Search

The objective of our research was to determine the effects of xanthohumol (XN), a flavonoid isolated from hops (Humulus lupulus), and the anti-inflammatory drug niflumic acid (NA), separately and in combination with each other, on the proliferation of human cancer cells. Additionally, so as to understand the mechanism underlying the anticancer properties of the tested compounds, their effects on the biophysical parameters of a model membrane were assessed. The cells were incubated with XN and NA at various concentrations, either individually or in combination with each other. Cell proliferation was quantified using the sulforodamine B (SRB) assay. In addition, the IC50 values for niflumic acid and xanthohumol applied separately were determined by cell proliferation tests for the following human cancer cell lines: 5637 (urinary bladder carcinoma), A-431 (epidermoid carcinoma), UM-SCC-17A (head and neck squamous carcinoma), SK-MEL-3 (melanoma), MCC13 (Merkel cell cancer), and A172 (glioblastoma), in comparison with the mouse normal fibroblasts (BALB/3T3 clone A31). The results show that the two-compound combinations of XN and NA significantly decreased the proliferation of cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner, and the effects were stronger than the additive responses to XN and NA individually. The membrane studies revealed a synergistic effect on the membrane rigidity when using the mixture of XN and NA, which may explain the observed increase in anticancer activity for the combined XN and NA. Our results suggest that NSAIDs, such as niflumic acid, may be a promising strategy for co-application with xanthohumol as anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has emerged as a novel biomarker for detecting insulin resistance (IR) and has been proven to be associated with various diseases. However, its correlation with the prognosis of severe sepsis remains unraveled. This retrospective cohort study utilized patient records from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV, version 2.2) to examine the outcomes of patients with sepsis. The primary outcomes were hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. The correlation between the TyG index and outcomes was evaluated through the Kaplan-Meier method, the Log-rank test, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Additionally, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analysis was employed to delve into the nonlinear relationship between baseline TyG index and outcomes, with trend significance assessed through quartile levels. Subgroup analyses were conducted to evaluate the consistency of the TyG index's prognostic value across various influencing factors. The study included 1,742 patients with sepsis requiring intensive care. The in-hospital mortality rate was 19.75% (344/1,742), and the ICU mortality rate was 14.75% (257/1,742). Cox regression analysis revealed that, in comparison to the first quartile (Q1), patients in the fourth quartile (Q4) had a 63% higher risk of in-hospital mortality (HR 1.63 [95% CI 1.22 to 2.18], P < 0.01) and a 79% higher risk of ICU mortality (HR 1.79 [95% CI 1.28 to 2.51], P < 0.001). Model 3 showed that ICU mortality risks for Q4, Q3, and Q2 were 240%, 75%, and 33% higher, respectively (HR 3.40 [95% CI 2.24 to 5.16], P < 0.001; HR 1.75 [95% CI 1.16 to 2.63], P = 0.007; HR 1.33 [95% CI 1.20 to 1.53], P < 0.001). RCS regression analysis identified a nonlinear association between the TyG index and mortality (overall P < 0.001; P for nonlinearity < 0.001, with an inflection point at 8.9). Subgroup analysis showed that the effect size and direction were consistent across different subgroups, suggesting the stability of the results. This study demonstrates that a higher TyG index is significantly associated with increased in-hospital and ICU mortality risk in critically ill sepsis patients, with evidence of non-linear correlation. Therefore, the TyG index helps identify the mortality prognosis of sepsis patients in the ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the great importance of human‐robot collaboration (HRC), the development of robotic arms tends to prioritize high flexibility, safety as well as low energy consumption. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), with their high energy density and lightweight characteristics, present a promising alternative for the design of soft robotic arms suitable for HRC setting. Hence, a soft mimic robotic arm powered by dual cone DEA (DCDEA) driver unit is developed that demonstrates high energy density and low energy consumption. The resultant elaborate DCDEA driver unit exhibits a significant bi‐direction actuation stroke with a high load‐to‐weight ratio up to 1,300, ensuring sufficient mechanical power output for powering the robotic arm. The well‐designed efficient transmission mechanism and control system together with DCDEA allow the robotic arm to conduct lifting and twisting action, mimicking the movements of a human arm. During the transportation of a 10 g weight, the robotic arm consumes only ≈35 mJ of energy, while achieving an energy density of 42.1 J kg−1. Encased in soft outer shells, the robotic arm displays full flexibility, high safety, and excellent impact resistance, underscoring its potential as a next‐generation soft robotic arm for HRC setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to conceptualise and empirically estimate subjective well-being capability. The empirical demonstration of the conceptual framework is applied in a selection of European countries: Poland and its leading emigration destinations the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, France and Italy. The paper advances the measure of subjective well-being capability (SWC) as the integration of the subjective well-being measure with the capability approach in a unified measurement framework. Following the development of a conceptual model, the theoretical framework is operationalized empirically to quantify measures of SWC across the selected countries using a Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes Model. Data from the European Quality of Life Survey is employed. A comparative analysis compares the SWC measures across countries as well as comparing SWC with conventional well-being measures such as overall happiness and GDP per capita. The results of the study reveal a significant correlation between the SWC based on a general model for all countries, overall happiness, and GDP per capita. However, it also suggests that country-specific SWCs, calculated from tailored models, could substantially deviate from traditional well-being measurements. This attribute suggests that SWC could be a practical tool for assessing individual contexts, as reflected in the tailored models, even though it might not serve as the optimal instrument for country ranking (via the general MIMIC model). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to assess the effects of antithrombotic therapy on the outcomes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) in ICU patients, focusing on in-hospital mortality, rebleeding, and length of hospital and ICU stays. Method: This retrospective observational study utilized the MIMIC-IV 2.2 database, which includes 513 ICU patients with LGIB. Result: The in-hospital mortality rate was 7.6%, and the rebleeding rate was 11.1%. The average Oakland risk score among the study population was 22.54. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified the use of antiplatelet drugs as an independent protective factor for in-hospital mortality (HR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.15–0.90, p = 0.029). Patients on anticoagulants experienced significantly longer hospital stays (13.1 ± 12.2 days vs. 17.4 ± 12.6 days, p = 0.031) compared to those not using these drugs. Propensity score matching also supported these findings, indicating that antithrombotic therapy was associated with lower in-hospital mortality and longer hospital stays even after adjusting for factors like age, gender, and primary diagnosis. Conclusions: Our analysis using various statistical methods, including propensity score matching and multivariate regression, confirms that use of antithrombotic drugs in 2.3 days, particularly antiplatelets, are associated with a lower risk of in-hospital mortality. However, they may increase the risk of rebleeding and extend hospital stays in certain subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis and hypertension pose significant health risks, yet the optimal mean arterial pressure (MAP) target for resuscitation remains uncertain. This study investigates the association between average MAP (a-MAP) within the initial 24 h of intensive care unit admission and clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis and primary hypertension using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV database. Multivariable Cox regression assessed the association between a-MAP and 30-day mortality. Kaplan–Meier and log-rank analyses constructed survival curves, while restricted cubic splines (RCS) illustrated the nonlinear relationship between a-MAP and 30-day mortality. Subgroup analyses ensured robustness. The study involved 8,810 patients. Adjusted hazard ratios for 30-day mortality in the T1 group (< 73 mmHg) and T3 group (≥ 80 mmHg) compared to the T2 group (73–80 mmHg) were 1.25 (95% CI 1.09–1.43, P = 0.001) and 1.44 (95% CI 1.25–1.66, P < 0.001), respectively. RCS revealed a U-shaped relationship (non-linearity: P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier curves demonstrated significant differences (P < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis showed no significant interactions. Maintaining an a-MAP of 73 to 80 mmHg may be associated with a reduction in 30-day mortality. Further validation through prospective randomized controlled trials is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma, with its diverse histopathologic characteristics, can mimic both benign nevi and neoplasms of various cell lineages. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) can play a vital role in melanoma diagnosis, particularly when the cell lineage is unclear on hematoxylin and eosin sections. Commonly utilized IHC stains for melanoma diagnosis include SOX10, Melan‐A, and S100. A relatively novel stain, PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma (PRAME), is also proving useful in accurate melanoma diagnosis. However, none of these stains are completely specific to melanocytes or melanoma, and misinterpretation can lead to incorrect diagnoses. This report presents a unique case of triple‐negative breast carcinoma (TNBC) metastatic to the skin exhibiting histopathologic characteristics similar to melanoma, including positivity for SOX10 and PRAME. Our aim is to highlight TNBC metastatic to the skin as a potential diagnostic pitfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether and how digital economy (especially digital platforms and digital finance) restrains the informal economic activities in China measured by the MIMIC (multiple indicators multiple causes) model. Using Chinese provincial panel data from 1995 to 2020, we find that the average size of China's provincial informal economy displays a five-stage fluctuation, ranging from 13.63 % to 17.53 %. More importantly, we uncover a robust "inverted U-shaped" nonlinear relationship between the digital platform development and the informal economy, with a turning point of 0.4189. Initially, the development of digital platforms increases informal economic activities by disrupting traditional sectors, causing new types of tax evasion, challenging regulators and raising digital crime. However, beyond a certain threshold, digital platforms can overcome these problems through more job creations and improved regulation. Meanwhile, the digital financial development is proved to have a negative impact on the informal economy because it can offer much more advantages in addressing informality such as making payments transparent, easing credit constraints, raising total income, helping governments reach people and businesses. Our study provides convincing evidence and valuable advice for policymakers when developing digital economy to curb the informal economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has emerged as a novel biomarker for detecting insulin resistance (IR) and has been proven to be associated with various diseases. However, its correlation with the prognosis of severe sepsis remains unraveled. This retrospective cohort study utilized patient records from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV, version 2.2) to examine the outcomes of patients with sepsis. The primary outcomes were hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. The correlation between the TyG index and outcomes was evaluated through the Kaplan-Meier method, the Log-rank test, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Additionally, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analysis was employed to delve into the nonlinear relationship between baseline TyG index and outcomes, with trend significance assessed through quartile levels. Subgroup analyses were conducted to evaluate the consistency of the TyG index’s prognostic value across various influencing factors. The study included 1,742 patients with sepsis requiring intensive care. The in-hospital mortality rate was 19.75% (344/1,742), and the ICU mortality rate was 14.75% (257/1,742). Cox regression analysis revealed that, in comparison to the first quartile (Q1), patients in the fourth quartile (Q4) had a 63% higher risk of in-hospital mortality (HR 1.63 [95% CI 1.22 to 2.18], P

