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Effects of neuromuscular versus stretching training performed during the warm-up on measures of physical fitness and mental well-being in highly-trained pubertal male soccer players
While there is ample evidence on the effects of neuromuscular training (NMT) and stretching training on selected measures of physical fitness in young athletes, less is known on the mental well-being effects. Here, we aimed to examine the effects of NMT versus stretching training (ST) performed during the warm-up and active control (CG) on selected physical fitness measures and mental well-being in highly-trained male pubertal soccer players. A secondary aim was to investigate associations between training-induced changes in physical fitness and mental well-being. Forty-six pubertal participants aged 12.2 ± 0.6 years were randomly allocated to NMT, ST, or CG. The eight-weeks NMT included balance, strength, plyometric, and change-of-direction (CoD) exercises. ST comprised four weeks of lower limbs static stretching followed by four weeks of dynamic stretching. The CG performed a soccer-specific warm-up. Training volumes were similar between groups. Pre-, and post-training, tests were scheduled to assess dynamic balance (Y-balance test), 15-m CoD speed, power (five-jump-test [FJT]), cognitive (CA), somatic anxiety (SA), and self-confidence (SC). Findings showed significant group-by-time interactions for all physical fitness measures (d = 1.00-3.23; p < 0.05) and mental well-being (d = 0.97-1.08; p < 0.05) tests. There were significant pre-post changes for all tested variables (d = 0.69-4.23; p < 0.05) in favor of NMT but not ST and CG. Pooled data indicated significant moderate correlations between training-induced performance changes in FJT and SA (r = −0.378, p < 0.05), FJT and SC (r = 0.360, p < 0.05) and 15-m CoD and SA (r = 0.393, p < 0.01). NMT but not ST or CG resulted in improved measures of physical fitness and mental well-being in highly-trained pubertal male soccer players. NMT performed during the warm-up is a safe and effective training method as it exerts positive effects on physical fitness and self-confidence as well as the coping of anxiety in highly-trained male pubertal soccer players.
Adipose-derived stem cells using fibrin gel as a scaffold enhances post-hepatectomy liver regeneration
Optimization of external container delivery and pickup scheduling based on appointment mechanism
Port transport efficiency has become an urgent issue that needs to be improved, especially the coordination among truck drivers during peak hours. Previous studies mainly focus on one-way container transportation logistics issues, but container movements often occur simultaneously in both directions in practice. Therefore, this study aims to minimize truck companies’ operational costs by establishing an optimization model for external truck scheduling. This model takes soft time windows and an appointment feedback mechanism into consideration. Building upon the traditional Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm, this paper introduces an adaptive version of the ACO algorithm. The improved Ant Colony Optimization algorithm (IACO) incorporates a time window width impact factor and a time deviation consideration into its state transition rules, enhancing its adaptability. Furthermore, by integrating Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), the algorithm intelligently tunes the pheromone and heuristic factors of ACO, achieving automatic parameter optimization. Through case studies, we have demonstrated the superior performance of this algorithm in addressing relevant problems. The results show that, in terms of truck operational costs, the improved algorithm reduces costs by 10.96% and 3.02% compared to traditional Ant Colony Optimization and Variable Neighborhood Search algorithms, respectively, and by 4.89% compared to manual scheduling. These results demonstrate that the adaptive Ant Colony Optimization algorithm exhibits clear advantages in optimization capability and stability. The algorithm effectively allocates truck tasks within each time window, thereby reducing fleet costs, improving truck turnover efficiency, mitigating port congestion, and ultimately enhancing container logistics efficiency, achieving the goals of peak shaving and valley filling.
A novel microfluidic approach to quantify pore-scale mineral dissolution in porous media
Abstract Mineral dissolution in porous media coupled with single- and/or multi-phase flows is pervasive in natural and engineering systems. Dissolution modifies the physical, hydrological, and geochemical properties of the solid matrix, resulting in a complex coupling between local dissolution rate and pore-scale flow. The work reports a microfluidic approach that includes 2D reactive porous media and advanced pore flow diagnostics for the study of pore-scale dissolution in porous media with unprecedented details. The 2D microfluidic porous media, called micromodels, were fabricated in calcite by combining photolithography and wet etching, which not only offers precise control over the structural and chemical properties, but also facilitate unobstructed optical access to the pore flow, significantly improving over existing methods. We believe the work represents the first of its kind as it for the first time directly applies photolithography to calcite samples and demonstrates the use of particle image velocimetry to investigate chemical reactions in porous media. The preliminary results have revealed the crucial roles of local concentration gradients in mineral dissolution and call for reconsideration of many assumptions used in the current modeling tools, which paves the way for renewed fundamental understanding of reactive transport and improved modeling tools with better accuracy.
New horizons in live and dehydrated black soldier fly larvae usage: Behavioral and welfare implications in “Bianca di Saluzzo” cockerels
The literature on poultry welfare and behavior reports numerous promising effects derived from the administration of live or dehydrated black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as environmental enrichment; however, their use in slow-growing male chickens has never been evaluated. To fill this gap, we divided a total of 144 Bianca di Saluzzo male chicks aged 39 days old into three experimental groups (six replicates, eight birds/replicate): control (C, no enrichment provided), dehydrated larvae (DL, 4.12% as fed), and live larvae (LL, 15.38% as fed), and reared until 147 days of age. Explorative and aggressive behavior patterns were analyzed, in concomitance with a tonic immobility test and the avoidance distance test, heterophile to lymphocyte -H/L- ratio), and excreta corticosterone metabolites (ECM) matrices. Overall, LL and DL supplementation were both effective at mitigating aggressive interactions among chickens (P < 0.05), while the frequency of indoor explorative behavior was lower in the LL group compared with C and DL (P < 0.01). By contrast, we found no differences in fear reduction during the avoidance distance test in the LL or DL groups compared with C (P < 0.05). We found a trend for the H/L ratio to be C < LL<DL (P = 0.051), and ECM concentrations were significantly lower in DL and LL groups compared with C (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the use of DL and LL as environmental enrichment have the potential to produce beneficial outcomes in slow-growing male chickens.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on pelvic trauma surgical management
Research on the impact of COVID-19 on the financial system: Evidence from Indonesia
This study investigates the financial system vulnerability and pandemic impact on the financial system of Indonesia in 2015–2021. Two kinds of analysis are involved, i.e.: cross-section analysis at a certain point in time and time-series analysis along a certain time-period. To measure the risks, the research employs risk profile and network analysis using the Financial Account Balance Sheet from Bank of Indonesia. The balance sheet of one institutional sector is associated to the balance sheet of another sector from both assets and liabilities, such as corporations, households, and the financial sectors. Afterwards, Difference-in-Differences (DID) method and the macroeconomic linkages exercises the COVID-19 impact on the financial system. The result shows as the key findings that the financial system is more vulnerable during the pandemic for banks, corporations, and governments, indicated by the more declining net-worth, along with the external balance slowdown. Furthermore, the macroeconomic linkages show that during the pandemic, the financial system is more reliant on the banks, government, and the Rest of the World (ROW).
Explainable label guided lightweight network with axial transformer encoder for early detection of oral cancer
A systematic review of automated hyperpartisan news detection
Hyperpartisan news consists of articles with strong biases that support specific political parties. The spread of such news increases polarization among readers, which threatens social unity and democratic stability. Automated tools can help identify hyperpartisan news in the daily flood of articles, offering a way to tackle these problems. With recent advances in machine learning and deep learning, there are now more methods available to address this issue. This literature review collects and organizes the different methods used in previous studies on hyperpartisan news detection. Using the PRISMA methodology, we reviewed and systematized approaches and datasets from 81 articles published from January 2015 to 2024. Our analysis includes several steps: differentiating hyperpartisan news detection from similar tasks, identifying text sources, labeling methods, and evaluating models. We found some key gaps: there is no clear definition of hyperpartisanship in Computer Science, and most datasets are in English, highlighting the need for more datasets in minority languages. Moreover, the tendency is that deep learning models perform better than traditional machine learning, but Large Language Models’ (LLMs) capacities in this domain have been limitedly studied. This paper is the first to systematically review hyperpartisan news detection, laying a solid groundwork for future research.
ZnO-MnO2 co-modified hierarchical porous carbon nanofiber film electrodes for high-energy density supercapacitors
Influence of egg card color preference, inoculation time, generational succession, and learning experience on the parasitism of Trichogramma ostriniae
This study investigated the parasitic selection preferences of female Trichogramma ostriniae on egg cards of different colors, considering the effects of inoculation time, generations, and learning experiences on wasp parasitism. The preferences of female T. ostriniae for oviposition were assessed across egg cards of different colors. Subsequent experiments identified the egg card background color most preferred by T. ostriniae and examined the influence of inoculation time, generations, and learning experiences on parasitism rates. The findings revealed a significant preference for T. ostriniae for yellow egg cards compared to other colors, with the highest parasitism rate observed on yellow and the lowest on red. Inoculation time had a significant effect on the parasitism of T. ostriniae on yellow egg cards, with the highest parasitism observed at 16h post-inoculation and a noticeable negative linear correlation with increasing inoculation time up to 48h (F = 8.73, P<0.05). The number of generations did not significantly affect the parasitism rate of T. ostriniae on yellow egg cards, nor did the learning experiences show a significant difference in the relative parasitism of T. ostriniae on yellow egg cards among the learning experiences. However, T. ostriniae had a significantly higher parasitization rate on yellow egg cards compared to white egg cards, regardless of generation or learning experience. Those results showed that female T. ostriniae strongly prefers yellow. The highest parasitism of female T. ostriniae on yellow egg cards was observed at 16h post-inoculation.
Calcium titanate nanoparticles-induced cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and oxidative stress in human non-small lung cancer cells
Abstract Calcium titanate nanoparticles (CaTiO3NPs) have garnered significant attention due to their unique properties and excellent biocompatibility, which have led to their increased use in various fields and consumer products. This rise in application necessitates a better understanding of their biological and toxicological effects. However, there is limited data on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of CaTiO3NPs in human normal skin fibroblasts (HSF) and non-small lung cancer (A-549) cells. Consequently, this study aimed to explore the effect of 48-hour exposure to CaTiO3NPs on cell viability, genomic DNA integrity, and oxidative stress induction in human cancer A-549 cells, compared to normal HSF cells. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of CaTiO3NPs were assessed using the Sulforhodamine B (SRB) cytotoxicity and Alkaline Comet assays, respectively. To estimate possible oxidative stress induction and variation in apoptotic gene expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were also performed. Our findings demonstrated that exposure to CaTiO3NPs for 48 h resulted in low toxicity toward both normal HSF and cancer A-549 cells, with cell death observed only at high concentrations (100 and 1000 µg/ml). The IC50 value of CaTiO3NPs in both HSF and A-549 cells was greater than 1000 µg/ml; specifically, the IC50 value in A-549 cells at 48 h was 1670.65 µg /ml. However, treatment with CaTiO3NPs for 48 h at the IC50 concentration of 1670.65 µg /ml resulted in significant genomic DNA damage and excessive ROS generation, along with a notable disturbance in the expression level of apoptotic (p53 and Bax) and anti-apoptotic Bcl2 genes in A-549 cells. In contrast, no significant changes were observed in HSF cells treated for 48 h with the same concentration (1670.65 µg /ml) of CaTiO3NPs. Collectively, these findings indicated that despite short-term exposure to CaTiO3NPs causing low cytotoxicity in both normal HSF and A-549 cells. CaTiO3NPs were selectively genotoxic toward A-549 cells. This genotoxicity was mediated through excessive ROS generation, which disrupted genomic DNA integrity and altered the expression of apoptotic genes, triggering apoptosis in A-549 cells. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to fully understand the toxicological and biological properties of CaTiO3NPs.
Ghana’s National Health Insurance enrollment: Does the intersection of educational and residential status matter?
