Poor Power Research Articles

Development of a qPCR assay to identify and differentiate insect-associated strains of the Serratia marcescens complex.

The Serratia marcescens complex contains important opportunistic pathogens of humans and vertebrate animals, as well as insects and other invertebrates. To date, the methods used for the identification of species within the genus Serratia, including PCR assays, have poor discriminatory power and may require further molecular typing or genomic sequence analysis to determine clinical relevance. We developed a duplex TaqMan probe-based quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the chiP gene, which is involved in chitin degradation and transport, and the ureD gene, which is involved in urease production. This allowed us to simultaneously identify all members of the S. marcescens complex (chiP positive) and differentiate those most likely to act as insect pathogens (chiP and ureD positive). We applied our assay to identify potentially entomopathogenic members of the S. marcescens complex in the context of a conservation program for the critically endangered insect Dryococelus australis and found it to be a useful aid for rapid and accurate detection of infection with S. marcescens complex strains in insects and determination of their clinical relevance. By targeting 2 genes likely to be virulence factors, this assay may also be of use for research investigating the pathogenesis of entomopathogenic Serratia spp.

AI-based hybrid power quality control system for electrical railway using single phase PV-UPQC with Lyapunov optimization

This research paper presents an advanced AI-driven hybrid power quality management system for electrical railways that addresses critical challenges in 25 kV AC traction networks through a novel integration of single-phase PV-UPQC with ANN-Lyapunov control architecture. The system effectively manages voltage unbalance exceeding 2%, high THD, voltage variations of ± 10%, and poor power factor through a dual-approach methodology combining ANN-based reference signal generation with Lyapunov optimization, enabling dynamic parameter tuning and real-time load adaptation. MATLAB/Simulink simulations validate the system’s superior performance, demonstrating significant improvements, including voltage unbalance reduction from 1.5 to 0.8%, THD reduction below 1%, unity power factor correction, 40% faster dynamic response, and DC link voltage regulation within ± 2%, while maintaining 95% overall system efficiency. Integrating ANN-based shunt and series APF control, Lyapunov optimization, and PV integration establishes a robust framework for enhanced energy efficiency and power quality management in modern railway systems.

Salivary cardiac troponin does not correlate with serum levels.

Several studies suggest a potential correlation between troponin levels detected in serum and saliva. However, prior investigations have not adequately addressed the critical aspect of collecting samples upon admission, which is essential for timely troponin level determination. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between troponin levels in serum and saliva among patients admitted for chest pain evaluation. This observational study was conducted at the Interventional Cardiology Department of the University Medical Center HCMC. Patients presenting with chest pain were enrolled, and unstimulated saliva samples were collected using the Navazesh method simultaneously with the initial blood collection. These samples were then analyzed for levels of salivary troponin I, serum troponin I, and serum high-sensitive troponin T. Among the 48 patients included, 22 (46%) exhibited myocardial injury, while 12 (25%) were diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction. No significant difference was observed in salivary troponin I levels between the non-myocardial injury and myocardial injury groups (p = 0.425). Moreover, no correlation was found between salivary troponin I levels and either serum troponin T or serum troponin I levels (Pearson correlation p = 0.761, 0.500; Spearman correlation p = 0.857, 0.136, respectively). The ROC curve for salivary troponin I in predicting myocardial injury displayed an AUC of 0.566 (95% CI: 0.402-0.731), indicating poor discriminatory power. In our investigation, salivary troponin I failed to demonstrate a meaningful correlation with serum troponins, thereby limiting its practical utility in diagnosing myocardial injury or myocardial infarction. Further research is warranted to explore its diagnostic reliability and clinical applicability.

