The Evolution of Spinal Endoscopy: Design and Image Analysis of a Single-Use Digital Endoscope Versus Traditional Optic Endoscope.

Spinal endoscopy has evolved significantly since its inception, offering minimally invasive solutions for various spinal pathologies. This study introduces a promising innovation in spinal endoscopy-a single-use digital endoscope designed to overcome the drawbacks of traditional optic endoscopes. Traditional endoscopes, despite their utility, present challenges such as fragility, complex disinfection processes, weight issues, and susceptibility to mechanical malfunctions.

Emotional tones of voice affect the acoustics and perception of Mandarin tones.

Lexical tones and emotions are conveyed by a similar set of acoustic parameters; therefore, listeners of tonal languages face the challenge of processing lexical tones and emotions in the acoustic signal concurrently. This study examined how emotions affect the acoustics and perception of Mandarin tones. In Experiment 1, Mandarin tones were produced by professional actors with angry, fear, happy, sad, and neutral tones of voice.

Creating a Medical Imaging Workflow Based on FHIR, DICOMweb, and SVG.

This paper proposes a web-based workflow scheme for the organization of medical images using FHIR and DICOM servers equipped with standard RESTful APIs. In our integrated workflow, the client systems (including order placer, scheduler, imaging modality, viewer, and report creator) use standard FHIR and DICOMweb APIs. The proposed scheme also facilitates the creation of reports formatted as standard FHIR resources.

Recognizing the Differentiation Degree of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning-Based Approaches.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated into mesenchymal stem cells (iPSC-MSCs), retinal ganglion cells (iPSC-RGCs), and retinal pigmental epithelium cells (iPSC-RPEs) to meet the demand of regeneration medicine. Since the production of iPSCs and iPSC-derived cell lineages generally requires massive and time-consuming laboratory work, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted approach that can facilitate the cell classification and recognize the cell differentiation degree is of critical demand. In this study, we propose the multi-slice tensor model, a modified convolutional neural network (CNN) designed to classify iPSC-derived cells and evaluate the differentiation efficiency of iPSC-RPEs.

BlueLight: An Open Source DICOM Viewer Using Low-Cost Computation Algorithm Implemented with JavaScript Using Advanced Medical Imaging Visualization.

Recently, WebGL has been widely used in numerous web-based medical image viewers to present advanced imaging visualization. However, in the scenario of medical imaging, there are many challenges of computation time and memory consumption that limit the use of advanced image renderings, such as volume rendering and multiplanar reformation/reconstruction, in low-cost mobile devices. In this study, we propose a client-side rendering low-cost computation algorithm for common two- and three-dimensional medical imaging visualization implemented by pure JavaScript.

Precise joint preserving surgery by using Three-Dimensional Printing Technology for metastatic periacetabular bone tumor: A technique note and preliminary report.

Background/purpose: Complex arthroplasties for periacetabular metastatic lesions can result in complications including infection and prosthesis loosening owing to poor bone quality. A new surgical protocol has been developed as a joint-sparing surgery to avoid complications after arthroplasties. The main surgical steps are: (a) conservative and accurate tumor resection with aid of 3D printing model-assisted preoperative resection simulation and preparation of pre-contour plate, (b) reconstruction with structural bone graft through the sandwich technique for augmentation of subchondral bone.

Classification of Vascular Hotspots and Micro-Vessel Flow Velocity Waveforms in Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions and HPV Condyloma of the Cervix.

To assess hotspot micro-vessel flow velocity waveforms in human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical infections using transvaginal power Doppler ultrasound (TV-PDU) and to explore the associations of these sonographic parameters with HPV condyloma and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) of the cervix. A total of 39 patients with cervical HPV infections with abnormal cytology and colposcopy results (26 cases of LSIL; 13 cases of HPV condyloma) were enrolled to assess the vascular classification of the cervix and micro-vessel flow velocity using TV-PDU before treatment; 40 individuals with a pathologically normal cervix were used as the control group; seven parameters were measured, including vascular grading classification (Class I, Class II, and Class III), lowest pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), peak systolic velocity (PS), end-diastolic velocity (ED), time average maximum velocity (TAMV), and the vascular index (VI = PS/ED). According to vascular classification, most LSILs were class I (69.

Prenatal Diagnosis Using Chromosomal Microarray Analysis in High-Risk Pregnancies.

Background: To assess the value of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) during the prenatal diagnosis of high-risk pregnancies. Methods: Between January 2016 and November 2021, we included 178 chorionic villi and 859 amniocentesis samples from consecutive cases at a multiple tertiary hospital. Each of these high-risk singleton pregnancies had at least one of the following indications: (1) advanced maternal age (AMA; ≥35 years; 546, 52.

Deep Learning-Based Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Hand X-ray Images Conforming to Modified Total Sharp/van der Heijde Score.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease; early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for its management. Currently, the modified total Sharp score (mTSS) is widely used as a scoring system for RA. The standard screening process for assessing mTSS is tedious and time-consuming.

Cervical Power Doppler Angiography with Micro Vessel Blood Flow Indices in the Auxiliary Diagnosis of Acute Cervicitis.

