Search

Abstract: The use of ChrX-STRs is enormous in forensic case as these have proven to be powerful tools, mainly in deficiency paternity cases when the disputed child is female, and also some special cases involving blood relatives, incest cases, fetal typing in abortion material. The Mentype® Argus X-8 kit is a commercial multiplex system which contains Amelogenin for gender determination as well as gonosomal STR markers (DXS8378, HPRTB, DXS7423, DXS7132, DXS10134, DXS10074, DXS10101 and DXS10135). Validation studies were being performed on blood obtained from the volunteers in Turkish population. In this study, some parameters were taken under consideration for validation like DNA extraction using different protocols, quantitated by using commercially available Invitrogen Qubit Fluorometer, reaction volume validation of Master Mix and the analysis of female/male, female/female and male/male mixtures were performed. The conditions were optimized and validated using GenAmp 9700 and reducing reaction volume from 25μl to 12.5μl and 6.5μl. After reducing the total volume of the reaction, the results were same and there was no effect on peak height and quality when analyzed on ABI 310 genetic analyzer. 2 paternity cases were also performed which gave the same power of discrimination as has been mentioned in Mentype® Argus X-8 kit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A drop test simulation of the mechanical structure of a redesigned dishwasher is performed by using a detailed finite element (FE) model. The nonlinear explicit FE code LS-DYNA® is used for the drop impact simulations. The FE model is validated through real tests of two drop scenarios (vertical and inclined to the side). An optimization study is performed in order to determine the optimum design variables for better crash performance. The effects of geometric parameters and material properties on the weights of certain components (ie, dogleg plate and bottom foam) are investigated. A surrogate-based optimization approach is used to find optimum values for the dogleg plate thickness, bottom foam density and increment of the bottom foam height to minimize the weights of both components. Two different surrogate models are used to predict optimization problem constraints that have a crucial role in the crash performance of the dishwasher mechanical structure and packaging module: the polynomial response surface and radial basis functions. The results showed that the dogleg plate mass can be slightly reduced and the bottom foam mass can be significantly reduced in order to obtain the optimum dishwasher configuration and better crashworthiness. The weights of the dogleg plate and bottom foam could be lowered by as much as 5.95 and 24.8 %, respectively. Finally, multi-objective optimization is performed by minimizing a composite objective function that provides a compromise between the weights of both components. The results showed that weight reductions of 2.3 and 21.5 % could be obtained for the dogleg plate and bottom foam, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to compare an Apple iOS mobile operating system application for audiological evaluation with conventional audiometry, and to determine its accuracy and reliability in the initial evaluation of hearing loss. Methods: The study comprised 32 patients (16 females) diagnosed with hearing loss. The patients were first evaluated with conventional audiometry and the degree of hearing loss was recorded. Then they underwent a smartphone-based hearing test and the data were compared using Cohen's kappa analysis. Results: Patients' mean age was 53.59 ± 18.01 years (range, 19-85 years). The mobile phone audiometry results for 39 of the 64 ears were fully compatible with the conventional audiometry results. There was a statistically significant concordant relationship between the two sets of audiometry results (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Ear Trumpet version 1.0.2 is a compact and simple mobile application on the Apple iPhone 5 that can measure hearing loss with reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Mn75.7Pt24.3 exhibits phase transformation in the temperature range of 180–200°C. [•] Both the high and low temperature phases have face-centered cubic structures. [•] Alloy possesses high damping capacity during phase transformation. [•] Mn75.7Pt24.3 has transformation strain of 0.5% with a volume change of 1.5%. [•] Mn75.7Pt24.3 is a promising candidate for high temperature actuator applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we have investigated the influence of different types of doping elements on magnetic properties of M-type BaFeO samples. It was observed that NbO addition increases the coercive field, the remanence magnetization ( M), and saturation magnetization ( M) values