Browse Articles

The association between circadian syndrome and possible sarcopenia in an aging population: A 4-year follow-up study

Introduction Recently, circadian syndrome (CircS) is proposed as a novel risk cluster based on sleep disorder, depression, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension and abdominal obesity. To investigate the association between CircS and possible sarcopenia, this study was performed. Methods Possible sarcopenia is defined according to Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia in 2019, which includes measures of muscle strength and physical performance. In the baseline survey, 7,905 participants aged ≥ 40 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between CircS and possible sarcopenia. Subgroup and interactive analyses were adopted to verify the findings in the overall population and identify potential interactive effects. The obese population was excluded and the missing values were interpolated using multivariate imputation by chained equations as sensitivity analyses. In addition, the participants were followed up for four years to explore the longitudinal association between CircS and incident possible sarcopenia. Results As per one increase of CircS components, participants had a 1.11-fold (95% CI = 1.07–1.14, P < 0.001) risk of prevalent possible sarcopenia in the full model. The CircS group was associated with a 1.30-fold (95% CI = 1.17–1.44) risk of prevalent possible sarcopenia (P < 0.001). No significant interactive effects of covariates on the association between CircS and prevalent possible sarcopenia were detected (all P for interaction > 0.05). All the subgroup and sensitivity analyses supported the positive association between CircS and possible sarcopenia. In the longitudinal follow-up, the odd ratio was 1.06 (95% CI = 1.00–1.13, P < 0.05) as per one increase of CircS components in the full model. The CircS group was also found to have an elevated risk of incident possible sarcopenia (odd ratio = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.03–1.50, P < 0.05) after adjusting all the covariates. Conclusions CircS is a risk factor for possible sarcopenia, which may serve as a predictor of possible sarcopenia for early identification and intervention.

Author Correction: Genome wide association study identifies novel candidate genes for growth and body conformation traits in goats

Characterization of the murine spine for spaceflight studies

Rodents provide a useful analog for understanding the effects of spaceflight on the human body, offering opportunities for investigations into the relationship between microgravity and the musculoskeletal system. In particular, rodents have often been utilized to improve our understanding of the effects of spaceflight on the spine, including intervertebral disc and vertebral body health. However, there are a number of experimental factors that differ between existing works, including mission duration, animal housing, and anatomical location of interest, making it difficult to draw holistic conclusions. Additionally, the quadrupedal nature of the murine spine results in different biomechanical loading than in a bipedal organism. Thus, the objective of this study was to more fully define the bulk properties of the murine lumbar spine model after 28 days of spaceflight. Additionally, the proximal tibia was analyzed to provide insight into the skeletal site-specificity of gravitational unloading in space. Results indicated that the effects of spaceflight on vertebral body bone microarchitecture, intervertebral disc biochemistry, and intervertebral disc joint mechanics were statistically insignificant, while large and significant bone loss was observed in the proximal tibia of the same animals. We hypothesize that this may be due to site-specific loading changes in space. Specifically, vigorous ambulatory behaviors observed in this experiment after initial acclimation to spaceflight may increase axial load-bearing in the lumbar spine, while maintaining microgravity induced mechanical unloading in the tibia. In total, this work shows that the rodent spine, unlike the weight bearing tibia in the same mice, is not affected by gravitational unloading, suggesting the tissue degenerative effects of spaceflight are site- and load-specific and not systemic. This study also highlights the importance of considering experimental variables such as habitat acclimation, physical activity, and experiment duration as key factors in determining musculoskeletal and spine health outcomes during spaceflight.

