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Overload of the lower limbs of firefighters as a result of external conditions
Background It is known that a firefighter’s uniform with all equipment will significantly increase the load on the lower limbs during landing. The higher landing height will also increase ground reaction forces. However, it is unknown what effect the firefighters’ experience (job seniority) will have on the load. Moreover, age-related changes in neuromuscular control, balance, and muscular strength may alter the way external loads are managed, potentially increasing susceptibility to overload. Objective The present study aimed to evaluate the overload of the musculoskeletal system resulting from changing external conditions. Methods The main study involved 171 firefighters divided into three age categories: up to 25 years (I n=83 ), up to 44 years (II n=38 ) and over 44 years (III n=50 ). The subjects performed three landing on to the force platforms from two heights (0.5 m; 1.0 m) and in two types of clothes: sport and fire protection. For the evaluation of lower limb overloads, the value of generated ground reaction force relative to body weight (GRF/BW) of the participant and time of force affecting the locomotor system (amortization time) were evaluated (t > 1 BW). Results Increasing the landing height from 0.5 m to 1 m resulted in a significant ( p < 0.001 ) increase in ground reaction forces. Furthermore, younger participants generated significantly greater forces ( p < 0.001 ). Performing the landing in protective clothing also resulted in increased load (p < 0.001). Furthermore, older firefighters had a longer ( p < 0.01 ) cushioning time at both landing heights and in both clothing. Conclusion and application These results suggest that younger or less experienced firefighters may employ suboptimal landing strategies, increasing their injury risk.
The occurrence of thromboembolism among patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Anti-noise variational sparse Bayesian estimation ghost imaging based on 3Level factor graph
When noise mitigates bias in human–algorithm decision-making: An agent-based model
Algorithmic systems increasingly inform human decision-making in domains such as criminal justice, healthcare, and finance. Although algorithms can exhibit bias, they are much less prone to undesirable variability in judgments (noise) than human decision-makers. While presented as an advantageous feature of algorithmic advice, we actually know little about how (biased) algorithmic advice interacts with noisy human judgment. Does undesirable variability in human judgment decrease under noiseless algorithmic advice? Is bias in human judgment exacerbated or mitigated by noise in advice? To answer these questions, we built an agent-based model that simulates the judgment of decision-makers receiving guidance from a (more or less) biased algorithm or a (more or less) biased and noisy human advisor. The model simulations show that, contrary to expectations, noise can be desirable: human noise can mitigate the harms of algorithmic bias by dampening the influence of algorithmic advice. Noise in human advice leads decision-makers to rely more heavily on their prior beliefs, an emergent behavior with implications for belief updating. When decision-makers’ prior beliefs are polarized, an asymmetry occurs: decision-makers respond only to interventionist advice and not to non-interventionist cues. Finally, the model simulations show that population-level variability in decision-making stems from occasion noise in the environment and not from noise in human advice. This result challenges the common wisdom that population-level noise can be straightforwardly decomposed into individual-level sources and questions the feasibility of noise audits in organizations. Together, these findings demonstrate that the absence of noise as a feature of algorithmic advice is not generally desirable, suggesting critical implications for how human-algorithm systems are designed, regulated, and evaluated.
Widespread heat stress will become the norm in a warming Southeast Asia
Developing a new prevention model for pediatric respiratory infection
Recommendations to improve race identification in health records: A rapid scoping review
Race is a critical variable in understanding health disparities, yet health databases lack consistent practices for identifying race. This rapid scoping review aimed to examine existing recommendations for identifying race in health databases and highlight gaps in current literature to guide future research. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus for relevant literature published between January 2019 and February 2025. Articles were included if they addressed race identification in health databases, were available in English, had full-text access, and were peer-reviewed, knowledge syntheses, or grey literature. All articles were double screened in Covidence, and twenty-one articles were included. Descriptive thematic analysis identified five recommendation categories, including, self-identification and patient-centered practice, standardization across healthcare systems, data quality and completeness, algorithmic and predictive methods, and disaggregated data use and cross sector collaboration. There were common findings on the value of self-identification, cross-system consistency, and tools like natural language processing and imputation models. Some articles emphasized combining multiple strategies to improve system-wide practices, and overall, minimal conflicting evidence was observed. However, gaps remain in operationalizing these recommendations across various healthcare settings. Future directions should prioritize implementation-focused research and cross-jurisdictional comparisons to inform scalable, equity-driven improvements in race data practices. Ultimately, improving the consistency and accuracy of race data will enhance health equity monitoring, guide equitable resource distribution, and inform policies that better reflect the needs of racialized populations.
