Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Gradients in signal complexity of sleep-wake intracerebral EEG
Spatial variation in the morphology of the electroencephalogram (EEG) over the head is classically described. Ultimately, location-dependent variation in EEG must arise from the cytoarchitectural and network structure of the portion of cortex sensed. In previous work, we demonstrated that over the lateral frontal lobe, sample entropy (SE) of intracerebral EEG (iEEG) over a subdural recording contact was predictive of that contact’s connectivity to other contacts. In this work, we used a publicly available repository (the Montreal Neurological Institute Atlas; MNIA) of whole-brain normative iEEG to calculate SE over the entire cortical surface. SE was averaged region-wise and classified by the state of arousal (awake, N2, N3 and REM). SE averages were transformed to a linear scale between zero and unity, mapped to continuous color scale and overlaid on segmented cortical surface models, one for each sleep-wake state. Wake SE followed a rostro-caudal gradient (RCG), with high values anteriorly and a global minimum in the posterior cortex. Superimposed on the RCG were other gradients radiating away from primary somatic sensorimotor, visual and auditory regions to their association areas. All gradients were attenuated in deep (N3) sleep. In REM, the majority of the cortex exhibited wake-like SE, with the prominent exception of primary cortical sensory and motor areas. Normative human intracerebral EEG exhibits rich spatial structure - cortical gradients - in the distribution of SE. SE in the wake state tracks temporal processing hierarchies in cerebral cortex, concordant to the distribution of several other cortical attributes of structure (e.g., cortical thickness, myelin content). Sleep disrupts these gradients, with REM sleep bringing out unusual discordances between primary sensory and their association areas. Our results deepen the interpretation of EEG from conventional descriptors such as Berger bands to a spatial perspective related to cortical biology.
Differential association between cumulative dose of 5α-reductase inhibitors and mortality
Muscle Wasting in ICU Patients is Multifactorial and Requires Thorough Workup
An updated compendium and reevaluation of the evidence for nuclear transcription factor occupancy over the mitochondrial genome
In most eukaryotes, mitochondrial organelles contain their own genome, usually circular, which is the remnant of the genome of the ancestral bacterial endosymbiont that gave rise to modern mitochondria. Mitochondrial genomes are dramatically reduced in their gene content due to the process of endosymbiotic gene transfer to the nucleus; as a result most mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus and imported into mitochondria. This includes the components of the dedicated mitochondrial transcription and replication systems and regulatory factors, which are entirely distinct from the information processing systems in the nucleus. However, since the 1990s several nuclear transcription factors have been reported to act in mitochondria, and previously we identified 8 human and 3 mouse transcription factors (TFs) with strong localized enrichment over the mitochondrial genome using ChIP-seq ( Ch romatin I mmuno p recipitation) datasets from the second phase of the ENCODE ( Enc yclopedia o f D NA E lements) Project Consortium. Here, we analyze the greatly expanded in the intervening decade ENCODE compendium of TF ChIP-seq datasets (a total of 6,153 ChIP experiments for 942 proteins, of which 763 are sequence-specific TFs) combined with interpretative deep learning models of TF occupancy to create a comprehensive compendium of nuclear TFs that show evidence of association with the mitochondrial genome. We find some evidence for chrM occupancy for 50 nuclear TFs and two other proteins, with bZIP TFs emerging as most likely to be playing a role in mitochondria. However, we also observe that in cases where the same TF has been assayed with multiple antibodies and ChIP protocols, evidence for its chrM occupancy is not always reproducible. In the light of these findings, we discuss the evidential criteria for establishing chrM occupancy and reevaluate the overall compendium of putative mitochondrial-acting nuclear TFs.
Detection of antibodies in suspected autoimmune encephalitis diseases using machine learning
Abstract In our study, we aim to predict the antibody serostatus of patients with suspected autoimmune encephalitis (AE) using machine learning based on pre-contrast T2-weighted MR images acquired at symptom onset. A confirmation of seropositivity is of great importance for a reliable diagnosis in suspected AE cases. The cohort used in our study comprises 98 patients diagnosed with AE. 57 of these patients had previously tested positive for autoantibodies associated with AE. In contrast, no antibodies were detected in the remaining 41 patients. A manual bilateral segmentation of the hippocampus was performed using the open-source software 3D Slicer on T2-weighted MR-images. Subsequently, 107 Radiomics features were extracted from each T2-weighted MR image utilizing the open source PyRadiomics software package. Our study cohort was randomly divided into training and independent test data. Five conventional machine learning algorithms and a neural network were tested regarding their ability to differentiate between seropositive and seronegative patients. All performance values were determined based on independent test data. Our final model includes six features and is based on a Lasso regression. Using independent test data, this model yields a mean AUC of 0.950, a mean accuracy of 0.892, a mean sensitivity of 0.892 and a mean specificity of 0.891 in predicting antibody serostatus in patients with suspected AE. Our results show that Radiomics-based machine learning is a very promising method for predicting serostatus of suspected AE patients and can thus help to confirm the diagnosis. In the future, such methods could facilitate and accelerate the diagnosis of AE even before the results of specific laboratory tests are available, allowing patients to benefit more quickly from a reliable treatment strategy.
