported crown, PROMs
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230277
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Lu, Ting | Ma, Hongxia | Shang, Lijing
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: It is recommended to use non-invasive positive pressure ventilation in elderly patients with heart failure combined with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic effect of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation on elderly patients with heart failure complicated with OSAS. METHODS: Using the random number table method, 119 elderly patients with heart failure complicated with OSAS who were admitted to our hospital from April 2020 to April 2021 were divided into the observation (60 cases) and control (59 cases) groups. On the basis of conventional drug treatment, patients in the …observation group were treated with non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, and patients in the control group were treated with low-flow oxygen inhalation. The sleep quality, hemoglobin, red blood cells, erythropoietin, pro-brain natriureticpeptide (pro-BNP) levels and blood pressure were compared. RESULTS: After treatment, levels of hemoglobin, erythrocytes, erythropoietin, pro-BNP, blood pressure and sleep apnea-hypopnea index in the observation group were lower before treatment and in the control group in the same period. The oxygen saturation was higher before treatment and the control group in the same period (P < 0.05). The overall satisfaction with sleep quality in the observation group was higher (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation can improve blood oxygen saturation and sleep quality in elderly patients with heart failure complicated with OSAS, and reduce pro-BNP level. Show more
Keywords: Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, elderly, heart failure, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, sleep quality
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230554
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Cui, Ling | Gao, Lina | Geng, Huanhuan | Zhang, Huiru | Wei, Hongyan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a mild memory or cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between serum klotho (K1) protein and insulin-like growth factor-1 and mild cognitive impairment in the elderly in order to provide accurate and appropriate indicators for clinical diagnosis and treatment of MCI. METHODS: This randomized stratified study adopted a multistage cluster sampling method. 161 elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment were included as the MCI group, and 161 healthy people matched with the MCI group in gender, age and education were selected as the control group. …RESULTS: The levels of serum K1 protein and insulin-like growth factor-1 in the MCI group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Both IGF-1 and K1 had predictive value for MCI (P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of IGF-1 for predicting MCI was 0.859 (95% CI: 0.790∼ 0.929), and the AUC of K1 for predicting MCI was 0.793 (95% CI: 0.694∼ 0.892). The value of joint prediction of the two indicators was the highest, with an AUC of 0.939 (95% CI: 0.896–0.993). CONCLUSION: High serum K1 and insulin-like growth factor-1 are the protective factors of cognitive impairment in MCI patients. Both IGF-1 and serum K1 proteins have predictive value for MCI, and the combination of the two indicators has the highest predictive value. Show more
Keywords: Mild cognitive impairment, klotho protein, serum insulin-like growth factor-1
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230462
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Martins, Hélder Domiciano Dantas | de Lucena, Cassiane Pereira | da Silva, Quemuel Pereira | Dantas, Maria Vitória Oliveira | Costa, Maria do Desterro Andrêzza Souza | de Lucena, Edson Hilan Gomes | Bonan, Paulo Rogério Ferreti
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Teledentistry is considered a good tool in the diagnostic process. In oral medicine, there is a low number of trained professionals and dentists have difficulty in diagnosing and treating oral lesions. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to perform a cross-sectional evaluation based on the mobile application for oral diagnosis using a mobile application in a Brazilian State. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of the data of the “Telehealth in Stomatology in Paraíba” carried out between May 2021 and November 2022. RESULTS: The app has a team of …16 consultants (Ph.D. professors, postgraduate students, residents, and dentists). In addition, there are 289 registered professionals, with a mean age of 33.7 years, predominantly female (70.2%), working in primary care (79.2%), and general practitioners (42.6%). Regarding the cases, the app has 194 cases, and reactive lesions are the most suggested hypotheses reported by dentists (24.5%) and consultants (22.3%). We had an overall concordance rate of 64.1%. CONCLUSION: The application is easily accessible and has an assistance network that helps with early diagnosis. In addition, it has good coverage with users in more than 50% of the cities in the state. Thus, applications that provide specialized care to distant areas are important for better public health. Show more
Keywords: Telemedicine, diagnosis, oral, biomedical technology
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230584
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: AlBuraiki, Meisam Jehad | Ingle, Navin Anand | Baseer, Mohammad Abdul | Al Mugeiren, Osamah M. | Minervini, Giuseppe
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: White spot lesions (WSLs) appear as white, opaque areas on the teeth and are caused by a demineralization of the enamel. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) has beneficial effects on WSLs and provides remineralizing benefits that are superior to those of placebo or no treatment. METHODS: Following a thorough analysis of the literature across major online sources, 103 papers – 54 of which underwent in-depth evaluation – were found. We used inclusion and exclusion criteria to choose research articles that …were appropriate for our review. RESULTS: 10 papers met this review’s requirements and were subsequently included. As compared to the controls, CPP-ACP demonstrated increased efficacy in treatment of WSLs in terms of remineralisation and other parameters which included microhardness tests and enamel surface roughness. The forest plots present the results of meta-analyses comparing the effect of CPP-ACP versus control/other agents on white spot lesions (WSLs). In terms of odds ratios (OR), CPP-ACP showed a small increase in the odds of WSLs compared to control/other agents. In-vitro studies showed no significant difference in relative risk (RR) between CPP-ACP and control/other agents. Randomized control trials indicated a small increase in the risk of WSLs with CPP-ACP treatment, but the overall effect was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There was evidence to support the use of CPP-ACP over other agents for WSL prevention or treatment, but further research is needed to confirm these findings. Show more
Keywords: CPP-ACP, enamel lesions, microhardness tests, remineralisation, white spot lesions
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230722
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-15, 2023
Authors: Algahtani, Reem A. | AlSaadi, Ziad S. | Al-Qahtani, Zainah A. | Al-Garni, Abdulaziz M. | Shati, Ayed A. | Malik, Amna A. Mohamed | Al Jabbar, Imtinan | Mahmood, Syed E.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Concerns about the harmful effects of smartphone use on teenage development have been raised as the use of cell phones among adolescents has risen. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the associations of smartphone usage patterns with Body Image Distortion (BID) and weight loss behaviors among adolescent smartphone users in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from July to October 2022. We assessed the mean daily length of smartphone use and classified it into quartiles using data from a self-reported survey and data on weekday and weekend use. Self-reported …body weight and height were collected via an online survey. Out of the 11384 adolescents, the majority was females (65.7%) and was secondary school students (68.9%). RESULTS: The prolonged smartphone use (301 min/d) was found in 36.4% of adolescents, 181–300 min/d in 27.6% of respondents, 121–180 min/d in 22.4% of respondents, while the modest smartphone use (1–120 min/d) was found only in 13.6% of participants. The duration of smartphone use was significantly associated with BID (P = 0.000); students with middle perceived stress levels (51.4%) and no depressive symptoms (68.9%) used smartphones 121–180 min/d sparingly. However, prolonged smartphone use was significantly associated with the presence of depressive symptoms (42.6%) and high perceived stress levels (21.5%). Weight loss behaviors were significantly associated with smartphone use duration. Modest smartphone use was significantly found in students with normal weight (P = 0.00, 71.9%); however, aerobic physical activity weight loss strategy (P = 0.00, 30.9%) was correlated with prolonged smartphone use. CONCLUSION: Adequate parental advice is required to assist teenagers in developing healthy smartphone usage practices. Digital platform companies may increase their social responsibility for the information generated and delivered on their networks, boosting its beneficial effect. Show more
Keywords: Smartphone usage patterns, body image distortion (BID), weight loss behaviors, adolescents
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230756
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2023
Authors: Jiang, Ye | Ju, Weina | Gai, Ning | Qi, Baochang
Article Type: Other
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Nonunion is a major concern for orthopedic surgeons, particularly nonunion of the clavicle, which can cause severe pain, loss of full range of motion, poor sleep quality, and loss of strength in the affected individuals. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an important biological agent, is widely used in orthopedics. OBJECTIVE: We used a combination of three techniques – the PRP technique, autologous bone grafting technique, and internal plate fixation technique – to ensure adequate internal fixation and enable a bone growth-supportive environment at the fracture site. METHODS: The surgical approach was applied to a …patient with clavicle nonunion. RESULTS: Based on postoperative follow-up findings and intraoperative findings at the time of re-removal of the patient’s implant, the prognosis at the fracture site was considered satisfactory. CONCLUSION: We observed that the patient treated with this method had favorable clinical outcomes, and we recommend that this technique be used in patients with long-bone nonunion. Show more
Keywords: PRP, autologous bone grafting, internal plate fixation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230336
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-6, 2023
Authors: Qiu, Bin | Chen, Hang | Zhang, Enke | Ma, Fuchun | An, Gaili | Zong, Yuan | Shang, Liang | Zhang, Yulian | Zhu, Huolan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The incidence of type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing worldwide. Studies have shown that it is also associated with cancer-related morbidities. Early detection of cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes is crucial. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to construct a model to predict cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This study collected clinical data from a total of 5198 patients. A cancer risk prediction model was established by analyzing 261 items from routine laboratory tests. We screened 107 risk factors from 261 clinical tests based on the importance of …the characteristic variables, significance of differences between groups (P < 0.05), and minimum description length algorithm. RESULTS: Compared with 16 machine learning classifiers, five classifiers based on the decision tree algorithm (CatBoost, light gradient boosting, random forest, XGBoost, and gradient boosting) had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of > 0.80. The AUC for CatBoost was 0.852 (sensitivity: 79.6%; specificity: 83.2%). CONCLUSION: The constructed model can predict the risk of cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes based on tumor biomarkers and routine tests using machine learning algorithms. This is helpful for early cancer risk screening and prevention to improve patient outcomes. Show more
Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, cancer risk, machine learning, prediction model
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230385
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Li, Yan | Qu, Qizhi | Yue, Yuxue | Guo, Yuxuan | Yi, Xiuna
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases, its image segmentation method needs to be further improved, and there are still objections about the clinical application effect of general anesthesia (GA) on children’s dental fear (CDF). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the application value of CBCT based on intelligent computer segmentation model in oral diagnosis and treatment of children in the context of biomedical signals, and to analyze the alleviating effect of GA on CDF. METHODS: Based on the regional level …set (CV) algorithm, the local binary fitting (LBF) model was introduced to optimize it, and the tooth CBCT image segmentation model CV-LBF was established to compare the segmentation accuracy (SA), maximum symmetric surface distance (MSSD), average symmetric surface distance (ASSD), over segmentation rate (OR), and under segmentation rate (UR) between these model and other algorithms. 82 children with CDF were divided into general anesthesia group (GAG) (n = 38) and controls (n = 44) according to the voluntary principle of their families. Children in GAG were treated with GA and controls with protective fixed intervention. Children’s fear survey schedule-dental subscale (CFSS-DS) and Venham scores were counted before intervention in the two groups. CFSS-DS scores were recorded at 2 hours after intervention and after recovery in children in GAG. CFSS-DS and Venham scores were performed in all children 1 week after surgery. RESULTS: The results showed that the S A value of CV-LBF algorithm was higher than that of region growing algorithm (P < 0.05). OR, UR, MSSD, and ASSD values of CV-LBF algorithm were evidently lower than those of other algorithms (P < 0.05). CFSS-DS scores were lower in GAG than in controls 2 hours after intervention and at return visits after 1 week of intervention (P < 0.001), and Venham scores were lower in GAG than in controls after intervention (P < 0.001). After intervention, the proportion of children with Venham grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 was obviously higher in GAG than in controls (P < 0.001), while the proportion of children with Venham grade 4 and 5 was clearly higher in controls than in GAG (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results revealed that the computer intelligent segmentation model CV-LBF has potential application value in CBCT image segmentation of children’s teeth, and GA can effectively alleviate anxiety of children with CDF and can be used as biomedical signals. Show more
