Body Type Research Articles

Examining the Proteus effect on misogynistic behavior induced by a sports mascot avatar in virtual reality

The Proteus effect is a phenomenon found in over 60 studies where people tend to conform behaviorally to their avatars’ identity characteristics, especially in virtual reality. This study extends research on the Proteus effect to consider organization-representing avatars and misogynistic behavioral outcomes. Male participants (N = 141) in a lab experiment embodied a set of pretested avatars which varied in level of association with a university mascot (i.e., color and body type) in a bespoke virtual reality simulation designed to elicit misogynistic behavior. Namely, participants were directed to place a hand on virtual agents’ body parts, including the buttocks (i.e., a transgressive misogynistic act). Time delay in complying with directions to touch the agents’ buttocks served as an implicit measure of resistance to this misogynistic behavior. Results suggest that within moderately masculine body-size avatar users, those who embodied a university-color-associated avatar exhibited more misogynistic behaviors (i.e., faster buttocks-touching). Unexpectedly, this effect of avatar color was not apparent within the hypermasculine body-size avatars, and within the university-associated color condition, hypermasculine body-type was associated with less misogynistic behavior. These findings suggest that organization-representing avatars may induce behavioral conformity to implicit attitudes associated with the organization, such as misogyny.

Correlation between students’ traditional medicine body constitution types and their quality of life

ObjectivesEvaluating the physical health, mental health, and Quality of life (QoL) in relationship to body constitution (BC) types in students of the Faculty of Traditional Medicine (FTM) in the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP). MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study on 717 students of FTM through face-to-face interviews used three questionnaires to investigate the following sections: general demographic information questionnaire; physical health (PCS), mental health (MCS), and QoL (Vietnamese version of SF-36 questionnaire); BC types (Vietnamese version of the CCMQ questionnaire). We used multiple linear regression analyses to assess the associations between BC types and each of the QoL domains’ scores. The dependent variables are the scores of eight QoL domains and integration scores in PCS and MCS. ResultsMost students had Unbalanced BC types (87.03 %). Qi-depression, Qi-deficiency, and Blood-stasis had the three highest percentages (48.1 %, 33.2 %, 26.9 %). There were relationships between BC types and students’ physical health, mental health, and QoL. The SF-36 resulted in “high” scores in most of the Neutral-type students, while the majority of students with Unbalanced BC types had “poor” scores in both physical health, mental health, and QoL (p < 0.01). The estimated impact of 8 Unbalanced types on SF-36 scales was significantly negative. The impact was most remarkable for Qi-stagnation, followed by Blood-stasis. Conclusion87.03 % of students had Unbalanced BC types, which in turn can increase the likelihood of disease. Research results also initially showed that adjusting these types to the Neutral type can help improve FTM students’ health.

Unusual Airway Foreign Bodies in Children: Demographics and Management.

The aim is to study the demographics and management of unusual airway foreign bodies (UAFBs) in children. A retrospective observational study (2000-2020) of children with UAFBs, who underwent bronchoscopic removal. The demographics, types of foreign bodies, clinical and radiological features, management, and outcomes were collated and analyzed. Common foreign bodies, such as nuts, seeds, and vegetable aspirations, were excluded. Among 531 children who had bronchoscopic retrieval of airway foreign bodies, 74 (59 males/15 females) had unusual foreign bodies. These included pen caps, whistles, plastic objects, pins, coal piece, stones, clay, pencil, gold ornament, and glass bangle. Thirty-one children presented within 1 day of aspiration, 37 within 1 month and 6 till 6 months. Thirty-nine were below 5 years, and the rest were between 5 and 15 years. Cough, respiratory distress, fever, choking, and noisy breathing were common presentations. Others are stridor, whistling, cyanosis, loss, and change of voice. Chest X-ray showed ipsilateral hyperinflation (23), haziness (21), radio-opaque foreign body (17) and was normal in 14. The left main bronchus, followed by the right main bronchus and trachea, were the sites of impaction. Four children required additional procedures (tracheotomy and thoracotomy). There was one mortality in the study cohort. Aspiration of unusual foreign bodies is not uncommon in children. Most aspirations are witnessed and predominant in boys. The left bronchus is the common site of impaction, and X-ray clinches the diagnosis. Presentation is delayed, and bronchoscopic retrieval, though challenging, has favorable outcome.

