Index Measurements Research Articles

Second-Generation Decline: Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Between African Americans and Afro Caribbeans

ABSTRACT Studies show that Black immigrants have better cardiovascular health than African Americans, but few have explored the reasons for these disparities. While we know that the cardiovascular health of Black immigrants worsens over time in the United States, much less is known about the relative cardiovascular health of second-generation Black immigrants. We draw on novel data from the only nationally representative survey of African Americans and Afro Caribbeans to assess these cardiovascular disparities and the relative contribution of differences in psychosocial stress, discrimination, and health behavior. After developing an index measure of cardiovascular disease, we show that second-generation Afro Caribbeans have the worst outcomes, followed by African Americans, Afro Caribbeans who have been in the country for more than 15 years, and those who have been in the country for less than 15 years. We find little support for the role of psychosocial stress, discrimination, and health behavior in these cardiovascular disparities, including the fact that the second generation has the poorest cardiovascular health.

Can green finance reduce carbon emission? A theoretical analysis and empirical evidence from China.

As an important way for China to achieve its dual-carbon goal, green finance has become the foundation for promoting high-quality economic development in China. In order to clarify the mechanism of green finance on carbon emissions, this paper puts green finance into the economic model and deduces the relationship between green finance and carbon emission reduction. This paper is based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China (excluding Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2008 to 2019, using the individual fixed effect model, dynamical model, mediator model, and SDM model to study the impact of green finance on carbon emissions and its impact path of upgrading of the industrial structure and the development of science and technology based on the measurement of the green finance development index of each province by the entropy method. The findings show that the development of green finance can reduce carbon emission significantly, which can be sustained until at least the third phase and generates spatial spillover effects; regional heterogeneity analysis finds that the development of green finance shows geographical discrepancies: compared with the eastern and western regions, the development of green finance in central region can reduce carbon emissions more significantly; not only can the development of green finance directly reduce carbon emission, but also through the upgrading of industrial structure and technological innovation. The research not only provides a new perspective and supplementary empirical evidence for understanding the carbon emission reduction effect of green finance, but also offers some useful references for green finance to contribute to carbon emission reduction.

Gut microbiota, blood metabolites, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in US Hispanics/Latinos

BackgroundLeft ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an important precursor of heart failure (HF), but little is known about its relationship with gut dysbiosis and microbial-related metabolites. By leveraging the multi-omics data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a study with population at high burden of LVDD, we aimed to characterize gut microbiota associated with LVDD and identify metabolite signatures of gut dysbiosis and incident LVDD.ResultsWe included up to 1996 Hispanic/Latino adults (mean age: 59.4 years; 67.1% female) with comprehensive echocardiography assessments, gut microbiome, and blood metabolome data. LVDD was defined through a composite criterion involving tissue Doppler assessment and left atrial volume index measurements. Among 1996 participants, 916 (45.9%) had prevalent LVDD, and 212 out of 594 participants without LVDD at baseline developed incident LVDD over a median 4.3 years of follow-up. Using multivariable-adjusted analysis of compositions of microbiomes (ANCOM-II) method, we identified 7 out of 512 dominant gut bacterial species (prevalence > 20%) associated with prevalent LVDD (FDR-q < 0.1), with inverse associations being found for Intestinimonas_massiliensis, Clostridium_phoceensis, and Bacteroide_coprocola and positive associations for Gardnerella_vaginali, Acidaminococcus_fermentans, Pseudomonas_aeruginosa, and Necropsobacter_massiliensis. Using multivariable adjusted linear regression, 220 out of 669 circulating metabolites with detection rate > 75% were associated with the identified LVDD-related bacterial species (FDR-q < 0.1), with the majority being linked to Intestinimonas_massiliensis, Clostridium_phoceensis, and Acidaminococcus_fermentans. Furthermore, 46 of these bacteria-associated metabolites, mostly glycerophospholipids, secondary bile acids, and amino acids, were associated with prevalent LVDD (FDR-q < 0.1), 21 of which were associated with incident LVDD (relative risk ranging from 0.81 [p = 0.001, for guanidinoacetate] to 1.25 [p = 9 × 10−5, for 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-GPE (18:0/20:4)]). The inclusion of these 21 bacterial-related metabolites significantly improved the prediction of incident LVDD compared with a traditional risk factor model (the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.73 vs 0.70, p = 0.001). Metabolite-based proxy association analyses revealed the inverse associations of Intestinimonas_massilliensis and Clostridium_phoceensis and the positive association of Acidaminococcus_fermentans with incident LVDD.ConclusionIn this study of US Hispanics/Latinos, we identified multiple gut bacteria and related metabolites linked to LVDD, suggesting their potential roles in this preclinical HF entity.E59jTaJp--U2oUtePgjZu8Video

Children and young people's body mass index measures derived from routine data sources: A national data linkage study in Wales.

