Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional structural deformity of the spine that affects 2–3% of adolescents under the age of 16. AIS etiopathogenesis is not completely understood; however, the disease phenotype is correlated to multiple genetic loci and results from genetic–environmental interactions. One of the primary, still unresolved issues is the implementation of reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers. For clinical management improvement, predictors of curve progression are particularly needed. Recently, an epigenetic contribution to AIS development and progression was proposed; nevertheless, validation of data obtained in peripheral tissues and identification of the specific mechanisms and genes under epigenetic control remain limited. In this study, we propose a methodological approach for the identification of epigenetic markers of AIS progression through an original workflow based on the preliminary characterization of local expression of candidate genes in tissues directly involved in the pathology. The feasibility of the proposed methodological protocol has been originally tested here in terms of identification of the putative epigenetic markers of AIS progression, collection of the different tissues, retrieval of an appropriate amount and quality of RNA and DNA, and identification of suitable reference genes. Full article

Determining the tumor origin in humans is vital in clinical applications of molecular diagnostics. Metastatic cancer is usually a very aggressive disease with limited diagnostic procedures, despite the fact that many protocols have been evaluated for their effectiveness in prognostication. Research has shown that dysregulation in miRNAs (a class of non-coding, regulatory RNAs) is remarkably involved in oncogenic conditions. This research paper aims to develop a machine learning model that processes an array of miRNAs in 1097 metastatic tissue samples from patients who suffered from various stages of breast cancer. The suggested machine learning model is fed with miRNA quantitative read count data taken from The Cancer Genome Atlas Data Repository. Two main feature-selection techniques have been used, mainly Neighborhood Component Analysis and Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance, to identify the most discriminant and relevant miRNAs for their up-regulated and down-regulated states. These miRNAs are then validated as biological identifiers for each of the four cancer stages in breast tumors. Both machine learning algorithms yield performance scores that are significantly higher than the traditional fold-change approach, particularly in earlier stages of cancer, with Neighborhood Component Analysis and Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance achieving accuracy scores of up to 0.983 and 0.931, respectively, compared to 0.920 for the FC method. This study underscores the potential of advanced feature-selection methods in enhancing the accuracy of cancer stage identification, paving the way for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in oncology. Full article

To the best of our knowledge, a novel concept of mode heterogeneity for the design of multimode devices is presented in this paper and applied to the design of scalable multimode power splitters. Based on a cascade of mode-dependent splitters and converters, we achieve beam splitting and mode conversion for four modes from $T{E}_0$ to $T{E}_3$ in the bandwidth from 1525 nm to 1560 nm. The measurements of the device at 1550 nm show excellent performance, with the insertion loss ranging from 0.16 dB to 0.63 dB, crosstalk all below −16.71 dB, and power uniformity between 0.026 dB and 0.168 dB. Full article

The rise in the antibiotic resistance of bacteria has increased scientific interest in the study of materials with unique mechanisms of antimicrobial action. This paper presents the results of studies on the antimicrobial activity of carbon materials and textiles decorated with them. A comparative analysis of the bactericidal and fungicidal activities of graphene oxide, electrochemically exfoliated multigraphene, carbon dots, and their combinations was performed. Microbiological studies on reference strains of E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans showed that graphene oxide inhibited growth with up to 98% efficiency. Electrochemically exfoliated multigraphene was less effective (up to 40%). This study found no significant antimicrobial activity of carbon dots and the combination of carbon dots with graphene oxide significantly weakened their effectiveness. However, the combination of electrochemically exfoliated multigraphene and carbon dots exhibits a synergistic effect (up to 76%). A study on the antimicrobial activity of decorated cotton textiles demonstrated the effectiveness of antimicrobial textiles with graphene oxide, electrochemically exfoliated multigraphene, and a combination of carbon dots with electrochemically exfoliated multigraphene. Full article