Association of polypharmacy with cognitive impairment in older trauma patients: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionFew if any studies have been conducted to date on the association between polypharmacy and cognitive impairment among older trauma patients. Therefore, we investigated whether polypharmacy is associated with cognitive...

Physical Characteristics and Somotatype of Myanmar National Hockey Players

Introduction: Performance in Field Hockey depends on different factors. Physical characteristics along with the Body shape and size of the players are one of them. The present study was aimed to find out the physical characteristics as well as Somatotypes of Myanmar National Field Hockey players. Methods: Twenty national Field Hockey players were measured for their height, weight, and Somatotype during their visit to a neighbuor country for a friendship tour. Health-Carter method (1967) was followed to calculate the Somatotype components. Results: The average Age, Height, and Weight of the Myanmar Hockey players of the present study were 21.7 (±1.1) yr, 164.8 (±4.6) cm, and 56.5 (±5.1) kg respectively. An average Somatotype of 1.7(±0.5)-3.8(±0.9)-2.9(±0.8) was observed for the present study. Conclusions: Most of the players (55 % ) were with Ectomorphic mesomorph body type, whereas 30 % of players were with Mesomorphic ectomorph body type. Rest were with Balanced mesomorph, Endomorphic mesomorph, and Mesomorph ectomorph body type. Compared to other countries, Myanmar Hockey players were shorter than their international counterparts. Thus, the height of the players should be considered during the selection of players at an early stage of Talent identification for good performance in Field Hockey.

Foreign body aspiration in children: A review of prevention guidelines by analyzing choking episodes in Eastern Québec from 2006 to 2020

BACKGROUND Many associations have published prevention guidelines to advise parents and health professionals about the risks of choking episodes and their complications. Yet, every year, many children are admitted following a choking episode that requires a bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. OBJECTIVES The objective was to identify the risks factors associated with choking episodes in children and compare them with actual prevention guidelines to determine if they are still adequate. METHODS This retrospective study included all patients, from 0 to 17 years old, who presented to the Center Mère-Enfant Soleil du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, between April 2006 and December 2020 and underwent a bronchoscopy under general anesthesia for a suspicion of foreign body aspiration. Data on demographic characteristics of the patients, the circumstances of the episodes and on severity criteria were collected and compared to the prevention guidelines. RESULTS Of the 101 patients included, 64.9% of them were boys with a mean age at presentation of 31.5 months. Food was the most common type of foreign body (73.3%) involving mostly nuts, seeds or raw vegetables. Choking episodes happened mostly at home (84.5%) and the majority (79.4%) happened under parental surveillance. A general increase in the number of admissions for choking episodes was noted. CONCLUSION Choking episodes requiring hospital admission were on the rise mostly due to a lack of adherence or knowledge of national prevention guidelines. These findings highlight the need for better parental education by addressing choking hazards during medical visits.

Remodelling of the translatome controls diet and its impact on tumorigenesis.

Fasting is associated with a range of health benefits1-6. How fasting signals elicit changes in the proteome to establish metabolic programmes remains poorly understood. Here we show that hepatocytes selectively remodel the translatome while global translation is paradoxically downregulated during fasting7,8. We discover that phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E(P-eIF4E) is induced during fasting. We show that P-eIF4E is responsible for controlling the translation of genes involved in lipid catabolism and the production of ketone bodies. Inhibiting P-eIF4E impairs ketogenesis in response to fasting and a ketogenic diet. P-eIF4E regulates those messenger RNAs through a specific translation regulatory element within their 5' untranslated regions (5' UTRs). Our findings reveal a new signalling property of fatty acids, which are elevated during fasting. We found that fatty acids bind and induce AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) kinase activity that in turn enhances the phosphorylation of MAP kinase-interacting protein kinase (MNK), the kinase that phosphorylates eIF4E. The AMPK-MNK-eIF4E axis controls ketogenesis, revealing a new lipid-mediated kinase signalling pathway that links ketogenesis to translation control. Certain types of cancer use ketone bodies as an energy source9,10 that may rely on P-eIF4E. Our findings reveal that on a ketogenic diet, treatment with eFT508 (also known as tomivosertib;a P-eIF4E inhibitor) restrains pancreatic tumour growth. Thus, our findings unveil a new fatty acid-induced signalling pathway that activates selective translation, which underlies ketogenesis and provides a tailored diet intervention therapy for cancer.

