Browse Articles

Multiparameter MRI-based model integrating radiomics and deep learning for preoperative staging of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Attentional load impacts multisensory integration, without leading to spatial processing asymmetries

Abstract The present study examined whether spatial processing in the unimpaired cognitive system is influenced by attentional load during multitasking. More specifically, it tested the hypothesis that high attentional load would induce spatial processing asymmetries in the form of a rightward attentional bias. We conducted two separate experiments on healthy adults (n = 101 and n = 98) by using web-based data collections. We capitalized on a condition of perceptual uncertainty to investigate the presence of these spatial asymmetries which cannot be easily detected under regular perceptual conditions. More specifically, we employed a primary audiovisual integration task, which involved presenting stimuli capable of eliciting the sound-induced flash illusion (i.e., task-relevant flashes accompanied by an incongruent number of sounds) on either the left or right side of the screen. This task enabled us to investigate audiovisual integration, but also indirectly provided an opportunity to sensitively explore spatial processing within a highly complex context. In Experiment 1, attentional load was increased by presenting stimuli to be retained before the audiovisual integration task (i.e., “offline” attentional load manipulation). Differently, in Experiment 2, attentional load was increased by having participants to perform visual discrimination during the audiovisual integration task (i.e., “online” attentional load manipulation). Attentional load was increased in a different way within each experiment to test the idea that more demanding tasks, albeit of different nature, would have similarly modulated performance. In both experiments, we replicated the increase of sound-induced flash illusion under high attentional load, which challenges the notion of an early and pre-attentive onset of the illusion. However, this effect was identical for left- and right-sided flashes, which speaks against the existence of load-induced spatial processing asymmetries in the unimpaired cognitive system. Given that both experiments yielded similar results, quantitative aspects of attentional engagement rather than the nature of the attentional resources involved seem to play a critical role.

National trends in dyslipidemia prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control in South Korea from 2005 to 2022

Abstract Dyslipidemia has steadily increased in South Korea over the past two decades, emerging as a major public health concern and key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Thus, our study aimed to investigate long-term trends in the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of dyslipidemia in South Korea, including the COVID-19 pandemic. This study utilized data from nationally representative cross-sectional surveys conducted as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005 to 2022, analyzing long-term trends of dyslipidemia among 98,396 individuals aged over 30. Weighted linear and binary logistic regression were performed to calculate the β coefficients, βdiff, and weighted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Weighted odds ratios were computed for various socioeconomic groups using aggregated data from 2005 to 2022. The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased from 41.30% (95% CI 40.40–42.21) in 2005–2009 to 48.41% (47.36–49.47) in 2020–2022. Awareness increased from 17.87% (16.75–18.99) to 48.90% (47.34–50.47), treatment from 7.10% (6.39–7.80) to 38.19% (36.61–39.76), and control among prevalence from 6.49% (5.79–7.19) to 31.82% (30.33–33.32). Treatment (βdiff, 3.94 [1.97–5.92]) and control among prevalence (βdiff, 3.52 [1.67–5.38]) increased more rapidly during the pandemic. Higher odds of dyslipidemia were associated with male sex, older population, rural residence, high BMI, central adiposity, low education and income levels, smoking, and high-risk alcohol consumption. Lower odds of awareness, treatment, and control among individuals with dyslipidemia were associated with male sex, younger population, rural residence, higher education and income levels, smoking, and high-risk alcohol consumption. Over the past 18 years, the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of dyslipidemia have steadily increased, with persistent disparities among socioeconomic groups.

Wearable MXene-enhanced organic Bio-FET paper patch for glucose detection in sweat with pH and temperature calibration

An object detection model AAPW-YOLO for UAV remote sensing images based on adaptive convolution and reconstructed feature fusion

Different traits shape winners and losers in urban bird assemblages across seasons

Estimating relative density of sand using particle configuration parameters from soil assembly image

Integration of photoperiod and time-restricted feeding on the circadian gene rhythms in juvenile salmon

Using machine learning models to predict the impact of template mismatches on polymerase chain reaction assay performance

