Rehabilitation Evaluation Research Articles

Rehabilitation Evaluation of Upper Limb Motor Function for Stroke Patients Based on Belief Rule Base.

In the process of rehabilitation treatment for stroke patients, rehabilitation evaluation is a significant part in rehabilitation medicine. Researchers intellectualized the evaluation of rehabilitation evaluation methods and proposed quantitative evaluation methods based on evaluation scales, without the clinical background of physiatrist. However, in clinical practice, the experience of physiatrist plays an important role in the rehabilitation evaluation of patients. Therefore, this paper designs a 5 degrees of freedom (DoFs) upper limb (UL) rehabilitation robot and proposes a rehabilitation evaluation model based on Belief Rule Base (BRB) which can add the expert knowledge of physiatrist to the rehabilitation evaluation. The motion data of stroke patients during active training are collected by the rehabilitation robot and signal collection system, and then the upper limb motor function of the patients is evaluated by the rehabilitation evaluation model. To verify the accuracy of the proposed method, Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) are used to evaluate. Comparative analysis shows that the BRB model has high accuracy and effectiveness among the three evaluation models. The results show that the rehabilitation evaluation model of stroke patients based on BRB could help physiatrists to evaluate the UL motor function of patients and master the rehabilitation status of stroke patients.

Deep Learning Model Coupling Wearable Bioelectric and Mechanical Sensors for Refined Muscle Strength Assessment.

Muscle strength (MS) is related to our neural and muscle systems, essential for clinical diagnosis and rehabilitation evaluation. Although emerging wearable technology seems promising for MS assessment, problems still exist, including inaccuracy, spatiotemporal differences, and analyzing methods. In this study, we propose a wearable device consisting of myoelectric and strain sensors, synchronously acquiring surface electromyography and mechanical signals at the same spot during muscle activities, and then employ a deep learning model based on temporal convolutional network (TCN) + Transformer (Tcnformer), achieving accurate grading and prediction of MS. Moreover, by combining with deep clustering, named Tcnformer deep cluster (TDC), we further obtain a 25-level classification for MS assessment, refining the conventional 5 levels. Quantification and validation showcase a patient's postoperative recovery from level 3.2 to level 3.6 in the first few days after surgery. We anticipate that this system will importantly advance precise MS assessment, potentially improving relevant clinical diagnosis and rehabilitation outcomes.

Combined detection of hepatitis B virus surface antigen and hepatitis B virus DNA using a DNA sensor.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with the progression of liver disease. Occult HBV infection (OBI) is defined as the existence of detectable HBV DNA in HBV surface antigen negative individuals. However, HBV DNA is negative in serum while HBV surface antigen remains positive in incompletely cured chronic HBV infection. Hence, combined detection of HBV surface antigen and HBV DNA is essential for the accurate detection and rehabilitation of HBV infection. Therefore, a multiplex detection strategy based on branched DNA nanostructures was developed. The single-stranded segment of a branched DNA nanostructure (segments of S4 and S2) assembled by four single-stranded DNA was hybridized with the aptamer of HBV surface antigen and DNA hairpin to construct a DNA nanosensor, which can achieve high specificity identification and highly sensitive fluorescence responses to the targets. The detection limits of the developed nanosensor for HBV and HBV DNA are 50 pM and 5 nM, respectively. The combined detection of HBV surface antigen and HBV DNA provides a new insight for more thorough diagnostic evaluation of HBV infection and rehabilitation.

The last chain of trauma survival: development of a scale for trauma-rehabilitation linkage in South Korea using a systematic review and expert consensus.

