Neck Pain (NP) and low back pain (LBP) are ubiquitous musculoskeletal conditions and some of the major causes of disability worldwide. The aim of the study was to assess the incidence and risk factors of back pain among paramedics and their correlation with the nature of work, anthropometric features and the level of recreational physical activity. A group of 201 individuals (39 females (19.40%); 162 males (80.60%)), licensed to practice as paramedics in Poland completed a questionnaire containing the author's interview as well as the Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire and the Revised Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Among the examined paramedics, 92% of the subjects reported the presence of back pain in different parts of the spine (36% C; 17% Th; and 85% LBP). The pain intensity, determined by VAS, was on average 4.26 (SD 1.77). The level of disability, assessed by NDI, was 7.67 (SD 5.73) on average, while the ODI was 7.51 (5.90). Work-related spinal strain has a major impact on the intensity and incidence of spinal pain. Spinal pain in paramedics mainly occurs in the lower back.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a multifactorial genetic disorder caused by interactive effects of environmental and genetic factors. The proper locus of the TP53 gene (17p13.1) and its protein is essential in genomic stability. The most common variant of the TP53 gene-p.P72R (rs1042522)-shows functional variation. The aim of our study was a complex analysis of the TP53 p.P72R variant and TP53 gene expression in relation to chromosomal changes of the TP53 gene locus, as well as MM risk and outcome. Genomic DNA from 129 newly diagnosed MM patients was analyzed by methods of automated DNA sequencing (for TP53 variant analysis) and cIg-FISH (for chromosomal aberrations analysis). RNA was used in real-time PCR to determine the TP53 expression. In MM patients, the TP53 variant was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The RR genotype was associated with lower MM risk (OR = 0.44, p = 0.004). A higher number of plasma cells was found in patients with RR genotype in comparison to those with PP + PR genotypes (36.74% vs. 28.30%, p = 0.02). A higher expression of the TP53 gene was observed in PP + PR genotypes vs. RR homozygote (p < 0.001), in smokers vs. non-smokers (p = 0.02). A positive Pearson's correlation was found between the TP53 expression level and the number of plasma cells (r = 0.26, p = 0.04). The presence of chromosome 17 aberrations with or without TP53 locus did not affect the MM risk and outcome. Similar results were observed in the case of TP53 gene expression and the p.P72R variant.

Abstract The article consists of theoretical and empirical parts. The theoretical part presents the most important issues related to such concepts as self-efficacy, dispositional optimism and life satisfaction among fitness industry employees. Reference was made to the most important findings of researchers in the fields of philosophy, psychology and sociology. The aim of the theoretical part was to present the issues studied and discussed in the empirical part as accurately as possible. The main objective of the presented study was to check whether there were any correlations between the sense of generalized self-efficacy, life satisfaction and dispositional optimism among fitness industry employees. In the process of achieving this goal, Pearson’s r correlation analysis was carried out. The study covered 105 respondents. The level of significance was α = 0.05. The results of the analysis showed a statistically significant, strong positive correlation of the three variables r = 0.84 and r = 0.88. It turns out that in the case of people working in the fitness industry, along with the increase in satisfaction with their own lives, the level of dispositional optimism and the level of generalized self-efficacy increased. It was found that three elements are interdependent among corporate employees: the belief that the higher the goals they set, the stronger their commitment to the intended behaviour, even in the face of increasing failures, satisfaction as a relatively permanent assessment of life as wholeness and optimism that inspires motivation, and perseverance and determination to achieve specific goals and make decisions.

AbstractOocytes are surrounded by a fluid called follicular fluid, which provides an essential microenvironment for developing oocytes in human fertility. Various molecules exist in antral follicles, including proteins, steroid hormones, polysaccharides, metabolites, reactive oxygen species, and antioxidants. Oxidative stress is involved in the etiology of defective oocyte development or poor oocyte and embryo quality. Raman spectroscopy, a noninvasive method, can be used for biological diagnostics and direct chemical identification of follicular fluid. Therefore, we measured the oxidative index of follicular fluids and then attempted Raman spectroscopy on the follicular fluids combined with machine learning techniques to identify, detect, and quantify follicular fluid of unexplained infertility‐diagnosed women as a safe and effective tool to use as adjacent for clinical studies. This was a retrospective study set in an academic hospital where the patients were selected from an unexplained infertility‐diagnosed population in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) center. Raman spectra of 128 follicular fluid samples (n = 63 control; and 65 unexplained infertility) were obtained. To profile Raman‐based results of follicular fluid, oxidative load measurements, multivariate analysis, correlation tests, and six machine learning methods were used. Raman bands associated with oxidative load and amide III and lipids differed significantly. Classification using stacks of Raman signals was applied by random forest, C5.0 decision tree algorithm, k‐nearest neighbors, deep neural networks, support vector machine, and XGBoost trees algorithms achieved an overall accuracy of 92.04% to 99.17% in assigned correctly. Group has an oxidative load in their follicle fluids consistent with clinical results and biochemical measurements and performing testing based on Raman spectra validated by kNN clustering and SVM object vector separation machine learning methods. The study suggests that Raman spectroscopy can detect changes in follicle fluid in unexplained infertility.

