scholarly journals Bilateral actigraphic quantification of upper extremity movement in hemiparetic children with perinatal stroke: a case control study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha Hollis ◽  
Lauran Cole ◽  
Ephrem Zewdie ◽  
Megan J. Metzler ◽  
Adam Kirton
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Arm Movement ◽  
Asymmetry Index ◽  
Movement Asymmetry ◽  
Block Test ◽  
Motor Outcomes ◽  
And Control ◽  
Upper Extremity Movement ◽  
Standard Tests

Abstract Background Hemiparetic cerebral palsy impacts millions of people worldwide. Assessment of bilateral motor function in real life remains a major challenge. We evaluated quantification of upper extremity movement in hemiparetic children using bilateral actigraphy. We hypothesized that movement asymmetry correlates with standard motor outcome measures. Methods Hemiparetic and control participants wore bilateral wrist Actiwatch2 (Philips) for 48 h with movement counts recorded in 15-s intervals. The primary outcome was a novel statistic of movement asymmetry, the Actigraphic Movement Asymmetry Index (AMAI). Relationships between AMAI and standard motor outcomes (Assisting Hand Assessment, Melbourne Assessment, and Box and Block Test [BB]) were explored with Pearson or Spearman correlation. Results 30 stroke (mean 11 years 2 months (3 years 10 months); 13 female, 17 male) and 23 control (mean 11 years 1 month (4 years 5 months); 8 female, 15 male) were enrolled. Stroke participants demonstrated higher asymmetry. Correlations between AMAI and standard tests were moderate and strongest during sleep (BB: r = 0.68, p < 0.01). Conclusions Standard tests may not reflect the extent of movement asymmetry during daily life in hemiparetic children. Bilateral actigraphy may be a valuable complementary tool for measuring arm movement, potentially enabling improved evaluation of therapies with a focus on child participation.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF UPPER EXTREMITY FUNCTION ASSESSMENT OF STROKE PATIENTS BY ANGULAR KINEMATIC PARAMETERS

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (05) ◽  
pp. 1750080 ◽  
Author(s):  
KRISTINA DAUNORAVIČENĖ ◽  
ARTURAS LINKEL ◽  
JURGITA ŽIŽIENĖ ◽  
JULIUS GRIŠKEVIČIUS ◽  
ALVYDAS JUOCEVIČIUS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Joint Angle ◽  
Arm Movement ◽  
Accurate Assessment ◽  
Kinematic Parameters ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Rehabilitation Programs ◽  
Angular Velocities ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Upper Extremity Movement

This study focuses on the functional assessment of the upper extremity of stroke patients via analysis of angular kinematics features. Amplitudes and angular velocities of multi-joint movements more precisely describe functional state at different impairment levels. However, the arm movement as a whole could be analyzed by means of joint angle–angle diagrams, which illustrate the 2D trajectory of upper extremity during movement and show the visual ranges of upper extremity in different cycles of motion. The functional range of motion of each upper extremity segment in all patient groups for more accurate assessment of capability was calculated. Moreover, we calculated the area (S) between two curves in joint angle–angle diagrams as a novel index of the complete upper extremity movement range evaluation. Our findings correspond to clinical rates and upper extremity assessment based on joint angle–angle diagrams seems to be a promising method for accurate assessment and/or predicting the outcomes of rehabilitation programs.

scholarly journals Assessment of upper extremity movement performance of patients with obstetric brachial plexus palsy

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ligia C. S. Fonseca ◽  
Annika K. Nelke ◽  
Jörg Bahm ◽  
Catherine Disselhorst-Klug
Keyword(s):  
Brachial Plexus ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Objective Data ◽  
Brachial Plexus Palsy ◽  
Obstetric Brachial Plexus Palsy ◽  
Movement Performance ◽  
Obstetric Brachial Plexus ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Acceleration Signals ◽  
Upper Extremity Movement

