Automated Evaluation of Coordinated Movement of Fingers Using Home Rehabilitation Device

Home rehabilitation is much in need in ageing societies. Especially, for hemiplegia patients who have paralysis at fingers, it is known that long continuous rehabilitation is effective for recovery. To automate home rehabilitation without the help of a medical specialist, it is desirable not only to provide a rehabilitation procedure but also to give the condition of the paralysis of the patient. In our previous studies, we proposed a robotic device to foster separative voluntary finger lift movement. The device mounts pressure sensors at each finger to monitor the degree of unwanted finger movements. However, it is not clear which is an effective way to measure the condition of paralysis by these finger pressure time series data. In this paper, we propose a new measurement method that is based on the “coordinated movement” of fingers. A patient is asked to perform 4 tasks: pinch2 (pinch movement by index finger and thumb), pinch3 (pinch movement by index, middle and thumb), grasp2 (grasp movement by the ring and little finger), and grasp3 (grasp movement by the middle, ring, and little finger). All pressure time series of finger movements are quantified their dissimilarities with data of standard healthy subjects. We found that the grasp3 has the largest correspondence relation with the degree of paralysis

A Case of Hydrocele Stone with Its Composition Analysis

Hydrocele stones are freely mobile calcified bodies lying between the tunica vaginalis layers, and they are relatively rare. We present here another case of hydrocele stone incidentally discovered when castration was being undergone for the endocrine treatment of prostate cancer. A 71-year-old man was diagnosed as stage D2 prostate cancer with his prostate-specific antigen 387 ng/ml. A white smooth stone of 11 mm in diameter was incidentally found moving freely in the right hydrocele space during castration. The hydrocele stone was of yellow hard center with white materials around it. Crystallographical analysis of the hydrocele stone by a infrared spectrophotometer showed that the center was composed of 64% calcium carbonate and 36% calcium phosphate, while the outer portion was protein. Our case is the fourth where crystallographical analysis was reported for hydrocele stones

Evaluation of Forearm Musclar Function of Hemiplegic Patients Using Displacement MMG

To realise an automated self-rehabilitation at home, it is necessary to provide proper feedback on the status of the recovery of the patient. In a simple finger rehabilitation, a fingertip force monitor is used to detect undesired and paralyzed movement, which is used to determine the degree of recovery. In contrast to the fingertip force, the balance of flexion and extension of finger muscles is another essential feature of the paralysis. However, simultaneous monitoring of flexor and extensor is impossible by using a single fingertip pressure sensor. Usually, EMG is used to monitor individual muscular activity. However, inexperienced home user will not be able to deal with electrodes properly. In this paper, we propose a device to monitor flexion and extension by a unit which is easy to handle. Also, we propose a method to derive a degree of recovery using the signals collected from this device. The results by data collected from healthy and stroke patients show the potential effectiveness of our method

BODY SHAPE AND CENTER OF MASS ESTIMATION USING MULTI-VIEW IMAGES

This study presents a method for estimating human 3D body shape in action. We propose a method for estimating 3D human body shape motion that uses multiple view images and visual hulls. Related methods necessitated lengthier preparations, such as camera calibration, which would require several tries before actually capturing the image. We solve this issue by combining state-of-the-art computer vision methods to automatically process the required inputs and parameters, so that camera images are the only resource needed for estimation. In our experiments, we applied our method to a video of human subject kicking a soccer ball to left and right side of a goal; we successfully acquired the subject’s 3D body shape. In addition, we verified that the application’s automatically obtained body shape successfully provides the subject’s center of mass

A Case of Severe Hemorrhagic Cystitis Caused by Melphalan with Successful Bladder Preservation by Ligation of Bilateral Internal Iliac Arteries

Hemorrhagic cystitis is a disorder which causes bleeding from diffusely inflammatory bladder mucosa. Here we present a case of severe hemorrhagic cystitis caused by melphalan. A 70-year-old man with multiple myeloma was presented with suddenly commenced massive gross hematuria. During an attempt of transurethral coagulation of bladder mucosa, bladder perforation into peritoneal cavity was suspected, then open laparotomy was indicated. We isolated bilateral internal iliac arteries and ligated them in order to control continued bleeding. After that, bladder bleeding was suddenly diminished. Ligation of internal iliac arteries may be a choice in controlling massive bleeding from bladder with severe hemorrhagic cystitis when laparotomy was inevitable

Transient Occlusion of Bilateral Internal Iliac Arteries Facilitates Bloodless Operative Field in Subcapsular Prostatectomy

