-
Insects May 2024The dispersal strategies of a species can affect its invasion success. Investigations into the dispersal strategies of invasive species in relation to different factors...
The dispersal strategies of a species can affect its invasion success. Investigations into the dispersal strategies of invasive species in relation to different factors help improve our understanding of invasion mechanisms and provide knowledge for population management and invasion evaluation. Zacher (Acari: Tetranychidae) is an invasive species which is native to Europe but is now cosmopolitan. Here, we examined the effects of age and density on dispersal in mated females. Our results show that older females that are capable of producing more eggs within 24 h were more likely to disperse and moved longer distances than younger ones with fewer eggs. Older females spread most of their eggs out of their natal habitats and over longer distances, which reduced competition and increased offspring fitness. Females exhibited significantly increased dispersal probability and distances with an increase in population density to avoid crowding. The synchronization of dispersal and reproduction, along with the positive density-dependent dispersal strategy, may facilitate the habitat colonization and invasion speed of .
PubMed: 38921102
DOI: 10.3390/insects15060387 -
Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and... 2024This study assessed possible associations among physical activity (PA), sitting time (ST), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the individual components thereof. We analyzed...
Influence of Central Obesity on Associations Between Physical Activity, Sitting Time, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Urban China: A Cross-Sectional Study.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed possible associations among physical activity (PA), sitting time (ST), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the individual components thereof. We analyzed the entire study sample and subpopulations stratified by visceral fat area (VFA). We hypothesized that individuals with elevated VFA might respond differently to modifiers of metabolic health, including PA and ST.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study, conducted between March and May 2010, enrolled 957 adults with abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aged 40-65 years living in the urban communities in Hangzhou, China. PA and ST were recorded using the standard International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and categorized into three levels. The ethnicity-specific cutoff for central obesity was VFA ≥ 80 cm on MRI according to Chinese population-based research. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between PA, ST, MetS and its components.
RESULTS
In the total subject population, participants reporting high level of PA were at a lower risk of MetS (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.86) than those declaring low PA. In the subgroup population with VFA ≥ 80 cm (ie, with central obesity), moderate-to-high PA levels were associated with a lower risk of MetS (p for trend < 0.05) and a lower risk of decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations (p for trend < 0.05). In addition, ST > 3 h/day was a risk factor for both MetS (p for trend < 0.05) and hypertriglyceridemia (p for trend < 0.05) in the total subject population. While in the central obesity subgroup, ST > 3 h/day was found a stronger risk factor.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests that moderate-to-high levels of PA may have a role in prevention of MetS, and ST > 3 h/day was associated with a higher risk of MetS, particularly in individuals with central obesity.
PubMed: 38919982
DOI: 10.2147/DMSO.S457455 -
Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 2024Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), is an increasingly serious public health issue. So far, several traditional regression models and machine...
INTRODUCTION
Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), is an increasingly serious public health issue. So far, several traditional regression models and machine learning (ML) algorithms have been proposed for predicting osteoporosis risk. However, these models have shown relatively low accuracy in clinical implementation. Recently proposed deep learning (DL) approaches, such as deep neural network (DNN), which can discover knowledge from complex hidden interactions, offer a new opportunity to improve predictive performance. In this study, we aimed to assess whether DNN can achieve a better performance in osteoporosis risk prediction.
METHODS
By utilizing hip BMD and extensive demographic and routine clinical data of 8,134 subjects with age more than 40 from the Louisiana Osteoporosis Study (LOS), we developed and constructed a novel DNN framework for predicting osteoporosis risk and compared its performance in osteoporosis risk prediction with four conventional ML models, namely random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and support vector machine (SVM), as well as a traditional regression model termed osteoporosis self-assessment tool (OST). Model performance was assessed by area under 'receiver operating curve' (AUC) and accuracy.
