Search Results (19,613)

Public Fire Emergency Literacy (PFEL) is a critical determinant that fundamentally shapes individual survivability and the efficacy of societal safety governance—particularly amid intensifying fire risks characterized by growing complexity and destructive potential. Traditional single-perspective or linear analytical frameworks fail to capture PFEL’s multi-causal and configurational nature. To address this gap, this study integrates the Emergency Management Life Cycle Theory with the WSR system approach to measure PFEL across 36 major Chinese cities using 3872 survey responses and explores its multidimensional attributes and generative mechanisms via multiple methods (Delphi technique, entropy weighting, GIS spatial analysis, multiple regression, fsQCA). Key findings: (1) PFEL exhibits a pronounced cognition precedes capability gap with marked demographic heterogeneity; (2) PFEL displays a distinct “Central > Northeast > East > West” hierarchical gradient and notable spatial disequilibrium—core cities in the Central region (e.g., Wuhan and Zhengzhou) outperform traditional first-tier metropolises in the East; (3) physical infrastructure, organizational management, and individual cognition jointly shape PFEL with significant regional heterogeneity—participation in emergency training emerges as the most potent driver; (4) configurational path analysis indicates that PFEL is determined by a complex conjunctive causal mechanism formed by the combined effects of physical facilities, organizational management and individual initiative. Policy implications cover strengthened public emergency response capacity, differentiated policies, and multi-factor collaborative governance. The findings offer theoretical references and practical guidance for improving public resilience systems and emergency resource allocation. Full article

In polytrauma patients, persistent or unexplained hemodynamic instability is commonly attributed to hemorrhage, hypovolemia, or septic evolution. Compensatory neuro-cardiovascular responses may temporarily mask structural cardiac injury and delay diagnosis. Traumatic tricuspid valve injury is a rare condition in which physiological compensation and right-ventricular adaptation can initially preserve systemic perfusion but progressively impair circulatory efficiency. We report the case of a young polytrauma patient and a targeted narrative review to shed light on a rare cause of hemodynamic instability in blunt chest trauma, emphasizing that identifying the underlying mechanism of shock is crucial for adequate management. Full article

Carried out with 30 students enrolled in the Computer Technologies Department of a vocational school at a public university in Türkiye, this qualitative study examines university students’ perceptions and institutional expectations regarding the integration of sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) in universities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The interview protocol was developed by the researchers and refined based on feedback from three field experts to ensure content validity. Before the main data collection, the interview form was reviewed and refined through an initial exploratory application with a small group of participants to assess the clarity and comprehensibility of the questions and to identify potential issues in the data collection process. The data analysis was conducted using qualitative content analysis supported by MAXQDA software. The findings indicate that students generally associate sustainable AI with energy efficiency, environmental responsibility, and ethical use of technology. Participants demonstrated awareness of large-scale AI systems’ environmental impacts. Although students viewed the development of environmentally friendly AI systems positively, they expressed concerns about ethical boundaries, excessive energy consumption, and the absence of clear regulatory frameworks. Overall, the findings suggest that structured content on the environmental, ethical, and social dimensions of AI should be integrated into vocational higher education curricula. Full article

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which fatigue and sleep disturbances, in addition to articular symptoms, are of significant importance. These symptoms are among the most common and burdensome complaints reported by patients; they affect their daily functioning and quality of life, and can also exacerbate one another. Currently, the treatment of RA focuses not only on reducing inflammatory activity and preventing structural damage, but also on improving outcomes that matter most to patients. In modern RA treatment, Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are becoming increasingly important; by inhibiting the JAK/STAT pathway, they limit the activity of cytokines involved in the inflammatory response. This review aimed to analyse the effect of selected JAKis on fatigue and sleep quality in patients with RA. An analysis of available study results showed that baricitinib, filgotinib, tofacitinib and upadacitinib reduce fatigue severity. In many cases, improvement was observed as early as the initial stages of treatment and persisted at later follow-up points. At the same time, the extent of this improvement was not uniform and depended on the drug used, the dose, the patient population, and the assessment method adopted. Some analyses also suggested that this effect may have been partly due to reduced pain and improved disease activity. The data on sleep quality are less extensive, but the results suggest that tofacitinib and upadacitinib may also have a beneficial effect in this regard. With tofacitinib, improvements in sleep quality were observed early, affected multiple sleep domains, and, in some studies, persisted over the long term. For upadacitinib, an improvement in sleep quality appeared to be associated with disease control and remission. The smaller number of studies on sleep quality than on fatigue highlights the need to consider this parameter more thoroughly when assessing the efficacy of JAKi treatment and emphasises the importance of a more holistic approach in clinical practice. Full article

