Search Results (12,828)

Background: In actinic keratosis (AK), clinical clearance after field-directed therapies does not necessarily correspond to histological resolution, resulting in subclinical persistence and risk of recurrence. Objective: To provide a practical, up-to-date framework for non-invasive monitoring of treatment response in AK, integrating clinical assessment and dermoscopy with high-resolution imaging techniques, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT), and high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), and to discuss emerging optical biomarkers based on Raman spectroscopy. Results: For each modality, we summarize pre- and post-treatment imaging patterns, proposed response criteria, recommended follow-up timing, and correlations with clinical outcomes (including clearance and AKASI) and, when available, histological findings. The available evidence is derived from a limited number of observational studies, predominantly involving RCM and LC-OCT, whereas data on HFUS and Raman spectroscopy remain comparatively scarce. RCM and LC-OCT allow in vivo assessment of epidermal architectural normalization and reduction of intraepidermal keratinocyte atypia. HFUS captures quantitative trajectories of superficial dermal remodeling, including changes in the subepidermal low-echogenic band (SLEB) and dermal echogenicity after photodynamic therapy and other field treatments. Dermoscopy remains the first-line tool for routine follow-up but may fail to detect minimal subclinical persistence. Finally, we discuss the potential role of in vivo Raman spectroscopy for dynamic molecular endpoints and its possible integration with artificial intelligence–based analytical approaches. Conclusions: A standardized multimodal follow-up strategy improves the accuracy of treatment-response assessment compared with clinical evaluation alone. We propose a technique-specific checklist of minimal response criteria and a pragmatic temporal assessment scheme, and outline a research roadmap to support validation and clinical implementation of non-invasive imaging-guided monitoring in actinic keratosis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dupilumab-related ocular surface disease (DROSD) is a significant safety challenge in atopic dermatitis (AD) management, potentially leading to treatment interruption despite cutaneous efficacy. This narrative review evaluates risk stratification and management strategies to standardize monitoring and preserve long-term drug persistence. Methods: A search of PubMed/MEDLINE was conducted from inception to 31 December 2025. Evidence was synthesized from clinical trials, pooled safety analyses, and real-world registries, focusing on risk factors, monitoring tools, and interdisciplinary management algorithms for DROSD in AD populations. Results: Clinical trials identify conjunctivitis as a reproducible, context-dependent signal enriched in AD populations. Real-world data highlight that ocular symptoms disproportionately drive treatment dissatisfaction and discontinuation. Clinical vigilance must extend throughout the treatment course; while many cases appear early, a significant proportion develops between 8–16 weeks, with late-onset manifestations reported up to 12 months after initiation. Effective management relies on baseline risk documentation—including prior ocular history and AD phenotype—and the implementation of stepwise, severity-based “treat-through” protocols. Conclusions: Managing DROSD is a critical strategy for maintaining treatment persistence. Integration of routine baseline risk capture, continuous symptom surveillance, and structured multidisciplinary escalation pathways is essential to maximize ocular safety and long-term therapeutic outcomes in AD. Full article

The safety of belt conveyor operation is of great importance during coal conveyance. This paper proposes a multi-task-based GSSA-YOLOM algorithm for monitoring the state of belt conveyors, which utilizes segmentation head to detect foreign objects and belt deviation, thereby balancing the trade-offs among multiple tasks. The detection neck is responsible for multi-scale feature fusion by incorporating the Asymptotic Feature Pyramid Network (AFPN) to achieve enhanced spatial perception. Then, Groupwise Separable Convolution (GSConv) is further introduced to simplify the network architecture, reducing computational complexity while maintaining sufficient detection accuracy for edge device deployment. Moreover, the SlideLoss and Soft-NMS functions are integrated to reduce the rate of false positives and missed detections. Comparison experiments were conducted, and the results indicate that the proposed GSSA-YOLOM model can improve mAP@50 by 3.4% compared with the baseline model while reducing the number of parameters by 27%, thereby satisfying coal mine safety monitoring requirements. Full article