We have conducted cervical imaging of uterine and micro-vessel flow velocity waveforms in acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) by transvaginal power Doppler ultrasound (TVPDU) in order to explore the associations of sonographic parameters with simple and complex cervicitis. Thirty-eight patients with acute PID (26 with acute simple cervicitis and 12 with complex cervicitis) were enrolled for an assessment of vascular grading of cervix and micro-vessel flow velocity using TVPDU before treatment. Seven parameters, including vascular grading (VG), lowest pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), peak systolic velocity (PS), end diastolic velocity (ED), time average maximum velocity (TAMV), and vascular index (VI = PS/ED), were measured and recorded.

The impact of prenatal screening tests on prenatal diagnosis in Taiwan from 2006 to 2019: a regional cohort study.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of prenatal screening tests on prenatal diagnosis in Taiwan's 14 years from 2006 to 2019.

Methods: The prenatal screening methods evolved from the second-trimester serum screening to combined first-trimester screening (cFTS) and then followed by the non-invasive cell-free DNA prenatal test (NIPT). The data used by the Department of Statistics, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior public website.

The Optimal Strategy of Vitamin D for Sarcopenia: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Sarcopenia is a disease of gradual loss of muscle mass in elderly people, and the most common treatment options include nutritional supplementation and exercise. Vitamin D has potential beneficial effects for skeletal muscle tissue and has often been included in nutritional therapy formulations. However, the therapeutic effect of vitamin D for the treatment of sarcopenia has not yet been determine and there is a lack of high-quality supporting evidence.

Gender- and Age-Specific Differences in Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Central Autonomic Network in Adulthood.

Previous functional imaging studies have identified the role of central autonomic network (CAN) in autonomic regulation during various tasks. However, its variability with respect to gender and age, particularly in the resting state, remains poorly understood. Therefore, in this study we systematically investigated gender- and age-related differences in the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) seeded from core regions of this network, namely posterior mid-cingulate gyrus (pMCC), left amygdala, right anterior and left posterior insula, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), using a large cross-sectional adulthood sample.

Altered Central Autonomic Network in Baseball Players: A Resting-state fMRI Study.

The physiological adaptive regulation of healthy population with a high fitness level is associated with enhanced cognitive control in brain. This study further investigated the effects of different levels of sporting experience on intrinsic brain networks involved in central autonomic processing using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We explored functional connectivity of four core regions within central autonomic network (CAN), namely posterior midcingulate cortex (pMCC), left amygdala (AMYG), and right anterior (aINS) and left posterior insular cortices, in advanced and intermediate baseball players, and compared their strength of connectivity with individuals without baseball-playing experience.

Performance of sparse-view CT reconstruction with multi-directional gradient operators.

To further reduce the noise and artifacts in the reconstructed image of sparse-view CT, we have modified the traditional total variation (TV) methods, which only calculate the gradient variations in x and y directions, and have proposed 8- and 26-directional (the multi-directional) gradient operators for TV calculation to improve the quality of reconstructed images. Different from traditional TV methods, the proposed 8- and 26-directional gradient operators additionally consider the diagonal directions in TV calculation. The proposed method preserves more information from original tomographic data in the step of gradient transform to obtain better reconstruction image qualities.

Development of Limited-Angle Iterative Reconstruction Algorithms with Context Encoder-Based Sinogram Completion for Micro-CT Applications.

Limited-angle iterative reconstruction (LAIR) reduces the radiation dose required for computed tomography (CT) imaging by decreasing the range of the projection angle. We developed an image-quality-based stopping-criteria method with a flexible and innovative instrument design that, when combined with LAIR, provides the image quality of a conventional CT system. This study describes the construction of different scan acquisition protocols for micro-CT system applications.

Compressed sensing based CT reconstruction algorithm combined with modified Canny edge detection.

Given that the computed tomography (CT) reconstruction algorithm based on compressed sensing (CS) results in blurred edges, we propose a modified Canny operator that assists the CS algorithm to accurately capture an object's edge, to preserve and further enhance the contrasts in the reconstructed image, thereby improving image quality. We modified two procedures of the traditional Canny operator, namely non-maximum suppression and edge tracking by hysteresis according to the characteristics of low-dose CT reconstruction, and proposed two major modifications: double-response edge detection and directional edge tracking. The newly modified Canny operator was combined with the CS reconstruction algorithm to become an edge-enhanced CS (EECS).

Network characteristics and patent value-Evidence from the Light-Emitting Diode industry.

This study proposes a different angle to social network analysis that evaluates patent value and explores its influencing factors using the network centrality and network position. This study utilizes a logistic regression model to explore the relationships in the LED industry between patent value and network centrality as measured from out-degree centrality, in-degree centrality, in-closeness centrality, and network position, which is measured from effect size. The empirical result shows that out-degree centrality and in-degree centrality have significant positive effects on patent value and that effect size has a significant negative effect on patent value.

Novel Hierarchical Fall Detection Algorithm Using a Multiphase Fall Model.

Falls are the primary cause of accidents for the elderly in the living environment. Reducing hazards in the living environment and performing exercises for training balance and muscles are the common strategies for fall prevention. However, falls cannot be avoided completely; fall detection provides an alarm that can decrease injuries or death caused by the lack of rescue.

What Do Stroke Patients Look for in Game-Based Rehabilitation: A Survey Study.

Stroke is one of the most common causes of physical disability, and early, intensive, and repetitive rehabilitation exercises are crucial to the recovery of stroke survivors. Unfortunately, research shows that only one third of stroke patients actually perform recommended exercises at home, because of the repetitive and mundane nature of conventional rehabilitation exercises. Thus, to motivate stroke survivors to engage in monotonous rehabilitation is a significant issue in the therapy process.