Normal Population Research Articles

Comparative study of novel solitary wave solutions with unveiling bifurcation and chaotic structure modelled by stochastic dynamical system

Abstract In this study, we conduct a comprehensive investigation of the novel characteristics of the (2 + 1)-dimensional stochastic Hirota–Maccari System (SHMS), which is a prominent mathematical model with significant applications in the field of nonlinear science and applied mathematics. Specifically, SHMS plays a critical role in the study of soliton dynamics, nonlinear wave propagation, and stochastic effects in complex physical systems such as fluid dynamics, optics, and plasma physics. In order to account for the abrupt and significant fluctuation, the aforementioned system is investigated using a Wiener process with multiplicative noise in the Itô sense. The considered equation is studied by the new extended direct algebraic method (NEDAM) and the modified Sardar sub-equation (MSSE) method. By solving this equation, we systematically derived the novel soliton solutions in the form of dark, dark-bright, bright-dark, singular, periodic, exponential, and rational forms. Additionally, we also categorize and analyze the W-shape, M-shape, bell shape, exponential, and hyperbolic soliton wave solutions, which are not documented by researchers. The bifurcation, chaos and sensitivity analysis has been depicted which represent the applicability of the system in different dynamics. These findings greatly advance our knowledge of nonlinear wave events in higher-dimensional stochastic systems both theoretically and in terms of possible applications. These findings are poised to open new avenues for future research into the applicability of stochastic nonlinear models in various scientific and industrial domains.

Robustness of 4D flow MRI derived aortic wall shear stress and pulse wave velocity across different protocols in healthy controls and in patients with bicuspid aortic valve.

To evaluate the reproducibility of important biomarkers like wall shear stress (WSS), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and net flow across two 4D flow MRI imaging protocols with different coverages: aorta-targeted 4D flow MRI (AT4D) and whole-heart 4D flow (WH4D) protocols. Thirty-eight control subjects (43.2 ± 10.1 years old; 22 males) and ten patients (45.7 ± 8.9 years old; 7 males) with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) were included. Each subject underwent AT4D and WH4D scans. Absolute WSS, PWV, and net flow were assessed for each patient across both protocols and compared using Bland-Altman analysis. Areas of elevated WSS were assessed for BAV patients across different WSS thresholds that define WSS to be elevated compared to a normal population average. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the best WSS threshold at which WH4D-derived areas most closely resemble AT4D-derived areas. Inter-rater reproducibility was evaluated in twenty-four subjects. AT4D and WH4D PWV and WSS estimates demonstrated good agreement (PWV: -0.12 ± 1.84m/s, p = 0.4; Median WSS: 0.06 ± 0.13Pa, p < 0.01; Maximum WSS: 0.04 ± 0.27Pa, p = 0.07). Good agreement was also found for AAo net flow (8.14 ± 24.86 mL/cycle, p < 0.01). PWV correlated with age across protocols (AT4D: r = 0.68, p < 0.01; WH4D: r = 0.72, p < 0.01). Sensitivity analysis identified a WSS threshold where WH4D-derived areas of elevated WSS most closely resembled AT4D-derived areas. Inter-rater assessment of the tested parameters resulted in a small mean difference percentage of < 3%. PWV, WSS, and net flow demonstrated good agreement across protocols. The WSS threshold should be adjusted for WH4D estimates to optimally match AT4D-derived output. Reproducibility analysis showed good test-retest agreement. This study demonstrates the reproducibility of certain hemodynamic parameters across two 4D flow MRI protocol.