Routine monitoring of Body Mass Index (BMI) in general practice, and via national surveillance programmes, is essential for the identification, prevention, and management of unhealthy childhood weight. We examined and compared the presence and representativeness of children and young people's (CYPs) BMI recorded in two routinely collected administrative datasets: general practice electronic health records (GP-BMI) and the Child Measurement Programme for Wales (CMP-BMI), which measures height and weight in 4-5-year-old school children. We also assessed the feasibility of combining GP-BMI and CMP-BMI data for longitudinal analyses. We accessed de-identified population-level GP-BMI data for calendar years 2011 to 2019 for 246,817 CYP, and CMP-BMI measures for 222,772 CYP, held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank. We examined the proportion of CYP in Wales with at least one GP-BMI record, its distribution by child socio-demographic characteristics, and trends over time. We compared GP-BMI and CMP-BMI distributions. We quantified the proportion of children with a CMP-BMI measure and a follow-up GP-BMI recorded at an older age and explored the representativeness of these measures. We identified a GP-BMI record in 246,817 (41%) CYP, present in a higher proportion of females (54.2%), infants (20.7%) and adolescents. There was no difference in the deprivation profile of those with a GP-BMI measurement. 31,521 CYP with a CMP-BMI had at least one follow-up GP-BMI; those with a CMP-BMI considered underweight or very overweight were 87% and 70% more likely to have at least one follow-up GP-BMI record respectively compared to those with a healthy weight, as were males and CYP living in the most deprived areas of Wales. Records of childhood weight status extracted from general practice are not representative of the population and are biased with respect to weight status. Linkage of information from the national programme to GP records has the potential to enhance discussions around healthy weight at the point of care but does not provide a representative estimate of population level weight trajectories, essential to provide insights into factors determining a healthy weight gain across the early life course. A second CMP measurement is required in Wales.

Simultaneous measurement of refractive index and temperature using a balloon-type optical fiber sensor

In the food industry, acetic acid is a compound often used as a preservative or additive, but it is also produced during the fermentation of various food products and constitutes a key marker of food safety and quality. Although accurate, sensitive, and selective, the traditional methods for determining acetic acid are also expensive and time-consuming. In this regard, optical fiber sensors have emerged as a possible alternative for the real-time monitoring of small molecules. In this work, we propose an optical fiber sensor for the simultaneous measurement of refractive index (RI) and temperature using a balloon-shaped structure with a single sensing element. The sensor, based on cladding modal interference, was characterized by its response to RI in the range from 1.320 to 1.352 RIU, using acetic acid solutions with concentrations between 0% and 50%(v/v), and by its response to temperature between 23 and 43 °C. A maximum sensitivity of 170.66 nm/RIU was obtained for RI, equivalent to 110.7 pm/%(v/v) in terms of concentration, and a maximum sensitivity of −119.2 pm/°C was obtained for temperature.

How to measure inequality of opportunity: The axial institutions index

The article presents a critical analysis of indices and indicators of gender equality and suggests a new comprehensive approach to measuring gender equality of opportunity within axial institutions, which are family, labor market, education, science, public and corporate governance. Whereas the main gender indices measure inequality of access to resources, the axial institutions index measures equality of opportunity using the concept of agency. The key innovations are as follows: the inclusion of the institution of family and the gender division of unpaid domestic work as the basis for gender inequality of opportunities; horizontal segregation in labor markets and in education by calculating the average gap in the share of women and men with different educational profile; inclusion of an institute of science, including academia decision-making, inclusion of an institute of corporate governance (along with the state one). As a result, the index of axial institutions is visualized in the form of a hexagon, which describes the specifics of the model of gender equality in Russia.