Technology Innovation Is the Key to Triumph for the Glaring Future of the Fashion Industry

Over the last decade, the fashion industry has been at the forefront of the latest technology. From the introduction of sewing machines for stitching fashion products to biodegradable fabrics to fashion renting apps to needle-free sewing, the fashion industry has seen a lot of changes over the last few years. Evolution in fashion begins with the introduction of artificial intelligence. Technology in fashion is at its profuse self in the current sphere. Technology comprises Artificial intelligence that is enhancing the production capacity of the fashion manufacturing industry, secondly, it comprises Augmented reality which positively boosts the customers' shopping experience and lastly, the virtual outlook increases the remunerative economy in the fashion industry. When one thinks of evolution, artificial intelligence is the latest introduction to the world of technology. Technology in fashion has never been more abundant than it is now. Artificial intelligence is optimizing vast production lines, augmented reality is enhancing the customer experience, and the virtual world is creating lucrative new revenue streams [1]. In the fashion industry, one of the most observable transposes is due to e-commerce. The convenience of online shopping is becoming very appreciated. Fashion companies have started incorporating innovative digital ways to reach their targeted audience. The advanced technologies include virtual fitting rooms which help customers in making more spontaneous decisions in their purchase as they can preview the product and exactly see how that product looks on their body type [2]. Artificial intelligence is used in the design process in a fashion that makes it much easier, like using AI to resize a garment digitally without actually making the garment, digitally changing the color, and also AI can create a visual background to give the buyer the precise judgment about the overall look of the garment. This saves time and resources, which in turn helps in reaching a wider range of customers [3] Another evolution with technology is the introduction of 3d printing and robotics, which cannot accelerate the rate of production. Design software, computerized laser-cutting machines, and digital pattern-making are some of the new manufacturing techniques in the fashion industry.

Box Type Minor Bridge on Small Rivers in Alluvial Region

Since time immemorial, humankind has been using various techniques to cross the rivers, streams or any depression without closing or obstructing the original flow through a structure called bridge. With the span of time and advancements in civil engineering, several types of bridges have come into existence like wooden, steel, masonry arches, RCC and pre stressed concrete bridges. Indian Roads Congress categorizes three types of the bridges on the basis of length i.e. culverts up to 6.0 m, minor bridges above 6.0 m to maximum 60.0 m length and major bridges above 60.0 m. In present scenario, minor bridges over small rivers has become necessary for development and prosperity of nation as most of the roads have to cross small rivers at several places to connect remotest corner of the country. Bridges, though a manmade structure, over a period become an important part of environment because in most of the cases water flowing below is used for drinking, irrigation and underground recharging. The alluvial region of India spread from Punjab to West Bengal has a peculiar nature because soil is almost soft in nature consisting of mainly sand, clay and silt which is fertile for vegetation. Water retention and its movement condition are high throughout the year. Several type of water bodies which exists in this type of region are pond, small drain, small and medium rivers which drains into the big rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gomati and Sai etc. Since long time, road system on the earthen track and pucca has been introduced for traffic like chart, chariot and motorized vehicle. There were little number of bridges over major rivers i.e. bridge alone to cross over the river Ganga except in few places like Allahabad, Kanpur and Varanasi and over the Ghaghra Algine bridge, Maghighat, Bhatni. Some bridges were constructed over small and medium rivers in medevial period by local rulers and businesspersons, which have now become obsolete. It is found that most of the bridges are of masonry arches wooden and trusses having insufficient water and carriageway. After independence, the road network system has been improved to meet out socio economic needs of people. The new bridges have been constructed with standard road width and sufficient waterway. Study has been conducted for existing new constructed bridge system over small river and alluvial region of Uttar Pradesh to set guidance for future course of action in replacing and providing new bridges to optimize the needs of the people. Bridge system being provided over small &amp; minor rivers for the road network for new and replacement of older bridge at different site is varying from place to place. For this purpose, study has been conducted for sustainable option of minor bridges over small rivers discharge up to 300 m3 /s. It is found that the box type minor bridges are best option on small &amp; minor rivers.

