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Prevalence of hearing loss in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is uncertain, as it is more challenging to assess hearing function in children with developmental difficulties (DD). We aimed to determine the prevalence and profiles of hearing loss in preschool children with ASD in a Southeast-Asian population who passed newborn hearing screening. A retrospective study of preschool children with DD (ASD, Global Developmental Delay (GDD), and Speech and Language Delay (SLD)) attending the Child Development Unit (CDU) at our hospital was performed. Three hundred and thirty-three children (ASD: n = 129; GDD: n = 110; and SLD: n = 94) underwent hearing assessments. Of these, 10.8% of children (n = 36, comprising 15 with ASD, 12 with GDD and 9 with SLD) had confirmed hearing loss. Hearing loss was predominantly bilateral in children with ASD and GDD; in those with SLD, unilateral and bilateral hearing loss were equally common. Conductive hearing loss occurred as frequently as sensorineural hearing loss in children with ASD and SLD, but was the dominant subtype in those with GDD. Moderate to severe hearing loss (n = 2) was noted only in children with ASD. Children with ASD and GDD required significantly more audiology visits and procedures to obtain conclusive hearing test results, compared to those with SLD. The need to identify hearing loss and monitor for resolution is particularly important in vulnerable populations with communication deficits, such as in those with ASD.

Children with developmental disabilities lack sufficient physical activity in their daily lives. The purpose of this study was to see if children with developmental disabilities who participated in stair-climbing exercises had better physical performance and health status than children with developmental disabilities who did not. This study adopted a pre-and-post-test experimental design, enrolling 30 subjects (experimental group, 15; control group, 15) with developmental disabilities aged 5-7 years from pediatric rehabilitation treatment departments of two regional teaching hospitals in Taiwan. The experimental group received stair-climbing exercises and physical therapy twice a week for eight consecutive weeks. The primary outcomes were health-related physical fitness assessment items, including body composition (body mass index: BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness (stair-climbing test), muscular fitness (knee-bend sit-ups), and flexibility (Chair Sit and Reach Test). The post-test measurements of BMI, cardiorespiratory fitness, sit-ups, and muscular flexibility of children in the experimental group were significantly better than the pre-test measurements. The stair-climbing exercise training results for cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and muscular flexibility in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group. Stair-climbing exercise improves the physical fitness of children with developmental disabilities. The results of this study suggest that children with developmental disabilities should be encouraged to engage in this convenient and easy stair-climbing exercise to improve physical performance and health status.

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate if neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) plus chemotherapy (CT) reduced tumor recurrence after surgery than neoadjuvant CT alone in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with pathologic complete response (pCR). Methods From January 1st 2019 to April 30th 2022, 16 NSCLC patients with pCR who received both neoadjuvant ICI and CT were designated as ICI/CT group. Another 8 patients, who received neoadjuvant CT alone, were designated as CT group. The tumor recurrence and patients’ survival status were analyzed. Results Squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant histology type in both groups. The CT group had higher percentage of patients who received adjuvant CT than the ICI/CT group (100% vs. 75%, p = 0.046). All patients had been followed up for at least 20 months. At 20 months after surgery, the ICI/CT group had a tumor recurrence rate of 6.25%, which was significantly lower than 37.5% recurrence rate of the CT group. One patient of the CT group died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage and severe anemia at 11 months after surgery, and no patient in the ICI/CT group died. During adjuvant therapy, the ICI/CT group had significantly lower risk of anemia (12.5% vs. 50%) than the CT group (p = 0.046). Conclusion The study found that in NSCLC patients with pCR, neoadjuvant ICI reduced tumor recurrence rate. This indicated that like in advanced stage NSCLC, the ICI might bring similar long-term anti-tumor effect in operable NSCLC patients.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the application value of virtual monoenergetic (VMI) (≤70 keV) computed tomography angiography (CTA) in imaging small cerebral vessels with dual-layer detector spectral CT. Methods: The imaging data of 52 patients who underwent head and neck CTA using Philips IQon CT were retrospectively analyzed. Conventional 120 kVp mixed energy images and 40~70 keV (10 keV interval) VMI CTA images reconstructed using spectral data were obtained. The CT value, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast noise ratio (CNR), and CT value and noise (SD) of the paravascular cerebral parenchyma at the same level were measured in the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. The image quality of the middle cerebral artery in volume reconstruction (VRT) and lepidopleural artery in maximum density projection (MIP) was scored by two physicians using a 5-point Likert scale. The evaluation results between the different groups were compared. Results: The CT, SNR, and CNR values of blood vessels at 40~70 keV VMI increased with a decrease in energy level, and the SD values increased slightly, with more statistically significant differences compared with conventional images. In the subjective evaluation, the VRT images in the 40 keV and 50 keV groups were 5 (5, 5) and 5 (4, 5), respectively, and the MIP image scores were 4 (3, 4) and 4 (3, 5), respectively. The subjective scores of both groups were better than those of the other groups, with no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Virtual monoenergetic CTA technology with dual-layer spectral CT

