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Background: Pediatric headache is a common complaint with significant impact on children's well-being. Environmental noise exposure has emerged as a potential risk factor for pediatric headache, but its association remains understudied, particularly in tertiary care settings. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the link between pediatric headache and environmental noise exposure in a tertiary care setting, assessing the prevalence of headache among children and the impact of environmental noise levels. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to parents of pediatric patients presenting with headache symptoms at a tertiary care center. Demographic information, headache characteristics, and environmental noise exposure levels were assessed. Environmental noise levels were measured at various locations within the center and participants' residential areas. Results: A total of 250 pediatric patients were included in the study. The prevalence of pediatric headache was 42%. Analysis revealed a significant correlation between environmental noise levels and the occurrence of pediatric headache (p < 0.05). Higher noise levels in both healthcare and residential settings were associated with increased headache prevalence. Conclusion: This study highlights the significant association between pediatric headache and environmental noise exposure in a tertiary care setting. Strategies to reduce noise levels in healthcare facilities and residential areas are essential to mitigate the burden of pediatric headache on affected children's health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seasonal allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, are common pediatric health issues with increasing prevalence globally. Early identification of children at risk of developing these conditions is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes. Objective: This clinical study aimed to investigate the utility of specific biomarkers in predicting seasonal allergic diseases in children. Methods: A total of 250 pediatric patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of seasonal allergies were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed to identify allergen sensitization. Serum levels of [Marker 1], [Marker 2], and [Marker 3] were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the predictive value of these biomarkers in identifying children at risk of developing seasonal allergic diseases. Results: Analysis revealed a significant association between elevated levels of [Marker 1] and the presence of seasonal allergic diseases (p < 0.05). Similarly, [Marker 2] levels were significantly higher in children with allergic diseases compared to non-allergic controls (p < 0.001). Serum IgE levels ([Marker 3]) were also elevated in cases compared to controls, although the difference was less pronounced (p = 0.023). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated the diagnostic accuracy of each biomarker, with [Marker 1] exhibiting the highest sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: Specific biomarkers, particularly [Marker 1] and [Marker 2], show promise in predicting seasonal allergic diseases in children. Early identification of at-risk individuals using biomarker-based approaches could enable targeted interventions and personalized management strategies, thereby reducing the burden of allergic diseases on pediatric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract South Asians are one of the fastest growing immigrant communities in North America. Domestic violence (DV) in the South Asian community is at least as prevalent as it is [...]

We describe a compact feature representation based on the elements of Colour Co-occurrence Matrices {CCM) in HSV space. The feature vector consists of all diagonal elements and one representative value for all non-diagonal elements of the CCM. To reduce semantic gap we use Relevance Feedback, and describe how the integration and synergy of existing feature re-weighting techniques can lead to better retrieval accuracy. We experimented with three image databases of sizes 2000, 2020 and 8365, and having number of semantic categories 10, 12 and 98 respectively. The results demonstrated the superiority of our feature representation and feature re-weighting method in terms of retrieval accuracy and online computation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An active RC circuit employing a single finite-gain amplifier, one two-port and two one-ports, has been presented here for the realization of a general voltage transfer function without positive real axis zeros. The comparative merit of the scheme with respect to that proposed by Rao (1969) are that the synthesis procedure is simpler and the number of passive circuit elements required is smaller. The coefficient of realization of the synthesized transfer function can always be made equal to unity with the scheme. A few examples are included to illustrate the synthesis procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An active R.C. structure using a fixed gain differential amplifier, two resistors and three one-ports, is presented for the realization of general voltage transfer functions including those having zeros on the positive real axis. The comparative merit of the scheme, with respect to the circuit presented recently by Natarajan (1970), is that, a smaller number of passive circuit elements is required for the synthesis of a general voltage transfer function. A few examples are included to illustrate the synthesis procedures.
In this paper, two active R.C. circuits based on a general structure using a fixed gain differential amplifier, two resistors and three R.C. one-ports for realizing general voltage transfer ratios have been proposed. The procedures for the synthesis of such transfer functions have also been presented with a few illustrative examples. The comparative merit of the circuits with respect to that of Natarajan (1970) is that the number of R.C. one-ports has been reduced from five to three, resulting in a smaller number of passive circuit elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stable oscillator has been developed with an active frequency-selective circuit using a Wien network, adjusted below the threshold of regeneration, by providing amplitude-limited aperiodic positive feedback through a parallel path. With this method the amplitude of oscillation remains stable and can be controlled continuously while the amplitude distortion remains less than 1% even when the frequency is as low as 01 HZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a class of active RC networks using a summation amplifier or a differential amplifier for realizing all-pass transfer functions of arbitrary order, having simple poles restricted to the negative real axis. Examples are given to realize second-order all-pass transfer functions with RC null network and with the phase-shifting network of a Wien bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes an amplitude stabilized very low frequency sinusoidal oscillator generating a frequency as low as 001 Hz. It uses a second-order all-pass network and an operational amplifier interconnected in a feedback loop to form a highly selective amplifier. A secondary loop consisting of a squaring network is used to stabilize the amplitude of oscillation. The oscillator is analyzed and the experimental results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDue to the growing availability of consumer information, the protection of personal data is of increasing concern. ObjectiveWe assessed readability metrics of privacy policies for apps that are either available to or targeted toward youth to inform strategies to educate and protect youth from unintentional sharing of personal data. MethodsWe reviewed the 1200 highest ranked apps from the Apple and Google Play Stores and systematically selected apps geared toward youth. After applying exclusion criteria, 99 highly ranked apps geared toward minors remained, 64 of which had a privacy policy. We obtained and analyzed these privacy policies using reading grade level (RGL) as a metric. Policies were further compared as a function of app category (free vs paid; entertainment vs social networking vs utility). ResultsAnalysis of privacy policies for these 64 apps revealed an average RGL of 12.78, which is well above the average reading level (8.0) of adults in the United States. There was also a small but statistically significant difference in word count as a function of app category (entertainment: 2546 words, social networking: 3493 words, and utility: 1038 words; P=.02). ConclusionsAlthough users must agree to privacy policies to access digital tools and products, readability analyses suggest that these agreements are not comprehensible to most adults, let alone youth. We propose that stakeholders, including pediatricians and other health care professionals, play a role in educating youth and their guardians about the use of Web-based services and potential privacy risks, including the unintentional sharing of personal data.

Abstract Background There is recent interest in the role of carotid bifurcation anatomy, geometry and hemodynamic factors in the pathogenesis of carotid artery atherosclerosis. Certain anatomical and geometric configurations at the carotid bifurcation have been linked to disturbed flow. It has been proposed that vascular dimensions are selected to minimize energy required to maintain blood flow, and that this occurs when an exponent of 3 relates the radii of parent and daughter arteries. We evaluate whether the dimensions of bifurcation of the extracranial carotid artery follow this principle of minimum work. Methods This study involved subjects who had computed tomographic angiography (CTA) at our institution between 2006 and 2007. Radii of the common, internal and external carotid arteries were determined. The exponent was determined for individual bifurcations using numerical methods and for the sample using nonlinear regression. Results Mean age for 45 participants was 56.9 ± 16.5 years with 26 males. Prevalence of vascular risk factors was: hypertension-48%, smoking-23%, diabetes-16.7%, hyperlipidemia-51%, ischemic heart disease-18.7%. The value of the exponent ranged from 1.3 to 1.6, depending on estimation methodology. Conclusions The principle of minimum work (defined by an exponent of 3) may not apply at the carotid bifurcation. Additional factors may play a role in the relationship between the radii of the parent and daughter vessels.