by about 27 %, 47 %, and 53 %, respectively. In the same manner, MnO also improves the magnetic parameters significantly. The M and M values show increments up to 40 % in magnitude. On the other hand, the best magnetic properties were achieved by the addition of CuO to the BO doped BaFeO. These materials have M and M values up to ∼34 emu/g and ∼62 emu/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Tb3+ substituted Sr hexaferrite was prepared by sol-gel auto-combustion approach. • Radiation absorption in high frequency range (2–18 GHz) caused by Absorption due to natural ferromagnetic resonance (NFMR). • Radiation absorption in high frequency range (2–18 GHz) caused by Absorption due to dipole polarization. The SrFe 12−x Tb x O 19 (x ≤ 0.10) nanohexaferrites (HFs) have been synthesized via citrate solgel approach. The phase formation, chemical purity, morphology and composition of the products were analyzed by X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), Scanning and Transmission electron microscopes (SEM and TEM). Electromagnetic properties as such as frequency dependences of the loss tangents and reflection losses were investigated in the range of frequency from 2 to 18 GHz. The set of experimental data allowed to establish the nature of the electromagnetic power losses in SrFe 12−x Tb x O 19 nanohexaferrites (HFs). It was demonstrated two main mechanisms of the electromagnetic radiation absorption in high frequency range (2–18 GHz): 1. Absorption due to natural ferromagnetic resonance (NFMR) and 2. Absorption due to dipole polarization. The results show the promise of using these materials for microwave applications (ensuring electromagnetic compatibility). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the influence of baseline volumetric 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) parameters and inflammatory prognostic markers on complete response (CR) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT)., Materials and Methods: In total, 90 patients with LARC, including those with and without CR, were evaluated based on baseline volumetric PET/CT parameters, such as maximum standard uptake value, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), tumor lesion glycolysis, and inflammatory prognostic markers, including the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio., Results: Of the 90 patients, 62 (68.9%) were male and 28 (31.1%) were female. The median age was 61 (31-81) years. A complete response was observed in 20 (22%) patients following nCRT. Of these, 5 demonstrated a clinical complete response, whereas 15 exhibited a complete response after surgery. A low pretreatment PLR, low MTV levels, and stage 2 disease were identified as significant predictors of complete response. The optimal cutoff values were 16.5 for MTV (sensitivity 80%, specificity 62%) and 121 for PLR (sensitivity 73%, specificity 65%)., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that stage 2 disease, low pretreatment MTV, and low PLR levels may be predictive of a CR to nCRT in patients with LARC., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Background: The prevalence of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) in coronary angiography (CAG) has risen with ageing populations, along with the expansion of CTO percutaneous coronary interventions (CTO-PCI). However, CTO-PCI encounters challenges such as undersized stents, dissection risks, and limited access to intravascular imaging (IVI), particularly in regions with limited health budgets. This study introduces the 'GIVE IT TIME TO SOBER UP - GITSU strategy', a two-session CTO-PCI approach where Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI-3) antegrade flow is achieved without stent placement in the first session. We aim to present its key attributes, outcomes, and implications for invasive cardiology., Methods: Demographic data, CTO lesion characteristics in the first PCI session, procedural features, in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular adverse events (MACE), technical features of the second PCI session, and in-hospital MACE were examined., Results: We applied the GITSU strategy to 53 CTO lesions between August 2020 and June 2023. The mean lesion length was shortened compared to the first session (21.3 ± 10.5%). There was an increase in mean distal reference vessel diameter (2.52 ± 0.49 mm), and the increase was 24.2%±11.3% compared to the first session. There was 24.4%±11.5% stent length savings. We achieved an increase in stent size of 20.3% to 10.1% compared to the mean stent diameter. The technical success and procedural success rate were 92.5% and 90.6%, respectively., Conclusion: Patients who underwent GITSU used shorter and wider stents in the second PCI session. This strategy is likely to reduce TLR and ISR rates.

