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A predictive model to assess the risk of developing hyperlipidemia in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasingly recognized as a significant global health challenge, with a rising prevalence of hyperlipidemia among diabetic patients. Effectively predicting and reducing the risk of hyperlipidemia in T2D patients to mitigate their cardiovascular risk remains an urgent issue. Objectives The research sought to determine early clinical indicators that could predict the onset of hyperlipidemia in patients with T2D and to establish a predictive model that integrates clinical and laboratory indicators. Methods A cohort of T2D patients, excluding those with pre-existing hyperlipidemia or confounding factors, was analyzed. Clinical and laboratory data were used in a LASSO regression model to select key predictive variables. A nomogram was then constructed and evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and calibration. Results Among 269 participants, PCSK9 levels were significantly elevated in T2D patients with hyperlipidemia and exhibited a positive correlation with several lipid markers. LASSO regression identified six predictors: BMI, TG, TC, LDL-C, HbA1c, and PCSK9. The nomogram model exhibited robust predictive performance (AUC, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.802–0.977)) and showed good calibration. Conclusions This method effectively predicts the risk of hyperlipidemia in patients with T2D and provides a valuable tool for early intervention. PCSK9, as a key predictor, highlights its potential role in the pathogenesis of diabetes with hyperlipidemia and offers new avenues for targeted therapy.

Disposcope endoscope guidance versus fiberoptic bronchoscopy guidance for double-lumen tube intubation in patients undergoing thoracic surgery: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial

Risk and outcomes of healthcare-associated infections in three hospitals in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, 2022: A longitudinal study

Background Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are one of the most common adverse events in healthcare and represent a major public health problem. The present study was conducted to analyze the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of HAIs through active surveillance in three hospitals in the city of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Methods A prospective, longitudinal, multicenter study was conducted from May 1 to November 30, 2022, in two district hospitals (Do and Dafra) and the Sourô Sanou Teaching Hospital (CHUSS), Burkina Faso. Consenting patients hospitalized for reasons other than infection, cancer, immunosuppression in the postoperative care ward of Do or of Dafra district hospitals, intensive care unit (ICU)/CHUSS, neonatal ward/CHUSS, and gynecology and obstetrics postoperative care ward/CHUSS during a 2-month inclusion period in district hospitals and 4 months for CHUSS wards. For this study, we used the operational definitions of the French Technical Committee for Nosocomial Infections and Healthcare-associated Infections, with slight modifications. Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors of HAIs. Results Of the 664 patients enrolled, 166 experienced an HAI, with a cumulative incidence rate of 25% (95%CI: 21.7%–28.3%) or an incidence density rate of 36.7 per 1000 patient-days (95% CI: 31.7–42.9). Surgical site infections (SSI) (44%), followed by neonatal infections (42%) were the most common HAIs. Enterobacterales represented 60% of the bacteria identified in HAIs, and 38.9% of them were extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Factors associated with HAIs were admission in the neonatal ward (aOR = 6.6; 95%CI:1.1–40.2), ICU (aOR = 3.3; 95%CI:1.3–8.5), previous hospital stay longer than two days (aOR = 2.0; 95%CI:1.2–3.3), or male sex (aOR = 1.8; 95%CI:1.1–3.0). In addition, HAIs were associated with longer follow-up, hospitalization, and mortality (18.1%; 95% 95%CI:12.1–24.4). Deaths were only recorded in the ICU and neonatal ward, with case fatality rates of 45.4% (95% 95%CI: 27.5–63.4) and 21.4% (95% 95%CI: 11.6–31.3), respectively, p = 0.019. Conclusions The incidence of HAIs was relatively high in the three hospitals in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. It is essential to implement rigorous protocols for patient management, to reduce the incidence of HAIs and the spread of resistant pathogens in general and Enterobacterales in particular.

