Current Diagnostic Techniques for Pneumonia: A Scoping Review.

Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the most lethal infectious diseases, especially for infants and the elderly. Given the variety of causative agents, the accurate early detection of pneumonia is an active research area. To the best of our knowledge, scoping reviews on diagnostic techniques for pneumonia are lacking. In this scoping review, three major electronic databases were searched and the resulting research was screened. We categorized these diagnostic techniques into four classes (i.e., lab-based methods, imaging-based techniques, acoustic-based techniques, and physiological-measurement-based techniques) and summarized their recent applications. Major research has been skewed towards imaging-based techniques, especially after COVID-19. Currently, chest X-rays and blood tests are the most common tools in the clinical setting to establish a diagnosis; however, there is a need to look for safe, non-invasive, and more rapid techniques for diagnosis. Recently, some non-invasive techniques based on wearable sensors achieved reasonable diagnostic accuracy that could open a new chapter for future applications. Consequently, further research and technology development are still needed for pneumonia diagnosis using non-invasive physiological parameters to attain a better point of care for pneumonia patients.

Tracking the epidemiological trends of female breast cancer in Saudi Arabia since 1990 and forecasting future statistics using global burden of disease data, time-series analysis.

BACKGROUND: Female breast cancer stands as the prime type of cancer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with a high incidence and mortality rates. This study assessed the burden of female breast cancer in KSA by analyzing and forecasting its incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). METHODS: We retrieved data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) about female breast cancer from 1990 to 2021. Time-series analysis used the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to forecast female breast cancer statistics from 2022 to 2026. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2021, KSA reported 77,513 cases of female breast cancer. The age groups with the highest number of cases are 45-49 years, followed by 40-44 years, 50-54 years, and 35-39 years. The analysis also showed fewer cases in the younger age groups, with the lowest number in the less than 20-year-old age group. From 1990 to 2021, KSA reported 19,440 deaths due to breast cancer, increasing from 201 cases in 1990 to 1,190 cases in 2021. The age-standardized incidence rate/100,000 of breast cancer increased from 15.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 11.2-21.0) in 1990 to 46.0 (95%CI 34.5-61.5) in 2021. The forecasted incidence rate of female breast cancer will be 46.5 (95%CI 45.8-46.5) in 2022 and 49.6 (95%CI 46.8-52.3) in 2026. The age-standardized death rate per 100,000 Saudi women with breast cancer increased from 6.73 (95%CI 6.73-9.03) in 1990 to 9.77 (95%CI 7.63-13.00) in 2021. The forecasted female breast cancer death rate will slightly decrease to 9.67 (95%CI 9.49-9.84) in 2022 and to 9.26 (95%CI 8.37-10.15) in 2026. DALYs increased from 229.2 (95%CI 165.7-313.6) in 1990 to 346.1 (95%CI 253.9-467.2) in 2021. The forecasted DALYs of female breast cancer will slightly decrease to 343.3 (95%CI 337.2-349.5) in 2022 reaching 332.1 (95%CI 301.2-363.1) in 2026. CONCLUSIONS: Female breast cancer is still a significant public health burden that challenges the health system in KSA, current policies and interventions should be fashioned to alleviate the disease morbidity and mortality and mitigate its future burden.

Inhibition of apoptosis and biofilm formation in Candida auris by click-synthesized triazole-bridged quinoline derivatives.

Candida auris, a recent addition to the Candida species, poses a significant threat with its association to numerous hospital outbreaks globally, particularly affecting immunocompromised individuals. Given its resistance to existing antifungal therapies, there is a pressing need for innovative treatments. In this study, novel triazole bridged quinoline derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their antifungal activity against C. auris. The most promising compound, QT7, demonstrated exceptional efficacy with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 0.12 µg mL-1 and 0.24 µg mL-1, respectively. Additionally, QT7 effectively disrupted mature biofilms, inhibiting them by 81.98% ± 8.51 and 89.57 ± 5.47 at MFC and 2× MFC values, respectively. Furthermore, QT7 induced cellular apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, supported by various apoptotic markers such as phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization, and reduced cytochrome c and oxidase activity. Importantly, QT7 exhibited low hemolytic activity, highlighting its potential for further investigation. Additionally, the physicochemical properties of this compound suggest its potential as a lead drug candidate, warranting further exploration in drug discovery efforts against Candida auris infections.

