Profile of Radiological Examinations in the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department of the Medical Clinic “KALALE” in Mali

Introduction: Radiology and medical imaging examinations bring together the means of acquiring and restoring images of the human body from different physical phenomena such as the absorption of X-rays, nuclear magnetic resonance, reflection of ultrasound waves or radioactivity, with which we sometimes associate optical imaging techniques such as endoscopy. The objective of our study was to study the profile of radiological examinations in the radiology and medical imaging department of the “KALALE” medical clinic. Methodology: This was a descriptive, prospective study that took place over a period of six (6) months in the radiology and medical imaging department of the “KALALE” medical clinic and the centers of health of communes III and IV of Bamako in Mali. Data collection was carried out on a survey form. The parameters studied were sociodemographic data, clinical data, radiological data. Results: We recorded 6030 radiology examinations of which 19% of the examination frequency cases came from the “KALALE” medical clinic and 81% of the cases were referrals from the reference health centers of communes III and IV. There were 1500 X-rays or 24.9% of cases including 54% cases of bone X-rays;5% of cases of skull and face X-rays;5% of cases of Intravenous Urography (IVU);4% of cases of Hysterosalpingography (HSG);3% of cases of Retrograde Ureterocystography (UCR) and 1% of cases of X-ray of the Abdomen without preparation (ASP). We found 4530 ultrasounds or 75.1% of cases. Conclusion: Medical imaging has become essential in the study of the human body and now constitutes an essential tool for the detection and treatment of most pathologies, from simple fractures to the most serious tumors.

The Impact of Demographics and Cultural Tourism on University Enrollments in Calabria, Italy

The decline in the birth rate,which has been uninterrupted in Italy since the mid-1960s,has had a significant impact on many aspects of society.As far as the educational system is concerned,this phenomenon has acted like a wave,first causing a decline in the population of the first school age groups,then in the other groups,until recently affecting the 19-25 age group,which includes the majority of university students.As a result,the majority of Italian universities have seen a decline over time in both enrollments(matriculations)and student numbers(enrollments),although the situation varies from one area to another.In the Mezzogiorno,this trend is even more pronounced,since an increasing number of resident students tend to favor universities in the Centre-North,creating a South-Centre-North movement,which could be compared to a particular form of cultural tourism,without a similar flow in the opposite direction.Finally,the study highlights the probable consequences of the recent demographic depopulation on the future trend of university enrollment of residents aged 19-25 in the Calabria region,using the most recent demographic projections of Istat and constructing two evolutionary scenarios.In the first scenario,we have assumed that in the near future university enrollment rates remain constant throughout the period considered;in the second scenario,these rates instead experience a gradual and continuous increase.These results could be useful if further forecasts of university enrollments were to be made at the level of individual Calabrian universities.

Analysis of Blood Lipids, Blood Glucose, Blood Uric Acid, and Blood Routine Test Results in Retired Employees of a Unit in the Civil Aviation System

Objective:To investigate and analyze the annual physical examination results of retired employees from a unit in the civil aviation system,focusing on blood lipids,blood glucose,blood uric acid,and blood routine results.The study aims to provide relevant references for formulating reasonable disease management measures for preventing and controlling hyperlipidemia,hyperuricemia,and other conditions in retired employees.Methods:The examination results of 231 participants were collected and analyzed.The participants were divided into four groups based on age:middle-aged group,young-old group,middle-old group,and old-old group.The blood test results were compared across these groups,and an assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)risk levels was completed in conjunction with medical history.Blood test results were also compared by gender.Results:There were no significant statistical differences in blood test results when grouped by age.However,the prevalence of hyperuricemia was higher in males than in females,while the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was higher in females than in males.The LDL-C target achievement rate was lower in the moderate-and-high-risk group as well as the very high-risk group as defined by ASCVD risk levels.Conclusion:Management of hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia in retired employees(elderly patients)should be strengthened to reduce the risk of ASCVD events and alleviate the potential medical burden associated with disease progression.

