Search Results (133,457)

Otters spend a considerable amount of time vocalizing within zoos and other captive settings. Although associations between these vocalizations and social activity have been investigated prior, it is not always clear how this is reflected in interactions with people under typical zoo conditions, including interactions with zoo visitors and staff. In addition, the implications for zoo welfare and their relation to vocalizing are also not clear, warranting greater investigation to identify potential future welfare metrics for otter species. We examined zoo Asian small-clawed otter vocalizations and general activity in the presence of people, including both visitors and staff. Our focus was on measuring vocalizations as a binomial response (yes/no) in relation to two variables: (a) people, and (b) time. In addition, we also measured differences in vocalizations during sessions, when visitors were present with or without staff. Finally, we measured general otter activity during sessions when 50% or more of the observation intervals had people present (More People), as opposed to sessions where less than 50% of all intervals had a person present (Less People). Overall, otters were statistically more active and less out of sight when more people were present; a weak to moderate correlation was observed between vocalizations and people, a weak correlation was observed between vocalizations and time, and there was no statistically significant difference in vocalizations of the otters in the presence of visitors regardless of staff presence. These results suggest that the measured variables showed no evidence of an overtly negative visitor effect for the otters and may have produced a potentially enriching effect. In addition, measuring multiple variables, including time of day, diurnal patterns, feeding patterns, weather, and providing experimental control could aid in identifying the potential visitor effect for otters and other zoo animals. Full article

Staphylococcus aureus is a major bacterial pathogen that can cause clinical infections and foodborne illnesses through the production of 25 exotoxin types. The most frequently implicated toxins in food poisoning outbreaks are Staphylococcal enterotoxins type A–E (SEA-SEE), which are the first enterotoxins discovered. While in vitro detection methods are available to identify the presence of enterotoxins, they cannot distinguish between biologically active and inactive forms of the toxins. Detection of biologically active enterotoxins currently relies on in vivo testing, using the emetic response in kittens or monkeys. Here, we show the development of an in vitro assay to detect the active forms of SEB, a potential biological warfare agent and leading cause of food poisoning, and SEC1, a frequent cause of staphylococcal food poisoning. The novel assay involves the implementation of a genetically engineered Jurkat T-cell line expressing TCR Vβ3, resulting in a dose response of IL-2 production when exposed to active toxin. We also show that at a concentration of 100 ng/mL, the biological activity of SEB is significantly decreased at temperatures over 70 °C, while pasteurization at 63 °C only slightly reduces the biological activity of the toxin. Our studies provide an alternative method to animal testing to determine the presence of active toxins and provide possible inactivation methods of the toxins. Full article

This work deals with questions of enhancing the scalability and security of linear chain Bitcoin by introducing a D-BTC (Domino Bitcoin) protocol, supported by a simply connected two-dimensional structure. The paper seeks to answer the question: can the linear topology of Bitcoin be replaced by a richer geometric structure that simultaneously (i) enlarges the number of valid positions where parallel mining can occur, and (ii) strengthens the asymptotic decay of the double-spend reversal probability? In the D-BTC protocol, the blocks, called B-dominoes (Bitcoin dominoes) are organized as a finite connected region subset of ${\mathbb{Z}}^2$ without holes, also called a lattice. Simple connectivity plays a central role in D-BTC and to mine a (valid) B-domino, a miner has to compute four PoW (Proof of Work), corresponding to cardinal directions, allowing them to add it to the frontier of the lattice, under the constraint that the new lattice is simply connected. We introduce a new deterministic consensus based on maximization of the lattice surface. By using a simple version of the isoperimetric inequality, we see that the frontier size grows as $\Omega \left(\sqrt{n}\right)$, where n is the lattice size. Following the Nakamoto’s heuristic, and under the honest majority assumption, a double-spending attack is successful with probability decaying exponentially in $k^2$, where k is the minimum Manhattan distance of the concerned B-domino from the lattice frontier. Additionally, we set up implementations and experiments to demonstrate the practical viability of the protocol with authentic gossip-based message propagation and complete Merkle tree verification. Full article

