Chronic Study on Brainwave Authentication in a Real-Life Setting: An LSTM-Based Bagging Approach

With the advent of the digital age, concern about how to secure authorized access to sensitive data is increasing. Besides traditional authentication methods, there is an interest in biometric traits such as fingerprints, the iris, facial characteristics, and, recently, brainwaves, primarily based on electroencephalography (EEG). Current work on EEG-based authentication focuses on acute recordings in laboratory settings using high-end equipment, typically equipped with 64 channels and operating at a high sampling rate. In this work, we validated the feasibility of EEG-based authentication in a real-world, out-of-laboratory setting using a commercial dry-electrode EEG headset and chronic recordings on a population of 15 healthy people. We used an LSTM-based network with bootstrap aggregating (bagging) to decode our recordings in response to a multitask scheme consisting of performed and imagined motor tasks, and showed that it improved the performance of the standard LSTM approach. We achieved an authentication accuracy, false acceptance rate (FAR), and false rejection rate (FRR) of 92.6%, 2.5%, and 5.0% for the performed motor task; 92.5%, 2.6%, and 4.9% for the imagined motor task; and 93.0%, 1.9%, and 5.1% for the combined tasks, respectively. We recommend the proposed method for time- and data-limited scenarios.

Some Toxicological Studies of Methanol Leaves Extract Lannea acida in Wistar Albino Rats

Aim: The current study determined phytochemical constituents evaluated the acute and sub-chronic toxic profiles of Lannea acida methanol leaves extract (LAMLE) in Wistar albino rats Methodology: The phytochemical screening of LAMLE was conducted using standard methods. A total of 31 male albino rats were used for the antioxidant studies. A total of 31 male albino rats were used for the toxicological study. The LD50 was determined using six (6) rats according to OECD, 2001 using fixed limit dose. For the sub-chronic study, the rats were divided into five (5) groups of five (5) rats. Control group (group 1) received distilled water orally 2ml/kg. Groups (2-5) received doses of 250, 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg of the extracts. The experiment lasted for 28 days. Results: The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of Flavonoids, Phenols, Tannins, Saponins, Alkaloids and Steroids. The LD50 of the extract was found to be greater than 5000mg/kg. There were significant reduction in the concentration of ALT, ALP and ALB (P<.05) in the group that received the highest dose of the extract when compared to the normal control while other liver biomarkers were not significantly different (P>0.05) from the control. The sub-chronic dose of 2000mg/kg of the extracts shows significant (P<.05) decrease in all kidney function biomarkers except chloride when compared to the control. The haematological parameters (WBC, RBC, HGB, Neutruphils) showed a significant decrease in Group 5 when compared to the normal control group while MCV and lymphocytes showed significant decrease (P<.05) when compared to the control. Conclusion: The result suggests that the methanol leaves extracts of Lannea acida is relatively safe and can be used in medicinal formulations.

Differential effects of heat-not-burn and conventional cigarettes on coronary flow, myocardial and vascular function

We compared the effects of Heat-not-Burn cigarette (HNBC) to those of tobacco cigarette (Tcig), on myocardial, coronary and arterial function as well as on oxidative stress and platelet activation in 75 smokers. In the acute study, 50 smokers were randomised into smoking a single Tcig or a HNBC and after 60 min were crossed-over to the alternate smoking. For chronic phase, 50 smokers were switched to HNBC and were compared with an external group of 25 Tcig smokers before and after 1 month. Exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), pulse wave velocity (PWV), malondialdehyde (MDA) and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) were assessed in the acute and chronic study. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), myocardial work index (GWI), wasted myocardial work (GWW), coronary flow reserve (CFR), total arterial compliance (TAC) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were assessed in the chronic study. Acute HNBC smoking caused a smaller increase of PWV than Tcig (change 1.1 vs 0.54 m/s, p < 0.05) without change in CO and biomarkers in contrast to Tcig. Compared to Tcig, switching to HNBC for 1-month improved CO, FMD, CFR, TAC, GLS, GWW, MDA, TxB2 (differences 10.42 ppm, 4.3%, 0.98, 1.8 mL/mmHg, 2.35%, 19.72 mmHg%, 0.38 nmol/L and 45 pg/mL respectively, p < 0.05). HNBCs exert a less detrimental effect on vascular and cardiac function than tobacco cigarettes.Trial registration Registered on https://clinicaltrials.gov/ (NCT03452124, 02/03/2018).

Impact of chronic use of heat-not-burn cigarettes on oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation: the SUR-VAPES Chronic Study

Tobacco habit still represents the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Heat-not-burn cigarettes (HNBCs) are considered as an alternative to traditional combustion cigarettes (TCCs) due to the lack of combustion and the absence of combustion-related specific toxicants. The aim of this observational study was to assess the effect of HNBC on endothelial function, oxidative stress and platelet activation in chronic adult TCC smokers and HNBC users. The results showed that both HNBC and TCC display an adverse phenotype in terms of endothelial function, oxidative stress and platelet activation. Future randomised studies are strongly warranted to confirm these data.

Effects of heat-not-burn compared to combustible cigarettes on coronary flow, myocardial work index and vascular function

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Aim/Introduction: Heat-not-burn cigarette (HNBC) constitutes a non-combustible smoke product. Purpose We compare the effects of heat-not-burn and conventional cigarettes on coronary flow, myocardial and vascular function, platelet activation and oxidative stress. Methods We compared the effects of HNBC to those of tobacco cigarette (TCig), on arterial stiffness, oxidative stress, and platelet activation, acutely and after 1 month of switching to HNBC, as well as on endothelial, myocardial, and coronary function after 1 month of switching to HNBC. In the acute study, 50 smokers were randomized into smoking a single Tcig or an HNBC and after 60 minutes were crossed over to the alternate smoking (HNBC or Tcig). For the chronic phase, 75 smokers were examined. Of those, 50 were switched to HNBC and 25 continued Tcig for 1 month. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and biomarkers [malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyls (PC), and thromboxane B2 (TXB2)] were assessed in the acute and chronic study. Myocardial deformation [global longitundinal strain (GLS), myocardial work index (GWI) and wasted myocardial work (GWW)], coronary flow reserve (CFR) by Doppler echocardiography, total arterial compliance (TAC), and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were additionally assessed in the chronic study. Results Compared to baseline, TCig smoking acutely increased exhaled CO, PWV, MDA, and TxB2 (p &lt; 0.05), while no changes were observed after HNBC. Compared to resuming Tcig smoking, switching to HNBC for 1 month improved CO (mean change: -55% vs -2.4%), FMD ( +55% vs +15%), CFR (+46% vs +4%), TAC (+9% vs -0.5%), GLS (+6% vs +1%), GWW (-19% vs +0.5%), MDA (-19% vs 1 %), and TxB2 (-12% vs 4%) (p &lt; 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusions HNBCs exert a less detrimental effect on vascular, cardiac and platelet function than combustible tobacco.

Got Beer? A Systematic Review of Beer and Exercise

Beer is used to socialize postexercise, celebrate sport victory, and commiserate postdefeat. Rich in polyphenols, beer has antioxidant effects when consumed in moderation, but its alcohol content may confer some negative effects. Despite beer’s popularity, no review has explored its effects on exercise performance, recovery, and adaptation. Thus, a systematic literature search of three databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) was conducted by two reviewers. The search resulted in 16 studies that were appraised and reviewed. The mean PEDro score was 5.1. When individuals are looking to rehydrate postexercise, a low-alcohol beer (<4%) may be more effective. If choosing a beer higher in alcoholic content (>4%), it is advised to pair this with a nonalcoholic option to limit diuresis, particularly when relatively large volumes of fluid (>700 ml) are consumed. Adding Na+ to alcoholic beer may improve rehydration by decreasing fluid losses, but palatability may decrease. These conclusions are largely based on studies that standardized beverage volume, and the results may not apply equally to situations where people ingest fluids and food ad libitum. Ingesting nonalcoholic, polyphenol-rich beer could be an effective strategy for preventing respiratory infections during heavy training. If consumed in moderation, body composition and strength qualities seem largely unaffected by beer. Mixed results that limit sweeping conclusions are owed to variations in study design (i.e., hydration and exercise protocols). Future research should incorporate exercise protocols with higher ecological validity, recruit more women, prioritize chronic study designs, and use ad libitum fluid replacement protocols for more robust conclusions.