The pathogenicity of many bacteria, including Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, depends on pore-forming toxins (PFTs), which cause the lysis of host cells by forming pores in the membranes of eukaryotic cells. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a region homologous to the Lys171-Gly250 sequence in hemolysin II (HlyII) from B. cereus in over 600 PFTs, which we designated as a “homologous peptide”. Three β-barrel PFTs were used for a detailed comparative analysis. Two of them—HlyII and cytotoxin K2 (CytK2)—are synthesized in Bacillus cereus sensu lato; the third, S. aureus α-toxin (Hla), is the most investigated representative of the family. Protein modeling showed certain amino acids of the homologous peptide to be located on the surface of the monomeric forms of these β-barrel PFTs. We obtained monoclonal antibodies against both a cloned homologous peptide and a 14-membered synthetic peptide, DSFNTFYGNQLFMK, as part of the homologous peptide. The HlyII, CytK2, and Hla regions recognized by the obtained antibodies, as well as an antibody capable of suppressing the hemolytic activity of CytK2, were identified in the course of this work. Antibodies capable of recognizing PFTs of various origins can be useful tools for both identification and suppression of the cytolytic activity of PFTs. Full article

Virtual-reality 3D modeling helps primary school students to develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Through hands-on practice, students can understand abstract concepts more intuitively, and can realize the combination of theory and practice. However, in conventional virtual 3D modeling teaching, students often lack immersive modeling experience, and the modeling method may not be in line with the cognitive way of thinking of primary school students, which, in turn, causes high cognitive load. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) environments provide students with more immersive and intuitive interactions, which can help promote students’ cognitive, emotional, and social development. Therefore, this study combined IVR with 3D virtual modeling to form an immersive virtual-reality-based 3D modeling approach (IVR-based 3D modeling) and designed a quasi-experiment to compare it with the conventional virtual reality 3D modeling approach (CVR-based 3D modeling) to explore its effectiveness. The results of the study show that the IVR-based 3D modeling approach significantly enhanced elementary school students’ creative thinking, including its sub-dimensions (e.g., challenge, imagination, and curiosity), when compared to the CVR-based 3D modeling approach. The same conclusion was reached for problem-solving skills. IVR-based 3D modeling also reduced students’ cognitive load during the learning process, especially in terms of mental effort. The results of the interviews complement the experimental results, and the learners’ perceptions of the new approach explain the experimental results to some extent. Full article

This study identified the practices of adaptation strategies to climate change in Jimma, Bedelle, Bonga, and Sokorru urban centers using a survey of 384 households, 55 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and field observations. A cross-sectional study design was employed from 2019 to 2021. The adaptive capacity of municipalities to reduce climate extreme events was rated as poor by the majority (51%), mostly reactive measures (76%). The climate hazards identified in four urban centers were riverine and flash floods, urban heat waves, landslides, and windstorms. The urban households practiced lifestyle modification, reduce paved surfaces, the use of air conditioner, planting trees, and multiple windows. The adaptation strategies practiced by municipalities include the relocation of prone areas, the support of basic amenities, the construction of protection walls, diversion ditches, the clearance of waterways and rivers, greenery, and park development. The adaptation actions were constrained by a lack of awareness, commitment, cooperation and coordination, adaptive capacity, and participation. Gray/physical infrastructures (costly but important) as adaptation actions were hampered by the low municipal capacity. We recommend that urban authorities should incorporate climate change adaptation strategies into urban planning and development proactively to ensure future resilient climate smart urban centers of southwest Ethiopia. Full article

Many corporations have now revised their value statements to showcase their commitment to sustainable development and green business due to the pressing issues of climate and environmental damage. Despite the importance of value statements that can direct companies to achieve sustainable goals, which kind of values can be perceived as organizational orientations towards sustainability remains unknown. This study explores how the general public views the inclusion of sustainable components in value statements from listed companies in Hong Kong by using Q-sort methodology (n = 30). Analyzing the final sample of 40 value statements extracted from 27 listed companies, we identified three factors related to sustainability, namely, Empowering business process management, Empowering customer-centric excellence, and Empowering sustainable progress. This study provides an additional component to the traditional triple bottom line by suggesting that the internal operation of a company is an emerging idea in understanding corporate sustainability. Full article