There is a high possibility of trauma patients being referred to an unsuitable medical institution for their rehabilitation treatment since the decision is made by them. This study sought to develop a standardized scale to evaluate the need for specialized rehabilitation in patients with multiple traumas and evaluate the effectiveness of the developed scale. This study employed a systematic review of existing literature to inform the development of a specialized rehabilitation evaluation scale. An expert panel consisting of trauma surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, and rehabilitation medicine physicians collaborated to create a discharge-planning checklist by assessing the need for specialized rehabilitation. The checklist was validated using retrospective data from trauma patients treated at Seoul National University Hospital. We identified 12 studies, providing factors influencing the discharge location and rehabilitation needs of trauma patients. The checklist was developed through expert consensus and comprised 3 criteria: discharge feasibility to specialized rehabilitation facilities, diagnostic eligibility for specialized rehabilitation, and functional assessment. Validation of the checklist demonstrated that the percentage agreement, likelihood ratio of a positive test, and Cohen's kappa value were 82.1%, 5.21, and 0.375, respectively when comparing whether the checklist was met and the actual discharge location, indicating its effectiveness. This study established standardized criteria for assessing the need for specialized rehabilitation in trauma patients, offering a practical tool for clinical use. Implementation of this assessment scale has the potential to improve the trajectory of trauma survivors by facilitating access to appropriate rehabilitation services.

Six Minutes Walking Test as Assessment in Determining Fitness to Work After Spinal Tuberculosis Post Stabilization and Comprehensive Rehabilitation: A Case Report

Introduction: Spinal tuberculosis is the most common extrapulmonary skeletal form of tuberculosis that can lead to neuromuscular deficit. Neuromuscular deficit may include paraplegia in both legs, inability to perform daily activities, and an increased risk of loss of occupation. Case Presentation: A 37-year-old male presented with a chief complaint of weakness in both legs and was unable to stand properly unassisted. This patient was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis, confirmed by MRI. The rehabilitation program was designed for 6 months, focusing on the preservation of cardiorespiratory endurance and planning a return to work. Evaluation of physical fitness and working ability was carried out using the 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) and Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaires to determine whether the patient was fit to work. Six months after the rehabilitation program, the patient showed moderate physical fitness and a WAI score of 37 indicating fitness to work. Conclusion: Complications of spinal tuberculosis can cause disability in daily activities and result in loss of occupation. In this case, after six months of a comprehensive rehabilitation program and evaluation of fitness capacity, the patient can return to work but still needs more support of his work ability than before the illness.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of complex medical rehabilitation of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis associated with atopic dermatitis using ICF

BACKGROUND: In medical rehabilitation of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis, aimed at solving the urgent strategic task of public health care to achieve and maintain an optimal level of functioning of persons suffering from partial disability through the development of effective methods of restoration of impaired functions and prevention of complications, there is a need to adequately assess the effectiveness of the measures taken. In this regard, it should be noted that the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) serves as the gold standard for assessing the patient's quality of life and the effectiveness of rehabilitation measures. The category of human functioning acts as a system-forming basis and starting point of the patient's rehabilitation process in the ICF. In practice, the ICF is based on the biopsychosocial model of health (disease) assessment, which considers psychological and social factors of health (disease) and biological disorders in close interrelated unity. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of complex medical rehabilitation of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis associated with atopic dermatitis using dynamic changes in the main domains of the ICF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed with 89 patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis associated with atopic dermatitis. All patients were divided into 4 groups by simple fixed randomisation. The first group (control, n=22) received only basic therapy, including endonasal application of nasonex 2 doses 2 times a day, daily twice daily washing of the nasal mucosa, as well as the use of desensitising (antihistamines, topical glucocorticoids and moisturising and emollient agents) and detoxifying agents. Patients in the second group (comparison group 1, n=22) were additionally subcutaneously administered dupilumab at a dose of 300 mcg once a fortnight. In the third group (comparison group 2, n=23) against the background of dupilumab administration the combined effect of alternating magnetic field and low-intensity laser radiation of red spectrum was performed. Patients of the fourth group (the main group, n=22) received a course of phototherapy in addition to the scope of treatment of patients of the third group. The results of medical rehabilitation of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis associated with atopic dermatitis were evaluated according to the dynamics of specialised categories of ICF, which most accurately characterise the patient's condition from the perspective of the biopsychosocial model of the disease. RESULTS: Changes in the estimated parameters of ICF at comparable initial values had different character and were determined by the scheme of medical rehabilitation. Minimal changes were recorded in the control group. The use of dupilumab was accompanied by positive dynamics of the parameters after 1 month with a significant increase in the shifts after 6 months, indicating the recovery of a number of mental and physical functions, as well as the ICF categories characterising the organism structures, activity and participation of the patient. Supplementation of biological therapy with course magnetolaser influence was accompanied by an increase in positive changes, which were confirmed in 6 months after rehabilitation. The maximum dynamics of the considered ICF categories was noted in the 4th group, where dupilumab administration was supplemented with complex use of therapeutic physical factors. CONCLUSION: The obtained results prove the high informativeness of the system approach realised with the help of ICF in assessing the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation measures. The comparative evaluation of rehabilitation results convincingly showed the advantages of the complex programme including dupilumab target therapy in combination with physiotherapeutic effects.

