bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review of ocular surface treatments in the setting of thyroid eye disease
Authors: Wong Anthony Stephen , Chelnis James G.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Approximately 85% of patients with thyroid eye disease experience ocular surface symptoms. Although corneal exposure plays a role in inducing inflammatory changes to the ocular surface, multiple studies reveal more complexity to the abnormal tear film composition and parameters in thyroid eye disease patients including those who do not have proptosis or increased corneal exposure. Currently, a majority of cases of thyroid associated dry eye symptoms are given treatments intended for ocular surface disease arising from different etiologies.

Methods

Medline via Ovid, Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed, and Google Scholar were systematically searched for articles evaluating the efficacy of treatments for dry eye symptoms in patients with thyroid eye disease. Articles were from all geographic regions and dates ranged from inception until October 2023.

Results

Seven papers ultimately met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. These papers revealed that multiple topical and non-topical treatment modalities address dry eye symptoms in thyroid eye disease and improve subjective and objective ocular surface parameters. However, due to the few studies that exist and due to disparities in sample size and study design, no overwhelming best practices were identified that could influence clinical practice.

Conclusion

This systematic review identifies the current treatments that exist and highlights the clear unmet need for a large population suffering with dry eye symptoms. Ideally, further well-designed investigations into this area would target topical, non-invasive modalities to develop first line options for thyroid eye disease patients.
Telomere length in early childhood and its association with attention: a study in 4–6 year old children
Authors: Croons Hanne , Martens Dries S. , Vanderstukken Charlotte , Sleurs Hanne , Rasking Leen , Peusens Martien , Renaers Eleni , Plusquin Michelle , Nawrot Tim S.
Published: June 2024

Telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging, has been studied in adults with regard to its connection to cognitive function. However, little is known about the association between TL and cognitive development in children. This study investigated the interplay between TL and cognitive functioning in 283 Belgian children aged four to six years of the Environmental Influence on Aging in Early Life (ENVIRONAGE) birth cohort. Child leukocyte TL was measured using qPCR, while cognitive functioning, including attention and memory, was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Linear regression models were employed to examine the association between TL and cognitive outcomes, adjusting for potential confounders. We found an inverse association between TL and the spatial errors made during the Motor Screening task (p = 0.017), indicating a higher motor accuracy in children with longer telomeres. No significant associations were found between TL and other cognitive outcomes. Our results suggest a specific link between TL and motor accuracy but not with the other cognitive domains.
Effects of sex, toilet training, stress, and caffeine on nocturnal enuresis among school children in Gondar Town, the metropolitan city of Ethiopia: a community-based study in 2023
Authors: Assimamaw Nega Tezera , Kebede Atnasiya Kibkab , Bazezew Genetu Kalkidan
Published: June 2024

Background

Nocturnal enuresis is associated with severe social and psychological problems that affect one's self-esteem, later in life, harmed adolescent and adult life, emotional stress on the family, and poor school performance. Moreover, enuresis children may cause panic attacks, mood disorders, and depression. This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of nocturnal enuresis among children aged 5–14 years in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023.

Methods

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1, 2023, to May 30, 2023. A stratified multistage sampling technique was used to select study subject from kebeles in Gondar city. The data were collected by using a structured, interviewer-administer Questionnaire. The data were entered using EPI DATA version 4.6.02 software, and processed,and analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 25. All variables with P ≤ 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were included in the final model of multivariate analysis. The multivariate binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between the independent and outcome variable. The direction and strength of statistical association were measured with an adjusted odds ratio along with 95% CI and a P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Result

The overall prevalence of nocturnal enuresis among children aged 5–14 years was 162 (22.2%). The findings showed that being boys [AOR = 0.54; 95% CI (0.31, 0.93)], child and no toilet training practices [AOR = 2.50; 95% CI (1.02, 6.15)], Having no caffeine [AOR = 0.16; 95% CI (0.09, 0.29)], and exposure to stressful events [AOR = 20; 95% CI (11.12, 33.34)] had a significant association with nocturnal enuresis, p-value <0.05.

Conclusion

In this study, the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis children age 5–14 years was higher than that in previous studies. Sex of child, toilet training practices, caffeine c before bed, and presences of stressful event were a significant predictor of nocturnal enuresis.
Efficacy and safety of Xiangsha liujunzi decoction for functional dyspepsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Longhua , Ding Xia , Yao Xinning , Li Ping , Zhang Fuwen , Wang Fenglei , Li Bai , Li Jing
Published: June 2024

Background

Functional dyspepsia is a highly prevalent digestive disorder. The limited effectiveness of current pharmaceutical interventions necessitates the exploration of alternative therapeutic options for functional dyspepsia. Xiangsha liujunzi decoction, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine formulation, has been widely employed in the treatment of functional dyspepsia in China. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of Xiangsha liujunzi decoction in the treatment of functional dyspepsia remains uncertain.

