What values best distinguish the world's cultures? The machine learning-based cultural values inventory.

Scientists studying culture typically focus on a small number of theoretical constructs, such as individualism-collectivism, when seeking to explain cultural differences in psychological tendencies and behaviors. However, existing theories of culture could have missed out on important constructs that are useful for explaining cross-cultural differences. We used an abductive approach combining prediction and explanation to uncover important cultural values.

Self-Driven, Stretchable Drug Delivery Electronics for Acne Treatment.

Acne is a common skin condition caused by the blockage of hair follicles, which is often associated with adolescents. Beyond physical discomfort and potential scarring, acne can also result in mental health issues including low self-esteem and anxiety. Among all available medical treatments, topical antibiotics are effective for acne treatment due to their rapid action, anti-inflammatory properties, minimal side effects, and accessibility.

Ionic Liquid Top Surface Engineering: In Situ GIWAXS Insights Into 1D/3D Heterojunction Perovskite Formation.

Low-dimensional perovskites have been demonstrated repeatedly to improve the performance of perovskite photovoltaic devices in both light-to-electricity conversion efficiency and device durability. In this work, the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate (EMIMHSO) is innovatively introduced as a capping layer, which interacts with the residual PbI on the 3D perovskite top surface to generate the 1D perovskite, EMIMPbI. By adjusting the concentration of the IL, 1D perovskite formations with distinct morphologies is achieved.

Synergistic Construction of In Situ Self-Polymerized Interface and Localized pH Buffer Zone for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Iodine Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-iodine (Zn-I) batteries are promising for large-scale energy storage. However, their practical use is hindered by challenges such as Zn dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), corrosion, and polyiodide shuttle effect. In this study, valerolactam (VL) is employed as an organic pH buffer to address these issues.

From visual question answering to intelligent AI agents in ophthalmology.

Ophthalmic practice involves the integration of diverse clinical data and interactive decision-making, posing challenges for traditional artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Visual question answering (VQA) addresses this by combining computer vision and natural language processing to interpret medical images through user-driven queries. Evolving from VQA, multimodal AI agents enable continuous dialogue, tool use and context-aware clinical decision support.

Grittier and More Hopeful About the Future? A Nine-Month School-Based Longitudinal Study on Grit and Adolescent Possible Selves.

The changes in adolescents' visions for the future are important to adolescents' developmental trajectories, motivation, and educational outcomes, yet understudied. This study examined the change in possible selves and its association with grit during school closure and life interruption during COVID-19. We conducted a school-based longitudinal survey among 1577 students (Mage = 13.

A multifunctional imidazole-based binder for high-performance aqueous Zn-I batteries.

To suppress polyiodide shuttling and enhance electrolyte infiltration, a novel multifunctional imidazole-based binder was designed, enabling shuttle-free and high-performance aqueous Zn-I batteries.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of 21-item Fall Risk Index for community-dwelling older adults with stroke.

Background: The 21-item Fall Risk Index questionnaire (FRI-21) was developed to screen for fall risk in older adults. It showed great potential in assessing the fall risk in stroke population. However, no previous study investigated its reliability and validity in people with stroke in Hong Kong.

A Systematic Survey of the Optimal Strategy for Dealing With Missing Binary Outcomes in Simulation Studies of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Aim: To summarize the optimal strategies for dealing with missing binary outcome data (MBOD) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as informed by simulation studies, and to summarize the quality of reporting in these studies.

Methods: To identify simulation studies comparing at least two strategies to deal with MBOD and evaluating their performance (bias, coverage and power), we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials via Ovid, Web of Science, and JSTOR from their inception up to December 20, 2023. We evaluated reporting quality using established criteria for simulation studies in medical statistics.

Self-assembled DNAzyme based on the nicking enzyme amplification reaction for microRNA detection.

MiRNAs play crucial roles in cell proliferation, metabolism, and signal transduction, and have been established as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and treatment for many years. Traditional methods for detecting miRNAs have several drawbacks, including poor sensitivity, time-consuming processes, and laborious steps. We have combined nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR) with DNAzyme to develop a single-tube detection platform for highly sensitive and rapid detection of miRNA-21.

Facet-Engineered (100)-Oriented MoO Nanoribbons for Broadband Self-Powered Photodetection.

Broadband photodetection plays a vital role in aerospace applications, biomedical imaging, and advanced communication systems. While molybdenum dioxide (MoO) exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity, carrier mobility, and environmental stability, its potential for photodetection has remained unrealized, with existing literature reporting negligible optoelectronic responses. Here, we unlock latent photoresponsivity of MoO by facet engineering, demonstrating that exposing the (100) crystallographic plane activates its intrinsic photoelectric conversion.

Binge-watching and gender-specific effects on academic, social, and mental well-being in children and adolescents.

Introduction: Binge-watching refers to the consumption of screen-based content (excluding gaming) for five or more consecutive hours in a single session within the past month, which is an emerging behavior of concern among students. This study aims to examine the rate of binge-watching among children and adolescents in Hong Kong as well as the potential association with their psychological, social, and educational self-efficacy.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2,267 students from primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, recruited through convenience sampling.

Harnessing the Microbiome: Unveiling the Influence of the Gut Microbiota on Hepatobiliary Cancer Therapeutic Strategies.

The gut microbiota significantly influences hepatobiliary cancer therapeutics. Growing evidence indicates that shifts in the gut microbial ecosystem are hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, strongly correlating with tumor development, therapeutic resistance, and patient survival. The composition of gut microbiota has emerged as a biomarker associated with treatment outcomes across various modalities, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.