Evaluating the factors influencing accuracy, interpretability, and reproducibility in the use of machine learning classifiers in biology to enable standardization

Gram-negative bacterial sepsis, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and treatment outcomes at two neonatal intensive care units in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A retrospective observational study

Background Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. To improve the clinical outcomes of neonates with sepsis, treatment should be based on bacteriological identification and antibiotic susceptibility. This study aims to assess the proportion of culture-positive gram-negative bacteria (GNB), the antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and treatment outcomes of neonatal sepsis at two neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Addis Ababa. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted among gram-negative sepsis suspected neonates admitted at Zewditu Memorial Hospital and Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital NICUs from January to December 2023. All neonates who were suspected of having sepsis were included in this study. Standard microbiological culture and biochemical tests were used to identify bacterial species and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay using Mueller-Hinton agar was employed to test the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates as per Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study variables. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with the treatment outcomes of neonatal sepsis. A p-value < 0.05 was set for statistical significance. Results A total of 933 neonates were diagnosed with sepsis during the study period, of which 166 neonates were enrolled in the study for gram-negative sepsis: 84 (51%) were female and 97 (58%) had early onset sepsis. The median length of hospital stay was nine days with interquartile range of 16 days. The predominant GNB identified was Klebsiella spp. (n = 89; 49%), followed by Acinetobacter spp. (n = 38; 21%) and Escherichia coli (n = 19; 11%). In both hospitals, Klebsiella spp. was resistant to most of the routinely prescribed antibiotics: (n = 68; 89%) were resistant to ceftriaxone, (n = 56, 89%) cefepime and (n = 60; 75%) to gentamicin. Lower rates of resistance were recorded for other antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (n = 12; 18%), ertapenem (n = 11; 16%), meropenem (n = 9; 13%), and amikacin (n = 3; 4%). A total of 92 (55%) neonates with the GNB isolated in the current study had multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms. The study found that newborns with MDR infections were five times more likely to experience poor treatment outcomes compared to those with non-resistant strains (AOR, 5.23 95% CI [2.59, 11.11]). In addition, newborns who stayed less than seven days, compared to those who spent seven or more days in the hospital was four times (AOR: 4.16, 95% CI (2.0–9.01) more likely to experience poor health outcomes. Conclusion Klebsiella spp. was the most common GNB isolated from the NICUs. More than half neonatal sepsis was caused by MDR organisms and associated with significant poor treatment outcomes. high prevalence of MDR-gram-negative bacteremia is alarming and highlights the need for the implementation of routine surveillance and infection control measures to decrease morbidity and mortality and to combat the development of antimicrobial resistance.

Design and experiment of key components of a insertion vegetable grafting machine with six plants synchronous

Bridging the gap: A systematic review of intraoperative electrocochleography during cochlear implantation and preservation of residual hearing

Cochlear implantation is a surgical intervention to provide auditory rehabilitation to individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. Intraoperative electrocochleography (ECochG) has emerged as a promising tool for monitoring cochlear health during cochlear implant (CI) surgery. This systematic review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the effectiveness of intraoperative ECochG in predicting postoperative residual hearing levels in CI recipients. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. The protocol for this systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number: CRD42023476617). The key outcomes assessed were the correlation between intraoperative ECochG patterns and postoperative residual hearing levels, as well as the influence of surgical techniques and electrode design on ECochG responses and hearing preservation. The Risk of Bias analysis was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool. The review included a total of eighteen studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A significant correlation was reported between specific intraoperative ECochG response patterns and the preservation of residual hearing post-surgery. Studies highlighted that robust ECochG responses typically indicated a higher likelihood of postoperative hearing preservation. The review also identified factors influencing ECochG responses, including electrode design and insertion techniques. Several studies reported improved preservation of residual hearing with modifications in surgical approaches guided by ECochG feedback. Intraoperative ECochG monitoring emerges as a crucial tool in predicting and potentially enhancing postoperative residual hearing outcomes in implanted individuals. The review underscores the value of ECochG in guiding surgical technique adjustments, thereby maximizing hearing preservation. However, the heterogeneity in study designs and ECochG protocols suggests a need for standardization in this field. Future research should focus on large-scale, multicenter trials to establish definitive guidelines for integrating ECochG in CI surgeries, with an emphasis on long-term hearing outcomes.

