https://www.researchsquare.com/browse Preprints on Research Square en-us https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8506208/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 12:47:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8506208/v1 Introduction: Kidney transplantation is an effective treatment for end-stage renal disease, markedly improving survival and quality of life. However, delayed graft function (DGF) remains a notable early post-transplant complication. This study aims to determine the impact of DGF on mortality, hypertension, graft survival, and other post-transplant complications.Methods This retrospective study included adult recipients (≥ 18 years) who underwent kidney transplantation at the Organ Transplant Unit of Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2023. A total of 285 patients with at least 12 months of follow-up were analyzed. Demographic characteristics, presence of post-transplant hypertension, immunosuppressive regimens, and laboratory parameters related to graft function were extracted from the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) using a standardized abstraction form. Post-transplant hypertension was defined according to the KDIGO 2021 guideline; details of the analytic approach are described in the Statistics section.Results In this cohort of 285 kidney transplant recipients, DGF occurred significantly more often following deceased-donor transplantation (p < 0.001) and was associated with inferior short- and long-term outcomes. Patients with DGF had markedly lower eGFR at discharge (p < 0.001), with differences persisting at the 3rd month (p = 0.045), 6th month (p = 0.030), 3rd year (p = 0.041), and 6th year (p = 0.027). Postoperative complications, particularly bleeding, were more frequent in the DGF group (p = 0.003 and p < 0.01, respectively), and mortality was significantly higher among patients with DGF (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, serum creatinine (p = 0.001) and urine protein levels (p = 0.001) at discharge remained independent predictors of DGF, whereas demographic and pre-transplant variables were not.Conclusion DGF significantly compromises both short- and long-term outcomes after kidney transplantation. Its strong association with deceased donation, early graft injury, and persistently reduced GFR highlights the importance of early identification and vigilant post-transplant management to improve graft and patient survival. Jehat KILIC, Rengin Esen, Caner Varhan, Ömer Faruk ALAKUS, Delyadil Karakas KILIC, Ramazan DANİS 2026-01-09 12:47:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8001231/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 11:50:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8001231/v1 Background Choosing the right way to study is vital for medical students' success. While group learning is encouraged worldwide, its effectiveness in Iraq depends on overcoming traditional teaching methods and practical obstacles.Objective This study aimed to evaluate the comparative impact of collaborative versus isolated learning strategies on the academic performance, information retention, and engagement of medical students in Iraq.Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from a sample of 770 medical students across various colleges in central and southern Iraq to assess learning preferences, perceived academic outcomes, and associated challenges.Results Analysis revealed that 55% of participants preferred individual learning, citing benefits of self-pacing and fewer distractions. In contrast, 29% favored collaborative learning for its enhancement of understanding and critical thinking. A key finding was a discrepancy between collaborative learning's cognitive benefits and academic performance; 56% of students reported mild grade declines with this method, and only 12% showed improvement. Gender differences were also observed, with female students demonstrating higher engagement in group study yet facing greater logistical barriers.Conclusion The study concludes that a hybrid model, which strategically integrates both collaborative and individual learning, is recommended for optimal outcomes. This should be supported by institutional measures such as facilitated group sessions and training in group dynamics to align pedagogical methods with both academic achievement and long-term skill development. Saddam Ali Abbas, Baidaa Najm Obeed, Duaa Ali Jasim 2026-01-09 11:50:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8405591/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 11:48:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8405591/v1 The 1.8–2.3 µm band lies within the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) region and serves as a key operational window for a wide range of applications, including quantum sensing, molecular spectroscopy, and free-space quantum and classical optical communication. Despite its significance, optical devices operating in this band still face two major challenges: chromatic aberration across the wide spectral range and the difficulty of integration due to bulky optical elements. Metalenses are composed of subwavelength nanostructures that locally control the phase and group delay of light, enabling precise wavefront shaping and broadband dispersion compensation. These capabilities make them highly promising for use in infrared optical systems, particularly in applications such as focusing and imaging for compact integrated devices.  In this study, we propose a metallens design based on a CaF2 substrate, where each nanocell consists of a single-bar silicon structure. These nanocells are periodically arranged with a 900 nm period, enabling precise control of dispersion and phase. By systematically finetuning the bar length and width, the design enables simultaneous dispersion compensation and phase modulation, achieving stable focusing performance over a broad spectral range. Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations demonstrate that the metallens design achieves effective suppression of chromatic aberration in the 1800–2300 nm range, maintaining a stable focal position throughout the bandwidth with variation within 6% of the nominal focal length. This design offers a compact, broadband, and high-performance approach for beam collimation and wavefront shaping in the SWIR band, showing promising potential for applications in quantum communication and sensing systems. Yan He, Adetunmise Charles Dada 2026-01-09 11:48:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8415354/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 10:33:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8415354/v1 Digital resources associated with socially significant public buildings and heritage sites range from basic information (e.g., names, functions, room numbers) to extensive archives, including images, oral histories, and videos—typically accessed through websites, mobile apps, or AR/VR platforms. However, these screen-based interfaces lack the tactile and spatial benefits of physical models. Physicalization supports embodied engagement, but physical models alone cannot convey the depth of digital records. This research explores hybrid physical– digital interfaces that link tangible models with digital resources to foster deeper engagement with physical settings.  Our prototype integrates 3D printing, conductive paint, and touch sensors with a web service that links hotspots on a model to associated geometry, narration, and video displayed on large screens or mobile devices.We deployed the system in an exhibition at the University of Calgary and conducted a user study. Empirical findings indicate that participants considered the design easy to use and engaging, and that hybrid interaction enhanced both access to digital information and perceived understanding of each location’s history. Fatemeh Yazdanbakhsh, Hessam Djavaherpour, Peter Dawson, Faramarz Samavati 2026-01-09 10:33:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8552880/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 10:25:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8552880/v1 This study examines research trends, methodological patterns, and systematic gaps in faculty publications from a designated Center of Excellence (COE) in Teacher Education in the Philippines, employing systematic content analysis across multiple analytical dimensions. The research addresses a critical gap in understanding institutional research portfolios within the context of COE designation criteria and national research productivity challenges. Analysis revealed concentration in Science Education and Language Education, with predominant use of quantitative and mixed-methods approaches. Significant methodological gaps included limited sample sizes, heavy geographic concentration in just one province, overwhelming reliance on cross-sectional designs, and absence of true experimental studies with randomized control groups. These patterns align with documented national challenges where Philippine research productivity ranks below ASEAN neighbors with faculty facing heavy teaching loads, insufficient incentives, and limited research skills. Thematic analysis identified ten distinct research clusters, with Digital Transformation and Laboratory-Based Science Education as dominant themes. Gap analysis categorized eight types of systematic limitations, including sample constraints, temporal limitations, geographic restrictions, and underexploration of emerging technologies. Findings have direct implications for COE sustainability, faculty development programming, and institutional research policy. The study contributes methodologically rigorous, context-specific analysis to the limited literature on teacher education research patterns in Southeast Asian contexts, providing evidence-based recommendations for strengthening research portfolios through longitudinal designs, multi-site collaborations, enhanced faculty capacity building, and strategic focus on emerging educational technologies including artificial intelligence. Leonardo Daquioag Tejano 2026-01-09 10:25:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492260/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 10:12:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492260/v1 In Italy, academic achievement and university enrolment are significantly influenced by family socioeconomic status. Despite these challenges, a group of students from low ESCS backgrounds demonstrates academic resilience, achieving high performance and continuing their education. This study examines the factors that contribute to such resilience, focusing on the influences of region and school type through a multinomial modelling approach that considers both high school performance and university enrolment decisions. The results indicate that school effectiveness is the strongest predictor of academic resilience, particularly in relation to the transition to post-secondary education. This finding emphasises the vital role that institutional quality plays in compensating for socioeconomic disadvantages. Additionally, the main findings highlight the ongoing impact of social origin on disadvantaged high achievers and reveal a structured pattern of talent loss among them. Alessandra Pisu, Isabella Sulis, Mariano Porcu 2026-01-09 10:12:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8261668/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 10:08:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8261668/v1 Background To compare outcomes between early stent removal using tie-on-Foley fixation and conventional double-J stenting after ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Methods This retrospective study included 262 patients treated between January 2022 and December 2024. Patients were assigned to either the tie-on-Foley group (n = 58), with stent and Foley removed together on postoperative day 2, or the conventional group (n = 204), with stent removal after 2–4 weeks. Outcomes included operative time, pain scores, stone-free rates, and complications. Results The tie-on-Foley group demonstrated significantly shorter mean operative times. While the tie-on-Foley group reported higher visual analogue scale scores at removal (4.06 versus 2.03, p < 0.001) and required more short-term opioids, they experienced significantly fewer overall postoperative complications (10.3% versus 23.0%, p = 0.034). Notably, postoperative fever was observed exclusively in the conventional group (8.3% versus 0%, p = 0.023). Stone-free rates at one month were comparable between groups. Conclusion Early stent removal via tie-on-Foley fixation is a safe strategy for selected patients with small, distal ureteral calculi and low infection risk. While it causes transient discomfort during removal, it is associated with fewer overall complications and avoids the morbidity of prolonged stenting without compromising surgical success. Clinical trial number Not applicable. Trial registration Not applicable. Po-Wen Wu, Pin-Jui Chen, Huan-Kai Wang, Wen-Hsin Tseng 2026-01-09 10:08:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8553348/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 09:56:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8553348/v1 In developing countries, agriculture plays an essential role in economic growth by providing food security, employment, and raw materials for industries. Diseases in plants, as in other agricultural groups, have a great impact on the reduction of global crop yields. This indicates a need for modern precision agriculture to perform their identification fast and accurately. Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep-learning algorithms are used to detect diseases from leaves images. These approaches are significantly better than traditional methods. Nevertheless, visually similar diseases identification and high accuracy gains involving plenty of categories continue to be challenging. In this research, we used plant village dataset and applied an efficient and enhanced deep learning approach to classify 38 distinct plant leaf diseases. EfficientNetB3 based Convolutional Neural Network (ENBCNN) is selected as a generalizing feature extractor and produces a distinctive classification layer projecting fine patterns of disease with high discriminability to support differentiation. The results of the experiments showed great accuracy 99.7%, very stable learning curves, and reliable cross-validation effects. Our proposed method can accurately identify a wide spectrum of diseases. Therefore, developing this system,  in practical way to implement it into mobile devices and increase the data to improve its usefulness are real conditions. Bushra Kanwal, Maria Ashraf, Zakia Jalil, Tahani Alsubait 2026-01-09 09:56:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8521733/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 09:07:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8521733/v1 The increasing demand for high functionality and dimensional precision in manufacturing has intensified the need for advanced production technologies for corrosion-resistant stainless-steel fasteners. Conventional nut production relies largely on cold forging or machining; however, stainless steels such as SUS304 and SUS316 exhibit low formability at room temperature, resulting in machiningdependent processes with high cost and low material yield. To address these limitations, this study develops an intelligent warm-forging process system capable of producing stainless-steel nuts with improved precision and process stability, based on real-time multi-sensor data and AI modeling. Key process variables—including Material Heating Temperature, Wedge Stroke, Material Feed Length, Die Temperature, Product Temperature, Forming Force, and dimensional responses such as Head Outer Diameter, Body Outer Diameter, Product Height—were continuously collected from an operating production line. Statistical analysis, correlation analysis, causal inference, and machine-learning models were applied to quantify the effects of these variables on dimensional variation and defect rates. The resulting models were integrated into a smart-manufacturing execution system (MES) that supports real-time monitoring, AI-based defect prediction, and parameter guidance. The proposed framework demonstrates the feasibility of AI-assisted warm forging, enabling more consistent product quality, reduced deviation, and enhanced process reliability, thereby contributing to the digital transformation of Korea’s core manufacturing sectors. Soonkwan Hwang, Eunji Bea, Dong Eun Lee, Dong Hyeon Kang, Rang Jin Yoo 2026-01-09 09:07:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8008412/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 09:03:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8008412/v1 Rising temperatures are placing increasing pressure on many cities to adapt pub- lic spaces for heightened heat stress. While the cooling benefits of urban trees are well documented, there remains a limited understanding of how these effects vary across tree types, morphologies, and urban contexts. This study addresses this knowledge gap by employing computer vision techniques to analyze thermal imagery of urban trees in four climatically diverse cities: Amsterdam, Boston, Dubai, and Los Angeles. Our findings reveal significant variation in cooling performance attributable to genera-specific traits, water consumption properties and surrounding environmental factors. By initiating a comparative analysis of urban tree types and their thermal performance, this research provides a foundation for targeted, climate-responsive urban greening policies. Mikita Klimenka, Simone Mora, Diaa Addeen Abuhani, Leslie Norford, Gaetano Saurio, Fábio Duarte, Carlo Ratti 2026-01-09 09:03:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477385/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 09:01:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477385/v1 The mineralogical and elemental composition of Martian soil provides valuable insights into chemical and physical weathering processes on the Red planet's surface. Data from the Mars Exploration Rovers suggest that bright dust deposits on opposite sides of the planet belong to a global unit rather than being influenced by local rock compositions. Dark soil deposits at both sites exhibit similar basaltic mineralogy, indicating either a global component or comparable local rock sources. The presence of olivine suggests limited aqueous alteration, while elevated nickel concentrations imply that the upper soil layers may contain up to one percent meteoritic material, reinforcing the overall homogeneity of Martian surface soil. Physical weathering, driven by extreme temperature fluctuations and strong winds, plays a significant role in soil formation, with global storms facilitating its uniform distribution. Mossbauer analyses from MIMOS II data collected on Mars  provided breakthrough insights into iron mineralogy of the planet’s surface. Resulting from limited measurement time, science operations were divided among multiple instruments, restricting the detection of minor Fe-bearing mineral phases (below 5% WSA). MIMOS II records Mossbauer spectra at 10 K intervals, and to enhance signal to noise ratios, spectra from different intervals were combined, when applicable. For instance, temperature variations between 190 K and 260 K in basaltic samples do not significantly impact the spectra, allowing data from all intervals to be integrated.By combining MIMOS II data from various soil samples and over different temperature ranges, a consolidated M\"ossbauer spectrum for Martian soil at Gusev Crater is proposed, aiming to identify potential minor Fe-bearing mineral phases on the planet's surface. This work combines Mossbauer measurements conducted on undisturbed soils within 10 k and all measurements conducted by Spirit until sOl 2062. Paulo de Souza 2026-01-09 09:01:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8323411/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 08:50:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8323411/v1 We use listed firms data spanning 2010-2017 to study how stock market liberalization affects firm innovation in the context of China, where a quasi-natural experiment called "the China Connect " was conducted in 2014. The difference-in-difference is employed to identify the causal effect and we find that stock market liberalization has significant positive effect on corporate innovation and the marginal effect features an increasing trend. This relation is robust in propensity score matching, high dimension fixed-effect regressions, double machine learning method and alternative innovation measures. Stock market liberalization can not only bring direct knowledge spill-over effect that help firms innovate in both known and unknown areas, but also improve the financing quality and stability of listed firms in stock market. Meanwhile, it can improve the insurance for firm managers against innovation failures. Zhen Cai, Ruting Wang 2026-01-09 08:50:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8396214/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 08:43:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8396214/v1 Mesoscale eddies strongly influence ocean circulation and Earth’s climate, yet traditional altimetry lacks the resolution to constrain their distribution at high latitudes. Using one year of wide-swath satellite measurements, we reveal eddy hotspots and eddy deserts across subpolar and polar regions, including the seasonal ice zone. These observations expose previously unseen mesoscale variability and provide the first observational benchmark for evaluating climate models and eddy-driven climate impacts at high latitudes. Charly de Marez, Matthis Auger, Carolina Dufour 2026-01-09 08:43:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7966906/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 08:42:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7966906/v1 4D printing, integrating the temporal dimension into 3D printing, offers transformative potential for biomedical engineering. Yet its application to metals is constrained by the scarcity of suitable alloys and the requirement for harsh external stimuli to trigger shape change. Here, we introduce 4D printed architected metal structures (4DAMS) driven by controlled biodegradation. The 4DAMS combine biodegradable constraints (e.g., Mg or Zn) with biometals of higher corrosion potential (e.g., Ti). Upon selective constraint degradation, the structures recover their original geometry—via stretching, bending, or expansion—generating programmable recoil forces tuned through structural design parameters. When developed as scaffolds for bone implants, 4DAMS exhibit excellent cytocompatibility and, in vivo, promote superior bone regeneration through the synergistic effects of bioactivity and mechanical stimulation. This strategy establishes a new paradigm in 4D metal printing, enabling bioactive, self-restoring implants with broad applicability across biomedical engineering. Yu Qin, Zehao Jing, Aobo Liu, Youhao Wang, Shanshan Liu, Bo Peng, Zhinan Mao, Chongbin Wei, Hongtao Yang, Peng Wen, Yufeng Zheng, Weishi Li 2026-01-09 08:42:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8365752/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 08:37:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8365752/v1 Noxious mechanical stimuli give rise to distinct percepts, from sharp cutaneous pain to diffuse visceral discomfort, yet the nociceptor ensembles that underlie these differences remain poorly defined. We mapped the peripheral architecture of nociceptive signaling by combining in vivo activity labeling of pelvic nerve afferents with single-cell RNA sequencing. Noxious stimuli recruited diverse classes of mechano-nociceptors, but stimulus type exerted modest influence on the composition of activated ensembles. Instead, tissue identity imposed the dominant organizational structure: stimulation of cutaneous and deep pelvic tissues engaged distinct subsets of both myelinated and unmyelinated neurons, revealing a clear domain-level division. Within this architecture, we identified a bladder-innervating myelinated nociceptor subtype with distinctive molecular features, illustrating an additional layer of refinement. Functional imaging and anatomical tracing corroborated this multilevel organization. These findings reveal a hierarchical organization of peripheral mechanical pain encoding, in which mechano-nociceptor populations are differentially engaged according to tissue domain and organ context. Marcin Szczot, Felipe de-Faria, Gabriela Carballo, Melisa Maidana Capitán, Ilona Szczot, Marek Brodzki, Christoffer Karlsson, Leandro do Nascimento, Håkan Olausson, Max Larsson 2026-01-09 08:37:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8388053/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 08:00:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8388053/v1 Cancer progression involves systemic changes that extend beyond the primary tumour. Through cancer-induced systemic conditioning, breast tumours generate subclinical alterations in distant organs that facilitate metastatic seeding and pre-metastatic niche formation. Neutrophils, mobilized through cancer-driven emergency granulopoiesis, actively contribute to this process. In this study, we extend the concept of neutrophil-dependent conditioning beyond pre-metastatic sites, uncovering a broader systemic regenerative activation that links inflammation, tissue regeneration, and metastasis. This activation manifests as enhanced epithelial progenitor activity, measured by increased organoid formation, across multiple organs, including those with low risk of breast cancer metastasis. This neutrophil-dependent perturbation in lung alveolar progenitors and intestinal epithelial lineage commitment, is an indication of altered organ physiology, enhancing tissue resilience to injury. Moreover, we identify UPP1 expression, which exclusively characterizes neutrophils generated through emergency granulopoiesis, as a key factor sustaining high translational activity in neutrophil progenitors and enabling the full acquisition of cancer-primed properties. Consequently, neutrophil loss of UPP1 reduces both their lung pro-metastatic function and their capacity to activate alveolar progenitors. Mechanistically, this involves interactions between cancer-primed neutrophils and platelets, which localize within lung interstitial spaces near alveolar cells to stimulate epithelial progenitor activity. Together, these findings uncover a previously unrecognized tumour-induced systemic conditioning in which neutrophils coordinate epithelial regenerative activation as part of a pro-metastatic epithelial niche, with UPP1 as a key determinant of their cancer-primed state. Ilaria Malanchi, Nick Rabas, Victoria Bridgeman, Anisha Ramessur, Constandina Pospori, Marc Hennequart, Felipe Silva Rodrigues, Ana Farias, Rute Ferreira, Konstantinos Axarlis, Olamide Nduka, Probir Chakravarty, Nathalie Legrave, Izadora Furlani, R. Coombes, James MacRae 2026-01-09 08:00:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7047831/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:47:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7047831/v1 Coordinating ecological protection and economic development is the core proposition for achieving regional sustainable development, and this holds true for Yunnan Province, a key ecological security barrier area in Southwest China. Based on land cover datasets and socio-economic statistical data from 2000 to 2020, this study employs land use transfer matrix, ecosystem service value equivalent method, coupling coordination degree model, and obstacle degree model to systematically analyze the spatio-temporal interaction mechanisms and obstacle factors of the coupling and coordination between ecosystem services and economic development in the study area. (1) From 2010 to 2020, the evolution of land use exhibited an overall trend of "seven increases and one decrease," with a net increase of 1858.5 km² in forest land and a sharp decrease of 7209.8 km² in grassland. The dynamic degree of construction land ranked first, and the comprehensive dynamic degree maintained a low-level fluctuation between 0.08% and 0.14%. (2) The total ESV increased by 0.38% to 761.384 billion yuan, with regulation services accounting for a relatively high proportion and continuing to rise. There were no significant changes in the value of supply and cultural services. A highly synergistic phenomenon of "regulation-support-culture-partial supply service clusters" was observed in ecosystem services. The degree of system coupling and coordination exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, with a generally high level of coupling. The coupling coordination degree demonstrates the characteristics of "overall improvement with local breakthroughs," being predominantly led by ecosystem services. To a certain extent, the ecological functional zoning has achieved the goal of focusing on ecological protection. Yunnan Province has preliminarily formed a pattern of coordinated development between ecology and economy, but the level of coordination remains low. Both the urban-rural income gap in the economic dimension and the equity of service supply in the ecological dimension constitute bottlenecks for the coordinated development of the system. Xiaoli Yi, Yuewei Ma, Yuesheng Pu, Xiaoyan Yi, Qingda Yang, Yunyuan Li, Yanmei Chen, Yali Gui 2026-01-09 07:47:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8500923/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:38:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8500923/v1 Background Vaccination is a cornerstone of preventive medicine; however, adult vaccination coverage remains suboptimal, particularly among older populations. Age-related immunosenescence, the high burden of chronic diseases, and increased susceptibility to severe infections underscore the importance of adult immunization in individuals aged 65 years and older. Aims This study aimed to evaluate adult vaccination status among individuals aged ≥65 years, identify factors influencing vaccination decisions, and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccination behaviors. Methods This single-center, descriptive study was conducted in the vaccination outpatient clinics of a tertiary training and research hospital. A total of 1,800 individuals aged ≥65 years were included. Data were collected through face-to-face questionnaires covering sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases, adult vaccination status, reasons for vaccination, and pandemic-related changes in attitudes. Vaccines routinely recommended for older adults—seasonal influenza, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), COVID-19, tetanus–diphtheria (Td), and herpes zoster—were evaluated. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square tests. Results The highest vaccination rates were observed for PCV (46.7%) and seasonal influenza (33.2%), while herpes zoster vaccination was extremely low (0.6%). Vaccination rates were significantly higher among individuals with higher educational levels, chronic diseases, and those who believed in vaccine effectiveness (p<0.05). The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased acceptance of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, with post-pandemic pneumococcal vaccination rates nearly doubling compared with the pre-pandemic period. Discussion Findings indicate persistent gaps in adult immunization coverage, despite improved awareness during the pandemic, particularly for vaccines other than influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. Conclusions Adult vaccination rates among older individuals remain below target levels. Strengthening health literacy, reinforcing physician recommendations, and sustaining pandemic-related awareness may improve adult immunization, especially for underutilized vaccines such as herpes zoster. İLKNUR DEMİR, GÜZİN ZEREN ÖZTÜRK, Beray Gelmez Taş 2026-01-09 07:38:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8544228/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:29:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8544228/v1 NyishiBERT is a foundational transformer-based language model specifically developed for Nyishi (njz-Latn), a Sino-Tibetan language of Northeast India. Utilizing the ModernBERT-Base architecture, the model was trained on a severely low-resource corpus of 55,870 sentences sourced from the WMT25 shared task, achieving a test perplexity of 20.78. Downstream performance was evaluated using a sentiment classification task constructed via label projection and high-confidence filtering. Results demonstrate that the learned representations effectively support classification even under weak supervision. The model, training code, and evaluation datasets are publicly released to provide a foundational baseline for future research in the Tani language subgroup. Badal Nyalang 2026-01-09 07:29:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8553560/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:25:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8553560/v1 Despite decades of liberalization and regional trade initiatives, intra-African trade remains persistently low, with external markets often prioritized over regional exchange. This study advances a novel explanation for Africa’s undertrading by conceptualizing trade openness not merely as a technical policy variable but as an expression of liberal economic ideology. Focusing on Ghana and its 34 major African trading partners over the period 1996 to 2020, the paper employs instrumental-variable 2SLS and GMM estimators within a gravity-model framework to isolate ideational effects from conventional economic determinants. The results show that greater trade openness among partner countries systematically reduces Ghanaian exports while increasing imports. This generates an asymmetric pattern of trade deflection in which Ghana loses. These findings demonstrate that when openness is internalized as an ideological norm rather than deployed as a conditional policy instrument, liberalization reorients trade toward global markets at the expense of intra-African exchange. The paper contributes to the literature by linking ideology to observable trade outcomes and highlights that the effectiveness of the AfCFTA depends on complementing liberalization with regionally calibrated, development-oriented trade strategies. Beyond Ghana, the findings suggest that liberal trade norms can subtly reorient African trade toward global markets, underscoring the need for policies that balance openness with regional integration under the AfCFTA. JEL Classification:  F14 • F15 • O55 • P45 • C33 Wisdom Agape Newman (PhD), Lord Cephas Yevugah-Mawuko 2026-01-09 07:25:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8322598/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:20:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8322598/v1 Coreference resolution based on pretrained language models remains constrained in long-span contexts. This paper first provides a formal explanation from a mathematical modeling perspective of the root causes of performance degradation in long-span scenarios: the attention distribution exhibits magnitude contraction and directional noise accumulation with increasing cross-sentence distance, leading to attention dilution. Building on this analysis, This paper propose three improvements within the BERT framework: (1) a hybrid-similarity self-attention mechanism that balances magnitude sensitivity and directional stability between querykey vectors to suppress long-distance attention dilution; (2) a contrastive reformulation of cross-entropy, which, in line with the tasks binary nature and the modified representations, introduces a positivenegative information separation term to enhance inter-class separability and robustness to hard negatives; and (3) a layer-stable optimization strategy that, motivated by the semantic heterogeneity of attention heads, employs layer freezing and a three-stage pretrainingfine-tuningrefining pipeline to preserve lower-layer lexical and syntactic cues while progressively strengthening discourse-level semantics and stabilizing higher-layer representations. Experiments on the Chinese and English portions of OntoNotes 5.0 show consistent gains over strong baselines, with F1 improved by 0.9 and 1.1 points, respectively, providing an interpretable and extensible solution for cross-lingual coreference modeling.  Yu Wang, Dong Ding, Shu Xu, Zenghui Ding, Jianqing Gao, Min Yang, Xianjun Yang 2026-01-09 07:20:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487713/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:05:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487713/v1 In recent years, studies on climate-induced migration have proliferated, but the focus has been mainly on low- and middle-income countries. This paper fills this gap by examining whether climate-driven migration patterns emerge in high-income settings, specifically Italy, one of the European countries most severely affected by climate change due to its Mediterranean location. Using annual bilateral migration flow data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) for the period 2002-2023, drawn from the National Register of the Resident Population across 104 provinces (NUTS-3 level), and combining these data with drought severity indices (SPEI and PDSI), we examine how worsening climatic conditions affect internal migration within Italy. We adopt a panel data framework using a Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator, which allows us to capture both spatial and temporal variation in climate shocks and migration responses across provinces and regions. Our findings yield three main insights. First, we find robust evidence that drought exposure drives internal migration flows, showing that even high-income countries with greater adaptive capacity are not immune to climate-induced mobility. Translating the estimated effects into population counts shows that drought exposure over the past two decades is associated with several hundred thousand additional inter-provincial moves, with implied effects exceeding 560,000 migrants in high-exposure settings. Additional analyses also indicate higher international out-migration from drought-affected provinces, challenging the view that climate migration is primarily a concern of lower-income countries. Second, we reveal significant heterogeneity by citizenship status: foreign citizens display a markedly higher propensity to migrate in response to adverse climatic conditions than Italian citizens. Third, we find that local economic structure plays a crucial role, with drought-induced out-migration being strongest in middle-income regions rather than in the poorest or richest areas. Analyses of agricultural dependence reveal similar non-linear patterns, and further evidence indicates that drought affects migration by depressing local incomes and widening income gaps relative to potential destinations. Together, these results have important implications for climate adaptation policy, highlighting the need for proactive planning and early warning systems to anticipate and manage climate-induced movements. Emre Karabulutoğlu, Lorenzo Casprini, Raya Muttarak 2026-01-09 07:05:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8212646/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 07:01:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8212646/v1 Background: Neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in chronic pain with cognitive dysfunction (CPCD), a debilitating condition where effective treatments are limited. While spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an established analgesic therapy, its potential to ameliorate cognitive deficits via central immunomodulation remains largely unexplored. Methods: A rat model of CPCD was established by spared nerve injury (SNI). We employed RNA sequencing to identify SCS-regulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The functional role of a specific microglial lncRNA, lnc-PCM1, was investigated using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated approaches, behavioral tests, molecular assays, and primary cell co-cultures. Results: SCS treatment significantly improved cognitive function in CPCD rats. We identified lnc-PCM1 as a key mediator, predominantly expressed in microglia, whose expression was suppressed by SCS. Mechanistically, SCS-mediated inhibition of lnc-PCM1 upregulated its target PCM1, thereby attenuating the protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation / interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling axis. This led to a reduction in microglial M1 polarization and pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Consequently, SCS mitigated IFN-γ-driven neuronal oxidative stress, apoptosis, and synaptic damage in the PFC. Critically, the therapeutic benefits of SCS on cognition and neuroinflammation were abolished by overexpressing lnc-PCM1 or knocking down PCM1. Conclusions: Our study unveils a novel immunomodulatory mechanism of SCS: it ameliorates CPCD by resolving neuroinflammation through targeting the microglial lnc-PCM1/PKC/IFN-γ pathway. These findings position lnc-PCM1 as a promising new target for immunopharmacological interventions in chronic pain-related cognitive disorders. This cascade not only inhibited microglial pro-inflammatory activation but also restored PFC neuronal synaptic integrity, which collectively contributed to cognitive rescue. Qin Li, Deshan Li, Shunxin Liu, Jiang Zou, Hui Pan, Huaiming Wang, Jinjun Shu, Zheng Zou, Pengjiu Feng, Hongwei Zhang, Aimin Zhang 2026-01-09 07:01:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8293614/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 06:38:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8293614/v1 Background Global fertility rates are declining, with internet use as a potential contributing factor. According to Life History Theory, childhood unpredictability may promote faster life strategies, including permissive sexual attitudes that could reduce parenting motivation. However, the role of sexually explicit internet material (SEIM) as a modern behavioral pathway linking early-life experiences to explicit fertility intentions remains unexplored, particularly in culturally conservative contexts. This study examines the serial mediation of SEIM use and permissive attitudes between childhood unpredictability and fertility intentions among Chinese female youths. Methods A sample of 2049 Chinese female youths ( aged 17–24) completed the Childhood Unpredictability Scale, SEIM Use Questionnaire, Permissive sexual attitudes Scale and Fertility Intentions Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 6) to test correlations, regression, and mediation effects. Results The results generally supported the applicability of the models. The SEIM use and permissive sexual attitudes were significant mediators of the relationship between childhood unpredictability and three fertility intention indices: fertility willingness, ideal number of children, and ideal childbearing age. Conclusions The findings suggest that, in modern life, technology such as the Internet may act as an emergent mediator, linking childhood environment influences to the trade-offs of different reproductive strategies. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. Yu Chen, Lidan Tang, Lanjun Qiu, HuaChun Xu 2026-01-09 06:38:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7892375/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 06:27:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7892375/v1 The rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping industries and creating new roles, requiring updated cross-sectoral skills. This paper proposes a framework to evaluate the GenAI readiness of university degree programs, aligning academic training with emerging AI careers. It focuses on five professional profiles: GenAI data scientist, prompt engineer, ethical AI specialist, AI product manager, and creative AI specialist. A structured methodology maps required competencies against degree programs in Italian universities, applying a readiness Likert scale score (0–5). ChatGPT 4.0 is used to assess alignment between official degree program descriptions and predefined skill sets, producing both quantitative scores and qualitative feedback. Results show moderate alignment in some programs, with significant gaps for roles such as prompt engineer, ethi- cal and creative AI specialist, together with some association between role pairs, such as between prompt engineer and creative AI specialist which require some similar skills. The framework supports students’ educational choices and guides employers and universities in strengthening GenAI talent pipelines. Dario Russo, Giorgio Alleva, Piero D. Falorsi, Giancarlo Manzi 2026-01-09 06:27:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8520272/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 06:03:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8520272/v1 In the field of signal analysis for machinery health monitoring and fault diagnosis, this paper presents a comprehensive methodology that combines Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD), Hilbert Envelope Spectrum (HSE), Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), and advanced machine learning techniques. The primary goal is to establish a robust and precise approach for signal decomposition and feature extraction. Initially, VMD is used to decompose the signal into Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). The HES of each IMF is then calculated, and the IMF with the highest Spearman coefficient correlation with the HES of the original signal is selected. Key indicators are computed from this selected IMF, and RFE is employed to identify the most relevant features. The methodology begins with VMD-based signal decomposition. The performance of each IMF is assessed by its correlation with the HSE of the original signal. The IMF with the highest Spearman coefficient is selected as the primary diagnostic feature. These indicators are standardized to ensure robustness and comparability. The standardized features are then used for fault diagnosis with various machine learning algorithms, including support vector machines, random forests, and discriminant analysis. The proposed methodology is validated using five datasets comprising three vibrational, one acoustic, and one electrical dataset. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in accurately detecting and diagnosing faults, enhancing the reliability and maintenance efficiency of industrial machinery. Abdel wahhab LOURARI, Tarak BENKEDJOUH 2026-01-09 06:03:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8375017/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 06:02:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8375017/v1 Compliant mechanisms achieve motion through elastic deformation rather than contact surfaces, eliminating friction, wear, and lubrication requirements. Their design and adoption in cryogenic and space applications have historically been constrained by conventional manufacturing processes that limit geometric complexity.  This work exploits the design freedom of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) to propose a streamlined Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) workflow for optimizing and customizing a flexure pivot operating at 4.2 K within the Mode Selector Mechanism (MSM). The methodology comprises three stages: (i) material selection and post-processing - 316L stainless steel combined with stress annealing and HIP - to ensure cryogenic compatibility and fatigue strength; (ii) optimization of the Interlocked Lattice Flexure (ILF) geometry considering performance metrics (stroke, stiffness, guiding accuracy) and AM constraints (overhang, minimum feature size); and (iii) flexure thickness tuning to meet project-specific requirements while mitigating AM-induced variability, enabling rapid customization.  Numerical and experimental validation confirmed compliance with design targets:  +/-3.5 deg stroke, stiffness of 3.97~mNm/deg, and fatigue life exceeding 10^6 cycles under over-testing conditions (115% of operational range).  Failure analysis further demonstrated that the ILF design inherently localizes damage, preventing catastrophic failure and enhancing robustness for aerospace applications.  These results underscore the transformative potential of AM for high-performance, customizable compliant mechanisms in extreme environments. Guilain Lang, Lionel Kiener, Maxime Lautenbacher, Florent Cosandier, Etienne Lallemand, Tanguy Thibert, Herve Saudan 2026-01-09 06:02:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503985/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 06:01:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503985/v1 Context Industry 4.0 initiatives have promoted the adoption of new digital technologies in industrial environments. However, a large portion of industrial plants still rely on legacy Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and software systems developed over several decades. In developing countries, economic constraints often make full system replacement impractical, resulting in limited interoperability between legacy and modern industrial technologies. Objective This paper proposes an applied approach for the digital modernization of industrial systems through the integration of legacy PLCs with low-code-based platforms, aiming to support incremental Industry 4.0 adoption without requiring hardware replacement.  Method A Design Science Research (DSR) methodology was adopted to design and refine a workflow for legacy system integration. The problem context was characterized through a practitioner survey and a Systematic Literature Review. Based on the identified challenges, a set of requirements was defined and iteratively refined through three industrial case studies, allowing the evaluation of the proposed workflow under different legacy system conditions.  Results The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of integrating legacy PLC-based systems with contemporary digital platforms. Tools such as Node-RED and BIPES enabled data acquisition, processing, and interoperability between legacy and modern components, provided that constraints related to legacy code, communication protocols, and physical interfaces are properly addressed.  Conclusion The proposed workflow offers a practical contribution to industrial digitalization by supporting the gradual integration of legacy systems into Industry 4.0 environments. The approach can reduce technological and economic barriers for industrial modernization, particularly in scenarios where full system replacement is not viable. Eduardo Vieira Nascimento, Vinicius dos Santos, Rafael Vidal Aroca 2026-01-09 06:01:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8504283/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:59:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8504283/v1 This paper develops a macroeconomic growth framework integrating artificial intelligence's recursive self-improvement capabilities. Extending semi-endogenous growth models, we incorporate AI capital as an augmenting factor in research and development, enabling transitions from balanced to accelerating growth paths. Our model features AI-augmented idea production with empirically-grounded scaling laws, bounded optimization constraints, and endogenous thresholds for regime shifts. We derive analytical conditions determining when AI automation of research can generate explosive growth versus sustained but moderate acceleration, fully characterizing the transition dynamics between these regimes. Taoufik Rajhi 2026-01-09 05:59:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8288663/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:15:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8288663/v1 Advanced industrial applications in nanotechnology, MEMS, and semiconductor manufacturing demand laser-Doppler vibrometers with femtometer displacement sensitivity. Conventional heterodyne interferometers provide high linearity and accuracy for industrial measurements but are fundamentally limited by quantum shot noise, whose disruptive influence effectively decreases with increasing measured light power. Although laser safety regulations permit a laser power of up to 10mW for a 1550nm measuring beam, temperature-sensitive structures often require lower light power. Note that a laser power of 10mW focused on 10 µm^2 corresponds to an irradiance of 1GWm^(−2). Highest resolution needs to be achieved at low laser powers of the measurement beam, which presents a challenge for shot-noise-limited measurements. In this work, we present a new resolution record for the demodulated displacement signal of our squeezedlight- enhanced heterodyne laser-Doppler vibrometer. Our system achieved a displacement sensitivity of 2.6 fm/√Hz with only 0.36 mW of measurement power. Our results demonstrate improved performance beyond the shot noise limit without increasing optical power, approaching sub-fm precision in vibration measurements. Christian Rembe, Mengwei Yu, Pascal Gewecke, Roman Schnabel 2026-01-09 05:15:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8548920/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:13:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8548920/v1 Cities are increasingly threatened by the effects of rising temperatures. Due to the heat island effect, cities experience greater heat stress, leading to increased energy demand and reduced quality of life. Vertical greenery systems (VGSs), such as green facades and living walls, offer a spatially efficient strategy to mitigate these impacts. The environmental and social benefits of vertical greenery are well established. However, large-scale implementation is lacking methods that integrate relevant data to compute the variety of factors determining a surface’s suitability. This paper aims to fill this gap by introducing a computational method for evaluating the potential of individual building walls for vertical greening. Using the city of Leipzig as a case study, the approach integrates 3D building data (LoD2) with street view imagery to compute key factors such as orientation or Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR). These factors are then integrated into a composite index prioritizing walls with high potential for reducing urban heat stress. The study thus provides a practical tool for urban planners and policymakers to support targeted climate adaptation strategies. Aruscha Kramm, Isabel Holler, Eric Peukert, André Ludwig, Bogdan Franczyk 2026-01-09 05:13:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8548485/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:12:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8548485/v1 Wi-Fi Channel State Information (CSI) encodes superimposed respiratory and cardiac micro-movements, yet conventional band-pass filtering suffers from spectral leakage when heart rate harmonics overlap with respiratory frequencies during tachycardia or exercise. This paper proposes a wavelet-domain decoupling framework leveraging multi-resolution analysis (MRA) to separate respiratory (0.2–0.5 Hz) and cardiac (0.8–2.5 Hz) components with enhanced time-frequency localization. We formulate the separation problem as a constrained sparse decomposition over redundant Daubechies-8 and Symlet-6 wavelet dictionaries, and derive optimal reconstruction filters via ℓ1-regularized least squares. Theoretical analysis establishes cross-talk attenuation bounds (>28 dB) under worst case frequency overlap conditions using wavelet coherence metrics. Computational experiments on 50 synthetic CSI traces with physiologically realistic parameter variations (HR: 60–180 BPM, RR: 12–30 BrPM, SNR: 5–20 dB) demonstrate 41% reduction in respiratory-cardiac interference compared to Butterworth filtering, with mean absolute error of 1.2 BrPM for respiration rate and 2.8 BPM for heart rate. The algorithm achieves O(N logN) complexity via Fast Wavelet Transform, enabling real-time processing (<85 ms per 10-second window) on ESP32 microcontrollers without human subject data collection. Saurav Chaudhari, Ketan Pise, Dinesh Fukate, Shantanu Gawande 2026-01-09 05:12:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8547647/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:12:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8547647/v1 We report reproducible track-detector signals consistent with slow neutron capture events, recorded in D2O electrolysis involving D-Pd deposited on Pt cathode. Sensitivity to slow neutrons was achieved using boron-coated CR-39 (BCR) detectors, which register charged particle tracks arising from the 10B(n, α)7Li reaction. These detectors were positioned adjacent to identically prepared uncoated CR-39 control detectors (CCR), which are effectively insensitive to slow neutrons and serve to quantify background contributions from charged particles and fast neutrons under the present experimental conditions. A reproducible differential detector signature (BCR > CCR) would thus indicative of slow neutron fluences. Across multiple independent D2O electrolysis experiments in 0.25 T field, the BCR exhibited significantly excess track signals relative to CCRs. Under these conditions, the observed differential response corresponds to an inferred detector-equivalent slow neutron flux of approximately (6.7±0.2) cm−2, s−1. Removal of the magnetic field resulted in a reduction of the differential signal by a factor of ∼ 6, indicating a strong empirical dependence on the applied field. In contrast, H2O electrolysis performed under otherwise identical conditions produced no measurable differential detector response, establishing the necessity of deuterated electrochemical conditions for the observed effect. The results are reported strictly as detector signatures consistent with slow neutron capture and do not assert any theoretical explanation. Instead, this work establishes a control verified and detector validated experimental protocol for detecting low flux slow neutrons, and provides empirical constraints relevant to slow neutron studies in experiments involving metal-deuteride systems. Ankit Kumar, Tushar Verma, Pankaj Jain, Raj Ganesh Pala, K.P. Rajeev 2026-01-09 05:12:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8548500/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:11:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8548500/v1 To address the challenges of insufficient data, poor generalization performance, and low accuracy in traditional industrial product classification techniques, this paper proposes a novel classification model that combines large language models (LLMs) with deep learning for text classification. By leveraging LLMs for data augmentation and calibration of classification results, the model optimizes the traditional technical framework. Experimental results show that compared with the original model, the new model achieves significant improvements in accuracy, recall, and precision. Luwen Zhang, SoHyun Park 2026-01-09 05:11:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8546573/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:09:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8546573/v1 Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains one of the most pressing global health challenges, primarily influenced by sedentary behavior, poor dietary habits, and other modifiable lifestyle factors. Early detection of individuals at high risk is vital for timely intervention and effective prevention strategies. In this study, a machine learning–based framework is proposed to predict the likelihood of developing T2DM using only non-invasive, lifestyle-related features such as body mass index (BMI), physical activity, diet, stress levels, sleep duration, hydration, and other behavioral indicators. Unlike conventional approaches that depend on invasive biomarkers such as blood glucose or HbA1c, the proposed model leverages easily obtainable data, making it suitable for large-scale, cost-efficient screening. Multiple algorithms were evaluated, including Linear Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting. Among these, the Gradient Boosting model demonstrated superior performance, achieving a mean squared error (MSE) of 11.02 and an R² score of 0.94. Feature importance analysis further revealed that BMI, medical adherence, and physical activity were the most significant contributors to diabetes risk prediction. The findings suggest that integrating non-invasive lifestyle data with advanced machine learning models can serve as an effective approach for predicting T2DM risk. This framework shows potential for deployment within digital health platforms to enhance preventive care and promote early intervention. Ameen Shabhashakhan 2026-01-09 05:09:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8546096/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:06:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8546096/v1 Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used for visual perception tasks in smart-city and agricultural settings, yet model selection in real deployments often involves practical trade-offs between performance and resource cost. In this work, we conduct a unified empirical study across five Bangladesh-centric image datasets spanning traffic monitoring, sidewalk encroachment detection, road surface condition recognition, and fine-grained agricultural variety classification. We compare three training strategies under the same dataset splits and notebook-defined training pipeline: (i) a custom CNN trained from scratch, (ii) ImageNet-pretrained ResNet50 and MobileNetV2 used as frozen feature extractors, and (iii) transfer learning by fine-tuning the same backbones. We evaluate on (a) AutoRickshaw (auto-rickshaw vs. other vehicles), (b) FootpathVisionBD (encroached vs. unencroached sidewalks), (c) RaodDamageBD (damaged vs. good road patches), (d) MangoImageBD (15 mango varieties), and (e) PaddyVisionBD (paddy variety classification). Using the values computed in the experiment notebooks, we report test accuracy and macro F1 as the primary metrics, and additionally document model parameters, model size, and training time to make the accuracy–efficiency trade-off explicit. Across datasets, fine-tuned ResNet50 provides the strongest and most consistent results on the fine-grained agricultural tasks (MangoImageBD and PaddyVisionBD), while MobileNetV2 offers a much smaller footprint with competitive performance on several smart-city tasks. Overall, the results show that the best choice is dataset-dependent: where fine-grained distinctions matter, transfer learning is usually worth the extra training cost; where memory is limited, MobileNetV2 can be a practical compromise. Minhaz Kamal, Md. Mushfiqul Haque, Rafid Nahiyan Farabi, Muhammad Ibrahim 2026-01-09 05:06:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8363879/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 05:05:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8363879/v1 Current quantum devices typically lack full qubit connectivity, making it difficult to directly execute logical circuits on quantum devices. This limitation necessitates quantum circuit mapping algorithms to insert SWAP gates, dynamically remapping logical qubits to physical qubits, and transforming logical circuits into physical circuits that comply with device connectivity constraints. However, the insertion of SWAP gates increases both the gate count and circuit depth, ultimately reducing the fidelity of quantum algorithms. To achieve a balanced optimization of these two objectives, we propose the TANGO algorithm. The algorithm first formulates an evaluation function that balances the impact of qubit mapping on both mapped and unmapped nodes is introduced to enhance initial mapping quality, thereby reducing the number of SWAP gates inserted during routing. Next, we design an innovative two-stage routing algorithm that prioritizes the number of executable gates as the primary evaluation metric while also considering quantum gate distance, circuit depth, {and a novel bidirectional-look SWAP strategy}, which optimizes SWAP gate selection in conjunction with preceding gates, improving the effectiveness of the mapping algorithm. Finally, by integrating advanced quantum gate optimization techniques, the algorithm's overall performance is further enhanced. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to state-of-the-art methods, the proposed algorithm achieves multi-objective co-optimization of gate count and circuit depth across various benchmarks and quantum devices, exhibiting significant performance advantages. Kang Xu, Peian Chen, Yukun Wang, Dandan Li 2026-01-09 05:05:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8330636/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 04:21:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8330636/v1 This paper focuses on a historically documented tactic that deceivers rely on: presenting inaccurate propositions together with accurate ones. Historical sources often point to this as a textbook-method to make inaccurate claims look more believable, but there has been no experimental research on its effectiveness and background psychological processes. In three pre-registered online experiments (N = 817), we found evidence for the existence of the dressing-up effect: the mere presence of accurate information accompanying a target implausible claim on the same topic makes it more believable. The effect was not sensitive to the length of the message or the order in which accurate and inaccurate claims were presented, but it disappeared when the accurate dressing claims and the inaccurate target claim were communicated by different sources. Importantly, the effect persisted even when the participants’ accuracy motives were stimulated using a monetary reward. We tested rational models that integrate the need to update beliefs both about what is communicated, given that it has been communicated, and about the trustworthiness of the source, given what they communicated. We observe that these models do predict dressing-up effects, especially when the audience is initially uncertain about the trustworthiness of the source. We conclude that people who are epistemically vigilant can nonetheless fall for the dressing-up tactic. What is needed to counter it, is more independent information about the trustworthiness of the source. Akos Szegofi, Oana Stanciu, Christophe Heintz 2026-01-09 04:21:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8519622/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 04:05:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8519622/v1 Background: 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) is extensively utilized as an ultraviolet (UV) filter in sunscreens due to its ability to block harmful UV radiation. However, growing concerns exist regarding its environmental persistence and bioaccumulative potential, which may pose significant risks to human health. This study aims to systematically investigate the environmental and health impacts of 4‑MBC, with a focus on its potential roles in carcinogenesis and neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to systematically investigate the environmental and health impacts of 4-MBC, with a focus on its potential roles in carcinogenesis and neurodegenerative diseases. Results: Using network toxicology and molecular docking approaches, we explored the interactions between 4‑MBC and key molecular targets relevant to these diseases, specifically AKT1, ESR1, HDAC1, and MYC. Our results indicate that 4‑MBC may disrupt biological pathways involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis, thereby interfering with cellular mechanisms underlying cancer progression and the onset of neurodegenerative conditions. Conclusions: This study suggests that 4‑MBC represents a notable environmental health risk, underscoring the need to update current regulations and public health policies to mitigate its impacts. These findings advocate for further research into safer UV filters and highlight the importance of monitoring and managing environmental contaminants that compromise human health. jie Zhao, Fei Xu, Yuying Xu, Shiyuan Ke, Wei Wang, Xueyi Qian, weijie He 2026-01-09 04:05:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8545456/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 03:38:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545456/v1 This study analyzes the determinants of social happiness among working-age adults in South Korea using a nationwide online survey of 2,000 respondents. An ordinary least squares (OLS) model examines factors, including dimensions such as family relationships, employment, financial status, security, trust, leisure, environment, and digital skills, that determine social happiness from a subjective, multidimensional perspective. The model explains 76.5% of the variance for the latent variable of happiness, confirming the multidimensional nature of well-being in advanced Asian economies. Family satisfaction, job satisfaction, and digital skills emerge as the most important factors and predictors, while housing, transportation, and green spaces also contribute positively. Conversely, qualification–job mismatch and oversaturation of cultural amenities negatively affect happiness. These findings highlight the pivotal role of emotional and technological capital in sustaining happiness within a hyperconnected society and point to policy priorities centered on family support, decent employment, digital inclusion, and urban livability. The study also advances a comprehensive, multidimensional framework for understanding how structural and psychosocial factors jointly shape happiness in East Asia. Emmanuel Detrinidad, Víctor Raúl LÓPEZ RUIZ, Myeong Hwan KIM, Nuria HUETE ALCOCER, Domingo NEVADO PEÑA, José Luis ALFARO NAVARRO 2026-01-09 03:38:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8353297/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 03:21:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8353297/v1 Superelastic degradation (SED), a progressive loss of functionality in NiTi shape memory alloys under cyclic loading, remains challenging to characterize precisely, thereby constraining their engineering application and broader adoption. In this study, an interpretable learning framework was proposed to predict the SED of NiTi alloys and unveil the degradation mechanisms using interpretative analysis methods. The framework incorporates multi-source microstructure and loading conditions through a multi-branch architecture that effectively decouples and integrates heterogeneous features, achieving an R² of 0.9811. The competition between slip and transformation was identified: at high amplitudes, SED is dominated by transformation regions with high Schmid factors, whereas at low amplitudes dislocation slip on the {011}⟨001⟩ and {011}⟨111⟩ systems prevails. Subsequently, the influence of Ni₄Ti₃ precipitates was quantified by combining molecular dynamics simulations, revealing a loading dependent and non-uniformly beneficial role. The results highlight the potential of interpretable machine learning in exploring the cyclic deformation process and pave the way for AI-driven research on smart materials. Chuanjie Wang, Yuejie Hu, Haiyang Wang, Ming Chen, Gang Chen, Bin Guo, Mingwang Fu 2026-01-09 03:21:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8194426/latest An article created on 2026-01-09 03:19:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8194426/v1 Social connection is a key determinant of emotional well-being, yet the role of solitude in shaping both momentary affect and overall life satisfaction remains understudied. This paper investigates how being alone while engaging in daily activities relates to subjective well-being, using rich time-use diary data from the UK covering four distinct periods: pre-pandemic (2015–2016), the Covid-19 lockdowns (2020–2021), the relaxation phase (2021), and the post-pandemic period (2023). We find that being alone is negatively associated with momentary enjoyment, particularly in the post-pandemic period, but not during lockdowns or the initial relaxation phase, suggesting that the emotional cost of solitude depends on its perceived voluntariness and social norms. The enjoyment penalty is strongest for leisure and unpaid work episodes, and most pronounced among remote workers. We also document a negative association between full-day solitude and overall life satisfaction, but only during the relaxation phase, suggesting that solitude can impose both short-term and longer-term costs of well-being, depending on the social context and type of activity. Our results contribute to the literature on experienced utility, labor supply, and remote work, highlighting the need to account for the emotional toll of isolation in welfare analysis and policy design.  José Ignacio Gimenez-Nadal, José Alberto Molina, Jorge Velilla 2026-01-09 03:19:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7837297/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 19:57:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7837297/v2 Compositional characterization is essential for understanding and optimizing material performance. For powder-based materials underpinning many modern technologies, however, accurately and rapidly resolving the composition of individual constituent phases remains an unsolved challenge, slowing materials research and limiting autonomous laboratory platforms. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) offers a time- and cost-effective route, but artifacts generated by irregular particle morphologies fundamentally limit its reliability for quantitative compositional analysis. Here, we introduce a scalable particle-based SEM-EDS quantification scheme that overcomes these artifacts requiring only one experimental standard per element, including light elements conventionally difficult to quantify. This approach is integrated with automated measurements and unsupervised machine-learning analysis to enable identification and extraction of phase-level compositions within multiphase samples. Implemented as a fully automated Python-based framework, AutoEMXSp consistently achieves relative errors below 5–10% across diverse chemistries, resolving primary phases and intermixed impurities. This work removes a long-standing barrier to rapid powder compositional characterization, enabling seamless integration in autonomous laboratories for accelerated discovery. Andrea Giunto, Yuxing Fei, Pragnay Nevatia, Bernardus Rendy, Nathan Szymanski, Gerbrand Ceder 2026-01-08 19:57:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8458075/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 19:53:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8458075/v2 SSEs are closely linked to megathrust earthquakes, as they occur near seismically locked zones and can perturb stress conditions along plate boundaries. Understanding their timing is therefore crucial for assessing seismic hazards. This study investigates the recurrence intervals of slow slip events (SSEs) at four regions in Japan: Kii peninsula, Yaeyama islands, Boso peninsula, and Bungo Channel. Using renewal processes based on the Brownian Passage Time (BPT) model and the Gamma model as well as the moment method, the study estimates the mean recurrence intervals and their coefficients of variation (the standard deviation divided by the mean) along with the estimation uncertainties in each region. Final estimated mean recurrence intervals are 0.96 years (Kii), 0.51 years (Yaeyama), 3.97 years (Boso), and 3.16 years (Bungo) for all methods.  Coefficients of variation reflecting event periodicity in the four regions (0.42-0.46,  0.25-0.40, 0.44-0.54, 0.26-0.28) suggest that SSEs are quasi-periodic, being neither completely deterministic nor highly random.  Compared to earthquakes with recurrent patterns of occurrence, which are typically less sensitive to small stress changes, SSEs generally exhibit higher variability in the recurrence, suggesting greater sensitivity to external perturbations. However, Bungo SSEs, with higher stress drops, exhibit lower variability, indicating more stable recurrence. The bootstrap analysis also confirmed regional characteristics. In Kii, SSEs occurring at the intermediate area, with the distance from the Nankai Trough axis to the fault center is approximately 25–36 km, show greater timing variability. In Yaeyama, recurrence appears linked to slip size, suggesting time-predictable behavior. In Boso, the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake likely influenced SSE timing. In Bungo, the unique 2014 SSE, possibly affected by the Tohoku-oki event, was highlighted. In addition, the study performs predictive model comparisons for the baseline renewal process and a retrospective predictability analysis for all the regions, and provides forecasts of the next SSE in the Kii region along with prediction intervals for its occurrence time.  Keisuke Yano, Masayuki Kano, Takane Hori, Keisuke Ariyoshi 2026-01-08 19:53:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7070418/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 19:47:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7070418/v2 Arid and semi-arid regions are highly sensitive to hydroclimate changes. In recent decades, precipitation and evapotranspiration have declined across vast global drylands, posing critical challenges to water security and fragile ecosystems. However, these drying trends remain poorly understood and inadequately represented in current climate models. Here, using observations and CMIP6 multi-model simulations, we interpret hydroclimatic changes in (semi-)arid regions and associated model biases by developing a theoretical framework. From an energetic perspective, precipitation and evapotranspiration changes are directly linked to climate forcings through variations in atmospheric diabatic cooling (δQ), which is primarily governed by the response of surface sensible heat flux (δSHdown) to changes in surface shortwave radiation budget (δDSSR). Reanalysis and single-forcing simulations reveal that aerosol forcing—rather than greenhouse gases—dominates hydrological changes in dry regions. Since the 1970s, historical aerosol emissions have increased δDSSR and reduced δSHdown, the consequent decreases in δQ driving the observed drying trends. In CMIP6 simulations, the substantial underestimation of aerosol-induced solar brightening contributes to pronounced discrepancies with observations. By highlighting the critical role of aerosol effects, this work provides an effective approach for understanding and projecting dryland hydroclimatic responses to shortwave radiative forcings under broader scenarios. Yanda Zhang, Bjørn Samset, L. Ruby Leung, Laura Wilcox, Daniel Westervelt 2026-01-08 19:47:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8272009/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 19:19:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8272009/v1 The Malaysian jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus cv. Tekam Yellow) industry faces a major challenge from jackfruit bronzing, a physiological disorder caused by Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii. The disease induces internal discoloration of the flesh and rag from yellowish-orange to reddish hues, while the rind remains visually unaffected, hindering early detection and reducing market value. This study assessed the potential of visible–near infrared spectroscopy (Vis–NIRS) as a non-destructive diagnostic tool for detecting internal bronzing through rind spectral analysis at 10, 12, and 14 weeks after anthesis (WAA). Twenty-seven syncarps were sampled, and reflectance spectra (500–950 nm) from 30 rind sections per fruit were recorded using an Ocean Optics HR4000 spectrometer. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) models were developed to predict soluble solids concentration (SSC) and ascorbic acid (AA) using pre-processed spectra (Savitzky–Golay smoothing, Standard Normal Variate, and Multiplicative Scatter Correction). The optimal models achieved high validation performance with Rv² values of 0.94–0.97 and RMSEV of 1.26–1.67% for SSC and 0.72–1.59 mg/100 g FW for AA. Reference analyses indicated mean SSC values of 4.38%, 9.09%, and 10.01%, and AA contents of 18.98, 19.95, and 12.24 mg/100 g FW at 10, 12, and 14 WAA, respectively. ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD (p ≤ 0.05) confirmed significant variations across maturity stages and disease conditions. These findings demonstrate that Vis–NIRS integrated with chemometric modeling provides a rapid, accurate, and non-invasive method for early bronzing detection and quality assessment in jackfruit supply chains. Kok Jeng Lim, Phebe Ding, Nazmi Mat Nawi, Mashitah Jusoh, Najidah Abdullah, Siti Saripa Rabiah Mat Lazim 2026-01-08 19:19:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414548/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 18:36:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414548/v1 Background Limited research exists among Mexican-origin populations related to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease risk factors in community-based settings.Objective This study aims to characterize the prevalence of MCI using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Spanish (MoCA-S) among Mexican-origin adults in Southern Arizona while identifying risk factors associated with MCI in this population.Methods A community-based sample of 194 Mexican-origin adults (women = 134; men = 56; mean age = 51.64 ± 12.3 years) in Southern Arizona participated in the study. The MoCA-S was administered and interpreted based on established cutoffs for cognitive function. A generalized linear model was fitted to explore the predictors of MCI while adjusting for sociodemographic, cardiometabolic, and mental health characteristics.Results The mean MoCA-S score was 21.6 ± 3.9, with 30 participants (15.46%) identified with mild to severe cognitive impairment. The adjusted model indicated that participants with a college degree or greater had higher MoCA-S scores compared to those with less than a 6th -grade level education (β = 3.67, 95% CI = 1.61, 5.72). No significant differences in MoCA-S scores were observed for age, sex, years in the U. S., body mass index, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease status, blood pressure, diabetes status, perceived stress, and smoking status (p > 0.05).Conclusion This study highlights the unique cognitive health challenges and opportunities within Mexican-origin communities in Southern Arizona. Addressing key factors, such as improving educational strategies while leveraging culturally sensitive screening tools, can support public health efforts to mitigate the burden of MCI in this high-risk population. Shannon Lindemer, Adriana Maldonado, Estefania Ochoa-Mora, Edgar Villavicencio, Matthew Huentelman, David Garcia 2026-01-08 18:36:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8051099/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 17:43:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8051099/v1 Fine-tuning pre-trained neural networks in resource-constrained environments demands ultra-low-power hardware capable of real-time response. Filamentary memristors show great promise in neural networks inference but suffer from stochastic switching, undesirable for fine-tuning. While non-filamentary memristors feature more deterministic switching, they are limited by slow writes (> 100 µs), poor retention (< 104 s), and low on/off ratios (< 100). Through device-circuit-system co-design, we engineer a metal-insulator-graphene (MIG) non-filamentary memristor with graphene electrodes for hysteresis-enhanced switching, achieving 50-µs writes, > 1-year retention, > 5,000 on/off ratio, and linear, symmetric conductance tuning under identical pulses. We elucidate switching mechanisms and build a physics-based compact model for circuit design. A parallel outer-product programming scheme is proposed to enable stochastic gradient descent across the whole crossbar array simultaneously. This scheme is validated on isolated devices and a 6×6 subarray within a 32×32 array with 92% yield. Based on this scheme, a reconfigurable architecture is designed that enables fine-tuning of four convolutional neural networks (CNNs) on CIFAR-10 in under 6 s and 0.2 J, achieving near–floating-point accuracy on two of the networks. Our platform unlocks real-time edge intelligence, revolutionizing autonomous and pervasive computing with high energy efficiency. Tania Roy 2026-01-08 17:43:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8114010/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 15:25:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8114010/v1 ILO Recommendation No. 204 about the transition from the informal to the formal sector and the Sustainable Development Goals (Target 8.3) reflects the current global emphasis given to the formalization of the informal sector. This paper's goal was to use a qualitative technique to investigate the manner in which the Wallaga Zones Oromia nation regional states of Ethiopia can move from the urban informal sector to the formal sector. In order to achieve the goal, 16 key informants were purposefully chosen from the trade offices of Nakamte, Gimbi, Shambu, and Dambi Dollo, the Office of Revenue Authority, the Labor and Social Affairs Office, the Trade Office, and the Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) Development Office. The study identifies important strategies and pathways for bringing Ethiopia's urban informal sector into compliance, such as streamlining licensing and registration procedures, offering tax incentives and streamlining tax regimes, facilitating access to credit and finance, providing social protection, developing skills, and providing business training. According to qualitative interviews, formalization improves employment security, legal protections, and access to financial resources for formerly informal sector operators in addition to raising municipal revenue through taxes and licensing fees. Moreover, the findings pointed the transformative impacts of formalization on social inclusion, particularly for marginalized groups such as women and youth, enabling them to participate in cooperatives and decision-making processes. The study also underlines the significance of improved urban governance and improvements of urban household welfare resulting from the formalization process. By examining the multifaceted benefits of integrating informal businesses into the formal sector, this research contributes to the discourse on inclusive growth and poverty reduction, advocating for comprehensive policies that address the unique challenges faced by informal sector operators. Habtamu Bekele Bishe, Omana Gopichettiar Sajitha, Isubalew Daba 2026-01-08 15:25:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8502313/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:55:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8502313/v1 Objectives This study assessed the reliability and clinical applicability of two tooth wear screening indices—Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) and the Tooth Wear Screening module of the Tooth Wear Evaluation System 2.0 (TWES 2.0)—using intraoral scans. Materials and methods A total of 246 anonymized intraoral scans from adult patients were independently evaluated by two calibrated examiners. Examiners calibration was performed prior to the study using a representative set of intraoral scans and a reference standard. Calibration was repeated until a predefined level of agreement was achieved before formal data collection. Scores for all sextants were recorded for BEWE and TWES 2.0. Inter-rater agreement was assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to detect systematic differences between paired scores, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to assess inter-examiner consistency, Bland–Altman plots to evaluate agreement between examiners. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results BEWE demonstrated good reliability, with ICCs ranging from 0.761 to 0.852 across sextants. According to commonly used ICC interpretation thresholds (poor < 0.50, moderate 0.50–0.75, good 0.75–0.90, excellent > 0.90), the observed ICCs indicate good inter-examiner reliability. Bland–Altman analysis showed small differences between examiners and no systematic bias. TWES 2.0 exhibited moderate to good reliability, with ICCs between 0.543 and 0.761. Conclusions Both BEWE and TWES 2.0 are reliable and practical for screening noncarious tooth wear via intraoral scans. BEWE showed slightly higher inter-rater consistency, whereas TWES 2.0 allows more detailed evaluation of occlusal and palatal surfaces. These indices can support standardized monitoring, early detection, and clinical management of tooth wear. Examiner calibration remains essential, particularly for TWES 2.0. Clinical Significance: Tooth wear is an increasingly prevalent condition in modern dentistry, often progressing silently until advanced stages. The application of BEWE and TWES 2.0 to intraoral scans provides clinicians with a standardized, noninvasive, and reproducible method for detecting and monitoring tooth wear at an early stage. Integrating these indices into routine digital workflows supports timely diagnosis, preventive management, and long-term follow-up of patients affected by erosive and attritional tooth wear. Clinical trial registration This study did not involve an interventional clinical trial and therefore was not registered in a clinical trial registry. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Bioethics Committee at the District Medical Chamber in Kraków, Poland (approval number: L.dz.OIL/KBL/22/2025, issued on 27 May 2025) Maria Lorens, Iwona Tomaszewska 2026-01-08 14:55:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8453332/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:47:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8453332/v1 Infectious diseases that permit reinfection, such as various bacterial and viral pathogens, present enduring public health challenges characterized by recurrent outbreaks and complex spatial heterogeneity. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying these dynamics, we develop and analyze a Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible (SIS) epidemic model with saturating incidence rate and nonlocal disease transmission.We analyze the system across three frameworks: a non-spatial ordinary differential equation (ODE) model, a spatially explicit system with local disease transmission, and a system incorporating nonlocal disease transmission. For the ODE model, bifurcation analysis identifies a Hopf bifurcation, which implies that disease control requires reducing transmission significantly below the outbreak threshold. In the spatially extended model, diffusion-driven Turing instability gives rise to stationary infection patterns, representing the spontaneous emergence of localized endemic hotspots. Furthermore, the inclusion of nonlocal transmission reveals a complex dual role, while the integral averaging effect tends to suppress pattern amplitude, the nonlocal interaction range serves as a critical parameter that can drive the system into spatiotemporal chaos. Overall, the results demonstrate how synergistic infection, behavioral feedback, and heterogeneous transmission pathways interact to produce rich epidemic dynamics, providing a theoretical foundation for understanding reinfection-driven diseases and mechanistic insights for their control. Guoxin Zhong, Ruizhi Yang, Yong An 2026-01-08 14:47:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8056294/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:39:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8056294/v1 Burgers made with meat analogues are increasingly promoted for their lower environmental footprint, yet their impacts on terrestrial biodiversity, particularly due to ingredient sourcing, remain poorly understood. This study compares conventional beef patties with four alternatives — pea, soy, insect, and mycoprotein across the ten populous European Union countries, using 2015–2018 averages. By integrating an Environmentally Extended Multi-Regional Input–Output model with Life Cycle Impact Assessment, we evaluated terrestrial biodiversity impacts driven by land use (occupation) and climate change. Results of all patties show that land use dominates, accounting for over 96% of the total terrestrial biodiversity impacts. The biodiversity characteristics of sourcing regions strongly shape overall impacts, and the land use footprint cannot fully capture the spatial biodiversity patterns. Among the novel burger patties, soy patties generally perform the best. Replacing beef with the soy patties in food service could reduce biodiversity impacts by 71–97% per patty and correspond to a 3.6–4.9% reduction in national biodiversity loss associated with beef. Pea and mycoprotein patties exhibit the highest impacts, primarily due to the inclusion of coconut oil sourced from biodiversity-sensitive regions, notably the Philippines and Indonesia. In Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland, pea patties’ biodiversity impacts even exceed beef patties due to the structure of the current food system. These findings challenge the assumption that plant-based patties are always environmentally superior compared to beef and emphasize the need for shifting ingredient sourcing from biodiversity-sensitive regions toward lower-impact regions to reduce biodiversity impact. Yeqing Zhang, Kajwan Rasul, Martin Dorber, Konstantin Stadler, Edgar G. Hertwich, Francesca Verones 2026-01-08 14:39:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8258388/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:28:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8258388/v1 Fishery no-take Zones (FNTZs) are increasingly being used as a spatial management tool to promote marine habitat recovery and enhance the sustainable use of fishery resources. To evaluate their effectiveness in shelf edge and upper continental slope habitats, a characterization of sessile and motile fauna within eleven FNTZs implemented along the Catalan margin was conducted. Surveys were conducted between 2023 and 2024 using Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) video-transects across two depth ranges (100–300 m and > 300 m), covering both protected and adjacent Control areas. Sessile and motile fauna were analyzed separately, to assess the different response in organisms with different life strategies. Results revealed that the effects of protection varied across depths and locations. Sessile fauna exhibited significantly higher densities, richness, and diversity in several FNTZs, especially at the shelf edge, while motile fauna displayed less consistent trends. Community analyses showed differences between protected and control sites, with FNTZs hosting more habitat-forming species opposed to motile species which were more represented in Control areas. Despite initial signs of structural differentiation, results indicate that ecological recovery in soft-sediment at this depth remains slow and spatially variable, likely restricted by the habitat physical degradation consequence of decades of trawling. This research provides the first regional-scale, non-destructive assessment of FNTZs effectiveness on Mediterranean soft sediments and establishes critical reference data for future monitoring. Marina Biel-Cabanelas, Andreu Santín, Gabriel Rivas-Mena, Sofia Faramelli, Cristina Martín, Fabiola Maria Cecchini, Miguel López, Antoni Sánchez, José Antonio García, Nixon Bahamon, Jacopo Aguzzi, Joan B. Company, Jordi Grinyó 2026-01-08 14:28:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8413235/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:27:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8413235/v1 This study investigates the impact of institutional quality on financial inclusion across G20 economies. It further examines structural heterogeneity by comparing developed and emerging economies, thereby offering context-specific insights into how governance, economic, and technological factors shape financial inclusion outcomes. The paper constructs a Financial Inclusion Index (FII) based on availability, accessibility, and usage, providing a comprehensive view of financial inclusion. Similarly, the institutional quality index is computed using six indicators. The study utilises data on 81 G20 countries, including the newly inducted African Union from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the period from 2014 to 2022. Dynamic System-GMM panel estimation is applied to address endogeneity, persistence, and unobserved heterogeneity. Additionally, separate regressions are conducted for developed and emerging G20 economies to capture differential effects. The results indicate that institutional quality has a significant and positive impact on financial inclusion. Similarly, other macroeconomic variables, such as economic growth, trade openness, and mobile accessibility, positively impact the level of financial inclusion. However, inflation, government expenditure, and internet accessibility have shown an insignificant impact on financial inclusion. Comparative analysis reveals that institutional effects are more pronounced in developed economies, whereas economic growth, trade openness, and mobile penetration play a more significant role in emerging economies. This paper integrates institutional and financial dimensions within a unified empirical framework using multidimensional indices and advanced dynamic estimation techniques. By differentiating between developed and emerging G20 members, the study provides nuanced insights and tailored policy recommendations, bridging a critical gap in comparative financial inclusion literature. Animesh Saha, Pranesh Debnath 2026-01-08 14:27:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503873/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:19:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503873/v1 Background: Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is highly prevalent among children receiving maintenance hemodialysis, yet accurate and objective assessment of nutritional status remains challenging. Muscle mass assessment is one of the diagnostic tools for malnutrition according to current definitions, and muscle ultrasound (US) can be used for the diagnosis and monitoring of malnutrition. Methods: A tertiary hemodialysis center case–control study enrolled 42 children on hemodialysis (age range: 1–16 years) and 42 age- and sex-matched apparently healthy children as a control group. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory information were gathered. A dietary evaluation using a 3-day food intake record was performed to assess protein adequacy. The thickness of the quadriceps muscle, primarily the rectus femoris, the largest skeletal muscle in the body, was assessed using B-mode muscle US in both groups. Results: Children on hemodialysis had significantly lower caloric and protein intake compared with controls (both p < 0.001) and 40.5% of patients had inadequate protein intake. Children on maintenance hemodialysis had significantly reduced peripheral muscle thickness compared with healthy controls. Correlation analysis showed that total caloric and protein intake were positively associated with muscle thickness (p < 0.001). The ROC curve showed that among muscle parameters, rectus femoris thickness ≤10.4 mm demonstrated excellent sensitivity (100%) but moderate specificity (48%), with an AUC of 0.731 (p < 0.001).While anthropometric and dietary measures identified malnutrition in 21–43% of patients, ultrasound-based muscle mass classified approximately half of cases had low muscle mass, suggesting a higher sensitivity for detecting nutritional impairment Conclusion: Quadriceps muscle ultrasonography is a simple, non-invasive bedside tool that may aid in screening and monitoring PEW in children on maintenance hemodialysis. Amal Elsaid Gohary, Azza Soliman Soliman, Sara Eldemerdash Kamel Eldemerdash, Mona Mohamed Elsharkawy, Mahmoud M Gohary 2026-01-08 14:19:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8423378/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:19:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8423378/v1 This study reports the first detection of Sarcocysits medusiformis in sheep (Ovis aries) in China through integrated morphological and molecular analysis. Macroscopically visible S. medusiformis sarcocysts were found in 4 of 92 examined sheep (4.3%), measuring 2490–4796 × 248–405 µm and exhibiting thin, striated walls (1–2 µm thick). Ultrastructural examination revealed trapezoidal villar protrusions covering the cysts, each lined with an electron-dense layer, with scattered microtubes extending from the apex to the base. Molecular characterization was performed by amplifying and sequencing four genetic markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-1, and mitochondrial cox1). The newly obtained 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and cox1 sequences exhibited 100% identify with previously published S. medusiformis sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis based on these sequences consistently grouped S. medusiformis, S. gigantea, and S. moulei within a distinct clade. To date, S. medusiformis sarcocysts have been documented primarily in sheep, with a single known case in an addax (Addax nasomaculatus). Further investigations involving expanded sampling of wild and domestic bovid ruminants are needed to clarify the epidemiology, host specificity, and phylogenetic relationships of S. medusiformis and morphologically similar species. Danqu Lamu, Luyao Qian, Zhun Hu, Lu Xu, Shuangsheng Deng, Jianping Tao, Yurong Yang, Junjie Hu 2026-01-08 14:19:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8010896/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:18:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8010896/v1 Background Rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a primary cause of shoulder pain and a leading source of shoulder disability in later stages. Although various computed tomography (CT) based measurements of the shoulder have been identified as predictors for RCT, we hypothesize that a combination of predictors will provide superior diagnostic and predictive performance compared to individual predictors. Thus, the aims of this study are: (i) to integrate various shoulder CT-based measurement parameters for predicting rotator cuff tears, and (ii) to develop a scoring system based on these predictors for estimating the likelihood of posterosuperior rotator cuff tears ( RCT-PT). (iii) To provide a diagnostic basis and predict the risk of posterosuperior rotator cuff tears for patients with contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), an inability to cooperate with or complete the examination, or for whom MRI is deemed unnecessary.Methods This retrospective study analyzed 326 cases who underwent both shoulder CT and MRI examinations at our hospital. Based on the shoulder MRI findings, patients were stratified into two groups: a rotator cuff tear group and a control group. The selected predictors included the Critical Shoulder Angle (CSA), Acromial Index (AI), Goutallier grade of fatty infiltration, Supraspinatus Occupation Ratio, the Hounsfield Unit (HU) ratio of the deltoid to supraspinatus muscle, and other variables such as gender, age, symptom duration, and BMI. These factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The factors identified in the multivariate analysis were subsequently integrated into a scoring system based on their odds ratios (OR).Results Multivariate analysis identified the following independent risk factors: age (p < 0.01, OR = 1.090), fatty infiltration grade (p = 0.047, OR = 2.252), symptom duration (p = 0.012, OR = 1.036), critical shoulder angle (p = 0.028, OR = 1.175), and acromial index (p = 0.034, OR = 1.068). A 7-point scoring system was subsequently developed. Based on the weighting derived from the multivariate analysis odds ratios, one point each was assigned to age, symptom duration, supraspinatus occupation ratio, critical shoulder angle, and acromial index, while two points were assigned to the fatty infiltration grade. A score of 4 points was established as the threshold for predicting posterosuperior rotator cuff tears, yielding a sensitivity of 0.866 and a specificity of 0.904.Conclusion The developed numerical score, which integrates shoulder CT measurements with clinical factors, serves as a practical tool for predicting rotator cuff tears. It facilitates risk assessment based on CT findings and overcomes the limitation of MRI contraindication by providing a reliable predictive alternative for such cases. Xieyu Wang, Guihu Liu, Xiaolong Wang, Guangsi Shen, Haibin Zhou 2026-01-08 14:18:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8399223/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:18:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8399223/v1 Background. Non-home discharge after hospitalization is common among patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is associated with adverse outcomes. Early identification of patients likely to require post-acute facility care may improve discharge planning. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a nationwide healthcare database, including adults aged ≥50 years hospitalized with PD between November 2017 and June 2023. The first hospitalization of each patient was defined as the index admission. Discharge destination was categorized as home, facility, or in-hospital death. Data were split into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets. Random forest models were developed to predict discharge destination, and performance was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). An elastic net logistic regression model was additionally developed for facility discharge. Results. Among 281,664 index hospitalizations, 48.0% were discharged home, 44.8% to a facility, and 7.2% died in-hospital. In the test set, random forest models achieved AUCs of 0.775 for home discharge, 0.774 for facility discharge, and 0.832 for in-hospital death. An elastic net model achieved an AUC of 0.752, and a seven-item risk score (fracture history, dementia, transfer admission, fall history, marital status, insurance type, hospital region) identified a high-risk group with a 73.8% facility discharge rate, compared with 40.6% in the low-risk group. Conclusions. Using nationwide claims data, this disease-specific prediction model identified discharge destination in hospitalized patients with PD. A simplified, interpretable risk score enables early risk stratification at admission and may facilitate multidisciplinary discharge planning and post-acute care allocation. Hikaru Kamo, Tejas R Mehta, Matthew Remz, Rachael M. Burke, Anne Brooks, Adrianne Smiley, Michael S. Okun, Christopher W. Hess 2026-01-08 14:18:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8343823/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:18:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8343823/v1 Fumarate Hydratase-deficient Renal Cell Carcinoma (FHdRCC) is a rare (< 0.4% of RCCs), aggressive subtype with significant morphological overlap, posing diagnostic challenges. While artificial intelligence (AI) shows promise in common cancer diagnostics, its impact on pathologist decision-making in rare diseases—particularly concerning automation bias—remains poorly understood. We developed a deep learning model to classify FHdRCC. We conducted a crossover reader study with 21 pathologists (7 genitourinary (GU) specialists, 7 non-GU specialists, 7 residents) diagnosing 30 challenging cases (15 FHdRCC, 15 non-FHdRCC) with and without AI assistance. We analyzed diagnostic performance and performed an exploratory analysis of human-AI interaction by quantifying AI Acceptance Rate (AAR) and Automation Bias Rate (ABR)—the rates of following AI recommendations when correct or incorrect, respectively—leading to the identification of preliminary behavioral personas. AI assistance significantly improved diagnostic accuracy (60.0% to 73.3%, p = 0.012) and inter-rater reliability (Fleiss' κ from 0.311 to 0.482, p < 0.001). AI-driven gains were negatively correlated with baseline expertise (R=-0.66, p = 0.001), revealing independence from traditional training. Clustering identified two behavioral personas: Receptive (n = 14; high AAR/ABR) employing efficiency-focused strategies, and Resistant (n = 7; low AAR/ABR) using deliberation-focused approaches. While the Receptive group drove accuracy gains (p = 0.041), high automation bias neutralized improvements in overall optimal decision-making (p = 0.259). AI assistance enhances rare cancer diagnostic accuracy, but effectiveness is mediated by behavioral personas rather than traditional expertise. The performance paradox—accuracy gains offset by automation bias—suggests persona-tailored training is essential: Receptive users need critical evaluation skills; Resistant users need trust-building. These exploratory findings require validation in larger studies with sufficient power to characterize automation bias patterns. Changhyun Park, Yong Il Lee, Jinew Seo, Ja-Min Park, Sun Young Yoon, Bokyung Ahn, Yong Mee Cho, Namkug Kim 2026-01-08 14:18:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8311308/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:17:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8311308/v1 Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) across multiple domains in Sudanese children with type 1 diabetes, examining the influence of sociodemographic and clinical factors.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two major paediatric tertiary hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan. All eligible children aged 5–18 years and their parents or guardians participated in structured, face-to-face interviews. The Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Generic Core Scale was used to assess QoL. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and group comparisons, with significance set at p < 0.05.Results A total of 138 children were enrolled; 63.8% were aged 13–18 years and 55.1% were female. Nearly half (44.9%) had been diagnosed with diabetes for less than five years, and 86.9% had uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c > 6.5%). The mean overall QoL score was 77.4% (SD = 15.7), with the lowest mean in social functioning (67.4%) and the highest in social functioning (83.2%). Females reported significantly higher QoL scores than males in social (88.4% vs 76.8%, p = 0.003), physical (p = 0.044), and total domains (p = 0.024). Higher maternal education (p = 0.001) and regular blood glucose monitoring (p = 0.032) were both significantly associated with improved QoL, while glycaemic control itself showed no direct association.Conclusion The findings highlight the importance of maternal education and consistent glucose monitoring in supporting better quality of life for children with type 1 diabetes in low-resource environments. The absence of a direct association between glycaemic control and QoL underscores the need for accessible monitoring solutions and targeted educational support. Tebyan Abdalgader Abdallah Mohammed Ali, Moez Salah Babiker Mohammed, Hafeia A. Abdelqyoum, Mohammed Abdalla Babiker Abdalla, Shamsaldeen Yusuf Mustafa Ahmed, Ahmed Hussein, Marfa Abdullah Mohamed Ali, Eyas Ahmed Yousif Mohammedalamin, Ghofran Ahmed Mohamed Salahelden, Danya Ibrahim, Kamil Mirghani Shaaban 2026-01-08 14:17:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8288805/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:17:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8288805/v1 Almost all functional processing in the cortex heavily relies on thalamic interactions. Since neural interactions across thalamocortical networks are essential for regulating cognitive functions, we investigated whether network-level transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) could modulate the functional connectivity of thalamocortical networks. Using network-node-based tACS and functional MRI (fMRI) data from the color flickering task, we performed functional connectivity and modularity analyses. Notably, tACS applied to key nodes of canonical functional networks resulted in right-lateralized thalamocortical connectivity. Compared to tACS applied to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), tACS applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) significantly enhanced functional connectivity within the control and attentional networks. Further analyses of modularity and hub scores revealed functional clustering among early-order, late-order, and interactive thalamocortical modules, along with a significant enhancement in thalamocortical interplay within the cluster. TACS-to-dlPFC and tACS-to-mPFC enhanced interplay within the visual and control networks, respectively. Taken together, this study demonstrates the feasibility of network-based tACS for modulating task-relevant brain functional organization, with potential applications in cognitive impairment and clinical populations. Seulgi Lee, Bumhee Park, Jeehye Seo, Byoung-Kyong Min 2026-01-08 14:17:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8157860/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:16:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8157860/v1 Background: Digital front doors that combine symptom assessment and self-triage are increasingly used to guide patients to appropriate care, yet real-world evidence on safety, performance, and workflow impact remains limited and heterogeneous. This study reports a post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF) evaluation of a clinical decision support system (CDSS), integrated into routine care within Portugal’s largest private healthcare network (CUF) to determine whether it can deliver appropriate urgency advice and clinically useful reports, and whether its use is associated with improved preparedness and consultation efficiency in real-world practice.Methods: This was a prospective, observational study. Adults aged ≥ 18 years completed a full symptom assessment via the myCUF application before consultation. Participants provided informed consent and completed a post-assessment survey; treating physicians completed structured post-consultation surveys. Primary endpoints were the appropriateness of urgency advice and of the assessment report, including the reasonableness of suggested conditions, completeness of symptom history, concordance of the main problem with the consultation focus, and inclusion of the physician’s final diagnosis. Secondary endpoints included consultation efficiency and time saving, clinician preparedness, confidence in diagnosis, and perceived usefulness of the assessment report information. Analyses used descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, risk differences and risk ratios, with subgroup comparisons by specialty, sex, and age.Results: A total of 1,470 participants completed the post-assessment survey. Physicians returned 163 consultation surveys, of which 60 were based on reports reviewed before the encounter and formed the basis for efficiency and preparedness analyses. Urgency advice was judged appropriate in most cases (top advice level: 74.1%, 120/161; 95% CI 67.4–80.1; all advice levels: 77.6%, 125/161; 95% CI 70.1–83.9), with no significant differences by specialty, sex, or age. In cases where advice was not considered appropriate (8.7%; 95% CI 5.0–13.9), all disagreements reflected conservative, over-cautious advice; no instances of under-triage were identified. Report appropriateness was high: conditions provided as suggestions were judged reasonable in 73.0% (119/163; 95% CI 65.7–79.5), the symptom list was considered complete in 78.4% (127/162; 95% CI 71.2–84.4), the main problem discussed in the consultation matched the information in the report in 82.8% (135/163; 95% CI 76.1–88.2), and the clinician’s most likely diagnosis was included among the suggested conditions in 80.4% (131/163; 95% CI 73.5–86.0). Physicians reported efficiency improvements in 66.7% (40/60; 95% CI 53.3–78.3) and time savings in 66.1% (39/59; 95% CI 52.3–77.6), most often during the consultation itself. Increased preparedness for the consultation was reported in 71.7% (43/60; 95% CI 58.6–82.5) and was strongly associated with the perceived usefulness of the condition suggestions. Among participants, 80.5% (1,183/1,470; 95% CI 78.4–82.5) reported that all symptoms were captured in the assessment report, 71.2% (1,046/1,470; 95% CI 68.7–73.6) felt more prepared for the consultation, and 33.0% (485/1,470; 95% CI 30.5–35.6) reported reduced anxiety after assessment completion. Completeness and preparedness were associated with lower anxiety.Conclusion: In routine practice, an integrated symptom assessment device provided appropriate urgency advice and clinically useful reports, and was associated with greater clinician preparedness, perceived efficiency improvements, and positive patient experience. These PMCF findings support continued safe use as a digital front door and contribute real-world evidence for ongoing conformity assessment of Ada, a clinical decision support system and a Class IIa medical device under EU MDR 2017/745. Andreia Pimenta, Nisha Kini, Fabienne Cotte, Filipa Dias Lourenço, Miguel Paiva Pereira, Marcel Schmude, Athena Lemesiou, Stephen Gilbert, Tauseef Mehrali, Micaela Seemann Monteiro, Pedro Flores 2026-01-08 14:16:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8470042/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:16:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8470042/v1 Hearing disorders among women remain under-recognized in low- and middle-income settings despite their significant impact on communication, family well-being, and healthy ageing. This study evaluated the outcomes of a government-supported, women-centered ear and hearing screening program implemented under the Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivaar Abhiyan in central India. A 16-day universal screening initiative was conducted across a tertiary care institution and an urban community outreach setting, enrolling 1,083 females aged 3–86 years. Participants underwent otological examination, audiological assessment, and appropriate medical, surgical, or rehabilitative interventions, with structured referral and follow-up mechanisms. Overall, 9.7% of screened females were identified with clinically significant hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss was the most prevalent type (46.7%), predominantly due to tympanic membrane perforation, impacted cerumen, and otitis media, highlighting a substantial burden of preventable and treatable ear disease. Sensorineural hearing loss accounted for 39.0% of cases, with presbycusis comprising the majority, particularly among women over 60 years of age. Notably, 8.3% of asymptomatic participants were found to have previously undetected ear or hearing pathology. Follow-up compliance among community-referred individuals was high (82.5%), and acceptance of hearing rehabilitation was substantial. The dual-setting screening model demonstrated feasibility, broad population reach, and effective linkage to care. Integrating ear and hearing screening within women-focused public health initiatives offers a scalable strategy for early detection, management, and reduction of unmet hearing health needs in resource-limited settings. shashank nema, Satish Satpute, Renu Rajguru 2026-01-08 14:16:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8438183/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:08:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8438183/v1 Patients with NUDT15 variants exhibit intolerance to 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), which can cause severe myelosuppression and increase the risk of second malignancies, especially in those with bi-allelic variants. However, no reliable analytical method is available to determine the diplotype of NUDT15. Therefore, we aimed to develop a practical diplotyping method using digital PCR to improve clinical outcomes and reduce complications. We analyzed NUDT15 exon 1 and 3 variants in 38 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who received 6-MP during maintenance therapy between 2010 and 2021. Variants were genotyped by Sanger sequencing, and tolerated 6-MP doses were assessed according to genotype. For patients carrying multiple variants, germline RNA was extracted, synthesized into cDNA, and analyzed using four variant-specific dPCR probes. Nine patients carried single variants, and two carried multiple variants, and required markedly lower 6-MP doses. The dPCR successfully resolved the phase of the variants and identified a compound heterozygous diplotype in one patient, highlighting its ability to allow the assignment of variant combinations to specific alleles. Our findings demonstrate that dPCR is a practical tool for NUDT15 diplotyping and may facilitate optimized 6-MP therapy by reducing toxicity risk and improving treatment precision for pediatric ALL. Yasunori Iida, Reiji Fukano, Takuya Ichimura, Sachiyo Kamimura, Takuro Nishikawa, Shuichi Ozono, Yutaka Suehiro, Hiroshi Moritake, Yasuhiro Okamoto, Takahiro Yamasaki, Hideki Nakayama, Masahiro Migita, Shunji Hasegawa 2026-01-08 14:08:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8506583/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:07:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8506583/v1 Background Identifying factors that influence breastfeeding is essential because of its importance for the health of both mothers and infants. Our study intended to apply machine learning (ML) models to assess the clinical, demographic, and obstetric factors that predict exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Methods Through a prospective cohort study of infants born in Bandar Abbas, Iran from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, we created ML models that predict the EBF within six months. Our dataset was obtained from the “Iranian Maternal and Neonatal Network. Infants with gestational age under 34 weeks, absent data on gestational age or birth weight, and the death or relocation of the infant or mother within the initial months after birth were excluded. The outcome measure was EBF within six. factors that may be associated with EBF were preliminaries identified to run the ML models. We utilized several metrics to assess the performance of the models such as the area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, precision, Brier score, recall, F1 score, precision-recall (PRAUC). Results The prevalence of EBF in our study was 60.9%. The most influential predictors across all ML models were maternal age, maternal education and occupation, gestational age, parity, mode of delivery, newborn Apgar score, newborn weight, presence of a doula, skin-to-skin contact, participation in birth classes, prior breastfeeding experience, home assistance, NICU admission, chronic maternal disease, BMI, and multiple pregnancies. Among all ML models XGBoost stands out as the top model across multiple measures with an accuracy of 0.6, AUC of 0.59, a Brier Score of 0.2, and a PR AUC of 0.7, reflecting the least error and highlighting this model’s superior accuracy and dependability in predicting EBF. Previous breastfeeding experience significantly influences the model's predictions. It suggests that a mother's past breastfeeding experience is essential in influencing her choice to keep breastfeeding in her current childbirth. Maternal job, participation in birth classes, type of delivery, and gestational age are among the strongest predictors of EBF. Conclusions A strong model was created to predict EBF, highlighting previous breastfeeding experience as a key predictor. XGBoost has shown acceptable performance in predicting EBF.  Nasibeh Roozbeh, Mozhgan Saffari, Ali Haghighat, Fatemeh Darsareh, Vahid Mehrnoush, Anna Nami, Zahra Ghasemi, Farideh Montazeri, Elahe Taghavei, Sara Farhadnia 2026-01-08 14:07:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487416/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:06:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487416/v1 Blue-violet light has demonstrated potential in inactivating aquatic pathogens and managing associated diseases. To evaluate its efficacy against scuticociliatosis caused by parasite Metanophrys sp. in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), we first exposed Metanophrys sp. to 365, 405, and 465 nm LED light to identify the effective wavelengths and then conducted therapeutic trials on infected L. crocea. Results showed that the lethal effect on the parasite decreased with increasing wavelength. Both 365 nm and 405 nm irradiation caused severe morphological damage, including cilia loss, and cell rupture, leading to 100% mortality of parasite. In contrast, 465 nm light showed only a minimal effect. In the in vivo trial, infected L. crocea treated with 405 nm light exhibited a survival rate of 76.7%, which was not significantly different from the healthy control group (90.0%) but substantially higher than the infected-untreated group (26.7%) and the group treated with 365 nm group (0%). Safety assessment revealed that 405 nm light caused a temporary increase in ocular melanin, which returned to baseline within 28 days. In conclusion, 405 nm blue-violet light can safely and effectively control Metanophrys sp. infection in L. crocea, supporting its potential application as an eco-friendly method for managing parasitic diseases in aquaculture. Chao Zheng, Bingqi Xu, Khairul Syahputra, Huria Marnis, Mingfeng Ge, Shengwei Xu, Fei Yin 2026-01-08 14:06:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8478168/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:06:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8478168/v1 The WHO guideline recommends that the potential toxicity of herbs be comprehensively examined in preclinical settings prior to clinical evaluation. Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) technology has been suggested for this purpose because of its capacity to reflect human responses. While Lagerstroemia speciosa extracts have been used as treatment of diabetes, Lagerstroemia tomentosa extracts have not been well studied; however, their hepatotoxicity is largely unknown. Thus, we assessed the hepatotoxicity of Lagerstroemia extracts using a human liver OOC with HepG2 cells and this system’s efficacy compared to its 2D counterpart. Lagerstroemia speciosa extracts were prepared from fresh (LS) or shed (LSS) leaves, and Lagerstroemia tomentosa extracts were prepared from fresh leaves (LT). The OOCs exposed to the extracts at low concentrations for 24 h exhibited minimal viability reductions and were more sensitive to the toxicity of LS and LSS than the 2D cultures. Albumin production, a hepatic functional marker, in the OOCs was impaired by LS and LT, even at low concentrations. Seven-day exposure of the OOCs to LS further reduced viability and albumin production. This OOC study revealed the potential hepatotoxicity of Lagerstroemia extracts, suggesting that functional assessments of the liver may be required during clinical studies involving these extracts. Krit Thirapanmethee, Ploychanok Keawsomnuk, Nadeeya Mad-adam, Intira Poonsawaeng, Pimonrat Ketsawatsomkron, Mullika Chomnawang, Tharita Kitisripanya, Kenjiro Muta 2026-01-08 14:06:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8429330/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:03:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8429330/v1 Krüppel-like factor 15 is a metabolism-related transcription factor that has been implicated in the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This study aimed to elucidate its function in cartilage, particularly its interaction with β-catenin, using inducible cartilage-specific knockout mice. Krüppel-like factor 15 knockout mice and control mice underwent destabilization of medial meniscal surgery to induce osteoarthritis. Histological analysis and immunohistochemistry were carried out, along with in vitro co-immunoprecipitation, double immunofluorescence, and subcellular fractionation. The effects of Wnt3A stimulation and treatment with Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors were evaluated. KO mice showed significantly more cartilage degeneration at eight weeks after surgery when compared with control mice. Knockout mice also showed elevated Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores and increased expression of β-catenin, matrix metalloprotease 13, and a disintegrin-like metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs 5, along with decreased expression of SRY-box transcription factor 9. Krüppel-like factor 15 was seen to physically interact and colocalize with β-catenin in chondrocyte nuclei. Its deficiency promoted Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation and nuclear β-catenin accumulation. Wnt3A stimulation amplified catabolic gene expression and suppressed anabolic factor expression. However, administration of a Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor canceled out these effects. This study indicates that Krüppel-like factor 15 interacts with β-catenin and functions as a negative regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cartilage, maintaining matrix homeostasis, and suppressing osteoarthritis progression. Deficiency of Krüppel-like factor 15 promotes catabolism and inhibits anabolism mediated by β-catenin in cartilage. These findings suggest that Krüppel-like factor 15 may be a potential therapeutic target for osteoarthritis, either by restoring its function or enhancing its interaction with β-catenin. Akira Saitoh, Shinya Hayashi, Toshiki Kitamura, Takuma Hayashi, Kohei Motono, Shotaro Araki, Takuma Maeda, Yoshihito Suda, Kensuke Wada, Kemmei Ikuta, Masanori Tsubosaka, Tomoyuki Kamenaga, Yuichi Kuroda, Naoki Nakano, Tomoyuki Matsumoto, Tetsuya Hosooka, Wataru Ogawa, Ryosuke Kuroda 2026-01-08 14:03:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8306492/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:03:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8306492/v1 Objective This study investigated the latent profile characteristics of self-care ability in elderly rural patients with coronary heart disease and analysed its relationship with depression.Methods Data were collected from the Elderly Health Assessment Project at Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University. The Harman single-factor method was employed to test for common method bias. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify distinct subtypes of self-care ability. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to explore the relationships between self-care ability and sociodemographic variables in elderly rural patients with coronary heart disease. ANOVA was used to explore the associations between self-care ability patterns and depression across different self-care ability groups.Results A total of 999 elderly rural patients with coronary heart disease could be divided into three categories of self-care ability: low self-care ability—struggling to start group (21.9%), moderate self-care ability—gradual adaptation group (32.4%), and high self-care ability—stable mastery group (45.7%). The factors influencing self-care ability profiles included age, monthly income, smoking status, vision loss status, types of medications, duration of disease, and self-rated health. This study also revealed a significant association between self-care ability and depression, with the high self-care ability group having the lowest depression scores (p < 0.001).Conclusion The findings highlight the heterogeneity in self-care ability in elderly rural patients with coronary heart disease and emphasize the importance of tailored interventions to address individual needs. Healthcare providers should focus on improving self-care ability and managing depression to enhance the quality of life and health outcomes in this population. teng yang, wen li, jia song, xiaoyu gou, luyao yan, mengjie li, nan lu, minmin leng, zixu yu, zhenmei zhang 2026-01-08 14:03:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443273/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:03:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443273/v1 Child health is a critical indicator of human development and health system performance. Despite global progress, inequities in child health outcomes remain stark, particularly between high‑income and low‑middle‑income countries. This study applies an integrated Artificial Intelligence Geographic Information Systems (AI–GIS) framework to compare child health trajectories in New Zealand and Nigeria from 2006 to 2022, focusing on spatial inequality, temporal change, and policy effectiveness. Using harmonized national datasets, we examine immunization coverage, sanitation access, and treatment of childhood illnesses in relation to maternal education, household wealth, and place of residence. Results reveal two contrasting inequality regimes: in Nigeria, child health outcomes are shaped by structural inequities linked to governance capacity and infrastructure distribution, while in New Zealand, residual disparities persist within an otherwise mature health system. By distinguishing structural from residual inequality, the study highlights how policy design must adapt to context whether addressing entrenched deprivation in resource‑constrained settings or fine‑tuning equity in advanced systems. Findings underscore the importance of equity‑driven health policy and provide evidence for strengthening child health strategies in both developing and developed contexts. Jumoke I. Ogunremi, Nelson N. Igwilo, Oladayo O. Babalola 2026-01-08 14:03:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8482971/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:02:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8482971/v1 Purpose In pivotal phase III studies of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ramucirumab (RAM) serum concentrations were associated with clinical outcomes in docetaxel (DTX) plus RAM treatment (DTX group), but not in erlotinib (ERL) plus RAM treatment (ERL group). This study prospectively examined the relationship between serum RAM concentrations and clinical outcomes in a real-world setting.Methods This study included patients with advanced NSCLC who received RAM in combination with DTX or ERL. Blood samples were obtained at trough levels before RAM administration. The day 1 sample of the second cycle was defined as Ctrough and measured using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The associations between Ctrough and clinical outcomes were evaluated.Results Ctrough ranged from 4.3–36.4 µg/mL in the DTX group and 10.2–44.5 µg/mL in the ERL group. Edema was more commonly observed in the high Ctrough group than in the DTX group. Ctrough was not associated with prognosis in the DTX group, while the median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in high Ctrough (8.3 vs 16.4 months, p = 0.032) within the ERL group. The median overall survival was significantly longer in low modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS-low) (32.8 vs 13.6 months, p = 0.042) within the DTX group, and PFS was significantly longer in mGPS-low (18.2 vs 6.1 months, p = 0.004) within the ERL group.Conclusion RAM Ctrough may influence survival after ERL + RAM treatment. The mGPS appears to be a potential prognostic factor in patients with NSCLC treated with RAM. Kazumasa Akagi, Shinnosuke Takemoto, Mayu Ohuchi, Shigehiro Yagishita, Ryosuke Ogata, Hiromi Tomono, Noritaka Honda, Yasuhiro Umeyama, Yosuke Dotsu, Midori Matsuo, Hirokazu Taniguchi, Hiroshi Gyotoku, Minoru Fukuda, Hiroshi Soda, Kazuto Ashizawa, Akinobu Hamada, Hiroshi Mukae 2026-01-08 14:02:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7929845/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:02:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7929845/v1 Background:Streptococcal tonsillitis is a global health challenge. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of macrolide resistance phenotypes and genotypes in S. pyogenes and to examine the association between resistance genes and clinical factors. Method:From 2019 to 2021, 159 S. pyogenes strains were isolated from children with tonsillitis. The macrolide resistance phenotype was determined by performing a double-disk diffusion test according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. PCR has detected macrolide resistance genes. Results: In this study, 31.4% (50/159) of S. pyogenes strains were macrolide-resistant. The resistance rate was higher in isolates from females (33.7%, 32/95) than in isolates from males (28.1%, 18/64), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.459). Our results revealed that macrolide-resistant S. pyogenes is associated with tonsil hyperemia and hyperplasia (P=0.044). Based on the double-disk diffusion test, the frequencies of M phenotype, cMLSB, and iMLSB among isolates were 27% (43/159), 3% (5/159), and 1% (2/159), respectively. The amplification of genes showed that 11.9% (19/159) of the strains harbored ErmC and 4.4% (7/159) carried ErmB genes. In contrast, both ErmAand MefA genes were not detected in S. pyogenesisolates. On regression analysis, macrolide resistance was associated with tonsil hyperemia and hyperplasia (AOR: 3.780, 95%CI:1.244-11.487, P=0.019).There was no significant variation in the rate of resistance phenotypes or in the ErmA and MefA genes among subjects’ characteristics or clinical data. Conclusion: This study provides insight into the epidemiology of macrolide resistance in S. pyogenes within the study area. Although the rate of resistance is considerable, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size and absence of DNA sequencing data. Broader, multicenter studies incorporating molecular sequencing and whole-genome analysis are recommended to clarify the genetic basis of macrolide resistance in S. pyogenes. Elnaim Bushra Ahmed, Elsir Ali AbuGroun, Babiker Saad Almugadam, Aymen Mudawe Nurain, Yousif Mousa Alobaid Ahmed, Babbiker Mohammed Taher Gorish, Nadir Abuzeid 2026-01-08 14:02:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490604/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:01:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490604/v1 Urban resilience in rapidly growing cities requires more than technical infrastruc- ture solutions, it depends on public awareness, institutional trust, and acceptance of emerging technologies. Dubai provides a critical case where climate stress, demographic diversity, and a Smart City agenda converge, a reality underscored by the April 2024 extreme rainfall event that caused widespread flooding and transport disruptions across the city. This study examines resilience perceptions in Dubai, integrating hazard awareness, preparedness, institutional confidence, and trust in AI-enabled systems. Results show that visible hazards such as floods and traffic disruptions dominate risk perception, while slower-onset threats like groundwater depletion remain underestimated. Preparedness is strongly corre- lated with institutional confidence but is significantly lower among expatriates. While AI-driven resilience solutions attract support, trust in these technologies is conditional and hinges on oversight, transparency, and inclusivity. The findings highlight three interlinked vulnerabilities, fragmented hazard perception, uneven preparedness, and fragile trust in institutions and technologies. From these, five principles are proposed to guide resilience strategies, broaden hazard awareness, make preparedness mandatory, embed transparency in governance, establish safe- guards for AI, and ensure inclusivity across demographic groups. Beyond Gulf studies that emphasize infrastructure or governance capacity, this study provides empirical evidence on how demographic divides, institutional trust, and attitudes toward emerging technologies shape resilience in Dubai. Beginning with a public perception survey as the first stage of a broader mixed methods design, it offers a foundation that will inform subsequent Delphi consultations and resilience planning in hyper arid, fast-growing cities across the Gulf and wider Global South. Hassan Alblooshi, Mohamed Mustafa, Yacine Rezgui, Thomas Beach 2026-01-08 14:01:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477200/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:01:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477200/v1 Deep excavations involve complex interactions among soil properties, groundwater conditions, excavation geometry, support systems, and construction-induced responses, making reliable risk assessment essential for safe construction. With the increasing availability of monitoring data, there is a growing need for practical approaches that can systematically utilize such information for excavation risk evaluation. This study presents a monitoring-based assessment of excavation risk using data-driven modeling techniques suitable for routine geotechnical engineering practice. A comprehensive dataset comprising geotechnical, environmental, excavation-related, and structural response parameters is analyzed to classify excavation risk levels. Conventional machine learning models are employed to capture relationships among influencing factors, with emphasis placed on robustness and engineering interpretability rather than methodological complexity. Model performance is evaluated using standard classification metrics, and feature importance and sensitivity analyses are conducted to identify dominant contributors to excavation risk. Results indicate that excavation depth and deformation-related indicators govern risk classification, while environmental factors act as secondary modifiers under typical conditions. The findings demonstrate that data-driven interpretation of monitoring data can effectively complement traditional geotechnical assessment methods and support practical excavation risk evaluation. Sachin Admane, Tejas Admane 2026-01-08 14:01:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489396/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:01:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489396/v1 Background Male tobacco and alcohol use in India represents a substantially greater burden than in females, with consumption rates 4–5 times higher for tobacco and 15–25 times higher for alcohol nationally. These behavioural patterns drive the majority of substance-related cancer burden among Indian men, with significant regional and occupational variations that differ markedly from female-specific risk patterns [1].Methods This study integrates nationally representative data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–2021), Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 (2016–2017), and cancer incidence estimates from the National Cancer Registry Programme and GLOBOCAN 2022. Male-specific projections for 2025 were derived by applying age-adjusted incidence rates to population estimates. Population-attributable fractions were calculated using relative risks from international meta-analyses, with gender-comparative analysis to elucidate sex-specific differences in risk drivers [2].Results Approximately 712,176 new cancer cases are projected among Indian men in 2025, corresponding to a crude incidence rate of 95.6 per 100,000. Lung, oral cavity, and prostate cancers account for approximately 25% of male cancer cases [2]. Male tobacco uses prevalence ranges from 38% (NFHS-5) to 42.4% (GATS-2), dominated by smokeless forms at 27% but with smoking at 19.2%—substantially higher than female smoking rates [1, 3]. Male alcohol consumption ranges from 17.5% to 29.2% nationally, with pronounced regional variation and highest prevalence in northeastern states where consumption exceeds 45% in several districts [4]. An estimated 50–60% of projected male cancers are attributable to tobacco and alcohol exposure, substantially exceeding the 35% attributable fraction observed among females [2, 5]. The synergistic interaction between concurrent tobacco and alcohol use markedly amplifies cancer risk, accounting for approximately 62% of oral cancers among men [6]. Regional and occupational disparities reveal concentration of tobacco and alcohol use among manual labourers, agricultural workers, and in specific geographic zones of northeastern India, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana [5].Conclusion Despite declining national prevalence of tobacco smoking, male tobacco and alcohol remain overwhelmingly dominant contributors to cancer burden in India, driven by smokeless tobacco persistence, occupational and social normalization of substance use, and regional concentration. Approximately 356,000–427,000 male cancer cases in 2025 are attributable to modifiable tobacco and alcohol exposure [2]. Gender-responsive prevention strategies specifically addressing male occupational contexts, masculinity norms, and regional disparities are essential to mitigate the projected male cancer burden, which exceeds that of females by two- to three-fold for tobacco- and alcohol-related malignancies [1]. Dr Mohammad Rafique, Dr Kailash Verma, Dr Yasmeen Khan, Dr Dharmendra Mandarwal, Amol Rajendra Gite 2026-01-08 14:01:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485458/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 14:01:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485458/v1 This study aims to analyze the influence of Customer Online Experience Pandawa on brand awareness, brand image, and brand resonance, as well as their subsequent impact on participant retention in the JKN program. In addition, the study examines the moderating role of trust in strengthening the relationship between brand equity and participant retention. Using a quantitative approach with the PLS-SEM method, the research involved 288 respondents who are JKN participants utilizing the Pandawa digital service. The model was evaluated through reliability and validity testing, structural path analysis, and moderation analysis. The results indicate that Customer Online Experience Pandawa significantly affects brand awareness, brand image, and brand resonance. Furthermore, brand image and brand resonance have a significant impact on participant retention, with brand resonance emerging as the strongest predictor, while brand awareness shows no significant influence. Trust strengthens the effect of brand image and brand resonance on retention but does not moderate the relationship between brand awareness and retention. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing digital service quality, fostering emotional engagement, and building trust to improve participant retention within the JKN program. This study contributes by demonstrating how digital service experience and brand equity collectively shape participant retention in the context of public health insurance. JEL codes: I18, M31, D83 Dina Lusianti, Noor Rahmawati, Mira Marka, Syarifatun Karuniaekawati 2026-01-08 14:01:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476655/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:59:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476655/v1 Chlorpyrifos is a widely used pesticide worldwide, and its residues are commonly found in water, soil, sediments, and fruits. This study isolated two mixed pure cultures of chlorpyrifos-degrading bacteria. Mixture 1 included Bacillus subtilis CP1 and Cupriavidus sp. CP2 isolated from soil, which degraded under aerobic conditions. Mixture 2 consisted of Pseudomonas aeruginosa CP3, Bacteroides sp. CP4, and Dehalococcoides mccartyi CP5 isolated from sediment degrading chlorpyrifos under anaerobic conditions. The mixed cultures 1 and 2 completely utilized the insecticide at 50 mg/L as a sole carbon source within 2 and 5 days, respectively. Moreover, mixed culture 1 could utilize 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. During the degradation of chlorpyrifos, two metabolites, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol and di-ethylthiophosphate, were produced by both mixed cultures. 5,6-Dihydro-2(1H)-pyridinone and 3,6-dihydroxypyridine-2,5-dione were also metabolites during the degradation by Bacillus subtilis CP1 and Cupriavidus CP2, respectively. Meanwhile, 5,6-dichloro-2-pyridinol, 2-pyridinol and fumaric acid were produced during the degradation by the mixed culture 2. The In vitro degradation of pesticides in collected soil and sediment enhanced with the inoculation of target degrading bacteria under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. This study elucidates the mechanism of chlorpyrifos degradation by two bacterial mixtures, and the differences between in vitro and ex situ degradation. Ha Duc, Oanh Nguyen 2026-01-08 13:59:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8282837/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:57:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8282837/v1 The present research examined the effect of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) teaching intervention on developing self-efficacy, self-regulation, and grit of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. To this end, 123 Chinese EFL learners were selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. During 10 weeks, the two groups received the same syllabus material, but the experimental group engaged with an AI Chabot that offered adaptive learning support, customized encouragement, and immediate feedback. On the contrary, the control received conventional teacher-centered teaching through a traditional context. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured variations in learners' self-efficacy, self-regulation, and grit. Results from running one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that the AI Chabot intervention significantly enhanced learners' psychological traits compared to traditional instruction. Indeed, these findings confirm that AI-driven instruction substantially improved EFL learners' self-efficacy, self-regulation, and grit, with the most significant gains observed in self-efficacy. These results indicate that AI-driven teaching may act as a strong tool for developing those mental constructs in EFL settings. Lu Li, Yongliang Wang 2026-01-08 13:57:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8436282/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:57:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8436282/v1 Electrifying the transport sector will require manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries and extensive mining of their embedded critical minerals, like lithium. Research has quantified the future demand for lithium-ion batteries, their constituent materials and their environmental impacts, but typically without contextualizing these impacts within the benefits of fleet-level decarbonization. We conduct a life cycle assessment of the United States projected light-duty electric vehicle fleet (2025–2050) and compare it to a counter-factual scenario where all electric vehicles are instead internal combustion engine vehicles to determine the environmental benefits enabled by lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. Results show that electric vehicles will reduce primary energy consumption by 20%, material extraction (including fossil fuels) by 34% and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by 61% compared to an internal combustion engine-only future. This translates into 300–600 kg CO2e avoided per kilowatt-hour of lithium-ion battery, or 5–12 tons CO2e avoided per kg of lithium extracted. Under conditions of high battery recycling rates, avoided emissions can increase to 20 tons CO2e per kg of lithium. However, electric vehicle deployment increases metal extraction by 117% and critical minerals extraction by 179%. Actions to reduce the metal intensity of EVs are needed such as increasing LIB durability, improving EV energy efficiency, and enhancing battery recycling and metal recovery rates to avoid new mining and multiply the climate benefits of battery mineral extraction. Pablo Busch, Yunzhu Chen, Alissa Kendall 2026-01-08 13:57:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8290982/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:57:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8290982/v1 Background: Lung transplant recipients often live for years with residual respiratory symptoms and psychological distress, but the pathways through which these factors affect quality of life (QoL) are not fully understood. We examined how transplant-specific pulmonary symptom burden and psychological distress relate to generic and transplant-specific QoL in long-term lung transplant recipients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 76 adult lung transplant recipients from a single centre completed the Lung Transplant Quality of Life (LT-QoL) questionnaire, EQ-5D-5L, SF-36, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A composite psychological distress index was derived from HADS-Anxiety, HADS-Depression and the LT-QoL Anxiety/Depression and Health Distress subscales. Associations were examined using Pearson correlations, hierarchical linear regression (adjusting for age, sex and time since transplant) and mediation models with psychological distress as a mediator between pulmonary symptoms and QoL outcomes. Results: Pulmonary symptom burden (LT-QoL Pulmonary Symptoms) was in the low-moderate range yet showed robust correlations with poorer generic, transplant-specific and respiratory-specific QoL (|r| up to .82). The psychological distress index demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .84) and was strongly associated with worse EQ-5D, SF-36 and LT-QoL General QoL scores. In regression models, pulmonary symptoms and psychological distress independently predicted SF-36 overall QoL (R² = .55), whereas psychological distress was the stronger predictor of EQ-5D Index Value. Mediation analyses indicated that psychological distress partially mediated the association between pulmonary symptoms and SF-36 and EQ-5D Index Value, while effects on EQ-VAS and LT-QoL General QoL were largely direct. Conclusions:Even modest pulmonary symptom burden and psychological distress are tightly linked to QoL years after lung transplantation. Routine follow-up should include brief assessment of both domains, and integrated care models that combine optimisation of pulmonary status with targeted psychological support may be needed to preserve long-term QoL in lung transplant recipients. Stańska Aleksandra, Karolak Wojciech, Żegleń Sławomir, Wojarski Jacek 2026-01-08 13:57:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8364648/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:56:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8364648/v1 This study investigates the performance of natural sand particles from the Taklamakan Desert as a low-cost adsorbent for removing Cd(II) from water. SEM, FTIR, and XRD characterization revealed a multi-porous silica structure with abundant Si–OH and Si–O–Si groups. Using a microcolumn coupled with FAAS under optimal conditions (pH 5.5–6.5, flow rate 3 mL·min− 1, room temperature), the sand particles exhibited a dynamic saturation adsorption capacity of 10.2 mg·g− 1 for Cd(II) ions, achieving an adsorption rate of 90.2%. Equilibrium data conformed to the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.938), indicating heterogeneous multilayer adsorption. Kinetic data followed pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.966), revealing a chemically controlled mechanism. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the process as a spontaneous, endothermic reaction. After desorption using 0.01 mol·L− 1 hydrochloric acid, the desorption rate reached 98.4% with no significant loss of adsorption capacity. This demonstrates that natural sand particles represent a sustainable and highly efficient adsorbent for Cd(II) remediation. Jiaxiang Qi, Yixin Sui, SuaiBing Gao, LinLin Chai, shawket abliz 2026-01-08 13:56:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8337784/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:55:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8337784/v1 Objective This aimed to examine the levels of emotional labour and compassion fatigue among 112 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE) personnel deployed in disaster zones, and to explore their associations with sociodemographic and occupational factors.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2024 among 405 EMS and UMKE personnel from Ankara, Konya, Kayseri, and Antalya provinces in Turkey. Data were collected using a three-part questionnaire: demographic form, the Compassion Fatigue Scale (revised by Adams et al.), and the Emotional Labour Scale (developed by Diefendorff et al.). Confirmatory factor analyses with bootstrap resampling (n = 10,000) assessed construct validity, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients evaluated reliability. Group comparisons were performed using t-tests, ANOVA, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Spearman’s correlation examined relationships between variables.Results Significant differences in compassion fatigue and its subdimensions were observed by age, gender, marital status, education level, working style, and professional title (p < 0.05). Emotional labour scores also varied significantly by age, gender, marital status, education level, and working style (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were found between compassion fatigue and emotional labour dimensions, suggesting a psychosocial interplay between these constructs in high-stress disaster contexts.Conclusion Findings highlight the psychosocial burden faced by emergency medical and disaster response personnel in Turkey’s disaster zones. Targeted mental health support, resilience-building interventions, and organisational strategies are essential to mitigate compassion fatigue and manage emotional labour demands in this population. Tugba Kursun Taskan, Mevlut Karadag, Ismet Sahin 2026-01-08 13:55:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8493684/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:53:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8493684/v1 Background The control of mosquito-borne diseases is heavily reliant on insecticide-based interventions. The evolution of insecticide resistance is a complex process driven by both direct chemical exposure and indirect environmental pressures. While the larval environment is known to influence adult mosquito traits, its long-term impact on the evolution of multiple resistance mechanisms is poorly understood. This study used an experimental evolution approach to investigate how larval aquatic environments select for insecticide resistance profiles in An. gambiae s.l. over 10 successive generations.Methods Anopheles gambiae s.l. larvae were collected from a single site in Accra, Ghana, and colonized in the laboratory for 10 filial generations. The larvae were reared in three distinct water types: field-collected water (FW), dechlorinated tap water (TW), and distilled water (DW). At each generation, phenotypic susceptibility to four classes of insecticides was assessed using WHO bioassays, including synergist assays with piperonyl butoxide (PBO). The frequencies of the kdr-w (L995F) and ace-1 (G119S) target-site mutations were determined using molecular analysis. The activity of key metabolic enzymes, P450 monooxygenases, carboxylesterases (α and β), and insensitive acetylcholinesterase was quantified through biochemical assays. Selected physicochemical properties of the rearing waters were also characterized.Results kdr-w mutation rapidly increased to fixation by generation F2 in mosquitoes reared in dechlorinated tap water, a trend not observed in the other two water types, suggesting a strong, water-mediated selective advantage provided by tap water chemistry. There was an overall significant decline in the frequency of the kdr-w mutation from 90–100% at F0 to ~ 63% by F10. Conversely, the frequency of the ace-1 mutation increased steadily from approximately 60% to 90% over the 10 generations. Mosquitoes reared in the nutrient and ion-rich field water consistently exhibited significantly elevated levels of detoxification enzymes, particularly ⍺-esterases and mixed-function oxidases (up to 32% for oxidases), compared to those reared in tap and distilled water indicating phenotypic plasticity induced by natural environmental co-factors.Conclusion The larval aquatic environment fundamentally shapes the genetic and biochemical basis of insecticide resistance in adult Anopheles gambiae s.l.. The physicochemical composition of breeding water induces metabolic detoxification systems and influences the rate of fixation of target-site mutations. These findings suggest that environmental co-factors play a critical role in the persistence of resistance genes, providing a new evolutionary framework for integrated vector management. Larval source management can serve not only to reduce vector populations but also be a critical tool for managing insecticide resistance by modifying the environmental pressures that select for resistant phenotypes. Ibrahim K. Gyimah, Godwin K. Amlalo, Rebecca Pwalia, Samuel S. Akporh, Aaron A. Lartey, Akua O.Y. Danquah, Dominic Acquah-Baidoo, Sampson Gbagba, Ali B.I. Alhassan, Joannitta Joannides, Samuel O. Darkwah, Godwin A. Koffa, Duncan K. Athinya, Rinki Deb, Samuel K. Dadzie, Jewelna Akorli 2026-01-08 13:53:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8272882/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:51:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8272882/v1 Objective: The aim of the research was to explore the ways campus-based Wellness Program peer supports, applied learnings from a Community Health Worker Training Program (CHWTP) to address the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) of students. Participants: Fourteen campus-based, embedded peer supports titled Wellbeing Support Coordinators (WBSCs) enrolled in the CHWTP. Methods: WBSCs participated in three focus groups and collected data on peer meetings. Results: Findings indicate that WBSCs applied knowledge and skills learned from the CHWTP to address SDOH among students in myriad ways and in ways that aligned with typical CHW roles and referrals (e.g., social-emotional support and advocacy). CHW training content tailored to the specific needs and challenges of college students was recommended. Conclusions: Embedding CHWs in college campuses could provide the support needed to ensure that universities are equipped to address the SDOH of students. Jen K. Molloy, Carrie Jo Riordan, Heather Otremba, Mackenzie Petersen, Kim Spurzem, Jessica Liddell 2026-01-08 13:51:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8013262/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:50:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8013262/v1 Cellulose-based materials can be an ideal immobilizing support for enzymes due to their abundance in nature, non-toxicity, sustainability, and biodegradability. Furthermore, they do not leave any toxic residue behind after the process is utilized. In this work, magnetic cellulose beads (MCB) were coated with polydopamine-polyethyleneimine (PDA-HMDA). The MCB@PDA-HDMA beads were then functionalized by chelating Cu(II) ions or reacting with glutaraldehyde (GA) for the immobilization of laccase via metal chelate interaction or covalent binding, respectively. PDA-HMDA polymer pairs were coated onto MCB to enhance Cu(II) ions chelation and GA functionalization, which provided metal chelate interaction and covalent binding sites for laccase. The MCB@PDA-HDMA beads-based preparations were characterized using FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, SEM, TEM, and VSM. The amounts of immobilized laccase via metal chelate interaction, covalent binding, and adsorption on the MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac, MCB@PDA-HDMA-GA-Lac, and MCB@PDA-HDMA beads were found to be 87.9, 51.6, and 42.4 mg/g beads, respectively. The highest activity yield order of immobilized laccase preparations was MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac (81.6%) > MCB@PDA-HDMA-GA-Lac (68.4%) > MCB@PDA-HDMA (48.7%) compared to the free laccase using syringaldazine as an artificial substrate. The free enzyme, MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac, MCB@PDA-HDMA-Lac preparations exhibited their maximum activities at pH 6.0, whereas MCB@PDA-HDMA-GA-Lac showed its maximum activity at 6.5. The maximum activity for all the laccase preparations was obtained at 35°C. Furthermore, the immobilized forms of laccase displayed good performance over a broader pH range and at higher temperatures. The free laccase was wholly inactivated at 70°C after 60 min incubation in the substrate-free medium, while the MCB@PDA-HDMA-GA-Lac > MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac > MCB@PDA-HDMA preserved about 44.6, 21.3, and 19.4% of their initial activities, respectively. The biodegradation of two model pollutants, Bisphenol A (BPA) and Reactive Green 5 (RG-5, metal complex dye), with the free enzyme and MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac preparation was studied batch vise. In the presence of acetosyringone as a mediator compound in the reaction medium, biodegradation amounts of BPA (at 20 mg/L) and RG-5 dye (10 mg/mL) were detected as 96.9% and 78.2%, respectively, using MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac preparation for a 120 min reaction time. The MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac preparation displayed high biodegradation performance for both tested pollutants compared to the free laccase. Moreover, the MCB@PDA-HDMA-Cu(II)-Lac and MCB@PDA-HDMA-GA-Lac preparations were used for the degradation of BPA and RG-5 in a batch system over five consecutive cycles. These obtained results make the immobilized laccase preparations favorable candidates for many environmental applications, such as wastewaters management and remediation, where improved enzyme performance and reusability are key parameters. Gulay Bayramoglu, Mehmet Yakup Arica 2026-01-08 13:50:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8288074/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:49:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8288074/v1 Background Faced with changing demographics and increasingly complex healthcare needs, China's nursing industry is working hard to address labor shortages and improve core capabilities. To address the nursing crisis, it is imperative to understand the factors that influence nursing capacity. However, existing research has not explored the underlying characteristics of this group's core competencies, which limits the precise targeting of interventions.Objectives To identify potential heterogeneous categories of core competencies of Chinese operating room nurses, analyze their influencing factors, and further explore the relationship between different competency categories and Job Remodeling behaviors.Methods From March to April 2024, a survey was conducted on 13 tertiary grade A hospitals in the southwestern region of China regarding the operating room nurses. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Chinese Registered Nurse Core Competence Scale, and the Work Reshaping Scale. Latent profile analysis was employed to identify the potential categories of core competencies, Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influencing factors, and variance analysis was applied to compare the differences in work reshaping among nurses in different categories.Results A total of 334 operating room nurses participated. The core competencies were classified into three categories: "Basic Group" (10.2%), "Advanced Group" (63.2%) and "Professional Group" (26.6%). Regression analysis indicated that educational level, technical title and years of work were the influencing factors of nurses' core competencies (P < 0.05). The level of work reconfiguration in the "Professional Group" was significantly higher than that of the other two groups (P < 0.05).Conclusion The core competencies of operating room nurses have obvious classification characteristics. Nursing managers should promptly identify and pay attention to the "basic group" and "advanced group" groups, and carry out targeted intervention to stabilize the nursing team and promote the development of nursing and medical care. Dan Li, Xiuying Lu, Yan Yang, Ruohan Hu, Qian Li 2026-01-08 13:49:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8453412/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 13:49:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8453412/v1 Mineral dust is one of the most abundant aerosols, yet its influence on aerosol–cloud interactions (ACI) is not well constrained. Even though ageing during transport allows otherwise weakly hygroscopic dust to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and modify droplet size and albedo, how dust affects the first indirect effect (FIE) for low-level warm clouds remains unclear. Using satellite observations and reanalysis datasets, we quantify how Saharan dust modulates cloud effective radius (CER) and FIE for single-layer warm marine clouds between March and May (2003–2024) when dust-cloud co-occurrence is maximum. We find in dusty environments, CER increases (by 9%), and FIE decreases (by 1.25 times), changing from positive to negative for thin clouds, contrasting traditional ACI. This counterintuitive cloud response likely arises through two mechanisms: a microphysical pathway in which coarse dust, as giant CCN, produces fewer but larger droplets under limited water availability and a radiative pathway in which dust-induced warming enhances evaporation of smaller droplets and suppresses supersaturation, leading to larger droplets. Overall, we find a domain-mean positive top-of-atmosphere forcing from the dust-induced FIE of 0.38 W m⁻², reflecting dust-induced weakening of ACI in the marine environment, with implications for climate forcing uncertainties. Satyendra Pandey, Adeyemi Adebiyi, Yang Lian, V Vinoj, Xue Zheng 2026-01-08 13:49:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8137905/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:42:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8137905/v1 Purpose: People with schizophrenia experience markedly elevated risk of suicide, yet national-level data on schizophrenia-related suicide mortality in the United States (US) remain limited. This study quantifies temporal trends in schizophrenia-related suicide deaths from 1999 through 2023 by sex. Methods: We used final mortality data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database among US residents aged 15 to 74 years whose underlying cause of death was intentional self-harm or sequelae of intentional self-harm and whose death certificate listed schizophrenia, schizotypal disorder, or other delusional disorders as a contributing cause. Counts and mortality rates per 100,000 population were extracted and stratified by sex. Temporal trends were examined using joinpoint regression, with annual percent change (APC) estimated for each identified trend segment. Results: From 1999 to 2023, there were 3,507 schizophrenia-related suicide deaths, of which 76.7% were male and 23.3% were female. The overall mortality rate increased from 0.04 per 100,000 in 1999 to a peak of 0.09 per 100,000 in 2021, a 122% increase. Overall, joinpoint models showed a 2.4% annual increase from 1999 to 2016, followed by a 5.8% annual increase from 2016 to 2023. Among female decedents, rates rose from 1999 to 2012 (APC = 3.6%) and then stabilized. Among male decedents, rates increased gradually from 1999 to 2015 (APC = 2.4%) and accelerated thereafter (APC = 5.8%). Conclusions: Schizophrenia-related suicide mortality increased substantially in the US, particularly among male individuals in recent years. These findings underscore the need for enhanced suicide prevention and treatment efforts targeting individuals with schizophrenia. Rachel Hoopsick, Tourna Khan, Sylvia Okon, Md. Aminul Islam Apu, Amy Ni, Tyler Lee, R. Andrew Yockey 2026-01-08 11:42:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8310627/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:28:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8310627/v1 Background Growth in the number of academic medical journals over the past 25 years has increased the demand for quality peer reviewers. Shortages of qualified peer reviewers are partially attributable to a lack of formal training. We developed a formal mentored peer review (MPR) program to recruit and train peer reviewers. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of this program on the sponsoring journal.Methods We compared the peer-reviews generated by mentored medical education fellows from emergency medicine fellowships throughout the United States to peer-reviews generated by our traditional peer reviewers on two key metrics: quality of the peer review and time to accept and then submit the review. Additionally, we report the number of participating education fellowships and their graduates who continued as peer reviewers once they completed their fellowships.Results Over 100 fellows were mentored by 43 fellowship directors who submitted 147 MPRs over a five-year period. We retained 21 MPR graduates and counted them as peer reviewers once they had completed their fellowships. Mentored peer reviews received significantly higher editorial ratings on review quality than traditional reviewers and independent reviews by previously participating fellowship graduates (p < .001). In addition, compared with traditional reviewers, MPRs reduced the time needed to obtain two reviewers by 6 weeks (p < .001).Discussion The MPR program contributed to improving the quality of peer reviews and increasing the size of the journal’s reviewer pool. Although the time to obtain two accepting reviewers decreased, there was no difference between MPRs and controls in submitting the accepted reviews. Peer reviews by graduates of the MPR program were found to be comparable in quality to our journal’s traditional peer reviewers. By contributing to the formal education of academic medical faculty related to peer review, such an MPR program has the potential for other journals, particularly those related to medical specialties, to meet the demand of academic medical journals for quality peer reviewers. Jeffrey N. Love, David P. Way, Wendy C. Coates, Anne M. Messman, Chris Merritt, Douglas S. Ander, Jonathan S. Ilgen 2026-01-08 11:28:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467806/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:20:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467806/v1 Background Coronary artery spasm (CAS) is an important and frequently under-recognized cause of angina, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Intracoronary provocation testing with acetylcholine (ACh) or ergonovine (ER) is the reference standard for diagnosing epicardial and microvascular spasm, yet its adoption in routine practice remains inconsistent, largely due to safety concerns and variability in protocols. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating intracoronary ACh and/or ER provocation testing for CAS in adult patients. Electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched for studies published between January 2000 and June 2025. Eligible studies included adults (≥18 years) undergoing intracoronary provocation testing, with reporting of diagnostic yield, spasm subtypes, or safety outcomes. Narrative reviews, case reports, animal studies, and non-English publications were excluded from quantitative synthesis. We performed a narrative synthesis of all eligible studies and a proportion meta-analysis of complication rates and diagnostic yield where sufficient data were available. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for observational studies and Cochrane RoB 2.0 for randomized trials. Results Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria, comprising large observational cohorts and registries, a systematic review, case series, and expert/consensus papers, with sample sizes ranging from 12 to 9,444 patients.Across contemporary cohorts, reported diagnostic positivity rates for provoked spasm varied widely, largely reflecting differences in patient selection and protocols, but consistently demonstrated that a substantial proportion of patients with angina and non-obstructive coronary arteries had inducible epicardial or microvascular spasm. In the largest pooled safety dataset (9,444 patients), the prevalence of provoked spasm ranged from 2.3% to 54.7%, while major and minor complication rates were 0.8% and 4.7%, respectively, with no procedure-related deaths. Serious complications across other large series were similarly rare (<1%). Intracoronary ACh was associated with a higher complication rate than ER, but absolute event rates for both agents were very low. Several studies demonstrated that provocation testing refined diagnosis, identified clinically relevant spasm endotypes, and guided targeted medical therapy or de-escalation of treatment. Conclusions In modern clinical practice, intracoronary ACh and ER provocation testing is a safe, diagnostically valuable tool for identifying CAS, particularly in patients with INOCA/MINOCA or unexplained angina. Complication rates are very low when testing is performed using standardized protocols by experienced operators. Wider implementation of provocation testing may improve diagnostic accuracy, allow spasm phenotyping, and enable more individualized treatment in patients with vasomotor coronary disease. Sima Babiker, Duaa Babiker, Minha Musa 2026-01-08 11:20:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8106824/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:20:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8106824/v1 Background Dentists play a key role in preventing dental caries through patient education and implementation of evidence-based strategies. Their own oral hygiene behaviors and self-perceived competence in preventive care can influence their clinical practice. This study assessed personal oral hygiene habits, preventive knowledge, and competence among dentists in the capital cities of Armenia, Moldova, and Belarus.Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,316 practicing dentists in Yerevan, Chisinau, and Minsk. The 40-item structured questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic and professional characteristics, oral hygiene and dietary behaviors, knowledge of caries prevention, and preventive clinical practices. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA.Results Participants had a mean age of 39.9 ± 11.4 years, and 65.6% were women. Most dentists reported brushing their teeth twice daily or more (90.9%) and using interdental cleaning aids daily (77.3%). Daily use of fluoride toothpaste was reported by 48.3% of respondents. However, daily use of fluoridated toothpaste varied markedly across countries: 22.5% in Armenia, 19.0% in Moldova, and 71.9% in Belarus (p < 0.001). Nearly all participants felt competent to provide preventive dental care (91.8%) and oral health education (94.3%), while over half agreed that more training in preventive dentistry should be provided in undergraduate curricula. The majority demonstrated sound knowledge of preventive measures such as fluoride use, sugar reduction, and sealants, and most reported routinely advising patients on oral hygiene, diet, and regular check-ups (mean knowledge scores of 37.7 ± 5.3, 40.2 ± 4.7, and 40.8 ± 4.3 for Armenia, Moldova, and Belarus, respectively, (p < 0.001)). Belarusian dentists reported the highest adherence to preventive recommendations for patients, including fluoride advice and dietary counseling (p < 0.001). Tobacco use was reported by 13.8% of participants, mainly among men.Conclusions Dentists in Armenia, Moldova, and Belarus generally showed favorable oral hygiene habits, high self-reported competence, and positive attitudes toward preventive dentistry. Continued emphasis on preventive oral health education and reinforcement of evidence-based practices—particularly regarding fluoride use and patient counseling—can further enhance the preventive role of dental professionals in this region. Tarig Al-Hadi Osman, Maria Helene Hagen, Gayane Manrikyan, Izabella Vardanian, Christoffer Andresen, Bhavdeep Singh, Marina Markaryan, Natalia Shakavets, Dipak Sapkota, Tine Merete Søland, Daniela-Elena Costea, Diana Uncuta, Olga Golburean 2026-01-08 11:20:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8172042/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:15:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8172042/v1 Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism of Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu (ZL) capsule on the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).Methods In this study, ICH model was established to assess the neuroprotective efficacy of ZL capsule. The ICH-induced neurological deficits were analyzed by behavioral studies including Zea-Longa score, Neurological Severity Score, Open filed test, Y-maze test, Morris water maze, Rotarod test and pathological staining such as HE staining and Nissl staining. Perls staining was used to measure iron deposition after ICH. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) assay kits were performed to measure the level of lipid peroxide after ICH. The levels of oxidative stress-related targets were verified by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot.Results This study demonstrated that ZL capsule treatment significantly reduced ICH-induced neurological deficits after ICH, improved the memory learning functions of rats and attenuated ICH‑Induced neuron damage in rats. After ICH, oxidative stress in brain tissue increased and ZL capsule could alleviate the pathological state of oxidative stress. The SOD and GSH activities were dramatically increased after the treatment of ZL capsule compared with the Ns group, while the content of MDA was markedly decreased after treatment with ZL capsule compared with Ns group. After ICH, the SLC40A1, SESN2 and GPX4 mRNA in brain tissue increased, and the NOX4 and TFR1 mRNA in brain tissue decreased after the treatment of ZL capsule. Proteomics analysis also confirmed these results.Conclusion Our data suggested that ZL capsule showed a neuroprotective function after ICH and alleviated ICH induced neurological deficits in rats. The possible mechanism may be that ZL capsule inhibits iron deposition and mitochondrial destabilization, lessening oxidative stress in brain tissue. The findings of this study offer a new perspective of how ZL capsule affects ICH at a molecular level and could be conducive to developing therapeutic drugs for ICH and traditional Chinese medicine. lixia Wang, guijin Zhu, Gang Luo, Luyin Yang, Wei Ren, Raoqiong Wang, Houping Xu 2026-01-08 11:15:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8085120/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:14:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8085120/v1 Urbanization, digitalization and sustainability challenges call for renewed approaches in school geography that move beyond static descriptions of cities. This study develops and evaluates a methodological framework for integrating innovative urban development—particularly smart and sustainable city concepts—into the secondary geography curriculum, using Almaty (Kazakhstan) as a case study. An elective course, Geography of Cities (Almaty), was designed around a content–structural model that combines key geographical concepts, regional case studies, authentic datasets, and digital tools, including the Bilim All mobile application. A qualitative and quasi-experimental design was implemented with ninth-grade students in one Almaty school. An experimental group participated in the elective over 34 hours, while a control group followed the standard curriculum. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests on urban geography concepts, learner questionnaires, and structured classroom observations. Baseline results indicated fragmented understanding of urban functions, functional zoning, and socio-economic impacts of urbanization despite familiarity with basic terminology. Following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated higher levels of conceptual understanding, improved interpretation of local and global urbanization trends, and greater ability to apply knowledge to practice-oriented tasks than the control group. Persistent difficulties with functional zoning and complex socio-economic interactions highlighted the need for explicit modelling and place-based inquiry. The findings support the pedagogical value of a regionally contextualized, activity-based, and digitally supported approach to teaching innovative urban development. The proposed content–structural model offers a transferable framework for embedding smart and sustainable city perspectives into geography education and for fostering spatial thinking, critical urban literacies, and informed civic engagement among students. Nursultan Salimzhanov, Duman Aliaskarov, Sagyngali Kalkashev, Aliya Ayapbekova, Mehmet Somuncu 2026-01-08 11:14:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8472281/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 11:03:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8472281/v1 Background:Medication safety is fundamental to the integrity of clinical drug trials; however, hematology clinical research nurses who implement complex investigational protocols often work under significant clinical and organizational pressure. Limited evidence describes their specific challenges and the coping strategies they use in managing trial medications. Objectives:To explore the challenges hematology clinical research nurses encounter in medication safety management during clinical trials and to identify the strategies they employ to address these demands. Design:A qualitative descriptive study. Setting:The hematology department of a tertiary hospital in Suzhou, southeastern China. Participants: Sixteen registered hematology clinical research nurses with Good Clinical Practice certification and experience in investigational drug management were recruited using purposive and maximum variation sampling. Methods:Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted in a quiet demonstration room between September and October 2025. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Chinese, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Results:Clinical research nurses described four major groups of challenges: (1) escalating knowledge and skill demands due to complex protocols and rapidly evolving high-risk therapies; (2) vulnerability in high-risk operational stages, including dose calculations, time-sensitive administration and pharmacokinetic sampling, and fragmented information systems; (3) limited structural support, reflected in two-person verification requirements amid staffing shortages and weak interdepartmental coordination; and (4) ethical tensions between research rigor and patient-centered care, intensified by high responsibility but restricted decision-making authority. Coping strategies included continuous self-learning, checklist-based process optimization, enhanced patient education, active interdepartmental coordination, emotional regulation, and peer support. Conclusions:Hematology clinical research nurses serve as critical safeguards for medication safety in clinical trials but work within structurally fragile systems. Improving standardized processes, integrating information systems, strengthening staffing and interdisciplinary collaboration, and providing ethical and psychological support are essential to ensure medication safety and sustain nurses’ professional resilience. Wei Zhang, Sipei Wu, Fang Tang 2026-01-08 11:03:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8537483/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:56:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8537483/v1 Water is a basic natural resource for human well-being and survival. However, many communities still face challenges related to water quality. The study aimed to 1) assess the physicochemical parameters of water samples from various hand water pumps, namely pH, nitrate, nitrite, mercury, lead, iron, copper, fluoride, chromium, and total dissolved solids; 2) determine the presence of E. coli in the water samples; and 3) compare the results with Standards set by the Department of Health (Administrative Order No. 2017-0010) in order to determine compliance with safe drinking water regulations. The data collected from the physicochemical and microbial tests were analyzed and compared with the maximum allowable levels (MAL) set by the Department of Health (Administrative Order No. 2017-0010): Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water of 2017. Data revealed that all locations maintained acceptable pH values while location 2 has reached beyond the maximum allowable limit for nitrates and showed detectable mercury levels. None of the locations has been positive form lead, while iron levels were within the safe limits. However, copper was high in every location. Further, it also showed that location 3 had high levels of E.coli contaminations. This evidence was shared with relevant authorities for timely consideration. The study presents the need for improved access to clean drinking water, regular monitoring of water quality, and community health education to improve the health outcomes of the vulnerable communities. Lars Reznik D. Agan, Alnorjereah Fatma L. Datugiwa, Beyonce Andrea M. Estalilla, Shinehah Oleah T. Tindoc, Leslie Joy O. Callado, John Louie N. Dangate, Princess May G. Fernando, Claire Anne B. Beljot, Rolly James F. Cheng 2026-01-08 10:56:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8380869/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:55:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8380869/v1 Introduction Breast cancer remains a major cause of mortality among women in sub-Saharan Africa driven, in part, by low screening coverage. We assessed the prevalence and determinants of clinical breast examination (CBE) uptake among reproductive-aged women in Zambia.Methods This cross-sectional study utilized data from 13,876 women aged 15–49 years who participated in the 2024 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS). The outcome variable was derived from participants’ response to ‘ever having had a breast examination by a health care provider.’ Descriptive statistics and survey-weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted in Stata, with all estimates adjusted to account for the complex survey design used in the ZDHS. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.Results Overall, 13.3% (n = 1,845) of women reported ever receiving CBE. Among those screened, the majority were aged 30–39 years (35.4%), resided in urban areas (56.5%), had secondary level education (42.7%) and belonged to the richest wealth quintile (30.5%). Furthermore, only 17.8% of screened women had health insurance, and two-thirds (66.2%) had previously undergone cervical cancer screening. Higher education (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.08–2.32) and health insurance coverage (AOR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04–1.62) were positively associated with CBE uptake. Women who had visited a health facility in the previous 12 months (AOR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.18–1.61) and those ever screened for cervical cancer (AOR = 5.95; 95% CI: 5.18–6.84) had significantly greater odds of receiving CBE, while women living with HIV were less likely to be screened (AOR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69–0.98). Regional variation was observed with women in Central (AOR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.10–1.88), Copperbelt (AOR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.12–1.78), Luapula (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.39–2.72), and Northwestern (AOR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.01–1.77) provinces having higher odds of CBE compared with those in Lusaka, while women in Eastern Province were less likely to receive CBE (AOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49–0.95).Conclusion There is low utilization of CBE services among women aged 15–49 years in Zambia. Strategies which expand access and utilization of breast cancer screening services are warranted. Penias Tembo, David Owiredu, Edson Chipalo, Charles Michelo, James R. Hébert 2026-01-08 10:55:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8441498/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:47:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8441498/v1 Critical-sized cranial defects present a significant challenge in the field of bone tissue regeneration. Despite the emergence of various approaches to promote new bone formation, the clinical outcomes remain suboptimal. In this study, we developed an inorganic-organic hybrid bioink suitable for 3D printing of photocurable scaffolds. This bioink incorporates our novel nanocapsules with a shell consisting of amorphous whitlockite and PEG coating, which endows the scaffolds with superior mechanical strength and osteogenic capacity. These nanocapsules enable a dual-phase Mg2⁺ release profile to facilitate the initial pro-inflammatory activation of macrophages followed by a seamless transition to a pro-regenerative phenotype. We further showed that this dynamic Mg²⁺ delivery strategy significantly outperformed traditional sustained-release approaches in supporting cranial bone regeneration. Moreover, the controlled immunomodulation through this tailored Mg²⁺ delivery more closely mimics the natural healing process, promoting the activation of sensory nerves, which is essential for effective bone regeneration. Overall, our study demonstrated the potential of our nanocapsules as a cost-effective approach for the dynamic modulation of the immune-neural axis, offering valuable insights for the future design of bioactive materials for cranial bone regeneration. Yilin Mao, Qixuan He, Tianle Li, Jiusi Guo, Kelvin W.K Yeung, Yuxiong Su, Jie Shen, Xianglong Han, Jian Wang, Wei Qiao 2026-01-08 10:47:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8302706/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:40:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8302706/v1 Digital green finance (DGF) is the core driving force for promoting high-quality economic development, but it is worth exploring whether it can provide support for the development of urban new quality productivity (NQP). This study selects panel data from 285 prefecture-level and above cities in China spanning 2009–2023 to measure the levels of NQP and DGF using the entropy method and the coupling coordination index model, and explores the spatial spillover effects of DGF on the development of urban NQP and its underlying mechanisms by constructing a spatial Durbin model and a mediation effect model. The results indicates that both the levels of urban DGF and NQP in China are on an upward trajectory, exhibiting a "high-high and low-low" spatial clustering characteristics. DGF significantly empowers the development of urban NQP, with notable spatial spillover effects. Furthermore, DGF promotes the development of NQP by driving green technological innovation and industrial structure upgrading, and the intermediary effect of industrial structure upgrading is more obvious. In addition, regional heterogeneity, urban agglomeration heterogeneity, and temporal heterogeneity in the issuance of the "Guidance on Building a Green Financial System" significantly influence the effectiveness of DGF. Accordingly, it is recommended to strengthen the policy support system for DGF, establish a collaborative development mechanism of DGF, and enhance green technology innovation and industrial structure upgrading, as well as implement differentiated regional strategies. These measures will provide robust support for unleashing the potential of DGF in boosting NQP. Jiaxi Liu, Guangyi Fan, xianzhao liu 2026-01-08 10:40:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8368141/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:38:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8368141/v1 Among other fluoroquinolones, difloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and pefloxacin are regularly detected in various bodies of water around the world. Advanced oxidation processes such as the electrochemical oxidation are employed to eliminate these micropollutants. Using a microflow cell and a synthesis cell, the four fluoroquinolones were submitted to electrochemical oxidation through a boron-doped electrode. They were subsequently analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Electrochemical oxidation occurred above 800 mV. Products were formed according to common mechanisms: hydrogen and ethylene elimination, methylene/methyl cleavage, hydroxylation in combination with methyl cleavage. To facilitate future identification of electrochemical oxidation products of the fluoroquinolone class, fragmentation patterns in higher-order mass spectrometry were investigated deriving typical motives. A total of 17 products were identified, 13 of which were novel. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis suggested that the electrochemical oxidation products would be less ecotoxic than the initial drugs. Melanie Voigt, Tobias Weißberg, Jana Boehm, Alexandra Schoentag, Martin Jaeger 2026-01-08 10:38:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8416907/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:37:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8416907/v1 Scene exploration in virtual reality (VR) supports spatial understanding and navigation but can be cognitively demanding without physical reference points. Subtle “micro-guidance” cues—minimalistic visual, auditory, and tactile signals—may aid navigation without breaking immersion. This study tested their effectiveness in a custom VR environment where 198 participants searched for a hidden anchor while flying over an island. Six conditions were compared: no cue, light intensity, sand vortex, spatial white noise, sonar, and haptic compass. Several cue types (light, sonar, haptic compass) significantly improved target-finding accuracy over no cue, while others showed no statistical difference. Sonar, haptic compass, and light cues also reduced task completion times, though performance varied across users. Findings suggest that certain subtle cues can enhance navigation, but effectiveness depends on modality and user perception. Results support the design of personalized, multisensory navigation aids that balance guidance with user autonomy in VR. Grzegorz Zwoliński, Agnieszka Dubiel, Dorota Kamińska 2026-01-08 10:37:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8533740/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:35:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8533740/v1 Construction project schedule overruns continue to cost money, generate contractual complications, and disrupt supply chains. Decades of research have identified and ranked delay factors using indices like the Relative Importance Index (RII), but analytical and machine-learning approaches are generally limited to binary or multiclass delay classification sets. They rarely quantify prediction uncertainty, disregard contextual interactions, and treat project context as flat variables. Current models cannot generalize across regions, procurement regimes, and contractor capacities, limiting their project decision-making value. To address these limits, this work provides an end-to-end, analytically validated Deep Context Embedding and RII-Fusion pipeline for delay severity rating prediction. HPCE uses a graph-transformer architecture to learn dense contextual embeddings from heterogeneous graphs of projects, contractors, locations, and procurement trends. Format retains structural dependencies that tabular encodings lose. RII-Prior Attention Fusion (RPAF) regularizes attention weights over delay-factor embeddings using probabilistic priors to combine expert knowledge with learned context embeddings. Domain expertise is integrated into learning dynamics instead of using RII as a post hoc rating. DEOS provides a complete ordinal severity distribution, anticipated severity score, and deconstructed epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty for predictive severity modeling. This evidence-based paradigm assesses expected delay severity risk-awarely beyond point estimates. To make the model robust in various construction contexts, Counterfactual Invariant Representation Regularization (CIRR) fixes the severity mechanism across regions and procurement types and quantifies factor-level sensitivity under controlled counterfactual perturbations Finally, Conformal Prediction with Drift Guard (CPDG) ensures deployment-level reliability with calibrated prediction intervals and embedding-space drift detection for changing project conditions. The framework provides uncertainty-aware, context-sensitive severity scoring that is rigorously confirmed. The results improve forecast accuracy, adaptability across environments, and interpretability over earlier techniques. Construction delay analytics improves scheduling, contractual risk management, and policy formulations with deployable, decision-grade severity forecast. Ankit G. Chandak, Pritam Malakar, Ajay G. Dahake, Kunal Ramrao Ghadge 2026-01-08 10:35:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8356206/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:34:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8356206/v1 Background As the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) winds down, Integrating Polio Eradication (PEI) functions into routine immunization (RI) systems has become a global priority. The Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and the WHO Polio Transition Framework emphasise embedding polio assets within national health systems to ensure sustainability and health emergencies preparedness. While most transition analyses have focused on core GPEI countries, there is limited peer-reviewed documentation from non-priority settings. This study reviews Zimbabwe’s model of PEI–EPI synergy, examining its operational features, transition preparedness, and implications for immunization system strengthening. Methods This study was designed as a policy and operational analysis, using a descriptive qualitative case study approach based on documents review. Forty-one program documents produced between 2022 and 2025, including outbreak response plans, campaign reports, surveillance performance summaries, minutes of coordination meetings, and transition planning materials, were systematically reviewed using a structured extraction matrix. The analysis was guided by the IA2030, the WHO Polio Transition Framework, the GPEI Polio Outbreak response requirements, and best practices from peer-reviewed literature on health systems integration, with thematic content analysis applied to identify synergy mechanisms, transition enablers, and areas requiring institutionalization. Results Findings reveal a pragmatic model of operational integration: · The EPI Manager serves as National Incident Manager, and the Polio Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is established within the EPI Unit, providing unified coordination platform. · Service delivery is integrated, with nurses and Village Health Workers (VHWs) delivering both polio campaigns and RI, supported by shared planning, supportive supervision, cold chain, and logistic systems. · Community engagement relies on the country’s VHW program, a long-standing Primary Health Care (PHC) platform, with harmonized messaging for polio and RI. · Financing for campaigns flowed through WHO/UNICEF via Direct Financial Cooperation (DFC)/Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) mechanisms to Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) for government to manage funds. However, policy formalization, long-term internal financing strategies, and comprehensive transition monitoring remain underdeveloped, representing critical areas to strengthen as the country moves toward a sustainable post-GPEI immunization system and polio eradication efforts. Conclusion Zimbabwe’s model illustrates that PEI–EPI synergy can be achieved through existing national systems, offering a practical example of early transition readiness even in a non-core GPEI/Polio transition countries. By embedding polio functions in governance, service delivery, and community engagement structures, Zimbabwe avoided parallel systems and demonstrated the feasibility of functional integration. However, sustainability depends on formalizing governance, harmonizing data, securing domestic financing, and reenforcing VHW program support. These lessons contribute to global transition discourse, highlighting pragmatic pathways to achieve eradication goals while strengthening immunization systems. Wondu Asefa Gebresilasie, Maxwell Rupfutse, Amen Gumbo, Nomore Nyengerai, Alex Mafuzhe 2026-01-08 10:34:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7223401/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:31:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7223401/v1 Hog prices are a topic of concern for stakeholders such as hog farmers, pork-related food companies, and investors. For them, accurately predicting hog prices and understanding the importance of influencing factors are necessary for many related decisions. In order to achieve the above goals, this study attempts to use an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) approach to forecast hog prices with multisource heterogeneous data and secondary data decomposition. Firstly, economic indexes and commodity prices, search engine data (SED), and online news related to hog prices are collected. Secondly, kernel principal component analysis is used for dimension reduction, sentiment analysis is conducted for online news, and two decomposition methods are adopted to decompose historical hog price into various components. Then, the extracted kernel principal components, market sentiment index, and decomposed components are used as feature inputs in optimized LightGBM models. Finally, forecasting performance of different models is compared, and model interpretation is analyzed. Using China’s weekly average hog futures price data, empirical analysis shows that both multisource heterogeneous data and secondary data decomposition contribute to improving predictive accuracy, and the proposed model outperforms other models. The interpretability analysis further addressed that secondary decomposition components and market sentiment index are important features in predicting hog price. The proposed XAI approach is the contribution in AI, and the adjustment of hog production and slaughter based on price forecasts and interpretability analysis is the application in engineering. Gang Xie, Yaxin Ji, Jiaming Liu, Qian Cao 2026-01-08 10:31:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8495786/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:30:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8495786/v1 In this study, a hybrid modeling framework combining three-dimensional finite element (FE) simulation and artificial neural network (ANN) prediction is developed to analyze the asymmetric hot rolling behavior of a two-layer Cu/AA2030 composite panel. The FE model, implemented using the Abaqus/Explicit platform, couples thermal and mechanical fields to evaluate the effects of key process parameters including initial panel thickness, reduction ratio, rolling speed, and inlet temperature on rolling force and torque. The asymmetric configuration of the composite panel and the thermal-mechanical interaction between the rolls and panel are fully considered in the simulation. A validated FE dataset was subsequently employed to train a feed-forward back-propagation ANN using the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. The network architecture, consisting of four input neurons, two hidden layers, and two output neurons, was optimized to achieve minimum mean square error (MSE) and high correlation accuracy between predicted and simulated values. Results indicate that both rolling force and torque increase with greater thickness reduction and initial panel thickness, while higher rolling temperatures and rolling speeds reduce the required force and torque. The ANN model successfully predicts rolling force and torque with high accuracy, demonstrating strong generalization and computational efficiency. This integrated FE–ANN approach provides a reliable and time-effective method for optimizing process parameters in bimetallic panel rolling, reducing the need for extensive experimental trials and enabling improved control of rolling performance in copper–aluminum laminated composites. Alireza Jalili, Hamidreza Rezaei Ashtiani 2026-01-08 10:30:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8274617/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:30:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8274617/v1 The arid western region, characterized by minimal rainfall and limited water resources, is further burdened by the accumulation of solid waste and high-calcium wastewater, a byproduct of mineral resource extraction and industrial activity. In the hope of safeguarding water resources and realizing comprehensive treatment of solid waste and high-calcium wastewater, laboratory simulation was conducted in this study. To be specific, mechanical testing and microanalysis were performed on samples with the aid of a universal testing machine, an acoustic emission monitoring system, a scanning electron microscope, and an X-ray diffractometer. On this basis, a novel method of enhancing the solid waste-based paste filling materials (SWBPFMs) with high-calcium wastewater was proposed. The following findings were obtained. High-calcium wastewater serves to facilitate the production of Friedel’s salt within SWBPFMs, and Friedel’s salt acts to enhance the microstructure of SWBPFMs by reducing their porosity, thereby improving their performance. Besides, Friedel’s salt exhibits the most substantial reinforcing effect on SWBPFMs (increase their strength by approximately 8.56 times) under a mass concentration of 78%, a gangue dosage of 58%, a cement dosage of 10%, a fly ash dosage of 10%, and a Ca2+ concentration of about 29.3%. The proposed method not only offers a viable solution for the transformation of solid waste and wastewater but also addresses the industrial water shortage in the western region. It paves the way for the recycling of waste resources and promotes sustainable development. Chunlei Guo, Shan Ning, Jiangshuai Cheng, Zhu Li, Jingmin Xu, Weibing Zhu 2026-01-08 10:30:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8207231/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:25:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8207231/v1 This study presents an exergy analysis of a low emission hydrogen production process based on the thermal pyrolysis of natural gas. The system was modeled in Aspen Plus with a production capacity of 2.6 and 6.3 tonnes per day of hydrogen and carbon black, respectively. The energy required by the process is supplied through the combustion of 22% of the produced carbon black and the residual gases from pyrolysis after hydrogen separation. The results revealed that the overall exergetic efficiency reaches 89.4% when both hydrogen and carbon black are considered valuable products, but decreases to 52.5% when only hydrogen is considered. This highlights the importance of valorizing carbon black to improve both the exergetic efficiency and the economic viability of the system. Carbon black has established applications in the production of tires, electrical components, printing inks, high-performance coatings, and plastics. The largest exergy destruction occurred in the pyrolysis reactor and the combustor, where chemical reactions and heat transfer contribute significantly to process irreversibilities. The process generates approximately 3.15 kg CO₂/kg H₂, significantly lower than typically emitted by conventional steam methane reforming (SMR). These low emissions qualify the hydrogen produced as low carbon under U.S. and Canadian standards, enabling access to clean hydrogen incentives. These findings position thermal natural gas pyrolysis as a promising alternative for sustainable hydrogen production and as a potential carbon removal strategy when fueled with renewable natural gas. Andrea Hernández, Andrés E. Cardona, Juan C. Maya, Mario A. Sánchez, Héctor I. Velásquez 2026-01-08 10:25:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8270582/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:23:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8270582/v1 Background To evaluate the prognostic performance of an electrical impedance tomography (EIT)-derived parameter—the maximum center of ventilation (COVmax)—for predicting weaning outcomes from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and 60-day mortality in critically ill adults.Methods In this single-center retrospective cohort (December 2023–August 2025), 43 adults receiving IMV were included. EIT monitoring yielded the center of ventilation (COV) and global inhomogeneity (GI) indices. Associations between EIT parameters and (1) weaning outcome and (2) 60-day survival status were examined using binary logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively. Multivariable models were adjusted separately for age, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score. Discrimination was assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, including time-dependent ROC curve analysis for mortality.Results COVmax independently predicted both weaning failure and 60-day mortality. After adjustment for age, CCI, and APACHE II score, each 1-unit increase in COVmax was associated with lower odds of successful weaning (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.75–0.99) and a higher risk of death at 60 days (HR 1.133; 95% CI 1.039–1.236). For the weaning outcome, the area under the curve (AUC) for COVmax combined with age was 0.687. In the time-dependent ROC curve analysis, the COVmax-plus-age model achieved an AUC of 0.754 for 60-day mortality.Conclusions EIT-derived COVmax is an independent predictor of weaning failure and 60-day mortality in mechanically ventilated patients. A higher COVmax suggests a compensatory shift of ventilation toward dependent (dorsal) lung regions, potentially reflecting severe underlying parenchymal disease. These pilot data support further large-scale prospective validation of COVmax as a prognostic marker in IMV and its integration into multimodal risk stratification.Trial registration This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study. As such, it did not require registration in a public clinical trials registry. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Dongguan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Approval No: SL [2025] 134). Guanshuai Chen, Qijun Mo, Tiantian Lou, Fanxiang Chen, Weijie Lai, Shangqun Lin, Jinyang Yuan, Ruoyu Li 2026-01-08 10:23:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8539747/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:21:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8539747/v1 This review examines international evidence on how changes to active travel infrastructure affect disabled people. It explores the impact of infrastructure changes on accessibility and identifies the barriers and facilitators experienced by disabled people. The review included 11 primary research studies and 8 reviews published between 2015 and July 2025. Populations represented across the studies included: People with visual impairments; People with mobility impairments; Neurodivergent people; People with mobility, hearing, or vision impairments; People with mobility, hearing, vision impairments and neurodivergence; People using mobility assistive devices; and older adults with motor, visual, hearing impairments, or orientation difficulties. Design changes to bus stop infrastructure, were consistently associated with reduced accessibility, subjective feelings of safety, and confidence among disabled people getting on and off buses. Uneven pavements and surface defects reduced perceived safety and confidence for people with visual and mobility impairments, with tactile paving aiding navigation for blind users but creating instability for mobility aid users. The review also describes the impact of kerb level changes, continuous footways, low traffic neighbourhoods, barrier removal, and the development of shared spaces.  Raised trapezoidal designs were most effective in providing clear, detectable boundaries and supporting confidence among visually impaired users. Some design features, such as kerb-free layouts, clear tactile paving, and well-marked crossings, acted as facilitators that improved accessibility, perceived safety, and confidence, while other features introduced barriers. Some barriers were consistent across all disability groups, whereas others were impairment-specific. Vehicles parked on pavements created barriers to navigation for neurodivergent people and blocked movement for guide dog users. Tactile paving aided navigation for people with visual impairments but was perceived to create a barrier to wheelchair stability, whereas kerb removal reduced barriers for wheelchair users but created orientation barriers for people with visual impairments. Meeting conflicting accessibility needs of different groups of disabled people can be challenging when planning and implementing change in active travel infrastructure. Inconsistent infrastructure designs across different spaces and regions can create confusion among disabled people and lead to them feeling unsafe or potentially being directed to harm’s way. Deborah Edwards, Judit Csontos, Elizabeth Gillen, Tom Wharf, Catherine Purcell, Beti-Jane Ingram, Jacob Davies, Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, Adrian Edwards, Ruth Lewis 2026-01-08 10:21:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8339937/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:17:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8339937/v1 Objective Receiving a positive expanded newborn screening result is highly stressful for parents. This study aimed to examine parent–clinician concordance in perceived severity, to investigate its association with parental emotional distress at baseline and six months after communication, and to explore the interdependence between perceived severity and perceived control within parental dyads.Methods 171 mothers and 168 fathers reported parental distress completing the Impact of Event Scale–Revised and the Emotion Thermometers. Perceived severity and control were measured using single-item Likert scales reflecting subjective appraisals at the time of disclosure. For 147 parents (74 mothers and 73 fathers), a clinician-rated severity score was available. An Actor–Partner Interdependence Model with indistinguishable dyads was applied to 115 parental couples.Results Most parents (61.9%) rated their child’s condition as more severe than the clinician. At baseline, higher parental severity ratings relative to clinicians were associated with higher distress and post-traumatic symptoms. No differences were observed at six months. Higher perceived severity in one parent was associated with lower perceived control in the partner (β = −0.207, p = .004).Conclusions Differences between parental and clinician perceptions of severity are common following positive ENBS communication and are associated with elevated early parental distress. Marco Bani, Selena Russo, Serena Gasperini, Viola Crescitelli, Francesca Menni, Francesca Furlan, Francesco Tagliaferri, Graziella Cefalo, Sabrina Paci, Giuseppe Banderali, Paola Marchisio, Adriana Balduzzi, Maria Grazia Strepparava 2026-01-08 10:17:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485626/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:17:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485626/v1 India produces significant amounts of agricultural waste, such as straw from rice, bagasse from sugar cane, and stalks from cotton, which are often burned as waste or underutilized. However, these wastes may be integrated into organized biomass value chains in the rural areas, providing farmers with new income streams, reducing the amount of wasted resources on the environment, and supplying biorefineries with sustainable feedstock. The objective here is to understand how a more robust rural biomass value chain can be to support the techno-commercial and social viability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. Most research regarding SAF production in India has primarily focused on the technology used to produce SAF, as well as the carbon abatement potential of SAF. Little consideration has been given to how primary rural biomass value chains can support the scalability of SAF production as well as the participation of rural communities. This research uses a systems approach to understand biomass availability and value creation in order to identify methods to enable scalable SAF production in India. A geographically available biomass is mapped at the selected state level to identify feedstock clusters and how these can potentially be clusters for SAF’s integrated value chain. It is understood that the effectiveness of these rural value chains will depend on addressing seasonal residue variability, competing end uses, and logistical barriers that could disrupt continuous refinery operations. This can offer India a dual opportunity: (a) advancing aviation decarbonization while (b) stimulating rural economic development. Mainak Mukherjee, Prashanth Kumar Sanjeevaiah 2026-01-08 10:17:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8059141/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:17:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8059141/v1 Background Intracranial hemorrhage (IVH) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) are common complications in preterm infants with a gestational age (GA) < 32 weeks. Severe IVH (Grades 3–4) and PVL can lead to long-term neurological sequelae, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and intellectual disabilities. The safety and efficacy of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in infants with GA < 32 weeks remains controversial. Some studies suggest that iNO can improve oxygenation but may affect coagulation and increase the risk of IVH.Objective This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the occurrence of severe brain injury (sBI) in preterm infants with GA < 32 weeks receiving iNO treatment, using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted, including preterm infants born at GA < 32 weeks who received iNO treatment for more than 3 hours across eight hospitals in China between 2013 and 2022. Infants were divided into two groups based on the occurrence of sBI. PSM was used to match the infants in a 1:1 ratio based on covariates such as GA, birth weight, and gender. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for sBI. Repeated-measures ANOVA and mediation analysis were used to assess the significance of risk factors and their potential mediating effects on the occurrence of sBI.Results After matching, baseline characteristics between the sBI and non-sBI groups were balanced. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that reduced platelet count was an independent risk factor for sBI. The total invasive high-frequency mechanical ventilation time, P/F ratio at 3 hours and 6 hours post-iNO treatment were statistically significant in univariate analysis but not in multivariate analysis. Mediation analysis revealed no mediating effect of mechanical ventilation time or P/F ratio on the relationship between platelet count and sBI. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed that iNO treatment significantly affected the P/F ratio, which improved over time. However, no significant difference in P/F ratio changes was observed between the sBI and non-sBI groups.Conclusion This study suggests that reduced platelet count is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of sBI in preterm infants with GA < 32 weeks receiving iNO treatment. Although total invasive high-frequency mechanical ventilation time and P/F ratio changes may also affect sBI occurrence, they do not mediate the relationship between platelet count and sBI. Guo-bao Liang, Lian Wang, Liang Gao, Sheng-qian Huang, Bao-ying Feng, Mu-lin Yao, Xu-fang Fan, Meng-jiao Wang, Lu Zhu, Jing Zhang, Zhi Zheng, Yao Zhu, Wen-li Duan, Jian Mao, Fan Wu, Zhan-kui Li, Fa-lin Xu, Li Ma, Qiu-fen Wei, Ling Liu, Xin-zhu Lin 2026-01-08 10:17:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503936/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:16:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503936/v1 Background and Objective: Environmental Health (EH) professionals in Malawi play a critical role in protecting public health through disease control and prevention, environmental monitoring, and health promotion. Despite their importance, comprehensive data on the EH workforce including demographics, professional characteristics, practice areas, competencies, and professional development needs has been limited, constraining evidence-based policy formulation and workforce planning. To address this gap, the Malawi Environmental Health Association (MEHA) aimed to systematically assess the demographic profile, professional characteristics, areas of practice, competencies, and development needs of environmental health professionals in Malawi Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted, utilizing a cross-sectional web-based survey of 155 environmental health professionals and semi-structured key informant interviews with senior officials from the Ministry of Health, including the Deputy Director for Environmental Health and the Deputy Director for Health Promotion. The survey, distributed via professional networks, collected quantitative data on demographics, employment, education, practice areas, and training needs. The key informant interviews provided qualitative insights into systemic challenges, policy gaps, and strategic priorities. Results: The EH workforce is predominantly young (71.6% aged 20-35) and male (75.5%). Most respondents hold a bachelor’s degree (43.2%) and are employed full-time (67.1%) in government institutions (63.9%). Key practice areas include water quality surveillance (85%), food safety (78%), and waste management (72%). Significant challenges identified through the survey and reinforced by key informant interviews include inadequate resources (>60%), weak policy implementation (30-35%), low professional recognition (25-30%), and a critical shortage of specialized personnel at district and community levels. Key informants emphasized the urgent need for a formal regulatory body to standardize practice and a clear career development pathway for EH professionals. Conclusions: This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of Malawi’s environmental health workforce, revealing a capable but under-supported profession facing systemic challenges. The findings underscore the need for strategic workforce development, including targeted training, improved resource allocation, and the establishment of a professional regulatory council. These actions are critical for strengthening Malawi’s environmental health system and enhancing its capacity to protect public health. Yusuf Mtila, Bertha Sato, Rehema Medi, Chimwemwe Kabowa, Rosanie Malolo, Synet Simwinga, Holystone Kafanikhale, Esther Kaunda, Yohane Vincent Abero Phiri, Save Kumwenda 2026-01-08 10:16:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8312078/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:14:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8312078/v1 Background: While overall hematologic and lymphoid malignancy (HLM) mortality has declined in the US, significant disparities persist across subtypes and demographic groups. This study characterizes 24-year trends in HLM and diffuse non-Hodgkin lymphoma (DNHL) mortality, quantifying inequities through advanced segmentation modeling. Methods: Using CDC WONDER mortality data (1999–2023), we performed Joinpoint regression analyses to calculate annual percent changes (APC) and average annual percent changes (AAPC) in age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR). Stratification by sex, race/ethnicity, age, region, and urbanicity identified high-risk populations. Results • Divergent national trends: HLM mortality decreased (AAPC = -1.74%; 95% CI: -1.80 to -1.68) despite +1.74% absolute death increase. DNHL mortality surged (AAPC = +2.64%; 95% CI: 1.19 to 4.11) with +177.59% death rise. • Critical disparities: Age: Young adults (25–34y) showed HLM mortality reversal post-2020 (APC +1.17%, P ≥0.05) vs steep DNHL rise in ≥85y (AAPC= +4.41%；95% CI:1.75 to 7.14). Race: Hispanic and NH-Other populations experienced 107–128% HLM death increases alongside 3.41–3.90% DNHL AAPC rises. Geography: DNHL mortality doubled in Western states (e.g., California: 2008–2011 APC = +15.37%; 95% CI: -2.12 to 35.99) while HLM declines lagged in Southern regions. l Novel inflection points: Nationwide DNHL mortality shifted from decline (1999–2008 APC = -3.83%; 95% CI: -4.92 to -2.73) to sharp increase (2008–2011 APC = +16.79%; 95% CI: 3.97 to 31.18). Urban areas demonstrated accelerated HLM declines post-2012 (APC = -2.14%; 95% CI: -2.34 to -1.94). Conclusion: Substantial gains in HLM mortality mask worsening disparities, particularly among racial minorities and older adults. The alarming rise in DNHL mortality—characterized by distinct inflection points and geographic hotspots—signals an urgent need for targeted interventions. Junping Li, Shiyu Xiong, Feng Xiong, Feng Qiu 2026-01-08 10:14:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8528676/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 10:13:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8528676/v1 Ruminant epithelia preferentially catabolize butyrate to fuel ketogenesis, yet the mechanism by which the rumen epithelium establishes this preference remains unclear. Here, we identify ACSF2 as a mitochondrial acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) that catalyzes the activation of butyrate to butyryl-CoA, thereby enabling ketogenesis and accounting for this bias. We found that ACSF2 is markedly enriched in the forestomachs across ovine organs, with expression far exceeding other ACSs in the rumen epithelium, and it is rising during postnatal establishment of fermentative function. Single-cell transcriptomics and immunostaining localize ACSF2 to the mitochondria-rich layers, where it is co-expressed in mitochondria with ketogenesis genes, notably the rate-limiting enzyme HMGCS2. Further gain- and loss-of-function experiments show that ACSF2 activates butyrate to butyryl-CoA, enhances butyrate-supported growth, and is required for efficient butyrate consumption and cell fitness under butyrate-dependent conditions. These findings define ACSF2 as a key mitochondrial gatekeeper for butyrate utilization and ketogenesis in the rumen epithelium, providing a molecular mechanism for butyrate-biased energy metabolism during rumen maturation. Zan Huang, Ming-Mei Song, Jing Qin, Junru Tian, Kai Zhang, Yali Zhang, Xiao'e Xiang, Weiyun Zhu, Shengyong Mao, Junhua Liu 2026-01-08 10:13:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8382431/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:57:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8382431/v1 Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a medical device–related pressure injury (MDRPI) care and prevention training program on the knowledge and attitudes of operating room (OR) nurses. Methods: A prospective, single-group, pretest–posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted in the OR of a tertiary hospital from March to June 2025. A total of 80 OR nurses who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The intervention consisted of eight small-group training sessions integrating problem-based learning (PBL), case discussions, and scenario-based simulation. Each theoretical PBL/case session lasted 2 hours and each simulation session 1 hour. MDRPI-related knowledge and attitudes were assessed before and after the intervention using the validated Chinese versions of the Pieper–Zulkowski Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Test (PZ-PUKT) and the Attitude towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention instrument (APuP). Results: The mean total PZ-PUKT score significantly increased from 40.58 ± 9.00 to 53.23 ± 6.78 (P < 0.001), and the overall knowledge accuracy improved from 56.35% to 73.92%. Significant gains were observed in all subdomains, with accuracy increasing from 64.55% to 78.88% for risk factors/prevention, from 50.75% to 68.88% for staging, and from 51.46% to 72.33% for wound description. The total APuP score also significantly increased from 40.06 ± 3.33 to 44.60 ± 2.49 (P < 0.001), corresponding to an accuracy improvement from 76.97% to 85.77%. Significant improvements were found in personal prevention capability, prioritization of prevention, perceived impact of pressure injuries, and confidence in the effectiveness of prevention (all P < 0.05). No statistically significant change was observed in the responsibility dimension (P = 0.157). Conclusion: The hybrid training program integrating PBL-based theoretical teaching with scenario-based simulation significantly improved OR nurses’ MDRPI-related knowledge and attitudes. These findings support the implementation of structured, small-group, interactive education to strengthen MDRPI prevention in the operating room. Feng Zhang, Zhi Lan Chen, Li En Qi, Xiao Yan Wang, Li Zhang, Jing Zhang, Ping Wang 2026-01-08 09:57:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8448377/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:54:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8448377/v1 Understanding the temporal variability of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes is critical for accurately assessing peatland carbon dynamics. Some recommended time periods have been used for a long time, but whether temporal variations within the periods affect comparisons between treatments remains unexamined. In this study, we investigated the effects of sampling time on CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes under control, nitrogen addition, and warming treatments in a temperate peatland ecosystem, and compared these results with random sampling. We found that gross primary productivity and CH₄ fluxes exhibited relatively stable patterns across different sampling periods. In contrast, ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem productivity were more sensitive to sampling time, particularly under N addition. With the delay in sampling time, CO₂ emissions increased significantly, causing the peatland to shift from a carbon sink to a source. This was attributed to asynchronous diurnal variations between gross primary productivity and ecosystem respiration driven by changes in vegetation structure and soil microclimate. Our findings highlight the importance of sampling design in GHG flux monitoring and recommend the use of multi-timepoint or randomized sampling strategies to minimize temporal bias and variation between treatments, improving the accuracy of peatland carbon budget assessments. Jun-Xiao Ma, Fan Lu, Vladimir Chakov, Victoria Kuptsova, Ying Gao, Xuefei Gao, Zucheng Wang, Zhao-Jun Bu 2026-01-08 09:54:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8486553/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:51:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8486553/v1 Alpine ecosystems have extreme environments that limit plant growth, favoring stress-tolerant species. Climate change has resulted in the expansion of shrubs at the expense of poor competitors, including herbaceous species. Here, we explore the pathways linking local terrain features, snowmelt dynamics, and shrub cover on herbaceous plant cover and species richness at Cardinal Divide in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Front Ranges using a series of structural equation models (SEMs) that isolate direct from indirect effects among factors. We measured the biotic and abiotic conditions within 338 quadrats (0.25-m2) across a gradient of environments typical of the open and expanding krummholz alpine sites on the divide. Herbaceous cover and richness were negatively related to shrub cover but positively associated with late-snow persistence and terrain features that supported higher winter snow accumulation and greater soil depth. Dwarf deciduous shrubs were minimally affected by differences in the timing of snowmelt. Tall evergreen shrubs were uncommon but abundant where present, substantially reducing herbaceous cover and richness. The indirect effects of shrub cover tempered the positive association of snow on herbaceous cover and richness. Concave terrain surfaces and cooler-facing slopes increased herbaceous composition, while soil depth supported taller shrubs and herbaceous communities. This study underscores the complex relationships, both direct and indirect, between the abiotic and biotic environments of the alpine plant community. Zacharaih J. Madsen, Scott E. Nielsen 2026-01-08 09:51:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8118065/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:48:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8118065/v1 Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have achieved remarkable success in tasks such as image classification and recognition, but their high computational and memory demands limit deployment on embedded devices. Depthwise Separable Convolutions (DSCs) address this challenge by reducing the number of parameters and operations while maintaining accuracy, making them an attractive choice for resource-constrained environments. Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) provide an energy-efficient alternative to traditional processors for accelerating CNNs, However, many state-of-the-art designs still suffer from inefficient resource usage and higher power consumption due to the way their hardware is implemented and optimized. In this work, we present a low-power and resource-efficient accelerator for depthwise separable convolutions, implemented entirely in SystemVerilog. The design effectively minimizes hardware resource usage, leading to a notable reduction in power consumption. Despite its compact footprint, the proposed accelerator maintains solid performance, achieving 8.54 FPS for MobileNetV1 and 13.05 FPS for MobileNetV2 on a Zynq XC7Z020 SoC while consuming only 1.25 watts of power. Sajad Eydivandi, Hakem Beitollahi 2026-01-08 09:48:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8520866/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:43:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8520866/v1 Soft robots are increasingly expected to operate in unstructured environments where compliance, environmental coupling, and embedded sensing fundamentally shape their behavior. However, the Cosserat rod models commonly used in soft robotics originate from two largely independent traditions: robotics-driven formulations optimized for control or intuitive simplicity, and mechanics-driven formulations optimized for structural generality.Considered separately, neither tradition fulfills the requirements for sensing, fabrication, environmental interaction, and numerical reliability of modern soft robotic systems. Drawing on our modeling and design experience with soft robotic systems, we identified a set of design challenges that guided the development of a suitable Cosserat rod formulation. To address these challenges, we propose a Cosserat rod model expressed directly in strain coordinates, matching the quantities measured by embedded sensors and eliminating the need for global pose tracking. A finite-element discretization supports localized tactile forces and environmental interactions, while a globally singularity-free quaternion representation enables full floating-base capability. We demonstrate that a Petrov–Galerkin projection, in contrast to the existing Bubnov–Galerkin formulation in soft robotics, decouples the choice of velocity coordinates and virtual displacements from the configuration parametrization. This enables the dynamics to be expressed in terms of sensor-aligned velocity variables, such as nodal absolute velocities from reliable existing sensors, rather than parametrization-dependent strain rates. This alignment simplifies estimator and controller design and also yields a constant mass matrix as a computational benefit. In addition, the formulation provides a unified mechanism for embedding hardware-intended strain constraints directly through intrinsic Lagrange-multiplier enforcement, ensuring that the model evolves strictly within the robot’s physically realizable strain manifold. The resulting finite-element formulation is total Lagrangian, objective, locking-free, globally singularity-free, and path-independent. Robust convergence and a significant reduction in nonlinear solver iterations (98.4% and 99.8% relative to the second most efficient comparison formulation) are demonstrated on well-known benchmark examples. By integrating and extending strengths from both robotics-oriented and mechanics-oriented approaches, this framework offers a practical, robust, sensor-aligned, and computationally efficient Cosserat rod model suited for soft robots operating beyond controlled laboratory environments. Philipp Mitterbach, Irene A. Kuling, Alexander Y. Pogromsky, Simon R. Eugster 2026-01-08 09:43:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7726393/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:36:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7726393/v1 India faces a serious hunger problem, ranking 105th in the 2024 Global Hunger Index, with a significant portion of its population suffering from hidden hunger due to micronutrient deficiencies. As of urban middle class population poor dietary habits, particularly the consumption of sugary and processed foods, have led to an epidemic of non-communicable diseases like obesity and diabetes. Microgreens, which are young, nutrient-dense seedlings, offer a promising solution to this issue, providing a diverse range of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Microgreens are being promoted as rich in vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, making them a promising solution to micronutrient deficiencies but scientific data backing for commercial varieties in India is insufficient to draw such conclusion. This research aims to investigate the potential of microgreens to promote better health outcomes and food security, focusing on 16 vegetable species known for their high nutritional density and widespread consumption. Radish, kale, broccoli, and fenugreek were excellent sources of vitamin C (97.88–85.77 mg 100 g− 1FW)., Celery, parsley, Palak and spinach were excellent sources of calcium (410.15-320.14 mg/100g DW). Palak, fenugreek, and spinach were good sources of iron and zinc. Most microgreens had low oxalate content (range-15.89-55.14 mg/100 g Fresh Weight), making them safe for consumption. Palak, Broccoli,Fenugreek and kale microgreens had the higher Nutrient Quality Score (NQS) due to their high levels of vitamin C, crude fiber, and iron. The study suggests that microgreens can be considered nutrient-dense crops with strong potential for improving dietary quality. The NQS can be a useful tool for guiding dietary decisions and food product development. This research provides scientific evidence supporting the role of microgreens in promoting better health outcomes and food security. Manoj Punasiya, Hemlata Singh, Ashish Panda, Jyostnarani Pradhan, Roshni Agnihotri 2026-01-08 09:36:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8524544/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:35:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8524544/v1 A sorption–spectrophotometric method for the determination of chromium (III) ions was developed using Eriochrome Black T (EBT) immobilized on silk fibroin fiber. Immobilization markedly enhanced the method’s stability, sensitivity, and selectivity. Complex formation was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy (Cr–O band at 607 cm⁻¹), X-ray fluorescence analysis (clear Cr peak), and SEM-EDS (≈ 20 wt % Cr in the complex). Optimal conditions were pH 8, λ = 618 nm, and a universal buffer. The detection limit was 1.2 µg L⁻¹; analysis time, 10 min; calibration linearity, R² = 0.9991 for 5–50 µg Cr(III). Average absorbance at 50 µg was 0.273, and Sandell sensitivity 0.00279 µg cm⁻². Selectivity testing showed that Ni²⁺, Fe³⁺, and Cu²⁺ caused no interference, whereas Al³⁺, Co²⁺, and Cd²⁺ interferences were masked effectively. Validation with industrial wastewater (Navoi Electrochemical Plant, Mubarek Gas Processing Plant, Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex) gave relative errors ≤ 6% and Sr ≤ 0.085. The method therefore offers an economical, rapid, and accurate tool for monitoring Cr(III) ions in environmental waters, suitable for both field and laboratory applications. Feruzakhon Tojiboyeva 2026-01-08 09:35:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457575/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:34:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457575/v1 Background Aging is characterized by progressive functional decline driven by oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular senescence. Astrocytes are particularly vulnerable to oxidative injury, making them a relevant cellular model for investigating aging-related neurodegenerative mechanisms. Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TCA), a major bioactive component of cinnamon, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its role in astroglial senescence remains poorly understood. Methods Oxidative stress-induced senescence was established in SVGp12 astroglial cells100 µM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to achieve this. Senescence was confirmed by morphological alterations, reduced cell viability (WST-8 assay), and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. Following cytotoxicity screening, TCA was applied at a non-toxic concentration. HIF-1α expression was evaluated by immunocytochemistry (ICC) and semi-quantified using H-score analysis. Levels of KEAP1, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and NRF2 were measured by ELISA. Results H₂O₂ exposure significantly induced astroglial senescence, increased SA-β-gal positivity, elevated HIF-1α immunoreactivity, and upregulated proinflammatory cytokines and KEAP1/NRF2 signaling. TCA treatment made a big difference in cell viability, reduced the changes to cells that happen as they age, and decreased the expression of HIF-1α. Moreover, TCA markedlyattenuated the H₂O₂-induced increases in IL-6, KEAP1, TNF-α, NRF2 and IL-1β levels. Conclusion TCA effectively mitigates oxidative stress-induced senescence in astroglial cells by reducing HIF-1α expression, inflammatory cytokine production, and redox stress signaling. TCA may be a natural compound that can target astrocyte-associated ageing and neuroinflammation, according to these findings. RANA NUR GURSU, Volkan YASAR, Hasan Emre BOLAT, Muslum Gok, Hulya ELBE 2026-01-08 09:34:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8534966/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:32:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8534966/v1 Screen media have become pervasive in early childhood environments, despite international recommendations discouraging exposure before age three. This qualitative study explored why parents of young children allow screen exposure that exceeds these guidelines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 parents (90% women) of children under age three from low-income families in urban France, whose practices of exposing their child to screens exceeded recommendations. Thematic analysis guided by the theory of planned behavior, combining deductive and inductive approaches, examined parental attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions related to children’s screen use. Findings indicated that awareness of the potential harms of screen exposure, or of recommendations to avoid screens entirely in early childhood, was insufficient to prevent excessive use. For most parents, overexposure resulted from a complex interplay of structural constraints, social norms, emotional needs, and pragmatic coping strategies. Although many intended to regulate their child’s screen time and recognized potential risks, their practices were shaped by daily realities—fatigue, stress, limited social support, and restricted living spaces. Screens were viewed as indispensable for maintaining calm, managing routines, and coping with exhaustion. Parents described screen use as normalized and widespread, despite public health messages, and felt constrained by contextual barriers such as limited access to outdoor spaces or childcare. Most were unaware of the importance of shared viewing and mediation. Beyond prohibitive messages, our results suggest that prevention strategies should equip parents with practical tools to manage daily life, address structural constraints, and promote meaningful, developmentally supportive uses of screens. Ophélie COURBET, Camille VANSIMAEYS, Victoire KALAMARIDES, Rafika ZEBDI, Louise GOYET, Thomas VILLEMONTEIX 2026-01-08 09:32:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8522502/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:28:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8522502/v1 We propose a covariant multiverse framework in which quantum phenomena arise effectively for observers restricted to a single semiclassical universe. Each universe is endowed with a classical Lorentzian metric and a scalar--tensor sector that realizes a spacetime- and age-dependent gravitational coupling \(G(x,\tau)\), where \(\tau\) is a cosmic-age scalar defined with respect to a preferred cosmological congruence. Inter-universe interactions are modeled by proximity-weighted couplings that permit coherent amplitude exchange between nearby universes and by stochastic sector events that induce transitions and decoherence. For an observer in a given universe, tracing over the remaining sectors yields a reduced, open-system description that is linear and completely positive in the weak-coupling/Markovian regime, providing an explicit route to Lindblad-type generators. Metric superpositions are excluded within each universe by construction; apparent ``superpositions of geometries'' are instead identified with coherence over universe labels, with a definite classical geometry in every sector. We relate this construction to Many-Interacting-Worlds models, semiclassical and stochastic gravity, and standard open-quantum-systems techniques, and we outline phenomenological constraints from bounds on \(\dot G/G\) and proposed gravitationally mediated entanglement tests. We outline concrete next steps, including toy-model demonstrations of interference and tunneling, parameterization of scalar–tensor functions consistent with Solar-System bounds, and quantitative predictions for gravitationally mediated entanglement experiments. We supplement the conceptual framework with quantitative toy-model demonstrations (qutrit and oscillator), including plots of coherence $C_{01}(t)$, purity $\mathcal{P}(t)$, and interferometric visibility $\mathcal{V}(t)$, and we illustrate departures from Markovian LGKS dynamics via time-dependent rates in a non-Markovian variant. Andrew Kiruluta 2026-01-08 09:28:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8522166/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:24:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8522166/v1 BACKGROUND: Tonsillitis is a common cause of upper respiratory tract infections globally. Still, it assumes importance in low- and middle-income nations owing to its linkage with group A Streptococcus infection and serious sequelae, including rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart diseases, among others. Despite this, there is no consolidated estimate of the epidemiology of tonsillitis in Sub-Saharan Africa, with available data scattered across heterogeneous studies. This study aimed to provide estimates of the prevalence of tonsillitis in Sub-Saharan Africa and summarize existing literature reports on risk factors.Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis were performed in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 extension guidelines. Observational studies published in PubMed and Google Scholar that were conducted in African countries and reported the prevalence or incidence of tonsillitis were searched. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist for prevalence studies. Logit transformation of the proportions was used in the random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the pooled prevalence. Heterogeneity was tested using Cochran's Q test, I² statistic, and τ². Publication bias was checked using the funnel plot and the Egger's test. Meta-regression was used to compare the results among the countries.RESULTS A total of thirteen studies conducted in ten African countries fulfilled the criteria for inclusion, with twelve contributing to the quantitative meta-analytic estimate. The pooled logit prevalence was − 1.17 (95% CI: −2.37, 0.03), corresponding to an overall tonsillitis prevalence of approximately 23.6% (95% CI: 8.5%-50.7%). Heterogeneity was high (99.4%,p < .001). Meta-regression analysis, adjusting for country, found no significant effect (p = .960). Plot inspection indicated possible asymmetry, yet Egger test results found no publication bias (p = .479). Reported risk factors included younger age, crowding and close interpersonal contact, poor hygiene practices, and bacterial etiology, particularly Group A Streptococcus.Conclusion Tonsillitis is a serious public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the corresponding prevalence rates are comparable to those in other developing countries worldwide. However, Substantial heterogeneity and limited geographical representation restrict the generalizability of the pooled estimates. Future studies in the community setting are recommended. Abdullahi Abdiaziz Abukar, Elizabeth Vargas Escalante, Mihret Adane Woldemichael, Yanurkis Duranones Rosales, Brian Agaba, Farhan Abdirashid Ahmed, Hussein Abdirahman Tifow, Mohamed Farah Ismail 2026-01-08 09:24:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7740990/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:20:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7740990/v1 Black phosphorus (BP) has emerged as a highly promising material for next-generation electronics and optoelectronics because of its exceptional properties. However, the large-scale synthesis of high-quality BP films on various functional substrates remains a great challenge. Here, we report a universal van der Waals (vdW) layer passivation strategy that enables the synthesis of wafer-scale high-quality BP films on arbitrary substrates (Si, SiO2, SiC, GaN, sapphire, quartz, etc.). The atomic-thick passivation layer effectively eliminates the dangling bonds of the substrates and thus mitigates the effects of the substrates on BP growth by forming a vdW layer for BP nucleation and growth, thereby enabling substrate-independent synthesis of high-quality BP films via vdW epitaxy. The resulting BP films exhibit inch-scale uniformity, a high carrier mobility of ~1100 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ at room temperature, and excellent electronic performance across diverse substrates. Our work provides a versatile platform for integrating high-mobility 2D materials with conventional semiconductor technologies, thus opening new frontiers for heterostructure-based devices. Kai Zhang, Cheng Chen, Yuling Yin, Dong Wang, JunSheng Xu, Yuting Du, Xingang Hou, Siyuan Wang, Liang Yaning, Shuo Zhang, Xiangyi Wang, Qiang Yu, Jie Li, Haibo Zeng, Erjun Kan, Qinghong Yuan, Feng Ding, Junyong Wang 2026-01-08 09:20:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8309829/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:17:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8309829/v1 Numerous studies have implicated both dietary intake and the human gut microbiome in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment outcomes. However, little is known about how patients adjust their dietary intake during cancer chemotherapy or if these dietary changes contribute to treatment-associated alterations in the gut microbiome. We performed paired longitudinal diet and microbiome analysis during CRC treatment with oral fluoropyrimidines (NCT04054908) and validated key associations using cell culture assays. Diet quality significantly decreased during chemotherapy. Carbohydrate and refined grain intake increased, accompanied by decreased consumption of fats, nuts and seeds, and fat-soluble micronutrients. Multiple individual dietary components were strongly linked to the gut microbiome. Decreases in theobromine intake correlated with decreases in overall microbial diversity and more gastrointestinal toxicities. Diet shifts partly explained changes in bacterial abundance during chemotherapy, including more severe depletion of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in patients with decreased vitamin K1 intake. Changes in diet were correlated with multiple bacterial gene families involved in micronutrient metabolism and drug sensitivity. Increased copper intake was linked to decreased Fusobacterium nucleatum in patients and inhibited F. nucleatum in cell assays. Together, these data suggest that chemotherapy-related decreases in diet quality and micronutrient intake contribute to changes in gut bacterial diversity, taxonomic composition, and gene abundance. Our approach may generalize to other cancer therapies and emphasizes the need for collecting more robust dietary data in clinical microbiome studies. Peter Turnbaugh, Kai Trepka, Erin Van Blarigan, Than Kyaw, Christine Olson, Gina Partipilo, Edwin Ortega, Vaibhav Upadhyay, Cecilia Noecker, Daryll Gempis, Chen Zhang, Paige Steiding, Dalila Stanfield, Alan Venook, Chloe Atreya, Wesley Kidder 2026-01-08 09:17:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444535/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:14:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444535/v1 As a nearly universal rule governing parasitology, parasites form aggregated distributions where a minority of hosts are responsible for harboring a majority of the parasite burden in any given population. For 30 years ectoparasitic Varroa destructor mites are described as preferring non-reproductive female nurse bees of its host, Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, while otherwise largely leaving the distribution of Varroa undescribed. As a result, Varroa-vectored disease transmission dynamics, sampling methodology and research have largely been worker centric. For the first time we investigate the intracolony distribution and dispersal patterns of Varroa on sex and age cohorts of its honey bee host in natural colonies and in laboratory choice experiments, and demonstrate that Varroa overwhelmingly prefer young adult males (drones), over any other cohort. We show Varroa form highly aggregated distributions on the drone cohort early in the season when infestation levels are low, and distribute broadly onto the worker cohort later in the season when infestation levels are high. In 1978 Anderson and May first proposed the theoretical framework that parasites would have little destabilizing effect on the host population until the degree of aggregation was low, or approached a Poisson distribution. The distribution patterns of Varroa are in alignment with their theoretical work, and maybe the underlying mechanism responsible for historical losses of honey bee colonies observed over the last decade. Zachary S. Lamas, Tam Hoang, Ebubekir Mahmutoglu, Naomi Andrus-Lamas, Julio S. Lamas, J. David Hawthorne, Eugene V. Ryabov, Jay D. Evans 2026-01-08 09:14:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8239256/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 09:08:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8239256/v1 This feasibility study explores the development of the HomeAI-Enable system, an AI-driven decision support platform designed to provide personalised housing adaptations and assistive technology recommendations for aged and individuals with disabilities. The study follows a constructive research approach, in addition to development research techniques like focus groups and brainstorming exercises. Three different datasets comprising one, five, and over 500 diseases sourced from reputable databases such as the NHS and Mayo Clinic were used. The datasets include associated housing adaptation and assistive technologies for the symptoms and diseases. The system integrates these datasets to offer personalised solutions based on disease, body functions, symptoms, and environmental factors, using advanced techniques like fuzzy matching, natural language processing, and advanced machine learning models. The feasibility study involves the assessment of multiple AI models to determine their effectiveness in providing tailored recommendations for assistive technology and housing adaptations. A proof of concept was developed, and early tests suggest that the system aligns well with universal design principles and the needs of local authorities, rehabilitation specialists, and healthcare professionals, indicating the feasibility of implementing this solution in real-world environments. HomeAI-Enable will transform how needs are assessed, and solutions are delivered in housing adaptation through streamlining decision-making by the local authorities. It will provide occupational therapists with intelligent, data-backed recommendations that complement their assessments, enhancing confidence in housing adaptation choices. Divya Saleela, Adekunle S Oyegoke, Jamiu A Dauda, Saheed O Ajayi 2026-01-08 09:08:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8289212/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:58:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8289212/v1 The transcription factor FOXN1 is essential for thymic epithelial cell development, function and maintenance. The spatiotemporal dynamics of its expression and the sequential activation of its target gene transcription during thymus organogenesis remain however undefined. Monitoring a fluorescent timer protein serving as a molecular “chronometer” transcriptionally controlled by the Foxn1 locus, we show that FOXN1 expression is spatially controlled during thymus development. Here, FOXN1 progressively opens and remodels the chromatin of its target genes. First supporting a stem and general epithelial cell gene expression profile, extended FOXN1 presence not only conditions the expression of genes indispensable for T cell development and selection but also coincides with the appearance of individual medullary islands. Hence, the length of FOXN1 expression determines a spatially controlled hierarchy of gene expression programs in thymic epithelial cells that orchestrate the capacity to support T lymphopoiesis and the initiation of the thymic medulla. Fatima Dhalla, Andreas Tarcevski, Fabian Klein, Adam Handel, Stefano Maio, Emma Haberman, Saulius Žuklys, Shifaan Thowfeequ, David Grainger, Sam Palmer, Mary Deadman, Shankar Srinivas, Stanley Cheuk, Georg Hollander 2026-01-08 08:58:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8458482/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:53:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8458482/v1 Imaging pipelines in healthcare are often limited by reliance on a single imaging modality. Patients with metal implants or pacemakers cannot undergo MRI scans. Emergency stroke diagnostics typically depend solely on quick CT scans. Pediatric cases prefer lower radiation, ruling out multimodal imaging. In these situations, cross-modal image synthesis has become an appealing approach for generating one modality from another, particularly in brain imaging, such as converting CT to MRI and vice versa, where pairwise alignment poses challenges. The study evaluated two advanced models for unpaired CT and MRI brain image synthesis: the Conditioned diffusion model and Cycle-GAN, both built on the same U-Net architecture. Different training approaches were used—iterative denoising for the diffusion model and adversarial training for Cycle-GAN—to compare their effectiveness. Both models were trained for 2000 epochs and evaluated using task-specific metrics, including Fréchet Inception Distance, Inception Score, LPIPS, and the Dice index for tissue segmentation. The conditioned diffusion model consistently outperformed the adversarial model across all performance metrics, reducing the FID score by 39.5%, increasing the IS score by 19.0%, and enhancing anatomical fidelity. Explainability analyses revealed an over 18-fold increase in attention to relevant anatomical regions, with a 48% reduction in attention to less important areas. Radiologists confirmed that the diffusion model offered more realistic images, greater diagnostic confidence, and higher Turing test scores. Although computationally more intensive, the diffusion model demonstrated stronger alignment with actual anatomical features and medical standards. Atantra Das Gupta, Yashpal Yadav, N Khandelwal 2026-01-08 08:53:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8346108/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:41:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8346108/v1 Background Although they are uncommon in the spine, synovial cysts are common in the hands, feet, and knees. They are often seen in the lumbar area around L4-5. Synovial cysts are brought on by spinal instability and degeneration. These cysts are asymptomatic, but they cause cauda equina syndrome, myelopathy, radiculopathy, and back pain.Objective From 2011 to 2025, we looked on the clinical outcomes of individuals with spinal synovial cysts at our hospital.Methods A review of twenty-four individuals with spinal synovial cysts was conducted. We collected information on demographics, radiological findings, clinical symptoms, treatment approaches, and results. The McNab score was used to evaluate the success of the surgery.Results Six men and eighteen women, all fifty-eight years of age, took part. The most frequent complaint from patients was lumbar pain. Radiculopathy accounted for 62.5%. Ten patients had cystectomies and decompression. Since there was no recurrence or segmental instability in the surgical group, therapy was successful.Conclusion Spinal synovial cysts are uncommon but create serious symptoms that necessitate medical care. Some patients responded well to conservative care, but others needed surgery because their symptoms were severe or becoming worse. Following surgery, no instability or recurrence was discovered, indicating that it is beneficial for certain people. Mustafa Emrah Kaya, Ali Maksut Aykut, Hanifi Bayaroğulları, Mahmut Cingöz 2026-01-08 08:41:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8430416/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:40:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8430416/v1 Agriculture​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ serves as an instance where data-driven technologies are employed to tackle issues that arise from soil degradation, climate change, and incorrect crop selection, etc. Through accurate crop prediction, farmers can select the best crop that suits the soil and thus, more yield will be obtained and the farm will not lose its vitality.This research paper focuses on developing a crop prediction model using Machine Learning and Deep Learning algorithms such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes, and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM). By analyzing the soil along with other factors (Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), pH, Moisture, Temperature, Humidity), the system determines the crop that can yield the maximum output. SVM and Naïve Bayes are selected as baseline machine learning models to compare because they are very efficient and capable of handling multi-class classification, whereas BiLSTM is used to uncover the deeper temporal patterns in soil and environmental data.BiLSTM outperformed other models on almost all the datasets used and is regarded as being superior to traditional machine learning methods because it handles the sequential data in both directions.The findings indicate that integrating soil analytics with advanced modeling significantly increases the accuracy of the models, makes better crop planning possible, and helps in the conservation of natural resources in agriculture.Finally, such a framework, therefore, provides a dependable, scalable, and smart manner of catering to the farmers' needs and leading them to the right decisions in terms of crop selection. Deepa Hugar, Basavaraj Madagouda, Sumanth V, Shivanand Patil, Sanjeev Kulkarni, Swati Jainapure 2026-01-08 08:40:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7543729/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:39:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7543729/v1 Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness among individuals with diabetes. This em- phasizes the need for accurate and early classification to enable timely intervention. This study proposes a novel deep learning framework based on VGG16 for classifying DR into five severity levels. In contrast to con- ventional approaches that rely exclusively on final-layer outputs, the pro- posed model leverages features extracted from all convolutional layers, thus capturing both low- and high-level visual representations. These multi-scale features are processed through fully connected layers to esti- mate layer-wise probability distributions, which are then aggregated us- ing a weighted network to perform the final classification. To enhance fea- ture refinement and discriminative capability, a Fusion Refinement Block (FRB) is incorporated to improve multi-scale feature fusion, while a Spa- tial Attention (SA) mechanism is employed to focus on the most relevant retinal regions. Furthermore, oversampling is used to address class imbal- ance, and contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) is applied to improve the visibility of blood vessels in fundus images. The proposed model is evaluated on multiple benchmark datasets (IDRiD, APTOS, DDR, and EyePACS), achieving classification precision ranging from 0.8397% to 0.9372% and quadratic weighted kappa scores ranging from 0.8218% to 0.9623% with the three datasets, thus demonstrating its effectiveness and robustness in DR classification tasks. This project code is available at https://github.com/saifalkhaldiurv/CDR-LWP.git. Saif Khalid Musluh, Hatem A. Rashwan, Ammar M. Okran, Sylvie Chambon, Saddam Abdulwahab, Domenec Puig 2026-01-08 08:39:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8070036/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:34:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8070036/v1 The deposition of compact self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) presents a significant challenge in the field of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, we propose a strategy to enhance the compactness of SAMs by strengthening the interactions between SAM molecules and the substrate. Specifically, lithium hydroxide is incorporated into SAM solutions to modify the charge distribution within the SAM molecules. Theoretical simulations indicate a substantial increase in Coulomb interactions among the SAM molecules and the NiO substrate, facilitating the formation of more compact SAM layers under optimized conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that the enhanced compactness significantly improves carrier transport across the SAM layers, resulting in an increase in the champion efficiency of inverted PSCs from 26.0% to 27.3% (with a certified steady-state efficiency of 27.3%). Furthermore, the devices exhibit exceptional operational stability, retaining 94.5% and 93.3% of their initial efficiency after continuous exposure to solar light for 2000 hours at 65°C and 1000 hours at 85°C, respectively, in accordance with the ISOS-L-3 protocol. Feng Yan, Qi Cao, Tao Du, Zuolin Zhang ZHANG, Jianjun Mei, Xilai He, Zhenhuang Su, Guangpeng Feng, Bochun KANG, Junkang HOU, Xingyan WANG, Cong CHEN, Jun Yin, Xuanhua Li 2026-01-08 08:34:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475390/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:33:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475390/v1 Background: Medical procedure coding is time-intensive and error-prone, with direct implications for reimbursement accuracy and operational efficiency. Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise for automating CPT code assignment, yet their accuracy on surgical procedure notes compared to physician-defined benchmarks remains understudied. Objective: To evaluate and compare the CPT-code assignment performance of some of the most popular LLMs capable of reasoning (Anthropic Claude Opus 4.5, OpenAI GPT-5.2, and Google Gemini 3 Pro) against a surgeon-labeled benchmark for orthopedic procedure notes. Methods: Thirty-three publicly available, de-identified orthopedic procedure notes were obtained from MTSamples and Medical Transcription Sample Reports. Two surgeons, blinded to AI outputs, independently assigned benchmark CPT codes to notes within their specialty scope (28/33 notes labeled). Three frontier-class LLMs (Claude Opus 4.5, GPT-5.2, and Gemini 3 Pro) were selected based on LMArena performance and configured with extended reasoning at maximum settings. Each model was queried three times per note using identical prompts (n=297 total queries). A code was considered "predicted" if it appeared in at least 2 of 3 runs. Predicted codes were validated against the 2025 CMS HCPCS/CPT database. Performance metrics included precision, recall, F1 score, hallucination rate, invalid code rate, and consistency rate. Results: Of 33 orthopedic procedure notes evaluated (28 with valid benchmark labels), Claude Opus 4.5 achieved the highest accuracy (F1: 65.9%, precision: 66.7%, recall: 65.2%), followed by Gemini 3 Pro (F1: 62.1%) and GPT-5.2 (F1: 56.8%). Consistency did not correlate with accuracy: Gemini demonstrated the highest run-to-run consistency (72.7% identical outputs across runs) despite lower benchmark alignment, while Claude showed greater variance (63.6%) yet superior accuracy. No model produced hallucinated or invalidly formatted codes (0% hallucination rate, 0% invalid rate). Performance varied substantially by procedural complexity: simple single-code procedures achieved near-perfect consistency across models, while complex multi-component procedures were more likely to show F1 scores below 40% and greater inter-run variance. Conclusion: Current frontier LLMs demonstrate moderate accuracy in CPT code assignment for orthopedic procedures but are not yet suitable for autonomous clinical use. These models may offer value as first-pass tools within human-in-the-loop workflows, particularly for straightforward procedures. Future research should evaluate prompting optimization, modifier assignment, and prospective human-AI collaborative coding in real billing environments. Abdalrahman Katranji, Aisa De Vries, Abdalmajid Katranji, Mohammad Zalzaleh 2026-01-08 08:33:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7724127/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:32:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7724127/v1 This study analyzes victimization by cybercrimes against property in Minas Gerais, Brazil, based on 59,707 police reports filed between 2020 and 2022. Using text mining and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, it identifies patterns of occurrence, sociodemographic profiles of victims, types of scams, and means used by offenders. The study uses classical criminological theories, such as Rational Choice and Routine Activities Theory, as well as victimological typologies, to interpret the findings. The results indicate the predominance of fraud scams, with intensive use of applications such as WhatsApp, and greater victimization among young and middle-aged adults. The research contributes to advancing cyber victimology in Brazil, offering support for more effective public policies and prevention strategies. FREDERICO BORGES EVANGELISTA, ANTONIO HOT PEREIRA DE FARIA, JOÃO PAULO FIUZA DA SILVA 2026-01-08 08:32:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7262145/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:30:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7262145/v1 The realization of scalable quantum communication networks faces critical challenges from decoherence, noise, and adversarial attacks. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for fault-tolerant quantum communication using \textit{r}-robust graph topologies, which ensure strong connectivity and resilience in the presence of both random failures and Byzantine adversaries. We formalize \textit{r}-robustness in single-layer and multiplex quantum networks and derive theoretical bounds on fidelity, consensus success, and error propagation. A hybrid quantum-classical protocol is proposed that leverages multi-path entanglement and quantum certificate-based identity enforcement. Extensive simulations using Qiskit and NetworkX show that \textit{r}-robust networks improve average entanglement fidelity by up to 26\%, achieve over 95\% consensus success under 30\% adversarial nodes, and exponentially suppress error rates. Compared to ring, scale-free, and random graphs, \textit{r}-robust topologies provide superior robustness with moderate resource overhead. Our results establish a graph-theoretic foundation for constructing secure, resilient, and NISQ-compatible quantum networks capable of sustaining high-performance communication in noisy and adversarial environments. Suresh Kumar Jha, Siddhanta Kumar Singh, Aditya Narayan Hati 2026-01-08 08:30:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8522464/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:26:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8522464/v1 Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a major public health issue, particularly due to the emergence of methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA). Little data are available on the resistance profile of Guinea. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, phenotypic distribution, and factors associated with the resistance of S. aureus strains isolated in Conakry. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2023 to December 2024 atfour microbiological diagnostic facilities in Conakry. A total of 238 clinical specimens positive for S. aureus were included. Isolations were identified by conventional and Vitek2 methods, and sensitivity profiles were established according to CASFM/EUCAST recommendations. Sociodemographic and microbiological data were analyzed with SPSS 26. Proportions were compared by chi-square or Fisher's exact test, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. Results: Among the 238 isolates, 68.1% were MRSA, 21.8% were penicillinase producers and 10.1% were wild-type strains. Resistance to penicillin G was almost universal (99%), and resistance to oxacillin (79%), tetracycline (72%) and ciprofloxacin (50%) was high. Glycopeptides (vancomycin 99% sensitivity), linezolid and tigecycline remained active. The incidenceof MRSA was significantly greater in the hospital setting (74.2%) than in the community setting (57.5%; p = 0.027). Penicillinase producers were evenly distributed, while wild strains were rare (12.6% in the community vs. 8.6% in hospitals). Conclusion: The high prevalence of MRSA infection, particularly in hospital settings, combined with significant circulation in the community underlines the urgency of strengthening integrated hospital-community surveillance, improving infection control and promoting the rational use of antibiotics in Guinea. Mamadou Bobo DIALLO, Jean Selle BAVOGUI, Almamy Amara TOURE, Tiany SIDIBE, Celestin GUILAVOGUI, Fatoumata Binta BALDE, Josue DELAMOU, Sekouba KOUROUMA, Lancinet SANGARE, Boubane Benoit THIARA, Kaba KOUROUMA 2026-01-08 08:26:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485373/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:24:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485373/v1 The discrete element method (DEM) is an effective approach for simulating seismic cracking and damage processes in ancient masonry pagodas. Accurate representation of masonry behavior and dynamic fracture characteristics requires a reasonable determination of contact parameters between block elements. To address this, a contact parameter selection method for the model based on the physical properties of materials (αp method) is proposed, incorporating mechanical property tests of masonry under different stress states and referring to the shaking table test results of the Xuanzang Pagoda model in China. It is applied to analyze block interface shear displacements, displacement time histories at monitoring points, and peak displacements of the pagoda model under different seismic conditions. The numerical results are compared with both the elastic theory-based method (αe method) and experimental measurements. Findings indicate that the αp method provides a more reasonable simulation of the dynamic effects of the pagoda model and the dynamic transmission behavior of the internal infill. Under strong seismic excitation, the error between the predicted dynamic response of the pagoda and the shaking table test results is only 16.3%, which is reduced by 50% compared with the αe method. This approach more effectively captures material deformation and the typical characteristics of seismic damage evolution in pagodas. This research offers a useful reference for discrete element simulations of failure modes and seismic mechanisms in historic masonry structures. Mingdong Li, Junlong Lu, Defa Wang, Xiaoqin Wu, Xin Jia, Dongxu Mao, Zhenshan Wang, Zuoyi Yun 2026-01-08 08:24:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8388243/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:18:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8388243/v1 Central European forestry often operates on production cycles of 100–200 years, far exceeding those of most land-use sectors. Silvicultural and political decisions taken today yield observable economic consequences only after decades or centuries, making direct empirical evaluation challenging for forest practitioners and policy-makers. This challenge has intensified with the shift towards conservation- and ecosystem services-oriented policy, which must reconcile roundwood production with biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and other ecosystem services under stringent national and supranational legislation. The Forest Economic Simulation Model (FESIM) is a dynamic, modular framework that generates integrated ecological and economic projections for forest enterprises under varying scenarios. Fully formulated in linear algebra using explicit matrices and vectors, the model ensures complete reproducibility and interpretability. The use of a single forest inventory snapshot or management-plan data, augmented with (rudimentary) inputs such as area, yield tables, survival probabilities, and roundwood prices, enables FESIM to simulate the five-year time-step development of stand areas, roundwood volumes, carbon pools, and key economic metrics. The model integrates a Markov chain area-transition module with parameterised sigmoid functions to project growth and harvesting volumes, which are then fed into a valuation module employing multi-tier contribution-margin accounting. This approach captures profitability at successive cost allocation levels, ranging from stumpage values to net returns, thereby enabling the quantification of opportunity costs associated with conservation-oriented practices and policies. Optional submodules address habitat-tree retention and the dynamics of coarse woody debris, thereby establishing a direct linkage between biodiversity and carbon, on the one hand, and economic outputs, on the other. The parsimonious data requirements and deterministic structure ensure that FESIM is transparent, reproducible, and computationally efficient, facilitating its application in data-scarce regions and routine decision-making. The overarching objective of FESIM is to integrate the ecological and economic dimensions, thereby providing a versatile decision-support tool capable of evaluating long-term trade-offs and sustainability outcomes across diverse management, market, and policy scenarios. Cornelius Regelmann, Hermann Englert 2026-01-08 08:18:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8507849/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:16:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8507849/v1 Large language models (LLMs) are evolving into engines for scientific discovery, yet the assumption that biological understanding requires domain-specific pre-training remains unchallenged. Here, we report that general-purpose LLMs possess an emergent capability for biological structural discovery. First, we demonstrate that a small-scale GPT-2, fine-tuned solely on English paraphrasing, achieves ~84% zero-shot accuracy in protein homology detection, where network-based interpretability confirms a deep structural isomorphism between human language and the language of life. Scaling to massive models (e.g., Qwen-3) reveals a phase transition, achieving near-perfect accuracy (~100%) on standard tasks while maintaining 75% precision on specially constructed remote homology datasets. Chain-of-Thought interpretability reveals that these models transcend simple sequence alignment, leveraging implicit structural knowledge to perform reasoning akin to "mental folding." We formalize this cross-modal universality through the BioPAWS benchmark. Our work establishes a minimalist paradigm for AI for Science, proving that abstract logical structures distilled from human language constitute a powerful cognitive prior for decoding the complex syntax of biology. Liang Wang 2026-01-08 08:16:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7749503/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:14:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7749503/v1 China, Japan, and South Korea are geographically adjacent. As the core powers in Northeast Asia, they have set the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by the middle of this century. Energy-saving and low-carbon regulations have become vital policy tools for countries to achieve sustainable development. This paper employs ridge regression to estimate the production function from a low-carbon perspective, thereby measuring the bias of technical change. The research findings are as follows. At this stage, concerning the entire economic system, technical change has consistently favored increased energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, this bias has gradually weakened over time. The energy of China, Japan, and South Korea is mainly fossil and relies heavily on imports, and carbon emissions inherently produce negative externalities with extensive and long-term impacts. In the future, energy and carbon deviations at the technological level are key to the long-term and sustainable development of the economic system. The achievement of the "Dual Carbon" goals in China, Japan, and South Korea is inherently dependent on energy conservation and low-carbon technologies from a technological perspective. Jing Xiu, Jiaqi Lu, Tongtong Man, Peng Pan 2026-01-08 08:14:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8013599/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:13:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8013599/v1 This pilot study evaluates the preliminary effectiveness of the Neuro-Entity Dynamics System (NEDS) for reducing perceived stress and anxiety and improving emotional self-regulation. Eighteen adults (12 in the NEDS group; 6 controls) participated in a four-week intervention. The NEDS protocol comprises four phased sessions-Identify, Shift, Release, Transform-delivered by certified practitioners. Controls received guided relaxation of equal duration. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and a brief Emotional Awareness and Regulation Inventory (EARI). Quantitative analyses (pre-post descriptive comparisons) indicated a 31% reduction in perceived stress and a 25% reduction in anxiety within the NEDS group, alongside a 28% increase in emotional awareness and regulation; the control group showed only minimal changes. Qualitative interviews converged with these results, highlighting increased emotional clarity, somatic relief, and improved ability to redirect attention during stress. Within an integrative theoretical lens, NEDS conceptualizes “neuro-entities” as dynamic, embodied configurations of cognition, affect, and somatic states-consistent with embodied cognition and neurodynamic systems perspectives-rather than metaphysical constructs. While limitations include the small sample, non-random assignment, reliance on self-report, and lack of follow-up, findings support the feasibility and promise of NEDS as an integrative approach to stress management and self-regulation. Recommendations are provided for future randomized, adequately powered studies incorporating physiological indicators and longitudinal designs. Marijo Kržić 2026-01-08 08:13:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8320112/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:11:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8320112/v1 We evaluate the sound horizon at photon decoupling using only late-time observations and the directly measured acoustic angle from the CMB. The goal is to determine how much of the sound horizon can be recovered from data alone, without assuming any specific early-universe model. The analysis uses published cosmic-chronometer measurements of the expansion rate, the TRGB determination of the local Hubble constant, and the observed acoustic angle. A non-parametric reconstruction of the expansion history gives the distance to last scattering based solely on late-time information. This makes it possible to infer the physical sound horizon independently of the standard cosmological framework. The result is a broad estimate of the sound horizon that agrees with the commonly quoted value but carries a much larger uncertainty. Almost all of this uncertainty comes from the unobserved region between the highest redshifts reached by chronometer data and the epoch of recombination. Because no direct expansion-rate measurements exist in this range, the sound horizon cannot be sharply determined from observations alone. This evaluation shows a basic limitation in how late-time data can be used to test early-universe predictions. It also clarifies the structure behind the Hubble tension. The local determination of the Hubble constant is a direct measurement, while the CMB-derived value depends on adopting a theoretical sound horizon. The tension therefore reflects a comparison between observation and inference rather than between two independent measurements. S. A. Cooper 2026-01-08 08:11:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8328377/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:05:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8328377/v1 The coastal waters of the Northeast Pacific (NEP) region, along the coastlines of Oregon and Washington in the U.S. and British Columbia in Canada, receive substantial freshwater inflows from rivers. In this study, we assess the impact of these discharges on the seasonal and interannual variability in the near-surface salinity in the NEP coastal transition zone (CTZ), an area of the interior open ocean where the ocean dynamics are influenced by coastal processes. The assessment is based on satellite SMAP and SMOS observations, in-situ Argo profiler data, and outputs of a regional ocean circulation model. The model domain spans from southern Mexico to the Alaska Panhandle and includes freshwater inputs from more than 500 riverine sources along the Pacific coast, obtained from the Global Flood Assessment System (GloFAS). For the study period of 2008–2018, the model solution is compared to an earlier benchmark that only included discharges from major sources including the Columbia River and Salish Sea inputs. Adding the full suite of terrestrial discharges results in a more pronounced freshening of the surface waters from northern California to British Columbia coasts. In particular, it helps to improve the sea surface salinity (SSS) bias and variability in the CTZ off Vancouver Island compared to the Argo data. Satellite SSS combined with altimeter-based sea level anomaly maps reveal patterns indicative of eddy-driven transport of terrestrial waters from the shelf into the CTZ. The volume-averaged salinity term balance analysis in the 50-m near-surface layer in the CTZ domain off Vancouver Island shows that the oceanic transport contributes to freshening the layer in summer. The vertical diffusion term is relatively larger and positive in most winters, increasing salinity in the surface boundary layer. The net surface salinity flux is an influential contributor to the near-surface salinity balance. Bahram Khazaei, Alexander Kurapov, Scott Durski 2026-01-08 08:05:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8327196/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:03:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8327196/v1 Nanoplastics released from biodegradable plastics have raised concern, yet their composition and release behavior remain largely unclear. Using polylactic acid (PLA)–based disposable containers, a common alternative to conventional plastics, we developed a quantitative analytical workflow to differentiate and characterize PLA-leached chemicals (PLCs), including PLA nanoparticles (NPs), PLA oligomers (OLAs), and lactic acid (LA). Simulated use of disposable cups (DCs) showed that PLA-DCs released ~6 million particles mL-1 NPs into water, substantially higher than conventional polypropylene (PP) DCs. More interestingly, up to 55% of detected NPs were OLA self-assembled aggregates rather than PLA NPs. Across use scenarios, water temperature was the dominant determinant: PLC concentrations increased nearly two orders of magnitude from 50 to 70 °C, accompanied by a shift from particulate to dissolved OLAs. Integrating national use behaviors with release parameters, global annual PLC exposure from PLA-DCs is projected to increase by 2 folds from 2021 to 2030. Although U.S. coffee cups account for 49% of PLA-DCs, hot coffee consumption contributed >99% of exposure, whereas in China, despite coffee cup consumption being only 20% of the U.S., hot water use in PLA-DCs still resulted in ~80% of the U.S. exposure. These findings highlight the need to establish NP and oligomer release as a new benchmark for evaluating biodegradable disposable plastics and to redefine safe-use temperature thresholds. Mingliang Fang, Ao Guo, Xing Chen, Tong Yang, Ailin Zhao, Jing Yang, Changzhi Shi 2026-01-08 08:03:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8417718/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 08:00:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8417718/v1 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces parkinsonism through its toxic metabolite, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), which structurally mimics dopamine and enters dopaminergic neurons via the dopamine transporter (DAT). Although zebrafish are increasingly used as an MPTP-induced parkinsonian model due to their genetic and functional similarity to humans, direct molecular evidence supporting MPP+ transport via zebrafish DAT remains limited. This study computationally evaluated and compared the species-specific interactions of MPP+ and dopamine with human and zebrafish DAT using a multi-step in silico workflow comprising molecular docking, binding pocket identification, and molecular dynamics–based flexibility analysis. Docking was performed using AutoDock Vina, with human DAT (UniProt ID Q01959) and zebrafish DAT (UniProt ID Q90ZV1) prepared using AutoDock Tools. MPP+ (CID_39484) and dopamine (CID_681) were parameterized using the General AMBER Force Field (GAFF) tool. Blind docking employed identical 40 × 40 × 40 Å grids, and interactions were visualized using PyMol and LigPlot⁺. MPP+ exhibited binding affinities comparable to dopamine in both species (human: –7.2 vs –6.1 kcal/mol; zebrafish: –7.6 vs –6.4 kcal/mol) and showed substantial overlap in binding residues. Using CASTpFold, both ligands were found to occupy well-defined structural binding pockets that corresponded closely to docking-identified interaction residues, confirming biologically plausible binding cavities. To evaluate the dynamic stability of these interactions, coarse-grained flexibility analysis (CABS-flex) and normal mode analysis (iMODS) were conducted. RMSF profiles indicated that the DAT binding cavity remains intrinsically rigid, with ligand binding producing only minor local fluctuations in both species. iMODS further showed that dopamine- and MPP+-bound complexes shared similar deformability, B-factor distributions, variance patterns, and elastic network organization, with only slight differences in global stiffness between ligands. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that MPP+ closely mimics dopamine binding behaviour in both human and zebrafish DAT, supporting its ability to exploit DAT-mediated transport across species. Overall, this work provides integrated computational evidence—spanning docking, pocket geometry, and dynamic behaviour—that MPP+ engages DAT in a dopamine-like manner in both humans and zebrafish. This reinforces the validity of zebrafish as a model for studying dopaminergic neurotoxicity and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Nonetheless, the static and coarse-grained nature of the analyses highlights the need for future full all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experimental validation to fully characterise MPP+ transport dynamics. Khairiah Razali, Mohd Hamzah Mohd Nasir, Jaya Kumar, Wael Mohamed 2026-01-08 08:00:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8264715/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:55:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8264715/v1 Background South Asians are the largest and fastest-growing racialized group in Canada but are underrepresented in health research and underserved in health-promoting initiatives. In this paper we: 1) describe the systematic process by which we ethnoculturally adapted Choose to Move (CTM) – an effective health-promoting model for older adults – for South Asian Punjabi-speaking older adults and organizations that serve them, 2) describe the adapted CTM model, and 3) evaluate implementation of the adapted CTM model. Methods Using community-based participatory research methods, we followed a multi-step adaptation process: 0) review existing CTM Phase 4 data; 1) engage community partners and Punjabi-speaking older adults; 2) conduct needs assessment; 3) develop and 4) validate a prototype adapted CTM model; 5) finalize adapted model; and 6) pilot implementation. We coded adaptations using the FRAME and FRAME-IS frameworks. Four organizations piloted the adapted CTM model (4 coaches, 5 programs, 68 older adults). Following program delivery, we assessed implementation indicators and outcomes through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with organizations, activity coaches and participants. Results We proposed 23 updates to the CTM model after Step 0 (e.g., modified activity coach training content) and 32 ethnocultural adaptations after Steps 1–3 (e.g., increased length of group meetings, translated promotion and recruitment materials). During the pilot, 72% of participants completed the CTM program and provided post-program feedback. Organizations and coaches rated the program as acceptable, appropriate and feasible. Dose delivered, dose received and participant responsiveness were high (> 84% for all). Fidelity to core functions ranged from 62–100%. Four themes emerged from qualitative data to support these findings: 1) provide structure and support, 2) foster cultural and linguistic resonance, 3) make goals matter and 4) facilitate engagement. Coaches were satisfied with strategies they used (usage ranged from 25% to 100% across available resources) and made few adaptations. Qualitative data supported these findings through three themes: 1) build relationship-centered partnerships, 2) provide tailored and culturally appropriate support, and 3) tailored training. Conclusions We integrated implementation science approaches with ethnogerontology to generate a blueprint for implementing an evidence-based and ethnoculturally grounded health-promoting for Punjabi-speaking older adults. Clinical Trials Registration NCT06252259; Registration date: February 1, 2024 Heather Macdonald, Thea Franke, Diya Chowdhury, Heather McKay, Harveen Basra, Christa Hoy, Lindsay Nettlefold, Joanie Sims Gould 2026-01-08 07:55:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7916008/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:53:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7916008/v1 One of the most important events in Earth history is the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). While O2 killed most anaerobic microorganisms, some survived. Fe-S clusters are cofactors essential for cellular processes in all life forms, but how they adapt to rising O2 remains unclear. Sulfur utilization factor (SUF) pathway is one of the most common Fe-S assembly pathways. We hypothesize that within the SUF pathway, SufE, as a sulfur-transfer partner of cysteine desulfurase SufS, maintains its functions under oxidative stress through molecular adaptation. Molecular clock dating showed SufE originated ~2.67 Ga (i.e., last common ancestor, LCA) and diversified considerably around the GOE (~2.14 Ga). The corresponding ancestral SufS was also reconstructed for these two times. Biochemical assays reveal that SufSLCA/SufELCA is active at up to ~2% O2, higher than Archaean atmospheric O2, whereas SufSGOE/SufEGOE is active at up to ~10% O2, higher than the level during the GOE. These advanced evolutions may have provided resilience to redox fluctuations through Earth history. Growth experiments showed that overproduction of either SufEGOE or SufSGOE/SufEGOE in Escherichia coli mutants lacking SufE or SufSE better restores its growth than overproduction of their LCA counterparts, consistent with the in vitro results. Enzyme structure prediction revealed that such adaptation was achieved through replacement of a few amino acids in key catalytic sites and consequent conformational changes of key enzymes. Our results reveal the molecular mechanism of adaptation of Fe-S cluster assembly to rising O2 and significantly contributes to the coevolution of the geosphere and biosphere. Hailiang Dong, Hongyu Chen, Franklin Outten, Li Huang, Zhenfeng Zhang, Daijiang Xiong, Mengtong Zhang, Xiaoqin Tang 2026-01-08 07:53:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8429011/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:44:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8429011/v1 Background The gut microbiome plays a key role in ruminant health, nutrient metabolism and performance. However, the influence of pasture diversity and management on gut microbiome dynamics remains poorly studied.Methods A multi-year study (2022–2025) was conducted to investigate gut microbial dynamics in cattle and sheep grazing on standard and diverse pastures managed under contemporary and regenerative practices. Faecal DNA was extracted, and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing was utilised to characterise the gut microbiome, with taxonomic assignment based on the Greengenes 16S database.Results Microbial relative abundance remained broadly stable, with notable seasonal fluctuations. Diverse pastures promoted greater gut microbial abundance, dominated by Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which showed both positive and negative associations with other co-occurring taxa. Regenerative management consistently supported higher alpha diversity, and pairwise beta-diversity comparisons revealed significant divergence in microbial community composition between standard-contemporary and diverse-regenerative pasture management systems.Conclusions These findings highlight that increased pasture diversity and regenerative management drive shifts in the ruminant gut microbiome that may foster improved animal health, productivity, and the long-term sustainability of grazing-based farming systems. Upulika Jayaneththi, Nicholas W. Sneddon, Lucy Burkitt, Paramsothy Jeyakumar, Lisanne M. Fermin, Christopher W. N. Anderson, Daniel J. Donaghy 2026-01-08 07:44:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8508332/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:42:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8508332/v1 Background: Impairments in functionality and social participation are common among individuals with severe mental disorders, particularly within refugee populations. Community-based psychosocial interventions may play a crucial role in improving both psychiatric symptoms and daily functioning. Methods: This controlled, prospective study was conducted at a Community Mental Health Center in Turkey. Syrian patients under temporary protection who participated in occupational therapy workshops (experimental group) were compared with a control group receiving routine care only. Functionality (Brief Functionality Assessment Scale – BFAS), depression (Beck Depression Inventory – BDI), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory – BAI), and psychotic symptom severity (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale – PANSS) were assessed at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Results: At baseline, no significant differences were observed between the groups. In the experimental group, significant improvements were observed in functionality, depression, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms at 6 months (p < 0.001 for BFAS, BDI, and BAI; p = 0.018 for PANSS), whereas no significant changes were observed in the control group. At the 6-month assessment, the experimental group demonstrated significantly better outcomes compared to the control group. Conclusions: Occupational therapy workshops integrated into community mental health services are associated with significant improvements in functionality and psychiatric symptoms among Syrian patients, highlighting the importance of structured psychosocial interventions for vulnerable populations. Hatice Şahin 2026-01-08 07:42:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8290760/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:34:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8290760/v1 The Neogene expansion of C4 grasslands transformed terrestrial ecosystems with marked influence on mammalian evolution, including hominins. However, the asynchronous C4 expansion on different continents makes it difficult to identify the environmental drivers, especially for higher latitudes. Here we show that rainfall seasonality governed extratropical Plio-Pleistocene C4 distributions in East Asia. Rainfall oxygen isotope ratios and clumped isotope soil temperatures exhibit coupled variations on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) from 7 to 2.5 Ma, indicating more spring rain during warmer times when the subtropical westerly jet was further poleward, and more concentrated summer rain under cooler climates. We attribute these changes to meridional shifts of a summer rain band on orbital and longer timescales. Organic carbon isotope records reveal that the most C4-rich ecosystems tracked this summer rain band, eventually eclipsing the southern CLP margin during late Pleistocene cooling. Our model refines the East Asian paleomonsoon concept and explains the equatorward migration of extratropical C4 ecosystems, highlighting the tight coupling between regional rainfall seasonality and vegetation. Jiawei Da, Chijun Sun, Lily Serach, Timothy Gallagher, Huayu Lu, Katharine Huntington, Ran Feng, Hanzhi Zhang, Hanlin Wang, Shunchuan Ji, Zachary Sharp, Junfeng Ji, Daniel Breecker 2026-01-08 07:34:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8470352/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:32:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8470352/v1 This article investigates amorphous charcoal lumps, dated to approximately AD 200–500, that were recovered from the Yongsan-dong site and four other archaeological sites on the southern Korean Peninsula. Microscopic examination and stable isotope analysis support the identification of the lumps as soybean paste (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). The lumps consist exclusively of soybeans, with no evidence of other plant materials. Experimental carbonization of soybeans under controlled conditions indicates that the paste was shaped into a dough-like form before charring. The closest modern analogue is meju, a traditional fermented soybean product central to Korean cuisine. This research newly suggests that fermented soybean paste may have existed as early as AD 200, despite the earliest documented reference on the Korean Peninsula dating to AD 683. Drawing on historical and ethnographic information, this study discusses the culinary and social significance of these materials, particularly in relation to food storage, flavor development, and culinary practices. Minkoo Kim, Gong-Sun Song 2026-01-08 07:32:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7715956/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:28:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7715956/v1 Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs) are increasingly adopted in electric vehicles (EVs) and industrial drives due to their high efficiency and torque density. However, performance varies with motor topology, operating conditions, and thermal management. This study presents a comparative evaluation of three PMSM types—Axial Flux, Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM), and Surface Permanent Magnet (SPM)—using a subset of 1,000 records from the PMSM Smart Control Dataset (Kaggle), containing 15 electrical and thermal parameters. Statistical analysis and comparative plots were used to examine efficiency, torque–speed characteristics, current and voltage demand, and temperature rise under different load conditions, cooling methods, and application modes. Results show that SPM motors achieve the highest efficiency (75.9%) and superior thermal stability, making them suitable for sustained EV traction, while IPM motors provide strong torque density and wide-speed performance. Axial Flux motors, with compact geometry and steady torque, are most advantageous in constant-torque industrial drives. In addition, predictive modeling was employed to estimate efficiency from electrical, thermal, and categorical descriptors. A linear regression model achieved R² ≈ 0.62 on the test dataset, with stator/rotor temperatures, current, and operating mode identified as the most influential predictors. These findings demonstrate that combining comparative evaluation with predictive modeling supports optimal PMSM selection and enables lightweight, real-time efficiency estimation, contributing to intelligent control strategies for sustainable mobility Rajesh G, Sebasthirani K, Maruthupandi P, Remyasree R 2026-01-08 07:28:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8544108/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:21:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8544108/v1 Sexual dimorphism in birds is often associated with plumage. Yet, the strength and prevalence of vocal sexual dimorphism remain poorly quantified for many Neotropical passerines. In particular, Cerrado antbirds show pronounced plumage dimorphism, but whether this is accompanied by consistent vocal divergence is unclear. This gap limits our understanding of how different communication modalities evolve under sexual and social selection. Here, we evaluated sexual differences in vocal behavior in four Cerrado antbird species (Thamnophilus doliatus, T. pelzelni, Herpsilochmus atricapillus and H. longirostris). We employed a comparative framework combining traditional bioacoustic measurements, mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, and deep-learning–based audio embeddings, and formally tested sex differences using supervised classification approaches. Across species and feature sets, classification performance was consistently low and only marginally better than random expectations, indicating weak and unreliable separation between male and female vocalizations. Results were largely concordant across methods, despite differences in feature abstraction. Together, our findings indicate that vocal sexual dimorphism in these species is minimal, contrasting sharply with their pronounced plumage dimorphism. This suggests that strong sexual differentiation may be expressed predominantly in one signaling modality, with limited evolutionary pressure for parallel divergence in vocal traits. By integrating interpretable and machine-learning–based acoustic analyses, our study provides a robust framework for assessing vocal dimorphism and highlights the importance of multi-modal perspectives in studies of avian communication and sexual selection. Enrico Lopes Breviglieri, Irina Tolkova, Guilherme Sementili-Cardoso, Reginaldo José Donatelli, Larissa Sayuri Moreira Sugai 2026-01-08 07:21:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8229707/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:17:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8229707/v1 Climate has been proposed to shape global biodiversity through multiple, competing mechanisms that emphasise either magnitude, spatial distribution, or temporal stability of climatic variables, without integrating these dimensions into a unified spatio-temporal framework. Here we quantify spatio-temporal climate change in both climatic and geographic spaces by tracing when and where climatic conditions have emerged, persisted, and shifted across the Earth’s surface over the past 50 million years. We compile the most comprehensive global vascular plant diversity map to date (350,864 species) to test how deep-time geographic dynamics of climate have influenced plant diversity patterns. We find that species-rich and evolutionarily diverse plant communities are associated with climates that originated early, remained geographically extensive over long time, and experienced moderate geographic shifts. These climates are primarily warm and humid, now dominant in the tropics but previously extending into high latitudes. Models incorporating climate and its deep-time geographic dynamics explain up to 95% of the global variation in plant diversity, with geographic extent and mobility of climate contributing over half the explanatory power for species richness, turnover, and phylogenetic diversity. This work addresses a fundamental question that has long been debated regarding the spatio-temporal impacts of ongoing climate change on biodiversity. Jiaze Li, Iain Prentice 2026-01-08 07:17:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5276478/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:17:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5276478/v1 Ferritin, consisting of ferritin heavy chain (FTH1) and light chain (FTL) subunits, is an essential intracellular iron storage protein fundamental for cellular function. However, the source and the biological role of extracellular ferritin (ex-ferritin) are less understood. Recent studies have linked elevated serum ex-ferritin with adverse outcomes in individuals with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In this study, we demonstrate that both FTH1 and FTL are significantly enriched in the serum, blood monocytes, and alveolar macrophages (AMs) of individuals with ARDS, a phenomenon we successfully replicate in a murine hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI) model. We show that FTH1 is consistently upregulated in macrophages during lung injury development, and mice with a targeted deletion of FTH1 in myeloid (LysMcre) or resident lung macrophage (Cd11ccre) populations exhibit attenuated HALI. This reduced injury is linked to macrophage resistance to ferroptotic cell death, ferritinophagy, altered airway inflammatory responses, and lower lung extracellular iron and higher levels of FTL-ex-ferritin. Transplantation of FTL-ex-ferritin-enriched bronchoalveolar lavage fluid to wild-type mice protected against HALI. The ratio of FTL-ex-ferritin to FTH1 in the serum of individuals with ARDS who died was higher than that of those that survived, suggesting that the balance between FTH1 and FTL may play a role in injury modulation. Our findings highlight macrophage ferritin as a key regulator of macrophage survival and the response of the lung to injury, presenting a potentially targetable pathway for ARDS treatment. Suzanne Cloonan, William Zhang, Kihwan Kim, Lynne Faherty, Will Simmons, Sebastian Carrasco, Katherine Hoffman, Sean Houghton, Chia-Lang Hsu, Leora Haber, Parag Goyal, Kuei-Pin Chung, Karla Ballman, David Redmond, Joseph Mancias, Augustine Choi, Edward Schenck, Maria Plataki, Christopher Mason, Cem Meydan 2026-01-08 07:17:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8426063/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:11:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8426063/v1 Pathway-based analysis has emerged as a powerful approach in systems biology for interpreting gene expression data. Instead of assessing individual genes in isolation, this method evaluates groups of genes within established biological pathways, thereby reducing data complexity and improving the biological interpretability of results. By condensing thousands of gene-level signals into a smaller set of functional units, pathway-based analysis enables the identification of meaningful patterns, disease mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets. This approach is particularly valuable in microarray studies, where probe-level expression data can be systematically examined for significant fold changes within biologically relevant pathways. Raghavendra Krishnappa, Kanthesh M B 2026-01-08 07:11:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8535275/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 07:04:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8535275/v1 The migration of wireless communications from 5G to the sixth generation (6G) of cellular communications and next-generation wireless local area networks (Wi-Fi 7/8) has emerged to support ultra-high data rate, massive connectivity, and ultra-low latency. Nonetheless, these needs exacerbate both energy and spectral resource challenges, especially in ultra-dense and heterogeneous networks. The available techniques have focused dominantly on energy efficiency or spectral efficiency, making them less effective in multi-radio access technology (multi-RAT) networks. In this paper, a hybrid framework that simultaneously leverages energy and spectral efficiency for converged 5G/6G communications and Wi-Fi 7/8 networks based on the integration of resource control based on artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive spectrum management, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) is proposed. A model of a multi-RAT system assisted by reconfigurable intelligent surfaces has been established, and an optimisation problem that maximises energy efficiency while satisfying quality-of-service constraints has been formulated. The challenge of the resulting mathematical model being a non-convex optimisation problem has been resolved using a controller designed based on deep reinforcement learning to dynamically adjust both the power allocation to all the radios involved and the reconfigurable intelligent surfaces' phases. Simulation results have confirmed that the proposed scheme can obtain energy efficiency improvement of up to 35% compared to the typical scheme, and simultaneously, the spectral efficiency gain has also significantly improved when operating at a high frequency. The results have confirmed that integrated energy and spectral resource optimisation could provide a new solution for a sustainable 6G and Wi-Fi 8 network. Zacheous Aasa, Fanuel Elias, Sunday C. Ekpo 2026-01-08 07:04:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7915382/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:59:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7915382/v1 Reduced and polymerized phosphorus species such as phosphite and pyrophosphate may have been crucial prebiotic substrates due to their higher reactivity and greater solubility, yet their sources remain debated and fluxes poorly constrained. Here, we show that mafic–ultramafic rocks on the early Earth could serve as a geologically sustainable source of reactive phosphorus via seafloor weathering. Analysis of mafic-ultramafic rocks from 15 locations reveals phosphite accounting for up to 7%, 24%, 17%, and 0.6% of total extracted phosphorus in olivine separates, peridotite, komatiite, and basalt, respectively, while pyrophosphate reached up to 5% and 0.4% in komatiite and basalt. Using a box model, we show that phosphite could have reached 1 µM in the deep ocean and 67 µM in lakes under low ultra-violet conditions on the prebiotic Earth. We conclude that mafic-ultramafic rocks on the early Earth and possibly other planetary bodies could be an important source of reactive phosphorus for the origin and early evolution of life. Abu Baidya, Craig Walton, Joanna Kalita, Kristoffer Szilas, Marco Viccaro, Paul Savage, Stuart Allison, Euan Nisbet, Maria Schönbächler, Sami Mikhail, Eva Stüeken 2026-01-08 06:59:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8500658/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:58:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8500658/v1 Quality and accreditation in medical education are recognized as essential components for ensuring competent healthcare professionals, equal educational opportunities, and sustainable health systems. Global interest in this area has grown steadily, particularly over the past two decades. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications on quality and accreditation in medical education between 1992 and 2024 and to forecast future publication trends. Publications from 1992–2024 were analyzed using bibliometric methods. Descriptive statistics were used to examine publication trends, authorship, country contributions, and citations. Time series analysis in R was applied to forecast publication counts for 2025–2030. A total of 1,189 publications were identified, authored by 5,230 individuals, including 119 single-authored works. Scientific output increased markedly after 2002, peaking in 2020. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iran, and China were the most productive countries. Time series analysis indicated that publication growth may continue over the next six years, although a breakpoint model suggests a potential decline if the post-2020 decrease persists. The field is gaining international recognition and importance. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and global research initiatives will be key to advancing quality and accreditation in medical education Asena Ayça ÖZDEMİR, Hüseyin SELVİ, İbrahim BAŞHAN 2026-01-08 06:58:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8509424/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:33:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8509424/v1 Neurons form synapses under limited fan-in (dendritic crowding) and predominantly local encounters. We introduce a minimal crowding rule for directed wiring: when assembling the in-neighborhood of a target, the first edge is accepted and subsequent candidates are accepted with probability exp(−αr), where r is the number of previously accepted incoming edges. This defines an exactly solvable directed-graph ensemble. We derive an exact finite-N recursion and a generating-function iteration for the in-degree distribution Pα(k), implying ⟨k⟩∼α−1 log N and, in the sparse regime, Var(k) ≈(2α)−1. For synchronous threshold dynamics we obtain a heterogeneous mean-field map and a finite-size absorbing Markov approximation that predict basin (hitting) probabilities and show that basin boundaries depend on the full shape of Pα(k), not only ⟨k⟩. In spatial embeddings, proposing candidates in order of distance leaves Pα(k) unchanged but yields broad wiring lengths P(d) ∝1/d, emergent small-world structure, and a Kleinberg-type kernel P(i→j) ∝r−D without imposing a distance law. A shortcut-rewiring interpolation at fixed Pα(k) separates degree-driven from clustering-driven dynamical effects, providing a minimal and analytically controlled baseline for connectomic wiring and attractor stability. Makoto Fukushima 2026-01-08 06:33:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8537800/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:28:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8537800/v1 Precision cancer diagnosis relies on identifying driver genes, yet distinguishing these from passenger mutations in high-dimensional transcriptomics remains challenging. Gene prioritization in high-dimensional transcriptomic data conventionally relies on variance-based filtering, under the assumption that biologically important genes exhibit high expression variability. However, accumulating evidence suggests that structurally influential genes may exert disproportionate effects on cellular programs despite modest marginal variance. We introduce a manifold-based framework that quantifies gene importance through geometric sensitivity analysis. By training a nonlinear embedding with manifold regularization, we define a gradient-based sensitivity measure that captures how perturbations along individual gene dimensions propagate through the learned representation space. Applied to TCGA breast cancer transcriptomics (N=526, G=17,800), our approach identified structurally influential genes including ASCL2, NAPRT1, and OR10AG1, which ranked beyond the top 15,000 genes by variance yet exhibited high geometric leverage. Survival stratification based on manifold-sensitive genes achieved log-rank p=0.0048, compared to p=0.157 for PCA-based approaches. Ablation studies confirmed that performance gains arise from structural alignment rather than model complexity. These findings demonstrate that geometry-aware gene prioritization can reveal functionally important features that are systematically suppressed by variance-based filtering. Chi Hsing Wu, Kai Siang Chen 2026-01-08 06:28:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7796497/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:26:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7796497/v1 The remaining unacceptably high mortality of influenza-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome underscores the urgent need to identify key cellular drivers of host responses. Endothelial cells (ECs) are increasingly recognized for their immunomodulatory roles, but whether they function as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) following respiratory viral infection remains unknown. Here, we show that influenza A virus H1N1 restrictively infects pulmonary microvascular ECs (PMVECs) during late-stage acute lung injury, triggering robust MHC class I (MHC-I) upregulation in vitro, in vivo, and in ex vivo human precision-cut lung slices. Infected PMVECs present H1N1 antigens via MHC-I and co-stimulatory CD40 to lung-resident CD8⁺ T cells, driving their proliferation and effector function (Granzyme B, IFNγ) to promote viral clearance and resolve inflammation. This process is IFNγ-dependent and STAT1-regulated, forming a positive feedback loop that enhances PMVEC antigen presentation and CD8⁺ T cells activation. By contrast, the emerging H5N1 (A/Texas/37/2024) infect pulmonary ECs earlier and more broadly but elicits weaker pulmonary EC-driven CD8 + T cell responses, potentially contributing to its higher pathogenicity. These findings reveal PMVECs as active APCs in antiviral defense and highlight new avenues for immunotherapeutic intervention. Lianghui Zhang, Yuanyun Ao, Kamal Bagale, Sophia Hu, Ahmed Mostafa, Chengjin Ye, Kienan Salvadore, Gregory Gibson, Ricardo Pineda, Jiayue Lu, Rachel Covitz, Dejuanna Chan, Ryan Langlois, James Zimring, William Duprex, Claudette St Croix, John Alcorn, Jalees Rehman, Melanie Koenigshoff, Luis Martinez-Sobrido, Jianhua Xing 2026-01-08 06:26:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7727132/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:23:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7727132/v1 Temperature limits critically affect the safety, efficiency, and lifetime of permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives in electric vehicles. While most prior work focuses on predicting motor temperatures, this paper goes further by embedding learned forecasts directly into the control loop. We propose a temperature-aware fractional-order PID (FO-PID) speed controller whose gains are scheduled online by a multi-target thermal predictor trained on the public Paderborn PMSM dataset. Sequence models (LSTM and Transformer) forecast rotor magnet and stator temperatures at short horizons, and the predictions drive a lightweight scheduling map that adapts Kp,Ki,Kd,λ,μ and applies soft torque limits near thermal boundaries.  Step-response and drive-cycle evaluations demonstrate that, contrary to expectations, the scheduled FO-PID did not outperform classical PID. Both fixed FO-PID and FO-PID+Scheduler accumulated significantly higher tracking errors and led to unsafe winding temperature excursions, whereas PID achieved the lowest ITAE, IAE, and ISE, the fastest rise time, and maintained safe thermal margins. Scheduling reduced violations relative to fixed FO-PID but did not close the gap to PID performance.  These findings provide two contributions: (i) a reproducible framework for integrating thermal forecasts into FO-PID scheduling, and (ii) a counter-intuitive result showing that classical PID may remain safer and more reliable than FO-PID under thermally constrained EV drive operation. This highlights that FO-PID’s benefits are not universal but depend strongly on tuning and operating conditions, and motivates future work on adaptive scheduling policies and hardware-in-the-loop validation. Rajesh G, Sebasthirani K, Maruthupandi P, Remyasree R 2026-01-08 06:23:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8520516/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:23:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8520516/v1 Aerosol-cloud interactions represent the largest uncertainty in climate-change assessment, and while cloud turbulence is considered crucial for droplet growth, its precise role remains unclear. Our laboratory-controlled studies show that turbulence does not always enhance collision and coalescence; instead, its influence emerges only when droplets have a sufficiently broad size distribution. The dissipative-scale droplet behaviour underscores the importance of improved parameterisations to accurately model cloud microphysics. R. I. Sujith, Shri Vignesh K., Ambedkar Sanket Sukdeo, Sruthibhai P. V., Aishwarya Singh, Srikrishna Sahu, Swetaprovo Chaudhari, Amit Patra, T Rao, Rama Govindarajan, Sachin Gunthe 2026-01-08 06:23:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8320002/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:21:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8320002/v1 Gene-environment interactions are critical for understanding the genetics of PTSD, although it remains unclear how they differ across traumas. Using data from the UK Biobank and GLAD-EDGI-COPING (N=144,702), we conducted gene-environment interaction analyses incorporating eleven trauma measures. We analysed polygenic risk scores, specific genes, and specific genetic variants. Childhood traumas had stronger associations with PTSD symptoms and greater gene-environment interactions than adulthood traumas on average. Interaction patterns varied across genes and variants, with many of the leading genes for PTSD (e.g. ANAPC, FAM120A, SGCD) having particularly great interactions with certain traumas. Several genes (DTX4, PSMD12, TYW3, ZNF660) demonstrated stronger interactions with all childhood or all adulthood traumas. Our results suggest genetic influences on PTSD risk vary by trauma type and are most pronounced for childhood traumas. To accommodate the moderating effect of trauma type, genomic research on PTSD should incorporate trauma exposure information. Jonathan Coleman, Jacob Knyspel, Saakshi Kakar, Anna Carnegie, Gursharan Kalsi, Laura Meldrum, Iona Smith, Shannon Bristow, Molly Davies, Cherie Armour, Thalia Eley, Gerome Breen, Chloe Wong 2026-01-08 06:21:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414751/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:20:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414751/v1 This study develops and validates a Science Creativity (SC) assessment instrument for the university-level physics domain. The instrument is designed as open-ended tasks within the mechanics domain. Item development is grounded in the cognitive aspects of physics learning, including knowledge restructuring, orchestration of multiple representations, depth of cognitive processing, as well as reasoning and thinking strategies. All tasks are positioned as a complementary package of activities: while each task may highlight specific cognitive aspects, the ensemble is directed toward building a holistic modeling experience so that SC is reflected as a unified performance. The quality of the measurement model was evaluated via Confirmatory Composite Analysis (CCA) within a PLS-SEM framework using higher-order construct modeling. CCA results indicate that the majority of indicators perform strongly. Construct reliability is generally adequate, with one dimension appearing very high due to highly homogeneous content. In general, construct coherence is stronger in dimensions based on technical products, whereas dimensions requiring cross-representational shifts tend to exhibit greater variation. Collinearity diagnostics reveal strong correlations in several blocks, which are interpreted as a consequence of integrated cognitive processes in physics. Discriminant validity was confirmed, forming a coherent SC construct. This instrument has a direct impact by providing assessments aligned with physics practice, which can be used to map SC profiles, provide diagnostic feedback, and evaluate physics learning. The feasibility of the instrument as a measure of SC linked to the cognitive aspects of physics learning serves as a basis for further refinement and cross-context validation. Joko Saefan, Wahyu Hardyanto, Wiyanto Wiyanto 2026-01-08 06:20:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8355954/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:17:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8355954/v1 Scientific machine learning demands models that understand physical laws rather than memorize correlations. Current graph neural networks treat molecular interactions statistically, limiting their ability to generalize across chemical space. We present OG-QIMP (Orbital-Guided Quantum-Informed Molecular Learning), a framework that reconciles quantum mechanics with deep learning through a progressive physics-to-data paradigm. Early layers follow orbital theory via σ/π/non-bonding attention guided by quantum overlap integrals, while deeper layers adaptively refine representations through data-driven transformations. This design yields interpretable, transferable molecular representations aligned with chemical bonding theory. Theoretically, we prove that the linear progressive weighting minimizes a composite physics–data loss, ensuring optimal balance between consistency and adaptability. OG-QIMP achieves state-of-the-art performance on seven molecular benchmarks and retains 81.8% accuracy under severe distribution shift, over 35% higher than conventional GNNs, demonstrating robust generalization. By dynamically integrating physics and data, OG-QIMP establishes a new principle for adaptive physics-informed learning, advancing the frontier of interpretable and robust scientific AI. Kwok-Yan Lam, Regina Qianru ZHANG, Honggang Wen, Ming Li, Xiaojin Zhang, Qiang Yang, Siu-Ming Yiu, Pietro Lio 2026-01-08 06:17:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414631/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:10:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414631/v1 Transformer models remain vulnerable to backdoor attacks, yet existing backdoor attack methods typically require resource-intensive retraining or disruptive architectural modification of the target model. To address these limitations, we propose Head Pruning and Malicious Injection (HPMI), a retraining-free backdoor attack that preserves the target model's original architecture. This approach requires only a small subset of data and basic architectural knowledge, effectively eliminating the need for retraining. HPMI identifies and prunes the least significant attention head and surgically injects a pre-trained malicious head to establish a stealthy backdoor pathway. We provide a rigorous theoretical justification showing that HPMI is resistant to detection and removal by state-of-the-art defenses under reasonable assumptions. Experimental evaluations across multiple benchmarks validate HPMI’s effectiveness, showing that it incurs a negligible drop in clean accuracy, achieves an attack success rate exceeding 99.55%, and successfully bypasses state-of-the-art advanced defense mechanisms. Furthermore, compared with retraining-dependent baselines, HPMI achieves superior concealment and robustness while incurring minimal impact on model utility. Taibiao Zhao, Mingxuan Sun, Hao Wang, Xiaobing Chen, Xiangwei Zhou, Xugui Zhou 2026-01-08 06:10:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414785/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:06:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414785/v1 Vestibular hair cells (HCs) are sensory mechanotransducers essential for balance and spatial orientation, yet the relative contributions of HC number and subtype to vestibular function remain unresolved. Here, we developed a dose-dependent injury model in adult Pou4f3DTR mice by administering diphtheria toxin, which induced selective HC ablation across vestibular organs. Functional analyses revealed that mice retaining ~30% of vestibular HCs—with preserved subtype proportions and neural innervation—exhibited normal balance, while ~50% residual HCs were sufficient to maintain intact vestibulo-ocular reflexes. To elucidate subtype-specific roles, we employed two type I HC–deficient models: 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile-induced injury and Gfi1Cre/Atoh1-OE mice. Comparative analyses revealed that type I HCs were essential for vestibular function. Together, these findings establish a reliable injury model, demonstrate functional redundancy within vestibular HCs, and underscore the critical role of type I HCs. These insights suggest that efforts to restore vestibular function through HC regeneration should prioritize generating functional type I HCs, not merely increasing the total HC count. Yikang Huang, Wenli Ni, Qin Zhou, Mingchuan Feng, Tao Jiang, Shunji He, Yan Chen, Wenyan Li 2026-01-08 06:06:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8542204/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:04:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8542204/v1 Africa’s rapid economic integration and rising foreign investment bring both opportunities and environmental risks. This study examines the demographic and investment drivers of CO2 emissions in 14 ECOWAS countries over the period 1996 to 2020, with a focus on testing the pollution-haven hypothesis. Using panel data estimations Fixed Effects with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors to address heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and cross-sectional dependence the study investigates the effects of population growth, deforestation, and foreign direct investment (FDI) on carbon emissions. The findings indicate that population growth significantly increases CO2 emissions, confirming that demographic pressures are a key contributor to environmental degradation in the region. FDI also exhibits a weak but statistically significant positive effect, suggesting a pollution-haven effect in West Africa, particularly in least developed member states where industrial infrastructure and access to electricity are limited. Deforestation was not statistically significant, reflecting heterogeneous land-use patterns and the complex role of forest management in CO2 dynamics. The study highlights that economic growth and foreign investment in West Africa can exacerbate environmental pressures unless mitigated through strategic policy interventions. Climate diplomacy, clean technology promotion, and regional climate governance emerge as critical tools to balance development objectives with environmental sustainability. These results provide empirical guidance for ECOWAS policymakers and international stakeholders seeking to design targeted interventions that harmonize economic growth, foreign investment, and environmental stewardship. Wisdom Agape Newman (PhD) 2026-01-08 06:04:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8332638/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:01:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8332638/v1 Large language models are driving a transformation in the functional interpretation of genomic sequences. Methodologically, existing DNA sequence language models can be broadly categorized into two types: one that treats DNA sequence as unidirectional text for single-strand modeling, and another that achieves reverse-complement symmetry through data augmentation or model equivariance for static double-strand modeling. Both approaches predominantly approximate double-strand interactions in an implicit and static manner, struggling to capture context-driven cross-strand information exchange during sequence representation learning. In reality, double-strand information exchange is not an isolated event but is regulated by continuous physical coupling, functional synergy, and information transfer—a mechanism fundamental to genomic function. Based on this, we propose CrossDNA, an explicit and dynamic language model for DNA cross-strand modeling. Specifically, CrossDNA employs a dual-branch architecture with rotating input of double-strand sequence data to simulate the continuous information flow in the DNA double helix, establishes inter-strand communication via a lightweight TokenBridge module, and incorporates Comba with window-sliding attention (SWA) to capture long-range dependencies, while maintaining reverse-complement equivalence and stabilizing single-strand contextual semantics through self-distillation and consistency constraints from a branch teacher model. On tasks such as classification, regression, and representation, CrossDNA achieves consistent performance improvements and significantly enhances model robustness to sequence orientation, particularly in enhancer prediction where it more readily identifies features with clear biological significance. On multiple benchmarks we evaluated, CrossDNA, with a model size of only a few million parameters, matches or surpasses the performance of large models with hundreds of millions of parameters, substantially reducing training and inference costs and demonstrating high parameter efficiency and usability. Overall, CrossDNA advances DNA representation from implicit, static approximation to explicit, dynamic systematic modeling, signaling the orientation for a new generation of DNA language models and laying the foundation for deeper analysis of genomic structure and function. Xiao Luo, Cheng Yang, Yuansheng Liu, Lei Ling, Fengxin Li, Changjian Chen, Long Wang, Feng Yu, Liang Qiao, Xiangxiang Zeng, Kenli Li, Alexander Schönhuth 2026-01-08 06:01:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8283401/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 06:00:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8283401/v1 To address mine thermal hazards in coal mining operations, this study focuses on the 8701 fully mechanized mining face of Huoshizui Coal Mine. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation was employed to analyze how heat carried by goaf air leakage impacts the mining face temperature. A porous medium model and a temperature field model for the goaf were constructed, with particular emphasis on investigating the effects of working face advance speed and inlet air velocity.Key findings reveal that a slower advance speed leads to a larger high-temperature zone and higher temperature in the goaf, with 3 meters per day (m/d) identified as the reasonable advance speed. A faster inlet air velocity results in increased goaf air leakage and a more significant impact from residual coal oxidation heat release, leading to the selection of 2 meters per second (m/s) as the optimal inlet air velocity. Additionally, higher inlet air temperatures cause more pronounced temperature rises on the mining face’s return air side, prompting the selection of 292.15 Kelvin (K) as the inlet air temperature for the transport gateway. This research provides a reference for coal mines to regulate the mining face thermal environment and reduce the risk of coal spontaneous combustion. Heng Ma, jiahang Li, Ke Gao, Xiaoqi Wang 2026-01-08 06:00:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8234549/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:58:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8234549/v1 Microbial homeostasis is crucial for host health and ecosystem function, yet the molecular and ecological mechanisms underlying community assembly and stability remain elusive. Here, we uncover a conserved yeast-oomycete metabolic mutualism that promotes their coexistence in the leaf microbiome. Using a continental-scale microbiome survey, we identified a mutualistic interaction between two eukaryotic hub microbes: the yeast Dioszegia hungarica and the obligate oomycete Albugo laibachii. We show that Dioszegia facilitates Albugo colonization by supplying thiamine via a dedicated membrane permease, alleviating Albugo’s auxotrophy. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal that natural selection has acted on thiamine production in D. hungarica, shaping this mutualistic interaction. In planta assays further demonstrate that cross-feeding enhances Albugo colonization and promotes Dioszegia persistence. Our study illustrates how the evolution of nutrient cross-feeding mediates microbial coexistence and microbiome stability. Targeting microbial nutrient flows offers new strategies for engineering microbiomes and enhancing plant resilience in natural and agricultural systems. Yiheng Hu, Johanna Bode, Daniel Gómez-Pérez, Marco Guerreiro, Alfredo Mari, Kun Wang, Sinja Niemann, Maryam Mahmoudi, Ariane Kemen, Paloma Duran, Oskar Wacker, Daniel Straub, Sven Nahnsen, Benjamin Schwessinger, Fabrice Roux, Carlos Alonso-Blanco, Jon Ågren, Stéphane Hacquard, Eva Stukenbock, Eric Kemen 2026-01-08 05:58:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481920/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:58:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481920/v1 We present experiments investigating the interaction between wind-generated waves and a strong downpour in a laboratory flume. We used a series of wave gauges to measure the water level at several fetches, and a two-dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique to measure the fluid velocity beneath the air-water interface. Our aim is to show how the velocity, vorticity, stresses and energy fields are modified by the impact of rain on the water's surface. We applied a novel technique for separating oscillating components and turbulence. The results demonstrate that a reduction in wave height in the presence of rain is accompanied by the diffusion of fluctuating vorticity in the water column, as well as significant damping of oscillating energy and vorticity. The production and dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) are also not locally balanced, requiring a transfer mechanism involving a positive influx and negative outflux of energy if rain is present or absent, respectively. Bursting of turbulent shear stress is enhanced in the presence of rain, with longer-lasting high-energy bursts and a dominant contribution from the first and third quadrants. The principal axes of the oscillating and turbulent Reynolds tensors tend to become collinear in the presence of rain, albeit at an angle significantly different to the 45° of the principal axis of the strain rate tensor. Luca Chiapponi, Fabio Addona, Maria Clavero Gilabert, Sandro Longo 2026-01-08 05:58:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8403892/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:55:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8403892/v1 The impact of a gas/liquid two-phase flow onthe drag of a sphere at supersonic conditions is investigated experimentally. The freestream of a Mach-4 Ludwieg tube is seeded with monodisperse liquid Di-Ethyl-Hexyl-Sebacate (DEHS) droplets with diameters ranging from 7μm to 16μm, to simulate a cloud-like environment. A free-flight methodology is employed, whereby the spheres are released impulsively into the freestream and allowed to respond to the experienced forces unhindered. Sphere trajectories are recorded using a high-speed bi-telecentric visualization system, from which drag accelerations can be accurately derived. Initial theoretical estimates of drag augmentation based on the increased effective density of the particle-laden flow yield increases of the order of 0.1% in comparison to an equivalent clean flow; however, the experimental measurements indicate a drag increment of more than an order of magnitude higher, up to approximately 4%. Particle simulations indicate that the majority of the droplets at the present conditions are impacting the sphere surface supersonically, suggesting that shock impingement and/or the water-hammer effect may be responsible for the unexpectedly high drag increase. Antonio Giovanni Schöneich, Stuart J. Laurence 2026-01-08 05:55:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491675/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:49:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491675/v1 Crop yields is crucial to food security, agricultural management, and policy planning with the growing climate variability and resource limitations. Remote sensing with machine learning and deep learning has become an effective tool of yield estimation that can be performed at scale and in an objective manner. The current paper reports a systematic literature review of remote-sensing-based crop yield prediction including 106 peer-reviewed articles published in 2015–2025, which is conducted in a PRISMA-compliant manner. The review covers the important methodological strategies, sources of data, types of crops, geographic coverage, and performance measures, challenges, and research trends. Sentinel-2 is the most popular satellite platform with its best balance of spatial resolution, revisit rate, spectral content, and free access which is usually complemented by SAR, Landsat, MODIS, UAVs and ancillary data by multi-modal sensor fusion. In crops like wheat, maize, rice, and soybean, higher order Deep Learning and fusion-based methods are normally associated with coefficients of determination (R2 ) between 0.75 and 0.90, which is higher than other single-source and pure statistical methods. Nevertheless, some of these issues have not been fully addressed such as the unavailability of ground truth data, cloud pollution, trade-off in spatial resolution, lack of model transferability and uneven evaluation procedures. The new trends emphasize the increased significance of attention procedures, transfer learning, explainable Artificial Intelligence, data assimilation with crop growth models, and cloud-based systems of operations. Overall, this review offers a systematic review of the existing knowledge, unveils the key gaps, and represents evidence-based recommendations on the direction of future research and functional implementation in the field of precision agriculture and global food security. This review contributes to the literature in that it is a systematic synthesis of methods of modelling, data, and evaluation practices and where research gaps and methodological biases are identified that would influence future remote sensing-based crop yield prediction. Soka Zimba, Aaron Zimba, Bob Jere 2026-01-08 05:49:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8274293/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:40:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8274293/v1 Background The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for drug repurposing to rapidly identify therapeutic options. While computational graph-based approaches show promise, conventional single analytical methods often fail to capture the complex pathological mechanisms needed for clinical translation.Methods We developed a Graph Attention Autoencoder (GATE) framework with multilayered validation integrating computational prediction, real-world data, and phenome analyses. Network-based embeddings identified drug candidates through latent space similarity analysis within biomedical knowledge graphs. Clinical potential was assessed via disproportionality analysis (DPA) using adverse event reporting system, and biological plausibility was evaluated through gene expression profiling and pathway analyses.Results Our GATE framework identified 17 drug candidates, including 13 with known clinical effects on COVID-19 symptoms, validating model performance. Four novel candidates (cilastatin, megestrol, drotrecogin alfa, and ethacrynic acid) with minimal prior COVID-19 associations were identified. DPA further narrowed these to two promising candidates with significant protective signals: cilastatin (reporting odds ratio [ROR]: 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09–0.43) and megestrol (ROR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.42–0.94). Pathway profiling confirmed that both drugs share molecular signatures with drugs investigated in COVID-19 clinical trials. Gene expression analyses suggest that cilastatin may have anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects via suppression of splicing, ribosomal function and mitochondrial pathway, through DPEP1 inhibition.Conclusions This study presents the first systematic integration of GATE-based computational prediction, real-world evidence from adverse event databases, and phenome-level pathway profiling for COVID-19 drug repurposing. This multilayered approach enabled multidimensional candidate validation unattainable by single analytical methods alone. The identification of clinically approved drugs with established safety profiles may facilitate accelerated clinical evaluation. Furthermore, the pathway and gene expression analyses provide mechanistic working hypotheses that can streamline subsequent preclinical validation. Although preclinical and clinical validation remain essential, this framework offers a generalizable strategy for rapid candidate identification during pandemics and for diseases with unmet therapeutic needs. Yusuke Nakayama, Shingo Tsuji, Koji Yamamoto, Juran Kato-Suzuki, Kouichi Hosomi 2026-01-08 05:40:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8338872/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:39:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8338872/v1 Encapsulating metabolic enzymes within protein cages enhances catalytic efficiency through substrate channeling. The vitamin B2 biosynthesis system, in which a dodecahedral lumazine synthase (LS) cage encapsulates a homotrimeric riboflavin synthase (RS), exemplifies this strategy, yet the molecular basis for this stoichiometric enzyme encapsulation have remained elusive. Here, cryogenic electron microscopy structures reveal a hierarchical assembly mechanism that ensures the defined host-guest ratio. RS C-terminal cage-localization signal peptides anchor at LS pentamer-pentamer interfaces early during assembly, stabilizing open intermediates that, together with delayed later-stage cage closure, extend the loading window until guest incorporation is complete. RS spatial occupancy prevents overloading, while a molecular lock upon final closure prevents disassembly. The elucidated anchoring mechanism enabled structure-based phylogenetic analysis across diverse organisms, suggesting multiple independent evolutionary origins of this modular encapsulation strategy. These structural insights provide design principles for engineering synthetic catalytic compartments with programmable stoichiometric control. Yusuke Azuma, Lukasz Koziej, Jedrzej Pankowski, Monika Stefanska, Daniel Jankowski, Agnieszka Gawin, V. Vishal Malolan, Juha Huiskonen, Takahiro Kosugi 2026-01-08 05:39:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8523955/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:30:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8523955/v1 This paper presents a detailed case study of Jack, a canine diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy, focusing on the effectiveness of Cannabidiol (CBD) monotherapy as a treatment strategy. Jack exhibited resistance to conventional antiepileptic drugs such as phenobarbital and potassium bromide, prompting the exploration of alternative therapeutic approaches. The study analyzes Jack’s response to CBD administration, dosage adjustments, and its long-term impact on epilepsy management. It also examines potential interactions with the cytochrome P450 enzyme system and the neuroprotective properties of CBD. Key findings suggest that CBD effectively controlled seizure activity in this case, highlighting its potential role as a primary therapeutic option in selected patients. This case study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting CBD as a viable therapeutic option in the management of refractory canine epilepsy. Fernando Suarez 2026-01-08 05:30:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8332714/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:27:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8332714/v1 Tuning reaction selectivity by modifying the microenvironment around active sites is an intriguing research focus in catalysis. Here, we show that the selectivity of 4-nitrostyrene hydrogenation can be modulated via interfacial microenvironment engineering in a Pickering emulsion electrocatalytic system, where an interfacial effect derived from the unique structure of the electric double layer and interfacial hydrogen-bonding interactions steers the hydrogen transfer pathway. Specifically, hydrophilic Pt/CNTs-AT preserves the intact interfacial hydrogen-bond network, facilitating efficient proton-coupled electron transfer that preferentially reduces the nitro group, thus achieving 95.2% selectivity for 4-aminostyrene. In contrast, hydrophobic Pt/CNTs-C18 disrupts the hydrogen-bond network and alters the electric double layer structure, promoting the formation of adsorbed hydrogen and thus directing the reaction toward C = C bond hydrogenation, with 93.3% selectivity for 4-nitroethylbenzene. This work provides new insights into the selective hydrogenation of multifunctional substrates, highlighting the critical role of interfacial microenvironment regulation in steering reaction pathways. Chenhui Han, Yifan Wang, Lijun Li, Yuliang Gao, Xuzhuang Yang 2026-01-08 05:27:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8302624/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:26:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8302624/v1 Long COVID (LC) or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) syndrome represents a widespread health challenge that necessitates the development of novel diagnostic approaches and targeted therapies that can be readily deployed. Immune dysregulation has been reported as one of the hallmarks of LC, but the extent of LC immune dysregulation in patients over time remains unclear. We therefore assessed SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses, peripheral immune cell profiles, autoantibody profiles and circulating cytokines for up to 6 months in participants with a SARS-CoV-2 infection who either convalesced or developed LC. Compared to convalescent, LC participants with a broad range of LC phenotypes exhibited persistently elevated IgG titers for SARS-CoV-2 Envelope and Nucleocapsid proteins over the 6 months of study duration. In contrast, the IgG responses to Spike protein were significantly lower in the LC cohort with predominantly IgG1 and IgG3 class-switched bias. Using CyTOF analysis we show elevated numbers of circulating T follicular helper cells (cTFH) and mucosa- associated invariant T cells (MAIT), which also correlated with high anti-Envelope IgG titers. Persistent immune activation was accompanied by augmented serum cytokine profiles with LIF, IL-11, Eotaxin-3, and HMGB-1 in LC participants, who also demonstrated significantly higher rates of autoantibodies. These findings highlight the persistence of immune dysregulation in LC, underscoring the need to explore targeted therapies addressing viral persistence, dysregulated antibody production, and autoimmunity. Jalees Rehman, Marcin Kwissa, Manikannan Mathayan, Satyajeet Salunkhe, Velavan Bakthavachalam, Zijing Ye, Mark Sanborn, Samantha Condo, Aditi Upadhye, Athulith Nemakal, Haoyang Wang, James Chan, Justin Richner, Sanjib Basu, Richard Novak, Jeffrey Jacobson, Balaji Ganesh, Martha Cerda, Hassan Brim, Nathaniel Erdmann, Bruce Levy, Gailen Marshall, Grace McComsey, Torri Metz, Megumi Okumura, Michael Peluso, Tiffany Walker, Paul Utz, Jerry Krishnan, Bellur Prabhakar 2026-01-08 05:26:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8278458/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:11:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8278458/v1 Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with poor progno-sis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) influence the tumor microenvironment and promote PDAC progression, yet their diagnostic relevance and roles in molecular subtyping remain insufficiently defined.  Methods: Six GEO transcriptomic datasets were integrated, normalized, and batch-corrected to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Candidate NETs-related genes were obtained by intersecting DEGs, key WGCNA module genes, and NETs genes curated from GeneCards and the literature. A diagnostic model was built using 113 combinations of machine-learning algorithms and validated in independent GEO datasets and the TCGA-PAAD cohort. Molecular subtypes were identified with ConsensusClusterPlus and characterized using ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, TIDE, and immune checkpoint analyses. Single-cell RNA-seq data from 15 PDAC samples were used to explore gene localization and functional pathways. Results: We identified 749 DEGs and one PDAC-associated WGCNA module, leading to 22 can-didate genes and eight core NETs-related genes (CARD11, CXCL10, IL1A, ITGA2, LAMC2, MYC, SLC2A1, XDH). The Lasso+glmBoost model showed strong diagnostic accuracy across all datasets (AUC 0.919–0.998). Two molecular subtypes (C1 and C2) were defined: C2 exhibited stronger immune infiltration and better survival, while C1 showed elevated TIDE scores, more regulatory T cells, and enhanced immune evasion. Single-cell analyses revealed predominant expression of NETs core genes in ductal cells, enriched in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and pro-tumorigenic pathways. Conclusions: This study identifies eight NETs-related diagnostic genes and proposes a robust diagnostic model and molecular subtyping system that capture PDAC heterogeneity and provide insights for precision immunotherapy. Xinglong Wang, Kai Chen, Xiaodong Tian 2026-01-08 05:11:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8307998/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:04:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8307998/v1 The catalytic dehydration and dehydrogenation of isopropanol serve as model reactions for evaluating the acid-base properties of catalysts. In this study, tungsten oxide-based superacid catalysts modified with graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized using environmentally friendly methods. Characterization techniques such as TGA, XRD, SEM, FTIR, and BET surface analysis were employed to assess the structural and textural properties of the catalysts. The catalytic performance was evaluated through isopropanol conversion. The incorporation of GO enhances the dispersion of active sites and improves the catalyst's surface properties, promoting higher catalytic efficiency. The performance of isopropanol conversion, revealing that the presence of strong Brønsted and Lewis acid sites favored dehydration to propene, while redox-active sites facilitated dehydrogenation to acetone. Complementing the experimental findings, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the reaction mechanisms, revealing that the dehydration pathway to propene is kinetically favored over dehydrogenation by a significant ~ 19 kcal/mol lower activation barrier for the rate-determining step. Hussein A. Khalaf, Abeer A. Elssawy, Mohsen M.T. El-Tahawy 2026-01-08 05:04:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8535454/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 05:03:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8535454/v1 This study examines the transformative impact of mobile banking applications on financial institution performance through a rigorous empirical analysis of Citibank, Goldman Sachs, and Capital One. Leveraging comprehensive U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) data spanning three decades (1993–2023), we employ econometric modeling techniques including Ordinary Least Squares regression and decision tree analysis to quantify the relationship between digital banking adoption and key financial indicators. The investigation is contextualized by an extensive review of 30 contemporary research papers and a bibliometric analysis of approximately 1,000 publications from 2014 to 2024, which identified the most prominent topics in financial technology literature. The results reveal compelling evidence that mobile banking technology functions as a significant catalyst for financial expansion. Post-implementation regression analyses demonstrate statistically significant balance sheet growth across all institutions, with mobile banking explaining 33–75% of asset variation. Notably, the analysis reveals an asymmetric impact pattern: while revenue exhibited modest positive growth (R² values of 16–17%), the more substantial explanatory power observed in asset and liability models suggests that mobile banking exerts a more profound influence on balance sheet structure than on immediate income generation. Capital One's case provides particularly instructive insights, with statistically significant improvements in profit margin (R² = 0.447) and net income (R² = 0.314) following digital transformation. Decision tree analyses further validate these findings, identifying structural breaks in financial performance trajectories coinciding precisely with mobile application deployment dates, while demonstrating reduced squared error in post-implementation periods. This research contributes to financial technology literature by establishing empirical linkages between digital banking capabilities and institutional financial performance. The findings support a platform-based growth interpretation wherein mobile banking facilitates enhanced capital accumulation through improved customer acquisition and retention mechanisms before fully monetizing these expanded relationships. Kabungo Bwalya, Dr. James Daniel Paul 2026-01-08 05:03:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8524083/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:59:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8524083/v1 Microplastic (MP) number concentrations in the environment increase exponentially with decreasing particle size. Studies reporting environmental MP concentrations typically do so for variable MP size ranges, depending on sampling, processing and analytical detection methods. This leads to difficulties in intercomparison and extrapolation of studies, which is critical for data reviews, plastic dispersion modeling, and environmental and human health risk assessment. In this study, we summarize the current understanding of the MP particle size distribution (PSD), based on the power law model. We highlight how standard linear regression of the power law slope is strongly biased by data binning, and show that fitting a cumulative PSD (C-PSD) removes the binning bias. The existing MP size-alignment framework is extended to C-PSDs to extrapolate observed MP number and mass concentrations to the full MP size range (1 to 5000 µm, noted MP1 − 5000µm), or any other sub-size range. We confront the C-PSD power law model with 62 published ocean and atmosphere PSDs from the literature, compiled in the MPsizeBase open access database. Fitted power law slopes for fragments (-2.76 ± 0.62) are steeper than for fibers (-1.84 ± 0.38), reflecting fragmentation dimensionality. Among MP fragments, PSD slopes do not vary significantly between the atmosphere, surface and subsurface ocean. We further demonstrate that the large discrepancy between surface ocean MP concentrations measured by net tows and discrete, pumped samples arise primarily from their different minimum detectable sizes. After aligning datasets to a common size range, fragment concentrations converge to within a factor of 10. In contrast, fiber concentrations from net tows remain lower than those from pumped samples, consistent with sampling losses and detection limitations for elongated particles. Across all 62 MP PSD datasets analysed, size-aligned \(\:{MP}_{1-5000\mu\:m}^{}\)number and mass concentrations are respectively 600x and 3x higher than reported concentrations, reflecting the high abundance of small particles predicted by the power law PSD. Together, these findings highlight that size extrapolation to a common range is essential to intercompare datasets and to distinguish environmental patterns from methodological artifacts. Théo Segur, Ian Hough, Nela Dobiasova, Didier Voisin, Camille Richon, Hélène Angot, Jennie L. Thomas, Jeroen E. Sonke 2026-01-08 04:59:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8535161/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:54:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8535161/v1 Background: Population-specific short tandem repeat (STR) databases are essential for accurate forensic DNA interpretation and kinship analysis. This study aims to characterize the genetic diversity and forensic efficiency of 23 autosomal STR loci in the population of Uzbekistan.Methods: A total of 1,538 unrelated individuals from Uzbekistan were analysed. DNA samples obtained from buccal swabs and blood were extracted and genotyped via the Versa Plex™ 27 PY System Kit (Applied Biosystems, USA). Fragment analysis was performed on an ABI 3500xl Genetic Analyser. Allele frequencies, forensic parameters, Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), and linkage disequilibrium (LD) were statistically evaluated.Results: Across the 23 autosomal STR loci, 333 alleles were identified, with an average of 14.47 alleles per locus. The mean expected heterozygosity was 0.8092, indicating a high level of genetic diversity. All loci conformed to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and showed no significant linkage disequilibrium after Bonferroni correction. The cumulative power of discrimination approached unity (PD ≈ 1 − 6.96 × 10⁻³⁴), with a matching probability of approximately 1 in 1.44 × 10³³. The combined probability of paternity exclusion and the paternity index demonstrated very high forensic efficiency. Eight loci (D1S1656, D2S441, D10S1248, D12S391, D6S1043, D22S1045, Penta D, and Penta E) are reported here for the first time in the Uzbek population. Several loci, including D1S1656, Penta E, D18S51, D2S1338, D21S11, D12S391, D6S1043, and FGA, presented the highest polymorphism information content (PIC > 0.8).Conclusions: The analysed STR loci demonstrate high genetic polymorphism and outstanding forensic efficiency in the Uzbek population. The generated allele frequency database provides a robust reference for forensic DNA identification, kinship analysis, and population genetic studies and contributes valuable insights into the genetic structure of Central Asian populations. Dinara Tosheva, Normatov Asilbek, Yokubov Murodjon, Amanturdiyev Ikrom 2026-01-08 04:54:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8501240/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:51:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8501240/v1 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis is largely based on subjective evaluations of behavior, which highlights the requirement for objective, neurobiologically based biomarkers. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has pointed to very delicate neuroanatomical changes related to ADHD; however, the high variability between subjects makes its reliability doubtful if it is only used for diagnostic purposes. Here we introduce a multimodal deep learning model that combines three-dimensional structural MRI and clinical phenotypic variables (such as age, intelligence quotient (IQ), and medication status) for automated ADHD diagnosis to be more accurate. The proposed design includes: (1) a 3D convolutional neural network for the progressive extraction of structural brain features, (2) a multilayer perceptron for the representation of categorical and continuous phenotypic descriptors, and (3) an adaptive gated fusion component that adjusts modality weighting individually and dynamically at the subject level. The system was tested on the Peking 1, subset of the ADHD200 Preprocessed Anatomical Dataset with 5-fold stratified cross-validation and reached an accuracy of 87%, an AUC of 0.88, a sensitivity of 0.88, and a specificity of 0.79. Comparative experiments reveal that the multimodal adaptive strategy is better than the unimodal baselines, which means that subject-specific fusion of neuroimaging and clinical features offers a more complete depiction of the ADHD heterogeneity. Soumyadip Roy, Ratnakar Dash 2026-01-08 04:51:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8325015/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:46:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8325015/v1 This study presents a hybrid physics-informed deep learning framework for quantitative diagnostics of concrete cracks. Integrating finite element simulations with convolutional neural networks (CNNs), the model predicts key fracture mechanics parameters-Stress Intensity Factor ($K_I$) and Energy Release Rate (G-directly from stress-field images. Crucially, a custom loss function enforces the fundamental physical constraint $G=(\frac{K_I^2)}{E}$ during training, ensuring predictions are not only accurate but also physically consistent. Despite the constrained dataset ($n=50$), the model demonstrated stable convergence and successfully learned the underlying fracture patterns. Crucially, the enforced physical constraint $G=\frac{(K_I^2)}{E}$ proved highly effective as a powerful regularizer, which is evident in the controlled gap between the training and validation loss. The final test set evaluation yielded a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 3.7691. While this error is high due to data scarcity, the results successfully validate the framework's feasibility and physical fidelity, providing a trustworthy, first-principles-based tool for structural health monitoring beyond purely data-driven methods. Winsyahputra Ritonga, Ahmad Andi Solahuddin, Budiman Nasution, Habibi Azka Nasution 2026-01-08 04:46:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8397001/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:40:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8397001/v1 Perennial crops’ wild relatives provide locally adapted germplasm for identifying genomic signatures of environmental adaptation. Such insights, assuming shared adaptive variation between wild and cultivated compartments, can improve predictions of cultivar adaptive potential and guide cost-effective multi-location field trials for long-lived species such as olives.  We analyzed 27 wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) populations across a 13° latitudinal gradient in the western Mediterranean (southern France, Corsica, Spain, Morocco). Genetic structure analyses identified genuinely wild genotypes likely to harbor locally adapted variation, later used for genotype-environment association (GEA) studies. Environmental Niche Modelling (ENM) and redundancy analysis (RDA) were combined to construct a landscape genomic model anchored in the species’ current ecological niche. This model was then used to estimate the spatial Genomic Offset of cultivated olives, a framework we term Cultivar Genomic Offset.  Predictions revealed a latitude-dependent correspondence between cultivar environments and adaptive genomic regions. In a Moroccan common garden, early-flowering cultivars requiring less winter chilling showed lower local Cultivar Genomic Offset values than late-flowering ones, indicating stronger adaptation to local conditions.  These results underscore the value of wild germplasm for uncovering adaptive genomic variation that can ultimately inform the resilience of cultivated populations Lorenzo Rocchetti, Lison Zunino, Othmane Lamoumni, Gautier Sarah, Gaëtan Droc, Olivier François, Thibaut Capblancq, Bouchaib Khadari, Philippe Cubry, Bénédicte Rhoné 2026-01-08 04:40:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8346352/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:33:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8346352/v1 When anthropogenic CO2 emissions cease, global temperature does not stabilise immediately. The resulting global temperature change, the Zero Emissions Commitment (ZEC), is central to carbon budget assessments and understanding reversibility of global warming, yet its dependence on prior warming levels remains unclear. Here we show, using zero-emission simulations with the UK Earth System Model (UKESM1.2) across global warming levels of 1.5–6K, that ZEC stays near-zero up to 2K, but becomes positive at higher warming levels, reaching 0.2–0.6K after ~150 years. This dependence indicates that stabilising or reversing warming becomes progressively more difficult as peak temperature rises. We identify the mechanism behind this behaviour: stronger warming from higher radiative disequilibrium and weakening carbon sinks, driven by saturated land carbon uptake and the reduced radiative impact of further CO2 drawdown. Higher peak warming therefore commits the planet to additional warming, limiting temperature-overshoot reversibility. Laura Gibbs, Chris Jones, Colin Jones, Timothy Andrews, Spencer Liddicoat, Andrew Wiltshire, Eddy Robertson, Richard Williams, Lee Mora, Jeremy Walton, Andrea Dittus, Ranjini Swaminathan, Paulo Ceppi, Robin Smith, Steven Rumbold 2026-01-08 04:33:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8522874/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:32:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8522874/v1 Water use efficiency (WUE) is a key indicator of ecosystem balance, reflecting how productivity responds to hydrological constraints under climate change. However, variability in WUE and its environmental drivers across West African agroecosystems remains poorly understood. Here, we integrate multi-year (2019–2024), half-hourly eddy-covariance observations of carbon and water-vapor fluxes from four contrasting land-use types in northern Ghana: a reserve savanna forest, rain-fed paddy rice, grassland, and rain-fed cropland. WUE exhibited pronounced diurnal and seasonal variability, shaped by hydrological, atmospheric, and land-management drivers. Diurnal patterns were bimodal, with morning and afternoon peaks shifting between wet and dry seasons. During the wet season, mean WUE was highest in the savanna forest (3.1 ± 0.26 g C kg⁻¹ H₂O), followed by paddy rice (2.08 ± 0.21), cropland (1.93 ± 0.20), and grassland (1.66 ± 0.18). Seasonal analyses highlighted ecosystem-specific controls, reflecting differences in radiation, soil moisture, and cultivation practices. Souleymane Sy, Jan Bliefernicht, Kiril Manevski, Samuel Guug, Luitpold Hingerl, Benjamin Quesada, Francis E. Oussou, Ralf Kiese, Patrick Davies, Thomas Jagdhuber, Patrick Laux, Moussa Woango, Amadou Coulibaly, Frank Neidl, Rainer Steinbrecher, Emmanuel Quansah, Seyni Salack, Leonard K. Amekudzi, Harald Kunstmann 2026-01-08 04:32:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6689928/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:28:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6689928/v1 Healing wounds and skin lesions have been treated since ancient times, and various mechanisms have been used to treat these, from bandages, herbs, ointments, and other modern alternatives such as dressings. This work aimed to develop bioactive dressings to heal skin wounds. Dressings were prepared using the solution-drained plate technique and comprised of sodium alginate at 2 % (w/v) with different concentrations of Melipona beecheii honey, up to 5 % (w/v). The obtained dressings showed good flexibility and elongation as the honey content increased and had a suitable thickness for skin application, with values from 0.03 to 0.21 mm. They were also evaluated for barrier, optical, structural, thermal, morphological, bioactive, and cytotoxic properties. The dressings showed good moisture absorption and were adequate to maintain antimicrobial activity for up to 12 months. Moreover, they retained bioactive compounds, had good antioxidant activity, and displayed biocompatibility in biological assays. The dressings did not induce cytotoxic effects in human keratinocytes. Dressing with a 2.5% concentration of honey showed physicochemical and bioactive properties with which the healing process of skin wounds could be improved. Emir Hernández-Gómez, María Vargas-y Vargas, Patricia Quintana-Owen, Leydi Carrillo-Cocom, Elizabeth Ortiz-Vázquez, Jesús Ramón-Sierra, Tomás Jesús Madera-Santana 2026-01-08 04:28:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8502910/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:17:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8502910/v1 Objective:  The aim of this study is to examine the effects of distributed leadership practices on teacher motivation and job engagement, based on teachers' perspectives.  Method: A phenomenological design was used in the research. The study group consisted of 24 teachers selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using content analysis. Participant confirmation, detailed description, and inter-coder agreement (87%) strategies were used for validity and reliability.  Findings: Teachers experience distributed leadership through the dimensions of participation in decision-making processes (f=10), sharing of leadership (f=8), and collaboration (f=8). In the motivation theme, intrinsic motivation (f=12), feeling valued (f=9), and being appreciated (f=7) stood out. In the job engagement theme, the dimensions of commitment to work (f=14), energy and effort (f=11), and concentration on work (f=6) were determined. Teachers stated that participation in decision-making processes made them feel responsible and valued, and that this increased their motivation and job engagement levels. Conclusion and Recommendations: Distributed leadership practices positively impact teacher motivation and job engagement. It is recommended that school administrators actively involve teachers in decision-making processes, share leadership roles, and foster a collaborative school culture. Mehmet Ali YARIM 2026-01-08 04:17:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8294991/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:06:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8294991/v1 Digital Twin (DT) technology is increasingly recognized as a strategic tool for improving cost efficiency and risk management in infrastructure projects through real-time data integration, predictive analytics, and lifecycle optimization. As global infrastructure systems continue to experience cost overruns, resource inefficiencies, and elevated risk exposure, DT provides a dynamic digital–physical interface that enhances transparency, operational accuracy, and decision-making across all project phases. This study examines the impact of DT adoption on cost optimization and risk reduction through multi-level integration with Building Information Modeling (BIM), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). A mixed-method research design was applied, combining a systematic literature review, comparative case analysis, and quantitative modeling based on 12 international infrastructure projects implemented between 2020 and 2024 in the transport, energy, and civil engineering sectors. The results indicate that advanced DT implementation can reduce lifecycle costs by up to 25% and operational risk exposure by approximately 30%, depending on digital maturity, interoperability, and data governance quality. Projects utilizing predictive analytics and sensor-based monitoring also demonstrated notable improvements in maintenance efficiency, safety performance, and environmental outcomes. The study proposes an empirical DT cost–risk evaluation framework tailored to developing economies, offering practical guidance for policymakers and infrastructure managers in assessing digital investment efficiency and sustainability outcomes. Nelyufar Umarovna Dadabayeva 2026-01-08 04:06:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8514129/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 04:03:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514129/v1 Objective This article synthesizes empirical evidence from the Q1–Q2 journal corpus regarding the role of green human resource management (GHRM), leadership, and organizational culture (especially green organizational culture (GOC)) in encouraging employee green behavior, green innovation, and environmental performance and sustainability.Method The review was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 principles-based reporting approach (SLR reporting guide). (BMJ) The corpus consists of articles that you have provided (Q1–Q2; 2020–2024), then extracted by: context/country, design, analysis methods, key variables, as well as relationship findings (direct, mediation, moderation).Results The synthesis shows a consistent pattern: (1) Green Humman Resource Management and green/sustainable leadership styles are strong antecedents for the formation of Green organizational Culture/green climate/green identity; (2) Green Organizational Culture plays a dominant role as a mediation mechanism towards green behavior, green innovation, and environmental performance; (3) effects are influenced by boundary conditions such as top management support, person-organization fit, green values, and absorbent capabilities, but green value moderation is not always stable across contexts. Conclusion: Investing in green HR architecture, leadership, and strengthening a green culture increases the chances of achieving green behavior and sustainability performance. The future research agenda needs to increase longitudinal/multi-level design and more objective performance measurement. Wisnu Priambodo 2026-01-08 04:03:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8450394/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:54:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8450394/v1 The rapid growth of Internet of Things (IoT) applications has increased the demand for efficient, scalable, and energy-aware computing architectures capable of supporting latency-sensitive services. Traditional cloud-centric and edge-only models often suffer from high latency, resource underutilization, and energy inefficiencies in dynamic environments. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an intelligent energy-aware edge–cloud collaborative framework that jointly optimizes energy consumption, task latency, and resource utilization. The proposed framework integrates adaptive workload offloading, multi-objective scheduling, and real-time feedback control to dynamically allocate tasks across heterogeneous edge and cloud resources. A mathematical energy consumption model is developed to quantify computation and communication overheads, enabling informed scheduling decisions. The framework is evaluated using extensive simulations on CloudSim and iFogSim under diverse workload and network conditions. Experimental results show that the proposed approach consistently outperforms cloud-only, edge-only, and single-objective scheduling strategies across multiple performance metrics. It achieves up to 28% reduction in total energy consumption, 35% improvement in task latency, and improved load balancing and Quality of Service (QoS), demonstrating its effectiveness for scalable and energy-efficient edge–cloud computing environments. Kalpit Soni, Mubina Malik, Dhatri Raval, Unnati Patel, Atul Patel 2026-01-08 03:54:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8535858/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:50:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8535858/v1 The rapid growth of cloud computing has transformed the design and deployment of modern management systems, enabling scalability, high availability, and cost-efficient resource utilization. This paper presents the design and implementation of a scalable cloud-based management system deployed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), aimed at supporting dynamic workloads while ensuring reliability, security, and performance. The proposed system adopts a modular, service-oriented architecture that separates presentation, application logic, and data layers to enhance maintainability and scalability. Core AWS services, including Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Relational Database Service (RDS), and CloudWatch, are utilized to support elastic scaling, automated monitoring, and fault tolerance. The system design and deployment strategy are informed by prior cloud-based application implementations that demonstrate effective utilization of AWS infrastructure for scalable management systems (Penmetsa et al., 2024) [1]. Experimental evaluation shows that the proposed system efficiently handles concurrent user requests with minimal latency while maintaining data consistency and operational stability under varying load conditions. The results confirm that adopting AWS-native services and scalable architectural patterns significantly improves system responsiveness and resource efficiency for enterprise-level cloud management solutions. Micheal Williams, Jack Wilson 2026-01-08 03:50:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8381307/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:47:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8381307/v1 Periodic non-reciprocal systems have attracted significant attention for their striking non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE) and the development of a comprehensive non-Bloch theory. In contrast, aperiodic non-reciprocal systems have been rarely explored, owing to the intrinsic complexity induced by spatial non-uniformity and absence of predictable physical behavior. Here, we establish a theoretical framework to analyze aperiodic non-reciprocal systems and reveal that the spatially varying non-reciprocal coupling is a powerful and deterministic knob to control the wave-functions of eigenmodes. By tailoring the non-reciprocity distribution, we combine theory and proof-of-concept electric-circuit experiments to demonstrate that the eigenmodes of a non-Hermitian system can be reshaped into arbitrary spatial profiles without altering their spectral distribution, a phenomenon termed as the non-Hermitian reshaping effect (NHRE). In the special case of a uniform non-reciprocity distribution, NHRE reduces to the conventional NHSE. This concept can be generalized to arbitrary higher-dimensional systems and to high-frequency regimes, offering an efficient route to mode modulation and deepening our understanding of non-Hermitian physics. Shaojie Ma, Zhaomin Rong, Yanan Bai, Lei Zhou, Yu Chen, Shuo Liu, Tie Jun Cui 2026-01-08 03:47:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8534077/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:46:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8534077/v1 Study Design Qualitative descriptive study.Objectives To examine the accessibility of New Brunswick high schools from the perspective of students who use a wheelchair, focusing on how accessibility barriers affect participation, inclusion, and independence.Setting New Brunswick, Canada.Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with students who use a wheelchair and had attended high school within the past five years. Participants were recruited through therapist referral from the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo 14.Results Five themes were identified. (1) Accessibility challenges negatively impacted school experiences: participants described physical and social barriers, including inaccessible elevators, doors, desks, washrooms, and classrooms, which restricted participation and contributed to social isolation. (2) Positive elements of school experience: accommodations and peer support enhanced inclusion, confidence, and engagement. (3) School staff impact accessibility: staff attitudes and willingness to collaborate influenced whether students felt supported. (4) Independence is important: autonomy was central to building confidence, yet most participants reported limited independence at school. (5) Accessibility suggestions: participants recommended improvements to infrastructure, hallway safety, washrooms, and communication processes.Conclusions Students who use wheelchairs continue to experience barriers that limit inclusion and independence in high school settings. Improvements in infrastructure, staff education, and peer interactions may enhance educational experiences. These findings provide insight for educators and policymakers, emphasizing that achieving accessibility goals requires shared responsibility across the education system.Sponsorship This project was supported by the Dalhousie Medical Student Undergraduate Internal Medicine Research Foundation Summer Studentship Program. Raeghan O'Leary, Colleen O'Connell, Najmedden Attabib, Shane McCullum 2026-01-08 03:46:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7959705/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:41:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7959705/v1 Chorus emissions, among the strongest electromagnetic waves occurring in nature, have been believed to cause intense electron acceleration which can significantly alter space weather and climate1,2. However, direct measurement of electron acceleration by chorus has been highly challenging due to small spatiotemporal scales involved3, constraining our ability to understand and predict extreme space weather4. Here we present the first, ultrafast measurement of electron acceleration by space chorus, using state-of-the-art observations from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft. We find that the observed chorus is associated with locally-accelerated energetic electrons exhibiting butterfly pitch angle distribution, and the chorus waves were locally damping, resulting in energy gain of electrons mainly at direction perpendicular to ambient magnetic field by cyclotron resonance. We demonstrate that the chorus-driven electron acceleration was ultrafast, with a net acceleration ratio of ~300 eV/s, and reveal that the electron acceleration was established in association with nonlinear wave trapping, controlled by spatiotemporal inhomogeneity of wave frequency and magnetic field. These observations provide direct evidence for nonlinear, ultrafast electron acceleration by chorus, suggest that future space weather forecasting models should incorporate chorus-induced nonlinear effects, and offer new insights into understanding energetic radiations in geospace and beyond. Chengming Liu, Boning Zhao, Jinbin Cao, Yangyang Liu, Craig Pollock, Christopher Russell, P.-A. Lindqvist, James Burch 2026-01-08 03:41:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8106340/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:38:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8106340/v1 Inorganic mechanoluminescent materials, which transduce mechanical force into light, are promising for power-free sensing, structural health monitoring and human-machine interfaces. However, their fabrication typically requires energy-intensive, protracted bulk synthesis methods such as solid-state sintering. Here, we report a rapid and in-situ laser writing strategy for fabricating mechanoluminophores, validated across multiple material systems. Using the classic ZnS/CaZnOS:Mn2+ system, we demonstrate that the laser-induced luminophores retain the crystal structure and emission of their sintered counterparts, while exhibiting porous microstructures, shortened fluorescence lifetime (424.9 vs. 727.3 µs) and superior mechanoluminescent linearity with stress (fitting slope of 1.11 vs. 0.54). We leverage the top-down programmability of this approach to fabricate patterned mechanoluminescent sensors and demonstrate a deep learning-driven collision management system. Our work provides a general toolbox that accelerates the trial-and-error cycle of novel mechanoluminophores and enables high-precision luminescent patterning and on-demand sensor integration. Wei Tao, Liang Shen, Yufeng Xue, Shicheng Yuan, Tingxuan Chen, Qinhua Hu, Wenjie Wu, Xiaokang Chen, Enjie Wang, Ye Liu, Thomas Maurer, Dengfeng Peng 2026-01-08 03:38:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8533815/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:20:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8533815/v1 In six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) magnetic levitation positioning systems, accurate calculation of the suspension force between permanent magnets and coils is critical for system design and control. A fully analytical calculation method is proposed for the repulsive suspension force between square coils and cubic permanent magnets. This method derives a closed-form analytical expression for the x-component magnetic flux density Bx generated by the permanent magnet in space using the magnetic charge model and Maxwell’s equations, and further obtains an analytical integral formula for the z-component suspension force Fz through the Lorentz force equation. Compared with traditional three-dimensional finite element method (3D-FEM), the fully analytical method can compute the force field distribution quickly and accurately without numerical integration. By introducing an integration range correction coefficient and dynamically adjusting the integration boundaries of the four coil sides, the accuracy of force calculation under displacement variations is effectively improved. Experimental verification results show that the error between analytical calculation results and measured values is less than 5%, meeting the design requirements of high-precision magnetic levitation positioning systems. 陈墨仙 2026-01-08 03:20:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8178333/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:14:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8178333/v1 As global urbanization accelerates, the scarcity of land and the rising burden of housing affordability have become pressing challenges for cities worldwide. To house growing populations within limited space, many governments have turned to vertical expansion as a strategy to increase land-use efficiency. Yet, the same policies that drive high-rise construction can also embed long-term vulnerabilities. This study introduces the concept of the Vertical Urbanization Paradox, namely the idea that land-supply restrictions designed to enhance spatial efficiency may inadvertently generate economic, social, and safety fragilities over time. Using a multi-source dataset covering 276 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2022, including over one million residential projects, 700,000 housing transactions, and detailed land-transfer records, we quantify how policy-induced land-supply contraction drives building height and shapes long-term housing depreciation. Results show that slower growth in residential land supply is associated with taller buildings, with this pattern more pronounced in cities experiencing rapid GDP growth and strong population pressure. However, taller buildings experience faster depreciation and higher fire-safety risks, reflecting systemic governance and maintenance challenges. By linking short-term efficiency to long-term fragility, the study reveals how China’s vertical expansion offers both a model and a warning for rapidly urbanizing regions worldwide. Achieving sustainable vertical growth requires not only optimizing land efficiency but also strengthening institutional capacity, maintenance systems, and social equity to ensure resilient urban futures. Meng Miao, Haiyun Xu, Lingtian Bu, Thanasis Kizos 2026-01-08 03:14:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8536858/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:11:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8536858/v1 A geometric realization of a toroidal dodecahedron in three-dimensional space is presented. This polyhedron is notable for its large topological genus \(\:g\) and small number of faces \(\:f\)\(\:\left(f=12,\:g=8\right).\) Ruslan Mizhaev 2026-01-08 03:11:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8534606/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:06:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8534606/v1 Background: As Large Language Models (LLMs) transition from generative assistants to decision-support tools in forensic risk assessment, traditional performance metrics such as AUC-ROC and Accuracy are proving insufficient. These metrics fail to account for the asymmetric "costs" of forensic errors (e.g., unnecessary detention vs. public safety risks) and the shifting baseline of risk across different legal settings.  Methods: We propose the Contextual Imperative, a framework asserting that forensic AI utility is a function of outcome prevalence and the normative "Cost" ratio of the decision-making environment. Adhering to the newly released TRIPOD-LLM reporting guidelines (Gallifant et al., 2025), we employ Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) to define the "Moral Equilibrium"—the point where the harm of unnecessary detention equals the benefit of violence prevention.  Results: Our sensitivity analysis reveals a "Prevalence Trap": in low-prevalence settings (5%), even high-performing models yield a Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of less than 30%, rendering them ethically unsuitable for custodial decisions. We further demonstrate that model utility is non-linear and confined to a probability threshold ($p_t$) range of 0.05 to 0.45.  Conclusions: Forensic AI must be regulated by its utility, not just its accuracy. We argue for a mandatory "Right to Reason," validated by parallel developments in physical AI (NVIDIA Alpamayo), which requires models to generate traceable, verifiable rationales before suggesting a deprivation of liberty. regio marcos pinto abreu filho 2026-01-08 03:06:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8533421/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 03:03:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8533421/v1 Seasonal effects on sleep have been documented but remain poorly characterised at a global scale. Using wearable-derived data from 697 individuals contributing 185143 nights across 49 countries, we examined how sleep duration varies with season, day length, latitude, and country using Bayesian hierarchical models. Across the dataset, sleep duration decreased with increasing day length, with a reduction of roughly 4.4 minutes per additional hour of daylight. In contrast, categorical season indicators contributed little explanatory power once individual- and country-level differences were modelled, suggesting that coarse season labels do not capture consistent structure in globally distributed samples. We found limited evidence that photoperiod sensitivity scales with latitude, despite large differences in seasonal light amplitude. At the same time, country-level variability emerged in both baseline sleep duration and estimated photoperiod responses. These findings indicate that global variation in sleep duration is shaped more strongly by individual and national differences than by calendar season. Faraaz Akhtar, Alistair Brownlee, Cameron Crawford 2026-01-08 03:03:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8530570/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:56:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8530570/v1 Background Despite substantial achievements in scaling up the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in Tanzania, new pediatric HIV infections persist, particularly during the postnatal period. Understanding the incidence of infection and the sociocultural factors influencing transmission is crucial to achieving the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (eMTCT) goals by 2030. Methods: A mixed-methods convergent parallel design was used. Quantitative data were extracted from a retrospective cohort of 797 HIV-exposed infants and their mothers enrolled in PMTCT services in the Manyara Region between 2019 and 2023. Incidence rates were computed per 1000 person-months. The qualitative component involved 26 mothers of HIV-exposed infants and 5 healthcare providers interviewed using a grounded theory approach to explore sociocultural, behavioural, and systemic factors influencing postnatal HIV transmission. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12. Results: Among 797 HIV-exposed infants, 17 (2.1%) tested HIV-positive by 18 months, giving an incidence rate of 1.92 per 1,000 person-months (95% CI: 1.19-3.09). Most infections occurred between 3 and 15 months postpartum. Four qualitative themes explained persistent transmission: (1) stigma and non-disclosure undermining adherence, (2) traditional and economic influences on feeding, (3) health system challenges, and (4) peer and community support as enablers. Conclusion: Despite high PMTCT coverage, postnatal HIV infections persist in Manyara Region. The incidence remains low but concentrated during the breastfeeding period. Sociocultural and systemic barriers continue to compromise ART adherence and safe infant feeding. Strengthening community-based adherence support and addressing stigma and traditional practices are critical to sustain eMTCT progress. Nassoro Adam, Elia Mmbaga, Ally Kassim Hussein, Masanja Robert, Charles Festo 2026-01-08 02:56:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8509238/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:55:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8509238/v1 Alien invasive species (IASs) are a threat to the ecological systems of southern Africa. Acacia mearnsii, a global top 100 invasive species has become a very invasive tree in the region, displacing native vegetation, altering fire regimes, and influencing water availability. In this study, Ecological Niche Modelling was used using the maximum entropy algorithm to predict the current and future distributions of A. mearnsii southern African underMIROC-6 climate models SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5. Data used for modelling were collected from GBIF and 19 bioclimatic variables from Wordclim. The Model performance assessed with Area Under Cover-ROC metrics. The annual mean temperature, precipitation of the wettest month, and maximum temperature of the warmest month were the primary environmental drivers. Currently, highly suitable areas are concentrated in South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho. The projected future suitability suggests potential range expansion, particularly under SSP2-4.5, with highly suitable habitats increasing by 13.7%. However, under SSP5-8.5, extreme warming would lower habitat suitability in some regions with an increase (+ 646.21%). Climate change has a significant effect on A. mearnsii's threat of invasion, emphasizing the importance of early detection, risk identification, and tailored management of susceptible ecosystems. Griffin phiri 2026-01-08 02:55:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503134/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:31:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503134/v1 Background Although item nonresponse is typically minimal in surveys that use electronic data capture tools, the inclusion of “Don’t Know” or “Declined” response options can increase overall missingness. This study examines patterns of item nonresponse and evaluates how different missing data handling approaches affect prevalence estimates in the Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS).Methods We pooled data from ten VACS conducted between 2018 and 2022 and characterized missingness mechanisms and item nonresponse rates while identifying predictors of response propensity and missingness. Weighted prevalence estimates for 24 composite and single-item indicators were compared across four analytic approaches—listwise deletion (LDA), missing completely at random (MCAR), not missing completely at random (NOMCAR), and a sensitivity analysis—using an imputed dataset as the reference. Precision and accuracy were assessed using relative standard error (RSE) and relative bias.Results The overall survey response rate was 90% (n = 45,764). Item nonresponse averaged 0.56%, and 90% of respondents provided complete data for all 24 variables. Missingness was predominantly random (MCAR) and was associated with country income level, education, and survey year, but not with sex, perceived survey worthiness, response rates, or reported violence. Compared with the imputed reference (RSE = 4.16; relative bias = 0.0), listwise deletion produced the least precise estimates (RSE = 4.36). Sensitivity analyses yielded the largest relative bias (5.39%), whereas MCAR and NOMCAR approaches produced nearly identical estimates with comparable precision. Differences across methods were small and not statistically significant (p = 0.9996).Conclusions Given minimal and random missingness in key survey variables in the VACS, MCAR or NOMCAR approaches produce precise estimates, making routine imputation unnecessary. Further simulation studies might help determine thresholds at which imputation becomes beneficial. Assegid Roba, Francis Annor 2026-01-08 02:31:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8502816/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:30:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8502816/v1 Background Multimorbidity is a significant contemporary public health challenge globally, with older adults being disproportionately affected. This vulnerability often necessitates long-term pharmacotherapy, increasing the risk of polypharmacy. The concurrent use of multiple medications can lead to adverse health outcomes. Elderly care home residents are particularly susceptible to this risk. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of polypharmacy, with a specific emphasis on cardiovascular medication use, in relation to comorbidity burden among elderly residents in care homes in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 373 elderly residents (>60 years) from ten elderly care homes in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Participants were recruited using proportionate stratified sampling. Data were collected via a validated interviewer-administered questionnaire and a structured medication checklist. Descriptive statistics were computed for demographic and clinical variables. Group differences were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and Chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with polypharmacy, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results The mean age of the participants was 74.74 ± 7.56 years, and 75.1% were female. Multimorbidity was reported by 79.4% of residents. The most prevalent chronic condition was hypertension (75.1%). The mean number of medications per resident was 5.50 ± 2.98. The prevalence of overall polypharmacy was 59.0%, while cardiovascular-specific polypharmacy was 20.9%. Multimorbidity (AOR: 2.44, 95% CI:1.03-5.78, p = 0.043), frequent contact with a general practitioner (AOR:2.17, 95% CI:1.04-4.52, p = 0.039), and a history of myocardial infarction (AOR:3.51, 95% CI:1.10-11.17, p = 0.033) were significantly associated with polypharmacy. Cardiovascular-specific polypharmacy was independently associated with frequent hospitalization (AOR:2.83, 95% CI:1.21-6.59, p = 0.016), a history of myocardial infarction (AOR:7.26, 95% CI:2.44-21.57, p<0.001) and a history of congestive heart failure (AOR:5.20, 95% CI:1.57-17.19, p = 0.007). Conclusion The high prevalence of both overall and cardiovascular-specific polypharmacy among elderly care home residents highlights an urgent need to implement structured deprescribing initiatives and integrated, multidisciplinary geriatric care models within care homes. Priority interventions should include strengthening medication review systems, establish coordinated care pathways, and deploy targeted strategies to minimize inappropriate medication use and its associated risks. J.M.S.I. Madhushara, W.A.M. Indunil, S.B.M.D.P. Sanjeewanee, A.I. Sooriyaarachchi, L.K. Venuri, J.K.M.S. Perera, U.L. Atheep, I.L.M. Fazil, D.A.S. Elvitigala, T.S. Amarasinghe 2026-01-08 02:30:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503624/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:30:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503624/v1 Background Uterine myomas are common benign tumors of the female reproductive tract; however, an acute abdomen caused by a giant pedunculated subserosa myoma is rare, particularly in young women. Such cases may mimic adnexal pathology and pose significant diagnostic challenges, especially in resource-limited settings. Case Presentation A 21-year-old female from sub-Saharan Africa with primary infertility and menometrorrhagia came to the hospital with sudden lower abdominal pain and a tender pelvic mass. She was treated as a case of acute abdomen. Since ultrasonography was not available, an emergency laparotomy was done, which found a large pedunculated subserosa uterine myoma and normal adnexa. A fertility-preserving myomectomy was performed, and she was discharged in good condition on the fifth day after surgery. Conclusion When evaluating women of reproductive age, including younger patients, for an acute abdomen, consider giant pedunculated uterine myomas as a possible cause. In resource-limited settings, timely diagnosis and management may rely primarily on thorough clinical evaluation, particularly in emergencies. Chabeja Achangwa, Nkembe Marius Nkembe, Akwa Gilbert Mua, Fotabong Larisa Nsuya 2026-01-08 02:30:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7170040/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:30:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7170040/v1 Introduction Gap analyses conducted in emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions have pinpointed essential obstacles to the effective implementation of sanitation in disaster scenarios. This systematic review aimed to gather and consolidate evidence on the effectiveness of emergency sanitation strategies in areas that experience disasters.Methods We systematically searched for articles in the ReliefWeb, International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Google Scholar, PUBMED, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Hinari, Medline, and African Index Medicus databases guided by the acceptable best practice developed by the PROSPERO and COCHRANE for systematic search and selection of articles. A search string was applied across these databases, using Boolean operators to differentiate the key terms. In addition, a PRISMA flow diagram was used to elaborate on the number of articles retrieved, retained, excluded and reasons for every action. Studies that evaluated emergency sanitation strategies in disaster areas of Africa, which were interventional in nature were included in this review. A mixed method appraisal tool was used to appraise studies.Results Six articles met the eligibility criteria. Out of the 6 articles, only three reported the challenges faced during implementation of emergency sanitation interventions during an emergency particularly in response to cholera outbreaks. The findings from all the studies have not directly specified the sanitation strategies suitable for specific disaster type. However, the nature of the emergency context (e.g. displaced populations, poor water quality, makeshift facilities) allows to infer suitability for specific disaster types. One study found that 87% of the drinking water sources tested were contaminated with fecal matter, which was likely a major contributor to the continued cholera outbreak. However, emergency sanitation measures introduced in response showed a positive impact (water testing and treatment, chlorine sprayers, waste incineration, water storage tanks and health promotion), reflected by a downward trend in cholera cases, As was seen in the epidemic curveConclusion This systematic review emphasizes that while emergency sanitation measures in Africa have considerable potential to lessen disease spread during disasters, their effectiveness is frequently hampered by contextual, logistical, behavioral, and infrastructural challenges. The success of these measures is closely linked to prompt execution, cultural relevance, fair distribution of resources, and ongoing community involvement. Ellacy Chirwa, Atusaye Mwalwanda, Margret Soko, Balwani Chingatichifwe Mbakaya 2026-01-08 02:30:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457488/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:30:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457488/v1 Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a causative agent of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers and gastric adenocarcinoma. Long duration chemotherapy results in the emergence of resistance in H. pylori and persists for life. Immunomodulation might provide an alternate means of reducing H. pylori-mediated disease through qualitative changes to the inflammation induced by chronic infection. Camellia sinensis (CS) is reported as a significant antimicrobial dietary agent. Here, we analyzed the immunomodulatory effect of CS against H. pylori infection by using CS immunomodulatory H. pylori associated-gastritis mice model and then determining the molecular mechanism by flow cytometry, qPCR, ELISA in the mouse and T-cell lines. Hemolytic plaque assay is a method which helps to in-vitro enumeration of cells producing antibodies against H. pylori surface and sonicate whole cell antigens. The PFU were calculated as PFU/spleen. Mice treated with H. pylori sonicate antigen with CS showed significant high immunomodulatory effect against H. pylori infection. In the center of each plaque antibody secreting plasma B cell was present. CS consumption, together with H. pylori sonicate vaccine, causes upregulation of CD8 lymphocytes with high secretion of type-I cytokines. CS induces autophagy with the upregulation of ATG5, Beclin, ATG7, ULK1, LC3a, FIP200, LC3b and BNIP3I. This study suggests a significant immunomodulatory effect of CS and helps to understand the bacterial and host drivers of chronic inflammation and cellular infiltration in presence of H. pylori. Hence, CS is helpful in the eradication of H. pylori from patients with gastroduodenal ulcer disease. A hemolytic plaque assay is a simple, sensitive assay which shows the kinetics of the immune response as observed in in-vivo assays of serum antibodies. CS can be used as an alternative means for eradicating H. pylori by stimulating the immune response. Faisal Aziz, Shahana Urooj kazmi 2026-01-08 02:30:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491866/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:29:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491866/v1 Psychosocial stress is an established cardiovascular risk factor, yet its influence on chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity remains poorly understood. Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, is known to induce cardiotoxicity. However, whether concurrent psychosocial stress exacerbates this effect is unclear. This study aimed to determine the impact of chronic subordination stress (CSS) on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity using a clinically relevant ‘two-hit’ mouse model. Twelve-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were subjected to CSS for 26 days. DOX (8 mg/kg/week) or vehicle was administered during the final 3 weeks of CSS. Cardiac function was evaluated using echocardiography, while myocardial fibrosis was assessed histologically. Bulk RNA sequencing was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with key genes validated by real-time PCR. Neither CSS nor DOX alone induced significant cardiac dysfunction. However, the combination of CSS and DOX led to both systolic and diastolic dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, and increased mortality. Expression of cardiac stress markers Nppa and Nppb was significantly elevated by DOX, with CSS further amplifying Nppa expression. RNA sequencing revealed upregulation of pro-fibrotic genes (Lgals3, Sprr1a) and the pro-inflammatory cytokine Il6 under combined CSS and DOX exposure. Gene set enrichment analysis showed dysregulation in metabolic, inflammatory, and cell cycle-related pathways. Psychosocial stress significantly worsens DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by promoting cardiac dysfunction, fibrosis, and maladaptive gene expression. This study highlights psychosocial stress as a critical risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in cancer patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapy. Mary R. Daniel, Marianne K.O. Grant, Maria Razzoli, Juan E. Abrahante, Mohamed S. Dabour, Fernando Souza-Neto, Jop H. Berlo, Alessandro Bartolomucci, Beshay N. Zordoky 2026-01-08 02:29:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8470897/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:29:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8470897/v1 Medical mediation is a collaborative tool for resolving ethically complex disputes in healthcare. Though widely recognized in international clinical ethics it has only been recently introduced in Greece. The objective of this work was to assess healthcare professionals’ perceptions of medical mediation using a scenario-based survey, A structured, cross-sectional online questionnaire was completed by 431 healthcare professionals across Greece. The survey included three clinical vignettes on (1) end-of-life care, (2) religious refusal of treatment, and (3) medical error disclosure), Likert-scale items on attitudes toward mediation, and demographic information. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify patterns of response across the scenarios and attitudinal items. Participants expressed strong support for mediation across all scenarios (median scores ≥ 9), with the highest support for medical error disclosure. LCA revealed three distinct respondent profiles: strongly supportive (73.3%), moderately supportive (14.6%), and cautiously positive (12.1%). Significant trends were observed across profiles for the perceived effectiveness of mediation and support for institutional training (p < 0.01). However, formal training and familiarity with mediation among the participants were low (< 5%). Despite limited training and formal implementation, Greek healthcare professionals show high support for medical mediation. The demand and need for structured mediation training and integration into the Greek healthcare system is strong. Olympia Lioupi, Polychronis Kostoulas, Konstadina Griva, Charalambos Billinis, Costas Tsiamis 2026-01-08 02:29:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8459924/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:29:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8459924/v1 Background Uterine fibroids (UFs) are common benign tumors in reproductive-age women, often requiring surgical treatment. The choice between hysterectomy and myomectomy depends on fibroid features and hematologic indices but is usually based on subjective clinical judgment. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) now enable data-driven decision support systems that can improve surgical accuracy, consistency, and patient outcomes. To develop and validate ML-based models capable of predicting the appropriate surgical approach—hysterectomy or myomectomy—using anemia-related laboratory parameters and uterine fibroid characteristics.Methods A retrospective multicenter study was conducted across three tertiary referral hospitals. A total of 600 women diagnosed with UFs were included, of whom 362 (60.3%) underwent hysterectomy and 238 (39.7%) underwent myomectomy. Clinical and laboratory data, including fibroid number, total fibroid volume, hemoglobin, and ferritin levels, were analyzed. Comparative statistical analyses were performed, and 126 ML models were trained and tested to predict surgical type based on these variables. A cohort of 50 cases was used for blinded real-time validation, and concordance was assessed.Results Ferritin levels, fibroid count, and total fibroid volume were significantly higher in the hysterectomy group compared with the myomectomy group (P < .001 for all). The ML models achieved accuracy rates exceeding 90% in differentiating between the two surgical approaches, effectively replicating clinicians’ decision-making behavior. Prospective validation demonstrated a high level of agreement, with 96% concordance between ML predictions and the blinded gynecologist’s assessments.Conclusions Anemia-related indices and fibroid characteristics emerged as principal factors influencing surgical decision-making in uterine fibroid management. Within an academically designed and prospectively validated framework, the ML–based model demonstrated high predictive performance and robust concordance with expert clinical assessments, supporting its methodological reliability. These findings indicate that such validated, data-driven algorithms may, following further external validation and implementation studies, be suitable for integration into gynecologic surgical workflows, where they could assist objective preoperative planning and enhance future clinical decision-making. İnci Öz, Ali Utku Öz 2026-01-08 02:29:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457654/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:29:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457654/v1 Background Accurate perioperative risk stratification is central to patient safety, informed consent, and resource allocation in spine surgery. Traditional regression-based risk scores and indices are widely used and clinically familiar, yet their predictive performance remains modest and may not capture the heterogeneity of modern spine practice. Concurrently, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) approaches have been increasingly applied to surgical risk prediction, raising questions regarding their incremental value, interpretability, and readiness for clinical adoption. The objective of this review was to synthesize existing evidence on spine surgery risk prediction models, comparing traditional approaches with emerging AI/ML methods, and to identify key translational barriers. Methods A structured literature search was conducted across major biomedical databases using combinations of spine surgery, risk prediction, perioperative outcomes, and AI-related terms, with additional conceptual searches targeting explainability, validation, and clinical translation. Studies were selected for relevance to adult spine surgery risk prediction, model development or validation, and methodological or translational considerations. Given substantial heterogeneity in study design and outcomes, findings were synthesized qualitatively using a narrative approach. Results. Traditional spine-specific risk models demonstrate fair to good discrimination for common outcomes, with typical AUCs ranging from approximately 0.64 to 0.78. AI/ML models often report modest improvements in discrimination over regression-based approaches, particularly for common outcomes such as ICU admission and mortality, but gains are inconsistent and context dependent. Across both model types, external validation, calibration drift, limited prospective outcome evidence, and challenges related to interpretability and workflow integration remain prominent. Conclusions. Traditional risk models remain interpretable, trusted, and competitively performant for many spine surgery outcomes. While AI/ML approaches expand data integration and interaction modeling, their clinical impact is constrained by validation, trust, and implementation barriers. Future progress will depend less on incremental performance gains and more on rigorous external validation, prospective outcome studies, and integration into clinical workflows. Samer Salman, Rohan Phadke, Rahul Kumar, Arbaz Momin, Alireza Tavakkoli 2026-01-08 02:29:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8354823/latest An article created on 2026-01-08 02:29:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8354823/v1 Objectives Dental anxiety during the first dental visit can shape children’s long-term attitudes toward oral care. This study evaluated whether a brief carbohydrate mouth-rinsing intervention could reduce situational dental anxiety in children, using subjective assessment supported by a physiological stress marker.  Methods In this randomized controlled trial, children aged 7–9 years with no prior dental experience were allocated to a carbohydrate mouth-rinse group or a water control group. Situational dental anxiety was assessed using the Facial Image Scale before and after the rinsing intervention. Salivary cortisol was measured at baseline and following a standardized first-visit dental procedure. Pain perception was assessed post-procedure using the Faces Pain Scale–Revised.  Results Children receiving carbohydrate mouth rinse demonstrated a modest but statistically significant reduction in situational dental anxiety compared with controls. Salivary cortisol responses showed a directionally consistent trend toward reduced stress reactivity in the intervention group, although this difference did not reach statistical significance. Pain ratings were low overall and did not differ meaningfully between groups.  Conclusions A brief carbohydrate mouth-rinsing intervention was associated with reduced situational dental anxiety during children’s first dental visit, with supportive trends in physiological stress markers. Given its simplicity, safety, and ease of implementation, carbohydrate mouth rinsing may represent a novel non-pharmacological adjunct for anxiety management in pediatric dentistry. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings and explore their durability across repeated visits.  Dusan Surdilovic, Vivek Padmanabhan, Md Sofiqul Islam, Muhammed Mustahsen Rahman 2026-01-08 02:29:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4242829/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 19:17:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4242829/v3 Psilocybin is studied as innovative medication in anxiety, substance abuse and treatment-resistant depression. Animal studies show that psychedelics promote neuronal plasticity by strengthening synaptic responses and protein synthesis. However, the exact molecular and cellular changes induced by psilocybin in the human brain are not known. Here, we treated human cortical neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells with the 5-HT2A receptor agonist psilocin - the psychoactive metabolite of psilocybin. We analyzed how exposure to psilocin affects 5-HT2A receptor localization, gene expression, neuronal morphology, synaptic markers and neuronal function. Upon exposure of human neurons to psilocin, we observed a decrease of cell surface-located 5-HT2A receptors first in the axonal- followed by the somatodendritic-compartment. Psilocin further provoked a 5-HT2A-R-mediated augmentation of BDNF abundance. Transcriptomic profiling identified gene expression signatures priming neurons to neuroplasticity. On a morphological level, psilocin induced enhanced neuronal complexity and increased expression of synaptic proteins, in particular in the postsynaptic-compartment. Consistently, we observed an increased excitability and enhanced synaptic network activity in neurons treated with psilocin. In conclusion, exposure of human neurons to psilocin might induces a state of enhanced neuronal plasticity which could explain why psilocin is beneficial in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders where synaptic dysfunctions are discussed. Philipp Koch, Malin Schmidt, Anne Hoffrichter, Mahnaz Davoudi, Sandra Horschitz, Thorsten Lau, Marcus Meinhardt, Rainer Spanagel, Julia Ladewig, Georg Köhr 2026-01-07 19:17:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6363135/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 19:14:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6363135/v2 Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) experienced substantial population declines in the 19th and 20th centuries due to commercial whaling and are currently listed as endangered species. As a result, they have attracted considerable scientific interest, not least the species' population structure. While the population structure of blue whales has been intensively studied in the Antarctic and South Pacific, the population structure within the North Pacific remains poorly understood. Acoustic and movement data suggest the presence of at least two distinct populations, but genetic evidence has been lacking due to limited sample availability. This study provides the first comprehensive genetic analysis of blue whales across the North Pacific (NP), using the eastern South Pacific (ESP) as an outgroup. We analysed 12,951 SNPs in 50 specimens (NP: n = 35, ESP: n = 15) and a population-informative subset of 96 SNPs in 60 specimens across the North Pacific (ENP: n = 23, WNP: n = 37), along with 480bp of the mitochondrial control region, to investigate population structure. ADMIXTURE analyses, supported by PCA and DAPC, identified three distinct genetic clusters: one separating the eastern South from the North Pacific and two additional dominant clusters within the North Pacific. These North Pacific clusters exhibited trends of site fidelity, with one primarily associated with the eastern North Pacific and the other with the western North Pacific. Our findings provide strong genetic support for the presence of at least two distinct populations in the North Pacific, highlighting the need for a shift in management perspectives - from a single to a two-stock framework. Katrin Kiemel, Mioko Taguchi, Marijke Autenrieth, Mutsuo Goto, Koji Matsuoka, Ralph Tiedemann, Luis A. Pastene 2026-01-07 19:14:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8390633/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 19:08:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8390633/v2 This study presents PRIME-Care, a unified framework combining reinforcement learning (RL) and mathematical optimization for personalized treatment planning under clinical uncertainty. The framework aims to improve the safety, personalization, and predictive accuracy of treatment strategies in dynamic, uncertain healthcare environments. PRIME-Care incorporates a hierarchical bilevel structure where the optimization layer enforces safety constraints, and the RL layer adapts treatment policies based on patient-specific dynamics. Key innovations include the propagation of uncertainty through the treatment planning process and the use of probabilistic latent-state models for more accurate disease progression forecasting. Experimental results demonstrate that PRIMECare outperforms traditional RL models and optimization-based approaches in terms of safety, personalization, and predictive accuracy. Specifically, it reduces critical constraint violations by over 70%, exhibits superior trajectory alignment to clinician-curated plans, and provides more stable, temporally consistent disease forecasts. Additionally, robustness tests show that PRIME-Care maintains near-optimal performance under perturbations, while traditional RL models experience significant degradation. These results suggest that PRIME-Care offers a promising solution for integrating AI-driven decision support into clinical workflows, providing safer, more personalized, and interpretable treatment plans. All code implementations are publicly available to ensure full reproducibility and facilitate further research in this domain. Mazyar Taghavi, Mina Mohammadi, Ihsan Ullah, Javad Vahidi 2026-01-07 19:08:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6657153/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 19:07:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6657153/v2 This study investigates the climate-driven shifts in the flowering phenology of Rhododendron arboreum in Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand. The study documents significant early blooming events in both mature and young Rhododendron individuals by combining secondary data analysis with primary field observations conducted across different altitudes during January–February 2024. The findings reveal that rising temperatures and reduced winter precipitation are likely influencing earlier flowering, especially in mid- to high-altitude zones. These observations support existing literature while emphasizing the need for localized monitoring of phenological responses to climate change. The study contributes visual and altitudinal evidence to an under-explored ecological issue with implications for biodiversity, pollination, and conservation planning. Future research should incorporate field-based observations, genetic adaptations, and additional environmental parameters to develop a comprehensive understanding of Rhododendron phenology in the Himalayas. These insights are crucial for informing conservation strategies and mitigating climate change impacts on the fragile mountain ecosystem. Seema, Vijay Arya, Balwant Kumar 2026-01-07 19:07:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7861173/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 19:02:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7861173/v2 Repetitive head impacts (RHI), primarily through contact sports play and military service, are a recognized risk factor for cognitive and behavioral symptoms, as well as progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. While altered DNA methylation has been linked to environmental exposures and neurodegeneration, its association with RHI remains unknown. In this study, we investigated whether duration of contact sports play in a community-based aging cohort is associated with altered DNA methylation patterns. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing on human dorsolateral frontal cortex identified 461 genome-wide significant CpG sites associated with duration of contact sports play, spanning 13 genes of which the majority were hypomethylated. The hypomethylation pattern was largely replicated in an independent cohort. Notably, CAMK2B, B4GALT6, and TLR2, were hypomethylated and upregulated in the cortical sulcus of the DLFC in individuals with RHI exposure from contact sports. Furthermore, alterations of CAMK2B and B4GALT6 were observed in CTE cases. Together, these findings reveal distinct, region-specific epigenetic changes associated with contact sports exposure and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying RHI-related sequalae. Kerry Breen, Nurgul Aytan, Samantha Hawkins, Raymond Nicks, Victor Alvarez, Jesse Mez, Jan Blusztajn, Jonathan Cherry, Ann McKee, Honghuang Lin, Thor Stein 2026-01-07 19:02:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7794938/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 19:00:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7794938/v2 Phenotypic overlap between autoimmune encephalitis and movement disorders may rarely occur. Anti-IgLON5 antibody mediated disease and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) may clinically mimic each other. PSP is one of the tauopathies and a clinicopathologic entity marked by vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, pseudobulbar palsy, symmetric bradykinesia, frontal-subcortical cognitive dysfunction, gait impairment, and postural instability. Anti-IgLON5 antibody mediated disease may also have vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, combined non-REM/REM parasomnias,, bulbar dysfunction (dysarthria, dysphagia, vocal-fold paresis, episodic respiratory failure), gait disturbance, and movement disorder.We present a patient with progressive gait disturbance, vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, cognitive decline, as well as extremity chorea, highlighting the phenotypic overlap between PSP and anti-IgLON5 disease. His workup was negative for the antibody both in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Fall leading to subdural hemorrhage and bilateral post-traumatic frontal lobe changes likely led to his bilateral upper and lower extremity involuntary movements. His mental status improved after lumbar puncture. His condition further improved on treatment with carbidopa levodopa 25/100 mg three times a day.While the presentation of this case was consistent with anti-IGLON5 antibody mediated disease, the involuntary movements were due to frontal lobe damage. Damla Ates-Gulkok, Aiswarya Raj, Yakira Mishan, Brittany Zaita, Jessica Bloom, Robert Fekete 2026-01-07 19:00:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2953132/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:59:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2953132/v3 Various neurological diseases are linked to changes in mitochondrial trafficking in axons. Thus, it is crucial to understand how dynamics of mitochondria are regulated on the molecular level. From a candidate screen, we identified SFXN-1.2 to regulate both morphologies as well as dynamics of mitochondria. SFXN-1.2 is an ortholog of human Sideroflexin 1/3 associated with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's diseases. We demonstrate that SFXN-1.2 binds to kinesin-3 KIF1A(UNC-104) via CX32 (Connexin 32 or GJB1), a protein known to be linked to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. While SFXN-1.2 and CX32 affect the dynamics of mitochondria, they also affect the motility of the molecular motor UNC-104 alone. From yeast two-hybrid, co-immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescent complementation assays, we narrowed down critical interaction schemes of the UNC-104/CX32/SFXN-1.2 complex providing a complex molecular model.Interestingly, though UNC-104 binds to synaptic vesicles via its PH domain, we found no role of this domain in linking the motor to mitochondria. While UNC-104 trafficking is diminished in neurons of sfxn-1.2 mutants, motility of conventional kinesin-1 UNC-116 remains unaffected. Our data suggest that UNC-104 and UNC-116 act in parallel pathways likely co-transporting mitochondria. We also show that sfxn-1.2-induced changes in mitochondrial morphologies are independent of the fusion/fission machinery and that neither mitochondrial bioenergetics nor mitophagy are affected by sfxn-1.2 mutations. Strikingly, mutations in SFXN-1.2 lead to motor- and sensory neuron defects in C. elegansnegatively affecting the animal's touch responses as well as restricting body movements - pathological phenotypes commonly seen in neurological diseases. Syed Barmaver, Odvogmed Bayansan, Muhammad Safwan Khawaja, Vignesh Mahendran Ruckmani, Dwika Sarnia Putri, Muniesh Muthaiyan Shanmugam, Oliver Wagner 2026-01-07 18:59:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7591768/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:57:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7591768/v2 Interference is a major contributor to early memory decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We investigated whether proactive interference (PI) destabilizes recognition memory in 2-month-old APP/PS1 mice, a stage when novel object recognition (NOR) is normally intact. PI selectively impaired recognition in male, but not female, APP/PS1 mice, revealing a sex-specific vulnerability. At the neuromodulatory level, male APP/PS1 mice displayed reduced tyrosine hydroxylase–positive dopaminergic terminals in dorsal not ventral hippocampal subfields, whereas females were spared. These results identify PI as a sensitive probe of early recognition instability in AD and highlight sex-divergent mechanisms in which males not females show catecholaminergic vulnerability. Srishti Kushwaha, Smitha Karunakaran 2026-01-07 18:57:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8398686/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:48:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398686/v2 Background- Trauma or injury has been defined as damage to the body caused by an exchange with environmental energy that is outside the body’s resilience. It is a health problem across lifespan, ranking in the top ten causes of death and projected to rank as the 4th leading cause of disability adjusted life years by 2030 globally. Traumaumatic Injuries are an important public health concern, and remain a growing problem in some countries. Objective- The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of traumatic injuries and associated factors at the emergency departments of jigjiga public hospitals, 2023. Methodology- An institution -based cross-sectional study was conducted at JUSHYRH and Karamara general hospitals. A total of three hundred 351 traumatic injured patients in the study was involved in the study and systematic random sampling.. Simple random sampling was employed to select the study participants. Data was analyzed with statistical package software for social scientist (SPSS, version 20, IBM Inc Chicago). Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions was carried out to compute the different rate, proportion and relevant association. Variables with P-value < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results-  Out of the total 351 patients who visited the emergency delivery during the study period, 347 of them agreed to participate in the study with a response rate of 98.8%; and of them, 103 (29.3%) were traumatic injury cases. After the multivariate logistic regression analysis, previous injury, cause of injury, place of injury taken place, previous disability, being a driver were found to be significantly associated with traumatic injury at P- value less than 0.05. Conclusion and recommendation: Prevalence of traumatic injury was found high in our study population and with previous injury, cause of injury, place of injury taken place, previous disability, being a driver were significantly significantly associated traumatic injury. Somali region mass media should launch Adult health education program about the effect of substance use especially chat chewing Nur awale jama 2026-01-07 18:48:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481112/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:26:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481112/v1 The soundscape of urban parks is increasingly impaired by traffic noise. However, there remains a lack of systematic quantitative analysis methods between objective acoustic parameters and public perceptions, resulting in a disconnect between objective measurements and subjective experiences.Taking Wuhan Daijiahu Park as the study area, we conducted multi-seasonal measurements of sound pressure levels and subjective assessments via soundwalks and introduced the Subjective-Objective Soundscape Variance (SOSV) index and an adapted Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) to identify priority areas for optimization. Results showed significant seasonal variations, with traffic noise dominating except in summer when cicada sounds became prevailing. Equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (LAeq) correlated with distance to the 3rd Ring Road rather than to railways. SOSV analysis revealed that vegetation, water features, and enclosed spaces positively influence subjective evaluations. The adapted IPA classified 42.6% of the park as high-priority for improvement. This framework provides practical strategies for soundscape optimization in urban parks.The study explores landscape factors influencing soundscape discrepancies under complex traffic impacts, providing guidance for urban park soundscape planning. Lihua Yin, Huimin Du, Mingming Zhang, Wenbo Zhang, Yuchuan Cao, Shixuan Liu, Xinxin Li, Ming Chen 2026-01-07 18:26:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8310872/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:25:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8310872/v1 Magnetic interactions between metallic granular particles can lead to magnetic cohesion, influencing the flow characteristics of granular media. This magnetic cohesion has been studied in the context of Magneto-Rheological Fluids (MRF) for their unique flow properties and use in multiple industries. In Planetary Science, magnetic cohesion can influence the behavior of regolith on metallic asteroids with remnant magnetic fields. The upcoming NASA Psyche mission will study the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche, which is expected to have a surface magnetic field. Modeling and simulating the effect of magnetic cohesion on granular media is crucial for accurately simulating the behavior of magnetic granular materials in both terrestrial and planetary applications. We introduce an improved magnetic force model in LIGGGHTS, an open-source discrete element modeling software, to calculate magnetic forces between paramagnetic grains. The model is based on the Mutual Dipole Method and the Inclusion Model, extensions of the Fixed Dipole Method. We validate the model using 1-D unit tests and compare the results from avalanche simulations of paramagnetic regolith with experiments. This work contributes to understanding the role of magnetic cohesion in small body surface processes and provides a tool for future studies of magnetic granular materials in DEM. Anmol Sikka, Christine M. Hartzell 2026-01-07 18:25:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437880/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:24:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437880/v1 Background Cortical microtubules (CMTs), one of the components of cytoskeleton, control the orientation and localization of newly deposited cellulose microfibrils in cell walls, and thereby determine the shape, size, and structure of plant cells. Imaging of CMTs in plant tissues is generally performed using fluorescently labeled specimens under an optical fluorescence or confocal laser scanning microscope. However, optical microscopy has insufficient resolution to visualize individual CMTs, and its observation range is limited to superficial tissue layers that light can penetrate. In contrast, transmission electron microscopy offers high-resolution visualization of CMTs in plant cells but is restricted to slightly oblique ultrathin sections with an approximate thickness of 70–100 nm.Results Herein, we introduce a technique for visualizing CMTs within unstained plant tissues by combining cryofracture techniques with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). We successfully observed the arrangement of CMTs in several plant specimens, including young branches of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), calli from the leaves of hybrid poplar (Populus sieboldii × P. grandidentata), and root tips of the adzuki bean (Vigna angularis). CMTs were visualized on the protoplasmic fracture face using both cryo-FE-SEM and conventional room-temperature FE-SEM.Conclusions The combination of freeze-fracture techniques with FE-SEM enables the visualization of CMT arrangement in plant tissues at a high resolution and across a broad area without the need for staining or extraction of cellular components. This technique is applicable to various plant tissues and allows for detailed observation of CMTs within these tissues, providing valuable insights into the role of microtubules in the division and differentiation of plant cells. Tomohiro Hatano, Satoshi Nakaba, Hikaru Nagata, Iwao Doi, Yoshiki Horikawa, Satoshi Kimura, Ryo Funada 2026-01-07 18:24:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7322514/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:20:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7322514/v1 Squeezed states are a cornerstone of quantum technology, widely employed to enhance precision measurements and enable novel information processing. While photon-based squeezing has been extensively studied, magnetic systems remain an untapped resource for squeezed-state engineering. Here, we demonstrate squeezing for magnetization dynamics in an yttrium iron garnet (Y3Fe5O12, YIG) film via microwave parametric excitation, achieving thermal squeezing. We also demonstrate thermal two-mode squeezing in the form of correlated fluctuations of magnons concentrated on the top and bottom surfaces of the YIG film. The unconventional magnetization highlights the promise of magnetic materials as a platform for quantum science in the foreseeable future. Tomosato Hioki, Kaito Tojo, Mehrdad Elyasi, Sohei Horibe, Hiroki Shimizu, Koujiro Hoshi, Takahiko Makiuchi, Gerrit Bauer, Eiji Saitoh 2026-01-07 18:20:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8356221/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:14:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8356221/v1 To align with the future trend of all-solid-state batteries, and meet the growing demands for flexible wearable devices, higher standards are required for electrode fabrication. It is imperative to strike a balance between electrochemical performance, particularly at subzero temperatures, and mechanical flexibility, while ensuring compatibility with existing preparation processes. This formidable challenge has been achieved by in-situ generated tetrahydrofuran-based binder to crosslink conventional, as well as binder-free electrodes. This binder inherits the excellent ionic conductivity of tetrahydrofuran at low temperature, and overcomes the long-standing mechanical stability issue of tetrahydrofuran-based polymers. In comparison with the counterpart, the self-generated binder electrode demonstrates a substantial enhancement in capacity retention at 1 C after 100 cycles, with an increase from 74% to over 95%. Notably, even at the temperature as low as − 30°C, the capacity retention remains above 85% after 5000 cycles at a rate of 3 C. This electrode product can meet the stretching and bending requirements of flexible wearable devices, even perfectly resolve the stubborn interface compatibility issue of oxide ceramic solid electrolytes. This work provides a revolutionary approach to electrode preparation that can keep pace with the diverse development of future batteries. Yun Song, Nanyu Chen, Wei Wu, Jiafeng Ruan, Chenrui Li, Saihui Duan, Jiayun Zhang, Yanzhou Zhu, Xiayun Huang, Fang Fang, Dalin Sun 2026-01-07 18:14:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8281565/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 18:11:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8281565/v1 Political psychology has long examined how group identities shape political attitudes. Yet, little is known about the psychology of “ruralness.” This study examines four distinct identity-based concepts—objective rural membership, subjective rural identity, rural linked fate, and rural consciousness—as predictors of political trust and efficacy. Using original survey data, I find that rural consciousness is the strongest and most consistent predictor of lower trust and external efficacy, especially at the federal level. However, internal efficacy is not influenced by rural consciousness. These results suggest that rural consciousness is the most politically salient attachment for rural Americans. Knowing this, we can gain insight on the differences in rural group-based attachments. Objectively living in a rural area, or even subjectively identifying as a rural American and feeling linked to other rural Americans is not enough to sway political attitudes. Instead, a high level of rural consciousness—built on distributive injustice—is necessary. Brianna Kreft 2026-01-07 18:11:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489484/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:57:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489484/v1 Pyrus betulaefolia is a significant species within the Pyrus genus and serves as a crucial rootstock for commercial pear cultivation. While leaf coloration is a common phenomenon in nature, the specific mechanisms driving this change in P. betulaefolia remain underexplored. This study investigated leaf color dynamics in P. betulaefolia, revealing that leaves turned red following 12 days of exposure to intense white light. Subsequently, exposure to natural light for 9 days induced the red leaves to revert to green. Measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and pigment content indicated that the reddened leaves exhibited significantly increased non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and elevated synthesis of chlorophyll a, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, thereby enhancing their tolerance to high-intensity white light. Transcriptome analysis of the red leaves demonstrated a marked upregulation of light-harvesting complex (LHC) proteins, as well as proteins related to carotenoid and chlorophyll metabolism. Furthermore, transcription factor analysis identified 18 transcription factors potentially involved in regulating these pigment changes. Changlai liu, Fanfan He, Yiqun Xu, Yingying Dai, Guohua LIU 2026-01-07 17:57:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8356734/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:53:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8356734/v1 The large-scale deployment of variable renewable energy is increasingly coupling the climate and energy sectors, yet the potential impacts of climate change on renewable-based green hydrogen production remain poorly understood. Here we combine bottom-up optimization-based modeling with machine-learning algorithms to assess global grid-level green hydrogen supply. We find that, under mid-century climate and technology trajectories, mean green hydrogen costs are projected to fall below US$1.5 kgH2-1 in around one third of representative countries worldwide. Regions exhibit pronounced heterogeneity in climate-induced impacts on green hydrogen production costs (ranging from -25% to +50%), with wind-related climatic drivers exerting the dominant influence, particularly where wind and solar resources are strongly complementary. More than 20% of planned near-term green hydrogen projects are exposed to a risk of cost escalation. Our results highlight an urgent need to integrate long-term climate impacts into the planning of green hydrogen projects. Wenying Chen, Jinhui Ren, Qianzhi Zhang, Shulei Zhang, Shu Zhang 2026-01-07 17:53:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8502915/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:49:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8502915/v1 Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical composition and antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm activities of Sphaerostephanos unitus (L.) Holttum, a fern traditionally used in Northeast India.Methods Sequential solvent extraction was performed using methanol, ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate as solvents. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening was followed by antioxidant assays, such as DPPH and nitric oxide scavenging, and cytotoxicity testing using brine shrimp lethality test. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities were studied against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Candida spp. The fatty acid-rich fraction was further analyzed using GC-MS.Results Ethanol extract had the highest phenolic and flavonoid content, exhibiting the most potent antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀ of 35.74 µg/mL. In addition, the fatty acid fraction exhibited the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration at 0.25 mg/mL and the strongest antibiofilm inhibition activity (94.8%). GC-MS analysis identified major fatty acids such as dodecanoic, tetradecanoic, and oleic acids, which are well known for their antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing activities.Conclusion S. unitus demonstrates considerable antioxidant and antimicrobial potential, supporting its ethnomedicinal relevance and emphasizing its importance for future drug discovery. Shivangi Borkotoky, Supriyo Sen, Vedant Vikrom Borah 2026-01-07 17:49:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8418429/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:47:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8418429/v1 The commercial exploitation of Cameroonian timber resources remains concentrated on a limited number of well-known hardwood species, increasing pressure on mature forest stands while many potentially valuable species remain under-utilized. This study investigated the influence of solvent polarity on extractive yield and phytochemical composition of three lesser-used Cameroonian hardwoods: Okan (Cylicodiscus gabunensis), Dabema (Piptadeniastrum africanum), and Kotibe (Nesogordonia papaverifera). Heartwood samples were extracted using four solvents of differing polarity acetone, methanol, ethanol, and distilled water. Extractive yield was determined gravimetrically, while qualitative phytochemical screening was conducted to identify major classes of secondary metabolites. Extraction experiments were performed in triplicate, and the effects of solvent type, species, and their interaction were evaluated using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Organic solvents, particularly acetone and methanol, produced significantly higher extractive yields than ethanol and distilled water (p < 0.05). Among the species studied, C. gabunensis consistently exhibited the highest extractive yields, followed by P. africanum, whereas N. papaverifera showed comparatively lower values. Phytochemical screening indicated that phenolic compounds and tannins predominated across species, especially in semi-polar solvent extracts, while saponins were weakly present or absent. The combined assessment of extractive yield and phytochemical composition reveals substantial chemical potential in under-utilized Cameroonian hardwoods, particularly Okan and Dabema. These findings support their potential use in natural wood preservation, bio-based coatings, and other sustainable material applications, contributing to reduced pressure on heavily exploited commercial species and improved forest resource management. Leinyuy Leonard Lavwir, Tsi Evaristus Angwafo 2026-01-07 17:47:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8502790/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:41:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8502790/v1 Background: Teenage pregnancy remains a critical public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, with significant implications for maternal and neonatal health outcomes. In Uganda, teenage pregnancies account for 18-28% of maternal deaths, yet facility-specific evidence remains limited. This study assessed the characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of teenage mothers at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital (KRRH) and identified predictors of adverse maternal outcomes. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study at KRRH from January to April 2025. Using consecutive sampling, we recruited 222 consenting teenage mothers aged 13-19 years. Data were collected through structured interviews and complemented by in-depth interviews with midwives. We used descriptive statistics to summarize characteristics and binary logistic regression to identify predictors of adverse maternal outcomes, defined as delivery-related complications requiring medical intervention. Results: The median age was 19 years (IQR: 18-19), with 88.3% (n=196) aged 18-19 years. Most participants were married (71.6%, n=159), resided in rural areas (67.1%, n=149), and were primigravida (86.0%, n=191). While 99.1% (n=220) attended antenatal care, only 57.2% (n=127) completed the recommended four visits. Maternal complications occurred in 33.3% (n=74) of deliveries, with obstructed labour being most prevalent (48.6% of complications, n=36). Referral from lower-level facilities was the strongest independent predictor of adverse outcomes (adjusted OR=3.77, 95% CI: 1.53-9.28, p=0.004). Conclusions: Despite high antenatal care attendance, teenage mothers at KRRH experienced substantial obstetric complications, particularly obstructed labour. The association between referral status and adverse outcomes highlights critical gaps in the referral system. Strengthening early risk identification, emergency obstetric care capacity, and referral pathways is essential for improving outcomes among teenage mothers in southwestern Uganda. Deus Akampurira, Sebastian Olikira Baine, Christopher Tumwine, Ronald Kibonire Arineitwe 2026-01-07 17:41:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457155/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:30:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457155/v1 Protein folding is traditionally described as stochastic motion across a rugged free-energy landscape, where trajectories diverge widely even under identical ini- tial conditions. This paradigm explains ensemble behaviour but provides limited deterministic structure at the level of individual folding pathways. Here we examine an alternative formulation for a class of ultrafast monomeric proteins, treating folding as a deterministic geometric contraction on an invariant- constrained admissible manifold. Instead of modelling thermal diffusion or optimisation of an atomistic potential, the analysis imposes four classes of structural invariants—steric feasibility, torsional admissibility, hydrophobic monotonicity, and topological regularity—which restrict conformational space sufficiently to stabilise a unique curvature-minimising pathway. Using the villin headpiece HP35 as a model system, we demonstrate that these invariants yield a reproducible, 42-step macro-trajectory that is robust to perturbations of initial coordinates and variations in numerical resolution. Backbone curvature, torsional deviation, and topological irregularity decrease monotonically, while hydrophobic solvent-accessible surface area contracts without backtracking, producing a strictly directional collapse. The deterministic trajectory naturally separates into four mechanistic phases—early helix nucleation, hydrophobic core ordering, mesoscale tertiary refinement, and sub-angstrom geometric exhaustion—each dominated by different invariant classes. Across repeated deterministic reconstructions, RMSD convergence to the native state follows an exponential decay profile with a stable contraction factor, and aromatic distances evolve in a fixed sequence consistent with experimental observations. Although the model contains no explicit energetic potentials, implicit solvent terms, or stochastic components, the resulting trajectory aligns with known ultrafast- folding signatures, including early helix onset, ordered hydrophobic burial, and minimal intermediate heterogeneity. Perturbation and mutational analyses further indicate that the deterministic macro-path is sequence-specific and governed by the geometry of the invariant manifold rather than by statistical sampling. Taken together, these findings indicate that for the villin headpiece HP35, folding dynamics can be consistently described within a constraint-based geometric framework, providing a complementary perspective to traditional energy-landscape descriptions.  All reproducibility checkpoints and validation hashes are reported in the Supplementary Information. Dimitrios Christodoulou 2026-01-07 17:30:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467273/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:24:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467273/v1 Photocatalysis is a powerful tool in synthesis, although the key factors that determine its performance are not fully understood. We present a kinetic model for evaluating photocatalytic performance that can be used both to interpret experiments and to optimize kinetic parameters based on experimental data. We introduce the steady-state reduction potential of the substrate or quencher Q (EQ) as the performance metric. The model relies on key parameters, such as the ground and excited state standard reduction potentials of the photocatalyst (PC) and Q, the reorganization energy, and excitation properties. The model is based on three reversible reactions: excitation of the PC, electron transfer (ET) between Q and the ground state PC, ET between Q and the excited state PC* and an irreversible unproductive PC* + Q → PC + Q step, capturing several key geminate processes. The dependence of EQ on the standard ground and excited state reduction potentials of the PCs shows that photocatalytic performance is strongly influenced by whether the individual ET steps occur in the Marcus normal or inverted regions. The two-dimensional plot of this function reveals the directions in which the standard ground and excited state reduction potentials should be tuned to enhance photocatalytic performance; these directions are often counterintuitive. The model incorporates cage escape, and we show that it can be treated without introducing additional kinetic substeps. An important finding is that none of the input parameters alone can reliably predict photocatalytic efficiency; this also highlights the significance of the proposed measure EQ. The model also predicts reduction potential combinations where chemiluminescence is expected. The model is benchmarked against transient and stationary experimental data, demonstrating its ability to recover key kinetic parameters. The model is freely available on GitHub and can be easily extended to incorporate additional processes, making it a versatile tool for qualitative assessment and systematic exploration of emerging photocatalytic strategies. András Stirling, Ádám Madarász, Péter Pál Fehér 2026-01-07 17:24:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8305353/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:18:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8305353/v1 This paper maps where and how much primary biomass from dedicated lignocellulosic crops can be produced under stringent sustainability guardrails, and how unit costs evolve as production scales up. We assemble a harmonized 5 arc minutes global grid of marginal lands screened for food security and environmental constraints, and couple two complementary methods. First, we construct regional and global capacity–cost envelopes by spatially ranking grid cells by farm-gate unit cost and cumulatively aggregating potential. This descriptive step identifies the least-cost clusters and provides transparent orders of magnitude for planning. Second, treating each pixel as a decision unit (exploitation), we estimate parsimonious cubic total-cost functions with region and country effects to recover average(AC) and marginal (MC) cost schedules and the efficient scale Q∗ , thereby deriving micro-founded supply behavior. Results show strong spatial heterogeneity and a systematic divergence between “capacity leaders” and “cost leaders.” Capacity–cost envelopes highlight extensive low-cost clusters in Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe & Central Asia (with concentration in Central Asia), and North America, with additional but smaller clusters in East Asia & Pacific, Latin America & Caribbean, the Middle East & North Africa, and South Asia. Pixel-level econometrics reveals that: (i) in Europe & Central Asia and in Latin America & Caribbean, MC typically remains below AC over wide ranges, indicating persistent economies of scale; (ii) in North America, AC curves are U-shaped with steep MC rises beyond Q∗ , signaling pronounced diseconomies at high output; (iii) in South Asia, most crops exhibit declining AC across the observed range (strong economies), while Miscanthus shows a mild U-shape; (iv) in Sub-Saharan Africa, Miscanthus displays exceptionally flat and low AC at small efficient scales, whereas other crops face early diseconomies; and (v) in East Asia & Pacific, only MC is identified, serving as the regional supply curve. Across regions, Miscanthus and Switchgrass often anchor the lower cost envelope, while Eucalyptus, Poplar, and Willow tend to occupy higher cost segments. Therefore, policy and investment decisions should be sequenced: use capacity–cost envelopes for strategic targeting and portfolio sizing, then rely on pixel-level AC/MC and Q∗ to guide fine-grained siting, contracting, and risk-aware scaling Saadaoui Siwar, Garcia Serge, Benoît Gabrielle, Thierry BRUNELLE 2026-01-07 17:18:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8363797/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:15:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8363797/v1 Cities are central to climate action, yet the highly local nature of urban case studies limits the generalizability of climate solutions across diverse contexts. Here, we develop a data-driven typology of 11,000 cities based on 12 structural characteristics and statistically identify four types of cities that focus on development, urban planning, mitigation, or are megacities. Linking this typology to more than 100,000 scientific case studies reveals strong regional patterns and substantial evidence gaps, particularly in cities with planning needs, despite high potentials for solution transfer learning. Using ten type- and region-representative cities, we exemplify how the typology enables systematic learning: cities with development and urban planning priorities primarily draw on adaptation and basic need solutions for water security, heat management, and resilient spatial planning; Wealthier and mature global north cities can rely more balanced solution portfolios involving, for instance, building retrofits, low-carbon mobility, and technological solutions; Megacities require coordinated, cross-sectoral strategies that combine infrastructure renewal with nature-based and socio-institutional approaches that are reflected in available solution evidence. Our typology offers a scalable basis for matching climate solutions to city needs, improving evidence synthesis, and IPCC assessments. Simon Montfort, Florian Nachtigall, Tim Repke, Claudia Binder, Felix Creutzig 2026-01-07 17:15:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8356249/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:06:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8356249/v1 Conventional Nafion-based ionic actuators suffer from hydration-dependent ion transport and a long-standing trade-off between ionic conductivity and mechanical stiffness, which fundamentally limits force generation and prevents stable high-frequency operation. Here, we introduce a PEG-silica hybridized ionic electroactive Nafion (Ps-iEN) that forms a continuous fibrillar ion-transport network, enhances interfacial ion dissociation, and suppresses ionic liquid induced matrix softening. This molecular architecture enables the simultaneous enhancement of ionic mobility and mechanical rigidity, thereby overcoming the intrinsic limitations of traditional Nafion systems. Actuators incorporating Ps-iEN exhibit higher blocking force at low driving voltages, maintain stable actuation up to 50 Hz, and demonstrate long-term operational durability exceeding 30,000 cycles. The optimized Ps(15)-iEN actuator further reproduces distinct frequency-dependent motion modes, corresponding to single-twitch, pulsed, and partially fused contractions in skeletal muscle, demonstrating muscle-inspired multi-frequency actuation. Together, these findings establish Ps-iEN as a robust, energy-efficient electrolyte platform for high-bandwidth artificial soft muscles, wearable haptic interfaces, and fiber-integrated soft robotic electronics. Do Hwan Kim, So Young Kim, Jeong Sub Lim, Hanbin Choi, Minjeong Kim, Wonjun Beak 2026-01-07 17:06:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8512243/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 17:05:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8512243/v1 The nucleophilic aryl 18F-fluorination of catechol derivatives has long presented a challenge due to the repulsion of the high electron density aromatic ring against the attack of 18F-fluoride, which has limited the development and production of PET tracers. Here, we report a photocatalyzed aryl 18F-deoxyfluorination strategy for the efficient 18F-labeling of the catechol moiety, facilitating the synthesis of the PET tracer [18F]FDOPA. The challenging direct nucleophilic 18F-fluorination was ultimately achieved by fine-tuning the electronic properties of the aromatic ring with different O-derived leaving groups to align with the photocatalysis system. Various precursors were rapidly prepared and investigated under azeotropic drying-free photolabeling conditions, with several precursors showing notable potential for the synthesis of [18F]FDOPA. The substrate 3i, which bears a 4,5-dicyano-2-fluorophenoxy leaving group and demonstrates excellent 18F-deoxyfluorination efficiency, was selected for further optimization towards scale-up synthesis. The [18F]FDOPA was successfully produced in 16.5% - 21.2% (n = 5) non-decay corrected RCY within 80 minutes with 6.45 ± 2.39 Ci/μmol molar activity on a commercial radiosynthesis module using an innovative RFTA photocatalyst. The readily available and stable precursor makes this transition-metal-free approach an attractive routine for the daily production of [18F]FDOPA with high molar activity, which also paves the way for the nucleophilic 18F-fluorination of other catechol derivatives. Mingxing Hu, Yueqi Wang, Zheng Cheng, Yarong Cao, Kai Lu, Yang Xie, Lili Pan, Xiaoai Wu, Hongbao Sun, Minggang Su, Wei Chen 2026-01-07 17:05:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491743/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:57:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491743/v1 INTRODUCTION: Research on the potential role of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) as risk factors for Lewy body dementia (LBD) is limited, and findings from existing studies remain inconclusive. We investigated the geospatial patterns of CMDs and the association with LBD across the United States (U.S.).METHODS We performed an observational case-control study using a nationwide, population-based Medicare dataset of 75,847 incident LBD and 379,235 controls from 2017 and 2018 and computed the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between eight CMDs and LBD, adjusted for age, sex, race, smoking, healthcare utilization, and area deprivation index. At the county-level, we computed and mapped the standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of LBD. We then computed the standardized prevalence ratios (SPRs) for the CMDs that were positively associated with LBD to investigate the geospatial patterns of the association between these CMDs and LBD across the U.S.RESULTS Compared to controls, our LBD cases were older and male. Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander beneficiaries had higher odds of LBD compared to the non-Hispanic White beneficiaries. Of the eight CMDs examined, stroke (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.95–2.02) was positively associated with LBD risk, while the other CMDs were inversely associated with LBD risk. There was a substantial geographic variation of prevalent stroke and incident LBD across the U.S., with the highest spatial correlation in the South and Central Appalachia.DISCUSSION Stroke is associated with a higher LBD risk. We observed higher SIRs for LBD and SPRs for stroke among beneficiaries living in the Southern U.S. George K. Karway, Brittany Krzyzanowski, Jordan A. Killion, Irene M. Faust, Osvaldo J. Laurido-Soto, Brad A. Racette 2026-01-07 16:57:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8518875/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:35:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8518875/v1 Mixed and weakly lane-disciplined traffic systems pose a significant challenge for data-driven transportation analysis, as conventional lane-based models fail to capture heterogeneous space usage and congestion dynamics. This limitation is particularly acute in cities where high-resolution traffic data increasingly reveal complex, non-lane-based vehicle interactions that are poorly represented by standard analytical tools. This paper proposes a network-level simulation framework for mixed, lane-free urban traffic based on the concept of area occupancy, which quantifies congestion through collective road space usage rather than lane-based density. The framework integrates class-specific vehicle characteristics, intersection-level space constraints, and network-wide flow propagation within a scalable computational structure. This is particularly useful in multi-class environments where different vehicle types may experience and contribute to congestion differently. The model was first validated on two hypothetical networks with one-way and two way links to ensure proper flow propagation and flow conservation within the network. To demonstrate scalability and robustness, the framework was applied to the Sioux Falls network. To demonstrate model’s potential for real-world traffic assignment in complex urban environments, the framework is applied to a selected network in Jodhpur City, India. By bridging traffic flow modelling with data-oriented simulation, this study provides a methodological foundation for more realistic congestion analysis and traffic assignment in mixed traffic environments. Ranju Mohan, Saransh Sahu 2026-01-07 16:35:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8260439/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:28:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8260439/v1 Few-Shot Remote Sensing Image Scene Classification (FS-RSISC) remains challenging due to scarce labeled data, severe intra-class variation, and high inter-class similarity inherent in remote sensing imagery. To address these issues, we propose a probabilistic reformulation of FS-RSISC that moves beyond rigid point-based prototypes by modeling each class as a probability distribution over the hyperspherical feature space. Specifically, we recast category representation as a density estimation problem on the unit hypersphere and adopt the von Mises–Fisher (vMF) distribution to capture both semantic uncertainty and feature diversity. We develop a Bayesian-inspired parameter estimation pipeline that initializes vMF parameters using CLIP-derived cross-modal embeddings as semantic priors and progressively refines them via data augmentation and a Mixture-of-Experts based adapter tuning mechanism, enabling robust adaptation under few-shot constraints. Furthermore, we propose two loss functions specifically formulated for the vMF distribution that exploit the geometry of the hypersphere: an Intra-Class Compactness (ICC) loss that leverages the concentration parameter to impose angularly adaptive regularization and enhance feature concentration around semantic centroids, and an Inter-Class Repulsion (ICR) loss that explicitly maximizes angular separation between class centroids to mitigate inter-class overlap. Extensive experiments on three standard benchmarks demonstrate that our method consistently outperforms existing state-of-the-art approaches, establishing a principled and effective framework for FS-RSISC. Zhong Ji, Ci Liu, Hongsheng Zhang, Chen Tang, Yanwei Pang 2026-01-07 16:28:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8158483/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:24:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8158483/v1 The time spent on household chores is a factor that can affect salaries. Women are the main responsible for this activity and they are also the ones who face the greatest problems in the job market due to time constraints. This article analyzes how the time spent on household chores by the individual and the partner influences wages in the labor market. Being the first analysis carried out in this sense for Brazil, the results suggest that women’s housework significantly reduces their wages, while men’s contributions to chores have a smaller effect on their own wages. Despite women’s greater domestic workload, men’s increased free time does not translate into higher wages. On the other hand, men’s household chores positively impact women’s wages. These patterns suggest that encouraging men’s involvement in chores could help reduce the gender wage gap. JEL Code: J22, J16, J31, D13, C26 Maria Victoria Garcia Rosa, Flaviane Santiago, Kênia Barreiro de Souza 2026-01-07 16:24:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7893264/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:19:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7893264/v1 Background Obstructive uropathy remains a major contributor to pediatric chronic kidney disease. Reliable biomarkers that predict disease progression or recovery are still lacking. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), known for its anti-fibrotic and renoprotective properties, has been proposed as a promising biomarker in renal injury. This study aimed to assess serum and urinary BMP-7 levels in pediatric obstructive uropathy and to evaluate its potential diagnostic and prognostic significance.Methods This prospective observational study enrolled 200 pediatric patients with obstructive uropathy (including UPJO, UVJO, and PUV) and 200 healthy controls. Serum and urinary BMP-7 levels were measured before and three months after surgery using a human BMP-7 ELISA kit (Zellbio). Comparisons were made between groups and between pre- and postoperative measurements using appropriate statistical analyses.Results Urinary BMP-7 levels were marginally higher and serum BMP-7 levels slightly lower in patients than in controls; however, these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Postoperative evaluations revealed a minor decrease in urinary BMP-7 and a mild increase in serum BMP-7, but again without statistical significance. No significant variations were found among obstruction subtypes (UPJO, UVJO, PUV).Conclusion While BMP-7 plays a recognized role in renal repair in experimental models, its clinical diagnostic and prognostic utility in pediatric obstructive uropathy appears limited. Future research incorporating additional biomarkers and longer follow-up may further elucidate BMP-7’s potential in predicting renal recovery and fibrosis modulation. Mehdi Shirazi, Seyed Hossein Hosseini, Maryam Salehi, Sania Shirazi 2026-01-07 16:19:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7696094/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:18:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7696094/v1 This research addressed the need for effective strategies to increase student proficiency and learning competencies by reducing victim mentality in academic settings. Victim mentality is a state of mind in which individuals feel helpless or that the world is against them. The characterization of a victim mentality is predicated on the tendency to shift the blame for academic performance to external factors and perceived limitations, which can significantly impact student achievement and morale. This research study also addressed the role of academic culture, environment, and instructor interactions that can either cultivate or mitigate this state of mind. By understanding the cognitive concepts associated with victim mentality among students, instructors can identify components that build competence and resilience for students. The findings indicated that students with higher levels of resilience experienced increased academic performance. Similarly, students with higher levels of self-victimization experienced lower academic performance. Brandon L. Dinkins¹, Tecoye E. Dinkins², Mary K. Lannon³ 2026-01-07 16:18:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485067/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:18:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485067/v1 Industry 4.0 has transformed manufacturing processes to be more reliant on computers. In this Industry 4.0 era, there is a growing demand for increased automation and digitization. Due to intense competition within the manufacturing sector and the ever-changing customer market, companies are compelled to adopt the principles of Industry 4.0 in their operations. In this paper, an artificial intelligence-based setup planning system is developed to generate minimum number of setups of prismatic parts to a machine on 3-axis and 4-axis milling machines. The CAD of the prismatic part is given as input to IMPlanner (Intelligent Manufacturing Planner) system to map the features and generate alternate processes. The Rule Based-Setup Planning system (RB-SPS Expert System) uses the input from IMPlanner to automatically generate minimum number of setups for 3-axis and 4axis milling machines, which supports industry 4.0. The important constraints - feature precedence and tolerance relations have been considered to create setup plan. The case studies are presented to demonstrate the capabilities and integration between the various modules of the system. Mayur Wakhare, Dusan Sormaz, Mandvi Fuloria 2026-01-07 16:18:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8479273/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:09:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8479273/v1 Challenges such as perishability and low prices of agricultural products, rising production costs, and fluctuations in markets decrease producers’ ability to set prices effectively. However, demand driven by agricultural tourists’ willingness to pay plays a crucial role in determining equilibrium prices. Agritourism, by enabling tourists to visit orchards and directly harvest products themselves (pick-your-own method), allows farmers to sell products directly and assign a higher value to them. The present study aims to estimate the willingness to pay of agricultural tourists for grape products (seedless white and seedless red varieties) and raisin products (sun-dried and sour raisin types), as well as to evaluate the added value generated by Agritourism in Takestan County, Iran. Data were collected through a combination of literature review and a field survey with 140 questionnaires completed by tourists attending the Takestan Grape Festival and transient tourists passing through the area. For data analysis, the Contingent Valuation Method with a Double-Bound Dichotomous Choice developed by Lopez-Feldman in Stata software. Results revealed mean willingness-to-pay values per kilogram of seedless white grape, seedless red grape, sun-dried raisin, and sour raisin as 461,125 IRR, 539,953 IRR, 1,117,309 IRR and 1,527,314 IRR, respectively. Variables such as age, income, and intention to stay overnight showed significant positive correlations with WTP for seedless white and seedless red grapes, additionally, these variables plus gender and distance from residence exhibited significant positive effects on WTP for sun-dried and sour raisin products. Sales through Agritourism could increase orchard income by 38%, 36%, 13% and 15% for seedless white grape, seedless red grape, sun-dried raisin, and sour raisin, respectively. These findings highlight the substantial economic benefits of Agritourism compared to traditional agricultural sales involving intermediaries and middlemen. Rezvan Rahmani, Mohammad Hassan Vakilpoor, Sadegh Khalilian, Seyed Habibollah Mousavi, Arashk Masaeli 2026-01-07 16:09:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8493289/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:06:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8493289/v1 Rainfall variability in Ethiopia is strongly influenced by large-scale sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, notably the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). This study examines June–September (JJAS) rainfall from 1991 to 2020 using multiple datasets and statistical methods, including t-tests, empirical orthogonal functions (EOF), composite analysis, correlation, and linear regression. The first EOF captures 64.4% of total rainfall variance and shows contrasting variability between northwest and southeast regions, effectively representing interannual JJAS rainfall patterns. Circulation analyses reveal that above-average rainfall is associated with lower pressure systems, enhanced convection, anomalous convergent flows, and positive water flux anomalies, while below-average rainfall corresponds to opposite conditions. ENSO shows a significant correlation with JJAS rainfall (r = − 0.66), while IOD exhibits a weaker but regionally relevant influence (r = 0.2), particularly in eastern Ethiopia. Warm SST anomalies in the central equatorial Pacific (El Niño) induce high pressure, positive outgoing long wave radiation, and subsidence over Ethiopia, reducing rainfall, whereas La Niña conditions enhance rainfall. IOD phases modulate low-level convergence and divergence patterns, further influencing regional precipitation. These results highlight the complex interplay between ENSO, IOD, and tropical circulation in shaping Ethiopia’s main rainy season, providing critical insights for planning, mitigation, and climate adaptation strategies. Habtam Jenberu Wassie, Tan Guirong 2026-01-07 16:06:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8478181/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:05:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8478181/v1 A sustainable dual-extract green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) is reported using Coriandrum sativum stem extract and Citrus sinensis pith extract—two underutilized kitchen by-products. Unlike conventional chemical routes and single-extract green syntheses, this synergistic dual-extract approach exploits complementary phytochemicals to achieve enhanced control over nucleation, growth, and stabilization of ZnO nanoparticles. Zinc acetate was employed as the precursor under alkaline conditions, followed by controlled calcination to obtain highly crystalline ZnO NPs. Phenolics and terpenoids from coriander stems facilitated Zn²⁺ reduction, while pectin and flavonoids from orange pith acted as efficient capping and stabilizing agents. Comprehensive characterization confirmed the formation of spherical, monodisperse ZnO NPs with an average size of 24 nm (XRD, TEM) and a sharp UV–Vis absorption peak at 373 nm, corresponding to the wurtzite ZnO phase. FTIR analysis revealed persistent phytochemical functional groups (O–H, C = O, C–O–C), confirming effective surface passivation, while zeta potential measurements (− 28.6 mV) demonstrated excellent colloidal stability. Comparative evaluation with reported green syntheses shows that the present dual-extract system yields smaller and more stable ZnO NPs than single-extract methods. The resulting physicochemical features—uniform size, high surface area, and biocompatible surface chemistry—render these ZnO NPs promising for biomedical applications, particularly anticancer and antidiabetic platforms. This work establishes a reproducible, scalable, and eco-friendly route for high-quality ZnO nanoparticle synthesis with translational potential. P NAVEEN, Dr Gopi Mamidi, Dr A Indira Priyadarsini 2026-01-07 16:05:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8465930/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 16:02:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8465930/v1 Organic agriculture is a growing market worldwide, expanding by 4–6% annually. One of the burgeoning areas in organic agriculture is within Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait; however, there remains a lack of comprehensive data on pricing. Pricing dynamics should be systematically investigated to provide insights that help farmers, consumers, agribusinesses, and policymakers make informed decisions and strengthen market development. This two-year study analyzed the pricing of five key household vegetables in Kuwait—cucumber, lettuce, tomato, onion, and garlic—during the winter seasons of 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 across five major retail outlets. A total of 157 observations were standardized to Kuwaiti Dinar per kilogram (KD/kg) and analyzed using Welch’s t-test to compare organic versus conventional and local versus imported produce. Organic vegetables were all statistically different (p < 0.05) from conventional ones, averaging 4.73 KD/kg (~ USD 15.47) compared to 2.01 KD/kg (~ USD 6.58), yielding a mean premium of 2.48 KD/kg (~ USD 8.10) or 123%. Garlic showed the highest premium (455%), while tomatoes had the lowest (56%). Imported vegetables were also significantly more expensive (p = 0.003), averaging 3.26 KD/kg (~ USD 10.67) versus 2.08 KD/kg (~ USD 6.79) for local produce—a 1.19 KD/kg (~ USD 3.88) or 57% increase. Establishing publicly accessible price reports could improve market transparency, enhance competitiveness, and support government efforts to strengthen local production while offering consumers fairer pricing and promoting sustainable agricultural development. Abdulrahman Al-Fraih -Public 2026-01-07 16:02:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8396245/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:58:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8396245/v1 Objective To analyze the changes in antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in bloodstream infections (BSIs) bloodstream infections (BSIs) between 2018 and 2024, and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these trends.Methods A total of 575 S. aureus and 1,014 CoNS isolates were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic characteristics and resistance rates to 16 antimicrobial agents were compared. Statistical analyses included the chi-square (χ2) test and Mann-Kendall trend analysis.Results CoNS infections were more common in minors and the elderly, while S. aureus predominated in young and middle-aged adults. CoNS exhibited higher resistance rates to most antimicrobials compared to S. aureus, with Methicillin-Resistant CoNS (MRCNS) detection rates exceeding 70%. An increasing trend in resistance was observed for penicillin G in S. aureus and for fluoroquinolones in CoNS. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, resistance rates to several agents—such as penicillin G, clindamycin, and ciprofloxacin—further increased in both groups. No resistance to linezolid, vancomycin, or tigecycline was detected.Conclusion The resistance profile of staphylococci in bloodstream infections has intensified, with the COVID-19 pandemic contributing to increased resistance rates for certain antimicrobials. Continuous surveillance is essential to guide appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Yan Wu, Mengjun Zhou 2026-01-07 15:58:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8518807/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:52:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8518807/v1 BACKGROUND: Self-medication is a common practice among university students, mainly among medical students, for minor illnesses and without consultation with healthcare professionals. Self-medication especially the use of antibiotics can lead to public health risks such as antibiotics resistance. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 100 university students using a self-reported questionnaire. The study collected information on self-medication for minor illnesses. Data were analyzed for frequency, percentage, and the association between field of study and self-medication practices. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-medication was 62% with 67% among medical students and 45% among non-medical students. Headache was reported by 96% of students. Analgesics and antibiotics were the most commonly used medicines with 42% of students using antibiotics without a prescription. The main reasons for self-medication were previous experience, old prescriptions, and easy access from pharmacies. About one-third of students reported side effects. A statistically significant association was found between field of study and self-medication (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Self-medication is highly widespread among university students especially medical students. This behavior plays serious health risks, particularly due to unsupervised use of antibiotics. Education, awareness campaigns, and strict regulations on over-the-counter medicines are recommended to reduce the unprofessional use of self-medication practices. Najam Ali 2026-01-07 15:52:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8326789/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:50:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8326789/v1 Background Functional sexual and reproductive health (SRH) literacy is fundamental to informed decision-making among adolescents. Yet existing measures hardly address the needs of low-literate populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study developed and validated a test of Functional Literacy in SRH (TOFL-SRH), a contextually grounded instrument designed to assess functional SRH literacy among Ghanaian adolescents with varying literacy levels.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 613 adolescents from public basic schools. The 37-item TOFL-SRH, scored dichotomously, was evaluated using the Rasch model. Analyses included item difficulty and person ability estimation, infit and outfit statistics, reliability and separation indices, and principal components analysis (PCA) of standardized residuals to assess unidimensionality. Local independence was evaluated using MADaQ3 and residual correlations. A Wright map was constructed to examine item, person targeting. Known-group validity was assessed using Welch’s t-test and effect sizes for grade level, gender, and age.Results The instrument demonstrated strong unidimensionality, with only the first contrast in the PCA exceeding an eigenvalue of 2.0. Local independence was supported by a low MADaQ3 value (0.054) and no item-pair residual correlations above 0.20. Item difficulty estimates ranged from − 1.74 to + 1.76 logits, emphasizing broad coverage of the latent trait. Fit statistics fell within acceptable thresholds, and item reliability (0.99) and person reliability (0.77) indicated stable measurement. The Wright map demonstrated good alignment between item difficulty and student ability levels. Known-group validity showed significant differences by grade level (p < 0.001) and age (p = 0.003). The non-significant difference by gender (p = 0.886), supports the instrument’s discriminative and unbiased functioning.Conclusion The TOFL-SRH is a psychometrically robust, culturally appropriate instrument for evaluating functional SRH literacy among low-literate adolescents. The strong measurement properties and practical relevance make it suitable for identifying literacy gaps, guiding SRH education, and evaluating interventions in resource-limited settings. Jacqueline Nkrumah, Emmanuel Akwasi Ahenfo, John Foster Atta-Doku, Rodney Buadi Nkrumah, Emmanuel Kumah 2026-01-07 15:50:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8348267/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:45:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8348267/v1 As spaceflight-induced bone deterioration at weight-bearing sites poses a serious health risk, astronauts are routinely monitored using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). To prevent compromised long-term skeletal integrity, both a timely and precise detection of alterations, and the implementation of effective countermeasures are required. Artificial gravity (AG) has emerged as a promising multi-system approach to mitigate microgravity-related deconditioning. The Artificial Gravity Bed Rest Study with the European Space Agency (AGBRESA) is a clinical prospective trial in which 24 healthy participants (average age 33 ± 9 years, average weight 74 ± 10 kg) were exposed to a 60-day 6° head down tilt bed rest (HDT) as a ground-based analogue. Stratified randomization allocated participants to a control (Ctrl) group without AG exposure, a continuous AG (cAG) group exposed to AG 30 min/d, and an intermittent AG (iAG) group receiving AG 6 × 5 min/day with 3 min rest intervals between runs. This study differentially assessed whether exposure to cAG or iAG via short-arm centrifugation can mitigate deterioration at the right proximal femur during HDT, and whether quantitative computed tomography (QCT) improves the detection of disuse-induced bone alterations compared to DXA. Here we show that QCT indeed provided valuable insights into adaptations at the proximal femur to unloading with and without exposure to AG. With its limited spatial resolution, DXA detected a significant areal bone mineral density decline at the total hip region solely in Ctrl (–2.2 %, p < 0.001), while no significant changes were detected in either AG group. In contrast, QCT revealed region-specific bone loss across all groups, with trabecular volumetric bone mineral density declining at the femoral head, neck, and trochanter, alongside cortical thinning at the femoral neck and proximal shaft. Exploratory analyses suggest that each AG protocol shaped distinct predominant local mechanoadaptive responses. While iAG was associated with a more physiologically coherent attenuation of bone loss, cAG responses were characterized by a prominent axial redistribution of bone mass. Our results demonstrate that passive AG exposure provides limited mitigation to disuse-induced deterioration at the proximal femur. The approach of combining AG with active exercise is expected to enhance skeletal protection and is being explored in follow-up trials such as BRACE and BRAVE. Lastly, our findings challenge the status of DXA as the gold standard for bone monitoring in spaceflight analogues and highlight the importance of volumetric bone imaging for guiding personalized countermeasure strategies and optimizing skeletal protection in future long-duration missions. Franzisca Kopanev, Roswitha Dietzel, Torsten Diekhoff, Patrick Lau, Edwin Mulder, Klaus Engelke, Gabriele Armbrecht 2026-01-07 15:45:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8248763/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:34:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8248763/v1 As a convenient and efficient passive-source geophysical method, microtremor exploration is widely used. The traditional Extended Spatial Autocorrelation (ESPAC) method tends to generate high-frequency cross-artifacts with sparse arrays. Although the Modified ESPAC (M-ESPAC) method can eliminate these artifacts, its inversion depth (less than twice the array radius) is much lower than ESPAC’s 3-5 times. To resolve this contradiction, this paper proposes a Further Modified ESPAC (FM-ESPAC) method based on cross-correlation spectrum adaptive segmental fitting. First, it defines the first intersection frequency f01 between the cross-correlation curve and the frequency axis as the adaptive segmentation threshold. Then, adaptive segmental fitting is performed using f01: the low-frequency band (f ≤ f01) adopts ESPAC’s zero-order Bessel function J0 fitting to retain low-frequency responses, while the high-frequency band (f > f01) uses M-ESPAC’s analytic signal and first-kind zero-order Hankel function H0(1) fitting to eliminate cross artifacts. Finally, the array-averaged dispersion spectrum is obtained via superposition and normalization. Simulation experiments (triangular/linear arrays) and practical cases (Enshi geothermal exploration, Antarctic ice sheet detection) verify that FM-ESPAC not only eliminates high-frequency cross-artifacts but also inherits ESPAC’s low-frequency information to ensure inversion depth, showing significant advantages for sparse arrays and insufficient spatial sampling. Mingming WU, Lianghong Zhang, Hesheng Zeng, Zhixian Gui, Guixi Liu 2026-01-07 15:34:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484657/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:30:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484657/v1 In the late stage of terrestrial planet formation planetary embryos grow to planets due to collisions with other planetary embryos or planetesimals. These collisions have to be accretive for growth. Due to perturbations by a secondary star, relative velocities among the disk objects may be increased and hence collisions may become destructive. In this work, we implemented the analytic model for predicting the collision outcomes by Leinhardt & Stewart (2012) (LS12) in our GPU parallelized N-body code GANBISS. We carried out N-body simulations of a fully interacting planetary embryo-planetesimal disk consisting of 25 embryos and 1000 planetesimals in S-type motion in various binary star configurations and comparing the LS12 collision outcomes with the perfect merging approach and subsequent analysis of the collisions in a post-processing step. Overall more destructive collisions occur in the simulations when applying the LS12 model. Additionally, we find in some binary configurations a significant mass loss due to destructive collisions, when applying the LS12 model. Maximilian Zimmermann, Elke Pilat-Lohinger 2026-01-07 15:30:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8460373/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:26:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8460373/v1 Background: Early maladaptive schemas (EMS) are considered a vulnerability marker in a wide range of psychological disorders, particularly depressive disorders. This study aims to to evaluate the effects of antidepressant treatment on these cognitive schemas and to study the relationships between EMS and demographic and clinical factors in major depression. Methods: We conducted a three-month prospective study of 80 patients with a major depressive disorder according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V); who were treated with antidepressant medication. EMSs were assessed using the Arabic version of the Young Schema Questionnaire Short Form, and depression severity was measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale before and after 3 months of antidepressant treatment. Results: The EMSs with the highest scores in depressed subjects were: self-sacrifice, social isolation, emtional deprivation, and abandonment/instability schemas. After 3 months of antidepressant treatment, mean EMSs scores decreased significantly, with the exception of the Entitlement schema. A linear regression showed that baseline depression severity (Hamilton T0) did not predict changes in EMSs scores, except for the failure schema. Scores for all EMSs were not correlated with the initial severity of the depressive disorder or its severity after 3 months of treatment. Conclusion: Mean scores for most EMSs decreased significantly after 3 months of antidepressant treatment. These results underscore the importance of additional research on cognitive plasticity of EMSs and the mechanisms underlying treatment effects, which could inform more personalized and effective therapeutic strategies. Ahlem Hajri, Sirine Laabidi, Abdennour Karmous, Emira Khelifa, Mohamed Hajri, Tarak Dahouadi, Haifa Zalila, Amira Maamri 2026-01-07 15:26:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8407071/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:25:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8407071/v1 Purpose: Chrysin (CH), a naturally occurring flavonoid found in various traditional medicinal plants and bee products, has been reported to possess antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. These properties may offer therapeutic potential in epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder frequently accompanied by cognitive impairment and oxidative stress. To evaluate the anticonvulsant, antioxidative, and cognitive-protective effects of chrysin in experimental models of epilepsy.Materials and methods: The effects of CH were assessed using three established rodent models: pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures, maximal electroshock (MES)-induced seizures, and PTZ-induced kindling. Seizure severity, protection percentage, and progression of kindling were recorded. Cognitive performance was evaluated across all models, and biochemical assays were conducted to measure oxidative stress markers and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity.Results: CH (120 mg/kg) demonstrated robust anticonvulsant activity, offering 83.3% protection against generalized tonic–clonic seizures in the PTZ model and complete (100%) protection in the MES model. In PTZ-induced kindling, CH significantly attenuated epileptogenesis (mean seizure score = 1.66). All three models exhibited marked cognitive deficits, which were significantly improved by CH treatment. CH also effectively restored oxidative stress parameters and reversed the seizure-induced reduction in AChE activity.Conclusions: Chrysin exhibits potent anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects in multiple seizure models, mitigating seizure severity, oxidative stress, and associated cognitive deficits. These findings support the ethnopharmacological relevance of chrysin-containing natural products and highlight CH as a promising phytochemical candidate for managing epilepsy and its neurocognitive complications. Dr Sunil Kumar, Professor K.H. Reeta, Dr Pankaj Prabhakar, Dr Santenna Chenchula 2026-01-07 15:25:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8261053/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:24:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8261053/v1 Individuals with obesity exhibit higher rates of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life, and the severity of these issues often correlates with the degree of obesity. Similarly, patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) experience increased psychological distress, as both obesity and diabetes are independently associated with an increased risk of mood disturbances. Bariatric surgery (BS) is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, leading to substantial weight reduction and metabolic improvements. While many studies focus on long-term outcomes, emerging evidence suggests that psychological and personality changes may occur even in the short term. This study examines early (3–6 months) changes in mood, personality, and cognition in patients with T2D following BS. Significant reductions in depression and state anxiety scores were observed in the overall sample, particularly among women (p = 0.025, CI = [.59, 7.57]; p = .005, CI = [2.33, 10.73], respectively). An increase in extroversion was also found to be significant (p = 0.004, CI = [-2.37, − .56]), with further analysis suggesting that this effect was primarily driven by changes in the female subgroup. No significant cognitive changes were observed in either sex. Even within a short follow-up period, BS is associated with meaningful psychological improvements in subjects with obesity and diabetes. The observed increase in extroversion is particularly noteworthy, as personality traits are typically considered stable in adulthood. This highlights the potential of BS as an intervention that extends beyond weight reduction to enhance mental well-being, particularly in individuals with T2D. Yael Sofer, Shirley Roitman, Esther Osher, Odelia Elkana 2026-01-07 15:24:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8410190/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:12:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8410190/v1 A prominent hypothesis in neuroscience proposes that brains achieve optimal performance by operating near a critical point. However, this framework, which often assumes a universal critical point, fails to account for the extensive individual variability observed in neural dynamics and cognitive functions. These variabilities are not noise but rather an inherent manifestation of a fundamental systems-biology principle: the necessary trade-off between robustness and flexibility in human populations. Here, we propose that the Griffiths phase (GP), an extended critical regime synergically induced by two kinds of heterogeneities in brain network region and connectivity, offers a unified framework for brain criticality that better reconciles robustness and flexibility and accounts for individual variability. Using Human Connectome Project data and whole-brain modeling, we demonstrated that the synergic interplay between structural network modularity and regional heterogeneity in local excitability yields biologically viable GP featured with widely extended global excitability ranges, with an embedded optimal point that balances global/local information transmission. Crucially, an individual’s position within the GP gives rise to unique global network dynamics, which in turn confer a distinctive cognitive profile via flexible configuration of functional connectivity for segregation, integration, and balance between them. These results establish GP as an evolved adaptive mechanism resolving the robustness-flexibility trade-off, fulfilling diverse cognitive demands through individualized criticality landscapes, providing a new framework of brain criticality. Lianchun Yu, Kejian Wu, Dante Chialvo, Changsong Zhou 2026-01-07 15:12:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8530873/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:09:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8530873/v1 Understanding sentiment in social images requires integrating visual content with short text, where cross-modal conflicts are prevalent. We introduce CLARA, a parameter-efficient vision-language framework for multimodal sentiment analysis on image-text pairs. CLARA employs lightweight LoRA adapters on frozen encoders, coupled with multi-head co-attention for aligning visual regions and textual spans. A consistency-verification step refines the fused representation before classification. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art results on three diverse datasets: MVSA-Single (83.04% weighted F1), MVSA-Multiple (73.45% weighted F1), and HFM hate speech detection (87.82% macro F1), demonstrating effective generalization while maintaining parameter efficiency (7.45% trainable parameters). Here, we show that CLARA significantly improves neutral class prediction and provides well-calibrated predictions under modal disagreement. The implementation of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo. 17862924 and https://github.com/phuonglamgithub/CLARA Phuong Lam, Phan Thi Tuoi, Thien Khai Tran 2026-01-07 15:09:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8530701/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:07:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8530701/v1 This study investigates the causal relationships between current account deficit and budget deficit using annual data for Tunisia over the 1986-2018 period. The analysis relies on the ARDL-bounds testing approach to cointegration of Pesaran, Smith and Shin (2001), and the Granger non-causality tests of Toda and Yamamoto (1995). The ARDL procedure confirms the existence of long-run and short-run relationships between the current account deficit and the budget deficit. Besides, Granger non-causality tests upheld the presence of the twin deficit hypothesis. Our empirical findings hold important policy implications; they suggest that the Tunisian government should implement a range of measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit in order to help correct the current account deficit. JEL Classifications: C32, E62, F32, H62 Makrem Ben Doudou 2026-01-07 15:07:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406328/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:05:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406328/v1 Despite durable viral suppression, cellular sources of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) persistence in human lymphoid tissues remain uncharacterized, with germinal center (GC) macrophages representing an understudied, potentially noteworthy reservoir population. Using integrated spatial, phenotypic, and molecular profiling of 42 excisional lymph nodes (LNs) from 39 individuals living with HIV-1 Clade C, including 25 under suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), we reveal that GC macrophages harbor HIV-1 DNA, RNA, and proteins, defining them as a functional HIV reservoir. Super-plex imaging confirms HIV co-localization with GC macrophages, which were predominantly IBA-1+CD68+and CD206-CD163-. Among individuals with sustained viral suppression, the presence of proviral DNA (3/6) and inducible multiply spliced HIV-1 RNA (3/3) confirms that LN-resident myeloid cells serve as inducible HIV-1 reservoirs. These reservoirs were markedly enriched in the LNs, with both CD4⁺ and myeloid compartments showing higher inducible activity than their peripheral blood counterparts. While CD4⁺ T cells remain the predominant source of inducible, replication-competent HIV, our detection of a LN myeloid reservoir underscores the imperative to redesign cure approaches to eliminate reservoirs across both CD4⁺ T cell and myeloid lineages. Zaza Ndhlovu, Merantha Moodley, Tanvir Hossain, Caroline Chasara, Trevor Khaba, Bongiwe Mahlobo, Nicole Reddy, Kavidha Reddy, Thandekile Ngubane, Johan Pansegrouw, Crystal Mendoza, Paradise Madlala, Thumbi Ndung'u, Tokameh Mahmoudi 2026-01-07 15:05:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457560/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:04:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457560/v1 The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and mobile computing has enabled real-time music analysis; however, accurate musical note and instrument recognition on mobile devices remains challenging due to limited computational resources, noisy audio, and strict latency constraints. This paper presents Instrumaster, a unified mobile framework for real-time musical note and instrument recognition that integrates robust audio preprocessing, feature engineering, and efficient inference. Musical note recognition is evaluated using LSTM, CNN, Feedforward Neural Network (FNN), and Logistic Regression models, while instrument recognition is performed using a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). Experiments conducted on the MusicNet and NSynth datasets demonstrate that sequential models effectively capture temporal dependencies, while classical machine learning approaches can achieve competitive performance with significantly lower computational complexity. Notably, Logistic Regression achieves strong accuracy under limited data conditions, highlighting the importance of informed model selection for mobile deployment. Overall, the results provide practical insights into accuracy–efficiency trade-offs and establish a reference framework for designing reliable and real-time mobile music recognition systems. Tarek Ammar, Aya Alaya, Tarek Barhoum 2026-01-07 15:04:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443551/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 15:04:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443551/v1 Online group learning (OGL) may be affected by socio-emotional challenges associated with social and interactional barriers in online settings, which can elicit negative emotions among learners. Effective emotion regulation (ER) appears to be a crucial factor in supporting productive collaboration. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), offer potential avenues for ER support in OGL; however, empirical guidance on the design and implementation of such tools remains limited. To begin addressing this gap, the present study examined the use of a default GPT-4 chatbot implemented within an OGL setting as an ER support agent. Chatbot outputs and user experience survey responses were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach combining deductive content analysis, qualitative thematic analysis, and descriptive quantitative measures. Results indicated that most chatbot outputs contained theory-aligned ER components, with socially shared and co-regulated learning strategies occurring more frequently than individual-level ER strategies. User experience findings indicated moderate usability and mixed perceptions of the chatbot’s effectiveness, with qualitative feedback emphasizing the influence of delivery characteristics such as timing and verbosity of the chatbot’s responses. Taken together, the findings suggest that while default LLM-based agents may offer a feasible foundation for ER support in OGL, careful interaction design and theory-aligned refinement are critical for enhancing acceptability and practical value. Erfan Jalili Jalal, Maartje Henderikx, Karel Kreijns, Rolands Klemke 2026-01-07 15:04:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8521538/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:51:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8521538/v1 Background and Purpose Regarding the direct connection between nurses and patients and the increasing focus on promoting professional behavior, it is highly critical to recognize and examine the factors influencing professional behavior. Cognitive dissonance arises when two or more cognitive elements are conflicting and is followed by psychophysiological impacts and may affect behavior. Thus, the current study was conducted pursuing the goal to find out the relationship between professional behavior and cognitive dissonance among the nurses working in the teaching hospitals of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.Material and Methods In this descriptive-analytical study, 235 nurses working in the wards of teaching hospitals affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences were randomly selected by stratified sampling method. The study tools encompassed a demographic checklist, Harmon-Jones Dissonance Arousal and Reduction Questionnaire (DARQ), and Goze,s Nursing Students Professional Behavior Scale(NSPBS). The statistical analysis was done by descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression using SPSS-22. In all cases of statistical analysis, the level of significance less than or equal to 0.05 (P ≤ 0.05) was taken into account.Results The current study drawn results revealed that 80.9% of nurses were women with the mean age and work experience of 32.90 ± 7.74 and 8.43 ± 7.46, respectively. Besides, the participants’ nursing professional behavior score was 109.79 ± 14.55 and cognitive dissonance score was 83.11 ± 9.45. The findings also reported a direct significant relationship between professional behavior and cognitive dissonance reduction (increased score) (P = 0.00, r = 0.256).Conclusion The study findings displayed the mean score of nursing professional behavior as high, and the mean score of cognitive dissonance was in the range of dissonance reduction. In other words, the higher the mean score of Dissonance Arousal And Reduction Questionnaire, the lower the level of dissonance-induced arousal and higher ability to reduce negative dissonance-induced feelings(defind as consonant cognition). Maryam Asri, Abolfazl Hossein-Nataj, Vida Shafipour, Hamideh Azimi Lolaty 2026-01-07 14:51:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484276/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:47:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484276/v1 Background: Early skin cancer detection improves outcomes, but access to dermatology screening remains limited. Many AI systems rely on cloud inference, raising privacy concerns and restricting use in low-connectivity settings. Methods: We present SkinGuardian, an on-device benign–malignant skin lesion classifier that integrates four trustworthiness dimensions: fairnessaware learning, adversarial robustness, differential privacy, and explainability. We fine-tune a BEiT vision transformer on ISIC 2019 and Fitzpatrick17k (train/validation only; test held out for subgroup evaluation), and deploy via ONNX Runtime with INT8 weights-only quantization. Results: SkinGuardian-Clean achieves AUROC 0.956 on ISIC 2019, and generalizes to the SIIM-ISIC 2020 melanoma setting with AUROC 0.927; at the ISIC-2019-tuned operating threshold, accuracy is 85.4%. Fairness mitigation reduces demographic parity difference on Fitzpatrick17k from 0.12 to 0.04 and equalized odds difference from 0.15 to 0.05. SkinGuardian-Robust attains 74.8% robust accuracy against PGD-10 (ϵ = 8/255; clean 87.1%). With DPSGD, accuracy remains 86.1% at ϵ = 1 (δ = 1/N) on ISIC 2019. On-device inference achieves p95 ≤160 ms with INT8. Conclusion: SkinGuardian demonstrates a practical, privacy-preserving and equitable on-device screening research prototype and is not a standalone diagnostic device. Aayush Kumar, Fahad Salim Dalwai 2026-01-07 14:47:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8518340/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:45:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8518340/v1 Sign language processing remains challenging due to the scarcity of large, well-annotated datasets and the strong linguistic specificity of sign languages across regions. Most existing sign language recognition and translation systems rely on gloss or text supervision, limiting their applicability to low-resource sign languages where such annotations are unavailable. In this work, we propose a pose-based contrastive representation-learning framework that learns sign language representations purely from articulatory structure, without relying on text or gloss labels. Each sign video is represented as a sequence of pose landmarks extracted using MediaPipe and encoded using a Transformer-based temporal model trained with a supervised contrastive objective. The model is trained on the ASL Citizen dataset and evaluated in a zero-shot cross-lingual retrieval setting on the INCLUDE and LSA64 datasets, representing Indian and Argentinian Sign Languages respectively. Experimental results demonstrate strong embedding discrimination in pairwise evaluation and high zero-shot retrieval performance, achieving Recall @1 of 97.12 percent on LSA64 and 88.6 percent on INCLUDE, with Recall@5 and Recall@10 exceeding 96 percent on both datasets. These results indicate that articulatory pose information alone is sufficient to learn robust and transferable sign representations across languages. The proposed approach offers a scalable alternative for sign language understanding in under-resourced settings and provides a foundation for cross-lingual retrieval and similarity-based sign learning applications. Ushnish Sarkar, Bhaswar Chattopadhyay, Tapas Samanta, H.K Pandey, N.P. Yalagoud 2026-01-07 14:45:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8460808/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:43:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8460808/v1 Background Gardenia imperialis is used in Cameroonian traditional medicine to treat malaria and related symptoms. This study aimed to conduct a phytochemical investigation of G. imperialis extracts through bioassay-guided fractionation to identify anti-parasitic compounds.Methods Crude methanolic extracts from the leaves and stem bark were subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The structures of isolated natural products were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, including NMR and MS. All extracts, fractions, subfractions, and pure compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against Vero and Raw264.7 cell lines and for anti-parasitic activity against Plasmodium falciparum (Dd2 and 3D7 strains), Trypanosoma brucei brucei, and Leishmania donovani.Results The leaf methanolic extract (GIlMeOH) exhibited broad-spectrum anti-parasitic activity (IC₅₀ < 11 µg/mL) without cytotoxicity towards mammalian cell lines. Dereplication and isolation yielded fractions, subfractions, and compounds with improved activity (IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.67 to 37.2 µg/mL). Among the isolated compounds, gradenin A, salvigenin, hispidulin, and 5,7,3’-trihydroxy-6,4’,5’-trimethoxyflavone showed potent antitrypanosomal activity with IC₅₀ values of 2.8, 2.5, 16.6, and 9.7 µg/mL, respectively. The anti-parasitic activities of gradenin A, salvigenin, and 5,7,3’-trihydroxy-6,4’,5’-trimethoxyflavone are reported here for the first time.Conclusion The promising anti-parasitic profile of the G. imperialis leaf extract and its isolated constituents, particularly and 5,7,3’-trihydroxy-6,4’,5’-trimethoxyflavone, gradenin A, and salvigenin, supports further investigation into their potential as novel and selective agents against parasitic diseases. Christelle Wayoue Kom, Sylvester Osei Bobbie, Darline Dize, Mariscal Brice Tchatat Tali, Cyrille Armel Njanpa Ngansop, Lauve Rachel Tchokouaha Yamthe, Bill Baker, Fabrice Fekam Boyom 2026-01-07 14:43:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8512316/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:31:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8512316/v1 Background:The global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic is increasingly characterized by 'recycled' cases—patients who fail treatment or relapse, fueling transmission and drug resistance. Current diagnostic tools are inadequate for predicting these unfavorable outcomes at the point of care. While blood transcriptomic signatures have been developed, they typically lack mechanistic resolution, serving as 'black box' indicators of generalized inflammation rather than revealing actionable pathology.  Methods:We bridged this 'Resolution Gap' using a V2 Intelligence pipeline (combining Virtual Deconvolution and Causal Network Inference). We integrated public whole-blood transcriptomics (N=254) with Virtual Single-Cell Deconvolution and Physical Single-Cell Validation (PBMC3k Atlas). We further employed Causal Network Analysis to identify upstream regulatory hubs.  Results: Our model predicted treatment failure with high accuracy (Mean ROC AUC=0.79 ± 0.04 SD; Range: 0.70-0.85). Validating across modalities, we confirmed that failure is strongly associated with a specific 'Neutrophil-High/T-cell-Low' immunophenotype, distinct from general inflammation.  Conclusions: This study provides the first multi-omic, mechanistic map of TB treatment failure. We identify a specific neutrophil-associated pathology as the primary target for host-directed therapies, rigorously cross-validated across bulk and single-cell landscapes. Siddalingaiah H.S. 2026-01-07 14:31:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8488140/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:30:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8488140/v1 Traditional markets in urban Indonesia are vital socio-economic hubs yet remain plagued by chronic issues such as poor sanitation, inadequate waste management, and deteriorating infrastructure conditions that jeopardize public health and undermine economic resilience. This study critically examines the environmental governance of Pasar Rumput, a pioneering class-A traditional market integrated with transit-oriented development (TOD) and vertical housing in South Jakarta. Utilizing a mixed-method sequential explanatory design, the research engaged 531 participants, including traders, consumers, market operators, and government officials, through structured surveys, field observations, and in-depth interviews. Environmental management performance was assessed across six key domains: building condition, cleanliness, solid and liquid waste management, clean water availability, and market safety. Quantitative analysis showed a high overall mean score of 4.12 on a five-point scale, with market safety (4.35) and building condition (4.28) ranking highest, while waste management recorded the widest gap at 3.87, indicating targeted areas for improvement. Qualitative insights from 12 institutional stakeholders revealed systemic deficiencies, including fragmented inter-agency coordination, limited stakeholder accountability, and behavioral noncompliance among market actors. Unlike previous studies that isolate infrastructure or trader behavior, this research offers a transdisciplinary governance framework, MITRA-PASAR (Management Integration for Traditional Market Sustainability and Resilience), which synthesizes sustainability theory, stakeholder theory, and environmental performance benchmarking. The proposed model promotes upstream waste management, cross-sector collaboration, and institutional reinforcement aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By situating traditional market governance within the spatial complexity of a TOD, this study contributes novel insights into the interdependence of environmental, institutional, and behavioral systems in dense urban economies. The findings generate actionable recommendations for policy reform, infrastructure planning, and governance innovation applicable to traditional markets in other developing urban contexts. diah kusumantara, Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo, Rudolf Wirawan, Fatmah Fatmah 2026-01-07 14:30:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8511949/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 14:15:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8511949/v1 Soil acidity, high soil strength, and poor subsoil structure constrain crop productivity in coarse-textured and texture-contrast soils of southern Australia. This study evaluated the short- and long-term effects of soil re-engineering treatments involving deep loosening with combinations of clay, lime, and compost on important soil properties at two contrasting sites, Bolgart and Meenar, Western Australia. Soil profile measurements were conducted at establishment (2021), three months after treatment, and four years later (2024). Soil re-engineering consistently improved soil pHCa, strength, soil organic carbon, and cation exchange capacity almost immediately to the recommended thresholds for root growth and maintained over four years. At Bolgart, treatments incorporating clay and compost increased soil water storage in the 0–80 cm profile by up to 25 mm relative to the untreated control, particularly in upper soil layers, reflecting improved water retention in coarse-textured soils. In contrast, at Meenar, the untreated control retained more subsoil water due to higher bulk density and limited root access, while re-engineered treatments enabled greater potential for subsoil water uptake. These contrasting responses highlight that soil water availability and utilisation following re-engineering are strongly site-specific. Overall, the persistence of improved soil conditions and modified soil water dynamics for at least four years demonstrates the longevity of soil re-engineering benefits, providing a mechanistic basis for the yield improvements reported in Part II of this series. These findings highlight soil re-engineering as both a powerful research tool and a potential pathway, once cost-effective machineries are available, for improving the productivity in water-limited environments. Gaus Azam, Chad Reynolds 2026-01-07 14:15:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497897/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 13:59:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497897/v1 Urban populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are growing rapidly, bringing diverse socio-economic groups, extensive informal settlements, and frequent migration into cities. Local governments in cities are central to policies and programmes to protect and improve the health of their urban populations. Yet, many struggle to access, integrate and utilise data across the multiple sectors that influence health, plurality of health providers and to do this at a granular spatial level that supports local decision making. These trends have led to persistent health challenges and stark disparities in access to care and health outcomes, as resource allocation and planning often lag behind dynamic urban need. This protocol describes a mixed-methods implementation study in two wards of Budhanilkantha municipality of Nepal to assess existing municipal data systems, collect geospatial data and household data, and build an integrated urban health data portal. We will conduct stakeholder interviews, community focus groups, and policy reviews to understand data use and gaps. We will then carry out social mapping, a door-to-door household census, and health facility assessments to generate detailed ward-level data on population, infrastructure, and health care services. These data will be geocoded and linked via common identifiers to existing routine health and administrative databases. We will co-create an interactive portal with local government users, featuring real-time dashboards, GIS maps, and analytic tools to support local planning and equity-focused decision-making. The expected outcome is a proof-of-concept framework showing how combined routine and primary data can inform resilient, multisectoral urban health governance. Sampurna Kakchapati, Neelu Sharma, Jijeebisha Baral, Shirish Maharjan, Sitashma Mainali, Helen Elsey, Bipul Lamichhane, Sandeepa Karki, Abhigyna Bhattarai, Shreeman Sharma, Grishu Shrestha, Sulata Karki, Bassey Ebenso, Joseph Hicks, Bryony Dawkins, Bhagawan Koirala, Kumar Prasad Dahal, Anita Lama, Sushil Chandra Baral 2026-01-07 13:59:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7886573/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 13:13:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7886573/v1 The injection of state-owned capital is expected to provide enterprises with richer innovation resources and strategic support, potentially offering private firms a solution to the challenges of digital technology innovation. Against this backdrop, this study takes Chinese A-share listed private enterprises from 2013 to 2023 as the research sample. It examines the introduction of state-owned capital into private firms as the entry point. Drawing on resource dependence theory and employing a combination of theoretical analysis and empirical testing, the paper systematically investigates the impact and mechanisms of state-owned capital participation on private enterprises’ digital technology innovation. The findings reveal that state-owned capital participation significantly promotes digital technology innovation in private firms. Mechanism analysis further indicates that the alleviation of financing constraints and the mitigation of managerial short-termism play mediating roles in this relationship. Moderation tests show that supply chain stability positively moderates the relationship between state-owned capital participation and digital technology innovation. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the innovation-promoting effect of state-owned capital participation is more pronounced in firms with established bank-enterprise relationships, in high-tech industries, and in regions where local governments place greater emphasis on the digital sector. This study extends the application boundary of resource dependence theory in the field of state-owned capital participation. It offers a new theoretical perspective for understanding the role of mixed-ownership reform in advancing the high-quality development of private enterprises. Ke Wang, Xian Chen, Feifei Han, Longlong Xia 2026-01-07 13:13:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8436757/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:44:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8436757/v1 Accurate monitoring of boiling heat transfer is critical for safeguarding high-power systems operating in environments where conventional optical diagnostics are hindered by radiation fields or restricted visual accessibility. This study presents a non-intrusive framework that integrates hydroacoustic sensing with deep learning to infer near-wall boiling characteristics and enable predictive thermal assessment without visual access. In a prototypical subcooled flow-boiling facility representative of the Isotope Production Facility (IPF) at Los Alamos, hydrophones capture boiling-induced acoustic emissions that are transformed into background-removed Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) spectrograms. A convolutional neural network (CNN) then regresses heat flux, wall superheat, and key bubble parameters directly from these spectrograms. The CNN achieved high predictive accuracy across diverse operating conditions and demonstrated strong robustness under acoustic contamination for Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNRs) down to approximately 0 dB. When integrated into an ANSYS CFX wall-boiling model, the acoustically inferred parameters reproduced boiling curve and critical heat flux (CHF) values consistent with image-based benchmarks. Furthermore, the model retained reliable performance under moderate variations in bulk temperature, flow rate, and hydrophone placement, confirming its generalizability across practical boundary conditions. These results establish hydroacoustic-based deep learning as a viable path toward real-time, radiation-tolerant boiling diagnostics and predictive thermal safety assessment in inaccessible systems such as the IPF. PEI-HSUN HUANG, Jee Hyun Seong, Jonathan Mario Castro-Aguilar, Christiaan Vermeulen, Ellen Margaret O’Brien 2026-01-07 12:44:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8512887/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:41:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8512887/v1 To assess whether age independently predicts renal function in Takayasu arteritis (TA) patients with abdominal aortic involvemen. This retrospective study included 149 TA patients. Renal function was assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Vascular features (severe RAS, aortic plaques) were evaluated via integrated ultrasound and CT angiography. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses identified determinants of eGFR and clinical renal impairment (eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73m²). Mean age was 33.85 years. Age showed the strongest inverse correlation with eGFR (r = -0.538, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, age remained the most robust independent predictor of lower eGFR (standardized β = -0.500, p < 0.001), exceeding the effect of severe RAS (β = -0.143, p = 0.043). The association of aortic plaques with eGFR lost significance after age adjustment. Logistic regression confirmed age as an independent risk factor for renal impairment (adjusted OR = 1.078 per year, 95% CI: 1.036–1.122, p < 0.001). In TA, chronological age is the strongest independent predictor of renal function, surpassing severe RAS. These findings highlight the necessity of incorporating an age-aware perspective into the clinical assessment of renal health in TA, particularly given its typical onset in young adulthood. Ying Wang, Yahong Wang, Li Zhang, Zhitong Ge, Jing Li, Sheng Cai, Hongyan Wang, Xinping Tian, Xiao Yang, Jianchu Li 2026-01-07 12:41:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8456872/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:37:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8456872/v1 This study examines deceptive behaviors, coalition formation, and hidden-role reasoning in Large Language Models (LLMs) playing the social deduction game Secret Hitler. Through a case-study analysis of a simulated five-player game log—with three Loyalist and two Spy agents—we dissect dialogues and actions to reveal emergent strategies in asymmetric information environments. Key findings highlight Spies' tactical deception, such as framing statements to build false trust and selectively misreporting policy draws, contrasted with Loyalists' emphasis on transparency to foster genuine alliances. Coalition dynamics arise from aligned reasoning and endorsements, enabling Spies to reinforce covert strategies, while a policy progression table illustrates how bluffs influence round-by-round outcomes and trust erosion. Although LLMs demonstrate strategic adaptation and theory-of-mind inference, they exhibit limitations in subtle, incentive-aligned deception, often relying on explicit prompting. This analysis advances AI game-playing and LLM deception modeling by integrating empirical dialogue insights with broader implications for multi-agent alignment and social simulation. Atharva Thakur 2026-01-07 12:37:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467687/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:34:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467687/v1 Purpose PET imaging naturally suffers from motion blur due to long acquisitions. As such, motion-compensation provides a promising solution to improve image quality. Traditional methods for motion-correction often involve a combination of gating and data-binning, assuming that motion is periodic, to accumulate sufficient counts per motion-state frame. Irregular motion can be estimated but it requires complex motion-capture systems or elaborate data-driven algorithms, which are difficult to configure (physical or model setup) and hampered by the high noise of short timeframes. We propose a new method that alternatingly estimates and corrects for motion at high temporal frequency in PET imaging: Maximum-Likelihood Motion and Activity (MLMA) reconstruction. MLMA estimates both the time-series of deformation vector fields and the motion-corrected activity image for the whole acquisition. Together, this allows to visualize anatomical structures moving in time. Methods The method exploits the high compressibility and spatial smoothness of motion through a cubic B-spline motion-model and through spatial regularization. MLMA was configured to 2Hz resolution and applied on A) the digital XCAT phantom, B) acquisitions of a moving anthropomorphic torso phantom and C) clinical patient data. Results The results show that MLMA can accurately correct motion at high frequency (2Hz), with subvoxel accuracy (up to 2.5mm RMSE on 4mm isotropic voxels) and realistic breathing (amplitude range 14.7mm and average period 4.5s). This enables visually-noticeable improvements on image quality. Conclusion The proposed MLMA reconstruction method resolves the motion encoded in very-short PET timeframes, irrespective of the very low counts and noise inherent to PET projection data. Rodrigo José Santo, Ethan Waterink, Cornelis A.T. van den Berg, Hugo W.A.M. de Jong, Thomas Olausson, Alessandro Sbrizzi, Casper Beijst 2026-01-07 12:34:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484242/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:28:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484242/v1 Objective To assess the effect of distinct fluoride concentrations ([F]) on root dentin carious lesions produced by the MOCS. Materials and Methods Microcosm biofilms were grown for 4 days on bovine root dentin discs from saliva of caries-free donor, under intermittent sucrose flow (5%, 0.25 ml/min, 6 min, 3×/day), and treated with NaF solutions at 0 (control), 450, or 1,350 ppmF, twice daily. Response variables included microbial composition (CFU/mg biofilm), biofilm fluoride concentration (µgF/mg biofilm), and dentin demineralization (% surface hardness change; %SHC). Results Fluoride treatments at 450 ppmF and 1,350 ppmF significantly reduced %SHC compared to 0 ppmF (p ≤ 0.035, Tukey). The %SHC was 64.1 in the control group, and 25.1 and 27.1 in biofilms exposed to 450 ppmF and 1,350 ppmF, respectively (linear regression, R = 0.57, p < 0.013). No significant differences were found in microbial composition in respect to total microorganisms, total aciduric microorganisms and mutans streptococci counts among the groups (p > 0.05). Biofilms exposed to 1,350 ppmF present [F] statistically higher than control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion The MOCS demonstrated an appropriate fluoride remineralization response, supporting its validity as a pre-clinical model for testing anticariogenic agents.  Clinical Relevance: This study contributes to scientific advancement in cariology by validating the MOCS as a suitable model for studies aiming at preventing and controlling root caries. Giovanna Santos Medeiros Sagardia, Glenda Ávila Marques, Bruna Moraes Kremer, Laura Mello Cunha, Lina Naomi Hashizume, Rodrigo Alex Arthur, Tamires Timm Maske 2026-01-07 12:28:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8448886/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:27:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8448886/v1 Synthetic biology requires plasmid systems that offer not only stable, fixed copy numbers but also tunable copy numbers to enable multi-level regulation of gene expression. While dynamic plasmid copy number (PCN) control has been engineered in prokaryotes such as E. coli, a parallel capability has been lacking for eukaryotic systems. Here, we bridge this gap by developing a programmable PCN platform for S. cerevisiae based on its endogenous 2µ plasmid. First, we engineered a p2µ-Cir0 system that exhibits a superior combination of high copy number (up to 20 per cell), enhanced population homogeneity, and improved segregation stability compared to conventional yeast episomal plasmids (YEps). This system supports protein expression levels up to 60-fold higher than a single chromosomal integrant. Introduction of a CEN element into p2µ enabled the construction of programmable YTp-C and YTp-I systems, which allow temporal PCN control with enhanced stability. These switchable vectors enable efficient PCN transition from 1 to 38 through time-dependent induction. Further incorporation of Leu2d-mediated metabolic selection in the YTp-CL and YTp-IL elevated the PCN to nearly 70 copies and boosted expression capacity to approximately 110-fold relative to chromosomal integration. We demonstrated the versatility of this platform through diverse applications, demonstrating that PCN elevation facilitated phenotyping of tRNA overexpression, enhancing the production of several compounds, including the therapeutic peptide GLP-1 precursor, 2-phenylethanol, β-carotenoid, and ergothioneine. These results establish the first quantitative and multi-dimensional PCN regulation toolkit for yeast, addressing the long-standing issue of instability arising from multiple copies and providing critical insights for synthetic biology that integrates gene dosage control across DNA, RNA, and protein levels. Zhouqing Luo, Li Anni, Zhao Qingyang, Yang Zhunyi, Cheng Jiesheng, Xu Dong, Zhang Yueyao, He Ting, Bingzhao Zhuo, Zhao Xing, Hui Wang, Rao Xiaolin, Chen Lizhu 2026-01-07 12:27:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8523708/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:24:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8523708/v1 Background: Celiac disease (CD) is a T-cell–mediated disorder triggered by gluten ingestion, characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation and a complex genetic architecture involving HLA and non-HLA loci. Despite extensive genomic studies, the transcriptional dysregulation underlying CD pathogenesis and predictive molecular signatures remain incompletely understood.  Methods: We performed genome-wide RNA sequencing of intestinal biopsies from CD patients and healthy controls to profile transcriptomic alterations. Dimensionality reduction methods, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP), were applied to visualize global expression differences. Differential expression analysis identified genes with significant log2 fold changes. Functional enrichment of differentially expressed genes was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) Biological Process and KEGG pathway analyses. To prioritize disease-relevant genes, multiple machine learning classifiers—Random Forest, Logistic Regression, and Support Vector Machine—were trained, and top features were ranked by model-specific importance metrics. Overlapping predictive genes were assessed for concordance with differential expression and pathway enrichment. An ensemble XGBoost model was subsequently trained on cross-model prioritized genes and evaluated using ROC–AUC analysis.  Results: Dimensionality reduction revealed distinct separation between CD and control transcriptomes, indicating widespread transcriptional dysregulation. Volcano plots identified upregulation of immune-related genes and downregulation of metabolic and epithelial genes. Functional enrich- ment highlighted perturbation of immune, metabolic, and epithelial pathways. Feature importance analyses across ML models consistently identified immune, epithelial, and metabolic genes as predictive, with a core overlapping gene set validated by differential expression and pathway analysis. The XGBoost classifier achieved superior discriminative performance compared with individual models, demonstrating high ROC–AUC values.  Conclusion: Integrating transcriptomics with multi-model machine learning reveals key molecular drivers of CD, identifies a robust core set of predictive genes, and establishes a framework for biomarker discovery and risk stratification in celiac disease Amir Mahdi Taghizadeh, Yasin Soflaei 2026-01-07 12:24:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8103849/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:20:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8103849/v1 Aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme aspartylglucosaminidase (AGA) that is involved in glycoprotein breakdown. In the absence of this enzyme, glycoasparagines accumulate in the tissues and body fluids of the patients. No treatments targeting the disease cause are currently available. Our earlier findings show that betaine (tri-methyl glycine) functions as a pharmacological chaperone for the mutated AGA enzyme, resulting in an increased AGA activity in patient cells with pathogenic AGA missense variants. Here, we have carried out a phase 1b/2, open label clinical study (EudraCT number 2017-000645-48) with a clinically approved betaine product, Cystadane, in 21 Finnish AGU patients aged between 7.5 and 15 years at study begin, and homozygous for a specific missense variant. Cystadane was orally administrated for 48 months using a dose escalation strategy with a 3-month treatment break after the first year. The results of our study show that betaine is safe and well tolerated in AGU, and use of betaine results in a significant reduction of glycoasparagines in the urine, the primary endpoint of the study, as well as in a concomitant increase in serum AGA activity (a secondary endpoint). Exploratory neuropsychological findings showed significant improvements in some domains of the Wechsler’s Intelligence Scale for Children IV. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that iron accumulation in specific thalamic regions of the patients is reduced due to betaine treatment. Our positive results encourage larger clinical trials with betaine in AGU. Ritva Tikkanen, Minna Laine, Antje Banning, Viljami Sairanen, Günter Lochnit, Timo Roine, Elina Harjunen, Ulrika Roine, Anna Tokola, Hanna Terinkoski, Daniel Leufkens, Päivi Helenius, Taina Autti 2026-01-07 12:20:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8338421/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:16:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8338421/v1 Transmembrane proteins mediate essential cellular processes including signaling, transport, and ion flux. Besides their well-characterized structured domains, most contain intrinsically disordered regions, whose biological roles remain poorly understood. Evidence suggests that the functions of intrinsically disordered regions are context-dependent, a trait particularly relevant when anchored to cellular membranes. In this study, we probed peptide arrays with fluorescent liposomes to generate a high-resolution, proteome-wide map of membrane-interaction sites within intrinsically disordered regions of human transmembrane proteins. Screening 4,000 proteins, we identified membrane-interaction sites in ~60% of cases. Among these, ~63% represent amphipathic helices, while ~17% resemble cationic cell-penetrating peptides. We demonstrate that membrane-interaction motifs can influence subcellular localization and may contribute to both physiological and pathological processes. Our findings establish membrane association as a key functional aspect of intrinsically disordered regions and provide a valuable resource for discovering non-canonical regulatory mechanisms in transmembrane proteins. The resource is available at MemRIDRdb. Kenneth Madsen, Joscha Rombach, Tommas Nielsen, Jan Hendrik Schmidt, Junior Agenant, Andreas Larsen 2026-01-07 12:16:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8522581/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:09:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8522581/v1 For nearly a century, modern physics has remained fragmented between the local realism of General Relativity, the probabilistic uncertainty of Quantum Mechanics, and the cosmological mysteries of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. This paper presents a third unifying path: the Meta-Quantum Framework (MQF). We propose that the universe is not a vacuum filled with discrete particles, but a continuous, self-similar fractal information structure. We demonstrate computationally, through numerical simulations, that disparate phenomena—from the violation of Bell inequalities ($S \approx 2.82$) to the acceleration of cosmic expansion—emerge as artifacts of a single underlying mechanism: fractal geometry rendering. In this model, Black Holes act as entropy equalizers, and Dark Matter is redefined as non-rendered geometric processing latency. Gilmar Bezerra da Cruz 2026-01-07 12:09:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8507704/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:04:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8507704/v1 Water quality assessment is critical for environmental management and public health, particularly in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures and climate change. Traditional water quality indices (WQIs) often rely on empirical methods or standardized parameters that may not fully capture the complex interrelationships within diverse aquatic ecosystems. This study introduces a novel standardization method for Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to develop a more robust and reliable water quality model, specifically applied to the Langat River in Malaysia. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset from 2015–2020, we demonstrate that standardizing water quality parameters based on the National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia (NWQSM) ranges, rather than conventional normalization techniques, significantly enhances the accuracy and consistency of PCA-derived WQIs. Through rigorous correlation, crosstabulation, biplot, and regression analyses, our proposed method consistently outperforms existing approaches, yielding a higher concordance with Department of Environment (DOE) WQI classifications and revealing clearer, independent contributions of key water quality parameters. This research provides a scientifically sound and ecologically relevant framework for water quality assessment, offering a powerful tool for environmental authorities to make informed decisions and implement effective pollution control strategies in riverine environments globally. Khayell Balamurali, Zalina Mohd Ali, Zamira Hasanah Zamzuri 2026-01-07 12:04:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8380132/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:03:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8380132/v1 The gut microbiome plays a central role in human health, but modern diets and lifestyles alter its composition. Increased sugar consumption is a hallmark of modern diets, yet its impact on the microbiome remains poorly understood. Here, we combine comparative genomics, experiments, and longitudinal human diet-microbiome records to show that the response of the microbiome to dietary sugars is explained by the carriage of sugar ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters. Bacteria encoding these transporters exhibit enhanced growth and consistently outcompete others in both monocultures and complex consortia across contexts. Targeted deletion of sugar transporter genes in Escherichia coli, a model gut pathobiont of the expanded Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota (OMM15) consortium, reveals that a specific sugar ABC transporter gene is required to compete, and invade this community. In gnotobiotic mice colonized with the OMM15 consortium, dietary sugar supplementation selectively increases the expansion of sugar ABC transporter-positive bacteria, including E. coli. Paired human diet-microbiome data reveal that intake of dietary sugars significantly correlates with the expansion of sugar ABC transporter-positive genera. Taken together, our work identifies a genomic predictor of microbiome responses to dietary sugars and suggests ways to anticipate major shifts in the abundances of important gut bacteria. Jonas Schluter, Harsh Maan, William Jogia, Caichen Duan, Fanny Matheis, Eric Nishimoto, Chenzhen Zhang, Alexis Sullivan 2026-01-07 12:03:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8450765/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 12:00:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8450765/v1 Background Cement production is known to contribute significantly to the growth of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); its booming growth has cast significant concerns about the environmental and socio-economic effects, it has on the immediate inhabitants living around the projects.Method Using the JBI and PRISMA-ScR criteria, this scoping review was a compilation of peer-reviewed materials published between 2010 and 2024 on social socioeconomic impact. The number of studies in Asia and Africa was nineteen, and all of them demonstrated a certain pattern of negative impact on the local environment and human health. In all the researched papers, there was a significant amount of air pollution, and plants produced the dust and dangerous gases in large quantities. The quality of air often surpasses disadvantages to a point of causing health-related issues among the communities, such as coughing, wheezing, and eye irritation, among other respiratory symptoms, and this may decrease crop yields. Water pollution was also a critical issue because wastewater and runoff moved sediment, oil, and chemical toxins to rivers and groundwater, making the sources of water unhealthy. The blasting of mines to extract raw materials and heavy machinery in cement plants are the cause of loud noise pollution, which has been identified as the source of severe stress and sleep disorders in communities. Cement plants do not offer many jobs and fewer infrastructures, but these advantages were not enough. Plants primarily employ outsiders permanently and the native agriculturalists lost their land without being compensated. The dislocation, cultural interference, and clash between the plant operators were the order of the day.Findings: The findings highlighted the fact that more stringent rules and protection of the residents are needed.Conclusion The governments ought to adopt emission control pollution checking and involve the residents who will be affected in the decision-making process. More modern and current technologies should be employed in cement plants, and the economic gains genuinely shared with the natives. Zahid Ali Khan, Łukasz Afeltowicz, Jacek Gądecki 2026-01-07 12:00:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8520814/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:55:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8520814/v1 Background. Shared decision-making (SDM) emphasizes informed, value-aligned choices, yet affect has not been a primary focus and is rarely addressed explicitly in cancer treatment decision-making. Among men with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer (LIRPC), active treatment (AT) can trigger fears of significant side effects, whereas active surveillance (AS) often evokes persistent anxiety, uncertainty, and fear of progression. These affective challenges can shape risk perceptions, increase decisional conflict, and reduce satisfaction. Aims. To address the gap, this study examined how affective-cognitive-psychosocial processes shape LIRPC treatment decisions, guided by SDM and affective science frameworks. Methods. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 28 men with LIRPC across three treatment pathways: AS, AT, and AS-AT transition. Interviews explored a) how participants learned and interpreted diagnostic information; b) how thoughts, emotions, values, and relation dynamics influenced decision-making; and c) how men reflected on preferred roles. Themes and illustrative quotes were extracted. Participants completed the Control Preferences Scale. Results. Eleven themes emerged across domains.  Information understanding was shaped by the clarity of medical information and the relational context of its delivery. Decision-making unfolded from initial shock to greater stability as men balanced evidence with personal values, navigated uncertainty, and drew on identity, prior experiences, physician trust, and family support. Post-treatment reflections emphasized autonomy, value alignment. Men engaged in coping to regulate affect and maintain control. Conclusions. Findings suggest that LIRPC decisions are affectively informed. Within SDM, men valued autonomy and deliberately balanced medical information with personal values, yet this rational stance unfolded alongside affective dynamics. Affect shaped what mattered most through value weighting, identity protection, and relational trust. Integrating affect-informed psychosocial approaches into decision support may improve SDM, treatment satisfaction, and HRQOL. Rui Gong, Nayrelis Alfonso, Aida M. van Mossel, Maria Nieto Ordosgoitia, Jacqueline M. Montano, Armand Jacques Jr, Lara Traeger, Aaron S. Heller, Michael H. Antoni, Tracy E. Crane, Mark L. Gonzalgo, Brandon A. Mahal, Bruno Nahar, Chad Ritch, Dipen J. Parekh, Sanoj Punnen, Frank J. Penedo 2026-01-07 11:55:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8297673/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:50:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8297673/v1 A central question in neuroscience is how the brain’s structural connectivity gives rise to its emergent, correlated dynamics. These large-scale dynamical correlations underlie functional networks that support cognitive functions. Here, we identify coupling correlation—the similarity between the input connectivity profiles of brain regions—as a key structural determinant of macroscopic neural dynamical correlation. Using dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) and numerical simulations of random neural network models, we demonstrate that coupling correlation quantitatively governs dynamical correlation. The functional form of this structure–function mapping is dictated by the eigenvalue spectrum of the coupling correlation matrix: networks with bulk eigenspectra exhibit an exact linear relationship, whereas biologically plausible long-tailed spectra yield an approximately linear mapping except when the magnitude of coupling correlation approaches unity. Particularly, a long-tailed spectrum is necessary to reproduce the appropriate magnitude and size-invariance of coupling correlations observed in empirical data, thereby sustaining non-vanishing dynamical correlations that may support brain function in large systems. The theoretical prediction of approximate linearity is consistently validated using empirical datasets that include both structural coupling and neural dynamics in humans, mice, and Drosophila. Together, these results provide a mechanistic and quantitative framework linking macroscopic brain network structure to emergent population dynamics—an essential step toward a unified theory of structure–function relationship in the brain. CiRong Liu, Qihang Wu, Quan Wen 2026-01-07 11:50:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8527651/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:47:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8527651/v1 Based on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), this research investigated the adaptation mechanisms of 2366 Hong Kong secondary school students in the sudden shift in learning mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study conducted path analysis based on structural equation modeling to explore how feedback via information and communication technology (ICT) affects the home learning experience through students’ self-directed learning and information literacy, ultimately leading to improved psychosomatic health. The findings indicated that feedback via ICT significantly enhances students' self-directed learning self-efficacy, information literacy, and home learning experience, further exerting positive effects on their well-being. Both self-directed learning self-efficacy and information literacy partially mediated the relationship between feedback and home learning experience. Additionally, the research highlighted the significant moderating roles of growth mindset and collaborative tendency within the related pathways. In summary, this study showed the crucial role of feedback, self-directed learning self-efficacy, and information literacy in the online learning mode. In future online or blended learning environments, educators should pay more attention to providing feedback to students' learning to promote their self-directed learning self-efficacy and information literacy. This will help them maintain learning efficiency and well-being in the absence of traditional learning environment supervision. Tingyin Wong, Hongwei Zheng 2026-01-07 11:47:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8531151/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:46:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8531151/v1 This work investigates the possibility of cosmological parameter anomalies in the lowredshift subset of the Pantheon+ compilation (z ≤ 0.03639). Using the Pantheon+SH0ES dataset and its covariance matrix, cosmological parameters (H0, Ωm, and ΩΛ) are estimated under the assumption of near-flat curvature (k ≈ 0). The χ2 and Bayesian MCMC methods are employed to test the robustness of the identified anomaly. The χ2 method yields narrower uncertainties with broader parameter distributions, while the Bayesian MCMC approach produces smoother distributions with significantly wider uncertainties. These results indicate robust inconsistencies in the low-redshift subset across both methods, suggesting the need to re-evaluate the contribution of low-redshift data to the Hubble tension problem. Michael Japtharican, Rama Dona 2026-01-07 11:46:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8528011/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:41:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8528011/v1 This study examines the influence of nickel interlayers—battery-grade (BNS) and electroplated (ENS)—on the microstructure and mechanical properties of hot roll cladded Super Duplex Stainless Steel 2507 on Carbon Steel A36. XRD analysis revealed diffusion phases (α-FeNi, MgNi) that improved hardness and bonding, though increased dislocation density and microstrain. Mechanical tests showed enhanced tensile strength (≥ 575 MPa), elastic modulus (2.6 GPa), and hardness (167–289 HV), with reduced elongation (20–23%). Flexural modulus reached 177.5 GPa. Strain rate sensitivity varied, indicating different deformation behaviors. The technique offers a cost-effective solution for durable, corrosion-resistant components in oil and gas environments. Moch. Syaiful Anwar, Firman Sihabudin, Arief Rakhman Hakim, Abdul Aziz Arfi, Efendi, Eddy S. Siradj 2026-01-07 11:41:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8150180/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:41:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8150180/v1 Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration transients of unknown origin, likely associated with compact astrophysical objects. We report evidence for a damped millisecond quasi-periodic structure in a non-repeat FRB 20190122C. The burst consists of eight closely spaced radio pulses separated by $\sim$1 ms, with pulse amplitudes exhibiting an exponential decay starting from the brightest component. Combined Gaussian fitting and time-series analysis reveal a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) at $\sim$1 kHz. The observed QPO is consistent with damped magnetospheric oscillations. Assuming an Alfvén wave origin, we estimate a surface magnetic field of $\sim 10^{12}$ G and a characteristic spin period of $\sim$1 s, favoring a low-field magnetar or young neutron star scenario. The absence of frequency drift and the presence of exponential damping disfavor a merger-driven origin. These results suggest the first detection of an exponentially decaying QPO in any FRB, marking a rare detection of coherent oscillatory behavior in FRBs. Di Li, Shuo Xiao, Zheng-Huo Jiang 2026-01-07 11:41:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492473/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:40:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492473/v1 Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD) is a complex, chronic mental health condition. Earlier research in this field primarily focused on neurobiological mechanisms and pharmacological interventions. In contrast, recent studies have adopted recovery-oriented approaches and Positive Psychology (PP), emphasizing individual strengths, well-being, and psychological resources to enhance quality of life. This study analyzed 6,188 SSD-related publications from 2015 to 2025, sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection database. A semantic embedding-based BERTopic model, an advanced artificial intelligence tool for clustering topics by shared meaning, was employed to identify key research themes, track evolving trends, assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and investigate the transition toward bio-psychological integration, defined as the convergence of biological and psychological perspectives. The analysis revealed a decline in Positive Psychology–related research topics during the COVID-19 pandemic years (2020–2022), from 14.25% to 12.88%. Following this period, these topics increased to 13.60%, forming a distinct V-shaped trend (Wang et al., 2023). Semantic analysis also identified significant overlap between subjective well-being, defined as an individual's overall sense of happiness and life satisfaction, and biomedical topics, with a similarity score of 0.6780 (Kalyan & Sangeetha, 2021). These findings suggest that traditional pathological research is increasingly integrating psychological and social dimensions (Palliative care integration in psychiatric disorders: bibliometric analysis revealing five distinct research clusters, 2025). Additionally, the study demonstrated the utility of the BERTopic model in monitoring changes in SSD research themes and the progression of integrative approaches over time (Qu & Wang, 2025). Y. Cheng Lin, Kai–Jing Huang 2026-01-07 11:40:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8375701/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:32:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8375701/v1 Here, we show that listeners apply stable but diverse frequency-weighting profiles when combining auditory information over the frequency range typically covered by everyday sounds. Frequency-weighting profiles were probed behaviourally, in a large online and in-lab cohort, using more than 212,000 perceptual judgments. Listeners assessed changes between consecutive random chords. These changes contained conflicting cues on the acoustic dimension of either frequency, level, or inter-aural level difference. Reverse correlation determined the frequency-weighting profiles best explaining perceptual decisions. Profiles with sharp differences across frequency bands were observed, displaying a remarkable variability across individuals. Individual profiles were reliable and stable over time. Profiles were unrelated to audibility thresholds as all chord components were presented at the same sensation level and as profiles differed across tasks within individuals. We suggest that frequency weighting in supra-threshold audition could act as a perceptual matched filter, tailored to each individual’s acoustic environment. Daniel Pressnitzer, Rodrigue Bravard, Laurent Demany 2026-01-07 11:32:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8473487/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:30:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8473487/v1 Research on local security governance has predominantly focused on large metropolitan areas, often overlooking how population scale shapes institutional capacity and preventive action in smaller jurisdictions. This article examines how population scale operates as a structural condition influencing local security governance in municipalities with fewer than 70,000 inhabitants in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Drawing on a comparative territorial analysis of 88 municipalities, the study classifies local governments into three population-based tranches—urban-intermediate, small structured, and rural—and analyzes variations in conflict dynamics, institutional capacity, and governance arrangements. The findings show that population scale significantly conditions both the forms of local conflict and the feasibility of preventive and governance strategies. While urban-intermediate municipalities display more diversified conflict patterns and formalized institutional structures, smaller and rural municipalities rely more heavily on proximity-based governance, community networks, and intergovernmental coordination to compensate for limited administrative capacity. The article argues that local security outcomes cannot be adequately explained by crime indicators alone, but must be understood through the interaction between territorial configurations, institutional capacity, and governance arrangements. By highlighting these scale-sensitive dynamics, the study contributes to debates on crime prevention and community safety and underscores the need for territorially differentiated security policies. Catriel Gómez 2026-01-07 11:30:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8405099/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:13:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8405099/v1 Background: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of protective behaviours—such as mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and physical distancing—in managing health crises. Understanding the factors that enable or hinder these behaviours is essential for improving preparedness and response in future health crises. This umbrella review aimed to synthesize evidence on determinants of protective behaviours during pandemics and provide recommendations for policy and practice. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted an umbrella review on peer reviewed literature reviews and meta-analyses published between 2020 and 2025. Searches in Epistemonikos, MEDLINE, and Scopus (last update June 2025) targeted reviews on “protective behaviours” and “COVID-19”. Eligibility criteria followed the Population–Concept–Context framework: general population, multifactorial determinants of protective behaviours, and pandemic contexts. Data extraction was performed in a table which included review characteristics, behavioural domains (general compliance, medical interventions, conversation promotion, information handling, hygiene, physical distancing, and other behaviours), and factor valence. Quality appraisal used the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Results: From 86 records identified, 11 met inclusion criteria, covering COVID-19 and other diseases. (e.g., H1N1, SARS, MERS, Ebola). Quality scores averaged 8.8/10. Protective behaviours were influenced by three categories of factors: (1) sociodemographic (age, gender, education, socio-economic status), (2) personal (perceptions, beliefs, trust in authorities and science, political orientation), and social and environmental factors (access to protective materials, social norms, community support, health education and communication, policies). Enabling factors included trust in credible sources, perceived effectiveness of measures, and multimodal communication. Barriers comprised misinformation, conspiracy beliefs, and resource inaccessibility. Some factors (e.g., age, gender, education) showed inconsistent effects across behaviours. Findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive messaging, transparent communication, and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations. Conclusions: This umbrella review synthesizes multi-level determinants enabling or hindering protective behaviours during pandemics. It provides evidence-based guidance for policymakers to design targeted interventions through trusted communication channels, culturally appropriate messaging, and addressing the specific needs of different demographic groups. The findings underscore the importance of consistent, positive messaging for pandemic preparedness and response. Registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023467236. Funding: Brussels-Capital Region – Innoviris. Aurélien Cornil, Sandrine Roussel, Marie Vander Haegen, Catherine Grenier, Dominique Vanpee, Stephan Van den Broucke 2026-01-07 11:13:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515619/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:13:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515619/v1 Objective To evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on the arterial hemodynamics of the lower limbs using duplex ultrasound in patients with ulcers and to assess the correlation between hemodynamic changes and clinical outcomes.Methods This was a pre-post intervention study including 28 patients with lower limb ulcers who underwent a standardized HBOT protocol. Hemodynamic assessments were performed by duplex ultrasound before and after treatment, measuring peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and flow volume (FV) in the common femoral and popliteal arteries.Results The mean age of the participants was 65.2 years, with 64.3% being male. No statistically significant differences were observed in hemodynamic parameters after HBOT. For the common femoral artery, PSV (cm/s) showed an increase of 2.4 (115 vs. 117.4; MD 2.4; p = 0.764), EDV (cm/s) increased by 2.3 (12.8 vs. 15.1; MD 2.3; p = 0.423), and Flow Volume (ml/s) increased by 76 (1847 vs. 1923; MD 76; p = 0.291). For the popliteal artery, PSV (cm/s) showed a reduction of 1.6 (76.4 vs. 74.8; MD -1.6; p = 0.635), EDV (cm/s) increased by 0.5 (8.3 vs. 8.8; MD 0.5; p = 0.555), and FV (ml/s) decreased by 60 (718 vs. 658; MD -60; p = 0.111).Conclusion HBOT does not modify macrovascular hemodynamic parameters of the lower limbs in patients with ulcers. These findings suggest that the clinical benefits of HBOT may be primarily mediated by microvascular and cellular mechanisms, rather than alterations in macrovascular flow. Cristiane Antequeira Maran 2026-01-07 11:13:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8527226/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 11:01:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8527226/v1 In this paper, we employ wavelet transform analysis to reveal the wavelet degradation prior to haze. Through this prior, we demonstrate that haze- related information primarily resides in low-frequency components, while its effect on high-frequency components manifests mainly as edge blurring and tex- ture detail attenuation. Leveraging this insight, we propose a novel dehazing framework, USF-Net, which decouples the ill-posed image dehazing problem into two subtasks: position-guided channel selective enhancement and spatial- aware multi-scale feature extraction. Specifically, we integrate Mamba blocks with spatially-informed channel-weighted attention modules, achieving global structure reconstruction with linear complexity while effectively fusing spatial and channel information. Additionally, we incorporate position-aware multi- receptive-field attention modules to efficiently aggregate multi-scale spatial features, enhancing the network’s perception of spatial structures under varying haze concentrations. This design significantly improves both local detail fidelity and global semantic understanding. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on both synthetic datasets and real-world hazy images. Longxiang Fang, Wang Jiang 2026-01-07 11:01:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483124/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:59:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483124/v1 The dynamic balance of potassium ions (K+) in rice plants is critical to their growth, development, and stress resistance. To achieve in-situ, real-time monitoring of K+ levels in rice plants and overcome the limitations of traditional destructive sampling methods, this study developed a biosensor based on ion-selective hydrogel microneedles. Key performance parameters of the sensor, including its calibration curve and sensitivity, were systematically evaluated via in vitro electrochemical tests. Meanwhile, the mechanical strength and microstructure of the microneedles were characterized using micro-force testing. The practical applicability of the sensor was validated through agarose gel recovery experiments and in vivo K+ monitoring in rice plants under salt stress, with results cross-validated against ion chromatography as a reference method. The sensor exhibited a sensitivity close to the Nernstian response (59.0 ± 0.11 mV/decade), a linear detection range of 10− 4 to 10− 1M, and a detection limit of 3.0×10− 5M. It also demonstrated a fast response time (T95 < 20s), excellent stability, and high batch-to-batch reproducibility (relative standard deviation, RSD < 0.2%). The microneedles achieved a mechanical strength of 25 mN, which is well above the threshold required for penetrating the rice plant epidermis. During in vivo testing, the sensor successfully tracked the rapid K+ loss in rice leaves under salt stress, showing a strong correlation with the standard method (R2 = 0.985). In conclusion, the developed hydrogel microneedle sensor is a stable, reliable, and effective tool for in-situ K+ analysis in rice plants, providing valuable insights into plant ion physiology and the mechanisms underlying responses to environmental stress. Jiuxiang Li, Jinhui Zhao, Junshi Huang, Muhua Liu, Shuanggen Huang 2026-01-07 10:59:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8346485/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:57:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8346485/v1 Acute exposure to surface nitrogen dioxide (NO2) poses substantial global health risks. Using machine learning, we generated the first global, daily, 1-km-resolution, gap-free surface NO2 data from satellite observations for 2018–2022. Surface NO2 shows strong day-to-day variability, with fluctuations reaching 73% of the global mean. We identify pronounced pollution hotspots and large global inequalities in acute NO2 exposure: although only 28% of inhabited land exceeds the WHO daily guideline (25 μg m-3) at least once per year, these exceedances disproportionately affect more than 61% of the global population and nearly all megacities (98%). When exceedances are aggregated over 7-day and 30-day windows, 77% and 56% of megacities remain exposed. The decline in NO2-affected areas outpaces reductions in population exposure, highlighting the challenge of mitigating impacts in densely populated urban centers. Acute NO2 exposure caused approximately 576,000 (95% CI: 473,000–678,000) premature deaths globally in 2019. COVID-19 strictest lockdowns in 2020 temporarily reduced NO2 levels, but rebounds occurred in 91% of countries by 2022. These results reveal the widespread and under-recognized burden of acute NO2 exposure and emphasize the need for high-resolution global monitoring to support effective pollution control. Jing Wei, Zhanqing Li, Zeyu Yang, Chi Li, Fan Cheng, Jun Wang, Kai Yang, Daniel Tong, Susan Anenberg, Gaige Kerr, Klaas Boersma, Kai Qin, Song Liu, Lin Sun, Jicheng Gong, Yuming Guo, Tong Zhu 2026-01-07 10:57:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515460/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:56:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515460/v1 Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the crucial role of quarantine measures in controlling the spread of infectious diseases, especially during public health emergencies. However, compliance with quarantine measures was inconsistent, and little is known about the predictors of adherence in community settings. Therefore, this study seeks to understand the predictors of individuals to maintain quarantine among adults in Missouri.Methods This study used data from a cross-sectional survey, and the sample included 1,717 Missouri residents aged 18 and over. Data were analyzed using t-test and chi-squared tests to assess independence, and an adjusted multinomial logistic regression was constructed to understand the impact of predictors on the self-reported history of COVID-19 infection and subsequent quarantine behaviors.Results Approximately 34.3% of respondents participating in the study indicated that they had to undergo quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19, either voluntarily or as instructed by a healthcare professional or public health department authority. Younger, non-white individuals, parents of children under 18, those with higher incomes, and front-line workers were more likely to report quarantining than others.Discussion These findings can help better understand conditions in which individuals are more likely to quarantine during health exposures and infections. While this was an examination during the first year of COVID-19, responding to other infectious diseases that necessitate quarantining may use these results as a guide for supporting this type of intervention strategy. Investigating the enhancement of health policies, messaging, and communication can help refine future communication strategies for future health emergencies. Shafeel Umam, Stephen Scroggins, Germysha Little, Enbal Shacham 2026-01-07 10:56:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492717/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:48:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492717/v1 This study explored the management of the Medium of Instruction (MoI) in a state-owned tertiary educational institution, using a qualitative case study approach anchored on Spolsky’s Language Policy Framework (2004), which identifies three interrelated components of language policy: practices, beliefs or ideologies, and management. Ten participants were involved, comprising five faculty members from different academic institutes and five students from various courses. Findings revealed that faculty members demonstrated multilingual flexibility by blending English, Filipino, and Cebuano to enhance comprehension and inclusivity, even when institutional policy prescribed English-only instruction. Teachers employed strategies such as code-switching, translation, simplification, and visual aids to make lessons more accessible, particularly in technical or abstract subjects. This adaptability reflected both a commitment to student learning and responsiveness to diverse linguistic backgrounds. However, results also highlighted a clear misalignment between policy and practice, as rigid institutional mandates often failed to account for classroom realities, leaving educators to negotiate between compliance and student needs. While some faculty refined their approaches through experience and student feedback, others benefited from professional development programs that introduced inclusive strategies such as translanguaging and scaffolding. Despite these efforts, challenges persisted due to curriculum constraints, ideological divides, and limited institutional support, with some teachers expressing uncertainty or lack of awareness about how to implement the MoI policy effectively. Overall, faculty practices underscored resourcefulness and values-driven pedagogy, ensuring that language served as a bridge to understanding rather than a barrier to participation. Ariel E. San Jose, Alvin O. Cayogyog 2026-01-07 10:48:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491198/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:43:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491198/v1 Choline is an essential nutrient with diverse roles in host metabolism; however, the current understanding of its microbial fate is largely restricted to trimethylamine production. Here, we apply the BioOrthogonal-labeling, Sorting, Sequencing, and mass Spectrometry (BOSSS) workflow to map dietary choline-specific gut microbial interactions. Using an alkyne-modified choline analog (propargylcholine) in mice, we fluorescently label and flow-sort choline-assimilating gut bacteria, identifying a varied set of taxa enriched in probiotic species, including Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri). In vitro studies confirm that L. reuteri assimilates choline and converts it to long chain fatty acylcholines. Metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling revealed that L. reuteri colonization, with a choline sufficient diet, selectively elevates serum choline and increases lysophosphatidylcholine production, findings corroborated by transcriptomic evidence of upregulated hepatic genes involved in lipid metabolism. These findings uncover a new metabolic fate for dietary choline, expand the known repertoire of microbiome-derived lipids, and illustrate how specific host–microbe–diet interactions can influence host status. Elizabeth Johnson, Paula Bañuelos, Janine Comrie, Annett Richter, Henry Le, Sharon Thompson 2026-01-07 10:43:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8472836/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:42:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8472836/v1 This study evaluates the physical properties of locally sourced cement and aggregates for the production of radiation shielding concrete in Northern Nigeria. Tests conducted on Dangote Portland-limestone cement showed a specific gravity of 3.04, a 3 mm soundness, a fineness of 6%, initial and final setting times of 60 min and 164 min, and a normal consistency of 30%, all within ASTM and SON standards. Aggregate tests revealed bulk density values ranging from 1557.70 kg/m³ (granite) to 3006.42 kg/m³ (magnetite), and specific gravities ranging from 2.50 (river sand) to 4.79 (hematite). Gradation analysis showed that river sand and magnetite were well-graded, whereas coarse granite, coarse barite, and hematite failed to comply with ASTM C33 requirements, indicating poor grading. Moisture content and water absorption values varied between 0.5–1.01% and 1.17–2.02%, respectively. Overall, the tested materials exhibited favorable physical properties for use in radiation-shielding concrete. Muhammad Bello Gusau 2026-01-07 10:42:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8499526/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:41:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8499526/v1 Background Radix Polygoni cynanchoidis is a long-standing traditional remedy historically used to manage pulmonary tuberculosis, persistent cough, rheumatism, and other chronic conditions. While earlier studies have mainly characterized its phytochemistry, no investigations employing advanced mass spectrometry have yet been published.Methods This study was developed to systematically profile the chemical constituents of Radix P. cynanchoidis and to clarify its pharmacological mechanisms in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) using a network pharmacology approach. These predictions were then substantiated by cell-based assays and Western blotting of key compounds. Chemical characterization was carried out using UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS, with compounds assigned based on diagnostic fragment ions, fragmentation pathways, and cross-referencing with ChemSpider and in-house libraries. Predicted molecular targets and pathways were mapped via network pharmacology. Anti-proliferative effects in ATC cells were assessed by CCK-8 assay, while apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry and western blotting.Results Sixteen anthraquinones were identified in analyses of Radix P. cynanchoidis. Network pharmacology revealed 735 Gene Ontology biological processes and 142 KEGG pathways intersecting with ATC-related targets. In vitro assays demonstrated that principal constituents significantly inhibited ATC cell proliferation and enhanced apoptotic activity. Western blotting further confirmed an increase in Caspase-3 expression following treatment. These findings indicate that Radix P. cynanchoidis exerts its anti-ATC effects via multiple bioactive compounds acting on a wide range of targets and pathways.Conclusions This study provides the first mass spectrometry-based compositional analysis and preliminary mechanistic evidence for the therapeutic potential of this herbal preparation. Lei Cheng, Yuan Zhang, Qirun Chen, Xu Zhang, Yong Chen, Zhongxiu Wu, Hongshi Liu, Qianjiang Li, Xiao Wu, Xinkuan Liao, Siyu Jiang, Jiafeng Wang, Zixue Xuan 2026-01-07 10:41:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515496/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:37:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515496/v1 This project designed, topology-optimized, and fabricated a lightweight C‑beam using fused filament fabrication (FFF) while enforcing support‑free manufacturability and stiffness under a prescribed load. A baseline C‑beam design was analyzed, followed by density‑based topology optimization to maximize stiffness at a 25% volume fraction. Although a PolyNURBS reconstruction captured optimized load paths, its internal overhangs required extensive supports and increased mass. A redesign inspired by the optimized topology preserved the primary load-carrying members while eliminating unsupported features for support‑free printing. The final geometry was printed in PLA using a 0.4 mm nozzle and 0.2 mm layer height, achieving a mass of 46 g. Finite element analysis and physical load testing confirmed that the redesigned beam maintained structural integrity with no visible damage, demonstrating the practical value of AM‑informed design that balances topology optimization results with manufacturability constraints. A cost comparison further indicated large savings for FFF relative to CNC machining for this low-volume custom component. Md Mahmudur Rahman 2026-01-07 10:37:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8507014/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:36:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8507014/v1 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted during biomass combustion are ubiquitous airborne contaminants with established carcinogenic potential. This study assessed concentrations of PM₂.₅-bound PAHs and the associated lung cancer risk within the main student cafeteria of the University of Benin, Nigeria. Active air sampling was conducted in cooking and eating areas using calibrated high-volume samplers. Mean ∑PAH concentrations of 12.8 ng/m³ and 16.1 ng/m³ were observed in the cooking and eating areas, respectively, compared to 1.0 ng/m³ at a control site. Elevated concentrations were attributed primarily to firewood combustion used for food preparation. The benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent (BaP-TEQ) concentration was estimated at 0.886 ng/m³, corresponding to a lifetime lung cancer risk of 7.7 × 10⁻⁵. These findings indicate impaired indoor air quality and suggest that prolonged exposure to PM₂.₅-bound PAHs in informal food preparation environments may pose significant health risks. Improved ventilation and the adoption of cleaner cooking fuels are recommended to reduce exposure. Esosa Victor Izevbigie, Wayne E. Omagamre 2026-01-07 10:36:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503618/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:35:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503618/v1 Falls are a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and functional decline among community‑dwelling older adults. This systematic review synthesizes evidence comparing occupational therapy–led home modifications and assistive devices with structured exercise programs for fall prevention. Nine high‑quality sources—including meta‑analyses, systematic reviews, and practice guidelines—were analyzed. Exercise interventions consistently reduced fall incidence and fall‑related injuries, while occupational therapy approaches enhanced safety, independence, and participation. Multicomponent strategies integrating exercise, environmental adaptations, and vision care demonstrated the strongest overall effectiveness. Assistive technology shows promise but requires further research. Fall‑prevention outcomes are context‑dependent and optimized when interventions are tailored and integrated. Baraa Barakat 2026-01-07 10:35:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8452448/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:35:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8452448/v1 Background Restenosis is a major limiting factor of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), accompanied by abnormal proliferation, migration and phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). As a key component of positive transcription factor-b (P-TEFb), CDK9 phosphorylates RNA polymerase II and regulates various genes that are involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes including cell growth and proliferation. In this study we investigated whether and how CDK9 regulated vascular remodeling after injury in mice. Results Our study observes a marked upregulation of CDK9 and its substrate pSer2 in VSMCs during neointimal hyperplasia following carotid artery injury, and the neointimal formation can be remarkably ameliorated by the CDK9 inhibitor (iCDK9). Overexpression of CDK9 promotes phenotypic switching, proliferation and migration of VSMCs in vitro, whereas inhibition of CDK9 obtains the opposites results. Moreover, CDK9 upregulates the expression of transcription factor Twist1, which is a key inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and has been widely implicated in the pathological progression of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, application of the Twist1 inhibitor Harmine largely abolished the function of CDK9 in promoting VSMCs phenotypic switching, proliferation and migration in vitro. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a crucial regulatory role of CDK9 in neointima formation after vascular injury, and strategies targeting CDK9 inhibition potentially overcome limitations of sustained efficacy following PCI. Liqing Yu, Xiaoxia Zhou, Jiafeng Chen, Mengxiang Li, Ruiying Wang, Gang Li, Jun Wu 2026-01-07 10:35:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8296230/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8296230/v1 Background Previous research indicate that obesity is less harmful in people with genetic predisposition to high body mass index (BMI), compared to obesity driven by other factors such as environment or lifestyle. Yet differences between genetically and environmentally influenced adiposity in relation to health outcomes remain unexplored, and have not examined adiposity measures beyond BMI. Therefore, we examined differences between genetically versus environmentally influenced adiposity, measured with BMI as well as waist-hip ratio (WHR), in relation to risk of mortality and key non-communicable diseases.Methods We followed 484,858 UK Biobank participants (aged 40–69 years at baseline) over on average 13 years. Baseline BMI and WHR categories were tested in interaction with polygenic scores (PGS) for respective trait, to distinguish between high adiposity influenced by genetic predisposition (obesity or high WHR and high PGS) versus by environmental factors (obesity or high WHR but low PGS). Risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancers, chronic respiratory disease (CRD), and diabetes were modelled in Cox proportional hazard regression, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors..Results The PGS for BMI interacted with obesity, such that genetic predisposition to higher BMI attenuated obesity associations with CVD, diabetes, and CRD, but strengthened that with cancer. In contrast, the PGS for WHR had the opposite effect, and genetic predisposition to higher WHR instead amplified associations between high WHR and mortality, CVD, diabetes, and CRD.Conclusions Obesity was linked to lower risk for most outcomes in people with genetic predisposition to higher BMI, compared to those with genetic predisposition to a low BMI. This indicates that genetically influenced obesity may be less detrimental than obesity influenced by environmental factors sucha as lifestyle. In contrast, the opposite was seen when adiposity was measured as WHR, where the association between high WHR and most outcomes was stronger in people with genetic predisposition to higher WHR. This highlights that BMI and WHR capture distinct adiposity profiles with opposing genetic effects, and underscores the heterogeneity in obesity. Elsa Ojalehto Lindfors, Shayan Mostafaei, Martin Nakash, Chandra A Reynolds, Yiqiang Zhan, Anna Dahl Aslan, Juulia Jylhävä, Sara Hägg, Ida K Karlsson 2026-01-07 10:29:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8518462/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8518462/v1 Background Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal vascular neoplasm that progresses from patch/plaque to tumor stage. Expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 is a key immune checkpoint feature in skin malignancies, but data on their role in KS are limited. We aimed to evaluate PD-1 and PD-L1 expression in KS and to assess their associations with pathologic stage and clinical features.Methods In this retrospective observational study, 46 patients with KS referred to Razi Hospital in Tehran were included. PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissue and adjacent non-tumor tissue. Associations between marker expression, pathological stage, HIV status, and clinical relapse were analyzed.Results Intratumoral PD-L1 expression in tumor-stage samples was significantly higher than in patch/plaque-stage samples, while intratumoral PD-1 expression was significantly higher in patch/plaque lesions than in tumor-stage lesions. Similar stage-related differences were observed when a 5% cut-off for positivity was applied. In contrast, neither PD-1 nor PD-L1 expression in intratumoral or peritumoral areas showed a significant association with HIV status or clinical relapse.Conclusion Higher PD-L1 expression was associated with more advanced stages of KS, whereas PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was not related to HIV status or relapse. The upregulation of PD-1/PD-L1 expression suggests that anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy may be a potential option for advanced KS. Sahar Montazeri, Kambiz Kamyab Hesari, Mohammad Hossein Teymoori, Nastaran Tayebi 2026-01-07 10:29:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515031/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515031/v1 Background Drug-resistant epilepsy remains difficult to manage when medications and surgical resection are ineffective or unsuitable. Several neurostimulation approaches are now used as alternative treatments, yet their comparative effectiveness has not been clearly established.Methods A systematic search of PubMed، Web of Science، and Scopus identified 435 studies, of which 16 randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials fulfilled eligibility criteria for inclusion in a network meta-analysis. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants achieving at least a 50 percent reduction in seizure frequency. A random-effects network meta-analysis integrated direct and indirect evidence, with assessment of heterogeneity, global and local inconsistency, and potential small-study effects. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale.Results The network showed high coherence with minimal inconsistency. Noninvasive methods particularly repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation، transcranial direct current stimulation، and external trigeminal nerve stimulation produced the strongest seizure-reduction effects. Deep brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation offered moderate but consistent benefits, while responsive neurostimulation showed weaker short-term efficacy within the limited randomized evidence. Precision for several modalities remained constrained by the small number of eligible trials.Conclusion This analysis provides an integrated comparison of neurostimulation approaches for drug-resistant epilepsy and highlights the promising therapeutic potential of several noninvasive modalities. Larger randomized studies with standardized stimulation parameters, extended follow-up, and mechanistic biomarkers are needed to refine treatment selection and optimize long-term clinical outcomes. Parnian Eslahi, Maryam moghbel baerz, Mehrdad Roozbeh, Shahab Lotfinia 2026-01-07 10:29:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8488461/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8488461/v1 The covid-19 pandemic has proven to be a disruptive force in public communication between governments and the public across the globe. Government confusion over the unprecedented description of covid-19, coupled with limited reliable data and information, has fuelled public expectations of clear and timely information from the government. The slow release of official information has led the public to seek information from third parties. Ironically, much of the information, which is invalid, irresponsible, and has unclear sources, is actually more trusted by the public. Amidst increasingly chaotic public communications, government leaders in many countries are using a variety of different crisis communication practices, some of which are effective but many of which fail in their implementation. To achieve this, a scientometric review was conducted based on quantitative mixed methods using Vosviewer and Nvivo 12 Plus to analyze a database collected from Scopus of 808 peer-reviewed journal articles from 2020-2025. This further supported by an analysis of similar applied case studies from relevant literature based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The findings suggest that selecting appropriate crisis communication strategies has the potential to accelerate improvements in public communication channels, increase public trust, and build sustainable communities. This article also outlines future research directions and highlights key benefits and challenges. Furthermore, this article contributes to existing knowledge by bridging the gap between crisis communication practices during the covid-19 pandemic and sustainable practices through the proposal of holistic framework that incorporates the SDGs and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Another framework maps crisis communication strategies before and after the widespread implementation of covid-19 vaccination policies worldwide. Youna Chatrine Bachtiar, Zulhamri Bin Abdullah, Diyana Nawar Binti Kasimon 2026-01-07 10:29:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8506626/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8506626/v1 Objectives Cognitive frailty (CF), the co-occurrence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment without dementia, is a potentially reversible, high-risk state linked to dementia and mortality, underscoring the need to identify modifiable determinants. Meaning in life (MiL) has been associated with lower risks of frailty and cognitive impairment, suggesting it may protect against CF. We examined whether higher MiL reduces the odds of CF, whether associations differ by sex or age, and whether psychosocial factors mediate these associations.Methods Data were drawn from participants aged ≥ 50 years in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2002–2024). CF was defined as concurrent frailty (frailty index > 0.25) and cognitive impairment without dementia. MiL was measured using the Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization and Pleasure (CASP-19) scale. Logistic regression models estimated associations between MiL and CF, adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial covariates. Mediation analyses tested indirect effects via depression, loneliness, social isolation, and cognitive reserve.Results Higher MiL was associated with reduced odds of CF (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.87–0.99), with a prospective effect in lagged longitudinal models (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.85–0.98). The association was modestly stronger among men (p = 0.047) but did not vary by age. Depression (54%), loneliness (33%), and cognitive reserve (13%) mediated substantial proportions of the relationship, while social isolation contributed minimally (5%).Discussion MiL independently predicts lower risk of CF, largely through reduced depression, loneliness and enhanced cognitive reserve. Interventions that foster meaning should be integrated within multidomain healthy ageing strategies. Sanda Umar Ismail, Heather Brown, Faraz Ahmed, Carol Holland 2026-01-07 10:29:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497586/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497586/v1 Conclusions and Relevance: Visual impairments were present in 70% of patients. This high frequency calls for systematic screening of visual disturbances among severely brain-injured patients, especially those with altered consciousness where deficits may mask covert awareness. UWS/VS patients had greater visual network hypometabolism compared to MCS and eMCS/LIS, with no differences between the latter groups. Increased VEP amplitude and [18F] FDG-PET metabolism were linked to fewer ophthalmological impairments, highlighting the role of visual pathways in consciousness recovery and the potential of VEP and [18F]FDG-PET in predicting outcomes. Importance: Post-coma patients typically present disorders of consciousness of varying degrees, which limit their ability to self-report visual disturbances. An early identification of visual impairments is crucial in these patients, as deficits may bias the diagnostic evaluations, with dramatic consequences on therapeutic decisions. Objective: To examine the relationship between ophthalmological impairments, visual evoked potentials (VEPs), cerebral metabolism, and consciousness levels in post-coma patients with severe brain injuries. Design: Observational cross-sectional study between 2009 and 2020. Setting: Study conducted in a referral center for disorders of consciousness in Belgium. Participants: Referred sample of 74 adult patients with a history of prolonged acquired severe brain injury resulting in coma (at least 28 days since brain injury), with a diagnosis of unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state (UWS/VS), minimally conscious state (MCS), emergence from the MCS (eMCS) or locked-in syndrome (LIS). Thirteen patients were further excluded after initial screening. Main Outcomes and Measures: Ophthalmology reports, VEP and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography ([18F] FDG-PET) data were analyzed. Frequency of visual impairments was used as primary outcome measurement using ten ophthalmological features: eyelid, cornea, fundus, eye alignment, gaze deviation, pupillary reflex, ocular motility, visual pursuit and fixation. Secondary outcome measurements included VEP amplitudes (normal versus abnormal) and hypometabolic voxel count in visual regions using [18F] FDG-PET. Patients were stratified by diagnostic groups based on the Coma Recovery Scale - Revised. Results: The final sample included 61 patients (27 female; mean age, 42.3 years), including 11 with UWS/VS, 29 with MCS, 17 with eMCS, and 4 with LIS (median time since injury, 12 months). Seventy percent of patients exhibited at least one ophthalmological impairment (100% UWS/VS, 69% MCS, 53% eMCS, and 75% LIS), with ocular motility impairment being the most frequent (31%). Abnormal VEPs were more common in UWS/VS (40%) than in MCS (5%; P = .03). UWS/VS patients had greater visual network hypometabolism compared with MCS (P = .02) and eMCS/LIS (P = .02), with no significant difference between MCS and eMCS/LIS (P = .86). The right occipital lobe showed a similar pattern, with UWS/VS differing from MCS (P = .02) and eMCS/LIS (P = .03), but no difference between MCS and eMCS/LIS (P = .64). Atakan Selte, Leandro Sanz, Cecile Andris, Aurore Thibaut, Stephen Larroque, Claire Bernard, Roland Hustinx, Steven Laureys, Arianna Sala, Olivia Gosseries 2026-01-07 10:29:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492822/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:29:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492822/v1 Background Headache attributed to anxiety or depressive disorder was added to the appendix of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3) in 2018. However, the clinical features have not been systematically characterized. This study aims to describe its clinical profile of headache attributed to anxiety and depressive disorders (HA-ADD).Methods An observational study was performed between March 2024 and June 2025 in a Chinese headache center. A total of 101 patients diagnosed with HA-ADD were enrolled after excluding primary headaches and other secondary causes. Clinical data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews.Results Headache experienced by majority of the participants was bilateral (72.3%), dull type (92.1%) and of moderate-to-severe intensity (96.1%). The most frequently locations of headache were the temporal (47.5%), parietal (35.6%) regions. 60.4% of attacks lasted for less than 4h. Common accompanying symptoms were phonophobia (79.2%), restlessness and agitation (58.4%), dizziness (57.4%), and nausea (51.5%). Emotional fluctuations (71.3%), poor sleep (57.4%) were the most common triggering factors. 73.2% of patients reported severe headache impact on daily life.Conclusions Headache attributed to anxiety and depressive disorders has distinct clinical characteristics that may aid in its early clinical recognition. Boyan Chen, Xinyu Yan, Jing Yang, Sailucao Zhang, Chunyu Wang, Dongjun Wan 2026-01-07 10:29:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8442280/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:28:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8442280/v1 Mental imagery is a simulation process, yet its representational format is rarely measured in moral cognition. We tested whether spontaneously adopted imagery perspective (first- vs third-person) and imagery vividness relate to moral evaluation in trolley dilemmas. In an online sample (N = 156), participants read either a switch or footbridge scenario, judged moral acceptability and willingness to act (order randomized), and after each judgment reported imagery vividness (1–6; including a “no imagery” option) and perspective. We replicated the classic asymmetry: acceptability and willingness were far higher in the switch than the footbridge dilemma. Imagery perspective was largely consistent within persons across the two judgments, indicating a stable simulation stance. In the footbridge dilemma, third-person simulation was associated with higher moral acceptability than first-person simulation, whereas no association emerged in the switch dilemma; perspective did not meaningfully alter willingness to act. Vividness showed no robust scenario differences, but action-related imagery was more vivid than judgment-related imagery, and some participants reported no visual imagery for at least one judgment. These findings identify representational perspective as a parameter of mental simulation that can shape moral evaluation under high emotional load, linking imagery research to questions of conscious experience and choice. Martin Ernst, Martin Kronbichler, Patric Meyer 2026-01-07 10:28:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8412612/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:25:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8412612/v1 Soils are critical stocks of terrestrial organic carbon (C), with microbial processes mediating key transformations of plant-derived C inputs. While microbial replicative growth and respiration have been widely studied for decades, a part of the microbial C budget, intracellular C storage, that does not directly contribute to microbial activities, has been largely neglected. Recent evidence suggests that intracellular C storage is a significant and active pool. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a microbial storage compound typically formed in response to stoichiometric imbalance, but the factors that govern its abundance in soil are not known. We hypothesized that PHB is an inter-seasonal storage, such that its content in soil and its allocation (PHB-C relative to microbial biomass carbon) would follow a seasonal cycle, increasing in summer when belowground C inputs are high due to high net primary productivity (NPP), and decreasing in winter as microbes draw down their stores (H1); that PHB-C allocation would be positively related to short-term NPP (H2), reflecting short-term changes in belowground C input; and finally, that PHB-C allocation would be controlled by nitrogen (N) availability and C/N stoichiometry of the soil and thus would be higher at locations with lower N availability (H3). PHB dynamics and spatial variation were observed across a temperate grazed grassland over one year, combined with the estimation of NPP from remote-sensing and measurements of soil chemistry and extractable microbial biomass. This revealed that PHB formation was dynamic at the small scale but varied only weakly across seasons and with temporal changes in NPP. Instead, PHB-C allocation was strongly linked to total soil N content and soil C/N stoichiometry, as well as spatial variation in annual NPP, with highest storage in N-poor locations. Soil microbial PHB storage is evidently not seasonally determined at the field scale but rather driven by soil conditions at small spatial scales, most notably soil nutrient availability and stoichiometry. Yang Ding, Valentin Gartiser, Bettina Tonn, Christoph Hütt, Michaela Dippold, Kyle Mason-Jones, Callum Banfield 2026-01-07 10:25:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8341883/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:11:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8341883/v1 Supramolecular plastics composed of low-molecular-weight compounds offer a promising pathway toward sustainable materials. However, achieving a macroscopic structural order and tuneable mechanical properties without relying on covalently bonded macromolecular components remains a significant challenge. We have developed a supramolecular plastic derived from a cholesterol-based low-molecular-weight compound, (3β)-cholest-5-en-3-yl dodecylcarbamate, that forms a metastable liquid-crystalline (LC) phase upon quenching from its isotropic melt. The LC phase displays sufficient fluidity at room temperature to permit bulk processing, for example, by compression; the material subsequently undergoes spontaneous crystallization to form a self-standing sheet. By controlling the quenching temperature and the incubation time prior to processing, we succeeded in endowing the sheet with molecular ordering that extended beyond the centimetre scale and, as a result, the sheet exhibited anisotropic mechanical properties. These findings establish a design strategy for creating processable, structurally tuneable, bulk materials exclusively from small molecules. Kazunori Sugiyasu, Chia-Hsin Cheng, Yuichiro Watanabe, Takashi Kajitani, Sadaki Samitsu 2026-01-07 10:11:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8509599/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:10:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8509599/v1 Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) arises from reduced coronary blood flow causing myocardial injury and is driven by both non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors. In low- and middle-income countries, ACS is a leading cause of adult mortality with an increasing burden of cardiovascular risk factors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, distribution, and associations of ACS risk factors among patients admitted to secondary and tertiary care hospitals. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients admitted with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) to secondary and tertiary care hospitals in the Kalutara District, Sri Lanka, from December 2021 to January 2022. Patients aged ≥18 years with STEMI, NSTEMI, or unstable angina were consecutively recruited. Data were collected using a pre-tested, validated interviewer-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used, with 5% statistical significance level. Results: Response rate was  91%. The mean age was 61.7 years, and the majority(62.5%) were males. Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction was the most frequent(41.9%) diagnosis, followed by ST elevation myocardial infarction(36.8%) and unstable angina (21.3%). High blood pressure(50.8%), diabetes mellitus(43.2%), and elevated blood lipids (39.8%) were the most prevalent risk factors. Around 30% were current or recent smokers, and 24.5% with a family history of coronary disease. Increasing age was significantly associated with high blood pressure(P=0.005), diabetes(P=0.042), and smoking(P=0.002). Smoking showed a strong association with ST elevation myocardial infarction (P=0.011), while elevated lipids were more common among non-ST elevation cases(P=0.011). A lower level of education was significantly related to high blood pressure(P=0.005). Despite good knowledge of risk factors among patients, no significant association was found between knowledge level and risk factors. Conclusion: Acute coronary syndrome in Sri Lanka is largely influenced by modifiable risk factors—particularly high blood pressure, diabetes, lipid abnormalities, and smoking. Although awareness of these factors was high, behavioural change was inadequate. Comprehensive, community-based prevention and lifestyle interventions are essential to reduce the burden of Acute Coronary Syndrome. J.M.S. Dineshan Ranasinghe, S. Mahendra Arnold, D.R. D Ratnayake 2026-01-07 10:10:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8507004/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 10:00:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8507004/v1 Background: High-impact research among surgical residents in public hospitals is rare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to structural barriers like limited research time, poor data infrastructure, minimal mentorship, and lack of funding. Traditional single-thesis models seldom yield international publications. This study presents a replicable multi-manuscript portfolio approach, offering an innovative shift from traditional frameworks by fostering greater scholarly output and potentially improving clinical research standards in resource-limited settings. Objective: To outline the design, ethical approval, methods validation, and editorial results of a 9-manuscript research portfolio from one institutional registry, highlighting its practical use for residents in resource-limited programs. Methods: We created nine connected manuscripts from a vascular surgery registry (n=176 peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients, 2018–2024) at a public hospital in Mexico City. The methodology manuscript (M3) demonstrated high inter-rater reliability (κ=0.97). Each manuscript addressed separate clinical questions for distinct audiences, with unified ethical clearance (RPI-ISSSTE-2025-0033). Results: From January 2024 to January 2026, outcomes included three preprints with DOIs, international editorial interest, verified manuscript independence, and faster review when methodology was validated first. The total process spanned 24 months. Conclusions: A rigorously validated multi-manuscript portfolio is achievable during residency in resource-limited settings and can be replicated by any resident with access to a registry, an external validator, and early documentation. Institutions can adopt this model by establishing centralized registries, facilitating external validation partnerships, and encouraging early methodological planning among residents. Denisse Martínez-Ríos, Adrián Martínez-Ríos 2026-01-07 10:00:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8506521/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:51:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8506521/v1 A novel magnetic carboxymethyl chitosan/polyacrylic acid (Fe3O4/CMC/PAA) hydrogel adsorbent was successfully synthesized via free radical polymerization for malachite green (MG) dye removal from wastewater. Comprehensive characterization through FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and VSM confirmed its porous network structure containing abundant functional groups (-OH, -COOH, -NH₂) and superparamagnetic properties (1.8 emu/g saturation magnetization). The adsorbent exhibited optimal performance at pH 10, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 397.73 mg/g. The adsorption mechanism followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating chemically controlled monolayer adsorption. Thermodynamic analysis revealed the spontaneous (ΔG < 0) and endothermic (ΔH > 0) nature of the process. After five regeneration cycles, the material maintained 86.7% removal efficiency, demonstrating excellent reusability. This magnetic hydrogel combines high adsorption capacity with rapid magnetic separation capability, offering significant potential for practical dye wastewater treatment applications. The integrated properties of efficient contaminant removal, facile recovery, and stable regeneration performance position it as a promising alternative to conventional adsorbents. ChunYan Lei, ZiJian He, YiFei Wu, Xiude Yang, Ping Li, Hongwei Li, Zhenxing Fang, Yanqing Yao, Dunhua Hong, Bin Wang 2026-01-07 09:51:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8537181/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:43:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8537181/v1 Antidepressants are widely used worldwide for the treatment of depression. The risk of suicide-related events during antidepressant use has been reported, leading to warnings in product labeling. However, this association has not been conclusively established, and meta-analyses to date have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, an umbrella review and reanalysis were conducted to address this inconsistency. We performed a systematic search of meta-analyses and systematic reviews in PubMed and the Cochrane Library regarding the associations between new-generation antidepressants and suicide-related events. A comprehensive review and reanalysis of the data from the 25 ultimately selected studies were conducted to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR) of suicide-related events between antidepressants and placebo. Additional analyses were also performed for different antidepressant categories and patient age subgroups. The pooled OR for suicide-related events associated with new-generation antidepressants, adjusted for publication bias via the trim-and-fill method, was 1.00 [0.90–1.12]. In the SSRI group, SNRI group, and non-SSRI/SNRI group, the adjusted ORs were 1.04 [0.91–1.19], 0.89 [0.71–1.12], and 0.98 [0.67–1.42], respectively, none of which were statistically significant. Similar nonsignificant results were observed in the pediatric and adolescent groups (1.11 [0.93–1.34]). Furthermore, the adjusted ORs for the SSRI and SNRI groups in children and adolescents were 1.06 [0.88–1.28] and 0.91 [0.39–2.15], respectively, which was not statistically significant. However, among the individual medications in these groups, venlafaxine alone had a high and statistically significant OR of 5.77 [2.18–15.31]. This study has several limitations, including the ambiguity of the definition of suicidal tendencies, inconsistencies in the definition and classification of depression, and the possibility of publication bias; thus, further research is needed to validate these findings. Nevertheless, this study highlights the warning that venlafaxine, a new-generation antidepressant, may increase the risk of suicide-related events in children and adolescents. Physicians and pharmacists should exercise caution when prescribing venlafaxine and be fully aware of the potential for suicide-related events associated with this new-generation antidepressant. (Grant: None. (Registration: None)). Yoshinari Oka, Tatsuya Takagi 2026-01-07 09:43:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503300/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:33:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503300/v1 Despite significant advancements in technology, the aviation industry faces high rates of climate related events. Hence, this study aims to evaluates the impact of thunderstorm on flight operations at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Nigeria from 1991–2020. The study employed secondary data of thunderstorm occurrences from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and flight operations data from Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) both at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation were employed for the study. Findings derived from the study revealed that thunderstorms occurred in rainy season months with August registering the highest mean occurrence at 19 accounting for 17.32% of the total. July and September closely followed, with mean occurrences of 18 and 19 respectively. The lowest months were January and December with mean occurrences of just 0.4 and 0.5 respectively. The Monthly frequencies of thunderstorm occurrences and flight operations, diversions recorded a total number of 3648 (29.6%) with the highest number of diversions in August (481), The study recommends future studies that would integrate additional data variables such as wind speed, rainfall, and other climatic parameters. Friday Noah Idoko, Ishaya Sunday, Senator Endurance OKOSUN, Ezinneka Eunice Okodudu, Solomon Ayodeji OLATUNJI, Irughe Raph Ehigiator, Adamu DANIEL, Uchenna Kanu Kingsley, Samuel Adejoro Ipinmoroti, Omanayi Johnson David 2026-01-07 09:33:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8505192/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:27:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8505192/v1 The present work focuses on the kinetics of both growth and degradation of lycopene and Vitamin C in tomato (Solanum Peruvianum L) during the various cooking methods - Simple boiling, steaming, frying, microwave and pressure cooking. In our study, the effect of oxidation and light were negligible by covering the bowl containing tomato slurry with aluminium foil and the samples in triplicate were pulled out after every fixed interval of time set different for all cooking methods. The growth and degradation of lycopene concentration were found to obey zeroth order and first order kinetics while the degradation of Vitamic C obeys first order kinetics. The maximum lycopene extraction in all cooking methods is nearly same irrespective of different growth reaction rate values. The reaction rate constant (during growth) is larger than that for lycopene degradation, so lycopene degradation is seen after growth of lycopene stops. Degradation of lycopene is mainly through isomerization. Chemical effect of oil acts synergistically to heating effect during frying. It is found that Vitamin C is not associated with breaking of tomato tissue but only degrades in all cooking methods following first order kinetics. ANANDI MAHARABAM, Nanao Singh Keisham, Giri Soibam 2026-01-07 09:27:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515260/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:27:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515260/v1 The G14R mutation in α-synuclein is associated with aggressive, early-onset Parkinson’s disease, yet its impact on the protein’s N-terminal regulatory domain remains poorly understood. As an intrinsically disordered protein, α-synuclein’s conformational landscape is highly sensitive to sequence perturbations and ligand interactions. This study investigates a hypothesized "allosteric tug-of-war" between pro-aggregatory zinc ions and inhibitory dopamine at the N-terminus. Using a Python-based physicochemical structural proxy model, we assessed residue-level charge, volume, and interaction heuristics for the first 20 residues of the G14R variant. Our results demonstrate that the substitution of glycine with arginine at residue 14 creates a localized "rigidity hotspot" characterized by enhanced electrostatic coordination with Zn²⁺ ions. Crucially, we found that dopamine competitively attenuates this stabilization at overlapping residues, suggesting a displacement-based mechanism. This modeling framework provides a mechanistic basis for the G14R phenotype, suggesting that dopamine depletion may permit persistent zinc-mediated structural stabilization, thereby promoting aggregation. These findings highlight the N-terminus as a critical switch for modulating α-synuclein pathology through small-molecule competition. Rajendra Nath Dasari 2026-01-07 09:27:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468077/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:27:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468077/v1 This work involves simulating the dynamic behavior of orthotropic laminated epoxy/carbon composite materials using the Comsol Multiphysics software based on the finite element method. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of several parameters on the natural frequency and vibrational modes. The parameters examined in this paper are: layer stacking sequence, fiber orientation, and number of layers under free–clamped boundary conditions. The results show that these parameters have a major influence on the dynamic behavior of composites, and they must be taken into consideration in order to design a more efficient composite material by avoiding resonance frequencies and it makes possible to obtain the desired natural frequencies without increasing mass or changing geometry. Elkahina Sari, Kamel Benachenhou, Salim Bennoud, Abdelkader Kirad 2026-01-07 09:27:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8460225/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:16:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8460225/v1 Objective: This study investigated the effects of a powerlifting-based training program on hormonal, metabolic and lipid profile parameters in male basketball players. Methods: This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted according to CONSORT guidelines. Thirty male basketball players aged 18–24 years were included in the study and randomly assigned to an exercise group (EG, n = 15) and a control group (CG, n = 15). Both groups continued routine basketball training three days a week for six weeks. In addition, the EG group underwent a powerlifting-based training program. Thyroid hormones (TSH, T3, and T4), insulin, glucose, growth hormone, testosterone, and blood lipid profile parameters were measured before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Significant increases in TSH, T3, T4, insulin, growth hormone, and testosterone levels were observed in the exercise group after the intervention (p<0.001). In contrast, significant decreases were observed in glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride levels, while a significant increase was observed in HDL levels. No significant changes were found in the parameters measured in the control group. Moderate to high effect sizes were determined for most variables. Conclusion: Powerlifting-based training programs positively influence the hormonal balance and biochemical profile of male basketball players. These findings demonstrate that powerlifting-based strength training is an effective and feasible complementary training method for basketball players. Ramazan Erdoğan, Ercan Tizar 2026-01-07 09:16:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8504989/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:14:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8504989/v1 This study investigates the influence of the processing environment and laser parameters on the picosecond laser ablation of tungsten carbide–cobalt (WC–Co), with a specific focus on underwater ultrafast laser processing. Experiments were conducted using 10-ps pulses to evaluate the effects of water-layer thickness, focal-plane position, laser fluence, and burst-mode operation on ablation rate and surface morphology. Underwater processing significantly improved surface quality by suppressing plasma expansion, enhancing the ejection of molten material, and reducing the formation of heat-affected zones and debris. The water layer thickness (1–5 mm) was found to have only a minor effect on the ablation rate. In contrast to in-air processing, underwater ablation produced smooth and more regular craters across all fluence levels, with no indications of thermal damage. Furthermore, underwater processing increased the ablation rate by up to ~ 75% compared with air processing, attributed to prolonged plasma confinement and enhanced plasma-assisted material removal. Burst-mode operation exhibited opposite trends in the two environments: in air, increasing the number of pulses per burst improved the ablation rate due to heat accumulation and plasma reheating, whereas underwater, pulses in a burst interacted with the long-lived ablation plume and expanding cavitation bubble, reducing the effective fluence and thereby diminishing the ablation rate. Overall, the results provide new insights into ultrafast laser ablation mechanisms in liquids and demonstrate that underwater processing offers a superior balance between ablation performance and surface integrity for hard, refractory materials such as WC–Co. Michał Ćwikła, Maurycy Kempa, Robert Dziedzic, Kacper Marciniak, Jacek Reiner, Adrian Zakrzewski 2026-01-07 09:14:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475742/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:08:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475742/v1 Organizational structures and organizational culture in the healthcare sector directly affect employee emotional commitment levels, as well as patient satisfaction and service quality. Furthermore, moral identity shapes organizational processes by determining how individuals reflect their ethical values in organizational life. Against this background, this study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment levels of healthcare workers and to reveal the potential mediating role of moral identity in this effect. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design on healthcare workers employed at a 700-bed teaching and research hospital in the Black Sea Region. Data were collected via a questionnaire from 489 participants using simple random sampling and, additionally, the snowball approach. Evaluation of the obtained data revealed a positive and significant relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Moral identity was also observed to exhibit a statistically strong relationship with both variables. Furthermore, it was found that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the critical role of organizational culture in creating emotional commitment among healthcare workers. Moral identity emerges as a factor that reinforces this effect and shows that employees who exhibit attitudes consistent with the ethical climate of the institution develop greater commitment. Adnan KÜÇÜKALİ, Murat BAŞ, Sinan TARSUSLU, Göknur ERSARI TAŞKESEN 2026-01-07 09:08:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8420996/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:08:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8420996/v1 Irregular monitoring and missing data limit the utility of longitudinal biomarkers in real-world practice. We developed a generalizable framework that combines interval-aligned preprocessing, localized multiple imputation, and machine-learning forecasting to generate complete trajectories and predict future biomarker values under routine clinical conditions. Using BCR::ABL1 monitoring in chronic myeloid leukemia as a case study, we aligned measurements to 90-day intervals, applied a windowed, uncertainty-propagating imputation strategy, and trained recurrent neural network (RNN) and XGBoost models to forecast values three and six months ahead. Full Information models achieved RMSEs of 1.22–1.24 for 3-month predictions—well below the biomarker’s observed variability—and maintained accuracy even when the most recent visit was intentionally omitted, simulating extended follow-up. This framework preserves local temporal structure, supports individualized monitoring decisions, and is directly adaptable to other continuous biomarkers measured under irregular real-world schedules. Felipe Montano-Campos, Patrick Heagerty, Eric Haupt, Erin Hahn, Jerald Radich, Aasthaa Bansal 2026-01-07 09:08:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8529694/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:08:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8529694/v1 Introduction: Salivary gland tumours (SGTs) comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with diverse histopathological and molecular features.Aim This study aimed to provide a comprehensive bibliometric overview of global research trends, key contributors, and thematic developments in salivary gland oncology.Method A total of 2,932 relevant publications were retrieved from the Scopus database and analysed using Bibliometrix (R package) and VOSviewer. The analysis examined publication trends, citation metrics, collaborative networks, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic evolution. Bibliographic coupling and co-citation analyses were conducted to identify influential research topics and author collaborations.Results Research output has steadily increased over the past two decades, with a marked rise after 2010. The United States, Japan, and Germany were the leading contributors, supported by strong international collaborations. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre and MD Anderson Cancer Center emerged as the most productive institutions. Influential authors included Seifert G, Bishop JA, and Nagao T. Highly cited journals were Head and Neck Pathology, Histopathology, and the American Journal of Surgical Pathology. Major thematic clusters included salivary duct carcinoma, immunohistochemistry, pleomorphic adenoma, and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Notably, recent trends showed a growing focus on artificial intelligence (AI) applications and molecular profiling of SGTs.Conclusion This bibliometric analysis maps the evolving landscape of salivary gland oncology research. Emphasis should be placed on strengthening global collaborations, advancing molecular diagnostics, and leveraging AI technologies. The findings serve as a valuable guide for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to shape future directions in SGT research. Bruno Špiljak, Monal Yuwanati, Gowri Sivaramkrishnan, Rachael Jahander Khodabux, Anand Ramanathan, Agnes Gatarayiha, Akhilanand Chaurasia 2026-01-07 09:08:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8529561/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:05:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8529561/v1 Background The optimal approach between perioperative chemotherapy (CT) versus preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal carcinoma remains debated. This meta-analysis compares the safety and efficacy of CT versus CRT in resectable esophageal and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma.Methods Electronic databases were systematically searched for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that enrolled adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) with histologically confirmed, resectable esophageal or gastroesophageal junction carcinoma, directly compared perioperative CT with preoperative CRT, and reported at least one outcome of interest. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 with a random-effects model. Hazard Ratios (HRs) were pooled for time-to-event outcomes, and risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous endpoints.Results Eight RCTs were included. Compared with CRT, CT had significantly reduced R0 resection rates (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89, 0.99) and a lower pathologic complete response (RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.13, 0.58). No statistically significant differences were observed in overall survival, progression-free survival, postoperative mortality, or severe adverse events. There was a trend toward greater benefit of CRT in squamous cell carcinoma; however, the test for subgroup differences did not attain statistical significance.Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests that CRT improves local tumor control by increasing R0 resection rates and complete response rates, but without a clear survival advantage over CT. This meta-analysis further highlights the need for an updated multidisciplinary framework and highlights the importance of biomarker-driven strategies in future research. Tanmayee Mareedu, Paulami Deshmukh, Shivani Saravanan, Mohammed Amaan, M Harshavardhan Reddy, Mirac Burak Tak, Marwa Balila, Junaid Nawab, Roshan Afshan, Prashant Chaulagain, Adeena Musheer, Asma’a Munasar Ali Alsubari, Zaheer Qureshi, Ahmad Iftikhar 2026-01-07 09:05:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8048396/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:04:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8048396/v1 Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are major regulators of cell growth, proliferation and signalling, constituting key therapeutic targets in cancer, inflammation, and other diseases. Individual class I PI3K isoforms control key cellular functions, imposing the need to generate isoform-specific inhibition for therapeutic intervention. Roginolisib is a selective PI3Kδ inhibitor that shows promise for the treatment of cancer. Using a combination of X-ray crystallography, molecular dynamics simulations, and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, we have uncovered the mechanism driving roginolisib’s potent and isoform-selective inhibition of PI3Kδ. Roginolisib uniquely stabilises the catalytic C-terminal helix kα12, locking the enzyme in an inactive conformation. This binding mode also results in more sustained inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate formation in tumour samples of CLL patients. Inhibition of PI3Ks by stabilization into an inactive conformation has not been described before and may provide the basis for novel, more selective and effective pharmacological strategies. Gerhard Hummer, Oscar Vadas, Simon Tiede, Maria Chaouki, Laura Tesmer, Shanlin Rao, Rémy Visentin, Ulrich Graedler, Martin Augustin, Rainer Kiefersauer, Carola Gößer, Anne Quillet-Mary, Loic Ysebaert, Julie Guillermet-Guibert, Lars van der Veen, Giusy Di Conza 2026-01-07 09:04:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457715/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:03:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457715/v1 Background: Meta-analyses conventionally report pooled effect sizes, confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values, addressing statistical significance and precision but not distance from therapeutic neutrality on a standardized robustness scale. The Neutrality Boundary Framework (NBF) provides a 0–1 robustness metric (nb) for individual studies, but its extension to meta-analytic evidence has not been formalized.  Objective: To demonstrate empirical robustness synthesis across heterogeneous trial designs and propose a theoretical framework for pooled meta-analytic robustness (nbmeta) applicable when study-level effect estimates are available (and, for inverse-variance pooling, their variances/SEs). Methods: We formalize meta-analytic robustness using the NBF formula nbmeta = |T − T0|/(|T − T0| + S), where T is a pooled effect estimate, T0 is therapeutic neutrality (e.g., log(RR) = 0), and S is a cross-study scale parameter (e.g., between-study standard deviation ˆτ or median absolute deviation (MAD)). For empirical illustration, we analyzed a convenience sample of N = 161 clinical trials with pre-computed trial-level nb values, where nb ∈ [0, 1] is the NBF robustness index measuring distance from therapeutic neutrality. We summarized the distribution of nb overall and examined the correlation between nb and − log10(p). Results: Across N = 161 trials, median nb = 0.147 (IQR 0.038–0.390; range 0.000–0.902). Using empirically derived, provisionally recommended robustness bands (nb < 0.075 weak; 0.075 ≤ nb < 0.227 moderate; nb ≥ 0.227 strong), 35.4% of trials showed weak robustness, 24.8% moderate, and 39.8% strong. Binary 2×2 trials tended to show lower nb than continuous-outcome trials. Robustness nb was moderately correlated with − log10(p) (r = 0.35, p < 0.001, n = 137; 24 trials with p = 0 excluded), suggesting that robustness captures geometric distance from neutrality, a dimension distinct from statistical significance. Conclusions: This methods note establishes trial-level nb distribution as a simple robustness synthesis approach and formalizes nbmeta for future implementation when study-level effect estimates are available (and, for inverse-variance pooling, their variances/SEs). Even without computing nbmeta, the distribution of trial-level nb provides a cross-design summary of how far the evidence base lies from therapeutic neutrality. Integrating robustness assessment alongside p-values in routine evidence synthesis yields a more complete picture of evidential strength Thomas F Heston 2026-01-07 09:03:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8332436/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:01:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8332436/v1 Riverbank erosion in South Asia’s deltaic regions presents a growing socio-environmental threat, intensifying displacement and livelihood disruption. This study investigates the erosion–migration nexus along a 44 km reach of the Ganges River in northwestern Bangladesh, integrating three decades of Landsat-based geomorphological analysis with household-level survey data. Between 1989 and 2020, the river’s sinuosity declined approximately by 19%, accompanied by intensified braiding and dynamic erosion–accretion cycles. These geomorphic transformations led to the permanent loss of over 2600 hectares of land and the formation of 1500 hectares of new floodplain terrain, heightening exposure for riverbank settlements. Survey data from 130 households reveal that erosion-induced housing damage and environmental proximity remain key predictors of migration decisions, but socio-economic characteristics shape divergent adaptive responses. Education is positively associated with anticipatory migration (Odds Ratio, OR = 1.86, p < 0.001), while income has a weak and statistically insignificant negative effect, suggesting that better-off households often invest in local adaptation instead of relocating. Institutional support shows weak correlations with migration outcomes, highlighting significant gaps in relief delivery and governance responsiveness. A logistic regression classifier based on five predictors achieved 72.2% sensitivity, demonstrating strong potential for proactive targeting of at-risk populations, though specificity was moderate. These findings underscore the need for integrated, data-driven adaptation policies that bridge geomorphological diagnostics with household vulnerability metrics. By linking physical river transformations with migration behavior, this study offers critical insights for climate mobility governance in erosion-prone deltas globally. Md Hasibul Hasan, Imran Hossain Newton, Md. Arif Chowdhury, Md. Monoar Hossain Munna 2026-01-07 09:01:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8193607/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 09:00:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8193607/v1 Hydropower representations are often simplified in power system investment models, and overestimate the flexibility potential of storage technologies. More accurate hydropower representations are required as the share of variable renewable generation capacity increases, and the need for more flexible resources rises. This paper proposes a framework for modelling cascaded hydropower systems using a state-of-the-art capacity expansion model. This framework is then used in a case study of balancing variable renewable generation in Europe using pumped hydropower storage in Southern Norway. The case study results show that a cascaded hydropower system has reduced flexibility potential, leading to a change in optimal generation mix, slightly increased total costs and more generation from thermal resources.  Erik Seeger Bjørnerem, Christian Øyn Naversen, Magnus Korpås 2026-01-07 09:00:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7708934/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:58:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7708934/v1 This paper presents a methodology to incorporate the cost of the turbine wear in the optimization models used for the day-ahead energy and reserve scheduling of a hydropower plant. Two different optimization model formulations are proposed for this purpose. One considers the wear cost assuming the hydro unit operates in steady-state within each market programming period, and the other considers the wear cost taking into account the output power variations due to the provision of primary and secondary frequency control. The two model formulations are compared to a wear-unaware one by means of a set of computational experiments. The computational experiments comprise scenarios consistent with both the new regulation of the secondary frequency control service in Spain and the previous one so as to highlight the impact the new may have on the turbine wear. The results of the experiments show that the consideration of the turbine wear in the day-ahead energy and reserve scheduling yield different operational decisions and may result in a higher profit under certain operating conditions and price scenarios. Juan Ignacio Pérez-Díaz, Darío González-Salgado, Igor Kwiecinski, Marcos Blanco, Yasir Basheer, José I. Sarasúa 2026-01-07 08:58:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8498265/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:57:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8498265/v1 Soil nutrient loss occurs naturally through soil erosion, runoff, leaching and burning of crop residues, but this process has accelerated due to improper land and crop management. Minimizing of nutrient loss is crucial under the climate change, especially in steep agricultural lands. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of soil conservation measures in reducing nutrient loss in a mature tea field at Kenilworth Estate, Ginigathhena, Sri Lanka (6°59' N, 80°29' E), located at mid-elevation. The slope of the study area was 60–72%. Erosion plots were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with four treatments; stone terrace (T), stone terrace with Vetiver grass (TV), terrace wall (TW) as soil conservation measures (SCM), and tea without conservation (TO) as control. Runoff were collected to the sediment tanks attached to the plots to analyze nutrients; Available Nitrogen (AN), Available Phosphorous (AP) and Available Potassium (AK) from October 2020 to November 2021 with 5970 mm rainfall. The NO3--N concentration in runoff was not significant in different SCMs and NH4+-N concentration in runoff was significantly low in TV. The NH4+-N and NO3--N removal in TV was 1.3 and 0.8 kg ha-1 yr-1 respectively. The amount of AP removed by runoff was significantly higher in TO (2.1 kg ha-1 yr-1) and 0.9,0.5,0.4 kg ha-1 yr-1 in T, TV, TW respectively. AK loss through runoff was not significant among treatment and lower in SCMs. TV was the most effective nutrient saving measure, reducing AN, AP and AK losses by 6.9 (78%), 1.7 (80%) and 7.8 (86%) kg ha-1yr-1respectively due to combination of physical and biological measures. L A S P Jayasinghe, Simplicio M. Medina 2026-01-07 08:57:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8513856/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:56:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8513856/v1 Purpose This study aims to investigate the interdependent relationships between energy access (EA), economic growth (GDP), and renewable energy consumption (REC) within the framework of energy justice. It highlights how these dynamics differ across income groups and regions, with a particular focus on inclusive development. Design/methodology/approach A three-equation structural model is estimated using 2SLS, 3SLS, and robust two-step GMM techniques on a panel of 110 countries covering the period 2000–2022. This methodological framework captures the bidirectional feedbacks among EA, GDP, and REC while addressing endogeneity and instrument validity concerns. Findings The results reveal a strong bidirectional relationship between renewable energy and economic growth in middle- and high-income countries. Energy access is found to be a critical driver of poverty reduction and inclusive growth in low-income regions, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. While fossil fuels still play a role in sustaining growth, their adverse environmental impacts highlight the urgency of transitioning towards cleaner and more efficient energy systems. The analysis further uncovers substantial heterogeneity across regions and income levels, underscoring the need for context-specific energy and growth policies. Originality/value This study advances the literature by embedding the concept of energy justice within the empirical analysis of energy–growth interactions, employing a robust econometric framework. It offers new evidence on the heterogeneous effects of energy access and renewable energy adoption on economic growth across different countries and income levels. The findings provide rigorous insights for policymakers, supporting the formulation of strategies that effectively reconcile economic development, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to energy resources. Jabeur SALHI, Hayfa KAZOUZ 2026-01-07 08:56:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8500942/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:55:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8500942/v1 Concrete is the most widely used construction material globally due to its versatility, cost-effectiveness, and structural reliability. However, differences in mix design standards can significantly influence its performance, durability, cost, and environmental impact. This study presents a comparative evaluation of concrete mixes proportioned according to the ACI 211.1 and BS EN 206 standards, with emphasis on mechanical performance, durability, and sustainability. Ordinary Portland cement, potable water, and well-graded fine and coarse aggregates were used to design and cast C24/30 concretes. Experimental investigations included slump, compressive strength at 3–90 days, sorption, porosity, water absorption, sorptivity, chloride penetration, surface resistivity, and acid resistance. Cost and embodied carbon analyses were also performed. The ACI 211.1 mix achieved consistently higher compressive strengths (12–28% above BS EN 206), lower sorption, porosity, and chloride permeability, reflecting superior durability. However, it suffered greater weight loss under acid attack and incurred higher production costs (~ 3% increase) and embodied carbon (~ 5% increase) due to its higher cement content. On the other hand, the BS EN 206 mix, while delivering lower strength and durability indices, offered better cost-efficiency and reduced carbon footprint. It is recommended that the ACI 211.1 approach be adopted where high strength and durability are critical, while BS EN 206 offers a more sustainable option for cost- and carbon-sensitive applications. Mark Bediako, Timothy Ametefe 2026-01-07 08:55:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8531012/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:54:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8531012/v1 Background: Epignathus is a rare oropharyngeal teratoma (OPT) that arises in the oral cavity and poses a high mortality risk due to airway obstruction. It is frequently associated with midline malformations, most commonly cleft palate. Diagnosis and management are complex, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach. This study presents a case of neonatal OPT and a systematic literature review to assess clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies. Case report: We report a 33-week gestational-age boy referred to our hospital for a giant intraoral mass causing airway obstruction. Due to difficult intubation, invasive ventilation was achieved via tracheostomy. MRI revealed a large heterogeneous mass with cystic and solid components. Suspecting a vascular anomaly, intralesional bleomycin was attempted but ineffective. Given rapid tumor growth, a multidisciplinary surgical approach was performed, achieving complete excision without intra- or post-operative complications. Histopathology confirmed mature OPT. A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. A PubMed search using "intraoral teratoma" identified pediatric cases published in the last 20 years. Discussion and Conclusion: OPTs are extremely rare lesions. In the absence of a prenatal diagnosis, emergency transfer of patients to a specialized referral centre is necessary to improve prognosis. Proper surgical planning should involve an experienced multidisciplinary team. Further studies and stronger evidence are needed to establish the best practice for managing this condition. Valentina Maggiore, Giuseppe Floramo, Deborah Basilotta, Pasqua Betta, Alberto Bianchi, Ignazio La Mantia, Vincenzo Di Benedetto, Maria Grazia Scuderi 2026-01-07 08:54:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477069/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:53:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477069/v1 Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by marked clinical heterogeneity and variable responses to systemic therapies. Although transcriptomic studies have revealed substantial molecular diversity within AD lesions, how this heterogeneity relates to therapeutic responsiveness remains incompletely understood. Here, we performed integrative transcriptomic analyses of lesional and non-lesional skin from patients with AD to define molecular subtypes and examine their biological and therapeutic relevance. Unsupervised clustering of lesional skin transcriptomes identified two distinct lesional subtypes with divergent molecular features. These subtypes differed markedly in immune activation, cell-cycle–associated programs, and immune cell composition. We next assessed subtype-specific drug responsiveness by comparing lesional gene expression signatures with transcriptomic changes induced by dupilumab and cyclosporine treatment. The major lesional subtype exhibited strong inverse transcriptional concordance with drug-induced expression changes, whereas the minor lesional subtype showed attenuated responses, particularly to cyclosporine. Analysis of an independent cyclosporine-treated cohort further demonstrated that clinical non-responders displayed transcriptomic features resembling the minor lesional subtype, including enrichment of cell-cycle–associated programs. Together, these findings demonstrate that AD lesions comprise biologically distinct transcriptomic subtypes with differential immune composition and systemic drug responsiveness, providing a molecular framework for understanding heterogeneity in AD and supporting transcriptome-based stratification for precision treatment strategies. Sang Hyun Moh, Jiyeon Kim, Jisoo Han, Sun Hee Hwang, Bumho Yoo, Seonghun Hong, Ji Hong Moh, Hyeshin Hwang, Kyunghee Yun, Kyungmin Kim, Seong-Eui Hong 2026-01-07 08:53:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8078781/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:53:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8078781/v1 Objectives Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) can identify genomic clusters of multidrug-resistant organisms, but distinguishing nosocomial transmission from community-associated spread requires detailed epidemiological context and often remains challenging. The present study aimed to quantify nosocomial transmission of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-EcKp), to identify wards with possible outbreaks, and to explore interhospital spread through prospective regional surveillance.Methods A prospective genomic surveillance study was conducted across five Dutch hospitals (2,641 beds, serving ~ 1.7 million inhabitants). Phenotypically suspected ESBL-EcKp isolates from routine diagnostics (June 2022–May 2023) were sequenced. One isolate per patient per species, and per resistance mechanism was analysed. Genomic relatedness was determined using whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (≤ 43 alleles for E. coli, ≤ 22 for K. pneumoniae). Pairwise comparisons were combined with complete admission histories to assess epidemiological links.Results Among 480 E. coli and 117 K. pneumoniae isolates, 51.9% and 27.4% respectively were genomically related to at least one other isolate. Hospital links were identified in 33.6% of genomically related versus 28.5% of unrelated E. coli comparisons (p < 0.001), and in 70.0% versus 31.7% for K. pneumoniae (p < 0.001). For E. coli, six wards were identified as outbreak-prone, and for K. pneumoniae, two wards. Eleven E. coli index isolates formed cross-hospital genomic links with 53 related isolates across all hospitals, one K. pneumoniae index isolate linked cases across two hospitals.Conclusions Prospective regional WGS surveillance revealed both nosocomial and possible interhospital transmission of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. This approach can identify outbreak-prone wards without additional sampling and may support more efficient, targeted infection prevention strategies. Julinha M. Thelen, Veronica A.T.C. Weterings, Andreas L.E. van Arkel, Wouter van den Bijllaardt, Jean-Luc Murk, Jeroen Tjhie, Jaco J. Verweij, Bas Wintermans, Joep J.J.M. Stohr 2026-01-07 08:53:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8345736/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:53:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8345736/v1 Background Injury to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) is an uncommon but consequential complication of mandibular third-molar (MTM) surgery. Panoramic radiographic signs are used to screen for risk, but their diagnostic accuracy remains contested. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of orthopantomogram (OPG) signs against cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for detecting mandibular canal (MC) cortical defects in a Yemeni cohort. [3, 5] [7, 9]Methods We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study. Consecutive cases with ≥ 1 classical OPG high-risk sign (e.g., interruption of the white line, canal diversion/narrowing, root darkening/deflection) underwent CBCT as the reference standard. Two calibrated assessors independently scored OPG signs and CBCT cortical integrity; disagreements were resolved by consensus. Accuracy metrics and associations with age, sex, and impaction type (Winter; Pell & Gregory depth) were analyzed. [1, 2, 32] [3, 37]Results Among 344 MTMs (244 female; 100 male), the MC cortex was intact in 207 (60.17%) and defective in 137 (39.83%). Root position relative to the MC was superior in 128 (73.43% intact), lingual in 150 (63.33% intact), and buccal in 66 (27.27% intact). OPG canal diversion (n = 8) predicted MC defects in all cases (100%), and interruption of the white line was associated with higher defect rates (51.2% defective when the white line was broken) whereas isolated root or canal narrowing/darkening were not. Vertical impactions showed the highest proportion of intact canals (76.92%), compared with mesioangular (43.55%), horizontal (62.71%), and distoangular (51.61%) impactions (all χ² P < 0.001). By depth, high impactions had more intact canals (75.29%) than medium (45.32%) or low (45.71%) (P < 0.001). Age groups showed a trend toward more defects in older patients (18–30 years: 36.54% defective; 31–60: 41.02%; >60: 70%), though overall χ² P = 0.100. [3, 37] [3, 37]Conclusions Among classic OPG signs, canal diversion and interruption of the white line best predicted CBCT-confirmed MC cortical defects. OPG is useful for triage, but CBCT remains the preferred modality for definitive assessment and surgical planning in high-risk MTM cases. [3, 37] Mohammed Hadi Al‑Quhali, Majdi Khaled Jubari, Salah M. Bin Hafedh 2026-01-07 08:53:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8508519/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:53:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8508519/v1 Infratentorial-predominant posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (IPPRES) is a rare PRES variant that mimics posterior circulation stroke. We report a 57-year-old normotensive female who developed thunderclap headache, visual disturbances, and respiratory arrest 2 hours after triple vaccination (COVID-19/influenza/pneumococcal). Initial CT suggested cerebellar infarction, but MRI confirmed bilateral vasogenic edema predominantly involving cerebellum and brainstem, consistent with IPPRES. We propose vaccine-induced immune activation may lower the hypertensive threshold for PRES. This case illustrates diagnostic challenges of IPPRES and the importance of recognizing brainstem compromise as a cause of respiratory deterioration. Thomas C. Landry, MD, Youjin Kim, MD 2026-01-07 08:53:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8495391/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:53:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8495391/v1 This study aims to identify the livelihood strategies of poor fishers in Tanjung Tiram Village, Southeast Sulawesi, who face various economic, social, and environmental challenges. To achieve this goal, a qualitative approach was used through in-depth interviews and participant observation with 34 heads of fishing families to understand the dynamics of their lives and their adaptation strategies for maintaining their livelihoods. The results show that fishers implement various adaptive strategies, including optimizing the use of coastal resources, diversifying income outside the fishing sector—such as working as daily laborers or starting small businesses—and actively involving family members in livelihood activities to increase total household income. Furthermore, the role of intermediary services in the catch marketing chain contributes to increased sales efficiency, despite the complex interdependencies involved. Social and cultural factors have also been shown to strongly influence strategic choices, including kinship networks and local norms. In conclusion, fishers' survival depends not only on the availability of natural resources but also on social adaptation, family structure, and the support of local economic systems and inclusive government policies. Therefore, more responsive and sustainable policy interventions are needed to empower poor fishing communities comprehensively. Jamaluddin Hos, Musadar Mappasomba, Muhammad Arsyad, La Ode Monto Bauto, Hasniah Hasniah 2026-01-07 08:53:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491633/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:52:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491633/v1 Background Sedentary behavior is strongly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk in adults. Dance-based physical activity represents a potentially engaging form of moderate-to-vigorous exercise; however, its physiological and functional health effects in midlife adults remain insufficiently synthesized.Objective To systematically synthesize evidence on the effects of dance-based physical activity on objectively measured physiological and functional health outcomes in adults aged 30–60 years.Methods This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were searched for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Eligible studies included adults aged 30–60 years, employed quantitative or mixed-methods designs, and reported objectively measured physical health outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Due to heterogeneity in intervention characteristics and outcome measures, a narrative synthesis was performed.Results From 1,148 records identified, 31 studies involving 2,432 participants across 16 countries met the inclusion criteria. Dance-based interventions were associated with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂max increases of approximately 7–22%), reductions in systolic blood pressure (3–12 mmHg), favorable changes in body composition (body fat reductions of 1.5–6.4%), gains in muscle strength (5–18%), enhanced flexibility (7–19%), and improved balance outcomes (postural sway reductions of 10–27%). Interventions lasting at least 12 weeks generally demonstrated greater effect magnitudes.Conclusions Dance-based physical activity appears to elicit meaningful physiological and functional health adaptations in midlife adults, supporting its potential role as an alternative exercise modality for cardiometabolic health promotion and disease prevention during midlife. Ujang Maulana Yusup, Yanti Heriyawati, J. Julia, Juju Masunah 2026-01-07 08:52:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8410040/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:52:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8410040/v1 Background: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a life-threatening tick-borne viral infection that poses a persistent threat to public health in Kazakhstan. This study provides an in-depth descriptive epidemiological evaluation of confirmed CCHF occurrences in the Turkestan region from May 2023 to August 2024.  Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 24 laboratory-confirmed cases (RT-PCR and ELISA IgM). Data were synthesized from national surveillance reports, focusing on clinico-demographic variables and exposure pathways.  Results: The case fatality rate (CFR) was remarkably low at 4.1%. Predominance was observed in males (62.5%) and rural inhabitants (91.7%). Direct interaction with cattle was the primary occupational risk factor (54.1%). Notably, a peak in June (50%) coincided with the seasonal surge of Hyalomma ticks. Clinical manifestations were dominated by severe weakness (100%) and fever (75%), while 50% of patients exhibited thrombocytopenia. Conclusion: The paradox of high severity (54.2% severe cases) yet low mortality suggests that early clinical intervention (mean 2.7 days to admission) is a decisive factor in survival. Strategic focus must shift toward cattle-management safety and rural health literacy to mitigate spillover events. Altyn Rysbekova, Talgat Nurmakhanov, Nur Tukhanova, Nurkeldi Turebekov, Zauresh Zhumadilova, Gulnara Tokmurziyeva, Zangar Turliev, Olzhas Yeskhodzhaev, Maksim Kulemin 2026-01-07 08:52:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8425696/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:51:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8425696/v1 Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are driven by the oncoproteins JAK2V617F, mutant calreticulin (CALR), and mutant thrombopoietin receptor (TPOR), all of which activate JAK/STAT signaling. While JAK2 signaling is engaged in all MPNs, TYK2 is dispensable for JAK2V617F-driven disease. Here, we hypothesized a distinct role for TYK2 in CALR-mutant driven MPN. We found constitutive TYK2 phosphorylation in CALRdel52/ins5- and MPLW515K- but not JAK2V617F-expressing cells. Modelling of JAK2/TPOR vs. TYK2/TPOR interaction confirmed similar binding affinities of both kinases to the receptor, which was more relevant in CALRdel52-positive cells. The TYK2 inhibitor deucravacitinib reduced viability and STAT3/5 phosphorylation in CALRdel52/ins5- and MPLW515K- but not JAK2V617F-mutant cells, with enhanced efficacy when combined with the JAK2-selective inhibitor fedratinib. Cellular response correlated with JAK2 protein abundance, as CALRins5 JAK2high clones outcompeted JAK2low clones upon TYK2 inhibition. In primary samples, deucravacitinib significantly suppressed colony growth in ET and PMF but not PV, and selectively reduced CALR- but not JAK2V617F-mutant allele burden. Similarly, CALR-mutant patient-specific iPSC-derived CD34+ progenitors were more sensitive to TYK2 inhibition than their JAK2V617F counterparts. These findings identify TYK2 as a selective vulnerability in CALR-mutant MPN and support combined TYK2/JAK2 inhibition strategies to overcome JAK2-dependent resistance. Nicolas Chatain, Milena Kalmer, Chiara Wirths, Rebecca Lemanzyk, Alessia Piergentili, Bärbel Junge, Jonas Goßen, Siddharth Gupta, Laura Schulz, Anna Spitzer, Stefan Tillmann, Kim Kricheldorf, Joelle Schifflers, Kristina Pannen, Angela Galauner, Christian Pecquet, Marcelo Szymanski de Toledo, Stefan Constantinescu, Giulia Rossetti, Steffen Koschmieder 2026-01-07 08:51:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503646/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:51:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503646/v1 This article investigates the association (and not causality) between Aid for Trade (AfT) flows and trade inclusivity in African countries. Trade inclusivity is defined in terms of countries’ catch-up with developed countries in terms of manufactured exports, and therefore, measured for different degrees of manufactures, including primary goods (PRIM); labor-intensive and resource-intensive manufactured exports (LAB); low-skill and technology-intensive manufactured exports (LOW); medium-skill and technology-intensive manufactured exports (MED); and high-skill and technology-intensive manufactured exports (HIGH). The analysis uses 32 African countries (of which 17 Least developed countries - LDCs) over the period from 2003 to 2021. It applies the Seemingly Unrelated Regression estimator that allows uncovering the short-term association (within-country association) and additional long-term equilibrium association (between-country association) between AfT flows and the indicators of trade inclusivity. The empirical findings indicate that over the full sample, AfT interventions are positively associated with LOW, MED, and PRIM, with their largest long-term positive association being on LOW, followed by MED and PRIM. However, the long-term associations between total AfT and the indicators of trade inclusivity are slightly different in LDC and NonLDC African countries. Moreover, AfT interventions are associated with a greater inclusivity in terms of low-skill/and medium-skill and technology-intensive manufactured exports in African countries that improve their productive knowledge, and face higher trade costs. Sena Kimm GNANGNON 2026-01-07 08:51:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8495175/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:51:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8495175/v1 Background Metabolic abnormalities are highly prevalent in adult populations and represent a major public health concern. Health examination data provide valuable opportunities to characterize metabolic risk profiles across different population settings. However, comparative evidence on metabolic abnormality patterns between occupational health examination populations and community health examination populations remains limited.Methods This cross-sectional study included male participants undergoing aviation health examinations (n = 495) and community health examinations (n = 750). Metabolic abnormalities, including triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP), were defined using standard clinical thresholds and coded as binary variables. Differences in prevalence were compared between cohorts, and logistic regression models adjusted for age were used to assess associations between cohort type and metabolic abnormalities.Results Participants in the aviation cohort were younger than those in the community cohort. The aviation cohort demonstrated a consistently lower prevalence of several metabolic abnormalities, particularly BP, TC, TG, and HDL-C abnormalities. In age-adjusted analyses, aviation cohort membership was associated with significantly lower odds of BP, TC, and HDL-C abnormalities. Age-stratified analyses showed consistent patterns across age groups. In addition, the aviation cohort demonstrated a lower overall burden of coexisting metabolic abnormality components.Conclusions Male participants undergoing aviation health examinations showed a more favorable metabolic abnormality profile compared with those undergoing community health examinations. Differences persisted for selected metabolic indicators after adjustment for age. These findings highlight heterogeneity in metabolic health profiles across health examination settings and may inform future population-specific metabolic health management strategies.Trial registration: Not applicable. Xin-Xin Fan, Yi-Qing Shen, Qiu-Wan Wei, Yun-Zhi Ling 2026-01-07 08:51:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8510680/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:51:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510680/v1 Coparenting behaviours predict various child outcomes, yet the specific dimensions that are most influential remain unclear, presenting challenges for the development of intervention strategies. This study used network analysis to map the interconnectedness of coparenting dimensions (integrity, disparagement, conflict, and reprimand) and preschool child outcomes, aiming to identify coparenting behaviours that are closely related to child problems. A total of 752 Chinese parents of preschool children (Mage = 4.76 ± 0.89) reported both their coparenting behaviours and their children’s strengths and challenges. We estimated the relative importance of each node in this network and found that maternal integrity, disparagement and conflict were the most influential nodes, with disparagement showing comparatively lower bridging centrality. Child problems in the emotional and conduct aspects were found to be more centralized within the coparenting network than problems in the social or attention aspects were. Network connectivity remained consistent across birth order, although maternal disparagement was more closely associated with emotional symptoms in Children in Multi-Child Families (p < .01). The results indicate the comparable significance of negative and positive coparenting behaviours in shaping child adjustment and their critical role as intervention targets to reduce child problems. Xuena Long, Jin Yu, Lin Cai, Hao Zhang 2026-01-07 08:51:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8430283/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:51:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8430283/v1 Multiple sclerosis (MS) is marked by oligodendrocyte (OL) degeneration and demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in significant neurological impairment. The synthetic thyroid hormone (TH) analogue 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid (DITPA) can bypass Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), entering the CNS to effect OL survival and myelination. We identified that downregulated MCT8 during neuroinflammation can be treated through the oral administration of DITPA, during onset and/or peak disease. This treatment can limit neurological decline during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), positively impacting locomotor outcomes. DITPA–treated mice exhibited improved OL survival, along with reduced myelin and axonal damage during EAE. Mechanistically, DITPA increased AKT-mTOR-PANK2 (pantothenic acid kinase 2) signalling leading to Co Enzyme A and lipid synthesis activation in the CNS. Moreover, DITPA improved myelinated fibre integrity and remyelination. DITPA effectively protects the CNS from neuroinflammatory degeneration, promote OL survival and myelin repair, representing a promising therapeutic candidate for MS. Steven Petratos, Rahimeh Emamnejad, Paschalis Theotokis, Jae Young Lee, Maurice Pagnin, Danica Nheu, Olivia Ellen, Sining Ye, Min Joung Kim, Ezgi Ozturk, Michael Mahlis, Isha Saxena, Zahra Rashidbenham, Natasha Lee, David Wright, Stuart McDonald, William O'Brien, Catriona McLean, Diana Bedolla, Giovanni Birarda, Bayden Wood, Philip Heraud, Kaylene Young, Katherine Jeppe, Christopher Barlow, Irena Carmichael, Nikolaos Grigoriadis 2026-01-07 08:51:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8508402/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:51:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8508402/v1 The cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant burden in Saudi Arabia, which is increased due to the geographic challenges that deter effective accessibility to specialized cardiac services by patients living in remote and rural areas [1, 2]. Tele‑cardiology can be described as the provision of services related to cardiology remotely (with the incorporation of telecommunication and digital technologies) so that it can be presented as a scalable solution to increase access to care delivery, accelerate the diagnosis (especially in the case of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)) the chronic disease management (heart failure, post-myocardial infarction follow-up, and arrhythmia detection), and unnecessary inter-hospital transfers can be reduced [3, 5]. Efforts in national telehealth in the Kingdom have seen a rapid growth with incidents like the Seha Virtual Hospital, the 937 Call Center, that have been implemented in the transformation programme of the Vision 2030 Health Sector [6, 7]. However, there are still significant challenges and these include connectivity gaps between remote areas, lack of workforce training, lack of interoperability between devices and information technology (IT) systems, uncertainties in law and regulatory systems, uncertainty over reimbursement models, and cultural barriers as well as digital illiteracy [2, 8]. Randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses and region-specific pilot programmes train the evidence and prove the heterogeneous but promising results. Organised distance care has been demonstrated to decrease hospitalisation among heart failure patients as well as to improve process metrics including door-to-device times and triage effectiveness of acute coronary syndrome [4, 5, 9]. However, numerous studies have not consistently found benefit in hard clinical endpoints hence highlighting the need to thoroughly design programmes, make highly accurate target-population selection and incorporate efficient technology-use [9, 10]. Digital and network infrastructure fortification, specifically by expanding 5G and wireless coverage, scaling tele-echocardiography and pre-hospital transmission of electrocardiograms (ECG) and echocardiography, standardisation of clinical protocols and data governance, training in allied health professionals, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) based ECG and echocardiographic triage systems, and connecting tele-cardiology services with national cardiovascular registries and emergency response networks should be top in the list of strategic priorities [3, 6, 7]. This review summarises the existing evidence, describes the current local activities and regulations, presents the main obstacles to the implementation, and provides the practical recommendations to the further development of tele-cardiology in the remote Saudi Arabian territories. Eman Aslam, Maryam Amjad 2026-01-07 08:51:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8436857/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:49:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8436857/v1 Fecundity selection is widely invoked to explain female-biased sexual size-dimorphism (SSD), yet tests based on lifetime reproductive output remain scarce. We quantified lifetime fecundity and age-dependent reproduction in the size-dimorphic spider Nephilingis cruentata, in which mating plugs restrict females to sperm from one/two copulations. We found no support for ongoing fecundity selection. Female body mass was positively associated with mean mass of viable egg-sacs but negatively with their number, so that total viable egg-sac mass did not increase with body size. Furthermore, maternal size effects on offspring survival were sex-specific: sons of larger females less likely reached maturity, whereas daughters were unaffected. Reproductive trajectories featured production of several viable egg-sacs followed by a terminal phase of non-viable egg-sacs. This pattern, and a decline in egg-sac viability with time since mating, support sperm depletion/deterioration as the primary constraint on fecundity, with weak evidence for reproductive senescence and none for adaptive restraint or terminal investment. Females that copulated twice showed no fecundity advantage but had shorter lifespans. We show that larger females do not achieve higher lifetime reproductive success and that sperm limitation may erase fecundity advantages of large female, questioning the generality of fecundity selection as a driver of female-biased SSD. Simona Kralj-Fišer, Tatjana Čelik, Cene Fišer, Paul Debes 2026-01-07 08:49:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8450522/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:48:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8450522/v1 This study investigates the volatility spillover dynamics between international oil prices and stock markets in selected oil-importing countries using the Dynamic Conditional Correlation Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (DCC-GARCH) framework. The model captures time-varying correlations and conditional volatility transmission, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of both short-term and persistent spillover effects. The empirical findings reveal significant joint ARCH and GARCH effects for most oil-importing stock markets, indicating the presence of both immediate volatility spillovers from oil prices and persistent transmission of uncertainty over time. However, notable heterogeneity across countries is observed. In particular, the Indian stock market exhibits insignificant joint ARCH and GARCH effects, suggesting a relatively weaker volatility linkage with oil prices, while short-term volatility transmission is found to be insignificant for the Korean stock market. For the remaining countries, oil price shocks significantly influence stock market volatility and its persistence. These results highlight that oil-induced financial risk is time-varying and country-specific in oil-importing economies. The findings have important implications for portfolio diversification, dynamic hedging strategies, and macro-financial policy formulation aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of oil price uncertainty on equity markets. Haseen Ahmed 2026-01-07 08:48:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475505/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:43:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475505/v1 Understanding the relationship between macroinvertebrate metrics and water quality along this river is crucial for assessing the river ecological health. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between macroinvertebrate metrics and water quality parameters along the Little Akaki River. The research was conducted across seven sampling sites in April 2024, employing a multi-habitat sampling methodology. The measurement of physico-chemical parameters (temperature, DO, pH and conductivity) was done in triplicate using HQ40-d multimeter probe. Macroinvertebrates were collected from gravel, sand, mud, vegetation, riffles and pools with a 500 µm D-frame net. Most of the physicochemical parameters showed significant differences between the sampling sites (p < 0.05). DO ranged from 0.57 ± 0.05 to 6.39 ± 0.04 mg L− 1. A total of 5575 macroinvertebrates were collected. The percentage of Ephemeroptera metrics positively correlated with dissolved oxygen and percent saturation (r = 0.677 and 0.598). A plot of RDA analysis separated the macroinvertebrate taxa which showed significant correlation with DO, HQI, SRP, TDS, pH, and TP. The study reveals a significant correlation between macroinvertebrate metrics and water quality parameters providing clear evidence that the health and diversity of macroinvertebrate communities are intricately connected to the ecological conditions present in their aquatic habitats. Alachew Adino, Seyoum Mengistou 2026-01-07 08:43:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8493636/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:30:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8493636/v1 Background: Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is a critical indicator of well-being among children living with HIV. This study assessed HRQoL and explored associated sociodemographic and clinical factors among HIV-infected children in the Belagavi district of Karnataka. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional design involving 191 HIV infected children aged 8 to 18 years and their parent proxy reports in the ART centers of Belagavi district. HRQoL was assessed using the validated QOL-CHAI instrument, which has been validated for use among Indian children living with HIV. Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, bivariate associations, and multivariable linear regression analyses to identify predictors of HRQoL. Results: The children indicated elevated HRQoL in physical, emotional, social, and academic domains, signifying minimal discrimination (score of 98.6 ± 5.7) and a low symptom burden (score of 93.5 ± 7.5). Parents reported higher HRQoL in physical and social domains, while children reported higher overall HRQoL. HRQoL was higher among children cared for by their biological mother than by guardians. CD4 count was the only independently associated factor of overall HRQoL in multivariable analysis (β = 0.170, p = 0.026). Caregiving arrangement was significantly associated with HRQoL (p = 0.014). Conclusion: Children Living with HIV (CLHIV) and parents reported a higher HRQoL across different domains, along with comparably high parent proxy scores. In this study, caregiving stability, immune status, and psychosocial well-being emerged as key determinants of perceived quality of life in a resource-limited setting. Nagaraj Patil, Mubashir Angolkar² 2026-01-07 08:30:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8458491/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:25:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8458491/v1 Hybrid vigor remains a cornerstone of maize improvement, particularly in nutritionally enhanced germplasm such as quality protein maize (QPM). This study evaluated quantitative genetic expression, yield architecture, and heterotic responses in top-cross hybrids derived from QPM (IPB Var. 6) and Visayan white corn. Significant genotypic variation was detected among hybrids for grain yield and its component traits, indicating substantial genetic diversity and the contribution of non-additive gene action. Several hybrids expressed positive mid-parent heterosis and better-parent heterosis for yield, demonstrating superior performance over parental lines. Yield advantage was largely associated with improvements in ear length, kernel number, and kernel weight, suggesting coordinated trait expression underlying heterosis. These findings highlight the breeding potential of QPM × landrace top-cross hybrids and reinforce the importance of heterosis exploitation for developing high-yielding, nutritionally improved maize cultivars. Ian Vonn Mercado 2026-01-07 08:25:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8427236/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:24:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8427236/v1 Real-time assessments of reproduction numbers are crucial for timely responses to the changes in epidemic dynamics. Known effective reproduction numbers Rt are based on registered (visible) cases, despite that the asymptomatic and unregistered patients occur in all epidemics and need to be corrected to take into account the number of hidden cases. Since the newborns and re-infections significantly affect the dynamics of epidemics, they should also be taken into account in the calculations of Rt and for the recently proposed reproduction rates - the ratios of the real numbers of infectious persons (hidden and registered) at different moments of time. The numbers of cases generated by the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were introduced, estimated using a novel mathematical model, and compared with the results of a classical SIR (Susceptible-Infectious-Removed) model for the COVID-19 pandemic dynamics in Austria. Reproduction rates were estimated with the use of the visible accumulated numbers of COVID-19 cases in Austria and Tanzania (including the real-time approach). The proposed methods for calculating the reproduction numbers may better reflect the COVID-19 pandemic dynamics than the results listed by John Hopkins University. Igor Nesteruk 2026-01-07 08:24:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8404225/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:22:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8404225/v1 Within the food-energy-water nexus framework, energy choices in both agriculture and household domains are connected, and affect water access, agricultural production, household consumption patterns, and ultimately food security. This study examines dual energy portfolios among farming households in Rahim Yar Khan district, in Punjab, Pakistan. Using cross-sectional data from 1018 households, we analyze how the distinct but interconnected energy domains on-farm and at-home, relate to household wealth and location, and follow fundamentally different transition trajectories. We find that a majority of households use mechanization on farms, including the use of irrigation pumps, threshers and tractors. Mechanization increases with household wealth and farm size, confirming the energy ladder hypothesis. However, for the same households, domestic clean energy access remains limited across all wealth categories and farm sizes, with only 6% using clean cooking and heating energy. The findings reveal that agricultural and domestic energy transitions are proceeding at different paces among the same households, with implications for integrated energy policy. Our study highlights the need for policies that address both agricultural and domestic energy needs simultaneously while considering the trade-offs and synergies between these domains within household resource constraints. Muzna Alvi, Claudia Ringler, Sehrish Raja 2026-01-07 08:22:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8424367/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:21:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8424367/v1 Leadership effectiveness is strongly associated with the level of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence includes self- awareness, empathy, and the ability to understand and regulate emotions, which are crucial for managerial and leadership qualities. Therefore, the development and improvement of emotional intelligence is considered an important factor in enhancing leadership skills. Methods: The study analyzed the components of emotional intelligence and their role in leadership using a theoretical review and empirical assessment. Particular attention was paid to identifying the most influential aspects of emotional intelligence that support the manifestation of leadership and managerial qualities. Results: The findings revealed that empathy and the ability to understand other people’s emotions are the most important components of emotional intelligence that influence effective leadership and management. These skills contribute significantly to interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and team motivation. Conclusion: Emotional intelligence plays a central role in the effectiveness of leadership and managerial qualities. Developing empathy and the ability to understand others’ emotions should be emphasized in leadership training programs, as they are key predictors of successful leadership performance. Ozodakhon Khodirova, Nozima Mullabaeva, Kamolidin Kadirov, Marietta Karamyan 2026-01-07 08:21:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8528946/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:13:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8528946/v1 Understanding long-term forest dynamics and their climatic controls is critical for managing ecologically sensitive mountain landscapes. This study examines spatio-temporal forest cover change and associated climatic variability in Lohit District, located within the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, over a 35-year period (1988–2023). Multi-temporal Landsat imagery was used to derive the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST), which were integrated with long-term gridded rainfall data from the India Meteorological Department to assess vegetation transitions and climate–vegetation interactions. The results reveal pronounced structural degradation of forest ecosystems rather than large-scale deforestation. Dense forest cover declined sharply from 3,122.39 km² (70.05%) in 1988 to 908.35 km² (20.38%) in 2023. This loss was accompanied by substantial expansion of moderate forest and shrub–grassland classes, indicating widespread canopy thinning, fragmentation, and secondary succession. Climatic analysis shows a significant decline in precipitation, with minimum annual rainfall decreasing by approximately 67%, alongside progressive surface warming, reflected in increases in both minimum and maximum LST. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis demonstrates a strong positive relationship between NDVI and rainfall and a strong negative relationship between NDVI and LST, highlighting the coupled influence of hydroclimatic stress and land-cover change on vegetation dynamics. The interaction of declining rainfall, rising surface temperatures, and sustained anthropogenic pressures particularly timber extraction, shifting cultivation, and infrastructure expansion has constrained forest recovery and reinforced degraded forest states. The findings underscore the vulnerability of Eastern Himalayan forests to compound climatic and human pressures and emphasize the need for climate-integrated, ecosystem-based forest management. Long-term satellite-based monitoring combined with hydroclimatic assessment provides a robust framework for guiding adaptive conservation strategies and enhancing ecological resilience in climate-sensitive mountain regions. Roshni Rai, Dr. Suchitra S Pardeshi 2026-01-07 08:13:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477919/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:05:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477919/v1 Background: One of the main challenges affecting malaria control initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa is the swift and widespread emergence of insecticide resistance. Consequently, there is a need to explore alternative insecticides for controlling malaria vectors. This study investigated the effectiveness of tobacco extract on wild Anopheles mosquitoes during the dry season (October–November 2021) in Chebele village, Mwense District, Luapula Province, Zambia. Methods: Wild Anopheles larvae were collected using the pipetting and dipping method along the Mwense stream and reared to the F1 progeny. Wild Anopheles mosquitoes were identified using morphological taxonomic keys. Specimens belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex and Anopheles funestus group were further identified by multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The solvent extraction method was used to extract tobacco compounds from tobacco leaves. Filter papers were impregnated with clothianidin (0.132 g/ml; SumiShield® 50WG) in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) Standard Operating Procedure for susceptibility testing (tube tests). Clothianidin was used as a positive control, while distilled water served as a negative control. Non-blood-fed, 2- to 3-day-old female wild Anopheles mosquitoes were exposed to clothianidin (0.132 g/ml) and tobacco extract at different concentrations (25% v/v, 33.3% v/v, 50% v/v, 62.5% v/v, 71.43% v/v, and 83.3% v/v) using the World Health Organization (WHO) bottle bioassay. The insectary-reared Kisumu strain (An. gambiae sensu stricto) was used as a reference for insecticide susceptibility tests. Results: Morphological identification of adult mosquitoes collected from 73 households showed that 98.03% were Anopheles funestus s.l. (n = 199), 1.48% were Anopheles gambiae s.l. (n = 3), and 0.49% were Culex species (n = 1). Subsequent PCR analysis of the wild-caught adult mosquitoes revealed that Anopheles funestus sensu stricto (s.s.) (n = 93; 46%) and Anopheles gambiaes.s. (n = 81; 40%) were the dominant species within the An. funestus group and the An. gambiae complex, respectively. Tobacco extract (83.3% v/v) and clothianidin (0.132 g/ml) were found to have mean knockdown rates at 80 minutes of 61.88% (95% CI: 34.03–89.74%) and 85.05% (95% CI: 72.01–98.08%), respectively. Results showed that both clothianidin and tobacco extract elicited 100% mortality in adult wild Anophelesmosquitoes and the Kisumu strain after 24 hours. The estimated LC₅₀ for tobacco extract on wild Anopheles mosquitoes was estimated to 38.77% v/v (95% CI: 9.99–55.91% v/v), as determined by probit analysis. Conclusion:The findings of this study suggest that Nicotiana tabacum leaf extract may be considered a potential bio-insecticide for controlling An. gambiae s.s. and An. funestus s.s., which are significant vectors of the malaria pathogen. Nicholus C. Sande, Martin Simuunza, Kaampwe Muzandu, Danny Muzata, Chiluba Zimba, Busiku Hamainza, Mulenga Mwenda, Brenda Mambwe, Rabecca Ngwira, Jossy Mweene, Mutinta Mudenda, Enala Mwase 2026-01-07 08:05:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8525304/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 08:04:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8525304/v1 Despite the Minamata Convention’s targeted reductions in mercury consumption, global trade data exhibits a ‘Compliance Paradox’ where reported flows vanish while artisanal gold mining output remains stable. This research proposes a ‘Mineral Intelligence’ pipeline utilizing unsupervised machine learning to detect illicit mercury trafficking disguised as Electronic Waste (HS 8549). By applying Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) and Isolation Forest algorithms to UN Comtrade data (2020–2024), we identify a systemic ‘Balloon Effect’: as elemental mercury bans took effect in 2022, illicit volumes were structurally displaced into ‘fake waste’ classifications. Forensic analysis reveals a statistically significant ‘Smuggler’s Signature’ within these flows, characterized by a price anomaly of $24–$80/kg (mirroring liquid mercury markets) and a Net-to-Gross weight ratio exceeding 90%, physically corresponding to standard 34.5 kg steel mercury flasks. Furthermore, Node2Vec and spectral embedding analysis exposes a ‘Decoupling Chasm’ (Manifold Distance: 2.06) that topologically separates financial gold hubs from mercury-intensive mining zones. Finally, Recursive LSTM forecasts predict a ‘burnout’ of the current HS 8549 smuggling vector (-618M kg/yr), warning of an imminent regime shift toward chemically masked commodities. Muhammad Sukri Bin Ramli 2026-01-07 08:04:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8479640/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:49:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8479640/v1 Background To evaluate the synergistic effect of a novel Hydroxyapatite(HAP)-Citrate complex toothpaste on dentinal tubule occlusion and the relief of dentine hypersensitivity (DH). Methods For the in vitro study, bovine dentin discs were treated with a test toothpaste (HAP, potassium citrate and NaF), a control toothpaste (HAP and NaF), and a placebo toothpaste (NaF only) for 3 and 7 days. Tubule occlusion and mineralized layer formation was assessed using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the clinical study, a 12-week, double-blind, randomized trial involving 129 subjects compared the test toothpaste to a bioactive glass-based positive control toothpaste and a placebo. The severity of DH, indicated by Schiff (air) and Yeaple (tactile), was evaluated at baseline, 2, 6, 8, and 12 weeks, with the last 4 weeks being a washout period. Results The HAP-Citrate complex toothpaste demonstrated significantly higher surface tubule occlusion rates, deeper intratubular occlusion, and thicker mineralized layer compared to HAP/NaF-only and placebo groups (p < 0.05) in in-vitro studies. In the 12-week clinical study, the HAP/Citrate toothpaste exhibited higher DH relief, with significant improvement in Schiff and Yeaple scores at 6 and 8 weeks compared to placebo (p < 0.05). Its desensitizing performance was comparable to the bioactive glass-based positive control. Notably, the reduction in air-stimulus sensitivity was sustained at the 12-week follow-up, four weeks after the subjects discontinued the product use. Conclusions The novel HAP-citrate complex toothpaste can build deep, protective mineral seal on dentin tubules. Its clinically proven performance makes it a superior, science-backed choice for effective sensitivity management. Registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, TRN: ChiCTR2500115399, Registration date: 25 December 2025. Xiaobin Chen, Han Jiang, Yanxiao Li, Yi Zhou, Decheng Ye, Minquan Du 2026-01-07 07:49:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8405851/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:34:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8405851/v1 Higher education institutions face increasing pressure to embed sustainability and circular economy competencies into curricula, yet many programs still rely on theoretical instruction with limited opportunities for embodied, material based learning. This study proposes a new pedagogical model Material Driven Transformative Learning (MDTL) and a complementary sustainability competency sub framework, grounded in empirical evidence from a waste based material making assignment in an interior design course in Malaysia. Twenty five undergraduate students fabricated material samples from food, agricultural, and manufacturing waste, using low tech processes, iterative experimentation, basic performance testing, and reflective documentation. Data from student reports, photographs, testing logs, and reflections were analysed thematically and mapped to cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains. Results show that working with waste catalysed three transformative mechanisms: constraint driven inquiry, embodied empirical reasoning, and cultural reconfiguration of studio learning practices. Findings also revealed three sustainability competencies not yet articulated in existing literature: material intuition, ecological risk tolerance, and collaborative circular practice. These findings inform the MDTL model, which positions material entanglement, ecological agency, and socio cultural mediation as central to transformative sustainability learning. The implications extend beyond design education, offering a transferable pedagogical framework for embedding circular economy principles in practice based disciplines across higher education. Muhammad Danial Bin Ismail 2026-01-07 07:34:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490440/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:27:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490440/v1 Purpose To develop an ISO-guided in vitro evaluation solution of blow-spun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous mats loaded with doxycycline (DOX) as bioactive scaffolds for bone regeneration and localized antibiotic delivery.Methods PCL solutions (12% w/v, glacial acetic acid) were processed by solution blow spinning with 2, 4, and 8% (w/w, relative to PCL mass). Solution viscosity and surface tension were measured; SEM and image analysis assessed fiber morphology and diameter; FTIR verified chemical composition. Cytotoxicity of material extracts was tested in L-929 fibroblasts using the MTT assay according to ISO 10993-5:2009. Osteogenic bioactivity was assessed in SAOS-2 cultures by Alizarin Red staining and SEM–EDS analysis of calcium and phosphate deposition.Results DOX reduced solution viscosity without markedly altering surface tension and did not prevent fiber formation, although higher DOX concentrations increased bead occurrence. FTIR spectra were consistent with DOX incorporation, without apparent degradation. Extracts from 2% and 4% DOX mats met the ISO 10993-5 viability acceptance criterion, whereas 8% DOX fell below this threshold. All groups supported mineralized matrix formation, with qualitatively stronger calcium deposition on 4% DOX mats than on drug-free or 8% DOX mats.Conclusion Solution blow-spun PCL–DOX nanofibers, particularly at 4% DOX, provide an ISO-compliant in vitro evidence base for further development as bioactive scaffolds combining structural support and controlled antibiotic delivery. Follow-up work should quantify release kinetics and test performance in more biomimetic, advanced in vitro models. Lorena Gonçalves Henriques Corrêa Maduro, Bruna Nunes Teixeira, Fernanda D Marques, Braulio S Archanjo, Rossana M S M Thiré, José Mauro Granjeiro, Leonardo Boldrini 2026-01-07 07:27:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8400904/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:26:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8400904/v1 Background Lates calcarifer (barramundi or Asian seabass) is a key aquaculture species with a protandrous life cycle, maturing first as male and later as female. As global breeding programs advance to improve traits such as growth and disease resistance, the absence of a high-density genetic linkage map limits progress and constrains understanding of genome architecture and recombination. Such maps are essential for marker-assisted selection, genomic breeding strategies, and comparative genomics, providing a foundation for accelerating genetic improvement. Results Our analysis reveals striking sex-specific recombination differences within the Australian lineage: females recombine only in centromeric regions, while males recombine exclusively in distal regions, with no overlap. This pronounced heterochiasmy has not been observed in Southeast Asian populations. Additionally, we detected 10 chromosomal inversions, expanding known structural variation across the species’ range. Conclusions Given their sequential hermaphroditism, this recombination landscape could allow breeders to strategically utilise sex-specific recombination through the creation of optimal allele combinations, increasing genetic gain and enhancing genetic diversity in L. calcarifer aquaculture populations. Beyond its practical applications, our findings establish L. calcarifer as a model for studying heterochiasmy, as well as providing insights into how this can be leveraged for advanced genomic breeding programs. Jessica Hintzsche, Lorenzo Vincenzo Bertola, David B. Jones, Christie Warburton, Owen Powell, Elizabeth M. Ross, Paul Harrison, Holly Cate, Dean R. Jerry, Ben J. Hayes -Queensland, Kyall R. Zenger 2026-01-07 07:26:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8354825/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:24:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8354825/v1 Summary The rate of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 is low while post-COVID syndrome is increasingly present. The aim of this study is to estimate the incidence of probable SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and post-COVID complications in patients previously infected with the virus. Methods We included patients in the convalescence phase of a SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by RT-PCR into our study. Follow-up started from the 90th day after clinical recovery from the first episode of COVID-19 and extended over a period of 12 months, from September 20, 2020 to September 30, 2021. A total of 96 convalescents were included in the study. During this follow-up period, we also assessed the frequency as well as the most common symptoms of post-COVID syndrome in previously infected convalescents. Results Of the 96 convalescents included in our study, only four were identified as having been infected twice, thus representing 4.17% of the positive cases diagnosed during the follow-up period. The clinical presentation of these 04 cases was benign. This low incidence of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 among convalescents indicates a relative reduction in reinfection among previously infected people and that the risk of hospitalizations and death has also been reduced, moreover, the frequency of post COVID syndrome was 57.3%. Among the different symptoms observed, fatigue turned out to be the most common symptom (47.9%). These results highlight the importance of long-term monitoring of COVID-19 convalescents, highlighting aspects of reinfection as well as persistent manifestations of post-COVID syndrome. Conclusion This study found that the risk of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 remained considerably lower while post-COVID syndrome is increasingly common, clinical and virological analysis indicates a decrease in the rate of reinfection in recovered patients as well as the persistence of post-COVID symptoms in most convalescents. These data show that convalescent patients maintain functional antibody responses for at least 12 months after infection, suggesting a strong and durable response after symptomatic illness that may provide prolonged protection that may reduce the risk of reinfection. Sabrine Boufarou, Nassima Achour, Ines Allam, Samia Sahraoui, Reda Djidjik 2026-01-07 07:24:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8403367/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:17:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8403367/v1 Background and Objective: Heat stress (HS) is one of the stressors that impairs various physiological and immunological conditions in an animal’s body. Small ruminants have a principal role in the economy. Lambs are young sheep under one year and have a huge nutritional and economic value. Nigella sativa (NS) is a perennial growing plant from the Ranunculaceae family. Both NS seeds (NSS) and NS oil have a wide range of therapeutic properties as immunomodulators, antimicrobials, and anti-inflammatories. This research aims to assess the functional potential of NSS as a natural nutritional supplement to enhance growth, antioxidant defense, immune function, and physiological resilience in heat-stressed Farâfra lambs to preserve the livestock. Materials and Methods: NS compounds were explored through computational molecular docking, where seventeen bioactive ligands were screened against 473 Ovis aries protein structures from the AlphaFold database to identify key immune-related molecular interactions. After that, an in vivo study was performed using eighteen Farâfra lambs (7-8 months old, 38 ± 2.56 kg), which were randomly allocated to three groups: control (0 g NSS/day), NS-S6 (6 g NSS/day), and NS-S12 (12 g NSS/day), with six lambs per group. The feeding trial lasted 60 days following a 7-day adaptation period. Growth performance, blood biochemical indices, and physiological variables, including rectal temperature, skin temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate, were measured throughout the experiment. Results: Molecular docking analysis showed strong binding of alpha-longipinene to the melatonin receptor 1A, suggesting possible immune-enhancing activity, while Frizzled-4 was identified as another key target involved in Wnt-mediated immune regulation. Experimentally, NSS supplementation improved average daily gain, feed efficiency, antioxidant capacity, and immune parameters while stabilizing physiological responses to HS. Conclusion: Supplementation with NSS enhanced growth performance, immunity, and stress tolerance in Farâfra lambs exposed to HS. The combination of in silico and in vivo findings highlights the immunomodulatory and antioxidant potential of NSS, supporting its use as a natural, functional feed additive to encourage livestock resilience and productivity under thermal stress. Shymaa Sobhy Mourad, Amira Abdalla Abdelshafy Mohamed, Ayman Y. Kassab, Hatem A. Hamdon, Marwa El-Zeftawy, Ahmed S. H. Soliman 2026-01-07 07:17:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8516406/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:13:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8516406/v1 Background/Aims: This study aims to elucidate how hyperactivated enteric glial cells (EGCs) trigger Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis and whether the exogenous gut–brain regulatory hormone oxytocin canalleviate the phenotypes of PD. Methods: Prodromal and clinical PD mouse models were established via the intragastric administration of rotenone (ROT). The intestinal and motor functions of the mice were assessed. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the colon and midbrain was detected by immunofluorescence staining. The levels of α-synuclein (α-syn), oxytocin (OXT), and inflammatory factors in the serum and colon were measured by ELISA, western blotting and qPCR. Exogenous OXT and the EGC inhibitor fluorocitrate (FC) were administered, and the rescue effect on PD mice was assessed via neurobehavioral assays. Results: ROT administration induced constipation and motor PD symptoms in mice. The expression of GFAP and α-syn in the colon of PD mice wasincreased, whereasthe OXT and OXTR levels were decreased. Exogenous OXT or FC administration inhibited EGChyperactivation, reduced inflammatory factorlevels and α-syn accumulation, and ultimately alleviated the prodromal and clinical PD phenotypes. Conclusions: EGC hyperactivation plays a crucial role in PD pathogenesis, and exogenous OXT or FC could ameliorate the prodromal and clinical PD phenotypes. Hong Chen, Yuanyuan Han, Zhuoting Li, Qin Zhang, Xintao Huang, Liu Yang, Chengwu Zhang, Li Lu 2026-01-07 07:13:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8022304/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 07:08:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8022304/v1 Iron is essential for cellular function, as it is required for oxygen transport and mitochondria oxidative respiration. However, uncoordinated regulation of intracellular iron can produce reactive oxygen species, calling for a tight homeostasis. Here, we examine the role of the iron-binding protein, ferritin, known to store intracellular iron, in the cochlea. Genetic ablation of the ferritin light-chain (Ftl1) in mouse leads to two different phenotypes. Nearly 20% of the homozygous mice have moderate to profound hearing loss (Ftl1-/- with High-Threshold, HT), with the other fraction of mice unaffected, i.e., with normal auditory threshold (Ftl1-/- with Low-Threshold, LT). In the fraction of Ftl1-/- HT mice, the outer hair cells, which amplify incoming sound-stimulation, undergo a massive degeneration and the inner hair cells, which converts the mechanical pressure into exocytosis of glutamate, harbor splayed hair bundles. In addition, patch-clamp recordings demonstrated the alteration of calcium current in the IHCs from Ftl1-/- HT mice. Finally, the Ftl1-/- LT mice were found to be more vulnerable to acoustic exposure, suggesting that the difference between the two phenotypes may partly stem from noxious environment. Taken together, our results suggest that ferritin light-chain is a contributing factor to the hair cell function and survival. Régis Nouvian, Chloé Petit, Sahia Mahaman Bachir Dodo, Lina Maria Jaime Tobon, Anne-Gabrielle Harrus, Cécilia Souyris, Jing Wang, Rémy Pujol, Frédéric Venail, Ruben Vidal, Jérôme Bourien, Jean-Luc Puel 2026-01-07 07:08:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8502605/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:58:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8502605/v1 This study adopts a gendered lens to examine the impacts of human wildlife conflict (HWC) at Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana. Drawing upon feminist political ecology and using ethnographic techniques, we explore the unique ways in which men and women are differentially affected by HWC. Our results show that HWC compels men to migrate while women experience an intensified workload due to the absence of their spouses. Also, poaching has become a profitable and more appealing alternative due to crop-raiding. The prosecution of locals for unlawful park access and poaching has exacerbated social strife, disharmony, and hostility between residents and park authorities. Additionally, HWC incurs opportunity costs and undermines community cohesion by disrupting the livelihoods of farmers. Ultimately, the findings of this research are relevant in highlighting the need to prioritize gender issues in HWC; this is a crucial step in the development of measures and interventions that are socially inclusive. Wisdom GALLEY, Brandon P. ANTHONY 2026-01-07 06:58:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8494339/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:58:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8494339/v1 We find that the magic angle in twisted bilayer graphene (tBG) corresponds to a specific small rotation angle that divides the graphene hexagon in in a lattice-coherence within two-dimensional reciprocal space.  By repeatedly subdividing the graphene hexagon while preserving this lattice- coherent condition, the magic angle is geometrically determined to be 1.067°. This construction maintains moiré diffraction coherence (MDC), such that the reciprocal-space diffraction pattern associated with the subdivided hexagon forms a flat band relative to the original graphene Brillouin zone.  The center of the threefold-subdivided hexagon is rotated by 1.067° with respect to the center of the original hexagon, thereby identifying this angle as the magic angle associated with the emergence of superconductivity in tBG. Byunghak Choe, Sunghee Han, Daehyun Kim, Jinha Kim, Yong Seok Cho 2026-01-07 06:58:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491437/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:58:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491437/v1 Background Effective knowledge and skills transfer in healthcare management education is critical for improving patient outcomes, enhancing service quality, and advancing socio-economic goals that support sustainable societies.Aim This study examined how an undergraduate blended learning healthcare management program, without a practicum component, facilitates knowledge and skills transfer.Methods A qualitative case study (2021–2023) used focus group discussions (FGDs) and interviews with 28 purposively selected students, graduates, employers, and faculty in a UK higher education institution (HEI).Findings: Structured communities of practice, fostering peer discussions, faculty tutelage, and problem-solving exercises, helped students connect theory with healthcare management practice. Two main transfer outcomes emerged from the study: (a) Positive transfer, indicating clear knowledge and skills transfer and application evidence, and (b) Transfer uncertainty, highlighting challenges and complexities in comprehensively assessing knowledge and skills transfer, mainly due to the lack of practicums and mechanisms to observe students and graduates in practice over the long term.Conclusion Findings underscore the role of practicums in improving knowledge transfer and employability. The paucity of studies on knowledge and skills transfer from such programs uniquely positions this study to deepen our understanding of the dynamics of learning transfer. Saikou Sanyang, Gordon Weller 2026-01-07 06:58:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7986579/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:58:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7986579/v1 Fearful-expression recognition is vital for survival, yet how human amygdala subregions differentially support its distinct cognitive components, including rapid threat detection and fine-grained face processing, remains unclear. Here, we recorded intracranial EEG from lateral and medial amygdala in epilepsy patients performing an emotional face-matching task. Using multivariate decoding, time-frequency and directed-connectivity analyses with intracranial stimulation, we found that the lateral subregion exhibited early, fear-specific responses with higher decoding accuracy and elevated theta/alpha-band (4-12 Hz) power, and transmitted this fear-specific information to the medial subregion, which showed delayed and sustained activation. By contrast, the medial subregion encoded face-specific information at later stage in the 2-16 Hz band with superior decoding accuracy and power, and then relayed this information back to the lateral subregion to complete processing. Further, intracranial stimulation produced behaviorally selective effects, with lateral stimulation disrupting fear detection while medial stimulation accelerated face recognition. Together, our study reveals that functional specialization and frequency-specific dynamic interaction among human amygdala subregions underlie distinct cognitive components of fearful-expression recognition. Yanyang Zhang, Dan Cao, Jiachen Cui, Xinyuan Yan, Xinru Zhang, Yuanyuan Dang, Hulin Zhao, Jin Li, Jianning Zhang 2026-01-07 06:58:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515849/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:57:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515849/v1 This research paper proposes a machine learning framework for malware attribution in digital forensics based on Random Forest. The model takes malware samples as input and classifies them into attribution labels such as APT1, APT28, APT33, CyberGangX. These features include File_Size_KB, Num_Functions, Num_Imports, and Entropy. The model was trained on a dataset consisting of 5000 samples. The important features have a wide range of values. The feature File_Size_KB varies from 11 KB to 4998 KB. Likewise, entropy varies from 1.5 to 8. The model's accuracy was found to be 19.7% with precision, recall and F1 scores at 20% on average overall attribution. According to the feature importance plot of the Random Forest model, the key features were File_Size_KB, Num_Functions, and Entropy. In terms of methodology, the model was trained using the normal method, whereby 80% of the dataset was used for training and 20% for testing. The features were normalized using StandardScaler and labels were converted from categorical to numerical values using LabelEncoder. A decline in performance was observed during adversarial robustness testing, with F1-score dropping from 20% on clean data to 15% on adversarially perturbed data. The model has difficulty due to class imbalance causing it to misclassify classes mostly represented, like CyberGangX and Unknown. The model produced higher results for some classes (e.g. APT1), it had low precision and recall for many other classes. The authors mention another challenge of robustness; the model can be fooled with a small perturbation. To sum up, while the proposed model can strengthen the existing malware attribution processes, its scalability, performance, and adversarial defenses need improvement. To improve robustness in our future efforts, we should focus on hyperparameter tuning, picking better models and trying the adversarial training. Further, feature engineering and network traffic data inclusion can enhance the model performance by increasing the accuracy and by allowing it to classify more complex malware. The findings of the study indicate that it is very important to develop a good predictive model that can be interpreted. Further, it will help cybersecurity professionals and law enforcement agencies in the field of digital forensics. Idowu Olugbenga ADEWUMI, Wumi AJAYI, Tolulope OLUFEMI, Ayoade Oluwafisayo BABATOPE 2026-01-07 06:57:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8507672/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:54:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8507672/v1 Digital media platforms have become central to how people perceive nations, cultures, and global issues. Yet existing research rarely captures how content visibility and emotional tone jointly shape audience responses in UGC platform. Traditional survey or content-analytic methods identify correlations but overlook the nonlinear interactions now traceable through large-scale platform data. Using China-related videos on YouTube as a case study, this research propose a computational framework that links media content, exposure dynamics, and audience sentiments within a unified modeling pipeline. It integrates RoBERTa- and BART-based sentiment quantification with exposure indicators and predict average comment sentiment (ACS) using a multilayer deep neural network (DNN) enhanced with explainable AI (XAI). Results show that Exposure metrics, including view count (23.78%), comment count (20.46%), and subscriber count (18.91%), emerge as the dominant determinants of ACS. SHAP dependence plots indicate an overall positive association between Content Valence and ACS. Exposure metrics display different patterns: views are positively associated with ACS, whereas comment counts are negatively associated. At low exposure levels, ACS and content valence are aligned in polarity; at high exposure levels, the effect weakens or reverses, and negative-valence videos exhibit a U-shaped pattern. An additional finding is that, during medium-to-high exposure periods, videos from high-subscriber accounts maintain persistently negative ACS, whereas those from mid-subscriber accounts show polarity reversals. This research offers a new methodological perspective for computational communication research, extends the application of Second-Level Agenda-Setting to UGC contexts, and provides practical insights for communication strategy. Fanghao Zheng, Jie Shen 2026-01-07 06:54:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462163/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:42:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462163/v1 Background To identify sex-specific, actionable gaps in metabolic control and multifactorial target attainment in adults with type 2 diabetesMethods Cross-sectional analysis of 40,211 adults with type 2 diabetes from a primary care registry (46,3% women). Outcomes were HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), body mass index (BMI), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). Targets were HbA1c < 7%, LDL-C < 100 mg/dL, BP < 140/90 mmHg, and a composite triple target. Sex differences were assessed with multivariable linear regression (HbA1c) and robust Poisson regression (target attainment), adjusted for age, diabetes duration, and BMI, and including sex-by-age and sex-by-duration interaction terms.Results Women were older than men (73.9 ± 11.7 vs 70.2 ± 11.3 years) and had higher mean LDL-C (103.0 ± 32.8 vs 95.7 ± 32.4 mg/dL) and BMI (31.1 ± 6.9 vs 30.3 ± 6.6 kg/m²) (all p < 0.001). Female sex was independently associated with higher HbA1c (adjusted β + 0.075, 95% CI + 0.050 to + 0.100; p < 0.001), and the sex gap in HbA1c widened at older ages and longer diabetes duration (both interaction p < 0.001). Men more frequently had albuminuria (UACR ≥ 30 mg/g: 24.5% vs 17.3%), whereas women more often had reduced renal function (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²: 24.9% vs 17.3%) (both p < 0.001). Overall, only 17.9% achieved the triple target (men 19.5% vs women 16.2%, p < 0.001). Compared with women, men were 3% more likely to achieve the HbA1c target (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.04), 22% more likely to reach the LDL-C target (aPR 1.22, 1.20–1.24), and 21% more likely to attain the composite triple target (aPR 1.21, 1.16–1.26), but 4% less likely to achieve the BP target (aPR 0.96, 0.95–0.98). Equalizing women’s composite attainment to men’s would translate into ≈ 614 additional women meeting all three targets.Conclusions In contemporary primary care,women with type 2 diabetes have consistent shortfalls in LDL-C control and composite multifactorial target attainment, and their glycemic disadvantage increases with age and longer diabetes duration. These actionable patterns support sex-aware implementation strategies—prioritizing lipid-lowering optimization in women across ages and tailoring glycemic intensification for older and long-duration women—to close treatment gaps and improve risk factor control. Chema Fernández- Rodríguez Lacín, José María Enguita, Ignacio Diaz, Diego Garcia, Elena Fernández-Suárez, María Dolores Chiara, Nuria Valdés 2026-01-07 06:42:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8458222/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:34:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8458222/v1 Background: Pancreatic stellate cell (PSC) activation drives fibrogenesis in alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP). While cytokines and growth factors are known regulators of PSC activation. This study investigated the role of TGF-β1/Smad pathway in ethanol (EtOH)-induced human PSC activation and collagen type I alpha 1 chain (Col1A1) synthesis, as well as the mechanism through which all‑trans retinoic acid (ATRA) antagonizes this pathway. Methods Using human activated PSC line (HP-1 cells), we quantified the mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1, IL-6, α-SMA and Col1A1 by qRT-PCR and ELISA respectively. Phospho-Smad2/3 and RARα/RARγ levels were analyzed by Western blot, RARα/α-SMA localization by double immunofluorescence, and serum retinol by HPLC. Results EtOH significantly upregulated TGF-β1 and IL-6 mRNA and protein levels. EtOH-induced TGF-β1 upregulation was partially inhibited by si-IL-6R or IL-6 antibody, indicating that IL-6 acts as an intermediate. Crucially, both TGF-β1 siRNA and a neutralizing antibody largely abolished EtOH-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and the subsequent production of α-SMA and Col1A1, underscoring the central role of TGF-β1 in this pathway. ATRA suppressed α-SMA expression and prevented Col1A1 synthesis in EtOH-treated HP-1 cells without affecting RARα. Mechanistically, these effects occurred via partial inhibition of TGF-β1 and marked downregulation of Smad2/3 phosphorylation. Clinically, a high vitamin A deficiency rate (44.7%) and elevated serum TGF-β1/Col1A1 levels were observed in 38 ACP patients. Conclusion ATRA mitigates EtOH-induced fibrogenesis in PSCs through inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 axis. This mechanistic insight, together with the observed vitamin A deficiency in ACP patients, suggests that restoring retinoid signaling may be a viable antifibrotic strategy. Li Sun, Limei Qu, Hongyan Li, Qiang Zhou, Yanhang Gao, Runping Gao 2026-01-07 06:34:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8347669/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:30:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8347669/v1 Green roofs have gained prominence as sustainable solutions to urban challenges, addressing climate change, urban heat effects, and the need for enhanced energy efficiency. This review evaluates how green roofs contribute to urban sustainability by examining their dual roles in carbon sequestration and energy efficiency. The objectives are to synthesize empirical evidence on vegetation- and substrate-driven carbon dynamics, assess the extent to which green roofs reduce building energy demand, and identify the environmental and policy conditions that shape their performance. A PRISMA-based systematic literature review was used across five major databases to examine green roofs’ carbon sequestration and energy-efficiency benefits. From 3,000 records, 80 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis synthesized evidence on carbon dynamics and thermal performance, though language and database limitations remain. Findings reveal that green roofs deliver measurable environmental benefits. Vegetation species such as Sedum acre and Frankenia thymifolia directly sequester atmospheric carbon, while substrate microbial processes enhance long-term carbon storage. Indirect carbon reductions stemming from lower energy demand often exceed direct sequestration. Green roofs also lower cooling loads by up to 70%, reduce indoor temperatures significantly during peak heat periods, and contribute to urban heat island mitigation. Performance varies according to vegetation type, substrate depth, seasonal conditions, and maintenance practices. The study concludes that green roofs hold substantial potential for climate-responsive urban development. It recommends stronger policy frameworks, targeted financial incentives, standardized performance metrics, and expanded research on substrate science. Integrating green roofs into broader green infrastructure networks and ensuring equitable access, especially for vulnerable communities, will further enhance their sustainability impact. Oluwaseun Adeyinka, Timothy Morenikeji 2026-01-07 06:30:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8423366/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:19:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8423366/v1 Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting (PEH) offers a promising solution for powering low-power electronic systems exposed to ambient vibration. However, the fluctuating and nonlinear nature of mechanical input leads to continuous variations in electrical output, making Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) essential for efficient energy extraction. Traditional fixed-duty or pulse-based control methods struggle to maintain MPPT under dynamic vibration conditions, resulting in significant power loss. This study proposes an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based MPPT controller capable of adaptively determining the optimal duty cycle for a DC-DC buck converter in real time. A comprising a piezoelectric bender, full-wave rectifier, and lithium-ion battery-was modeled and simulated in performed under varying vibration amplitudes and frequencies to generate training data for the ANN. The trained ANN achieved a high correlation coefficient (R = 0.99332), confirming its accuracy and generalization capability. Simulation results show that the ANN controller significantly stabilizes the rectifier voltage, enhances impedance matching, and improves battery charging performance. These findings demonstrate that ANN-based MPPT provides an efficient and robust solution for real-time power optimization in piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting systems. IsmailAlazhari Abubaker Bashar Omer 2026-01-07 06:19:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492252/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:16:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492252/v1 Colonization by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is an emerging public health concern, particularly in groups traditionally considered at elevated risk, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite this, the local epidemiology and behavioral determinants of CA-MRSA colonization in non-metropolitan regions remain insufficiently examined. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of nasal colonization by CA-MRSA and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci (MRCoNS) in a sample of 89 men (44 MSM and 45 heterosexual) from the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Nasal swabs were collected for microbiological culture, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and molecular detection of the mecA and nuc genes through qPCR. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire addressing sociodemographic information, sexual behaviors, and hygiene practices. Results showed a CA-MRSA prevalence of 20% among heterosexual men and 6.8% among MSM. Heterosexual orientation was identified as a significant risk factor (OR = 5.12; p = 0.021), whereas identifying as MSM appeared to be protective (OR = 0.20; p = 0.021). Post-coital hygiene—specifically showering after sexual intercourse—was also found to be an independent protective factor (OR = 0.16; p = 0.026). These findings challenge the conventional assumption that MSM universally constitute a high-risk group for CA-MRSA colonization. Instead, the higher prevalence detected among heterosexual men in this setting seems linked to individual hygiene behaviors, underscoring the relevance of universal preventive strategies emphasizing post-sex hygiene rather than approaches based solely on sexual orientation. Bruno de Christo Felicidade, Mayara Rodrigues Bicca, Eduarda Oliveira Pinto, Félix Miguel Nascimento Guazina, Clandio Timm Marques, Danieli Brum Souza, Bruno Stefanello Vizzotto 2026-01-07 06:16:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8456536/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 06:16:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8456536/v1 Background Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening complication of intensive induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) [1]. It is the leading cause of treatment-related mortality and adversely affects remission as well as overall survival. The reported incidence of febrile neutropenia is high and heterogeneous. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to estimate the pooled incidence of FN during AML induction and to characterize associated infections to enhance optimal management of these high-risk patients.Methods The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42024628474) and conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies included adults (≥ 18 years) with newly diagnosed AML patients undergoing intensive induction (7 + 3-like anthracycline–cytarabine regimens). We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for the last 10 years from 1st of December 2024. Febrile neutropenia incidence proportions were pooled using a Der Simonian–Laird random-effects model after logit transformation. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I² (I-squared) statistic, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate result robustness. An artificial intelligence language model (ChatGPT, OpenAI) was used solely to assist with language editing and clarification.Results Three studies were included in the final analysis, all conducted in Asian countries classified as high- or upper-middle-income settings. The pooled incidence of febrile neutropenia during induction chemotherapy was 88% (95% CI, 76%–95%). Considerable heterogeneity was observed (I² = 85%), due to differences in definitions of febrile neutropenia, chemotherapy protocols, and supportive care practices. One study with a narrow febrile neutropenia definition was included only in sensitivity analyses to maintain methodological consistency. However, the pooled estimates remained stable (ranging from 85% to 93%) upon sequential exclusion of individual studies. Gram-positive cocci were the predominant pathogens, and Aspergillus species accounted for the majority of fungal infections. All included studies had moderate to high risk of bias, mainly due to inconsistent febrile neutropenia definitions and limited microbiological documentation.Conclusions Febrile neutropenia occurs at a very high frequency during AML induction, highlighting the importance of vigilant infection prophylaxis and prompt empirical therapy. Adoption of the standard febrile neutropenia definition and supportive care planning is recommended to improve treatment outcomes in AML induction. U.M Wariyapperuma, P.M Nanayakkara, I Wettasinghe, P.P.R Siriwardena, S Senanayake 2026-01-07 06:16:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8129104/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:55:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8129104/v1 Hydropower-dominated systems face inherent uncertainty due to inflow variability, which propagates into effective water head levels at turbines. While energy planning models treat such uncertainty stochastically, electromechanical transient studies have traditionally assumed nominal head values, potentially misrepresenting dynamic security margins. This paper introduces a scenario-driven methodology that integrates hydrological variability from planning studies into transient stability simulations. Uncertain drivers (notably water head) are injected as scenario parameters, and ensembles of time-domain runs are summarized through statistical aggregates and event-level indicators. Application to the Brazilian Interconnected Power System demonstrates three key findings: (i) frequency nadirs shift by 0.08-0.13~Hz across credible hydrological conditions - a magnitude comparable to typical under-frequency load shedding thresholds; (ii) infeasible governor initialization occurs in up to 60\% of scenarios for some plants, indicating hidden operational risks; and (iii) damping characteristics vary with hydrology, even when average mechanical power outputs remain close to nominal. These results confirm that both inter-annual and intra-annual variability materially affect dynamic performance. By bridging stochastic energy planning with transient stability analysis, the proposed framework offers a replicable pathway to more robust dynamic security assessment in hydro-dominated power systems. Nícolas Abreu Rocha Leite Netto, Carmen Lucia Tancredo Borges 2026-01-07 05:55:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8176281/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:54:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8176281/v1 Atmospheric escape is thought to be an important ingredient in the evolution of exoplanets, particularly close-in planets that are smaller than Neptune, the most abundant population of known worlds. Models of evaporation predict that these exoplanets experience intense mass loss in their early lives, when their host stars are the most magnetically active. These models are, however, limited by the lack of observational constraints on the effects of all physical processes involved in planetary mass loss, such as interactions with stellar magnetic fields. Here, we report on observations of the 45 Myr-old, transiting Neptune-sized exoplanet DS Tucanae Ab with the Hubble Space Telescope aiming to detect and characterize its hydrogen-rich exosphere fed by mass loss. In the epochs mid-2022 and early-2023 we observed a significant absorption in the stellar Lyman-alpha line about four hours before mid-transit and again immediately after transit egress, between Doppler velocities +100 to +400 km/s in the stellar rest frame. This repeated signal suggests the presence of a large cloud of neutral H infalling into the host star at high velocities, likely originating from atmospheric escape in DS~Tucanae~Ab. Different from previous observations of other exoplanets, this signal cannot be explained with models that include only stellar wind and radiation pressure. We propose that the extended planetary exosphere is being shaped by interactions with the magnetized wind of the host star. Critically, we show that, under sub-Alfvénic conditions and for stellar surface magnetic fields in the order of tens to hundreds of Gauss, which is typical for young solar-type stars, such interactions can happen and produce the signals we observed. Our study underscores the importance of star-planet interactions in observations of atmospheric escape and the role of magnetized stellar winds in shaping the early evolution of planetary systems. Leonardo dos Santos, James Owen, Girish Duvvuri, R. O. Parke Loyd, Aline Vidotto, Andres Presa, Vincent Bourrier, George King, Vladimir Airapetian, David Ehrenreich, Kevin France, Monika Lendl, Joshua Lothringer, Louise Nielsen 2026-01-07 05:54:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491470/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:51:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491470/v1 This work presents the design and additive manufacturing of a lightweight robotic forearm link for a serial manipulator. The link was topology-optimized to reduce mass while maintaining sufficient stiffness and strength under representative multi-axial loading conditions. Topology optimization was performed in Altair Inspire, and the resulting material layout was refined using design-for�additive-manufacturing principles to produce a smooth, manufacturable geometry. Structural reanalysis confirmed that the optimized design achieved a significant reduction in volume-from 371 cm3 to 145.79 cm3 -without compromising structural performance. Manufacturability was val�idated through the fabrication of a scaled polymer prototype using fused filament fabrication. For full-scale production, laser powder-bed fusion of AlSi10Mg was identified as an appropriate manu�facturing process due to its ability to produce complex, monolithic components. A cost comparison with conventional multi-part CNC fabrication showed that additive manufacturing provides both economic and technical advantages for low-volume production. Abu Hena MD Maruf Morshed 2026-01-07 05:51:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7082118/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:47:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7082118/v1 Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm-related infections are a major problem owing to their resistance to common antibiotics. Aquilaria malaccensis, with its high phytochemical content, has exhibited some antibacterial activity; nevertheless, its antibiofilm activity has not yet been explored.  Methods: The leaves of A. malaccensis were sequentially extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate, and 80% ethanol. The antibiofilm activity of the extracts was assessed using a crystal violet-based microtiter plate assay against clinical isolates of biofilm-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Due to resource limitations, GC-MS analysis was not performed; however, literature-reported sesquiterpenes were chosen for molecular docking experiments based on AutoDock Vina. The target proteins for quorum-sensing inhibition were LasR (PDB: 2UV0) and RhlR (PDB: 8DQ0).  Results: The hexane extract possessed the greatest antibiofilm activity (98.32% inhibition at 150 mg/mL), followed by ethyl acetate (75.10%), whereas the ethanol extract did not. Docking analysis indicated that α-bisabolol and jinkoh-eremol had strong affinities for LasR (–8.9 and –8.7 kcal/mol) and RhlR (–9.1 and –8.7 kcal/mol), overcoming the native ligands. These compounds also established multiple hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, suggesting potential disruption of bacterial quorum sensing.  Conclusion: The antibiofilm activity of A. malaccensis leaf extracts, and notably the hexane fraction, can be attributed to sesquiterpenes, such as α-bisabolol and jinkoh-eremol. This study provides the first evidence of the plant's potential antibiofilm activity and indicates its potential as a source of natural quorum-sensing inhibitors. Supriyo Sen, Minakshi Nath, Vedant Vikrom Borah 2026-01-07 05:47:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503151/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:44:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503151/v1 Parallelizable hash functions enable efficient hardware but may introduceasymmetries exploitable by adversarial parallelization. We present CSH-256, acompression function integrating modular cubing at fixed intervals within aMerkle–Damg˚ard framework. The design leverages the AES S-Box nonlinearity and SHA-256 structure to increase sequential dependency along the criticalpath, limiting parallel attack efficiency. Under explicit assumptions, we analyzethe construction’s indifferentiability from a random oracle and model its parallelcomplexity. The parallel speedup is S(P) = O(W/D), where W and D denotetotal work and critical path depth. For N = 4096 and q = 240, the indifferentiability advantage is negligible, dominated by O((Nq)2/2256). Empiricalevaluations demonstrate a saturation of parallel speedup consistent with thetheory. Unlike memory-hard alternatives (Argon2, scrypt) requiring 16–64 MBfootprints, CSH-256 achieves parallel resistance using only 1.5 KB of memory. Byproviding formal guarantees absent in prior constructions (bcrypt, PBKDF2),our results suggest applicability in resource-constrained authentication contexts. Ibrahem Aboukila 2026-01-07 05:44:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8384571/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:39:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8384571/v1 Genetic inactivation of SKP2 has been shown to effectively prevent cancer initiation and block tumorigenesis. However, direct in vivo evidence for SKP2 on cancer initiation and prostatic microenvironment is still lacking and a SKP2 humanized mouse model is critical for developing prostate cancer immunoprevention approaches through targeting SKP2. We therefore have established a prostate-specific human SKP2 knock-in mouse model driven by an endogenous mouse probasin promoter. Overexpression of hSKP2 induces PIN and low-grade carcinoma. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed significant gene expression alterations in EMT, extracellular matrix, and interferon signaling. Single cell deconvolution showed an increase of fibroblast population and a decrease of CD8+ T cell and B cell populations. Consistently with these results from the SKP2 humanized mouse, SKP2 protein is overexpressed in human prostatic hyperplasia, PIN and prostate adenocarcinoma compared to normal prostate tissues. Overexpression of SKP2 markedly increased cell migration and invasion and induced the gene expression of EMT and interferon pathways. In addition, paired prostate organoids were derived from SKP2 humanized and wild-type mice for drug screening and validated by known SKP2 inhibitors, Flavokawain A and C1. Both of which selectively decreased viability and altered the morphologies of organoids of hSKP2 knock-in rather than wild-type mice. Our studies provide a well-characterized prostate-specific hSKP2 knock-in mouse model and offer new mechanistic insights for understanding the oncogenic role of SKP2 in shaping the prostatic microenvironment during early carcinogenesis. Xiaolin Zi, Liankun Song, Yurong Song, Vyvyan Nguyen, Shan Xu, Kelly Ho, Altaf Mohammed, Robert Shoemaker, Bang Hoang, Jianhua Yu, Edward Uchio 2026-01-07 05:39:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491593/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:38:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491593/v1 Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain technology, and quantum computing convergence are offering more opportunities than ever before on how to implement secure and intelligent energy management systems. The current paper suggests a new Quantum-Resilient IoT Energy Metering Framework, a combination of smart meters powered by Arduino and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and AI-assisted analytics to ensure the security of the real-time energy measurement process. The system uses an Arduino Uno microcontroller, ACS712 Hall-effect sensor, and ESP8266 Wi-Fi component to collect data and uses lattice-based cryptographical primitives (CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium) to provide quantum-safe data communication to cloud platforms based on blockchains. Measurement accuracy (95--98 percent) with a latency of less than 0.3 seconds has been experimentally validated and the quantum-resilient architecture has higher throughput (1850 TPS) and strong anomaly detection (97.8 percent F1-score). Its integrated AI layer reduces energy consumption by 23 percent with the allocation of resources using reinforcement learning. The proposed framework has a cost of less than $50 per node, and it provides a scalable, secure, and future-proof implementation of residential and industrial energy monitoring of the quantum computing era. Shujaatali Badami, Nixalkumar Patel, Sachin Raja, Hari Rowtu, Biky Chouhan, Navneet Kaur 2026-01-07 05:38:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490836/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:34:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490836/v1 This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric and network analysis of global research trends in fuzzy logic for computational intelligence spanning the period 1996–2024. Using publication, citation, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence data, the analysis reveals a sustained rise in research output, indicating the field’s maturity and enduring scholarly relevance. High-impact Q1 journals, particularly IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems, Applied Soft Computing, and Information Sciences, emerge as the primary outlets for dissemination, demonstrating the rigorous and high-quality nature of research in the domain. Country-wise mapping highlights China, India, and the United States as leading contributors, supported by strong international collaborative clusters involving globally recognised institutions such as MIT, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, IITs, and Kyushu University. Influential authors, including M. Sugeno, J. Mendel, and H. Wang, show significant contributions to the development of advanced fuzzy methodologies and hybrid intelligence models. Thematic evolution indicates a shift from foundational fuzzy control and inference systems to emerging interdisciplinary applications, particularly in IoT-enabled systems, autonomous robotics, smart healthcare, and optimisation-driven decision support. Overall, the findings underscore fuzzy logic’s dynamic progression and its expanding role in addressing modern technological challenges across diverse sectors. DR. DEBDAS MONDAL 2026-01-07 05:34:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8424165/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:29:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8424165/v1 Advances in AI have shown great potential in contributing to the acceleration of scientific discovery. Symbolic regression can fit interpretable models to data, but these models are not necessarily derivable from established theory. Recent systems (e.g., AI-Descartes, AI-Hilbert) enforce derivability from prior knowledge. However, when existing theories are incomplete or incorrect, these machine-generated hypotheses may fall outside the theoretical scope. Automatically finding corrections to axiom systems to close this gap remains a central challenge in scientific discovery. We propose a solution: an open-source algebraic geometry-based system that, given an incomplete axiom system expressible as polynomials and a hypothesis that the axioms cannot derive, generates a minimal set of candidate axioms that, when added to the theory, provably derive the (possibly noisy) hypothesis. We illustrate the efficacy of our approach by showing that it can reconstruct key axioms required to derive the carrier-resolved photo-Hall effect, Einstein's relativistic laws, and several other laws. Cristina Cornelio, Karan Srivastava, Sanjeeb Dash, Ryan Cory-Wright, Barry Trager, Lior Horesh 2026-01-07 05:29:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8351425/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:24:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8351425/v1 Oligodendrocytes, the second most abundant cell type in the motor cortex and the most abundant in the spinal cord—are increasingly recognized as active contributors to neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Yet their diversity and disease relevance in the central nervous system remain incompletely defined. Here, we generate a comprehensive single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of 176 samples, integrating 2 in-house and 16 publicly available datasets. It encompasses more than 1,000,000 cells (350,000 oligodendrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursors) from the human motor cortex and spinal cord in non-neurological controls and ALS patients. We identify a previously unrecognized oligodendrocyte subpopulation—marked by PPEF1—and uncover regional differences, with distinct OPALIN+ and RBFOX1+ oligodendrocyte proportions between cortex and spinal cord. Importantly, we demonstrate that “disease-associated oligodendrocytes” (DAOs) represent a distinct activation state, rather than a distinct subpopulation. In ALS, spinal cord oligodendrocytes selectively shift toward reactive states, characterized by JUND-enriched regulon activity, heightened metabolic demand, increased intercellular signaling, and activation of cell-death pathways. Finally, we identify LRP2 as a novel transcriptional oligodendrocyte marker and find LRP2 and MBP proteins to be elevated in ALS cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), offering a potential biomarker of oligodendrocyte dysfunction. Our study provides a systems-level framework to interpret oligodendrocyte and OPC changes in ALS, linking cell state shifts to molecular alterations that can guide biomarker and therapeutic strategies. Philip Van Damme, Maria Georgopoulou, Frederik Hobin, Jonas Dubin, Pegah Masrori, Geethika Arekatla, Koen Poesen, Sandrine Da Cruz, Ludo Van Den Bosch, Dietmar Thal, Alejandro Sifrim 2026-01-07 05:24:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8514132/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:21:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514132/v1 In this paper, we present a geometric framework designed to determine both the strong coupling strength and the QCD scale from a unified mass–charge structure. We introduce a simple, dimensionless mass–charge identity linking the effective strong charge to the neutral–charged pion mass ratio, (e/gs)2 + (Mπ0/Mπ±)2 = 1, which defines a strong-sector mixing angle θS. Based on a discrete hierarchy of effective charges, the framework predicts a geometric angle of θS ≈ −14.5° (for gs = 4e). This prediction accurately reproduces the observed neutral–charged pion mass ratio and geometrically characterizes the strong interaction as a binding-dominated regime. Building on the hierarchy 1e→2e→4e, the strong fine-structure constant is obtained from a universal geometric relation, α = (q/qpl)2, in agreement with experimental determinations at the percent level without adjustable parameters. Moreover, the confinement mass scale is derived directly from the proton charge radius as mΛ = ℏ/(rpc) ≈ mp/4, yielding a value consistent with the phenomenological QCD scale ΛQCD. Taken together, these results indicate that the electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions can be consistently described within a unified geometric framework at the level of coupling strengths and characteristic mass scales. Ittipat Roopkom, Pichet Wisartpong, Wirote Jongchanachavawat, Beverly F. Stout, Thawatchai Mayteevarunyoo, Paramote Wardkein 2026-01-07 05:21:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8425483/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:21:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8425483/v1 El Niño is the leading mode of interannual climate variability, driving seasonal predictability worldwide. It has been found that tropical variability, as that in the Atlantic, can impact on ENSO in certain decades, affecting its predictability. Nevertheless, a comprenhensive analysis of the role of the Tropical Atlantic in changing ENSO predictability along time has not been assessed so far. This work analyses the Atlantic-Pacific connection and its impact on ENSO prediction using the 20th century reforecast of the ECMWF operational seasonal forecast model, SEAS5-20C, for which changes in ENSO predictive skill over the century have been previously found. Using this reforecast, multidecadal variability of tropical basin interactions appear together with changes in tropical Atlantic and Pacific predictability. It is found how the connection between tropical basins is related to the improvement in ENSO prediction, even in the second year after the initialization (+12 month lead-time), confirming that changes in the background conditions modulates these changes in predictability. Antonio Jesús Robles Fernández, Belén Rodríguez-Fonseca, Teresa Losada Doval, Magdalena Alonso Balmaseda 2026-01-07 05:21:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8515461/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:20:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8515461/v1 Industrial control systems (ICS) used in critical infrastructure require structured cybersecurity risk assessments, particularly during early design phases in which proposed system architectures must be secured before tendering or procurement. Standards such as IEC 62443 provide established methodologies for this purpose; however, these assessments are typically conducted by human experts and rely on qualitative judgment. Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) raise the question of whether such systems can support early-stage, standards-based ICS risk assessments. This work presents an exploratory qualitative comparison of initial risk assessment results generated by an LLM and by a human expert team using a common system model and a task set derived from IEC 62443-3-2. The results highlight qualitative differences in threat identification, risk prioritization, and architectural coherence. Overall, the findings suggest that LLM-based analysis may complement, but not replace, human expertise in early-stage, safety-critical ICS cybersecurity risk assessment. Mathias Pfister, Andreas Bernhard 2026-01-07 05:20:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8429365/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:16:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8429365/v1 Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have mapped thousands of congenital heart disease (CHD)-associated variants within non-coding regions of the genome. Non-coding variants can alter regulatory mechanisms, such as transcription factor (TF) binding control of gene expression, potentially contributing human diseases. However, with the increasing number of disease-associated variants, comprehensive functional validation remains a significant challenge. In this work, we developed a novel method called SNP Bind-n-Seq to evaluate >3,000 CHD-risk variants for allelic binding for the cardiac TFs NKX2-5, GATA4, and TBX5 in a high-throughput manner. These binding affinity data sets were coupled with a massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) to screen CHD-risk variant genotype-dependent regulatory activity. We identified 170 variants that exhibit allelic TF binding and 187 that modulate gene expression. Combining both approaches revealed three high-confidence variants with genotype-dependent TF binding, genotype-dependent transcriptional activity, and eQTL behavior in cardiac cells. Collectively, this study provides the first combined high-throughput biochemical and functional genomic evaluation of thousands of CHD-risk variants. José Rodríguez-Martínez, Edwin Peña-Martínez, Shreya Sharma, Joshua Medina-Feliciano, Elise Root, Lois Parks, Marissa Granitto, Diego Pomales-Matos, Jean Messon- Bird, Adriana Barreiro-Rosario, Leandro Sanabria-Alberto, Alejandro Rivera-Madera, Jessica Rodríguez-Ríos, Rosalba Velázquez-Roig, Juan Figueroa- Rosado, Mackenzie Noon, Omer Donmez, Carmy Forney, Hayley Hesse, Katelyn Dunn, Xiaoting Chen, Matthew Hass, Lucinda Lawson, Matthew Weirauch, Leah Kottyan, Steven Reilly, Devesh Bhimsaria 2026-01-07 05:16:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503316/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:13:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503316/v1 This paper investigates the interplay between distributive conflict, investment dynamics, and persistent unemployment within a Kaleckian framework, emphasizing the long-memory properties of wages. We develop a stochastic model in which wages adjust adaptively to historical discrepancies between prices and wages, while investment is driven by expected profitability rather than market clearing. Applying this model to Germany over the period 1990–2024, we provide evidence that cumulative divergences between prices and wages generate persistent effects on real wages, aggregate demand, and employment. Our findings highlight that long-memory wage dynamics amplify the unemployment consequences of investment-driven accumulation, demonstrating a structural mechanism through which distributive conflict and inflation interact. The results underscore the importance of historical wage inertia and profit-led investment in shaping macroeconomic outcomes, offering new insights into the sources of persistent unemployment in advanced economies. houssam boughabi 2026-01-07 05:13:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476115/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:13:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476115/v1 Recently, accelerated, pharmacologically augmented regimens for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have been described, allowing treatment completion in a single day.  However, comparisons of outcomes versus once-daily treatment regimens are lacking.  Here, we performed a propensity-matched retrospective analysis of individual patient data from a naturalistic sample of patients with major depression who received either a 36-day course of once-daily TMS or single-day of pharmacologically augmented TMS, at a large community practice.  Following exclusions, the initial set of 879 patient records yielded a preliminary sample of 114 individuals who received one-day TMS and 330 individuals who underwent 36-day TMS.  Propensity-score matching yielded a final analytic sample of N=191 36-day TMS patients, matched to N=106 one-day TMS patients.  Remission (PHQ9<5) was defined as the primary outcome measure, with response (≥50% PHQ9 improvement from baseline) as the secondary outcome measure; similar analyses were performed for anxiety symptoms using the GAD7.  PHQ9 remission was achieved in 49.1% (52/106) of the single-day TMS patients, versus 25.1% (48/191) of the 36-day patients (χ²=17.473, p<0.0001).  PHQ9 response was achieved in 71.7% (76/106) of the single-day TMS patients, versus 56.0% (107/191) of the 36-day patients (χ²=7.084, p=0.0078).  Regarding anxiety symptoms, remission (GAD7<5) was achieved in 62.3% (66/106) of the single-day TMS patients, versus 33.0% (63/191) of the 36-day patients(χ²=23.79, p<0.0001).  Response was achieved in 72.6% (77/106) of the single-day versus 51.9% (98/189) of the 36-day TMS patients (χ²=12.16, p=0.0005).  As previously observed, single-day TMS improvements were not immediate, but instead developed in a delayed fashion over the 6 weeks following treatment, and reaching a plateau at 6-12 weeks post-treatment. This pattern was well-modeled with an exponential-decay function, which yielded superior fits versus linear models in both groups, with the single-day TMS group showing a significantly greater magnitude of effect and rapidity of onset. Observed effects were robust across four slightly different versions of the single-day protocol, varying in target set (dorsolateral ± dorsomedial ± orbitofrontal stimulation), inter-session interval (20 versus 30 min), NMDA agonist (D-cycloserine versus D-serine), and presence/absence of lisdexamfetamine augmentation. Randomized controlled studies will be required for definitive comparisons of single-day to once-daily TMS and for optimization of the regimen. However, the present study suggests that single-day TMS regimens may be capable of achieving outcomes that are not only non-inferior, but indeed superior, to typical 36-day TMS regimens, when delivered under naturalistic conditions in the community. Yosef Berlow, Brooke Marino, Lena Johnson, Madison Stine, Aleksandra Dojnov, Hannah Matthews, Alex Engelbertson, Whitley Prater, Farrokh Mansouri, Amourie Prentice, Tasha Morris, Georgine Nanos, Nicholas Weiss, Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Donald A. Vaughn, Noah S. Philip, Jonathan Downar 2026-01-07 05:13:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476812/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:12:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476812/v1 Breast cancer remains a major global health challenge with increasing incidence and mortality. Limitations of long-term therapies have driven the search for safer and more effective anticancer agents. Aceh patchouli oil (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) is rich in bioactive compounds, such as terpenoids and sesquiterpenes, with potential anticancer activity; however, its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study employed an in silico approach integrating network pharmacology, molecular docking, and ADMET evaluation to assess the multitarget potential of patchouli oil compounds against breast cancer. A total of 714 common targets between patchouli oil compounds and breast cancer–related proteins were identified, with AKT1 and EGFR identified as key targets involved in the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, Ras, and estrogen signaling pathways. Docking results indicated that several bioactive compounds could interact with AKT1 and EGFR, including one compound showing a stronger binding affinity toward EGFR than the control compound. ADMET evaluation revealed generally favorable drug-likeness profiles. These findings support the potential of Aceh patchouli oil as a multitarget anti-breast cancer candidate and warrant further in vitro and in vivo validation. Yendrian Rahmansyah, Wahyuni Amaliyah, Muhammad Razil, Shofiah Dina Fadlina, Fitri Yanti, Naswa Taqwalia, Puti Raysha Rani, Agniamesti Septiana Sinaga, Felicia Masyhurah Al Fajri 2026-01-07 05:12:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491202/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:11:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491202/v1 Traditional QKD protocols limit scalability in multi-user networks due topoint-to-point designs and static decoy states. We propose HT-ADA, a novel hierarchical tree quantum key distribution protocol integrating per-link adaptive decoy allocation (ADA), Hoeffding-bound eavesdropper detection, and entropy-based key analysis within a composable security framework. HT-ADA distributes secure keys across multi-node tree networks, dynamically adjusting decoy probabilities to optimize detection sensitivity while minimizing communication overhead. Numerical simulations under realistic fiber-based noise (2%) and attack conditions (Eve strength 0.1-0.3) demonstrate 99% detection rates, near-ideal entropy (0.999 bits), and 2.7× higher key rates compared to static-decoy schemes across 8-32 node networks. HT-ADA provides a scalable, composable framework for future quantumnetworks with experimentally realistic parameters. khaled Berkani 2026-01-07 05:11:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8214269/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:09:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8214269/v1 Polar topological solitons are quasi-particles essential in condensed matter physics, with a key challenge being their topological diversification, control, and arrangement. This study demonstrates that confinement asymmetry can tailor and diversify topological electrically-polar solitons in fluid ferroelectrics, being a key pathway for solving the long-standing problem in designing large-scale and complicated domain structures. We discover nonclassical electric monopoles and hybrid topological states, including chiral meron and anti-meron variants and their higher-order hybridization with a nested skyrmion core. They exhibit intrinsic self-charge, interacting through nematic elasticity and electric polar interactions. The unique mechanism leads to the formation of multibody topological superstructures by intertwining their polar flux. We propose utilizing solitonic structures as fundamental quasi-particles for designing large-scale charged arrays in insulating fluids, which function as local conductors. The self-organization offers an unprecedented opportunity for realizing large-scale engineering of in-plane domain structures that were previously unachievable in traditional ferroelectrics. Satoshi AYA, Yu Zou, Jidan Yang, Zhongjie Ma, Zening Hong, Aile Sun, Xiang Huang, Minghui Deng, Mingjun Huang, Qi-Huo Wei 2026-01-07 05:09:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8190850/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:08:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8190850/v1 Nighttime lighting is a key indicator of human activity and urban development, reflecting spatial patterns of economic vitality, infrastructure, and energy consumption. Although nighttime lighting improves safety and convenience, it also imposes substantial energy and environmental burdens. In recent years, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have increasingly replaced traditional light sources because of their high luminous efficacy and energy-saving potential, yet a comprehensive global assessment of their actual impacts has been lacking. This study presents the first quantitative global-scale lighting-scape that delineates the spatial extent, radiance, and energy consumption of both LED and traditional illumination across 140 major cities. Here we show LEDs illuminate a total area of 39,041 km2, accounting for 45% of the total. In most cities, LEDs exhibit brighter and more energy-efficient lighting, with 128 cities showing higher radiance and 79 demonstrating improved energy efficiency. Nevertheless, a pronounced “rebound effect” is observed in developed regions, where the widespread use of high-power LEDs increases energy consumption and the risk of light pollution. In contrast, the prevalence of low-power LEDs in developing regions enhances energy efficiency. Consequently,severe regional inequalities persist, with per capita lighting area differing by 44-fold and energy consumption differing by more than 160-fold between specific developed and developing cities. Mingming Jia, Haihang Zeng, Zongming Wang, Qiming Zheng, Xiaowei Gao, Yanbiao Xi, Zuoqi Chen, Liqun Sun, Zhijun Feng, Chuangpeng Zhao, Rong Zhang, Chunying Ren, Dehua Mao, Zunyi Xie, Tao Cheng, Zhaohui Xue, Chao Wang, Huadong Guo, Yeqiao Wang 2026-01-07 05:08:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8510079/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:05:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8510079/v1 Bilingual mathematical problem solving needs aclear link between language reasoning and symbolic calculation.Large language models often handle language well but areweak in accurate computation. This paper presents HERALD(Hybrid Ensemble Reasoning with Adaptive Learning and Distillation),a framework that joins reasoning and calculationusing NuminaMath-7B-TIR, GPT-4o, and Mistral-7B. HERALDuses adaptive routing, tool-based reinforcement learning, andknowledge distillation to connect different reasoning paths. Confidencecalibration keeps weighting stable, and dual-path checkingkeeps results correct. Reinforcement learning controls tool use tocut redundancy, and distillation lowers delay without hurtingaccuracy. The system shows that combining symbolic checking,adaptive ensembles, and bilingual fine-tuning helps achieve bothfluent reasoning and precise calculation. HERALD offers apractical solution for multilingual mathematical reasoning withbetter accuracy, stability, and clarity. Peiqing Lu, Yuan Zhang, Haoyun Zhang, Jiassen Zheng, Kejian Tong 2026-01-07 05:05:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497622/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:04:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497622/v1 Federated learning provides a privacy-preserving paradigm for building recommender systems. Most existing federated recommendation methods adopt a partial sharing design: item embeddings are shared globally via a server, while user embeddings are kept strictly local. However, this conventional split may fail to fully extract and leverage common preference patterns among users, limiting the model's ability to generalize, especially for users with sparse data. To bridge this gap, this paper proposes FedDAD, a federated recommendation algorithm with dual additive decoupling. FedDAD simultaneously decouples both user and item embeddings into private and shared components. This dual structure facilitates comprehensive personalization while enabling collaborative knowledge sharing for both users and items. Furthermore, to enhance communication efficiency, we impose L1 sparsity constraints on the global parameters exchanged between clients and the server. Extensive experiments on five real-world datasets demonstrate that FedDAD consistently and significantly outperforms state-of-the-art federated recommendation baselines in key ranking metrics (HR@10 and NDCG@10). These results validate its effectiveness in achieving superior recommendation performance while maintaining communication efficiency. Liuhao Shi, Zhengwei Ni 2026-01-07 05:04:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7152814/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 05:03:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7152814/v1 We introduce a neuron-microenvironment framework to analyze 139,273 neurons with 50 million synapses in a Drosophila brain, revealing that 7.3% of soma-annotated neurons are not unipolar, challenging a long-standing assumption. Mapping microenvironments into brain coordinates uncovers 482 novel subregions (MicroEnv-atlas) within 78 anatomical regions, patterns missed by conventional morphology. Microenvironmental features increase spatial coherence by 68% and strongly correlate with long-range projections, especially in the Mushroom Body, paralleling spatial motifs in the mammalian hippocampus. Integration with single-cell RNA-seq links these features to molecular communication involving transmembrane transport and metabolism. Clustering neurons by distal projections within the MicroEnv-atlas identifies submodules associated with feeding and multisensory integration. Hanchuan Peng, Longxiao Yuan 2026-01-07 05:03:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489972/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 04:26:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489972/v1 Despite global EdTech investment projected to surpass $400 billion by 2025, accelerating AI, gamification, and AR/VR adoption, evidence shows these innovations often amplify educational inequities—a phenomenon we term the digital equity paradox. This systematic review addresses this paradox by employing a novel Hybrid Thematic–SWOT (HT-SWOT) analytical framework. We synthesize findings from 71 peer-reviewed empirical studies (2018–2024) to concurrently examine the pedagogical impacts and the systemic drivers of (in)equity within AI-, gamification-, and AR/VR-based learning across diverse global contexts. The HT-SWOT synthesis reveals a core tension: although these technologies demonstrate substantive Strengths in personalizing instruction, increasing engagement, and developing skills, their equitable implementation is severely hampered by internal Weaknesses (e.g., educator preparedness gaps, algorithmic bias) and external Threats (e.g., platform commercialization, data surveillance, cultural homogenization). The analysis identifies critical Opportunities in participatory design, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and ethical governance frameworks. The study’s contributions are threefold. First, it introduces the HT-SWOT framework as a robust methodology for strategic educational research. Second, it derives an evidence-based Digital Equity Ecosystem Framework (DEEF) that conceptualizes digital inequality across infrastructural, pedagogical, and epistemic dimensions. Third, it translates these insights into a actionable roadmap for educators, policymakers, and technologists. We argue that moving beyond the digital equity paradox necessitates a decisive pivot from techno-solutionism toward justice-oriented, systemic redesign founded on ethical principles, inclusive co-design, and transnational collaboration. Dwi Mariyono, Dwi Fitri Wiyono, Muhammad Yunus, Hamiddin Hamiddin 2026-01-07 04:26:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8385726/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 04:07:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8385726/v1 Against the backdrop of the green and low-carbon transformation of traffic sensing systems, the high energy consumption and carbon emissions of relay nodes in wireless sensor networks are becoming increasingly prominent. To control the carbon emission costs of relay node operation while ensuring coverage quality, this paper proposes a collaborative optimization method for coverage and scheduling of wireless sensor network relay nodes considering carbon emission cost constraints. First, a coverage model and mathematical framework coupling "energy consumption - carbon emission - coverage efficiency" are established, integrating multi-objective optimization objectives and multiple constraints. Second, a multi-stage coverage optimization algorithm jointly evaluating carbon penalties and coverage gains is designed. Finally, a collaborative strategy combining carbon budget allocation and dynamic scheduling is proposed. Experiments show that the method converges in 40 out of 100 iterations, achieving a final coverage rate of 92%, which is 9% higher than the multi-objective differential evolution algorithm (83%) and the multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm (75%). The lifecycle carbon emissions under medium traffic density are 147. Compared to the comparative method, this method reduces CO2 emissions by more than 36g, while maintaining a data transmission success rate of 94% to 96%. This method provides a new solution for the efficient and low-carbon operation of green transportation sensing systems. Tian Xiaxiao 2026-01-07 04:07:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467194/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 04:04:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467194/v1 This paper introduces a novel real-time algorithm designed to diagnose open-circuit faults in power converters driving permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs). The proposed method offers a simple and efficient solution for fault detection and isolation (FDI), relying solely on real-time phase current measurements. Unlike conventional approaches, this technique can identify both single and multiple open-switch faults while maintaining robustness against false alarms during PMSM speed variations. Simulation results across varying irradiance levels confirm the effectiveness of the proposed Fault-Tolerant Control System (FTCS). The developed strategy enhances photovoltaic system reliability by reducing costs, shortening detection time, and ensuring service continuity. Notably, the method achieves a fault detection time that is 5ms faster than existing techniques cited in the literature. Experimental tests conducted on a PMSM validate the effectiveness of the FDI strategy, demonstrating its capability to accurately detect, classify, and locate open-phase faults in the motor drive system. Mongi Moujahed, Hedi Ben mahdhi, Mourad Selmi, Marwa Ben Slimene, Mohamed Arbi khlifi, Hechmi Ben azza 2026-01-07 04:04:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8395733/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 04:00:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8395733/v1 District heating (DH) has been identified as the least-cost option for decarbonizing space heating in about 35% of Dutch households. However, this conclusion is based on average heat demand at the neighbourhood level, which masks substantial variation between households. As a result, given the high fixed cost of DH compared to natural gas, low-consumption households may face higher energy bill increases than high-consumption households once connected to DH systems. This study examines this distributional risk by analysing household-level gas consumption and its implications for energy costs under the 2025 Dutch DH and gas tariff structures. We use microdata from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) covering more than 230,000 households in Amsterdam, for which DH is identified as the least-cost option for phasing out natural gas. We quantify household gas-use heterogeneity using Kernel density estimates, Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients; calculate household-level bill changes under an overnight switch to DH under the standardized 2025 DH tariff, holding consumption and building quality fixed; and use multinomial logistic regression to characterize households at risk of different bill changes. Results reveal large disparities: Roughly a quarter of the households, consuming less than 500 m3 of gas per year, would experience a bill increase above €300 per year, equivalent to a relative bill increase from 35% to above 70% per year. More than 25% of these households have low-incomes. Highly insulated dwellings are particularly affected. The findings demonstrate that relying on average heat demand in least-cost assessments and applying uniform DH tariffs disproportionately burden low-consumption and often vulnerable households, thereby exacerbating inequality in heating costs. A socially equitable and financially viable heat transition therefore requires smart policies that reflect consumption differences and targeted measures to protect vulnerable households. Matilda Tsekpokumah, Robert Harmsen, Peter Mulder 2026-01-07 04:00:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7565571/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:57:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7565571/v1 The current study presents laboratory and field experiments aimed at applying beneficial microorganisms to improve the biological parameters of wheat and to manage the wheat thrip, Haplothrips tritici. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, including Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens, were thus assessed both separately and in combination, as were plant growth-promoting fungi, such as Arbuscular mycorrhizae and Trichoderma harzianum, both individually and in conjunction. The in vitro inoculation of P. fluorescens strains resulted in a significant improvement in root and shoot development, measuring 15.49 cm and 11.49 cm, respectively, compared to the control, which recorded 9.0 cm and 9.36 cm. Among the microbial biofertilizers, seed treatments with the synergistic relationship of P. fluorescens and B. subtilis strains exhibited the most significant enhancement in all growth indices under the field experiment, including number of grains/spike (43.40), number of spikes/plant (12.5), Plant height (101.33cm), weight of root/plant (0.39g), and chlorophyl content (39.21) associated with a lowest numbers in the population of wheat thrips/spike (6.20) and severity of wheat infestation (20%) followed by either arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi or P. fluorescens alone. On the other hand, the negative control (untreated seeds) demonstrated the lowest values across all growth indicators, followed by seed treatment with the positive control (chemical insecticides), or both fungal biofertilizers in combination. Microorganism-based fertilizers can be employed as part of integrated pest management strategies to promote wheat health and improved wheat yields in terms of both quality and quantity, which supports sustainable agriculture by decreasing the use of conventional insecticides. Sahand K. Khidr 2026-01-07 03:57:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8461003/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:53:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8461003/v1 River pollution identification in complex watersheds like the Haihe River Sluice faces challenges due to temporal dynamics and nonlinear driving mechanisms. Traditional receptor models (CMB, PMF, APCS-MLR) often lack the sensitivity required for accurate, timely source tracing. This study proposes the TCN-APCS-MLR model, integrating TCN with Absolute Principal Component Score-Multiple Linear Regression.Using daily water quality data from 2022 to 2024, the model leverages TCN’s causal and dilated convolutions to extract temporal dependencies, followed by PCA for dimensionality reduction and MLR for quantitative source estimation. This approach enhances temporal feature modeling while preserving interpretability.Results indicate:Superior Performance: The TCN-APCS-MLR model outperformed traditional methods, with R² values for EC, CODMn, and TN exceeding 0.85. Error Reduction: RMSE and MAE decreased by 20%–30% compared to the standard APCS-MLR model.Feature Extraction: The cumulative variance contribution of the first four principal components reached 81.87% (an 8% improvement).Source Apportionment Results:The Haihe River Sluice is primarily influenced by:Urban domestic and industrial wastewater (26.5%);Ecological self-purification processes (26.6%);Natural hydrological disturbances (25.1%);Agricultural non-point source pollution (21.8%).By incorporating deep learning, this model effectively addresses the limitations of linear models in complex estuarine environments, providing a robust technical framework for dynamic watershed management and ecological restoration. Weifu Ding, Yan Wang, Xueqian Li 2026-01-07 03:53:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8520513/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:53:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8520513/v1 AIM - Introduction: Dislocations of the mid-lumbar vertebrae are exceptional , very rare  and results in unstable spine deformity and   deformation, which lead to severe spinal cord injury and mortality . Only 16 cases found in the literature, All previously reported cases were treated surgically. We report a case of a male 45-year-old presented to our  emergency department with  complete dislocation of L3-L4 vertebrae , with neurological deficit . following injury back   resulting from crash of motor lifting tripod falling heavy object on back of patient. The patient developed severe back pain and spinal deformity, and acute neurologic deficit both lower limbs with bowel bladder paralysis . Radiological examinations show  complete anterior dislocation of L3 over L4.  He also had injury right thigh leading to  long spiral fracture of femur at subtrochanteric level .  . Treatment: After initial assessment of trauma & patient care , initial surgery for fixation of femur was done. The anatomico pathological mechanism of injury is discussed, together with treatment, successful open reduction and stabilization by fixation long construct of pedicle instrumentation and  spinal fusion . Outcomes: Postoperative digital radiography showed the correction of the spinal deformity with restoration of lumbar curve. The patient was pain-free and fully rehabilitated 6 months after the surgery. His neurological status improved from grade 0-1 to grade 2-3 with sphincter recovery. At the 1-year follow-up, the patient had pain free back with stable normal alignment. This helped in neurological recovery and was rehabilitated with assisted caliper walking.& good sphincter control. Conclusions: We report a case of  L3 to L4 traumatic spondyloptosis that involved complete neural damage. Restoring stability and preventing secondary cord injury should be taken into consideration for better rehabilitation & neurological recovery. Govind Jashvantlal PUROHIT 2026-01-07 03:53:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8428328/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:49:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428328/v1 This paper proposes a formally tractable extension of the standard utility framework in which preferences depend on endogenous decision-relevant states. We introduce a five-dimensional state vector incorporating material consumption \(\:\left(C\right)\) alongside bounded rationality \(\:\left(R\right)\), affective state \(\:\left(E\right)\), contextual valuation \(\:\left(A\right)\), and idiosyncratic preference components \(\:\left(F\right)\). Preferences are represented by a quadratic utility function with interpretable interaction effects, preserving scalar maximisation and standard concavity conditions while allowing for amplification, attenuation, and substitution mechanisms across cognitive and affective dimensions. The model provides a unified decision-theoretic representation of how internal states modulate marginal evaluation and choice without violating global concavity. We derive conditions under which affective states interact with rational deliberation in a stable manner, and we show how interactions among \(\:(R,E,A,F)\) generate state-dependent valuation patterns consistent with framing and context effects. A numerical illustration and a simulation of the \(\:R\)–\(\:E\) interaction space highlight the analytical flexibility of the framework. The proposed representation is intended as a general tool for decision theory, offering a basis for comparative statics, experimental design, and future empirical implementation of state-dependent preferences under cognitive and affective constraints. JEL classification: D01, D87, D91, C02. Mohamad TAGHLOBI 2026-01-07 03:49:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8525348/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:48:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8525348/v1 Particles with high thermal conductivity exhibiting a bimodal size distribution can significantly improve the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of particulate reinforced three-phase composites (TPCs). Traditionally, the primary mechanisms governing ETC have been elucidated through the concept of packing density, as established in granular powder mechanics for hybrid particle mixtures with bimodal size distributions. However, this conventional packing density is inapplicable to TPCs prepared by mechanical mixing and mold casting, where porosity reduction is absent. To date, a micromechanics-based model specifically addressing this phenomenon remains undeveloped. Given that the matrix phase possesses low thermal conductivity, the matrix regions distant from high TC fillers are analogous to air voids in granular materials, and are thus termed ineffective matrix. According to packing theory, the utilization of a binary size distribution effectively reduces the volume fraction of the ineffective matrix. Based on this concept, the interpolated double inclusion method was employed to construct a fictitious inclusion comprising the particle and its surrounding matrix. The Chang-Deng model was applied to quantify the concentration of the ineffective matrix, and the Zehner, Bauer and Schlunder model was used to predict the ETC of TPCs. The predictions were validated against relevant experiments to assess the validity of the developed model. Additionally, parametric analyses were performed to elucidate the effect of various factors on model performance. The proposed micromechanics model demonstrates potential as an effective tool for the design and optimization of multiphase composites with enhanced ETCs. Yunpeng Jiang 2026-01-07 03:48:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8511199/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:44:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8511199/v1 This report presents the design, analysis, and fabrication of a lightweight C‑shaped beam tailored for support‑free fused‑filament fabrication (FFF) in PLA. A 7 in × 4.5 in × 3 in design envelope and a 0.5 kg distributed top load were used to frame a stiffness‑to‑weight optimization problem with a 50 g mass limit. Topology optimization in Altair Inspire was first applied to a solid baseline beam to identify efficient load paths, but the resulting organic geometry was not compatible with extrusion printing constraints (unsupported overhangs and inconsistent features). A manufacturable redesign was then developed in SolidWorks as a triangulated, self‑supporting frame that preserves the optimized load‑carrying architecture. Linear static analysis predicted a maximum deflection of ~0.129 mm and a minimum factor of safety of ~12.5 under the prescribed loading. The final part was sliced in Ultimaker Cura, printed on a Creality Ender‑class printer with 0.2 mm layers and 100% infill, and validated via physical loading with no visible damage. A cost comparison indicates substantial savings versus CNC machining for low‑volume production. SAKIB AHMED 2026-01-07 03:44:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492281/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:44:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492281/v1 Pressurized cavity expansion underlies a wide range of rock engineering applications like tunneling, drilling, and in situ testing, but accurate field prediction is challenging in heterogeneous rock masses where discontinuities are pervasive and measurements are sparse. This work proposes a Physics-Informed Neural Network to solve forward problems of pressurized cavity expansion of arbitrary smooth shape embedded in heterogeneous elastic media. A single shared network is augmented with signed-distance and level-set embeddings, and domainconditioned activation functions allow representation of piecewise-smooth fields across discontinuities. The physics-informed loss enforces equilibrium, constitutive relationships, traction boundary conditions, interface continuity, and sparse observation data. Ground truth data are generated using Finite Element simulations. The model achieves displacement mean absolute errors of O(10−5) m in both homogeneous and heterogeneous rock masses. In homogeneous benchmarks, the mean absolute percentage errors for the non-shear stress components remain below 0.2% across ten randomized cases. In heterogeneous cases with intersecting discontinuities, the mean absolute percentage errors for σxx and σyy remain below 0.5%, with discrepancies localized near interfaces. Compared with XPINN, the proposed PINN framework delivers comparable stress accuracy with smaller displacement errors near discontinuities while keeping the number of parameters nearly constant across subdomains, yielding a 5 times training speedup. Furthermore, the number of training epochs for related heterogeneous cases can be reduced by half through transfer learning. Liu, Yulong, Arson, Chloé 2026-01-07 03:44:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477788/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:44:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477788/v1 Fusarium graminearum is a devastating wheat pathogen that suppresses host immunity to promote infection. Here, we show that the secreted effector FgUP7 contributes to pathogen virulence by targeting the NLR immune receptor TaRPM1. TaRPM1 positively regulates wheat resistance to F. graminearum. By binding the coiled-coil domain, FgUP7 interferes with early NLR oligomerization and promotes TaRPM1 destabilization. In contrast, the heat-induced co-chaperone TaHSA32 associates with TaRPM1 to stabilize the receptor and prime NLR complexes for activation under fluctuating temperatures. Competitive displacement of TaHSA32 by FgUP7 removes this protective layer, rendering TaRPM1 vulnerable to degradation and thereby diminishing host immune surveillance. This antagonistic interplay provides a mechanistic framework explaining how elevated temperature and pathogen effectors synergistically compromise plant immunity. Notably, transgenic manipulation of TaHSA32 or TaRPM1 does not affect major agronomic traits, highlighting the potential for targeted improvement of resistance. Furthermore, the RPM1–HSA32 regulatory axis is functionally conserved in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon, suggesting evolutionary conservation across monocots. Yuan Chen, Qunqing Wang, Yiman Wan, Xiaohui Li, Chunxue Xie, Zhen Wang, Liqiang Yao, Fuqiang Zhu, Lanxi Zhang, Qiangqiang Zhang, Yelin Shan, Yanyan Liang, Jianxin Qin, Jiajie Wu, Zhaomei Qi 2026-01-07 03:44:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7847022/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:42:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7847022/v1 Context Software Defect Prediction (SDP) plays an important role in enhancing the quality and reliability of software before it is released. It aims to identify and thereby help mitigate potential defects early, hence strengthening the software quality and reliability, which results in enhanced user experience (UX). Over the years, numerous statistical, machine learning, and deep learning techniques have been proposed by researchers in the area of SDP. It has limited use in automated SDP as actual defects fall into false positives/negatives. Objective An advanced SDP model that improves prediction metrics and overall software quality by utilising a meta-model ensemble strategy composed of proven machine learning algorithms trained on labelled data. Method The proposed model was developed using an ensemble of bagging and boosting algorithms like Random Forest, XGBoost, and AdaBoost, integrated into a multi-model ensemble. Random Forest reduces variance via bagging, XGBoost, and AdaBoost help in bias-reduction through boosting; these base classifiers, when stacked together along with a meta-classifier, improve generalization. The model was trained on benchmark historical software release data and evaluated on subsequent software releases. Results Experimental analysis demonstrates that the proposed SDP model outperformed recent SDP models proposed by researchers. The proposed model showed better prediction performance across model evaluation criteria and adaptability across software release cycles. Conclusion The proposed meta-model ensemble framework significantly contributes to improving SDP by boosting prediction performance and enabling continuous model refinement. Its integration into the CI/CD pipeline can help organisations in monitoring and tracking of software defects in a dashboard to ensure release readiness from beta release to production release, which would ultimately result in reduced testing cost, focused bug removal and meet release timeline and improved UX (User Experience). Digvijay Narayan Sharma, Dilip Kumar Yadav 2026-01-07 03:42:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477225/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:41:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477225/v1 This work presents mathematical and numerical analyses of a two mass-spring-damper system with frictional resistance and interfacial adhesion. The proposed model extends an existing detachment model to a more realistic setting and leads to modified steady states and adhesion-dependent detachment behavior. The motion of two masses, governed by Coulomb's law of dry friction and bonding fields, is described by a highly nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations. We prove the convergence of approximations in both the continuous and discrete cases, as well as the uniqueness of solutions. To handle the inherent non-smoothness of friction and adhesion and the associated nonlinearity, stable numerical schemes are constructed using appropriate regularization and the Newton-Raphson method. Numerical simulations illustrate the onset and propagation of detachment processes and support the theoretical predictions, providing new insights into the system. Sangmin Chun, Jeongho Ahn 2026-01-07 03:41:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492126/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:40:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492126/v1 Hierarchical Reasoning Models (HRM) and their variants (TRM) have shown impressive performance on a variety of reasoning tasks. These models maintain two separate states $z_L$ and $z_H$ that are designed to capture low-level and high-level representations for reasoning. However, the necessity of this dual-state strcuture remains unclear. We conjecture that the benefit of $z_H$ stems not necessarily from representing any distinct level of information, but rather from providing access to information from earlier timesteps, as $z_H$ is updated less frequently than $z_L$. To test this, we propose Simple Recursive Model (SRM): a model that maintains only a single state $z$ and adopts skip connections to earlier timesteps in replacement of the second-level state $z_H$. This approach eliminates the complicated nested loops in HRM/TRM that alternate between $z_L$ and $z_H$, leading to a more straightforward and parsimonious architecture. Through experiments on the Sudoku task, we demonstrate that the single-state SRM can achieve comparable performance to the TRM baseline. Our results suggest that the key benefit of HRM/TRM is not necessarily hierarchical state separation, but may come from the ability to access information across different timescales. Such ability can be equivalently achieved through other mechanisms such as skip connections, opening up new avenues for designing simpler and more efficient reasoning models. Code available at: https://github.com/liaoq/SimpleRecursiveModel Qianli Liao, Tomaso Poggio 2026-01-07 03:40:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8461543/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:40:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8461543/v1 This paper presents an image encryption scheme that integrates 4D LASM hyperchaotic dynamics with cryptographically secure S-box generation and adaptive DNA encoding to incorporate a defensive mechanism against Plaintext-Nonce Differential-Ciphertext Correlation attacks. The system employs affine equivalence transformations of the AES S-box to guarantee optimal cryptographic properties, including nonlinearity of 112 and differential uniformity of 4, for every session. The architecture uses a dual-layer diffusion mechanism with delayed ciphertext feedback that ensures perfect reconstruction and strong avalanche behavior. Security analysis across multiple standard test images shows information entropy values between 7.9971 and 7.9993, adjacent pixel correlation below 0.005, and high differential resistance with NPCR of 99.6090 percent and UACI of 33.4299 percent. The system passes 187 of the 188 NIST SP 800-22 randomness tests and maintains perfect reconstruction for extreme edge cases such as all-black and all-white images. Resistance to channel impairments is validated through PSNR analysis under Gaussian noise, salt-and-pepper noise, and occlusion attacks. With an effective key space of $2^{212}$, the scheme improves chaos-based cryptography by addressing structural weaknesses while preserving mathematical rigor and implementation feasibility. Md. Toufikur Rahman, Sohag Debnath, Md Shah Noor, Md. Shahi Sultan Akash, Md Ashraf Uddin 2026-01-07 03:40:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8140045/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:39:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8140045/v1 Particles with high thermal conductivity (TC) exhibiting a bimodal size distribution can substantially enhance the effective thermal conductivities (ETCs) of three-phase composites (TPCs). Traditionally, the mechanisms underlying this enhancement were explained through the concept of particle packing density, a principle commonly employed in granular mechanics. However, conventional packing density fails to adequately capture the reduction in void concentration that occurs when bimodal hybrid particle mixtures are introduced into TPCs. Moreover, a micromechanics-based framework specifically addressing this phenomenon has yet to be developed. The present study demonstrates that the fundamental mechanisms governing thermal conduction are more closely associated with the spatial arrangement of particles within the matrix rather than merely their compactness. Finite element method (FEM) simulations were performed to investigate particle contact probability and to assess the impact of particle size distribution on TCs. Numerical results revealed a strong positive correlation between changes in ETC and particle contact probability, which was further quantified by the volume fraction of contacting particle pairs and incorporated into the micromechanics-based model. Additionally, a double inclusion-based model was formulated to represent the effect of thermally conductive pathways formed through particle contacts. All numerical predictions were validated against experimental data to substantiate the proposed hypotheses. Consequently, the thermal conduction mechanisms in TPCs with bimodal size distributions can be interpreted from a novel perspective. The model presented herein provides a valuable theoretical approach for the design and optimization of such multiphase composite materials. Yunpeng Jiang, Yangkun Mao 2026-01-07 03:39:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8493418/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:38:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8493418/v1 A three-dimensional steady-state thermal analysis of zinc–calcium–aluminosilicate (ZCAS) glass was performed using the finite element method implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics® version 6.2. The Heat Transfer in Solids interface was employed to solve the steady-state heat conduction equation under mixed boundary conditions, consisting of two isothermal surfaces and thermally insulated remaining boundaries. The ZCAS glass was modelled as a homogeneous and isotropic solid with density 2500 kg·m⁻³, thermal conductivity 1.20 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹,   and specific heat capacity 750 J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹. A tetrahedral mesh comprising 42,857 elements and 85,742 nodes was used. The numerical results show a smooth and monotonic temperature distribution with a maximum temperature difference of 17.2 K across the domain. Conductive heat flux vectors align with the primary temperature gradient, with a peak magnitude of approximately 860 W·m⁻², confirming strict compliance with Fourier’s law. A three-dimensional cut-line temperature profile exhibits a linear variation consistent with the analytical one-dimensional steady-state solution, yielding relative errors below 2.5%. Surface integration of the normal total energy flux gives 103.8 W and +103.8 W at the inlet and outlet boundaries, respectively, corresponding to an energy imbalance below 0.7% and confirming steady-state energy conservation. The validated thermal model demonstrates that ZCAS glass exhibits stable and predictable heat conduction behaviour under moderate thermal gradients. These findings support the suitability of ZCAS glass whether synthesized from high-purity oxides or sustainable waste-derived precursors such as recycled silica and calcium-rich wastes for applications in optical components, electronic packaging, and thermally stable structural systems. Kamal G 2026-01-07 03:38:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8480260/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:38:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8480260/v1 Mobile money systems have revolutionized financial inclusion in developing regions,but their rapid growth has introduced significant fraud risks. Traditionalcentralized fraud detection requires aggregating sensitive transaction data, raisingsubstantial privacy concerns and regulatory challenges. Federated Learning(FL) offers a privacy-preserving alternative by enabling collaborative model trainingwithout sharing raw data. However, applying FL to fraud detection faces criticalchallenges, particularly handling Non-IID (non-independently and identically distributed)data across financial institutions with varying transaction patterns andfraud rates. This paper proposes FL FraDet, a new performance-aware aggregationstrategy that weights client contributions based on their fraud detection F1 scoresrather than sample counts. Our key insight is that in imbalanced fraud detectiontasks, model quality should be prioritized over data quantity during aggregation.We evaluate FL FraDet on the PaySim mobile money dataset across multiple experimentalsettings. Results demonstrate that federated learning achieves comparableperformance to centralized baselines (F1=0.9988 vs. 0.9976) under IID conditions.Under Non-IID heterogeneity, FL FraDet outperforms standard FedAvg by 10.1%on average, with improvements of up to 12.9% in moderate label skew scenarios.Importantly, FL FraDet shows particular effectiveness when at least one client possessessufficient fraud samples, enabling performance-aware weighting to amplifyhigh-quality model contributions. Privacy-utility experiments reveal that differentialprivacy with strong guarantees (ϵ ≤ 1.0) maintains perfect fraud detectionperformance, enabling “privacy for free” deployment. Our findings demonstratethat FL FraDet provides an effective, privacy-preserving solution for collaborativefraud detection in heterogeneous mobile money ecosystems. Kien Trung Nguyen, NAM TRUNG NGUYEN, Minh Triet Nguyen, Hong Khanh Vo, Tan Phat Lam, Quang Tung Nguyen, Duy Dang Xuan Pham 2026-01-07 03:38:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8498719/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:35:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8498719/v1 Hot-fluid injection in thermal enhanced oil recovery (TEOR) imposes temperature-driven volumetric strains that can substantially alter in-situ stresses, fracture geometry, and wellbore/reservoir integrity, yet existing TEOR modeling has not fully captured coupled thermo-poroelastic effects on fracture aperture, fracture-tip behavior, and stress rotation within a displacement discontinuity method (DDM) framework. This study develops a fully coupled thermo-poroelastic DDM formulation in which fracture-surface normal and shear displacement discontinuities, together with fluid and heat influx, act as boundary sources to compute time-dependent stresses, pore pressure, and temperature, while internal fracture fluid flow (Poiseuille-based volume balance), heat transport (conduction–advection with rock exchange), and mixed-mode propagation criteria are included. A representative scenario considers an initially isothermal hydraulic fracture grown to 32 m, followed by 12 months of hot-fluid injection with temperature contrasts of ΔT = 0-100 °C and reduced pumping rate. Results show that hydraulic fracture aperture increases under isothermal and modest heating (ΔT = 25 °C) and remains nearly stable near ΔT = 50 °C, but progressively narrows for ΔT = 75-100 °C despite continued injection, indicating potential injectivity decline driven by thermally induced compressive stresses. Hot injection also tightens fracture tips, restricting unintended propagation, and produces pronounced near-fracture stress amplification and re-orientation: minimum principal stress increases by 6 MPa for ΔT = 50 °C and 10 MPa for ΔT = 100 °C, with principal-stress rotation reaching 70–90° in regions above and below the fracture and markedly elevated shear stresses that may promote natural-fracture activation. These findings demonstrate that thermo-poroelastic coupling can govern fracture stability, containment, and injectivity during thermal EOR, motivating temperature-aware geomechanical risk assessment and design for long-term hot-fluid injection operations. Mina Khalaf 2026-01-07 03:35:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8512912/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:34:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8512912/v1 Achieving controllable spin and ferroic functionalities in materials with collinear-compensated magnetic order is of paramount importance for the advancement of spintronics. Here, we reveal that natural surface symmetry breaking in common antiferromagnets (AFMs) provides a pervasive platform to simultaneously unlock hidden spin-splitting and emergent multiferroicity. Through a rigorous symmetry analysis, we classify the two-dimensional surfaces of three-dimensional AFMs into three distinct types. We show that while type-I surfaces retain spin degeneracy, type-II and type-III surfaces manifest spin-splitting, realizing altermagnetic and ferrimagnetic surface states, respectively. Importantly, the breaking of inversion symmetry at AFM surfaces generically allows spontaneous surface electric polarization for all three surface types, providing an excellent platform for magnetoelectric response. Furthermore, utilizing magnetic space groups, we establish specific symmetry criteria for identifying these surface types and screen material databases to propose representative candidates. Crucially, we show that this surface spin-splitting gives rise to emergent anomalous transport phenomena, such as an anomalous Hall effect explicitly confined to the surface, despite its absence in the bulk. Our findings reveal the rich magnetic structures and hidden spin splitting, multiferroicity, and magnetoelectric coupling at AFM surfaces, providing new fundamental insights and a viable route toward antiferromagnetic spintronic devices. Shifeng Qian, Qianmei Zhang, Yao Zhang, Xiaowei Sheng, Xiaodong Zhou, Zhenxiang Cheng, Xiaotian Wang 2026-01-07 03:34:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492548/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:33:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492548/v1 The convergence of quantum optimization and autonomous agentic reasoning defines a new computational frontier in large-scale resource coordination. This work introduces Q-PACT, a Quantum-Parallel Agentic Coordination Toolkit that unifies quantum optimization, fairness-driven orchestration, and adaptive multi-agent intelligence into a reproducible hybrid framework. Q-PACT addresses a key limitation in distributed and cloud-based quantum infrastructures;  inefficient, inequitable scheduling of scarce quantum resources among competing agents and tasks. The proposed architecture formulates multi-agent scheduling as a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) model, solved through a heterogeneous pipeline integrating quantum annealing (D-Wave), variational optimization (QAOA on IonQ/Azure), and classical meta-heuristics. A noise-aware encoder, solver-adapter layer, and agentic manager collaborate to maintain fairness, adaptability, and load balance, while the QML-AURA subsystem continuously refines solver hyperparameters through feedback-driven variational learning. Q-PACT’s hybrid orchestration layer enables dynamic re-optimization, fault-tolerant fallback execution, and secure artifact exchange across distributed backends, achieving resilience under the noise and queueing constraints of NISQ-era hardware. Empirical evaluations demonstrate significant improvements in makespan reduction, workload variance, and energy minimization compared with classical heuristics, establishing the viability of quantum-assisted agentic scheduling at scale. By bridging quantum optimization paradigms, multi-agent systems, and fairness-aware orchestration, Q-PACT provides a foundational blueprint for the next generation of autonomous, cloud-integrated, and quantum-enabled coordination systems. Sourodeep Kundu 2026-01-07 03:33:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8321521/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:32:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8321521/v1 As climate change causes more frequent and intense humid heat extremes worldwide, air conditioning (AC) is quickly becoming a necessity for cooling as well as dehumidification. However, humidity’s evolving and spatially varied contribution to AC energy demand is poorly understood or accounted for. This puts climate-sensitive energy planning and future-conscious building thermal design at risk. Here, we dynamically model the dehumidification energy of urban buildings in the urban building energy model of the Community Earth System Model to quantify the AC energy demand for maintaining indoor comfort and health under climate change. We show latent heat load is projected to increase by 47% globally under a high emission scenario, but its relative contribution to total AC energy demand diverges spatially. Such divergent shifts result from the interplay between climate-driven temperature and humidity changes and uniquely alter individual cities’ building energy design conditions. Dehumidification makes AC energy demand exponentially more sensitive to temperature under higher humidity across diverse climate zones. Humid days may see unanticipated demand spikes three times that of the non-humid days, and this effect is further amplified by climate change. These results have critical implications for infrastructure planning in preparation for rapid urbanization in the Global South. Our study underscores the importance of accounting for the evolving and spatially diverging humidity effect on building energy to support climate-resilient buildings and energy infrastructure. Xinchang Li, Lei Zhao, Zhiwen Luo, Keith Oleson, Yifan Cheng, Xiaoxiong Xie, Alvin Varquez, Mitsuna Sekiya 2026-01-07 03:32:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8514617/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:28:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514617/v1 Current retrosynthetic tools function as single-purpose "black boxes" trained on specific reaction classes. We present PROMETHEUS (PRedictive Optimization via MOlecular THEology and Unified Spectral methods), a zero-shot spectral algorithm operating in three distinct modes: (1) Strategic Retrosynthesis for heteroatom disconnections, (2) Cross-Coupling Classification identifying Suzuki-type bi-aryl linkers requiring organometallic synthesis, and (3) Irreducibility Diagnostics flagging molecules unsuitable for retrosynthetic planning. Validated on 249,455 drug-like molecules (ZINC15), PROMETHEUS achieved 100% classification accuracy across all three modes (93.94% Mode 1, 6.0% Mode 2, 0.06% Mode 3) in 6.7 minutes on a standard CPU (619.8 molecules/second). The algorithm autonomously rediscovered Nobel Prize-winning cross-coupling logic without training data, demonstrating that molecular reactivity classification emerges from topological principles encoded in the Fiedler vector. Compared to transformer-based methods, PROMETHEUS requires 400 million times less storage (5 KB vs 2 TB) and 148 times less silicon (3B vs 443B transistors), enabling deployment on commodity hardware for industrial-scale virtual screening. Andrés Sebastián Pirolo 2026-01-07 03:28:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484728/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:28:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484728/v1 Atrial fibrillation (AF), the commonest cardiac arrhythmia, is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity. Atrial tissue fibrosis, a hallmark of structural remodelling in AF, is currently incurable and significantly hinders AF-treatment. MicroRNA(miR)-31 is linked to ageing (a key risk factor for AF). Here, we show that AF-patients are characterised by upregulation of miR-31-5p in atrial cardiofibroblasts that negatively regulates the calcitonin receptor (CTR), thereby promoting atrial fibrogenesis and arrhythmia. Specific blockade of miR-31-5p/CTR-mRNA binding with LNA-miRNA-Target-Site-Blocker selectively increases atrial CTR expression and reverses advanced atrial fibrosis and arrhythmogenesis in vivo. These findings suggest a key role for miR-31-5p/CTR binding in promoting atrial fibrosis and arrhythmogenesis, and represents a first example of an RNA-based therapeutic capable of reversing established fibrosis that forms an AF substrate. *Jasha Trompf, Kathryn Cox, and Mohit Hulsurkar contributed equally to this work. Jasha Trompf*, Kathryn Cox*, Mohit Hulsurkar*, Lucia M. Moreira, Chi Him Kendrick Yiu, Aaron M. Johnston, Satadru K. Lahiri, Shuai Zhao, Paul Robinson, Roddy Hiram, Mozhdeh Mehdizadeh, Lorena Perez Carrillo, Rana Sayeed, George Krasopoulos, Vivek Srivastava, Nicholas Walcot, Shakil Farid, Antonios Kourliouros, Priya Sastry, David A. Menassa, Benjamin Davies, Rita A. Schack, Robia G. Pautler, Keith M. Channon, Craig Lygate, Stanley Nattel, Xander H. T. Wehrens, Svetlana Reilly 2026-01-07 03:28:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8491477/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:24:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8491477/v1 This paper presents an autonomous tomato-harvesting system built around a hybrid robotic gripper that combines six soft auxetic fingers with a rigid exoskeleton and a latex basket to achieve gentle, cage-like grasping. The gripper is driven by a servo-actuated Scotch--yoke mechanism, and includes separator leaves that form a conical frustum for fruit isolation, with an integrated micro-servo cutter for pedicel cutting. For perception, an RGB--D camera and a Detectron2-based pipeline perform semantic segmentation of ripe/unripe tomatoes and keypoint localization of the pedicel and fruit center under occlusion and variable illumination. An analytical model derived using the principle of virtual work relates servo torque to grasp force, enabling design-level reasoning about actuation requirements. During execution, closed-loop grasp-force regulation is achieved using a proportional--integral--derivative controller with feedback from force-sensitive resistors mounted on selected fingers to prevent slip and bruising. Motion execution is supported by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)--based trajectory planning for a 5-DOF manipulator. Experiments demonstrate complete picking cycles (approach, separation, cutting, grasping, transport, release) with an average cycle time of 24.34 s and an overall success rate of approximately 80%, while maintaining low grasp forces (0.20--0.50 N). These results validate the proposed hybrid gripper and integrated vision--control pipeline for reliable harvesting in cluttered environments. Shahid Ansari, Mahendra Kumar Gohil, Yusuke Maeda, Bishakh Bhattacharya 2026-01-07 03:24:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8394722/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:21:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8394722/v1 While cancer immunotherapies have primarily focused on activation of cytotoxic CD8 cells, CD4 T cell activity is also associated with survival and immunotherapeutic response in numerous cancers. We applied integrated single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed protein epitope profiling to breast cancer samples to resolve the complexity of immune cell states within the tumor microenvironment. This approach enhanced phenotypic resolution, identifying three distinct states within the CD4 T follicular helper-like (Tfh) cell cluster. A CXCR4high progenitor state gave rise to two differentiated states: an IGFL2high subset resembling conventional Tfh cells and localised to B cell-rich lymphoid aggregates, and a CD103+ subset, exhibiting features of tissue residency, exhaustion, and cytotoxicity, which co-localised with tumor foci. CD103+ Tfh-like cells were found to interact with CXCL10+ macrophages through production of CCL chemokines and CSF1. A higher CD103+ Tfh to IGFL2high Tfh ratio, together with the selective clonal expansion of the CD103+ subset, was strongly associated with improved tumour immunity and superior responses to anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade, surpassing the predictive value of exhausted CD8 T cells. These findings integrate Tfh and CD4 with cytotoxic potential in breast cancer, offering new insight into anti-tumor immunity and response to checkpoint blockade. Alexander Swarbrick, Ghamdan Al-Eryani, Sophie van der Leij, Etienne Masle-Farquhar, Chia-Ling Chan, Kate Harvey, Sunny Wu, Dan Roden, Taopeng Wang, John Reeves, Bertrand Yeung, Christopher Goodnow, Cindy Ma, Charles Perou, Nir Hacohen, Aziz Al'Khafaji, Mats Nilsson, Joakim Lundeberg, Marcel Batten, Simon Junankar 2026-01-07 03:21:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475327/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:19:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475327/v1 Dysregulated blood lipids are a major predictor of cardiovascular events. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) with five clinically relevant lipid traits in 1.65 million individuals implicated over 770 genomic regions in regulating blood lipid metabolism. To translate these associations into clinical applications, a functional understanding of their roles in lipoprotein metabolism, transport and remodeling (LPmtr) is required. Here, we report the deep molecular fine-mapping of 554 of these lipid risk loci using 168 lipoprotein-related traits and all possible ratios between them in over 273,000 participants of the UK Biobank. We identified new ratio-based markers of pathways shared by multiple LPmtr genes, such as the linoleic acid fraction of the polyunsaturated fatty acid pool to reveal potential causal genes at poorly characterized lipid risk loci, the percentage of esterified cholesterol moieties in LDL particles as a proxy for soluble LDL receptor levels, and the HDL fraction of total lipoprotein particle number as a predictor of incident myocardial infarction. We demonstrate how lipoprotein fine-mapping can generate new hypotheses for drug target development while uncovering new mechanisms relevant to hyperlipidemia. Ratio-driven clustering further implicated miR-148 in TG secretion, linking ER-stress responses at postprandial state to VLDL metabolism via mTORC1, shown through series of integrated cellular assays and mouse studies. Moreover, consistent with its regulatory influence on lipid flux we identify miR-148a a previously unrecognized determinat of Lp(a) levels. Our study implements a novel approach of using metabolomic data to follow-up on genetic evidence from GWAS with clinical traits and generates new insights into the biology of lipoprotein particles, supporting the emerging view that assessing lipoprotein size and composition is essential for the understanding, prevention, and treatment of lipid-related disorders. S. Hani Najafi-Shoushtari, Karsten Suhre, Murugan Subramanian, Melanie Modder, Christopher Krumm, Abulaish Ansari, Haiyue He, Farooq Rashid, Raghad Al-Ishaq, Aziz Belkadi, Tanwir Habib, Anna Halama, Nisha Stephan, Gaurav Thareja, Shaza Zaghlool, Audrey Dujardin, Xi Chen, Peter Mulligan, Eric B. Fauman, Ann-Hwee Lee, Patrick Rensen, Sander Kooijman, David Cohen 2026-01-07 03:19:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8307571/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:19:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8307571/v1 Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Current tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting oncogenic KIT and PDGFRA have improved patient outcomes, yet off-target toxicities and drug resistance mutations remain major clinical challenges. Many approved TKIs, often repurposed from other cancer indications, harbor diverse hinge-binding motifs that limit activity against resistance mutations clustering in the ATP-binding pocket of the kinase domain. Here, we describe a structure-based scaffold-hopping strategy to design novel inhibitors with selectivity for mutant KIT/PDGFRA. Using structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies and 14 newly determined co-crystal structures, including the first structure of the PDGFRA-G680R solvent-front mutation, we define key molecular interactions underlying resistance and inhibitor selectivity. Our lead 6,7-quinazoline-based inhibitors show high potency against clinically relevant KIT/PDGFRA mutations and effectively suppress downstream signaling. These compounds provide selective chemical tools to interrogate resistance mechanisms, and the PDGFRA-G680R structure offers new insights for targeting solvent-front mutations across oncogenic kinases. *T. Schulz, M. Beerbaum, A. Scrima contributed equally. Tom Schulz*, Maria Beerbaum*, Andrea Scrima*, Hannah Jantzen, Alina Teuber, Thomas Mühlenberg, Lisa Ebel, Fernanda Garcia-Fossa, Jörn Weisner, Matthias P. Müller, Sonja Sievers, Sebastian Bauer, Daniel Rauh 2026-01-07 03:19:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8521095/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:15:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8521095/v1 The analysis of mortality represents a critical epidemiological tool for understanding the effects of environmental pollution on public health. This study utilizes comprehensive daily mortality data from ISTAT for all Italian municipalities spanning from January 1, 2011, to Dicember 31, 2024, integrated with high-resolution air quality data from ARPA Puglia's monitoring network. Through an advanced multi-model statistical framework incorporating Distributed Lag Nonlinear Models (DLNM), Cox proportional hazards models, and Gompertz mortality models, we systematically analyze associations between atmospheric pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3) and daily mortality across Apulia region. Our comprehensive methodological approach includes seasonal stratification, municipality-level comparative analyses, and focused investigation of SO2 impacts in the industrial city of Taranto. Results reveal statistically significant associations between pollutant concentration peaks and increased mortality rates, particularly for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, with notable spatial heterogeneity across municipalities and temporal variations across seasons. The study provides robust epidemiological evidence supporting the implementation of targeted air quality interventions in southern Italian urban areas. Maria Longobardi, Massimiliano Giacalone, Gianfranco Piscopo, Carlo Cusatelli 2026-01-07 03:15:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8512158/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:13:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8512158/v1 Aims This study aims to elucidate how the hyperactivated enteric glial cells (EGCs) trigger Parkinson's Disease (PD) pathogenesis and if exogenous gut-brain regulatory hormone oxytocin could alleviate the phenotypes of PD.Methods Prodromal and clinical PD mice model were established via intragastric administration of rotenone (ROT). Intestinal and motor function of the mice were assessed. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the colon and midbrain were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The levels of α-synuclein (α-syn), oxytocin (OXT), and inflammatory factors in serum and colon were measured by ELISA, western blotting and qPCR. Exogenous OXT and EGCs inhibitor fluorocitrate (FC) were administered, and the rescue effect on PD mice was assessed by neurobehavioral assays.Results ROT administration induced constipation and motor PD symptoms in mice successively. The expression of GFAP and α-syn in the colon of PD mice were increased, while the OXT and OXTR levels were downregulate. Exogenous OXT or FC administration inhibited EGCs hyperactivation, reduced inflammatory factors levels and α-syn accumulation, and ultimately alleviated prodromal and clinical PD phenotypes.Conclusions EGCs hyperactivation plays a crucial role in PD pathogenesis, and exogenous OXT or FC could ameliorate the prodromal and clinical PD phenotypes. Hong Chen, Yuanyuan Han, Zhuoting Li, Qin Zhang, Xintao Huang, Liu Yang, Chengwu Zhang, Li Lu 2026-01-07 03:13:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8520790/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:06:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8520790/v1 Deep learning approaches are extremely productive and accurate for predicting moderate face alignment and facial landmarks. The model learns sequential analysis during the training process to reduce discrimination between the ground truth value and the shape of the face based on feature representation. While testing, it employs feature representation to identify the shape factors iteratively. Also, when the facial directions and expressions change, the existing learning model cannot acquire superior performance based on the enormous variations among the target and the initial shape. This work proposes a novel multi-stage gradient descent with the ResNet-50 model to preserve higher prediction accuracy on training samples and enhance the testing data accuracy. One sample is provided during training, and multiple samples are provided with changing expressions. During testing, the distance among the face alignment landmarks is evaluated with the optimal selection of ligaments. The simulation is done in MATLAB 2020a environment.outcomes show that the anticipated model can enhance the conventional approaches' performance and show a better trade-off than other approaches.  K.Gayathri, S.BaghyaShree 2026-01-07 03:06:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487723/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:03:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487723/v1 This study investigates triple-dip La Niña events and their influence on Asian summer monsoon rainfall during the first and third years. In the first year, a significant positive rainfall anomaly extends from the Bay of Bengal to the Yangtze River Basin, concurrent with reduced rainfall over the northern Indian Peninsula and the Indochina Peninsula. This pattern largely reverses during the third year. Convergent empirical and modeling evidence reveal that the distinct rainfall responses are linked to different evolutions of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In the first year, following a preceding El Niño, La Niña onset is rapid. This rapid onset strengthens the Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) and a negative-phase Scandinavian pattern, which jointly shape the initial rainfall distribution. Conversely, by the third year, sustained La Niña amplifies zonal sea surface temperature (SST) gradients in the equatorial western Pacific. This shifts the WPSH northward and triggers a positive Circumglobal Teleconnection (CGT) pattern, collectively driving the reversed rainfall anomalies. Additionally, the second year exhibits relatively weak rainfall anomalies, as both the La Niña onset rate and the zonal SST gradients are near climatological normals. These results are useful for predicting Asian summer monsoon rainfall. Shaobo Qiao, Yihou Zhou, Bin Wang, Shankai Tang, Wenjie Dong 2026-01-07 03:03:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443380/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:03:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443380/v1 In the paper presented a comprehensive investigation into a novel heating mechanism for pulsed fusion devices, specifically the Pulsed Reconnection Engine (PRE) applied to a Spheromak configuration. Conventional Ohmic heating becomes inefficient at reactor temperatures because classical plasma parallel resistivity drops according to the Spitzer relationship (ηS ∝ Te −3/2). Consequently, Compact Toroids often stall before reaching ignition temperatures, as they cannot overcome the radiation barrier, where impurity losses exceed heating power. To overcome this fundamental limit without resorting to expensive and bulky auxiliary heating methods like Neutral Beam Injection (NBI), we propose an Adaptive Stochastic Resonance (SR) control strategy. This system actively modulates an effective anomalous resistivity – physically realizable via Radio Frequency (RF) wave injection or Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) – to trigger magnetic reconnection events synchronized with the plasma’s natural magnetohydrodynamic modes. Using a rigorous 0D/2D two-fluid energy-balance model with realistic confinement assumptions (τE = 0.1 s), we demonstrate four key results: (1) The validity of a resistive diffusion model for tracking thermal evolution in force-free magnetic configurations; (2) The thermodynamic necessity of a two-fluid approach to capture Ion-Electron Decoupling; (3) The capability of SR control to trigger simultaneous multi-site reconnections, enabling Ohmic-like ignition in regimes where classical Ohmic heating fails; and (4) The detailed physical mechanism by which external actuation controls local resistivity. Simulation results show that the SR drive successfully heats Deuterium-Tritium ions from 0.1 keV to ≈ 30 keV, achieving a “Hot Ion Mode” (Ti >> Te) that minimizes radiative losses. Furthermore, we demonstrate a Triple-Loop Control Architecture (Heating, Fueling, Safety) that stabilizes the burn, allowing the reactor to meet the Lawson Criterion and achieve self-sustaining ignition (Qfus → ∞) in a stable “Flat-Top” operational mode. Oleg Agamalov 2026-01-07 03:03:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8479747/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 03:00:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8479747/v1 Tactile graphics, tactile maps, and vibrotactile cues are essential for supporting access to visual information among blind and low-vision (BLV) users, yet current production workflows remain slow, manual, and highly specialized. Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) offer new possibilities for automating or augmenting these workflows, but the landscape of existing methods is fragmented and difficult to navigate. Research spans several model families, including generative adversarial networks, stable diffusion models, and multimodal language-vision models. These systems vary widely in how they are designed, applied, and evaluated. This systematic review examines GenAI approaches for tactile accessibility published between 2014 and 2025. We include only methods that produce tactile-relevant outputs, such as embossable graphics or vibrotactile signals, or that contribute a generative step within a tactile pipeline. The review maps how these models are instantiated, the stages of the tactile workflow they target, and the evaluation practices they employ. The analysis identifies consistent challenges, including oversmoothing, clutter that reduces haptic legibility, limited generalization, high computational demands, and scarce BLV-centered evaluation. The review concludes by outlining opportunities for tactile-first metrics and practical, low-resource generative pipelines, and provides 1 a curated, publicly available resource that consolidates papers and practitioner tools. Adnan Khan, Abbas Akkasi, Darya Taratynova, Majid Komeili 2026-01-07 03:00:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8508265/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 02:57:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8508265/v1 The active slip systems and strain hardening in Mg-1wt.% (0.28 at.%) Y were investigated using instrumented indentation. Spherical indentation was employed to estimate the stress-strain response of individual grains, while Berkovich indentation was conducted at different strain rates to investigate the active deformation modes. Slip trace analysis indicates that pyramidal slip system is activated in all grains tested over a wide range of grain orientations (characterized by misorientation angle between indentation axis and hcp c-axis). With increasing indentation strain rate, an increase in hardness was observed, accompanied by enhanced basal slip activity. Indentation at grain boundaries revealed misalignment between slip traces in the grain boundary regions and those within the adjacent grain interiors. These results indicate that pyramidal < c + a > slip in dilute Mg-Y alloys can be activated in the center of grains and is not caused by grain boundaries. Eunji Song, Amit Misra 2026-01-07 02:57:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8508267/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 02:49:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8508267/v1 The Xi, sequence, as a linear derived sequence of odd primes, its sliding window coverage isan important characterization of the uniformity of prime distribution. Aiming at the key problem that the value of the core parameter-sequence set size W_in existing verifcation methodsacks number-theoretic theoretical support and relies on empirical grading, this paper focuses onthe number-theoretic analysis and strict formula derivation of W, constructing a W calculationsystem with both theoretical rigor and engineering practicality. Firstly, based on the PrimeNumber Theorem (PNT) and the asymptotic distribution theorem of prime gaps, the intrin.sic number-theoretic correlation between W and prime density, maximum prime gap is strictlydemonstrated, establishing a rigorous logical chain of "prime distribution characteristics -Xi sequence coverage requirements - W constraints". Secondly, a conservative coeffcient is introduced through the analysis of prime gap fuctuations to complete the strict derivation of the coreformula for W; boundary constraints are added in combination with the prime distribution char-acteristics of small N and extremely large N scenarios to form a complete number-theoreticallyprovable calculation method, and the probability guarantee and engineering verifcation of cov.erage effectiveness are provided. Finally, a sliding window coverage verification framework for Xi; sequences based on this method is constructed, and the effectiveness of the method is verifedthrough experiments in multi-scale N scenarios. Theoretical analysis shows that the derived Wcan strictly cover the Xi, sequence coverage requirements corresponding to any prime gap within [1, N] in engineering application scenarios, and the derivation process relies entirely on corenumber-theoretic theorems without empirical assumptions. Experimental results demonstratethat the proposed method can effectively ensure coverage effectiveness and has good engineeringpracticality. The core value of this paper lies in providing a strict number-theoretic theoreticalbasis and standardized calculation scheme for W setting, as well as a promotable theoreticalparadigm for parameter optimization of prime-derived sequences. Tony Yuan 2026-01-07 02:49:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8503848/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 02:27:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503848/v1 Lattice viscosity quantifies the irreversible relaxation of momentum and stress mediated by phonon dynamics and provides a sensitive probe of anharmonicity and dissipation in crystalline solids. In ferroelectric and quantum-paraelectric materials, soft polar phonon modes dominate this response and are strongly coupled to external electric fields. Here we develop a microscopic theory of electric-field-dependent lattice viscosity based on linear response and phonon Green’s functions, explicitly incorporating anharmonic phonon–phonon interactions and nonlinear polarization effects. We show that, at temperatures above the ferroelectric transition, electric fields generically induce quadratic renormalization of phonon linewidths and frequencies, leading to a universal field dependence of the lattice viscosity governed by a small set of effective coefficients. We validate these predictions using first-principles density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) calculations implemented in Quantum ESPRESSO for representative systems, including the quantum paraelectric SrTiO₃ and the displacive ferroelectric BaTiO₃. The computed phonon dispersions, anharmonic linewidths, and inelastic scattering cross sections confirm the predicted quadratic field scaling, demonstrate strong mode selectivity associated with soft polar modes, and establish the microscopic origin of the dominant viscosity contributions. Based on these results, we establish a predictive model for the lattice viscosity Λ(E,T) that maps first-principles phonon properties directly to the electric-field and temperature dependence of lattice viscosity. Our findings reveal electric field as an effective and reversible control parameter for lattice dissipation, providing a predictive framework for electric-field control of dissipation in functional and quantum materials. We discuss implications for ferroelectric quantum criticality, phonon-mediated superconductivity, and field-tunable dissipation in oxide heterostructures and quantum devices, positioning lattice viscosity as a controllable transport property in quantum and functional materials. Syed Moid 2026-01-07 02:27:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8479203/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 02:10:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8479203/v1 Biobehavioral synchrony refers to covariation in physiological signals between interacting partners and is widely hypothesized to support co-regulation, bonding, and early socio-emotional development. This assumption is particularly salient for children born preterm, who often experience reduced early physical contact and prolonged neonatal separation, potentially shaping later caregiver–child attunement. Here we present a large-scale, systematic investigation of mother–child physiological synchrony in 102 dyads (70 preterm 5-year-olds and 32 matched full-term controls). Heart rate was recorded across eight interaction paradigms spanning passive viewing to face-to-face play. We applied the major commonly used analytic approaches, combined with rigorous surrogate-data controls and multiverse analyses, to assess the robustness of synchrony estimates. Across all paradigms, metrics, and analytic variants, synchrony in real dyads never exceeded that observed in pair-shuffled or segment-shuffled surrogate data. Patterns were virtually identical in full-term and preterm groups, and no reliable variability in synchrony remained that could be related to indices of prematurity. Together, these findings challenge the view that autonomic synchrony is a robust or ubiquitous feature of early social interaction and reveal substantial methodological fragility in current synchrony research. Our results underscore the need for more rigorous analytical frameworks and raise critical questions about when - and whether - physiological synchrony genuinely emerges in caregiver–child relationships. Georgios Rousis, Lisa Gistelinck, Ward Deferm, Rowena Van den Broeck, Bieke Bollen, Sam Wass, Gunnar Naulaers, Maarten De Vos, Bart Boets 2026-01-07 02:10:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8147700/latest An article created on 2026-01-07 02:05:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8147700/v1 Families are central sites where the moral meanings of money are learned, yet we know little about how emotions translate family values into financial practices under structural scarcity. This article examines family financial socialization in Chile, a financialized and unequal context where households rely heavily on credit. Drawing on 40 life-history interviews with adult heads of household, we analyze how participants narrate the intergenerational transmission of financial values and how these values are enacted in everyday financial decisions. Building on Family Financial Socialization Theory, we develop the concept of an affective grammar of family finance: patterned ways in which care (obligation to protect and provide) and fear (anticipated harm from default, loss, or shame) organize talk about money, the ranking of obligations, and judgments about “good” and “bad” debt. We identify three narratives linking values to practices: debt aversion and prudence, education as mobility and reciprocity, and budgeting, frugality, and gendered domestic stewardship. Findings show that this affective grammar can partly compensate for weak or chaotic parental modeling by motivating disciplined budgeting and cautious credit use, while also justifying risky sacrifices for loved ones. The study extends financial socialization research by specifying how moral emotions mediate behavior in credit-dependent contexts. Lorena Pérez-Roa, Camila Ignacia González-Silva 2026-01-07 02:05:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8436590/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 23:49:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8436590/v1 We investigated the interaction between the monocationic aromatic drug propranolol (PPL) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to elucidate how small molecules can drive higher-order DNA frameworks and nanoparticles (NPs) formation. Single-molecule force spectroscopy with optical tweezers revealed that, at concentrations below 4 mM, PPL intercalates into dsDNA, altering contour length, persistence length, and stretch modulus. At higher concentrations, PPL induced dsDNA compaction, corroborated by atomic force microscopy imaging of condensed structures. Multimolecular assays supported these findings: electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed progressive mobility loss with increasing PPL concentrations, consistent with aggregate formation, while UV-vis spectroscopy confirmed intercalation and strong binding affinity (Kb=1.67×10⁶ M⁻¹). At millimolar PPL/DNA ratios (10–14), NPs formulations were obtained with hydrodynamic diameters of 120–244 nm, low polydispersity (0.19–0.30), negative zeta potential (-25 to -35 mV), and particle concentrations up to 5.26×10¹¹ NPs/mL. These NPs exhibited very high drug loading (59–72%) and stability under both biological and storage conditions. Collectively, our results demonstrate that PPL engages dsDNA through intercalation, compaction, aggregation, and stabilization processes, uncovering a previously unreported mechanism for a monocationic aromatic drug and allowing to efficiently obtain NPs. This work expands the current understanding of small molecule-DNA interactions and may be extended to other hydrophilic aromatic drugs, positioning DNA as a versatile building block and ultimately for the development of nucleic acid-based nanomedicines. María Gabriela Villamizar-Sarmiento, Romina Muñoz Buzeta, Rodrigo Rivera, Francisco Melo, Juan M. Ruso, Ignacio Moreno-Villoslada, Mauricio Báez, Felipe Oyarzun-Ampuero 2026-01-06 23:49:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8282925/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 23:49:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8282925/v1 Background Smoking rates remain disproportionately high among individuals of low socio-economic status (SES), contributing significantly to health inequities. Resilience-based interventions offer a potential strengths-focused approach to address this challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Mindfulness Training, Setting Realistic Goals, and Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (MiCBT) for promoting smoking cessation and enhancing resilience in low SES adult smokers.Methods A four-arm, parallel-group, 12-month online randomized controlled trial was conducted with 346 adult regular smokers in Australia classified as low SES. Participants were randomized to one of four conditions: Mindfulness Training, Setting Realistic Goals, MiCBT, or an active control group that received referrals to standard quit services. The active interventions consisted of eight 1-hour online group sessions over 6 months, followed by 6 months of online forum-based peer support. The primary outcome was self-reported 14-day smoking abstinence at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included internal resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25), external resilience (social support), nicotine dependence, self-efficacy, and stress. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects modelling.Results All study groups achieved substantial self-reported quit rates at the 6-month primary endpoint, ranging from 29.9% in the control group to 36.4% in the Mindfulness Training group. Significant reductions in nicotine dependence were also observed across all groups over the 18-month study period. However, there were no statistically significant between-group differences for the primary outcome of smoking abstinence or for secondary outcomes, including internal resilience and social support, at any time point.Conclusions Participation in a structured smoking cessation trial was associated with reduced smoking behaviors among low SES adults. However, none of the online resilience-enhancing interventions demonstrated superior efficacy for smoking cessation or for enhancing internal resilience compared to an active control. These findings suggest that low-intensity online interventions may be insufficient for this population and highlight the need for more intensive or blended support models.Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12621000445875. Registered 19 April 2021. Richard Woodman, Reece De Zylva, Elissa Mortimer, Sharon Lawn, Carlene Wilson, George Tsourtos, Paul Ward 2026-01-06 23:49:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462830/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 23:49:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462830/v1 Objectives To evaluate the association between khat chewing and oral dryness among Yemeni adults using clinical (Clinical Oral Dryness Score; CODS), symptom-based xerostomia assessment (Summated Xerostomia Inventory–Dutch Version; SXI-D), and unstimulated salivary flow rate (uSFR) outcomes. Materials and Methods In this clinic-based cross-sectional comparative study (n = 200), participants were classified as khat chewers (n = 171) or non-chewers (n = 29). CODS (1–10) and xerostomia symptoms (SXI-D; 5–15) were assessed at baseline. Unstimulated saliva was collected by the spitting method over 15 minutes, and uSFR (mL/min) was calculated. Among chewers, uSFR was additionally measured immediately before and after a typical khat session (paired assessment). Results Most participants had mild-to-moderate clinical dryness (CODS 1–3: 49.5%; CODS 4–6: 45.5%), with 5.0% classified as severe (CODS 7–10). Mean baseline uSFR was lower in chewers than non-chewers (0.387 vs 0.445 mL/min). Among chewers, mean uSFR decreased from 0.395 mL/min pre-session to 0.229 mL/min post-session (p < 0.001). Xerostomia symptoms were common; 39.5% reported a dry mouth on a single-item screen. Conclusions Khat chewing was associated with reduced unstimulated salivary flow and frequent oral dryness in this Yemeni adult cohort, and salivary flow decreased substantially after a typical chewing session. Clinical Relevance: Oral health providers in khat-prevalent settings should screen for xerostomia and counsel chewers on hydration, caries risk mitigation, and symptom management, especially following prolonged sessions. Mohammed Bin Taja, Baleegh Al-kadasi, Manal Al-Hajri, Salah Hafedh 2026-01-06 23:49:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7724674/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 23:49:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7724674/v1 Background Effective viral load (VL) monitoring is crucial in the management of HIV care, but is difficult in resource-constrained settings due to limited access to laboratory examinations. Machine learning (ML) has a promising approach to viral load suppression (VLS) prediction using normal clinical information. This study aimed to develop and interpret an ML model for VLS classification among an Ethiopian cohort.Methods A retrospective analysis was undertaken with electronic medical records of 4,152 patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Eight ML algorithms, namely Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting, were trained and optimized to classify a binary VLS outcome. Model performance was assessed based on accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). The best-performing model was interpreted with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to identify the significant predictors and their sign of impact.Results The best-performing Gradient Boosting model performed the best with 76% accuracy, 0.74 F1-score, and 0.79 AUC-ROC. Baseline CD4 Category and Duration on ART in Months were identified as the most impactful predictors through feature importance evaluation. SHAP analysis supported that longer ART duration and larger baseline CD4 count were associated with increased odds of VLS, and that higher WHO clinical stage and male sex were associated with unsuppressed VL. The model's decision-making was further depicted for individual patients by waterfall plots, which enhanced clinical interpretability.Conclusion This work demonstrates that one can have an interpretable Gradient Boosting model to properly predict viral load suppression in a low-resource setting. The predictions of the model are made from clinically reasonable factors, linking algorithmic performance to corresponding clinical insight. The tool can potentially assist healthcare workers in identifying patients at risk of treatment failure, enabling the implementation of early interventions and optimizing HIV care management in settings where routine VL testing is not feasible. Abraham Keffale Mengistu, Aynadis Worku Shime, Muluken Belachew Mengistie, Andualem Enyew Gedefaw 2026-01-06 23:49:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5659312/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 23:48:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5659312/v1 Purpose:: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of misophonia and misokinesia among adults in India, focusing on demographic influences such as age and gender. Misophonia, characterized by aversive reactions to specific sounds, and misokinesia, involving similar reactions to repetitive visual stimuli, are sensory processing disorders with profound impacts on affected individuals.  Methods:: The study used a cross-sectional survey design and included 450 adults (240 females and 210 males) aged 18-50 years, recruited from various regions across India. Data were collected through an online survey that included demographic information and standardized questionnaires: the Misophonia Assessment Questionnaire (MAQ) and the Misokinesia Assessment Questionnaire (MkAQ). Participants who indicated symptoms rated the severity of their experiences.  Results:: The prevalence of misophonia was found to be 16.89%, and misokinesia was 5.34%. Co-occurrence of both conditions was observed in 8.89% of participants. Prevalence rates were higher among females across both conditions. A moderate negative correlation was identified between symptom severity and age, indicating that younger adults experience greater sensitivity to both misophonia and misokinesia.  Conclusions:: The findings reveal a notable prevalence of misophonia and misokinesia among Indian adults, with higher rates observed in younger individuals and females. The co-occurrence of these conditions suggests shared mechanisms and emphasizes the need for targeted, culturally relevant assessment and intervention approaches. These results underscore the importance of understanding sensory processing disorders within diverse cultural contexts, providing foundational insights for clinical practice and future research in India. Prashanth Prabhu, Sweety Chauhan, Kritika Nayyar, Neha Surkund, Swaham Mohanty, Kajal Bhatiwal, Suman Pranav Chalotra, Kamalakannan Karupaiah 2026-01-06 23:48:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8359938/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 19:29:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8359938/v1 In this paper, an investigation of the physical and chemical properties of the Baghjan oil well open Jet fire that was caused on the 9th June, 2020 while attempting to control a blowout that had occurred on the 27th May, 2020. The blowout occurred while workover was going on at the well. The well kicked and there was a massive blowout with natural gas and condensate gushing forth from the well. While trying to control the blowout, the well accidentally caught fire on the 9th June, 2020 and exploded at 1.30 PM. Two firemen died in the incident. The Baghjan blowout was a “catastrophic” and “worst case” blowout. The explosion that rocked Baghjan on the 9th June, 2020 at 1.30 PM has been estimated to have a yield of 0.833 kT of TNT or more. The flame temperature was estimated and measured to be more than 12000C. The flame was supersonic with average flame height of 108 m and mean mass flow rate of 342 kg/s of natural gas and condensate in a single-phase flow at oil-head with a pressure of more than 5126 psi. The flame was 12m wide on average at its middle point. The flame plume carried enough heat up in the atmosphere at 1000 m height to heat the surrounding cool air upto 340C when the normal temperature at that height was expected to be 80C. The thermo-acoustic efficiency of the flame was estimated at 4x10-4, and the acoustic power to be 10,000 W (160 dB). The natural gas chemical composition was estimated to be C1.1144H4.2026 and the condensate chemical formula was estimated to be C8.2808H18.5582. The emission from 1 m3 burning of the gas was estimated to be CO2: 1.54 Kg, CO: 0.34 Kg, NO: 0.92 Kg and NO2: 1.42 Kg. M. K. Yadava 2026-01-06 19:29:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476568/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 19:26:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476568/v1 This study investigated mung bean, soybean, and pea enzyme-hydrolyzed vegetable proteins’ (EVPs) properties, including degree of hydrolysis (DH), molecular weight distribution, and free amino acids profiles. In addition, volatile compounds generated thermally from the EVPs and reducing sugars were examined. Our results revealed that mung beans exhibited the highest DH, while soybeans showed the least. In addition, pea contained the highest levels of amino acids, while soybeans had the lowest. Notably, leucine and lysine were abundant in all three EVPs, whereas their content of sulfur-containing amino acids was relatively low. Principal component analysis demonstrated that the types of EVPs and reducing sugars contributed to the differentiation of samples based on volatiles. Mung bean and pea had high amino acid contents and, therefore, produced more significant amounts of Strecker aldehydes, heterocyclic compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds than soybean hydrolysate. These findings demonstrate that the properties of EVPs significantly affect volatile compounds produced. Yunji Lee, Young-Suk Kim 2026-01-06 19:26:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8434152/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 19:23:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8434152/v1 Background Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are effective treatment for autoimmune diseases but are known to increase the risk of herpes zoster (HZ). Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) is effective in preventing HZ; nonetheless, its uptake remains suboptimal in real-world practice. This study aimed to investigate the RZV vaccination rate among patients treated with JAKis and to clarify pharmacist interventions and related factors associated with RZV uptake.Methods This single-center retrospective observational study included patients who received JAKis at our hospital between March 2020 and August 2024. Pharmacist interventions related to RZV were categorized as passive or active. In the passive intervention, physicians provided usual care independently and pharmacists became involved only upon the physicians’ request (physician group). In the active intervention, pharmacists in pharmacist-led clinics provided information on RZV at JAKi initiation and, in collaboration with physicians, recommended RZV vaccination (pharmacist-led clinic group). The primary outcome was RZV vaccination status (vaccinated vs unvaccinated) among patients treated with JAKis, whilst secondary analyses explored factors associated with RZV uptake using multivariable logistic regression.Results A total of 404 eligible patients were treated with JAKis at our institution. Following the exclusion of five patients who received zoster vaccination at other institutions, 399 patients were ultimately included in the analysis. Overall, 64 (16.0%) patients were vaccinated with RZV. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that shared decision-making in pharmacist-led clinics was significantly associated with RZV vaccination.Conclusion This study suggests that effective prevention of HZ in patients treated with JAKis requires not only information provision and recommendations from healthcare professionals but also pharmacist-led shared decision-making that enables patients to understand and actively choose RZV vaccination. Establishing such systems may both reduce HZ risk and advance patient-centered care in this high-risk population. Hiroki Oba, Ikkou Hirata, Ryuichi Okazaki, Ryo Rokutanda, Ryohkan Funakoshi 2026-01-06 19:23:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8379415/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 19:13:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8379415/v1 Background While previous work has examined physical activity (PA) training in medical schools in high income countries, little is known about practices in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). This study examined the attitudes, preferences, and behaviours of medical students at a major South African medical school towards receiving PA training, as well as changes across each year of school, in their medical education.Methods A paper-based questionnaire was administered in-person to medical students across all four years of the Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP) between April and September 2021. The questionnaire queried students about their personal PA practices, knowledge, and attitudes, as well as PA training received during medical school.Results Medical student PA levels were low (34.8% self-reported meeting WHO PA recommendations) and decreased with increasing year in medical school. Nearly all students recognised the importance of PA in disease prevention and treatment (98.1%) and as an important part of future patient consultations (95.0%), but lacked PA knowledge, with only 9.1% and 5.2% of all medical students correctly reporting WHO PA requirements and demonstrating knowledge of core principles for providing an exercise prescription, respectively. A majority of students (82.3%) desired more PA training and several other items assessing medical student attitudes towards PA improved significantly with increasing year in medical school.Conclusions This study adds to existing literature, from a LMIC perspective, that provides strong evidence that medical students are interested in receiving PA training, understand its importance in their future work as health professionals, and feel unprepared to counsel future patients. Mark Stoutenberg, Innocent Maposa, Georgia Torres 2026-01-06 19:13:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5838850/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 19:03:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5838850/v1 In clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), uniform nuclei-spin excitation via the circularly polarized transverse magnetic field is crucial. Ultra-High-Field (UHF, ≥7T) MRI is of great significance in medical imaging due to higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). However, higher operating frequency (≥ 297 MHz) at UHF MRI makes it challenge to achieve uniform nuclei-spin excitation, since the human body behaves as an electrically large object. The wave-behavior dominates field distribution inside biological tissues instead of the quasi-static principle. Following the classical volume layout for current sources, it forms multi-beam transmission condition, which inevitably led to prominent standing-wave patterns. It is good for targeted focusing application but detrimental to large-scale nuclei-spin excitation at UHF MRI. Waveguide based travelling-wave MRI is a promising alternative to achieve single-beam transmission, but its major power is blocked by the head and extremities. Therefore, it is not suitable to whole-body MRI. Our study presents a novel single-beam transmission strategy for whole-body application through beam-forming in a center-fed waveguide system. The inner metallic bore of MRI system as well as the dielectric material were used to achieve effective beam-forming inside biological tissues. The role of phase-velocity matching and wave-impedance matching in alleviating scattering effect arising from highly non-unform dielectric media, were also explored in this study. Preliminary phantom validation and in vivo scans of the spine, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis show the potential of this method for whole-body MRI at UHF. Xiaotong Zhang, Yang Gao, Qilong Wang, Tong Liu, Haiwei Chen 2026-01-06 19:03:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463587/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:58:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463587/v1 Risk factor disclosures in corporate filings are widely analyzed for their informational content, yet their usefulness for operational governance remains underexplored. This paper introduces risk actionability as a distinct concept from risk presence and proposes an interpretable, agent-based pipeline for assessing whether disclosed risks support intervention-oriented decisions. Operating at the paragraph level on SEC Form 10-K and 10-Q risk factors, the agent assigns risk attributes and maps disclosures to pass, review, or escalate states. We introduce the Intervention Load Index and Actionability Gap to quantify human oversight demand implied by disclosures. Empirical results show that disclosure severity does not reliably predict intervention needs, and that conservative disclosure styles can suppress actionable signals. A failure case highlights limitations arising from disclosure sparsity. Weishen Chu 2026-01-06 18:58:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8458163/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:53:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8458163/v1 Conservation agriculture (CA) practices have been gaining popularity in the rice-based intensive cropping systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP). Changes in nitrogen (N) mineralisation in these CA systems are predicted due to decreased soil disturbance and greater crop residue retention but they need to be quantified to guide changes in N fertilizer practice. The decomposition of rice residues was studied at three sites in sandy loam to silty clay loam paddy soils under three soil disturbance levels: conventional tillage (CT), strip-planting (SP) and bed planting (BP). The residues collected from wet season rice were buried in upland crop fields (mustard, wheat and lentil) in nylon mesh bags at each site, retrieved at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after burial and measured for dry mass and N content. After 180 days of incubation (DAI), only 12.3, 25.5 and 17.8% of the rice straw mass remained at Alipur; 17.4, 32.8 and 23.1% at Digram; and 18.7, 32.4 and 23.5% at Baliakandi, under CT, SP and BP, respectively. The decay rate of rice roots was lower than the rice shoot especially under SP. The % N remaining in SP after 180 DAI in shoots were 37.2%, 26.0% and 18.6% higher at Alipur, Digram and Baliakandi, respectively, than the CT, while in roots they were 21.5%, 15.0% and 15.6% higher at Alipur, Digram and Baliakandi, respectively, than the CT. The higher biomass and N remaining in shoot and root residues with decreased soil disturbance were associated with lower decay rates of mass and slower N decomposition that are attributed to less contact of residues with soils and less favourable microbial decomposition conditions in soils. Greater biomass and N retention in rice residues in soil under SP and BP may prolong the supply of mineral N to better match with in-season crop demand in rice-based cropping systems. Md Khairul Alam, Richard W. Bell, Sharif Ahmed, Nazmus Salahin 2026-01-06 18:53:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462726/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:42:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462726/v1 Building reliable quantum computers requires protecting fragile quantum states from inevitable environmental noise and operational errors. While quantum error correction codes like the Steane [7,1,3] code provide elegant theoretical solutions, their practical success hinges critically on how we measure errors—a process called syndrome extraction. The challenge lies in the ancilla qubits used for measurement: when they fail, errors can cascade across the entire quantum system, destroying the very information we're trying to protect. We address this fundamental problem by implementing and comparing three sophisticated syndrome measurement strategies: Shor's cat-state approach, which distributes measurements across multiple entangled ancillas achieving 85-92% preparation success; Steane's encoded-ancilla method using complete error-corrected logical qubits reaching 97.8% syndrome fidelity; and a flexible unified framework that adapts strategies based on hardware capabilities. Through extensive simulations using IBM's Qiskit platform spanning randomized benchmarking and T-heavy circuits, we demonstrate that intelligent ancilla management improves error suppression by up to 2.4x compared to standard approaches. Our implementations achieve logical error rates as low as 5.1 x 10-5 under realistic noise conditions with physical error rates of 10-3, while maintaining near-unity logical fidelity (0.99997) even for deep circuits. The threshold analysis reveals robust performance across distance-3 to distance-13 codes with characteristic threshold curves showing exponential error suppression below the critical physical error rate. These results provide immediately deployable tools for near-term quantum devices and establish practical design principles for scaling toward fault-tolerant quantum computers. Soham Bhadra, Diyansha Singh, Angana Chowdhury 2026-01-06 18:42:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457872/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:40:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457872/v1 In recent years, retail payment systems worldwide have undergone a significant transformation, shifting from predominantly cash-based payments to digital or cashless alternatives. Among these, cards are increasingly emerging as the preferred payment option with newer forms, such as e-money payments steadily gaining traction. The existing literature identifies several key determinants of this shift, one of which is digital infrastructure. Notably, many of the empirical studies confirming the significance of digital infrastructure in driving cashless payments are grounded in technology acceptance and diffusion models which generally apply survey-based measures of consumer technological behavior, typically for a single country. While these models provide valuable micro level information, they offer limited insights into the objective role of digital infrastructure in shaping payment behavior over time and across countries. This study addresses this gap by using a panel data for 44 countries over eight years to empirically examine the role of digital infrastructure in driving card and e-money payments. The analysis was carried out within a Fixed Effects framework, with digital infrastructure captured through a composite index constructed using Principal Component Analysis. The findings revealed that digital infrastructure significantly promotes card and e-money payments. The magnitude of the effect, however, varies by the prevailing level of card and e-money payments, with financial inclusion dampening the effect in countries where the payment level is low and reinforcing them where it is high. These findings highlight the importance of tailored policies in fostering the adoption of cashless payment. Waverley Paul 2026-01-06 18:40:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443895/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:31:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443895/v1 Background Hypertension is one of the most common leading causes of global public health emergencies and a major contributor to cardiovascular complications such as stroke and myocardial infarction, all of which adversely affect the quality of life (QOL) of hypertensive patients. Despite this burden, there remains a limited understanding of the various factors affecting the quality of life of hypertensive patients, particularly in low-and-middle income settings. This study aims to assess the quality of life among hypertensive patients along with their various associated factors in the Kathmandu District, Nepal.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in a selected hospital of Kathmandu District from February to March 2023, with a total sample size of 200 hypertensive patients. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview schedule, and WHOQOL-BREF was used to measure the outcome variable. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the socio-demographic, social, psychological, and behavioural factors. Bivariate analysis was performed using the chi-square test, and variables with a p-value < 0.2 were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model. In the final model, variables with p-values < 0.05 at a 95% Confidence Interval were considered statistically significant. All statistical analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.Results A total of 200 hypertensive patients participated, of whom 88% had a good quality of life. Lower income (p = 0.027) and illiteracy (p = 0.049), lack of family support (p = 0.001), non-consumption of meat and fish (p = 0.005), higher salt intake (p = 0.045), physical inactivity (p < 0.001), and irregular medication use (p = 0.001) were associated with poor QOL. In multivariable analysis, family support (aOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.10–0.87), meat and fish consumption (aOR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.07–0.75), and physical activity (aOR = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.70) were significantly protective against poor QOL.Conclusion Poor quality of life among hypertensive patients was primarily associated with both modifiable behavioural and social factors, and socio-demographic characteristics. Interventions that strengthen social support, promote healthy dietary practices, and encourage regular physical activity may substantially improve the quality of life in individuals living with hypertension. Dikshya Ghimire, Sujan Poudel, Anusha Parajuli, Avishek Raman Parajuli, Shristi Karki, Gajananda Prakash Bhandari 2026-01-06 18:31:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8461507/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:28:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8461507/v1 Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most widespread pathological change in diseases of the respiratory system. However, we know poorly about the molecular mechanisms and effective therapeutic approaches of ARDS. The ARDS RNA- sequencing dataset, GSE279069, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Using the DESeq2 package of r bioconductor to screen Differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) and REACTOME pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the DEGs. Meanwhile, using the HiPPIE database and Cytoscape software to construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and modules. The hub gene-related miRNA-hub gene regulatory network, TF-hub gene regulatory network were constructed. Next, DrugBank database was utilized to search for alternative drugs targeting ARD hub genes. Diagnostic values of hub genes were assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis. Finally, molecular docking and QSAR analysis were performed to validate the interaction between 1q and 1r, and the hub gene Cathepsin S. 958 DEGs (479 up-regulated and 479 down-regulated) were identified from 135 ARDS patients and 74 normal control samples. These DEGs were found to be enriched for various gene ontology (GO) functions and pathways, including response to stimulus, membrane, hydrolase activity, multicellular organismal process, cell periphery, transporter activity, immune system and neuronal system. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using these 958 genes. The top hub genes (FN1, ARRB1, ENG, HTRA4, ATM, HTR2C, ELAVL2, FGB, APLNR and SIGLECL1) were acquired through calculation by the Network Analyzer plug-in in Cytoscape software. Key miRNAs (hsa-miR-30d-5p and hsa-miR-28-5p), TFs (NR0B1 and PHOX2B) and drug molecules (Zenarestat and Chlorpromazine) were predicted. Molecular docking analysis revealed that compound 1q and 1r binds to Cathepsin S with a binding energy of -7.8 kcal/mol, indicating highly stable binding. In summary, the DEGs and hub genes identified in the present investigation not only contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of ARDA, but might also serve as potential new biomarkers and targets for ARDA. Basavaraj Vastrad, Shivaling Pattanashetti, Chanabasayya Vastrad 2026-01-06 18:28:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8421744/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:23:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8421744/v1 Breast cancer, including subtypes luminal A and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), presents considerable clinical challenges due to its heterogeneity and resistance to current treatments. This highlights an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies targeting multiple oncogenic pathways. This study assessed the anti-cancer efficacy of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) alkaloids on Luminal A (MCF-7) and TNBC (MDA-MB-231) cell lines. We evaluate the potential anticancer capacities of kratom alkaloids using a combination of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and dynamics, alongside in vitro and molecular experiments. This multilevel approach focused on assessing the effects on proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle, as well as on identifying the underlying molecular targets. Kratom alkaloids markedly decreased cellular proliferation, induced G2/M phase arrest, and suppressed tumoral metastasis-associated capacities. These effects were mediated by the downregulation of AKT1 and mortalin (HSPA9), leading to the reactivation of p53 signalling. Molecular docking validated robust binding affinities of alkaloids to both targets. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis corroborated the alkaloids clinical significance in breast cancer. The results highlight a significant therapeutic potential for Kratom alkaloids as dual-target medicines demonstrating both anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic effects in Luminal A and TNBC models. Anissa Nofita Sari, Dwi Wahyu Indriani, Siti Irma Rahmawati, Asep Bayu, Gayathri Sundaram, Umut Rende, Gilles J. Guillemin, Peni Ahmadi, Bustanussalam Bustanussalam, Yatri Hapsari, Ni Luh Putu Indi Dharmayanti, Masteria Yunovilsa Putra 2026-01-06 18:23:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8460457/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:18:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8460457/v1 Background: Deep learning–based systems have demonstrated promising performance for automated tuberculosis (TB) detection from chest X-ray (CXR) images and are increasingly proposed for large-scale screening applications. However, most evaluations rely on high-quality, curated images and do not adequately represent the degraded imaging conditions encountered in routine clinical practice, particularly in resource-limited settings. This study presents a failure-aware robustness evaluation of convolutional neural network (CNN) models for TB detection under realistic CXR degradation scenarios.Results: Three CNN architectures—ResNet-50, DenseNet-121, and MobileNetV2-were evaluated using two publicly available TB CXR datasets comprising approximately 800 images. Clinically relevant image degradations, including Gaussian noise, motion blur, compression artifacts, reduced contrast, and spatial resolution loss, were synthetically applied to test data only. All models exhibited statistically significant performance degradation under adverse conditions. Motion blur was the most detrimental artifacts, causing sensitivity reductions of up to 21%. Confidence calibration also deteriorated substantially, with expected calibration error increasing from approximately 0.04 on clean images to over 0.10 under degraded conditions.Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that AI-based TB detection models are vulnerable to silent failure when deployed under realistic imaging conditions. Robustness and calibration evaluation under degraded inputs should be considered a prerequisite for the responsible clinical deployment of AI-assisted TB screening systems, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Nitin Wankhade Nitu, Sagar Joshi sagar, Nitin Dhawas Nitin 2026-01-06 18:18:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457797/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:16:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457797/v1 Introduction: Today, increases in human population and longevity, and the rise of chronic diseases lead to an increase in using hospital services. Medical waste, consisting of plastic materials likely to be toxic or radioactive, poses a greater burden on the planet than other kinds of waste such as office supplies. It is clear that nurses, who play a key role in protecting and promoting health, also play a key role in environmental sustainability, and in protecting and promoting planetary health. The purpose in this study is to develop a scale aimed at determining nurses' awareness of planetary health and planetary nursing. Methods: In this study having a methodological research design, data were collected from 359 nurses currently working via an online form between March 31, 2025 and May 14, 2025. The SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows version 25.0 and AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) version 21 were used in the analysis. For the categorical variables, number (N) and percentage (%) values were calculated for the descriptive statistics. After the expert opinion was obtained, the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratios (CVR) were calculated, and a pilot study was conducted with 40 nurses. In the reliability analyses, the test-retest and split-half techniques were used, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item-total correlation and item discrimination index were calculated. Construct validity of the scale was established via a two-stage factor analysis. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted. Results: The result of the test-retest reliability was r = 0.798 (p < 0.01). KMO and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity values for EFA ​​were 0.961 and 6861.981, respectively (p < 0.001). The total Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.951. The model fit index results determined after the CFA were as follows: RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) = 0.073, SRMR (Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual = 0.034, CFI (comparative fit index) = 0.955, IFI (Incremental Fit Index) = 0.955, TLI (Tucker–Lewis index) = 0.947, NFI (Normed Fit Index) = 0.934, GFI (Goodness of Fit Index) = 0.903 and AGFI (Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index) = 0.875. The explained ratio of the total variance of the scale was calculated as 57.969. According to the EFA and CFA results, 11 items with low factor loadings were removed and the scale took its 16-item final form. Conclusions: The Planetary Health and Planetary Nursing Awareness Scale (PH-PNAS) is a valid and reliable measurement tool, and it is believed to be useful tool for nurses who play a key role in the delivery of sustainable health services. Seher GÖNEN ŞENTÜRK, Güzin Yasemin TUNÇAY 2026-01-06 18:16:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8416355/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:14:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8416355/v1 This study investigates the distribution of tense and aspect in oral narratives in Russian and Polish, with a particular focus on the influence of narrative task type and cross-linguistic differences between two closely related Slavic languages. Drawing on a methodologically aligned corpus of elicited oral narratives, the analysis compares four narrative tasks – biographical narratives, picture descriptions, and two picture-based story tellings differing in addressee orientation – across the two languages. All analyses are based on aggregated corpus data and focus on finite verb forms annotated for tense and, in past contexts, aspect. Quantitative corpus-linguistic methods are combined with chi-square tests to assess the significance of task-related and cross-linguistic differences. The results demonstrate a robust effect of narrative task type on tense distribution in both languages and reveal systematic, task-sensitive variation in aspectual choice, particularly within past tense forms. While Russian and Polish both show a general preference for past tense in narrative discourse, Polish exhibits a consistently higher proportion of present tense forms, a pattern that can be partly explained by typological differences such as the overt marking of the present tense copula. Crucially, the study reveals that aspectual distributions vary significantly across narrative tasks and, in Polish, are additionally sensitive to addressee orientation. These findings challenge the assumption of a uniform tense–aspect distribution in narrative data and underscore the need for task-sensitive and pragmatically informed approaches in cross-linguistic research on Russian and Polish aspect and tense. Katrin Bente Karl 2026-01-06 18:14:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8087520/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 18:02:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8087520/v1 Background. Childhood-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persists in 28% to 58% of individuals, and is associated with adverse long-term outcomes, like additional psychiatric diagnoses and lower educational attainment. Knowing early life predictors for adverse long-term outcomes might help develop preventive measures, but too few have been identified using conventional statistical models. The current study investigated the potential of machine learning in identifying predictors for ADHD persistence and long-term functioning of adults with childhood-onset ADHD.  Method. A total of 133 adults (Mage = 29.53, SDage = 2.83, 75% males) from an 18-year prospective cohort study were assessed on ADHD persistence and long-term functioning. Machine learning models were developed using cross-validation, with and without additional synthetic data, and compared to a conventional logistic regression model. With SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) we explored predictor importance. Childhood predictors encompassed ADHD symptoms and treatment, other psychopathology, cognition, somatic characteristics, ADHD polygenic risk score, and parental demographics and psychopathology.  Results. Accuracy of all models for ADHD persistence and functioning was low. SHAP suggested childhood anxiety symptoms as the most influential predictor for both outcomes. No machine learning model outperformed logistic regression for ADHD persistence (AUC’smachine learning = .50–.56; AUClogistic regression = .56) or long-term functioning (AUC’smachine learning = .47–.59; AUClogistic regression = .59). Adding synthetic data did not improve the models.  Conclusions. Findings highlight the complexity of predicting long-term outcomes of ADHD. While conventional models have performed best so far, model improvement is crucial before models can inform clinical practice, e.g., by increasing sample size and investigating additional predictors. Noa van der Plas, Frank Bennis, Barbara Franke, Catharina Hartman, Pieter Hoekstra, Anna Nijmeijers, Lennart Oblong, Nanda Rommelse, Emma Sprooten, Marjolein Luman, Jaap Oosterlaan, Siri Noordermeer 2026-01-06 18:02:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8416245/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:54:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8416245/v1 This case report describes a suspected case of chronic apical periodontitis caused by cementum detachment at the maxillary left lateral incisor. Treatment consisted solely of root surface debridement and curettage of pathological granulation tissue, and no periodontal regenerative therapy was performed. As adjunctive therapy, intraoperative irrigation with ozonated water was carried out, and ozonized glycerin was applied to the lesion site. On postoperative day 2, the clinical findings were as follows: no pain, swelling, or bleeding, with mild erythema; analgesic medication was not required. Inflammatory symptoms were well controlled from the early postoperative period, and additional antibiotic administration was deemed unnecessary. Sutures were removed on postoperative day 7. At the time of suture removal, mild wound dehiscence was observed at part of the incision; however, no bone exposure was noted. Two weeks postoperatively, proliferation of granulation tissue and regeneration of the oral mucosal epithelium were confirmed. At one month postoperatively, the surgical site had almost completely healed, and the incision line had become inconspicuous. Radiographic examination demonstrated a transition from radiolucency to radiopacity at the initial lesion site, indicating a healing tendency of the bone defect. No recurrence of infection was observed during the follow-up period, and a favorable healing course was achieved. These findings suggest that adjunctive therapy using ozonated water and ozonized glycerin may be effective for lesions suspected of chronic granulomatous apical periodontitis. Shinichiro Yoshimine, Gotaro Shiota, Yoshimasa Makita, Hourei Oh 2026-01-06 17:54:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483680/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:18:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483680/v1 Background Developmental dyslexia (DD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occur and are believed to share genetic risk factors. However, genomic evidence from South Asian populations remains limited, restricting insight into population-specific variants. Methodology: An integrated clinical, biochemical, and genomic investigation was conducted in a Pakistani family, focusing on a 9-year-old female proband diagnosed with comorbid DD and ADHD. Neuropsychological assessments evaluated reading ability, attention, and executive function. Biochemical profiling assessed neurotransmitter levels, vitamin D status, fatty acid composition, and oxidative stress markers. High-resolution Cytoscan HD microarray analysis was performed, followed by qPCR validation and familial segregation analysis. Results Neuropsychological testing revealed significant deficits in reading, attention, and executive functioning. Biochemical analysis demonstrated neurotransmitter dysregulation, vitamin D insufficiency, fatty acid imbalance, and elevated oxidative stress. Microarray analysis identified a heterozygous 258 kb de novo deletion at chromosome 17q12 (chr17:34.82–35.08 Mb; hg38), encompassing six genes involved in neurodevelopment and neuronal signaling. qPCR confirmed the deletion exclusively in the proband. Based on ACMG criteria, the copy number variant was classified as likely pathogenic. Discussion The findings suggest that rare structural variants may contribute to the comorbid presentation of DD and ADHD, potentially interacting with metabolic abnormalities to influence disease expression. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of CNV screening and integrative genomic approaches in underrepresented populations to improve understanding and diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders. Shujjah Haider, Bushra Hammad, Fatahiya Kashif, Muhammad Shakil Khan 2026-01-06 17:18:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8346554/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:15:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8346554/v1 Objective This study evaluated the predictive value of novel inflammatory and metabolic composite indices—including NLR, MLR, SIRI, SII, AIP, TyG, and TyG-BMI—for microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMC) and developed a corresponding risk prediction model. Methods Clinical data from 964 hospitalized T2DM patients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University (September 2023–September 2025) were retrospectively analyzed and classified according to the presence of DMC. Group differences in demographic and clinical parameters were compared. LASSO regression was used to identify key predictors, after which the dataset was divided into training and validation sets (7:3 ratio). A multivariable Logistic regression nomogram was constructed in the training set and evaluated using ROC curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Result (i) The DMC group showed significantly higher NLR, MLR, SIRI, and SII, and significantly lower AIP, TyG, and TyG-BMI compared with the non-DMC group (all P < 0.05), indicating heightened systemic inflammation and metabolic disturbances.(ii) Multivariate analysis identified hypertension,urea nitrogen,albumin, alanine aminotransferase, osteocalcin, parathyroid hormone, SIRI, and TyG-BMI as independent predictors of DMC.(iii) The LASSO-Logistic model achieved an AUC of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.76–0.83) in the training set and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.67–0.78) in the validation set, outperforming SIRI or TyG-BMI alone. Calibration curves demonstrated good agreement between predicted and observed risks, and DCA confirmed favorable clinical utility across multiple thresholds. Conclusion Inflammatory and metabolic composite indices play a significant role in identifying DMC risk. SIRI and TyG-BMI were confirmed as key independent predictors. The LASSO-Logistic nomogram demonstrated reliable discrimination and clinical applicability, offering an effective tool for early detection and risk stratification in T2DM patients. Title：LI Yuting, minawaer HUJIAAIHEMAITI 2026-01-06 17:15:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8094953/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:15:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8094953/v1 Background Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Its significant antimicrobial activity and negligible toxic side effects make it a potential therapeutic agent for antibacterial use. However, LF’s in vivo protective efficacy against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (ETEC K88), a major pathogen that causes diarrhea in newborn livestock, and its detailed immunoregulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood. To address this knowledge gap, we constructed three engineered strains—KM71H-pPICZαA-rLF, EBY100-pYD1-rLF, and T7-B-pET-28a-rLF—to express the recombinant N-terminal functional fragments of LF, designated as rLF-N-PP, rLF-N-SC, and rLF-N-EC, respectively. They were successfully expressed, identified, and subjected to in vitro antibacterial activity analysis. Furthermore, mice infected with ETEC K88 were treated with rLF-N-PP, and clinical symptoms and histopathological changes in the intestines, liver, spleen, and kidneys were observed and recorded. Bacterial loads in the mesentery, cecum, liver, and spleen were measured, and levels of serum cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-10) and terminal ileal sIgA were quantified.Results The results demonstrated successful expression of all three recombinant proteins. In vitro antibacterial assays showed that rLF-N-SC lacked antimicrobial activity, whereas rLF-N-PP exhibited significantly stronger antibacterial activity than rLF-N-EC. The inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus was lower than that on E. coli.Conclusions Treatment with rLF-N-PP improved clinical symptoms in mice infected with ETEC K88; markedly alleviated histopathological damage in the intestines, liver, spleen, and kidneys; reduced bacterial loads in the mesentery, cecum, liver, and spleen; decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ) and terminal ileal sIgA; and increased the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 compared to the K88 infection group. Wei Li, Aoqian Fu, Wenbin Lu, Jiawei Chen, Baishi Lei, Wuchao Zhang, Kuan Zhao, Qingyan Li, Xin Li, Jingran Cheng, Yu Wang, Wanzhe Yuan 2026-01-06 17:15:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8243965/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:15:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8243965/v1 Despite clinical advances with immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis, therapeutic response remains limited, as nearly 60% of PD-L1–positive patients fail to benefit from anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody therapy. Aptamers are short, single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that selectively bind to target molecules with high affinity and specificity. Compared to monoclonal antibodies, aptamers offer several advantages, including lower production cost, faster synthesis, improved thermal stability, longer shelf life, and minimal immunogenicity, making them attractive candidates for targeted cancer therapy. In this study, we designed DNA aptamers specific to the immune checkpoint receptor PD-L1, which is overexpressed on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and serves as a key regulator of tumour-induced immune suppression. Using comprehensive in silico screening, structural modelling, and interaction analysis, aptamer63 was identified as the strongest PD-L1 binder based on predicted thermodynamic stability and molecular interaction energy profiles. To experimentally validate its functional potential, aptamer63 was fluorescently labelled with TAMRA and visualised under a fluorescence microscope, confirming its binding to the cell surface of PD-L1–expressing NCI-H460 NSCLC cells. Subsequent in vitro assays assessed the immunomodulatory effect of aptamer63 in the presence of activated T lymphocytes. MTT and trypan blue dye exclusion assays demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in tumour cell viability, with significant inhibition observed at 100nM and 200nM. Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide dual staining confirmed increased apoptotic cell populations, showing the highest apoptosis rate at 100nM. Flow cytometry further revealed a marked decrease in viable cell count across all tested concentrations, with the greatest reduction again observed at 100nM. Collectively, these results indicate that aptamer63 enhances T cell–mediated cytotoxicity against NSCLC cells, with maximum antitumour efficacy at 100nM. Overall, these findings establish aptamer63 as a promising PD-L1-blocking immunotherapeutic candidate for NSCLC and demonstrate a rational design pipeline for developing next-generation aptamer-based immune checkpoint inhibitors. Priyatharcini Kejamurthy, Yash Sansare, K. T. Ramya Devi 2026-01-06 17:15:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8206322/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:15:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8206322/v1 Objective: Standardized protocols for assessing and addressing patient suffering are absent from Canadian clinical practice documents on medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Our Delphi study aimed to seek expert consensus on potential improvements to clinical practice documents and on research priorities to address suffering in MAiD.  Methods: A multidisciplinary panel of 54 experts from across Canada participated in a modified e-Delphi study. Three rounds of surveys were conducted after a national knowledge dissemination meeting.  Results: There was agreement on 27 clinical practice document revisions and on 24 research priorities. Among the main recommendations were early integration of psychosocial and palliative care, providing follow-up and support for patients deemed ineligible for MAiD, addressing mental health stigma, including basic psychosocial assessments in MAiD evaluations, involving social workers when suffering of MAiD requestors is linked to social determinants of health, and clarifying bio-psycho-social-existential issues associated with intolerable suffering (including social determinants of health) in patients requesting MAiD in the context of life-threatening and non-life-threatening conditions. Conclusion: Our results provide practical recommendations for improving MAiD clinical practice documents as they pertain to suffering, as well as identify research priorities to pursue. Our experience can inform clinical policies in Canada and other countries where MAiD is legal or being considered. Melissa Henry, Justine Albert, Sabrina Chan Chun Kong, James Downar, Madeline Li, Sally Thorne, Brian Mishara, Justin Sanders, Isabelle Marcoux, Diane Tapp, Romayne Gallagher, Manon Guay, Isabelle Dumont, Diane Guay, Jacynthe Rivest, Mona Gupta, Valerie Bourgeois-Guerin, Deborah Ummel, Maude Hébert, Brian Greenfield, Georgia Vrakas, Luc Dargis, Ali Alias, Vanessa Bisson-Gervais, Jun Liu, Lynn Gauthier 2026-01-06 17:15:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8482115/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:15:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8482115/v1 Abstract The Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) were developed to standardize service delivery across India’s vast public health network (1). Despite revisions in 2012 and 2022 to support the National Health Mission (NHM) and Ayushman Bharat programs (2,3), significant human-resource challenges persist—particularly in 24×7 facilities. The current IPHS staffing norm of a single medical officer and three nurses per Primary Health Centre (PHC) remains unrealistic once leave, holidays, and childcare absences are factored in (4,5). This longitudinal study used the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) methodology (6,7) to assess staffing adequacy across 108 facilities in Ajmer District, Rajasthan, from 2021–2024. Data from HMIS, PCTS, and e-Aushadhi were triangulated with facility records (Fig 1). Outpatient visits rose 10% (5.69M–6.26M), inpatient admissions by 50% (219,140–329,681), while antenatal registrations declined 31% and live births 21%. Neonatal deaths fell to 44 district-wide (0.1%), maternal deaths dropped by 47%, and low-birth-weight cases declined 31%. Yet, full immunization coverage decreased by 15% (Table 4). Vacancy rates averaged 9–17% for doctors, 39–47% for nurses, and 42% for paramedical staff. WISN ratios—0.42 for doctors, 0.45 for nurses, 0.12 for pharmacists, and 0.31 for laboratory technicians—signified severe understaffing (Fig 2) (8). Ajmer’s dispersed geography—villages 10–20 km apart with small populations—further amplifies workload disparities. While Rajasthan’s NHM 2025 plan to recruit 13,252 new posts shows promise (9), WISN findings suggest a need for 50–100% more sanctioned positions, plus a 20–30% buffer for leave and geographic constraints. India’s path toward Universal Health Coverage requires IPHS norms grounded in real workload evidence rather than static population ratios (10,11). Dr. Mohammad Rafique, Dr Yasmeen Khan, Dr. Kailash Verma, Dr. Dharmendra Mandarwal 2026-01-06 17:15:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8480413/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:14:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8480413/v1 Disorders of consciousness represent severe neurological conditions that occur following acquired brain injury, with highly variable outcomes ranging from full recovery to prolonged unconsciousness and death. Understanding the precise brain mechanisms underlying this heterogenous group of disorders remains a scientific and medical challenge, impeding progress in the development of treatment or actionable clinical plans. Here, we sought to map the precise spatiotemporal pattern of brain alterations in these patients by performing a multimodal meta-analysis comprising 90 electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography studies (3,535 observations from rare patients with a prolonged disorder of consciousness and 1,372 from healthy controls). To generate hypotheses about potential underlying biological mechanisms, we quantified the spatial correspondence between brain circuits robustly associated with disorders of consciousness and openly available atlases of normative features of human brain biology, including maps on neurotransmission, which could inform new receptor-based mechanistic models of disease. By assessing 49 electrophysiological features of global brain integrity, we show that, in patients, neural electrical activity is consistently and globally stronger (i.e., spectral power and connectivity) in the delta band and weaker in the alpha band, while broadband entropy and alpha-SD of the participation coefficient best discriminate among patient groups. Using coordinate-based techniques, we identify convergent loss of structure, function and metabolism in specific cortical hubs of the default mode network and in subcortical “cognitive integration zones”1 of the mediodorsal thalamus and of the executive caudate nucleus, at the interface between default mode and executive, salience and ventral-attention networks2. This convergent pattern aligns with specific receptor distributions (mGluR5, GABA-A, µ-opioid, CB1) and with the noradrenergic transporter topography, identifying putative receptor-level candidates for therapeutic trials. Altogether, our findings provide a robust foundation for refining current mechanistic models of disorders of consciousness, identifying promising clinical diagnostic biomarkers within the heterogenous literature and patient profiles, and selecting targets for therapeutic development. Arianna Sala, Michiel Meys, Naji Alnagger, Nikita Beliy, Simona Abagnale, Danuta Szirmai, Baris K. Ok, Zhixin Wang, Marjorie Bardiau, Charlotte Beaudart, Simon B. Eickhoff, Daniel Martins, Marco Tettamanti, Steven Laureys, Olivia Gosseries, Aurore Thibaut, Jitka Annen 2026-01-06 17:14:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8479706/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:14:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8479706/v1 Background: The ‘shadow pandemic’ of gender-based violence escalated parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored how COVID-19 lockdowns may have impacted women’s empowerment and IPV patterns and the role of social support among female domestic workers (FDWs) in Pakistan.  Methods: Exploratory qualitative research with in-depth interviews was conducted, based on Connell’s Theory of Gender and Power. Married FDWs were recruited by snowballing (n=40). Themes were identified for patterns and factors associated with IPV. Data were analyzed using Maxqda by conducting thematic coding.  Results: Most FDWs in the sample lost jobs during lockdown; or paid partially. Conflicts increased in the family, primarily due to financial constraints. Loss of financial resources were more likely to experience IPV than participants without any economic loss. Most participants resorted to prayers and patience. Almost all were reluctant to seek help from police; nearly no one had information or access to organizations that support women in similar situations.  Conclusion: It is crucial to understand the processes of changing marital power dynamics during crises to mitigate the ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence against women. The study informs policies to regulate the labor industry, especially during crises situations. Bhavita Kumari, Mai Do, Aubrey Spriggs Madkour, Janna Wisniewski 2026-01-06 17:14:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476177/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:13:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476177/v1 Background Outsourced radiology interpretation is increasingly used to maintain emergency imaging workflows, yet its diagnostic performance in suspected acute appendicitis remains uncertain. We compared outsourced non-contrast CT reporting with bedside clinical assessment in a surgically managed cohort.Methods This retrospective diagnostic accuracy study included adults (≥ 18 years) who underwent appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis. Index tests were outsourced CT reports and the attending surgeon’s preoperative clinical assessment. The reference standard was intraoperative and/or histopathological diagnosis. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated with 95% confidence intervals.Results Among 573 patients, appendicitis was confirmed in 492 (85.9%) and negative appendectomy occurred in 81 (14.1%). Outsourced CT reporting yielded sensitivity 87.4% (95% CI 84.1–90.1), specificity 75.3% (95% CI 64.8–83.6) and accuracy 91.4%. Clinical assessment yielded sensitivity 97.6% (95% CI 95.8–98.6), specificity 54.3% (95% CI 43.6–64.5) and accuracy 85.7%.Conclusions In this cohort, outsourced non-contrast CT reports showed higher specificity than clinical assessment, but clinically meaningful false-positive reporting may contribute to potentially avoidable appendectomies. Quality assurance and standardized protocols may improve performance in outsourced services.Trial registration: Not applicable. Sezer Gökçen 2026-01-06 17:13:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477429/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:13:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477429/v1 Background: Large language models (LLMs) with multimodal capabilities have recently achieved human-level performance on medical examinations. However, most rely on cloud-based processing, raising concerns about data privacy in clinical contexts. Locally deployable LLMs may offer a secure alternative.Methods: We evaluated Google Gemma3-27B, a vision-capable LLM, on Taiwan’s pulmonary specialist board examination having 1200 multiple choices questions (MCQs) since 2013 to 2024 obtained from the Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. The dataset included 1,156 text-only and 44 text-and-image MCQs, classified into 26 categories by two board-certified pulmonologists. The model was deployed locally on a laptop equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS CPU, 32 GB RAM, and an NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU.Results: Gemma3-27B achieved statistically significant performance above random guessing (binomial 95% CI: 17–34/100). For text-only MCQs, Gemma3-27B correctly answered the following numbers of questions by year: 59, 59, 45, 53, 52, 54, 58, 45, 53, 50, 54, and 65. For the text-and-image MCQs, the scores were 0/1, 1/5, 2/4, 2/5, 0/3, 0/1, 0/1, 0/6, 3/4, 2/4, 3/7, and 0/3, where the denominator indicates the total number of MCQs for each year. Six categories achieved accuracies above 60%, including chest surgery (68.2%), pneumothorax (65.2%), and respiratory pathophysiology (63.3%). However, major categories such as lung cancer, infection, and critical care scored below 60%, highlighting a mismatch between domains with higher accuracy and those containing the most clinically relevant question sets.Conclusion: Despite slower inference times and the need for manual answer extraction, Gemma3-27B demonstrated competitive accuracy and approached the benchmark passing threshold while maintaining data privacy. These results support the feasibility of locally deployed LLMs as privacy-preserving tools for high-stakes medical applications. However, the domains with higher accuracy did not correspond to those containing the largest number of MCQs, many of which carry substantial clinical relevance. These clinically important domains should therefore be prioritized in future fine-tuning of locally deployed models. Chih-Hsiung Chen, Chang-Wei Chen, Kuang-Yu Hsieh, Kuo-En Huang 2026-01-06 17:13:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8435560/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:12:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8435560/v1 Background Malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death in Uganda, disproportionately affecting children under five and pregnant women. In the aftermath of COVID-19, malaria incidence has risen globally, and Uganda ranks among the countries with the heaviest burden, recording the third-highest number of cases and deaths worldwide and the highest prevalence in East and Southern Africa. Pregnant women in refugee settlements face heightened vulnerability due to limited resources, poor living conditions, and reduced access to healthcare. However, little was previously known about malaria prevalence and risk factors in refugee settings such as Nakivale refugee settlement in southwestern Uganda.Methods This study aimed to determine the prevalence of malaria infection and associated factors among pregnant women attending their first antenatal care (ANC) visit in Nakivale and Rubondo Health Centre IIIs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 374 pregnant women. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires, key informant interviews, and laboratory testing of capillary blood for Plasmodium infection by microscopy. Quantitative data were analyzed using STATA 15.0 with modified Poisson regression to identify associated factors, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis in Atlas.ti.Results The study found that malaria prevalence among the pregnant women was 19.3% (72/374), more than double the 8.9% reported for Western Uganda overall. Nearly half of the participants (46.8%) demonstrated low knowledge of malaria prevention. Risk factors significantly associated with malaria infection included low knowledge of malaria prevention (APR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.15–3.09), living ≥ 5 km from the nearest health facility (APR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.18–2.62), and non-use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) (APR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.23–2.52). Protective factors were secondary or higher education (APR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33–0.83), perception of high malaria risk (APR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.36–0.78), being in the second trimester (APR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.46–0.89), and receipt of indoor residual spraying (IRS) within the last year (APR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.08–0.33).Conclusion In conclusion, malaria prevalence in Nakivale refugee settlement is alarmingly high among pregnant women. Low knowledge and limited access to preventive measures contribute to increased risk, while education, awareness, and preventive interventions such as ITN use and IRS reduce vulnerability. Strengthening health education, improving access to malaria prevention tools, and targeting interventions to high-risk groups are critical to lowering the malaria burden in refugee populations. Jowali Nangu, Adoke Yeka, Freddy Eric Kitutu, Tom Okade 2026-01-06 17:12:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8398905/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:12:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398905/v1 Background Immunising children saves 2–3 million lives every year, making it one of the most effective public health interventions. India's childhood immunisation rates are steadily improving, but there are still big differences between states. Tamil Nadu consistently has one of the highest rates of child immunisation, while Nagaland is still below the national average. If we figure out the socioeconomic factors which contribute to this difference, we can guide context-specific strategies to improve coverage in underperforming areas.Objective To compare the level and socioeconomic and geographic determinants of full immunisation coverage among children aged 12–23 months in Tamil Nadu and Nagaland using data from the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21).Methods A survey weighted cross-sectional analysis was performed on 1,739 children (Tamil Nadu: 1,255; Nagaland: 484). To be fully immunised, a child had to get BCG, three doses of DPT, three doses of OPV, and two doses of MCV. Weighted bivariate chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations between full immunization and socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic characteristics.Results Immunization coverage was higher in Tamil Nadu (93.6%) than in Nagaland (72.7%). In Nagaland, full immunization was significantly associated with maternal education (χ²=3.983, p = 0.006), wealth (χ²=9.702, p = 0.011), residence (χ²=13.011, p = 0.001), distance to health facility (χ²=5.550, p = 0.018), religion (χ²=5.540, p = 0.038), and birth order (χ²=20.504, p = 0.012), whereas in Tamil Nadu only maternal education was significant (χ²=9.764, p = 0.024). Multivariable analysis substantiated maternal education as the most significant predictor in both states (Tamil Nadu: AOR = 1.98; p = 0.017; Nagaland: AOR = 3.46; p = 0.026). In Nagaland, urban residence also increased the odds of full immunization (AOR = 1.89; p = 0.047), while in Tamil Nadu, mother’s age showed a marginal positive effect (AOR = 1.22; p = 0.037). After adjustment, other variables were not significant.Conclusion The main factors for the differences in immunisation coverage between states are gaps in maternal education and access to healthcare. To increase vaccination coverage in states which are low-performing such as Nagaland, it is crutial to enhance women's education, extend outreach to rural populations, and address socioeconomic barriers. Yendouname Kandjoni, Samadou Tchakondo, Sangénis Assogba Ayao, Selassi Komi Gayi, Richard Tugbeh, Kezia J. Angeline, Gladius H. Jennifer 2026-01-06 17:12:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8516979/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:07:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8516979/v1 Magnetic solitons in chiral media provide a versatile platform for exploring nonlinear, relativistic, and topologically protected excitations under external field control. In this work, we develop a unified theoretical framework to investigate soliton confinement, stability, and propagation dynamics in magnetized chiral systems by coupling the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with the Landau– Lifshitz–Gilbert formalism. We demonstrate that external magnetic fields induce strong soliton confinement, leading to substantial width compression and enhanced nonlinear self-interaction. Velocity-adapted solutions reveal relativistic signatures, including Lorentz-type contraction and stability up to a critical fraction of the characteristic propagation speed. Chiral spin textures stabilized by Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interactions exhibit quantized orbital angular momentum and topologi-cal charge protection, which persists against thermal fluctuations within experimentally accessible temperature ranges. We further analyze quantum–thermal crossover effects, showing that magnetic confinement suppresses tunneling and enhances noise resilience. The results establish magnetically controlled chiral solitons as robust nonlinear excitations with potential relevance for spintronic devices , topological memory architectures, and quantum-inspired information processing platforms. Yogesh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Tabish Ali Fatihi, Monika Goyal, Manoj Mishra 2026-01-06 17:07:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8159633/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:06:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8159633/v1 Background Key plant functional groups (PFGs) are crucial for maintaining desert steppe stability. Their loss may trigger ecosystem degradation by disrupting plant–soil nutrient cycling and altering plant diversity. Methods A three-year field removal experiment was conducted in a desert steppe to investigate the effects of selectively removing key plant functional groups—graminoids, legumes, and their combination—on plant diversity, plant–soil nutrient strategies, and underlying mechanisms. Results Results showed temporal shifts in the Shannon and dominance indices following an inverted “V” pattern, while β-diversity heterogeneity increased spatially. Graminoid removal reduced species turnover but increased nestedness, alleviating plant carbon limitation by enhancing nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation. Legume removal intensified carbon limitation despite increasing soil nitrogen. Plant diversity was significantly correlated with plant–soil total carbon and soil moisture. Nutrient strategies were the strongest predictors of α- and β-diversity, with aboveground biomass, C/N ratios, bulk density, and soil moisture also key. Structural equation modeling indicated graminoid removal indirectly reduced α-diversity via decreased biomass and plant carbon, while legume removal directly increased β-diversity. Conclusion The loss of either PFG drives deterministic ecological processes through nutrient pathways, whereas combined loss directly reduces diversity. Protecting key PFGs—especially graminoids—and understanding their role in nutrient cycles are essential for desert steppe conservation. Zhuo Liu 2026-01-06 17:06:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8209010/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:03:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8209010/v1 Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) have demonstrated substantial utility in generative modeling, however their performance is often compromised when inputs are corrupted by noise or measurement artifacts. Traditional approaches to preprocessing either fail to adapt to spatially heterogeneous noise or result in excessive smoothing of high-frequency features. In this study, we propose an automatic learnable FFT-VAE framework that integrates learnable frequency-domain denoising and correction parameters with generative modeling. The method predicts per-pixel parameters (\((\alpha)\),\((\sigma)\) , and\((m)\)), which dynamically control the contribution of high-frequency components, the bandwidth of the low-pass filter, and spatial confidence, respectively. This adaptive approach allows the network to suppress noise while preserving structural details in a data-driven manner, eliminating the need for manual hyperparameter tuning. We tested the method on synthetic FashionMNIST datasets under multiple Gaussian noise levels and demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed framework. Compared to baseline configurations, the automatic learnable FFT-VAE method achieves higher reconstruction fidelity, improved PSNR, SSIM, and SNR, and produces more coherent latent representations. We also tested the method in the MedMNIST dataset as a real-world application. The results indicate that the method not only enhances denoising performance but also facilitates the extraction of meaningful features for downstream analytical or diagnostic tasks. Xiaochen Li, Hongtian Zhao, Peng Li 2026-01-06 17:03:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468217/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 17:02:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468217/v1 To address the challenges of UAV aerial imagery, including the prevalence of small objects, complex background interference, and difficulty in feature extraction that lead to high missed detection rates and compromise detection accuracy in existing RT-DETR algorithms, this paper proposes an improved small-object-oriented detector named MSFE-DETR (Multi-Scale Feature Enhancement DETR). A CMFE (CSP-MultiScale Feature Enhancement) module is integrated into the shallow backbone layers to enhance feature representation of small objects and alleviate feature loss caused by scale and background complexity. In deeper layers of backbone, the C2f module is employed to preserve fine-grained details and improve target–background discrimination, while multi-scale feature fusion further prevents small object information degradation. In addition, Deformable Attention (DAttention) is incorporated to adaptively focus on small target regions, retaining spatial positional information and suppressing background noise. The head integrates MPCA and FSA modules, where MPCA progressively fuses adjacent-scale features to complementarily enhance small object representations and suppress background interference, and FSA further improves detail enhancement and robustness. Moreover, an Inner-SIoU loss is proposed by combining Inner-IoU with SIoU, improving localization accuracy, convergence speed, and robustness in complex scenes. Experimental results on the VisDrone 2019 dataset show that MSFE-DETR outperforms RT-DETR-r18 by 2.0% in Precision, 2.1% in Recall, and 2.4% in mAP@0.5, with only a slight increase in computational cost. Qiyu Long, Zhixun Liang, Peng Chen, Peng Tang 2026-01-06 17:02:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481424/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:31:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481424/v1 The genus Allium has been extensively studied in recent decades to elucidate the evolutionary processes shaping its phylogeny and taxonomic relationships. However, significant gaps remain, particularly concerning infrageneric classification and evolutionary relationships within several sections. One such example is section Codonoprasum, comprising approximately 160 diploid and polyploid taxa centred mainly in the Mediterranean and western Irano–Turanian regions. Despite its high species diversity, this section is characterised by taxonomic inconsistencies and poorly resolved phylogenetic structure. Here, we improve current understanding of the evolution of section Codonoprasum by analysing sequence variation in three genomic loci (nrITS, trnH–psbA and trnL–ndhJ) and by mapping selected plant traits onto the resulting phylogenetic trees. Our dataset includes 48 taxa—around 30% of the total diversity of the section—each represented by multiple accessions. The results support the monophyly of section Codonoprasum and indicate a close relationship with section Cupanioscordum. Within section Codonoprasum, five major lineages (clades I–V) were identified, some of which were further subdivided into morphologically and/or karyologically distinct subclades. The placement of taxa within these lineages is evaluated in the light of existing knowledge on their morphology, karyology, and geographic distribution. Overall, the phylogenetic patterns recovered here are incongruent with traditional subsectional taxonomy. Genome size appears to follow a more punctuated than gradual mode of evolution along the phylogeny. We interpret these findings with a focus on lineage composition, interclade relationships, and their implications for understanding evolutionary patterns and taxonomy within this diverse section. Martin Duchoslav, Kateřina Vojtěchová, Lucie Kobrlová, Miloslav Kitner 2026-01-06 16:31:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8193543/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:28:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8193543/v1 Quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies have been pivotal in mapping the genetic regulation of molecular traits but have been primarily conducted in European populations, limiting insights into diverse ethnic groups. To close this knowledge gap, we conducted a large-scale multi-omics QTL analyses using blood samples from 3,102 Chinese individuals, systematically characterizing the regulatory effects of genetic variants on DNA methylation, protein levels, and metabolites. Our study identified 209 protein QTLs (pQTLs) for 155 proteins and 587 metabolite QTLs (metabQTLs) for 369 metabolites. By integrating these findings with cis-methylation QTL (meQTL) associations identified in our previous work, we defined the shared genetic architecture across these three molecular layers. Colocalization analyses, both within our cohort and with external xQTLs, revealed 3,665 pairs of shared causal variants across traits, supported by strong mediation evidence for a regulatory cascade in 187 pairs. To link these molecular findings to health outcomes, we performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses, identifying 497 potential causal relationships between molecular traits and diseases. These findings were further validated through observational and colocalization studies. Collectively, we present a comprehensive genomic atlas of meQTLs, pQTLs, and metabQTLs specific to East Asian populations, providing critical insight into shared regulatory networks and candidate causal variants across molecular and disease phenotypes. Peilin Jia, Peng Yang, Shuhua Li, Qiwen Zheng, Xinxuan Liu, Siyu Pan, Yaning Zhang, Tianzi Liu, Sin Man Lam, Hongen Kang, Xiuli Zhu, Shiqi Lin, Zhanjie Fang, Yin-Ying Wang, Jian Wang, Guanghou Shui, Fan Liu, Changqing Zeng 2026-01-06 16:28:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8482681/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:25:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8482681/v1 This paper constructs an efficient two-step explicit/Crank-Nicolson technique combined with finite element method to simulate a three-dimensional coupled Burgers equations with source terms, subject to appropriate initial and boundary conditions. The space derivatives are approximated using the finite element formulation whereas a combination of an efficient explicit scheme and crank-Nicolson approach is employed to interpolate the time derivative. The developed computational technique efficiently treats the time derivative term, ensuring its stability across small time steps. Both stability and convergence order of the new algorithm are numerically analyzed using the L^{\infty}(0,T;L^{2})-norm. The computational results suggest that the proposed two-step explicit/Crank-Nicolson approach is temporal second-order accurate and spatial third-order convergent. Four numerical examples are carried out to show the applicability and the efficiency of the new strategy. AMS Subject Classification (MSC): 65M12, 65M06. Eric Ngondiep 2026-01-06 16:25:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477438/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:21:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477438/v1 This study assesses flood vulnerability impacts on food security for communities downstream of Niger State's Shiroro and Zungeru hydroelectric dams. Using Sentinel-1 SAR and Landsat imagery (1986–2022) via Google Earth Engine, we mapped spatio-temporal flood dynamics and identified frequently inundated croplands. A multi-criteria GIS analysis incorporating elevation, slope, soil type, rainfall, NDVI, land use, and river proximity generated detailed flood vulnerability maps through fuzzy overlay techniques. Agricultural impacts were evaluated by overlaying hazard maps with farmland data and household surveys, employing food security indicators (HFIAS and FCS). The research further examines gender-differentiated adaptation strategies to flood-induced food insecurity. Results reveal significant flooding patterns, highlighting cropland exposure and heightened household vulnerability. Findings provide critical evidence for targeted flood risk management, climate adaptation planning, and gender-sensitive policy interventions to enhance agricultural resilience, supporting Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, and 13 in dam-affected communities. Rukayyah A. Bahago, A. Abdulkadir, T. I. Yahaya, A. B. Hassan 2026-01-06 16:21:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8471769/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:20:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8471769/v1 We propose a new method for constructing the Dirac operator in curved spacetime using only a matrix representation grounded in the basis structure of Clifford algebra, without introducing a vierbein or an independent spin connection. Specifically, we introduce sixteen two-index gamma matrices realized as 256×256 matrices and, by embedding the spacetime metric directly into the matrix elements, provide a unified framework that reduces geometric operations (covariantization, connections, basis transformations, etc.) to matrix products and trace operations. Here the spacetime remains four-dimensional, and “16” labels the basis elements of the Clifford (geometric) algebra. Built on an extended quantum electrodynamics (QED) Lagrangian, the approach treats vertex rules, propagators, spin sums, and traces in an integrated manner, offering advantages in transparency and automation of calculations. As validation, we examine Compton scattering, muon pair production, Møller scattering, and Bhabha scattering, showing that off-diagonal metric components impart characteristic angular dependence to differential cross sections, while in the flat-spacetime limit the results agree exactly with standard QED. Furthermore, in trial computations with a toy metric containing off-diagonal components, systematic deviations from the flat-spacetime behavior appear near a scattering angle of about 90°, suggesting that metric-induced angular dependence could serve as an observational signature. Taken together, these results show that a Clifford-algebraic matrix representation provides a practical means of unifying the Dirac operator on curved backgrounds and quantum electrodynamic processes within a single algebraic calculus. Mathematics Subject Classification (2010). Primary 15A66, 83C60; Secondary 81T20, 81V10. Hirokazu Maruyama 2026-01-06 16:20:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8144606/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:16:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8144606/v1 Recent advancements in material science and green nanotechnology have led to the development of bio-inspired nanoparticles, which offer promising and sustainable meet for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria pathogens a major public health concern and provide an eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical synthesis. Hence CS-CuONPs were synthesized using ethanolic leaf extract of Clematis simensis, confirmed by using analytical techniques, evaluate their antibacterial potential by using agar well diffusion and MIC by resazurin-based micro-dilution assay. Phytochemical, GC-MS, and FTIR analysis revealed the presence of polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, bioactive compounds like eugenol and methyl eugenol, OH functional group in ethanolic leaf extract could responsible for the synthesis of CS-CuONPs. A visible color changes and a UV-Vis peak at 286 nm confirming the formation of CS-CuONPs. XRD analysis raveled a crystalline with an average size of 22.7 nm, with zeta potential of -28.3 mV, indicated moderate stability and high surface negative charge. SEM and TEM revealed that CS-CuONPs were predominantly needle shape with irregular clusters, with an average size of 18.4 nm. The results confirmed that CS-CuONPs showed that strong dose depended antibacterial activities against the tested B. subtilis, with the highest zone of inhibition of 30 mm with MIC in the range of 100–400 µg/ml. Whereas other bacterial strains E. faecalis and K. pneumoniae showed moderate zone of inhibition of 20 mm. These results suggested that Clematis simensis, enhances the stability and antibacterial efficacy of CS-CuONPs could be used for potential alternative for developing nano-formulation combating multidrug-resistant bacteria. Alem Gebrehawerya Reta, Tesfamariam Teklu, Goitom Gebreyohannes Berhe, Hailay Kebede Gebremedhin, Divya Naga Aparna Allu, Krishna Chaithanya Karri 2026-01-06 16:16:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8203649/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:12:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8203649/v1 Projection-based 3D printing technique faces inherent limitations in edge fidelity due to optical pixilation, compromising the functional performance of fabricated devices. Here, we introduce a unique rotational 3D printing (R3DP) technique, a novel platform integrating synchronized axial rotation with dynamic layer-by-layer photopolymerization. Our method compensates for missing edge pixels through programmable angular displacement (ω), enabling the fabrication of structures with sub-voxel resolution and directionally optimized surfaces. Compared to static DLP printing, R3DP reduces surface roughness by >40% and eliminates jagged edges, translating to enhanced mechanical resilience—spring filaments exhibit strain hardening beyond 0.8 mm mm⁻¹ and tunable Young’s modulus (8–757 MPa) via ω-controlled layer alignment. Moreover, R3DP-fabricated spring channels achieve 56% higher capillary velocity than DLP counterparts by suppressing pixel-induced turbulence. For aerodynamic components, R3DP-printed propellers generate thrust comparable to commercial counterparts (15.2 ± 0.8 N vs. 16.5 ± 0.5 N at 20,000 rpm) while reducing acoustic emissions by 3–5 dB through laminar flow stabilization. Flight validation confirms stable UAV operation with 12% lower torque resistance, demonstrating R3DP’s viability for high-performance applications in mechanics, microfluidics, and aerospace. Zhaolong Wang, Yinfeng Li, Qihui Xie, Jiyuan Yu, Wenhao Li, Shuo Yang, Mingzhu Xie, Yong Shuai 2026-01-06 16:12:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8348587/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 16:09:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8348587/v1 Native microbiota drives spontaneous fermentation in artisanal aguardiente in the Ecuadorian Amazon, an occurrence that has received little attention from a microbiological perspective. Juice samples were collected at three stages (0, 48, and 96 h), and three yeast morphotypes (Y01, Y02, and Y03) were isolated. A reduction in diversity occurred towards the final phase, where Y01 prevailed. Cell viability, evaluated by gentian violet staining, was higher in Y01, suggesting better adaptation to fermentative stress. Selective culture techniques, biochemical assays, and DNA sequencing were applied, resulting in a ≥99% match with Pichia bruneiensis. This is the first evidence of the species’ participation in these fermentations, providing information on microbial biodiversity in Amazonian aguardiente and Amazonian distillates’ biotechnological potential. The species is ethanol-tolerant and metabolically versatile and can generate differential aromatic compounds, making it a promising native starter culture that could improve the product, reinforce local microbial identity, and support valorization strategies. Marcos David Landívar Valverde, Mayra Chiriboga Ruilova, Estela Guardado Yordi, Amaury Pérez-Martínez 2026-01-06 16:09:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406579/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:58:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406579/v1 The most optimal lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) selection in Lenke 5/6 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is controversial. We aimed to compare the radiographical and clinical outcomes between L3 and L4 as LIV, the two most frequent selections. This research encompassed studies comparing outcomes of L3 versus L4 as the LIV in Lenke 5/6 AIS released from August 2001 to June 2025 in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool and the Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale were used to assess the quality of the randomized controlled trials and the retrospective cohort studies respectively. Meta-analysis of coronal parameters, sagittal parameters and adding-on phenomenon was performed. Data were pooled using random-effects or fixed-effect models to obtain mean differences (MD) for continuous variables and odds ratios (OR) for categorical variables, along with matching 95% confidence intervals (CI). Six studies with 228 patients in L3 group and 184 patients in L4 group were included. The preoperative thoracolumbar/lumbar curves were 48.13 ± 8.25。 in L3 group and 47.38 ± 7.96。 