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This study aimed to investigate the gap between adaptive functioning and cognitive functioning, especially verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in Chinese children with ASD. We systematically explored cognitive functioning, ASD severity, early signs of developmental abnormalities, and socioeconomic factors as mediating factors of adaptive functioning. We enrolled 151 children (age: 2.5?6 years) with ASD and categorized them into one group with IQ [greater than or equal to] 70 and another with IQ < 70. The two groups were calibrated for age, age at diagnosis, and IQ, and the relationship of adaptive skills with vocabulary acquisition index (VAI) and nonverbal index (NVI) were separately analyzed. Results show that the gap between IQ and adaptive functioning was significant in children with ASD having IQ [greater than or equal to] 70, with both VAI and NVI showing statistically significant differences (all P < 0.001). VAI correlated positively with scores for overall adaptive skills and specific domains, whereas NVI had no significant correlations with adaptive skill scores. Age of first walking unaided had an independent positive correlation (all P < 0.05) with scores of adaptive skills and specific domains. IQ-adaptive functioning gap is significant in children with ASD having IQ [greater than or equal to] 70, suggesting that defining "high-functioning autism" merely on the basis of IQ is not appropriate. Verbal IQ and early signs of motor development are specific and possible predictors of adaptive functioning in children with ASD, respectively.

Abstract Background Individuals with sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) tend to be overreactive in response to negative environmental stimuli. More is known about the positive relationship between SPS and quality of life (QoL); nevertheless, less is known regarding the roles of resilience and social determinants in this association. This research aimed to investigate the potential mediation effect of resilience and the moderation effect of social determinants on the relationship between SPS and QoL in a large sample of Chinese cancer patients. Methods We used the most recent datasets from an ongoing project conducted in southwest China. A two-stage random sampling strategy with a probability proportionate to sample size (PPS) design was adopted. The associations between resilience, SPS, and QoL were evaluated using a linear regression model. Path analysis was adopted to examine the mediation of resilience. Results Resilience was positively associated with quality of life, while increased sensory processing sensitivity was negatively associated with quality of life. The restricted cubic spline analysis revealed that as resilience increased, the coefficients of quality of life rapidly increased across all domains. Conversely, the coefficients for quality of life gradually decreased with the escalation of sensory processing sensitivity. Resilience was a significant mediator, accounting for 21.88% of the total SPS-QoL association. The mediation effect of resilience varied across ethnicity and sex. Conclusion Sensory processing sensitivity was significantly associated with quality of life in cancer patients, and promoting resilience could mitigate this negative impact. However, the effect of resilience varies across sex and ethnicity. Therefore, targeted resilience promotion interventions, especially those integrating social characteristics, should be considered for implementation.

Abstract Background The global prevalence of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is increasing due in part to the lack of effective pharmacotherapies. Growing evidence suggests that fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) is crucial for diverse aspects of liver pathophysiology. However, its role in AIH remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether FGF4 can regulate M1 macrophage and thereby help treat liver inflammation in AIH. Methods We obtained transcriptome-sequencing and clinical data for patients with AIH. Mice were injected with concanavalin A to induce experimental autoimmune hepatitis (EAH). The mechanism of action of FGF4 was examined using macrophage cell lines and bone marrow-derived macrophages. Results We observed higher expression of markers associated with M1 and M2 macrophages in patients with AIH than that in individuals without AIH. EAH mice showed greater M1-macrophage polarization than control mice. The expression of M1-macrophage markers correlated positively with FGF4 expression. The loss of hepatic Fgf4 aggravated hepatic inflammation by increasing the abundance of M1 macrophages. In contrast, the pharmacological administration of FGF4 mitigated hepatic inflammation by reducing M1-macrophage levels. The efficacy of FGF4 treatment was compromised following the in vivo clearance of macrophage populations. Mechanistically, FGF4 treatment activated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)–protein kinase B (AKT)-signal pathway in macrophages, which led to reduced M1 macrophages and hepatic inflammation. Conclusion We identified FGF4 as a novel M1/M2 macrophage-phenotype regulator that acts through the PI3K–AKT-signaling pathway, suggesting that FGF4 may represent a novel target for treating inflammation in patients with AIH.