Experimental investigation on water retention property of rubble improved by modified hydrophilic polyurethane

Research on the aesthetic sensitivity evaluation of tourism mascots based on semantic differential method

In order to better meet the emotional needs of consumers and enhance the design of mascots that integrate multicultural elements, this study uses sensory engineering theory to explore the correlation between emotional needs and aesthetic forms. Initially, tourism mascot forms were collected through market surveys, and then these forms were synthesized into test samples. At the same time, expert interviews were conducted to determine the adjective pairs that can accurately capture consumers’ emotional needs. Subsequently, tourists who came to Xi’an were invited to participate in a satisfaction survey. Using the semantic differential methods, representative adjective pairs were selected from five dimensions: market positioning, market trends, color decoration, stylistic features, and psychological perception as emotional evaluation criteria. Each tourism mascot was evaluated and rated according to these criteria. SPSS software was then used to conduct a one-way ANOVA on the evaluation scores to explore the relationship between the aesthetic evaluation of various mascots and consumers’ emotional needs. The experimental results show that the IP image of cultural and creative brands designed with Tang cultural elements is more contagious and avant-garde than the IP image of cultural and creative brands that incorporate Qin cultural elements. These designs can resonate more with young consumers. This study successfully establishes a mapping model that combines consumers’ aesthetic preferences with their emotional needs for tourism mascot design. This study provides valuable guidance for the design of Xi’an tourism mascots and effectively meets consumers’ emotional expectations.

Investigating the presence of different bottlenose dolphin ecotypes in the Mediterranean Sea

Academic writing challenges and supports for early-stage Chinese postgraduates: A mixed-methods study on teaching-research integration, supervisor engagement, and self-efficacy

Enhancing academic publication outcomes and writing skills in postgraduates is a key goal for higher education institutions, ideally through early intervention. This study examines the challenges and support needs of early-stage Chinese postgraduates in academic writing, as well as the factors influencing their publication outcomes and writing self-efficacy. Using snowball sampling, 73 postgraduates were surveyed through questionnaires and reflective journals. Thematic analysis and linear regression were applied to analyze the data. Findings reveal primary challenges in literature review, research methods, data analysis, and topic selection. Key support needs include supervisor guidance, knowledge resources, tools, and self-assessment. Results indicate that the year of study, meeting frequency, supervisor support, teaching-research nexus, and self-efficacy do not significantly impact publication outcomes. However, supervisor support and the quality of the teaching-research nexus positively influence self-efficacy. These findings highlight the importance of providing targeted support and fostering intrinsic motivation to enhance the writing skills and self-efficacy of early-stage postgraduate students.

Simultaneous distributed generation and electric vehicles hosting capacity enhancement through a synergetic hierarchical bi-level optimization approach based on demand response and Volt/VAR control

Abstract In the context of sustainable development, electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable-based distributed generation (RDG) integration into the distribution networks (DNs) introduce various merits. They involve lowering harmful emissions, employing various types of energy sources, and encouraging the dependence of renewable energy. However, the two most challenging issues posing a grave danger to the technical operation of the DN would be the inappropriate integration of RDGs and EVs. Consequently, in order to guarantee safe operation, distribution system operator (DSO) is responsible for precisely identifying two crucial terms, distributed generation hosting capacity (DG-HC) and electric vehicles hosting capacity (EV-HC). Despite an increase in the amount of research on HC approaches, there is still a remarkable research gap in the discussion of models that effectively combine demand response (DR), smart inverters (SI) Volt/VAR control, DG-HC, and EV-HC targets simultaneously. This study offers a hierarchical bi-level optimization HC framework depends on both dynamic tariff-based DR and SI Volt/VAR control. In the lower layer, Participating customers’ load curves and EV aggregators’ charging demands are optimally adjusted, on a forecast basis, based on the proposed dynamic tariff. Nonetheless, the suggested multi-objective function—which includes DG-HC, EV-HC maximization, and loss minimization—is optimized by the DSO at the upper layer based on all of these optimal load curves. To further support the proposed objective function, DR is mixed with the optimal Volt/VAR controlling offered by SIs. In addition, the role of grid-connected EVs (GCEVs) on DG-HC increase is revealed with both uncoordinated and coordinated charging schemes. To check the proposed approach robustness, three types of loads are considered. Through comparison with three other optimization approaches, the effectiveness of the equilibrium optimizer (EO) is demonstrated when it is employed to solve the proposed optimization scheme. The suggested planning approach is applied on both the IEEE 33-bus test system, and a real DN with 59 buses in Cairo, Egypt. Several significant conclusions are validated by the obtained results. First, the DG-HC assessment differs significantly depending on whether the EV charging demand is considered or not. Considering the EV integration in IEEE 33-bus, the mean value of the optimal DG-HC increased by more than 133% during the day. Secondly, the implementation of the proposed dynamic-pricing DR program in the IEEE 33-bus DN significantly improved both the DG-HC and EV-HC, named as the combined DG-EV-HC, with improvements of around 34% and 27% for DG-HC and EV-HC respectively. Finally, in IEEE 33-bus, the combined DG-EV hosting capacity was improved by approximately 49.2% regarding DG-HC and 61.2% regarding EV-HC, using the proposed synergistic DR-Volt/VAR control enhancement technique.