Adenoid hypertrophy, characterized by the abnormal enlargement of adenoid tissue, is a condition that can cause significant breathing and sleep disturbances, particularly in children. Accurate diagnosis of adenoid hypertrophy is critical, yet traditional methods, such as imaging and manual interpretation, are prone to errors. This study uses an ensemble deep learning-based approach for adenoid classification. It utilizes a unique dataset sourced from Batman Training and Research Hospital. The dataset is composed of masked and non-masked X-ray images. It is used to train and compare the performance of multiple convolutional neural network (CNN) models. By comparing classification accuracy between masked and non-masked datasets, the study reveals the importance of image preprocessing. Six deep learning models-EfficientNet, MobileNet, ResNet50, ResNet152, VGG16, and Xception-are tested, with ResNet50 achieving the highest accuracy (100% on masked images), while Xception performs the worst (65% F1-score). The results indicate that masking significantly enhances the accuracy and reliability of adenoid classification. ResNet50 and EfficientNet show strong generalization capabilities. Conversely, the lower performance of models like Xception highlights the variability in model suitability for this task. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing deep learning models for medical image classification and it advances the field of AI-based adenoid detection., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine.)

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the outcomes and conduct a cost analysis between plate screw fixation and conservative treatment., Patients and Methods: The retrospective study was conducted with 36 patients (32 males, 4 females; mean age: 30.3±13.4 years; range, 16 to 65 years) between May 2019 and July 2023. The patients were divided into two groups: those who underwent surgery with miniplate fixation (n=21) and those who were conservatively managed (n=15). The differences in postoperative shortening and angulation were compared between these groups. Additionally, the patients' postoperative functional scores, complication rates, examination findings, and cost analyses were compared., Results: The per-patient cost in the surgical group was higher than in the conservatively treated group (€246.96 vs. €45.07; p<0.001). While postoperative shortening and angulation were more pronounced in the nonoperative group, the other clinical parameters and functional scores were improved. The return-to-work time was longer in the nonoperative group due to prolonged immobilization., Conclusion: Nonoperative splint treatment for metacarpal shaft fractures shows better radiological and clinical outcomes than surgery, except for angulation and shortening, which have limited impact on function. Due to higher costs in surgical cases, nonoperative treatment is more cost-effective. Larger, randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Background : Metabolomics measurements are noisy, often characterized by a small sample size and missing entries. While data-driven methods have shown promise in terms of analyzing metabolomics data, e.g., revealing biomarkers of various phenotypes, metabolomics data analysis can significantly benefit from incorporating prior information about metabolic mechanisms. This paper introduces a novel data analysis approach to incorporate mechanistic models in metabolomics data analysis. Methods : We arranged time-resolved metabolomics measurements of plasma samples collected during a meal challenge test from the COPSAC 2000 cohort as a third-order tensor: subjects by metabolites by time samples . Simulated challenge test data generated using a human whole-body metabolic model were also arranged as a third-order tensor: virtual subjects by metabolites by time samples . Real and simulated data sets were coupled in the metabolites mode and jointly analyzed using coupled tensor factorizations to reveal the underlying patterns. Results : Our experiments demonstrated that the joint analysis of simulated and real data had better performance in terms of pattern discovery, achieving higher correlations with a BMI (body mass index)-related phenotype compared to the analysis of only real data in males, while in females, the performance was comparable. We also demonstrated the advantages of such a joint analysis approach in the presence of incomplete measurements and its limitations in the presence of wrong prior information. Conclusions : The joint analysis of real measurements and simulated data (generated using a mechanistic model) through coupled tensor factorizations guides real data analysis with prior information encapsulated in mechanistic models and reveals interpretable patterns.