The relationship between anthropometric indices and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults: a cross-sectional study.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a widespread liver condition associated with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases, yet public awareness remains low. Early detection of risk factors is crucial, but liver biopsy, the diagnostic gold standard, is invasive and costly. Non-invasive anthropometric indices provide a safer alternative. This study examines these indices to identify the most reliable predictor of NAFLD in adults. In the present cross-sectional study, we used the Fasa Cohort Data, conducted on about 10,000 people, of whom 1,047 were diagnosed with NAFLD. NAFLD diagnosis in this study was confirmed by physicians based on medical history and ultrasonographic evaluations, ensuring accurate and reliable identification of cases. General, anthropometric, and dietary assessments were performed using interviews, tools, and valid questionnaires. Biochemical evaluation was also done. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), Body mass index (BMI), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), and visceral fat index (VAI) were also calculated using these measurements and formulas. This study used descriptive tests, binary logistic regression, and ROC curve analysis. In both crude and adjusted models, significant associations were found between WHR, WHtR, BMI, and VAI with NAFLD. ROC analysis revealed that WHtR and BMI were the most accurate predictors of NAFLD in both genders (WHtR: men AUC = 0.750, women AUC = 0.702; BMI: men AUC = 0.754, women AUC = 0.701). BRI showed significant accuracy, but WHR (men: AUC = 0.727, women: AUC = 0.640) and VAI (men: AUC = 0.621, women: AUC = 0.622) were less effective. ABSI demonstrated poor predictive power (men: AUC = 0.530, women: AUC = 0.505) and is not recommended for NAFLD prediction. Based on the findings, BMI and WHtR emerge as the most practical and accessible indicators for early screening of NAFLD in both men and women, while ABSI shows minor effectiveness in identifying the disease.

Exploring social media strategies use during the presidential campaign of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria

Social networking during Nigeria's presidential campaign 2023 represented a significant era of heightened political engagement as social media became a crucial tool. This study critically evaluates the effectiveness and shortcomings of the social media strategies adopted by candidates, highlighting issues such as misinformation, cyberbullying, and the polarisation of the electorate. The research was grounded in conspiracy theory, employing quantitative and qualitative methods. A cluster sampling technique was employed to ensure a representative sample, dividing the population into six distinct clusters based on the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. The Cochran formula was used to calculate a sample size of 385 respondents for the quantitative component of the study, and 18 participants were selected through purposeful and snowball sampling techniques. The study was directed by research questions that aligned with its objectives. Data collection was conducted using interview guides and questionnaires. The results were presented in tables, charts, and narrative formats. The findings reveal that social media hurt Nigeria's 2023 presidential election campaign. Studies reveal several challenges, including unreliable internet services, poor power supply, polarisation, and spreading false information. The study recommends the ethical use of social media platforms by candidates, their supporters, and all stakeholders to foster ethical practices and curb the dissemination of false and misleading information.

Transcriptomic and genetic profiling in a spontaneous non-human primate model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac death

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) afflicts humans, cats, pigs, and rhesus macaques. Disease sequelae include congestive heart failure, thromboembolism, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Sarcomeric mutations explain some human and cat cases, however, the molecular basis in rhesus macaques remains unknown. RNA-Seq of the LV tissues of five HCM-affected and seven healthy control rhesus macaques was employed for differential transcriptomic analyses. DNA from 15 severely HCM-affected and 21 healthy geriatric rhesus macaques were selected for whole-genome sequencing. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of disease status and SCD outcome was performed. 614 down- and 1,065 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between groups. The top DEG (MAFF) was overexpressed in affected animals (log2FoldChange = 4.71; PAdjusted-value = 1.14E-133). Channelopathy-associated enriched terms were identified in ~ 57% of downregulated DEGs providing transcriptomic evidence of hypertrophic and arrhythmic disease processes. For GWAS, no putative variant withstood segregation. Polygenic modeling analysis resulted in poor prediction power and burden testing could not explain HCM by an association of multiple variants in any gene. Neither single nor compound genetic variant(s), or identified polygenic profile, suggest complex genotype–phenotype interactions in rhesus macaques. Brought forth is an established dataset of robustly phenotyped rhesus macaques as an open-access resource for future cardiovascular disease genetic studies.

