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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition for which no prenatal or early life screening tests exist. Early life recognition of ASD is key to accessing behavioral intervention when brain plasticity is at its peak. The purpose of our study was to systematically review the literature researching parental perspectives around early life screening for autism and specifically genetic testing. A total of 30 studies were included and coded against the following variables: parental characteristics, child characteristics, research design, data collection and data analysis methods, type of early screening, and parental perspectives towards early life screening and genetic testing. The outcomes of the review showed that caregivers need more knowledge about ASD genetic testing, they are in general in favor of early life screening, and they prefer to access ASD genetic testing and early behavioral intervention as early as possible. As emerging genetic tests are likely to increase diagnostic accuracy for ASD in the near future, it is of paramount importance for research and practice to embrace parental needs and preferences. Healthcare providers can be pivotal in empowering parents to make informed decisions through clear, compassionate communication and counseling. Future research should seek to fill in an essential gap in the literature, which is to capture parental views from a diverse population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Television programs have introduced viewers to characters on the autism spectrum (e.g., Sesame Street, The Good Doctor), impacting audiences' knowledge and attitudes. Thus, it is essential that character representations convey accurate health information. This study explores how autistic portrayals across six adult and children's television programs align with the medical (e.g., American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text rev., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787) and social models of disability. A content analysis methodology was used to investigate defining characteristics of autism (i.e., medical model) and how characters navigated their environment (i.e., social model) in 252 scenes (across six characters in 22 episodes). Measures included the frequency with which autism characteristics (e.g., social-communicative difficulties, restrictive repetitive behaviors) were present across autistic portrayals and the valence (e.g., positive, negative, neutral) with which characters interacted with their environment (e.g., character and neurodiversity affirming valence). Findings indicate that (a) television portrayals depict social-communication difficulties significantly more than behavioral characteristics, (b) children's programming portrays autistic characters with significantly more positive personal attributes (i.e., character valence) than adult programs, and (c) the majority of programs portray characters navigating autism in positive or neutral ways (i.e., neurodiversity affirming valence). Results offer stakeholders (e.g., writers, advocates, neurodiverse community) insight into how autistic characters are portrayed on television, adding to a growing body of literature examining how such representations impact public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards individuals on the autism spectrum. Collectively, such studies highlight how changes in diagnostic criteria, legal protections, and social inclusivity are presented to viewers, who are seeking entertainment but gaining public health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subglottic stenosis is a significant clinical challenge in pediatric anesthesia, often necessitating interventions that can lead to various postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of prophylactic continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) application on recovery time and airway complications in pediatric patients with subglottic stenosis undergoing balloon dilatation. Methods: A prospective, double-blinded, parallel-group, randomized controlled study was conducted at Health Sciences University Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital on pediatric patients with subglottic stenosis, aged from 0 to 12 years and who underwent elective balloon dilatation under general anesthesia. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the CPAP or non-CPAP group. The primary outcome was the duration of recovery time. Secondary outcomes included bronchospasm, the number of desaturation episodes, intubation, tracheostomy, and the need for intensive care. Results: A total of 84 patients were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial, 81 of which received the allocated treatment and were analyzed (non-CPAP n = 41, CPAP n = 40). Compared to controls, the proportions of bronchospasm, tracheal secretion, need for intensive care, and tracheostomy were consistently lower in the CPAP group, whereas the requirement of intubation was higher. Further, the mean recovery time was significantly shorter in the CPAP group compared to the non-CPAP group (mean difference − 3.3 min, 95%CI − 5.16 to − 1.44, p = 0.0007). Despite lacking statistical significance, the CPAP group had reduced odds of developing bronchospasm, tracheal secretion, need for intensive care, and tracheostomy, but higher odds of requiring intubation when compared to the controls. Conclusion: Prophylactic CPAP application following therapeutic balloon dilatation in pediatric patients who have developed subglottic stenosis due to acquired or congenital causes appears to effectively shorten recovery time and may have a role in decreasing postoperative pulmonary complications; however, more research is recommended to further confirm these findings. Trial registration: The protocol for