From small to tall: breed-varied household pet dogs can be trained to detect Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a clinically diagnosed disease that carries a reported misdiagnosis rate of 10-20%. Recent scientific discoveries have provided evidence of volatile organic compounds in sebum that are unique to patients with PD. The primary objective of this study was to determine if companion dogs could be trained to distinguish between sebum samples provided by PD-positive patients and PD-negative human controls. This was a randomized, handler-blind, controlled study. Twenty-three canines of varying breeds, ages, and environmental backgrounds were included. The study period encompassed 200 total working days from 2021 to 2022. Factors investigated included donor gender and levodopa drug affectivity, as well as canine breed, age, and duration of training time. The findings in this study were compiled from data collected during the final two years of a seven-year research program. For this two-year reporting period, when averaged as a group, the 23 dogs were 89% sensitive and 87% specific to olfactory distinction between PD-positive and PD-negative human donor samples. Ten of the twenty-three dogs averaged 90% or higher in both sensitivity and specificity. In 161 separate trials, a dog was presented with both novel PD-positive and PD-negative samples. For these novel exposures, the dogs collectively averaged 86% sensitivity and 89% specificity. PD medication was also investigated and was found to have no discernible impact on canine sensitivity or specificity results. Study findings support the application of companion dogs, trained with force-free, reward-based methodologies, for the detection of PD-positive and PD-negative samples under controlled conditions.

Sensing Sociality: Disruptions of Social Life When Living With Chemosensory Dysfunctions After COVID-19.

Taste and smell are of direct importance in most social interactions. Radical disruptions in these senses can, therefore, substantially disrupt sociality. This paper focuses on the experiences of a particular type of disruption: persistent chemosensory dysfunctions after COVID-19. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 patients undergoing treatment for chemosensory dysfunctions and analyzed the ways in which their experiences have influenced social relations and activities, particularly regarding food and eating. The findings reveal that these dysfunctions have made the participants markedly aware that food and eating are pivotal to full participation in social life. As is smell, both surrounding smells and the perception of one's own smell, with dysfunctions leading to several social consequences. Such problems are handled through both avoidance behavior and adaptations. While adaptations facilitate interactions, they come at the cost of feeling a burden to others or not fully appreciating an event (e.g., a shared meal). Social support is of great importance, ranging from minor practical assistance, such as a friend checking if the milk is sour, to the profound emotional relief felt from empathic treatment and recognition that the problems are real. Here, healthcare professionals can play a vital role, even in the (perceived) absence of clinical effectiveness of the treatment. The experiences expressed are partially in line with other manifestations of Long COVID and with chemosensory dysfunctions due to other illnesses, but only partially, since this is a patient group with needs and experiences that are unique, in that sociality is so strongly affected solely by disruptions in sensory abilities.

Orthonasal and retronasal olfactory function in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps undergoing endoscopic sinonasal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a key symptom of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Although extensively studied in CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), OD in CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) remains under-researched. This study aims to assess the prevalence of OD and its evolution in surgically naïve patients with CRSsNP undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). METHODS: This prospective study included 97 participants with CRSsNP (mean age, 46.5 years; 70.1% men) and 97 healthy controls (mean age, 46.5 years; 70.1% men). Participants underwent psychophysical evaluations of orthonasal (using the Sniffin' Sticks test) and retronasal olfaction (using powdered aromas) at enrolment and 6 months post-ESS. RESULTS: Out of 97 patients, 81 (83.5%) completed all assessments. At enrolment, 23 (28.4%) CRSsNP patients had OD based on composite threshold, discrimination, identification scores, compared with 7 (8.6%) controls (absolute % difference, 19.8% [95% CI, 8.2-31.4]). Retronasal olfactory function was also significantly worse in CRSsNP patients. Six months post-ESS, 30 patients (37.0%) experienced a clinically significant improvement in olfactory, whereas nonsignificant changes were observed in retronasal olfactory score, and 3.7% of patients experienced a deterioration of the olfactory function. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, although 37% of patients experienced a clinically significant improvement in their sense of smell following ESS, the overall prevalence of OD in this surgically naive population appears relatively low, especially when compared to that observed in patients with CRSwNP. Therefore, ESS may offer some benefits for enhancing orthonasal olfactory function, but the extent of these improvements appears to be limited.