Abstract:Coping strategies of patients with obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) are highly individual. Up to now, individual movement performance is assessed by visual observations of physicians or therapists - a procedure, which is highly subjective and lacks objective data. However, objective data about the individual movement performance are the key to evidence-based and individualized treatment. In this paper, a new approach is presented, which provides objective information about the upper extremity movement performance of patients with OBPP. The approach is based on the use of accelerometers in combination with a classification procedure. The movement performance of 10 healthy volunteers and 41 patients with OBPP has been evaluated by experienced physiotherapists and has been assigned to one of 4 categories representing the Mallet Scale (MS) IV to I. Three triaxial-accelerometers were placed at chest, upper arm and wrist of the affected side of the patient. Acceleration signals have been recorded during repetitive movements with relevance regarding daily life. Here, especially the results from the “hand to mouth” task are presented. From the 9 recorded acceleration signals 13 relevant features were extracted. For each of the 13 features 4 thresholds have been determined distinguishing best between the 4 patient categories of the MS and the healthy subjects. With respect to the thresholds each feature value has been assigned to the discrete numbers 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. Afterwards, each discrete number has been weighted by a factor regarding the correlation between the feature’s value and the MS score. The resulting weighted discrete numbers of all 13 features have been added resulting in a score, which quantifies the individual upper extremity movement performance. Based on this score the movement performance of each patient has been assigned to the classes “very good”, “good”, “regular” and “bad”. All movements of the 10 healthy volunteers were classified as “very good”. The movement performance of two patients MS IV were classified as “very good” as well and the movements of the other 16 patients as “good”. The movements of the entire group of MS III patients fell into the class “regular”. Just one MS II patient was assigned to the class “regular” while the others were classified as “bad”. It was not possible to classify the movements of MS I patients. This was mainly due to the fact that none of these patients MS I was able to complete the task successfully. The developed approach demonstrated its ability to quantify the movement performance of upper extremity movements based on accelerometers. This provides an easy to use tool to assess patient’s movement strategies during daily tasks for diagnosis and rehabilitation.

A Retrospective Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Plasma Energy System (Renuvion) in the Management of Skin Laxity to Improve Tightening at the Time of Standard Liposuction of the Arms

2021 ◽  
pp. 074880682110310
Author(s):  
Angelo Cuzalina ◽  
Pasquale G. Tolomeo
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Control Site ◽  
Clinical Staff ◽  
Upper Extremities ◽  
Final Visit ◽  
Recipient Site ◽  
Skin Laxity ◽  
Plasma Energy ◽  
Treatment Site ◽  
And Control

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of cool atmospheric plasma (Renuvion/J-plasma) in promoting skin tightening and soft tissue contouring following liposuction of the upper extremities. The study was a retrospective review of upper extremity liposuction with associated Renuvion therapy performed by the same surgeon. Patients were made aware of Renuvion therapy to assist with skin laxity and offered adjunctive treatment following liposuction. While a majority of patients elected to have Renuvion therapy performed bilaterally, a small subset of patients elected for unilateral treatment. This subset of patients pursued delayed treatment on the control side. The inclusion criteria for the study included patients with moderate fat excess of the upper extremity with associated mild to moderate cutaneous laxity. Exclusion criteria for the study included severe medical comorbidities, body mass index greater than 35 kg/m2 and those below the age of 30. The study included 5 female patients between the ages of 46 to 52. The method of treatment was liposuction of the bilateral upper extremities with removal of equal proportions of fat. The recipient site for Renuvion treatment was randomly selected by the study coordinator; the surgeon and clinical staff remained blinded to the selection. Following treatment, the patients were evaluated at 1 week, 6 weeks, and 6 months postoperatively to assess surgical outcomes subjectively. The surgeon and clinical staff were unblinded at the final visit. Patients were evaluated based on subjective criteria and photographic evaluation at each postoperative visit. At the 1-week visit, no significant differences were noted in all subjects. At the 6-week visit, two patients demonstrated improved results to the treatment site when compared with the control site. At the 6-month visit, four out of the five patients demonstrated a significant improvement in contour and laxity at the treatment site when compared with the control site. One patient demonstrated equal results on both treatment and control sites with no major abnormalities. Following the final evaluation, the patients underwent a secondary procedure to the control site with Renuvion to obtain similar results as the recipient site. One patient demonstrated equal results on both test and control sites with no major abnormalities. The use of plasma energy via Renuvion in conjunction with liposuction has demonstrated esthetic results with proposed long-term benefits. The plasma energy device, as an adjuvant therapy, may be beneficial in cases where liposuction alone may not address tissue laxity concerns. Additional studies with a larger sample size, objective criteria, and extended follow-ups are necessary to statistically analyze the results and determine its significance.

