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Acute effects of inspiratory muscle warm-up on muscle oxygenation, perceived exertion and prefrontal cortical activation

Objectives As rowing training loads intensify, the resulting high subjective exertion may force athletes to expand excessive neural impulses and cognitive resources. Given the finite nature of neural capacity, prolonged exposure to such demands could impair information processing, movement stability, and even causing non-contact injury. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of respiratory muscle warm-up intervention on prefrontal cortex and muscle oxygenation dynamics in athletes, thereby exploring its potential to mitigate cognitive-motor strain under rowing training conditions. Methods A total of 54 participants were recruited for the study, with an average age of 21.35 years. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Inspiratory muscles warm-up (IMW), placebo, or blank control. A portable muscle oximeter (Moxy, USA) was employed to monitor the muscle oxygen saturation level of the subjects throughout the training period. The degree of activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was quantified by means of an oxygenation monitoring system (OctaMon). Concurrently, the CR10 scale was utilized to assess perceived exertion. Results Following the intervention, a significant difference in CR10 was observed between the various groups. A series of multiple comparisons demonstrated that the CR10 in the IMW group exhibited a significantly lower value than that observed in the placebo and control groups (p < 0.001). Once the baseline values from the pretest had been accounted for, a significant difference in oxygen saturation was observed between the different groups in the bilateral PFC. Post hoc analysis demonstrated significantly decreased HbO₂ in both the IMW (p = 0.019) and placebo (p = 0.035) groups relative to blank controls. Following the IMW intervention, the muscle oxygen saturation levels of the biceps brachii and vastus medialis in the subjects were significantly higher than those observed prior to training (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was noted between the two tests in the control group, indicating that the IMW intervention can mitigate the decline in muscle oxygenation during training, alleviate discomfort in the lungs and motor muscles, and regulate subjective load. Conclusion The implementation of IMW intervention has the potential to mitigate the subjective burden experienced by athletes, thereby reducing discomfort during training. The combination of PFC activation level and muscle oxygen saturation index provides a superior explanation of the results. Nevertheless, further research is required to ascertain whether IMW can have a sustained positive impact.

Moderating role of mindfulness and social support in the relationship between fertility pressure and fertility quality of life in Chinese infertile men

Men with infertility are susceptible to fertility pressure, thus affecting their fertility quality of life. To develop fertility-pressure resilience interventions, we investigated whether mindfulness and social support could buffer the association between perceived fertility pressure and fertility quality of life in Chinese infertile men. In this cross-sectional study, Chinese men with infertility who visited the clinic for semen examination completed the Fertility Pressure Inventory, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Social Support Scale, and Fertility Quality of Life Scale online. In total, 469 Chinese infertile men (mean age: 32 years) were recruited, of whom 414 (88.3%) reported no childbearing history or high fertility stress. Analysis using generalised linear models revealed that social support had a moderating effect on the association between reproductive stress and reproductive quality of life (F = 11.006, P = 0.001), and between the core (F = 9.063, P = 0.003) and treatment (F = 9.383, P = 0.002) subdimensions of reproductive quality of life and reproductive stress. Among men with high social support scores, the association between reproductive stress and reproductive quality of life (t = −3.146, P = 0.002) and the core subdimension (t = −3.333, P = 0.001) was significant, whereas among men with low social support scores, the association between reproductive stress and reproductive quality of life (t = 0.906, P = 0.365) and the core subdimension (t = 0.266, P = 0.790) was not significant. Mindfulness did not significantly regulate fertility stress and reproductive quality of life(F = 1.528, P = 0.217), its core (F = 1.406, P = 0.236) and treatment (F = 1.026, P = 0.312) subdimensions. Higher social support levels attenuated the negative association between fertility stress and reproductive quality of life (including core dimensions) in infertile men. Experimental studies are needed to determine whether social support is a protective factor.

