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CatDive: A simple yet effective method for maximizing category diversity in sequential recommendation
How can we offer users items of diverse categories while considering their interests in sequential recommendation? Traditional sequential recommendation methods often prioritize accuracy over diversity, recommending only items similar to those with which users have previously interacted. Recommendation biased toward only the favorite category of each user fails to achieve novelty and serendipity, demoting users’ satisfaction. Thus, it is important to maximize category diversity in sequential recommendation. However, the state-of-the-art work on category diversified sequential recommendation tackles it only with a post-processing method which sacrifices accuracy to improve category diversity. In this paper, we propose CatDive, a simple yet effective method for maximizing category diversity without sacrificing accuracy in sequential recommendation. In the training phase, CatDive incorporates category information into the recommendation model by using multi-embedding, composed of item and category embeddings. Also, CatDive boosts category diversity by placing greater emphasis on users’ preferred categories when selecting negative samples, while still prioritizing high-confidence negatives based on item popularity to maintain accuracy. Finally, we enhance and control category diversity by prioritizing underrepresented categories in the reranking phase, using a tunable hyper-parameter to balance adjustments. CatDive achieves the state-of-the-art performance on real-world datasets, achieving up to 152.49% higher category diversity in the similar level of accuracy and up to 39.73% higher accuracy in the similar level of category diversity compared to the best competitor.
Field-ready DNA extraction from scat using magnetic nanoparticles for non-invasive wildlife monitoring
Abstract Scat is commonly used to non-invasively monitor the presence of wildlife. Samples are typically collected in the field and transported to a laboratory for downstream DNA analysis. Current gold-standard extraction methods rely on column-based kits that are expensive, labor-intensive, and require specialized instrumentation. Here we present a rapid and low-cost DNA extraction method using silica-coated magnetic beads, tested on our species of interest - Rangifer tarandus (a Species at Risk currently monitored in Canada using scat sampling) and extended to other Cervidae species. This portable approach requires only simple equipment, yields stable DNA, and is well suited for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis both in the field and in centralized laboratories. We also designed and validated novel primers specific for R. tarandus mitochondrial DNA to enable reliable species identification from scat. In this study, we demonstrate the ease of use, DNA yield, stability and PCR success of our method compared with widely used kits. We further show its applicability across additional Cervidae scat, underscoring its transferability to other herbivorous mammals.
Facilitators to doctoral completion among international students in a Global South University: An appreciative inquiry perspective
In the context of the global knowledge economy, the Global South has emerged as an increasingly important destination for doctoral education, yet research on this phenomenon remains scarce. The present study addresses this research gap by investigating the factors that contribute to the successful completion of doctoral programs among international students from the Global South enrolled at a public research university in Malaysia. Employing the Appreciative Inquiry approach, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 international doctoral graduates. Findings reveal that intrinsic factors, such as passion for research, perseverance, and self-discipline, are crucial for success. External factors, including support from supervisors, institutions, families, and friends, also play a significant role. Furthermore, the Global South participants in this study called for improving conditions for future cohorts and fostering cross-cultural understanding within South-South doctoral education, where resource constraints and uneven institutional support often necessitate mutual aid and solidarity, a dimension largely overlooked in studies focused on Global Northern higher education systems with more robust infrastructure. The study contributes to understanding doctoral experiences in the Global South, challenges the dominance of a northern-centric perspective in academic research, and offers practical implications for institutions seeking to enhance support for doctoral students.
Correction: The scaled sardine’s unique metabolic phenotype and its implications for the susceptibility of small tropical pelagic fishes to climate change
Graph neural networks and belief rule base collaborative modeling for automated and interpretable fault diagnosis in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are critical for clean energy conversion, but their reliability is severely compromised by complex faults, creating a pressing need for accurate and interpretable diagnostic methods. While the Belief Rule Base (BRB) provides a transparent reasoning framework, its practical deployment faces two fundamental challenges: the “combinatorial explosion” of rules with increasing system complexity, and a heavy reliance on domain experts to provide precise quantitative parameters. To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel GNN-BRB framework that synergistically integrates Graph Neural Networks (GNN) with BRB. Our solution introduces two key innovations: an exponential ordered weighting operator to systematically convert qualitative expert rankings into quantitative confidence parameters, and a GNN-based mechanism that models the BRB rule base as a graph to automatically generate initial parameters through information propagation among semantically related rules. Experimental results on a real-world PEMFC fault diagnosis case demonstrate that the proposed method significantly reduces dependency on manual expert input while achieving superior diagnostic performance. Ablation studies further validate the contribution of each model component. This work establishes a new paradigm for developing automated, highly accurate, and interpretable fault diagnosis systems for complex engineering applications.