Objective  To assess the efficacy of distal radius volar plates in cases involving dorsal fragments at the Ulnar Corner (UC) and Lister Tubercle (LT). Methods  A retrospective study that included patients with distal radius fractures (DRFs) featuring UC and LT dorsal fragments treated with volar plates. The exclusion criteria comprised lunate facet fractures, UC fragment ratio below 25%, and patients treated with dorsal plates. Radiographic and tomographic measurements included radial length (RL), radial inclination (RI), ulnar variance (UV), palmar tilt (PT), fragment areas, UC fragment ratio, and displacement. The scores on the Gartland Werley (GW) classification and on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, as well as grip strength, and range of motion (ROM), were assessed. Results  The study involved 17 male and 5 female subjects (mean age: 39.7 ± 10.7 years). The UC and LT fragments displayed mean areas of 1.6 ± 0.7cm 2 and UC fragment ratio of 0.4 ± 0.1. The fixation rates for UC and LT fragments were of 18.2% and 31.8% respectively. Improved RI, UV, and PT were noted postoperatively. The mean GW and DASH scores were of 2.1 ± 2.0 and 4.3 ± 3.2 respectively. Grip strength on the operated side was of 89.5 ± 9.8% of the healthy side, and at least 90.9% of the patients achieved adequate ROM. Conclusion  While volar plates are the standard treatment for intra-articular DRFs, displaced dorsal fragments can impact the outcomes. Mini dorsal incisions may aid in the fixation of UC fragments that are challenging to secure with volar plates, preserving joint health., Competing Interests: Conflito de Interesses Os autores não têm conflito de interesses a declarar., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).)

Objective: Collateral vessels develop from pre-existing arterioles in response to shear stress from arterial stenosis and mechanosensor activation. Animal studies suggest that these vessels increase in number and size after arterial occlusion, potentially offering a natural bypass and protection against critical limb ischemia. Efforts to enhance collateral vessel growth aim to improve walking performance in peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Factors influencing collateral vessel formation include plaque accumulation, tissue components, and comorbid conditions. Balloon angioplasty is a primary treatment for PAD but often leads to vessel dissection, with severe dissections linked to reduced long-term patency and requiring additional treatments. The relationship between collateral vessel characteristics and dissection severity remains unexplored., Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed endovascular treatments for femoropopliteal chronic total occlusion (FP-CTO) in 824 limbs of 706 PAD patients from January 2018 to May 2023. Exclusion criteria included prior treatments, severe aortoiliac and common femoral artery disease, and deep femoral artery disease. The final cohort comprised 410 limbs from 387 patients. Data on risk factors, lesion characteristics, and procedural details were collected. Collateral vessels were assessed by grade and number, and vessel dissection was categorized from Type A to Type F. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of severe dissection., Results: Severe dissection was more frequent in TASC II C/D lesions and in patients with longer FP-CTO lengths, CTOP class-4 plaque morphology, flush ostial CTO, severe calcification, and large or numerous collateral vessels. Significant predictors of severe dissection included end-stage renal disease, FP-CTO length, CTOP class-4, flush ostial CTO, severe calcification, and large collateral vessels., Conclusion: Longer CTO lengths and complex plaque characteristics increase the risk of severe dissection during balloon angioplasty. Large and numerous collateral vessels are associated with severe dissection. Severe dissection is more common in complex lesions and those with end-stage renal disease. The findings suggest that plaque compliance and collateral vessel characteristics are crucial in assessing dissection risk, highlighting the need for further research with larger cohorts and advanced imaging techniques., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: Overuse of analgesics can lead to medication-overuse headache (MOH) in chronic migraine (CM) patients, and is often linked to addiction. This study explores the addiction-related characteristics and somatic amplification in patients with, CM with medication overuse headache (CM+MOH), CM, and healthy controls., Methods: 73 CM patients and 70 CM+MOH, along with 63 healthy controls, participated in the study. Assessments included a Sociodemographic Form, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), Addiction Profile Index (API), Addiction Profile Index-Clinical Version (API-C), and