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), oral cavity in children, general anesthesia, children’s dental fear
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230099
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2023
Authors: Seget, Sebastian | Chobot, Agata | Rusak, Ewa | Ochab, Agnieszka | Bielawska, Anna | Polanska, Joanna | Jarosz-Chobot, Przemysława
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Given the steadily rising incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D), particularly among the youngest preschool children, coupled with well-documented challenges of achieving and maintaining optimal metabolic control in this age group, there is a growing need for advanced technological devices. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate glycaemic control in children below the age of seven with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and assess the safety of the advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) system in comparison to the previous treatment method, a sensor-augmented pump with predictive low-glucose suspend (SAP-PLGS). METHOD: Data from 10 children (aged 2.60–6.98 years) …with T1D who transitioned to the AHCL system from SAP-PLGS were analysed. SAP-PLGS records from two weeks prior to the initiation of AHCL were compared with records from the initial four weeks post-switch (excluding the training period). These data were examined at two 2-week intervals and compared with records from two weeks post six-month usage of the AHCL. RESULTS: A significant decrease in the average nighttime glucose concentration was observed compared to pre-AHCL values (p = 0.001, concordance W = 0.53). The Glucose Management Indicator (GMI) value significantly decreased from 6.88 ± 0.37% to 6.52 ± 0.32% (p = 0.018, rbc = 0.93) immediately following the device switch and stabilized at 6.50 ± 0.28% (p = 0.001, W = 0.53) and 6.55 ± 0.41% (p = 0.001, W = 0.53) at subsequent stages of the study. An improvement was also observed in mean glucose values for time spent < 54 mg/dl, while the proportion of time within this range was maintained, both during the day (p < 0.001, W = 0.58) and at night (p = 0.002, W = 0.83). CONCLUSION: The AHCL MiniMed 780G TM system improved glycaemic control in the studied group of children under seven years of age with T1D compared to previous SAP-PLGS therapy. It proved to be safe for delivering insulin in this age group. Show more
Keywords: Type 1 diabetes, advanced hybrid closed-loop system, young children, hybrid closed-loop
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230490
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Park, Joo-Hee | Jeon, Hye-Seon | Kim, Ji-Hyun | Kim, Ye Jin | Moon, Gyeong Ah
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR)-based physical exercise is an innovative and effective intervention strategy for healthcare in older adults. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to clarify the effects of VR-based balance exercise programs on various balancing abilities of older adults. In addition, the effect size of each variable was computed by total exercise time, sensor type, avatar presence, and feedback type to determine influencing factors that lead to the success of VR-based rehabilitation programs. METHODS: The databases searched were PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, NDSL, and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were: (1) independent older adults; (2) non-immersive VR exercise; …(3) randomized controlled design; (4) both balance and gait data; and (5) written in English and Korean. The studies without information to compute effect sizes were excluded. Standardized mean difference was used to analyze the effect size (d). RESULTS: Twenty-five studies were finally included in this study. The main findings of this meta-analysis were as follows: (1) Non-immersive VR-based balance exercises are moderately and largely effective for improving overall balance function, (2) VR balance exercise was more effective for static balance than for gait, (3) VR exercise is more effective when avatars are presented and KP is provided as feedback. CONCLUSION: Total exercise time and mode of feedback are influencing factors that affect the effectiveness of VR-based balance exercises. Show more
Keywords: Balance, exercising, gait, meta-analysis, virtual reality
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230156
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-16, 2023
Authors: Kim, Sun Kyung | Lee, Youngho | Wang, Hye Ri H. | Park, Su Yeon
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The in-depth understanding of human anatomy is the foundation for safety in nursing practice. Augmented reality is an emerging technology that can be used for integrative learning in nursing education. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to develop a human anatomy-based skill training system and pilot test its usability and feasibility. METHODS: Twenty-seven nursing students participated in 3D anatomy-based skill training for intramuscular injection and Levin tube feeding using HoloLens 2. Various user interfaces including pictures, videos, animation graphics, and annotation boxes assisted users with a comprehensive understanding of the step-by-step procedures for these …techniques. A one-group pre-post test was conducted to observe changes in skill performance competency, usability, and learning satisfaction. RESULTS: After study participation, a statistically significant improvement in skill performance competency (p < 0.05) was observed. The usability results showed that students were satisfied with the usefulness of the program (9.55 ± 0.49) and scored highly for the intention to participate in other educational programs (9.62 ± 0.59). A high level of learning satisfaction was achieved (9.55 ± 0.49), with positive responses in fostering students’ engagement and excitement in the application of cutting-edge technology. CONCLUSION: The 3D anatomy-based nursing skill training demonstrated good potential to improve learning outcomes and facilitate engagement in self-directed practice. This can be integrated into undergraduate nursing education as an assistant teaching tool, contributing to the combination of knowledge and practice. Show more
Keywords: HoloLens 2, augmented reality, nursing, 3D, human anatomy, practice
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230586
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Lee, Kyoung Jin | Lee, Jung Chan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Elastomeric pumps have a curved infusion rate profile over infusion time. Chemically driven pumps can overcome such limitations of elastomeric pumps and infuse constantly. However, studies on the pharmacokinetic benefit of chemically-driven pumps are insufficient. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine effects of constant infusion with a chemically-driven pump on plasma drug concentrations compared to elastomeric pumps. METHODS: Infusion rate profiles of a chemically driven pump and two elastomeric pumps were measured in vitro tests under three height conditions of drug reservoir. Plasma drug concentrations were estimated using a pharmacokinetic model …of 5-fluorouracil (5FU). RESULTS: The chemically-driven pump was more accurate than elastomeric pumps during the total infusion time (Root-mean-square-error (RMSE): 3% vs. 13%) which thus reduced its deviation of plasma 5FU concentration over time to one-fifth of that with an elastomeric pump. The chemically-driven pump had less than 5% of RMSE despite the influence of height difference. CONCLUSION: Although chemically-driven pumps maintained plasma 5FU concentration successfully and elastomeric pumps did not, both pumps were proper for 5FU infusion because the time-dependent changes in infusion rate did not affect the area under the curve. Chemically driven pumps would be more advantageous for drugs that are sensitive to their plasma concentrations. Show more
Keywords: Infusion pumps, disposable equipment, 5-fluorouracil, pharmacokinetics
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230227
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Zou, Li | Dong, Wei | Ai, Ying | Li, Yantao | Cheng, Yun | Feng, Yun
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Recurrent spontaneous abortion affects approximately 1–2% of reproductive-age women, with roughly half of RSA cases classified as unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). Genetic polymorphisms in eNOS gene have been shown to have significant implications across various disease processes. Nevertheless, the potential impact of eNOS gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility to URSA in Yunnan population has yet to be explored or documented. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the potential association between specific variations in the eNOS gene (VNTR 4b/a, - 786T > C, and + 894G > …T) and the risk of URSA in Yunnan population. METHODS: A total of 243 URSA patients and 241 healthy females are involved in this study. We conducted amplification of the eNOS gene fragment and performed sanger sequencing to detect the specific eNOS gene polymorphisms, including VNTR 4b/a, - 786T > C, and + 894G > T. Using a multivariate logistic regression model, we evaluate the potential association between eNOS gene polymorphisms (VNTR 4b/a, - 786T > C, and + 894G > T) and the risk of URSA. Furthermore, serum NO levels were measured in URSA patients. RESULTS: The presence of VNTR 4a, - 786C, and + 894T alleles was found to be associated with an increased risk of URSA. Additionally, our study revealed a significant association between the G-C-4b haplotype of the investigated eNOS gene polymorphisms and a predisposition to URSA. Notably, these eNOS polymorphisms were shown to reduce serum NO levels in URSA patients. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence supporting the association between eNOS gene polymorphisms, VNTR 4b/a, - 786T > C, and + 894G > T, and the occurrence of URSA in Yunnan Province, China. Show more
Keywords: eNOS, URSA, VNTR 4b/a, -786T > C, +894G > T
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230934
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2023
Authors: Begic, Zijo | Djukic, Milan | Begic, Edin | Aziri, Buena | Mladenovic, Zorica | Iglica, Amer | Sabanovic-Bajramovic, Nirvana | Begic, Nedim | Kovacevic-Preradovic, Tamara | Stanetic, Bojan | Badnjevic, Almir
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) strain analysis has emerged as a noninvasive technique for assessing LA function and early detection of myocardial deformation. Recently, its application has also shown promise in the pediatric population, spanning diverse cardiac conditions that demand accurate and sensitive diagnostic measures. OBJECTIVE: This research endeavors to explore the role of LA strain parameters and contribute to the growing body of knowledge in pediatric cardiology, paving the way for more effective and tailored approaches to patient care. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to gather evidence from studies using echocardiographic …strain imaging techniques across pediatric populations. RESULTS: LA strain parameters exhibited greater sensitivity than conventional atrial function indicators, with early detection of diastolic dysfunction and LA remodeling in pediatric cardiomyopathy, children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, rheumatic heart disease, as well as childhood renal insufficiency and obesity offering prognostic relevance as potential markers in these pediatric subpopulations. However, there remains a paucity of evidence concerning pediatric mitral valve pathology, justifying further exploration. CONCLUSION: LA strain analysis carries crucial clinical and prognostic implications in pediatric cardiac conditions, with reliable accuracy and sensitivity to early functional changes. Show more
Keywords: Left atrium, echocardiography, cardiac diseases
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231087
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-18, 2023
Authors: Badnjević, Almir | Pokvić, Lejla Gurbeta | Smajlhodžić-Deljo, Merima | Spahić, Lemana | Bego, Tamer | Meseldžić, Neven | Prnjavorac, Lejla | Prnjavorac, Besim | Bedak, Omer
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With the end of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it becomes intriguing to observe the impact of innovative digital technologies on the diagnosis and management of diseases, in order to improve clinical outcomes for patients. OBJECTIVE: The research aims to enhance diagnostics, prediction, and personalized treatment for patients across three classes of clinical severity (mild, moderate, and severe). What sets this study apart is its innovative approach, wherein classification extends beyond mere disease presence, encompassing the classification of disease severity. This novel perspective lays the foundation for a crucial decision support system during patient …triage. METHODS: An artificial neural network, as a deep learning technique, enabled the development of a complex model based on the analysis of data collected during the process of diagnosing and treating 1000 patients at the Tešanj General Hospital, Bosnia and Herzegovina. RESULTS: The final model achieved a classification accuracy of 82.4% on the validation data set, which testifies to the successful application of the artificial neural network in the classification of clinical outcomes and therapy in patients infected with viral infections. CONCLUSION: The results obtained show that expert systems are valuable tools for decision support in healthcare in communities with limited resources and increased demands. The research has the potential to improve patient care for future epidemics and pandemics. Show more
Keywords: COVID-19, artificial intelligence, medical techniques, classification, digitization, prediction
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230917
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Hamid, Suraya | Roslan, Muhammad Hamirul Hamizan | Norman, Azah Anir | Ghani, Norjihan Abdul
