SAVE $150: As of July 26, the 2025 Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for $849 at Amazon. That’s a 15% saving on the list price.
We have made a lot of noise about the fact that you can get the 2025 MacBook Air with the M4 chip for under $850 at Amazon. We’ve shouted it from the hilltops, because we really do consider it one of the best Apple deals of the year (if not the very best).
And somehow, this deal is still live. As of July 26, the 2025 Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for $849 at Amazon. That’s a 15% saving on the list price. The deal applies to all colors, so you can choose between starlight, midnight, silver, and sky blue. This price is specific to the 16GB MacBook, but there’s discounts on other models.
SEE ALSO:
The 11-inch Apple iPad is still available for under $300 at Amazon
If this deal continues to stick around, we may just need to consider this the new list price. Is it a deal if the price doesn’t bounce back up? That’s up for debate.
This popular MacBook is powered by Apple’s new M4 chip, meaning it’s both fast and efficient. It can handle video editing, jumping between apps, and working through heavy multiple-tab workloads. It’s also created with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s personal AI system that helps you get more work done in less time.
Mashable Deals
This model boasts a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that supports 1 billion colors. Other standout features include a 12MP Center Stage camera, a three-mic setup, and a four-speaker system with Spatial Audio, so work calls will always help you look your best. And you get 18 hours of battery life, so you can work on the go without a worry.
On its long journey to the outer solar system, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft made a planned detour — and seized a striking photo opportunity.
In a single frame, the uncrewed Europa Clipper caught Mars alongside both of its tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, as they waltzed through space, all glowing in infrared light.
The image, presented below, is more than a pretty picture. It offers a rare look at a planetary trio not often seen together, and it provided mission engineers a crucial chance to fine-tune the spacecraft’s thermal camera as it zipped past the Red Planet.
SEE ALSO:
A star may have survived partial black hole spaghettification
From about 560,000 miles away — more than twice the distance between Earth and the moon — Europa Clipper’s infrared camera snapped 200 individual frames over the course of 20 minutes on Feb. 28. The frames were later stitched together to reveal the glowing heat signatures of Mars, Phobos, and Deimos.
The result is a surreal view: Mars dominates the center, faintly surrounded by image-processing artifacts. At the upper left, Deimos appears as a tiny glowing dot. Closer in is Phobos, Mars’ larger and innermost moon. To make the dim moons visible — each about 250 times fainter than Mars — engineers brightened the image.
Mashable Light Speed
Left: From a half-million miles away, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft captured Mars with its two moons, Phobos and Deimos, in space. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / SwRI
Right: To see a labeled view, swipe the slider above to the left. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / SwRI
Visible on the planet itself is a dark patch near the top, marking the frigid northern polar cap, where temperatures dip to about -190 degrees Fahrenheit. A circular region shows Elysium Mons, one of Mars’ giant volcanoes.
The Martian moons are rarely seen together, let alone with their host planet. The first time Phobos and Deimos were both caught on camera was in November 2009, when the Mars Express orbiter snagged the unprecedented image, according to the European Space Agency. The portrait, which showcased the duo lined up, one behind the other, took years of planning, precise knowledge of their orbits, and some lucky viewing geometry.
Scientists know relatively little about Phobos and Deimos, two of the smallest known moons in the solar system. Both are “blacker than coal and look like battered potatoes,” according to ESA. Phobos is the larger of the pair, about 14 miles wide, and circles Mars three times a day. Deimos, just seven or eight miles across, orbits Mars every 30 hours.
Right now researchers aren’t sure where the moons came from, and it remains a source of mystery. Some believe they could have been asteroids captured in orbit around the Red Planet. Others think they could be chunks of Mars itself, blown out by a giant collision billions of years ago.
The Mars Express orbiter caught Phobos, in the foreground, and Deimos on camera together for the first time in November 2009. The right side showcases the raw image; left, after processing. Credit: ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (G. Neukum)
The new Europa Clipper image was taken using one of the spacecraft’s thermal sensors, designed to detect heat instead of visible light. This tool will later be used to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, a frozen world believed to harbor a salty ocean beneath its icy crust — and possibly the conditions to support life. The instrument — the Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System, or E-Themis — should help identify places where Europa’s inner ocean might be interacting with its frozen shell — a key clue in the search for alien life.
The spacecraft used Mars’ gravity in March to tweak its path, a maneuver known as a gravity assist, on its way to the outer solar system. That close encounter provided a convenient moment to test instruments — and admire Earth’s ruddy neighbor. Just a few days later, on March 12, another spacecraft made a pop-in for a gravity assist and some photos. That robotic spacecraft is on the European Hera mission tostudy the asteroid NASA intentionally crashed into three years ago.
Europa Clipper launched from Florida in October 2024 and is scheduled to arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030. Once there, it will perform nearly 50 flybys of Europa, gathering detailed measurements of its surface, interior, and chemistry. If NASA finds that Europa is a habitable place, a second Europa mission could return to determine if there are indeed any inhabitants.
The Club at Steyn City, located just north of Johannesburg, is known globally for its prestigious championship golf course designed by Nicklaus Design. With sweeping fairways, dramatic scenery, and a legacy of hosting professional tournaments, the course will provide the perfect setting for LIV Golf’s debut in Africa and an exciting venue for broadcasters to showcase around the world.
Post-play concerts and engaging fan experiences have become hallmark features of LIV Golf events, creating a unique festival atmosphere at every international stop. South Africa will be no exception, with marquee music entertainment to be announced in the event leadup.
“Bringing LIV Golf to South Africa is another significant moment in our journey,” said Ross Hallett, LIV Golf Executive Vice President, Head of Events. “The country has a proud sporting heritage with passionate fans and world-class talent, and Steyn City will be an incredible host venue to celebrate this next chapter. We currently have events in Asia, Europe, Australasia, North America and today we add Africa, marking another exciting opportunity to showcase LIV Golf to a new audience and market.
“Our league is committed to driving the sport forward through competition, an innovative format, new investment opportunities, and collaborative partnerships that support progress throughout the communities we serve. We are incredibly grateful to have the support of the South African Government and especially the Minister for Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie. Together, I know we will deliver a truly unforgettable experience to fans in Johannesburg, drive economic impact and tourism in the region, and showcase all that South Africa has to offer.”
“It’s always special to compete at home, and I’m incredibly proud to bring LIV Golf to South Africa for the first time,” said Oosthuizen, Captain of Stinger GC. “For Branden, Charl, Dean and I to play in front of our fans, friends, and families will be an unforgettable experience. South African sports fans love their golf, and I am sure they will turn out in large numbers to support Stinger GC. South Africa has given so much to us, and now we get to give something back.”
“We are enormously proud to showcase Johannesburg and South Africa on the global stage, with our world-class lifestyle estate and golf course as shining examples of local excellence,” said Steven Louw, CEO of Steyn City Properties. “We look forward to partnering with LIV Golf, Gauteng government and other stakeholders to share our country’s exceptional golfing experience with the world, and to play a role in advancing the sport we are so passionate about.”
Today’s announcement follows confirmation earlier this week of dates and tickets going on sale for next year’s LIV Golf UK by JCB and LIV Golf Adelaide events, demonstrating the league’s growth and commitment to international expansion. With new and returning venues still to be announced for the 2026 schedule, LIV Golf continues to deliver on its mission to bring innovative, fan-focused events to a growing list of global destinations throughout North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and now Africa. Fans in South Africa can also watch all 14 LIV Golf events live and exclusively on SuperSport, bringing the league’s global stars, and exciting competition directly to millions of homes across the country.
The research was published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
What’s the story
A team of scientists from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed a neural network-based method for large-scale classification of celestial objects.
The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, implies the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern astronomy.
The new model can accurately classify stars, galaxies, and quasars by processing both morphological and spectral energy distribution (SED) features simultaneously.
How the model works
Traditional spectroscopic observations, while precise, are time-consuming and resource-intensive.
On the other hand, photometric imaging is more efficient but can lead to ambiguities when classifying objects based solely on morphological or SED features.
For example, the high-redshift quasars and stars both appear as point sources in pictures, making them hard to distinguish.
The new neural network model overcomes these challenges by integrating data from different sources for accurate classification.
Model classified over 27M celestial sources
The neural network model was trained using spectroscopically-confirmed sources from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 17.
This training provided a foundation for classification.
When applied to the fifth data release of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS), the model successfully classified more than 27 million celestial sources brighter than r = 23 magnitude across some 1,350 square degrees of sky.
Accuracy tested on Gaia and GAMA data
The model’s performance was validated through extensive testing.
When applied to 3.4 million Gaia sources with a significant proper motion or parallax—traits generally unique to stars—the model correctly identified 99.7% as stellar objects.
A similar success rate was seen with the Galaxy And Mass Assembly Data Release 4, where around 99.7% of sources were accurately classified as either galaxies or quasars.
Model can correct misclassifications in existing catalogs
The research also found that the neural network model could correct the misclassifications in existing catalogs.
Random checks revealed some objects, which were visually identifiable as galaxies but mislabeled as stars in SDSS, were correctly reclassified by the AI.
This highlights the potential of this new method to improve current astronomical databases and enhance our understanding of celestial objects.
The Bristol home of Methodist Charles Wesley is due to reopen to the public later for the first time in a year.
Wesley, who died in 1788, was a prolific hymn writer whose 6,000 plus compositions included well-known works such as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.
Alongside his elder brother John, Wesley started the Methodist movement in the Church of England.
Wesley’s 18th Century house at 4 Charles Street has only been open to pre-booked groups for the past year but will now reopen to the public, with tickets starting at £8 per person.
Wesley was most influential for his hymn writing, composing more than 6,000 hymns, many of which are still widely sung in Christian worship.
His most enduring works include And Can It Be, Christ the Lord Is Risen Today and O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.
Charles Wesley’s House
Visitors can book tours around Wesley’s restored Georgian home in Bristol
Wesley lived in the Charles Street house with his wife Sarah Gwynne and their children from 1766 to 1771.
The family then moved to London but Wesley continued to use it during visits to Bristol until at least 1782.
Visitors to the house will be able to explore six restored rooms, including the parlour, music room, study, kitchen and two bedrooms, and learn about the lives of the Wesleys and their impact on faith, music and culture.
The tour of Wesley’s restored Georgian home offers an opportunity to gain personal insight into the Wesley’s family life, legacy and music.
The house was built in 1742, possibly by George Tully, who was responsible for rebuilding Jon Wesley’s New Room in Bristol, which is the oldest Methodist chapel in the world.
Visitors can book a combined ticket for £13 which includes entry to Charles Wesley’s House and John Wesley’s New Room.
On November 29, 1972, a fire broke out in the high-rise Rault Center, in downtown New Orleans. As firefighters struggled to reach the blaze and television cameras rolled, five women trapped in a beauty salon on the 15th floor had to make an impossible decision: remain in the burning building, or leap.
One by one, they jumped, aiming for the roof of a neighbouring six-storey building. Four of the women died.
At the time, a 46-year-old engineer and fellow New Orleanian had been toying with an idea that might have saved them. The tragedy spurred John T Scurlock into action.
He wanted to engineer an inflatable cushion that could provide a safe landing for people plunging from great heights. But to do it, he needed the help of his sons.
First, he got them to push 45kg (100-pound) rolled-up pieces of vinyl off the top of his office building and onto the cushion he had designed below. The vinyl was attached to an accelerometer, which helped John calculate the weight the cushion could absorb at different speeds.
Once he was confident it was safe, it was time for the next step: having his sons jump off the roof.
“We were like 10, 12, 14 years old, and we were jumping off a building into a big airbag. It was a lot of fun,” recalls Jeff Scurlock, now 66.
John T Scurlock and his wife Francis [Courtesy of Space Walk Inflatables]
‘Space pillow’
The following year, John patented the safety air cushion, the huge, inflatable pad still used today by fire brigades from New York to Tokyo to rescue people from fires and deaths by suicide.
But it was not his first invention. In fact, his life-saving inflatable was drawn from his earlier invention: the ubiquitous fair attraction known by many different names – the bouncy castle, moon bounce, bounce house or space walk, depending on where you are bouncing.
In the Scurlock home, it was known as the “space pillow”.
A year after John filed a patent for the core of what would become the space pillow, he started working at a NASA facility in New Orleans. It was 1961, and NASA had opened its doors three years earlier in response to the Soviets pulling ahead in the space race with the launch of the world’s first satellite, Sputnik 1.
The US space agency was abuzz with projects exploring the possibility of spaceflight, and by 1960, it had developed an interest in designing a crewed, inflatable space station, thought by many to be a necessary first step in reaching the moon.
Large, rigid space stations would require multiple rocket trips to bring up the parts, but plastic inflatables were considered light, strong and easy to transport. An inflatable space station could be launched into space with a single booster and unfurl once in orbit. (A meteorite-resistant inflatable space module was sent up to the International Space Station in 2016, and NASA engineers are hoping to build a semi-permanent moon habitat out of inflatables.)
John found himself in the middle of this innovation, which continued even in his spare time, when he would sketch designs for and stitch his proto-space pillow, using a commercial sewing machine he set up in a pit in the ground of his garage so he could haul the heavy vinyl material towards him as he stitched.
When he assembled an early, homemade space pillow for his young sons to play with in the backyard, it soon became a massive hit with the local children.
“We were very popular kids then, because we had one permanently in our backyard,” says Jeff. “The whole neighbourhood would come and jump on it.”
Jeff says it was his mother, Francis, who recognised how much children loved the inflatable and got the idea to market it. Eventually, John left his job to concentrate full-time on the “space pillow”.
One of John T Scurlock’s early prototypes of the ‘space pillow’ [Courtesy of Space Walk Inflatables]
Inflatable solutions
In 1968, they started selling the invention to fairs around the country. But the safety risks were serious. “It was a nightmare, safety-wise,” says John’s grandson, Mials, 35. “It had no support, no netting, no way to keep you on it.”
When a carnival worker broke his neck and died, the company was “sued out of existence”, Mials says.
No longer a small backyard venture, the design needed protective features.
John set to work designing improvements: the space pillow grew columns, cushioning walls, netting around the sides and a roof, making it far safer. In 1972, the last year man walked on the moon, the family launched a new company, called Space Walk Inflatables, to manufacture and rent inflatables in the Louisiana city of Kenner.
Today, the global bounce house market is worth $4bn, driven by the popularity of rentals.
But as his invention ballooned in popularity, John also turned his attention to solving problems with heavy-duty inflatables.
Inflatable engineering is deceptively complex and requires answering mathematical questions to turn a 2D fabric into a 3D shape, says Dr Benjamin Gorissen, a professor of inflatable mechanics at KE Leuven in Belgium.
John loved numbers, recalls Mials, and was “a guy who could do the math”. He filed patents on several structures, including one intended for underwater pipe welding for offshore oil platforms, which resembles a human heart with someone working inside.
“Whatever news article would happen, he’d be in his office, sketching out a solution,” says Mials.
Jeff recalls his father reading about sunken submarines in the newspaper, and then working on an invention that could help to resurface them.
Up until John’s death in 2008, “he never really stopped working”, says Jeff. His last creation in his 80s was a giant inflatable palm tree, a kind of air sculpture meant to provide shade over a 2.8 square metre (30sq ft) area.
John did not set out to build a business empire, Jeff and Mials, who now run the business, note. Though bouncy castles remain the core of their business, the Scurlocks continue to produce safety air cushions, which have a more complex structure. Their most heavy-duty product is certified for 20 storeys, or 200 feet (60m).
Since it was invented, the safety air cushion has saved thousands of lives around the world, but it all began with an early, devoted pioneer urging his children to jump off the roof.
This article is part of ‘Ordinary items, extraordinary stories’, a series about the surprising stories behind well-known items.
AMD has officially confirmed the availability and prices of its Ryzen Threadripper 9000 “HEDT” Desktop CPUs, starting at $1499 for 24 cores.
AMD’s Non-PRO, Ryzen Threadripper 9000, CPUs For HEDT Enthusiasts To Launch on 31st July, Prices Confirmed
Earlier this week, AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 CPUs were finally made available, featuring up to 96 “Zen 5” cores. These chips are designed for workstations and cost from $1649 for 16 cores to $11,699 for 96 cores. These chips are mostly designed around high-end workstation platforms with octa-channel memory support.
AMD had also announced its standard HEDT offerings within the Ryzen Threadripper 9000 family. These Non-Pro SKUs are designed around the more cost-effective 4-channel memory platforms, while offering up to 64 cores.
Now, AMD has confirmed the availability of these CPUs along with their prices. The trio, which includes the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X, 9970X, and 9960X, will be available on the 31st of July across major tech retailers.
In terms of pricing, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X with 64 cores, 128 threads, boost clocks of up to 5.4 GHz, and 256 MB of cache, will be priced at $4999 US. This is $3000 US lower than the 9985WX, which offers the same specifications but better IO capabilities. The 32-core Ryzen Threadripper 9970X will get a total of 32 cores and 64 threads, with a boost clock of up to 5.4 GHz and 128 MB of cache. This chip will retail for $2499 US, which is $1600 US less than the 9975WX PRO.
Lastly, there’s the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X with 24 cores, 48 threads, up to 5.4 GHz clocks, 128 MB cache, and a price of $1499, a $1400 US lower price tag versus the Threadripper PRO 9965WX.
Chipset
Processors
Memory Support
AMD PRO Technologies Overclocking supported (not on OEM systems)
Features
AMD WRX90
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-Series
8-Channel Up to 2TB DDR5-6400 RDIMM
148 / 144 (with up to 128 PCIe 5.0 lanes)
AMD PRO TechnologiesOverclocking supported (not on OEM systems)
AMD TRX50
Ryzen Threadripper 9000 Series & Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-Series
4-Channel Up to 1TB DDR5-6400 RDIMM
92 / 88 (with up to 80 PCIe 5.0 lanes)
Overclocking supported
As you can see above, the Threadripper 9000 CPUs will only be compatible with AMD TRX50 boards. These offer up to 1 TB DDR5-6400 RDIMM support, a total of 80 usable PCIe 5.0 lanes and 8 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and support overclocking.
Performance-wise, the 64-core Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is shown to be up to 108% faster than the 60-core Xeon W9-3595X, while the Threadripper 9970X with 32 cores offers up to 137% better performance than the 44-core Xeon W9-3575X.
Okay, a bit of a two-in-one here for this medal moment… or these medal moments.
After drama in both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments – notably the US men having to come back from 17 points down against Serbia in the semi-final and the French women requiring overtime in their last-four clash against Belgium — both gold-medal matches were set up as many fans hoped: hot favourites and reigning champions Team USA against the hosts France.
On 10 August, the star-studded US team, featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant, faced off against Victor Wembanyama and Team France in the men’s final.
And while Wembanyama top-scored in the final with 26 points, Curry put on a clinic of three-point shooting, going 8-for-12 from outside the arc to tally 24 points, including four in the space of two minutes and 12 seconds in the final quarter as the US won 96-87.
Gold: United States of America
Silver: France
Bronze: Serbia
But more drama was to come in the women’s final the day after, as France nearly improbably tied a close contest in the final second.
With Team USA seven-time reigning champions, few would have given the hosts a chance. However, some hot shooting in the second quarter ensured the two teams were level 25-25 at half-time.
The French streak continued in the second half and the hosts were ahead by double digits in the third quarter at 35-25 before Team USA closed the gap, then took the lead.
With time running out, the US lead was 67-64 — and as the buzzer sounded, France’s Gabby Williams drained a basket from the arc. From beyond the arc? Not quite — her foot had stayed inside the three-point line, meaning the hosts narrowly missed out on forcing overtime, and the US could celebrate victory in the closest Olympic basketball final ever.
Motty remains the only confirmed hybrid between an African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Although the calf tragically died just days after birth, his unique descent earned him the rare distinction of being named the “world’s rarest elephant” by Guinness World Records.
Motty was born on July 11, 1978, at Chester Zoo in the UK and named after its founder, George Mottershead. As proven by tissue samples taken from the tiny male calf, this individual was the result of interbreeding between Jumbolino, a male bull African elephant, and Sheba, a female Asian elephant.
When the matriarch Sheba fell first pregnant, there wasn’t much doubt over the paternity of the individual; Jumbolino was said to be the only male elephant in the shared enclosure. However, there were still significant doubts about whether it would be possible for the two different species to produce viable offspring.
It would be impossible for these two species to mate in the wild given the vast geographical distance that separates their natural ranges on two different continents. Furthermore, these two animals are not just different species; they are different genera, meaning they are relatively distant from each other on the genetic tree too.
African elephants and Asian elephants bear some distinct physical differences. The former species is larger, growing up to 3 to 4 meters (9.8 to 13.1 feet) from shoulder to toe, while the latter will only grow 2 to 3.5 meters (6.5 to 11.4 feet) tall. African elephants also have significantly larger ears, perfectly evolved for allowing heat to radiate away from the body in the savannah, and tend to have more wrinkly skin.
Just as you’d expect with a hybrid of the two, Motty had features of both his mother and father. His head shape and larger ears were clearly those of an African elephant, but he also had five toenails on the front feet and four on the hind, which is a characteristic of Asian elephants.
Unfortunately, Motty had a tough start in life. Born six weeks premature, he was extremely underweight and required intensive veterinarian care from the get-go. Just 10 days after he was born, he succumbed to necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious gastrointestinal problem in newborn animals. He died on July 21, 1978. A necropsy later showed that he was suffering from a severe E. coli infection in both his colon and the umbilical cord.
Upon his death, the body of this unique individual was reportedly preserved by a private collection and it is said to be kept at the Natural History Museum in London.
Motty is a true individual, the likes of which have never been seen since. However, there are plenty of other examples of interspecies romping and hybridization elsewhere in the animal kingdom. There is the sought-after beefalo and the uber-cute dog-fox combo, not to mention the surprising number of wholphins that swim the world’s oceans.
An earlier version of this story was published in 2023.
This study investigated the prevalence of stroke and predictive factors among adults of different genders in Shanxi Province, China. The stroke prevalence in Shanxi Province was 3.3%, higher than the national average [27]. The stroke prevalence was 4.46% in males and 2.46% in females. Traditional logistic regression analysis revealed that males had a higher risk of stroke, with factors such as abnormal lipid levels, hypertension, diabetes, family history of stroke, coronary heart disease, secondhand smoke exposure, and snoring being identified as risk factors. Urban residents also had a higher risk of stroke, and the risk increased with age.
Additional risk factors for males included respiratory pauses and smoking, while females did not share these factors. Furthermore, the impact of similar risk factors differed between genders. For example, females with a family history of stroke had a 5.56-fold increased risk, whereas males had a 4.22-fold increased risk. Using the MMHC algorithm, Bayesian Networks (BNs) in this study indicated that in males, abnormal lipid levels, hypertension, age were direct risk factors for stroke, while snoring, education level, and respiratory pauses were indirect risk factors. In females, age, hypertension, and secondhand smoke exposure were identified as direct risk factors, while snoring was an indirect risk factor for stroke.
In the study of stroke risk factors, traditional logistic regression methods are typically constructed under the assumption that variables are independent, failing to fully leverage data information and accurately reflect the impact of feature variables on stroke [28]. Traditional logistic regression methods use probabilities to reflect the strength of associations, lacking the ability to comprehensively explain the complex relationships between risk factors [21], and are unable to detect direct or indirect risk factors. Therefore, logistic regression models are not flexible enough in capturing patterns and relationships between data.In contrast, Bayesian Networks (BNs) demonstrate more advantages in building risk factor models compared to logistic regression [29]. Firstly, Bayesian Networks do not require any prior assumptions and have the ability to integrate different variables and analyze their relative importance [28]. Therefore, in recent years, many clinical researchers prefer using Bayesian Networks for quantifying the identification of risk factors in specific pathological diagnoses, prognosis, and supporting medical decision-making in diseases [26, 30].We applied Bayesian Networks (BNs) to the study of stroke risk factors by gender. This not only reveals the risk factors for stroke but also determines their direct and indirect impacts on stroke, providing in-depth insights into the complex network relationships among them. It is noteworthy that when constructing Bayesian Networks, the network becomes more complex with the increase of feature variables, so the construction of Bayesian Networks should be based on the selection of different feature variables. In this study, single-factor chi-square and multi-factor logistic analysis were used to screen variables.
