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Context: Blood flow restriction (BFR) is a rehabilitation tool which may introduce a constraint, similar to muscle fatigue, that challenge patients' sensorimotor system during balance exercises. The purpose of our study was to examine whether adding BFR to dynamic balance exercises produced a decrease in balance performance and an increase in ratings of perceived exertion and instability in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) compared with dynamic balance exercises without BFR. Designs: Crossover design. Methods: Our sample included N = 25 young adults with a history of CAI. Participants completed 2 laboratory visits. At each visit, participants completed 4 sets (30×-15×-15×-15×) of dynamic balance exercises, performed similar to the modified star excursion balance test (SEBT), once with BFR and once with control (no BFR) conditions. We measured composite SEBT scores at baseline and during the final repetitions of each set of balance exercise (sets 1–4). We also measured ratings of perceived exertion and instability following each balance exercise set. Results: We observed no difference in composite SEBT scores between conditions at baseline; however, composite SEBT scores were significantly lower during all balance exercises sets 1 to 4 with the BFR condition compared with control. During the BFR condition, composite SEBT scores were significantly lower during all balance exercise sets compared with baseline. During the control condition, composite SEBT scores did not significantly change between baseline and each balance exercise set. Ratings of perceived exertion and instability scores were significantly greater in the BFR group compared with the control group during all balance exercise sets. Conclusions: Individuals with CAI demonstrated lower composite SEBT scores and greater perceived instability and exertion during dynamic balance exercise with BFR compared to without BFR. BFR introduced a novel muscle fatigue constraint during dynamic balance exercises in individuals with CAI. Additional research is needed to determine if adding BFR to balance training could improve clinical outcomes in CAI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examined performance and physiological adaptations following 3 weeks of repeated-sprint training (RST) with blood-flow restriction (BFR) or without (non-BFR). Methods: Twenty-six semiprofessional and amateur adult male team-sport players were assessed for repeated-sprint ability, anaerobic capacity, leg lean mass, neuromuscular function, and maximal aerobic capacity before and after RST. Participants completed 9 cycling RST sessions (3 sets of 5–7 × 5-s sprints, 25-s passive recovery, 3-min rest) over a 3-week period with BFR or non-BFR. Results: During RST sessions, the BFR group demonstrated lower mean power output compared with non-BFR (−14.5%; g = 1.48; P =.001). Significant improvements (P <.05) in mean and peak power output during repeated-sprint ability (+4.1%; g = 0.42, and + 2.2%; g = 0.25, respectively) and anaerobic capacity (+4.8%; g = 0.47, and + 4.7%; g = 0.32, respectively) tests, leg lean mass (+2.0%; g = 0.16), and peak aerobic power (+3.3%; g = 0.25) were observed from pretesting to posttesting without any between-groups differences. No significant changes (P >.05) were observed for maximal isometric voluntary contraction and maximal aerobic capacity. Peak rate of force development decreased (P =.003) in both groups following RST (−14.6%; g = 0.65), without any between-groups differences. Conclusions: Repeated-sprint ability, anaerobic capacity, leg lean mass, and peak aerobic power improved following 3 weeks of RST; however, the addition of BFR did not further enhance adaptations. Interestingly, comparable improvements were achieved between groups despite lower external loads experienced during RST sessions with BFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fetal inflammatory response syndrome associated with acidosis during labor is a high‐risk situation for the fetus. This study evaluated hemodynamic, gasometric, and heart rate variability changes during acute fetal inflammatory response syndrome associated with hypoxia, compared with isolated hypoxia. Material and Methods: Acute fetal inflammatory response syndrome was obtained via an intravenously injection of lipopolysaccharide derived from Escherichia coli. Hypoxia was induced by repeated umbilical cord occlusions during three phases: mild, moderate, and severe umbilical cord occlusions. Two groups were created with chronically instrumented near‐term fetal sheep: one group with isolated hypoxia, the other with hypoxia and fetal inflammatory response syndrome. Hemodynamic, gas parameters, and fetal heart rate variability were compared between the groups. Results: The hypoxia and fetal inflammatory response syndrome group had a higher mortality rate (n = 4/9) compared with the hypoxia group (n = 0/9). Gasometric state was altered earlier in case of lipopolysaccharide injection (pH = 7.22 (7.12–7.24) vs 7.28 (7.23–7.34) p = 0.01; lactate = 10.3 mmol/L (9.4–11.0) vs 6.0 mmol/L (4.1–8.2) p < 0.001 after mild occlusions). After mild occlusions, the hypoxia and fetal inflammatory response syndrome group had higher values on seven heart rate variability parameters compared with the hypoxia group. After moderate occlusions, two parameters remained significantly higher. Conclusions: During fetal inflammatory response syndrome, fetal adaptation to hypoxia is impaired. In case of fetal infection, acidosis during labor is likely to become severe more rapidly, requiring closer fetal monitoring during labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Less than ideal contacts have been reported following aligner therapy, but it is considered a transitory problem, spontaneously resolving with the phenomenon of settling. Methods: Thirty-nine orthodontic patients (14 treated with aligners; 25 with fixed appliances) were evaluated with a digital occlusal analysis system (T-scan™10), assessing Maximum Intercuspation contact simultaneity, symmetry, and relative force distribution at treatment completion and after 3 and 6 months. Results: No significant differences in occlusal contact quality were found between groups at treatment completion or follow-up. The center of force moved posteriorly and remained stable after 3 months but was located more anteriorly in females (p = 0.01). One-third of patients (both groups combined) had marked contact force asymmetry even after 6 months' retention. Conclusion: Occlusal contacts were comparable at completion of treatment with aligners or brackets and after 3–6 months of retention. Settling did not improve marked asymmetry in all patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral revascularization for the treatment of atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease (ASOD) was found to have no benefit compared with medical treatment. However, there is also criticism that with sufficiently long-term follow-up, a crossover might emerge demonstrating the advantages of surgery. Therefore, we examined the long-term outcome of cerebral revascularization performed on patients with carefully selected ASOD at our center. Patients undergoing bypass surgery for non-moyamoya ischemic disease were retrospectively identified. The inclusion criteria were symptomatic ASOD with hemodynamic insufficiency, follow-up of more than 5 years, and stroke or surgical complications during follow-up. The clinical course and radiological findings were investigated. Poor outcomes were predicted using machine learning (ML) models, and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) values and feature importance of each model were analyzed. A total of 109 patients were included from 2007 to 2018. The 30-day risk of any stroke or death was 6.4% (7/109). The risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke during median follow-up of 116 months was 7.3% (8/109). The SHAP values showed that previously and empirically known stroke risk factors exert a relatively consistent effect on the prediction of models. The number of lesions with stenosis > 50% (odds ratio [OR] 5.77), age (OR 1.13), and coronary artery disease (OR 5.73) were consistent risk factors for poor outcome. We demonstrated an acceptable long-term outcome of cerebral revascularization surgery for patients with hemodynamically insufficient and symptomatic ASOD. Multicenter studies are encouraged to predict poor outcomes and suitable patients with large numbers of quantitative and qualitative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review assesses the effects of repeated sprint training (RST) in hypoxia (RSH) and blood flow restriction (BFR) methods on skeletal muscle adaptations and performance. Current literature suggests that RSH promotes metabolic modifications in muscle cells, especially driven by reactive oxygen species production, HIF-1α stabilization, and changes in metabolism. Training with BFR promotes metabolite accumulation in working muscles due to limited blood flow, however, cellular mechanisms affected by BFR during RST are less explored. Data highlight that RSH improves repeated sprint ability (RSA) in several sport disciplines (e.g. rugby, tennis, soccer, cross-country skiing). However, recent studies showed that addition of hypoxia or BFR during RST did not promote supplementary benefits on aerobic performance, force-velocity power profile, and ${\dot{\rm V}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{2}}} \rm max$V˙O2max. Nonetheless, gains in ${\dot{\rm V}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{2}}}$V˙O2max were observed during sprint interval training protocols when BFR was applied during recovery between sets. Finally, recent studies highlighted that RSH can improve RSA in a short period. Thus, RSH and sprint training with BFR may be useful for sports disciplines requiring high glycolytic demand and can promote gains in RSA in a short window. Further studies must be encouraged to better understand the biological consequences of adding such stimuli to exercise, especially BFR, on long-term adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) during cardiac surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to reduce thromboembolism. However, data on the clinical significance of LAA occlusion (LAAO) in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) are lacking. A total of 237 AF patients with chronic severe MR who underwent mitral valve (MV) surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to concomitant LAAO or LAA preservation. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death and thromboembolic events (ischemic stroke or systemic embolism). The LAA was surgically occluded in 98 (41%) patients and preserved in 139 (59%) patients. During the follow-up period (median, 37 months), 29 primary outcomes occurred. In the Kaplan–Meyer analysis, the LAA preservation group showed a greater cumulative incidence of the primary outcome (P = 0.002) and thromboembolic events (P = 0.003) than the LAAO group. In the univariate Cox regression analysis, coronary artery disease, CHA2DS2-VASc score, a cauliflower-shaped LAA, Maze, and no LAAO were significantly associated with the primary outcome. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, concomitant LAAO was significantly linked to the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10–0.91, P = 0.033) and thromboembolic events (HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04–0.87, P = 0.032). These benefits from LAAO were consistent, even after propensity score–matched analysis. For patients undergoing surgery for chronic MR who also have AF, concomitant surgical LAAO is associated with favorable clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors impacting the rate of aneurysm occlusion after flow diversion (FD) have been well described in the literature. In this article, we sought to evaluate those variables to develop and validate a scoring system predicting aneurysm incomplete occlusion after FD. Retrospective review of patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with FD at a single institution between March 2013 and March 2023. Multivariable logistic regression model was developed using factors associated with aneurysm incomplete occlusion. The ABC scoring system consisted of: A ge (<60 years old: 0, 60–69 years: 1, 70–79: 2, and ≥80: 3), B ranch coming out of the aneurysm dome/neck (yes: 2, no: 0), and C igarette smoking history (never smoker: 1, current or past smoker: 0). The scoring system performance was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic curve and calculating the area under the curve. A total of 449 patients with 563 aneurysms treated in 482 procedures were evaluated. Most cases were females (81.7%) with a median age of 59 years old. At a median follow-up of 13.2 months, 84.0% of aneurysms were completely or near-complete occluded. The scoring system had an area under the curve of 0.71. A value ≥ 2, reached a sensitivity of 74.4%, a specificity of 60.9%, a likelihood ratio+ of 1.90, and proved to be reliable in predicting the risk of incomplete occlusion (odds ratio = 4.53; 95% confidence interval: 2.73–7.54; P < 0.001). The proposed ABC scoring system can be used to evaluate the risk of aneurysm incomplete occlusion after treatment with FD, identifying patients who would benefit from adjunctive coiling or alternative treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as a pervasive source of illness and a prominent factor in death rates throughout the majority of nations. Atherosclerosis has been identified as the primary cause of this global health concern. Methods: 150 cases older than 30 years were subjected to medicolegal autopsy in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Kannur. During a medicolegal autopsy, while dissecting the aorta, coronary arteries and cerebral arteries; gross macroscopic changes brought on by atherosclerosis were examined and documented. Results: The study group consisted primarily of males (62.7%) with an average age of 46.90±16.34 years. Nearly half of them were in their fourth and fifth decades of life. A total of 67 instances were diagnosed with atherosclerosis, with 22 of them falling within the age range of 40 to 49 years. 79 percent of these incidents involved males. Conclusion: Atherosclerosis is becoming increasingly recognized as the primary cause of around one-third of all fatalities in India. Conducting a study on atherosclerosis in living individuals is challenging, as it requires invasive and costly procedures. This is particularly true in underdeveloped nations. Therefore, autopsies are crucial for documenting the occurrence of atherosclerosis in the population. This study will assist doctors in evaluating the overall arterial health of patients and developing therapeutic protocols and courses of treatment. Additionally, it will aid forensic pathologists in determining the cause of death in cases of sudden death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This work explores the use of eXplainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to analyze a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained for disruption prediction in tokamak devices and fed with inputs composed of different physical quantities. Methods: This work focuses on a reduced dataset containing disruptions that follow patterns which are distinguishable based on their impact on the electron temperature profile. Our objective is to demonstrate that the CNN, without explicit training for these specific mechanisms, has implicitly learned to differentiate between these two disruption paths. With this purpose, two XAI algorithms have been implemented: occlusion and saliency maps. Results: The main outcome of this paper comes from the temperature profile analysis, which evaluates whether the CNN prioritizes the outer and inner regions. Discussion: The result of this investigation reveals a consistent shift in the CNN's output sensitivity depending on whether the inner or outer part of the temperature profile is perturbed, reflecting the underlying physical phenomena occurring in the plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic harvesting had been constrained by the low positioning accuracy of strawberry stem picking points and the significant challenge of identifying occluded strawberries. In this study, we proposed an improved YOLO v8 model combined with Pose key-point detection for enhanced strawberry recognition and localization. The accuracy of picking point localization was also improved, especially for occluded strawberries in complex environments. To optimize the YOLO v8 model, we introduced the Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) and the Generalized Attention Module (GAM), which enhanced bidirectional information flow, dynamically allocated feature weights, and focused on extracting features of small targets and enhancing the features of occluded regions. As a result, the model's ability to accurately detect and localize strawberries in complex environments was significantly improved. Experimental results showed that the improved YOLO v8- pose model outperformed the original model in several metrics: the Precision (P) increased by 6. 01 percentage points, Recall (R) by 1. 98 percentage points, mean Average Precision (mAP) by 6. 67 percentage points, and mean Average Precision for key points (mAPkp) by 7. 85 percentage points. The positioning accuracy for strawberry stem picking points, based on key-point detection, achieved errors of just 1. 4 mm in both the X and Y directions and 2. 2 mm in the Z direction. Additionally, the occlusion level was classified according to the overlap area of occluded strawberries, and the model's performance under varying occlusion conditions was assessed. Under these conditions, the mAPkp of the improved YOLO v8-pose model increased by 9. 78 percentage points compared to the original model. Field trials further validated the model's effectiveness, with the strawberry-picking robot achieving a 95% success rate, picking each strawberry within 10 seconds. The high success rate and short picking time demonstrated the practicality of the model in real-world agricultural settings, indicating its high efficiency and accuracy. The improved YOLO v8 model with key-point detection accurately and robustly recognized strawberries, leveraged multi-scale features with the BiFPN architecture, and focused attention on relevant regions with the GAM, especially for occluded strawberries. These advancements significantly improved overall performance in precision, recall, and average precision, particularly under occlusion scenarios. In conclusion, these advanced techniques were integrated into a more capable strawberry-picking robot system. The enhanced accuracy and efficiency achieved in recognizing and localizing strawberries, even in challenging occlusion scenarios, highlighted the system's potential for practical agricultural applications. The findings contributed significantly to automated strawberry harvesting in agricultural robotics, paving the way for more efficient and cost-effective farming solutions in sustainable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building façade parsing is to recognize the building façade image into different categories of individuals including walls, doors, windows, balconies, etc. However, obstructions such as trees present a significant challenge to conducting façade parsing. In this paper, we designed OccFaçade to achieve high-precision parsing of occluded building façades in large urban scenes. OccFaçade primarily incorporates two modules, Multi-layer Dilated Convolution Module (MD-Module) and Multi-scale Row-Column Convolution Module (MRC-Module), to capture repeated texture in local and row-column directions. This aims to leverage repetitive textures to address occlusion challenges in building façade parsing. Besides, we introduce our building façade dataset MeshFaçade from the Mesh data generated by drone imagery to study the occlusion problem of missing textures. The experimental results demonstrate that OccFaçade achieves state-of-the-art performance with mIOU of 85.01%, 84.09%, 72.95%, and 88.83% on the ENPC2014 dataset, ECP dataset, RueMonge2014 dataset, and our MeshFaçade dataset, respectively. The code and data are available at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Many older adults living in long-term care (LTC) environments have varying numbers of retained natural teeth. The objective of this study was to assess the disease findings based on tooth type and estimate the role of tooth types in occlusion. Methods: We conducted clinical oral examinations of 276 LTC residents. The disease findings were analyzed for each tooth type and to determine their associations with dementia. Results: In total, 67.8% of the participants had molar teeth. Premolars/canines were often present as residual roots and had caries. Deepened periodontal pockets and higher plaque index (PI) values for molars had odds ratios of 2.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.59–3.91) and 1.61 (95% CI of 1.29–2.02), respectively. Participants with dementia were more likely to have incisors and premolars/canines in the form of root remnants and higher PI scores for all tooth types (p ≤ 0.01), as well as more deepened periodontal pockets in all teeth (p = 0.029), than those without dementia. The median number of remaining molars per participant was 3 out of a maximum of 12 (95% CI 3.4–4.0); thus, they often lacked occlusal contact. Conclusions: The LTC residents' molars were more prone to periodontal problems, whereas their premolars/canines often had caries or were present in the form of root remnants, especially in the participants with dementia. People's teeth should be treated in an easy-to-maintain way before they move into LTC to enable daily oral hygiene measures and maintain oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the effects of occlusion and pharmacological penalization on visual acuity in the treatment of amblyopia. Material and Method: Thirty-nine patients followed up in our strabismus unit due to amblyopia were included in our study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups as occlusion and pharmacological penalization. and visual acuities of both groups were compared before and after treatment. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. In the occlusion group, alternating occlusion for 3 days in the healthy eye and 1 day in the amblyopic eye (3:1) for 6 months was applied for 1 to 6 hours, depending on the degree of amblyopia and the age of the patient, while pharmacological penalization was applied once a day to the healthy eyes of the patients with 1%. Atropine sulfate was instilled dropwise and continued for one month. Then, intermittent treatment was started and atropine was dripped into the healthy eye twice a week, and this treatment was continued for 6 months. Results: Pharmacological penalization therapy was applied to 19 of the patients (8 girls, 11 boys), and occlusion therapy was applied to 20 (8 girls, 12 boys). While the mean visual acuity of amblyopic eyes in the pharmacological penalization group was 0.15±0.07 according to the Snellen chart before the treatment, it was 0.41±0.17 at the 6th month after the treatment. The mean visual acuity of the amblyopic eye was increased by 0.26±0.13 with treatment (p <0.001). The visual acuity in amblyopic eyes in the occlusion group was 0.27±0.18 according to the Snellen chart before the treatment, and 0.40±0 .25 at the 6th month after the treatment. A mean increase of 0.22±0.11 was detected in the visual acuity of the amblyopic eyes (p <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the visual acuity improvement rates of the two groups (p >0.05). Conclusion: In our study, occlusion and pharmacological penalization applied in the treatment of amblyopia were found to be effective at a rate similar to the increase in visual acuity, Penalization of atropine should be kept in mind in children who do not comply with occlusion therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serotonin transporter (SERT) is a member of the Solute Carrier 6 (SLC6) family and is responsible for maintaining the appropriate level of serotonin in the brain. Dysfunction of SERT has been linked to several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and obsessive‐compulsive disorder. Therefore, an in‐depth understanding of the mechanism on an atomistic level, coupled with a quantification of transporter dynamics and the associated free energies is required. Here, we constructed Markov state models (MSMs) from extensive unbiased molecular dynamics simulations to quantify the free energy profile of serotonin (5HT) triggered SERT occlusion and explored the driving forces of the mechanism of occlusion. Our results reveal that SERT occludes via multiple intermediate conformations and show that the motion of occlusion is energetically downhill for the 5HT‐bound transporter. Force distribution analyses show that the interactions of 5HT with the bundle domain are crucial. During occlusion, attractive forces steadily increase and pull on the bundle domain, which leads to SERT occlusion. Some interactions become repulsive upon full occlusion, suggesting that SERT creates pressure on 5HT to promote its movement towards the cytosol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Using satellite video data as a target tracking data source can effectively remedy the problems of fixed angle and a small monitoring range of ground surveillance video, and provide a beneficial supplement for disaster prevention, intelligent transportation, crime tracking and other aspects. However, ground objects in satellite videos are complicated. If the texture, geometry, color and other appearance features of the target are blocked and submerged by other objects, tracking drift or tracking loss will occur in the tracking algorithm. Methods: Based on the fully-convolutional siamese network (SiamFC), this paper proposes an anti-occlusion target tracking algorithm based on satellite video, which can effectively solve the tracking loss problem of moving targets under different cover-up degrees. If the target occlusion degree is low, the forward result obtained by template update network is used as the tracking result of the current frame, and the forward result is set as a new forward template to obtain the changing characteristics of the moving target. If the target is highly obscured, first, the forward result is set as the new backward template, and used to repeatedly track the target in the previous frame. Then, the spatial position prediction module is used to obtain the historical trajectory features of the target and get the trajectory result. Finally, the forward result and the trajectory result are combined to get the tracking result of the current frame based on the bidirectional verification error obtained from the repeated tracking. Results: The proposed algorithm is verified by using typical moving target, aircrafts, ships and vehicles of Jilin-1 satellite video. The results show that the proposed algorithm can provide more accurate tracking results when the target is occluded. The tracking accuracy and success rate reach 76.2% and 78.9%, respectively, and the tracking speed is 33 frame per second. Conclusions: The proposed algorithm can realize the continuous tracking and monitoring of moving targets under occlusion conditions, and can effectively improve the emergency handling ability of intelligent transportation, disaster prevention and relief, wartime monitoring and other aspects in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mandibular malpositioning may result in an abnormal concentration of stresses within the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in adult rats, which may further lead to a series of pathological changes, such as articular cartilage wear, subchondral bone sclerosis and osteophyte formation. However, the pathological and adaptive changes in condylar cartilage caused by different stress distributions are still controversial. Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the effect of sagittal changes in mandibular position on condylar cartilage by changing the occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) in adult rats. Methods: Fifteen‐week‐old female rats were divided into three groups: control (CON), increased OVD (iOVD) and loss of occlusion (LO) groups. An occlusal plate and tooth extraction were used to establish the animal model. TMJ samples of the experimental and CON groups were observed and investigated by bone morphological, histomorphological and immunohistochemical staining analyses at 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks. Weight curves were plotted. Results: Micro‐computed tomography showed that, compared with the CON group, cartilage destruction followed by repair occurred in both experimental groups, which was similar to the trend observed in haematoxylin‐eosin staining. All experimental results for the iOVD group showed an approximately similar time trend. Compared with the iOVD group, the toluidine blue and immunohistochemical staining results in the LO group showed no obvious change trend over time. Conclusion: Compared with occlusal loss, an increase in OVD caused faster and more severe damage to condylar cartilage, and subchondral bone repair occurred later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental implants continue to increase in popularity as a method of replacing missing or failing teeth and, in doing so, this increased prevalence is likely to present as a range of scenarios for the general dental practitioner and dental hygienist, whether they have an interest in the field or not. Many of these scenarios will relate to the restorative and post-treatment phases of treatment, where the biomechanical performance of the restoration will need to be understood by the treating clinician in the primary care setting. This article aims to highlight the unique biomechanical nature of dental implant restorations, the differences between a natural tooth held by periodontal ligament fibres and a dental implant ankylosed to bone, the consideration of restoring a natural tooth opposing a dental implant, and the long-term effect of changes in the occlusion and their impact on previously placed dental implant restorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate detection of tea buds plays a crucial role in achieving the automation and intelligence required for tea bud picking. Aiming at the problems that the current object detection algorithms have low detection accuracy for tea buds under occlusion scenarios and the model is too large which is not suitable for mobile deployment, this paper proposed an improved model Yolo-GSG based on Yolox for detecting tea buds. A global context mechanism (GC) was integrated into the feature fusion network to fuse global context information which was used to find tea buds in complex backgrounds. The separated and enhancement attention module (SEAM) was added to the detection head to gather information that was beneficial for tea bud classification while suppressing useless information. The α -IoU method was introduced to the post-processing stage to improve missed detection caused by occlusion. The ghost module was introduced to the CSPLayer, considerably reducing the computing and model size. Finally, a tea bud dataset was established for the experiment. The results of the ablation experiment demonstrated that implementing a suitable technique could lead to further enhancements in the model's performance. The proposed model outperformed models proposed in the previous study (SSD, Faster RCNN, Yolov3, Yolov4, Yolov5, Yolov7) as well as those introduced in subsequent research (Yolov8, RT-DETR, Yolov9), it obtained the best performance with a mAP of 92.71%. The floating-point operations and parameters were reduced to 23.437G and 8.782 M, respectively. In summary, this paper offered both theoretical research and technical support, serving as a foundation for intelligent tea bud picking in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper presents a novel approach for occlusion inpainting in thermal images to efficiently segment and enhance obscured regions within these images. The increasing reliance on thermal imaging in fields like surveillance, security, and defense necessitates the accurate detection of obscurants such as smoke and fog. Traditional methods often struggle with these complexities, leading to the need for more advanced solutions. Our proposed methodology uses a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to fill occluded areas in thermal images. This process begins with an obscured region segmentation, followed by a GAN-based pixel replacement in these areas. The methodology encompasses building, training, evaluating, and optimizing the model to ensure swift real-time performance. One of the key challenges in thermal imaging is identifying effective strategies to mitigate critical information loss due to atmospheric interference. Our approach addresses this by employing sophisticated deep-learning techniques. These techniques segment, classify and inpaint these obscured regions in a patch-wise manner, allowing for more precise and accurate image restoration. We propose utilizing architectures similar to Pix2Pix and UNet networks for generative and segmentation tasks. These networks are known for their effectiveness in image-to-image translation and segmentation tasks. Our method enhances the segmentation and inpainting process by leveraging their architectural similarities. To validate our approach, we provide a quantitative analysis and performance comparison. We include a quantitative comparison between (Pix2Pix and UNet) and our combined architecture. The comparison focuses on how well each model performs in terms of accuracy and speed, highlighting the advantages of our integrated approach. This research contributes to advancing thermal imaging techniques, offering a more robust solution for dealing with obscured regions. The integration of advanced deep learning models holds the potential to significantly improve image analysis in critical applications like surveillance and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) during cardiac surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to reduce thromboembolism. However, data on the clinical significance of LAA occlusion (LAAO) in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) are lacking. A total of 237 AF patients with chronic severe MR who underwent mitral valve (MV) surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to concomitant LAAO or LAA preservation. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death and thromboembolic events (ischemic stroke or systemic embolism). The LAA was surgically occluded in 98 (41%) patients and preserved in 139 (59%) patients. During the follow-up period (median, 37 months), 29 primary outcomes occurred. In the Kaplan–Meyer analysis, the LAA preservation group showed a greater cumulative incidence of the primary outcome (P = 0.002) and thromboembolic events (P = 0.003) than the LAAO group. In the univariate Cox regression analysis, coronary artery disease, CHA2DS2-VASc score, a cauliflower-shaped LAA, Maze, and no LAAO were significantly associated with the primary outcome. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, concomitant LAAO was significantly linked to the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10–0.91, P = 0.033) and thromboembolic events (HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04–0.87, P = 0.032). These benefits from LAAO were consistent, even after propensity score–matched analysis. For patients undergoing surgery for chronic MR who also have AF, concomitant surgical LAAO is associated with favorable clinical outcome.

Paraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms are associated with a high mortality rate, which gradually increases without intervention. Surgical clipping or coiling of large aneurysms with inadequate neck and adductor artery expansion will not guarantee a successful outcome. Carotid surgical trapping or endovascular occlusion of the adductor artery can help to isolate the aneurysm from circulation, but it comes at the expense of sacrificing a major blood vessel responsible for significant cerebral perfusion. Currently, a technique has been developed to redirect blood flow and stimulate gradual thrombosis in the aneurysm cavity to reduce pressure on its walls. However, in cases of recurrent aneurysm and stent thrombosis in these patients, it is necessary to consider destructive surgery. The 65-year-old patient, who had a history of migraine, was diagnosed with a large aneurysm. He was initially treated with the Pipeline Flex stent from Medtronic, but after 5 months, he experienced 2 transient ischemic attacks. Subsequent CT scans revealed no signs of brain damage, but a brain CTA revealed the recurrence of an internal carotid artery paraclinoid aneurysm with the occlusion of the pipeline device and contrast flowing parallel to the aneurysm wall. This case is an example of successful recanalization of an occluded flow diverter device in a patient with recurrent internal carotid aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis is a common oral disease with a high incidence. However, temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis is not easy to be detected in the early stage, and it is difficult to obtain clinical pathological specimens, so it is difficult to carry out related research. The application of digital 3D printing technology to animal models of Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis increases the consistency of the animal models, thus promoting the study of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To establish a standardized animal model of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis using novel digital technology. METHODS: According to the different modeling methods of unilateral anterior crossbite, 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into traditional model group, digital model group, and control group (n=10 per group). Cartilage specimens of the condyles were collected at 4 and 8 weeks after modeling. The apparent morphology was observed by stereoscopic microscope. The pathological morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and Safranin O/fast green staining. Changes in the expression of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α were observed by ELISA, and changes in the expression of aggrecan, type II collagen and matrix metalloproteinase-13 were observed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Different degrees of degeneration were observed in the digital and traditional model groups. The body mass of rats in both the model groups decreased during the 1st week after intervention and subsequently demonstrated growth trend and were significantly lower than that in the control group. The results of stereoscopic microscope showed that at 4 and 8 weeks after modeling, the deformation and defect degree of the digital model group was significantly higher than that of the traditional model group. At these two time points, the Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores of the digital model group and the traditional model group were higher than those of the control group, and the Osteoarthritis Research Society International score of the digital model group was higher than that of the traditional model group (P < 0.05). Histopathological observation showed that the modified Mankin score and Osteoarthritis Research Society International score of the two model groups were significantly higher than those of the control group of the same age at 4 and 8 weeks after modeling (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining results showed that at two time points, compared with the control group of the same age, the expression of aggrecan and type II collagen decreased in the traditional model group and the digital model group, while the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 increased (P < 0.05). ELISA results showed that the expression levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in the traditional and digital model groups were higher than those in the control group at 8 weeks, and the expression levels of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in the digital model group were higher than those in the traditional model group (P < 0.05). To conclude, the personalized metal tube designed and produced by 3D printing technology can quickly guide the osteoarthritis-like lesions of the temporomandibular joint without repeated trial and adjustment, which is reproducible and suitable for promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background TMJ morphology/position and trabecular structure are influenced by various factors. The role of the interincisal angle, an indicator of the anterior occlusal relationship, on TMJ remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the morphology, trabecular bone structure, and position of the condyle, as well as the glenoid fossa’s morphology in skeletal class II populations with different interincisal angles. Materials and methods A total of 150 adult patients with normodivergent facial types and skeletal class II malocclusions were selected and divided into three groups based on their interincisal angles: normal, small, and large angle groups. The indexes of TMJ were measured using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data and analyzed using Dolphin Imaging, Mimics, and ImageJ. Results The small angle group had the smallest anteroposterior diameter (APD), while the large angle group had a greater mediolateral diameter (MLD). The large angle group exhibited significantly the largest maximum axial area, bone surface area, and bone volume (P

Abstract Purpose Blood-flow restriction (BFR) endurance training may increase endurance performance and muscle strength similar to traditional endurance training while requiring a lower training intensity. We aimed to compare acute cardiorespiratory responses to low-intensity interval exercise under BFR with moderate-intensity traditional interval exercise (TRA). Methods We conducted a randomized crossover study. The protocol involved three cycling intervals interspersed with 1 min resting periods. With a 48-h washout period, individuals performed the protocol twice in random order: once as BFR-50 (i.e., 50% incremental peak power output [IPPO] and 50% limb occlusion pressure [LOP]) and once as TRA-65 (65% IPPO without occlusion). TRA-65 intervals lasted 2 min, and time-matched BFR-50 lasted 2 min and 18 s. Respiratory parameters were collected by breath-by-breath analysis. The ratings of perceived breathing and leg exertion (RPE, 0 to 10) were assessed. Linear mixed models were used for analysis. Results Out of the 28 participants initially enrolled in the study, 24 healthy individuals (18 males and 6 females) completed both measurements. Compared with TRA-65, BFR-50 elicited lower minute ventilation (VE, primary outcome) (-3.1 l/min [-4.4 to -1.7]), oxygen consumption (-0.22 l/min [-0.28 to -0.16]), carbon dioxide production (-0.25 l/min [-0.29 to -0.20]) and RPE breathing (-0.9 [-1.2 to -0.6]). RPE leg was significantly greater in the BFR-50 group (1.3 [1.0 to 1.7]). Conclusion BFR endurance exercise at 50% IPPO and 50% LOP resulted in lower cardiorespiratory work and perceived breathing effort compared to TRA at 65% IPPO. BFR-50 could be an attractive alternative for TRA-65, eliciting less respiratory work and perceived breathing effort while augmenting perceived leg muscle effort. Trial registration NCT05163600; December 20, 2021.