Heteroleptic cobalt complex augments antifungal activity with fluconazole and causes membrane disruption in Candida albicans.

Heteroleptic metal complexes containing CuII, CoII, and ZnII, incorporating curcumin and a Schiff base ligand (L), were synthesized and characterized, and their antifungal activity was evaluated. Their antifungal activities were investigated individually and in combination with fluconazole. Utilizing various analytical techniques such as UV-Vis, FT-IR, NMR, ESI-MS, TGA-DTG, elemental analyses, conductance, and magnetic susceptibility measurements, complex C1 ([Cu(Cur)LCl(H2O)]) was assigned a distorted octahedral geometry, while complexes C2 ([Co(Cur)LCl(H2O)]) and C3 ([Zn(Cur)LCl(H2O)]) were assigned octahedral geometries. Among these complexes, C2 exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against both FLC-susceptible and resistant strains of Candida albicans. Furthermore, C2 demonstrated candidicidal activity and synergistic interactions with fluconazole, effectively inhibiting the growth and survival of both FLC-resistant and FLC-sensitive C. albicans strains. The complex displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of drug efflux pumps in FLC-resistant C. albicans strains, indicating its potential to disrupt the cell membrane of these strains. The significant role of membrane efflux transporters in the development of antifungal drug resistance within Candida species has been extensively documented and our findings indicate that complex C2 specifically targets this crucial factor, thereby playing a pivotal role in mitigating drug resistance in C. albicans.

Toward Complete Optical Coupling to Confined Surface Polaritons.

Optical coupling between propagating light and confined surface polaritons plays a pivotal role in the practical design of nanophotonic devices. However, the coupling efficiency decreases dramatically with the degree of mode confinement due to the mismatch that exists between the light and polariton wavelengths, and despite the intense efforts made to explore different mechanisms proposed to circumvent this problem, the realization of a flexible scheme to efficiently couple light to polaritons remains a challenge. Here, we experimentally demonstrate an efficient coupling of light to surface-plasmon polaritons assisted by engineered dipolar scatterers placed at an optimum distance from the surface. Specifically, we fabricate gold disks separated by a silica spacer from a planar gold surface and seek to achieve perfect coupling conditions by tuning the spacer thickness for a given scatterer geometry that resonates at a designated optical frequency. We measure a maximum light-to-plasmon coupling cross section of the order of the square of the light wavelength at an optimum distance that results from the interplay between a large particle-surface interaction and a small degree of surface-driven particle-dipole quenching, both of which are favored at small separations. Our experiments, in agreement with both analytical theory and electromagnetic simulations, support the use of optimally placed engineered scatterers as a disruptive approach to solving the long-standing problem of in/out-coupling in nanophotonics.

Prevalence and Association of Calcified Pulp Stones with Periodontitis: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Study in Saudi Arabian Population.

This study aimed to identify the prevalence and association of periodontitis and pulp stone (PS) along with the clinical variables. This study assessed the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) records to identify the presence of PS and clinical periodontitis records were used to determine the stages of periodontitis. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the relationship between study parameters. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between PS and periodontitis. A total of 228 CBCT records were conveniently selected for this study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Cohen's kappa analysis showed near to perfect scores for both examiners. The Chi-square test showed that CBCT records from the age range 41-50 years, male patients, and stage II of periodontitis prevalently showed pulp stones; however, there were no significant differences observed between the PS and clinical variables. However, gender, involvement of tooth, and stages of periodontitis showed significant distribution of the PS. Logistic regression showed that the stages of periodontitis showed no significant association with PS in patients with periodontitis. Moreover, multivariate odds ratio adjustment did not alter the outcome. Periodontitis is not associated with the presence of PS in the current population.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of resveratrol on oral cancer: potential therapeutic implications.

