Search Results (108)

Background/Objectives: Social interaction may be associated with sleep health, but longitudinal evidence among working-age adults is limited, and ceiling-concentrated scores may complicate linear modeling. We examined baseline social interaction, three-year follow-up sleep quality, and the exploratory role of life satisfaction. Methods: Data came from 487 adults aged 20–58 years surveyed in 2020 and 2023. Social interaction was assessed using the 18-item Index of Social Interaction (ISI). Normal sleep required at least 6 h of sleep and adequate restfulness. Models were adjusted for baseline sleep, demographics, lifestyle, health, depression, and anxiety. The ISI functional form was assessed using natural cubic splines and a piecewise model with a knot at 14. Results: In the initial linear summary model, a higher ISI score was associated with normal follow-up sleep (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.42). The spline model fit better (likelihood-ratio χ² = 19.69, df = 2, p < 0.001). Below 14, each 1-point increase was associated with higher odds of normal sleep (OR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.64–4.82); no additional association was observed at 14 or higher (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.83–1.19). The ISI × life satisfaction interaction was sensitive to parameterization. Spline-based analysis showed an average indirect association through life satisfaction (estimate = 0.0077, 95% bootstrap CI: 0.0019–0.0153), while direct and total associations were not significant. ISI was associated with restfulness but not duration. Conclusions: The ISI–sleep association was nonlinear, concentrated in lower scores, and plateaued near the upper end. Life-satisfaction findings were exploratory; concurrent measurement precluded causal mediation inference. Full article

Background: Myofascial temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are associated with pain and trigger points in the masticatory muscles. Dry needling (DN) is used for myofascial pain, but evidence regarding immediate effects remains limited. Objective: This participant- and outcome-assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial evaluated immediate clinical and electromyographic effects of a single DN session targeting the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles in patients with myofascial TMD. Methods: Forty-four participants diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders were randomly allocated to a DN group or a sham needling group. Pain intensity was assessed using a visual analog scale, and surface electromyographic activity of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles was recorded at rest and during maximal clenching. Measurements were obtained before treatment and 10 min after the intervention. Adverse events were recorded throughout the observation period. Results: Forty participants completed the study, with 20 in each group. Pain intensity decreased significantly in the DN group compared with the sham group (p < 0.001). An uncorrected analysis indicated reduced resting activity of the left anterior temporalis muscle; however, no electromyographic variable remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons. No serious adverse events occurred. Minor transient bleeding and mild post-needling soreness were reported in a small number of participants receiving DN. Conclusions: A single DN session produced a significant immediate reduction in pain intensity in patients with myofascial TMD, without consistent immediate changes in surface electromyographic activity. Longer follow-up and repeated-session studies are needed to determine the durability and clinical relevance of these effects. Full article

Exercise induces rapid systemic metabolic perturbations, but the chemical organization of post-exercise recovery remains incompletely resolved across public LC-MS datasets. Here, we performed a public-data reanalysis of human exercise metabolomics to determine whether named metabolites can be organized into chemically interpretable recovery landscapes. The primary dataset was the Metabolomics Workbench race-walking study ST003348/PR002083, which includes serum LC-MS profiles from race-walking athletes sampled at rest, immediately after exercise, and after 3 h and 22 h of recovery. Two independent public exercise datasets, ST003662/PR002271 and ST001789/PR001133, were used to externally validate the direction of change. Named features were deduplicated by RefMet identity, log2 fold-changes were estimated with paired subject-level contrasts, and false-discovery-rate correction was applied within each time point. We assigned rule-based chemical classes and summarized residual 22 h displacement as the median absolute paired log2 fold-change within each chemical class. This quantity was used only as a transparent descriptive aggregation of the observed 22 h contrasts, not as an independent, validated, or outcome-linked recovery index. In the primary dataset, 561 deduplicated features were retained from 19 subjects with a complete time point structure. Immediate post-exercise perturbation was detected in 188 features, whereas only seven features remained significantly displaced at 22 h. Lipids and lipid mediators showed the largest immediate chemical-class perturbation, while vitamins/steroids/signaling molecules and lipids had the highest class-level residual 22 h displacement—kinetic classification identified 180 acute-and-recovered features, 33 delayed/3 h-dominant features, and seven persistent features. External validation was strongest in the independent plasma running dataset ST001789, where primary acute responders showed 90.7% sign concordance at Time 0 and 75.9% at 60 min. By contrast, the DBS/VAMS dataset ST003662 showed weak and non-significant direction-of-change concordance, indicating limited transportability to that matrix/protocol. Overall, this study does not claim discovery of new exercise metabolites or pathways; it provides a reproducible applied chemistry framework for describing exercise recovery as a structured metabolochemical process rather than a purely physiological endpoint. Full article

