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Assessment is viewed as an important means to understand learners' performance in the learning process. A good assessment method is based on high-quality examination questions. However, generating high-quality examination questions manually by teachers is a time-consuming task, and it is not easy for students to obtain question banks. To solve this issue, this study proposes an automatic high-quality question generation system based on natural language processing and Topic Model. A two-stage test-question generation method (sentence selection and neural question generation) is proposed in this study. We apply multisource teaching materials to select declarative sentences, and then a neural question generation model called topic-embedding question generation (TE-QG) is employed to generate high-quality examination questions. This model is based on attention and the pointer-generator mechanism. The experimental results show that the sentence selection method can select sentences that meet the key points of the course, and the performance of the TE-QG model outperforms those of existing NQG models.

This study investigates the individual difference antecedents of students' behavioural intention to use VR-based learning systems, especially from an integrated perspective of Big Five personality traits and perceived physiological vulnerability to IT use (PPVITU). Data collected from 149 respondents are tested against the research model using the partial least squares structural equation method (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that extraversion and neuroticism positively affect perceived usefulness, conscientiousness negatively influences usefulness, and agreeableness and neuroticism have positive effects on perceived enjoyment. Furthermore, this study finds that musculoskeletal discomfort: neck and shoulder back pain (one PPVITU component) positively influences perceived ease of use. The findings of this study provide several important theoretical and practical implications for promoting VR-based learning system use behaviour.

Abstract In tuberculosis (TB), chest radiography (CXR) patterns are highly variable, mimicking pneumonia and many other diseases. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Google teachable machine, a deep neural network-based image classification tool, to develop algorithm for predicting TB probability of CXRs. The training dataset included 348 TB CXRs and 3806 normal CXRs for training TB detection. We also collected 1150 abnormal CXRs and 627 normal CXRs for training abnormality detection. For external validation, we collected 250 CXRs from our hospital. We also compared the accuracy of the algorithm to five pulmonologists and radiological reports. In external validation, the AI algorithm showed areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.951 and 0.975 in validation dataset 1 and 2. The accuracy of the pulmonologists on validation dataset 2 showed AUC range of 0.936–0.995. When abnormal CXRs other than TB were added, AUC decreased in both human readers (0.843–0.888) and AI algorithm (0.828). When combine human readers with AI algorithm, the AUC further increased to 0.862–0.885. The TB CXR AI algorithm developed by using Google teachable machine in this study is effective, with the accuracy close to experienced clinical physicians, and may be helpful for detecting tuberculosis by CXR.

Abstract Objective To investigate (1) lateral atlantoaxial articulation (LAA) morphology in patients with basilar invagination (BI) with atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD) and healthy individuals and its relationship with the severity of dislocation and (2) the effect of the LAA morphology on reduction degree (RD) after surgery. Methods In this retrospective propensity score matching case-control study, imaging and baseline data of 62 patients with BI and AAD from 2011 to 2022 were collected. Six hundred thirteen participants without occipitocervical junctional deformity served as controls. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for analysis. Results The age, BMI and sex did not differ significantly between the two groups after propensity score matching. Sagittal slope angle (SSA) and coronal slope angle (CSA) was lower and greater, respectively, in the patient group than in the control group. A negative SSA value usually indicates anteverted LAA. Regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between SSA and severity of dislocation. However, no relationship was found between CSA and the severity of dislocation. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that minimum-SSA emerged as an independent predictor of satisfactory reduction (RD ≥ 90%). The ROC curve demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.844, with a cut-off value set at -40.2. Conclusion SSA in patients group was significantly smaller and more asymmetric than that in the control group. Dislocation severity was related to SSA but not to CSA. Minimum-SSA can be used as a predictor of horizontal RD after surgery.

Abstract Exosomes are extracellular vesicles generated by all cells and they carry nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and metabolites. They mediate the exchange of substances between cells,thereby affecting biological properties and activities of recipient cells. In this review, we briefly discuss the composition of exocomes and exosome isolation. We also review the clinical applications of exosomes in cancer biology as well as strategies in exosome-mediated targeted drug delivery systems. Finally, the application of exosomes in the context of cancer therapeutics both in practice and literature are discussed.