The Albufera of Valencia is a shallow, hypertrophic Mediterranean coastal lagoon. Since the 1970s, the lagoon has undergone substantial ecological deterioration, marked by the decline of macrophyte beds and the predominance of phytoplankton. The objective of this study was to monitor key water quality variables over a 10-year period (2015–2025) to assess the persistence of eutrophication and the current ecological status of the lagoon. For this purpose, a remote sensing approach was applied using the Sentinel-2 constellation, complemented by newly developed algorithms specifically calibrated with ten years of in situ field data (2016–2025). This approach was employed to estimate variables such as the chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration as an indicator of phytoplankton biomass, suspended solids (S.S.), and Secchi disk depth (Z_SD). An analysis of temporal trends from 2017 to 2025 revealed a progressive system deterioration. The concentrations of both chlorophyll-a and suspended solids exhibited a statistically significant increasing trend (p < 0.01). Moreover, in line with these findings, water transparency (Z_SD) decreased significantly (p < 0.001). Thus, there has been a progressive deterioration in the trophic status and ecological quality of the lagoon over the last decade, despite prior management interventions. The results from this research highlight the need to implement more effective conservation strategies, such as regulating nutrient inputs and increasing the water renewal time in the lagoon. Full article

Background/Objectives: Osseointegration is essential for the long-term success of dental implants, and radiographic assessment may support the evaluation of peri-implant bone healing. This retrospective study evaluated peri-implant radiographic bone density (PIBD) as a potential indicator of osseointegration in patients who underwent successful implant-prosthetic rehabilitation. Methods: Patients with at least one endosseous dental implant and a minimum of two standardized periapical radiographs—one at placement (T0) and one during follow-up—were included. Digital radiographs were obtained using the paralleling technique and analyzed with ImageJ^®. Normalized bone density values were calculated for predefined areas of interest (AOIs). Marginal Bone Level (MBL) changes were also assessed. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro–Wilk test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Dunn’s post hoc test with Bonferroni correction. Results: 88 implants in 64 patients were analyzed (198 radiographs; 1299 AOIs measurements). Normalized bone density showed significant temporal changes in several AOIs, mainly from 3 to 12 months, across coronal/middle/apical regions. PIBD decreased by approximately 8% between T0 and 3 months, followed by a significant increase at one year. MBL values were minimal and well below physiologic thresholds throughout follow-up. No significant correlation was found between MBL and normalized bone density. Conclusions: PIBD assessment may be a reliable, non-invasive tool for monitoring osseointegration during follow-up and supporting clinical decision-making in postoperative controls. The temporal pattern observed confirms three radiographic healing phases after implant placement: an initial decrease in PIBD during early remodeling, a subsequent increase reflecting osseointegration, and a final stabilization phase corresponding to tertiary implant stability. Full article

Background and Objectives: Gestational hypertension (GH) is increasingly recognized as an early manifestation of maternal cardiovascular vulnerability. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) enables the evaluation of circadian blood pressure behavior, and a non-dipping blood pressure pattern (NDBP), defined as a nocturnal systolic decline of <10%, has been associated with endothelial dysfunction, placental hypoperfusion, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the prognostic value of NDBP for postpartum chronic hypertension (PPCHT) remains insufficiently explored. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study included 196 women with gestational hypertension beyond 20 weeks of gestation who underwent ABPM between 2013 and 2025. Patients were classified as dippers (≥10% nocturnal systolic decline) or non-dippers (<10%). The primary outcome was postpartum chronic hypertension, defined as a persistent office blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg or continued antihypertensive therapy at 12-month follow-ups. Secondary outcomes included fetal growth restriction (FGR), preeclampsia, and hypertensive complications. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of PPCHT and FGR. Results: In the cohort, 124 women (63.3%) exhibited a non-dipping blood pressure pattern. At 12 months postpartum, 93 women (47.4%) developed chronic hypertension. Non-dipping was significantly more frequent among women with PPCHT compared with those that remained normotensive (75.3% vs. 52.4%). Non-dippers also demonstrated higher rates of fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. In multivariable analysis, NDBP remained independently associated with PPCHT after adjustments for age and daytime blood pressure parameters. Furthermore, NDBP and elevated daytime systolic blood pressure were independent predictors of FGR. Conclusions: A non-dipping blood pressure pattern is highly prevalent in gestational hypertension and is independently associated with both fetal growth restriction and postpartum chronic hypertension. Incorporating ABPM-derived circadian blood pressure phenotyping into antenatal assessments may improve risk stratification and support targeted postpartum cardiovascular surveillance strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bisphosphonates, a class of drugs that are widely used in the treatment of neoplastic diseases, can lead to the development of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). This condition is challenging to manage due to the high incidence of postoperative complications: superinfections, local wound dehiscence, or fractures in pathological bone. The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic role of bovine-derived xenografts in the management of MRONJ. Methods: This retrospective observational study evaluates the clinical outcomes of patients with confirmed stage II or III MRONJ, after surgical treatment with Bio-Oss application. All patients had received zoledronic acid therapy, which was discontinued for a minimum of four months prior to surgical intervention. The surgical protocol included local debridement, sequestrectomy, and grafting of the residual defect with a bone substitute, followed by periodic clinical evaluations and monitoring of local healing with a follow-up period of up to one year. Results: Of the total number of patients treated according to this surgical protocol, 85.71% achieved favorable healing without complications at 8 weeks. Cases with poor local healing results were more likely to have prolonged zoledronic acid administration. Conclusions: Within the limits of this retrospective observational study, the use of bovine-derived xenografts following sequestrectomy in stage II–III MRONJ was associated with satisfactory local healing in several cases. However, considering the limited sample size and lack of a comparator group, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. To better understand the connection between the length of antiresorptive therapy, surgical management techniques, and postoperative outcomes, more prospective, multicenter trials with bigger patient cohorts are needed. Full article

