Medical students and house officers' perception, attitude and potential barriers towards artificial intelligence in Egypt, cross sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the sectors of medical research that is expanding the fastest right now in healthcare. AI has rapidly advanced in the field of medicine, helping to treat a variety of illnesses and reducing the number of diagnostic and follow-up errors. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the perception and attitude towards artificial intelligence (AI) among medical students & house officers in Egypt. METHODS: An online cross-sectional study was done using a questionnaire on the Google Form website. The survey collected demographic data and explored participants' perception, attitude & potential barriers towards AI. RESULTS: There are 1,346 responses from Egyptian medical students (25.8%) & house officers (74.2%). Most participants have inadequate perception (76.4%) about the importance and usage of AI in the medical field, while the majority (87.4%) have a negative attitude. Multivariate analysis revealed that age is the only independent predictor of AI perception (AOR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.13). However, perception level and gender are both independent predictors of attitude towards AI (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.37-2.74 & AOR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.30-2.49, respectively). CONCLUSION: The study found that medical students and house officers in Egypt have an overall negative attitude towards the integration of AI technologies in healthcare. Despite the potential benefits of AI-driven digital medicine, most respondents expressed concerns about the practical application of these technologies in the clinical setting. The current study highlights the need to address the concerns of medical students and house officers towards AI integration in Egypt. A multi-pronged approach, including education, targeted training, and addressing specific concerns, is necessary to facilitate the wider adoption of AI-enabled healthcare.

Profile of immune response during nasal challenge with dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in subjects with allergic airway diseases.

BACKGROUND: T lymphocyte helper (Th) 2 plays the main role in pathogenesis of allergic airway diseases (AAD). Recent studies showed that interleukin (IL) 33, Th17 and Th22 also may be involved in allergic inflammation. The aim is to evaluate cytokine level before and after nasal challenge with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in patients with AAD. METHODS: Patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (AR) with or without allergic asthma (AA) allergic to house dust mite and healthy individuals underwent nasal challenge with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Measurements of IL-13, IL-17, IL-22 and IL-33 in serum and nasal lavage were performed before, 2 and 22 h after nasal challenge by ELISA. RESULTS: . Ten patients with AR only, 6 patients with AR and AA and 7 healthy individuals were involved in the study. Serum IL-22 level significantly increased in patients with AR and AA and nasal lavage IL-22 tended to increase in patients with AAD after nasal challenge. Serum IL-13 level tended to increase in patients with AR and AA. IL-13 level in nasal lavage fluid decreased at 22 h after nasal challenge in patients with AR only. IL-17 level in serum and nasal lavage decreased in patients with AAD. Serum IL-33 tended to increase after nasal challenge whereas IL-33 in nasal lavage significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: Cytokine profile differs between local and systemic compartments and between patients with allergic rhinitis only and patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma after nasal challenge.

Tracking Magnesium Dynamics in Bell's Palsy: Correlations with Disease Progression and Recovery.

This study investigates the relationship between serum magnesium levels and recovery outcomes in Bell's Palsy patients, aiming to elucidate magnesium's potential neuroprotective role in this condition. Conducted as a prospective cohort study at a tertiary care hospital, 50 Bell's Palsy patients had their serum magnesium levels measured at diagnosis and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-diagnosis. Recovery was assessed using the House-Brackmann scale. The findings indicated an initial average serum magnesium level of 1.8 ± 0.3 mg/dL, increasing to 2.1 ± 0.3 mg/dL over six months. Higher baseline magnesium levels were significantly associated with improved recovery outcomes, with an Odds Ratio of 2.0 (p < 0.001). Longitudinal analysis revealed that increases in serum magnesium levels significantly correlated with improvements in the House-Brackmann grade (p < 0.001). These results suggest that rising serum magnesium levels are linked to better recovery in Bell's Palsy, advocating for further research into magnesium supplementation as a therapeutic strategy to enhance recovery in these patients. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-04796-4.

Curriculum guide for teaching house officers and faculty: applying procedure codes effectively using chemical denervation as a model.