Multi-parameter terahertz metamaterial sensors based on single-layer quarter ring patterns

A terahertz metamaterial sensor based on a single-layer quarter ring pattern is proposed to realize the simultaneous measurement of temperature, refractive index, and other parameters through a metasurface consisting of a patterned quarter ring gold layer and a silicon substrate. Field finite element numerical simulations were performed to analyse the transmission and reflection spectra. A two-parameter sensor combined with electric field distribution was realized using multiple peaks, thus revealing the physical mechanisms of the interaction in metamaterial structures. In addition, the effect of each geometrical parameter on the sensor performance is also simultaneously analysed to verify the optimal selection of structural parameters. On this basis, the sensors are theoretically analysed at different incidence and polarization angles, and the results show that the transmittance is not sensitive to the polarization angle. The simulation results show that the transmittance at the resonant frequencies of 0.48 THz, 0.64 THz, 0.79 THz and 1.04 THz are 93.7 %, 79.1 %, 38.4 % and 50.8 %, respectively, and the refractive index sensitivities at the resonant frequencies are 6.84 GHz/RIU, 7.42 GHz/RIU, 8.22 GHz/RIU and 32.11 GHz/RIU, and quality factor Q of 6.76, 9.63, 15.51 and 26.28, respectively. The devices proposed in this study are simple in structure, easy to fabricate, easy to miniaturize and can be integrated for sensitivity, multi-parameter sensors. They can be functionally designed for chemical and biological sensing and other important applications.

Low left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral predicts normotensive shock in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Introduction In patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism (PE) outcomes vary widely, with mortality rates ranging from 3-15% and rates of normotensive shock up to 30%.1-3 Current risk models don't fully capture those at higher risk and identify patients who may benefit from advanced therapies. The left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) velocity time integral (VTI), a surrogate marker of cardiac output, has been associated with increased mortality in acute PE.4 Our objective was to determine the association between LVOT VTI and its predictive value in identifying normotensive shock in this patient population. Methods Patients who underwent percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (MT) between August 2020 and March 2023 at a large academic public hospital were considered for the study. Inclusion criteria comprised of normotensive patients (SBP ≥ 90 mmHg) with invasive measures of cardiac index (CI). VTI was obtained by pulsed wave doppler at the LVOT in either the apical 3 or apical 5 chamber view. The primary outcome was the association between LVOT VTI and normotensive shock and a cut off of 15 cm was used to examine this association based on prior studies.4 Results A total of 49 patients with intermediate-risk PE underwent MT, 16 patients had incomplete data, resulting in a final cohort of 33 patients (mean age: 57 ± 13yrs; 38% female). Patients with LVOT VTI of &amp;lt;15 cm were younger (53 vs 62 years p=0.02), had lower systolic blood pressure at presentation (122 vs 134 mmHg, p=0.047), higher heart rate (112.6 vs 96.2 beats/min, p=0.008), a higher composite shock score (CPES) (5 vs 3, p=0.012), lower cardiac index (1.9 vs 3.1 L/min/m2, p&amp;lt;0.001), a higher PASP (61.4 vs 48.9 mmHg, p=0.018), and higher rates of elevated lactate (90% vs 42%, p=0.027). LVOT VTI threshold of &amp;lt;15cm effectively identified patients with normotensive shock (90% vs 8% p&amp;lt;0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of saddle emboli, left ventricular ejection fraction, sPESI and BOVA scores in patients with VTI above or below 15cm. In patients with normotensive shock, 19/20 (95%) had LVOT VTI ≤ 15cm with a median of 13 cm (IQR 12, 14) (Figure). In patients without normotensive shock, 11/13 (84%) had LVOT VTI &amp;gt;15 with a median of 18 (IQR 17, 21). The area under the curve for LVOT VTI ≤ 15 cm in predicting normotensive shock was 0.89. The sensitivity and specificity of LVOT VTI ≤ 15 cm in predicting normotensive shock was 91.6% and 90.4% respectively. Conclusion Our study suggests that LVOT VTI is a reliable surrogate for cardiac output in patients with acute PE and can effectively identify those in the intermediate-risk group who are at risk for normotensive shock. A LVOT VTI &amp;lt;15cm may identify intermediate-risk patients at higher risk for hemodynamic decompensation and further studies are needed to evaluate whether these patients would benefit from upfront catheter-based therapies.