Objective

To examine the effectiveness and safety of Xiangsha liujunzi decoction for treating functional dyspepsia.

Methods

We retrieved seven databases containing randomized controlled trials on functional dyspepsia published up until 31 July 2023. The quality of these studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool. The analysis of data was performed using the software RevMan 5.4. The total clinical effectiveness rate was evaluated as the primary outcome. In addition, gastric emptying rate, symptom score and safety evaluation were evaluated as the secondary outcomes.

Results

The meta-analysis included 23 studies, involving 2,101 individuals. Xiangsha liujunzi decoction demonstrated a significantly higher clinical effectiveness rate compared to the control group (RR 1.27; 95% CI 1.21, 1.33; p < 0.00001). Moreover, it exhibited superior gastric emptying rate and symptom score improvement compared to the control group. Nevertheless, no remarkable differences were detected in safety between Xiangsha liujunzi decoction and the control group (RR 0.67; 95% CI 0.16, 2.76; p = 0.58).

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that Xiangsha liujunzi decoction exhibits effectiveness and no significant adverse events observed. However, because of the low quality of the enrolled studies, more high-quality and strict design randomized controlled trials are required in the future.
LC-MS/MS untargeted lipidomics uncovers placenta lipid signatures from intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
Authors: Xiong Liling , Tang Mi , Liu Hong , Cai Jianghui , Jin Ying , Huang Cheng , Xing Shasha , Yang Xiao
Published: June 2024

Aims: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) stands as the predominant liver disorder affecting pregnant women, with a prevalence ranging from 0.2% to 15.6%. While ICP is known to heighten the chances of perinatal mortality and morbidity, its pathogenesis remains elusive, and therapeutic options are limited. The objective of this study was to explore the characteristic lipid signature in placentas collected from normal pregnancies and those with mild and severe intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. This research aims to clarify the pathogenesis and identify lipid biomarker for ICP through LC-MS/MS based lipidomic analysis.

Methods and materials: Placenta samples were collected from 30 normal pregnancy women and 30 mild and severe ICP women respectively. Women with normal pregnancy and ICP were recruit from April 2021 to July 2022 in Chengdu, China. And LC-MS/MS based lipidomic analysis was used to explore the characteristic placental lipids in mild and severe ICP.

Results: Fourty-four lipids were differentially expressed both in mild and severe ICP placenta. The pathway analysis revealed these lipids are mainly enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism and autophagy pathway. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) identified the correlation network module of lipids highly related to ICP. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, we identified three and four combined metabolites that had an area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) ≥ 0.90.

Conclusion: Our results systematically revealed the lipid signature in mild and severe ICP placenta. The results may provide new insight into the treatment and early prediction of ICP.
Oleuropein has hypophagic effects in broiler chicks
Authors: Sulaiman Usman , Vaughan Reagan , Siegel Paul , Liu Dongmin , Gilbert Elizabeth Ruth , Cline Mark Andrew
Published: June 2024

Oleuropein, a phenolic compound derived from olives, has known glucoregulatory effects in mammalian models but effects in birds are unknown. We investigated effects of dietary supplementation and exogenous administration of oleuropein on broiler chick feed intake and glucose homeostasis during the first 7 days post-hatch. One hundred and forty-eight day-of-hatch broiler chicks were randomly allocated to one of four dietary treatments with varying oleuropein concentrations (0, 250, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg). Body weight and breast muscle and liver weights were recorded on day 7. In the next experiment, chicks received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of oleuropein at doses of 0 (vehicle), 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg on day 4 post-hatch, with feed intake and blood glucose levels measured thereafter. Lastly, chicks fed a control diet were fasted and administered intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of oleuropein at doses of 0, 50, 100, or 200 μg, after which feed intake was recorded. Results indicated that IP and ICV injections led to decreased feed intake, primarily at 60 min post-injection, with effects diminishing by 90 min in the IP study. Blood glucose levels decreased 1-h post-IP injection at higher oleuropein doses. These findings suggest that oleuropein acts as a mild appetite suppressant and influences energy metabolism in broiler chickens.
The psychometric properties of the ADHD rating scale—5 for children and adolescents, home version for Sudan
Authors: Al Jaffal Mohammed , Becker David , Alhossein Abdulkarim , Bakhiet Salaheldin Farah , Aldabas Rashed , Abaoud Abdulrahman , Abdu Elrahim Nagda Mohamed , Alharthi Hanan
Published: June 2024