The design of Activity-Based Working (ABW) environments embraces workers’ continuous mobility enabled by technology and the mindset of seeking work zones that best support the task at hand. This paper focuses on aspects of workspace selection within a facility designed to support ABW, focusing on the overall occupancy dynamics, temporal context, and information capturing less-explored details of the physical environment. This study analyses the active use of a workspace in relation to work desk shapes, rectangular and trapezial. Drawing from a longitudinal dataset spanning 12 months from an ABW facility, capturing the active workstation usage of 964 occupants through individual computer logins, this study employs descriptive statistics to analyse the active use of workspace relative to total work hours over the year. Inferential statistical techniques are utilised to compare active use measurements between and within specific workspace areas, revealing significant differences and highlighting the importance of temporal and spatial contexts in workspace utilisation patterns. The presented results demonstrate both tendencies and statistically significant differences, confirming the relevance of the studied variables in examining workspace utilisation. The results show significant usage variations throughout the day across different zones of the observed workspace, with peak activity between 11:00 and 13:00 h for both work desk shapes. This study’s insights are relevant to improving the utilisation of facilities designed for ABW and contribute to a longstanding interest in designing and arranging workplaces to better fit the people who use them. Full article

Soybean vegetable oil is an important source of the human diet. However, the analysis of the genetic mechanism leading to changes in soybean oil content is still incomplete. In this study, a total of 227 soybean materials were applied and analyzed by a genome-wide association study (GWAS). There are 44 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) that were identified as associated with oil content. A total of six, four, and 34 significant QTN loci were identified in Xiangyang, Hulan, and Acheng, respectively. Of those, 26 QTNs overlapped with or were near the known oil content quantitative trait locus (QTL), and 18 new QTNs related to oil content were identified. A total of 594 genes were located near the peak single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) from three tested environments. These candidate genes exhibited significant enrichment in tropane, piperidine, and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesiss (ko00960), ABC transporters (ko02010), photosynthesis-antenna proteins (ko00196), and betalain biosynthesis (ko00965). Combined with the GWAS and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), four candidate genes (Glyma.18G300100, Glyma.11G221100, Glyma.13G343300, and Glyma.02G166100) that may regulate oil content were identified. In addition, Glyma.18G300100 was divided into two main haplotypes in the studied accessions. The oil content of haplotype 1 is significantly lower than that of haplotype 2. Our research findings provide a theoretical basis for improving the regulatory mechanism of soybean oil content. Full article

An original plasma chemical process initiated by microwave discharge in a mixture of metal and dielectric powders was applied to prepare specific materials, which consisted of microsized spherical particles of aluminum oxide covered with silver nanoparticles. The prepared materials are highly uniform in shape, size distribution, and composition. Their cytotoxicity was investigated using the human cell lines MCF7, HEK293T, A549, and VA-13 and the bacterial strains E. coli JW5503 (ΔtolC) and E. coli K12. Their cytotoxicity was found not to exceed the cytotoxicity of the starting materials. Thus, the prepared materials can be considered highly promising for catalysis and biotechnology applications. Full article

Society expects history to be objective and factual. Collectively history is the memory of the nation, that group, the imagined community that believes that it has always been together. It could even be said that the nation is about forgetting; forgetting that the people who make up that community were not always together as they are now, or the forgetting of those hurdles and hindrances that create obstacles to cohesion and continuity. Memory is collaborative by nature, and provides a legacy to society, a response to its own mortality in the future. This paper proposes to examine the case of subjective recounting of the past through a family memory of war, the forgetting, the gaps created in narratives to enable cohesion and to fit in with publicly acceptable discourse. It ultimately attempts to answer the question as to why it might be important to re-examine such stories of an individual nature, in a wider scope of the nation, and links those seemingly antinomic periods of time of past, present, and future, which are not as exclusive as might be believed. This paper focuses upon a deserter ancestor, going against the grain of traditional narratives. Traditionally, soldiers are considered by definition of what is expected from them in the national narrative, as ‘war heroes’. However, this paper examines the life of a military ancestor who, in reality, did not fit into that framework, and who deserted from the army (although never on the front line, thus avoiding being shot). Nevertheless, the multiple desertions (deserted five times in total, lost kit twice, was imprisoned, and was detained for desertion three times) only ‘resurfaced’ recently due to the availability of documentation and research carried out in archives. While the ancestor conformed socially to what was expected of him, the reality of his military files seems to reveal the contrary. Despite the high numbers of times that he did desert, he did also rejoin every time, and ended up spending 3 decades in the same military unit. Or, perhaps the manner in which society views soldiers pre- and post-WWI has been altered, and, as such, desertion was not once what it has become. Forgetting has been the norm in society regarding certain pasts that step outside of the national narrative, rather than remembering. This paper attempts to imagine the nation’s past in a different way, by including those who also deserted, an area of ill-defined research in military history. Full article