The effects of hydrotherapy on athletic ability in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disability caused by brain malformations or injuries occurring from conception to infancy. Hydrotherapy is a popular treatment for children with cerebral palsy and other neuromotor disorders. Despite evidence supporting the efficacy of hydrotherapy for treating children with cerebral palsy, there remains controversy regarding its effectiveness over different follow-up periods and in comparison with other physical therapy methods. Objective To compare the effects of hydrotherapy on gross motor abilities, fine motor functions, balance, and muscle tone in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, and to assess evaluate efficacy across different age stages and treatment durations. Methods This meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42024535838). Literature searches were conducted in databases including CNKI, VIP, WanFang, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library starting from June 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the effects of hydrotherapy on gross motor functions, fine motor functions, balance, and muscle tone in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy were included. RCTs were evaluated for quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Outcomes were analyzed by calculating mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) along with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Sixteen studies were included, assessing the impact of hydrotherapy compared to conventional care on gross motor functions in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. The findings indicated that hydrotherapy significantly improved gross motor functions [SMD = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.15–0.68, I2 = 59.5%, p < 0.05], with consistent effects observed in children aged ≤6 years [SMD = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.16–0.68, I2 = 38.2%, p < 0.05] and those aged >6 years [SMD = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.22–0.63, I2 = 59.5%, p < 0.05]. Subgroup analysis based on intervention duration revealed that programs lasting more than 10 weeks were associated with significant improvements [SMD = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.31–0.66, I2 = 65.1%, p < 0.05], whereas no significant effects were found in interventions lasting 10 weeks or less [SMD = 0.14, 95% CI = –0.26–0.53, I2 = 35.6%, p > 0.05]. Hydrotherapy demonstrated a certain positive effect on fine motor functions [SMD = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.46–1.10, I2 = 46.4%, p > 0.05].In contrast, no statistically significant improvements were observed in balance [SMD = 0.64, 95% CI = –0.05–1.34, I2 = 80.7%, p > 0.05] or muscle tone [SMD = –0.45, 95% CI = –0.98–0.07, I2 = 58.2%, p > 0.05]. Conclusion The results indicate that hydrotherapy is more effective than conventional treatment in improving gross motor functions in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, with consistent benefits observed across different age groups and in interventions of longer duration. Hydrotherapy also showed a positive trend in enhancing fine motor functions, although no significant improvements were observed in balance or muscle tone.

Research on APT groups malware classification based on TCN-GAN

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) malware attacks, characterized by their stealth, persistence, and high destructiveness, have become a critical focus in cybersecurity defense for large organizations. Verifying and identifying the sources and affiliated groups of APT malware is one of the effective means to counter APT attacks. This paper addresses the issue of tracing and attributing APT malware groups. By improving and innovating the extraction methods for image features and disassembled instruction N-gram features of APT malware, and based on the Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN) model, the paper achieves high-accuracy classification and identification of APT malware. To mitigate the impact of insufficient APT malware samples and data imbalance on classification performance, the paper employs Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) to expand the sample size. Validation on both public and self-constructed datasets shows that the proposed method achieves an accuracy and precision rate of 99.8%, significantly outperforming other methods. This work provides a foundation for subsequent countermeasures and accountability against related APT attack groups.

Exploring the barriers and facilities migrants face in accessing COVID-19 vaccines in Malaysia: A qualitative study

