Impact of Denture Use on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Yemeni Patients: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND We used the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire to evaluate the association between sociodemographic variables and oral health-related quality of life in 241 wearers of removable partial or complete dentures attending a single center in Yemen. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 241 partial dentures (PD) and complete dentures (CD) wearers were enrolled from the Department of Prosthodontics at the Faculty of Dentistry, Sana'a University, and the University of Science and Technology. Data were collected before the commencement of denture wearing and after 3-6 months of denture use. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic information and denture type, and another for the OHIP to assess oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), oral health impact profile scale comprises 7 subscales, each evaluating different aspects of oral health and functionality. Descriptive statistics were calculated for participants. Independent t tests were performed to compare different patient groups, focusing on PD and CD wearers. Paired-sample t tests were used to examine changes within patient groups before and after removable denture use. RESULTS Among all participants, 67.6% were male, wearers of CDs were 74.6% male, PDs were 58.3%, and was consistent for CD (71.0%) and PD (72.8%) wearers. The wearing prostheses significantly impacted the OHRQoL of patients using both PDs and CDs (P<0.01). Among CD wearers, 4 of these subscales (3-6) were statistically significant, but the handicaps subscale showed evident reductions in physical pain after treatment among PD wearers. CONCLUSIONS Wearing dentures positively affects the OHRQoL of patients, influencing various aspects of their health, including functional, physical, psychological, and social well-being.

Clinically Significant Outcome Scores in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Shoulder and Knee Surgery Are Increasing in Prevalence but Often Reported Incorrectly.

PURPOSE: To study the prevalence and quality of application of minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), patient-acceptable symptomatic state (PASS), and maximum outcome improvement (MOI), reported in the orthopaedic sports medicine knee and shoulder literature in recent years and to bring awareness of proper use of such metrics. METHODS: A literature review of all shoulder and knee articles published from the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM), Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (JSES), and Arthroscopy from 2016 to 2020 was performed, specifically investigating whether MCID, SCB, PASS, or MOI were used or reported. Additionally, the way these metrics were reported and interpreted was recorded. RESULTS: Out of 5,039 studies, 889 shoulder and knee studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 16.7% reported either MCID, PASS, or SCB. MCID was the most reported across all 3 journals. MCID was reported 12.4% of the time throughout the 5 years. PASS was reported 3.2% and SCB 1.1% of the time over the 5 years. MOI was not reported by any of the journals during this period. There was a statistically significant increase in MCID reporting in 2 of the 3 journals over the 5-year course, Arthroscopy (P = .02) and AJSM (P = .05). There was no statistically significant increase in PASS or SCB reporting rates in all 3 journals. Only 39.1% of studies reported MCID correctly (i.e., defined as the number of individual patients meeting MCID/total patients in the study). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows an increasing trend in the use of clinically significant outcome metrics, such as MCID, for interpretation of patient-reported outcomes; however, these individual metrics are often not being used on the individual level and subsequently not reported accurately. We recommend determining whether the specific metric met the threshold per individual patient and then reporting those as a percentage of the sample population to achieve the full potential of these metrics and translate them accurately across various studies. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As the usage of clinically significant outcome metrics rises, so does the need for accurate reporting. These findings will encourage future studies to follow a more standardized format.

Fault Diagnosis in Wind Turbine Current Sensors: Detecting Single and Multiple Faults with the Extended Kalman Filter Bank Approach.

Currently, in modern wind farms, the doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) is commonly adopted for its ability to operate at variable wind speeds. Generally, this type of wind turbine is controlled by using two converters, one on the rotor side (RSC) and the other one on the grid side (GSC). However, the control of these two converters depends mainly on current sensors measurements. Nevertheless, in the case of sensor failure, control stability may be compromised, leading to serious malfunctions in the wind turbine system. Therefore, in this article, we will present an innovative diagnostic approach to detect, locate, and isolate the single and/or multiple real-phase current sensors in both converters. The suggested approach uses an extended Kalman filter (EKF) bank structured according to a generalized observer scheme (GOS) and relies on a nonlinear model for the RSC and a linear model for the GSC. The EKF estimates the currents in the converters, which are then compared to sensor measurements to generate residuals. These residuals are then processed in the localization, isolation, and decision blocks to precisely identify faulty sensors. The obtained results confirm the effectiveness of this approach to identify faulty sensors in the abc phases. It also demonstrates its ability to overcome the nonlinearity induced by wind fluctuations, as well as resolves the coupling issue between currents in the fault period.

