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Abstract Background This study aims to estimate the risk of eating disorders and their related factors among final-year medical students. Additionally, the present study is assessing the disordered eating behaviors relationship with alexithymia and social cognition. Methods An approved descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Cairo University’s Faculty of Medicine from August 2021 to December 2022. The participants were categorized into two distinct groups: Group A (students at risk for eating disorders) and Group B (students not at risk for eating disorders). All participants were evaluated using the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Emotion Identification Test from the Ekman Program, and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test-revised version (RMET). Results A total of 370 final-year students, both male and female, participated in the study. Group A included 136 students (37%), while Group B consisted of 234 students (63%). Female students exhibited a greater risk for developing an eating disorder (p =

Context Chest wall malformations (CWMs) are a broad group of elevated-morbidity anomalies that were classified by Acastello into kyphoscoliosis, ankylosing spondylitis, and pectus excavatum. The diaphragm, as the major respiratory muscle, is affected by these CWMs, leading to respiratory insufficiency and failure. Ultrasound is the modality of choice used in assessing diaphragmatic mobility and monitoring its effects in the four mentioned diseases. Aims In this study, an assessment of the diaphragmatic mobility via chest ultrasound was performed in patients with chest deformities before and after a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Settings and design This was an observational comparative study. Patients and methods This study included 40 patients with acquired and developmental chest wall deformities, nonsmokers and individuals with no cardiopulmonary disorders. Chest wall deformity was diagnosed by chest radiograph posteroanterior and lateral views, whereas the severity of the deformity was detected by calculating Cobb’s angle in comparison with the severity of spirometry with respect to the forced vital capacity. Spirometry was performed in these patients before and after the pulmonary rehabilitation program, along with a chest ultrasound, to follow up their diaphragmatic excursion and compare the results. Statistical analysis used SPSS program (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), software, version 20, was used. Results A marked decrease in the right range of movement (ROM) of the diaphragmatic copula (P=0.001) as well as a marked decline in the left ROM of diaphragmatic copula in the patient group (P=0.029) were detected. Moreover, a marked improvement in the right as well as the left ROM, diaphragmatic thickness and maximal inspiratory pressure was detected after rehabilitation (P=0.001). Cobb’s angle higher than 43° has been statistically proposed as a cut-off value for predicting mortality, while maximal inspiratory pressure less than 55% has been statistically proposed as a cut-off value for predicting mortality after the operation. Conclusions CWMs restrict the chest wall skeletal structure as well as the spine, with its joints, and thus interfere with diaphragmatic mobility. Ultrasound represents a good, reliable, and real-time tool for assessing diaphragmatic mobility and monitoring response to rehabilitation programs.

Slab openings occur quite often in practice to provide a convenient path for utility ducts. However, introducing an opening into a reinforced concrete flat slab causes local cracking in the vicinity of the opening leading to a reduction in stiffness and capacity of the slab. In this paper, different methods of strengthening flat slabs with central openings are investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental program consists of six slab specimens with dimensions of (1100 × 1100 × 100) mm with cut out openings of (300 ×300) mm. Two slabs were considered as reference specimens and tested without strengthening; one of them had no opening, and the second had a central opening. The remaining four slabs had openings and were strengthened with different techniques. These include adding Near Surface-Mounted (NSM) steel bars, steel strips with anchor bolts, carbon fiber laminates (CFL), and an overlay of engineered cementitious composite (ECC) material reinforced with welded wire mesh. The results show that using different strengthening techniques leads to an increase in load-carrying capacity for all the strengthened slabs. The reinforced ECC overlay strengthening method achieved the largest increase in the capacity by 31% compared to the reference slab with central opening. The finite-element analysis is carried out to validate the experimental results. Good agreement between the finite-element analysis and the experimental results is obtained confirming many of the findings of this study.

Background: This study aimed to assess the effect of cotton dust on respiratory symptoms and spirometric functions test among cotton textile workers. Patients and Methods: This prospective study was conducted at El-Mahalla Chest Hospital on 115 subjects (100 workers exposed to cotton dust from Misr Company for Spinning and Weaving and 15 healthy subject not exposed to cotton dust). All subjects, were subjected to a standardized questionnaire which was patterned according to American Thoracic Society questionnaire and spirometric functions test [Forced expiratory in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)% and maximum midexpiratory flow (MMEF) %]. Results: There was a highly significant statistical difference on comparing presence of respiratory symptoms between control group and cotton exposed groups. There was significant statistical difference on comparing the presence of respiratory symptoms between control group and weaving, spinning, opening of cotton bales and carding groups. Respiratory symptom was the highest prevalent in spinning and weaving workers. Cough, expectoration and chest tightness were the highest prevalent symptoms in cotton exposed groups. Cough, expectoration were the highest prevalent in spinning and weaving workers. There was significant statistical difference on comparing FEVI%, FVC%, FVC/FEV1% and PEFR % between control group and cotton exposed groups. There was no significant statistical difference on comparing MMEF% between control group and cotton exposed groups. There was positive correlation between presence of respiratory symptoms and duration of exposure to cotton dust, the longer the duration of exposure to cotton dust the higher the presence of respiratory symptoms. There was no correlation between period of exposure to cotton dust and spirometric functions. Conclusion: Cotton workers are at risk for developing respiratory symptoms. Respiratory symptoms was highest prevalent in worker works at spinning and weaving. Spirometric functions were less in cotton exposed workers as compared to control.