Background Malaysia provided COVID-19 vaccines for all residents, regardless of citizenship status. However, the extent of vaccine accessibility for migrant populations remains unclear, given the complex healthcare barriers they face. This study explored the barriers migrants faced in accessing COVID-19 vaccines and the measures taken to facilitate their access. Methods This qualitative study, conducted between April 2022 and February 2023, involved 32 purposively selected key informants from non-governmental organisations (7), international organisations (2), labour unions (2), healthcare providers (11) and migrant communities (10). Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured, primarily individual interviews, and analysed using NVivo 12 Pro software following a six-phase thematic analysis: data familiarisation, code generation, theme identification, theme review, theme definition, and reporting. Results Thematic analysis identified barriers—including legal and administrative challenges, digital exclusion, vaccine hesitancy, and logistical issues—and facilitators, such as mandatory vaccination policies, innovative delivery approaches, communication support, and community engagement. Substantial challenges arose from pervasive distrust in healthcare services, compounded by identity document requirements, roadblocks, and fears of immigration arrests. Digital appointment systems excluded many migrants due to language and literacy barriers, data privacy concerns, and the need for identity documents. While vaccine hesitancy among migrants was generally low, concerns were primarily driven by fears of immigration enforcement rather than vaccine safety. Despite vaccination being voluntary, mandatory requirements for digital vaccination certificates or negative COVID-19 test results strongly incentivised uptake. Employer support, driven by economic interests, played a critical role in promoting compliance with workplace vaccination mandates. Collaboration with non-governmental organisations and community partners proved pivotal, offering tailored health communication and building trust. Flexible vaccine delivery strategies, including a shift from centralised to outreach models near residences and workplaces, enhanced access, particularly for hard-to-reach populations. Conclusion Despite numerous challenges, Malaysia’s vaccination efforts were largely successful due to innovative and collaborative delivery and communication strategies. To further improve health equity among marginalised populations, it is essential to enhance culturally sensitive training for frontline workers, strengthen employers’ business ethics, and increase the involvement of trusted stakeholders.

Comparative analysis of supervised learning models for effluent quality prediction in wastewater treatment plants

Effluent quality prediction is critical for optimizing Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, and promoting environmental sustainability. This study evaluates the performance of five supervised learning models—AdaBoost, Backpropagation Neural Networks (BP-NN), Support Vector Machine (SVR), XGBoost, and Gradient Boosting (GB)—using data from a WWTP in Zhuhai, China. The Effluent Quality Index (EQI), integrating multiple pollutant concentrations and environmental impacts, was used as the target variable. The models were trained and tested on 84 monthly datasets, with their performances compared using R2, Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and Mean Bias Error (MBE). XGBoost achieved the best balance between accuracy and robustness, with the lowest MAPE(6.11%) and a high R2(0.813), while SVR excelled in fitting accuracy(R2 = 0.826) but showed limitations in error control. Although we employed GridSearchCV with cross-validation to optimize hyperparameters and ensure a fair model comparison, the study is limited by the reliance on data from a single WWTP and the relatively small dataset size (84 records). Nevertheless, the findings provide valuable insights into selecting effective machine learning models for effluent quality prediction, supporting data-driven decision-making in wastewater management and advancing intelligent process optimization in WWTP.

Climate-sensitive zoonotic diseases transmissible by companion animals: A scoping review protocol

Objective This joint protocol describes two scoping reviews that will identify and describe evidence for climate sensitivity of companion animal zoonotic diseases in cat, dog, and human populations worldwide. Introduction Climate change is a driver for emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases of global health concern. Companion animals can transmit over 70 zoonotic pathogens, some of which are sensitive to changes in meteorological factors. There is disparate evidence in our understanding of climate-sensitive companion animal zoonotic diseases. Inclusion criteria Primary research articles that describe 1) an association or effect between meteorological factors and the risk of zoonotic disease, 2) the presence of spatiotemporal variations in disease incidence or prevalence, or 3) the projected impacts of climate emission scenarios on disease trends will be included. Methods A comprehensive search strategy was developed using index terms and keywords for populations of interest, companion animal zoonotic diseases, and meteorological factors. Articles will be searched on MEDLINE (via Ovid), AGRICOLA (via ProQuest), and Web of Science. Additional articles will be identified using citation tracking. Independent reviewers will systematically apply a two-step study screening process based on defined eligibility criteria. Key study characteristics and findings will be collated and presented as a descriptive summary using graphical and tabular formats. Review registration Two separate protocols have been registered in Open Science Framework. The first review consolidates evidence in cat and dog populations (https://osf.io/ydgc2), while the second review is focused on human populations (https://osf.io/3cvx2).