Abstract Using a symmetry-preserving formulation of a vector $$\,\times \,$$ × vector contact interaction (SCI) and treating the proton as a quark + interacting-diquark bound state, whose structure is obtained by solving a Poincaré-covariant Faddeev equation, we provide a comprehensive, coherent set of predictions for unpolarised and polarised proton parton distribution functions (DFs): valence, glue, and four-flavour separated sea. The results enable many themes to be addressed, including: the asymmetry of antimatter in the proton; the neutron:proton structure function ratio; helicity retention in hard scattering processes; the charm quark momentum fraction; the sign and size of the polarised gluon DF; and the origin of the proton spin. In all cases where sound analyses of data are available, SCI predictions are semiquantitatively in agreement with the results. Those mismatches which exist are typically attributable to the momentum-independence of the underlying interaction. Judiciously interpreted, the SCI delivers a sound and insightful explanation of proton structure as expressed in DFs.

Water is a vital resource on the earth, serving as the foundation of life and playing a crucial role in our daily activities. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an organic compound, which poses a significant threat to the environment due to its persistence and bioaccumulation. PFOA exhibits various toxicities, including neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. It has been detected in worldwide of air and water samples, as it can easily move through different environmental media such as water, soil, and the atmosphere. The widespread distribution of PFOA in these media poses potential risks to both ecosystems and human health over the long term. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to develop a rapid detection method for accurately monitoring PFOA levels in water. In this study, the electrospray extraction ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (EESI-MS/MS) technique was utilized to directly and rapidly detect PFOA in tap water and river water. To achieve the highest ionization efficiency of PFOA in EESI-MS/MS across different water samples, the experimental parameters such as ion transfer tube temperature, spray voltage, electrospray solvent flow rate, and sample flow rate were optimized. The optimal conditions were temperature of 200 °C for the ion transfer tube, spray voltage of 2 kV, electrospray solvent flow rate of 4 µL/min, and sample flow rate of 6 µL/min. The experiments were conducted under negative ion mode with a mass scan range of m/z 50-500. Methanol solution was used as the electrospray solvent, and collision-induced dissociation (CID) was employed. The secondary characteristic fragment ion m/z 369 of m/z 413 for qualitative and quantitative analysis, enabling direct and rapid detection of PFOA in various water samples. The experimental results demonstrated good linearity of PFOA in the concentration range of 1-500 ng/L, with a linear correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9976. The detection limit (LOD) of the proposed method is 0.57 ng/L, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) is 1.73 ng/L. The recovery rate ranges from 92.1% to 105.2%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD, n=6) of 1.89%-5.45%. In summary, this method has the advantages of high sensitivity, accuracy, and fast analysis speed, without the need of sample pretreatment. The established EESI-MS/MS method can be effectively applied for direct and rapid detection of PFOA in different water samples, showing promising prospects for monitoring environmental water pollutants. Moreover, it provides valuable references and technical means for the detection of other pollutants.

Objective To investigate the influence of hyperuricemia (HUA) on the reproductive function of female rats and its mechanism. Methods A total of 18 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into HUA group, HUA recovery group (HR group), and control group (N group), with 6 rats in each group. The rats in the HUA group and the HR group were given intragastric administration of 50 mg/kg uric acid and intraperitoneal injection of 250 mg/kg oteracil potassium every day, and since week 9, the rats in the HR group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage and intraperitoneal injection, while the treatment remained unchanged for those in the HUA group, for another 7 weeks; the rats in the N group were given an equal vo-lume of normal saline by gavage and intraperitoneal injection for 16 weeks. At week 16, body weight, uterine mass, and ovarian mass were measured for all three groups, and uterine and ovarian coefficients were calculated; hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the uterus and ovarian tissue; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the serum levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2); the vaginal exfoliation cell smear method was used to observe the estrous cycle of rats; colorimetry was used to measure the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) in uterine tissue of the three groups; immunofluorescence assay was used to measure the fluorescence intensity of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in uterine tissue of the three groups. Results Compared with the N group, the HUA group had significant reductions in uterine coefficient, number of follicles, endometrial thickness, and estrous interval, a significant increase in the serum level of FSH, significant reductions in the levels of SOD and GSH in uterine tissue, and a significant increase in the content of MDA (F=7.80-111.40,t=3.95-12.37,P

