A Study on Intelligent Optical Bone Densitometry.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent chronic disease worldwide, particularly affecting the aging population. The gold standard diagnostic tool for osteoporosis is Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). However, the expensive cost of the DXA machine and the need for skilled professionals to operate it restrict its accessibility to the general public. This paper builds upon previous research and proposes a novel approach for rapidly screening bone density. The method involves utilizing near-infrared light to capture local body information within the human body. Deep learning techniques are employed to analyze the obtained data and extract meaningful insights related to bone density. Our initial prediction, utilizing multi-linear regression, demonstrated a strong correlation (r = 0.98, p-value = 0.003**) with the measured Bone Mineral Density (BMD) obtained from Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). This indicates a highly significant relationship between the predicted values and the actual BMD measurements. A deep learning-based algorithm is applied to analyze the underlying information further to predict bone density at the wrist, hip, and spine. The prediction of bone densities in the hip and spine holds significant importance due to their status as gold-standard sites for assessing an individual's bone density. Our prediction rate had an error margin below 10% for the wrist and below 20% for the hip and spine bone density.

Acute aerobic exercise at different intensities modulates inhibitory control and cortical excitability in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of different aerobic exercise intensities on inhibitory control and cortical excitability in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: The study was conducted in a within-subject design. Twenty-four adults with ADHD completed a stop signal task and received cortical excitability assessment by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before and after a single session of low-, moderate-, high-intensity aerobic exercise or a control intervention. RESULTS: Acute moderate-, and high-intensity aerobic exercise improved inhibitory control in adults with ADHD. Moreover, the improving effect was similar between moderate-, and high-intensity aerobic exercise conditions. As shown by the brain physiology results, short interval intracortical inhibition was significantly increased following both, moderate- and high-intensity aerobic exercise intervention conditions. Additionally, the alteration of short interval intracortical inhibition and inhibitory control improvement were positively correlated. CONCLUSIONS: The moderate-, and high-intensity aerobic exercise-dependent alterations of cortical excitability in adults with ADHD might partially explain the inhibitory control-improving effects of aerobic exercise in this population.

Mild cognitive impairment estimation based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at a high risk of developing future dementia. However, early identification and active intervention could potentially reduce its morbidity and the incidence of dementia. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has been proposed as a noninvasive modality for detecting oxygenation changes in the time-varying hemodynamics of the prefrontal cortex. This study sought to provide an effective method for detecting patients with MCI using fNIRS and the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) to evaluate changes in blood oxygenation. The results revealed that all groups with a lower mini-mental state examination grade had a higher increase in HHb concentration during a modified WCST (MCST). The increase in the change in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in the stroke group was smaller than that in the normal group due to weak cerebrovascular reactivity.

Migraine classification by machine learning with functional near-infrared spectroscopy during the mental arithmetic task.

Migraine is a common and complex neurovascular disorder. Clinically, the diagnosis of migraine mainly relies on scales, but the degree of pain is too subjective to be a reliable indicator. It is even more difficult to diagnose the medication-overuse headache, which can only be evaluated by whether the symptom is improved after the medication adjustment. Therefore, an objective migraine classification system to assist doctors in making a more accurate diagnosis is needed. In this research, 13 healthy subjects (HC), 9 chronic migraine subjects (CM), and 12 medication-overuse headache subjects (MOH) were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to observe the change of the hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the mental arithmetic task (MAT). Our model shows the sensitivity and specificity of CM are 100% and 75%, and that of MOH is 75% and 100%.The results of the classification of the three groups prove that fNIRS combines with machine learning is feasible for the migraine classification.

Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Mullen Scales of Early Learning in Taiwanese children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Global Developmental Delay, and Typically Developing Children.

BACKGROUND: The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) is a standardized comprehensive developmental assessment tool for children aged 0-68 months. However, few Asia-based studies have explored cultural and linguistic adaptations of the MSEL or investigated its psychometric properties in populations with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). AIMS: This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the MSEL-Taiwan version (MSEL-T) for Taiwanese children with ASD, global developmental delay (GDD), and typical development (TD). METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The MSEL items were translated and modified according to the language and culture in Taiwan. In total, 191 children (ASD, 69; GDD, 36; and TD, 86) aged 19-68 months were assessed using the MSEL-T and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2 (PDMS-2) at enrollment, followed by the assessments of Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Chinese version (VABS-C) at the age of 36 months or later. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: All subscales were verified to have good interrater reliability and internal consistency, and subscale scores indicated moderate to high correlations with PDMS-2 and VABS-C scores. Significant differences in MSEL-T scores were observed between same-aged pairs of children with TD and GDD and between pairs of children with TD and ASD. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings provide evidence of validity and reliability of the MSEL-T. And it is suggested that the culturally and linguistically adapted MSEL-T is a good tool for the clinical assessment of children with and without ASD.