Association of glutamine synthetase polymorphisms rs2296521, rs10911021 and rs12136955 with plasma ammonia concentration in valproic acid-treated Egyptian epilepsy patients.

INTRODUCTION: The use of valproic acid (VPA) in the treatment of some psychiatric and neurological disorders such as bipolar disorder, migraines, and epilepsy is associated with hyperammonemia. However, the mechanism of this negative effect of VPA is unclear. In this study, we investigate gene glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL) polymorphisms for the glutamine synthetase (GS) enzyme, a key enzyme that catalyzes the removal of ammonia by incorporating it with glutamate to form glutamine, and we investigate whether it has a relationship with the emergence of hyperammonemia during VPA-based therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 180 Egyptian epilepsy patients in this study. Patient history, general and neurological examination and blood samples from arm veins were taken. Real time TaqMan PCR polymorphism for three polymorphism SNPs (rs2296521, rs10911021 and rs12136955) of GLUL was done. We assessed the relationship between the patient features, including three GLUL polymorphisms, and the development of hyperammonemia during VPA-based therapy. RESULTS: We found that the ammonia levels showed a positive correlation with VPA treatment duration (p = 0.015) and a negative correlation with carbamazepine total dose per day (p = 0.027) and with WBCs count (p = 0.026). Also, female patients having rs2296521 SNPs with the A allele and patients having rs10911021 SNPs with the C allele were at high risk for elevated plasma ammonia levels. Moreover, patients having rs12136955 SNPs with the A allele or associated hypertension as a co-morbidity were at high risk for elevated plasma ammonia levels. CONCLUSION: Female patients who have rs2296521 with the A allele, rs10911021 with the C allele, or rs12136955 with the A allele, are independent risk factors for elevated plasma ammonia levels during VPA-based therapy. Moreover, carbamazepine combined therapy may protect against the development of hyperammonemia in VPA-treated patients.

Sufficient vitamin D is favorable for children with persistent and chronic immune thrombocytopenia.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia in the absence of other disorders. Vitamin D (VD) has been shown to modulate the immune system and its deficiency is linked to many immunological disorders. Supplementation with VD in ITP has promising results. This work aims at evaluating VD values in children with persistent and chronic ITP and the effect of its deficiency on disease severity and treatment response. A case-control study including 50 persistent and chronic ITP patients and 50 healthy controls was conducted. 25 OH vitamin D level was determined using ELISA technique. VD median value was significantly higher among the control group than that of the patients' group (28 vs 21.5 and p = 0.002). Severe deficiency was detected significantly more among the patients' group than the control group (12 (24%) vs 3 (6%), p = 0.048) respectively. Forty-four percent of complete responders belong to sufficient VD category ((15/34) ~ 44% (p = 0.005)) representing all patients with sufficient VD status (n = 15). Also, a positive correlation between serum level of vitamin D and mean PLT count was observed (r = 0.316, p value = 0.025). Sufficient vitamin D was associated with better treatment response and less disease severity. Vitamin D supplementation may be a new therapeutic option for chronic ITP.

Cerebrovascular reactivity after functional activation of the Brain using Photic Stimulation in Migraine and Tension Type Headache: a transcranial doppler Ultrasonography Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies in headache patients measured the cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in response to photic stimulation but they have yielded contradictory results. The purpose of study was to measure CVR of both migraine and chronic tension headache (TTH) patients in response to photic stimulation. METHODS: The study included 37 migraineurs and 24 chronic TTH patients compared with 50 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Peak systolic, end diastolic, mean flow velocities and CVR (PSV, EDV, MFV, and CVR) were measured using TCD ultrasonography of the middle, anterior, posterior cerebral and vertebral arteries (MCA, ACA, PCA, and VA) before and after 100 s of 14 Hz photic stimulation. RESULTS: A three-way repeated measures ANOVA interaction with main factors of Vessels (MCA, ACA, PCA, VA), Time (pre-post photic) and Groups (migraine, TTH, and control group) revealed significant 3-way interactions for measures of PSV (P = 0.012) and MFV (P = 0.043). In the migraine patients there was significantly higher PSV, EDV, and MFV in the MCA, ACA, and PCA after photic stimulation compared with baseline. The CVR of the MCA was also significantly higher in migraineurs than controls. In the TTH group, there was significantly higher PSV, EDV, and MFV (P = 0.003, 0.012, 0.002 respectively) in the VA after photic stimulation than at baseline. The CVR was significantly higher in the VA of TTH patients than controls. CONCLUSION: Compared with controls after photic stimulation, the higher CVR of the MCA in migraineurs and of the VA in TTH patients could be used as diagnostic tool to differentiate between the two types of headaches.