Clinical implications of reconsideration of enthesitis/enthesopathy/enthesial erosion,as tendon attachmentlocalized avulsions and stress fracture equivalents

Recognizing the mechanical origin of enthesitis/enthesopathy and the avulsion-nature of what had previously been considered erosions,it seems inappropriate to attribute it to stresses related to a person’s normal activities.Conversely,sudden or unconditioned repetitive stresses appears the more likely culprit.Studies of enthesial reaction have lacked standardization as to findings present among individuals who appear to be healthy.Clinical evaluation by palpation and mani-pulation may be as effective as application of radiologic techniques.Recognition of the mechanical nature of the disease,including individuals with inflammatory arthritis suggests prescription of mechanical solutions that reduce stresses across the involved enthesis.

Balancing Dermatological and Gynecological Considerations: Evaluating the Necessity of Pelvic Exams in OCP Prescriptions for Acne Management

Routine pelvic examinations in women prescribed oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) for acne management are scrutinized to assess their impact on dermatological outcomes versus gynecological health. A synthesis of clinical trials, patient surveys, and medical guidelines reveals that these routine exams do not significantly enhance the effectiveness of acne treatment with OCPs but are linked to increased patient discomfort and false-positive results. Evidence suggests that routine pelvic examinations do not significantly impact the effectiveness of acne management with OCPs but are associated with increased patient discomfort and higher rates of false-positive results. The analysis indicates that a more personalized approach, focusing on selective pelvic examinations based on individual risk factors and clinical symptoms, may offer a more practical and patient-centered alternative. The review advocates for a reexamination of existing guidelines to better align with a model of individualized care, emphasizing the need for further research to optimize best practices at the intersection of dermatological and gynecological care. Adopting a personalized approach to pelvic examinations could substantially improve patient care by minimizing unnecessary interventions and discomfort while maintaining the efficacy of acne treatment with oral contraceptive pills.

Comparative analysis of breast and lung cancer survival rates and clinical trial enrollments among rural and urban patients in Georgia

Objectives:Rural patients have poor cancer outcomes and clinical trial(CT)enrollment compared to urban patients due to attitudinal,awareness,and healthcare access differential.Knowledge of cancer survival disparities and CT enrollment is important for designing interventions and innovative approaches to address the stated barriers.The study explores the potential disparities in cancer survival rates and clinical trial enrollments in rural and urban breast and lung cancer patients.Our hypotheses are that for both cancer types,urban cancer patients will have longer 5-year survival rates and higher enrollment rates in clinical trials than those in rural counties.Methods:We compared breast and lung cancer patients’survival rates and enrollment ratios in clinical trials between rural(RUCC 4-9)and urban counties in Georgia at a Comprehensive Cancer Center(CCC).To assess these differences,we carried out a series of independent samples t-tests and Chi-Square tests.Results:The outcomes indicate comparable 5-year survival rates across rural and urban counties for breast and lung cancer patients,failing to substantiate our hypothesis.While clinical trial enrollment rates demonstrated a significant difference between breast and lung cancer patients at CCC,no significant variation was observed based on rural or urban classification.Conclusion:These findings underscore the need for further research into the representation of rural patients with diverse cancer types at CCC and other cancer centers.Further,the findings have considerable implications for the initiation of positive social change to improve CT participation and reduce cancer survival disparities.

An Empirical Study of the Socratic Method in Nongraded English Teaching in Senior High School Under the Background of the New National College Entrance Examination

With the reform of the New National College Entrance Examination(Gaokao),the nongraded education will become an inevitable trend.In senior high school,the traditional test-oriented education is popular.The knowledge is mainly taught by the teachers,and the students passively absorb it.This study examines a problem-oriented Socratic experiment in nongraded English teaching in senior high school.The teachers seek output from students,who respond by interpreting questions,fostering critical thinking,and enhancing problem-solving skills.This teaching experiment indicates that the Socratic method has a significant positive effect on cultivating nongraded senior high English students’critical thinking under the New National College Entrance Examination.