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination uptake and associated factors among schools girls aged between 9–14 years in Ethiopia: Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA-ET) 2023, multilevel analysis

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the sexually transmitted diseases infections that causes cervical cancer, and it is the second-leading cause of infection-related cancer globally. HPV infection causes around 604,000 cervical cancer cases (342,000 deaths) globally each year. Therefore, this study aimed to assess Human Papillomavirus Vaccination uptake and associated factors among schools girls in Ethiopia. Method Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia (PMA Ethiopia) is a survey project designed to generate data on various reproductive, maternal, and newborn health (RMNH) indicators that can inform national and regional governments. The prevalence of HPV vaccine uptake with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was reported and presented in a forest plot for East Africa Countries using STATA version 14.1. Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Likelihood Ratio (LR) test, Median Odds Ratio (MOR), and deviance (−2LLR) values were used for model comparison and fitness. Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value ≤0.05 in the multilevel logistic model were used to declare significant factors associated with HPV vaccine uptake. Result In Ethiopia, the prevalence of HPV vaccine uptake among schools girls was 30.82% (95% CI: 29.21, 32.45). In the multilevel logistic regression model, girls in age groups of 12–14 years were 2.44 [AOR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.86–3.16] times more likely to take HPV vaccine as compared to girls aged 9–11 years. Similarly, girls who had received any health service and received sexual and reproductive health services had 7.75 [AOR = 7.75, 95% CI: 5.65–10.62], and 3.24 [AOR = 3.24, 95% CI: 2.33–4.51] were more likely to take HPV vaccine compared to their counterparts respectively. Conclusion The study findings indicate that the proportion of girls reporting receipt of the HPV vaccine in this nationally representative survey is an alarmingly low 30.8%. The following critical factors have influenced this rate: age, access to sexual and reproductive health services, general health service utilization, and regional health disparity.

Strategies to enhance clinical teaching and learning in undergraduate nursing education: A scoping review

Background Nursing education comprises theory and practice as two complementary parts. Nursing is a practice-based profession, and students are expected to be practically competent in rendering quality care to the deserving population. Clinical training allows nursing students to gain the practical skills required in the nursing profession. In addition to the practical skills, clinical education helps students to learn skills such as problem-solving, decision-making and critical thinking. However, evidence exists that students cannot acquire clinical competence due to multiple factors. These factors are related to students, the clinical environment, and the nurse/faculty. There is a need to identify strategies to enhance clinical teaching and learning in undergraduate nursing education. Therefore, this scoping review aims to identify evidence-based strategies to support clinical teaching and learning in undergraduate nursing education. Methods A scoping review method underpinned by Peters et al. (2020) framework was employed. A search string developed from the title of the review was used to search online databases to identify peer-reviewed articles published between January 2011 and September 2023. Results Forty studies were included in the review, most originating from the United States. Seven themes were identified: scaffolding the curriculum, transformative teaching and learning approaches, integrating simulation-based education, dedicated education units for clinical placement, applying technology in clinical education, developing interprofessional teamwork and collaboration, and integrating inter-country clinical experience. Conclusion The current scoping review has unveiled strategies relevant to nursing students’ clinical teaching and learning. These strategies could guide curriculum developers, programme organisers, nursing teachers, nursing students, and clinical instructors at clinical learning sites in restructuring clinical teaching and learning in undergraduate nursing education to improve clinical education outcomes.

Mediation and moderation analysis of the association between physical capability and quality of life among stroke patients

To estimate the extent to which physical capability, depressive symptoms, balanced self-efficacy (BSE), and other risk factors, that are interrelated with stroke, influence the quality of life (QoL) in stroke survivors. A theoretical model based on Wilson and Cleary’s model tested the specific hypotheses: 1) physical capability has an indirect effect on QoL mediated by BSE; 2) physical capability has an indirect effect on QoL by depressive symptoms; 3) stroke risk factors (hypertension/diabetes/gender) moderate the above relationship. Six hundred and seventy stroke survivors were enrolled from ten different hospitals in Yunnan province from 2019 to 2021. Patients’ mental and physical function was assessed using the Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS), mini-balance evaluation system test (Mini-BEST), Barthel index (BI), Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC), and Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D). The structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the moderated mediation model in Mplus 8.0 software. The model showed a good fit (RMSEA =  0.075, SRMR =  0.010). BSE significantly mediated the relationship between physical capability and QoL (β =  0.322, p =  0.002). Hypertension was found a significant moderator of all the direct paths from physical capability to QoL through depressive symptoms (В =  0.412, p =  0.015; В =  0.831, p =  0.020, respectively). This study provides a better insight into the relationship between physical capability and QoL via BSE in stroke survivors, which may help establish appropriate treatment for these individuals.