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Several studies focus on the use of emerging technologies to support and monitor health but are centred around the elderly group of people. Meanwhile, the average elderly popularly known as the middle-aged have not been put into consideration regarding the subject matter. OBJECTIVE: This article focuses on the use behaviour and acceptance of emerging technologies that can assist in providing a middle-aged population with a healthy lifestyle. METHODS: This study collected the primary data through an online questionnaire survey to empirically evaluate final 169 respondents. The analysis for this study was done …utilising SmartPLS software via partial least squares structural equation modelling. RESULTS: The results indicate that 9 out of 11 were tested as supported hypotheses. All supported hypotheses showed the strong relationship between acceptance and user behaviour with emerging technology. CONCLUSION: The experience of acceptance and behaviour of using emerging technology in a healthy lifestyle was found as an important determinant of outcome in preparing the middle-aged for their elderly age by adapting emerging technology as early as possible. Show more
Keywords: Emerging technology, healthy lifestyle, middle aged, health, acceptance
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230604
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-20, 2023
Authors: Xu, Wen-Bo | Lu, Zhi-Zeng | Mu, Lan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With the ageing population in China and an increasing number of the elderly developing chronic illnesses, health services for the elderly have become a major concern. They have significant needs for health information (HI) such as online medical consultation, disease prevention, and medical insurance. OBJECTIVE: To explore the influencing factors and their relative significance in proxy online health information (OHI) seeking among the elderly with chronic illnesses so as to provide a reference for enriching theoretical research and optimizing care for the elderly with chronic illness. METHODS: Twenty-three elderly people with chronic …illnesses participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews in this study. The interview transcripts were subject to three levels of coding (open, axial, and selective coding) based on grounded theory to determine the factors influencing proxy OHI seeking among the elderly and to understand how the main categories are interconnected. We used the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) process to analyze the hierarchy and associated pathways among the factors influencing proxy OHI seeking. RESULTS: From our analysis, we identified four main categories affecting proxy HI seeking: the health status, emotional needs, electronic HI literacy, and self-efficacy of the elderly. There were six subcategories that could be further subclassified into direct factors, key factors, and root factors, which constituted the hierarchical model of influencing factors. CONCLUSION: We found that proxy HI seeking among the elderly was directly triggered by self-efficacy and emotional needs following changes in their evaluation of health information and emotional needs, which originates from their perceptions of their health, concerns about their health, and information retrieval capability. Show more
Keywords: Elderly, grounded theory, interpretative structural modeling, proxy seeking
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230270
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Zhao, Wei-feng | He, Wei | Han, Quan-hong | Qi, Shi-xin
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The correlation between the change in foveal thickness measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) following surgery for infectious endophthalmitis and preoperative and postoperative visual acuity is uncertain, and there are few pertinent studies on this topic. OBJECTIVE: We explored the variations in macular thickness using OCT after emergency vitrectomy for post-cataract infectious endophthalmitis and the relationship between macular thickness with changes in visual function. METHODS: We included 10 cases of post-cataract infectious endophthalmitis. Each patient underwent 25-G vitrectomy. RESULTS: The infection in all 10 patients was under control and …visual function improved. Postoperative vitreous humor culture was positive in 8 patients, including 7 cases of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis and 1 case of Lactobacillus acidophilus . The average age of these 10 patients was 71.60 ± 8.71 years (P < 0.05, two-tailed). There was no significant correlation between time 2 (the time of onset after cataract surgery) and visual prognosis. The average time 1 (the time of the vitrification surgery caused by the onset of the disease) was 1.45 ± 0.76 days (P < 0.05, two-tailed). The postoperative 3dVA ranged from 0.20 to 3.00, with an average visual acuity of 1.87 ± 1.12, which was superior to the preoperative value (P < 0.01, two-tailed). The correlation between the post3dVA and post 1mVA was significant. The post 1mVA ranged from 0.05 to 2.20, with an average visual acuity of 0.94 ± 0.74 (P < 0.05, two-tailed). The correlation between post 1mVA and post3mVA was significant. Also, paired t -tests comparing preoperative and postoperative visual acuity revealed a significant correlation (P < 0.05, two-tailed). The post3mVA was 0–1.00 with an average visual acuity of 0.44 ± 0.41. The postoperative foveal thickness ranged from 176.00 to 514.00 μ m, with an average thickness of 281.10 ± 113.12 μ m. CONCLUSION: Emergency 25-G minimally invasive vitrectomy can improve visual acuity and decrease the reoperation rate for patients who have acquired post-cataract infectious endophthalmitis. There were significant correlations between age, disease onset to operation time, preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, and postoperative macular thickness. Show more
Keywords: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis, infectious endophthalmitis, optical coherence tomography, preoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, visual acuity, 25-G minimally invasive vitrectomy
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230607
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Wang, Ping | Shen, Yue | Chen, Jinghan | Li, Qianwen | Tong, Lin | Li, Xitao
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Beamforming is vital for medical ultrasound imaging systems. The generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) beamforming can improve the image quality of lateral resolution, but its performance improvement in contrast and robustness is limited. OBJECTIVE: This paper proposes an improved generalized sidelobe canceller algorithm based on multi-apodization with cross-correlation (MAXB-IGSC), which aims to improve the contrast and robustness of ultrasound imaging while maintaining the high image resolution and background speckle quality of GSC. METHODS: The proposed MAXB-IGSC uses multiple pairs of complementary received apodization functions to process the echo data individually to obtain multiple …pairs of data sets. The average of their normalized cross-correlation coefficients is then calculated and utilized to determine the adaptive subarray length of the GSC covariance matrix and weights the output of the improved GSC. RESULTS: The MAXB-IGSC improves the contrast ratio (CR) by 171.18% in anechoic cyst simulation and by 91.23%/130.97%/171.76% in geabr_0 (a dataset from the University of Michigan) experiment compared with GSC, respectively. Furthermore, MAXB-IGSC exhibits significant noise immunity, which greatly improves the robustness of the imaging. The technology also maintains the brightness and uniformity of the background speckle. CONCLUSION: The proposed MAXB-IGSC has potential for obtaining high-quality ultrasound images in clinical applications. Show more
Keywords: Ultrasound imaging, cross-correlation coefficient, adaptive subarray length, robustness
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230724
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-19, 2023
Authors: Lee, Hung Fu | Liao, Pei-Hung
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Improved access to media and medical knowledge has elicited stronger public health awareness. OBJECTIVE: This study developed a smart drug interaction reminder system for patients to increase knowledge and reduce nurse workload. METHODS: This study used a single-group pre-test/post-test design and applied mining techniques to analyze the weight and probability of interaction among various medicines. Data were collected from 258 participants at a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan using convenience sampling. An app was used to give patients real-time feedback to obtain access to information and remind them of their health issues. …In addition to guiding the patients on medications, this app measured the nurses’ work satisfaction and patients’ knowledge of drug interaction. RESULTS: The results indicate that using information technology products to assist the app’s real-time feedback system promoted nurses’ work satisfaction, improved their health education skills, and helped patients to better understand drug interactions. CONCLUSION: Using information technology to provide patients with real-time inquiring functions has a significant effect on nurses’ load reduction. Thus, smart drug interaction reminder system apps can be considered suitable nursing health education tools and the SDINRS app can be integrated into quantitative structure-activity relationship intelligence in the future. Show more
Keywords: Drug interaction, data mining, reminder systems, nurses, application
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230650
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Shukla, Prashant Kumar | Maheshwary, Priti | Kundu, Shakti | Mondal, Dipannita | Kumar, Ankit | Joshi, Shubham | Pareek, Piyush Kumar
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Understanding complex systems is made easier with the tools provided by the theory of nonlinear dynamic systems. It provides novel ideas, algorithms, and techniques for signal processing, analysis, and classification. Presently, these ideas are being applied to the investigation of how physiological signals evolve. OBJECTIVE: The study applies nonlinear dynamics theory to electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to better comprehend the range of alcoholic mental states. One of the main contributions of this paper is an algorithm for automatically distinguishing between sober and drunken EEG signals based on their salient features. METHODS: The study …utilized various entropy-based features, including ApEn, SampEn, Shannon and Renyi entropies, PE, TS, FE, WE, and KSE, to extract information from EEG signals. To identify the most relevant features, the study employed ranking methods like T -test, Wilcoxon, and Bhattacharyya, and trained SVM classifiers with the selected features. The Bhattacharyya ranking method was found to be the most effective in achieving high classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS: Classification accuracy of 95.89%, the sensitivity of 94.43%, and specificity of 96.67% are achieved by the SVM classifier with radial basis function (RBF) for polynomial Kernel using the Bhattacharyya ranking method. CONCLUSION: From the result, it is clear that the model serves as a cost-effective and accurate decision-support tool for doctors in diagnosing alcoholism and for rehabilitation centres to monitor the effectiveness of interventions aimed at mitigating or reversing brain damage caused by alcoholism. Show more
Keywords: EEG, ApEn, SampEn, PE, TS, FE, WE, KSE, SVM
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220771
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Deng, Li-Hua | Yao, Ting-Ting | Jin, Hai-Yan | Li, Yi | Zong, Yi | Chen, Mei-Gui | Chen, Peng
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The nursing model of establishing a chemotherapy safety management supervisory group has guaranteed the safety and effectiveness of intravenous chemotherapy while reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy and improving patient satisfaction and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of establishing a nursing supervision group on improving the safety management of patients receiving chemotherapy in the oncology department. METHODS: We selected a total of 60 patients who underwent chemotherapy at the oncology department between January and June 2021 and assigned them to the control group. They received conventional chemotherapy safety management …nursing care. We selected another 60 patients undergoing chemotherapy in the oncology department between July and December 2021 and assigned them to the observation group. They received a nursing intervention model facilitated by the chemotherapy safety supervision team. We compared the intervention effects in the two groups. RESULTS: Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05); the incidence of post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05); and the self-rating depression scale (SDS) and self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores of patients in the observation group were reduced (P < 0.05) and significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). We used the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-core 30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and found a statistically significant difference in the quality of life of patients before the nursing intervention and on the day of discharge (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The establishment of a chemotherapy safety management supervisory group was effective in reducing the incidence of post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting as well as the patient’s psychological burden; it could also improve the quality of life of patients and their satisfaction with nursing care. Show more
Keywords: Dedicated safety supervisors, nausea and vomiting, patient satisfaction, patients receiving chemotherapy, quality of life
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220686
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2023