Comparative analyses of post-infectious olfactory dysfunction between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases.

To identify the differences between COVID-19-associated and non-COVID-19-associated olfactory dysfunction (OD), we analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics based on the causative virus (COVID versus non-COVID groups) in patients with post-infectious olfactory dysfunction (PIOD) who underwent the olfactory questionnaire and olfactory function test. Out of 169 patients with PIOD, 99 were diagnosed with COVID-19 (COVID group), while 70 were not (non-COVID group). The COVID group was younger and had a higher percentage of male patients as well as patients with parosmia than the non-COVID group. In the initial olfactory function tests, the TDI, discrimination and identification scores were significantly higher in the COVID group than in the non-COVID group. TDI scores were significantly increased in patients with PIOD after treatment, regardless of the group. The threshold score was significantly increased by 1.38 in the COVID group while the identification score was significantly increased by 2.67 in the non-COVID group. Patients with COVID-19-associated OD were younger in age, tended to be male, had a higher incidence of parosmia, and had better initial olfactory function test results compared to those with non-COVID-19-associated OD. Following treatment, odor detection threshold improved in the COVID group, whereas odor identification improved in the non-COVID group.

Improvements in clinical signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease using photobiomodulation: a five-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by clinical motor signs and non-motor symptoms that severely impact quality of life. There is an urgent need for therapies that might slow, halt or even reverse the progression of existing symptoms or delay the onset of new symptoms. Photobiomodulation is a therapy that has shown potential to alleviate some symptoms of Parkinson's disease in animal studies and in small clinical trials. OBJECTIVE: To assess long-term effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy in a cohort of Parkinson's disease individuals after five years of continuing therapy. METHODS: Eight participants of the initial 12 in a previously published study agreed to be reassessed after five years. Seven of these participants had continued home-based, self-applied photobiomodulation therapy three times per week for five years. One participant had discontinued treatment after one year. Participants were assessed for a range of clinical motor signs, including MDS-UPDRS-III, measures of mobility and balance. Cognition was assessed objectively, and quality of life and sleep quality were assessed using self-reported questionnaires. A Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to evaluate change in outcome measures between baseline (before treatment) and after five years, with the alpha value set to 0.05. RESULTS: Of the seven participants who had continued photobiomodulation therapy, one had a preliminary diagnosis of multisystem atrophy and was excluded from the group analysis. For the remaining six participants, there was a significant improvement in walk speed, stride length, timed up-and-go tests, tests of dynamic balance, and cognition compared to baseline and nonsignificant improvements in all other measures, apart from MDS-UPDRS-III, which was unchanged and one measure of static balance (single leg stance, standing on the unaffected leg with eyes open) which declined. Five of six participants either improved or showed no decline in MDS-UPDRS-III score and most participants showed improvement or no decline in all other outcome measures. No adverse effects of the photobiomodulation therapy were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a signal that photobiomodulation therapy might safely reduce important clinical motor signs and non-motor symptoms in some Parkinson's disease patients, with improvements maintained over several years. Home-based photobiomodulation therapy has the potential to complement standard therapies to manage symptoms and potentially delay Parkinson's symptom progression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, registration number ACTRN12618000038291p, registered on 12/01/2018.

Four odorants for olfactory training are enough: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND:  Olfactory training (OT) is commonly used for the treatment of olfactory disorders. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing debate about the most effective OT regimen. We aimed to compare the effects of OT with 7 items (rose, lemon, eucalyptus, cloves, stewed apple, balm, mint) to 4-item-OT (rose, lemon, eucalyptus, cloves) over 3 months. Methods: Participants were 40 patients with olfactory dysfunction receiving 4-item-OT or 7-item-OT and 60 gender- and age-matched individuals with normal sense of smell receiving no OT, 4-item-OT, or 7-item-OT. Before and after the OT we assessed n-butanol odor thresholds, discrimination, and identification (TDI score), additionalthresholds for (R)-(-)-carvone, ß-damascenone, salicyclic acid benzylester, the degree of phantosmia and parosmia, cognitive function, and ratings of olfactory function. Results: In both patient groups, the TDI score increased with the use of OT, regardless of the number of odors used (p < 0.001; 3.48 ± 4.21 and lower than control groups). The clinically significant increase of 5.5 points in TDI score correlated with change of ratings of parosmia (r 0.62; p < 0.01) and with ratings of olfactory dysfunction (r = 0.51; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION:  Concluding, OT over a 3-months period with 4 or 7 odors appears to produce similar results, although the sample size has to be considered.

