Browse Articles

Bayesian Analysis of Modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) Score for Mortality Prediction in Critically Ill Patients

A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia

Abstract Neurotropic herpesviruses may be implicated in the development of dementia 1–5 . Moreover, vaccines may have important off-target immunological effects 6–9 . Here we aim to determine the effect of live-attenuated herpes zoster vaccination on the occurrence of dementia diagnoses. To provide causal as opposed to correlational evidence, we take advantage of the fact that, in Wales, eligibility for the zoster vaccine was determined on the basis of an individual’s exact date of birth. Those born before 2 September 1933 were ineligible and remained ineligible for life, whereas those born on or after 2 September 1933 were eligible for at least 1 year to receive the vaccine. Using large-scale electronic health record data, we first show that the percentage of adults who received the vaccine increased from 0.01% among patients who were merely 1 week too old to be eligible, to 47.2% among those who were just 1 week younger. Apart from this large difference in the probability of ever receiving the zoster vaccine, individuals born just 1 week before 2 September 1933 are unlikely to differ systematically from those born 1 week later. Using these comparison groups in a regression discontinuity design, we show that receiving the zoster vaccine reduced the probability of a new dementia diagnosis over a follow-up period of 7 years by 3.5 percentage points (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.6–7.1, P  = 0.019), corresponding to a 20.0% (95% CI = 6.5–33.4) relative reduction. This protective effect was stronger among women than men. We successfully confirm our findings in a different population (England and Wales’s combined population), with a different type of data (death certificates) and using an outcome (deaths with dementia as primary cause) that is closely related to dementia, but less reliant on a timely diagnosis of dementia by the healthcare system 10 . Through the use of a unique natural experiment, this study provides evidence of a dementia-preventing or dementia-delaying effect from zoster vaccination that is less vulnerable to confounding and bias than the existing associational evidence.

Study on forecasting method of power engineering cost based on BIM and DynGCN

In view of the shortcomings of power engineering cost in precision and dynamic in big data environments, this paper proposes building information modelling (BIM) and spatiotemporal modelling-based dynamic graph convolutional neural networks (DynGCN). This study uses the characteristics of BIM technology to carry out the cost management of the whole life cycle of power engineering, and realizes the dynamic control of the cost. In addition, the DynGCN method is used to predict the cost of each engineering link, so as to optimize the construction scheme of the whole project. The results show that the whole life cycle data management supported by BIM technology improves the real-time monitoring and adjustment ability of the cost; the DynGCN method can greatly improve the accuracy of the cost prediction, and the prediction accuracy is 96%, which is closest to the real value of the cost.

Author Correction: An efficient enhanced stacked auto encoder assisted optimized deep neural network for forecasting Dry Eye Disease

Accidental Endotracheal Tube Displacement in Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Randomized Comparison of Three Different Endotracheal Tube-securing Tapes

Life is viewed as better for minorities in places with more variable habitats

Places differ in how livable they are perceived to be for minority groups. But why? We pursue an explanation through the lens of natural habitat variability (varying day length, temperature, and daily precipitation over the course of the year). Uncertainty reduction theory, flexible systems theory, and climato-economic theory offer different explanations for how habitat variability influences mindsets about racial and ethnic minorities, gays and lesbians, foreign immigrants, and people with intellectual disabilities. To test our hypotheses, we analyzed the perceived livability of the place of residence for these minority groups by 1,332,558 native inhabitants from 163 countries. Our results support the theoretical notion that variable habitats foster flexible psychosocial systems. Minorities are viewed to have better livability in places with more variable habitats. Economic affluence reinforces this trend, and the interaction effect is mediated by the quality of governance. These country-level findings (R2 ≈ 0.52) demonstrate construct, concurrent, convergent, divergent, substantive, and forecast validity. They significantly overshadow effects of individual-level characteristics and mindsets (R2 ≈ 0.03). Habitat equations predicting perceived local livability for minorities during one period (2010–2015) forecast up to 75 percent of the extent to which minorities in each of the four hemispheres of the Earth are perceived to be living in a good place at a subsequent period (2016–2020).

