Search Results (2,364)

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a global health epidemic with rising prevalence within Asian populations, particularly amongst individuals with high visceral adiposity and ectopic organ fat, the so-called Thin-Outside, Fat-Inside phenotype. Metabolomic and microbiome shifts may herald T2D onset, presenting potential biomarkers and mechanistic insight into metabolic dysregulation. However, multi-omics datasets across ethnicities remain limited. Methods: We performed cross-sectional multi-omics analyses on 171 adults (99 Asian Chinese, 72 European Caucasian) from the New Zealand-based TOFI_Asia cohort at 4-years follow-up. Paired plasma and faecal samples were analysed using untargeted metabolomic profiling (polar/lipid fractions) and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, respectively. Sparse multi-block partial least squares regression and discriminant analysis (DIABLO) unveiled signatures associated with ethnicity, glycaemic status, and sex. Results: Ethnicity-based DIABLO modelling achieved a balanced error rate of 0.22, correctly classifying 76.54% of test samples. Polar metabolites had the highest discriminatory power (AUC = 0.96), with trigonelline enriched in European Caucasians and carnitine in Asian Chinese. Lipid profiles highlighted ethnicity-specific signatures: Asian Chinese showed enrichment of polyunsaturated triglycerides (TG.16:0_18:2_22:6, TG.18:1_18:2_22:6) and ether-linked phospholipids, while European Caucasians exhibited higher levels of saturated species (TG.16:0_16:0_14:1, TG.15:0_15:0_17:1). The bacteria Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, Erysipelatoclostridium ramosum, and Enterocloster bolteae characterised Asian Chinese participants, while Oscillibacter sp. and Clostridium innocuum characterised European Caucasians. Cross-omic correlations highlighted negative correlations of Phocaeicola vulgatus with amino acids (r = −0.84 to −0.76), while E. ramosum and C. innocuum positively correlated with long-chain triglycerides (r = 0.55–0.62). Conclusions: Ethnicity drove robust multi-omic differentiation, revealing distinctive metabolic and microbial profiles potentially underlying the differential T2D risk between Asian Chinese and European Caucasians. Full article

Background/Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the oral health and patient satisfaction of flexible and non-metal clasp dentures (NMCD) compared to removable partial dentures (RPD) using a systematic review. Methods: The PICOS framework of this review was as follows: Do rehabilitations involving flexible dentures or NMCD have a similar success rate to those using RPD? Thus, the PICOS approach involves the following topics: (P) Population/Problem: partial edentulous adult patients; (I) Intervention: patients rehabilitated with flexible dentures or NMCD; (C) Comparison: patients rehabilitated with standard RPD; (O) Outcome: clinical parameters such as oral health, masticatory function, and patient satisfaction; and (S) Study Type: clinical trials and observational studies (cohort, case–control, and cross-sectional). No language restrictions were applied to the studies. The search strategy consisted of the following keywords in different databases: ((flexible) OR (nonmetal) OR (non-metal) OR (thermoplastic)) AND (denture). Only clinical trials and observational studies (cohort, case–control, and cross-sectional studies) from the last 15 years were included, and no language restrictions were applied. Studies that did not describe the denture material were excluded. Results: Of the 2197 potentially relevant records, 14 studies were included in the present review. Two studies reported retrospective results, while twelve reported a prospective evaluation. Considering the thermoplastic materials, five studies evaluated polyester, five polyamides, three polyacetals, and only one study evaluated polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Flexible dentures and NMCD demonstrated similar periodontal status and bone levels on abutment teeth to RPD after up to 12 months. Flexible dentures exhibited a higher degree of redness of the mucosa after 12 months. One study showed a lower maximum bite force for flexible dentures compared to RPD. No study has performed a clinical evaluation of mastication and chewing ability. Conclusions: Despite increased short-term patient satisfaction for flexible dentures and NMCD, there is weak evidence to support a similar clinical performance of flexible dentures and NMCD to RPD. Full article

