Performance of machine-learning algorithms to pattern recognition and classification of hearing impairment in Brazilian farmers exposed to pesticide and/or cigarette smoke.

The use of pesticides has been increasing in agriculture, leading to a public health problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate ototoxic effects in farmers who were exposed to cigarette smoke and/or pesticides and to identify possible classification patterns in the exposure groups. The sample included 127 participants of both sexes aged between 18 and 39, who were divided into the following four groups: control group (CG), smoking group (SG), pesticide group (PG), and smoking + pesticide group (SPG). Meatoscopy, pure tone audiometry, logoaudiometry, high-frequency thresholds, and immittance testing were performed. Data were evaluated by artificial neural network (ANN), K-nearest neighbors (K-NN), and support vector machine (SVM). There was symmetry between the right and left ears, an increase in the incidence of hearing loss at high frequency and of downward sloping audiometric curve configuration, and alteration of stapedial reflex in the three exposed groups. The machine-learning classifiers achieved good classification performance (control and exposed). The best classification results occur in high type (I and II) datasets (about 90% accuracy) in k-NN test. It is concluded that both xenobiotic substances have ototoxic potential; however, their combined use does not present additive or potentiating effects recognizable by the algorithms.

Evaluation of genotoxic effects in Brazilian agricultural workers exposed to pesticides and cigarette smoke using machine-learning algorithms.

Monitoring exposure to xenobiotics by biomarker analyses, such as a micronucleus assay, is extremely important for the precocious detection and prevention of diseases, such as oral cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxic effects in rural workers who were exposed to cigarette smoke and/or pesticides and to identify possible classification patterns in the exposure groups. The sample included 120 participants of both sexes aged between 18 and 39, who were divided into the following four groups: control group (CG), smoking group (SG), pesticide group (PG), and smoking + pesticide group (SPG). Their oral mucosa cells were stained with Giemsa for cytogenetic analysis. The total numbers of nuclear abnormalities (CG = 27.16 ± 14.32, SG = 118.23 ± 74.78, PG = 184.23 ± 52.31, and SPG = 191.53 ± 66.94) and micronuclei (CG = 1.46 ± 1.40, SG = 12.20 ± 10.79, PG = 21.60 ± 8.24, and SPG = 20.26 ± 12.76) were higher (p < 0.05) in the three exposed groups compared to the GC. In this study, we considered several different classification algorithms (the artificial neural network, K-nearest neighbors, support vector machine, and optimum path forest). All of the algorithms displayed good classification (accuracy > 80%) when using dataset2 (without the redundant exposure type SPG). It is clear that the data form a robust pattern and that classifiers could be successfully trained on small datasets from the exposure groups. In conclusion, exposing agricultural workers to pesticides and/or tobacco had genotoxic potential, but concomitant exposure to xenobiotics did not lead to additive or potentiating effects.

Desempenho de alunos com e sem dificuldades de aprendizagem do 4° ano do ensino fundamental em tarefas da consciência fonológica / Students performance with and without learning difficulties in the 4th year of elementary school in phonological awareness tasks / Estudiantes de rendimiento con y sin dificultades de aprendizaje en el cuarto año de la escuela primaria en tareas de conciencia fonológica

Objetivo: conhecer o desempenho de escolares do ensino fundamental em tarefas da consciência fonológica e verificar se há diferença entre o desempenho dos alunos com dificuldade de aprendizagem comparado aos de alunos sem dificuldade de aprendizagem. Método: foi aplicada a prova da consciência fonológica em 35 estudantes do 4°ano do ensino fundamental, sendo 23 sem dificuldade de aprendizagem e 12 com dificuldade de aprendizagem. Após realizar a prova de consciência fonológica com todos os alunos, os dados foram analisados pelo teste estatístico "binomial" (de proporções) utilizando o programa Bioestat 5.0. Resultados: Pôde-se observar diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos nos subtestes de rima, aliteração, segmentação fonêmica, manipulação silábica, manipulação fonêmica e transposição fonêmica, sendo que o grupo com dificuldade de aprendizagem apresentou um desempenho inferior nos subtestes citados. Conclusão: A diferença de resultados entre os dois grupos foi maior nos subtestes das habilidades fonêmicas. A consciência fonêmica tem grande influência no desenvolvimento do sistema de decodificação, essencial no aprendizado da leitura e da escrita, sendo relevante destacar a importância de sua estimulação em idade escolar.

Objective: to know the performance of students of elementary school in phonological awareness tasks and check for the difference between the performance of students with learning disabilities compared to students without learning disabilities. Methods: it was applied the test of phonological awareness with 35 students from the 4th grade of elementary school, 23 without learning disabilities and 12 with learning disabilities. After performing the test of phonological awareness with all students, the data were analyzed by statistical test "binomial" (ratios) using Bioestat 5.0. Results: It was observed statistically significant difference between the groups in rhyme subtests, alliteration, phoneme segmentation, syllabic manipulation, phonemic and phonemic transposition manipulation, and the group with learning difficulties presented a lower performance in those subtests. Conclusion: The difference in results between the two groups was higher in subtests of phonemic skills. The phonemic awareness has great influence on the development of decoding system, essential in the learning of reading and writing, it is worth highlighting the importance of its stimulation on school age.

Objetivo: conocer el rendimiento de los estudiantes de la escuela primaria en tareas de conciencia fonológica y compruebe si la diferencia entre el rendimiento de los estudiantes con dificultades de aprendizaje en comparación con aquellos sin dificultades de aprendizaje. Metodología: se aplicó la prueba de la conciencia fonológica con 35 estudiantes de 4º grado de primaria, 23 sin problemas de aprendizaje y 12 con problemas de aprendizaje. Después de realizar la prueba de la conciencia fonológica con todos los estudiantes, los datos fueron analizados por estadística de prueba "binomio" (relaciones) usando BioEstat 5.0. Resultados: Se observó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los grupos en subpruebas rima, la aliteración, la segmentación de fonemas, manipulación silábica, la manipulación y la transposición del fonema del fonema, y el grupo con dificultades de aprendizaje presentan un menor rendimiento en estas subpruebas. Conclusión: La diferencia en los resultados entre los dos grupos fue mayor en las subpruebas de habilidades fonémicas. El conocimiento del fonema tiene una gran influencia en el desarrollo del sistema de decodificación, esencial en el aprendizaje de la lectura y la escritura, es de destacar la importancia de su estimulación de la edad escolar.