Investigation of the relationship between oral motor feeding development and gross motor development between preterm and term infants at 10- to 12-month postnatal age

BackgroundImmature central nervous system, extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, and sensory experience deficiency may contribute to oral and gross motor delay in preterm infants. Current study aimed to investigate oral and motor development in preterm infants.MethodsTwenty-nine preterm infants and 28 term infants were evaluated within the scope of the study. Oral motor feeding development was assessed with the Schedule for Oral Motor Assessment, and motor development was evaluated with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. All analyses were performed using SPSS 22. The study was approved by the Gazi University Clinical Researches Ethics Committee (no: 25901600–23).ResultsThere was a correlation between the Schedule for Oral Motor Assessment categories (solid, semisolid, cracker, puree, bottle, and cup) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale score (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between groups in the Schedule for Oral Motor Assessment’s solid, semisolid, cracker, and puree categories and total score (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between groups regarding the Alberta Infant Motor Scale score (p < 0.05).ConclusionPreterm infants come behind their term peers in motor and oral motor feeding performance. These two areas of development can influence each other. For this reason, oral motor feeding problems should be emphasized as well as motor problems in physiotherapy rehabilitation evaluations.

Recognizing wearable upper-limb rehabilitation gestures by a hybrid multi-feature neural network

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability, presenting significant challenges to individuals and society. The post-stroke rehabilitation process demands prolonged professional training and evaluation. To tackle the issue of limited resources hindering patients’ access to frequent assessments and to facilitate personalized rehabilitation treatment, wearable technology has emerged as a promising solution. However, current wearable-based approaches often rely solely on raw sensor data fed directly into deep neural networks, which may not effectively capture intricate temporal relationships unless they incorporate the knowledge typically employed in clinical analysis. In this study, we introduce a hybrid multi-feature neural network that combines manually designed features, commonly utilized in clinical analysis, with latent features generated by deep networks. By explicitly considering the motion context and spatio-temporal relations among multiple body parts in the upper limb, our model can accurately detect their real-time motions. Empirical evaluations on our proprietary dataset reveal that the accuracy for subject-dependent and subject-independent experiments on 8 coarse-grained actions is 0.9849 and 0.9871, respectively, while for 24 fine-grained actions, they are 0.9724 and 0.9829, respectively. These results indicate that our model exhibits superior performance compared to other methods, contributing to the advancement of stroke rehabilitation and personalized therapy utilizing wearable systems.

Generating a novel synthetic dataset for rehabilitation exercises using pose-guided conditioned diffusion models: A quantitative and qualitative evaluation

Machine learning has emerged as a promising approach to enhance rehabilitation therapy monitoring and evaluation, providing personalized insights. However, the scarcity of data remains a significant challenge in developing robust machine learning models for rehabilitation.This paper introduces a novel synthetic dataset for rehabilitation exercises, leveraging pose-guided person image generation using conditioned diffusion models. By processing a pre-labeled dataset of class movements for 6 rehabilitation exercises, the described method generates realistic human movement images of elderly subjects engaging in home-based exercises.A total of 22,352 images were generated to accurately capture the spatial consistency of human joint relationships for predefined exercise movements. This novel dataset significantly amplified variability in the physical and demographic attributes of the main subject and the background environment. Quantitative metrics used for image assessment revealed highly favorable results. The generated images successfully maintained intra-class and inter-class consistency in motion data, producing outstanding outcomes with distance correlation values exceeding the 0.90.This innovative approach empowers researchers to enhance the value of existing limited datasets by generating high-fidelity synthetic images that precisely augment the anthropometric and biomechanical attributes of individuals engaged in rehabilitation exercises.