Authors: Zhang, Li-Hua | Ying, Ya-Fen | Yin, Jing | Li, Na | Cheng, Yan | Yu, Rong-Yan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Day surgery is a new surgical model in which patients complete the admission, surgery, and discharge on the same day. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to explore the effect of pre-admission “quasi-collective” health education for patients with ophthalmic day surgery. METHODS: For this study, a total of 200 patients undergoing ophthalmic day surgery from February 2019 to December 2019 were enrolled as the research subjects. The patients were divided randomly into the observation group and the control group, with 100 cases in each group. For the control group, conventional health education was …conducted after admission. On the day of admission, the admission education and peri-operative health education were performed. For the observation group, pre-admission health education was provided to the patients, and detailed education on the admission instructions, pre-operative precautions, and simulation of the intra-operative process were given by the medical staff. On the day of admission, the understanding of the education was evaluated, and any weaknesses in the health education were addressed. The anxiety status, method of handwashing, method of administering the drug to the eye, preoperative preparations, intra-operative training, preoperative medication, diet guidance, and postoperative care were compared between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Before discharge, there were significant differences in the anxiety scores, impact, and satisfaction of health education between the two groups of patients, all of which were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The pre-admission “quasi-collective” health education for patients undergoing day surgery in ophthalmology was better than conventional health education. Show more
Keywords: Ophthalmic day surgery, pre-admission, quasi-collective education, health education, impact
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230877
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Ran, Xu | Niu, Guo-Chen | Shao, Yu-Hong | Fan, Fang-Fang | Yang, Min | Lin, Le-Tao | Chen, Lu-Zeng | Zou, Ying-Hua
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is a common disease in the elderly population. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to develop a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-based model for predicting post-angioplasty improvement in hypertension in patients with severe ARAS. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with severe ARAS (⩾ 70%) were included in this study, and 42 renal arteries received percutaneous transluminal renal arterial stenting. An optimal integral formula was developed from pre-interventional color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) and CEUS parameters using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. …A model for predicting short-term hypertension improvement was established using the integral formula and clinical risk factors. Bootstrapping was used for internal validation. RESULTS: Two integral formulas, LASSO.CCDS and LASSO.CEUS, were established. ROC curves of the two integral formulas showed that LASSO.CEUS was the better formula for predicting hypertension improvement (AUC 0.816, specificity 78.6%). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that duration of hypertension (OR 0.841, P = 0.027), diabetes (OR = 0.019, P = 0.010), and LASSO.CEUS (OR 7.641, P = 0.052) were predictors of short-term hypertension improvement after interventional therapy. Using LASSO.CEUS combined with clinical risk factors, the following prediction model was established: logit (short-term improvement in hypertension) = 1.879–0.173 × hypertension duration – 3.961 × diabetes + 2.034 × LASSO.CEUS (AUC 0.939). CONCLUSIONS: The model established using CEUS parameters and clinical risk factors could predict hypertension improvement after interventional therapy, but further research and verification are needed. Show more
Keywords: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis, percutaneous transluminal renal arterial stenting, renal blood perfusion, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, hypertension
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230357
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Ma, Jun | Jin, Nana | Wang, Jingyi | Cao, Xiaoli | Zhang, Mingxia
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Bone defects and deep periodontal pockets often exist distal to the second molar after mandibular third molar extraction, seriously threatening the periodontal health of the second molar. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of socket preservation with bone substitute materials on alveolar bone resorption and prevention of the distal periodontal defect of the adjacent tooth after mandibular impacted third molar extraction compared with natural healing. METHODS: Ninety-nine patients with mandibular impacted teeth, treated in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020, were randomly divided into the control and experimental groups. The experimental …group underwent minimally invasive tooth extraction and socket preservation using the deproteinised bovine bone mineral, Bio-Oss and the bioabsorbable collagen membrane, Bio-Gide. The control group healed naturally after minimally invasive tooth extraction. The alveolar ridge dimension of the extraction sites, the probing depth, tooth mobility and gingival index on the distal aspect of the mandibular second molars were examined and recorded before and six months after the operations. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in the alveolar bone width (P < 0.05) and height (P < 0.05) before and after surgery. The probing depth of the extraction sites in both groups was reduced. CONCLUSION: Using Bio-Oss and Bio-Gide to preserve extraction sites of impacted teeth can promote recovery more effectively than natural healing on the height of the distal alveolar bone and the width of the alveolar crest of the second molar and thus improve the periodontal status of the adjacent second molar. Show more
Keywords: Impacted mandibular third molar, second molar, alveolar bone, socket preservation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230043
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Bing, Wanchun | Zhang, Xiaoxiao | Wang, Dawei | Gu, Xiaoyan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Recurrent acute pancreatitis is a common acute abdominal disease in surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the radiographic features of pancreatic computed tomography (CT) imaging in the diagnosis of acute and chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: 48 pancreatitis patients who met the criteria were selected in this retrospective study from 2010 to 2019. Each diagnosis was evaluated as functional abdominal pain, recurrent acute pancreatitis, or chronic pancreatitis. All clinical data were collected from the patient’s medical records. 54 radiological features were extracted from each region of interest in outline the pancreas and divided into five categories: …first order statistics, the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), the gray level run-length matrix (GLRLM), the neighborhood gray level difference matrix (NGTDM), and morphological features by the MATLAB program. RESULTS: Of the 48 patients, 16 had functional abdominal pain (33.3%), 18 had recurrent acute pancreatitis (37.5%), and 14 had chronic pancreatitis (29.2%). In the univariate analysis, nine radiological features, eight GLCM features and one NGTDM feature were significantly different between groups. Nine radiological characteristics had important reference values with AUC values ranging from 0.73–0.91. CONCLUSION: Nine radiographic features of CT imaging demonstrate good evaluation efficiency in the diagnosis of pancreatitis and can distinguish patients with functional abdominal pain, recurrent acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancreatitis. Show more
Keywords: Computed tomography, radiomics, recurrent acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220732
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2023
Authors: Yu, Zhan-Biao | Cui, Na | Zhang, Nan | Su, Dan | Wu, Jia-Qian | Xi, Xiu-Ming
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Finding a simple and reliable method to predict and assess fluid responsiveness has long been of clinical interest. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of a ventilator disconnection (DV) test combined with the pulse contour-derived cardiac output (PiCCO) index on fluid responsiveness for patients in shock. METHODS: Thirty-two patients were chosen for the study. Patients who were in shock, received mechanical ventilation, and met the inclusion criteria were selected. Patients were divided into a fluid-responsive group (14 patients) and fluid-unresponsive group (18 patients) based on whether the increase in cardiac index (Δ …CI) was > 10% or not, respectively, following the fluid challenge test. Changes in heart rate, pulse oximeter-measured oxygen saturation, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and CI before and after passive leg raising (PLR), DV, and fluid challenge tests were observed. We used Pearson’s correlation coefficient to analyze an increase in the MAP (Δ MAP) and Δ CI before and after the PLR, DV, and fluid challenge tests; the sensitivity and specificity of the Δ MAP and Δ CI in the PLR and DV tests for predicting fluid response were also analyzed by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: CI results in the PLR and DV tests, as well as the fluid challenge test, were significantly higher in the fluid-responsive group compared with before the test (P < 0.05). The Δ CI before and after the PLR, DV, and fluid challenge tests were positively correlated among patients in the fluid-responsive group. The area under the ROC curve for the post-PLR test CI and the post-DV CI for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.869 (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.735–1.000, P = 0.000]) and 0.937 (95% CI [0.829–1.000, P = 0.000]), respectively, in patients in the fluid-responsive group. The sensitivity and specificity of the post-DV CI for predicting fluid responsiveness in all patients was 100.0% and 88.9%, respectively, using a 5% increase as the cut-off value. CONCLUSION: Application of DV, combined with PiCCO, has a high predictive value for fluid responsiveness among patients in shock. Show more
Keywords: Shock, ventilator, mechanical, fluid responsiveness, ventilator disconnection test, pulse contour-derived cardiac index
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220799
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Hao, Jinxiang | Liang, Lirong | Ma, Yongduo | Xu, Meisha | Li, Qiuxiang
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With rapid progression, severe illness and high fatality rate, sepsis has become an acute and critical condition that seriously threatens human life and health. OBJECTIVE: To detect miR-210 and miR-494 expression in patients with sepsis and their relationship with severity and prognosis. METHODS: A total of 165 sepsis patients participated, including 105 patients with septic non-shock and 60 patients with septic shock. 53 sepsis patients died in 28 days, and 112 patients survived. The clinical information of all sepsis patients was retrospectively searched and reviewed. Based on the status of 28-day survival, …they were categorized into survival group and death group. The expression levels in each group were compared on the first, third and seventh day. The ROC curve was applied to know the expression level of plasma miR-210 and miR-494 to predict the death. RESULTS: The two miRNAs expression of the septic shock group were significantly higher than that in sepsis non-shock group on the first, third and seventh day (all were P < 0.05). The ROC curve found that the AUC combined to predict the death on the third day was the largest, which was 0.925 (95%CI: 0.864–0.983). The sensitivity and specificity were 94.6% and 86.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The increased expression levels of plasma miR-210 and miR-494 are closely relevant to the severity and prognosis of sepsis patients. Combining the two items on the third day can predict the death of sepsis patients. Show more
Keywords: Sepsis, miR-210, miR-494, prognosis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230363
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Vulović, Aleksandra | Warchomicka, Fernando Gustavo | Pixner, Florian | Filipović, Nenad
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In order to ensure the proper function of the cementless hip implant, the connection between the femoral bone and the implant has to be as strong as possible. According to experimental studies, implants with a rough surface reduce micro-movements between femoral bone and implant, which helps form a stronger connection between them. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to analyze how half-cylinder surface topographies of different diameter values affect shear stress values and their distribution on the surface of the hip implant and trabecular femoral bone. METHODS: Nine models with different …half-cylinder diameter values (200 μ m, 400 μ m, and 500 μ m) and distances between half-cylinders were created for the analysis using the finite element method. Each model consisted of three layers: implant, trabecular, and cortical femoral bone. RESULTS: For all three diameter values, the highest shear stress value, for the implant layer, was located after the first half-cylinder on the side where force was defined. For the trabecular bone, the first half-cylinder was under lower amounts of shear stress. CONCLUSION: If we only consider shear stress values, we can say that models with 400 μ m and 500 μ m diameter values are a better choice than models with 100 μ m diameter values. Show more
Keywords: Finite element analysis, hip implant, shear stress, surface topography
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230692
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Qi, Hai-Feng | Sun, Xiao-Qin | Du, Hai-Kun | Li, Jun-Hua | Zhang, Li-Yan | Xi, Yong-Guo
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With more pregnant women undergoing cesarean section, the number of women with scarring in the uterus undergoing uterine magnetic resonance (MR) examination in the second and third trimesters following a subsequent pregnancy, has increased. OBJECTIVE: To investigate features of MR signals in retroplacental basal decidual space. METHODS: The MR imaging data of patients with clinically and pathologically confirmed placenta implantation and complete placental abruption were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with high-intensity signals in T2-weighted images (T2WI) of the retroplacental basal decidual space did not suffer placenta implantation after delivery, …while high-intensity signals in T2WI of the retroplacental basal decidual space was not observed in patients with different degrees of placenta implantation. CONCLUSION: As the retroplacental basal decidual space is the barrier between the placenta and myometrium, high-intensity signals in T2WI can improve the confidence of MR exclusion diagnostics of placenta implantation, and can be used as exclusion criteria for MR diagnosis of placenta implantation. Show more