Abstract This study measured particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants in the exhaust of off-road vehicles (excavators, bulldozers) during idling and working. The fingerprint of metals in PM and the emission factors of off-road vehicles were investigated. The concentrations of total PM (TPM), PM10, and PM2.5 were 14–251, 12–181, and 10–163 mg m−3, respectively, for two kinds of off-road vehicles. PM10 occupied 60–70% of TPM, while PM2.5 accounted for 80–90%of PM10. The calculated emission factors were 0.64–0.94, 0.53–0.79, and 0.32–0.49 g BHP−1 h−1 for TPM, PM10, and PM2.5, respectively. Metallic elements of PM were analyzed in order to evaluate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. The results showed that the emission of total metallic elements from the excavator and two bulldozers are 2.7 and 7.9–22.6 mg m−3, respectively, and the dominant components are Zn, Fe, and Al. The total carcinogenic risk of Cd and Pb decreased from 9.4 × 10−8 to 1.3 × 10−8 with increasing the distance from 0 to 150 m away from the three off-road vehicles (one excavator, and two bulldozers). The non-carcinogenic risk of both Cd and Pb is lower than the limits (hazard index = 1), which is considered acceptable.

This study aims to propose a radiomics model to identify male patients suffering from renal pelvis urothelial carcinoma (RPUC) with preoperative lymph node (LN) metastasis. In a study involving 133 male RPUC patients, 94 were assigned to a training group and 39 to a testing group. Their arterial-phase computed tomography (CT) images were analyzed to extract radiomics features, which were then refined through data reduction and feature selection. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), a radiomics signature was created, which was then incorporated into a Logistic regression classifier in the training group to predict pathologic lymph node metastases. A comprehensive radiomics model was developed using multivariate logistic regression, integrating clinical risk factors. The model’s efficacy was evaluated in both sets using discrimination, calibration and decision curve analyses in both the training and testing sets. The constructed signature, composed of eight promising imaging-derived features, showed strong discrimination ability in both sets (training: area under the curve (AUC) 0.836 and testing: AUC, 0.817). When combined with CT-reported tumor status, the radiomics model demonstrated excellent calibration and discrimination, achieving an AUC of 0.849 in the training set and 0.851 in the testing set. The radiomics model, incorporating both the radiomics signature and the CT-reported tumor status, could help in the preoperative individualized prediction of LN metastasis in male patients with RPUC.

Adenosine exerts its dual functions of homeostasis and neuromodulation in the brain by acting at mainly 2 G-protein coupled receptors, called A1 and A2A receptors. The adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) antagonists have been clinically pursued for the last 2 decades, leading to final approval of the istradefylline, an A2AR antagonist, for the treatment of OFF-Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The approval paves the way to develop novel therapeutic methods for A2AR antagonists to address 2 major unmet medical needs in PD and traumatic brain injury (TBI), namely neuroprotection or improving cognition. In this review, we first consider the evidence for aberrantly increased adenosine signaling in PD and TBI and the sufficiency of the increased A2AR signaling to trigger neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment. We further discuss the increasing preclinical data on the reversal of cognitive deficits in PD and TBI by A2AR antagonists through control of degenerative proteins and synaptotoxicity, and on protection against TBI and PD pathologies by A2AR antagonists through control of neuroinflammation. Moreover, we provide the supporting evidence from multiple human prospective epidemiological studies which revealed an inverse relation between the consumption of caffeine and the risk of developing PD and cognitive decline in aging population and Alzheimer's disease patients. Collectively, the convergence of clinical, epidemiological and experimental evidence supports the validity of A2AR as a new therapeutic target and facilitates the design of A2AR antagonists in clinical trials for disease-modifying and cognitive benefit in PD and TBI patients.