Power consumption in portable display systems is significantly affected by the energy cost of frame buffer memory accesses between the graphics processing unit (GPU) and the display processing unit (DPU). This paper presents the design and FPGA implementation of a visually lossless frame buffer codec based on the JPEG XS standard, intended for integration into on-chip systems to reduce memory bandwidth and associated power consumption. The codec is implemented in VHDL and targets the AMD Artix UltraScale+ xcau15p-2ffvb676e device. The codec supports both the standard ISO/IEC 21122 entropy coding path and a simplified non-standard Golomb–Rice mode intended for closed on-chip systems. Post-place-and-route results at PPC = 4 show that the Standard Precinct codec occupies 22.0% of device LUTs, while the proposed Golomb–Rice variant requires only 15.8%. At a compression ratio of 11:1, the codec achieves a PSNR of 40.20 dB, consistent with visually lossless operation reported for JPEG XS. Power estimation at 200 MHz shows that the Golomb–Rice mode reduces total codec power consumption by 44 mW (4.7%) relative to the Standard Precinct mode, with the decoder contributing the majority of this saving. The proposed solution is applicable to portable devices with built-in displays, including smartphones, tablets, and augmented reality headsets, where tile-based frame buffer compression is required without inter-frame dependencies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Respiratory tract symptoms, urinary symptoms, and acute fevers frequently prompt emergency urgent care visits. Distinguishing bacterial from viral or non-bacterial etiology remains difficult because clinical features overlap and laboratory microbiological tests are often non-specific or delayed. The MeMed BV^® test is a rapid host-response assay that combines TRAIL, IP-10, and CRP into a composite score to differentiate between bacterial and viral/non-bacterial infections within 15 min. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of the MeMed BV test in adults and children with suspected respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and undifferentiated fever. Methods: The review followed PRISMA-DTA guidelines. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched. The risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2, Cochrane RoB 2.0, ROBINS-I, and JBI tools. Where appropriate, meta-analyses were performed using a bivariate random-effects or HSROC model. Results: Sixteen studies (12 diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) studies and four non-DTA studies) were included. The pooled sensitivity was 91% (95% CI: 86–94%), and specificity was 92% (95% CI: 91–93%), with consistent accuracy in adults (Sensitivity 93%/Specificity 91%) and children (Sensitivity 88%/Specificity 93%). The non-DTA studies demonstrated that MeMed BV-guided management improved antibiotic stewardship: antibiotics were prescribed in 20.6% of viral versus 73.2% of bacterial cases, and clinician adherence to MeMed BV results reached 75–80%. Conclusions: The MeMed BV test demonstrates consistently high diagnostic accuracy and is associated with improved antibiotic decision-making, supporting its integration into clinical workflows. Full article

This paper proposes and experimentally demonstrates a fiber ring laser (FRL) salinity sensing system based on a Sagnac loop (SL) formed by a tapered polarization-maintaining fiber (TPMF). The operating principle is that salinity modulates the birefringence of the polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF), causing a shift in the interference wavelength of the SL transmission spectrum, while the FRL narrows the optical spectrum and enhances the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In the experiment, the SL consists of a 20-cm-long PMF with a tapered waist diameter of 10.86 μm. Over the salinity range of 0‰ to 30‰, the sensitivity of the laser-based sensing system is 97 pm/‰, which agrees well with the 93 pm/‰ sensitivity obtained using a broadband light source (BBS), and the salinity exhibits a good linear relationship with the wavelength shift, with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.997. Meanwhile, the ring laser cavity improves the SNR of the sensing system from 22 dB to approximately 54 dB, and compresses the 3-dB bandwidth from 1.75 nm to 0.06 nm. Further adopting the support vector regression (SVR) algorithm for linear regression modeling of the spectral data, the results show that the mean absolute error (MAE) decreases from 0.50‰ to 0.04‰, the root mean square error (RMSE) decreases from 0.54‰ to 0.11‰, and R² reaches as high as 0.99988. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that combines salinity laser sensing with an artificial intelligence algorithm. The proposed sensor leverages the narrow linewidth and high SNR advantages of the FRL together with the high-precision linear fitting capability of the SVR algorithm, achieving significantly improved accuracy for salinity measurement compared to conventional spectral demodulation. Full article

Background/Objectives: While previous research has explored the effects of moral distress and the work environment separately, there is limited evidence on how these two factors are associated with nurses’ turnover intention. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the mediating role of moral distress in the correlation between nurses’ work environments and turnover intention. Methods: This study employed a multicenter cross-sectional design of emergency nurses from April to June 2025. The Measure of Moral Distress—Healthcare Professionals, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), and Turnover Intention Scale were used to collect data. The mediating effect was analyzed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4, Version 4.2) software with the bootstrap technique (5000 repetitions, 95% bias-corrected confidence interval). Statistical significance was set at a threshold of p < 0.05. Results: Mediation analysis revealed that work environment had a significant negative effect on moral distress (β = −0.251, B = −45.293, 95% CI [−70.376, −20.210], p < 0.001). Moral distress significantly increased nurse turnover (β = 0.202, B = 0.008, 95% CI [0.003, 0.012], p = 0.003), while the work environment had a significant negative direct effect on turnover (β = −0.391, B = −2.629, 95% CI [−3.507, −1.751], p < 0.001). The total effect of work environment on nurse turnover was also significant (β = −0.442, B = −2.970, 95% CI [−3.837, −2.102], p < 0.001). Bootstrapping confirmed a significant indirect effect of moral distress (β = −0.051, 95% CI [−0.092, −0.016]), indicating partial mediation. Conclusions: This study revealed that nurses’ work environment was significantly associated with turnover intention, both directly and indirectly, through moral distress. Moral distress acted as a statistically significant but modest partial mediator of the association between the work environment and turnover intention, suggesting that it may partially explain this relationship. Strategies by healthcare organizations should be organized to optimize proactive work environments and mitigate moral distress among nurses. Full article

Fireworks have been used in China for more than a millennium, though they are an increasing part of celebration globally. Consumption of fireworks is on the rise despite increased regulation of their use. This review examines the key themes that are apparent in contemporary research: contamination of air, water and soil, in addition to waste debris, noise and light pollution, along with contemporary approaches to mitigate environmental impact. Research is, as expected, more frequent from countries with high fireworks use, so some rather small countries such as the Netherlands, Malta and Iceland are notably active. Concentrations of emitted gases (especially SO₂) and fine particles are frequently studied, along with associated toxic metals and semimetals (especially Cu, Zn, Cd, As, Ba and Sr). There are many projections of effects of fireworks, but relatively few epidemiological studies of health outcomes or the impact of contamination on local ecosystems. Fireworks waste and debris is an environmental problem; it is expensive to clear and aesthetically unpleasing. Excessive noise (up to 137 dB) created by fireworks affects pets and wildlife, as well as posing a risk to pyrotechnicians. Fireworks produce bursts of light that can be distracting to motorists and disturb wildlife, while smoke particles cause lowered visibility. Green fireworks and festivals of light with lasers or drone technology present routes to lower impact. Contemporary society is sympathetic towards restricting fireworks, but recognition of their cultural importance remains. Full article

Dual-beam circularly polarized antenna arrays are widely demanded in high-capacity wireless and satellite communication systems. However, conventional designs typically suffer from complex feeding networks, large profile, and high insertion loss, which limit their integration level and efficiency. To address these issues, this paper proposes a low-loss, highly integrated dual-beam circularly polarized antenna array based on a substrate-integrated waveguide equivalent ENZ feeding network. A new physical phenomenon is revealed that the tangential electric field in the slots exhibits an equal-amplitude and anti-phase distribution due to the combined effect of the uniform field distribution in the ENZ medium and the boundary conditions of the slotted perfect electric conductor. Using this inherent mechanism, the antenna achieves symmetric dual-beam radiation at approximately ±27° in the E-plane. A polarization conversion meta surface layer is loaded to convert linear polarization into circular polarization. A prototype is fabricated and measured. At 8.3 GHz, the measured peak gain is 9.1 dBi, the minimum axial ratio is better than 1.5 dB, and the radiation efficiency is higher than 85%. The proposed array features simple structure, low loss, and high integration. Compared with conventional feeding structures, it eliminates the need for additional phase shifters or power dividers, effectively reducing insertion loss and structural complexity. It exhibits good application potential in compact base stations and satellite communication terminals. Full article