A heuristic method to evaluate consequences for flight control and stability induced by attachment of biologging devices to birds and bats

Abstract Biologging is central to the study of wildlife, but questions remain about the minimization of effects of biologging devices. Rarely considered are changes biologging devices induce on an animal's centre of mass (COM) and resulting losses of flight control and stability. We applied established aeronautical principles to estimate how the COM of a flying bird or bat may be affected by the typical positioning of a biologging device on the neck, back, hips or tail. We then adopted modified thresholds from aerospace engineering to estimate limits beyond which changes to COM result in fitness‐relevant alterations to flight control and stability. Generic models illustrate a trade‐off between the placement and mass of a biologging device that influences flight control and stability. Seven species‐specific examples show the substantial differences in consequences of changes to COM for animals of different sizes and body types. Placement of a device on the tail always resulted in the greatest shift in COM and placement in the centre of the back resulted in the smallest shift. The 5% weight threshold some use for a biologging device provides little room for error in terms of stability and can easily cause dangerous changes to COM. The 3% weight threshold others use causes considerably smaller changes in the COM, but when placed away from the natural COM, still can affect flight control and stability. Researchers interested in minimizing the effects to fitness of wildlife should consider weight, balance and COM when affixing biologging devices. The farther a device is from the natural COM, the smaller it should be relative to the mass of the animal.

Patterns of Heterosexual Sex in Popular Netflix Series: A Content Analysis of Age, Race, Face Attractiveness, and Body Type

AbstractThe portrayal of diverse ages, races, face attractiveness, and body types in sexual media content might impact societal perceptions of sexuality, delineating which individuals are deemed sexually appealing and whose sexuality is normalized. Despite extensive research on demographics within pornography, the representation within mainstream media, particularly on streaming platforms like Netflix, remains underexplored. The current study addresses this gap by employing quantitative content analysis to examine the diversity of characters in sexual contexts within seven highly popular Netflix series. We coded the age, race, face attractiveness, and body type of 91 characters (45 female characters) that appeared in mixed-gender sexual encounters (i.e., sexual encounters between a woman and a man). The study reveals a predominant adherence to stereotypical demographics and conventional beauty standards. The sexual scenes presented mostly younger individuals and revealed a notable underrepresentation of individuals aged 40 +. Racial diversity among characters was more evident. Female characters were predominantly depicted as conventionally attractive and were almost exclusively portrayed with skinny body types, while male characters exhibited a wider range of physical appearances. This study highlights a gap in the media’s inclusivity efforts and suggests a need for more comprehensive representation to reflect a broader spectrum of age and beauty ideals in the portrayals of human sexuality. While our study is limited to analyzing media representations, future research should include longitudinal experimental studies to evaluate their impact on people’s sexualities.

Pediatric Ear and Nose Foreign Bodies during COVID-19 Pandemic: Is it so boring to Stay at Home?

Introduction: During the COVID-19 lockdown children, confined at home, had a potentially increased risk of domestic accidents like the placement of foreign bodies in ears and noses. Thus, we analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) consultations in the ED of Giannina Gaslini Children’s Hospital in Genoa due to foreign bodies (FB). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all ED admissions in our Institute due to an ENT diagnosis in a year of COVID-19 emergency starting from the first day of school closure, the February 24th, 2020 (COVID-19, group A), and compared them with data from the same period of the previous year (pre COVID-19, group B). We then compared the incidence of nasal and ear FB in these two periods. We also evaluated differences in the clinical severity, type of foreign bodies, presence of complications, and need for hospitalization in these two groups. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant decrease in the need for ENT consultations (19% Group A vs. 23% Group B, p &lt; 0.001). However, the percentage of ENT consultations for all FB increased (8% Group A vs. 4% Group B, p &lt; 0.001), as well as for nose FB (0.6% vs.1.8%, p &lt; 0.001), and ear FB (0.9% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.005). Conclusion: COVID-19 lockdown increased ENT ED accesses for foreign bodies, even though the overall need for ENT specialists in the ED decreased.

