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Introduction: the two most used types of prosthesis are posterior cruciate ligament preserving (CR) and posterostabilized (PS). Proponents of CR TKA cited greater stability, greater range of motion, better proprioception, and greater kickback associated with the native posterior cruciate ligament. Objective: to assess the degree of pain, return of mobility and functionality of the joint of patients who had TKA, between the years January 2018 and December 2022 at the Juárez Centro Medical Surgical Unit, using their records as a study unit. Material and methods: observational, descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study in patients post-operative with total knee arthroplasty for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The universe studied included 87 patients, of these 22 corresponded to the Juárez Medical Surgical Unit of the Center, post-operated with posterostabilized total knee prosthesis, they were analyzed under the scale proposed by the KSS. Results: the degree of functionality was assessed by the KSS scale, 50% of the patients presented a good clinical assessment and physical examination at the end of rehabilitation, 23% of the patients presented an excellent clinical assessment and physical examination, 23% of the patients presented regular clinical evaluation and physical examination, 4% of patients presented poor clinical evaluation and physical examination. Conclusions: good functional results (73%) were obtained in patients operated by posterostabilized total knee arthroplasty in our Juárez del Centro Medical Surgical Unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of the most commonly used radiological evaluation in form of contrast enhanced computed tomography of abdomen with adrenal protocol, basic functional evaluation and surgical outcomes of primary adrenal masses. Material and methods: We have retrospectively analysed the institutional records of 108, patients admitted from August 2017 to September 2023, who had underwent surgical intervention for their adrenal mass after thorough evaluation and stabilization. Results: Flank pain was the most common symptoms in 44 (40.74%) patients. Non-functional adrenal adenoma was found in 36 (33.33%) patients. Pheochromocytoma was the most the common functional adrenal mass found in 24 (22.22%) patients. CECT abdomen had suggested features of malignancy in 16(14.81%) patients. In final histopathological report 26(24.07%) patients had pheochromocytoma and 12 (11.11%) patients had adrenocortical carcinoma. CECT abdomen had sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 95.6%. Plasma free metanephrines and normetanephrine analysis had shown sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 92.86%, aldosterone to renin ratio had sensitivity of 92%, specificity of 100%. Sensitivity and specificity of the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test and plasma dehydroepiandrosterone was 100% in our study. Eighty patients (74.07%) were operated with laparoscopic adrenalectomy, 20 (18.52%) patients with open adrenalectomy. Eight patients (7.41%) were converted from laparoscopic to open. Laparoscopic approach had significantly lesser mean operating time, lesser blood loss, lesser hospitalization and lesser post-operative complications. Conclusion: Radiological analysis and functional analysis has shown good sensitivity and high specificity. Laparoscopic approach has advantage of lesser operative time, lesser hospitalization and lesser post-operative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to different scenario requirements and corresponding business needs, service function chaining (SFC) can be deployed from the edge cloud to the data center, between data centers, and within the data center. However, due to the inherent heavy asset nature of data centers, the assessment of flexibly combined SFC+X orchestration on this basis is difficult to carry out without an economically efficient assessment environment. Using a proof of concept (POC) method for assessment allows for the realization of a model or its most critical components in actual situations, enabling the validation of concerns at a relatively low implementation cost. In the process of assessing SFC+X orchestration in data centers, this paper analyzes whether the POC assessment environment can effectively evaluate the correctness of SFC+X orchestration functions and effectively measure the performance indicators of SFC+X orchestration, explores whether the POC assessment method can solve the problem of assessing SFC+X orchestration in data centers, and demonstrates the principle of correct transmission of SFC functions and the principle of maintaining the degradation relationship of performance indicators. Furthermore, the feasibility theorem of the POC assessment method is proposed. Based on these principles and theorems, combined with the characteristics of SFC+X orchestration in data centers, the hard-ware resources required for assessment are simplified to design and implement the POC assessment environment. Through theoretical derivation and POC validation methods, it is proved that the POC assessment method can not only effectively evaluate the correctness of SFC+X orchestration functions but also measure the performance indicators of SFC+X orchestration. Finally, an assessment method based on the POC method is proposed to determine whether the SFC+X orchestration in the data center meets the Service Level Agreement (SLA), providing an economically efficient solution to the problem of assessing SFC+X orchestration in data centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Clinical events such as angina pectoris, acute coronary syndrome, and sudden death caused by myocardial bridge (MB) have attracted increasing attention. It is still a challenge to diagnose whether MB can cause the symptoms of patients with MB. For most MB patients, medication remains the primary treatment. Case presentation This article reports a case of chest pain in a patient with MB in the middle segment of the left anterior descending artery (LADm) with moderate stenosis in the proximal segment (LADp). Through functional assessment, we found that neither MB nor fixed stenosis had sufficient effect on coronary blood flow to cause myocardial ischemia, but their synergistic effect resulted in myocardial ischemia. Finally, a stent was implanted in LADp and good clinical results were achieved. Conclusions For symptomatic patients with MB combined with fixed stenosis, functional evaluation may be necessary, which has significant guiding significance for treatment strategy selection. For asymptomatic patients, early detection of myocardial ischemia may also improve the prognosis of patients.