On tailoring of laser scan approaches for processing of a functionally graded material

ABSTRACT When it comes to machining functionally graded materials like tetragonal zirconia polycrystal-alumina, laser machining has emerged as a prominent technique, surpassing both traditional and non-traditional methods. In spite of its benefits, there are also challenges linked to laser machining of thicker substrates, primarily heat buildup, and loss of energy after many passes. In light of these difficulties, the current research investigates the relative effectiveness of short pulsed laser scan approaches in the processing of tetragonal zirconia polycrystal-alumina. A comparative investigation has been conducted between traditional laser processing and step-down laser processing of thicker tetragonal zirconia polycrystal-alumina, where the time-dependent ablation performance of short pulsed laser processing has been scrutinized with the support of experimental investigations to gain insight into the mechanism of both processes. Experimental results show that step-down laser processing outperforms the traditional laser processing by increasing ablation alongside reducing taperness. Step-down laser processing with scan track modulation effectively reduces the narrowing effect of the Gaussian beam profile by enhancing the machinability of thicker tetragonal zirconia polycrystal-alumina. This indicates its effectiveness in processing thicker substrates; which are substantial for biomedical implants.

A diffusion-based wind turbine wake model

Describing the evolution of a wind turbine's wake from a top-hat profile near the turbine to a Gaussian profile in the far wake is a central feature of many engineering wake models. Existing approaches, such as super-Gaussian wake models, rely on a set of tuning parameters that are typically obtained from fitting high-fidelity data. In the current study, we present a new engineering wake model that leverages the similarity between the shape of a turbine's wake normal to the streamwise direction and the diffusion of a passive scalar from a disk source. This new wake model provides an analytical expression for a streamwise scaling function that ensures the conservation of linear momentum in the wake region downstream of a turbine. The model also considers the different rates of wake expansion that are known to occur in the near- and far-wake regions. Validation is presented against high-fidelity numerical data and experimental measurements from the literature, confirming a consistent good agreement across a wide range of turbine operating conditions. A comparison is also drawn with several existing engineering wake models, indicating that the diffusion-based model consistently provides more accurate wake predictions. This new unified framework allows for extensions to more complex wake profiles by making adjustments to the diffusion equation. The derivation of the proposed model included the evaluation of analytical solutions to several mathematical integrals that can be useful for other physical applications.

Multiscale modeling of short pulse laser induced amorphization of silicon

Silicon surface amorphization by short pulse laser irradiation is a phenomenon of high importance for device manufacturing and surface functionalization. To provide insights into the processes responsible for laser-induced amorphization, a multiscale computational study combining atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of nonequilibrium phase transformations with continuum-level modeling of laser-induced melting and resolidification is performed. Atomistic modeling provides the temperature dependence of the melting/solidification front velocity, predicts the conditions for the transformation of the undercooled liquid to the amorphous state, and enables the parametrization of the continuum model. Continuum modeling, performed for laser pulse durations from 30 ps to 1.5 ns, beam diameters from 5 to 70 μm, and wavelengths of 532, 355, and 1064 nm, reveals the existence of two threshold fluences for the generation and disappearance of an amorphous surface region, with the kinetically stable amorphous phase generated at fluences between the lower and upper thresholds. The existence of the two threshold fluences defines the spatial distribution of the amorphous phase within the laser spot irradiated by a pulse with a Gaussian spatial profile. Depending on the irradiation conditions, the formation of a central amorphous spot, an amorphous ring pattern, and the complete recovery of the crystalline structure are predicted in the simulations. The decrease in the pulse duration or spot diameter leads to an accelerated cooling at the crystal–liquid interface and contributes to the broadening of the range of fluences that produce the amorphous region at the center of the laser spot. The dependence of the amorphization conditions on laser fluence, pulse duration, wavelength, and spot diameter, revealed in the simulations, provides guidance for the development of new applications based on controlled, spatially resolved amorphization of the silicon surface.