Unknown input observer-Model predictive control scheme for state and disturbance estimation of shunt active filter

The distribution system's nonlinear loads cause low total harmonic distortion (THD), low distortion power factor, and localized communication interference, among other poor power quality metrics. Shunt active power filter (SAPF) capacity to function depends on the controller's ability to follow the reference signal. To manage larger systems with several inputs and outputs, it would be challenging task to design PID controllers, because excessive controller gains would need to be tuned. Also, every control loop would operate independently of one another, as if there were no interactions between the two loops. This paper proffers Model prediction control for Shunt active power filter (SAPF), which can manage systems with several inputs and outputs that may interact with one another. Luenberger observer (LO) and Proportional Integral observer (PIO) fail to estimates the actual states of SAPF to SAPF, as shown even in the presence of three unknown disturbances, i.e step, triangular and noise type. The proposed unknown input observer (UIO) in the presence of three unknown disturbances perfectly tracks the reference signal. Apart from state estimation, the proposed observer also estimates all the unknown disturbances, when compared to PIO. The results have been simulated in MATLAB environment.

Dry-Deposited Self-Standing Composite Electrodes for EV Battery Applications

Novel type of composite materials consisting of powdered materials embedded into a 3-dimensional network of pristine individual or a few-bundled single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been developed [1]. A wide selection of powdered materials can be used, and SWNT content can be varied in a broad range. The resulted composite materials typically are self-standing, mechanically robust and with electrical conductivity 101-105 S/m, depending on the material composition and density. We have been using this technology to create composites of Li-ion battery materials for self-standing, binder and collector free battery electrodes. Application of these electrodes allows to increase battery energy density up to 40% and increase specific energy up to 70% in relatively small flexible pouch cells [1]. Since we can produce electrodes with very high thicknesses and high loadings of the active material, with minimal amount of electrochemically inactive components, we are studying applicability of such electrodes for large EV-sized batteries and for both high energy and high-power applications typical for EV/EVTOL batteries, and what parameters of the electrode material is necessary for such applications. Normally, EV batteries operate at 0.1C to 0.5C, to allow 10 to 2 hours of driving. However, they need to be able to operate at higher C-rates (2C to 10C typical) for short periods of time, when more power is needed for passing, hill climbing, etc. Battery performance for a particular battery chemistry depends on multiple interdependent parameters: electrode loading, electrode electronic conductivity, electrode density/porosity, electrode thickness, electrolyte ionic conductivity and many others. To achieve high energy density of a battery cell its electrodes are compressed as much as possible, and the amount of the electrolyte is minimized. However, this often leads to insufficient ionic conductivity of the electrodes, and, therefore, poor power performance (high C-rate performance). Parameters of electrodes of EV/EVTOL batteries need to be optimized for these applications. Here we concentrate on dependence of the high C-rate performance of the cells on the electrode density/porosity and electrode thickness with fixed cathode areal loading and conductivity (proportional to the CNT percentage). Cells with electrodes with the density in the 1.5-2 g/cm3 range demonstrate the best C-rate performance in the 3C to 30C range. O.A. Kuznetsov, S. Mohanty, E. Pigos, G. Chen, W. Cai, A.R. Harutyunyan, High energy density flexible and ecofriendly lithium-ion smart battery. Energy Storage Materials, 2023 (54) 266-275, ISSN 2405-8297, doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2022.10.023

High‐performance and flexible thermoelectric generator based on a robust carbon nanotube/BiSbTe foam

AbstractOrganic thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are flexible and lightweight, but they often have high electrical resistance, poor output power, and low mechanical durability, because of which their thermoelectric performance is poor. We used a facile and rapid solvent evaporation process to prepare a robust carbon nanotube/Bi0.45Sb1.55Te3 (CNT/BST) foam with a high thermoelectric figure of merit (zT). The BST sub‐micronparticles effectively create an electrically conductive network within the three‐dimensional porous CNT foam to greatly improve the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient and reinforce the mechanical strength of the composite against applied stresses. The CNT/BST foam had a zT value of 7.8 × 10−3 at 300 K, which was 5.7 times higher than that of pristine CNT foam. We used the CNT/BST foam to fabricate a flexible TEG with an internal resistance of 12.3 Ω and an output power of 15.7 µW at a temperature difference of 21.8 K. The flexible TEG showed excellent stability and durability even after 10,000 bending cycles. Finally, we demonstrate the shapeability of the CNT/BST foam by fabricating a concave TEG with conformal contact on the surface of a cylindrical glass tube, which suggests its practical applicability as a thermal sensor.