RESULTS
By using 16 discriminative variables, we observed that the DNN approach achieved the best predictive performance (AUC = 0.848) in classifying osteoporosis (hip BMD T-score ≤ -1.0) and non-osteoporosis risk (hip BMD T-score > -1.0) subjects, compared to the other approaches. Feature importance analysis showed that the top 10 most important variables identified by the DNN model were weight, age, gender, grip strength, height, beer drinking, diastolic pressure, alcohol drinking, smoke years, and economic level. Furthermore, we performed subsampling analysis to assess the effects of varying number of sample size and variables on the predictive performance of these tested models. Notably, we observed that the DNN model performed equally well (AUC = 0.846) even by utilizing only the top 10 most important variables for osteoporosis risk prediction. Meanwhile, the DNN model can still achieve a high predictive performance (AUC = 0.826) when sample size was reduced to 50% of the original dataset.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we developed a novel DNN model which was considered to be an effective algorithm for early diagnosis and intervention of osteoporosis in the aging population.
PubMed: 38919268
DOI: 10.3389/frai.2024.1355287 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Jun 2024Annual epidemics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) had consistent timing and intensity between seasons prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19). However, starting...
BACKGROUND
Annual epidemics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) had consistent timing and intensity between seasons prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19). However, starting in April 2020, RSV seasonal activity declined due to COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) before re-emerging after relaxation of NPIs. We described the unusual patterns of RSV epidemics that occurred in multiple subsequent waves following COVID-19 in different countries and explored factors associated with these patterns.
METHODS
Weekly cases of RSV from twenty-eight countries were obtained from the World Health Organisation and combined with data on country-level characteristics and the stringency of the COVID-19 response. Dynamic time warping and regression were used to cluster time series patterns and describe epidemic characteristics before and after COVID-19 pandemic, and identify related factors.
RESULTS
While the first wave of RSV epidemics following pandemic suppression exhibited unusual patterns, the second and third waves more closely resembled typical RSV patterns in many countries. Post-pandemic RSV patterns differed in their intensity and/or timing, with several broad patterns across the countries. The onset and peak timings of the first and second waves of RSV epidemics following COVID-19 suppression were earlier in the Southern than Northern Hemisphere. The second wave of RSV epidemics was also earlier with higher population density, and delayed if the intensity of the first wave was higher. More stringent NPIs were associated with lower RSV growth rate and intensity and a shorter gap between the first and second waves.
CONCLUSION
Patterns of RSV activity have largely returned to normal following successive waves in the post-pandemic era. Onset and peak timings of future epidemics following disruption of normal RSV dynamics need close monitoring to inform the delivery of preventive and control measures.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; SARS-CoV-2; Global Health; Seasons; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human; Pandemics
PubMed: 38918718
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09509-4 -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2024A major concern with weight loss is concomitant bone loss. Exercise and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) represent weight loss strategies that may... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
IMPORTANCE
A major concern with weight loss is concomitant bone loss. Exercise and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) represent weight loss strategies that may protect bone mass despite weight loss.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate bone health at clinically relevant sites (hip, spine, and forearm) after diet-induced weight loss followed by a 1-year intervention with exercise, liraglutide, or both combined.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This study was a predefined secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial conducted between August 2016 and November 2019 at the University of Copenhagen and Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark. Eligible participants included adults aged 18 to 65 years with obesity (body mass index of 32-43) and without diabetes. Data analysis was conducted from March to April 2023, with additional analysis in February 2024 during revision.
INTERVENTIONS
After an 8-week low-calorie diet (800 kcal/day), participants were randomized to 1 of 4 groups for 52 weeks: a moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise program (exercise alone), 3.0 mg daily of the GLP-1 RA liraglutide (liraglutide alone), the combination, or placebo.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was change in site-specific bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip, lumbar spine, and distal forearm from before the low-calorie diet to the end of treatment, measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in the intention-to-treat population.