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of resveratrol on oral neoplastic parameters through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol, has shown promising potential as a therapeutic agent in various cancer types, including oral neoplasms. Understanding the collective findings from existing studies can shed light on the efficacy and mechanisms of resveratrol in oral cancer management. The systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed to identify relevant studies from various databases, registers, websites, and citation searches. The inclusion criteria encompassed in-vivo studies investigating the impact of resveratrol on oral neoplastic parameters in animal models. After screening and assessment, a total of five eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of the selected studies revealed that resveratrol treatment exhibited a potential impact on reducing oral neoplastic proliferation and promoting neoplastic apoptosis. The combined analysis showed a statistically significant decrease in neoplastic parameters with an overall effect size (ES) of 0.85 (95% CI: [0.74, 0.98]). Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore potential variations among different cellular types and exposure compounds, providing further insights into the efficacy of resveratrol in specific contexts. This systematic review and meta-analysis support the potential of resveratrol as a promising therapeutic agent in oral cancer management. The findings indicate that resveratrol may effectively modulate neoplastic proliferation and apoptosis in various cellular types within animal models of oral cancer. However, further well-controlled studies and clinical trials are warranted to validate these observations and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of resveratrol's actions. Resveratrol holds promise as a complementary therapeutic approach in the prevention and treatment of oral neoplastic conditions.

Salivary Biomarkers and Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

BACKGROUND: The present review aimed to investigate the association between salivary biomarkers and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). TMD is a multifactorial condition characterised by pain and dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding structures. Salivary biomarkers have emerged as potential diagnostic tools due to their non-invasiveness and easy accessibility. However, the literature on salivary biomarkers in relation to TMD is limited and inconsistent. METHODS: Electronic databases of Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, PsychINFO, CINAHL and Medline were searched using specific search terms and Boolean operators. The search was limited to articles published in English that assessed salivary biomarkers in individuals diagnosed with TMD. Two reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted data. ROB-2 was used to assess the risk of bias. RESULTS: Eleven clinical papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The findings provided consistent evidence of a clear association between salivary biomarkers and TMD. Various biomarkers, including cortisol, IL-1, glutamate and several others, were assessed. Some studies reported higher levels of cortisol and IL-1 in TMD patients, indicating potential involvement in stress and inflammation. Glutamate levels were found to be elevated, suggesting a role in pain modulation. Other biomarkers also showed alterations in TMD patients compared to controls: CONCLUSION: The findings from the included studies suggest that salivary biomarkers may play a role in TMD pathophysiology. Though a definitive conclusion can be drawn regarding the specific salivary biomarkers and their association with TMD, the results must be interpreted with caution considering the heterogeneity of the biomarkers assessed. Further research with larger sample sizes, standardised methodology and rigorous study designs is needed to elucidate the role of salivary biomarkers in TMD.

Ultraconfined Plasmons in Atomically Thin Crystalline Silver Nanostructures.

The ability to confine light down to atomic scales is critical for the development of applications in optoelectronics and optical sensing as well as for the exploration of nanoscale quantum phenomena. Plasmons in metallic nanostructures with just a few atomic layers in thickness can achieve this type of confinement, although fabrication imperfections down to the subnanometer scale hinder actual developments. Here, narrow plasmons are demonstrated in atomically thin crystalline silver nanostructures fabricated by prepatterning silicon substrates and epitaxially depositing silver films of just a few atomic layers in thickness. Specifically, a silicon wafer is lithographically patterned to introduce on-demand lateral shapes, chemically process the sample to obtain an atomically flat silicon surface, and epitaxially deposit silver to obtain ultrathin crystalline metal films with the designated morphologies. Structures fabricated by following this procedure allow for an unprecedented control over optical field confinement in the near-infrared spectral region, which is here illustrated by the observation of fundamental and higher-order plasmons featuring extreme spatial confinement and high-quality factors that reflect the crystallinity of the metal. The present study constitutes a substantial improvement in the degree of spatial confinement and quality factor that should facilitate the design and exploitation of atomic-scale nanoplasmonic devices for optoelectronics, sensing, and quantum-physics applications.

Harnessing the power of gold: advancements in anticancer gold complexes and their functionalized nanoparticles.

Cancer poses a formidable challenge, necessitating improved treatment strategies. Metal-based drugs and nanotechnology offer new hope in this battle. Versatile gold complexes and functionalized gold nanoparticles exhibit unique properties like biologically inert behaviour, outstanding light absorption, and heat-conversion abilities. These nanoparticles can be finely tuned for drug delivery, enabling precise and targeted cancer therapy. Their exceptional drug-loading capacity and low toxicity, stemming from excellent stability, biocompatibility, and customizable shapes, make them a promising option for enhancing cancer treatment outcomes and improving diagnostic imaging. Leveraging these attributes, researchers can design more effective and targeted cancer therapeutics. The potential of functionalized gold nanoparticles to advance cancer treatment and diagnostics holds a promising avenue for further exploration and development in the fight against cancer. This review article delves into the finely tuned attributes of functionalized gold nanoparticles, unveiling their potential for application in drug delivery for precise and targeted cancer therapy.