Background: Hydrolyzed collagen peptides (HCP) are widely used as bioactive ingredients in anti-aging and skin rejuvenation formulations due to their role in supporting skin hydration, elasticity, and extracellular matrix integrity. However, their high hydrophilicity limits effective incorporation into lipid-based systems, and restricts controlled release from formulations. Objective: In this study, ethosomal nanocarriers were designed as a phospholipid–ethanol-based system to promote favorable molecular interactions with hydrophilic peptides, aiming to enhance the encapsulation, stability, and controlled release of HCP for dermocosmetic applications. Methods: HCP-loaded ethosomes were prepared using phospholipid (Lipoid P75) and ethanol and optimized by varying high-pressure homogenization cycles. Physicochemical properties, including vesicle size, distribution uniformity, zeta potential, pH, and long-term stability, were monitored for up to 180 days. Vesicle morphology and peptide–lipid interactions were characterized using cryo-scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Encapsulation efficiency was determined by ultrafiltration, while cytocompatibility was assessed in HaCaT keratinocyte cells. In vitro release behavior was investigated using Franz diffusion cells and compared with aqueous HCP solutions. Results: All formulations exhibited nanoscale size distribution and high colloidal stability, with negative zeta potentials ranging from −42.9 to −76.7 mV. The optimized formulation demonstrated sustained encapsulation efficiency (73% after 180 days) and preservation of peptide structure, as confirmed by FTIR, indicating effective chemical stabilization within the ethosomal matrix. Cytotoxicity studies confirmed good skin cell compatibility. In vitro release studies revealed a controlled and prolonged release profile from ethosomal carriers compared with free HCP solutions, suggesting improved topical bioavailability of collagen peptides. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this work provides one of the first systematic investigations of optimized ethosomal systems for the stabilization of hydrophilic collagen peptides as anti-aging dermocosmetic ingredients. These findings demonstrate that optimized HCP-loaded ethosomes represent a promising ingredient formulation platform enabling bioactive preservation, formulation stability, and controlled topical performance for collagen-based skin rejuvenation applications. Full article

Objective: White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is one of the most common and prominent changes seen in elderly individuals, especially on MRI. WMH is associated with serious conditions such as hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, depression and dementia. Recently, the relationship between cerebral venous diameter and WMH was described. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the Fazekas scale, which evaluates the severity of WMH, and cerebral vein diameters, age and clinical outcomes analysis. Materials and Methods: MRI images of 660 patients were examined retrospectively. FLAIR and SWI (MiniP) images were used to evaluate WMH and cerebral vein diameters. Internal cerebral veins (ICV), thalamostriate veins (TSV), anterior septal veins (ASV) and superior sagittal sinus (SSS) diameters were measured. Cerebral vein diameters were compared with age, WMH, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, lacunar infarct and microhemorrhage presence. Results: In the presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, lacunar infarction and microhemorrhage, Fazekas score, mean ICV-right, ICV-left, ASV-right, ASV-left, TSV-right and TSV-left values were significantly higher. The mean ICV-right, ICV-left, ASV-right, ASV-left, TSV-right and TSV-left values of the middle-aged and elderly groups were significantly higher than the young group. A strong positive correlation was observed between age and mean ICV-right, ICV-left, ASV-right and ASV-left values, while a moderate positive correlation was shown with TSV-right and TSV-left values. A weak negative correlation was determined with SSS values. Conclusions: Cerebral vein diameter increases with age and is associated with the severity of WMH. Clinicians can monitor cerebral vein diameter to predict the severity of WMH. Full article

