Search Results (1,845)

Background: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare vasculitis, and contemporary population data from Central and Eastern Europe are limited. Aim: To describe hospital-based incidence, patient characteristics and comorbidities among EGPA hospitalizations in Poland (2014–2023), including differences by age, sex and place of residence. Methods: This retrospective, population-based study used nationwide hospital discharge records with an EGPA diagnosis. First EGPA-coded hospitalizations were used to estimate annual incidence per 1,000,000 inhabitants. Demographics, duration of stay and accompanying comorbidities (cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and asthma) were analyzed for all EGPA hospitalizations. Place of residence was classified as urban or rural. Group differences and temporal trends were assessed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests and regression models, with a two-sided p value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Between 2014 and 2023, 911 patients had a first EGPA-coded hospitalisation in Poland, corresponding to a mean annual hospital-based incidence of 2.38 per 1,000,000 inhabitants (range 1.28–3.38); incidence declined significantly from 2014 to 2019 (p < 0.001) and was disrupted during the COVID-19 period. Overall, 3524 EGPA hospitalisations were recorded, and women were more frequently hospitalised than men (54.5% vs. 45.2%; p < 0.001). Mean age at hospitalisation increased over time, with patients in 2023 being about 5–6 years older than in 2014 (p ≤ 0.009). Median length of stay was 8 days for first admissions and 5 days for all EGPA stays and shortened significantly over the study period (p < 0.001). Cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and asthma were present in 23.6%, 35.3% and 32.3% of patients, respectively. Cardiovascular disease was more common in men and in rural residents (both p < 0.001) and was associated with older age (p < 0.001), whereas pulmonary disease was associated with younger age (p < 0.001). Among women, the proportions with pulmonary disease and asthma decreased over time (p = 0.009 and p = 0.025). Conclusions: EGPA in Poland is rare, with hospital-based incidence comparable to other European and Asian populations. The hospitalized EGPA population is aging and cardiovascular comorbidity is increasingly prominent, especially in older and rural patients, while recorded pulmonary disease and asthma in women are decreasing. Full article

Age at first calving (AFC) and 305-day milk yield in the first lactation (MY) data of 18,545 Holstein-Friesian cows born between 2008 and 2018 in six herds were evaluated. The effects of some genetic and environmental factors, population genetic parameters, breeding value (BV), and phenotypic and genetic trends of AFC and MY traits were estimated. The GLM method (ANOVA Type III) and BLUP animal model were used for the estimations. One-way linear regression analysis was used for trend calculations. The adjusted overall mean value (±SE) of the AFC and MY traits was 25.19 ± 0.02 months and 10,287.14 ± 24.79 kg, respectively. The percentage proportion contribution of the different factors in the phenotype in the case of AFC was as follows: herd 94.41%, birth year of cow 3.26%, birth season of cow 1.39%, and sire 0.71%. For MY, the contribution was as follows: herd 89.17%, birth season of cow 5.38%, birth year of cow 4.09%, and sire 1.05%. The heritability of AFC and MY traits by two different models proved to be moderate (0.26 ± 0.02, 0.19 ± 0.01 and 0.30 ± 0.02, 0.34 ± 0.01, respectively). There were relatively small differences between the sires in the estimated BV for the traits AFC and MY. The phenotypic and genetic correlations between AFC and MY traits were weak (between −0.05 and −0.16). Based on the phenotypic trend calculation, AFC showed a decreasing direction (−0.12 months per year) and MY an increasing direction (+42.30 kg per year). However, the genetic trend was very slightly decreasing for AFC (−0.00 and −0.05 months per year) and slightly increasing for MY (+5.52 and +16.49 kg per year) over the period studied. Full article

