Search Results (49)

Introduction and objective: Assessment of α-synuclein (αSyn) seed amplification assays (αSyn-SAA) accuracy in distinguishing Parkinson’s disease (PD) from controls using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, skin, extracellular vesicles (ECV), saliva, olfactory mucosa (OM), gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and submandibular gland (SMG). Methodology: PubMed was searched for articles from 2010 to January 2025. The quality assessment used robvis. Diagnostic values with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained. Z-test, Wald CI, and ANOVA were performed. Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was used. Results: αSyn-SAAs showed strong diagnostic performance in distinguishing PD from controls across various tissue and fluid types. Overall, αSyn-SAAs demonstrated high sensitivity (86%) and specificity (92%). Among all biomatrices, CSF, skin, blood, and ECV yielded the highest diagnostic accuracy, with sensitivity and specificity approaching or exceeding 90%. In contrast, saliva, oral mucosa, and gastrointestinal tract samples showed more modest sensitivity, though specificity remained relatively high. ECV, CSF, skin, and blood matrices also demonstrated the highest DOR, supporting their potential clinical utility. Conclusions: ECV and blood warrant priority in αSyn-SAA for high accuracy and minimal invasiveness, while GIT, OM, and oral samples show limited utility; saliva and SMG need refinement. Full article

A diagnostic chemical analysis has been performed on a Roman Cippus funebris in precious white marble located close to an ancient Roman road. The Cippus was in good condition but almost completely covered by a black patina, requiring a conservative cleaning intervention. The restorer in charge of the restoration asked us to make a preliminary diagnosis, on the basis of which we could suggest the most appropriate intervention. The Cippus was dedicated to the young Quintus Cornelius Proclianus, who died at the age of 15, by his mother Valeria Calpurnia Scopele. It perfectly fits into the Roman funerary liturgy and also shows an Etruscan-type iconography that seems to confirm the Etruscan Gens of the family and its dating to the 1st century AD. Ion chromatography (IC) analyses were performed to determine anions and cations on solutions obtained from the extraction of salts from the four samples of the Cippus. pH, conductivity, and red-ox potential measures, as well as UV-visible spectra were carried out on the same solutions. A small fragment, spontaneously fallen from the Cippus’ surface, was also observed by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). From the analyses, the dark patina that covered the surface before cleaning turned out to be made of black crusts, that is, smog particles adsorbed on sulfates, but above all, by a layer of microflora. The results allowed us to suggest some conservative interventions. Full article

Background: Ophthalmoplegic migraine (OM) is an uncommon variant of migraine characterised by headache and cranial nerve palsy, posing significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Objective: This study aimed to describe an extremely rare OM variant with a partial therapeutic response. Clinical Case: A 34-year-old pregnant woman in gestational week 19.1 (G6P2A3) with a history of three consecutive spontaneous abortions presented at the emergency services with insidious onset and mild-to-moderate-intensity pulsatile bifrontal headache for 15 days, and the positional changes exacerbated this. At peak intensity, she experienced nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, and photophobia without phonophobia or osmophobia, prompting multiple visits to the emergency department. Despite a broad range of treatments, including intravenous fluids, analgesia, pericranial blocks, and preventive management, there was a non-significative improvement in the symptomatology described above. However, spontaneous resolution of this clinical picture was observed during the postpartum period. Results: This case highlights the complexity of ophthalmoplegic migraine, especially in the context of pregnancy, and raises questions about the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. The absence of structural lesions on neuroimaging and postpartum resolution suggests a potential association with the hormonal and physiological changes associated with pregnancy. Conclusions: Despite limited scientific evidence, this report contributes to expanding the knowledge of this rare entity and emphasises the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to its management. Full article

We perform observational confrontation and cosmographic analysis of $f(T,T_G)$ gravity and cosmology. This higher-order torsional gravity is based on both the torsion scalar, as well as on the teleparallel equivalent of the Gauss–Bonnet combination, and gives rise to an effective dark-energy sector which depends on the extra torsion contributions. We employ observational data from the Hubble function and supernova Type Ia Pantheon datasets, applying a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling technique, and we provide the iso-likelihood contours, as well as the best-fit values for the parameters of the power-law model, an ansatz which is expected to be a good approximation of most realistic deviations from general relativity. Additionally, we reconstruct the effective dark-energy equation-of-state parameter, which exhibits a quintessence-like behavior, while in the future the Universe enters into the phantom regime, before it tends asymptotically to the cosmological constant value. Furthermore, we perform a detailed cosmographic analysis, examining the deceleration, jerk, snap, and lerk parameters, showing that the transition to acceleration occurs in the redshift range $0.52\le z_{tr}\le 0.89$, as well as the preference of the scenario for quintessence-like behavior. Finally, we apply the Om diagnostic analysis to cross-verify the behavior of the obtained model. Full article