First Report of aac(6')-Ib and aac(6')-Ib-cr Variant Genes Associated with Mutations in gyrA Encoded Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Avian Campylobacter coli Strains Collected in Tunisia.

The aac(6')-Ib gene is the most widespread gene encoding aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme and conferring resistance to tobramycin, streptomycin and kanamycin. The variant aac(6')-Ib-cr gene confers resistance to both aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones (FQ). A total of 132 Campylobacter isolates, including 91 C. jejuni and 41 C. coli, were selected from broiler hens isolates. The aac(6')-Ib gene was amplified using PCR and was subsequently digested with the BtsCI restriction enzyme to identify aac(6')-Ib-cr. Among these isolates, 31 out of 41 C. coli (75.6%) and 1 (0.98%) C. jejuni were positive for the aac(6')-Ib gene, which was identified as the aac(6')-Ib-cr variant in 10 (32.25%) C. coli isolates. This variant was correlated with mutations in gyrA (Thr-86-Ile), as well as resistance to FQs. This study is the first report in Tunisia on Campylobacter coli strains harboring both the aac(6')-Ib and aac(6')-Ib-cr variants. These genes were present in Campylobacter isolates exhibiting resistance to multiple antibiotics, which restricts the range of available treatments.

Novel Amperometric Mercury-Selective Sensor Based on Organic Chelator Ionophore.

A novel amperometric sensor for the direct determination of toxic mercury ions, Hg2+, based on the organic chelator ionophore N, N di (2-hydroxy-5-[(4-nitrophenyl)diazenyl]benzaldehyde) benzene-1,2-diamine (NDBD), and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode surface was developed. The parameters influencing sensor performance including the ionophore concentration, the applied potential, and electrolyte pH were optimized. The sensor response to Hg2+ was linear between 1-25 µM with a limit of detection of 60 nM. Interferences from other heavy metal ions were evaluated and the sensor showed excellent selectivity towards Hg2+. The method was successfully applied to the determination of mercury ions in milk and water samples.

Magnetization reversal properties and magnetostatic interactions of disk to rod-shaped FeNi layers separated by ultra-thin Cu layers.

From fast magnetic memories with low-power consumption to recording media with high densities, realizing the magnetization reversal and interaction of magnetic layers would allow for manipulating the ultimate properties. Here, we use a pulsed electrochemical deposition technique in porous alumina templates (50 nm in pore diameter) to fabricate arrays of nanowires, consisting of FeNi layers (26-227 nm in thickness) with disk to rod-shaped morphologies separated by ultra-thin (3 nm) Cu layers. By acquiring hysteresis curves and first-order reversal curves (FORCs) of the multilayer nanowire arrays, we comprehensively investigate magnetization reversal properties and magnetostatic interactions of the layers at different field angles (0° ≤θ≤ 90°). These involve the extraction of several parameters, including hysteresis curve coercivity (HcHyst), FORC coercivity (HcFORC), interaction field distribution width (ΔHu), and irreversible fraction of magnetization (IFm) as a function ofθ. We find relatively constant and continuously decreasing trends ofHcHystwhen 0° ≤θ≤ 45°, and 45° < Î¸≤ 90°, respectively. Meanwhile, angular dependence ofHcFORCandIFmshows continuously increasing and decreasing trends, irrespective of the FeNi layer morphology. Our FORC results indicate the magnetization reversal properties of the FeNi/Cu nanowires are accompanied with vortex domain wall and single vortex modes, especially at high field angles. The rod-shaped layers also induce maximum ΔHuduring the reversal process, owing to enhancements in both magnetizing and demagnetizing-type magnetostatic interactions.

A Fluorescent Visual Proton Donor and Photoacid Sterilant Based on Sulfonate-conjugated BODIPY.