Technological developments in transportation have moved quickly, often faster than the frameworks used to evaluate their broader societal and environmental implications. This study examines the extent to which Tesla’s automotive activities contribute to long-term societal well-being from a consequentialist utilitarian perspective, focusing on two related developments: (1) vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and (2) vehicles powered by electricity. Tesla provides a useful focal case in that it brings these two developments together in a single, highly visible setting. Using Tesla as an exploratory qualitative case, the analysis assesses both technologies within a single ethical and sustainability framework, examining how their effects combine across safety, environmental, and broader societal outcomes. Because the two technologies act on many of the same outcomes and stakeholders, they interact: they reinforce one another in some respects and offset one another in others. In the case of road safety, for example, the additional mass of an electric vehicle raises the severity of collisions even as driver assistance works to reduce their frequency. The analysis suggests an overall net positive societal impact, while recognizing the uncertainties and trade-offs that remain. This assessment rests mainly on two considerations: the likely reduction in traffic-related injuries and fatalities associated with wider adoption of ADAS-equipped vehicles, and the expectation that, in most contexts, electric vehicles provide a net environmental benefit, particularly through lower levels of harmful air pollutants relative to internal combustion engines. These benefits are not automatic, however, but depend on broader system conditions, including whether electrification and automation move transportation beyond established patterns of car dependence or reinforce them. The paper concludes by outlining the implications of these findings, while acknowledging the limits of the analysis and pointing to areas for future research. Full article

Objective: To determine whether contrast therapy improves recovery after climbing-specific forearm fatigue in amateur climbers. Methods: In a randomized repeated-measures trial, 40 climbers were allocated to passive recovery (n = 20) or Game Ready contrast therapy (n = 20). Both groups completed a fixed-task intermittent fingerboard protocol on a 20 mm edge using a half-crimp grip, with 7 s of work and 3 s of rest for five sets; the load was not individualized to climbing-specific maximal finger-flexor force. The intervention group received bilateral forearm treatment consisting of alternating 1 min cold (3 °C) and heat (45 °C) phases combined with pneumatic compression ranging from 15 to 75 mmHg. Sessions lasted 20 min and were administered immediately after post-fatigue testing, at 24 h and 48 h, and then three times weekly on alternate days for 8 weeks, for a total of 27 sessions. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after fatigue, at 24 h and 48 h, and after 8 weeks. Outcomes included perfusion, reactive hyperemia, stiffness, pressure pain threshold, grip strength, perceived recovery, creatine kinase, and interleukin-6. Results: Immediate post-fatigue responses were comparable. Contrast therapy produced greater 24 h and 48 h resting perfusion responses (+7.28 percentage points, 95% CI 6.58 to 7.98; +7.62, 95% CI 6.94 to 8.31; both adjusted p < 0.001). At week 8, peak hyperemic perfusion improved more with contrast therapy (+6.21 PU, 95% CI 5.62 to 6.79; p < 0.001). Recovery favored contrast therapy for stiffness at 48 h (−71.7 N/m, 95% CI −75.6 to −67.8), pressure pain threshold at week 8 (+8.1 N/cm², 95% CI 7.3 to 8.8), and grip strength at 48 h (+7.8 kgf, 95% CI 7.3 to 8.3; all p < 0.001). CK and IL-6 differences were transient, and no serious adverse events or intervention-related discontinuations were recorded. Conclusions: Contrast therapy was associated with more favorable cutaneous perfusion, post-occlusive reactive hyperemia-derived, and neuromechanical recovery outcomes, whereas biochemical differences were limited and time-dependent. The vascular findings do not establish improved endothelial function or nitric-oxide-mediated vasodilation because these mechanisms were not directly assessed. Trial registration: ISRCTN49499065 on 23 June 2025. Full article