Abstract Objective This study aims to assess the effects of antithrombotic therapy on the outcomes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) in ICU patients, focusing on in-hospital mortality, rebleeding, and length of hospital and ICU stays. Method This retrospective observational study utilized the MIMIC-IV 2.2 database, which includes 513 ICU patients with LGIB. Result The in-hospital mortality rate was 7.6%, and the rebleeding rate was 11.1%. The average Oakland risk score among the study population was 22.54. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified the use of antiplatelet drugs as an independent protective factor for in-hospital mortality (HR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.15–0.90, p = 0.029). Patients on anticoagulants experienced significantly longer hospital stays (13.1 ± 12.2 days vs. 17.4 ± 12.6 days, p = 0.031) compared to those not using these drugs. Propensity score matching also supported these findings, indicating that antithrombotic therapy was associated with lower in-hospital mortality and longer hospital stays even after adjusting for factors like age, gender, and primary diagnosis. Conclusions Our analysis using various statistical methods, including propensity score matching and multivariate regression, confirms that use of antithrombotic drugs in 2.3 days, particularly antiplatelets, are associated with a lower risk of in-hospital mortality. However, they may increase the risk of rebleeding and extend hospital stays in certain subgroups.

Abstract Sepsis and hypertension pose significant health risks, yet the optimal mean arterial pressure (MAP) target for resuscitation remains uncertain. This study investigates the association between average MAP (a-MAP) within the initial 24 h of intensive care unit admission and clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis and primary hypertension using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV database. Multivariable Cox regression assessed the association between a-MAP and 30-day mortality. Kaplan–Meier and log-rank analyses constructed survival curves, while restricted cubic splines (RCS) illustrated the nonlinear relationship between a-MAP and 30-day mortality. Subgroup analyses ensured robustness. The study involved 8,810 patients. Adjusted hazard ratios for 30-day mortality in the T1 group (

We present a case of a 70-year-old male who presented with left-sided weakness and dysarthria. Cranial imaging was suggestive of a cerebellar infarct and the patient was treated with aspirin and clopidogrel. Two months later a fall prompted further cranial imaging, which was concerning for an intracranial mass with vasogenic edema. Computed tomography angiogram (CTA) was negative for vascular lesion. Ultimately, a DSA revealed a Borden III dAVF between the right occipital artery and the posterior cerebellar vein that was treated with endovascular embolization.

