Predictive Scale for Amyloid PET Positivity Based on Clinical and MRI Variables in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

The presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition is considered important in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), since they can progress to Alzheimer's disease dementia. Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) has been used for detecting Aβ deposition, but its high cost is a significant barrier for clinical usage. Therefore, we aimed to develop a new predictive scale for amyloid PET positivity using easily accessible tools. Overall, 161 aMCI patients were recruited from six memory clinics and underwent neuropsychological tests, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype testing, and amyloid PET. Among the potential predictors, verbal and visual memory tests, medial temporal lobe atrophy, APOE genotype, and age showed significant differences between the Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative groups and were combined to make a model for predicting amyloid PET positivity with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.856. Based on the best model, we developed the new predictive scale comprising integers, which had an optimal cutoff score ≥ 3. The new predictive scale was validated in another cohort of 98 participants and showed a good performance with AUC of 0.835. This new predictive scale with accessible variables may be useful for predicting Aβ positivity in aMCI patients in clinical practice

The BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism Affects the Vulnerability of the Brain Structural Network

Val66Met, a naturally occurring polymorphism in the human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene resulting in a valine (Val) to methionine (Met) substitution at codon 66, plays an important role in neuroplasticity. While the effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on local brain structures has previously been examined, its impact on the configuration of the graph-based white matter structural networks is yet to be investigated. In the current study, we assessed the effect of the BDNF polymorphism on the network properties and robustness of the graph-based white matter structural networks. Graph theory was employed to investigate the structural connectivity derived from white matter tractography in two groups, Val homozygotes (n = 18) and Met-allele carriers (n = 55). Although there were no differences in the global network measures including global efficiency, local efficiency, and modularity between the two genotype groups, we found the effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on the robustness properties of the white matter structural networks. Specifically, the white matter structural networks of the Met-allele carrier group showed higher vulnerability to targeted removal of central nodes as compared with those of the Val homozygote group. These findings suggest that the central role of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in regards to neuroplasticity may be associated with inherent differences in the robustness of the white matter structural network according to the genetic variants. Furthermore, greater susceptibility to brain disorders in Met-allele carriers may be understood as being due to their limited stability in white matter structural connectivity

Comparative Analysis Of Energy Expenditure Assessments From The Graded Exercise Test Vs. Galaxy Watch And Apple Watch In Korean College Students During A 30-minute Workout: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES In the modern era, there is heightened interest in understanding energy expenditure during exercise. Consequently, wearable devices such as the Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch have emerged as pivotal tools for daily health monitoring, given their convenience and increasing popularity. This study aimed to compare the calculated energy expenditure derived from the graded exercise test with readings from Galaxy and Apple Watches during a 30-min exercise session among Korean university students. Through this, we anticipate offering both motivation and clear insights into energy expenditure, thereby potentially aiding in weight management strategies for contemporary individuals. METHODS This study involved 27 college students from Korea National University of Transportation in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. We utilized COSMED's exercise load respiratory gas analysis system (Quark-CPET, COSMED, Rome, Italy), along with the Galaxy Watch (Galaxy Watch 5, Samsung, Seoul, Korea) and the Apple Watch (Apple watch series 5, Apple, Cupertino, USA) for measurements. Energy expenditure was monitored in real-time every 5 min throughout the 30-min exercise session. For statistical evaluations, we employed a one-way analysis of variance. Subsequent post-tests utilized the Tukey post-hoc test and Pearson correlation, with a significance level set at p0.05). Conversely, a notable difference was observed when comparing energy expenditure data from the graded exercise test to that of the Apple Watch for time intervals of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 min (p>0.05), although the 5-min interval did not exhibit a significant difference (p>0.05). Furthermore, a robust positive correlation was evident between the energy expenditure values derived from the graded exercise test and those from both the Galaxy Watch (r=0.952, p<0.001) and the Apple Watch (r=0.917, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Both devices demonstrated high reliability in calculating energy expenditure. Notably, the Galaxy Watch exhibited a more precise calculation compared to the Apple Watch, with a relative reliability margin of 3.5% higher. For individuals, especially those struggling with obesity, precise wearable devices that accurately reflect energy consumption can significantly boost motivation for exercise. Consequently, this study lays a foundation for future advancements in energy expenditure measurement tools, emphasizing enhanced convenience, reliability, and mobility

Identification of novel peptides that stimulate human neutrophils

Neutrophils play a key role in innate immunity, and the identification of new stimuli that stimulate neutrophil activity is a very important issue. In this study, we identified three novel peptides by screening a synthetic hexapeptide combinatorial library. The identified peptides GMMWAI, MMHWAM, and MMHWFM caused an increase in intracellular Ca2+ in a concentration-dependent manner via phospholipase C activity in human neutrophils. The three peptides acted specifically on neutrophils and monocytes and not on other non-leukocytic cells. As a physiological characteristic of the peptides, we observed that the three peptides induced chemotactic migration of neutrophils as well as stimulated superoxide anion production. Studying receptor specificity, we observed that two of the peptides (GMMWAI and MMHWFM) acted on formyl peptide receptor (FPR)1 while the other peptide (MMHWAM) acted on FPR2. Since the three novel peptides were specific agonists for FPR1 or FPR2, they might be useful tools to study FPR1- or FPR2-mediated immune response and signaling