Anxiety among pregnant women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health problems during pregnancy which result in various maternal and newborn complications affecting the health and well-being of the mother and the baby. In countries like Ethiopia, anxiety among pregnant women was not well explored, limiting the development of informed interventions. Thus, this research aims to assess the magnitude of anxiety and associated factors among pregnant women visiting ANC at public health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method We conducted an institutional-based cross-sectional study. Pregnant women who visited antenatal care (ANC) from April 1–14, 2021, were recruited from seven public health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire by trained data collectors. Poisson regression with a robust error variance estimate was used to calculate the prevalence ratio to identify the associated factors; the results were presented with an adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) and a 95% CI. Result A total of 323 pregnant women were recruited from the ANC clinics of public health centers in Addis Ababa. The overall prevalence of anxiety disorder was 12.70%, 95% CI (9.00%–16.10%). The prevalence risk of anxiety was higher among women who reported unplanned pregnancy compared to those who had planned pregnancy (APR 1.99, CI 1.04–3.81), and being single was associated with a higher prevalence risk than being married (APR 2.29, CI 1.14–4.59). Conclusion More than 1 in 10 women had anxiety during pregnancy. The prevalence of anxiety was about two-fold higher among single mothers and among mothers who had an unplanned pregnancy. The study suggests the importance of integrated mental health assessment and services in regular antenatal care, with an emphasis on identifying and caring for women at a disadvantage due to social and obstetric factors.

Incorporating bilingual translation templates into neural machine translation

RETRACTED: Fast fault diagnosis of smart grid equipment based on deep neural network model based on knowledge graph

The smart grid is on the basis of physical grid, introducing all kinds of advanced communications technology and form a new type of power grid. It can not only meet the demand of users and realize the optimal allocation of resources, but also improve the safety, economy and reliability of power supply, it has become a major trend in the future development of electric power industry. But on the other hand, the complex network architecture of smart grid and the application of various high-tech technologies have also greatly increased the probability of equipment failure and the difficulty of fault diagnosis, and timely discovery and diagnosis of problems in the operation of smart grid equipment has become a key measure to ensure the safety of power grid operation. From the current point of view, the existing smart grid equipment fault diagnosis technology has problems that the application program is more complex, and the fault diagnosis rate is generally not high, which greatly affects the efficiency of smart grid maintenance. Therefore, Based on this, this paper adopts the multimodal semantic model of deep learning and knowledge graph, and on the basis of the original target detection network YOLOv4 architecture, introduces knowledge graph to unify the characterization and storage of the input multimodal information, and innovatively combines the YOLOv4 target detection algorithm with the knowledge graph to establish a smart grid equipment fault diagnosis model. Experiments show that compared with the existing fault detection algorithms, the YOLOv4 algorithm constructed in this paper is more accurate, faster and easier to operate.