There is a rising incidence of disk battery ingestion in children. This is due to their increased use in electronic devices (including toys) commonly found in the home setting. Children below the age of 6 years are mostly affected with peak incidence in the ages of 1 to 3 years. Although most disk batteries when ingested pass through the gastro intestinal tract harmlessly, they may be lodged in the oesophagus causing significant destructive injury within 4-6 hours of impaction due to their corrosive nature. Impaction of foreign bodies may present with specific symptoms, non specific symptoms or may be asymptomatic. We present an 11 month old child in whom an ingested disc battery had been lodged in the oesophagus for 6 days prior to retrieval by rigid endoscopy. The presence of a clinical history and examination findings supporting a diagnosis of acute tonsillitis was misleading, causing regrettable delays in the diagnosis and management of this child, who subsequently developed a tracheoesophageal fistula. A high index of suspicion by clinicians is needed especially in the non verbal child for early identification and to prevent complications. Increased awareness by parents and other care givers of the hidden dangers of these innocuous -looking batteries in homes and legislation directing the need for child safety locks on disk battery compartments of electronic gadgets and toys will help in reducing the incidence of battery ingestion cases in children.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third cause of cancer related deaths. CRC is greatly attributed to genetic and epigenetic mutations and immune dysregulation. Tumor aberrant expression of Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) can contribute to tumorigenesis. Recent studies suggested that microRNAs act as direct ligands of TLRs altering their expression and signaling pathways. Aim To prove our concept that specific miRNA mimics may act as antagonists of their specific toll like receptors inhibiting their expression that could limit the release of pro-inflammatory and pro-tumorigenic cytokines leading to apoptosis of tumor cells. Methods From public microarray databases, we retrieved TLRs and miRNAs related to CRC followed by in silico docking of the selected miRNA ligands into the TLRs. Clinical validation after co-immunoprecipitation of TLRs and their interacting miRNA ligands was done. Expression of TLRs 1, 7,8 was determined by ELISA while miRNAs was measured by RT-qPCR. In addition, microRNA mimics of the down regulated miRNAs were transfected into human CRC cell lines. Results Our data demonstrate that TLRs 1, 7, 8 are up regulated in CRC compared to controls. Further, three miRNAs (-122, -29b and -15b) are relatively downregulated, while 4 miRNAs (-202, miRNA-98, -21 and -let7i) are upregulated in CRC patients compared to those with benign tumor and healthy controls. Transfection of down regulated miRNA mimics into CRC cell lines resulted in a significant reduction of the number and viability of cells as well as down regulating the expression of TLRs 1, 7 and 8 with ultimate reduction of downstream effector IL6 protein, suggesting that these miRNAs are negative regulators of carcinogenesis. Conclusion MicroRNAs could act as antagonistic ligands of TLRs limiting the inflammatory tumor microenvironment.

Introduction: This study assessed the relationship between ß-blockers treatment and in-hospital mortality among individuals diagnosed with heart failure (HF). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 9,968 HF patients sourced from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to balance the baseline differences. A multivariate regression analysis was utilized to evaluate the impact of ß-blockers therapy on in-hospital mortality. Results: Among the 9,968 patients, 6,439 (64.6%) were β-blockers users. Before matching, the overall in-hospital mortality rate was 12.2% (1,217/9,968). Following PSM, a total of 3,212 patient pairs were successfully matched. The analysis revealed a correlation between β-blockers therapy and decreased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.51 [0.43-0.60], P < 0.001), as well as shorter Los (length of stay) hospital (β -1.43 [-1.96~-0.09], P < 0.001). Notably, long-acting β-blockers treatment was linked to a decreased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.55 [0.46-0.65], P < 0.001) and a shorter Los hospital (β -1.21 [-1.80~-0.63], P < 0.001). Conversely, the research results did not show a notable decrease inhospital mortality (odds ratio 0.66 [0.44-1.01], P = 0.051) or Los hospital (β -1.01 [-2.2~-0.25], P = 0.117) associated with short-acting β-blocker therapy. Discussion: β-blockers therapy in the intensive care unit demonstrates potential benefits in lowering the risk of in-hospital mortality and reducing the duration of hospitalization among patients with HF. Specifically, long-acting β-blockers exhibit a protective effect by significantly decreasing both in-hospital mortality and Los hospital. Conversely, the study did not observe a substantial impact on inhospital mortality or Los hospital duration in this cohort of patients following the administration of short-acting β-blockers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloidosis is characterized by extracellular amyloid protein deposition. When amyloidosis intersects with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), it introduces complex diagnostic challenges. This study explored the overlap between primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis (PLCA) and BCC, examining amyloid deposits in BCC, systemic amyloidosis risk in PLCA, and various treatment methods. Two case studies were discussed, followed by a literature review, in which PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were utilized. The search, covering studies from infinity up to January 2024, focused on "cutaneous amyloidosis," "basal cell carcinoma," and related terms. Articles in English detailing the clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, treatment, and outcomes of cutaneous amyloidosis mimicking BCC were included. Data extraction and synthesis were performed by two independent reviewers. This study highlighted two cases exemplifying the complexity of diagnosing BCC and PLCA. The first case (a 64-year-old with a nodule on the cheek) and the second (a 67-year-old with a nodular lesion on the upper lip cheek) were initially suspected as BCC and were later identified as PLCA upon histopathological examination. The diagnosis of amyloidosis within BCC nodules remains a diagnostic challenge. Although their coexistence is relatively prevalent, their local recurrence rates remain debatable. Various diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have been suggested, such as topical creams and phototherapy. However, none have garnered conclusive and consistent evidence to establish reliable clinical application. The findings emphasized the importance of considering alternative pathologies in differential diagnoses. Future research should focus on understanding systemic amyloidosis risks and optimizing care for both conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third cause of cancer related deaths. CRC is greatly attributed to genetic and epigenetic mutations and immune dysregulation. Tumor aberrant expression of Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) can contribute to tumorigenesis. Recent studies suggested that microRNAs act as direct ligands of TLRs altering their expression and signaling pathways. Aim: To prove our concept that specific miRNA mimics may act as antagonists of their specific toll like receptors inhibiting their expression that could limit the release of pro-inflammatory and pro-tumorigenic cytokines leading to apoptosis of tumor cells. Methods: From public microarray databases, we retrieved TLRs and miRNAs related to CRC followed by in silico docking of the selected miRNA ligands into the TLRs. Clinical validation after co-immunoprecipitation of TLRs and their interacting miRNA ligands was done. Expression of TLRs 1, 7,8 was determined by ELISA while miRNAs was measured by RT-qPCR. In addition, microRNA mimics of the down regulated miRNAs were transfected into human CRC cell lines. Results: Our data demonstrate that TLRs 1, 7, 8 are up regulated in CRC compared to controls. Further, three miRNAs (-122, -29b and -15b) are relatively downregulated, while 4 miRNAs (-202, miRNA-98, -21 and -let7i) are upregulated in CRC patients compared to those with benign tumor and healthy controls. Transfection of down regulated miRNA mimics into CRC cell lines resulted in a significant reduction of the number and viability of cells as well as down regulating the expression of TLRs 1, 7 and 8 with ultimate reduction of downstream effector IL6 protein, suggesting that these miRNAs are negative regulators of carcinogenesis. Conclusion: MicroRNAs could act as antagonistic ligands of TLRs limiting the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Key points: • Specific miRNAs were identified by in silico docking as signaling antagonists of 3 TLRs and were validated in clinical samples. • TLRs 1, 7, 8 were upregulated while their miRNAs (-122, -29b and -15b)were down regulated in CRC. • Transfection of downregulated miRNA mimics into CRC cell lines resulted in downregulation of TLRs that was associated with reduction in IL6 protein and tumor growth. • The present study proposed a novel approach that enables a reliable integration of Toll like receptors and miRNAs in CRC pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of study was to describe the association between ferritin and all-cause mortality of cases with stroke. Methods: Clinical data derived from Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care were analyzed. The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. The potential prognostic roles of Ferritin L were analyzed by Cox proportional hazard models. The independent prognostic roles of Ferritin L in the cases were analyzed by smooth curve fitting. Results: Concerning 30-day mortality, the HR (95% CI) for a high Ferritin (≥373) was 1.925 (1.298, 2.854; p = 0.00113), compared to a low ferritin (< 373). After adjusting for multiple confounders, the HR (95% CI) for a high Ferritin (≥373) was 1.782 (1.126, 2.820; p = 0.01367), compared to a low Ferritin (< 373). A non-linear association between Ferritin and 30-day mortality was found. Using recursive algorithm and two-piecewise linear regression model, inflection point (IP) was calculated, which was 2,204. On the left side of the IP, there was a positive relationship between Ferritin and 30-day mortality, and the effect size, 95% CI and p value were 1.0006 (1.0004, 1.0009) p < 0.0001, respectively. On the right of the IP, the effect size, 95% CI and p value were 1.0000 (1.0000, 1.0000) and 0.3107, respectively. Conclusion: Ferritin was associated with increased risk of stroke; it is important to further examine the association if the increased uric acid would increase the outcome of stroke in a longitudinal study. The non-linear relationship between Ferritin and all-cause mortality of stroke was observed. Ferritin was a risk factor for the outcome of stroke when ferritin was <2204. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to determine whether PISA 2018 mathematical literacy test items show a differential item functioning across countries. For this purpose, only the items in booklet number three were examined using the MIMIC method with Latent Class Analysis (LCA) approach. PISA 2018 tests are mostly developed in English. Therefore, in DIF analyses, the reference group is the UK, while the focal groups consist of the other countries examined in the research (Türkiye, Finland, Japan, and the USA). According to the results, of the 23 test items, statistically significant DIF was observed in eight items in the UK-Türkiye sample, in seven items in the UK-Finland sample, in eleven items in the UK-Japan sample, and in three items in the UK-USA sample. It is seen that the effect and size of DIF in non-homogeneous groups differ between groups and these effects can be examined in more detail with the LCA method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a nonspecific inflammatory biomarker, has been used in the assessment of acute myocardial infarction, acute hepatitis, acute lung injury, and other severe diseases. However, no studies have evaluated the prognostic value of LDH in patients with non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This cohort study aims to assess the association between LDH levels and 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with non-traumatic ICH. Data for this retrospective cohort analysis were obtained from the MIMIC-IV (v2.2) database, and the study included patients with non-traumatic ICH as defined by the International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th editions. Patients were categorized into four distinct groups based on their LDH levels. The primary outcome of interest was the 28-day mortality rate. To analyze these associations and assess the consistency of interactions, subgroup analyses, Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves, and nonlinear analysis were conducted. A total of 406 patients with non-traumatic ICH were enrolled in the study and were divided into quartiles based on LDH levels. The KM curve indicated that the 28-day all-cause mortality rate of patients in the Q4 group (LDH > 287.25) was significantly higher than in the Q1 (LDH < 194.7) (P < 0.001) and Q2 (194.7 < LDH < 233.0) (P < 0.001) groups, though not significantly different from Q3 (P = 0.140). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that patients in the highest LDH quartile had a significantly increased risk of mortality compared to those in the lowest quartile across three models: unadjusted [HR, 3.401; 95% CI, 1.719–6.731; P < 0.001], partially adjusted [HR, 2.422; 95% CI, 1.211–4.846; P = 0.012], and fully adjusted [HR, 3.054; 95% CI, 1.522–6.126; P = 0.002]. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) models revealed an L-shaped association between LDH levels and the 28-day all-cause mortality rate, indicating a non-linear relationship (P < 0.001). No significant interactions were observed between LDH levels and other factors in the subgroup analyses (all P for interaction > 0.05). Our findings indicate a significant association between 28-day all-cause mortality and LDH levels in patients with non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Specifically, patients with elevated LDH levels within the first 24 hours of ICU admission are at a higher risk of mortality.

Abstract:: Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) emerges as a pivotal risk determinant for unfavorable outcomes in septic patients. Despite its recognized role, the enduring impact of AF on sepsis prognosis remains ambiguous. This investigation seeks to elucidate the connection between AF and both short and long-term outcomes in sepsis patients. Additionally, it aims to formulate a prognostic model for 1-year mortality utilizing pertinent clinical variables. Methods: A retrospective analysis encompassed sepsis patients admitted to Beth Israel Deacon Medical Center's intensive care unit. The evaluation encompassed the prevalence of AF and its influence on hospitalization duration, stays in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and mortality rates at distinct intervals. Propensity score matching was implemented to mitigate confounding factors. Machine learning techniques, including the Least Absolute Selection and Shrinkage Operator (LASSO) regression and random forest, were deployed for model development. Results: AF exhibited a correlation with heightened mortality rates at 7 days, 28 days, and 1 year. The resultant predictive model demonstrated superior efficacy compared to prevailing clinical critical illness scores in forecasting mortality risk. Crucial predictors in the model included variables such as RDW, weight, age, BUN, lactate, temperature, MCHC, MBP, ALP, and hemoglobin. Conclusions: AF emerges as a substantial peril for adverse outcomes in sepsis patients. The risk model, encompassing pertinent clinical variables, outperformed existing clinical critical illness scores in mortality prediction. This model furnishes valuable insights for risk stratification, augmenting prognostic precision in sepsis patients with concomitant AF.

Summary: Background: Cholelithiasis-induced acute cholangitis (CIAC) is an acute inflammatory disease with poor prognosis. This study aimed to create machine-learning (ML) models to predict the outcomes of patients with CIAC. Methods: In this retrospective cohort and ML study, patients who met the both diagnosis of ‘cholangitis’ and ‘calculus of gallbladder or bile duct’ according to the International Classification of Disease (ICD) 9th revision, or met the diagnosis of ‘calculus of bile duct with acute cholangitis with or without obstruction’ according to the ICD 10th revision during a single hospitalization were included from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care database, which records patient admissions to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA, spanning June 1, 2001 to November 16, 2022. Patients who were neither admitted in an emergency department nor underwent biliary drainage within 24 h after admission, had an age of less than 18, or lost over 20% of the information were excluded. Nine ML methods, including the Logistic Regression, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Light Gradient Boosting Machine, Adaptive Boosting, Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, Gaussian Naive Bayes, Multi–Layer Perceptron, and Support Vector Machine were applied for prediction of in-hospital mortality, re-admission within 30 days after discharge, and mortality within 180 days after discharge. Patients from Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University in China between January 1, 2019 and July 30, 2023 were enrolled as an external validation set. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was the main index for model performance assessment. Findings: A total of 1156 patients were included to construct models. We performed stratified analyses on all patients, patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and those who underwent biliary drainage during ICU treatment. 13–16 features were selected from 186 variables for model training. The XGBoost method demonstrated the most optimal predictive efficacy, as evidenced by training set AUROC of 0.996 (95% CI NaN–NaN) for in-hospital mortality, 0.886 (0.862–0.910) for re-admission within 30 days after discharge, and 0.988 (0.982–0.995) for mortality within 180 days after discharge in all patients, 0.998 (NaN–NaN), 0.933 (0.909–0.957), and 0.988 (0.983–0.993) in patients admitted to the ICU, 0.987 (0.970–0.999), 0.908 (0.873–0.942), and 0.982 (0.971–0.993) in patients underwent biliary drainage during ICU treatment, respectively. Meanwhile, in the internal validation set, the AUROC reached 0.967 (0.933–0.998) for in-hospital mortality, 0.589 (0.502–0.677) for re-admission within 30 days after discharge, and 0.857 (0.782–0.933) for mortality within 180 days after discharge in all patients, 0.963 (NaN–NaN), 0.668 (0.486–0.851), and 0.864 (0.757–0.970) in patients admitted to the ICU, 0.961 (0.922–0.997), 0.669 (0.540–0.799), and 0.828 (0.730–0.925) in patients underwent biliary drainage during ICU treatment, respectively. The AUROC values of external validation set consisting of 61 patients were 0.741 (0.725–0.763), 0.812 (0.798–0.824), and 0.848 (0.841–0.859), respectively. Interpretation: The XGBoost models could be promising tools to predict outcomes in patients with CIAC, and had good clinical applicability. Multi-center validation with a larger sample size is warranted. Funding: The Technological Development Program of Nanjing Healthy Commission, and Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Jiangsu Province High-Level Hospital Construction Funds.

Facilitative associations between the foundational shrub species Ephedra californica and local vertebrate species can drive positive interactions within desert ecosystems that influence diversity and assembly processes. These foundational shrubs can contribute to the structural heterogeneity of ecosystems for plants and animals including variation in temperature profiles, refuge from predation, and habitat for foraging. Artificial structures can also influence fine‐scale ecological and micro‐environmental dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that artificial shrubs (mimics) positively influence desert vertebrate association through facilitative interactions, similar to foundational shrub species. Mimics were deployed at four distinct sites within the central deserts of Southern California. A combination of camera traps and temperature pendants were utilized to measure the association patterns of vertebrate species and the microclimatic variation at mimic, open, and shrubs. A total of 21 species were observed in this study. Mimics had a significantly higher vertebrate abundance and richness than open microsites and functioned similarly to shrubs. These findings suggest that mimics can be utilized as a stop‐gap replacement for foundational shrub species as they can act as a novel fine‐scale habitat for many desert vertebrate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive care units (ICUs) provide care for critical patients at high risk of morbidity and mortality, and require continuous monitoring of clinical, biological and, imaging parameters. Collaborative ventures have enabled the emergence of large open access databases for the secondary use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs). The objective of this work was to evaluate the availability of scripts and datasets in publications based on ICU open-access databases. We included 910 original articles based on four ICU open-access databases (Amsterdam University Medical Centers Database, eICU Collaborative Research Database, High time resolution ICU dataset, and Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care). The majority of the studies did not provide their data management scripts (n=839, 92.9%), neither the analysis script (n=843, 93.4%) in the article. Attempts to contact the 845 corresponding authors in question resulted in 89.11% (n=753) of our e-mail requests going unanswered over a two-month period. We received 51 automated messages (55.43%) indicating that emails have not been delivered, while 6 messages (6.52%) redirected to alternative email addresses. Only 20 corresponding authors (18.18%) answered, finally providing the requested materials. Despite scientific journals recommendations to share materials, our study unveils the absence of crucial components for the replication of studies by other research teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) is a late manifestation of complicated otogenic infections that presents a diagnostic challenge. Delayed or missed diagnoses lead to high morbidity and mortality and can be attributed to non-specific symptoms, subtle early radiologic findings, radiologic mimicry of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and under-recognition from clinician and radiologists. This pictorial review aims to emphasize on early imaging recognition and distinction between SBO and NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to play a vital role in the evolution of insecticide resistance. This review delves into how these miRNAs regulate biological functions and their impact on insecticide resistance. It highlights the recent advancements in miRNA research, including their discovery through RNA sequencing and their regulatory roles among various insect species. It discusses the potential of miRNAs in managing insecticide resistance, focusing on the use of miRNA-based strategies. These strategies are proposed as effective and sustainable alternatives to traditional chemical pest management methods. Utilizing chemical agents in pest management in modern agricultural practices has been the predominant approach since the advent of synthetic insecticides. However, insecticide resistance is an emerging issue, as pest populations evolve to survive exposure to chemicals that were once effective in controlling them, underlining the need for advanced and innovative approaches to managing pests. In insects, microRNAs (miRNAs) serve as key regulators of a wide range of biological functions, characterized by their dynamic expression patterns and the ability to target genes. Recent studies are increasingly attributed to the significance of miRNAs in contributing to the evolution of insecticide resistance in numerous insect species. Abundant miRNAs have been discovered in insects using RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis and are known to play vital roles in regulation at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Globally, there is growing research interest in the characterization and application of miRNAs, especially for their potential role in managing insecticide resistance. This review focuses on how miRNAs contribute to regulating insecticide resistance across various insect species. Furthermore, we discuss the gain and loss of functions of miRNAs and the techniques for delivering miRNAs into the insect system. The review emphasizes the application of miRNA-based strategies to studying their role in diminishing insecticide resistance, offering a more efficient and lasting approach to insect management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement invariance holds when a latent construct is measured in the same way across different levels of background variables (continuous or categorical) while controlling for the true value of that construct. Using Monte Carlo simulation, this paper compares the multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) model and MIMIC-interaction to a novel use of alignment optimization (AO) for detecting measurement noninvariance when the violator is a continuous variable. Results showed that MIMIC and MIMIC-interaction in sequential likelihood ratio tests and Wald tests with a Bonferroni correction provided a good balance between identifying invariant and noninvariant (linear violations) items when n ≥ 500 in terms of classification accuracy (CA). AO (CA ≥ .86) was as competitive as MIMIC and MIMIC-interaction to linear invariance violations but was far better under nonlinear quadratic violations when n ≥ 1,000 (i.e., 100 per group for 10 groups). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophilic cystitis is a rare inflammatory condition of the bladder characterized by eosinophils infiltrating the bladder wall. It affects people of all ages and with no gender difference. Eosinophilic cystitis can mimic bladder tumors and other chronic cystitis, which makes it a challenging condition to diagnose. In this article, we will discuss the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of eosinophilic cystitis, as well as how it might be mistaken for bladder tumors.

Purpose: To develop and validate a machine learning (ML)-based prediction model for acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: Data on liver cirrhosis patients were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) and MIMIC-IV databases in this retrospective cohort study. ML algorithms, including random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), light gradient boosting machine (LGBM), and gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) were applied to construct prediction models. Predictors were screened via univariate logistic regression, and then the models were developed with all data of the included patients. A bootstrap resampling method was adopted to validate the models. The predictive abilities of our final model were compared with those of the sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA), simplified acute physiology score II (SAPS II), Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), and MELD Na. Results: This study included 950 patients, of which 429 (45.16%) had AKI. Mechanical ventilation, vasopressor, international normalized ratio (INR), bilirubin, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), prothrombin time (PT), estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and heart rate served as predictors. In the derivation set, the developed RF [area under curve (AUC) = 0.747], XGB (AUC = 0.832), LGBM (AUC = 0.785), and GBDT (AUC = 0.811) models exhibited significantly greater predictive performance than the logistic regression model (AUC = 0.699) (all P < 0.05). Among the ML-based models, the XGB model had the greatest AUC. In internal validation, the predictive capacity of the XGB model (AUC = 0.833) was significantly superior to that of the logistic regression model (AUC = 0.701) (P = 0.045). Hence, the XGB model was selected as the final model for AKI prediction. In contrast to the XGB model (AUC = 0.832), the SOFA (AUC = 0.609), MELD (AUC = 0.690), MELD Na (AUC = 0.690), and SAPS II (AUC = 0.641) had significantly lower predictive abilities in the derivation set (all P < 0.001). The XGB model was internally validated to have an AUC of 0.833, which was significantly higher than the SOFA (AUC = 0.609), MELD (AUC = 0.690), MELD Na (AUC = 0.688), and SAPS II (AUC = 0.641) (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: The XGB model had a better performance than the logistic regression model, SOFA, MELD, MELD Na, and SAPS II in AKI prediction for cirrhosis patients, which may help identify patients at a risk of AKI, and then provide timely interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates prediction of Quality of Experience (QoE) by comparing borrowing-from-neighbor situations and isolated ones. We demonstrate that joint utilization of multiple QoE measures enhances the accuracy of QoE prediction compared to that by a collection of individual QoE measures each regressed on Quality of Service (QoS) parameters, while the accuracy improvement with additional usage of QoS information in the former is limited. As an example of system that needs multidimensional QoE representation, the article gives haptic audiovisual interactive communications. We employ QoE and QoS data taken previously in an experiment, where 13 QoE measures (a five-point score each) and 12 QoS parameters (nonnegative continuous values each) are available at three average rates of load traffic.We build two kinds of Bayesian models for QoE prediction; one is a logistic regression model of a single QoE measure as the response variable and QoS parameters as predictors, which is a typical traditional method of discrete QoE prediction and isolated in a sense. The other is a structural equation model (SEM) with latent constructs (i.e., factors) of audiovisual quality, haptic quality, and user experience quality; the original SEM, which contains only QoE indicators of three constructs (audiovisual quality (AVQ), haptic quality (HQ), and user experience quality (UXQ)), was proposed in one of the author's previous studies. This article extends the SEM to accommodate QoS parameters. We develop two kinds of new SEMs with QoS parameters: One has three extended constructs referred to as eAVQ, eHQ, and eUXQ, each of which has both QoE and QoS indicators, and the other has separate constructs for QoE and QoS, which lead to totally six constructs (AVqoe, Hqoe, UXqoe, AVqos, Hqos, and UXqos). We performed Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation of the Bayesian models with the JAGS software in an R environment. For comparison of QoE prediction accuracy, we adopt the 10-fold cross validation method and in part widely applicable information criterion. We then found that the three-construct models outperform the logistic regression models with respect to all subjective QoE measures and that the two kinds of the models are comparable as for the objective measure. The six-construct model exhibits almost the same accuracy as that of the three-construct one unless the number of QoE measures (nqoe) in the model is small. When the number nqoe is small, single-construct models may be a better choice. We have thus learned that multiple QoE measures should be utilized jointly (i.e., borrowing from neighbor) in QoE prediction rather than resorting to QoS information only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods for early prediction of the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) were limited. The relationship between triglyceride glucose index (TyG) and the incidence of acute kidney injury in ICU patients is unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between the two. Based on their TyG index, participants from the Intensive Care Medical Information Market IV (MIMIC-IV) were divided into quartiles. A logistic regression model was constructed based on the risk of acute kidney injury as the main outcome, in order to detect a potential relationship that may exist between the TyG index and acute kidney injury in ICU patients. Finally, in order to confirm the relationship existing between the TyG index and the results, a restricted cubic spline model was used. In total, 54,263 patients were involved in our present study, of whom 48.2% were male. The occurrence of acute kidney injury was 25.1%. An independent relationship was observed between the TyG index and an increased risk of acute kidney injury through multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR, 1.28 [95% CI 1.22–1.35] p < 0.001). Q4 (5.344–9.911) of the TyG index quartiles was independently associated with an increase in the risk of acute kidney injury (OR, 1.43 [95% CI (1.32–1.54)] p < 0.001). Through the restricted cubic spline regression model, the risk of acute kidney injury was also demonstrated to increase linearly with an increase in the TyG index. The triglyceride glucose index is related to the risk of acute kidney injury in ICU patients. In the future, in order to further validate this finding, larger prospective studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive flexibility is the evaluation of events from a broad perspective rather than evaluating them rigidly. The use of the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) by adaptation to different cultures and the increase in citations in recent years indicate that this assessment instrument is up-to-date and practical. Therefore, it is necessary and important to investigate the psychometric properties of this frequently used assessment instrument with different techniques. In this study, it was aimed to rescale the CFI items and model parameters according to item response theory and inspect differentiation for CFI items according to gender. Research data were collected from a total of 750 undergraduate students (564 female and 186 male) via Google Forms. To decide on the best model for the cognitive flexibility construct, bifactor, multidimensional, and unidimensional item response theory models were tested according to item fit and global model-data fit statistics. Besides, the graded response model was used to calibrate the CFI items. As a result of IRT analysis, it was determined that the model with which the CFI fits best was the bifactor model. After IRT analysis, differentiation was inspected via different methods. After the differential item functioning analysis, expert opinions were obtained for items which had a potential bias. As a conclusion, there was a consensus only on the idea that item 12 showed gender bias. With 5-point Likert-type scaling, gender bias existed. A new adaptation for a 7-point Likert type should be implemented and gender bias should be examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with a high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). This study aimed to develop a nomogram for predicting the early onset of AKI in AP patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Clinical data for 799 patients diagnosed with AP were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database. Eligible AP patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. The independent prognostic factors for the early development of AKI in AP patients were determined using the all-subsets regression method and multivariate logistic regression. A nomogram was constructed for predicting the early occurrence of AKI in AP patients. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA). Seven independent prognostic factors were identified as predictive factors for early onset AKI in AP patients. The AUC of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.795 (95% CI, 0.758–0.832) and 0.772 (95% CI, 0.711–0.832), respectively. The AUC of the nomogram was higher compared with that of the BISAP, Ranson, APACHE II scores. Further, the calibration curve revealed that the predicted outcome was in agreement with the actual observations. Finally, the DCA curves showed that the nomogram had a good clinical applicability value. The constructed nomogram showed a good predictive ability for the early occurrence of AKI in AP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), the substrate of Thiamine pyrophosphate kinase (TPK), is an important cofactor in carbohydrate metabolism, specifically as a cofactor of the Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH) complex. The nervous system is particularly dependent on TPP due to its reliance on glucose metabolism. In this case, a four‐year‐old girl had a previously unreported pathogenic variant of the gene encoding TPK (TPK1) which presented as Thiamine metabolism dysfunction syndrome 5 (THMD5; OMIM 614458). She had been diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and initially presented with fever and agitation following vaccinations. After follow‐up with genetic testing, our patient was found to have compound heterozygous pathogenic variants of TPK1. After treatment with biotin and thiamine her clinical status improved, and her ASD features resolved. The presentation of our patient was consistent with previous reports and adds to the evidence that thiamine and biotin are effective treatments of TPK1 related metabolic deficiencies. The improvement of neurobehavioral symptoms in this case was marked, highlighting the importance of early identification and therapeutic intervention in this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) is a frequently used questionnaire in the field of health and social psychology that aims to explore perceptions of discrimination, especially instances of injustice related to various diversity characteristics. No adaptation to health care staff exists. The present study translates and adapts the EDS to nursing staff in Germany and examines its reliability and factorial validity as well as its measurement equivalence between men and women and different age groups. Methods The study was based on an online survey conducted among health care staff of two hospitals and two inpatient care facilities in Germany. The EDS was translated using a forward-backward translation approach. Direct maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the factorial validity of the adapted EDS. Differential item functioning (DIF) related to age and sex was investigated by means of multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) models. Results Data on 302 individuals was available, of whom 237 (78.5%) were women. The most commonly employed one-factor, 8-item baseline model of the adapted EDS showed a poor fit (RMSEA = 0.149; CFI = 0.812; TLI = 0.737; SRMR = 0.072). The model fit improved considerably after including three error covariances between items 1 and 2, items 4 and 5, and items 7 and 8 (RMSEA = 0.066; CFI = 0.969; TLI = 0.949; SRMR = 0.036). Item 4 showed DIF related to sex and age, item 6 showed DIF related to age. DIF was moderate in size and did not bias the comparison between men and women or between younger and older employees. Conclusions The EDS can be considered a valid instrument for the assessment of discrimination experiences among nursing staff. Given that the questionnaire, similar to other EDS adaptations, may be prone to DIF and also considering that some error covariances need to be parameterized, latent variable modelling should be used for the analysis of the questionnaire.