Synergistic effect of synthetic derivatives of 1,3,4-thiadiazole with amphotericin B in antifungal therapy

The neuroprotective role of CncC in a Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder, yet significant advancements have been made in understanding its etiology. Among the risk factors, exposure to neurotoxins plays the greatest role. One of the most dangerous toxins is rotenone, a naturally derived compound that was historically used as an insecticide. This chemical affects mitochondrial function by blocking electron transfer, resulting in increased reactive oxygen species production and accumulation. Recently, the role of the Nrf2 pathway was explored as a possible protective mechanism to minimize the neurotoxic effects leading to Parkinson’s disease. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster as a model to examine the link between the expression or activity levels of CncC (an ortholog of Nrf2) or HO (an ortholog of HO-1) in the brain and the detrimental effects of chronic exposure to rotenone. We found that flies with overexpression of CncC or silencing of ho survived better after exposure to rotenone compared with flies with partially suppressed CncC or upregulated ho expression. These experimental groups exposed to rotenone also exhibited significantly fewer degenerated dopaminergic (DA) neurons than did the wild-type group. Nevertheless, only those in which CncC was overexpressed in glia showed the best survival, the greatest percentage of climbing ability, and no effects on DA neurons. Our findings were supported by data obtained for flies fed with HO inhibitor (SnPPIX) or activator (hemin), as well as with curcumin (Nrf2 activator). The observed effects were connected with changes in autophagy and apoptosis pathways. Our data suggest that possible therapies exploiting Nrf2 activation should include restricting HO upregulation as a neuroprotective strategy against the toxic effects of rotenone.

Identification of potential metabolic biomarkers and immune cell infiltration for metabolic associated steatohepatitis by bioinformatics analysis and machine learning

Bone microstructure supports a Mesozoic origin for a semiaquatic burrowing lifestyle in monotremes (Mammalia)

The platypus and four echidna species are the only living egg-laying mammals and the sole extant representatives of Order Monotremata. The platypus and echidnas are very disparate both morphologically and ecologically: The platypus is a specialized semiaquatic burrowing form that forages for freshwater invertebrates, whereas echidnas are fully terrestrial and adapted for feeding on social insects and earthworms. It has been proposed that echidnas evolved from a semiaquatic, platypus-like ancestor, but fossil evidence for such a profound evolutionary transformation has been lacking, and this hypothesis remains controversial. Here, we present original data about the Early Cretaceous (108 to 103 Ma) Australian mammal Kryoryctes cadburyi , currently only known from a single humerus, that provides key information relating to this question. Phylogenetic analysis of a 536-character morphological matrix of mammaliaforms places Kryoryctes as a stem-monotreme. Three-dimensional whole bone comparisons show that the overall shape of the humerus is more similar to that of echidnas than the platypus, but analysis of microstructure reveals specializations found in semiaquatic mammals, including a particularly thick cortex and a highly reduced medullary cavity, present in the platypus but absent in echidnas. The evidence suggests Kryoryctes was a semiaquatic burrower, indicating that monotremes first evolved an amphibious lifestyle in the Mesozoic, and providing support for the hypothesis that this is ancestral for living monotremes as a whole. The lineage leading to the modern platypus appears to have been characterized by extremely long term (>100 My) niche conservatism, with echidnas representing a much later reversion to a fully terrestrial lifestyle.

Efficacy and safety of ureterorenoscopy in the elderly: A systematic review axnd meta-analysis

Objective Ureterorenoscopy (URS) is a common procedure performed for renal or upper ureteric stones. Nevertheless, the efficacy and safety of URS in the elderly is unclear. We conducted the first meta-analysis of literature comparing outcomes of URS between elderly and non-elderly patients. Methods Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched for studies relevant to the review. The last date was 2nd September 2024. The elderly were defined as ≥ 65 or 60 years of age. Outcomes compared were stone-free rates (SFR), complications, and length of hospital stay (LOS). Results Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Pooled analysis showed that there was no difference in SFR between elderly and non-elderly groups after URS (OR: 0.96 95% CI: 0.81, 1.14 I2 = 3%). Meta-analysis failed to show any statistical significant in all complication rates (OR: 1.04 95% CI: 0.77, 1.40 I2 = 51%) as well as infectious (OR: 1.27 95% CI: 0.84, 1.92 I2 = 0%), medical (OR: 2.01 95% CI: 0.23, 17.57 I2 = 93%), surgical (OR: 1.18 95% CI: 0.68, 2.03 I2 = 0%) or Clavein Dindo grade ≥2 (OR: 1.02 95% CI: 0.60, 1.75 I2 = 0%) complications between elderly and non-elderly groups. Meta-analysis showed that the elderly had significantly longer LOS as compared to non-elderly patients (MD: 0.75 95% CI: 0.05, 1.45 I2 = 90%). Conclusions URS seems to efficacious and safe in the elderly. Patients ≥60 or 65 years of age have similar SFR and complication rates as younger patients. However, LOS may be increased in the elderly. More robust studies taking into account baseline characteristics and importantly presenting rates are needed to validate the current results.

