Model informed precision medicine of Chinese herbal medicines formulas-A multi-scale mechanistic intelligent model.

Recent trends suggest that Chinese herbal medicine formulas (CHM formulas) are promising treatments for complex diseases. To characterize the precise syndromes, precise diseases and precise targets of the precise targets between complex diseases and CHM formulas, we developed an artificial intelligence-based quantitative predictive algorithm (DeepTCM). DeepTCM has gone through multilevel model calibration and validation against a comprehensive set of herb and disease data so that it accurately captures the complex cellular signaling, molecular and theoretical levels of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As an example, our model simulated the optimal CHM formulas for the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) with depression, and through model sensitivity analysis, we calculated the balanced scoring of the formulas. Furthermore, we constructed a biological knowledge graph representing interactions by associating herb-target and gene-disease interactions. Finally, we experimentally confirmed the therapeutic effect and pharmacological mechanism of a novel model-predicted intervention in humans and mice. This novel multiscale model opened up a new avenue to combine "disease syndrome" and "macro micro" system modeling to facilitate translational research in CHM formulas.

​Comprehensive mendelian randomization analysis of plasma proteomics to identify new therapeutic targets for the treatment of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic heart disease is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and thus calls for development of more effective therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets for coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) by investigating the causal relationship between plasma proteins and these conditions. METHODS: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to evaluate more than 1600 plasma proteins for their causal associations with CHD and MI. The MR findings were further confirmed through Bayesian colocalization, Summary-data-based Mendelian Randomization (SMR), and Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies (TWAS) analyses. Further analyses, including enrichment analysis, single-cell analysis, MR analysis of cardiovascular risk factors, phenome-wide Mendelian Randomization (Phe-MR), and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were conducted to verify the roles of selected causal proteins. RESULTS: Thirteen proteins were causally associated with CHD, seven of which were also causal for MI. Among them, FES and PCSK9 were causal proteins for both diseases as determined by several analytical methods. PCSK9 was a risk factor of CHD (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13-1.38, P = 7.47E-06) and MI (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.21-1.54, P = 2.30E-07), whereas FES was protective against CHD (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.59-0.79, P = 6.40E-07) and MI (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.54-0.77, P = 5.38E-07). Further validation through enrichment and single-cell analysis confirmed the causal effects of these proteins. Moreover, MR analysis of cardiovascular risk factors, Phe-MR, and PPI network provided insights into the potential drug development based on the proteins. CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated the causal pathways associated with CHD and MI, highlighting the protective and risk roles of FES and PCSK9, respectively. FES. Specifically, the results showed that these proteins are promising therapeutic targets for future drug development.

Insufficient Sleep is Associated With Increasing Trends in Adolescent Suicidal Behaviors.

PURPOSE: Youth suicide has been increasing and became a public health concern worldwide. Identifying insufficient sleep as the potential risk factor is critical to reducing suicide risk and increasing trends. This study aimed to determine whether insufficient sleep is associated with increasing trends in suicidal behaviors and disparities by sex, age, and race/ethnicity among school adolescents. METHODS: The present study used biennial data from the US nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2007 to 2019. Joinpoint regression models were used to estimate biennial percent changes (BPCs) and average BPCs (ABPCs) of suicidal behaviors by sleep duration. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between insufficient sleep and suicidal behaviors. RESULTS: Of 73,356 adolescent students included (mean [standard deviation] age, 16.11 [1.23] years), 50.03% were female. Suicidal ideation and suicide plan among insufficient sleep group increased from 2007 to 2019 (BPC = 2.88% [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.65%, 4.13%]; BPC = 3.42% [95% CI: 2.09%, 4.77%]), but were nonsignificant among sufficient sleep group. Trends in suicidal ideation (ABPC = 3.03% [95% CI: 1.35%, 4.73%]) and suicide plan (ABPC = 4.03% [95% CI: 2.47%, 5.62%]) among female adolescents with insufficient sleep increased, but nonsignificant among male adolescents with insufficient sleep. Suicidal ideation (ABPC = 1.73% [95% CI: 0.51%, 2.97%]) and suicide plan (ABPC = 2.31% [95% CI: 0.70%, 3.95%]) increased among younger adolescents only with insufficient sleep, whereas suicide trends by sleep duration were similar among older adolescents. Suicide plan among insufficient sleep group increased across the four racial groups, with BPC highest for the White (BPC = 3.48% [95% CI: 1.31%, 5.69%]), and lowest for the Hispanic/Latino (BPC = 1.18% [95% CI: 0.15%, 2.23%]), but were nonsignificant among sufficient sleep group except for the White (BPC = 2.83% [95% CI: 0.62%, 5.09%]). DISCUSSION: Insufficient sleep was disproportionately associated with increasing trends in suicidal behaviors among female, younger, and non-White adolescent students. Ensuring sufficient sleep can potentially reduce suicide among school adolescents.

