Search Results (20,545)

Background: The prevalence of food allergy is increasing, posing a significant health concern. Assessing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in individuals with food allergies is crucial, and various questionnaires exist for this purpose. However, translation and validation of these tools are necessary to ensure cultural relevance. This study aimed to translate the FAQLQ-PF into Greek and perform a cross-sectional validation to assess its effectiveness in evaluating HRQOL among Greek children with food allergies. Methods: Parents of children aged 0 to 12 years diagnosed with food allergy completed the Greek version of the FAQLQ-PF, consisting of 30 items across three subscales. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. Statistical analyses included nonparametric tests, correlation analysis for validity, and Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency. Results: Out of 85 participants, 81 were included. The FAQLQ-PF demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.94). Validity evaluation indicated its ability to measure HRQOL in younger children. HRQOL in the Greek pediatric population was significantly correlated with the number of food allergies, symptoms, parental and child concerns, anxiety levels, and activity restrictions. However, sex and general health status were not significantly correlated with HRQOL. Conclusions: The Greek translation and validation of FAQLQ-PF provides insights into HRQOL among Greek children with food allergies. Factors such as anaphylactic reactions, epinephrine autoinjector usage, number of food allergies, and symptoms influenced HRQOL in this population. Full article

Background/Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prevalence of surgical site infections (SSIs) following coronectomy of mandibular third molars. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases up to 30 July 2024. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Observational studies assessing SSI prevalence following coronectomy were included. The pooled prevalence of SSI with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic, and meta-regression was conducted to explore the influence of continuous variables. Results: A total of 22 studies involving 2173 coronectomy procedures were included. The overall pooled prevalence of SSI was 2.4% (95% CI: 1–4.3%), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 81%). Meta-regression showed no significant effect of the examined variables on SSI prevalence. No study was identified as a significant outlier. Quality assessments revealed that all studies had moderate methodological quality. Conclusions: Considerable heterogeneity was observed, likely due to variations in study settings, geographical regions, and timeframes, among other factors. Therefore, this study underscores the need for further rigorous research to better understand SSI risk factors and enhance management strategies for this postoperative complication. Full article

Background and Objectives: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common swallowing disorder, characterized by difficulties in moving food and liquids from the mouth to the esophagus; it is particularly prevalent among older adults with neurological conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term complex treatment protocol combining dietary modifications, swallowing exercises, and transcutaneous neuromuscular electrostimulation in reducing the oropharyngeal dysphagia severity and aspiration risk among geriatric patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 64 participants aged 60 and older, with oropharyngeal dysphagia, at LSMU Kaunas Hospital between May 2021 and April 2023, were included in the study after excluding those with significant comorbidities. Diagnostic assessments included the water swallow test and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing, conducted before and after treatment. Results: The results indicated a statistically significant reduction in the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia, with 18.8% of patients showing improvements from moderate to mild dysphagia and 33.3% from severe to moderate. Additionally, the median PAS score was four points (IQR 3–6) before treatment and significantly decreased to three points (IQR 2–4) after treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that even a short-term multidisciplinary approach that lasts 10 days can effectively alleviate the symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia, enhance patient safety, and improve swallowing among geriatric patients suffering from this condition. Full article

Background and Objectives: the mandibular foramen is an essential anatomic landmark in performing various dental and surgical procedures, including inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB). However, its position may vary based on the individual morpho-functional features of the skull and face. This study aims to conduct a personalized assessment of the location of the mandibular foramen in various shapes of skulls, faces, and mandibles. Materials and Methods: this anatomic morphometric cross-sectional study was performed using one hundred and six (n = 106) certified human cadaver heads of both sexes. The cranial index (CI) and Izard’s facial index (FI) were calculated, the linear anatomic parameters of the skull and mandible were measured, the location of the mandibular foramen was identified, and the shapes of the skulls and mandibles were determined. Quantitative statistical data were obtained based on the location of the mandibular foramen, considering different shapes of skulls and faces. Results: there is a significant correlation between the location of the mandibular foramen, the high lengthy index (HLI) of the mandible, and the longitudinal latitude index (LLI) of the mandibular process. Conclusions: personalized assessment of the mandibular foramen based on a comprehensive analysis of craniometric characteristics can contribute to preventing unwanted dental and surgical complications, such as inferior alveolar nerve damage. Full article