Abstract Background Cotton serves as a primary source of natural fibers crucial for the textile industry. However, environmental elements such as drought have posed challenges to cotton cultivation, resulting in adverse impacts on both production and fiber quality. Improving cotton’s resilience to drought could mitigate yield losses and foster the expansion of cotton farming. Rab7 protein, widely present in organisms, controls the degradation and recycling of cargo, and has a potential role in biotic and abiotic tolerance. However, comprehensive exploration of the Rab7 gene family in Gossypium remains scarce. Results Herein, we identified a total of 10, 10, 20, and 20 Rab7 genes through genome-wide analysis in Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium hirsutum, and Gossypium barbadense, respectively. Collinearity analysis unveiled the pivotal role of whole genome or segmental duplication events in the expansion of GhRab7s. Study of gene architecture, conserved protein motifs, and domains suggested the conservation of structure and function throughout evolution. Exploration of cis-regulatory elements revealed the responsiveness of GhRab7 genes to abiotic stress, corroborated by transcriptome analysis under diverse environmental stresses. Notably, the greatly induced expression of GhRab7B3-A under drought treatment prompted us to investigate its function through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) assays. Silencing GhRab7B3-A led to exacerbated dehydration and wilting compared with the control. Additionally, inhibition of stomatal closure, antioxidant enzyme activities and expression patterns of genes responsive to abiotic stress were observed in GhRab7B3-A silenced plants. Conclusions This study sheds light on Rab7 members in cotton, identifies a gene linked to drought stress, and paves the way for additional investigation of Rab7 genes associated with drought stress tolerance.

Fluconazole-resistant clade 4 Candida tropicalis causing candidemia in humans has been detected in tropical/subtropical areas, including those in China, Singapore, and Australia. We analyzed 704 individual yeasts isolated from fruits, soil, water, and farmers at 80 orchards in Taiwan. The most common pathogenic yeast species among 251 isolates recovered from farmers were Candida albicans (14.7%) and C. parapsilosis (11.6%). In contrast, C. tropicalis (13.0%), C. palmioleophila (6.6%), and Pichia kudriavzevii (6.0%) were prevalent among 453 environmental isolates. Approximately 18.6% (11/59) of C. tropicalis from the environment were resistant to fluconazole, and 81.8% (9/11) of those belonged to the clade 4 genotype. C. tropicalis susceptibility to fluconazole correlated with susceptibilities to the agricultural azole fungicides, difenoconazole, tebuconazole, and triadimenol. Tandem gene duplications of mutated ERG11 contributed to azole resistance. Agriculture environments are a reservoir for azole-resistant C. tropicalis; discontinuing agricultural use of azoles might reduce emergence of azole-resistant Candida spp. strains in humans.

Abstract Homologous recombination during meiosis is critical for chromosome segregation and also gives rise to genetic diversity. Genetic exchange between homologous chromosomes during meiosis is mediated by the recombinase Dmc1, which is capable of recombining DNA sequences with mismatches. The Hop2-Mnd1 complex mediates Dmc1 activity. Here, we reveal a regulatory role for Hop2-Mnd1 in restricting substrate selection. Specifically, Hop2-Mnd1 upregulates Dmc1 activity with DNA substrates that are either fully homologous or contain DNA mismatches, and it also acts against DNA strand exchange between substrates solely harboring microhomology. By isolating and examining salient Hop2-Mnd1 separation-of-function variants, we show that suppressing illegitimate DNA recombination requires the Dmc1 filament interaction attributable to Hop2-Mnd1 but not its DNA binding activity. Our study provides mechanistic insights into how Hop2-Mnd1 helps maintain meiotic recombination fidelity.