Modifiable risk factors mediating the impact of educational inequality on heart failure: A Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is a rapidly growing global disease burden with high mortality rates. We aimed to utilize mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to investigate the association between educational attainment (EA) and HF, and to evaluate the contribution of modifiable risk factors as mediators. MethodsWe applied a two-sample MR approach based on the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate the causal relationship between EA and HF. Data collection was conducted in July 2023. We then conducted mediation analyses to explore whether body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mediate the effect of EA on HF, and utilized multivariable MR to estimate the proportion of mediation attributed to these factors. ResultsGenetically predicted 3.4 years of additional education was associated with a decrease in the risk of HF (OR 0.76 for each 3.4 years of schooling; 95% CI 0.72, 0.81). BMI, T2DM, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure mediated 40.82% (95% CI: 28.86%, 52.77%), 18.00% (95% CI: 12.10%, 23.90%), 11.60% (95% CI: 7.63%, 15.56%), and 7.80% (95% CI: 4.63%, 10.96%) of the EA-HF association, respectively. All risk factors combined were estimated to mediate 63.81% (95% CI: 45.91%, 81.71%) of the effect of EA on HF. ConclusionHigher EA has a protective effect against the risk of HF, and potential mechanisms may include regulation of BMI, blood pressure, and blood glucose. Further research is needed to understand whether interventions targeting these factors could influence the association between EA and HF risk.

Research on the evolutionary patterns and control of surrounding rock superimposed stress field local area loading in double-layer Island face main roadway

Double-layer island working face main roadway coal pillars are affected by complex mining stress superposition, when different coal pillar width combinations, the surrounding rock stress field will produce different degrees of regional loading increase effect; the study of the surrounding rock stress field regional superposition loading increase law is meaningful to explaining the failure mode of the roadway and determining the critical control area. This study combines numerical simulation with on-site monitoring and other methods and draws the following conclusions: The superimposed loading increase law (“decreasing” → “increasing”) of the abutment pressure and deviatoric stress in the lower coal seam of the double-layer island working face during the mining; the type of the principal stress deflection in the advance working face region; and by obtaining the three types of development morphology of the deviatoric stress peak zone of the roadway and its corresponding nine evolution modes (one type of circular tube → four types of inverse hyperbolic body → four types of hyperbolic body) in the double-layered island working face mining. Indicated the critical reinforcement area corresponding to the main roadway when at different combinations of coal pillar widths; determined the main track roadway protective coal pillars width for 40 m and the shape of the roadway peak deviatoric stress zone is the inverse class hyperbolic body mode; according to the evolution mode of the peak deviatoric stress zone, determined the synergistic failure control program for the asymmetric critical zone of the roadway surrounding rock which is a targeted scientific support method; after the feedback of on-site monitoring and, the support program is reasonable and effective.

Hepatic steatosis and not type 2 diabetes, body mass index, or hepatic fibrosis associates with hyperglucagonemia in individuals with steatotic liver disease.

Increased plasma concentrations of glucagon (hyperglucagonemia) are reported in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and are considered a diabetogenic risk factor. Emerging evidence suggests that hepatic steatosis in obesity is causing a condition of resistance toward glucagon's effects on amino acid metabolism, resulting in an amino acid-induced hyperglucagonemia. We investigated the presence of hyperglucagonemia in individuals with biopsy-verified metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and whether body mass index (BMI), T2D, hepatic steatosis, and/or fibrosis contribute to this relationship. To dissect potential mechanisms, we also determined hepatic gene expression related to amino acid transport and catabolism. Individuals with MASLD had hyperglucagonemia {controls (n = 74) vs. MASLD (n = 106); median [Q1, Q3]; 4 [3, 7] vs. 8 [6, 13] pM), P < 0.0001} and were glucagon resistant (assessed by the glucagon-alanine index) {1.3 [0.9, 2.1] vs. 3.3 [2.1, 5.3] pM·mM, P < 0.0001}. These changes were associated with hepatic steatosis (P < 0.001, R2 > 0.25) independently of BMI, sex, age, and T2D. Plasma levels of glucagon were similar in individuals with MASLD when stratified on T2D status {MASLD-T2D (n = 52) vs. MASLD + T2D (n = 54); 8 [6, 11] vs. 8 [6, 13] pM, P = 0.34} and hepatic fibrosis {MASLD + F0 (n = 25) vs. MASLD + F1-F3 (n = 67); 8.4 [7.0, 13.3] vs. 7.9 [5.2, 11.6] pM, P = 0.43}. Obesity (BMI = 30 kg/m2) did not alter glucagon levels (P = 0.65) within groups (control/MASLD). The mRNA expression of proteins involved in amino acid transport and catabolism was downregulated in MASLD. Thus, relative hyperglucagonemia is present in individuals with biopsy-verified MASLD, and hepatic steatosis partially drives hyperglucagonemia and glucagon resistance, irrespective of T2D, BMI, and hepatic fibrosis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) present with increased plasma levels of glucagon (hyperglucagonemia), irrespective of body mass index (BMI) and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, MASLD and the resultant hyperglucagonemia may act as a diabetogenic risk factor. Notably, hepatic steatosis was a significant contributor to the hyperglucagonemia in MASLD, potentially unveiling a pathway for the hyperglucagonemia in some patients with type 2 diabetes.