Diagnostic Power of Serum Creatinine/Cystatin C Ratio for Identifying Low MRI-Muscle Volume and Low Grip Strength: Data From 9 731 to 149 707 UK Biobank Older Adults.

Biomarkers for sarcopenia are lacking. We examined the diagnostic power of serum creatinine to cystatin C ratio for identifying low magnetic resonance imaging-muscle volume and low grip strength in a large observational study of UK Biobank older adults. Serum creatinine and cystatin C were measured via immunoassays (Beckman Coulter AU5800 and Siemens Advia 1800, respectively) and grip strength by hydraulic hand dynamometer at baseline visit (2008-2010). magnetic resonance imaging-thigh fat-free muscle volume and DXA-derived appendicular lean mass were measured at imaging visit (2014-2018). Extreme outliers were removed, and covariates (demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors, as well as time elapsed between baseline-imaging visit) were adjusted for in statistical models. 12 873 older adults (mean age: 63.5 ± 2.7 years, 44.2% women) were included for fat-free muscle volume and appendicular lean mass/body mass index; 149 707 older adults (mean age: 64.0 ± 2.9 years, 50.5% women) for grip strength. Despite significant associations (p < .05), in fully adjusted models, creatinine to cystatin C showed poor to acceptable diagnostic power for identifying low fat-free muscle volume when using cutpoints of 20th percentile (area under the curve: 0.577 men; 0.622 women) and T scores of -2 (area under the curve: 0.596 men; 0.659 women) and -2.5 (area under the curve: 0.609 men; 0.722 women). In fully adjusted model, creatinine to cystatin C showed poor diagnostic power (area under the curves: <0.70) for identifying low appendicular lean mass/body mass index or low grip strength, irrespective of the cutpoint used. Creatinine to cystatin C may not be a suitable biomarker for identifying low muscle volume or low strength in older adults. This finding, drawn from a large sample size and the use of advanced medical imaging, marks an important contribution to the sarcopenia field.

Impact of Power Quality on the Efficiency of the Mining Process

There are currently more than 30 underground mines operating in Poland. These are mines extracting hard coal, salt, and metal ores. Each of these plants has its own specifics for operation, but all operate under the same regulations. The basic principle is to ensure the safety of the crew and equipment. The progressive mechanization and automation of the mining process results in the installation of power electronic converters in the networks of mining plants, which significantly deteriorate the quality of the power in the plant supply networks. In addition, the constant reconfiguration of these networks related to the progress of the work can affect the safety conditions of the plant. This article describes problems occurring at one underground mining plant that are related to the structure of the power grid. Failures and interruptions in the production process were the result of poor power quality. They directly translated into increased production costs and significantly affected the safety level of the workforce, which could result in further consequences, not only in the financial sphere. The article also addresses the issue of existing legal regulations, the provisions of which may be insufficient in assessing the current state of power quality in mining plants.

Testing for association between ordinal traits and genetic variants in pedigree-structured samples by collapsing and kernel methods.

In genome-wide association studies (GWAS), logistic regression is one of the most popular analytics methods for binary traits. Multinomial regression is an extension of binary logistic regression that allows for multiple categories. However, many GWAS methods have been limited application to binary traits. These methods have improperly often been used to account for ordinal traits, which causes inappropriate type I error rates and poor statistical power. Owing to the lack of analysis methods, GWAS of ordinal traits has been known to be problematic and gaining attention. In this paper, we develop a general framework for identifying ordinal traits associated with genetic variants in pedigree-structured samples by collapsing and kernel methods. We use the local odds ratios GEE technology to account for complicated correlation structures between family members and ordered categorical traits. We use the retrospective idea to treat the genetic markers as random variables for calculating genetic correlations among markers. The proposed genetic association method can accommodate ordinal traits and allow for the covariate adjustment. We conduct simulation studies to compare the proposed tests with the existing models for analyzing the ordered categorical data under various configurations. We illustrate application of the proposed tests by simultaneously analyzing a family study and a cross-sectional study from the Genetic Analysis Workshop 19 (GAW19) data.

