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Motivated by the rising global trend of veterinary Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) usage and a specific data gap in Taiwan, this study investigates the consumption behavior of future pet owners. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Taiwanese medical university students using a validated online questionnaire. Beyond traditional descriptive statistics, this study employed machine learning techniques to analyze owner demographics, pet characteristics, and determinants of CAM usage. Data analysis revealed a strong correlation between positive owner perceptions-specifically satisfaction, belief in benefits, and understanding-and targeted CAM application. A decision tree model successfully identified "overall satisfaction" as the primary splitting criterion for user segmentation, followed by belief and understanding. Predictive modeling demonstrated high accuracy in identifying usage motivations for joint and digestive health, though predicting "immune system boosting" proved more complex due to behavioral variability. Owner satisfaction is the critical predictor of CAM usage patterns. While the predictive model for specific conditions, such as joint and digestive health, yielded high accuracy (AUC > 0.93), these findings should be interpreted as an exploratory framework given the pilot nature of the study and the limited sample size (n = 41). These findings suggest that veterinarians and industry stakeholders should adopt data-driven communication strategies focusing on transparency and satisfaction.

The assassin bug genus Tapirocoris Miller, 1954 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae: Dicrotelini) is distributed in southern China and adjacent regions. However, gradual morphological variation among its members has long complicated species delimitation and obscured the understanding of their phylogenetic relationship and evolutionary history. Here, we apply an integrative taxonomic framework to revise the classification of Tapirocoris and to reconstruct its spatio-temporal diversification history. Based on mitochondrial COI DNA barcode sequences from 94 specimens collected across 26 localities, multiple species-delimitation methods and phylogenetic inference consistently recovered seven well-supported evolutionary lineages, including three previously known species and four newly described species: T. hainanensis Zhao & Cai, sp. nov., T. rufus Zhao & Cai, sp. nov., T. taiwanensis Zhao & Cai, sp. nov., and T. yuensis Zhao & Cai, sp. nov. Geometric morphometric analyses further confirmed that these lineages are morphologically diagnosable. Divergence time estimation may indicate an early Miocene crown origin of Tapirocoris (∼21.48 Ma), and discrete phylogeographic reconstruction is consistent with repeated range shifts between the South China hilly region and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, forming a mainland diversification backbone. Subsequent directional dispersal events likely contributed to the emergence of insular endemic species in Hainan and Taiwan during the Pleistocene. These interpretations are based primarily on mitochondrial COI data and would benefit from further validation using multilocus or nuclear genomic datasets. In addition, we provide an updated key to the species of Tapirocoris and a world catalogue of the tribe Dicrotelini, establishing practical taxonomic resources and a broader systematic framework for future research.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare, highly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Although initial responses to the guideline-recommended first-line high-dose methotrexate induction treatment are high, some patients have refractory disease and most experience relapse. Approved therapies for relapsed or refractory (R/R) PCNSL are limited in the US, and there are none in Europe, creating an urgent unmet need for effective treatments. Tirabrutinib is a highly potent and selective second-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea for patients with R/R PCNSL. Here, we describe the rationale and design of IGNITE (ONO-4059-17), an ongoing, phase III, multiregional, open-label, randomized study of tirabrutinib vs rituximab and temozolomide combination therapy in R/R PCNSL. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival based on blinded independent review committee (BIRC) per International PCNSL Collaborative Group (IPCG) criteria. Key secondary endpoints are overall response rate based on BIRC per IPCG criteria and overall survival. Safety will be assessed by the incidence and severity of treatment-emergent adverse events.Clinical trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT07104032. Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that mainly affects the brain, spinal cord, fluid around the brain and spine, and sometimes the eyes. The usual first treatment is high-dose chemotherapy, which often works well at first. However, in some patients, the cancer does not respond or responds only for a short time (called refractory disease). Additionally, in many patients, the cancer comes back after a period of recovery (called relapse). Approved treatments for relapsed or refractory (R/R) PCNSL are limited in the US, and there are none in Europe. This shows a strong need for new medicines. The medicine being studied in this trial is called tirabrutinib, and it acts by blocking Bruton tyrosine kinase, an important protein in the development of PCNSL. Tirabrutinib is approved for R/R PCNSL in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, and was tested in a phase II trial in the US. This article explains the plan for a phase III trial (called IGNITE) that will compare tirabrutinib with the combination of rituximab and temozolomide in participants with R/R PCNSL. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment options. The main goal is to determine how long patients live without the cancer getting worse. Other goals include measuring tumor shrinkage and overall survival, as well as monitoring side effects to understand the safety of tirabrutinib.