Background and Objectives: Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) remains a life-threatening condition requiring prompt surgical management. Over the last decades, improvements in diagnosis, surgical techniques, and perioperative care have influenced patient characteristics and outcomes. This study analyzes temporal trends in the clinical profiles and results of patients surgically treated for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) in a Northern Italian region over a fifteen-year period. Materials and Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing emergency surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection or acute intramural hematoma (IMH) between January 2010 and December 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with chronic penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer or traumatic etiology were excluded. Demographic, clinical, and perioperative variables were analyzed to assess temporal changes. Trends were evaluated using linear regression and Cochran–Armitage tests for trend. Results: A total of 427 patients underwent surgery for AAD during the study period. The proportion of patients presenting with preoperative intubation significantly decreased over time (p for trend < 0.05), as did the incidence of preoperative shock (p for trend < 0.001). Conversely, the mean EuroSCORE showed a non-significant increase over the years. No significant differences were observed in age or other baseline parameters. A non-significant but progressive increase in female representation was observed over time (p = 0.064). Given this observation, a sex-based subanalysis was performed: women were significantly older (p < 0.001) and presented with higher EuroSCORE values (p < 0.001) compared to men, yet postoperative mortality was similar between sexes. This finding contrasts with recent reports suggesting worse outcomes among female patients. Conclusions: Over fifteen years, patients undergoing surgery for acute type A aortic dissection have shown decreasing rates of preoperative critical conditions, reflecting earlier diagnosis and improved management. Despite higher operative risk scores, women demonstrated comparable short-term survival to men within our regional program. Multivariable analysis showed that sex was dependently associated with in-hospital mortality. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trends of acute coronary syndrome hospitalizations, all-cause deaths, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) deaths in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Methods: Inpatient hospital records from two hospital systems within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, were aggregated from January 2017 to November 2020. The primary diagnoses were acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina. The Pennsylvania Department of Health provided all-cause and IHD death counts for the same period. We compared absolute percentage changes in admissions by year (March–November) and trends by age-specific groups (<45, 45–64, 65–74, ≥75) from the pre-pandemic (January 2017–February 2020) to pandemic (March 2020–November 2020) period using an interrupted time-series analysis. Results: There were 11,913 AMI hospitalizations pre-pandemic and 2170 AMI hospitalizations during the pandemic period. AMI hospitalizations decreased by 14.8% and unstable angina hospitalizations decreased by 30.7% during the pandemic compared to 2019, with the largest decreases occurring in those aged ≥75. Total mortality increased by 9.2%, and IHD mortality increased by 2.4%. About 80% of the increase in deaths was due to COVID-19, and approximately 75% of deaths occurred in those aged ≥75 and in long-term care facility residents. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic did not markedly alter the longitudinal declining trend of AMI hospitalizations and IHD deaths in Allegheny County. Full article

Magnetic soft manganese–zinc ferrite in a concentration scale ranging from 100 to 500 phr was incorporated into acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. The work was focused on the investigation of manganese–zinc ferrite content on electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness and mechanical properties of composites. The rubber-based products used in industrial practice should not only provide good utility and functional properties but should also exhibit good stability towards degradation factors, like oxygen and ozone. Therefore, the samples were exposed to the thermo-oxidative and ozone ageing conditions, and the influence of both factors on the composites’ properties was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of ferrite into the rubber matrix resulted in the fabrication of composites with absorption-shielding performance. It was demonstrated that the higher the ferrite content, the lower the absorption-shielding ability. Electrical and thermal conductivity showed an increasing trend with increasing content of ferrite. On the other hand, the study of mechanical properties implied that ferrite acts as a non-reinforcing filler, leading to a decrease in tensile characteristics. Thermo-oxidative ageing tests revealed that ferrite, mainly in high amounts, could accelerate the degradation processes in composites. Though the absorption-shielding performance of composites after ageing corresponded to that of their equivalents before ageing, it can also be concluded that the higher the amount of ferrite in the rubber matrix, the lower the composites’ stability against ozone ageing. Full article

Magmatic zircon trace element compositions and their variation trends provide valuable insights into the nature and evolutionary processes of magmatic rocks. The Himalayan orogen contains widespread leucogranites. Despite extensive studies on these granites, the features and petrogenetic implications of trace element composition of zircons from the leucogranites remain poorly constrained. In this study, we present a comprehensive dataset comprising new cathodoluminescence (CL) images, U-Pb ages, and trace element compositions of zircons from the Himalayan leucogranites, and compare them to the previously reported trace element data of zircon from I-type granites. Our results show that zircons from the Himalayan leucogranites have high Hf, U, Y, P, Th, Sc, and heavy rare earth element contents (HREE), and low Nb, Ta, Ti, and light rare earth element contents (LREE), and can be divided into two types. Type I (low-U) zircons exhibit well-developed oscillatory zoning, and the U concentrations are mostly <5000 ppm. Type II (high-U) zircons display mottled or spongy textures and possess elevated U contents that are mostly >5000 ppm. Zircons from the Himalayan leucogranites have higher contents of U, Hf, Nb, Ta, and elevated U/Yb ratios, but lower Th/U, Eu/Eu*, Ce/Ce*, LREE/HREE, and Ce/U values than those from I-type granitic zircons. Furthermore, zircons in the Himalayan leucogranites have gradually decreasing Th, Ti, Th/U, Eu/Eu*, and Ce/Ce*, and increasing U, Nb, Ta, and (Yb/Gd)_N with increasing Hf. These geochemical features suggest the magmas involved in the genesis of leucogranites originated from the partial melting of metasedimentary sources under relatively reduced conditions, and underwent a high degree of magmatic fractionation. Full article