Background: Distinguishing between Charcot Neuroarthropathy (CN), osteomyelitis (OM), and CN complicated with superimposed OM in diabetic patients is crucial for the treatment choice. Given that current diagnostic methods lack specificity, advanced techniques, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 99mTc-HMPAO–WBC Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT), are needed. This study addresses the challenges in distinguishing OM and CN. Methods: We included diabetic patients with CN and soft tissue ulceration. MRI and 99mTc-HMPAO–WBC SPECT/CT were used for the diagnosis. The patients were classified into three probability levels for OM (i.e., Definite, Probable, and Unlikely) according to the Consensus Criteria for Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis (CC-DFO). Results: Eight patients met the eligibility criteria. MRI, supported by SPECT-CT and CC-DFO, showed consistency with the OM diagnosis in three cases. The key diagnostic features included the location of signal abnormalities and secondary features such as skin ulcers, sinus tracts, and abscesses. Notably, cases with inconclusive MRI were clarified by SPECT/CT, emphasizing its efficacy in challenging scenarios. Conclusions: The primary objective of this study was to compare the results of MRI and 99mTc-HMPAO–WBC SPECT/CT with the CC-DFO score in the diabetic foot with CN and suspected OM. Advanced imaging offers a complementary approach to distinguish between CN and OM. This can help delineate the limits of the disease for presurgical planning. While MRI is valuable, 99mTc-HMPAO–WBC SPECT/CT provides additional clarity, especially in challenging cases or when metallic implants affect MRI accuracy. Full article

Onychomycosis (OM) is a widespread infection requiring prolonged treatment with potential side effects. Diagnostic certainty is therefore essential before initiating antifungal therapy. Molecular biology has already shown benefits in reducing the time to diagnosis, providing technical ease, and increasing sensitivity for the respective species that molecular tests can detect. Nevertheless, causative agents are numerous, and culture remains essential, particularly for detecting non-dermatophytes mold infections. This study compared the performance of three different diagnostic strategies: conventional culture technique, the multiplex DermaGenius^® 2.0 PCR (DG), and a mixed PCR/culture algorithm guided by the result of direct examination with calcofluor (DEC). The mixed algorithm (MA) prioritizes DG PCR and DEC as the primary diagnostic tools, supplemented by selective sample inoculation when mycelial elements are visualized in DEC and when DG PCR fails to detect any fungus or identifies a fungus with morphology differing from that observed in DEC (filamentous fungi versus yeasts). With only 13% of samples requiring inoculation, MA emerged as the most effective strategy, demonstrating significantly higher sensitivity (98.18%; p < 0.001) compared to single-method approaches (78.18% for DG PCR alone and 74.55% for culture alone) while maintaining a specificity comparable to DG PCR (100%). This new approach saves time in result delivery, requires fewer human resources, and increases diagnostic accuracy to better meet the needs of clinicians. Full article

Osteomyelitis (OM) is a major challenge in orthopedic surgery. The diagnosis of OM is based on imaging and laboratory tests, but it still presents some limitations. Therefore, a deeper comprehension of the pathogenetic mechanisms could enhance diagnostic and treatment approaches. OM pathogenesis is based on an inflammatory response to pathogen infection, leading to bone loss. The present study aims to investigate the potential diagnostic role of a panel of osteoimmunological serum biomarkers in the clinical approach to OM. The focus is on the emerging infection biomarker sCD14-ST, along with osteoimmunological and inflammatory serum biomarkers, to define a comprehensive biomarker panel for a multifaced approach to OM. The results, to our knowledge, demonstrate for the first time the diagnostic and early prognostic role of sCD14-ST in OM patients, suggesting that this biomarker could address the limitations of current laboratory tests, such as traditional inflammatory markers, in diagnosing OM. In addition, the study highlights a relevant diagnostic role of SuPAR, the chemokine CCL2, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, the Wnt inhibitors DKK-1 and Sclerostin, and the RANKL/OPG ratio. Moreover, CCL2 and SuPAR also exhibited early prognostic value. Full article