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) is a serious neurological sequela of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in premature infants and remains one of the leading indications for ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement. Evaluating possible VP shunt-related complications can be challenging because clinical manifestations are often nonspecific, neuroimaging may initially appear unchanged, and microbiological cultures may remain negative. We report the case of a 19-month-old male born at 28 weeks’ gestation who developed Grade IV germinal matrix/intraventricular hemorrhage with bilateral intraparenchymal extension, early periventricular cystic leukomalacia, and post-hemorrhagic communicating hydrocephalus requiring multiple cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedures culminating in long-term VP shunt dependence. His medical history was notable for recurrent neonatal meningitis, secondary epilepsy with previous episodes of status epilepticus, secondary adrenal insufficiency, and severe global developmental delay. He presented with fever, recurrent coffee-ground vomiting, abdominal distension, progressive lethargy, reduced responsiveness, and localized erythematous swelling over the cranial VP shunt reservoir, raising concern for possible shunt-related pathology. During hospitalization, he deteriorated with status epilepticus and respiratory failure, with clinical concern for increased intracranial pressure, requiring admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Laboratory investigations demonstrated leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein, cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, markedly elevated CSF protein, and CSF glucose of 2.0 mmol/L, for which a paired serum glucose value was unavailable, while repeated blood, urine, wound, and CSF cultures remained negative. Initial computed tomography (CT) demonstrated no significant interval change in the chronic hydrocephalus despite progressive neurological deterioration; however, serial neuroimaging later revealed progressive bilateral extra-axial fluid collections with radiological features suggestive of an evolving subacute subdural hemorrhage. The patient was managed with empirical broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics, aggressive seizure control, stress-dose corticosteroids, respiratory support, and continuous multidisciplinary monitoring. His neurological and respiratory status subsequently improved, and he returned to his pre-admission neurological baseline before discharge with planned further evaluation at a tertiary pediatric neurosurgical center. This case highlights the diagnostic uncertainty surrounding acute neurological deterioration in a child with shunt-dependent PHH. VP shunt-related infection or malfunction remained important but unconfirmed diagnostic considerations, alongside competing or potentially overlapping contributors including status epilepticus, evolving extra-axial collections, respiratory infection, and endocrine or metabolic decompensation. No single etiology was definitively established. The case emphasizes the importance of serial neurological assessment, consideration of alternative diagnoses, repeat neuroimaging, and multidisciplinary evaluation when initial investigations do not establish the cause of deterioration. Full article

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in schools, workplaces, and everyday digital systems, K-12 computer science education faces a growing question: how should students be taught about AI and prepared to engage with it? AI literacy frameworks emphasize competencies beyond programming and algorithmic thinking, including understanding how AI systems operate, evaluating their outputs, and recognizing their limitations and ethical implications. This article develops a conceptual argument that data science education offers an important pathway for preparing students for AI because many contemporary AI systems are grounded in data. Drawing on literature in AI literacy, computer science education, and data science education, as well as our research on high school data science curricula and implementation in Utah and Virginia, this article examines how data science is emerging across courses, curricula, and state-level initiatives. The analysis highlights variation in instructional emphasis, course placement, student access, and teacher preparation needs. It argues that data science can extend computer science education by creating interdisciplinary, data-centered opportunities for students to encounter computing concepts in applied contexts and develop the foundational understanding needed to engage critically and responsibly with AI. Full article

Background: Early-life microbial exposures shape immune maturation and can influence later susceptibility to allergic airway disease. While probiotics can modulate host immunity, determining whether maternal probiotic supplementation alone promotes changes in offspring microbiomes and the immune functions that reduce allergic disease remains incompletely defined. Methods: Female mice were gavaged with Lactobacillus johnsonii (Lj) daily for 7 days prior to mating, and then twice weekly until delivery. Offspring were sensitized and challenged with cockroach allergen (CRA), beginning at 5 weeks of age, for 3 weeks to initiate asthmatic-type responses. Airway physiology (methacholine-induced airway hyperreactivity; AHR), lung-mucus-related gene expression (Muc5ac, Gob5), and lymph node restimulation responses were assessed. Results: Offspring from Lj-supplemented dams exhibited reduced AHR and decreased induction of Muc5ac and Gob5 following the final CRA challenge, accompanied by diminished Th cell cytokine production upon lymph node restimulation. Maternal Lj supplementation produced a significant shift in offspring cecal microbiome structure at 5 weeks, including altered phylum-level composition and a discrete set of significantly changed OTUs, including Akkermansia. PICRUSt2 analyses predicted coordinated differences in microbial metabolic potential across multiple pathways, consistent with functional reprogramming of the gut microbiome. Bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDC) derived from adult offspring of Lj-supplemented dams showed attenuated inflammatory programming after RSV or TLR7 stimulation, with reduced expression of innate immune cytokines compared to PBS-supplemented dams. Conclusions: The relatively long-term effects were associated with reduced allergic airway disease severity, supporting maternal probiotic supplementation as a potential strategy to lower offsprings’ risk of allergic airway pathology. Full article

