Wednesday, July 23, 2025

AI serves as ‘crystal ball’ for predicting outcomes in hospitalized cirrhosis patients

New study finds machine learning outperforms traditional methods in prioritizing treatment for patients with cirrhosis

American Gastroenterological Association

Machine learning to improve inpatient cirrhosis mortality predictions — image:
A study used machine learning to predict outcomes for hospitalized cirrhosis patients.
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Credit: Gastroenterology

Bethesda, MD (July 18, 2025) — Researchers employed a machine learning technique known as random forest analysis and found that it significantly outperformed traditional methods in predicting which hospitalized patients with cirrhosis are at risk of death, according to a new paper published in Gastroenterology.

“This gives us a crystal ball — it helps hospital teams, transplant centers, GI and ICU services to triage and prioritize patients more effectively,” said Dr. Jasmohan S. Bajaj, the study's corresponding author.

Key findings:

Data analyzed from 121 hospitals worldwide, which were part of the CLEARED consortium.
The model performed consistently across both high- and low-income countries.
It was validated using National U.S. veterans’ data and remained accurate.
The tool maintained strong performance even when limited to just 15 key variables.
Patients were accurately grouped into high-risk and low-risk categories, making the model scalable and clinically practical.

Explore the model in action here: https://silveys.shinyapps.io/app_cleared/.

This paper is one of three studies recently published on this topic in the American Gastroenterological Association’s journals. One was a worldwide consensus statement on organ failures, including liver in cirrhosis patients, while the second study identified specific blood markers and complications that influence the risk of in-hospital death, focusing on liver failure biomarkers.

“Liver disease is one of the most underappreciated causes of death worldwide — alcohol, viral hepatitis, and late diagnoses are major drivers,” Bajaj said. “When someone is hospitalized, it’s often because everything upstream — prevention, screening, primary care — has already failed.”

About the AGA Institute
The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, AGA represents members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice, and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research, and educational programs of the organization. www.gastro.org

AGA is on Instagram.
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Follow us on X @AmerGastroAssn and Bluesky @amergastroassn.bsky.social.
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Journal

Gastroenterology

Article Title

Enhancement of Inpatient Mortality Prognostication with Machine Learning in a Prospective Global Cohort of Patients with Cirrhosis with External Validation

Can a compound produced by deep-sea bacteria treat cancer?

Wiley

Promoting pyroptosis—an inflammatory form of programmed cell death—has become a promising treatment strategy for cancer. In research published in The FASEB Journal, investigators purified a long-chain sugar molecule, or exopolysaccharide, from deep-sea bacteria and demonstrated that it triggers pyroptosis to inhibit tumor growth.

The compound, called EPS3.9, consists of mannose and glucose and is produced by the Spongiibacter nanhainus CSC3.9 bacterial strain and other members of the genus Spongiibacter. Mechanistic analyses showed that EPS3.9 can directly target 5 membrane phospholipid molecules and exert tumor toxicity by stimulating pyroptosis in human leukemia cells. EPS3.9 also had significant anti-tumor effects in the mice with liver cancer and activated anti-tumor immune responses.

“Our work not only provides a theoretical basis for developing more carbohydrate-based drugs but also highlights the importance of exploring marine microbial resources,” said corresponding author Chaomin Sun, PhD, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1096/fj.202500412R

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
The FASEB Journal, the flagship publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), leads in publishing groundbreaking multidisciplinary research in biology and biomedical sciences. It spans all levels of biological organization, from molecular to population studies. The journal drives advances in basic, translational, pre-clinical, and early clinical research. Known for its rigorous peer-review process, The FASEB Journal is dedicated to advancing high-quality scientific discoveries and shaping the future of science.

About Wiley     
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Journal

The FASEB Journal

DOI

10.1096/fj.202500412R

Article Title

A novel exopolysaccharide, highly prevalent in marine Spongiibacter, triggers pyroptosis to exhibit potent anticancer effects

Article Publication Date

23-Jul-2025

Will implantable brain-computer interfaces soon benefit people with motor impairments?

Wiley

A review published in Advanced Science highlights the evolution of research related to implantable brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs), which decode brain signals that are then translated into commands for external devices to potentially benefit individuals with impairments such as loss of limb function or speech.

A comprehensive systematic review identified 112 studies, nearly half of which have been published since 2020. Eighty iBCI participants were identified, mostly participating in studies concentrated in the United States, but with growing numbers of studies from Europe, China, and Australia.

The analysis revealed that iBCI technologies are being used to control devices such as robotic prosthetic limbs and consumer digital technologies. Although most studies reported outcome measures prospectively, these mostly related to device performance, with only 17.9% assessing patients’ clinical outcomes. When clinical outcomes were assessed, these were highly mixed because of varied approaches in different patient populations.

“Implantable BCIs hold enormous promise, but the key challenge is proving their effectiveness. In this analysis, we provide the most up-to-date estimate of global iBCI trial participants and examine which outcome measures are being used,” said first author Esmee Dohle, MB BChir, of Oxford University Hospitals in the UK. “These insights are used to offer concrete guidance for designing future iBCI trials.”

Corresponding author Jamie Brannigan, MB BChir, of University College London in the UK and Mount Sinai Hospital in the US noted that the team has created the first global registry of iBCI trial participants, mapping which participants have been implanted, where, and with what type of device. “There is now an opportunity for the community to provide feedback on this registry and for us to build upon this first effort,” he said. “We believe this will enable the field to more easily track progress, avoid duplication, and align future trials with unmet clinical needs.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202501912

About the Journal
Advanced Science, part of the prestigious Wiley Advanced portfolio, is an open access interdisciplinary science journal publishing the best-in-class fundamental and applied research in materials science, physics, chemistry, medical and life sciences, and engineering. Our mission is to give top science the maximum accessibility through open access publishing.

Journal

Advanced Science

DOI

10.1002/advs.202501912

Article Title

Towards the Clinical Translation of Implantable Brain-Computer Interfaces for Motor Impairment: Research Trends and Outcome Measures

Article Publication Date

23-Jul-2025

Can certain fungi boost the micronutrient content of bread wheat?

Wiley

New research in Plants, People, Planet indicates that bread wheat’s micronutrient content can be increased by cultivating it with a specific type of fungus.

When investigators grew different types of wheat with and without the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis, they observed that crops grown with fungi developed larger grains with greater amounts of phosphorus and zinc. The higher amount of phosphorus in the grain did not result in an increase in phytate (a compound that can hinder digestion of zinc and iron). As a result, bread wheat grown with fungi had higher bioavailability of zinc and iron overall compared with bread wheat grown in the absence of fungi.

“Beneficial soil fungi could be used as a sustainable option to exploit soil-derived plant nutrients. In this case, we found potential to biofortify wheat with important human micronutrients by inoculating the plants with mycorrhizal fungi,” said corresponding author Stephanie J. Watts-Williams, PhD, of the University of Adelaide, in Australia.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.70051

About the Journal
Plants, People, Planet publishes innovative research at the interface between plants, society, and the planet. Owned by the New Phytologist Foundation, we aim to publish studies that generate societal impact and address global issues with plant-focused solutions.

Journal

Plants People Planet

DOI

10.1002/ppp3.70051

Article Title

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation increases the bioavailability of zinc and iron in wheat grain

Article Publication Date

23-Jul-2025

New study brings vaccine hopes for deadly Nipah virus

An international team of scientists led by The Pirbright Institute achieves breakthrough in controlling virus with pandemic potential

The Pirbright Institute

image:
Pigs in Bangladesh
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Credit: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have taken a major step forward in tackling one of the world’s most dangerous viruses, the Nipah virus, by evaluating vaccine candidates for pigs.

The Nipah virus is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Originating in Old World fruit bats, the virus primarily affects pigs and humans.