Red-necked avocets disperse at continental scales and breed following high rainfall in distant locations

Author Correction: Continued Atlantic overturning circulation even under climate extremes

Correction: Impact of HIV comprehensive care and treatment on serostatus disclosure among Cameroonian patients in rural district hospitals

Radiation detector based on coupling between defect mode and topological edge state mode in photonic crystal

Cognitive decline in older adults with type 2 diabetes: Unraveling site-specific glycoproteomic alterations

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is consistently related to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. However, the molecular underpinnings of this association remain poorly understood. In this study, we applied a novel mass spectrometry-based glycoproteomic methodology to profile serum glycoproteins in older adults with T2D, aiming to identify glycopeptiforms associated with cognitive impairment. Our method allowed comprehensive profiling of N glycosylation in addition to the unique ability to profile glycation events on specific amino acid sites. Serum samples from initially cognitively normal older adults with T2D were collected, with participants classified as cognitive decliners (who developed impairment) and non-decliners (who maintained normal cognition over time). We identified significant differences in the abundance of glycopeptiforms between these groups, noting that certain glycopeptiforms exhibited unique changes over time in decliners. We identified 13 glycopeptiforms that exhibited significant differences between the groups both at baseline and in their rates of change over time. Pathway analysis indicated that glycation events were linked to metabolic pathways while glycosylation to immune-related pathways, aligning with established links between these processes and cognitive decline. This study offers new insights into glycoproteoform alterations in older adults with T2D experiencing cognitive decline. It highlights the potential of specific glycopeptiforms as biomarkers for early cognitive impairment in T2D. Further validation in larger cohorts will enhance our understanding of glycosylation and glycation in T2D and potentially lead to the discovery of novel treatment targets for T2D-related cognitive decline. Raw data and search are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD050780.

Investigating the activity of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma harzianum to mitigate Fusarium wilt disease of diverse cultivars of Vicia faba

Behavioural and EEG correlates of forward and backward priming—An exploratory study

During affective priming, perception of an emotional “prime stimulus” influences the reaction time to the subsequent emotional “target stimulus”. If prime and target have the same valence (congruent trials), reactions to the target are faster than if prime and target have different valences (incongruent trials). Bem introduced a backward priming paradigm in 2011, where first the target was presented and then the prime after the response. Similar to the classical affective forward priming effects, he found faster reaction times in congruent compared to incongruent trials, and interpreted these results as evidence supporting precognition. In the present exploratory study, while measuring EEG, we combined a forward priming paradigm with a related backward priming paradigm, following Bem’s study. We analysed the EEG data on a group level (ERPs) and on an individual level (single participants, applying artificial neural networks). We found significantly faster reaction times for congruent compared to incongruent trials in the forward priming experiment (p = 0.0004) but no statistically significant differences in the backward priming experiment (p = 0.12). We also found significant differences in ERP amplitude in the forward priming congruent vs incongruent conditions (P8 electrode: p = 0.0002). Backward priming results show weaker, shorter, and less significant differences between congruent and incongruent trials, with maxima at electrodes P7, P3, CP5, and CP1. The neural network results were very variable across participants in both the backward and forward priming and on average, the accuracy results were at chance level for both the forward priming as well as the backward priming. Our results replicate behavioural findings and extend the EEG findings for forward priming. We did not replicate Bem’s backward priming results. These exploratory EEG results are weak, however they give a good starting point for future studies.

SecuNet 4D a comprehensive framework for distributed SDN security and resilience

Matrix metalloproteinase-7 is dispensable in a mouse model of sepsis-induced acute lung injury

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening form of acute lung injury whose pathogenesis is characterized by excessive lung inflammation and alveolar-capillary barrier permeability. Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) can regulate leukocyte recruitment and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, but whether it plays a role in acute lung injury (ALI) is an unanswered question. We hypothesized that global loss of MMP7 would attenuate sepsis-induced ALI and systemic inflammation. To test this, male and female MMP7 knockout (MMP7KO) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates were exposed to a two-hit model of ALI (sepsis+hyperoxia). Sepsis was induced through intraperitoneal injection of cecal slurry (CS; 1.6mg/g) or 5% dextrose (control) followed by exposure to hyperoxia (HO; FiO2=0.95) or room air (control, FiO2=0.21). At 24-hours post-CS+HO, we measured weight loss, illness severity, and body temperature. The mice were then sacrificed, and samples from the lungs, kidneys, spleen, blood, peritoneal wash, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were collected for analysis. Bacterial burden was assessed in the peritoneum, lung, and spleen. Lung inflammation was assessed by BAL inflammatory cell recruitment and pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations as well as lung tissue mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Alveolar-capillary barrier disruption was quantified by BAL total protein, BAL immunoglobulin M, and lung wet-to-dry weight ratios. Histologic evidence of lung injury was evaluated using a histological scoring system. Systemic inflammation was measured through plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines and peritoneal inflammatory cells. Kidney function, inflammation, and injury were assessed through plasma urea nitrogen concentrations, as well as tissue levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1). Relative mRNA expression of MMP-7, MMP-9, and MMP-2 was also quantified in both lung and kidney tissue through qPCR. At 24-hours post-CS+HO all mice developed ALI. Septic mice also had increased systemic inflammation, kidney inflammation, kidney injury, and kidney dysfunction compared to controls. Loss of MMP7 did not affect markers of inflammation, organ injury, or organ dysfunction. Interestingly, septic male mice exhibited more severe illness, systemic and lung inflammation, lung injury, and lung expression of matrix metalloproteinases, while septic female mice exhibited more kidney inflammation, kidney injury, and kidney expression of matrix metalloproteinases. In conclusion, MMP7 is not essential for the development or resolution of sepsis-induced ALI in this model and likely plays a limited role in the condition.

