Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based survey.

Background: The UN warns that Myanmar faces the 'triple crises' of mass conflict, uncontrolled COVID-19, and economic collapse. Therefore, we aimed to assess the population mental health burden, healthcare needs, and the associated risk factors in Myanmar. Methods: We established a nationwide random sample and recruited 1038 adults via random digit dialling from July 3-Aug 9, 2021, during the ongoing conflict since Feb 1, 2021, and surge in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version. Probable depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2. We calculated population attributable fractions for probable mental disorders using multivariable logistic regression models. Based on the mental health burden and healthcare-seeking patterns, we projected the need for mental health services. Findings: During the 'triple crises', a third of adults in Myanmar (34.9%, 95% CI 32.0-37.7) reported a probable mental disorder. Prevalence of probable PTSD, depression, and anxiety were 8.1% (6.6-9.7), 14.3% (12.0-16.6), and 22.2% (19.7-24.7), respectively. We estimated that up to 79.9% (43.8-97.9) of probable PTSD was attributable to political stress. This corresponds to 2.1 million (1.1-3.2 million) fewer adults with probable PTSD if political stress was removed from the population. The mental health burden could translate into roughly 5.9 million adults seeking mental health services. Interpretation: The mental health burden in Myanmar is substantial, and population mental health might only be restored when the three crises have ended. An accelerated peace process is critical to protecting Myanmar's population mental health. Funding: This research was supported the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. HKU 17606122) and the Michele Tansella Award.

Base editing correction of OCRL in Lowe syndrome: ABE-mediated functional rescue in patient-derived fibroblasts.

Lowe syndrome, a rare X-linked multisystem disorder presenting with major abnormalities in the eyes, kidneys, and central nervous system, is caused by mutations in OCRL gene (NG_008638.1). Encoding an inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase, OCRL catalyzes the hydrolysis of PI(4,5)P2 into PI4P. There are no effective targeted treatments for Lowe syndrome. Here, we demonstrate a novel gene therapy for Lowe syndrome in patient fibroblasts using an adenine base editor (ABE) that can efficiently correct pathogenic point mutations. We show that ABE8e-NG-based correction of a disease-causing mutation in a Lowe patient-derived fibroblast line containing R844X mutation in OCRL gene, restores OCRL expression at mRNA and protein levels. It also restores cellular abnormalities that are hallmarks of OCRL dysfunction, including defects in ciliogenesis, microtubule anchoring, α-actinin distribution, and F-actin network. The study indicates that ABE-mediated gene therapy is a feasible treatment for Lowe syndrome, laying the foundation for therapeutic application of ABE in the currently incurable disease.

A comparative analysis of TCR immune repertoire in COVID-19 patients.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has merged as a global health threat since its outbreak in December 2019. Despite widespread recognition, there has been a paucity of studies focusing on the T cell receptor (TCR) bias in adaptive immunity induced by SARS-CoV-2. This research conducted a comparative analysis of the TCR immune repertoire to identify notable αß TCR bias sequences associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus antigen. The present study encompassed 73 symptomatic COVID-19 patients, categorized as moderate/mild or severe/critical, along with 9 healthy controls. Our findings revealed specific TCR chains prominently utilized by moderate and severe patients, identified as TRAV30-J34-TRBV3-1-J2-7 and TRAV12-3-J6-TRBV28-J1-1, respectively. Additionally, our research explored critical TCR preferences in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of COVID-19 patients at various disease stages. Indeed, monitoring the dynamics of immune repertoire changes in COVID-19 patients could serve as a crucial biomarker for predicting disease progression and recovery. Furthermore, the study explored TCR bias in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and BALF. The most common αß VJ pair observed in BALF was TRAV12-3-J18-TRBV7-6-J2-7. In addition, a comparative analysis with the VDJdb database indicated that the HLA-A*02:01 allele exhibited the widest distribution and highest frequency in COVID-19 patients across different periods. This comprehensive examination provided a global characterization of the TCR immune repertoire in COVID-19 patients, contributing significantly to our understanding of TCR bias induced by SARS-CoV-2.