This study presents a novel video-based risk assessment and safety management technique aimed at mitigating the risk of falling objects during tower crane lifting operations. The conventional YOLOv5 algorithm is prone to issues of missed and false detections, particularly when identifying small objects. To address these limitations, the algorithm is enhanced by incorporating an additional small object detection layer, implementing an attention mechanism, and modifying the loss function. The enhanced YOLOv5s model achieved precision and recall rates of 96.00%, with average precision (AP) values of 96.42% at an IoU of 0.5 and 62.02% across the range of IoU values from 0.5 to 0.95. These improvements significantly enhance the model’s capability to accurately detect crane hooks and personnel. Upon identifying the hook within a video frame, its actual height is calculated using an interpolation function derived from the hook’s dimensions. This calculation allows for the precise demarcation of the danger zone by determining the potential impact area of falling objects. The worker’s risk level is assessed using a refined method based on the statistical analysis of past accidents. If the risk level surpasses a predetermined safety threshold, the worker’s detection box is emphasized and flagged as a caution on the monitoring display. Full article

Implants are increasingly used in dentistry. Nevertheless, several factors can cause treatment failure. To assess initial wound healing, various indices have been developed. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between early wound healing and implant success. Fifty single implants (25 in women and 25 in men) were placed in patients meeting the inclusion criteria. The implants (Ticare^®) were placed via the two-stage technique. Patients were assessed at 24 h, one week, one month, and two months post-implantation. At the final evaluation, implantation failure or success was recorded. Postoperative pain in these patients at one week after placement was assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS), and the Wachtel soft tissue early healing index was used to measure healing. Two months after implant placement, the success rate was 92%. No statistically significant relationship was found between the Wachtel index and short-term implant success or failure. Additionally, there was no relationship between implant success or failure and variables such as smoking, diabetes status, age, sex, or guided bone regeneration (GBR). Neither the Wachtel index nor any of the other variables studied is a predictor of early implantation success. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to assess malnutrition and muscle mass depletion risk in gastrointestinal cancer patients, exploring the differences between gastric and colorectal cancer, with a focus on gender0specific variations and dietary intake. It also examined whether muscle depletion mediates the relationship between dietary intake and malnutrition risk. Methods: A sample of 100 Jordanian pre-operative gastrointestinal cancer patients (60 male, 40 female) with gastric or colorectal cancer were assessed for malnutrition risk using the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST) and for muscle depletion using fat-free mass index (FFMI) and mid-upper arm muscle area (MUAMA). Results: The study found that 80% (95% CI: 0.708–0.873) of patients were at high risk of malnutrition, with over 60% experiencing severe muscle loss. Gastric cancer patients showed higher, though not statistically significant, malnutrition risk (90.2% vs. 72.9%) and muscle depletion compared to colorectal cancer patients. Advanced cancer stages were associated with significantly higher risk of malnutrition and muscle depletion. Significant gender-specific differences in muscle depletion via FFMI (p = 0.012) and via MUAMA (p = 0.028) were also noted, especially in females with gastric cancer. Additionally, males exhibited a significantly higher malnutrition risk (p < 0.001) based on cancer stage. Patients’ dietary intake was significantly (p < 0.001) below the recommended levels for energy, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and essential fatty acids, which was associated with higher malnutrition risk, muscle depletion, low BMI (<18.5 kg/m²), and significant weight loss (>10%). Low dietary intake was strongly linked to increased malnutrition risk and muscle depletion, with muscle loss partially mediating (b = 0.4972, p < 0.0001) the relationship between poor dietary intake and malnutrition risk. Additionally, higher muscle mass was protective against malnutrition (OR = 16.0, 95% CI: 1.706–150.507), and cancer type was a significant predictor of malnutrition risk (OR = 14.4, 95% CI: 1.583–130.867). Conclusions: Malnutrition risk and significant muscle loss are common in GI cancer patients, highlighting the urgent need for tailored nutrition care plans and lifestyle modifications. Full article