Comparison of smoking conventional cigarettes and using heated tobacco products on the olfactory and gustatory function in healthy young adults: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking has a negative impact on the chemosensory function. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of smoking experience and type of tobacco products on gustatory and olfactory function. METHODS: This study included 30 conventional cigarette smokers, 30 heated tobacco products (HTPs) users, and 30 non-smokers. Olfactory function was assessed with a 'Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 Test' while the taste function was assessed with 'taste strips' for the basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The lifetime exposure to smoking was calculated using the Brinkman index (BI). RESULTS: Conventional cigarette smokers demonstrated decreased olfactory function in comparison to non-smokers (median: 10 vs 11; p=0.001) but HTPs users did not differ between those two groups. Overall gustatory function was lower in conventional cigarette smokers (median: 9.5) and HTPs users (median: 10) than in non-smokers (median: 14; p<0.001). A difference was detected in the sour, salty and bitter taste but without significant difference between HTPs users and conventional cigarette smokers. Negative linear correlations were found between the BI and olfactory function, overall gustatory function, sour, salty, and bitter taste (r= -0.317 - -0.585; p≤0.002). In multiple linear regression, BI was the only predictor of olfactory dysfunction when controlling for the effect of tobacco products, age, and gender accounting for 11% of variance (p=0.024, R2=0.123). For gustatory dysfunction, BI was the strongest predictor followed by gender and tobacco products accounting for 11%, 5%, and 4% (p<0.001, R2=0.259). CONCLUSIONS: Olfactory and gustatory function are adversely associated with smoking, more depending on BI than tobacco product.

Intelligence model on sequence-based prediction of PPI using AISSO deep concept with hyperparameter tuning process.

Protein-protein interaction (PPI) prediction is vital for interpreting biological activities. Even though many diverse sorts of data and machine learning approaches have been employed in PPI prediction, performance still has to be enhanced. As a result, we adopted an Aquilla Influenced Shark Smell (AISSO)-based hybrid prediction technique to construct a sequence-dependent PPI prediction model. This model has two stages of operation: feature extraction and prediction. Along with sequence-based and Gene Ontology features, unique features were produced in the feature extraction stage utilizing the improved semantic similarity technique, which may deliver reliable findings. These collected characteristics were then sent to the prediction step, and hybrid neural networks, such as the Improved Recurrent Neural Network and Deep Belief Networks, were used to predict the PPI using modified score level fusion. These neural networks' weight variables were adjusted utilizing a unique optimal methodology called Aquila Influenced Shark Smell (AISSO), and the outcomes showed that the developed model had attained an accuracy of around 88%, which is much better than the traditional methods; this model AISSO-based PPI prediction can provide precise and effective predictions.

Determinants of persistence and recovery of chronic coronavirus disease 2019 chemosensory dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: In 2% to 4% of patients, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) chemosensory dysfunction (CSD) persists beyond 6 months, accounting for up to 4 million people in the United States. The predictors of persistence and recovery require further exploration. OBJECTIVE: We sought to define the predictors of recovery and assess the quality of CSD in registry subjects with self-reported persistent smell and taste dysfunction after COVID-19. METHODS: COVID-19 CSD participants (n = 408) from the 4 major waves of the pandemic completed questionnaires at 4 time points between 2021 and 2023, assessing demographics, sinonasal symptoms, and self-assessed recovery. Objective measurements of smell (UPSIT) and taste (BWETT) were performed on a subcohort (n = 108). RESULTS: In this chronic CSD cohort, the average symptom duration was 24 ± 5 months, with 70% of those who contracted COVID-19 in 2020 report ongoing dysfunction. Phantosmia and dysgeusia were most prevalent in the early waves of COVID-19, while most participants reported disrupted ability to distinguish scents and flavors as well as undulating chemosensory function. Subjects reported low incidence of subjective sinonasal symptoms but high prevalence of sleep and mood disturbance. Cigarette smoke phantosmia was predictive of persistence of CSD. Conversely, self-reported environmental allergies and hypertension were predictive of recovery, and dust mite allergies specifically were negative predictors of cigarette smoke phantosmia. Finally, no treatment resolved CSD, but nasal steroids were reported to be effective by recovered CSD subjects. Objective measures of both smell and taste were significantly reduced in patients with chronic CSD compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic COVID-19 CSD is a syndrome resistant to standard anti-inflammatory therapy. Preexisting environmental allergies and hypertension predict recovery, while cigarette smoke phantosmia predicts persistence.