A five-year girl was referred to our centre with swelling over the right lower back. The child was evaluated to rule out chronic cutaneous tuberculosis, lymphoma and soft tissue tumor. Biopsy of the lesion on culture yielded Basidiobolus species. Whole genome sequencing of the isolate identified it as Basidiobolus meristosporus. Sequencing of fungi pathogenic to humans which cannot be differentiated by conventional methods of speciation becomes essential to assign pathogenicity, understand epidemiology and resolve the nuances in the ever-evolving taxonomical classification.

Background: Inflammation is critical in the etiology and progression of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This study aims to rigorously assess the predictive capacity of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in determining the outcomes of patients with ARDS. Methods: Patient data were extracted from version 2.2 of the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV). The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was deployed to determine the optimal cutoff value for the SII, facilitating the stratification of participants into distinct cohorts based on SII levels. The relationship between SII and survival outcomes was rigorously evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models. The association between SII and patient survival was rigorously examined using Cox proportional-hazard models. The impact of varying SII levels on mortality was quantitatively assessed through these models, with the results articulated as hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Three distinct models were formulated for this analysis: Model 1 employed univariate Cox regression to relate SII with mortality; Model 2 introduced adjustments for age and sex; and Model 3 extended these adjustments to include age, sex, race, SAPS II, APSIII, Hemoglobin, Albumin, Pneumonia, SpO2, and SBP. Results: Post-application of the inclusion criteria, a cohort of 976 eligible patients was delineated for detailed examination. Univariate analysis focusing on 30-day mortality within the SII ≥1694, the hazard ratio (HR) was 1.42 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11, 1.81). However, after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, sex, race, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), Acute Physiology Score (APS) III, Hemoglobin, Albumin, Pneumonia, SpO2, and Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), an SII value of ≥1694 was identified as an independent and significant risk factor for mortality in patients with ARDS, with an HR of 1.38 (95% CI: 1.08–1.77, P = 0.0016). This trend was consistent for 90-day and one-year mortality rates. Conclusions: SII surfaced as an autonomous determinant of mortality in ARDS patients, affirming its status as an accessible and dependable prognostic indicator for individuals newly diagnosed with this critical condition. Additional research is imperative to further elucidate the prognostic implications of SII in the therapeutic management of patients with ARDS.

Background Methods for early prediction of the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) were limited. The relationship between triglyceride glucose index (TyG) and the incidence of acute kidney injury in ICU patients is unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between the two.Methods Based on their TyG index, participants from the Intensive Care Medical Information Market IV (MIMIC-IV) were divided into quartiles. A logistic regression model was constructed based on the risk of acute kidney injury as the main outcome, in order to detect a potential relationship that may exist between the TyG index and acute kidney injury in ICU patients. Finally, in order to confirm the relationship existing between the TyG index and the results, a restricted cubic spline model was used.Results In total, 54,263 patients were involved in our present study, of whom 48.2% were male. The occurrence of acute kidney injury was 25.1%. An independent relationship was observed between the TyG index and an increased risk of acute kidney injury through multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR, 1.28 [95% CI 1.22–1.35] p

AbstractBackground Acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with a high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). This study aimed to develop a nomogram for predicting the early onset of AKI in AP patients admitted to the intensive care unit.Method Clinical data for 799 patients diagnosed with AP were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database. Eligible AP patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. The independent prognostic factors for the early development of AKI in AP patients were determined using the all-subsets regression method and multivariate logistic regression. A nomogram was constructed for predicting the early occurrence of AKI in AP patients. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA).Results Seven independent prognostic factors were identified as predictive factors for early onset AKI in AP patients. The AUC of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.795 (95% CI, 0.758–0.832) and 0.772 (95% CI, 0.711–0.832), respectively. The AUC of the nomogram was higher compared with that of the BISAP, Ranson, APACHE II scores. Further, the calibration curve revealed that the predicted outcome was in agreement with the actual observations. Finally, the DCA curves showed that the nomogram had a good clinical applicability value.Conclusion The constructed nomogram showed a good predictive ability for the early occurrence of AKI in AP patients.