Moderate mechanical stress suppresses chondrocyte ferroptosis in osteoarthritis by regulating NF-κB p65/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Ferroptosis is a recently identified form of programmed cell death that plays an important role in the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis (OA). Herein, we investigated the protective effect of moderate mechanical stress on chondrocyte ferroptosis and further revealed the internal molecular mechanism. Intra-articular injection of sodium iodoacetate (MIA) was conducted to induce the rat model of OA in vivo, meanwhile, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) was treated to chondrocytes to induce the OA cell model in vitro. The OA phenotype was analyzed by histology and microcomputed tomography, the ferroptosis was analyzed by transmission electron microscope and immunofluorescence. The expression of ferroptosis and cartilage metabolism-related factors was analyzed by immunohistochemical and Western blot. Animal experiments revealed that moderate-intensity treadmill exercise could effectively reduce chondrocyte ferroptosis and cartilage matrix degradation in MIA-induced OA rats. Cell experiments showed that 4-h cyclic tensile strain intervention could activate Nrf2 and inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway, increase the expression of Col2a1, GPX4, and SLC7A11, decrease the expression of MMP13 and P53, thereby restraining IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte ferroptosis and degeneration. Inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway relieved the chondrocyte ferroptosis and degeneration. Meanwhile, overexpression of NF-κB by recombinant lentivirus reversed the positive effect of CTS on chondrocytes. Moderate mechanical stress could activate the Nrf2 antioxidant system, inhibit the NF-κB p65 signaling pathway, and inhibit chondrocyte ferroptosis and cartilage matrix degradation by regulating P53, SLC7A11, and GPX4.

KLF transcription factors in bone diseases.

Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) are crucial in the development of bone disease. They are a family of zinc finger transcription factors that are unusual in containing three highly conserved zinc finger structural domains interacting with DNA. It has been discovered that it engages in various cell functions, including proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, stemness, invasion and migration, and is crucial for the development of human tissues. In recent years, the role of KLFs in bone physiology and pathology has received adequate attention. In addition to regulating the normal growth and development of the musculoskeletal system, KLFs participate in the pathological process of the bones and joints and are intimately linked to several skeletal illnesses, such as osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoporosis (OP) and osteosarcoma (OS). Consequently, targeting KLFs has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for an array of bone disorders. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the importance of KLFs in the emergence and regulation of bone illnesses, with a particular emphasis on the pertinent mechanisms by which KLFs regulate skeletal diseases. We also discuss the need for KLFs-based medication-targeted treatment. These endeavours offer new perspectives on the use of KLFs in bone disorders and provide prognostic biomarkers, therapeutic targets and possible drug candidates for bone diseases.

High throughput generating stable spheroids with tip-refill wafer.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures have garnered significant attention in biomedical research due to their ability to mimic the in vivo cellular environment more accurately. The formation of 3D cell spheroids using hanging drops has emerged as a cost-effective and crucial method for generating uniformly-sized spheroids. This study aimed to validate the potential of a tip-refill wafer (TrW), a disposable laboratory item used to hold pipette tips, in facilitating 3D cell culture. The TrW allows for easy generation of hanging drops by pipetting the solution into the holes of the wafer. The mechanical stability of the hanging drops is ensured by the surface wettability and thickness of the TrW. Hanging drops containing 60-µL of solution remained securely attached to the TrW even when subjected to orbital shaking at 210 rpm. The exceptional resistance to mechanical shaking enabled the use of inertial focusing to facilitate spheroid formation. This was demonstrated through live/dead cell staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis, and cytoskeleton staining, which revealed that horizontal orbiting at 60 rpm for 15 min promoted cell aggregation and ultimately led to the formation of 3D spheroids. The spheroid harvest rate is 96.1% ± 3.5% across three TrWs, each containing 60 hanging drops. In addition to generating mono-culture 3D spheroids, the TrW-based hanging drop platform also enables the formation of multicellular spheroids, and on-demand pairing and fusion of spheroids. The TrW is a disposable item that does not require any fabrication or surface modification procedures, further enhancing its application potential in conventional biological laboratories.

Identifying potential Q-markers for quality evaluation of Zhenyuan capsule by integrating chemical analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations.