the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS)., Results: Substance use characteristics, craving, motivation for use, and addiction severity scores were higher in the CM+MOH group than in both the CM and the control group. Specifically, the SSAS scores within the CM+MOH group surpassed those of both the CM and control groups. In the CM+MOH group, SSAS scores were a strong predictor of the amount of analgesic usage. Besides, craving and motivation for substance use scores significantly predicted the number of days analgesic taken per month in the CM+MOH group CONCLUSION: CM patients with MOH exhibit a pronounced association with addiction, and a heightened manifestation of somatic symptoms. Addressing addiction characteristics and psychosomatic amplification is important to ensure comprehensive management., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: YouTube™ has a great role in providing information, which includes educational videos, to more than 2 billion users, making it the second most popular application in the world. BE-FAST is a modified version of the FAST mnemonic and is used to detect acute ischemic stroke by the patients or their relatives. The purpose of this study is to assess the overall usefulness of the information of YouTube in patients to realize an acute stroke attack., Methods: YouTube was searched for the following five terms: "stroke", ''stroke diagnosis", "stroke signs", "brain attack" and "what is stroke" in November 2021 and May 2023, separately. Two independent neurology specialists scored each video by using Global Quality Scale (GQS)., Results: Among the total of 150 videos, the number that met inclusion criteria was 91 for the November 2021 search and 104 for the May 2023 search. For the 2021 search, in 30 videos (33%), the FAST mnemonic or its contents were noticed, whereas BE-FAST was mentioned in only four videos (4.4%). For the 2023 search, the FAST mnemonic or its contents were noticed in 36 videos (34.6%) and BE-FAST was mentioned in 11 videos (10.6%). Among the 2021 and 2023 searches, the mean GQS values were 3.09 and 2.96 points, 50 (54.8%) vs. 56 (53.8%) videos rated 3.5 points or higher (high quality), respectively. GQS scores of the videos mentioning balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and time, the basic and advanced information about radiology and treatment, and mentioning FAST, BE-FAST, and TPA were significantly higher., Conclusion: We conclude that YouTube is not yet a very useful tool for patients to realize that they may have acute ischemic stroke, though over the years; information available on social media for healthcare information and education has improved., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Longitudinal metabolomics data from a meal challenge test contains both fasting and dynamic signals, that may be related to metabolic health and diseases. Recent work has explored the multiway structure of time-resolved metabolomics data by arranging it as a three-way array with modes: subjects, metabolites, and time. The analysis of such dynamic data (where the fasting data is subtracted from postprandial states) reveals dynamic markers of various phenotypes, and differences between fasting and dynamic states. However, there is still limited success in terms of extracting static and dynamic biomarkers for the same subject stratifications., Objectives: Through joint analysis of fasting and dynamic metabolomics data, our goal is to capture static and dynamic biomarkers of a phenotype for the same subject stratifications providing a complete picture, that will be more effective for precision health., Methods: We jointly analyze fasting and dynamic metabolomics data collected during a meal challenge test from the COPSAC 2000 cohort using coupled matrix and tensor factorizations (CMTF), where the dynamic data (subjects by metabolites by time) is coupled with the fasting data (subjects by metabolites) in the subjects mode., Results: The proposed data fusion approach extracts shared subject stratifications in terms of BMI (body mass index) from fasting and dynamic signals as well as the static and dynamic metabolic biomarker patterns corresponding to those stratifications. Specifically, we observe a subject stratification showing the positive association with all fasting VLDLs and higher BMI. For the same subject stratification, a subset of dynamic VLDLs (mainly the smaller sizes) correlates negatively with higher BMI. Higher correlations of the subject quantifications with the phenotype of interest are observed using such a data fusion approach compared to individual analyses of the fasting and postprandial state., Conclusion: The CMTF-based approach provides a complete picture of static and dynamic biomarkers for the same subject stratifications-when markers are present in both fasting and dynamic states., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, a