Maintaining balance and postural control is of central importance for the older adults, since it is associated with falls and subsequent health problems. The onset of mobility impairments is usually assessed by checking for limitations in daily activities, underlying to importance of further evaluation. Calculation of proprioception is based on tests assessing the level of somatosensory functionality, by using balance and gait tests and through the single limb postural stability test. Functional evaluation is carried out by several means, such as the Get up and Go or Functional Reach tests, the Tinetti Balance and Mobility Scale, the Berg Functional Scale, the Sensory Organization Test and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. Many interventions lead to positive effects, such as physical exercise, balance training, empowerment or strength training, combined balance and strengthening training, general exercises, tai chi. These interventions improve balance, enhance balance mechanisms of the older adults, lead to improved physical health and better mental health. Thus, it is of most importance for health professionals to use evaluations for proprioception in the older adults and to apply subsequent interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical events such as angina pectoris, acute coronary syndrome, and sudden death caused by myocardial bridge (MB) have attracted increasing attention. It is still a challenge to diagnose whether MB can cause the symptoms of patients with MB. For most MB patients, medication remains the primary treatment. Case presentation: This article reports a case of chest pain in a patient with MB in the middle segment of the left anterior descending artery (LADm) with moderate stenosis in the proximal segment (LADp). Through functional assessment, we found that neither MB nor fixed stenosis had sufficient effect on coronary blood flow to cause myocardial ischemia, but their synergistic effect resulted in myocardial ischemia. Finally, a stent was implanted in LADp and good clinical results were achieved. Conclusions: For symptomatic patients with MB combined with fixed stenosis, functional evaluation may be necessary, which has significant guiding significance for treatment strategy selection. For asymptomatic patients, early detection of myocardial ischemia may also improve the prognosis of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To translate and investigate inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, content validity, and construct validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure Scale (BPOM-Br). The translation followed international guidelines. Inter-rater reliability was tested with 51 individuals with Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy (NBPP), aged between 4 to 16 years old. To determine concurrent construct validity, children were also assessed with the Mallet Scale. Statistical analysis included Bland-Altman, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Floor and Ceiling and effect, and Pearson correlation. The majority of the sample consisted of children with upper NBPP (75.2%), mean age of 8.9 years old. BPOM-Br showed appropriate content validity (comprehensiveness) according to rehabilitation professionals. It also showed excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.90) and internal consistency (α = 0.91). Bland-Altman analysis showed bias close to zero. Finally, BPOM-Br showed overall significant positive correlations with the Mallet scale items (rs= 0.31 to 0.78 p < 0.05), indicating adequate concurrent validity. BPOM-Br is a consistent, reliable, and valid instrument to assess activity of school-aged children with NBPP. The Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure Scale (BPOM-Br) presents understandable items and no ceiling and floor effects. The BPOM-Br provides a valid and reliable version for use in Brazilian school-aged children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy. It is important to promote its use both in clinical practice and in research as a specific evaluation of activity domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ex situ heart perfusion (ESHP) has emerged as an important strategy to preserve donation after brain death (DBD) and donation after circulatory death (DCD) donor hearts. Clinically, both DBD and DCD hearts are successfully preserved using ESHP. Viability assessment is currently based on biochemical values, while a reliable method for graft function assessment in a physiologic working mode is unavailable. As functional assessment during ESHP has demonstrated the highest predictive value of outcome post-transplantation, this is an important area for improvement. In this study, a novel method for ex situ assessment of left ventricular function with pressure-volume loop analyses is evaluated. Ovine hearts were functionally evaluated during normothermic ESHP with the novel pressure-volume loop system. This system provides an afterload and adjustable preload to the left ventricle. By increasing the preload and measuring end-systolic elastance, the system could successfully assess the left ventricular function. End-systolic elastance at 60 min and 120 min was 2.8 ± 1.8 mmHg/mL and 2.7 ± 0.7 mmHg/ mL, respectively. In this study we show a novel method for functional graft assessment with ex situ pressure-loop analyses during ESHP. When further validated, this method for pressure-volume assessments, could be used for better graft selection in both DBD and DCD donor hearts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to evaluate whether a basketball-specific warm-up (Basket-Up) provides immediate benefits in terms of the essential physical performance requirements of basketball and to compare these effects to those obtained from FIFA 11+. In total, 95 highly trained basketball athletes (49 women, 46 men), aged between 13 and 17, were randomly divided to either perform the FIFA 11+ program (n = 48) or the Basket-Up program (n = 47). Immediate evaluation encompassed the assessment of vertical jump (countermovement jump), agility (Lane Agility Test), and 20 m sprint. A two-way mixed analysis of variance was conducted with time (preintervention and postintervention), sex (men and women), and training group (FIFA 11+ and Basket-Up) as the within- and between-participant factors, respectively. Agility (p < 0.001, F = 66.759) and jumping (p < 0.001, F = 78.062) outcomes exhibited significant differences between pre- and postintervention values in both groups. Basket-Up agility values were significantly higher than those from FIFA 11+ (p = 0.001, F = 12.998). The implementation of a specific basketball warm-up program (Basket-Up) appears to be both safe and effective in enhancing immediate athletic performance among highly trained young basketball athletes. Moreover, the effects of this program are comparable to those obtained by a nonspecific basketball warm-up (FIFA 11+) in terms of sprint and jumping performance but demonstrate superiority in agility outcomes, favoring the Basket-Up program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an integral part of the mitral valve apparatus, the left ventricle papillary muscle (PM) controls mitral valve closure during systole and participates in the ejection process during left ventricular systole. Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most immediate and predominant result when the PM is structurally or functionally abnormal. However, dysfunction of the PM is easily underestimated or overlooked in clinical interventions for MR-related diseases. Therefore, adequate recognition of PM dysfunction and PM-derived MR is critical. In this review, we systematically describe the normal anatomical variations in the PM and the pathophysiology of PM dysfunction-related diseases and summarize the commonly used parameters and the advantages and disadvantages of various noninvasive imaging modalities for the structural and functional assessment of the PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Wearable sensors are increasingly applied to rehabilitation for arm movement analysis. However, simple and clinically relevant applications are scarce. Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of single smart watch-based parameters for functional assessment in upper limb rehabilitation for musculoskeletal injuries using a commercial smart watch. Method: Ten patients with unilateral shoulder pain and range-of-motion limitations were enrolled. They wore Galaxy Watch® and performed three sets of upper extremity tasks consisting of gross activities-of-daily-living tasks, Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), and Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI), and the acceleration and angular velocities were acquired. The motion segment size (MSS), representing motion smoothness from a clinical perspective, and various sensor-based parameters were extracted. The correlation between the parameters and clinical outcome measures were analyzed. The percent relative range (PRR) of the significant parameters was also calculated. Results: For overhead and behind body activity task set, mean MSS for elbow flexion/extension axis significantly correlated with WMFT score (R = 0.784, p =.012). For planar tasks, mean MSS for the forearm supination/pronation (R = 0.815, p =.007) and shoulder rotation (R = 0.870, p =.002) axes significantly correlated with WMFT score. For forearm and fine movement task set, mean MSS of the elbow flexion/extension angle showed significant correlation with WMFT (R = 0.880, p <.001) and UEFI (R = 0.718, p =.019). The total performance time (R = −0.741, p =.014) also showed significant correlation with WMFT score. The PRR for mean MSS in forearm supination (71.5%, planar tasks) and mean MSS in x -direction (49.8%, forearm and fine motor movements) were similar to the PRR of WMFT (58.5%), suggesting sufficient variation range across different degree of impairments. Conclusion: The commercial smart watch-based parameters showed consistent potential for use in clinical functional assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main purpose of the present study was to evaluate if there is a difference between objective or subjective administration of the MSTS score in a cohort of patients affected by musculoskeletal oncological diseases. Materials and methods: All patients who underwent surgery for bone or soft tissue localization of neoplastic disease in lower or upper limb from June 2015 to June 2020 were considered eligible. In order to administer the score as a PROM, the MSTS was first translated and cross-culturally adapted in Italian. During follow up visits, all patients filled out Italian versions of SF36, TESS and MSTS. Psychometric properties of the Italian version of MSTS were analyzed. Correlation between objective and self-administered MSTS score was assessed through Pearson's coefficient. Results: A finale sample of 110 patients were included: 59 affected by lower extremity involvement and 51 affected by upper extremity involvement. The Italian version of the MSTS score showed good psychometric properties for both lower and upper extremity. The correlation between self-administered and hetero-administered version of the questionnaire was as high as r = 0.97 for lower extremities and r = 0.96 for upper extremities. Conclusions: The Italian version of the MSTS is a valid tool to evaluate outcomes of surgical treatment of patients affected by extremities tumors and it can be used as a subjective tool for both lower and upper extremity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prohibitin (PHB) is an essential scaffold protein that modulates signaling pathways controlling cell survival, metabolism, inflammation, and bone formation. However, its specific role in periodontium development remains less understood. This study aims to elucidate the expression pattern and function of PHB in periodontium development and its involvement in alveolar bone formation. Methods: Immunolocalization of PHB in the periodontium of postnatal (PN) mice were examined. Phb morpholino wasmicro-injected into the right-side mandible at PN5, corresponding to the positionwhere the alveolar bone process forms in relation to the lower firstmolar. The micro-injectionwith a scramble control (PF-127) and the left-side mandibles were used as control groups. Five days post-micro-injection, immunohistochemical analysis and micro-CT evaluation were conducted to assess bone mass andmorphological changes. Additionally, expression patterns of signaling molecules were examined following Phb downregulation using 24-h in vitro cultivation of developing dental mesenchyme at E14.5. Results: The immunostaining of PHB showed its localization in the periodontium at PN5, PN8, and PN10. The in vitro cultivation of dental mesenchyme resulted in alterations in Bmps, Runx2, and Wnt signalings after Phb knock-down. At 5 days post-micro-injection, Phb knocking down showed weak immunolocalizations of runt-related transcription factor (RUNX2) and osteocalcin (OCN). However, knocking down Phb led to histological alterations characterized by decreased bone mass and stronger localizations of Ki67 and PERIOSTIN in the periodontium compared 1 to control groups. The micro-CT evaluation showed decreased bone volume and increased PDL space in the Phb knock-down specimens, suggesting its regulatory role in bone formation. Discussion: The region-specific localization of PHB in the margin where alveolar bone forms suggests its involvement in alveolar bone formation and the differentiation of the periodontal ligament. Overall, our findings suggest that Phb plays amodulatory role in alveolar bone formation by harmoniously regulating boneforming-related signaling molecules during periodontium development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The periodic assessment of pavement condition is one of the important requirements in ensuring not only the service life of the pavement but also for the safety of motorists as pavement distresses like potholes led to many fatal accidents in recent years in India. The traditional approach of manual evaluation is a cumbersome and time-consuming process which can be replaced by latest technologies like LiDAR. Literature on use of Terrestrial LiDAR for distress detection are very limited and even the reported studies have used mostly the raw point cloud data from LiDAR for detecting only selected distresses. However, there are many outputs which can be derived from Terrestrial LiDAR data like Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Hillshade, etc. which are not explored much. Hence in the present study, an attempt has been made to utilize all the possible outputs of Terrestrial LiDAR data, i.e., raw 3D model from point cloud data and LiDAR derived DEM and Hillshade to detect 15 pavement distresses in both bituminous and concrete pavement for a case study area of Vellore in Tamilnadu, India. Their suitability also was compared in order to find which output would be more suitable in identifying a particular distress on the road. The results revealed that Hillshade maps can detect all the pavement distresses except cracks when compared to 3D model and DEM. For the detection of pavement cracks, an image processing based solution using LiDAR data was tried out and was found to perform well in detecting the alligator cracks. The distress parameters such as length, width, depth, etc. were also calculated using LiDAR data and compared with the field observations. The error was found to be only few cms and thus indicate that the Terrestrial LiDAR can be employed to detect the pavement distresses accurately than the conventional manual methods.