Investigating the efficacy of melatonin, topical sodium citrate, and multivitamin with zinc as a potential treatment for postinfectious loss of smell.

OBJECTIVES: Upper respiratory tract infections, including COVID-19, are associated with olfactory dysfunction and there is a need for novel therapeutic approaches. The aim of study was evaluating the effectiveness of adding melatonin, multivitamin and sodium citrate to olfactory training for the treatment of olfactory loss caused by COVID-19. METHODS: We evaluated olfactory function using University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT ®) scores and self-reported patient outcomes in post-infectious smell loss cases. We investigated the effectiveness involved olfactory training combined with sodium citrate, melatonin, and multivitamin supplements with zinc over a three-month period compared to an olfactory training alone. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients were included, with 33 in each group. There was no significant difference in the proportion of participants who showed improvement in UPSIT scores between the groups (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.43-4.8, p =  0.56). Both groups showed improvement in average test scores, but there were no significant differences in self-reported olfactory ability or discomfort with olfactory loss. Qualitative symptoms, such as parosmia and phantosmia, were reported by a similar proportion in both groups before and after the treatment (p =  0.11, p =  1, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Olfactory training alone and olfactory training with associated with melatonin, multivitamins and topical sodium citrate did not show significant differences in improving olfactory function in post-COVID-19 patients.

Comparing smell identification ability among different motor subtypes of Parkinson's disease using the Vietnamese Smell Identification Test and the Brief Smell Identification Test.

Introduction: Olfactory dysfunction is one of the most common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The association between smell identification ability and motor subtypes of PD is not uniform in previous studies. This study aimed to compare the odor identification ability among different motor subtypes of PD in Vietnamese participants. Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with PD according to the International Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Society 2015 Diagnostic Criteria and had normal cognitive function were recruited. Participants were divided into akinetic-rigid (AR), tremor-dominant (TD), and mixed (MX) motor subgroups using the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) score. Olfactory identification ability was evaluated using the Vietnamese Smell Identification Test (VSIT) and the Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT). Cognitive status was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Age, age at PD onset, disease duration, smell identification ability, and cognitive function were compared among the three PD motor subtypes. Results: The AR subgroup was the most common motor subtype (n = 164, 75.2 %), followed by TD (n = 39, 17.9 %), and MX (n = 15, 6.9 %) subtypes. Age, age at PD onset, sex, disease duration, and MMSE score were not significantly different between the three motor subgroups (all p > 0.05). The median (IQR) VSIT scores of AR, TD, and MX subgroups were 5.00 [4.00;7.00], 5.00 [3.50;7.00], and 5.00 [3.00;6.00], respectively. The median (IQR) BSIT scores of AR, TD, and MX subgroups were 6.00 [4.00;7.00], 5.00 [4.00;7.00], and 5.00 [4.50;7.00], respectively. The VSIT and the BSIT scores were not significantly different among the three motor subtypes (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: Smell identification ability assessed in both the VSIT and BSIT did not differ across the three motor subtypes of PD.