Abstract Quantitative measurement of RNA expression levels through RNA-Seq is an ideal replacement for conventional cancer diagnosis via microscope examination. Currently, cancer-related RNA-Seq studies focus on two aspects: classifying the status and tissue of origin of a sample and discovering marker genes. Existing studies typically identify marker genes by statistically comparing healthy and cancer samples. However, this approach overlooks marker genes with low expression level differences and may be influenced by experimental results. This paper introduces “GENESO,” a novel framework for pan-cancer classification and marker gene discovery using the occlusion method in conjunction with deep learning. we first trained a baseline deep LSTM neural network capable of distinguishing the origins and statuses of samples utilizing RNA-Seq data. Then, we propose a novel marker gene discovery method called “Symmetrical Occlusion (SO)”. It collaborates with the baseline LSTM network, mimicking the “gain of function” and “loss of function” of genes to evaluate their importance in pan-cancer classification quantitatively. By identifying the genes of utmost importance, we then isolate them to train new neural networks, resulting in higher-performance LSTM models that utilize only a reduced set of highly relevant genes. The baseline neural network achieves an impressive validation accuracy of 96.59% in pan-cancer classification. With the help of SO, the accuracy of the second network reaches 98.30%, while using 67% fewer genes. Notably, our method excels in identifying marker genes that are not differentially expressed. Moreover, we assessed the feasibility of our method using single-cell RNA-Seq data, employing known marker genes as a validation test.

Abstract Background This study aimed to develop a new formula to easily estimate the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) by using the distance between the mental foramen on a panoramic radiograph. Subjects and methods A total of 508 dentulous subjects were selected from outpatient dental clinics at the College of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University. The vertical dimension of the occlusion was measured using a single calibrated calliper. For each subject, a digital panoramic radiograph was taken with fixed exposure parameters. The intermental foramina distance (IMFD) was measured. The data were collected and then analysed using the IBM SPSS version 20.0 software package. (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between the intermental foramina distance (IMFD) and the vertical dimension at occlusion (VDO). Results Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that there was a strong correlation between the intermental foramina distance (IMFD) and the VDO. Thus, a novel formula was developed for determining the VDO using panoramic radiography. Conclusion The novel formula developed herein facilitated the determination of the VDO among prosthetic rehabilitation for subjects who lost vertical dimension due to loss of posterior teeth or severe wear of natural posterior teeth. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical applicability of the derived formulae for edentulous subjects.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of occlusion on body posture and plantar arch pressure. Settings and Design: An Observational analysis to Analyze the Influence of Occlusion on Plantar Pressure and Body Posture. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 asymptomatic subjects were selected for the study including 18 females and 12 males from age group 22 years to 28 years with a mean age of 24.83 years. Each subject underwent evaluation of occlusion at MIP using a Digital Occlusal analyzer (T-Scan III). At this point, the subjects were made to stand on a mat scan which consisted of a large postural platform sensor and a computer that displayed the plantar pressure data. The computer connected to the T Scan displayed the occlusal pressure analysis. This was followed by an evaluation of body posture using a posture grid where the photographs were taken and an evaluation of the frontal and lateral photos was done using the APECS – posture analysis app. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) for windows version 22.0 Released 2013, Armonk, N Y: IBM Corp., was used to perform Statistical Analysis. A chi-square test was applied for qualitative variables to find the association. Paired t-test was applied to compare the changes in the quantitative parameters in eye-open and eye-closed conditions. The level of significance was set at 5%. Results: As observed from the results, occlusion for 40% of the subjects, where n = 12, was dominant on the right side. Occlusion for 23.3% of subjects, where n = 7, was dominant on the left side. Whereas, for 36.7% of subjects, where n = 11, the pressure distribution was almost equal on both sides. The inclination of body posture for 23.3% of subjects, where n = 7, was towards the right side. The inclination of body posture for 50% of subjects, where n = 11, was towards the left side. And, the inclination of body posture for 26.7% of subjects, where n = 8, was neutral i.e., balanced on the right and left side. Plantar pressure for 6.7% of subjects, where n = 2, was dominant on the right side. Plantar pressure for 36.7% of subjects, where n = 11, was dominant on the left side. Whereas, for 56.7% of subjects, where n = 17, the plantar pressure distribution was almost equal on both sides. Conclusion: On correlating the three parameters, it was found that occlusion for most of the subjects dominated on the right side, while body posture and plantar pressure dominated on the contralateral i.e., left side.

Background/purpose: There are reports on the relationship between periodontal treatment and the whole body. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of periodontal initial treatment on brain function activity by improving periodontal tissue and the occlusal status of subjects with periodontitis. Materials and methods: The subjects were 13 patients with periodontitis. Following the patient's informed written consent, the periodontal initial treatment provided to the patient included tooth brushing instruction, scaling and root planning, however, occlusal adjustment was not performed at this stage. Periodontal examination, occlusal force examination and fMRI results were also evaluated at the initial and the reevaluation examinations. Results: After the periodontal initial treatment had been performed, periodontal tissue had significantly improved. In addition, cerebral blood flow in the insula and primary motor cortex was also improved, as confirmed by fMRI. Conclusion: This result suggests that the periodontal ligament has recovered and the periodontal ligament neuron have been further subjected to clenching in the insula.

This research paper presents a novel approach for occlusion inpainting in thermal images to efficiently segment and enhance obscured regions within these images. The increasing reliance on thermal imaging in fields like surveillance, security, and defense necessitates the accurate detection of obscurants such as smoke and fog. Traditional methods often struggle with these complexities, leading to the need for more advanced solutions. Our proposed methodology uses a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to fill occluded areas in thermal images. This process begins with an obscured region segmentation, followed by a GAN-based pixel replacement in these areas. The methodology encompasses building, training, evaluating, and optimizing the model to ensure swift real-time performance. One of the key challenges in thermal imaging is identifying effective strategies to mitigate critical information loss due to atmospheric interference. Our approach addresses this by employing sophisticated deep-learning techniques. These techniques segment, classify and inpaint these obscured regions in a patch-wise manner, allowing for more precise and accurate image restoration. We propose utilizing architectures similar to Pix2Pix and UNet networks for generative and segmentation tasks. These networks are known for their effectiveness in image-to-image translation and segmentation tasks. Our method enhances the segmentation and inpainting process by leveraging their architectural similarities. To validate our approach, we provide a quantitative analysis and performance comparison. We include a quantitative comparison between (Pix2Pix and UNet) and our combined architecture. The comparison focuses on how well each model performs in terms of accuracy and speed, highlighting the advantages of our integrated approach. This research contributes to advancing thermal imaging techniques, offering a more robust solution for dealing with obscured regions. The integration of advanced deep learning models holds the potential to significantly improve image analysis in critical applications like surveillance and security.

Abstract To investigate the effect and safety of percutaneous endovascular angioplasty (PEA) with optional stenting for the treatment of severe stenosis or occlusion of subclavian artery, patients with severe stenosis ≥ 70% or occlusion of subclavian artery treated with PEA were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical data were analyzed. A total of 222 patients were retrospectively enrolled, including 151 males (68.0%) and 71 females (32.0%) aged 48–86 (mean 63.9 ± 9.0) years. Forty-seven (21.2%) patients had comorbidities. Subclavian artery stenosis ≥ 70% was present in 201 (90.5%) patients and complete subclavian occlusion in 21 (9.5%) cases. Angioplasty was successfully performed in all (100%) patients. Balloon-expandable stents were used in 190 (85.6%) cases, and self-expandable stents in 20 (9.0%) cases. Only 12 (5.4%) cases were treated with balloon dilation only. Among 210 patients treated with stent angioplasty, 71 (33.8% or 71/210) cases underwent balloon pre-dilation, 139 (66.2% or 139/210) had direct deployment of balloon-expandable stents, and 2 (1.0% or 2/210) experienced balloon post-dilation. Distal embolization protection devices were used in 5 (2.3% or 5/222) cases. Periprocedural complications occurred in 3 (1.4%) patients, including aortic dissection in 2 (0.9%) cases and right middle cerebral artery embolism in 1 (0.5%). No hemorrhage occurred. Among 182 (82.0%) patients with 6-month follow-up, restenosis > 70% occurred in 1 (0.5%) patient, and among 68 (30.6%) patients with 12-month follow-up, restenosis > 70% took place in 11 (16.2%) patients. Percutaneous endovascular angioplasty can be safely and efficiently performed for the treatment of severe stenosis ≥ 70% or occlusion of subclavian artery.

Introduction: Occlusion is a significant issue that affects the masticatory system’s health. Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) have long been linked to occlusal interferences. Identification and management of such disorders using a T-scan-guided approach have been gaining popularity; however, the effectiveness is still not established. Aim: To evaluate the effect of T-scan on the reduction of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores of pain and improvement in the symptoms associated with TMD. The benefits of reducing Disocclusion Time (DT) were also evaluated. Materials and Methods: The Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) database via PubMed and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) were searched for studies reporting the use of T-scan in Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders to check the DT and patient-related outcomes. The search was performed from January 1991 to November 2022. A total of 10 studies were included in the systematic review, which includes clinical studies, observational studies, and interventional studies. Data extraction was performed, and risk of bias assessment was done using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) for non randomised studies, and the Cochrane tool was utilised for randomised clinical trials. A qualitative analysis of all the studies was carried out. Results: The T-scan-guided occlusal correction or equilibration procedures led to improvement in subjective symptoms and VAS in TMD patients. Reduction in DT positively affected muscle activity, causing relief of chronic symptoms. Conclusion: As per the findings of the present review, T-scan technology can be successfully used in the precise identification and diagnosis of occlusal discrepancies in patients suffering from myofascial symptoms.