Ex situ heart perfusion (ESHP) has emerged as an important strategy to preserve donation after brain death (DBD) and donation after circulatory death (DCD) donor hearts. Clinically, both DBD and DCD hearts are successfully preserved using ESHP. Viability assessment is currently based on biochemical values, while a reliable method for graft function assessment in a physiologic working mode is unavailable. As functional assessment during ESHP has demonstrated the highest predictive value of outcome post-transplantation, this is an important area for improvement. In this study, a novel method for ex situ assessment of left ventricular function with pressure-volume loop analyses is evaluated. Ovine hearts were functionally evaluated during normothermic ESHP with the novel pressure-volume loop system. This system provides an afterload and adjustable preload to the left ventricle. By increasing the preload and measuring end-systolic elastance, the system could successfully assess the left ventricular function. End-systolic elastance at 60 min and 120 min was 2.8 ± 1.8 mmHg/mL and 2.7 ± 0.7 mmHg/mL, respectively. In this study we show a novel method for functional graft assessment with ex situ pressure-loop analyses during ESHP. When further validated, this method for pressure-volume assessments, could be used for better graft selection in both DBD and DCD donor hearts.

In the context of neurorehabilitation, there have been rapid and continuous improvements in sensors-based clinical tools to quantify limb performance. As a result of the increasing integration of technologies in the assessment procedure, the need to integrate evidence-based medicine with benchmarking has emerged in the scientific community. In this work, we present the experimental validation of our previously proposed benchmarking scheme for upper limb capabilities in terms of repeatability, reproducibility, and clinical meaningfulness. We performed a prospective multicenter study on neurologically intact young and elderly subjects and post-stroke patients while recording kinematics and electromyography. 60 subjects (30 young healthy, 15 elderly healthy, and 15 post-stroke) completed the benchmarking protocol. The framework was repeatable among different assessors and instrumentation. Age did not significantly impact the performance indicators of the scheme for healthy subjects. In post-stroke subjects, the movements presented decreased smoothness and speed, the movement amplitude was reduced, and the muscular activation showed lower power and lower intra-limb coordination. We revised the original framework reducing it to three motor skills, and we extracted 14 significant performance indicators with a good correlation with the ARAT clinical scale. The applicability of the scheme is wide, and it may be considered a valuable tool for upper limb functional evaluation in the clinical routine.

Introduction: Prohibitin (PHB) is an essential scaffold protein that modulates signaling pathways controlling cell survival, metabolism, inflammation, and bone formation. However, its specific role in periodontium development remains less understood. This study aims to elucidate the expression pattern and function of PHB in periodontium development and its involvement in alveolar bone formation.Methods: Immunolocalization of PHB in the periodontium of postnatal (PN) mice were examined. Phb morpholino was micro-injected into the right-side mandible at PN5, corresponding to the position where the alveolar bone process forms in relation to the lower first molar. The micro-injection with a scramble control (PF-127) and the left-side mandibles were used as control groups. Five days post-micro-injection, immunohistochemical analysis and micro-CT evaluation were conducted to assess bone mass and morphological changes. Additionally, expression patterns of signaling molecules were examined following Phb downregulation using 24-h in vitro cultivation of developing dental mesenchyme at E14.5.Results: The immunostaining of PHB showed its localization in the periodontium at PN5, PN8, and PN10. The in vitro cultivation of dental mesenchyme resulted in alterations in Bmps, Runx2, and Wnt signalings after Phb knock-down. At 5 days post-micro-injection, Phb knocking down showed weak immunolocalizations of runt-related transcription factor (RUNX2) and osteocalcin (OCN). However, knocking down Phb led to histological alterations characterized by decreased bone mass and stronger localizations of Ki67 and PERIOSTIN in the periodontium compared 1 to control groups. The micro-CT evaluation showed decreased bone volume and increased PDL space in the Phb knock-down specimens, suggesting its regulatory role in bone formation.Discussion: The region-specific localization of PHB in the margin where alveolar bone forms suggests its involvement in alveolar bone formation and the differentiation of the periodontal ligament. Overall, our findings suggest that Phb plays a modulatory role in alveolar bone formation by harmoniously regulating bone-forming-related signaling molecules during periodontium development.

Human chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8) is a promising drug target for immunotherapy of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Monoclonal antibody-based CCR8 targeted treatment shows significant inhibition in tumor growth. The inhibition of CCR8 results in the improvement of antitumor immunity and patient survival rates by regulating tumor-resident regulatory T cells. Recently monoclonal antibody drug development targeting CCR8 has become a research hotspot, which also promotes the advancement of antibody evaluation methods. Therefore, we constructed a novel engineered customized cell line HEK293-cAMP-biosensor-CCR8 combined with CCR8 and a cAMP-biosensor reporter. It can be used for the detection of anti-CCR8 antibody functions like specificity and biological activity, in addition to the detection of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent-cellular-phagocytosis. We obtained a new CCR8 mAb 22H9 and successfully verified its biological activities with HEK293-cAMP-biosensor-CCR8. Our reporter cell line has high sensitivity and specificity, and also offers a rapid kinetic detection platform for evaluating anti-CCR8 antibody functions.