Place-Based Measures of Inequity and Vision Difficulty and Blindness

Known social risk factors associated with poor visual and systemic health in the US include segregation, income inequality, and persistent poverty. To investigate the association of vision difficulty, including blindness, in neighborhoods with measures of inequity (Theil H index, Gini index, and persistent poverty). This cross-sectional study used data from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey and 2010 US census tracts as well as Theil H index, Gini index, and persistent poverty measures from PolicyMap. Data analysis was completed in July 2023. The main outcome was the number of census tract residents reporting vision difficulty and blindness (VDB) and the association with the Theil H index, Gini index, or persistent poverty, assessed using logistic regression. In total, 73 198 census tracts were analyzed. For every 0.1-unit increase in Theil H index and Gini index, there was an increased odds of VDB after controlling for census tract-level median age, the percentage of the population that identified as female sex, the percentage of the population that identified as a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, state, and population size (Theil H index: odds ratio [OR], 1.14 [95% CI, 1.14-1.14; P < .001]; Gini index: OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.15-1.15; P < .001]). Persistent poverty was associated with an increased odds of VDB after controlling for census tract-level median age, the percentage of the population that identified as female sex, the percentage of the population that identified as a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, state, and population size compared with nonpersistent poverty (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.35-1.36; P < .001). In this cross-sectional study, residential measures of inequity through segregation, income inequality, or persistent poverty were associated with a greater number of residents living with VDB. It is essential to understand and address how neighborhood characteristics can impact rates of VDB.

Improving Automated Hemorrhage Detection in Sparse-view CT via U-Net-based Artifact Reduction.

"Just Accepted" papers have undergone full peer review and have been accepted for publication in Radiology: Artificial Intelligence. This article will undergo copyediting, layout, and proof review before it is published in its final version. Please note that during production of the final copyedited article, errors may be discovered which could affect the content. Purpose To explore the potential benefits of deep learning-based artifact reduction in sparse-view cranial CT scans and its impact on automated hemorrhage detection. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, a U-Net was trained for artifact reduction on simulated sparseview cranial CT scans from 3000 patients obtained from a public dataset and reconstructed with varying sparse-view levels. Additionally, the EfficientNetB2 was trained on full-view CT data from 17,545 patients for automated hemorrhage detection. Detection performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), with differences assessed using the DeLong test, along with confusion matrices. A total variation (TV) postprocessing approach, commonly applied to sparse-view, served as the basis for comparison. A Bonferronicorrected significance level of 0.001/6 = 0.00017 was used to accommodate for multiple hypotheses testing. Results Images with U-Net postprocessing were better than unprocessed and TV-processed images with respect to image quality and automated hemorrhage detection. With U-Net postprocessing, the number of views could be reduced from 4096 (AUC: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.97-0.98) to 512 (0.97; 0.97-0.98; P < .00017) and to 256 views (0.97; 0.96-0.97; P < .00017) with minimal decrease in hemorrhage detection performance. This was accompanied by mean structural similarity index measure increases of 0.0210 (95% CI: 0.0210-0.0211) and 0.0560 (95% CI: 0.0559-0.0560) relative to unprocessed images. Conclusion U-Net based artifact reduction substantially enhances automated hemorrhage detection in sparse-view cranial CTs. ©RSNA, 2024.

The Measurement of the Oxidative Index of Polyethylene Obtained during Revision Hip Arthroplasty and Assessment of Its Variability Depending on the Degree of Osteolysis, Implantation Time, as Well as the Size and Material of the Utilized Head

Background/Objectives: Aseptic loosening is the leading cause of late revision in total hip arthroplasty, primarily due to degenerative oxidation of polyethylene components, leading to wear particle formation and periacetabular osteolysis. This study aimed to analyze the oxidation levels in polyethylene liners and cemented cups retrieved from revision surgeries using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and to explore the correlation between oxidation levels and factors such as head size, head material, fixation method, and implant survival time. Methods: Polyethylene liners and cups were analyzed post-revision surgery to assess oxidation levels, which were then compared to periacetabular bone loss measured by the Paprosky classification. This study evaluated the impact of head size (28 mm vs. 32 mm), head material (ceramic vs. metal), and fixation methods on oxidation. The relationship between the mean oxidation index (OI) and implant survival time was also investigated. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between the mean oxidation index of the polyethylene components and the severity of periacetabular osteolysis according to the Paprosky scale. While the mean OI for samples articulating with ceramic heads was lower than for those with metal heads, and the mean OI for samples with a 32 mm head size was lower than for those with a 28 mm size, these differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, the fixation method did not affect the oxidation index, and no correlation was found between OI and the survival time of the implants. Conclusions: This study confirms a direct correlation between polyethylene oxidation and periacetabular osteolysis in hip replacements, highlighting the importance of material choice and design in potentially reducing the risk of aseptic loosening. Despite the lack of significant differences in oxidation levels based on head material and size, these factors may still play a role in the long-term outcome of hip arthroplasty, warranting further investigation.