Association Between Smell Loss, Disease Burden, and Dupilumab Efficacy in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between smell loss and other aspects of disease, and evaluate dupilumab efficacy in patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and moderate or severe smell loss. METHODS: This post-hoc analysis of the SINUS-24/52 studies (NCT02912468/NCT02898454) analyzed nasal polyp score (NPS, 0-8), nasal congestion/obstruction (NC, 0-3), Lund-Mackay CT-scan score (LMK-CT, 0-24), rhinosinusitis severity visual analog scale (RS-VAS, 0-10), and 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22, 0-110) according to baseline monthly average patient-reported loss of smell scores (LoS, 0-3) of >1 to 2 (moderate) or >2 to 3 (severe) in patients randomized to dupilumab 300 mg or placebo every 2 weeks. RESULTS: Of 724 patients randomized, baseline LoS was severe in 601 (83%) and moderate in 106 (15%). At baseline, severe versus moderate LoS was associated with 1-point greater severity of NC (odds ratio [OR] 6.01 [95% confidence interval, (CI) 3.95, 9.15]), 5-point greater severity of LMK-CT (OR 2.19 [1.69, 2.85]), and 8.9-point greater severity of SNOT-22 (OR 1.35 [1.20, 1.49]). At Week 24, least squares mean differences (95% CI) dupilumab versus placebo in change from baseline were: NPS -1.90 (-2.56, -1.25) and -1.95 (-2.20, -1.70) in the moderate and severe baseline LoS subgroups, respectively; NC -.35 (-.64, -.06) and -1.00 (-1.13, -.87); LMK-CT -6.30 (-7.88, -4.72) and -6.22 (-6.82, -5.63); RS-VAS -1.18 (-2.20, -.16) and -3.47 (-3.90, -3.03); and SNOT-22 -7.52 (-14.55, -.48) and -21.72 (-24.63, -18.82); all nominal P < .05 versus placebo. Improvements with dupilumab in NC, RS-VAS, and SNOT-22 were statistically greater in patients with severe versus moderate baseline LoS. CONCLUSION: Significant smell impairment in severe CRSwNP is associated with significant disease (NC, RS-VAS, LMK), health-related quality of life impairment (SNOT-22), asthma, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-exacerbated respiratory disease. Dupilumab significantly improved NPS, NC, LMK-CT, RS-VAS, and SNOT-22 in subjects with moderate and severe baseline smell loss.

Olfaction and thyroid hormones in patients with subjective cognitive decline, non-amnestic and amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid hormones may affect olfaction in different stages of cognitive impairment: subjective cognitive decline (SCD), non-amnestic (naMCI) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Additionally, biometric parameters, depression, and neuropsychological performance are considered as possible influencing factors. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: A retrospective single-center data analysis was conducted during the observation period 2001-2023, with n = 495 (52.3% female) SCD, naMCI and aMCI subjects, aged ≥50 years, at the General Hospital of Vienna. MEASUREMENTS: The criterion olfactory function was objectively measured by Sniffin' Sticks© odor identification and subjectively through the Assessment of Self-Reported Olfactory Functioning test. Serum thyroid hormone levels, mainly thyroid-stimulating hormone, as well as T3, T4, fT3, and fT4, were used to assess thyroid function. Statistical analyses using IBM SPSS® 29.0.0 covered adjusted multiple linear regression models with hierarchical blocks to predict olfactory performance considering ß­weights. RESULTS: Of the study participants, 4.2% had hypothyroidism and 2.4% had hyperthyroidism. The majority exhibited normal thyroid function. One third (33.5%; 95% confidence interval, CI 29.4-37.0%) were hyposmic. The results indicate no substantial association between thyroid and olfactory functions. Increasing age (ß = 0.20), lower performance in the Neuropsychological Test Battery Vienna (NTBV) dimensions verbal memory (ß = -0.33) and attention (ß = -0.12) appear to be risk factors for lower olfaction. A discrepancy between subjective and objective olfaction was found. CONCLUSION: Thyroid and olfactory functions had no substantial relationship. Higher fT4 correlated weakly with lower odor identification. Increasing age and decreased performance in two out of six NTBV dimensions are relevant prognostic factors for olfactory dysfunction.

Long-term recovery of taste and smell following acute COVID-19 infection in a New Jersey cohort.

