Motion/Posture Modeling and Simulation Verification of Physically Handicapped in Manufacturing System Design

Non-obstacle design is critical to tailor physically handicapped workers in manufacturing system. Simultaneous consideration of variability in physically disabled users, machines and environment of the manufacturing system is extremely complex and generally requires modeling of physically handicapped interaction with the system. Most current modeling either concentrates on the task results or functional disability. The integration of physical constraints with task constraints is far more complex because of functional disability and its extended influence on adjacent body parts. A framework is proposed to integrate the two constraints and thus model the specific behavior of the physical handicapped in virtual environment generated by product specifications. Within the framework a simplified model of physical disabled body is constructed, and body motion is generated based on 3 levels of constraints（effecter constraints, kinematics constraints and physical constraints）. The kinematics and dynamic calculations are made and optimized based on the weighting manipulated by the kinematics constraints and dynamic constraints. With object transferring task as example, the model is validated in Jack 6.0. Modelled task motion elements except for squatting and overreaching well matched with captured motion elements. The proposed modeling method can model the complex behavior of the physically handicapped by integrating both task and physical disability constraints.

Enhanced Surveillance for National (Handicapped) Sports Games in Wakayama, Japan 2015

Introduction: We undertook enhanced surveillance of the 2015 Kinokuni Wakayama National Sports Games (70th National Sports Games) and the Kinokuni Wakayama Handicapped Sports Games (15th National Handicapped Sports Games) held in Wakayama prefecture in 2015, for which this paper presented operational details and an evaluation. Methods: Enhanced surveillance conducted involved (Nursery) School Absenteeism Surveillance system ((N)SASSy), Prescription Surveillance, and Ambulance Transfer Surveillance from 30 August through 9 November. We evaluated those surveillances on all days including weekends, integrated the results as a daily report, and published it on the web. Results: We found no cluster or cases requiring more tracing and investigation except for suspected cases of rubella in (N)SASSy. Moreover, no moderate aberration was found for two consecutive days for the same area and symptom. Conclusion: Our experience with this enhanced surveillance presents important lessons for countermeasures by local governments for mass gatherings or politically important events.

What China Has Done for Its Handicapped People

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Handicapped or Disabled? a Predictable Shift in Legal Terminology

The negative impact of the term canji ren("handicapped person")has gradually come to be recognized.The terms canzhang ren("person with disabilities")and canji ren("handicapped person")have been used interchangeably in academia.However,such interchangeable use causes difficulties for both law enforcement and the judiciary,and also gives rise to public confusion.Based on the etymology of"disabled",its Chinese translation,and a survey of the three models of the concept of"disability",it is apparent that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopts an"integrated definition"of disability.Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Disabled Persons defines handicapped person in much the same way as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,with only minor deviations.Hence,to replace the term handicapped person with persons with disabilities is both in line with relevant provisions of the Convention as well as the legislative intent of China’s"Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons".In addition,this benefits the elimination of social discrimination and prejudice,as well as expanding the scope of legal protection.

From “Handicapped” to “Physically Challenged”: the Discourse Transformation in China's Cause of the Physically Challenged in the New Era

In the human rights discourse of China, the terminology used for canfei(handicapped) was changed to canji(persons with disabilities) and then canzhang(physically challenged), which has literally manifested the unfolding of the new philosophy for the physically challenged. In particular, the achievements of the China physically-challenged programs in the new era shows that at both institutional and mindset dimensions, it has stepped beyond the definition of canji and entered into the higher level featured by the term canzhang. As for the future practical strategies of the national physically-challenged programs, it is important to hold on the ideas of socialist humanism, and to explore the constitutional model and human rights model for physically-challenged rights protection. This is also the major clue to conclude the achievements of the two "30 years" physically-challenged programs since the establishment of the PRC. Countries worldwide, particularly developing countries, can draw experience from this China model of developing the programs and strategies of human rights-based governance. The Chinese experience and theories also can be shared by community with a shared future for human beings.