Energy-momentum correlators of fermions at finite temperature and density

Equal-time commutators of different components of the energy-momentum tensor at spatially separated points are calculated for a relativistic quantum Fermi gas at finite temperature and density. Different definitions of such components, also known as different pseudogauges, are used and smeared with a Gaussian profile characterized by the width σ. In this way, we introduce observables that may represent measurements of energy and momentum in a spatial region of size σ. We find that the obtained commutators are sensitive to the pseudogauge chosen if the probed systems or the spatial separation are small. The pseudogauge dependence is expected as different quantum operators are analyzed in this case. On the other hand, we find that for sufficiently large probed systems or with large separation, the studied commutators are pseudogauge independent. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Evaluation of the montreal cognitive assessment in idiopathic tinnitus patients with mild hearing loss

Objective:To explore the effect of mild hearing loss on cognitive function by evaluating the Montreal Cognitive Assessment（MoCA） in idiopathic tinnitus patients with mild hearing loss. Methods:102 patients with idiopathic tinnitus（68 patients with normal hearing and 34 patients with mild hearing loss） whose first complaint is tinnitus and 34 healthy volunteers（control group） were included. All subjects were asked to fill the MoCA, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory（THI）, Self-rating Anxiety Scale（SAS）, Self-rating Depression Scale（SDS）, and Pittsburgh Sleep Index（PQSI） after collecting medical history, pure tone audiometry, tinnitus matching and masking test. The clinical characteristics and scores of each scale were compared among the groups. Results:The score and each dimension score of MoCA in idiopathic tinnitus patients with normal hearing were significantly lower than the normal population（P<0.05）; compared with patients with idiopathic tinnitus with normal hearing, patients with mild hearing loss were older（P<0.01） and had lower MoCA scores（P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in MoCA scores（P>0.05） between tinnitus patients with normal hearing and mild hearing loss after correcting confounding factors（age, gender, years of education, duration of tinnitus, frequency of tinnitus tones, side of tinnitus, THI score, SAS score, SDS score, and PQSI score）; idiopathic tinnitus patients with mild hearing loss scored significantly lower in attention and working memory dimensions than idiopathic tinnitus patients with normal hearing（P<0.01）. Conclusion:Patients with idiopathic tinnitus may have cognitive dysfunction, and mild hearing loss may not be a factor that promotes the further aggravation of cognitive dysfunction in patients with idiopathic tinnitus. The role of hearing loss in cognitive dysfunction in patients with idiopathic tinnitus needs further research.

A Study on The Evaluation of The Echocardiographic Measurements in Normal Healthy Adult Population of Saharanpur District

Echocardiography is a widely utilized, non-invasive imaging modality essential for diagnosing and monitoring cardiovascular diseases. Echocardiographic measurements provide detailed structural and functional insights into the heart, aiding clinicians in assessing cardiac anatomy, valve function, and hemodynamics. Key measurements include chamber dimensions, wall thickness, ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume, and diastolic function. Advanced modalities, such as Doppler imaging, enable precise evaluation of blood flow velocities and pressures, offering critical information on valvular regurgitation, stenosis, and pulmonary artery pressures.

Comparing K-Means, Nearest Neighbor, and Lloyd's Clustering Algorithms

Clustering Organizing items into groups based on their properties such that the items in the same group are similar and those in other groups are distinct is known as clustering and is one method of unsupervised learning. The primary benefit of clustering is that, with little or no prior information, fascinating patterns and structures can be discovered directly from very large data sets. The most representative algorithms, the K-Means algorithm, the nearest neighbor algorithm, and Lloyd's algorithm, were explored and evaluated in this study based on their basic strategies. The proposed algorithms proved highly efficient in classifying data, as k-means results were high by creating data points and classifying that data into 10 groups, while the nearest neighbor algorithm proved highly effective in predicting new groups in light of pre-existing groups for new data points, and finally Lloyd's algorithm achieved high results through several iterations to reach the target groups. Using the random function, 100 random values for inputs as x and 100 for outputs as y are generated, and these values are grouped as points. Calculations of the mean and standard deviation for the data set indicate that 68% of the data points will fall within one standard deviation, 95% within two standard deviations, and 99.7% within three standard deviations. In the nearest neighbor algorithm, confidence in data points within a specified standard deviation number is determined by the coverage factor, or k value. For k = 10, 97% of the data points are expected to fall within one standard deviation. At Lloyd's, a normal distribution curve appears when generating calibration or measurement data.