Leveraging molecular-QTL co-association to predict novel disease-associated genetic loci using a graph convolutional neural network

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully uncovered numerous associations between genetic variants and disease traits to date. Yet, identifying significantly associated loci remains a considerable challenge due to the concomitant multiple-testing burden of performing such analyses genome-wide. Here, we leverage the genetic associations of molecular traits – DNA CpG-site methylation status and RNA expression – to mitigate this problem. We encode their co-association across the genome using PinSage, a graph convolutional neural network-based recommender system previously deployed at Pinterest. We demonstrate, using this framework, that a model trained only on methylation quantitative trait locus (QTL) data could recapitulate over half (554,209/1,021,052) of possible SNP-RNA associations identified in a large expression QTL meta-analysis. Taking advantage of a recent ‘saturated’ map of height associations, we then show that height-associated loci predicted by a model trained on molecular-QTL data replicated comparably, following Bonferroni correction, to those that were genome-wide significant in UK Biobank (88% compared to 91%). On a set of 64 disease outcomes in UK Biobank, the same model identified 143 independent novel disease associations, with at least one additional association for 64% (41/64) of the disease outcomes examined. Excluding associations involving the MHC region, we achieve a total uplift of over 8% (128/1,548). We successfully replicated 38% (39/103) of the novel disease associations in an independent sample, with suggestive evidence for six additional associations from GWAS Catalog. Replicated associations included for instance that between rs10774625 (nearest gene: SH2B3/ATXN2) and coeliac disease, and that between rs12350420 (nearest gene: MVB12B) and glaucoma. For many GWAS, attaining such an enhancement by simply increasing sample size may be prohibitively expensive, or impossible depending on disease prevalence.

Explainable one-class feature extraction by adaptive resonance for anomaly detection in quality assurance

In this study, we address the inherent challenges in radiotherapy (RT) plan quality assessment (QA). RT, a prevalent cancer treatment, utilizes high-energy beams to target tumors while sparing adjacent healthy tissues. Typically, an RT plan is refined through several QA cycles by experts to ensure it meets clinical and operational objectives before being considered safe for patient treatment. This iterative process tends to eliminate unacceptable plans, creating a significant class imbalance problem for machine learning efforts aimed at automating the classification of RT plans as either acceptable or not. The complexity of RT treatment plans, coupled with the aforementioned class imbalance issue, introduces a generalization problem that significantly hinders the efficacy of traditional binary classification approaches. We introduce a novel one-class classification framework, using an adaptive neural network architecture, that outperforms both traditional binary and standard one-class classification methods in this imbalanced and complex context, despite the inherent disadvantage of not learning from unacceptable plans. Unlike its predecessors, our method enhances anomaly detection for RT plan QA without compromising on interpretability—a critical feature in healthcare applications, where understanding and trust in automated decisions are paramount. By offering clear insights into decision-making processes, our method allows healthcare professionals to quickly identify and address specific deficiencies in RT plans deemed unacceptable, thereby streamlining the QA process and enhancing patient care efficiency and safety.

