Index Values Research Articles

Validation on selected breast cancer drugs of physicochemical features by using machine learning models

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among females today. The elbow approach determines the ideal number of clusters after determining that the Dataset is highly cluster able with the Hopkins statistic. Three distinct groups with distinct differences were produced using the dataset's proposed expectation maximization fuzzy k-means clustering algorithm (PEMFKM). Different fuzzy clustering techniques, such as fuzzy k-means (FKM), fuzzy k-means with entropy (FKM.ENT), fuzzy k-means with entropy and noise (FKM.ENT.NOISE), Gustafson and Kessel - like fuzzy k-means (FKM.GK), Gustafson and Kessel - like fuzzy k-means with entropy regularization (FKM.GK.ENT), Gustafson and Kessel - like fuzzy kmeans with entropy regularization and noise (FKM.GK.ENT.NOISE), and PEMFKM, are evaluated. The partition coefficient (PC), partition entropy (PE), and Modified partition coefficient index (MPC) index values are better for FKM.GK than the suggested PEMFKM method. When compared to the FKM.GK method, the index values for the proposed PEMFKM algorithm have superior results for the parameters Silhouette (SIL), Xie and Beni index (XB), and fuzzy silhouette index (SIL.F). The results shows that the PEMFKM algorithm will provide better clusters and that the drugs in a given cluster may be combined for use in combination therapy for breast cancer treatment.

Enhancement the linear/nonlinear optical and magnetic properties of ZnCo2O4 nanostructures through Ni/Fe dual doping

Nano Zn0.9Ni0.1Co2-xFexO4 samples were prepared using the hydrothermal procedure in order to enhance the functional characteristics of ZnCo2O4 sample. The structural and microstructural parameters of the prepared samples were determined through Rietveld and FTIR analyses. The morphologies and compositions of the samples were examined by SEM and EDS techniques. Upon Ni2+ doping, the bandgap energy of nano ZnCo2O4 decreased from 2.22 eV to 3.61 eV–2.18 eV and 3.51 eV. Doping with Fe caused a slight decrease in bandgap energy for x = 0.05, then an increase for a higher content of Fe. Several empirical equations were used to determine the refractive index from the corresponding obtained optical energy gap values. As the Fe content rose to 5 %, the value of refractive index and nonlinear optical parameters increased; thereafter, it declined with additional Fe doping. The photoluminescence technique was used to analyze defects and processes of charge carrier recombination in the samples. ZnCo2O4 sample exhibits paramagnetic performance. With the addition of Ni to ZnCo2O4, the magnetic characteristics of the sample became superparamagnetic. Samples doped with Ni and various quantities of Fe exhibit a weak ferromagnetic behavior. The effect of doping on the magnetic transition, coercivity, saturation magnetization and remanent magnetization was explored.

Prognostic value of body mass index for first-line chemoimmunotherapy combinations in advanced non-small cell lung cancer in Chinese population.

BackgroundFew studies have examined the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and effectiveness of first-line chemoimmunotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); moreover, the conclusion remains elusive and no such studies have been conducted in the Chinese population. Our study aimed to validate the predictive significance of BMI in Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy combinations. MethodsData of patients with advanced NSCLC treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy between June 2018 and February 2022 at three centers were retrieved retrospectively. The association between baseline BMI with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression models. BMI was categorized according to the World Health Organization criteria. ResultsOf the included 805 patients, 5.3% were underweight, 63.4% had normal weight, 27.8% were overweight, and 3.5% were obese. Survival analysis showed that patients in the high BMI group had significantly better PFS (p=0.012) and OS (p=0.014) than those in the low BMI group. Further, patients in the overweight subgroup had better PFS (p=0.036) and OS (p=0.043) compared to the normal weight population. The results of Cox regression analysis confirmed the correlations between BMI and prognosis of advanced NSCLC patients receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy combinations. ConclusionsBaseline BMI affected the clinical outcomes of first-line chemoimmunotherapy combinations in patients with advanced NSCLC, and was especially favorable for the overweight subgroup.