Machine learning approaches for cardiovascular hypertension stage estimation using photoplethysmography and clinical features.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide, with hypertension emerging as a significant risk factor. Early detection and treatment of hypertension can significantly reduce the risk of developing CVDs and related complications. This work proposes a novel approach employing features extracted from the acceleration photoplethysmography (APG) waveform, alongside clinical parameters, to estimate different stages of hypertension. The current study used a publicly available dataset and a novel feature extraction algorithm to extract APG waveform features. Three distinct supervised machine learning algorithms were employed in the classification task, namely: Decision Tree (DT), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and Linear Support Vector Machine (LSVM). Results indicate that the DT model achieved exceptional training accuracy of 100% during cross-validation and maintained a high accuracy of 96.87% on the test dataset. The LDA model demonstrated competitive performance, yielding 85.02% accuracy during cross-validation and 84.37% on the test dataset. Meanwhile, the LSVM model exhibited robust accuracy, achieving 88.77% during cross-validation and 93.75% on the test dataset. These findings underscore the potential of APG analysis as a valuable tool for clinicians in estimating hypertension stages, supporting the need for early detection and intervention. This investigation not only advances hypertension risk assessment but also advocates for enhanced cardiovascular healthcare outcomes.

Prevalence of surgical site wound infection after spine surgery in nasal colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A meta-analysis.

The purpose of the meta-analysis was to evaluate and compare the prevalence of surgical site infection (SSI) after spine surgery (SS) in nasal colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The results of this meta-analysis were analysed, and the odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using dichotomous or contentious random- or fixed-effect models. For the current meta-analysis, 14 examinations spanning from 2014 to 2022 were included, encompassing 18 410 people who were tested for nasal colonization after SS. MRSA-positive had a significantly higher SSI (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.48-5.37, p < 0.001) compared with MRSA-negative in SS subjects. However, no significant difference was found between methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus aureus negative (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.32-2.79, p = 0.91), and Staphylococcus aureus positive and negative (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 0.26-17.41, p = 0.48) in SS subjects. The examined data revealed that MRSA colonization had a significant effect on SSI; however, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus aureus had no significant effect on SSI in SS subjects. However, given that some comparisons included a small number of chosen studies, attention should be given to their values.

Ozone Therapy as an Adjuvant in the Treatment of Periodontitis.

The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of ozone therapy in the treatment of stage II and stage III periodontitis. This prospective split-mouth study selected patients who were diagnosed with either stage II or stage III periodontitis. All patients were treated with scaling and root-planing (SRP) on the control side and SRP with ozone therapy on the test side. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), O'Leary plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP) scores were recorded at baseline and six weeks after the SRP treatment. A total of 46 patients were selected for this study, including 31 males and 15 females. All periodontal variables (PD, CAL, PI, and BOP) showed significant changes (p < 0.0001) from baseline to six weeks. Moreover, significant changes (PD = 0.0001, CAL = 0.0001, PI = 0.042 and BOP = 0.0001) were also observed between the control and test sides. Gender showed no significance on periodontal variables (p > 0.05) except PD on the test side (p = 0.030). In addition, periodontal stages and grades showed no significant changes (p > 0.05) in any periodontal variables on both sides. Ozone therapy significantly improves the periodontal condition compared to SRP treatment alone. However, the stages and grades of periodontitis do not influence the outcome of ozone therapy.