Dye-containing wastewater poses environmental risks and requires treatment alternatives that are based on renewable and low-cost materials. This study evaluated saline extracts obtained from walnut shells and eucalyptus bark as biocoagulants for apparent color removal from synthetic wastewater containing methylene blue as a model cationic dye at an initial concentration of 10 mg L⁻¹. The effects of extraction time, extraction pH, and salt concentration were investigated using Response Surface Methodology and a three-factor Box–Behnken design. Apparent color removal was subsequently evaluated at biocoagulant dosages of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mL per 100 mL of synthetic wastewater. Walnut shell and eucalyptus bark extracts were prepared using NaCl and KCl, respectively, and apparent color removal was evaluated after the interaction with the dye. Walnut-shell extracts achieved a maximum apparent color-removal efficiency of 47% after 24 h of extraction at pH 6, using 0.5 M NaCl and a dosage of 1.0 mL per 100 mL. Eucalyptus bark extracts achieved a maximum apparent color-removal efficiency of 48% after 12 h of extraction at pH 7, using 1.0 M KCl and a dosage of 1.5 mL per 100 mL. Although the maximum apparent efficiencies were similar, eucalyptus bark showed greater statistical consistency and better predictive model performance. Both residues demonstrated potential as renewable materials for apparent color removal, particularly as pretreatment agents or components of combined wastewater treatment systems. Full article

Auxin response factors (ARFs) are key transcriptional regulators of the auxin signaling pathway and play important roles in plant organogenesis and regeneration. However, the functions of ARF family genes in lily scale-derived bulblet regeneration remain largely unclear. In this study, 24 LdARF genes were identified from the genome of Lilium davidii var. unicolor. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LdARF proteins showed evolutionary conservation with ARF homologs from other monocot species. Genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis, and expression profiling revealed functional divergence among LdARF genes during scale-derived bulblet regeneration. Among them, LdARF17 exhibited a distinct regeneration-associated expression pattern, characterized by rapid induction after scale excision and sustained high expression during subsequent bulblet initiation and formation. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that LdARF17 is localized in the nucleus. Transient overexpression of LdARF17 significantly promoted bulblet regeneration and was associated with increased expression of auxin-responsive and regeneration-related genes, including IAA14, LBD16, and LBD29. These findings suggest that LdARF17 acts as a positive regulator of lily scale regeneration and may influence auxin-responsive transcriptional processes associated with early cell proliferation, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying vegetative regeneration in lilies. Full article

Background: Autophagy plays a central role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, regulating growth and development, and responding to multiple stresses. Autophagy-related genes (ATGs) play critical roles in autophagy, yet their functional diversity in soybean (Glycine max) remains underexplored. Methods: Genome-wide identification of GmATG genes was performed using sequence similarity and domain-based searches against the Wm82.gnm4 reference genome, followed by characterization of physicochemical properties, chromosomal distribution, phylogenetic relationships, gene duplication, conserved motifs, gene structure, three-dimensional structural, and promoter cis-acting elements. Tissue-specific expression and multiple stresses response were examined using transcriptome data and profiled by RT-qPCR. Results: A total of 60 GmATG genes belonging to 20 subfamilies were identified in soybean. Gene family expansion was predominantly driven by fragment duplication (33 gene pairs), with the ATG8 family expanding to 12 members, and pan-genomic analysis uncovered prominent copy number variation (6–9 copies) in the ATG18 family. GmATG genes showed distinct expression patterns in response to multiple abiotic and biotic stresses. Specifically, GmATG18f was significantly induced by phosphorus deficiency in the low-phosphorus-tolerant soybean variety Nannong 94-156. GmATG8g, GmATG9d and GmATG13d showed a typical expression trend of initial increase followed by decrease, with expression levels peaking at 6–12 h after salt stress treatment. GmATG8g and GmATG9d were rapidly upregulated at the early drought stress stage, while GmATG13a maintained sustained upregulation. In response to Phomopsis stem rot, GmATG7a/8h/8i/11/13d/18e/18f displayed differential expression in resistant and susceptible soybean materials. Conclusions: This study systematically characterizes the composition, expansion and stress response patterns of the GmATG gene family, revealing functional differentiation among family members. The identified key candidate genes, including abiotic-stress-regulated GmATG8g/9d/13d/18f and biotic-stress-regulated GmATG7a/8h/8i/11/13d/18e/18f, provide valuable genetic resources for the molecular breeding of stress-tolerant soybean. Full article

