Search Results (223)

The frequency of specific variants associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases has been extensively studied through genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Differences between populations may be caused by the interaction of several factors, such as environmental and genetic backgrounds. Here, we studied 19 SNPs involved in atherosclerosis (AT) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in the Azorean and mainland Portuguese populations and compared their frequencies with other European, Asian, and African populations. Results revealed that, although there was no difference between Azorean and mainland populations, eight SNPs in ADAMTS7, PCSK9, APOE, and LDLR genes showed significant statistical differences (χ², p < 0.05) when compared with the European population. The multilocus genetic profile (MGP) analysis demonstrated that 7.4% of mainlanders and 11.2% of Azoreans have a high-risk of developing atherosclerosis. The opposite tendency was observed for venous thromboembolism risk, where the mainland population presented a higher risk (6.5%) than the Azorean population (4.1%). Significant differences in VTE-MGP distribution were found among the Azorean geographic groups (p < 0.05), with the Eastern group showing the highest VTE risk. Conversely, for the risk AT-MGP, the Central group shows the highest risk (12.9%). Taken together, the data suggest a risk of developing a cardiovascular disease consistent with the European population. However, the Azorean-specific genetic background and socio-cultural habits (dietary and sedentary) may explain the differences observed, validating the need to assess the allelic and genotypic frequencies between different populations, especially in small geographical locations, such as the Azores archipelago. In conclusion, these findings can improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of high-risk individuals, and contribute to reducing the lifelong burden of cardiovascular diseases in the Azorean population. Full article

Background: Mobility limitation is a pivotal but under-documented dimension of disability in Saudi Arabia. Leveraging the 2017 National Disability Survey, this cross-sectional study provides a population-wide profile of mobility-related physical difficulty. Objectives: Five research aims were pursued: (1) estimate national prevalence and severity by sex; (2) map regional differentials; (3) examine educational and marital correlates; (4) characterize cause, duration, and familial context among those with multiple limitations; and (5) describe patterns of assistive-aid and social-service use. Methods: Publicly available aggregate data covering 20,408,362 Saudi citizens were cleaned and analyzed across 14 mobility indicators and three baseline files. Prevalence ratios and χ² tests assessed associations. Results: Overall, 1,445,723 Saudis (7.1%) reported at least one functional difficulty; 833,136 (4.1%) had mobility difficulty, of whom 305,867 (36.7%) had mobility-only impairment. Severity was chiefly mild (35% of cases), with moderate (16%) and severe (7%) forms forming a descending pyramid. Prevalence varied more than threefold across the thirteen regions, peaking in Aseer (9.4%) and bottoming in Najran (2.9%). Mobility difficulty clustered among adults with no schooling (36.1%) and widowed status (18.5%), with sharper female disadvantage in both domains (p < 0.001). Among those with additional limitations, chronic disease dominated etiology (56.3%), and 90.1% had lived with disability for ≥25 years; women were overrepresented in the longest-duration band. Aid utilization was led by crutches (47.7%), personal assistance (25.3%), and wheelchairs (22.6%), while 83.8% accessed Ministry rehabilitation services, yet fewer than 4% used home or daycare support. Conclusions: These findings highlight sizeable, regionally concentrated, and gender-patterned mobility burdens, underscoring the need for education-sensitive prevention, chronic-care management, investment in advanced assistive technology, and distributed community services to achieve Vision 2030 inclusion goals. Full article

Background/Objectives: Breast milk donation is increasingly recognized as a vital public health resource, providing optimal nutrition for infants who cannot be breastfed by their biological mothers. Human milk banks play a crucial role in supporting infant health, particularly for preterm and medically vulnerable infants. Despite its recognized benefits, the practice of breast milk donation and utilization remains influenced by a complex interplay of individual, social, and cultural factors. Methods: This study systematically examines how demographic and sociocultural variables are associated with attitudes and behaviors related to breast milk donation. Data were collected from 1223 Israeli mothers via questionnaires distributed through WhatsApp groups between April and May 2025. By analyzing the questionnaire results, the research identified key predictors of willingness to donate and use donated milk, as well as patterns of awareness and perceived support within different population groups. Results: Higher education (χ² = 12.87, p = 0.0016) and settlement type (χ² = 83.096, p = 0.000) were significantly associated with greater willingness to donate breast milk. Income level had no effect on donation behavior, though higher-income participants were more open to its use (χ² = 86.838, p = 0.000). Lifestyle also influenced perceptions of social support (F(2, 1220) = 259.4036, p < 0.001) and cultural support (F(2, 1220) = 601.2383, p < 0.001) of milk donation and use. Significant correlation was found between perceived cultural and social support (t = 5.140, p = 0.000), emphasizing their interrelated influence on milk donation attitudes. Conclusions: The findings assist in guiding the development of public health policies, as well as targeted awareness campaigns, to promote equitable access to donor milk services across varied communities. From the public health perspective, the findings of this study can orientate campaigns that encourage both donation and use of breast milk focusing on segments of the population in which the level of awareness is relatively low. Full article