Efficacy of Vaccination and Revaccination Against Hepatitis B Virus Using 2 Different Strategies in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exhibit an increased risk for acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV), thus they should be vaccinated preferably, if not already infected or immunized. We assessed the efficacy of HBV vaccination in IBD patients and impact of different factors on the immune response. We also evaluated the success rate of 2 different revaccination strategies in the nonresponders. This was a retrospective observational cohort study carried out in 5 tertiary centers. All patients were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen, antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), and antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen. Patients tested negative and underwent the standard schedule with 20 µg at 0, 1, and 6 months. Nonresponders (anti-HBs <10 IU/L) were offered a revaccination scheme with either 3 doses of 40 µg at 0, 1, and 6 months or an accelerated scheme with 20 µg at 0, 1, and 2 months. A total of 409 patients were included, and 273 (66.7%) of those (females: 49.5%; Crohn's disease [CD]: 56.7%) responded to baseline vaccination. A total of 189 (69.2%) of 273 (females: 48.1%; CD: 60.3%) developed anti-HBs >100 IU/L. Body mass index <30kg/m2 (P = .017) was positively associated, while diagnosis of CD (P = .013), extensive UC (P <.0001), extraintestinal manifestations (P = .001), and treatment with immunomodulators/anti-tumor necrosis factor (P < .00) negatively affected the response. Revaccination was offered to 103 patients, and 58.3% of them achieved anti-HBs >10 IU/L. Both revaccination strategies were equally effective. IBD patients demonstrate lower response to HBV vaccination compared with the general population. Age, body mass index, type, disease activity, and immunosuppression negatively affect the response. Half of nonresponders may benefit from an enhanced revaccination attempt.

Large-scale assessment of characteristic plant species on Eurasian saline and alkaline soda ecosystems

From an ecological standpoint, saline and alkaline habitats are considered as extreme environments for vascular plants because salinity and alkalinity serve as primary structuring factors that significantly influence the species richness of vegetation cover. The non-alkaline salinity stress on plants primarily results from interactions of NaCl, Na2SO4, and other neutral salts, whereas alkalinity stress is caused by NaHCO3 and Na2CO3, accompanied by an increase in pH. Some halophytes and salt-tolerant plants are well-adapted to such permanent abiotic stress. Surprisingly, they are able to survive and reproduce under environmental conditions of more than 200 mM NaCl concentration and are also able to live permanently in extreme conditions. The aim of this study was to identify characteristic and indicator plant species for permanently alkaline soda and non-alkaline saline wetland habitats, and to analyze the relationship between the chemical composition of water and the plant’s saturation index. Based on the obtained results we can conclude that plant species identified to live in high saline conditions may also grow under high alkaline conditions. Two groups were distinguished based on the salinity and alkalinity: “Saline group” includes all types of halophytes and halotolerant species, while “Soda group” includes obligate alkalophytes and alkalotolerant species. However, the diversity of plants in alkaline environment is bigger than in saline environment, and most of the halotolerant species grow in both alkaline soda and saline habitats. It is possible to identify three indicator species requiring alkaline soda habitats to live in (Aster tripolium, Puccinellia limosa, Suaeda pannonica) and three indicator species that dominantly grow in non-alkaline saline habitats (Juncus maritimus, Salicornia prostrata, Suaeda salsa). Different independent variables have been identified and analyzed to understand their influence on the species saturation index by calculating percentage of characteristic plant species of the entire region. It was identified that the plant saturation index has a significant positive relationship with the Mean Temperature of the Warmest Quarter, Topsoil Sand, and Clay fraction variables, and there is a significant negative relationship with the Solid Earth surface heat flow, as the heating can increase the extremity of the environment. Identification of indicator species of salinity and alkalization makes it possible to determine the type of soil, water bodies and habitats as a rapid biomonitoring method as a visual observation, without the use of expensive equipment and chemical laboratory tests.