COL8A1 promotes prostate cancer progression via modulating tumor immune infiltration and activating the FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway through ADAMTS2 regulation
Correction: Metagenomic characterization of bacterial abundance and diversity in potato cyst nematode suppressive and conducive potato rhizosphere
Comparative analysis of copper and graphite electrodes in EDM of Al–SiC metal matrix composites
Fast identification of the charging pile plug materials using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
The electric vehicles (EVs) is showing rapid growing, with charging piles playing a critical role as essential infrastructure. The performance and reliability of charging plugs directly influence grid efficiency, while conventional copper-based materials present several limitations. Tellurium copper is an alloy well-suited for charging plugs. Identification of the materials is crucial for ensuring the electrical performance and safety, and recycling value. In this study, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was utilized for rapid identification of tellurium copper, red copper and brass. The tellurium in the alloy was identified and the LIBS parameters were optimized. K-nearest neighbor (KNN), random forest (RF), and convolutional neural networks (CNN) models were built for discrimination of three kinds of materials. Knowledge-driven feature extraction based on database and two data-driven feature extraction methods, successive projections algorithm (SPA) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), were used to select feature bands. The optimal models achieved accuracy of 100% both for training set and testing set, indicating that the LIBS could realizing the rapid identification of charging plug materials. The proposed LIBS-based identification method helps ensure the safety and reliability of charging stations, support the healthy development of the EV industry.
Research on plug-and-play correlation enhancement modules in deep multi-label learning
Early ethics: Exploring moral intuition and maternal Influence in preschool children
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the moral intuitions of mothers and children aged 3–6 (n = 75). Methods: Five dilemmas were applied. The agreement between mother and child responses was evaluated, as were trends in agreement between girls and boys. Kappa statistics and Spearman’s correlation analyses were conducted. McNemar’s test was administered to assess the Double Effect Doctrine and the Contact Principle. Outcome: In general, children responded to moral dilemmas similarly to their mothers. However, no significant agreement was found between mothers and children when evaluating each dilemma. Although the children’s answer patterns were similar to those of their mothers, the presence of neither the Double Effect Doctrine nor the Contact Principle could be identified in children. Conclusions: While there are some similarities between preschoolers and their mothers when responding to moral dilemmas, the integration of deontological principles in the resolution of ethical dilemmas in the children studied has not been achieved. Mothers in the study use these principles, which support the previous related evidence.
Comparative evaluation of sand sources based on physical and morphological characteristics for cement concrete applications
Impact of tumor location on oncological and perioperative outcomes after robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Objective to investigate the effect of tumor location on oncological outcomes in patients receiving robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) for upper urinary tract carcinoma (UTUC). Methods A retrospective single-center cohort study of 54 patients with UTUC who underwent RANU by a single surgeon between July 2019 and July 2025, without neoadjuvant chemotherapy or previous or simultaneous cystectomy, were included. Patients were divided into two groups based on tumor location: 18 patients (33%) with ureteral tumors (Group 1) and 36 patients (67%) with renal pelvis tumors (Group 2). Demographics, perioperative data, and pathological results were analyzed. The primary endpoints Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using Kaplan–Meier and univariable log-rank test. Results Console time, blood transfusion, complications, and readmission were comparable in both groups. Group 1 experienced longer hospital stays (8 days vs. 6.5 days, p = 0.03). 48% of patients had ≥ pT2 disease, with a similar T-stage distribution across groups. Of 26 candidates for adjuvant therapy, 10 received chemotherapy with gemcitabine/cisplatin, 2 received nivolumab, and one patient received enfortumab vedotin with pembrolizumab. During a median 26.5-month follow-up, six patients developed bladder recurrence, (median 9 months) after RANU (p = 0.10), and four developed distant metastases (median 4 months) (p = 0.72), resulting in a disease-free survival of 81% (p = 0.08)Cancer-specific survival was 94%, overall survival 89%, with no significant group differences (p = 0.24 and 0.49). Conclusion In our series, we observed that tumor location does not impact postoperative and oncological outcomes after RANU for UTUC, regardless of adjuvant therapy. However, further studies are needed to explore this proposed hypothesis.