Very-high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery has expanded the scale at which researchers can monitor marine mammals in remote regions and improved monitoring efforts in data-deficient areas. Relatively little is known about beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) distribution in their wintering grounds, due partly to the unpredictability of sea ice formation and limited accessibility. VHR satellite imagery has been used successfully to estimate the abundance of summering beluga whales; however, the feasibility of tasking VHR satellite imagery in the winter and determining the detectability of beluga whales amongst sea ice have not been formally assessed. Our objective was to assess the feasibility of acquiring VHR satellite imagery in the winter and whether beluga whales could be reliably distinguished from sea ice in the imagery. Our study focused on beluga whale populations that are winter residents within James Bay and Cumberland Sound, occupying nearshore open water and ice leads in the winter. Two images were collected in Cumberland Sound covering known beluga whale wintering grounds in February and March 2022 encompassing 745 km², with ice covering >75% of the image, and three images were acquired within James Bay from January to March 2024 spanning over 5700 km², with ice covering >86% of the survey area. We observed 0 certain and 294 uncertain detections, suggesting that current satellite imagery resolutions are too low for confidently detecting beluga whales amongst densely packed ice. High-definition sharpening to 15 cm reduced the number of uncertain detections, but we were still unable to identify any certain whales. Continued advancements in imagery resolution are required to distinguish beluga whales from sea ice and improve year-round beluga whale monitoring. Full article

Background: Obesity is traditionally defined by excess fat mass; however, the preservation of fat-free mass (FFM), particularly skeletal muscle, has gained increasing relevance due to its metabolic, endocrine, and functional roles. Weight loss interventions, including hypocaloric diets, pharmacological treatments, and bariatric surgery, are frequently associated with unintended loss of skeletal mass, increasing the risk of sarcopenic obesity and related complications. Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of whey protein supplementation in preserving fat-free mass and muscle-related outcomes in adults with obesity undergoing weight loss interventions. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials published in English were identified through searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Embase, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP, searched up to September 2025. Eligible studies included adults (>18 years) with obesity receiving whey protein supplementation as part of a hypocaloric diet, compared with placebo or standard interventions. Primary outcomes were changes in fat-free mass assessed by validated methods (DXA, BIA, MRI), while secondary outcomes included body weight, fat mass, metabolic parameters, adherence, and safety. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool, and certainty of evidence was evaluated with GRADE. The abstract was registered in PROSPERO with code CRD420251069996. There was no funding and no conflicts of interest. Results: Fourteen randomized controlled trials were included. Whey protein supplementation generally supported the maintenance or modest improvement of fat-free mass, particularly when combined with resistance exercise or anabolic-enriched formulations such as leucine or vitamin D. Several trials, however, reported neutral effects, especially in the absence of structured physical activity. Overall, effect estimates ranged from small gains to null or uncertain differences, and the certainty of evidence was frequently downgraded due to limited sample sizes, wide confidence intervals, heterogeneity across interventions and assessment methods, short follow-up periods, and methodological limitations including open-label designs and inconsistent adherence monitoring. Conclusions: Whey protein supplementation may support fat-free mass preservation during weight loss in adults with obesity, particularly as part of a multimodal intervention. Further high-quality trials are needed to define optimal dosing strategies and target populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated exercise-induced changes in body composition and metabolic biomarkers in women across distinct BMI categories and individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 40 sedentary women were stratified into five groups (n = 8): underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, and T2DM. The rigorous eight-week supervised program utilized submaximal exercise at 70–85% heart rate reserve, calculated via the Karvonen method and monitored by telemetry. Assessments included anthropometric parameters (BMI, fat mass, visceral fat) and serum biomarkers (irisin, myonectin, HIF-1α, insulin, glucose). Fasting venous samples were collected at baseline and 72 h post-intervention to minimize acute effects, then analyzed using validated ELISA protocols. Statistical data were evaluated using parametric or non-parametric tests with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Post-intervention, significant reductions in weight, fat mass, and visceral fat occurred in overweight, obese, and T2DM groups (p < 0.05). Muscle mass increased across all cohorts. Fasting insulin and glucose decreased significantly in all except the underweight group, with the most pronounced improvements in T2DM and obese participants. Serum irisin increased significantly across all groups (p < 0.05), indicating a universal exercise-induced myokine response. Conversely, myonectin levels decreased significantly only in the normal-weight group, while HIF-1α increased specifically in the T2DM cohort. These findings suggest that baseline BMI and metabolic status are critical determinants of exercise responsiveness, leading to heterogeneous biomarker patterns despite consistent improvements in body composition and basic glycemic regulation. Conclusions: An eight-week submaximal program effectively improves body composition and glycemic regulation, though specific biomarker responses are highly dependent on baseline BMI and metabolic status. Full article

