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Background: Disabling hearing loss is a prevalent public health issue, with significant impact on patients’ communication. The disability associated with hearing loss depends on the severity of the hearing loss. There are limited rehabilitative measures in resource challenged environment. This study assesses the incidence, the factors for hearing impairment and the management outcome. Methods: A descriptive three-year chart review of patients managed for hearing loss in a tertiary health center in a developing country. The data collected include demographic data, clinical presentation and risk factors for hearing loss, audiometric reports, rehabilitative measures and management outcome. Results: The patients with ear symptoms managed within the study period were 1350, of whom 498 (36.8%) had hearing loss of varying degrees. These included 145 (29.1%) males and 353 (70.9%) females with male to female ratio of 1:2.4. The age ranged from 8 to 80 years (median age of 35.7). Disabling hearing loss in the better-hearing ear occurred in 216 (43.4%) of cases. Increasing age and chronic supportive otitis media were associated with disabling hearing loss. The hearing thresholds improved with hearing aids and ear surgical procedures; nonetheless the patients’ rehabilitation was impaired by limited resources. Conclusion: There is poor rehabilitation of people with hearing loss, though management outcome is commendable in a few of them. Health education will reduce the risk factors for disabling hearing loss and improved rehabilitative measures are needed for these individuals.

Protein functional annotation requires time and effort, while sequencing technologies are fast and cheap. For this reason, the development of software tools aimed at predicting protein function from sequences can help in protein annotation. In this paper, we describe how to use our recently implemented Bologna Annotation Resource (BAR) version 3.0, a tool based on over 30 million protein sequences for protein structural and functional annotation. In BAR 3.0, sequences are arranged in a similarity graph and then clustered together when they share at least 40% sequence identity over 90% of sequence alignment, for a total of 1,361,773 clusters. Protein sequences with known function transfer their annotation to other sequences in the same cluster after statistical validation. Sequences with unknown function and new sequences entering in a cluster inherit its statistically validated annotations. The method well compares to other techniques in the Critical Assessment of protein Function Annotation algorithms (CAFA). The CAFA experiment tests the performances of different predictors on a dataset that accumulates annotations over time. BAR predictions have been submitted to all the instances of CAFA through the years (BAR Plus in CAFA, BAR++ in CAFA2 and BAR 3.0 in CAFA3). The benchmarking indicates that in the field improvement is still possible and that our BAR scores among the top performing methods. This work focuses on how the tool can transfer statistically significant features to poorly annotated or new sequences derived from transcrptomics or proteomics experiments. 

Background: Full-field Digital Mammography (FFDM) is essential for the early detection of breast cancer. Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) has improved cancer diagnosis and reduced false positives in mammography . This study evaluated DRLs for FFDM and DBT at various ranges of Compressed Breast Thickness (CBT).Material and methods: We evaluated the parameters like Average Glandular Dose (AGD), kVp, mAs, Entrance Surface Dose (ESD), and CBT in a retrospective analysis of FFDM and DBT. We computed the mean, median, range, and 75th percentile for Craniocaudal (CC) and Mediolateral Oblique (MLO) views at various breast thicknesses.Results: The DRLs were 0.70 mGy to 2.55 mGy for FFDM and 0.94 mGy to 3.67 mGy for DBT for breast thickness in the range from 20 mm to 89 mm.Conclusion: This analysis revealed that DRLs were significantly lower than international benchmarks . Mammography radiation dose optimisation enhances diagnostic accuracy and patient safety.

The bio-energy released by the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate, which relate to plenty of life activities and is transported in a solution, and its theory of transport are first stated and built in helix protein molecule. In order to confirm and verify the correctness of the transported theory we here systematically summarized and reviewed a great number of experimental investigation and evidences obtained by us and other researchers in past 30 years, involving the real existences of the solution and its features and lifetimes. In this survey we outlined and presented concretely the features of infrared spectra of absorption, Raman spectra and specific heat of the molecular crystal-acetanilide collagen, bivine serum albumin, myoglobin proteins and E.Coli. cell as well as the lifetimes of the solution in acetanilide and myoglobin measured by using pump-probe techniques and free-electron laser experiment, in which we give not only experimental data but also their comparisons with theoretical results. These experimental data and evidences provided here are enough to verify and affirm the true existences of the new solution, which can complete itself functions of bio-energy transport in the lifetime, and the correctness of the new theory of bio-energy transport in the acetanilide and protein molecule. Thus we can affirm the correctness of theory of the bio-energy transport in helix protein molecule, which can greatly promote the development of molecular biology.