Abstract Molecular assays are critical tools for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. These assays have been extremely valuable during the COVID pandemic, used to guide both patient management and infection control strategies. Sustained transmission and unhindered proliferation of the virus during the pandemic resulted in many variants with unique mutations. Some of these mutations could lead to signature erosion, where tests developed using the genetic sequence of an earlier version of the pathogen may produce false negative results when used to detect novel variants. In this study, we assessed the performance changes of 15 molecular assay designs when challenged with a variety of mutations that fall within the targeted region. Using data generated from this study, we trained and assessed the performance of seven different machine learning models to predict whether a specific set of mutations will result in significant change in the performance for a specific test design. The best performing model demonstrated acceptable performance with sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 87% when assessed using tenfold cross validation. Our findings highlighted the potential of using machine learning models to predict the impact of emerging mutations on the performance of specific molecular test designs.

Epitope mapping of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein using naturally-acquired immune responses to develop monoclonal antibodies

Investigation of the predictive value of Hounsfield units in predicting stone culture results in urinary stone disease

Deterministic and reconfigurable graph state generation with a single solid-state quantum emitter

Electrifying amine carbon capture with robust redox-tunable acids

Sustainable and cost-efficient hydrogen production using platinum clusters at minimal loading

CMOS-integrated organic neuromorphic imagers for high-resolution dual-modal imaging

Ectoparasites enhance survival by suppressing host exploration and limiting dispersal

Abstract Parasites enhance their fitness by manipulating host dispersal. However, the strategies used by ectoparasites to influence host movement and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that ectoparasites alter metabolic activity in specific brain regions of mice, with evidence pointing to a potential role for microglial activation in the prefrontal cortex. This activation appears to contribute to synaptic changes and altered neuronal differentiation, particularly in GABAergic neurons. Consequently, exploratory behavior decreases—an effect likely mediated through the skin–brain axis. In both indoor and field experiments with striped hamsters, ectoparasites reduce host exploration and modify their dispersal patterns. This behavioral shift ultimately restricts the host’s distribution, enabling parasites to avoid environmental pressures. Our findings reveal that ectoparasites limit host dispersal to improve their own fitness, offering key insights for parasite control strategies that promote health and preserve ecological stability within the One Health framework.

Massively parallel jumping assay decodes Alu retrotransposition activity

Abstract The human genome contains millions of copies of retrotransposons that are silenced but many of these copies have potential to become active if mutated, having phenotypic consequences, including disease. However, it is not thoroughly understood how nucleotide changes in retrotransposons affect their jumping activity. Here, we develop a massively parallel jumping assay (MPJA) that tests the jumping potential of thousands of transposons en masse. We generate a nucleotide variant library of four Alu retrotransposons containing 165,087 different haplotypes and test them for their jumping ability using MPJA. We found 66,821 unique jumping haplotypes, allowing us to pinpoint domains and variants vital for transposition. Mapping these variants to the Alu-RNA secondary structure revealed stem-loop features that contribute to jumping potential. Combined, our work provides a high-throughput assay that assesses the ability of retrotransposons to jump and identifies nucleotide changes that have the potential to reactivate them in the human genome.

Structural visualization of HECT-type E3 ligase Ufd4 accepting and transferring ubiquitin to form K29/K48-branched polyubiquitination

Inhomogeneous SU(2) symmetries in homogeneous integrable U(1) circuits and transport

Onset of strong Iceland-Scotland overflow water 3.6 million years ago

Abstract North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), the return flow component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), is a major inter-hemispheric ocean water mass with strong climate effects but the evolution of its source components on million-year timescales is poorly known. Today, two major NADW components that flow southward over volcanic ridges to the east and west of Iceland are associated with distinct contourite drift systems that are forming off the coast of Greenland and on the eastern flank of the Reykjanes (mid-Atlantic) Ridge. Here we provide direct records of the early history of this drift sedimentation based on cores collected during International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP) Expeditions 395C and 395. We find rapid acceleration of drift deposition linked to the eastern component of NADW, known as Iceland–Scotland Overflow Water at 3.6 million years ago (Ma). In contrast, the Denmark Strait Overflow Water feeding the western Eirik Drift has been persistent since the Late Miocene. These observations constrain the long-term evolution of the two NADW components, revealing their contrasting independent histories and allowing their links with climatic events such as Northern Hemisphere cooling at 3.6 Ma, to be assessed.