Background: Referrals to the Stroke prevention clinic with incomplete preliminary investigations decrease clinic capacity due to additional workload and the need for multiple follow-ups. We aimed to improve the efficacy of the initial visit by increasing the completion rate of vascular imaging in a quality improvement (QI) project. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with three phases: Phase 1: Surveillance; Phase 2: Stakeholder feedback-informed intervention development (physicians and clinic staff); and Phase 3: Intervention. Interventions included a new standardized specific physician triage form listing required investigations (brain imaging, vascular imaging, cardiac tracing), and a nurse-led pre-visit via telephone. The primary outcome measure was the completion of vascular imaging by the time of visit, assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age (in years), sex, and triage category. Results: The study’s inclusion criteria were met by 397 patients, with a mean age of 67.7 ± 13.2 years; 47.8% were female, and 62.9% (250) were diagnosed with vascular events. An increase in vascular imaging before the initial visit was observed in Phase 3 (148/199, 75.5%) compared to Phase 1 (121/198, 61.1%), with an adjusted Odds ratio of 1.77 (95% CI 1.2–2.8; p = 0.01). A trend toward fewer follow-up visits was observed in Phase 3 (23.1%) compared with Phase 1 (31.8%; p = 0.052). Conclusions: Implementing a standardized triage process and a nurse-led pre-visit may improve completion of vascular imaging before patients visit the stroke prevention clinic. Further QI studies are required to improve the completion rate of rhythm monitoring in this patient group to enable early detection and management of atrial fibrillation. Full article

The search for alternatives to animal testing in cosmetics has encouraged the development of in vitro systems capable of evaluating formulation-driven biophysical parameters assessed on human skin. This study presents a cell-free tri-layered chitosan membrane as a material-based model for characterizing the physicochemical anti-aging performance of topical formulations. Three cosmetic products were incorporated either in the top layer (1L_(t)) or across all layers (3L), and key parameters—including pore area, water permeation, firmness, elasticity, swelling and moisture retention—were quantified. VitCOil produced consistent effects across configurations, reducing pore area by 52–56% and decreasing water permeation by 54–61%, while increasing moisture retention by 36–38%. OilSerum showed a marked layer-dependent response, enhancing swelling by +70% in 3L and +35% in 1L_(t), and increasing water permeation by 16% (3L) and 4% (1L_(t)). EyeCr improved firmness and elasticity at low concentration, with stronger elastic response in the top layer (+27% in 3L; +34% in 1L_(t)). Overall, this novel platform strengthens early-stage physicochemical screening by linking formulation-dependent mechanisms with directional biophysical trends observed clinically. Full article

The recent trends in decreasing population all over the world are cause of concern, especially in developed countries. Socioeconomic factors as well as age, physiological, and environmental issues are the main contributors in limiting the number of children in modern families. In this regard, male reproductive health has recently attracted significant attention not only in the research community but also in our social platform. Key issues such as infertility and sexual dysfunction contribute to the decline in male reproduction. Socioeconomic status (SES) is the least understood factor that plays a critical role in influencing male reproductive health. The SES of an individual can be a key determinant of the type of infertility care they receive and may also predict fertility outcomes for couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology procedures. This mini review seeks to deepen our understanding of reproductive health equity by exploring the impact of socioeconomic and social factors on men’s sexual health and fertility outcomes. Our attempt is to reveal the complex interconnections between SES and male reproductive well-being. Full article

Background: Pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) are increasingly complicated to treat due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to substantially reduced pediatric antibiotic prescribing, but its impact on resistance trends remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the AMR trends in urinary pathogens from children under 24 months of age hospitalized with febrile UTI during the pre-, during-, and post-COVID-19 pandemic periods. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of children aged <24 months who were hospitalized at a tertiary center in Korea between 2008 and 2023 for first febrile UTI. The patients were stratified by age (<100 days vs. 100 days to 24 months) and pandemic period (pre-, during-, and post-COVID-19). Interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess the temporal trends and predictors of ciprofloxacin nonsusceptibility. Results: Ciprofloxacin susceptibility decreased significantly during the pandemic, especially among infants < 100 days. ITS analysis demonstrated an immediate 12.1% increase in ciprofloxacin nonsusceptibility at pandemic onset, which persisted thereafter. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase production was the strongest predictor of ciprofloxacin resistance. Conclusions: These findings suggest that adult antibiotic use and clonal dissemination may contribute to the persistence and spread of AMR, highlighting the need for integrated stewardship and genomic surveillance. Full article