In this communication, I focus on Shawi forms of address used in Peruvian State posters during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on the Peruvian Indigenous population. A recent study showed that Indigenous people had 3.18 times the risk of infection and 0.4 times the mortality risk of the general population in Peru. The Shawi have not been included among the most heavily affected. A preliminary descriptive and critical account of Peruvian State posters whereby languages such as Shawi and other Peruvian Indigenous languages (Awajun, Ashaninka, different varieties of Quechua, Shipibo, etc.) have been used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is provided. Shawi seems to be the only language of the sample where information has been framed using first-person inclusive forms. This appears to have led to enhanced communal engagement in the suggested health-related practices. Additionally, opinions on the issue from local stakeholders are briefly discussed. While the results are derived solely from preliminary observations, my findings could serve as a basis for enhancing health communication strategies in other Indigenous contexts, utilizing linguistically informed intercultural approaches. Full article

Revolutionary advances in technology have been seen in many industries, with the IIoT being a prime example. The IIoT creates a network of interconnected devices, allowing smooth communication and interoperability in industrial settings. This not only boosts efficiency, productivity, and safety but also provides transformative solutions for various sectors. This research looks into open-source IIoT and edge platforms that are applicable to a range of applications with the aim of finding and developing high-potential solutions. It highlights the effect of open-source IIoT and edge computing platforms on traditional IIoT applications, showing how these platforms make development and deployment processes easier. Popular open-source IIoT platforms include DeviceHive and Thingsboard, while EdgeX Foundry is a key platform for edge computing, allowing IIoT applications to be deployed closer to data sources, thus reducing latency and conserving bandwidth. This study seeks to identify potential future domains for the implementation of IIoT solutions using these open-source platforms. Additionally, each sector is evaluated based on various criteria, such as development requirement analyses, market demand projections, the examination of leading companies and emerging startups in each domain, and the application of the International Patent Classification (IPC) scheme for in-depth sector analysis. Full article

Brain injury resulting from adverse events during pregnancy and delivery is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and disability. Surviving neonates often suffer long-term motor, sensory, and cognitive impairments. Birth asphyxia is among the most common causes of neonatal encephalopathy. The integration of ultrasound, including Doppler ultrasound, and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) offers a promising approach to understanding the pathology and diagnosis of encephalopathy in this special patient population. Ultrasound diagnosis can be very helpful for the assessment of structural abnormalities associated with neonatal encephalopathy such as alterations in brain structures (intraventricular hemorrhage, infarcts, hydrocephalus, white matter injury) and evaluation of morphologic changes. Doppler sonography is the most valuable method as it provides information about blood flow patterns and outcome prediction. NIRS provides valuable insight into the functional aspects of brain activity by measuring tissue oxygenation and blood flow. The combination of ultrasonography and NIRS may produce complementary information on structural and functional aspects of the brain. This review summarizes the current state of research, discusses advantages and limitations, and explores future directions to improve applicability and efficacy. Full article