Association between persistent nocturnal sleep duration patterns and carotid intima-media thickness in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes

Alterations in the inflammatory markers of the Tumor Necrosis Factor system in overweight and obese children and adolescents

Objective This study analyzed the association between cardiometabolic risk markers and the tumor necrosis factor system in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Methods This cross-sectional study included 201 overweight (n =  65), obese (n =  96), and eutrophic (n =  40) children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years. Clinical markers (body mass index, percentage of body fat, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressures) and laboratory parameters (glucose, insulin, total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, homeostasis assessment of insulin resistance index [HOMA-IR], leptin, tumor necrosis fator-α [TNF-α], soluble TNF receptors [sTNFR1 and sTNFR2], soluble Tumor necrosis factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand [sTRAIL]) were evaluated. Results Serum TNF-α levels did not differ significantly between the participant groups, while the serum concentrations of sTNFR1 were higher in the obesity group, compared with those in the eutrophic and overweight groups. Regarding sTNFR2, there was no significant difference between the three study groups. Serum sTRAIL concentrations were higher in the eutrophic group compared with those in the overweight and obesity groups. We observed a positive correlation between sTNFR1 and body mass index, waist circumference, triglycerides, glucose and leptin levels. There was also a negative correlation between sTRAIL and body mass index, waist circumference, LDL cholesterol, glucose and HOMA-IR levels. Conclusions Inflammatory changes involving the TNF system (sTNFR1, sTRAIL) that correlate with obesity are present since childhood, indicating the need for early intervention in order to avoid cardiometabolic complications in adulthood.

Efficacy and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists on weight management and metabolic parameters in PCOS women: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Colorectal cancer risk prediction using a simple multivariable model

Accurate population stratification of colorectal cancer risk enables identification of individuals who would benefit from screening and risk-reducing interventions. We conducted a population-based cohort study using almost 400,000 unaffected UK Biobank participants who were aged 40–69 years at their baseline assessment and who had genetically determined UK ancestry. For women and men separately, we developed (i) a multivariable risk prediction model using family history, a polygenic risk score (PRS) and clinical risk factors, and (ii) a simple model comprising family history and a PRS. We then compared their performance to that of existing models. The models were developed using Cox regression with age as the time axis in a 70% training dataset. The performance of the 10-year risk of colorectal cancer was assessed in a 30% testing dataset using Cox regression to estimate the hazard ratio per standard deviation of risk, Harrell’s C-index to assess discrimination and logistic regression to assess calibration. There were 214,183 women and 181,889 men in the dataset with 1,913 women and 2,598 men diagnosed with colorectal cancer during the follow-up period. The mean age at diagnosis was 66.4 years (standard deviation = 7.3 years) for women and 67.3 years (standard deviation = 6.7 years) for men. In the 30% testing dataset, the new multivariable models discriminated better (Harrell’s C-index = 0.690, 95% CI = 0.669 to 0.712 for women; 0.699, 95% CI = 0.681 to 0.717 for men) than the new family history and PRS models (Harrell’s C-index = 0.683, 95% CI = 0.663 to 0.704 for women; 0.692, 95% CI = 0.673 to 0.710 for men; change in discrimination P = 0.02 for women and P = 0.01 for men). Our models identify individuals who are at increased risk of colorectal cancer and who would benefit from personalised screening and risk-reduction options.