Background: Patients with deep venous disease can be classified into two distinct categories: those with disease resulting from known deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which may subsequently lead to post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), and those with disease caused by compressive factors or non-thrombotic iliac vein lesions (NIVL). The major factor causing the symptoms in patients with PTS and NIVL is venous hypertension which happens due to venous stenosis or venous obstruction. Nowadays Venous stenting offers a noninvasive approach for treatment of NIVL and PTS demonstrating high patency rate. Methods: We comprehensively reviewed relevant published papers from 2008 to 2023 that surveyed various influencing factors including the site of occlusion and etiology of occlusions, proper diagnostic imaging, ideal characteristics of venous stents, different dedicated venous stents, pre-operative, concomitant, and post-operative interventions and factors that challenge stenting in both PTS and NIVL patients. The papers were identified by searching the keywords “venous stenting”, “PTS”, “NIVL”, “occlusion”, and “stenosis” in PubMed central library MEDLINE and Google Scholar. Results: Patency rates, post-stent complications, and relevant data according to the patient's quality of life were included and analyzed from 476 identified studies. There is no validated protocol and guideline for using stents in patients with PTS and NIVL. Conclusion: As there is no validated protocol and guideline for using stents in patients with PTS and NIVL, our study may provide comprehensive information to assist researchers interested in writing the protocol and give them insight.

Background: TMJ morphology/position and trabecular structure are influenced by various factors. The role of the interincisal angle, an indicator of the anterior occlusal relationship, on TMJ remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the morphology, trabecular bone structure, and position of the condyle, as well as the glenoid fossa's morphology in skeletal class II populations with different interincisal angles. Materials and methods: A total of 150 adult patients with normodivergent facial types and skeletal class II malocclusions were selected and divided into three groups based on their interincisal angles: normal, small, and large angle groups. The indexes of TMJ were measured using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data and analyzed using Dolphin Imaging, Mimics, and ImageJ. Results: The small angle group had the smallest anteroposterior diameter (APD), while the large angle group had a greater mediolateral diameter (MLD). The large angle group exhibited significantly the largest maximum axial area, bone surface area, and bone volume (P < 0.05). Small and large angle groups exhibited greater bone trabeculae (Tb. N) and thinner trabecular thickness (Tb. Th). Compared to the normal angle group, the small angle group exhibited a larger horizontal condylar angle and smaller bilateral condylar angles on the axial plane, while the large angle group showed the opposite trend. Small and large angle groups showed a reduced vertical condyle angle on the coronal plane, with the largest reduction observed in the large angle group (P < 0.05). Small and large angle groups had higher heights of the glenoid fossa (GFH). The large angle group exhibited the greatest GFH and width of the glenoid fossa (GFW) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The large angle group had elongated oval and large condyles, and deeper glenoid fossae, while a flattened-oval and smaller condyle, and wider and shallower glenoid fossae were observed in the small angle group. Small and large interincisal angle affects the structure of condylar trabeculae, resulting in thinner Tb. Th and greater Th. N. In the condylar position, small and large angle groups exhibit condylar rotation in the axial and coronal planes. Therefore, the interincisal angle affects the morphology, position, and trabecular structure of the TMJ. This implies that we must pay attention to the impact of the interincisal angle on TMJ, and it is crucial to restore the normal interincisal angle during orthodontic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We conducted an evaluation of the outcomes associated with pre-emptive laparoscopic colostomy in patients suffering from obstructing rectal and anal cancer. Our findings reveal that this surgical approach has a role in facilitating the timely initiation of therapy, without causing significant delays. The ability to start treatment promptly is particularly important for these patients, as they often face advanced stages of disease and significant nutritional challenges. Our study supports the viability of this surgical method as an effective strategy for managing obstructing cancers, ensuring that patients receive the necessary treatment as quickly as possible. By addressing the obstruction early, this approach not only improves patient outcomes but also enhances their overall quality of care during a critical time. Background: Managing patients with obstructing rectal cancer is challenging due to the risks of gastrointestinal obstruction and perforation. This study evaluates the outcomes of pre-emptive laparoscopic colostomy creation in patients with locally advanced rectal and anal cancer to prevent symptoms and facilitate therapy initiation. Methods: This retrospective cohort study includes patients with locally advanced rectal or anal cancer assessed by our Colorectal Multidisciplinary Team from January 2017 to February 2024. Patients who underwent pre-emptive laparoscopic colostomy were compared to a control group of non-obstructing rectal cancer patients who started direct oncological treatment. The primary endpoint was the time from diagnosis to the initiation of oncological treatments. The secondary endpoints were the rate and timing of subsequent radical resection, surgical morbidity and hospital stay. A Weibull regression was used to evaluate the time differences between the groups. Results: There were 37 patients who received pre-emptive laparoscopic colostomy, compared to 207 control patients. The mean time from diagnosis to the start of neoadjuvant therapy was 38.3 ± 2.3 days. Despite higher rates of malnutrition and more advanced stages in the colostomy group, no significant differences were observed in the time to start therapy (p = 0.083) or time to radical resection (p = 0.187) between the groups. The laparoscopic procedure showed low rates of postoperative complications and acceptable lengths of stay. Discussion and Conclusions: Pre-emptive laparoscopic colostomy is a feasible approach for managing obstructing rectal or anal cancer. Treatment timelines were not extended compared to timelines for non-obstructing cases, despite differences in nutritional status and staging. Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are needed to validate these findings and refine treatment protocols for obstructing gastrointestinal malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Blood-flow restriction (BFR) endurance training may increase endurance performance and muscle strength similar to traditional endurance training while requiring a lower training intensity. We aimed to compare acute cardiorespiratory responses to low-intensity interval exercise under BFR with moderate-intensity traditional interval exercise (TRA). Methods: We conducted a randomized crossover study. The protocol involved three cycling intervals interspersed with 1 min resting periods. With a 48-h washout period, individuals performed the protocol twice in random order: once as BFR-50 (i.e., 50% incremental peak power output [IPPO] and 50% limb occlusion pressure [LOP]) and once as TRA-65 (65% IPPO without occlusion). TRA-65 intervals lasted 2 min, and time-matched BFR-50 lasted 2 min and 18 s. Respiratory parameters were collected by breath-by-breath analysis. The ratings of perceived breathing and leg exertion (RPE, 0 to 10) were assessed. Linear mixed models were used for analysis. Results: Out of the 28 participants initially enrolled in the study, 24 healthy individuals (18 males and 6 females) completed both measurements. Compared with TRA-65, BFR-50 elicited lower minute ventilation (VE, primary outcome) (-3.1 l/min [-4.4 to -1.7]), oxygen consumption (-0.22 l/min [-0.28 to -0.16]), carbon dioxide production (-0.25 l/min [-0.29 to -0.20]) and RPE breathing (-0.9 [-1.2 to -0.6]). RPE leg was significantly greater in the BFR-50 group (1.3 [1.0 to 1.7]). Conclusion: BFR endurance exercise at 50% IPPO and 50% LOP resulted in lower cardiorespiratory work and perceived breathing effort compared to TRA at 65% IPPO. BFR-50 could be an attractive alternative for TRA-65, eliciting less respiratory work and perceived breathing effort while augmenting perceived leg muscle effort. Trial registration: NCT05163600; December 20, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objective Methods Results Conclusion Aberrant occlusion and aging are two main risks for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) degeneration.To assess the combined impact of occlusion and age on TMJ disc.To avoid the confounding impact of gender, presently, 126 female C57BL/6J mice, 63 youngsters, 6‐week old and 63 adults, 28‐week old, were used. An experimental bilateral anterior crossbite (BAC) relation was created by installing metal tubes onto the mandibular incisors. Mice were sacrificed at 3, 7 and 11 weeks (n = 9). Additionally, the installed tubes were removed at 7 weeks in removal groups and the TMJs were sampled after another 4 weeks (n = 9). Disc changes were detected by histomorphology, immunohistochemistry, and western blot assays.Disc deformation was obvious in BAC groups. The typical change was hyperplasia at the posterior region of the disc where there was significant infiltration of inflammatory cells. Expressions of the inflammatory markers, including tumour necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐1β, and the catabolic markers, including fibronectin (FN), FN N‐terminal fragments, and vascular endothelial growth factor‐A, were all increased. The changes were more obvious in adults than in youngsters. Removal of BAC attenuated inflammatory and catabolic changes in the youngsters, but the inflammatory markers recovered little in the adults.TMJ disc responds to BAC by degeneration and inflammation, and respond to BAC removal by rehabilitation. Adult discs