Introduction: The healthcare system in the United States relies heavily on physician-and house officer-driven initiation of billing and coding for collection of hospital payments and professional fees. Under the umbrella of practice management is the ever-changing and suboptimally taught concept of procedural billing and coding to house officers and faculty. Clinical providers and practitioners initiate billing and coding for performed services based on the procedural visit encounter, supported by the appropriate documentation. Correct charge capture is dependent on accurately linking CPT codes and J codes, including waste documentation, modifiers, and charge collection. We discuss a perspective regarding a new curricular methodology that teaches learners to apply an algorithmic approach for coding CPT codes, J codes, and modifiers for chemical denervation procedures involving high-cost botulinum toxin. We further recommend the use of visuals with algorithm development for other pertinent procedures that are specific to a department. Methods: We developed a curriculum that includes algorithmic visuals, pre-and post-test questions, and reflections. It was implemented across various learner types. Results: This chemical denervation curriculum was well-received and impactful in meeting the objectives of the course. It further expanded a learner's vision of practice management that can be applied to other procedural examples. Discussion: The results demonstrate a clear gap in practice management education, with pre-education knowledge on applying appropriate codes being particularly low among resident physicians. Learners found the algorithm we developed especially valuable, as it serves as a practical tool for accurately accounting for all aspects of CPT codes, modifiers, and J-codes. The methodology of the algorithmic approach proved to be innovative for avoiding billing write-offs and loopbacks that were beneficial for the training process. Learners indicated that this approach can be applied to other procedural billing.

Association of Mite Molecular Sensitization Profiles with Respiratory Allergies and Asthma Control in Children from East China.

Background: Allergic conditions, identified as a significant global health challenge, are profoundly influenced by indoor allergens, especially house dust mites (HDM). Yet the relationship between mite sensitized components and respiratory allergies and asthma control remains poorly understood. Methods: A cohort of 96 children, either with allergic rhinitis (AR) or rhinitis with asthma syndrome (ARAS), was assessed. Protein microarray technology was deployed to quantify sIgE responses to the allergenic components of Der p and Der f. Results: The study cohort comprised 18 AR and 78 ARAS patients; with 43 mild and 53 moderate-to-severe AR; with 28 uncontrolled, 21 partially controlled, and 29 well-controlled asthma. Sensitization prevalence for HDM components was highest with Der p (97.9%), Der f 2 (97.9%), Der p 2 (94.8%), Der f 1(94.8%), Der p 1 (93.8%), Der p 23 (57.3%). Notably, sIgE concentrations for Der f and Der f 2 were significantly greater in the ARAS compared to AR (P < 0.05). While sIgE levels varied between mild and moderate-to-severe AR, the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, Der p 23 sIgE levels demonstrated a significant fluctuation across the asthma control strata (P < 0.05), with the well-controlled group exhibiting the lowest readings. Conclusion: The sIgE levels to HDM allergens were higher in ARAS group compared to AR group, especially Der f and Der f 2, indicating an association between sIgE reactivity and the diagnosis of asthma. Reduced Der p 23 sIgE levels were indicative of enhanced asthma control.

Intraoperative monitoring and early recognition of facial nerve root in vestibular schwannoma surgery.

The removal of vestibular schwannomas carries a risk of facial palsy. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness and technical aspects of intraoperative monitoring (IOM) for the facial nerve. A total of 96 patients who underwent surgery for vestibular schwannoma were retrospectively investigated. The cohort was divided into two groups: those with intraoperative facial nerve monitoring (IOM group) and those without IOM (non-IOM group). Preoperative and postoperative facial nerve functions were assessed using the House-Brackmann (HB) scale immediately after surgery, at discharge, and at the 1-year follow-up. HB grade I and II were classified as satisfactory outcomes, HB grade III and IV as intermediate, and HB grade V and VI as poor. Facial nerve functions were compared between the groups. Additionally, the ratio of satisfactory results was investigated in the IOM group, focusing on whether the root exit zone (REZ) was identified at an early or late stage of surgery. Among the 65 (67%) patients in the IOM group and 31 (32%) patients in the non-IOM group, there were no differences in demographic and tumor characteristics. The extent of resection varied from subtotal to gross total removal, with no statistical differences between the groups. Although facial nerve function was more favorably preserved in the non-IOM group immediately after surgery, this trend reversed at discharge and the 1-year follow-up, showing significant statistical differences. In the IOM group, more patients achieved satisfactory outcomes when the REZ was identified early compared to late during tumor resection. Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring provides more satisfactory outcomes in preserving nerve function in vestibular schwannoma surgery. Early recognition of the REZ may contribute to improved surgical outcomes.