A double optimal solution (DOS) of a least-squares problem $\mathbf{A}\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{b},\mathbf{A}\in {\mathbb{R}}^{q\times n}$ with $q\ne n$ is derived in an $m+1$-dimensional varying affine Krylov subspace (VAKS); two minimization techniques exactly determine the $m+1$ expansion coefficients of the solution $\mathbf{x}$ in the VAKS. The minimal-norm solution can be obtained automatically regardless of whether the linear system is consistent or inconsistent. A new double optimal algorithm (DOA) is created; it is sufficiently time saving by inverting an $m\times m$ positive definite matrix at each iteration step, where $m\ll min(n,q)$. The properties of the DOA are investigated and the estimation of residual error is provided. The residual norms are proven to be strictly decreasing in the iterations; hence, the DOA is absolutely convergent. Numerical tests reveal the efficiency of the DOA for solving least-squares problems. The DOA is applicable to least-squares problems regardless of whether $q<n$ or $q>n$. The Moore–Penrose inverse matrix is also addressed by adopting the DOA; the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are proven. The $m+1$-dimensional VAKS is different from the traditional m-dimensional affine Krylov subspace used in the conjugate gradient (CG)-type iterative algorithms CGNR (or CGLS) and CGRE (or Craig method) for solving least-squares problems with $q>n$. We propose a variant of the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker equation, and then we apply the partial pivoting Gaussian elimination method to solve the variant, which is better than the original Karush–Kuhn–Tucker equation, the CGNR and the CGNE for solving over-determined linear systems. Our main contribution is developing a double-optimization-based iterative algorithm in a varying affine Krylov subspace for effectively and accurately solving least-squares problems, even for a dense and ill-conditioned matrix $\mathbf{A}$ with $q\ll n$ or $q\gg n$. Full article

The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Mill.) forest type occupied a much greater area in the United States prior to the arrival of Europeans, estimated to be around 37.2 million hectares. This area has been greatly reduced, and these ecosystems now occupy only about 1.2 to 1.6 million hectares. However, there has been a great interest in the restoration of this forest type mainly due to concerns about the loss of ecosystem services associated with these forests; the improved seedling quality and yield potentials bolster those efforts. Beyond that, existing stands are actively managed through different types of practices, including thinnings, prescribed burns often to manipulate the vegetation of other species, and the various timings of clearcuts. Thus, managers need tools to estimate site quality and ultimately productivity. A commonly used measure of site quality is site index, or the height of some defined dominant portion of the stand at a standardized base or index age. The primary objectives are to summarize the 16 existing equations to estimate site index and dominant height in naturally regenerated longleaf pine stands and to examine and visually compare their predicted behavior across a range of site quality and age conditions. Important considerations when using site index of anamorphism and polymorphism as well as base-age invariance are reviewed. Biologically, polymorphism is often considered advantageous since for many species differences in site quality not only result in different asymptotic dominant heights, but also varying rates in their approach to the asymptote. Of the 16 equations examined, only nine of them were polymorphic in nature, but all equations were base-age invariant. There is not an individual equation that is clearly superior because, for instance, it is either anamorphic in nature, is polymorphic but developed based on anamorphic curves, fit using data obtained from temporary plots, or it is limited geographically. Given these limitations, others can use this publication as a reference to determine which equation they feel is best for their particular situation. Full article

Objective: To evaluate the preference of primary HCWs and residents on vaccination consultation in community health services to provide evidence for vaccine hesitancy intervention strategies. Methods: A discrete choice model (DCM) was constructed to evaluate the preference difference between primary HCWs and residents on vaccination consultation in community health services in China during May–July 2022. Results: A total of 282 residents and 204 HCWs were enrolled in this study. The residents preferred consulting with an HCW-led approach (β = 2.168), with specialized content (β = 0.954), and accompanied by telephone follow-up (β = 1.552). In contrast, the HCWs preferred face-to-face consultation (β = 0.540) with an HCW-led approach (β = 0.458) and specialized content (β = 0.409), accompanied by telephone follow-up (β = 0.831). College residents and residents with underlying self-reported disease may be near-critically inclined to choose traditional consultation (an offline, face-to-face consultation with standardized content and more prolonged duration) rather than a new-media consulting group (an online consultation with specialized content within 5 min). Urban HCWs preferred long-term consultation groups (the resident-led offline consultation with follow-up lasting more than 5 min). In contrast, rural HCWs preferred efficient consultation (the HCW-led, short-duration, standardized offline consultation mode). Conclusion: The selection preference for vaccine consultation reveals a gap between providers and demanders, with different groups exhibiting distinct preferences. Identifying these targeted gaps can help design more acceptable and efficient interventions, increasing their likelihood of success and leading to better resource allocation for policymakers to develop targeted vaccination policies. Full article