This research aims to evaluate whether a basketball-specific warm-up (Basket-Up) provides immediate benefits in terms of the essential physical performance requirements of basketball and to compare these effects to those obtained from FIFA 11+. In total, 95 highly trained basketball athletes (49 women, 46 men), aged between 13 and 17, were randomly divided to either perform the FIFA 11+ program (n = 48) or the Basket-Up program (n = 47). Immediate evaluation encompassed the assessment of vertical jump (countermovement jump), agility (Lane Agility Test), and 20 m sprint. A two-way mixed analysis of variance was conducted with time (preintervention and postintervention), sex (men and women), and training group (FIFA 11+ and Basket-Up) as the within- and between-participant factors, respectively. Agility (p < 0.001, F = 66.759) and jumping (p < 0.001, F = 78.062) outcomes exhibited significant differences between pre- and postintervention values in both groups. Basket-Up agility values were significantly higher than those from FIFA 11+ (p = 0.001, F = 12.998). The implementation of a specific basketball warm-up program (Basket-Up) appears to be both safe and effective in enhancing immediate athletic performance among highly trained young basketball athletes. Moreover, the effects of this program are comparable to those obtained by a nonspecific basketball warm-up (FIFA 11+) in terms of sprint and jumping performance but demonstrate superiority in agility outcomes, favoring the Basket-Up program.

Abstract Background Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is the gold standard for the functional evaluation of coronary arteries, which is effective in selecting patients for revascularization, avoiding unnecessary procedures, and reducing treatment costs. However, its use is limited due to invasiveness, high cost, and complexity. Therefore, the non-invasive estimation of FFR using artificial intelligence (AI) methods is crucial. Objective This study aimed to identify the AI techniques used for FFR estimation and to explore the features of the studies that applied AI techniques in FFR estimation. Methods The present systematic review was conducted by searching five databases, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE, and Science Direct, based on the search strategy of each database. Results Five hundred seventy-three articles were extracted, and by applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, twenty-five were finally selected for review. The findings revealed that AI methods, including Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL), have been used to estimate the FFR. Conclusion This study shows that AI methods can be used non-invasively to estimate FFR, which can help physicians diagnose and treat coronary artery occlusion and provide significant clinical performance for patients.

Embedded modular branched stent graft (EMBSG) was a new option for aortic arch aneurysm. However, the therapeutic effect of this innovative stenting technique has not been fully assessed. Computational fluid dynamics and three-dimensional structural analyses were performed on three patients (Patient I, Patient II and Patient III) with aortic arch aneurysm, both before and after EMBSG implantation. Patient-specific alterations from preoperative to postoperative were analyzed via morphological and functional metrics. Patient I and Patient II showed notable curvature changes and area reduction after intervention procedure. Three patients showed an increase in flow velocity after EMBSG implantation, while the pressure drop from ascending aorta to the aortic arch was remarkable in Patient I and Patient II with the value of 7.09 ​mmHg, and 10.95 ​mmHg, respectively. Patient I and Patient II also showed elevated time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) in the stenting region, while Patient III showed a trivial change in TAWSS after intervention procedure. Three patients showed low relative residence time after EMBSG insertion. The short-term results of EMBSG in treating aortic arch aneurysm were promising. Hemodynamic parameters have the potential to assist in the outcome evaluation and might be used to guide the stent graft design and wise selection, thereby improving the long-term therapeutic effect in managing complex vascular disease.

Background: Recently, interest in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) preservation and repair after proximal ACL tears has been resurrected. Although good clinical outcomes have been reported in the literature with adequate patient selection, to date detailed scientific evidence for the functional benefit of primary ACL repair with ligament augmentation is scarce. Purpose: To compare patient-reported, clinical, and functional outcomes in patients 2 years after ACL repair and InternalBrace augmentation (ACL-IB) with age- and sex-matched patients 2 years after ACL reconstruction (ACL-R) and with matched healthy controls. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: In total, 29 patients 2 years after ACL-IB, 27 sex- and age- matched patients 2 years after ACL-R (hamstring autografts), and 29 matched healthy controls were included. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the International Knee Documentation Committee score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, EQ-5D-5L, Tegner Activity Scale, and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sports after Injury scale. Surgery time was recorded. For clinical outcomes, range of motion and thigh and shank circumference were measured, and passive anterior translation was determined using the Rolimeter. Isokinetic muscle strength was measured using a Biodex dynamometer. The limb symmetry index (operated/contralateral or nondominant/dominant × 100), side-to-side differences (operated – contralateral, nondominant – dominant), and hamstring-quadriceps ratios were calculated for functional parameters. Failure and reoperation rates were not compared. Results: Two years after surgery, patients treated with ACL-IB showed good to excellent patient-reported outcomes comparable with those of patients after ACL-R. Surgery time, including concomitant surgeries, was significantly shorter in the ACL-IB group (mean, 81 minutes) compared with the ACL-R group (mean, 97 minutes) (P =.024). Isokinetic muscle strength was comparable between patient groups without significant differences in extensor and flexor strength or in hamstring-quadriceps ratios. Conclusion: These results suggest that ACL-IB achieves comparable patient-reported, clinical, and functional outcomes with ACL-R at 2 years postoperatively and, after careful patient selection, should be considered as a valuable early treatment alternative for proximal ACL tears. Registration: NCT04429165 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human milk, which provides personalized, comprehensive, and balanced nutrients, and immune protection, is the best nutritional source for 0~6 month-old infants, and it is the gold standard for infant food. A cohort study of human milk omics is a necessary prerequisite for comprehensively analyzing the composition and characteristics of Chinese human milk, establishing Chinese infant food norms and standards, developing infant nutrition guidelines, and creating infant foods. This article presents the research progress of the National Engineering Research Center of Dairy Health for Maternal and Child pertaining to the China Maternal and Infant Nutrition Health Birth Cohort Study (MINC) in terms of breast milk lipidomics, glycomics, proteomics, and microbiomics detection techniques, composition characteristics, differences from bovine milk, and industrial applications in infant food. This will lay a science and technical support for the omics research of Chinese human milk and provide the necessary data and demonstration for industrial application.