Background and Objectives: Cancer incidence patterns in South Korea have shifted markedly over the past two decades, with notable increases among younger generations. Despite growing concern regarding early-onset cancer, comprehensive assessments of long-term age-, period-, and cohort-specific trends across multiple cancer types remain limited. This study examined nationwide cancer incidence trends from 2001 to 2020 using Joinpoint regression and age–period–cohort (APC) modeling. Materials and Methods: A population-based analysis was conducted using Korea Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) data, including all primary malignant tumors diagnosed from 2001 to 2020. Incidence rates were calculated by sex and 5-year age groups and standardized to the mid-2000 Korean population. Joinpoint regression estimated annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC), accounting for overdispersion and autocorrelation. Independent temporal effects were evaluated through APC modeling using overlapping 10-year birth cohorts, with the 1961 cohort as the reference. Results: Incidence increased for prostate, kidney, breast, and pancreatic cancers, while stomach, liver, lung, and biliary cancers showed continued declines. Colon cancer rose until 2011 and decreased thereafter. More recent birth cohorts exhibited higher risks for prostate, kidney, and pancreatic cancers, whereas older cohorts showed elevated risks for stomach, liver, colon, and biliary cancers. Lung cancer trends diverged by sex, decreasing among men but increasing among women. Conclusions: Marked heterogeneity in long-term incidence patterns across cancer types and generations was identified. Rising rates of lifestyle- and obesity-associated cancers in more recent cohorts highlight the need for continued surveillance and targeted prevention strategies. APC-based evaluation provides essential insight into Korea’s evolving cancer landscape and supports future public health planning. Full article

The Cimabanshuo deposit, situated in the western Gangdese Belt, is a recently discovered porphyry Cu deposit formed in a post-collisional setting, approximately 10 km from the giant Zhunuo porphyry Cu deposit. Despite its proximity to Zhunuo, Cimabanshuo remains poorly studied, and the current exploration depth of 600 m leaves the potential for deeper resources uncertain. In this study, 840 samples from four drill holes along the NW-SE section (A-A′) were analyzed using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Based on the geochemical characteristics of primary halos, the deep mineralization potential of Cimabanshuo was evaluated. The results show that Co, Pb, and Ag are near-ore indicator elements; Zn, Cs, Hg, Sb, As, and Ba represent the frontal elements; and Te, Sn, and Bi occur as tail elements. Based on these distributions, a 14-element zoning sequence is defined along the A-A′ profile according to Gregorian’s zoning index, showing Mo-Co-Cu-Pb-Bi-Ag-Sn-Te-Sb-Hg-Cs-Zn-Ba-As from shallow to deep. This sequence shows a distinct reverse zonation pattern, in which tail elements occur in the middle and frontal elements appear at depth, suggesting the existence of a concealed ore body in the lower part of the deposit. Horizontally, the geochemical ratios Ag/Mo and Ag/Cu decrease from northwest to southeast along the profile, implying hydrothermal flow from southeast to northwest. Vertically, the ratios As/Bi, (As × Cs)/(Bi × Te), (As × Ba)/(Bi × Sn), and (As × Ba × Cs)/(Bi × Sn × Te) display a downward-decreasing then upward-increasing trend, further indicating hidden mineralization at depth. This inference is supported by the predominance of propylitic alteration and the deep polarization anomaly revealed by audio-magnetotelluric imaging. pXRF analysis provides a fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly approach, showing strong potential for rapid geochemical evaluation in porphyry Cu exploration. Full article