Keywords: Decidua basalis, magnetic resonance imaging, placenta implantation
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230098
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2023
Authors: Lin, Wenqian | Lin, Jun | Yang, Yongyong | Lin, Lianhe | Lin, Qun
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dural mater is punctured by using a spinal needle without drugs administrated into intrathecal space directly in dural puncture epidural (DPE) analgesia. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to summarize the evidence of benefits and risks of DPE analgesia with 25-G spinal needles for labor pain relief. METHODS: DPE analgesia with EP analgesia for labor pain relief were systematically searched. The Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and Web of Science databases were systematically searched till 6th November 2022 to find out randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing DPE (using 25-G spinal …needles) with conventional epidural (EP) analgesia. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane tool. Risk ratio, mean difference, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Seven RCTs with 761 parturients were identified. Pool data showed that DPE technique was associated with shorter time to pain score ⩽ 3/10, higher percentage with pain score ⩽ 3/10 at 10 min and 20 min, lower incidence of epidural top-up bolus and no S2 block, higher incidence of bilateral S2 blockade at 10 min and during labor, lower incidence of epidural top-up bolus and incidence of asymmetric block. No statistical difference in side effect and parturient satisfaction between DPE and EP technique. CONCLUSION: DPE technique with 25-G spinal needles was associated with faster analgesia onset and sacral coverage, greater sacral spread, lesser requirement of epidural top-up and lower incidence of asymmetric block. DPE technique with 25-G spinal needles showed a greater benefit to parturients. Show more
Keywords: Labor pain, epidural, analgesia, meta-analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230059
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-16, 2023
Authors: Zhou, Xuan | Li, Zhen-Fei | Guo, Xuan-Zhu | Wei, Qiao | Niu, Ya-Nan | Li, Meng | Xia, Jia-Ning | Chen, Li-Ping
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The first-line treatment for cervical dystonia (CD) consists of repeated intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin (BoNT). However, the efficacy in some patients may be unsatisfactory and they may discontinue treatment. OBJECTIVE: To examine the factors associated with the maximum rate of remission in patients with CD after initial botulinum neurotoxin type A (or botulinum toxin type A abbreviated as BTX-A or BoNT-A) treatment. METHODS: Patients with CD who received BoNT-A injections were evaluated using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) and the Tsui scale, with follow-up endpoints lasting until the …start of the second injection. Patients who did not receive a second injection of BoNT-A were followed up for at least 5 months. The maximum remission rates were determined using the lowest Tsui and TWSTRS total scores during the follow-up period. We obtained basic information about these patients such as age, gender, duration of disease, presence of additional disease, types of torticollis, presence of anxiety, depression, tremors, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) findings, injected dose, and so on from their medical records. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients with CD participated in this study, with males comprising 35.7% (25 individuals) with an average age of 45 ± 14 years old. The duration of disease was an independent risk factor for determining whether a complete remission has been attained using the Tsui scale (odds ratio [OR] = 0.978, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.959–0.997, P = 0.026). The optimal cut-off point for predicting patients who were unable to achieve complete remission based on duration of disease was 7.5 months (AUG = 0.711). Patients with CD with additional disease had greater difficulty achieving complete remission than those with CD alone based on TWSTRS assessments (P = 0.049). During the study, approximately 17% of all participants reported experiencing adverse reactions that lasted between 1 to 3 weeks before disappearing. CONCLUSION: BoNT is an effective and safe method for treating CD. The maximum remission rates of patients after their first injections are influenced by the duration of their disease. Thus, treatment using BoNT injections must be administered as soon as possible. Show more
Keywords: Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), cervical dystonia, efficacy, maximum remission rate, spasmodic torticollis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231182
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Ding, Ling | Tao, Xinyan | Zhou, Jingjing
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has been used in inpatient, outpatient, and emergency patients in Western countries and is an important evaluation tool in medicine. In China, the application of CGA to multiple single diseases has achieved satisfactory intervention effects. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of CGA on postoperative quality of life (QoL), psychological state, neurological recovery, and self-efficacy in patients with cerebral hemorrhage. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 133 postoperative patients with cerebral hemorrhage who were treated and nursed in our hospital between March 2019 and March 2021 …were randomly assigned to a control group (68 patients) and an observation group (65 patients). The control group was given a general comprehensive care intervention. The observation group was evaluated using an electronic medical record-based CGA system that assessed patient prognosis and was given individualized interventions based on the CGA findings. The postoperative QoL, psychological state, neurological recovery, and self-efficacy of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: After the intervention, self-decompression, self-decision-making, and positive attitudes of the observation group were higher than those of the control group. However, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group, the Self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the social support score was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group. After the intervention, the mental vitality, social interaction, emotional restriction, and mental status scores of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive evaluation of patients with cerebral hemorrhage based on a CGA, targeting the individual factors that affect the prognosis of patients, and formulating and implementing individualized nursing intervention programs based on the CGA results can effectively relieve the symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve the QoL of patients with cerebral hemorrhage. Show more
Keywords: Intracerebral hemorrhage, comprehensive geriatric assessment, quality of life, neurological function, self-efficacy
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230611
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Heo, Jin-Su | Lee, Hyung-Joo | Ko, Byung-Woo | Yoon, Hyun-Soo | Bae, Young-Hyeon
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: To improve gait disability in patients with chronic stroke, ankle muscle strengthening and calf muscle stretching exercises are required. However, currently available ankle training equipment limit ankle exercises based on the position. Recently developed ankle training equipment enables spring resistance-based plantar press exercises to be performed in the standing position with weight support. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a usability test of the ankle training equipment in the standing position by stroke patients with hemiplegic gait and verify its effects on ankle movements. METHODS: The ankle training equipment was applied to five patients with …chronic stroke and hemiplegic gait. In the standing position, the patients performed forefoot and rearfoot press exercises in the affected side with a day’s interval at 20 repetitions maximum (RM). During the exercises, surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) of the leg muscles. The System Usability Scale (SUS) was used to assess the ankle training equipment. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate the differences in muscle activity between the two exercises. RESULTS: Forefoot and rearfoot press exercises increased the %MVIC in the biceps femoris. Additionally, the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius activity was significantly different between the two exercises. The SUS was 78.75% (SD 12.7). CONCLUSION: The usability test of the passive-control foot press trainer (PFPT) that with improvements in the structure and functions for convenience, it could be commercialized. PFPT could be an alternative to the ankle rehabilitation robot that necessitates a sitting position. Show more
Keywords: Chronic stroke, standing position, ankle training equipment, usability test, muscle activity
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230747
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Hu, Huijun | Ma, Yanfang | Cheng, Aiai | Zhang, Zengqiang
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There have been studies on the use of cognitive behavioral nursing intervention (CBNI) but the main subjects were patients with secondary glaucoma and there are fewer studies on the care of congenital glaucoma. OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical value of cognitive behavioral nursing model in patients with congenital glaucoma. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-three postoperative patients with congenital glaucoma treated in our hospital between January 2021 and December 2022 were prospectively selected for the study and randomly divided into a control group (n = 77) and an …observation group (n = 76). The control group was given routine nursing, and the observation group was given cognitive behavioral nursing mode on the basis of the control group. Anxiety self-assessment scale (SAS), depression self-assessment scale (SDS), Connor-Davidson toughness scale, and treatment adherence evaluation scale were used to evaluate the psychological state, mental toughness, treatment adherence, treatment effect and nursing care satisfaction in the two groups before and after 2 weeks of intervention. The efficacy of the treatment was also assessed by determining the visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and mean defective (MD) value of the visual field of the two groups of patients. RESULTS: After nursing, the SDS score (46.33 ± 6.16 versus 53.21 ± 5.94) and SAS score (44.41 ± 5.6 versus 52.82 ± 6.31) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The scores of optimism (11.55 ± 1.90 versus 8.20 ± 1.95), self-improvement (22.05 ± 3.60 versus 17.60 ± 4.30), tenacity (37.45 ± 3.10 versus 28.90 ± 4.55) and total score (71.35 ± 8.00 versus 56.85 ± 8.50) in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After care, the VA of the observation group (0.95 ± 0.22) was greater than that of the control group (0.84 ± 0.16), and the IOP (14.25 ± 0.58 versus 15.89 ± 0.67) and the MD (5.42 ± 0.46 versus 6.68 ± 0.49) of the observation group were less than that of the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The compliance (96.05% versus 85.71%) and nursing satisfaction (96.10% versus 85.71%) of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cognitive-behavioural nursing care for glaucoma patients can improve patients’ mental toughness, improve visual acuity, reduce intraocular pressure and mean visual field defect values, and have a positive effect on enhancing patients’ treatment adherence and nursing satisfaction. Show more
Keywords: Cognitive behavioral nursing, congenital glaucoma, compliance, self-management
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230772
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Orsi, Alexander D. | Mathew, Manu | Plaskos, Christopher | Wakelin, Edgar A. | Slotkin, Eric M. | Coffey, Simon | Ponder, Corey E. | Keggi, John K. | McMahon, Stephen J.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Passive smartphone-based apps are becoming more common for measuring patient progress after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Optimum activity levels during early THA recovery have not been well documented. OBJECTIVES: Correlations between step-count and patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) during early recovery were explored. This study also investigated how demographics impact step-count during early post-operative recovery. METHODS: Smartphone captured step-count data from 666 THA patients was retrospectively reviewed. Mean age was 64 ± 11 years. 55% were female. Mean BMI was 29 ± 8kg/m 2 …. Mean daily step-count was calculated for each patient over four time-windows: 60 days prior to surgery (preop), 42–49 days postop (6 weeks), 91–98 days postop (3 months), and 183–197 days postop (6 months). Spearman correlation coefficients and linear regression were used to assess the association between PROMs (HOOS-12, HOOS-Jr, and UCLA) were performed. Patients were separated into three step-count levels: low (< 2500 steps/day), medium (2500–5500 steps/day), and high (> 5500 steps/day). Age > 65 years, BMI > 35 kg/m 2 , and sex were used for demographic comparisons. Post hoc analyses were performed using Welch’s unequal variances t -tests, or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, both with Bonferroni corrections, where appropriate when comparing between groups. Chi-squared analyses were also used when comparing categorical variables. RESULTS: UCLA correlated with step-count at all time-windows (p < 0.001). HOOS12-Function correlated with step-count preoperatively, at 6 weeks, and at 3 months (p < 0.001). High step-count individuals had improved UCLA scores compared to low step-count individuals preoperatively (Δ 1.5, p < 0.001), at 6 weeks (Δ 0.9, p < 0.001), at 3 months (Δ 1.4, p < 0.001), and at 6 months (Δ 1.4, p < 0.001). High step-count individuals had improved HOOS12-Function scores compared to low step-count individuals preoperatively (Δ 9.6, p < 0.001), at 6 weeks (Δ 5.3, p < 0.001), and at 3 months (Δ 6.1, p < 0.001). Males had greater step-count at all time points (p < 0.001). Younger patients and low BMI patients had greater step-count across all time points (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: High step-count improved PROMs scores compared to low step-count. Early post-operative step-count was significantly impacted by age, sex, and BMI. Generic recovery profiles may not be appropriate across diverse populations. Show more