Effects of Habitual Dietary Change on the Gut Microbiota and Health of Silkworms.

Diet plays a crucial role in shaping the gut microbiota and overall health of animals. Traditionally, silkworms are fed fresh mulberry leaves, and artificial diets do not support good health. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the dietary transition from artificial diets to mulberry leaves and the effects on the gut microbiota and physiological changes in silkworms as a model organism. With the transition from artificial diets to mulberry leaves, the diversity of the silkworm gut microbiota increased, and the proportion of Enterococcus and Weissella, the dominant gut bacterial species in silkworms reared on artificial diets, decreased, whereas the abundance of Achromobacter and Rhodococcus increased. Dietary transition at different times, including the third or fifth instar larval stages, resulted in significant differences in the growth and development, immune resistance, and silk production capacity of silkworms. These changes might have been associated with the rapid adaptation of the intestinal microbiota of silkworms to dietary transition. This study preliminarily established a dietary transition-gut microbial model in silkworms based on the conversion from artificial diets to mulberry leaves, thus providing an important reference for future studies on the mechanisms through which habitual dietary changes affect host physiology through the gut microbiome.

Hydrogel-Based Biosensors for Bacterial Infections.

Hydrogels are known to have the advantages such as good biodegradability, biocompatibility, and easy functionalization, making them ideal candidates for biosensors. Hydrogel-based biosensors that respond to bacteria-induced microenvironmental changes such as pH, enzymes, antigens, etc., or directly interact with bacterial surface receptors, can be applied for early diagnosis of bacterial infections, providing information for timely treatment while avoiding antibiotic abuse. Furthermore, hydrogel biosensors capable of both bacteria diagnosis and treatment will greatly facilitate the development of point-of-care monitoring of bacterial infections. In this review, the recent advancement of hydrogel-based biosensors for bacterial infection is summarized and discussed. First, the biosensors based on pH-sensitive hydrogels, bacterial-specific secretions-sensitive hydrogels, and hydrogels directly in contact with bacterial surfaces are presented. Next, hydrogel biosensors capable of detecting bacterial infection in the early stage followed by immediate on-demand treatment are discussed. Finally, the challenges and future development of hydrogel biosensors for bacterial infections are proposed.

High-entropy wire-on-sheet nanoarray catalyst with boosted pre-oxidation for efficient oxygen evolution reaction.

Herein, a septenary NiCoZnFeCuMnCe hydroxide nanoarray catalyst with a unique wire-on-sheet morphology and high-entropy feature was fabricated, which exhibits boosted pre-oxidation behavior and synergistically enhanced catalytic activity and durability towards the oxygen evolution reaction.

Prevalence, co-occurring difficulties, and risk factors of developmental language disorder: first evidence for Mandarin-speaking children in a population-based study.