Loss of taste and smell is one of the most troubling symptoms of long COVID and may be permanent for some. Correlation between subjectively and objectively assessed olfactory and gustatory impairment is low, leading to uncertainty about how many people are affected, how many recover, and to what extent. We prospectively investigated the effects of COVID-19 on long-term chemosensory function in a university and hospital-based cohort in NJ. We followed 856 participants from March 2020 through April 2022, of which 58 were diagnosed with COVID-19 and completed the NHANES 2013-2014 taste and smell protocol, including a chemosensory questionnaire, whole-mouth taste tests, and an 8-item odor identification test at and/or before acute COVID-19 infection. Of these, 29 repeated taste and smell assessments at 6 months (183.0 ± 54.6) follow-up. Total overall smell score significantly improved from baseline to 6-month follow up (6.9 ± 1.4 vs 7.6 ± 0.8; p = .01). Taste intensity also improved across 6 months, but not significantly. Our study is the first to show psychophysically-assessed and self-reported long-term recovery of olfactory and gustatory function in the same population after acute COVID-19.

Factors associated with loss and recovery of smell and taste after COVID-19 infection.

Objective: To identify predictors associated with loss and recovery of smell and taste after COVID-19 infection. Methods: The Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) 2021 National Health Interview Series (NHIS) database was used to analyze factors associated with loss and recovery of smell and taste in respondents who had a previous COVID-19 infection. Significant variables from univariate analysis were included in a stepwise backward regression model to identify independent predictors. Results: Of the 3844 individuals who answered yes to having contracted COVID-19, 51.1% and 48.9% reported losing smell and taste, respectively. 95.7% recovered smell and 97% recovered taste. Predictors associated with higher odds of reporting a loss of smell included younger age (odds ratio [OR] 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-0.99), female sex (OR 1.38; CI 1.17-1.63), use of e-cigarettes (OR 1.59; CI 1.25-2.02), and Mexican ethnicity (OR 1.61; CI 1.22-2.11). Predictors of taste loss were younger age (OR 0.98; CI 0.98-0.99), female sex (OR 1.31; CI 1.08-1.58), and higher BMI (OR 1.02; CI 1.00-1.04). Female sex was associated with decreased odds of reporting a recovery of smell (OR 0.74; CI 0.59-0.92) and taste (OR 0.54; CI 0.42-0.69). Black/African American race (OR 1.44; CI 1.03-2.03) and non-Mexican Hispanic ethnicities (OR 1.55; CI 1.02-2.34) were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting the recovery of smell. Conclusion: Various factors may be associated with the loss and recovery of smell and taste after COVID-19 infections. Clinicians may use this information to better counsel patients with these symptoms. Level of evidence: 4.

Dynamic stacking ensemble for cross-language code smell detection.

Code smells refer to poor design and implementation choices by software engineers that might affect the overall software quality. Code smells detection using machine learning models has become a popular area to build effective models that are capable of detecting different code smells in multiple programming languages. However, the process of building of such effective models has not reached a state of stability, and most of the existing research focuses on Java code smells detection. The main objective of this article is to propose dynamic ensembles using two strategies, namely greedy search and backward elimination, which are capable of accurately detecting code smells in two programming languages (i.e., Java and Python), and which are less complex than full stacking ensembles. The detection performance of dynamic ensembles were investigated within the context of four Java and two Python code smells. The greedy search and backward elimination strategies yielded different base models lists to build dynamic ensembles. In comparison to full stacking ensembles, dynamic ensembles yielded less complex models when they were used to detect most of the investigated Java and Python code smells, with the backward elimination strategy resulting in less complex models. Dynamic ensembles were able to perform comparably against full stacking ensembles with no significant detection loss. This article concludes that dynamic stacking ensembles were able to facilitate the effective and stable detection performance of Java and Python code smells over all base models and with less complexity than full stacking ensembles.

The role of black soldier fly (BSF) in eliminating the putrid odor of organic waste and its product application - A comprehensive review.

Organic waste including food garbage (FG) forms a major part of man-made problems that are highly associated with global pollution. This includes emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and foul odor which negatively affect human health. Interestingly, bioconversion of FG by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) has been reported to reduce foul odors released from decaying FG. This paper will give overview on the potential of BSFL in lowering putrid odors from FGs. Thus, various bioconversion treatment methods of managing FG including were compared and discussed. The life cycle and role of BSF in reducing putrid odors from biowastes were also discussed in detail. Lastly, the potential utilization of BSFL in controlling odors and GHGs as well as the economic value of products derived from BSFL bioconversion were also discussed. BSFL inoculation slightly reduces odor compounds by modifying odor-producing compounds and microbes in FG. However, BSFL effectiveness is highly influenced by FG decomposition rate.