Camera-based wildlife monitoring is often overwhelmed by non-target triggers and slowed by manual review or cloud-dependent inference, which can prevent timely intervention for high stakes human–wildlife conflicts. Our key contribution is a deployable, fully offline edge vision sensor that achieves near-real-time, highly accurate wildlife event classification by combining detector-based empty-image suppression with a lightweight classifier trained with a staged transfer-learning curriculum. Specifically, Stage 1 uses a pretrained You Only Look Once (YOLO)-family detector for permissive animal localization and empty-trigger suppression, and Stage 2 uses a lightweight EfficientNet-based binary classifier to confirm puma on detector crops and gate downstream actions. Our design is robust to low-quality nighttime monochrome imagery (motion blur, low contrast, illumination artifacts, and partial-body captures) and operates using commercially available components in connectivity-limited settings. In field deployments running since May 2025, end-to-end latency from camera trigger to action command is approximately 4 s. Ablation studies using a dataset of labeled wildlife images (pumas, not pumas) show that the two-stage approach substantially reduces false alarms in identifying pumas relative to a full-image classifier while maintaining high recall. On the held-out test set ($N=1434$ events), the proposed two-stage cascade achieves precision $0.983$, recall $0.975$, F1 $0.979$, accuracy $0.986$, and balanced accuracy $0.983$, with only 8 false positives and 12 false negatives. The system can be easily adapted for other species, as demonstrated by rapid retraining of the second stage to classify ringtails. Downstream responses (e.g., notifications and optional audio/light outputs) provide flexible actuation capabilities that can be configured to support intervention. Full article

Obesity in dogs is an increasing health and animal welfare problem as it is associated with numerous secondary diseases and reduced life span. While the causes and consequences of obesity are well documented, the change in cardiorespiratory resilience and mobility parameters in addition to weight loss has rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to analyse the change effects during individualised obesity therapy intervals in accordance with the current state of research on canine obesity and on physical fitness. In a prospective single-arm, non-randomised study without a control arm, 13 obese dogs (Body condition score (BCS) ≥ 7/9) were included. To assess mobility, a submaximal fitness test and gait analysis on a treadmill were performed before and after therapy. The dogs reduced their body weight by 15.26 ± 4.99%. After weight loss, the dogs showed statistically significantly lower heart rates and lactate values, as well as higher pCO₂ and bicarbonate values as indicators of cardiorespiratory resilience. Concerning parameters of mobility, statistically significant changes in the absolute forces and the asymmetrical force distribution were found. The force distribution between the thoracic and pelvic limbs showed a shift towards the pelvic limbs and the symmetry index of the pelvic limbs was lower. The data collected in this study showed how body weight in obese dogs, but also physical fitness parameters change during therapy intervals. The results of this study provide effect sizes to implement standardised submaximal fitness tests and gait analysis as tools for objective monitoring of therapy progress in future studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: African swine fever is currently the most devastating viral disease affecting domestic and wild suids, causing major economic losses and severe impacts on natural populations. Oral immunization could become an important tool to control the panzootic and support wild pig conservation. However, this requires safe and effective vaccines, baits accepted by target species, and vaccine reservoirs that reliably release the vaccine during bait intake while maintaining vaccine integrity. Methods: We evaluated different bait types and vaccine containers in four wild Suiformes species, including Eurasian wild boar. In the same wild boar, we assessed oral vaccination with the live attenuated vaccine candidate “ASFV-G-ΔI177L”. Environmental monitoring approaches were applied to detect potential virus shedding, and vaccine immunogenicity and dissemination were evaluated. Vaccine stability was tested in vitro in two container types under different temperature conditions. Results: Bait uptake and container performance varied between manufacturers and among species. Environmental samples were largely negative for vaccine virus genome under controlled laboratory conditions, with only a few positive cotton ropes (0.43% of all samples). After oral bait vaccination, 45% (9/20) of wild boar seroconverted, with a higher proportion in animals receiving the vaccine in the slightly less attractive bait (gelatine-based). Vaccine virus dissemination was limited to a small number of organs, including gastrohepatic and mandibular lymph nodes. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that wild pigs can be vaccinated orally with “ASFV-G-ΔI177L” while virus shedding appears minimal. Although the tested baits show potential for multiple target species, baits and containers require optimization. Environmental monitoring methods also need refinement for field application. Full article