Objectives/Background: With increasing awareness of the association between physical activity and mental health, promoting youth health has gained prominence. For this, education and support are needed. As psychological school-based factors could be key to affecting this behavior, this study investigates middle school students’ trust in their physical education teachers and their grit, analyzing their effects on health-promoting behaviors that could follow these adolescents through adulthood. Methods: Middle school students, aged 12–14, were recruited from three schools in Sejong City, Korea, in May 2025; 420 survey questionnaires were distributed and 390 were returned (response rate: 92.86%). After eliminating those with insincere responses, 369 valid questionnaires (boys = 186, girls = 183) were analyzed. The analysis covered the descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and structural equation modeling, with grit, trust in physical education teachers, and health-promoting behaviors as variables. Results: The correlation analysis verified multicollinearity between trust in physical education teachers (closeness, fairness, teaching method, and physical ability), grit (effort, perseverance, and interest consistency), and health-promoting behaviors (self-actualization, health management, and stress management). A positive significant correlation was found between all subfactors (p < 0.05). The research model’s fit was confirmed through several fit indices; specifically, normed χ² = 4.138, goodness-of-fit-index = 0.942, root mean square residual = 0.033, root mean square error of approximation = 0.092, incremental fit index = 0.965, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.947, and comparative fit index = 0.965, and all values were judged acceptable. The standardized coefficients of each latent variable explaining the measurement variables were 0.707 or higher. Therefore, the explanatory power of the measurement variables was also satisfactory; thus, the research model was appropriate and could be used for analysis. The model findings revealed that trust in physical education teachers had a positive effect on student grit (β = 0.505, p < 0.001) and that grit had a positive effect on health-promoting behaviors (β = 0.743, p < 0.001); however, trust in physical education teachers did not have a direct effect on health-promoting behaviors (statistically insignificant [β = 0.103, p > 0.05]). Thus, grit had a mediating effect between trust in physical education teachers and health-promoting behaviors (β = 0.375, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study highlights the educational implications for physical education teachers of building trust and strengthening student grit as key factors in achieving sustainable health-promoting behaviors among adolescents. Full article

Ultrafine fibers from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and their blends with different component ratios in the range of 0/100 to 100/0 wt.% were obtained, and their structure and dynamic properties were studied. The polymers were obtained via electrospinning in solution mode. The structure, morphology, and segmental dynamic behavior of the fibers were determined using optical microscopy, SEM, EPR, DSC, and IR spectroscopy. The low-temperature maximum on the DSC endotherms provided information on the state of the PVP hydrogen bond network, which made it possible to determine the enthalpies of thermal destruction of these bonds. The PHB/PVP fiber blend ratio significantly affected the structural and dynamic parameters of the system. Thus, at low concentrations of PVP (up to 9%) in the structure of ultra-fine fibers, the distribution of this polymer occurs in the form of tiny particles, which are crystallization centers, which causes a significant increase in the degree of crystallinity (χ) activation energy (E_act) and slowing down of molecular dynamics (τ). At higher concentrations of PVP, loose interphase layers were formed in the system, which caused a decrease in these parameters. The strongest changes in the concentration of hydrogen bonds occurred when PVP was added to the composition from 17 to 50%, which was due to the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds both in PVP and during the interaction of PVP and PHB. The diffusion coefficient of water vapor in the studied systems (D) decreased as the concentration of glassy PVP in the composition increased. The concentration of the radical decreased with an increase in the proportion of PVP, which can be explained by the glassy state of this polymer at room temperature. A characteristic point of the 50/50% mixture component ratio was found in the region where an inversion transition of PHB from a dispersion material to a dispersed medium was assumed. The conducted studies made it possible for the first time to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the effect of the component ratio on the structural and dynamic characteristics of the PHB/PVP fibrous material at the molecular scale. Full article