Background: The diagnostic value of surface electromyography (sEMG) for identifying muscles affected by myofascial trigger points (TrPs) remains controversial. However, advances in pain neurophysiology and discussions regarding TrPs within the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) have renewed interest in objective diagnostic approaches. Objective: To synthesize current evidence on the diagnostic utility of sEMG for detecting TrP-related muscle alterations across different electromyographic signal analysis domains. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following JBI guidance and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane were searched for studies involving adults with symptomatic or asymptomatic TrPs, myofascial pain syndrome, or TrP-related referred pain. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Analyses included amplitude-, frequency-, time–frequency-, and spatial-domain sEMG parameters. Results: Muscles affected by TrPs showed increased resting electromyographic activity and reduced activation during maximal voluntary contraction in several studies. Frequency domain analyses indicated changes in median frequency and muscle fatigue index, whereas time–frequency analyses suggested redistribution of sEMG signal energy toward lower-frequency components or altered spectral power during experimentally provoked referred pain. Spatial analyses revealed altered activation patterns, although these findings did not consistently correspond with TrP anatomical locations. Overall, the limited number of studies assessing diagnostic sensitivity and specificity prevents firm conclusions. Conclusions: sEMG may be useful as a non-invasive complementary tool for functional assessment and monitoring of TrP-related muscle dysfunction. However, current evidence does not support its use as a standalone diagnostic method. Time–frequency, machine learning-supported and spatial analyses appear promising for future clinical research, but standardized protocols and external validation are required before clinical diagnostic criteria can be proposed. Full article

The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global mean, driving unprecedented sea ice loss and threatening permafrost coasts and human settlements. Existing pan-Arctic vulnerability indices typically rest on satellite-era baselines and on expert-driven weighting schemes whose robustness is rarely tested. Here, we present an integrated, multi-centennial framework that jointly ingests SIBT1850 sea ice concentration (1850–2017), extended to 2024 with the NOAA/NSIDC Climate Data Record of Passive Microwave Sea Ice Concentration v6 (G02202 v6), together with ESA CCI Permafrost products (1997–2019), the Arctic Coastal Dynamics database, and pan-Arctic settlement inventories. Using non-parametric Mann–Kendall trend tests, Sen’s slope, and the Pettitt change point test across nine Seas (S1–S9), five permafrost-adjacent core seas exhibit summer Sen’s slopes of −0.105 to −0.185% yr⁻¹ with Pettitt change points clustered in 1929–1953 (mean 1936), whereas three of four support seas cluster around 1978, suggesting an approximately bimodal regime shift timing that we interpret cautiously given the limited sample. A Composite Vulnerability Index integrating six normalised indicators identifies the Chukchi (CVI = 0.630) and East Siberian (0.624) seas as the highest-priority hotspots at the SIBT1850 baseline. A satellite-era robustness check using NSIDC G02202 v6 confirms that the Chukchi–East Siberian–Laptev corridor remains in the top three highest-vulnerability basins under the 1850–2024 extension, with the Beaufort Sea retaining rank 5, validating the basin mean conclusions of the SIBT1850-based analysis. Robustness checks—PCA re-weighting, one-at-a-time and global (Sobol, PAWN) sensitivity analyses, and Monte Carlo Dirichlet perturbation—confirm that the top-two ranking is stable across weighting schemes (baseline–PCA Spearman ρ = 0.80). We explicitly avoid claiming forecasting validation, operational testing, or benchmarking against existing pan-Arctic vulnerability indices, all of which we identify as priority directions for future work. The framework provides a transparent, reproducible basis for prioritising adaptation across the Chukchi–East Siberian–Laptev corridor. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for severe obesity. Although physiotherapy delivered before and after surgery may support functional recovery, evidence describing real-world multidisciplinary bariatric pathways with embedded perioperative physiotherapy remains limited. This study evaluated perioperative changes in anthropometric, functional, and haemodynamic outcomes in adults who completed preoperative and postoperative physiotherapy within the multidisciplinary Polish KOS-BAR bariatric pathway. Methods: We conducted a single-centre retrospective medical-record study at the University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk. The analysis included a complete-case cohort of 91 adults who completed both supervised physiotherapy cycles and had paired outcome data available. Assessments were performed at four time points: before and after prehabilitation (T1–T2) and before and after postoperative rehabilitation (T3–T4). Outcomes included body mass, body mass index (BMI), waist and chest circumference, 6 min walk test (6MWT) distance with Borg-rated exertion, and haemodynamic measures (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation) recorded before and after the 6MWT. Results: From T1 to T4, body mass decreased by a median of 26.0 kg and BMI by 8.98 kg/m², with reductions in waist (−19.0 cm) and chest (−13.0 cm) circumference. Exercise tolerance improved (6MWT median change +30.0 m), and post-test perceived exertion decreased (median −1.0 point). Pre-6MWT resting HR, post-6MWT HR, and blood pressure decreased. The 6MWT distance increased after prehabilitation (T1 → T2) and again after postoperative rehabilitation (T3 → T4). Exploratory correlations suggested weak nominal associations between greater weight loss and larger 6MWT improvement (Spearman r = 0.251, p = 0.016) and between BMI reduction and 6MWT improvement (r = 0.226, p = 0.031), but these associations did not remain statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort of programme completers, participation in the multidisciplinary KOS-BAR pathway with embedded preoperative and postoperative physiotherapy was associated with improved anthropometric, functional, perceived-exertion, and haemodynamic outcomes across follow-up. Because of the uncontrolled retrospective design, these findings cannot establish the independent effect of physiotherapy relative to surgery and other components of multidisciplinary care. Prospective controlled studies are needed to clarify causality and long-term durability. Full article

