Determinants of cognitive performance and decline in 20 diverse ethno-regional groups: A COSMIC collaboration cohort study.

BACKGROUND: With no effective treatments for cognitive decline or dementia, improving the evidence base for modifiable risk factors is a research priority. This study investigated associations between risk factors and late-life cognitive decline on a global scale, including comparisons between ethno-regional groups. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We harmonized longitudinal data from 20 population-based cohorts from 15 countries over 5 continents, including 48,522 individuals (58.4% women) aged 54-105 (mean = 72.7) years and without dementia at baseline. Studies had 2-15 years of follow-up. The risk factors investigated were age, sex, education, alcohol consumption, anxiety, apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE*4) status, atrial fibrillation, blood pressure and pulse pressure, body mass index, cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, self-rated health, high cholesterol, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, physical activity, smoking, and history of stroke. Associations with risk factors were determined for a global cognitive composite outcome (memory, language, processing speed, and executive functioning tests) and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Individual participant data meta-analyses of multivariable linear mixed model results pooled across cohorts revealed that for at least 1 cognitive outcome, age (B = -0.1, SE = 0.01), APOE*4 carriage (B = -0.31, SE = 0.11), depression (B = -0.11, SE = 0.06), diabetes (B = -0.23, SE = 0.10), current smoking (B = -0.20, SE = 0.08), and history of stroke (B = -0.22, SE = 0.09) were independently associated with poorer cognitive performance (p < 0.05 for all), and higher levels of education (B = 0.12, SE = 0.02) and vigorous physical activity (B = 0.17, SE = 0.06) were associated with better performance (p < 0.01 for both). Age (B = -0.07, SE = 0.01), APOE*4 carriage (B = -0.41, SE = 0.18), and diabetes (B = -0.18, SE = 0.10) were independently associated with faster cognitive decline (p < 0.05 for all). Different effects between Asian people and white people included stronger associations for Asian people between ever smoking and poorer cognition (group by risk factor interaction: B = -0.24, SE = 0.12), and between diabetes and cognitive decline (B = -0.66, SE = 0.27; p < 0.05 for both). Limitations of our study include a loss or distortion of risk factor data with harmonization, and not investigating factors at midlife. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that education, smoking, physical activity, diabetes, and stroke are all modifiable factors associated with cognitive decline. If these factors are determined to be causal, controlling them could minimize worldwide levels of cognitive decline. However, any global prevention strategy may need to consider ethno-regional differences

Search for the supersymmetric partner of the top quark in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

17 pages, 11 figures. Published in Phys.Rev.D82:092001,2010.We present a search for the lightest supersymmetric partner of the top quark in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy √s=1.96  TeV. This search was conducted within the framework of the R parity conserving minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model, assuming the stop decays dominantly to a lepton, a sneutrino, and a bottom quark. We searched for events with two oppositely-charged leptons, at least one jet, and missing transverse energy in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1  fb-1 collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab experiment. No significant evidence of a stop quark signal was found. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level in the stop quark versus sneutrino mass plane are set. Stop quark masses up to 180  GeV/c2 are excluded for sneutrino masses around 45  GeV/c2, and sneutrino masses up to 116  GeV/c2 are excluded for stop quark masses around 150  GeV/c2.Peer reviewe

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Evidence for the charmless annihilation decay mode Bs0→π+π−B^0_s \to \pi^+\pi^-

We search for annihilation decay modes of neutral $b$ mesons into pairs of charmless charged hadrons with the upgraded Collider Detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. Using a data sample corresponding to 6 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity, we obtain the first evidence for the $B^0_s \to \pi^+\pi^-$ decay, with a significance of $3.7\sigma$, and a measured branching ratio $\mathcal{B}(B^0_s \to \pi^+\pi^-)= (0.57 \pm 0.15 (stat) \pm 0.10 (syst))\times 10^{-6}$. A search for the $B^0 \to K^+K^-$ mode in the same sample yields a significance of $2.0\sigma$, and a central value estimate $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to K^+K^-)= (0.23 \pm 0.10 (stat) \pm 0.10 (syst))\times 10^{-6}$.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables. Accepted by Phys.Rev.Let