Electrospun Ni-doped ZnO nanofiber coatings on carbon fabric for enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding
Abstract Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a critical concern in aerospace and defense applications, where lightweight structural composites must provide effective shielding against high-frequency electromagnetic (EM) radiation. In this work, Ni-doped ZnO (Ni-ZnO) nanofibers were directly deposited onto bidirectional carbon fabric substrates using an electrospinning process, followed by calcination at a high temperature. The nanofiber-coated fabrics were characterized for morphological, structural, and interfacial properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The shielding effectiveness (SE) of the samples was evaluated in the X-band frequency range (8–12 GHz) using a vector network analyzer. The Ni-ZnO nanofiber coating enhanced the absorption-dominated shielding mechanism, resulting in improved attenuation performance compared to unmodified carbon fabric/epoxy laminates. The three-layer Ni-ZnO nanofiber-coated laminate achieved a maximum SE of ~ 85 dB at 10 GHz, corresponding to > 99.99% attenuation of incident EM radiation. This improvement is attributed to synergistic dielectric and magnetic losses, increased interfacial polarization, and enhanced conductive pathways. These findings demonstrate that Ni-ZnO nanofiber-modified carbon fabrics are promising for multifunctional aerospace composite structures requiring both mechanical performance and superior EMI shielding.
A spyware detection method for firmware based cyber attacks
In silico structural and docking models of dipteran FXPRLamide neuropeptides support ligand-receptor coevolution and suggest mechanisms for ligand bias
Pyrokinin (PK) neuropeptides are characterized by a conserved C-terminal FXPRLamide motif and modulate a range of physiological functions and behaviors in species spanning the Eumetazoa. The insect pyrokinin gene pban encodes a taxon-specific number of PKs including the eponymous pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN). The pban gene of basal Diptera resembles that of other insect orders while in more derived Diptera (where it is referred to as the hugin gene) the PBAN peptide coding sequence appears to be absent. In the present study, in silico structural models and docking simulations of the Drosophila melanogaster PK hugin and its receptor PK2-R1 are compared with those of the PBAN and PK2–3 neuropeptides (the latter the likely homolog of hugin) and their receptor PK2/PBAN-R belonging to the more basal species Aedes aegypti . The binding pockets for all three peptides overlap extensively as do individual amino acid contacts; these interactions also concur with data for PBAN and NMU binding of their cognate receptors in the silk moth Bombyx mori and humans respectively. C-terminal FXPRL core sequences of all peptides preferentially bind conserved residues in the transmembrane regions (TMs) of the receptor while the variable N-termini interact with amino acids in the extracellular loops (ECLs) that differ between the two species. The A. aeg PBAN peptide forms rigid secondary and tertiary structures with its long N-terminus that uniquely interact with non-conserved amino acids in the extended ECLs of PK2/PBAN-R, providing a basis for functional differentiation from binding of the short and flexible PK2–3 peptide to the same receptor, perhaps via a mechanism such as ligand bias. D. melanogaster hugin is similar in structure to PK2–3 but interacts with amino acids in areas of PK2-R1 that contact PBAN but not PK2–3 in A. aegypti, even though amino acids at those receptor sites are non-synonymous substitutions compared with PK2/PBAN-R. The ECLs of PK2-R1 are also shorter than those of PK2/PBAN-R, reflecting the loss of selection for contacts with the much longer PBAN peptide. Taken together these changes suggest that loss of PBAN impacted ligand-receptor coevolution in the higher Diptera.
On the plate velocity scaling break
Association between monocyte percentage and chronic endometritis among infertile patients: a retrospective study
6-Methoxyflavone targets SLC1A5 to induce ferroptosis in HeLa cells
Objective This study aimed to explore the role and molecular mechanism of 6-methoxyflavone in inducing ferroptosis in HeLa cells. Methods Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), mitochondrial superoxide, and glutathione content assay were used to detect the effects of 6-methoxyflavone on ferroptosis. Tandem mass tag and parallel reaction monitoring proteomics, non-targeted and targeted metabolomics, polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, alternative splicing, new transcript, functional domain, molecular docking, non-covalent interaction, loss-of-function genetic manipulation, and mitochondrial superoxide analyses were performed to explore the molecular mechanism of 6-methoxyflavone-induced ferroptosis in HeLa cells. Results 6-Methoxyflavone induced ferroptosis in HeLa cells. Multi-omics, qPCR, western blot, alternative splicing, new transcript, functional domain, molecular docking, non-covalent interaction, loss-of-function genetic manipulation, and mitochondrial superoxide analyses indicated that 6-methoxyflavone induced ferroptosis in HeLa cells by upregulating the expression levels of SLC1A5 and mitochondrial superoxide. Molecular docking analyses showed that 6-methoxyflavone had the strongest affinity for SLC1A5. Non-covalent interaction analyses suggested that the interaction between 6-methoxyflavone and SLC1A5 was primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions. 6-Methoxyflavone targeted the peptide segment sequence LGPEGELLIR of SLC1A5. Conclusion 6-Methoxyflavone induced ferroptosis in HeLa cells by markedly altering ferroptosis-related genes, proteins, and metabolites expression, thereby exerting anti-cancer effects. The core gene responsible for the induction of ferroptosis and the upregulation of mitochondrial superoxide in HeLa cells by 6-methoxyflavone is SLC1A5.