show severer degeneration responses to BAC and a lower level of anti‐inflammatory capability to BAC removal than the youngster's discs. Animals cannot be equated with humans. The human disc response to occlusion changes worth further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative measurement of RNA expression levels through RNA-Seq is an ideal replacement for conventional cancer diagnosis via microscope examination. Currently, cancer-related RNA-Seq studies focus on two aspects: classifying the status and tissue of origin of a sample and discovering marker genes. Existing studies typically identify marker genes by statistically comparing healthy and cancer samples. However, this approach overlooks marker genes with low expression level differences and may be influenced by experimental results. This paper introduces "GENESO," a novel framework for pan-cancer classification and marker gene discovery using the occlusion method in conjunction with deep learning. we first trained a baseline deep LSTM neural network capable of distinguishing the origins and statuses of samples utilizing RNA-Seq data. Then, we propose a novel marker gene discovery method called "Symmetrical Occlusion (SO)". It collaborates with the baseline LSTM network, mimicking the "gain of function" and "loss of function" of genes to evaluate their importance in pan-cancer classification quantitatively. By identifying the genes of utmost importance, we then isolate them to train new neural networks, resulting in higher-performance LSTM models that utilize only a reduced set of highly relevant genes. The baseline neural network achieves an impressive validation accuracy of 96.59% in pan-cancer classification. With the help of SO, the accuracy of the second network reaches 98.30%, while using 67% fewer genes. Notably, our method excels in identifying marker genes that are not differentially expressed. Moreover, we assessed the feasibility of our method using single-cell RNA-Seq data, employing known marker genes as a validation test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to develop a new formula to easily estimate the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) by using the distance between the mental foramen on a panoramic radiograph. Subjects and methods: A total of 508 dentulous subjects were selected from outpatient dental clinics at the College of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University. The vertical dimension of the occlusion was measured using a single calibrated calliper. For each subject, a digital panoramic radiograph was taken with fixed exposure parameters. The intermental foramina distance (IMFD) was measured. The data were collected and then analysed using the IBM SPSS version 20.0 software package. (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between the intermental foramina distance (IMFD) and the vertical dimension at occlusion (VDO). Results: Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that there was a strong correlation between the intermental foramina distance (IMFD) and the VDO. Thus, a novel formula was developed for determining the VDO using panoramic radiography. Conclusion: The novel formula developed herein facilitated the determination of the VDO among prosthetic rehabilitation for subjects who lost vertical dimension due to loss of posterior teeth or severe wear of natural posterior teeth. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical applicability of the derived formulae for edentulous subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brief, repeated cycles of limb ischemia and reperfusion [ischemic preconditioning (IPC)] can protect against vascular insult. Few papers have considered the effect of IPC on resting vascular function, and no single study has simultaneously considered the local (trained arm) and remote (untrained arm) effects of a single session of IPC and following repeated sessions. We determined macrovascular [allometrically scaled flow-mediated dilation (FMD)] and microvascular [cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC)] function in healthy adults before, immediately post, 20 min post, and 24 h post a single session of IPC (4 × 5 min of single arm ischemia). These outcomes also were remeasured 24 h after six IPC sessions, performed over 2 wk. FMD and CVC increased in both arms 20 min post [FMD mean difference (MD) 1.1%, P < 0.001; CVC MD 0.08 arbitrary units (AU), P = 0.004] but not 24 h post (FMD MD −0.2%, P = 0.459; CVC MD −0.02 AU, P = 0.526] a single session of IPC, with no differences between trained and untrained arms. Although FMD did not increase 24 h after one IPC session, it was elevated in both arms 24 h after the sixth session (MD 1.2%, P = 0.009). CVC was not altered in either arm 24 h after the last IPC session. These data indicate that the local and remote effects of IPC on vascular health may be equivalent and that the benefits to FMD may be greater with sustained training compared with a single IPC exposure. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: For the first time in a single study, we demonstrate that resting macro- and microvascular function increases 20 min, but not 24 h, after a single IPC session and that the magnitude of this improvement was the same in the trained arm and nontrained, contralateral arm. In contrast, macrovascular (but not microvascular) function was augmented 24 h after six IPC training sessions in both arms, suggesting a cumulative benefit of IPC training on macrovascular function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occlusion problem remains a crucial challenge in optical flow estimation (OFE). Despite the recent significant progress brought about by deep learning, most existing deep learning OFE methods still struggle to handle occlusions; in particular, those based on two frames cannot correctly handle occlusions because occluded regions have no visual correspondences. However, there is still hope in multi-frame settings, which can potentially mitigate the occlusion issue in OFE. Unfortunately, multi-frame OFE (MOFE) remains underexplored, and the limited studies on it are mainly specially designed for pyramid backbones or else obtain the aligned previous frame's features, such as correlation volume and optical flow, through time-consuming backward flow calculation or non-differentiable forward warping transformation. This study proposes an efficient MOFE framework named SplatFlow to address these shortcomings. SplatFlow introduces the differentiable splatting transformation to align the previous frame's motion feature and designs a Final-to-All embedding method to input the aligned motion feature into the current frame's estimation, thus remodeling the existing two-frame backbones. The proposed SplatFlow is efficient yet more accurate, as it can handle occlusions properly. Extensive experimental evaluations show that SplatFlow substantially outperforms all published methods on the KITTI2015 and Sintel benchmarks. Especially on the Sintel benchmark, SplatFlow achieves errors of 1.12 (clean pass) and 2.07 (final pass), with surprisingly significant 19.4% and 16.2% error reductions, respectively, from the previous best results submitted. The code for SplatFlow is available at https://github.com/wwsource/SplatFlow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Comfort gloves are used in the management of hand dermatoses.To compare the acceptance and tolerability of comfort gloves made of different materials in patients with hand dermatoses and their effects on skin lesions.In a prospective multicenter study, 284 patients with hand dermatoses were invited to wear either a cotton glove (COT) or a semipermeable Sympatex glove underneath a cotton glove (SYM/COT) for two subsequent phases of 19 consecutive nights each. A total of 88 controls were asked not to wear any comfort gloves overnight. The severity of skin lesions over time was examined. Questionnaires were used to assess health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and acceptance and tolerability of the gloves.The hand dermatoses improved in all groups. No substantial intergroup differences regarding severity and HRQoL were observed. SYM/COT received better ratings regarding climate conditions and tactility while COT showed superiority in fit, wearing comfort, and practicality.We confirmed that SYM/COT and COT are well tolerated and accepted suggesting that SYM/COT is a good alternative for COT as comfort gloves in patients with hand dermatoses. Individual requirements, needs, and preferences may direct the material choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate possible differences of functional occlusal variables between a group of migraine patients (MG) and a control group (CG). Materials and Methods: Each group included 50 individuals. Instrumental functional analysis and digital occlusal analysis were performed. Variables examined were condylar displacement from a reference position to maximum intercuspation; angular difference between the steepness of the articular eminence and the contra‐lateral canine guidance; and angular difference between the steepness of the articular eminence and the ipsilateral central incisor guidance and occlusal plane inclination. Self‐reported grinding and occlusal index were also investigated. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the extent of retral condylar displacement assessed both clinically [MG: 0.49 mm (SD 0.67 mm), CG: 0.29 mm (SD 0.27 mm), p = 0.012] and digital‐mechanically [MG: 1.53 mm (SD 0.95 mm), CG: 0.9 mm (SD 0.66 mm), p = 0.001], the angular difference between the steepness of the articular eminence and the contra‐lateral canine guidance [MG: 13.11° (SD 8.33°), CG: 9.47° (SD 7.08°), p = 0.021 and MG: 12.94° (SD 8.71°), CG: 9.44° (SD 8.70°), p = 0.017], and the occlusal plane inclination [MG: 11.16° (SD 4.66°), CG: 9.09° (SD 4.37°), p = 0.024]. Self‐reported grinding (MG: 39/50, CG: 12/50, p < 0.001) and occlusal index [MG: 1.92 (SD 0.46), CG: 0.21 (SD 0.66), p < 0.001] were also significantly higher in migraineurs. Conclusions: Articular and occlusal structures could play a role in migraine and thus should be considered in an interdisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE. This in vitro study was conducted to investigate the accuracy of intraoral scanner (IOS) for recording maximal intercuspal position (MIP) and border positions of the mandible. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Maxillary and mandibular master casts were articulated in MIP, protrusive, and lateral interocclusal position sequentially on a semi-adjustable articulator. For each articulation relation, sites of occlusal contacts (SOCs) and sites of clearance (SCs) were identified on the master casts with articulating paper (reference sites). IOS was used to take full arch scans and nine virtual interocclusal records (VIRs) for virtual articulation of models. Virtual SOCs and SCs were detected with 3D processing software and compared to those identified with the articulating paper. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each articulation relation. RESULTS. For MIP, IOS showed adequate sensitivity and NPV of 100%, and specificity and a PPV of 99%. For protrusive position, the IOS showed a sensitivity and a NPV of 100%, a high PPV of 86%, and a specificity of 83%. For lateral positions, the specificity and the PPV were high (93% and 79%, respectively), but the sensitivity and the NPV were below the clinically acceptable limits (28% and 56%, respectively). CONCLUSION. IOS displayed clinically acceptable accuracy for recording MIP and protrusive border mandibular position. However, IOS had less accuracy for lateral border mandibular position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The routine use of intraoperative digital subtraction angiography (iDSA) increases detection of intracranial aneurysm (IA) remnants after microsurgical clipping. Spontaneous thrombosis of IA remnants after clipping is considered a rare phenomenon. We analyse iDSA characteristics to find predictors for IA remnant thrombosis. Methods: IA with intraoperative detection of a remnant after clipping were identified and divided into remnants experiencing spontaneous thrombosis, and remnants with long-term patency and/or remnant growth. Angiographic features of iDSA were analysed and compared between the two groups. Results: Of 37 IAs with intraoperative remnant on 3D-iDSA, five sustained a spontaneous remnant thrombosis and remained occluded in long-term follow-up. In all five cases, iDSA revealed delayed inflow and consequent stasis of the contrast agent until the late venous phase. On the other hand, in all cases with persistent long-term IA remnants (n = 32) iDSA demonstrated timely arterial contrast inflow and wash-out without stasis of intra-aneurysmal contrast agent. Conclusions: Contrast stasis in IA remnants during iDSA appears to predict long-term IA occlusion, indicating that clip correction manoeuvres or even attempted endovascular treatment of the remnant IA may be avoided in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy combined with prolonged mild hypothermia compared with conventional treatment in managing acute middle cerebral artery occlusion, and to explore whether extending the duration of hypothermia can improve neurological function. Method: From 2018 to June 2023, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 45 patients with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion treated at the NICU of Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. After thrombectomy, patients were admitted to the neurological intensive care unit (NICU) for targeted temperature management. Patients were divided into two groups: the mild hypothermia group (34.5-35.9°C) receiving 5-7 days of treatment, and the normothermia group (control group) whose body temperature was kept between 36 and 37.5°C using pharmacological and physical cooling methods. Baseline characteristics and temperature changes were compared between the two groups of patients. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 month after surgery, and the secondary outcomes were related complications and mortality rate. Prognostic risk factors were investigated using both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Among 45 patients, 21 underwent prolonged mild hypothermia, and 24 received normothermia, with no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The duration of mild hypothermia ranged from 5 to 7 days. The incidence of chills (33.3% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.031) and constipation (57.1% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.028) was significantly higher in the mild hypothermia group compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in mortality rates between the mild hypothermia and the control group (4.76% vs. 8.33%, p = 1.000, OR = 1.75, 95% CI, 0.171-17.949). At 3 month, there was no significant difference in the modified mRS (0-3) score between the mild hypothermia and control groups (52.4% vs. 25%, p = 0.114, OR = 0.477, 95% CI, 0.214-1.066). Infarct core volume was an independent risk factor for adverse neurological outcomes. Conclusion: Prolonged mild hypothermia following mechanical thrombectomy had no severe complications and shows a trend to improve the prognosis of neurological function. The Infarct core volume on CTP was an independent risk factor for predicting neurological function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute limb ischemia due to limb-graft occlusion (LGO) after fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR) and acute bypass graft occlusion with an ePTFE graft pose critical challenges, necessitating prompt intervention to prevent limb loss. This paper discusses two cases of acute limb ischemia treated with a hybrid approach using the AngioJet™ Ultra Thrombectomy System as an adjunct to Fogarty thrombectomy. Case I involved a 69-year-old male post-FEVAR with contralateral iliac limb graft occlusion of the fenestrated Anaconda™, while Case II featured a 70-year-old male (ASA IV) post-bypass surgery (iliopopliteal arterial bypass with ePTFE Graft) with acute bypass graft occlusion. Both cases underwent successful recanalization using the AngioJet™ Ultra Thrombectomy System (ZelanteDVT™ 8F catheter, Solent™ Proxi 6F catheter) (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA), combined with adjunctive techniques including Fogarty thrombectomy, balloon angioplasty, stenting, and local lysis. Immediate postoperative and follow-up assessments after 6 months revealed restored limb perfusion and improved clinical outcomes, with palpable pulses and improved ulcer healing. The aim of this treatment strategy is not only to alleviate limb ischemia but also to preserve future options in the event of graft failure. The use of the AngioJet™ Thrombectomy System in cases of LGO aims not only to clear the thrombus load but also to avoid the need for graft relining. In the case of acute arterial bypass graft occlusion in a patient with ASA IV, the goal of using the thrombectomy device is to preserve the native vessels for future procedures, such as long infragenual bypass, in addition to limb salvage. These cases demonstrate the efficacy of a hybrid surgical approach in managing acute limb ischemia following graft occlusion following FEVAR and bypass surgery. Long-term follow-up will further elucidate the durability of these interventions and their impact on limb salvage and overall patient outcomes. By combining mechanical thrombectomy with adjunctive techniques, such as balloon angioplasty and stenting, this hybrid approach offers a comprehensive solution to acute limb ischemia, addressing both the underlying occlusive pathology and ensuring optimal limb perfusion. Furthermore, the utilization of the AngioJet™ Ultra Thrombectomy System provides a minimally invasive yet effective method for thrombus removal, reducing procedural time and potential complications associated with open surgical techniques. As such, this approach represents a valuable addition to the armamentarium of treatments for acute limb ischemia, particularly in cases of graft occlusion following complex endovascular and bypass procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective: To analyze the diagnostic value of HR-VWI in intracranial arterial stenosis and occlusion and compare it with DSA. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 59 patients with intracranial arterial stenosis in our hospital was conducted to compare the diagnostic results of the two methods for different degrees of intracranial stenosis and various morphological plaques. Results: The diagnosis of stenosis and occlusion by both methods showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Comparison of plaque morphology detected by HR-VWI with pathological examination results showed no significant difference (P > 0.05); however, there was a significant difference between plaque morphology detected by DSA and pathological examination results (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant difference between plaque morphology detected by HR-VWI and DSA (P < 0.05). Conclusion: HR-VWI technique is comparable to DSA technique in diagnosing intracranial arterial stenosis and occlusion, but it is superior to DSA in plaque morphology diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims. This study aimed at evaluating the etiology and treatment challenges of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Methods. 160 subjects with TMDs, 38 males (23.8%) and 122 females (76.3%) were studied. A personalized coefficient was designated, which included the resolution of the main symptom, correction of secondary symptoms, patient collaboration (emotional parameter), treatment duration, and cost. Results. The most frequent cause for consultation was muscle impairment (42.5%), or limitation of mouth opening, followed by joint impairment (23.1%). Muscle pain was noticed, particularly in the masseter (57.5%) and lateral pterygoid muscles (51.9%). Tooth pain or gingival retraction was frequently associated with tooth wear (48.1%) and dental abfraction (31.3%). Remote symptomatology was dominated by otologic symptomatology. Iatrogenic etiology was highest (69.4%), followed by untreated missing teeth (66.9%). Treatment options included muscle relaxation, occlusal balancing (equilibration), kinesitherapy, medication, and swallowing reeducation. Most patients benefited from four to seven different types of therapy, which resulted in a higher cost and a longer and more uncomfortable treatment. The primary symptom was relieved in 82.3% of cases, with recurrence occurring in 15.7%. Conclusion. The treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction is time-consuming, demanding, and intricate. Most patients required four to seven different types of therapy, which increased the expense, treatment duration, and suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]