LightPRA:A Lightweight Temporal Convolutional Network for Automatic Physical Rehabilitation Exercise Assessment

Research evidence shows that physical rehabilitation exercises prescribed by medical experts can assist in restoring physical function, improving life quality, and promoting independence for physically disabled individuals. In response to the absence of immediate expert feedback on performed actions, developing a Human Action Evaluation (HAE) system emerges as a valuable automated solution, addressing the need for accurate assessment of exercises and guidance during physical rehabilitation. Previous HAE systems developed for the rehabilitation exercises have focused on developing models that utilize skeleton data as input to compute a quality score for each action performed by the patient. However, existing studies have focused on improving scoring performance while often overlooking computational efficiency. In this research, we propose LightPRA (Light Physical Rehabilitation Assessment) system, an innovative architectural solution based on a Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN), which harnesses the capabilities of dilated causal Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). This approach efficiently captures complex temporal features and characteristics of the skeleton data with lower computational complexity, making it suitable for real-time feedback provided on resource-constrained devices such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Edge computing frameworks. Through empirical analysis performed on the University of Idaho-Physical Rehabilitation Movement Data (UI-PRMD) and KInematic assessment of MOvement for remote monitoring of physical REhabilitation (KIMORE) datasets, our proposed LightPRA model demonstrates superior performance over several state-of-the-art approaches such as Spatial-Temporal Graph Convolutional Network (STGCN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based models in scoring human activity performance, while exhibiting lower computational cost and complexity

Tracking the Near Eastern origins and European dispersal of the western house mouse

Abstract: The house mouse (Mus musculus) represents the extreme of globalization of invasive mammals. However, the timing and basis of its origin and early phases of dispersal remain poorly documented. To track its synanthropisation and subsequent invasive spread during the develoment of complex human societies, we analyzed 829 Mus specimens from 43 archaeological contexts in Southwestern Asia and Southeastern Europe, between 40,000 and 3,000 cal. BP, combining geometric morphometrics numerical taxonomy, ancient mitochondrial DNA and direct radiocarbon dating. We found that large late hunter-gatherer sedentary settlements in the Levant, c. 14,500 cal. BP, promoted the commensal behaviour of the house mouse, which probably led the commensal pathway to cat domestication. House mouse invasive spread was then fostered through the emergence of agriculture throughout the Near East 12,000 years ago. Stowaway transport of house mice to Cyprus can be inferred as early as 10,800 years ago. However, the house mouse invasion of Europe did not happen until the development of proto urbanism and exchange networks — 6,500 years ago in Eastern Europe and 4000 years ago in Southern Europe — which in turn may have driven the first human mediated dispersal of cats in Europe

From the Proto-Elamite to Shimashki: the third millennium BC at Tappeh Senjar, the Susiana Plain