Sonar is the primary tool used for detecting small targets at long distances underwater. Due to the influence of the underwater environment and imaging mechanisms, sonar images face challenges such as a small number of target pixels, insufficient data samples, and uneven category distribution. Existing target detection methods are unable to effectively extract features from sonar images, leading to high false positive rates and affecting the accuracy of target detection models. To counter these challenges, this paper presents a novel sonar small-target detection framework named DCE-Net that refines the YOLOv8 architecture. The Detail Enhancement Attention Block (DEAB) utilizes multi-scale residual structures and channel attention mechanism (AM) to achieve image defogging and small-target structure completion. The lightweight spatial variation convolution module (CoordGate) reduces false detections in complex backgrounds through dynamic position-aware convolution kernels. The improved efficient multi-scale AM (MH-EMA) performs scale-adaptive feature reweighting and combines cross-dimensional interaction strategies to enhance pixel-level feature representation. Experiments on a self-built sonar small-target detection dataset show that DCE-Net achieves an mAP@0.5 of 87.3% and an mAP@0.5:0.95 of 41.6%, representing improvements of 5.5% and 7.7%, respectively, over the baseline YOLOv8. This demonstrates that DCE-Net provides an efficient solution for underwater detection tasks. Full article

The Xiong’an New Area, a newly established national-level zone in China, faces the threat of land subsidence and ground fissure due to groundwater overexploitation and geothermal extraction, threatening urban safety. This study integrates time-series InSAR and GNSS monitoring to analyze spatiotemporal deformation patterns from 2017/05 to 2025/03. The key results show: (1) Three subsidence hotspots, namely northern Xiongxian (max. cumulative subsidence: 591 mm; 70 mm/yr), Luzhuang, and Liulizhuang, strongly correlate with geothermal wells and F4/F5 fault zones; (2) GNSS baseline analysis (e.g., XA01-XA02) reveals fissure-induced differential deformation (max. horizontal/vertical rates: 40.04 mm/yr and 19.8 mm/yr); and (3) InSAR–GNSS cross-validation confirms the high consistency of the results (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.86). Subsidence in Xiongxian is driven by geothermal/industrial groundwater use, without any seasonal variations, while Anxin exhibits agricultural pumping-linked seasonal fluctuations. The use of rooftop GNSS stations reduces multipath effects and improves urban monitoring accuracy. The spatiotemporal heterogeneity stems from coupled resource exploitation and tectonic activity. We propose prioritizing rooftop GNSS deployments to enhance east–west deformation monitoring. This framework balances regional and local-scale precision, offering a replicable solution for geological risk assessments in emerging cities. Full article

Background: The 2022 conflict in Ukraine triggered mass migration, leading to a significant influx of Ukrainian refugee children into Poland. This situation raises concerns about hepatitis B virus immunity, as Ukraine’s hepatitis B vaccination coverage has been inconsistent compared to Poland’s high vaccination rates. Objective: To evaluate hepatitis B immunity and infection prevalence among Ukrainian refugee children residing in Southern Poland and to assess implications for vaccination strategies in the host country. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1322 Ukrainian refugee children (0–18 years) presenting to a pediatric infectious diseases department in Southern Poland between February 2022 and March 2024. Data on vaccination history, demographic characteristics, and selected laboratory parameters, including hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-HBs antibody levels, were collected. Protective immunity was defined as anti-HBs antibody levels ≥10 IU/L. Results: Among the participants (mean age 9.9 years; 50.2% female), 83.2% were reported as vaccinated according to national immunization programs, but only 64.9% demonstrated protective anti-HBs antibody levels. Protective antibody prevalence declined significantly with age, with less than half of adolescents aged 15–18 years showing immunity. Five children (0.4%) were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, four of whom were unvaccinated. Conclusions: This study identifies a significant gap in hepatitis B immunity among Ukrainian adolescent refugees residing in Southern Poland, with less than half possessing protective anti-HBs antibody levels. This immunity gap and the high risk of sexual transmission of the hepatitis B virus in adolescents highlight the urgent need for comprehensive surveillance, screening, and catch-up vaccination programs. Full article