Design of Cognitive Rehabilitation Training System using Artificial Intelligence

This study is a study to design a cognitive(dementia) rehabilitation training system using the MMSE-DS protocol and the GDS protocol using artificial intelligence to analyze the user's cognitive ability and infer cognitive domain content correlation inference algorithms. For research on cognitive judgment technology using artificial intelligence, We provide an integrated cognitive rehabilitation service platform, provide customized training content by building a cognitive rehabilitation evaluation and training user data storage and analysis database, and design an algorithm to help improve users' learning ability by building an artificial intelligence system.&#x0D; The user's cognitive ability analysis and cognitive domain content inference algorithm using artificial intelligence is the purpose is to design a cognitive judgment platform and implement a system to apply cognitive evaluation to people with mild cognitive impairment and utilize cognitive rehabilitation content based on cognitive judgment technology system design technology. Through this study, we aim to provide direction for the future field of cognitive rehabilitation combined with artificial intelligence

Patient and multidisciplinary health professional perceptions of an Australian geriatric evaluation and management and rehabilitation hospital in the home service.

Hospital in the Home models are rapidly expanding in response to increasing bed pressures. This study examined patient and multidisciplinary health professional perceptions of a new geriatric evaluation and management and rehabilitation hospital in the home service in Australia. The service was unique, as adults of all ages with a variety of rehabilitation or geriatric evaluation and management needs were within scope. A qualitative descriptive approach was used with a consumer co-researcher and a consumer advisor being integral to decision-making. Patient feedback was collected via a paper-based patient satisfaction survey between August 2020 and February 2022. Additionally, interviews with current and past staff were conducted from July to November 2021. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted for qualitative data and descriptive statistics used for quantitative data. Patient surveys were analysed (n = 199, 42.2% response rate) with 60.8% of participants aged 75years or over and 26.6% speaking a language other than English. High satisfaction was expressed. Feelings of comfort, familiarity, convenience, and reassurance were voiced. A person-centred approach enhanced involvement in care. Challenges included carer burden and clear communication. Sixteen staff (33% response rate) were interviewed. In general, staff said the service was inclusive and responsive, and the home environment beneficial, particularly for patients from culturally diverse backgrounds. A strong hospital partnership and comprehensive multidisciplinary approach were vital. Challenges included fragmentation due to part-time roles and combining with a pre-existing acute hospital in the home service. This qualitative exploration of staff and patients' perceptions of a geriatrician-led, multidisciplinary geriatric evaluation and management and rehabilitation hospital in the home service demonstrated that it was person-centred and optimised patients' control and ownership of care. The inclusive service parameters ensured responsiveness to diverse needs whilst allowing earlier return home from hospital, both of which are vital for quality patient care.

Construct validity, responsiveness, and interpretability of the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation (USER) in patients admitted to inpatient geriatric rehabilitation

Objective The Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation is a multi-domain measurement with good content validity, structural validity and reliability for measuring physical functioning (mobility, selfcare) and cognitive functioning in geriatric rehabilitation. We aimed to determine the construct validity of both Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation scales and the responsiveness and interpretability of the scale for physical functioning in geriatric rehabilitation. Design Prospective follow-up study embedded in routine care. Setting Four care organisations in The Netherlands. Subjects Patients admitted for inpatient geriatric rehabilitation (2021–2022). Main measures Data collection included the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation, Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel index, and a global rating scale anchor on recovery. Hypothesis testing was used to determine construct validity and responsiveness. For interpretability, minimal important change and floor and ceiling effects were determined. Results The mean age of participants (n = 211) was 77 (SD 10.4). Their mean length of stay was 38.6 days (SD 26.3), and 81% returned home. The Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation showed adequate construct validity, as all three hypotheses were confirmed for both scales. The Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-physical function scale showed adequate responsiveness, with all five hypotheses confirmed. The mean change for physical function (scale range 0–70) was 15.5 points (SD 17.1). The minimal important change for Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-physical function was 14.5 points difference for improvement. This scale showed no floor (2%) and ceiling effects (14%) at admission and discharge. Conclusions The Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation showed to be effective for evaluating physical functioning during geriatric rehabilitation as well as screening cognitive functioning. In total, 14.5 points difference has been established as a minimal important change for physical functioning.

The Use of Kinematic Features in Evaluating Upper Limb Motor Function Learning Progress Based on Machine Learning.

Evaluating progress throughout a patient's rehabilitation process helps choose effective treatment and formulate personalised and evidence-based rehabilitation interventions. The evaluation process is difficult due to the limitations of current clinical assessments. They lack the ability to reflect sensitive changes continuously throughout the rehabilitation process. Kinematic features have been extracted from individual's movement to address this problem due to their sensitivity and continuity. However, choosing appropriate kinematic features for rehabilitation evaluation has always been challenging. This paper exploits the application of kinematic features to classify movement patterns and movement qualities. 12 kinematic features were firstly extracted from a 7-segment triangle pattern of motion to monitor the learning progress with more numbers of drawing attempts. A statistical analysis was then conducted to compare the selected kinematic features with the clinically validated normalised jerk. Two supervised machine learning models were finally developed to classify movement patterns and movement qualities based on the selected kinematic features. The study was based on data recorded from 14 participants using a single position sensor. 6 kinematic features were able to reflect sensitive changes during the experiment and all kinematic features contributed to the classification tasks. Consistent with the literature, the results indicated that features based on movement velocity were the most beneficial in the classification tasks.

Evaluation of consciousness rehabilitation via neuroimaging methods.

Accurate evaluation of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) is crucial for personalized treatment. However, misdiagnosis remains a serious issue. Neuroimaging methods could observe the conscious activity in patients who have no evidence of consciousness in behavior, and provide objective and quantitative indexes to assist doctors in their diagnosis. In the review, we discussed the current research based on the evaluation of consciousness rehabilitation after DoC using EEG, fMRI, PET, and fNIRS, as well as the advantages and limitations of each method. Nowadays single-modal neuroimaging can no longer meet the researchers` demand. Considering both spatial and temporal resolution, recent studies have attempted to focus on the multi-modal method which can enhance the capability of neuroimaging methods in the evaluation of DoC. As neuroimaging devices become wireless, integrated, and portable, multi-modal neuroimaging methods will drive new advancements in brain science research.

Development and evaluation of an early rehabilitation nursing program for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

To develop and evaluate an early rehabilitation nursing program for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis to improve their exercise endurance, pulmonary function, and self-care ability, promote their rehabilitation, improve their quality of life, and explore the construction and application of early rehabilitation nursing program. From March 2021 to August 2022, 104 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in the improvement stage were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 52) and a control group (n = 52). Exercise endurance was assessed before and 12 weeks after the nursing program, and the groups were compared. Changes in pulmonary function were also analyzed. The exercise of self-care agency scale, self-rating depression scale, self-rating anxiety scale, and generic quality of life inventory-74 were used to assess differences in patients' quality of life. Patients in the intervention group performed significantly better than those in the control group in the 6-minute walking test, and had significantly higher arterial blood oxygen partial pressure and significantly lower arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide after the intervention (P < .001). After the intervention, the forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < .001). After the intervention, the scores for health knowledge (P < .001), self-care skills (P = .001), self-concept (P < .001) and self-care responsibility (P = .002) of patients in the intervention group were significantly higher, and the self-rating depression scale, self-rating anxiety scale, and generic quality of life inventory-7 scores were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (P < .001). This study demonstrates the clinical value of early rehabilitation nursing during the improvement period in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Work resumption after invasive heart procedures, rehabilitation and ergonomic evaluation: from the hospital to the workplace.