Abstract Background Cathepsin S (CTSS) is a cysteine protease that played diverse roles in immunity, tumor metastasis, aging and other pathological alterations. At the cellular level, increased CTSS levels have been associated with the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and disrupted the homeostasis of Ca2+ flux. Once CTSS was suppressed, elevated levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and changes of Ca2+ influx were observed. These findings have inspired us to explore the potential role of CTSS on cognitive functions. Methods We conducted classic Y-maze and Barnes Maze tests to assess the spatial and working memory of Ctss −/− mice, Ctss +/+ mice and Ctss +/+ mice injected with the CTSS inhibitor (RJW-58). Ex vivo analyses including long-term potentiation (LTP), Golgi staining, immunofluorescence staining of sectioned whole brain tissues obtained from experimental animals were conducted. Furthermore, molecular studies were carried out using cultured HT-22 cell line and primary cortical neurons that treated with RJW-58 to comprehensively assess the gene and protein expressions. Results Our findings reported that targeting cathepsin S (CTSS) yields improvements in cognitive function, enhancing both working and spatial memory in behavior models. Ex vivo studies showed elevated levels of long-term potentiation levels and increased synaptic complexity. Microarray analysis demonstrated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was upregulated when CTSS was knocked down by using siRNA. Moreover, the pharmacological blockade of the CTSS enzymatic activity promoted BDNF expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Notably, the inhibition of CTSS was associated with increased neurogenesis in the murine dentate gyrus. These results suggested a promising role of CTSS modulation in cognitive enhancement and neurogenesis. Conclusion Our findings suggest a critical role of CTSS in the regulation of cognitive function by modulating the Ca2+ influx, leading to enhanced activation of the BDNF/TrkB axis. Our study may provide a novel strategy for improving cognitive function by targeting CTSS.

Abstract Objective Autophagy‐related 5 (ATG5) facilitates the pathologic process of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) via multiple ways. This study aimed to identify the association of serum ATG5 with clinical outcomes in AIS patients. Methods Serum ATG5 from 280 AIS patients were detected at admission, Day (D)1, D3, D7, D30, and D90 after admission by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The median (interquartile range) follow‐up was 21.1 (5.9–43.9) months. Another 50 healthy controls (HCs) were also enrolled for serum ATG5 determination. Results ATG5 was elevated (p 2 and mRS ≤2 at D90, respectively. ATG5 at admission, D1, D3, D30, and D90 was elevated in AIS patients with mRS >2 versus those with mRS ≤2 (all p

Abstract Growing skull fracture (GSF) is an uncommon form of head trauma among young children. In prior research, the majority of GSFs were typically classified based on pathophysiological mechanisms or the duration following injury. However, considering the varying severity of initial trauma and the disparities in the time elapsed between injury and hospital admission among patients, our objective was to devise a clinically useful classification system for GSFs among children, grounded in both clinical presentations and imaging findings, in order to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment decisions. The clinical and imaging data of 23 patients less than 12 years who underwent GSF were retrospectively collected and classified into four types. The clinical and imaging characteristics of the different types were reviewed in detail and statistically analyzed. In all 23 patients, 5 in type I, 7 in type II, 8 in type III, and 3 in type IV. 21/23 (91.3%) were younger than 3 years. Age ≤ 3 years and subscalp fluctuating mass were common in type I–III (P = 0.026, P = 0.005). Fracture width ≥ 4 mm was more common in type II–IV (P = 0.003), while neurological dysfunction mostly occurred in type III and IV (P

Introduction: Forming a bridge made of functional axons to span the lesion is essential to reconstruct the motor circuitry following spinal cord injury (SCI). Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons are robust in axon growth and have been proved to facilitate the growth of cortical neurons in a process of axon-facilitated axon regeneration. However, whether DRG transplantation affects the axon outgrowth of spinal motor neurons (SMNs) that play crucial roles in motor circuitry remains unclear. Methods: We investigated the axonal growth patterns of co-cultured DRGs and SMN aggregates (SMNAs) taking advantage of a well-designed 3D-printed in vitro system. Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPG) induced inhibitory matrix was introduced to imitate the inhibitory environment following SCI. Axonal lengths of DRG, SMNA or DRG & SMNA cultured on the permissive or CSPG induced inhibitory matrix were measured and compared. Results: Our results indicated that under the guidance of full axonal connection generated from two opposing populations of DRGs, SMNA axons were growth-enhanced and elongated along the DRG axon bridge to distances that they could not otherwise reach. Quantitatively, the co-culture increased the SMNA axonal length by 32.1 %. Moreover, the CSPG matrix reduced the axonal length of DRGs and SMNAs by 46.2 % and 17.7 %, respectively. This inhibitory effect was antagonized by the co-culture of DRGs and SMNAs. Especially for SMNAs, they extended the axons across the CSPG-coating matrix, reached the lengths close to those of SMNAs cultured on the permissive matrix alone. Conclusions: This study deepens our understanding of axon-facilitated reconstruction of the motor circuitry. Moreover, the results support SCI treatment utilizing the enhanced outgrowth of axons to restore functional connectivity in SCI patients.