The mental and physical health of college students, especially in urban environments like Shanghai, is crucial given the high academic and urban stressors, which were intensified by the COVID-19 lockdown. Prior research has shown gender differences in health impacts during public health crises, with females often more vulnerable to mental health issues. Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively assess the physical and psychological health of Chinese college students post-lockdown, focusing on the relationship between stress, anxiety, depression, sleep patterns, and physical health, with a particular emphasis on gender differences. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 116 students in Shanghai, utilizing psychological scales (HAMA, IPAQ, PSQI, SDS, FS 14, PSS, SF-36) and physical fitness tests (resting heart rate, blood pressure, hand grip, forced vital capacity, standing long jump, sit-and-reach, one-minute sit-up test and the one-minute squat test, single-leg stand test with eyes closed), to analyze health and behavior during the pandemic lockdown. All students have undergone the same life habits during the pandemic. Results: The HAMA scores indicated no significant levels of physical or mental anxiety. The PSS results (42.45 ± 8.93) reflected a high overall stress level. Furthermore, the PSQI scores (5.4 ± 2.91) suggested that the participants experienced mild insomnia. The IPAQ scores indicated higher levels of job-related activity (1261.49 ± 2144.58), transportation activity (1253.65 ± 987.57), walking intensity (1580.78 ± 1412.20), and moderate-intensity activity (1353.03 ± 1675.27) among college students following the lockdown. Hand grip strength (right) (p = 0.001), sit-and-reach test (p = 0.001), standing long jump (p = 0.001), and HAMA total score (p = 0.033) showed significant differences between males and females. Three principal components were identified in males: HAMA, FS14, and PSQI, explaining a total variance of 70.473%. Similarly, three principal components were extracted in females: HAMA, PSQI, and FS14, explaining a total variance of 69.100%. Conclusions: Our study underscores the complex interplay between physical activity (PA), mental health, and quality of life, emphasizing the need for gender-specific interventions. The persistent high stress, poor sleep quality, and reduced PA levels call for a reorganized teaching schedule to enhance student well-being without increasing academic pressure. Full article

Enhancing market integration levels is crucial for advancing sustainable regional collaborative development and achieving ecological protection and high-quality development goals within the Yellow River Basin, fostering a balance between economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental resilience. This study analyzed the retail price data of goods from prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2010 to 2022, employing the relative price method to measure the market integration index. Additionally, it examined the temporal and spatial evolution patterns and driving factors using the Dagum Gini coefficient and panel regression models. The results indicate the following. (1) The market integration index of the Yellow River Basin shows a fluctuating upward trend, with an average annual growth rate of 9.8%. The spatial pattern generally reflects a situation where the east is relatively high and the west is relatively low, as well as the south being higher than the north. (2) Regional disparities are gradually diminishing, with the overall Gini coefficient decreasing from 0.153 to 0.104. However, internal differences within the downstream and midstream areas have become prominent, and contribution rate analysis reveals that super-variable density has replaced between-group disparities as the primary source. (3) Upgrading the industrial structure and enhancing the level of economic development are the core driving forces, while financial support and digital infrastructure significantly accelerate the integration process. Conversely, the level of openness exhibits a phase-specific negative impact. We propose policy emphasizing the need to strengthen development in the upper reach of the Yellow River Basin, further improve interregional collaborative innovation mechanisms, and enhance cross-regional coordination among multicenter network nodes. Full article

The relationship between self-rated personality and nonverbal intelligence has been studied in young students, but these studies have generally not considered nested data, despite their allowing us to analyse between-classroom variability. The present cross-sectional study involved third- to sixth-grade students (n = 447) who were nested into their classrooms (n = 32). The participants completed the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) as a measure of nonverbal intelligence and a personality questionnaire based on the Five Factor Model. At the class level, the study data included class size, class-average CPM scores, and class-homogeneity in CPM performances. Multilevel modelling with class-mean centring of personality predictors was applied to examine class-average differences in CPM scores and interaction effects between personality and class-homogeneity on CPM scores. The results showed significant differences in average CPM performances across classrooms, significant fixed and random slope effects linking nonverbal intelligence and Imagination, and a cross-level effect revealing that Imagination is a stronger predictor of CPM scores when class-homogeneity in intelligence is lower. Beyond confirming the intelligence–Imagination association generally observed in the literature, the present findings emphasise the importance of using nested structures when collecting personality and intelligence data in classrooms. More attention needs to be paid to how the classroom environment affects children’s self-reported personality and intelligence test performances. Full article

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a primary treatment for prostate cancer (PCa) that effectively reduces androgen levels to suppress tumor progression. However, growing evidence suggests potential cognitive side effects, raising concerns about the long-term neurological consequences of this treatment. Objective: This scoping review aims to synthesize the existing evidence linking ADT to cognitive changes in men with PCa, identifying the key cognitive domains affected and outlining gaps in the existing literature. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines in CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies investigating cognitive function in ADT-treated PCa patients were included, covering randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort, case–control, and cross-sectional studies. The extracted data included the study design, evaluated cognitive characteristics, measurement tools, and overall findings. Results: A total of 22 studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Cognitive assessments varied across studies. While some studies reported cognitive impairments in ADT-treated patients—particularly in working, verbal, and visual memory and executive function—others found no significant effects. The variability in prostate cancer staging, epidemiological study designs, and treatment regimens; the exclusion of comorbid conditions; and the differences in assessment tools, sample sizes, and study durations hinder definitive conclusions about the cognitive effects of ADT. Conclusions: This scoping review highlights the heterogeneous and often contradictory evidence regarding ADT-associated cognitive dysfunction. While certain cognitive domains may be affected, methodological inconsistencies limit robust conclusions. Standardized cognitive assessments and longer longitudinal studies are required to clarify ADT’s role in cognitive decline. As the PCa survival rate increases with extended ADT use, integrating routine cognitive monitoring into clinical practice should be considered for PCa patients. Full article