Background: Complications, particularly pneumothorax, are common following lung interventions and occasionally necessitate further examinations, extend hospital stays, increase treatment costs, and result in long-term health impairment or even death. A few lung intervention tract sealants have been explored to reduce procedure-related complications. Objectives: The primary objective of this prospective non-randomized study was to assess the complication rates and risk factors for computed tomography-guided lung microwave ablation (MWA) with autologous blood clot as a tract sealant. Methods: Twenty-one patients underwent a total of 26 MWA sessions for lung malignancy followed by injection of the patient’s clotted venous blood into the ablation tract while retracting the coaxial needle. Ablation tract sealing was successful in all MWA sessions. Results: Pneumothorax was the only complication observed in five (19.2%) sessions, with one patient (3.8%) requiring chest tube insertion. The male sex was a statistically significant risk factor for pneumothorax (p = 0.042), and patients with lung emphysema had almost fivefold higher odds of developing pneumothorax (OR 4.8; 95% CI, 0.617–37.351; p = 0.281). Conclusions: This study concludes that pneumothorax is the primary complication following lung MWA, and the male sex is a risk factor. Ablation tract sealing with autologous venous blood is a straightforward and inexpensive technique that can reduce the incidence of procedure-related pneumothorax. Full article

Background and Objectives: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of cervical pain on the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis in comparison with a group of healthy people (without diseases of the Central Nervous System). Materials and Methods: Data were collected at the Specialist Hospital St. Łukasz in Końskie (Poland) in the period from November 2023 to August 2024. The inclusion criteria for this study were as follows: age (20–50 years), women and men, healthy people (without diseases of the Central Nervous System) and people suffering from multiple sclerosis. People from the study group were diagnosed according to the McDonald criteria and tested with the EDSS. The mobility of the cervical spine was measured, and neck pain was assessed using the following: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Laitinen Scale and the Neck Disability Index (NDI). All participants self-assessed their quality of life using EuroQol 5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L). Results: 80 people took part in this study, the vast majority of whom were women (71.3%). The most common form of multiple sclerosis was relapsing-remitting (75.0%), and the average EDSS score was higher in the male group (1.6 ± 1.8). Cervical spine pain was reported by 27 people from the study group (67.5%) and 16 people from the control group (40.0%). In both groups, the cervical spine mobility was lower in people with neck pain. The level of cervical spine pain was statistically significantly (p < 0.05) higher in women, people living in small towns and in people with multiple sclerosis, depending on the type of disease and its duration. Cervical spine pain in people with multiple sclerosis was higher in all three scales (VAS mean = 5.7, ES = 0.79; Laitinen Scale mean = 10.1, ES = 0.60; and NDI Scale mean = 21.1, ES = 0.89). The study group obtained significantly higher scores on the EQ-5D scale (mean = 15.3; ES = 0.79) and EQ-VAS (mean = 53.2; ES = 0.94). Conclusions: This study proved that cervical spine pain is more common among people with multiple sclerosis. In these people, this problem is rarely diagnosed and properly treated. Full article