As an integral part of the mitral valve apparatus, the left ventricle papillary muscle (PM) controls mitral valve closure during systole and participates in the ejection process during left ventricular systole. Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most immediate and predominant result when the PM is structurally or functionally abnormal. However, dysfunction of the PM is easily underestimated or overlooked in clinical interventions for MR-related diseases. Therefore, adequate recognition of PM dysfunction and PM-derived MR is critical. In this review, we systematically describe the normal anatomical variations in the PM and the pathophysiology of PM dysfunction-related diseases and summarize the commonly used parameters and the advantages and disadvantages of various noninvasive imaging modalities for the structural and functional assessment of the PM.

A typical example of a robot used in education is the assistive teaching robot, which has much potential to enhance teaching and learning as well as to promote sustainable learning. However, there needs to be formalized selection and evaluation procedures for robotic teaching assistants. To address this need, this paper presents a function evaluation system framework for assistive teaching robots, which includes four dimensions: system structure, appearance interface, teaching function, and auxiliary support. This study employed the framework of the DANP method to examine the extent of influence of various indicators. The analysis focused on determining the critical components of the function evaluation system for assistive teaching robots. Ultimately, the study concluded that two crucial factors in this evaluation system emerged: teaching function and auxiliary support. These two aspects are also key elements in promoting sustainable learning. Moreover, recommendations are made for designing and selecting suitable assistive teaching robot products, aiming to serve as an exemplary framework for future product development and implementing educational activities within school settings, while further contributing to the realization of sustainable learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is the gold standard for the functional evaluation of coronary arteries, which is effective in selecting patients for revascularization, avoiding unnecessary procedures, and reducing treatment costs. However, its use is limited due to invasiveness, high cost, and complexity. Therefore, the non-invasive estimation of FFR using artificial intelligence (AI) methods is crucial. Objective: This study aimed to identify the AI techniques used for FFR estimation and to explore the features of the studies that applied AI techniques in FFR estimation. Methods: The present systematic review was conducted by searching five databases, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE, and Science Direct, based on the search strategy of each database. Results: Five hundred seventy-three articles were extracted, and by applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, twenty-five were finally selected for review. The findings revealed that AI methods, including Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL), have been used to estimate the FFR. Conclusion: This study shows that AI methods can be used non-invasively to estimate FFR, which can help physicians diagnose and treat coronary artery occlusion and provide significant clinical performance for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a chlorophenol (CP) 3D-QSAR model with a double activity (bioaccumulation and degradation) combination was established. 19 CPs were divided into a training set and test set according to the ratio of 4:1. The cross-validation coefficient (q2) and non-cross-validation coefficient (R2) of the model were 0.803 (> 0.5) and 0.925 (> 0.9), respectively, indicating a good stability and predictive ability of the 3D-QSAR. 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) was used as a target molecule, and 46 derivatives with low comprehensive effects were designed. Out of the 46 derivatives, 11 derivatives were screened to have the good insecticidal and preservative properties. From the perspective of the toxicity of zebrafish, 4 out of the 11 derivatives were found to have lower aquatic toxicity effects. Through the food chain simulation of cyanobacteria-daphnia-swamp-mandarin fish, it was found that the bioaccumulation effect of the four derivatives was lower than that of 2,4, 6-TCP. Finally, molecular dynamics simulation was conducted using 2-CH2NH2 substituted derivatives, and it was found that the degradation effect by laccase (white rot fungi) was significantly improved in the presence of violuric acid, hydroxybenzotriazole, and syringaldehyde. This study can provide theoretical support for the development of environment-friendly technology for emerging pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks on a field scale presents a challenge in which several variables have to be considered. As there is no benchmark or reference method for the Ks determination, the suitability of each available method has to be evaluated. This study is aimed at the functional evaluation of three publicly available types of pedotransfer functions (PTFs) with different levels of utilised predictors. In total, ten PTF models were applied to the 56 data sets including the measured Ks value and the required predictors (% sand, silt and clay particles, dry bulk density, and organic matter/organic carbon content). A single agricultural field with a relatively homogenous particle size distribution was selected for the study to evaluate the ability of the PTF to reflect the variability of Ks. The correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination, mean error, and root mean square error were determined to evaluate the Ks prediction quality. The results showed a high variability in Ks within the field; the measured Ks values ranged between 10 and 1261 cm/day. Although the tested PTF models are based on a robust background of soil databases, they could not provide estimates with satisfactory accuracy unless local soil data were incorporated into the PTF development.

Background: Road traffic injuries are the seventh most common cause of long bone fractures. Following high velocity limb trauma, the defects in the long bone are usually associated with appreciable soft-tissue losses. These open long bone injuries always require multidisciplinary managements to reconstruct the composite defects of bone and soft tissue. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to find out radiological and clinical outcome, complications, and union time in complex and non-union fractures of long bone managed by fibular graft. Materials and Methods: Out of 50 cases, 40 cases were of complex fractures and ten cases were of non-union. We used Fibular strut grafts in reconstruction of bone defects and soft tissue injury. Results: Thirty (60.0%) had excellent functional outcome, 10 (20.0%) had good, 6 (12.0%) had satisfactory, and 4 (8.0%) patients had poor outcome. Main complications were non-union 2 cases and 3 cases of superficial wound infection, which subsided by wound dressing and intravenous antibiotic treatment. Conclusion: Free fibular grafting has been proven to be an ideal choice in the management of large segmental bone defects as well as in situations of biological failure of bone healing.