The rise of the Elamite culture and its state formation in southwestern Iran is a difficult topic to address, as apart from historical sources, the evidence is restricted to scant archaeological discoveries from recent years, most of which come from Susa and a few other sites. However, stratigraphic excavations at Tappeh Senjar in northern Khuzestan from 2007‑2009 have revealed architecture, pottery assemblages, seals and samples for radiocarbon dating, showing that the site was related to the third millennium BC. Trenches A and E provided useful information about site formation processes, the chronological framework of Susiana Plain, cultural relations with ancient Susa and other centers in Mesopotamia and Zagros. Excavated finds show that Tappeh Senjar was occupied from the late fifth millennium BC to the Proto-Elamite (Susa III) period, subsequently reoccupied in Susa IV A, and settled again during Susa IV B, through to Shimashki, Sukkal Mah and the Middle Elamite.L’essor de la culture élamite et son développement en État dans le sud‑ouest de l’Iran, mis à part les sources historiques, est un problème archéologique en raison du faible nombre de vestiges découverts au cours de ces dernières années, limités seulement au matériel de Suse et de quelques autres sites. Mais les fouilles stratigraphiques de Tappeh Senjar dans le Khuzestan du Nord, menées de 2007 à 2009, ont fourni des vestiges se rapportant au IIIe millénaire av. J.‑C., comme de l’architecture, de la poterie, des sceaux et aussi des échantillons pour des datations radiocarbone. Les vestiges trouvés dans les tranchées A et E apportent des informations précieuses sur le processus de formation du site, le cadre chronologique de la plaine de Susiane ainsi que les relations culturelles entre Suse et les autres centres de la Mésopotamie et de Zagros. Les trouvailles archéologiques indiquent que le site de Tappeh Senjar a été occupé à partir de la fin du Ve millénaire av. J.‑C. et durant la période proto-élamite (Suse III). Il a été réoccupé au cours de la séquence Suse IV A, et à nouveau au cours de la séquence Suse IV B, puis pendant les époques Shimashki, Sukkal Mah et médio-élamite.ظهور فرهنگ ایلامی و شکل گیری حکومت دراین دوره در جنوب غرب ایران، فارغ از مدارک تاریخی، مسئله ای است که از منظر مدارک باستان شناختی در سال های اخیر چندان مورد توجه قرا نگرفته و صرفاً به یافته های حاصل از شوش و چند مکان دیگر محدوده مانده است. کاوش های لایه نگاری سال های 1386 تا 1388 در محوطه باستانی تپه سنجر در شمال خوزستان، مدارکی از این دوران در هزاره سوم ق.م را آشکار ساخته است که شامل معماری، سفال، مهر و نمونه هایی جهت تاریخ گذاری رادیوکربن می شود. این آثار در دو گمانه A و E به دست آمده که اطلاعات مفیدی را در مورد گاهنگاری شمال دشت شوشان، چگونگی ارتباط با شوش را ارائه داده است. یافته های کاوش نشان می دهد که با تداوم سکونت در دوره آغازایلامی، این محوطه احتمالاً در دوره شوش 4 الف مدتی غیرمسکون شده، سپس در دوره شوش 4ب دوباره شواهدی از استقرار در آن نمایان شده که تا دوره شیماشکی، سوکلمخ و ایلام میانی ادامه می یابد

Design and Simulation of a New Model for Treatment by NCT

In this investigation, neutron capture therapy (NCT) through high energy neutrons using Monte Carlo method has been studied. In this study a new method of NCT for a sample liver phantom has been defined, and interaction of 12 MeV neutrons with a multilayer spherical phantom is considered. In order to reach the desirable energy range of neutrons in accord with required energy in absence of eligible clinical neutron source for NCT, this model of phantom might be utilized. The neutron flux and the deposited dose in the all components and different layers of the mentioned phantom are computed by Monte Carlo simulation. The results of Monte Carlo method are compared with analytical method results so that by using a computer program in Turbo-Pascal programming, the deposited dose in the liver phantom has been computed

Retrospective radon measurements based on implanted 210Po in glass objects using polycarbonate detectors

In the present investigation, a surface-deposited polonium was measured in 37 houses in Rasht and Ramsar cities of Iran with the aim of evaluating the retrospective radon concentration. The CR-LR technique is widely used in this regard, but for the first time, Lexan polycarbonate detectors were used to measure the activity of 210Po planted in glassy objects. These detectors were placed on glassy surfaces for 153 to 365 days. A passive cylindrical diffusion chamber was used for the contemporary radon concentration measurements. The diffusion chamber consists of the Lexan polycarbonate films as a solid state nuclear track detectors and filter. The surface-deposited 210Po activity concentration was found to vary from 0.26 to 11.96 mBqcm-2 with average of 2.62 mBqcm-2. The sensitivity of 210Po to polycarbonate was determined to be 0.06456 track per cm2 per mBqhcm-2. Thus, the radon concentration was found to vary from 122 to 4840 Bqm-3 with an average value 1243 Bqm-3 and the contemporary radon concentration in the area was found to vary from 15 to 2420 Bqm-3 with an average 513 Bqm-3. The results indicate that there is a significant correlation between the concentration of the retrospective radon and the concentration of the contemporary radon gas in the indicated areas with a coefficient of 0.80672