There is a lack of universal scales for tracking ADHD symptoms in the home for children/adolescents in the Sudanese context. For this reason, this study aimed to validate the ADHD Rating Scale—5 for Children and Adolescents, Home Version for use by parents in Sudan to assess their children for ADHD. This scale is widely used by parents to assess their children aged 5–17 years for ADHD in the home environment. The current study involved 3,742 Sudanese parents of school-aged children and adolescents, each asked to complete the instrument for one child in their family; only one parent per family participated in the study. The authors then examined the psychometric properties of the scale from the completed assessments. The results indicated acceptable to high reliability for the total scale and both the symptom and impairment items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated high external and construct validity when applying the scale to the Sudanese sample. the factor structure resembled that of the normative U.S. sample in terms of the number of extractable factors and the strength of factor loadings. Based on the results, this adaptation of the home version of the ADHD Scale—5 for Children and Adolescents is both valid and reliable for use by Sudanese parents in the home environment.
The mediating role of cognitive test anxiety on the relationship between academic procrastination and subjective wellbeing and academic performance
Authors: Albulescu Ion , Labar Adrian-Vicenţiu , Manea Adriana-Denisa , Stan Cristian
Published: June 2024

Background

Promoting wellness as a predictor of sustainable development empowers schools to model healthy behavior. The multiple interactions in real and virtual environments that today's youth are subjected to force schools to explore effective educational strategies to provide a quality education for students and their families.

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between academic procrastination, assessment anxiety, subjective wellbeing, and academic performance.

Methods

A convenience sample of 322 undergraduate students () was used, and questionnaires were administered to students measuring academic procrastination, cognitive test anxiety, and subjective wellbeing. For the same target group, the level of academic performance was identified using personal reports. The questionnaires were administered between May and June 2023 in an online format. For the data analysis, we applied correlational analysis and path analysis using.

Results

Both test anxiety and academic procrastination negatively correlate with performance and subjective wellbeing, leading to decreased performance and subjective wellbeing. Procrastination correlates positively with test anxiety. Cognitive test anxiety partially mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and subjective wellbeing and fully mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and academic performance. Thus, high procrastination leads to decreased performance and subjective wellbeing both directly and indirectly through increased test anxiety, leading to decreased performance and subjective wellbeing.

Significance/discussions

As a result of theoretical and practical investigations, it emerges that joint action of educational actors is required in the generation of effective educational strategies for the prevention and control of procrastination and evaluation anxiety, given the fact that both a high level of procrastination as well as assessment anxiety led to the decrease of students' wellbeing, to the registration of low academic performances. In the long term, disruptive behavior (procrastination and anxious behavior) could generate low social and professional performance, which is a research question for a future longitudinal study.
Determination of pesticide residues in urine by chromatography-mass spectrometry: methods and applications
Authors: Birolli Willian Garcia , Lanças Fernando Mauro , dos Santos Neto Álvaro José , Silveira Henrique C. S.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Pollution has emerged as a significant threat to humanity, necessitating a thorough evaluation of its impacts. As a result, various methods for human biomonitoring have been proposed as vital tools for assessing, managing, and mitigating exposure risks. Among these methods, urine stands out as the most commonly analyzed biological sample and the primary matrix for biomonitoring studies.

Objectives

This review concentrates on exploring the literature concerning residual pesticide determination in urine, utilizing liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and its practical applications.

Method

The examination focused on methods developed since 2010. Additionally, applications reported between 2015 and 2022 were thoroughly reviewed, utilizing Web of Science as a primary resource.

Synthesis

Recent advancements in chromatography-mass spectrometry technology have significantly enhanced the development of multi-residue methods. These determinations are now capable of simultaneously detecting numerous pesticide residues from various chemical and use classes. Furthermore, these methods encompass analytes from a variety of environmental contaminants, offering a comprehensive approach to biomonitoring. These methodologies have been employed across diverse perspectives, including toxicological studies, assessing pesticide exposure in the general population, occupational exposure among farmers, pest control workers, horticulturists, and florists, as well as investigating consequences during pregnancy and childhood, neurodevelopmental impacts, and reproductive disorders.

Future directions

Such strategies were essential in examining the health risks associated with exposure to complex mixtures, including pesticides and other relevant compounds, thereby painting a broader and more accurate picture of human exposure. Moreover, the implementation of integrated strategies, involving international research initiatives and biomonitoring programs, is crucial to optimize resource utilization, enhancing efficiency in health risk assessment.
Cardiovascular disease risk: it is complicated, but race and ethnicity are key, a Bayesian network analysis
Authors: Bowles Nicole P. , He Yimin , Huang Yueng-hsiang , Stecker Eric C. , Seixas Azizi , Thosar Saurabh S.
Published: June 2024

Background

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Despite the complexity of cardiovascular disease etiology, we do not fully comprehend the interactions between non-modifiable factors (e.g., age, sex, and race) and modifiable risk factors (e.g., health behaviors and occupational exposures).