Background: This study examined the relationship between gamification experience, fitness performance, and physical activity patterns according to gender. Methods: A total of 622 students aged 13–14 years (52.1% boys, 47.9% girls) completed a six-week gamified PE program via the Sworkit platform, integrating progress tracking, digital rewards, and challenge-based progression into three weekly instructor-led sessions. Fitness was measured pre- and post-intervention using the Youth Fitness International Test (YFIT) battery—BMI, 20 m shuttle run, handgrip strength, and standing long jump. Gamification experience was assessed with the Gamification User Experience Scale (GAMEX), and the Y-PATHS framework was applied to classify physical activity patterns. Results: Significant improvements were observed across all physical fitness indicators following the six-week gamified intervention. The largest gains occurred in the 20 m shuttle run (Δ = +4.3; F = 48.22; p < 0.001; η² = 0.60) and handgrip strength (Δ = +2.6; F = 39.74; p < 0.001; η² = 0.51), indicating substantial improvements in aerobic and muscular fitness. Standing long jump also showed notable progress (Δ = +7.7 cm; F = 35.12; p < 0.001; η² = 0.48), while BMI decreased modestly but significantly (Δ = −0.3; F = 7.85; p < 0.001; η² = 0.55). Overall, the ANOVA confirmed significant pre–post changes across all domains (p < 0.01; η² = 0.41–0.62). Higher GAMEX scores correlated strongly with total fitness gains (r = 0.54; p < 0.001) and predicted performance improvement (R² = 0.29). Conclusions: Gamified PE can enhance both fitness performance and physical activity patterns, with clear gender-specific trends. Integrating YFIT, GAMEX, and Y-PATHS offers a comprehensive framework for designing targeted, effective PE programs for adolescents. Full article

Introduction: The incidence of NSCLC increases with age, with a median of approximately 70 years at diagnosis. Historically, treatment strategies for locally advanced cancers have been developed predominantly in younger populations, often excluding elderly patients who may present with multiple comorbidities, severely impaired lung function, or decreased performance status, leading to a lack of age-relevant clinical data. Therefore, we performed a subanalysis of real-world data from the ALLSTAR study to investigate the impact of durvalumab and the radiation regimen (sequential versus concurrent) on clinical outcome in elderly patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC. Methods: We included a total of 171 patients in this subanalysis. All patients were diagnosed with unresectable stage III NSCLC. Patients were divided into two age groups, ≥70 (41%) and <70 years (59%). All of them received curative chemoradiotherapy with (66%) or without (34%) durvalumab. Results: Patients were followed up for a median time of 25.1 months (range: 3.3–52.1). In the elderly group, patients who did not receive durvalumab consolidation had a median PFS of 17 months (95%-CI: 12.4—not reached) and a higher risk of progression (HR = 2.2; 95%-CI: 1–4.6) than those treated with durvalumab, which had a median PFS of 37 months (95%-CI: 24.5—not reached). This difference was statistically significant (log rank p = 0.026). Moreover, the Cox model yielded a hazard ratio suggesting a higher risk of locoregional (HR = 3.8; 95%-CI: 1.28–11.48; log rank p-value =0.01) as well as local recurrence (HR = 5.5: 95%-CI: 1.67–18.1: p-value =0.002) in patients who received sequential chemoradiotherapy compared to those with concomitant chemoradiotherapy in the same age group. In an exploratory analysis based on a Mann–Whitney U test, we did not find significant difference in toxicity between the two age groups. Conclusions: Durvalumab was associated with prolonged progression-free survival, while concomitant radiotherapy showed a trend towards improvement in locoregional and local control in patients aged ≥70. There was no significant difference in treatment toxicity found in the exploratory Mann–Whitney U analysis between the two age groups. Full article

Background/Objectives: Neck muscle vibration alters neural processing, sensorimotor integration, and proprioception in healthy adults. Significant differential changes in the N18 and N24 somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) peak amplitudes, coupled with altered motor learning, occurred when completion of a force-matching task took place following neck muscle vibration. It is currently unknown if neck muscle vibration also impacts acquisition of skills from visuomotor tracking tasks, a gap this research addresses. Methods: A total of 25 right-handed, healthy participants were divided into vibration (age: 21.7 ± 1.89, n = 13; 8 females) (V) and no-vibration (NV) control (age: 21.2 ± 3.03, n = 12; 6 females) groups. The vibration was device applied over the right sternocleidomastoid and left cervical extensor muscles. The participants underwent right-median-nerve stimulation at 2.47 Hz and 4.98 Hz to elicit SEPs. A total of 1000 sweeps were recorded and averaged using an ANT Neuro Waveguard 64-lead EEG cap (ANT Neuro, the Netherlands, Manufactured by Eemagine, Berlin, Germany)pre- and post-completion of a novel visuomotor tracing task (MTT). Post-acquisition, the NV group had a 10 min rest, and the V group received 10 min of vibration at 60 Hz before motor task completion, followed immediately by post-acquisition and retention 24 h after. Results: N18 peak: The V group exhibited a proportional amplitude increase of 19%, while the NV group exhibited a 36% decrease. There was a trend toward decreased retention in the V group. P25 showed a significant effect of time, with increases of 11% for V and 9% for NV. Conclusions: V resulted in N18 SEP changes post-MTT-skill-acquisition. Both groups appeared to learn, with the V trending towards less retention. Full article