Background: Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a condition that significantly affects children's achievement but has been understudied. We aim to estimate the prevalence of DLD in Shanghai, compare the co-occurrence of difficulties between children with DLD and those with typical development (TD), and investigate the early risk factors for DLD. Methods: We estimated DLD prevalence using data from a population-based survey with a cluster random sampling design in Shanghai, China. A subsample of children (aged 5-6 years) received an onsite evaluation, and each child was categorized as TD or DLD. The proportions of children with socio-emotional behavior (SEB) difficulties, low non-verbal IQ (NVIQ), and poor school readiness were calculated among children with TD and DLD. We used multiple imputation to address the missing values of risk factors. Univariate and multivariate regression models adjusted with sampling weights were used to estimate the correlation of each risk factor with DLD. Findings: Of 1082 children who were approached for the onsite evaluation, 974 (90.0%) completed the language ability assessments, of whom 74 met the criteria for DLD, resulting in a prevalence of 8.5% (95% CI 6.3-11.5) when adjusted with sampling weights. Compared with TD children, children with DLD had higher rates of concurrent difficulties, including SEB (total difficulties score at-risk: 156 [17.3%] of 900 TD vs. 28 [37.8%] of 74 DLD, p < 0.0001), low NVIQ (3 [0.3%] of 900 TD vs. 8 [10.8%] of 74 DLD, p < 0.0001), and poor school readiness (71 [7.9%] of 900 TD vs. 13 [17.6%] of 74 DLD, p = 0.0040). After accounting for all other risk factors, a higher risk of DLD was associated with a lack of parent-child interaction diversity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.29-7.37; p = 0.012) and lower kindergarten levels (compared to demonstration and first level: third level (aOR = 6.15, 95% CI = 1.92-19.63; p = 0.0020)). Interpretation: The prevalence of DLD and its co-occurrence with other difficulties suggest the need for further attention. Family and kindergarten factors were found to contribute to DLD, suggesting that multi-sector coordinated efforts are needed to better identify and serve DLD populations at home, in schools, and in clinical settings. Funding: The study was supported by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 2022you1-2, D1502), the Innovative Research Team of High-level Local Universities in Shanghai (No. SHSMU-ZDCX20211900), Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (No.GWV-10.1-XK07), and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2022YFC2705201).

Performance-based neuropsychological assessment tools for executive function among preschoolers in China: A systematic review.

Objective: There is an increasing demand for the assessment of executive function (EF) among Chinese preschoolers. However, there exists methodological and cross-cultural challenges of performance-based EF assessment. The current review aims to 1) identify and summarize the current application of performance-based EF assessment tools for Chinese preschoolers in China and 2) offer recommendation guidelines for different application scenarios, such as clinical or scientific research, and for related personnel.Method: A literature search was conducted from Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. We focused exclusively on performance-based tools assessing EF among children aged three to six years, encompassing tasks of inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility, reasoning, problem solving, and/or planning. Clinical (e.g. children with autism spectrum disorders) and multilingual populations residing outside of China (e.g. Chinese Americans) were excluded. Two authors independently screened, extracted, and evaluated each tool for characteristics (e.g. name, domain, type, version, language, approach of administration, and scoring) and sample information (e.g. sample size, age, and region). Results: A total of 98 articles were included, with 255 tools being identified that were further classified into 44 unique types, covering nine EF domains. Most tools were original or informally sinicized, with notable variations in tool selection, administration, and interpretation process. Given that a complete set of EF tools has not been identified as perfectly suitable for Chinese preschoolers, we also offered recommendations based on empirically adapted evaluation criteria. Conclusions: Our findings highlighted the need for appropriate adaptation, administration, and interpretation of the current EF tools.

Increased PDGFRB and NF-κB signaling caused by highly prevalent somatic mutations in intracranial aneurysms.