Clean-burning oxygenated and synthetic fuels derived from renewable power, so-called e-fuels, are a promising pathway to decarbonize compression–ignition engines. Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODEs or OMEs) are one candidate of such fuels with good prospects. Their lack of carbon-to-carbon bonds and high concentration of chemically bound oxygen effectively negate the emergence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and even their precursors like acetylene (C₂H₂), enabling soot-free combustion without the soot-NO_x trade-off common for diesel engines. The differences in the spray combustion process for OMEs and diesel-like reference fuels like n-dodecane and their potential implications on engine applications include discrepancies in the observed ignition delay, the stabilized flame lift-off location, and significant deviations in high-temperature flame morphology. For CFD simulations, the accurate modeling and prediction of these differences between OMEs and n-dodecane proved challenging. This study investigates the spray combustion process of an OME_{3 − 5} mixture and n-dodecane with advanced optical diagnostics, Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS), and Large-Eddy Simulations (LESs) within a constant-volume vessel. Cool-flame and high-temperature combustion were measured simultaneously via high-speed (50 kHz) imaging with formaldehyde (CH₂O) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) representing the former and line-of-sight OH* chemiluminescence the latter. Both RANS and LES simulations accurately describe the cool-flame development process with the formation of CH₂O. However, CH₂O consumption and the onset of high-temperature reactions, signaled by the rise of OH* levels, show significant deviations between RANS, LES, and experiments as well as between n-dodecane and OME. A focus is set on the quality of the simulated results compared to the experimentally observed spatial distribution of OH*, especially in OME fuel-rich regions. The influence of the turbulence modeling is investigated for the two distinct ambient temperatures of 900 K and 1200 K within the Engine Combustion Network Spray A setup. The capabilities and limitations of the RANS simulations are demonstrated with the initial cool-flame propagation and periodic oscillations of CH₂O formation/consumption during the quasi-steady combustion period captured by the LES. Full article

This study investigates the significance of skeletal transverse dimension (STD) in orthodontic therapy and its impact on occlusal relationships. The primary goal is to enhance understanding and promote the integration of transverse skeletal diagnostics into routine orthodontic assessments. To achieve this aim, the study employs a comprehensive approach, utilizing model analysis, clinical assessments, radiographic measurements, and occlusograms. The initial step involves a meticulous assessment of deficiencies in the maxilla, mainly focusing on transverse dimension issues. Various successful diagnostic methods are employed to ascertain the type and presence of these deficiencies. Furthermore, the study compares surgically assisted maxillary expansion (SARME) and orthopedic maxillary expansion (OME) in addressing skeletal transverse issues. Stability assessments and efficacy analyses are conducted to provide valuable insights into the superiority of SARME over OME. The findings reveal that proper evaluation of STD is crucial in orthodontic diagnosis, as overlooking transverse dimension issues can lead to complications such as increased masticatory muscle activity, occlusal interferences, and an elevated risk of gingival recession. Surgically assisted maxillary expansion emerges as a more stable solution than orthopedic methods. In conclusion, incorporating skeletal transverse diagnostics into routine orthodontic assessments is imperative for achieving optimal occlusal relationships and minimizing negative consequences on dentition, periodontium, and joints. The study emphasizes the significance of accurate three-dimensional assessments and recommends the consideration of SARME over OME for addressing skeletal transverse deficiencies. Finally, the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse model is also a novel mouse model for studying complex traits. Exploring the Collaborative Cross mouse model opens avenues for future research, promising further insights into transverse skeletal issues in orthodontics. Full article

The traditional approach of prescribing phosphate fertilizer solely based on soil test P (STP) has faced criticism from scientists and agriculturists pushing farmers to seek phosphate fertilization models that incorporate additional factors. By embracing integrated approaches, farmers can receive more precise recommendations that align with their specific conditions and fertilization techniques. This study aimed to utilize artificial intelligence prediction to replicate soybean response curves to fertilizer by integrating edaphic and climatic factors. Literature data on soybean response to P fertilization were collected, and the Random Forest (RF) algorithm was applied to predict response curves. The predictions utilized seven predictors: P dose, STP, soil pH, texture, % OM, precipitation, and P application methods. These predictions were compared to the traditional STP-based approach. The STP-based P prescription models exhibited extremely low robustness values (R²) of 1.53% and 0.88% for the P_Bray-1 and P_Olsen diagnostic systems, respectively. In contrast, implementing the RF algorithm allowed for more accurate prediction of yield gains at various P doses, achieving robustness values of 87.4% for the training set and 60.9% for the testing set. The prediction errors remained below 10% throughout the analysis. Implementing artificial intelligence modeling enabled the study to achieve precise predictions of the optimal P dose and customized fertilization recommendations tailored to farmers’ specific soil conditions, climate, and individual fertilization practices. Full article

This study reports the analytical investigations on clayey and ceramic finds, characterised by high variability in terms of prime materials, with the aim to determine the role of this important ceramic production situated close to the city walls, fortuitously found during service excavations developed in the garden of Palazzo Corsini in Rome. The complexity of the finds led to the choices of appropriate methodologies and techniques suitable for defining the diagnostic elements of each find. Optical microscopy (OM) combined with micro-Raman (µ-Raman) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were used to analyse the nature and microstructure of the ceramic and burned clay that were found. In such a complicated setting, the objective of conducting chemical analyses is to provide clues to describe the various kinds of ceramics produced, the production and processing methods, and, as a result, the typology of the workshop. Full article