Background/Objectives: This prospective observational cohort study aimed to evaluate the influence of heated tobacco (HT) and electronic cigarettes (ECs) on bone remodeling markers such as receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG), and periodontal status, at baseline and at 3 months after initial periodontal therapy. Methods: The sample comprised 236 participants (130 women, 106 men; mean age 38.96 ± 7.69 years), distributed across non-smokers (n = 72), heated tobacco/HT product users (n = 83), and electronic cigarette/EC users (n = 81). For each patient, the periodontal charting included periodontal probing depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment loss (CAL). Unstimulated saliva samples were analyzed for RANKL and OPG levels. All patients underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy (scaling and root planing). Between-group comparisons were performed using the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons, while within-group changes over time were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. To complement the primary nonparametric analyses, two-way mixed-design ANOVA and ANCOVA models adjusted for baseline values and periodontitis stage were performed as sensitivity analyses. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: At baseline, both product user groups exhibited significantly higher PPD (p = 0.005) and CAL (p = 0.001) compared with non-smokers, with no differences between HT and EC users. Salivary RANKL levels were significantly higher in HT and EC users than in non-smokers, and OPG levels did not differ significantly. Following non-surgical periodontal therapy, all parameters improved significantly across groups (p < 0.001). At the 3-month follow-up, both product user groups maintained higher PPD (p = 0.008), CAL (p = 0.001), and salivary RANKL levels, compared with non-smoking individuals (p < 0.001). The RANKL/OPG ratio remained significantly different only for EC users compared with non-smokers (p < 0.001). Conclusions: HT and EC use were associated with differences in periodontal parameters and higher RANKL levels, while differences in the RANKL/OPG ratio were observed in EC users compared with non-smokers. Non-surgical periodontal therapy improved clinical parameters and reduced the RANKL/OPG ratio, highlighting the importance of biofilm control. Full article

Background and Objectives: Chronic nonspecific neck pain (NSNP) is among the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Global postural re-education (GPR) might be effective in decreasing neck pain (NP) and dysfunction and improving forward head posture (FHP) by recovering muscle chains and reducing postural alteration. Deep neck flexor activation (DNF) might also decrease NP and improve FHP by improving DNF endurance. This study aimed to compare the effects of GPR versus DNF activation on pain, dysfunction, FHP, and DNF endurance. Materials and Methods: Forty-six physiotherapy students with chronic NSNP participated in this non-randomized comparative study and were allocated into two equal groups based on their availability and preference regarding session duration. Group A underwent GPR exercises combined with active neck exercises, whereas group B received DNF activation in addition to active neck exercises. All participants were assessed pre- and post-intervention for pain intensity using a visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability using the Arabic version of the neck disability index (NDI), FHP via a photometric method with Kinovea software, and DNF endurance using pressure biofeedback. Results: A significant effect of both treatments was reported on reducing pain intensity, improving the FHP and enhancing the neck functional status with no substantial differences between both groups. A significant improvement in DNF endurance was observed in both groups, with substantially higher values between groups in favor of the DNF group. Conclusions: Both GPR and DNF activation exercises were associated with reductions in pain and improvements in neck disability among physiotherapy students with chronic NSNP and FHP. Also, both CVA and DNF endurance improved, with more improvement observed in DNF endurance in the DNF group compared with the GPR group. Full article

A vortex reducer is employed to reduce the pressure drop during the radially inward air bleeding process in aero-engines. The vortex reducer with deswirl nozzles (DVR) has the advantage of structural robustness; however, its complex, non-monotonic flow rate–pressure drop characteristic limits its widespread application. In an effort to resolve this issue, the current study employs both experimental and numerical methodologies to investigate the effects of nozzle geometric parameters on the flow characteristics of the DVRs, which are currently deficient. The findings indicate that, irrespective of variations in nozzle radial position or flow area, an elevation in the design point flow rate invariably results in an augmented pressure drop, and this coupling effect cannot be circumvented by modifying the geometric parameters. When the nozzle radial position is lowered to below b₁ = 130 mm or the flow area is reduced to below d₂ = 1.19 mm, the flow characteristic of the DVRs becomes monotonic; nevertheless, due to the severely limited flow capacity, such a monotonic characteristic lacks practical engineering significance. Therefore, both the nozzle radial position and the flow area should be regarded as separate independent variables in optimization calculations during the design process, necessitating the development of a rapid and accurate low-dimensional model. Full article