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are a high-risk factor for life-threatening subarachnoid hemorrhage. Their etiology, however, remains mostly unknown at present. We conducted screening for sporadic somatic mutations in 65 IA tissues (54 saccular and 11 fusiform aneurysms) and paired blood samples by whole-exome and targeted deep sequencing. We identified sporadic mutations in multiple signaling genes and examined their impact on downstream signaling pathways and gene expression in vitro and an arterial dilatation model in mice in vivo. We identified 16 genes that were mutated in at least one IA case and found that these mutations were highly prevalent (92%: 60 of 65 IAs) among all IA cases examined. In particular, mutations in six genes (PDGFRB, AHNAK, OBSCN, RBM10, CACNA1E, and OR5P3), many of which are linked to NF-κB signaling, were found in both fusiform and saccular IAs at a high prevalence (43% of all IA cases examined). We found that mutant PDGFRBs constitutively activated ERK and NF-κB signaling, enhanced cell motility, and induced inflammation-related gene expression in vitro. Spatial transcriptomics also detected similar changes in vessels from patients with IA. Furthermore, virus-mediated overexpression of a mutant PDGFRB induced a fusiform-like dilatation of the basilar artery in mice, which was blocked by systemic administration of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib. Collectively, this study reveals a high prevalence of somatic mutations in NF-κB signaling pathway-related genes in both fusiform and saccular IAs and opens a new avenue of research for developing pharmacological interventions.

Combining bioinformatics and machine learning to identify common mechanisms and biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and atrial fibrillation.

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often present with atrial fibrillation (AF), but the common pathophysiological mechanisms between the two are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the common biological mechanisms of COPD and AF and to search for important biomarkers through bioinformatic analysis of public RNA sequencing databases. Methods: Four datasets of COPD and AF were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The overlapping genes common to both diseases were screened by WGCNA analysis, followed by protein-protein interaction network construction and functional enrichment analysis to elucidate the common mechanisms of COPD and AF. Machine learning algorithms were also used to identify key biomarkers. Co-expression analysis, "transcription factor (TF)-mRNA-microRNA (miRNA)" regulatory networks and drug prediction were performed for key biomarkers. Finally, immune cell infiltration analysis was performed to evaluate further the immune cell changes in the COPD dataset and the correlation between key biomarkers and immune cells. Results: A total of 133 overlapping genes for COPD and AF were obtained, and the enrichment was mainly focused on pathways associated with the inflammatory immune response. A key biomarker, cyclin dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), was identified through screening by machine learning algorithms and validated in the validation dataset. Twenty potential drugs capable of targeting CDK8 were obtained. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed the presence of multiple immune cell dysregulation in COPD. Correlation analysis showed that CDK8 expression was significantly associated with CD8+ T cells, resting dendritic cell, macrophage M2, and monocytes. Conclusions: This study highlights the role of the inflammatory immune response in COPD combined with AF. The prominent link between CDK8 and the inflammatory immune response and its characteristic of not affecting the basal expression level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) make it a possible promising therapeutic target for COPD combined with AF.

Long Term Outcomes and Potential Risk Factors for Endovascular Repair of Aortic Pseudoaneurysms in Vascular Behçet's Disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyse long term outcomes and risk factors for endovascular repair of aortic pseudoaneurysms in patients with vascular Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: Medical records of 26 aortic vascular BD patients who underwent endovascular treatment at the vascular department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2002 and December 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein were used to assess BD activity. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was obtained pre- and post-operatively for almost all patients. Univariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyse risk factors for endovascular repair, such as inflammatory indicators, drug usage, and stent graft parameters. RESULTS: The abdominal aorta (n = 17) was the most common site of 27 vascular BD pseudoaneurysms in this study. CTA also revealed one aortic arch pseudoaneurysm, seven descending thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysms, one thoraco-abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm, and one pseudoaneurysm at the aortic bifurcation. Most of the pseudoaneurysms were treated with covered stent grafts. The technical success rate was 96% and no deaths occurred during hospital stay. The mean follow up was 5.8 ± 5.5 years and 31% (8/26) experienced post-operative complications. Overall one, three, and five year event free survival rates were 87%, 78%, and 74%, respectively. Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed that pre-operative ESR ≥ 16.0 mm/h (p = .040), pre-operative glucocorticoid (GC) use ≤ 11.5 days (p = .024), pre-operative immunosuppressant use ≤ 15.5 days (p = .028), and length of proximal landing zone ≤ 1.95 cm (p = .034) were associated with a worse prognoses following endovascular treatment. Proximal oversize ≥ 9.5% (p = .074) was also regarded as a risk factor, although not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study further confirmed the feasibility of endovascular repair for aortic vascular BD patients. Risk factors predicting poor prognoses included elevated pre-operative ESR, insufficient pre-operative GC use or immunosuppressant use, inadequate proximal landing zone, and larger proximal oversize percentage.