Constraints on the reheating phase after Higgs inflation in the hybrid metric-Palatini approach

In this paper, we study the post-inflationary era called reheating stage. For this purpose, we consider a model in which the inflaton is non-minimally coupled to the curvature within the hybrid metric-Palatini approach. Furthermore, to investigate the consistency of our results with the observational data, we relate reheating parameters to those of inflation model. By taking into consideration the Higgs potential V(ϕ)=λ/4ϕ4; we derive the necessary quantities needed to obtain the reheating duration and the reheating temperature. Moreover, we plot reheating e-folds and temperature as a function of the spectral index, respectively. We consider three cases depending on the coupling constant ξ. In addition, we use some specific values of the effective equation of state ω, which is presumed to remain relatively constant within the range of −13≤ω<13. We find that for ξ=10−4.1 our results are in agreement with the recent Planck data as the reheating instant is corresponding to the central value of the spectral index and to a maximum temperature required by the scale of baryogenesis models.

Insights into the antibacterial effectiveness of linalool against Shigella flexneri on pork surface: Changes in bacterial growth and pork quality

Shigella flexneri has the ability to contaminate pork and cause foodborne diseases. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of linalool (a natural preservative) against S. flexneri and explore its potential application in contaminated pork. The results showed that linalool was capable of damaging the cell membrane and binding to the DNA of S. flexneri, and inhibiting biofilm formation and disrupting mature biofilms. The antibacterial effectiveness of linalool on the surface of pork was further demonstrated by analyzing the physicochemical properties of the pork (i.e., weight loss rate, pH value, color index, and TVB-N value) and its protein profiles. Linalool did not completely kill S. flexneri in pork at minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) concentration and its antibacterial effect of linalool was stronger during the initial stage of storage. During storage, linalool influenced the abundance of specific proteins in the pork, particularly those involved in pathways related to fat metabolism. These findings offer novel insights into the antibacterial efficacy of linalool and its underlying mechanism in pork.

The validity and reliability of professional learning community instruments in small schools peninsular Malaysia

A professional learning community (PLC) instrument was developed to determine the level of PLC practice in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia. This study was conducted in Perak and Negeri Sembilan to determine the instrument's reliability and validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item reliability analysis were used to determine the questionnaire’s reliability and validity. Next, the average congruence percentage (ACP) is used to determine the reliability test between expert assessors. Experts approved the validity and reliability of the instrument before the EFA test was conducted. All five constructs have high-reliability index values between 0.86–0.95. Next, the EFA analysis shows five dimensions in the PLC instrument with factor loadings ranging from 0.61–0.84. The findings also show that the variance explained in the data is 68.99% with an Eigenvalue greater than 1. This result indicates that all items are received with high approval. In addition, a very high-reliability coefficient value, α=0.96. The results prove that this PLC instrument has high validity and reliability and can measure the level of PLC implementation practices in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia.

Investigating the grinding characteristics of vanadium-titanium iron ore tailings for sustainable utilization in cementitious material preparation

The study of the cementitious material activity of industrial solid wastes is a key issue in the comprehensive utilization of its green building materials. In this study, mechanical activation was used to prepare cementitious materials from vanadium-titanium iron ore tailings (VTIOT) as the main raw materials, and the effects of grinding time, the key parameter, on the grinding characteristics of VTIOT, the mechanical properties of the VTIOT cementitious material, and the hydration mechanism were investigated by means of surface area analysis, particle size analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), alkali leaching, mechanical testing, hydration heat analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show that: the grinding time and specific surface area of VTIOT exhibit a linear correlation. Prolonging the grinding time, the fractal dimension of the particles gradually increases. The activity of Si4+ and Al3+ elements increases rapidly, reaching a Si4+ and Al3+ content of 96 mg·L−1 at 90 min of grinding. With a VTIOT mixing amount of 30 %, a mortar paste ratio of 1:3, and a water cement ratio of 0.5, the 50 min ground VTIOT mortar demonstrates 7 d and 28 d compressive strengths of 29 MPa and 38.7 MPa, corresponding to the highest values of the activity index, measured at 71.4 % and 75.2 %, respectively. Under standard curing conditions, the hydration products of cementitious materials at 7 d are ettringite (AFt), calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), alumina, ferric oxide, monsulfate (AFm), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), and calcium silica (CS). In the hydration process of 7 d, the exothermic peak and exothermic amount of the 50 min VTIOT cementitious materials are greater than those observed for other grinding times, but lower than those of pure reference cement.

Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B dye via Bi2O3 embedded BaO-P2O5-TeO2 glass nanocomposites: An ab initio study of structural, optical, and electrical transport properties

Bismuth incorporated glassy systems with composition xBi2O3-(1-x) [0.3BaO-0.3P2O5-0.4TeO2] (where x = 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25) are synthesized by melt quenching technique. The glassy systems are examined for their structural, and surface morphological properties using XRD, SEM, and EDX analysis. A study of photocatalytic activity for the degradation of common organic dyes like Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light is also carried out. From UV-vis absorbance data, the calculated optical band gap energy values declined from (2.99-2.56) eV, whereas the Urbach energy and refractive index values increased from (0.35 -0.52) eV, and (2.39 - 2.52), respectively with the rise of Bi2O3 content(x). Additionally, the fundamental processes of electrical conductivity have been studied within the framework of Jonscher's universal power law and the Almond-West formalism. The Mott and Greaves model asserts that the small polaron hopping model underlies DC conductivity; as Bi2O3 content increases, DC conductivity rises, but hopping distance (Rhop) and hopping energy (Whop) drop dramatically. The electrical conductivity study reveals the semi-conducting nature of the as-prepared samples. In our present study, we are focusing on the structural, optical, and electrical transportation properties, additionally, we investigated this class of glassy materials as a promising candidate for photocatalytic dye degradation. Our study reveals that RhB dye can degrade up to 75% within 340 min of visible light illumination. Moreover, the test demonstrates the production of superoxide radicals by the CB-electrons and hydroxyl radicals by the VB holes enables efficient photocatalytic dye degradation.

The Acoustic Index User's Guide: A practical manual for defining, generating and understanding current and future acoustic indices

Abstract Ecoacoustics, the study of environmental sound, is a rapidly growing discipline offering ecological insights at scales ranging from individual organisms to whole ecosystems. Substantial methodological developments over the last 15 years have streamlined extraction of ecological information from audio recordings. One widely used set of methods are acoustic indices, which offer numerical summaries of the spectral, temporal and amplitude patterns in audio recordings. Currently, the specifics of each index's background, methodology and the soundscape patterns they are designed to summarise, are spread across multiple sources. Critically, details of index calculation are sometimes scarce, making it challenging for users to understand how index values are generated. Discrepancies in understanding can lead to misuse of acoustic indices or reporting of spurious results. This hinders ecological inference, replicability and discourages adoption of these tools for conservation and ecosystem monitoring, where they might otherwise provide useful insight. Here we present the Acoustic Index User's Guide—an interactive RShiny web app that defines and deconstructs eight of the most commonly used acoustic indices to facilitate consistent application across the discipline. We break the acoustic indices calculations down into easy‐to‐follow steps to better enable practical application and critical interpretation of acoustic indices. We demonstrate typical soundscape patterns using a suite of 91 example audio recordings: 66 real‐world soundscapes from terrestrial, aquatic and subterranean systems around the world, and 25 synthetic files demonstrating archetypal soundscape patterns. Our interpretation figures signpost specific soundscape patterns likely to be reflected in acoustic indices' values. This RShiny app is a living resource; additional acoustic indices will be added in the future through collaboration with authors of pre‐existing and new indices. The app also serves as a best‐practice template for the information required when publishing new acoustic indices, so that authors can facilitate the widest possible understanding and uptake of their indices. In turn, improved understanding of acoustic indices will aid effective hypothesis generation, application and interpretation in ecological research, ecosystem monitoring and conservation management.