Objective

We examined proximal and distal drivers of cardiovascular disease and elucidated the interactions between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.

Methods

We used a machine learning approach on four cohorts (2005–2012) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to examine the effects of risk factors on cardiovascular risk quantified by the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE). We estimated a network of risk factors, computed their strength centrality, closeness, and betweenness centrality, and computed a Bayesian network embodied in a directed acyclic graph.

Results

In addition to traditional factors such as body mass index and physical activity, race and ethnicity and exposure to heavy metals are the most adjacent drivers of PCE. In addition to the factors directly affecting PCE, sleep complaints had an immediate adverse effect on FRS. Exposure to heavy metals is the link between race and ethnicity and FRS.

Conclusion

Heavy metal exposures and race/ethnicity have similar proximal effects on cardiovascular disease risk as traditional clinical and lifestyle risk factors, such as physical activity and body mass. Our findings support the inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic groups in all cardiovascular research and the consideration of the social environment in clinical decision-making.
Burden of carpal tunnel syndrome and its associated factors among construction industry workers in Gondar town, Ethiopia
Authors: Bicha Nigus , Gashaw Moges , Chanie Samuel Teferi , Mekie Melisew , Yalew Ermias Solomon
Published: June 2024

Background

Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by symptoms such as pain, numbness, or tingling on the anterior surface of the index, middle, or radial half of the ring finger, which is frequently associated with weakness of hand grip, and nocturnal pain and/or numbness resulting from compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel between the carpal bones and the transverse ligament. The construction industry involves many activities aside from the building process, such as landscaping, painting, electrical supply, plastering, paving, and telecommunications. Performing such tasks involves repetition of wrist flexion and extension, forceful grip with the hand, and/or vibrations of the hand and arm. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and its associated risk factors among construction workers.

Method

An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among six construction sectors in Gondar from April to July 2021. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was prepared from the literature with a Katz hand diagram, and a physical examination and a special test (carpal compression test, Phalen’s, and Tinel’s test) were carried out for those participants who reported pain during the interview. Binary logistic regression was conducted with SPSS 25 to identify the associated risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome. The strength of the association was detected by the adjusted odds ratio.

Result

A total of 333 study participants aged 18–70 years were included in this study. Among the participants, 11.7% (AOR: 95%CI: 8.1–15.3) had carpal tunnel syndrome. Age, cigarette smoking, work experience, and working with finger-pressing tools were risk factors significantly associated with carpal tunnel syndrome among construction workers with a p-value of <0.05.

Conclusion

The magnitude of carpal tunnel syndrome was 11.7% among construction workers. Being of older age, having more experience, cigarette smoking, and working with finger-pressing tools were risk factors significantly associated with carpal tunnel syndrome among construction workers. Employers should implement work safety education programs that raise awareness about the risks of cigarette smoking and encourage employers and supervisors to seek early medical intervention and treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome before it becomes a chronic problem.
Online rumors during the COVID-19 pandemic: co-evolution of themes and emotions
Authors: Shen Chao , Song Zhenyu , He Pengyu , Liu Limin , Xiong Zhenyu
Published: June 2024

Introduction

During public health emergencies, online rumors spread widely on social media, causing public information anxiety and emotional fluctuations. Analyzing the co-evolution patterns of online rumor themes and emotions is essential for implementing proactive and precise governance of online rumors during such events.

Methods

Rumor texts from mainstream fact-checking platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic were collected and analyzed in phases based on the crisis lifecycle theory. The LDA topic model was applied to analyze the distribution of rumor themes at different stages. The Baidu AI Sentiment Analysis API was used to study the emotional tendencies of rumors at different stages. Line graphs were utilized to analyze the co-evolution characteristics of rumor themes and emotions.

Results

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the themes of online rumors can be categorized into five types: epidemic prevention and control, panic-inducing, production and livelihood, virus dissemination, and social figures. These themes exhibited repetition and fluctuation at different stages of the pandemic. The emotions embedded in pandemic-related online rumors evolved with the progression of the pandemic. Panic-inducing rumors co-evolved with negative emotions, while epidemic prevention and control rumors co-evolved with positive emotions.

Conclusion

The study results help to understand the public’s focus and emotional tendencies at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby enabling targeted public opinion guidance and crisis management.
Association between pesticide exposure and thyroid function: analysis of Chinese and NHANES databases
Authors: Xu Leiming , Yang Shengkai , Wang Longqing , Qiu Jinxin , Meng Hai , Zhang Lulu , Sun Wenwen , He Aifeng
Published: June 2024

Background

Pesticides are widely used in agricultural activities. Although pesticide use is known to cause damage to the human body, its relationship with thyroid function remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between pesticide exposure and thyroid function.