Objective: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the major cardiovascular diseases, a common chronic disease in the elderly and a major cause of disability and death in the world. Currently, intensive care unit (ICU) patients have a high probability of concomitant coronary artery disease, and the mortality of this category of patients in the ICU is receiving increasing attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify whether the composite inflammatory indicators are significantly associated with ICU mortality in ICU patients with CHD and to develop a simple personalized prediction model. Method: 7115 patients from the Multi-Parameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care Database IV were randomly assigned to the training cohort (n = 5692) and internal validation cohort (n = 1423), and 701 patients from the eICU Collaborative Research Database served as the external validation cohort. The association between various inflammatory indicators and ICU mortality was determined by multivariate Logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards model. Subsequently, a novel predictive model for mortality in ICU patients with CHD was developed in the training cohort and performance was evaluated in the internal and external validation cohorts. Results: Various inflammatory indicators were demonstrated to be significantly associated with ICU mortality, 30-day ICU mortality, and 90-day ICU mortality in ICU patients with CHD by Logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards model. The area under the curve of the novel predictive model for ICU mortality in ICU patients with CHD was 0.885 for the internal validation cohort and 0.726 for the external validation cohort. The calibration curve showed that the predicted probabilities of the model matched the actual observed probabilities. Furthermore, the decision curve analysis showed that the novel prediction model had a high net clinical benefit. Conclusion: In ICU patients with CHD, various inflammatory indicators were independent risk factors for ICU mortality. We constructed a novel predictive model of ICU mortality risk in ICU patients with CHD that had great potential to guide clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Secondary neurodegeneration after stroke is a complex phenomenon affecting remote and synaptically linked cerebral areas. The involvement of the substantia nigra in this process has been rarely described in infarcts involving the striatum. Methods: We are presenting a case of ischemic stroke involving the right striatum due to atrial fibrillation and associated in a few days with the neuroimaging finding of hyperintensity of the ipsilateral substantia nigra and striatonigral tract on T2-fluid attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion-weighted imaging sequences of brain magnetic resonance imaging. This finding was not related to clinical manifestations and substantially disappeared within 3 months from stroke onset. Discussion: The pathophysiology of secondary degeneration of the substantia nigra is poorly understood and it relies on animal models and autoptic studies. The main putative mechanism is not ischemic but excitotoxic with a different role of the internal and external globus pallidus and a different effect on the pars compacta and pars reticularis of the substantia nigra. In animal models, inflammatory mechanisms seem play a role only in the late phase. The main studies on humans were presented in detail. Conclusions: A better understanding of the secondary degeneration of the substantia nigra has the potentiality to offer a chance for neuroprotection in acute stroke, but further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence technology (AI) is an array of computer technologies that provide machines with human-like abilities in perception, action, and cognition. It can mimic human intellect in a broad variety of situations thanks to its advanced processing of information and mega-thinking procedures and powers. AI's power to mimic the intellect of humans means it will disrupt or significantly affect practically every major industry, including but not limited to manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and logistics. AI helps several industries move forward. Developed Western nations and leading digital titans like Google and Facebook have invested significantly in AI, utilizing its human skills in various vital societal sectors. Regrettably, most poor countries, particularly those in the sub-Saharan African region, do not have the necessary administration, learning, data reserves, and legislation to support the adoption and implementation of AI. Nevertheless, certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Kenya, have incorporated and used AI technologies in several key areas for the benefit of their inhabitants. This article explores how AI has affected Kenya and demonstrates how other subSaharan African countries might use AI-related technology to their full potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Prognostic assessment plays an important role in the effective management of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The study aimed to investigate whether elevated red cell distribution width-to-platelet ratio (RPR) at admission was related to 30-day death in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 2,823 adult patients with ICH from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care (MIMIC) III and IV databases between 2001 and 2019. The Cox proportional hazard model was utilized to evaluate the relationship between RPR levels and 30-day death risk. The area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the predictive ability of RPR for 30-day death in patients with ICH. Results: At the end of the 30-day follow-up, 799 (28.30%) patients died, and the median RPR level was 0.066 (0.053, 0.087). After adjusting for confounders, the tertile 3 of RPR levels [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15-1.64] were associated with a higher risk of 30-day death in patients with ICH compared with tertile 1. In the stratified analyses, elevated RPR levels were found to be associated with an increased risk of 30-day death in patients aged <65 years (HR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.29-2.43), aged ≥65 years (HR = 1.30,95%CI: 1.05-1.61), with Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) <14 (HR = 1.65, 95%CI: 1.27-2.14), with Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) ≥4 (HR = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.17-1.80), with (HR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.13-2.43) or without sepsis (HR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.08-1.61), and female patients (HR = 1.75, 95%CI: 1.35-2.26) but not in male patients (P = 0.139) and patients with GCS ≥14 (P = 0.058) or CCI <4 (P = 0.188). The AUC for RPR to predict 30-day death in patients with ICH was 0.795 (95%CI: 0.763-0.828) in the testing set, indicating a good predictive ability. Conclusion: Elevated RPR levels were correlated with an increased risk of 30-day death in patients with ICH, and RPP levels showed good predictive ability for 30-day death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Histopathologic benign mimickers of prostate cancer have mostly focused on glandular mimics, with non-glandular mimics mainly limited to inflammatory conditions. While there is a paucity of literature recognizing small cystic (presumably artifactual) spaces in transurethral resection specimens, in some instances they can become florid enough to mimic vascular or epithelial neoplasms. Herein, we detailed histologic, immunophenotypic, and clinicopathologic findings in a large series of specimens showing prominent diagnostically confounding cystic spaces. Methods and Results. Sixty specimens were obtained (50 transurethral resections, 7 aquablations, 3 laser enucleations), from 17 different surgeons. Seven specimens had concurrent genitourinary pathology (4 prostatic adenocarcinoma, 1 solitary fibrous tumor, 1 prostatic atypia, 1 urothelial carcinoma in situ). The extent of cystic change among overall tissue examined ranged from 1 mm-8 mm (mean 3.4 mm), with luminal content of cystic spaces characterized as empty (72%), both empty and fluid-like (17%), and both empty and mucin-like (11%; mucin histochemical stain was negative on all specimens). Notable differences in degree of tissue cautery artifact or inflammation was not found. Immunohistochemistry performed on 30 specimens showed cystic spaces negative for S100, ERG, pankeratin, and CD45. Conclusion. Although artifactual in nature, in some instances small cystic spaces encountered in prostatic transurethral resections and more novel related procedures can become florid enough to warrant recognition as a potential diagnostic confounder of vascular or epithelial neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]