Nuclear long diameter as a new criterion to distinguish high-grade urothelial carcinoma cells from benign reactive cells.

Recently, the nuclear area has attracted attention as a morphological parameter to differentiate high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) cells from benign reactive cells. The nuclear long diameter (NLD) strongly correlates with the nuclear area and is easy to subjectively estimate. Therefore, this study examined the usefulness of the NLD-to-neutrophil diameter ratio for detecting HGUC cells in urine cytology. This study included 29, 26 and 18 patients with HGUC, glomerular disease and urolithiasis respectively. An image analysis system was used to measure the NLD of HGUC and benign reactive cells (reactive renal tubular cells and reactive urothelial cells) and the neutrophil diameter that appeared in the voided urine in these cases. The NLD index was calculated using the NLD-to-neutrophil diameter ratio. We subsequently compared HGUC and benign reactive cells with respect to NLD and NLD indices. In addition, the HGUC cell group and benign reactive cell group were compared by selecting the five cells with the largest NLD and NLD index on each slide. The NLD and NLD indices of HGUC cells were significantly higher than those of benign reactive cells in all cells and in the five cells with the largest NLD and NLD indices. The cut-off value of the NLD index for detecting HGUC cells was 1.25 in all cells and 1.80 in the five cells with the largest NLD index. The NLD index is a useful parameter that can be introduced into routine microscopic examinations to differentiate HGUC cells from benign reactive cells.

Diagnostic potential of TSH to HDL cholesterol ratio in vulnerable carotid plaque identification

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the thyroid-stimulating hormone to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (THR) in identifying specific vulnerable carotid artery plaques.MethodsIn this retrospective analysis, we included 76 patients with carotid plaques who met the criteria for admission to Zhejiang Hospital from July 2019 to June 2021. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) and the MRI-PlaqueView vascular plaque imaging diagnostic system were utilized to analyze carotid artery images for the identification of specific plaque components, including the lipid core (LC), fibrous cap (FC), and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), and recording of the area percentage of LC and IPH, as well as the thickness of FC. Patients were categorized into stable plaque and vulnerable plaque groups based on diagnostic criteria for vulnerable plaques derived from imaging. Plaques were categorized based on meeting one of the following consensus criteria for vulnerability: lipid core area over 40% of total plaque area, fibrous cap thickness less than 65 um, or the presence of intraplaque hemorrhage. Plaques meeting the above criteria were designated as the LC-associated vulnerable plaque group, the IPH-associated group, and the FC-associated group. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to analyze the factors influencing carotid vulnerable plaques and specific vulnerable plaque components. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the predictive value of serological indices for vulnerable carotid plaques.ResultsWe found that THR (OR = 1.976; 95% CI = 1.094–3.570; p = 0.024) and TSH (OR = 1.939, 95% CI = 1.122–3.350, p = 0.018) contributed to the formation of vulnerable carotid plaques. THR exhibited an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.704 (95% CI = 0.588–0.803) (p = 0.003), and the AUC for TSH was 0.681 (95% CI = 0.564–0.783) (p = 0.008). THR was identified as an independent predictor of LC-associated vulnerable plaques (OR = 2.117, 95% CI = 1.064–4.212, p = 0.033), yielding an AUC of 0.815. THR also demonstrated diagnostic efficacy for LC-associated vulnerable plaques.ConclusionThis study substantiated that THR and TSH have predictive value for identifying vulnerable carotid plaques, with THR proving to be a more effective diagnostic indicator than TSH. THR also exhibited predictive value and specificity in the context of LC-associated vulnerable plaques. These findings suggest that THR may be a promising clinical indicator, outperforming TSH in detecting specific vulnerable carotid plaques.