A more holistic view of the logarithmic dose-response curve offers greater insights into insulin responses

The stimulus-response curve is usually modeled by the Hill function due to its simplicity and clear molecular mechanisms (Michaelis-Menten type of kinetics). Unfortunately, the mechanisms do not explain why the stimulus is ubiquitously measured by logarithmic dose rather than the dose itself and why the log(dose)-response curve possesses such fine properties as symmetry and wide adjustability. Here, the dose response is considered from a holistic perspective spanning multiple biological levels from molecules to the whole organism, which reveals that an appropriate model for log(dose) response is the cumulative normal distribution (CND) function, which had only statistical implication previously but now possess mechanistic-statistical duality. The present CND model establishes a connection between single-cell all-or-none responses and the graded response at the tissue/organism level, reveals the raison d'être of the logarithmic transformation, explains why log(dose)-response curve possesses many fine properties, and reveals new mechanisms of tissue/organism dose-response, including homogeneity-induced sensitivity. It also provides new insights into vital biological processes, such as the insulin dose response.

Activity pattern of antioxidant enzymes in relation to the time of exposure of hexavalent chromium to Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus.

Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)), a toxicant of environmental concern, frequently enters into water bodies and produces oxidative stress in fish. The antioxidant enzymes, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), and Glutathion S-transferase (GST) are activated to counteract the oxidative stress in fish. This study explores the pattern of activation of these enzymes in gill, muscle, liver, and kidney tissues of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus exposed to 9.35 mg/L and 18.70 mg/L of Cr (VI) for 96 h. The optimal hour of activity of these enzymes was revealed through extensive regression analysis. The results indicate a bell-shaped time response curve in the activity of the enzymes in both the treatments, except CAT in the gill of fish exposed to 18.70 mg/L Cr (VI) and GST in the gill, liver, and kidney of fish exposed to 18.70 mg/L Cr (VI). The results indicate that the optimal hour of activity of SOD changes in tandem with CAT, SOD responding first followed by CAT, both diminishing within 96 h. However, deviating from the bell-shaped pattern, the activity of CAT in gill and GST in gill, liver, and kidney in fish exposed to 18.70 mg/L Cr (VI) continued to rise even at 96 h, indicating that these antioxidant enzymes could not diminish the oxidative stress produced by the higher dose of Cr (VI). It was concluded that the activity of SOD, CAT, and GST between 30 and 70 h in the gill, liver, and kidney of Nile tilapia could serve as excellent biomarkers of oxidative stress under low doses of Cr (VI).

MGDRGCN: A novel framework for predicting metabolite–disease connections using tripartite network and relational graph convolutional network

Metabolites are fundamental to the existence of biomolecules, and numerous studies have demonstrated that uncovering the connections between metabolites and diseases can enhance our understanding of disease pathogenesis. Traditional biological methods can identify potential metabolite–disease relationships, but these approaches often require significant human and material resources. Consequently, computational methods have emerged as a more efficient alternative. However, most computational methods primarily rely on metabolite–disease associations and rarely explore the impact of more biological entities. To address this issue, we propose a novel computational framework based on a metabolite–gene–disease tripartite heterogeneous network and relational graph convolutional network (R-GCN), abbreviated as MGDRGCN. Specifically, we construct three types of similarity networks from multiple data sources, including metabolite and gene functional similarity, disease semantic similarity and Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity for metabolites and diseases. Next, we use principal component analysis to further extract features and construct a tripartite heterogeneous network with genes as the bridge. This network structure comprehensively captures and represents the complex relationships among metabolites, genes and diseases. We employ R-GCN to extract higher-order information from the tripartite heterogeneous network. Finally, we input the embeddings learned from R-GCN into a residual network classifier to predict potential metabolite–disease associations. In five-fold cross-validation experiments, MGDRGCN exhibit outstanding performance, with both AUC (0.9866) and AUPR (0.9865) significantly surpassing other advanced methods. Additionally, case studies further demonstrate MGDRGCN’s superior performance in predicting metabolite–disease associations. Overall, the introduction of MGDRGCN provides new perspectives and methods for future biomedical research, offering promising potential for uncovering the mechanisms of complex biological systems.