Sex differences in the association between the muscle quality index and the incidence of depression: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Depression presents significant challenges to mental health care.Although phy-sical activity is highly beneficial to mental and physical health,relatively few stu-dies have conducted on the relationship between them.AIM To investigate the association between muscle quality index(MQI)and incidence of depression.METHODS The data used in this cross-sectional study were obtained from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey,which included informa-tion on MQI,depression,and confounding factors.Multivariable logistic regre-ssion models were employed,while taking into account the complex multi-stage sampling design.A restricted cubic spline model was utilized to investigate the non-linear relationship between the MQI and depression.Additionally,subgroup analyses were performed to identify influential factors.RESULTS The prevalence of depression in this population was 8.44%.With the adjusted model,the MQI was associated with depression in females(odds ratio=0.68,95%confidence interval:0.49-0.95)but not in males(odds ratio=1.08,95%confidence interval:0.77-1.52).Restricted cubic spline adjustment of all covariates showed a significant negative non-linear relationship between depression and the MQI in females.The observed trend indicated an 80%decrease in the risk of depression for each unit increase in MQI,until a value of 2.2.Subsequently,when the MQI exceeded 2.2,the prevalence of depression increased by 20%for every unit increase in the MQI.Subgroup analyses further confirmed that the MQI was negatively associated with de-pression.CONCLUSION The MQI was inversely correlated with depression in females but not males,suggesting that females with a higher MQI might decrease the risk of depression.

Assessment of the triglyceride glucose index in adult patients with chronic diarrhea and constipation

BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance(IR).However,the link between two of the most prevalent bowel disorders,chronic diarrhea and constipation,and the triglyceride glucose(TyG)index,a marker of IR,has not yet been investigated.AIM To investigate the potential association between TyG and the incidence of chronic diarrhea and constipation.METHODS This cross-sectional study enrolled 2400 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database from 2009-2010.TyG was used as an exposure variable,with chronic diarrhea and constipation as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale used as the outcome variables.A demographic investigation based on TyG quartile subgroups was performed.The application of multivariate logistic regression models and weighted generalized additive models revealed potential correlations between TyG,chronic diarrhea,and constipation.Subgroup analyses were performed to examine the stability of any potential associations.RESULTS In the chosen sample,chronic diarrhea had a prevalence of 8.00%,while chronic constipation had a prevalence of 8.04%.In multiple logistic regression,a more prominent positive association was found between TyG and chronic diarrhea,particularly in model 1(OR=1.45;95%CI:1.17-1.79,P=0.0007)and model 2(OR=1.40;95%CI:1.12-1.76,P=0.0033).No definite association was observed between the TyG levels and chronic constipation.The weighted generalized additive model findings suggested a more substantial positive association with chronic diarrhea when TyG was less than 9.63(OR=1.89;95%CI:1.05-3.41,P=0.0344),and another positive association with chronic constipation when it was greater than 8.2(OR=1.74;95%CI:1.02-2.95,P=0.0415).The results of the subgroup analyses further strengthen the extrapolation of these results to a wide range of populations.CONCLUSION Higher TyG levels were positively associated with abnormal bowel health.

Improved Mechanism for Detecting Examinations Impersonations in Public Higher Learning Institutions: Case of the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA)

Currently, most public higher learning institutions in Tanzania rely on traditional in-class examinations, requiring students to register and present identification documents for examinations eligibility verification. This system, however, is prone to impersonations due to security vulnerabilities in current students’ verification system. These vulnerabilities include weak authentication, lack of encryption, and inadequate anti-counterfeiting measures. Additionally, advanced printing technologies and online marketplaces which claim to produce convincing fake identification documents make it easy to create convincing fake identity documents. The Improved Mechanism for Detecting Impersonations (IMDIs) system detects impersonations in in-class exams by integrating QR codes and dynamic question generation based on student profiles. It consists of a mobile verification app, built with Flutter and communicating via RESTful APIs, and a web system, developed with Laravel using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The two components communicate through APIs, with MySQL managing the database. The mobile app and web server interact to ensure efficient verification and security during examinations. The implemented IMDIs system was validated by a mobile application which is integrated with a QR codes scanner for capturing codes embedded in student Identity Cards and linking them to a dynamic question generation model. The QG model uses natural language processing (NLP) algorithm and Question Generation (QG) techniques to create dynamic profile questions. Results show that the IMDIs system could generate four challenging profile-based questions within two seconds, allowing the verification of 200 students in 33 minutes by one operator. The IMDIs system also tracks exam-eligible students, aiding in exam attendance and integrates with a Short Message Service (SMS) to report impersonation incidents to a dedicated security officer in real-time. The IMDIs system was tested and found to be 98% secure, 100% convenient, with a 0% false rejection rate and a 2% false acceptance rate, demonstrating its security, reliability, and high performance.

Research on the Evaluation of the Implementation Effect of Curriculum Examination Reform: Taking the Course of “Introduction to Language” as an Example

“Introduction to Language,”as the core course of the English major,mainly reveals the basic laws of language,enabling the students to have the ability to apply linguistic theories to explain language phenomena and solve specific language problems.This course is highly theoretical and has a certain degree of difficulty.The evaluation of student grades has always been based on examination reform,but several problems have been encountered during the implementation process.This article analyzes the current situation of the reform and implementation of the“Introduction to Language”course examination in applied universities and puts forth suggestions and specific measures to improve the assessment of the course,aiming to enhance the teaching effectiveness of the course and scientifically and comprehensively evaluate students’abilities.

An exploration of the origin and flow of the development of traditional Chinese medicine orthopedic and chiropractic massage

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)chiropractic massage is a kind of orthopedic therapy that corrects the abnormal anatomical position of bone or joint and corrects the dislocation of joint by manipulation so that the bone is soft and the Qi and blood are reconciled(Qi:The intangible,high-mobility nutritive substance that maintains vital activities).Manipulation treatment is the first of the four major orthopedic diseases.At the same time,TCM chiropractic massage is also an essential part of TCM.TCM orthopedic chiropractic practice originated from the struggle between humanity and nature,sprouted from the Warring States period to the two Han Dynasty,formed in the Sui,Tang,and Song Dynasties,matured in the Ming and Qing Dynasties,and flourished in the modern era.In more than 2,000 years of development,many practical techniques have been produced,which have profoundly influenced the inheritance and development of modern techniques,making the TCM orthopedic chiropractic massage in the contemporary era form the characteristics of“tendon and bone”and“point-line-face combination”.At present,the development of TCM chiropractic massage is facing the great challenges of modern medicine and modern advanced science and technology such as American chiropractic and the limitations of its development.Therefore,in the future,the development direction of Chinese medicine orthopedic chiropractic massage should be“hybrid to treat”.In the face of modern medicine,we should take its essence to its dross,eclectic,organically integrate its advantages into itself,enrich its theoretical framework,and strengthen the construction of disciplines and departments to enhance its competitiveness.It is believed that Chinese medicine orthopedic chiropractic massage can have better development in the future and can make more contributions to the health of the world’s people.

ISHD:Intelligent Standing Human Detection of Video Surveillance for the Smart Examination Environment

In the environment of smart examination rooms, it is important to quickly and accurately detect abnormal behavior(human standing) for the construction of a smart campus. Based on deep learning, we propose an intelligentstanding human detection (ISHD) method based on an improved single shot multibox detector to detect thetarget of standing human posture in the scene frame of exam room video surveillance at a specific examinationstage. ISHD combines the MobileNet network in a single shot multibox detector network, improves the posturefeature extractor of a standing person, merges prior knowledge, and introduces transfer learning in the trainingstrategy, which greatly reduces the computation amount, improves the detection accuracy, and reduces the trainingdifficulty. The experiment proves that the model proposed in this paper has a better detection ability for the smalland medium-sized standing human body posture in video test scenes on the EMV-2 dataset.

Awareness, Practice and Intention to Practice Testicular Self-Examination among Professional Working Males in Ghana

Background: The aetiology of Testicular Cancer (TC) is still unknown to researchers but many of the associated risk factors have been identified. These include family history, age, racial origin, cryptorchidism, urogenital malformations, testicular atrophy, and infertility. Given the lack of scientific data on the causes of the disease, it has been asserted in previous studies that the promotion of awareness and early detection are prerequisites to mitigating risks of metastasis as well as improving survival. This study is to assess the awareness, practice, and intention to practice testicular self-examination among professional working males in Accra. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional design with a structured research instrument was used to collect data from respondants. The purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to collect data from 300 men at Accra in Ghana. The study was conducted at two (2) Universities and a Senior High school at Accra in Ghana. The data was then analysed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling. Results: From the study findings, 37% of male participants rated their knowledge of testicular self-examination and related symptoms as good, 28% of participants practised testicular self-examination monthly, while 65% of respondents expressed their intention to practice monthly testicular self-examination. The findings from logistic regression demonstrated that level of education, age, and marital status of participants had a significant influence on testicular self-examination. Additionally, the multiple linear regression results revealed knowledge and self-efficacy significantly predict testicular self-examination intention. The path coefficient results from the structural equation model are consistent with results from the regression models. Conclusion: This research is the first to investigate testicular self-examination among men in Ghana. The findings revealed awareness and practice of TSE are low among participants. Therefore, the research findings would improve the expertise of physicians and nurses in providing counsel, intervention, and support for patients at risk of testicular cancer.

The Association of Mercury and ALT with Obesity in Korean Adults Using Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 11 Years(KNHANES 2005,2008-2017)

The association between heavy metals in the blood and obesity has been examined in many studies.However,inconsistencies have been observed in the results of these studies.The present study was conducted using data from 119,181 participants of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)for 11 years in 2005 and between 2008 and 2017.The subjects with missing heavy metal blood tests,health interview data,and health examination data were excluded from the study.The study population comprised 1,844 individuals(972 men,and 872 women)who were eligible for inclusion.It was found that obesity and abdominal obesity were associated with an increase in both blood mercury(P<0.001)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P<0.001).After adjusting the confounding factors,those with concurrent high levels of ALT and the highest tertile of mercury showed an increased risk of obesity(odds ratio 4.46,95%confidence interval 2.23-8.90,P<0.001)as well as abdominal obesity(odds ratio 5.36,95%confidence interval 2.57-11.17,P<0.001).The interrelationship of mercury and ALT with the parameters of body mass index(P for interaction=0.009)and waist circumference(P for interaction=0.012),respectively,have been observed to be significant,suggesting that the reciprocal relationship could contribute to obesity and abdominal obesity.

The Research of Examination Paper Generation Based on Index System Metrics and Multi-Objective Strategy

Since the examination paper generated with computer by the algorithms of random and backtracking takes on inferior quality and inefficient, and the question of generating examination paper with computer has the character of multi-ob-jective because of the index system metrics, the genetic algorithm with multi-objective strategy optimization is proposed to solve this problem. Mapping the index system to multi-objective functions and optimizing the computing with multi-objective strategy are employed in the algorithm. The genetic algorithm experiment based on the multi-objective strategy optimization shows that the result has the advantages getting tradeoff between performance and quality, and having the ability to tune the performance and quality to meet the user’s requirements.