Methods

The Chinese database used included 60 patients with pyrethroid poisoning and 60 participants who underwent health checkups between June 2022 and June 2023. The NHANES database included 1,315 adults enrolled from 2007 to 2012. The assessed pesticide and their metabolites included 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F3PB), para-nitrophenol (PN), 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3P), and trans-dichlorovinyl-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (TDDC). The evaluated indicators of thyroid function were measured by the blood from the included population. The relationship between pesticide exposure and thyroid function indexes was investigated using linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), restricted cubic spline (RCS), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) models.

Results

The Chinese data showed that pesticide exposure was negatively correlated with the thyroid function indicators FT4, TT4, TgAb, and TPOAb (all p < 0.05). The BKMR model analysis of the NHANES data showed that the metabolic mixture of multiple pesticides was negatively associated with FT4, TSH, and Tg, similar to the Chinese database findings. Additionally, linear regression analysis demonstrated positive correlations between 2,4-D and FT3 (p = 0.041) and 4F3PB and FT4 (p = 0.003), whereas negative associations were observed between 4F3PB and Tg (p = 0.001), 4F3PB and TgAb (p = 0.006), 3P and TgAB (p = 0.006), 3P and TPOAb (p = 0.03), PN and TSH (p = 0.003), PN and TT4 (p = 0.031), and TDDC and TPOAb (p < 0.001). RCS curves highlighted that most pesticide metabolites were negatively correlated with thyroid function indicators. Finally, WQS model analysis revealed significant differences in the weights of different pesticide metabolites on the thyroid function indexes.

Conclusion

There is a significant negative correlation between pesticide metabolites and thyroid function indicators, and the influence weights of different pesticide metabolites on thyroid function indicators are significantly different. More research is needed to further validate the association between different pesticide metabolites and thyroid disease.
Green space exposure and Chinese residents’ physical activity participation: empirical evidence from a health geography perspective
Authors: Xia Qi-fei , Qin Guo-you , Liu Qi , Hu Yun-zhou
Published: June 2024

Background

With continuous efforts made to promote the strategic goals of carbon neutrality and carbon peak, it is crucial to meet the growing and diversified needs of the public for fitness by practicing the concept of green development and promote the combination of national fitness and ecological civilization.

Methods

To achieve this purpose, an OLS regression model was applied to estimate the role of green space exposure in Chinese residents’ participation in physical activity and its underlying mechanisms, using the microdata from the China General Social Survey (CGSS) data and the Provincial Vegetation Cover Index (NDVI) matched macrostatistical data.

Results

The empirical results show that green space exposure significantly increases the probability of residents’ physical activity participation, and creating a green environment is conducive to creating a favorable physical activity environment for residents. Also, the core conclusions still hold after the year-by-year regression test is passed and the endogeneity problem is addressed. As revealed by mechanistic studies, green space exposure has indirect effects on the physical activity participation of residents through the independent mediating roles of reducing carbon emissions and promoting social interaction. According to heterogeneity results, males, those in marriage, and urban dweller groups are more inclined to perform physical activity in green spaces.

Conclusion

The results show that the exposure of green space can help increase the probability of residents’ participation in physical exercise, and can that it achieved through two channels: reducing carbon emissions and enhancing social interaction. It is necessary to further strengthen the protection of the ecological lifestyle, give full play to the advantages of greenness and low-carbon, and create favorable conditions for the green development of a new model of national fitness.
DCM2Net: an improved face recognition model for panoramic stereoscopic videos
Authors: Zhang Dalei , Tan Wee Hoe , Wei Yuanyuan , Tan Chung Keat
Published: June 2024

The panoramic stereo video has brought a new visual experience for the audience with its immersion and stereo effect. In panoramic stereo video, the face is an important element. However, the face image in panoramic stereo video has varying degrees of deformation. This brings new challenges to face recognition. Therefore, this paper proposes a face recognition model DCM2Net (Deformable Convolution MobileFaceNet) for panoramic stereo video. The model mainly integrates the feature information between channels during feature fusion, redistributes the information between channels in the deeper part of the network, and fully uses the information between different channels for feature extraction. This paper also built a panoramic stereo video live system, using the DCM2Net model to recognize the face in panoramic stereo video, and the recognition results are displayed in the video. After experiments on different datasets, the results show that our model has better results on popular datasets and panoramic datasets.
Developing and comparing deep learning and machine learning algorithms for osteoporosis risk prediction
Authors: Qiu Chuan , Su Kuanjui , Luo Zhe , Tian Qing , Zhao Lanjuan , Wu Li , Deng Hongwen , Shen Hui
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), is an increasingly serious public health issue. So far, several traditional regression models and machine learning (ML) algorithms have been proposed for predicting osteoporosis risk. However, these models have shown relatively low accuracy in clinical implementation. Recently proposed deep learning (DL) approaches, such as deep neural network (DNN), which can discover knowledge from complex hidden interactions, offer a new opportunity to improve predictive performance. In this study, we aimed to assess whether DNN can achieve a better performance in osteoporosis risk prediction.