scholarly journals Drone Deep Reinforcement Learning: A Review

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 999
Author(s):  
Ahmad Taher Azar ◽  
Anis Koubaa ◽  
Nada Ali Mohamed ◽  
Habiba A. Ibrahim ◽  
Zahra Fathy Ibrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Environment Monitoring ◽  
Simulated Environments ◽  
Infrastructure Inspection ◽  
Remote Sensing Mapping ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Military ◽  
Uav Navigation

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used in many challenging and diversified applications. These applications belong to the civilian and the military fields. To name a few; infrastructure inspection, traffic patrolling, remote sensing, mapping, surveillance, rescuing humans and animals, environment monitoring, and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations. However, the use of UAVs in these applications needs a substantial level of autonomy. In other words, UAVs should have the ability to accomplish planned missions in unexpected situations without requiring human intervention. To ensure this level of autonomy, many artificial intelligence algorithms were designed. These algorithms targeted the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) of UAVs. In this paper, we described the state of the art of one subset of these algorithms: the deep reinforcement learning (DRL) techniques. We made a detailed description of them, and we deduced the current limitations in this area. We noted that most of these DRL methods were designed to ensure stable and smooth UAV navigation by training computer-simulated environments. We realized that further research efforts are needed to address the challenges that restrain their deployment in real-life scenarios.

scholarly journals Myofascial Massage for Chronic Pain and Decreased Upper Extremity Mobility After Breast Cancer Surgery

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne Massingill, LMT, MLD, CST, KT, NMT ◽  
Cara Jorgensen, LMT ◽  
Jacqueline Dolata, MBA ◽  
Ashwini R. Sehgal, MD
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Cancer Surgery ◽  
Breast Cancer Surgery ◽  
Mobility Limitations ◽  
And Control

Background: Chronic localized pain and decreased upper extremity mobility commonly occur following breast cancer surgery and may persist despite use of pain medication and physical therapy.Purpose: We sought to determine the value of myofascial massage to address these pain and mobility limitations.Setting: The study took place at a clinical massage spa in the U.S. Midwest. The research was overseen by MetroHealth Medical Center’s Institutional Review Board and Case Center for Reducing Health Disparities research staff.Participants: 21 women with persistent pain and mobility limitations 3–18 months following breast surgery.Research Design: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial where intervention patients received myofascial massages and control patients received relaxation massages.Intervention: Intervention participants received 16 myofascial massage sessions over eight weeks that focused on the affected breast, chest, and shoulder areas. Control participants received 16 relaxation massage sessions over eight weeks that avoided the affected breast, chest, and shoulder areas. Participants completed a validated questionnaire at the beginning and end of the study that asked about pain, mobility, and quality of life.Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures include change in self-reported pain, self-reported mobility, and three quality-of-life questions.Results: At baseline, intervention and control participants were similar in demographic and medical characteristics, pain and mobility ratings, and quality of life. Compared to control participants, intervention participants had more favorable changes in pain (-10.7 vs. +0.4, p < .001), mobility (-14.5 vs. -0.8, p < .001), and general health (+29.5 vs. -2.5, p = .002) after eight weeks. All intervention and control participants reported that receiving massage treatments was a positive experience.Conclusions: Myofascial massage is a promising treatment to address chronic pain and mobility limitations following breast cancer surgery. Further work in several areas is needed to confirm and expand on our study findings.