Complete testing coverage for the early infant diagnosis algorithm and associated factors among infants exposed to HIV, Uganda, 2017–2019

Background Early infant diagnosis (EID) facilitates early initiation into HIV care for identified HIV-positive infants. According to the Uganda Ministry of Health, EID testing algorithm, testing for infants exposed to HIV (IEH) should occur at <6 weeks, 9 and 18 months of age, and 6 weeks after stopping breastfeeding. Uganda has faced challenges with loss to follow-up (LTFU) of IEH for EID. We assessed complete testing coverage (CTC) to the EID algorithm for IEH and associated factors. Methods We analyzed data from the ‘Impact of the National Program for the Prevention of Vertical Transmission (PVT) of HIV in Uganda (2017−2019)’ study. Mothers living with HIV whose infants tested HIV-negative at 4–12 weeks were enrolled in a prospective cohort (2017 − 2018) and followed until the IEH tested positive, died, was LTFU, or reached 18 months of age. We computed the proportion of IEH tested according to the EID algorithm among surviving infants. CTC was defined as undergoing HIV tests at three designated time points (excluding the 6 weeks after breastfeeding cessation) if HIV negative. IEH who were diagnosed with HIV but were tested at all recommended tests until that point were also considered to have CTC. We evaluated factors associated with CTC using modified Poisson regression. Results Among 1,804 IEH, 912 (51%) were male. Of the 1,804 IEH at baseline, 27 (1%) died. Among the 1,777 IEH included in the primary outcome analysis, 1,282 (72%) completed the study and 941 (53%) infants had CTC according to the EID testing algorithm including 40 (2%) who tested HIV-positive. Perceived discrimination due to HIV status [RR = 0.77, 95%CI (0.65–0.92)], having fewer pregnancies [RR = 0.97, 95%CI (0.68–0.99)], and reporting sexual violence [RR = 0.82, 95%CI (0.73–0.93)] by the mother of IEH were associated with non-CTC. Conclusion About half of IEH were tested at the recommended time points. Interventions to address stigma and sexual violence for mothers may improve CTC for the EID algorithm. Investigations are needed to explore associations between sexual violence, parity, and CTC for the EID algorithm.

Factors associated with chronic opioid use after minimally invasive lung resections

Background Individuals undergoing lung resections experience persistent postoperative pain and are at high risk of chronic postoperative opioid use. This study aims to identify factors associated with chronic opioid use after minimally invasive lung resections (MILR). Study Design This is a retrospective cohort study of individuals who underwent MILR from March 2019 to May 2022 at a single academic institution. The primary outcome was chronic opioid usage, defined as use at least 30 days after surgery. Postoperative pain was managed with a standardized multi-modal pain-control regimen utilizing opioids only as needed. Prescription patterns and dispensing data of opioids at 30-, 60-, and 90-days postoperatively informed usage. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regressions (MVLR) were performed. Results 376 patients were included, 38.6% male, 88.8% white, and a mean age of 64.6 years. A total of 248 (66%) underwent anatomical lung resections. 16.5% used opioids at 30 days, 10.1% at 60 days, and 8.5% at 90 days. In the multivariable model, morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) of opioids on the day before discharge showed a statistically significant association with chronic opioid usage. Age, sex, length of stay, and surgery type were not associated. A 10-unit increase in MMEs increased odds of use at 30-days by 21% (OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.11–1.32, p < 0.001), 20% at 60-days (OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.09 1.32, p < 0.001) and 18% at 90-days (OR 1.18, 95%CI 1.06–1.30, p = 0.002). Conclusion Higher pre-discharge MMEs are associated with an increased likelihood of chronic opioid usage. Future studies should focus on whether preemptive early outpatient intercostal nerve blocks or cryoablations can decrease chronic narcotic usage in high-risk patients.

Hybrid multi-resolution network for DAS data denoising

The rapid advancement of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology has opened up extensive prospects within the field of seismic exploration. However, unforeseeable noise present in actual DAS seismic records has led to the submergence of valuable information beneath intense noise, significantly disrupting reflective signals and diminishing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of seismic data. Consequently, subsequent processing, such as migration and imaging, and interpretation tasks are hindered. In pursuit of an effective denoising approach for DAS data, this study proposes a Hybrid Multi-Resolution Network (HMR-Net), which concentrates on extracting coarse or intricate features from multi-resolution feature maps, thus delving into profound seismic characteristics across diverse scales and resolutions. The integration of error-resilient up-sampling and down-sampling processes serves to optimize the feature extraction ability and mitigate losses arising from sampling procedures. Furthermore, a highly authentic dataset was compiled by utilizing real DAS noise data along with synthetic records obtained through forward simulations. Through validation against both synthesized records and actual seismic records, the effectiveness of the proposed approach in substantially suppressing noise and enhancing the SNR has been demonstrated.