Methods

By utilizing hip BMD and extensive demographic and routine clinical data of 8,134 subjects with age more than 40 from the Louisiana Osteoporosis Study (LOS), we developed and constructed a novel DNN framework for predicting osteoporosis risk and compared its performance in osteoporosis risk prediction with four conventional ML models, namely random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and support vector machine (SVM), as well as a traditional regression model termed osteoporosis self-assessment tool (OST). Model performance was assessed by area under ‘receiver operating curve’ (AUC) and accuracy.

Results

By using 16 discriminative variables, we observed that the DNN approach achieved the best predictive performance (AUC = 0.848) in classifying osteoporosis (hip BMD T-score ≤ −1.0) and non-osteoporosis risk (hip BMD T-score > −1.0) subjects, compared to the other approaches. Feature importance analysis showed that the top 10 most important variables identified by the DNN model were weight, age, gender, grip strength, height, beer drinking, diastolic pressure, alcohol drinking, smoke years, and economic level. Furthermore, we performed subsampling analysis to assess the effects of varying number of sample size and variables on the predictive performance of these tested models. Notably, we observed that the DNN model performed equally well (AUC = 0.846) even by utilizing only the top 10 most important variables for osteoporosis risk prediction. Meanwhile, the DNN model can still achieve a high predictive performance (AUC = 0.826) when sample size was reduced to 50% of the original dataset.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we developed a novel DNN model which was considered to be an effective algorithm for early diagnosis and intervention of osteoporosis in the aging population.
Do organic, conventional, and intensive approaches in livestock farming have an impact on the circulation of infectious agents and antimicrobial resistance? A systematic review, focused on dairy cattle
Authors: Pajoro Massimo , Brilli Matteo , Pezzali Giulia , Vadalà Miriam , Kramer Laura , Moroni Paolo , Bandi Claudio
Published: June 2024

Introduction

A common thought is that extensive and organic breeding systems are associated with lower prevalence of infections in livestock animals, compared to intensive ones. In addition, organic systems limit the use of anti-microbial drugs, which may lead to lower emergence of antimicrobial resistances (AMR).

Methods

To examine these issues, avoiding any a priori bias, we carried out a systematic literature search on dairy cattle breeding. Search was targeted to publications that compared different types of livestock farming (intensive, extensive, conventional, organic) in terms of the circulation of infectious diseases and AMR.

Results and discussion

A total of 101 papers were finally selected. These papers did not show any trend in the circulation of the infections in the four types of breeding systems. However, AMR was more prevalent on conventional dairy farms compared to organic ones. The prevalence of specific pathogens and types of resistances were frequently associated with specific risk factors that were not strictly related to the type of farming system. In conclusion, we did not find any evidence suggesting that extensive and organic dairy farming bears any advantage over the intensive and conventional ones, in terms of the circulation of infectious agents.
Comparison of the predictive performance of three lymph node staging systems for late-onset gastric cancer patients after surgery
Authors: Chen Sheng , Ding Ping’an , Zhao Qun
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Lymph node (LN) status is a vital prognostic factor for patients. However, there has been limited focus on predicting the prognosis of patients with late-onset gastric cancer (LOGC). This study aimed to investigate the predictive potential of the log odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS), lymph node ratio (LNR), and pN stage in assessing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with LOGC.

Methods

The LOGC data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. This study evaluated and compared the predictive performance of three LN staging systems. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were carried out to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Three machine learning methods, namely, LASSO, XGBoost, and RF analyses, were subsequently used to identify the optimal LN staging system. A nomogram was built to predict the prognosis of patients with LOGC. The efficacy of the model was demonstrated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis.

Results

A total of 4,743 patients with >16 removed lymph nodes were ultimately included in this investigation. Three LN staging systems demonstrated significant performance in predicting survival outcomes (P < 0.001). The LNR exhibited the most important prognostic ability, as evidenced by the use of three machine learning methods. Utilizing independent factors derived from multivariate Cox regression analysis, a nomogram for OS was constructed.