Quality markers (Q-markers) are of great significance for quality evaluation of herbal medicines. Zhenyuan Capsule (ZYC) is a kind of Chinese patent medicine used to treat cardiovascular diseases. However, reliable and effective Q-markers for ZYC are still lacking. Herein, a UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap-MS/MS was performed to characterise the preliminary chemical profile of ZYC. A total of 86 components were characterised among which 20 constituents were unambiguously identified by reference compounds. Based on network pharmacology, seven major ginsenosides with great importance in the network were identified as Q-markers among which ginsenoside Re with the highest betweenness was screened to inhibit the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) by binding with vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). Docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies suggested that ginsenoside Re stably bound to VEGFA. Quantitative determination and chemical fingerprinting analysis were performed using HPLC-DAD. The results showed that ginsenosides screened might function as potential Q-markers for ZYC.

Label-Free and Real-Time Optical Detection of Affinity Binding of the Antibody on Adherent Live Cells.

Oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OIRD) is a novel real-time, label-free, and nondestructive optical detection method and exhibits encouraging application in the detection of antibody/DNA microarrays. In this study, for the first time, an OIRD label-free immunoassay was achieved by using adherent live cells as the probe. The cells were cultured on glass cells, and the affinity binding of antibodies targeted on the HLA class I antigen of the cell surface was detected with an OIRD. The results show that an OIRD is able to detect the binding process of anti-human HLA-A, B, and C antibodies on MDA-MB-231 cells and HUVEC cells. Control experiments and complementary fluorescence analysis confirmed the high detection specificity and good quantitative virtue of the OIRD label-free immunoassay. Label-free OIRD imaging analysis of cell microarrays was further demonstrated successfully, and the underlying optical mechanism was revealed by combining the theoretical modeling. This work explores the use of live cells as probes for an OIRD immunoassay, thus expanding the potential applications of the OIRD in the field of pathological analysis, disease diagnosis, and drug screening, among others.

Compartmentalized ciliation changes of oligodendrocytes in aged mouse optic nerve.

Primary cilia are microtubule-based sensory organelles that project from the apical surface of most mammalian cells, including oligodendrocytes, which are myelinating cells of the central nervous system (CNS) that support critical axonal function. Dysfunction of CNS glia is associated with aging-related white matter diseases and neurodegeneration, and ciliopathies are known to affect CNS white matter. To investigate age-related changes in ciliary profile, we examined ciliary length and frequency in the retinogeniculate pathway, a white matter tract commonly affected by diseases of aging but in which expression of cilia has not been characterized. We found expression of Arl13b, a marker of primary cilia, in a small group of Olig2-positive oligodendrocytes in the optic nerve, optic chiasm, and optic tract in young and aged C57BL/6 wild-type mice. While the ciliary length and ciliated oligodendrocyte cells were constant in young mice in the retinogeniculate pathway, there was a significant increase in ciliary length in the anterior optic nerve as compared to the aged animals. Morphometric analysis confirmed a specific increase in the ciliation rate of CC1+ /Olig2+ oligodendrocytes in aged mice compared with young mice. Thus, the prevalence of primary cilia in oligodendrocytes in the visual pathway and the age-related changes in ciliation suggest that they may play important roles in white matter and age-associated optic neuropathies.

Dihydrotanshinone I reduces H9c2 cell damage by regulating AKT and MAPK signaling pathways.

Cardiovascular disease is the deadliest disease in the world. Previous studies have shown that Dihydrotanshinone I (DHT) can improve cardiac function after myocardial injury. This study aimed to observe the protective effect and mechanism of DHT on H9c2 cells by establishing an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) injury model. By constructing OGD/R injury simulation of H9c2 cells in a myocardial injury model, the proliferation of H9c2 cells treated with DHT concentrations of 0.1 µmol/L were not affected at 24, 48, and 72 h. DHT can significantly reduce the apoptosis of H9c2 cells caused by OGD/R. Compared with the OGD/R group, DHT treatment significantly reduced the level of MDA and increased the level of SOD in cells. DHT treatment of cells can significantly reduce the levels of ROS and Superoxide in mitochondria in H9c2 cells caused by OGD/R and H2O2. DHT significantly reduced the phosphorylation levels of P38MAPK and ERK in H9c2 cells induced by OGD/R, and significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of AKT in H9c2 cells. DHT can significantly reduce the oxidative stress damage of H9c2 cells caused by H2O2 and OGD/R, thereby reducing the apoptosis of H9c2 cells. And this may be related to regulating the phosphorylation levels of AKT, ERK, and P38MAPK.

