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Faster, cheaper, better: the rise of blood tests for Alzheimer’s
Prognostic value of a combination of cardiac biomarkers and risk indices for major adverse cardiovascular events following non-cardiac surgery in geriatric patients: a prospective cohort study
An automatic sustained attention prediction (ASAP) method for infants and toddlers using wearable device signals
Abstract Sustained attention (SA) is a critical cognitive ability that emerges in infancy and affects various aspects of development. Research on SA typically occurs in lab settings, which may not reflect infants’ real-world experiences. Infant wearable technology can collect multimodal data in natural environments, including physiological signals for measuring SA. Here we introduce an automatic sustained attention prediction (ASAP) method that harnesses electrocardiogram (ECG) and accelerometer (Acc) signals. Data from 75 infants (6- to 36-months) were recorded during different activities, with some activities emulating those occurring in the natural environment (i.e., free play). Human coders annotated the ECG data for SA periods validated by fixation data. ASAP was trained on temporal and spectral features from the ECG and Acc signals to detect SA, performing consistently across age groups. To demonstrate ASAP’s applicability, we investigated the relationship between SA and perceptual features—saliency and clutter—measured from egocentric free-play videos. Results showed that saliency in infants’ and toddlers’ views increased during attention periods and decreased with age for attention but not inattention. We observed no differences between ASAP attention detection and human-coded SA periods, demonstrating that ASAP effectively detects SA in infants during free play. Coupled with wearable sensors, ASAP provides unprecedented opportunities for studying infant development in real-world settings.
SWOT satellite provides a finer view of climate-driving ocean dynamics
In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of a CMC-SA edible packaging film for migration and safety assessment
Enhancing IoT security with a DNA-based lightweight cryptography system
Identification of cancerous tissues based on residual neural network
Reframe perspectives on Alzheimer’s disease
HIV immune evasin Nef enhances allogeneic CAR T cell potency
Accre 8 emerging point of care CLIA system for vitamin B12 assessment compared with three established assays
Abstract Accurate Vitamin B12 (Vit B12) quantification is essential for diagnosing deficiencies linked to neurological and hematological disorders. The Accre 8 Point-of-Care (POC) Chemiluminescent Immunoassay (CLIA) system offers a compact design, rapid single-step operation, and minimal calibration requirements. This study evaluates Accre 8’s performance against established CLIA immunoassays (Abbott and Roche) and LC-MS/MS, the gold standard for Vit B12 quantification. A total of 297 serum samples, spanning deficient to sufficient Vit B12 levels, were analyzed. Accre 8 demonstrated a strong correlation with LC-MS/MS (r = 0.94, p < 0.001), with median Vit B12 levels closely aligning with LC-MS/MS (256.0 pmol/L). Accre 8 exhibited high sensitivity (96.9%) and specificity (86.7%), with Cohen’s Kappa agreement (0.76). Bland-Altman analysis showed a mean bias of - 18.5%, while Passing-Bablok regression indicated proportional bias at higher concentrations (slope = 1.44). ROC analysis confirmed excellent diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.98). Accre 8’s strong diagnostic performance, minimal calibration needs, and low sample volume requirements position it as a practical alternative to conventional CLIA systems for Vit B12 assessment, particularly in clinical and resource-limited settings. These findings support its potential integration into routine diagnostic workflows for Vit B12 deficiency screening and monitoring.
Wide-swath satellite altimetry unveils global submesoscale ocean dynamics
Abstract Ocean submesoscale (1–100 km) processes and their substantial impact on Earth’s climate system have been increasingly emphasized in recent decades by high-resolution numerical models and regional observations 1–11 . However, the dynamics and energy associated with these processes, including submesoscale eddies and nonlinear internal waves, have never been observed from a global perspective. Where, when and how much do these submesoscale processes contribute to the large-scale ocean circulation and climate system? Here we show data from the recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite 12 that not only confirm the characteristics of submesoscale eddies and waves but also suggest that their potential impacts on ocean energetics, the marine ecosystem, atmospheric weather and Earth’s climate system are much larger than anticipated. SWOT ushers in a new era of global ocean observing, placing submesoscale ocean dynamics as a critical element of the Earth’s climate system.
A comprehensive case study of deep learning on the detection of alpha thalassemia and beta thalassemia using public and private datasets
Artificial intelligence driven platform for rapid catalytic performance assessment of nanozymes
Alzheimer’s disease: highlights from research
Comparison of CT-guided intracystic lidocaine pre-injection versus conventional US-guided single-session ethanol sclerotherapy for simple hepatic cysts
Abstract This study aimed to compare a modified CT-guided technique incorporating intracystic lidocaine for pain control versus a conventional ultrasound-guided method for single-session ethanol sclerotherapy of simple hepatic cysts (SHCs), to seek refinements in technical strategies. 113 patients with SHCs underwent ethanol sclerotherapy between January 2019 and June 2023 at two centers. Center A utilized a modified CT-guided technique with intracystic lidocaine pre-injection into the cyst. Center B employed a conventional ultrasound-guided method with pigtail catheter drainage. Primary endpoints included pain during ethanol injection, procedural duration, and safety, while secondary endpoints assessed cyst volume reduction and symptom relief. 99 eligible patients (Center A/B, n = 43/56) were included in the analysis. The modified technique at Center A resulted in significantly lower median VAS scores (1.2 ± 1.2) compared to Center B (5.1 ± 1.1; p < 0.01) during ethanol injection. Ethanol exposure and procedural durations were also shorter at Center A (11.2 ± 1.6 min and 29.9 ± 4.3 min) than at Center B (20.5 ± 3.4 min and 40.6 ± 4.2 min; p < 0.01). No complications were observed at Center A. Both centers achieved similar success rates in reducing cyst size and relieving symptoms at the 6-month follow-up. The modified CT-guided percutaneous single-session ethanol sclerotherapy technique for SHCs significantly reduces pain and procedural duration compared to the conventional method, with similar efficacy and safety profiles.
Contrasting dynamics of past climate states and critical transitions via dimensional analysis
Study of heat transfer model and buried thermocouple test of bell-type annealing furnace based on thermal equilibrium
A read voltage dependent synaptic characteristics of sub-threshold thin film transistors with a hf doped ZnO active layer
Neural mechanisms of lipreading in the Polish-speaking population: effects of linguistic complexity and sex differences
Abstract Lipreading, the ability to understand speech by observing lips and facial movements, is a vital communication skill that enhances speech comprehension in diverse contexts, such as noisy environments. This study examines the neural mechanisms underlying lipreading in the Polish-speaking population, focusing on the complexity of linguistic material and potential sex differences in lipreading ability. Cohort of 51 participants (26 females) underwent a behavioral lipreading test and an fMRI-based speech comprehension task, utilizing visual-only and audiovisual stimuli, manipulating the lexicality and grammar of linguistic materials. Results indicated that males and females did not differ significantly in objective lipreading skills, though females rated their subjective abilities higher. Neuroimaging revealed increased activation in regions associated with speech processing, such as the superior temporal cortex, when participants engaged in visual-only lipreading compared to audiovisual condition. Lexicality of visual-only material engaged distinct neural pathways, highlighting the role of motor areas in visual speech comprehension. These findings contribute to understanding the neurocognitive processes in lipreading, suggesting that visual speech perception is a multimodal process involving extensive brain regions typically associated with auditory processing. The study underscores the potential of lipreading training in rehabilitating individuals with hearing loss and informs the development of assistive technologies.