Discussion

The calibration, C-index, and AUC revealed their excellent predictive performance. The LNR demonstrated a more powerful performance than other LN staging methods in LOGC patients after surgery. Our novel nomogram exhibited superior clinical feasibility and may assist in patient clinical decision-making.
Case report: Unilateral papilledema in a dog with a large suprasellar mass and suspected intracranial hypertension: insights from funduscopy, optical coherence tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Cho Heejong , Choi Mihyun , Yoo Sukjong , Jeong Manbok , Park Shin Ae
Published: June 2024

A spayed, 8-year-old female Poodle, weighing 5.7 kg, was presented with the chief complaint of vision impairment. Vision assessment, including pupillary light reflexes, menace response, dazzle reflex, and maze navigation in photopic and scotopic circumstances, revealed a negative response in both eyes except for positive direct pupillary light reflex in the right eye and positive consensual pupillary light reflex from the right eye to the left eye. Systemic evaluation, including neurologic status, blood profile, and thoracic radiographs, did not reveal any abnormalities. Complete ophthalmic examinations, ocular ultrasonography, and electroretinography did not identify a cause of blindness. Upon funduscopy, the left eye exhibited an increased optic disk diameter, blurred optic disk borders, and loss of the physiologic pit, as well as an increase in vascular tortuosity. In the right eye, there were multifocal depigmented areas in the non-tapetal fundus and several pigmented spots surrounded by a region of dull tapetal reflection in the tapetal fundus. The optical coherence tomography revealed severe anterior deformation of the optic nerve head and Bruch’s membrane in the peripapillary region of the left eye. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an irregular, broad-based suprasellar mass, with features suggestive of intracranial hypertension, including dorsal displacement of third ventricles, a rightward shift of the falx cerebri, trans-tentorial herniation, perilesional edema, flattening/protrusion of the posterior sclera, and lager optic nerve sheath diameter in left side than right side. This is the first comprehensive report that describes unilateral papilledema in a dog with a brain tumor, using advanced ophthalmic and neuro-imaging modalities.
Calibration Optimization of Kinematics and Dynamics for Delta Robot Driven by Integrated Joints in Machining Task
Authors: Jiang Zhenhua , Wang Yu , Liu Dongdong , Sun Tao
Published: June 2024

For the application of Delta robots with a 3-R(RPaR) configuration in machining tasks, this paper constructed a 54-parameter kinematic error model and a simplified dynamic model incorporating an integrated joint’s position error and friction, respectively. Utilizing Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of the Linear Model Coefficient Matrix (LMCM) and the coefficient chart, a criterion for identifiability of error components is established. For good identification results, the optimal measurement surface with Fourier series form is obtained using a combination of the Hook–Jeeves Direct Search Algorithm (DSA) and Inner Point Method (IPM). The friction coefficients and other dynamic parameters are obtained through fitting the integrated joint torque-angle pairs measured along specific trajectories using nonlinear least squares regression. The validation of the calibration process is conducted through simulations and experiments. The calibration results provide a foundation for the precise control of integrated joints and the high-precision motion of robots.
Alcoholic Acute Pancreatitis, a Retrospective Study about Clinical Risk Factors and Outcomes—A Seven-Year Experience of a Large Tertiary Center
Authors: Gűnșahin Deniz , Edu Andrei Vicențiu , Pahomeanu Mihai Radu , Mitu Tudor Ștefan , Ghiță Andreea Irina , Odorog Anamaria Simona , Preda Carmen Monica , Negreanu Lucian
Published: June 2024

(1) Background: Alcohol consumption is one of the main causes of acute pancreatitis. (2) Material and Methods: In this unicentric retrospective cohort study, we selected 1855 patients from the Bucharest Acute Pancreatitis Index (BUC-API) who presented with acute pancreatitis. We investigated correlations between Alcoholic Acute Pancreatitis (AAP) and the rate of complications, cost, length of hospitalization and rate of recurrence. (3) Results: We found a moderately strong association between AAP and recurrence (p < 0.01) and observed that the disease is likelier to evolve with pseudocysts and walled-off necrosis than other forms of AP. Patients with AAP are less likely to have a morphologically normal pancreas than patients suffering from AP of other causes (p < 0.01), but a low probability of requiring intensive care unit admission (p < 0.01) significantly lowers daily cost (Md = 154.7 EUR compared to Md = 204.4 EUR) (p < 0.01). (4) Conclusions: This study’s data show that patients with AAP have a greater rate of pseudocyst occurrence, lower intensive care unit admittance rate and lower cost of hospitalization than patients with AP of other causes. Typical Sketch: A middle-aged male tobacco smoker with recurrent AP, lower risk of in-hospital mortality and complications such as pseudocysts; treated in a gastroenterological ward and discharged at-will.
Analysing the Transformative Changes of Nationally Determined Contributions and Long-Term Targets
Authors: Fragkos Panagiotis , van de Ven Dirk-Jan , Horowitz Russell , Zisarou Eleftheria
Published: June 2024