A preclinical study of device dependent therapeutic effects of cold atmospheric plasmas on atopic dermatitis induced by DNCB
Correction: Open Science practices in a Portuguese nursing higher education institution: An exploratory, descriptive study
Ovarian reserve and oxidative stress in sickle cell anaemia: a comparative cross-sectional study
Resveratrol inhibits bladder cancer proliferation by targeting the AURKA/STAT3 axis: From computational analysis to experimental validation
Introduction Given the high recurrence rate of bladder cancer (BCa) and the significant adverse effects associated with conventional treatments, it is urgent to search for new clinical therapeutic targets and safer natural-derived compounds. Resveratrol (Res) has been demonstrated to exhibit cytotoxicity against various tumors. However, the signaling pathways and targets involved in inhibition of BCa cells still need further exploration. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of Res in Bca via suppression of the AURKA/STAT3 axis, providing important theoretical basis for subsequent further researches on Res for treating BCa. Methods Differentially expressed genes were identified through bioinformatics methods and the binding sites of resveratrol were also identified. The cell survival rate was detected by the CCK8 method to calculate the concentrations of Res for 30% inhibition and for 50% inhibition. Then, flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle and apoptosis after treatment with different concentrations of Res. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the effects of Res and MLN8237 on the expression of STAT3. Western blot and qPCR analyses were used to verify the reliability of the effects of Res and MLN8237 on target proteins. Results AURKA was identified as the potential target of Res by computational analysis. Further validation through CCK8 assays and flow cytometry demonstrated that Res could inhibit BCa cells and their cell cycle in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Immunofluorescence staining revealed both Res and MLN8237 suppressed STAT3 expression in BCa cells. Additionally, western blot and qPCR analysis confirmed that Res and MLN8237 inhibited the expression of AURKA and known target genes (VEGF, Bcl-2, and Cyclin D1). Conclusion Our findings suggest that Res may regulate BCa cell expression through the AURKA/STAT3 axis, providing a theoretical foundation for the structural optimization of Res and the development of multi-target drugs for clinical application.
Incorporating river morphodynamics in the characterization of key ecological system units for conservation in the western Amazon
Evaluating the impact of a rapid response system on survival of patients with cancer undergoing emergency surgery for acute abdomen: A single-center retrospective cohort study
Patients with cancer who develop acute abdomen are at high risk of rapid clinical deterioration and often require emergency surgery and intensive care. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the impact of implementing a Rapid Response System (RRS) on survival among 274 patients admitted for emergency surgery at a tertiary cancer center in Korea (145 pre-RRS, 129 post-RRS). Although the post-RRS group had a higher burden of severe illness, including more metastatic disease and higher APACHE II scores, key time intervals from diagnosis to ICU admission, surgery, and antibiotic administration were significantly shorter following RRS implementation. The post-RRS group also demonstrated more favorable postoperative physiological trajectories, including lower postoperative day 7 SOFA scores and greater reductions in SOFA from baseline. Survival to discharge was higher after RRS implementation (85.27% vs. 74.48%, p = 0.039), and RRS activation remained independently associated with improved survival in multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio: 3.554, p = 0.021). Patients presenting outside RRS coverage hours had higher severity, longer delays to intervention, and lower survival; in an exploratory counterfactual model, predicted survival increased from 59.4% to 71.0% when RRS availability was hypothetically extended. These findings suggest that RRS implementation may attenuate progression of organ dysfunction and improve survival among high-risk cancer patients with acute abdomen. Expanding RRS operational hours, including continuous 24-hour coverage, may offer additional clinical benefit.