B-cell signatures characterize the immune landscape and predict LUAD prognosis via the integration of scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq

Hydrothermal treatment of yeast cell wall generates potent anti-proliferative agents targeting MCF7 breast cancer cells effectively even under culture conditions separated by a plastic wall

Traditionally, the yeast cell wall (YCW) has limited applications because of its low solubility. To overcome this, a novel method was developed using a hydrothermal reaction to enhance its solubility and decrease its viscosity; this resulted in the production of a soluble form of YCW, known as the YCW treated with hydrothermal reaction (YCW-H), with broader chemical composition. However, the biological impact of YCW-H is unclear, excluding its reported plant growth-promotion by effectively regulating soil microspheres. This study investigated the potential of YCW-H to inhibit MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation. YCW-H demonstrated significant anti-proliferative effects on MCF7 cells, reducing cell growth by 58.7% ± 6.9 even when physically separated from the cells by a plastic wall. The observation suggests the presence of a diffusible factor against cell proliferation in YCW-H, a phenomenon not observed in the presence of untreated YCW. Reactive carbon species (RCS) generated during the hydrothermal treatment of YCW could be responsible for the effect. The addition of Fe(III) ions into YCW-H further amplified RCS production and elevated its inhibitory activity by about 10% across the plastic barrier. Radical adduct concentration of H2O in a tube which was incubated in YCW-H was 0.47 μmol/L, indicating that radicals migrated into the water through the plastic wall. The concentration of radical adducts in H2O in a tube exposed to YCW-H with Fe(III) ions further increased to 0.51 μmol/L, indicating that the growth inhibition was correlated with the increased RCS levels. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis revealed the cytotoxic effects of YCW-H, indicating YCW-H is applicable to cancer therapy. Therefore, the findings highlight the pivotal role of RCS in the YCW-H anti-cancer activity, suggesting its potential as a promising candidate for the development of novel medical devices for cancer treatment.

Early detection of Parkinson’s disease using a multi area graph convolutional network

Optimal dose and duration of iron supplementation for treating iron deficiency anaemia in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) accounts for nearly two-thirds of all anaemia cases globally. Despite the widespread use of iron supplementation, the optimal dose and duration for treating IDA remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the most effective dose and duration of iron supplementation for improving haemoglobin (Hb) levels in children and adolescents (≤19 years) with IDA. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library for peer-reviewed studies published between 2013 and 2024. The interventions included iron supplementation with a defined dose and duration of at least 30 days. Comparators were placebo, no treatment, or alternative regimens. The outcome was the change in Hb levels. Eligible studies included IDA cases diagnosed through ferritin level measurements in healthy individuals. Studies involving pregnant women or children with underlying conditions were excluded. A meta-analysis was performed using standardized mean differences to pool effect sizes for Hb improvement with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were performed for different treatment durations (<3 months, 3–6 months, >6 months) and dosage categories (<5 mg/kg/day, 5–10 mg/kg/day, >10 mg/kg/day). A random-effects meta-regression model was used to determine the optimal dose and duration, accounting for known covariates affecting Hb improvement. Results A total of 28 studies with 8,829 participants from 16 countries were included. The pooled effect size for Hb improvement was 2.01 gm/dL (95% CI: 1.48–2.54, p < 0.001). Iron supplementation for less than 3 months showed the highest significant effect size (2.39 gm/dL, 95% CI: 0.72–4.07), followed by treatments exceeding 6 months (1.93 gm/dL, 95% CI: 0.09–3.77). The lowest effect size was observed in treatments lasting 3–6 months (1.58 gm/dL, 95% CI: 0.93–2.23). Low-dose iron supplementation (<5 mg/kg/day) demonstrated favourable trends in Hb improvement, particularly in individuals with lower baseline Hb levels. Oral ferrous sulphate had a significant effect (2.03 gm/dL, 95% CI: 1.24–2.82), while parenteral ferric Carboxymaltose showed consistent efficacy. Conclusion Low-dose iron supplementation (<5 mg/kg/day) combined with treatment durations of either less than 3 months or more than 6 months, is optimal for improving Hb levels in children and adolescents with IDA. Tailoring treatment based on baseline Hb levels and anaemia severity is essential. These findings provide evidence to support updated guidelines on iron supplementation in paediatric and adolescent populations and inform national anaemia management programmes. Trial registration Prospero registration number: This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024541773).