Love Makes Their Life Worth——Story about Shao Junke's help for the handicapped

The handicapped, a special group in society, usually encounter many difficulties in employment, marriage, and daily life.Some difficulties are what they cannot conquer by themselves. It is also not easy for them to integrate into society. However, if there is a person who helps the hand- icapped find a job, build up confidence and make their life worth; if there is a person who helps them set up their families and incorporate in a harmonious community;

Better Guarantee for Handicapped

The Chinese government attaches much importance to the protection of the rights and interests of the handicapped people. In 2001, it started to implement the Outlined Program for the Development of the Handicapped for 2001-2005. With the protection of the basic living and strengthening the grassroots handicapped people as the emphasis, the program sets the tasks and targets and main measures for the cause of the handicapped people during the tenth five-year plan period. In the meanwhile, the state has strengthened legal protection of the rights and interests of the handi-

Life of Old,Sick and Handicapped Prisoners in China

At the foot of the Great Wall northwest of Beijing, there is a special prison, called Yanqing Prison. It is special, because it gathers all theimprisoned old, sick and handicapped offenders in the Beijing area for the purpose of facilitating management.

Protect Rights and Interests of the Handicapped

Yuncheng is a city in the southwestern part of North China＇s Shanxi Province. It has a handicapped population of 223,000 or 4.5% of the total population of 4.985 million. The city has made big progress in protecting the rights and interests of handicapped people since the handicapped associations were set up at the city and county levels.

Implementation outcomes of a sensory integration therapy program with computerized dynamic posturography in patients with balance and sensory dysfunction

Objective:We describe the first-year implementation experience of an Instrumented Sensory Integration Therapy Program in Audiological&Balance Center patients.Design:This is a retrospective descriptive study.Participants included Seventy-three adults with diagnoses of acute,episodic,or chronic vestibular syndromes.They were classified into the following two groups:group 1 included 46 individuals treated with ISIT plus VRT,and group 2 included 27 individuals treated only with ISIT.Results:The Sensory Organization Test(SOT)for both groups showed a statistical significance for all three sensory inputs;visual systems(G1:p=0.0003;G2:p=0.0337),vestibular system(G1:p<0.0001;G2:p=0.0003),and balance as demonstrated by compound balance score(G1:p<0.0001;G2:p=0.0035),and balance percentage deficit(G1:p<0.0001;G2:p=0.0078).Conclusions:The severity and complexity of functional neurological disorders in the context of vestibular syndromes seem to require between 10 and 20 therapy sessions,and combined ISIT plus VRT appears to be more effective than ISIT as a monotherapy.

突发性聋伴耳鸣患者治疗前后耳鸣残疾量表和视觉模拟量表比较及相关性

突发性聋伴耳鸣的发病率较高，多数耳呜患者可伴情绪紧张和疲劳，这成为众多临床医师工作中需要解决的问题。耳呜作为一种主观感受，缺乏客观有效的检测手段。国外应用于评价耳呜的最常用量表主要有耳鸣残疾量表（tinnitus handicap inventory，THI）和视觉模拟量表（visual-analoguescale，VAS）。

Implementation of a Biometric Interface in Voice Controlled Wheelchairs

In order to assist physically handicapped persons in their movements,we developed an embedded isolated word speech recognition system(ASR)applied to voice control of smart wheelchairs.However,in spite of the existence in the industrial market of several kinds of electric wheelchairs,the problem remains the need to manually control this device by hand via joystick;which limits their use especially by people with severe disabilities.Thus,a significant number of disabled people cannot use a standard electric wheelchair or drive it with difficulty.The proposed solution is to use the voice to control and drive the wheelchair instead of classical joysticks.The intelligent chair is equipped with an obstacle detection system consisting of ultrasonic sensors,a moving navigation algorithm and a speech acquisition and recognition module for voice control embedded in a DSP card.The ASR architecture consists of two main modules.The first one is the speech parameterization module(features extraction)and the second module is the classifier which identifies the speech and generates the control word to motors power unit.The training and recognition phases are based on Hidden Markov Models(HMM),K-means,Baum-Welch and Viterbi algorithms.The database consists of 39 isolated speaker words(13 words pronounced 3 times under different environments and conditions).The simulations are tested under Matlab environment and the real-time implementation is performed by C language with code composer studio embedded in a TMS 320 C6416 DSP kit.The results and experiments obtained gave promising recognition ratio and accuracy around 99%in clean environment.However,the system accuracy decreases considerably in noisy environments,especially for SNR values below 5 dB(in street:78%,in factory:52%).

听力障碍筛查量表用于老年人群听力筛查分析

目的探讨中文版老年听力障碍筛查量表(the hearing handicap inventory for the elderly-screening version,HHIE-S)用于老年人群听力筛查的可行性及实用性。方法随机选取840例年龄大于60周岁的老年人,先自行填写HHIE-S量表,然后在工作人员指导下再次填写,对比指导前后HHIE-S量表的得分,计算指导后量表的信度Cronbach'sα值,判断量表的可行性;所有填表者均进行0.5、1.0、2.0、4.0kHz纯音听阈测试,计算平均纯音听阈(PTA)值,比较筛查目标听力损失分别设定为PTA>25dB HL、PTA>40dB HL、PTA>60dB HL时,HHIE-S得分>8分与>10分及指导前后所填量表的灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值、假阳性率及假阴性率,并根据ROC曲线及曲线下面积值(AUC),判断三种目标听力损失时量表的实用性。结果 840例老年人指导前后HHIE-S量表平均得分分别为7.6±10.6和10.8±16.7分(P<0.01),指导后量表的Cronbach'sα值为0.85;以HHIE-S>8分作为听力障碍判断标准时较HHIE-S>10分灵敏度高,假阴性率低(P<0.05);指导后且以HHIE-S>8分时PTA>25dB HL、PTA>40dB HL及PTA>60dB HL三种听力损失条件下ROC曲线下面积值分别为0.70±0.03、0.84±0.01及0.88±0.02。结论适当指导后,HHIE-S量表用于老年人听力筛查得分>8分即可认为存在听力障碍,目标听力损失为PTA>40dB HL时,HHIE-S量表的实用性强,汉化版HHIE-S量表可作为老年人群听力障碍有效的筛查方式。

＂Universal Design＂ Approach for the Participation of the Disabled in Urban Life

Disability can occur to anyone and anyone can have difficulties in fulfilling daily activities in a certain part of their lives. Accessibility is a crucial matter and a basic human right for the disabled people in order to join the urban life. For this reason, the physical environment must be set, starting with the planning and design stage, in a form that can satisfy the utility and accessibility requirements of disabled people. One of the most important recent concepts to enable accessible and useful spaces for the disabled is the ＂universal design＂. Nowadays, even though there is an increase in the number of scientific publications, meetings and decisions taken, the regulatory process on our current living environment is developing slowly regarding the physical accessibility. At this point, the most important role regarding the handling of social and political paradigms of disability, addressing different users, application of the principals of universal design and creating knowledge in order to increase social awareness belongs to the departments of universities that offer design courses. The subject of the study in this context is to determine the contents and the proportion of the courses （compulsory and elective） related to ＂universal design and ＂disability design＂, which will ensure our living environment to be accessible and independently utilized for everyone, in the course plan of the architecture, interior architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture departments in Turkey.