Background/Objectives: The consumption of opioids is a public health problem that significantly affects quality of life. In Spain, 7585 people are enrolled in the Methadone Maintenance Programme (MMP), which is an effective intervention with a low adherence rate. In this study, factors associated with the quality of life of MMP users, especially perceived social support and treatment adherence, were analysed. We hypothesised that low levels of adherence and social support would be associated with poorer quality of life. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study with an analytical approach. Quality of life (WHOQoL-BREF), perceived social support (DUKE-UNC-11), and treatment adherence (MMAS-8) among MMP users were studied, and data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected through ad hoc questionnaires and a review of electronic medical records. Linear and logistic regression models were used. Results: A total of 70 individuals were included in this study. The mean age was 56.9 years, and 83% of the participants were male. The perceived quality of life was low in the four domains evaluated (range of 47.4–48.2). A total of 38.57% of the participants had low perceived social support. Treatment adherence was low or moderate in 77.1% of the participants. Greater perceived social support was associated with better quality of life in all domains (p < 0.05). Quality of social life was negatively associated with the use of nonbenzodiazepine neuroleptics and HIV status. Treatment adherence was lower in insulin therapy users. Conclusions: Social support is a key determinant of the quality of life of MMP users. Health policies should promote social support networks as a strategy to improve the well-being of this population. Full article

Background/Objectives: Latinos, particularly those of Mexican ancestry, experience high rates of type 2 diabetes and sleep disturbances, exacerbating adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness and its associations with diet, cardiometabolic risk factors, and glycemic control in this population. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the El Banco por Salud biobank, including 1685 participants (aged 52.6 ± 14.5 years, BMI: 32.4 ± 7.0 kg/m²) recruited from Federally Qualified Community Health Centers. Excessive daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, while dietary information was obtained via the Brief Dietary Assessment Tool for Hispanics. Primary outcomes included cardiometabolic risk factors and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Results: Excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale > 10) was present in 22.0% of participants and was associated with higher BMI (p < 0.001), larger waist circumference (p = 0.002), poorer diet quality, increased dyslipidemia (p = 0.036), and elevated HbA1c (p = 0.007). Linear regression analyses confirmed that excessive daytime sleepiness was significantly associated with higher HbA1c levels, both in unadjusted (R² = 0.011; p < 0.001) and adjusted for demographic, anthropometric, and socioeconomic factors (R² = 0.107; p = 0.004) models. Conclusions: Excessive daytime sleepiness among Latinos of Mexican ancestry is associated with unhealthy dietary patterns and poor glycemic control, highlighting the need for targeted interventions addressing sleep and dietary habits in this vulnerable population. Full article

Background and objective. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) affects small- to medium-sized vessels and is characterized by the production of ANCAs. The ANCA-negative term is used if the patient otherwise fulfills the definition for AAV but has negative results on serologic testing for ANCAs. The objective of this study was to compare ANCA-positive and -negative vasculitis patients and to evaluate the main differences possibly related to the presence of ANCAs. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study of 73 patients treated at the tertiary Rheumatology Centre of University Hospital from the 1 January, 2001, to the 31August, 2023, with diagnoses of AAV was carried out. Clinical characteristics and laboratory data were collected at the onset or at the first year of the disease. Results. Forty-eight (65.8%) patients were ANCA-positive, while twenty-five (34.3%) were ANCA-negative. Distribution by gender was similar in both groups, with a female–male ratio of 2:1. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were elevated for all AAV patients, but values were higher in the ANCA-positive patients’ group. The median hemoglobin was 106 g/L in the seropositive group and 127 g/L in the seronegative group. A higher prevalence of kidney involvement (60.4%) with elevated serum creatinine level (93.5 µmol/L) was observed in the ANCA-positive group compared with 24% and 70 µmol/l in the ANCA-negative group (p < 0.05). Neurological involvement was more frequently found in the ANCA-positive patient group, too: 29.2% compared to 20%. Among patients with ANCA-negative vasculitis, 88% had pulmonary; 92% ear, nose, throat (ENT); 48% joint; and 28% skin presentation. In comparison, involvement of these organs was less common in the ANCA-positive patients’ group, at 79.2%, 60.4%, 31.3%, and 25 %, respectively. Conclusions. ANCA-positive patients appear to be in a more difficult clinical situation in terms of organ involvement and laboratory changes. Full article