Anatomical variability of the mandibular retromolar space (MRS) plays a decisive role in planning mandibular molar distalization; however, available evidence remains fragmented across heterogeneous tomographic studies. To synthesize current evidence derived from computed tomography (CT) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) regarding morphometric factors influencing MRS and their implications for orthodontic distalization. A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, LILACS, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Observational studies evaluating MRS using CT or CBCT in adult populations were included. Data extraction focused on skeletal classification, vertical facial pattern, sex, age, and third-molar status. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising samples from China, South Korea, Egypt, Turkey, India, Japan, and Taiwan, with a mean age of 25.8 years. A skeletal Class III pattern consistently exhibited the greatest MRS, followed by Class I and Class II. Normodivergent individuals demonstrated larger MRS values compared with hyperdivergent or hypodivergent patients. Third-molar position and angulation, rather than mere presence, were identified as key determinants of the effective distalization limit. Sex-related differences were inconsistent across studies, and the influence of age varied. The internal (lingual) cortical plate emerged as the principal anatomical boundary restricting mandibular molar distalization. Mandibular retromolar space is strongly influenced by skeletal classification, vertical growth pattern, and third-molar morphology. Pre-treatment CBCT assessment is essential to identify anatomical constraints, prevent cortical interference, and optimize individualized orthodontic biomechanics. Future multicenter studies employing standardized CBCT protocols are needed to enhance the clinical applicability of these findings across diverse populations.

Accurate identification of cerebrovascular stenosis is essential for early stroke prevention and effective clinical management. Magnetic resonance angiography provides non-invasive 3D visualization of cerebral vessels, but reliable automated stenosis detection remains challenging due to anatomical complexity and imaging variability. This study aims to develop an automated, robust, and clinically useful transformer-based deep learning framework for detecting stenosis in 3D brain MRA scans. We propose a framework designed for cerebrovascular stenosis detection. It first automatically localizes the centerlines of all arteries and veins within the 3D MRA volume. Each resulting vessel-centered 3D region is then analyzed and classified as normal or narrowed using our proposed transformer-based model. The model was trained and validated on a manually curated, expert-annotated dataset from Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, to ensure high-quality ground-truth labels. Our proposed framework demonstrated strong and stable performance across five-fold cross-validation. Specially, under the imbalanced data setting, the model achieved an average accuracy of 0.9339, F1-score of 0.7998, AUC of 0.9488, and Precision-Recall AUC of 0.8313-indicating robust discrimination capability and effective detection. The experimental results underscore the capability of the proposed framework as a dependable tool for automated cerebrovascular evaluation. Its superior performance indicates significant utility in clinical settings, supporting early detection and risk reduction for stroke.

Associations between major mental disorders (MMDs) and colorectal cancer (CRC) have been reported; however, it remains unknown whether this association extends to an individual's kinship. The aim of this study was to explore the risks of MMDs in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of individuals with CRC. We used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. FDRs of individuals with CRC were identified as the index group, and a demographic-matched group was also included as the controls. The primary outcome was the risk of an MMD. A Poisson regression model with robust error variance was used to estimate the relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. A total of 68,965 FDRs of individuals with CRC (38,024 males and 30,941 females) and 275,860 matched controls were included. After adjustments for potential confounders, the FDR-CRC group had a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder than the controls, especially in the males of fathers with CRC. In addition, individuals who had a son with CRC had a higher risk of bipolar disorder than the controls, especially females. Males whose mother had CRC had higher risks of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and general anxiety disorder than the controls. With the unique association identified in this study between FDRs of individuals with CRC and the risk of MMDs, genetic studies are encouraged to explore the complicated etiologies behind this association.

Nosema ceranae is an obligate microsporidian parasite that causes nosemosis in honey bees (Apis mellifera). In controlled laboratory cage experiments, newly emerged worker bees were experimentally infected with N. ceranae spores and treated with Bidens pilosa phytogenic extract (BP). Each treatment group consisted of 50 bees per replicate, and experiments were repeated independently. To explore the molecular basis of BP-associated effects, we conducted transcriptome profiling of N. ceranae from infected honey bee midguts at multiple time point. RNA samples from infected bee midguts with BP treatment were collected at 5, 10, and 20 days post-infection (dpi) for transcriptomic analysis. BP treatment significantly improved survival probability and reduced pathogen load compared to infected controls. During the early infection stage (5 dpi), BP treatment was associated with extensive downregulation of parasite genes, including components of the V-type ATPase pathway. Gene Ontology and KEGG analysis suggested suppression of metabolic and ion transport processes. To further evaluate the potential role of V-type ATPase, RNAi-mediated knockdown resulted in reduced gene expression and showed a trend toward decreased pathogen load and modest improvement in host survival. Although the RNAi results do not provide definitive evidence of causality, they support a potential involvement of the V-type ATPase in parasite proliferation. Overall, BP altered the transcriptomic profile of N. ceranae in a stage-dependent manner and may influence parasite development by affecting key metabolic pathways.