combined multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach that integrates the logarithm methodology of additive weights (LMAW) and the double normalization-based multiple aggregation (DNMA) methods has been utilized to determine the optimal fabric structures considering the performance characteristics of denim fabrics containing recycled cotton. This approach focuses on sustainability and performance criteria, applying advanced decision-making methodologies to provide in-depth analysis and guidance for denim fabric selection. In this research, 15 distinct criteria were taken into account. Alternatives were ranked based on outcomes obtained from these methods. Although it was not anticipated that the top-ranked alternatives would simultaneously fulfill the beneficial or non-beneficial orientation of all criteria, an examination of the top three alternatives (A12, A5, and A15) for both garment groups revealed that they indeed aligned with the pre-determined criterion orientation. This highlights the effectiveness of the multi-criteria decision-making approach in the context of this study.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the functional outcomes and direct costs of Stack splints and aluminum finger splints when used in the conservative management of patients with acute Doyle type IVb bony mallet finger., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics, functional outcomes (using the Crawford classification, DIP flexion angles, and extension lag measurements), time to confirmation of union, and splint costs of 24 patients treated with aluminum finger splints (Group 1) and 20 patients treated with Stack splints (Group 2)., Results: Of 44 patients, the median age was 38 (range, 20-59) years, 14 (32%) were smokers, 23 (52%) had fourth digit injuries, 32 (70%) had injuries to the dominant hand, 30 (68%) had a mechanism of injury of a fall, and median follow-up was 15 (range, 12-18) months; none of these differed significantly between Group 1 and Group 2 (all p > 0.05). In Group 1, functional outcomes were excellent and good in 14 (58%) and 10 (42%) patients, respectively; in Group 2 functional outcomes were excellent and good in 13 (62%) and 7 (35%) patients, respectively; and there was no significant difference between the groups. Median extension lag was 3.2° (range, 3.0°-3.5°) in group 1 and 3.4° (range, 3.2°-3.8°) in group 2, indicating no significant difference between groups. Complete union was confirmed radiographically in all patients. Per-patient cost was significantly lower for aluminum finger splints (0.208 TRY [US $0.03]) than for Stack splints (25 TRY [US $3.60])., Conclusions: Good functional outcomes are possible with the use of either Stack or aluminum finger splints in patients with acute Doyle type IVb mallet finger, confirming that conservative management may be appropriate for these injuries. Direct costs of Stack splints are many times greater than those of aluminum splints, though the costs for both are relatively low., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level III., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2023 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The current study aims to evaluate the OX40, TIM-3, LAG-3, and PD-L1 targeted pathways in the regulation of T-cell activity in sarcoma patients to determine their relationship with overall survival (OS). Method: This study included one hundred and eleven patients with bone and soft tissue sarcoma diagnosed in two centers between 2010 and 2020. OX40, LAG-3, TIM-3 and PD-L1 expression levels were evaluated immunohistochemically from pathology preparations. Results: PD-L1 staining was detected in tumor cells, OX40, LAG-3, TIM-3 staining was detected in inflammatory cells in tumor tissue. In univariate analysis, no significant relationship was found between OX40, TIM-3, LAG-3, and PD-L1 staining and overall survival (respectively: p = 0.12, p = 0.49, p = 0.31, p = 0.95). When grade and stage at diagnosis, which were found to be significant in univariate analysis, along with OX-40, TIM-3, LAG-3, and PD-L1, were evaluated in multivariate analysis, a positive effect of OX-40 staining on overall survival was determined ( p = 0.009). Considering the correlation between PDL-1 and OX40, TIM-3, and LAG-3 staining, a significant positive correlation was found between PDL-1 and TIM-3 and LAG-3 staining (respectively; p = 0.002, p = 0.001). Conclusions: There was no significant relationship between the PDL-1 staining percentage of tumor cells and OX40, TIM-3, and LAG-3 staining in inflammatory cells with the OS of sarcoma patients. However, detecting a significant positive correlation between PDL-1 staining and TIM-3 and LAG-3 staining also holds promise for finding effective targetable combination therapies that can prolong survival in sarcoma patients in the future.

