Search Results (212)

Continuous monitoring of respiratory patterns is essential for disease diagnosis and daily health care. Contact medical devices enable reliable respiratory monitoring, but can cause discomfort and are limited in some settings. Radar offers a noncontact respiration measurement method for continuous, real-time, high-precision monitoring. However, it is difficult for a single radar to characterize the coordination of chest and abdominal movements during measured breathing. Moreover, motion interference during prolonged measurements can seriously affect accuracy. This study proposes a dual radar system with customized narrow-beam antennas and signals to measure the chest and abdomen separately, and an adaptive dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm is used to effectively suppress motion interference. The system is capable of reconstructing respiratory waveforms of the chest and abdomen, and robustly extracting various respiratory parameters via motion interference. Experiments on 35 healthy subjects, 2 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 1 patient with heart failure showed a high correlation between radar and respiratory belt signals, with correlation coefficients of 0.92 for both the chest and abdomen, a root mean square error of 0.80 bpm for the respiratory rate, and a mean absolute error of 3.4° for the thoracoabdominal phase angle. This system provides a noncontact method for prolonged respiratory monitoring, measurement of chest and abdominal asynchrony and apnea detection, showing promise for applications in respiratory disorder detection and home monitoring. Full article

Background: Among all ambulatory antibiotic prescriptions, about 20% are non-visit-based (ordered outside of an in-person clinical encounter), and about 30% are not associated with an infection-related diagnosis code. Objective/Methods: To identify the rationale for ambulatory antibiotic prescribing, we queried the electronic health record (EHR) of a single, large health system in the Midwest United States to identify all oral antibiotics prescribed from November 2018 to February 2019 and examined visit, procedure, lab, department, and diagnosis codes. For the remaining antibiotic prescriptions—mostly non-visit-based, no-infectious-diagnosis-documented—we randomly selected and manually reviewed the EHR to identify a prescribing rationale and, if none was present, surveyed prescribers for their rationale. Results: During the study period, there were 47,619 antibiotic prescriptions from 1177 clinicians to 41,935 patients, of which 2608 (6%) were eligible non-visit-based, no-infectious-diagnosis-documented. We randomly selected 2298. There was a documented rationale for 2116 (92%) prescriptions. The most common documented reasons—not mutually exclusive—were patient-reported symptoms (71%), persistence of symptoms after initial management (18%), travel (17%), and responding to lab or imaging results (11%). We contacted 160 clinicians who did not document any prescribing rationale in the EHR and received responses from 62 (39%). Clinicians’ stated reasons included upcoming or current patient travel (19%), the antibiotic was for the prescriber’s own family member (19%), or the clinician made a diagnosis but did not document it in the EHR (18%). Conclusions: Non-visit-based, no-infectious-diagnosis-documented antibiotic prescriptions were most often in response to patient-reported symptoms, though they also occur for a variety of other reasons, some problematic, like in the absence of documentation or for a family member. Full article

In high-voltage transmission lines, insulators subjected to prolonged electromechanical stress are prone to zero-value defects, leading to insulation failure and posing significant risks to power grid reliability. The conventional detection method of spark gap is vulnerable to environmental interference, while the emerging electric field distribution-based techniques require complex instrumentation, limiting its applications in scenes of complex structures and atop tower climbing. To address these challenges, this study proposes an electroluminescent sensing strategy for zero-value insulator identification based on the electroluminescence of ZnS:Cu. Based on the stimulation of electrical stress, real-time monitoring of the health status of insulators was achieved by applying the composite of epoxy and ZnS:Cu onto the connection area between the insulator steel cap and the shed. Experimental results demonstrate that healthy insulators exhibit characteristic luminescence, whereas zero-value insulators show no luminescence due to a reduced drop in electrical potential. Compared with conventional detection methods requiring access of electric signals, such non-contact optical detection method offers high fault-recognition accuracy and real-time response capability within milliseconds. This work establishes a novel intelligent sensing paradigm for visualized condition monitoring of electrical equipment, demonstrating significant potential for fault diagnosis in advanced power systems. Full article