The role of PAR2 in regulating MIF release in house dust mite-induced atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic disease characterized by relapsed eczema and intractable itch, and is often triggered by house dust mites (HDM). PAR2 is a G-protein coupled receptor on keratinocytes and may be activated by HDM to affect AD processes. We first established a HDM-derived AD mouse model in wild-type (WT) and Par2-/- mice. Single cell RNA sequencing of the diseased skins found a stronger cellular communication between the ligand macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) from keratinocytes and its receptors on antigen-presenting cells, suggesting the critical role of MIF in AD. HDM-WT mice showed severer skin lesions and pathological changes with stronger immunofluorescence MIF signals in skin sections than HDM-Par2-/- mice. Primary keratinocytes from WT mice stimulated with HDM or SLIGRL (PAR2 agonist) secreted more MIF in cultured medium and induced stronger immunofluorescence MIF signals than those from Par2-/- mice. The skin section of HDM-WT mice showed higher immunofluorescence signals of P115 (relating to MIF secretion) and KIF13B (possibly relating to intracellular trafficking of MIF) than that of HDM-Par2-/- mice. Acetylation of α-tubulin increased after stimulation by SLIGRL in WT keratinocytes but not in Par2-/- keratinocytes. HDM-WT mice treated with the MIF antagonist ISO-1 displayed improvement of AD-like presentations and lower expressions of IL-4, IL-13, TSLP and Arg1 (a biomarker of M2 macrophage) mRNAs. We conclude that MIF is an important cytokine and is significantly increased in the AD model. PAR2 affects AD changes by regulating the expression, intracellular trafficking, and secretion of MIF in epidermis.

[Physical activity and diabetes: Where, when, how and with whom?] / Activité physique et diabète : où, quand, comment et avec qui ?

Today, physical activity is one of the most effective preventive and health-promoting factors for people with diabetes. Understanding the issues involved and how to implement it will help you to support patients in maintaining this practice.

Coding complete genomes of an iridovirus and two parvoviruses identified in lab-reared social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola).

Coding complete genomes of an iridovirus (194,403 nts) and two parvoviruses (4,689, 3,764 nts) were identified in social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola). The iridovirus and one of the parvovirus are most closely related to those from house crickets (Acheta domesticus), whereas the other is most closely related to one from a social spider.

Highly reliable LC-MS lipidomics database for efficient human plasma profiling based on NIST SRM 1950.

Liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS)-based methods have become the gold standard methodology for the comprehensive profiling of the human plasma lipidome. However, both the complexity of lipid chemistry and LC-HRMS-associated data pose challenges to the characterization of this biological matrix. In accordance with the current consensus of quality requirements for LC-HRMS lipidomics data, we aimed to characterize the NIST® Standard Reference Material for Human Plasma (SRM 1950) using an LC-ESI(+/-)-MS method compatible with high-throughput lipidome profiling. We generated a highly curated lipid database with increased coverage, quality, and consistency, including additional quality assurance procedures involving adduct formation, within-method m/z evaluation, retention behavior of species within lipid chain isomers, and expert-driven resolution of isomeric and isobaric interferences. As a proof-of-concept, we showed the utility of our in-house LC-MS lipidomic database -consisting of 592 lipid entries- for the fast, comprehensive, and reliable lipidomic profiling of the human plasma from healthy human volunteers. We are confident that the implementation of this robust resource and methodology will have a significant impact by reducing data redundancy and the current delays and bottlenecks in untargeted plasma lipidomic studies.

Improved quality control of allergen products: Assessing the molecular allergen composition by mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Natural allergen sources contain a variety of allergens, against which allergic subjects have developed individual sensitization profiles. Ideal allergen products for skin prick testing (SPT) and allergen immunotherapy (AIT) should contain the complete set of allergens of the respective allergen sources to cover all sensitization profiles. However, commercially available allergen products were shown to vary regarding their allergen composition. METHODS: The qualitative allergen composition of different SPT and AIT products produced from pollen of grasses, birch, mugwort and from house dust mites was assessed by a consistent high-resolution liquid chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS). RESULTS: All major, mid-tier and most minor allergens were detected in each of the investigated three batches of SPT and AIT products, demonstrating the completeness of the allergen composition and a high degree of batch-to-batch consistency. CONCLUSION: This is the first study using a single consistent high-resolution LC-MS/MS method to provide solid data on the qualitative allergen composition of SPT and AIT products manufactured from various common allergen sources. The applied method showed high reliability in qualitative batch-to-batch consistency testing and can be performed fast and with high throughput. High-resolution LC-MS/MS is applicable for process development and quality control to ensure market availability of allergen products corresponding to the composition of the respective natural allergen sources.

