Investigating the Dynamics of Cardio-Metabolic Comorbidities and Their Interactions in Ageing Adults Through Dynamic Bayesian Networks

With increased longevity, the likelihood of developing multiple chronic diseases also increases. Among these, cardio-metabolic comorbidities represent a burden both in terms of individual quality of life and public health. Understanding the impact of risk factors and unravelling possible cross-effects between comorbidities themselves can facilitate care management and prevention strategies. In this work, we present a model of ageing progression and the onset of three cardio-metabolic diseases, namely type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems, together with survival, based on socio-demographic, clinical, and biomarkers data of more than 11,000 subjects available in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Leveraging dynamic Bayesian networks, our model effectively captures the probabilistic relationships between risk factors and morbidities over time, with many biological interactions known from the literature correctly encoded, such as the effect of body mass index and physical activity on the onset of cardio-metabolic diseases. Noticeably, some cross-relationships between outcomes’ occurrence also emerge, with an increased risk of heart problems in the presence of hypertension. In addition to the graphical description of the ageing process, we propose a simulation strategy that allows us to predict in silico the progression of the clinical state of a new patient population (iAUC between 0.62–0.83 for all outcomes), as well as a stratification analysis that allows investigating the effect of selected variables on the risk of developing morbidity. This approach provides valuable support for the acquisition of knowledge aimed at designing prevention strategies and targeted interventions to improve the health status of the ageing population

Resting-state electroencephalographic rhythms depend on sex in patients with dementia due to Parkinson's and Lewy Body diseases: An exploratory study

: Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are more prevalent in males than females. Furthermore, they typically showed abnormally high delta (< 4 Hz) and low alpha (8-10 Hz) rhythms from resting-state electroencephalographic (rsEEG) activity. Here, we hypothesized that those abnormalities may depend on the patient's sex. An international database provided clinical-demographic-rsEEG datasets for cognitively unimpaired older (Healthy; N = 49; 24 females), PDD (N = 39; 13 females), and DLB (N = 38; 15 females) participants. Each group was stratified into matched female and male subgroups. The rsEEG rhythms were investigated across the individual rsEEG delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands based on the individual alpha frequency peak. The eLORETA freeware was used to estimate cortical rsEEG sources. In the Healthy group, widespread rsEEG alpha source activities were greater in the females than in the males. In the PDD group, widespread rsEEG delta source activities were lower and widespread rsEEG alpha source activities were greater in the females than in the males. In the DLB group, central-parietal rsEEG delta source activities were lower, and posterior rsEEG alpha source activities were greater in the females than in the males. These results suggest sex-dependent hormonal modulation of neuroprotective-compensatory neurophysiological mechanisms in PDD and DLB patients underlying the generation of rsEEG delta and alpha rhythms, which should be considered in the treatment of vigilance dysregulation in those patients

Heterogeneous oxidation involving different atomic clusters in sintering-free amorphous SiBCN ceramic with MA@PDC-SiBCN structure

Amorphous SiBCN monoliths featuring a structure of three-dimensional PDC-SiBCN network encapsulating MA-SiBCN nanoparticles (MA@PDC-SiBCN), were prepared without the need for sintering densification (>1800 °C), enabling preparation of dense ceramics at a much lower temperature (1100 °C). The continuous PDC-SiBCN network effectively inhibits oxygen diffusion, reducing the mass loss from B–C–N cluster oxidation and mass gain from silicon-containing clusters by 51.5 % and 86.9 %, respectively. Besides, the phase-separation coupled heterogeneous oxidation behaviors and kinetics of different atomic clusters in MA@PDC-SiBCN ceramic during non-isothermal oxidation up to 1500 °C were investigated. Finally, the evolution of the different atomic clusters within the oxide layer during the heterogeneous oxidation process was analyzed to elucidate the micro-mechanisms behind the enhanced oxidation resistance

The bidirectional interplay between T cell-based immunotherapies and the tumor microenvironment

: T cell-based therapies, including Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte Therapy (TIL), T cell receptor engineered T cells (TCR T), and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells (CAR T), are powerful therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. While these therapies are primarily known for their direct cytotoxic effects on cancer cells, accumulating evidence indicates that they also influence the tumor microenvironment (TME), by altering the cytokine milieu and recruiting additional effector populations to help orchestrate the antitumor immune response. Conversely, the TME itself can modulate the behaviour of these therapies within the host by either supporting or inhibiting their activity. In this review we provide an overview of clinical and preclinical data on the bidirectional influences between T cell therapies and the TME. Unravelling the interactions between T cell-based therapies and the TME is critical for a better understanding of their mechanisms of action, resistance, and toxicity, with the goal of optimizing efficacy and safety

Development and validation of the infant nursing assessment scale: Results from exploratory factor analysis and Rasch modeling

Purpose: The primary challenge in infant care is developing a comprehensive, rapid, and reliable assessment tool that is minimally dependent on subjective evaluations and applicable in various inpatient settings. This study aims to develop and assess the structural validity of the Infant Nursing Assessment Scale (INA), enabling a comprehensive evaluation of hospitalized newborns and infants. Design and methods: A development and validation study based on cross-sectional design was undertaken. The study included the conceptualization and validation of the INA scale through qualitative expert interviews, followed by a pilot study and psychometric evaluation using exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis. The INA scale comprises three subscales: Functionality, Breastfeeding, and Parental-infant relationship dynamics, encompassing 22 items. Results: The study included 319 valid measurements, with significant score decreases from admission to discharge in most items, indicating the scale's sensitivity to clinical status changes. Factor analysis revealed strong structural validity while the Rasch analysis revealed optimal Infit and Outfit Mean-Square values for most items. Items Sensorium and Mother's substance use did not show significant changes and were considered for removal. The scale's internal consistency was acceptable, with Cronbach's Alpha values ranging from 0.59 to 0.74 across subscales. Conclusions: The INA scale is a reliable instrument for assessing the comprehensive needs of hospitalized infants, supporting targeted nursing interventions and enhancing the quality of pediatric care. The study confirms the INA scale's validity and reliability, highlighting its potential for broader application in various in-hospital clinical settings

Motor and visuospatial processing profile in a cross-conditions study: A comparison between developmental coordination disorder and nonverbal learning disability

Background: Neurodevelopmental conditions often exhibit overlapping symptoms, posing challenges for differential diagnosis. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) manifests as fundamental motor impairments, often along with co-occurring visuospatial difficulties. Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) features visuospatial core challenges, with a less consistent characterization of its motor profile. Strikingly, to date no study has directly compared DCD and NLD profiles. Aims: The present study aimed to analyze whether DCD and NLD share any characteristics by contrasting their motor and visuospatial performances, comparing them with non-diagnosed (ND) peers. Methods and Procedures: A total of 102 participants (8–16 years; DCD N = 29, NLD N = 29, ND N = 44) completed motor and visuospatial tasks. The groups’ performance was compared, and the discriminatory power of the measures administered was analyzed. Outcomes and Results: Our findings support the substantial motor and visuospatial impairments in DCD and NLD, respectively. Regarding diagnostic efficacy, motor and visuospatial tasks effectively differentiated DCD or NLD from ND, with specificities related to each condition. Balance, and to a lesser extent, Spatial Processing revealed significant predictive power in distinguishing between DCD and NLD. Conclusions and Implications: Our results revealed cross-disorder similarities and highlighted specific hallmarks, corroborating the need of a comprehensive motor and visuospatial assessment for distinguishing between DCD and NLD