This paper proposes and implements a methodology to fit a seven-parameter Generalized Tempered Stable (GTS) distribution to financial data. The nonexistence of the mathematical expression of the GTS probability density function makes maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) inadequate for providing parameter estimations. Based on the function characteristic and the fractional Fourier transform (FRFT), we provide a comprehensive approach to circumvent the problem and yield a good parameter estimation of the GTS probability. The methodology was applied to fit two heavy-tailed data (Bitcoin and Ethereum returns) and two peaked data (S&P 500 and SPY ETF returns). For each historical data, the estimation results show that six-parameter estimations are statistically significant except for the local parameter, $\mu$. The goodness of fit was assessed through Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Anderson–Darling, and Pearson’s chi-squared statistics. While the two-parameter geometric Brownian motion (GBM) hypothesis is always rejected, the GTS distribution fits significantly with a very high p-value and outperforms the Kobol, Carr–Geman–Madan–Yor, and bilateral Gamma distributions. Full article

This study presents a novel approach using Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Networks with Gradient Penalty (WGAN-GP) to generate synthetic electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) waveforms. The synthetic EEG data represent concentration and relaxation mental states, while the synthetic ECG data correspond to normal and abnormal states. By addressing the challenges of limited biophysical data, including privacy concerns and restricted volunteer availability, our model generates realistic synthetic waveforms learned from real data. Combining real and synthetic datasets improved classification accuracy from 92% to 98.45%, highlighting the benefits of dataset augmentation for machine learning performance. The WGAN-GP model achieved 96.84% classification accuracy for synthetic EEG data representing relaxation states and optimal accuracy for concentration states when classified using a fusion of convolutional neural networks (CNNs). A 50% combination of synthetic and real EEG data yielded the highest accuracy of 98.48%. For EEG signals, the real dataset consisted of 60-s recordings across four channels (TP9, AF7, AF8, and TP10) from four individuals, providing approximately 15,000 data points per subject per state. For ECG signals, the dataset contained 1200 real samples, each comprising 140 data points, representing normal and abnormal states. WGAN-GP outperformed a basic generative adversarial network (GAN) in generating reliable synthetic data. For ECG data, a support vector machine (SVM) classifier achieved an accuracy of 98% with real data and 95.8% with synthetic data. Synthetic ECG data improved the random forest (RF) classifier’s accuracy from 97% with real data alone to 98.40% when combined with synthetic data. Statistical significance was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, demonstrating the robustness of the WGAN-GP model. Techniques such as discrete wavelet transform, downsampling, and upsampling were employed to enhance data quality. This method shows significant potential in addressing biophysical data scarcity and advancing applications in assistive technologies, human-robot interaction, and mental health monitoring, among other medical applications. Full article

The concept of clean energy was introduced by the Mexican authorities as part of the wholesale electricity market with the objectives of both measuring the progress in decarbonization and fostering emission-free and low-emission technologies. In the present work, the evolution of clean energy production for the period 2017–2023, corresponding to seven full years of operation of the electricity market, was analyzed and compared to official targets. Emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) was calculated from fuel consumption statistics. The consistency between electricity generation and fuel consumption data has been assessed. The projected short-term evolution of electricity generation and GHG emissions through 2026, locked in by decisions in the recent past, was modeled and discussed. A reduction in carbon intensity from 0.56 gCO_2,eq to 0.46 g CO_2,eq was found for the 2017–2022 period, in qualitative agreement with official figures, mainly due to the large-scale introduction of wind and solar, as well as some displacement of coal- and fuel oil-fired generation. Total GHG emissions reached a minimum of about 150 Gt CO_2,eq/a in 2020–2021; emissions are projected to rise to 190 Gt CO_2,eq in 2026, due to a strong rise in natural gas-fired generation from combined-cycle plants and the largely stalled development of wind and solar plants. Clean energy figures were found to decouple from emissions and can therefore not be considered a good proxy for decarbonization. A recent roadmap presented by the incoming federal government does, however, indicate a change in policies which might bring Mexico back on track towards the decarbonization of the electric power sector. Full article