This study aimed to assess the effect of the status of the tendon and patient factors on patient satisfaction after rotator cuff repair. Forty-six patients treated for tears with a minimum of 5-year follow-up were included. Gender, age, and active smoking status were recorded. Pain visual analogue scale, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, Simple Shoulder Test, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation were recorded preoperatively and at the last follow-up. Patients were divided into groups of highly satisfied (HS) and vaguely satisfied (VS) patients. Patients were evaluated with MRI both preoperatively and at their last follow-up. Of the 46 patients, 17 were HS and 29 were VS. The HS group had 7 re-ruptures, 4 of which were progressed tears, whereas the VS group had 15 re-ruptures, 4 of which were progressed tears. There was no difference in the rate of re-ruptures or progressed tears between groups. The HS group had a higher frequency of males. However, frequencies of active smoking or osteoarthritis of grade 2 or higher were lower in the HS group. It was shown that patient satisfaction after repair depends on patient-related factors like gender and smoking rather than tendon healing or degeneration., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction: Analysis of time-resolved postprandial metabolomics data can improve our understanding of the human metabolism by revealing similarities and differences in postprandial responses of individuals. Traditional data analysis methods often rely on data summaries or univariate approaches focusing on one metabolite at a time., Objectives: Our goal is to provide a comprehensive picture in terms of the changes in the human metabolism in response to a meal challenge test, by revealing static and dynamic markers of phenotypes, i.e., subject stratifications, related clusters of metabolites, and their temporal profiles., Methods: We analyze Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy measurements of plasma samples collected during a meal challenge test from 299 individuals from the COPSAC 2000 cohort using a Nightingale NMR panel at the fasting and postprandial states (15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 240 min). We investigate the postprandial dynamics of the metabolism as reflected in the dynamic behaviour of the measured metabolites. The data is arranged as a three-way array: subjects by metabolites by time. We analyze the fasting state data to reveal static patterns of subject group differences using principal component analysis (PCA), and fasting state-corrected postprandial data using the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) tensor factorization to reveal dynamic markers of group differences., Results: Our analysis reveals dynamic markers consisting of certain metabolite groups and their temporal profiles showing differences among males according to their body mass index (BMI) in response to the meal challenge. We also show that certain lipoproteins relate to the group difference differently in the fasting vs. dynamic state. Furthermore, while similar dynamic patterns are observed in males and females, the BMI-related group difference is observed only in males in the dynamic state., Conclusion: The CP model is an effective approach to analyze time-resolved postprandial metabolomics data, and provides a compact but a comprehensive summary of the postprandial data revealing replicable and interpretable dynamic markers crucial to advance our understanding of changes in the metabolism in response to a meal challenge., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Today, as in every life-threatening disease, early diagnosis of brain tumors plays a life-saving role. The brain tumor is formed by the transformation of brain cells from their normal structures into abnormal cell structures. These formed abnormal cells begin to form in masses in the brain regions. Nowadays, many different techniques are employed to detect these tumor masses, and the most common of these techniques is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). In this study, it is aimed to automatically detect brain tumors with the help of ensemble deep learning architectures (ResNet50, VGG19, InceptionV3 and MobileNet) and Class Activation Maps (CAMs) indicators by employing MRI images. The proposed system was implemented in three stages. In the first stage, it was determined whether there was a tumor in the MR images (Binary Approach). In the second stage, different tumor types (Normal, Glioma Tumor, Meningioma Tumor, Pituitary Tumor) were detected from MR images (Multi-class Approach). In the last stage, CAMs of each tumor group were created as an alternative tool to facilitate the work of specialists in tumor detection. The results showed that the overall accuracy of the binary approach was calculated as 100% on the ResNet50, InceptionV3 and MobileNet architectures, and 99.71% on the VGG19 architecture. Moreover, the accuracy values of 96.45% with ResNet50, 93.40% with VGG19, 85.03% with InceptionV3 and 89.34% with MobileNet architectures were obtained in the multi-class approach., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)