Machine learning-based clothing recommendation system for women: case study of Lady's confecciones

This paper presents a clothing recommendation system for women based on their body type, aiming to facilitate the purchasing process on the online sales channel of the company Lady's Confecciones located in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia. For this process, a user interface was designed to function in two ways: using a prediction model that takes as inputs a photograph of the user and their height, and a manual mode that receives the measurements of bust, hip and waist. The prediction model implemented the OpenCV library and the skinned multi-person linear (SMPL) model to process images and predict body shape and pose. Five body types were considered: triangle, apple, rectangle, hourglass and inverted triangle, differentiated by bust, waist and hip measurements, according to the conditions provided by the company. The system was able to predict the body measurements of the female participants with a maximum Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.97. For predicting body type, the best results were obtained for the rectangle body shape, with an accuracy of 92.31%.

Effect of prolonged wear and frame tightness of AR glasses on comfort

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of frame tightness on the wearing comfort of augmented reality (AR) glasses during a prolonged video viewing task. A frame prototype of AR glasses with an adjustable frame width was adopted to accommodate variations in head size within the Chinese population, and two hundred participants were recruited to wear the glasses for an hour under five different tightness conditions. Local and overall discomfort ratings were obtained as outcome measures, and the ratings exhibited a significant increase with higher tightness levels. Furthermore, females and older people reported greater discomfort than other participants did, whereas previous spectacle use and body type had nonsignificant effects on wearing comfort. Consideration of approaches to alleviate frame tightness is crucial in the design of AR glasses targeting females and older people. These findings provide valuable ergonomic insights for AR glasses design and offer considerations applicable to the glasses-type wearable device industry.

Anatomical Features and Morphometric Characteristics of the Sphenoidal Sinus in MRI Studies.

Differential access to pathological sellar processes and adjacent regions is determined by the anatomic structures identified through diagnostic imaging. Both direct endonasal access (microscopic or endoscopic) and sublabial access utilize the sphenoid sinus (SS) as the primary surgical pathway. Critical factors include the pneumatization of the sinus, its intermediate septa, and the presence of a double wall, consisting of a connective tissue membrane along the dorsal wall of the SS. The present study aims to demonstrate the significance of the size and type of the SS based on MRI measurements. The type of SS, its pneumatization, and the proximity of adjacent brain structures are crucial for different surgical approaches to the SS and pituitary fossa. In neurosurgical practice, six main types of sinuses are recognized: sphenoid body type, lateral type, clival type, lesser wing type, anterior type, and combined type. Failure to consider these variations can lead to damage to the cavernous sinus, Meckel's cave, nerve structures in the middle cranial fossa, planum sphenoidale, suprasellar region, and vital brainstem structures located on the clivus. Randomly included MRI measurements were conducted on 112 patients from Pulmed University Hospital, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, categorized into two cohorts based on gender, with mean ages of 51 years for men and 47.8 years for women. The measurements, recorded in centimeters, were obtained using two imaging software programs, RadiAnt DICOM Viewer (Medixant, Poznan, Poland) and Weasis DICOM Viewer (Nicolas Roduit, https://github.com/nroduit/Weasis). No statistically significant differences were observed between the measurements produced by the two programs. Measurements of the SS were taken in two equal groups, using three different projections: axial, sagittal, and coronal. The results for height, width, and depth showed average sizes of 2.73-3.04 cm in axial projections, 1.70-2.64 cm in sagittal projections, and 2.86-3.03 cm in coronal projections. The minor differences between axial and coronal measurements of the same parameters (height and width) are statistically acceptable and attributed to the varying angles of the MRI scans. These measurements are crucial for planning surgical access to the sellar and parasellar regions, determining the necessary bony resection of the posterior wall of the SS, and preventing complications from excessive bony trepanation.