A 2 year follow-up self-controlled study on morphological changes in the musculoskeletal apparatus after conservative treatment of condylar head fracture

Higher social class is associated with higher contextualized emotion recognition accuracy across cultures

We tested links between social status and emotion recognition accuracy (ERA) with participants from a diverse array of cultures and a new model and method of ERA, the Assessment of Contextualized Emotion (ACE), which incorporates social context and is linked to different types of social interaction across cultures. Participants from the Czech Republic (Study 1) and from 12 cultural groups in Europe, North America, and Asia (Study 2) completed a short version of the ACE, a self-construal scale, and the MacArthur Subjective Social Status (SSS) scale. In both studies, higher SSS was associated with more accuracy. In Study 2, this relationship was mediated by higher independent self-construal and moderated by countries’ long-term orientation and relational mobility. The findings suggest that the positive association between higher social class and emotion recognition accuracy is due to the use of agentic modes of socio-cognitive reasoning by higher status individuals. This raises new questions regarding the socio-cultural ecologies that afford this relationship.

Reduced order analytical modelling of micro wind turbine rotordynamics with tower shadow effects

Abstract Micro scale wind turbines (μWTs) in the order of 10 kW or less, suffer high vibration levels compared to larger ones. This can be attributed to the fact that they rotate at higher rotational speeds. For simplicity, blades are directly attached to a permanent magnet generator (PMG) of an outer rotor type with no need to install a gearbox. Also due to their small size, a tail vane represents a cost-effective solution for aligning the turbine with the wind direction. Those tail vanes generate significant yaw rates as a consequence of the unpredictable variations in wind direction. High yaw rates, along with increased rotational speeds, generate considerable gyroscopic loads. Therefore, μWTs involve a unique dynamic loading condition. Considering that the existing software packages are primarily designed for large wind turbines, a thorough investigation into the dynamics of μWTs is essential. In this study, we address the peculiarity of dynamics of μWTs using a simple mathematical model that helps in providing better dynamical insights than numerical calculations. Using the mathematical model, a parametric study is conducted involving two parameters: the generator’s bearing span and the position of the rotor’s centre of gravity (CG) along the rotor axis. The parametric study revealed that increasing the bearing span yields a decrease in vibrations. Also, shifting the centre of gravity of the rotor towards the generator’s rear bearing reduces vibrations across all considered degrees of freedom, except for the rotor’s vertical vibrations and pitching, which achieve a minimum value. An optimal placement of the centre of gravity is calculated and used afterwards to improve the design of an existing μWT. A case study highlights this improvement in terms of root mean square vibrations. The presented model can thereby help designers to build μWTs with better performance and longer lifespan offering a better understanding of the dynamical effects of design parameters

Cryptic genetic variation in brain gene expression precedes the evolution of cannibalism in spadefoot toad tadpoles

The origins of novel behaviors are poorly understood, despite behavior’s hypothesized roles in evolution. One model, “genetic accommodation,” proposes that selection on ancestral phenotypic plasticity may precede the evolution of novel traits. A critical assumption of genetic accommodation is that ancestral lineages possess heritable genetic variation for trait plasticity that is revealed in novel environments, thereby providing the raw materials for subsequent refinement of the novel trait in derived lineages. Here, we use a combination of behavioral and RNA-seq approaches to test this assumption in the context of a novel tadpole behavior: predatory cannibalism. Cannibalism evolved in the spadefoot genus Spea , where an invertebrate diet induces a carnivorous tadpole morph capable of consuming live conspecific tadpoles. In contrast, closely related Scaphiopus tadpoles do not induce this carnivorous phenotype. Through species comparisons, we found that ancestral Spea likely expressed behavioral plasticity and harbored latent (i.e., “cryptic”) genetic variation in brain gene expression plasticity associated with cannibalism-inducing cues. Further, we found that this cryptic genetic variation includes genes specifically associated with a dietary response and cannibalism in derived Spea . Our results suggest that novel behaviors, alongside novel morphologies, can evolve via the process of genetic accommodation. More generally, our results provide key evidence for the plausibility of genetic accommodation, revealing that cryptic genetic variation—the raw material for the evolution of novel traits—exists in natural populations at the level of gene expression.