Gastrodia elata Blume: A review of its mechanisms and functions on cardiovascular systems.

Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB), commonly called Tianma in Chinese, is a valuable and extensively used herbal Traditional Chinese Medicine with a wide range of clinical applications. It has been used to treat headaches, dizziness, stroke, epilepsy, amnesia, spasm, and other disorders since ancient times. Hundreds of compounds, including phenols, glycosides, polysaccharides, steroids, organic acids, and others, have been isolated and identified from this plant. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that its active ingredients possess many pharmacological effects, such as neuroprotective, analgesic, sedation and hypnosis, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, anti-convulsant, anti-dizziness, blood pressure lowering, blood lipids lowering, liver protection, anti-tumor, and immunity enhancement effects. The present review discusses the pharmacological actions and mechanisms of various components of GEB in cardiovascular diseases to provide a reference for further study of GEB.

Open people are more likely to trust their new team members under subliminal influence.

The activation of subliminal stimuli plays an indispensable role in trust research. This study aimed to investigate the effect of subliminal stimuli on team trust and the moderating role of openness on the relationship between subliminal stimuli and team trust. A total of 155 participants were recruited to complete five tasks. The results suggested a significant influence of subliminal stimuli on team trust and the significant moderating role of openness. This study revealed the mechanism of the effect of subliminal stimuli on team trust, which lays an empirical foundation for individualized team trust improvement intervention. The current study provided novel insights that subliminal priming technology offers a new way to improve team trust.

A Neuropsychological Battery for the Evaluation of Dementia Among Mandarin-Speaking Older Adults in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Asians of Chinese origin are the largest single Asian origin group in the United States and are also the third largest group in Harris County, TX (i.e., the Houston metropolitan area). Mandarin speakers constitute the majority of the group. The linguistic gaps between Chinese (Mandarin) and English make it essential to use appropriate tests and normative data when working with the Mandarin-speaking population. Although it is ideal to develop original tests and/or normative data for Mandarin-speaking patients residing in the United States, the process can be lengthy. Although these indigenous tests are being developed, a neuropsychological battery with tests validated in Mandarin-speaking regions (e.g., Mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore) can provide valuable information for Mandarin-speaking patients who identify with their home culture/country/region. METHODS: A systematic review of two electronic databases (PubMed and PsycInfo) was conducted. RESULTS: A neuropsychological battery to assess cognitive domains, including global intellectual function, attention/processing speed, executive function, visuospatial/visuoconstruction, language, learning and memory, and emotion, was developed. Cognitive screeners and performance validity measures were also included. The battery consists of core and supplementary measures validated in the Mandarin-speaking population. A case illustration is provided. CONCLUSION: Strengths and limitations of the battery and the role of interpretation in service delivery are discussed. The battery is recommended to clinicians for the evaluation of Mandarin-speaking older adults residing in the United States and other non-Mandarin-speaking regions where local norms are not available.

A hiPSC-derived lineage-specific vascular smooth muscle cell-on-a-chip identifies aortic heterogeneity across segments.