Background and Objectives: Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a critical role in safeguarding the emotional and psychological well-being of healthcare workers, acting as a buffer against burnout, and influencing the quality of patient care. Despite its significance, there remains a need to understand how EI levels correlate with burnout and what factors predict burnout in high-stress healthcare environments. This study, conducted at King Khaled Hospital in Al-Majmaah, Saudi Arabia, aims to assess the EI levels of healthcare staff, to determine the relationship between EI and burnout, and to identify key predictors of burnout to inform targeted interventions for improving workforce resilience and patient outcomes. Materials and Methods: Both self-reporting and standardized tests were integrated using cross-sectional surveys to evaluate the EI of each participant and the burnout they experience by averaging the rating of a 30-item questionnaire, allowing comparison of the interaction between EI, burnout, and work factors. Results: A significantly moderate level of EI was identified, while a high level of well-being was associated with a low level of burnout, and a high level of emotionality was associated with a high level of burnout. Results indicated that high job demands, call rotation, or casual work, and insufficient staff support were organizational correlates of burnout. Conclusions: Improving EI with a focus on the well-being sub-dimension may prevent burnout, and, for that, the interventions must be specific at both personal and organizational levels. Full article

Introduction. Singapore had previously embraced at least two types of pre-participation questionnaires for those intending to take up or enhance their level of physical activity (PA). Concern over the usefulness of and difficulty in understanding these questions led to the design of a Singapore Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (SPARQ). The primary objective of this study was to review the level of difficulty in understanding the seven SPARQ questions. Secondary objectives included the rate of identifying individuals as unfit for PA and to seek public feedback on this tool. Method. A public, cross-sectional survey on the SPARQ was carried out, obtaining participants’ bio-characteristics, having them completing the SPARQ and then providing feedback on the individual questions. Results. Of the 1136 who completed the survey, 35.7% would have required referral to a medical practitioner for further evaluation before the intended PA. Significant difficulty was experienced with one question, moderate difficulty with four and only slight difficulty with the remaining two. The length of the questions and use of technical terms were matters of concern. Suggestions were provided by the participants on possible amendments to the questions. Conclusions. The very high acceptance rate of the SPARQ will need to be tempered with modifications to the questions to enhance ease of understanding and use by members of the public. Full article

Background/Objectives: In the era of treat-to-target strategies in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), transmural healing (TH) is gaining recognition as a promising therapeutic goal. TH has been associated with significantly better long-term outcomes, including reduced rates of hospitalization, surgery, and the need for therapy escalation. Cross-sectional imaging techniques, such as intestinal ultrasound (IUS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography enterography (CTE), offer a comprehensive, non-invasive means to assess this deeper level of healing. This review explores how TH is currently defined across various imaging modalities and evaluates the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of achieving TH with available therapies. Methods: A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase using keywords, including “transmural healing”, “intestinal ultrasonography”, “magnetic resonance imaging”, “computed tomography enterography”, “Crohn’s disease”, “ulcerative colitis”, and “inflammatory bowel disease”. Only English-language studies were considered. Results: Despite growing interest, there is no standardized definition of TH across imaging platforms. Among the modalities, IUS emerges as the most feasible and cost-effective tool, owing to its accessibility, accuracy (sensitivity 62–95.2%, specificity 61.5–100%), and real-time capabilities, though it does have limitations. Current advanced therapies induce TH in roughly 20–40% of patients, with no consistent differences observed between biologics and small molecules. However, TH has only been evaluated as a formal endpoint in a single randomized controlled trial to date. Conclusions: A unified and validated definition of transmural healing is critically needed to harmonize research and guide clinical decision-making. While TH holds promise as a meaningful treatment target linked to improved outcomes, existing therapies often fall short of achieving complete transmural resolution. Further studies are essential to clarify its role and optimize strategies for deep healing in IBD. Full article