Angioplasty and stenting for severe vertebral artery orifice stenosis: effects on cerebellar function remodeling verified by blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging

Vertebral artery orifice stenting may improve blood supply of the posterior circulation of the brain to regions such as the cerebellum and brainstem. However, previous studies have mainly focused on recovery of cerebral blood flow and perfusion in the posterior circulation after interventional therapy. This study examined the effects of functional recovery of local brain tissue on cerebellar function remodeling using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic reso- nance imaging before and after interventional therapy. A total of 40 Chinese patients with severe unilateral vertebral artery orifice stenosis were enrolled in this study. Patients were equally and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The control group received drug treat- ment only. The intervention group received vertebral artery orifice angioplasty and stenting ＋ identical drug treatment to the control group. At 13 days after treatment, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory score was compared between the intervention and control groups. Cerebellar function remodeling was observed between the two groups using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging. The improvement in dizziness handicap and cerebellar function was more obvious in the intervention group than in the control group. Interventional therapy for severe vertebral artery orifice stenosis may effectively promote cerebellar function remodeling and exert neuroprotective effects.

A Preliminary Receiver Operating Characteristic Analysis on Voice Handicap Index Results of the Greek Voice-Disordered Patients

Objective(s): The cutting-edge assessment of voice disorders includes objective and subjective methods in the daily clinical practice. The latter assessment is usually performed through the administration of self-reported questionnaires. Voice Handicap Index (VHI) is one of the most widely used tools both in clinical practice and in research level. This tool-questionnaire was employed in this research along with the Voice Evaluation Template (VEF). In turn, the aim of this study was to analyse and produce the cut-off points of VHI for voice-disordered patients in Greece by using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC Curves). Methods: Sixty-three participants (40 non-dysphonic and 23 with different types of dysphonia) were classified by ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctors and SLPs (Speech-Language Pathologists). The Hellenic VHI along with the translated Greek version of the VEF was administered to the subjects of this research. Results: The voice-disordered subjects exhibited higher overall VHI scores (in total and in its 3 subdomains) compared to the control group. Statistical significant differences were found between dysphonic and non-dysphonic participants for all VHI’s construct domains. The cut-off point of VHI total score was estimated at the value of 14.50 (sensitivity: 0.870, 1-specificity: 0.000). Moreover, the cut-off points of the three subdomains were computed as 7.50 for functional (sensitivity: 0.783, 1-specificity: 0.000), 8.50 for physical (sensitivity: 0.739, 1-specificity: 0.000) and 8.50 for emotional domain (sensitivity: 0.783, 1-specificity: 0.050). Conclusion: The preliminary statistical and ROC data analysis of VHI concluded that by using this type of assessment method, populations with or without voice disorders (in Greece) can be distinguished. Albeit this tool is a non-interventional method it could consequently offer an adequate screening and monitoring capability.

Cognitive disorder and changes in cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following brain injury

BACKGROUND： Learning and memory damage is one of the most permanent and the severest symptoms of traumatic brain injury; it can seriously influence the normal life and work of patients. Some research has demonstrated that cognitive disorder is closely related to nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. OBJECTIVE： To summarize the cognitive disorder and changes in nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following brain injury. RETRIEVAL STRATEGY： A computer-based online search was conducted in PUBMED for English language publications containing the key words ＂brain injured, cognitive handicap, acetylcholine, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, brain-derived neurotrophic factor＂ from January 2000 to December 2007. There were 44 papers in total. Inclusion criteria： ① articles about changes in nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following brain injury; ② articles in the same researching circle published in authoritative journals or recently published. Exclusion criteria： duplicated articles. LITERATURE EVALUATION： References were mainly derived from research on changes in these four factors following brain injury. The 20 included papers were clinical or basic experimental studies. DATA SYNTHESIS： After craniocerebral injury, changes in these four factors in brain were similar to those during recovery from cognitive disorder, to a certain degree. Some data have indicated that activation of nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor could greatly improve cognitive disorder following brain injury. However, there are still a lot of questions remaining; for example, how do these factors change at different time points after brain injury, and what is the relationship between associated factors and cognitive disorder. CONCLUSION： It is necessary to comprehensively study some associated factors, to analyze their changes and their relationship with cognitive disorder following brain injury, and to investigate their effects at different time points after brain injury.

