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Experimental characterization of silica gel adsorption and desorption isotherms under varying temperature and relative humidity in a fixed bed reactor
Federated hierarchical MARL for zero-shot cyber defense
Cyber defense systems face increasingly sophisticated threats that rapidly evolve and exploit vulnerabilities in complex environments. Traditional approaches which often rely on centralized monitoring and static rule-based detection, struggle to adapt to new, crafted, and novel attack patterns. This paper presents the Adaptive Zero-Shot Hierarchical Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (AZH-MARL) framework, a novel approach that integrates hierarchical reinforcement learning, zero-shot learning capabilities, and federated knowledge sharing to build resilient cyber defense systems. The hierarchical structure decomposes complex defense tasks into specialized sub-tasks managed by agents, reducing the learning problem’s complexity and enabling more efficient coordination. The zero-shot learning component allows the framework to recognize and response to previously unseen attack patterns through semantic mapping. Furthermore, the federated learning learning component facilitates for knowledge sharing across network domains while preserving data privacy, enabling collaborative defense without exposing sensitive information. The detailed evaluation demonstrates that our approach significantly outperforms existing methods across a range of scenarios. It achieves a high detection rate of 94.2% for known attacks and 82.7% for zero-day exploits, while maintaining a low false positive rate of 3.8%. This robust performance extends to the most sophisticated threats, achieving an 87.3% containment rate against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). The framework’s zero-shot capability is underpinned by a semantic mapping accuracy of 89.3%, which enables rapid adaptation to novel threats. Consequently, the mean response time is reduced by 35% for known attacks and 42% for zero-day exploits compared to the best-performing baseline. Finally, the federated learning architecture proves highly efficient, reducing communication overhead by 45% while preserving privacy. These results collectively demonstrate our framework’s potential to set a new standard for resilient and adaptive cyber defense in complex, distributed environments.
The significance of glycemic variability in conjunction with lactate metabolism levels in the clinical assessment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
Impact of ventilation and ambient temperature on COVID-19 transmission in clinic waiting rooms: A computational fluid dynamics approach
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic underscores the necessity of understanding the transmission dynamics in enclosed, high-risk environments, such as clinic waiting rooms. This study used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate the behavior of virus-laden aerosols in clinic waiting rooms under six different scenarios with various temperatures and ventilation setups, offering insights into practical strategies for enhancing safety in healthcare environments. Key findings demonstrated that effective ventilation, through open windows and mechanical systems, can reduce virus-laden aerosol concentrations by up to 99.3% under optimal conditions (e.g., from 5.80 kg/m3 to 0.04 kg/m3By contrast, poorly ventilated scenarios exhibit significantly higher viral concentrations, which can rise as high as 5.80 kg/m3. A novel aspect of this research lies in the comprehensive modeling of human anatomy and aerosol interactions, which enhances the accuracy of viral-trajectory predictions. The practical implications include strategic recommendations for ventilation system design to mitigate transmission risks in clinical settings. These insights provide guidelines for healthcare facility design and emphasize the critical role of environmental control in reducing exposure to airborne pathogens.