As the imperative to address climate change intensifies, understanding the effectiveness of policy interventions becomes paramount. In the context of addressing these urgent challenges and given the inadequacy of current policies to address this issue, this study examines the extent to which Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Targets (LTTs) can contribute to achieving ambitious climate goals. Recognizing the critical need for effective climate action, we employ the advanced modelling tools PROMETHEUS and GCAM to assess the implications of different scenarios–Current Policies (CP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and combination of NDCs with Long-Term Targets (NDC_LTT)–on the future development of energy system and emission. This study, by employing these well-known models, seeks to provide an improved understanding of the impacts of NDCs on global emission trajectories and whether the integration of NDCs and LTTs can help close the gap towards Paris-compatible pathways. The study analyzes various sectors including buildings, transportation, electricity generation, and industry to provide insights into the limitations of existing policies and the potential of enhanced commitments to drive transformative changes in a global scale. The effectiveness of these policies varies across different sectors, highlighting the challenges that need to be addressed for achieving the required emission reduction targets in the medium- and long-term. Key findings indicate significant shifts in energy consumption, fuel mix, technology adoption, and emission trajectories, particularly under the synergistic action represented by the NDC_LTT scenario.
Capacitive Imaging for Skin Characterizations and Solvent Penetration Measurements
Authors: Zhang Xu , Bontozoglou Christos , Chirikhina Elena , Lane Majella E. , Xiao Perry
Published: June 2024

Capacitive contact imaging has shown potential in measuring skin properties including hydration, micro relief analysis, as well as solvent penetration measurements. Through calibration, we can also measure the absolute permittivity of the skin, and from absolute permittivity we then work out the absolute water content and absolute solvent content in skin. This paper presents our latest study of capacitive contact imaging for skin characterizations and vivo skin solvent penetration. The results show that with capacitive contact imaging, it is possible not only to assess the skin damaging, but also potentially possible to differentiate different types of skin damages. The results also show that with capacitive contact imaging, it is also possible to measure the solvent penetration through skin and to quantify the solvent concentration within skin.
The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the Queen: The Vanishing of Pinna nobilis and the Onset of the Congeneric P. rudis (Mollusca: Bivalvia)
Authors: Rubino Fernando , Fanelli Giovanni , Denti Giuseppe
Published: June 2024

The bivalve mollusc Pinna nobilis, endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, has been vanishing since 2016 from the whole basin because of an infection by multiple pathogens that caused mass mortality events. In the Eastern Mediterranean, some small populations seem to be resistant to the infection. These individuals could represent the only possibility for the species to recolonize desert habitats. Thus, according to the recommendations of IUCN, looking for living specimens of P. nobilis is a priority. With this goal in mind, we carried out surveys in different areas of Southern Italy, and in 2018, we launched a Citizen Science campaign to involve recreational and professional divers in this challenge. As a result of a monitoring activity carried out in 2022–2024, along the Ionian coast of Apulia, in Southern Italy, we can say that there are no more living specimens there but only empty shells. Concurrent to the vanishing of the queen P. nobilis, its congeneric P. rudis, resistant to the infection, seems to be taking advantage, becoming more common and colonizing habitats once exclusive to P. nobilis. In fact, from different areas of the Mediterranean, sightings of the new possible queen, P. rudis, are increasing, together with the discovery of individuals exhibiting morphological traits that are a mixture of the two species. In some cases, these morphological features are not easy to detect; nevertheless, the presence of these hybrids, resistant to the infection, is important for the conservation of the species.
Stress–Strain Behavior and Fatigue of High-Temperature Component Made of P92 Steel in a Coal-Fired Power Boiler
Authors: Okrajni Jerzy , Wacławiak Krzysztof , Junak Grzegorz , Twardawa Mariusz
Published: June 2024

In the technical literature examining P92 steel grade, a common material used for elements of power equipment with enhanced operating parameters, there are numerous studies on creep tests. However, there is a lack of information on the fatigue processes of such materials, especially thermo-mechanical fatigue. The presented article investigates certain aspects of this phenomenon, focusing on the behavioral aspect of P92 steel under time-varying mechanical and thermal load conditions. The analysis of the behavior of the high-pressure elements of power equipment focused on the operating parameters. These parameters lead to various stress and strain fields in the elements, allowing the determination of their fatigue life. The issue of selecting fatigue life criteria for materials and forecasting the durability of elements operating under mechanical loads and time-varying elevated temperatures was also examined. In this case, the material characteristics determined under laboratory conditions and the applicable standard used by designers of power equipment were utilized.