The einkorn wheat group, comprising ancient diploid species (2n = 14, AA), including Triticum monococcum, Triticum boeoticum, and Triticum urartu, represents a valuable source of genetic variation for improving disease resistance in wheat. To develop a practical platform for introgressing powdery mildew resistance into bread wheat, we screened 21 einkorn accessions with Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) race E09 and identified seven resistant donors. Because direct hybridization between diploid einkorn (AA) and hexaploid wheat (AABBDD) is constrained by genomic divergence and poor cross-compatibility, we crossed resistant einkorn accessions with susceptible durum wheat and induced chromosome doubling in the F₁ hybrids to generate synthetic durum–einkorn amphiploids. Nine amphiploids were obtained. Chromosome counts and genomic in situ hybridization confirmed the expected genomic constitution (AABBAA) in most lines, with limited variation in chromosome number in two amphiploids. Phenotyping against Bgt race E09 showed that three amphiploids retained high resistance, four showed moderate resistance, and two were moderately susceptible. Marker analysis identified five einkorn accessions contain known Pm genes such as Pm60, Pm60b, and PmNCA6/Pm37, as well as their derived amphipliods. Two einkorn accessions and their derived amphiploids may harbor novel Pm genes. Field evaluation of the agronomic traits of these amphiploids indicated some improvement in tillering, spike length, and seed weight. Moreover, these amphiploids had better seed-setting rates in crosses and backcrosses with common wheat. These synthetic durum–einkorn amphiploids thus offer a new bridging platform for transferring alien genes from diploid einkorn to hexaploid common wheat, providing valuable genetic resources for wheat-breeding programs. Full article

Background: The clinical impact of oral semaglutide on cardiac biomarkers in real-world patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unclear. We evaluated whether initiation of oral semaglutide was associated with a reduction in B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and explored factors associated with this response. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 27 patients with HFpEF who initiated oral semaglutide for T2DM management at a single academic center. Clinical data were collected at three time points: three months before treatment initiation (pre-treatment period), at initiation (baseline), and three months after semaglutide initiation (on-treatment period). The primary outcome was the change in the common logarithm of BNP levels (log BNP) during the on-treatment versus pre-treatment period. Results: Median age was 67 (59, 78) years and 21 (77.8%) were men. Log BNP remained stable during the pre-treatment period (p = 0.34) but decreased significantly during the on-treatment period (p < 0.001). The reduction in log BNP during the on-treatment period was significantly greater than during the pre-treatment period (mean difference −0.35, 95% confidence interval −0.44 to −0.11, p < 0.001). Concomitant reductions were observed in HbA1c, body weight, C-reactive protein, left atrial volume index, and left ventricular mass index. Changes in C-reactive protein levels were significantly correlated with those in log BNP (r = 0.46, p = 0.015). Conclusions: In patients with HFpEF and T2DM, three-month oral semaglutide therapy was associated with reductions in BNP, as well as improvements in glycemic control, systemic inflammation, left atrial volume index, and left ventricular mass index. Full article

This study integrated Item Response Theory (IRT) models with ordinal survey instruments to establish a baseline psychometric framework and identify multidimensional factors associated with academic achievement among first-semester leveling students (N = 1558 pre-test; N = 1676 post-test) at the Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ecuador. A dual-component methodology was employed in this study. Initially, an 80-item ordinal survey was utilized to assess eight latent constructs, yielding substantial validation metrics through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Secondly, structured diagnostic assessments in core STEM and language subjects were calibrated using three-parameter logistic (3PL) IRT models via Expected A Posteriori (EAP) estimation. Results demonstrated high internal consistency ($r = 0.93$ between IRT and raw scores), with mean IRT-scaled ability $\overline{\theta } = 10.45$ ($SD = 3.51$) on a 1–20 scale. Estimated item parameters yielded a mean discrimination of $\overline{\mathrm{a}} = 1.92$ and a centered mean difficulty of $\overline{b} = 0.05$. The Orlando–Thissen $S-X^2$ goodness-of-fit test, applied at a significance threshold of $p < 0.01$, identified 19 items (23.75%) whose observed response patterns deviated significantly from model predictions, with the majority concentrated in the physics and chemistry content domains. Factor scores and performance outcomes were statistically contrasted against 24 categorical demographic variables, revealing differential performance patterns across student subgroups. This research provides validated psychometric instruments, reproducible IRT-LMS integration protocols, and empirical evidence supporting targeted interventions to strengthen university transition. Full article