Multidimensional Developments and Free-Play Movement Tracking in 30- to 36-Month-Old Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder Who Were Full Term.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated multidimensional developments and free-play movement performance in toddlers with an early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). OBJECTIVE: This study compared cognitive, motor, and behavioral developments and free-play movement performance in toddlers with ASD who were full term (FT-ASD), toddlers who were full term and are typically developing (FT-TD), and toddlers who were born preterm and had a very low birth weight (VLBW-PT). DESIGN: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. METHODS: Forty-five 30- to 36-month-old age-matched toddlers were recruited and divided into FT-ASD, FT-TD, and VLBW-PT groups. Their developments were examined using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning; the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition; the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5 to 5; and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised. In addition, the toddlers' free-play movements were tracked in laboratory settings using an automatic movement tracking system. RESULTS: Toddlers with FT-ASD exhibited lower cognitive and motor scores and a higher degree of behavioral problems compared with toddlers with FT-TD or VLBW-PT. Furthermore, the movement tracking data in a free-play setting revealed that toddlers with FT-ASD displayed a higher degree of turning velocity, a higher moving time, and a higher frequency of moving toward the peripheral region compared with toddlers with FT-TD or VLBW-PT. Moreover, several motor developmental and movement-tracking indicators were found to correlate with behavioral problems and cognitive scores in toddlers with FT-ASD. LIMITATIONS: The study results may have been affected by the small sample size, the cross-sectional design, and tracking only the whole body without subtle movements or segmental motions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest varied aspects of co-occurring developmental conditions and movement-based problems in toddlers with FT-ASD. Using standardized and sensitive measures for the early assessment of perceptuo-motor impairments is necessary for timely early intervention for such toddlers.

Validation of the modified checklist for autism in toddlers, revised with follow-up in Taiwanese toddlers.

BACKGROUND: The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F) is a two-stage screening scale for determining the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in toddlers. However, the validity of the M-CHAT-R/F for Asian populations has not yet been established. AIMS: This study investigated the psychometric properties of the M-CHAT-R/F, Taiwan version (M-CHAT-R/F-T), among low- and high-risk Taiwanese toddlers aged 16-30 months. The associations among M-CHAT-R/F-T scores, developmental performance at 24 and 30 months, and ASD diagnosis prediction at 36 months were examined. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A two-stage screening of the M-CHAT-R/F-T was applied to a study sample comprising 25 toddlers with ASD and 71 atypically developing (ATD) and 221 typically developing (TD) toddlers. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The M-CHAT-R/F-T exhibited acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The M-CHAT-R/F-T scores were significantly correlated with several syndrome scores of the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 and were significantly higher among toddlers with ASD than among ATD or TD toddlers. Furthermore, M-CHAT-R/F-T scores were negatively correlated with developmental scores in the Mullen Scales of Early Learning at 24 and 30 months. Moreover, the screening exhibited acceptable predictive validity (sensitivity = 0.86; specificity = 0.96) for ASD diagnosis at 36 months. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings indicate that the M-CHAT-R/F-T is a valid and reliable tool for the developmental screening of low- and high-risk Taiwanese toddlers in community and clinical settings.

Moyamoya syndrome with inherited proteins C and S deficiency: report of one case.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a vascular abnormality characterized by progressive narrowing of the internal carotid, middle, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries and the development of basal collaterals forming the classic angiographic appearance-moyamoya. Protein C (PC) and its cofactor, protein S (PS), which are vitamin-K dependent, act as inhibitors of coagulation cascade by inactivating factor Va and factor VIIIa and facilitating thrombolysis. Deficiencies of these proteins leading to a prothrombotic state increase the risk of ischemic cerebrovascular accident. Herein we report a 3-year-old girl, who had an acute onset of right-side hemiparesis during an episode of herpetic gingivostomatitis. She was noted to have moyamoya syndrome in the angiographic examination and was later proved to have inherited deficiencies of both PC and PS. She received warfarin medical treatment and then bilateral encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS) and encephalo-myo-synangiosis (EMS) due to neurological deterioration and is now under the use of low molecular weight heparin for preventing further ischemic stroke. The motor deterioration improved after medical and surgical intervention. We conclude that coagulopathy like PC or PS deficiency should be considered in children presenting with moyamoya syndrome.