Energy curve based enhanced smell agent optimizer for optimal multilevel threshold selection of thermographic breast image segmentation.

Multilevel thresholding image segmentation will subdivide an image into several meaningful regions or objects, which makes the image more informative and easier to analyze. Optimal multilevel thresholding approaches are extensively used for segmentation because they are easy to implement and offer low computational cost. Multilevel thresholding image segmentation is frequently performed using popular methods such as Otsu's between-class variance and Kapur's entropy. Numerous researchers have used evolutionary algorithms to identify the best multilevel thresholds based on the above approaches using histogram. This paper uses the Energy Curve (EC) based thresholding method instead of the histogram. Chaotic Bidirectional Smell Agent Optimization with Adaptive Control Strategy (ChBSAOACS), a powerful evolutionary algorithm, is developed and employed in this paper to create and execute an effective method for multilevel thresholding segmentation of breast thermogram images based on energy curves. The proposed algorithm was tested for viability on standard breast thermogram images. All experimental data are examined quantitatively and qualitatively to verify the suggested method's efficacy.

Factors Associated With Persisting Olfactory Dysfunction After COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Fortunately, the majority of COVID-19 patients recover from olfactory dysfunction (OD) within the first couple of weeks. However, from approximately 5% up to 20% continue to suffer from OD even more than 1 year after the onset. Nonetheless, factors associated with long-lasting OD are hardly known. The aim of this study was to identify favourable and disadvantageous markers of persisting OD in COVID-19 patients. METHODOLOGY: Sixty-six patients (46 female; mean age: 39.9 years) that suffer from OD longer than 6 months due to laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection have participated in this longitudinal study. Participants completed comprehensive psychophysical chemosensory tests (i.e., Sniffin' Sticks = TDI) and questionnaires twice at our department-on average 219 ± 80 (T-1) and 489 ± 89 (T-2) days after the onset of symptoms, respectively. Olfactory recovery rates were associated with demographic factors and questionnaires using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients below 40 years of age improved better (TDI: 4.1 ± 4.3 vs. 0.7 ± 5.8; p = 0.008) and achieved statistically significant higher scores (TDI: 31.5 ± 4.0 vs. 27.3 ± 6.7; p = 0.033) regarding psychophysical chemosensory tests. Furthermore, linear regression analysis revealed that parosmia was associated with worse orthonasal smell function (T-1: ß = -0.346, p = 0.004; T-2: ß = -0.384, p = 0.001), especially concerning identification subtest (T-1: ß = -0.395, p = 0.001; T-2: ß = -0.398, p < 0.001). Moreover, increasing parosmia between T-1and T-2 led to worse orthonasal olfactory function (ß = -0.294, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Older age and parosmia seem to be unfavourable factors of persisting OD in COVID-19 patients.

Olfactory training: perspective from people who were disturbed by their smell problems.

PURPOSE: Olfactory training (OT) is an effective and affordable option in the treatment of olfactory dysfunction. Despite significant progress in the field in recent years, some factors influencing OT participation remain unclear. METHODS: Based on an anonymous online survey orchestrated by AbScent.org the present study enrolled 450 participants and divided them into OT (n = 161) and No OT (n = 289) groups based on their OT participation. Participants also provided information on demographics, medical history, quality of life, OT duration for those who engaged in OT, and the reasons for non-participation in OT among those who did not. RESULTS: Patients who had greater loss of quality of life participated more in OT. Similarly, more participation was observed in patients who noticed an improvement in their ability to smell. Notably, most of the sample engaged in OT trained less than four weeks (73%). In the No OT group, the primary barrier to OT participation was the unawareness of OT treatment (37%) and these barriers differed by age, where older people expressed interest but were unaware of OT treatment, while younger individuals exhibited more cautiousness about its effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Lower quality of life drives active OT participation. Limited training periods and unawareness of OT serve as potential barriers to olfactory recovery. Clinicians should actively promote the background of OT and underscore the significance of adhering to the "prescribed" training regimen.