Objective: This study examines the test–retest reliability, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), and its correlation with the Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) of the Dubousset Functional Test (DFT) in evaluating the functional capacity and dynamic balance of patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (cnsLBP). Methods: Seventy-five patients with cnsLBP aged 18 years and over were included. The Five-Repetition Sit-To-Stand Test (5R-STS), the subcomponents of the DFT (the Up and Walk Test, the Steps Test, the Down and Sitting Test, and the Dual-Tasking Test) were administered to the patients. Patients were rested for 1 h, and the DFT was applied again. Pain level was evaluated with the Visual Analogue Scale before the tests started and after the tests were completed. Self-report function assessment was made using the RMDQ. Results: The test–retest reliability of the subcomponents of the DFT was excellent. The ICCs were: 0.91, 0.86, 0.89, and 0.89, respectively. The standard measurement errors of the subcomponents of the DFT were 0.32, 0.12, 0.14, and 0.25, respectively. The subcomponents of the DFT were highly correlated with the RMDQ and 5R-STS with the correlation coefficients of 0,83, 0,83, 0,79, 0,83 and 0,81, 0,75, 0,73, and 0,82, respectively (p < 0.01). The MCIDs of the subcomponents were 0,60, 0,23, 0,27, and 0,48, respectively. Conclusion: The DFT is reliable in evaluating patients' functional capacity and dynamic balance with cnsLBP without causing discomfort. It is simple, quick, and simultaneously assesses multiple areas contributing to spinal alignment, muscle integrity, and balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Being aware of possible gait impairments in Ponseti-treated clubfoot children might be useful for optimizing initial and additional treatment. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify kinematic gait abnormalities in children with clubfoot treated with the Ponseti method (with and without relapse). Methods: A systematic search was conducted. Studies comparing kinematic gait parameters of Ponseti-treated clubfoot children to healthy controls were included. Meta-analyses and qualitative analyses were conducted on the extracted data. Results: Twenty studies were identified. Twelve of the 153 reported kinematic outcome measures could be included in the meta-analysis. Plantarflexion at push-off, maximum ankle dorsiflexion during the swing, maximal plantarflexion, and ankle range of motion was significantly lower in Ponseti-treated clubfoot children. Ponseti-treated clubfoot children showed more internal foot progression. Qualitative analysis revealed 51 parameters in which pre-treatment relapse clubfeet deviated from healthy controls. Conclusions: Ponseti-treated clubfoot children showed several kinematic gait differences from healthy controls. In future studies, homogeneity in measured variables and study population and implementation of multi-segmental foot models will aid in comparing studies and understanding clubfoot complexity and treatment outcomes. The question remains as to what functional problems gait impairments lead to and whether additional treatment could address these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the mobility of the cervical spine, pain and function according to Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores among dental assistants and hygienists. Comparison between dental professionals and a control group was also performed. Methods: In the study, 338 dental assistants and hygienists with a mean age of 35.8 were evaluated. Of these, 195 were measured with the CROM 3 device, and 143 with a classic tape measure, for the range of motion of their cervical spine. A non-dental professional group consisting of 60 women (whose work was not related to repetitive movements of cervical spine) was also tested, 30 with the CROM 3 device, and 30 with a classic tape measure. The dental and control groups were also surveyed with the NDI questionnaire and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: Dental assistants and hygienists had significantly reduced functional ROM in all directions in comparison to the control group. Among the 338 volunteers form the study group the VAS pain score was higher than in the control group. NDI scores were also worse in the study group, compared to the control group. Functional results in all subgroups of the NDI questionnaire were better in the control group. Among dental workers the cervical spine typically demonstrated significantly greater mobility in right-rotation, resulting from the position occupied at the unit at which they work. Conclusions: Our findings confirm a decrease in the mobility of the cervical spine, lower functional scores involving various everyday activities and greater intensity of pain among dental assistants and hygienists in comparison to participants whose work does not involve cervical spine overuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency departments are the doorstep of any hospital and designed in different plan types due to a multiplicity of factors. As treatment follows a specific medical pattern according to established SOPs, therefore the spatial configuration needs to respond to that pattern. this paper objectively analyzed the three basic plan types of the emergency department for its spatial configuration using space syntax and users' responses. The results of this study demonstrate that the three basic plan types of emergency departments follow a consistence configurational pattern in their syntactic values despite different layout patterns. All three types exhibit not only a very similar space link ratios, integration, and difference factor (DF) but also the internal integration of the order clinical spaces in a consistence way. The results were cross-validated through users' responses for the required spatial pattern through closed-ended structured questionaries. The results of this study may provide a baseline for the objective evaluation of the emergency department in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In neurorehabilitation, we are witnessing a growing awareness of the importance of standardized quantitative assessment of limb functions. Detailed assessments of the sensorimotor deficits following neurological disorders are crucial. So far, this assessment has relied mainly on clinical scales, which showed several drawbacks. Different technologies could provide more objective and repeatable measurements. However, the current literature lacks practical guidelines for this purpose. Nowadays, the integration of available metrics, protocols, and algorithms into one harmonized benchmarking ecosystem for clinical and research practice is necessary. Methods This work presents a benchmarking framework for upper limb capacity. The scheme resulted from a multidisciplinary and iterative discussion among several partners with previous experience in benchmarking methodology, robotics, and clinical neurorehabilitation. We merged previous knowledge in benchmarking methodologies for human locomotion and direct clinical and engineering experience in upper limb rehabilitation. The scheme was designed to enable an instrumented evaluation of arm capacity and to assess the effectiveness of rehabilitative interventions with high reproducibility and resolution. It includes four elements: (1) a taxonomy for motor skills and abilities, (2) a list of performance indicators, (3) a list of required sensor modalities, and (4) a set of reproducible experimental protocols. Results We proposed six motor primitives as building blocks of most upper-limb daily-life activities and combined them into a set of functional motor skills. We identified the main aspects to be considered during clinical evaluation, and grouped them into ten motor abilities categories. For each ability, we proposed a set of performance indicators to quantify the proposed ability on a quantitative and high-resolution scale. Finally, we defined the procedures to be followed to perform the benchmarking assessment in a reproducible and reliable way, including the definition of the kinematic models and the target muscles. Conclusions This work represents the first unified scheme for the benchmarking of upper limb capacity. To reach a consensus, this scheme should be validated with real experiments across clinical conditions and motor skills. This validation phase is expected to create a shared database of human performance, necessary to have realistic comparisons of treatments and drive the development of new personalized technologies.