Increasing acidity is an effective method for bacterial inactivation by inhibiting the synthesis of intracellular proteins at low pH. Photo-driven proton release probe can be used for the measurement of proton in hydrophobic condition. To develop fluorescent proton donor, two boron dipyrromethene derivatives (BDP-S and BDP-S2) were characterized by spectroscopic methods. Irradiation of BDP-S by white LED light resulted in efficient generation of acidic species with changes of fluorescence emission. The linear relationship between the pH value and the fluorescence intensity of BDP-S was obtained, indicating that BDP-S is a fluorescent visual proton donor. Light-induced antibacterial results indicate that BDP-S can significantly inhibit the growth of E. coli. The results prove that BDP-S is a very promising photoacid sterilant.

EXACT LASER FLUENCE FOR SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF FACE AND LEG TELANGIECTASIA.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Facial and leg telangiectasia are usual cosmetic concern for females who have different skin phototypes and ages. Until now, the various treatments for these problem have frequently failed or led to unwanted side-effects. Based on approved pre-calculated doses, the present study highlights the clinical effects and safety of treatment after using the exact laser parameters from 1064-nm Nd: YAG laser. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Twenty people with facial and leg telangiectasia underwent a single laser treatment, based on pre-calculated laser parameters for each case. RESULTS: Results: All subjects showed visible improvement, with 95-100% clearance of face telangiectasia directly after the first treatment, and 50-100% clearance of the lower extremity vessels after one to three days; with minimal side-effects. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Treatment of facial and leg telangiectasia by using true, exact, and mathematically pre-calculated parameters of long pulse 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser was an effective and safe procedure of clearing face and leg telangiectasia.

The influence and impact of smoking on red blood cell morphology and buccal microflora: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoking is a major health issue worldwide. In addition to several health problems, smoking can also cause buccal cavity ulcers and buccal cavity cancer in case of chronic smoking. Tobacco smoking may also lead to deranged morphology of red blood cells (RBCs), which results in reduced oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. AIM: (a) To investigate and compare the changes in the RBC morphology of smokers and nonsmokers. (b) To investigate and compare the normal buccal flora of smokers and nonsmokers. METHODOLOGY: A total of 81 men were included in the study. Study population was divided into two groups: group 1; smokers (n = 50) and group 2; nonsmokers, which served as control (n = 31). After informed written consent from the study participants, a 5 mL of venous blood was drawn under sterile conditions for complete blood analysis and RBC morphology. Samples from buccal cavity were collected by cotton swab and cultured in sterile petri dishes to identify the bacterial growth. Data of RBC morphology and buccal microbiota were compared between smokers and nonsmokers. RESULTS: Buccal microflora results showed heavy growth in smokers compared with nonsmokers. Mean values of RBCs, Platelets, WBCs, HGB (hemoglobin), and MCV (mean corpuscular volume) did not differ between smokers and nonsmokers. Mean red cell distribution (RDW) width significantly was lower in smokers than nonsmokers. Macrocytic RBCs was more in smokers (60%) compared with nonsmokers (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed an increase in the percentage of macrocytic RBCs and a decrease in the red cell distribution width (RDW) in smokers compared with nonsmokers. Buccal Microflora was significantly higher in smoker group in contrast to nonsmoker group.

Phenotypic Characterization and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase- and AmpC ß-Lactamase-Producing Gram-Negative Bacteria in a Referral Hospital, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Emergence of pathogenic bacteria carrying ß-lactamase-resistant determinants has become a major health problem in the hospital setting. The study aimed to determine antibiotic-resistant patterns and frequency of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and AmpC ß-lactamase-producing GNB. METHODOLOGY: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted during a period from September 2017 to August 2018 at King Abdullah Hospital, Bisha Province, Saudi Arabia. GNB (n = 311) were recovered from patients' clinical specimens including sputum, urine, wound pus, blood, tracheal aspirates and high vaginal swabs, umbilical discharge, eye discharge, and cerebrospinal fluids. Isolates were identified by the Phoenix identification system. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by the Kirby-Bauer disk procedure. Phenotypic characterization of ESBLs and AmpC ß-lactamases was performed utilizing the double-disk synergy test and inhibitor-based method, respectively. Associations with outcome measures were determined by simple descriptive statistics and a chi-square test. RESULTS: Out of 311 GNB isolates, the frequency of ESBL and AmpC ß-lactamase producers was 84 (27%) and 101 (32.5%), respectively. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were common ESBL producers. AmpC ß-lactamases predominate among Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Coproduction of ESBLs and AmpC ß-lactamases was found in 36 (11.6%) isolates, with very close relative frequencies among K. pneumoniae, Acinetobacter spp., and P. aeruginosa. ß-Lactamase producers were predominantly found in the surgical department (56.5%) and ICUs (44.2%). ESBL producers revealed high resistance for cefuroxime (96.4%), cefotaxime (92.9%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (90.5%). The resistance rates were significantly higher among ESBL producers than nonproducers for cephalosporins (p < 0.001), amoxicillin/clavulanate (p < 0.001), piperacillin/tazobactam (p = 0.010), nitrofurantoin (p = 0.027), aztreonam (p < 0.001), ciprofloxacin (p = 0.002), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (p < 0.001). Significantly higher (p < 0.05) resistance rates were observed among AmpC ß-lactamase producers than nonproducers for all tested antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: This finding showed a high prevalence of ESBL- and AmpC ß-lactamase-producing GNB in our hospital. Quality control practice and routine detection of ß-lactamase producers before deciding on antibiotic therapy are advocated.