Simultaneous measurement of thickness and group refractive index in birefringent crystals

Abstract In order to measure the group refractive index and thickness of birefringent crystals simultaneously, a method based on spectral-domain interferometry is proposed. The optical path of each reflection layer of birefringent crystal is converted into spectral interference fringe of corresponding frequency by the principle of spectral-domain interferometry, and the accurate optical path calculation is realized by fast Fourier transform and Hanning-windowed energy centrobaric method. A two-step measurement method was designed to measure the crystal thickness and group refractive index of ordinary(o) and extraordinary(e) light synchronously by comparing the changes of the optical path before and after the insertion of the sample. The comparison between experimental and theoretical results of LiNbO3 crystals shows that the accuracy of the thickness measured by this system is better than 1μm and the relative error of the group refractive index is better than 0.15%. The measurement method is simple to implement and has high precision, which is of practical significance for realizing the rapid and high-precision measurement of optical parameters of birefringent crystals.

Ultrasound evaluation of stiffness and vascularity of renal parenchymal damage secondary to hydronephrosis in pediatric patients using shear wave elastography and superb microvascular imaging

AbstractAimsThe purpose of this study is to assess the diagnostic value of SWE (shear wave elastography) and renal parenchymal elasticity and microvascularization with the SMI (super microvascular imaging) technique in diagnosing and predicting the progression of renal parenchymal damage in pediatric patients with hydronephrosis.Patients and MethodsA total of 45 patients were included in the prospective study. To evaluate parenchymal changes, SWE and SMI‐Vacularity Index (VI) measurements were performed in various sections of the affected and normal kidneys. The affected and control renal pelvises' anteroposterior (AP) diameters were also measured.ResultsThe average SWE values were measured as 16.62 kPa for the affected kidneys, whereas the control kidneys showed an average SWE value of 12.70 kPa, indicating a statistically significant difference (p &lt; .01). Furthermore, in the affected kidneys, the average SMI‐VI value was measured as 5.92, whereas the control kidneys exhibited a higher average SMI‐VI value of 6.64, showing a statistically significant difference (p &lt; .01). A reverse correlation was found between renal pelvis AP diameter and SMI‐VI values, while a positive correlation existed between renal pelvis AP diameter and SWE values.ConclusionsWe believe that SWE and SMI may be useful for diagnosing and predicting the progression of renal parenchymal damage in pediatric hydronephrotic patients.

Image quality evaluation of a new high-performance ring-gantry cone-beam computed tomography imager

Objective. Newer cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging systems offer reconstruction algorithms including metal artifact reduction (MAR) and extended field-of-view (eFoV) techniques to improve image quality. In this study a new CBCT imager, the new Varian HyperSight CBCT, is compared to fan-beam CT and two CBCT imagers installed in a ring-gantry and C-arm linear accelerator, respectively. Approach. The image quality was assessed for HyperSight CBCT which uses new hardware, including a large-size flat panel detector, and improved image reconstruction algorithms. The decrease of metal artifacts was quantified (structural similarity index measure (SSIM) and root-mean-squared error (RMSE)) when applying MAR reconstruction and iterative reconstruction for a dental and spine region using a head-and-neck phantom. The geometry and CT number accuracy of the eFoV reconstruction was evaluated outside the standard field-of-view (sFoV) on a large 3D-printed chest phantom. Phantom size dependency of CT numbers was evaluated on three cylindrical phantoms of increasing diameter. Signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise were quantified on an abdominal phantom. Main results. In phantoms with streak artifacts, MAR showed comparable results for HyperSight CBCT and CT, with MAR increasing the SSIM (0.97–0.99) and decreasing the RMSE (62–55 HU) compared to iterative reconstruction without MAR. In addition, HyperSight CBCT showed better geometrical accuracy in the eFoV than CT (Jaccard Conformity Index increase of 0.02–0.03). However, the CT number accuracy outside the sFoV was lower than for CT. The maximum CT number variation between different phantom sizes was lower for the HyperSight CBCT imager (∼100 HU) compared to the two other CBCT imagers (∼200 HU), but not fully comparable to CT (∼50 HU). Significance. This study demonstrated the imaging performance of the new HyperSight CBCT imager and the potential of applying this CBCT system in more advanced scenarios by comparing the quality against fan-beam CT.