Acute Hemodynamic Changes Induced by Physiotherapy in Critically Ill Patients: A Prospective Observational Study
The evolutionary characteristics and neighbourhood mechanisms of urban innovation networks: The case of China’s sports industry
Taking the patents granted from 2006 to 2023 and the applicants located in different cities in China as data samples, with the help of UCINET 6.0 software and according to the timeline, we visualise the cooperation and innovation network of the sports industry during the period of the “11th Five-Year Plan” to the “14th Five-Year Plan”. QAP multiple regression analysis was used to explore the impact of geographical, cognitive, institutional, economic, and technological proximity on the collaborative innovation performance of the sports industry at different stages.The research results indicate that (1) The scale of China’s sports industry cooperation and innovation network continues to expand, the cohesion of the network is constantly strengthening, and the complexity of regional cooperation relationships is gradually increasing, forming a grid-based cooperation trend with multiple innovative entities from the early “one place leading” model; (2) From 2006 to 2015, innovation cooperation in the sports industry was more likely to occur between geographically adjacent regions. Since 2016, innovation cooperation in the sports industry has gradually broken geographical limitations. In addition, since 2011, the level of knowledge sharing among sports technology innovation entities in various cities in China has further deepened, the gap in cognitive ability has intensified the efficiency of cooperation between different innovation entities, and innovation cooperation is concentrated between cities with comparable economic strength. Starting from the “14th Five Year Plan” period, cooperation between cities with similar innovative technological capabilities has become closer, and the efficiency of innovation output has significantly improved
Analysis of the impact force and key technique of backward straight punch in different combat sports
Author Response: Muscle Wasting in ICU Patients is Multifactorial and Requires thorough Workup
A political economy of the tobacco supply chain in an Eastern Mediterranean country: The case of Lebanon
The literature on tobacco has traditionally focused on health effects, public policies for tobacco control, and smoker profiles. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the supply chains and industry practices within the tobacco market. This paper addresses this gap by examining the structure of the tobacco market in Lebanon. Using an exploratory qualitative research approach, this paper maps the tobacco supply chain in Lebanon and investigates the interactions among various stakeholders, including key policymakers, regulators, researchers, and industry experts, as well as their underlying interests. Lebanon is a compelling case study due to its high smoking prevalence, the presence of a state-owned tobacco monopoly (the Regie Libanaise de Tabacs et Tombacs (Regie)), and the ongoing financial crisis that has affected various sectors, including the tobacco industry. The findings reveal three key issues: a complex political economy centered around monopolization and conflicting interests, the absence of a clear national strategy on tobacco leading to ineffective policy formulation, and inefficient tobacco cultivation practices requiring reforms for sustainable agricultural development. To address these issues, it is proposed to foster a more competitive and revenue-efficient tobacco market through the dissolution of the Regie monopoly via horizontal and vertical integration. This includes adopting an excise-specific tax on domestically manufactured tobacco goods and optimizing sales taxes on locally traded items. Secondly, expanding antitrust laws to encompass the tobacco industry and introducing legislative measures for fees and taxes are recommended to create an enabling environment for competition and revenue generation. Thirdly, reforming tobacco cultivation practices requires abolishing the current cultivation licensing framework, offering financial compensation to existing license holders, and supporting farmers in transitioning to alternative crops.
Comparing machine learning models for osteoporosis prediction in Tibetan middle aged and elderly women
Incidence Risk Factors and Drug Resistance Patterns of Bacterial Isolates in Patients with Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections
Weather extremes and their impact on crop transportation networks: Evidence from U.S. Midwestern elevators
The grain price margins between buyers and sellers (i.e., basis spread) is influenced by the infrastructure used to transport crops from collection points to ports, which can be disrupted by weather extremes like floods and severe storms. Such disruptions are expected to become more frequent, potentially increasing food insecurity and impacting farm incomes. On average, the U.S. accounts for one-third of global corn and soybean production from 2012/13 to 2020/21, so the infrastructure to move crops from the main growing region to the nation’s ports is critical to global crop and food markets. Despite the critical nature of these issues, there is limited research specifically examining the effects of weather extremes on the U.S. crop transportation network. This study investigates how weather extremes disrupt crop transportation networks, and, in turn, how those disruptions affect the basis spread of corn and soybeans. It uses basis spread data from nearly 5,000 U.S. midwestern corn and soybean elevators spanning from 2012 to 2020, along with natural disaster declarations to represent weather extremes affecting crop transportation. Using a three-step process, it calculates least cost transportation routes to a port, adjusts for weather disruptions, and integrates disaster, transportation cost, and control variables into a fixed effects, panel data model that explains variation in basis spread. Results show natural disasters, particularly flash floods and winter storms, negatively affect basis spread. The cost effects of natural disasters disrupting crop transportation routes further decrease basis spread. Strengthening crop transportation infrastructure to withstand flooding and winter storms could reduce disruptions in this network. These findings underscore the value of Federal and State policies that prioritize investments in resilient transportation infrastructure, particularly in regions prone to flash floods and winter storms. Strengthening this infrastructure could not only reduce the economic costs of weather disruptions but also affect farm income and food security.