Portal image contrast enhancement

SummaryAimThe delivery of radiation doses to the target volume, while minimizing the dose delivered to normal tissues, is the main objective in radiotherapy. The intention in our study was to enhance the contrast of portal images, in order to increase the accuracy of delineation of the organs in the irradiated field.Materials/MethodsSoftware was written, based on local enhancements to the pixel values in the image matrix. Portal images were digitized by CCD and stored in a format compatible with this program.We applied this program, as an m-file in a MATLAB imaging tool box, to the matrices of the portal images. The imaging parameters, before and after application of the program, were compared.ResultsQuantitative information was obtained from images. Analysis of the means, and standard deviations, of these data showed that the differences between criteria in the two groups of images were significant (p<0.01). In the case of the qualitative analysis, final images scores were based on “special weight”. The result of this test confirmed the superior quality of the post-processed images, from the professional point of view.ConclusionThe superior final images, as judged by experts using three studied parameters (superiority of lung images, superior images of the thorax and its soft tissue), can be used to increase the accuracy of the treatment set up and therefore decrease the likelihood of complications in the normal tissues

Echocardiographic estimation of left ventricular filling pressures in heart transplant recipients

Abstract Background Echocardiographic estimation of left ventricular filling pressure in heart transplant (HTx) recipients is challenging. The ability of echocardiography to detect elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) in HTx patients was assessed in this study. Results This descriptive cross-sectional study included 39 HTx recipients who were candidates for endomyocardial biopsy as a part of their routine post-transplantation surveillance. Doppler transthoracic echocardiography was done before the procedure, and left heart catheterization was done during the endomyocardial biopsy. Thirty-nine patients (15 female, 24 male), with a mean age of 39.6 years (range 13–70), were enrolled. A strong relation was observed between lateral E/e′ and LVEDP (R = 0.64, P value < 0.001) and average E/e′ and LVEDP (R = 0.6, P value < 0.001). The best cutoff value for LVEDP prediction was the average E/e′ ≥ 6.8 with a sensitivity of 96.15% and specificity of 68.5% for the prediction of LVEDP more than or equal to 20 mmHg. Two predictive models comprising age, gender, and lateral E/e′ or average E/e′ were also proposed. A significant relationship was also found between LVEDP and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (R = − 0.31, P value < 0.01). Conclusions Lateral E/e′ was the best predictor of LVEDP. The cutoff of average E/e′ had the best validity for the estimation of LVEDP. Despite the strong observed association, echocardiographic parameters cannot be considered a surrogate for invasive LVEDP measurements when seeking information about left ventricle filling pressure on heart transplant recipients

Archaeoseismicity of the Mounds and Monuments along the Kāzerun Fault (Western Zāgros, SW Iranian Plateau) since the Chalcolithic Period

Our multidisciplinary investigation represents off-fault archaeoseismic indicators recorded in the archaeological remains at mounds and structural elements of monuments situated along the Kāzerun fault in the western Zāgros Mountains since the Chalcolithic period. The study revealed two large magnitude earthquakes (~Mw &gt; 7.0, possibly ~7.3) ca. 3850-3680 BC and ca. 3030 BC with return periods of ~735 ± ? years at Tol-e Spid. Detecting only two earthquakes during the 4000 year life span of archaeological mound is incompatible with the 3.6-3.9 slip rate along the Kāzerun fault. After a long gap in data, a strong earthquake indicator is recorded ca. 400-200 BC in Qal'eh Kāli; all located to the north of the Kāzerun fault bend. On the contrary, in addition to the vandalism episodes during the invasions of the Moslem Arabs (16/637), the Mongol hordes (1219-1250), and Timur (1370-1405), the structural elements of the royal Sasanid city of Bishāpur, located to the south of the fault bend, indicated archaeoseismic indicators of four possible earthquakes within a period of 800 years. The limited data indicate that the archaeological sites located to the north of the fault bend (Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurābād, Qal'eh Kāli, Tal-e Gachgaerān, Mil-e Ezhdehā, and Naubandégān) were subjected to stronger (larger magnitude) earthquakes with longer return periods. Whereas the sites located to the south of the fault bend (Sasanid royal city of Bishāpur and Kāzerun) showed evidence of earthquakes with slightly lower magnitudes and shorter recurrence periods of ~270 ± ? years. The study has shed light on the approximate magnitude and return period of earthquakes which could not have been achieved through the short term regional historical earthquake records. The distribution of settlements from the Chalcolithic to the present in closely associated with the trend of the Kāzerun fault. The archaeoseismic events in the past were disasterous to urban areas and the fault constitutes a continuing hazard to the local population and their irreplaceable monuments