Improving emergency vehicle mobility in congested urban environments is a critical challenge for transportation systems. Although roadway capacity expansions, such as widening roads, are often deployed to reduce congestion, their impact on emergency response performance is not always guaranteed, especially when delays concentrate at critical intersections. This study investigates how roadway capacity expansion affects emergency vehicle performance by using a microscopic traffic simulation framework. The study was applied to a real urban corridor in Mohammedia, Morocco, to provide a solid base for simulations with real-world conditions. A SUMO model was calibrated to represent two roadway configurations: a baseline two-lane layout and a three-lane post-widening scenario. Traffic volumes from 1056 to 3520 vehicles per hour were simulated, and performance was assessed using three emergency-specific indicators: Emergency Response Time (ERT), Delay Ratio (DR), and Priority Mobility Index (PMI). An initial single-run comparison suggested a substantial ERT reduction under moderate demand (343.40 s to 270.90 s, 21.11%); however, a 30-seed replication with paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests shows that this and nearly all other widening effects are not statistically distinguishable from stochastic simulation noise. Only one of 12 emergency vehicle comparisons (Priority Mobility Index at 18:00) reached significance, and it favored the baseline configuration; none of 12 general traffic comparisons improved significantly, and general traffic was significantly slower under the widened configuration at 22:00 (p < 0.01). A supplementary sensitivity analysis (±20% emergency vehicle demand share) further shows that Delay Ratio conclusions are considerably more sensitive to this assumption (up to 34% relative change) than ERT or PMI (under 8%). These findings indicate that, in this network, roadway capacity expansion alone does not deliver a statistically robust improvement in either emergency vehicle or general mobility, and that a persistent signalized-intersection bottleneck remains the dominant constraint irrespective of lane geometry. The study provides a replicable, statistically validated simulation framework for assessing roadway capacity expansion effectiveness and cautions against single-run comparisons, which can substantially overstate the causal effect of infrastructure interventions in microscopic traffic simulation studies. Full article

Background: Acute renal colic is a common urological emergency characterized by substantial interindividual variability in analgesic response. Pharmacogenetic variation in OPRM1, COMT, and ABCB1 may contribute to differences in opioid efficacy and pain control. This study primarily evaluated the associations of OPRM1 A118G (rs1799971), COMT Val158Met (rs4680), and ABCB1 C3435T (rs1045642) polymorphisms with opioid analgesic response in patients with acute renal colic. As a secondary exploratory analysis, genotype and allele frequencies were compared between patients and healthy controls. Methods: This prospective case–control study included 150 patients with acute renal colic and 100 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed using TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays based on real-time polymerase chain reaction. Genotype frequencies were compared between groups using dominant and recessive genetic models, and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was assessed. In addition, genotype–phenotype associations were evaluated using pain severity, early analgesic response, initial opioid dose, rescue analgesic requirement, and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: In the secondary exploratory case–control analysis, no statistically significant differences in genotype or allele frequencies of OPRM1 rs1799971, COMT rs4680, or ABCB1 rs1045642 were observed between patients with acute renal colic and healthy controls. Within the patient cohort, however, genotype–phenotype analyses identified differences in early analgesic outcomes. Baseline-adjusted 30 min VAS differed according to OPRM1, COMT, and ABCB1 genotype, with the most pronounced difference observed for ABCB1 rs1045642. Patients with the ABCB1 TT genotype had higher adjusted 30 min VAS scores and showed a pattern of greater opioid requirement and more frequent rescue analgesia. In exploratory multivariable analysis, the ABCB1 TT genotype was associated with higher odds of inadequate early analgesic response (adjusted OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.18–6.37; p = 0.019). Given the limited number of outcome events, this adjusted association should be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating. Conclusions: No significant differences in the distributions of the polymorphisms investigated were observed between patients with acute renal colic and healthy controls. Within the patient group, ABCB1 genetic variation was associated with early opioid analgesic response, although this finding should be considered preliminary and requires confirmation in larger prospective pharmacogenetic studies before clinical implementation. Any potential future pharmacogenetic application should be considered as an adjunct to established first-line renal–colic management and specifically in patients for whom opioid therapy is clinically indicated. Full article