Distribution characteristics and migration trends of hexabromocyclododecanes between seawater-sediment system in different seasons of fishing grounds along the Yellow sea and East China sea coasts.

Pollutants in the ecological environment of fishery seawater are harmful to the survival and reproduction of aquatic organisms. Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) were 42.9% detected within ND-48.89 ng/L in 177 seawater samples and 30.7% within ND-1.07 ng/g dw in 88 sediment samples of the fisheries in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, respectively. γ-HBCD accounted for 65% of seawater and 89% of sediment samples. HBCDs in seawater in winter (ND-48.89 ng/L) were significantly higher than in summer (ND-4.99 ng/L), possibly because the re-suspension caused by winds and waves could re-migrate HBCDs from the sediment to the seawater in winter. However, seasonal differences of HBCDs in sediment were not significant. The fugacities indicated HBCDs' migrating trend from seawater to sediment due to their hydrophobic nature. There is almost no terrestrial input of HBCDs from the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, and currently used fishery materials in marine may compose long-lasting sources of HBCDs.

Occurrence of polyhalogenated carbazoles and the combined effects with heavy metals on variation in bacterial communities in estuarine sediments.

Carbazole (CZ) and eight polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) were quantified by GC-MS in sediments of 12 estuaries, the interface linking large industrial and living areas to the Bohai Sea, China. These pollutants, heavy metals, and environmental factors caused integrated exposure to sediment bacteria. Four PHCZ congeners were detectable, with ΣPHCZs ranging from 0.56 to 15.94 ng/g dw. The dominant congeners were 3,6-dichlorocarbazole (36-CCZ) and 3-chlorocarbazole (3-CCZ), with a mean contribution of 72.6 % and 20.2 %. Significant positive correlations were found between 36-CCZ and both total organic carbon and heavy metals. Redundancy analysis of microbial variation implicated no impacts from PHCZs. Correlation analysis demonstrated an increase in abundance of Rhodocyclaceae but a decrease in Bacteroides-acidifaciens-JCM-10556 with presence of PHCZs, suggesting that these bacteria can be used as potential contamination indicators. The combined exposure of heavy metals, nutrients, and PHCZs may also increase toxicity and biological availability, adversely affecting the ecosystem and human health.

Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis by regulating intestinal homeostasis.

Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane) is a vegetable that contains a variety of active compounds with nutritional properties and has the potential to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide (POP) in alleviating UC remain unclear. In this study, we prepared an aqueous extract of purslane and separated a fraction with molecular weight >10 kDa using membrane separation. This fraction was used to isolate POP. The effect of POP on gut microbiota and colon transcriptome in dextran sulfate sodium-induced UC model mice was evaluated. POP treatment reduced inflammation and oxidative stress imbalance in UC mice. In addition, POP improved the intestinal barrier and regulated intestinal homeostasis. Importantly, POP was found to regulate gut microbiota, maintain the levels of retinol and short-chain fatty acids in the gut, promote the proliferation and differentiation of B cells in the colon, and increase the expression of immunoglobulin A. These results provide novel insights into the role of POP in regulating intestinal homeostasis, which should guide further development of POP as a functional food.

Understanding paediatric COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic: a prospective cohort and a population-based registry study.

Background: Despite the early demonstrated safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in children, uptake was slow throughout the pandemic and remains low globally. Understanding vaccine refusal could provide insights to improving vaccine uptake in future pandemics. Methods: In a population-wide registry of all COVID-19 paediatric vaccination appointments, we used interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the impact of public policies. In a population-based cohort of adults, we used population attributable fractions to assess the individual and joint contributions of potential determinants to paediatric COVID-19 vaccination, and used mediation analysis to identify modifiable mediators between political views and paediatric vaccination. Findings: School vaccination requirements were associated with an increase in vaccination appointments by 278.7% (95% CI 85.3-673.9) in adolescents aged 12-17 and 112.8% (27.6-255.0) in children aged 5-11. Government-mandated vaccine pass, required for entry into restaurants, shopping malls and supermarkets, was associated with increased vaccination appointments by 108.7% (26.6-244.0) in adolescents. The following four determinants may explain 82.5% (63.5-100.0) of the reasons why children were unvaccinated: familial political views, vaccine hesitancy for children, mistrust in doctors and academics, and vaccine misconceptions. The influence of political views may be mitigated since 95.9% (76.4-100.0) of its association with vaccine reluctance for adolescents was mediated by modifiable factors such as mistrust in health authorities and low vaccine confidence. Interpretation: School vaccination requirements and vaccine passes were associated with increased vaccine uptake. Clinicians should recognise that factors beyond health, such as political views, can influence paediatric vaccine uptake to a significant extent. Nonetheless, such influences could be mitigated by targeted interventions and public policies. Funding: Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee, and Health Bureau.