Rehabilomics is an important research framework that allows omics research built upon rehabilitation practice, especially in function evaluation, outcome prediction, and individualized rehabilitation. In the field of rehabilomics, biomarkers can serve as objectively measured indicators for body functioning, so as to complement the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) assessment. Studies on traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and Parkinson's disease have shown that biomarkers (such as serum markers, MRI, and digital signals derived from sensors) are correlated with diagnosis, disease severity, and prognosis. Rehabilomics also examines a wide range of individual biological characteristics in order to develop personalized rehabilitation programs. Secondary prevention and rehabilitation of stroke have already adopted a rehabilomic approach to individualize treatment programs. Mechanisms of non-pharmacological therapies are expected to be unveiled in light of rehabilomics research. When formulating the research plan, learning from established databases is recommended and a multidisciplinary collaborative team is warranted. Although still in its infancy, the advancement and incorporation of rehabilomics has the potential to make a significant impact on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The overshoot of the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) after exercise is reduced in patients with heart failure. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the presence of this phenomenon in young patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), who generally present reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with CHD underwent a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) assessing the RER recovery parameters: the RER at peak exercise, the maximum RER value reached during recovery, the magnitude of the RER overshoot and the linear slope of the RER increase after the end of the exercise. Results: In total, 117 patients were included in this study. Of these, there were 24 healthy age-matched control subjects and 93 young patients with CHD (transposition of great arteries, Fontan procedure, aortic coarctation and tetralogy of Fallot). All patients presented a RER overshoot during recovery. Patients with CHD showed reduced aerobic capacity and cardiorespiratory efficiency during exercise, as well as a lower RER overshoot when compared to controls. RER magnitude was higher in the controls and patients with aortic coarctation when compared to those with transposition of great arteries, previous Fontan procedure, and tetralogy of Fallot. The RER magnitude was found to be correlated with the most relevant cardiorespiratory fitness and efficiency indices. Conclusions: The present study proposes new recovery indices for functional evaluation in patients with CHD. Thus, the RER recovery overshoots analysis should be part of routine CPET evaluation to further improve prognostic risk stratifications in patients with CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks on a field scale presents a challenge in which several variables have to be considered. As there is no benchmark or reference method for the Ks determination, the suitability of each available method has to be evaluated. This study is aimed at the functional evaluation of three publicly available types of pedotransfer functions (PTFs) with different levels of utilised predictors. In total, ten PTF models were applied to the 56 data sets including the measured Ks value and the required predictors (% sand, silt and clay particles, dry bulk density, and organic matter/organic carbon content). A single agricultural field with a relatively homogenous particle size distribution was selected for the study to evaluate the ability of the PTF to reflect the variability of Ks. The correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination, mean error, and root mean square error were determined to evaluate the Ks prediction quality. The results showed a high variability in Ks within the field; the measured Ks values ranged between 10 and 1261 cm/day. Although the tested PTF models are based on a robust background of soil databases, they could not provide estimates with satisfactory accuracy unless local soil data were incorporated into the PTF development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Road traffic injuries are the seventh most common cause of long bone fractures. Following high velocity limb trauma, the defects in the long bone are usually associated with appreciable soft-tissue losses. These open long bone injuries always require multidisciplinary managements to reconstruct the composite defects of bone and soft tissue. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to find out radiological and clinical outcome, complications, and union time in complex and non-union fractures of long bone managed by fibular graft. Materials and Methods: Out of 50 cases, 40 cases were of complex fractures and ten cases were of non-union. We used Fibular strut grafts in reconstruction of bone defects and soft tissue injury. Results: Thirty (60.0%) had excellent functional outcome, 10 (20.0%) had good, 6 (12.0%) had satisfactory, and 4 (8.0%) patients had poor outcome. Main complications were non-union 2 cases and 3 cases of superficial wound infection, which subsided by wound dressing and intravenous antibiotic treatment. Conclusion: Free fibular grafting has been proven to be an ideal choice in the management of large segmental bone defects as well as in situations of biological failure of bone healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the case of a high ligue soccer player with a traumatic injury to his left knee occurring during a match for which reconstructive surgery followed relatively quickly. After reconstruction intervention, a personalized rehabilitation intervention followed according to current guidelines. The functional protocol was individualized with an isoinertial training program. The isoinertial training is commonly use for athletes training and physical preparation. But, the principles of isoinertial training are also translated into the rehabilitation of athletes who want to return to sports activity as quickly as possible and without the risk of another injury. This case illustrates also that clinical and functional assessment is a common language that can codifies the terms and modalities of treatment applied. Specific tests can identify risk factors that modulate management protocols to optimize functional results and can be a common language between the therapists from different countries; this is also the particularity of this topic. Today, the principles of isoinertial training are also translated into the rehabilitation of athletes who want to return to sports activity as quickly as possible and without the risk of another injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer is one of the top three malignant tumors in the world. With the rapid development of medical technology and the strengthening of national awareness of cancer screening, rectal cancer has been diagnosed and treated timely. At present, the application of low rectal tumor preservation operation is becoming more and more common. Anastomotic leakage and anterior resection syndrome are the most common complications of low rectal cancer. How to preserve anal and reduce the incidence of complications has always been the concern of scholars at home and abroad. In order to improve the survival time and quality of life of patients with low rectal cancer, this paper expounds five key problems: fully preoperative evaluation of anorectal function and staging, reasonable neoadjuvant therapy, safe distal margin, the selection of surgical methods and the timing of preventive stoma.