Power Generation Characteristics of Disk-Shaped Magnetohydrodynamic Generator Driven by Rotating Detonation

The power generation characteristics of a disk-shaped magnetohydrodynamic generator driven by rotating detonation with potassium-seeded hydrogen–air mixture are examined via quasi-two-dimensional numerical simulations. For unburned gas injection in the outward and inward directions, the rotating direction of the detonation wave is set so that the azimuthal velocity enhances the radial electromotive force. The simulation results show that the power output in the outward flow configuration exceeds that of the inward flow configuration. In the outward flow configuration, the radial gas velocity around the contact surface is the main contributor to the power generation, while in the inward flow configuration, the low gas velocity in almost the entire region and the vortices around the contact surface lead to poor power output. The characteristics in not only the power output mode but also the power input mode in which the voltage is applied externally between the electrodes are investigated. Under the positive load voltage, high enough for providing negative current, the Lorentz force occurs in the same direction as the propagation of the detonation wave; otherwise, the Lorentz force is induced in the opposite direction of the detonation wave.

A Reproducibility Focused Meta-Analysis Method for Single-Cell Transcriptomic Case-Control Studies Uncovers Robust Differentially Expressed Genes.

Here we systematically studied the reproducibility of DEGs in previously published Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), and COVID-19 scRNA-seq studies. We found that while transcriptional scores created from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in individual PD and COVID-19 datasets had moderate predictive power for the case control status of other datasets (mean AUC=0.77 and 0.75, respectively), genes from individual AD datasets had poor predictive power (mean AUC=0.68). We developed a non-parametric meta-analysis method, SumRank, based on reproducibility of relative differential expression ranks across datasets. The meta-analysis genes had improved predictive power (AUCs of 0.88, 0.91, and 0.78, respectively). By multiple other metrics, specificity and sensitivity of these genes were substantially higher than those discovered by dataset merging and inverse variance weighted p-value aggregation methods. The DEGs revealed known and novel biological pathways, and we validate the BCAT1 gene as down-regulated in oligodendrocytes in an AD mouse model. Our analyses show that for heterogeneous diseases, DEGs of individual studies often have low reproducibility, but combining information across multiple datasets promotes the rigorous discovery of reproducible DEGs.

Superior bendability enabled by inherent in-plane elasticity in Bi2Te3 thermoelectrics

With the rapid development of modern wearable electronics, powerful and deformable thermoelectric generators have become an urgent need as the power units that convert environmental or body heat into electricity. Existing efforts mostly focused on the assistance for deformability by substrates/additives, the resultant devices usually output much less power and showed very poor power retainment. Elasticity is inherent to all solids, which therefore offers an intrinsic solution for making thermoelectrics deformable without compromise in power output because of its full recoverability. This work demonstrates this in best-performing (Bi, Sb)2(Te, Se)3 thermoelectrics near room temperature, ending up in the film devices with both extraordinary power density and robust recoverable bendability. This originates from the inherent large elasticity for the in-plane orientation, which is enabled by an easy tape stripping approach for the Van der Waals layered structure, allowing the realization of both powerfulness and bendability that are equally important for wearable thermoelectrics.