Polarization-independent tunable multi-band terahertz absorber based on graphene structure to design the ultra high sensitive biosensors

Abstract In this paper, we investigated the heterogeneous structure of a multi-band perfect absorber based on graphene in the terahertz range, benefiting from polarization independence. The proposed structure comprises three layers: copper, silicon dioxide, and an inhomogeneous graphene structure with an analyte. By altering the dimensions of the sub-layers and the geometric shape of the graphene slices, we can modify the number of bands, quality, and absorption levels. Additionally, adjusting the chemical potential of graphene enables the customization of absorption frequencies as needed. The application of this structure in biological sensors extends to the detection of proteins, viruses, cancer cells, as well as filtering telecommunication waves and imaging. Through geometrically shaping the graphene cuts at frequencies of 4.89 THz, 9.14 THz, and 10.76 THz, absorption values of 99.54%, 99.64%, and 98.3% have been achieved, respectively. Introducing the analyte to the biosensor structure causes a shift in absorption frequency values due to varying refractive index values in different materials. This property has been utilized for biosensor design. Within the refractive index range of biological analytes (e.g., 1.3), the first band achieved a sensitivity value of 2700 GHz/RIU and FoM = 13.08, while the second band achieved a sensitivity value of 2200 GHz/RIU and FoM = 14.02. An important characteristic of this structure is its insensitivity to polarization. Simulations were conducted using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio Suite 2023.&amp;#xD;

ResLMFFNet: a real-time semantic segmentation network for precision agriculture

Lightweight multiscale-feature-fusion network (LMFFNet), a proficient real-time CNN architecture, adeptly achieves a balance between inference time and accuracy. Capturing the intricate details of precision agriculture target objects in remote sensing images requires deep SEM-B blocks in the LMFFNet model design. However, employing numerous SEM-B units leads to instability during backward gradient flow. This work proposes the novel residual-LMFFNet (ResLMFFNet) model for ensuring smooth gradient flow within SEM-B blocks. By incorporating residual connections, ResLMFFNet achieves improved accuracy without affecting the inference speed and the number of trainable parameters. The results of the experiments demonstrate that this architecture has achieved superior performance compared to other real-time architectures across diverse precision agriculture applications involving UAV and satellite images. Compared to LMFFNet, the ResLMFFNet architecture enhances the Jaccard Index values by 2.1% for tree detection, 1.4% for crop detection, and 11.2% for wheat-yellow rust detection. Achieving these remarkable accuracy levels involves maintaining almost identical inference time and computational complexity as the LMFFNet model. The source code is available on GitHub: https://github.com/iremulku/Semantic-Segmentation-in-Precision-Agriculture.

Evaluation and health risk assessment of arsenic and potentially toxic elements pollution in groundwater of Majha Belt, Punjab, India.

Concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) like arsenic, uranium, iron, and nitrate in the groundwater of the Majha Belt (including Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot districts) in Punjab, India were measured to evaluate the health risks associated with its consumption and daily use. The average concentrations of these elements in some locations exceeded the WHO-recommended values. Arsenic and iron toxicity levels were found to be higher in the Amritsar district, while uranium toxicity was more prevalent in Tarn Taran. The Trace Element Evaluation Index suggests that Amritsar is one of the districts most affected by toxic elements. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) guidelines, the HQ values of U, Fe, and nitrate were less than one, indicating that there is no non-carcinogenic health risk for adults and children. However, the hazard quotient (HQ) value for arsenic was greater than one, indicating a higher possibility of health risk due to arsenic in the study area. The total hazard index values of 44.10% of samples were greater than four for arsenic, indicating that people in the Majha Belt are at a very high health risk due to the usage of water for drinking and domestic purposes. The cancer risk assessment values for arsenic in children (5.69E + 0) and adults (4.07E + 0) were higher than the accepted limit of USEPA (10-4 to 10-6) in the Majha Belt. The average radiological cancer risk values of U for children and adults were 8.68E-07 and 9.45E-06, respectively, which are well below the permissible limit of 1.67 × 10-4 suggested by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of DAE, India. The results of this study confirm that the residents of the Majha Belt who use contaminated groundwater are at a serious risk of exposure to arsenic in the Amritsar district and uranium in Tarn Taran district.