Introduction: There is still controversy for priming with sex steroid before growth hormone (GH) testing. Objective: We studied GH response to stimulation in 92 children >9 years with idiopathic short stature (height standard deviation score [HtSDS]-2). They were divided randomly into two groups. Children in Group 1 (n = 50) were primed with premarin in girls and testosterone in boys and those in Group 2 were not primed (n = 42). All children were tested using standard clonidine test and their serum insulin-like growth factor-I concentration (IGF-I). Additionally the growth and GH-IGF-I data of the two groups of children were compared with those for 32 short children (HtSDS 9 years. The peak GH response to clonidine provocation test did not differ before (n = 42) versus after 9 years (n = 32) of age. Conclusions: In this randomized study priming with sex steroids before GH testing did not significantly increase the yield of diagnosing short patients with normal GH secretion. In addition, GH response to provocation did not vary significantly between young (9 years) short children.

INTRODUCTION:Models of depression that arise in the West need to be examined in other regions of the world. This study examined a set of foundational hypotheses generated by Beck's cognitive model of depression among depressed individuals in Egypt and Canada. METHOD:We recruited 29 depressed and 29 non-depressed Egyptians and compared their results with those of 35 depressed and 38 non-depressed Canadians. Depression status was ascertained using a structured interview, scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, and scores on the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire. Participants completed questionnaires designed to measure the frequency of negative and positive automatic thoughts (ATQ-N, BHS, and ATQ-P), and dysfunctional attitudes (DAS). RESULTS:Depressed individuals in both countries had significantly more negative thoughts about self and future, greater frequency of dysfunctional attitudes, and diminished positive self-thoughts in comparison to non-depressed individuals. Egyptians generally showed significantly more dysfunctional attitudes than their Canadian counterparts. DISCUSSION:The four hypotheses that were tested were supported among the depressed Egyptian sample, which is consistent with the cognitive model. Implications for the cognitive-behavioral model and treatment for this group of sufferers are discussed.

Prediction of cognitive dysfunctions in operators of human–machine systems is a complex process. The cognitive functions of attention and memory are negatively impacted in machine operation workers. Obtaining an accurate prediction of cognitive dysfunctions provides added value to better design machines and improve operator health. This research demonstrates a prediction model utilising hybrid fuzzy decision rules. The models use health indicators that measure energy imbalance of biologically active points, levels of psycho-emotional stress, fatigue and functional reserve (FR). We assess properties of attention as concentration, volume, selectivity, switchability, distribution and stability in operators of information-rich human–machine systems. Expert confidence in the obtained mathematical models exceeds the value of 0.85. The prediction quality was tested on representative control samples for the most vulnerable property of concentration of attention (CA) for this profession, and it was shown that such indicators of decision-making quality as diagnostic sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, diagnostic efficiency, predictive significance of positive and negative results exceed 0.85. The developed model proved useful for various applications in modern psychology, and psychophysiology assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Connective Tissue Diseases (CTDs) are systemic autoimmune conditions characterized by frequent lung involvement. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a severe pulmonary complication in CTD and associated with significant increased morbidity and mortality, so early detection of ILD is essential. Aim of the Work: To find the best modality for early diagnosis of interstitial lung disease in patients with connective tissue disorders by using DLCO, impulse oscillometry and HRCT chest. Patients and Methods: This observational, analytical and cross sectional study was conducted upon 60 patients whom were diagnosed as connective tissue disease during the period from march 2022 to march 2023 who were admitted to chest and rheumatology department or outpatient clinics visitors, to Ain Shams University Hospitals. Results: regarding our results, there was high statistical significance between DLCO and IOS (Best x5). Sensitivity and specificity of Diffusion lung of CO2; DLCO score in prediction of outcome in CT Chest Findings showing significance in DLCO score; p=0.024 with CI ranged between 53.9-81.4% and sensitivity 67.6%. Sensitivity and specificity of the impulse oscillation method; R5, R20, and Best-X5 score in prediction of outcome in CT Chest Findings. Showing no significance in all with sensitivity 50.2%, 46.1%, 43.4% and 57.5% respectively Conclusion: ILD should always be considered in patients with CTD. Diagnosis of CTD-ILD is challenging so Early diagnosis of ILD using DLCO, HRCT chest or by using IOS is important as it could affect therapy plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]