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in individuals over the age of 65. There is no known prevention for the progression of the disease, although the FDA recently approved two drugs for AD. The exact etiology of AD is still under debate; however, it is commonly associated with the aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in the brain. Recently some extended chalcones were reported to be potential anti-amyloidogenic agents. In this study, a larger library of extended chalcone analogs were synthesized with modifications on both rings. These were tested using the Thioflavin T fluorescence assay to measure their anti-Aβ aggregation properties. Three notably active compounds were further evaluated for potential neurotoxicity and neuroprotection using an MTT cell viability assay. These compounds were non-neurotoxic and displayed a trend toward neuroprotection. These were further assessed in a Drosophila melanogaster animal AD model. A forced climbing assay revealed statistically significant changes in flies’ movement by ~30% when fed these anti-amyloidogenic agents. Full article

Since the 1950s, the screening of the body volatilome has proven to be a powerful tool for preventing diseases from spreading. Following the COVID-19 crisis, several studies began investigating the connection between viruses and the body volatilome, gradually identifying potential biomarkers, which varied depending on the study. To try to elucidate potential sources of inconsistency in biomarker findings, we decided to set up a study taking into consideration the factors often overlooked in previous studies. The VOCs constituting the body volatilomes of 40 COVID-19 patients and 13 healthy subjects were sampled by using PowerSorb^® as the sorbent phase. Thermodesorption, followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC×GC/TOF MS), was utilized for the analysis. A non-targeted biomarker research methodology compared Covid(+) and Covid(−) chromatograms, assessing statistical significance and peak area changes. Out of the 25 compounds highlighted, 13 associated with cosmetic products were excluded, and 8 linked to air pollution in urban settings were also excluded. Finally, after having quantitatively evaluated the potential sources of the compounds (cosmetic or environmental), 4 compounds remained and their relevance was assessed using ROC curves. Among them, hexanoic acid, 2-ethyl- identification was confirmed with standard and led to an area-under-the-curve value of 92%. More in-depth studies are needed to investigate the specificity of the biomarker in relation to COVID-19, but the strategy of this study shows how to avoid obtaining data that are biased by exogenous factors. Full article

In this paper, nonlinear system identification using Bayesian network has been implemented to discover open-loop lateral-directional aerodynamic model parameters of an agile aircraft using a grey box modelling structure. Our novel technique has been demonstrated on simulated flight data from an F-16 nonlinear simulation of its Flight Dynamic Model (FDM). A mathematical model has been obtained using time series analysis of a Box–Jenkins (BJ) model structure, and parameter refinement has been performed using Bayesian mechanics. The aircraft nonlinear Flight Dynamic Model is adequately excited with doublet inputs, as per the dictates of its natural frequency, in accordance with non-parametric modelling (Finite Impulse Response) estimates. Time histories of optimized doublet inputs in the form of aileron and rudder deflections, and outputs in the form of roll and yaw rates are recorded. Dataset is pre-processed by implementing de-trending, smoothing, and filtering techniques. Blend of System Identification time-domain grey box modelling structures to include Output Error (OE) and Box–Jenkins (BJ) Models are stage-wise implemented in multiple flight conditions under varied stochastic models. Furthermore, a reduced order parsimonious model is obtained using Akaike information Criteria (AIC). Parameter error minimization activity is conducted using the Levenberg–Marquardt (L-M) Algorithm, and parameter refinement is performed using the Bayesian Algorithm due to its natural connection with grey box modelling. Comparative analysis of different nonlinear estimators is performed to obtain best estimates for the lateral–directional aerodynamic model of supersonic aircraft. Model Quality Assessment is conducted through statistical techniques namely: Residual Analysis, Best Fit Percentage, Fit Percentage Error, Mean Squared Error, and Model order. Results have shown promising one-step model predictions with an accuracy of 96.25%. Being a sequel to our previous research work for postulating longitudinal aerodynamic model of supersonic aircraft, this work completes the overall aerodynamic model, further leading towards insight to its flight control laws and subsequent simulator design. Full article