The paper presents the development of a method of computer-aided diagnosis of sarcoidosis based on chest X-ray images, for particular stages of the disease. For this purpose, the research material, which consisted of 98 chest X-rays, was analyzed. The datasets included images for healthy cases and for first, second and third degree sarcoidosis.The research material was pre-processed, after which, on the basis of framing, the regions of interest (ROIs) were extracted from the images for individual cases. Next, the analysis of the selected ROIs was carried out, resulting in discriminatory characteristics describing the properties of the images. For the obtained sets, due to their multidimensionality, extraction and selection of features were carried out. Based on the analysis of the obtained results, a selection of features was selected to reduce the data dimension. Three methods were used to carry it out. In the case of heuristic identification of variables, datasets counting respectively for set X-ray2: 34, X-ray3: 47 textural features were obtained. On the basis of the obtained sets, classifiers were built using the supervised learning method. As a result, one model was obtained, based on a single classifier, for the X-ray2 dataset, with a classification error equal to zero. For the X-ray3 dataset, one model was obtained, which was based on an aggregated classifier consisting of two component classifiers and for which the classification error was also equal to zero. The resulting models were proposed as a final solution. The resulting feature vectors and models obtained during the research can be used to build a computer system that will carry out the diagnostic process automatically.The developed solution allows us to classify images for X-ray imaging, depending on the degree of sarcoidosis, into two categories: healthy or sick. This makes it possible to build a system that improves the work of the diagnostician in the process of diagnosing the disease, by reducing the time and cost of performing image analysis, as well as for the patient's condition, thanks to faster referral to advanced clinical trials.

The search for proteomic biomarkers in ocular disease is one of the most important research directions in recent years. Reliable biomarkers can be an immense adjuvant for both diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. There is no more readily available ocular tissue for proteomic analysis than tear film, which makes an interesting target for the biomarker search. Tear film is a complex fluid consisting of a superficial lipid layer, which covers the aqueous-mucous layer. Its complexity makes it a perfect candidate for all the “omics” approaches. Glaucoma, cataract, age-related macular degeneration, and other diseases are commonly thought to have a multifactorial background. Currently, no reliable non-invasive tests are available that would help physicians with screening and further patient management. The aim of the study is to present modern methods of measuring biomarkers in tears, with particular emphasis on spectrometric methods, and to discuss their diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness.

While the standard (outer) isoptics of ellipses have been studied in depth, we derive a number of parametric forms of inner isoptics of ellipses.

Herein, we examined the modulatory effects ofApocynum (APO) on Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)-induced oxidative damage on the brain tissue of rats after long-term consumption of blood serum components by biochemical assays, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), and machine learning methods. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into the Control, Control + APO, MSG, and MSG + APO groups (n = 8 per group). All administrations were made by oral gavage saline, MSG, or APO and they were repeated for 28 days of the experiments. Brain tissue and blood serum samples were collected and analyzed for measurement levels ofmalondialdehyde (MDA),glutathione (GSH),myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and Spectroscopic analysis. After 29 days, the results were evaluated using machine learning (ML). The levels of MDA and MPO showed changes in the MSG and MSG + APO groups, respectively. Changes in the proteins and lipids were observed in the FTIR spectra of the MSG groups. Additionally, APO in these animals improved the FTIR spectra to be similar to those in the Control group. The accuracy of the FTIR results calculated by ML was 100%. The findings of this study demonstrate that Apocynin treatment protectsagainst MSG-induced oxidative damage by inhibitingreactive oxygen speciesand upregulatingantioxidant capacity, indicating its potential in alleviatingthe toxic effects of MSG.

By in vitro fertilization, oocytes can be removed and the embryo can be cultured, and then trans cervically replaced when they reach cleavage or at the blastocyst stage. The characterization of the follicular fluid is important for the treatment process. Women who applied to the Academic Hospital in vitro fertilization (IVF) Center diagnosed with idiopathic female infertility (IFI) were sought in the patient group. Demographics and clinical gonadotropin measurements of the study population were recorded. Of the 116 follicular fluid samples (n=58 male-induced infertility; n=58 control) were analyzed using the FTIR system. To identify FTIR spectral characteristics of follicular fluids associated with an ovarian reserve and reproductive hormone levels from control and IFI, six machine learning methods and multivariate analysis were used. To assess the quantitative information about the total biochemical composition of a follicular fluid across various diagnoses. FTIR spectra showed a higher level of vibrations corresponding to lipids and a lower level of amide vibrations in the IFI group. Furthermore, the T square plot from Partial Last Square (PLS) analysis showed, that these vibrations can be used to distinguish IFI from the control group which was obtained by principal component analysis (PCA). Proteins and lipids play an important role in the development of IFI. The absorption dynamics of FTIR spectra showed wavenumbers with around 100% discrimination probability, which means, that the presented wavenumbers can be used as a spectroscopic marker of IFI. Also, six machine learning methods showed, that classification accuracy for the original set was from 93.75% to 100% depending on the learning algorithm used. These results can inform about IFI women's follicular fluid has biomacromolecular differentiation in their follicular fluid. By using a safe and effective tool for the characterization of changes in follicular fluid during in vitro fertilization, this study builds upon a comprehensive examination of the idiopathic female infertility remodeling process in human studies. We anticipate that this technology will be a valuable adjunct for clinical studies.

Postural stability of the body depends on many factors. One of them is physical activity. It is especially important in the case of sports or professional work, which combine mobility with the accuracy of a shot in a standing position. The smaller the body fatigue, the more accurate the shot. The aim of the study was the assessment of the impact of physical effort on the center of gravity deflection and length of the COP (center of pressure) path, as well as the reaction of ground forces in people who do not engage in systematic physical activity. The study group included 139 people (23.1 ± 5.2 yr; M: 46.8%; F: 53.2%). The test consisted of performing a static test twice, shooting at the target in a multimedia shooting range. Group X performed the Harvard test between the static tests. Group Y made no effort. The reaction parameters of the ground forces were assessed using the Zebris PDM-L Platform. In Group X performing the Harvard test, an increase in the average COP, VCOP, and 95% confidence ellipse area was noted. The path length and the average velocity of COP speed increased. There were no differences in Group Y (p > 0.05). Physical effort significantly affected the postural stability of the studied people, increasing the average parameters assessing balance when adopting static firing position.