Keywords: Total hip arthroplasty, smartphone, step-count, PROMs, remote patient monitoring
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231203
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: DeClaire, Jeffrey H. | Wakelin, Edgar A. | Chattinger, Kayla | Plaskos, Christopher
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Early complications in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) associated with modern robotics platforms integrated with digital balancing technology have not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare 90-day complication rates between a manual technique and a modern robotic-assisted ligament balancing TKA platform. METHODS: 895 primary TKA procedures from a single surgeon were retrospectively reviewed (614 manual TKA, 281 using a modern robotics platform with an integrated digitally controlled ligament balancing device). Post-operative complications within the 90-day episode of care were recorded by the Michigan Arthroplasty Registry Collaborative Quality Initiative. Differences in complication …rates between techniques were further divided into inpatient hospital, outpatient hospital, and ambulatory surgery center (ASC) cohorts. RESULTS: In the pooled hospital cohort and inpatient hospital cohort, ‘Return to OR’ was significantly lower for the robotic assisted group (1.3% vs 5.2% and 0% vs 4.9%, respectively, p < 0.0370). Specifically, the need for manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) was reduced for the robotics group (0.0% vs 2.5%, p = 0.0352). No differences in overall complication rate or cause of complication was found between manual and robotics cases for the hospital outpatient and ASC cohorts (p ⩾ 0.68). CONCLUSION: Within the hospital setting, robotic assisted ligament balancing technology was associated with reduced 90-day postoperative complications for ‘Return to OR’ and MUA. Show more
Keywords: Total knee arthroplasty, robotics, soft tissue, complications, hospital, ambulatory surgical center, ASC
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231198
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2023
Authors: Guo, Julong | Ning, Yachan | Pan, Dikang | Wu, Sensen | Gao, Xixiang | Wang, Cong | Guo, Lianrui | Gu, Yongquan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction, the earliest stage of atherosclerosis, can be caused by smoking, but its molecular mechanism requires further investigation. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to use bioinformatics analysis to identify potential mechanisms involved in smoking-related atherosclerotic endothelial dysfunction. METHODS: The transcriptome data used for this bioinformatics analysis were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The GSE137578 and GSE141136 datasets were used to identify common differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) in endothelial cells treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and tobacco. The co-DEGs were annotated using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of …Genes and Genomics (KEGG) databases. Additionally, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to visualize their interactions and screen for hub genes. GSE120521 dataset was used to verify the expression of hub genes in unstable plaques. The miRNA expression profile GSE137580 and online databases (starBase 2.0, TargetScan 8.0 and DGIdb v4.2.0) were used to predict the related non-coding RNAs and drugs. RESULTS: A total of 232 co-DEGs were identified, including 113 up-regulated genes and 119 down-regulated genes. These DEGs were primarily enriched in detrimental autophagy, cell death, transcription factors, and cytokines, and were implicated in ferroptosis, abnormal lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress pathways. Ten hub genes were screened from the constructed PPI network, including up-regulated genes such as FOS, HMOX1, SQSTM1, PTGS2, ATF3, DDIT3, and down-regulated genes MCM4, KIF15, UHRF1, and CCL2. Importantly, HMOX1 was further up-regulated in unstable plaques (p = 0.034). Finally, a regulatory network involving lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-hub genes and drug-hub genes was established. CONCLUSION: Atherosclerotic endothelial dysfunction is associated with smoking-induced injury. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified potential mechanisms and provided potential therapeutic targets. Show more
Keywords: Atherosclerosis, smoke, tobacco, endothelial cells, genes
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230796
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Hoveidaei, Amir Human | Esmaeili, Sina | Ghaseminejad-Raeini, Amirhossein | Pirahesh, Seyed Kasra | Hoveidaei, Armin | Sandiford, Nemandra A. | Lahner, Nina | Citak, Mustafa
Article Type: Review Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a viable alternative to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis patients with single-compartment involvement, with advantages including accelerated recovery, reduced pain, and improved function. Robotic-assisted UKA (rUKA) is a promising development that ensures precise implant positioning and limb alignment. However, concerns about complications remain. OBJECTIVE: This study looks at patient satisfaction as a key metric for determining the efficacy of rUKA versus manual UKA (mUKA). METHODS: The search strategy for this study followed PRISMA. Using precise keywords, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library were …searched. English articles were searched until August 2, 2023. Selection criteria included mUKA and rUKA patient satisfaction studies. The NOS scale evaluated study quality. Meta-analysis was done with R and heterogeneity analysis. RESULTS: This systematic review examined 5 studies with 1060 UKAs (532 robotic-assisted and 528 manual). Variable satisfaction assessment methods were used. Three studies found no difference in patient satisfaction after robotic-assisted UKA, but two found a higher satisfaction. Meta-analysis showed robotic-assisted UKA improved patient satisfaction (OR = 1.72 [1.25–2.37]). Overall, most studies showed low risk of bias, except one with higher bias. CONCLUSION: This review suggests that robotic assistance may enhance patient satisfaction in UKA procedures. Show more
Keywords: Arthroplasty, replacement, knee, medical device, patient satisfaction, robotic surgical procedures
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231216
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2023
Authors: Liu, Dong-Xu | Wu, Ke-Han | Zang, Xi-Yan | Lu, Jia-Yi | Liu, Ming-Yue | Li, Chun-Ming | Gao, Li
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an infiltrative malignancy characterized by a significantly elevated recurrence rate. Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), which plays an oncogene role in many cancers, acts as an inhibitor of the Wingless protein (Wnt) signaling pathway. Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding the role of DKK1 in OSCC or its clinical significance. OBJECTIVE: To examine the role and effect of DKK1 in OSCC. METHODS: The identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in OSCC was conducted by utilizing databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene …Expression Omnibus (GEO). A comprehensive analysis of gene expression profile interactions (GEPIA) and Kaplan-Meier curve were conducted to investigate the associations among DEGs, patient survival and prognosis in individuals with OSCC. The biological function of DKK1 in OSCC was investigated by using molecular biology approaches. RESULTS: The expression of DKK1 was found to be upregulated in OSCC tissues at various stages. High levels of DKK1 expression exhibited a positive correlation with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates among OSCC patients. DKK1 knockdown suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptotic response in OSCC cells. Moreover, DKK1 exerted a positive regulatory effect on HMGA2 expression, thereby modulating cell growth and apoptosis in OSCC. The expression of DKK1 was found to be positively correlated with the infiltration of immune cells in patients with OSCC. Additionally, higher levels of CD4 + T cells were associated with improved 5-year survival rates. CONCLUSION: DKK1 is a prognostic biomarker for patients with OSCC. Show more
Keywords: Dickkopf-related protein 1, HMGA2, immune status, Oral squamous cell carcinoma
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230527
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-16, 2023
Authors: Akçaalan, Serhat | Akbulut, Batuhan | Çağlar, Ceyhun | Innocenti, Matteo | Uğurlu, Mahmut | Dogan, Metin | Akkaya, Mustafa
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKROUND: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a very important complication that occurs after total joint replacement. Diagnosing PJI is at least as difficult as this disease. There is no biomarker that alone can diagnose PJI. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of large unstained cell percentage (%LUC) in diagnosing PJI and deciding on re-implantation in two stage septic exchange arthroplasty. METHODS: Patients who underwent revision arthroplasty between 2019 and 2023 were screened retrospectively. These patients were grouped as those who underwent two-stage septic exchange and those who underwent aseptic exchange. Prosthesis …removal from the patients who underwent two-stage septic exchange, before spacer application, and on the 3rd post-operative day after spacer application, Blood parameters were collected at the 1st month and before the second stage after the spacer application, and before the revision surgery from the patients who underwent aseptic exchange. White blood cell, neutrophil percentage, %LUC, albumin, sedim and CRP values were checked and recorded one by one from all patients. RESULTS: The data of a total of 233 patients, including 133 patients in the two stage septic exchange group and 100 patients in the aseptic exchange group, were included in the study. When the predictive value of %LUC in PJI was accepted as cut-off 1.75, the sensitivity was 69.2% and the specificity was 73%. The change in %LUC over time in patients who underwent two-stage septic exchange was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). A positive correlation was found between the value of .%LUC after spacer application and the value of CRP before prosthesis protrusion/spacer application surgery, and the Spearman correlation coefficient was found to be 0.005. CONCLUSION: %LUC value can be a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of PJI by considering both sensitivity and specificity rates. Apart from this, it is an easily accessible and effective biomarker for re-implantation decision making and evaluation of response to treatment, especially in two-stage septic exchange surgeries. Show more
Keywords: Periprosthetic joint infection, %LUC, biomarker, two stage, septic exchange
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230903
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2023
Authors: Lin, Wan-Rong | Liu, Wei-Qing | Meng, Xuan-Yu | Liu, Xiao-Ting | Kou, Zhi-Yong | Li, Wen-Liang | Yang, Jun
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Despite the advancement of new screening strategies and the advances in pharmacological therapies, the cancerization rates of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are stable and even increased in the last years. Therefore, it necessitates additional research to characterize and understand the underlying mechanisms of FAP. OBJECTIVE: To determine the genes that drive the pathogenesis of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). METHODS: We performed on a cohort (GSE111156) gene profile, which consist of four group of gene expressions (the gene expressions of cancer, adenoma and normal tissue of duodenal cancer from patients with FAP were …defined as Case N, Case A and Case C respectively, while that of adenoma tissue from patients with FAP who did not have duodenal cancer was Ctrl A). Tracking Tumor Immunophenotype (TIP) website was applied to reveal immune infiltration profile and signature genes of FAP. We merged the genes of key module (pink and midnight module) with signature genes to obtained the biomarkers related with FAP pathogenesis. The expression of these five biomarkers in FAP intratumoral region (IT) and tumor rim (TR) was detected with Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: In total, 220, 23 and 63 DEGs were determined in Cases C, A and N, in comparison to Ctrl A. In total, 196 and 10 DEGs were determined in Cases C and A, separately, as compared to Case N. A total of four biomarkers including CCL5, CD3G, CD2 and TLR3 were finally identified associated with pink module, while only one biomarker (KLF2) associated with midnight module was identified. All biomarkers were evidently raised in FAP IT tissues utilizing qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION: We identified five potential biomarkers for pathogenesis of FAP to understand the fundamental mechanisms of FAP progression and revealed some probable targets for the diagnosis or treatment of FAP. Show more
Keywords: Familial adenomatous polyposis, bioinformatics, driver gene, WGCNA, DEGs
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230719
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-22, 2023
Authors: Jadhav, Shreya | Jhaveri, Aditi | Pawar, Ajinkya M. | Bhardwaj, Anuj | Vinay, Vineet | di Blasio, Marco | Cicciù, Marco | Minervini, Giuseppe
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Forensic odontology is a subfield of forensics that can assist in determining age, gender, and other demographic factors. OBJECTIVE: The focus of this research is to ascertain age by tooth volume ratio of permanent maxillary canines using a CBCT scan. METHODS: In this retrospective investigation, 1000 CBCT images were gathered and focused on only fully developed maxillary canines. For each of the maxillary canines, the researchers measured and calculated the volume of the pulp chamber, root canal, and entire tooth using the ITK Snap programme. The pulp volume to tooth volume ratio …was computed. The equation AGE = 59.208 - (583.652 x pulp volume/tooth volume) was then used to compute age. The samples were divided into 5 age groups; 13–20, 21–30, 31–40, 41–50, and 51–60. The age was calculated for samples in each group and it was compared to the actual age. RESULTS: Between individuals’ actual age and computed age, the study discovered a statistically significant positive association. While groups 3, 4, and 5 demonstrated positive but weaker correlations (r = 0.854, r = 0.658, and r = 0.612, respectively), groups 1 and 2 displayed statistically significant strong positive correlations (r = 0.987 and r = 0.923, respectively). The average total discrepancy between the age that was computed and the actual age was 2.45 1.344. CONCLUSION: The study found a statistically significant positive correlation between computed age and actual age, with the younger age groups 1 (13–20) and 2 (21–30) showing the strongest relationships. This underlines its potential success in court, particularly when dealing with young criminals. Show more