Network assortativity for a multidimensional evaluation of socio-economic territorial biases in university rankings

University rankings are published on a regular basis and taken as a reference by a widespread audience of students, researchers, and companies. Nonetheless, rankings can be affected by socio-economic dragging effects, since they often fail to incorporate information on the variegated conditions in which scores are reached. This inability to capture structural inequalities can generate self-reinforcing awarding mechanisms, e.g. in performance-based funding distribution, that amplify existing gaps and prevent from recognizing achievements of universities in difficult or emerging contexts. In a previous study, we demonstrated the existence of a socio-economic territorial bias in general rankings, which rate the global performance of institutions. However, the interplay of the variety of territorial contexts and the different features of specific disciplines can give rise to more complex effects. In this work, we investigate the influence of the local socio-economic condition on the performance of universities in rankings, considering a multidimensional representation of the phenomenon, involving the dependence on subject, time, and type of ranking. Our findings show that bibliometric rankings are significantly more affected than reputational ones by socio-economic dragging, which strikingly emerges especially in the natural and life science areas. We conclude the analysis by decoupling territorial dragging effects from the achieved ranked scores. Universities that benefit the most from the mitigation of the socio-economic territorial bias are typically located in territories, mostly outside Western Europe and North America, hosting either a capital or other important cities.

Correction: Examining trip-level errors in passively collected mobile device data for data quality assurance

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales among people living with human immunodeficiency virus across the globe: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background People living with HIV are vulnerable to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections because of frequent healthcare visits, the consumption of many antimicrobials, and the weakened immune system to fight infections. Our objective was to provide comprehensive data about ESBL-producing Enterobacterales among HIV-positive individuals across the globe. Methods This meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To select eligible articles published between January 1, 2010, and May 12, 2024, a literature search was performed on available electronic databases such as PubMed, Hinari, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The quality of the included studies was assessed via the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. The data were extracted from the eligible studies via Microsoft Excel 2019 and analyzed via STATA version 17. A random effects model was constructed via the DerSimonian and Laird method. The heterogeneity was checked through the Cochrane Q statistic, and the magnitude was quantitatively measured via I2 statistics. To determine the possible sources of heterogeneity, a subgroup analysis was performed. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted, and publication bias was checked via funnel plots and Egger’s regression tests. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered evidence of heterogeneity and small study effects according to the Cochrane Q statistic and Egger’s test, respectively. The protocol was registered previously (PROSPERO ID: CRD42024557981). Results A total of 5305 HIV-positive individuals from 20 studies were included in our meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales among HIV-positive individuals was 20.30% (931/5305; 95% CI: 15.13–25.47%, P < 0.001), with a high level of heterogeneity (I2 = 97.82%, P < 0.001). The predominant ESBL producers were K. pneumoniae, with a pooled prevalence of 40.84% (76/217; 95% CI: 26.87–54.81%), followed closely by E. coli at 40.14% (348/985; 95% CI: 27.83–52.45%). In the subgroup analysis, the highest magnitude of ESBL-producing pathogens was observed in Asia (195/715; 28.55%), followed by Africa (666/3981; 19.12%). Additionally, the highest pooled prevalence of ESBL-producing pathogens among HIV-positive individuals was reported to be colonization 23.78% (613/2455; 95% CI: 15.36–32.19, I² = 96.78%, p < 0.001), followed by infection 15.77% (318/2850; 95% CI: 10.06–21.49, I² = 97.45%, p < 0.001). Among the different types of ESBL enzyme-encoding genes, blaCTX-M was the most common (73 out of 150 isolates, 48.7%), followed by blaTEM (49 out of 150, 32.7%). Conclusion and recommendations This study demonstrated that HIV-positive individuals are commonly colonized and infected with ESBL-producing Enterobacterales. The highest prevalence of these pathogens was reported in Asia and Africa. To reduce mortality from severe bacterial infections in HIV patients, resources should be distributed equitably across all regions. Particular attention should be given to high-prevalence areas, where early detection of colonization and infection with antibiotic-resistant pathogens is critical. Enhanced surveillance of ESBL-producing organisms among HIV-positive individuals is also strongly recommended.

Dermal formulation based on carbopol and Gum Arabic improves skin retention of indomethacin

Top-down approaches efficiently convert hydrophobic drugs into nanoparticles, and the selection of appropriate additives is critical for successful nanoparticle formulation. Methylcellulose is an additive capable of reducing the drug particle size to less than 200 nm using the wet bead milling method, a breakdown method, and a dermal gel containing indomethacin (IMC) nanocrystal formulated with methylcellulose, which achieved high skin absorption. In this study, we focused on gum arabic (GA) as an alternative additive to methylcellulose and demonstrated whether formulations (carbopol gels) containing IMC nanocrystals with GA for dermal application (IMC-NP@GCgel) enhanced the local and systemic absorption of IMC. The particle size was significantly reduced by bead milling with GA, and the mean particle size of the IMC-NP@GCgel was 40–200 nm. The drug release and skin permeability from IMC-NP@GCgel was higher than those from carbopol gels containing the IMC microcrystals (mean particle size was 15.6 µm, IMC-MP@GCgel). In addition, IMC levels in the skin tissue of rats treated with the IMC-NP@GCgel were higher than those of rats treated with the IMC-MP@GCgel. However, the plasma IMC levels did not differ between the IMC-MP@GCgel- and IMC-NP@GCgel-treated rats. We successfully designed IMC nanocrystals using GA instead of methylcellulose. Moreover, we found that the addition of GA supported the absorption of IMC nanocrystals and enhanced the skin retention of the drug without increasing plasma IMC levels. These results provide useful information for the development of dermal formulations based on nanocrystals.

Tandem reef restoration using corals and sea urchins: Building complex habitat for herbivores

Amidst the decline of coral reef ecosystems, restoration practitioners are expanding their focus to incorporate key reef community components, such as grazers, to improve site conditions and the long-term survivorship of restored corals. We investigated the use of hatchery-propagated Diadema antillarum as well as two other locally abundant urchin species, Lytechinus variegatus and Echinometra viridis, for coral-urchin tandem reef restoration in Florida, USA. Urchins were deployed onto reef plots at various stages of Acropora cervicornis restoration and provided artificial cement refuges to evaluate retention and herbivory rates. Retention of urchins was low and variable among species. After 42 days, retention was 22% for E. viridis, 7% for D. antillarum, and 0% for L. variegatus. Retention was influenced by plot complexity (restoration state) and was significantly higher in high-complexity plots for D. antillarum and E. viridis. Within plots, refuge types did not have a significant influence on urchin retention. A reduction in macroalgal cover was only observed on plots with relocated E. viridis when densities were maintained > 0.4 urchins m-2. A second deployment of D. antillarum, with urchins caged for a month prior to release, resulted in significantly higher urchin retention. Within cages, grazing and the consumption of coral tissue were influenced by urchin density. At low urchin densities (4 urchins m-2) macroalgae cover remained high and corals were overgrown by algae. At intermediate densities (12 urchins m-2) algae were reduced and the growth of corals was maximized. At the highest densities (40 urchins m-2), algal cover was reduced but urchins caused tissue mortality as a result of over-grazing, highlighting the importance of maintaining relocated urchins at adequate densities to maximize the benefits of tandem restoration. Thus, if retention can be improved and urchins maintained at intermediate densities, the tandem restoration of corals and sea urchins could increase the efficacy of reef restoration.