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Performance evaluation and reference interval establishment of Abbott Alinity thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb) assay for diagnosing Graves’ disease

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the analytical and clinical performance of the Abbott Alinity TRAb chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay and establish the reference interval for healthy Chinese populations. Methods The precision, analytical sensitivity and linearity of Abbott TRAb assay were verified in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. A total of 300 samples from patients with Grave’s disease (GD) and other thyroid diseases were collected for method comparison and clinical performance verification. The performance of Abbott and Snibe TRAb assays was compared to Roche TRAb assay by correlation and agreement analysis. The diagnostic performance of Abbott TRAb assay was analyzed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The reference interval of Abbott TRAb was established from a cohort of 366 healthy individuals. Results The Abbott Alinity TRAb assay demonstrated excellent precision, with repeatability (CV%) ranging from 1.04% to 5.92%, and within-laboratory imprecision (CV%) ranging from 1.09% to 5.92%. Manufacturer-claimed limits of blank, detection, and quantification were successfully verified. Linearity was confirmed from 1.14 to 47.72 IU/L. Strong correlation was observed between Abbott and Roche assays (Spearman r = 0.972; slope = 1.060), while Snibe and Roche assays showed lower correlation (r = 0.784). Concordance analysis showed the total agreement with Roche results were 97.7% for Abbott and 96.7% for Snibe. Diagnostic accuracy of the Abbott TRAb assay for GD was high, yielding an area under curve (AUC) of 0.999, sensitivity of 98.4%, and specificity of 99.4% at an optimal cutoff of 2.89 IU/L. The upper reference limits at 95 th percentile and 97.5 th percentile for healthy Chinese population using Abbott TRAb assay were 1.56 IU/L and 1.95 IU/L, respectively. Conclusions This study demonstrated the robustness of Abbott Alinity TRAb CMIA in clinical use with its verified analytical and clinical performance and established the reference interval for Chinese population.

Iridium-Catalyzed Stereoselective α-Alkylation of α-Hydroxy Ketones with Minimally Polarized Alkenes

Feasibility and acceptability outcomes of the InMe trial - a randomised controlled trial in participants with subclinical eating and somatic symptom disorders

Dysregulations in interoception have been associated with mental health disorders including eating and somatic symptom disorders. The present study addresses the feasibility and acceptability of a novel, behavioural intervention (InMe) in a healthy sample with low, self-reported interoception. The efficacy of the InMe intervention against an active control arm was tested in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) reported elsewhere, while the feasibility and acceptability of InMe were assessed in parallel and are fully reported here. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention arm (InMe) or active control arm and stratified according to their self-reported gender and a cut-off score from the Eating Disorders Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Feasibility and accessibility measures included self-report scales and questionnaires, assessor checklists and ratings, as well as behavioural and physiological responses. Data was gathered from a total of 102 participants and encompassed trial recruitment and retention rates, the suitability of measurement tools, as well as the feasibility and acceptability of stressors, interventions and other trial procedures. The study found satisfactory feasibility in recruitment procedures, trial measurement tools, and intervention procedures. Participants perceived the intervention as acceptable, though minor adjustments for trial optimisation were identified. Overall, this feasibility study provided promising evidence regarding the acceptability and feasibility of an interoception based intervention in a RCT context. These findings offer valuable insights particularly for the design of future clinical trials for testing the efficacy of this intervention further in clinical populations.

A Motor-Integrated Three-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework with Dual-Mode Functionality

MightyU – A portable sensor-based video game application for exercise training of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

Introduction To prevent therapy fatigue and maintain motivation for daily home muscle training is important for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Therefore, we developed the computer-based Motion-controlled training tool MightyU. Its feasibility, short-term effectiveness and acceptance of the game in daily muscle training at home was now tested in children with varying degrees of motor impairment. Methods A surface electromyography sensor detects muscle activation, which is translated into in-game actions. In this way, targeted muscle activity is used to collect coins during gameplay. 19 children with CP tested MightyU at home for a week on a predetermined muscle group of the upper or lower limbs. The feasibility analysis considered the number of refusals to participate in the study, voluntary use at home and feedback based on the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). The evaluation of usability based on modified System Usability Scale (SUS). The training effect was assessed by analyzing the difference between collected coins before and after a one-week training. Results MightyU was refused by 2 of 21 children, 19 children (N = 9 female, 11.3 ± 2.9 years, gross motor function classification scale GMFCS I-IV) used it at home without adverse effects. All children and their families exhibited great interest in this game independent of age, intelligence quotient, severity of disability, targeted movement, and prior experience with computer games. Key results from the GEQ were positive, yet children evaluated the gaming experience more positively to their parents across all categories. Median SUS score was 83.3% (IQR: 75.0–91.7) for children and 79.2% (IQR: 66.7–91.7) for parents, indicating good perceived usability. Training led to improvement in collecting coins (41% increase). Conclusion There is a fundamental interest amongst children with CP and their families for the pioneering therapy option MightyU due to its user satisfaction and usability, thereby potentially augmenting patient autonomy and compliance.