this clinical trial was retrospectively registered on clinicaltrials.gov with registration ID NCT06183515 on 30 November 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective is to examine spatial inequalities in COVID-19 mortality rates in Colombia in relation to the spatial distribution of multidimensional poverty. Methods: A retrospective spatial epidemiological study was conducted in Colombia from 2020 to 2022. Spatial statistics such as Moran's I index, LISA analysis, and simultaneous autoregressive conditional (SAC) regression models were used. Results: The Moran's I index for different years was as follows: 2020: 0.3 (p = 0.0001), 2021: 0.27 (p = 0.0001), and 2022: 0.26 (p = 0.0001). In 2020, the significant variables were low educational achievement, barriers to early childhood care, child labor, school non-attendance, informal employment, lack of health insurance, inadequate floor material, and critical overcrowding. In 2021, the significant variables were low educational achievement, critical overcrowding, inadequate excreta disposal, and lack of access to water sources. In 2022, the significant variables were school lag and inadequate excreta disposal. Conclusion: This study revealed that in Colombia, a series of socioeconomic and health factors are interconnected and contribute to COVID-19 mortality. These changes may reflect various socioeconomic, political, and environmental dynamics that shifted during the pandemic years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning has advanced the rapid prediction of inorganic materials properties, yet data scarcity for specific properties and capturing thermodynamic stability remains challenging. We propose a framework utilizing a Graph Neural Network with composition-based and crystal structure-based architectures, combined with a transfer learning scheme. This approach accurately predicts energy-related properties (e.g., total energy, energy above the convex hull, energy band gap) and data-scarce mechanical properties (e.g., bulk and shear modulus). Our model incorporates four-body interactions, capturing periodicity and structural characteristics. It outperforms state-of-the-art models in 8 materials property regression tasks. Also, this model predicts local atomic environments and global structural features better than several models. Transfer learning addresses mechanical property data scarcity, while separate architecture analysis allows application to materials lacking crystal structure information. Our framework's interpretability aids in understanding elemental contributions, enhancing material design and discovery. Continuous advancements promise further performance improvements, driving efficient and accurate materials property prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brazilian spotted fever is a tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, whose main vector in Brazil is the tick Amblyomma sculptum. Amplifying hosts are essential for the perpetuation of this bacterium in the tick population as they can be sources of infection during bacteremic periods. Recent studies demonstrated the ability of suids (Sus scrofa) to sustain populations of A. sculptum, one of the main tick species found parasitizing wild boars in the midwestern and southeastern regions of Brazil. In this study, wild boars were experimentally infected with R. rickettsii by tick infestation and were evaluated for their ability to transmit the infection to A. sculptum ticks, under laboratory conditions. Methods: Four wild boars were infected with R. rickettsii through infestation with R. rickettsii-infected A. sculptum adults (infected group); a fifth wild boar was infested with uninfected A. sculptum adults (control group). Simultaneously, the animals were infested with uninfected larvae and nymphs of A. sculptum. The wild boars were monitored for 28 days by clinical examination and hematological tests, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) of blood for the detection of Rickettsia and inoculation of blood in guinea pigs. IgG antibody titers were followed until the end of the experiment. Unfed nymphs and adults, molted from engorged larvae and nymphs that fed on wild boars, were used to infest susceptible guinea pigs and rabbits; some of these unfed ticks were tested by qPCR for rickettsial detection. Results: The wild boars showed no clinical or hematological alterations, and bacteremia was not detected by qPCR or inoculation of wild boar blood into guinea pigs. Furthermore, wild boars showed a moderate humoral response, with anti-R. rickettsii endpoint titers up to 256 or 512. Rickettsial DNA was not detected in molted ticks after acquisition feeding on wild boars. Moreover, no disease or seroconversion was observed in guinea pigs and rabbits that were infested with ticks originated from wild boar acquisition feeding. Conclusions: Wild boars seroconverted to Rickettsia spp. after being infested with R. rickettsii-infected A. sculptum; however, they did not develop bacteremia and did not act as competent amplifying hosts of R. rickettsii for A. sculptum ticks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung ultrasound-guided alveolar recruitment manoeuvres (RMs) may reduce the lung ultrasound score. However, whether the use of this strategy can reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in the adult obese population has not yet been tested. Methods/design: This is a single-centre, two-arm, prospective, randomised controlled trial. A total number of 476 obese patients scheduled for bariatric surgeries will be enrolled. They will be randomly assigned to receive either lung ultrasound-guided RMs (intervention group) or conventional RMs (control group) intraoperatively. The occurrence of PPCs will be recorded as the primary outcome. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first trial to test the effect of lung ultrasound-guided RMs on PPCs. The results of this trial will support the anaesthesiologists in choosing a potentially more efficient method to perform RMs for bariatric surgery patients. Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn ChiCTR2400080203. Registered on 23 January 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted an overview of reviews to determine the effects of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs; Schreibman et al. (2015) J Autism Dev Disorders 45:2411–2428) on children with autism spectrum disorder under 8 years old. We conducted an electronic database search of Academic Search Premier, CINHAL, ERIC, Medline, and APA PsycINFO in October 2022 and August 2023 and utilized snowball methods to locate relevant reviews of NDBI. We included reviews meeting the following inclusion criteria: (1) review included a meta-analytic synthesis for at least one child outcome; (2) primary studies examined a NDBI; (3) primary studies included children with ASD with a mean pre-treatment age under eight years; (4) primary studies were conducted using a two-group comparison design; and (5) review was published in English. We extracted data on characteristics of the review, participant characteristics from the primary studies, intervention characteristics, and assessed the risk of bias of the included reviews. We conducted a narrative synthesis across outcomes reported in the included reviews. We included five reviews from six reports in this overview. Two reviews included studies that examined the Early Start Denver Model, two reviews included studies that examined the Pivotal Response Treatment, and one review included studies examining NDBIs collectively. We found positive effects of NDBIs on child's communication/language, cognition, and adaptive behavior. We found mixed effects for NDBIs on autism symptomatology and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Examination of moderator analyses reported in the included reviews suggested variables influencing the effects of NDBIs included proximity of outcome to intervention, boundedness of outcome to intervention, and study location. As shown in this overview, positive effects of NDBI for young children with ASD are supported by meta-analytic evidence. While the overall findings for NDBI across reviews are positive, the findings on specific outcomes and influential variables moderating the effects of NDBI are inconsistent. Additional evidence from randomized controlled trials and future meta-analyses are needed to strengthen our knowledge of the effects of NDBI for young children with ASD. Protocol Registration: PROSPERO CRD42022353045. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several studies have reported on the intersection of autism and gender incongruence (GI) in clinical populations. This study aims to investigate autistic characteristics and registered autism spectrum diagnoses (ASD) in a clinical cohort of 83 adolescents referred to the National Gender Team for Children and Adolescents in Norway during 2020. Methods: Parents completed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Background information and registered psychiatric diagnoses were extracted from patient files. Results: The results showed that 25% of the participants scored within the clinical range on the SRS: 27.4% of adolescents who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) and 19.0% of adolescents who were assigned male at birth (AMAB). AFAB had significantly higher scores on SRS Total Scale and the Social Motivation and Autistic Mannerisms subscales compared to the female norm group. AMAB had higher scores on the Social Motivation subscale and lower scores on the Social Awareness subscale, compared to the male norm population. Information from patient files revealed that 67.5% had one or more registered psychiatric diagnosis. 9.6% had received an ASD diagnosis, all AFAB. 18.1% had received an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. The most common psychiatric diagnoses were depression (25.3%) and anxiety disorders (18.1%). Further, 44.6% had a history of self-harm, and 15.7% had a history of a suicide attempt. Conclusion: The results showed an overrepresentation of ASD diagnoses and autistic characteristics measured by SRS for AFAB. There was an overrepresentation of psychiatric diagnoses for both the AFAB and the AMAB group in this study sample. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The half-quantized Hall phase represents a unique metallic or semi-metallic state of matter characterized by a fractional quantum Hall conductance, precisely half of an integer ν multiple of e2/h. Here we demonstrate the existence of a Z / 2 topological invariant that sets the half-quantized Hall phase apart from two-dimensional ordinary metallic ferromagnets. The Z / 2 classification is determined by the line integral of the intrinsic anomalous Hall conductance, which is safeguarded by two distinct categories of local unitary and anti-unitary symmetries in proximity to the Fermi surface of electron states. We further validate the Z / 2 topological order in the context of the quantized Hall phase by examining semi-magnetic topological insulator Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 film for ν = 1 and topological crystalline insulator SnTe films for ν = 2 or 4. Our findings pave the way for future exploration and understanding of topological metals and their unique properties. Topological quantization is a cornerstone of modern condensed matter physics, as epitomized by the well-known integer or even/odd quantization in topological insulators. In this work, Fu and other authors provided a rigorous characterization of the half-integer quantized invariant of metallic ferromagnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]