in L4 group. There was no difference in correction of thoracic curve (MD = 0.45, 95% CI: -1.00 to 1.90, P = 0.54), C7-central sacral vertical line (MD = 2.16, 95% CI: -0.29 to 4.61, P = 0.08), thoracic kyphosis (MD = -0.39, 95%CI: -2.49 to 1.71, P = 0.72), lumbar lordosis (MD = 1.8, 95% CI: -1.14 to 4.75, P = 0.23) and sagittal vertebral axis (MD = 1.01, 95% CI: -3.47 to 5.50, P = 0.66) between L3 group and L4 group. L3 group showed a better effect in correcting thoracolumbar/lumbar curve (MD = 3.97, 95% CI: 2.31 to 5.63, P < 0.01) than L4 group. With respect to the adding-on phenomenon, L3 group had a higher incidence compared with L4 group (OR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.49 to 7.74, P = 0.004). In summary, in patients with mild to moderate Lenke 5/6 AIS, outcomes may be comparable or superior when the LIV is stopped at L3 compared with L4. However, caution is advised for adding-on phenomenon during follow-up assessments. Wei Liu, Chen Wen, Weiwei Zhu, Xin Tang, Yingying Bao 2026-01-06 15:58:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8274562/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:39:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8274562/v1 Vaccination plays a crucial role in maintaining poultry health. Yet, there is an urgent need for affordable, scalable, and easily administered platforms to develop new-generation vaccines to tackle emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Oral vaccines present an alternative to injectable ones due to their simplicity of administration; however, current platforms do not effectively stimulate strong protective systemic and mucosal immunity. In this research, we utilized engineered outer membrane vesicles (rOMVs) that display the desired vaccine antigens from hypervesiculating probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) [36], which, when given orally, trigger both mucosal and systemic immunity. We aimed to create an rOMV-based single oral vaccine targeting NDV and IBDV, which are significant threats to the poultry industry. We engineered rOMVs to display immunodominant HN and VP2 of NDV and IBDV, respectively, on their surface, with sizes below 150 nm and notable polydispersity. Oral delivery induced a strong immune response, marked by high-titer antigen-specific sIgA and IgG, effectively neutralizing the virus in an in vitro infection model. While NDV and IBDV serve as models for poultry pathogens, rOMV-based platforms have considerable potential for developing multivalent oral biotherapeutic agents, including vaccines against a wide range of emerging human and animal pathogens. Srinivas Duvvada, Farhan Ahmed, Rafiq Ahmad Khan, Sai Nikhith Cholleti, Saima Naz, Mohd Shiraz, Tanmay Jana, Faisal Bashir Khan, Akif Mohd, Madhuri Subbiah, Nooruddin Khan 2026-01-06 15:39:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8479849/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:35:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8479849/v1 This paper critically examines the impact of the euro’s adoption on price convergence among the initial twelve Eurozone member states. Employing advanced econometric methods, it analyzes the stationarity of real exchange rates and the dynamics of price level convergence to evaluate whether the euro has facilitated the attainment of Purchasing Power Parity and convergence in international competitiveness within the Eurozone. While the euro was theoretically expected to reduce transaction costs and promote greater price alignment, empirical findings reveal notable inconsistencies in price convergence across the region. The loss of nominal exchange rate flexibility has hindered the realization of PPP, with divergent outcomes among member states. The results suggest that the Eurozone has not uniformly addressed disparities in price levels and competitiveness; instead, it may have functioned as an amplifier of pre-existing asymmetries. Furthermore, the study concludes that PPP is not universally valid, raising critical concerns about the theoretical assumptions and policy frameworks that rely on this principle. JEL CLASSIFICATION CODES C22, F31, F40 Poulakis Thanos, Kyrkilis Dimitrios 2026-01-06 15:35:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462059/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:33:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462059/v1 Seagrass ecosystems are pivotal contributors to coastal carbon sequestration through the long-term burial of organic carbon (OC) in sediments. Yet global burial estimates remain uncertain, with early values of 138 ± 38 g OC m-2 yr-1 derived from a limited dataset biased toward highly depositional communities and indirect, production-based approaches. We call for a downward revision, supported by a data-driven assessment based on a global synthesis of 326 dated sediment cores integrating OC burial over the last century. We find that seagrass meadows bury OC at a geometric mean rate of 26 ± 2 g OC m-2 yr-1, with an area-weighted global average of 33 ± 10 g OC m-2 yr-1 accounting for bioregional differences in seagrass distribution. Globally, these rates scale to 6–16 Tg C yr-1, based on current mapped seagrass extent (247,800–366,200 km2), and reveal that ~15% of seagrass net community production is retained and buried locally. Although our estimate is roughly one-fourth of earlier values, seagrass sediments still account for 3–6% of total oceanic OC burial, despite occupying Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Anna Lafratta, Phil Colarusso, James Fourqurean, Chuancheng Fu, Hilary Kennedy, Johannes Krause, Paul Lavery, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Nuria Marba, Miguel Mateo, Ines Mazarrasa, Dimitris Poursanidis, Cristian Salinas, Oscar Serrano, Milica Stankovic, Nerea Piñeiro, Axel Werner, Marlene Wesselmann, Carlos M Duarte, Jordi Garcia-Orellana, Pere Masque 2026-01-06 15:33:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487520/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:32:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487520/v1 The Biotech-KISAN Hub programme implemented by the West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS) represents a pioneering biotechnology-driven model for sustainable livelihood transformation in five aspirational districts of West Bengal—Nadia, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Malda, and Dakshin Dinajpur. The present study evaluates the programme’s impact on employment generation, entrepreneurship development, productivity enhancement, and economic gain across livestock and aquaculture systems. Integrated interventions encompassing elite germplasm dissemination, nutritional optimization, bio-probiotics, farm schools, digital advisory platforms, and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) were deployed among 2,180 farmers. Results indicated significant gains in productivity of Black Bengal goats (+ 8.87% body weight; +8.59% kidding rate), Vanaraja poultry (+ 17.95% growth; +14.71% egg production), and Indian Major Carps (+ 20.87% yield; +15.42% survivability). Annual household income increased by 30–40%, generating over 54,000 additional rural workdays annually. Women constituted 62% of beneficiaries, with 162 micro-enterprises and seven FPCs established. The study demonstrates that biotechnology-enabled convergence models aligned with DBT’s BioE³ framework (Economy–Environment–Employment) can deliver scalable, climate-resilient rural bioeconomy solutions in aspirational regions. Dr Keshab Chandra Dhara, Suprava Roy, Shrestha Roy, Dr. Paramita Dasgupta, Disha Banerjee, Biman Sarkar, Aditi Datta 2026-01-06 15:32:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483750/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:18:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483750/v1 This study analysed the determinants of the levels of digital technology adoption (DTA) among SMEs in the fruit juice processing industry in Tanzania. Anchored in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework, this study addresses an empirical gap by conceptualising DTA as a multilevel outcome. Using a cross-sectional design, quantitative data were collected from 390 SMEs in the Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mbeya regions. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics and an ordered logistic regression. The study findings indicate that most SMEs remain in the early stages of digital transformation: 41.8% exhibit low adoption, 41.3% moderate adoption, and only 16.9% high adoption. The regression results indicate that perceived usefulness strongly drives progression to higher adoption levels, whereas competitive pressure mainly stimulates adoption at lower and moderate levels. Female-owned SMEs are more likely to achieve higher adoption levels than male-owned SMEs. Contrary to expectations, financial resources alone do not predict higher adoption, whereas the number of employees and adequate infrastructure are significantly associated with remaining at a low level of adoption. SMEs with adequate infrastructure are more likely to progress beyond low levels of adoption and consolidate their use at moderate levels. However, infrastructure alone is insufficient to drive adoption at the highest levels. This study advances the digital adoption literature by analysing SMEs’ progression from low to high DTA. It also extends the TAM and TOE frameworks in the African context and offers new insights into gender differences in technology adoption. Dickson Utonga, Charles Stephen Tundui, Eliaza Mkuna 2026-01-06 15:18:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489731/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:06:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489731/v1 Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines which developed using a novel technology distinct from conventional vaccines, were widely administered. They are known to induce more pronounced immune reactions compared to classical vaccines. We investigated whether mRNA and inactivated vaccines accelerate the progression of chronic kidney disease. Methods: A total of 140 patients with CKD followed at Bursa City Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values were recorded over three periods: pre-vaccination (−24 months), vaccination period, and post-vaccination (+24 months). GFR was calculated using the CKD-EPI formula. Due to the dependent nature of pre- and post-vaccination comparisons, the paired t-test was used for parametric data and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for non-parametric data. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: In the overall patient group and in the subgroup receiving only inactivated vaccines, a statistically significant difference in serum creatinine levels was observed between the pre- and post-vaccination periods; however, no statistically significant change was detected in GFR. In the subgroup of patients who received only the BioNTech (mRNA) vaccine, no statistically significant changes were observed in either serum creatinine or GFR. Conclusion:  In our study, we concluded that mRNA and inactivated vaccines did not accelerate the progression of chronic kidney disease. Türker EMRE, Fatoş METE 2026-01-06 15:06:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8398581/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:06:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398581/v1 Nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly promoted as effective responses to urban challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. However, their multifunctional and multi-scalar character places high demands on adaptive governance capable of fostering learning, coordination, and sustained collaboration among diverse actors. This study proposes a network-based method for assessing and strengthening key requirements of adaptive governance by examining how NbS-related knowledge is embedded and mobilised within stakeholder networks. The method is applied to an empirical case study of NbS implementation in Vienna, Austria. Drawing on social network analysis (SNA), actor-network theory, and an adaptive governance framework, the study analyses the relationship between actors’ NbS-related knowledge and their structural positions within the governance network, including formal authority, percieved trust, and exposure to informal and formal information flows. The results show that actors with high levels of NbS-relevant knowledge do not necessarily occupy central or influential positions within the governance network. In particular, knowledge is weakly aligned with formal authority, perceived trustworthiness, and access to informal information flows, indicating structural misalignments that may constrain effective NbS implementation. The findings demonstrate how SNA-based methods can operationalise core requirements of adaptive governance by making knowledge distributions, actors’ affiliations, and coordination patterns visible. By identifying knowledge gaps, communication barriers, and actors in potential bridging positions, the proposed approach provides an empirical basis for targeted network interventions. When combined with adaptive governance principles and emerging AI-based analytics, this method offers a scalable and cost-efficient toolkit for evidence-informed policy design, supporting the more effective mobilisation of knowledge and resources in NbS governance and implementation. Antonija Bogadi 2026-01-06 15:06:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8419139/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:06:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8419139/v1 Background: Renal replacement therapy (RRT) as a life-saving intervention for acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit (ICU). The decision to initiate RRT remains highly complex and subjective. Accurate and timely predictions for the need of RRT initiation, duration of therapy, and subsequent clinical outcomes are crucial components of personalized care. Using time series patient data (vital signs, laboratory findings, medications, ventilator settings, intake/output, risk scores), we aimed to develop deep learning models for predicting need for RRT. Methods: Using data from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III, MIMIC-IV, and eICU, we trained/validated deep learning models for: (1) screening patients for prediction of the need for RRT after their first 12 hours in the ICU; (2) real-time dynamic prediction of impending RRT initiation; (3) prediction of RRT duration; and (4) prediction of mortality following RRT onset. Results: Here, we summarize the results of the first model aimed at screening patients for early prediction of RRT. In internal validation, area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.886–0.906) and area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) 0.53 was (95% CI 0.496–0.564) in MIMIC-III. Results were similar with MIMIC-IV and eICU. External validation on ICU patients admitted during the COVID period yielded an AUROC of 0.90 (95% CI 0.894–0.913) and an AUPRC of 0.57 (95% CI 0.534–0.602). Additional hospital-level external validation across eight individual eICU hospitals showed AUROCs ranging from 0.86 to 0.91 and AUPRCs ranging from 0.35 to 0.52 Discussion: By accurately identifying patients at high risk for RRT within the first 12 hours of ICU admission, the early prediction model could serve as a triage tool to prompt closer nephrology evaluation or optimization of fluid and hemodynamic management before overt renal failure develops. Behrooz Mamandipoor, Julian McAuley, Martin Krause, Ulrich Schmidt, Chun-Nan Hsu, Rodney A Gabriel 2026-01-06 15:06:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463304/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 15:06:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463304/v1 Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down Syndrome (DS) are characterized by the aggregation of tau tangles. As a novel tau PET tracer in AD, [18F]MK-6240 has the potential in DSAD to elucidate pathophysiology and advance diagnostic strategies. Autoradiography of frontal cortex (FCX) and temporal cortex (TCX) postmortem brain slices of DSAD (n = 5), AD (n = 5), and cognitively normal (CN) (n = 5) cases indicated similarly high [18F]MK-6240 binding in DSAD and AD cases. Anti-tau immunostains confirmed total tau presence so there was alignment in anti-tau abundance with quantification of [18F]MK-6240 binding. DSAD and AD cases exhibited higher gray matter (GM)/white matter (WM) ratios of 2.8 and 2.5 respectively. For drug effects on [18F]MK-6240 binding, self-displacement of [18F]MK-6240 was by 88% among DSAD cases and 85% among AD cases while IPPI displaced [18F]MK-6240 by 81% and 74% in DSAD and AD cases respectively. KuFal194, a specific phosphokinase inhibitor, minimally displaced [18F]MK-6240 binding. Harmine competed with [18F]MK-6240 with an IC50 value of 290 ± 218 nM and 92 ± 15 nM for DSAD and AD cases, respectively, suggesting unique tau binding. High meninges off-target (non-tau) binding of [18F]MK-6240 was observed in a CN case, comparable to the GM in DSAD and AD. MK-6240 (10 µM) blocked 44% and T807 (10 µM) blocked 30% of meninges binding. Incubation of meninges in the presence of 0.2% polyethylenimine reduced 70% of [18F]MK-6240 binding. The tau imaging agent, [125I]IPPI, an analog of [18F]MK-6240, exhibited minimal binding to CN meninges. Our findings suggest [18F]MK-6240 to be selective tau imaging agent in DSAD and AD, harmine to be a weak tau drug, and off-target nonspecific meninges binding maybe due to the primary aromatic amine group in [18F]MK-6240. Fariha Karim, Agnes P. Biju, Christopher Liang, Camryn J. Santos, Maharishi Rajarethenam, Jogeshwar Mukherjee 2026-01-06 15:06:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8050483/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:58:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8050483/v1 Introduction The management of far 1/3rd distal tibial metaphyseal fractures presents challenges due to high-energy trauma and extensive soft tissue damage. Traditional treatments like open plating are associated with complications. "Extreme nailing," an alternative approach using intramedullary (IM) nailing at the far ends of the tibia, excluding intra-articular areas offers advantages such as three-directional stability and minimal soft tissue disruption. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of closed IM nailing in extreme distal tibial fractures for improved outcomes using newer designed nails with advanced features for tibial fixation. Material and methods This study is a 2-year prospective and retrospective cohort study of 30 patients designed to evaluate the functional and radiological outcomes of extreme nailing in the treatment of far distal tibial extra articular fractures. The functional outcome was measured by the AOFAS (American orthopaedic foot and ankle society) scoring system and SF-36 score. The study was done at a tertiary orthopaedic trauma centre with a follow up span of at least 12 months. Results The mean union time was 5 months, and out of 30 patients 5 patients were lost to follow up. As for the remaining 25 patients, 1 patient had non union and 1 had delayed union. 5 patients had implant tip pain within 1 year of surgery. At final follow up all 25 patients could walk full weight bearing without support and without affecting their day-to-day activities. Conclusion This study shows that advanced tibial nails offer stability, reduced tissue damage, and easier insertion, providing rigid internal fixation. This technique allows early mobilization and yields excellent functional and clinical outcomes for extreme tibial fractures with minimal morbidity. Level of evidence: 3 Neel Sharma, Chetan Pradhan, Atul Patil, Chetan Puram, Warid Altaf, Parag Sancheti 2026-01-06 14:58:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8440884/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:58:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8440884/v1 The immune-skeletal interface is increasingly seen as an important regulator of bone health. CD40, a well-known costimulatory receptor in adaptive immunity, has emerged as a significant player in bone biology. While CD40 signaling affects blood cell formation and bone remodeling, its role in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) decisions remains unclear. In this study, we show that murine bone marrow-derived MSCs express functional CD40 at both the transcriptional and translational levels. When CD40 was engaged with an agonistic antibody, it greatly improved osteogenic differentiation, shown by increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, faster calcium mineralization, and early expression of osteogenic markers like osteopontin. Further analysis showed that CD40 stimulation boosted osteogenesis by activating the TGF-β/Smad2/3 pathway, along an increase in TGF-β receptor 1 expression, while MAPK signaling remained unchanged. Additionally, engaging Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides raised CD40 expression in MSCs. The concerted actions of CpG and CD40 stimulation further enhanced osteogenesis, shown by higher ALP activity, mineral deposition, and Runx2 expression. Interestingly, the anti-CD40 driven enhancement in osteogenesis both with and without CpG was not restricted to murine MSCs alone, rather, the human gingival-derived MSCs (GMSCs) also showed the same, suggestive of species-independent efficacy. These findings delineate the new found role of CD40, an essential immunoregulatory receptor that may establish a connection between immune activation and bone formation. Our research highlighted the plausible potential of targeting CD40 and innate immune pathways to improve MSC-driven bone regeneration in conditions like osteoporosis, fracture repair, and bone loss related to immune dysfunction. Sananda Kumar Patra, Dhiraj Gurjar, Bhaskar Saha, Nibedita Lenka 2026-01-06 14:58:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8008072/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:53:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8008072/v1 Insufficient retirement savings threaten financial security worldwide as individuals increasingly bear responsibility for funding their retirement. We present the first population-level test of behaviourally informed messaging for boosting saving in retirement accounts. In collaboration with the Estonian Ministry of Finance, we conducted a preregistered randomized controlled trial among all eligible account holders (N = 127,974) testing whether email reminders about tax benefits boost voluntary pension contributions. Across nine behaviourally designed reminders versus a no-reminder control, reminders increased contribution likelihood by 10.49% and raised average contributions by 14.75% within one week before the deadline. Most framings increased participation but notably, a family-security message also increased individual contribution size (from €868 to €1,009). Exploratory causal forest analysis revealed the baseline message most strongly influenced younger, higher-income individuals with prior contributions, while the family-security message had the largest impact on high-income individuals. The intervention generated ~€1.2 million in additional retirement savings within one week. These results show that simple, low-cost behavioural reminders can meaningfully amplify tax incentives at scale, offering practical tools for policymakers. Heidi Reinson, Thomas Post, Nina Mazar, Crystal Reeck, Stylianos Syropoulos, Andris Saulitis, Avni Shah, Andero Uusberg 2026-01-06 14:53:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7351440/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:38:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7351440/v1 In today's hyper-connected world, digital technologies play a pivotal role in our daily lives. While these technologies offer numerous benefits, they also present challenges, including digital overload and diminished well-being. This paper explores the concept of digital minimalism, a lifestyle choice that advocates for the intentional use of digital technologies to enhance one's quality of life. Current study examine the impact of digital minimalism on well being. By examining existing literature and empirical studies, this paper hypothesized that digital minimalism would positively predict the well being of millennial. Digital minimalism scale (Summayya et al., 2024), flourshing scale (Niazi et al., 2021) and satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) (Hayat et al., 2016) were used to measure the constructs. The study was carried out on a purposive sample of 700 millennials of Pakistan. Results depicted that digital minimalsim positively predict wellbeing and life satisfaction among millennails. The paper futher provides recommendations for its practical implementation. Summayya waseem, mohsin atta, Najma Iqbal Malik, Waseem ahmad 2026-01-06 14:38:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443693/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:35:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443693/v1 Background and Objective: Hypertensive renal damage (HRD) currently lacks effective early biomarkers and intervention targets. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 4 (PDK4) plays well‑defined roles in various diseases, but its mechanism in HRD has not been systematically elucidated. This study aimed to explore the role of PDK4—a key molecule that has not been fully studied—in HRD by integrating bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.  Methods: ① Bioinformatics analysis was performed based on the GEO database (GSE37455) to screen differentially expressed genes and conduct functional enrichment analysis. ② Clinical serum samples from HRD patients were collected, and PDK4 levels were measured by ELISA to analyze their correlation with renal function indicators and diagnostic performance. ③ An injury model was established by stimulating human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK‑2) with Ang II, and PDK4 expression was detected. PDK4 was knocked down using lentivirus to evaluate its effects on oxidative stress (ROS) and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT). ④ RNA‑seq was performed on PDK4‑knockdown cells, and downstream signaling pathways were analyzed by enrichment analysis.  Results: ① Bioinformatics analysis indicated that PDK4 is highly expressed in HRD, and related differentially expressed genes were enriched in pathways such as inflammation and apoptosis. ② Clinical samples showed that serum PDK4 expression was highest in the HRD group, negatively correlated with eGFR, and positively correlated with creatinine, urinary protein, etc. The ROC curve revealed an AUC of 0.982 for PDK4 in diagnosing HRD. ③ In cell experiments, Ang II induced upregulation of PDK4 expression, and its knockdown alleviated oxidative stress and EMT progression. ④ RNA‑seq analysis demonstrated that PDK4 knockdown affects pathways including inflammation, oxidative stress, and Wnt.  Conclusion: PDK4 is highly expressed in HRD and promotes renal injury by regulating oxidative stress and fibrotic processes, suggesting its value as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HRD. This study provides the first systematic evidence of the high expression of PDK4 in HRD and its injury‑promoting mechanism, indicating that PDK4 may serve as a potential novel biomarker and therapeutic target. zhen sun, yiming shao, yvhan bao, shuhua yv 2026-01-06 14:35:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8354945/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:34:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8354945/v1 Background Cognitive training (CT) interventions can improve brain health, yet research is heavily skewed toward Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations. Racial and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in dementia prevention studies, despite facing unique structural and cultural barriers. This study evaluated a culturally adapted, group-based CT programme delivered in Arabic to older adults in Northern Israel.Methods A parallel-group controlled trial was conducted with 80 Arabic-speaking participants (aged ≥ 60) recruited from community day-care centres. Participants were assigned to one of four parallel groups (n = 20 each): Cognitive Training (CT) only, Physical Exercise (PE) only (active control), Combined CT and PE, or No-Intervention control. The intervention consisted of eight weekly group sessions. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included global cognition (MoCA), memory (CVLT-II, ROCFT), executive function (BRIEF-A), and physical performance.Results Participants in both the CT-only and Combined (CT + PE) groups demonstrated significant improvements in global cognition and memory performance compared to controls. The Physical Exercise group, despite serving as an active control for social engagement, showed no significant cognitive gains. Furthermore, combining physical exercise with cognitive training did not produce additive cognitive benefits over CT alone.Conclusions Community-based, culturally adapted CT delivered in participants' native language effectively improved global cognition and memory in a minority older adult population. These findings demonstrate the feasibility and importance of culturally grounded interventions in narrowing brain-health disparities beyond WEIRD populations. Anat Mulla Haj, Yosra Khatib, Yuval Heled, Avi Mendelsohn, Nir Shalev 2026-01-06 14:34:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7631342/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:33:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7631342/v1 Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the clinical indications, technical characteristics, and outcomes of salvage microsurgery in patients with sporadic vestibular schwannomas (VS) primarily treated with Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).Methods This retrospective multicenter study included 28 patients who underwent salvage microsurgery between 2012 and 2022 at six European tertiary referral centers. Data on demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical approach, extent of resection, and functional outcomes were collected, with a focus on facial nerve preservation and postoperative complications.Results Tumor progression, with or without symptoms, was the predominant indication for surgery (60.7% of cases). The median interval between SRS and surgery was 42 months (range 24–120). Intraoperative findings revealed altered tumor consistency and limited mobility due to arachnoid adhesions or fibrosis in 19 patients (67.9%). Gross total resection was achieved in 53.6% of the cases, with near-total resection in 28.6% of the cases. No patient retained serviceable hearing, but postoperative facial nerve function improved over time, with 62.5% achieving House-Brackmann grade I at 12 months. The complication rate was 10.7%, with no procedure-related mortality observed.Conclusion Salvage microsurgery represents a viable and safe therapeutic option for managing VS following failed SRS. The timing of surgical intervention may be critical to optimizing outcomes. Favorable results in this cohort may reflect both the high-volume expertise of participating centers and a shared institutional preference for delayed intervention. Although technically more demanding than primary resection, acceptable morbidity and good functional outcomes can be achieved when function-preserving strategies are employed. Filippo Friso, Noa Ben Dor, Alfredo Conti, Alfredo Decio Fabbri, Federico Calvaruso, Virginia Dallari, Francesca De Cecco, Franco Federico Bochicchio, Emanuele La Corte, Tomasz Wojciechowski, Kazimierz Niemczyk, Adrian Drożdż, Grzegorz Turek, Lukas Anschuetz, Davide Soloperto, Giacomo Pavesi, Barbara Masotto, Daniele Marchioni, Carmelo Sturiale, Paolo Ferroli, Francesco DiMeco, Livio Presutti, Giulia Molinari 2026-01-06 14:33:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8482248/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:33:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8482248/v1 Neuronal ferroptosis exacerbates neurological dysfunction after traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet the upstream signals driving this process remain poorly defined. Here, we identify neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) as critical mediators of post-TBI ferroptotic injury. In patients, NET accumulation closely accompanied markers of neuronal ferroptosis and correlated with neurological severity. In a mouse TBI model, genetic ablation of PAD4 or enzymatic degradation of NET-derived DNA markedly attenuated neuronal lipid peroxidation, suppressed ferroptosis-associated neuronal injury, and improved functional outcomes. Mechanistically, NET-derived DNA activated neuronal STING signaling, leading to suppression of intrinsic antioxidant defenses and amplification of lipid peroxidation. Pharmacological inhibition of STING or activation of AMPK signaling effectively counteracted NET-induced ferroptotic stress and preserved neuronal viability. Collectively, these findings establish NET-derived DNA as a key upstream regulator of neuronal ferroptosis after TBI and highlight neutrophil-driven oxidative stress as a promising therapeutic target for secondary brain injury. Guihong Shi, Rui Tan, Jianye Xu, Yanlin Zhu, Yiyao Cao, Xu Zhang, Bo Chen, Qifeng Li, Luyuan Zhang, Kaiyuan Huang, Jianning Zhang, Shu Zhang, Xiujue Zheng, Renya Zhan 2026-01-06 14:33:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487098/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:32:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487098/v1 Background The Department for Work and Pensions established the Patient Advisory Service (PAS) in 2008 to address rising economic inactivity linked to long-term sickness. Integration of PAS into primary care places Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisors within NHS settings to provide person-centred employment support.Aim To evaluate the impact of PAS on employment transitions among adults with health conditions and examine how engagement patterns and support types influence return-to-work outcomes.Method Cross-sectional analysis of routinely collected PAS service data from 17 Integrated Care Boards in England between September 2022 and June 2024. Participants included unemployed, employed (including those on sick leave), self-employed, and pension-age individuals seeking to return to work. Advisors delivered non-clinical employment support through face-to-face, telephone, video, or digital consultations. Associations between participant and interaction characteristics and employment transitions were examined using logistic regression.Results Among 2,517 patients and 7,494 advisor interactions, 8.4% reported starting work after their latest consultation. Three or more interviews were associated with higher odds of returning to work (aOR = 1.69; 95% CI:1.19–2.38), while welfare benefit receipt predicted lower odds (aOR = 0.40; 95% CI:0.32–0.50). Face-to-face and telephone sessions were longer than digital interactions, but structured support tool use remained limited.Conclusion Sustained engagement with PAS enhances employment transitions, but welfare dependency and inconsistent practice constrain outcomes. Strengthened training, data capture, and tailored support pathways could increase the service’s effectiveness in primary care. Shriti Pattani, Sami Altalib, Jenny Dee, Martin Harvey, Kabier Verghese, Lara Shemtob, Austen El-Osta 2026-01-06 14:32:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8474983/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:32:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8474983/v1 Background Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in orthodontics are rapidly expanding across diagnosis, image analysis, and treatment planning. Methods A PRISMA-ScR–guided scoping review was conducted. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from 2010 to 16 September 2025. Original studies in orthodontics that used AI or machine learning for diagnosis, prediction, image analysis, or treatment planning were eligible. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using QUADAS-2 for diagnostic accuracy studies and PROBAST for prediction model studies. Owing to heterogeneity in study design, datasets, and outcome metrics, results were synthesized narratively. Results Of 1,162 records identified, 1,008 remained after duplicate removal and were screened by title and abstract. A total of 154 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 45 met the inclusion criteria. Frequent AI tasks included cephalometric landmark detection, malocclusion classification, extraction-decision support, treatment duration prediction, and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based segmentation. Many studies reported high accuracies for cephalometric landmark detection (mean radial error < 2 mm and successful detection rates > 80%) and malocclusion classification (accuracies > 85%). However, risk-of-bias concerns, particularly in analysis and validation domains, were common, and external validation was infrequent. Conclusions AI models show promising performance for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning and may enhance efficiency and standardization of care. Nevertheless, non-standardized outcome measures, limited external validation, and insufficient reporting of model development and evaluation currently restrict clinical translation. Larger, multicenter datasets, standardized benchmarks, and robust validation—ideally following AI-specific reporting guidelines—are required before routine clinical adoption. Registration PROSPERO CRD420251134644. Salah Bin Hafedh, Ahmad Hashridz Bin Ruslan, Ramy Ishaq, Rozita Hassan, Alaa Ali Maudhah 2026-01-06 14:32:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8388222/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:30:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8388222/v1 Purpose: Data on hypouricemia in inpatients in Chinese secondary hospitals are still limited, which hinders precision management in primary care. This study examined its prevalence, correlates, and clinical features to provide evidence for better clinical decision making. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included 17541 adult inpatients at the Fusui County People's Hospital (Guangxi, China) in 2024. Patients were categorized as having hypouricemia (n=234 patients), normouricemia (n=14,468) or hyperuricemia (n=2,839). Stratified analyses according to sex, age, eGFR and BUN were performed, and FLR was used to identify associated factors. Results: The prevalence of hypouricemia was 1.33%, which was significantly greater in females (1.72%) than in males (0.87%, P<0.001). Hypouricemic patients had higher eGFRs and lower BUN/creatinine ratios than the other patients did. The prevalence increased with age to a maximum of 60--79 years and then decreased, with females consistently outnumbered males. Regression analysis revealed that female sex (OR=1.50), old age (45--59 years: OR=3.00; 60--79 years: OR=5.96; ≥80 years: OR=10.90), low BUN levels (<3.38 mmol/L, OR=3.95) and high eGFRs (≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2, OR=2.45) were independent risk factors. The most common associated conditions were inflammatory, intracranial and liver diseases and type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Hypouricemia tends to occur more frequently in female inpatients and is associated with age, high eGFR and low BUN, indicating the importance of malnutrition and increased renal clearance. Quanxiang LI, Lijuan GAN, Lizhong Luo 2026-01-06 14:30:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8473596/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:30:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8473596/v1 Introduction Scabies, an acute pruritic skin disease, is caused by the microscopic ectoparasite Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, which significantly affects the quality of life of affected individuals through severe itching, skin lesions, and other complications related to bacterial superinfection. This study aims to draw a portrait of the epidemiological, clinical characteristics, and level of knowledge regarding scabies among patients at a tertiary-level hospital in northern Dhaka from August to December 2024.Methodology This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Dermatology and Venereology Outpatient Department of a tertiary-level hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, from August to December 2024. Using the non-probability purposive sampling, a total of 406 individuals clinically diagnosed with scabies were included in this study, who were interviewed using a predesigned 38-question questionnaire to obtain data on socio-demographic factors, medical history, scabies symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, environmental factors, and knowledge about scabies. Subsequently, statistical analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Fisher's exact tests to examine associations between scabies and other explanatory factors.Result Out of 406 participants, scabies was more frequent in males (52.7%), and the mean age of the participants was 22.05 (SD = 15.12) years. The most common age group affected was 0–19 years, with 50% participants. The most prevalent group, comprising 134 (33%) participants, had an educational background from school. The most affected site of lesions was the hand (99.8%). Secondary bacterial infections were observed in 4.7% of patients. The inferential statistical analyses showed that age group was significantly associated with the clinical category of scabies infection (Chi-Square test, χ2 = 12.622, df = 3, P = 0.006; Fisher's Exact Test, P = 0.009). In addition, a family history of scabies infection within the past two months was significantly associated with the clinical category of scabies infection (Chi-Square test, χ2 = 27.323, df = 1, P < 0.001; Fisher's Exact Test, P < 0.001). Moreover, the prescription of antibiotics was significantly associated with complications of scabies, which is a secondary bacterial infection (Chi-Square test, χ2 = 361.395, df = 1, P < 0.001; Fisher's Exact Test, P < 0.001). Additionally, there was a significant association between recurrent scabies and the practice of sharing clothes, napkins, or bedding among family members (Chi-Square test, χ2 = 6.773, df = 1, P = 0.009; Fisher's Exact Test, P = 0.02).Conclusion This research provided data on the contemporary scabies burden in Bangladesh. It can form the foundation for guiding future research in Bangladesh and South Asia, where data related to scabies studies are exceptionally scarce. Marjana Maria Tamim, Sabrina Mostari Tripti, Dr. Munima Haque 2026-01-06 14:30:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8419546/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:30:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8419546/v1 Background: In developing countries, there is an insufficiency of ICU beds and more than 50% of these countries lack any published data on ICU capacity. In low-income countries, most ICUs are located in large referral hospitals in cities. ICU services are apparently limited in low-income countries. Objective: To assess the clinical outcomes and associated factors among patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of Jigjiga University Sheik Hassen Yabare Referral Hospital Somali Region, Ethiopia, 2020. Methods: Institutional based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted based on records of admitted patients from 1st June to 30th June. Data was collected by three trained data collectors. Data was entered, coded and cleaned by using the Epi-data software version 3.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Bivariate logistic regression was done to assess the association between dependent and independent variables. In bivariate logistic regression, variables with a P value of <0.25 was considered as a candidate for multivariate logistic regression at 95% CI. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the level of statistical significance was declared at P-value less than 0.05. Results: - The highest admitted age group were 20-29 years of age (21.9%).The mortality rate in ICU were found to be 40.0% (95% CI: 33.8, 46.7).More male dies than females 25.7%Vs.14.3%. The death rate is higher in 30-39 age group 9%. Emergency department were admitted the highest admission 68 (32.4%). Highest cases of admission were Immediate post-op 33(15.7%) and ARDS 23 (11.0%). The commonest cause of death was multi-organ failure 70 (83.3%).Moreover, in multivariate logistic regression it was found that the clinical outcomes of patients in the ICU is associated with length of ICU stay (1-5days (AOR= 15.2, 95% CI: 1.2, 184.2), need of Mechanical Ventilation (AOR= 24.10, 95% CI: 8.5, 68.2), inotropes/vasopressors (AOR= 12.1, 95% CI: 3.8, 38.2). Conclusion: - The mortality rate in the intensive care unit was considerable high. Significant association was found between clinical outcomes of ICU patients and need for mechanical ventilator, Deep Vein Thrombosis prophylaxis, analgesics, inotropes/vasopressors and short ICU stay. Mohamedamin Ahmed ibrahim, Amin Ugas Mahad, Shilpa GS, Getachew G, Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim 2026-01-06 14:30:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8441132/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:29:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8441132/v1 OBJECTIVE Pain is a very common complaint among haematological cancer patients. There is yet to be a study on the portrayal of pain experiences among haematological cancer patients in Nigeria. This main aim of this study is to do an appraisal of the clinical characteristic of pain issues in Nigerian haematological cancer.METHODS The 36 haematological cancer patients from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital were divided into myeloma or non-myeloma groups. Their Socio-demographics and clinical attributes were duly recorded. The painDETECT questionnaire (PDQ), the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) and pain management index were deployed to evaluate their pain levels.RESULTS Approximately 67% study participants complained of pain at presentation, and 92% reported it as their worst in the past 4 weeks. A mean age of 58 years was reported among the patients. multiple myeloma was significantly associated with age (p = 0.035) performance status (p = 0.044), pain at presentation (p = 0.047), worst pain in 4 weeks (p = 0.013) and neuropathic pain (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, performance status (b = 0.902, p = 0.03) and use of a strong opiate (b = 25.667, p = 0.005), weak opiate (b = 15.833, p = 0.001) and age (b = 1.075, p = 0.029) had significant association with multiple myeloma. The percentage of patients receiving inadequate pain therapy (PMI < 0) was 22.2%.DISCUSSION This research shows the characteristic of pain in haematological cancer patients in Nigeria. The findings highlight the unevenly raised frequency of neuropathic pain in multiple myeloma compared to other haematological cancer. In addition, the inadequacy of pain management was also exposed. ogochukwu izuegbuna, oyewale saburi, chijioke chijindu adindu, tiwalade woods-ali, saliu oguntola, israel kolawole 2026-01-06 14:29:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8449298/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:29:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8449298/v1 Stegware refers to malware payloads concealed within benign multimedia files that exploit weaknesses in traditional detection systems. This paper presents a hybrid deep learning framework called Hybrid StegNetA, designed for payload centric steganalysis with enhanced cross algorithm generalization. Five baseline architectures including CNN, RNN, ResNet, GAN, and Autoencoder were comparatively evaluated on stego images generated via LSB Matching, DCT/DWT, and Spread Spectrum techniques. The proposed model integrates residual learning and frequency domain encoding to isolate embedding noise from semantic content. Experimental results on a balanced CIFAR based dataset demonstrate improved stability, achieving consistent AUC ranging from 0.50 to 0.54 and minimal cross family variance of 0.0012, significantly outperforming ResNet which exhibited a cross family variance of 0.0028. The model maintains robust detection capability across four distinct steganographic families: LSB1, LSB3, Pixel Pair Matching, and Parity encoding. These results confirm that dual domain feature fusion enhances algorithm invariant payload detection capability and establishes a foundation for generalized stegware interception in dynamic threat environments. Jayaprakash V, Hariharaviswanathan P, Anitha M 2026-01-06 14:29:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6058894/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:29:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6058894/v1 At the midpoint of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation, current progress underscores the need for a more community-driven approach to co-producing and implementing SDG-focused initiatives. Beyond their traditional roles in teaching and research, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have the potential to significantly impact local SDG efforts through outreach and engagement activities. This study examines the existing literature on HEIs’ contributions to SDG implementation via community engagement programs. Drawing from a thematic analysis, we propose an analytical framework to analyze and compare key characteristics, including modes, actors, SDG intensity, motivations, roles, and implementation strategies of HEIs’ community engagement initiatives. This framework is supported by comparative case studies from Taiwan/China, Brazil, and the United Kingdom (UK). The study reveals that HEI-initiated SDG implementation at the local level is comprehensive, addressing multiple SDGs with diverse actors and motivations within a polycentric ecosystem. By emphasizing HEI-led local SDG initiatives, this article provides the foundation for transformative SDG implementation by universities. Ha Vien, Edoardo Eichberg, Andrea Cuesta-Claros, Aurelie Charles 2026-01-06 14:29:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8308429/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:12:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8308429/v1 Introduction: Hematidrosis is a rare medical phenomenon referring to the excretion of blood or blood components (e.g., hemoglobin) from the body through sweat glands, causing the sweat to appear red, pink, or rust-colored. It is often accompanied by intact skin and no bleeding tendency, and must be distinguished from sweat contaminated by skin contact with dyes, food pigments, or local bleeding. Case Report: We depicted a 9-year-old girl who had previously been healthy, experiencing a 1-month period of bleeding in the right tragus and cheek without an apparent cause. The frequency of bleeding increased with activity, and the bleeding skin was intact. Moreover, she was diagnosed with hemhidrosis. Simultaneously, psychological evaluation was conducted to rule out psychological diseases including anxiety, depression, and school bullying and intimidation. Following propranolol was given to the patient, the effect was poor, and subsequently, Yupingfeng granule was added for treatment, and the patient's bleeding condition was considerably controlled. Conclusion: Following a three-month treatment regimen, the patient's symptoms subsided. The combination of Propranolol and Yupingfeng granules demonstrates both safety and efficacy in treating pediatric patients with hemhidrosis, offering a novel approach for pediatricians to consider. Shasha Guo, Changxing Cao, Qiulin Liang, Chao Feng 2026-01-06 14:12:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8297190/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:07:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8297190/v1 Accessory breast cancer is a special type of breast cancer, accounting for approximately 0.3–0.6% of all breast cancers, of which male accessory breast cancer is even rarer. This condition typically manifests as a progressively enlarging mass, most frequently located in the axillary or inguinal regions, and may present with early lymph node metastasis. Pathological examination serves as the definitive diagnostic standard, while ultrasound, mammography and MRI are valuable ancillary diagnostic tools. Currently, the treatment for accessory breast cancer primarily references the treatment of breast cancer, employing surgical resection as the cornerstone of treatment, supplemented by endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Here, we report a case of a 72-year-old male with accessory breast cancer. The patient was diagnosed with right axillary accessory breast cancer with right axillary lymph node metastatic cancer in 2021 and underwent right accessory mastectomy plus right axillary lymph node dissection at our hospital. Postoperatively, he has been supplemented with chemotherapy and endocrine therapy to this day. In 2025, a follow-up examination revealed a new mass in the medial aspect of the right upper arm near the axilla, and post-excisional pathology suggested it to be mucinous breast cancer. We aim to increase clinical awareness and understanding of male accessory breast cancer by detailing the discovery, clinical course, and management of this exceptionally rare case. Junying Huang, Xi Zhou, Xingtong Zhou 2026-01-06 14:07:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8447119/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 14:03:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8447119/v1 The article focuses on the cultural value of urban space and innovatively proposes the "Theory of Tripartite Resonance of the Cultural Value of Urban Space", aiming to explore the interaction laws among functional aesthetics, cultural genes, and artistic field in the complex urban system. Systematically sort out and analyze from functional aesthetics, cultural genes, and artistic field respectively, the conceptual connotations of each dimension and "1+1+1>>3" tripartite synergistic resonance mechanism are clarified. At the same time, use typical domestic and foreign cases to verify the practical application value of this theory. It provides ideas and practical paths for solving development dilemmas such as urban homogenization, cultural discontinuity, functional dislocation, and slow economic growth. It helps to enhance the core competitiveness of cities, drives the leapfrog improvement and sustainable growth of urban energy levels. Peigen Zhao, Xiaoqin Luo 2026-01-06 14:03:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8464801/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 13:53:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8464801/v1 Over the past ten years, inkjet-printed electronics have advanced quickly, making it possible to create flexible, biocompatible, and reasonably priced biomedical sensors that are appropriate for ongoing, covert physiological monitoring. Simultaneously, batteryless, ultra-thin, and very compliant biomedical systems have been made possible by wireless power transfer (WPT) technologies, such as inductive coupling, near-field communication (NFC), and radio-frequency (RF) energy harvesting. For next-generation wearable and implantable platforms that need mechanical softness, long-term stability, and continuous operation without heavy, inflexible batteries, the convergence of these two domains is very important. Ten years' worth of research on inkjet-printed sensors with wireless charging systems for biomedical monitoring is compiled in this systematic review (2015–2025). We created a structured Google Scholar search strategy utilizing Boolean operators, categorized keyword sets, predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and methodical screening processes in accordance with PRISMA 2020 principles. In order to enable a variety of biomedical applications, such as biochemical sweat sensing, electrophysiology, wound monitoring, hydration detection, thermal mapping, and multimodal physiological surveillance, the analysis highlights significant developments in printable materials, fabrication techniques, sensing architectures, and WPT modalities. Significant obstacles still exist in the sector despite evident advancements, including restricted wireless power supply, mechanical deterioration under stress, ink instability, substrate–ink mismatch, biosafety concerns, and a lack of clinical validation or standardized testing. Hybrid additive manufacturing, sustainable and biodegradable printed materials, self-healing conductors, ultra-low-power electronics, multiparametric sensing arrays, and AI-driven signal interpretation are examples of emerging potential. All things considered, this analysis highlights the revolutionary potential of entirely batteryless, wirelessly powered, inkjet-printed biomedical systems and offers a thorough road map for bringing them closer to clinical-grade dependability and broad acceptance. M. Muklasur Rahman Opu, Md. Ruqnuzzaman 2026-01-06 13:53:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475362/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 13:52:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475362/v1 In Türkiye, grafted grapevine seedling production remains limited, and maintaining high seedling quality continues to be a major challenge. This study evaluated the effects of different microbial fertilizer (MF) formulations on seedling yield and quality in grafted grapevine production over two consecutive years (2024–2025). Scions of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Narince were grafted onto the 110 R rootstock and used as plant material. Seven microbial fertilizer treatments and two control groups (positive and negative) were tested. The microbial fertilizers contained either single microorganisms (Methylobacterium symbioense, Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus iranicum, Bacillus megaterium, and Trichoderma harzianum) or microbial consortia (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Pantoea agglomerans, and Glomus spp.). Treatments were applied to the basal ends of cuttings before planting. Seedling yield, shoot and root growht parameters were assessed two months after planting. Microbial fertilizers did not significantly affect shoot growth in the first year, whereas all treatments enhanced shoot growth in the second year compared with the controls. Root length, fresh root weight, and dry root weight increased significantly under all microbial fertilizer treatments. The highest total and first-grade seedling yields were obtained from the positive control (74.1% and 57.8%) and MF-B (71.2% and 57.0%) treatments. Strong positive correlations were observed between fresh and dry root weight (r = 0.96) and between first grade and total seedling yield (r = 0.96). Principal component analysis indicated that root morphology and seedling yield traits explained most of the total variation. These results demonstrate that microbial fertilizers can substantially improve seedling quality and production efficiency in grafted grapevine propagation by enhancing root system development. İsa Hazar, adem yağcı, rüstem cangi, Selda Daler 2026-01-06 13:52:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8409481/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 13:42:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8409481/v1 Agricultural systems generate billions of tons of high-moisture plant residues annually, leading to soil degradation and replanting failure—a critical bottleneck for global sustainability. Here, using watermelon as a representative model, our survey of representative watermelon-producing regions in China identified unsustainable crop residue management as a key driver of this ecological bottleneck. We developed a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1-mediated rapid fermentation system with the aim of repurposing watermelon aerial parts to alleviate continuous cropping obstacles and promote sustainable waste recycling. We found that the fermentation liquid promotes Brassica rapa growth through its key metabolite D-sorbitol. To date, D-sorbitol has been characterized primarily in Rosaceae plants as a sucrose-like energy source and signaling molecule, whereas studies in other plant families have focused predominantly on its roles in osmotic-stress responses. Thus, leveraging an unprecedented cross-lineage experimental framework spanning dozens of cultivation trials, we systematically evaluated the effects of exogenous D-sorbitol across 32 phylogenetically representative plant species, including bryophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Excitingly, we discovered a previously unrecognized light intensity–sorbitol–starch cascade that affects energy metabolism and growth in angiosperms, particularly in Brassicaceae and Crassulaceae, while having no effect on the Rosaceae and Plantaginaceae. This mechanism spans the evolutionary lineage of true dicots. Additionally, we found that rapid fermentation reduces the inhibitory effects of allelotoxins from fresh watermelon stem and leaf on the growth and yield of Brassica rapa and Zea mays by significantly reducing allelochemical content in fresh tissues and markedly improving the composition of rhizosphere soil bacterial communities. Our work establishes a closed-loop, waste-to-growth strategy that transforms an ecological burden into a targeted agricultural input, providing a scalable solution for sustainable crop production. Xiaoyang Wan, Huixian Cheng, Jiefei Niu, Shufang Wang, Lanxin Li, Xinwei Wang, Hongyang Wu 2026-01-06 13:42:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8233600/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 13:34:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8233600/v1 Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignancy characterized by poor survival due to recurrence, metastasis and therapy resistance. In addition to genetic alterations, metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of HNSCC and contributes to tumor progression and treatment failure. The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met signaling pathway is frequently activated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), where it promotes tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and increased glucose metabolism. However, its contribution to the regulation of glutamine metabolism in HNSCC remains largely unexplored.Methods Human HNSCC cell lines (FaDu, SCC-154, and Detroit562) were stimulated with HGF. Expression of glutaminase 1 (GLS-1) was analyzed by quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The functional relevance of GLS-1 was evaluated by pharmacological inhibition and genetic silencing using siRNA. Cell viability and migratory capacity were assessed by wound-healing assays.Results HGF stimulation induced a pronounced increase in GLS-1 expression in HNSCC cell lines, as confirmed by qPCR and Western blotting. To elucidate the signaling mechanisms underlying this regulation, we next analyzed major c-Met downstream pathways. HGF treatment led to strong ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Pharmacological inhibition of c-Met with Foretinib or blockade of MEK1/2 with U0126 abolished ERK1/2 phosphorylation and prevented the HGF-induced upregulation of GLS-1 protein levels. These results demonstrate that HGF/c-Met–driven GLS-1 expression is mediated through activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway. Moreover, GLS-1 silencing by siRNA significantly impaired wound closure, indicating reduced proliferative and migratory capacity.Conclusion Our findings show that HGF/c-Met signaling activates the MAPK/ERK pathway to induce GLS-1 expression, thereby promoting glutamine metabolism and tumor cell motility in HNSCC. Consequently, targeting glutaminase or ERK signaling may represent a promising therapeutic approach to counteract HGF/c-Met–driven metabolic reprogramming and therapy resistance in HNSCC. Marius Hörner, Florian Mersdorf, Andreas Vollmer, Tobias Renner, Juian Volland, Alexander Kübler, Nicolas Schlegel, Stefan Hartmann 2026-01-06 13:34:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8293066/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 13:24:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8293066/v1 Male reproductive aging represents a significant global health concern that profoundly impacts men's well-being. While existing studies have demonstrated that the structure and function of centrosomes are compromised in aging human oocytes, the alterations in centrosomal characteristics during the aging process of male testicular cells remain insufficiently elucidated. This study aims to elucidate the functional alterations of centrosomes in aged testicular tissues, identify key molecular targets associated with these changes, and investigate how centrosomal dysfunction affects sperm motility through single-cell analysis technologies. Human and mouse single-cell RNA sequencing datasets were obtained from the OMIX and GEO databases, respectively. Analytical methods included pseudo-time trajectory analysis, intercellular communication inference, hdWGCNA (hybrid weighted gene co-expression network analysis), and SCEIN (single-cell expression interaction network) construction. Our data showed that abnormal sperms were significantly increased in aging epididymidis when compared to that in young ones. Futher single-cell RNA sequence analysis indicates a significant decline in centrosome function in aged testes compared to young ones, particularly in ciliary assembly and centrosome duplication processes. Early spermatocytes were identified as the earliest stage at which centrosomal functional changes occur during spermatogenesis. A conserved pattern of centrosome dysfunction was observed in aging human testes. Cep290 was identified as a core regulatory gene associated with centrosomal changes in aging testes. Further analysis indicates that Brac1 might be a key upstream positive regulator of Cep290. Our results indicate that dysfunctional centrosome is attributed to the dysregulation of Cep290 expression in aged germ cells. Rong Zhong, Juan Yang, Jingfu Zhang, Linfeng Yang, Yubin Shi, Yuxin Chen, Mengyao Xu, Yuhong Peng, Tiancheng Zhao, Jun Liu, Huihong Zeng, Lijian Shao 2026-01-06 13:24:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7806501/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 13:16:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7806501/v1 With the increasing application of dynamic graph data in social networks, financial services and cybersecurity, dynamic graph anomaly detection has attracted growing attention. Due to the dynamicity and complexity arising from the continuous evolution of dynamic graph topology, existing methods face challenges in effectively modeling complex temporal features and capturing the intricate dependencies between temporal and structural information. These challenges hinder the comprehensive capture of spatiotemporal features in dynamic graphs, thereby limiting anomaly detection performance. To address these issues, we propose a novel dynamic graph anomaly detection method that integrates Temporal-Structural Attention graph embedding with Variational Graph Autoencoder (TSAVGA). Our approach innovatively employs a hierarchical temporal-structural attention mechanism to capture short-term spatiotemporal features, while leveraging a GCN-GRU enhanced variational graph autoencoder to model deeper long-term dependencies. In addition, we design a spectral clustering-based anomaly injection strategy to augment the diversity of anomalies in the training data. Experimental results on six real-world datasets demonstrate that TSAVGA outperforms state-of-the-art methods by 1% to 5% in AUC, and maintains robust performance across varying anomaly ratios, confirming both the effectiveness and stability of our method. Jinyong Sun, Zhiliang Shang, Zhigang Sun, Xiang Zhao, Guoyong Cai, Ruiheng Ling, Chuang Lei 2026-01-06 13:16:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8449492/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:56:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8449492/v1 Self-lubricating bronze bushings with inserts of solid graphite lubricant are considered an important part of a mechanical system when environmental limitations or design issues make normal liquid lubrication impossible. This research presents a comprehensive experimental study on frictional behavior under 243 structurally defined test conditions, investigating the effects of the interaction between the graphite ratio (10%, 20%, 30%), diameter of the graphite plug (8, 10, 12 mm), normal applied load (50, 100, 150 kg), sliding speed (250, 500, 750 rpm), and the sliding time (10, 20, 30 minutes) on the coefficient of friction (COF), wear loss, and friction temperature. A study using a full factorial experimental design (3⁵), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis revealed graphite content as the most significant physical factor. Increasing graphite content to 30% from 10% reduced the average coefficient of friction by 29% and wear loss by 58%. Significantly, the effects of graphite plug diameter on tribological performance are statistically insignificant (p > 0.05), which offers a high degree of design freedom without affecting the performance. Applied normal load is counterintuitive, with a 54% decrease in COF and a 59% decrease in wear loss between the 50–150 kg range, indicating antagonistic interaction of transfer film improvement and contact stress amplification. Sliding speed has become the most adverse parameter, and the wear loss grows 357% as the speed rises between 250 and 750 rpm, which is mostly due to the thermal deterioration of the lubricating ability of graphite. Correlation analysis shows that there are strong correlations between normal load and COF (r = -0.719), between sliding speed and wear loss (r = 0.658), and between graphite percentage and wear loss (r = -0.471). Optimal tribological performance is observed at 30% graphite content, maximum practicable load (150 kg), and minimum practicable sliding speed (250 rpm), which lead to a COF of 0.150–0.170 and wear loss of less than 0.100 mg. The research offers quantitative design considerations to the engineers who are adopting graphite-plugged bronze bushings in the challenging applications. AMIR ALSAMMARRAIE, MAKI H. ZAIDAN, ALI K. A. ALJBOURY 2026-01-06 12:56:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8464178/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:54:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8464178/v1 An examination of the theoretical foundations and empirical evidence regarding intrinsic motivation highlights a critical need for further investigation into behavioral models of learners within educational environments. Consequently, the current study systematically reviewed theories and research related to intrinsic motivation to develop a comprehensive theoretical model and framework. Methodologically, this research is a secondary study categorized as a systematic review. The research corpus comprises peer-reviewed studies and authoritative databases addressing various facets of intrinsic motivation published between 2011 and 2024. From an initial pool of 1,723 identified articles, 49 were selected for final analysis. Drawing upon social-cognitive theories of intrinsic motivation, this analytical study classifies the predictors and correlates of motivation into four psychological domains—personality, emotional, cognitive, and contextual-environmental—and categorizes their outcomes as either internal or external. This classification yielded a comprehensive theoretical framework that emphasizes the dynamic interaction between motivational antecedents and their subsequent consequences. Atiyeh Fouladvand, Mehdi Arabzadeh, Jamshid Sheikhlarabadi 2026-01-06 12:54:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8389261/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:52:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8389261/v1 Performance assurance in fifth-generation (5G) networks is increasingly challenging due to heterogeneous service requirements and rapidly varying radio and traffic conditions. This paper presents an interpretable supervised-learning framework for 5G network performance classification under high-traffic behaviour. Using a 5G KPI dataset with 1000 samples and 25 indicators [dimartino2020_5g_metrics], we introduce domain-informed composite metrics---including the Signal Quality Index (SQI), Network Efficiency Ratio (NER), QoS Performance Index (QPI), and Energy Traffic Ratio (ETR)---and augment the input with additional engineered features (33 features in total). We benchmark ten classifiers under three train--test splits (80:20, 60:40, and 50:50) using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC--ROC. Gradient Boosting provides the best overall accuracy (99.0%) and AUC--ROC (99.6%). Feature-importance analysis shows that latency and QPI dominate the model decisions (approximately 69% cumulative importance), highlighting actionable QoS levers during high-load operation. Mohammed Al-Hubaishi, Abdulkader Alabdullah 2026-01-06 12:52:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8522773/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:52:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8522773/v1 Background Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders that frequently evolve into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite advances in supportive care and targeted treatments, therapy resistance, especially to hypomethylating agents, remains a significant clinical challenge that compromises long‑term patient survival. In recent years, a growing body of literature has emerged addressing the molecular and cellular basis of resistance, highlighting the role of genomic and epigenetic alterations, as well as the therapeutic promise of precision medicine.Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection database for studies published between 2005 and 2025, focusing on drug resistance in MDS. Bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace to assess annual publication trends, international collaborations, influential institutions and authors, journal co‑citations, and keyword clustering, thereby capturing the knowledge structure and emerging hotspots in the field.Results A total of 789 eligible articles were identified, revealing a growing trend in research output over the study period. The United States emerged as the central node with the highest collaboration strength, followed closely by China and Germany. Leading institutions, such as the University of Texas System, UTMD Anderson Cancer Center, and Harvard University, shaped the global collaborative network. Influential authors (e.g., Kantarjian H, Garcia‑Manero G, and Fenaux P) and foundational studies defined the intellectual structure of the field. Thematic analyses identified key clusters centered on genomic mutations (TP53, ASXL1, DNMT3A), epigenetic treatments (azacitidine, decitabine), and targeted therapy (BCL‑2, IDH1/2). The evolution of keywords over time reflected a shift from early focus areas like disease pathogenesis and bulk disease resistance towards precision medicine, cellular biology, and targeted therapeutic interventions for therapy‑resistant MDS.Conclusions This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive and systematic mapping of the evolving research landscape of therapy resistance in MDS, highlighting critical hotspots, influential authors, and collaborative patterns. The findings underscore a paradigm shift towards precision medicine, where long‑term disease control will hinge on understanding and targeting the cellular and molecular drivers of resistance. By identifying these trends and knowledge gaps, this study aims to guide future research priorities and clinical strategies for improved patient outcomes in MDS. Hao Lu, Xin Zhang, Qing Zeng, Youya Dai, Xiaoqi Sun, Yuxin Liu, Feng Jiang, Hailin Chen 2026-01-06 12:52:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406388/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:51:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406388/v1 Optical transceivers are a critical building block of high-capacity transport networks that support 5G/6G and large-scale IoT services. Their in-service telemetry is noisy, high-dimensional, and strongly imbalanced toward normal operation, which complicates early fault detection. This paper presents an imbalance-aware ensemble learning framework coupled with multi-domain feature engineering for optical transceiver health classification and fault diagnosis. Using the IEEE DataPort Optical Transceiver Extracted Data dataset, we construct 187 features spanning statistical summaries, temporal trends, frequency-domain descriptors, wavelet coefficients, and physics-inspired indicators derived from power and temperature. We evaluate Random Forest, XGBoost, support vector machines, and gradient boosting, together with a weighted-vote ensemble, under stratified 80:20 and 60:40 train-test splits. Combining SMOTE with class weighting improves the minority-class F1-score from 0.72 to 0.93, while the ensemble achieves 97.1% accuracy with AUC 0.993 on the 80:20 split and 95.6% accuracy with AUC 0.986 on the 60:40 split. Ablation experiments show that the proposed feature engineering pipeline yields a 9.4-point absolute accuracy gain. Feature-importance analysis identifies optical power deviation and temperature-power coupling as key discriminators. The median inference time is 4.2 ms per sample for individual models and 12--15 ms per sample for the ensemble, enabling near real-time monitoring. These results support proactive maintenance and improved service reliability in next-generation networks. Mohammed Al-Hubaishi, Mustafa Avaz, Murat Sait Dogan 2026-01-06 12:51:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476859/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:50:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476859/v1 Background Dietary research frequently assesses multivitamin–mineral (MVI) supplement use through broad categorical questions without specifying formulation details. This approach assumes substantial homogeneity across MVI products. This study quantified variation in micronutrient composition across commercially available MVI formulations to assess whether generic “MVI use” categorization is scientifically defensible. Methods Fifty commercially available MVI formulations from major U.S. online retailers were analyzed. For each formulation, the percent daily value (%DV) for 25 micronutrients was recorded (absent nutrients coded as 0% DV). For each micronutrient, inclusion rates, medians with interquartile ranges (Q1–Q3), and minimum–maximum ranges were calculated. Results MVI formulations exhibited marked heterogeneity in nutrient inclusion and dosing. Only folate and vitamin B12 were present in all 50 formulations. Several nutrients were absent in most products (e.g., choline absent in 78%, iron in 68%, phosphorus in 64%). Among included nutrients, ranges were often very wide, from 0% DV in some products to very high values in others (e.g., vitamin B12 up to 27,792% DV; thiamin up to 6,250% DV; vitamin E up to 893% DV). Conclusions MVI formulations constitute a highly heterogeneous exposure. Research that treats “multivitamin use” as a homogeneous category risks substantial exposure misclassification and attenuation of formulation-specific associations. Studies examining the health effects of MVI supplementation should specify the exact formulations or stratify by nutrient composition. This work motivates formulation-specific exposure definitions and composition-stratified analyses in nutritional epidemiology. Thomas F 2026-01-06 12:50:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443554/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:37:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443554/v1 Introduction: Durotomy-induced occult cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a common complication of posterior spine surgery. While intraoperatively identified dural tears have been widely reported, data on occult leaks resulting from missed dural injuries remain limited. Most existing studies focus on patient- and procedure-related factors, with few examining the correlation between laboratory findings and postoperative CSF leaks. This study aimed to determine the incidence and associated factors of CSF leak following posterior lumbar spinal surgery through perioperative factor analysis. Materials and methods: A single-institution retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent posterior lumbar spinal surgery between January 2021 and December 2024. Medical records were reviewed to identify patients with postoperative CSF leaks. Perioperative variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression to identify factors associated with CSF leakage. Results: Among 935 patients included, 46 (4.9%) developed postoperative CSF leaks, of which 12 (1.28%) were occult leaks. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade and multiple fusion segments were identified as independent risk factors for occult CSF leak (P=0.033 and P=0.026, respectively). Patients with occult leaks exhibited significantly lower postoperative globulin and glycated serum protein levels, higher postoperative wound drainage volumes, longer drain retention times, longer surgical and anesthesia times, and greater estimated blood loss compared to those without leaks. Conclusion: In this large cohort, ASA grade and multiple fusion segments were independent risk factors for occult CSF leak following posterior lumbar surgery. Occult leak cases were associated with postoperative reductions in globulin and glycated serum protein levels. Hu Li, Yan Chen, Zhiyong Wang, Guoshi Liu, Huilin Deng 2026-01-06 12:37:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8320153/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:35:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8320153/v1 Background Low birth weight (LBW), defined as birth weight less than 2,500 grams, remains a major public health concern and a leading predictor of neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Somaliland, evidence on maternal factors contributing to LBW is limited, especially in urban settings such as Burao District. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2025 in Burao General Hospital and Al-Khalifa Hospital, Somaliland. A total of 260 postpartum mothers were enrolled using a consecutive sampling technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire and newborn weight measurement. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, while bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with LBW. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. Results In multivariate analysis, lack of formal maternal education (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.3–5.1), absence of iron supplementation during pregnancy (AOR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.4–6.2), and preterm birth (<37 weeks) (AOR = 4.8; 95% CI: 2.1–10.9) were independently associated with LBW. Conclusion Low maternal education, inadequate iron supplementation, and preterm delivery were significant determinants of low birth weight in Burao District. Strengthening maternal education, improving iron supplementation coverage, and preventing preterm births through quality antenatal care are critical to reducing LBW in Somaliland. Jama Said Mohamed 2026-01-06 12:35:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463640/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:29:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463640/v1 Artificial intelligence systems that offer emotional companionship have moved rapidly into everyday life. Marketed as friends, partners and listeners, they now meet users in moments of loneliness, stress and psychological distress, often when no human support is available. Their spread raises a central socio-technical question: what happens when emotional suffering is directed towards an artefact that cannot act, cannot assume responsibility and cannot share moral burden? This article argues that emotional-support artificial intelligence must not be introduced into mental-health contexts without robust regulation, explicit clinical governance and prior guarantees of equitable access to human care. The paper combines a normative analysis, grounded in relational autonomy, justice and care ethics, with an exploratory examination of eight widely available chatbots tested with clinically relevant distress prompts. The analysis shows that systems frequently simulate empathy while failing to recognise suicide-risk cues or guide users towards human help, reinforcing the risk that conversation may replace care. Placed alongside documented real-world cases in which chatbot interactions preceded self-harm and suicide, these findings support a broader claim about AI and society. Emotional AI is emerging as part of a social infrastructure of mental health at a moment when services remain unequal and under-resourced. In such conditions, its deployment risks entrenching structural abandonment behind a linguistic façade of support. Emotional AI may one day have a place as a carefully supervised adjunct. For now, ethical legitimacy requires that societies first repair mental-health provision, establish accountability for digital systems and ensure that artificial companions remain genuinely optional rather than structurally inevitable. Andreia Salgado Gonçalves, Laura Costa Silva, Maria Beatriz Couto, Rita Ortiga, Dinora Coelho, Ana Sanches, Diogo Costa, Luís Fonseca, Rodrigo Cruz Santos 2026-01-06 12:29:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8466701/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:27:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8466701/v1 This study examines how accounting conservatism and external audit quality jointly affect firms’ investment efficiency, with a particular focus on under-investment and over-investment behavior. It also investigates whether audit quality moderates the influence of conservative financial reporting on investment decisions. The analysis uses a panel dataset of 397 European listed companies from the STOXX Europe 600 index over the 2014–2023 period, covering nine sectors and 17 countries. Investment efficiency is measured following Biddle et al. (2009), while accounting conservatism is captured using the Khan and Watts (2009) C-Score. Panel regressions with industry, country, and year fixed effects are employed to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that accounting conservatism is negatively associated with investment efficiency and significantly increases under-investment by discouraging managers from undertaking positive-NPV projects, while its effect on over-investment is not statistically significant. Audit quality moderates this relationship by mitigating the adverse impact of conservatism on under-investment and enhancing overall investment efficiency. The findings highlight the governance role of external auditors in improving the reliability of conservative accounting and promoting more efficient capital allocation. This study contributes to the literature by integrating conservatism and audit quality into a unified framework of investment efficiency and provides new evidence from a European context on how external assurance interacts with accounting prudence to shape corporate investment decisions. Elaoud Assawer 2026-01-06 12:27:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8500501/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:22:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8500501/v1 The increasing prevalence of microplastics in marine environments necessitates advanced separation technologies capable of operating in realistic aqueous matrices such as seawater. In this study, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) based acoustofluidic microdevice is numerically designed and investigated for the selective manipulation and separation of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and Nylon-6 (N6) microplastics suspended in synthetic seawater. The device employs a lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) substrate integrated with gold interdigitated transducers (IDTs) to generate standing surface acoustic waves over excitation frequencies ranging from 0.6 to 2 MHz. Finite element simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics® resolve the coupled electromechanical and acoustofluidic interactions enabling detailed analysis of acoustic pressure fields, substrate displacement, electric potential distribution, acoustic streaming and time-resolved particle trajectories. The results reveal pronounced frequency-dependent acoustophoretic behavior governed by particle size, density, compressibility and acoustic contrast factor relative to synthetic seawater. Among the investigated microplastics, PP exhibits the largest net lateral displacement and strongest nodal focusing followed by PE while N6 shows the weakest response due to its smaller size and reduced acoustic radiation force. Time-resolved trajectory analysis identifies 1 MHz as the optimal operating frequency providing the most effective balance between acoustic radiation forces and hydrodynamic drag and yielding maximum inter-stream lateral separation. At this frequency, all binary combinations (PE-PP, PE-N6 and PP-N6) demonstrate stable spatial divergence and distinct outlet partitioning without trajectory overlap. Higher frequencies induce excessive nodal confinement leading to reduced separation resolution. These findings establish frequency-dependent design criteria for SAW-driven microplastic separation in synthetic seawater and demonstrate that moderate-frequency acoustofluidic operation of 1 MHz enables label-free and contactless separation of environmentally relevant microplastic mixtures. Prathiksha P Prabhu, Aryan Kaul, Jegatha Nambi Krishnan 2026-01-06 12:22:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8432293/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:20:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8432293/v1 Background Clinical placement is the cornerstone of nursing education, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and professional competence. In Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Pakistan, a structural disconnect exists where private nursing colleges often lack affiliated teaching hospitals. This forces students to complete clinical rotations in resource-constrained public tertiary care facilities, creating a complex and often hostile learning environment. This study aims to explore the clinical experiences, challenges, and coping strategies of third- and fourth-year undergraduate nursing students navigating this specific educational model.Methods An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was employed, underpinned by Benner’s from Novice to Expert theoretical framework. Data were collected through eight semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) with 59 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students from three private nursing colleges in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants were selected using purposive maximum variation sampling to capture diverse experiences across varying hospital units. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Rigor was maintained through member checking, peer debriefing, and a reflexive audit trail.Results The analysis revealed a profound disconnect between academic preparation and clinical reality, encapsulated in five major themes: (1) Systemic and Environmental Deficiencies, characterized by institutional neglect and severe resource scarcity leading to unsafe practices; (2) A Culture of Supervisory Neglect and Hostility, where students felt abandoned by instructors and devalued by hospital staff; (3) The Pervasive Theory–Practice Chasm, marked by the cognitive dissonance of witnessing normalized unsafe protocols; (4) The Crucible of Confidence, detailing the psychological toll on students and their development of resilience and "digital mentorship" as survival mechanisms; and (5) A Call for Systemic Reform, outlining student-driven recommendations for accountability and improved supervision.Conclusions The current model of clinical education for private college students in public hospitals in Karachi is fraught with systemic failures that compromise patient safety and student well-being. Students’ progress toward competence not through structured mentorship, but through resilience developed in a harsh, unsupported environment. Urgent reforms in regulatory oversight, preceptor training, and resource allocation are required to bridge the theory-practice gap and ensure safe clinical learning environments. Sheheryar Shahid, Salma Rattani, Saima Sachwani, Saira Lalani 2026-01-06 12:20:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8418947/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:13:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8418947/v1 Catechin is a strong bioactive substance that exhibits anticancer properties. This study investigates the anticancer efficacy of catechin from the leaves of Psidium guajava on breast cancer targets through in-silico analyses. The objectives of the current study were to predict the Lipinski rule of 5, examine its ADMET profile, and analyze protein-ligand interactions relevant to breast cancer progression and apoptosis regulation. The results from the in-silico analyses supported that the Catechin follows the Lipinski rule of 5 and has favourable ADMET properties. Catechin showed higher binding affinity towards Catalase, CDK4, and CDK6, as (-9.4, -8.3, and − 8.0) respectively. Catechin showed more hydrogen bond interactions with Bak, Caspase 9 and Superoxide dismutase. The findings provide compelling in-silico evidence for the anticancer potential of catechin, supporting its role as a therapeutic lead compound. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to validate these interactions and establish its clinical applicability. This study highlights catechin as a powerful herbal bioactive candidate with potential for the development of novel breast cancer therapeutics. Murugesan Viji, Periyasamy Vijayalakshmi, Manikkam Rajalakshmi 2026-01-06 12:13:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8495712/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:10:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8495712/v1 Olanzapine (OLP), a poorly water-soluble antipsychotic, forms host–guest inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins (CDs) that can improve aqueous solubility and photostability. Here, we quantify OLP binding to α-, β-, γ-, and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) using pH-resolved UV–visible and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, supported by density-functional theory (DFT). Benesi–Hildebrand (1:1) analysis yields association constants (K11) of 6–110 M⁻¹ at 25°C with pronounced pH dependence. Temperature-dependent measurements (25–45°C) enable extraction of standard thermodynamic parameters, showing that inclusion is spontaneous (ΔG° = −RT lnK < 0) over the studied range, with small-to-large positive enthalpy changes (ΔH° > 0) compensated by favorable entropy gains (ΔS° > 0). Accordingly, the standard free energies fall within the expected range ( ≈ − 5 to − 12 kJ·mol⁻¹ at 298 K). DFT calculations predict stabilizing electronic interaction energies that mirror the experimental affinity trends (e.g., ΔEstab = − 31.8 kJ·mol⁻¹ for β-CD and − 27.4 kJ·mol⁻¹ for HP-β-CD). Ground- and excited-state acidity constants (pKa ≈ 8.8; pKa* ≈ 7.7) indicate protonation-gated inclusion that modulates fluorescence intensity and spectral shifts. Overall, the study establishes a quantitative, pH-resolved connection between photophysics and thermodynamics in OLP–CD complexes and provides mechanistic guidance for the rational design of CD-based delivery systems for aromatic psychotropics. Raed Ghanem, Khaldoun Al-Sou'od, Fakhri Yousef, Sarmad Fathi 2026-01-06 12:10:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485050/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 12:07:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485050/v1 The emergence of Real-Time Economy has highlighted the critical importance of accounting data as the fundamental unit of economic activity. In economic Agent-Based Modeling (ABM), accounting state space represents the minimal unit for capturing economic transactions and their ripple effects. This paper develops an Accounting-State Agent-Based Simulation (AS-ABM) that embeds inventory levels and input constraints into an IO-consistent production network, where agents maintain bookkeeping state spaces and interact in stage-oriented time. We demonstrate that accounting state space serves as the essential foundation for realistic economic modeling, enabling the analysis of dynamic ripple effects with stock-out behavior and replenishment lags. Through three simulations—(i) the Leontief inverse benchmark, (ii) an ABM reproducing the benchmark, and (iii) an ABM with input constraints—we show that stock-out policies govern amplification versus damping of ripple effects. The model reproduces key stylized facts on variability and generates Kitchin-type inventory cycles via endogenous delays, providing a mechanism-based explanation for gaps between IO predictions and observed outcomes in Real-Time Economy contexts. Kaya Akagi 2026-01-06 12:07:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8443966/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:56:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443966/v1 Objective： To investigate the expression level of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00963 in preoperative liver tissues of biliary atresia (BA) and its correlation with postoperative liver fibrosis progression and clinical prognostic indicators, so as to provide experimental basis for screening potential molecular targets for predicting postoperative liver fibrosis in BA.  Methods： A total of 28 preoperative liver tissue samples from BA children who underwent Kasai operation combined with Roux-en-Y anastomosis in our hospital from January 2022 to June 2024 were collected. According to the Ishak liver fibrosis score at 1-year postoperative follow-up, the children were divided into mild fibrosis progression group (10 cases, Ishak score 1-2) and moderate-severe fibrosis progression group (18 cases, Ishak score 3-6). Another 8 normal liver tissue samples resected intraoperatively from children with biliary hypoplasia were selected as the control group. High-throughput RNA sequencing was used to screen differentially expressed lncRNAs, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was employed to verify the expression level of LINC00963. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the correlation between the expression level of LINC00963 in preoperative BA liver tissues and postoperative liver fibrosis degree, serum bile acid level, and jaundice resolution time.  Results： High-throughput RNA sequencing showed that the expression level of LINC00963 in preoperative BA liver tissues was significantly higher than that in the control group, which was 3.72 times that of the control group (P<0.01). The qPCR verification results were consistent with the sequencing results (P<0.01). The expression level of LINC00963 in preoperative liver tissues of children in the moderate-severe fibrosis progression group was significantly higher than that in the mild fibrosis progression group (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the expression level of LINC00963 in preoperative BA liver tissues was positively correlated with postoperative Ishak liver fibrosis score (r=0.68, P<0.01) and serum bile acid level (r=0.71, P<0.01), while negatively correlated with postoperative jaundice resolution time (r=-0.63, P<0.01).  Conclusion： LINC00963 is highly expressed in preoperative BA liver tissues, and its expression level is closely correlated with postoperative liver fibrosis progression, cholestasis, and jaundice resolution prognosis. It can serve as a potential molecular marker for predicting postoperative liver fibrosis progression in BA, providing a reference for early intervention. Chen Zhen, Ye Mao, Geng Yuanyuan, Li Xu 2026-01-06 11:56:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8470615/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:52:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8470615/v1 Background Oral mucositis is a painful oral condition with diverse etiology and limited effective treatment modalities. Curcumin, a natural compound from curcumin longa, has anti-inflammatory and healing properties but is poorly absorbed by the body. A few studies have reported how curcumin nanoparticles (CNPs) have been created to solve this problem and improve effectiveness. This study reviewed how well CNPs work in treating oral mucositis.Methods We followed PRISMA guidelines and searched major databases for clinical studies using curcumin nanoparticles to treat oral mucositis. Only human studies comparing CNPs to placebos or standard treatments were included. Two reviewers independently selected and analyzed studies. The risk of bias and quality of the studies were assessed using Cochrane’s Risk of Bias tool 2 for randomized controlled trials.Results Two clinical trials from Iran were included. One trial used nano-curcumin capsules, and the other trial combined capsules with mouthwash. However, both studies showed that CNPs reduced the severity of mucositis, delayed its onset, and assist in mucosal healing. Patients using CNPs had less pain and fewer ulcers by the third week. In additon, CNPs did not had any serious side effects.Conclusion CNPs was found a safe and effective option for reducing the severity and pain of oral mucositis. Although the findings are promising, more studies in different countries are needed to confirm these results. Sinduja Palati, Monal Yuwanati, Adetola Emmanuel Babalola, Victor Adeyanju Somoye, Akinlolu Akinjola, Akhilanand Chaurasia 2026-01-06 11:52:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8472501/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:48:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8472501/v1 Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major occupational hazard for healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria, a high-prevalence country. With the Hepatitis B vaccine only integrated into the national childhood immunization program in 2004, most current HCWs are potentially unvaccinated and unprotected. This study aimed to determine the hepatitis B vaccine uptake rate and identify its predictors among HCWs in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2023. A total of 804 HCWs were selected from primary, secondary, and tertiary health facilities using a multistage sampling technique. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and vaccine uptake were collected via a structured questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of vaccine uptake. Results Only 35.5% (285/804) of HCWs reported receiving at least one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Of these, just 51.6% (147/285) were fully vaccinated with three or more doses. Significant positive predictors of uptake included having a positive attitude towards the vaccine (aOR [Adjusted odds ratio]: 1.84; 95% CI [Confidence interval]: 1.19–2.84) and an employer recommending the vaccine at employment (aOR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.15–2.98). Negative predictors included being a health assistant (aOR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.03–0.91), working in a tertiary facility (aOR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.24–0.93), having poor knowledge of HBV (aOR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.07–0.69), and the absence of institutional advocacy (aOR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.30–0.72). Conclusion Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among HCWs in Sokoto is critically low, exposing them to significant occupational risk. There is an urgent need for health authorities and hospital management to implement mandatory vaccination policies, coupled with targeted educational programs for vulnerable cadres, to improve uptake and protect the workforce.  Suleiman Idris Ahmad, Khadeejah Liman Hamza, Yahaya Mohammed, Sa’adatu Shinkafi, Abubakar Maiyaki, Nuhu Aliyu, Muhammad Shakir Balogun, Abdulhakeem Olorukooba, Chukwuma Umeokonkwo, Mustapha Umar Imam, Lubabatu Abdulazeez, Habila Yunana, Lawal Aminu, Kabir Sabitu 2026-01-06 11:48:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490554/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:39:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490554/v1 Multi-photon 3D lithography (MP3DL) based on ultrafast nonlinear light-matter interactions to enable micro- and nano-structuring with resolution beyond the diffraction limit, yet the physical origin of the nonlinear energy deposition that initiates polymerization in resins/resists remains ambiguous. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of the optical nonlinearities governing MP3DL using SZ2080TM photoresist, a widely used hybrid organic–inorganic photoresist in 3D micro-/nano-fabrication. Both the pure resist, and its formulations containing the photoinitiators/photosensitizers IRG369 and BIS (Irgacure369 and 4,4'-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone or Michler’s ketone) are characterized by Z-scan technique. The nonlinear absorption and refraction coefficients at all commonly used laser wavelengths (515, 800, and 1030 nm) of fs laser sources under different focusing configurations are experimentally determined. These coefficients reveal energy deposition particularities, indicating that the majority of deposited energy during 3D printing originated from the resist itself and can be further enhanced through strong interaction with the photoinitiator, particularly via charge transfer effects, under all excitation wavelengths. In addition, we show that nonlinear energy deposition can be substantially increased by extending the interaction volume through an increased beam Rayleigh length, providing an alternative route to more efficient multi-photon lithography.  Our findings challenge the conventional assumption that photo-polymerization is initiated exclusively by photoinitiators and establish the fundamental basis for photo-initiator-free 3D laser lithography. More broadly, this work allows for the precise control and modelling of energy deposition, offering predictive guidelines  of polymerization conditions without extensive empirical trials, thus accelerating the design and optimization of 3D micro- and nano-fabrication. Michalis Stavrou, Efrosyni Pramatioti, Gordon Zyla, Dimitra Ladika, Georgios Skentzos, Maria Farsari, Saulius Juodkazis, Mangirdas Malinauskas, David Gray, Stelios Couris 2026-01-06 11:39:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487891/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:33:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487891/v1 The advancement of archaeology in China has led to the excavation of numerous fragmented porcelain artifacts. In the conservation and restoration of these artifacts, the long-term stability of adhesives is a critical factor. This study selected four representative adhesives widely used in conservation units across China (epoxy resin Hezhong AAA, epoxy resin Hongxing 509, acrylic resin B-72, and cyanoacrylate 502) to investigate their aging performance.. A multi-analytical approach was adopted, including ultra-depth-of-field microscopy, colorimetric analysis, pencil hardness testing, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).The results demonstrate distinct aging behaviors among the adhesive types. Epoxy resins exhibit high mechanical hardness and structural stability; however, the formation of chromophoric groups during aging can lead to noticeable color changes. Paraloid B-72 shows superior color stability and reversibility, yet it possesses relatively poor thermal stability. Cyanoacrylate adhesive cures rapidly and resists discoloration effectively, making it suitable for temporary on-site assembly. Nevertheless, it is prone to embrittlement and adhesive interface failure over time, posing a potential risk to long-term preservation integrity.The study elucidates the aging mechanisms and performance evolution patterns of different adhesives, providing a scientific basis for the selection, removal of aged adhesives, and long-term preservation in the restoration of porcelain artifacts. Furthermore, it offers theoretical reference for practical conservation and restoration practices related to porcelain cultural relic. Kaixun Chen, Yanting Zhong, Zihan Li, Maolin Zhang, Yuan Feng 2026-01-06 11:33:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8293641/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:32:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8293641/v1 Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) detect invading pathogens and danger-associated signals, but how their intracellular localization is controlled remains unclear. Through a genome-wide shRNA screen, we identified the kinesin-related motor protein KIF11 as a critical component of NLRC4-dependent innate immune responses. KIF11 interacts with the NOD of NLRC4, NLRP3, and NOD2 via its motor domain, and its inhibition attenuates these NLR-mediated immune responses. In vitro reconstitution assays revealed that KIF11 binds to and transports NLRs along microtubules, while immunocytochemical analyses showed their colocalization under resting conditions. KIF11 inhibition decreased the levels of microtubule-associated NLRs within their respective intracellular compartments. These findings uncover KIF11 as a common upstream component that orchestrates pre-stimulation NLR positioning and subsequent activation, providing a mechanistic link between cytoskeletal dynamics and innate immune signaling. Takeshi Kinoshita, Kohsuke Tsuchiya, Daisuke Inoue, Shinsuke Nakajima, Yutaka Suzuki, Takashi Suda 2026-01-06 11:32:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8408259/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:28:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8408259/v1 Soils with expansive behaviour pose a great geotechnical impact on buildings in tropical regions, due to moisture variations causing severe volumetric changes. This study investigates the mineralogical, geochemical, and index property characteristics of expansive soils from Navrongo in the Upper East Region of Ghana to identify the controls on their swelling behaviour. An integrated methodology of X-ray diffraction (XRD), major oxide geochemistry, Atterberg limits, and the Weathering Index of Parker (WIP) was performed on four soil samples. Results reveal a dominant kaolinite-quartz assemblage indicating advanced tropical weathering, yet with spatial variability. One sample (NA0001) was found to contain sodium-rich montmorillonite (smectite), correlating with uniquely elevated geochemical concentrations of Fe2O3 (8.83%) and MgO (1.57%) and a very high Plasticity Index (PI = 57.6%), classifying it as having high expansion potential. In contrast, the smectite-free samples exhibited significantly lower plasticity (PI = 20.3–43.2%). The data establish a causal chain of localised geochemical conditions, associated with an intermediate weathering stage, that stabilise expansive smectite clays, which in turn dictate high-index properties and severe swell potential. This study further interprets this variability within a classic tropical regolith profile, identifying the mottled weathering zone as a probable genesis horizon for expansive clays. The findings underscore that the swelling risk in Navrongo is not ubiquitous but confined to specific zones where smectite is present. Consequently, a multi-method approach that combines plasticity tests and mineralogical and geochemical analyses to identify these high-risk, spatially discrete soil units to inform geotechnical design and sustainable infrastructure development in Navrongo. Eric Enzula Bayari, Dickson Asante Armah, Prosper Aduah Akaba, Andrew Nyamful, Charles K. Klutse 2026-01-06 11:28:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8068078/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:25:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8068078/v1 Introduction and Objectives: The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on pediatric populations, with varying clinical presentations. Hypocalcemia is a prevalent biochemical abnormality observed in hospitalized patients and is linked to poorer outcomes in infectious diseases, including COVID-19. However, the prevalence and prognostic significance of this condition in pediatric COVID-19 cases remain unclear. This study examines the prevalence of hypocalcemia among pediatric COVID-19 patients and its association with clinical outcomes.Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed medical records of 1,259 pediatric patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Children's Medical Center Hospital in Tehran, from March 2020 to March 2021. Serum calcium levels and their correlations with demographic, clinical, and biochemical parameters were assessed using SPSS software.Results Hypocalcemia was observed in 15.1% of patients, with no significant differences in incidence based on gender or age. Hypocalcemic patients experienced longer hospital stays (p < 0.001) and higher oxygen dependency (p < 0.001) compared to normocalcemic patients. Other biochemical parameters, except calcium, remained within normal ranges.Conclusions Hypocalcemia is a prevalent condition in pediatric COVID-19 patients and correlates with disease severity markers, such as extended hospitalization and increased oxygen requirements. Early identification and management of hypocalcemia could improve clinical outcomes. Further research, including randomized controlled trials, is recommended to explore targeted interventions. Farzaneh Abbasi, Asal Khalili Dehkordi, Yasaman Ramezankhani, Maryam Darabi, Saeideh Abdolahpour, Arash Abbasi, Reihaneh mohsenipour 2026-01-06 11:25:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489997/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:24:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489997/v1 In modern VLSI design, achieving timing closure is a critical and time-consuming bottleneck. Tradi- tional Static Timing Analysis (STA) tools are ac- curate but computationally expensive, often requir- ing hours or days for full chip analysis. This de- lay hinders rapid design exploration at the Register- Transfer Level (RTL). While Machine Learning (ML) models have shown promise, they often suffer from the “Black Box” problem. Here, we present a dual- phase framework integrating Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) with eXplainable AI (XAI) to achieve ac- celerated and transparent timing closure. By repre- senting circuit topology via the Graph Laplacian and modeling thermal dissipation as a diffusive process, our model achieves a 74.4% error reduction over base- line statistical models and enables Zero-Shot Trans- fer Learning S. Eshwar Rao 2026-01-06 11:24:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475740/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:18:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475740/v1 Background Physical abuse during adolescence can have major impacts on mental and emotional health, which can lead to increased anger and reduced psychological well-being. It is important to investigate effective therapeutic approaches, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), to increase the quality of life of these adolescents.Methods This study aimed to assess the efficacy of EMDR in reducing anger and improving psychological well-being in adolescent females with a background of physical abuse in Yazd, Iran. A total of 30 adolescent females with a history of physical abuse were chosen through convenience sampling and randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The aggression questionnaire (AGQ) and Ryff's Psychological Well-being Scale (PWB) were used to gather the data. The analysis of the data was performed with SPSS software.Results EMDR significantly reduced anger and enhanced psychological well-being in the experimental group relative to the control group. These findings indicate the efficacy of EMDR as an effective therapy for adolescents who have experienced physical abuse.Conclusion The results of our study highlight the importance of addressing emotional trauma in vulnerable populations. The EMR can be a useful therapy for supporting people’s mental health and recovery from trauma. This study provides a foundation for developing targeted psychological interventions and can help mental health professionals design effective treatment programs. Fatemeh Sadat Hoseini, Negin Aramide, Mahsa Ahmadi, Farzad Farhoodi, Reza Bidaki 2026-01-06 11:18:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8470181/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:17:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8470181/v1 Objective The odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a rare and aggressive lesion with a high recurrence rate, often associated with overexpression of Cyclin D1 (CCND1). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to whether CCND1 can be a predictor of recurrence in OKC and to estimate the recurrence incidence rate of OKC.Methods The searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were conducted. Eligible studies reporting recurrence rates of OKCs with sufficient follow-up data were included. The recurrence incidence rate was analyzed using a random-effect model.Results A total of four studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 35 recurrence events across 113 OKCs. The pooled recurrence incidence proportion rate was 32% (0.32; CI: 0.23 to 0.40) whereas pooled recurrence incidence rate of 9% (0.09 per person-year; CI: 0.00 to 0.28). There is no clear evidence on association of CCND1 expression in predicting the recurrence.Conclusions We observed CCND1 expression is variably present in OKC epithelium and does not correlate with recurrence. Further, recurrence rate is very low in CCND1 positive OKCs irrespective of follow-up period. CCND1 cannot confidently predict the recurrence over the period even though CCD1 expression in noted in all OKCs. Sinduja Palati, Monal Yuwanati, Adetola Emmanuel Babalola, Akhilanand Chaurasia 2026-01-06 11:17:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8427458/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:17:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8427458/v1 Examples of violations of Bell inequalities in Special relativity theory (SRT) have led to the need to look for the causes of violations outside of quantum mechanics (QM) and possibly outside of physics. The ability to derive Bell inequalities (BI) from set properties allows us to find the necessary condition for violations: the relativity of sets. At the same time, a necessary condition of a physical theory is the subjective independence (SI) of its propositions. This kind of objectivism, together with the principle of a priori maximum possible ignorance (AMPI), leads to the use of flat spaces in fundamental theories such as QM and SRT, where the principles of SI and AMPI can be implemented. In turn, the measurable quantities represented in spaces turn out to be relative. In this respect, SRT is not much different from QM. This proximity predetermines BI violation in both cases and in both cases the violation of BIs confirms the subject-independent nature of physics. In a classic Gedankenexperiment was demonstrated, that the violation of BI does not contradict the presence of hidden parameters if they are represented by relative quantities. However, the question arises: are relative properties and quantities indeed local? Igor Dzhadan 2026-01-06 11:17:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5756877/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:16:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5756877/v1 Topolectrical circuits provide a versatile platform for exploring and simulating modern physical models. However, existing approaches suffer from incomplete programmability and ineffective feature prediction and control mechanisms, hindering the investigation of physical phenomena on an integrated platform and limiting their translation into practical applications. Here, we present a deep-learning-empowered programmable topolectrical circuits (DLPTCs) platform for physical modeling and analysis. By integrating fully independent, continuous tuning of both on-site and off-site terms of the lattice Hamiltonian, physics-graph-informed inverse state design, and immediate hardware verification, our system bridges the gap between theoretical modeling and practical realization. Through flexible control and adiabatic path engineering, we experimentally observe the boundary states without global symmetry in higher-order topological systems, their adiabatic phase transitions, and the flat-band-like characteristic corresponding to Landau levels in the circuit. Incorporating a physics‑graph‑informed mechanism with a generative AI model for physics exploration, we realize arbitrary, position-controllable on-board Anderson localization, surpassing conventional random localization. Utilizing this unique capability with high‑fidelity hardware implementation, we further demonstrate a compelling cryptographic application: hash-based probabilistic information encryption by leveraging Anderson localization with extensive disorder configurations, enabling secure delivery of full ASCII messages. Tie Jun Cui, Hao Jia, Shanglin Yang, Jiajun He, Shuo Liu, Haoxiang Chen, Ce Shang, Shaojie Ma, Ching Hua Lee, Peng Han, Zhen Gao, Yun Lai 2026-01-06 11:16:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8455355/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:14:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8455355/v1 Yellow rust is the most serious wheat disease in Ethiopia, particularly in highland areas. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted to characterize the resistance level of bread wheat genotypes to virulent races at seedling and adult plant resistance stages in Ethiopia. A total of 111 advanced Ethiopian bread wheat breeding lines and varieties were characterized under greenhouse and field conditions (two hotspot areas). Seedling resistance characteristics were assessed under greenhouse conditions using three virulent races (PstS2 + v1 + v27, PstS11, and Other/NEW) through artificial inoculations at Kulumsa, and the same entries were used to evaluate resistance under field conditions. In both field experiments, final rust severity, area under disease progress curves, disease progress rate, coefficient of infection, and head infection showed highly significant differences among genotypes. To further understand the relationships among genotypes and key resistance traits, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, resistance mapping, and correlation studies were performed. PCA identified traits contributing most to genotype differentiation. Cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into four distinct clusters based on their resistance responses. Of the tested genotypes, 58.8% and 10.8% exhibited characterized resistance at seedling and adult plant growth stages, respectively, whereas 4.5% showed resistance at both the greenhouse and two hotspot field areas. Bread wheat genotypes that are resistant at the seedling and adult plant stages to the prevailing races have also been identified. These useful wheat genotypes could be promoted to breeders and farmers after their evaluation for the most important variables, such as yield and reaction to other diseases. Kabna Asefa, Girma Adugna, Ayele Badebo 2026-01-06 11:14:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8486299/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:12:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8486299/v1 Background Climate variability introduces sustained socioeconomic stressors that disproportionately affect rural agrarian populations. Drought, crop loss, and social isolation have been associated with psychological distress and maladaptive coping behaviours, including harmful alcohol use. However, integrated community-level evidence linking climate stressors, mental health symptoms, and alcohol-related harm in rural India remains limited.Methods A community-based cross-sectional public health surveillance study was conducted between 2019 and 2025 in Banaskantha district, Gujarat, India, under the Family Adoption Program. Adults aged 18–70 years with at least five years of residence were recruited from rural talukas experiencing varying levels of climate stress. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were screened using validated PHQ-9 and GAD-7 instruments. Alcohol-related harm was assessed using documented clinical morbidity and reported functional impairment. Climate stress exposure was classified ecologically based on drought frequency, agricultural loss, and social isolation indicators. Analyses were descriptive and exploratory.Results Among 300 participants, depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) were identified in 26.0%, anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 ≥ 10) in 21.7%, and alcohol-related harm in 32.3%. The highest prevalence of all outcomes was observed in talukas with sustained drought and social isolation. A graded pattern was observed across climate stress exposure categories, with increasing mental health symptoms and alcohol-related harm corresponding to higher climate stress intensity.Conclusions Mental health symptoms and alcohol-related harm were common among rural adults exposed to sustained climate stressors in Banaskantha district. The findings suggest interconnected psychosocial pathways linking environmental stress, psychological distress, and harmful coping behaviours. Integrated mental health surveillance and climate-responsive public health strategies are needed in vulnerable rural settings. Atul Amarshibhai Devganiya 2026-01-06 11:12:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7290249/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:10:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290249/v1 Sentiment analysis in low-resource languages such as Gujarati faces considerable difficulties because of the absence of extensive, annotated datasets and restricted linguistic resources. Unlike prior Gujarati sentiment studies limited to small datasets or rule-based methods, we propose an innovative hybrid annotation framework that integrates rule-based lexicon methods with semi-supervised pseudo-labelling and confidence-based filtering to generate a high-quality sentiment dataset specifically for Gujarati news headlines.In the initial phase, a custom sentiment lexicon was developed incorporating Gujarati words, synonyms, and antonyms. This rule-based system annotated over 21,000 headlines and achieved a baseline accuracy of 72.75% using Random Forest with N-Gram features. To further improve performance and scale the dataset, we introduced a semi-supervised pipeline involving manual annotation of 11,625 headlines, training a baseline model, and applying it to pseudo-label over 93,000 unlabelled headlines. Labels with a confidence score of 90% or higher were retained, resulting in a final hybrid dataset of approximately 1,05,000 headlines.Extensive experiments using machine learning models, including Logistic Regression, Naive Bayes, SVM, Random Forest, Bagging, and AdaBoost, revealed that Random Forest with TF-IDF features achieved the highest accuracy of 88.54%. Cross-validation against human-labeled samples confirmed a pseudo-label accuracy exceeding 90%, validating the framework’s reliability.This work not only delivers a significant performance boost for Gujarati sentiment analysis but also provides a replicable annotation methodology for other low-resource languages. Future work will explore deep learning and transformer-based architectures such as mBERT and IndicBERT to further enhance model understanding and performance. Neha Shah¹, Preeti Baser² 2026-01-06 11:10:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-712743/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:10:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-712743/v1 A fundamental puzzle of our solar system’s formation is understanding why the terrestrial bodies including the planets, comets, and asteroids are depleted in 16O compared to the Sun. The most favored mechanism, the selective photodissociation of CO gas to produce 16O depleted water, requires finely tuned mixing timescales to transport 16O depleted water from the cold outer solar system to exchange isotopically with dust grains to produce the 16O depleted planetary bodies observed today. Here we show that energetic particle irradiation of SiO2 (and Al2O3) makes them susceptible to anomalous isotope exchange with H2O ice at temperatures as low as 10 K. The observed magnitude of the anomalous isotope exchange (17O) is sufficient to generate the 16O depletion characteristic of the terrestrial bodies in the solar system. We calculated the cosmic-ray exposure times needed to produce the observed 16O depletions in silicate (SiO2) dust in the interstellar medium and early solar system and find that radiation damage induced oxygen isotope exchange could have rapidly (~101-102 yrs) depleted dust grains of 16O during the Sun’s T-Tauri phase. Our model explains why the oldest and most refractory minerals found in the solar system, the anhydrous Calcium with Aluminum Inclusions (CAIs), are generally 16O enriched compared to chondrules and the bulk terrestrial solids and provides a mechanism for producing 16O depleted grains very early in the solar system’s history. Our findings have broad implications for the distribution of oxygen isotopes in the solar system, the interstellar medium, the formation of the planets and its building blocks as well as the nature of mass-independent isotope effects. Gerardo Dominguez, Joshua Lucas, Lauren Tafla, Ming-Chang Liu, Kevin McKeegan 2026-01-06 11:10:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468702/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:10:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468702/v1 The semiconductor industry faces a fundamental thermodynamic barrier at the 2nm node: the “Boltzmann Tyranny” limits the subthreshold swing (SS) of conventional Fermionic transistors to 60 mV/dec at room temperature. This paper explores a conceptual device architecture, the Saha-BoseRamanujan (SBR) Framework, which proposes utilizing the collective statistics of excitons in Tungsten Diselenide (WSe2) to theoretically surpass this limit. We present a phenomenological model where Saha Ionization kinetics and Bose-Einstein statistics could enable steep-slope switching near the excitonic resonance, bounded by quasiparticle lifetime broadening. Additionally, we investigate the use of Ramanujan’s Mock Theta functions as a mathematical ansatz for engineering spectral filters with super-exponential decay characteristics. Behavioral modeling suggests that such a mechanism, if physically realized, could offer parametric improvements in leakage and switching speed compared to standard drift-diffusion limits. S. Eshwar Rao 2026-01-06 11:10:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437203/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:05:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437203/v1 In this paper, we first propose a continuous Ensemble Eddy Viscosity (EEV) model for stochastic flow problems and then introduce a family of fully discrete, grad-div–regularized, efficient ensemble parameterized schemes for this model. The linearized Implicit-Explicit (IMEX) EEV generic algorithm shares a common coefficient matrix for each realization per time-step, but with different right-hand side vectors, which reduces the computational cost and memory requirements to the order of solving deterministic flow problems. Two family members of the proposed time-stepping algorithm are analyzed and proven to be stable. It is found that one is first-order and the other is second-order accurate in time for any stable finite element pairs. Avoiding the discrete inverse inequality, the optimal convergence of both schemes is proven rigorously for both 2D and 3D problems.  For appropriately large grad-div parameters, both schemes are unconditionally stable and allow weakly divergence-free elements. The convergence rates are verified numerically using manufactured solutions with high expected Reynolds numbers E[Re]=103,104, 105 ,and 106. For various high  E[Re], the schemes are implemented on benchmark problems and are found to perform well. These include a 2D channel flow over a unit step problem, a 2D channel flow past a cylinder problem, a 2D Regularized Lid-Driven Cavity (RLDC) problem examined using a non-intrusive Stochastic Collocation Method (SCM), and a 3D RLDC problem. Brandiece N Berry, Md Mahmudul Islam, Muhammad Mohebujjaman, Neethu Suma Raveendran 2026-01-06 11:05:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8176843/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:03:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8176843/v1 Despite disproportionate fitness impacts imposed by deleterious structural variants (SVs) and associated transposable elements, few studies have yet examined their relative contribution to genomic erosion. To examine the role of both recent and ancient population history in the accumulation of deleterious SVs relative to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the rock and willow ptarmigan (Lagopus spp.) superspecies form an ideal pan-Holarctic system, harbouring a broad range of historical effective population sizes increasingly threatened by fragmentation and climate change. By contrasting diversity ratios for non-synonymous SNPs and non- neutral SVs across 99 individuals from 12 island and mainland populations, we find that purifying selection against most putatively deleterious SVs appears insufficient to prevent their long-term accumulation in small populations, conforming with classic nearly-neutral dynamics. Likewise, proportions of realised (homozygous), masked (heterozygous) and fixed drift load due to putative highly and mildly deleterious SVs mirrored SNPs in mostly accumulating as a function of increased homozygosity in smaller populations. However, population-specific differences in the accrual of drift debt due to SVs did not reflect historical Ne alone: elevated realised load but reduced drift load in the Pyrenees (relative to the smallest population; Svalbard) indicate that the effects of recent fragmentation-induced inbreeding have yet to fully manifest. Our findings highlight the need to account for recent population decline and fragmentation, rather than solely relying on historical Ne to predict outcomes of genomic erosion— especially given the potential for disproportionate drift debt imposed by deleterious SVs. Gabriel David, Patrik Rödin-Mörch, Kristinn Pétur Magnússon, Jacob Höglund 2026-01-06 11:03:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8442680/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:02:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8442680/v1 As the semiconductor industry pushes beyond the 3nm node towards the 1nm (Angstrom) and 0.5nm regimes, traditional continuum-based compact models such as BSIM-CMG (Berkeley Short-channel IGFET Model - Common Multi-Gate) exhibit critical divergences from experimental reality. This divergence arises fundamentally from the "smoothing" mathematical approximations used to handle the transition from subthreshold to strong inversion, which mask the discrete quantum nature of charge transport at the atomic scale. This article presents the Maha_Astra Framework, a novel theoretical approach that abandons continuum drift-diffusion physics in favor of a discrete, partition-theoretic method rooted in Srinivasa Ramanujan’s mathematics. We provide a rigorous derivation of the Maha_Astra Master Equation, contrasting it with standard industry formulations, and present a node-by-node numerical comparison from 30nm down to 0.5nm. Furthermore, we derive the quantum transport limits for Silicon, demonstrating its inevitable failure below 3nm, and provide the theoretical basis for the stability of 2D materials (MoS2 and Graphene) in the sub-1nm regime using architectural verification via Verilog. S. Eshwar Rao 2026-01-06 11:02:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484749/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:01:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484749/v1 Dental enamel formation depends on tightly regulated mineral deposition and organic matrix removal during the maturation stage. Fluoride adversely affects the maturation stage of amelogenesis, causing hypomineralized enamel defects. However, hypomineralized enamel defects have increased worldwide in recent years, making it urgent to understand how co-exposure to other environmental contaminants affects fluorosis and maturation-stage amelogenesis at minimal fluoride levels sufficient to induce defects during early-life exposure conditions in experimental models. This study aimed to determine whether Pb co-exposure amplifies fluoride-induced disturbances in the enamel maturation stage by mapping depth-dependent changes in mineral, organic, and water components across the enamel layer. Pregnant Wistar rats and their offspring were exposed to fluoride (50 ppm), lead (30 ppm), or both in drinking water from gestation to postnatal day 30. Mandibular third molars were evaluated using a modified Thylstrup–Fejerskov index and analyzed by quantitative microradiography and polarized light microscopy to obtain depth-resolved compositional data. Mean defect scores were 0.0 (Control), 2.6 (F), and 3.2 (Pb + F). Whole-enamel mineral volume decreased from 71.0% (Control) to 41.1% (F) and to 35.2% (Pb + F), accompanied by a marked increase in organic matrix volume (9.3% to > 30%)(p < 0.0001). Spatial analyses showed minimal disturbances and smaller effect sizes at the superficial enamel region, with progressively larger effects toward the central and inner enamel regions. These findings demonstrate that Pb co-exposure exacerbates fluoride-induced enamel hypomineralization and disrupts the normal spatial pattern of enamel maturation, emphasizing the importance of combined environmental exposures for understanding mechanisms governing the development and maturation of mineralized tissues. Jonas Tostes-Figueiredo, Natalia Macedo-Ribeiro, Isabel Maria Porto, Gabriel Henrique Lopes Santos, Raquel Ferna da Gerlach, Frederico Barbosa de Sousa 2026-01-06 11:01:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8242956/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 11:00:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8242956/v1 Understanding how plants integrate developmental programs with temperature-responsive growth remains a central challenge in thermal biology. Here, we uncover a previously unrecognized mechanism by which a canonical senescence regulator directly governs thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis. We show that ORESARA1 (ORE1), best known for orchestrating leaf senescence, plays an indispensable role in warm temperature-induced elongation growth. Mutant plants of ore1 display significantly reduced hypocotyl and petiole elongation and attenuated induction of the thermoresponsive genes IAA19 and YUC8. ORE1 acts upstream of PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4), the central transcriptional hub for thermomorphogenesis, not by altering its transcript abundance but by stabilizing PIF4 protein specifically under warmth. ORE1 physically interacts with PIF4 in the nucleus and enhances its deubiquitination. We further identify the deubiquitinase UBP12 as a critical component of this pathway: UBP12 is required for PIF4 accumulation and thermomorphogenic growth, yet PIF4 does not bind UBP12 directly. Instead, our biochemical and genetic analyses support a model in which ORE1 functions as a scaffold, to recruit PIF4 to an ORE1-UBP12 complex that positions UBP12 for PIF4 deubiquitination. This UBP12-ORE1-PIF4 module defines a new mechanistic paradigm whereby a senescence regulator controls thermomorphogenesis by orchestrating deubiquitinase-mediated tuning of PIF4 proteostasis. Nam-Hai Chua, Su-Hyun Park, Teck Lim Moo 2026-01-06 11:00:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467576/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:57:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467576/v1 We perform a strictly model independent observational analysis of the redshift distance relation using spectroscopic galaxy data from the JWST JADES survey. The objective is to test whether the accumulated redshift along the line of sight exhibits a linear dependence on observational distance proxies or whether the data support a nonlinear response regime at high redshift. The analysis is conducted without assuming a specific cosmological model, expansion history, dark energy parametrization or spacetime metric. Distances are constructed from directly observed rest frame ultraviolet properties and the redshift behavior is examined through binning in redshift and distance combined with statistical consistency tests. All results are evaluated solely at the level of observable quantities. We find that beyond an intermediate redshift range the incremental growth of redshift with increasing distance becomes progressively attenuated. This deviation from linearity is statistically robust persists under alternative binning strategies and cannot be attributed to selection effects or observational biases within the sample. The observed behavior indicates the presence of a saturation like regime in the redshift distance relation characterized by a decreasing sensitivity of redshift to additional path length at large distances. This effect emerges directly from the data and does not rely on assumptions about the underlying dynamics or energy content of the Universe. Our results establish an empirical constraint on the redshift accumulation process that must be accounted for by any theoretical description of cosmic expansion or photon propagation at high redshift. The full set of measurements and validation tests is provided in the Supplementary Material. Leonardo Sales Seriacopi 2026-01-06 10:57:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8313259/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:56:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8313259/v1 This article presents an automated ground station built entirely with open-source software and lightweight hardware. A Python-based system integrates orbital propagation using the SKYFIELD model, antenna rotator control through real-time azimuth and elevation calculations, and reception/decoding of telemetry and weather images via SatDump. Two-Line Element (TLE) data from public sources are used to compute satellite passes, including Arrival of Signal (AoS), Loss of Signal (LoS), and Time of Closest Approach (TCA), with sub-second accuracy. These predictions directly drive antenna rotors while reception tasks are automated through external tools. To extend usability, the system integrates Internet of Things (IoT) functionality, enabling received data to be uploaded to the cloud for storage and analysis. A mobile-friendly control panel allows users to operate and monitor the ground station remotely, while received satellite data can also be accessed directly on mobile devices. Validated on Raspberry Pi, the system is low-cost, portable, and scalable, providing a practical approach to ground station automation for research, education, and small-scale satellite communication projects. Gunesh Reddy S, Mohammad Zikriya B, R Vignesh Reddy, Chiranth CS, Anitha C 2026-01-06 10:56:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7244113/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:56:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7244113/v1 Groundwater is the primary source of potable and irrigation water in Gashua, Northeastern Nigeria, where arid climatic conditions limit surface water availability. Unlike previous studies in the Chad Basin that focused on limited chemical parameters, this study applies integrated geospatial modelling and multivariate statistics to delineate hydrochemical facies and anthropogenic hotspots in a semi-arid aquifer. Twenty-five groundwater samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, major cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), and anions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, HCO₃⁻). Results showed pH values from 5.7 to 7.9, EC between 415 and 1464 µS/cm, and TDS from 265.6 to 937.0 mg/L. 80% (20/25) of the samples exceeded the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) limit for hardness. Piper and Durov diagrams revealed Ca²⁺–Mg²⁺–Cl⁻–SO₄²⁻ and Ca²⁺–Mg²⁺–HCO₃⁻ facies, reflecting carbonate and sulphate dissolution, cation exchange, and evaporative concentration. Spatial analysis delineated recharge zones in the north and discharge zones in the south, with higher salinity and nitrate levels in peri-urban areas. Nitrate ranged from 10.8 to 88 mg/L, with one sample exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 50 mg/L; sampling was conducted during the dry season. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) explained 79% of total variance and identified mineralization, pH buffering, and nitrate pollution as key processes. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) classified wells into recharge, transitional, and discharge zones. Irrigation suitability assessed by SAR, Na⁺%, PI, KR, and MH confirmed that most samples are suitable, though moderate salinity (C2S1) and isolated sodicity risks highlight the need for site-specific management. These findings emphasize the vulnerability of groundwater to both natural geochemical evolution and human activities. The integrated hydrogeochemical and multivariate approach provides actionable implications: protecting recharge areas in the north, routine surveillance of southern salinity and nitrate hotspots, and tailored farmer advisories for irrigation practices. Such measures are critical for sustainable aquifer management in arid regions. Abdussalam Muhammad Auwal, Martins Uchenna Obidiegwu, Mohammed Yerima Kwaya, Ogechukwu Anastasia Ben-Owope, Josephmartin Izuchukwu Korie, Abdurrasheed Yusuf Muhammad, Musaab A. A. Mohammed, Tamás Madarász 2026-01-06 10:56:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8221836/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:56:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8221836/v1 Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of impulsivity and emotion dysregulation on trichotillomania (TTM) in adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD). We hypothesized that adolescents with comorbid BD and TTM would exhibit higher impulsivity, more severe emotion dysregulation, and a more complex clinical presentation compared to adolescents with BD alone and healthy controls. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 120 adolescents aged 12-18 were assessed, comprising three groups: BD with a history of TTM (n=40), BD without TTM (n=40), and healthy controls (n=40). Participants were evaluated using standardized measures including the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and the Trichotillomania Global Severity Scale (TGSS).  Results: Both clinical groups (BD+TTM and BD-only) displayed significantly higher impulsivity than healthy controls, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two clinical groups in terms of impulsivity. However, a clear gradient was observed in emotion dysregulation; the BD+TTM group had the highest scores, followed by the BD-only group, with both being significantly higher than controls. Multiple regression analysis revealed that emotion dysregulation was the strongest predictor of TTM severity (β = 0.0598, p < 0.001). Furthermore, mania scores were significantly higher in the comorbid group and moderated the relationship between emotion dysregulation and impulsivity.  Conclusion: A history of TTM in adolescents with BD is a clinical indicator of profound emotion dysregulation rather than merely elevated impulsivity. These findings suggest that hair-pulling may function as a maladaptive coping mechanism for overwhelming emotional states. Therapeutic interventions should therefore prioritize targeting emotion regulation skills in this high-risk comorbid population. Fevzi Tuna Ocakoğlu, Yiğit Özaydın, Binay Kayan Ocakoğlu, Birsen Şentürk Pilan, Eyüp Sabri Ercan, Tezan Bildik 2026-01-06 10:56:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8423392/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8423392/v1 Background: Natural products remain rich sources of anticancer agents. Fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs) from medicinal mushrooms show direct in vitro tumor inhibition; we investigated a new FIP, FIP-Gre, from Ganoderma resinaceum. Methods: FIP-Gre was identified by genome mining (LZ8 query), modeled by AlphaFold2, and assessed by docking/100-ns MD (EGFR, c-Met). Recombinant FIP-Gre was produced in E. coli BL21 (DE3)/pET-29a (+), purified by Ni-NTA (~12.5 kDa), and tested for hemagglutination, antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity (A549, HepG2, MCF-7; HEK-293 control), and apoptosis markers in A549 cells (8 µg/mL).  Results:FIP-Gre shares 90% identity with LZ8, contains a conserved Fve-type domain, and adopts a stable β-strand–rich fold. Docking/MD suggest strong, stable binding to EGFR and c-Met. FIP-Gre agglutinated mouse RBCs at 4 µg/mL, showed no antibacterial activity, and selectively inhibited cancer cells with IC₅₀ values of 21.27µg/mL (A549), 29.96µg/mL (HepG2), and 43.34µg/mL (MCF-7) while showing no toxicity toward normal HEK-293 cells. At 8 µg/mL, FIP-Gre significantly induced apoptosis in A549 cells by upregulating Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and p53, and downregulating Bcl-2, indicating activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.  Conclusion: FIP-Gre is a structurally robust, mushroom-derived protein with selective in vitro anticancer activity and predicted RTK engagement, supporting its development, particularly against lung carcinoma. RUBAB AMEEN AMEEN, ALEENA SUMRIN SUMRIN 2026-01-06 10:55:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8427956/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8427956/v1 Background Notwithstanding global efforts to curb the spread of malaria, it has remained one of the most common public health challenges to mothers, foetuses, and neonates with devastating effects in pregnancy. The study, therefore, sought to determine the prevalence and risk factors of malaria in pregnancy among those who attended the antenatal clinic at the Buea Regional Hospital, South West region of Cameroon.Methods A five-year hospital-based retrospective study was carried out using ANC registration logbooks. Data was collected from January 2018 to December 2022. A total of 1,200 records meeting the inclusion criteria were assessed. Data on demographics such as age, marital status, gravidity, gestational age, malaria results and preventive factors were obtained and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square tests and Fisher’s Exact Test were used to evaluate associations, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Logistic regression was used to determine independent risk factors for malaria infection.Results The overall prevalence of malaria among pregnant women was 12.8% (153/1200). Prevalence rose from 14% in 2018 to a peak of 20.6% in 2019, then declined steadily to 8.1% by 2022. Women aged ≥ 35 years had significantly higher odds of infection compared to adolescents (OR = 1.98; p = 0.039). Multigravid women had 2.2 times higher odds of malaria compared to primigravid women (OR = 2.21; p = 0.020). Use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) reduced infection odds by 55% (OR = 0.45; p = 0.001), and receipt of three IPTp doses reduced odds by 56% (OR = 0.44; p = 0.044). Married women had 29% lower odds of malaria as opposed to unmarried women (OR = 0.71; p = 0.006).Conclusions This study showed that malaria remains a significant threat to maternal health in Buea, despite recent declines in prevalence. Age ≥ 35 years, multigravidity, and unmarried status were major risk factors, while LLIN use and adequate IPTp dosing were protective. Despite these, there is still a call for scaled-up preventive and control strategies. Strengthening malaria prevention through expanded LLIN coverage, improved IPTp uptake, and strategies to maintain healthcare access during crises could substantially reduce malaria burden among pregnant women in this region. BUH ELVIS WUNG, ESUM EYONG MATHIAS, ROLAND NDIP NDIP 2026-01-06 10:55:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468854/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468854/v1 Background Chemo resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma is a challenge that leads to a high mortality rate. The discovery of novel drugs and drug targets is crucial to develop combination therapy. The study reports drug targets based on an ‘omics’-based approach and studied in silico binding of bufalin compound to potential drug target.Method Gene expression data sets from tumours of HCC patients were compared with that of health control. Differentially expressed genes in tumour tissues were analysed for gene ontology and metabolic pathways. Hub genes were identified using a network biology approach and studied as potential drug targets.Result A total of 104 common genes were identified from 3 datasets, from which 54 genes were upregulated and 50 genes were downregulated. Ten Hub genes were identified, which were all over-expressed in the tumour tissues and correlated with poor survival rates. Molecular docking result suggests Hub protein thymidylate synthase binding to anticancer agent bufalin.Conclusion A total of 10 potential anti-cancer therapeutic targets were identified using ‘omics’ and network biology approach. Among that thymidylate synthase was binding with a potential anti-cancer drug bufalin. Sakshi Bhatt, Anuj Kumar 2026-01-06 10:55:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490591/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490591/v1 Background The optimal timing of repeat surgical resection in patients with recurrent IDH-wildtype glioblastoma (rGB) remains unclear. We aimed to characterize temporal patterns between radiological suspicion of recurrence and repeat resection and to evaluate the impact of early versus delayed surgery on the extent of resection (EOR), functional outcomes, adjuvant therapy, and survival.Methods We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive cohort of 150 patients who underwent resection for histopathologically confirmed rGB between 2015 and 2023 at a single tertiary care center. All patients had available pre- and early postoperative MRI and underwent surgery under intraoperative MRI guidance. Assessment of contrast-enhancing preoperative and residual tumor volumes (RTV) was performed using semi-automated segmentation. Based on the mean time between suspicion of recurrence and repeat resection (54 days), patients were stratified into early (≤ 54 days) and late (> 54 days) surgery. EOR was classified according to RANO Resect criteria and a 0.175-ml RTV threshold. Functional outcomes, postoperative treatment, as well as progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) after repeat resection were compared between groups.Results Median time from suspicion of recurrence to repeat resection was 18 days, with 75% of patients undergoing reoperation within 6 weeks. Early (n = 120) and late (n = 30) surgery groups showed comparable baseline demographics, performance status, tumor eloquence, and preoperative neurological deficits. Preoperative tumor volumes were significantly smaller in the early surgery group (12.7 vs. 25.9 ml, p = 0.002). Late surgery was associated with a trend toward higher RTV and lower rates of gross total resection, though without statistical significance. Rates of transient and permanent postoperative neurological deficits were low (15% and 2%) and did not differ between groups. Adjuvant treatment patterns differed, with early surgery patients more frequently receiving CCNU-based chemotherapy, while late surgery patients more often received no further treatment. Median OS (14.3 vs. 12.4 months) and PFS (4 months in both groups) after repeat resection were not significantly different between early and late surgery groups.Conclusion Most repeat resections for rGB are performed shortly after radiological suspicion of recurrence. While delayed surgery is associated with larger tumor volumes and a trend toward less favorable EOR and adjuvant treatment options, timing of surgery alone was not independently associated with functional outcomes or survival. These findings support individualized decision-making for repeat resection based on clinical and radiological factors rather than timing alone. Obada T. Alhalabi, Kirill Mironov, Khurshed Nabiev, Johanna Krämer, Nour Gareib, Henri Olldashi, Stefan Joser, Marianne Schell, Sandro. M. Krieg, Andreas W. Unterberg, Christine Jungk 2026-01-06 10:55:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481916/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481916/v1 This study introduces an Artificial intelligence (AI) approach to model the discharge voltage characteristics of a new Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery cell under different operating conditions and to use it as a reference for healthy assessment. Experimental voltage-State Of Charge (SOC) data were obtained from a new cell at three temperatures (0°C,25°C, and 45°C) and for several discharge currents. In order to predict the appropriate discharge voltage behavior under any operating conditions, a Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) model was trained using temperature, discharge current, and SOC as input variables. The trained model provides a continuous voltage reference under any realistic combination of temperature and current. Based on this reference, a diagnostic system was developed to compare the measured discharge voltage of cycled cells with the reference voltage of a new cell under the same conditions. The deviation between the predicted and measured voltages enables the estimation of State of Health (SOH) and allows assessing whether a manufactured cell exhibits early degradation. This approach provides a fast and efficient solution for cell quality assessment and early detection of abnormal degradation. The results demonstrate that the proposed AI based reference model enables reliable SOH evaluation, offering strong potential for industrial diagnostic applications and manufacturing quality control. Raja Yahmadi, Kais Brik 2026-01-06 10:55:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8387066/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8387066/v1 Background Surgical decision-making in older adults with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is complicated by hematoma consistency, frailty, and anesthesia risks. Endoscopic evacuation under local anesthesia is minimally invasive, but optimal timing and functional assessment remain uncertain.Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of consistency-guided endoscopic hematoma evacuation in the subacute phase and determine prognostic factors influencing recovery using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM).Methods We retrospectively analyzed 52 patients aged ≥ 70 years with spontaneous ICH treated between April 2013 and April 2024 and classified hematomas as solid (day 0), firm (days 1–6), soft (days 7–9), and liquefied (day ≥ 10). Endoscopic evacuation was performed in the soft or liquefied phases using a rigid neuroendoscope and transparent sheath with hemostasis achieved using topical Avitene® and saline irrigation. Ninety-day outcomes were assessed using the mRS and FIM, and multivariable regression identified predictors of poor recovery.Results Endoscopic evacuation achieved effective hematoma removal, significantly shorter operative times, and no respiratory complications. Advanced age and lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale score independently predicted poor outcomes. Patients with hematomas ≥ 50 mL showed significantly better outcomes with endoscopic evacuation. The FIM also detected functional gains at ≥ 40 mL that were not captured by the mRS, underscoring its complementary role.Conclusion Consistency-guided subacute endoscopic evacuation under local anesthesia is safe and effective for older adults with ICH, particularly those with large hematomas. Incorporating the FIM with the mRS improves sensitivity for detecting functional recovery and supports broader treatment eligibility. Norichika Hashimoto¹, Makoto Isozaki², Hatsuji Uno¹, Tetsuro Tsuji¹, Takahiro Yamauchi², Toshiaki Kodera², Ryuhei Kitai³, Ken-Ichiro Kikuta³ 2026-01-06 10:55:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8442049/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:55:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8442049/v1 Background Genetic testing is a cornerstone of precision medicine in hereditary cancer syndromes, yet uptake remains suboptimal, particularly in resource-limited settings. Barriers include a lack of awareness, limited access, and inadequate genetic counseling services. This study evaluated the impact of integrating a dedicated genetic counselor on genetic testing uptake at a tertiary cancer centre in India.Methods A retrospective comparative analysis was conducted at Mahamana Pandit Madanmohan Malaviya Cancer Centre (MPMMCC), Varanasi. Two six-month periods were examined: pre-integration (July–December 2024) and post-integration (January–June 2025) of a dedicated genetic counselor. Eligible patients referred for genetic evaluation were included. Uptake rates for both primary and cascade testing were compared.Results In the pre-integration phase, 239 individuals underwent genetic testing. Post-integration, this number rose to 339. Cascade testing among family members increased from 17 to 59, reflecting a significant improvement in both groups following counselor integration.Conclusions Integration of a dedicated genetic counselor substantially improved genetic testing uptake, with particularly pronounced gains in cascade testing. These findings highlight the critical role of genetic counsellors in enhancing access, facilitating informed decision-making, and optimizing the delivery of precision medicine in hereditary cancer care. Akhil Kapoor, Anamika Chain, Srushti Uthale, Archi Rungta, Anuj Gupta, Bipinesh Sansar, Bal Krishna Mishra, Soumya Thakkar, Ankita Pal, Rajiv Sarin 2026-01-06 10:55:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8212044/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:54:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8212044/v1 Background Patients with diabetes who bypass a primary-care hospital to attend a tertiary-care diabetes facility face certain challenges and need to weigh with if they essentially require tertiary-care follow up for diabetes.Methods A descriptive study on patients attending the tertiary-care Diabetic clinic at the National Hospital Kandy (NHK), comparing time and cost burden among patients who did not require tertiary care follow up for diabetes (P) based on if their closest hospital was NHK (K) or bypassed a primary-care hospital to attend NHK (NK).Results Among 429 patients, 56.3% (n = 242) did not require tertiary care follow up for diabetes (P), among which 36.9% (n = 89) P-K and 63.1% (n = 153) P-NK. A higher proportion of P-NK had a higher level of education compared to P-K (38.2% vs. 19.1%; p = 0.002) and a higher median average monthly family income (MFI) LKR 40,000 (USD 137) compared to P-K; LKR 30,000 (USD 103) (p = 0.000). P-NK patients had a higher median travel-cost per visit (TCV) (LKR 230.00 [USD 0.8]) compared to P-K (LKR 120.00 [USD 0.41] )(p = 0.000). P-NK spent a higher proportion of their MFI on TCV compared to P-K (p = 0.002). Among 9 patients who spent > = 10% of their MFI, 5 did not require tertiary care follow up for diabetes and P-NK. Median both ways travel time to attend a visit to the diabetic clinic (TT) was significantly higher among P-NK compared to P-K (median 40; range 10 minutes – 3 hours vs. median 1.5 hours; range 15 minutes – 11 hours) (p = 0.000). 2 patients among NK required overnight stay. neither of them required tertiary care follow up for diabetes (P-NK).Conclusions There is a significant avoidable burden of cost and time-consuming travel for rural patients who un-necessarily bypass a primary-care hospital to attend a tertiary-care diabetic clinic. This calls for decentralizing diabetes healthcare. Lasanthi Rangani Bhagya Dharmasiri, Kushalee Poornima Jayawickreme, Sampath U B Tennakoon, Hasara Kavindi Lokumarambage, Dulain Basnayake, Sithumina Bandara Dissanayake, Randil Lonath Weerakoon, Charles Naveenan Antonypillai 2026-01-06 10:54:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8456440/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:54:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8456440/v1 Two new geodynamic concepts are considered on the example of the Maksyutov eclogite-blueschist complex (MC), Southern Urals, for their use as global schemes for the origin and development of subduction of eclogite complexes. One of them - the " Subduction Initiation Rule” (SI), represents the process of subduction initiation in pre-arc basins in conjunction with the formation of ophiolite complexes and the formation of a diagnostic magmatic chemostratigraphic sequence of rocks with a certain change in the content of high-charge (HFSE) and lithophile (LILE) elements. The second is the geodynamic classification of oceanic basalts, which make it possible, based on their geochemical characteristics, to consider large structural fragments of the Earth's crust as participants in the subduction process, to determine their magma-generating role as a source of the initial mantle-crustal material, and to evaluate the geochemical interaction between them and with the mantle substrate. The Maksyutov complex is considered a unique facility for testing such developments as general models of formation and development of subduction processes, since the main features and criteria of the SI are presented quite fully and clearly implemented. However, the individual features of the Maksyutov complex - geochemical, petrological and geodynamic - complicate the perception of the SI Rules as a universal model, raising a number of controversial issues related more likely to the features of the orogen, than to the general SI criteria. It is assumed that these features do not affect the established subduction rules, but require further study and clarification, since they affect the established rules of subduction, but require further study and refinement, since they affect the fundamental points of complex formation. These are the questions of the time of origin and duration of the existence of MC, the subduction polarity of its development, the features of the evolution of metamorphism of immersion and exhumation, the source and origin of the UHP index minerals - diamond, etc. Valentin Fedkin 2026-01-06 10:54:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8419239/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:54:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8419239/v1 Multimodal physiological waveforms are increasingly employed for real-time physiological assessment across clinical and ambulatory settings. However, existing open-source tools lack comprehensive support for analyzing multiple concurrent waveforms and the automated derivation of clinically meaningful physiomarkers with their interpretations. The Multimodal Physiology Toolbox (MPT) addresses this need through an integrated, publicly accessible web application built on a web-deployed software suite for extracting physiomarkers from electrocardiogram (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), respiratory (RESP), and arterial blood pressure (ABP) signals. MPT facilitates advanced cardiorespiratory analysis with minimal user input and accommodates a wide spectrum of applications, from resting-state monitoring to intensive care recordings. MPT is the first toolbox that integrates physiomarker extraction with large language model (LLM)-based interpretation to generate concise, patient-specific physiological reports that contextualize key findings. Performance validation demonstrates the framework's generalizability and clinical applicability. An interactive MPT dashboard is publicly available at: https://mpt.kamaleswaran.com/. Tilendra Choudhary, Md Hassanuzzaman, Preethi Krishnan, Ayman Ali, Victor Moas, Rishikesan Kamaleswaran 2026-01-06 10:54:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483930/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:54:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483930/v1 Background Diagnosing sepsis is a critical challenge due to complex clinical and systemic barriers; consequently, delayed and failed diagnoses result in poor patient outcomes, high mortality, and severe financial repercussions for healthcare systems. Inadequate documentation and coding frequently cause sepsis claim denials, leading to reimbursement loss. This analysis evaluates the potential clinical economic impact of using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized artificial intelligence-based Sepsis ImmunoScore software to achieve accurate severity of illness coding.Methods This retrospective, multisite, observational study included patients with suspected serious infection treated at four U.S. hospitals. Medical Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) assignments were determined following CMS Medicare v39 definitions using each patient’s ICD-10-CM diagnoses, ICD-10-PCS procedures, age, sex, and discharge status. For patients with High/Very High Sepsis ImmunoScore results lacking sufficient sepsis documentation, we compared reimbursement with and without adding a sepsis ICD-10-CM diagnosis. This resulted in two MS-DRG calculations per patient: the current MS-DRG based on existing documentation and the potential MS-DRG with sepsis diagnosis included. When the potential sepsis MS-DRG yielded higher reimbursement than the current MS-DRG, the case represented a revenue recovery opportunity. A subset analysis restricted to patients meeting Sepsis-3 criteria provided a conservative estimate of potential revenue recovery.Results The final analysis cohort included 4419 patients. The Sepsis ImmunoScore identified 745 cases (16.9%) where High/Very High risk results indicated undocumented sepsis with higher reimbursement than current MS-DRG assignments. This represents $4 684 373 (95% CI, $4 125 378–$5 248 933) in potential revenue recovery across all 4419 patients, or $1060 ($934–$1188) per patient tested. When restricted to cases meeting Sepsis-3 criteria for clinical validation, 516 cases (11.7%) represented $3 240 546 ($2 727 080–$3 782 855) in potential revenue recovery, or $733 ($617–$856) per patient tested.Conclusions This analysis demonstrates that implementation of an enhanced diagnostic tool can improve documentation accuracy and ensure it reflects the complexity of care provided, supporting full reimbursement for hospital services. Akhil Bhargava, Lee Schmalz, Carlos López-Espina, Gregory Watson, Lincoln Updike, Dennys Urdiales, Shah Khan, Rashid Bashir, Bobby Reddy 2026-01-06 10:54:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8466067/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:54:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8466067/v1 This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the importance of non-profit stakeholders’ engagement in funding international education in underdeveloped nations by evaluating the annual reports of the Education Above All (EAA) foundation and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) for the years 2020–2021. This study conducts a comprehensive review by employing a case study methodology to assess the role of non-profit stakeholders, focusing on the analysis of secondary data from the above-mentioned annual reports. We found that in their efforts to improve global education, QFFD and EAA play an extensive role in funding international education; 88% of children who participated in QFFD and EAA programs completed their primary education, 72% of adults finished their lower-secondary education, and 53% of youngsters completed their upper-secondary education in the 20 underdeveloped countries targeted by these initiatives from 2015 to 2022. QFFD and EAA are heading toward pursuing the international agenda of attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to ensure quality education. Huda Al-Kubaisi, Hana Alashwal 2026-01-06 10:54:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7536822/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:52:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7536822/v1 Introduction: Crohn's disease(CD) is a complex inflammatory disease with perianal lesions as one of its serious complications. Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, and the role of pyroptosis in CD intestinal epithelial cells is unknown. Methods: Between September 2022 and August 2024, we selected 60 children with a primary diagnosis of Crohn's disease from the Department of Gastroenterology at the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University as the case group, and divided them into a group with perianal lesions (PCD group) and a group without perianal lesions (Non-PCD group). Additionally, 40 children diagnosed with simple juvenile intestinal polyps during the same period were selected as the control group. All subjects underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC) to quantitatively and locally detect the expression of NLRP3, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 in intestinal mucosal tissue. Result:Clinical samples confirmed that the staining scores for NLRP3, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 were significantly higher in the PCD group than in the Non-PCD group and the control group. Immunohistochemical localization revealed that NLRP3, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 were primarily expressed in epithelial cells and immune cells of the intestinal mucosal tissue. Compared with the control group and the non-PCD group, the staining extent and intensity of these markers were significantly increased in the PCD group. Conclusion: Our findings identify NLRP3, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 as key pyroptosis-associated biomarkers in PCD, contributing to the understanding of pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of PCD. Hongding Wang, Zhongqin Jin 2026-01-06 10:52:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7517655/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:52:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7517655/v1 Background:Prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) poses significant challenges in aortic valve re-replacement, particularly in patients with a small aortic root. Traditional annular enlargement techniques may be suboptimal in redo surgeries due to anatomical constraints and procedural risks. This case highlights a modified Cabrol technique to address severe PPM and redo vascular surgery. Case presentation: A 65-year-old female with a 19-mm mechanical aortic valve implanted 15 years prior presented with progressive exertional dyspnea (NYHA III) due to recurrent aortic stenosis.Transesophageal echocardiography confirmed severe stenosis (mean gradient 55 mmHg) secondary to pannus overgrowth. Computed tomography revealed a hypoplastic aortic root (22 mm).A modified Cabrol procedure was performed, involving aortic root reconstruction with a 24-mm Dacron graft, implantation of a 23-mm Edwards Perimount Magna bioprosthesis within a 26-mm  graft, and coronary reimplantation using 8-mm Dacron conduits. Postoperative echocardiography demonstrated a mean transvalvular gradient of 12 mmHg. The patient recovered uneventfully, with sustained symptom relief and normal valve function at 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: This technique offers a safe and effective solution for redo aortic valve replacement in small aortic roots, minimizing PPM while preserving coronary perfusion. Ya Li, Hongkun Wu, Hao Chen, Yong He 2026-01-06 10:52:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462841/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:52:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462841/v1 Deepfake audio has become a threat to the authenticity of audio recordings, the credibility of information sources, and the security of individuals and organizations. The detection of deepfake audio is very challenging due to the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, which enable increasingly sophisticated techniques for generating highly realistic and deceptive audio content. In this study, we assess the effectiveness of machine learning, deep learning, and stacking ensemble method for the detection of deepfake audio speeches. We used a Bangla deepfake audio speech dataset in this experiment. We explored two feature representations of audio speech: Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) and mel spectrogram. These features are very effective in capturing the spectral characteristics of audio signals that are well-suited for classification algorithms. We explored four classification algorithms in our experiment: SVM, KNN, BiLSTM, and GRU. Furthermore, we tuned the hyperparameter of the algorithms to improve the performance. Among the algorithms we implemented, GRU outperformed other algorithms with an accuracy of 99.67%. Mainul Islam 2026-01-06 10:52:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484915/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:51:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484915/v1 Depression is prevalent among cancer patients and has been proposed as a prognostic factor for survival, yet its impact across cancer types remains unclear. This systematic review evaluates the association between depression, survival outcomes, and treatment adherence in adult cancer patients. A structured search of PubMed and SpringerLink identified peer-reviewed cohort studies, meta-analyses, and narratives published between 2000 and 2025. Eligible studies included adults with histologically confirmed cancer in whom depression was assessed using clinical diagnostic criteria or validated symptom-based instruments. Outcomes of interest included overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Due to methodological heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was utilized. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Across nearly all studies, depression was associated with worse OS, with reported hazard ratios generally ranging from 1.2 to 1.8. Clinically diagnosed depression and depression occurring after cancer diagnosis were associated with stronger adverse survival effects. Persistent or severe depressive symptoms were linked to higher mortality, whereas remission of symptoms and adherence to depression treatment were associated with improved survival. In conclusion, depression is consistently associated with poorer survival in cancer patients and appears to represent a potentially modifiable prognostic factor. These findings suggest routine depression screening and integrated mental health care in oncology practice. This review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Dhyan Patel, Palak Shah 2026-01-06 10:51:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484798/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:51:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484798/v1 Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with 20–30% of patients experiencing recurrence after surgery. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a minimally invasive biomarker for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) and predicting recurrence. This systematic review and narrative meta-analysis evaluates the prognostic value of postoperative ctDNA in stage II-III CRC and its ability to guide adjuvant therapy. A systematic review identified 14 studies that reported ctDNA measurements after surgery along with recurrence outcomes, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Both tumor-informed and tumor-agnostic ctDNA assays were included, with postoperative sampling ranging from 3 days to 24 months. Hazard ratios (HRs) and recurrence outcomes were synthesized at the study level using a narrative meta-analytic approach, emphasizing the direction, magnitude, and consistency of effects rather than formal statistical pooling. ctDNA performance was compared with traditional risk markers, such as tumor stage. Subgroup analyses assessed longitudinal ctDNA dynamics and adjuvant chemotherapy guidance. The results showed that postoperative ctDNA positively ranged from 8–20% and strongly predicted recurrence. ctDNA outperformed the conventional markers. ctDNA-guided therapy reduced unnecessary chemotherapy in low-risk patients without compromising recurrence-free survival. Combining ctDNA with other factors improved predictive accuracy. Overall, postoperative ctDNA is a robust predictor of recurrence in stage II-III CRC, enabling early detection of MRD and more personalized adjuvant therapy. Standardization of assays, testing intervals, and reporting methods is required before routine clinical adoption. Because of substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity across studies, results were synthesized narratively in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, and conventional forest plots were not generated. Dhyan Patel, Palak Shah 2026-01-06 10:51:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476670/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:51:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476670/v1 Introduction The red blood cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio (RAR) is a composite biomarker reflecting integrated inflammation and nutrition status. Unlike conventional biomarkers assessing isolated pathways, RAR holistically evaluates their interplay, suggesting potential utility for cancer risk stratification. This study seeks to investigate the association between RAR and cancer in U.S. adults. Methods Using data from 43,094 NHANES participants (1999–2018), we employed multivariable logistic regression to assess RAR-cancer associations. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) evaluated nonlinear association and threshold effects. The study also used subgroup analysis and interaction tests to explore whether the association was stable in the population. Results In the cross-sectional study, 3,893 participants (9.0%) had cancer. RAR was positively associated with cancer among 43,094 participants aged ≥ 20 years. In the fully adjusted model, each per unit increase in RAR was associated with a 30% increase in the likelihood of cancer (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.20 ~ 1.39, P < 0.001). Participants in the top quartile of RAR had a 36% increased risk of cancer than those in the bottom quartile of RAR (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.22 ~ 1.53, P < 0.001). RCS revealed that the association between RAR and cancer was nonlinear (P for nonlinear = 0.028). Subgroup analyses showed that the association between RAR and cancer was significantly stronger in males group (P for interaction < 0.001). Discussion This study demonstrates that a significant correlation was identified between RAR and risk of cancer in U.S. adults, suggesting that RAR may function as a clinically relevant biomarker for risk stratification and provides potential evidence for subsequent pathological mechanism research. Further large-scale prospective studies are warranted to delineate the role of RAR in cancer. qian wang 2026-01-06 10:51:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8473798/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:51:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8473798/v1 Background In developing countries, there is an insufficiency of ICU beds and more than 50% of these countries lack any published data on ICU capacity. In low-income countries, most ICUs are located in large referral hospitals in cities. ICU services are apparently limited in low-income countries.Objective To assess the clinical outcomes and associated factors among patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of Jigjiga University Sheik Hassen Yabare Referral Hospital Somali Region, Ethiopia, 2020.Methods Institutional based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted based on records of admitted patients from 1st June to 30th June. Data was collected by three trained data collectors. Data was entered, coded and cleaned by using the Epi-data software version 3.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Bivariate logistic regression was done to assess the association between dependent and independent variables. In bivariate logistic regression, variables with a P value of < 0.25 was considered as a candidate for multivariate logistic regression at 95% CI. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the level of statistical significance was declared at P-value less than 0.05.Results - The highest admitted age group were 20–29 years of age (21.9%).The mortality rate in ICU were found to be 40.0% (95% CI: 33.8, 46.7).More male dies than females 25.7%Vs.14.3%. The death rate is higher in 30–39 age group 9%. Emergency department were admitted the highest admission 68 (32.4%). Highest cases of admission were Immediate post-op 33(15.7%) and ARDS 23 (11.0%). The commonest cause of death was multi-organ failure 70 (83.3%).Moreover, in multivariate logistic regression it was found that the clinical outcomes of patients in the ICU is associated with length of ICU stay (1-5days (AOR = 15.2, 95% CI: 1.2, 184.2), need of Mechanical Ventilation (AOR = 24.10, 95% CI: 8.5, 68.2), inotropes/vasopressors (AOR = 12.1, 95% CI: 3.8, 38.2).Conclusion - The mortality rate in the intensive care unit was considerable high. Significant association was found between clinical outcomes of ICU patients and need for mechanical ventilator, Deep Vein Thrombosis prophylaxis, analgesics, inotropes/vasopressors and short ICU stay. Mohamedamin Ahmed ibrahim, Amin Ugas Mahad*, Shilpa GS, Getachew G, Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim 2026-01-06 10:51:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8428187/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:51:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428187/v1 (Acta Neuropathologica commun) During the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), only specific motor neurons (MNs) preferentially deteriorate, while others are spared until the disease reaches its end stage. Resilient MNs possess several protective factors, yet the precise molecular mechanism(s) underlying selective neuronal vulnerability remains poorly understood. Vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)-binding protein B (VAPB) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein involved in protein quality control (PQC) mechanisms, including unfolded protein response (UPR) as well as autophagy. A dominantly inherited P56S mutation in the VAPB gene has been linked to ALS8, atypical ALS, and late-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The P56S VAPB mutation causes ER-associated inclusions, disorganization, and ER stress, contributing to MN degeneration through toxic gain and loss of function. Over-expression of VAPB protein confers neuroprotection in a mouse model of ALS, and increased levels of neuronal VAPB inversely correlate with the absence of pathological aggregates. We hypothesize that VAPB is crucial for motor neuron survival by promoting autophagic degradation of ALS-associated aggregates, while lack of VAPB confers neuronal vulnerability. We analyzed the brain and spinal cord from sporadic (s) and familial (f) ALS patients, comparing patterns of VAPB immunoreactivity using immunohistochemistry, complemented by Western and dot blot analysis. Pathophysiological insights from these studies were further explored using cell culture models, including MNs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Consistent with our hypothesis we observed that MNs/neurons resistant to ALS exhibited elevated levels of VAPB and were devoid of pathogenic aggregates. Similarly, ALS-resistant oculomotor neurons showed increased VAPB immunoreactivity compared to normal controls. VAPB was often found to be sequestered within toxic aggregates alongside autophagy-related proteins in the lumbar spinal cord MNs. Notably, a compensatory increase in VAPB immunoreactivity was observed at the C-bouton synapse, suggesting a potential alternative mechanism of neuroprotection. Supporting these findings, in vitro experiments indicated that VAPB overexpression promoted autophagy and assisted in clearing ALS-associated RNA-binding protein aggregates. In summary, VAPB promotes selective neuronal survival by facilitating the autophagic clearance of toxic aggregates. Abnormal VAPB accumulations likely disrupt these neuroprotective processes. Priyanka Tripathi, Haihong Guo, Alfred Yamoah, Panagiotis Doukas, Mahabub Maraj Alam, Alice dreser, Christopher Marvin Jesse, Eleonora Aronica, Andreas Hermann, Harry Steinbusch, Gary Anthony Brook, Joachim Weis, Anand Goswami 2026-01-06 10:51:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8466343/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:51:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8466343/v1 Background HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective, yet uptake in the UK remains suboptimal. Community pharmacies could be accessible venues for PrEP delivery but public acceptability is poorly understood. We examined awareness, attitudes and support for pharmacy-based provision among NHS patients.Methods We conducted a national cross-sectional online survey of 15,071 adults recruited through general practices in England (October 2022-October 2023). The questionnaire captured demographics, PrEP awareness, attitudes and preferences for access. Descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic regression and joint correspondence analysis (JCA) were used to assess predictors of PrEP awareness and support for pharmacy-based delivery.Findings Overall, 37·2% of all respondents had heard of PrEP only 1·8% reported use and 66·9% did not know that PrEP can prevent HIV. Awareness was lower among heterosexual individuals (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0·36, 95% CI 0·31, 0·42), women (aOR 0·56, 0·49, 0·65) and older adults (≥ 65 years: aOR 0·41, 0·33, 0·51). Nearly two-thirds (63·5%) expressed interest in learning more about PrEP. Pharmacies were rated the most convenient access point by 51·2% of respondents and 60·8% supported pharmacy-based provision. JCA revealed a polarity between a “traditional” cluster (older, heterosexual, White, partnered men; low awareness and support) and a “diverse” cluster (younger, non-binary, bisexual or pansexual, single individuals; high awareness and support).Interpretation Despite low baseline awareness, there is strong public interest in PrEP and substantial support for pharmacy-based provision. Expanding PrEP through community pharmacies could reduce access barriers and advance equity, particularly for groups underserved by sexual health clinics. These findings support policy reforms enabling pharmacists to deliver PrEP as part of the UK’s HIV elimination strategy. Austen El-Osta, Emmanouil Bagkeris 2026-01-06 10:51:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8383797/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:50:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8383797/v1 Pipelines play a vital role in the safe and efficient transportation of hydrocarbons from production sites to processing centers and export terminals. Ensuring their structural integrity is therefore essential to maintain operational safety and protect the environment. However, these systems are often extensive, buried, or exposed to harsh conditions, which makes their inspection and corrosion monitoring particularly challenging. This study focuses on the inspection and monitoring of corrosion in hydrocarbon transport pipelines using Long-Range Ultrasonic Testing (LRUT) technology. LRUT offers a non-destructive solution capable of detecting both internal and external corrosion over long distances, even in areas with limited accessibility. Its guided-wave approach enables comprehensive assessments without requiring direct access to every pipeline segment, making it especially suitable for large-scale and remote infrastructures. Practical results obtained from field inspections conducted in the Hassi Berkine petroleum area are presented and discussed. The findings confirm the effectiveness of LRUT in identifying corrosion defects and assessing wall thickness variations, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of oil and gas pipeline networks. This work demonstrates that integrating guided-wave ultrasonic techniques into pipeline monitoring programs can significantly improve proactive maintenance strategies, reduce the risk of failures, and support sustainable energy transport operations. Hadjira. Bouchelaghem, Guenfoud Salah, Benmohamed Hanene, Yallese Mohamed. Athmane, gherdaoui hamza 2026-01-06 10:50:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462833/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:50:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462833/v1 I introduce a Fisher Information (FI) based framework for quantifying the fidelity of genetic information transmission across generations. Genetic inheritance is modeled as a noisy information channel defined by a symmetric circulant transition matrix, allowing closed-form expressions for Fisher Information at both the source population and the transmitted signal. This formulation complements entropy-based approaches by directly characterizing estimation precision and the loss of predictability in genetic systems. I show that information decay is governed entirely by the square of the nontrivial channel eigenvalue, providing a natural and biologically interpretable measure of information retention under mutation and recombination. Within this framework, I identify a sharp loss of predictability in gene regulatory networks (GRNs), detectable both as a collapse of classical Fisher Information, and as an entanglement-collapse threshold in the formally equivalent quantum channel representation. Remarkably, the functional instability limit observed in GRNs coincides with the quantum coherence limit within a narrow parameter range, revealing a shared information-theoretic boundary. This convergence provides a principled explanation for the sharp, non-monotonic boundaries reported in GRN inference from single-cell RNA-seq data. More broadly, the results suggest that biological regulatory stability is constrained by fundamental limits on information transmission, linking population genetics, information geometry, and quantum-inspired models of gene regulation. Jacqueline Siqueira Glasenapp 2026-01-06 10:50:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8353672/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:47:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8353672/v1 Replication fork stalling or slowdown is a hallmark of replication stress and can lead to DNA damage-induced fork collapse and genetic instability. Stalled replication forks must be stabilized to enable damage processing, yet the connection between fork stalling and lesion bypass remains poorly understood. To explore this relationship, we developed a real-time system to monitor the replicative bypass of locus-specific abasic sites in individual live yeast cells. Using this approach, we find that delays in replisome progression through the DNA lesions arise from fork-associated activity of DNA damage bypass factors rather than from the lesions themselves. Specifically, replication delays are linked to competition between translesion synthesis and recombination-mediated bypass. Our work highlights the complex interplay between fork stalling and damage processing, demonstrating how pathway choice impacts cell survival. Amir Aharoni, Amit Cohen, Daniel Dovrat, Wiktoria Kabza, Elizabeth Colby, Liliana S. Batista-Nascimento, Nicola Zilio, Helle Ulrich 2026-01-06 10:47:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8386389/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:46:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8386389/v1 Soil salinization is a global issue that constrains agricultural production and ecological restoration. Melissitus ruthenica, a stress-tolerant leguminous forage, holds significant potential for the rehabilitation of salinized grasslands. This study systematically compared the effects of three single salts (NaCl, Na₂SO₄, NaHCO₃) and their mixed saline-alkali solutions at varying concentrations on M. ruthenica seedlings. Through integrated physiological-biochemical assays, as well as transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, we elucidated the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the response of M. ruthenica to saline-alkali stress. The results indicated that alkaline salt (NaHCO₃) stress caused significantly greater damage to plants compared to neutral salt, with M. ruthenica being unable to survive under 1.2% NaHCO₃ stress. Osmotic adjustment substances increased significantly with rising stress concentrations and were notably higher under alkaline salt treatment than in other treatments (P < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis revealed that the number of upregulated genes (4,835) and downregulated genes (7,286) in the NaHCO₃ versus CK groups was over 3.4 times higher than in other groups. The four core pathways identified were the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, motor proteins, plant hormone signal transduction, and the MAPK signaling pathway in plants. Transcriptomic results demonstrated that amino acid metabolism plays a central role in the stress response, with 26 common differential metabolites identified as amino acids and their derivatives. L-arginine and L-ornithine exhibited significant accumulation under alkaline stress. Two pathways, D-amino acid metabolism and lysine degradation, were identified through conjoint analysis, with D-amino acid metabolism showing significantly greater enrichment under alkali stress compared to other treatments. This study systematically elucidates the multi-level regulatory mechanisms of M. ruthenica in response to saline-alkali stress, providing both theoretical foundations and candidate gene resources for the genetic improvement of saline-alkali tolerant forage varieties. Xiaoli Wei, Xiaojian Pu, Wei Wang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Chuyu Tang, Guangxin Lu, Chengti Xu 2026-01-06 10:46:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8487363/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:45:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8487363/v1 In the rapidly evolving landscape of educational technology, traditional one-size-fits-all approaches are increasingly inadequate for addressing diverse student needs. This paper proposes an AI-driven platform for personalized learning analytics that collects, processes, and analyzes student data from multiple sources to provide customized learning paths and realtime insights. The system leverages advanced data analytics, machine learning, and streaming data technologies to monitor student engagement, identify learning patterns, and deliver personalized recommendations. By integrating data from learning management systems (LMS) and real-time student activity logs, the platform enables educators to make data-informed decisions and provide timely interventions. The system architecture is designed with scalability in mind, ensuring it can handle large datasets while maintaining compliance with data privacy regulations such as GDPR and ISO/IEC 27001. Through real-time analytics and personalized recommendations, the platform aims to improve student outcomes, enhance teaching strategies, and enable proactive interventions. This paper details the system’s architecture, methodologies, implementation challenges, and potential impact on educational institutions. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in student engagement, learning outcomes, and educator effectiveness when compared to traditional approaches. KAMPA ABHINAY TEJ, GARAPATI SRIKRISHNA, PERAM JASWANTH REDDY, VULLANKALA BHANU AKASH 2026-01-06 10:45:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8523653/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:34:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8523653/v1 Understanding how joint position influences muscle recruitment is essential for improving exercise prescription. This study examined how different hip flexion angles affect the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the gluteus medius (GMed) and tensor fasciae latae (TFL) during seated hip abduction — a popular movement in resistance training and rehabilitation. Fourteen recreationally trained volunteers performed the exercise at 45°, 90°, and 135° of hip flexion, with the load set at 60% of their individual six-repetition maximum (6RM). Surface EMG signals of GMed and TFL were recorded and normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Data were analyzed using Friedman’s test and Dunn’s post hoc comparisons (p < 0.05), with effect sizes (Hedges’ g) and 95% confidence intervals calculated via the Estimation Stats platform. Results showed a clear pattern: increased hip flexion significantly decreased TFL activation while maintaining moderate GMed activity. Peak and average GMed activation were notably higher at 45° compared to 135° (p < 0.001), whereas TFL activation decreased progressively across 45°, 90°, and 135° (all p < 0.01). Most importantly, the GMed:TFL activation ratio tripled at 135°, indicating a significant shift toward targeted GMed recruitment and reduced TFL dominance. Therefore, increasing hip flexion during seated abduction enhances the neuromuscular selectivity of the gluteus medius while reducing tensor fasciae latae overactivation — a finding with direct implications for both hypertrophy-focused training and clinical rehab. These findings redefine how a simple change in hip angle can transform one of the most common lower-body exercises. Alexandre Maia Farias, Leon Claudio Pinheiro Leal, Renan Wallace Guimarães da Rocha, Walter Krause Neto 2026-01-06 10:34:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463007/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:33:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463007/v1 Purpose The rapid adoption of AI-powered recruitment in emerging economies often occurs within contexts of institutional weakness and economic precarity, challenging Western-centric assumptions about algorithmic fairness. This study investigates how perceptions of algorithmic justice and platform transparency influence candidate trust and well-being in Tunisia, and whether chronic economic insecurity attenuates these psychological pathways. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on Algorithmic Justice Theory (Colquitt, 2001) and the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017), we propose a moderated mediation framework. We theorize economic precarity as a chronic demand that depletes the psychological resources necessary to benefit from fair algorithmic treatment. The model is tested using survey data from 420 Tunisian job candidates, with contextual insights from 85 HR professionals. Findings Algorithmic justice (β = .24, p < .001) and transparency (β = .28, p < .001) enhance well-being indirectly through trust. However, economic precarity significantly weakens the trust–well-being relationship (Δβ = –.21, p < .001). Algorithmic opacity directly reduces well-being (β = –.26, p < .001). Graduates from non-elite institutions face a 2.4× higher risk of algorithmic misrecognition, indicating a digital reproduction of social stratification. Practical implications For AI ethics to be meaningful in contexts like Tunisia, technical fairness must be coupled with structural economic security. We provide actionable recommendations for localized bias audits, enhanced transparency protocols, and context-sensitive policymaking. Originality/value This is the first empirical study to situate AI recruitment ethics within the institutional voids and economic precarity of a post-revolution North African economy. It demonstrates that justice perceptions are not universally beneficial but are contingent on macroeconomic stability, advancing a context-sensitive framework for ethical AI adoption in the Global South. Fayçal Chehab 2026-01-06 10:33:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8354403/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:33:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8354403/v1 Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) has the advantage of good flexibility in the coating film, high and low-temperature resistance, and the advantages of environmental protection.Currently, there is a high demand for flame-retardant WPU. Herein, a flame-retardantcomposites (WPU/BN@APP/DIDOPO) is successfully developed by incorporating ammonium polyphosphate (APP) modified boron nitride (BN@APP) and DOPO derivatives into WPU via simple casting technology.The results indicate that BN@APP formed the intended composite structure and was well dispersed in the WPU matrix. This system significantly enhanced the char residue at 700 ℃ from 0.23% to 5.22% and reducing the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) by 58.9% and 36.9%, respectively, compared to pure WPU. Performance analysis shows that during combustion, a dense and stable expanded carbon layer forms, effectively delaying heat and mass transfer. The mechanical properties of the WPU/0.5BN@APP/5DIDOPO composite material are optimal and its breaking strength and elongation at break are superior to those of components. This work demonstrates the potential of the BN@APP/DIDOPO composite system for enhancing flame retardancy in polymeric materials, providing valuable insights for designing advanced flame-retardant systems. Deyu Liu, Xuan Ba, Shaoyuan Wu, Jinghan Hu, Jihong Duan, Xingyu Guan, Guoyong Zhou, Kui Wang, Weijiang Huang, Wei Yan 2026-01-06 10:33:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8364283/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:24:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8364283/v1 The Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, characterized by higher urban temperatures compared to surrounding rural areas, is increasingly evident in Mediterranean cities like Tirana due to dense urbanization and reduced vegetation. This study assesses UHI intensity in Tirana through the integration of long-term climatic data and on-site measurements. Satellite-derived data from the Copernicus Climate Data Store, processed in Google Earth Engine, produced thermal maps for June–July 2025, revealing spatial temperature variations. Field measurements were conducted at nine representative sites, including suburban, historical, and highly urbanized zones, using a calibrated Testo 435 climate meter to record air temperature, relative humidity, and CO₂ levels at pedestrian height. Measurements were repeated on three different days during a short period at midday to capture thermal inertia. ANOVA results showed no statistically significant differences in temperature, humidity, or CO₂ levels across the monitored locations, indicating broadly uniform microclimatic conditions during the measurement period. Despite the absence of statistically significant differences in the ANOVA, measured temperature patterns indicated differences of about 2°C between urban and suburban areas, with new hotspots emerging in Paskuqan and the City of Students in addition to those in the city center. Besnik Aliaj, Klodjan Xhexhi, Blerim Nika 2026-01-06 10:24:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489873/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:21:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489873/v1 The 23 November 2025 eruption of the Haily Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia generated internal gravity waves that were analyzed using combined observations from the geostationary satellites Himawari‑8 and Meteosat‑9. Several hours of sustained plume emission produced a wave packet embedded within SO₂‑rich volcanic air masses, which propagated eastward under strong mid‑ to upper‑tropospheric westerlies. The propagation direction and phase speed matched the 300‑hPa wind field, indicating advection along the subtropical jet. Exceptionally dry conditions within the jet core (relative humidity < 30%) likely helped maintain the volcanic plume and prevented attenuation of the wave signal during long‑range transport. No clear signatures were detected in channels sensitive to the lower troposphere or stratosphere, reflecting the absence of an unstable layer capable of forming a wave duct. Without ducting, vertical leakage of wave energy inhibited downward penetration, explaining the lack of detectable signals over Japan in lower‑tropospheric channels. The combined satellite observations show that the wave packet propagated primarily within a narrow mid‑ to upper‑tropospheric layer constrained by background wind and humidity structure. These results demonstrate the value of multi‑satellite observations for detecting eruption‑generated internal gravity waves and highlight the environmental conditions that enable their long‑distance transport. Taichi Murakami, Kenji Tanaka 2026-01-06 10:21:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483215/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:17:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483215/v1 The arteriovenous fistula (AVF), a surgically created connection between an artery and a vein, remains the gold standard for vascular access in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. The fistula is most commonly created on the upper limb, where, for example, the cephalic vein and radial or brachial artery can be used. Although AVF is the most common method used for vascular access in hemodialysis, its performance remains vulnerable to multiple sources of potential failure. An arteriovenous fistula aneurysm (AVFA) in particular is one of the most common pathologies that develops in the vein segment of the anastomosis. The causes leading to AVFA formation are not yet fully understood, nevertheless both the remodeling process and tissue scarring induced by repeated cannulation of the vein contribute to its development. With this study, we wish to contribute to expanding our knowledge of AVFA biomechanics. Samples of healthy cephalic veins and aneurysmatic AVFs were collected from human donors. Uniaxial tensile tests in two perpendicular directions were carried out to determine their mechanical response. A significant decrease in the initial Young’s elastic modulus and anisotropy was observed in the AVFA group. Histological analysis of the samples showed a degradation of the elastic component and a disorganization of the collagen and VSMC. A 4-fiber-family hyperelastic anisotropic constitutive model of the exponential type was used in the nonlinear regression of the experimental data. The resulting constitutive models led to a good correspondence between the data and predictions. The obtained estimates of the constitutive parameters can be used in future fluid-structure interaction analyses aimed at computational simulations of AVF and AVFA hemodynamics. Zbyněk Sobotka, Lukáš Horný, Nikola Petrová, Karel Filip, Jiří Urban, Hynek Chlup, Jakub Kronek, Peter Baláž 2026-01-06 10:17:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468042/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:15:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468042/v1 Indoor mycotoxigenic fungi pose significant health and structural risks to building occupants, necessitating sustainable remediation strategies. This study investigated the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using African walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum) husk extract and evaluated their antifungal efficacy against indoor toxigenic molds. The AgNPs were synthesized through photo-activation of walnut husk extract with silver nitrate solution and characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed nanoparticle formation with maximum absorbance at 430 nm, while FTIR analysis revealed the presence of functional groups including amines, amides, alkyl groups, and carbonyl compounds responsible for bio-reduction and stabilization. EDX analysis confirmed silver as the predominant element (75.20%), and TEM micrographs revealed predominantly spheroidal nanoparticles with well-defined edges. The biosynthesized AgNPs demonstrated exceptional antifungal activity against three mycotoxigenic Aspergillus species (Aspergillus flavus-IDMM1 (PX430759), Aspergillus fumigatus-IDM2 (PX430757) and Aspergillus salisburgensis-IDM3 (PX430758) isolated from poorly ventilated indoor environments, achieving inhibition rates exceeding 95% at 50 µg/mL and 98% at 100 µg/mL. In contrast, the precursor silver nitrate and plant extract alone showed minimal antifungal activity (below 50%). These findings demonstrate that African walnut husk-derived silver nanoparticles represent a promising, eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical biocides for controlling indoor mycotoxigenic fungi, with potential applications in the formulation of sustainable antimicrobial building materials. Abiodun Taofeeq Adedoyin, Seun Barnabas Ogunsona, Oluwadamilare Oluwasegun Eludire, Grace Yemisi Balogun 2026-01-06 10:15:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437177/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:04:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437177/v1 Background: Following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, influenza virus circulation in Brazil has been gradually re-establishing its pre-pandemic seasonality. Sustained genomic and antigenic monitoring by the National Influenza Centres (NICs) plays a pivotal role in characterizing viral evolution, informing vaccine strain selection, and ensuring robust preparedness for potential pandemic scenarios.  Methods: The positivity of samples collected under Brazil's Ministry of Health (MoH) National Respiratory Viruses Surveillance Network, sourced from both, Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) sentinel sites and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) universal surveillance were determined from epidemiological week (EW) 35/2024 to EW 35/2025 using seven-target respiratory virus panel followed by an in-house subtyping protocol. Whole-genome characterization was performed by M-RT-PCR protocol sequencing. Antigenic properties were evaluated by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays using ferret antisera provided by the WHO. Antiviral resistance mutations were assessed through NA and PA gene analyses and a phenotypic assay for oseltamivir phosphate (OST) susceptibility.  Results: Among 106,740 ILI samples, 12.8% were positive for influenza A or B. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 predominated, followed by influenza B/Victoria lineage and A(H3N2) at lower levels. Co-circulation of multiple subclades was observed: A(H1N1)pdm09 (5a.2a.1 D.3.1, D.5), A(H3N2) (J.2.3 replacing J.2 within 2a.3a.1), and B/Victoria (C.5.1, C.5.7). All isolates were antigenically similar to vaccine reference strains. Antiviral resistance analysis identified eight H275Y NA mutations in A(H1N1)pdm09, associated with high reduced inhibition (HRI) to OST along with some NA and PA substitution, indicating potentially HRI or RI to peramivir or baloxavir (BXM), respectively. No B/Yamagata viruses were detected. One zoonotic A(H3N2)v case was reported in Paraná.  Conclusions: Influenza activity in Brazil during 2024–2025 reflected global circulation trends, dominated by A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria lineages with minimal antigenic drift. Continued integrated genomic and antigenic surveillance remains critical to guide vaccine strain selection and detect emerging variants with zoonotic potential or antiviral resistance profile. Paola Resende, Fernando Motta, Katia Santos, Mirleide Santos, Elisa Pereira, Larissa Macedo, Aline Matos, Braulia Caetano, Luciana Appolinario, Laís Bento, Ana Isabel Silva, Thauane da Silva, Luana Barbagelata, Amanda Cruz, Nancy Bellei, Sonia Raboni, Working group Brazilian Laboratory Network for Respiratory Viruses team, Miriam Teresinha Livorati, Walquiria Almeida, Marcelo Gomes, Marilda Siqueira 2026-01-06 10:04:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463413/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:04:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463413/v1 Nanobiotechnology utilizes biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that render considerable potential application for sustainable control of mosquitoes and other vectors. This research explored findings on green-synthesized AgNPs from Senna (Cassia angustifolia) leaf extract regarding their biocidal efficacy against primary dengue and filariasis vectors, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens, respectively. The domain of sustainable vector control is emerging from nanobiotechnology. This is evident from the use of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) derived from a phytochemical-rich herb extract. The analysis of Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens larvae, which serve as the primary vectors of dengue and filariasis, was conducted to assess their bio-cidal activities. Using leaf extract from Senna, AgNPs were synthesized. Using phytoreduction, we synthesised silver nanoparticles, which were characterised by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The average diameter calculated using the Haiss equation ranged from 25 to 34 nm. After an incubation time of 60 minutes, the formation of nanoparticles was indicated from UV-Vis spectroscopy with a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 460 nm and an absorbance of 0.32 a.u. At ten minutes to 0.54 A.U. at 60 minutes. When exposed to AgNPs at concentrations of 1.0 to 15 mg/L, both species showed 90% mortality in larvae at 12 to 16 mg/L. The LC₅₀ values where roughly 8-10 mg/L. Flow cytometry tests have shown significant cell death, with a 15 mg/L treatment concentration resulting in an 8-12% drop in viability. Validation of genotoxic mechanisms, including oxidative stress-mediated genomic damage, was supported by the alkaline comet assay, which showed substantial DNA strand breakage (80-90% at higher AgNP concentrations). Morphological examinations revealed marked developmental anomalies, including melanization, an abdominal degeneration of up to 60%, and total absence of ecdysis. Silver nanoparticles have diverse toxic effects. They can be used in integrated pest management as an effective and safer alternative to chemical pesticides. Majed A. Al-Shaeri 2026-01-06 10:04:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8482833/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 10:03:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8482833/v1 Mobility reflects collective human behaviour, revealing how people interact with their physical and social environments. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to identify the hidden behavioural and structural properties of society through its mobility responses, with its unprecedented impulse. Data-driven modelling was applied to a nationwide survey dataset collected from Sri Lanka in 2021, to identify 4 distinct archetypes, namely, Privileged Adaptors, Cautious Traditionalists, Stable Minimalists, and Resilient Rebounders, showing diverse adaptations across 13 key factors. These inductively derived clusters from their crisis-driven mobility adaptations subsequently revealed distinct ethnic, educational, and socioeconomic patterns, showing that human behaviour and socioeconomic status are linked not linearly but through structurally conditioned, nonlinear trajectories of risk absorption. These trajectories are governed by the interplay of substitution capacity, exposure necessity, and support infrastructures of the archetypes, offering a generalizable framework for understanding human behavioural inequality in a global disruption. Madhumini Kulathunge, Lelumi Edirisinghe, Isuri Mapa, Roshan Godaliyadda, Parakrama Ekanayake, Niranjan Karnik, Samath Dharmaratne, Vijitha Herath, Janaka Ekanayake 2026-01-06 10:03:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8141533/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:52:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8141533/v1 Human tactile perception relies on hierarchical processing, where inputs entering the nervous system are fused by interneurons for sparse multimodal encoding, and the integrated signals are sent to the brain to generate perception. Replicating this pathway from primary sensory inputs to higher-order neural processing, which efficiently transforms signals into coherent representations of the external environment, is essential for artificial tactile systems. Here we present artificial multimodal interneuron (AMINs) by integrating strain, pressure, and temperature sensors with NbOx memristor neurons on an all-in-one platform, enabling hierarchical neural encoding and the generation of high-information-density temporal spike patterns. AMIN-based processing generates a unified burst spikes with wide temporal dynamics that encode object size, hardness, and temperature, serving directly as input to SNNs. In a 20-class tactile object recognition task, the AMINs-SNN system achieves 90.5% accuracy with robust and low-redundancy encoding, paving the way for compact, low-power multimodal tactile intelligent systems. Bowen Zhu, Fanfan Li, Zhanglu Yan, Jiayi Mao, Guolei Liu, Huihui Ren, Bangbang Qin, Zhongfang Zhang, Haiyue Zhang, Yiyang Shen, Zeqi Zheng, Weilong Feng, Dingwei Li, Yingjie Tang, Saisai Wang, Yaochu Jin, Tao Luo, Weng-Fai Wong, Hong Wang 2026-01-06 09:52:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8480258/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:49:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8480258/v1 At the global level, green entrepreneurship has increasingly been positioned as a key innovative mechanism for advancing energy efficiency, promoting resource reuse through circular economy principles, and fostering the development of clean technologies. Our study contributes to the knowledge field by examining the extent to which green entrepreneurship functions as a sustainable business model, while also identifying the key opportunities, challenges, and different constraints. The main purpose of our analysis is to emphasize the role of the legislative framework in promoting green entrepreneurship and its significance for the economy. The research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, combining bibliometric and empirical analyses in a complementary manner. The data used in this research are panel data, collected from Eurostat, OECD and the World Bank, and the sample consists of the 27 member states of the European Union, over the period 2008–2022. A particularly underexplored area we address is the role of green financing, which supports ecological entrepreneurship but also imposes specific compliance requirements that can be both beneficial and demanding for businesses. We further highlight how governmental decisions influence the entrepreneurial landscape and sustainable development efforts, helping to clarify the relationship between green entrepreneurship and economic growth. The topic remains insufficiently addressed in existing research, with a limited number of studies dedicated to this intersection of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and environmental policy. Our findings offer relevant insights for both the business environment and policymaking, emphasizing the strategic importance of green entrepreneurship in achieving resilient economic transformation. In particular, our research highlights that Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, Government Effectiveness and FDI availability are essential factors contributing to the development of eco-innovative entrepreneurship, providing key lessons for policymakers and the business community. JEL Classification: G41; L26; Q01. Mihaela Onofrei, Florin Oprea, Erika-Maria Doacă 2026-01-06 09:49:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8454978/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:43:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8454978/v1 Background Small bowel volvulus (SBV) is a condition where the small bowel loops coil around the axis of its own mesentery which can lead to mechanical intestinal obstruction. It contributes significant number of patients at surgical emergency with small bowel obstruction (SBO) especially in developing countries. The main objective of this study was to assess the clinical and epidemiological status of SBV in North-Eastern Ethiopia.Method The study was conducted at Dessie Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital (DCSH). The study period was on November 2023 G.C. Hospital (facility) based retrospective cross sectional study design was used and data was collected with a standardized structured checklist. Data was collected from medical records of adult patients with discharge diagnosis of small bowel obstruction in a four (4) years period from September 1, 2019 G.C to August 31, 2023 G.C. Cross tabulation analysis was done for factors which contributed for mortality and morbidity of SBV.Result A total of about 162 patient with SBV were included in the study accounting about 37.2% of patients with SBO with annual occurrence rate of about 40.6 patients. The mean age of patients was 47 years. Majority of them (152(93.8%)) were males. The common seasons at presentation were during September - November and March - May. All participants had abdominal pain and vomiting but 159(98.1%) and 143(88.3%) had abdominal distension and constipation respectively. Eighty five (52.5%) of patients with SBV presented within 24hrs of symptom onset and 99(61.1%) had normal CBC result whereas 63(38.9%) of them had leukocytosis. Majority (125(77.1%)) of them were managed with derotation and retrograde milking whereas 12(7.4%) ) were managed with resection and anastomosis and 18(11.1%) undergone band release and derotation. PSBV was seen in 138(85.2%) patients and the remaining 24(14.8%) had SSBV.Conclusion The prevalence of SBV among patients with SBO was 37.2% with 85.2% primary and the remaining 14.8% being secondary type. The annual occurrence rate was about 40.6 patients per year with mean age of 47 years. Yohannes Teshome, Fikru Tadelle, Meron Tadesse, Redwan Yimer, Atalel Fentahun, Assefa Sisay, Setegn Abebaw 2026-01-06 09:43:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4622762/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:39:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4622762/v1 Accurate tumor segmentation and localization in MRI images are critical for diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring in oncology. However, manual delineation of tumor boundaries is time-consuming and subject to inter-observer variability. Deep learning techniques have shown promise in automating this process, yet achieving precise localization remains challenging. In this work, we propose an Optimization-Guided Hybrid Deep Neural Network (ODNN) framework for augmented tumor boundary detection and localization in MRI images. The ODNN model integrates optimization techniques practical swam optimization (PSO) within Inception-v3 and ResNet-50 to enhance the accuracy of tumor localization. Specifically, we employ a combination of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for feature extraction and optimization algorithms to refine tumor boundary predictions. The optimization technique, PSO process iteratively adjusts model parameters to minimize a predefined tumor function, optimizing the network for improved localization performance. We evaluate the proposed ODNN framework on a dataset of MRI images containing various tumor types and complexities. Comparative experiments demonstrate that our approach achieves superior performance in tumor boundary detection and localization compared to baseline deep learning models. Quantitative evaluation metrics such as precision of 97.8%, dice similarity coefficient of 94.5%, recall of 95.5%, f1-score of 96.2% and hausdorff distance of 7.12 which confirm the effectiveness of the ODNN framework in accurately delineating tumor boundaries. By integrating optimization techniques with deep learning, we effectively address the challenges of precise tumor localization. The proposed ODNN framework holds promise for improving diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, and patient outcomes in oncology, paving the way for advancements in computer-aided diagnosis systems for medical imaging. Mohammed Razia Alangir Banu, Arpita Gupta, Athur Shaik Ali Gousia Banu 2026-01-06 09:39:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8454265/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:35:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8454265/v1 Early and accurate diagnosis of respiratory diseases remains a critical challenge, particularly in resource-constrained settings where access to advanced clinical testing is limited. This paper presents an AI-based diagnostic system that leverages cough audio signals for the automated detection of respiratory conditions such as tuberculosis (TB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The proposed system employs a deep learning pipeline in which raw cough recordings are pre-processed and converted into Mel-spectrogram representations, enabling effective extraction of time–frequency features. A convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, enhanced with transfer learning using ResNet-18, is utilized to learn discriminative patterns from the audio features. Model performance is evaluated using standard metrics including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Experimental results demonstrate that the system achieves reliable classification performance, indicating its potential as a non-invasive, low-cost, and scalable screening tool. The proposed approach highlights the feasibility of using audio-based AI diagnostics to assist early disease detection and support clinical decision-making. Rupsa Chakraborty, Aditi Chaurasia, Sandipan Chatterjee, Soumyadeep Mukherjee, Prasun Chowdhury 2026-01-06 09:35:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8465270/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:32:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8465270/v1 Electrochemically induced nuclear activity in hydrogen and deuterium-absorbing metals has been reported intermittently, yet a direct observation of nuclear signatures remains challenging. We electrolyzed light water with nickel cathodes under half-wave rectified RMS potentials of 5 V and 20 V and subsequently analyzed them using a Peltier-cooled diffusion-type Wilson cloud chamber for particle emission. The reacted cathodes emitted β-like particles forming condensation tracks of lengths of 0.6–16 mm and an average activity 0.6 ± 0.1 counts per minute (cpm) for 5 V samples and 1.0 ± 0.1 cpm for 20 V samples. No such emissions were detected from unreacted samples. These results provide empirical evidence that electrochemical reactions can generate radioactive isotopes in condensed matter. Shyam Sunder Lakesar, Raj Ganesh S. Pala, K P Rajeev 2026-01-06 09:32:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490509/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:31:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490509/v1 Chronic viral hepatitis due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant global public health problem and a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria bears a substantial share of this burden, particularly in the North-Central region, where endemic transmission persists. However, data describing the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and their associated risk factors across both community and healthcare settings remain limited. This study assessed the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and identified associated risk factors among adults in Akwanga, Lafia, and Keffi Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 852 adults (284 per location) was conducted. Socio-demographic, behavioural, healthcare-related, and household exposure data were collected using structured questionnaires. All participants were screened for HBV and HCV using Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT), ELISA and confirmed with PCR. Data were analysed using SPSS v26; descriptive statistics summarized prevalence, and Chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests, and logistic regression identified risk factors (p < 0.05). Results: The overall prevalence of HBV was 13.1% and HCV 7.9%. HBV prevalence was highest in Keffi (15.1%), followed by Akwanga (14.4%) and Lafia (9.9%), while HCV prevalence was highest in Keffi (10.9%), Akwanga (7.7%), and Lafia (4.9%). Significant risk factors for HBV infection included previous surgery or medical procedures involving sharps (OR = 1.27; 95% CI:0.7–2.3), sharing personal items (OR = 1.72; 95% CI:1.1–2.7), and history of sexually transmitted infections (OR = 2.35; 95% CI:1.3–4.2). For HCV, blood transfusion (OR = 2.08; 95% CI:1.0–4.3) and surgery (OR = 1.11; 95% CI:0.5–2.3) were notable risk factors. Knowledge of hepatitis B and C was generally moderate, with gaps in vaccination awareness and preventive behaviours. Conclusion: HBV and HCV infections is highly endemic in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria and a significant public health challenge due to its similar route of transmission, with facility and community variations. Targeted interventions focusing on safe medical practices, behavioural education, vaccination promotion, and routine screening are urgently needed to reduce transmission and liver-related morbidity. Awayimbo Ruth Jaggu, David Ishaleku, Akolo Yohanna Jaggu, Olubunmi Iyabode Ojji, Yakubu Yakubu Abdullahi, Grace Awazi Manzah, Olanrewaju Olaiya, Akyala Ishaku Akyala 2026-01-06 09:31:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8450974/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:23:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8450974/v1 FliP, FliQ, and FliR forms a membrane-embedded channel for flagellar protein export. How these subunits assemble into the functional channel remains unclear. Here we combined topological mapping, cryo-EM image analysis, and biochemical assays to dissect the assembly mechanism of the FliPQR complex. Using PhoA fusion assays, we show that membrane-spanning helices of each subunit are repositioned toward the periplasm upon complex assembly, revealing large-scale topological remodeling. FliP alone exists in a dynamic equilibrium between pentameric and hexameric states, indicating that the sixth FliP subunit associates weakly and dissociates easily. FliR inserts into the gap between the first and fifth FliP subunits, forming a stable FliPR complex. The FliQ-like element in FliR efficiently recruits the first FliQ subunit. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized mechanism by which hierarchical assembly and structural remodeling drive the efficient and robust formation of the flagellar export channel. Tohru Minamino, Miki Kinoshita, Akihiro Kawamoto, Keiichi Namba 2026-01-06 09:23:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484982/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:23:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484982/v1 Cervical cancer is a major health problem for women worldwide and is most commonly caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, particularly HPV-16 and HPV-18. This systematic review examines 13 studies that investigated how these two HPV types affect survival outcomes in cervical cancer patients, including overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Across multiple studies, HPV-16 was generally associated with better survival outcomes, especially in patients with advanced-stage disease. This may reflect the increased sensitivity of HPV-16-positive tumors to treatments such as chemoradiotherapy. In contrast, HPV-18 was consistently linked to poorer prognosis, particularly in early-stage cervical cancer and adenocarcinoma, with higher rates of recurrence and mortality. Several molecular markers, including p16 overexpression, HPV DNA methylation, and E6 oncoprotein expression, further helped explain differences in patient outcomes. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of HPV genotyping for predicting prognosis and guiding personalized cervical cancer treatment. Dhyan Patel, Palak Shah 2026-01-06 09:23:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476119/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:22:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476119/v1 Background Transabdominal ultrasonography remains a first-line imaging modality for pancreatic evaluation, yet its diagnostic performance is limited by operator dependency, inconsistent scanning techniques, and variable documentation standards. The absence of universally adopted pancreas-specific protocols compromises examination reproducibility and quality assurance.Objective To develop and validate a standardized transabdominal ultrasonography protocol for routine pancreatic examination, focusing on scanning methodology, documentation criteria, and visualization quality.Methods A structured pancreatic ultrasonography protocol was developed based on anatomical landmarks, standardized scanning planes, patient positioning, and predefined documentation requirements. Retrospective validation compared examinations performed before and after protocol implementation, assessing pancreatic segment visualization, examination duration, and documentation completeness. Inter-observer agreement was evaluated across operators with varying levels of experience.Results Protocol-adherent examinations demonstrated significantly improved visualization of pancreatic head, body, and tail segments, particularly through optimized acoustic window utilization and multi-positional scanning. Documentation completeness increased markedly, with consistent reporting of pancreatic duct diameter and standardized measurements. Examination duration increased minimally, without clinical workflow disruption. Inter-observer reliability improved substantially for pancreatic visualization grading, with the greatest benefit observed among less experienced operators.Conclusion The proposed standardized protocol enhances image quality, reproducibility, and reporting consistency in transabdominal pancreatic ultrasonography. Its adoption represents a practical, low-cost strategy for quality improvement and harmonization of routine pancreatic imaging. Luís Jesuíno de Oliveira Andrade, Gabriela Correia Matos de Oliveira, Adriana Malta de Figueiredo, Luís Matos de Oliveira 2026-01-06 09:22:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8471378/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:22:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8471378/v1 Background: Autofluorescence visualisation devices have emerged as promising non-invasive adjuncts to conventional oral examinations to identify subtle tissue changes indicative of dysplasia or malignancy. However, their true diagnostic efficacy in detecting malignant transformation in Oral potentially malignant disorders remains debated. Methods: A search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using terms like "oral potentially malignant disorders", "autofluorescence" and "diagnostic accuracy". Diagnostic studies evaluating autofluorescence devices for early detection of OPMDs, with histopathology as the reference standard, were included. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to estimate pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), with heterogeneity assessed by the I² statistic. Results: Nine diagnostic accuracy studies comprising 1,262 patients were included. The pooled sensitivity of autofluorescence devices was 55.6% (95% CI: 34.6%–74.8%) and pooled specificity was 47.7% (95% CI: 29.2%–66.8%). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 1.77 (95% CI: 1.04–3.47), with substantial heterogeneity across studies (I² = 78.9%), reflecting inconsistency in diagnostic performance due to differences in lesion types, device models, examiner expertise, and patient demographic. Conclusion: Autofluorescence visualisation devices offer modest diagnostic value and should be considered as adjuncts, not replacements to conventional oral examinations and histopathological evaluation. Ashish Bodhade, Adetola Emmanuel Babalola, Alka Dive, Rosana A. Morelatto, Graciela Robledo, Paola Belardinelli, Nicolás Bolesina, Marcelo Zapata, Jesica I.Valdez, Alejandra Bono, María Fernanada Liandro, Victor Adeyanju Somoye, Monal Yuwanati, Akhilanand Chaurasia 2026-01-06 09:22:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7673850/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:21:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7673850/v1 Over 95% of California’s wetlands has been lost to urbanization, prompting efforts to restore Los Angeles County’s Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Adjacent to the reserve, the Ballona Freshwater Marsh was constructed in 2003 on former agricultural land to mitigate urban and stormwater runoff. This study presents a two-decade analysis of the marsh’s effectiveness in reducing enterococci concentrations, a leading indicator of pathogenic water pollution. Enterococcus spp. levels from the marsh’s main inlets and outlet, recorded between 2005–2025, were compared to determine filtration efficacy. Results indicate the marsh often removes enterococci and can lower bacterial counts to safe levels. The geometric mean of the outlet-to-inlet ratio was 0.322 (95% CI: 0.259–0.399, p < 0.001). However, removal is not uniform, and increasingly the marsh behaves as a source rather than a sink. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) plans to restore 566 acres of the Ecological Reserve by removing cement levees and rerouting the adjoining Ballona Creek through a meandering path to recreate an ecologically active estuary. Separate analysis of water from the Ballona Creek over the last five years shows levels of pollution regularly above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety thresholds for fecal bacteria. We anticipate water quality improvements if the restoration proceeds. In the context of ongoing litigation over restoration of the Ecological Reserve, this study offers an assessment of engineered wetlands’ pollutant-filtering capacity, establishing a case for the research-driven management and preservation of wetlands. Annalia Henderson 2026-01-06 09:21:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463341/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:21:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463341/v1 Background: Cardiotoxic effects of childhood cancer treatment on the right ventricle (RV) are sparsely studied among long-term childhood cancer survivors (CCS). Objectives: We investigated RV function and risk factors for impaired function. Methods: We invited CCS ≥18 years of age, diagnosed between ages 0–20 years, treated in one of five pediatric oncology centers across Switzerland from 1976–2017, who survived ≥5 years, for an echocardiographic assessment of the RV including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE, abnormal <17mm) and Doppler tissue imaging (DTI, abnormal <9.5cm/s). Results: We included 432 CCS with median age at study of 34 years (interquartile range 26–40). Overall prevalence of RV dysfunction was 4% for both methods (mean TAPSE 22.5±3.8mm; mean DTI 13.1±2.2cm/s). Risk factors for decreased RV function were cumulative heart-relevant radiotherapy (RT) dose [Beta coefficient (B)=-0.46;95%CI -0.73– -0.20]; hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (B=-1.88;95%CI -3.35– -0.40); cisplatin (B=-1.29;95%CI -2.38– -0.19); diabetes mellitus (B=-2.57;95%CI -4.99– -0.15); and abdominal obesity (B=-0.79;95%CI -1.58–0.00) when measured by TAPSE. For DTI, we identified cumulative heart-relevant RT dose (B=-0.19; 95%CI -0.37– -0.01); relapse (B=-0.94;95%CI -1.74– -0.15); and abdominal obesity (B=-0.80;95%CI -1.37– -0.24) as risk factors. Cumulative anthracycline dose was not associated with impaired RV function measured by TAPSE (B=-0.23;95%CI -0.49–0.03) or DTI (B=-0.06;95%CI -0.25–0.13). Conclusions: RV dysfunction is rare in young adult CCS. The risk is increased after heart-relevant RT and by obesity. Given the prognostic value of RV dysfunction for all-cause mortality, we suggest including RV echocardiography to the routine follow-up care of CCS. Tomáš Sláma, Reto D Kurmann, Eva Hägler-Laube, Gabriela M Kuster, Nana K Poku, Eva Scheler, Claudia E Kuehni, Nicolas X von der Weid, Christina Schindera 2026-01-06 09:21:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8398968/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:21:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398968/v1 Introduction Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database is a cornerstone of post-market medical device surveillance in the United States, yet its large size, heterogeneous formats, and complex relational structure make it difficult for clinicians and researchers without advanced programming skills to use. This study describes the design and implementation of MAUDE-Dash, an open-source, interactive dashboard that streamlines the ingestion, management, and analysis of MAUDE data.Methods MAUDE-Dash utilizes a two-layer Python-based architecture. A dedicated ingestion pipeline normalizes and loads the public MAUDE text files into a single, efficient analytical database built on DuckDB. A Streamlit web application provides accessible modules for filtering reports, computing key performance indicators, visualizing temporal trends, characterizing patient demographics, interpreting device and patient problem codes, and performing narrative text analysis.Results In a demonstration use case involving pedicle screw systems, MAUDE-Dash rapidly identified thousands of relevant reports from 2018–2023. The dashboard enabled interactive exploration of yearly report volumes, distributions of event types, predominant manufacturers, common problem codes, and recurrent narrative terms (e.g., screw fracture, loosening). The complete analytic workflow—from query definition to denormalized dataset export—was achieved within minutes, significantly reducing technical barriers and analytic time compared to traditional methods.Conclusions MAUDE-Dash operationalizes an efficient, reproducible framework for post-market surveillance. By integrating an optimized local database with an accessible, modular interface, it democratizes large-scale signal exploration and hypothesis generation, providing an extensible platform for advanced safety analyses. Mokshal Porwal 2026-01-06 09:21:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8408992/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:21:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8408992/v1 Background Fulfilling the promise of human genetics in elucidating disease requires identifying causal variants and genes underlying genetic association signals. Molecular quantitative trait locus (molQTL) analyses, e.g. expression QTL (eQTL) and splicing QTL (sQTL), link genetic variants to intermediate molecular phenotypes, but pinpointing causal variants and their regulatory effects remains challenging. Here, we integrate sQTL analysis with deep-learning-based splicing effect annotation to identify causal genetic variants and elucidate their functional mechanisms affecting human phenotypes.Results Using a single-cell GWAS method (scHi-HOST) on 96 lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) with and without influenza A virus (IAV) infection, we discovered ~ 43,000 sQTLs associated with 217 genes after IAV infection. Integrating sQTLs with AI splice prediction, we uncovered 76 likely causal variants that affect cis-acting molecular splicing components (5’ donor, 3’ acceptor), supported by further computational analysis. Among these, we experimentally validated a causal sQTL signal affecting poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 2 (PARP2). The causal variant, rs2297616, alters the 5’ splice donor site in the second intron of PARP2, resulting in two protein isoforms differing by 13 amino acids. The derived A allele was associated with the longer protein isoform and increased IAV levels in LCLs. CRISPR editing validated the causal effect of this variant on both protein length and IAV infection. Lastly, these 76 putative causal sQTLs were further linked to over a hundred GWAS traits, including many variants associated with autoimmune diseases.Conclusions Our work provides a catalog of causal sQTL with direct splicing impacts, providing causal mechanistic insights from genotype to disease susceptibility. Liuyang Wang, Guinevere Connelly, Trisha Dalapati, Angela Jones, Benjamin Schott, Joseph Trimarco, Nicholas Heaton, Dennis Ko 2026-01-06 09:21:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8439616/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:20:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8439616/v1 Backgroud: Vascular injury, particularly involving Henle’s trunk, remains a major challenge during complete mesocolic excision (CME) for right-sided colon cancer. Due to the high anatomical variability of right-sided colonic vessels, the influence of tumor location, and heterogeneity in operative techniques, radical right hemicolectomy (RRC) continues to be a high-risk procedure. This study aims to identify strategies that reduce vascular injury and enhance mesenteric margin integrity in standardized CME surgery. Material and methods: Patients with right-sided colon cancer underwent manual subtraction CTA to determine MCA branching types and MCV–Henle’s trunk configurations. Based on these findings, individualized surgical plans were established emphasizing artery-first, sheath-based dissection. Operative outcomes were compared with those of conventional CME cases regarding intraoperative bleeding, vascular injury rate, and the subjective assessment of mesenteric margin integrity. Results: Preoperative CTA successfully identified MCA and MCV–Henle’s trunk types in >90% of patients. The CTA-guided artery-first group showed significantly fewer venous injuries and improved exposure of the Henle’s trunk and SMV compared with the conventional group. No MCV injuries occurred, and CME specimen integrity improved steadily with experience. Conclusions: Manual subtraction CTA allows accurate visualization of fine vascular anatomy and facilitates a safe, artery-first CME strategy for right-sided colon cancer. CTA-guided sheath dissection reduces intraoperative venous bleeding and improves surgical precision. Lei Wang, Ge Li, Ying Lv, Ying Wang, Yiheng Xue, Zhongkai Xu, Guoqin Liu 2026-01-06 09:20:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8419205/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:20:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8419205/v1 Background Understanding the mechanisms of action of compounds inhibiting methanogenesis can aid understanding the variation in their efficacy as feed additives for mitigating enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants. 2-Bromoethanesulfonate (BES) and 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) inhibit methanogenesis by acting as structural analogs of methyl-coenzyme M (methyl-CoM), a methyl donor in the last reaction of methanogenesis. We hypothesized that a high concentration of methyl-CoM and its nonmethylated form, coenzyme M (CoM), would block the antimethanogenic effects of BES and 3-NOP in mixed rumen cultures and would not affect bromoform (BMF), which acts through a different mechanism. This hypothesis and the possible underlying mechanisms were examined in one ruminal serial culture and three batch culture experiments.Results Coenzyme M and methyl-CoM added at 1 mM blocked the inhibition of methanogenesis by BES but not by 3-NOP or BMF. 2-Bromoethanesulfonate strongly decreased the relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter ruminantium but did not affect other methanogens. Similar to CH4 production, the effect of BES on the relative abundance of M. ruminantium was reversed by CoM and methyl-CoM. Because M. ruminantium cannot synthesize CoM and must take up exogenous CoM, the sensitivity of methanogens to BES may depend on them lacking the genetic capacity to synthesize CoM, as BES and CoM compete for transmembrane transport. In contrast, 3-NOP diffuses across cell membranes and does not compete for transmembrane transport with CoM, which is consistent with its effects not being reversed by CoM or methyl-CoM. Bromoform does not act competitively with CoM or methyl-CoM so that the addition of CoM or methyl-CoM did not reverse the effects of BMF.Conclusions These results may explain previous observations of lack of persistence of BES in vivo and in continuous cultures. Long-term BES supplementation is thought to shift the archaeal community towards methanogens that do not require exogenous CoM and are tolerant to BES. The effects of 3-NOP and BMF were unaffected by the addition of CoM and methyl-CoM presumably because they can diffuse across cell membranes, and in the case of BMF, the inhibition of methyl-tetrahydromethanopterin: coenzyme M methyltransferase may not be relieved by CoM or methyl-CoM. Emilio M. Ungerfeld, Nathaly Cancino, M. Florencia Samoluk, Gustavo Jaurena, Boma V. Iriso, Nikola Palevich 2026-01-06 09:20:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8339458/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:19:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8339458/v1 This study aims to examine the impact of systematic quality assurance practices of accreditation, monitoring and evaluation, and curriculum on human resource development based on the mediating role of student engagement. Partial least squares structural modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze empirical data collected from 309 respondents from higher education institutions in Afghanistan. The findings exhibited that accreditation, monitoring and evaluation, and curriculum have a strong and positive impact on human resource development. These relationships are also significantly mediated by student engagement. Quality assurance is globally recognized as essential for higher education to produce competent graduates who meet international standards. Thus, quality assurance in higher education provides valuable guidance for policymakers and institutions seeking to enhance human resource development and support national improvement. However, to improve the quality of higher education, understanding the influence of other factors is imperative. Niamatullah Achackzai, Abbokar Siddiq 2026-01-06 09:19:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490663/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:16:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490663/v1 The expansion of internet connectivity and mobile technologies has transformed financial services worldwide, positioning digital banking as a key platform for transactions. In Ethiopia, adoption has accelerated through regulatory reforms and national strategies such as Digital Ethiopia 2025 and the National Financial Inclusion Strategy. Despite these developments, empirical studies remain limited, particularly in urban contexts where usage is rapidly increasing. This study applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) to examine factors influencing digital banking utilization in Addis Ababa. Using survey data from 405 respondents and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the analysis shows that facilitating conditions and price value were the strongest predictors of adoption, followed by performance expectancy and social influence, while effort expectancy was not significant. These findings underscored the importance of infrastructure readiness, affordability, and normative influences in shaping digital banking users. The study contributes to technology adoption literature by contextualizing UTAUT2 within Ethiopia’s financial sector and offers practical insights for policymakers, banks, and technology providers seeking to advance digital financial inclusion. Abebe Tilahun 2026-01-06 09:16:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8490312/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:11:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8490312/v1 Generating plausible traffic‑speed scenarios over multiple interconnected road segments is crucial for applications such as traffic optimization, urban‑planning analysis, and traffic management. Traditional statistical approaches, such as Copulas, tend to be computationally expensive both during training and scenario generation, which severely limits their applicability to large urban networks. To address these challenges, two novel deep generative architectures for synthesizing realistic spatial traffic‑speed scenarios across urban road networks are proposed: a Graph-based $\beta$-Variational Autoencoder with Dual Latent Vectors ($\beta$-GCN-VAE) and a Transformer-based Variational Autoencoder ($\beta$-T-VAE). The $\beta$-GCN-VAE enhances the variational framework by adopting a higher $\beta$ coefficient to encourage more disentangled latent representations, while the $\beta$‑T‑VAE incorporates a transformer decoder with multi‑head non-causal self‑attention, enabling direct modeling of long‑range spatial dependencies that cannot be captured by convolutional structures alone. The paper also compares two $\beta$‑scheduling strategies, linear and periodic, to assess how different annealing dynamics influence reconstruction quality, latent‑space organization, and overall generative performance. Both architectures are trained on large-scale urban traffic-speed datasets collected in the Chinese megacity of Chengdu. Extensive experiments show that they substantially outperform standard VAEs, GANs, and the statistical Copula baselines in terms of distributional fidelity, spatial coherence, and computational efficiency. Michele Carbonera, Michele Ciavotta, Enza Messina 2026-01-06 09:11:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8476239/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:11:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8476239/v1 The opioid epidemic continues to impose substantial social and financial burdens across the United States. Few studies have quantitatively integrated pharmacy-benefit-management (PBM) levers with social determinants of health (SDOH) to understand geographic variation in opioid-related spending. This study develops an interpretable county-level machine-learning framework linking Medicare Part D opioid prescribing patterns (2013–2023) with socioeconomic, behavioral, and healthcare-access indicators from County Health Rankings. Using a Random Forest regression pipeline with automated feature engineering and five-fold cross-validation, the model achieved an R² of 0.97 and RMSE of $445, accurately predicting opioid cost per capita across U.S. counties. Utilization-driven variables—including cost per claim, opioid prescribing rate, and claim density—were the dominant predictors, while structural vulnerabilities such as unemployment, income inequality, and limited mental-health-provider availability contributed additional upward pressure. Counterfactual simulations quantified the fiscal effects of PBM strategies (formulary tightening, utilization guidance, and cost-per-claim reduction) and SDOH improvements (expanded primary care and behavioral-health capacity, reductions in smoking and obesity). PBM interventions produced short-term reductions in predicted opioid cost per capita, while SDOH improvements generated broader and more sustained declines. The combined PBM + SDOH scenario produced the largest modeled reduction nationally. This integrated framework demonstrates how coupling PBM program design with social and structural determinants can improve fiscal planning, target high-burden counties, and inform equitable opioid policy. This study evaluates whether publicly available PBM utilization indicators and county-level social determinants of health can jointly predict opioid cost burden and inform policy-relevant simulation scenarios. mohit singhal 2026-01-06 09:11:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8238790/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:06:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8238790/v1 This study empirically investigates the synergistic effects of digitalization and the renewable energy transition on environmental sustainability—measured by the Load Capacity Factor (LCF)—in five ASEAN economies (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam) from 1995 to 2022. Utilizing a composite digitalization index constructed via Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the research employs robust panel methodologies (AMG, CCEMG, and CS-ARDL) to account for cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity. The findings demonstrate that both digitalization and renewable energy significantly enhance LCF, with a one-standard-deviation increase in the digital index boosting LCF by 12.6%. Conversely, economic growth exerts a detrimental effect. Causality tests confirm a reinforcing bidirectional relationship between sustainability and its key drivers. The study concludes that integrated policies fostering low-carbon digital infrastructure and incentivizing renewables are crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals in these rapidly evolving, resource-dependent regions. Shoaib Akhtar, Jamal Hussain 2026-01-06 09:06:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7749365/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 09:00:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7749365/v1 The method of Slow Evaporation (SlEv) is carried out to create a single crystal of L-glutamic acid hydroiodide, a novel semi-organic nonlinear optical (NLO) substance with excellent optical quality. Both functional and optical characterization were applied to the crystal structure. The sample's lattice characteristics were ascertained using the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The sample's UV-Vis-NIR spectrum analysis projects that the crystal is optically transparent in the visible and infrared (IR) spectrums. The presence of several functional groups in the sample was verified by FT-IR spectroscopy. At various temperatures, the crystal's dielectric characteristics were scrutinized as a function of frequency. The material is a positive photoconductor, according to photoconductivity experiments. Using a Nd:YAG laser and the Kurtz-Perry method, the crystal's second harmonic generation (SHG) effectiveness was shown and contrasted with that of a potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal. J. Aarthi, T. Krishnakumar, Asokan Vasudevan, A. Shameem, A Sivaprakasam, R. Govindan, T. Prakash, V. Vijaylakshmi 2026-01-06 09:00:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481790/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:51:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481790/v1 Lunar-based gravitational-wave interferometry is a fascinating endeavor, and was proposed as a promising approach to bridge the observational gap between space-borne and ground-based detectors. In this work, we adopt the Fisher-matrix method to examine the angular-resolution performance of the newly proposed Crater Interferometry Gravitational-wave Observatory (CIGO) on the lunar crater rim near the north pole, together with TianQin and LISA, for monochromatic sources in the 0.1–10Hz band. We find that above 0.1Hz, CIGO achieves better localization accuracy than the other two space-based missions and dominates the combined detector network’s performance, provided that lunar noise mitigation is achieved in the 0.1–2.87 Hz frequency range. We further explore an upgraded Tetrahedron configuration, TCIGO, with a fourth station at the bottom of a crater, which forms a regular tetrahedral constellation on the lunar surface. The result shows that TCIGO yields a five-fold improvement in angular-resolution capability over CIGO and gets better sky coverage across the target frequency band. Xiaolin Zhang, Chengye Yu, Haoran Li, Sobhan Kazempour, Mingqiu Li, Sichun Sun 2026-01-06 08:51:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8472821/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:39:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8472821/v1 The aggressive scaling of semiconductor devices into the sub-10nm and Angstrom regimes has rendered classical Fourier-based heat diffusion models obsolete. In 3D Integrated Circuits (3D-ICs), vertical stacking creates a “Thermal Trap” where phonons behave ballistically rather than diffusively. This paper introduces a novel framework synthesizing Homi Bhabha’s Cascade Physics and Srinivasa Ramanujan’s Mock Theta Functions to predict internal silicon temperatures. We demonstrate that at the 9nm node, industry tools underestimate junction temperatures by as much as 48.5◦C. By deriving Effective Thermal Conductivity (keff ) via Mellin Transforms and Knudsen scaling, we establish a rigorous calculation methodology. Our results, verified against hardware-level simulation, enable “Thermal-Aware” design for 3nm and 2nm architectures, bridging the gap between macroscopic simulation and quantum-thermal reality. S. Eshwar Rao 2026-01-06 08:39:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8472714/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:27:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8472714/v1 As semiconductor scaling enters the 3nm Gate-AllAround (GAA) and 2nm nodes, traditional Gaussian Statistical Static Timing Analysis (SSTA) encounters a “Variation Singularity”—a critical threshold where deterministic models and fixed-sigma approximations fundamentally diverge from silicon reality. Current industry standards, while moving toward AOCV/POCV, remain bound by the Gaussian truncation of the delay tail, leading to either excessive guardbanding or field instability. This paper introduces the Asymptotic Timing Sign-off Methodology, a high-order, moment-aware framework that transcends standard industry assumptions. By unifying the principles of thermal ionization (Saha), occupancy clustering (Bose), and lattice-stress (Raman) with the asymptotic expansions of Ramanujan and Cornish-Fisher, we derive a master signoff condition that eliminates tail-induced “Silent Escapes.” This methodology identifies the exact quantile boundaries missed by traditional fixed-sigma margining, offering a mathematically rigorous path for sub-5nm reliability. Experimental results demonstrate a 6–11% frequency advantage in 2nm logic over current industry standards by reclaiming wasted pessimism through high-fidelity tail awareness. S. Eshwar Rao 2026-01-06 08:27:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481751/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:27:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481751/v1 Globally, an estimated 1.3 billion people—approximately 16% of the world’s population—live with disabilities, yet access to higher education remains highly unequal, particularly in low-income and post-conflict contexts. In Africa, nearly 90% of children with disabilities are excluded from schooling, a disadvantage that often persists into adulthood. In Somaliland, little empirical evidence exists on inclusive practices within universities. This study examined physical, instructional, and institutional barriers to inclusive education and explored the lived experiences of university students with disabilities in Hargeisa. A descriptive cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected using structured surveys among 87 participants comprising academic staff, institutional leaders, and students with disabilities from five universities. Qualitative data were generated through in-depth interviews with selected students and deans. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Findings revealed that although 58.9% of respondents were aware of inclusive education policies, only 21.4% reported the existence of written institutional policies. Access to assistive technologies (17.9%) and dedicated budget allocations for disability inclusion (5.4%) were critically limited. Qualitative findings highlighted persistent physical inaccessibility, negative socio-cultural attitudes, inadequate instructional adaptations, and weak psychosocial support. Inclusive education in Somaliland universities remains underdeveloped. Weak policy implementation, limited institutional resources, and entrenched stigma continue to restrict equitable participation for students with disabilities. Comprehensive policy enforcement, infrastructure development, staff capacity building, and strengthened student support systems are urgently required to advance inclusive higher education. Mustafe Yusuf Said 2026-01-06 08:27:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485057/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:22:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485057/v1 Background Shortages in the HIV workforce threaten equitable access to care for youth with HIV (YWH) experiencing high rates of undiagnosed infection and suboptimal engagement. Nurse practitioners (NPs) may expand HIV care capacity, but evidence is limited.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in two U.S. adolescent and adult HIV programs. Electronic health record data were merged with patient-reported surveys assessing trust, adherence, and stigma across an eight-month pre– and post–COVID-19 period. Provider type’s (NP vs. physician) were compared.Results Among 109 participants (mean age 26 years), viral suppression did not differ by provider type. Youth receiving NP-led care had higher CD4 counts, more visits, greater telehealth use, and were more likely to report higher patient-provider trust.Conclusions NP-led HIV care for youth achieved clinical outcomes comparable to physician care and was associated with higher trust and engagement, underscoring the role of nurse practitioners in strengthening the HIV workforce. Emily Anne Barr, Suzanne E. Courtwright, Sheryl Malone-Thomas, Lori Silveira, Deborah Kacanek, Paul Cook, Sean M. Reed, Hillary Dunlevy 2026-01-06 08:22:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8480906/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:20:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8480906/v1 The objective of this paper is to examine how agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is being adopted in practice, with particular  attention to its security implications, and to identify domains where adoption is progressing more slowly due to regulatory, ethical,  and oversight requirements. This research is important because agentic AI offers new efficiencies and autonomy but simultaneously  introduces risks related to trust, accountability, and adversarial exploitation. Prior work on autonomous systems, AI governance,  and security automation provides a foundation, and recent studies highlight a contrast between rapid adoption in digitally bounded,  low-stakes environments and slower uptake in safety-critical contexts. Building on this foundation, the paper adopts a systematic  literature review combined with comparative domain analysis to classify adoption trends. The approach draws on academic  publications, industry reports, and regulatory frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and the EU AI Act,  which explicitly designate domains like healthcare, defense, and social care as high-risk. The results indicate that agentic AI has  advanced most quickly in areas such as customer service, software engineering assistance, and cybersecurity operations centers,  where regulatory barriers are minimal and oversight is straightforward. By contrast, adoption remains constrained in healthcare,  defense, and social care, where pilot projects exist but mainstream deployment is slowed by requirements for explainability,  liability, and human-in-the-loop controls. The implications of these findings are significant for academics extending adoption  models, researchers designing security frameworks, and practitioners balancing innovation with governance. The value of this  paper lies in presenting a conceptual “Agentic AI Security Adoption Matrix,” which offers an original perspective on how adoption  speed and security sensitivity interact, and provides guidance on where agentic AI may thrive versus where its deployment will  require cautious, regulated progression. Guy Waizel 2026-01-06 08:20:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8460167/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:15:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8460167/v1 Background Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health challenge in Thailand, a high-burden country undergoing both epidemiological transition and pandemic-related disruption. This study examined temporal and spatial patterns of age-standardized TB incidence from 2012 to 2023 across Thailand’s 13 health regions and 77 provinces.Methods National tuberculosis surveillance data were used for all analyses. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) were calculated using the WHO World Standard Population (2000–2025). Temporal trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression to estimate Health region–specific annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC). Generalized Additive Models (GAM) were fitted to validate the temporal trajectories. Spatial clustering was evaluated using Global Moran’s I and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA), applied to provincial AAPC values.Results National TB incidence declined substantially from 2012 to 2023, although marked regional heterogeneity persisted. Five regions demonstrated the strongest long-term reductions: region 3 (AAPC − 20.51, 95%CI: −33.00 to − 13.77), region 9 (− 19.42, 95%CI: −28.98 to − 8.57), region 4 (− 17.53, 95%CI: −23.64 to − 12.89), region 11 (− 11.79, 95%CI: −22.16 to − 0.04), and region 13 (− 11.19, 95%CI: −22.44 to − 3.74). Several regions exhibited biphasic trends, including region 6, which showed an early decline followed by stabilization, and region 12, which experienced a mid-period increase before a post-2019 reduction. Spatial analysis revealed limited global clustering, but LISA identified distinct local patterns. Three provinces (Phayao, Phetchabun, Yasothon) formed high-high clusters with increasing AAPC values, while four provinces (Buri Ram, Ang Thong, Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok) formed low-low clusters with sustained declines. High-low and low-high outliers highlighted further geographic heterogeneity.Conclusions Thailand has achieved substantial reductions in TB incidence over the past decade however, pronounced regional and provincial disparities persist. Localized hotspots and divergent temporal trajectories underscore the need for geographically targeted monitoring, equitable resource allocation, and pro-poor interventions to sustain progress toward TB elimination. Kittipong Sornlorm, Roshan Kumar Mahato, Sarayu Muntaphan, Kanit Hnuploy, Rajitra Nawawonganun 2026-01-06 08:15:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7509740/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:11:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7509740/v1 Precise functionalization of heterogeneous interfaces in nanofibers is essential for advanced personal protective membranes. Here, we demonstrate a hierarchically heterogeneous interface structuring (HHIS) strategy to fabricate microenvironment-regulating and self-decontaminating meta-membranes (MRSD-PLA) by embedding zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocrystals within poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers and anchoring F-TiO2 nanoblocks on their surfaces, creating an electronegativity contrast that directs electron migration and charge redistribution. ZIF-8 of porosity and electroactivity could enable charge capture/storage and trans-membrane transport (water vapor transmission rate: 4018 g·m⁻2·d⁻1; air permeability > 60 mm·s⁻1 at 100 Pa). Combined with the hydrophobicity and self-cleaning capability from F-TiO2, a sustained charge migration establishes a closed-loop capture-storage-regeneration cycle. This results in self-powered sensitive monitoring and a high PM0.3 filtration efficiency of 99.3% yet a low pressure drop of 51.9 Pa (quality factor: 0.11 Pa⁻1) Moreover, MRSD-PLA inhibit bacterial growth and balance robust mechanical strength with biodegradability, showcasing great potential for high-performance personal protection. Huan Xu, Shao-Zhen Wang, Xinjian He, Xing-Hua Wei, Guiying Zhu, Jia-Lian Gao, Zhuang Huang, Yue Zhao, Xiao-Peng Li, Jie Feng Gao 2026-01-06 08:11:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484872/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 08:10:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484872/v1 Heart disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, highlighting the need for accurate and scalable predictive models to support early diagnosis and clinical decision-making. In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of machine learning approaches for heart disease prediction using a large, publicly available clinical dataset obtained from IEEE DataPort. The dataset integrates multiple established heart disease cohorts and includes key demographic and clinical variables relevant to cardiovascular risk assessment. Two supervised machine learning models—Random Forest and Support Vector Machine (SVM)—were developed and evaluated to classify the presence of heart disease. Model performance was assessed using accuracy, precision, and recall metrics. The Random Forest model achieved an accuracy of 0.89, with a precision of 0.85 and a recall of 0.83, demonstrating strong overall performance and balanced predictive capability. The SVM model achieved an accuracy of 0.88, with a recall of 0.85 and a precision of 0.81, indicating robust sensitivity in identifying positive cases. Fatemeh Hosseinabadi, Seyedhassan Sharifi 2026-01-06 08:10:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8201863/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 07:58:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8201863/v1 Boost converters with unique voltage step-up capacities are key components of modern electrification and intelligent technologies. However, the existing Boost converter models relying on steady-state assumptions fail to predict transient dynamics during input voltage or load fluctuations, so the Boost converters designed based on existing models often exhibit substantial output voltage overshoots, leading to failures of whole electrical systems. This study introduces an energy conservation-based mathematical framework (ECMF) for Boost converters by incorporating non-ideal component coupling. As compared to the existing models, the proposed ECMF reduces steady-state and dynamic-state errors between experimental and simulated output voltages by factors of 11.0 (from 20.9% to 1.9%) and 15.4 (from 77.1% to 5.0%) under input voltage variations, and by factors of 10.2 (from 15.3% to 1.5%) and 35.1 (from 42.1% to 1.2%) under load changes, respectively. Further, the quantitative relations between individual parameters and output voltages were systematically investigated and delineated overshoot mitigation strategies were developed for representative scenarios for the first time. Consequently, a highly reliable Boost converter is accordingly designed and on-orbit deployed for accurate energy conversions in space. Tao Ye, Yifan Wang, Wenhua Li, Zhenlong Wang, Xinrui Zhang, Jianfeng Sun, Qianfu Xia, Zhongtao Gou, Jiangang Rong 2026-01-06 07:58:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8407772/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 07:35:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8407772/v1 This study investigates the perceptions of English instructors on the use of technology-based educational platforms, such as Kahoot, Quizlet, and Quizalize, for teaching English vocabulary at the tertiary level in Pakistan and Türkiye. The research context is framed by the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries, aiming to establish common educational policies in higher education. The study employed a qualitative research design, utilizing convenient and snowball sampling methods to collect primary data. The results revealed that English instructors in both countries viewed these platforms positively for vocabulary instruction despite of a lack of an integrated curriculum for their effective implementation. The research also identified both commonalities and differences in the teaching practices and educational approaches of instructors in these two nations. It was concluded by offering several recommendations for future research, emphasizing the need for a more structured approach to integrating technology in language education. Zekiye SEİS 2026-01-06 07:35:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8485869/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 07:33:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8485869/v1 Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder, frequently identified during fertility assessments but often emerging shortly after menarche. Over the past decade, qualitative research has underscored its substantial psychosocial impact, including heightened anxiety, body image concerns, fears surrounding infertility, and societal pressures. This study seeks to examine women’s beliefs, cultural perceptions, treatment experiences, and emotional responses related to PCOS, with the goal of guiding researchers and healthcare professionals in designing patient-centred, culturally sensitive, and holistic interventions that address both the physical and psychological dimensions of the condition.Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted among women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome within age range of 15–49 years at a tertiary care hospital, in Mysuru District of Karnataka. A purposive sampling technique was adopted and data collection period lasted for 3 months, from November 2024 to January 2025. In-depth interviews were conducted using a structured, and validated interview guide. Thematic analysis was employed as the primary analytical framework and systematic coding, and organisation of data was done on NVivo 15 software.Results: The study found significant gaps in awareness, especially in rural areas, where myths lead to symptom interpretation. Participants reported poor quality government sanitary napkins, delayed diagnoses, and lack of empathy from providers. Physical concerns included fatigue, poor sleep, and difficulty with lifestyle changes. Emotional stressors like fertility anxiety and stigma were common, with many expressing a need for psychological support. Barriers such as low health literacy, poor screening, and limited healthcare access were noted. Though PCOS was seen as manageable, frustration remained. These findings highlight the urgent need for affordable, empathetic and accessible PCOS-related healthcare services.Conclusion: The multifaceted impact of PCOS is highlighted in the present study with includes the physical, emotional, social and systematic changes. Key issues include low awareness, stigma, delayed diagnoses and limited access to affordable care. Participants stressed the need for awareness campaigns, stronger primary care, community support and school-level education and screening. Addressing these through a holistic, multi-level approach involving individuals, communities and policymakers can lead to a more inclusive, informed and effective PCOS care and management. Alisha Thomas, Steven Sam Mathew, D M Shilpa, Chaitra C, Yashaswini G R 2026-01-06 07:33:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8473610/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 07:25:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8473610/v1 Single-board computers (SBCs) are widely used for UAV motion planning but suffer from high idle power consumption, which undermines energy efficiency in low-duty-cycle navigation tasks. This paper challenges the prevailing “race-to-sleep” paradigm by proposing a deterministic, static-memory Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) planner tailored for Cortex-M microcontrollers. We introduce a three-stage pipeline—comprising RRT expansion, visibility pruning, and Bézier smoothing—implemented entirely using static memory allocation to eliminate heap fragmentation and ensure predictable execution within a strict 20 KB SRAM budget. Experimental comparisons between an STM32F103 (Cortex-M3) and an NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano reveal that while the microcontroller exhibits higher latency (0.8 s vs. 0.03 s), it operates at only 99 mW, reducing the energy cost per planning cycle by 3.7 times compared to the SBC. By eliminating the multi-watt idle power overhead of SBCs, the proposed architecture offers a more sustainable and safety-compliant solution for SWaP-constrained aerial robots. Shangen Tsai, Chiahan Hsieh 2026-01-06 07:25:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8417322/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 07:20:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8417322/v1 Background:Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including rural Uganda, commonly experience low nutrition literacy and poor diet quality, increasing their risk of malnutrition and diet-related non-communicable diseases. Most nutrition education interventions originate from high-income or school-based contexts, limiting relevance for rural and out-of-school AYAs. Context-specific, community-anchored interventions, and guidance on how to implement them within existing health systems ‒ remain scarce. We therefore used Intervention Mapping (IM) to support a systematic South–South participatory adaptation of a visual-aided adolescent nutrition intervention from peri-urban Burkina Faso and to operationalize implementation strategies for household-level delivery in rural Uganda. Adaptation process and implementation strategies: We applied the iterative six-step IM protocol, grounded in the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). A multi-stakeholder planning group comprising AYAs, parents, community health workers (CHWs), Government officials, and technical experts co-produced adaptations across six IM-aligned co-design workshops. A mixed-methods, SEM-guided needs assessment identified nutrition literacy, parental influence, receptiveness to CHW advice, food-related myths, and limited access to diverse foods as priority determinants of AYAs’ diet quality. Behavioural and environmental outcomes were specified, SCT-informed behaviour change methods were mapped, and translated into discrete, CHW-led implementation strategies, including training, use of visual aids, standard operating procedures–guided household visits, demonstration-based counselling, and supervision to support fidelity. Key adaptations included redesigning visual materials for low-literacy audiences, revising content to rural dietary realities, and embedding delivery within Uganda’s nationally institutionalized CHW platform. Nine visual-aided thematic flyers were produced, piloted, and refined. The process generated a rural Uganda–specific logic model of the problem, theory of change, a fully adapted intervention package, and operationalized implementation strategies for monthly CHW household delivery. Implications for implementation practice: By operationalizing implementation strategies alongside intervention adaptation, this study provides an actionable template for localizing visual-aided behaviour-change interventions within community health systems serving underserved AYAs in rural SSA, strengthening implementation readiness, fidelity, and scalability. Conclusion: A randomized controlled trial with an embedded process evaluation is underway. If effective, the operationalized CHW-led implementation strategies could support scale-up across rural Uganda and comparable SSA settings to improve AYAs’ nutrition literacy and diet quality. Trial registration: PACTR202501305580883 Thomas Buyinza, Rawlance Ndejjo, Sylvain Some, Leatitia Paumard, Nikola Todorovic, Magda Rosenmöller, David Guwatudde, Edward Buzigi 2026-01-06 07:20:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8330519/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:50:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8330519/v1 Age-related cognitive decline represents a major and unresolved challenge of human aging. Here, we identify the NAD⁺-consuming enzyme CD38 as a central regulator of cognitive aging acting through a choroid plexus–cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)–hippocampus axis. CD38 expression increases with age and localizes primarily to pericytes in the choroid plexus, where it depletes NAD⁺, impairs mitochondrial function, and promotes cellular senescence. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of CD38 restores NAD⁺ levels, suppresses senescence markers, and improves choroid plexus function, resulting in a rejuvenated CSF proteomic and metabolomic profile characterized by reduced inflammatory signaling and enhanced neurotrophic support. These changes propagate to the hippocampus, reversing age-related transcriptional signatures and enhancing synaptic plasticity. A novel, brain-penetrant CD38 inhibitor, NTX-748, reproduced the benefits of CD38 deficiency—elevating systemic and brain NAD⁺ levels, improving long-term potentiation, and enhancing multiple domains of cognition in aged mice. Collectively, these findings identify the choroid plexus as a metabolic gatekeeper of brain aging and establish CD38 inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy to promote cognitive resilience and healthy brain aging. Eric Verdin, Jingqi Fang, Rebeccah Riley, Kevin Schneider, Rosalba Perrone, Prasanna Kumaar, Christina King, Grant Kauwe, Andrea Roberts, Genesis Vega Hormazabal, Yini Zhang, Ethan Millard, Xinran Liu, Wendy Jara, Carlos Galicia Aguirre, Harrison Baker, Natalia Murad, Ben Ambrose, Tommy Tran, Nicolas Martin, Ran Zhang, Durai Sellegounder, Simon Melov, David Furman, Tara Tracy, Akos Gerencser, Birgit Schilling, Lisa Ellerby 2026-01-06 06:50:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8456938/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:48:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8456938/v1 Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by toxic CTG repeat expansions in the 3′UTR of the DMPK gene, leading to pathogenic RNA gain-of-function effects and widespread splicing abnormalities. RNA-targeting strategies such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and CRISPR-Cas13 hold strong therapeutic promise, but require reproducible design frameworks that balance specificity with potency. Here, we present a transparent computational pipeline for candidate identification and evaluation at the DMPK locus. The pipeline integrates off-target searches, RNA structure predictions, and composite scoring metrics to generate 50 ASO and 50 Cas13 candidates. ASOs achieved absolute specificity with zero off-targets, clustering tightly around moderate composite scores (mean 57.71), while Cas13 guides consistently carried a single off-target that mapped uniquely to the DMPK gene, with no additional genes affected yet delivered superior thermodynamic properties and higher corrected scores (62.12 vs. 57.71). By anchoring design to the pathogenic 3′UTR region and releasing complete candidate listings, this framework ensures methodological rigor, reproducibility, and translational relevance. Overall, it advances readiness for DM1 therapy by combining ASO safety with Cas13 potency, and establishes a reproducible foundation for precision RNA therapeutics across both monogenic and complex diseases. Seyed Mohammad Javad Hashemi 2026-01-06 06:48:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8416826/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:46:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8416826/v1 Recovering 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) from fermentation broth is challenging due to its complex composition and impurities. This work develops an integrated aqueous two-phase extraction–distillation method to improve recovery efficiency. Screening of multiple aqueous two-phase systems identified isobutanol/K2HPO4 as the most effective based on distribution behavior. A CCD-RSM design was used to optimize salt concentration, temperature, and solvent content, yielding ideal conditions of 25% (w/v) K2HPO4, 40 °C, and 30% (v/v) isobutanol. Under these settings, the system achieved a distribution coefficient of 60.47 and an extraction efficiency of 98.23%, slightly higher (0.42%) than model predictions. The enriched extract was subsequently concentrated by distillation, and scale-up runs delivered 98.31% extraction and 98.02% recovery with product purity exceeding 99% in a single cycle. Methanol-assisted crystallization enabled 96.85% recovery of K2HPO4 from the aqueous stream. Overall, this cost-efficient and scalable process enhances 2,3-BD separation while facilitating solvent and salt reuse for industrial applications. Pramod Gawal, Sweta Lataye 2026-01-06 06:46:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8466490/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:40:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8466490/v1 In this paper for the first time the frequency of complex double strand breaks (DSB) and non-DSB clustered damage behind spacecraft and tissue shielding from exposure to galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and secondary radiation are predicted. Elementary DNA lesions produced by ionizing radiaiton include single strand breaks (SSB) and various forms of base damages (BD) (e.g. abasic or oxidative sites). Clustered DNA damage is defined by the occurence of 2 or more elementary lesions within 10 base-pairs (bp), and complex clustered damage as 3 or more elementary lesions within 10 bp. Clustered DNA damage is more difficult to repair compared to simple forms of DNA damage, while the relative contribution of clustered to simple DNA damage increases with ionizaton density or linear energy transfer (LET), and thefore imporant for space radiation exposures. The author has developed the multinominal model of clustered DNA damage that uses nanoscopic energy imparted spectra in DNA volumes and damage location probability operators to predict clustered DNA damage frequencies. In this paper, I combine the results of the multinomial model with GCR particle energy spectra to predict the probabilities of complex DSB, and tandem and bistranded non-DSB clustered damage. Predictions for the local interstellar (LIS), solar mininum, and solar maximum environments are discussed. Results show that the frequency of DSB and non-DSB clusters attenuates slowly with aluminum and tissue shielding, and that non-DSB clusters are more than 4 times more frequent than prompt DSBs. This is an important finding which quantifies the dominance of delayed formation of DSBs created in non-DSB clustered repair processes over promopt DSBs in the initial GCR DNA damage in tissues. Francis A. Cucinotta 2026-01-06 06:40:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467913/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:28:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467913/v1 Background: Armed conflicts and large-scale population displacement pose major challenges to healthcare systems, even in high-income countries with universal health coverage. On October 7, 2023, the “Iron Swords” war led to the internal displacement of tens of thousands of civilians in Israel, creating a unique opportunity to examine continuity of preventive and chronic care during a prolonged national emergency.Objectives: To assess changes in preventive healthcare utilization, mental health medication use, and chronic disease management among populations evacuated from their homes during the Iron Swords war, and to compare trends between evacuees and non-evacuated district residents.Methods: This retrospective population-based study used de-identified electronic health record data from Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel’s second-largest health maintenance organization. Adults aged ≥ 21 years with continuous enrollment prior to October 7, 2023, were included. Evacuees from northern and southern regions were compared with non-evacuated district residents across two post-war periods and corresponding pre-war periods. Outcomes included screening tests, incidence of chronic diseases, monitoring of chronic conditions, and dispensation of medications for mental health and sleep disorders.Results: Following the outbreak of war, evacuees experienced a marked decline in preventive screening, including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer screening, particularly during the first six months. Partial or full compensation occurred in some measures during later periods, but annual rates remained lower for breast and colorectal cancer screening. Use of antidepressant and anxiolytic medications increased substantially, especially among southern evacuees, with up to a 90% annual increase compared with pre-war levels. Modest worsening in glycemic and blood pressure control was observed in certain subgroups, while the incidence of major chronic diseases remained largely unchanged.Conclusions: Internal displacement during the ‘Iron Swords’ war was associated with substantial disruptions in preventive care and increased mental-health–related medication use among evacuees. Despite these challenges, Israel’s strong, integrated health system enabled rapid restoration of many services and supported continuity not only in chronic disease management but also in ongoing evaluation of preventive care patterns even during a national crisis. This capacity provides important insights for strengthening preparedness and response strategies and underscores the value of robust health information systems and coordinated primary care in managing large-scale civilian displacement. Carmil Azran, Cheli Melzer Cohen, Beatriz Hemo, Sara Kivity, Orpaz Hadad, Naama Shamir-Stein, Avia Elmaliah 2026-01-06 06:28:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6457606/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:26:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6457606/v1 Relapses from substance usage continue to be a major global public health concern. Many individuals find it difficult to sustain long-term recovery, often cycling between phases of recovery and relapse, even with improvements in treatments. This study employs a center-based phenomenological design to examine the experiences of adults who relapse from substance dependence. For in-depth interviews, nine people were chosen. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that a complex interplay of personal and environmental factors influences relapse. Self-motivation, relocating, maintaining supportive social networks, improving mental resilience, making plans for future stability, and actively engaging in spiritual healing were all effective coping strategies for reducing relapse. To prevent recurrence and encourage long-term recovery, the findings emphasize the need for comprehensive intervention strategies that address social influences, environmental triggers, and emotional regulation. Anemut Mehari, Henok Melese 2026-01-06 06:26:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8408619/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:26:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8408619/v1 It makes intuitive sense that herbivore movements are driven by the nutritional landscapes in which they live. But understanding the details requires we move beyond coarse landcover classifications to considerations of forage quality variation across plant functional types and vegetation communities. Here, we present an example and model linking landcover type, plant functional type, and nutritional composition for the Sattasniemi reindeer herding district in northern Finland. We analyzed 2,645 leaf plant samples (representing 52 taxa from 72 sites spanning nine landcover types), measuring crude protein, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber using near-infrared spectroscopy calibrated against wet chemistry analyses. Wetlands, particularly forested peatlands and mires, exhibited the highest crude protein content (13.4–15.0%) and moderate fiber levels, making them nutritionally superior to deciduous, mesic, and nutrient-poor dry forests, which did not differ significantly from one another. Among plant functional types, deciduous tall shrubs and trees showed the highest crude protein (> 15%), while bryophytes exhibited exceptionally high fiber content (> 45% ADF). These findings demonstrate that forage quality varies across the landscape in ways not captured by simple landcover classifications. The discrepancy between high forage quality in wetlands and observed reindeer avoidance of some areas suggests that non-nutritional factors such as insect harassment, infrastructure disturbance, or predation risk—may override nutritional considerations in habitat selection. This work provides foundational data for understanding ranging decisions by semi-domesticated reindeer and for informing husbandry decisions by the herders whose livelihoods depend on herd productivity. Gerardo Celis, Oliver C.C. Paine, Matt Sponheimer, Stephania Zneimer, Mary Heskel, Ruth Dunlap, Sophie Jones, Sarah E. Bohrer, John P. Ziker, Florian Stammler, Iida Melamies, Viola Ukkola, Colin Wren, Desheng Liu, Wenbo Zhou, Valeriy Y. Ivanov, Peter S. Ungar 2026-01-06 06:26:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8456356/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:17:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8456356/v1 This study examines the impact of the 2007–2008 subprime crisis on the efficacy of international portfolio diversification by analyzing the dynamic correlations and volatility of 30 global equity indices relative to the MSCI World Index across pre- and post-crisis periods. Using a multi-methodological approach,including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and GARCH(1,1) model .We find a significant crisis-induced convergence in international market correlations, particularly among developed economies and financially integrated emerging markets such as Brazil, which substantially eroded traditional diversification benefits. However, certain emerging and frontier markets, notably in Africa and select Asian economies, maintained low correlations with the global benchmark, preserving their diversification potential. These results suggest that while the subprime crisis challenged conventional geographic diversification strategies, a dynamic, selective, and factor-based approach to international asset allocation remains viable, particularly through exposure to less-integrated markets exhibiting idiosyncratic risk-return profiles. Henda HENDA Rajhi 2026-01-06 06:17:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8455195/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:09:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8455195/v1 Background: HIV infection is mainly transmitted via sexual contact and mother to child during pregnancy, delivery and breast feeding and among avertable infection; it is significantly contributor to adverse birth outcomes of pregnancy worldwide particularly in low and middle income countries. Sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia are among affected areas with HIV infection. Ethiopia is currently providing and demonstrating strategies aimed to ending AIDS death, to eliminate new infection of HIV and elimination of MTCT of HIV particularly in pregnant women by 2030, as part of Sustainable Development goals. Hence, this study aimed to assess the magnitudes of HIV infection and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public hospitals of eastern zone, Tigray, Ethiopia during the period 2024/25.  Methods- Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at public hospitals of eastern zone, Tigray, Ethiopia. Initially hospitals were selected via simple random sampling then pregnant women were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Interviewer questionnaire and chart reviews were used to collect data. Data was collected using kobo collect tool, cleaned using Excel and analyzed in SPSSV23.0. Descriptive statistics was used to assess the magnitude of HIV and binary logistic regression was used to determine associated factors. Variables with p-value less than 0.25 were transferred to multivariable analysis. Variables with P-value<0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. Result:-The magnitude of HIV infection among pregnant women was 11.4 % with (95% CI,8.4-14.4). This study showed 64% of the pregnant women who reported history of sexually forced or raped were found to be living with HIV infection. Significant associated factors for HIV prevalence were history of sexually Forced /raped within five years, women with STI history within one year, number of sexual partners in her life and women had Sign and symptoms of STI. Conclusion: The present study found significant high rate of HIV infection among pregnant women and history of sexually Forced /raped within last five years were also among significant influential associated factors to this high prevalence. Asgele Gebrekrstos 2026-01-06 06:09:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7698728/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 06:03:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7698728/v1 This international study provides the first systematic analysis of factors required for achieving 100% voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRD). Semi-structured interviews with 15 experts from 12 countries using the PESTELE framework examined Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal, and Ethical factors influencing VNRD implementation. Countries were classified as achieving (≥90%) or underachieving (<90%) VNRD based on reported rates. Analysis identified 41 distinct elements across seven PESTELE domains, with only 16 shared between groups. Achieving countries exhibited focused strategies with fewer unique elements, whereas underachieving countries showed fragmentation with greater element variation, revealing an inverse relationship between factor complexity and implementation success. Modeling suggested a three-tiered hierarchical structure positioning political and legal factors as foundational enablers, economic factors as resource providers, and social, technological, environmental, and ethical factors as implementation mechanisms. Three developmental pathways were identified: crisis-driven transformation, economic development integration, and systematic international framework adoption. Findings indicate that successful VNRD implementation depends on sustained political commitment, integrated financing, and context-specific cultural adaptation through focused and sequential rather than simultaneous interventions across the PESTELE domains. These insights may help to advance globalization of VNRD through adoption of evidence-based strategies and international development assistance more targeted to hierarchical stages of development. Tomohiko Sato, W Martin Smid, Noriko Namba, Veera Sekaran Nadarajan, Nova Surya Indah Hippy, Teguh Triyono, Nigar Ertuğrul Örüç, Hans Vrielink, Silvano Wendel, Salwa Hindawi, Jay Epstein, Nelson Hirokazu Tsuno 2026-01-06 06:03:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8409070/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 05:58:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8409070/v1 Open-source AI innovation has become integral to global AI development, particularly in China, where it enables distributed knowledge creation, collaborative problem-solving, and rapid advancement in technologies like machine learning models, large language models, and ethical AI frameworks. Yet success in open-source AI systems does not arise from openness alone; it rests heavily on governance processes that align heterogeneous actors, address ethical concerns such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, and sustain orderly collaboration amid rapid technological evolution. Although previous research has explored community-based governance in open-source ecosystems, relatively little attention has been given to how formal open-source organizations manage the governance costs that arise as AI projects scale and institutionalize, especially in Asian contexts where cultural values like collectivism and harmony influence collaborative dynamics. This study proposes a governance-cost framework that captures three categories of governance costs - incentive coordination, rule enforcement and value transformation - and examines how these costs mediate the relationship between governance arrangements and AI innovation outcomes. Drawing on a survey of more than 600 key informants from Chinese open-source AI organizations, the study analyzes how organizational structures influence knowledge convergence in AI algorithms, market diffusion of AI applications, and industrial collaboration for ethical AI deployment through the mechanism of governance costs. The findings show that decentralized organizations enhance knowledge convergence by reducing coordination frictions in AI model development, while firm-led and public institution-based organizations demonstrate stronger market diffusion and collaboration performance due to more stable enforcement systems and clearer value-distribution mechanisms that align with Chinese values of collective benefit and societal harmony. Governance costs significantly mediate these relationships, indicating their central role in shaping AI innovation outcomes. By identifying governance costs as foundational mechanisms, this study advances theoretical understanding of open-source AI governance and provides actionable policy guidance for designing cost-efficient, ethically grounded governance in rapidly evolving Asian AI ecosystems, emphasizing the need for policies that integrate Asian policy tendency and cultural values to counterbalance Western-dominated AI frameworks. Zhe Wang 2026-01-06 05:58:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8007521/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 05:50:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007521/v1 Ensembl has long provided cis-regulatory annotation for human and mouse to support biomedical research, but comparable resources have been lacking for livestock and aquaculture species. In collaboration with Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes (FAANG) projects, we have redesigned and extended Ensembl’s regulatory build to provide consistent annotation across ten key species. The new build (http://regulation.ensembl.org) identifies promoters, enhancers, unclassified open chromatin regions, and, in some species, CTCF binding sites. We demonstrate its value and highlight limitations with the β-globin locus in human and the Myh7 locus in mouse, and illustrate how it reveals tissue-specific regulatory features using pig as an example. Garth R. Ilsley, Paulo R. Branco Lins, Gabriela A. Merino, David Urbina-Gómez, Peter W. Harrison 2026-01-06 05:50:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8460024/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 05:35:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8460024/v1 Quantum entanglement is commonly assumed to be fragile at ambient temperature and over macroscopic distances, where thermal noise and dissipation are expected to rapidly suppress nonclassical correlations. Here we show that this intuition fails for collective quantum modes whose dynamics is governed by reduced open-system channels rather than by microscopic thermal equilibrium. For two spatially separated collective modes, we derive an exact entanglement boundary based on the positivity of the partial transpose, valid in the symmetric resonant limit. From this result we obtain an explicit minimum collective fluctuation amplitude, expressed entirely in measurable noise, bandwidth, dissipation, and distance-dependent coupling parameters, required to sustain steady-state entanglement at finite temperature. We further show that large collective occupation suppresses but does not eliminate quantum phase diffusion, so the steady state remains phase symmetric and does not collapse to a classical mean-field despite macroscopic signal amplitudes. Stochastic simulations of the reduced open-system dynamics, together with matched classical correlated-noise null models analyzed through an identical pipeline, confirm that entanglement witnesses are violated only in the quantum regime. Our results establish a minimal, platform-independent framework connecting collective-mode dynamics, noise injection, distance, and operational certification of macroscopic entanglement. Shalender Singh, Santosh Kumar 2026-01-06 05:35:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8155802/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 05:31:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8155802/v1 Background: The human genome displays heterogeneous patterns of sequence organization, including long-range correlations, GC-content fluctuations, and repetitive structures that influence chromatin state and regulatory activity. While many studies focus on motifs and short-range sequence features, genome-wide analyses of long-range memory, quantified through Hurst exponents, autocorrelation, entropy, and power-law scaling, remain limited. Determining whether these memory signatures differ between regulatory and non-regulatory regions can provide new biological insight and support improved computational annotation.  Results: We analyzed human chromosomes 1, 2, and 22 using sliding 50-kb windows and computed a unified set of sequence-statistical features, including DFA-based Hurst exponents, power-law decay ($\alpha$), k-mer entropy, GC-content, multi-scale autocorrelation, and homopolymer run statistics. Regulatory windows consistently showed higher long-range memory, lower entropy, stronger short-range autocorrelation, and enriched AT/GC homopolymer runs compared with non-regulatory windows ($p < 0.001$). A Balanced Random Forest classifier trained on these features achieved strong predictive performance across all chromosomes (ROC–AUC 0.93–0.96). Feature-importance analysis indicated that homopolymer run lengths, k-mer entropy, autocorrelation, and Hurst exponents were the dominant predictors. Chromosome 22—the gene-sparse “dark genome”—exhibited the same memory signatures, demonstrating robustness in structurally diverse regions.  Conclusions: Long-range sequence memory is a consistent and quantifiable property of the human genome. Regulatory regions display stronger memory signatures than background sequence, reflecting multi-kilobase compositional coherence that may support regulatory function. These results highlight the utility of memory-based descriptors for genomic annotation and provide a reproducible framework for studying genome structure, evolution, and regulatory architecture.  khushboo rani 2026-01-06 05:31:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8177042/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 05:26:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8177042/v1 Background:Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich-repeat receptors (NLRs) are key components of plant innate immunity. These intracellular proteins specifically recognize pathogen effectors and subsequently activate a defense response. The genes encoding these proteins comprise one of the largest and most diverse gene families in plants. Understanding the various forms and functions of these proteins is imperative to the goal of generating disease resistant crops. This is particularly important for cultivated strawberry, which is heavily impacted by disease.Results:Using conserved motifs and functional domains, we identified 823 NLR-encoding genes (NLRs) in the (Fragaria\((\times)\)ananassa) `FaRR1' genome and categorized them according to their association with the anciently diverged RNL, CNL, and TNL classes. Among these, 45 were newly annotated and 149 were predicted to be full-length. 94 genes exhibited a previously unreported architecture, containing both CNL-specific and TNL-specific sequences. This architecture was supported by full-length transcript data and was found to be present in additional Rosaceous species but not in any non-Rosaceous species examined. Expression analyses revealed that 583 NLRs, including nearly all those with the novel mixed architecture, were differentially expressed following inoculation with at least one of five pathogens.Conclusions:Our genome-wide analysis expands the catalog of NLR genes in cultivated strawberry and uncovers a previously undescribed form of domain organization that appears to be unique to the Rosaceae family. The results suggest that recombination or domain swapping among N-terminal regions has contributed to NLR diversification in this lineage, providing insight into the evolutionary and functional basis of pathogen recognition in strawberry. Alicia Sillers, Mishi V. Vachev, Marta Bjornson, Patrick P. Edger, Burkhard Steuernagel, Steven J. Knapp, Mitchell J. Feldmann 2026-01-06 05:26:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468046/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 05:14:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468046/v1 Background: InIreland, there has been an increase in bovine tuberculosis (bTB) incidence between 2015 and 2024. Access to the latest bTB statistics and trends in a user friendly and accessible format would significantly aid researchers, policymakers, and enhance public understanding through transparent communication. Methods: We utilised data from the Irish national bTB eradication programme to create an extensive array of statistics relating to bTB burden that were compiled into a website which allows users to investigate the latest trends. In addition, we created a timeline of major events and policy changes to provide context for understanding the evolution of bTB burden. Results: The interactive website can be accessed here https://tinyurl.com/btbtrends. Limitations: This online tool will be augmented with new data on an ongoing basis when it becomes available, resulting in as close to real-time feedback as is possible. However, due to delays in data provision, there may be a lag of up to one year on some of the data we receive. Conclusion: This accessible tool will serve as a transparent resource for researchers, policymakers and the wider public to understand bTB epidemiology going forward. Jamie Madden, Eamonn Gormley, Guy McGrath, Miriam Casey-Bryars 2026-01-06 05:14:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414529/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:52:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414529/v1 Background: Cancer persists as a major public health concern worldwide, driving the search for safe and biocompatible therapeutic strategies. Bioactive peptides derived from camel milk, combined with green-synthesized gold nanoparticles, represent a promising approach in anticancer research. Methods: In this study, a novel nanocomposite was developed by conjugating camel milk micropeptides (CMMP) with plant-mediated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The resulting camel milk micropeptide–gold nanocomposite (CMMP–AuNC) was physicochemically characterized and evaluated for its in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines. Results: The nanocomposite manifested enhanced anticancer activity compared with individual components, while exerting minimal cytotoxic effects on normal cells, indicating improved cellular targeting. Conclusions: The camel milk micropeptide–gold nanocomposite (CMMP–AuNC) represents a promising biogenic anticancer agent that integrates natural peptide bioactivity with the advantageous properties of gold nanostructures Mohamed soliman Mohamed soliman, Gamal Eldidamony, Nabil hassan Ouf, Hesham r. Hamed, Ahmed soliman Mohamed soliman, Ahmed Askora 2026-01-06 04:52:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8369919/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:43:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8369919/v1 Background     Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to differences in the adaptability of cognitive processes that modify the impact of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology on cognitive performance.  Currently there are no established blood-based biomarkers of CR in prodromal AD. In this study, we operationalize CR as memory reserve, defined as moderation (attenuation) of the CSF pTau181-memory association. DNA methylation (DNAm) integrates genetic and environmental influences and may capture biological processes that mitigate the impact of AD pathology on memory. We aimed to identify blood DNAm loci that moderate the association between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) phosphorylated tau (pTau181) and memory in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We also sought to determine if a DNAm-based signature of memory reserve predicts future memory decline. Methods          We analyzed 92 amyloid positive MCI participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) with blood DNAm, CSF pTau181, and memory scores (PHC_MEM) collected at the same visit. We first regressed memory scores on covariates (age, sex, number of APOE4 alleles, estimated major immune cell type proportions) and used the residuals as covariate-adjusted memory scores. At each CpG, we then fitted linear models of memory on DNAm, pTau181, and their interaction. Inflations were corrected using the bacon method. We identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs), assessed pathway enrichment, and performed integrative analyses incorporating external resources including expression quantitative trait methylation (eQTM), methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) databases, AD genome-wide association study summary statistics, and blood–brain DNAm correlations. A methylation score was constructed and evaluated in linear mixed-effects models of longitudinal memory in 88 participants with follow-up information. Results             After removing CpGs with low variability, we identified 6 CpGs with suggestive significance for DNAm×pTau181 interaction (P-value < 1×10-5) and 11 DMRs that passed multiple comparisons correction. These loci mapped to genes involved in synaptic function, vascular and blood-brain barrier integrity, amyloid clearance, immune and metabolic regulation. Almost all showed no strong marginal associations with pTau181 or memory, supporting a moderating rather than mediating role. Pathway analysis revealed enrichment of adipocytokine signaling and adipose metabolic pathways, and a number of CpGs associated with mQTLs overlapped with AD genetic risk loci. A higher baseline MRS attenuated the pTau-memory association and significantly associated with slower future memory decline, independent of age, sex, education, APOE ε4, and baseline pTau181. Conclusions     Blood DNAm patterns that moderate the pTau-memory relationship capture biology underlying memory reserve involving synaptic, vascular, immune, and metabolic pathways, and can be summarized into an MRS that predicts longitudinal memory trajectories in MCI. These findings support blood DNAm as a promising, non-invasive biomarker of cognitive resilience to AD pathology. David Lukacsovich, Juan Young, Lissette Gomez, Brian Kunkle, Zhixin Mao, Wei Zhang, X.Steven Chen, Deirdre O'Shea, Tatjana Rundek, Eden Martin, Lily Wang 2026-01-06 04:43:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8421763/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:25:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8421763/v1 Universities are increasingly called upon to prepare graduates to address complex societal challenges such as climate change, societal polarisation, and global inequalities. While numerous capability frameworks outline what is needed to navigate uncertainty and foster positive societal futures, the practical value of these capabilities remains largely untested, and there is limited evidence linking them to graduates’ ability to create real-world change. This paper introduces the Future-Oriented Capabilities Framework, comprising seven interconnected capabilities, and reports findings from an empirical study involving graduates of transdisciplinary degrees, sustainability-focused research training and impact-oriented business programs at a large metropolitan university in Australia. Using an alumni survey informed by a complexity-based theory of change, the study explores whether graduates believe they developed future-oriented capabilities through their education programs, the types of impact they report achieving post-graduation, and how they perceive the relationship between these capabilities and their capacity to influence change in professional settings. Analysis of alumni responses indicates strong alignment between capabilities developed during study and those valued in workplaces. It also reveals complex ways in which graduates combine future-oriented capabilities to influence organisational practices, foster innovation, and advance ethical and sustainability agendas, while navigating enabling and constraining conditions. The paper makes two key contributions to education research and practice. First, it presents a future-oriented capabilities framework that can be applied in diverse contexts. Second, it provides empirical evidence supporting the claim that these types of future-oriented capabilities are valuable in contemporary workplaces and that they enable graduates to create meaningful impact. The study also highlights the need for universities to move beyond a narrow focus on employability outcomes and to explore the ways graduates can be supported in applying their capabilities effectively in real-world settings. Giedre Kligyte, Jacqueline Melvold, Annabelle Lewis, Chris Riedy, Rosemary Sainty, Jochen Schweitzer, Susanne Pratt 2026-01-06 04:25:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8084179/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:20:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8084179/v1 The use of virtual-physical fusion data to optimize fault diagnosis accuracy and address the small sample problem is a cutting-edge research direction in this field, especially in digital twin technology. However, the virtual-physical fusion method has a fatal problem. Before fusion, it is necessary to know the fault types of both parties in the fusion in advance; only then can fusion matching be carried out. Otherwise, a situation where incorrect fusion matching is performed between non-identical fault types will occur. This is known as the Prior of Fault Types (PFT). PFT greatly limits the application of such methods in real-field scenarios. Inspired by biological genetics which hybridization breeding methods do not require prior knowledge, this paper proposes a Hybridization Optimization Digital Twin (HoDT) framework, drawing on concepts from biological genetics to address the PFT problem for fault diagnosis. This framework has been validated in real-world scenarios, achieving 100% matching accuracy and 100% fault diagnosis accuracy in most cases, as well as with high stability. This method overcomes the bottlenecks of requirements of PFT and provides an effective solution for practical applications. Lei Xiao, Jun Wang, Ge Chen 2026-01-06 04:20:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8298590/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:17:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8298590/v1 Part-of-Speech (POS) tagging is a core task in natural language processing (NLP) and a crucial building block for higher-level applications such as parsing and machine translation. For low-resource and morphologically rich languages such as Kangri, POS tagging remains challenging due to scarce annotated corpora and limited linguistic resources. This paper presents a comparative study of three POS tagging approaches for Kangri: a feature-based Conditional Random Field (CRF), an untuned Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) baseline, and a hyperparameter-tuned BiLSTM. All models are trained and evaluated on the Universal Dependencies (UD) Kangri Treebank. The tuned CRF achieves strong test-set performance (70.4\% accuracy and weighted F1 0.695), the untuned BiLSTM provides a robust neural baseline (66.0\% accuracy), and a hyperparameter-optimized BiLSTM reaches higher validation accuracy during tuning. We analyze per-tag strengths and weaknesses, training dynamics, and provide recommendations for future improvements in low-resource POS tagging. Prateek Kaushal 2026-01-06 04:17:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8457987/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:13:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8457987/v1 Background: Early skin cancer detection improves outcomes, but access to dermatology screening remains limited. Many AI systems rely on cloud inference, raising privacy concerns and restricting use in low-connectivity settings.  Methods: We present SkinGuardian, an on-device benign–malignant skin lesion classifier that integrates four trustworthiness dimensions: fairness-aware learning, adversarial robustness, differential privacy, and explainability. We fine-tune a BEiT vision transformer on ISIC 2019 and Fitzpatrick17k (train/validation only; test held out for subgroup evaluation), and deploy via ONNX Runtime with INT8 weights-only quantization.  Results: SkinGuardian-Clean achieves AUROC 0.956 on ISIC 2019, and generalizes to the SIIM-ISIC 2020 melanoma setting with AUROC 0.927; at the ISIC-2019-tuned operating threshold, accuracy is 85.4%. Fairness mitigation reduces demographic parity difference on Fitzpatrick17k from 0.12 to 0.04 and equalized odds difference from 0.15 to 0.05. SkinGuardian-Robust attains 74.8% robust accuracy against PGD-10 (ϵ = 8/255; clean 87.1%). With DP-SGD, accuracy remains 86.1% at ϵ = 1 (δ = 1/N) on ISIC 2019. On-device inference achieves p95 ≤160 ms with INT8.  Conclusion: SkinGuardian demonstrates a practical, privacy-preserving and equitable on-device screening research prototype and is not a standalone diagnostic device. Aayush Kumar, Fahad Salim Dalwai 2026-01-06 04:13:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475859/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 04:04:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475859/v1 Purpose Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), also known as pituitary adenomas, exhibit marked lineage-specific heterogeneity. The underlying molecular biology of certain tumor types, particularly gonadotroph tumors (SF1-lineage) — which typically exhibit stable genomes — remains poorly understood. This study aimed to define oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system patterns across PitNET lineages.Methods Immunohistochemistry was performed in 43 previously molecularly and histologically classified PitNETs on tumor and normal adenohypophyseal tissue for VDAC1 (porin) to assess mitochondrial density and OXPHOS subunits of complexes I–V. Quantified staining intensity scores were used for statistical analyses, and mtDNA sequencing was successful in 21 tumors.Results Mitochondrial density was significantly increased in PitNETs compared with normal tissue. OXPHOS alterations were non-uniform: complex I deficiency was the most frequent abnormality, often associated with disruptive mtDNA mutations, particularly in genomically stable gonadotroph tumors. Two corticotroph tumors with near-haploid genomes also harboured disruptive complex I mutations. Alterations in other complexes were less common and typically occurred in combination. Staining heterogeneity was frequent (24/43 tumors), including focal expression loss, especially in SF1-lineage and all mtDNA-mutated tumors, but also present in tumors without mtDNA mutations.Conclusions PitNETs display lineage-specific and highly heterogeneous OXPHOS phenotypes. Complex I deficiency and mtDNA mutations occur not only in genomically stable gonadotroph tumors but also in highly disrupted corticotroph tumors with a near-haploid genome. Further studies including sequencing of nuclear-encoded OXPHOS-related genes are required to clarify the contribution of OXPHOS and mitochondrial pathways to PitNET biology and potential clinical applications. Maaia Margo Jentus, René Feichtinger, Willem Corver, Sara Huber, Laura Ebner, Iris Pelsma, Leontine Bakker, Wouter van Furth, Marco Verstegen, Nienke Biermasz, Johannes Mayr, Hans Morreau 2026-01-06 04:04:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8475138/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:39:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475138/v1 Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder involving interactions between neuronal, glial, and vascular processes. While single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing studies have identified cell-type-specific transcriptional alterations in AD, the extent to which these patterns are consistently associated with disease status at the donor level remains incompletely characterized.Methods We performed a secondary analysis of publicly available single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) data from the ROSMAP cohort, comprising 188,941 nuclei from 111 post-mortem human donors. Cells were aggregated by donor and major brain cell type to generate normalized pseudobulk expression profiles. For each cell type, regularized logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether transcriptomic patterns differed between AD and cognitively normal control donors. Model performance was assessed using donor-stratified cross-validation across multiple random seeds, permutation testing, and exploratory coefficient analysis.Results Non-neuronal cell types showed more consistent transcriptomic differences between AD and control donors than neuronal populations. Astrocyte-derived profiles demonstrated the strongest association with disease status (maximum AUC = 0.646), followed by microglia/immune cells (mean AUC = 0.574 ± 0.088) and vascular cells (mean AUC = 0.540 ± 0.069). Excitatory and inhibitory neurons exhibited limited disease-associated transcriptomic signal. Genes contributing most strongly to these patterns were functionally enriched in pathways related to neuroinflammation, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, oxidative stress response, and blood–brain barrier integrity. Exploratory in silico perturbation analyses suggested greater model sensitivity to coordinated transcriptomic changes in microglial gene sets.Conclusions Cell-type-specific pseudobulk transcriptomic profiles derived from snRNA-seq data exhibit reproducible associations with Alzheimer’s disease status at the donor level, predominantly driven by glial and vascular cell populations. These findings support a multifactorial view of AD pathophysiology and provide a computational framework for prioritizing biological hypotheses for future experimental validation. This study is exploratory and hypothesis-generating in nature and does not support diagnostic, prognostic, or clinical application. Jose Israel Nadal Vidal 2026-01-06 03:39:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8474834/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:19:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8474834/v1 Polarization-sensitive measurements provide rich information about material properties and enable a wide range of applications. Accurate calibration of polarimetry and ellipsometry systems is especially important in broadband spectral imaging instruments, where the performance of polarizers varies with frequency and manufacturing tolerances can introduce systematic errors. Terahertz time-domain polarimetry (THz-TDP) offers amplitude and phase information across a broad spectral range that encompasses many low-energy resonances of chemicals, yet THz polarimetry remains less developed than its infrared and optical counterparts. In this work, we present a generalized in situ calibration technique for THz-TDP imaging systems that uses a rotating polarizer placed over a reference mirror. The method accounts for the leaky, frequency-dependent response of the wire-grid polarizer and simultaneously extracts the polarizer response and system calibration parameters from the same measurement. We implement the approach on a handheld polarimetric THz scanner and demonstrate that including a leaky polarizer model yields more consistent and accurate calibration parameters across spectrum and the field of view, as compared to a simple model of an ideal polarizer. The method is validated using two wire-grid polarizers with different extinction ratios, illustrating that an accurate in situ calibration can be achieved even when the polarizer response is imperfect and unknown a priori. Arash Karimi, Zachery B. Harris, M. Hassan Arbab 2026-01-06 03:19:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8404162/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:18:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8404162/v1 Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor and non-motor symptoms, dopaminergic neuronal loss, and pathological α-synuclein aggregation (Kalia & Lang, 2015; Poewe et al., 2017).Despite substantial advances in understanding PD pathogenesis, the identification of reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and therapeutic targeting remains limited (Tolosa et al., 2021; Blauwendraat et al., 2020).G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play central roles in neurotransmission, immune regulation, and neuroinflammatory signaling, positioning them as promising candidates for biomarker discovery and therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases (Pierce et al., 2002; Insel et al., 2019).In this study, we performed an integrative transcriptomic and systems-level analysis of the publicly available GSE49036 dataset to identify GPCR-related biomarkers associated with PD (GEO Accession: GSE49036; Barrett et al., 2013).Differential expression analysis, functional enrichment, and protein–protein interaction network construction identified NTSR1 and GPR161 as key hub genes within GPCR-associated regulatory modules (Szklarczyk et al., 2019; Yu et al., 2012).Predictive nomogram modeling demonstrated the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers, while gene set enrichment analysis and consensus clustering revealed associations with DNA replication stress, GPCR signaling cascades, immune regulation, and distinct molecular PD subtypes (Subramanian et al., 2005; Wilkerson & Hayes, 2010).Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) further indicated that biomarker expression correlated with immune cell infiltration patterns, including enrichment of innate immune populations and immunosuppressive phenotypes (Hänzelmann et al., 2013; Tansey & Romero-Ramos, 2019).Integrated regulatory network analyses identified interacting miRNAs, proteins, and candidate therapeutics targeting NTSR1- and GPR161-associated pathways, suggesting potential translational and drug-repurposing applications (Ritchie et al., 2015; Karuppagounder et al., 2021).Finally, RT-qPCR validation in independent clinical samples confirmed the overexpression of NTSR1 and GPR161, supporting their biological relevance and robustness as GPCR-based biomarkers in PD (Bustin et al., 2009).Collectively, this study provides a systematic framework for GPCR-driven biomarker discovery in Parkinson’s disease, offering novel insights into disease mechanisms, neuroimmune interactions, and precision medicine strategies (Bloem et al., 2021; Insel et al., 2019). Sonu Kumar 2026-01-06 03:18:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8472732/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:17:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8472732/v1 The proliferation of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices necessitates efficient machine learning paradigms that address bandwidth constraints, privacy requirements, and computational heterogeneity. While hierarchical federated learning offers com- munication efficiency and split learning reduces computational burden on resource-constrained devices, existing approaches lack adaptive mechanisms for dynamic environments and formal privacy guarantees. We propose AP-SHFL (Adaptive Privacy- Preserving Split-Hierarchical Federated Learning), a novel three- tier architecture that jointly optimizes split point selection, hierarchical aggregation, and differential privacy mechanisms. Our approach employs Q-learning for per-client dynamic split point adaptation based on real-time loss and communication feed- back, while implementing staleness-adaptive differential privacy that calibrates noise injection according to model freshness in asynchronous settings. Experimental results on MNIST demon- strate 99.19% test accuracy, 40-60% communication reduction compared to FedAvg baseline, rapid convergence (>98.5% in <10 rounds), and adaptive split point evolution from an average of 1.10 to 2.75 across clients, showcasing effective per-client optimization. Ablation studies confirm the contribution of each component. Our framework achieves state-of-the-art results, outperforming HSFL (98.1% accuracy) while maintaining formal differential privacy guarantees. Yashraj Sakunde 2026-01-06 03:17:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8446241/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:15:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8446241/v1 Serverless computing has emerged as an attractive execution model for event-driven applicationsdue to its automatic scalability, fine-grained billing, and minimal operational overhead . Theseproperties make serverless platforms appealing for machine learning inference workloads with variableor bursty demand. However, deploying real-time computer vision pipelines on serverless infrastructuresremains challenging due to CPU-only execution, memory constraints, and cold-start overheads [5, 6].This paper presents a systematic experimental and analytical study of quantized object detectiondeployed on serverless cloud functions. Using quantized YOLO-based models executed on AWSLambda with ONNX Runtime , we investigate latency–cost trade-offs under practical deploy-ment constraints. Experimental results show that INT8 quantization substantially reduces warm-startinference latency , while cold-start behavior remains the dominant bottleneck. MD RAKIBUL HASAN, Sougato Biswas, Al Momin Sayef Efti 2026-01-06 03:15:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8121236/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:13:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8121236/v1 Future generations have no agency in today’s decisions, making their well-being a defining challenge of our time. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion all depend on trade-offs between immediate gains and long-term sustainability. These dilemmas are often attributed to shortsightedness. We show instead that the critical obstacle lies within generations themselves: coordination failures among contemporaries can undermine sustainability even when individuals care about the future. Using a lab-in-the-field intergenerational goods game with a threshold-based regeneration rule, we compare settings with a single decision maker per generation to ones with three contemporaries deciding simultaneously without communication. When individuals act alone, resources are almost always preserved; when contemporaries must coordinate, conservation collapses. Our models explain this pattern by combining intergenerational altruism with beliefs about others’ restraint: pessimistic expectations erode altruistic motives, driving overextraction. These insights have direct implications for climate governance and natural resource management, where failures in coordination today can be as detrimental as lack of concern for the future. Gabriel Bayle, Violette Pinçon, Gladys Barragan-Jason, Cécile Bazart, Lisette Ibanez, Sébastien Roussel, Arielle Syssau-Vaccarella, Dimitri Dubois, Marc Willinger 2026-01-06 03:13:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8305182/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 03:07:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8305182/v1 Human muscles enhance their mechanical strength through structural training for densification of cellular networks; however, challenges remain in incorporating this feature into synthetic materials. Here, we report a water-triggered supramolecular polymer composed of cellulose and polymethyl methacrylate that achieves over a 22-fold improvement in mechanical properties. During this bioinspired process, water molecules trigger the transition of a stretchable supramolecular network into a densified cross-linked domain. The resultant polymer exhibits a remarkable increase in tensile strength from 2.7 MPa to 61.7 MPa, and demonstrate a substantial flexural strength of 97 MPa, while maintaining impressive structural integrity across a temperature range of -196°C to 180°C. In addition, the polymers possess scalable water-shaping and reinforcement capability, even in seawater or textile wastewater, retaining 100% of their mechanical performance, which allows for customization into tailored geometric structures. Economic analysis and recycling assessment demonstrate that this polymer possesses successful scalability and considerable market. This study provides a biomimetic formulation for the fabrication of high-performance supramolecular polymers, broadening their applications across various fields. Dawei Zhao, Changhong Lin, Geyuan Jiang, Minxin Wang, Haipeng Yu 2026-01-06 03:07:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8423628/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 02:54:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8423628/v1 Background Fire regimes are rapidly shifting due to climate change and increasing vegetation flammability, with these dynamics often intensified in areas undergoing widespread rural abandonment, a trend particularly evident in mountainous landscapes of sub-Mediterranean Europe. We assessed avian community responses, including post-fire beta diversity, during the first breeding season following a megafire—the largest recorded in the region—within a depopulated mountain landscape in northwestern Iberia, located in a poorly studied transitional biogeographic zone. We employed a stratified sampling design across major habitat types to survey bird communities and quantify fire attributes and vegetation structure, combining field-based measurements with satellite-derived spectral indices.Results We recorded 2,928 individuals representing 56 bird species, classified into multiple functional guilds. Fire severity was the main negative driver of community structure and composition, significantly impacting most functional groups. In contrast, spatial heterogeneity in fire severity fostered a broader range of ecological niches, enhancing the coexistence of diverse guilds and buffering the immediate effects of high fire severity. Postfire vegetation structure was a key determinant of community reassembly: snag-rich stands, unburned forest patches, and early post-fire open habitats facilitated both avian persistence and recolonization. These components also provided critical resources for highly specialized guilds, including cavity-nesting and open-habitat species. Bird community composition differed significantly but weakly between burned and unburned areas, and fire heterogeneity had a strong positive effect on post-fire beta diversity only when interacting with post-fire habitat structure.Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that fire attributes alone cannot account for short-term avian responses; rather, their interaction with pre-fire structural legacies is critical to understanding community reassembly. The conservation of snag-rich stands, early-successional open habitats, and unburned forest refugia—alongside the maintenance of fine-scale heterogeneity—should be prioritized to support post-fire bird community recovery in abandoned sub-Mediterranean mountain landscapes. Fernando García-Fernández, Adrián Regos, Miguel Cánibe, María Vidal, Jesús Domínguez 2026-01-06 02:54:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484746/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 02:29:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484746/v1 Density method and level set method (LSM) stand as the two most prevalent topology optimization approaches. The former boasts strong robustness but suffers from ambiguous boundary geometric information, while the latter describes structural boundaries via implicit functions, enabling accurate high-order boundary information, but suffers from issues of initial guess dependency and incompatibility to standard optimizers. These two approaches have long been isolated with rare mutual compensations. In this paper, we proposed a novel approach that starts from the density field and achieves its transformation to the signed distance function (SDF) by solving design-dependent transient diffusion equation and Poisson equation. The derived SDF maintains geometric equivalence with the original density field. On this foundation, we further developed two B-DGTO (Boundary-fitting Derivable Geodesics-coupled Topology Optimization) frameworks: the density-based B-DGTO and the SDF-based B-DGTO, in supporting the density-level set co-topology optimization. The efficacy of these frameworks is validated through addressing mean curvature constraint and perimeter constraint on the L-brackets and thermal conduction structures. The proposed method provides a systematic framework integrating density method and LSM, holding profound implications for future development. Kaixian Liang, Jikai Liu, Shuzhi Xu 2026-01-06 02:29:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484319/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 02:17:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484319/v1 Understanding high-frequency seismic attenuation is essential for seismic hazard assessment but remains challenging in low-to-moderate seismicity regions such as Belgium. We present a comprehensive analysis of the anelastic attenuation parameter kappa (\(\:\kappa\:\)) for horizontal (H) and vertical (Z) components using waveform data from the Belgian ground-motion database (BELSHAKE). \(\:\kappa\:\) values are derived from S-wave acceleration Fourier amplitude spectra following Anderson and Hough (1984). A filtering procedure removes \(\:\kappa\:\) estimates associated with induced or shallow events, improving the \(\:\kappa\:\)–distance relationship. The refined dataset is used to estimate site-specific kappa (\(\:\kappa\:₀\)) and the regional kappa gradient (\(\:{\kappa\:}_{r}\)) across four crustal domains in Belgium. Three approaches are evaluated: free kappa gradient, joint kappa gradient, and mixed-effects regression. The mixed-effects method provides the most robust and stable estimates, while the joint kappa gradient approach offers a good compromise between accuracy and consistency; the free gradient method is more sensitive to data coverage. Station-specific \(\:\kappa\:₀\) values range from ~ 14–59 ms (H) and ~ 12–53 ms (Z). Regional \(\:{\kappa\:}_{r}\) values range from 0.13–0.17 \(\:ms/km\) (H) and 0.05–0.10 \(\:ms/km\) (Z). Assuming an average S-wave velocity of 3.6 \(\:km/s\), the inferred frequency independent quality factor (\(\:Q\)) ranges from ~ 1600–2100 (H) and ~ 2700–3900 (Z). These results improve constraints on attenuation in Belgium and support the development of refined GMPEs for stable continental regions. Mahsa Onvani, Kris Vanneste 2026-01-06 02:17:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8484220/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 02:10:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8484220/v1 In recent years, neural machine translation has significantly progressed on standard corpora. However, it still faces considerable performance degradation under domain differences between training and test corpora, manifested in problems such as semantic drift, terminology mistranslation, and style imbalance. To meet this challenge, this paper proposes a cross-domain neural translation framework that integrates meta-learning and semantic transfer mechanisms, combining language function modeling and Transformer semantic encoding to improve the model's adaptability and semantic alignment ability in low-resource target domains. The method introduces a task-level meta-learning strategy to achieve fast migration and combines contrastive learning to optimize semantic space consistency. Empirical evaluation is carried out on five cross-domain datasets, OPUS and IWSLT. The proposed model is better than eight mainstream methods regarding BLEU, TER, and CHRF, and its average improvement in BLEU is 1.1 ~ 2.3 points. Further experiments show that after introducing chapter tags and perturbation mechanisms, the model shows stronger robustness in long texts, terminology-intensive corpora, and style-switching scenarios. This study provides a modeling reference with a clear structure, theory-driven, and transferable for cross-domain translation in complex registers. Yongjian Wang 2026-01-06 02:10:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483971/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 01:54:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483971/v1 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and one of the leading causes of dementia worldwide. Early and accurate detection of AD is essential for timely intervention and treatment planning. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) serves as a non-invasive modality that captures structural brain changes associated with AD progression. In this study, we applied deep learning approaches to classify brain MRI scans into four categories: Non-Demented, Very Mild Demented, Mild Demented, and Moderate Demented. We evaluated multiple convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures, including VGG-16, Inception-V3, Xception, and EfficientNet-B3, on a publicly available preprocessed MRI dataset containing 6,400 images resized to 128×128 pixels. Experimental results show that EfficientNet-B3 achieved the highest performance with an accuracy of 99.7%, precision of 0.99, recall of 0.99, and F1-score of 0.99. Xception also demonstrated strong performance with an accuracy of 92.5% and F1-score of 0.93, balancing accuracy and inference efficiency. Other models such as VGG-16 and Inception-V3 achieved competitive results but with relatively lower precision and recall. These findings highlight the potential of advanced CNN models, particularly EfficientNet-B3, in enabling automated, accurate, and efficient diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. This work contributes to advancing AI-driven tools for clinical decision support and improving the quality of life of patients and caregivers. Rohit Kumar, Ankush Jain, Surendra Nagar 2026-01-06 01:54:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8445366/latest An article created on 2026-01-06 01:45:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8445366/v1 Infectious diseases are among Earth's most powerful ecological and evolutionary forces, capable of restructuring populations, reshaping entire ecosystems, and destabilizing human societies, as starkly demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the spatial patterns underlying pathogen density remain surprisingly underexplored, and thus it is unclear where risk of spillover to wildlife and humans is greatest. Although controversial1–4, the center-periphery hypothesis predicts that species densities peak at range centers and decline toward edges, yet its application to disease ecology remains largely untested. Here, we first help resolve when and why center–periphery patterns emerge by providing support for the hypothesis using >200,000 standardized monitoring records of 572 fish species and 408 macroinvertebrate genera. Next, using a completely independent global dataset of >4300 parasite prevalence records across >1200 host-pathogen combinations, we reveal that density-dependent pathogens mirror the host density patterns, declining toward range peripheries across amphibians, reptiles, insects, fish, and mammals. In contrast, frequency-dependent pathogens—including vector-borne and sexually transmitted diseases—remain constant across bird ranges or increase toward range edges in mammals. These patterns, robust across taxa and scales, imply that range margins may serve as host refugia from density-dependent pathogens but hotspots for some frequency-dependent diseases. By integrating biogeographic theory with disease ecology, our findings demonstrate that range-wide variation in host density and transmission mode predict broad patterns of pathogen distribution, offering practical guidance for prioritizing disease surveillance and management across species’ ranges. O. Alejandro Aleuy, Ethan Brown, Jeremy Cohen, Jason Rohr 2026-01-06 01:45:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5419274/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 22:25:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5419274/v2 Separating ammonia from the reactor effluent remains a major energy bottleneck in industrial synthesis processes, where cryogenic condensation is typically employed. This method is energy-intensive, and alternative approaches such as pressure swing adsorption have not been widely adopted due to challenges associated with ammonia’s high affinity for adsorbents and the difficulty of complete regeneration under practical conditions. Here, we introduce pure- silica zeolites for this application. We determine first the high-pressure high-temperature adsorption data using a specially designed adsorption equipment. Our findings indicate that pure-silica zeolites exhibit high ammonia working adsorption capacity compared to previously reported commercial adsorbents. Molecular simulations provide information on adsorbate distribution and explain observed trends in adsorbed amounts and enthalpies. A 4-column 4- step pressure and temperature swing adsorption is designed and modeled at process relevant conditions, achieving ammonia purity above 99 % and recovery over 98 %, demonstrating the potential of replacing the energy intensive cryogenic separation. Michael Tsapatsis, Nayeon Kang, Juan C. Muñoz-Senmache, Prerna Prerna, Zihao Rei Gao, Cristian Aristizabal-González, Oswaldo Andres-Martinez, Jesse Prelesnik, Hsiao-Feng Liu, Paul Haghi Ashtiani, Maxime A. Siegler, Brandon Bukowski, Prodromos Daoutidis, Arturo J. Hernández-Maldonado, Joern Ilja Siepmann 2026-01-05 22:25:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7357485/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 22:20:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7357485/v2 The ongoing panzootic of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) has increasingly affected non-traditional hosts like seabirds and mammals, including recent outbreaks in fur farms, in which transmission from infected gulls were suspected. To assess bird-to-mammal spillover and mammal-to-bird spillback dynamics, we performed experimental infections in yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) and American minks (Neogale vison) using HPAIV strains isolated from gulls (H5N1/gull) and a farm mink outbreak (H5N1/mink). Minks challenged with H5N1/gull developed subclinical infection with limited shedding, but viral neurotropism in two out of four animals led to spontaneous emergence of key mammalian adaptation mutations in the brain, which demonstrates that H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b spillover events from gulls to minks can lead to fast mammalian adaptation. In contrast, mammal-to-bird spillback, modelled by challenging gulls with the H5N1/mink strain, yielded no evidence of infection, suggesting a lower risk of sustained bird-mammal-bird transmission chains of 2.3.4.4b H5N1 HPAIV. Albert Perlas Puente, Ferran Tarrés-Freixas, Pierre Bessière, Nicolas Gaide, Laura Martín, Estefanía Contreras, Jaume Martorell, Miquel Nofrarías, Rosa Valle, Adrià Girbau, Marta Pérez, Mónica Pérez, María J. Valdez-May, Tim Reska, Iván Cordón, Natàlia Majó, Jean-Luc Guérin, Lara Urban, Kateri Bertran 2026-01-05 22:20:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6370087/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 22:16:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6370087/v2 This study examines gender differences in how job and family satisfaction affect life satisfaction in Europe. The social production function suggests that social needs are met through affection, status, and behavioral confirmation. Women are thought to be more adept at satisfying affection needs, while men are better at meeting status needs. Behavioral confirmation reinforces these roles, leading to gender-specific pathways to life satisfaction. We hypothesize that women’s life satisfaction is more influenced by family satisfaction, while men’s depends more on job satisfaction. Using European Quality of Life Survey data (2003–2016) from more than 50,000 working individuals (18–65 years) across 28 countries, we test these gender differences. To control for unobserved cultural and temporal factors, we apply country and time fixed effects linear regression models. Our results show that family satisfaction has a stronger impact on women’s life satisfaction than on men’s, while job satisfaction has a stronger association with men’s life satisfaction. Comparing gender-specific effect strengths, we find that family satisfaction influences women’s life satisfaction significantly more strongly than job satisfaction. For men, both life domain satisfactions contribute equally to life satisfaction. These findings emphasize the need for gender-sensitive well-being research, and policies promoting a work–life balance across Europe. Leonie C. Steckermeier, Stephanie Hess 2026-01-05 22:16:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7633016/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 22:13:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7633016/v2 The cornea maintains its transparency through the exquisite control of stromal hydration and structural order; a process traditionally explained from the perspective of classical thermodynamics. Previously, we proposed the existence of a High Entropy-Production Zone (HEZ) in the anterior corneal stroma, a region where solute and temperature gradients drive Marangoni convection, potentially leading to a convective flow within the cornea known as Inoue water migration. Here, we extend this concept into the quantum realm. Using a conceptual hybrid framework that integrates simplified classical transport modeling with the theory of open quantum systems, we reformulate stromal entropy production in terms of von Neumann entropy and quantum entropy generation. At the classical level, stromal entropy production arises from irreversible non-equilibrium transport processes; in the present framework, this classical entropy production provides the physical basis for its quantum reformulation. The HEZ is modeled as a spatially localized, dissipative quantum subsystem wherein water-collagen interactions and proton transport exhibit strong decoherence. Simulations incorporating Lindblad dynamics demonstrate that essential features previously identified at the classical level—a solute-dominant Marangoni driving force, thermal stabilization, and an optimal flow structure at a depth of 50–100μm—are conserved in the quantum formalism. This cross-scale consistency strengthens the assertion that HEZ is not merely a product of continuum modeling but a fundamental dissipative structure embedded within the corneal stroma. Our investigation suggests that entropy management via the HEZ is necessary to reconcile inevitable entropy production with the maintenance of optical transparency, thereby offering a new bridge between non-equilibrium thermodynamics, quantum biology, and clinical ophthalmology. Yasushi Sonoda 2026-01-05 22:13:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8090705/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 22:08:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8090705/v2 ABSTRACT Background: Animal Source Foods (ASFs) are crucial during the transition from breastfeeding, providing essential proteins and micronutrients. However, evidence on ASF consumption in Harar is limited and often based on national data that do not focus specifically on the city or children aged 6–23 months. Objective: To assess ASF consumption and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months attending health centers in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia, from July 1 to August 15, 2024. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 548 mother–child pairs selected systematically. Data were collected using the Kobo Toolbox. Consumption of any egg and/or flesh food during the previous day and/or, for non-breastfed children, at least two milk feeds was considered ASF consumption. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with ASF consumption. Results: Only 19.1% of children consumed ASFs; 15% consumed eggs. Food-secure households had higher odds of ASF consumption (AOR = 3.64, 95% CI: 1.46–5.83) than severely food-insecure ones. Caregivers with secondary education or above had higher odds (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.19–4.26), and children from the richest households were more likely to consume ASFs (AOR = 3.51, 95% CI: 1.65–5.73). Conclusions: ASF consumption among children in Harar City was low. Socio-economic status, food security, and caregiver education were key determinants. Interventions should enhance household income, caregiver education, and dietary diversity. Bira Belay, Berhe Gebremichael, Dawit Kassaye 2026-01-05 22:08:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8228185/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 20:18:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8228185/v2 Ball lightning is a rare atmospheric phenomenon whose formation mechanism has remained unresolved. This work proposes a plasma-combustion luminescence model to account for the observed features: locally compressed free electrons generate a luminous plasma that heats and ignites nearby dust particles. Owing to the higher efficiency of radiative and conductive cooling at the combustion boundary, the local burning rate decreases sharply. Any protruding region cools and extinguishes more rapidly than the rest of the volume, thereby causing the luminous region to spontaneously evolve into a spherical shape. Quantitative calculations demonstrate the theoretical feasibility of the proposed mechanism and successfully resolve several observational paradoxes that previous models have failed to explain. Beyond resolving long-standing observational contradictions, this study may rekindle interest in fundamental plasma physics and deepen both the scientific community’s and the public’s understanding of this rare and captivating atmospheric phenomenon. Ruibo Li 2026-01-05 20:18:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8284972/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 20:17:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8284972/v2 Despite the numerous threats associated with global warming, a sustainable solution is yet to be found. Whereas solar and wind power generation are being adopted worldwide, challenges such as limited installation space, reduced inertia of power grids, and large-scale energy storage issues persist. These challenges can be solved by the following measures: Distribute numerous floating offshore photovoltaic power plants across the vast equatorial waters to generate sufficient electricity to meet global primary energy demand; Use that electricity to produce green hydrogen and synthesize green fuel ammonia (a substitute for fossil fuels), which is a high-energy-density hydrogen energy carrier; Transport and store it worldwide with low losses via a pipeline network; Furthermore, remove more than 3,600 Gt of CO₂eq already accumulated in the atmosphere to less than 1,100 Gt, returning to 1960s temperatures. Based on the proportional relationship between cumulative CO2eq emissions and temperature rise, numerical analysis of global warming from 1850 to 2100 was performed under four scenarios. According to the results, the sooner this proposal is implemented, the lower the cost of returning to 1960s temperatures by 2100, and the lower the health damage will be. Additionally, carbon-free energy costs (unit price of electricity), including CO2eq removal costs, could be lower than the current levels. However, it cannot lower already risen sea levels. Support is requested for verification testing and practical implementation of this proposal. Hiroshi Kobayashi 2026-01-05 20:17:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8299041/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 19:56:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8299041/v3 Acanthamoeba spp. typically causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in immunocompromised hosts. ¹ We describe three apparently immunocompetent patients who presented with progressive spastic quadriparesis to our hospital in Kerala, India. Neuroimaging showed parenchymal changes in the spinal cord in two patients. After extensive evaluation for common causes of noncompressive myelopathy proved unrevealing, Free-Living Amoeba-associated Parainfectious Neuroinflammation (FLA-PIN) was considered. Amoeba-specific PCR of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) confirmed Acanthamoeba species in all cases. Patients responded to anti-acanthamoeba therapy with significant clinical and CSF improvement. Probable exposure routes included skin breach and nasal ablution. This series demonstrates that Acanthamoeba infection warrants inclusion in the differential diagnosis of noncompressive myelopathy. CSF wet mount and molecular testing should be performed in inflammatory myelopathies to prevent misdiagnosis as incurable neurodegenerative diseases. Remya Prakash, Aravind Reghukumar, Rammohan K, Jaichand Johnson, Swapna R.Nath, Saritha Narayanankutty, Deepthi Somarajan, Athira Vijayan Remadevi, Megha Sayikumar, Fida Ali 2026-01-05 19:56:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8172820/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 11:26:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8172820/v1 Agriculture in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India, is shaped by a unique interplay of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Scientific Knowledge (SK) within rugged, fragile landscapes. This study quantitatively assessed the adoption patterns of IK and SK for crop diversification in the Rawain region of Uttarkashi District, surveying 300 farming households across 12 villages at varying altitudes. Results indicate that IK remains dominant in land preparation, weed and post-harvest management, and storage due to its cultural significance and local suitability. In contrast, scientific interventions, particularly pest management strategies and the adoption of hybrid crop varieties, are increasingly employed to address new agronomic challenges. Crop diversification dominated by high-value hybrids such as apples, peas, and tomatoes emerges as a principal income strategy, balancing resilience against climate variability and market risks. Correlation analysis reveals that, while diversification introduces risks such as weather unpredictability and pest outbreaks, farmers perceive pronounced benefits, including improved income, enhanced nutrition, and greater climate resilience. The findings highlight an evolving, pragmatic integration of local traditions and scientific advances. This study highlights the need for policy frameworks and extension models that validate Indigenous practices while promoting scientifically informed innovation to promote sustainable mountain agriculture globally. Pratibha Rawat, Rajendra Singh Negi, Ajeet Kumar Negi, Santosh Singh 2026-01-05 11:26:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8182843/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 11:18:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8182843/v1 PC constitutes only 12% to 15% of concrete but is responsible for approximately 90% of embodied carbon (EC). This is the reason why most concrete decarbonisation strategies consider the partial or full replacement of cement as the focal point. The supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are commonly used for the partial replacement of Portland cement (PC). The compliant level of replacement of PC with supplementary cementitious materials in a binary or ternary blend may reduce EC of concrete by up to 59%. Zero Portland cement (ZPC) concrete, also known as PC-free concrete, is considered as a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete that minimizes or eliminates the use of PC. ZPC concrete uses alternative binders such as geopolymer (SCMs in conjunction with alkali activators), sulphur, lime calcinated clay (LC3) etc. instead of PC. These binders produce equivalent or better performing concrete with potentially lower EC. The geopolymer concrete (GC) is produced by activating SCMs with alkali activators and sulphur concrete (SC) is produced by mixing sulphur with pre-heated aggregates. This research paper evaluates the potential applications of geopolymer concrete and sulphur concrete in construction as low carbon concrete. This paper presents a statistical approach for the preliminary design of a fit for purpose geopolymer concrete and sulphur concrete. This research paper also presents a new approach for evaluating various types of concretes designed for various service life and recyclability. A new parameter ‘Decarbonization Index’ has been developed which may be used for comparing various types of concretes with different compressive strength, service life and recyclability characteristics. Harish Kumar Srivastava, Simon Martin Clark 2026-01-05 11:18:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8202489/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 11:10:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8202489/v1 The research paper presents a detailed study on the maneuverability performance of an articulated trolleybus, emphasizing its suitability for urban public transportation in constrained environments. It begins by contextualizing the limitations of traditional steel-wheel trams, such as large minimum curve radii and noise issues, and highlights the advantages of rubber-tired trams, including noise reduction, flexibility, and improved passenger comfort. The articulated trolleybus, featuring a three-body modular design with power units at the ends and a trailer in the middle, employs advanced steering control strategies integrating optical and magnetic sensing with virtual track guidance to achieve precise maneuvering. The study rigorously analyzes key maneuverability metrics—minimum turning radius, sweep path width, off-tracking, and yaw response—ensuring compliance with urban road design standards, particularly a minimum turning radius of 15 meters. Using MSC ADAMS multi-body simulation software, the paper models the trolleybus’s dynamic behavior negotiating tight horizontal curves (15 m radius), S-shaped curves, and steep vertical gradients (up to 13%), revealing critical articulation angles up to 28° between car bodies and up to 16.8° between the car body and bogie, which are essential for stability and stress distribution. Simulations confirm a minimum turning radius of approximately 14 meters, with swing-out, off-tracking, and swept path widths well within safety limits, demonstrating the vehicle’s capability to navigate tight urban spaces effectively. The articulated design’s rotational freedom about multiple axes accommodates complex road geometries and uneven surfaces, while the front-axle steering control strategy ensures superior tracking performance and stability compared to rear or combined axle control. The findings provide a theoretical and practical foundation for optimizing articulated trolleybus design, highlighting their potential to enhance urban transit capacity and flexibility by enabling higher passenger volumes and improved cornering ability. The study recommends further validation through extensive simulations and real-world testing to refine control algorithms and structural components, underscoring the articulated trolleybus as a promising solution for modern, efficient, and resilient urban public transportation systems. Kai Ma, Zhixiong Gao, Qitai Liu, Xiao Wei, Ming Li, Qiang Li, Huihui Bian 2026-01-05 11:10:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8473307/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 11:07:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8473307/v1 Background: Herbicide-resistant germplasms provide critical genetic resources for improving weed control and understanding resistance mechanisms in crops. Results: In this study, 356 sorghum accessions were screened for herbicide tolerance at the seedling stage using gradient herbicide treatments. Under application of the ACCase inhibitor 10% feproxydim, five accessions showed reduced phytotoxicity: IS1219 displayed the highest resistance, while IS10867, SJ72, SJ85, and PI61 exhibited moderate tolerance. For the ALS inhibitor mesosulfuron-methyl, only two accessions, SJ304 and PI47, showed visible tolerance. To elucidate the molecular basis of resistance, a bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-Seq) approach was applied to resistant and susceptible gene pools constructed from the IS1219 × RTx430 F₂ population. The analysis identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for herbicide resistance located on chromosome 1.Transcriptome (RNA-Seq) data of leaf tissues collected after feproxydim treatment revealed five co-expressed candidate genes within the mapped interval. Among them, Sobic.001G431500, encoding a carboxylesterase 17 (α/β-hydrolase), plays a pivotal role in feproxydim resistance. This gene was markedly upregulated in the resistant line (IS1219) but not in the susceptible line (RTx430), indicating that enhanced hydrolytic or metabolic activity may be a major resistance mechanism. Protein sequence comparison also showed that the IS1219 allele carries a missense and deletion mutation at and after position 300 (V300A and P301_P303del).  Conclusions: These findings clarify the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying herbicide resistance in sorghum and provide valuable genetic resources for breeding herbicide-tolerant varieties. Zhichao Xing, Zhengxiao Cheng, Xiaochun Yang, Lu Hu, Kai Wang, Yongfei Wang, Die Hu, Yi-Hong Wang, Junli Du, Lihua Wang, Jieqin Li 2026-01-05 11:07:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7427996/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 11:04:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7427996/v1 Arthropods represent a critical food source for birds, including non-insectivorous species. While previous studies have documented arthropod consumption by hummingbirds, none have assessed individual-level variation in arthropod dietary composition and preferences. For example, in the Hyacinth Visorbearer (Augastes scutatus), a Neotropical hummingbird with a restricted range, only a single study has reported arthropod ingestion. In this study, we quantified arthropod composition in the diet of A. scutatus and evaluated individual foraging preferences. Using specimens collected across the species’ distribution, we analyzed stomach contents (n = 25) and identified 292 food items categorized into eight taxonomic groups. Hymenoptera dominated the diet, accounting for nearly 75% of all items. By decomposing β-diversity, we demonstrated that dietary differences among individuals were primarily driven by turnover (incidence- and abundance-based β-diversity). This high replacement of secondary food items likely reflects a strong trophic preference for highly mobile insects (e.g., strong fliers). Our results reveal that most individuals exhibit a specialized diet, characterized by consistent consumption of a few primary items (mainly Hymenoptera and Diptera), while secondary items vary widely in identity and quantity. Paulo Ricardo Siqueira, Pedro Giovâni Silva, Cássia Alves Lima-Rezende, Marcelo Ferreira Vasconcelos, Lemuel Olívio Leite 2026-01-05 11:04:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8451383/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:59:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8451383/v1 The growing accumulation of solid waste has intensified interest in sustainable resource recovery and circular material utilization in materials science. Consequently, waste streams are increasingly regarded as alternative sources of technologically important oxides for glass and ceramic fabrication. This study focuses on the identification and structural characterization of oxide precursors derived from diverse waste materials, with emphasis on phase verification and suitability for advanced glass systems. Aluminum, calcium, silicon, and zinc oxide precursors were synthesized from waste aluminum beverage cans, chicken eggshells, waste container glass, coconut shells, and spent zinc–carbon batteries using simple hydrometallurgical, alkali-based, and thermal extraction routes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns recorded over 2θ = 10–80° using Cu–Kα radiation (λ = 1.5406 Å) confirmed phase formation in all extracted oxide systems. The ZnO sample exhibited intense reflections at 2θ ≈ 31.7°, 34.4°, and 36.2°, indexed to the (100), (002), and (101) planes of hexagonal wurtzite ZnO (ICDD PDF 00-036-1451). Analysis of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the dominant (101) peak indicated an average crystallite size in the nanometer range. Silica recovered from waste container glass displayed a broad amorphous hump centered at 2θ ≈ 22°, confirming the absence of long-range order. In contrast, coconut-shell-derived silica showed crystalline quartz reflections at 2θ ≈ 20.8°, 26.6°, 36.5°, and 50.1°, corresponding to α-SiO₂, together with minor aluminosilicate phases. The eggshell-derived calcium system exhibited peaks at 2θ ≈ 29.4° (CaCO₃), 34.1° (Ca(OH)₂), and 37.3° (CaO), while the aluminum-based precursor showed boehmite reflections at 2θ ≈ 14.5°, 28.5°, and 38.3°. Overall, the waste-derived oxides occur as reactive or multiphase systems but remain structurally compatible with glass and ceramic processing. Kamal G, Bello A.A, Hamza A.M, Gonto A.M 2026-01-05 10:59:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8398609/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:56:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398609/v1 Flow is a psychological state of deep immersion and engagement associated with enhanced performance and well-being, yet its neural correlates remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether flow is experienced during Memphis Jookin’, a street dance style originating in Memphis, Tennessee, and examined its behavioral and neurophysiological signatures. Professional Memphis Jookers (N = 6) completed validated self-report measures assessing flow, interoceptive awareness, and embodied responses to movement. Two participants wore 32-electrode electroencephalography (EEG) systems while engaging in choreographed and improvised dance, observing other dancers, and resting state. Independent components were localized using dipole modeling for one participant, with spectral parameterization and functional connectivity assessed. Dancers reported high levels of trait and state flow and demonstrated elevated interoceptive awareness compared to individuals trained in other mind–body practices. Theta-band activity was prominent during dance across regions including the posterior cingulate gyri, inferior temporal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, paracentral lobule, supplementary motor area, and Rolandic operculum. Resting-state functional connectivity increased after dance across theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands. Together, these findings suggest that street dance elicits robust flow states accompanied by distinct patterns of large-scale brain activity and connectivity, highlighting dance as an embodied practice with translational relevance for health and well-being. Noor Tasnim, Alana Hutchinson, Daphne Gyamfi, Krishna Makani, Grace Nobriga, Julia Basso 2026-01-05 10:56:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8431643/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:47:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8431643/v1 Semi-rigid polyurethane foam plays an indispensable role in the field of safety protection. However, its widespread use has brought challenges of unsustainability and potential fire hazards. Bio-based foams offer a new path to solve these problems, but the complexity of traditional manufacturing processes and their insufficient performance hinder their industrialization. This study synthesized a chitosan-based multifunctional crosslinking agent using a scalable one-pot method, which was subsequently utilized to construct a bio-based semi-rigid polyurethane foam (SPUR/CS-D) that integrates flame retardancy, recyclability, and high performance. The foam exhibits exceptional mechanical properties, capable of withstanding loads exceeding 9,000 times its own weight without significant deformation. Furthermore, SPUR/CS-D possesses excellent flame retardancy, maintaining structural stability under sustained flame attack at around 1200°C. Notably, based on the dynamic exchange behavior of urethane bonds and ester bonds catalyzed by tertiary amines, SPUR/CS-D can be rapidly recycled and upgraded into a high-performance transparent film through simple process. Furthermore, the multifunctional composite material formed by stacking the film with graphene exhibits an ideal electromagnetic shielding effect. This study successfully addressed the comprehensive challenges of traditional foams in terms of sustainability, manufacturing complexity, fire risk, and mechanical properties through green design and structural innovation. Tianchen Zhang, Zheng Pan, Linfeng Tian, Baozheng Zhao, Fei Song, Yonghong Zhou, Meng Zhang 2026-01-05 10:47:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7784641/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:27:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7784641/v1 Despite the Netherlands' secular reputation, from de-pillarization to the drop in church attendance in the 70s-80s, Christian FBOs’ humanitarian work has direct consequences on the gender and intersectional inequalities in society. This article examines SA in the Netherlands to show how its double identity as both a religious and humanitarian organization sustains patriarchal structures while escaping critical (political) scrutiny. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, including interviews, observations, and organizational documents, we highlight how symbols such as blood, the red shield, and the flag operate as boundary markers of belonging and exclusion. These symbolic repertoires embed heteronormative family values into organizational culture, ultimately reinforcing patriarchal structures and legitimizing inequalities under the guise of humanitarian care. While SA presents itself as an identity-neutral provider of aid, its practices are shaped by masculinist norms, colonial legacies, and Christian ideals that privilege male leadership and undervalue women’s labor. Official commitments to DEI remain limited, as religious identity is used to justify exemptions and avoid accountability. This analysis advances an anti-humanitarian perspective, showing how humanitarianism—far from dismantling structural inequalities—can reproduce them through religious symbolism, moral authority, and selective care. Suzanne Boersma, ioana vrabiescu 2026-01-05 10:27:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8451382/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:21:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8451382/v1 Advancements in digital conservation have established precise damage localization and automated repair template extraction as critical needs in 3D artifact restoration. Conventional approaches, often limited by heavy manual intervention, high missed-detection rates from single-view analysis, and underutilization of symmetrical features, struggle to meet the demands of high-fidelity restoration. To address these challenges, this paper presents a novel method for 3D artifact damage detection and template extraction, which integrates Segment Anything Model 2 (SAM2) semantic segmentation with geometric symmetry constraints. Our framework begins with high-accuracy 3D reconstruction of the damaged artifact using 3D Gaussian splatting to generate a comprehensive, multi-view image set. SAM2 is then employed to produce damage masks across these views, which are projected into 3D space and integrated using camera parameters. Subsequently, a triple-verification strategy---combining PCA principal axis analysis, minimum symmetry error search, and voxel symmetry evaluation---is proposed to robustly identify the artifact's symmetry plane. This enables the extraction of a structural template from the intact side, which guides the repair of the damaged region. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of our method, achieving an average damage detection accuracy of 92.7\%, a symmetry plane detection error below 0.8 mm, and an 89.3\% fit between the extracted template and the damaged area, significantly outperforming traditional single-strategy detection and template extraction techniques. Requiring no large-scale training dataset and reducing reliance on manual input, this approach offers a practical, automated, and high-precision solution for 3D cultural heritage restoration. Jiuyi Zhang, Jiaqi Ji, Sijia Feng, Huiying Ru 2026-01-05 10:21:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8492529/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:20:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8492529/v1 Adsorption-induced deformation in porous materials refers to the structural change that occurs due to the adsorption of guest molecules. This effect can be neglected for many systems because the variation in pore volume is practically zero. This fact led to the hypothesis of a rigid pore structure, which in turn gave rise to numerous adsorption models. However, for many new porous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), the effects of these deformations are significant and specific for different components and temperatures, requiring detailed models. The hybrid Monte Carlo/molecular dynamics method is the most direct approach for capturing volumetric deformation during adsorption. However, this method involves multiple iterations of the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and molecular dynamics simulations in an NPT ensemble (NPT-MD), which requires computer optimization to reduce computational time. In this work, we develop an efficient iterative GCMC/NPT-MD method, leveraging the GPU parallelization of gRASPA and GROMACS software, to study the effects of flexibility in IRMOF-1. This approach enables a detailed investigation of how the framework deforms in response to the adsorption of CO2 and Ar. Lucas dos Santos, Iuri Segtovich, Amaro Barreto Jr, Frederico Tavares 2026-01-05 10:20:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8340234/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:13:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8340234/v1 Background: Climate change is increasingly recognized as a serious threat to both physical and mental health in the present era. However, there remains a need for research specifically addressing the psychological effects of climate change on mental health. This study examined the correlation between climate change risk perception and psychological distress among emerging adults in Egypt. It also focused on the moderating roles of self-regulation, resilience, and self-efficacy, as well as gender differences, within the framework of an integrative model that conceptualizes these three variables as complementary psychological resources.  Methods: A cross-sectional correlational method was conducted with 2,065 undergraduate students at Cairo University during the first semester of 2024. All participants of men and women completed validated Arabic versions of standardized psychological scales. Descriptive statistics and preliminary analyses, including tests for data bias were performed in SPSS (v.25), and structural equation modeling in AMOS (v.24) was used to test direct, interaction, and higher-order moderation effects between the moderating variables.  Results: Climate change risk perception significantly correlated to psychological distress. Self-regulation and resilience consistently weakened this relationship, indicating their protective roles, while self-efficacy was unexpectedly associated with higher levels of distress. Significant interaction effects emerged primarily among men, with complex three-way interactions varying by gender, whereas the four-way interaction was not significant in both genders.  Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the utility of an integrative model in reflecting gender-based differences in psychological responses to climate change. They also suggest that psychological resources are not enough when considered together, they remain independently important. Future research should address broader contextual and structural factors in the Egyptian culture. This study contributes to testing gendered moderation effects which reinforce cross-cultural studies, and provides actionable implications for education, psychosocial support, and policy development.  Moataz S. Abdallah, Hamed A. Ead, Attia M. El-Tantawy, Eman S. Swelam, Osama S. Abosree, Eman M. Abdallah 2026-01-05 10:13:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8403632/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:11:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8403632/v1 Background Social connection supports subjective well-being, yet face-to-face interaction has declined, increasing social isolation. Digital tools that help residents find local activities may promote social participation, but evidence is mixed. This study investigated whether an app providing local event information enhances well-being among users. Methods We conducted a longitudinal comparative study in Kashiwa-no-ha, Japan (December 22, 2023–February 23, 2024), including 416 adults aged 20–64 years. Web surveys were administered before the app launch and at study completion. Primary and secondary outcomes were subjective happiness and life satisfaction (0–10 scales). Exposure was active app use; inactive users served as the reference. Linear regression estimated adjusted coefficients with 95% confidence intervals, controlling for gender, education, marital status, living alone, self-rated health, years of residence, and baseline outcome. Analyses were stratified into young (20–44) and middle-aged (45–64) groups. Results Nineteen participants (4.6%) were active users; 10 (52.6%) were young adults, who reported increased participation in parenting events. In adjusted models, active users showed higher happiness (β=0.54, 95% CI −0.13 to 1.21; p=0.117) and life satisfaction (β=0.32, 95% CI −0.38 to 1.03; p=0.370), although these were not statistically significant overall. Among young adults, active use was significantly associated with higher happiness (β=1.38, 95% CI 0.39 to 2.37; p=0.006); no significant effects were observed among middle-aged adults. Conclusions An app disseminating comprehensive local event information may promote social participation and enhance happiness, particularly among younger adults. Shuhei Kobayashi, Atsushi Nakagomi, Yu-Ru Chen, Kazushige Ide, Masamichi Hanazato, Katsunori Kondo 2026-01-05 10:11:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8489939/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:10:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8489939/v1 Background Long COVID refers to persistent or new-onset symptoms three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection lasting for at least two months. The prevalence of Long COVID ranges across studies, while the associated risk factors are not well understood.Methods The study population of Beyond COVID was recruited in six German cities by inviting (1) individuals registered as SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive at the local Public Health Authorities and (2) previously hospitalized patients with infection date between 1st March 2021 and 31st May 2022. Participants were allocated to the predominant variant of concern (VOC) of their first infection. Blood exams and questionnaires to assess persisting symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and psychosocial factors were performed. This publication describes the parameters at baseline visit (BV).Results We included 1258 participants (13.4% hospitalized-based; 86.6% population-based). Most participants had BA.2 (34.6%), followed by Delta (26.8%), BA.1 (18.9%), and Alpha (17.3%). The mean age was 47.1, and 59% were female. 68.8% reported at least one persisting symptom. Fatigue was the most frequent ongoing symptom (32.8%), followed by concentration disorders (25.4%) and dyspnoea (22%). Female sex, lower education, and a shorter period between infection and BV were associated with higher rates of persisting symptoms and symptom-severity. BA.1 and BA.2 had lower rates of persisting symptoms and symptom severity.Conclusion Analysis of baseline data from the Beyond-COVID cohort confirms a high percentage of persistent symptoms. Omicron variants had lower rates of persistent symptoms and symptom severity. Long-term follow-up of study participants will contribute to the characterization of Long COVID. Alexander Mertens, Judith Smith, Ingmar Bergs, Julia Fischer, Sarah Jansen, Sven Breitschwerdt, Elisabeth Pracht, Alexander Killer, Lukas Schipper, Nils Kuklik, Mirjam Frank, Julia Schwichtenberg, Siona Bührmann, Lina Zeissler, Michael Dreher, Jürgen Rockstroh, Hana Rohn, Clara Lehmann, Phil-Robin Tepasse, Börge Schmidt, Nico Dragano, Johannes Bode, Tom Lüdde, Björn-Erik Ole Jensen 2026-01-05 10:10:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444305/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:10:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444305/v1 Electromagnetic scattering exhibits various anomalous behaviors, such as the forward or backward scattering effects known as the Kerker conditions. These anomalies appear in non-Hermitian photonic resonators and are mathematically described by operators with complex eigenfrequencies. Here, an effective Hamiltonian approach is proposed to analyze the complex eigenvalues of scattering systems. By imposing zero scattering constraints (i.e., transmission or reflection zeros) on the Hamiltonian of a two-mode photonic system, the complex eigenvalues corresponding to transmissionless and reflectionless modes are calculated and it is revealed that the Kerker anomalies are a result of spontaneous parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$)-symmetry-breaking in the complex plane. This formalism provides a generic method to study non-Hermitian scattering and can yield novel physical insights into coupled-mode resonating systems. Furthermore, it provides universal design rules that yield photonic devices with unidirectional scattering and full $2\pi$ phase modulation. Loubnan Abou Hamdan, Aloke Jana, Remi Colom, Nour Abouyoussef, cooper carlson, adam overvig, Felix Binkowski, sven Burger, Patrice Genevet 2026-01-05 10:10:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8299484/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 10:09:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8299484/v1 In an era marked by rapid labor market transformations and increasing demands for employability, the ability to accurately predict the vocational mobility of graduates holds significant value for educational institutions, policymakers, and career counselors. This study presents a data-driven framework for forecasting graduate vocational mobility using multivariate attributes derived from academic, demographic, experiential, and psychosocial domains. Four machine learning algorithms—Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN)—were implemented and evaluated using a labeled dataset of 10,000 graduate profiles. Comprehensive preprocessing, including data cleaning, feature engineering, and balancing techniques, was applied to ensure model readiness. Performance evaluation was conducted using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and ROC-AUC, with cross-validation employed to assess robustness. The ANN model outperformed others across all metrics, demonstrating superior accuracy (91.3%), robustness (±0.009 in F1-score), and fairness across gender, region, and socioeconomic status subgroups. Feature-importance analysis revealed that attributes such as internship participation, GPA, communication proficiency, and adaptability were the most influential predictors of career mobility. The study also conducted subgroup fairness assessments to ensure ethical deployment and minimize bias. Overall, the proposed predictive framework provides a scalable and interpretable tool for guiding graduate career pathways. It enables institutions to make data-informed interventions and promotes equitable decision-making in workforce planning and graduate support programs. Irshad Ahmed Abbasi 2026-01-05 10:09:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8447504/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:58:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8447504/v1 Ethiopia is rich in biodiversity, and its vast landscape offers a variety of medicinal plants with significant cultural and therapeutic importance. The study is conducted to identify medicinal plants using image processing and deep learning techniques. This study explores both pre-trained models (such as VGG-16 and ResNet-50) and CNN sequential for creating models from scratch. Experimental results show that the Medicinal Plant Identification (MPI) model constructed from scratch performs better with accuracy of 99.90% and an F-score of 99.00% performance as compared to pre-trained models VGG-16 andResNet-50.The proposed model achieves high accuracy in medicinal plant images classification by utilizing multiple convolutional layers that capture fine-grained patterns in images. Habtamu Alebel, Million Meshesha, Wabi Jifara, Girma Asefa 2026-01-05 09:58:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483808/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:58:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483808/v1 Design decisions in precision mechanical systems are often based on assumed or simplified load cases, even though user interaction can dominate structural response during operation. While experimental load identification is widely used for validation, its role in shaping design decisions remains insufficiently documented in design research. This paper investigates how experimentally identified user-induced loads influence design decisions and design quality, using the development of a precision camera tripod as a case study. User-induced loads were experimentally identified during representative camera operation and translated into bending moments acting on the structure. These empirically derived loads were then used as fixed inputs in a decision-oriented design process, guiding targeted construction modifications. Structural modelling was employed in a comparative manner to evaluate alternative design variants under consistent load conditions. The results show that integrating experimentally identified user loads enabled more focused design decisions, leading to improved stiffness and stability under representative operating conditions without disproportionate increases in mass. Rather than driving global reinforcement, empirical load information revealed dominant load paths and deformation mechanisms, supporting selective structural refinement. Beyond the specific case, the study demonstrates a transferable process for embedding experimental load identification into design decision-making. The findings highlight that the primary value of empirical load data lies not in validation alone, but in reducing ambiguity and improving the quality and transparency of design decisions in precision mechanical design. Jakub Duczmalewski, Szymon Cygan 2026-01-05 09:58:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8338211/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:58:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8338211/v1 Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) can carry diverse genetic material that modulates pancreatic cancer (PC) proliferation and invasion. Despite this, the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in exosome-mediated tumor progression in PC remains inadequately explored. This study demonstrates that miR-4644 upregulation in exosomes derived from PC promotes both proliferation and invasion, while its inhibition suppresses tumor progression. SPRY3, a downstream target of miR-4644, acts to mitigate PC malignancy when overexpressed. Mechanistically, elevated miR-4644 in PC-derived exosomes fosters tumor growth and invasion through the suppression of SPRY3. Collectively, these findings indicate that high miR-4644 expression in pancreatic cancer exosomes correlates with poor patient prognosis, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of PC. Xiangyu Chu, Dongqi Li, Fusheng Zhang, Yongsu Ma, Yongqi Deng, Chen Wang, Xiaodong Tian, Yanlian Yang, Yinmo Yang 2026-01-05 09:58:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8127609/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:57:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8127609/v1 Background Delayed extubation after anesthesia can lead to adverse clinical outcomes. An investigation was undertaken to identify the risk factors contributing to a delay extubation of patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and to develop a visualized nomogram prediction model for clinical use.Methods A total of 624 patients were included and divided into training group, validation group, and external validation group. The training group was utilized to develop a nomogram, whereas the validation group and external validation group was used to assess its performance. LASSO regression was employed to refine variables and choose predictors, and a nomogram was constructed using multivariate logistic regression. The performance of the model was internally validated using calibration and receiver operating characteristic curves. Additionally, decision curve analysis and clinical impact curves were used to assess the clinical utility of the model.Results Patients between January 2022 and April 2024 were included and divided into training group (n = 389), validation group (n = 98), and external validation group (n = 137). Logistic regression identified cerebral infarction, pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, age, and intraoperative hypotension as independent predictors of delayed extubation. A nomogram constructed based on these factors demonstrated excellent predictive performance, with area under the curve values of 0.763 (95% CI: 0.717–0.810) in the train group, 0.811 (95% CI: 0.726–0.897) in the validation group, and 0.769 (95% CI: 0.689–0.848) in the external validation group. Across all three group, the model demonstrated a good fit, as indicated by a non-significant Hosmer-Lemeshow test statistic, and the calibration curves indicated a strong alignment between the predictions and actual observations. Furthermore, decision curve analysis and clinical impact curve demonstrated the clinical efficiency and benefits of the prediction model.Conclusion This study identified key risk factors for delayed extubation and established an effective predictive nomogram with high discriminative ability and clinical applicability for predictive the risk of extubation delay in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.Trial registration The Medical Ethics Committee of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital granted ethical approval for this research(grant number: 2024-742-01) TanTan Fang, ChuanFei Liu, XiaoPing Gu 2026-01-05 09:57:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406249/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:49:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406249/v1 A biocompatible dispersion of carbon dots (CDs) has been obtained by laser irradiation of graphene oxide (GO) placed in liquids. The CDs synthesis uses a pulsed IR laser operating at 970 nm, 100 ms pulse duration, and 1.1 kJ/cm2 fluence. The carbon target is constituted by GO sheets, containing micrometric GO flakes, immersed in a common phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution used in biology. CDs are functionalized by the solution salts and, under UV excitation, produce a high-intensity dispersion luminescence in the visible region. The optical properties and other physical characteristics of the dispersions are presented. The CD's fluorescent emission occurs in the blue region, around 478 nm, upon excitation at 365 nm. The synthesized CDs showed high biocompatibility, stability, and nontoxicity. This study provides an inexpensive and simple method for synthesizing biocompatible CDs in liquids for useful applications in bioimaging, diagnostics, and therapy. Lorenzo Torrisi, Mariapompea Cutroneo, Debora Lombardo, Barbara Fazio, Daniela Manno, Antonio Serra, Alfio Torrisi 2026-01-05 09:49:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444763/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:40:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444763/v1 A material that can simultaneously convert multiple input stimuli into electrical charge carriers resulting in multi-functions may be classified as a multi-conversion multi-function or smart material. A variety of external stimuli-induced electrical charge carriers can modulate material’s electronic, optical, optoelectronic, thermoelectric, and other charge carrier-modulated properties for potential multi-conversion applications. Photovoltaic materials convert light or photons into electrical charge carriers, thermoelectric materials convert heat or phonons into electrical charge carriers, field effect transistors (FETs) convert gate voltages into electrical charge carriers in the semiconductor that intern affect output IV curves of the source-drain electrodes. These types of materials have been recently intensely studied and reported. This article briefly reviews fundamental scientific principles and key results of certain multi-conversion soft materials studied mainly at the author’s lab. Sam-Shajing Sun, Thomas Debesay, Joseph Norman, Harold Lee 2026-01-05 09:40:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8516036/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:40:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8516036/v1 Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) and lower-grade glioma (LGG) are distinct glioma subtypes with divergent molecular landscapes and clinical outcomes. Accurate molecular characterization is critical for prognostic assessment and therapeutic decision-making. Methods: We performed an integrative multi-omics analysis combining RNA-sequencing, copy number variation (CNV), and somatic mutation data from TCGA. Feature selection across omics layers was applied to identify robust biomarkers, which were subsequently used in Random Forest and Logistic Regression classifiers for GBM–LGG discrimination. Cox proportional hazards regression and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted to assess prognostic relevance and functional context.  Results: We observed pervasive CNV gains and losses in GBM relative to LGG, and subtype-specific mutation enrichment in canonical gliomaassociated genes including IDH1, ATRX, EGFR, PTEN, and TP53. Transcriptomic profiling revealed upregulation of RETN, LBX1, and CEACAM8 in GBM. Six overlapping genes (TP53, PTEN, RB1, RETN, LBX1, CEACAM8) spanned RNA, CNV, and mutation layers and served as top features in machine-learning models. Random Forest and Logistic Regression classifiers achieved high performance (test ROC–AUC = 0.965 and 0.975, respectively). Cox analysis indicated RETN and RB1 upregulation increased hazard, whereas PTEN and LBX1 CNV alterations were protective. Pathway enrichment highlighted cell cycle regulation, transcriptional control, senescence, and cancer-related signaling. Conclusion: Our integrative multi-omics analysis identifies a robust gene signature capable of accurate GBM–LGG classification and survival risk stratification, demonstrating the potential of combining bioinformatics and machine-learning approaches for precision diagnostics and prognostics in glioma. Amir Mahdi Taghizadeh, Pourya Soflaee 2026-01-05 09:40:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8439637/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:37:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8439637/v1 To address poor rheological properties and low mechanical strength of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) caused by recycled aggregate (RA) defects, this study investigated effects of nano-CaCO₃ (NC) on RAC's rheological (yield stress, plastic viscosity) and mechanical (compressive, splitting, flexural strength) properties under varying NC content (0%–2.5%), recycled aggregate replacement rates (0%–100%), and water-to-binder ratios (0.35–0.45). Orthogonal experiments optimized mix design, and SEM, XRD, MIP elucidated modification mechanisms. Results showed 1.0%–1.5% NC reduced yield stress by 23.6%–31.2% and plastic viscosity by 18.9%–25.3%, while increasing 28-day compressive strength by 20.3%–26.7%. Optimal mix (1.2% NC, 50% recycled aggregate replacement, 0.40 water-to-binder ratio) yielded RAC with construction-appropriate rheological properties and 28-day compressive strength of 52.8MPa (24.5% higher than reference). NC enhanced performance via pore refinement (filling effect), promoted hydration (nucleation effect), and improved aggregate-mortar interface (ITZ modification). This study provides theoretical and technical support for NC application in RAC engineering. Jun Xu, Guang-hua Lyu, Min Tan 2026-01-05 09:37:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8370894/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:36:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370894/v1 Fritillaria przewalskii Maxim. an essential medicinal plant in the Fritillaria genus of the Liliaceae family, is widely used in traditional medicine. This study focused on developing a cryopreservation protocol for F. przewalskii, an endangered and endemic species in China. We aimed to determine if ex vitro bulbs from field-grown F. przewalskii plants could serve a source of shoot tips for cryopreservation. Key factors influencing cryopreservation outcomes were studied using a vitrification-based approach. Prior to cryopreservation, cold hardening and sucrose preculture conditions were optimized. The best results were achieved by hardening bulbs at 4℃ for 3–4 months,followed by surface disinfection and isolation of 2–5 mm Shoot tips. The tips were then then precultured on a medium with 0.5M sucrose for 3 days. Cryopreservation steps included a 20-minute loading treatment, 60-minute PVS2 dehydration at room temperature, and storage in liquid nitrogen more than one hour. After thawing, this protocol resulted in 93% shoot survival rate, with tips regenerating into small bulbs within 5 weeks without intermediary callus formation. Histological analysis showed that while cooling and rewarming caused severe bud damage, apical meristem cells are the primary survival sites. Although loading and PVS2 treatment induced cell plasmolysis, it was not lethal. Optimal PVS2 treatment enhanced cellular dehydration resistance, promoting cell viability at ultralow temperature. RAPD analysis of regenepercentaged plants showed no genetic variation, confirming strong genetic stability. The direct use of ex vitro shoot tips provides a straightforward and effective cryopreservation method for F. przewalskii, combining convenience, efficiency, and genetic stability. Yuming He, Huan Sun, Hui Fan, Chunyu He, Qingyi Guo, yanhong zhang 2026-01-05 09:36:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8363565/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:36:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8363565/v1 Background Integrating adolescent health service into primary care is Essential for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, in low-resorce settings such as Indonesia, implementation remains fragmented and inconsistently aligned with adolescent need. West Java Province continues to experience disparities in adolescent health outcomes due to weak intersectoral coordination, limited provider capacity, sociocultural stigma, and gaps between national policy frameworks and operational practice.Objective The study aimed to explore contextual and systemic barriers that hinder the integration of adolescent health services within primary care settings in West Java, Indonesia, by examining the perspective of policymakers, healthcare providers, and adolescent.Method A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the perspectives of policymakers, healthcare providers, and adolescent. Data were collected through 25 in-depth interviews and four group discussion. All sessions were audio recorded, transcribed werbatim, and analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s approach. NVivo 15 supported data management and coding. Credibility and trustworthiness were ensured through triangulation, member checking, reflexive documentation, and maintenance of an audit trail.Results Four themes emerged: (1) fragmented coordination across sectors resulting in discontinuous service pathways and weak referral mechanism; (2) limited provider competency and insufficient adolescent-centered communication reducing service acceptability; (3) sociocultural stigma, gender norms, and low awareness hindering help-seeking and utilization; and (4) inadequate policy translation, inconsistent local operationalization, and unstable funding compromising program sustainability. Cross-cutting issues included weak interprofessional collaboration and minimal adolescent engagement.Conclusion The integration of adolescent health services eithin Indonesia’s primary care system remains constrained by systemic, organizational, provider-level, and sociocultural barriers. Strengthening implementation requires clear operational guidelines, sustainable financing, structured intersectoral governance, enhanced provider capacity, and meaningful adolescent participation. These findings offer actionable evidence to support adolescent-responsive primary care in resource limited settings. Dewi Nurlaela Sari, Dany Hilmanto, Deni K Sunjaya, Puspa Sari 2026-01-05 09:36:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8280763/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:34:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8280763/v1 Introduction Self-report is one of the easiest, cheapest and most widely used methods of collecting data about individuals’ health and risk factor status. Many health studies use self-reported data to assess the prevalence of given risk factors or health behaviors in the community. The objective of this study was to determine the level of perceived morbidity, treatment seeking behavior and associated factors using nationally representative self-reported morbidity data. Methods This study was embedded from a community based, national representative survey which was conducted from September 27 and December 20, 2022 in ten regions and two city administrations. Data collection in the eleventh region, i.e., Tigray region, was carried out separately from December 28, 2023 to February 14, 2024, due to contextual constraints.  The survey covered 441 enumeration areas within 11 regional states and two city administrations. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed to select the eligible households and a total of 9,157 household were selected. Data were collected through face-to-face interview with structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics such as frequency with percentages and mean with standard deviations were employed to describe participants’ characteristics. Bivariate analysis was conducted to assess the association between treatment seeking behavior and independent variables. Mixed effects logistic regression was employed to determine predictors of treatment seeking behavior. Results A total of 2030 (18.02%) household heads experienced at least one perceived morbidity in the past 12 months prior to the survey date. Of these, 776(16.21%) were urban and 1254(18.71%) were rural residents. About 1793(89.4% with 95%CI: 3.76, 3.80) sought treatment to their perceived morbidity. In the multivariable analysis, Afar (AOR=0.47; 95%CI: 0.35, 0.64), Amhara(AOR=0.45; 95%CI: 0.33, 0.61), Oromia(AOR=0.26; 95%CI:0.18, 0.38), Ethiopia Somali(AOR=0.31; 95%CI: 0.21, 0.46), Benishangul-Gumuz (AOR=0.13; 95%CI: 0.09, 0.19), SNNPR(AOR=0.51; 95%CI: 0.37, 0.70), Sidama(AOR=0.59; 95%CI: 0.40, 0.87), South west-Ethiopia(AOR=0.23; 95%CI: 15, 35), Harari(AOR=0.29; 95%CI: 19, 45), and Dire Dawa(AOR=0.80; 95%CI: 0.53, 1.00) were found to be less likely to seek treatment to their perceived morbidity compared to Tigray regional state while Gambela was 2.7 (95%CI:2.07, 3.63) times more likely to seek treatment compared to Tigray regional state. Other factors associated with treatment seeking behavior were being male (AOR, 1.2; 95%CI: 1.00, 1.37), own agricultural land (AOR=1.6; 95%CI: 1.37, 1.80), safety net beneficiaries (AOR=1.5; 95%CI: 1.27, 1.86), self-rated health status (very poor, AOR=2.4; 95%CI: 1.53, 3.90; poor, AOR=5.6; 95%CI: 4.28, 7.44; Neutral, AOR=2.9; 95%CI: 2.21, 3.68; Good, AOR=1.9; 95%CI: 1.55, 2.40) showed statistically significant association. Conclusion This study revealed that majority of the participants sought treatment from health facility for their perceived illness. However, there were significant disparities across the regions and participant characteristics. Thus, the study finding underscores the need for targeted interventions to address inequalities and identified barriers to enhance equitable health care utilization across the regions. Desalew Zelalem, Aderajew Mekonnen Girmay, Hiwot Achamyeleh, Tsegaye Getachew, Desallegn Ararso, Arega Zeru, Ashenif Tadele, Girum Taye, Yitayh Leul, Weldemariam Bahre, Kelem Berhanu Abride, Akberet Lemlem, Afewerk Alemu, Gebeyaw Molla, Tefera Tadele, Wogayehu Tadele, Tesfaye Dagne, Senait Alemayehu, Hanim Tesfaye, Daniel Alemayehu Chekol, Fikreselassie Getachew, Seboka Abebe, Mesay Hailu, Getachew Tollera 2026-01-05 09:34:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8451089/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:34:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8451089/v1 Background Silicone breast implants remain among the most frequently performed cosmetic procedures worldwide, yet concerns persist regarding potential associations with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. The Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA) has emerged as a framework for understanding immune-mediated responses to silicone, though evidence remains fragmented and inconsistent.Objective To systematically review and quantitatively synthesize existing literature on ASIA syndrome associated with silicone breast implants, estimating pooled prevalence and identifying potential risk factors.Methods Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched multiple databases through October 2024 for observational studies evaluating ASIA syndrome in silicone breast implant recipients. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Statistical analyses employed random-effects models with Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation.Results Eight observational cohort studies comprising approximately 1,980 patients met inclusion criteria. ASIA prevalence ranged from 50% to 100% in symptomatic referral populations. Most common manifestations included chronic fatigue (88–90%), arthralgia (65–71%), and myalgia (48–65%). Pre-existing allergies were present in 56–75% of symptomatic cohorts. Post-explantation improvement rates varied from 43% to 96%, with early removal (< 10 years) yielding superior outcomes (p = 0.007). Substantial heterogeneity precluded quantitative meta-analysis, reflecting variability in diagnostic criteria, study populations, and referral bias.Conclusions While population-level risk remains undefined, clinically meaningful symptom improvement following explantation occurs consistently in selected patients. Prospective studies with standardized diagnostic criteria and immunophenotyping are essential to clarify causality and guide clinical decision-making. Luís Jesuíno de Oliveira Andrade, Gabriela Correia Matos de Oliveira, Alcina Maria Vinhaes Bittencourt, Osmário Jorge de Mattos Salles, Luís Matos de Oliveira 2026-01-05 09:34:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8354716/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:31:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8354716/v1 Background Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) represents India’s flagship publicly funded health insurance scheme and a central pillar of its Universal Health Coverage strategy. Despite extensive population coverage, evidence suggests that limited beneficiary knowledge and information asymmetries constrain effective utilisation of scheme benefits.Objectives This study aims to assess knowledge and information gaps among PMJAY beneficiaries.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 450 PMJAY beneficiaries at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Gujarat, India, between January and March 2024. Data were collected using a validated, digitalized structured questionnaire through KOBO toolbox. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS v25 to examine factors associated with knowledge levels.Results The mean age of participants was 37.8 ± 13.4 years; 71.1% were male and 84% resided in rural areas. Although 86.7% had heard of PM-JAY, the mean knowledge score was low (5.09 ± 2.8 out of 15). Awareness of eligibility criteria (15.6%), covered services (13.8%), grievance redressal mechanisms (15.8%), and digital platforms was particularly limited. Knowledge scores were significantly associated with residence, education, income, employment type, and exposure to information from private hospitals (p < 0.001). Major challenges included claim processing delays (41.7%) and non-availability of service packages (22.9%) with minor issues like language barriers and Aadhar card linking affecting about 4.2% of respondents each.Conclusion Enhancing PMJAY utilization will require improved information dissemination, addressing rural-urban disparities, and leveraging interpersonal networks to better reach and Damini Joshi, Apurvakumar Pandya, Mehak Chopra, Parth Sompura, Ekta Modi, Partha Sarathi Ganguly 2026-01-05 09:31:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8138312/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:27:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8138312/v1 Transparency in public institutions is essential to strengthening democratic quality, especially in a context of growing public mistrust and increasing demands for accountability. Despite regulatory and technological progress, transparency at the municipal level remains uneven due to differences among local governments. In this context, this paper proposes an alternative methodological approach based on the construction of composite transparency indicators that combine 20 evaluated indicators (rated on a scale from 1 to 4) for 395 Spanish municipalities with over 20,000 inhabitants. This approach makes it possible to assess both overall transparency and performance across thematic areas. The results reveal intermediate levels of transparency, with stronger performance in institutional and economic-financial information, and weaker results in legal aspects and senior officials’ disclosures. Subsequently, by analyzing the level of disclosure associated with these composite indicators through a second-stage non-parametric regression, we find that digital inclusion and privacy literacy are positively associated with higher transparency, while economic constraints and social inequality tend to hinder it. This study contributes to developing tools better adapted to local realities, fostering more open, accountable, and citizen-oriented public administrations. Elisabeth ZAFRA GÓMEZ, Ventura Castillo-Ramos, Germán López-Pérez, Victor Giménez, José L. Zafra-Gómez 2026-01-05 09:27:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7466146/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:26:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7466146/v1 The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is a promising preclinical geroscience model due to its short lifespan, low maintenance, age-associated functional decline, and responsiveness to geroprotective drugs. Continuous dosing with rapamycin, acarbose, and phenylbutyrate extends lifespan; whether intermittent dosing offers similar benefits remains unknown. We tested 274 sex-matched crickets given 2-week intermittent dosing of each drug starting at mid-age (8-weeks), followed by behavioral testing at 10-weeks (geriatric stage). Assays included Y-maze olfactory discrimination, open-field exploration, and treadmill performance. Locomotor gaits were identified by velocity-based K-means clustering (silhouette > 0.5). A subset was monitored for post-treatment survival using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Olfactory preference was preserved by all drugs (d’s = -1.82 to -1.28, P’s < 0.01), with strongest effects in rapamycin-treated individuals. Rapamycin-treated males matched or exceeded juvenile locomotor activity; phenylbutyrate reduced male activity (d = 1.49, P < 0.05) and acarbose increased walking-to-running ratios (d = -0.75, P < 0.05). Rapamycin increased central exploration and freezing (d = -1.55, P < 0.0001), while acarbose and phenylbutyrate increased peripheral freezing (d = -0.76, P < 0.05). Rapamycin and phenylbutyrate extended maximum running time (d’s = -2.30 to -1.32, P‘s < 0.0001), with sex-specific jumping gains in rapamycin-treated females and acarbose-treated males. Post-treatment lifespan was prolonged by rapamycin (HR = 0.42, P < 0.001) and reduced by acarbose in females (HR’s = 2.92 to 3.03, P’s < 0.05). Intermittent rapamycin preserved survival, cognition, and locomotion, while acarbose and phenylbutyrate produced selective benefits, supporting A. domesticus as a scalable model for geroprotective drug discovery. Gerald Yu Liao, Jenna Klug, Swastik Singh, Elizabeth Bae, Sherwin Dai, Warren Ladiges 2026-01-05 09:26:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8373053/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:25:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8373053/v1 (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics face a central challenge: the difficulty in simultaneously achieving a high piezoelectric constant (d33) and a large-signal piezoelectric constant (d33*), which limits their application in actuators and transducers. This study proposes a synergistic strategy of constructing a three-phase coexistence region and introducing an internal bias field in (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.76Sr0.24TiO3 ceramics through Li+ doping to coordinate the trade-off between d33 and d33*. Through this strategy, the (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.76Sr0.24TiO3 -x wt% Li2CO3 (BNSTL-x) ceramics with x = 1.00 simultaneously achieve outstanding piezoelectric properties: d33 = 281 pC/N and d33* = 1250 pm/V. The rhombohedral-tetragonal-pseudocubic (R3c-P4bm-Pm\(\:\stackrel{-}{3}\)m) three-phase coexistence structure, combined with an optimized grain size, contributes to the high piezoelectric response. Furthermore, the superposition of the internal bias field induced by defect dipoles and the external electric field generates highly asymmetric bipolar strain curves, thereby significantly enhancing d33*. This work provides a novel material design strategy for developing high-performance lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. Xiaoxiao Xing, Changrong Zhou, Hao Yang, Huifang Cheng, Qingning Li, Changlai Yuan, Shuai Cheng, Songwei Wang 2026-01-05 09:25:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7210704/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:25:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7210704/v1 Despite extensive research using EEG and machine‑learning models for ADHD diagnosis—achieving up to 96.7% accuracy, 95.1% sensitivity and 98.3% specificity with Wavelet‑Attention deep models and even 99.8% accuracy with explainable ML frameworks validated on clinical data—conventional AI approaches remain opaque and lack reproducibility in real‑world settings, limiting clinical trust and objective interpretation. In this work, we present NeuroMath, a mathematically interpretable EEG analysis framework that segments real‑time signals and models them with polynomial, sinusoidal, and Fourier representations to derive explicit coefficient‑based features that quantitatively distinguish healthy individuals from those with ADHD, capturing clinically relevant slow‑frequency abnormalities often observed in theta/beta ratios. Evaluations on benchmark EEG datasets demonstrate that these mathematically derived coefficients not only separate ADHD and control patterns robustly, but also offer transparent, real‑time, hardware‑agnostic analysis, reducing dependence on expensive equipment and black‑box models, and thus advancing towards accessible, interpretable, and clinically meaningful neurodiagnostics. Yahia Mohammed Khallaf, Abdelrahman Mohammed Mohammed 2026-01-05 09:25:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444462/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:21:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444462/v1 Food insecurity is a prevalent issue in rural communities within Ghana and particularly within the Karaga District (Northern Region), where climate change is intensifying vulnerabilities. Extreme and unpredictable weather events are disrupting agriculture and worsening food insecurity across all four pillars: availability, accessibility, affordability, and utilisation. Despite women’s central role in household food decisions, limited evidence exists on their experiences of food insecurity under climate change. This study surveyed 384 women in Pishigu (Karaga District) in March 2025, assessing food insecurity (Food Insecurity Experience Scale), climate impacts (using the Global Strategic Food Insecurity & Nutrition framework), health (RAND SF-36), and dietary diversity (Global Diet Quality Project). Rasch modelling estimated prevalence, descriptive statistics explored climate impacts, and multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of severe food insecurity. Results revealed that 93.4% experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, and 52.6% were severely food insecure, exceeding national and regional averages. Nearly two-thirds reported worsening food insecurity over five years, with climate change affecting all pillars: 83.1% cited crop and livestock losses, 86.98% reported reduced storage capacity, and 86.72% noted reduced income. Only 30.2% consumed a sufficiently diverse diet, and mean general health scores (56.12, SD ± 18.23) were lower than urban areas. Relative wealth, perceived energy, dietary diversity, knowledge of climate change and nutrition-related healthcare use were significant predictors of severe food insecurity. Findings underscore the urgent need for gender-sensitive, climate-informed policies and education, to strengthen resilience and empower women, ensuring sustainable progress in Karaga District and similar rural communities. Jessica Boxall, Amelia Bird, Alexandria Brown, Michael Head, Mohammed Malle Abdulai, Victor Mogre, Abdul Kasiru Shani, Patience Kanyiri Gaa 2026-01-05 09:21:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8374380/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:20:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8374380/v1 Erratic rainfall, over-withdrawal, and catchment degradation are intensifying water scarcity and heightening highland-lowland tensions in Mount Kenya. Although rainwater harvesting, micro-irrigation, and solar-powered irrigation systems are increasingly promoted as climate-smart strategies, adoption among smallholders remains limited by upfront costs, technical constraints, poor water quality, restricted access to credit, and weak extension services. To examine the systemic barriers to technology adoption, this study conceptualizes the uptake of RWH and SPIS within a Social-Technical-Ecological Systems (STES) framework and applies a participatory qualitative system dynamics approach. Using Causal Loop Diagrams developed from interviews (N = 40), participatory modelling (N = 8), and stakeholder validation, the research maps feedbacks among ecological processes, governance mechanisms, farmer decision-making, technical components and innovation uptake. Findings show that flat-rate water fees, limited monitoring capacity, and insufficient funding for Water Resource Users Associations reinforce overuse and diminish incentives for efficient irrigation adoption. Ecological degradation -including riparian decline, siltation, and pressure over forest systems- further constrains technology compatibility, while risk perception over crop failures, vandalism, and wildlife incursions affect farmers’ willingness to invest. Conversely, cooperative models, revolving funds, and demonstration farms emerge as important leverage points for expanding access to finance, strengthening technical skills, and improving market linkages. The study concludes that sustainable water management requires coordinated interventions that align governance reform, ecological restoration, and farmer-led technological innovation. A STES perspective, while bridging the gap between socio-technical and social-ecological research in sustainability transition, provides a holistic lens to navigate the social-ecological and technical drivers shaping water security and rural resilience in Mount Kenya. Andrea Cavicchi, Michelle Bonatti, Sandro Luis Schlindwein, Götz Uckert, Bancy Mbura Mati, Stefan Sieber 2026-01-05 09:20:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8477610/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:16:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8477610/v1 Background Lipolysis of triglyceride has been shown to increase the severity of hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP). This pathophysiological process relies on the elevation of triglyceride and lipase levels. This study aimed to determine the relationship between serum triglycerides, lipase, and the organ failure-free days (OFFDs)in HTG-AP. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter HTG-AP registry. Patients were stratified into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on the triglyceride-lipase index (triglyceride × lipase) interquartile ranges. The primary outcome was organ failure-free days within 14 days. Secondary outcomes included new-onset/persistent organ failure, ICU-free days, and hospital duration. Adjusted negative binomial regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to evaluate the associations between the triglyceride-lipase index and organ failure. Confounders were selected via directed acyclic graphs. Results 310 patients from 18 centers were included. Adjusted analysis showed patients in Q2 had similar OFFDs vs. Q1 (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 0.96, 95%CI 0.88–1.05). Patients in Q3 (aIRR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83–0.99) and Q4 (aIRR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81–0.98) had significantly fewer OFFDs. RCS revealed a nonlinear relationship between the triglyceride-lipase index and the time to resolution of organ failure; time to organ failure resolution significantly increased when the triglyceride-lipase index exceeded 11783 mmol × U/L². Conclusions Concurrent elevation of circulating triglyceride and lipase, evidenced by elevated triglyceride-lipase index, is associated with increased incidence and duration of organ failure among patients with HTG-AP. This suggests that future trials should investigate lipolysis as a potential treatment target in patients with HTG-AP. Registration: This retrospective observational study uses data collected from the PERFORM registry. The PERFORM registry was approved by the local ethics committees of the participating hospitals and registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000039541) before enrolment commenced. Longxiang Cao, Shuai Li, Guixian Luo, Yue Long, Zhouzhou Dong, Yijie Zhang, Yuan Yuan, Weijian Li, Hongbin Deng, Lanting Wang, Jing Zhou, Yuxiu Liu, Wei Huang, John Windsor, Zhihui Tong, Weiqin Li, Lu Ke 2026-01-05 09:16:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463011/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:15:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463011/v1 Norovirus is recognized as a pathogen with pandemic potential, exhibiting a higher fatality rate in low-income countries, particularly affecting young children. Currently, vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for norovirus is lacking. For evaluating antiviral compounds, this study was conducted by targeting viral protein 1 (VP1) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) proteins through in silico approach, which included modeling protein, assessment stability, molecular docking, molecular simulation, non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis, and pharmacokinetic profiling. Higher binding affinity revealed by molecular docking (-7.8 kcal/mol to -9.4 kcal/mol) for the ligands Zingiberol, Cardeonolide, Boeravinone B, Beta-Elemene, and Fisetin with VP1 and RdRp. The molecular dynamic simulation and subsequent analyses demonstrated significantly expected stable docked complexes of the protein-ligand in comparison to the ribavirin antiviral drug. Furthermore, these ligands exhibited acceptable drug-likeness and ADME-Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) profiles. This study initially suggests that these compounds have potentiality as antiviral candidates, warranting wet lab experiment to be considered for norovirus infection. Hasan Huzayfa Rahaman, Nadim Sharif, Al Imran Kafi, Wasifuddin Ahmed, Nazmul Sharif, Fuad M. Alzahrani, Khalaf F. Alsharif, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Shuvra Kanti Dey 2026-01-05 09:15:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8473751/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:15:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8473751/v1 Background Fungal keratitis is a vision-threatening infection, and cases caused by dematiaceous fungi belonging to the order Pleosporales are extremely rare. These infections present significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to slow fungal growth, difficulty in morphological identification, and variable antifungal susceptibility.Case presentation We report the case of a 44-year-old male forestry worker who sustained an ocular injury from a wooden fragment and subsequently developed pain in the right eye. At presentation to our hospital (Day 0), direct microscopy (10% KOH wet mount and Fungiflora Y fluorescent staining), corneal culture, and a comprehensive ophthalmic infection multiplex real-time PCR panel (12-strip assay; 24 targets) were all negative, resulting in delayed pathogen identification. On Day 58, repeat corneal scraping culture yielded a filamentous fungus. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region classified the isolate within the order Pleosporales, however, definitive species-level identification was not achieved. Treatment was complicated by severe azole-induced hepatotoxicity on Day 39 (AST 540 U/L, ALT 1041 U/L), which required discontinuation of azole therapy and a switch to a multi-agent regimen. After liver function had improved, topical amphotericin B and systemic micafungin were initiated, followed by topical micafungin and oral terbinafine. Autologous serum eye drops (20%) were also initiated Day 191. The corneal lesion gradually stabilized, and at the final follow-up on Day 268, best-corrected visual acuity was 1.2, with a quiet anterior segment inflammation and a stable corneal scar.Conclusions This case highlights the importance of repeated microbiological sampling and molecular identification in suspected traumatic fungal keratitis, especially when initial diagnostic tests are negative and rare organisms such as Pleosporales species are suspected. It also emphasizes the need for flexible, stepwise therapeutic strategies when conventional azole-based regimens are contraindicated or ineffective. Masayuki Inuzuka, Kiyofumi Mochizuki, Takashi Yaguchi, Katsuhiko Kamei, Hirokazu Sakaguchi, Toshio Hisatomi 2026-01-05 09:15:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8481308/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:15:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8481308/v1 Background Population aging has accelerated in low- and middle-income countries, including Brazil, challenging health systems traditionally focused on disease-centered care. In this context, the World Health Organization proposed intrinsic capacity (IC), the composite of physical and mental capacities, as a core construct for healthy aging. Evidence from developing countries remains limited, particularly regarding sex differences. Aging trajectories differ between women and men due to biological and socially constructed inequalities that accumulate across the life course in Brazil. This study estimated the prevalence of intrinsic capacity and associated factors among older adults in Brazil, considering sex differences.Methods Data from the second wave of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil) were used to assess adults aged ≥ 50 years across five IC domains: locomotion, cognition, vitality, sensory, and psychological. Preserved IC was defined using a composite score. Sex-stratified multivariable regression analyses were conducted to identify associated factors.Results The overall prevalence of preserved IC was 73.0% (95% CI: 68.7–77.0), with men showing lower impairment across domains. In both sexes, younger age, higher education, and regular physical activity were positively associated with preserved IC. Among women, higher income, moderate alcohol consumption, non-smoking, and regular intake of fruits, vegetables, and legumes were additional protective factors. Among men, living with a spouse or partner was independently associated with preserved IC.Conclusions Sex differences in intrinsic capacity highlight the need for targeted interventions and policies to promote healthy aging throughout the life course in Brazil. Sex-specific strategies—including dietary counseling for women, social support for men, and physical activity promotion for both sexes—are essential to preserve IC. Milara Barp Dias, Rafael Alves Guimarães, Sandro Rogério Rodrigues Batista, Valéria Pagotto 2026-01-05 09:15:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444974/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:15:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444974/v1 Background Vaccinating children is an important public health measure. Coverage in Somalia, however, remains uneven. To plan targeted treatments, it is essential to understand both the factors that influence vaccination and the location where it occurs. Methods This study analyzed data from the Somali Health and Demographic Survey (SHDS 2020) and employed multilevel logistic regression to examine individual and community-level factors influencing children's vaccination status. We used AIC, BIC, log-likelihood, and ICC values to compare the models' fit. Spatial clustering was assessed using Global Moran’s I, Local Moran’s I, and Getis-Ord Gi* statistics. Results Among 5,732 children, only 32.5% were fully vaccinated. The lowest coverage was observed among those under one year of age (24.1%). Maternal healthcare utilization was strongly associated with vaccination: children whose mothers had four or more ANC visits had more than three times the odds of being vaccinated (AOR = 3.25, 95% CI: 2.61–4.05) compared to those with no visits. Higher maternal education and urban residence were significant predictors, whereas children from nomadic households exhibited markedly lower odds (AOR = 4.29, 95% CI: 3.21–5.75). Spatial analysis revealed significant clustering (Global Moran’s I = 0.312, p < 0.01), with “hot spots” of high vaccination in Jubbada Hoose, Gedo, Bay, and Bakool, and “cold spots” in Sanaag, Togdheer, and Woqooyi Galbeed. Conclusion Childhood vaccination rates in Somalia remain low and are spatially clustered. Strengthening maternal health services, addressing nomadic populations, and prioritizing northern regions with persistently low immunization coverage are essential to achieving nationwide equity. Abdisalan Ahmed Osman, Abdisalam Amin Esse, Faiza Mahamoud Saed 2026-01-05 09:15:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437453/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:14:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437453/v1 The aim of this paper is to provide an account of extension that strictly follows from the organizational theory of autonomous systems, further developing recent enactive accounts of extension and incorporation. We examine Moreno and Mossio’s definition of an autonomous system, developed in Biological Autonomy. Then, we argue that their definition provides two different ways an autonomous system can extend its autonomy to external entities (extension by constraint surrogate and extension by constraint composition), together with a criterion for each case of extension. We also consider that each case can be characterized by transformations of the autonomous system’s viability space, normative field and topological unity. We discuss the consequences of our account for the recent enactive views on incorporation and extension, arguing that the notion of ‘extension’ does not necessarily require functionalism and that it can be usefully adopted by enactivism. Finally, we show that a productive tension is created between the extension cases developed here and the enactive accounts of incorporation. Paulo Sayeg, Gabriel Moreira Francisco, Joao Eduardo Kogler Junior 2026-01-05 09:14:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497724/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 09:01:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497724/v1 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains a central concern in psychiatry because of its significant heterogeneity and complex comorbidity patterns, which complicate both diagnosis and treatment. This study employs bibliometric analysis of literature from the Web of Science (WoS) database, identifying 26 Highly Cited Papers as core references for detailed examination. The aim is to map the thematic structure and evolving research trends within PTSD scholarship. Application of the BERTopic model to construct topic distributions revealed three primary research foci. The first group, Topics 0, 1, and 4, addresses emergency psychological responses during the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID-19, 0.084), with a particular focus on prevalence rates and mental health outcomes among student populations. The second, Topic 2, examines diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, emphasizing the interactive effects of genetic factors (genetic, 0.060), environmental influences (environmental, 0.041), and alexithymia (0.037). The third, Topic 3, investigates alcohol use (0.145) and substance use, highlighting the comorbidity challenges between PTSD and substance use disorders (SUDs). These findings indicate that future research and clinical practice should prioritize risk stratification and integrative treatment strategies based on gene–environment interaction (G×E) models to more effectively address the complex demands of the post-pandemic era. Y. Cheng Lin, Y. Ting Chang, Y. Hsuan Lin, Y. Chen Li, T. Ling Chiu, C. Han Wang, C. Yi Chung 2026-01-05 09:01:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8426114/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:59:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8426114/v1 The study presets two designs of locally resonant metamaterial unit cells with a soft elastic matrix to develop bandgap in mid frequency range. Their dispersion relations and wave propagation behaviour are examined using Bloch theory and finite element analysis. Bandgaps and their evolution are explored through a parametric study of the unit cells, and their effect on the effective mass density is evaluated. Numerical findings are validated through experiments on fabricated specimens, showing good agreement in the identification of bandgaps. The results demonstrate that introducing an additional soft rubber layer around the resonator leads to a widening of the bandgap. Swapnil Arawade, Janusz Piechowicz 2026-01-05 08:59:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8226736/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:54:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8226736/v1 Objectives We aimed to analyze the genomic variations associated with high azole resistance in the C. albicans isolates of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with Candida bloodstream infections (BSIs) and those from oropharyngeal colonization in HIV patients.Methods The genomic DNA of azole-resistant C. albicans isolates was analyzed using the Oxford Nanopore platform. Subsequent analyses included ERG11 alignment to determine the extent and distribution of missense substitutions, Ka/Ks calculations to test for positive selection on ERG11, and detailed CDR1 and CDR2 mutational analysis across the coding sequence. Efflux function was assessed by measuring the fold reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of azole drugs in the presence of milbemycin.Results A total of 27 azole-resistant C. albicans isolates from ICU patients with Candida BSIs and HIV patients’ oropharyngeal colonization were identified and analyzed. The C. albicans isolates of HIV patients had significantly higher azole resistance when compared with those of the ICU patients, which indicated additional mechanisms. The central role of ERG11 mutations was supported by the presence of ERG11 missense mutations in all azole-resistant C. albicans isolates. The ERG11 coding regions analyses showed no evidence of positive selection (Ka/Ks < 1.0) and no specific mutation unique to the C. albicans isolates of the HIV patients, but unique missense mutations only in CDR1/CDR2 were noted. Milbemycin significantly decreased the azole MICs in all C. albicans isolates and confirmed the efflux pump involvement. The effects of milbemycin were significantly lower in C. albicans of the HIV patients than those from the ICU patients. Furthermore, unique ERG11 promoter variants, including changes at the Hap43p/Hap5p sites, were noted in the C. albicans isolates of the HIV patients.Conclusions While ERG11 structural mutations are foundational, the elevated azole resistance in the C. albicans isolates of HIV patients indicated specific CDR1/CDR2 mutations and distinct ERG11 promoter variants. Ming Horng Tsai, Chih-Hung Hsieh, I-An Tsai, Ching-Min Chang, Ting-Wen Chen, Jen-Fu Hsu, Shih Ming Chu, Hsuan-Rong Huang, Shao Hung Wang, Jang-Jih Lu 2026-01-05 08:54:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8314214/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:54:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8314214/v1 Background This study examines the link between emergency call triage priority and patient outcomes within the London Ambulance Service (LAS), with a focus on how triage decisions affect paramedic treatment and transport choices. As the world’s busiest ambulance service, LAS uses the Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System under the Ambulance Response Programme to categorise incidents by urgency and allocate resources accordingly. Despite these structured frameworks, concerns remain about the accuracy of triage classifications and their impact on patient care, particularly regarding the risks of over- and under-triage.Methods Using 2023 data, this retrospective cohort study addresses three key questions: whether higher call priorities are linked to increased emergency transport rates; whether lower priorities correspond to more frequent community discharges; and whether paramedic medication administration alters these relationships. The analysis considers transport decisions, destination types (such as emergency departments, specialist units, or community care), and paramedic interventions as proxies for patient acuity.Results Results show that higher triage priorities are generally associated with greater likelihood of emergency transport and need for interventions, while lower priorities more often result in community discharge or referral to alternative care pathways. However, notable mismatches persist; some low-priority cases require urgent intervention, and some high-priority dispatches do not result in transport. Medication administration by paramedics emerged as a significant modifier, often indicating greater clinical severity and influencing transport decisions regardless of initial triage category.Conclusions The findings suggest that while current triage systems broadly align resources with patient needs, mismatches remain that can affect both patient safety and resource efficiency. These insights underscore the need for ongoing refinement of triage protocols and decision-support tools to optimise emergency medical service response and improve patient outcomes in complex urban settings like London. Konstantinos Papakonstantinou 2026-01-05 08:54:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8425241/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:54:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8425241/v1 Stratospheric ozone is a key modulator of Earth's radiative balance, yet its role in driving tropical ocean variability remains uncertain. Here, using 40 years (1980–2020) of satellite and reanalysis data, we demonstrate that stratospheric ozone anomalies precede and predict changes in thermocline depth in the tropical Pacific through a direct radiative pathway. In this case, ozone depletion opens a "window" that allows enhanced ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation to penetrate to the upper ocean (15–25 m depth), directly heating the thermocline layer. In the South Pacific (9–12°S, 130–110°W), stratospheric ozone and the depth to the 20°C isotherm (Z20) are strongly anticorrelated (r = − 0.61), with ozone leading Z20 by 5–10 months and accounting for 37% of its variance. Granger causality tests confirm unidirectional forcing from ozone to Z20 (peak F = 5.1 at 3-month lag; p < 0.001), with no significant reverse causality. This establishes ozone as an active driver rather than a passive response. Impulse response functions quantify a robust pathway in which a one-standard-deviation ozone-depletion shock deepens the thermocline by 218 cm within 4–7 months. A process that is driven by enhanced UVB absorption at the thermocline depth. The signal is strongest during extreme ENSO events and persists after detrending, confirming its origin in interannual dynamics. This stratosphere-to-ocean radiative teleconnection provides a physically grounded predictor with potential to extend ENSO forecast skill by 5–10 months. Desmond Manatsa, Darlington Mushore, Swadhin K. Behera 2026-01-05 08:54:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7206311/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:54:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7206311/v1 Background and Objective Gut microbiota and social functioning are both substantially altered in individuals with severe alcohol use disorder (sAUD). Based on previous investigations of their relationship in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other psychiatric disorders, we investigated the interactions between gut-related measures and social functioning among sAUD patients. The social dimension has a crucial association with the risk of relapse after detoxification. Design Forty-six sAUD patients undergoing detoxification were categorized as dysbiotic or non-dysbiotic based on their gut microbiota composition, and compared with healthy controls in a cross-sectional study. Metabolomic profiles, inflammatory markers levels, dietary habits, psychological symptoms, and social functioning were compared. We applied a comprehensive assessment of social functioning combining sociodemographic data, an emotional intelligence questionnaire, a social cognition task and personal social networks (evaluated through mapping techniques). Results One third of the sAUD patients exhibited microbial alterations. The dysbiotic patients were younger, leaner, and reported higher alcohol craving compared to the non-dysbiotic patients. The dysbiotic subgroup also displayed altered metabolomic and nutritional profiles and a higher plasma IL-8 level. Interestingly, we observed a coherent profile of severe impairments across social functioning indexes in the dysbiotic group: they had lower sociability scores, displayed impairment in social cognition (with greater difficulty in spontaneously considering another’s perspective), were more often divorced/separated and unemployed, and had a smaller, less cohesive, and less diverse personal social network compared to the non-dysbiotic group. Conclusion As previously shown in ASD, we found a significant relationship between gut dysbiosis and various aspects of social functioning in sAUD. Targeting the gut microbiota could offer a novel approach to address social impairments that mediate the risk of relapse in psychiatric disorders. Camille Amadieu, Hélène Garin, Henryk Bukowski, Hany Ahmed, Olli Kärkkäinen, Pablo Nicaise, Vincent Lorant, Pierre Maurage, Quentin Leyrolle, Virgile Clergue-Duval, Laure Bindels, Audrey Neyrinck, Kati Hanhineva, Peter Stärkel, Nathalie Delzenne, Sophie Leclercq, Philippe de Timary 2026-01-05 08:54:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8343853/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:52:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8343853/v1 Objectives To calculate individual and combined sensitivity of ultrasound and 99mTc-MIBI scan in localizing parathyroid adenoma in patients diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism Materials and methods This is a single institute retrospective study analysing the results of 45 patients who underwent parathyroid adenoma excision in study specified duration . Patients details were reviewed using electronic medical record system and imaging findings were compared with final post op histopathology to calculate sensitivity of high resolution ultrasound  and MIBI scan in localizing parathyroid adenoma . Cases using combined modalities were analysed to calculate combined sensitivity . Results Our results show that ultrasound has a sensitivity of 91.85 % while MIBI scan has sensitivity of 81.5 % in diagnosing parathyroid adenoma in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and combined sensitivity for both modalities is 94.28 % . Conclusion In expert hands ultrasound is more sensitive than MIBI scan in localizing parathyroid adenoma . However , combining both modalities can even increase sensitivity to 94.28 percent . Other modalities like PET Choline scan and parathyroid wash out show promising results with increased sensitivity and specificity but need further studies to analyse these results. aliya ISHAQ, warda siddiqi, muhammad jamshaid husain khan, Goutam Kewalramani kumari, 5. Sarla Kumari kumari, arfan al awa alawa 2026-01-05 08:52:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444251/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:51:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444251/v1 This study examines the long-term demographic shift between general and technical tracks in Taiwan’s education system and its implications for the secondary-to-higher education pipeline. Using longitudinal enrollment data published by the Ministry of Education from 1991 to 2022, this study analyzes changes in student distribution across secondary education tracks and their subsequent alignment with higher education fields. To facilitate analytical comparison between academically oriented and applied-oriented educational pathways, the study employs Academic Territorology as a taxonomy-based analytical framework rather than a grand theory, mapping secondary school tracks and higher education fields into academic and applied categories. The findings reveal a persistent structural imbalance: while more than 50% of students enroll in academically oriented general high schools, fewer than 30% ultimately enter academic-oriented or STEM-related fields in higher education, with STEM enrollment stagnating at approximately 31–32% after 2018. This discrepancy indicates a systemic misalignment between secondary education pathways and the functional differentiation of higher education. The study argues that this imbalance should be understood not merely as an issue of individual choice or labor market demand, but as a structural consequence of educational tracking and institutional differentiation. These findings raise important implications for education policy, particularly regarding pathway design, university positioning, and the role of vocational education in knowledge-based societies. Yu-Yang Ambotter S. Chen 2026-01-05 08:51:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8353559/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:42:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8353559/v1 Roots are the primary organs for sensing abiotic and biotic stress factors originating in the soil. A critical biological question is whether root plasticity in response to these stresses influences whole-plant development. The generation of soybean chimeric plants with an altered root transcriptome offers a powerful approach to address this question. The existing protocols for this strategy typically require sterile conditions and produce a limited number of chimeric plants. We optimized the technique by introducing several key modifications, significantly enhancing its efficiency. The new protocol eliminates the requirement for sterile conditions in most steps. Moreover, fresh bacterial transformation for each experiment was performed, overcoming the loss of infection ability associated with storing cultures at −80 °C, reaching 70-100 % efficiency. A previous transformation of cotyledons helped to select the colony with the highest infection ability. The optimal plant growth temperature was determined to be 22 °C. These combined changes and tips resulted in the consistent production of hundreds of chimeric plants, making them suitable for large-scale field trials. Results from subsequent field trials performed in three seasons confirmed that alteration of the root transcriptome significantly impacts whole-plant development. Luciano Nicolás Caraballo, Jesica Raineri, Raquel Lía Chan 2026-01-05 08:42:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8383612/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:42:36 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8383612/v1 Diabetes mellitus is a serious health concern and the synthetic drugs used are effective with adverse effects. In this glimpse, plants become indispensable due to their distinctive physical, chemical and biological characteristics to counteract their negative effects. Rauvolfia tetraphylla leaves holds the essential phytochemical that plays crucial role in the management of diabetes. The present research aims to investigate the antioxidant capacity, antidiabetic property (α-amylase inhibition) using aqueous leaf extract and green synthesized silver nanoparticles. Metallic nanoparticle are essential in achieving target delivery of plant metabolite also improve insulin sensitivity. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy and SEM analysis. The aqueous leaf extract and biosynthesized AgNPs both displayed significant enzyme inhibition, and the AgNPs proved to be potent and more efficacious emphasizing their existence in disease management. FT-IR spectra revealed functional groups accountable for nanoparticle reduction and stabilization, and UV-Vis spectroscopy indicated absorption peaks at 230–250 nm and 350 nm. SEM images revealed rod-shaped and needle-like nanostructures with a crystalline morphology, indicates viable phytochemical-mediated synthesis. The increased bioactivity of AgNPs, resulting from their larger surface area and stabilization by plant biomolecules, suggests their potential as novel agents for treating diabetes and a potent antioxidant. G. Mythili, K. Divyalakshmi, B. Lokeshwari, Archana Kalimuthu 2026-01-05 08:42:36 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8396511/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:42:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8396511/v1 Melanoma progression involves coordinated immune suppression, altered receptor-mediated signalling, and tumour-driven metabolic reprogramming. To evaluate these systemic alterations, we integrated three datasets: flow-cytometric profiling of immune cell subsets and P2X4 expression in peripheral blood leukocytes from melanoma patients and healthy controls; molecular detection of P2X4 in plasma, leukocytes, and urine using Western blotting and immunoprecipitation; and NMR-based metabolomic profiling of serum and saliva. Melanoma patients exhibited reduced CD4⁺ T-helper cells, altered Tc/Treg balance, and eosinophil heterogeneity with elevated P2X4 expression. Truncated P2X4 receptor fragments were detected in plasma and urine of some melanoma patients but not in controls. Metabolomic analyses revealed tumour-associated metabolic shifts, including elevated branched-chain amino acids in both serum and saliva and many alterations associated with dysbiosis were detected in melanoma patients’ saliva. These findings highlight the convergence of immune dysregulation, purinergic P2X4 signalling, and systemic metabolic remodelling in melanoma. The presence of soluble P2X4 fragments, together with metabolomic fingerprints, supports their potential as minimally invasive biomarkers for disease monitoring. Roland Martin Teras¹, Jyri Teras², Igor Kuprijanov, Caroline Khaddaj, Adriana Kalmõkova, Liisi Karlep, Ago Samoson, Lauri Toom, Airi Rump, Sirje Rüütel Boudinot 2026-01-05 08:42:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8046517/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:38:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8046517/v1 This study constructs a comprehensive Qur’anic economic vision of environmental sustainability through the principle of al-Mīzān (the Balance) — presented in the Qur’an as the universal law regulating the relationship between humankind, nature, and resources. Using an integrated mixed quantitative–qualitative methodology, the research identifies 315 verses related to environment, stewardship (istikhlāf), and reform (iṣlāḥ), tracing their chronological development across the Meccan and Medinan periods. Findings reveal that 72% of the verses addressing balance and corruption belong to the Medinan phase, indicating a historical transition from moral exhortation to institutional legislation, and from individual responsibility to collective environmental governance. Building upon this evolution, the study introduces the concept of Maqāṣid-based Sustainability, which harmonizes the preservation of wealth (ḥifẓ al-māl) and the preservation of the environment (ḥifẓ al-bīʾa) as complementary objectives within the framework of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah (the higher objectives of Islamic law). The paper further proposes a practical model for Islamic environmental economics, grounded in three applied mechanisms: The Islamic Circular Economy – promoting responsible production and consumption. The Environmental Waqf (Endowment) – as a sustainable financing instrument. The Green Zakāt Fund – supporting ecological justice and renewable energy initiatives. By linking ethical accountability with contemporary sustainability goals, the Qur’anic principle of al-Mīzān offers both a moral and epistemological alternative to materialist development paradigms, redefining the human–nature relationship on the basis of stewardship, reform, and balanced coexistence rather than consumption and domination. Abdelghni El Amoumri 2026-01-05 08:38:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437345/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:37:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437345/v1 The rapid growth of displaced populations has intensified the challenge of providing sustainable energy access in refugee-hosting districts. While solar mini grids have the potential to solve this challenge, they face roadblocks to deployment at scale. Drawing on 32 expert interviews with mini grid developers, investors and decision makers, and 199 surveys with business-owning refugees in Dadaab, Kenya, this paper examines why solar mini grids, despite their technical and financial viability, struggle to scale in humanitarian contexts. Using the Multi-Level Perspective framework as an interpretive lens, the analysis shows how mini grid developers in refugee camps operate within overlapping humanitarian and national energy regimes shaped by temporary relief logics and long-term infrastructural ambitions respectively. These institutional frictions limit coordination, financing, and policy integration, constraining market development. Yet, local entrepreneurship, flexible payment systems, and donor-developer partnerships provide pathways toward more durable energy access models for humanitarian settings. We identify both ways in which niche refugee mini grid developers can shape their business models to best navigate existing regimes, and ways that these regimes can be reformed to support inclusive humanitarian energy innovation at scale. While focusing on Kenya, these lessons can apply more broadly throughout refugee contexts in sub-Saharan Africa. Smriti Jalihal, Tonny Kukeera, Alycia Leonard, Pu Yang, Lucille Akelo Onyango, Yanga Wu, Stephanie Hirmer 2026-01-05 08:37:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8187947/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:37:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8187947/v1 Background: Asymptomatic malaria represents a significant health issue, especially in endemic regions where asymptomatic individuals serve as reservoir. In Yemen, Al-Hodeidah governorate is identified as the primary endemic area. This study aims to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria and its associated factors in Al-Zuhra District, Al-Hodeidah Governorate. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted. Multistage sampling method was carried out along with probability proportional to size to select villages and households. At each household, one individual from the eligible members who have not suffered from malaria symptoms and agreed to participate was randomly selected. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from participants along with blood samples that have been tested for malaria by Rapid Diagnostic Test. Logistic regression were used to calculate crude and adjusted prevalence odds ratio (APOR) 95% confidence interval (CI) and P value < 0.05 were considered for significance associated factors. Results: A total of 422 participants, with an average age of 35.7±11 years, were enrolled in the study. Of these, 47% were male, and 62% had a family size of more than 5.  The overall prevalece of a symptomatic malaria was five percent, with the majority (95%) identified as Plasmodium falciparum. Absence of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) in homes (APOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0-5.9, P=0.04), absence of window screens (APOR 7.3, 95% CI 1.8-29.1, P=0.001), not using ITN (APOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1-6.7, P=0.02), and living close to stagnant water (APOR 5.7, 95% CI 1.9-16.9, P=0.001) were the associated factors with asymptomatic malaria. Conclusion: This study showed that asymptomatic malaria is prevalent among population in Al-Zuhra District; however, the absence of or unimplemented mosquito control measures was the associated factor. To reduce malaria infection, community participation in malaria control measures through increased awareness and involving community volunteers during the distribution of ITN and other control activities is recommended. Mohammed Hajjam, Mohammed Alemad, Samar Saeed Nasher 2026-01-05 08:37:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8445202/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:33:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8445202/v1 The complex regulatory dynamics of biological networks can be succinctly captured using discrete logic models. Previous work has shown that global optimization schemes are well suited for finding state transition logic and kinetic model parameters, in what are typically large and irregular solution spaces where even relatively small networks represent search spaces exceeding 1040 possible solutions. Powerful computing strategies are required to make this modeling practical for in silico pharmaceutical research. Here, we present a benchmark study quantifying the speedup achieved using a GPU framework in the regulatory logic modeling of two biological networks spanning an order of magnitude increase in complexity and several orders of magnitude in search space size. GPU implementation resulted in a 33%–57% reduction in wall time over multi-thread CPU and a 33%–1866% increase over serial CPU while also delivering better quality solutions in many cases. Evaluation on an even larger pathogen-host immune regulatory network suggests that migration to GPU may support convergence in less than 12 hours for established models of immune signaling and less than 6 days for networks describing neural transmission in animals. These results offer a first scalability benchmark for regulatory logic modeling of biological networks, making the latter a potentially attractive approach for practical in silico hypothesis generation. Joyce Reimer, Pranta Saha, Chris Chen, Neeraj Dhar, Brook Byrns, Steven Rayan, Gordon Broderick 2026-01-05 08:33:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8352726/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:30:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8352726/v1 Carbon offset markets systematically violate procedural justice through interconnected mechanisms that strip Indigenous and local communities of agency while maintaining the appearance of participatory governance. Analysis of forest carbon projects across Africa and South America reveals four key dimensions of procedural injustice: (1) exclusion from decision-making, where negotiations occur between developers and national governments, bypassing local stakeholders; (2) manipulated consultation, involving selective representation, superficial engagement, and performative Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes that legitimize predetermined outcomes; (3) information asymmetry, enforced through linguistic barriers, technical complexity, and opaque contracts that obscure payment structures, market dynamics, and long-term obligations; and (4) gendered exclusion, which marginalizes women from decision-making and benefit-sharing despite their central role in project labor and land stewardship. These violations are rooted in entrenched power asymmetries that enable external actors to control Indigenous territories through what can be described as procedural colonialism-the strategic use of participatory language and consultation process to legitimize exploitation. Communities often sign long-term contracts under conditions of profound informational disadvantage, with no mechanisms for renegotiation even when carbon prices rise. Financial opacity and weak accountability structures ensure that developers face minimal consequences for violations. To achieve genuine procedural justice, carbon markets must undergo structural transformation. This includes redistributing power to recognize communities as legitimate authorities, ensuring transparency in decision-making and financial flows, and establishing robust accountability mechanisms. Without these reforms, the expansion of carbon markets under Article 6 risks perpetuating systemic injustices and deepening resource exploitation in the Global South. Thelma Arko 2026-01-05 08:30:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8483126/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:27:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8483126/v1 Artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in higher education, shaping teaching, assessment, and institutional governance. While existing research often focuses on perceived usefulness and performance, less attention has been paid to how ethical evaluations and emotional responses jointly shape attitudes toward artificial intelligence. This study examines attitudes toward artificial intelligence in Albanian higher education through an integrated cognitive–affective–ethical framework, focusing on ethical cognition and artificial intelligence–related anxiety as key determinants of positive and negative attitudes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 705 students and academic staff at Albanian universities. Three validated instruments were translated and culturally adapted: the General Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence Scale, the Attitudes toward Ethical Artificial Intelligence Scale, and the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess factorial validity and reliability. Hierarchical multiple regression models were then estimated to examine the predictive roles of ethical attitudes and artificial intelligence–related anxiety on positive and negative attitudes, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original factorial structures of all three instruments, with excellent model fit and strong internal consistency. Ethical cognition and emotional responses jointly explained substantial variance in attitudes toward artificial intelligence. Among ethical dimensions, non-maleficence was the only factor consistently associated with more positive attitudes, whereas privacy concerns significantly increased negative evaluations. Both cognitive and affective forms of artificial intelligence anxiety reduced positive attitudes and amplified negative ones, with affective anxiety showing the strongest effects. Ethical and emotional factors together explained 47% of the variance in positive attitudes and 39% in negative attitudes. Attitudes toward artificial intelligence in higher education are shaped by an interplay of ethical evaluation and emotional response rather than by instrumental considerations alone. Ethical reassurance related to harm avoidance and effective management of anxiety appear central to fostering constructive engagement with artificial intelligence. These findings highlight the importance of integrating ethical reflection and emotional preparedness into artificial intelligence literacy initiatives, particularly in transitional higher-education contexts. Elona Hasmujaj, Elvisa Drishti 2026-01-05 08:27:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497932/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:24:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497932/v1 Traditional labor market forecasting relies heavily on economic time-series data, often overlooking the "health-wealth" gradient that links population health to workforce participation. This study develops a machine learning framework integrating non-traditional health and social metrics to predict state-level employment density. Methods: We constructed a multi-source longitudinal dataset (2014–2024) combining Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data with County Health Rankings. Using a time-aware split to evaluate performance across the COVID-19 structural break, we compared LASSO, Random Forest, and regularized XGBoost models, employing SHAP values for interpretability.Results: The tuned, regularized XGBoost model achieved strong out-of-sample performance (Test R2= 0.800)}. A leakage-safe stacked Ridge ensemble yielded comparable performance (Test R2 = 0.827), while preserving the interpretability of the underlying tree model used for SHAP analysis. Dingyuan Liu, Qiannan Shen, Jiaci Liu 2026-01-05 08:24:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6010855/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 08:13:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6010855/v1 Background School teachers experienced a significant shift in their teaching and learning activities during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which likely affected their well-being, quality of life (QOL), and job satisfaction. This study aimed to assess the levels of well-being, QOL, and job satisfaction, as well as the associated factors, among school teachers during this challenging period.Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among school teachers (n = 430) in schools in the Biyagama educational division, Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. The data collection was done using a self-administered questionnaire, which consisted of validated tools such as the WHO-5 Well-being Index, World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Norman and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.Results Three hundred and twelve teachers participated in the study (response rate = 72.6%). The mean well-being score was 66.63 (SD ± 18.22) with 46.2% of teachers reporting a good level of well-being. Well-being significantly differed by age group and whether a family member had a chronic illness (p < 0.05). The WHOQOL-BREF mean scores for overall QOL and satisfaction with health were (3.61 ± 0.708) and (3.82 ± 0.717), respectively. The highest mean QOL domain score was in social relationships (68.75 ± 15.86), while the environmental domain had the lowest (61.63 ± 13.47). Nearly half (51.6%) of the participants reported a high degree of job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was significantly associated with religion, family members having chronic illness, and prior training in online teaching (p < 0.05).Conclusions Despite the challenges of the pandemic, many school teachers maintained moderate well-being and QOL, and a high level of job satisfaction. Supportive measures, including training for online education and psychosocial interventions, are recommended to enhance teacher well-being and job satisfaction in the face of ongoing or future disruptions. Jayamini Sewwandi Waragoda Kankanamalage, Prasanthi Sumudrika Ilankoon Ilankoon Mudiyanselage 2026-01-05 08:13:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8098894/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:50:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8098894/v1 Background: Nurses’ work environment is a multidimensional concept and is defined as organizational characteristics of a work setting that facilitate or hinder professional nursing practice or nurses’ ability to practice skilfully and deliver high-quality care. Nurses’ work environment is one of many organizational factors that are associated with patient safety outcomes. It is also recognized as one of the important dimensions to maintain health and sustainable nursing workforce. A good work environment constitutes a factor for a better quality of care. Objectives: The main aim of this study is aimed at determining the level of nurses work environment and its relationship with patient safety outcomes in the acute care settings of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Methods: Prospective observational study was conducted from July 2018 to March 2019. For phase one survey all 126 nurses who were working in the medical-surgical units of the study hospitals were invited to participate and 74 of them completed and returned the survey questionnaire. For phase two data collection, 80 nurses completed and returned the questionnaire. Regarding the patients’ record review, a sample of 528 patient records was planned to be reviewed. Data regarding nurses’ work environment were collected using the practice environment scale-nursing work index (PES-NWI). Data were entered into IBM SPSS 24.0 and descriptive statistics was done to describe the frequency and percentage of predictor and outcome variables. Chi-square test and Fischer exact test was calculated to see the relationship between the level of nurses’ work environment and patient safety outcomes. Results: The composite mean score of the subscales of the nurses’ work environment index during the first phase of the study for the public hospital was 2.3. The work environment of nurses in the public hospital during phase one of the study shows that none of the five subscales “nurse manager, ability, leadership and support” score was greater than 2.5. The score of the subscale for the nurses’ participation in hospital affairs is below 2.5 during both phases of study for all study units. At the unit level, the work environment of all the medical, surgical and orthopedics units of the public hospital was poor or unfavorable. Regarding the work environment of nurses in the private hospital, the score of two of the five subscales “nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses” and “nurse participation in hospital affairs” was greater than 2.5 which makes the category as mixed work environment. Conclusion: The Nurses work environment level in the public hospital is categorized as unfavourable while that of the private hospital was mixed during first phase of the study. Level of nurses’ participation in the hospital affairs is low in both hospitals. Ashagre Molla Assaye 2026-01-05 07:50:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8467259/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:28:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8467259/v1 Tourism in Balance (TiB) is a European project aimed at promoting cities’ sustainability and mitigating the negative effects of overtourism. An important strategy to support TiB is the promotion of “multi-destination trips”, i.e. attracting international tourists to the main destinations and then encouraging their dispersion towards nearby secondary destinations. This paper uses Italian microdata to measure the regional competitiveness in TiB by estimating a probability model of foreign tourists’ preference to visit more than one destination within the same NUTS3 region during the trip. Moreover, the analysis looks at the impact of regional public investments in tourism and mobility, over both short- and long-term horizons, on tourists’ multi-destination decision. Results point out the important role of mobility investments to support TiB. The effects that emerge are positive but not linear over time, i.e. they are initially negative and become positive only after ten years from the investment. Martina Aronica, Maria Francesca Cracolici, Davide Piacentino, Furio Urso 2026-01-05 07:28:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8494093/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:17:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8494093/v1 Dendrobium has long been used in traditional medicine to manage liver disorders. Dendrobine is a major alkaloid compound isolated from Dendrobium that has demonstrated promising hepatoprotective activity in preliminary pharmacological studies, but the molecular mechanisms through which it functions remain insufficiently defined. Here, we elucidated the potential mechanisms by which dendrobine mitigates liver injury using an integrative approach that combines network pharmacology with molecular docking. Putative dendrobine-associated targets relevant to liver injury were first predicted through network pharmacology analyses. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was subsequently constructed to identify central therapeutic targets. Molecular docking was then applied to validate the interactions between dendrobine and key proteins. Ten core targets were ultimately identified (NR1H4, ESR1, KDR, NOS3, GSK3B, IL-2, CASP3, PRKACA, PPARA and PPARG), and dendrobine showed strong predicted affinity for these proteins. These findings indicate that dendrobine may exert hepatoprotective effects by modulating these central molecular targets and associated signaling proteins. Overall, this work provides a systematic framework for delineating the pharmacological actions and potential protein targets of natural bioactive compounds. Lei Cheng, Yuan Zhang, Yong Chen, Zhongxiu Wu, Hongshi Liu, Dan Li, Hong Liu, Jiafeng Wang, Zixue Xuan 2026-01-05 07:17:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8138800/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:14:00 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8138800/v1 Background The transition toward sustainable energy sources requires alternatives to fossil fuels that are both efficient and environmentally friendly. Bioethanol has emerged as a promising substitute for gasoline; however, its production is limited by substrate complexity, fermentation inhibitors, and microbial stress tolerance. Conventional bioethanol relies largely on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has a restricted capacity to metabolize pentose sugars and withstand industrial stresses such as high ethanol and osmotic pressure. Expanding the diversity of yeasts used in bioethanol processes may help overcome these limitations. Saccharomyces eubayanus, a wild yeast species from Patagonia, exhibits exceptional tolerance to extreme environments, particularly low temperatures, and shows extensive population genetic and phenotypic diversity. Its adaptability and reproductive compatibility make it a strong candidate for industrial biotechnology applications, including the generation of intraspecific hybrids with enhanced stress resistance and improved fermentative performance.Results In this study, we evaluated the phenotypic diversity of S. eubayanus isolates under conditions relevant to bioethanol fermentation and applied mass-mating approaches to generate hybrids with improved fermentative traits. The resulting strains were assessed for their performance under stressors that mimic second-generation bioethanol production, including high ethanol concentrations, osmotic stress, and inhibitory compounds derived from lignocellulosic biomass pretreatments. Our analysis demonstrated substantial variation among isolates and identified hybrid strains with enhanced tolerance and fermentative potential.Conclusions Our findings highlight the untapped potential of S. eubayanus diversity for bioethanol research and demonstrate the value of mass-mating as a strategy to generate robust, high-performing strains. This work provides a framework for harnessing natural genetic resources to advance efficient, resilient, and sustainable biofuel production. Ignacio Guarda, Catalina Ardiles, Sebastián Dehnhardt-Amengual, Isidora Achiardi, Vasni Zavaleta, Luis F. Larrondo, Wladimir Mardones 2026-01-05 07:14:00 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8367958/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:12:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8367958/v1 This study examines long-run patterns of income inequality across 21 OECD countries from 1870 to 2021, focusing on both top income shares and overall inequality (Gini coefficients). Building on a rich literature that documents a pronounced decline in inequality during the first three quarters of the twentieth century followed by post-1970 divergence, we apply the nonlinear, time-varying factor model of Phillips and Sul (2007) to identify endogenous convergence clubs. Our analysis reveals two key findings. First, while Gini coefficients exhibit strong convergence over the full sample period, top income shares diverge sharply after the 1970s, challenging the assumption that aggregate convergence implies similar distributional dynamics. Second, we uncover three distinct post-1970 convergence clubs, high, intermediate, and low inequality, alongside one clear outlier, the United States. These patterns defy conventional regional typologies, with Nordic countries clustering in the intermediate club and Anglo-Saxon versus Continental distinctions proving fragile. To explain these dynamics, we integrate an ordered probit analysis linking club membership to wage-bargaining institutions, union density, government involvement in wage setting, financial structures, and educational expansion. Our findings underscore the centrality of top incomes and institutional frameworks in shaping inequality trajectories, offering new insights into the structural determinants of long-run divergence. JEL: D63, D31, C33. Yousef Makhlouf 2026-01-05 07:12:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8368999/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:11:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8368999/v1 The well-being of employees at the workplace is increasingly receiving attention from scholars, administrators, and policymakers across the globe. One of the reasons why employee well-being has dominated business research is because employees represent the vehicle through which enterprise goals are attained. It is based on this relevance that this study investigates the moderating role of sustainable leadership in the relationship between decent work and employee well-being in Nigerian public universities. The study employed a positivist approach to research, which necessitated a deductive study and a structured questionnaire to collect data from the respondents. The research setting covers public universities in Nigeria from which a population of 7,962 was drawn from eight (8) public universities across the various regions of the country. Taro Yamane's formula was used to obtain a sample size of 381.The systematic sampling technique was employed to ensure that enough departments were covered per university and to minimize bias in the distribution. The analyses of the study were aided by SPSS 25.0 and SmartPLS 4.1. The study revealed that decent work has a significant relationship with employee well-being. The study also found that sustainable leadership does not play any significant role in the relationship between decent work and employee well-being. This research is novel and relevant because no study has investigated the relationship between decent work and employee well-being with sustainable leadership as a moderating variable in the Nigerian public universities. Desmond Oben Neji, Friday Ogbu Edeh, Toong Hai Sam, Kevin Chukwuoyims Egwu, Tau Yee Lim, Chin Hong Heng, Nurul Mohammad Zayed, Isaac Monday Ikpor, Peter Ifeanyi Okwu, Obiageri Felicitas Onwuegbule 2026-01-05 07:11:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7734693/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:06:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7734693/v1 Purpose To investigate the biomechanical advantages of medial buttress plate (MBP) combined with inverted triangle cannulated compression screws (CCS) in the internal fixation of Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures, and to provide experimental evidence for optimizing treatment strategies for vertically unstable femoral neck fractures.Methods Twelve adult embalmed femoral specimens were used to create Pauwels type III femoral neck fracture models and randomly assigned to two groups: CCS group and CCS + MBP group (n = 6 each). After standardized internal fixation procedures, axial compression, torsional stiffness, and failure load were tested using a Bose ElectroForce 3510 biomechanical testing system, and all measurements were recorded. Differences between groups were analyzed with independent-samples t-tests, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05.Results Compared with the CCS group, the CCS + MBP group demonstrated significantly higher axial stiffness (562.95 ± 88.26 N/mm vs. 171.02 ± 44.98 N/mm), torsional stiffness (3.24 ± 0.43 N·m/° vs. 2.28 ± 0.51 N·m/°), and failure load (2523.08 ± 432.71 N vs. 1567.88 ± 209.96 N) (P < 0.05 for all).Conclusion The combination of MBP and CCS provides significantly greater mechanical stability than CCS alone in Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures. This construct disperses shear forces, improves the biomechanical environment for fracture healing, and may reduce postoperative complications and implant failure risk. These findings provide experimental evidence for optimizing internal fixation design and surgical strategies for vertically unstable femoral neck fractures.Level of evidence: I Yeqiang Luo, Tianmo Bai, Jingyi Wu, Shanghui Lin, Baofeng Li 2026-01-05 07:06:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8445528/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:05:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8445528/v1 Transtibial amputation (TTA) in diabetic patients presents significant clinical challenges, particularly when complicated by unstable residual limb edema, leading to poor prosthetic fit, pain, and severely diminished quality of life. This report details the successful management of a complex 65-year-old male diabetic patient, classified as a K2 functional level (limited household ambulatory), who suffered from highly fluctuating stump volume. The patient was treated using the RevoFit™ adjustable socket system (Click Medical). Pre-intervention, the patient reported high daily pain (VAS 6.5) and a daily step count of approximately 450 intermittent steps. A modified Patellar Tendon Bearing (PTB) socket was designed, integrating the RevoFit™ system for immediate circumferential pressure control. Post-intervention results demonstrated a significant improvement within the K2 classification: average pain decreased to 1.2, the PEQ-QoL score increased from 35 to 88, and the daily step count increased to 900 intermittent steps. Crucially, the daily stump circumference fluctuation was reduced from 13.0% to 2.5%. This case report underscores the efficacy of adjustable socket technology in providing a practical solution for managing residual limb volume changes, thereby maximizing functional capacity and quality of life even within the limitations of the K2 functional level. Mohamad Firas Wahbeh 2026-01-05 07:05:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7712630/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:04:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7712630/v1 Background Citation analysis remains the traditional standard for assessing scientific impact, but it reflects influence only after years of academic uptake. Alternative metrics (altmetrics) capture early dissemination through online media, policy documents, and public engagement, offering a complementary perspective on research visibility. No previous study has systematically examined the relationship between bibliometric and altmetric indicators in thoracic surgery. Methods The Web of Science database was searched from January 1900 to December 2024 using the terms “thoracic” AND “surg” to identify the 100 most-cited English-language thoracic surgery articles. For each article, citation count, five-year journal impact factor, and Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) were recorded. Correlations between citation count and AAS were assessed using Spearman’s rho. Multivariable modelling included ordinary least squares regression of log-transformed citation counts, Poisson and negative binomial generalized linear models, and a reverse model with AAS as the dependent variable. Forecasting of 10-year trends in citations and AAS was performed using log-linear time–trend models with out-of-sample prediction accuracy assessed by mean absolute error. Results Among 179,930 eligible publications, the top 100 cited articles (citations range 345–2645; median 528, interquartile range [IQR] 303) spanned 1972–2019. Median AAS was 7 (IQR 17). Altmetric score showed a positive independent association with citation count across all regression models. In the negative binomial model, each doubling of AAS predicted a 5–6% increase in expected citations (coefficient 0.062, 95% CI 0.047–0.077, p<0.0001). Journal impact factor correlated with citation count (p=0.019) but not with AAS (p=0.246). Forecasting predicted continued exponential growth in both citations (≈9.2% annual increase) and AAS (≈5.6% annual increase) over the next decade, with no statistically significant difference in growth rates. Conclusions Altmetric indicators independently predict citation performance and capture early dimensions of research dissemination in thoracic surgery. While traditional citation counts remain the cornerstone of academic appraisal, integrating altmetric data provides a valuable, complementary measure of evolving influence and can guide researchers, institutions, and journals in optimizing the reach and real-world impact of thoracic surgical research. Rickesh Bharat Karsan, Alana Atkinson, James Cartlidge, Christopher Petticrew, Susan Durkhan, Rachel Robert, Gwyn William Beattie 2026-01-05 07:04:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8445387/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:04:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8445387/v1 Background: Impaired wound healing is a major complication in diabetic patients. Currently available wound therapies may cause adverse effects, highlighting the need for safer, natural alternatives. This study evaluated the wound healing potential of Uncaria callophylla Blume ex Korth. stem methanol extract (UCSME) in diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetic excision wound models were established and animals were divided into six groups: non-diabetic untreated wounds, diabetic untreated wounds, diabetic wounds treated with UCSME ointment at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 20%, and diabetic wounds treated with betadine ointment. Wound healing was assessed through wound area reduction, epithelialization time, inflammatory and proliferative cell counts, angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and hydroxyproline content. Phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity were also analyzed. Results: UCSME ointment significantly accelerated wound closure, shortened epithelialization time, enhanced angiogenesis, re-epithelialization, collagen synthesis, and increased neutrophil, macrophage, and fibroblast counts compared to untreated diabetic controls (p < 0.05). A 5% concentration was sufficient to improve wound closure and proliferative cell responses, while 10% and 20% concentrations showed stronger effects on inflammatory response and angiogenesis. The 20% UCSME ointment produced the most pronounced improvements in angiogenesis, re-epithelialization, and hydroxyproline levels. UCSME contained high total phenolic (20.99%) and flavonoid (0.40%) contents and exhibited strong antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 16.06 ppm). LC-MS/MS and GC-MS analyses identified several bioactive compounds associated with wound healing and antioxidant effects. Conclusion: Topical UCSME effectively promotes wound healing in diabetic rats and represents a promising natural therapeutic candidate for diabetic wound management. Astri Rozanah Siregar 2026-01-05 07:04:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7681642/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:01:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7681642/v1 Primary cardiac tumors are rare, with myxomas representing the most common benign type, typically located in the left atrium. Their clinical presentation is variable, and they are often asymptomatic, yet they carry significant risk due to potential embolic and obstructive complications. We report the case of an asymptomatic 54-year-old man in whom a large 37 cm² left atrial myxoma was incidentally discovered. This case highlights the silent yet potentially dangerous nature of large myxomas and the effectiveness of surgical management in preventing complications. Fadoua Lachhab, R. Fagouri, A. Maghraoui, J. E. Filal, A. Louali, A. Drissi, S. Moughil 2026-01-05 07:01:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8494003/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:01:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8494003/v1 Mechanisms governing initiation steps of the assembly of endogenous multi-protein complexes (EMC) remain incompletely understood. Here, multiple lines of observations are reported describing the function-aligned initiation sequence of hybrid assembly pathways (HAP) of EMC. HAP concept postulates the creation of cell type-specific intracellular pools of hetero- and homodimers as the first step of chain reactions of protein-protein interactions (PPI) of EMC assemblies. To elucidate the molecular anatomy of HAP, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of protein binding to regulatory loci within defined sets of genomic regulatory elements (GRE) were investigated for a total of 200,393 distinct genomic sequences, including 49,667 sequences representing control sets of genomic loci as well as 150,726 GRE of different evolutionary origins. The consensus set of HAP actions consists of: a) Initiation on genomic DNA of the formation of metastable hetero- and homodimers of EMCs’ protein constituents; b) Release of dimers from DNA templates for delivery to the EMC assembly compartments; c) Assembly of defined EMC by sequential on demand addition to preformed dimers serving as attractors of EMC-specific monomers’ ensembles. Chromosome-naïve DNA scaffolds facilitating creation of intracellular dimer pools engage global networks of ~ 700 transcription factors (TFs), 534 of which manifest patterns of significantly enriched expression in 1358 brain regions. HAP initiators appear to operate within nucleosome-depleted islands of transposable elements (TE) – derived sequences within heterochromatin. PPI assembly lines of EMCs seem to operate in 2 concurrent modes: TF-TF PPI cascade and PPI HUB protein cascade. Regardless of the number of DNA-bound TFs initiating the PPI cascades (ranging from one to 716 TFs), both modes of operations reached the equilibrium at the PPI constituents saturation levels of ~ 245 proteins for TF-TF PPI modes and of ~ 351 proteins for PPI HUB protein modes. Distinct panels of DNA-bound initiator TFs and proteins of PPI cascade ensembles are enriched in either defined sets of neuroanatomical structures (TF-TF PPI mode) or among structural-functional constituents of synapses (PPI HUB proteins mode). Notably, the bifurcated cascades are biologically congruent: TF–TF constituents map to transcriptional signatures of hundreds of brain regions, whereas HUB constituents map to synaptogenesis and synaptic structures, suggesting a unified genomic logic coordinating region identity and connectivity. Evidence-supported examples of default operations of PPI-guided assemblies of hetero- and homodimers of Yamanaka factors, neurogenesis constituents, and protein components of postsynaptic density of excitatory and inhibitory synaptogenesis are reported. Altogether, this contribution reports the foundational set of observations for further experimental and theoretical explorations of TE-seeded genomic codes for initiators of PPI chain reactions of protein dimerization creating pools of attractors to guide and accelerate the EMC assemblies. Collectively, these findings support a Protein-Limited Bifurcated Assembly (PLBA) model, in which millions of TE–encoded DNA templates provide a non-limiting initiation layer while protein availability constrains the real-time bifurcation of PPI cascades into TF–TF pathways associated with brain-region identity and TF–HUB pathways associated with synaptic assembly. Gennadi Glinsky 2026-01-05 07:01:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8407612/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 07:00:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8407612/v1 Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi, and frequently encountered in cereals that compose a major part of livestock diets. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is one of the most prevalent toxins in feed, posing a risk to animal health and productivity. Considering mycotoxin mitigation strategies, adsorbents are an advantageous alternative for reducing mycotoxin uptake by animals. In this context, the main objective of this study was to develop an in vitro protocol for FB1 adsorption and assess the binding efficacy of five formulated products composed of inorganic clay and algae extracts. For this purpose, algae-based formulations were provided by Olmix (Bréhan, France), and multiple parameters were evaluated for in vitro testing, such as pH and mycotoxin concentration. After the selection of adequate conditions, the adsorption capacities of five algae-based products were compared. Results indicate that the adsorption capacity of the algae-based products is mainly linked to the presence of algae, especially green algae; which present a high polysaccharide content in their cell walls as binding sites for mycotoxins. The use of algae for mycotoxin adsorption remains underexplored, but the findings of the present work indicate that algae-based products are effective for FB1 control in animal feed. Letícia Aliberti Galego Alves da Silva, Morgane Malard, Patricia Aparecida de Campos Braga, Adriana Pavesi Arissetto Bragotto, Marie Gallissot, Pi Nyvall Collen, Juliana Bueno, Liliana de Oliveira Rocha 2026-01-05 07:00:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8494703/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:59:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8494703/v1 Metastatic breast cancer (MBC), particularly the hormone receptor–positive/HER2-negative subtype, remains an incurable disease with limited long-term therapeutic success. The advent of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors has transformed the treatment landscape, yet their comparative benefit over conventional chemotherapy in real-world clinical settings remains incompletely defined. In this study, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of CDK4/6 inhibitors and standard chemotherapy regimens in patients with metastatic breast cancer, integrating evidence from randomized clinical trials, network meta-analyses, and real-world observational data. Outcomes assessed included progression-free survival, overall survival, treatment tolerability, and quality-of-life measures. Our findings demonstrate that CDK4/6 inhibitors, particularly when combined with endocrine therapy, consistently provide superior progression-free survival and improved tolerability compared with conventional chemotherapy, with trends toward improved overall survival in selected patient populations. Resistance mechanisms, molecular predictors of response, and the role of combination strategies targeting parallel signaling pathways are also discussed. These results support the preferential use of CDK4/6-based regimens as a cornerstone of therapy for hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer and highlight the need for biomarker-driven treatment optimization to overcome therapeutic resistance. Hazim Hussein 2026-01-05 06:59:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8295668/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:58:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8295668/v1 This study investigated influence of dietary quercetin and stocking density on stress indicators and meat quality of broiler chickens in tropical production systems. Broilers were allotted to four treatments combining two stocking densities (12 and 18 birds/m²) with or without oral quercetin administration (50 mg/kg). Stocking density had a marked effect on stress indicators, with birds kept at the lower density showing reduced erythrocyte fragility compared with those reared at higher density. Meat pH declined more rapidly in the high-density, non-supplemented group, suggesting early post-mortem quality deterioration, while quercetin and lower stocking density helped maintain more desirable pH trends during storage. Although quercetin did not improve erythrocyte stability at low stocking density, supplementation moderated meat quality losses in broilers previously exposed to high-density stress. These findings indicate that managing stocking density, alongside targeted antioxidant supplementation, may contribute to improved welfare and extended shelf-life of broiler meat under tropical production conditions. Adelaja Ariyo Abimbola, Victor Olusegun Sinkalu, Mohammed Musa Suleiman, Joseph Olusegun Ayo 2026-01-05 06:58:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497769/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:30:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497769/v1 Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects over 33 million individuals globally and confers a five-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke. While warfarin has been the traditional anticoagulant, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged as potential alternatives. This systematic review synthesizes evidence comparing the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus warfarin in non-valvular AF.Objectives To compare the efficacy, safety, and risk-benefit profiles of DOACs versus warfarin; evaluate comparative effectiveness among individual DOACs; assess risk stratification tools; and review anticoagulation management in special populations.Methods A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science databases (inception through December 2025). We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and large cohort studies (n > 1000) comparing anticoagulation strategies in adults with non-valvular AF. Two independent reviewers screened studies and extracted data. Quality was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RCTs) and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (observational studies).Results Of 1,245 identified records, 55 studies met inclusion criteria (15 RCTs, 12 meta-analyses, 8 systematic reviews, 20 cohort studies), with 71,683 patients derived from the four pivotal randomized trials. Standard-dose DOACs reduced stroke/systemic embolism risk by 19% compared to warfarin (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.74–0.89) and intracranial hemorrhage by 55% (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.37–0.56). All-cause mortality was reduced by 8% (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87–0.97). Among DOACs, apixaban demonstrated the lowest gastrointestinal bleeding risk (HR 0.72–0.81 vs. other agents). Risk stratification using CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED scores remains essential for individualized decision-making.Conclusions DOACs are superior to warfarin for stroke prevention in most patients with non-valvular AF, with a particularly favorable safety profile regarding intracranial hemorrhage. Individual DOAC selection should be tailored to patient characteristics, comorbidities, and bleeding risk. Special populations require individualized approaches, with careful consideration of renal function, drug interactions, and patient preferences. Safana Abdullah Algutaini, Ebaa Alghazi 2026-01-05 06:30:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8371642/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:29:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8371642/v1 Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) represent a groundbreaking advance in antibody engineering, overcoming therapeutic limitations of monoclonal antibodies through dual-targeting capabilities. However, their clinical translation is often hindered by structural and manufacturing complexities. In this study, we developed a modular bsAb platform utilizing the SpyCatcher-SpyTag site-specific coupling system for T cell-based immunotherapy. We successfully assembled functional bsAbs by conjugating tumor-targeting SpyCatcher-fused antibodies (anti-CD19, FMC63-Fc-SC or anti-HER2, ZHER-SC) with SpyTag-fused anti-CD3 domains (7G03-ST). These bsAbs effectively killed CD19-expressing leukemic cells and HER2-positive solid tumor cells. Furthermore, through substituting the anti-CD3 domain (e.g., OKT3-ST), we readily generated bsAbs targeting CD19, HER2, PD-L1 and EGFR, all of which specifically engaged their respective tumor antigens. More importantly, bsAbs constructed via this modular strategy significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells. In conclusion, this flexible bioconjugation platform offers a reliable and efficient technical solution for the rapid development of diverse bispecific antibodies. Shou-qing Sun, Lian Wang, Jing Xia, Shun Li, Jian-min Zhu, Cai-Wen Duan, Kaiming Chen 2026-01-05 06:29:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8418778/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:21:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8418778/v1 Intercropping is a viable method to achieve a high land equivalent ratio (LER) and increase production in a given area under sustainable agricultural practices like bio-nitrogen (N) fertilization. A 2-year field study was conducted at the Agricultural Experiments and Research Station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt, from 2023 to 2024 to compare the effects of bio-N- fertilization and chemical N application on soybean and corn plants in both sole and intercropping systems. The study included two cropping systems (2:2 intercropping and sole cropping of corn and soybean), N-fertilization treatments (N-0 for corn and soybean, 238 kg N/ha for corn, and 142.8 kg N/ha for soybean, biological N-fertilization was used for soybean seeds by inoculating with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and biological N-fertilization was used for corn grains by inoculating with specialized inoculants). Three replicates of each treatment were used in a split-plot design. Corn grain yield and shelling percentage increased when soybeans and corn were intercropped, but soybean productivity decreased. Corn yields and shelling percentages improved with intercropping. Biological N-fertilization treatments resulted in higher grain yields. Intercropping with biological N-fertilization increased LER by utilizing soybeans to fix atmospheric N and provide natural N to corn. Agg of soybean was positive for N-0 or biological N fertilization, indicating that soybean is dominated component under mineral N-fertilization. Intercropping soybeans with corn generated higher net benefits, ranging from 133.29 to 1302.65 USD per hectare. Abd El-Alim Abdel-Rhman Metwally, Neama Abd El-Salheen Saleh, Eman Ibrahim Abdel-Wahab 2026-01-05 06:21:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8325851/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:19:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8325851/v1 Purpose Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains a major complication following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Although pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) reduces POPF risk, the optimal criteria for drain management in PG cases remain unclear.Methods This single-institution retrospective study analyzed 195 consecutive PD cases involving a soft pancreas and PG. New criteria for safe drain removal were developed based on independent risk factors identified through a multivariate analysis. A prospective validation study was then conducted in 70 consecutive soft pancreas cases to assess the safety and efficacy of these criteria.Results In the retrospective cohort, white blood cell count (WBC) > 8200/µL, drain fluid amylase (DFA) > 160 U/L on postoperative day (POD) 5, and delayed nasogastric (NG) tube removal were identified as independent risk factors. The criteria for drain removal were defined as: WBC ≤ 8200/µL, DFA ≤ 160 U/L, and NG tube removal by POD5. In the validation cohort, 42 out of 70 patients met the criteria; none developed Clavien–Dindo grade IIIa or higher complications after drain removal. The incidence of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) was significantly lower (p < 0.01).Conclusion In patients undergoing PG with a soft pancreas, application of the new criteria enables safe early drain removal and may help reduce the incidence of DGE. Hisashi Murakami, Satoshi Okubo, Takuma Okada, Masaru Matsumura, Junichi Shindoh, Masaji Hashimoto 2026-01-05 06:19:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8433569/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:19:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8433569/v1 There is a correlation between arterial stiffness and chronic heart failure (CHF). A gap persists in the data on changes in the common carotid artery (CCA) lumen during the diastole-systole cycle. Our objective is to introduce a novel ultrasound method to measure temporal changes in the diameter of the CCA lumen and apply this method in both healthy volunteers and senescent patients with CHF. Eleven patients who underwent treatment for chronic heart failure exacerbation receiving optimal medical therapy (OMT) and ten healthy volunteers, respectively, constituted the chronic heart failure and control groups respectively, were analyzed. Using the GE linear probe and ECG recording for signal synchronization, cross-sectional vessel images were gained from at least six heartbeats. The images underwent statistical analysis. We proposed the surface area of the vessel's cross-section area calculation to enhance the diameter estimation precision validated by circularity checks. Such an approach ensures greater precision than a conventional, direct vessel diameter measurement with an ultrasound.  Results: The measurement showed that the vessel diameter of the CHF group was greater than that of the control group and the distensibility of the vessel was lower. Also, the slope of temporal increase of the diameter of the vessel in the heart cycle was lower in the chronic heart failure group, suggesting that the vessel reaches maximum diameter slower than the control group.  Conclusions: Ultrasound measurements can be an interesting approach to asses artery wall movements in various medical conditions. Despite OMT, senescent CHF patients demonstrated an alternated wall movement pattern. Adam Golda, Jan Juszczyk, Marek Rojczyk, Wojciech P. Adamczyk, Bartłomiej Melka, Michał Nowok, Ziemowit Ostrowski, Ryszard Białecki 2026-01-05 06:19:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7464432/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:18:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7464432/v1 We assessed the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among children with Down syndrome (DS) in Rwanda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 313 children with DS aged 6 months to 18 years using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed through univariate, bivariate, and multivariate regression analyses. Overall, 30% of children were overweight/obese, 72% stunted, 15% thin, and 47% underweight; 7% had the double burden of malnutrition. Underweight was less likely when fathers were casual laborers (AOR=0.38; CI: 0.18–0.82) but more likely in polygamous households (AOR=3.30; CI:1.26–8.62). Maternal illiteracy increased risks of both underweight (AOR=2.34; CI:1.01–5.40) and stunting (AOR=2.24; CI:1.02–4.92). Age was a strong predictor of malnutrition: children 24– 59 months (AOR=2.45; CI:1.12–5.35), 6–12 years (AOR=2.93; CI:1.41–6.10), and 13–18 years (AOR=5.52; CI:2.21–13.74) were more likely to be stunted or overweight. Conversely, younger children had lower odds of thinness compared to overweight: 6–23 months (AOR=0.24; CI:0.10–0.62), 24–59 months (AOR=0.40; CI:0.18–0.90), and 6–12 years (AOR=0.27; CI:0.14–0.50). Malnutrition, especially stunting, is highly prevalent among Rwandan children with DS. Socioeconomic conditions, parental education, and household characteristics strongly influence outcomes. Interventions should integrate nutrition, parental education, and inclusive healthcare strategies.  Joselyne Rugema, Eric Matsiko, Jean Dieu Habimana, Gerard Nyiringango, Vedaste Bagweneza, Agnes Gatarayiha, Micheal Mugisha, Eric Remera, Donatilla Mukamana, Raymond Muganga, Jean Paul Rwabihama, Leon Mutesa 2026-01-05 06:18:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7723772/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:17:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7723772/v1 Persistent left superior vena cava (SVC), resulting from the persistence of the left anterior cardinal vein, is most frequently observed as a component of a double SVC system. Since this venous anomaly is insignificant in hemodynamics, it is often discovered incidentally during the placement of intravenous catheters or electrode leads. Recognizing such anomalies is clinically significant, because it can help avoid diagnostic errors, suggest the potential presence of associated abnormalities, and aid in the planning of vascular interventions or surgical procedures. In this report, we present a case of persistent left SVC identified during a regional anatomy course, which will significantly enhance the understanding of this congenital variation. Categories: Anatomy, Education Xia X. Zhang, Wen Y. She, Zi M. Zhang, Yi Z. Wang, Xin y. Wu, Yan Kong 2026-01-05 06:17:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7727415/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:17:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7727415/v1 Background: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. While traditional risk factors are well-established, the role of meteorological parameters like temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed remains unclear. This study investigates the relationship between acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with weather in the Kashmir Valley, known for its extreme winters. A 25-month prospective study (January 2020–January 2022) included 1,144 stroke patients admitted to a tertiary care center. Strokes were classified as ischemic or hemorrhagic based on CT imaging. Meteorological data for stroke onset days were retrieved from the Indian Meteorological Department. Associations between weather variables and stroke subtypes were analyzed using multivariate regression models.  Results: Of 1,144 patients, 52.9% (605) had ICH, and 47.2% (540) had AIS. Stroke incidence peaked in winter, especially in January. Higher atmospheric pressure and wind speed were associated with increased ICH risk but reduced AIS risk. Temperature and humidity had no significant effect on either subtype. Hypertension was the leading cause of ICH, with the putamen most affected. Cardio-embolic strokes were the predominant AIS subtype, showing seasonal variation.  Conclusion: Meteorological factors, particularly atmospheric pressure and wind speed, influence stroke risks differently for AIS and ICH. Extreme weather conditions may increase stroke risk, especially for hemorrhagic strokes. Public health strategies, such as advising at-risk individuals to limit exposure to harsh winters, could reduce stroke incidence in regions with extreme climates. Waseem Dar, Maqbool Wani, Arjimand Yaqoob, Zubair Khuja, Amit Chandra, Feroze Mir, Immia Bukhari, Adnan Raina, Zahoor Parray, Ravouf Asimi 2026-01-05 06:17:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8289988/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:17:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8289988/v1 Background: Mycobacterium xenopi is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) capable of causing pulmonary infections, often mimicking tuberculosis. Case Presentation:A 56-year-old man with a 30-pack-year smoking history and rheumatoid arthritis on methotrexate and infliximab presented with a persistent cough and fatigue. Imaging revealed a cavitary lesion in the right upper lobe. Transbronchial biopsy culture grew M. xenopi. He was treated with moxifloxacin, azithromycin, ethambutol, and rifampin with complete resolution after 18 months of therapy. Repeat CT scan of the chest showed a new small, spiculated mass (15.37 mm x 11.79 mm) at the same site. Transbronchial biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma on pathology, followed by lobar resection with clean margins. Patient is doing well 6 years later. Conclusion: This case highlights a rare occurrence of carcinoma developing at a prior M. xenopi infection site. Although causality remains unproven, it underscores the importance of post-infection surveillance in high-risk patients. Christian Alvarez, Marc El Khoury 2026-01-05 06:17:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8309965/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:16:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8309965/v1 Background: Ewing sarcoma is a rare but aggressive malignant tumor that primarily affects adolescents and young adults. Although it typically arises in bone, in rare cases it may originate in parenchymal organs such as the kidney. Case Presentation: We present a 45-year-old woman with a history of breast carcinoma and a right renal mass. Imaging revealed a multicystic lesion with septations and nodular thickening. Histology and immunohistochemistry were consistent with extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma; FISH confirmed the characteristic rearrangement (t(11;22)(q24;q12)/EWSR1-ETS). The patient underwent nephrectomy followed by VDC/IE chemotherapy. Given her oncologic history and age, Li-Fraumeni syndrome was considered. Conclusions: This case highlights a rare primary renal localization of Ewing sarcoma and underscores the value of a multidisciplinary approach with molecular confirmation to secure diagnosis and guide therapy. M. Benkova-Petrova¹, A. Petrov¹, S. Marinov, L. Stoev, M. Hachmerian 2026-01-05 06:16:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497256/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:15:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497256/v1 Background Defensive efficiency is a central determinant of success in professional football, yet defenders’ physical and motor profiles are rarely examined in relation to ecological defensive outcomes, particularly in under-researched professional leagues. This study investigated anthropometric and motor-fitness signatures of defensive efficiency among professional football defenders in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) using multivariate profiling methods.Methods An observational ecological study was conducted among 36 professional defenders from Enugu Rangers International FC across three competitive seasons (2021/22–2023/24). Standardised anthropometric and motor-fitness assessments (agility, vertical-jump power, reaction time, balance, and coordination) were obtained during pre-season testing. Team-level defensive performance was quantified using ecological indicators derived from official league statistics, including goals conceded per match, defensive success index, points per goal conceded, and goal-prevention rate. Spearman correlations, non-parametric group comparisons, principal component analysis (PCA), and k-means clustering were applied.Results Defenders displayed substantial inter-individual variability despite operating within the same professional environment. Principal component analysis identified three components explaining 72.5% of total variance: (i) body size and mass/composition, (ii) agility–balance, and (iii) explosiveness versus adiposity. K-means clustering based on these components revealed three defender archetypes—high-mass stoppers, mobile coverage defenders, and balanced hybrids. Agility significantly differentiated archetypes (p < 0.05), with mobile coverage defenders demonstrating superior change-of-direction performance. At the ecological level, team defensive indicators showed stable or improving defensive efficiency across seasons.Conclusion Professional football defenders can be meaningfully profiled using integrated anthropometric and motor-fitness dimensions that align with functional defensive roles. Even in data-constrained environments, ecological team-level defensive indicators combined with multivariate profiling offer a practical framework for talent identification, role assignment, and conditioning. This approach provides applied value for professional clubs operating without access to advanced tracking technologies. Jeneviv Nene John, Sam Chidi Ibeneme, Gerhard Fortwengel, Emeka Mong, Davidson Okwudili John, Ezinne Olive Nwosu, Blessing Chidimma Okpagu, Nnenna Christiana Chinagozi-Amanze, Paul Onyeudo 2026-01-05 06:15:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7294011/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:15:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7294011/v1 This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of muscular fatigue on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance with (CMJAS) and without arm swing (CMJNAS), focusing on force-time parameters derived from a force platform. Eighteen recreationally active male participants (age: 21.43 ± 1.4 years; height: 188.18 ± 5.7 cm; weight: 80.5 ± 5.4 kg) completed CMJAS and CMJNAS protocols before and after a fatigue-inducing Wingate test. Kinetic and kinematic parameters were assessed pre- and post-fatigue using a force platform. Bayesian paired-samples t-tests and mixed-design repeated measures ANOVA were employed to evaluate within- and between-condition changes, with Bayes Factors (BF₁₀) and inclusion values (BFincl) reported. Bayesian analyses revealed extreme evidence for fatigue-induced reductions in jump height calculated from flight time (BF₁₀ = 219.893) and take-off velocity (BF₁₀ = 6.605) in CMJAS. In CMJNAS, post-fatigue performance demonstrated significant increases in peak concentric force (BF₁₀ = 2.491), while average eccentric force application significantly decreased in both jump types. Vertical Take-Off Velocity exhibited the highest sensitivity to fatigue with a BFincl of 6142.381. Additionally, CMJNAS showed a distinct compensatory strategy under fatigue, as evidenced by higher post-fatigue concentric force and lower decrements in velocity-related parameters compared to CMJAS. Acute muscular fatigue alters CMJ performance parameters differently depending on arm involvement. CMJNAS appears to be a more sensitive indicator of neuromuscular fatigue and may better reflect compensatory mechanisms in lower limb function. These findings support the application of CMJNAS for fatigue monitoring in athletic and rehabilitation settings. Recep Soslu¹, Meriç Eraslan², Murat Taş³, Meltem Devrilmez⁴, İzzet Kırkaya⁵, Ali Özkan⁵, Hakan Yarar⁵, İsmail Can Çuvalcıoğlu¹, Ali Ahmet Doğan⁶, Abdullah Uysal¹, Sabri Gerger⁴ 2026-01-05 06:15:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8349780/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:14:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8349780/v1 Purpose: This study aims to identify the determinants of stress associated with infertility among women and assess their impact on the success rates of intrauterine insemination (IUI).  Materials and Methods: 260 infertile women undergoing IUI treatment at the reproductive center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2019 to July 2021 were included in this study. Participants completed the General Information Questionnaire, the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI), the Stress Response Questionnaire (SRQ), and the Coping Style Questionnaire (CSQ). Follow-up sessions were conducted to record pregnancy outcomes, including clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. General linear regression was used to evaluate the association between FPI scores and key participant characteristics. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the correlations between SRQ, CSQ, and FPI scores. Logistic regression analyzed the relationship between coping styles, perceived stress, various FPI domains, and pregnancy outcomes.  Results: The average global stress score related to infertility was 135.1 (SD=18.2). Factors such as the outbreak of COVID-19, educational level, and monthly household income significantly influenced infertility-related stress (P<0.05). Stress reactions and negative coping styles were positively correlated with higher levels of infertility-related stress (P<0.001). However, no statistically significant relationship was found between positive coping styles and infertility-related stress (P>0.05). The scores were not consistently associated with pregnancy outcomes.  Conclusion: Women undergoing IUI exhibit significant levels of stress related to infertility, which is influenced by factors such as the COVID-19 outbreak, educational level, and family income. Perceived stress and negative coping styles also contribute to this stress. These findings underscore the need for targeted psychological interventions to reduce infertility-related stress among these patients, providing a theoretical basis for such measures. Xin Wang, Lijuan Wu, Ling Zhou, Sujuan Shen, Fang Lyu 2026-01-05 06:14:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496672/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:12:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496672/v1 Background: As Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) advance toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.8, they face a profound epidemiological transition. Somalia serves as a critical case study, grappling with a "double burden" of persistent infectious diseases and a rapidly accelerating prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes and hypertension. While the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS 2020) provides a normative framework for care, a stark gap remains between policy intent and the "effective coverage" required for actual health gains.Methods: This study employs a multi-sectoral secondary data analysis using the Tanahashi Framework to evaluate the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for NCDs. We synthesized epidemiological, clinical, and economic data from four primary sources: the Somali Health and Demographic Survey (SHDS 2020), routine health information (HMIS/DHIS2 2022–2025), the Somalia Integrated Household Budget Survey (SIHBS 2022), and Harmonized Health Facility Assessments (HHFA). A "Coverage Cascade" was constructed to identify specific bottlenecks preventing "normative" entitlement from becoming "effective" clinical reality.Results: Data indicates that while 100% of the population is entitled to care under the EPHS, only 3.1% receive regular treatment. A critical "treatment gap" exists, with 61.9% of diagnosed nomadic populations remaining untreated compared to 29.6% in urban areas. Notably, diabetes prevalence among nomadic communities (23.6%) now exceeds that of urban areas (14.6%). While HMIS data shows a 98% increase in hypertension screening between 2022 and 2024, new case enrollment has plateaued, suggesting failures in linkage-to-care. Furthermore, the private sector dominates service delivery (27.4% of total visits), creating financial toxicity for a population where only 2% have insurance.Conclusions: Somalia's current health system, historically structured for acute infectious diseases and trauma, is ill-equipped for chronic NCD management. The country faces a "bicephalous" system: a resource-strained public sector and a dominant, unregulated private sector. To bridge the coverage gap, Somalia must transition from donor-driven projects to domestic-financed models, including hypothecated taxation on Khat and sugary beverages. Without structural "rupture"—including task-shifting to primary health units and mandatory private sector reporting—UHC for NCDs will remain an aspirational mirage. Abdirezak Mawlid Abdi 2026-01-05 06:12:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8413587/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:12:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8413587/v1 Background Accurate prognostic stratification remains challenging in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Beyond TNM staging, biomarkers reflecting tumor biology may improve risk assessment. The Ki-67 proliferation index and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) derived from 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) represent tumor proliferative and metabolic activity; however, their combined prognostic significance in NSCLC remains incompletely defined.Methods This single-center retrospective study included 205 patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC between January 2017 and April 2024 who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and had immunohistochemical assessment of Ki-67. Patients were stratified according to Ki-67 levels (≤ 10% vs. > 10%) and SUVmax values (≤ 2.5 vs.> 2.5). Associations with clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis, and correlations between variables were assessed using Pearson correlation analysis.Results High Ki-67 (> 10%) and high SUVmax (> 2.5) were significantly associated with adverse clinicopathologic features, including male sex, smoking history, larger tumor size, higher tumor grade, advanced stage, and unfavorable histologic subtypes. SUVmax showed a significant positive correlation with Ki-67 (r = 0.278, p < 0.001) and tumor size (r = 0.371, p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated significantly shorter OS in patients with high Ki-67 (log-rank p = 0.002) and high SUVmax (log-rank p = 0.033).Conclusions Ki-67 proliferation index and SUVmax are associated with aggressive tumor characteristics and poorer survival in NSCLC. The combined evaluation of metabolic and proliferative biomarkers, together with established clinical factors, may improve prognostic stratification. Prospective multicenter studies are warranted to further clarify the clinical utility of these parameters. Elçin Ersöz Köse, Serda Kanbur Metin 2026-01-05 06:12:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8339561/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:11:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8339561/v1 Background Neonatal sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide despite advances in perinatal and intensive care. Early and accurate diagnosis is challenging because clinical signs are often nonspecific and no single biomarker has shown perfect sensitivity and specificity. In recent years, complete blood count–derived indices such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been proposed as inexpensive, readily available markers of systemic inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of NLR and PLR in early-onset (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) compared with jaundiced and healthy neonates, and to compare their performance with that of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP).Methods In this retrospective single-centre study, we reviewed the records of neonates hospitalised in a level III neonatal intensive care unit between March 2022 and March 2025. A total of 446 infants were classified into four groups: EOS (first 3 postnatal days), LOS (≥ 4th day), jaundice without sepsis, and healthy controls. Pre-treatment laboratory data, including complete blood count, CRP and PCT, were extracted. NLR and PLR were calculated by dividing absolute neutrophil and platelet counts by lymphocyte counts, respectively. Group comparisons were performed using non-parametric tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of each biomarker for differentiating sepsis-positive (EOS + LOS) from sepsis-negative (jaundice + healthy) infants.Results Of the 446 neonates, 143 (32.1%) had EOS, 101 (22.6%) had LOS, 102 (22.9%) were in the jaundice group and 100 (22.4%) were healthy controls. Median NLR values were significantly higher in the EOS group than in the LOS, jaundice and healthy groups (1.97 vs 0.71, 0.84 and 0.67, respectively; p < 0.001). PLR values did not differ significantly between the four groups (p > 0.05). When EOS and LOS were combined as the sepsis-positive group, median NLR was higher in sepsis-positive than in sepsis-negative infants (1.34 vs 0.79; p < 0.001). In ROC analysis, PCT showed the highest diagnostic accuracy for sepsis (area under the curve [AUC] 0.97), followed by CRP (AUC 0.75) and NLR (AUC 0.65), whereas PLR had limited discriminative ability (AUC 0.54).Conclusions NLR is moderately useful for predicting neonatal sepsis, particularly in EOS, and may serve as a supportive parameter when interpreted alongside PCT, CRP and clinical findings. In this cohort, PLR did not provide meaningful additional diagnostic value. The combined use of CBC-derived ratios and conventional biomarkers may support early decision-making and help reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure in neonates. Taner Adıgüzel¹, Bahriye Semizoğlu Atasoy¹, Tuba İşcan¹, Gülsüm Kaya² 2026-01-05 06:11:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496959/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:09:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496959/v1 Background Maxillary third molars exhibit high variability in root number, length, and curvature, which complicates extraction and potential endodontic treatment.[16, 18, 19, 25] Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) allows three-dimensional assessment of external root morphology and its relationship to the maxillary sinus, which is critical for risk-aware treatment planning.[13, 14, 17] Data on maxillary third molar morphology in Yemeni populations remain limited.Methods This retrospective cross-sectional CBCT study evaluated 320 maxillary third molars from Yemeni patients aged 20–65 years who attended three private dental radiology centers in Sana’a, Yemen. CBCT scans were acquired using a Green CBCT scanner (PHT-60CFO, Vatech, Korea; 5×5 cm field of view, voxel size 120 µm³).[13, 14] Images were analyzed in Ez3D-i software in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. For each tooth, the number of roots, root length, external root curvature (angle, level, direction), root separation versus fusion, distance from root apices to the maxillary sinus floor, and pulp-chamber-related distances (occlusal surface to roof, roof to floor, floor to furcation) were recorded, following published CBCT protocols.[1–3, 13] Teeth with caries, open apices, apical pathology, developmental anomalies, periodontal bone loss, previous endodontic treatment, or image artefacts were excluded. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests (Chi-square and independent t-tests, α = 0.05) were performed using SPSS v28.Results Of 320 maxillary third molars (179 females, 55.9%; 141 males, 44.1%; mean age 30.62 ± 9.26 years), 15.6% had one root, 9.1% had two roots, 68.8% had three roots, and 6.5% had four roots. Overall, 41.6% of teeth presented with separated roots and 42.8% with fused roots; 15.6% were single-rooted. Mean root lengths ranged from 17.12 ± 2.53 mm for single-rooted teeth to 18.62 ± 1.99 mm for the mesiobuccal root in four-rooted teeth; palatal roots tended to be the longest across configurations. Root curvature was predominantly mild to moderate and most frequently located in the middle third for buccal roots and the apical third for palatal roots, with distal curvature being the most common direction. Regarding sinus relationship, 54.69% of roots were outside the maxillary sinus, 19.37% were in contact with the sinus floor, and 25.94% protruded into the sinus cavity. Mean pulp-chamber distances were 4.34 mm from occlusal surface to chamber roof, 3.04 mm from roof to floor, and 2.60 mm from floor to furcation. A significant association was observed between gender and number of roots, with males more frequently exhibiting two-rooted teeth and females more frequently showing three-rooted teeth (p < 0.05).Conclusions In this Yemeni sample, maxillary third molars were predominantly three-rooted with variable curvature and a high frequency of roots in close proximity to, or protruding into, the maxillary sinus.[16, 18, 19] These findings highlight the importance of pre-operative CBCT assessment before surgical extraction or complex restorative/endodontic procedures involving maxillary third molars. Population-specific knowledge of external root morphology can support individualized risk assessment and safer, more predictable clinical outcomes.[16, 18–20] Waleed Shoui Al Haj, Mohammed AbdulAziz AlBaili, Abdulwahab Ismail Al-kholani, Majdi Khaled Ali Jubari, Salah M. Bin Hafedh 2026-01-05 06:09:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496934/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:09:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496934/v1 Introduction With increasing attention on the use of intra-ovarian injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with poor ovarian response, the efficacy of this method remains in question. Studies are still seeking more unified protocols to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of this method. Methods In the present review, a comprehensive search was conducted using four databases, such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar. Data were extracted from studies discussing the intra-ovarian injection of PRP in poor ovarian responders to assess discrepancies between their outcomes. Results The studies employed various characteristics and designs, different PRP preparation methods, diverse intra-ovarian injection techniques, and varied measurement parameters, leading to diverse outcomes. Conclusion Future randomized controlled trials should use standardized sample sizes and apply interventions to both groups. Candidates must be selected homogeneously, following specific inclusion criteria. Standardization of baseline and concentrated platelet levels, as well as PRP preparation methods, is essential. Intra-ovarian injection parameters, including PRP volume, use of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) or laparoscopy, injection site, timing, and administration frequency, should be tailored to patient characteristics. Prioritizing optimal stimulation protocols, the best interval post-PRP injection, and outcomes such as live birth rates is crucial for future studies and therapeutic efforts. Hamidreza Didar, Soheila Ansaripour, Maryam Golmohammadi 2026-01-05 06:09:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496807/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:09:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496807/v1 Introduction Thalassemia is the most common inherited hemoglobin disorder in the world. A thalassemia carrier is a recessive condition carrying one of the faulty genes that cause thalassemia. There is a 25% probability in every pregnancy of having this life-threatening disorder in a child. This study aims to investigate university students' knowledge, attitudes, awareness and practices towards thalassemia by conducting a pre-KAP study in a thalassemia carrier screening campaign in Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, from January 2021 to March 2021. The study involved 290 university students participating in a thalassemia carrier screening campaign, who completed a self-administered questionnaire about thalassemia. Results The pre-KAP study showed that 82.69% of students were familiar with thalassemia, but 76.47% of students answered incorrectly that thalassemia spreads through blood. More than 90% of the students (93.77%) believed that premarital screening is necessary to reduce the occurrence of thalassemia, and (92.73%) believed that raising social awareness for thalassemia is important. There were no notable distinctions between male and female participants in terms of their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding thalassemia. Conclusions The findings indicate a critical deficit in accurate, specific knowledge despite general familiarity with the disease. his highlights the urgent need for targeted, evidence-based health education campaigns within academic institutions to correct misconceptions and empower future generations to make informed decisions about their health. Anamika Sarker, Himel Datta, Md Masuk Ur Rashid, Rubiat Afrin Ayon, Aminul Hassan, Esha Binte Shahriar, Al Tareq Mia, M. Ibrahim Hossain, Subrata Banik, Mohammad Mahfuz Ali Khan Shawan, Md. Ashraful Hasan, Md. Ibrahim Khalil 2026-01-05 06:09:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8296521/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:07:06 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8296521/v1 The present study investigated the anticancer potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) sourced from Cymodocea serrulata against the MCF-7 cell line. Flow cytometric assessments, encompassing cell cycle progression, apoptosis induction, and expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins, were utilized to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms underlying cytotoxicity. Analysis of the cell cycle indicated that treatment with AgNPs led to a notable accumulation of cells within the G₀/G₁ phase, signifying cell cycle arrest and the inhibition of DNA synthesis. Apoptotic assessment revealed a marked elevation in early apoptotic events, thereby confirming the pro-apoptotic influence of AgNPs. Expression of apoptotic marker proteins further corroborated these observations, specifically the significant upregulation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, alongside a pronounced downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Moreover, DNA fragmentation analysis further reinforced these observations by revealing extensive nuclear degradation in AgNPs-treated cells, signifying the activation of programmed cell death pathways. These collective findings suggest that AgNPs provoke apoptosis via the activation of intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptotic pathways facilitated by caspase signaling and Bcl-2 inhibition. The documented G₀/G₁ phase arrest and DNA fragmentation further accentuate the role of AgNPs in disrupting cellular proliferation and facilitating programmed cell death. In summary, the investigation underscores the potential utility of Cymodocea serrulata-derived AgNPs as a promising nanotherapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer by facilitating the induction of caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways. Poojitha B N, Jayalakshmi M, Haifa Almukadi, Dareen Alyousfi, Thoraia Shinawi, Khalda K. Nasser, Ashwaq Hassan Alsabban, Babajan Banaganapalli, Meera T, Noor Ahmad Shaik, Amudha Parthasarathy 2026-01-05 06:07:06 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8400790/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:06:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8400790/v1 As internet use becomes embedded in later-life routines in China, older adults engage online in markedly different ways, which may carry unequal implications for mental health. This study investigates how heterogeneous internet use patterns influence depressive symptoms among older adults in China, and whether age moderates these associations.Methods: Data were drawn from the 2023 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (N = 5,497). Latent class analysis was applied to classify internet use by both content and frequency, and regression models were employed to examine associations between user types and depression, with age included as a moderator and demographic covariates controlled.Results: Four distinct classes were identified: high-frequency social interaction (40.8%), information-oriented (21.0%), social–entertainment–consumption (22.7%), and comprehensive high-frequency use (15.4%). Compared with comprehensive users, the information-oriented and high-frequency social groups reported significantly higher depression scores, while the social–entertainment–consumption group showed moderate disadvantage. Age moderated these relationships: differences in depression across user types were strongest among the younger-old but diminished among the oldest-old. Findings extend social participation and compensation theories in the digital context and suggest that policies should move beyond access provision to foster diversified, meaningful online engagement that safeguards mental health in later life. XIA LI, Jamir Singh Paramjit Singh 2026-01-05 06:06:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496541/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 06:02:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496541/v1 Lowland peatlands are ecosystems of global importance for regulating global climate, as biodiversity hotspots, and for supporting local livelihoods. Despite their significance, the social and economic benefits derived from lowland peatland use and management are poorly studied from the perspective of local and Indigenous communities. To address this, a Rapid Evidence Synthesis methodology was employed to evaluate peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2025. Searches were conducted in two major databases (Scopus and Web of Science) using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria based on geography (tropical and/or temperate), populations (local and/or Indigenous communities), and outcomes (social, economic, ecological, and/or environmental benefits). The searches yielded 265 titles in Scopus and 211 in Web of Science. After merging and removing duplicates, a total of 378 articles remained, which were then screened for relevance. Studies focusing solely on wetlands without mention of peat, boreal, or highland environments were excluded, as well as non-peatland contexts like urban areas and urban farming. Thirty-one articles were selected for full-text review. Findings from this review highlight a diverse range of strategies and interventions that support more equitable socioeconomic outcomes in lowland peatland management. In Southeast Asia, interventions mainly focused on restoring degrading peatlands, whereas in South America, efforts concentrated on the sustainable use of natural resources. Regions such as Africa, the Arctic, Europe, North America, and Oceania were underrepresented in peer-reviewed studies concerning community involvement and perceptions of lowland peatland conservation and management. In summary, the literature underscores the urgent need to promote inclusive restoration and sustainable peatland management by integrating the knowledge of civil societies and local and Indigenous communities, securing community rights, and supporting diversified and adaptive livelihoods. Moreover, strengthening governance and equity, implementing locally tailored measures, and improving market access for peatland-managed products are essential for the long-term conservation of peatlands and livelihoods. Ana Isabel Morais Natálio, Hsu Mon Thein, Tinashe A. Tizifa, Chimela Ochege Uchenna, Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado 2026-01-05 06:02:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8462001/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:59:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8462001/v1 Background Phyllanthus reticulatus commonly known as Pancoli. It is used as a traditional medicinal with properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-HIV-1.Methods Analgesic activity was determined by the acetic acid writhing test and the diuretic activity was assessed in albino mice by measuring urine volume and electrolyte excretion over 24 hours following oral administration. The anti-diarrheal effect was evaluated using the castor oil-induced model, and antimicrobial activity was tested through the disc diffusion method.Results In the analgesic assay, the PRFEE at a dose of 300 mg/kg showed the highest inhibition (89%, 1.50 ± 0.50 writhes, P < 0.001). The diuretic activity assessment indicated a substantial increase in urine output with a dose of 500 mg/kg producing 2.50 ± 0.289 ml of urine (P < 0.001). Additionally, this dose significantly enhanced sodium (133.16 ± 8.186 mmol/L, P < 0.001), Potassium (87.25 ± 3.792 mmol/L, P < 0.001), and chloride (106.79 ± 4.49 mmol/L, P < 0.001) excretion. In the anti-diarrheal study, PRFEE 500 mg/kg achieved 81.82% inhibition reducing stool count to 1 ± 0.408 (P < 0.001), demonstrating strong efficacy. The antimicrobial activity showed a Potent inhibitory effect with a dose of 750 mg/mL, exhibiting inhibition zones of 17 mm (Escherichia coli), 15 mm (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and 19 mm (Staphylococcus aureus), comparable to those of kanamycin (16–19 mm).Conclusion The PRFEE exhibited significant Pharmacological effects across all evaluated Parameters. Palash Chandra Roy, Md. Khalequeuzzaman, Md. Jahidul Kabir Nahid, Md. Shamim Hossain, Titu Chandra Sarker, Annesha Majumder 2026-01-05 05:59:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8410580/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:59:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8410580/v1 Parkland agroforestry is the types of multipurpose trees agroforestry system characterized by well-grown scattered trees on cultivated and recently fallowed fields. It is the most dominant agroforestry practice in the semi-arid and sub-humid zones of Ethiopia. This study was conducted at Kalu district, South Wollo, Ethiopia to assess the ecological significance of parkland agroforestry practices and how do farmers manage the parkland trees and the factors that influence farmers’ management techniques. Multistage sampling method was adopted by selecting sample kebeles from lowland and midland parkland agroforestry. Woody species inventory was conducted on 60 plots having each 50 m x100 m on cultivated land along 6 transects. All woody species found in the plots following transect line having stem diameter ≥ 5 cm and height of >2 m above ground were taken.  Semi-structured questionnaire and group discussion were employed for gathering qualitative data. The data collected through the questionnaire interviews, species richness and structures were analyzed using Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS 20) software and Microsoft excel version 2010 at 5% level of significance. Woody species frequency, abundance, basal area, height and diameter class distribution were computed to characterize woody species structure. A total of 21 indigenous woody species were collected from the two agro-ecologies of parkland agroforestry. The collected species belonging to eight families, and Fabaceae were the dominant families. Shannon and Simpson indices of woody species diversity, evenness of lowland was higher than midland agro-ecologies. Zizipus spina-christi and Acasia seyal were dominant tree species in both agro-ecologies. Woody species retained within farmer’s cultivated land for different purposes. Looping, pollarding, pruning, protection and coppicing were common management practices. Among socioeconomic variables only sex, land holding size and access to extension service were influence woody species management. Woody species diversity was relatively low at Kalu district. Land shortage, drought, free grazing, absence of planting activity and high charcoal demands were the most challenging problems for the sustainability of parklands at the district.  Governmental decision-makers and other stakeholders typically face with regard to Parkland trees conservation and agricultural intensification and development objectives. Wondwossen Mechal Wondwossen Mechal 2026-01-05 05:59:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8463065/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:56:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8463065/v1 Strategic capacity withholding can intensify transmission congestion, butinfeasible DC–OPF outcomes can prevent like-for-like comparisons across scenarios. Thispaper proposes a reproducible DC–OPF screening workflow that maps feasibility andcongestion sensitivity under controlled demand scaling (λ) and thermal-limit tightening (α)for four withholding families: CW0, economic withholding (ECW), physical withholding(FCW), and combined withholding (CCW). The workflow is demonstrated on a compact5-bus benchmark (multi-hour feasibility screening) and on the IEEE 57-bus system withactivated branch limits, using the 2022 Turkish hourly load shape and daily peak-hoursnapshots. Across both systems, feasibility deteriorates as the stress budget is consumed.ECW behaves similarly to CW0, while FCW and CCW drive most infeasibility andincrease utilisation of the most stressed corridors. The resulting feasibility frontierdelineates an admissible region for scenario-comparable market-power assessments underbinding network constraints.  Feyyaz Fatih AYDIN 2026-01-05 05:56:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8432945/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:54:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8432945/v1 The growing use of large language models to assist or automate academic peer review raises fundamental questions about the validity and robustness of algorithmically mediated research evaluation. This study introduces the Author-Reviewer-Organizer (ARO) framework, which models peer review as a strategic interaction among authors, reviewers, and organizers with distinct incentives and capacities to exploit or constrain AI-based evaluation. Within this framework, we present a large-scale empirical assessment of indirect prompt injection, a vulnerability that allows hidden instructions embedded in a manuscript to influence an AI reviewer's output without the reviewer's awareness. Using 5,600 controlled experiments on manuscripts from NeurIPS and ICLR published before November 2022, prior to the widespread public availability of high-capability LLMs, we evaluate the susceptibility of two widely used, general-purpose LLM-based chatbot systems employed for review assistance under multiple injection strategies. We find that hidden instructions are followed in 78% of cases for ChatGPT and 86% for Gemini, substantially exceeding success rates reported in prior prompt-injection studies. Manipulation can reliably steer review sentiment and acceptance recommendations, while the same mechanism can be repurposed by organizers for defensive purposes, including watermarking and detection of AI-generated reviews. Instruction placement within the document significantly affects outcomes, with early-position payloads consistently exerting greater influence. By situating these results within the ARO framework, we show that AI-assisted peer review introduces document-level structural vulnerabilities that undermine evaluative reliability. The results have direct implications for the use and governance of LLMs in peer review, research assessment, and other gatekeeping processes central to scientometric analysis and science policy. JEL Classification: O33 , D82 , D83 , L86 MSC Classification: 68M25 , 68T50 , 68T01 Federico Torrielli, Stefano Locci, Amon Rapp, Luigi Di Caro 2026-01-05 05:54:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8286819/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:54:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8286819/v1 Introduction: Dietary supplements are widely used in the United States but remain lightly regulated, raising concerns about contaminants and inconsistent potency. Independent, third-party testing offers a way to assure quality and safety, yet little is known about public interest in such testing. This study examined trends in U.S. interest in third-party tested supplements before and after the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods Google Trends data from January 2018 to August 2025 were analyzed for terms related to third-party testing (“third party tested,” “USP verified,” “NSF certified”) and for common non-third party supplements (“vitamin D,” “multivitamins,” “fish oil”). Relative search volume was normalized to February 2019. Growth trajectories were compared using Welch’s t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and ordinary least squares regression with time-by-group interaction terms.Results Interest in third-party tested supplements rose sharply beginning in 2021, reaching nearly 800% growth by 2025 compared with < 100% growth for non-third party terms. Regression analysis revealed a significantly steeper growth trajectory for third-party terms (β = 0.0089, p < 0.001; R² = 0.888). At the individual term level, “third party tested” exhibited the greatest increase (> 1,500%), while “NSF certified” and “USP verified” showed more modest but consistent growth.Discussion/Conclusion: Public interest in third-party tested supplements has accelerated beyond general supplement interest since the Covid-19 pandemic, reflecting rising consumer concern with safety and quality. These findings highlight an emerging shift in consumer priorities with implications for public health messaging, regulatory policy, and industry practices. Future research should examine whether increased interest translates into purchasing behavior and evolving regulatory frameworks. Madison Contor, Victor Ching 2026-01-05 05:54:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8395542/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:54:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8395542/v1 Currently, solving large-scale non-convex optimisation problems faces two challenges: the computational complexity of stochastic gradients and high variance. This article presents a novel accelerated non-convex optimisation algorithm (Adaptive-VRBSP) based on adaptive block random projection and variance reduction, together with a convergence analysis. The approach draws on Kaczmarz projection theory and SVRG denoising principles, aiming to combine the inherent advantages of projection methods with variance reduction techniques to overcome the high variance and local optimality traps associated with non-convex optimization. The algorithm uses a ‘free’ adaptive importance sampling scheme based on snapshot gradients, which optimises the constant terms in the convergence rate. We show that on non-convex manifolds satisfying the Polyak-Łojasiewicz condition (PL), the constructed generalised projection operator guarantees geometric rate contraction between the iteration sequence and the optimal solution set. This discovery extends the theoretical boundaries of Kaczmarz-type algorithms. It proves their effectiveness not only for linear systems, but also as a universal geometric optimisation tool for a wide range of non-convex tasks in machine learning. Xuan-Jin Zhu, Xin-Hui Shao 2026-01-05 05:54:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8447461/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:50:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8447461/v1 Urbanisation in arid environments evolves through distinctive spatial processes shaped by abundant developable land, strong environmental constraints, and infrastructure-led planning. Despite the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s major cities, the long-term interplay between land-cover change, demographic dynamics, and future expansion pathways remains insufficiently understood. This study reviews a consistent four-decade record of urban growth (1984–2024) for Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah and examines it through an integrated framework combining multi-sensor remote sensing, demographic indicators, landscape fragmentation metrics, and ANN–CA–Markov modelling. Across all four cities, urban expansion follows a shared three-phase trajectory: an initial phase of fragmented and discontinuous growth (1984–1994), a prolonged period of corridor-driven consolidation aligned with major infrastructure investments (1994–2014), and a recent shift toward outward suburban diffusion (2014–2024). While this temporal sequence is highly synchronised, its spatial expression differs markedly. Fragmentation metrics (Patch Density and Edge Density) identify the mid-2010s as a peak of morphological discontinuity, most pronounced in the basin-confined cities of Makkah and Madinah. Jeddah, constrained by its coastline, retains a predominantly linear growth form, whereas Riyadh expands multi-directionally across an unconstrained plateau. Coupling demographic change with land consumption shows that population growth alone cannot explain observed expansion patterns: Riyadh maintains relatively stable land-use efficiency, while Jeddah and Makkah experience phases of disproportionately land-intensive development. The ANN–CA–Markov simulations reproduce observed spatial patterns with high agreement (Kappa 0.61–0.85) and project continued path-dependent expansion to 2034, with future growth largely reinforcing established corridors rather than generating new development fronts. By explicitly linking multi-decadal reconstruction, demographic efficiency, spatial fragmentation, and predictive modelling, this study advances a path-dependent interpretation of arid-city urbanisation and provides a transferable framework for understanding and anticipating urban growth in rapidly transforming desert environments. Alireza Babapoorkamani, Liana Ricci, Tazyeen Alam 2026-01-05 05:50:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8301013/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:37:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8301013/v1 Background Spaceflight and simulated microgravity impair immune function, increasing infection risk. Zinc, was investigated as a nutritional countermeasure. This study examined whether dietary zinc supplementation mitigates µG-induced immune alterations and improves host response to bacterial infection in a rodent model. Accordingly, Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into Control (C), Control + Zinc (CZ), Microgravity (M), and Microgravity + Zinc (MZ) groups. Simulated µG was induced by 14-day hindlimb suspension, with zinc provided in drinking water. All rats were challenged with E. coli. Serum zinc, blood counts, and bacterial loads in multiple organs were measured.Results At 48 h post-challenge, total leukocytes were reduced versus ground controls (WBC 4.0×103/µL vs 9.8×103/µL; −59%), and peritoneal bacterial burden was highest (≈ 981 CFU units) with greater dissemination to spleen, liver, and kidney (+ 46% to + 197% vs control). Zinc supplementation substantially rescued these deficits. In MZ, WBC rebounded to control levels (≈ 10.0×103/µL; +150% vs microgravity alone) and infection loads fell sharply at the peritoneum (− 97%) and across organs (− 94% to − 98% vs microgravity). Under normal gravity, zinc also improved bacterial clearance (peritoneum − 87% vs control) without materially altering final WBC.Conclusions Zinc nutrition restored leukocyte responsiveness and dramatically reduced pathogen burden, effectively counteracting microgravity-induced vulnerability. These findings demonstrate that simulated µG induces anemia, lymphocyte loss, and impaired bacterial clearance in rats. Zinc supplementation counteracts these effects, suggesting it may serve as an effective nutritional countermeasure to enhance immune health and reduce infection susceptibility during spaceflight. Saeed Rabiee, Shiva Zaboli, Ali Salehnia Sammak, Fahimeh Azadi, Zahra Aliabadi, Fatemeh Samin Askari, Alireza Mohebbi 2026-01-05 05:37:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8425906/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:34:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8425906/v1 This interdisciplinary study constructs a bridge between the philosophy of science, theoretical biology, complex systems theory, and cosmology. It proposes a meta-theory of hierarchical synthesis as a fractal paradigm of cooperation within the structures of the material world. Complexity in the universe emerges through recursive acts of cooperation among autonomous elements, forming temporary wholes with emergent properties, which in turn become elements for the next cycle of cooperation. The article describes a fundamental pattern of the emergence of complexity via the cooperation of autonomous elements, resulting in temporary functional wholes possessing emergent properties. The meta-theory of hierarchical synthesis inherits and develops ideas from Bertalanffy's systems theory, Haken's synergetics, and Prigogine's theory of dissipative structures. The emergence of complexity in the material world represents a universal ontological principle manifesting across all levels of material organization—from molecular interactions and cellular processes to social structures and cosmological systems. The idea of hierarchical synthesis offers a new conceptual language for describing the dynamic hierarchy of complex systems and overcoming the traditional divide between the natural sciences and humanities. Vladimir Lemeshchenko 2026-01-05 05:34:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444991/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:33:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444991/v1 Background: While individual studies indicate that economic crises pose a significant threat to population mental health, the aggregated magnitude and variation of this impact across different contexts remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizes global evidence on the mental health consequences of economic downturns. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and EconLit, alongside and relevant government health department websites was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies published between 01 January 2000 and 18 December 2025 that examined mental health outcomes in relation to economic crises were eligible. A random-effects meta-analysis using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software was conducted to estimate pooled prevalence, with subgroup analyses conducted according to mental health outcome, geographic region, and economic crisis phase. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and risk of bias was evaluated using the robvis tool. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s regression test. Results: Thirty-nine studies from 14 countries met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes associated with economic crises was 6.4% (95% CI: 4.1–10.1%). Subgroup analyses showed the highest pooled prevalence for self-harm (18.9%), followed by somatoform disorders (17.6%) and distress (14.7%). Marked geographic variation was evident, with higher pooled prevalence estimates reported in several European countries. Mental health burden differed by crisis phase, with the highest prevalence observed during the post-crisis period (16.3%), followed by the pre-crisis phase (7.6%), Conclusions: Economic crises are associated with a substantial and heterogeneous burden of mental health problems, particularly self-harm. The magnitude of impact varies by outcome type, geographic context, and crisis phase, with evidence suggesting delayed and sustained effects beyond the acute crisis period. These findings highlight the need to integrate mental health protection into economic crisis preparedness and recovery policies, including safeguarding mental health services, strengthening social safety nets during and after economic downturns, and implementing a dual strategy of preventive community support for distress and acute clinical intervention for high-risk cohorts. The study protocol was prospectively registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under registration number (CRD420251272042). Ioannis Adamopoulos, Aida Vafae Eslahi, Nektarios Karanikas, Niki Syrou, Panagiotis Tsirkas, George Dounias, Moustafa Z. Younis 2026-01-05 05:33:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8107542/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:13:14 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8107542/v1 Wind energy is a rapidly expanding renewable resource that plays a pivotal role in the global transition from fossil fuels to sustainable and low-carbon energy systems. However, its potential application requires understanding its intricate dynamics.. The objectives of the present work are to i) evaluate empirically the hypothesis of nonlinearity, determinism and chaotic behavior of wind speed time series and ii) investigate statistical relationships between different nonlinear parameters. Hourly wind speed time series consisting of 87648 data points were collected from eleven meteorological stations in Granma Province, Cuba, from January/2014 to December/2023. We calculated the Lévy-stable index (α) for the original and pre-whitened time series. The nonlinearity parameter, determinism test (Λ), global Lyapunov exponent (m), Hurst exponent (H) and multiscale entropy (MSE) were also computed for each series series using, respectively, the time reversibility, delay, detrended fluctuation analysis and multiscale entropy methods. These parameters were compared with those computed from 40 surrogate time series generated at each station. We found that the original wind speed time series could be classified as Gaussian noises with Lévy index α=2.00, lower deterministic component ∧=0.318±0.023, time reversibility Z-score < 2.021 and approximately constant MSE. The decorrelated data fitted sub-Gaussian distributions with the α exponent in the range 1.227 α 1.704. A multiple regression analysis found a significant empirical link between H, m, the exponent of the MSE function () and Λ with the correlation coefficient of r=0.972. These findings could be useful for the siting, operation and optimization of wind energy-based technologies. Humberto Millán, Ramiro Cumbrera, Behzad Ghanbarian, Rene Arias, Riccardo Biondi, Abdel Acosta, Aziz Benhamrouche 2026-01-05 05:13:14 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496676/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:12:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496676/v1 The piston is a highly stressed component in an internal combustion engine, operating under severe thermal and mechanical loading conditions. The efficiency, durability, and reliability of an engine are strongly influenced by piston design and material selection. With increasing demands for higher power density and improved fuel efficiency, conventional design approaches must be supplemented with analytical and numerical methods. This paper presents a comprehensive design, modeling, and analysis of a single-cylinder four-stroke petrol engine piston using forged aluminium alloys. Analytical calculations are performed to determine piston dimensions such as crown thickness, skirt length, piston pin diameter, and piston ring geometry based on engine operating parameters. A detailed three-dimensional CAD model is developed and analyzed using finite element techniques to evaluate stress distribution, deformation, and temperature variation under realistic loading conditions. Aluminium alloys 4032, 2618 Forged, A2618, and 2618-T6 are investigated and compared. The results demonstrate that 2618-T6 forged aluminium alloy offers superior mechanical strength, thermal stability, and fatigue resistance. The close correlation between analytical and numerical results validates the adopted design methodology and confirms the suitability of the selected material for high-speed petrol engines. RENUKAPRASAD K Y 2026-01-05 05:12:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6065505/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:11:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6065505/v1 The liver is a central organ in the maintenance of lipid metabolism. It coordinates cholesterol uptake, biosynthesis, excretion and clearance through an intricated transcription network defined in the epigenetic level by transcription factors and coregulators. Those networks differ between males and females, resulting in marked sex differences in lipoprotein patterns and risk of developing atherosclerosis. How sex chromosome-linked epigenetic modulators contribute to such sex-specific metabolism remains unclarified. Here, we have demonstrated that the X- linked histone demethylase 6A (KDM6A) is a crucial coregulator involved in liver cholesterol regulation. KDM6A knockdown in human liver cells induces transcriptional changes annotated to lipoprotein and cholesterol metabolic pathways linked with cardiovascular disorders. Consistently, hepatocyte specific KDM6A knockout (LKO) female, but not male, mice display substantial atherogenic circulating lipoprotein profiles and are prone to developing atherosclerosis upon genetic and dietary challenges. Mechanistically, KDM6A is recruited to chromatin by Hepatic Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha (HNF4A). This creates an active epigenetic microenvironment essential for the binding of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein H (CREBH, encoded by CREB3L3), which subsequently activates the transcription of lipoprotein and cholesterol metabolic genes in hepatocytes. Therefore, our study uncovers a novel mechanistic link of KDM6A with atherosclerosis using both human cell and mouse models. Because KDM6A is an X-inactivation ‘escapee’ with higher expression in female than male hepatocytes, it may contribute to the sex dimorphism of cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular risk. Rongrong Fan, Lin Chen, Zhanfang Kang, Jennifer Härdfeldt, Ziyi Li, Matteo Pedrelli, Qi Li, Ruining Lyu, Philipp Valina Allo, Xiangru Zheng, Peibin Lin, Jianwen Zeng, Zhiqiang Huang, Oihane Garcia-Irigoyen, Sviatlana Sukhanava, Paolo Parini, Amélie Bonnefond, Bo Angelin, Eckardt Treuter 2026-01-05 05:11:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437652/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:10:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437652/v1 Lithium supply chains are under immense pressure from the growing demand for lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4)-based batteries. One way to address these pressure and curb environmental waste is to recover and reuse lithium from spent batteries. Electrochemical valorization offers a sustainable and green approach. However, current redox systems that couple lithium extraction with hydrogen production in alkaline electrolytes suffer from slow hydrogen evolution, sluggish lithium extraction, and low recovery efficiencies due to hydroxide ion (OH-) crossover. Here, we report a lithium extraction-cum-hydrogen production system that combines citric acid-based catholyte for hydrogen (H2) evolution and I3-/I- redox couple as anolyte for Li+ extraction. Unlike alkaline catholytes in current systems, citric acid boosted the H2 evolution potential, suppressed OH- formation, and ensured 100% lithium recovery efficiency. The proper redox potential and excellent electrochemical kinetics of the I3-/I- anolyte enabled rapid lithium extraction from LiFePO4 and lithium recovery at ampere-level current densities. We use the generated lithium citrate product as-is for the synthesis of new LiFePO4 materials. With solar energy integration, our fully green system combining renewable energy, lithium recycling, and green hydrogen production forms a zero-carbon closed-loop. A 5-kilogram prototype and cost-benefit analysis show the system is practical and profitable. Xianfeng Li, Congxin Xie, Chao Wang, Yonggang Wang 2026-01-05 05:10:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8434800/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 05:06:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8434800/v1 Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is a critical public health strategy for reducing child morbidity and mortality and improving maternal health. Despite its recognized benefits, the global and national prevalence of EBF remains below recommended levels. In Uganda, EBF rates decrease significantly as infants age, contributing to preventable health complications. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of EBF among mothers attending the immunization clinic at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital (GRRH). Methods: A hospital-based, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between July and October 2024, among 424 mothers with infants aged 6–12 months at GRRH. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using STATA version 17. We obtained an ethical approval and clearance from Gulu University Research and Ethics Committee. We used convenience sampling method to obtain mothers having children of 6 months to one year of age attending postnatal and immunization during the time of the study at Gulu RRH. Ethical approval and Informed consent was obtained from all respondents and participation was free and voluntary. We obtained a quiet and private room for carrying out data collection. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize EBF prevalence, while bivariate and multivariate analyses identified significant predictors of EBF. Results: The prevalence of EBF was 35.9% (95% CI: 31.48–40.64). Factors positively associated with EBF included maternal education (primary: aOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.01–9.20), family support (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.13–4.31), community support (aOR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.68–6.23), attendance at healthcare programs (aOR = 10.5, 95% CI: 4.45–24.75), and perceived importance of EBF (aOR = 22.1, 95% CI: 4.05–120.20). Grand multiparity and poor maternal health negatively influenced EBF. Conclusion: The prevalence of EBF at GRRH is suboptimal, with significant predictors including maternal education, social support, healthcare program attendance, and maternal perception of EBF's importance. Interventions targeting education, social support systems, and healthcare engagement are crucial for promoting EBF practices. Recommendations: Strengthening health education, engaging family and community support networks, and improving maternal access to healthcare services can enhance EBF prevalence and contribute to better maternal and child health outcomes in the region. Donald Otika, Mark Ssemakula, Clever Gamukama, Sabe Asiimwe, Harriet Ajilong 2026-01-05 05:06:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8381309/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 04:34:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8381309/v1 Biosynthesized iron nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) have emerged as sustainable alternatives to conventional nanomaterials, offering enhanced biocompatibility and multifunctionality. In this study, Fe-NPs were successfully synthesized using tannin-rich Vitis vinifera pomace extract, which acted as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Comprehensive characterization using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, FESEM, and EDX confirmed the formation of predominantly spherical Fe-NPs with particle sizes ranging from 3 to 95 nm. Phytochemical constituents, particularly hydroxyl and aromatic groups, were identified as key contributors to nanoparticle nucleation and stabilization. The synthesized Fe-NPs exhibited potent antibacterial activity, demonstrating higher efficacy against Escherichia coli than Staphylococcus aureus, with antibacterial potencies of 1425.88 AU/mL and 628.32 AU/mL, respectively. Additionally, cytotoxicity assessment using the MTT assay revealed a dose-dependent antiproliferative effect on HeLa cervical cancer cells, yielding an IC₅₀ value of 49.36 ppm. These findings highlight the potential application of Vitis vinifera-derived Fe-NPs as effective antimicrobial and anticancer agents for future biomedical and environmental use. Roslina Binti Jamil, SUHASHNE SELVAM, Balqis Sofea Abu Hisham, Joo Shun Tan, Danesh Thangeswaran, Venugopal Balakrishnan, Zhang Jin Ng, M. Hazwan Hussin, Nicolas Brosse, Thangamani Arumugam, Pandian Bothi Raja 2026-01-05 04:34:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8064140/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 04:06:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8064140/v1 Stabilisation of very small proteins and very small domains (less than 50 aa) requires special methods. The stability of the III-order structure is ensured by the presence of hydrophobic core and/or SS-bonds. The contribution of the aqueous environment directing the formation of the III-order structure leads to a structure with a centric hydrophobic core and a polar surface. In similar fashion, the membrane environment directs the structuring of active proteins in the membrane envelope towards the exposure of hydrophobic residues on the surface with polar residues in the centre (ion channel). In addition to these two environments, other factors are identified critical to the formation of the III-order structure. These are chaperone proteins—chaperones or chaperonins. A very short polypeptide chain (below 50 aa) has a much lower number of degrees of freedom in achieving a stable three-dimensional structure. An example of proteins and domains with such a low composition are proteins/domains interacting with DNA referred to as Zn-fingers. Representatives of these proteins/domains (and others requiring the presence of Zn2 + ions) are analysed for hydrophobicity distribution in this paper. In these systems, the Zn2 + ion coordinating mainly Cys and His provides the presence of a centric hydrophobic core stabilising the system with exposed polarity. This is related to the formation of structures adapted to interact with DNA. For these proteins, a small domain size is additionally required to ensure the ability to interact with the corresponding grooves in the DNA structure. The analysis of protein groups containing Zn2 + ions was performed using a fuzzy oil drop model (FOD-M). A high degree of ordered hydrophobicity was demonstrated with a hydrophobic core present and a polar surface with a micelle-like distribution. This system, or arrangement, stabilises the structure in an aqueous environment in which the proteins operate. Irena Roterman, Katarzyna Stapor, Dawid Dułak, Leszek Konieczny 2026-01-05 04:06:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444276/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 04:03:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444276/v1 Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging environmental concern owing to their widespread presence and ecological impacts. We develop a coupled watershed–estuary modeling framework to simulate MP transport from terrestrial sources to estuarine systems. The Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) is enhanced to represent point and nonpoint MP sources and is coupled with the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) to capture estuarine transport. Applied to the Delaware River Basin, the framework simulates MP buildup and wash-off, including airborne deposition and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges. Coupling the estuary model substantially alters MP discharge to the ocean, highlighting retention within Delaware Bay from salinity-induced circulation. MP retention on land is strongly influenced by watershed topography, urban distribution, and source configuration, with the “Lower Delaware” subwatershed exhibiting minimal residence time. These results demonstrate the importance of watershed–estuary coupling for accurate MP export estimates and provide a framework for evaluating MP fate in aquatic environments. Zhuoran Duan, Yicheng Huang, Mark Wigmosta, Zhi Li, Ning Sun, Taiping Wang, Zhaoqing Yang, Ben Maurer 2026-01-05 04:03:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406889/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 04:00:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406889/v1 Complete removal of tumors during surgery is essential to minimizing the risk of recurrence, and labeling tumors so that they fluoresce at near-infrared wavelengths can assist surgeons in detecting residual neoplastic tissue intraoperatively. Fluorescent contrast agents currently under clinical investigation are often not cancer cell-specific and suffer from non-specific retention. This drastically compromises tumor-to-background contrast ratios and, thus, the detection of small tumor lesions. Here, we report a novel cyanine dye, “sNIR,” which mediates faster excretion and reduced non-specific binding compared to the commercially available benchmark IRDye800. When conjugated to validated ligands of tumor-associated cell surface markers, only sNIR-based contrast agents enabled high-contrast tumor imaging in murine models. To exemplify sNIR's clinical potential, we focused on meningioma resection - a clinical challenge where microscopic tumor remnants left in the resection bed drive recurrence. Our probe “TATE-sNIR” specifically targets somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2), reliably overexpressed in meningiomas. TATE-sNIR binds the target receptor tightly and specifically in vitro and in vivo, enabling clean receptor-mediated imaging in healthy mice and in mice bearing ectopic or orthotopic meningiomas or ectopic pheochromocytomas. A proof-of-concept study in healthy pigs demonstrated the accumulation of TATE-sNIR in the pituitary gland, an expected target organ. The signal was strong enough to be detectable by clinical exoscopes with near-infrared fluorescence imaging capabilities, underscoring TATE-sNIR’s translational potential. With its high labeling precision and efficiency, TATE sNIR holds great potential to visualize microscopic meningioma tumor remnants too small to be detected using the current standard of practice, even during extended surgeries. Oliver Bruns, Merle Weitzenberg, Gina Fürtjes, Martin Ullrich, Giuseppe Balsamo, Kristoffer Riecken, Hannes Rolbieski, Annette Feuchtinger, Bernardo Arús, Caroline Berrou, Julia Barthel, Simon Härtl, Paul Warnke, André Sagerer, Mara Saccomano, Abhilash Kulkarni, Rayan Younis, Kalina Bamberger, Beata Gryzło, Elvira Linne, Elina Andresen, Ann Wierick, Iuliia Mukha, Tjadina-Wencke Klein, Roland Goldbrunner, Christian Mawrin, Ute Resch-Genger, Jerker Widengren, Boris Fehse, Mirko Schmidt, Tareq Juratli, Jürgen Weitz, Martin Wagner, Jens Pietzsch, Oliver Plettenburg, Volker Neuschmelting 2026-01-05 04:00:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8480164/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 03:41:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8480164/v1 Deforestation is a serious issue across the world because wood continues to be a major resource for a variety of eco-friendly products such as paper, furniture, and timber. However, most types of disposable paper products, such as newspapers, are not recycled to form new wood-based material. The proposed research endeavors to create a eco-friendly material from cellulose waste, particularly from discarded paper, for creating composite boards for low carbon construction. The aim of the proposed research is to optimize and enhance its mechanical and thermal performance to be preferably utilized in eco-friendly building materials. The need to combat deforestation is increasing at a very high pace. Cellulose waste such as newspapers is widely available; however, its usage is meager and has limited application. The proposed research acts as a remedy to utilize these wastes in creating a feasible and economical substitute for building construction materials to decrease the carbon footprint associated with timber-based construction materials. Various composite boards with varying percentages of cellulose have been prepared using polyurethane agents to bind them together. Laboratory experiments of axial tension and compression tests and Charpy impact tests have been performed to optimize its mechanical properties. Additionally, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis have been performed to optimize its thermal and viscoelastic performance. The results of this research reveal better mechanical properties of cellulose-based composites with improved MOE and better dynamic crack resistance. The TGA analysis shows promising results regarding its thermogravimetric performance. Additionally, DMA analysis shows a very favorable trend regarding its elastic properties. The proposed composite boards contain low embodied carbon and therefore act as a feasible and economical eco-friendly alternative to construction materials. Marcin Szczepański, Ahmed Manguri 2026-01-05 03:41:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497042/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 03:06:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497042/v1 Appropriate maternal nutrition is essential during gestation to ensure the optimal health and well-being of both the mother and the developing foetus. Since pumpkins are regarded as one of the best sources of essential bioactive compounds necessary for growth and maintenance, there is a need to evaluate the effect on gestation. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of Pumpkin Seed Oil (PSO) on gestation using Wistar rats as a model. Thirty Wistar rats (15 females, 15 males for mating) were used. Proestrus females were paired with males at 1:1 ratio. Gestational day (GD) 0 = presence of spermatozoa in vaginal lavage of mated proestrus females. Mated rats were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (control) received no treatment, while Group B and Group C received 500 and 1000 mg/kg PSO, respectively, via oral gavage from GD 6 to 19. On GD 20, laparotomy was done to assess foetal weight, foetal crown-rump length (FCRL), number of live pups/litter size, total implantation sites, placental weights, post-implantation loss, and the foeto-placental weight ratio. Although no significant (p > 0.05) differences occurred in most of the parameters between the test groups (groups B and C) and control group (group A), results showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in litter size in 1000 mg/kg PSO-treated rats (group C) compared with the control. Post-implantation loss was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) in test groups relative to the control. It is therefore concluded that PSO supports healthy gestation at the doses used in this study. Victoria C. Obinna 2026-01-05 03:06:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8496800/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 02:52:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8496800/v1 Efficient and safe autonomous navigation of quadrotors in cluttered and partially observable environments remains a challenging problem due to the constraints imposed by quadrotor dynamics, high-dimensional sensory inputs, and complex obstacle configurations. This paper proposes a hybrid learning framework that integrates Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) with Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to enable adaptive and collision-free quadrotor navigation. The environment is represented as a dynamic, ego-centric graph, where nodes encode local spatial regions or obstacles and edges capture traversability relationships. A GNN-based encoder extracts structured, context-aware embeddings from this representation, which are fused with the quadrotor's dynamic state and provided as input to a Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) agent for continuous control. The proposed framework is evaluated in a PyBullet simulation environment under identical conditions against standard PPO baselines using flat, unstructured vector inputs. Experimental results demonstrate that incorporating graph-based environmental reasoning leads to substantial and consistent improvements in navigation performance, including a 27% increase in success rate (from 65% to 92%), higher cumulative rewards, smoother trajectories, and a 65% reduction in reward variance. These quantitative gains, coupled with a 45% improvement in obstacle clearance, highlight the effectiveness of structured relational representations in enhancing the robustness, efficiency, and stability of learning-based aerial navigation policies. Mohsen Rabdoost Motlagh, Mohammad Ali Javadzade, Hossein Hosseini 2026-01-05 02:52:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497307/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 02:04:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497307/v1 This study presents a unified geometric approach for determining the parameters of conic sections based on tangent geometry. Four generalized equations are derived that de scribe circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas through the angular relationships between tangent lines, their points of contact, and the associated polar angle with respect to a central reference circle. The proposed framework establishes a direct geometric link between the tangent an gles and the emergence of different conic types, extending the classical polar-angle-based description of conic sections. The derived equations admit canonical conic forms, allowing the geometric parameters and classification of each conic to be identified within a single parametric structure. Moreover, the formulation reveals that all four conic sections intersect at the external point from which the tangents to the reference circle are drawn, providing a coherent ge ometric interpretation of their common origin. This tangent-based parametrization offers a mathematically consistent framework for analytical geometry and presents potential rele vance for applications in computational geometry and structural modeling. Asaad Ahmed Mohammed 2026-01-05 02:04:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8272794/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 02:01:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8272794/v1 High-performance lead-free piezoelectric single crystals are critical for next-generation transducers and sensors. In this work, (1-x)(K, Na, Li)(Nb, Bi, Fe)O3-xBaCO3 [(1-x)(KNLNBF)-xBa] piezoelectric single crystals (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.009) were synthesized through a seed-free solid-state crystal growth (SFSSCG) method. Ba2+ incorporation enhances lattice compatibility and accelerates crystal growth, yielding a maximum crystal size of 20×18×2 mm3 at x = 0.005 for the (1-x)(KNLNBF)-xBa crystals. The Rietveld refinement indicates that the introduction of Ba2+ leads to an increase in the tolerance factor (t = 1.016) through A-site substitution (\(\:{r}_{{Ba}^{2+}}\) = 1.61 Å). The (1-x)(KNLNBF)-xBa crystal doped with Ba2+ ions at x = 0.005 obtains optimal overall properties: d33 = 367 pC/N, d33∗ = 793 pm/V, Pr = 36.1 µC/cm2, kt = 0.433, TC = 415°C, TO−T = 143°C, and tanδ = 0.019. This work indicates that introducing Ba2+ ions into the KNLNBF system can provide a route for regulating and improving the properties of piezoelectric crystals. Wenqi wei, Minhong Jiang, Shixuan Cao, Yujiao Ouyang, Zerong Chen, Yiming Di, Guanghui Rao 2026-01-05 02:01:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7264721/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:56:57 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7264721/v2 Understanding the distribution and conservation status of small carnivores is critical for informing management strategies in human-modified landscapes. We assembled a comprehensive dataset of jungle cat (Felis chaus) presence across India, drawing from over 26,000 camera trap locations, radio-telemetry data, published literature, secondary sources, and verified sightings. After filtering for spatial redundancy, we modeled species distribution using ecologically relevant covariates in both maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and random forest (RF) frameworks. The resulting ensemble model indicated that jungle cats are most likely to occur in warm, semi-arid regions with moderate vegetation cover and low to moderate levels of human and livestock disturbance. In contrast, they tend to avoid dense forests and highly transformed habitats.\nDespite theirbroad geographic distribution, jungle cats face increasing threats from habitat fragmentation, expanding infrastructure, road mortality, disease transmission from free-ranging dogs, and genetic introgression through hybridization with domestic cats. These pressures are particularly acute in peri-urban and agro-pastoral landscapes where jungle cats persist outside protected areas. Our findings underscore the importance of rural lifestyles with agro-pastoralism livelihoods for conserving the species along with grasslands, savanna and open forest systems to ensure the species’ long-term viability in a rapidly urbanizing landscape Kathan Bandyopadhyay, Dhruv Jain, John Koprowski, Qamar Qureshi, Yadvendradev V. Jhala 2026-01-05 01:56:57 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8299643/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:56:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8299643/v1 Agriculture: the backbone of livelihood in India, where a significant portion of the economy is dependent on agriculture. And with a burgeoning population, agricultural systems come under pressure to supply enough, high-quality yields to guarantee food security and economic stability. Diseases of plants that impose highly visible constraints on growth are one of the principal villains causing loss of productivity in agriculture, resulting in major deficits, both in farm productivity and farmer income. Hence, a timely and accurate identification of these diseases is crucial. Therefore, this work offers an approach based on image processing for identifying and classifying the diseases on the leaf of a plant coupled with machine learning algorithms. To lay a foundation of proven techniques, a thorough review of current research was performed. The technique involves deploying seven machine learning classifiers, which are Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Random Forest (RF), Gaussian Naïve Bayes (GNB), Logistic Regression (LR), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Performance was measured in terms of precision, recall, F1-score, specificity, and accuracy. Random Forest model performed best of all the classifiers with 98.12% accuracy level; this highlights that ensemble methods in general pull ahead of others in real-world disease detection applications. The findings highlight the power of AI-based tools in facilitating effective, scalable, and sustainable agricultural practices. Sandeep Srivastava, LALAN KUMAR 2026-01-05 01:56:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497151/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:52:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497151/v1 Separately collected municipal biowaste is central to regional circular economy implementation under the revised Waste Framework Directive, yet system design and planning are still often based on annual averages that obscure month-resolved constraints and opportunities. This study developed a month-resolved workflow that integrates daily inflow records with repeated reception sampling, manual fraction sorting and laboratory characterisation over one full year at a regional treatment hub in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and translates these data into operational and market-relevant indicators for composting systems. Daily inflow included non-operating days and reached 352 t wet d− 1, while monthly inflow ranged from 3,007 to 5,648 t wet. Composition varied strongly, with food waste ranging from 1.45 to 34.84% and garden-related fractions from 2.30 to 94.02%, while non-organic material ranged from 0 to 32.03%, indicating episodic contamination events. On a total solids basis, carbon ranged from 31.79 to 42.11% and nitrogen from 1.38 to 1.83%, with an annual mean carbon to nitrogen ratio of 22.6. Scenario translations expressed monthly outputs as humus carbon potential and as market-facing volumes, with growing media support of 5,269 to 10,686 m3 month− 1 and peat displacement of 2,160 to 4,381 m³ month− 1, supporting coordinated regional planning across collection design, facility capacity and market linkages. By translating biowaste variability into market-relevant volumes and substitution potentials, the study supports economic decision making for regional value chains, including compost utilisation in growing media and partial replacement of fossil peat. Himanshu Himanshu, Felix Stadler, Mirco Friedrichs, Felix Mayer, Niklas Stobernack, Kevin Kotsis, Michael Bongards, Christian Wolf 2026-01-05 01:52:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8337896/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:35:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8337896/v1 Programmable optical torque is essential for advanced optical manipulation, yet existing approaches rely on feedback-driven, time-varying optical fields, introducing complexity and limiting scalability. Here, we introduce a new concept of freeform optical torques enabled by metasurfaces, and experimentally demonstrate their feedback-free, programmable control with flexibly shaped rotational-angle dependence, overcoming the long-standing limitation of torque functions confined to constant or sinusoidal forms. This capability arises from converting the temporal degree of control into a spatial one, realized through the interaction between temporally static vector optical fields and spin-orbit-engineered metasurfaces. To characterize these optical torque functions, we developed a torsion-balance system operating near the thermal noise limit. The system achieves high sensitivity of 0.22 fNm·Hz^-0.5 for macroscopic samples and enables direct measurement of fNm-level optical angle-torque functions that were previously unresolvable. This strategy provides unprecedented freedom in optical torque control, enabling passive, all-optical attitude and rotational motion control with broad implications from microscale robotics to macroscopic lightsails. Xiangang Luo, Fei Zhang, Siran Chen, Anbin Du, Mingbo Pu, Lianwei Chen, Pan Gong, Qiong He, Tongtong Kang, Lanting Li, Yingli Ha, Mingfeng Xu, Yinghui Guo 2026-01-05 01:35:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8267526/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:32:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8267526/v1 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is a well-established criterion for corporate social performance, but its financial materiality remains elusive. This study aims to unpack the nuanced and often contentious relationship between ESG and corporate financial performance, focusing not just on if ESG matters but more critically, on how, when, and for whom it becomes a significant value driver. Using a Random Forest model and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), we analyze a large panel dataset of publicly listed firms across Asia, the United States, and Europe from 2017 to 2024. The results show that firms with high ESG ratings exhibited greater resilience during the COVID-19 crisis period, confirming ESG's role as a risk mitigation factor. Moreover, our findings refine stakeholder theory by showing that satisfying stakeholder interests is not uniformly rewarded; rather, its financial benefits are conditional on both industry context and existing financial strength. These findings provide a data-driven rationale for strategic ESG investments. Thanh Lam Nguyen, Dinh Phung Tran, Chanda Rani Debi, Abdul Kadar Muhammad Masum, Md. Abul Kalam Azad 2026-01-05 01:32:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7453669/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:31:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7453669/v2 Antibiotic resistance has reached universal proportions, and the discovery of effective alternatives to the common antibiotics currently used, could aid in solving this problem. The aim of this study was to characterise a bioflocculant produced from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain F29, accession number OQ734844, that exhibited effective antibacterial activity against two antibiotic resistant bacteria, viz, Staphylococcus aureus SO183, and an identified strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in another study. FTIR detected saturated nitro compounds, sulfones, polysulfides, phosphorus-chlorine bonds, magnesium oxide bonds and metal-chloride bonds. FTIR also detected the following functional groups: carboxyl, amide/peptide, aromatic alcohol, alkene, and halo. SEM showed a clumped and flaky bioflocculant surface, while EDX detected chlorine (56.00%), carbon (20.50%), sodium (12.50%), oxygen (4.00%), phosphorus (3.00%), sulfur (2.43%) magnesium (1.06%), potassium (0.32%) and nitrogen (0.30%). HPLC and MS detected varied peaks of glucose, galactose, inositol and mannose, D-ribose, arabinose, rhamnose and xylose. The phenol sulfuric acid method calculated the concentration of these sugars as 0.0059 g/L. The bioflocculant is a polymeric compound composed mainly of carbohydrates, proteins/polypeptides and organochlorines, possibly a novel “metalloglyco-protein/polypeptide organochlorine” bioflocculant. The presence of the metals: sodium, potassium and magnesium; the non-metals: phosphorus, sulfur and nitrogen; and multiple moieties, likely contributed to the antibacterial activity of the bioflocculant produced from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain F29. From available documentation, this is the first report of a polyfunctional “metalloglyco-protein/polypeptide organochlorine” bioflocculant, that naturally contains saturated nitro compounds, sulfones, polysulfides, phosphorus chlorine compounds, magnesium oxide and metal chlorides; and of a bioflocculant produced from porcine faeces in Africa. Ikechukwu K. M. Okorie, Adeniyi A. Ogunjobi 2026-01-05 01:31:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8294359/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:30:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8294359/v1 The coffin board paintings of Qinghai are invaluable visual resources for studying the history and society of the ethnic groups on the northwestern plateau. However, these paintings are gradually fading and deteriorating with time, making them in urgent need of digital preservation. The female attire depicted in the coffin board paintings of the Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum exhibits both commonalities with the attire of the Central Plains and retains distinct regional characteristics. How can we accurately extract information regarding the form, patterns, colours, and materials of the female attire depicted in the ZB-M00026 coffin board painting without touching the fragile original, and use digital technology to reconstruct it in three dimensions to support dynamic research and sustainable use? This study employs Style3D digital technology to transform elements from the paintings, such as the collar of a long robe, linked gem-patterned embroidery, and silk scarves, into interactive three-dimensional digital resources. It further reveals insights into material cultural exchanges along the Silk Road and Bon funerary rituals. The study successfully completes the digital reconstruction of the female attire depicted in the Z6 coffin board paintings, turning it into a visual resource that upgrades the two-dimensional painting into an iterative three-dimensional research platform, supporting pattern redesign and cultural product development. This achievement not only provides a new research paradigm for archaeology but also facilitates the Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum's creation of an educational, cultural, and e-commerce loop based on the "Tibetan Female Attire IP," enabling its shared dissemination and immortality in the digital space. Jiwen Zhang, Zhiyu Hui, Hui Feng, Taiyu Ma, Xinyi Guo 2026-01-05 01:30:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8497364/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:27:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8497364/v1 This paper studies various numerical methods for computing the square root of a matrix, a problem of interest in several areas of applied mathematics, such as the solution of differential equations and the analysis of dynamical systems. The work analyzes the conditions under which a matrix has a square root, and explores different techniques for its approximation, including Newton’s method, the Denman-Beavers iteration, and Pade based methods. Stability, convergence and computational efficiency are discussed for each approach. To validate the algorithms, numerical experiments implemented in MATLAB are presented using specific test matrices. The results show that some algorithms, such as the scaled Pade method, offer greater stability and faster convergence, particularly for symmetric positive definite matrices. Finally, the methods are compared in terms of the number of iterations, the accuracy achieved, and their applicability depending on the spectral properties of the matrix. Diana Carolina Flores Gallo, Jesus Cernades Gomez, William Echegaray Castillo 2026-01-05 01:27:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8297477/latest An article created on 2026-01-05 01:25:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8297477/v1 The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is known to struggle on near-term hardware due to constraint handling, parameter search overhead, and tight depth limits. We address this with a hardware-aware co-design: a linear-ramp parameter schedule paired with a Linear-Chain (LC) ansatz that restricts $ZZ$ interactions to nearest neighbors, lowering swaps and depth. We benchmark Linear-Ramp LC-QAOA against standard QAOA, Two-Step QAOA, and Grover-Mixer QAOA on small VRP instances across ideal simulation, Aer simulation, and IBM Eagle/Heron runs, measuring feasibility, solution quality, and hardware efficiency. Linear-ramp improves convergence and feasibility; LC reduces two-qubit gates and boosts noise robustness. Grover-Mixer and Two-Step can aid constraints in theory but are hampered in practice by deeper circuits. On hardware, overall feasibility remains $ Talha Azfar, Ruimin Ke 2026-01-05 01:25:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444687/latest An article created on 2026-01-04 23:44:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444687/v1 Background Occupational lead exposure remains a major public health concern in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where informal employment structures and weak regulatory oversight create unique exposure patterns. Although auto repair work is recognized as high-risk, within-industry exposure gradients and personal protective equipment (PPE) use patterns remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to assess job-specific blood lead level (BLL) gradients among auto repair workers in The Gambia and examine the relationship between occupational specialty and PPE use.Methods A cross-sectional comparative study enrolled 213 participants in the Greater Banjul Metropolitan Area: 145 exposed auto repair workers (mechanics, electricians, battery repairers, panel beaters/welders, spray painters) and 68 unexposed healthcare worker controls. BLLs were measured using the LeadCare® II system. Questionnaires captured sociodemographic characteristics, work tasks, behavioral factors, and PPE use. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests compared BLLs across specialties. Multivariable linear regression estimated adjusted differences in BLL by specialty, and Poisson regression with robust standard errors estimated prevalence ratios for high BLL (≥ 10 µg/dL).Results Exposed workers had significantly higher BLLs than controls (median: 7.40 vs. 5.80 µg/dL; p < 0.001). Within the exposed group, a 5.3-fold gradient was observed: battery repairers (35.62 µg/dL), electricians (15.17 µg/dL), panel beaters/welders (11.45 µg/dL), mechanics (9.08 µg/dL), and spray painters (6.67 µg/dL). All battery repairers (100%) had BLL ≥ 10 µg/dL. Adjusted analyses showed battery repairers had BLLs 27.06 µg/dL higher than mechanics (95% CI: 17.60–36.52; p < 0.001), and electricians had BLLs 6.05 µg/dL higher (95% CI: 1.75–10.35; p = 0.006). A PPE paradox emerged: high-risk specialties (battery repairers, electricians) reported PPE use rates of only 14.3%, compared to 31.8% in lower-risk specialties (p = 0.071). A composite risk score combining smoking, eating at work, no PPE use, and high-risk specialty showed a dose-response relationship with BLL (r = 0.20; p = 0.017).Conclusions Marked within-industry exposure gradients and an inverse relationship between risk and PPE use were identified. Findings underscore the need for targeted, specialty-specific interventions rather than blanket approaches. Battery repair and electrical work should be prioritized for regulatory attention, PPE provision, and health literacy programs in similar low-resource settings. Edrisa Sanyang, Amadou Barrow, Alhaji Jabbi, Musa Drammeh, Abdoulie M. Sanyang, Abdoulie Nanko, William N. Mkanta 2026-01-04 23:44:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6778985/latest An article created on 2026-01-04 23:43:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6778985/v1 Background: Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is a common neurocognitive deficit following stroke. It impairs rehabilitation and functional outcomes, particularly in low-resource settings where data are limited. This study determined the prevalence of USN and its associated factors among patients with stroke at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH), southwestern Uganda. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from August 12 to December 15, 2024. Patients with a recent stroke event within the preceding 0–4 months receiving care at MRRH were enrolled using consecutive sampling. Patients who were unable to see or were aged <18 years were excluded. USN was assessed using the Sunnybrook Neglect Assessment Procedure (SNAP): scores >5 indicating USN. Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors were collected via structured questionnaires. Multivariable modified Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with USN, reporting adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: We enrolled 117 participants with a median age of 68 years (inter-quartile range [IQR]: 56–78). Most were female (65.8%). The prevalence of USN was 53.8% (n=63; 95% CI: 44–63). USN was more prevalent in the acute phase (60%) compared to the subacute (32%) and chronic phases (8%). Factors significantly associated with USN included severe stroke (aPR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.12–1.92, p=0.005), right-hemisphere lesions (aPR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.14–2.19, p=0.006), age ≥60 years (aPR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.02–2.72, p=0.042), and right-handedness (aPR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.94–0.99, p<0.001). \ Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of USN among patients with stroke at a referral hospital in southwestern Uganda. Stroke severity, right-hemisphere lesions, advanced age, and right-handedness were associated with USN. Targeted rehabilitation and early screening for patients with stroke with risk factors, particularly those with severe strokes or advanced age, could optimize recovery and improve long-term outcomes. Asiimwe Derrick¹, Migisha Richard¹, Nuwahereza Amon², Nkoyooyo Dauglas¹, Lubwama Conrad¹, Namayanja Rosemary¹, Omolo Ouma Ronald, Martha Sajatovic³, Josephine Najjuma⁴, Mark Kaddumukasa⁵, Elly Katabira⁵, Kira Bullock⁶, Agaba David Collins 2026-01-04 23:43:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6433089/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 09:14:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6433089/v1 Background: Blood donation is a critical component of health systems, yet many countries, including Ethiopia, face ongoing challenges in maintaining an adequate and safe blood supply. Understanding the factors influencing individuals' intention to donate blood is essential for designing effective public health interventions. This study examined the socio-demographic, psychological, and contextual determinants of blood donation intention among adults in the East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted among 1,332 adults selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized participants' characteristics and donation intentions. Binary logistic regression identified significant predictors of donation intention. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the pathways linking beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intention. Results: Among the respondents, 74.8% (95% CI: 72.5%–77.1%) reported an intention to donate blood. Significant socio-demographic predictors included male gender, higher educational attainment, employment in the healthcare or education sectors, and higher income levels. Psychological factors—positive attitudes toward blood donation (β = 0.46), self-efficacy (β = 0.53), and knowledge of donation practices (β = 0.38)—were strongly associated with intention. Common barriers included fear of needles, perceived discomfort, and lack of awareness. SEM analysis revealed that positive family influence (β = 0.28) also significantly contributed to the intention to donate. Conclusions: Intention to donate blood is shaped by a complex interplay of socio-demographic, psychological, and social factors. Public health strategies should focus on increasing awareness, addressing psychological barriers, and strengthening family and community support systems. Special attention should be given to women, older adults, individuals with lower educational levels, and those outside the healthcare and education sectors. Strengthening these targeted efforts is essential for promoting voluntary blood donation and ensuring a sustainable blood supply in Ethiopia. Nigusie Gashaye Shita, Awoke Fetahi Woudneh, Metadel Azeze Mekonnen, Mihretie Gedfew Birlie, Misganaw Mekonnen Nigussie, Fetene Getnet Gebeyehu 2026-01-02 09:14:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8426126/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 09:06:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8426126/v1 While historical consensus suggests that Qanat systems were constructed via downward vertical shaft sinking followed by horizontal gallery connection, this paper argues that such a methodology presents an insurmountable "Alignment Paradox" given the surveying limitations of antiquity. By applying modern civil engineering constructability analysis to ancient subsurface excavation, this study proposes the Reverse Excavation Model (REM). Under this model, excavation begins at the mazhar (outlet) and proceeds toward the mountain (the source), with vertical shafts "raised" from the tunnel floor to the surface. This methodology eliminates the high probability of lateral deviation error and ensures perfect gradient control. This paper challenges existing narratives and provides a new framework for understanding the sophisticated spatial intelligence of ancient hydraulic engineers. Javad Hamidi 2026-01-02 09:06:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8290942/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 07:20:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8290942/v1 Postmenopausal bleeding is a red-flag symptom that mandates prompt and thorough evaluation to exclude malignancy. In primary healthcare settings, midwives frequently represent the first point of clinical contact for women presenting with gynecologic complaints. A postmenopausal woman presented to a primary healthcare center with intermittent vaginal spotting and no accompanying pain or systemic symptoms. Initial general examination was unremarkable. During gynecologic assessment, a careful bimanual pelvic examination performed by the attending midwife revealed an enlarged, irregular uterus with reduced mobility. Based on these abnormal findings, the patient was urgently referred to a gynecologic specialist. Subsequent imaging and histopathological evaluation confirmed advanced-stage endometrial carcinoma. This case highlights the essential diagnostic value of bimanual pelvic examination in women with postmenopausal bleeding and underscores the critical role of midwives in early detection and timely referral of gynecologic malignancies. Reinforcement of clinical examination skills in primary care may contribute to earlier diagnosis and improved outcomes in endometrial cancer. mina arabzadeh 2026-01-02 07:20:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8021535/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 07:19:02 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8021535/v1 Eyespot, a stem-base soil-borne fungal disease, is an important constraint on wheat production in temperate regions. Resistance in wheat remains limited, with Pch1 and Pch2 being currently deployed in breeding but no underlying or associated gene identified to date. Here, we phenotyped a sequence-configured diversity panel of Aegilops tauschii, the D subgenome progenitor of bread wheat, with one of the two causative agents of eyespot, Oculimacula yallundae. A k-mer-based genome-wide association mapping approach identified Pch4, a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) gene on chromosome 1DS. Transgenic wheat and synthetic hexaploids carrying Pch4 showed strong resistance to the pathogen. Phylogenetic and synteny analyses revealed that Pch4 belongs to the same NLR lineage as the cereal powdery mildew resistance gene Pm3, indicating a shared evolutionary origin. The discovery of Pch4 expands the repertoire of available eyespot resistances and provides new opportunities for strategic stacking of resistance genes to enhance disease resilience in wheat. Sanu Arora, David Gilbert, Kumar Gaurav, Nicolas Trenk, Alberto Prieto, Clare Moscrop, Andrew Steed, Tom O'Hara, Alba Pacheco-Moreno, Mishi Vachev, Samuel Bruty, Sadiye Hayta, Mark Smedley, Rose McNelly, Paul Nicholson, Ruth Bryant 2026-01-02 07:19:02 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8444298/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 07:10:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8444298/v1 Yemen faces a dual humanitarian catastrophe—a decade-long armed conflict coupled with one of the world’s most severe health crises. While international attention on women’s health remains fixated on maternal mortality, this paper challenges the “reproduction-centered” paradigm and quantifies the broader disease burden affecting Yemeni women aged 15–49. Using secondary analysis of Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data, health facility assessments, and humanitarian response documentation, we demonstrate that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions represent substantial but systematically neglected drivers of female morbidity and mortality. While maternal conditions remain a top cause of death, cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders, and communicable diseases (TB, cholera) collectively account for significantly greater disability-adjusted life years. Healthcare access for these conditions is severely constrained, with only 21% of health facilities offering NCD and mental health services, compared to maternal health services reaching 20% of facilities. Gender-specific barriers—including the mahram requirement limiting women’s mobility, critical shortages of female health providers, and the gender-blind design of humanitarian responses—perpetuate a “blind spot” in women’s health. We conclude that integrating NCD screening into antenatal clinics, training midwives in mental health first aid, and explicitly incorporating women’s holistic health indicators into humanitarian needs assessments and cluster coordination are essential to address this systemic neglect. Mamoon Alazazy 2026-01-02 07:10:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8363166/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 07:05:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8363166/v1 Locomotion involves circuits connecting mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) and spinal cord (SC). Although chronic exercise improves neuronal adaptability, its impact on functional and structural plasticity along the MLR–SC pathway remains unclear. Here, we examined exercise-induced neuroplasticity in MLR and lumbar SC neurons using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from P42-P45 mice after three-week treadmill exercise. Key findings include: (1) Exercise increased excitability, shown by lowering rheobase and voltage threshold, with ventral SC neurons more affected than dorsal ones; (2) Exercise enhanced persistent inward currents (PICs) in terms of hyperpolarizing onset voltage and increasing amplitude, with effects stronger in SC than MLR neurons. Pharmacological data indicated calcium‑mediated PICs modulated firing duration/frequency, while sodium‑mediated PICs influenced threshold/capacity; (3) Exercise increased dendritic complexity (total length, branch points, and terminals), more markedly in SC versus MLR neurons; (4) Ventral spinal neurons displayed greater dendritic complexity than dorsal neurons, and were more modulated by exercise; (5) Correlation suggested exercise-driven dendritic plasticity potentiated PICs and excitability, collectively promoting locomotor adaptation. These results revealed an exercise-induced, coordinated plasticity throughout locomotor system, wherein spinal circuits, particularly ventral components, exhibited greater functional and structural adaptability than MLR. This study provided electrophysiological, ionic, and morphological insights into activity-dependent neural adaptation. Yue Dai, Liming Yang, Yi Cheng, Xinyi Wei 2026-01-02 07:05:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8214974/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 07:04:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8214974/v1 Reappraisal is widely recognized as an adaptive emotion regulation strategy; however, recent research suggests that it comprises several substrategies, whose effectiveness can vary across different stress-related contexts. These findings suggest that the ability to use reappraisal flexibly in response to stressful situations may play a crucial role in promoting psychosocial adjustment. This study aimed to develop a reappraisal flexibility scale. Based on previous research on emotion regulation models, the present study developed a scale for measuring four aspects of reappraisal flexibility scale (RFS), namely, context sensitivity, repertoire, monitoring, and modification. Two online surveys were conducted, each collecting data from 300 adults. For each set of data, confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the assumed four-factor structure. The reliability obtained for each subscale was satisfactory. Relationships with existing scales demonstrated that the associations were generally as expected, thus indicating the validity of the proposed scale. This scale accurately elucidates the criticality of reappraisal flexibility in psychosocial adjustment. Megumi Oikawa, Ryota Kobayashi 2026-01-02 07:04:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8405400/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 06:54:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8405400/v1 Marine sediments, historically regarded as negligible nitrous oxide (N2O) sources despite harboring Earth's largest reactive nitrogen reservoirs, undergo greenhouse gas activation when penetrated through industrial drilling. Quantitative analysis of well head gases from over 400 offshore drilling sites in China’s Bohai Sea and more than 1200 onshore sites (Sichuan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Liaoning, and Gansu provinces) revealed unprecedented N2O accumulation in deep marine strata. The N2O concentrations reached 1.42 vol%, exceeding those in overlying water columns by orders of magnitude. Exclusive offshore prevalence, depth gradient dependency, and source-diagnostic decoupling from thermogenic alkanes confirm sedimentary denitrification as the origin. Our findings establish offshore drilling operations as major climate forcing vectors through geologic N2O mobilization, demanding urgent integration of these emissions into Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change marine greenhouse gas budgets. Xiaojun Tang, Xiaoshan Li, Zijian Huang, Liwei Wu, Mingyu Guo, Youshui Lu, Chengxin Liu, Tongrui An, Zeyu Zhang, Chongzhi Liu 2026-01-02 06:54:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8376914/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 05:57:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8376914/v1 Box jellyfish have a complex visual system comprising 24 eyes of four morphological types. The visual functions of the two large image-forming lens eyes are well-understood; however, far less is known about the two lateral pairs of smaller eyes, the pit eyes (PE) and slit eyes (SE). Here, we raised antibodies against five opsins identified from Tripedalia cystophora transcriptomic data for immunohistochemical studies. One opsin was expressed in the outer segments of the PE photoreceptors, suggesting this as the PE photopigment. Expression patterns also suggest that two other opsins are photopigments in the SE photoreceptor outer segments; remarkably, a different opsin and a putative photoisomerase were also identified in the SE in a prior study. This is the first time that multiple opsin expression has been localised to the outer segments of photoreceptors in a cnidarian eye - particularly intriguing given the unknown function of the SE. Multiple opsins expressed in the SE, and some opsins that are expressed in both the SE and the manubrium (thus potentially with both visual and non-visual functions) supports the hypothesis of functional redundancy in the many Tripedalia opsins, which phylogenetic analysis suggests are even more numerous than the 19 opsins currently known. Alison Roth Irwin, Jan Bielecki, Kenneth Veland Halberg, Caroline Risager Hansen, Anders Garm 2026-01-02 05:57:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8176315/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 05:56:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8176315/v1 Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common yet frequently underdiagnosed condition due to the limited diagnostic accuracy of serum total B12 and restricted availability of confirmatory biomarkers such as holotranscobalamin and methylmalonic acid. Advances in machine learning (ML) and large-scale laboratory datasets provide new opportunities to leverage routinely collected biochemical and hematological parameters for early detection. This study aimed to develop, optimize, and validate explainable ML models to predict vitamin B12 deficiency using standard laboratory analytes obtained during routine outpatient care.Methods: This retrospective study included 51,630 adult patients from 2015–2025, with an independent temporal validation cohort of 34,744 individuals. Eight supervised ML algorithms—logistic regression, random forest, decision tree, SVM, KNN, XGBoost, CatBoost, and artificial neural networks—were trained within a four-stage experimental framework incorporating default modeling, threshold optimization, hyperparameter tuning, and feature engineering. Performance was assessed using AUC-ROC, AUC-PR, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, PPV, NPV, accuracy, MCC, and likelihood ratios. Statistical comparisons included DeLong, paired t-tests, McNemar, NRI, and IDI analyses. Model interpretability was evaluated using SHAP, LIME, and Decision Curve Analysis.Results: Across all experiments, CatBoost achieved the most balanced performance, with the F1-maximization threshold-optimized configuration demonstrating the lowest false-negative rate. In the test set, CatBoost yielded sensitivity 0.92, specificity 0.67, F1 0.82, AUC-ROC 0.88, and AUC-PR 0.86. Temporal validation confirmed robust generalizability (sensitivity 0.85, specificity 0.77, AUC-ROC 0.90, AUC-PR 0.91, MCC 0.63). SHAP and LIME consistently identified MCV, HGB, HCT, RBC, RDW, iron, ferritin, CRP, folate, and age as key contributors. DCA demonstrated superior net clinical benefit across a wide threshold range.Conclusion: This study presents the first large-scale, explainable, and clinically validated ML model capable of predicting vitamin B12 deficiency using only routine laboratory parameters. The model exhibits strong discrimination, reliability under temporal shift, and biologically meaningful interpretability, supporting its potential integration into clinical decision-support systems for early detection and optimized laboratory workflows. Ferhat Demirci, Oktay YILDIRIM, Pınar AKAN 2026-01-02 05:56:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8091805/latest An article created on 2026-01-02 05:55:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8091805/v1 Background Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) is increasingly important ; however, standardized benchmarking tools for antimicrobial use in these settings are lacking. The Korean Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio for long-term care hospitals (K-SAAR–LTCHs) was developed to benchmark antimicrobial use in these facilities.Methods We used 2021 National Health Insurance claims data from 1,432 LTCHs (232,826 inpatients) in Korea. Data were split into training (80%) and test (20%) sets for model validation. Main outcome measure was measured in defined daily doses per 1,000 patient-days (DPD). Predicted antimicrobial use was estimated using a negative binomial regression model, selected by the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) for best model fit. Predictive performance was evaluated using mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and coefficient of determination (R²). The standardized antimicrobial administration ratio (SAAR) was calculated as observed-to-predicted antimicrobial use for each LTCH.Results Antimicrobial use under fee-for-service payment was substantially higher than under fixed-rate payment (1,199.3 vs 82.6 DPD). Higher antibiotic use was associated with male sex, severe illness, and indwelling catheter use, whereas greater pharmacist staffing was linked to lower use. Mean SAAR values for pneumonia and septicemia were approximately 1.0, indicating overall antimicrobial use near predicted levels. However, 19.6% of hospitals exceeded expected use for pneumonia and 5.2% for septicemia. Model performance was robust (MAPE 1.2–2.6; R² up to 0.93).Conclusions The K-SAAR–LTCHs model enables risk-adjusted benchmarking of antimicrobial use in LTCHs. This model identifies institutional variability and supports data-driven antimicrobial stewardship, offering an evidence-based foundation for national surveillance and quality improvement in Korea. Jihye Shin, Jumgmi Chae, Bongyoung Kim, Dong-Sook Kim 2026-01-02 05:55:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8028679/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 13:40:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8028679/v1 Understanding the computer literacy of students entering university is important as the shift towards online teaching, learning and assessment in higher education has become the ‘new normal’ since COVID-19. This new normal makes assumptions about the levels of computer literacy of incoming students. This paper then surveys incoming students in order to ask the following questions: What is the computer literacy of students when they enter higher education? And, how can this research inform the facilitation of students’ online teaching, learning and assessment? The survey research provides valuable insights into the computer literacy levels of students entering a South African University of Technology. Methodologically the two-step cluster analysis, which is a hybrid approach that first uses a distance measure to separate groups and then a probabilistic approach to choose the optimal subgroup model, is used. The significance of the variables (factors), such as general technology use, internet search skills, collaborative technology use, and technology for assignment submission, underscores the importance of these skills in higher education. The two-step process identified three distinct groups (clusters) of students with varying levels of computer literacy among the respondents from two engineering departments. Understanding the computer literacy levels of incoming students can inform strategic planning for integrating technology into educational practices and support services across transdisciplinary. By tailoring educational approaches to match students' existing skills and preferences, this University of Technology specifically, and universities in general, can enhance learning experiences and better prepare students for the demands of the digital age. Ekaterina Rzyankina, Robert Noel Prince 2026-01-01 13:40:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8418565/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 13:32:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8418565/v1 This study evaluated the genetic and phytochemical diversity of 35 Cymbopogonaccessions from Vietnam and Laos using ITS and RAPD markers, as well as GC-MS analysis. The ITS sequencing identified two accessions as C. winterianus and 32 as C. citratus, revealing only two major haplotypes, which indicates low intraspecific variation. The RAPD analysis, conducted with eight polymorphic primers, generated 86 bands, yielding a polymorphism rate of 61.28%, indicating moderate genetic diversity and forming two distinct clusters corresponding to the two species. The lack of clear geographic structuring suggests extensive exchange of planting materials, resulting in the genetic homogenization of cultivated germplasm. The GC-MS profiling identified 27 volatile compounds, with citral isomers being the most prevalent (E-citral: 11.04–67.55%; Z-citral: 11.04–25.01%). Additionally, there was notable variation in geraniol, β-myrcene, and geranyl acetate. The integration of molecular and chemical data helped clarify the relationships between genotypes and chemotypes, providing a solid foundation for selecting elite germplasm with consistent essential oil quality, thereby supporting the sustainable breeding and conservation of lemongrass genetic resources in Southeast Asia. Hai Thi Hong Truong, Nhi Thi Hoang Ho, Han Ngoc Ho, Thuy Thanh Duong 2026-01-01 13:32:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8300212/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 13:18:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8300212/v1 Agricultural drought significantly impedes crop growth and development. While Deep Learning (DL) has been extensively adopted in meteorological research, particularly using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to exploit the memory persistence of soil moisture, existing methodologies often overlook data noise prior to model training and the correlations between predictor and target variables. Given the context of global warming, forecasting agricultural drought with sufficient lead time is critical for formulating proactive water management strategies. To address this, we propose a novel LSTM model incorporating Feature and Temporal Attention Extraction (FAELSTM) to forecast short-term agricultural drought using multivariate meteorological data. The feasibility and novelty of the model are validated by predicting the Soil Moisture Condition Index (SMCI) in China. Experimental results demonstrate that FAELSTM effectively assists decision-makers in devising timely and appropriate agricultural water strategies. Wenkang Lv, Dan Wang, Yuheng Ji, Bijie Xue, Shiyu Yang 2026-01-01 13:18:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8316815/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 13:15:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8316815/v1 Introduction HIV acquisition and transmission risk among female sex workers (FSWs) is heterogeneous and shaped by overlapping behavioural, social and structural factors. Person-centred HIV programming requires tailoring support to FSWs’ needs. In the Adapted Microplanning: Eliminating Transmissible HIV In Sex Transactions (AMETHIST) cluster randomised trial, we implemented peer-led HIV risk assessments among FSWs in Zimbabwe enrolled in microplanning, a form of enhanced peer outreach. We examined how effectively HIV risk among FSWs was assessed. Methods At 11 sites, peer microplanners administered a risk assessment to FSWs based on six binary indicators, classifying them as at lower (score 0), moderate (score 1–2), or higher (score 3–6) risk. The risk assessment included information on both proximal (condom use consistency, weekly client volume) and distal (young age, duration in sex work, substance and alcohol use, and violence) factors. Risk was reassessed quarterly and FSWs were considered at higher risk until first assessment. Data from enrolment, quarterly assessments, and outreach data were analysed to assess: 1) risk assessment coverage, 2) risk heterogeneity between and within groups, 3) the association between factors included in the score, and 4) risk heterogeneity between sites. Results Among 7012 FSWs enrolled, 86.2% (n=6,045) completed ≥1 assessment, and 62% (29,163/47,101) of all expected assessments were completed. Exposure to violence and duration in sex work ≤6 months was far more likely in the higher risk group vs the moderate risk group. Risk factors were associated with each other as expected: for example, inconsistent condom use was associated with substance use (OR=3.05, 2.73–3.40), and violence (OR=2.16, CI 1.68–2.78). FSWs aged ≤24 years had higher odds of recent sex work entry (OR=3.91, 95% CI 3.48–4.38). Overall, 39.7% of FSWs were at higher risk with site level differences ranging from 22.8-74.9% across sites. Conclusion Peer microplanners effectively delivered risk assessments within microplanning with high coverage. The simple six factor tool captured both individual and contextual differences in risk. Risk segmentation by peer microplanners has the potential to enhance equity and efficiency in HIV services. Refinements including digital tools could further focus support. Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR202007818077777. Registered on 2 July 2020. Primrose Matambanadzo, Harriet S. Jones, Albert Takaruza, Sungai Chabata, Joanna Busza, Euphemia L Sibanda, Richard Steen, Frances M Cowan, James R Hargreaves 2026-01-01 13:15:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8384491/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 13:06:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8384491/v1 Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly threatened by trace metal contamination arising from agricultural, industrial, and domestic effluents. Among these, copper sulphate (CuSO₄) and zinc sulphate (ZnSO₄) are widely used compounds that, despite their benefits, pose ecological risks to non-target aquatic organisms. The present study was motivated by the urgent need to evaluate their impact on Moina macrocopa, a sensitive cladoceran bioindicator species frequently employed in ecotoxicological assessments. The study systematically evaluates the lethal and sublethal toxic effects of copper sulphate and zinc sulphate on Moina macrocopa. Lethal toxicity was assessed through mortality observations over 8–72 hours, with LC₅₀ values derived via probit regression. CuSO₄ exhibited high toxicity, with LC₅₀ values declining from 264.46 µg/L (8 h) to 45.3 µg/L (72 h), indicating a sharp increase in lethality with exposure time. ZnSO₄ showed delayed toxicity, with LC₅₀ values ranging from 2102.31 µg/L (24 h) to 544.48 µg/L (72 h). Sublethal endpoints including molting, brood chamber development, heart rate alterations, behavioral changes, and structural deformities were concurrently monitored. CuSO₄ exposure resulted in significant toxicity even at low concentrations, with 100% mortality occurring at 250–300 µg/L within 48–72 hours. In contrast, ZnSO₄ exhibited delayed toxicity, with complete mortality observed only at concentrations ≥ 1000 µg/L beyond 48 hours. Heart rate monitoring served as a sensitive biomarker for physiological stress, with significant bradycardia and complete cardiac cessation at ≥ 5000 µg/L ZnSO₄ after 48 hours. Recovery of molting and reproduction was evident at lower concentrations for both metals, suggesting resilience at sublethal levels. LC₅₀ values declined with exposure duration, indicating cumulative toxicity, with CuSO₄ showing markedly higher potency than ZnSO₄. These findings reinforce the ecological relevance of M. macrocopa for freshwater risk assessment and highlight the importance of integrating sublethal biomarkers in regulatory ecotoxicology. Arjumand Arjumand¹, Muhammad Safwan Khawaja, Saltanat Parveen¹ 2026-01-01 13:06:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8348887/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 08:23:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8348887/v1 Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme events such as avalanches and floods, particularly in mountainous regions where these hazards may develop concurrently and interactively. Despite growing recognition of the need for integrated risk management, most previous studies have assessed avalanche and flood hazards in isolation. This study presents a microcatchment-scale, physically based multi-hazard modeling framework that combines the RAMMS and HEC-RAS models to assess compound avalanche–flood risks in the Lediz Microcatchment (Bingöl Province, Türkiye), a representative high-risk mountainous basin. Avalanche simulations were performed using RAMMS with validated release areas and flow dynamics, while flood hazards were modeled using 2D HEC-RAS simulations calibrated against historical events and stakeholder observations. Results revealed substantial spatial overlap between high to very high avalanche risk zones and extreme flood hazard areas, particularly affecting settlements such as Dereköy, Şehittepe, Şin, Balgöze, Işıklı, and Palacık. Zones exceeding 15 m/s in avalanche velocity, 100 kPa in dynamic pressure, and HR > 2.5 in flood hazard rating indicate severe structural and socio-economic vulnerability. The findings underscore the critical need to integrate multi-hazard analysis into spatial planning and disaster risk reduction policies, with a particular focus on vulnerable rural landscapes. This study provides a scalable and adaptable modeling framework for identifying compound hazard hotspots, offering novel insights for risk-informed land-use planning and resilience-based disaster management in climate-sensitive mountainous environments. Alperen MERAL, Engin YILDIZ 2026-01-01 08:23:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8049999/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 08:01:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8049999/v1 Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes progressive airflow limitation and remains without disease-modifying therapy. Ferroptosis—iron-dependent lipid peroxidation—has emerged as a potential mechanism driving epithelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation; however, its upstream regulators in COPD remain incompletely defined. We hypothesized that integrative multi-omics could identify robust biomarkers and pathways, with translational potential for diagnosis and targeted therapy. Objective Primary: discover and validate biomarkers/pathways underlying COPD via bulk transcriptomics, single-cell analyses, machine learning (ML), and experimental validation. Secondary: evaluate CYP1B1 as a diagnostic biomarker and explore druggability through molecular docking. Methods: Public cohorts (GSE47460, GSE76925, GSE37768; total discovery/validation samples reported) were integrated with ComBat batch correction. Single-cell RNA-seq datasets (GSE196341, GSE135893; 12 COPD vs 12 controls) profiled cell-type localization. Differential expression, WGCNA, and enrichment (GO/KEGG/GSEA) were performed. A 12-algorithm ML framework (113 combinations) plus ANN modeling assessed diagnostic performance (ROC/AUC, confusion matrices, calibration). CIBERSORT estimated immune infiltration. A cigarette-smoke mouse model and 16HBE cell assays provided experimental validation; small-n proteomics were deposited (PXD068247; 3 vs 3). Molecular docking screened candidate CYP1B1-binding compounds and recorded binding energies. Statistical reporting included n, effect sizes, 95% CIs, and multiple-testing control. Results: Twenty-four hub genes were initially identified; four (BHLHE22, DPP6, DHRS9, CYP1B1) were prioritized by ML across 113 model combinations. In the training set, the combined model achieved an AUC of 0.996 (95% CI, 0.991–0.999), with an external validation AUC of 0.834 (95% CI, 0.755–0.906). Single-gene ROC in an external cohort yielded AUCs of 0.764–0.795, with CYP1B1 being the most consistent. Single-cell analysis localized CYP1B1 upregulation to airway secretory cells (ASCs) and linked high CYP1B1 expression to the activation of the ferroptosis pathway. In mouse and 16HBE models, cigarette smoke increased lung inflammation/fibrosis and upregulated CYP1B1; proteomics corroborated expression changes. Docking identified α-/β-naphthoflavone, chrysin, and naringenin as CYP1B1 binders (best energies ≈ −7.11 to −5.45 kcal/mol). Immune deconvolution associated CYP1B1 with macrophage and plasma-cell signals. Conclusions: Integrative multi-omics implicates CYP1B1-mediated ferroptosis in ASCs as a central pathway in COPD, with diagnostic promise and a tractable chemistry space. Prospective validation in larger cohorts, causal perturbation of CYP1B1–ferroptosis in vitro/in vivo, and pharmacology against prioritized ligands are warranted to translate these findings. Lingfeng Liu, Mingjun Jiang, Muzi Lei, Kun Du, Dafei Wei, Xiangyang Ye, Xiaowu Tan, Zhuang Mi, Yao Tang, Ruiting Sun, Sha Liu 2026-01-01 08:01:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8277205/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 07:31:11 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8277205/v1 Significant world search for the latest solutions for ecological problems to use for waste material that pollutes the environment and is harmful to it. In this work, we utilize eco-friendly material silica fume as a binding material and lathe scrape, which have enhanced properties of eco-friendly high-performance concrete. In this work, we focused on some mechanical properties of eco-friendly high-performance concrete and found that 5% silica fume and 1% lathe scrap enhance the mechanical properties of concrete. Silica fume and lathe scrape also enhance the workability and setting time of eco-friendly high-performance concrete. For this study, a total of 16 samples were prepared and examined: SF 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5%, and lathe scrape 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%. 5% of SF with 1% lathe scrape enhances compressive strength at 25.8%, flexural strength at 14.35%, and split tensile strength at 11.9%. The combined effect of SF and LS improves the properties of eco-friendly, high-performance concrete and enhances its sustainability. Both materials make eco-friendly, environmentally concern, sustainable, and modern construction materials. Devendra Kumar Sharma, Imran Ahamad 2026-01-01 07:31:11 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8376617/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 07:09:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8376617/v1 In this work, a multi-mycotoxin analytical method was validated for the determination of 15 mycotoxins and related metabolites in dry herbs commonly used for tea preparation. Samples were extracted using a modified QuEChERS procedure, and quantification was performed by UHPLC-MS/MS with matrix-matched calibration and isotope-labeled internal standards dilution. At the lowest spiking level, recoveries ranged from 82% (AFB1) to 111% (FB3). Repeatability and intermediate precision (RSD) were below 20% for all analytes across three fortification levels. Ninety-one samples representing 33 types of dry herbs were analyzed, of which 25.3% were positive (≥ LOQ) for at least one mycotoxin. Zearalenone (ZEN) was the most frequently detected analyte (13.2%), followed by fumonisin B2 (FB2, 4.4%), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1, 3.3%), and ochratoxin A (OTA, 3.3%). A chronic dietary risk assessment for FB2 and total zearalenone (ZEN + α-zearalenol) indicate no health concern for tea consumers, with estimated intakes not exceeding 5% of the established Health-Based Guidance Values. Camila Suguiura Evangelista, Denise Carvalho Mello, Eloisa Dutra Caldas, Patrícia Diniz Andrade 2026-01-01 07:09:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8329923/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:44:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8329923/v1 Geranyl acetate is a geraniol ester widely used as a flavoring agent and preservative in food and cosmetic products due to its pleasant aroma, antimicrobial properties, and low toxicity. This study investigated the production of geranyl acetate by esterification of geraniol with acetic acid at a 3:1 molar ratio in a solvent-free packed bed reactor using Novozym 435 as biocatalyst. Additionally, the influence of molecular sieves on process performance was evaluated. The results showed that geranyl acetate conversions reached approximately 100% (w/w) at flow rates of 0.1 and 0.2 mL/min, both in the presence and absence of molecular sieves. Thus, the addition of these adsorbents did not provide any benefit to the reaction. Consequently, the preferred approach for continuous synthesis of geranyl acetate in a packed bed reactor is to use Novozym 435 without molecular sieves. This strategy simplifies the process, reduces costs, and maintains conversion efficiency over time, offering valuable insights for the industrial development of direct esterification processes using biocatalysts in continuous systems. Daniele Gonçalves de Oliveira, Daniela Remonatto, Ila Maranhão de Oliveira, Bruno Willian Picão, José Vladmir Oliveira, Priscila Vaz de Arruda, Marcel Otávio Cerri, Ariela Veloso de Paula 2026-01-01 06:44:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8399757/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:38:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8399757/v1 Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and influencing factors of micropulse laser trabeculopasty (MLT) in glaucoma patients.Method Retrospective case study.From June 2023 to June 2024, 26 patients (26 eyes) with glaucoma who received MLT treatment at the Ophthalmology Department of Xi'an People's Hospital (Xi'an Fourth Hospital) included 7 patients with uncontrolled intraocular pressure after glaucoma filtration surgery, 2 patients after Ahmed valve implantation, 7 patients with primary glaucoma, 5 patients with secondary glaucoma, and 5 patients with neovascular glaucoma.Observe the degree of intraocular pressure reduction before and after the surgery, the quantity of intraocular fluid used for intraocular pressure reduction before and after the surgery, and postoperative complications (cystoid macular edema, low intraocular pressure, uveitis reaction); and conduct at least 6-month follow-up.Through statistical analysis, the factors influencing the surgical outcome were identified.The main indicators included: gender, age, previous surgical methods, diagnosis, and lens condition.Result A total of 26 patients (26 eyes) were included. The average age was 49.5 ± 12.3 years. Among them, 7 patients had uncontrolled intraocular pressure after glaucoma filtration surgery, 2 patients had Ahmed drainage valve implantation surgery, 7 patients had primary glaucoma, 5 patients had secondary glaucoma, and 5 patients had neovascular glaucoma.The average preoperative intraocular pressure was 41.5 ± 11.1 mmHg. The average intraocular pressure after the operation decreased to 20.3 ± 10.7, 25.0 ± 11.0, 24.2 ± 11.7 and 24.9 ± 11.5 mmHg at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, respectively.The average number of intraocular pressure-lowering drugs used before the operation was 3.2 ± 0.4. The average number of intraocular pressure-lowering drugs at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the operation was 2.4 ± 1.1, 2.1 ± 1.2, 2.0 ± 1.2, and 2.2 ± 1.0, respectively.Complications after the surgery included low intraocular pressure (n = 1), uveitis reaction (n = 1), dilated pupil, and conjunctival bleeding, all of which were reversible after treatment. In the multivariate model, neovascular glaucoma and surgical failure were significantly correlated.Conclusion MLT is a safe and effective method for lowering intraocular pressure, and it can also reduce the dosage of eye pressure-lowering medications.For patients who have failed corneal incision glaucoma surgery or those with a high risk of incision-related surgery, MP-TSCPC can also serve as a very good alternative treatment option. Huan-Huan Yan, Jian-Rong Liu, Shuang-Mei Wang, Jing-Ni Yu 2026-01-01 06:38:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8408714/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:28:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8408714/v1 Secondary hypertension – the presence of an underlying medical condition as a cause for elevated blood pressure – is suspected when hypertension occurs in young, thin children.  We highlight a unique presentation and underlying medical condition, polycythemia vera (PV), as the cause of secondary hypertension in an asymptomatic 5-year-old child presenting for a routine physical examination and found to have hypertensive urgency. Laboratory evaluations revealed leukocytosis, polycythemia, thrombocytosis, and low erythropoietin level. JAK2-V617F mutational analysis confirmed the diagnosis of PV. She was managed with antihypertensive medications, therapeutic phlebotomy, and cytoreductive therapy with notable improvement in hypertension over time. She continues regular follow-up with nephrology and hematology/oncology. She has not had any further serious complications or evolution of her PV. This case demonstrates the importance of a broad differential diagnosis in the setting of very early onset hypertension, including myeloproliferative disorders. Rachel Mayo, Michael Bishop, Brendan Crawford 2026-01-01 06:28:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8407449/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:21:48 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8407449/v1 Background: Mass drug administration (MDA) is a WHO-recommended strategy for the elimination of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in low-transmission settings close to elimination. After achieving zero autochthonous cases between 2013 and 2015, Costa Rica experienced a resurgence, primarily of P. falciparum, prompting an MDA intervention in 2023 in the Los Chiles focus. We evaluate its impact on the incidence of autochthonous malaria. Methods: An MDA with two cycles of chloroquine (25 mg/kg per cycle, spaced seven weeks apart) was implemented between April—June 2023 in three localities (Medio Queso, Coquital, and San Gerardo) within the Los Chiles focus. We use a cluster-target trial emulation to estimate the overall average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) under an intention-to-treat approach. We use generalized synthetic control methods (GSCM) to construct a counterfactual for the intervened localities, using malaria surveillance data from January 2021 to April 2024. Our primary outcome was the autochthonous malaria case count at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Results: We found that the MDA achieved 93.3% coverage across the two cycles (4,316/4,624 people received at least one dose). The first cycle had 77.3% coverage and the second 51.2%, achieving 68.1% adherence (full treatment in at least one cycle) and 20.4% in both cycles. Following the intervention, autochthonous malaria cases in the treated localities decreased to zero in the first month and remained at zero throughout the 12-month follow-up period. Overall, we estimated that in the absence of MDA, cases would have persisted (approximately 3-4 cases/month). The strategy was associated with a significant reduction in cases, with an overall post-intervention Rate Ratio (RR) of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.49) and an average reduction of 3.72 cases per period (95% CI: -7.2, -0.94) compared to the synthetic control. Conclusion: We found that the chloroquine-based MDA strategy implemented in the Los Chiles focus was highly effective in interrupting autochthonous malaria transmission in the short and medium term. Our results suggest that MDA, when well-planned and implemented in a low transmission setting with a strengthened health system, can be a powerful tool to accelerate malaria elimination. Santiago Esteban, Adriana Herrara Ornelas, Adriana Torres Moreno, Rodrigo Marin Rodríguez, Melissa Ramirez Rojas, Isaac Vargas Roldán, Hazel Herra Bogantes, Jennyffer Gonzalez Luna, Yadel Centeno Ureña, Leopoldo Villegas, Diego Rios-Zertuche 2026-01-01 06:21:48 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8304580/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:21:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8304580/v1 Diabetes self-management is increasingly shaped by digital health technologies, yet existing conceptual definitions do not fully reflect this evolving landscape. This study aimed to refine the concept of diabetes self-management in the digital health era by applying Rodgers’ evolutionary method integrated with Natural Language Processing (NLP). Ninety-seven studies were analyzed through a dual-phase design combining manual review and computational clustering of sentence-level embeddings. The analysis identified core attributes, including daily behavioral routines, cognitive and psychological processes, multilevel social support, personalization, digital health integration, and dynamic patient–provider relationships. Antecedents encompassed physical and psychological demands, emotional readiness, access to education and support, resource and technology availability, and health and digital literacy. Consequences included improved clinical outcomes, enhanced quality of life, empowerment, and reduced healthcare burden. Integrating manual and NLP-based approaches strengthened conceptual clarity and provided a contemporary framework for understanding diabetes self-management within digitally enabled patient-centered care. Donghwan Lee, Aderonke Kareem, Solhee Shin, Leila Ledbetter, Aaliyah Alvin, Ryan J. Shaw, Kais Gadhoumi 2026-01-01 06:21:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7510846/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:20:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7510846/v1 Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Effective prognostic tools are essential to guide risk-adapted strategies following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). In this multicenter retrospective study, we evaluated 690 patients with locally advanced TNBC treated between 2010 and 2023 across 25 oncology centers. Patients were stratified into CPS-EG risk groups: low (0–1), intermediate (2–3), and high (≥4). The CPS-EG score was strongly associated with pathological complete response (pCR), recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Five-year DFS rates were 80.6%, 53.2%, and 31.5% in the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively, while OS rates were 76.7%, 53.2%, and 48.8% (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed CPS-EG as an independent predictor of both DFS and OS after adjusting for clinicopathological factors. These findings highlight the CPS-EG score as a simple, cost-effective, and widely applicable prognostic tool that may improve post-NACT risk stratification and support treatment decisions, especially in resource-limited oncology settings. Neslihan Özyurt, Ali Alkan, Burcu Gülbağcı, Mustafa Seyyar, Esra Aşık, Mustafa Şahbazlar, Mehmet Türker, Oğuzcan Kınıkoğlu, Tahir Yerlikaya, Gülhan Dinç, Ali Aytaç, Ziya Kalkan, Senar Ebinç, İlkay Gültürk, Merve Keskinkılıç, Zehra Sucuoğlu İşleyen, Dilek Çağlayan, Alper Türkel, Esra Aydın, Teoman Şakalar, Serhat Sekmek, Nilgün Yıldırım, Sinem Akbas, Kerem Okutur, Ahmet Özveren, Bengü Dursun, Orhan Önder Eren, İsmail Beypınar, Pervin Can Şancı, Bahattin Engin Kaya, İlhan Hacıbekiroğlu, Devrim Çabuk, Elanur Karaman, Ömer Acar, Semra Paydaş, Melek Karakurt, Bilgin Demir, Zeynep Oruç, Mesut Yılmaz, Fatih Selçuk Biricik, Derya Kıvrak Salim, Özgür Tanrıverdi, Mutlu Doğan 2026-01-01 06:20:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8427893/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:20:05 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8427893/v1 Background Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres is an established treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although segmental TARE offers a favorable safety profile, hepatic decompensation remains a clinically significant complication. This study aimed to identify clinical, laboratory, and post-treatment dosimetric predictors of hepatic decompensation following segmental Y-90 TARE. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, 102 patients with HCC who underwent segmental Y-90 TARE between 2015 and 2025 were analyzed. Baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were collected. Hepatic decompensation was defined as new or worsening ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or bilirubin elevation greater than three times the upper limit of normal within 3 ± 1 month after treatment. Post-treatment dosimetry was performed using SPECT/CT with voxel-based analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of hepatic decompensation. Results Hepatic decompensation occurred in 14 patients (13.7%). On univariate analysis, decompensation was associated with baseline hypoalbuminemia (< 3.5 g/dL), higher MELD and ALBI scores, Child-Pugh class B/C, INR ≥ 1.2, lower white blood cell count, and higher alkaline phosphatase levels. Patients who developed decompensation received lower median absorbed radiation doses to the treated segment (133 Gy vs. 196 Gy, p = 0.01) and had smaller total liver volumes (1536 cm³ vs. 1699 cm³, p = 0.02). In multivariate analysis, baseline hypoalbuminemia (< 3.5 g/dL) was the only independent predictor of hepatic decompensation (OR = 7.98, 95% CI 1.16–80.39, p = 0.04). Conclusion Hepatic decompensation after segmental Y-90 TARE is primarily driven by impaired baseline hepatic reserve rather than post-treatment dosimetry. Baseline hypoalbuminemia is a strong independent predictor of early hepatic decompensation and should be carefully considered during patient selection for radioembolization. Ali Afrasiabi, Bahareh Gholami, Andrew M. Moon, Alex Villalobos, Johannes L. Pisanie, Bryan Harris, Hyeon Yu, David Mauro, Micheal Mohnasky, Sandra Gad, Nima Kokabi 2026-01-01 06:20:05 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8364937/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:19:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8364937/v1 Purpose Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy that typically causes delayed gastrointestinal symptoms following the ingestion of a trigger food. FPIES is a rare condition with limited epidemiological data. This study aimed to investigate the demographic characteristics, triggers, clinical presentations, and outcomes of children with acute FPIES at the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, a tertiary-level children’s hospital in Switzerland, with a dual focus on confirmed and suspected FPIES case.Methods This retrospective study covered a 10-year period (2010–2020). Electronic medical records were screened for patients diagnosed with acute FPIES and those with symptoms suggestive of FPIES according to international diagnostic criteria. Those paediatric patients with an acute FPIES diagnosis or a history highly suggestive of FPIES were included.Results A total of 109 patients with acute FPIES were identified. Cow’s milk (CM) was the most common food trigger (24%), followed by eggs (12%), and fish (10%). A single food trigger was identified in 56% of the patients. The median age of onset was 6 months (interquartile range (IQR), 4 months). Gender had no effect on observed FPIES cases. Data on FPIES tolerance and therefore resolution of FPIES symptoms and/or successful reintroduction of the triggering food were limited, with sufficient follow-up information available for only 37% of cases. This lack of comprehensive follow-up hindered a thorough evaluation of tolerance development in the study population.Conclusion The study contributes practical epidemiological and clinical insights into FPIES triggers, patterns, and patient characteristics, and provides further regional insights to navigate this complex condition. Nina Atzert, Isabel Fischer 2026-01-01 06:19:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8468599/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:19:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8468599/v1 Background: Resting heart rate (RHR)is critical for identifying high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and AF recurrence after catheter ablation remains unknown. Objective: This study was to evaluate the association between RHR and recurrence in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) after catheter ablation. Methods: Data from the China-AF registry (ChiCTR-OCH-13003729) from January 2018 to December 2023 at Beijing Anzhen Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was the recurrence of AF, defined as an episode of atrial tachyarrhythmia lasting >30 seconds after a 3-month blanking period. The secondary outcome was the composite of heart failure, ischemic stroke, and cardiovascular death. Cox regression was used to assess the association between RHR and outcomes. Results: Our study included 2,432 patients with PeAF undergoing catheter ablation. Cox regression demonstrated that RHR of 40-60 bpm was associated with an increased risk of recurrence after adjusting the confounders (HR=2.08, 95% CI:1.16-3.74, P=0.014). Additionally, we showed that patients with low RHR (40-60 bpm) had a higher risk of the composite of heart failure, ischemic stroke, and cardiovascular death (HR=11.69, 95% CI:3.01-45.43, P<0.001). Conclusion: Low RHR is associated with recurrence in PeAF after catheter ablation, where RHR of 40-60 bpm exhibits a higher risk. Wanting Qin, Kangning Han, Liu He, Xia Li, Biao Fu, Wei Wang, Tong Liu, Chenxi Jiang, Ribo Tang, Caihua Sang, Deyong Long, Changsheng Ma 2026-01-01 06:19:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8325651/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:18:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8325651/v1 Background Pain in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) often shows a limited correlation with radiographic severity, complicating treatment decision-making and highlighting the need to understand central mechanisms of pain. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows investigation of brain regions such as the amygdala and nucleus accumbens, which are increasingly recognized as key modulators of pain chronification and may influence therapeutic choices, including the decision to undergo total knee replacement (TKR). This study is part of the HOLOA Project (Clinical and virtual examination of patients for holistic and objective description of the osteoarthritis progression mechanisms).Methods We conducted a cross-sectional observational study nested within the HOLOA cohort. Thirty-one patients with KOA (20 managed conservatively [CM], 11 undergoing TKR) aged 60–70 years with Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grades 2–3 were included. Participants underwent two fMRI paradigms with pressure stimulation (Knee Interline and Tibial Surface tests). Clinical assessment included WOMAC, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Group comparisons and correlation analyses were performed to explore associations between clinical variables and brain activation.Results Demographics were comparable between groups, although TKR patients had higher BMI (Body mass index) and more frequent KL grade 3. TKR patients scored higher on WOMAC (mean difference 19.3, p = 0.009) and PCS (mean difference 9.1, p = 0.022), reflecting greater functional impairment and catastrophizing. Across the whole cohort, painful stimulation evoked robust activation of classical pain-processing regions, but no significant amygdala or nucleus accumbens activation. However, nucleus accumbens activity correlated positively with PCS scores (p ≤ 0.004). In group comparisons, TKR patients exhibited significant bilateral amygdala activation during Tibial Surface stimulation, absent in the CM group, and reported higher post-test NRS scores (mean difference 2.0, p = 0.027).Conclusion Our findings suggest that heightened limbic activation and catastrophizing contribute to the decision to undergo TKR in KOA patients, independent of radiographic severity. The amygdala and nucleus accumbens appear central in linking affective–motivational processes with treatment choice. Our findings suggest that heightened limbic activation and catastrophizing are associated with the decision to undergo TKR in KOA patients, independent of radiographic severity. Fabiola Ojeda, Gerard Martínez-Vilavella, Laura Blanco-Hinojo, Joan Deus, Laura Tío, Jordi Monfort 2026-01-01 06:18:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8295751/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:18:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8295751/v1 Depressive symptomatology (DS) is the presence of depressive symptoms in individuals whose presentation has not met diagnostic criteria for any depression but is associated with many unfavourable socioeconomicconsequences. This study investigated the effects of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and Client-Centred Therapy (CCT) on DS among adolescents in IDP camps in Borno State. The moderating effects of gender and health self-efficacy (HSE) were also examined. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design with a 3×2×3 factorial matrix. Ninety adolescents participated in the study. The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology for Adolescents and the HSE Scale were used. The data were analysed via ANCOVA. The results were considered significant at the p < 0.05 level. The participants’ average age was 14.04 ± 4.46 years; 51% were female, and 49% were male. There were significant main effects of treatments (REBT and CCT) on the reduction in DS. REBT was found to be more effective than CCT. The moderating effects of gender and the HSE were significant. It was concluded that REBT and CCT were effective in reducing DS. Counselling psychologists should incorporate both therapies in the treatment of DSs among adolescents in IDPs’ camps with due consideration to sex and the HSE, given priority to REBT. Amos Audu, Adebukola Kabir Taiwo, Adesoji Emmanuel Awoyemi 2026-01-01 06:18:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8452675/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:17:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8452675/v1 Introduction: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for an estimated 15% to 20% of all deaths globally and is a leading cause of mortality.  Methods: A cross-sectional study over 1-year (2023) recruiting medicolegal autopsy cases that were conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru (HSAJB), Malaysia. The relationship between point-of-care troponin I level and myocardial infarction (MI) was analysed. The morphology of the heart and coronary artery in cardiac death was also recorded.  Results: A total of 143 cases were analyzed. Cardiac death was responsible for 78.2% of SCD. The leading cause of cardiac death was coronary atherosclerosis (31.1%). Significant association was demonstrated between SCD and the age group of 36–59 years old (p<0.001) and Malay ethnicity (p=0.017). No significant association between SCD and sex. Notably, a significant difference in troponin I levels between MI and non-MI cases (p=0.004), with the majority of MI cases (71.7%) showing elevated troponin I levels. No significant difference was observed in troponin I levels between acute and subacute and healed MI (p=0.763). The most common gross and histopathological finding in the coronary arteries was uncomplicated coronary atherosclerosis (41.3% gross; 70.0% histopathology). Fibrosis was the predominant macroscopic (50.8%) and microscopic (82.0%) finding in the heart.  Conclusion: Coronary atherosclerosis and its complications were identified as the most common causes of cardiac death. It is plausible to consider using troponin I as an auxiliary investigation rather than as a sole diagnostic tool for MI, while exercising caution during the interpretation of results. Oi Chia YAP, Mohamad Aznool Haidy AHSORORI, Faridah MOHD NOR, Mohd Swarhib SHAFEE, Nadiawati ABDUL RAZAK 2026-01-01 06:17:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8395272/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:17:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8395272/v1 Introduction Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are a vulnerable subgroup facing elevated risks of complications and functional decline following knee arthroplasty. However, data on the outcomes of minimally invasive unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in this population are limited. This study purpose was to assess perioperative complications, implant revision-free and reoperation-free survivorship as well as functional outcome in PD patients following UKA. Materials and Methods In this retrospective single-center study, 42 knees in 39 patients with PD who underwent medial or lateral UKA between 2016 and 2022 were analyzed. The mean age was 70.6 ± 9.1 years, and the mean BMI was 27.9 ± 5.2 kg/m². A total of 26 medial and 16 lateral UKAs were performed, with a minimum follow-up of two years (mean 5.0 ± 2.0). All medical complications were recorded. Implant survivorship (tibia and/or femur) and reoperation-free survival were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the UCLA Activity Score. Results Cumulative 9-year implant survivorship was 90.5% (95% CI: 81.7-99.3), and reoperation-free survival was 85.7% (95% CI: 75.1-96.3), respectively. No perioperative cardiovascular complications occurred. OKS improved significantly from 16.2 ± 5.5 to 39.6 ± 7.1 (p=0.027) and the UCLA Activity Score increased from 4.0 ± 2.0 to 5.0 ± 1.7 (p=0.078). Conclusion UKA is a safe and effective surgical option for patients with Parkinson’s disease, providing favorable implant survivorship and encouraging functional outcomes at mid-term follow-up. Considering the very low medical complication rate observed in this study, UKA should be considered a viable treatment option for isolated end-stage unicompartmental osteoarthritis in this particular patient cohort. Conradin Lorenz Schweizer, Tatjana Krug, Solongo Abdulai, Joachim Herre, Peter R. Aldinger, Christian Merle, Wenzel Waldstein 2026-01-01 06:17:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8419704/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:16:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8419704/v1 Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis compares incidental dural tear rates between uniportal and biportal endoscopic lumbar surgeries. Uniportal and biportal techniques represent established minimally invasive approaches, though differential risks for complications such as dural tears warrant thorough investigation. Methods: A comprehensive literature search across Google Scholar, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library identified 67 studies, encompassing 10,491 patients (4,657 biportal, 5,834 uniportal). Results: Initial pooled analysis indicated a higher dural tear incidence in the biportal group (3.16%, 152/4,657) compared to the uniportal group (1.69%, 100/5,834), a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). However, a more focused meta-analysis of 25 studies revealed no statistically significant difference in pooled dural tear incidences (uniportal: 1.4% [95% CI: 0.3-2.4%] vs. biportal: 1.1% [95% CI: 0.6-1.7%], p = 0.42). Secondary outcomes showed biportal endoscopy associated with slightly shorter operative times, while uniportal surgery correlated with shorter hospital stays. Both approaches yielded comparable functional outcomes. Conclusion: While initial data suggested a difference, the meta-analysis found no significant disparity in dural tear risk. Optimal technique selection, considering patient and surgical factors, remains important for minimizing complications. Yusuf Ansari, Rahul Kumar, Dana Hazem, Matthew Allen, Arwa Jader, Arbaz Momin, Saqib Hasan 2026-01-01 06:16:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8365963/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 06:16:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8365963/v1 Background Community-acquired urinary tract infection (CA-UTI) is a common cause of sepsis in hospitalized adults, yet early identification of concomitant bacteremia and short-term mortality risk at presentation remains challenging. We aimed to define independent predictors of bacteremia and 30-day mortality and to derive a pragmatic bedside score for early risk stratification.Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive adults hospitalized with CA-UTI at a tertiary university hospital in Türkiye (January 2023–June 2025), including only the first eligible episode per patient. Bacteremia was defined as a pathogenic blood culture consistent with a urinary source obtained within 48 hours of arrival. Baseline clinical variables, comorbidities, severity indices, and admission biomarkers were extracted from electronic health records. Group comparisons used Shapiro–Wilk testing for normality, Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables, and χ² or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. Predictors of bacteremia were identified using multivariable logistic regression with backward likelihood-ratio selection (age and sex forced). For 30-day mortality, a parsimonious multivariable logistic regression model was specified a priori to mitigate overfitting. Discrimination was assessed by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with AUROC (95% CI), and AUROCs were compared by DeLong’s test. An unweighted 8-item risk-factor count score was constructed from admission variables.Results Among 358 patients (mean age 64.9 years), 117 (32.7%) had bacteremia. Independent predictors of bacteremia included male sex (female sex protective; aOR 0.31), shorter symptom duration (aOR per day 0.65), prior ESBL/carbapenem-resistant organism colonization/infection (aOR 2.88), Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 2 (aOR 9.27), diabetes mellitus (aOR 3.43), qSOFA ≥ 2 (aOR 6.61), CRP > 100 mg/L (aOR 2.09), and procalcitonin ≥ 0.5 ng/mL (aOR 2.01). The full model showed good discrimination (AUROC 0.83), comparable to the simplified score (AUROC 0.80; DeLong p = 0.32). Bacteremia rates were 3.8% (0–1 factors), 24.7% (2–3), and 75.0% (≥ 4). Overall 30-day mortality was 6.1%; after adjustment, bacteremia (aOR 9.74) and qSOFA ≥ 2 (aOR 21.82) independently predicted death.Conclusions In hospitalized CA-UTI, bacteremia is frequent and is best predicted by host vulnerability, early organ dysfunction, and inflammatory biomarkers rather than chronological age alone. An 8-item bedside score using readily available admission variables provides clinically actionable bacteremia risk stratification and may support early triage decisions; external validation is warranted. Cihan Semet, Yusuf Görgülü 2026-01-01 06:16:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5567145/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 05:42:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5567145/v1 Background: Innovative learning methods in medical education are steadily growing interest. Escape room is an educational and social learning setting in which participants, either individually or in small groups, engage in a themed or modular environment to solve a series of problems within a limited time frame. In this context, escape rooms, within the framework of constructivist theory, stand out as one of the most effective experiential learning tools aimed at developing learners' critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration skills. This study aims to share the design principles obtained from the pilot implementation results of digital escape rooms prepared for medical students. Methods: The study employed a qualitative design using video recordings, semi-structured interviews, and a think-aloud protocol, all of which were designed according to the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) model. Pilot implementations were conducted with 34 volunteer participants, including fourth-year students testing escape rooms designed for third-year students and fifth-year students testing escape rooms designed for fourth-year students. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis to identify recurring themes and inform improvements. Results: Three key themes emerged: 1) Exciting: Students described the games as engaging and motivating, appreciating the opportunity to apply knowledge in a competitive, time-pressured setting; 2) Overwhelming: Some students experienced cognitive overload due to the complexity of the puzzles and the time constraints, which occasionally led to frustration; 3) Needs Improvement: Participants suggested clearer instructions, more accessible hints, and immediate feedback to enhance the learning experience. They also recommended integrating additional mystery elements and refining the scoring system for better clarity and transparency. Conclusions: Digital escape rooms show promise as effective tools for fostering engagement and motivation in medical education. However, balancing challenge with accessibility, incorporating user-friendly features, and offering targeted feedback are critical to optimizing their implementation. These findings provide a foundation for refining digital escape rooms and exploring their broader application in medical training. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. Mehmet Göktuğ KILINÇARSLAN, Güneş KORKMAZ, Murat TEKİN, Çetin TORAMAN, Ender TEKEŞ, Taylan ÇELİK, Sacide Güzin MAZMAN AKAN, Turgay ALAKURT, Emre Sedar SAYGILI, Mustafa Kemal ALİMOĞLU, Mustafa Onur YURDAL, Yiğit AKDİKMEN 2026-01-01 05:42:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8368546/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 05:42:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8368546/v1 Coronary artery calcification (CAC) entails arterial wall hardening and lipid-rich plaques accumulation and may contribute to early cognitive decline. Its association with cognition, brain structure and function, Alzheimer’s disease, neurodegeneration, and inflammatory and lipid biomarkers remains unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 278 cognitively unimpaired adults aged ≥ 50 years with absent (score = 0; n = 151) or high CAC (score ≥ 300; n = 127). Participants underwent cognitive testing, serum assays (Aβ42/40, pTau181, NfL, GFAP, inflammatory/lipid markers), and multimodal MRI (structural, resting-state and vessel encoded arterial spin labeling). High CAC was associated with lower general cognition, increased white matter hyperintensities, altered hippocampal and sensorimotor connectivity, and reduced perfusion in the inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis. No group differences emerged in the serum biomarkers. These results reveal that high CAC is associated with cognitive and cerebrovascular changes independent of Alzheimer’s disease biomarker increase, suggesting vascular pathways in early brain aging. Sofia Marcolini, Jaime Mondragon, Johannes Castelein, Thomas W. Okell, Charlotte E. Teunissen, Inge M.W. Verberk, Anouk Hoorn, Rozemarijn Vliegenthart, Rudi A.J.O. Dierckx, Ronald J.H. Borra, Peter P. Deyn 2026-01-01 05:42:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8398973/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 05:41:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398973/v1 Background Geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive degenerative disease leading to irreversible vision loss in elderly individuals. The complement system, including the alternative pathway (AP) forms an essential part of the innate immune system. Since dysregulation of the complement system has been strongly associated with the development and progression of GA, we sought to investigate the expression of specific regulators of the complement system, known as complement regulatory proteins (Cregs), in relation to progression rate (PR) of disease in patients with GA.Results Using flow cytometry, we determined the proportion of Cregs on peripheral blood leukocytes drawn from patients with GA. Patients were genotyped for risk-associated SNP (CFH rs1061170, ARMS2 rs10490924) and serial fundus autofluorescence images were used to determine the PR of atrophic lesions. Patients with fast GA progression had a lower proportion of CD59 on CD8 + T cells compared to patients with slow progression of disease (p = 0.025), suggesting that dysregulated CD59 could be involved in progression of GA. Patients with high-risk CFH genotypes had a higher proportion of CD59 on classical monocytes compared to patients carrying the low-risk genotype (p = 0.044).Conclusion Our findings indicate that GA progression is associated with dysregulation of complement regulators, and Cregs could serve as a novel target for treatment of GA. However, further studies are needed to elucidate their role in GA pathogenesis and to evaluate their potential as future complement-targeting drugs. Jenni Martinez Villarruel Hinnerskov, Marie Krogh Nielsen, Alexander Kai Thomsen, Maria Abildgaard Steffensen, Bent Honoré, Henrik Vorum, Mogens Holst Nissen, Torben Lykke Sørensen 2026-01-01 05:41:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8384769/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 05:41:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8384769/v1 Background Accurate survival prediction for patients with bone metastatic cancer remains challenging. Existing prognostic models frequently show poor external validity, primarily due to small sample sizes, single-center designs, and insufficient inclusion of pathological and molecular variables. Moreover, few studies have concentrated on the prognostic heterogeneity of bone metastasis (BM) across different cancers using large, standardized datasets within a cancer-specific manner. This retrospective, multicenter, registry-based cohort study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of BM across multiple cancer types and to identify cancer-specific clinical factors associated with survival.Methods Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of 13,742 patients with AJCC stage IV or TNM stage M1 metastatic cancer diagnosis were collected across 42 clinical studies registered in the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics database. Overall survival (OS) following metastatic diagnosis was set as the primary outcome. Univariate analyses were conducted to identify potential prognostic risk factors mainly using the Kaplan–Meier, log-rank test, and non-parametric tests. Variables with p < 0.20 were included in multivariate Cox proportional hazards models for further validation. Multiple imputation and bootstrap were applied for the missing value process and validation.Results BM was associated with favorable outcomes compared with other metastatic sites in osteotropic cancers such as breast, prostate, and thyroid cancer, whereas it indicated a worse prognosis in hepatobiliary, uterine sarcoma, and colorectal cancer with low affinity to skeletal tissue. Among prognostic variables, no single metastatic site served as a universal adverse prognostic factor across all cancers. Poorly differentiated or undifferentiated histology independently correlated with reduced survival (HR = 1.249, p < 0.001). Age above 60 years was also associated with inferior survival (univariate analysis, p < 0.001), while the primary cancer type remained the most influential prognostic determinant (HR = 1.422–1.758, p < 0.001).Conclusions BM demonstrates cancer-specific and heterogeneous influences on survival. Population for survival prediction in traditional studies could be expanded within a cancer-specific framework. Among the included prognostic variables, primary cancer type, pathological differentiation, and age stratify outcomes significantly, highlighting the demand for pathology-integrated, cancer-specific prognostic models. Incorporation of standardized treatment and molecular variables is essential for improving model precision and clinical applicability in the future. Zelin Yun, Yanchao Tang, Jie Sun, Juncai Lei, Gangqiang Zhang, Feng Wei, Xiaoguang Liu 2026-01-01 05:41:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8378024/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 05:41:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8378024/v1 We report a rare case of coronary and cerebral air embolism (AE) following radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for ventricular premature beats (VPBs) combined with patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. This study aims to highlight the role of anesthesia-induced negative pressure in the pathogenesis of AE. Case Presentation: A 67-year-old male was admitted due to palpitations. Twenty-four-hour Holter monitoring revealed 10,469 VPBs. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography confirmed PFO with severe right-to-left shunt. The patient first underwent RFA under local anesthesia, followed by planned PFO closure under general anesthesia. After induction of general anesthesia, the patient developed bradycardia, junctional escape rhythm, and ST-segment elevation in leads Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Transesophageal echocardiography detected massive air bubbles in the left atrium, aorta, and inferior vena cava. Intraoperative monitoring showed a sudden decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO₂) from 35 mmHg to 28 mmHg (a reduction of 7 mmHg) and a drop in jugular bulb pressure (JBP) to -2 mmHg. Postoperative brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated cerebral air accumulation and multiple small infarcts. Postoperative myocardial enzymes were significantly elevated. The patient was managed with antiepileptic drugs, neuroprotective agents, and supportive care. Discussion: AE is a life-threatening complication of cardiac interventional procedures. In this case, the key pathogenic factor was anesthesia-induced negative pressure: general anesthesia caused decreased central venous pressure (CVP) due to relative hypovolemia and increased intrathoracic negative pressure during laryngeal mask ventilation, creating a pressure gradient between the atmosphere and the vascular system 1,2. Additionally, the SL1 sheath with an indwelling guidewire exhibited reduced airtightness—when negative pressure falls below − 13.4 mmHg, air leakage may occur between the catheter sheath and guidewire, enabling air entry 3. Our in vitro pressure testing of the SL1 sheath (conducted under standard laboratory conditions: 25°C, simulated physiological saline environment, n = 5 replicates) confirmed that the sheath-end cap assembly maintained integrity under negative pressure up to 54 kPa without a guidewire (exceeding the YY0450.1-2020 standard of 42 kPa), but only tolerated 16 kPa when a 0.035-inch guidewire (Biosense Webster) was inserted non-coaxially. PFO and iatrogenic atrial septal defect further facilitated paradoxical air embolism into the systemic circulation, leading to coronary and cerebral ischemia4. Anesthesia-induced negative pressure is closely associated with AE pathogenesis: changes in sympathetic tone after anesthesia induction (causing a mean 6.9 mmHg reduction in left atrial pressure3, switching from mechanical ventilation to spontaneous breathing, and body position adjustments during recovery can all expand the pressure gradient between veins and the atmosphere, promoting air aspiration2,3. Conclusion: Anesthesia-induced negative pressure is a critical driver of AE in cardiac interventional procedures. Perioperative management should focus on maintaining CVP (5–15 cm H₂O) 1,5, optimizing sheath sealing (ensuring guidewire-catheter coaxiality), and closely monitoring for AE using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or precordial Doppler (PCD) with simultaneous tracking of JBP (> 0 mmHg) and ETCO₂ in patients with right-to-left shunts 5,6. XIUYU WANG, SHEN HUANG, JIAFA JIN, KUN FENG, CHUAN HE 2026-01-01 05:41:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8060914/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 04:45:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8060914/v1 Background Video-assisted explanations have been proposed to improve the clarity and standardization of informed consent, particularly under constraints such as provider shortages and the need to reduce face-to-face interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, concerns persist about their emotional impact, especially for invasive procedures. This study aimed to evaluate how video-assisted explanations affect patients’ perceived clarity, appropriateness of explanation length, and emotional responses compared to traditional verbal explanations, in a Japanese hospital-based dental setting.Methods A total of 297 patients who received explanations about one of three topics—preoperative third molar extraction, postoperative home care following tooth extraction, or perioperative oral management (POM) for inpatients undergoing general surgery—were included. Patients received either standard verbal or video-assisted explanations. Chi-square tests were used to compare the number of patients rating clarity or time appropriateness as ≥ 8 or reporting increased anxiety (> 0), while Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare overall scores between groups.Results No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for any explanation topic. In the POM group—which primarily consisted of older patients with complex medical and surgical conditions—video-assisted explanations tended to receive more favorable ratings and were associated with fewer reports of increased anxiety. A slight trend toward increased anxiety was noted in the third molar extraction group receiving video explanations.Conclusion Although video-assisted explanations did not significantly outperform verbal explanations, they may support standardized and efficient communication—especially in multidisciplinary care settings requiring coordination among dental, medical, and other healthcare professionals. Kousuke Matsumoto, Izumi Mitani, Takako Tsutsui, Shunichi Fujimoto, Mai Osugi, Reina Wakabayashi, Makiko Tanakura, Shungo Furudoi, Masaya Akashi 2026-01-01 04:45:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8272901/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 04:09:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8272901/v1 Pot experiment was conducted under semi-controlled screen house in Nepal in 2022 to evaluate the effects of nitrogen, potassium, and soil texture on potato yield and nutrient use efficiency. It followed three-factorial randomized complete block design with N rates (50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha⁻¹), K₂O rates (30, 60, 90, and 120 kg K₂O ha⁻¹), and soil textures (silt loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand), along with an N-omission treatment. Pots contained 21.2 kg soil. The highest tuber yield (568 g pot⁻¹) was obtained with 200 kg N ha⁻¹ + 120 kg K₂O ha⁻¹, followed by 150 kg N ha⁻¹ + 120 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ (521 g pot⁻¹). Agronomic N efficiency was highest (74.4 kg tuber kg⁻¹ N) at 50 kg N ha⁻¹ + 60 kg K₂O ha⁻¹. Soil × N × K interactions were nonsignificant, indicating consistent responses across soil textures. A two-year field experiment evaluated 25 N–K combinations in the same design. The combination of 200 kg N ha⁻¹ + 150 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ produced the highest yields (26.51 and 26.40 t ha⁻¹). Agronomic N efficiency (56.86 kg tuber kg⁻¹ N) and N recovery efficiency (51.99%) were greatest at 150 kg N ha⁻¹ + 150 kg K₂O ha⁻¹. The highest benefit–cost ratio (2.1) occurred at 150–150 and 200–150 kg ha⁻¹ N–K₂O. Overall, 150 kg N ha⁻¹ + 150 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ was identified as the optimal fertilizer rate to enhance potato yield, nutrient use efficiency, and profitability in mid-hill of Nepal. Reena Sharma, Keshab Raj Pande, Kalika Prasad Upadhyay, Yam Kanta Gaihre 2026-01-01 04:09:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8464707/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 04:05:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8464707/v1 Copper ions (Cu+/Cu2+) serve as catalysts in Fenton-like reactions, representing a notable alternative and supplement to the conventional iron-based (Fe2+/Fe3+) Fenton process. The copper-based Fenton system offers several practical advantages: it operates over a broader pH range, maintains catalytic activity even under neutral conditions, and exhibits a higher reaction rate constant for the Cu+/H2O2 system compared to the Fe2+/H2O2 system. However, accumulation of copper ions in vivo can lead to hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity, and may even cause Wilson's disease. To address this limitation, we developed a nanocatalytic medicine designated as CaO2@Cu-BAL, which integrates copper-based Fenton-like catalysis with a self-detoxification mechanism. The pH-responsive Cu-BAL shell encapsulates CaO2, ensuring stability under physiological conditions (pH 7.4) while facilitating controlled H2O2 release and ·OH generation upon exposure to acidic lysosomal environments (pH 4.5-5.0). This process promotes lysosomal membrane permeabilization through lipid peroxidation. Following therapeutic action, British Anti-Lewisite (BAL) ligands mediate efficient copper chelation, facilitating rapid renal clearance and thereby reducing systemic toxicity of copper ions. This dual-functional approach synergistically enhances both the efficacy and biosafety of chemodynamic therapy (CDT), offering a promising strategy to overcome key challenges associated with metal-based nanotherapeutics. Ming An, Wenchang Wu, Chen Dong, Xiaoxing Li, Xinyu Zhang, Kun Ge, Guang Jia, Xueyi Wang, Zhenghua Li, Xingjie Liang, Jinchao Zhang, Shutao Gao, Yu Han 2026-01-01 04:05:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8452428/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 04:03:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8452428/v1 With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI-related anxiety has emerged as a growing concern among college students. This form of anxiety not only impacts their academic performance and career planning but also poses potential risks to their mental health. While previous research has shown that mindfulness interventions can reduce anxiety and enhance psychological resilience, the underlying mechanisms through which they affect AI anxiety remain unclear.To address this gap, the present study implemented a 16-week mindfulness yoga intervention (twice weekly, 1.5 hours per session) to examine its impact on AI anxiety in college students. In addition, the study investigates the chain mediating roles of meaning in life and psychological resilience, as well as the moderating effect of perceived social support in this process.Findings from this research are expected to inform evidence-based interventions for mitigating AI anxiety and to contribute to the theoretical development of mindfulness applications within educational psychology. LI CHUNHUA, LI PENGFEI 2026-01-01 04:03:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8408106/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 03:24:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8408106/v1 Immiscible to miscible quenching transitions (IMQT) in homogeneous Bose-Einstein condensate are investigated, considering rubidium isotopes $^{85}$Rb and $^{87}$Rbconfined in a two-dimensional  (2D) circular box, under two different initial configurations. These IMQT instabilities, triggered by sudden reductions in the two-body interspecies scattering length $a_{12}$, are explored under two distinct initialconditions, highlighting the critical role of nonlinear dynamics in their evolution. The numerical simulations indicate that the instability dynamics are primarily driven by the production of large vortices and the propagation of sound waves (phonons), with sound wave excitations prevailing in the long-term evolution. The compressible and incompressible parts of the kinetic energy spectra, in terms of the wave number $k$, are confronted with the classical Kolmogorov scaling, $k^{-5/3}$ for turbulence, which is observed in the onset of instabilities. Before reaching the ultraviolet dissipation region at small scales, the IMQT spectra exhibit a bottleneck effect, indicating a clear departure from classical scaling behavior. In the time asymptotic miscible regime, it is observed that the vorticity and sound-wave production remain practically stable. In this regime, for both cases investigated, a linear relation is also recognized between the miscibility parameter and the initial IMQT configuration. LAURO TOMIO, Subramaniyan Sabari, Arnaldo Gammal, Kishor Ramavarmaraja Kumar 2026-01-01 03:24:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8083760/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 03:16:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8083760/v1 Background Hospital sanitation workers frequently get needle stick and sharps injuries (NSSIs), which are described as unintentional injuries brought on by various sharp objects, including needles, scalpels, and glass slides, cutting through the skin while providing medical care. However, there are fewer studies among these marginalized working groups than among other healthcare staff.Objective The study aimed to assess needlestick injuries, associated factors among sanitation workers (SWs), and their preventive implicationsMethods A hospital-based Cross-sectional study design was conducted in the Eastern part of Ethiopia in eight selected public hospitals. The study period ranged from May 1st, 2023, to August 30th, 2023. The study's source was all hospitals in eastern Ethiopia, and its target was 342 at random. The prevalence of NSSIs was calculated using the single-proportion formula. Face-to-face data collection was conducted. To ensure the validity of the data, data collectors were trained, and standard and structured questionnaires were developed. The data were coded and exported into EpiData 3.1 before being exported to Stata 17. Hospital sanitation workers frequently get needle stick and sharps injuries (NSSIs), which are described as unintentional injuries brought on by various sharp objects, including needles, scalpels, and glass slides, cutting through the skin while providing medical care. The crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were displayed with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit tests were employed. Multicollinearity was tested using the variance inflation factor (VIF).Result The prevalence of acute needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) in the last 12 months among sanitation workers (SWs) of tertiary government hospitals was 68.14% (95%CI:62.69,73,23%). The injured body parts were fingers, feet/toes, arms, and legs, which were shared by 46.68%, 26.50%, 17.67% and 14.20%, respectively. Multivariable logistic shows that safety factors such as lack of OHS training (AOR: 2.27; 95%CI: 1.09, 4.71), non-compliance of PPE (AOR: 2.00; 95%CI: 1.00,4.78), working more than 8hr hours per day (AOR: 4.12; 95%CI: 2.76, 9.45) were increased odds of NSSIs. Also, working at night (AOR: 2.21(1.03, 4.72), job stress (AOR: 7.16; 95%CI: 4.23, 12.10), and workload (AOR: 6.84; 95%CI: 2.14, 21.83) increased the odds of NSSIs. Meanwhile, lack of supervision (AOR: 5.34; 95%CI: 2.54,8.87), lack of post-exposure prophylaxis service (AOR: 3.53; 95%CI: 1.01,6.78), and weak implementation of IPC service (AOR: 6.12; 95%CI: 3.56,16.87) increased the odds of NSSIs among SWsConclusion There is still considerable public health concern about the prevalence of NSSIs among SWs. The main identified associated factors were lack of OHS training, working more than 8hr hours per day, job stress, workload, lack of supervision, lack of post-exposure prophylaxis service, and weak implementation of IPC service. Therefore, this study advised that safety procedures and the appropriate use of safety equipment, ongoing educational campaigns, and focused training programs are crucial to control the risk of NSSIs among these marginalized groups. In addition, the initial increase in NSSIs that was noted after safety measures were put in place emphasizes the need for ongoing education and practical training to guarantee that these features are used effectively. Sina Temesgen Tolera 2026-01-01 03:16:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8336767/latest An article created on 2026-01-01 02:26:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8336767/v1 Accurate segmentation of skin lesions in dermoscopic images is essential for early melanoma detection and reliable computer-aided diagnosis. This paper proposes a novel bio-inspired segmentation algorithm, the Leafy Seadragon Optimization (LSDO) method, which models the drifting locomotion and appendage-based micro-refinement behavior of the leafy seadragon to achieve robust boundary localization. LSDO incorporates a dual-phase search strategy combining global drifting with fine local adjustments, guided by a boundary-aware fitness function that enhances lesion–background separation. The algorithm was evaluated on the ISIC 2018 and HAM10000 datasets and demonstrated superior performance compared with six strong baselines: HFOA, GJO, FA, Pyramid U-Net, Attention-based CNN, and YOLOSAMIC. On ISIC 2018, LSDO achieved a Dice score of 0.94, IoU of 0.88, Sensitivity of 0.95, Specificity of 0.98, Accuracy of 0.96, and BF-score of 0.92. On the more challenging HAM10000 dataset, the method maintained high performance with a Dice of 0.90, IoU of 0.82, Sensitivity of 0.93, and Accuracy of 0.94. Qualitative comparisons further revealed that LSDO produces cleaner, more complete lesion masks and superior boundary adherence. These results confirm that the proposed LSDO algorithm is a powerful, stable, and generalizable segmentation tool for dermoscopic image analysis. Mohammed A. M. Alfalahi, Oguz Karan, Sefer Kurnaz, Ayca Kurnaz Turkben 2026-01-01 02:26:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8433826/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 19:59:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8433826/v1 Family life is a common phenomenon in nature and is usually associated with substantial fitness benefits for offspring. Despite the critical importance of this distinction for life history and conflict resolution theory, there is still limited knowledge of alternative functions of offspring signals. In this study, we investigated the communication between offspring and caring females of sub-social parasitoid, Sclerodermus guani, hypothesizing that potential chemical cues from their cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) display information about developmental stage and needs to which females respond in terms of maternal caring. The behavioral features of S. guani were systematically monitored during the different developmental stages of their offspring. The development-dependent character of CHCs enable their use as potential indicators of trade-offs between maternal care and offspring development. We found that mothers significantly preferred to chemical cues from mature larvae and pupae and took more time caring compared with solvent or chemical cues from other developmental stages. Chemical analysis revealed significant differences in the relative quantities of CHCs among different developmental stages of offspring. The characteristic odours from mature larvae, Hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester, (Z)-9-Tricosene and 1-Heptacosanol can induce the maternal transporting behavior. This study demonstrates for the first time that an offspring chemical signal reflects caring needs and influences maternal care during offspring’s developmental process. The development-dependent character of CHCs enable their use as potential indicators of trade-offs between maternal care and offspring development. This implies that the differences in CHCs facilitate and regulate interspecific communication between the parent and offspring in S. guani. Li Li, Weiya Huang, Lilin Luo, Yun Wei, Yuenan Chen, Shasha Wu 2025-12-31 19:59:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8404320/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 19:52:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8404320/v1 Forest restoration initiatives are accelerating worldwide, increasing the demand for high-quality nursery seedlings. Seedling performance after planting depends strongly on nursery practices that shape morphology, physiology, and stress tolerance. Despite this, species-specific protocols remain scarce, particularly for endemic Mediterranean conifers such as Abies cephalonica. This species faces high vulnerability due to climate-driven droughts and rising wildfire incidence, which severely limit natural regeneration. To support effective restoration, understanding how nursery techniques affect seedling quality is essential. We assessed, for the first time, the combined effects of shade, fertilization, and seed provenance on the growth and quality of Greek fir seedlings. The results showed that across treatments, seedlings remained relatively small at two years of age. Seed provenance primarily affected shoot morphology, with Parnitha seedlings showing greater height and higher H/D ratios than those from Vytina. Fertilization was the dominant factor enhancing seedling quality, significantly increasing RCD, biomass accumulation, and root system development. Shading effects were complex: 70% shade improved root collar dameter and reduced heght/diameter ratio, while 50% shade maximized root and total biomass. Our study provides critical insights into how these widely used practices influence biomass allocation, root development, and overall seedling quality. The results offer practical recommendations for optimizing nursery protocols and improving restoration success for this threatened Mediterranean species. Marianthi Tsakaldimi, Enrique Andivia, Maria Barmpari, Nikolaos Oikonomakis, Petros Ganatsas 2025-12-31 19:52:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7394040/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 16:40:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7394040/v1 Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved, presenting both opportunities and challenges in the development and deployment of sophisticated models. Traditional methods for creating AI models often require extensive human expertise for tasks such as feature engineering, hyperparameter tuning, and model selection, making the process time-consuming and prone to bias. In response, automation techniques-including automated machine learning (AutoML), hyperparameter optimization, and neural architecture search-have emerged to streamline model generation. This systematic literature review explores current trends, benefits, and challenges associated with AI model automation. Drawing upon articles published from 2020 onwards, the review follows the CIMO (Context, Intervention, Mechanism, Outcome) framework and adheres to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to ensure methodological rigor. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and Academic Search Ultimate, focusing on peer-reviewed studies that address AI model automation in supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning domains. Each study's context, intervention techniques, underlying mechanisms, and outcomes were extracted and assessed for quality and relevance. By synthesizing the findings of recent research, this review not only highlights advancements in automated AI model development but also identifies gaps in existing knowledge. The results provide critical insights for researchers and practitioners, guiding future exploration of scalable, efficient, and reliable AI automation strategies. Sánchez Pérez, Álvaro, Gaya Lopez, María Cruz 2025-12-31 16:40:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7566608/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 16:40:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7566608/v1 Efficient and reliable training of deep neural networks remains a major challenge, particularly in fields such as medical imaging, sensor analysis, and ecological monitoring where data are often noisy, high-dimensional, and heterogeneous. Here we introduce a hybrid optimization framework that integrates Neural Tangent Kernel (NTK) theory with Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD). The approach leverages NTK-based initialization to stabilize early training, followed by SGD fine-tuning to enable adaptability and scalability.  I evaluate this method on diverse datasets including ISIC 2018 (skin lesion analysis), NIH ChestX-ray14 (radiography), Tiny ImageNet (natural image classification), and UCI HAR (sensorbased activity recognition). Across all benchmarks, the hybrid NTK-SGD method consistently outperforms NTK-only baselines and matches or exceeds standard SGD, while delivering faster convergence and improved robustness to adversarial noise.  By uniting theory-driven stability with data-driven flexibility, NTKSGD offers a generalizable, interpretable, and computationally efficient training strategy. These results highlight its potential for cross-domain deployment in medical, environmental, and industrial AI applications, where both accuracy and resilience are critical. Ahmed Mubaraki 2025-12-31 16:40:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6806276/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 16:39:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6806276/v1 Aiming at the problems of poor adaptability and insufficient robustness of existing high-grayscale image pseudo-color enhancement methods. An adaptive pseudo-color enhancement algorithm for high-grayscale X-ray film weld seam images based on Hue, Saturation and Brightness color space is proposed. Firstly, a pixel self-transformation is performed on the original high-grayscale X-ray weld image. And assign the converted B, G and R values to the H, I, and S components in the HIS color space respectively. Secondly, because of the poor universality of the algorithm and the difficult dynamic adjustment of the HIS color space. The power adjustment and the grayscale correction is integrated into the constructed high gray scale HIS pixel self-transformation function, and an adaptive gray scale correction algorithm based on BP neural network is proposed and designed. Finally, the HIS component is converted to the RGB color space for display. The experimental results show that the pseudo-color enhancement method proposed in this paper can effectively improve the recognition of image defects. In the processing of low-contrast images, compared with the HIS algorithm used for low-grayscale weld ray images, all indicators have a better result. Among them, the entropy increased by 1.216%, contrast increased by nearly 2 times, image clarity index IL-NIQE increased by nearly 39.171%, and NIQE increased by 8.79%. Mengyu Sun, Xiaoyan Li, Bingwu Liu, Peng Wang, Ruohai Di, Liangliang Li, Chu Wang 2025-12-31 16:39:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8403931/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 14:21:52 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8403931/v1 In this present work, a visible-light-active sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (S-g-C3N4) coupled with manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized and investigated for its photocatalytic performance. Structural as well morphological characterizations performed utilized X-ray diffraction (XRD), which confirmed the crystalline phases of both MnFe2O4 as well as S-g-C3N4. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a well-distributed nanocomposite morphology, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) verified the elemental composition also successful incorporation of Mn, Fe, O, C, and N. The optical band gap of the MnFe2O4/S-g-C3N4 composite was determined to be 1.77 eV, enabling efficient visible light absorption. Under 120 minutes of visible light-irradiation, the composite exhibited high photocatalytic degradation efficiencies of 93.26 % for methylene blue (MB) and 89.92 % for amoxicillin (AMX). Scavenger studies revealed that reactive oxygen species played a major role of the degradation pathways. Furthermore, recyclability tests over four successive cycles showed consistent photocatalytic activity, confirming the material’s stability and reusability. The synergistic interaction between S-g-C3N4 also MnFe2O4 facilitated efficient charge separation and enhanced degradation efficiency, suggesting the potential of this composite as a sustainable photocatalyst for wastewater treatment. Meena Nanjappan, Hemamalini Rajagopalan, Vijayalakshmi Pandurangan, P Elaiyaraja 2025-12-31 14:21:52 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8289514/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 14:12:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8289514/v1 Reliable temperature forecasting in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) is critical for design and economic assessment, yet existing decline-curve and machine-learning (ML) approaches often neglect geothermal-specific physics. This study proposes a unified, physics-consistent framework that advances both decline-curve analysis (DCA) and surrogate modeling for geothermal temperature forecasts. First, the four Arps decline families (exponential, harmonic, hyperbolic, and stretched exponential) are extended by introducing an equilibrium-temperature term derived from Newton-type cooling, enforcing finite long-term temperature limits appropriate for geothermal reservoirs while recovering the classical petroleum forms as a special case. Second, these extended decline equations are embedded directly inside an equation-informed neural network (EINN) so that gradients propagate through the physical decline laws, contrasting with prior work in which physics appears only through external loss regularization or fixed analytical parametrizations. Third, this equation-embedded network is compared with a Gaussian Process Regression surrogate that delivers rapid, uncertainty-aware multi-horizon forecasts. All models are trained and evaluated on a fully coupled thermo–hydro–mechanical (THM) dataset that maps hydraulic fracture count, fracture spacing, well spacing, thermal conductivity, and circulation rate to full 0–60 month temperature profiles. The results show that the modified DCA models achieved near-perfect fits (median R² = 0.999, median RMSE = 0.071°C). The stretched-exponential form was preferred in 60% of cases, followed by the hyperbolic model in 37%. The EINN yielded test MAE = 2.50°C and RMSE = 3.71°C. The GPR surrogate delivered robust generalization on hold-out data (RMSE = 3.39°C, MAE = 2.34°C) across prediction horizons. Mina Khalaf 2025-12-31 14:12:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7966398/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 14:01:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7966398/v1 The comprehensive production of biomass-based platform compounds from bamboo and its mechanical processing residues has broad prospects for high-value utilization. In this research, catalytic system of mixed solvent of water and 1,4-dioxane with catalyst AlCl₃and HCl applied on bamboo and delignified bamboo powder to achieve the one-pot co-production of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural. The Box-Behnken Design (BBD) response surface methodology was applied to optimize the reaction parameters. The results showed that the predicted yields of HMF and furfural were 31.5 wt% and 21.0 wt%, respectively, while bamboo powder treated under the theoretically optimal conditions. Compared with the actual expericment yields of 31.2 wt% and 21.8 wt%, with relative errors both less than 5.0%, which verified the reliability of the model prediction and the stability of the optimization results. This method features simple operation and high reaction efficiency; the solvent used can be recovered and reused, and the catalyst is low-cost. It exhibits promising application prospects in the valuable utilization of bamboo processing waste and the field of green bio-based chemicals. Xinyu Zhang, Zhijie Zong, Zhiqiang Li 2025-12-31 14:01:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8272781/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 13:20:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8272781/v1 Purpose – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an automation and analytical tool that lacks human intuition and specific contextual sensitivity. The adoption of AI for business decision-making in Finance is crucial, necessitating human-AI collaboration. The research aims to understand the factors behind the adoption and the resistance towards AI and explore the evolving role of Finance Manager in the era of AI. This research proposes a hybrid intelligence conceptual model of Bionic Advisor (BA) wherein human intelligence coalesces with AI.Methodology – The research adopts a systematic literature review (SLR) combined with cause-and-effect analysis. Qualitative factors from research articles have been derived through manual content analysis. Fishbone analytical framework has been used to derive relationships among the factors influencing the model. The model is grounded in multidisciplinary theories.Findings – The insight from this research conceptualises a unique hybrid model of BA. This research and analysis reveal that the BA model will develop synergistic intelligence. This synergetic intelligence will influence business decisions to elevate business results efficiently. Finance Manager in this role of BA, will integrate his domain expertise and cognitive ability with AI, enhancing efficacy in business decisions.Originality - Conceptualisation of BA as a role changer to strategic finance business partner contributes to the emerging literature on hybrid intelligence. In this model, the Finance Manager acts as an interpreter and translator for AI. BA model is an emerging paradigm to equip businesses with AI. This research opens avenues for future empirical study on the influence of BA on business decisions. Mahesh Sulakhe, Mugdha Shailendra Kulkarni 2025-12-31 13:20:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8407195/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 13:03:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8407195/v1 India experiences severe air pollution driven by human activities. Role of anthropogenic chlorine is significant yet underexplored, with its mechanisms poorly understood and impacts largely unquantified, despite its importance in atmospheric oxidation and secondary pollutant formation. Using GEOS-Chem chemical transport model, we quantify the impact of human-derived chlorine emissions on particulate chloride (\ce{pCl^-}), particulate matter (\((\text{PM}_{2.5})\)), \ce{ClNO2}, and \ce{O3} in the boundary layer over India. Comprehensive model simulations reveal major chlorine hotspots affecting nearly \((\sim)\)700 million people across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). \((\text{PM}_{2.5})\) concentration increases due to \ce{pCl^-} formation (principally \ce{NH4Cl}). Annual mean \ce{pCl^-} and \ce{ClNO2} increase by 4-fold and 3-fold, respectively. Regionally and seasonally, enhancements range from 0.04-3.6 \si{\micro\gram\per\cubic\meter} for \ce{pCl^-}, 7-273 ppt for \ce{ClNO2}, and –0.47-0.44 ppb for \ce{O3} with strongest effects in autumn and winter. Compared to other polluted hotspots in the world, for example China, \ce{O3} showed a lower sensitivity to chlorine emissions over India. Anthropogenic chlorine significantly influences India’s air quality, underscoring the need to include chlorine -emission inventories and -chemistry in models. Ankit Patel, Malasani Chakradhar Reddy, Bingqing Zhang, Basudev Swain, Govindan Pandithurai, Meinrat O. Andreae, Scot T. Martin, Pengfei Liu, Sachin S. Gunthe 2025-12-31 13:03:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8420625/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 12:47:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8420625/v1 The high-frequency decay of the Fourier amplitude spectrum of acceleration is commonly characterized by the parameter κ (kappa). In this study, we estimate the total kappa (κr) for nine stiff-soil and rock stations in northwestern Iran using the classical Acceleration Spectrum (AS) method. The dataset consists of 631 three-component recordings at epicentral distances of up to 50 km. We observe no significant increase in κr with distance, indicating that path attenuation is negligible within this range. Therefore, κr values were averaged per station to obtain the site-specific component κ0 for both horizontal and vertical motions.  The estimated κ0 values span a relatively wide range despite the similar site conditions: 0.027–0.067 s for the horizontal component and 0.024–0.063 s for the vertical component. We show that azimuthal coverage plays an important role in κr variability, with stations having limited azimuthal sampling exhibiting smaller scatter. On average, κ0h exceeds κ0v, but the ratio varies significantly between stations and does not correlate with stiffness. Comparison with published κ0–VS30 correlations shows that our estimates fall within the broad range of existing data and are more consistent with studies that employed the same classical method rather than broadband approaches. Horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios (HVSR) reveal that high-frequency amplification patterns likely influence κ estimates, particularly for stations with resonant features within the κ frequency band.  Our results highlight the need for improved site characterization in the region to better separate site amplification from site attenuation and to refine κ0 estimates for seismic hazard applications. Meghdad Samaei, Olga-Joan Ktenidou 2025-12-31 12:47:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8422589/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 12:38:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8422589/v1 Stamping-forming parameter optimization is a core technical hurdle in enhancing product quality. To tackle the low accuracy of existing surrogate models and the uneven Pareto fronts produced by current multi-objective algorithms, this paper introduces a novel framework that couples an Adaptive Sparse Autoencoder–Gaussian Process–Back-Propagation Neural Network (ASAE-GP-BPNN) hybrid surrogate model with an improved Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (INSGA-II). ASAE-GP-BPNN achieves accurate modeling of complex nonlinear relationships through competitive sparse mechanism for dynamic feature extraction, Gaussian process uncertainty quantification, and BPNN deep fusion, showing 15–40% improvement over single models on test functions. INSGA-II introduces K-Nearest Neighbor(KNN) local density evaluation and adaptive parameter strategy, increasing the hypervolume of Pareto front by about 15%. Using TRIP780 double C-shaped parts as a case study, the surrogate model was trained with 120 groups of Latin hypercube sampling data. After optimization, the optimal process parameter combination was obtained achieving maximum thinning rate of 11.3%, thickening area of 4.6%, springback amount of 0.952 mm, and 20% reduction in overall defects. The research shows that the proposed method has both prediction accuracy and engineering applicability in high-dimensional nonlinear stamping process multi-objective optimization. zhang JUNMENG, Guang Tong, Haijun Yang 2025-12-31 12:38:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8128297/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:47:13 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8128297/v1 Background Early-life factors such as birth weight influence dental development. However, how birth weight affects enamel and dentin thickness in permanent mandibular first molars remains unknown.Aim Here, we quantitatively assess the impact of birth weight on enamel and dentin thickness in 7- to 8-year-old children.Methods Panoramic radiographs of 75 children were analyzed. The participants were stratified into very low (VLBW), low (LBW), and normal birth weight (NBW) groups. The enamel and dentin thicknesses were measured manually and via computer-assisted analysis. Statistical comparisons were performed via ANOVA and post hoc tests.Results Enamel thickness was not significantly different across the VLBW, LBW, and NBW groups (P > 0.05). In contrast, dentin thickness was significantly greater in the VLBW group in region D (VLBW vs LBW, P = 0.018; VLBW vs NBW, P = 0.047) and in region X (VLBW vs NBW, P = 0.001; LBW vs NBW, P = 0.006). Compared with that of NBW, the molar width of VLBW and LBW increased 1.1–1.2-fold (P = 0.005–0.047). Manual and computerized measurements were highly concordant (P > 0.05). Gender had minimal impact, except for slightly greater enamel thickness in Region C for boys (P = 0.020).Conclusions Birth weight does not affect enamel thickness but is associated with increased dentin thickness and molar width, likely reflecting compensatory growth. These findings challenge the prevailing view that low birth weight predisposes individuals to early tooth fragility and provide a framework for understanding dental development in pediatric populations. Yasaman Bozorgnia, Shahin Mafinejad, Sonia Dokohaki, Nasim Razavi, Mohamad-Amin Younessi-Heravi, Mohadese Nasiri 2025-12-31 10:47:13 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7567325/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:47:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7567325/v1 Background Preoperative anemia and iron deficiency are common in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and are associated with increased transfusion requirements, morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. The implementation of Patient Blood Management (PBM) strategies remains challenging in routine clinical practice. Methods We conducted a single-center, retrospective before-and-after study including patients scheduled for elective on-pump cardiac surgery during one year before and one year after PBM implementation. The PBM protocol included preoperative anemia correction, reduction of intraoperative hemodilution, reinforcement of single-unit red blood cell (RBC) transfusion strategies, and postoperative iron supplementation. The primary outcome was the rate of RBC transfusion. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications and cost analysis. Results A total of 782 patients were included (377 pre-PBM and 411 post-PBM). Baseline characteristics were comparable, except for a lower preoperative hemoglobin level in the pre-PBM group (13.7 ± 1.7 vs. 14.0 ± 1.5 g/dL; p=0.03). RBC transfusion rate decreased significantly (33% vs. 26%, p=0.02), with a higher proportion of single-unit transfusions. The post-PBM group received less intraoperative fluids and maintained higher hemoglobin levels throughout hospitalization. In multivariable analysis, PBM implementation was independently associated with reduced transfusion risk (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.40–0.86; p<0.01). The estimated annual cost savings were €67,454. There was no significant difference in postoperative complications, including acute kidney injury, stroke, new-onset atrial fibrillation, and hospital length of stay. Conclusions Implementation of a pragmatic PBM program in cardiac surgery reduced RBC transfusions and healthcare costs without increasing postoperative complications. Trial registration: Not applicable. Constance Bougnoux, Sacha Rozencwajg, Jacques Thes, Sylvain Diop, Iolanda Ion, Julien Guihaire, Baptiste Monnier 2025-12-31 10:47:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8257252/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:46:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8257252/v1 Object: This study explores the impact of the challenges in raising children with autism on parental anxiety, and thoroughly analyzes the moderating role of parenting stress.Methods: A total of 207 primary caregivers of autistic children from 13 rehabilitation institutions in Nantong City will be selected as subjects, covering the period from May 2024 to May 2025. Data will be collected using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and the Chinese version of the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). The hypothesized model will be tested through correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis.Results: The parenting difficulties of children with autism were significantly positively correlated with the level of parental anxiety (r = 0.56, p < 0.01), and the parental anxiety level increased by 1.079 points for each increase of 1 point (β = 0.555, p < 0.001), which verified the direct predictive effect of parenting difficulties on parental anxiety. Parenting stress had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the two (interaction term β = 0.134, p < 0.05), and the predictive effect of parenting difficulties on anxiety in the high parenting stress group (β = 1.33) was significantly higher than that in the low stress group (β = 0.77). The parenting stress factors in parenting stress had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the two (interaction term β = 0.58, p < 0.05), and the predictive effect of parenting difficulties on anxiety in the high parenting stress group (β = 6.58) was significantly higher than that in the low stress group (β = 5.76). Parental anxiety was generally at an upper middle level (M = 51.14), while parenting stress (M = 2.34/5) and parenting difficulties (M = 0.80/2) were at a lower middle level, suggesting that the cumulative effect of stress perception may exacerbate psychological risk.Conclusion: Parenting difficulties in children with autism can positively predict parental anxiety; parenting stress plays a significant moderating role between parenting difficulties and parental anxiety, with greater parenting stress amplifying the impact of parenting difficulties in children with autism on parental anxiety levels. Zhanbin Xu, Yufei Ni, Mofan Chu, Jiutian Yang, Hongchao Qin, Licheng Shi, Feiying Wang 2025-12-31 10:46:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7577993/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:46:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7577993/v1 Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with anxiety and relational difficulties, yet the mechanisms linking these outcomes remain underexplored. Interoception and perspective taking may jointly explain the impact of IPV on psychological and social functioning.Methods This study examined relationships among IPV exposure, anxiety, interoceptive awareness, and perspective taking. Participants completed validated measures assessing these domains. SEM analysis tested whether anxiety predicted interoceptive and perspective-taking deficits, and whether interoception was associated with perspective-taking.Results IPV exposure was significantly related to heightened anxiety, which in turn predicted lower interoceptive awareness and reduced perspective-taking capacity. Interoception was positively associated with perspective taking, suggesting a link between bodily attunement and social-cognitive processing.Conclusions Findings support a mechanistic model in which IPV-induced anxiety disrupts interoception and perspective taking, creating a cycle of relational and psychological vulnerability. Interventions targeting interoceptive awareness and perspective-taking skills may enhance recovery, particularly when combined with trauma-informed care. Paola Solano-Durán, Juan Pablo Morales, Daniel Franco-Obyrne, Odir Rodríguez, Sebastián Contreras-Huerta, Valeria Isaac, David Huepe 2025-12-31 10:46:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8415456/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:46:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8415456/v1 Resource-rich developing nations frequently face the “paradox of plenty,” where mineral wealth fails to translate into broad-based economic development. This paper addresses this challenge in the context of North Macedonia, an EU candidate country with significant deposits of zinc, lead, and other critical minerals. While the country is a notable supplier of primary ores to the EU, it currently captures only a fraction of the potential value by exporting raw concentrates rather than processed metals. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the economic case for value chain upgrading. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative trade data analysis, comparative EU benchmarking, and macroeconomic modelling, we quantify the “value gap” at approximately $56 million annually, a 50% increase in export revenue achievable through the development of domestic refining capacity. Our analysis demonstrates that such a move could increase the mining sector’s contribution to GDP from 2.0% to 2.6% and nearly double employment in the sector. To address the complex, multi-dimensional nature of this policy choice, we introduce a novel theoretical contribution: the Resource Upgrading Decision Matrix (RUDM). This framework provides a structured methodology for evaluating upgrading opportunities across four key dimensions: Economic Feasibility, Strategic Importance, Sustainability & Social License, and Governance Complexity. By applying the RUDM to North Macedonia, we provide a clear, evidence-based roadmap for industrial policy that can guide the nation beyond extraction and toward sustainable economic transformation. JEL Classification: Q32, L72, O14, F23, O25 Martin Kiselicki, Nils Haneklaus, Mijalche Santa, Sasho Josimovski, Dimitar Jovevski, Lidija Pulevska Ivanovska, Kalina Trenevska Blagoeva, Marina Mijoska Belshoska, Tea Josimovska, Ana Josimovska Nikolov 2025-12-31 10:46:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8433953/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:46:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8433953/v1 Background To investigate factors influencing the change in medial meniscus extrusion (ΔMME) following pullout repair in patients with medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRT).Methods This study included 84 knees of patients with MMPRT who had a clearly defined date of injury and underwent pullout repair. Preoperative and 3-month postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were available for all patients. The association between the ΔMME (defined as the difference between the preoperative and 3-month postoperative medial meniscus extrusion [MME] values) and the following factors was analyzed: age, sex, body mass index, and the time from injury to MRI examination (Injury/MRI interval), consultation with knee surgeons (Injury/Consult interval), and surgery (Injury/Surg interval).Results The average durations were 20.5 days for the Injury/MRI interval, 33.1 days for the Injury/Consult interval, and 53.6 days for the Injury/Surg interval. The mean MME was 3.94 mm preoperatively and 4.51 mm at 3 months postoperatively. Univariate analysis showed that the Injury/MRI, Injury/Consult, and Injury/Surg intervals were significantly correlated with the ΔMME (all P < 0.001). A strong correlation was observed between the Injury/Consult and Injury/Surg intervals (correlation coefficient = 0.933). In the multivariate analysis, the Injury/MRI and Injury/Consult intervals remained significantly associated with the ΔMME (both P < 0.01).Conclusions Shortening the Injury/MRI and Injury/Consult intervals may help prevent the progression of MME following MMPRT pullout repair. Early MRI evaluation and prompt specialist consultation are recommended when MMPRT is suspected, particularly in patients presenting with posterior knee pain or a popping episode.Level of evidence Level IV. Yuta Morinobu, Yuki Okazaki, Koki Kawada, Kazuhisa Sugiu, Takayuki Furumatsu 2025-12-31 10:46:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8283650/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:46:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8283650/v1 The gender disparity in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) hinders the full exercise of social justice and the economic development of a country. Although there has been an increase in women’s participation in these fields, cultural barriers continue to impose unfavorable conditions for their full development. This study aims to analyze the opinions of Brazilian university students regarding gender in STEM areas. Variables such as gender, field of study, and racial groups are examined, and the results are compared with those obtained in previous studies conducted in Spain. This comparison is relevant because, despite Spain’s favorable global parity indices, such indicators do not seem sufficient to reduce the gender gap in STEM fields. Data based on a sample of 1298 Brazilian higher education participants suggest that culture and stereotypes are factors influencing the career choices of boys and girls. In Brazil, men are more likely to express stereotypical opinions than women—a pattern also observed in Spain, although less pronounced. Finally, the inclusion of the variables field of study and race reveals that the issue of gender inequality in these spaces is highly complex, and each parameter analyzed plays a role in maintaining this status quo. For instance, participants from non-STEM fields and non-white individuals exhibited greater vulnerability to the influence of gender norms. Nevertheless, these findings provide valuable insights for the development of initiatives that promote participatory equity in these areas, which, in turn, contribute to building a more just and creative society. Maura Angelica Milfont Shzu, Sonia Verdugo-Castro, Alicia García-Holgado 2025-12-31 10:46:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7785368/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:45:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7785368/v1 Background Laryngocele was first described by Virchow in 1867 as a herniation of the laryngeal ventricle (laryngocele ventricularis). Dominique Larrey had earlier used the term goitre aériennes to describe this condition.Aim To propose a clinical staging system for combined laryngoceles based on the extent of internal anatomical extension and to validate this system through clinical, endoscopic, and radiological correlations.Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 24 patients with combined laryngoceles admitted to the Otorhinolaryngology Department, Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt, between 1998 and 2022. Clinical presentation, endoscopic findings, and imaging results were analyzed to evaluate and validate the proposed staging system.Results All patients presented with an external component. Sixteen cases were classified as stage V1 (ventricle involvement), 66.7% as stage V2 (ventricle and vestibule involvement), and 16.7% as stage V3 (ventricle, vestibule, and vallecula involvement). Dysphonia, aerodigestive obstruction, and dysphagia did not differ significantly between cases with or without air content. However, stridor and dyspnea were more frequent in air-containing laryngoceles. Endoscopic grading was not significantly affected by air content.Conclusion The proposed clinical staging system for combined laryngoceles (V1, V2, V3) is simple, feasible, and reliable. Validation through clinical, endoscopic, and radiological findings supports its potential as a practical tool for standardized assessment. Ahmed Abdoo Elzhzahy, Hossam elsisi, Abdelwahab Mohamed Rakha, Eslam Naeem Fathy 2025-12-31 10:45:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8401503/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:45:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8401503/v1 Background: Family resilience is a critical protective factor for stroke survivors' quality of life (QoL), yet its role in mitigating the negative impact of caregiver burden remains underexplored, particularly regarding potential heterogeneous effects across different patient subgroups. Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of family resilience between caregiver burden and patient QoL, and to test whether this mediation effect is conditional upon the patient's baseline QoL profile. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 311 stroke survivor-caregiver dyads was recruited from three hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted on the 12 domains of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) scale to identify patient subgroups. A stratified mediation analysis using the bootstrap method was then performed to test the mediation model separately within each subgroup, adjusting for key demographic and clinical covariates. Results: Results: For the total sample, family resilience partially mediated the burden-QoL relationship (indirect effect β = -0.08, 95% CI [-0.12, -0.04]). Crucially, this mediation was conditional. It was significant only in the low QoL subgroup (indirect effect: β = -0.06, 95% CI [-0.11, -0.02]), where higher burden was linked to lower resilience, which in turn predicted poorer QoL. In the high QoL subgroup, this indirect pathway was non-significant (indirect effect β = -0.05, 95% CI [-0.09, 0.00]). Conclusion: Family resilience serves as a conditional mediator between caregiver burden and patient QoL, with its protective role being significant primarily for survivors who already have a compromised QoL. Interventions aimed at alleviating caregiver burden should be coupled with targeted efforts to bolster family resilience, especially in patients with low QoL. Jingjing Ma, Weifei Yu, Qihang Xu, Lulu Tong, Shi Lu, Yiqing Zhang 2025-12-31 10:45:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8420626/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:45:18 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8420626/v1 Introduction: This study examines structural changes in the Default Mode Network (DMN) related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) using MRI data from a Taiwanese cohort. We also investigate how the APOE ε4 allele influences these regional alterations, enhancing the understanding of AD pathogenesis by highlighting crucial genetic contributions often overlooked in global research. Methods: The study included MRI data from 93 Alzheimer's patients(AD) and 77 normal controls(NC) in Taiwan. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and regional analyses examined gray matter differences. Comparisons, adjusted for age, sex, and total intracranial volume, were conducted using student t-tests and ANCOVA to identify whole-brain and DMN-specific changes. Results: AD patients showed significant gray matter(GM) reductions in the whole brain and DMN regions compared to healthy controls, particularly in the bilateral angular gyrus and right inferior parietal lobe. Subgroup analyses revealed that both APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers with AD had GM reductions, but only non-carriers showed significant DMN volume differences. Conclusion: The study finds significant GM atrophy in key DMN regions linked to AD, especially in bilateral angular gyrus and right inferior parietal lobe. Although APOE ε4 carriers did not differ significantly from non-carriers, they showed broader structural changes, suggesting a role of APOE ε4 in GM degeneration. These findings underscore the importance of structural MRI for early AD detection and integrating genetic factors in future research. Hui-Chieh Yang, Yu-Ching Ni, Ching-Fang Chien, Ling-Chun Huang, Yuan-Han Yang 2025-12-31 10:45:18 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8389147/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:44:29 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8389147/v1 Background: Anesthesiology faces global recruitment challenges. The final year of medical school strongly shapes students’ specialty preferences, yet most existing evidence comes from single-center cross-sectional studies, limiting generalizability. A clearer understanding of influential factors is essential to inform targeted recruitment and training strategies.Methods: We conducted a multicenter observational study using Group Concept Mapping (GCM), a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative brainstorming with quantitative sorting, clustering, and rating analysis. Six German medical schools participated between September 2024 and February 2025. Final-year medical students (N = 87) generated statements during brainstorming; 24 students sorted and 39 rated the statements on a five-point relevance scale. The primary outcome was the identification and prioritization of factors influencing anesthesiology career choice, measured through thematic clusters and their mean importance ratings.Results: Eight clusters emerged from multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis (stress = 0.208). Team culture and discipline-specific interest were rated highest, followed by mentoring. Work–life balance ranked second-lowest. Usable data sets from 24 participants were included in the sorting analysis, a number considered sufficient for robust and interpretable concept maps in this methodology. The majority of influential factors are amenable to improvement through departmental culture and educational design.Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that there are well-modifiable factors that anesthesiology departments can leverage to attract students. Among these, experiences of a supportive team culture and engaging clinical learning opportunities play a decisive role, outweighing lifestyle considerations in our study. By situating these findings within a global perspective, we identify strategies that educators and policy makers worldwide can apply to strengthen recruitment into anesthesiology. Jule Kreitz, Saša Sopka, Dominik Dickmann, Marc Hein, Martin Klasen, Stephanie Hirschmann, Björn Lütcke, Matthias Keilhammer, Maria Wittmann, Gunther Hempel, Gregor Massoth 2025-12-31 10:44:29 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437836/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:44:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437836/v1 Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting can be a serious issue in reducing caloric intake for patients in the early stage after surgery. In Japan, ondansetron injection is now approved by insurance as a countermeasure against postoperative nausea and vomiting, but the number of reports on its effects in caloric intake are limited in the early stage following surgery, and opinions about the effects are divided. Thus, we examined how the effects of ondansetron administration during surgery influence caloric intake starting the day after surgery.Methods We examined 65 patients who received a 4mg injection of ondansetron during gynecological surgery under epidural anesthesia, in comparison to 51 patients who did not receive any antiemetic. Our study was to compare the amount of caloric intake the day after surgery.Results The patient group who received an ondansetron injection enjoyed higher caloric intake. Three factors of the Apfel Score showed a significant increase.Conclusions Our study indicated that ondansetron administration during gynecological surgery may have a positive effect on increasing postoperative caloric intake one day after surgery. Eiji Horita, Mitsuo Kaneshima, Yasuhisa Kobayashi, Masaki Sano, Yoshie Takebayashi, Kenichiro Saito, Yoshinori Munemoto, Kazuko Mitsuya, Hiroyuki Satomi, Kumiko Hosokawa, Tetsuji Kurokawa, Koichi Shimo, Satoshi Shine 2025-12-31 10:44:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8182802/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:44:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8182802/v1 Background This study evaluated medication utilization in children, adolescents, and adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a chronic psychiatric condition characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors. Although first-line treatments include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the heterogeneous biological underpinnings contribute to suboptimal outcomes, with 40–60% of individuals not responding to SSRIs. This complex phenotype often leads to psychotropic polypharmacy, which may be mitigated by incorporating combinatorial pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing into protocol-based care to identify potential gene-drug interactions.Methods A retrospective review was conducted of individuals with OCD aged 8 to 65 years who received either PGx testing or treatment as usual (TAU). Co-primary outcomes were polypharmacy rate and quality of life. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, medication utilization, and OCD and depression severity. Individuals prescribed at least one daily psychotropic medication with a gene-drug interaction were classified as “incongruent” (PGx-I). Individuals without gene-drug interactions for all prescribed psychotropic medications were categorized as “congruent” (PGx-C).Results A total of 363 individuals with OCD were analyzed. Of these 241 received TAU and 122 underwent PGx testing. Within the PGx cohort, 67% were prescribed medications with potential gene-drug interactions at discharge. The polypharmacy rate was 71% in the PGx-I cohort, compared with 35% in the PGx-C cohort. Quality-of-life measures revealed similar levels of improvement in the PGx-C and PGx-I cohorts.Conclusions Psychotropic polypharmacy rates were higher among individuals prescribed at least one medication with a gene-drug interaction, most notably among adults, while all cohorts showed similar improvement. These findings suggest that incorporating combinatorial PGx testing into the medical evaluation particularly where polypharmacy is a concern may help optimize medication selection, while maintaining effectiveness. Sheldon R. Garrison, Matthew W. Boyer, Anthony W. Zoghbi, Rachel A. Schwartz, Nicolette Weisensel, Martin E. Franklin, Madeline M. Hartig, Maharaj Singh, Sreya Vadapalli 2025-12-31 10:44:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7898079/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:44:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7898079/v1 Background Small airway dysfunction (SAD) plays a pivotal but often overlooked role in asthma pathophysiology. Its contribution to exacerbation risk among patients with mild, well-controlled asthma remains unclear.Objective This study aimed to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of SAD and type 2 inflammation biomarkers in mild, well-controlled asthma, and to determine their independent and combined predictive value for acute exacerbations.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 250 adults with mild, well-controlled asthma. Lung function indices, blood eosinophil counts, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels were analyzed. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to evaluate predictors of exacerbations.Results SAD was identified in 40.4% of patients and was strongly associated with a higher exacerbation rate (73.3% vs. 32.9%, p < 0.001). SAD (adjusted OR = 17.91, 95% CI 7.03–49.39) and elevated eosinophils (aOR = 4.97, 95% CI 2.54–10.12) were independent predictors of exacerbations. Combined models incorporating FEF25–75%pred and eosinophil count achieved the highest discriminative performance (AUC = 0.769), surpassing any single biomarker.Conclusions Even in mild, well-controlled asthma, SAD and type 2 inflammation markers identify a high-risk phenotype susceptible to exacerbations. Integrating small airway function with inflammatory biomarkers enhances risk stratification, supporting precision monitoring and tailored therapeutic strategies in asthma management. Guanhua Hou, Zishuo Wang, Yinan Xing, Wei Li, Limin Zhao 2025-12-31 10:44:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8185679/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:43:45 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8185679/v1 Background Hypokalemia is common in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and significantly elevates the risk of life-threatening arrhythmias and mortality. Yet no validated prehospital prediction tool exists to identify this high-risk condition early.Objective To develop and validate a prehospital prediction model for hypokalemia in STEMI patients using readily available clinical and electrocardiographic parameters.Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted involving 320 STEMI patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between January 2023 and December 2024. Patients were categorized into hypokalemia (n = 114) and non-hypokalemia (n = 206) groups based on initial serum potassium levels. Univariate logistic regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO), and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify independent predictors. A nomogram was constructed and evaluated for discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility.Results Five independent predictors were identified: symptom-to-door time (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78–0.94), syncope/coma (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.12–11.37), atrial arrhythmia (OR = 4.18, 95% CI: 1.33–13.17), PR interval (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02), and U wave (OR = 5.20, 95% CI: 2.59–10.46). The prediction model demonstrated good discrimination with an AUC of 0.735 (95% CI: 0.680–0.791). Calibration curves and decision curve analysis confirmed satisfactory model performance and clinical usefulness.Conclusion We developed a practical and validated nomogram for predicting prehospital hypokalemia in STEMI patients using five easily obtainable clinical and ECG variables. This tool may facilitate early identification and intervention in high-risk individuals, potentially improving prehospital management and clinical outcomes. Qian Gu, Chao Tang, Bao jun Yang, Fei Shi, Xiao song Gu, Jing Zhu 2025-12-31 10:43:45 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7801690/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:39:51 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7801690/v1 Background Nursing education is adapting to advancing healthcare technologies and changing patient needs. Self-directed learning (SDL) is essential for fostering lifelong learning among nursing students. Game-based learning (GBL) has emerged as a novel approach to improve engagement and SDL skills, yet its effectiveness against traditional methods in nursing undergraduates is still not well studied.Methods This study is a prospective, randomized, controlled trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of game-based learning (GBL) as an innovative self-directed learning strategy compared to conventional self-directed learning (SDL) in nursing education. Conducted at Smt. Radhikabai Meghe Memorial College of Nursing in India, it involved 140 nursing undergraduates who were randomly assigned to either an experimental group using an antimicrobial stewardship game or a control group utilizing traditional learning materials. Each participant attended a 90-minute orientation session before beginning a 12-week intervention period. The study focused on measuring SDL abilities through the Self-Directed Learning Instrument (SDLI) and knowledge acquisition with a questionnaire specifically targeting antimicrobial resistance and stewardship. Secondary outcomes included assessments of perceived cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning via the CAP Perceived learning scale. Statistical analyses employed R software, utilizing nonparametric tests and ANCOVA models to adjust for baseline differences and covariates, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.Results At the 12-week follow-up, the experimental group showed significantly higher median knowledge scores (12.0 vs. 9.0, p < 0.001) and SDLI scores (72.0 vs. 59.0, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. ANCOVA analysis indicated a significant adjusted mean difference for knowledge (-3.1, p < 0.001) and SDLI (-12.3, p < 0.001). All secondary outcomes also demonstrated significant improvements in the experimental group (all p < 0.001), with sensitivity analyses affirming the robustness of these findings across various statistical models.Conclusion Game-based learning significantly improves knowledge acquisition and self-directed learning in undergraduate nursing students over traditional methods, and its incorporation into nursing curricula is advised to develop essential lifelong learning skills for the evolving healthcare sector.Trial registration number: Trial Registered Prospectively at Clinical Trials Registry - India [CTRI/2024/01/061599 (Registered on: 18/01/2024)] ; URL: https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/rmaindet.php?trialid=92950&EncHid=87481.96317&modid=1&compid=19 Sabina Chaudhary, Adarsh Lata Singh 2025-12-31 10:39:51 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7801515/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:39:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7801515/v1 Background Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion may be lifesaving, however transfusion-transmitted infections (TTI) and transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) still pose a threat despite current donor selection and testing requirements. Amustaline (S-303)/glutathione (GSH) pathogen reduction (PR) is designed to inactivate infectious microbes and leukocytes in RBCs. The RedeS study evaluates the safety and efficacy of amustaline/GSH PR-RBCs compared to conventional RBCs in a broad spectrum of patients requiring acute and/or repeated RBC transfusion support. Methods RedeS is a Phase 3, prospective, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, parallel-design study, with a 6-month extension option to evaluate patients requiring repeated transfusions including red cell exchange (RCE).Eligible subjects will be stratified according to site, baseline bleeding status and participation in the extension period. The study arms include a transfusion period of 28-days for anemia with any bleeding or non-bleeding patients or a 28-day+6-month extension for non-bleeding patients with chronic anemia requiring repeated simple transfusions, or for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) expected to receive three RCE procedures. The study will seek to enroll 600-800 subjects in the overall safety analysis, including ~140 repeatedly-transfused subjects in the 6-month extension including up to 30 subjects receiving three RCE procedures. The primary safety endpoints are the proportion of patients with any treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) related to study RBC transfusion through 28 days after the last study transfusion, and the proportion of patients with treatment-emergent antibodies with confirmed specificity to PR-RBCs. The primary efficacy endpoint is the hemoglobin (Hb) increment in subjects who are non-bleeding at baseline, adjusted for the grams of Hb transfused and averaged over multiple transfusions. With 352 evaluable transfused non-bleeding subjects (176 per treatment group) from either arm, the study will have 80% power to demonstrate non-inferiority, defined as a Hb increment treatment difference of no more than 15% of the Control group mean, assuming a Control arm coefficient of variation of 50%. Discussion RedeS will characterize the safety of amustaline/GSH PR-RBCs and is designed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of PR-RBCs to conventional RBCs with respect to Hb increment, a common pragmatic clinical assessment of RBC transfusion effectiveness. Edgardo F. Cartagena Ayala, Lumen Vera Colon, Yesim Aydinok, Bolívar Arboleda-Osorio, Arthur Bracey, Ross Fasano, Marianne Yee, Ravindra Sarode, Abba C. Zubair, Frank Nizzi, Sanjay Shah, Edward L. Snyder, Angela Treml, Yan Zheng, Clifford Takemoto, Jeffrey Green, Bryon Jackson, John P Pitman, Thomas J. Gniadek, Kathy Liu, Stanley Bentow, Laurence Corash, Nina Mufti, Richard J. Benjamin 2025-12-31 10:39:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8425555/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:39:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8425555/v1 Background The assessment and management of impaired vision is included in falls prevention guidance, however implementation is inconsistent. We conducted focus groups to explore the perspectives of Health Care Professionals (HCP) on vision screening in older adults attending acute hospitals following a fall.Methods A focus group study was undertaken with HCPs from a single acute hospital trust. Semi-structured topic guides were informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Transcripts were first inductively then deductively coded using CFIR constructs. Demographic data was collected and summarised.Results Five focus groups were conducted with 19 HCPs overall. Six interconnecting themes were identified, mapped to 14 CFIR constructs, relating to barriers and facilitators to vision screening. Barriers encompassed: lack of training, referral networks to manage impaired vision and prioritisation of task-focussed, rather than person-centred, care in the acute setting. Facilitators included: perceived mission alignment, adequate training, tools, guidance on roles, responsibilities and management pathways, integration of eye care professionals in multidisciplinary falls care and time in job plans.Conclusions HCPs were motivated to vision screen and felt it aligned with person-centred falls care, however there were individual and contextual barriers related to staff capability and opportunity to implement vision screening in the acute setting. Multi-component and multi-level interventions and implementation strategies are needed to integrate eye care professionals into the falls MDT, engage supportive leaders, develop an effective vision screening assessment, define roles, responsibilities and management pathways, organise individual training and time allocation for staff to perform screening. Aishah Baig, Kate Radford, Alison Cowley, Jignasa Mehta, Adam Gordon 2025-12-31 10:39:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8254418/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:39:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8254418/v1 This study aims to examine the impact of sustainable logistics service quality (SLSQ) on consumer purchase decision-making stages in e-shopping apps in the Arab Gulf, employing a survey-based methodology with 390 participants who were selected based on a convenience sample. Despite the global research interest of this research area, most of the literature that is available focuses on the Western or Asian markets and few empirical studies have been undertaken in the Arab Gulf, where unique cultural, regulatory, and infrastructural conditions shape consumer demands and logistics operations. The results of this study collectively demonstrate a strong and consistent relationship between (SLSQ) and the stages of consumer purchase decision-making in e-shopping applications across the Arab Gulf region, with moderating factors such as environmental concern and attitudes toward governmental sustainability plans. The high means observed for green packaging and smart returns/reverse logistics indicate that consumers in the Gulf prioritize tangible and convenient sustainability features that directly impact their experience. On the other hand, aspects such as carbon footprint management received relatively lower attention, likely due to their abstract or less visible nature to the average online shopper. Nationality and education level had the most consistent and significant effects across all decision-making stages, suggesting that cultural background and educational attainment shape consumers’ understanding and appreciation of sustainable logistics. Age, profession, and income also influenced most stages, indicating that lifestyle and economic capability play key roles in shaping e-shopping decisions Naglaa Elgammal, Mohammed Mostafa Refaat Moharam, Dalia Hassan, Wafaa Abdel Khalek Tharwat, Samar Abdulhalim, Jimoh Junior Braimoh 2025-12-31 10:39:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8387593/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:39:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8387593/v1 Background To investigate the effect of hydroxychloroquine sulphate combined with aspirin and enoxaparin sodium in treating recurrent miscarriage (RM) associated with undifferentiated connective tissue disease.Methods Pregnant women with RM admitted to Wuhai Maternal and Child Health Hospital between January 2021 and August 2024 were enrolled and assigned to groups based on different treatment regimens: control Group 1 (progesterone + enoxaparin sodium, n = 45), control Group 2 (aspirin + enoxaparin sodium, n = 45), and the exposed group (hydroxychloroquine sulphate + aspirin + enoxaparin sodium, n = 45). Pregnancy complications, pregnancy outcomes, delivery and neonatal status, serological indicators, imaging parameters, and adverse reactions were compared among the three groups. Data were statistically analysed using SPSS 26.0. Independent/paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance were conducted, with F-tests performed according to statistical requirements.Results (1) Baseline Characteristics: Patients in the exposed group were older and had an earlier gestational age at the last pregnancy termination (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in body mass index, gravidity, parity, or number of miscarriages among the groups (P > 0.05). (2) Pregnancy Complications: The overall incidence of pregnancy complications showed no significant difference between the exposed group and Control groups 1 and 2 (P > 0.05), indicating that the experimental regimen did not cause additional pregnancy complications. (3) Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes: The exposed group had significantly higher rates of preterm and term delivery (95.56%) than did the control groups 1 (80.0%) and 2 (77.78%) (P < 0.05). Cesarean section rates showed no significant difference among groups (P > 0.05). Apgar scores showed no significant difference between the exposed and control groups (P > 0.05). (4) Laboratory and imaging parameters: The 2-week post-treatment/pre-treatment ratio of human chorionic gonadotropin, estradiol, and progesterone did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). Yolk sac size, gestational sac-foetal pole difference, and uterine artery blood flow did not differ significantly between the exposed group and Control groups 1 and 2 (P > 0.05). Notably, the exposed group had the smallest gestational sac-foetal pole difference among the groups (P < 0.05), suggesting improved embryonic developmental potential. (5) Adverse Reactions: The exposed group showed no additional adverse reactions compared with Control groups 1 and 2, with no increased incidence of gastrointestinal reactions, liver dysfunction, bleeding tendency, rash, thrombocytopenia, or blurred vision (P > 0.05).Conclusion Combining hydroxychloroquine sulphate, aspirin, and enoxaparin sodium for treating RM associated with undifferentiated connective tissue disease improves pregnancy outcomes and demonstrates a favorable safety profile, with no observed additional adverse reactions. Liu-Cheng Pei, Peng-Chao Yan, Qiu-Ling Yang, Xue-Jie Li, Ting Wang, Chun-Jun Wang 2025-12-31 10:39:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8370650/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:38:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370650/v1 Background: Accurate and complete medical records are essential for effective health service delivery, patient safety, and quality improvement. However, deficiencies in documentation remain a challenge in many low-resource settings. This study aimed to assess the completeness and readability of medical records in public hospitals across Sudan, providing evidence to inform health system strengthening.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2023, reviewing 604 medical records from surgical departments in six public hospitals across Sudan. Records were evaluated for completeness using a standardised checklist covering five domains: socio-demographic data, patient history, investigations and management, operation sheet notes, and handwriting clarity. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise findings, and one-way ANOVA was applied to compare completeness rates between hospitals and departments.Results: The overall completeness rate of medical records was 55.68% (SD ± 20). Socio-demographic data were 66.7% complete, patient history 39.23%, investigations and management 55.30%, and operation sheet notes 63.59%. Handwriting was readable in 60.3% of records. Significant differences in completeness were observed between hospitals and departments (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Substantial deficiencies in documentation and legibility were identified in Sudanese public hospitals, with notable variation across institutions and departments. Targeted interventions, such as standardised templates and electronic health records, are needed to improve documentation quality and support better health service delivery. Tebyan Abdalgader Abdallah Mohmmed, Malaz Mohamed, Mohanned Salman, Mawada Osman, Abeer Elabid, Muath Ibrahim Mohamed Abusaada, Alaa Azhary Mohammed Ali, Fatima Afif, Roaa Bashir Alameen, Mohammed Jadain Mohamed Shareef, Israa Alsadig Ahmed Alfaki, Moez Salah, Ali Almadani, Ammar Elgadi, Danya Ibrahim, Mohanned Abdalkareem Mohamed Osman Idris, Mohamed Elmakki Ahmed 2025-12-31 10:38:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8095016/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:38:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8095016/v1 Background The application of tibial tunnel compaction-drilling technique in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is controversy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of tibial tunnel compaction-drilling technique and extraction-drilling technique used in single‑bundle ACL reconstruction on bone tunnel enlargement value, ACL graft maturation and clinical outcomes. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, 62 patients receiving ACL-R were screened and divided into two groups based on the technique of tibial tunnel drilling: compaction-drilling group (CD group, n = 31) and extraction-drilling group (ED group, n = 31). The bone tunnel enlargement was analysed based on the multislice computerised tomography at 12 months postoperatively. The ACL graft maturation was evaluated by the signal/noise quotient (SNQ) value on magnetic resonance imaging at 12 months postoperatively. Subjectively clinical outcomes were assessed by Lysholm score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score at 12 months postoperatively. Pivot-shift test was performed at 12 months postoperatively. The instrumental laxity measurement using the KT-1000 arthrometer was performed at 12 and 24 months postoperatively. Results The tibial bone tunnel diameters were enlarged by 9–15% in CD group (p < 0.001) and enlarged by 15–22% in ED group (p < 0.001). The CD group showed significantly smaller bone tunnel enlargement value than the ED group at 12 months follow up (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly decreased KT-1000 measurement was found in CD group at 12 months (3.7 ± 1.8 vs. 5.0 ± 1.8 mm) (P = 0.003) and 24 months follow up (3.4 ± 1.6 vs. 5.4 ± 2.0 mm) (P < 0.001) compared to the ED group. No statistically significant differences of the SNQ value (p = 0.255), IKDC subjective score (p = 0.599) and Lysholm score (p = 0.378) were found between two groups at 12 months postoperatively. Conclusion This study demonstrated that bone tunnel compaction-drilling technique could reduce the tibial bone tunnel enlargement and improve knee stability compared with extraction-drilling technique in ACL-R objectively. Gang Yang, Lian Du, Man Qiu, Aiguo Zhou, Chengjie Lian, Hua Zhang 2025-12-31 10:38:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8311183/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:36:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8311183/v1 Background Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignancy worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The adrenal gland is a frequent site of metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The differentiation of adrenal metastases from benign lesions is imperative for accurate staging and treatment planning. Imaging methods such as FDG-PET/CT, CT, and MRI provide important diagnostic information; however, false negative and false positive results may occur with these methods. The employment of clinical, biochemical, and radiological predictors has the potential to enhance diagnostic precision.Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on NSCLC patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2025. From 2196 lung cancer cases, 121 patients who exhibited adrenal lesions on initial PET/CT scans but did not manifest extrathoracic metastases. Clinical data (age, sex, TN stage), biochemical markers (CEA, CA125) and radiological parameters (SUVmax, lesion size, laterality) were obtained. The relationship of these parameters with the presence of adrenal metastasis was systematically evaluated in order to identify potential predictors.Results Of 121 patients, 86 had adrenal metastases and 35 had benign adrenal lesions. Malignant lesions demonstrated significantly higher SUVmax, larger size, and elevated CEA and CA125 levels. ROC analysis revealed optimal cut-off values: SUVmax > 3.05 (AUC = 0.86, sensitivity 89%, specificity 69%), CEA > 4.45 ng/mL, CA125 > 24.5 U/mL, and lesion size > 14.5 mm. Multivariate regression identified N3 stage (OR = 12.75, p = 0.043), elevated CEA (OR = 1.02, p = 0.038), and lesion size (OR = 1.09, p = 0.037) as independent predictors of metastasis. Most patients with metastasis were diagnosed at advanced stages, with 91.9% being T3–4 or N2–3.Conclusion The present study demonstrates that SUVmax, lesion size, CEA, T stage, and N stage are significantly associated with adrenal metastasis in NSCLC. Integrated assessment of these clinical, biochemical, and radiological parameters can improve the differentiation of adrenal metastase from benign lesions, facilitating more accurate staging and treatment planning. Alperen Akansel Çağlar, Zekeriya Hannarici, Mehmet Emin Buyukbayram, Aykut Turhan, Yasin Emrah Soylu, Mehmet Bilici, Salim Başol Tekin 2025-12-31 10:36:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8436401/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:36:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8436401/v1 Background Society aims for a pollutant-free environment, reflected in initiatives under the European Green Deal, which seek to reduce hazardous substances and promote safe, sustainable chemical use. Comprehensive exposure data are needed to identify sources, understand mixtures and eliminate sources of chemical pollution. High-resolution mass spectrometry non-target screening (HRMS NTS) is increasingly used in environmental regulatory context to chemically characterize the environment as completely as possible and retrospectively screen for known and emerging substances. The data used in this study come from the German NTSPortal, a permanent application for archiving and visualising riverine HRMS NTS data from national and state laboratories. Results The NTSPortal uses an internal spectral library that provides identification levels comparable to standardised target analysis, facilitating the regulatory acceptance of HRMS NTS data for prioritisation and mixture assessment. We provide several use cases demonstrating the wide applicability of this approach in different sectors of chemicals management. The analysis showed that despite marked spatial variability between sampling stations, mixture composition remained stable over time, with 855 of 1721 substances detected at least once and 247 substances occurring ubiquitously. HRMS NTS data demonstrated the effectiveness of regulatory measures, such as use restrictions and complete bans, e.g. declining trends for carbendazim and climbazole. Furthermore, the findings highlight their potential to evaluate the effectiveness of the revised Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and to support One Health concepts. Conclusions Data from the German NTSPortal enabled a comprehensive, matrix-spanning and temporal characterisation of riverine chemical mixtures, revealing both stable mixture compositions over time and persistent, catchment-specific substances. These data facilitated high-resolution mixture assessments across space and time, alongside trend analyses that meet regulatory needs in environmental monitoring and chemical risk assessment. Further temporal, spatial, chemical and matrix-spanning expansion of HRMS NTS repositories will enhance their value for environmental monitoring programmes. Strengthening interoperability, implementing FAIR data principles, and developing advanced tools for prioritisation, quantification and toxicity prediction, including AI-based approaches, will be crucial to fully realise the regulatory potential of NTS portals in the future. Anna Lena Kronsbein, Ronya Mona Wallis, Eric Winter, Nicole Bandow, Kevin S. Jewell, Georg Dierkes, Arne Wick, Jan Koschorreck 2025-12-31 10:36:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8310248/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:36:16 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8310248/v1 Purpose Despite advances in diagnosis and management, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate. Most data originate from cardiac surgery centers, limiting our understanding of outcomes in community settings. Our aim was to compare the management and clinical outcomes of IE in a community hospital (HSJD) and its surgical reference center (HSP) and to identify mortality predictors. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study (2018–2024) including all adult patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for IE. Mortality rates were compared across centers. Predictors of mortality were identified via Cox proportional hazards models. Results A total of 137 patients were included: 53 at HSJD and 84 at HSP. Thirty-day mortality did not differ significantly across centers (17.0% vs 11.9%), nor did longer follow-up. Independent predictors of 30-day mortality included a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, Staphylococcus aureus infection, and sepsis-related complications. Surgery was performed in 30% of patients at HSJD and 43% at HSP. Among patients with a surgical indication, undergoing surgery was associated with a reduced risk of death across all follow-up periods. Patients who were not transferred to HSP were older, had higher comorbidity scores, and had twice the risk of death compared with transferred patients. Conclusion The outcomes for patients with IE diagnosed at a community hospital were comparable to those at a cardiac surgery referral centre. These findings suggest that effective IE management is feasible across different healthcare levels when supported by specialised clinicians and coordinated multidisciplinary management. Belen Jufresa-Michavila, Cristina Bayés-Ricart, Sara Grillo, Miguel Angel Consuegra-Perez, Trujillo-Isern Gloria, Flor-Pérez Antònia, Omar El Boutrouki, Naiara Villalba-Blanco, Mico-Garcia Miquel, César Fernández-Del Prado, Laura Escolà-Vergé, Manuel Crespo-Casal 2025-12-31 10:36:16 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406478/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:34:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406478/v1 Truss design is a highly constrained problem due to mechanical requirements and practical limitations related to fabrication and assembly. This study formulates truss design synthesis as a discrete Markov decision process, in which grammar-constrained actions generate feasible intermediate layouts and Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) learns an optimal design policy. Previous work has shown that MCTS outperforms both metaheuristic methods, such as genetic algorithms, and alternative reinforcement learning approaches, including Q-learning and deep Q-learning. However, its computational scalability is limited by the rapid growth of admissible configurations in dense grid design domains. To address these limitations, we propose a Hierarchical MCTS (H-MCTS) framework in which staged grid refinements focus computational resources on promising regions of the domain, thereby alleviating the curse of dimensionality. Benchmark evaluations show that H-MCTS consistently improves design quality and reduces computational cost compared to single-stage MCTS. To accommodate variable design conditions, H-MCTS is further applied to on-the-fly structural adaptivity through an offline–online strategy that precomputes optimal solutions and interpolates them in real time. The effectiveness of the computational procedure is demonstrated on a bridge-like truss structure that is progressively constructed and then morphed to accommodate moving loads and localized damage. Arvan Sedighzadeh, Matteo Torzoni, Alberto Corigliano 2025-12-31 10:34:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8152990/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:33:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8152990/v1 Discrimination between earthquakes and nuclear explosions is an important topic among the seismologists. Beside the famous (Ms: mb) relation, in which Rayleigh waves of 20 sec period is used, the comparison of filtered Love and Rayleigh surface wave magnitudes at variable periods (08 sec to 24 sec) is getting importance. In present study, the broadband data of NIL seismic station (located at Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan) for the Earthquakes has been used to check the effectiveness of the discriminant involving only surface wave amplitudes (filtered Love and Rayleigh wave). The method works by taking the maximum amplitudes (VMAX) at variable periods. Earthquake data of 10 years (2014 to 2023) at NIL station has been analyzed for shallow events (depth ≤ 30 km) within five regions including Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan and China. Total of 349 earthquake events with magnitude 5.0 or higher has been studied. For the earthquake cases, 86.4% to 94.4% (average 89.4%) cases are discriminated as Earthquakes. Most dominating periods in most of the regions were found to be 16 sec to 18 sec for both Love and Rayleigh waves. For explosions Chinese, North Korean, Indian and Pakistani cases have been studied at different international stations (Varying epicentral distances). From 98 cases 86.6% cases are discriminated well as explosions. For implementation of method and results, a computer code has been developed in Python using available ObsPy modules. Results authenticate our code and provide information for further regional studies. Fayyaz Hussain Asghar, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Riaz Ahmed Soomro, Saleem Iqbal, Javed Iqbal, Talat Iqbal 2025-12-31 10:33:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7955348/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:33:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7955348/v1 Background: Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a preclinical stage of α-synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Furthermore, pathological and neurological alterations are found in peripheral organs such as the submandibular glands (SMG) and heart in RBD, providing support for the “body-first” model of Lewy body disease. This study aimed to compare 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake in the parotid glands (PG) and SMG between patients with RBD, PD patients, and controls, using a novel quantitative semi-automatic analysis method. Methods: Using the mediastinum as a reference, we evaluated MIBG uptake in the early and delayed phases in the PG, SMG, and heart. Subsequently, we compared MIBG uptake among the three groups of participants. We also evaluated the correlations between MIBG uptake and clinical data in patients with RBD. Results: Ten patients with RBD (five polysomnography-confirmed and five probable RBD), 81 PD patients, and 25 controls were included in the present study. MIBG uptake in the PG, SMG, and heart was significantly lower in patients with RBD than in controls, except for the delayed phase in the PG and SMG, although its mean value was lower in RBD than in controls. By contrast, cardiac MIBG uptake was comparable between RBD and PD patients, and was lower in both than in controls. MIBG uptake in the PG and SMG was positively correlated in the early and delayed phases in patients with RBD. Conclusions: The early phase of MIBG uptake in the PG and SMG is reduced in patients with RBD, providing support for peripheral as well as cardiac sympathetic denervation as a preclinical stage of α-synucleinopathies. Junya Ebina, Mari Shibukawa, Junpei Nagasawa, Takehisa Hirayama, Sunao Mizumura, Kano Osamu 2025-12-31 10:33:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8345712/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:33:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8345712/v1 Introduction: Antibiotic resistance poses a global threat. Antibiotics are administered to 80-90% of terminally ill patients but evidence of their effectiveness in improving survival or symptom relief at the end of life (EOL) is scarce. Aim: To determine the proportion of deceased patients that continue antibiotic treatment after documented EOL discussion and the decision to prioritise symptom relief over active treatment. Secondarily compare the groups with and without antibiotics after EOL discussion in terms of differences in demographics, type of infection, mean survival time after EOL discussion and if fluid therapy followed the same trend as antibiotic use. Method: This was a retrospective cohort study including 100 patients aged 18 years or older who died with continued or discontinued antibiotics after EOL discussion, at Blekinge Hospital from January 2022 to February 2024. Patients were excluded if they received curative intended treatment until death, did not receive antibiotics during hospitalisation, or the antibiotic treatment was ended before EOL discussion. Medical record data were compared, using chi-2- , Fisher’s exact- and t-tests, between patients who continued antibiotics or not after EOL discussion, in terms of demographics, focus of infection and survival time after EOL discussion. Ethical approval was granted by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority on 2023-12-14 (Dnr: 2023-07647-01). Results: A total 36% (36/100) patients continued antibiotic treatment after EOL discussion. The most prescribed antibiotics were piperacillin-tazobactam (37%) and cefotaxime (32%) and the most common site of infection was pneumonia (45%). There was no statistical significance in survival time after EOL discussion between patients with antibiotics after EOL discussion or not (mean 2.7 days (range 0-11); IQR 1-3 vs 1.9 days (range 0-10); IQR 0.75-3; 95% CI 0.46-1.05; p=0.082). Patients who continued antibiotics were also significantly more likely to continue with intravenous fluids (11/36 (31%) vs 3/64 (5%); between-group difference of 26%; 95% CI 0.10-0.42; p=0.001). Conclusion: After EOL discussion more than one-third of inpatients continued antibiotics despite a shift to symptom relief, reflecting ongoing challenges in antimicrobial stewardship in palliative care. Klara Sandqvist, Magnus Ekström 2025-12-31 10:33:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8232051/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:33:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8232051/v1 Background Primary low-grade mucinous neoplasms of the seminal vesicle are extremely rare. Their histopathological features closely resemble those of low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN), yet their imaging characteristics have not been systematically reported.Case presentation This article presents a case of a 67-year-old male who had a chief complaint of urinary hesitancy. MRI demonstrated marked enlargement of the right seminal vesicle due to a well-circumscribed cystic mass measuring approximately 9.0 cm in maximal dimension, with irregular wall thickening and mural nodules. In addition, the patient exhibited ipsilateral renal agenesis and testicular atrophy. The patient underwent 3D laparoscopic resection of the right seminal vesicle mass, and histopathological examination confirmed a diagnosis of primary low-grade mucinous neoplasm of the seminal vesicle.Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first reported case describing the imaging characteristics of a primary low-grade mucinous neoplasm of the seminal vesicle in association with ipsilateral renal agenesis and testicular atrophy. Given the critical role of MRI in preoperative assessment, heightened recognition of this rare tumor is vital to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and facilitate optimal clinical decision-making. Weiqing Huang, Shuxin Li, Xinyi Wang, Huai Chen 2025-12-31 10:33:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7815614/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:33:10 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7815614/v1 Aim of the Work: Clarify the relationship between mental disorders as depression, anxiety and Systemic Lupus Erythematous activity. Study their effect on the quality of life in children with Systemic Lupus Erythematous. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: nephrology and rheumatology unit in pediatric department, faculty of medicine- Tanta University and at child psychiatry outpatients in center of psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery- Tanta University. From February 2024 till July 2024. Methodology: This study was Cross sectional study It was performed on 80 patients with SLE who are further divided to subgroups (9) patients diagnosed as SLE in activity, patients with activity {mild (29), moderate (25) & severe (17)}. All subjects aged from (18-65) years old. This study was Cross sectional study It was performed on 80 patients with SLE who are further divided to subgroups (9) patients diagnosed as SLE in activity, patients with activity {mild (29), moderate (25) & severe (17)}. All subjects aged from (18-65) years old. By using psychometric scales e.g. Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL), the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Short Version. All subjects aged from (18-65) years old. Results: It was found that the average score for CDI is (14±8.2); 47.5% of the studied group was normal, the prevalence of clinically significant depression (CDI > 15) was 52.5% that was further divided to 26.3% had mild depression, 18.8% had moderate depression& 7.5% had severe depression. There was positive correlation with statistically significant value between CDI grades& pediatric quality of life scores. Conclusion: The high prevalence of anxiety and depression in SLE and its detrimental effects on quality of life are the study's key results. Dalia Mustafa Hannora, Marwa Turky, Aya Elsebaay 2025-12-31 10:33:10 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7999534/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 10:29:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7999534/v1 Background: Suicide attempts constitute a significant public health emergency, with Emergency Departments (EDs) serving as a primary point of contact for individuals in acute psychiatric distress. Methods: This observational, multicentric study aimed to analyse and compare the profiles of psychiatric consultations provided in the EDs of the University Hospital Systems (AOU) of Novara and Alessandria between January and December 2024, focusing specifically on suicidal behaviours, clinical characteristics, and intervention outcomes. Data were collected anonymously and pseudonymized from the institutional software (Track Care, REDCap). Results: The study included 1,196 accesses requiring psychiatric evaluation. Significant differences emerged between the centres: the Novara cohort was significantly younger (mean age 42.5 vs. 47.1 years; p < 0.001), presented with more complex, chronic psychiatric histories (76.3% previous psychiatric history vs. 57.3% in Alessandria; p < 0.001), and showed higher rates of suicidal ideation and low-lethality self-harm. Consequently, Novara utilised acute pharmacological therapy more frequently (51.13% vs. 39.59%; p < 0.001) and hospital admissions more often (voluntary admissions 40.74% vs. 25.85%; p < 0.001). Conversely, Alessandria’s population was older, often self-referred (58.4% vs. 34.7% in Novara), and showed a significantly higher frequency of conscious suicidal intent (will to self-preserve 39.68% vs. 23.36%; p = 0.024), often associated with high-lethality suicide methods (e.g., hanging 13.1%, defenestration 8.2%). Alessandria adopted a more territorial management approach, with higher discharge rates (27.23% vs. 18.89%) and referral rates to community mental health services (CSM) (21.23% vs. 17.96%). Conclusion: Multivariate analysis confirmed the gender paradox, showing that women were significantly associated with self-harm (Odds Ratio - OR = 1.57; p = 0.008). Crucially, substantial methodological differences were observed in substance use screening (Novara: 67.84% positive vs. Alessandria: 12.22% positive), underscoring the need to standardise diagnostic protocols for reliable epidemiological data. The findings highlight the need for tailored, integrated care models based on the specific demographic and clinical profiles served by local EDs. Trial registration: The study was approved by the Interaziendale Territorial Ethics Committee of the AOU Maggiore della Carità of Novara (Prot. n° 912/CE, July 3, 2023) and by the University of Piemonte Orientale. Eleonora Gambaro, Carla Maria Gramaglia, Daniela Ferrante¹, Valeria Franchino, Carlo Mauceri, Massimo Prelati, Francesco Gavelli, Mattia Bellan, Patrizia Zeppegno 2025-12-31 10:29:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8427873/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:56:21 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8427873/v1 Among iron-based alloys, stainless steel (SS) is known for its substantial corrosion resistance under mild conditions. The major alloy element, Cr, contributes to the corrosion resistance of SS, which is categorized into several Grades depending on the Cr composition. Grade 202 has become a major concern at industrial scale due to several factors whilst the concern on corrosion monitoring and its inhibition have not been considered in a sustainable approach. Although various nanoparticles (NPs) have been implemented as corrosion inhibitors due to their high adsorption capacity on metal surfaces forming a passive film, low-cost MgO-based substances against corrosion of SS Grade 202 has not been attempted. In this study, MgO NPs derived with the aid of orange peels are found to exhibit corrosion inhibition ability through the formation of oxide passive film. Large surface area, durability and sustainably of synthesized MgO NPs pursue prominent corrosion inhibition efficiency toward SS Grade 202 regardless of the exposure of extreme environments according to a multi-technique approach of mass loss, potentiodynamic and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic investigation performed under different experimental conditions. Effective synthesis of MgO NPs is supported by XRD peaks at 36.9º, 42.9º, and 62.3º alongside with characteristic FTIR spectral bands. In the presence of 0.25 M and 0.50 M HCl, superior corrosion inhibitory action can be achieved with the aid of phytochemically synthesized 0.10 M MgO NPs which illustrates inhibition efficiency of 96.6% and 91.9%, respectively. M.H.N. REVON, Namal PRIYANTHA 2025-12-31 09:56:21 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8124794/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:52:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8124794/v1 Panoramic cameras, capable of capturing a 360-degree field of view, are crucial in robotic vision, particularly in environments with sparse features. However, non-upright panoramas due to unstable robot postures hinder downstream tasks. Traditional IMU-based correction methods suffer from drift and external disturbances, while vision-based approaches offer a promising alternative. This study presents a dual-stream angle-aware generation network that jointly estimates camera inclination angles and reconstructs upright panoramic images. The network comprises a CNN branch that extracts local geometric structures from equirectangular projections and a ViT branch that captures global contextual cues from cubemap projections. These are integrated through a dual-projection adaptive fusion module that aligns spatial features across both domains. To further enhance performance, we introduce a high-frequency enhancement block, circular padding, and channel attention mechanisms to preserve 360° continuity and improve geometric sensitivity. Experiments on the SUN360 and M3D datasets demonstrate that our method outperforms existing approaches in both inclination estimation and upright panorama generation. Ablation studies further validate the contribution of each module and highlight the synergy between the two tasks. The code and related datasets can be found at: https://github.com/YuhaoShine/DualProjectionFusion. Yuhao Shan, Qianyi Yuan, Jingguo Liu, Shigang Li, Jianfeng Li, Tong Chen 2025-12-31 09:52:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8350867/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:49:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8350867/v1 Open science adoption among Generation Z students in developing contexts presents a critical test of technology acceptance frameworks developed in Western settings. This study examines factors predicting open science resource utilization among 1,422 Vietnamese undergraduate students using Bayesian regression analysis. We tested a theoretical framework integrating Self-Efficacy Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Institutional Theory, and Mindsponge Theory through progressive model building. Model comparison via WAIC identified the main effects model as optimal. Results revealed Technical Self-efficacy (β = 0.25) and Open Science Self-efficacy (β = 0.21) as the strongest predictors, with Institutional Support showing moderate effects (β = 0.12). All three predictors demonstrated highly credible positive effects with narrow uncertainty intervals. Contrary to Western technology acceptance models, Perceived Benefits showed minimal direct influence, and Value Alignment demonstrated no credible effect on Utilization. Hypothesized interaction effects between Technical Self-efficacy and Perceived Benefits were not supported by model comparison, suggesting additive rather than synergistic adoption mechanisms. These findings challenge the digital native assumption and reveal that Vietnamese students adopt open science for practical reasons, relying on skills and support rather than ideology. Interventions in resource-constrained settings should therefore prioritize technical skill development and institutional support. This pragmatic approach has implications for advancing open science in the age of AI. Tuyet-Trinh T. Le, Ho Nguyen, Minh-Cuong Le, Xuan-Mai Vo, Thi-Quynh Pham, Manh-Tung Ho, Hong-Kong T. Nguyen 2025-12-31 09:49:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7687490/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:44:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7687490/v1 Background . To assess trends in cardiovascular mortality among people aged 65 years and older in Poland in the period 2000–2022.Methods . Mortality rates for women and men were analysed separately in two groups: early old age (65–74 years) and late old age (75+). The analysis of time trends has been carried out with joinpoint models. The Annual Percentage Change (APC) and the Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC) and standardized death rates (SDRs) were calculated.Results . In 2000, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were responsible for 45.6% of deaths in men in early old age (65–74 years) and for 56.2% of deaths in men in late old age (75 years or older). In the female group, these values were 48.4% and 63.3%, respectively. In 2022, the proportion of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases decreased in all groups respectively to 31.7%, 39.7%, 26.6% and 47.4%. SDRs also decreased: from 2069.8 to 1109.4 per 100,000 among men aged 65–74; from 7928.6 to 4326.7 per 100,000 among men 75+. Among women in early and late olde age rates decreased respectively from 1027.3 to 427.3 and from 6452.0 to 3631.1 per 100,000.Conclusions. CVD still represents a significant health risk, particularly in the oldest people. Małgorzata Pikala, Tomasz Kopiec, Monika Burzyńska 2025-12-31 09:44:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8394385/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:40:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8394385/v1 Background: Large language models such as ChatGPT are rapidly entering medical education and clinical practice, yet evidence on clinicians’ readiness to adopt these tools in low- and middle-income countries remains limited. This study aimed to assess medical residents’ awareness, trust, perceptions, and predictors of willingness to use ChatGPT in clinical settings in Iran.  Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 651 medical residents at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences between December 2023 and March 2024. A validated Persian questionnaire assessed familiarity with AI, trust in ChatGPT, perceived benefits and risks, and willingness to use the tool. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression were used for data analysis.  Results: Awareness of ChatGPT was universal; however, trust remained limited. Most residents supported the use of ChatGPT for low-risk tasks such as general health information, while none endorsed its independent diagnostic use. Multivariable regression showed that trust in ChatGPT, belief in its potential to improve clinical outcomes, and higher AI familiarity were the strongest independent predictors of willingness to use the technology. Concerns related to accuracy, privacy, and legal responsibility remained the dominant barriers to clinical adoption.  Conclusion: Iranian medical residents demonstrate cautious optimism toward ChatGPT, but limited trust and regulatory uncertainty restrict real-world use. Strengthening AI education, establishing institutional policies, and developing national regulatory frameworks are essential to enable the safe and effective integration of large language models into clinical training and practice. Saeed Zahmatkesh, Elaheh Hooshmand, Marziyhe Meraji 2025-12-31 09:40:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8232528/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:38:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8232528/v1 Background Immunization remains one of the most effective strategies for preventing childhood morbidity and mortality, yet coverage in Somalia continues to be among the lowest globally. Persistent insecurity, population mobility, and systemic health system challenges limit the uptake of routine childhood vaccines. Given the extremely low levels of full immunization coverage reported nationally, this study assessed minimum immunization coverage, defined as receipt of at least one dose of BCG, pentavalent, oral polio (excluding birth dose), and measles vaccines. The objective was to estimate the prevalence of minimum immunization coverage and examine maternal and household determinants among children aged 12 to 23 months.Methods This study analyzed nationally representative data from the 2020 Somalia Health and Demographic Survey. A total of 2,969 children aged 12 to 23 months were included. Weighted descriptive statistics were used to summarize population characteristics, while bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with minimum immunization coverage. All analyses accounted for the complex sampling design, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results Only 4 percent of children received the minimum recommended vaccinations. Significant disparities were observed across regions, with coverage ranging from 1 to 9 percent. In the adjusted analysis, maternal primary (AOR = 2.45, p = 0.003) and secondary education (AOR = 7.24, p < 0.001), higher household wealth (middle: AOR = 6.05, p < 0.001; fourth: AOR = 3.47, p = 0.006; highest: AOR = 7.04, p < 0.001), and urban residence (AOR = 1.87, p = 0.035) were independently associated with greater odds of minimum immunization. Children living in Nugaal, Mudug, Galgaduud, and Hiraan also had significantly higher odds of being immunized compared with the reference region.Conclusion Minimum immunization coverage among Somali children remains critically low, reflecting persistent inequities in access to routine vaccination services. Maternal education, household wealth, place of residence, and regional location were key determinants of uptake. Strengthening routine immunization systems, expanding outreach to underserved and mobile populations, and addressing socioeconomic barriers are essential to increase vaccine coverage and reduce preventable childhood mortality in Somalia. Mohamed Mohamud Mohamed, Abdirisak Artan, Abdirashid Mohamed Hussein, Jamilu Sani 2025-12-31 09:38:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8390695/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:37:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8390695/v1 Background We aimed to test the hypothesis that transferring blastocysts derived from extended culture of cleavage-stage embryos for single embryo transfer in the first transfer cycle would result in better clinical outcomes than transferring frozen-thawed blastocysts, without affecting neonatal outcomes.Methods We conducted a retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study at a single reproductive medicine center. After excluding transfer cycles that did not meet the inclusion criteria, we classified the subjects into two groups based on the blastocyst transfer strategies. The group receiving blastocysts derived from the extended culture of the frozen-thawed cleavage-stage embryos was labeled the F3T5 group, while the group receiving frozen-thawed blastocysts was labeled the F5T5 group. The primary outcomes of this study were the implantation rate and the ongoing pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes included the biochemical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and neonatal outcomes.Results After propensity score matching, a total of 811 blastocyst transfer cycles were included in the analysis. 307 cycles in the F3T5 group and 504 cycles in the F5T5 group. The results revealed that the F3T5 group had significantly higher rates of biochemical pregnancy (78.83% vs 66.07%, P < 0.001), clinical pregnancy (70.36% vs 59.72%, P = 0.029), implantation (70.36% vs 59.72%, P = 0.036), and ongoing pregnancy (64.17% vs 50.99%, P < 0.001) compared to the F5T5 group. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of multiple pregnancy rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, and neonatal outcomes such as gestational weeks, single birth weight, and pregnancy complications (P > 0.05).Conclusion Our findings suggested that transferring the single blastocyst derived from the extended culture of the frozen-thawed cleavage embryos in the first transfer cycle might offer a beneficial approach for optimizing assisted reproduction technology success rates in women under 36 years of age without affecting the neonatal outcomes. Wanli Yang, Jingwen Lang, Liying Peng, Pengcheng Kong, Xiuxian Zhu, Yonglun Fu 2025-12-31 09:37:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8412822/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:37:09 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8412822/v1 Background. Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) is increasingly performed in high-volume centers, yet conversion to open surgery remains a critical intraoperative event. Often perceived as a technical failure, conversion may instead represent a safety-driven strategy in complex cases. Data on its determinants and peri- and postoperative impact in mature robotic programs remain limited.Methods. This retrospective single-center cohort study included adult patients undergoing elective RPD between April 2018 and October 2025 at a tertiary referral center for pancreatic surgery. Variables associated with conversion at univariable analysis (p < 0.10) were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Peri- and postoperative outcomes were compared between converted and non-converted cases.Results. During the study period, 130 patients underwent RPD, of whom 16 (12.3%) required conversion. On multivariable analysis, vascular contact requiring resection was the strongest factor independently associated with conversion (p < 0.001). Periampullary tumor location (p = 0.023) and previous pancreatitis (p = 0.008) were also independently associated with conversion. Converted cases were characterized by a significantly higher rate of intraoperative bleeding requiring transfusion. Overall and major postoperative complication rates, including clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula and R0 resection rates, did not differ significantly between groups. Conversion was associated with longer hospital stay and prolonged high-dependency unit stay.Conclusions. In this tertiary-center experience, conversion during RPD was mainly driven by preoperatively identifiable anatomical and disease-related factors. When anticipated and performed in a controlled manner, conversion did not adversely affect major postoperative outcomes. Alessia Fassari, Edouard Wasielewski, Antoine Castel, Hector Prudhomme, Salah Abdennebi, Marie Livin, Aude Merdrignac, Fabien Robin, Laurent Sulpice 2025-12-31 09:37:09 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8447164/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:36:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8447164/v1 Background Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is a prevalent autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) closely linked to genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Gut microbiota dysbiosis has recently been implicated as a critical contributor to AITDs’ pathogenesis. Our study aims to systematically investigate the dynamic alterations in gut microbial communities under varying thyroid functional statuses and elucidate their underlying mechanisms.Methods 67 HT patients with varying thyroid functional statuses and 23 healthy controls were enrolled. Fecal 16S rDNA sequencing and analyses (alpha diversity, LEfSe, correlation, functional pathways) assessed microbiota-thyroid function links.Results HT patients with hypo/hyperthyroidism had lower gut microbiota richness than euthyroid patients (more reduced in hyperthyroidism). The hyperthyroid group exhibited enrichment of Fusobacterium, the hypothyroid group was dominated by Clostridium sensu stricto_1, and the euthyroid group showed a predominance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus). Clostridium sensu stricto_1 positively correlated with TPO-Ab levels but negatively correlated with FT3.Pro-inflammatory genera(e.g., Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus) demonstrated negative correlations with FT3.Functional prediction analysis revealed associations with L-tyrosine degradation in the hyperthyroid group, reduced proportions of bile acid metabolism pathways in the hypothyroid group, and enrichment of fatty acid metabolism pathways in the euthyroid group.Conclusions This study revealed that gut microbiota dysbiosis is closely associated with thyroid functional statuses in HT. Specific bacterial genera, such as Clostridium sensu stricto_1 and Fusobacterium, may contribute to immune regulation and disease progression. The dynamic alterations in gut microbial profiles provide potential biomarkers for precision diagnosis and treatment of HT. Jie Li, Suhang Guo, Hua Yu, Xiaobo Hong, Jing Nie, Hua Sun 2025-12-31 09:36:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8190600/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:35:50 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8190600/v1 Objective To further clarify the anatomical basis and clinical applications of the pedicled distal palm mini-kiss flap for reconstructing traumatic soft tissue defects in distal fingers. Methods A total of 20 cadaveric hand specimens were dissected to classify three distinct neurovascular anatomical types. Between 2008 and 2024, 18 distal finger defects in patients were reconstructed with the sensate pedicled distal palm mini-kiss flap. Patient demographics, injury details, defect information, defect dimensions and anatomical location, sources of pedicle vessels, donor and recipient nerve branches used for innervation, as well as clinical outcomes during follow-up were recorded. Results Three anatomical neurovascular subtypes were found. The distances between the two cutaneous flap branches ranged from 4 to 10 mm. A total of 18 distal finger defects were reconstructed using 10 oblique flaps and 8 transverse pedicled distal palm mini-kiss flaps. The mean area of soft tissue defect was quantified at 5.76 ± 2.31cm2. Nerve coaptation was achieved in 16 cases. Donor sites had no major complications, and only 2 cases had small blisters measuring between 1-2mm that resulted in epidermolysis at the distal edge of the flaps. The average follow-up was 14 months, and the two-point discrimination tests indicated an average measurement of (5.9 ± 0.7) mm. Conclusion The pedicled distal palm mini-kiss flap has been proven to be an effective and safe option for reconstructing defects of the distal finger. The classification system and technical considerations enhance its potential for this reconstructive approach to achieve optimal functional and aesthetic outcomes. Type of study/ level of evidence Level IV, retrospective case series Yunfeng Gao, Youmao Zheng 2025-12-31 09:35:50 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8296559/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:35:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8296559/v1 This work presents an experimental study to evaluate the thermal runaway (TR) risk of pouch cells with modified current collectors (MCCs), which incorporate polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for mitigating internal short circuits and further preventing TR. Two types of cells, with capacities of 5 Ah and 10 Ah, were adopted and subjected to nail penetration tests. The results showed that the 5 Ah MCC cells exhibited improved safety, with only one out of four undergoing TR, compared to both control cells without MCCs experiencing TR. In contrast, all 10 Ah cells, including those with MCCs, experienced TR, indicating that the MCC's protective benefits may not apply to higher-capacity cells under similar test conditions. Comprehensive post-mortem analyses, including computed tomography (CT) scans, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), were performed to assess the internal structural and compositional changes. The findings indicate that MCC technology significantly reduces TR risk in lower-capacity cells, while additional safety measures may be requited for the higher-capacity cells . This study highlights the potential of MCC technology to enhance battery safety and underscores the need for further research to address safety challenges in emerging battery technologies. MD ABUL KASHEM, Haodong Chen, Sadia Tasnim Mowri, Mushfiqur Rahman, Anup Barai 2025-12-31 09:35:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8132977/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:34:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8132977/v1 Azaperone is a neuroleptic drug with sedative and antiemetic effects, used as a sedative. We reported the development of a simple Synthesis of Azaperone that involves a four-step process using a micro-reactor device. They produced bis(2-chloroethylene)amine by converting alcohol groups into chloride using thionyl chloride, achieving a 96% yield. Next, 2-amino pyridine undergoes alkylation in TBAB to form 1-(pyridine-2-yl)piperazine with a 75% yield. This intermediate is further alkylated using 4-chloro-1-(4-fluorophenyl)butane-1-one to achieve Azaperone with a 65% yield. Ali Ghobadian, Mohammad Javad Taghizadeh 2025-12-31 09:34:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8325034/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:33:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8325034/v1 Purpose Approximately 50% of RSA cases are classified as unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA), while effective treatment options are still limited.Despite its growing recognition in various diseases, the specific molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in URSA patients warrant further investigation. Ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, has shown heightened susceptibility in trophoblast cells.we will validate the occurrence of ferroptosis in the chorionic and decidual tissues of URSA patients and further explore the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in URSA through in vitro, this research seeks to provide important theoretical insights into the pathological mechanisms and treatment strategies for URSA. Material and methods Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the mitochondrial morphology in the chorionic tissues of URSA patients, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were employed to assess the expression of relevant genes as well as indicators of ferroptosis and lipid peroxidation. An erastin-induced HTR-8/SVneo cell model was established to evaluate the regulatory role of CX43 in oxidative stress and ferroptosis. Results In URSA patients, there is a significant increase in iron deposition in chorionic tissue, accompanied by alterations in mitochondrial morphology, including increased density, reduced cristae, and membrane damage. Protein expression of CX43, FPN1, GPX4, Nrf2, and SCL7A11 is decreased in the chorionic and decidual tissues of URSA patients, while TFRC protein expression is elevated, In the ferroptosis cell model, treatment with Erastin led to a concentration-dependent decrease in the viability of HTR-8/SVneo cells, with 5 μM chosen for subsequent mechanistic studies. Overexpression of CX43 significantly enhanced cell viability in the Erastin treatment group, reducing intracellular ROS and MDA levels while increasing GSH levels. Expression of Nrf2, GPX4, and SCL7A11 was significantly decreased in the Erastin treatment group, whereas overexpression of CX43 restored the expression of these markers. Additionally, CX43 overexpression facilitated the nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Conversely, CX43 interference led to decreased cell viability and reduced expression of antioxidant molecules; however, the Nrf2 agonist TBHQ partially restored the oxidative damage in these cells. Conclusions In the URSA patient group, ferroptosis and changes in the levels of its biomarkers were observed in the chorionic and decidual tissues. Overexpression of CX43 improved oxidative stress and ferroptosis,whereas silencing CX43 exacerbated ferroptosis in the in vitro model. CX43 ameliorates oxidative stress and ferroptosis by modulating the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway. Hongli Zhu, Shaozhi Zhao, Jingjing Liu, Jinxia Xie 2025-12-31 09:33:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8346661/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:33:17 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8346661/v1 Introduction: Toxocariasis is documented as one of the neglected parasitic infections globally. Exposure is highest where sanitation is poor and access to health care is limited. In Ghana, similar conditions exist in many rural and peri-urban communities. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of toxocariasis in humans and dogs in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in humans and dogs drawn from two regions of Ghana. Human sera were tested for anti-Toxocara antibodies using serological assays, while faecal samples of dogs were analyzed using molecular methods Results: Human Toxocaraseroprevalence was 14.5% (95% CI: 11.4–17.5). Infection was highest in children aged 6–15 years (23.9%, 95% CI: 16.7–31.1) and lowest in the 16–30-year group (4.5%, 95% CI: 0.6–8.3). Males (18.6%, 95% CI: 13.9–23.3) and rural residents (27.5%, 95% CI: 20.6–34.4) showed higher infection. Logistic regression showed that being male increased the odds of infection (AOR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.22–3.48), living in a rural area (AOR = 4.13; 95% CI: 2.47–6.92) and having no formal education increased the likelihood of infection. Among dogs, the overall prevalence was 56.1% (95% CI: 51.4–60.7). T. canis was the dominant species (87.9%), while T. cati accounted for 12.1%. Young dogs were much less likely to be infected than puppies (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.10–0.30). Foreign-breed dogs had lower odds of infection than local breeds (AOR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.10–0.68). Conclusion: The study reports on the burden of Toxocara infections in both humans and dog populations. Children, males, rural residents, and individuals with no education were identified as risk groups. In dogs, puppies and local-breeds were found to be key reservoirs, highlighting their key role in transmission dynamics. The findings underscore the importance of dog deworming, hygiene education and One Health approaches to reduce the risk of transmission. Herein, we report for the first time of Toxocara catiinfections in dogs in Ghana. Samuel Ayetibo Ofori, Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds, Kofi Agyapong Addo, Zakari Abdul-Karim, Charles Mensah Owusu, Freddie Boateng Opoku 2025-12-31 09:33:17 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8409739/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:32:39 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8409739/v1 The pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus ureilyticus are one of the causes of frequently associated nosocomial infections in the hospital environment. The increasing antibiotic resistance in CoNS frequently results in treatment failures, highlighting the pressing requirement for new eradication methods. The present study mainly focused on isolation, and physiological characterization of phages from sewage water that target Staphylococcus ureilyticus, along with molecular characterization (whole genome sequencing) of phages and insilico analysis of its endolysin, including phylogenetic studies, open reading frames, and 3D model. Using the double-layer agar method, several phages were isolated, and the phage that has exhibited the broadest host range was selected. The current study reveals the genome of the lytic phage Staphylococcus ureilyticus, designated SVV09-A, which has been examined and annotated. Further analysis indicated that the phage has exhibited optimal activity at pH levels between 6 and 8 and within a temperature range of 30–37°C; manganese metal ions have shown great impact on phage adsorption rate. The whole genome sequence (WGS) of the phage SVV09-A was determined, revealing a linear DNA of 58,797 bp, with a G + C content of 46.9, and the phage was classified within the order Caudovirales. ORF analysis revealed 336 ORFs and uncovered functions for 67 genes. The estimated endolysin gene of phage SVV09-A had a length of 705 bp, which corresponds to 234 amino acids (~ 25.33 kDa). These findings offer a structural and functional basis for endolysin, establishing a framework for upcoming in vitro and in vivo efficacy research targeting multidrug-resistant Gram-positive infections. Lakshmi Sharvani K.S, Pritam kanti Guha, Swetha Vallabhaneni, Guru Prasad C, Vaishnavi R, Renuka Pallem, Krishna vamsi M, Vijaya lakshmi D, D Vijaya Raghava Prasad 2025-12-31 09:32:39 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8445596/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:31:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8445596/v1 Background: Transcriptomic biomarkers for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis have shown promise in high-income settings, but concerns persist about their generalizability to high-burden endemic regions due to population-specific immune responses, genetic backgrounds, and environmental factors. We performed cross-geographic validation to test whether TB diagnostic signatures are universal or population-specific. Methods: We obtained RNA-sequencing data from two independent cohorts: GSE107991 (London, UK; n=2; 21 active TB, 21 latent TB infection [LTBI]) and GSE101705 (South India; n=; 28 active TB, 16 LTBI). Raw count matrices were downloaded from NCBI GEO, normalized to log2-counts per million (CPM), and aligned on 39,376 common genes. A Random Forest classifier was trained on the London cohort using 5-fold cross-validation and validated on the India cohort. Performance was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. Hyperparameters: n_estimators=100, max_depth=10, min_samples_split=2, class_weight='balanced', random_state=42. Parameters were not optimized on validation set to avoid overfitting. Batch Effect Assessment: PCA showed disease status (active TB vs. LTBI) as primary variation source, not cohort origin, indicating minimal batch effects. Participant Characteristics: All participants were HIV-negative as per original study inclusion criteria. Active TB patients were treatment-naive at sample collection. BCG vaccination status and M. tuberculosis lineage information were not available. Results: The Random Forest model achieved an AUC of 0.873 (95% CI: 0.76-0.98, SD ±0.090) in London cross-validation. Unexpectedly, validation on the India cohort yielded superior performance (AUC 0.932 (95% CI: 0.85-1.00) (95% CI: 0.85-1.00), 9% CI: 0.8-1.00), with accuracy 90.9% (95% CI: 78.8%-96.4%), sensitivity 89.3% (95% CI: 72.8%-96.3%), and specificity 93.8% (95% CI: 71.7%-98.9%). The negative generalization gap (-0.09) indicates the model performed better on the validation cohort than training, challenging the hypothesis of population-specific signatures. The difference was not statistically significant (z-test, p=0.304), indicating consistent performance. Conclusions: TB transcriptomic signatures for distinguishing active disease from latent infection appear biologically universal rather than population-specific. This finding supports the development of global diagnostic biomarker panels and reduces the need for region-specific validation studies. The superior performance on an independent endemic cohort strengthens the case for implementing transcriptional signature-based diagnostics worldwide. Siddalingaiah H.S. 2025-12-31 09:31:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8346326/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:30:22 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8346326/v1 Background Mood fluctuations in Bipolar Disorder are closely linked to changes in activity levels, sleep quality and daily rhythms. Therefore, actigraphy could be a valuable tool in the investigation of such mental health conditions, aiding in understanding, diagnosing and treating such disorders. It is a crucial problem in the healthcare of bipolar patients to find objective features, e.g., in diurnal or nocturnal motion patterns, which can promote prediction of sudden state-changes of the patient. To this end, we carried out a comprehensive mathematical analysis of an extremely large set of actigraphy recordings (spanning through more than 600 days) of a bipolar outpatient.Results The research employed cutting-edge statistical tools for data analysis, including Probability-Density-Function and Continuous Wavelet analysis methods, to provide insights into daytime and nighttime activity structures in different mood states. We observed that in depression and mania, nighttime activity is more structured compared to normal nights. Regarding the days, we can see that depression, normal activity, and mania show increasingly more pronounced levels of structural complexity, in that order. Based on these findings, we performed a Continuous Wavelet analysis for single nights preceding normal, manic and depressive days, respectively, in order to give a quantitative prediction for mood switches. From the structure of the wavelet intensity spectra of the nocturnal activities for the “transition” nights, we could successfully establish the probability of transitions to depressive and manic episodes. Bearing in mind that our results are based on an exceptionally long, but still individual case study, which obviously represents a limitation towards generalizability, we can safely state that the intensity spectra derived from Continuous Wavelet analysis can serve as a quantitative measure of these differences, and suggested to give a solid basis for the prediction of mood-state transitions in Bipolar Disorder.Conclusions Our main findings, based on sensitive statistical tools imply that successful prediction of mood switches following longer or shorter normal episodes in Bipolar Disorder is possible by a proper analysis of nocturnal actigraphy signals. The CWA- based approach outlined here represents a novelty, and expected to have important methodological implications for psychiatric practice. Zsófia Pákozdi¹², András Búzás¹, István Szendi³⁴⁵, László B. Kish⁶, András Dér¹ 2025-12-31 09:30:22 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8095943/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:29:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8095943/v1 Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a rapidly evolving technology that is profoundly impacting consumer products and biomedical applications. The persistent lack of essential toxicological data in material safety data sheets (MSDS) for additive manufacturing raises legitimate concerns regarding the biological safety of the polymers utilized in 3D printing. In this study, the cytotoxic potential of eight widely available filaments—polylactic acid (PLA), polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), and flexible polyurethane (FLEX)—was examined using an ISO 10993-5 compliant indirect contact assay on primary human dermal fibroblasts. Cells were exposed to leachables diffusing from 3D-printed inserts for 24 hours or 7 days, and viability, proliferation, metabolic activity, and mitochondrial respiration were assessed. The investigation revealed that FLEX (thermoplastic polyurethane), PETG, and PC induced significant cytotoxic effects, including impaired proliferation, altered morphology, and disrupted mitochondrial respiration. Conversely, PLA, ABS, and CPE demonstrated minimal impact under the tested conditions. The observed toxicity is likely associated with additives, pigments, and plasticizers, such as isocyanates or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are released during the thermal degradation of the material during printing. Specifically, the toxicity profile aligns with the known hazards of residual isocyanates in FLEX, glycol modifications in PETG, and the known release of bisphenol A and related compounds from PC. These findings suggest that materials commonly regarded as biocompatible may exhibit hidden toxicity due to additives or degradation by-products generated during the printing process. The findings of this study underscore the imperative for a systematic toxicological evaluation and stringent regulatory oversight of 3D-printing polymers, particularly given their pervasive use in consumer contact applications—including wearables (such as customized shoes and wristbands) and items intended for vulnerable populations (such as infant and toddler toys)—where direct and long-term exposure indicates a potential, yet unrecognized, risk to public health. Jiří Dejmek, Jan Jedlička 2025-12-31 09:29:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8291239/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:25:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8291239/v1 Background Anthropometric characterization and somatotype profiling in professional soccer players are essential for understanding the morphofunctional demands associated with playing positions.Objective To determine and compare anthropometric profile and somatotype characteristics across playing positions in professional female soccer players, and to analyze their relationship with nutritional adequacy.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 43 players from two First Division teams in Trujillo (Peru). Anthropometric measurements followed ISAK standards, and body composition was estimated using Kerr’s five-component fractionation method. Somatotype was assessed using the Heath–Carter method. Nutritional adequacy was calculated according to playing position and international recommendations. Statistical analysis included the Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc comparisons for anthropometric variables, Chi-square tests with Cramer’s V effect size for nutritional adequacy, and Kendall’s Tau correlations for body composition associations. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results Goalkeepers presented significantly higher adipose mass (18.6 ± 2.5 kg) and muscle mass (33.1 ± 2.2 kg) than outfield players (p < 0.05; ε² ≥0.21). Nutritional adequacy differed significantly by position, with goalkeepers showing 100% protein insufficiency (p < 0.001, V = 0.58). No significant associations were found between nutritional adequacy and body composition when stratified by playing position (p > 0.05). However, in the total sample, protein adequacy was inversely correlated with adipose mass (Tb = − 0.60, p < 0.001), and lipid adequacy was negatively associated with muscle mass (Tb = − 0.52, p < 0.001).Conclusions Although no position-specific associations were identified, significant relationships emerged in the overall sample, suggesting that nutritional adequacy influences body composition independently of tactical role. Ángel Luis Kong-Lozano, Nicolás Leveau-Carrera, Rodrigo Aquino, Nelson Enrique Conde Parada, Bryan Steve Martínez Galán 2025-12-31 09:25:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8450440/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:24:25 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8450440/v1 Background Field trials of vector control interventions, particularly those against malaria, generally use cluster randomisation with large clusters, to minimize spillover caused by mosquito movement which can bias efficacy estimates. Often trial arms are separated by buffer zones. There is little evidence on the suitable sizes of clusters and buffer zones, nor on the impact of spillover on power and required sample size in the absence of buffer zones.Methods Analyses of simulated trials with a dichotomous outcome were used to establish and parameterize a generalised linear model (GLM) for the efficacy estimate, as a function of the true efficacy, the operative distance of spillover effects, the intra-cluster correlation and cluster size. Standard power and sample size calculations applied to effect size predictions from the GLM gave estimates of optimal cluster size and the required total study population.Results Using a Western Kenyan set of locations, the required total sample size is similar irrespective of whether buffer zones are specified. This minimum is much less than the overall sample size of several recent major malaria CRTs.Conclusions The approach provides a generalisable method for determining the minimum required study size for CRTs with geographical spillover. Trials with relatively small clusters can achieve adequate power by accommodating spillover bias and inflating the number of clusters. Similar total trial sizes are obtained by optimisation of cluster size in trials with buffers. The method could be extended to identify the least expensive trial design for any specific setting and type of outcome. Thomas A. Smith, Roland Goers, Neal A. Alexander 2025-12-31 09:24:25 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8192645/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:23:44 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8192645/v1 The use of medicinal plants is crucial in traditional and modern medicine. In Africa, fungal infections, particularly those caused by foodstuffs such as charmout (dried meat) in Chad, are a significant public health problem. The present study evaluated the phytochemical and antifungal potential of extracts from Cymbopogon citratus leaves, Xylopia aethiopica fruit, and essential oil from Cymbopogon citratus against the microflora that causes charmout spoilage (Aspergillus niger, Mucor sp., Fusarium sp.). Phytochemical analysis revealed that both plants are rich in secondary metabolites. The levels of phenol in X. aethiopica and C. citratus were found to be 72.37 ± 0.59 mgEqAG/gMS and 74.96 ± 0.85 mgEqAG/gMS, respectively. The presence of saponins was also detected, with X. aethiopica being particularly rich in these compounds. X. aethiopica was distinguished by a greater abundance of tannins and alkaloids in comparison the C. citratus. The ethanolic extracts of both plants exhibited strong inhibitory activity at concentrations of 1 and 2 mg/mL. The ethanolic extract of Cymbopogon citratus demonstrated a high level of inhibition against Mucor sp. and Fusarium sp. over a period of seven days at elevated concentrations. In contrast, the aqueous extracts showed negligible activity after three days, highlighting the ineffectiveness of water in extracting the major active compounds. The study corroborates the substantial potential of these plants as effective biopreservatives for the fungicidal protection of charmout, emphasising the necessity for optimisation of concentrations to ensure sustainable protection. BRAHIM ADOUM AHMAT, AL-LAMADINE MAHAMAT, Abdelsalam Adoum Doutoum, KONE Souleymane, ALI HAROUN HISSEIN, DENIS ERBIS, ABDOULLAHI HISSEIN OUSMAN, Abdelsalam TIDJANI, Aly SAVADOGO 2025-12-31 09:23:44 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7064869/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:21:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7064869/v1 Gamma-band neural oscillations, mechanistically associated with higher-order cognitive functions, may weaken with age. The observation of aberrant gamma rhythms in cognitive decline indicates their potential as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease. In turn, research demonstrates that manipulation of oscillations via neuromodulatory techniques may rescue cognition and attenuate dementia-related pathology. Promising findings from preclinical studies indicating that sensory gamma stimulation offers neuroprotective effects and preliminary results from human trials support the efficacy of sensory entrainment in slowing decline, with optimisation of stimulation parameters suggested as the next milestone for increasing impact. Although 40-Hz stimulation is typical, evidence suggests the frequency for optimal gamma entrainment may decrease with advancing age. In an exploratory design, we sought to determine if 40-Hz auditory stimulation can be deemed optimally effective for gamma entrainment in older adults. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings taken from 15 healthy volunteers (aged 60 to 75 years) during auditory stimulation at gamma frequencies ranging from 37-45 Hz in 1-Hz increments were analysed to characterise individual differences in entrainment. Individual optimal stimulation frequencies elicited significantly stronger entrainment in comparison to 40 Hz, supporting the potential value of fine-tuning stimulation parameters to enhance therapeutic effects of gamma entrainment in clinically relevant populations. Aoibhe Burca, Eve Bolland, AmirAli Farokhniaee, Grace Cullen, Gráinne McLoughlin, Alexander Khalil 2025-12-31 09:21:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8319417/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:19:20 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8319417/v1 This paper examines schooling and learning outcomes of children with disabilities in Ghana. We used data from the Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) and linear regression models to estimate the relationship between disability status and schooling and learning outcomes. Our results show that disability is associated with poor schooling and learning outcome for children in Ghana. We find that children with disabilities are less likely to be enrolled in school and those who have enrolled are less likely to be in the grade appropriate for their age. Children with disabilities also recorded low performance in reading tests compared to children without disabilities. Advocacy for children with disabilities and their families should involve the provision of support to children with disabilities to improve their schooling and learning outcomes.  JEL codes: I14, 124, I31 Kwadwo Opoku, Charles Godfred Ackah, Derek Asuman 2025-12-31 09:19:20 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7769400/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:19:15 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7769400/v1 Background Media health literacy (MHL) has been increasingly recognized as an important skill in identifying false or misleading health information on the internet. Although this association has been explored in medicine and public health, few studies have focused specifically on dentistry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between MHL levels and the ability to discern fake news in the field of dentistry.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 participants recruited using a snowball sampling strategy. The participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and a custom-designed fake news questionnaire addressing dental topics. Descriptive analysis, the Mann–Whitney test, and linear regression models were used to identify associations between variables.Results Among the 240 participants, 75.8% were female and 65.9% were between 24 and 39 years of age. Most participants had a monthly income more than R$4,000 and 49.6% held postgraduate degrees. The median eHEALS score was 32 (maximum of 40), whereas the median fake news discernment score was 3 out of 8. Higher MHL levels (eHEALS scores) were significantly associated with having a postgraduate degree, income over R$8,000, and being a healthcare professional, particularly a dentist (p < 0.05). The regression analysis showed that occupation and eHEALS score were significant predictors of the ability to discern fake news.Conclusions Higher media health literacy is associated with a greater ability to recognize misinformation in dentistry. Even among dental professionals, gaps in the critical assessment of online content persist. Educational strategies aimed at improving MHL should be prioritized to enhance public and professional discernment, mitigate the spread of fake news, and promote informed decision-making in oral health. Daniela Fernandes Ceron, Beatriz Zamboni Martins Panucci, Ana Carolina Lobo, Maria Cecília Bruningn, Gabriela Cristina Santin 2025-12-31 09:19:15 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6844704/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:16:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6844704/v1 Physics education in culturally diverse settings demands pedagogical strategies that connect abstract scientific concepts to students' lived experiences. This study evaluates the impact of a culturally responsive teaching approach that integrates local cultural contexts into physics instruction. A mixed-methods research design was employed, involving 120 secondary school students and 20 physics teachers. The methodology now specifies the intervals at which the multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) was administered: pre-test, mid-test, and post-test. Statistical analyses using the student’s t-test confirm a significant improvement in student performance, with results clearly documented in newly added tables. The qualitative analysis of teacher interviews, previously presented in a quantitative manner, now adopts a thematic approach, avoiding numerical summaries. Findings reveal that culturally adapted instruction enhances comprehension, particularly in challenging topics like thermodynamics and electricity, leading to a 30.4% increase in student performance. Additionally, engagement levels improved, with students expressing greater motivation and confidence in their learning. However, challenges persist, including the need for specialized teacher training and the development of inclusive instructional materials. This study aligns with prior research, reinforcing the benefits of integrating cultural references into science education. It underscores the necessity of designing pedagogical approaches that not only accommodate diverse learning styles but also validate students’ cultural identities within the scientific discourse. Recommendations include targeted teacher support, resource development, and further investigation into optimizing inclusive physics education. Mustapha Lassri, Hassan Lassri 2025-12-31 09:16:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8377834/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:12:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8377834/v1 Urban expansion alters animal communities through habitat fragmentation, environmental filtering and functional homogenisation. Understanding how urban habitats shape species assemblages is essential for urban planning that balances development with biodiversity conservation. We analysed the breeding bird community in Pamplona, northern Spain, a Mediterranean city that has experienced 40% population growth over the last five decades, examining how assemblages responded to habitat structure across the centre-periphery gradient. We detected 66 species organised according to the species-sorting paradigm, with two main Mediterranean assemblages: urban core specialists (Passer domesticus, Columba livia, Motacilla alba, Delichon urbicum) and peripheral species linked to natural habitats (Sylvia atricapilla, Troglodytes troglodytes, Luscinia megarhynchos, Hippolais polyglota). Water cover had the strongest positive effect on richness (+3.2 species per 10% habitat coverage), followed by gardens (+1.6 species per 10%), while building and street cover reduced richness (-1.0 to -1.5 species per 10%). Centre-periphery differences in species richness were measurable only at scales greater than 50 hectares, with 60 species in 120 ha in the urban periphery versus 40 in the centre, reflecting pronounced functional filtering favouring birds with preferences for wooded habitats and wetlands. Water bodies and well-wooded green areas functioned as biodiversity hotspots. The city's outskirts contributed to gamma diversity with rare species, highlighting the need for ecotonic and permeable urban boundaries, which should be established by landscape conservation strategies in expanding Mediterranean cities. Luis M. Carrascal, Xabier Esparza, Juan Arizaga 2025-12-31 09:12:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8170901/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:12:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8170901/v1 The importance of access to safe drinking water for human health is well established. However, increasing concerns about the quality of public water supplies have led to a surge in bottled water consumption, contributing significantly to plastic pollution and environmental degradation. This study examines whether strategic public infrastructure improvements, specifically, the installation of Water Vending Machines (WVMs) by Indian Railways, can serve as a choice architecture nudge to promote responsible consumption and reduce reliance on bottled water. Drawing on the Expectation Confirmation Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, this Research identifies key constructs influencing passengers' behavioral intentions toward WVM use, expectation confirmation, environmental beliefs, consumer attitude and trust, perceived usefulness, and risk perception. Using Design Thinking under Research through Design (RtD), the study employs an empathize–define–ideate framework to gather commuter insights, synthesize pain points, ideate potential interventions within the Infrastructure that could nudge commuters toward using WVMs, and ultimately propose these interventions in the form of a policy document to the Railway Authorities of India. The Paper also attempts to build a theory using the Design Thinking exercise. Aasha Sharma 2025-12-31 09:12:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8013437/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:11:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8013437/v1 In the present study, mechanical behavior of Ceresit 20 mortar is investigated through non-destructive experimental modal testing on a mortar beam. The objective was to determine the Young's modulus (E) in three principal directions longitudinal, transverse, and vertical in terms of bending frequencies. Torsion mode data was utilized in order to calculate the shear modulus (G) and to calculate Poisson's ratio (ν). A finite element model was used for validation, with very good correlation with experiment. Besides, a new Machine Learning (ML) model, Self-Attention Interpretable Neural Transformer optimized by Honey Badger Algorithm (SAINT-HBA), was introduced to predict crack depth of mortar beams. Utilizing bending and torsion frequencies of failed specimens, the model predicted single and multiple crack scenarios very well. SAINT-HBA outperformed hybrid SAINT models that used Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Artificial Ecosystem-based Optimization (AEO) and was found to be useful for structural health monitoring applications. Aya bendada, Abdelwahhab Khatir, Djillali Boutchicha, Samir Khatir, Le-Thanh Cuong, Roberto Capozucca 2025-12-31 09:11:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8318774/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:06:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8318774/v1 Multiple attribute decision making (MADM) is a vital part of modern decision science and often faces challenges in representing fuzzy information and maintaining dynamic adaptability under complex uncertain conditions. Although existing studies seek to improve heterogeneous information fusion using fuzzy set theory, research gaps persist in dynamic fuzzy decision mechanisms, reduction of subjective factors, and validation in multi-dimensional scenarios. The classic PROBID method, leveraging an ideal-average distance mechanism, has demonstrated considerable effectiveness across various domains. Yet, its strong sensitivity to attribute weight changes and limited adaptability in static contexts restrict broader applicability. To overcome these issues, this research proposes a hybrid model named multivalued neutrosophic contact numbers-based PROBID (MVCN-PROBID). By integrating the ternary semantic representation of multi-valued neutrosophic numbers (MVNNs) with the identity, discrepancy, and contrary theoretical mechanisms of contact numbers (CNs) in set pair analysis (SPA), a dual-dimensional dynamic evaluation system is established. This synergy within the PROBID framework partially alleviates traditional decision-making bottlenecks in dynamic fuzzy environments. Empirical analysis using two cases, agricultural drone procurement and investment firm selection, shows that MVCN-PROBID produces priority rankings closely matching practical needs. Internal robustness was examined via systematic parameter adjustments, and consistency was verified through multi-method comparative ranking, confirming the model's advantages in stability, applicability, and reliability. This work extends the PROBID method’s theoretical boundaries under a fuzzy mathematics framework, offering a structured solution for MADM in complex settings. Dongsheng Xu, Cedong Wang, Lijuan Hu 2025-12-31 09:06:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8337646/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:06:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8337646/v1 Indigenous malaria knowledge remains foundational to health decision-making in Uganda, yet it remains under-represented in digital health systems. This study investigates whether culturally embedded malaria knowledge can be transformed into interpretable digital intelligence using artificial intelligence (AI). An indigenous malaria corpus was constructed from documented ethnobotanical sources, community behaviour reports, and cultural health narratives drawn from 11 Ugandan communities, comprising 38 medicinal plant profiles, 17 non-plant prevention practices, and 14 explanatory belief pathways. The dataset was encoded into 812 prompt–response pairs and used to fine-tune GPT-NeoX-1.3B through low-rank adaptation and retrieval-augmented conditioning. Model evaluation indicated promising performance: precision@3 of 81%, recall@5 of 77%, and cultural authenticity ratings averaging 4.3/5 from traditional medicine reviewers. Safety reliability was high, with escalation behaviours achieving 4.7/5 compliance, while hallucination frequency reduced from 28% in the base model to 9% post-training. Cross-community reasoning achieved 69% generalisation, strongest in prevention logic (78%) but comparatively weaker in herb specificity (65%). The model showed moderate paraphrasing diversity but limited bilingual fluency, particularly under Luganda reformulations. Computational feasibility testing revealed central processing unit (CPU) inference latency below 2.5 seconds and stable performance under int8 quantisation, suggesting suitability for use on low-resource devices typical of rural health settings. These results demonstrate that Ugandan indigenous malaria knowledge can be computationally represented, internalised, and operationalised through AI without compromising cultural tone or safety. The work provides a proof-of-concept for culturally grounded digital health intelligence and identifies pathways for scale-up via community co-creation, indigenous language expansion, and applied field prototyping. Emmanuel Ahishakiye, Nina Olivia Rugambwa 2025-12-31 09:06:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8434228/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:04:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8434228/v1 Adolescent depressive disorders are common and often interfere with adolescents’ everyday functioning, school life, and social relationships. Although there is growing interest in finding objective ways to support these disorders’ clinical assessment, blood-based measures for young people have been relatively overlooked. As low-grade inflammation and changes in hematopoiesis are thought to play a role in depression, we explored whether routinely obtained hematological measures show meaningful patterns in relation to depressive symptom severity among South Korean adolescents. We retrospectively analyzed the electronic health record data of 1,074 adolescents with depressive disorders and 1,220 healthy controls aged 13–18 years. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Blood samples were obtained from routine laboratory tests, and associations between peripheral blood parameters and depressive symptoms were examined using correlation analyses and multivariable least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. Compared with the control group, the depression group exhibited lower red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, but higher platelet and white blood cell counts. Correlation analyses showed that greater depression severity was associated with reduced hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and eosinophil levels. LASSO regression revealed that hemoglobin, hematocrit, and eosinophil counts were negatively associated with scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Although these markers are unlikely to serve as standalone diagnostic indicators, they may offer complementary information regarding inflammatory or hematopoietic alterations in youths with depression. Kang Yoon Jung, Jong-Hyun Jeong, HyeJin Tae, Yoo Hyun Um, Jae Hyun Yoo 2025-12-31 09:04:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8361849/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:04:31 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8361849/v1 In the field of audio processing, self-supervised learning has emerged as a key paradigm for learning general audio representations.However, existing Transformer-based models, such as the Audio Spectrogram Transformer (AST), commonly face two major challenges.First, they inherit the fixed input size paradigm from computer vision, leading to suboptimal preprocessing like cropping or padding when handling variable-length audio, which results in the loss of critical information or the introduction of redundancy.Second, these models rely on expensive supervised pre-training or cross-modal knowledge transfer capturing the underlying structural patterns of audio directly from raw data. To resolve these challenges in a unified manner, we introduce a new architecture that incorporates a time-frequency decoupling feature extraction module with a dual-task self-supervised learning framework. The model separates the time and frequency dimensions at the input stage, natively supporting variable-length audio inputs and more effectively capturing the unique time-frequency structure of audio. Simultaneously, by combining a generative masked latent prediction task with a discriminative contrastive learning task, the model ensures the learning of robust general representations that encompass both local details and global semantics. This architecture draws inspiration from supervised time-frequency decoupling in time-frequency decoupled audio models and extends it to an unsupervised paradigm for the first time, enabling from-scratch training on the unlabeled AudioSet-20K dataset.Downstream task evaluations cover benchmarks such as AudioSet-20K and Speech Commands V2. Experimental results demonstrate that, without any external pre-training, our model achieves a linear evaluation accuracy of 0.336 on AudioSet-20K, representing a significant relative improvement of 20.4% over self-supervised baseline models. Jie Xu, Yuhao Dai, Zhifeng Wang 2025-12-31 09:04:31 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8124382/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:02:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8124382/v1 Anthocyanins, a class of flavonoid pigments, function as crucial modulators of plant responses to environmental stressors by mitigating oxidative damage and facilitating cellular adaptation. Anthocyanin biosynthesis is tightly regulated by transcriptional networks that respond to developmental cues and external stimuli. Here, we identify MEVALONATE KINASE (MVK), a key enzyme of the cytosolic isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway, as a repressor of sucrose-induced anthocyanin production in Arabidopsis. Loss-of-function mvk mutants show increased anthocyanin levels compared to wild-type (WT) plants under high sucrose conditions. The expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic and regulatory genes, such as CHS, DFR, and MYB75/PAP1, is increased in mvk-1 mutants grown in the presence of high sucrose. mvk-1 mutants exhibited elevated sucrose accumulation through upregulation of sucrose transporters compared to WT under high sucrose conditions. Furthermore, reduced levels of gibberellins in mvk-1 mutants resulted in the stabilization of DELLA proteins, which are known repressors of gibberellin signaling, thereby facilitating sucrose-induced anthocyanin accumulation. Our findings demonstrate that MVK negatively regulates sucrose-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis by modulating sucrose transport and gibberellin homeostasis in Arabidopsis. Jinku Kang, Sua Cho, Kiyoon Kang, Daewon Kim, Sang-Il Bae, Eunji Shin, So-Yon Park, Gary Stacey, Nam-Chon Paek, Sung-Hwan Cho 2025-12-31 09:02:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8107410/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 09:01:56 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8107410/v1 This study compares the phytochemical composition, physicochemical characteristics, and biological activities of ethanolic propolis extracts from Tipaza, Algeria, and a commercial source. Algerian propolis exhibited higher dry matter (97.37 ± 0.16%), ash content (4.34 ± 0.25%), titratable acidity (6.79 ± 0.40 mg/g), and extraction yield (32.14 ± 2.10%) than the commercial sample (19.65 ± 1.50%). Total polyphenols (203.32 ± 3.80 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (53.03 ± 2.20 mg QE/g) were also higher, suggesting enhanced antioxidant potential. LC–MS/MS analysis identified 17 and 14 secondary metabolites in Algerian and commercial propolis, respectively, with a predominance of flavonoids (apigenin, myricetin, luteolin, quercetin-3-glucoside, rutin, catechin) and phenolic acids (caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid) in the Algerian samples. In contrast, commercial propolis contained fewer flavonoids and phenolic acids, with notable compounds including 2-methoxybenzoic acid, resveratrol, and oleanolic acid, reflecting differences in botanical origin and chemical profiles. Thermogravimetric (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses revealed greater thermolability and lower thermal stability in Algerian propolis, consistent with its higher content of thermolabile phenolic compounds. X-ray diffraction confirmed a more amorphous structure, while FTIR and ¹H NMR spectra indicated hydroxyl, carbonyl, and aromatic functional groups, reflecting a complex and less processed matrix. Algerian propolis showed stronger antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 0.20 mg/ml) and superior antimicrobial effects, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, these findings highlight the influence of geographical origin, botanical composition, and processing on propolis quality, and underscore Algerian propolis as a promising natural source of bioactive metabolites for biomedical and nutraceutical applications. Khoukha Alileche, Mourad Djeziri, Ahlem Mokrane, Aicha Hennia, Faiza Mebkhout, Nassima Ait Issad, Mustapha Mounir Bouhenna, Abdelkrim Ouali 2025-12-31 09:01:56 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7378456/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:59:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7378456/v1 Lactobacillus has antioxidant properties that may benefit poultry production. However, there is no systematic research on antioxidant of Lactobacillus strain and its effects on regulating nutrient metabolism in aged laying hens. This study investigated the influence of Leuconostoc lactis on production and antioxidant capacity in aged laying hens and explored the key biomarkers associated with tryptophan-skatole metabolism and its effects on the intestinal microbiota-liver axis. Hens supplemented with L. lactis showed a higher laying rate, reduced hepatic MDA levels, and increased T-AOC in comparison with the control group (CG). Indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAld) levels were elevated in both feces and yolk, and skatole decreased in feces by the L. lactis group compared to CG. The total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), C18:3n3, and C18:2n6c in yolk were raised in the L. lactis group relative to CG. In the liver, mRNA levels of AhR, CYP2D6, and CPT-1 were markedly upregulated in the L. lactis group relative to CG. The L. lactis-treated group also exhibited higher alpha diversity in fecal samples at 30 days and in ileal samples at 60 days. Further, we conducted the hepatocyte validation experiment and found that MDA levels were significantly reduced, and T-AOC was increased in both the L. lactis and IAld-treated groups compared with the CG. IAld treatment significantly affected p38, and NF-κB, and Nrf2 cytokine expression in hepatocytes. The findings provide a reference for the use of L. lactis in improving production and intestinal nutrition in aged laying hens. Zhou Chenxin, Liu Hui, Chen Meixia, Zhang Zefeng, Zhang Dongyan 2025-12-31 08:59:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8354890/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:57:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8354890/v1 This research investigates the effects of green initiative practices such as green packaging, green advertising, and eco-labels on customer legitimacy in the artificial food manufacturing sector where customer perceived ethicality is the intervening variable. Data were gathered from 334 artificial food manufacturers’ customers and a 458 sample from the Philippines and were subjected to quantitative analysis via SEM-PLS. The results showed customer perceived ethicality to considerably mediate all direct effects which means that ethical perceptions determine how customers perceive a brand and its associated goodwill. Firms that practice sustainable initiatives are more apt to increase trust, credibility, and advocacy from customers who appreciate eco-initiatives. The research contributes to the practical side of the business by directing firms to focus on sustainable practices in green packaging, green advertising, and eco-labeling in order to provide clear and robust evidence of eco-commitment. By doing this, firms stand to gain improved customer business relationships and have the potential to reshape market dynamics along with regulation to promote a more sustainable environment. The research also contributes to the theory by providing empirical evidence on the unexplored purpose of green marketing tools in customer legitimacy. Based on the signaling theory, eco-labeling, green packaging, and advertising are all examples of practices that reflect corporate values and morality. These practices are seen by consumers as signs of worth and trust. The research, in addition, indicates the perception of ethics is key to translating green efforts into customer legitimacy. Johannes V. Gloria 2025-12-31 08:57:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5196777/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:55:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5196777/v1 Diatoms are one of the most commonly found microscopic algae in almost all water bodies across the globe. Its cosmopolitan distribution, coupled with its variance in species, makes it an ideal identification marker across various fields of study, including Environmental and Forensic efforts. This paper aims to identify Diatoms across 5 water bodies around the Indore region, chosen based on their significance as tourist hotspots and prior cases associated with them regarding drowning deaths. The Samples were collected from five different sites (Bilavali Lake, Gulavat, Sirpur Upper Lake, Sirpur Lower Lake, and Regional Park) and from three different surfaces (free-flowing water, submerged plant life, and Debris and rocks submerged up to 3 meters from the shore). Sample digestion was performed using the reverse aqua regia method. Micrographs were taken of various genera of diatoms at 1000X magnification. More than 500 micrographs were taken, and among them, nearly 100 individual diatoms identifiable up to their genera are included in this study. The findings of this study indicate a periodic, detailed analysis of the diatom genera, which can significantly aid in forensic and environmental endeavors. Gangesh Kurmi, Upasna Thakre 2025-12-31 08:55:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7872509/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:54:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7872509/v1 This research builds a social media public opinion early warning index system based on crisis informatics, and takes the epidemic report in the mainstream news Weibo media People's Network as an example, aiming to explore the role of social media in major public health emergencies. The study found that social media has played an important role in crisis response. The measurement results of People's Daily Online show that although the early warning index of social media is green and safe, that is, it is safer, there are still problems such as untimely and inaccurate crisis early warning, and lack of attention to crisis recovery. Jin Xin, Wu Jingyu 2025-12-31 08:54:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8451856/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:50:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8451856/v1 Recent advances in deep learning have enabled highly accurate protein structure prediction, yet predicted structures frequently exhibit localized geometric pathologies such as steric clashes, distortions, and poorly formed regions that limit downstream use. These errors are typically rare but high-impact, suggesting that refinement is a tail-dominated problem rather than a uniform optimization task.  We propose Q-Refine-AF, a hybrid refinement framework that formulates post-prediction structure correction as an operator learning problem acting on local structural patches. Patch selection is driven by a tail-risk objective inspired by Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR), ensuring that refinement effort is concentrated on the most problematic regions while leaving well-formed parts of the structure untouched. The refinement operator is implemented as a parameterized quantum circuit embedded within a classical pipeline and trained to produce structured geometric updates rather than scalar quality scores.  Through controlled synthetic experiments, we demonstrate that the proposed framework exhibits two distinct operating regimes: a conservative regime characterized by near-identity updates that preserve structural stability, and an aggressive regime capable of resolving severe synthetic steric conflicts through large corrective displacements. While the latter regime substantially reduces clash counts in highly corrupted structures, the resulting updates are not yet physically constrained and should be interpreted as structural repair rather than biophysically realistic refinement.  These results validate the core hypothesis that tail-risk–aware operator learning can selectively target dominant local failure modes in structure prediction pipelines. Although no quantum computational advantage is claimed and physical constraints remain future work, QRefine-AF establishes a foundation for integrating learned, selective refinement operators with existing protein structure prediction and relaxation workflows. Parham Ghayour 2025-12-31 08:50:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8215578/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:45:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8215578/v1 Background OdontotermesHolmgren, 1910 is a common genus of termites in Africa with several species found in different regions within the continent. These species have been reported to be serious pests of agriculture. Odontotermes badius Haviland (1898) was first reported in South Africa but has not been reported in Nigeria. Only six Odontotermes species have been reported in Nigeria. Results This new report of O. badius for the first time in Nigeria with morphological and molecular confirmation illustrates the seventh Odontotermes species in the country. Abubakar Abdullahi Adeoye, James Adebayo Ojo, Segun Olayinka Oladipo, Abiodun Obembe, Rebecca A. Clement 2025-12-31 08:45:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8406119/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:43:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8406119/v1 Background Spatial analyses of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) have garnered significant attention due to the inherent spatial dependence and heterogeneity of this infectious disease. In the present study, we employed the Geographically Weighted Random Forest (GWRF) model to rigorously evaluate the effects of meteorological variables and the Human Development Index (HDI) on PTB incidence throughout the study period, in addition, we predicted the incidence of PTB over the next five years. Methods This study utilizes publicly available PTB incidence data from 31 provinces of Iran spanning 2009 to 2023. We employed the GWRF model to investigate the local associations between the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of PTB and various influencing factors, including the HDI, temperature, relative humidity, dew temperature, and wet temperature, all obtained from multiple data sources. Results Temperature showed a stronger influence in the southern and northern regions, while HDI exhibited high importance in several southern and central provinces. In addition, humidity demonstrated localized effects, particularly in southern and eastern areas. prediction analyses indicated an increasing trend in PTB incidence in provinces such as Qom, Kerman, and Ilam over the next five years, whereas a declining trend is anticipated in provinces including Sistan and Baluchestan, Kermanshah, and North Khorasan. Conclusions These findings highlight the critical role of spatially varying metrological and socioeconomic factors in shaping PTB incidence and underscore the need for region-specific prevention and control strategies. Saber Ghaffari fam, Leili Tapak, Erfan Ayubi, Mahshid Nasehi, Salman Khazaei 2025-12-31 08:43:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8309307/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:43:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8309307/v1 Menthol, a natural monoterpene extracted from Mentha species, has gained attention as an alternative sedative and anesthetic in aquaculture. However, its physiological safety range and potential sublethal toxicity remain insufficiently defined. This study investigated the cardiac and behavioral effects of menthol sedation in Oreochromis niloticus, aiming to identify a therapeutic window and elucidate its underlying mechanisms of action. Juvenile fish were exposed to graded concentrations of menthol (100–250 mg L⁻¹) to evaluate induction and recovery times, cardiac rhythm stability, and electrocardiographic parameters, including heart rate, QRS amplitude, and PQ and QT intervals. Additional assays with the GABAAA​ receptor antagonist flumazenil (1 mg kg⁻¹, i.p.) were performed to determine neurophysiological mediation. Menthol induced a concentration-dependent decrease in heart rate and prolongation of ventricular conduction intervals, characterizing sinus bradycardia without arrhythmia. Concentrations between 100 and 200 mg L⁻¹ provided effective sedation and rapid recovery while maintaining hemodynamic stability, defining a safe therapeutic window. Above 200 mg L⁻¹, pronounced bradycardia and delayed recovery were observed, indicating sublethal cardiac depression. Flumazenil significantly prolonged anesthesia induction, confirming GABAAA​-mediated mechanisms in menthol sedation. These findings establish the physiological safety limits for menthol use in Nile tilapia and highlight its ecotoxicological significance, as excessive or environmental exposure may impair cardiac homeostasis in aquatic organisms. The results contribute to defining safe anesthetic practices and to understanding the toxicodynamic implications of natural sedatives in aquatic ecosystems. Graphical Abstract [Insert Fig. 1 about here] Clarissa Araujo Paz, Daniella Bastos de Araujo, Axell Lins, Luciana Eiró-Quirino, Thaysa Sousa Reis, Júlia Santos Silva, Luciana Esquerdo Cerqueira, Luana Vasconcelos Souza, Lucas Lima da Rocha, Nilton Akio Muto, Moisés Hamoy 2025-12-31 08:43:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8184708/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:42:47 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8184708/v1 Creative thinking is a core competence in science education to address complex environmental, technological, and societal challenges. However, because students' performance is still insufficient, a valid and reliable evaluation instrument is needed to design effective learning strategies. The Creative Thinking Performance Test (CTPT) instrument was developed through stages ranging from the preparation of a blueprint based on four dimensions of creative thinking (sensitivity, flexibility, novelty, and elaboration), construction of essay items, expert validation using the Delphi technique, pilot tests, and psychometric analysis using Rasch, EFA, and CFA to test validity and reliability. The study involved 138 elementary school teacher education students with diverse characteristics, so the results provide a basis for measuring performance-based creative thinking skills in the context of science learning. The study results indicated variations in students' creative thinking skills based on demographic and academic factors. At the same time, EFA, CFA, and Rasch analysis confirmed that the instrument was valid, reliable, and effective in measuring the four dimensions of creative thinking skills in the context of science learning. The study introduces the CTPT, valid, reliable, and relevant in measuring the four dimensions of creative thinking skills in science learning. It emphasizes the importance of performance assessment as a complement to the tests used by lecturers in assessing students' creative thinking skills. The CTPT provides lecturers and science educators with a performance-based instrument to assess and improve creative thinking in natural science learning contexts. Molani Paulina Hasibuan, Widha Sunarno, Elfi Susanti Vh 2025-12-31 08:42:47 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8132161/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:40:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8132161/v1 Wound healing is a multifaceted biological process that requires tightly regulated cellular activities, including proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from Wharton’s Jelly (WJMSC) have emerged as powerful agents in regenerative medicine, largely attributed to their secretome, a dynamic mixture of bioactive molecules and extracellular vesicles. Recent advancements suggest that priming MSCs can potentiate their secretome’s therapeutic efficacy. However, the ability to selectively enhance wound repair mechanisms via tailored priming remains unexplored. In this study, we introduce recombinant netrin-1, a multifunctional guidance cue known for its dual role in angiogenesis and immune modulation, as a novel priming agent for WJMSCs. We demonstrate that netrin-1 priming significantly enriches the WJMSCs secretome, amplifying its regenerative potential. Conditioned media collected post 48 hours of netrin-1 PRIMING markedly enhanced fibroblast proliferation and migration, boosted angiogenic tube formation in HUVECs, and skewed macrophage polarization toward an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, required as key processes that orchestrates effective tissue repair. This study clearly establishes for the first time the role of netrin-1 priming in creating a functionally superior WJMSCs secretome that targets multiple facets of wound healing synergistically. Unlike conventional single-factor treatments, this approach leverages the natural versatility of MSC secretome augmented with a well-characterized bioactive cue, offering a sophisticated and cell-free therapeutic avenue. The netrin-1 WJMSC secretome presents a promising platform with translational potential to address complex wound healing challenges, especially chronic and non-healing wounds with persistent inflammation and impaired angiogenesis. Altogether, the N1-primed WJ-MSC secretome represents a promising, cell-free therapeutic strategy for enhancing wound healing and tissue regeneration. Future studies will focus on the development of targeted delivery systems to optimize their therapeutic efficacy in preclinical wound models, paving the way for advanced regenerative medicine interventions. Shweta Verma, Jahnavy Madhukar Joshi, Raghavendra Upadhya, Samatha Bhat, Shashikala K Bhat, Raviraja Neelavar Seetharam 2025-12-31 08:40:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6599036/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:36:55 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6599036/v1 Background: Blood donation is a critical healthcare activity that saves millions of lives globally, yet access to timely donations remains a challenge in Ethiopia, particularly during emergencies. Identifying the socio-demographic, psychological, and contextual factors that influence blood donation is essential for developing strategies to improve donation rates and ensure a sustainable blood supply. This study investigates the factors influencing blood donation practices among adults in East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, over the past two years. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,332 adults selected through multistage cluster sampling in East Gojjam Zone. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize donation behaviors, while Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) regression identified factors associated with donation frequency. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) explored the relationships between donation behaviors and key predictors. Results: Among participants, 28.8% (95% CI: 26.4%-31.2%) had donated blood at least once, and 20.7% (95% CI: 18.5%-22.9%) had donated in the past two years. Frequent donation was positively associated with younger age, male gender, higher education, and employment in healthcare or education. Altruism, specifically the desire to help others, was the primary motivation for donation. Psychological barriers, including fear of needles, health concerns, and lack of awareness, were significant deterrents. ZINB regression revealed that psychological barriers negatively influenced donation frequency, while previous donation experience, awareness, and participation in campaigns were positive predictors. SEM analysis showed that donation intention had the strongest direct effect on donation behavior, with self-efficacy, positive attitudes, and social norms also contributing significantly. Conclusions: Donation rates were lower than expected, with few participants donating repeatedly. This study highlights the complex interaction of socio-demographic, psychological, and contextual factors influencing blood donation behavior. Interventions should address psychological barriers, enhance awareness, and foster altruism to increase donation rates. Public health campaigns should target vulnerable groups, including women, older adults, and individuals with lower educational attainment. Additionally, improving donation site accessibility, offering incentives, and leveraging social networks can help boost donations. Continuous evaluation and adaptation of strategies are essential to meet the growing demand for blood. Nigusie Gashaye Shita, Awoke Fetahi Woudneh, Metadel Azeze Mekonnen, Mihretie Gedfew, Misganaw Mekonnen Nigussie, Fetene Getnet Gebeyehu 2025-12-31 08:36:55 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8296596/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:26:27 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8296596/v1 Residue Number Systems (RNS) offer a highly parallel and carry-freerepresentation for arithmetic, yet the fundamental operation of magnitude compar-ison is notoriously non-trivial due to the loss of positional ordering across residues.In 2010, the first cluster-based method for RNS comparison was introduced, show-ing that global ordering can be recovered from algebraic partitions of the residuedomain. In this work we reformulate this principle in the quantum setting and pro-pose ClusterNet, a variational quantum architecture whose entanglement structuremirrors the cluster geometry of the RNS domain. ClusterNet embeds the residuesof two integers into a multi-register quantum state, uses intra- and inter-registerentanglement to encode relative structure, and extracts a comparator bit through aparameterized flag qubit. We show that ClusterNet can exactly represent the RNScomparator via a reversible quantum circuit and prove expressivity guarantees forthe ansatz family. Because large-scale variational training of quantum circuits remains challeng-ing, we validate the underlying inductive bias through a classical surrogate modelthat preserves ClusterNet’s residue decomposition. A two-hidden-layer neural net-work trained on the full RNS domain (3, 5, 7) successfully learns the magnituderelation X > Y with 95–97% accuracy and reveals geometric patterns correspond-ing to the same residue clusters that structure our quantum design. The learneddecision boundary exhibits a sharp diagonal and highly interpretable modular stri-ations, demonstrating that the cluster-based representation is both natural andlearnable. Taken together, our theoretical construction and empirical results show thatClusterNet provides a principled quantum representation of the RNS compari-son problem and captures the algebraic geometry underlying magnitude ordering.This establishes cluster-structured residue embeddings as a promising direction forquantum arithmetic, hybrid quantum-classical architectures, and future quantumaccelerators for modular computation. Parham Ghayour 2025-12-31 08:26:27 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8367630/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:25:34 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8367630/v1 In aquatic ecosystems, phagotrophic protists and bacteriophages are major biological factors shaping bacterial populations. However, the extreme environmental conditions and low nutrient concentrations in alpine lakes limit the abundance of protists. Thus, bacteriophages may represent the main biological factor shaping bacterial communities in these ecosystems. We hypothesized that alpine lake bacteria populations harbor diverse antiviral strategies against bacteriophages that could be used to fight against other viral pathogens. To evaluate the presence of bacteria with broad-spectrum antiviral activity in high altitude Swiss lakes, we developed a sampling campaign in 24 alpine lakes in Switzerland. We assessed the decay of two human viruses (echovirus 11 and influenza A virus) in lakewater and characterized the microbial abundance and metabolic diversity in the collected samples. In addition, we obtained a collection of 223 bacterial isolates and selected bacteriophage resistant bacteria to build synthetic communities with enhanced antiviral activity against the two tested human viruses, and one plant virus of commercial significance (Potato Virus X). This confirmed our hypothesis and drew for the first time a relation between bacteriophage resistance and viral inactivation. Our findings emphasize the importance of alpine lakes as hotspots of microbial diversity with unexplored biotechnological applications. Anna Carratala, Laura Daniela Morales, Jessica Aubouy, Shannon David, Paul Seguin, Olivier Schumpp 2025-12-31 08:25:34 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8409559/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:20:54 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8409559/v1 Obesity is a growing public health concern in India, with NFHS-5 (2021) reporting a prevalence of 24% in women and 23% in men, highlighting the need for safe and effective therapeutic options. Sphaeranthus indicus L. (Mundi), traditionally used for Medoroga (obesity), has shown potential anti-obesity properties in both preclinical and clinical research, yet its therapeutic efficacy has not been comprehensively evaluated. This systematic review examined evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and in vivo animal studies assessing the anti-obesity effects of Sphaeranthus indicus L. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searches were conducted across CTRI, WHO ICTRP, ChiCTR, and UMIN-CTR. Eligible studies included RCTs and animal models evaluating body weight, anthropometric measures, and lipid profiles; studies involving comorbidities such as diabetes or PCOD were excluded. Two reviewers screened 599 records, assessed 41 full-text articles, and included 9 studies after rigorous selection. Risk of bias was assessed, and data were extracted using a standardized framework. Results indicate that Sphaeranthus indicus L., often combined with Garcinia mangostana L., produced significant reductions in body weight (2–5 kg over 8–12 weeks), BMI (1–2 kg/m²), body fat percentage, and improved lipid parameters and adiponectin levels, with minimal adverse events. Preclinical studies showed dose-dependent reductions in visceral fat and triglycerides. However, limitations included small sample sizes, heterogeneity in study design, and frequent use of polyherbal formulations, making it difficult to attribute effects solely to Sphaeranthus indicus L. Although current evidence is encouraging, well-designed, large-scale RCTs employing standardized mono-herbal preparations are needed to confirm efficacy and support clinical application. Sumedh Joshi, Vaibhav Kakde, Aishwarya Joglekar 2025-12-31 08:20:54 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8378659/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:15:23 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8378659/v1  Understanding and predicting cancer phenotypes from genomic data requires models capableof capturing high-order interactions among genes and biological pathways. We introduce Quantum Interaction Manifolds (QIMs), a theoretical framework that represents gene expression profiles as quantumstates evolved under biologically informed Hamiltonians. We show that QIM embeddings induce hypothesisclasses that cannot be efficiently approximated by classical learners under standard complexity assumptions,providing a principled quantum advantage in representing nonlinear genomic dependencies. Using noisysimulations on reduced-dimensional datasets, we demonstrate that QIM-based quantum kernels achievecompetitive accuracy in cancer classification tasks, while variational quantum models trained on QIMrepresentations learn continuous drug response signals with stable convergence. Together, these results establish QIMs as a quantum-native approach for modeling genomic interactions and highlight the potentialof structured quantum machine learning to support future developments in computational oncology Parham Ghayour 2025-12-31 08:15:23 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8293343/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:14:42 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8293343/v1 Aims Mountain soils play a critical role in global carbon cycling, yet how altitudinal gradients regulate soil organic carbon (SOC) component formation is unclear. Methods We investigated vegetation zones along elevations in the Qilian Mountains, analyzing soil properties, microbial communities (PLFA), and SOC components. Results Results showed soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total microbial biomass increased with elevation. Conversely, the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria (G+/G-), microbial biomass per unit SOC, and the contributions of microbial necromass carbon (MNC) and plant residue carbon (PRC) to SOC declined. Structural equation modeling revealed that mean annual temperature and precipitation are primary drivers. They directly and indirectly regulate MNC and PRC formation by altering soil properties and microbial communities (e.g., fungal/bacterial ratio). This demonstrates a dominant hierarchical pathway: climate → soil properties → microbial communities → SOC components. Its explanatory power far exceeded that of microbially mediated processes alone. Conclusions These findings highlight the overarching control of macro-climate in mountain soil carbon dynamics, providing key insights for predicting soil carbon stability under climate change. Yuqian Li, Erwen Xu, Jiannan Lu, Xiurong Wu, Yicheng Zhang, Yuhan Fan, Enxian Zhou, Boyang Wang, Yuqiang Li, Xuyang Wang 2025-12-31 08:14:42 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8449527/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 08:01:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8449527/v1 Mangrove ecosystems are influenced by a complex interaction of edaphic factors, among which soil nutrient availability plays a pivotal role in regulating photosynthetic productivity. The present study focuses on the productivity patterns of selected mangrove species of Kannur district, Kerala. For this study, three mangrove rich sites of various degrees of nutrient availability and ecological conditions were selected. Analysis of Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content revealed clear habitat-dependent variations, influenced by environmental factors and the concentrations of key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. The results indicate a clear gradient in productivity, with Site 1 showing the highest and Site 2 the lowest, despite its relatively nutrient-rich profile. This paradox suggests that pollution-induced stress limit the physiological utilization of nutrients, thereby suppressing overall photosynthetic efficiency. Among the nutrients analyzed, potassium, magnesium, and iron emerged as key contributors to enhanced productivity, supporting their fundamental roles in chlorophyll synthesis, stomatal regulation, and enzymatic activity. The result reveals, the highest productivity, and ecological adaptability of Kandelia candel due to the efficient nutrient uptake mechanisms. The study focuses on the significance of balancing nutrient utilisation and ecological stress related to the functioning of mangrove ecosystem. The study of edaphic factors and its relation to physiological functioning of mangroves helps to formulate conservation and restoration practices in the most fragile ecosystem. B Haripriya, P Sreeja 2025-12-31 08:01:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8435404/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 07:18:28 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8435404/v1 Radar Cross Section (RCS) reduction is a key consideration in the early-stage design of low observable aerospace platforms. Direct optimisation of RCS using full-wave electromagnetic solvers is often computationally prohibitive when iterative design exploration is required. To address this challenge, this paper presents a software-oriented framework for worst-case RCS optimisation based on a physics-inspired synthetic benchmark model coupled with machine learning and genetic algorithm optimisation. A compact set of geometry and material descriptors, including platform dimensions, surface complexity, coating thickness, and dielectric loss tangent, is employed to parameterize the design space. A synthetic RCS benchmark model is used to generate training data capturing dominant qualitative scattering trends, which are subsequently learned by a Random Forest regression model. The trained surrogate enables rapid evaluation of candidate designs within a genetic algorithm framework that minimizes the worst-case RCS over the full angular domain. The proposed framework is implemented as a standalone graphical software tool supporting geometry input, surrogate model training, optimisation, visualization, and automated report generation. Results obtained within the synthetic benchmark en- vironment demonstrate stable optimisation behavior and physically consistent design trends, highlighting the utility of the approach for rapid design space exploration and methodological evaluation rather than final electromagnetic validation. Anand Rawat, Sanjeev Kumar 2025-12-31 07:18:28 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8004413/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 07:08:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8004413/v1 Ripple currents on the direct current (DC) bus in variable frequency drive (VFD) systems originate from motor load current fluctuations and the high-frequency switching of power devices. The resulting Joule heating within the DC-link capacitors is a primary driver of lifespan degradation. To address the lack of systematic models for predicting these currents in multi-phase H-bridge inverters and to mitigate the over-design inherent in empirical approaches, this paper introduces a novel analytical method for precise ripple current quantification and capacitor optimization. First, a dynamic DC-link capacitor model is established based on a single-phase H-bridge inverter, leading to the derivation of expressions for the instantaneous, average, and root mean square (RMS) input currents. Furthermore, by incorporating the 2kπ/N phase difference (where k is an integer from 0 to N-1) among N parallel H-bridge units, a universal analytical expression for the RMS input current and its harmonic spectrum in a multi-phase system is derived. The analysis reveals that the ripple current harmonics are concentrated at 2m times the switching frequency (with m being an integer within a specified range) and their associated sidebands. The derived expression quantitatively characterizes the influence of the modulation index and power factor angle on the ripple amplitude. A 160 kW twelve-phase H-bridge inverter serves as a case study. MATLAB simulations and hardware experiments demonstrate close agreement between the theoretical calculations and the corresponding simulated and measured results, with errors in the input current harmonic amplitudes all below 5%. Compared to traditional empirical design, the proposed method reduces capacitor volume and cost by approximately 15%-20% while ensuring system reliability. This method is directly extensible to other multi-phase inverter topologies, providing a theoretical foundation for the accurate selection of DC-link capacitors. Bo Wang, Huiying Tang 2025-12-31 07:08:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8343381/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 07:06:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8343381/v1 Sex reversal is widely used in biological breeding, but its cellular and molecular consequences in crustaceans are poorly understood. Here, we combine estrogen induced feminization, single cell RNA sequencing, histology and RNA interference to dissect gonadal development in the oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense). Feeding post-larval males with 17β-estradiol generated neo-females with ovary like gonads. Single cell profiling of testis, ovaries and neo-female gonads produced a gonadal atlas in which, using newly validated markers, we resolved major oogenic and spermatogenic cell types. Cell-type composition and pseudotime analyses showed that neo-female gonads are dominated by early germ cells, whereas mature oocytes and spermatozoa are strongly depleted; histology confirmed this developmental arrest. Stage resolved differential expression and KEGG enrichment consistently highlighted oxidative phosphorylation as the most perturbed pathway across key germ-cell stages. Among the affected genes, MnNLRP2 displayed primary spermatocyte specific and testis enriched expression and was conserved among decapods. RNA interference of MnNLRP2 in PL10 prawns shifted phenotypic sex ratios toward females and altered sex steroid levels, reducing MT in males while elevating E2 in females; knockdown in adults caused spermatogenic arrest and down-regulation of oxidative phosphorylation components. These findings provide unprecedented insights into crustacean germ cell dynamics and the metabolic and transcriptional networks governing incomplete sex reversal, thereby offering critical resources for reproductive biology and aquaculture research. Hongtuo Fu, pengfei cai, Zijian Gao, sufei Jiang, Wenyi Zhang, Yiwei Xiong, hui qiao, shubo jin 2025-12-31 07:06:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8330655/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 07:03:04 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8330655/v1 This work addresses the inverse identification of a Neumann-type boundary heat flux, simultaneously dependent on the spatial coordinate and time, in a two-dimensional transient conduction problem in a rectangular domain. The direct problem is solved by means of the Classical Integral Transform Technique, which provides an explicit modal representation for the temperature field in terms of normalized eigenfunctions associated with the Neumann eigenvalue problem. This formulation allows , in the transformed space, the separation of the contributions of the initial condition and the boundary flux, leading to an analytical expression for the transformed temperatures as a function of the time-dependent modal coefficients of the unknown flux. In the inverse problem, the boundary flux is approximated by a truncated expansion in the eigenfunctions in the transverse direction, and the temporal coefficients of this expansion are explicitly recovered from transformed temperature data, through a centered finite-difference discretization of the transformed modal ordinary differential equations. A functional sensitivity analysis shows that, for each transverse mode, the choice of the first longitudinal mode maximizes the sensitivity of the transformed temperatures with respect to the flux coefficients, providing a simple and robust criterion for selecting the most informative mode. Additionally, the modal truncation level in the transverse direction is automatically determined from an adapted version of Morozov’s discrepancy principle, formulated in terms of the mean squared error between reconstructed temperatures and noisy data. The proposed methodology is numerically assessed with synthetic data, considering three flux profiles and different noise levels. The results show that the explicit formulation is able to reconstruct Neumann fluxes with good accuracy, while remaining simple to implement and computationally inexpensive. André J. P. Oliveira, Mousa J. Huntul, Luiz A. S. Abreu, Diego C. Knupp 2025-12-31 07:03:04 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8271284/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:44:59 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8271284/v1 This study presents a 2D axisymmetric Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, developed in the open-source OpenFOAM framework, to investigate the venting and turbulent combustion of cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells during thermal runaway (TR). Venting characteristics, including mass flow rate, gas composition, gas quantity, and release temperature, are parameterized from established literature. The model systematically examines the effects of cathode chemistry (LCO, NMC, LFP, NCA), state of charge (25%, 50%, and 100%), and CO₂-enriched suppression atmospheres (0% and 45% by volume) on battery fire. To achieve high computational efficiency without sacrificing predictive accuracy, a surrogate gas species is introduced that faithfully reproduces the thermophysical and combustion properties of the multicomponent battery vent gas mixture. Simulation results demonstrate that a 45% CO₂ volumetric concentration substantially reduces peak flame temperature across all chemistries and SOC levels. However, suppression efficacy varies markedly with cell type: NCA, LCO and NMC cells exhibit strong thermal suppression, whereas LFP cells show significantly weaker response due to their slower venting rates, lower total gas release, reduced heat of combustion, and higher heat capacity of the ejected gases. These findings underscore the critical dependence of CO₂-based fire suppression performance on battery chemistry and state of charge, revealing limitations of conventional total-flooding CO₂ systems, particularly against persistent LFP fires. The model is publicly released on GitHub, enabling reproducibility and further community-driven development. This open-source, scalable framework provides a quantitative foundation for extending single-cell insights to module- and pack-level fire scenarios. Chen Huang 2025-12-31 06:44:59 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8189673/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:40:33 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8189673/v1 Background: Bereavement support by nurses following the death of a patient is an important aspect of their professional role. Memory making (MM) is one way an infant/child’s death and the family’s loss may be acknowledged. Although MM is becoming commonplace, the psychological impact of MM is less understood. We aim to summarize and synthesize the current literature on the psychological impact of MM on parents who have experienced the death of an infant or child in the pediatric or neonatal intensive care units or on maternity wards. Methods:A systematic search strategy of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science for original English language research from inception until July 17, 2025, along with a manual search of reference lists of all included papers was conducted. The initial search revealed 716 studies including 267 duplicates; 449 were screened, 84 underwent full text review and 10 were included in the final review. Data was extracted into a customized data form built within Covidence. A narrative review was undertaken due to study heterogeneity. Thematic analysis was completed to identify unifying themes. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool and GRADE-CERQual were used to assess risk of bias. Results: The 10 studies were conducted in 5 countries: USA (n=5), UK (n=2), Sweden (n=1), Canada (n=1) and Australia (n=1). Nine included stillbirths or early neonatal/infant losses and one included older children. Eight qualitative studies and two cohort studies (including 1073 participants) were included. Six themes emerged: 1. Validation of the child’s existence (n=6), 2. Need for a personalized, individualized family centered care approach to care (n=8), 3. Mental health and well-being (n=5), 4. Parental role(s)/bonding and connection (n=4), 5. Importance of sharing one’s story (n=5), and 6. Coping with grief and loss (n=5). Conclusions: Most studies on MM are qualitative and of moderate quality, with limited generalizability due to self-selection bias, and small sample sizes. Yet, two important high-quality themes (validation of the child’s existence and the need for a personalized, culturally sensitive approach) were identified. Future research should include non-Western, non-Caucasian and older pediatric patients; examine how parents and siblings accept MM and the associated psychological effects. Funding: none PROSPERO Registration: CRD42023462423 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023462423 Clinical trial number: not applicable Amrita Sarpal, Loren Mirsky-Piatkin, Nour Al Andary, Abdul Kareem Pullattayil, Larkin Accinelli 2025-12-31 06:40:33 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8194143/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:40:08 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8194143/v1 Decision-making and inhibition deficits are well documented among individuals with a history of suicide attempt (SAs), but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated white matter (WM) tracts associated with intermediate phenotypes, namely, decision-making and inhibition, among SAs (n=48), patient controls (PCs; n=34), and healthy controls (HCs; n=49) using diffusion tensor imaging and tractometry, a novel method allowing pointwise investigation of WM microstructure. We hypothesized alterations in the striato-fronto-orbital tract (ST-FO), superior longitudinal fasciculus II (SLF-II), and cingulum bundle in SAs and subgroups, as well as associations between diffusion metrics and cognitive performance on the Iowa Gambling (IGT) and Go/No-Go tasks. As hypothesized, compared with the PCs and HCs, the SAs presented significant alterations in the right ST-FO, with elevated fractional anisotropy (FA) in the central segment and lower FA in the anterior segment; similar effects were observed for radial diffusivity (RD). RD values bilaterally and FA values in the left ST-FO correlated significantly with IGT performance. Additional RD and FA alterations were detected in the SLF-II, although no differences emerged between patient groups. No significant group differences were found in the cingulum bundle, although SAs made more Go/No-Go commission errors than both control groups. In addition, SAs who used violent suicide methods differed from nonviolent SAs in the central segments of the ST-FO tract in the RD. This is the first study to apply tractometry in SAs, providing novel evidence that WM alterations, mainly in orbitofronto-striatal pathways, are linked to cognitive deficits relevant to suicidal behavior. Gerd Wagner, Ani Zerekidze, Meng Li, Lydia Bahlmann, Martin Walter, Daniel Güllmar, Fabricio Pereira, Fabrice Jollant 2025-12-31 06:40:08 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8256369/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:39:58 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8256369/v1 Rotary ultrasonic grinding (RUG) exhibits significant advantages in the machining of hard and brittle materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC), an important engineering material. However, the ultrasonic excitation mechanisms remain unclear, unfavorable to promote machining efficiency and surface quality. A notable pending problem is the inconsistency of ultrasonic vibration amplitude on subsurface damage in a workpiece. To address this, a simulation model was developed in this study to analyze the formation of subsurface damage, and corresponding experimental RUG of SiC were conducted for the verification. Four evaluation indexes - average chipping depth, maximum chipping depth, average crack depth, and maximum crack depth - were employed to characterize the subsurface damage. Simulation results revealed that the maximum crack depth decreases initially and then increases as ultrasonic vibration amplitude increases. These trends were corroborated by experimental findings. Furthermore, both the kinematics and dynamic behavior of abrasive grains on grinding tool were comprehensively analyzed based on the indentation fracture mechanics model. Theoretical analysis of variation trends provided further insights into the effects of ultrasonic vibration, elucidating the factors responsible for the inconsistencies between ultrasonic vibration amplitude and subsurface damage. Na Qin, Xiaojun Huang, Liang Zheng, Zhifeng Li 2025-12-31 06:39:58 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8452413/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:39:37 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8452413/v1 Background Malaria remains a major global health burden, with over 249 million cases reported worldwide in 2022. Light microscopy of peripheral blood smears remains the diagnostic gold standard but is labor-intensive, operator-dependent, and prone to variability, particularly in resource-limited settings. Imaging informatics and deep learning offer the potential to automate and standardize malaria screening workflows.Objective To develop and validate a high-sensitivity convolutional neural network (CNN)–based imaging informatics model for automated classification of segmented Plasmodium falciparum–infected erythrocytes and to benchmark its diagnostic performance against a traditional Random Forest classifier trained on the full high-dimensional pixel feature space.Methods A total of 27,558 segmented erythrocyte images from the NIH Malaria Dataset were used. Images underwent preprocessing and augmentation prior to training a sequential CNN comprising three convolutional layers optimized using the Adam optimizer. For comparison, a Random Forest classifier was rigorously trained on the full pixel-level feature space without spatial feature extraction. Model performance was evaluated on an independent test set (n = 5,511) using accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).Results The Random Forest classifier demonstrated near-random performance when applied to the full pixel feature space, achieving an accuracy of 49.55% and an AUC of 0.493. In contrast, the CNN achieved an accuracy of 95.50% (95% CI: 94.9–96.1), representing a 45.95% absolute improvement. The CNN demonstrated high sensitivity (96.12%), high NPV (96.07%), and excellent discriminative ability (AUC = 0.986).Conclusion This study demonstrates that deep learning–based imaging informatics substantially outperforms traditional pixel-based machine learning approaches for malaria microscopy classification. The failure of the Random Forest model highlights the necessity of spatial feature extraction in high-dimensional image data. The high sensitivity and NPV of the proposed CNN support its potential role as an automated first-pass screening tool to augment microscopy-based malaria diagnosis, particularly in high-burden and resource-constrained settings. Ibrahim Ibrahim Shuaibu, Omer Abdulhameed Abdulqahar, Joseph Okokon Effiong 2025-12-31 06:39:37 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8399277/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:39:03 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8399277/v1 Developmental delays have an adverse effect on the children of current society. There are one in six children who highlight the developmental delay, yet most identified for later than optimal intervention. This kind of delay is due to reliance on clinic-based screening and uneven access to pediatric expertise. We propose RetailHealth, a privacy-preserving digital phenotyping framework that leverages household retail purchasing patterns as an ambient behavioral signal for early estimation of developmental risk. The system integrates a clinician-aligned taxonomy (DevelopMap), temporal sequence models, and a federated learning protocol with formal differential privacy guarantees (ε < 1.0, δ = 10⁻⁵) to enable multi-retailer collaboration without sharing raw customer data. Using a behaviorally grounded synthetic cohort of 100,000 families, RetailHealth achieves AUROC values of 0.79 for language delay, 0.74 for motor delay, 0.84 for autism spectrum indicators, and 0.77 for ADHD indicators. The system identifies elevated developmental risk 8 to 14 months before typical clinical diagnosis, with 14.2-month lead time for autism spectrum indicators. Fairness analyses demonstrate equitable performance across income and geographic strata, with true positive rate gaps under 0.05. Privacy utility trade-off experiments show >=95% utility retention at ε = 0.5. Expert review by developmental clinicians yielded strong concordance (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) between model signals and clinical judgement. These results suggest that retail purchasing behavior can serve as a passive, scalable, and privacy-safe digital biomarker for developmental risk estimation, offering a pathway to broad, low-burden pediatric screening at a population scale. Kapil Kumar Reddy Poreddy, Ajit Kumar Sahu, Sanjoy Mukherjee, Bhavan Basavaraju 2025-12-31 06:39:03 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8394069/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:38:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8394069/v1 Background The PUMA scale has shown good discrimination in identifying people with COPD in primary care. We evaluated the predictive performance of PUMA for opportunistic case-finding and assessed the prevalence of COPD in at-risk primary care patients in Singapore. Methods This is a multicentre cross-sectional study of participants aged ≥40 years and current/former smokers. Participants completed the PUMA scale and spirometry. Predictive performance of PUMA was assessed using AUC-ROC; optimal cutoff was determined by Youden’s index. Results 359 participants were included in final analysis; 12.5% had COPD confirmed on spirometry. PUMA showed acceptable discrimination with AUC-ROC of 0.75 (95% CI:0.67–0.83). Optimal cutoff maximising sensitivity and specificity was ≥5 (Se 62.2%, Sp 79.3%; PPV 30.1%, NPV 93.6%); cutoff of ≥4 increased sensitivity to 80.0% (Sp of 56.7%; PPV 20.9%, NPV 95.2%.) Conclusion The PUMA scale demonstrated acceptable predictive performance for opportunistic COPD case-finding in Singapore's primary care setting. A cutoff of ≥4 enhanced case identification. Vicky Mengqi Qin, Kenneth Tan, Geak Poh Tan, Valery Ho, Zeyuan Yin, Susie Wong, Dingding Wang, Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis, Eng Sing Lee 2025-12-31 06:38:38 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8401241/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:38:01 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8401241/v1 Introduction: Post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is a rare and severe lung disease characterized by chronic inflammation and irreversible changes in the small airways following lower respiratory tract infections or other insults. Case Description: A two-year-old boy presented with a cough and shortness of breath that had worsened over the past month. The child had experienced recurrent respiratory symptoms for four months and had a history of bronchopneumonia the previous year. Despite treatment with corticosteroids, his symptoms persisted, leading to further investigation. Chest x-ray (CXR) showed peribronchial thickening, hyperinflation, and reduced vascular markings in both lung fields. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) revealed bilateral mosaic attenuation with areas of decreased lung attenuation and patchy ground-glass opacities involving multiple lung segments, accompanied by focal fibrotic changes. As in this case, chest x-ray findings in PIBO are often inconclusive, and HRCT is essential for diagnosis. The mosaic attenuation pattern on HRCT is a hallmark of PIBO, caused by ventilation-perfusion mismatch due to localized airway obstruction and vascular shunting. Conclusion: Chest x-ray may show non-specific findings in PIBO, whereas HRCT provides characteristic imaging features that are crucial for diagnosis. HRCT plays a pivotal role in confirming PIBO by demonstrating mosaic attenuation and associated airway abnormalities, thereby facilitating accurate diagnosis and appropriate clinical management. Harry Galuh Nugraha, Muhammad Ris Lubis, Andreas Klemens Wienanda 2025-12-31 06:38:01 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8291447/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:37:24 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8291447/v1 This study introduces a high-performance silicon-based optical modulator that utilizes a germanium antimony telluride (GST) nanolayer within an elliptical cylindrical waveguide structure. By exploiting the phase-change dynamics of GST and engineered hybrid eHE01, oHE11, and eHE11 mode confinement, the device achieves an ultralow insertion loss (0.22 dB), high extinction ratio (8.0 dB), and energy-efficient operation (2.91 nJ/bit) at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The elliptical geometry enhances the light-matter interaction through anisotropic mode confinement while improving thermal management, enabling sub-200 ns switching via dual-voltage electrothermal actuation (4 V for crystallization, 10 V for amorphization). Multiphysics simulations validate the design: the tuned GST thickness (40 ± 10 nm) balances the switching speed and optical contrast, while gold electrodes enable localized Joule heating with minimal optical loss (< 0.1 dB/μm). These advancements position the proposed modulator as a promising candidate for high-speed optical interconnects and programmable photonic circuits, addressing the critical demands for low-loss, high-contrast, and energy-efficient integrated photonics. Senour Abdolghaderi, Mahmoud Nikoufard 2025-12-31 06:37:24 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8419535/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:33:43 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8419535/v1 This study introduces a novel method for synthesizing Ce-Co-Ni-Al-Ga high-entropy (oxy)hydroxide (CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOH) nanotubes via a topotactic transformation using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the parent crystal. CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOHs nanotubes are arranged in concentric cylinders, with high crystalline order, analogous to parent MWCNTs. CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOH nanotubes exhibit a fluorite-like crystalline structure that is supported by a distorted Ce-O framework. A neutral M-OH-M sheet stacking, resembling a partially dehydrated brucite-like layered hydroxide structure, appears to account for the multiwalled configuration of CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOH nanotubes. The fluorite-like structured CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOH (111) planes grow topotactically on the curved C (002) planes. Both the multiwalled arrangement and the stability of the fluorite-like structure are preserved from 80 to 500 ºC. CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOHs exhibit remarkably high concentration of O vacancies. Increasing the heat-treatment temperature leads to gradual dehydroxylation, indicating that HEOOHs are direct structural precursors of HEOs. Notably, the CeCoNiAlGa HE-OOHs obtained at 80 ºC have the highest OH content. They stand out for their remarkable photocatalytic activity under UV light, achieving 96% degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) within 45 min. The significant CIP photodegradation is attributed to the synergistic effect of abundant OH species along with O vacancies. Sarahi Pacheco-Espinoza, María Ángeles Hernández-Pérez, Alejandro Iván Cuesta-Balderas, Alejandra Verdejo-Palacios, Raúl Borja-Urbi, Jorge Roberto Vargas-García 2025-12-31 06:33:43 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414324/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:32:12 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414324/v1 It is well-known that ultramafic rocks can continuously generate hydrogen through the serpentinization process associated with dynamic geochemical and geobiological interactions. This study aims to gain an improved understanding of these dynamic processes through the understanding of diverse microbial populations in order to maximize the geologic hydrogen production potential. The water samples were collected from a near surface serpentinite site in Northern California, USA. Elemental analyses of these water samples revealed the presence of essential dissolved minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium, along with trace elements including iron, cobalt, and nickel. These elements act as cofactors for enzymes involved in microbial metabolic processes and Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling analysis supports this corelation. Furthermore, the analysis of total organic carbon (TOC) showed significant levels of organic carbon, suggesting a link with biological carbon cycling processes. Metagenomic analysis uncovered a diverse microbial community of hydrogen-fueled microbial consortia at the sampling sites, encompassing hydrogenogenic and hydrogenotrophic microorganisms. We examine hydrogen-metabolizing communities, including sulfate-reducing bacteria, acetogens, and methanogens, supported by diversity in hydrogenase enzymes across various sampling sites. These observations are corroborated by genomic accession data and abundance profiling of genes associated with acetogenesis, methanogenesis, and carbon monoxide metabolism. These investigations provide new insights into hydrogen-metabolizing microorganisms in northern California and propose frameworks for optimizing hydrogen production through the inhibition of hydrogen metabolism. Triparna Mukherjee, Anupkumar Rai, Ian C Marshall, Rudra Prasad Mondal, Punit Kohli, Shimin Liu, Satya Harplani, Divya Prakash 2025-12-31 06:32:12 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8437180/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:31:53 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8437180/v1 Natural disasters pose significant threats to global communities, necessitating advanced predictive frameworks for effective risk assessment and management. This study presents an AI-driven disaster risk prediction system integrating XGBoost machine learning with SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) interpretability analysis. Using the World Risk Index dataset spanning 11 years across 181 countries, we developed multi-class classification models for four key risk indicators: World Risk Index (WRI), Exposure, Vulnerability, and Susceptibility. The XGBoost classifier achieved test accuracies exceeding 0.85 across all categories, with macro-averaged AUC scores ranging from 0.92 to 0.96. SHAP analysis revealed critical driving factors influencing disaster susceptibility, demonstrating the interpretability of AI-powered predictions. Our explainable AI framework provides transparent, actionable insights for policymakers and disaster management authorities, bridging the gap between predictive accuracy and decision-making transparency in global risk assessment. Qiannan Shen, Jing Zhang 2025-12-31 06:31:53 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7919514/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:30:35 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7919514/v1 This study evaluated the effectiveness of an integrated Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Design Thinking Model in an Entrepreneurial Management course for Teacher Education students at Isabela State University. Using a descriptive-comparative method, the findings indicated high student satisfaction with the instructor and organization, yet identified a need for improvement in stimulating deeper student interest and providing timely feedback on project work. Comparative analysis revealed significant gender differences, with male students reporting greater confidence in business model development, as well as program-specific disparities in satisfaction. The study recommends enhancing the structure of practical activities, improving feedback mechanisms, and employing gender-sensitive, program-specific strategies to optimize the development of entrepreneurial competencies among all future educators. Christian Lloyd D. Taguba 2025-12-31 06:30:35 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8449461/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:22:40 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8449461/v1 In today’s world, there is a growing push to weave sustainability into supply chain operations while also preparing them to bounce back from unexpected disruptions. This study introduces a fresh approach that blends eco-friendly supply chain practices with disaster recovery plans, using the power of graph theory. Drawing from insights gathered over the past five years, we’ve built and tested various network designs to spot weak spots and understand how failures might ripple through. We’ve zoomed in on key players in the supply chain, using importance measures to see who holds the most influence in keeping things steady. Our comparison of centralized versus spread-out networks shows that while the latter might cost more, they shine in resilience and environmental care. Through simulated scenarios, we’ve seen how disruptions spread differently, with decentralized setups curbing the damage and speeding up recovery. This work offers a practical guide for decision-makers, highlighting how blending green goals with network strength can pay off. Future steps could involve real-time data and smart tech to predict challenges in complex logistics. Arjun Sudheer 2025-12-31 06:22:40 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8436085/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:22:07 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8436085/v1 Biological systems navigate and interact with complex, dynamic environments by seamlessly integrating proprioception and exteroception to drive sophisticated sensorimotor loops. Soft robots mimic biological compliance, yet equipping them with simultaneous, body-wide, decoupled shape and tactile sensing  remains a fundamental barrier to achieving similar sensorimotor autonomy. Here we report a fully stretchable, shape-agnostic electronic skin that overcomes this limitation to enable unified three-dimensional (3D) tactile–morphological perception. This breakthrough integrates a shape-conforming, stretchable architecture with tomography-inspired sensing and a physics-informed inversion pipeline to decouple co-occurring mechanical inputs and reconstruct sub-millimetre shape deformations while simultaneously mapping external touch or hydrodynamic stimuli at over 30 Hz. We demonstrate that this sensory feedback closes the sensorimotor loop by enabling diverse autonomous behaviours from adaptive locomotion and evasive swimming to intuitive human-robot interaction. These results define a general and scalable route to embodied intelligence, paving the way for soft machines with life-like sensorimotor responsiveness. Huazhi Dong, Quan Xiong, Xiaopeng Wu, Haotian Chen, Lin Li, Sharel Peisan E, Chengjia Wang, Nan Li, Adam A. Stokes, Francesco Giorgio-Serchi, Yunjie Yang 2025-12-31 06:22:07 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8379513/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:19:49 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8379513/v1 The 2021 Western North American heatwave was among the most extreme events ever recorded and irreversibly impacted physical and social systems. However, recent work has identified an event of comparable magnitude and geographic extent in 1941. Despite its importance for contextualizing one of the most highly studied 21st century heatwaves, very little is known about the impacts of this “forgotten” heatwave of 1941. Here, we review 357 newspaper issues from 25 North American publications from before, during, and after the 1941 heatwave, and provide a quantitative analysis of climate reanalysis, streamflow, tidal, and crop yield data. We uncover widespread impacts including record-shattering temperature observations, water shortages, crop damages, wildfires, flooding, human mortality and morbidity, as well as adaptation via changes to social customs, behaviours, and mobility. We compare with 2021 and find key differences including the continental-scale heatwave evolution, which propagated to Eastern North America in 1941, but not 2021, and the heatwaves’ relation to co-occurring crises of World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1941 event provides vital context for future heatwaves that would be missed if 2021 is used as the sole reference for what is possible during extreme heat in Western North America. Sam Anderson, Shawn Chartrand 2025-12-31 06:19:49 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8449459/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:19:26 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8449459/v1 Cities and towns in Ethiopia are expanding, often around water bodies and wetlands. A wetland is not only a water source but also offers many economic, social, and environmental benefits. These wetlands near urban areas face negative impacts from the growing sectors. The amount of solid and liquid waste produced by various sources is increasing in both volume and complexity. This study highlights the use of remote sensing and GIS methods to detect changes in wetlands around Addis Ababa. The area was classified into six categories, and accuracy was assessed by comparing classification results with ground truth using a confusion matrix. The overall accuracy was 95.58% for 1986 and 86% for 2019, with an average of 90.5%. The confusion matrix also reports the Kappa Coefficient, measuring classification accuracy, which was 0.8645 in 1986 and 0.82 in 2019. In 1986, about 52.66 km2 of land was classified as wetlands, decreasing to 17.03 km2 in 2019. The proportions of land cover types in both years, including built-up areas and other factors, have contributed to the loss of wetlands in and around the city. This calls for immediate and medium- to long-term restoration and management plans to help develop a smart city and promote a sustainable, climate-resilient green economy. Tesfasilassie Girma Mugoro*, Legesse Begashaw 2025-12-31 06:19:26 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8408828/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:18:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8408828/v1 Recently, the summer environment in Japanese cities has been changing, with extreme heat occurring every year due to the urban heat island phenomenon and global warming. Currently, the issue of heat affects everyone, so measures to counteract the urban warming effect are necessary to create safe and comfortable environments in many Japanese cities, including not only large cities but also regional cities. Urban reorganization projects involving the relocation of buildings and the reorganization of urban structures are progressing across Japan and introducing diverse urban designs to mitigate thermal environments during this opportunity is considered an effective measure. Against this background, this study aims to clarify methods for urban development that improve summer thermal environments in the Fukuyama Station Square, where reorganization is planned. In this study, we conducted observations to understand summer winds and thermal environments, and numerical simulations to estimate the greening effects at the target square. For the simulations, we used the Multi-scale Simulator for the Geoenvironment, which can calculate detailed thermal environments on the Earth Simulator. The results confirmed the influence of strong downdrafts generated along high-rise buildings, the cooling effects of large-scale greening within the square, and the contributions of shading from trees and buildings to improved thermal comfort. Based on these findings, square reorganization strategies in this area were discussed from three key perspectives that influence the thermal environment: greenery, shade, and wind. Makoto Yokoyama, Kazunari Watanabe 2025-12-31 06:18:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8446685/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:12:41 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8446685/v1 This study mainly focusses to identifying the potential sustainable development approaches that can be deployed among the socio-economic growth process of the Millavitiya Grama Niladhari division and discussing the possibilities of the implementing those approaches in the ground level. Background study and SWOT analysis has been used as the main methodology for the identifying the ground realities and negative and positive insights of the study area. Under the main findings of the background literature analysis and the SWOT analysis, main potential approaches have been deliberated considering the strength, weakness, opportunities and the threat in the village. As final conclusion, numerous approaches and concepts can be used for the socio-economic growth in the area such as, green economy, green agriculture, participatory development, green mineral economy, sustainable data management, green digital economy, green culture and technology, green energy, and sustainable tourism. Millavitiya has been a most suitable geographical and socio-economic entity which can be used sustainable approaches in wide range and effectively. Isuru Udakara Yakandawala 2025-12-31 06:12:41 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8414242/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:10:32 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8414242/v1 Island territories increasingly compete for investments, talent, and legitimacy in a globalized environment, positioning themselves not only as geographic spaces but as place brands shaped by symbolic, institutional, and functional signals. While place branding research has extensively examined cities and nations, island place branding remains underexplored, particularly in comparative and stakeholder based perspectives. This study reframes territorial attractiveness as an outcome of island place branding, constructed through the interactions between strategic, socio-economic, and governance-related brand drivers. Adopting a prospective and qualitative methodology, the research applies structural analysis using the MICMAC method to identify and classify the key determinants of island place branding as perceived by investors, considered here as external place brand audiences. Empirical evidence is drawn from a comparative analysis of two Mediterranean islands with contrasting institutional and development contexts: Corsica (France) and Kerkennah (Tunisia). Data were collected from two groups of investors (25 per island) and analyzed through influence–dependence maps generated by MICMAC. The results reveal distinct place brand architectures, highlighting differences in brand drivers, relay mechanisms, and brand outcomes, particularly in terms of reputation and attractiveness. The findings contribute to the place branding literature by demonstrating how investor perceptions structure island place brands through complex interdependencies between governance, infrastructure, culture, and human capital. From a policy perspective, the study emphasizes the role of public action and institutional signaling in shaping island reputation and investment attractiveness, offering actionable insights for place branding strategies and public diplomacy in island contexts. imen Abdennadher Gdoura 2025-12-31 06:10:32 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8434390/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:10:30 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8434390/v1 Galaxy clusters provide critical constraints on cosmological parameters; however, traditional approaches based on mass–observable scaling relations are subject to systematic uncertainties. Here, we present a machine-learning framework that directly infers cosmological parameters from real eROSITA galaxy cluster observations, bypassing explicit mass calibration. We train a random forest algorithm on Magneticum multi-cosmology hydrodynamical simulations and apply it to observed X-ray properties (gas luminosity, mass, and temperature) at different redshifts from the eROSITA catalogs. This method yields cosmological constraints including the matter density Ωm=0.30^+0.03_-0.02, and the 8 Mpc/h fluctuation amplitude, σ8=0.81^+0.01_-0.01, consistent with current state-of-the-art probes. Unlike other low-redshift cosmological datasets, these parameters show no significant tension with Cosmic Microwave Background inferences from the Planck mission. In contrast, our inference of the Hubble constant, h0=0.710^+0.004_-0.004, shows a significant deviation from the Planck value and lies slightly below most late–Universe determinations, while remaining comfortably consistent with the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (\textit{TRGB}) measurements. This suggests a potential reduction of the early–late Universe Hubble tension. This study represents the first direct cosmological inference from observational cluster data using machine learning trained on multi-cosmology simulations. It establishes an alternative route to precision cosmology using galaxy cluster observations via machine learning, and highlights the potential of large-scale X-ray surveys to deliver independent tests of the standard cosmological model. Nicola Napolitano, Fucheng Zhong, Johan Comparat, Klaus Dolag, Caroline Heneka, Zhiqi Huang, Xiao-Dong Li, Weipeng Lin, Giuseppe Longo, Mario Radovich, Crescenzo Tortora 2025-12-31 06:10:30 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8434379/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:06:46 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8434379/v1 Heating remains a global sustainability challenge due to its high energy and carbon intensity. While northern Chinese cities benefit from fossil-fuel-based district heating infrastructure, southern cities largely depend on inefficient household heating. We present a nationwide, high-resolution analysis of the feasibility, costs, and benefits of integrating waste heat from 4,360 industrial and energy plants into district heating across 339 cities. Combining plant-level spatiotemporal matching with lifecycle cost–benefit analysis under varying carbon prices and climate scenarios, results show that waste heat can meet up to 92% of urban heating demand at levelized costs of 11–29 CNY GJ⁻¹ in existing district heating (DH) provinces and 11–36 CNY GJ⁻¹ elsewhere. Prioritizing waste heat from nuclear power plants costs less and avoids 325–361 Mt CO₂e annually. Our results identify waste heat as a scalable and sustainable residential heating solution in China and propose equitable and low-carbon heating transition pathways globally. Jing Huang, Yanran Yang, Dalia Patino-Echeverri 2025-12-31 06:06:46 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8446372/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:05:19 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8446372/v1 The avian influenza A (H5N1) virus poses a persistent global pandemic threat due to its high pathogenicity and the emergence of resistance to conventional neuraminidase inhibitors such as Oseltamivir. This study employs a computational "virtual screening" approach to evaluate the inhibitory potential of four natural flavonoids Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), Quercetin, Kaempferol, and Curcumin against the H5N1 Neuraminidase protein (PDB ID: 3B7E). These ligands were selected for their unique biochemical properties: EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) for its dense hydroxyl groups that facilitate hydrogen bonding, Quercetin for its ability to stabilize protein-ligand complexes, Kaempferol for its established antiviral targeting, and Curcumin for its precise geometric fit within enzymatic pockets. Molecular docking simulations conducted via AutoDock Vina revealed that all four natural ligands significantly outperformed Oseltamivir in binding affinity. Notably, EGCG exhibited the strongest binding energy at -9.2 kcal/mol, compared to -6.3 kcal/mol for the clinical control. These findings suggest that natural polyphenolic scaffolds provide a more robust interaction profile for neutralizing H5N1 and warrant urgent in vitro validation. Akshay Suresh 2025-12-31 06:05:19 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-8452302/latest An article created on 2025-12-31 06:04:38 https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8452302/v1 To overcome the high attrition rate and limited clinical translatability in drug discovery, we introduce the concept of Maximum Drug-Likeness (MDL) and develop an applicable Fivefold MDL strategy (5F-MDL) to reshape the screening paradigm. The 5F-MDL strategy integrates an ensemble of 33 deep learning sub-models to construct a 33-dimensional property spectrum that quantifies the global phenotypic alignment of candidate molecules with clinically approved drugs along five axes: physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, and stability. Using drug-likeness scores derived from this 33-dimensional profile, we prioritized 15 high-potential molecules from a 16-million-molecule library. Experimental validation demonstrated that the lead compound M2 not only exhibits potent antibacterial activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25.6 µg/mL, but also achieves binding stability superior to cefuroxime, as indicated by Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) calculations of -38.54 kcal/mol and a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 2.8 Å. This strategy could overcome scaffold constraints and offers an efficient route for discovering lead compounds with favorable prospects against drug-resistant bacteria. Hao-Yu Zhu, Lu Xu, Wei Shi 2025-12-31 06:04:38