Intracranial hemorrhage before start of prophylaxis in children with hemophilia: incidence, timing, and potential for prevention.

Children with hemophilia have a significantly higher risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) compared to the normal population. Prophylaxis reduces the risk of ICH and earlier initiation of prophylaxis may now be feasible, especially in hemophilia A (HA). The aim of the study is to explore the potential for preventing ICH by earlier start of prophylaxis by assessing the natural course of ICH before the initiation of prophylaxis and describe timing and incidence. In total, 2727 children (2275 with HA; 452 with HB) were included from the PedNet Registry, followed from 28 days until 36 months of life. ICH was observed in 61 children (incidence 2.2%; 10 per 1000 patient years), with 75% of cases occurring before one year of age. Cumulative incidence was significantly lower in HB (0.9%) compared to HA (2.5%) and in non-severe HA (0.7%) compared to severe HA (3.5%). ICH occurred early, with a rise at 3 months, and a median age of 7.0 months in severe HA and 5.4 months in severe HB. In 40% of children, ICH occurred before the diagnosis of hemophilia was established, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis. Assuming that prophylaxis would have been started at the time of diagnosis and preventing all ICH in children with severe HA, the number needed to treat with prophylaxis would be 44 patients to prevent one ICH. Hopefully, prophylaxis options allowing initiation early in life, ideally before 3 months of age for children with severe HA, will reduce the incidence of ICH in the future.

Cardiac Troponin-I Level at 24 hours of Age in Stable Newborn Infants Born at ≥35 Weeks of Gestation.

Cardiac troponin-I is a known biomarker of myocardial injury in adults and children but its diagnostic utility is unclear in newborns.This study aimed to establish normative data for troponin-I in stable newborns and assess any variation due to maternal diabetes status, mode of delivery, and Apgar scores. Prospective, observational study of stable newborn ≥35 weeks gestation admitted to a well-baby nursery at a single institution. Infants with respiratory distress, congenital infections, malformations, or syndromes were excluded. Troponin-I values were obtained by a validated point-of-care capillary blood sample at 24 hours of age. A total of 132 patients were included for analysis. Thirteen infants were born to mothers with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy and analyzed as a subgroup, with the remaining 119 infants comprising the base cohort to establish baseline normative troponin-I levels in stable newborn infants. The mean (standard deviation) troponin-I level of infants in the base cohort group was 0.019 ± 0.018 ng/mL and in infants born with maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy troponin-I level was 0.081 ± 0.1 ng/mL (p < 0.001). In infants of the base cohort, there was no significant difference in troponin-I levels between diabetic versus nondiabetic mothers, vaginal birth versus cesarean section, and 5-minute Apgar score of <7 versus ≥7. Cardiac troponin-I level in healthy term newborns was 0.019 ± 0.018 ng/mL, which conforms to healthy children and adult lab values. There was no statistically significant difference in troponin-I levels in infants of maternal diabetes or normal glucose status, mode of delivery, cesarean versus vaginal, or 5-minute Apgar score of <7 or ≥7. Troponin-I levels in asymptomatic neonates born to mothers with a history of SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy demonstrated an elevation when compared to the baseline group of infants. · Troponin-I level, biomarker of myocardial injury, in newborns not requiring delivery-room.. · Resuscitation is comparable to normal pediatric & adult population independent of mode of delivery or maternal diabetes status..

Is There a Relation Between High Pelvic Incidence and Sagittal Angle of Posterior Lumbar Facets?