Ovarian metastasis (OM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) is infrequent and has a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the value of a contrast-enhanced CT-based radiomics model in predicting ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer outcomes after systemic chemotherapy. A total of 52 ovarian metastatic CRC patients who received first-line systemic chemotherapy were retrospectively included in this study and were categorized into chemo-benefit (C+) and no-chemo-benefit (C−) groups, using Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST v1.1) as the standard. A total of 1743 radiomics features were extracted from baseline CT, three methods were adopted during the feature selection, and five prediction models were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, calibration analysis, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance and clinical utility of each model. Among those machine-learning-based radiomics models, the SVM model showed the best performance on the validation dataset, with AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.903 (95% CI, 0.788–0.967), 88.5%, 95.7%, and 82.8%, respectively. All radiomics models exhibited good calibration, and the DCA demonstrated that the SVM model had a higher net benefit than other models across the majority of the range of threshold probabilities. Our findings showed that contrast-enhanced CT-based radiomics models have high discriminating power in predicting the outcome of colorectal cancer ovarian metastases patients receiving chemotherapy. Full article

Eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is a rare middle ear disease with unfavorable outcomes. Under the current diagnostic criteria of EOM, it is challenging to suspect EOM before tympanostomy. Therefore, this study attempted to use blood eosinophil levels for the differential diagnosis of EOM from other conditions. Three disease groups with features of recurrent otorrhea were categorized, which included the following: EOM (n = 9), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, n = 12), and primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD, n = 6). Clinical and radiological characteristics were analyzed in the three groups. Patients who underwent ventilation tube insertion due to serous otitis media were enrolled as the control group (n = 225) to evaluate the diagnostic validity of blood eosinophilia. The EOM group showed a significantly higher blood eosinophil concentration (p < 0.001) and blood eosinophil count (p < 0.001) compared to the GPA and PCD groups. The estimated sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing EOM from OME patients who underwent ventilation tube insertion were 100% and 95.6%, respectively. In addition, EOM tended to have protympanic space soft tissue density and a relatively clear retrotympanic space in temporal bone computerized tomography. Blood eosinophil evaluation is a significant clinical indicator of EOM. Furthermore, the assessment of exclusive protympanic soft tissue density can provide an additional diagnostic clue. Full article

The operation and maintenance (O&M) issues of offshore wind turbines (WTs) are more challenging because of the harsh operational environment and hard accessibility. As sudden component failures within WTs bring about durable downtimes and significant revenue losses, condition monitoring and predictive fault diagnostic approaches must be developed to detect faults before they occur, thus preventing durable downtimes and costly unplanned maintenance. Based primarily on supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data, thirty-three weighty features from operational data are extracted, and eight specific faults are categorised for fault predictions from status information. By providing a model-agnostic vector representation for time, Time2Vec (T2V), into Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), this paper develops a novel deep-learning neural network model, T2V-LSTM, conducting multi-level fault predictions. The classification steps allow fault diagnosis from 10 to 210 min prior to faults. The results show that T2V-LSTM can successfully predict over 84.97% of faults and outperform LSTM and other counterparts in both overall and individual fault predictions due to its topmost recall scores in most multistep-ahead cases performed. Thus, the proposed T2V-LSTM can correctly diagnose more faults and upgrade the predictive performances based on vanilla LSTM in terms of accuracy, recall scores, and F-scores. Full article

The implementation of novel blood-based biomarkers is desired to reduce the diagnostic delay and burden for myositis patients. In this retrospective study, the potential of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) was explored in an established patient cohort diagnosed with immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM; n = 21), sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM; n = 18), overlap myositis (OM; n = 3), dermatomyositis (DM; n = 2), and anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS; n = 1), comparing these results with healthy controls (n = 10) and patients with a hereditary neuromuscular disorder (n = 14). CXCL10 and GDF15 were quantified in sera with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunolocalized in skeletal muscle tissue. In myositis patients, serum CXCL10 levels were significantly increased 9.6-fold compared to healthy controls and 4.2-fold compared to disease controls. Mean levels of CXCL10 were 929 ± 658 pg/mL of serum in IBM and 425 ± 324 pg/mL of serum in IMNM. With the threshold set to 180 pg/mL of CXCL10, myositis patients could be differentiated from healthy and disease controls with a sensitivity of 0.80 and a specificity of 0.71. Incorporating a threshold of 300 pg/mL for GDF15 reduced false negatives to two IMNM patients only. Subsets of muscle-infiltrating immune cells expressed CXCL10, and serum levels correlated with muscle inflammation grade. We propose adding circulating CXCL10 and GDF15 to the blood-based diagnostic toolkit for myositis as a valuable patient-friendly approach. Full article