Aortic aneurysm (AA), a potentially lethal condition with the characteristic of aortic dilatation, can only be treated by surgical or endovascular procedures. The underlying mechanisms of AA are unclear and early preventive treatment is still insufficient due to segmental aortic heterogeneity and the limitations of current disease models. Here, we firstly established a comprehensive lineage-specific vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC)-on-a-chip model using human induced pluripotent stem cells to yield cell lineages representing different segments of the aorta and tested the constructed organ-on-a-chip model under various tensile stress conditions. Bulk RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, western blot and FACS analyses were performed to discover the segmental aortic heterogeneity of response for tensile stress and drug testing. The appropriate stretching frequency for all lineages of SMCs was 1.0 Hz, paraxial mesoderm (PM) SMCs were more sensitive to tensile stress than lateral mesoderm (LM) SMCs and neural crest (NC) SMCs. These differences may be related to the different transcriptional profiles of the tension-stressed distinct lineage-specific vascular SMCs, specifically in relation to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Also, the organ-on-a-chip displayed contractile physiology, perfect fluid coordination, and was conducive to drug testing, displaying heterogeneous segmental aortic responses. Compared with LM-SMCs and NC-SMCs, PM-SMCs were more sensitive to ciprofloxacin. The model is evaluated as a novel and suitable supplement to AA animal models for determining differential physiology and drug response in different parts of the aorta. Furthermore, this system could pave the way for disease modeling, drug testing, and the personalized treatment of patients with AA in the future.

The LIM Domain Protein BmFHL2 Inhibits Egg Production in Female Silkworm, Bombyx mori.

The female Bombyx mori accumulates a large amount of egg proteins, mainly Vg and 30K, during egg formation to provide nutrition for embryo development. The synthesis and transport of Vg have been extensively studied, particularly the regulation of Vg transcription induced by 20E; however, the mechanism of 30K protein synthesis is poorly studied. As a model organism of the order Lepidoptera, B. mori has high reproduction potential. In the present study, we found that the FHL2 homologous gene (BmFhl2) in B. mori is involved in inhibiting female egg formation by influencing the synthesis of 30K protein. Interference of BmFhl2 expression in silkworm females increased 30K protein synthesis, accelerated ovarian development, and significantly increased the number of eggs produced and laid; however, the 20E pathway was inhibited. The transcription levels of Vg and 30Kc19 were significantly downregulated following BmFhl2 overexpression in the silkworm ovarian cell line BmN. The Co-IP assay showed that the potential binding protein of BmFHL2 included three types of 30K proteins (30Kc12, 30Kc19, and 30Kc21). These results indicate that BmFHL2 participates in egg formation by affecting 30K protein in female B. mori.

Effects of Velocity-Based versus Percentage-Based Resistance Training on Explosive Neuromuscular Adaptations and Anaerobic Power in Sport-College Female Basketball Players.

The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of velocity-based resistance training (VBRT) and percentage-based resistance training (PBRT) on anaerobic ability, sprint performance, and jumping ability. Eighteen female basketball players from a Sport College were randomly divided into two groups: VBRT (n = 10) and PBRT (n = 8). The six-week intervention consisted of two sessions per week of free-weight back squats with linear periodization from 65% to 95%1RM. In PBRT, the weights lifted were fixed based on 1RM percentage, while in VBRT, the weights were adjusted based on individualized velocity profiles. The T-30m sprint time, relative power of countermovement jump (RP-CMJ), and Wingate test were evaluated. The Wingate test assessed peak power (PP), mean power (MP), fatigue index (FI), maximal velocity (Vmax), and total work (TW). Results showed that VBRT produced a very likely improvement in RP-CMJ, Vmax, PP, and FI (Hedges' g = 0.55, 0.93, 0.68, 0.53, respectively, p < 0.01). On the other hand, PBRT produced a very likely improvement in MP (Hedges' g = 0.38) and TW (Hedges' g = 0.45). Although VBRT showed likely favorable effects in RP-CMJ, PP, and Vmax compared to PBRT (p < 0.05 for interaction effect), PBRT produced greater improvements in MP and TW (p < 0.05 for interaction effect). In conclusion, PBRT may be more effective in maintaining high-power velocity endurance, while VBRT has a greater impact on explosive power adaptations.