Effectiveness of Histopathological Examination of Ultrasound-guided Puncture Biopsy Samples for Diagnosis of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of histopathological examination of ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy samples in extrapulmonary tuberculosis(EPTB).Methods This study was conducted at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center.A total of 115patients underwent ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy,followed by MGIT 960 culture(culture),smear,Gene Xpert MTB/RIF(Xpert),and histopathological examination.These assays were performed to evaluate their effectiveness in diagnosing EPTB in comparison to two different diagnostic criteria:liquid culture and composite reference standard(CRS).Results When CRS was used as the reference standard,the sensitivity and specificity of culture,smear,Xpert,and histopathological examination were(44.83%,89.29%),(51.72%,89.29%),(70.11%,96.43%),and(85.06%,82.14%),respectively.Based on liquid culture tests,the sensitivity and specificity of smear,Xpert,and pathological examination were(66.67%,72.60%),(83.33%,63.01%),and(92.86%,45.21%),respectively.Histopathological examination showed the highest sensitivity but lowest specificity.Further,we found that the combination of Xpert and histopathological examination showed a sensitivity of 90.80%and a specificity of 89.29%.Conclusion Ultrasound-guided puncture sampling is safe and effective for the diagnosis of EPTB.Compared with culture,smear,and Xpert,histopathological examination showed higher sensitivity but lower specificity.The combination of histopathology with Xpert showed the best performance characteristics.

Realistic Dilemma and Solution of “Vocational Skill Test” under the Background of Enrollment Reform of Classified Examination in Higher Vocational Colleges in Jilin Province

In the process of Higher Vocational classified examination enrollment reform,Jilin Province has adopted a diversified examination enrollment model and“cultural quality test+vocational skill test”evaluation method,and established the“vocational education college entrance examination”system.This paper analyzes the important role and practical difficulties of“vocational skill test”in Higher Vocational classified examination,studies the existing problems,and puts forward to reasonably divide the proportion of“cultural quality test”and“vocational skill test”,sets diversified admission standards,scientifically sets up the assessment methods and contents of“vocational skill test”,further improves the“cultural quality test+vocational skill test”evaluation method and builds a classified examination and enrollment system more in line with the characteristics of vocational education.

Linear endoscopic ultrasound:Current uses and future perspectives in mediastinal examination

This editorial elaborates on the current and future applications of linear endoscopic ultrasound(EUS),a substantial diagnostic and therapeutic modality for various anatomical regions.The scope of endosonographic assessment is broad and,among other factors,allows for the evaluation of the mediastinal anatomy and related pathologies,such as mediastinal lymphadenopathy and the staging of central malignant lung lesions.Moreover,EUS assessment has proven more accurate in detecting small lesions missed by standard imaging examinations,such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.We focus on its current uses in the mediastinum,including lung and esophageal cancer staging,as well as evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy and submucosal lesions.The editorial also explores future perspectives of EUS in mediastinal examination,including ultrasound-guided therapies,artificial intelligence integration,advancements in mediastinal modalities,and improved diagnostic approaches for various mediastinal lesions.

Retinal nerve fiber layer defects and chronic kidney disease:the Kailuan Eye Study

AIM:To investigate whether retinal nerve fiber layer defects(RNFLDs)is a potential risk factor for chronic kidney disease(CKD)in Chinese adults.METHODS:The Kailuan Eye Study was a populationbased study that included 14440 participants.All participants underwent detailed assessments,RNFLDs were diagnosed using color fundus photographs.RESULTS:Overall,12507 participants[8533 males(68.23%)]had complete systemic examination data and at least one evaluable fundus photograph.RNFLDs were found in 621 participants[5.0%;95%confidence interval(CI):4.6%-5.34%],and 70 cases of multiple RNFLDs were found(11.27%).After adjusting multiple factors,RNFLDs was significantly associated with CKD severity,the ORs of CKD stage 3,stage 4 and stage 5 were 1.698,4.167,and 9.512,respectively.Multiple RNFLDs were also associated with CKD severity after adjusting multiple factors,the ORs of CKD stage 3 and stage 5 were 4.465 and 11.833 respectively.Furthermore,2294 participants had CKD(18.34%,95%CI:17.68%-18.99%).After adjusting for other factors,CKD presence was significantly correlated with the presence of RNFLDs.CONCLUSION:The strongest risk factors for RNFLDs are CKD and hypertension.Conversely,RNFLDs can be an ocular feature in patients with CKD.Fundoscopy can help detect systemic diseases,and assessment for RNFLDs should be considered in CKD patients.