Tinnitus characteristics and associated variables on Tinnitus Handicap Inventory among a Hungarian population

Background:Tinnitus is a sound precepted without an external sound stimulus.Its background can be categorised into primary and secondary cases.The secondary cases include pathologies of the external,middle and inner ear.Tinnitus can be objective or subjective;the latter can only identified by the sufferer.Previous research results have shown that tinnitus significantly affects the quality of life and daily functioning.Objectives:To analyse the impact of tinnitus on the daily functioning and the possible influence of demographical data and tinnitus duration on it.Methods:630 patients(265 males and 365 females,25e85 years of age)suffering from primary tinnitus were enrolled.In the Hungarian language,these patients completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI)questionnaire and underwent a complete otorhinolaryngological examination.IBM SPSS V24 software was used for data processing;correlation tests,the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests were used.Results:According to the THI questionnaires outcomes,most patients(62.5%)were presented with a mild handicap.Based on statistical analysis,no significant correlation was observed between the total THI points and the age of the patients,along with the duration and localisation of the symptoms.However,the total THI scores of male and female patients significantly differed,indicating higher THI values in the female group(p=0.00052*).Conclusions:The tinnitus severity was not affected by the duration,localisation of the symptoms and age but by gender,indicating higher values in the case of females.

An Analysis of the Global and Partial Voice Handicap Index in Patients with Early Glottic Carcinoma Treated with High Level of Irradiation

Background: This is a retrospective study on a group of patients with early glottic carcinoma, treated with curative radiotherapy. The aim of the study is to assess voice quality after treatment. We also evaluated local recurrence, overall survival, disease free survival and toxicity. Material and Methods: We examined a total of 36 patients, out of which 27 were smokers: 10 females/5 smokers;26 males/22 smokers. The sample was observed from January 2007 to July 2012 (average follow-up period: 33.5 months, range 12 - 76). Diagnosis of early glottic carcinoma was eight during the two-year period 2007/2008, nine during 2009/2010, eleven during year 2011 and eight during year 2012. All patients suffering from early glottic carcinoma, histopathologically confirmed, were classified as follows: 24 patients T1a, 3 patients T1b, 6 patients T2 and 3 patients had a carcinoma in situ. They were treated only with conventional radiotherapy. After the treatment (total dose 70 Gy), patients were asked to fill out the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) questionnaire, composed of 30 questions that covered physical, emotional and functional areas. Results: The global VHI was evidenced with good voice quality (62% of patients: VHI < 30;34% of patients: VHI 31 - 60). Vocal disability was mild in over 70% of patients within the physical area and over 80% within the emotional area. We observed two local recurrences, one occurred five years after the end of radiation therapy and one six months after. In terms of toxicity, we observed that acute reactions, such as dysphonia, dysphagia and erythema, were relatively limited. Conclusions: The VHI index suggests that radiotherapy produces acceptable functional results, with limited repercussion on life quality. In line with literature, our data confirmed good cure rates and larynx preservation (94.4%).

What Fails English as the Dream Language of Rural India？

Rural masses in India view English as the language of socio-economic empowerment through education. Education could be either in English or in regional languages, but children should learn English, because it is seen as the key to the world of opportunities in higher education and employment. The governments need to politically respond to the aspirations of the common masses keeping aside both politicised language policies and theoretical linguistic inputs that encourage one＇s mother tongue as the ideal medium of instruction. Onerous responsibility lays on men, methods, and materials over which government have the least say, but the practising teachers of English and academics who help bureaucrats in framing language policies in India are solely responsible for non-realization of dreams of the masses. There is something terribly rotten in the state of English-teaching enterprise in India. This paper proposes to examine the present state of affairs in the teaching of English to rural students and to offer constructive alternatives to the existing package of men, materials, and methods.