Background: Intrathecal morphine (ITM) is a widely used reference approach for post-caesarean analgesia but is associated with neuraxial opioid-related side effects, particularly pruritus and nausea. The transversalis fascia plane (TFP) block is a relatively recent regional technique targeting the transversalis fascia; however, comparative effectiveness data in the obstetric setting remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate whether TFP block provides analgesic outcomes broadly similar to those observed with ITM with respect to 24 h rescue analgesic requirement following elective caesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia, and to compare patient-centered recovery quality. Methods: This prospective, single-center, observational comparative cohort study was conducted in a tertiary obstetric unit. Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status II parturients undergoing elective caesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia were included. Postoperative analgesic strategy was determined according to routine clinical practice, with patients receiving either ITM (100 µg) or bilateral ultrasound-guided TFP block with 0.25% bupivacaine. The primary outcome was cumulative tramadol consumption within the first 24 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores at rest and on movement at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h; postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pruritus scores; and Obstetric Quality of Recovery-11 (ObsQoR-11) scores at 24 and 48 h. A non-inferiority analytical framework was applied to the primary outcome. Results: Both groups had a median tramadol consumption of 0 mg (interquartile range (IQR) 0–0). Rescue analgesic rates were 23.3% (ITM) versus 16.7% (TFP; OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.18–2.36; p = 0.748). Within an exploratory observational non-inferiority analytical framework, the findings were consistent with non-inferiority of TFP block; however, these analyses should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory (risk difference −6.7 percentage points; upper 95% CI +13.5% relative to a prespecified margin of +15%). TFP block was associated with higher ObsQoR-11 scores at 24 h (median 96 vs. 88; p = 0.010; Cliff’s δ = −0.39) and 48 h (median 96 vs. 91; p = 0.017; Cliff’s δ = −0.36). Pruritus at 6 and 12 h was nominally lower in the TFP group. Conclusions: In this prospective observational cohort, TFP block was associated with analgesic outcomes broadly similar to those observed with ITM, with exploratory differences in patient-centered recovery measures. Within the applied exploratory observational analytical framework, these findings were broadly consistent with non-inferiority; however, given the observational design, results should be interpreted cautiously, and the present study does not establish formal non-inferiority or equivalence. TFP block may represent a potential opioid-sparing option warranting confirmation in adequately powered randomized studies. Full article

Post-login threats such as device sharing and session takeover motivate continuous authentication with behavioral signals. This paper studies a lightweight keystroke-dynamics pipeline designed for strict cross-session evaluation and browser-side scoring. Using the fixed-text and free-text tracks of the public KeyRecs dataset, we extract compact repetition-level and sliding-window digraph-timing features and train per-user one-vs-rest Logistic Regression verifiers on Session 1 (S1). Thresholds are selected only on S1 and transferred unchanged to Session 2 (S2), preventing test-set tuning and exposing operating-point instability under session drift. Fixed-text achieves S2 AUC mean/median 0.895/0.918 with a half total error rate (HTER) around 0.19, while free-text reaches AUC mean/median 0.884/0.899 with a similar transferred-threshold HTER. Personal thresholds and a pooled-S1 global threshold perform similarly on average, suggesting that global thresholding can simplify deployment without replacing per-user scoring models. A scaler-only warm-up update yields limited and inconsistent gains, showing that mean/variance adaptation alone is insufficient. Finally, compact JSON artifacts and replay-based browser benchmarks demonstrate deterministic client-side scoring with very small per-sample latency. Overall, the results show that useful threshold-free separability does not by itself guarantee stable operating-point transfer under cross-session drift. Full article