Eosinophil-Airway Epithelial Cells crosstalk reveals the eosinophils-mediated DUOX1 up-regulation in a murine allergic inflammation setting.

Blood and airway eosinophilia represent markers for the endotype-driven treatment of allergic asthma. Little is known on mechanisms that link eosinophils and airway epithelial cells before and after these cells are infiltrated by eosinophils during allergic response. Given that innate immune mechanisms, mainly mediated by epithelial-derived cytokines (IL-33, IL-25, TSLP), induce eosinophil-maturing/attractive substances, we thought to evaluate the crosstalk between eosinophils and airway epithelial cells in the context of IL-33-mediated allergic inflammation. DUOX1 was previously described in clinically relevant aspects of allergic inflammation in a HDM -induced allergic asthma mice model, and in patients with chronic sinusitis or allergic asthma. Thus, we evaluated the involvement of HDM and eosinophils in the regulation of DUOX1 in airway epithelial cells. To recapitulate the lung environment present at the allergen challenge time in acute asthma, we set up an in vitro model based on murine bone marrow-derived eosinophils differentiated with IL-5 and then activated with IL-33 (EOs33) and TC1 or C57 airway epithelial cells. We found that treatment of epithelial cells with HDM induced an eosinophil-attractive environment and increased DUOX1 expression. Importantly, we found that the co-culture of airway epithelial cells with EOs33 or with conditioned medium from EOs33 enhanced the expression of DUOX1, which was further increased by combined stimulation (HDM plus EOs33). Our results suggest that lung recruited EOs once activated by IL-33 could be involved in a crosstalk loop with airway epithelial cells by DUOX1-mediated IL-33 secretion.

Efficacy and tolerability of house dust mites subcutaneous immunotherapy with monomeric allergoid: an Italian multicenter study.

Summary: Background. Subcutaneous immunotherapy is an effective treatment of respiratory allergy and allergoids offer a treatment option characterized by reduced IgE-binding properties to improve the safety profile. Purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and the safety of an injective monomeric allergoid in patients with moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis due to house dust mites. Methods. in a perspective, controlled, observational study a suspension of 0.70 mL at 10 BU/mL containing a mixture of carbamylated extract of Dermatophagoides was injected monthly for 12 months, following a 5-weeks build-up phase (0.10-0.20-0.30-0.50-0.70 mL weekly), to 58 patients (mean age 25.1 ± 12.7). A matching group of 60 patients (mean age 34.0 ± 14.2) was observed as control, and both groups were allowed to assume standard pharmacotherapy. After one year, changes from baseline in visual analogue scale for symptoms and drugs intake were compared; satisfaction rate was based on patients' and physicians' judgements. Results. In respect to baseline both groups showed an improvement in symptoms with a significant difference in favor of immunotherapy. Drugs intake was significantly lower in patients receiving injections. High level of agreement was found between doctors and patients on their rate of satisfaction. No serious reactions occurred, and at least a mild episodic local or systemic reaction was reported by a limited number of patients. Conclusions. In routine practice injective monomeric allergoid of house dust mites was safe and associated with a perceived significant clinical benefit in persistent rhinitis shown by objective and subjective outcomes.

Forensic and ecological significance of necrophagous insects: Insights from animal carcasses, human cadavers, and myiasis patients.

Necrophagous insects, including flies and beetles, play pivotal roles in decomposition, ecology, and forensics. Their diversity and activities vary across environments, necessitating comprehensive studies for understanding and management. The aim of the study is to investigate insect infestation on animal carcasses, human cadavers, and myiasis patients to enhance ecological, forensic, and medical entomological understanding, aiding in ecosystem management, forensic investigations, and disease control. Various species of flies and beetles were found associated with animal carcasses, human cadavers, and myiasis patients, as indicated by the comprehensive study. On animal carcasses, notable fly species included Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart, 1842), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794), Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann, 1830), and Sarcophaga sp., while beetles such as Dermestes maculatus (De Geer, 1774), Necrobia rufipes (Fabricius, 1781), Saprinus quadrigatattus (Fabricius, 1798), Saprinus splendens (Paykull, 1811), Saprinus optabilis (Marseul, 1855), Saprinus chalcites (Iliger, 1807), and Omorgus sp. (Erichson, 1847) were also observed. Similarly, human cadavers exhibited a presence of flies like Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart, 1842), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794), and Sarcophaga dux (Thomson, 1869). In cases of myiasis patients, flies including Chrysomya megacephala, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel, 1858), and Chrysomya bezziana (Villeneuve, 1914) were identified. These findings underscore the diverse range of insect species involved in carcass decomposition, forensic investigations, and medical entomology, illustrating their crucial roles in ecological processes, forensic assessments, and disease management.