Public awareness of side effects of systemic steroids in Asir region, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Corticosteroids have been used since the 50s and it represent the most important and frequently used class of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs for the treatment of several diseases such as numerous neoplastic, asthma, allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, and dermatological disorders. This study aims to determine the public awareness of side effects of systemic steroids in Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional web-based study was used. An online questionnaire was developed by the study researchers based on the literature review and consultations of the field experts. The questionnaire included the following components: Participants demographic data, medical history, and steroids use. Also, it covered participants awareness regarding systemic steroids and side effects. Results: A total of 439 participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria completed the study questionnaire. Ages ranged from 18 to 65 years with mean age of 26.1 ± 13.9 years old, of those, 227 (51.7%) respondents were males. Around 346 (78.8%) had poor overall awareness level while only 93 (21.2%) had good awareness regarding systematic steroids. The study also showed that awareness was significantly higher among young aged participants in the health care field and among those who previously used steroids. Two hundred and eighty two (64.2%) of the respondents reported previous use of steroids. Conclusion: In conclusion, the current study showed that nearly one out of each five people know about systemic steroids and related side effects which is below the satisfactory level. Higher awareness was observed with regards drug associated side effects and long-term use consequences.

Awareness and practice of dentists in gulf cooperation council countries regarding medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw - A web-based survey.

Background/purpose: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a serious complication among dental patients undergoing treatment with antiresorptive medications such as bisphosphonate and denosumab. The present survey investigated the awareness and practice of dentists in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries regarding MRONJ. Materials and methods: This questionnaire-based study was conducted among dental practitioners in all six GCC countries. A questionnaire was designed and distributed among all potential participants via different social media platforms. SPSS version 22 was used for data analysis, and P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Overall, 1685 dentists from the six GCC countries participated in the present study. The surveyed dentists revealed relatively fair practices and awareness regarding MRONJ and its prevention, with the majority reported asking their patients about history of anti-osteoporotic medications (67.8%), recording name of the medication (73.1%) and duration of treatment (75.5%). However, the majority of the participants were unconfident about the duration of drug holiday prior to dental surgical interventions (70.6%) and the overall good level of knowledge/practice related to MRONJ was just 50.6%. The regression analysis revealed that previous exposure to MRONJ cases and attending a seminar, course, meeting, or conference about osteonecrosis of the jaw were independent predictors for positive awareness/good practice regarding MRONJ (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results show inadequate awareness and practices of dentists practicing in GCC countries regarding MRONJ, with significant variations among the countries. Therefore, appropriate interventions such as periodic continuous education courses are required to improve dentists' knowledge and practices regarding MRONJ.

Periodontists' perceptions and attitudes toward the use of social media for professional purposes in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: There is a notable increase in the usage of social media platforms, especially for health communication, as more clinicians and patients count on this kind of technology. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the perception and attitude toward social media (SM) use for professionalism and dental practice promotion among periodontal specialists working in Saudi Arabia (KSA). METHODS: Electronic surveys were distributed in person or online using WhatsApp, Snapchat or Email from October 2022 until March 2023. The questionnaire was targeting periodontists in KSA, and it consists of three parts: the first part includes sociodemographic and professional data; the second part asks about the daily usage of SM in dental practice; and the third part asks about the periodontist's opinion about SM usage. Descriptive data were presented as numbers and percentages. The association between the demographic variables and the means of periodontists' opinions was tested using Pearson's chi-square test. Any value equal to or less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 121 responses were received from the periodontists. Most of the participants were in the 36-45 age group, with a percentage of 40.5%. In terms of gender, males made up 52.9% of the population, while females made up 47.1%, and the majority of the participants were consultants. The most common SM platform used by periodontists for daily using and dental practice promotion was Snapchat (56.2%), followed by Instagram and Twitter (54.5% and 49.6%, respectively). There was a significant difference in proportions among Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok between older and younger periodontists, with a p value < 0.05. There was no significant difference between the gender of the participants and their opinions regarding the usage of SM. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted the effectiveness of SM in the promotion of dental practices and the discipline of periodontics, as more clinicians and patients rely on this kind of technology. These online platforms can improve periodontal practice in terms of dental health education, counseling, advertising, and oral health services.