The virus was first identified during a major outbreak in 1998-99 in Malaysia which led to the culling of nearly half the country's pig population and resulted in significant economic losses.

Since then, the virus has continued to cause outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in Bangladesh and India, where human-to-human transmission and consumption of contaminated food, such as date palm sap, have led to high fatality rates.

Infected people can develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) as well as respiratory problems. The disease often begins with flu-like symptoms but can rapidly progress to coma and death. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines or treatment for use in pigs or humans, yet the disease poses a major threat to public and animal health.

Nipah is designated a priority disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a priority pathogen by the UK Health Security Agency, meaning research and development is urgently needed.

Now, a team of researchers from the UK, Australia and Bangladesh, led by scientists at The Pirbright Institute, have tested experimental Nipah vaccines in pigs, aiming to cut off the virus at one of its key transmission routes.

Published in npj Vaccines, the study describes the development of three vaccine candidates using different viral surface proteins. One of the candidates used the same viral vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The team assessed the immunogenicity - the vaccine’s ability to trigger an immune response - in mice and pigs, as well as it’s potential to protect pigs against Nipah. They then carried out further trials in ‘backyard’ pigs under field conditions in the ‘Nipah belt’ region of Bangladesh.

All three vaccines successfully protected pigs from infection. Despite differences in the strength of the immune response, all candidates performed well, showing immunity in pigs vaccinated under field conditions in the Nipah-endemic regions.

Professor Simon Graham, Group Leader of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Immunology group at The Pirbright Institute said “By preventing Nipah outbreaks in pig populations, we can in turn mitigate human infections, protect economies, public health and food security. Our research moves us one major step closer to achieving this goal.”

The team is now working with partners in Germany to develop a cost-effective dual vaccine that could protect pigs against both Nipah and a common swine disease, combining pandemic preparedness with practical benefits for farmers.

As scientists race to stay ahead of high-threat emerging diseases, this work underscores the importance of a ‘One Health’ approach where the health of animals, people and ecosystems is tackled together, not in isolation.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to our partners at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Jenner Institute, University of Queensland, Zoetis, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research and University of Rajshahi.

Journal

npj Vaccines

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Nipah virus vaccines evaluated in pigs as a ‘One Health’ approach to protect public health

Article Publication Date

23-Jul-2025

Philippines Coal Power Set for Rare Decline as Gas Generation Rises

By Tsvetana Paraskova - Jul 22, 2025

The Philippines, one of the world’s most coal-dependent power markets, has boosted LNG imports and gas-fired power generation in recent years, to the point of being on track to see the first decline in coal power generation in 17 years.

The share of gas power generation jumped to 17.5% in the first half of 2025, up from 14% for the full-year 2024 and a record low of 13.9% in 2023, a Reuters analysis of Philippine market and government data showed on Tuesday.

At the same time, the share of coal in Philippine power generation slumped to 57.2% in January to June 2025, down from a record-high of 61.9% in full-year 2024, according to the data Reuters has compiled.

The Philippines continues to rely a lot on coal for its power generation, the share of which rivals those in China and India, but the rise in LNG supply and gas-fired power generation is set to meet an increasing share of the country’s growing electricity demand.

The Southeast Asian country has a moratorium on new coal power plants, but it’s not a total ban as it excludes committed power projects, existing power plant complexes with firm expansion plans and existing land site provisions, as well as projects with approved permits.

Still, coal-fired electricity generation is expected to peak in 2030 due to the policy, James Ha, head of research for Asia-Pacific at Aurora Energy Research, told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Philippine consortium LNGPH signed earlier this year the country’s first long-term LNG supply deal with commodity trading giant Vitol, under which Vitol will supply up to 0.8 million metric tons of LNG annually for a period of 10 years.

The Philippines is also part of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Coal to Clean Credit Initiative (CCCI), with which it aims to support 60 projects by 2030 to help close coal-fired power plants in developing countries.

As part of the first efforts of the new initiative, the Rockefeller Foundation will collaborate with ACEN Corporation, GenZero, Keppel, and Mitsubishi for a pilot project in the Philippines.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

Trump says Philippines will pay 19% tariffs in deal struck with leader Marcos

ORIGINALLY IT WAS 20%

By The Associated Press
Updated: July 22, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., at the White House in Washington on July 22, 2025. (Alex Brandon / AP Photo)

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said he has reached a trade agreement with Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr., following a meeting Tuesday at the White House, that will see the U.S. slightly drop its tariff rate for the Philippines without paying import taxes for what it sells there.

Trump revealed the broad terms of the agreement on his social media network and said the U.S. and the Philippines would work together militarily. The announcement of a loose framework of a deal comes as the two countries are seeking closer security and economic ties in the face of shifting geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region.

Marcos’ government indicated ahead of the meeting that he was prepared to offer zero tariffs on some U.S. goods to strike a deal with Trump. The Philippine Embassy did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Marcos’ three-day visit to Washington shows the importance of the alliance between the treaty partners as China is increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have clashed over the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal.

Washington sees Beijing, the world’s No. 2 economy, as its biggest competitor, and consecutive presidential administrations have sought to shift U.S. military and economic focus to the Asia-Pacific in a bid to counter China. Trump, like others before him, has been distracted by efforts to broker peace in a range of conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza.

Trump announces a trade deal with the Philippines

Trump said on Truth Social that the U.S. would impose a 19% tariff rate on the Philippines, down from a 20% tariff he threatened starting Aug. 1. In return, he said, the Philippines would have an open market and the U.S. would not pay tariffs.

Without further details on the agreement, it’s unclear how it will impact their countries’ economies.

Trump wrote that Marcos’ visit was “beautiful,” and it was a “Great Honor” to host such a “very good, and tough, negotiator.”

Appearing before reporters in the Oval Office ahead of their private meeting, Marcos spoke warmly of the ties between the two nations.

“This has evolved into as important a relationship as is possible to have,” said Marcos, the first Southeast Asian leader to hold talks with Trump in his second term.

Trump, as he does in many of his appearances, veered off topic as he fielded questions from reporters.

In response to a question about his Justice Department’s decision to interview Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend, Trump repeated falsehoods about his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election and the Russia investigation during his first term, along with comments about targeting adversaries such as former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“After what they did to me, whether it’s right or wrong, it’s time to go after people,” Trump said.
Relations with China are top of mind

When asked how he plans to balance his country’s relationships between the U.S. and China, Marcos said there was no need to balance “because our foreign policy is an independent one.”

“Our strongest partner has always been the United States,” said Marcos, whose country is one of the oldest U.S. treaty allies in the Pacific region.

On Tuesday, when asked about the U.S. defense commitment to the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “Whatever cooperation the U.S. and the Philippines have, it should not target or harm any third party, still less incite confrontation and heighten tensions in the region.”

China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have been involved in long-unresolved territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, a busy shipping passage for global trade.

The Chinese coast guard has repeatedly used water cannons to hit Filipino boats in the South China Sea. China accused those vessels of entering the waters illegally or encroaching on its territory.

Marcos also met Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week. At the Pentagon on Monday, Marcos told Hegseth that the assurance to come to each other’s mutual defense “continues to be the cornerstone of that relationship.”

He said the cooperation has deepened since Hegseth’s March visit to Manila, including joint exercises and U.S. support in modernizing the Philippines’ armed forces. Marcos thanked the U.S. for support “that we need in the face of the threats that we, our country, is facing.”

Hegseth told a security forum in Singapore in May that China poses a threat and the U.S. is “reorienting toward deterring aggression by Communist China.”

The U.S., however, has endeavored to keep communication open with Beijing. Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met this month on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They agreed to explore “areas of potential cooperation” and stressed the importance of managing differences.

When hosting Marcos, Trump said a visit to China is “not too distant,” suggesting it is possible he could travel there soon. Trump touted U.S.-China relations but said Manila is independent in its dealings with Beijing.

“Do whatever you need to do,” Trump told Marcos. “But your dealing with China wouldn’t bother me at all.”

___

Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.

Didi Tang and Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press

Trade War

In South Korea’s ‘apple county’, farmers beg not to be sacrificed for U.S. trade deal

By Reuters
July 22, 2025

A national flag flutters at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea

(Lee Jin-man/AP)

CHEONGSONG, South Korea — The apples grown in the South Korean county of Cheongsong in the country’s southeast are so renowned for their flavor that they are often given out in neatly-packaged gift boxes during national holidays.

But apple farmers, who account for about a third of the roughly 14,000 households in the sleepy rural area, worry that their way of life could be under threat from an influx of cheap U.S. imports.

Fanning concerns, South Korea’s trade minister suggested last week that Seoul could make concessions on some agricultural imports, although he said sensitive items should be protected, as part of any deal to eliminate or reduce punishing U.S. tariffs on cars, steel and other key exports.Trade War coverage on BNNBloomberg.ca

“U.S. apples are very cheap. We can’t compete with them,” said Shim Chun-taek, a third-generation farmer who has been growing apples for two decades.

He now fears South Korean farmers risk being sacrificed to appease the U.S. and support the country’s manufacturing sector.

The United States has long called for better market access for its farm products from beef to apples and potatoes. U.S. President Donald Trump in April slammed steep tariffs on rice in South Korea and Japan.

South Korea has taken steps to open its market and is now the top buyer of U.S. beef and the sixth-biggest destination for U.S. agricultural exports overall.

Still, Washington has complained about persistent non-tariff barriers.

South Korea’s quarantine agency is still reviewing U.S. market access requests for apples more than 30 years after they were filed, sparking calls by Washington to expedite the approval process for a range of fruits and potatoes.
Surging prices

Any opening up of the sector would increase pressure on apple farmers already wrestling with a host of problems, from climate change to an aging population and wildfires, which have led to rising costs, smaller harvests, and higher prices.

Bank of Korea governor Rhee Chang-yong last year said runaway prices of apples and other farm goods were contributing to inflation and that there was a need to consider more imports.

The central bank noted South Korea’s grocery prices were higher than the average for OECD countries, with apple prices nearly three times higher than the OECD average.

“I think it is difficult to justify absolute protection to certain agriculture sectors simply because of its high sensitivity,” said Choi Seok-young, a former chief negotiator for the Korea-U.S. free trade deal.

It was hard to view the delayed quarantine process as “rational based on science and international norms,” added Choi, who is now a senior adviser for law firm Lee & Ko.

Agriculture has emerged as one of the sticking points in U.S. trade talks with South Korea and Japan, after countries such as Indonesia and Britain agreed to allow more agricultural imports from the U.S. in recent trade deals.Latest updates on investing here

Seoul has long restricted shipments of U.S. beef from cattle older than 30 months. Massive protests from South Koreans worried about safety due to mad cow disease followed a 2008 agreement with the United States to lift the restrictions.

Shim, 48, who wakes at 3 a.m. every morning to work on his orchards, said it would be impossible to find alternative crops to grow in the mountainous area.

The tariff talks have already fueled protests from farmers’ groups. There could be more to come.

“We oppose the imports of apples no matter what,” Youn Kyung-hee, mayor of Cheongsong county, told Reuters, adding that people will not “sit still” if Seoul opens up the market.

---

Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Daewoung Kim and Jihoon Lee in Seoul; Editing by Ed Davies and Kate Mayberry

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

AI serves as ‘crystal ball’ for predicting outcomes in hospitalized cirrhosis patients

Journal

Article Title

Can a compound produced by deep-sea bacteria treat cancer?

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Article Publication Date

Will implantable brain-computer interfaces soon benefit people with motor impairments?

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Article Publication Date

Can certain fungi boost the micronutrient content of bread wheat?

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Article Publication Date

New study brings vaccine hopes for deadly Nipah virus

Journal

Method of Research

Article Title

Article Publication Date

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