Our Institute adopts a multidisciplinary protocol named "CardioWork" for work resumption after invasive cardiac procedures and subsequent rehabilitation: after evaluation of the cardiac functional profile, the occupational physician analyzes the work activity prior to the cardiopathological event, identifies the presumed task energy requirement (from specific, published tables), and compares it with the exercise test results. Indications regarding the timing and modality of returning to work are formulated accordingly. To verify the reliability of the indications thus provided, we carried out a clinical-functional follow-up study in the workplace with Holter electrocardiography (ECG) and armband measurement of actual energy expenditure. Over the course of 2 years, we enrolled 36 patients (mostly males, aged between 30 and 70 years) who were hospitalized after coronary revascularization, valve replacement, or cardiac defibrillator implant. After rehabilitation, instrumental diagnostics (Holter ECG, echocardiography, exercise test) showed discrete functional conditions, with better values with regard to cardiac function than exercise capacity and effort tolerance. All subjects were judged fit for the job, in most cases with limitations concerning ergonomic factors, working timetable, and/or stress. They returned to work quickly, with good adherence to the indications provided. The workplace Holter ECG did not show appreciable differences compared to the hospital evaluation. In one case, the average energy expenditure measured while working was higher than that inferred from the tables; in the remaining subjects, the actual expenditure coincided with what was expected or was lower. In a minority of cases (39%), the measured average expenditure slightly exceeded the optimal value (35% of the maximal value at the exercise test) recommended at the time of hospital discharge. At the end of the workplace evaluation, it was not necessary to formulate new indications. The study provides further evidence of the effectiveness of the CardioWork protocol in promoting a return to work after invasive heart procedures. Although they need continuous updating, the published estimates of presumed task energy requirements remain reliable. In particularly complex cases, however, it is advisable to carry out a field check of the ergometric assessments performed at the end of rehabilitation.

TCOF1 Gene variation in Treacher Collins syndrome and evaluation of speech rehabilitation after bone bridge surgery

Objective:By analyzing the clinical phenotypic characteristics and gene sequences of two patients with Treacher Collins syndrome（TCS）, the biological causes of the disease were determined. Then discuss the therapeutic effect of hearing intervention after bone bridge implantation. Methods:All clinical data of the two family members were collected, and the patients signed the informed consent. The peripheral blood of the proband and family members was extracted, DNA was extracted for whole exome sequencing, and Sanger sequencing was performed on the family members for the mutation site.TCOF1genetic mutations analysis was performed on the paitents. Then, the hearing threshold and speech recognition rate of family 2 proband were evaluated and compared under the sound field between bare ear and wearing bone bridge. Results:In the two pedigrees, the probands of both families presented with auricle deformity, zygomatic and mandibular hypoplasia, micrognathia, hypotropia of the eye fissure, and hypoplasia of the medial eyelashes. The proband of Family 1 also presents with specific features including right-sided narrow anterior nasal aperture and dental hypoplasia, which were consistent with the clinical diagnosis of Treacher Collins syndrome. Genetic testing was conducted on both families, and two heterozygous mutations were identified in the TCOF1 gene: c. 1350_1351dupGG（p. A451Gfs*43） and c. 4362_4366del（p. K1457Efs*12）, resulting in frameshift mutations in the amino acid sequence. Sanger sequencing validation of the TCOF1 gene in the parents of the proband in Family 1 did not detect any mutations. Proband 1 TCOF1 c. 1350_1351dupGG heterozygous variants have not been reported previously. The postoperative monosyllabic speech recognition rate of family 2 proband was 76%, the Categories of Auditory Performance（CAP） score was 6, and the Speech Intelligibility Rating（SIR） score was 4. Assessment using the Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale（MAIS） showed notable improvement in the patient's auditory perception, comprehension, and usage of hearing aids. Evaluation using the Glasgow Children's Benefit Inventory and quality of life assessment revealed significant improvements in the child's self care abilities, daily living and learning, social interactions, and psychological well being, as perceived by the parents. Conclusion:This study has elucidated the biological cause of Treacher Collins syndrome, enriched the spectrum of TCOF1 gene mutations in the Chinese population, and demonstrated that bone bridge implantation can improve the auditory and speech recognition rates in TCS patients.