Transurethral resection of the prostate is the gold standard of surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Nevertheless, open subcapsular prostatectomy is still performed for large BPH. While enucleation of prostatic adenoma is being performed, unneglectable bleeding can occur and surgeons need to rush to remove adenomas, often using fingers and in a blinded fashion. The blood supply to the prostatic capsule and adenoma can be reduced to a marked extent in subcapsular prostatectomy if the bilateral internal iliac arteries are transiently occluded. Thus, a bloodless operative field is reasonably acquired during enucleation of adenoma, which would, otherwise, be a cause for concern to surgeons due to bleeding. It is not always applicable, but it could be an option if the estimated volume of BPH is more than 100 mL. In two cases, bilateral internal iliac arteries were occluded with Bulldog clamps, and then adenomas of 159 and 97 g were enucleated

Surgical Castration in Hormone-Refractory Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients Can Be an Alternative for Medical Castration

Background. Most patients with metastatic prostate cancer are endocrinologically treated with LHRH agonist, but finally castration-refractory and hormone-refractory cancers occur. Serum testosterone levels get low to “the castration level” by LHRH agonists but may not get low enough against castration-refractory prostate cancer. Methods. As case series, twelve patients suffering from hormone-refractory prostate cancer continuously on LHRH agonist underwent surgical castration. Additionally, one hundred and thirty-nine prostate cancer patients on LHRH agonist or surgical castration were tested for serum total testosterone levels. Results. Surgical castration caused decrease in serum PSA in one out of 12 hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients with PSA reduction rate 74%. Serum total testosterone levels were below the sensitivity threshold (0.05 ng/mL) in 40 of 89 (44.9%) medically castrated patients and 33 of 50 (66.0%) surgically castrated patients (P = .20). Conclusion. Even hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients are candidates for surgical castration because of endocrinological, oncological, and economical reasons

Field Survey of Flank Collapse and Run-up Heights due to 2018 Anak Krakatau Tsunami

Dataset: https://data.4tu.nl/articles/dataset/Bathymetry_data_underlying_the_publication_Field_survey_of_flank_collapse_and_run-up_heights_due_to_the_2018_Anak_Krakatau_Tsunami/1421561

Coincidence of HPV11-Positive Urethral Condyloma Acuminatum and HPV-Negative Multiple Bladder Papillomas in a Female

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are associated with proliferative lesions in a variety of human epithelial types. A 38-year-old female presented with a diagnosis of urethral condyloma acuminatum. She underwent transurethral resection of the urethral condyloma. At that time, multiple (five) bladder tumors were simultaneously found and also removed by transurethral resection. Four of the bladder tumors were diagnosed as squamous papilloma, and the other was urothelial inverted papilloma. Postoperative course was uneventful. Genomic DNA was extracted from 10 μm thick sections of each bladder tumor as well as urethral condyloma. Then, 16 types of HPV DNA sequences were assessed with the PapiPlex method using genomic DNA samples extracted from each bladder tumor as well as urethral condyloma. HPV-11 was detected in DNA extracted from the urethral condyloma, while no HPV DNA sequences were positive in any of the genomic DNA samples extracted from the bladder tumors

Enabling Secured Traceability of Fishery Products Using 2D Code and Digital Encryption

Technologies that enable traceability for fishery products are increasing their demands. Recently proposed technologies are mainly based on disposal RF(IC) tags which are able to record information directly onto them. However, the current systems based on RF tags have problems of expensive price of tags, and weakness of reading information if applied onto surface of products containing much water, which prevents to construct practically feasible systems using the RF tags. To provide a traceability system that uses much inexpensive media and that assures as high security as the RF tags, we propose a system based on a combination of printed 2D codes and internet connection, with security control similar to on-line electronic transactions. The proposed system identifies a fishery product by giving it a unique serial ID, which is issued by a database server, and printed in 2D code onto a paper or a plastic plate, which is directly put on the product. All the trace information sent from client (producer, transporters, and retailer) via internet is associated to the ID and stored to the server. Since 2D code is able to be read by such as mobile phones with built-in camera, a consumer is able to get history of the product with a single scanning operation. For the weakness of printed codes against duplication by copying, we propose a method to identify its validity by digital encryption, along with identification by weight information. The system is assured its usability by a series of experiments conducted for the distribution of cultured flounder in Hakodate, Japan.Keywords: Mobile Phone, Fisheries Economics, Falsification, Brand Fish, 2D Code, Fish Processing, Marketing, And Consumption, TraceabilityKeywords: Mobile Phone, Fisheries Economics, Falsification, Brand Fish, 2D Code, Fish Processing, Marketing, And Consumption, Traceabilit