Glycosidase is an indispensable enzyme in the sugar industry. It is difficult to maintain the stability of natural glycosidase during long-term high-temperature sugar conversion, limiting its application in industrial production. Numerous studies have shown that protein engineering is an important means for enhancing the thermal stability of glycosidase. This article systematically reviews the latest advances in using protein engineering to improve the thermal stability of glycosidase, and dissects the directed evolution, rational design, and semi-rational design strategies used in protein engineering. It also evaluates the effectiveness of these strategies in enhancing the thermal stability of glycosidase and their potential industrial application value, and presents the advantages, limitations and challenges of each strategy. Finally, it suggests that different strategies should be jointly used to improve the thermal stability of glycosidase and gives an outlook on future research directions with a view to promoting the synergistic improvement of the thermal stability and activity of glycosidase.

Abstract We study the thermodynamic limit of the anisotropic XYZ spin chain with non-diagonal integrable open boundary conditions. Although the U(1)-symmetry is broken, by using the new parametrization scheme, we exactly obtain the surface energy and the excitation energy of the system, which has solved the difficulty in the inhomogeneous T − Q relation. With the boundary parameters in the regions making the Hamiltonian Hermitian, we have obtained the distribution patterns of the zeros of the eigenvalue of the transfer matrix for the ground state and the excited ones. We find that the surface and excitation energies depend on the parities of sites number N, due to the long-range Neel order in the bulk. The easy-axis and thermodynamic limit for all the regions of boundary parameters are studied. We also obtain the physical quantities in the thermodynamic limit of boundary XXZ model by taking the trigonometric limit.

Abstract Introduction Polydrug use in the context of chemsex is commonplace among gay, bisexual, and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM). This study aimed to examine the differences in experiences of physical, social, and psychological harms, as well as mental ill-health among GBMSM who use different combinations of methamphetamine and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) during chemsex. Method Adult GBMSM participants who had experience of chemsex in the past 12 months participated in a cross-sectional online survey in Taiwan and self-reported their sociodemographic background, sexual behaviours, mental health, and experiences of harm following a chemsex session. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to assess the different experiences of harm and mental ill-health among GBMSM who engaged in chemsex without using methamphetamine, used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL, and who used both drugs. Results Out of 510 participants who completed all items included in the analysis, 24.1% engaged in chemsex without using methamphetamine, 36.9% used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL, and 39.0% used both drugs. Eighty five percent of men who used both methamphetamine and GHB/GBL reported at least one kind of social harm after a chemsex session, such as missing dates or appointments, or appearing “high” at work, followed by used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL (69.7%) and those without using methamphetamine (37.4%). After controlling for polydrug and frequency of drug use in the multivariable logistic regression, those who used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL and those who used both drugs were more likely to report experiencing physical and psychological harms compared to those who did not use methamphetamine (p

Abstract Background Although the Stress-Coping Model (SCM) has been widely used to explain the coping process of individuals facing stressful situations, its applicability to caregivers of elderly people with dementia (PwD) in China needs to be further investigated. Furthermore, the role of external resources in caregivers stress coping is not yet clear. Therefore, our study aimed to investigated the mediating and moderating mechanisms between family burden and psychological distress in PwD caregivers based on the SCM. Methods A cross-sectional study, with 193 pairs of PwD and caregivers completed the self-designed questionnaire, Family Burden Scale of Disease, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Simplified Coping Style Question, The Family Adaptation and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II-CV and Social Support Rating Scale. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analyzed the mediating and moderating effects. Results Family burden positively correlated with psychological distress; the chain mediation effects of self-efficacy and positive coping between family burden and psychological distress was significant; the interaction term (family function_positive coping) did not but (social support_positive coping) had a significant positive impact on psychological distress. Conclusions The findings provides a practical basis for the use of SCM in informal caregivers of elderly PwD, assists understanding the mechanism of the relationship between family burden and psychological distress. And it supplies new perspectives for reducing the negative psychological health status and a theoretical basis for designing interventions for caregivers.

Abstract Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia (CPP) exhibits similar characteristics as of COVID-19 with respect to clustering outbreaks and onset symptoms. This study is aimed at exploring the different clinical manifestations of both pneumonias to establish a simple nomogram to distinguish them. This multicenter, retrospective, case–control study compared two independent cohorts of patients with CPP or COVID-19. The risk factors of CPP were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression, which was used to establish the nomogram. Both patients with CPP and COVID-19 exhibited similar clinical symptoms. As compared to patients with COVID-19, a higher proportion of patients with CPP had nervous system symptoms. Patients with CPP had higher inflammatory indicators, creatine kinase, and lower lymphocyte and albumin. They also had lower proportions of ground-glass opacity and bilateral lung involvement than COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, patients with CPP had higher 30 day mortality as well as higher rates of severe pneumonia, septic shock, and ICU admission. Multivariate logistic regression showed that nervous system symptoms, lymphocytes, creatine kinase, bilateral lung lesions, and ground-glass opacity were risk factors for CPP. Incorporating these five factors, the nomogram achieved good concordance index of 0.989 in differentiating CPP from COVID-19, and had well-fitted calibration curves. Despite similar clinical characteristics, nervous system symptoms, lymphocyte, creatine kinase, lesions in bilateral lungs, and ground-glass opacity may help in differentiating the pneumonias. These were combined into a clinically useful nomogram for rapid and early identification of CPP to avoid misdiagnosis and help in the decision-making process.

Abstract Drug repositioning is gaining attention as a method for developing new drugs due to its low cost, short cycle time, and high success rate. One important approach is to explore new uses for already marketed drugs. In this study, we utilized the strategy of drug repositioning, focusing on the Dan-Lou tablet. We predicted the efficacy of Dan-Lou tablet against non-small cell lung cancer based on gene expression similarity and verified it by in vitro experiments. Next, we performed further analysis and validation using network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics. Based on the results, it was concluded that Dan-Lou tablet mainly acted through nine compounds, Quercetin, Luteolin, Scoparone, Isorhamnetin, Eugenol, Genistein, Coumestrol, Hederagenin, Succinic Acid, and mainly targeted CCL2, FEN1, TPI1, RMI2 by six pathways. This discovery not only provides a new idea for the development of Dan-Lou tablet but also provides useful predictive information for clinical treatment. The method we adopted has great development prospects as a way to predict the efficacy of new drugs and their main mechanisms of action, and it has a positive impact on the research and development of new drugs using drug repositioning and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

大學選才制度在多次的改革下，朝向多元入學方式邁進。而隨著108課綱的推動，在這波關係到未來人才培育和國家競爭力的教育改革中，蒐集學生多元表現之學習歷程檔案逐漸成為入學審查的主要考量方式之一，其扮演極為重要的角色。有鑑於學習歷程檔案評量法（portfolio assessment）在臺灣教育情境中已日漸受到青睞並被多元運用，本研究旨在探討如何應用學習歷程檔案評量搭起建立大學選才與高中育才之間的橋梁，期藉由個案學校說明如何藉由焦點團體訪談以及實證研究等方法，瞭解大學招生專業化素養導向的招生選才觀點與 看法，提出學習歷程檔案評量工具的發展歷程與校準。本研究結果發現，大學端依據學系教育目標培養之職能設計評量尺規，能呼應108課綱強調培養核心素養之精神；此外，大學端與高中端藉由焦點團體訪談的對話，有助於尺規向度描述之適當性與宣導尺規評量；最後，透過對學生在高中時期各方面表現和進入大學後表現的相關性分析結果，進行評量工具校準，以提升評量尺規之有效性。本研究之結果與意涵可供高中端作為進入大學前育才之依據，以及大學系所發展適宜選才評量工具之參考。 The historical trajectory of Taiwan’s university entrance examination system has culminated in a multifaceted platform for admission. This evolution is directly attributable to the implementation of the 2019 new curriculum guidelines of 12-year basic education. Aligned with the curriculum’s emphasis on cultivating nationally competitive talents, the traditional entrance examination has been replaced by holistic evaluation of students’ learning portfolios. Consequently, senior high school students’ learning portfolios play a crucial role in the admission process. The reformed curriculum is centered on core competencies, fostering student aptitude and adaptability through a multifaceted approach encompassing enrichment electives, diversified electives, school-developed curricula, cross-domain interdisciplinary learning, flexible learning, self-directed learning, and independent learning. This fundamental shift prioritizes individualized learning opportunities. Moreover, to stimulate student engagement, the curriculum and pedagogy emphasize rich, adaptable, diverse and cross-disciplinary learning opportunities. Considering the core competencies framework of the 2019 curriculum, college recruitment should not rely solely on advanced subject tests as selection criteria. Instead, comprehensive evaluations of the student-centered learning process are imperative. Such evaluations enable a holistic education philosophy that integrates learning and life. Talent selection by using professional competency-based rubrics necessitates the collection of diverse materials and focuses on the learning process. Accordingly, a competency-based portfolio assessment and selection methodology should be established. To this end, the talent selection mechanism for college recruitment should contextualize the student learning process, emphasize characteristic review, and facilitate the development of a robust positioning mechanism and professional assessment competencies, which are essential components of curriculum reform success. The implementation of Taiwan’s 2019 curriculum has engendered a diverse educational landscape characterized by varying school profiles and student learning trajectories and encompasses school-developed curricula, specialized electives, on-campus and off-campus engagements, flexible and self-directed learning, competitions, standardized tests, and certifications. Multifaceted experiences such as these are systematically documented in student learning portfolios and complemented by a teacher certification mechanism. To effectively evaluate these diverse portfolios, reviewers require not only specialized expertise but also refined assessment tools capable of meeting societal demands for enhanced review quality and public trust. This case study elucidated the development of competency-based rubrics through focus group interviews and empirical research and identified critical rubric components for talent selection. By understanding these criteria, students can strategically cultivate attributes valued by higher education institutions during their senior high school years. Portfolio assessment has been identified as a pivotal evaluation methodology in the Taiwanese education landscape. This study bridged the gap between university competency-based selection and senior high school talent cultivation through the lens of portfolio assessment. The study involved an examination of the perspectives and opinions of both stakeholders. By conducting a case study, focus group interviews, and a historical review of portfolio assessment rubrics, the study developed appropriate rubrics for university selection and high school talent development. Given the nascent nature of portfolio assessment tool development and calibration in the Taiwanese educational context, a case study methodology was employed to investigate the rubric creation processes of various university departments. This approach is well suited for addressing complex and underresearched problems and for exploring what to do, how to do it, and why to do it, thereby offering in-depth, multifaceted insights. Focus group interviews, a core component of the case school’s rubric development, facilitated dialogue between university and high school teachers, fostering a comprehensive understanding of portfolio assessment and culminating in the development of competency-based rubrics through collective input. Finally, this study verifies the validity of said competency-based rubrics through empirical research. The study findings reveal that competency-based rubrics developed by university departments, aligned with their educational objectives, effectively mirror the core competency emphasis of the 2019 curriculum reform. Although rarely used in college recruitment, portfolio assessment is widely used by teachers to examine student performance and assessment results. This research demonstrates the efficacy of assessing students across diverse learning domains. To address the challenge of appropriate talent selection, this study expands the traditional archival assessment approach. Focus group interviews involving university and high school faculty facilitated the refinement of competency-based rubric dimensions and promoted portfolio assessment. These interviews also fostered consensus on rubric connotations. Such dialogue between universities and senior high schools enabled universities to grasp the core competencies and multiple intelligences cultivated in high schools, whereas the senior high schools gained insights into the characteristics and skills required for university success. This study pioneers the application of focus group interviews in the development of competency-based rubrics for college admissions. Finally, the results of the correlation analysis of pre-enrollment and post enrollment student performance informed calibration of the rubric and the enhancement of its effectiveness. A dynamic correction process, incorporating a Plan-Do-Check-Action mechanism, was introduced for rubric verification and calibration. This innovative approach addresses the limitations of other evaluation rubric correction methods. The study results provide a foundation for senior high school students to cultivate university-aligned talents and offer a model for university departments to develop suitable competency-based rubrics for student selection.

Abstract Background Australia hosts over 680,000 international students, contributing $47.8 billion to the Australian economy in 2023, and Chinese students rank first among all nationalities. However, despite their considerable numbers, research focusing on their access to healthcare services is scant. This study aimed to explore barriers and supports regarding the utilisation of healthcare services among Chinese international students studying in Australia. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Chinese between October and December 2023 with 25 Chinese international students (age range, 19–30; female/male, n = 18/7; undergraduate/postgraduate/doctoral, n = 1/18/6) enrolled in three Australian universities to understand the healthcare challenges they encountered and the coping strategies they recommended. These interviews were recorded, and thematic analysis was applied to the interview data. An adapted social-ecological model was used to identify barriers and pragmatic strategies to deal with the challenges at different levels. Results Chinese international students in Australia faced healthcare barriers at different levels. Individual barriers included language and cultural disparities, lack of knowledge about the healthcare system, and reluctance to seek help. Institutional barriers involved high costs, difficulties regarding appointments, and procedures related to the referral system. Policy barriers included insurance coverage and reimbursement issues. The students interviewed for this study proposed individual-level strategies, such as trying various methods to reduce language barriers, seeking information online, and using online resources and consultations. A central appointment platform and multilingual medical service were recommended from students to medical institutions, while medical service guidance and psychological support were suggested to education institutions. Higher-level strategies were also reported, which were mainly pertaining to insurance terms and coverage for overseas students and improving the accessibility of medical information. Conclusions Our study identifies barriers to healthcare access for Chinese international students in Australia, including culture-specific challenges. To mitigate these issues, we recommend self-directed health promotion, targeted support by education institutions, enhanced cross-cultural communication and expanded telemedicine by hospitals, and attention to insurance coverage. Future research should explore optimising these approaches to improve support systems and policy frameworks.

Abstract Although many genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have confirmed the negative associations between rs401681[T] / rs402710[T] in the Cleft lip and cleft palate transmembrane protein 1 (CLPTM1L) region and lung cancer (LC) susceptibility in Caucasian and Asian populations, some other studies haven’t found these negative associations. The purpose of this study is to clarify the associations between them and LC, as well as the differences in these associations between patients of different ethnicities (Caucasians and Asians), LC subtypes and smoking status. Relevant literatures published before July 7, 2023 in PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, MEDLINE were searched through the Internet. Statistical analysis of data was performed in Revman 5.3, including drawing forest plots, funnel plots and so on. Sensitivity and publication bias were performed in Stata 14.0. TSA software was performed for the trial sequential analysis (TSA) tests to assess the stability of the results. Registration number: CRD42023407890. A total of 41 literatures (containing 44 studies: 16 studies in Caucasians and 28 studies in Asians) were included in this meta-analysis, including 126476 LC patients and 191648 healthy controls. The results showed that the T allele variants of rs401681 and rs402710 were negatively associated with the risk of LC (rs401681[T]: [OR] = 0.87, 95% CI [0.86, 0.88]; rs402710[T]: [OR] = 0.88, 95% CI [0.86, 0.89]), and the negative associations were stronger in Caucasians than in Asians (Subgroup differences: I2 > 50%). In LC subtypes, the rs401681[T] was negatively associated with the risk of Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) (P 50%). The rs402710[T] was negatively associated with the risk of NSCLC, LUAD and LUSC (P

Abstract Background The cycle threshold (Ct) value is inversely proportional to the number of copies of the target region in a sample, suggesting that a low Ct value indicates a high pathogen load. The relationship between Ct value and clinical presentation in children with pertussis is not well-defined. Methods We investigated the relationships between the Ct value of nasopharyngeal samples positive for Bordetella pertussis deoxyribonucleic acid via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), collected from children on admission and their adult family members between May 2022 and March 2024 at Hangzhou Children’s Hospital, China. The study focused on the correlation between Ct value and clinical presentation in children with pertussis. Results The Ct value was positively correlated with age (r = 0.362, P = 0.001). The mean Ct value for children with pertussis was 28.0 (range: 22.0–32.0), which was lower than the 32.0 (range: 30.0–34.0) observed in adults. Ct value was inversely correlated with length of stay, an indicator of disease severity (r = -0.356, P = 0.001). Logistic regression analyses revealed that both Ct value (OR: 0.891, 95% CI: 0.799–0.993, P = 0.036) and white blood cell count (OR: 1.127, 95% CI: 1.005–1.263, P = 0.040) were independently associated with severity of pertussis. Conclusions Real-time PCR Ct values at initial diagnosis for pertussis may potentially predict severe disease outcomes in children.

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is prevalent in critical care, with limited treatment options. Certain microRNAs, like miR-542, are highly expressed in ICU-AW patients. This study investigates the regulatory role and mechanisms of miR-542 in ICU-AW and explores the clinical potential of miR-542 inhibitors. ICU-AW models were established in C57BL/6 mice through cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and in mouse C2C12 myoblasts through TNF-α treatment. In vivo experiments demonstrated decreased muscle strength, muscle fiber atrophy, widened intercellular spaces, and increased miR-542-3p/5p expression in ICU-AW mice model. In vitro experiments indicated suppressed ATG5, ATG7 and LC3II/I, elevated MDA and ROS levels, decreased SOD levels, and reduced MMP in the model group. Similar to animal experiments, the expression of miR-542-3p/5p was upregulated. Gel electrophoresis explored the binding of polyethyleneimine/mesoporous silica nanoparticles (PEI/MMNs) to locked nucleic acid (LNA) miR-542 inhibitor (LNA-542). PEI/MMNs@LNA-542 with positive charge (3.03 ± 0.363 mV) and narrow size (206.94 ± 6.19 nm) were characterized. Immunofluorescence indicated significant internalization with no apparent cytotoxicity. Biological activity, examined through intraperitoneal injection, showed that PEI/MMNs@LNA-542 alleviated muscle strength decline, restored fiber damage, and recovered mitochondrial injury in mice. In conclusion, PEI/MMNs nanoparticles effectively delivered LNA-542, targeting ATG5 to inhibit autophagy and alleviate mitochondrial damage, thereby improving ICU-AW.

Abstract Large datasets are required to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) models in AI powered smart farming for reducing farmers’ routine workload, this paper contributes the first large lion-head goose dataset GooseDetect l i o n , which consists of 2,660 images and 98,111 bounding box annotations. The dataset was collected with 6 cameras deployed in a goose farm in Chenghai district of Shantou city, Guangdong province, China. Images sampled from videos collected during July 9 -10 in 2022 were fully annotated by a team of fifty volunteers. Compared with another 6 well known animal datasets in literature, our dataset has higher capacity and density, which provides a challenging detection benchmark for main stream object detectors. Six state-of-the-art object detectors have been selected to be evaluated on the GooseDetect l i o n , which includes one two-stage anchor-based detector, three one-stage anchor-based detectors, as well as two one-stage anchor-free detectors. The results suggest that the one-stage anchor-based detector You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLO v5) achieves the best overall performance in terms of detection precision, model size and inference efficiency.

Abstract We reported transport diagrams of self-assembled germanium (Ge) double quantum-dots (DQDs) using direct current measurement under illumination at wavelength (λ) of 850 nm and at the base temperature of 4.5 K. Ge DQDs with a coupling-barrier of Si, tunneling-barriers of Si3N4, and self-aligned p+-Si reservoirs were fabricated in a self-organized CMOS approach. Charge transport through the Ge-DQDs is facilitated by photon-assisted tunneling. Characteristic gate-controlled hexagonal-shaped cells over a wide range of hole occupancy are acquired thanks to hard-wall confinement. Large dimensions (ΔV G > 200 mV) of hexagonal-shaped cells are favored for the operation of charge states, indicating that our Ge DQDs system is less susceptible to shot noises arising from external voltage sources. Estimated intra-QD and inter-QD charging energies are E C,R/E C,L = 48.9 meV/42.7 meV and E Cm = 7.8 meV, respectively.

Abstract To realize room temperature ferromagnetic (FM) semiconductors is still a challenge in spintronics. Many antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulators and semiconductors with high Neel temperature T N are obtained in experiments, such as LaFeO3, BiFeO3, etc. High concentrations of magnetic impurities can be doped into these AFM materials, but AFM state with very tiny net magnetic moments was obtained in experiments because the magnetic impurities were equally doped into the spin up and down sublattices of the AFM materials. Here, we propose that the effective magnetic field provided by a FM substrate could guarantee the spin-dependent doping in AFM materials, where the doped magnetic impurities prefer one sublattice of spins, and the ferrimagnetic (FIM) materials are obtained. To demonstrate this proposal, we study the Mn-doped AFM insulator LaFeO3 with FM substrate of Fe metal by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is shown that the doped magnetic Mn impurities prefer to occupy one sublattice of the AFM insulator and introduce large magnetic moments in La(Fe, Mn)O3. For the AFM insulator LaFeO3 with high T N = 740 K, several FIM semiconductors with high Curie temperature T C > 300 K and the band gap less than 2 eV are obtained by DFT calculations when 1/8 or 1/4 Fe atoms in LaFeO3 are replaced by the other 3d, 4d transition metal elements. The large magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) is obtained in these LaFeO3-based FIM semiconductors. In addition, the FIM semiconductors with high T C are also obtained by spin-dependent doping in some other AFM materials with high T N, including BiFeO3, SrTcO3, CaTcO3, etc. Our theoretical results propose a way to obtain high T C FIM semiconductors by spin-dependent doping in high T N AFM insulators and semiconductors.