This study proposes a deep learning-based, non-contact method for detecting elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) by integrating Scheimpflug images with corneal biomechanical features. Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, requires accurate IOP monitoring for early diagnosis and effective treatment. Traditional IOP measurements are often influenced by corneal biomechanical variability, leading to inaccurate readings. To address these limitations, we present a multi-modal framework incorporating CycleGAN for data augmentation, Swin Transformer for visual feature extraction, and the Kolmogorov–Arnold Network (KAN) for efficient fusion of heterogeneous data. KAN approximates complex nonlinear relationships with fewer parameters, making it effective in small-sample scenarios with intricate variable dependencies. A diverse dataset was constructed and augmented to alleviate data scarcity and class imbalance. By combining Scheimpflug imaging with clinical parameters, the model effectively integrates multi-source information to improve high IOP prediction accuracy. Experiments on a real-world private hospital dataset show that the model achieves a diagnostic accuracy of 0.91, outperforming traditional approaches. Grad-CAM visualizations identify critical anatomical regions, such as corneal thickness and anterior chamber depth, that correlate with IOP changes. These findings underscore the role of corneal structure in IOP regulation and suggest new directions for non-invasive, biomechanics-informed IOP screening. Full article

Orthohantavirus infection is a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents. In Eurasia, Old World Orthohantaviruses can cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), while in the Americas, New World Orthohantaviruses are responsible for hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). In Kazakhstan, the first recorded cases of HFRS appeared in the West Kazakhstan region in 2000, which has since then been established as an endemic area due to the presence of stable rodent reservoirs and recurring human infections. Routine diagnosis of HFRS in this region relies primarily on immunoassays. To enhance diagnostic precision, we aimed to implement both serological and molecular methods on samples from suspected HFRS cases in the endemic West Kazakhstan region and non-endemic Almaty City. A total of 139 paired serum, saliva, and urine samples were analysed using IgM/IgG ELISA, immunoblot assays, and qPCR. Our findings confirm that suspected HFRS cases in West Kazakhstan are associated with the Puumala virus serotype. Full article

Gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a frequent and severe complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (aSCTx). Although biopsy and histopathology remain the gold standard for diagnosis of GvHD, this approach can be limited by thrombocytopenia accompanying aSCTx and the diagnostic delay associated with routine histopathology. Here, we report on two patients in which dye-based contact microscopy using a latest generation endocytoscope with 520-fold magnification enabled in vivo diagnosis of GvHD. The first patient was a 23-year-old man with acute lymphoblastic leukemia presenting with non-bloody diarrhea 3 months after aSCTx. After topical staining with crystal violet and methylene blue, endocytoscopy in the rectum showed several apoptotic epithelial cells. Histopathology confirmed GvHD grade III according to the Lerner classification. The second patient was a 59-year-old female with diarrhea 3 months after aSCTx. Apart from pathognomic apoptotic bodies, EC additionally revealed crypt lumina enlargement and mononuclear cell infiltrates in the lamina propria with subsequent crypt distension. The duration of the procedure was less than 5 min in each patient. These findings illustrate that in vivo microscopy using endocytoscopy can enable instantaneous diagnosis of GvHD with the benefit of accelerating therapeutic decisions in patients with suspected severe GvHD. Full article

Background. Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies in infancy, with prevalence estimates of 0.5–7.5% in high-income countries. Data from low- and middle-income regions remain limited, and the predominant immune mechanism (IgE or non-IgE mediated) may vary across populations. Objective. We aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of CMA in infants from an urban, low-income Chilean population. Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted at Padre Hurtado Hospital in Santiago, Chile. Healthy term newborns were recruited and followed for up to 12 months. Sociodemographic, perinatal data and parental atopy were recorded. Parents were contacted monthly to screen for CMA symptoms. Infants with ≥two symptoms underwent clinical evaluation, a 4-week cow’s milk protein exclusion diet, and an open oral food challenge (OFC). Diagnosis followed international consensus guidelines. Results. Of 552 enrolled infants (48% male), 27 were diagnosed with CMA, yielding a prevalence of 4.9% (95% CI 3.1–7.0%). All cases exhibited non-IgE-mediated symptoms, including vomiting, dermatitis, colic, and perianal erythema. CMA was diagnosed before 6 months of age in 74% of cases. At 12 months, 40% had developed oral tolerance. Sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics were similar between groups, but some self-reported parental atopic traits were more frequent in CMA cases. Conclusions. CMA prevalence in this Chilean cohort was comparable to that reported in high-income countries, with a predominance of non-IgE-mediated forms. These findings support the need for standardized diagnostic protocols, including OFC, in diverse populations. Future studies should explore long-term outcomes and risk factors in non-IgE-mediated CMA. Full article