Engineering Reversible Lattice Structure for High-Capacity Co-Free Li-Rich Cathodes with Negligible Capacity Degradation.

Co-free Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials are garnering great interest because of high capacity and low cost. However, their practical application is seriously hampered by the irreversible oxygen escape and the poor cycling stability. Herein, a reversible lattice adjustment strategy is proposed by integrating O vacancies and B doping. B incorporation increases TM─O (TM: transition metal) bonding orbitals whereas decreases the antibonding orbitals. Moreover, B doping and O vacancies synergistically increase the crystal orbital bond index values enhancing the overall covalent bonding strength, which makes TM─O octahedron more resistant to damage and enables the lattice to better accommodate the deformation and reaction without irreversible fracture. Furthermore, Mott-Hubbard splitting energy is decreased due to O vacancies, facilitating electron leaps, and enhancing the lattice reactivity and capacity. Such a reversible lattice, more amenable to deformation and forestalling fracturing, markedly improves the reversibility of lattice reactions and mitigates TM migration and the irreversible oxygen redox which enables the high cycling stability and high rate capability. The modified cathode demonstrates a specific capacity of 200 mAh g-1 at 1C, amazingly sustaining the capacity for 200 cycles without capacity degradation. This finding presents a promising avenue for solving the long-term cycling issue of Li-rich cathode.

The utility value of ROX index and modified ROX index in determining the efficiency of HFNC in children admitted with respiratory distress

Background: The ROX index is defined as the ratio of SpO2/FiO2 to respiratory rate. The modified ROX index or ROX-HR index is defined as the ratio of ROX index/heart rate×100. The aim of the study was to determine the utility of the ROX index and the modified ROX index as predictors of initiation and efficiency of HFNC in children admitted with respiratory distress. Methods: This prospective observational study included 133 children with respiratory distress, who received HFNC. The ROX index, and modified ROX index were measured, and outcomes were recorded. Results: Total number of study subjects were 133. Statistically significant increase was seen in ROX index and modified ROX index at follow up (p value&lt;0.05). Interpretation of the area under the ROC curve showed that the performance of ROX index and modified ROX index at ‘0’ hour was outstanding. ROX Index and modified ROX Index at a Cut-off of ≤4.7959 and ≤2.5579 respectively at initiation i. e.; at ‘0’ hour predicted HFNC requirement. In prediction of HFNC requirement ROX index at ‘0’ hour had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 88.24%, 87.84%, 93%, and 80.2% respectively, and modified ROX index had 78.68%, 93.24%, 95.5%, and 70.4% respectively. Low ROX and modified ROX indices at ‘0’ hour predicted prolonged ICU and hospital stays, as well as extended HFNC duration. Conclusions: Both ROX index, and modified ROX index were good predictors of HFNC requirement.

Association of systemic inflammation markers in cancer mortality with diabetes: evidence from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the interconnection between diabetes and cancer. Our study seeks to investigate the predictive value of inflammatory indices concerning overall survival (OS) among diabetic cancer patients. We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2020. Using four immune-related markers, we employed the log-rank method, multivariate Cox regression, and subgroup analysis to explore the predictive capacity of these markers for OS among adult individuals with diabetes and cancer. Our study identified four systemic immune-inflammatory indices that demonstrated significant predictive potential for OS among diabetic cancer patients, namely systemic immune-inflammation index, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (all p values<0.05). Notably, these inflammatory biomarkers still maintain their predictive value after adjusting potential confounding factors. The analysis using restrictive cubic splines revealed significant non-linear relationships between inflammatory biomarkers and OS. The findings presented in this study underscore the potential of inflammatory markers as prognostic indicators and their crucial role in enhancing risk assessment for diabetic patients with cancer.