RESULTS
In total, 195 participants (mean [SD] age, 42.84 [11.87] years; 124 female [64%] and 71 male [36%]; mean [SD] BMI, 37.00 [2.92]) were randomized, with 48 participants in the exercise group, 49 participants in the liraglutide group, 49 participants in the combination group, and 49 participants in the placebo group. The total estimated mean change in weight losses during the study was 7.03 kg (95% CI, 4.25-9.80 kg) in the placebo group, 11.19 kg (95% CI, 8.40-13.99 kg) in the exercise group, 13.74 kg (95% CI, 11.04-16.44 kg) in the liraglutide group, and 16.88 kg (95% CI, 14.23-19.54 kg) in the combination group. In the combination group, BMD was unchanged compared with the placebo group at the hip (mean change, -0.006 g/cm2; 95% CI, -0.017 to 0.004 g/cm2; P = .24) and lumbar spine (-0.010 g/cm2; 95% CI, -0.025 to 0.005 g/cm2; P = .20). Compared with the exercise group, BMD decreased for the liraglutide group at the hip (mean change, -0.013 g/cm2; 95% CI, -0.024 to -0.001 g/cm2; P = .03) and spine (mean change, -0.016 g/cm2; 95% CI, -0.032 to -0.001 g/cm2; P = .04).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this randomized clinical trial, the combination of exercise and GLP-1RA (liraglutide) was the most effective weight loss strategy while preserving bone health. Liraglutide treatment alone reduced BMD at clinically relevant sites more than exercise alone despite similar weight loss.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
EudraCT: 2015-005585-32.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Liraglutide; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; Bone Density; Adult; Exercise; Obesity; Weight Loss; Hypoglycemic Agents; Aged; Combined Modality Therapy; Denmark
PubMed: 38916894
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.16775 -
Ibrain 2024Neurodegenerative diseases represent an increasingly burdensome challenge of the past decade, primarily driven by the global aging of the population. Ongoing efforts...
Neurodegenerative diseases represent an increasingly burdensome challenge of the past decade, primarily driven by the global aging of the population. Ongoing efforts focus on implementing diverse strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of neurodegeneration, with the goal of decelerating the pathology progression. Notably, in recent years, it has emerged that the use of nanoparticles (NPs), particularly those obtained through green chemical processes, could constitute a promising therapeutic approach. Green NPs, exclusively sourced from phytochemicals, are deemed safer compared to NPs synthetized through conventional chemical route. In this study, the effects of green chemistry-derived silver NPs (AgNPs) were assessed in neuroblastoma cells, SHSY-5Y, which are considered a pivotal model for investigating neurodegenerative diseases. Specifically, we used two different concentrations (0.5 and 1 µM) of AgNPs and two time points (24 and 48 h) to evaluate the impact on neuroblastoma cells by observing viability reduction and intracellular calcium production, especially using 1 µM at 48 h. Furthermore, investigation using atomic force microscopy (AFM) unveiled an alteration in Young's modulus due to the reorganization of cortical actin following exposure to green AgNPs. This evidence was further corroborated by confocal microscopy acquisitions as well as coherency and density analyses on actin fibers. Our in vitro findings suggest the potential efficacy of green AgNPs against neurodegeneration; therefore, further in vivo studies are imperative to optimize possible therapeutic protocols.
PubMed: 38915951
DOI: 10.1002/ibra.12157 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024Understanding how variation in key abiotic and biotic factors interact at spatial scales relevant for mosquito fitness and population dynamics is crucial for predicting...
Understanding how variation in key abiotic and biotic factors interact at spatial scales relevant for mosquito fitness and population dynamics is crucial for predicting current and future mosquito distributions and abundances, and the transmission potential for human pathogens. However, studies investigating the effects of environmental variation on mosquito traits have investigated environmental factors in isolation or in laboratory experiments that examine constant environmental conditions that often do not occur in the field. To address these limitations, we conducted a semi-field experiment in Athens, Georgia using the invasive Asian tiger mosquito (). We selected nine sites that spanned natural variation in impervious surface and vegetation cover to explore effects of the microclimate (temperature and humidity) on mosquitoes. On these sites, we manipulated conspecific larval density at each site. We repeated the experiment in the summer and fall. We then evaluated the effects of land cover, larval density, and time of season, as well as interactive effects, on the mean proportion of females emerging, juvenile development time, size upon emergence, and predicted per capita population growth (i.e., fitness). We found significant effects of larval density, land cover, and season on all response variables. Of most note, we saw strong interactive effects of season and intra-specific density on each response variable, including a non-intuitive decrease in development time with increasing intra-specific competition in the fall. Our study demonstrates that ignoring the interaction between variation in biotic and abiotic variables could reduce the accuracy and precision of models used to predict mosquito population and pathogen transmission dynamics, especially those inferring dynamics at finer-spatial scales across which transmission and control occur.
PubMed: 38915528
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.08.598043 -
BMC Endocrine Disorders Jun 2024Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors and the Framingham risk score (FRS) is a useful metric for measuring the 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk...
Framingham risk scores for determination the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease in participants with and without the metabolic syndrome: results of the Fasa Persian cohort study.
BACKGROUND
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors and the Framingham risk score (FRS) is a useful metric for measuring the 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of the population. The present study aimed to determine the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease using the Framingham risk score in people with and without MetS in a large Iranian cohort study.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study was done using the Fasa cohort. Participants aged ≥ 35 years old were recruited to the study from 2015 to 2016. The FRS was calculated using age, sex, current smoking, diabetes, systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. MetS was defined as the presence of three or more of the MetS risk factors including triglyceride (TG) level ≥ 150 mg dl, HDL level < 40 mg dl in men and < 50 mg dl in women, systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥ 130/≥85 mmHg or using medicine for hypertension, fasting blood sugar (FBS) level ≥ 100 mg dl or using diabetes medication and abdominal obesity considered as waist circumference (WC) ≥ 88 cm for women and ≥ 102 cm for men. Multiple logistic regressions were applied to estimate the 10- year CVD risk among people with and without MetS.
RESULTS
Of 8949 participants, 1928 people (21.6%) had MetS. The mean age of the participants with and without Mets was 50.4 ± 9.2 years and 46.9 ± 9.1 years respectively. In total 15.3% of participants with MetS and 8.0% of participants without MetS were in the high-risk category of 10-year CVD risk. Among participants with MetS gender, TG, SBP, FBS and in people without MetS gender, TG, SBP, FBS, and HDL showed strong associations with the predicted 10-year CVD risk.
CONCLUSION
Male sex and increased SBP, TG, and FBS parameters were strongly associated with increased 10-year risk of CVD in people with and without MetS. In people without MetS, reduced HDL-cholestrol was strongly associated with increased 10-year risk of CVD. The recognition of participant's TG, blood pressure (BP), FBS and planning appropriate lifestyle interventions related to these characteristics is an important step towards prevention of CVD.
Topics: Humans; Metabolic Syndrome; Male; Female; Cardiovascular Diseases; Middle Aged; Iran; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adult; Risk Factors; Cohort Studies; Follow-Up Studies; Prognosis; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 38915041
DOI: 10.1186/s12902-024-01621-5 -
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders Jun 2024To investigate the association between cumulative exposure to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in the young adulthood... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between cumulative exposure to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in the young adulthood population.
METHODS
Young adult subject (18-45 year old) from the Kailuan Study group who participated in the same period of follow-up and received carotid artery ultrasound were selected as the observation subjects. Among them, 3651 cases met the inclusion criteria, which required that carotid artery color ultrasound examinations be completed from 2010 to 2016, with complete IMT measurements, LDL-C data collected at least twice before carotid ultrasound, and participants' age to be ≤ 45 years at the time of carotid artery color ultrasound examination. Linear regression was used to analyze the correlation between time-weighted average (TWA) to LDL-C cumulative exposure and IMT the young population. Logistic regression was used to analyze the effects of different TWA groups on IMT thickening. Considering that the use of anti hypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs may affect TWA LDL-C, this study excluded people taking antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs, and conducted a repeat analysis of the main results.