Microsporidia MB (MB), a promising biological control agent, suppresses Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Anopheles mosquitoes. This study examined the spatial distribution of MB infection in natural populations of An. gambiae s.l. mosquitoes collected in Nigeria and Niger Republic, and its association with insecticide susceptibility in the mosquitoes. Microsporidia MB has wide geographic distribution across Nigeria and Niger Republic. The overall prevalence of MB in F₀ mosquitoes was 12.25% (95% CI: 7.76–16.75%); 25 mosquitoes out of 204 were positive. Geographic variation was observed, with a higher prevalence (5/15 mosquitoes) in Ebonyi State (33.33%, CI: 9.48–57.19%, Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.008). Infection rates were higher in An. coluzzii mosquitoes (21/133 mosquitoes), estimated at 15.79% (CI: 9.59–21.99%) compared to An. gambiae s.s. mosquitoes (4/71), with approximately 5.63% (CI: 0.27–11.00%, χ² = 4.44; df = 1, p = 0.035). Resistant mosquitoes had a significantly higher prevalence of MB infection than susceptible mosquitos at 28.57% (CI: 16.74–40.40%) with an odds ratio of 3.33 (CI: 1.23–9.03, p = 0.017). These findings suggests that MB can be exploited as an alternative for vector control in Nigeria and Niger, but its possible association with pyrethroid resistance suggests that it should be taken into account as a potential confounder when designing insecticide resistance management strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) etiology is complex, involving genetics and environmental factors, and associated with impaired energy metabolism. Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (mFAO) is instrumental to energy production through the oxidation of acylcarnitines (ACs). We performed a comprehensive investigation of blood AC profiles in a pediatric ASD cohort, aiming to define ASD subgroups based on AC profiles and link these profiles to key clinical features and comorbidities using a phenotype-first approach. Methods: Blood levels of 31 ACs (μmol/L) collected from 102 ASD patients and 117 healthy controls (HCs) were evaluated via tandem mass spectrometry. The percentile distribution of blood AC levels in HC samples was computed to define the normal reference range (RR) and identify values corresponding to the 10th and 90th percentiles. Cognitive levels, emotional–behavioral disturbances and the severity of ASD symptoms (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Calibrated Severity Score ADOS-CSS) were assessed. Clinical correlates of ASD groups based on AC profiles were evaluated. Results: Three ASD subgroups were identified based on the percentile distribution of AC levels: group A (ACs < 10th percentile), group B (ACs 10th–90th percentile) and group C (ACs > 90th percentile) (abnormal AC number ≥ 3). Out of the thirty-one analyzed ACs in DBSs, fifteen (48.4%) were significantly different when comparing ASD group A to ASD group C. There was a significant difference in the severity of autism symptoms (ADOS CSS) related to the repetitive and restricted behaviors domain (CSS RRB) among the different groups (χ²(2) = 6.26; p = 0.044). The post hoc Dunn’s test with Bonferroni correction showed that ADOS-CSS RRB was significantly higher in ASD group A compared to ASD group B (p = 0.013). AC C14 was more frequently decreased (<10th pc) in patients with more severe symptoms (p = 0.006); C10:1 tended to be more frequently increased (>90th pc) in patients with lower clinical severity (p = 0.052). Conclusions: This study highlights differences across blood AC levels in children with ASD and conveys novel information on clinical severity in ASD patients with abnormal blood AC profiles. Thus, examining metabolic profiles may provide helpful insights to understand the variability of ASD symptoms. Full article

In this paper, I investigate the gluon distributions for the kaon and pion, as well as the improvement of the valence-quark distributions, in the framework of the gauge-invariant nonlocal chiral quark model (NL$\chi$QM), where the momentum dependence is taken into account. I then compute the gluon distributions for the kaon and pion that are dynamically generated from the splitting functions in the Dokshitzer–Gribov–Lipatov–Altarelli–Parisi (DGLAP) QCD evolution. In a comparison with the recent lattice QCD and JAM global analysis results, it is found that the results for the pion gluon distributions at $Q=$ 2 GeV, which is set based on the lattice QCD, have a good agreement with the recent lattice QCD data; this is followed up with the up valence-quark distribution of the pion results at $Q=$ 5.2 GeV in comparison with the reanalysis experimental data. The prediction for the kaon gluon distributions at $Q=2$ GeV is consistent with the recent lattice QCD calculation. Full article

