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Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed globally, but recognition, interpretation and reporting may vary across cultures. To compare autism across cultures it is important to investigate whether the tools used are conceptually equivalent across cultures. This study evaluated the factor structure of the parent-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient Short Form in autistic children from China (n = 327; 3 to 17 years) and the Netherlands (n = 694; 6 to 16 years). Confirmatory factor analysis did not support the two-factor hierarchical model previously identified. Exploratory factor analysis indicated culturally variant factor structures between China and the Netherlands, which may hamper cross-cultural comparisons. Several items loaded onto different factors in the two samples, indicating substantial variation in parent-reported autistic traits between China and the Netherlands.

Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed globally, but recognition, interpretation and reporting may vary across cultures. To compare autism across cultures it is important to investigate whether the tools used are conceptually equivalent across cultures. This study evaluated the factor structure of the parent-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient Short Form in autistic children from China (n = 327; 3 to 17 years) and the Netherlands (n = 694; 6 to 16 years). Confirmatory factor analysis did not support the two-factor hierarchical model previously identified. Exploratory factor analysis indicated culturally variant factor structures between China and the Netherlands, which may hamper cross-cultural comparisons. Several items loaded onto different factors in the two samples, indicating substantial variation in parent-reported autistic traits between China and the Netherlands., Author(s): Fangyuan Liu [sup.1] , Anke M. Scheeren [sup.1] , Rachel Grove [sup.2] , Rosa A. Hoekstra [sup.3] , Ke Wang [sup.4] , Dehua Guo [sup.5] , Chongying Wang [sup.4] [...]

Postbiotics possess various functional activities, closely linked to their source bacterial strains and preparation methods. Therefore, the functional activities of postbiotics need to be evaluated through in vitro and in vivo methods. This study aims to prepare a postbiotic and explore its antihemolytic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. Specifically, a postbiotic preparation named PostbioP-6 was prepared by intercepting 1–5 kDa of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Postbiotic-P6 fermentation broth. The results demonstrate that PostbioP-6 exhibited notable biological activities across multiple assays. It showed significant antihemolytic activity, with a 4.9–48.1% inhibition rate at 10–50% concentrations. Anti-inflammatory effects were observed both in vitro, where 8–40% PostbioP-6 was comparable to 259.1–645.4 μg/mL diclofenac sodium, and in vivo, where 3.5 and 4.0 μL/mL PostbioP-6 significantly reduced neutrophil counts in inflamed zebrafish (p < 0.05). Antioxidant properties were evident through increased reducing power (OD700 increased from 0.279 to 2.322 at 1.25–12.5% concentrations), DPPH radical scavenging activity (38.9–92.4% scavenging rate at 2.5–50% concentrations), and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (4.66–10.38% scavenging rate at 0.5–4% concentrations). Additionally, PostbioP-6 demonstrated antimicrobial activity against two Gram-positive bacteria, eight Gram-negative bacteria, and one fungus. Furthermore, PostbioP-6 significantly inhibited the increase in peroxide value and malondialdehyde content in cookies, highlighting its potential application in food preservation. In conclusion, we prepared a novel postbiotic, termed PostbioP-6, which proved to have prominent anti-hemolytic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities. The multifunctional properties of PostbioP-6 position it as a potentially effective functional food supplement or preservative. In the future, further research is necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms of action, identify the active components, and validate its biological activities in animal models or clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM) might have a higher risk of rupture after partial embolization, and previous studies have shown that some metrics of vascular stability are related to bAVM rupture risk. Objective: To analyze vascular stability of bAVM in patients after partial embolization. Methods: Twenty‐four patients who underwent partial embolization were classified into the short‐term, medium‐term, and long‐term groups, according to the time interval between partial embolization and surgery. The control group consisted of 9 bAVM patients who underwent surgery alone. Hemodynamic changes after partial embolization were measured by angiogram. The inflammatory infiltrates and cell–cell junctions were evaluated by MMP‐9 and VE‐cadherin. At the protein level, the proliferative and apoptotic events of bAVMs were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining of VEGFA, eNOS, and caspase‐3. Finally, neovascularity and apoptotic cells were assessed by CD31 staining and TUNEL staining. Results: Immediately after partial embolization, the blood flow velocity of most bAVMs increased. The quantity of MMP‐9 in the medium‐term group was the highest, and VE‐cadherin in the medium‐term group was the lowest. The expression levels of VEGFA, eNOS, and neovascularity were highest in the medium‐term group. Similarly, the expression level of caspase‐3 and the number of apoptotic cells were highest in the medium‐term group. Conclusion: The biomarkers for bAVM vascular stability were most abnormal between 1 and 28 days after partial embolization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]