Differential effects of heat-not-burn and conventional cigarettes on coronary flow, myocardial and vascular function, platelet activation and oxidative stress

Heat-not-burn cigarette (HNBC) constitutes a non-combustible smoke product. Methods We compared the effects of HNBC to those of tobacco cigarette (TCig), on arterial stiffness, oxidative stress, and platelet activation, acutely and after 1 month of switching to HNBC, as well as on endothelial, myocardial, and coronary function after 1 month of switching to HNBC. In the acute study, 50 smokers were randomised into smoking a single Tcig or an HNBC and after 60 minutes were crossed over to the alternate smoking (HNBC or Tcig). For the chronic phase, 75 smokers were examined. Of those, 50 were switched to HNBC and 25 continued Tcig for 1 month. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and biomarkers [malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyls (PC), and thromboxane B2 (TXB2)] were assessed in the acute and chronic study. Myocardial deformation [global longitundinal strain (GLS), myocardial work index (GWI) and wasted myocardial work (GWW)], coronary flow reserve (CFR) by echocardiography, total arterial compliance (TAC), and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were additionally assessed in the chronic study. Results Compared to baseline, TCig smoking acutely increased exhaled CO, PWV, MDA, and TxB2 (p&lt;0.05), while no changes were observed after HNBC. Compared to resuming Tcig smoking, switching to HNBC for 1 month improved CO (mean change: −55% vs −2.4%), FMD (+55% vs +15%), CFR (+46% vs +4%), TAC (+9% vs −0.5%), GLS (+6% vs +1%), GWW (−19% vs +0.5%), MDA (−19% vs 1%), and TxB2 (−12% vs 4%) (p&lt;0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusions HNBCs exert a less detrimental effect on vascular, cardiac and platelet function than tobacco Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Hellenic Association of Lipidiology, Atherosclerosis and Vascular disease

Eurycoma longifolia—Infused Coffee—An Oral Toxicity Study

Coffee infused with the additive Eurycoma longifolia, also known as Tongkat ali (TA), has become widely available in the Malaysian market. Safety evaluations for consumption of the products have been called for due to the herbal addition. This study investigates the acute, subacute and chronic effects of a commercial TA coffee in Sprague Dawley rats when given in a single, repeated and prolonged dosage. The dosages of 0.005, 0.05, 0.30 and 2 g/kg body weight (BW) were used in the acute study and 0.14, 0.29 and 1 g/kg BW were used in the repeated dose studies. The in-life parameters measured were food and water intake, body weight and clinical observations. Blood were collected for hematology and clinical biochemistry analyses. All animals were subjected to full necropsies. Non-toxicity-related changes were observed in the food and water consumption parameters. Body weight showed normal increments and none of the animals had any clinical signs of toxicity. Microscopically assessed organ tissues did not reveal any abnormalities. There was significant decrease of platelet count in all the chronic study male treated groups. Significant elevation of renal profile parameters in both gender groups given 0.29 g/kg BW, along with liver and lipid profile elevation in some female groups of the chronic study were noted. No dose-dependent relationship was apparent in the dosage range tested, though these changes may suggest an initial safety indication to the TA coffee. The study concludes that the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for this commercial TA coffee was 1 g/kg BW.