Protective strategy for the caudate lobe bile duct during left hemihepatectomy based on imaging data analysis.

Purpose: This study was performed to analyze the rule of confluence of the caudate lobe bile duct (CLD) into the left hepatic duct (LHD) and to discuss the protective strategy during left hemihepatectomy. Methods: MRI of 400 patients and T-tube angiography images of 100 patients were collected, and the imaging rules of the confluence of the CLD into the LHD were summarized. The clinical data of 33 patients who underwent left hemihepatectomy using the protective strategy were analyzed. Results: MRI and T-tube angiography images showed that the length from the confluence point of the CLD into the LHD to the confluence of the left and right hepatic ducts was 1.19 ± 0.40 cm and 1.26 ± 0.39 cm, respectively. The average angle between the longitudinal axis of the 2 bile ducts was 68.27° ± 22.59° and 66.58 ± 22.88°, respectively. Coronal and cross-sectional images showed that inflow from the foot side to the cranial side was noted in 79.8% and 82.0% of patients, respectively, and inflow from the dorsal to the ventral side was observed in 84.5% and 88.0%, respectively. Based on these imaging rules, the safe transection length and plane were summarized, and the CLD was effectively protected in 33 cases of left hemihepatectomy. Conclusion: In left hemihepatectomy, the LHD should be transected at least 1.5 cm away from the confluence of the left and right hepatic ducts, and the plane of transection should be oblique to the dorsal side at an angle of 45° with the LHD, these parameters represent an effective strategy to protect the CLD.

Signaling pathways regulated by natural active ingredients in the fight against exercise fatigue-a review.

Exercise fatigue is a normal protective mechanism of the body. However, long-term fatigue hinders normal metabolism and exercise capacity. The generation and recovery from exercise fatigue involves alterations in multiple signaling pathways, mainly AMPK, PI3K/Akt, Nrf2/ARE, NF-κB, PINK1/Parkin, and BDNF/TrkB, as well as MAPK signaling pathways that mediate energy supply, reduction of metabolites, oxidative stress homeostasis, muscle fiber type switching, and central protective effects. In recent studies, a rich variety of natural active ingredients have been identified in traditional Chinese medicines and plant extracts with anti-fatigue effects, opening up the field of research in new anti-fatigue drugs. In this review we give an overview of the signaling pathways associated with the activity of natural food active ingredients against exercise fatigue. Such a comprehensive review is necessary to understand the potential of these materials as preventive measures and treatments of exercise fatigue. We expect the findings highlighted and discussed here will help guide the development of new health products and provide a theoretical and scientific basis for future research on exercise fatigue.

Professor GAO Wei-bin's clinical experience of using electroacupuncture for dry eye. / 高维滨电针治疗干眼临床经验撷要.

The academic thoughts of professor GAO Wei-bin regarding the use of electroacupuncture in the treatment of dry eye are introduced. Professor GAO believes that the occurrence of dry eye is mainly related to the stagnation of qi and blood in the eye meridians, leading to inadequate nourishment of the eyes. The acupuncture treatment principle focuses on promoting blood circulation, clearing and benefiting the eye orifices. By integrating traditional acupuncture theory with modern neuroanatomy, the treatment approach centers on stimulating the lacrimal gland, emphasizing the importance of promoting, addressing symptoms as a priority, and considering both the root cause and symptoms.The precise acupoint selection is emphasized. Acupoints of periocular region, such as Taiyang (EX-HN 5) and Leixian point are selected along with Fengchi (GB 20) and Gongxue point to treat dry eye. Attention is also given to the use of electroacupuncture and the selection of its frequencies, emphasizing specific needling techniques based on the severity and classification of the disease.