Background and Objectives: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways are increasingly used in spine surgery, but uptake in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains heterogeneous across institutions. Evidence in pediatric deformity surgery supports shorter recovery with protocolized care, yet real-world comparative data combining ERAS and the erector spinae plane block (ESPB) remain limited. This study aimed to compare early postoperative outcomes between a historical standard-care pathway and a structured ERAS+ESPB pathway in adolescents undergoing posterior spinal fusion for AIS. Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective time-based comparative cohort study design included consecutive AIS patients (<18 years) treated between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025. The standard-care pathway was applied to patients operated on before 1 June 2025 (n = 34), whereas the ERAS+ESPB pathway was applied to those operated on from 1 June 2025 onward (n = 35), following formal institutional implementation. Outcomes included postoperative pain assessed using the visual analog scale under two functional conditions—at rest in the supine position and during standing/mobilization—at POD0, POD1, POD2, POD3, discharge, and 2-week follow-up; postoperative nausea at POD0–POD3; and length of stay (LOS). Between-group pain comparisons used Welch’s t-test; nausea used Fisher’s exact test; LOS used the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results: At POD0, supine pain was lower in ERAS+ESPB (1.50 ± 0.55) than in standard care (3.20 ± 1.50; p < 0.001). From POD1 onward, supine pain did not differ significantly between groups. Among assessable patients, standing pain was lower in ERAS+ESPB at POD2 (3.05 ± 1.53 vs. 4.50 ± 1.05; p = 0.020), POD3 (2.82 ± 1.62 vs. 4.17 ± 1.03; p = 0.006), and 2-week follow-up (1.45 ± 0.80 vs. 2.26 ± 0.93; p = 0.006). Nausea was lower in ERAS+ESPB at POD0 (11.4% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.024) and POD2 (8.6% vs. 32.4%; p = 0.018), with no significant differences at POD1 or POD3. LOS was shorter in ERAS+ESPB (5.41 ± 1.10 vs. 8.32 ± 2.06 nights; p < 0.001). Conclusions: In adolescents undergoing posterior spinal fusion for AIS, an ERAS-based perioperative pathway incorporating ESPB was associated with improved early postoperative recovery, particularly in terms of immediate postoperative pain, pain during mobilization, early postoperative nausea at selected time points, and length of hospital stay. Prospective multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings and clarify the independent contribution of individual pathway components. Full article

Background and Objectives: Postoperative pain after posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) shows substantial interindividual variability, particularly during early mobilization. Although preoperative psychological vulnerability has been associated with less favorable pain trajectories in prior AIS research, evidence focused on the acute postoperative phase remains limited. This preliminary study evaluated whether preoperative psychological factors are associated with acute postoperative pain intensity, with separate assessment of resting and standing pain. Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study included consecutive adolescents with AIS (<18 years) who underwent primary elective posterior instrumented spinal fusion between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025. Preoperative psychological variables were collected using validated instruments (STAIC-State, STAIC-Trait, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, HAQ/FDI, and inverted SRS-22). Pain intensity (VAS 0–10) was recorded at postoperative day (POD) 1, POD2, POD3, discharge, and 2-week follow-up in supine and standing positions. Derived endpoints included peak in-hospital standing pain, in-hospital standing pain burden (AUC), and standing–rest pain gaps. The prespecified inferential analysis used a linear mixed-effects model with fixed effects for time, position, preoperative STAIC-State, and position × STAIC-State interaction, with a patient-level random intercept. Results: Thirty-five patients were analyzed (mean age 15.2 ± 3.4 years; 62.9% female), with complete pain data at all timepoints. During hospitalization, standing pain was descriptively higher than resting pain (largest mean difference at POD2: 0.73 VAS points), with convergence at week 2 (both 1.52). In mixed-model analysis, pain significantly decreased at week 2 versus POD1 (β = −1.261, 95% CI −1.853 to −0.669; p < 0.001). Preoperative STAIC-State was not independently associated with postoperative pain (β = 0.030, 95% CI −0.065 to 0.124; p = 0.545), and no significant position × STAIC-State interaction was found (β = −0.008, 95% CI −0.079 to 0.064; p = 0.836). Conclusions: In this retrospective preliminary AIS cohort, postoperative pain improved significantly over time, while movement-evoked pain remained relevant during early recovery. In this preliminary cohort, no clear association was detected between preoperative state anxiety and acute postoperative pain intensity, supporting the need for broader multidimensional prognostic models in future prospective multicenter studies. Full article