Investigating the impact of diameters and thread designs on the Biomechanics of short implants placed in D4 bone: a 3D finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dental implants emerge as a dependable and efficacious alternative for patients experiencing partial or complete tooth loss. The stability of these implants is influenced by surface topography and macro-level design. In cases where the height of the maxillary posterior region is diminished, employing short implants can prove advantageous. With the aim of examining the distribution of von Mises stress, strain, and micromovement in D4 bone quality surrounding platform-switched short implants, measuring 6 mm in length and featuring diameters ranging from 4 to 6 mm, as well as different thread designs, an in-depth finite element analysis was conducted under immediate loading conditions. METHODOLOGY: A 3D finite element model was constructed to simulate maxillary molar crowns, incorporating an implant with a length of 6 mm and varying diameters and thread designs. The diameters utilized were 4/3.6 mm, 5/4 mm, and 6/4.8 mm, while the thread designs included buttress, square, and triangle patterns. Each model underwent analysis with a 100 N force applied in two directions: vertical and oblique, relative to the long axis of the implant. Stress, strain, and micromovement in the peri-implant region were recorded, employing the Ansys Workbench R v.18.1 software for modelling and analysis. RESULTS: When comparing all three diameters, the wide diameter (6 mm threads) exhibited the lowest values of peri-implant von Mises stresses (3.3 MPa and 35.1 MPa), strains (194 Ɛ and 484 Ɛ), and micromovements (0.7 µm and 1.3 Ɛ) subjected to axial and non-axial loading of a 100 N force. Notably, square microthreads yielded the most favorable stress parameters among the different thread shapes, manifesting the minimum values of stress, strains, and micromovements in their vicinity. CONCLUSION: For the treatment of atrophic ridges or in scenarios necessitating extensive surgical preparation of the implant site, a combination of short implants, wide diameters, and platform switching can be employed. In situations with reduced bone height and the requirement for an implant-supported prosthesis to replace a missing permanent maxillary molar, the utilization of wide-diameter platform-switched short implants measuring 6 mm in length, featuring a square thread design, should be taken into consideration.

Lung Tumor Image Segmentation from Computer Tomography Images Using MobileNetV2 and Transfer Learning.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most fatal cancers worldwide, and malignant tumors are characterized by the growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of lungs. Usually, symptoms of lung cancer do not appear until it is already at an advanced stage. The proper segmentation of cancerous lesions in CT images is the primary method of detection towards achieving a completely automated diagnostic system. METHOD: In this work, we developed an improved hybrid neural network via the fusion of two architectures, MobileNetV2 and UNET, for the semantic segmentation of malignant lung tumors from CT images. The transfer learning technique was employed and the pre-trained MobileNetV2 was utilized as an encoder of a conventional UNET model for feature extraction. The proposed network is an efficient segmentation approach that performs lightweight filtering to reduce computation and pointwise convolution for building more features. Skip connections were established with the Relu activation function for improving model convergence to connect the encoder layers of MobileNetv2 to decoder layers in UNET that allow the concatenation of feature maps with different resolutions from the encoder to decoder. Furthermore, the model was trained and fine-tuned on the training dataset acquired from the Medical Segmentation Decathlon (MSD) 2018 Challenge. RESULTS: The proposed network was tested and evaluated on 25% of the dataset obtained from the MSD, and it achieved a dice score of 0.8793, recall of 0.8602 and precision of 0.93. It is pertinent to mention that our technique outperforms the current available networks, which have several phases of training and testing.

Pain Assessment and Need for Analgesics after Scaling and Root Planing in Patients with Stage II and Stage III Periodontitis.

Background and Objectives: The most common treatment procedure for periodontitis and gingivitis is scaling and root planing, which is perceived as a painful dental treatment. The current study aimed to assess pain perception and analgesics consumption after scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients with stage II and stage III periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Before starting the SRP, all the periodontal parameters, such as probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment level (CAL), were measured. The anxiety level of the patients was also assessed using the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) questionnaire. Pain perception of the patients was recorded with the visual analog scale (VAS) after performing the SRP. Patients were asked to mark their pain level on the VAS sheet after two hours, four hours, eight hours, 24 h, and 48 h after the periodontal treatment. The following cut-off points were used for the pain intensity in the VAS: 0 = no pain, 1-4 = mild pain, 4-6 = moderate pain, and 7-10 = severe pain. Patients were advised to take analgesics if the pain was intolerable. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to conduct the association of all dependent variables and the pain perception of patients. A nonparametric Friedman test was conducted to assess pain perception at different times. Results: A total of 52 patients including 32 males and 20 females participated in the current study, with a mean age of 43.10 ± 12.33 years. Multivariate analyses showed that MDAS and analgesic consumption is significantly associated with pain perception. Other clinical variables are not associated with pain perception. The Friedman test exhibited that pain perception is significantly associated (p < 0.05) with time. Conclusions: Analgesic consumption and anxiety level are significantly associated with pain perception after SRP treatment.