Convolutional Neural Network for Individual Identification Using Phase Space Reconstruction of Electrocardiogram.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) biometric provides an authentication to identify an individual on the basis of specific cardiac potential measured from a living body. Convolutional neural networks (CNN) outperform traditional ECG biometrics because convolutions can produce discernible features from ECG through machine learning. Phase space reconstruction (PSR), using a time delay technique, is one of the transformations from ECG to a feature map, without the need of exact R-peak alignment.

Deep Neural Network for the Detections of Fall and Physical Activities Using Foot Pressures and Inertial Sensing.

Fall detection and physical activity (PA) classification are important health maintenance issues for the elderly and people with mobility dysfunctions. The literature review showed that most studies concerning fall detection and PA classification addressed these issues individually, and many were based on inertial sensing from the trunk and upper extremities. While shoes are common footwear in daily off-bed activities, most of the aforementioned studies did not focus much on shoe-based measurements.

Incidence and risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in middle-aged patients with chronic kidney disease: a population-based cohort study.

Purpose: For early prevention, information regarding the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in middle-aged patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be more beneficial than that regarding MACE prevalence. But, literature comparing the incidence and risk of MACEs in middle-aged patients with CKD with the controls using a population-based cohort study is scant. Our aim was to estimate the incidence and risk of MACEs, such as congestive heart failure (CHF) and ischemic heart disease (IHD), in middle-aged patients with advanced (stages 3-5) CKD.

Kinesio taping reduces elbow pain during resisted wrist extension in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis: a randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study.

Background: Lateral epicondylitis is frequently seen in racquet sport players and the treatments are usually symptomatic rather than curative. Taping therapy is cheap and easy to apply in the sport field. In this study we valued the effectiveness of Kinesio taping (KT) on immediate pain control for patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis.

Non-elastic taping, but not elastic taping, provides benefits for patients with knee osteoarthritis: systemic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine whether therapeutic taping, which includes elastic (Kinesio tape) and non-elastic (Leukotape) taping, is superior to control taping in improving pain and functions for patients with knee arthritis. To understand whether both elastic and non-elastic taping are beneficial.

Methods: We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases from their earliest record to 31 May 2017 for randomized controlled and cross-over studies that used taping to treat knee osteoarthritis.

Association Between Manual Loading and Newly Developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Subjects With Physical Disabilities: A Follow-Up Study.

Objective: To identify the association between body composition and newly developed carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and to search for the best probabilistic cutoff value of associated factors to predict subjects with physical disabilities developing new CTS.

Design: Longitudinal.

Setting: University-affiliated medical center.

ECG-derived respirations based on phase-space reconstruction of single-lead ECG: validations over various physical activities based on parallel recordings of ECG, respiration, and body accelerations.

ECG derived respiration (EDR) provides a comfortable measurement of respiration and is recently applied to sleep studies. Nevertheless, the mechanic disturbances due to postural changes or other physical activity during long-term recording is less investigated. In the present study, ECG, impedance-based respiration, and body accelerations were parallel recorded during a series of scheduled postures in 8 healthy subjects and during 24 hours in one subject.

The probability of spontaneous regression of lumbar herniated disc: a systematic review.

Objective: To determine the probability of spontaneous disc regression among each type of lumbar herniated disc, using a systematic review.

Data Sources: Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched using key words for relevant original articles published before March 2014. Articles were limited to those published in English and human studies.

Pathogen colonization in patients with acute cerebral stroke.

Purpose: To identify the pathogens that frequently cause infection and to explore their clinical features in acute stroke patients.

Methods: From June 1, 1999 to December 31, 2008, we reviewed medical records of 263 patients with acute stroke and 351 controls. Within 30 days from admission, 109 and 107 patients had one or more bacterial cultures, respectively.

Prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting as weight-control strategy among adolescents in Taiwan.

Aims: This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting to control body weight among adolescents in Taiwan.

Background: Over the past decades, the rate of obesity among children in Taiwan has nearly tripled. Educational authorities have devoted considerable effort to prevent the increase in childhood obesity.