Effects of normal stress on shear properties and acoustic emission characteristics of bonded rock-concrete interfaces
Development and validation of an adolescent health literacy scale in Ethiopia: A mixed methods approach
Background Adolescent health literacy (HL) is a significant public health concern, especially in developing countries with predominantly young populations like Ethiopia, as it impacts both their immediate and long-term health outcomes, and consequently, the overall wellbeing of their societies. Since HL is influenced by socio-cultural contexts, a locally developed and validated HL scale is essential for generating quality data and designing effective interventions. However, such a context-specific, validated HL scale for this age group is currently lacking in Ethiopia. This study, therefore, aims to develop and validate an adolescent HL scale tailored to the socio-cultural context of Ethiopia, to support measurement and intervention efforts. Methods This study employed a mixed methods approach, conducted in three stages between March 09, 2023 and January 25, 2024. In the first stage, concepts, categories/dimensions, and items were generated, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions as data collection methods, to inform scale design, and the scale was subsequently developed based on these elements. The second stage comprised evaluating the scale’s content, cognitive, and usability standards through expert reviews/evaluations, cognitive interviews, and a pilot survey, followed by modifications based on these evaluations. The third stage involved further evaluation of the validity and reliability of the scale on a larger random sample, using confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests, respectively. Purposive, convenience, and random sampling techniques were employed to select participants. The study was conducted in Afaan Oromo and Amharic languages as per the participants’ preferences. Data analysis was conducted using Atlas.ti (version 7.5.18) and SPSS with AMOS (version 23.0). Results In the first stage of the study, an initial pool of 88 items was generated and then reduced to 40 items following a rigorous review of their coverage and uniqueness. In the second stage, evaluations for content, cognitive, and usability standards further refined the items to 33 covering five dimensions: health information competency, communication, health awareness and knowledge, decision-making and behavior, and citizenship and responsibility. Finally, in the third stage, validity and reliability testing of the 33-item scale yielded strong results. For instance, confirmatory factor analysis produced CFI, TLI, and RMSEA values of 0.976, 0.974, and 0.034, respectively, and reliability testing provided a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.973 for the full scale and 0.850–0.937 for the subscales in the Afaan Oromo version. For the Amharic version, the corresponding values were 0.965, 0.962, and 0.039, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.970 for the full scale and 0.783–0.937 for the subscales. Conclusion The study developed and validated an adolescent HL scale, using a mixed methods approach within the socio-cultural context of Ethiopia, addressing a critical gap in this area. This scale is multidimensional, encompassing HL knowledge, skills, abilities, and related attributes or qualities essential for adolescents today. The scale can be adapted and used with populations beyond adolescents and in other contexts in future studies. It is also vital for designing effective strategies aimed at improving HL in adolescents.
Crossover balloon occlusion technique for access closure during transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a multicenter observational study
Suicide prevention training for allied health professionals within healthcare environments: A scoping review
Despite the knowledge that many individuals who die by suicide have contact with a health professional a short time prior to their death, the delivery and quality of clinical care is reportedly variable. Those affected by suicide have reported poor management of suicidal behavior, noting that many health professionals lack an understanding of, and carry negative attitudes toward suicidality. Though quality crisis care and follow-up treatment have shown to reduce the frequency of repeated suicide attempts, organizational barriers and lack of appropriate training mean these are not always provided. This review aimed to synthesize the evidence on suicide prevention training delivered to allied health professionals within healthcare environments. A scoping review of empirical research on the topic was undertaken using the JBI methodological framework, followed by a content synthesis of the evidence to explore the key characteristics of training and their outcomes. The databases included in the search were MEDLINE, CINAHL, PSYCHinfo, Scopus, and Embase. Final search and extraction from all databases were conducted on the same day in April 2021 and repeated in July 2023. The extracted data was collated and presented in tabular form to facilitate analysis. The review identified 33 relevant articles. The evidence base was largely heterogenous, involving a wide range of training types and underpinning frameworks. The measurement tools used to assess effectiveness of training were mostly not validated, with predominant use of short-term pre-post measures frequently based on perceptions of change rather than objective measures of behavior change. Significantly, evidence presented was generally weak and inconsistent between studies. This review highlighted significant gaps in current knowledge within the field of suicide prevention training delivered to allied health professionals. Investing in efficacious training and professional development opportunities is key to building the capacity to reduce suicide mortality in our community.
Research on GNNs with stable learning
Debt vs. revenue share financing: A theoretical study on revenue share finance in a capital-constrained newsvendor
In the capital-constrained newsvendor paradigm, revenue share financing (RSF) presents a novel yet underexplored financing approach. This theoretical study conducts a comparative analysis of two financing methods: traditional debt financing and revenue share financing. Our research findings indicate that the revenue share ratio, cost share ratio, and debt interest rate are the most critical factors influencing retailers’ decisions. This study further demonstrates that, under certain conditions, both financing strategies can yield competitive profit margins and order quantity. Additionally, we discovered that fund providers have a minimum revenue share ratio, whereas for retailers, there is a maximum revenue share ratio. These two ratios establish a bargaining interval within which an optimal revenue share ratio can be achieved if it falls within this range. Outside this range, RSF is either unattainable or impractical.