The relative age effect (RAE) refers to the advantage often observed in sports selection processes, where athletes born earlier in the calendar year are favored over those born later. While the RAE has been widely studied in various sports, little is known about its presence in rhythmic gymnastics (RG), a female-dominated esthetic sport characterized by early specialization. This study investigated the presence of the RAE among elite rhythmic gymnasts (RGs) at the international level, focusing on differences in birth quarter distribution across age categories and performance levels. The sample included 578 RGs—356 juniors and 222 seniors—competing in individual and group events. Birthdates were categorized into four quartiles (Q1–Q4). Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests and standardized residuals as post hoc tests were used to analyze the RAE. No significant RAE was found in the overall sample or when analyzed by geographic region (p > 0.05). However, a significant under-representation in Q4 occurred for Group RGs (SR = −2.17), and among all juniors (SR = −2.54) (χ²[3, 356] = 9.833, p < 0.05, w = 0.17), particularly in the subgroup of 15-year-old gymnasts, who were over-represented in Q3 (SR = 2.55; χ²[3, 183] = 10.027, p < 0.05, w = 0.23). Finalists—especially those in group events—also showed a higher proportion of Q3 athletes and a lower proportion of those born in Q4. Among junior finalists, Q4 was significantly under-represented (p < 0.05). These novel sport-specific findings suggest the presence of an atypical RAE pattern in RG, particularly in younger age groups and among high-performing athletes. RG coaches and policymakers should consider alternative selection models and adapt training approaches for Q4-born gymnasts in order to prevent early deselection. Full article

Urban traffic congestion poses significant challenges to sustainable development in rapidly growing cities. This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of traffic congestion in Enugu, Nigeria, a representative mid-sized sub-Saharan city, through a comprehensive analysis of volumetric traffic flows along three major distributors: Abakpa, Nike, and Trans-Ekulu Road. The research employed direct observation and vehicle counts, conducting a week-long traffic census during peak morning (7:30–9:30 AM) and evening (4:00–8:00 PM) periods. Data was analyzed using peak hour factor (PHF), mean plots, and chi-square tests. The results reveal a daily mean of 2334 vehicles/h. Abakpa/Nike Road demonstrated the highest traffic volumes (mean = 809.2 vehicles/h) and most concentrated peak flows (PHF = 0.79), while Trans-Ekulu Road exhibited lower, more uniformly distributed volumes (mean = 719.4 vehicles/h, PHF = 0.93). Evening peaks (6:00–8:00 PM) consistently surpassed morning volumes, with Abakpa/Nike Road reaching 974 vehicles/hour during the evening rush compared to 620 vehicles/hour in the mornings. Chi-square analysis (χ² = 55.5, df = 8) confirmed statistically significant differences in flow distribution among the routes. The complete absence of Monday traffic due to regional “sit-at-home” orders created a distinctive weekly pattern, with Tuesdays experiencing disproportionate congestion as the de facto first workday. Non-linear relationships between volume increases and congestion severity were observed, where modest volume changes produced amplified system-wide effects. Spatial analysis revealed that evening congestion disparities between distributors (14.9%) significantly exceeded morning differences (8.9%), indicating uneven network utilization. These findings illuminate how socio-political factors, activity patterns, and complex network dynamics shape urban mobility in rapidly developing contexts. This study offers empirical evidence supporting targeted interventions, including Tuesday-specific traffic management, evening-focused congestion mitigation strategies, and corridor-specific infrastructure improvements to enhance mobility in this representative mid-sized sub-Saharan city. Full article

Background/Objective: The priority task of each country is to ensure the protection of and improvement in its people’s health. One of the key aspects of health is related to food culture, consuming foods that ensure growth and normal development in a person and also prevent diseases. The consumption of foods that contain essential nutrients and functional foods, which include those containing probiotics, is the basis of a healthy diet. Methods: A structured anonymous interview was conducted with 90 parents from the Roma minority group to assess the nutritional culture of children from these families. The knowledge of Roma parents about probiotics, as well as their attitudes to apply them to their children, was examined. The survey was based on a questionnaire that was distributed among the respondents, Roma students, under the guidance of a mentor. Roma students study health specialties and are also participants in a Scholarship Programme. Results: We have established that the daily diet of children from this minority group consists of foods containing hydrogenated fats and sugar, which was indicated by 53.3% of respondents, and only 28.9% of respondents noted that their children consume fresh fruit every day. We have established that less than half of the children (35.6%) consume yoghurt daily as a source of valuable probiotics. We applied a nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test and found statistically significant differences in the respondents’ knowledge of probiotics (χ² = 16.186, p = 0.001): those receiving secondary specialized education were better informed, but education has not affected their knowledge of the health benefits of probiotics (χ² = 5.462, p = 0.141). Children from minority groups tend to eat unhealthy foods. Conclusions: The role of Roma students studying health specialties as participants in the Scholarship Programme is to assist parents in forming a nutritional culture in their children. Roma students, due to their ethnic and cultural proximity and potential to be health professionals, contribute to sustainable health improvements among the Roma community as a whole. Full article