Optimization of polyphenols extraction by deep eutectic solvent from broccoli stem and characterization of their composition and antioxidative effects

Obesity and its associations with autonomic and cognitive functions in the general population

Background Obesity poses a significant global health burden. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of obesity in Mongolia and its associations with autonomic and cognitive functions while considering potential psychosocial risk factors. Methods This population-based, cross-sectional study included 382 participants who underwent physical examinations, completed health-related questionnaires, and participated in heart rate variability (HRV) testing for autonomic assessment and the mini-mental state examination for cognitive evaluation. Results Obesity prevalence was 28.1% (age-sex adjusted). Individuals with obesity were more likely to be older, married, have lower education, and engage in less physical activity. They exhibited autonomic imbalance, decreased autonomic nervous system activity, lower cognitive function, and sleep disturbances compared to the individuals without obesity. Body mass index, and waist circumference inversely correlated with HRV indices. Female sex, lower education, apartment living, alcohol consumption, sleep disturbances, and autonomic dysfunction emerged as significant risk factors for obesity. Independent predictors of autonomic dysfunction included systolic blood pressure, physical activity, and neck circumference, while age, education, height, sleep apnea, and autonomic dysfunction predicted cognitive decline. Furthermore, generalized linear mediation models revealed a partial mediation effect of autonomic dysfunction on the association between obesity and cognitive decline. Conclusion This study highlights a high prevalence of obesity in the general population (28.1%) and identifies distinct characteristics associated with the condition. Furthermore, our findings suggest a potential indirect effect of obesity on cognitive function, mediated by autonomic dysfunction. Further research is needed to elucidate the causal relationships and develop targeted interventions for high-risk groups (females, individuals with lower education) and promotion initiatives of healthy lifestyles (less alcohol, exercise, and sleep hygiene) to address both obesity and its associated health complications, including autonomic dysfunction.

Design of a miniaturized terahertz traveling wave tube with embedded single-walled carbon nanotubes cold cathode

FasterNet-YOLO for real-time detection of steel surface defects algorithm

Steel surface defect detection is an important application of object detection in industry. Achieving object detection in industry while balancing detection accuracy and real-time performance is a challenge. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved FasterNet-YOLO model based on the one-stage detector. Introduce the FasterNet network to reconstruct the YOLOv5 backbone network. Achievement of model lightweighting and significant improvement in detection speed, but with a slight reduction in accuracy. The YOLOv5 neck network’s ordinary convolution is improved by depthwise separable convolution. Continuing to improve detection speed while further reducing redundant parameters in the neck network. To improve model accuracy, the Swin-Transformer is integrated into the C3 module in the neck network. Solve the problem of cluttered backgrounds in defect photographs and easy confusion between defect types. Meanwhile, BiFPN is used for feature fusion. By retaining more informative features, the detector’s ability to adapt to targets at different scales is improved. The results indicated that when comparing FasterNet-YOLO with the original model, the parameters were reduced by 49.4%, GFLOPs were reduced by 57.0%, mAP increased by 6.2%, and FPS increased by 54.1%. The improved model not only increases the detection accuracy, but also significantly improves the speed of hot-rolled strip surface defect detection to meet the requirements of real-time detection.

Event-related potentials reveal incongruent behavior of autonomous vehicles in the moral machine dilemma

Abstract We investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) in the context of autonomous vehicles (AVs)—specifically in ambiguous, morally challenging traffic situations. In our study, participants (n = 34) observed a putative artificial intelligence (AI) making decisions in a dilemma situation involving an AV, expanding on the Moral Machine (MM) experiment. Additionally to the original MM experiment, we incorporated electroencephalography recordings. We were able to replicate most of the behavioral findings of the original MM: In case of an unavoidable traffic accident, participants consistently favored sparing pedestrians over passengers, more characters over fewer characters, and humans over pets. Beyond that, in the ERP we observed an increased P3 (322–422 ms), and late positive potential (LPP) (500–900 MS) amplitude in fronto-central regions when the putative AI’s decision on a moral dilemma was incongruent to the participants’ decision. As P3, and LPP are associated with the processing of stimulus significance, our findings suggest that these ERP components could potentially be used to identify critical, or unacceptable situations during human-AI interactions involving moral decision-making. This might be useful in brain computer interfaces research when, classifying single-trial ERP components, to dynamically adopt an AV’s behavior.