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses a significant global health dilemma, emerging from complex causes. Although our prior research has indicated that a deficiency in Reticulon-3 (RTN3) accelerates renal disease progression, a thorough examination of RTN3 on kidney function and pathology remains underexplored. To address this critical need, we generated Rtn3-null mice to study the consequences of RTN3 protein deficiency on CKD. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses were performed on 47,885 cells from the renal cortex of both healthy and Rtn3-null mice, enabling us to compare spatial architectures and expression profiles across 14 distinct cell types. Our analysis revealed that RTN3 deficiency leads to significant alterations in the spatial organization and gene expression profiles of renal cells, reflecting CKD pathology. Specifically, RTN3 deficiency was associated with Lars2 overexpression, which in turn caused mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species levels. This shift induced a transition in renal epithelial cells from a functional state to a fibrogenic state, thus promoting renal fibrosis. Additionally, RTN3 deficiency was found to drive the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition process and disrupt cell-cell communication, further exacerbating renal fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry and Western-Blot techniques were used to validate these observations, reinforcing the critical role of RTN3 in CKD pathogenesis. The deficiency of RTN3 protein in CKD leads to profound changes in cellular architecture and molecular profiles. Our work seeks to elevate the understanding of RTN3’s role in CKD’s narrative and position it as a promising therapeutic contender.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the value of ultrasound in tip location of tunnel-cuffed central venous catheter through internal jugular vein.MethodsFrom February 2022 to July 2023, 42 patients of chronic renal failure and uremia were admitted for internal jugular vein tunnel insertion with cuff central venous catheter. They were randomized into two groups of ultrasound and control. Tip of catheter was located by ultrasound during operation in ultrasound group and tip of catheter by chest radiograph in control group. Postoperative chest computed tomography (CT) was performed in both groups to determine the tip of catheter. Demographic data, clinical laboratory tests and intraoperative parameters were recorded for examining the differential accuracy of catheter tip between two methods.ResultsNo significant inter-group differences existed in age, gender, body mass index (BMI), primary disease, history of catheterization or laboratory tests (P>0.05). And significant inter-group differences existed in ectopic rate of catheter tip, puncture time and puncture complications (P

Abstract Background Nigeria is facing a severe malaria crisis, accounting for a significant proportion of global cases and deaths of malaria. This study aimed to investigate the differences between female-headed households (FHHs) and male-headed households (MHHs) and their impact on malaria risk among children under five (U5) in Nigeria. Methods Data from the 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS) were used for this cross-sectional study. A representative sample of 10,988 households was analysed, with key variables subjected to frequency calculations, descriptive statistics, and bivariate analyses using t-tests and chi-square analyses to compare the differences between FHHs and MHHs. Results Among all participants, 92.1% (N = 10,126) reported residing in male-headed households, while 7.8% (N = 862) reported living in female-headed households. MHHs were significantly more likely to own insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) than FHHs (64.7% vs. 53.6%, P

Tumor stands as one of the principal contributors to global mortality. As research into tumor treatments advances, tumor inhibitors emerge as pivotal milestones in tumor therapy. Among these inhibitors, Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK), a receptor tyrosine kinase, is critical owing to its close association with tumor cell proliferation and growth, which renders it a critical therapeutic target. This work systematically explores the relationship between the chemical structures of 36 piperidine carboxamide derivatives and their efficacy in inhibiting Karpas-299 tumor cell activity by employing a rigorous 3D-QSAR modeling approach. A robust Topomer CoMFA model was generated and was meticulously validated through ANN neural network analysis (q2 = 0.597, r2 = 0.939, F = 84.401, N = 4, SEE = 0.268). Based on the model, 60 new compounds with desirable inhibitory activities were successfully designed. Combined with Lipinski’s rule and ADMET criteria alongside molecular docking and dynamics simulations, a lead compound with high inhibitory activity and good drug-likeness was selected. Further computational analyses, encompassing free energy landscape and binding free energy calculations, provided compelling evidence of the stable binding conformation of the lead compound and the superior affinity with the target protein at the active site, underscoring its potential therapeutic utility. In summary, this investigation offers valuable insights and methodological guidance for advancing tumor therapy and underscores the promise of piperidine carboxamide derivatives as prospective ALK inhibitors.