Association between paravertebral muscle radiological parameter alterations and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

To assess changes in laboratory indices, paravertebral muscle (PVM) fat infiltration and multi b-value DWI parameters and their potential correlation with NAFLD. This retrospective analysis included 178 patients with histopathologically confirmed NAFLD, incluiding 76 with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Differences in PVM fat infiltration ratio (FIR), DWI parameters, and laboratory indices were compared between two groups. The correlation between FIR and NAFLD activity score (NAS) was also analysed. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the independent risk factors for NASH. The clinical utility of PVM fat infiltration, DWI parameters, and laboratory indices for diagnosing NASH in patients with NAFLD was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The FIRs at the L2 and L3 levels were significantly higher in the with NASH group than those in the without NASH group. The heterogeneity index (α) and perfusion fraction (f) values at the L3 level of PVM were lower in the with NASH group. Moreover, the FIR at the L3 level was positively correlated with NAS. FIR at the L3 level was an independent risk factor for NASH along with alanine aminotransferase level. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) using L3 level PVM radiological parameters and laboratory indices for diagnosing NASH in patients with NAFLD was significantly higher than that using the degree of PVM fat infiltration, DWI parameters, or laboratory indices alone. Radiological parameters of the PVM were correlated with NAFLD. An integrated curve combining PVM radiological parameters may help distinguish NASH from NAFLD, thereby offering novel insights into the diagnosis of NASH.

Postintensive care syndrome: Development and psychometric validation of a knowledge test.

Postintensive care syndrome (PICS) is a combination of short-, medium-and long-term morbidities that occur in patients discharged from the Intensive care unit (ICU). ICU professionals have a crucial role in managing and understanding the PICS. This study aimed to develop the PICS Knowledge Test (PICS-KT), which measures ICU professionals'awareness and knowledge levels regarding PICS, and to determine its validity and reliability. The databases were searched in detail, scientific research related to PICS was analyzed, and the draft scale was created accordingly. A total of 117 doctors and nurses who had been working in the ICU for at least 6 months were included in the study. For the validity and reliability analysis of the test, content validity ratio, item difficulty index, item discrimination index values and Cronbach α were examined. The Cronbach's α reliability coefficient for the 46-item PICS-KT is 0.93, indicating high reliability. Scores range from 0 to 46, with 32 or higher considered successful, suggesting adequate knowledge of PICS among ICU professionals. Scores of 14 or less indicate minimal knowledge. Those with scores between 14 and 32 possess some knowledge but need improvement. PICS-KT assesses knowledge in four main areas: general information, risk factors/causes, symptoms and findingsand interventions. ICU professionals show high awareness of interventions for preventing and treating PICS, as indicated by a high mean score in the interventions subdimension. The PICS-KT is crucial in assessing healthcare professionals'understanding of the various short-, medium-and long-term morbidities associated with PICS. The study ensures that the test is a robust and dependable instrument for evaluating ICU professionals'knowledge about PICS.

Spatial distribution of NORMs concentrations and assessing potential risk to inhabitants in western Chattogram, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This study represents a pioneering endeavour in consolidating previous measurements of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) within the Chattogram division, Bangladesh. Employing a meticulous approach, data was overlaid onto a comprehensive grid map covering the entire Chattogram region, comprising 523 grids, each of 8.05 km x 8.05 km. The analysis revealed numerous areas where NORMs concentrations had not been previously measured. To bridge this gap, soil samples were collected from 56 previously unmeasured locations across Cumilla and Chandpur districts and analysed using high purity Germanium (HPGe) detector technology. Results indicated average activity concentrations of Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40 at 27.30 ± 5.41, 46.09 ± 7.88, and 362.50 ± 48.10 Bq.kg−1 respectively, with no detectable presence of Cs-137 or other anthropogenic radionuclides, affirming the region’s absence of fallout or accidental releases. Additionally, measured values for radiation hazard indices are well within acceptable limits set by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Spatial distribution maps of radionuclide concentrations and absorbed dose rates were generated not only for the immediate study area but also for the entire Chattogram division, integrating previously collected data for the first time. These distribution maps, alongside the comprehensive findings of this study, establish a pivotal dataset for future research and regulatory efforts, providing invaluable insights into the region’s radiological landscape.