A rude awakening
Telomerase activity in T-cells as a functional test for pathogenicity assessment of novel genetic variants in telomere biology disorders
Abstract The telomerase enzyme is essential for telomere maintenance. Pathogenic variants in telomere-associated genes have been associated with critical telomere shortening, resulting in telomere biology disorders (TBD) such as bone marrow failure, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and dyskeratosis congenita. The TBDs are clinically heterogeneous and families with TBD often experience an earlier onset and increased symptom severity for each generation. Consensus guidelines have identified certain genetic variants as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, but many are classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in the absence of additional supporting evidence. The pathogenicity of a VUS in genes encoding the telomerase complex could be evaluated by in vitro telomerase activity (TA) measurement. We have developed a functional TA assay in patient-derived T-cells based on the Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) combined with qPCR. TA was significantly lower in six TBD patients with a TERT or TERC variant compared to controls (0.11 versus 0.54, p < 0.001). Four patients had a TA of more than three standard deviations below the mean of controls, strongly supporting pathogenicity of the variants. In summary, functional analysis of TA in patient-derived cells could support pathogenic evaluation in clinical diagnostics and reduce the number of reported VUS for TBD patients.
The promotive effect of ocean literacy on marine conservation behavior: A qualitative study based on Chinese university students
Ocean literacy plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable marine conservation behaviors, yet its underlying psychological mechanisms among university students remain underexplored, particularly within Asian contexts. This qualitative study aimed to investigate how ocean literacy influences pro-environmental behaviors among Chinese university students through environmental beliefs, values, and perceived responsibility. Semi-structured interviews with 16 university students from four coastal universities in China were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo software. Results indicated that ocean literacy encompasses five interconnected dimensions: scientific knowledge, environmental ethics, behavioral intentions for conservation, policy understanding, and critical thinking. Emotional connectedness and direct experiential engagement emerged as significant factors enhancing students’ environmental awareness and behavioral transformation. The findings also highlighted cultural relevance, social norms, and interactive educational practices as essential elements for translating ocean literacy into tangible conservation actions. Despite participants demonstrating foundational ocean knowledge, limitations in their systemic understanding of complex marine issues were identified, suggesting the need for more comprehensive educational interventions. This study provides empirical insights for optimizing marine education strategies and policy initiatives aimed at enhancing public engagement and achieving sustainable ocean governance.
Efficacy analysis of high-intensity laser therapy for post lumbar surgery syndrome
Identification of novel marker-trait associations for agronomic traits in bread wheat under WANA environments through GWAS
Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a primary staple crop globally and holds particular significance in the West Asia and North Africa region, where it plays a central role in food security and dietary intake. However, rising temperatures, decreased precipitation, and other climate-related stresses increasingly threaten local production. Understanding the genetic basis of agronomic traits is essential for developing high-yielding wheat varieties under harsh conditions. In this study, 191 spring bread wheat genotypes developed by ICARDA for drought and heat tolerance were evaluated across seven environments in Morocco, Sudan, Egypt, and Lebanon for five key agronomic traits. A genome-wide association study using 12,954 SNPs identified 37 significant marker-trait associations (MTAs). The highest number of MTAs was detected for plant height (19), followed by days to maturity (14), thousand kernel weight (5) and three each for days to heading and grain yield. Among these, five MTAs were associated with multiple traits, particularly days to heading, days to maturity and plant height. These included tplb0057m23_716 (5A), AX-94506854 (1B), RAC875_c17628_867 (2A), and wsnp_Ra_rep_c69692_67234463 (3A), validated by both BLINK and FarmCPU models. Candidate genes associated to key traits were identified, such as TraesCS5A02G261900 (tplb0057m23_716), regulating flowering time, pollen maturation and plant height, and TraesCS2D02G583000 (tplb0049b24_1152), associated to grain yield through its role in grain peroxidase activity. Other notable genes include TraesCS5B02G022300 (AX-94476767), encoding N-carbamoyl putrescine amidohydrolase (TaNPLP1−1), involved in abiotic stress tolerance, and TraesCS7D02G102000 (wsnp_Ex_c2054_3852564), associated with cuticular wax biosynthesis for drought and heat protection. Further validation of these SNPs, using inbred lines tested across diverse environments, is required. Once validated, these SNP-derived KASP markers will support breeding for heat- and drought-tolerant lines with desirable agronomic traits.