Silica-based bioceramics are promising bone substitutes with tunable degradation and mechanical properties. We aimed to assess bone response in critical-size calvarial defects in rats, empty or filled with 3D-printed sphene ceramic (CaTiSiO₅) scaffolds produced using direct ink writing from preceramic polymers and reactive fillers. Scaffold characterization was performed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, porosity analysis, and compressive strength testing. Bilateral cylindrical 5 mm calvarial defects were created in 20 rats: one was randomly filled with sphene scaffold, while the contralateral remained empty. Ten animals were killed at 4 weeks, the rest at 8 weeks. Specimens were collected for micro-X-ray computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis, followed by undecalcified histology. The scaffolds exhibited porous structure with complete sphene phase purity and compressive strength of 17.91 MPa (SD 4.6). In vivo, no adverse event was noted during healing. Overall bone regeneration—as measured by BV/TV—was comparable between groups: Bone volume/total volume (BV/TV) increased over time in the empty and sphene groups, reaching ~40%, with no significant differences between groups or time points. BV/TV was significantly higher in the external regions of the defects compared to the internal areas in both groups at the two time points. The sphene group showed a significantly greater volume of new bone extending beyond the original cortical boundary at both 4 and 8 weeks (p = 0.013). In the sphene group histology revealed partial bone ingrowth within the scaffold, while bone in the control group was limited to defect edges. After 8 weeks, new bone adjacent to the cortical surface was thicker in the sphene group (p < 0.05). These initial findings are consistent with prior preclinical studies, supporting the biocompatibility and osteoconductive nature of sphene ceramic scaffolds. Full article

This work investigates trapped modes induced by localized inhomogeneities in semi-infinite elastic waveguides in the form of a point mass or a meta-spring attached to the edge. Explicit relations linking the parameters of the meta-spring and the mass are presented with a string or beam resting on a Winkler foundation. Asymptotic expansions are derived to describe the limiting behavior of the obtained solutions, including small- and large-mass regimes. Special emphasis is placed on the less-studied trapped modes in an elastically supported beam, providing new insights into the peculiarities of wave localization phenomena, e.g., the analysis of the associated frequency equation. Full article

Objective: The present study aimed to verify two key hypotheses: (1) whether the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) can serve as a reliable indicator for workload monitoring in cricket and (2) to compare the injury risk sensitivity of sRPE-derived indicators—including the coupled and uncoupled acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR), exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA), and robust exponential decreasing index (REDI)—across three pre-specified latency periods (no latency, 7-day latency, and 14-day latency), and to identify the optimal indicator and latency period for cricket injury risk assessment. Material: Twenty-four elite female cricket athletes from the Chinese National Women’s Cricket Team were monitored during daily training throughout the Los Angeles Olympic Games preparation period. Methods: Correlation analysis, Kendall’s tau correlation coefficients, and Bland–Altman plots were employed to assess the relationships and consistency between sRPE and various workload indicators. ROC curves were constructed to compare the performance of sRPE-derived indicators for injury risk across the three pre-specified latency conditions. Results: sRPE and its derived indicators exhibited significant correlations with health status indicators (sleep, fatigue, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), stress, mood, and resting heart rate (RHR)) and physiological and biochemical indicators (testosterone, cortisol), with the majority of these correlations reaching the 0.01 significance level (p < 0.01). Kendall’s tau correlation coefficients and Bland–Altman plots revealed that sRPE and ACWR based on EWMA (hereafter referred to as EWMA) had moderate correlations with health status indicators, while ACWR based on REDI (hereafter referred to as REDI) showed a strong correlation with such indicators. sRPE and its derived indicators were strongly correlated with physiological and biochemical indicators (Kendall’s tau > 0.8) with good consistency, as the majority of scattered points fell within the limits of agreement (mean difference ± 1.96 × standard deviation, MD ± 1.96 × SD). Analysis of injury risk sensitivity indicated that the 7-day latency model yielded the highest average area under the curve (AUC = 0.85). Among all indicators, REDI and EWMA achieved the highest AUC values (AUC = 0.665 and 0.667, respectively; p < 0.001). Notably, EWMA exhibited optimal performance in the 7-day latency time series (AUC = 0.859, >0.80), followed by REDI under the 7-day latency condition (AUC = 0.857). Conclusion: EWMA with 7-day latency is a more sensitive indicator for detecting injury risk. Full article