scholarly journals IoT-based Running Time Monitoring System for Machine Preventive Maintenance Scheduling

ELKHA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Erwin Sitompul ◽  
Agus Rohmat
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring System ◽  
Preventive Maintenance ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Remote Access ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Damage And Failure ◽  
Simulation Purpose ◽  
And Control

Machines are valuable assets that need to be protected from damage and failure through proper maintenance measures. This paper proposes a system that automatically monitors the running time of machines and sends notifications regarding their preventive maintenance (PM) schedules. The system core consists of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a human machine interface (HMI). The HMI is connected to an online platform via internet connection provided by a router, so that the monitoring result can be accessed via Android smartphone or laptop/PC. This IoT-based running time monitoring system (IRTMS) will be particularly helpful in implementation at an production site that consists of multiple various machines. The PM items of a machine may vary from cleaning, changing single component, to an overhaul, each with different time interval. By using the IRTMS, the user will have an overview of the PM schedules anytime and anywhere. The preparation of material, components, or tools can be known ahead of time. For simulation purpose, a prototype is constructed by using components as used in industrial real-life condition. Four output connections are provided to simulate the simultaneous monitoring of four machines. The IRTMS prototype is tested and completely successful on doing the running time monitoring, the running time reset, the PM notifications, and the remote access for monitoring and control.

scholarly journals Relation of Accelerometer and EMG Recordings for the Measurement of Upper Extremity Movement

1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Keil ◽  
Thomas Elbert ◽  
Edward Taub
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Real World ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Upper Arm ◽  
Activities Of Daily Life ◽  
Strong Relation ◽  
Integrated Emg ◽  
Male Subjects ◽  
Upper Extremity Movement

Abstract In order to determine the value of accelerometry as a measure of real world outcome when a subject is outside the laboratory, accelerometer recordings from the wrist were compared with simultaneous electromyogram (EMG) recordings from the lower and upper arm. Accelerometer and EMG signals were recorded simultaneously by the “Kölner Vitaport System,” an ambulatory device. Six male subjects performed standardized tasks as well as activities of daily life (ADL). Low correlations between accelerometer counts and integrated EMG were found in the standardized tasks, whereas there were considerably higher correlations for ADL. However, there was a strong relation between several parameters derived from EMG and accelerometer recordings. The two techniques appear to measure different aspects of movement and may be complementary.

A Biologically Inspired Autonomous Robot Control Based on Behavioural Coordination in Evolutionary Robotics

2011 ◽  
pp. 107-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A. Fernández-León ◽  
Gerardo G. Acosta ◽  
Miguel A. Mayosky ◽  
Oscar C. Ibáñez
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Autonomous Vehicle ◽  
Trajectory Generation ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Evolutionary Robotics ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Life Problems ◽  
Path Planner ◽  
And Control

This work is intended to give an overview of technologies, developed from an artificial intelligence standpoint, devised to face the different planning and control problems involved in trajectory generation for mobile robots. The purpose of this analysis is to give a current context to present the Evolutionary Robotics approach to the problem, which is now being considered as a feasible methodology to develop mobile robots for solving real life problems. This chapter also show the authors’ experiences on related case studies, which are briefly described (a fuzzy logic based path planner for a terrestrial mobile robot, and a knowledge-based system for desired trajectory generation in the Geosub underwater autonomous vehicle). The development of different behaviours within a path generator, built with Evolutionary Robotics concepts, is tested in a Khepera© robot and analyzed in detail. Finally, behaviour coordination based on the artificial immune system metaphor is evaluated for the same application.

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