Quantitative assessment of thenar to evaluate hand function after stroke by Bayes discriminant

BackgroundThe incidence rate of stroke or cerebrovascular accidents ranks first in China. More than 85% of stroke patients have residual upper limb motor dysfunction, especially hand dysfunction. Normalizing the rehabilitation evaluation process and standard quantitative evaluation method is a complex and key point in rehabilitation therapy. The study aimed to establish a function model based on the Bayes discriminant by measuring the thenar stiffness with shear wave elastography (SWE) to quantitatively evaluate the hand motor function of hemiplegic patients after stroke.MethodsThis study collected 60 patients diagnosed with hemiplegia after stroke from October 2021 to October 2022. Therapists used the Brunnstrom assessment (BA)scale to divide the patients into the stage. All the patients underwent the measurement of SWE examination of abductor pollicis brevis (APB), opponens pollicis (OP), flexor pollicis long tendon (FPLT), and flexor pollicis brevis (FPB) by two sonographers. The SWE change rate of four parts of the thenar area was calculated prospectively with the non-hemiplegic side as the reference, the function equation was established by the Bayes discriminant method, and the evaluation model was fitted according to the acquired training set data. Lastly, the model was verified by self-validation, cross-validation, and external data validation methods. The classification performance was evaluated regarding the area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity.ResultsThe median SWE values of the hemiplegic side of patients were lower than those of the non-hemiplegic side. According to the BA stage and SWER of APB, OP, FPLT, and FPB, our study established the Bayes discriminative model and validated it via self-validation and cross-validation methods. Then, the discriminant equation was used to validate 18 patients prospectively, the diagnostic coincidence rate was about 78.8%, and the misjudgment rate was approximately 21.2%. The AUC of the discriminant model for diagnosing BA stage I-VI was 0.928(95% CI: 0.839-1.0),0.858(95% CI: 0.748–0.969),1.0(95% CI: 1.0–1.0), 0.777(95% CI: 0.599–0.954),0.785(95% CI: 0.593–0.977) and 0.985(95% CI: 0.959-1.0), respectively.ConclusionThis Bayes discriminant model built by measuring thenar stiffness was of diagnostic value and can provide an objective basis for evaluating clinical rehabilitation.

ABnormal motION capture In aCute Stroke (BIONICS): A Low-Cost Tele-Evaluation Tool for Automated Assessment of Upper Extremity Function in Stroke Patients

Background The incidence of stroke and stroke-related hemiparesis has been steadily increasing and is projected to become a serious social, financial, and physical burden on the aging population. Limited access to outpatient rehabilitation for these stroke survivors further deepens the healthcare issue and estranges the stroke patient demographic in rural areas. However, new advances in motion detection deep learning enable the use of handheld smartphone cameras for body tracking, offering unparalleled levels of accessibility. Methods In this study we want to develop an automated method for evaluation of a shortened variant of the Fugl-Meyer assessment, the standard stroke rehabilitation scale describing upper extremity motor function. We pair this technology with a series of machine learning models, including different neural network structures and an eXtreme Gradient Boosting model, to score 16 of 33 (49%) Fugl-Meyer item activities. Results In this observational study, 45 acute stroke patients completed at least 1 recorded Fugl-Meyer assessment for the training of the auto-scorers, which yielded average accuracies ranging from 78.1% to 82.7% item-wise. Conclusion In this study, an automated method was developed for the evaluation of a shortened variant of the Fugl-Meyer assessment, the standard stroke rehabilitation scale describing upper extremity motor function. This novel method is demonstrated with potential to conduct telehealth rehabilitation evaluations and assessments with accuracy and availability.

A Smartphone-Based sEMG Signal Analysis System for Human Action Recognition.

In lower-limb rehabilitation, human action recognition (HAR) technology can be introduced to analyze the surface electromyography (sEMG) signal generated by movements, which can provide an objective and accurate evaluation of the patient's action. To balance the long cycle required for rehabilitation and the inconvenient factors brought by wearing sEMG devices, a portable sEMG signal acquisition device was developed that can be used under daily scenarios. Additionally, a mobile application was developed to meet the demand for real-time monitoring and analysis of sEMG signals. This application can monitor data in real time and has functions such as plotting, filtering, storage, and action capture and recognition. To build the dataset required for the recognition model, six lower-limb motions were developed for rehabilitation (kick, toe off, heel off, toe off and heel up, step back and kick, and full gait). The sEMG segment and action label were combined for training a convolutional neural network (CNN) to achieve high-precision recognition performance for human lower-limb actions (with a maximum accuracy of 97.96% and recognition accuracy for all actions reaching over 97%). The results show that the smartphone-based sEMG analysis system proposed in this paper can provide reliable information for the clinical evaluation of lower-limb rehabilitation.