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

A critical review on risk evaluation and hazardous management in carcass burial

Carcass disposal from livestock disease outbreaks or on-farm, routine mortalities present a number of challenges. Proper management of carcasses can no longer be addressed as an incidental occurrence, as they represent a persistent pathway of infectious agricultural wastes with potential to harm the environment. The long-term management of carcass disposal sites is essential irrespective of the cause of mortality. Critically this ensures eradication of disease and environmental protection from a range of biological and chemical hazards. Strategies for large-scale carcass disposal require preparation and coordinated, proactive planning in advance of emergencies to meet environmental protection guidelines and maximize the efficiency of response. Carcass disposal methods include burial, incineration, composting, alkaline hydrolysis, lactic acid fermentation and anaerobic digestion. Burial techniques include trench burial, landfill, and notably mass burial as one of the most common methods of disposal. However, there are concerns about possible impacts to the environment and subsequent risk to human health regardless of the initial logistical and economic advantages. This review provides an overview of our current understanding of the potential threats of carcass burial and possible management options. The environmental implications of terminating burials is discussed as is the role of biochar and phytoremediation which can contribute to the management of burials. These examples are considered in the case study context of Korea where long-term considerations remain a priority. The outcome of the review is structured to provide information to decision-makers that is of value when equipping themselves with comprehensive guidelines for the sustained management of carcass burials. Finally, recommendations that address future research needs are outlined

Experimental estimation of radiation damage induced by 10B(n, ??)7Li reactions in Al-B4C neutron absorber discharged from spent nuclear fuel pool

Al-B4C neutron absorbers in spent fuel pools have been assumed to have negligible radiation damage and helium generation from 10B(n, ??)7Li reactions. However, surveillance coupons have shown highly radiation-damaged microstructure. We conducted 200 keV He+ ion irradiation on Al 6061 at three different doses (0.1, 1, and 10 dpa) and compared the microstructures to the surveillance coupon. The neutron absorber&apos;s bubble size (25.9 ?? 7.4 nm) was most similar to the 10 dpa irradiated specimen (28.4 ?? 13.8 nm). Commercial neutron absorber (BORAL and MAXUS??) were also irradiated up to 10 dpa and showed preferential cavity formation along grain boundaries

Identification of Geriatric Depression and Anxiety Using Activity Tracking Data and Minimal Geriatric Assessment Scales

The identification of geriatric depression and anxiety is important because such conditions are the most common comorbid mood problems that occur in older adults. The goal of this study was to build a machine learning framework that identifies geriatric mood disorders of depression and anxiety using low-cost activity trackers and minimal geriatric assessment scales. We collected activity tracking data from 352 mild cognitive impairment patients, from 60 to 90 in age, by having them wear activity trackers on their wrist for more than a month. We then extracted the features of 24-h activity rhythms and sleep patterns from the time-series activity tracking data. To increase the accuracy, we designed a novel method to incorporate additional features from questionnaire-based assessments of the geriatric depression scale and geriatric anxiety inventory into the activity tracking features. In the multi-label classification, we applied the binary relevance method to develop two single-label classifiers for depression and anxiety. The best hyper-parameters of classification algorithms for each label were selected by comparing the classification performance. We finally selected the combination of classifiers for depression and anxiety with the lowest Hamming loss as a multi-label classifier. This study successfully demonstrated the possibility of identifying geriatric depression and anxiety using low-cost activity trackers and minimal geriatric assessment scales for use in the real fields

Identification of Geriatric Depression and Anxiety Using Activity Tracking Data and Minimal Geriatric Assessment Scales

The identification of geriatric depression and anxiety is important because such conditions are the most common comorbid mood problems that occur in older adults. The goal of this study was to build a machine learning framework that identifies geriatric mood disorders of depression and anxiety using low-cost activity trackers and minimal geriatric assessment scales. We collected activity tracking data from 352 mild cognitive impairment patients, from 60 to 90 in age, by having them wear activity trackers on their wrist for more than a month. We then extracted the features of 24-h activity rhythms and sleep patterns from the time-series activity tracking data. To increase the accuracy, we designed a novel method to incorporate additional features from questionnaire-based assessments of the geriatric depression scale and geriatric anxiety inventory into the activity tracking features. In the multi-label classification, we applied the binary relevance method to develop two single-label classifiers for depression and anxiety. The best hyper-parameters of classification algorithms for each label were selected by comparing the classification performance. We finally selected the combination of classifiers for depression and anxiety with the lowest Hamming loss as a multi-label classifier. This study successfully demonstrated the possibility of identifying geriatric depression and anxiety using low-cost activity trackers and minimal geriatric assessment scales for use in the real fields

Increased accumulation of Staufen in nucleus contributes to C9ALS/FTD pathology

G4C2 repeat expansion mutation of C9orf72 is the most common cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). RNA G4C2 repeats produce 5 dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins via repeat-associated non-ATG translation. Arginine-rich DPR proteins such as polyGly-Arg (GR) and polyPro-Arg (PR) are highly toxic and can perturb the dynamics and functions of various RNA binding proteins (RBPs). Recently, Staufen, a double-stranded RNA binding protein, was identified as one of the top interactors of poly (GR) and poly (PR), but the way in which Staufen mediates toxicity is currently unknown. Here, we show that poly (GR) and poly (PR) cause RNA-dependent nuclear accumulation of Staufen. Taken together, these data suggest that nuclear accumulation of Staufen may contribute to C9ALS/FTD pathogenesis