Experimental study on surface protection support that uses polymer thin spray-on layer
Assessing uncertainty: A study of entropy measures for Burr XII distribution under progressive Type-II censoring
This research study focuses on calculating five entropy measures (Shannon, Rényi, Havrda-Charvát, Arimoto, and Tsallis) for the Burr XII distribution, utilizing progressive Type-II censoring. The study derives maximum likelihood estimators for each entropy measure and constructs two-sided confidence intervals. A comprehensive simulation study evaluates the performance of these estimators across various sample sizes and parameter settings. The results demonstrate that the proposed methods achieve low bias and variance under different censoring schemes, with coverage probabilities consistently close to the nominal level. Additionally, an application to the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Database highlights the practical utility of the entropy estimators in distinguishing between benign and malignant cases. Among the measures evaluated, the Rényi, Havrda-Charvát entropy measures exhibited the most robust performance in both simulation and real life data analysis.
Ultra-wideband optically transparent flexible metamaterial absorber for satellite stealth
Abstract With the rapid advancement of space technology, the stealth capabilities of satellites have become crucial for enhancing their survivability and increasing mission success rates. However, traditional absorbing materials do not adequately address the requirements for flexible conformal designs, high transmittance in the visible light spectrum, and ultra-wideband absorption capabilities in microwave frequencies. To address this issue, we developed an ultra-thin, flexible, ultra-wideband metamaterial absorber that is optically transparent and insensitive to polarization and angle. This design is based on indium tin oxide (ITO) material. The results of the electromagnetic simulation indicate that within the frequency range of 11.09 GHz to 108.20 GHz, the absorption rate of the absorber exceeds 90%. The total absorption bandwidth is measured at 97.11 GHz, resulting in a relative absorption bandwidth of 162.81%. In addition, it continues to demonstrate effective absorption performance for electromagnetic waves with an incident angle of less than 45°. The absorber designed in this study exhibits polarization-insensitive characteristics, enabling it to effectively address the detection of multi-polarization radar. Furthermore, it is compatible with the arbitrary deployment attitudes of the carrier, which significantly enhances the operational reliability of the stealth system in actual combat scenarios.
Association of germline variants in the ZFX gene with primary hyperparathyroidism
Somatic variants in the ZFX gene have been found in human sporadic parathyroid adenomas. This gene encodes a transcriptional factor recently described as a transcriptional activator in multiple types of human tumors. We present the clinical and molecular characterization of three patients diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) who have germline variants in the ZFX gene. The first patient had a pathogenic missense variant (c.2321A > G; p.(Tyr774Cys)) in the heterozygous state. This patient exhibited PHPT along with ear, nose and forehead abnormalities. Additionally, she presented other characteristics seen in patients with pathogenic variants in the ZFX gene, such as hearing loss and multiple cutaneous nevi. The second and third patients had a missense variant of uncertain significance (c.1606C > T; p.(Arg536Cys)) and an in-frame insertion (c.452_460dup; p.(Gly151_Val153dup)) of uncertain significance, respectively, both in the heterozygous state. These patients had no hearing loss, cutaneous melanocytic nevi, or bone or facial deformities. ZFX may be one of the genes to be analyzed in women affected by PHPT with suspected genetic inheritance, especially if they have other features such as facial deformities, hearing loss, and cutaneous melanocytic nevi.