Longitudinal Trends in Depression Among Rural Chinese Adolescents Before and During COVID-19.

While mental health trends among Chinese adolescents have been widely studied, the rural population remains understudied despite its distinctive socioeconomic context, especially regarding long-term trends before, during, and after COVID-19. This study investigates decade-long (2012-2022) depression trends among Chinese rural adolescents, focusing on pandemic-related changes and variations by gender and age. Data for this analysis were drawn from the longitudinal surveys of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) (N = 9,695; age 10-15).

Healthy sleep patterns and risk of incident cardiovascular disease, liver-related events, and all-cause mortality among individuals with metabolic dysfunction--associated steatotic liver disease: A large prospective cohort study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between overall healthy sleep patterns and cardiovascular disease, liver-related events, and all-cause mortality among individuals with metabolic dysfunction--associated steatotic liver disease.

Methods: This cohort study included 123,228 participants with metabolic dysfunction--associated steatotic liver disease from the UK Biobank, who had detailed sleep assessment at baseline. The healthy sleep pattern was constructed by a composite healthy sleep score that incorporated different sleep behaviors.

Prevalence and Prognostic Differences Between Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity in Heart Failure.

Evidence directly comparing sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients, especially in young and middle-aged individuals, remains limited. This study aimed to (1) investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity, and (2) compare their prognostic impacts on adverse outcomes to identify protective body composition phenotypes. The findings are hypothesized to provide new perspectives on the HF obesity paradox.

Environmentally Relevant Levels of Ozone Enhance Pulmonary Colonization and Cross-Organ Translocation.

Ozone (O) is a major global air pollutant. Recent epidemiological studies have suggested links between O exposure and outbreaks of infectious diseases. However, whether environmentally relevant levels of O exacerbate the colonization and infection of airborne pathogens remains unclear.

Lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Investigating the bidirectional relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 and migraine based on the MECH-HK cohort study.

Background: Although the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has ended, its impact on patients with migraine has revealed critical gaps in understanding how migraine interacts with respiratory infections. Exploring this bidirectional relationship is essential for improving migraine management and protecting vulnerable populations during future outbreaks.

Objectives: To examine (1) the impact of migraine on COVID-19 manifestations and the risk of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), and (2) the effect of COVID-19 infection on migraine features.

Home-based acupressure for managing constipation and subjective well-being in spinal cord injury survivors: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors often experience constipation, which contributes to a reduced sense of well-being and a lower quality of life. Acupressure offers a non-pharmacological and non-invasive alternative therapy for treating constipation.

Objective: This study examined the effects of home-based acupressure on constipation and subjective well-being among SCI survivors.

Effectiveness of artificial intelligence-based diabetic retinopathy screening in primary care and endocrinology settings in Australia: a pragmatic trial.

Purpose: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy, feasibility and end-user experiences of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based, automated diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening model in real-world, Australian primary care and endocrinology clinics.

Methods: In a pragmatic trial conducted across five sites including general practice and endocrinology clinics, from August 2021 to June 2023, patients aged ≥50 years, and those aged ≥18 years with diabetes were screened using an AI-integrated, non-mydriatic fundus camera. The AI instantly analysed the retinal images for referable DR.

Integrating Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs) into Personalised Follow-up for Patients after Radiotherapy. A Feasibility Study.

Background: There is an unmet need in patient monitoring between the end of radiotherapy and the first follow-up appointment during which patients may experience severe side effects. Personalised follow-up has the potential to tailor healthcare to individual needs. ePROMs enable remote monitoring and identification of those needing earlier intervention.

Associations Between Brain Network Connectivity and Cognitive Measures in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Parent Study "Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation on Autism Spectrum Disorder".

This study presents a post hoc analysis of our parent study "Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation on Autism Spectrum Disorder" study which was a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial. In this study, we examined associations between changes in brain network connectivity and cognitive performance in young adolescents (12-17 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following the administration of transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) which is considered non-invasive, evidenced-based brain stimulation for neurodegenerative disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders. Our findings indicate that increased connectivity in specific brain networks is associated with improvements in cognitive measures, suggesting that connectivity changes may underpin cognitive changes observed after six TPS intervention.

Unraveling the role of miRNAs in placental function: insights into trophoblast biology and pregnancy pathology.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal regulators of placental development and function, orchestrating critical processes such as trophoblast proliferation, differentiation, invasion, and vascular remodeling. By modulating diverse signaling pathways, these small non-coding RNAs help ensure proper placental formation and optimal maternal-fetal nutrients and gases exchange. Dysregulated miRNA expressions can profoundly affect placental biology, leading to complications such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and recurrent pregnancy loss.

Gait classification in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation using random forest and k-means clustering.

Cluster analysis has been recently applied to categorize gait patterns in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation (uTFA). However, conventional clustering methods largely rely on experiential knowledge of gait analysis, lacking a scientific foundation for feature selection. The aim of this study was to investigate if gait patterns could be classified using random forest and k-means clustering in individuals with uTFA.

Improving chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in cancer patients using a combined qigong and self-administered acupressure intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Acupressure and qigong are Chinese medicine-based modalities that can work in synergy to improve chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study examines the effect of a combined qigong and acupressure intervention on CIPN among cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: This randomized controlled trial included cancer patients experiencing CIPN.