Background This study endeavored to develop a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism-related biomarkers in gastric cancer (GC), which could provide a theoretical foundation for prognosis and therapy of GC patients. Methods In this study, differentially expressed genes (DEGs1) between GC and paraneoplastic tissues were overlapped with NAD+ metabolism-related genes (NMRGs) to identify differentially expressed NMRGs (DE-NMRGs). Then, GC patients were divided into high and low score groups by gene set variation analysis (GSVA) algorithm for differential expression analysis to obtain DEGs2, which was overlapped with DEGs1 for identification of intersection genes. These genes were further analyzed using univariate Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analyses to obtain prognostic genes for constructing a risk model. Enrichment and immune infiltration analyses further investigated investigate the different risk groups, and qRT-PCR validated the prognostic genes. Results Initially, we identified DE-NMRGs involved in NAD biosynthesis, with seven (DNAJB13, CST2, THPO, CIDEA, ONECUT1, UPK1B and SNCG) showing prognostic significance in GC. Subsequent, a prognostic model was constructed in which the risk score, derived from the expression profiles of these genes, along with gender, emerged as robust independent predictors of patient outcomes in GC. Enrichment analysis linked high-risk patients to synaptic membrane pathways and low-risk to the CMG complex pathway. Tumor immune infiltration analysis revealed correlations between risk scores and immune cell abundance, suggesting a relationship between NAD+ metabolism and immune response in GC. The prognostic significance of our identified genes was validated by qRT-PCR, which confirmed their upregulated expression in GC tissue samples. Conclusion In this study, seven NAD+ metabolism-related markers were established, which is of great significance for the development of prognostic molecular biomarkers and clinical prognosis prediction for gastric cancer patients.

Abstract Action recognition has been applied in fields such as smart homes, gaming, traffic management, and security monitoring. Motion recognition is helpful for biomechanical analysis, auxiliary training systems, table tennis robots, motion-sensing games, virtual reality and other fields. In our study, we collected data on table tennis skill motion, created the TTMD6 dataset, and analyzed the characteristics of table tennis paddle trajectories. We propose a motion recognition algorithm to recognize paddle trajectories. Other research has used multijoint data to identify actions, while we use only the paddle trajectory to recognize table tennis skill motions, accelerating the speed of motion recognition. Therefore, it is feasible to use paddle trajectories to recognize table tennis skill motions.

Abstract To analyze the public opinion related to the employment situation, a combined approach is proposed to study the valuable ideas from social media. Firstly, the popularity of public opinion was analyzed according to the time series from a statistical point of view. Secondly, the feature extraction was carried out on the public opinion information, and the thematic analysis of the employment environment was carried out based on the Latent Dirichlet Allocation model. Thirdly, the Bert model was used to analyze the sentiment classification and trend of the employment-related public opinion data. Finally, the employment public opinion texts in different regions were studied based on the spatial sequence popularity analysis, keyword difference analysis. A case study in China is conducted to verify the effectiveness of proposed combined approach. Results shown that the popularity of employment public opinion reached the highest level in March 2022. Public opinions towards employment situation are negative. There is a specific relationship between the popularity of employment public opinion in different provinces.

Members of Cytospora include saprobes, endophytes and important plant pathogens, which are widely distributed on various wood hosts and have a wide global distribution. In this study, the species definitions were conducted, based on multigene phylogeny (ITS, act, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2 genes) and comparisons of morphological characters. A total of 22 representative isolates obtained from 21 specimens in Fengtai District of Beijing City were identified as seven species of Cytospora, including four known species (C. albodisca, C. ailanthicola, C. euonymina, C. haidianensis) and three novel species (C. fengtaiensis, C. pinea, C. sorbariae). The results provide an understanding of the taxonomy of Cytospora species associated with canker and dieback diseases in Fengtai District, Beijing, China.