Validity and reliability of the Chinese version of Threats of Artificial Intelligence Scale (TAI) in Chinese adults.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used in fields such as medical treatment, while the threat of artificial intelligence has also received extensive attention. However, this topic has been only limitedly explored in China. To provide a measurement tool for AI threat research in China, this study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Threats of Artificial Intelligence Scale (TAI) in two Chinese samples of adults (N1 = 654, N2 = 1483). Results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested that the one-factor model of TAI as the best fitting model. Furthermore, the Chinese TAI was significantly related to Positive and Negative Affect Scale and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, proving good criterion-related validity of the Chinese TAI. In sum, this study suggested the Chinese version of the TAI as a reliable and effective tool in assessing AI threat in the Chinese context. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Monocentric Evaluation of Physician-Modified Fenestrations or Parallel Endografts for Complex Aortic Diseases.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the demographic and anatomic characteristics, as well as perioperative and follow-up results of fenestration and parallel techniques for the endovascular repair of complex aortic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 67 consecutive patients underwent endovascular treatment for complex aortic diseases including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), thoracoabdominal aneurysm (TAAA), aortic dissection, or prior endovascular repair with either fenestrated and parallel endovascular aortic repair (f-EVAR or ch-EVAR) at a single institute from 2013 to 2021. Choices of intervention were made by the disease' emergency, patients' general condition, the anatomic characteristics, as well as following the recommendation from the devices' guidelines. Patients' clinical demographics, aortic disease characteristics, perioperative details, and disease courses were discussed. Short- and mid-term follow-up results were obtained and analyzed. Endpoints were aneurysm-related and unrelated mortality, branch instability, and renal function deterioration. RESULTS: Totally, 34 and 27 patients received f-EVAR and ch-EVAR, while 6 patients received a combination of both. Fenestrated endovascular aortic repair was conducted mainly in AAA affecting visceral branches and TAAA, whereas ch-EVAR was normally utilized for infrarenal AAA. Regarding the average number of reconstructed arteries per patient, there was a significant difference among f-EVAR, ch-EVAR, and the combination group (mean = 2.3 ± 0.9, 1.4 ± 0.6, 3.5 ± 0.5, p<0.001). Primary technical success was achieved in 28 (82.4%), 22 (81.5%), and 3 (50.0%) patients for each group. Besides operational time (5.77 ± 2.58, 4.47 ± 1.44, p=0.033), no significant difference was observed for blood transfusion, intensive care unit (ICU) or hospital stay, blood creatinine level, 30-day complications, or follow-up complications between patients undergoing f-EVAR or ch-EVAR. Patients receiving combination of both techniques had a higher rate of blood transfusion (p=0.044), longer operational time (p=0.008) or hospital stay (p=0.017), as well as more stent occlusion (p=0.001), endoleak (p=0.004) at short-term and a higher rate of endoleak (p=0.023) at mid-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study demonstrated that f-EVAR and ch-EVAR techniques had acceptable perioperative and follow-up results and should be considered viable alternatives when encountering complex aortic diseases. CLINICAL IMPACT: This study sought to investigate the baseline and pathological characteristics, as well as perioperative and follow-up results of f-EVAR and ch-EVAR at a single Chinese institution. F-EVAR (mostly physician-modified f-EVAR) was applied in patients with a wide range of etiologies and disease types, while ch-EVAR was preferred for AAA in older patients with an average higher ASA grade. Our experience suggested acceptable safety and efficacy both for techniques, and no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding any short or mid-term adverse events.