A harsher reality for adolescents with depression on social media
Abstract Social media use is often highlighted as an important cause of the recent rise in depression among adolescents. However, this perspective overlooks a crucial reverse causality, namely that levels of depression might also shape adolescents’ social media use. In a diary study among 479 adolescents (M age = 15.98; 16.9% clinically depressed), we assessed their level of depression and then monitored their social media activities and experiences daily for 100 subsequent days. Depressed adolescents did not differ from their non-depressed peers in the frequency of posting and the time spent scrolling. However, they reported feeling twice as insecure after scrolling, nearly twice as rejected during online communication with friends, and significantly more preoccupied with feedback. Our findings underscore the need for further research into the mechanisms of how depressive symptoms influence adolescents’ social media experiences, to inform the development of effective digital tools and therapeutic approaches to support adolescent mental health.
Ventilator-associated Pneumonia: A Persistent Menace in the ICU
Hepatitis B vaccine coverage in health care students: a cross-sectional study in Vietnam
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a significant global health concern, with healthcare students being at elevated risk of infection during their internships in healthcare settings. This study aimed to determine the percentage of healthcare students vaccinated against hepatitis B and the factors associated with vaccination status. A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam between February and May 2023 using a self-reported questionnaire. Participants were selected through stratified and random sampling. A multivariable analysis logistic regression was performed to determine the association between several factors with vaccination status. A total of 225 participants took part in the study. We found that 89.8% of the participants had received at least one dose of the HBV vaccine, while 63.3% had completed the entire vaccine schedule. Students with sufficient knowledge of HBV were 2.68 times more likely to be vaccinated (p < 0.05), while those practicing effective HBV prevention had 8.79 times higher vaccination rates (p < 0.001) compared to others. The rate of HBV vaccination among healthcare students remains suboptimal. Targeted health education that addresses knowledge gaps, enhances motivation, tackles vaccination barriers, and emphasizes preventive measures before internships could substantially improve vaccination coverage in this group.
Comparison of nanopore with illumina whole genome assemblies of the Epstein-Barr virus in Burkitt lymphoma
Abstract Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is one of the most prevalent cancer in children in sub-Saharan Africa, and while prior studies have found that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) type and variation may alter the tumor driver genes necessary for tumor survival, the precise relationship between EBV variation and EBV-associated tumorigenesis remains unclear due to lack of scalable, cost-effective, viral whole-genome sequencing from tumor samples. This study introduces a rapid and cost-effective method of enriching, sequencing, and assembling accurate EBV genomes in BL tumor cell lines through a combination of selective whole genome amplification (sWGA) and subsequent 2-tube multiplex polymerase chain reaction along with long-read sequencing with a portable sequencer. The method was optimized across a range of parameters to yield a high percentage of EBV reads and sufficient coverage across the EBV genome except for large repeat regions. After optimization, we applied our method to sequence 18 cell lines and 3 patient tumors from fine needle biopsies and assembled them with median coverages of 99.62 and 99.68%, respectively. The assemblies showed high concordance (99.61% similarity) to available Illumina-based assemblies. The improved method and assembly pipeline will allow for better understanding of EBV variation in relation to BL and is applicable more broadly for translational research studies, especially useful for laboratories in Africa where eBL is most widespread.
Utility of Clinical Frailty Scale in Intensive Care Unit
Microbiome and metabolomic changes in rabbits induced by Folium sennae
Diarrhea is a serious health concern in livestock, affecting productivity and animal welfare. However, it remains a significant threat. Various practical therapies are being explored, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and organic acids, as well as chemical treatments including antibiotics, to combat this disorder. This study aims to explore the microbiome and metabolomic changes in rabbits with diarrhea. In the present study, diarrhea was induced in rabbits via oral gavage of Folium Sennae (FSAE), to assess body weights, diarrhea index, serum biochemical indicators, histopathology, microbiota, and metabolomics changes. Our study provides new insights into the mechanism of FSAE-induced diarrhea in rabbits and offers a novel mechanism for the interaction between gut microbiota, metabolomics, and gastrointestinal (GIT) dysfunction. Our results revealed that rabbits receiving FSAE showed a markedly higher diarrhea index and reduced body weight. Notably, levels of somatostatin, substance P, cholecystokinin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and acetylcholinesterase were significantly increased compared to control (P < 0.01). However, the levels of gastrin, motilin, enkephalin, and β-Endorphins were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Microbial analysis revealed a significant reduction in microbial diversity (Shannon, Simpson, ACE, and chao1) and a decrease in Firmicutes, Campilobacterota, and Proteobacteria populations in FSAE-exposed rabbits. Additionally, 13 key metabolites associated with taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, histidine metabolism, and citrate cycle were identified in the colonic tissues. The present study concludes that FSAE-induced diarrhea in rabbits is associated with significant histopathological alterations in the colon, dysregulation of serum biochemical markers, and dysbiosis in metabolomics and gut microbiota. Our findings offer a novel model for investigating GIT dysfunction and its potential treatments.