Corrosion characteristics of concrete by landfill leachates of different ages

Landfill leachate is a highly corrosive pollutant, and the composition of landfill leachate varies greatly between landfill ages. Landfill leachates of different ages pose a corrosive danger to concrete structures. In this study, four landfill leachates of different ages were selected for concrete immersion corrosion tests to elucidate the corrosion characteristics of concrete. Measurements of concrete mechanical property indices were combined with microscopic analysis methods, such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of the compositional differences of the landfill leachate of different ages and contact times on the concrete were analyzed and evaluated. The test results showed that the young landfill leachate slowed down the hydration process of concrete and promoted the generation of expansive corrosive crystals such as gypsum and calcium sulfate, which changed the internal microstructure of the concrete and caused irreversible damage. Exposure to leachates caused a decrease of the concrete quality, compressive strength, and dynamic elastic modulus to below their initial values. The participation of intermediate and mature landfill leachate in the hydration process of concrete promoted the hydration reaction in the short term. However, with the prolongation of the test period, this enhancement gradually weakened, and at the same time, the sulfate in the landfill leachate and the hydration products generated ettringite, which produced expansion stress on the internal structure of the concrete, destroying the structure and decreasing its strength. The experimental results of this study provide theoretical support for the treatment of different ages of landfill leachates and the design and protection of landfill concrete structures.

Measurement of Nasal Skin Thickness and Body Mass Index in Preoperative Rhinoplasty Patients Utilizing Computed Tomography Scanning and Ultrasound Techniques: A Prospective Comparative Study.

One of the most important indicators of rhinoplasty success is nasal skin thickness. Nasal thickness can lead to irregularities over the osseocartilaginous framework among patients with thin nasal skin and difficulty making tip work changes in patients with thick nasal skin. This study aimed to compare different objective methods. These include computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) techniques, and report the relationship between nasal skin thickness and body mass index (BMI). A prospective cross-sectional study that included all patients at the rhinoplasty clinic (King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between December 2022 and March 2023. Age, sex, and Fitzpatrick skin type were collected from the patients' histories and physical examinations. Body mass index was calculated for the subjects. The study sample included 29 patients. The median age of the patients was 25 years (interquartile range: 20-32 y). Most of the included patients were Saudi (89.7%, n = 26). Females represented 62.1% of the study sample. The average BMI was 25.6 ± 4.95 kg/m2. The highest correlation was observed between the US and CT tip (r = 0.544, P < 0.01) and rhinion (r = 0.525, P < 0.01) measurements. Body mass index was not associated with any US or CT measurements when BMI was used as a continuous or ordinal variable. The correlation between the US and CT measurements was highest for rhinoin and tip measurements, whereas supratip measurements were not correlated (r = -0.029, P = 0.88). The correlation between mid-dorsum and nasion measurements was low (~0.3). The correlation between nasal skin thickness using CT and US varies depending on the nasal point and location. Body mass index was not associated with nasal skin thickness.

The evaluation of the effectiveness of conventional and pulsating toothbrushes on the oral health of healthy and mentally disabled pediatric patients.

Children, especially the mentally disabled, are generally incapable of obtaining adequate oral hygiene levels by manual brushing due to their lack of knowledge about oral hygiene and their limited motor skills. In order to handle those limited skills, different designs of manual and electric toothbrushes are developed and put on markets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pulsating toothbrushes with easy-to-use properties, against conventional toothbrushes and to analyze their benefits on mentally disabled pediatric patients. Thirty-one healthy and 31 mentally disabled children (aged between 7 and 12) participated in this study. The effectiveness of three different toothbrushes (Oral-B Pulsar, Colgate 360° Micro Sonic Power, Oral-B Stages 3) was investigated with a cross-over study design. DMFT, dft, modified sulcus bleeding index (MOD-SBI), approximal plaque index (API) and Green and Vermillion simplified oral hygiene index (G&V OHI-S) measurements are performed to evaluate the oral hygiene status. In the mentally disabled group the manual toothbrush for MOD-SBI, and Colgate 360° Micro Sonic Power for API showed the best results respectively. The ability of tooth brushing was improved both in healthy and in disabled children during this 5 months study. Unfortunately, it was not obvious in disabled children. Persevering training for tooth brushing might be the most important regardless of the kind of toothbrush.