Differential interactions of ethacrynic acid and diethyl maleate with glutathione S-transferases and their glutathione co-factor in the house fly.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are an important class of enzymes that facilitate the conjugation of reduced glutathione (GSH) with electrophilic substrates, including some insecticides. Two inhibitors of GSTs, ethacrynic acid (EA) and diethyl maleate (DEM), are often used as diagnostic tools to implicate GST involvement in insecticide resistance, but their modes of action against insect GSTs are largely assumed based on mammalian studies. In mammalian studies, there are two proposed mechanisms of inhibition of GST function by EA and DEM: 1) scavenging or "depleting" cytosolic GSH through non-enzymatic conjugation, and 2) inhibition of GST activity directly by the inhibitor-GSH conjugate (EA-SG and DEM-SG). The objective of this study was to characterize putative inhibitory mechanisms of EA and DEM against insect (house fly) GSTs and the co-factor GSH. Both EA and DEM synergized topical applications of naled and propoxur but not permethrin. As a GSH scavenger, EA was ∼10-fold more potent compared to DEM. Conditions such as pH, GSH concentration, and incubation time significantly affected the ability of both inhibitors to scavenge GSH. EA demonstrated scavenging at a wider pH range than DEM and scavenged GSH at a faster rate than DEM. Whereas EA peak scavenging was observed almost instantly, there was a 54.4 % increase in scavenged GSH for DEM between 0 and 30 min of incubation. Increasing concentration of GSH diminished the effect of scavenging at the highest tested concentrations of both inhibitors. In the presence of both GSH and GSTs in crude homogenate, EA was 300-fold more potent as a GST inhibitor compared to DEM at pH 7.5. No comparison was made at pH 6.5 because the tested concentrations of DEM did not produce enough inhibition to derive an IC50 value while EA concentrations did. With purified GSTs, EA-SG was 205-fold more potent as an inhibitor compared to DEM-SG, while EA alone was 7.6-fold more potent than EA-SG and 1565-fold more potent than DEM-SG. These findings establish in insects that the insecticide synergists EA and DEM function mainly by scavenging the GST co-factor GSH, with some inhibition due to interactions with GSTs and the inhibitor-GSH conjugates, rather than through interaction between the inhibitors and the GST protein itself. These resulting impacts are two-fold, whereby (i) GSH bioavailability is limited and (ii) the GSH-inhibitor complex attenuates GST-based xenobiotic metabolism.

Effects of neighbourhood characteristics on the distribution of vacant houses in Toda city, a satellite city of Tokyo metropolis of japan.

As Japan faces a growing crisis of vacant housing, this study investigates the underexplored relationship between vacant house distribution and neighbourhood characteristics in Toda City, a satellite city of the Tokyo metropolis located in Saitama Prefecture. We selected 10 community features, including living convenience, housing supply, and policy support, to explore their influence on vacancy rates. Using a comprehensive dataset primarily derived from the PLATEAU data, we employed a two-step method combining global and local Moran's I analyses to assess the spatial distribution normality of vacant houses. We then compared traditional statistical data analysis with spatial data analysis through multiscale geographically weighted regression to evaluate their effectiveness and identify the factors most closely associated with vacancy rates. Our findings reveal that spatial data analysis provides superior insights compared to traditional statistical methods. Both approaches consistently indicate a significant positive correlation between the supermarket area ratio and vacancy rates, and a significant negative correlation between road adjacency and vacancy rates. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using spatial data to analyse neighbourhood characteristics in the context of declining vacancy rates in satellite cities. The insights gained offer theoretical support for selecting data and methodologies in future research and policymaking that are aimed at mitigating the growth of vacant houses.

House sparrows do not show a diel rhythm in double-strand DNA damage in erythrocytes.