COVID-19 Vaccination Willingness and Reasons for Vaccine Refusal.

Importance: Hong Kong was held as an exemplar for pandemic response until it recorded the world's highest daily COVID-19 mortality, which was likely due to vaccine refusal. To prevent this high mortality in future pandemics, information on underlying reasons for vaccine refusal is necessary. Objectives: To track the evolution of COVID-19 vaccination willingness and uptake from before vaccine rollout to mass vaccination, to examine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine refusal and compare with data from Singapore, and to assess the population attributable fraction for vaccine refusal. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from randomly sampled participants from 14 waves of population-based studies in Hong Kong (February 2020 to May 2022) and 2 waves of population-based studies in Singapore (May 2020 to June 2021 and October 2021 to January 2022), and a population-wide registry of COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Data were analyzed from February 23, 2021, to May 30, 2022. Exposures: Trust in COVID-19 vaccine information sources (ie, health authorities, physicians, traditional media, and social media); COVID-19 vaccine confidence on effectiveness, safety, and importance; COVID-19 vaccine misconceptions on safety and high-risk groups; political views; and COVID-19 policies (ie, workplace vaccine mandates and vaccine pass). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were the weighted prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination willingness over the pandemic, adjusted incidence rate ratios, and population attributable fractions of COVID-19 vaccine refusal. A secondary outcome was change in daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Results: The study included 28 007 interviews from 20 waves of longitudinal data, with 1114 participants in the most recent wave (median [range] age, 54.2 years [20-92] years; 571 [51.3%] female). Four factors-mistrust in health authorities, low vaccine confidence, vaccine misconceptions, and political views-could jointly account for 82.2% (95% CI, 62.3%-100.0%) of vaccine refusal in adults aged 18 to 59 years and 69.3% (95% CI, 47.2%-91.4%) of vaccine refusal in adults aged 60 years and older. Workplace vaccine mandates were associated with 62.2% (95% CI, 9.9%-139.2%) increases in daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments, and the Hong Kong vaccine pass was associated with 124.8% (95% CI, 65.9%-204.6%) increases in daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that trust in health authorities was fundamental to overcoming vaccine hesitancy. As such, engendering trust in health care professionals, experts, and public health agencies should be incorporated into pandemic preparedness and response.

Differential features of early childhood motor skill development and working memory processing: evidence from fNIRS.

Objective: The study investigated the differential characteristics associated with motor skill development and working memory processing during early childhood, thereby providing insights for understanding motor learning and cognitive development in young children. Methods: In total, 101 preschool children (age: 4-6 years) were recruited for this study. The motor skill development level and the working memory capacity of the children were assessed using the MOBAK Motor Development Assessment Scale and a block task paradigm, respectively. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy brain imaging technology was used to monitor hemodynamic signals in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the children while they completed different memory tasks. MATLAB software and the Homer2 plugin were used to calculate the oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) concentration in relevant brain regions during the tasks. Results: (1) The low motor skill group exhibited significantly lower accuracy during the three-memory load condition than during the two-memory load condition. Under both two-memory and three-memory load conditions, the high motor skill group exhibited significantly higher accuracy than the low motor skill group. (2) Significant differences in the Oxy-Hb concentration were observed in the left dorsolateral PFC (L-DLPFC), and right and left triangular part of the Broca's area (R-PTBA and L-PTBA, respectively) between the two memory difficulty levels for the high motor skill group. The Oxy-Hb concentration was significantly higher during the three-memory load condition than during the two-memory load condition. Under the two-memory load condition, the high motor skill group exhibited significantly higher Oxy-Hb concentration in the L-DLPFC and L-PTBA regions than in the low motor skill group. Under the three-memory load condition, the high motor skill group exhibited significantly higher Oxy-Hb concentration in the L-DLPFC, R-PTBA, and L-PTBA regions than the low motor skill group. Conclusion: A close association was observed between the motor skill levels and working memory in young children, with higher motor skill levels being associated with more pronounced brain activation patterns during working memory tasks.