Luminescent Lanthanide Metal–Organic Frameworks for Temperature Sensing in Two Distinct Temperature Regions

A new molecular tool for detection of the highly invasive gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus

The Common House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus , also known as the Asian House Gecko (AHG), is the most significant invasive gecko globally. Detecting this species can be challenging because it closely resembles other geckos, and is often not directly observed, being cryptic and nocturnal. Traces such as scats, however, are more readily observed than the animal itself. Here, we developed and tested a new diagnostic mitochondrial ND2 LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification) assay to detect and distinguish AHG from other geckos. Testing DNA from twenty-five non-target gecko and skink species present in Western Australia demonstrated the species-specificity of the assay. This new molecular assay showed amplification in under 15 minutes from AHG DNA. Intraspecific variation did not adversely affect the LAMP assay, with all AHG tissue samples successfully amplifying. This included samples from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands territory of Australia which were >6% genetically divergent from mainland Australian samples, representing a genetic group that was previously unknown, referred to here as AHG “clade E”. The assay was found to be highly sensitive, capable of amplifying AHG DNA at very low levels, down to 0.0001 ng/µL of AHG DNA, within 25 minutes. The new LAMP assay has been fully optimised for in-field use, including development and testing of a non-destructive DNA extraction method for in-field extractions from both AHG tissue and scat samples, as well as a gBlock gene fragment for use as a synthetic positive control. The in-field protocols were tested on 100 field collected scats, from multiple lizard species in Western Australia, demonstrating the AHG specificity of the assay, with amplification successful on 79% of AHG scats tested in-field. While the assay was highly effective, scat DNA degradation and inhibitors limited detection in 21% of AHG samples, highlighting preservation challenges. This new assay has already been applied operationally in the field, providing early detection of AHG, and preventing potential introduction of this species into new areas.

Dopamine-Induced Tau Modification Prevents Pathological Phosphorylation and Generates a Distinct Fibril Polymorph

Effect of stem cell therapies on tendon-bone healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in animal models: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is widely performed, yet insufficient tendon-bone healing remains a key contributor to graft failure. Stem cell-based interventions, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and stem cell-derived products (e.g., exosomes/extracellular vesicles), have shown potential to enhance tendon-bone integration in preclinical models. However, findings across animal studies are heterogeneous and have not been comprehensively synthesized. This review aims to evaluate the effects of stem cell-based therapies on tendon-bone healing after ACL reconstruction in animal models. Methods and analysis This protocol follows PRISMA-P. We will search PubMed, Embase, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to the final search date. Controlled animal studies comparing ACL reconstruction with stem cell-based interventions versus controls will be included. Primary outcomes are biomechanical properties (ultimate failure load and stiffness). Secondary outcomes include micro-CT measures of bone integration (e.g., bone volume fraction, bone mineral density) and histological outcomes (e.g., interface maturation or validated scoring systems). Risk of bias will be assessed using SYRCLE’s tool. Random-effects meta-analyses will be performed, with prespecified subgroup analyses by stem cell type, delivery method, animal species, and follow-up time. Sensitivity analyses and publication-bias assessments will be conducted where appropriate. PROSPERO registration CRD420251137985.

Synthesis of Li ₁₀ GeP ₂ S ₁₂ Electrolyte Using Aqueous Solution

Visual security defense for industrial inspection based on computer vision

As intelligent manufacturing advances, computer vision-based defect detection systems have become essential components of industrial automation. However, this progress has also revealed new security vulnerabilities. In this work, we identify and examine a stealthy adversarial vector—the Alpha Channel Attack—which exploits the often-ignored transparency layer in RGBA images to inject imperceptible perturbations, thereby evading both human perception and conventional preprocessing defenses.We evaluate this threat across diverse model architectures, including YOLOv5, FastGAN, and state-of-the-art vision-language models such as DeepSeek-VL2, ChatGPT-4o, and KIMI. Experimental results show that alpha-channel perturbations cause substantial degradation in detection, generation, and multimodal alignment metrics—including mAP, FID, BLEU, METEOR, and CLIP Score—while leaving the visible image content unchanged.To mitigate this invisible yet high-impact risk, we propose a lightweight detection mechanism that integrates histogram overlap and MSE analysis within the alpha channel. The framework achieves an AUC of 0.998, demonstrating strong capability in identifying adversarial samples under real-world constraints.Overall, this study reveals a critical blind spot in modern visual data pipelines and introduces both a novel threat model and an effective defense strategy, contributing to the development of more resilient industrial AI systems.