Abstract Conductive polymer hydrogels have greatly improved the compatibility of electronic devices with biological tissues for human–machine interfacing. Hydrogels that possess low Young's modulus, low interfacial impedance, and high tensile properties facilitate high‐quality signal transmission across dynamic biointerfaces. Direct incorporation of elastomers with conductive polymers may result in undesirable mechanical and/or electrical performance. Here, a covalent cross‐linking network and an entanglement‐driven network with conductive poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) have been combined. The triple‐network conductive hydrogel shows high stretchability (with fracture strain up to 900%), low impedance (down to 91.2 Ω·cm2), and reversible adhesion. Importantly, ultra‐low modulus (down to 6.3 kPa) and strain‐insensitive electrical/electrochemical performance were achieved, which provides a guarantee for low current stimulation. The material design will contribute to the progression of soft and conformal bioelectronic devices, and pave the way to future implantable electronics.

Summary: We delve into the distinctive color gamut characteristics resulting from color dispersion of surface relief grating (SRG) and wavelength degeneracy of volume holographic optical element (VHOE) in a diffractive light guide. While a laser-like spectrum achieves an impressive 194% sRGB color gamut for both cases, it proves unsuitable for VHOE light guides due to limitations in breaking the field of view (FOV) of the display. Conversely, a broad-band light source, such as LEDs, offers continuous FOV but reduces the common color gamut to 50% sRGB. We then present a newly designed VHOE light guide capable of achieving the common color gamut of 130% sRGB using two multiplexed holograms of each color, closely matching the 133% sRGB achieved by an SRG light guide. This article presents the first theoretical methodology to elucidate color performance of diffractive light guides utilizing VHOEs with holographic multiplexing, affirming their suitability for crafting high-quality near-eye display.

ABSTRACT: Granular cell apoptosis is a key factor leading to follicular atresia and decreased laying rate in aged laying hens. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) induced cell apoptosis is a new type of apoptosis pathway. Previous studies have shown that the ERS pathway is involved in the regulation of follicular development and atresia, and can be regulated by mTOR. Melatonin (MEL) can protect the normal development of follicles, but the precise mechanism by which MEL regulates follicular development is not yet clear. So, we investigated the potential relationship between MEL and ERS and mTOR signaling pathway in vivo through intraperitoneal injection of MEL in aged laying hens. The results show that the laying rate, ovarian follicle number, plasma MEL, E2, LH, FSH concentrations, as well as the mRNA expression of mTOR signaling-associated genes TSC1, TSC2, mTOR, 4E-BP1, and S6K in old later-period chicken control (Old-CN) group was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). In contrast, the ERS-related of plasma and granular cell layer mRNA expression of Grp78, CHOP, and Caspase-3 was significantly increased (P < 0.01). While both of the effects were reversed by MEL. Then, aging granulosa cells were treated with MEL in vitro, followed by RNA seq analysis, and it was found that 259 and 322 genes were upregulated and downregulated. After performing GO enrichment analysis, it was found that DEGs significantly contribute to the biological processes including cell growth and apoptosis. Using pathway enrichment analysis, we found significant overrepresentation of cellular processes related to mTOR signaling and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, involving genes such as GRB10, SGK1, PRKCA, RPS6KA2, RAF1, PIK3R3, FOXO1, DERL3, HMOX1, TLR7, VAMP7 and INSIG2. The obtained results of RT-PCR showed consistency with the RNA-Seq data. In summary, the underlined results revealed that MEL has significantly contributed to follicular development via activating the mTOR signaling pathway-related genes and alleviating ERS-related genes in laying hens. The current study provides a theoretical background for enhancing the egg-laying capability of hens and also providing a basis for elucidating the molecular mechanism of follicular selection.

ABSTRACT: Follicular atresia in chickens reduces the number of follicles that can further develop, leading to decrease egg laying. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) can initiate a unique pathway inducing the apoptosis of follicular granulosa cells, thus reducing egg laying. Melatonin (MEL) is involved in the regulation of follicle development, ovulation, and oocyte maturation, and is closely related to follicle fate. Mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays an important role in cell growth regulation, and that there is a possible crosstalk between melatonin and mTOR activity in granular cells maturation and ovulation. This study aimed to investigate whether MEL inhibits ERS and follicular granulosa cell apoptosis by regulating ATF4 to activate mTOR signaling pathway in chickens. Frist, we established an in vitro ERS cell model using tunicamycin (TM). The results showed that different concentrations of TM exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of cell activity and induction of granulosa cells (P