Ocular complications in adults with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study in a referral center in Brazil

PurposeThere is limited literature on the ocular manifestations in patients with psoriasis. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of and factors associated with ocular manifestations in adults with psoriasis.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included Brazilian adults with psoriasis. The dermatological evaluation included diagnosis, clinical form, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) measurement, and location of the lesions. Patients underwent a full ophthalmological examination, including the Schirmer I test, Rose Bengala staining, and tear breakup time tests. The results were analyzed using chi-square and Pearson’s linear correlation tests.ResultsOf the 130 patients assessed, 118 (90.8%) exhibited ocular abnormalities, with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) being the most prevalent (59.2%), followed by dry eye disease (DED) (56.2%). A significant correlation was observed between MGD and PASI (p = 0.05), and between MGD and certain treatment modalities. DED was significantly associated with PASI (p < 0.05). Concurrent use of acitretin was identified as an independent predictor of MGD (odds ratio [OR] = 3.5, p < 0.05), whereas PASI was a protective factor against DED (OR = 0.39, p < 0.01).ConclusionGiven the high prevalence of eye disease among individuals with psoriasis, routine ophthalmological assessments are recommended to prevent possible ocular complications.

Traffic noise measurement, mapping, and modeling using soft computing techniques for mid-sized smart Indian city

The present study presents an investigation into the utilization of artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple linear regression model (MLR) for the prediction of traffic noise levels in various locations of Dhanbad city at varying intervals. Traffic noise indices measurements were carried out using sound pressure level meter (SLM). The prediction of equivalent A-weighted sound level (LAeq) and the sound level exceeding 10 percent of the time (L10) is carried out using various influencing factors such as number of cars, number of 2 wheelers, number of 3 wheelers, number of heavy vehicle, number of medium commercial vehicles, and traffic speed. The findings demonstrate the ANN model's proficiency in comparison of MLR model for providing precise prediction accuracy of traffic noise indices with a R2 of 0.94 for LAeq and 0.91 for L10. Furthermore, the frequency spectrum analysis reveals that high peaks were observed at lower frequencies ranging from 31.5 Hz to 50 Hz, middle frequencies from 500 to 800 Hz and higher frequencies from 3.5 kHz to 5 kHz. The noise maps at varying intervals revealed that most of the locations are having higher noise levels due to increase in vehicular movement. The study emphasizes on the potential significance of the proposed neural network-based prediction model in collaboration with noise mapping as a vital tool for the anticipation of traffic noise levels and the formulation of noise mitigation strategies in context of the mid-sized smart city like Dhanbad, India.

Optical coherence tomography choroidal enhancement using generative deep learning

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) is the gold standard of imaging the eye in clinics. Penetration depth with such devices is, however, limited and visualization of the choroid, which is essential for diagnosing chorioretinal disease, remains limited. Whereas swept-source OCT (SSOCT) devices allow for visualization of the choroid these instruments are expensive and availability in praxis is limited. We present an artificial intelligence (AI)-based solution to enhance the visualization of the choroid in OCT scans and allow for quantitative measurements of choroidal metrics using generative deep learning (DL). Synthetically enhanced SDOCT B-scans with improved choroidal visibility were generated, leveraging matching images to learn deep anatomical features during the training. Using a single-center tertiary eye care institution cohort comprising a total of 362 SDOCT-SSOCT paired subjects, we trained our model with 150,784 images from 410 healthy, 192 glaucoma, and 133 diabetic retinopathy eyes. An independent external test dataset of 37,376 images from 146 eyes was deployed to assess the authenticity and quality of the synthetically enhanced SDOCT images. Experts’ ability to differentiate real versus synthetic images was poor (47.5% accuracy). Measurements of choroidal thickness, area, volume, and vascularity index, from the reference SSOCT and synthetically enhanced SDOCT, showed high Pearson’s correlations of 0.97 [95% CI: 0.96–0.98], 0.97 [0.95–0.98], 0.95 [0.92–0.98], and 0.87 [0.83–0.91], with intra-class correlation values of 0.99 [0.98–0.99], 0.98 [0.98–0.99], and 0.95 [0.96–0.98], 0.93 [0.91–0.95], respectively. Thus, our DL generative model successfully generated realistic enhanced SDOCT data that is indistinguishable from SSOCT images providing improved visualization of the choroid. This technology enabled accurate measurements of choroidal metrics previously limited by the imaging depth constraints of SDOCT. The findings open new possibilities for utilizing affordable SDOCT devices in studying the choroid in both healthy and pathological conditions.