A Comprehensive Review of Stem Cells for Cartilage Regeneration in Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age related joint disease associated with degeneration and loss of articular cartilage. Consequently, OA patients suffer from chronic joint pain and disability. Weight bearing joints and joints that undergo repetitive stress and excessive 'wear and tear' are particularly prone to developing OA. Cartilage has a poor regenerative capacity and current pharmacological agents only provide symptomatic pain relief. OA patients that respond poorly to conventional therapies are ultimately treated with surgical procedures to promote cartilage repair by implantation of artificial joint structures (arthroplasty) or total joint replacement (TJR). In the last two decades, stem cells derived from various tissues with varying differentiation and tissue regeneration potential have been used for the treatment of OA either alone or in combination with natural or synthetic scaffolds to aid cartilage repair. Although stem cells can be differentiated into chondrocytes in vitro or aid cartilage regeneration in vivo, their potential for OA management remains limited as cartilage regenerated by stem cells fails to fully recapitulate the structural and biomechanical properties of the native tissue. Efficient tissue regeneration remains elusive despite the simple design of cartilage, which unlike most other tissues is avascular and aneural, consisting of a single cell type. In this article, we have comprehensively reviewed the types of stem cells that have been proposed or tested for the management of OA, their potential efficacy as well as their limitations. We also touch on the role of biomaterials in cartilage tissue engineering and examine the prospects for their use in cell-based therapies.

Why Suicide? The Analysis of Motives for Self-Harm.

BACKGROUND: There is a gap in understanding the meaning and motives behind suicidal behaviour. Using the Ideal Type methodology, Jean Baechler systematically examined the internal logic of suicidal and self-harming behaviours. He developed a typology of eleven typical meanings/motives: Flight, Grief, Self-punishment, Vengeance, Crime, Blackmail, Appeal, Sacrifice, Transfiguration, Ordeal and Game. AIMS: To develop and validate a standardized instrument to measure the motives/meanings of suicidal and self-harming behaviours, using Baechler's typology. METHOD: We developed a self-fill Likert questionnaire (Ideal Typical Meaning Questionnaire, ITMQ) covering ten of Baechler's eleven types. The questionnaire was completed by 147 patients within four weeks of attempting suicide or self-harm. The Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) questionnaire was used to examine the concurrent validity of the Flight and the Transfiguration types and to explore the association between suicidal/self-harming motives and views about death. RESULTS: The final 25-item ITMQ has an eight-factor structure (Appeal/Blackmail, Ordeal/Game, Vengeance, Self-punishment, Sacrifice, Flight, Grief and Transfiguration) supporting Baechler's theory. The types have adequate reliability. Correlations with the DAP-R gave some support for the concurrent validity of the Flight and Transfiguration types. CONCLUSIONS: The ITMQ is a measure of suicidal and self-harming motives/meanings based on a sound conceptual framework and could significantly contribute to the understanding of suicidal and self-harming behaviour in research and clinical settings.

Identification of novel genetic variations affecting osteoarthritis patients.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive joint disease characterized by gradual degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in the cartilage and bone. The ECM of cartilage is a highly specified structure that is mainly composed of type II collagen and provides tensile strength to the tissue via aggrecan and proteoglycans. However, changes in the ECM composition and structure can lead to loss of collagen type II and network integrity. Several risk factors have been correlated with OA including age, genetic predisposition, hereditary factors, obesity, mechanical injuries, and joint trauma. Certain genetic association studies have identified several genes associated with OA using genome-wide association studies (GWASs). RESULTS: We identified several novel genetic variants affecting genes that function in several candidate causative pathways including immune responses, inflammatory and cartilage degradation such as SELP, SPN, and COL6A6. CONCLUSIONS: The approach of whole-exome sequencing can be a promising method to identify genetic mutations that can influence the OA disease.