The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of acute normobaric hypoxia on quadricep oxygenation. Muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) was measured using near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) technology during a normobaric hypoxia tolerance test (NHTT). SmO₂ was measured with a Humon Hex^® device. In total, 54 healthy subjects participated, 68.5 of which were males and 31.5% of which were females. They performed an NHTT with the IAltitude^® simulator, breathing air with an FiO₂ level of 11% (equivalent to 5050 m). The maximum duration of the NHTT was set at 10 min, stopping if it reached 83% SpO₂. The initial values (PRE) were compared with those obtained at the end of the test (POST) and after 10 min of recovery. The participants were divided into two groups based on whether (G1) they completed the ten minutes or not (G2). In total, 35.1% of men and 41.2% of women completed the 10 min. In both groups, significant differences were observed in the decrease in SmO₂ values (p < 0.0001) (G1: PRE = 59.5 ± 12.48%; POST = 55.95 ± 14.30%; G2: PRE = 60.06 ± 13.46%; POST = 57.2 ± 12.3%). There were no differences between groups in any of the three periods. Exposure to normobaric hypoxia produces a decrease in quadricep levels of SmO₂ in both sexes, regardless of whether the test is completed. Two patterns appeared: A.—less time and more hypoxia; B. a longer duration and less hypoxia. Full article

Phytophthora infestans is the causal agent of late blight in potato. The occurrence of P. infestans with both A1 and A2 mating types in the field may result in sexual reproduction and the generation of recombinant strains. Such strains with new combinations of traits can be highly aggressive, resistant to fungicides, and can make the disease difficult to control in the field. Metalaxyl-resistant isolates are now more prevalent in potato fields. Understanding the genetic structure and rapid identification of mating types and metalaxyl response of P. infestans in the field is a prerequisite for effective late blight disease monitoring and management. Molecular and phenotypic assays involving molecular and phenotypic markers such as mating types and metalaxyl response are typically conducted separately in the studies of the genotypic and phenotypic diversity of P. infestans. As a result, there is a pressing need to reduce the experimental workload and more efficiently assess the aggressiveness of different strains. We think that employing genetic markers to not only estimate genotypic diversity but also to identify the mating type and fungicide response using machine learning techniques can guide and speed up the decision-making process in late blight disease management, especially when the mating type and metalaxyl resistance data are not available. This technique can also be applied to determine these phenotypic traits for dead isolates. In this study, over 600 P. infestans isolates from different populations—Estonia, Pskov region, and Poland—were classified for mating types and metalaxyl response using machine learning techniques based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. For both traits, random forest and the support vector machine demonstrated good accuracy of over 70%, compared to the decision tree and artificial neural network models whose accuracy was lower. There were also associations (p < 0.05) between the traits and some of the alleles detected, but machine learning prediction techniques based on multilocus SSR genotypes offered better prediction accuracy. Full article

Objectives: Metatarsalgia continues to be a problem in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission (remRA), as well as in the non-rheumatic population, with a mechanical origin. Identify and compare clinical, morphological, disability, synovitis (ultrasound), and radiological osteoarticular damage characteristics in two groups of patients with lesser-ray metar-tarsalgia, with remRA, and without RA. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 84 patients with remRA (mRA) and 60 patients without RA (nmRA). The study evaluated five clinical variables (pain, Foot Function Index (FFI), joint mobility, digital deformities, and foot type), a radiological variable (osteoarticular damage), and an ultrasound variable (metatarsal synovitis). The data were analysed using descriptive and correlational techniques. Results: There were no significant differences in sex, age, body mass index (BMI), or degree of pain. Both groups showed a high prevalence of limited joint mobility for the ankle and first metatarsal phalanx (DF1st MTPJ) and digital deformities, with no statistically significant differences. Similarly, there were no differences in lesser-ray synovitis. On the other hand, there were differences in mRA with greater disability and activity limitation (FFI), LDD (lesser-ray digital deformities) stiffness, first-ray deformities, radiological damage, synovitis in 1st MTPJ, and positive Doppler (five patients). Conclusions: Metatarsalgia presents similarities in both populations. Biomechanical factors may influence the symptoms and presence of synovitis in patients with RA in remission. Other characteristics are more frequent in mRA, which could be related to the disease; thus, future research should include both biomechanical and ultrasound exploration of the foot in the valuation of patients in remission. Full article