In recent years, several studies have shown the presence of a linear correlation between the PI and spondylolisthesis . However, no study has attempted to investigate a potential association between facet sagittal angle and spinopelvic parameters, especially PI in the normal population. Abdominopelvic CT scans were collected. Inclusion criteria included age less than 40 and CT done for non-orthopedic diagnostic purposes. All cases with any spinal pathology were excluded. Spinopelvic and lumbar spinal parameters were collected using the KEOPS software, while the facet sagittal angle were evaluated on axial CT images from L1-L2 to L5-S1 using the institution PACS system. 450 patients' imaging were analyzed, with a mean age of 31.3 years (±4.9). Facet sagittal angle was found to be significantly correlated to an increase in PI but only at the L5-S1 level (OR = 2.3). The effect of gender on sagittal angle of facet joints was found to be non-significant compared to high PI. Finally, at the L5-S1 level, facet tropism was associated with a higher PI but was not found to play a direct role in the angle of facet joints. The PI seems to be correlated to the other spondylolisthesis risk factors: facet tropism and female gender. It carries the heaviest load in the progression towards sagittally oriented facet joints, which might lead to segmental instability and eventual spinal pathologies.

Clinical outcomes of Omicron infection and vaccine acceptance among pediatric liver transplant recipients: insights from a cross-sectional survey

ObjectivesOur study aims to explore the clinical characteristics of Omicron infection in pediatric liver transplant recipients (PLTRs), after the national COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, we will investigate changes in vaccine coverage and parental attitudes towards vaccinating their children after this current outbreak.MethodsWe conducted a web-based questionnaire survey to gather information on Omicron infection, vaccination status, and guardian attitude among PLTRs. Besides, utilized valid questionnaire and long-term follow-up information processing techniques, and performed statistical analysis of relevant parameters.Results528 valid questionnaires were collected, among which, 251 responses replied Omicron infection status. The Omicron infection rate in Chinese PLTRs was 56.2% (141/251), similar to the report in the normal population (around 60%). 99.3% of infected PLTRs presented mild symptoms, mostly with fever (78.0%), followed by Cough (76.6%), with a mean RTPCR conversion time of 7 days; the overall PLTRs’ vaccination rate in this study was 13.3%, similar to that of our previous study (9.4%). Besides, we found no significant differences of either infection rate or clinical symptoms between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Moreover, the study showed 61.6% of guardians supported COVID-19 inoculation despite the outbreak of Omicron status.ConclusionsThe symptoms of Omicron infection in Chinese PLTRs were relatively mild, vaccine immunization had a limited effect on PLTRs’ defense against Omicron infection, besides, their guardians supported the inoculation policy with a caution.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2200055968.

Analysis and Effect of Cutting Parameters on The Surface Roughness of Type 4140 Steel in The Dry Milling Process

Currently in the world of metal cutting industry, wet machining is still carried out and machining experts continue to strive to reduce the use of coolant so that benefits can be obtained from economic, environmental and operator safety aspects. One of the criteria for determining machining quality is surface roughness. Surface roughness is influenced by machining parameters such as cutting speed, feed depth and feed rate as independent variables. The aim of the research is to obtain surface roughness values ​​for type 4140 steel workpieces due to spindle rotation speed and feed depth, which uses a carbide endmill as a cutting tool. Research activities were carried out with 9 specimens each for dry machining and wet machining using variations in machine spindle rotation of 1200 rpm, 1400 rpm and 1600 rpm with feed depths of 0.5 mm, 0.75 mm, 1 mm. Data processing uses the statics method with a normal distribution curve to obtain surface roughness data. To determine the roughness value of the machined surface, it is tested using a Surface Test measuring instrument. The surface roughness obtained from machining under optimum conditions for dry machining is 1.699 µm, 2.778 µm and 2.868 µm at a machine spindle rotation of 1600 rpm. while those carried out using wet machining obtained respective results of 1.602 µm, 2.654 µm and 2.815 µm at a machine spindle rotation of 1600 rpm. So optimum cutting/slicing is obtained at a spindle rotation speed of 1600 rpm with Ra = 1.699 µm for dry machining while for wet machining the surface roughness value Ra = 1.602 µm is obtained at a spindle rotation speed of 1600 rpm. The comparison of the results of dry machining (Ra= 1.699 µm) and wet machining (Ra= 1.602 µm) to obtain the most optimum Ra surface roughness value is not significant, so it is a good opportunity that dry machining technology can be applied to the metal cutting industry although Until now, many people still use wet machining processes using cutting fluids to cut steel meta