DNA damage can be caused by a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. A recent study showed that free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus) have higher DNA damage in the summer than the winter across five different tissues. This result was consistent when house sparrows were brought into captivity and exposed to comparable light cycles, with all other variables held constant. These results generated two hypotheses: (1) seasonal variation in DNA damage is related to circadian regulation and (2) seasonal variation in DNA damage is related to the total number of active hours. To investigate these hypotheses, we first quantified erythrocyte DNA damage in wild-caught house sparrows held in captivity on a 12L:12D light cycle at six points during the day to assess a diel or circadian rhythm but did not find one. We then performed a resonance experiment, in which birds experienced unnatural light cycles, and compared DNA damage in birds held on 6L:6D and 4.5L:7.5D resonance light cycles with their natural counterparts, 12L:12D and 9L:15D, respectively. We assessed corticosterone levels and DNA damage in blood before and after the resonance light cycles and DNA damage in abdominal fat, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and liver after the resonance light cycles. While our second experiment was not able to effectively test our hypotheses, we were able to demonstrate some interesting patterns. Throughout the resonance experiment, baseline corticosterone and testes size increased, consistent with the birds being photostimulated and preparing to breed. Surprisingly, the direction of change of DNA damage throughout the resonance photoperiod differed with tissue, which is not consistent with patterns during the breeding season in the wild. Our data indicate a potential uncoupling of the breeding physiology with the effect on DNA damage due to exposure to a resonance light cycle, which the birds may have interpreted as a skeleton photoperiod. Finally, though we were unable to fully disentangle the dynamics underlying seasonal DNA damage, we show that the previously documented patterns are not simply due to diel changes or the total amount of light exposure within a 24-hour period.

Not so social in old age: demography as one driver of decreasing sociality.

Humans become more selective with whom they spend their time, and as a result, the social networks of older humans are smaller than those of younger ones. In non-human animals, processes such as competition and opportunity can result in patterns of declining sociality with age. While there is support for declining sociality with age in mammals, evidence from wild bird populations is lacking. Here, we test whether sociality declines with age in a wild, insular bird population, where we know the exact ages of individuals. Using 6 years of sociality data, we find that as birds aged, their degree and betweenness decreased. The number of same-age birds still alive also decreased with age. Our results suggest that a longitudinal change in sociality with age may be, in part, an emergent effect of natural changes in demography. This highlights the need to investigate the changing costs and benefits of sociality across a lifetime.This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Understanding age and society using natural populations'.

Evaluation of Cyfluthrin and Etofenprox Resistance in House Fly Musca domestica Populations in Antalya, Türkiye.

The house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), is a significant vector for many pathogens and parasites. Presence of this vector causes economic losses due to decreased feeding activity in livestock, resulting in reduced yields of products. The repeated and unconscious application of chemical insecticides has resulted in the development of resistance in the majority of house fly populations worldwide. The aim of this research was to determine the susceptibility levels of two field M. domestica populations to cyfluthrin and etofenprox in Antalya, Türkiye. The LD50 values, resistance ratios, and resistance status were determined by exposing adult house flies to the test chemicals for one hour. The Kemer population exhibited very low resistance to cyfluthrin, with a 5-fold increase, while the Serik population, in contrast, showed moderate resistance with a 29.67-fold increase. The resistance ratios of field populations to etofenprox were 2.33-fold (no resistance) for Kemer and 6.44-fold (very low resistance) for Serik, respectively. This is the first study to determine the resistance levels of house flies against cyfluthrin and etofenprox insecticides in Türkiye. To prevent or reduce the development of resistance to insecticides in house flies, integrated control methods and resistance management programs should be employed. Furthermore, it is advised that regular monitoring tests be conducted to observe the level of resistance.

Design and Use of a Custom Phantom for Regular Tests of Radiography Apparatus: A Feasibility Study.

This study investigates the feasibility of employing an in-house-developed physical phantom dedicated to the weekly quality control testing of radiographic systems, performed by radiographers. For this purpose, a 3D phantom was fabricated, featuring test objects, including a model representing a lesion. Alongside this phantom, a commercial phantom, specifically, IBA's Primus L, was utilized. Weekly imaging of both phantoms was conducted over a span of four weeks, involving different imaging protocols and anode voltages. Subsequently, the obtained data underwent visual evaluation, as well as measurement of the intensity of selected regions of interest. The average values for three incident kilovoltages remained consistently stable over the four weeks, with the exception of the "low energy" case, which exhibited variability during the first week of measurements. Following experiments in "Week 1", the X-Ray unit was identified as malfunctioning and underwent necessary repairs. The in-house-developed phantom demonstrated its utility in assessing the performance of the X-Ray system.