In sports medicine, the recovery process for injuries to the musculoskeletal system has been well established, including the recovery time until the athlete can compete again to prevent relapses. These decisions support the sports physician in acting with greater confidence. However, there are no clear criteria and protocols for other systemic diseases. In the following study, we report our experience and suggest an action protocol for a professional basketball team.

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EDCR) is a well accepted surgical treatment for patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). Previously, external dacryocystorhino-stomy was considered as the gold standard treatment for NLDO, however, EDCR has gained momentum due to its several advantages. The EDCR has been sounding more aesthetic and as functional compared to the traditional external dacryocystorhinostomy in the surgical treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction with comparable outcomes. Purpose: to determine the success rate and complications of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy without stenting.Materials and methods: it was a retrospective study performed in the department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (ORL-HNS), Universal College of Medical Sciences-Teaching Hospital (UCMS-TH) from June 2019 to September 2024. A total of 19 patients charts were reviewed. All the cases were performed under general anesthesia. All the cases had undergone without silicon stenting and were regularly followed up for a period of 3 months. Post operative stomal patency and complications were noted based on subjective and endoscopic evaluation.Results: Out of 19 patients, 12 were female and 7 were male with the age range of 12 to 70 years. Transnasal synechiae was seen in 2 female and 1 male patients. Stomal patency was 100% with no recurrence of epiphora in 17 patients (89.4%) during 3 months of follow up. 2 female patients with released synechiae didn’t come for 3 months follow up.Conclusion: It is a safe and minimally invasive procedure and has a comparable success rate to external DCR with an additional advantage of more aesthetic value.

Iin 2015 we obtained non-hermitian extensions of Heisenberg type and Schrödinger type uncertainty relations for generalized metric adjusted skew information or generalized metric adjusted correlation measure and gave the results of Dou-Du in 2013 and 2014 as corollaries. In this paper, we define generalized quasi-metric adjusted Q skew information for different two generalized states and obtain corresponding uncertainty relation. The result is applied to the inequalities related to fidelity and trace distance for different two generalized states which were given by Audenaert, et al. in 2009 and 2008; and Powers-Strmer in 1970. 2010 Mathematics Subject Classification: 15A45, 47A63, 94A17.

The action of modern emergency care for patients with AP, on the one hand, requires a wait-and-see period, which is unacceptable in cases of rapidly progressing inflammation. On the other hand, it uses methods that do not take into account the features of the disease mechanisms. All this creates conditions for an excess of complications and treatment failures. The accumulated facts on this problem indicate the need to revise the principles of treatment. Consequently, the most important initial step in this direction seems to be the correction of professional views in accordance with the classical provisions of medical science.

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) operating in Dead-Ended Anode (DEA) mode present a promising alternative to traditional flow-through systems by simplifying design and reducing costs. However, their efficiency and durability are challenged by transient phenomena such as water accumulation, nitrogen buildup, and carbon corrosion throughout operation. This review investigates the dynamic behavior of DEA PEMFCs under dynamic operating states, aiming to improve their efficiency. By analyzing purge cycle optimization and transient response characteristics, we identify strategies to mitigate hydrogen loss, maintain voltage stability, and extend stack lifetime. The key findings indicate that precise purge scheduling and effective water management are critical for optimizing performance, with dynamic models providing insights into time-dependent processes. This study underscores the potential of DEA PEMFCs for high-efficiency applications provided transient effects are effectively managed.

The objective of this research was to estimate the energy potential of walnut pruning residues (biomass) as a renewable resource for use in greenhouse heating systems in the south-central region of the state of Chihuahua. To achieve this, data were collected on the weight of fresh firewood generated per tree based on trunk diameter, considering three common pruning methods practiced in the area. Additionally, the percentage of weight loss during the biomass drying process was determined, and the regional area cultivated with walnut trees was documented. Based on this information, the potential energy availability and the feasibility of its use as a sustainable energy source for the agricultural sector under controlled climate conditions were calculated.