Uptake mechanisms and functions of isolated mitochondria in mesenchymal stromal cells
Efficacy of laparoscopic bailout surgery for moderate and severe acute cholecystitis
If I were you Minority and majority members evaluate relevancy and subjective experience differently while putting themselves in the other’s shoes
Previous research suggests that asymmetrical power relations between minority and majority groups manifest in various cognitive biases. However, the underlying processes driving these differences remain unclear. Here we examine whether minority and majority groups exhibit differences in their basic ability to imagine outgroup-related scenarios. In two experiments, we asked participants from the majority (Israeli Jews) and minority (Israeli Arabs) groups to put themselves in their respective outgroups’ shoes. The results indicated that majority members perceived outgroup-related themes as less imaginable, relevant, and plausible to themselves compared to the minority group. These findings suggest that an individual’s social power and hierarchical position within society may influence their ability to imagine themselves and others, subsequently contributing to intergroup bias.
The effect of postoperative chemotherapy on survival outcomes and a nomogram for predicting overall survival in chondroblastic osteosarcoma
Abstract The analysis of chondroblastic osteosarcoma (CBO) was conducted using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2000–2019). A cohort of 317 surgically treated CBO patients was analyzed, with 261 (82.3%) receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and 56 (17.7%) classified as no/unknown chemotherapy recipients. The median diagnosis year of CBO patients was 2005 and the median follow-up time was 5.25 years (63 months). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) ( P = 0.011), a finding corroborated after propensity score matching ( P = 0.036). Specifically, the 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year overall survival(OS) of patients who received chemotherapy were 52.11%, 35.25%, and 25.29%, respectively. In contrast, the corresponding survival rates of patients who did not receive chemotherapy or whose chemotherapy status was unknown were 48.21%, 39.29%, and 25.00%, respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed enhanced chemotherapy efficacy in males (HR = 0.48, P = 0.01), high grade tumors (HR = 0.54, P = 0.015), and high income patients (HR = 0.35, P = 0.001), while stage stratified analysis showed that the overall survival benefit of chemotherapy was limited to patients with stage I–II disease (P for interaction = 0.008). Further interaction analysis revealed that the survival benefit of chemotherapy in patients with stage III–IV disease was significantly attenuated compared to those with stage I–II disease (HR = 0.06, P = 0.049), indicating a pronounced stage dependent effect. Multivariate Cox regression identified age, tumour stage and radiotherapy as independent prognostic factors. The constructed nomogram integrating these factors with marital status and chemotherapy achieved C-indices of 0.674 (training set) and 0.691 (validation set). Notably, it exhibited strong discriminative ability with AUC values of 0.672, 0.658, and 0.657 for predicting 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS in the training set, and even higher values of 0.741, 0.712, and 0.745 in the validation set. This tool provides individualized 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS predictions, addressing critical gaps in CBO specific prognostic assessment and supporting personalized therapeutic decision making.
Arthroscopy assisted single bone tunnel two stranded en Masse repair for peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex tears
Abstract This study aimed (1) to provide a stepwise, reproducible description of a single-bone-tunnel, two-stranded, anchorless ligament-specific (‘en Masse’) repair for traumatic peripheral TFCC tears, and (2) to evaluate one-year clinical outcomes and exploratory prognostic factors in a retrospective consecutive case series. Forty-eight patients were retrospectively included. Postoperatively, ballottement testing revealed no detectable distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) laxity ( p < 0.001). The mean visual analog scale (VAS) pain score (7.2 to 1.9), grip strength (66.1% to 81.3%), Mayo wrist score (MWS, 64.3 to 81.9), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score (37.1 to 12.7) were improved postoperatively ( p < 0.001). There were no surgery-related complications. On multivariable analysis, longer symptom duration ( p = 0.031) and positive ulnar variance ( p = 0.045) were associated with lower MWS; model fit was modest ( R 2 =0.224). Arthroscopic-assisted en Masse repair for peripheral TFCC tears was associated with improved clinical outcomes at one year or more after surgery, and postoperative ballottement testing revealed no detectable DRUJ laxity. Within this cohort, one-year follow-up precluded assessment of long-term durability; also, applicability to degenerative/chronic peripheral TFCC tears remains undetermined.
Diet-induced steatohepatitis does not cause heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in male middle-aged C57BL/6N mice
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a condition characterized by inflammation and liver fibrosis. MASH patients are at a high risk of developing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), thus raising the question of whether liver dysfunction directly or indirectly leads to HFpEF. Diet-induced murine liver disease models are well established; however, it is not clear whether these mice develop HFpEF. In this work, we studied the metabolic pathophysiological effects of two formulated diets, including a high fat (HF) diet, and a high fat, high fructose, high cholesterol diet (HFFC). Both the HF and the HFFC diets induced obesity and liver steatosis, with the HF diet being more potent in increasing adipose tissue volume and the HFFC diet being more potent in increasing hepatocyte lipid storage. Additionally, the HFFC diet, not the HF diet, caused liver inflammation and fibrosis. Although the HFFC diet induced steatohepatitis in treated mice, these mice had normal cardiac function and histology. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that HFFC diet-stress induces MASH without harming the heart and suggest that liver dysfunction is not sufficient to cause HFpEF in mice.