Keywords: Age estimation, canines, cone-beam computed tomography, forensic odontology, pulp tooth volume
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230555
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Wang, Yu | Li, Jun | Shi, Yulin | Jiang, Tao | Tu, Liping | Xu, Jiatuo
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The sublingual vein (SV) is a specialized diagnostic method used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Despite its ability to objectively reflect blood flow, SV is often overlooked in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the core characteristics of SV and investigate the in-depth relationship between its digital characteristics and hypertension. The goal is to find a link between SV and hypertension and break out of the current situation. METHODS: Modern digital analysis techniques were applied to the traditional SV diagnostic theory. In a controlled study with 204 participants, the digital …characteristics of SV were documented using TFDA-1, and its color value was analyzed using TDAS. Morphological characteristics of SV, such as trunklength, width, and tortuosity, were examined by combining computer vision with expert interpretation. This involved the application of automatic ranging methods and a rectangular approximation algorithm, which are novel approaches in the field of TCM. The t -test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the digital characteristics of SV in hypertension. Binary logistic regression and neural network models were established using machine learning to explore the deep relationship between SV characteristics and hypertension. RESULTS: There was a significant difference of the tortuosity of SV between the two groups (Z = - 2.629, p = 0.009). The results revealed thick width of SV (OR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.02–6.79) was the risk factor for hypertension. Addition of SV characteristics improved overall percent correct for hypertension prediction to 80%. CONCLUSION: TCM method of diagnosis of SV has been greatly expanded in terms of technical means, and the close relationship between SV and hypertension has been found in clinical data. Show more
Keywords: Sublingual veins, digital characteristics, hypertension
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230695
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-16, 2023
Authors: Butter, Christian | Klein, Gunnar | Grönefeld, Gerian | Böcker, Dirk | Suling, Anna | Buchholz, Anika | Felk, Angelika | Hauser, Tino | Wegscheider, Karl | Bänsch, Dietmar
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Both highly specialized heart centres and less specialized hospitals care for patients with implantable ICDs/CRT-Ds with remote monitoring. OBJECTIVE: To investigate potential differences in patient treatment according to centre’s ICD implantation volume. METHODS: Based on their 2012 ICD/CRT-D implantation volume, centres enrolled in the NORDIC ICD trial in Germany were assigned to one of three groups: high- (HV, n = 345), medium- (MV, n = 340) or low-volume (LV, n = 189). RESULTS: The …HV-centres had a significant higher CRT-D proportion (41.7%; LV: 36.5%; MV: 23.2%; P 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 < 0.001), significant shorter median procedure duration (49 min; MV: 58 min; LV: 60 min; P 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 < 0.001) but significant longer median hospital stay (4 days; MV and LV: 3 days; P 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 < 0.001) compared to MV- and LV-centres. The X-ray exposure was shorter in MV/HV-centres (MV: 3.4 min; HV: 3.6 min; LV: 5.5 min; P 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 < 0.001). Only 3.5% (LV: 2.6%; HV: 3.5%; MV: 4.1%) patients received at least one delivered inappropriate shock and 2.5% (HV: 2.0%; LV: 2.6%; MV: 2.9%) patients had withheld inappropriate ICD shocks without subsequent inappropriate shock delivery within 24.5 months of median follow-up. CONCLUSION: Implantation volume-dependent differences were observed in the device selection, procedure duration and x-ray exposure duration. Remote monitoring in combination with adequate response pattern prevented imminent inappropriate shocks in all three groups. Show more
Keywords: Defibrillators, implantable, cardiac resynchronization therapy, hospitals, high-volume, hospitals, low-volume, home monitoring
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230641
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Incesoy, Mustafa Alper | Yildiz, Fatih | Pulatkan, Mehmet Anil | Yesiller, Omer Faruk | Toluk, Ozlem | Erdem, Ahmet Can | Tuncay, Ibrahim
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: With the restoration of the natural hip biomechanics, a successful total hip arthroplasty (THA) and long-term survival is pursued. Although robotic THA (rTHA) has been developed to increase accuracy of implant positioning, leg lengths and offsets, discussions about its radiological and clinical advantages over conventional THA (cTHA) continues. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of robotic and conventional THA. METHODS: This retrospective study compares functional and radiological outcomes of 82 rTHA with a matched group of 82 cTHA in terms of age, sex, body mass …index and preoperative functional scores. The minimum follow up was 12 months for all patients. Functional outcomes were Harris Hip Score (HHS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) evaluated pre- and postoperatively. Radiological evaluations included position of cup placement according to Lewinnek and Callanan safe zones, Canal Fill Ratio (CFR), Leg Length Discrepancy (LLD), Lateral offset (LO) and Femoral Component Alignment (FCA). Complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: In the rTHA group, 91.5% (75 out of 82) of the acetabular cups were positioned within the safe zone whereas it was 63.4% (52 out of 82) for the cTHA group (p < 0.001). According to Callanan, they were 84.1% and 50%, respectively (p < 0.001). Between the groups, no statistically significant difference was found in CFR, LLD, HO, FCA, AI, AA, WOMAC, HHS and major complication rates. CONCLUSION: rTHA is superior to cTHA in terms of accuracy and reproducibility of the cup placement, however no apparent clinical benefit was found in short term follow. Show more
Keywords: Total hip arthroplasty, robot-assisted surgery, component positioning, robotic total hip replacement
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231111
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Huizinga, Maarten R. | de Vries, Astrid J. | Verkerke, G.J. | Brouwer, Reinoud W.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Given the increasing numbers of young patients with knee osteoarthritis there is a need for treatments that can postpone a joint prosthesis (total knee replacement). OBJECTIVE: As an alternative to the effective yet invasive knee joint distraction procedure, a knee orthosis was developed aiming to unload the affected knee and improving synovial fluid flow. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using a load-reducing orthosis for two months on functioning, pain, and disease progression (e.g. amount of damaged cartilage) in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee for at least one …year. METHODS: This is an interventional single-center pilot study. Ten patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of one knee (5 males/5 females; median age 57; age range 42–59) used a custom-made orthosis for 60 days during daily life activities that involved knee loading (e.g. standing, walking, but not during stair climbing). Cycling was not allowed. Clinical outcomes were assessed up to 24 months after intervention at 6 timepoints using patient reported-outcome measures Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) range 0–100; Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), range 0–100 for pain. Minimum joint space width (mJSW) was assessed using knee images digital analysis (KIDA) and articular cartilage volume with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using custom software at baseline and at 12 and 24 months follow-up. RESULTS: Clinically beneficial effects were found for functioning (WOMAC improvement compared to baseline ranged between 18 points at 3 months follow-up and 31 points at 12 months follow-up, with only the 24-months follow-up (improvement of 27 points) not reaching statistical significance (p < 0.05)) and for pain (VAS improvement compared to baseline at follow-up time points ranged between 41–56 points; all p < 0.05). No improvements in mJSW- or MRI-derived parameters were found. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that use of a custom-made knee-unloading orthosis for 60 days can result in improved functional ability and decrease in pain in relatively young patients with knee osteoarthritis. No effect on disease progression could be evidenced. Show more
Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis, orthosis, patient reported outcome measures, cartilage, joint space width, MRI
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230953
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Li, Feixing | Li, Huixian | Li, Fangjiang | Xiong, Xiaobo | Gao, Yang | Zhang, Ai’ai | Song, Jianying | Han, Wei | Niu, Binyu | Liang, Huiqing
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Anemia associated with heart failure is frequent and can exacerbate the symptoms of heart failure. Dapagliflozin is the first SGLT-2 inhibitor with significant cardiovascular protection. However, the effect of dapagliflozin on anemia in elderly patients with heart failure is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study the effect of dapagliflozin on anemia in elderly patients with heart failure by bioinformatics analysis. METHODS: The target genes were determined, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and modules were constructed. The dapagliflozin-targets …network in anemia and heart failure was constructed. Molecular docking experiments between dapagliflozin and its key target AKT1 were performed. RESULTS: We found 1 dapagliflozin related target gene and 2 disease related genes. Totally, 134 target genes of dapagliflozin on anemia in elderly patients with heart failure were determined. The pathways may involve lipid and atherosclerosis, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, hepatitis B, insulin signaling pathway, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, neurotrophin signaling pathway, insulin resistance, toxoplasmosis, colorectal cancer, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. The hub genes in network were AKT1, TP53, GAPDH, TNF, CASP3, EGFR, and MAPK3. The structure of dapagliflozin and AKT1 molecular docking was exhibited. CONCLUSIONS: The hub genes in network were AKT1, TP53, GAPDH, TNF, CASP3, EGFR, and MAPK3. The structure of dapagliflozin and AKT1 molecular docking was exhibited. Show more
Keywords: Dapagliflozin, anemia, heart failure, AKT1, bioinformatics analysis
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230563
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023
Authors: Mao, Wenjuan | Chen, Wenduo | Wang, Yanbo
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although the prognosis of ovarian cancer can be significantly improved through standardized surgery and chemotherapy, 70% of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients would suffer from drug resistance and recurrence during the long chemotherapy cycle. OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of a training mode based on the integration of virtual reality technology and mindfulness on anxiety, depression, and cancer-related fatigue in ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy. METHOD: Through virtual reality technology, a mindfulness training software was designed and developed, and a mindfulness training mode based on virtual reality technology was constructed. Using a …self-controlled design, 48 ovarian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who were hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Beijing from August 2022 to May 2023 were conveniently selected as the research subjects. The patients were subjected to one week of mindfulness training based on virtual reality technology, and the acceptance of the mindfulness training mode using virtual reality technology was evaluated. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Cancer Related Fatigue Scale (CRF) were used to evaluate the anxiety, depression, and fatigue of patients before and after intervention. RESULTS: The virtual reality based mindfulness training mode includes four functional modules: personalized curriculum, intelligent monitoring, emotion tracking, and Funny Games. 48 patients had a high acceptance score (139.21 ± 10.47), and after using mindfulness training mode based on virtual reality technology, anxiety, depression, and cancer-related fatigue in ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy were significantly reduced, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy have a high acceptance of virtual reality based mindfulness training mode. The application of this mode can reduce the psychological problems of anxiety, depression, and cancer-related fatigue in ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy, and is worth promoting and using. Show more
Keywords: Virtual reality technology, mindfulness training, anxiety and depression, chemotherapy period, oophoroma
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230735
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-14, 2023
Authors: Egenolf, Philipp | Wahlers, Christopher | Grevenstein, David | Gathof, Birgit S. | Eysel, Peer | Oppermann, Johannes