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To test whether a pneumatic cold-compression system (CC) improves recovery of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) at 48 h (T4) versus Sham after a standardized hamstring fatigue protocol. Secondary aims were to compare muscle stiffness, microvascular perfusion, pressure pain threshold (PPT), blood lactate, perceived recovery (TQR), and harms across subgroups. This multicenter, randomized, participant- and assessor-blinded, sham-controlled, two-period crossover trial enrolled 80 participants. After fatigue testing, participants received CC (3 &#xb0;C, 75 mmHg, 10 min twice daily for 3 days) or Sham (15 &#xb0;C, 15 mmHg). Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T0), post-fatigue (T1), immediately post-first intervention (T2), 24 h (T3), and 48 h (T4). Continuous outcomes were analyzed using mixed-way ANOVA with Population as the between-subject factor and Condition and Time as within-subject factors, followed by Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons. Paired Cohen's dz was reported for key within-participant contrasts. TQR was analyzed using rank-based factorial ANOVA, and Borg CR10 scores using ordinal logistic regression. Across populations, MVC was higher under CC than Sham from T2 to T4, with the largest between-condition difference at T4 (all p < .001). Muscle stiffness was lower under CC from T2 to T4 (all p < .001). Microvascular perfusion and pressure pain threshold were higher under CC at T2 - T4 overall (all p < .001), with earlier between-condition differences in MMA athletes and young adults and delayed differences in older adults. Blood lactate was lower under CC only immediately after the first intervention session (T2; p < .001). TQR was higher under CC at T2 - T4 in MMA athletes, at T2 - T3 in older adults, and at T3 only in young adults. No adverse events were reported. CC accelerated recovery after hamstring fatigue, improving strength, stiffness, perfusion, pain thresholds, lactate, and perceived recovery across populations, with earlier benefits in athletes and young adults and delayed but comparable improvements in older adults. Registration: ISRCTN49499065.

The widespread application of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in everyday products has resulted in significant environmental contamination. Among these products, Antiblaze V6 has been extensively utilized in plastic manufacturing because of its low toxicity. However, the molecular mechanisms of its toxic effects remain unclear. In this study, we conducted metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses to identify convergent and divergent key events associated with the potential toxicity of V6, with the aim of uncovering common patterns of these V6-related processes. We exposed Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to V6 and performed transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses. Preliminary experiments confirmed increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in C. elegans exposed to V6, indicating that mitochondrial impairment is a key feature of V6-induced toxicity. Overall, 62 metabolites were altered in C. elegans that were exposed to V6. The pathways associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction were conserved in C. elegans. Additionally, transcriptome analysis revealed that 2392 differentially expressed genes were primarily affected by V6 exposure; the major altered pathways were the TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial inner membrane pathways. Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics enrichment analyses further confirmed the findings of the investigation of individual omics modalities. Collectively, our findings provide significant insights into the development of adverse outcome pathways in species that are exposed to V6 and the regulation of the potential toxicity of V6.

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The study aims to investigate whether adverse pregnancy outcomes were associated with different glucose and BMI levels, even among women with normal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results. This retrospective cohort study used data of 15,967 pregnant women who underwent a 75-g OGTT between 24 and 30 gestational weeks. Adverse pregnancy outcomes included cesarean delivery and birth weight >90th percentile. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were calculated according to BMI and post-OGTT glucose levels. Among the women with normal OGTT (n&#x202f;=&#x202f;13,661), higher BMI was associated with increased risks of cesarean delivery (aOR: 2.09 [95% CI: 1.84-2.36]), preeclampsia or eclampsia (aOR: 1.99[1.37-2.89]), birth weight >90th percentile (aOR: 4.86[3.83-6.16]), and hyperbilirubinemia (aOR: 1.51[1.27-1.79]). Elevated glucose levels, even in women with a normal OGTT, increased the risks, particularly in those with a higher BMI. In the women with BMI &#x2265;28.5&#x202f;kg/m2, a 1-h post-OGTT glucose level 133-155&#x202f;mg/dL was associated with higher risks of cesarean delivery (aOR: 1.64[1.17-2.29]) and birth weight >90th percentile (aOR: 2.33[1.29-4.22]). Higher maternal BMI and increasing maternal glucose levels significantly increased the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, even in women with normal OGTT results.

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This study examined the relationship between start order and competition outcomes in men's artistic gymnastics apparatus finals. Competition outcomes from three Olympic Games and nine World Championships were analyzed. Ordinal-based analyses, including Spearman's rank-order correlation and Kendall's tau-b, were conducted to examine the relationship between start order and final rankings. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between start order and medal attainment. In addition, Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare final rankings between start-order groups; independent-samples t-tests were used to assess differences in Difficulty (D) scores, Execution (E) scores, and total scores; and Chi-square tests were used to evaluate associations between start-order grouping, medal attainment, and continental affiliation. Ordinal correlation and logistic regression analyses showed no significant associations between start order and final rankings or medal attainment across apparatuses. Start-order grouping had limited influence on final rankings across most apparatuses. A significant effect was observed only in the pommel horse, where second-half gymnasts achieved higher E-scores and won more medals. Medal distributions between European and non-European athletes were similar across apparatuses and start-order groupings. Overall, start-order grouping had minimal effects. However, pommel horse results highlight the importance of execution stability. The findings support the general fairness of the current judging system and Code of Points. Future research should examine warm-up procedures under revised FIG regulations and extend analyses to women's artistic gymnastics.