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Search for the Rare Radiative Decay: W→πγW\rightarrow\pi\gamma in \ppbar\ Collisions at s=1.96\sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for the rare radiative decay \wpigamma\ using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.3 \invfb\ of proton-antiproton collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF experiment at Fermilab. As no statistically significant signal is observed, we set a 95% confidence level upper limit on the relative branching fraction \bratio\ at $6.4\times 10^{-5}$, a factor of 10 improvement over the previous limit

Search for New T′T^\prime Particles in Final States with Large Jet Multiplicities and Missing Transverse Energy in ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for a new particle T' decaying to a top quark via T' -> t + X, where X goes undetected. We use a data sample corresponding to 5.7 fb-1 of integrated luminosity of ppbar collisions with sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV, collected at Fermilab by the CDF II detector. Our search for pair production of T' is focused on the hadronic decay channel, ppbar -> T'T' -> tt +XX -> bbqqqq + XX. We interpret our results in terms of a model where T' is an exotic fourth generation quark and X is a dark matter candidate. The data are consistent with standard model expectations. We set a limit on the generic production of T'T'->tt+XX, excluding the fourth generation exotic quarks T' at 95% confidence level up to m_T' = 400 GeV/c2 for m_X < 70 GeV/c2

Search for Pair Production of Supersymmetric Top Quarks in Dilepton Events from ppˉp\bar{p} Collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV

Accepted to Phys. Rev. LettWe present the results of a search for pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark (the stop quark $\tilde{t}_{1}$) decaying to a $b$-quark and a chargino \chargino with a subsequent \chargino decay into a neutralino \neutralino, lepton $\ell$, and neutrino $\nu$. Using a data sample corresponding to 2.7 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity of $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.96$ TeV collected by the CDF II detector, we reconstruct the mass of candidate stop events and fit the observed mass spectrum to a combination of standard model processes and stop quark signal. We find no evidence for \pairstop production and set 95% C.L. limits on the masses of the stop quark and the neutralino for several values of the chargino mass and the branching ratio {\cal B}(\chargino\to\neutralino\ell^{\pm}\nu).We present the results of a search for pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark (the top squark t˜1) decaying to a b quark and a chargino χ˜1± with a subsequent χ˜1± decay into a neutralino χ˜10, lepton ℓ, and neutrino ν. Using a data sample corresponding to 2.7  fb-1 of integrated luminosity of pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV collected by the CDF II detector, we reconstruct the mass of top squark candidate events and fit the observed mass spectrum to a combination of standard model processes and t˜1t˜̅ 1 signal. We find no evidence for t˜1t˜̅ 1 production and set 95% C.L. limits on the masses of the top squark and the neutralino for several values of the chargino mass and the branching ratio B(χ˜1±→χ˜10ℓ±ν).Peer reviewe

Search for Gluino-Mediated Sbottom Production in p-pbar Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

Final version publish in PRLWe report on a search for the supersymmetric partner of the bottom quark produced from gluino decays in data from 2.5 fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. Candidate events are selected requiring two or more jets and large missing transverse energy. At least two of the jets are required to be tagged as originating from a b quark to enhance the sensitivity. The results are in good agreement with the prediction of the standard model processes, giving no evidence for gluino decay to sbottom quarks. This result constrains the gluino-pair-production cross section to be less than 40fb at 95% credibility level for a gluino mass of 350 GeV.We report on a search for the supersymmetric partner of the bottom quark produced from gluino decays in data from 2.5  fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab at √s=1.96  TeV. Candidate events are selected requiring two or more jets and large missing transverse energy. At least two of the jets are required to be tagged as originating from a b quark to enhance the sensitivity. The results are in good agreement with the prediction of the standard model processes, giving no evidence for gluino decay to bottom squarks. This result constrains the gluino-pair-production cross section to be less than 40 fb at 95% credibility level for a gluino mass of 350  GeV/c2.Peer reviewe