A model predictive control for a multi-chiller system in data center considering whole system energy conservation

To meet the thermal environment requirements for the continuous and stable operation of information technology (IT) equipment in data rooms, the cooling system needs to operate all day, which has become the second largest energy-consuming system in data centers. The absence of an effective operational control strategy in the data center cooling process results in high energy consumption and poor power usage effectiveness (PUE) of the data center. This study proposes a model predictive control (MPC) strategy considering the constraint of whole system energy conservation for a multi-chiller system in a data center. This strategy aims to maintain the data center server room temperature stable in the IT equipment working environment, and at the same time, the energy consumption of the cooling system is significantly reduced, thus the PUE of the data center is lowered. The long and short-term memory (LSTM) neural network prediction models for data center cooling load and server room temperature were constructed using the mechanism-coupled data law method. The MPC algorithmic structure coupled with cooling load prediction model and server room temperature prediction model. It takes the balance between supply and demand of cooling capacity as a constraint. The cost function of multi-chiller system control considers the temperature-controlling error in the server room and the power consumption of the chilled-water system. A particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to solve the optimal configuration strategy of the chilled water flow rate and the water supply temperature of each chiller, which realizes the dynamic control of the chilled-water system. A dynamic regulation model was developed for a data center in North China. TRNSYS was utilized for verification based on the actual measured data and relevant meteorological parameters of the case building. Compared with the operation results of the data center cooling system with proportional integral derivative (PID) control and fuzzy control. The results show that under MPC strategy, the stability of the server room temperature has improved by 27.77% compared to PID control and by 18.08% compared to fuzzy control, demonstrating the superiority of MPC in temperature stability control in the server room. In terms of chilled-water system energy consumption, compared to the PID control and fuzzy control strategies, the MPC strategy has achieved energy savings of 11.81% and 7.58%, respectively, showing significant energy-saving effects.

The predictive power of Dutch end of primary school tests for educational attainment in ninth grade

AbstractDutch secondary education is a multi‐tiered system, and many students are placed in a single track in the first year (seventh grade) of secondary education. As part of the placement procedure, all sixth‐grade students take an end of primary school test. Although these standardised attainment tests (SATs) are considered high‐stakes tests, the predictive accuracy of many of these SATs has not been studied comprehensively. In the current study, three SATs commonly used in The Netherlands (CET, IEP and R8) were compared on their predictive accuracy of educational attainment in ninth grade. The predictive accuracy was also investigated for particular track recommendations, using multiple cohorts of population data, each of around 160,000 students. For the two most recent cohorts, CET was overall a more accurate predictor of educational attainment in ninth grade than R8, which in turn was a more accurate predictor than IEP. All three attainment tests had only mediocre to acceptable predictive power overall. Furthermore, all three tests had very poor predictive power for certain single‐track recommendations. For these track recommendations, many students attained a lower or higher educational level in ninth grade. This study is the first to compare the predictive accuracy of these SATs. While statistical noise is normal when using tests, since different tests are used that vary widely in predictive accuracy, there is much more noise than is acceptable. As long as the predictive accuracy is poor to mediocre, these SATs should not have a large role to play in the Dutch placement procedure for secondary education.

Preparation of ethylcellulose/technical alkaline lignin composite films using 1,4-Dioxane/water as solvents

The poor solvent power of pure solvent systems to lignin certainly induced the inhomogeneous dispersion of lignin in the composite materials. Here, a 1,4-Dioxane/water binary system is used as the solvent to prepare technical alkaline lignin/ethylcellulose composite films. The tensile strength and elongation at break of optimal sample EC1-AL0.2-GDE0.2 reached 26.8 MPa and 21.4 %, respectively. Also, the wettability, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance were adjusted by the technical alkaline lignin.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound Imaging and Shear Wave Elastography to Discriminate Patients with Chronic Neck Pain from Asymptomatic Individuals

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine and compare the capability of several B-mode ultrasound (US) and shear wave elastography (SWE) metrics to differentiate subjects with chronic non-specific neck pain from asymptomatic subjects. Methods: A diagnostic accuracy study recruiting a sample of patients with chronic neck pain and asymptomatic controls was conducted. Data collection included sociodemographic information (i.e., gender, age, height, weight and body mass index), clinical information (pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale and pain-related disability using the Neck Disability Index) and B-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography features of the cervical multifidus muscle (cross-sectional area, perimeter, mean echo intensity, fat infiltration, shear wave speed and Young’s modulus). After analyzing between-group differences for left/right sides, cases and controls, and males and females, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off point, the sensitivity, the specificity, the positive likelihood ratio (LR) and negative LR for each metric were calculated. A total of 316 individuals were recruited in this study (n = 174 cases with neck pain and n = 142 asymptomatic controls). Results: No significant differences (p &gt; 0.05) were found between cases and controls for most variables, except for fatty infiltration, which was significantly higher in chronic neck pain cases (p &lt; 0.001). Gender differences were significant across all US and SWE metrics (all, p &lt; 0.001 except p = 0.015 for fatty infiltrates). A slight asymmetry was observed between the left and right sides for area (p = 0.038). No significant interactions between group, gender and side (all metrics, p &gt; 0.008) were identified. Fatty infiltration was the most effective discriminator, with a ROC value of 0.723, indicating acceptable discrimination. The optimal cut-off point for fatty infiltration was 25.77, with a moderate balance between sensitivity (59.8%) and specificity (20.5%). However, its positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 0.75 suggests limited usefulness in confirming the condition. Conclusions: Fatty infiltration was significantly higher in individuals with chronic idiopathic neck pain compared to those without symptoms, while other muscle metrics were similar between both groups. However, since fat infiltration had moderate diagnostic accuracy and the other metrics showed poor discriminatory power, US cannot be used solely to discriminate patients with idiopathic neck pain.

Evaluation of Methylated Septin 9 as a Biomarker in Colorectal Carcinoma

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health concern, with increasing incidence rates associated with economic development and lifestyle changes. Conventional diagnostic methods for CRC suffer from limitations, prompting the exploration of novel biomarkers such as methylated Septin 9 (mSEPT9). Aim of the Work This case-control study aimed to determine the diagnostic efficacy of mSEPT9 for blood-based CRC detection in an Egyptian population. The study also sought to compare the diagnostic performance of mSEPT9 with two established tumor biomarkers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). Patients and Methods Forty CRC patients from outpatient clinics at Ain Shams University Hospital and 40 matched healthy individuals were enrolled. Levels of mSEPT9, CEA, and CA19-9 were measured in both groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to assess the discriminative power of these markers. Results Demographic data showed no significant differences between groups (p &amp;gt; 0.05). Methylated Septin 9 levels were markedly higher in the CRC group (225.1 [164.2-344.8]) compared to controls (19.9 [12.1-43.2]) (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Positive CEA results were more frequent in the CRC group (50%) compared to controls (96.7%) (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Positive CA19-9 results were found in 20% of the CRC group and none in controls (p &amp;lt; 0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated good discriminative power for mSEPT9 (accuracy = 88%, p &amp;lt; 0.001) with a sensitivity of 89.2% and specificity of 86.7%. CEA showed moderate discriminative power (accuracy = 73.3%, p &amp;lt; 0.05) with a sensitivity of 59% and specificity of 96.7%. CA19-9 exhibited poor discriminative power (accuracy = 60%, p &amp;lt; 0.05) with a sensitivity of 20% and specificity of 100%. Combining all markers yielded an accuracy of 86.7% (p &amp;lt; 0.001), sensitivity of 86.7%, and specificity of 86.7%. Conclusion Our results showed that plasma mSEPT9 represents a promising biomarker in CRC diagnosis. Therefore, further investigations on the diagnostic performance of the fecal test by different cut-off values are highly warranted. Along with the advantage of convenience and non-invasiveness, mSEPT9 is a promising biomarker in CRC detection. It could be expected that a further colonoscopy targeting the high-risk population (mSEPT9 positive) could improve the confirmation ability of CRC diagnosis, which avoids the repeated screening and reduces the invasive procedures. Combined use of mSEPT9 with traditional method could improve the diagnostic sensitivity especially among CRC patients in early stage, which may provide a new approach for future CRC screening, while further investigations with large sample size are highly warranted.