Background Since its inception in 2003, Ghana’s Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has received considerable scholarly attention on the determinants of enrollment. While most of these studies highlight the role of some socioeconomic and geographical factors, no study has explored the intersection of educational attainment and residence on NHIS enrollment. We aim to contribute to the literature and health policy in Ghana by examining the intersection of educational attainment and rural-urban residence on NHIS enrollment among women and men. Methods We used nationally representative data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). Using STATA 17, we applied multivariable logistic regression to our analytical sample comprising women (n = 14997) and men (n = 7040). Results Overall, we found that more women (90%) than men (73%) enrolled on the NHIS. Adjusting for a range of control variables, we found that women and men with secondary (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.28–2.02; OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.16–1.82) and higher education (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.24–2.64; OR: 2.85, 95% CI: 2.03–3.99) were more likely to have enrolled into the NHIS compared to those with no formal education. This difference was particularly heightened among women and men with no education. Rural women (96%) and men (90%) with higher education had higher enrollment rates compared to their urban counterparts. Conclusion We recommend revising the NHIS equity and pro-poor policy to include vulnerability at the intersection of low educational attainment and rural residence.
Theoretical investigation of the mechanism, kinetics and subsequent degradation products of the NO3 radical initiated oxidation of acrolein
Topic: Distribution of Anopheles stephensi bioforms in selected districts of Rajasthan, India
Introduction Anopheles stephensi is a major urban malaria vector in Rajasthan, India, and is responsible for spreading persistent malaria throughout the year. In Rajasthan, An. stephensi is invariably distributed and has three bioforms discriminated based on the number of the ridge on the eggs viz; Type, Mysorensis, and Intermediate. The present study aimed to understand the distribution pattern of these bioforms in rural and urban setups as they also have differences in their malaria transmission capacity. Methods Gravid mosquitoes and the larvae were collected from different habitats of districts of Rajasthan. The gravid females An. stephensi were allowed to lay eggs. These eggs then were subjected to morphometric analysis and counted for the number of ridges for bioform identification. Results About 15000 ± 200 eggs were obtained from ~190 gravid An. stephensi collected from 45 localities (11 Urban & 34 Rural) of eight districts of Rajasthan. Out of which 3569 eggs were subjected to morphometric analysis. Mysorensis bioform (49.7%) was observed to have higher percent over Intermediate (25.5%) and Type (24.6%) bioforms. Mysorensis and Intermediate were found more in rural areas whereas the Type bioform dominated higher in urban areas. Discussion The Mysorensis bioform was found to be dominant throughout the year in all seasons in rural areas. Type bioform preferred indoor breeding places like underground tanks, cement tanks whereas other bioforms preferred outdoor breeding places. Egg size was found to be directly proportional to the number of ridges on the eggs (r = 0.55). No reproductive isolation was observed among these bioforms. Conclusions The Mysorensis bioform is more prominent than other bioforms. Subspecies level understanding helps to plan effective control measures according to the breeding site selection majorly by Type bioform, an efficient vector in this region.
New machine-learning models outperform conventional risk assessment tools in Gastrointestinal bleeding
Abstract Rapid and accurate identification of high-risk acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) patients is essential. We developed two machine-learning (ML) models to calculate the risk of in-hospital mortality in patients admitted due to overt GIB. We analyzed the prospective, multicenter Hungarian GIB Registry’s data. The predictive performance of XGBoost and CatBoost machine-learning algorithms with the Glasgow-Blatchford (GBS), pre-endoscopic Rockall and ABC scores were compared. We evaluated our models using five-fold cross-validation, and performance was measured by area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, we included 1,021 patients in the analysis. In-hospital death occurred in 108 cases. The XGBoost and the CatBoost model identified patients who died with an AUC of 0.84 (CI:0.76–0.90; 0.77–0.90; respectively) in the internal validation set, whereas the GBS and pre-endoscopic Rockall clinical scoring system’s performance was significantly lower, AUC values of 0.68 (CI:0.62–0.74) and 0.62 (CI:0.56–0.67), respectively. ABC score had an AUC of 0.77 (CI:0.71–0.83). The XGBoost model had a specificity of 0.96 (CI:0.92–0.98) at a sensitivity of 0.25 (CI:0.10–0.43) compared with the CatBoost model, which had a specificity of 0.74 (CI:0.66–0.83) at a sensitivity of 0.78 (CI:0.57–0.95). XGBoost and the CatBoost models evaluate the mortality risk of acute GI bleeding better, than the conventional risk assessment tools.
Syphilis seroprevalence and risk factors among first-time blood donors in Brazil: A comprehensive repeated cross-sectional analysis spanning a decade
Background Syphilis remains a global health challenge, with rising incidence rates worldwide Prevalence surveys conducted in Brazil over extended periods of time are scarce. This study examines the secular trends and risk factors for syphilis seroprevalence among first-time blood donors in Brazil. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted as part of a multicenter, repeated cross-sectional survey of blood donors from four major Brazilian blood centers, covering the period from 2007 to 2020. First-time donors who had undergone valid treponemal screening tests were included in the final dataset. Demographic characteristics and serological results were analyzed to identify risk factors for syphilis seroprevalence using multivariate Poisson models. An interaction term between age group and donation year was added to the final model. Model comparisons were performed using Likelihood Ratio Tests (LRT) and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Results 1,424,850 donations from first-time donors were included during the study period. The overall syphilis seroprevalence was 2.19%, with significant heterogeneity across centers. Risk factors for increased seroprevalence included male gender, older age, lower education level, and self-reported black or mixed skin color. Notably, an increasing trend in syphilis seroprevalence was observed among younger donors and those born after 1990. Interaction analyses revealed significant effects between visit period and key demographic variables (age group, gender, education, and ethnicity), with the interaction between age group and donation year indicating higher seroprevalence among younger age groups in recent years. Conclusion The study highlights a high syphilis seroprevalence among first-time blood donors in Brazil, which has significant implications for blood safety and public health. The increasing trend among younger donors suggests a shift towards newer infections, warranting continued surveillance in this demographic.
Prediction and validation of mechanical properties of self-compacting geopolymer concrete using combined machine learning methods a comparative and suitability assessment of the best analysis
Changes in pregnancy-related hormones, neuromechanical adaptations and clinical pain status throughout pregnancy: A prospective cohort study
During pregnancy, increased hormonal levels contribute to ligament laxity of the pelvis and could predispose to lumbopelvic pain. The main objective of this study was to assess changes in pregnancy-related hormones, neuromechanical adaptations and clinical pain status throughout pregnancy. An exploratory objective was to examine the possible association between those variables. Twenty-eight pregnant women participated in the study. At each trimester, they provided a blood sample (to measure relaxin, estrogen and progesterone), completed questionnaires assessing clinical status (functional disability, risk of poor prognosis of prolonged lumbar disability, avoidance behaviors, anxiety and pain catastrophizing), and were asked to perform a flexion-relaxation task (erector spinae electromyography and trunk kinematics). Results showed that throughout pregnancy, nocturnal and diurnal lumbopelvic pain intensity and related-disability, risk of poor lumbopelvic pain prognosis as well as avoidance behaviors increased, while pain catastrophizing decreased. Neuromechanical characteristics of flexion-relaxation task, including low back muscle activity and trunk kinematics, were similar across the three trimesters. Positive correlations were found between disability and estrogen levels (changes between first and second trimester, p = 0.05), and estrogen and diurnal lumbopelvic pain intensity (change between second and third trimester, p = 0.02). A positive correlation was also found between weight and the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire score (changes between second and third trimester, p = 0.05). Negative correlations were found between weight (change between first and second trimester) and lumbopelvic maximal angle (p = 0.003), FRP onset for pelvic (p = 0.04) and lumbopelvic (p = 0.003) angles as well as FRP cessation for lumbopelvic angle (p = 0.001). These results show that, in pregnant women, pain and disability are associated with hormonal changes rather than trunk neuromechanical characteristics during a flexion-relaxation task. These results suggest that the flexion-relaxation task may not be an appropriate proxy to study vertebral and pelvic muscle control in pregnant women.