Fatigue cracks in blades pose a significant threat to the safe operation of rotating machinery. Currently, the application of non-contact displacement sensors in blade vibration measurements has enabled the widespread analysis of nonlinear dynamic characteristics, such as natural frequency deviations and spectral anomalies, to enhance crack fault diagnosis in rotating machinery. However, these two dynamic characteristics are not distinguishable for crack changes, especially for incipient cracks, leading to potential misdiagnosis. In this paper, a dynamic characteristic called the envelope diagram image of vibration responses (EDIVR) was extracted from blade tip displacement signals collected during acceleration–deceleration cycles for crack diagnosis. Initially, considering the breathing effect of fatigue cracks, a structural dynamics finite element model of a blade containing a breathing crack is established to calculate its dynamic response under aerodynamic force. Subsequently, the sensitivity of three characteristics (natural frequency, frequency spectrum, and EDIVR) to crack fault changes is quantitatively compared based on the simulated response signals. Experimental validation confirms the accuracy of the proposed dynamic model and the effectiveness of the proposed feature. The study shows that under identical operational conditions, blades with cracks of equivalent depth and location exhibit maximum sensitivity to crack detection when EDIVR dynamic characteristics are employed as the fault diagnostic criterion. Moreover, this characteristic is less susceptible to signal noise interference compared to other dynamic characteristics, enhancing its potential for crack diagnosis in engineering applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Syphilis diagnosis in Armenia is unreliable due to inconsistent testing methods, limited access to confirmatory tests, and the underutilization of healthcare services due to stigma and lack of awareness. In 2022, 29% of cases were latent, 8.1% were late latent, 21% were secondary, and 1% were congenital. We assessed primary care physicians’ (PCPs) knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding syphilis diagnosis and prevention to improve early detection. Methods: Between December 2023 and February 2024, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among outpatient physicians. We randomly selected 24 clinics in six regions. In each clinic, we randomly selected respondents from employee registries. We assigned one or two points to correct answers and zero points to incorrect or unknown answers; scores were categorized as Poor (0–<30%), Moderate (30–<70%), and Good (>70%). We used non-parametric tests to compare groups. Results: Of the 413 physicians contacted, 345 (83%) responded; 74% were female; the median age was 46 years; 54% had > 16 years work experience; and 47% worked as general practitioners. The respondents had moderate knowledge of risk groups (56%) and symptoms (49%) and poor knowledge of disease transmission (8%). As for practices, the respondents expressed difficulty in prescribing additional laboratory tests based on clinical symptoms (51%) and struggled with reporting diagnosed syphilis cases (66%); moderate opinions on pregnancy termination decisions (65%) were conveyed. The respondents’ knowledge did not correlate with their practice (r = 0.23) and attitude (r = 0.25) scores. Conclusions: PCPs’ knowledge was not positively associated with improved practices and attitudes regarding syphilis diagnosis and prevention. This highlights the need to improve healthcare workers’ post-graduate education and implement an efficient screening program to detect and treat asymptomatic, late latent, and congenital infections, as well as to prevent complications, transmission, and reinfection. Full article

Sleep apnea, characterized by its high prevalence and serious health consequences, faces a critical bottleneck in diagnosis. Polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard, is costly and cumbersome, while wearable devices struggle with quality control and patient compliance, rendering them as unsuitable for both large-scale screening and continuous monitoring. To address these challenges, this research introduces a contactless, low-cost, and accurate event-level sleep apnea detection method leveraging frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar technology. The core of our approach is a novel deep-learning model, built upon the U-Net architecture and augmented with self-attention mechanisms and squeeze-and-excitation (SE) modules, meticulously designed for the precise event-level segmentation of sleep apnea from FMCW radar signals. Crucially, we integrate blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) prediction as an auxiliary task within a multitask-learning framework to enhance the model’s feature extraction capabilities and clinical utility by capturing physiological correlations between apnea events and oxygen levels. Rigorous evaluation in a clinical dataset, comprising data from 35 participants, with synchronized PSG and radar data demonstrated a performance exceeding that of the baseline methods (Base U-Net and CNN–MHA), achieving a high level of accuracy in event-level segmentation (with an F1-score of 0.8019) and OSA severity grading (91.43%). These findings underscore the significant potential of our radar-based event-level detection system as a non-contact, low-cost, and accurate solution for OSA assessment. This technology offers a promising avenue for transforming sleep apnea diagnosis, making large-scale screening and continuous home monitoring a practical reality and ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and public health impacts. Full article

Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity is a significant health concern also capable of impacting ocular health. This study evaluates the effects of childhood obesity on corneal morphology, anterior chamber parameters, intraocular pressure (IOP), and corneal endothelial cell morphology. Understanding these relationships may contribute to early diagnosis and management strategies. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Harran University Faculty of Medicine between January and December, 2024. Ninety children aged 7–17 years were included, with only the right eyes being analyzed. The participants were categorized into three groups based on body mass index (BMI) percentiles: normal weight (≤85th percentile), overweight (86–94th percentiles), and obese (≥95th percentile). All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examinations, including IOP measurement with a non-contact tonometer, corneal topography assessment using a Scheimpflug camera, and endothelial cell morphology evaluation via specular microscopy. Results: IOP was significantly higher in the overweight and obese groups (p < 0.001). Central corneal thickness (CCT) also increased significantly in these groups (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were determined between BMI and IOP (r = 0.493, p < 0.001) and CCT (r = 0.345, p < 0.001). Additionally, waist circumference exhibited a strong correlation with BMI (r = 0.905, p < 0.001) and a significant association with IOP (r = 0.463, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed among the groups in terms of other anterior chamber or endothelial parameters. Conclusions: Childhood obesity is associated with increased IOP and CCT, suggesting potential alterations in corneal biomechanics and ocular physiology. These findings highlight the importance of routine ophthalmological evaluation in obese children to detect early ocular changes and prevent long-term complications. Full article

Peppers (Capsicum spp.) represent not only a plant with a demonstrated history of diverse medicinal applications but also a species having non-neglectable adverse effects potential. “Chili burn” or Hunan hand syndrome represents a type of contact dermatitis rarely appearing after using chili peppers. Here, a case of “chili burn” with no specific treatments or sequelae is presented. A young woman presented with contact dermatitis after first- and second-time dermal exposure to a chili pepper. A strong burning sensation appeared shortly after on the hands and around the mouth after exposure to the plant. The patient applied non-specific measures (hand washing with mild soap and rinsing the affected areas with acidic solutions) with minor improvement; finally, the “chili burn” resolved itself. No other medicines were applied, and no consequences were recorded. Although rare, the use of chili pepper has the potential to cause contact dermatitis. The awareness of medical professionals of this entity should provide adequate diagnosis and treatment for patients. Full article

Diquafosol sodium is a purinergic P2Y₂ receptor agonist that is garnering much interest for its potential therapeutic benefits in ocular surface management. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of diquafosol’s pharmacology, clinical effectiveness, and role in the evolving landscape of ocular surface management. Future research should focus on optimising formulations, treatment duration, and exploring potential combination therapies to maximise therapeutic outcomes. By targeting underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, diquafosol represents a significant advancement in ocular surface management and a valuable addition to existing therapies. Full article

This study aimed to identify Leishmania species in small non-flying mammals captured in semi-deciduous forest fragments of the Atlantic Forest and pastures in the Southwest region of Bahia state, Northeast Brazil. A total of 445 animals belonging to 11 different species were captured, the majority being rodents (75.7%; 337), followed by marsupials (24.2%; 108), and the most prevalent species were Cerradomys vivoi, Calomys expulsus, Necromys Lasiurus, and Marmosops incanus. Liver, spleen, kidney, heart, and lung fragments were collected for subsequent molecular diagnosis. Leishmania spp. kDNA amplification in positive samples was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Species identification of Leishmania was conducted through nested PCR, followed by sequencing. Leishmania spp. infection was detected in 2.92% (13/445) of the animals. Sequencing revealed that L. infantum infected three animals, while the species of the agent in the other animals could not be determined. The results indicate the presence of Leishmania spp. in the studied region, primarily affecting the local wildlife. These findings not only highlight the risk of transmission to domestic animals and humans in close contact with forest remnants, but also underscore the critical role of these fragments in supporting native fauna. However, it is worth noting that the continuous deforestation of these forest remnants could lead to increased contact between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans, thereby elevating the risk of transmission. Full article

Polarization light microscopy (PLM) enables detailed examination of birefringent materials and reveals unique features that cannot be observed under non-polarized light. Implementation of this technique for quantitative PLM (QPLM) assessment of samples is challenging and requires specialized components and equipment. Here, we demonstrate QPLM on a semiconductor imaging chip that is suitable for point-of-care/need applications. A white LED illumination was used with crossed polarizers and a full wave plate to perform on-chip, non-contact-mode QPLM. Polarization complexity is probed by assessing the multispectral phase shift experienced by white light through the distinct optical paths of the sample. This platform can achieve micrometer-scale spatial resolution with a Field of View determined by the size of the semiconductor sensor. Visualization of a biological sample (Euglena gracilis) was demonstrated, as well as the detection of Monosodium Urate crystals, where the presence of negative birefringence of crystals in synovial fluid is important for the diagnosis of gout. Full article