When a star is born, a protoplanetary disk made of gas and dust surrounds the star. The disk can show gaps opened by different astrophysical mechanisms. The gap has a wall emitting radiation, which contributes to the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the whole system (star, disk and planet) in the IR band. As these newborn stars are far away from us, it is difficult to know whether the gap is opened by a forming planet. I have developed RHADaMAnTe, a computational astro code based on the geometry of the wall of a gap coming from hydrodynamics 3D simulations of protoplanetary disks. With this code, it is possible to make models of disks to estimate the synthetic SEDs of the wall and prove whether the gap was opened by a forming planet. An implementation of this code was used to study the stellar system LkCa 15. It was found that a planet of 10 Jupiter masses is capable of opening a gap with a curved wall with a height of 12.9 AU. However, the synthetic SED does not fit to Spitzer IRS SED (${\chi }^2$∼4.5) from $5\mathsf{\mu }$m to $35\mathsf{\mu }$m. This implies that there is an optically thin region inside the gap. Full article

Distributed learning (DL), in which multiple nodes in an inner-connected network collaboratively induce a predictive model using their local data and some information communicated across neighboring nodes, has received significant research interest in recent years. Yet, it is challenging to achieve excellent performance in scenarios when training data instances have incomplete features and ambiguous labels. In such cases, it is essential to develop an efficient method to jointly perform the tasks of missing feature imputation and credible label recovery. Considering this, in this article, a distributed partial label missing data classification (dPMDC) algorithm is proposed. In the proposed algorithm, an integrated framework is formulated, which takes the ideas of both generative and discriminative learning into account. Firstly, by exploiting the weakly supervised information of ambiguous labels, a distributed probabilistic information-theoretic imputation method is designed to distributively fill in the missing features. Secondly, based on the imputed feature vectors, the classifier modeled by the random feature map of the ${\chi }^2$ kernel function can be learned. Two iterative steps constitute the dPMDC algorithm, which can be used to handle dispersed, distributed data with partially missing features and ambiguous labels. Experiments on several datasets show the superiority of the suggested algorithm from many viewpoints. Full article

The purpose of this study was to validate the Performance Perfectionism Scale for Sport (PPS-S) for use in South Korean student-athletes, addressing the critical need for a culturally appropriate measure of perfectionism in sport. The PPS-S was translated following established cross-cultural research protocols, including forward-backward translation and cognitive interviews. Participants were 332 collegiate athletes (79.5% male, 20.5% female; proportionate to the national collegiate athletic population distribution) registered with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee. Confirmatory factor analysis using robust maximum likelihood estimation confirmed the three-factor structure (self-oriented, socially prescribed, and other-oriented perfectionism) with acceptable model fit indices (χ²[49] = 163.54, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.906; RMSEA = 0.084, 90% CI [0.071, 0.097]; SRMR = 0.077). This validation represents a significant advancement in South Korean sport psychology, providing practitioners and researchers with the first psychometrically sound instrument for assessing perfectionism in sport and informing culturally tailored interventions. It addresses the limitations of previous research that relied on general perfectionism measures, which compromised domain and cultural validity by potentially misrepresenting athletes’ perfectionistic tendencies. Future research is needed to examine how this PPS-S performs distinctively compared to traditional general perfectionism measures and investigate its associations with various psychological outcomes. Full article

Background: Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) manifests as impaired auditory information processing despite normal peripheral hearing. Current clinical protocols lack standardization, hampering evidence-based intervention development. Objective: This review analyzes APD research developments from 2011 to 2025, examining diagnostic criteria, assessment protocols, and treatment effectiveness. Methods: Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were analyzed (January 2011–January 2025), following PRISMA guidelines. Two reviewers independently screened 413 articles, with 156 meeting inclusion criteria. Analysis included chi-square tests for intervention distribution and t-tests for diagnostic comparisons (α = 0.05). Results: Among 156 studies analyzed, medical interventions were markedly underrepresented (n = 4) compared to rehabilitative approaches (n = 52; χ² = 50.28, p < 0.001). The Random Gap Detection Test and Dichotic Digits Difference Test were most frequently used (12.86% and 10.48% of studies, respectively). Cognitive skill enhancement dominated intervention strategies (52.8%), followed by computer-based rehabilitation (26.4%). Publication frequency showed consistent annual growth, peaking at 57 studies in 2024. Sample sizes were comparable between APD and CAPD studies (mean difference = 4.2 cases, t = 0.416, p = 0.679). Environmental modifications appeared in 15.1% of interventions, while speech therapy was reported in only 3.8% of studies. Conclusions: The substantial imbalance between medical and rehabilitative interventions necessitates standardized diagnostic protocols and enhanced multidisciplinary collaboration. Implementation of a hierarchical processing framework is recommended for assessment and treatment. Future research should prioritize large-scale controlled trials and unified diagnostic criteria development. Full article