Based on our understanding, our study is the first to apply a Bayesian network to analyze risk factors for stroke based on gender. Compared to traditional logistic regression models, Bayesian networks using the MMHC algorithm have significant advantages in analyzing stroke risk factors. First, the Bayesian network with the MMHC algorithm is a data-driven model constructed on the knowledge base associated with the disease [31], without strict requirements on data distribution. This enables it to better discover potential, less obvious but important data information. This data-driven approach provides a more scientific and comprehensive foundation for the assessment, prediction, and prevention of stroke. Therefore, the application of Bayesian networks allows for a deeper understanding of stroke risk factors, providing more accurate guidance for personalized prevention and control strategies.The second advantage involves the interactions between variables. Logistic regression [31] can only provide risk indications for stroke risk factors. However, when analyzing interactions, logistic regression needs to introduce them into the model through addition or multiplication, which adds complexity and may introduce potential biases. Moreover, logistic regression struggles to clearly illustrate the interactions between variables and is limited in exploring the complex relationships of multiple variables. In contrast, Bayesian networks with the MMHC algorithm allow for an intuitive description of the interconnections between these risk factors through graphical methods and can comprehensively explore their direct and indirect interactions [19].
Stroke is relatively common in the elderly population, and previous research reports indicate that age is an unmodifiable risk factor for stroke, applicable to both men and women [32]. Similar to these study findings, our research reveals a higher incidence of stroke in both men and women in the age range of 60–75 years. The potential mechanisms through which age influences stroke include the natural narrowing and hardening of arteries as individuals age. This change is attributed to alterations resulting from endothelial dysfunction and impaired autoregulation of the brain [33].Additionally, the elderly population often experiences a concomitant state of multiple chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, as well as coronary artery and peripheral artery diseases. The prevalence of these conditions also increases gradually with age [34].
In this study, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, family history of stroke, secondhand smoke exposure, and snoring were identified as common risk factors for stroke in both men and women. These findings are consistent with previous research results [28, 35]. Hypertension has adverse effects on arteries, leading to atherosclerosis and narrowing, which can result in thrombosis or embolism, triggering a stroke [36]. Elevated blood sugar levels can damage endothelial cells, leading to atherosclerosis and narrowing of arteries, causing vascular damage. Impaired kidney function can increase blood volume, reducing the elasticity of blood vessels [37]. Higher cholesterol levels may increase the inflammation and apoptosis of plaques, making them more prone to rupture. After plaque rupture, platelets and coagulation proteins in the blood aggregate at the site of rupture, forming a clot, ultimately leading to a stroke [36]. Family history may be due to shared lifestyles and habits or genetic factors, such as the association of white matter lesions with vertebrobasilar artery atherosclerotic brain disease, which is an autosomal dominant cerebrovascular disease [38] . Harmful substances in secondhand smoke may have a direct toxic effect on the nervous system, increasing the risk of stroke [39]. Snoring is often accompanied by sleep apnea, where breathing briefly stops during sleep. This can lead to a decrease in blood oxygen levels, increasing the risk of stroke. Snoring may also lead to an increase in inflammation in the body, and inflammation is associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke [40, 41].
The study has several limitations. Firstly, in Bayesian Networks (BNs), directed edges cannot accurately represent causal relationships between nodes and can only express probabilistic dependencies. Secondly, due to the face-to-face survey method used, participants may rely on memory to answer questions, introducing potential reporting or recall biases in estimating the prevalence of various diseases. Additionally, the survey did not collect some important information, including: (a) variables related to women’s characteristics such as menstrual history and reproductive history, making the analysis of risk factors in women potentially incomplete; (b) data on some inflammatory factors, electrocardiogram data, carotid ultrasound, and coronary artery ultrasound; (c) effectiveness data related to dietary factors. Therefore, we were unable to assess the impact of these factors on the risk of stroke. Furthermore, as the study focused on Bayesian Networks using the MMHC algorithm, it did not compare with other hybrid algorithms. Stroke was not differentiated into ischemic and hemorrhagic, and the study did not analyze the differential effects of biochemical indicators such as blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol on stroke in the absence of medication factors. This will be a focus of our future work. Despite these limitations, the findings of this study provide valuable information for the development of health planning and programs aimed at reducing the burden of stroke in Shanxi Province, China.