Of interest were the acute effects of lightweight lower-limb wearable resistance (WR) on the kinematics and kinetics of the countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ). Twenty male athletes (age: 18.05 ± 0.6 years; body mass: 76.4 ± 7.6 kg; height: 182.4 ± 5 cm) performed the CMJ and DJ under four loading conditions: 0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% body mass (BM). Variables of interest included jump height (JH), countermovement depth (CMD), total SSC duration (TCT/GCT), eccentric and concentric phase durations, relative concentric impulse (rCI), relative concentric mean force (rCMF), relative concentric mean power (rCMP), and concentric force index (CFI). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to assess jump × load interactions, with Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons and planned contrasts used to examine within-jump and between-jump load responses, respectively. Significant jump × load interactions were observed for all variables analysed. In the CMJ, JH significantly decreased across all loaded conditions, including an 8.3% reduction with 2% BM. In contrast, DJ JH was preserved at 2% BM but significantly decreased at 4% and 6% BM. However, 2% BM was sufficient to increase DJ GCT and ConT, and reduce rCMF, CFI, and rCMP (p < 0.05). The change in JH differed between jumps at 2% BM only, whereas changes in CMD, rCMF, CFI, and rCMP differed between jumps across all WR loads. It appears that lightweight WR produces distinct jump-specific responses. Greater initial changes in CMJ JH and CMD suggest that WR altered countermovement strategy before substantially impairing concentric force production, whereas in the DJ, WR altered fast SSC force–time variables before reducing JH. When utilising WR to improve JH performance, practitioners should therefore avoid interpreting JH in isolation and monitor temporal variables (GCT/TCT/ConT/EccT), CMD, rCMF, rCMP and CFI. Full article

To develop an analysis-oriented stress–strain model for prestressed fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined circular concrete, the path-dependent responses of prestressed FRP-confined concrete and actively confined concrete were systematically investigated. Existing experimental data were used to examine the applicability of the stress-path independence and strain-path independence assumptions under different prestressing methods. The filament winding method generally satisfies the stress-path independence assumption, with relative errors in axial stress mostly within 10%, whereas direct application of the actively confined concrete model to expansive-concrete method specimens results in errors close to 20%. After accounting for the initial confinement effect, these errors are generally reduced to within 10%. Strain-path comparisons further show that the prestress-induced initial lateral strain should be considered; after removing this initial strain component, the lateral strain–axial strain relationship shows strong consistency with that of actively confined concrete. Accordingly, the peak stress, peak strain, and lateral strain–axial strain relationship were modified, and a strain-controlled incremental calculation procedure was established to generate the complete stress–strain response. Validation against compiled published experimental data yielded an R² of 0.931 and a MAPE of 8.88% for compressive-strength prediction, while the predicted axial stress–strain and lateral dilation responses also showed reasonable agreement with the experimental results. The proposed model can therefore support nonlinear analysis over the complete loading range and quantitative assessment of strength and deformation for different prestress levels and FRP confinement parameters within the validated range. Full article

Marine ecological systems are severely compromised by oil spill incidents, while oceanic economic growth and public well-being are also put at considerable risk. Therefore, the development of high-efficiency and precise detection techniques for marine pollution prevention and control holds substantial practical importance. A marine radar oil spill detection approach is presented herein, integrating Restricted Boltzmann Machine (RBM) feature learning with the Improved Quantum Golden Jackal Optimization (IQGJO) algorithm. Initially, raw radar imagery is preprocessed. Subsequently, unsupervised deep feature extraction is executed via RBM, and oil spill regions of interest are identified using K-means clustering. Ultimately, the IQGJO algorithm is employed to perform adaptive threshold optimization, along with fine segmentation of oil film targets. When benchmarked against conventional Golden Jackal Optimization (GJO) and gravity search algorithm (GSA), quantum mechanisms, along with Lévy flight perturbation, are incorporated within IQGJO. Consequently, the tendency of traditional approaches to converge toward high-gray local optima is effectively mitigated. Moreover, recognition capability for both weak-reflection and fragmented oil films is substantially enhanced. Experimental outcomes reveal that an accuracy of 99.7% is achieved by the IQGJO algorithm, representing a marked improvement over both GJO and GSA counterparts. High-precision automated segmentation of surface oil spills under intricate maritime conditions is thus enabled, while effective technical guidance is offered for radar-based oil spill surveillance and emergency response. Full article