Is Cervical Disc Degeneration a Compensatory Mechanism in Hirayama Disease? A Retrospective Case‒Control Study.

Retrospective Cohort Study. This study aimed to explore the association between cervical disc degeneration and disease progression in patients with Hirayama disease, with a particular focus on changes in the cervical intervertebral disc space height and potential compensatory mechanisms. This retrospective study included 35 patients diagnosed with Hirayama disease (HD), who were compared with 35 healthy control subjects matched for age and sex. This study focused on collecting and analyzing cervical disc grades and intervertebral space heights from C2 to C7, aiming to assess the extent of cervical disc degeneration between HD patients and the control group. The analysis used independent sample t tests and Mann‒Whitney U tests for demographic data and Spearman's correlation coefficient to explore the relationship between disc degeneration and age. Compared with the control group, patients with Hirayama disease presented significant reductions in intervertebral disc height (P < .01) and increased disc degeneration. Within the HD group, most patients displayed multisegment degeneration (30 out of 35), and more than half presented with full-segment disc degeneration (20 out of 35), which was significantly different from the normal population (P < .01). Patients with Hirayama disease exhibit disc degeneration and reduced intervertebral space height, which may represent a compensatory response.

Sex differences in shoulder acromiohumeral contact surface arc length on three-dimensional computed tomography imaging

Anatomy-based guidelines for shoulder surgery have established the routine preoperative evaluation of the humeral head. Despite recognized sex differences in humeral head size, there has been limited investigation into sex-specific variations in acromiohumeral contact surface (AHCS) arc length. This study aims to assess sex differences in the AHCS arc length within a sample of the Chinese population. We retrospectively analyzed 169 normal shoulder CT images from a single medical center, collected between 2011 and 2021. The AHCS arc length was defined as the distance from the superior glenoid tubercle to the lateral edge of the greater tuberosity, measured using a three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm. Physiological reference values for the AHCS arc length were determined at three abduction angle intervals. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the correlation between the AHCS arc length and abduction angle in both sexes. The reference values for AHCS arc length were significantly lower in women across three abduction angle intervals (male 48.07 ± 3.37 mm vs. female 43.54 ± 2.54 mm, (0–10] °, p < 0.001; male 45.07 ± 2.34 mm vs. female 40.78 ± 2.06 mm, (10–20] °, p < 0.001; male 42.08 ± 2.03 mm vs. female 38.09 ± 2.44 mm, > 20 °, p = 0.001, respectively). Additionally, the AHCS arc length was linearly and negatively correlated with the abduction angle (male R2 = 0.436, p < 0.001; female R2 = 0.434, p < 0.001, respectively). The present study identified a significant sex difference in the anatomical AHCS arc length in a sample of the normal Chinese population. Preoperative assessment of the AHCS arc length may be necessary for certain shoulder surgeries in the future.

Health-related quality of life in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: examining agreement between child self-report and parent proxy.

In school-aged children with BPD, agreement between parents and children on HRQL scales is poor to moderate. Caregivers are biased towards lower HRQL. When possible, HRQL should be assessed in the patient directly. • Children with chronic respiratory diseases often assess their own health related quality of life different than their caregiver would report for the child. • Recent data suggests that parent reported health related quality of life for children with BPD is similar to the normal population. • There is a consistent bias for parents to report worse health related quality of life on the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) standardized assessment than their school-aged children with BPD.