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP)- and leukocyte levels are common parameters to evaluate the inflammatory response after orthopaedic surgery and rule out infectious complications. Nevertheless, both parameters are vulnerable to disturbing biases and therefore leave room for interpretation. OBJECTIVE: Since blood groups are repeatedly discussed to influence inflammatory response, our aim was to observe their impact on CRP and leukocyte levels after total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). METHODS: Short term postoperative CRP and leukocyte levels of 987 patients, who received either primary TKH (n = 479) or THA …(n = 508), were retrospectively correlated with their blood group. ABO, Rhesus and a combination of both blood groups were differentiated. RESULTS: CRP levels after TKA were significantly higher in blood type AB than in type A and O on day 2–4 and also than in type A on day 6–8. Leukocyte levels after THA were significantly higher in blood group type O than in type A on day 6–8 while still remaining in an apathological range. We observed no significant differences between Rhesus types and Rhesus types and CRP or leukocyte levels. CONCLUSION: We observed significantly increased CRP levels after TKA in patients with blood group AB. Since the elevated CRP levels do not account for early periprosthetic infection, surgeons should include this variation in their postoperative evaluation. Show more
Keywords: Arthroplasty, leukocytes, C-reactive protein, ABO blood-group system
DOI: 10.3233/THC-220635
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-9, 2023
Authors: Lv, Chen | Guo, Qian | Peng, Shuang-Shuang | Chen, Xiao-Feng | Liu, Su-Fang | Wang, Xiu-Hua
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The implementation of the rotation system in the Chinese medical industry has achieved significant results. OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to 1) explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of rotational nursing department implementation and 2) provide references for developing nursing staff’s competencies in leadership, performance evaluation, quality of care, communication in relationships and human resources. METHODS: A total of 16 rotational nursing department staff members from a tertiary tuberculosis specialist hospital in Beijing were interviewed, and the interview data were analysed using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis and class …analysis. RESULTS: The advantages of the rotational nursing department included: (1) stimulating the nursing staff’s enthusiasm and creativity; (2) strengthening the communication and collaboration between departments; (3) improving the detailed management of nursing quality; and (4) enhancing the nursing staff’s comprehensive abilities. The disadvantages included: (1) the design of the rotation programme focusing on practice; (2) a lack of personalisation; and (3) imperfect performance assessment of the rotating staff. Opportunities included: (1) deepening the connotation of nursing job management and (2) developing the construction of nursing discipline and the need for personal career development and value realisation. Threats included the lack of a sound rotation management model to draw on. CONCLUSION: A rotational nursing department is conducive to enhancing the competence of nursing staff in management positions and providing new ideas for hospitals to select and train nursing management talents. By taking full advantage of the benefits of vertical nursing management, designing personalised rotation training programmes, building a diversified learning and training platform and developing a positive performance incentive mechanism is recommended to fully engage the role of rotation in nursing management talent training. Show more
Keywords: Job rotation training, post competency, SWOT analysis, nursing management
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231282
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-12, 2024
Authors: Rossi, Stefano Marco Paolo | Sangaletti, Rudy | Andriollo, Luca | Matascioli, Luca | Benazzo, Francesco
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have shown promising results in recent years with improved clinical outcomes using standard primary implants. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the experience of a single center in correcting severe coronal deformities with the use of a robotic-assisted TKA system and an increased constrained implant. METHODS: Between July 2020 and December 2022, 30 knees in 28 patients with a major deformity and an associated ligament laxity requiring an increased constrained implant treated using an imageless robotic-assisted TKA were prospectively enrolled. Patients included in the …study showed a minimum 15 degrees varus or 10 degrees valgus deviation. RESULTS: 20 cases were varus knees and 10 cases were valgus knees. Postoperative neutral alignment was defined as 0 ∘ ± 2.5 ∘ . A CCK implant was used in 20 cases while a Constrained Posterior Stabilized implant was used in 10 cases. A neutral alignment was achieved in all patients. At a minimum 6 months follow up (f-u 6–30 months) clinical outcomes including ROM, KSS, HSS, OKS and WOMAC showed significant improvement and no major complications were registered. CONCLUSIONS: The robotic system showed the achievement of a mechanical alignment with reliable radiographic outcomes and clinical results in the treatment of major deformities of the lower limb with the use of higher constrained implants at short term follow up. Further follow up and studies are necessary to confirm and verify these promising outcomes. Show more
Keywords: Robotics, knee, major deformities, varus, valgus, constaint, computer-aided surgical planning, orthopedic surgery
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231261
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
Authors: Siegel, Danielle N. | Ogle, Melissa M. | Wilson, Christopher | Scholes, Olivia | Prow, Abby | Mannen, Erin M.
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Rolling is an important developmental milestone for infants where identifying the coordinated movement patterns could facilitate the early identification of motor development delays. Current methods for identifying coordinated movements of rolling are limited to a laboratory setting and not feasible for clinicians. OBJECTIVE: To develop video-based methods in which six coordinated movements, previously defined through motion capture, can be identified through video alone. METHODS: Forty-five videos of sixteen healthy infants achieving a roll were used to develop the video-based methodology and twenty-four videos had corresponding motion capture data used for validation. Four raters …comprised of researchers and a clinician identified rolling coordination using the new video-based methods. A Fleiss’ Kappa statistical test determined the inter- and intra-rater reliability of agreement for the new methodology and compared it to motion capture. RESULTS: The comparison of the motion capture and video-based methods resulted in substantial agreement. The video-based methods inter- and intra-rater reliability were substantial and almost perfect, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We developed reliable methodology to accurately identify the coordinated movements of infant rolling using only 2D video. This methodology will allow researchers to reliably define coordinated movements of infants through video alone and may assist clinicians in identifying possible motor development delays and disorders. Show more
Keywords: Motor development, kinematics, milestones, biomechanics, experimental design
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231281
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-13, 2024
Authors: Wu, Mei-Mei | Li, Yao | Jiang, He-Qun | Ma, Ye
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mobile field hospital, a rapidly deployable healthcare facility for emergency care, was effective in ensuring rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV2 infections, effectively preventing the spread of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a survey to gain a thorough understanding of the epidemiological traits among the elderly who contracted the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus at a mobile field hospital set up at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). METHODS: A cross-sectional study approach was employed to examine various factors such as …demographic characteristics, clinical features, vaccination status, and nucleic acid testing. We utilized the DezhenTech Integrated Electronic Medical Record Platform (Municipal Isolation Hospital) to collect data and focused on elderly individuals infected with COVID-19 in the fifth isolation zone of the mobile field hospital set up at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The patients were categorized into different age groups for analysis. RESULTS: Among the 3,183 elderly patients, 54.7% were males and 45.3% were females, with an average age of 65.32 ± 4.41 years. Among them, 47.8% (1523/3183) were 60–64 years old, 34.0% (1082/3183) were 65–69 years old, 14.0% (444/3183) were 70–74 years old, 3.2% (103/3183) were 75–79 years old, and 1.0% (31/3183) were ⩾ 80 years old. The majority (95.7%) of the elderly patients with chronic conditions had hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. The first viral nucleic acid screening showed a higher positive rate in the community and hospital fever clinics. The cumulative positive rate of the nucleic acid test in the mobile field hospital was 38.7%. The average CT value of the COVID-19 ORF1ab gene was 34.56 ± 5.98, while the average CT value of the N gene was 33.10 ± 6.50. The patients took an average of 3.40 ± 0.45 days to test negative, with a positive rate of 15.4% and an average hospital stay of 7.45 ± 0.53 days. The overall rate of COVID-19 vaccine coverage was 68.0%, with an enhanced coverage rate of 40% and a non-coverage rate of 29.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prognosis for elderly patients who experienced a mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection at the mobile field hospital was favorable, although the vaccination rate in general was not high. By effectively managing underlying health conditions, the duration of their hospital stay in the mobile field hospital was reduced. Show more
Keywords: Elderly patients, epidemiology, mobile field hospital, SARS-CoV-2
DOI: 10.3233/THC-230973
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-8, 2024
Authors: Mu, Shangdong | Tian, Qiusi | Shen, Liangyu
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Nucleolar protein 16 (NOP16) is present in the protein complex of the nucleolus. The NOP16 promoter contains a c-Myc binding site, and the transcriptional regulation by c-Myc directly regulates NOP16 expression levels. OBJECTIVE: Dysregulation of NOP 16 is currently reported in only a small number of cancers. In this study, the expression profile of NOP 16 in hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and its clinical significance were analyzed. METHODS: NOP16 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and its relationship with the clinical characters of LIHC were examined using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Gene …Expression comprehensive database (GEO), Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, univariate Cox analysis, multivariate Cox analysis, ROC curve analysis of KEGG enrichment, GSEA enrichment, in vitro experiments (e.g., siRNA interference of NOP16 expression in hepatoma cells, Keap1-Nrf2 pathway, cell cycle, cell apoptosis and Transwell assays), and LIHC single-cell sequencing (scRNA). RESULTS: Pan-cancer analysis revealed that NOP16 was highly expressed in 20 cancer types, including LIHC, and high NOP16 expression was an independent adverse prognostic factor in LIHC patients. The expression levels of NOP16 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in tumour tissues of LIHC patients compared to normal tissues. The functions of co-expressed genes were primarily enriched in the cell cycle and reactive oxygen species metabolism. The experimental results showed that knockdown of NOP16 activated the Keap/Nrf2 signalling pathway and inhibited the invasion, migration, and EMT progression of LIHC cells. LIHC scRNA-seq data showed that NOP16 was primarily expressed in T lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: NOP16 promoted cancer development in LIHC and caused an imbalance in Keap/Nrf2 signalling, which subsequently caused the aberrant expression of genes typical for EMT, cell cycle progression and apoptosis. NOP16 is a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Show more
Keywords: NOP16, Keap1-Nrf2 pathway, hepatic cell liver cancer, bioinformatics
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231256
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-21, 2024
Authors: Fajkić, Almir | Jahić, Rijad | Begić, Edin | Dervišević, Amela | Kurtović, Avdo | Lepara, Orhan
Article Type: Research Article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of comorbidities related to regulating hyperglycemia and acute cardiovascular incidents and complications. With the increasing prevalence in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), MetS represents an increasing public health problem and clinical challenge, and early diagnosis is necessary to avoid the accelerated development of diabetic complications. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Complete Blood Count-derived Inflammation Indexes (CBCIIs) in predicting MetS in T2DM individuals. METHODS: The study was designed as a two-year prospective study and included 80 T2DM individuals divided into MetS and non-MetS groups …based on MetS development over two years. The sera samples were analyzed for complete blood count parameters and C-reactive protein (CRP). Based on the laboratory test results, 13 CBCIIs were calculated and analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and their corresponding areas under the curve (AUC) were used to determine prognostic accuracy. RESULTS: There were significant differences between T2DM participants with Mets and those without MetS concerning Neutrophil to Platelet Ratio (NPR) values (p < 0.001), Neutrophil to Lymphocyte and Platelet Ratio (NLPR) (p < 0.001), Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) (p < 0.001), Lymphocyte to C-reactive protein Ratio (LCR) (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein to Lymphocyte Ratio (CRP/Ly) (p < 0.001), Systemic immune inflammation index (SII) (< 0.001), and Aggregate Index of Systemic Inflammation (AISI) (p = 0.005). The results of ROC curve analysis have shown that the LCR (AUC of 0.907), CRP/Ly (AUC of 0.907) can serve as excellent predictors, but NPR (AUC of 0.734), NLRP (AUC of 0.755), PLR (AUC of 0.823), SII (AUC of 0.745), and AISI (AUC of 0.688) as good predictors of MetS in T2 DM individuals. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the reliability of the CBCIIs as novel, simple, low cost and valuable predictors of MetS developing in T2DM. Show more
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, complete blood count-derived inflammation indexes
DOI: 10.3233/THC-231101
Citation: Technology and Health Care, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-10, 2024
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