Prevalence of Common Types of Compression Neuropathies in Qena Governorate/Egypt: A Population-Based Survey.

BACKGROUND: No epidemiological studies on the prevalence of compressive neuropathy have been undertaken in Arab countries. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of the most common types of compressive neuropathies in Qena governorate/Egypt. METHODS: The study was part of a community-based survey carried out to assess the prevalence of neuromuscular disorders among the Qena population. A random sampling of 10 districts, 5,039 inhabitants aged ≥20. There were 3,050 urban residents (60.5%) and 1,989 (39.5%) from the rural community. Patients were diagnosed using a screening questionnaire for diagnosis of entrapment neuropathies. Positive cases were referred to the Qena University Hospital. They were given full clinical, electrophysiological and laboratory investigations. RESULTS: Compressive neuropathy was recorded in 165 cases giving a CPR = 3.3% of population at risk (≥20 years). Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was diagnosed in 155 cases giving a CPR = 3.1% with a significantly higher prevalence among females than males (5.3 vs. 0.9%) and in rural compared with urban populations (4.6 vs. 2.1%). Ulnar neuropathy at the elbow was the second common type of entrapment with a CPR = 0.1% followed by radial nerve palsy, tarsal tunnel syndrome and common peroneal nerve palsy. CONCLUSION: The overall crude prevalence rate of CTS is comparable with that in other countries.

Prevalence of Diabetes and Diabetic Neuropathy in Qena Governorate: Population-Based Survey.

BACKGROUND: No previous study was done to estimate the prevalence of diabetic neuropathy (DN) in Arabic countries. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of DN and its characteristics in Qena governorate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a random sampling of 10 study areas, involving 9,303 inhabitants; 51.1% men and 48.9% women were recruited. There were 57.3% urban residents and 42.7% rural residents. Patients were diagnosed using a screening questionnaire for diabetes mellitus (DM) as well as for DN in addition to measuring blood sugar in suspected cases. All positive cases were referred to Qena University Hospital and were subjected to full clinical, electrophysiological and laboratory investigations. RESULTS: Out of 9,303 people screened, 837 were diabetic giving prevalence 8.99% of the population. Eight hundred eleven had type II DM and 26 cases had type I giving prevalence of 8.7 and 0.3%, respectively. One hundred fifty-five out of 837 (18.5%) diabetic patients had evidence of DN with prevalence rate being 1.7% of the total population. Diabetic polyneuropathy was the commonest type with prevalence 1.5%. The prevalence of DN was higher in women than in men. Rural residents had significantly higher prevalence of DN compared to urban residents (1.9 vs. 1.4) and illiterate population more than educated (5.8 vs. 1.2). CONCLUSION: The overall crude prevalence rate of DM and DN is nearly the same as in European countries and lower than that in other Arabic countries.

Enhancing underwater target localization through proximity-driven recurrent neural networks.

Environmental monitoring, ocean research, and underwater exploration are just a few of the marine applications that require precise underwater target localization. This study goes into the field of underwater target localization using Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) enhanced with proximity-based approaches, with a focus on mean estimation error as a performance metric. In complex and dynamic underwater environments, conventional localization systems frequently face challenges such as signal degradation, noise interference, and unstable hydrodynamic conditions. This paper presents a novel approach to employing RNNs to increase the accuracy of underwater target localization by exploiting the temporal dynamics of proximity-informed data. This method uses an RNN architecture to track changes in audio emissions from underwater targets sensed by a microphone network. Using the temporal correlations represented in the data, the RNN learns patterns indicative of target localization quickly and correctly. Furthermore, the addition of proximity-based features increases the model's ability to understand the relative distances between hydrophone nodes and the target, resulting in more accurate localization estimates. To evaluate the suggested methodology, thorough simulations and practical experiments were carried out in a variety of underwater environments. The results show that the RNN-based strategy beats conventional methods and works effectively even in difficult settings. The utility of the proximity-aware RNN model is demonstrated, in particular, by considerable reductions in the mean estimate error (MEE), an important performance measure.