Transformer-based heart language model with electrocardiogram annotations

Acute fatigue in indoor court-based team sports: A systematic review

Fatigue in team sports has been widely researched, with a number of systematic reviews summarising the acute (i.e., within 48-hours) response in outdoor sports. However, the fatigue response to indoor court-based sports is likely to differ to outdoor sports due to smaller playing fields, harder surfaces, and greater match frequencies, thus should be considered separately to outdoor sports. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review on acute fatigue in indoor court-based team-sport, identify methods and markers used to measure acute fatigue, and describe acute fatigue responses. A systematic search of the electronic databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE and CINHAL) was conducted from earliest record to June 2023. Included studies investigated either a physical, technical, perceptual, or physiological response taken before and after training, match, or tournament play. One-hundred and eight studies were included, measuring 142 markers of fatigue. Large variability in methods, fatigue markers and timeline of measurements were present. Cortisol (n =  43), creatine kinase (n =  28), countermovement jump (n =  26) and testosterone (n =  23) were the most frequently examined fatigue markers. Creatine kinase displayed the most consistent trend, increasing 10–204% at 24-hours across sports. There is large variability across studies in the methods and markers used to determine acute fatigue responses in indoor court-based team sports. Future researchers should focus on markers that display high reliability and transfer to practice. The robustness of studies may be increased by ensuring appropriate methods and timescale of fatigue marker measurement are used. Further research is required to determine which combination of markers best describes a fatigue response.

Cell-specific genetic expression profile of antennal glia in Drosophila reveals candidate genes in neuron-glia interactions

Validation of ICD-10 codes used to identify the main reason for hospitalization due to hyponatremia in Sweden

Purpose Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder, with potentially serious consequences. Studies validating hyponatremia used as a principal diagnosis are lacking. Studying principal diagnoses is important since it indicates the main reason for inpatient care. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of principal diagnoses of hyponatremia according to the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) in patients discharged from hospital. Methods Three independent reviewers retrospectively analyzed medical records of 428 hospitalized patients, ≥18 years old, discharged with a principal diagnosis of either hyponatremia or syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) from three different hospitals during 2014–2017. The positive predictive value of hyponatremia as a principal diagnosis was calculated. Results The median age of the studied population was 73 (IQR 64–81) years and 69% were women. The range of sodium levels was < 100 to 139 mmol/L. The mean sodium level was 119 mmol/L. Of the patients 27% were treated in an intensive care unit (ICU)/high dependency unit (HDU). Hyponatremia was deemed to be the principal cause of inpatient care in 411 out of 428 patients, corresponding to a positive predictive value for hyponatremia as a principal diagnosis of 96% (CI 95% 94–98). Conclusions The current study showed that 19 diagnoses out of 20 were correct implying a high validity. Thus, a principal diagnosis of hyponatremia, appears to be a useful measure in clinical and epidemiological studies aiming to target a clinically relevant consequence of hyponatremia in hospitalized patients.

High intensity interval training alters gene expression linked to mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics in high fat diet fed rats

Abstract A High-Fat Diet (HFD) leads to disruption of mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics. Exercise training, especially High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) increases mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a period of HIIT with and without HFD consumption on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (Pgc1-α), Mitofusins-2 (Mfn2), Optic atrophy-1 (Opa1), Dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp1) and mitochondrial Fission protein-1 (Fis1) genes as indicators of mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics function in the soleus muscle of male Wistar rats. Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) Control, (2) Control + HIIT, (3) HFD, and (4) HFD + HIIT. The HIIT training protocol lasted for 10 weeks with a frequency of 3 sessions per week. The Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR method was used to investigate the gene expression. One-way ANOVA and Fisher’s post-hoc analyses were used to examine group differences. HFD consumption caused an increase in weight (P < 0.05), the expression of Drp1 and Fis1 genes (P < 0.001), and a decreased expression of Pgc1-α, Mfn2, and Opa1 genes (P < 0.001). HIIT training increased the expression of PGC1-α (P = 0.009), Mfn2 (P < 0.004), and Opa1 (P < 0.011) genes, while it decreased the expression of Drp1 (P = 0.003) and Fis1 genes (P = 0.027). These findings suggest that HIIT can counteract the negative effects of HFD on mitochondrial function by modulating gene expression related to mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics.