WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash took to an episode of his Kliq This podcast, where he talked about a number of topics including how he found religion prior to his recent surgery for his torn bicep and how his diet has changed.
Nash said, “I’ve lost more weight, but it’s on purpose because I pretty much went carnivore. I’m just not eating carbs. I know that I’m gonna have a pretty, especially at 65, without being able to do any progressive resistance training, I’m going to lose a s**t load of muscle over the next three months. But the beauty of training for 50-plus years is the muscle memory is there, and it’ll come right back. So I got out of the shower today, and I looked at myself, I said, ‘Woah, dude. You look 65.’ Usually I look pretty f***ing…I mean, I look at myself, I’m like, ‘F**k, you look….’ Today, I’m just like, man. I’m doing the pulleys, I’m already doing some mobility. I’m supposed to have my sling on right now. It’s great I guess if you got a 14-inch f***ing arm, but I still got Thanksgiving turkey for an arm, and you have a f***ing thing wrapped around your neck, and the f***ing weight of that arm is pulling into your neck, next thing you know, your right hand is going numb because [the pressure]. F**k that. The thing is, they always say, ‘You need to keep your sling on so you don’t f**k up.’ Hey, I promise you, I’m not going to forget and get up in the morning and go, ‘You know what I need to do is go hit a bucket of balls.’ It’s like, f**k, I know. Sleep in a recliner. Tonight will be day 15. This time, before I went in, I found God, man. I found my religion. I said the Lord’s Prayer, I said, I’m going in, and please don’t take me from Tamara, don’t put this on her lap. I went in, and I came out, and it was rough coming out, it was hard coming out of that anesthesia.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)
Author: Eric Mawuli DJIRACKOR
Machine Learning Statistics By Market, Revenue, Region, Industry, Platforms, Usage, Business And Future Aspects – Coolest Gadgets
Updated · Dec 24, 2024
Saisuman is a talented content writer with a keen interest in mobile tech, new gadgets,…… | See full bio
Editor
Rohan Jambhale is a senior editor at Coolest Gadgets. He focuses on digital marketing, SEO,…… | See full bio
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Machine Learning Statistics: Machine learning (ML) is a fast-growing field shaping the way businesses and industries operate in 2024. It uses data and algorithms to teach computers to make decisions or predictions, improving processes and creating smarter systems. From personalizing customer experiences to enhancing medical diagnoses and automating tasks, ML is driving innovation across the globe. Statistics reveal its increasing impact, with many companies adopting it to boost revenue, improve efficiency, and gain competitive advantages.
The global market is expanding rapidly, supported by advances in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and computing power. As machine learning becomes more integrated into daily life, understanding its trends and statistics helps businesses and individuals adapt to the changes it brings and unlock its full potential. (Reference: statista.com)
The table below shows the Machine Learning market size change:
-20.61%
2024
42.65%
2026
38.73%
2028
31.91%
2030
27.76%
As per Machine Learning Statistics, the other top four countries’ market analyses in 2024 are stated in the table below:
36.07%
Japan
36.08%
India
36.11% (Source: aiprm.com)
36.08%
Americas
36.08%
Africa
36.14%
Caribbean
36.08% (Reference: aiprm.com) (Reference: founderjar.com)
Other platform’s investment statistics in the Machine Learning sector are detailed below in the table:
259 million
Inflection AI
205 million
Hugging Face
131.9 million
A121Labs
118.5 million (Source: aiprm.com)
During the same duration, other company’s Machine Learning adoption shares are detailed in the table below:
24%
Automation processing, understanding, and flow of documents
23%
Automation of business processes
22%
Fraud detection
21%
Human resources and talent acquisition
18%
Supply chain intelligence
18% (Reference: founderjar.com) (Reference: statista.com) (Reference: statista.com)
Machine learning is transforming industries worldwide, making tasks faster, smarter, and more efficient. As it grows, businesses, healthcare, education, and manufacturing continue to see its benefits in improving processes and solving complex problems.
However, responsible use and addressing ethical concerns are crucial as this technology advances. With continuous innovation, machine learning promises a future filled with opportunities for better decision-making, enhanced productivity, and creative solutions to challenges. Its potential is vast, shaping the world in remarkable ways.
Machine learning works by teaching computers to learn from data, identify patterns, and make predictions without explicit programming.
Machine learning is used in fraud detection, self-driving cars, medical diagnosis, voice assistants, and personal recommendations.
To learn machine learning, you need to know the basics of math, programming skills, data handling, problem-solving, and algorithms.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the broader concept of machines simulating human intelligence, while Machine Learning (ML) focuses on learning from data.
Machine learning powers everyday tools like voice assistants, online shopping recommendations, facial recognition, and spam email filters.
Saisuman is a talented content writer with a keen interest in mobile tech, new gadgets, law, and science. She writes articles for websites and newsletters, conducting thorough research for medical professionals. Fluent in five languages, her love for reading and languages led her to a writing career. With a Master’s in Business Administration focusing on Human Resources, Saisuman has worked in HR and with a French international company. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and singing classical songs. At Coolest Gadgets, Saisuman reviews gadgets and analyzes their statistics, making complex information easy for readers to understand.
We started coolest gadgets back in 2005 for numerous reasons. The most important being we love gadgets and the Net so it just seemed natural to combine the two with this site. We can now also buy gadgets and use this site to justify our spending to partners and the tax man.
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White Abarrio Back in Stakes Company for Mr. Prospector – BloodHorse.com
White Abarrio wins his return allowance race at Gulfstream Park
Following an impressive 10 1/4-length allowance romp in his return to the races, 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio jumps back into graded company as he faces 11 rivals in the $165,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 28.
The Nov. 22 victory at the same course and seven-furlong distance that he'll face Saturday came on the heels of a 5 1/2-month layoff since a soundly beaten fifth in the June 8 Metropolitan Handicap (G1). It was also his first start back in the Florida-based barn of his original trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who trained the horse for his first 12 starts that included a victory in the 2022 Florida Derby (G1).
PRESS RELEASE: White Abarrio Resumes Racing Nov. 22 at Gulfstream Park
A return to the Florida sun was just what the doctor ordered for the 5-year-old son of Race Day as he improved his record at Gulfstream to 6-for-7. Despite being known for his success at longer routes, White Abarrio holds a perfect 2-for-2 record over seven furlongs, both contested at Gulfstream.
Owned by C 2 Racing Stable, Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Antonio Pagnano, White Abarrio has won eight of 18 starts for earnings of $5,213,350.
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One of his prinicipal rivals comes in the form of Carlos Saavedra and Stud Vendaval's Mufasa , who exits a disappointing run in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Prior to that 11th-place finish around two turns at Del Mar, the Chilean group 3 winner introduced himself to American audiences with a pair of open-length victories over seven furlongs. The latter of the two came Sept. 28 at Aqueduct Racetrack when he won the Vosburgh Stakes (G3) over a sloppy track by 4 1/4 lengths.
The Ignacio Correas trainee makes his fifth start in the United States at a fifth different track, but holds a perfect 4-for-4 record at the distance.
Lea Farms' Super Chow is aiming to end the year the way he began it, rallying off three grade 3 wins in a four-race span at Aqueduct and Pimlico Race Course. However, he's failed to hit the board in his last three starts, finishing fourth in each.
Like White Abarrio, the 4-year-old son of Lord Nelson has shown an affinity for Gulfstream, hitting the board in all six starts and visiting the winner's circle three times.
Half the field has won multiple starts at the Hallandale Beach, Fla. track, with the second-most victories belonging to Bianco Stable's Caramel Chip , who exits a third in the Nov. 16 Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs for trainer Carlos David. The 6-year-old son of Midshipman has won five of 15 starts at Gulfstream, hitting the board eight times.
Stakes winner Shaq Diesel has won four times at Gulfstream, Real Macho three times, and Mr Skylight twice.
Joseph Imbesi's Pennylvania homebred Gordian Knot , a five-time stakes winner and grade 3 placed in his home state, makes his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
Entries: Mr. Prospector S. (G3)
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 28, 2024, Race 10
- Grade III
- 7f
- Dirt
- $165,000
- 3 yo’s & up
- 4:51 PM (local)
PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Playmea Tune (ON) | Edwin Gonzalez | 122 | Josie Carroll | – |
2 | Mr Skylight (KY) | Junior Alvarado | 120 | Riley Mott | – |
3 | Super Chow (KY) | David Egan | 124 | Jorge Delgado | – |
4 | Gordian Knot (PA) | John R. Velazquez | 122 | Todd A. Pletcher | – |
5 | Real Macho (KY) | Emisael Jaramillo | 122 | Rohan Crichton | – |
6 | Mufasa (CHI) | Tyler Gaffalione | 126 | Ignacio Correas IV | – |
7 | El Principito (FL) | Luca Panici | 118 | Michael V. Laurato | – |
8 | Little Vic (KY) | Leonel Reyes | 122 | Juan Carlos Avila | – |
9 | Illuminare (KY) | Luis Saez | 118 | Todd A. Pletcher | – |
10 | White Abarrio (KY) | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 122 | Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. | – |
11 | Shaq Diesel (FL) | Miguel Angel Vasquez | 122 | David Fawkes | – |
12 | Caramel Chip (KY) | Edgard J. Zayas | 120 | Carlos A. David | – |
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 28, 2024, Race 10
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Longitudinal relationship between adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms: the mediating role of physical pain – BMC Psychiatry
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BMC Psychiatry volume 24, Article number: 947 (2024)
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This study explored the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), physical pain, and depressive symptoms, and examined the mediating role of pain in the correlation between ACE and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese (over the age of 45).
Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analysis the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms. To assess the mediating role of physical pain in the relationship between ACE and depressive symptoms, mediation analysis was conducted. Indirect, direct, and total effects were estimated by combining mediation and outcome models, adjusting for relevant covariates. Bayesian network models were used to visually demonstrate the interrelations between factors influencing depressive symptoms, further verifying the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms.
In the fully adjusted model, middle-aged and elderly individuals reporting ACE had a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms (hazard ratios [HR] and 95% confidence intervals [95% CI], 1.379 [1.266–1.503]). Compared to those without physical pain, individuals reporting severe physical pain were at an increased risk of depressive symptoms (HR [95% CI], 1.438 [1.235–1.673]). The risk was even higher for those with both ACE and severe physical pain compared to those with neither (HR [95% CI], 2.020 [1.630–2.505]). The intensity of pain explained 7.48% of the association between ACE and depressive symptoms, while the number of pain sites accounted for 7.86%.
Physical pain partially mediated the association between ACE and depressive symptoms. The study findings highlighted the importance of early screening and intervention for physical pain in middle-aged and older adults with ACE.
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Peer Review reports
With the intensification of social competition and the acceleration of life pace, the number of individuals suffering from depression is rapidly increasing. It is reported that globally, around 322 million people are affected by depression [1]. Studies in the Chinese population indicate that the prevalence of depression ranges from 1.5 to 7.9%, while the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms varies from 1.5–60.3%.2–5 Depression not only severely impacts the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly individuals but also serves as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, disability, and mortality [6,7,8,9]. Presently, the identification and control of risk factors are crucial for the primary and secondary prevention of depressive symptoms.
Previous studies have shown that ACE are associated with a range of social disadvantages in adulthood, and individuals with higher ACE scores are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors [10,11,12]. People with ACE undergo physical and psychological abnormalities, with adult physical pain and depressive symptoms potentially being long-term health consequences of ACE. Chronic physical pain is characterized by high prevalence and substantial social burden, and it is also a leading cause of disability [13, 14]. Previous studies have shown that ACE is an important predictor of increased depressive symptoms during the pandemic, and that there is a combined effect between ACE and polygenic susceptibility to major depressive disorder [15, 16]. In addition, physical pain often occurs at the same time as depressive symptoms, suggesting that there may be a two-way association between the two [17]. Existing research [18,19,20,21] indicates that both ACE and physical pain are associated with depressive symptoms, but the role of physical pain in mediating the impact of ACE on depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly periods lacks verification from long-term cohort studies. Current evidence overlooks the potential roles of pain intensity and the number of pain sites, and there is a lack of exploration into the underlying mechanisms, particularly the interactions among influencing factors.
Considering the potential long-term harm of ACE on mental health, understanding its relationship with depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly individuals, and the mediating role of physical pain, could provide a basis for promoting their physical and mental health. Therefore, this study aims to utilize data from the China Longitudinal Study of Health and Retirement (CHARLS) to explore the associations of ACE and physical pain with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese, and further analyze the mediating roles of the number of pain sites and the intensity of physical pain in the relationship between ACE and depression. In terms of content, this study verified the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms through a cohort study design, and also explored the mediating role of physical pain between ACE and depressive symptoms in the middle-aged and elderly population in China for the first time. In terms of methodology, this study not only uses traditional statistical models to analyze correlations, but also innovatively uses Bayesian network models to visually demonstrate complex correlations.
CHARLS is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults over the age of 45. More details about CHARLS have been reported in previous studies [22]. In the 2011 baseline survey of this study, face-to-face interviews were conducted with individuals from 10,257 households across 28 provinces, utilizing the probability ratio sampling method. Subsequent follow-up surveys have been carried out in 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020, following the initial survey in 2011. The life course survey was conducted in 2014. This study included a total of 3,840 participants (Fig. 1), excluding those who, at baseline, had depression, other affective psychiatric issues, or memory-related diseases (confirmed cases of Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral atrophy, Parkinson’s disease).
Flow-chart of the selection of study participants. Abbreviations: ACE, adverse childhood experiences
In the CHARLS, ACE before the age of 17 were assessed using the 2014 life history questionnaire. 14 ACE, including 11 intra-familial ACE (emotional neglect, family violence, parental separation or divorce, parental substance abuse, parents incarcerated, parental mental illness, parental disability, parental death, sibling death, physical abuse, and economic adversity) and 3 extra-familial ACE (bullying, loneliness, and community violence) were identified based on our previous research. Utilizing dichotomous items, we further constructed a composite variable (≥ 4 ACE vs. <4 ACE). This threshold was chosen because previous studies have reported that having four or more ACE increases the risk of various adverse health outcomes, making it a widely accepted benchmark [23, 24]. Additionally, this study also considered the relationship between continuous ACE scores and depressive symptoms.
Depressive symptoms were measured using the CES-D scale, whose reliability in Chinese adults has been widely validated [25, 26]. Participants were asked about their mood and behavior over the past week, including eight negative and two positive questions. Each question was scored from 0 to 3, with a total score ranging from 0 to 30. Higher depressive scores refer to more depressive symptoms. The cutoff score for depressive symptoms was 10.
During the baseline survey, participants were asked about the frequency of physical pain, the locations of the pain, and its intensity. The listed pain locations included the head, shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers, chest, stomach, back, waist, hips, legs, knees, ankles, toes, and neck. If participants experienced more than one type of pain, they were instructed to report the severity of the most severe pain.
At baseline, sociodemographic factors, personal lifestyle, and health status were collected through questionnaire surveys, physical examinations, and blood tests. Potential confounding factors considered included sociodemographic factors (age, sex, urban/rural residence, education level, marital status, body mass index), personal lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, social participation, exercise habits), relevant blood test indicators, and health status. The latter encompasses self-reported histories of 12 chronic diseases: hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, cancer and other malignancies, chronic lung diseases, liver diseases, heart diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, stomach diseases, arthritis or rheumatism, and asthma, defined based on whether a doctor had informed the participants of having these diseases.
Baseline characteristics of participants were described by mean values for continuous variables and proportions for categorical variables. Data are presented as frequency (%) and mean (SD). T tests were used for continuous variables, and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Considering missing data, variables with a missing proportion over 5% were assigned NA dummy variables, while those with less than 5% missing data underwent multiple imputation. Details of missing data are shown in supplementary material (see Table S1 published as supplementary material online).
Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate HR [95% CI] for the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms. Three models progressively revealed the correlations between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms, comparing HR before and after adjusting for confounding factors. The effects of combinations of ACE and physical pain on depressive symptoms were further stratified. To assess the mediating role of physical pain in the relationship between ACE and depressive symptoms, mediation analysis was conducted. Indirect, direct, and total effects were estimated by combining mediation and outcome models, adjusting for relevant covariates.
Several sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results. Firstly, participants who developed depression within two years of recruitment were excluded to reduce the possibility of reverse causation. Secondly, continuous ACE scores and the number of pain sites were used instead of categorical ACE and pain intensity in the primary analysis. Thirdly, based on the results of the Cox regression models, variables with statistical significance were included, and those with over 5% missing data were excluded. Bayesian network models were used to visually demonstrate the interrelations between factors influencing depressive symptoms, further verifying the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms.
A two-sided P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Analyses were conducted using R statistical software version 9.4 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing) and SPSS version 26.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics). Data analysis was carried out from November 2023 to January 2024.
The main sample included 3840 middle-aged and elderly individuals, with an average age of 58.03 (SD = 8.32) years, of whom 1935 (50.39%) were female. During the 9-year follow-up period, 2095 (54.56%) reported new onset of depressive symptoms, with the cumulative incidence shown in supplementary material (see Table S2 published as supplementary material online). As indicated in Table 1, compared to those without depressive symptoms, participants who reported new onset of depressive symptoms were more likely to be older, male, from rural areas, have lower education levels, be in a single status, have unhealthier lifestyles, more chronic diseases, higher ACE scores, and experience more intense physical pain.
Table 2 displays the associations between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms in the Cox regression model. Compared to individuals with ACE scores less than 4, those with scores of 4 or higher had a significantly increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. The HR (95% CI) before and after adjusting for confounders were 1.439 (1.319–1.570) and 1.379 (1.266–1.503), respectively. Compared to those without physical pain, individuals with mild, moderate, and severe physical pain had progressively higher risks of developing depressive symptoms, with adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.275 (1.094–1.486), 1.418 (1.209–1.665), and 1.438 (1.235–1.673), respectively. Compared to individuals with low ACE scores and no physical pain, those with high ACE scores and severe physical pain had a significantly increased risk of developing depressive symptoms, with an adjusted HR (95% CI) of 2.020 (1.630–2.505).
Considering the potential for reverse causality, this study excluded participants who developed depressive symptoms within two years of recruitment and then reanalyzed using Cox regression. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the associations between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms remained. To address collinearity issues, continuous ACE scores, the presence or absence of physical pain, and the number of pain sites were used instead of categorical ACE and pain intensity in the primary analysis. After adjusting for confounders, the results remained unchanged, consistent with previous conclusions (see Table S3 published as supplementary material online). Bayesian networks visually demonstrated the interrelations among factors influencing depressive symptoms, further verifying the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms (see Figure S1 published as supplementary material online). When both ACE and physical pain scores were high, the probability of middle-aged and elderly individuals suffering from depressive symptoms was 76.70% (see Figure S2 published as supplementary material online).
Relationship between adverse childhood experiences, physical pain and new-onset depressive symptoms during the period 2013–2020. Abbreviations: HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval; ACE, adverse childhood experiences
a adjusted for age, sex, residents, education, marital status, BMI, smoking, drinking, ADL, IADL, social activity, exercise, number of chronic diseases, Cystatin C, high density lipoprotein cholesterol
The results of the mediation analysis are shown in Fig. 3. We found that physical pain partially mediated the association between ACE and depressive symptoms. The intensity of pain explained 7.48% of the association between ACE and depressive symptoms, while the number of pain sites accounted for 7.86%. Subgroup analyses by type of residence revealed that this mediating effect persisted in both urban and rural middle-aged and elderly populations (see Figure S3 and Figure S4 published as supplementary material online). However, the mediation effect was relatively increased in urban populations and decreased in rural populations.
Effect of physical pain on the Association between ACE and the Aew-onset of Aepressive Aymptoms. Abbreviations: ACE, adverse childhood experiences. *p < 0.001. Adjusted for age, sex, residents, education, marital status, BMI, smoking, drinking, ADL, IADL, social activity, exercise, number of chronic diseases, Cystatin C, high density lipoprotein cholesterol.
This study explored the association between ACE, physical pain, and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults in China. It further analyzed the mediating role of the number of pain locations and the intensity of physical pain in the relationship between ACE and depression. The results indicated that both ACE and physical pain were significantly associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms, with the risk positively correlated with the intensity of physical pain. Examination of the mediating effects revealed that both the intensity and the number of pain sites mediated the association between ACE and depressive symptoms to some extent, with this mediating effect being more pronounced in urban middle-aged and elderly populations.
ACE and physical pain were identified as risk factors for depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults, aligning with findings from previous studies. A study in Germany during the Covid-19 pandemic identified ACE as a significant predictor of increased depressive symptoms, suggesting that individuals with ACE might be at risk for mental health issues during the current and potential future pandemics [15]. The UK’s aging longitudinal study confirmed that both ACE and polygenic susceptibility to major depression are associated with higher depressive symptoms, and the combined effect of ACE and polygenic susceptibility further increases the risk of depression [16]. Previous research has shown that physical pain often co-occurs with depressive symptoms, suggesting a bidirectional association [17, 27,28,29,30]. Building on these studies, our research further determined that in the Chinese middle-aged and elderly population, the intensity of physical pain and the number of pain sites explained 7.48% and 7.86%, respectively, of the association between ACE and depressive symptoms. Therefore, timely attention by Chinese health service personnel to the comprehensive assessment of physical pain in middle-aged and elderly people is more conducive to the prevention and control of depressive symptoms. Additionally, the Bayesian network showed that gender is a common influencing factor for both ACE and the intensity of physical pain, with physical pain not only directly affecting depressive symptoms but also influencing depressive symptoms through pathways including chronic diseases and social participation.
The internal mechanisms linking ACE and physical pain with depressive symptoms remain unclear. Compared to normal individuals, those with high ACE scores experience more physical and psychological abnormalities during childhood, which may lead to physical pain in adulthood and a more closed and vulnerable psychological state. Biologically, chronic physical pain and depressive symptoms may share common neural circuits and brain modulators [31, 32]. Furthermore, research suggests that chronic inflammation is a risk factor for depression, and both ACE and physical pain are associated with some level of inflammation [33,34,35,36,37]. Longitudinal studies and meta-analyses evaluating evidence suggest that stress and immune system dysregulation due to ACE exposure are significantly associated with elevated inflammatory biomarkers, with a mechanophysiological response to trauma [38]. Long-term inflammation can cause peripheral sensitization, leading to hyperalgesia and chronic generalized pain [39]. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to the mental health of individuals with ACE who suffer from physical pain. China’s aging population is deepening, and the development of community health service centers is becoming more and more comprehensive, the results of this study provide guidance for the prevention and control of physical and mental health in the elderly. Measures should be taken to prevent and control the risk of depressive symptoms in potentially susceptible individuals, including regular screening and timely care for chronic physical pain in middle-aged and elderly people by community health centers [40].
This study has several significant strengths. Firstly, this cohort study integrates the intensity of physical pain and the number of pain sites to examine the association between ACE and depressive symptoms, which helps in better understanding the potential mechanisms. Secondly, the extended period of follow-up and the application of multiple imputation methods further ensure the accuracy of the causal relationships. Finally, multiple different sensitivity analyses enhance the reliability of our results.
The study also has limitations. Firstly, ACE was measured by asking about experiences prior to age 18, and due to the relatively older age of the study subjects, there may be bias in recalling childhood trauma, and a certain amount of recall bias may not be eliminated. Secondly, although we adjusted for as many confounding factors as possible, the impact of residual confounders, such as genetic factors, cannot be entirely eliminated. Finally, pain in this study was self-rated by the subjects, so there may be information bias in the evaluation of pain degree.
In this cohort study, we found that both ACE and physical pain were associated with a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms, particularly when both were present. Physical pain partially mediated the association between ACE and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly individuals, indicating that adverse experiences in childhood can have long-term negative effects on mental health. Focusing on physical pain as a phenotypic factor may help mitigate these effects. Importantly, the development and promotion of physical pain screening and intervention measures within communities may enhance the physical and mental health of the middle-aged and elderly population with ACE.
All data and materials are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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This analysis used data or information from the CHARLS. The authors thank all staff and participants of this study for their important contributions.
None.
School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Min Bao
Department of Medical Affairs, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Rongji Ma
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Min Bao was in charge of study conceptualization, drafting of manuscript, carrying out statistical analyses, and interpretation of results. Rongji Ma revised the manuscript and offered constructive feedback.
Correspondence to Rongji Ma.
The study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Peking University, and all CHARLS participants provided written informed consent. All methods were carried out by the principle embodied in the Declaration of Helsinki.
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Ignore social media posts claiming these ‘herbal pills’ can shrink your fibroids – Africa Check
IN SHORT: Several Facebook posts are promoting what they say is a cure for fibroids. However, a gynaecologist advises patients to consult their doctor as many herbal remedies are not evidence-based.
A post on Facebook claims that herbal tablets called “Fibroid Decline” can shrink fibroids completely “without surgery or side effects”.
The 12 December 2024 post reads: “I thought my life was forever changed when I was diagnosed with fibroids. Heavy bleeding, excruciating pain, and constant fatigue became my new norm. I tried various treatments but no result … After 9years of living with fibroid, I went for surgery but still grew back after some years. But Then I Discovered This 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 That Changed Everything!”
The post also says the pills can help women fall pregnant in just 90 days.
It encourages interested users to place their orders via the link attached.
The same claim also appears here, here, here and here.
But can these tablets really cure fibroids? We checked.
Nothing but the facts
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Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that form inside or on the wall of the uterus. In severe cases, they can cause infertility or miscarriage.
Some of the symptoms include heavy or painful periods, abdominal pain, lower back pain, frequent urination, constipation, and discomfort during sex.
Most fibroids do not require treatment. However, in some cases, patients may need over-the-counter pain medications, iron supplements, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, which work by shrinking fibroids.
We clicked on the link attached to the Facebook post, which took us to a website with several positive reviews, supposedly from fibroid patients who had benefited from the pills. If such reviews are not backed by scientific evidence, they should not be trusted. For your safety, it’s best not to take any medication that hasn’t been clinically tested.
The website also displayed several buttons with the messages “I WANT TO BE FREE FROM FIBROID” and “YES I WANT TO ORDER”. A clock counted down the days until the “45% off + free shipping” offer ended. This tactic was most likely used to rush users to buy the product without doing proper research.
A form at the bottom of the website requested our name, physical and email addresses, and the package we wanted to order. This is a tactic known as phishing. Scammers use it to trick people into thinking they’re placing an order (in this case), whereas they just want their personal information.
Africa Check contacted Cosmos Enyindah, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria.
Enyindah said, unlike orthodox medicine, many herbal mixtures were not evidence-based.
“Medicine is evidence-based, so I cannot trust any cure that is not backed by evidence. Anyone who has fibroids or any other ailment should see their doctor. In cases where there is no cure yet, we introduce clinical trials, let people do clinical trials.”
This Africa Check guide can help you evaluate health claims, quacks and cures.
We believe that everyone needs the facts.
You can republish the text of this article free of charge, both online and in print. However, we ask that you pay attention to these simple guidelines. In a nutshell:
1. Do not include images, as in most cases we do not own the copyright.
2. Please do not edit the article.
3. Make sure you credit “Africa Check” in the byline and don’t forget to mention that the article was originally published on africacheck.org.
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
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The Smartest Artificial Intelligence (AI) ETF to Buy With $500 Right Now – Nasdaq
Best Buy 25 Days of Deals – Day 24: Arlo Security Cam bundle $500 off, FREE eero 6+ mesh router, gift cards, home essentials, more from $13 – 9to5Toys
Best Buy’s 25 Days of Deals event is still going strong and today’s fresh offers are now live over at the retailer’s Deals of the Day landing page. Today, you’ll find savings of up to $500 on Arlo and Google’s security camera bundle. You can also cash in and snag a 3-pack of eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi system with an additional FREE node at $195. Besides that, Best Buy is also offering deals on a bunch of home and kitchen essentials including an ice maker, a slow cooker, a cordless vacuum, and some gift cards starting at just $13. There’s a lot to go through here before you get a sneak peek at tomorrow’s deal, so hit the jump for a closer look at all the offers.
One of the best deals of the lot gets you Arlo’s Ultra 2 Spotlight 3-Camera 4K Security system down at $399.99 shipped. That’s down $500 from its $900 listed price, meaning you’re looking at a solid 55% discount. This set usually costs $580 on Amazon, so Best Buy is offering a pretty good deal today with a $180 markdown on its usual going rate. Additionally, you’ll also find a 3-pack of Google’s Nest Cam bundle down at $349.99 shipped today as a part of the event. It even comes with a FREE $30 gift card and an additional $60 discount for Best Buy’s Plus and Total members.
Best Buy is also offering some great deals on a good selection of home and kitchen essentials, and you’ll find some of our favorites highlighted below.
There’s still one more day left in Best Buy’s 25 Days of Deals event and you can get a sneak peek of what’s to come tomorrow below.
Also, keep in mind that Best Buy’s 48-hour doorbuster flash sale is still live with huge savings on Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Smart TVs, and more from just $24.
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College football schedule today: Bowl game TV coverage, channel, scores for Tuesday – Tennessean
By the time presents are placed underneath the Christmas tree, another college football bowl game trophy will have been handed out.
And it will happen on the island of Honolulu.
In the lone college football bowl game on the Christmas Eve schedule, South Florida (6-6) and San Jose State (7-5) will clash in the Hawaii Bowl at 7 p.m. CT inside the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex in Honolulu.
The Bulls finished in a three-way tie for sixth place in the American Athletic Conference this past season at 4-4, with all four defeats coming in their last six games. It is the second straight bowl game for USF (a first in six years for the Bulls) and the 12th ever in program history.
It remains unclear who will start at quarterback for USF: Byrum Brown or backup Bryce Archie. Brown has been out since Sept. 28 vs. Tulane with a lower-leg injury, but USF coach Alex Golesh said at a news conference on Dec. 12 that if Brown is “ready to roll,” he will. Since taking over for Brown, Archie has thrown for 1,622 yards and eight touchdowns.
Meanwhile, San Jose State went 3-4 in the Mountain West this past season. One Spartans player to look out for in Tuesday’s Hawaii Bowl will be star wide receiver Nick Nash. Leading the nation with 8.7 receptions and 115.2 yards per game in the regular season, Nash the only wide unanimous selection at receiver in NCAA’s consensus All-American team, per San Jose State.
Here’s how to watch the day’s college football action, including time, TV schedule, streaming information and more:
Tuesday, Dec. 24
Tuesday’s lone college football game between USF and San Jose State will air on ESPN. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with cable login) and Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Tuesday, Dec. 24
This section will be updated as scores conclude
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The Smartest Artificial Intelligence (AI) ETF to Buy With $500 Right Now – The Motley Fool
Founded in 1993, The Motley Fool is a financial services company dedicated to making the world smarter, happier, and richer. The Motley Fool reaches millions of people every month through our premium investing solutions, free guidance and market analysis on Fool.com, personal finance education, top-rated podcasts, and non-profit The Motley Fool Foundation.
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Key Points
Artificial intelligence (AI) captured the attention of the investing world like few things that have come before. The excitement around the technology thrust companies once known mostly to tech enthusiasts into the mainstream, while firms across Silicon Valley have seen their stocks rocket up to historic highs on the promise of AI.
It’s still early days for AI, and there can certainly be a danger in getting ahead of ourselves. However, you don’t have to subscribe to the loftiest predictions surrounding AI — and there are many — to see that it has the power to be truly transformative to the world’s economy.
Here are just a few predictions from some reputable sources:
One of the best ways to invest is through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). They offer an easy way to gain exposure to a collection of stocks (and other assets) by purchasing just one security. ETFs are a lot like mutual funds, except that you can buy and sell them the same way you would an individual stock, and they typically have lower fees.
Many of the most popular are broad-market ETFs that track an index like the S&P 500, such as the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. Many ETFs have a narrower target, however, investing in a specific industry or sector of an industry, like AI.
So, where should you invest your $500? Well, ETFs are hugely popular, and no sector has as much buzz as AI, so there are plenty of options. There are currently about 40 offerings, but here are the top five by assets under management (AUM).
You’ll notice a lot of overlap here with the larger technology industry. There are more granular options, focusing on smaller AI-native companies. But I think a more broad-based offering is the better option: The more concentrated an ETF becomes, the riskier it becomes.
While the Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF is the lowest cost, with an expense ratio of just 0.08%, for my money, the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF is the best option and where I would invest the $500.
At just 0.4%, it is still has a relatively low cost — $40 annually per $10,000 invested. But it has performed slightly better than Fidelity’s option over the past few years, making up for the slight increase in cost. In fact, this year, the Expanded Tech Sector ETF outperformed all of these AI ETFs and the Nasdaq as a whole.
I also like the makeup of its holdings better. Fidelity is much more heavily concentrated at the top, with its top three positions accounting for about 44% of the fund’s value. In contrast, the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF has about 25% invested in its top three.
Furthermore, Meta Platforms (META 2.50%) is one of the iShares ETF’s top holdings, but is conspicuously absent from Fidelity’s fund — FTEC holds 296 equities, but Meta isn’t among the list. I think Meta is one of the strongest AI plays among big tech and I’m not alone in this: Meta is one of the top 5 holdings of many of the premier hedge funds on Wall Street.
The firm continues to deliver in core business: it currently operates the first-, third-, fourth-, and seventh-most popular social media platforms in the world, reaching an incredible 3.29 billion people a day. This influence makes its ad space immensely valuable, leading Meta to deliver double-digit revenue growth quarter after quarter since Q1 2023.
And now the company’s AI efforts are paying off, helping to compound its success in advertising by boosting efficiency and enhancing targeting algorithms and the successful release of its flagship product, Meta AI, proves that the company can create an AI platform people actually like, something even Apple is struggling with. I believe these early successes are just a taste of what’s to come; Meta’s long commitment to AI research will lead to products that will greatly enhance, if not outright transform, its business.
Whether you have $500 or $500,000, you could do worse than investing in the companies fueling an AI revolution. An ETF fund like the iShares Expanded Tech Sector fund is an excellent way to do so quickly, simply, and cheaply.
Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Johnny Rice has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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