RESULTS
There was a positive correlation between TWA LDL-C and IMT, with IMT increasing by 0.017 mm when TWA LDL-C increased by 1 mmol/L * year. The TWA LDL-C in the highest group was identified as a risk factor for IMT thickening, with odds ratio (OR) values of 1.812(1.027 ~ 3.200) in the T3 group. After excluding patients taking antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs, the results still showed that the T3 group with the highest TWA LDL-C was a risk factor for IMT thickening, with an OR value of 1.850(0.988-3.464), P for trend is 0.043.
CONCLUSION
This cohort study revealed that TWA LDL-C is positively correlated with IMT in young adulthood for risk stratification, and control LDL-C levels at an earlier age may reduce the lifetime risk of developing atherosclerotic disease.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ChiCTR-TNC-11001489.
Topics: Humans; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Adult; Cholesterol, LDL; Male; Young Adult; Female; Carotid Artery Diseases; Adolescent; Risk Assessment; Biomarkers; Risk Factors; Middle Aged; Time Factors; Age Factors; China; Predictive Value of Tests; Dyslipidemias
PubMed: 38914954
DOI: 10.1186/s12872-024-03977-x -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2024Recent evidence suggests that childhood levels of serum lipids, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and smoking contribute to adult risk of cardiovascular disease...
IMPORTANCE
Recent evidence suggests that childhood levels of serum lipids, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and smoking contribute to adult risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Evidence is lacking on whether this is independent of adult risk levels.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify direct and indirect effects of childhood risk factors on adult CVD via adulthood risk factors using mediation analysis, and to quantify their relative importance during different life-course stages using a life-course approach.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This prospective cohort study followed participants from the US, Finland, and Australia from childhood (1970s-1990s) until 2019, with data on CVD risk factors in childhood and adulthood. Longitudinal childhood and adulthood risk factors were summarized to describe BMI, lipids, and blood pressure cumulatively. Childhood and adulthood smoking were assessed with questionnaires. Data analysis was performed May 2022 to August 2023.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcomes were fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events in adulthood. Mediation analysis was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of the childhood risk factors with CVD events, reported as incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs.
RESULTS
A total of 10 634 participants (4506 male participants [42.4%]; mean [SD] age at childhood visit, 13.3 [3.0] years; mean [SD] age at adulthood visit, 32.3 [6.0] years) were included in the cohort. The mean (SD) age at CVD event or censoring was 49.2 (7.0) years. The median (IQR) follow-up time was 23.6 (18.7-30.2) years. Childhood risk factors, (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides, systolic blood pressure [SBP], smoking, BMI, and a combined score of these) were associated with CVD. BMI (direct effect for incidence RR per 1 SD unit, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.34) and LDL-C (direct effect incidence RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.34) in particular were found to play an important role via direct pathways, whereas the indirect effects were larger for TC, triglycerides, SBP, and the combined score. Childhood smoking only affected CVD via adulthood smoking. Life-course models confirmed that for the risk of CVD, childhood BMI plays nearly as important role as adulthood BMI, whereas for the other risk factors and the combined score, adulthood was the more important period.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this cohort study of 10 634 participants, childhood risk factors were found to be associated both directly and indirectly to adult CVD, with the largest direct effect seen for BMI and LDL-C. These findings suggest that intervention for childhood risk factors, in particular BMI, is warranted to reduce incidence of adult CVD as it cannot be fully mitigated by risk factor management in adulthood.
Topics: Humans; Male; Cardiovascular Diseases; Female; Child; Prospective Studies; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Finland; Middle Aged; Adolescent; Adult; Body Mass Index; Australia; Smoking; Risk Factors; United States; Blood Pressure; Incidence
PubMed: 38913374
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.18148