Scaling Up Sequential Stepwise DNA Displacement-Based Signal Exchange for Rapid Ultraplex Fluorescent Imaging in Cells and Tissues

Caregiver-reported social impacts in down syndrome regression disorder

Background Down Syndrome Regression Disorder (DSRD) is an acute neurocognitive regression in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), causing a profound loss of acquired skills. DSRD increases demands on caregivers, to sleep disturbances, financial distress, and negative impacts on caregiver-reported social connections and perceived social support. The goal of this study was to characterize the caregiver-reported impacts of DSRD on social relationships by comparing their experiences to those of caregivers of individuals with DS and other neurological disorders (DSN). Design/methods This is a narrative burden-of-care study, not a network study. Using cross-sectional study design, caregivers of individuals with DSRD (n = 228) and DSN (n = 137) were recruited from a neurology clinic and a DSRD Facebook support group. Participants completed the DSRD Caregiver Distress Survey (CDS), which included four qualitative, open-ended questions focused on self-perception of adult friendships, social relationship impact, spouse/partner impact, and perceived shrinkage of social world. Responses were analyzed using thematic coding; resulting theme frequencies summarize caregiver-reported perceptions and narratives and do not represent objectively measured social network structure. Results In the DSRD cohort, a high-level overview revealed that 65.66% of responses reported a negative impact on adult friendships, while 71.21% reported a negative impact on social relationships. A negative impact on spouse/partner relationships was reported in 51.53% of responses, and a perceived shrinkage of social world was found in 52.82%. Caregivers in the DSRD group were significantly more likely to report “Social Withdrawal and Isolation” (43.2% vs. 17.9%, p = 0.006), “Loss of Community Participation and/or Support” (16.7% vs 4.5%, p = 0.043) and a “Perceived Enduring Loss of Social Connections” (35.3% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.002) compared to the DSN group. Conclusions This study’s findings reveal a significant and complex process of perceived social disengagement among caregivers describing social withdrawal and loss of social connections that they experienced as enduring. The results emphasize the need for early interventions that address the individual’s needs but also address the caregiver’s social and mental health to prevent perceived long-term social isolation.

Near-Quantitative Formation of Imines in Water with Allosteric Control

SDXL model-based optimization for interior design: Data-driven and deep learning methods

This study proposes a novel, domain-specific optimization framework for the Stable Diffusion XL (SDXL) model, addressing the critical challenges of structural consistency and aesthetic fidelity in AI-assisted interior design. Unlike generic applications of diffusion models, this research introduces a systematic pipeline integrating automated semantic cleaning with a rigorous hyperparameter optimization strategy. A high-quality, annotated dataset was constructed using a semi-automated YOLO-based filtering process to minimize noise. Furthermore, we established an empirically validated training protocol—combining optimal Dropout rates, L1/L2 regularization, and dynamic learning rates—specifically tuned to preserve the geometric constraints of interior spaces. Experimental results demonstrate that this optimized framework significantly outperforms baseline models, achieving superior Fréchet Inception Distance (FID), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), and Learned Perceptual Image Patch Similarity (LPIPS) scores, alongside robust CLIP Semantic Alignment. Furthermore, a systematic ablation study confirms that while domain-specific data provides the foundation, our semantic cleaning pipeline and structural regularization are critical for achieving high geometric fidelity, reducing FID by 51.1% compared to the baseline. The study contributes a technically robust methodology for adapting large-scale diffusion models to the specialized requirements of spatial design.

Dynamics and Control of Dual Active Sites in Co-Substituted Ni Coordination Polymers for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Catalysis

Associations between big five personality traits, facets, and sexual fantasies

The present study investigated associations between Big Five personality traits, their facets, and the frequency and variety of sexual fantasies in a sample of 5,225 adults ( M  = 58.30 years old; 56.5% men). People high in conscientiousness and agreeableness report fewer sexual fantasies across exploratory, intimate, impersonal, and sadomasochistic domains; these effects were primarily driven by respectfulness and responsibility facets. Negative emotionality, particularly the depression facet, was associated with more frequent sexual fantasizing. Extraversion and open-mindedness showed minimal relationships with sexual fantasy frequency. These results underscore the importance of personality dimensions in understanding sexual thoughts, emphasizing the heterogeneity of sexual fantasies across individuals. Having a broader appreciation of the heterogeneity of sexual experiences can foster more inclusive approaches to sexual well-being in psychological research and clinical practice.

Unveiling Asymmetric Dual-Metal Interfaces for Solar-Driven CO ₂ -to-CH ₄ Reduction Coupled with C–H Activation

SylvCiT - An AI-based support to urban forest resilience

Urban trees are attracting increasing interest due to their contribution to mitigating some negative urbanization effects. Indeed, trees provide numerous ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, heat island mitigation, habitats for myriad living creatures, and aesthetic values. However, a lack of tree diversity at the street and neighborhood levels threatens their resilience and service delivery. This article presents SylvCiT, a machine learning and optimization-based system that recommends a diversity of suitable tree species based on functional traits, planting location, and neighboring trees, and therefore maximizes functional diversity at different spatial scales. Special emphasis is placed on human-machine interfaces, including factors that affect user experience, recommendation acceptance and transparency. We show two use cases within SylvCiT. First, we analyze the urban forest of a Montreal neighborhood (Quebec, Canada) in terms of tree diversity, structure, and carbon storage. Second, we assessed species and functional group richness and diversity in 10 parks of Montreal and simulated the effects of planting the recommended species, which resulted in higher species and functional group diversity.

Uniform Covalent Polymerization of Zirconium–Organic Cages for High-Loading CO ₂ Separation Membranes