OSA in the aging population: Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.

Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) model key gene interactions, enabling the understanding of essential biological processes and their relationship with diseases. Inferring GRNs from expression data is fundamental in computational biology. However, existing methods exhibit limitations like domain biases and a lack of biological knowledge integration that affect their performance in in-vivo experimentation, particularly when several conflicting objectives are considered. To address these challenges, we propose a new approach that adopts a preference-guide selection mechanism aimed at helping the partitioner direct the search towards regions of high biological relevance by defining reference points in the objective space. This mechanism is integrated into MO-GENECI, a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm designed to optimize consensus between multiple machine learning techniques through biologically relevant objectives. Driven by research questions, the proposed approach is evaluated on 43 GRNs from benchmarks like DREAM3 and DREAM4, and real-world databases such as TFLink, using AUROC and AUPR metrics. The results demonstrate that the generated consensus networks obtained by using the preference selection outperform the original algorithm in quality and accuracy and reduce computational effort, especially in large networks. PBEvoGen achieved mean AUROC and AUPR values of 0.67 and 0.23 across 43 benchmark networks, improving the already state-of-the-art MO-GENECI by 1.2% and 4.3%, respectively. This combination of expert knowledge and evolutionary algorithms offers a robust, efficient methodology for GRN inference. The source code is hosted in a public repository at GitHub under MIT license: https://github.com/AdrianSeguraOrtiz/PBEvoGen. Moreover, to facilitate its installation and use, the software associated with this implementation has been encapsulated in a Python package available at PyPI: https://pypi.org/project/geneci/2.5.1.

How safe are the TNF alpha inhibitors with respect to pregnancy outcomes in autoimmune diseases?

New avenues in insect heat tolerance: towards an integrative understanding of climate change responses.

Bibliometric analysis based on the web of science database: advances and research trends in the application of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in bone repair.

The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare the preferences of Generations Y and Z in sustainable tourism products, services and forms of tourism on a selected sample of respondents. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data on the respondents' attitudes about their preferences for sustainable products, services or forms of tourism, in which 224 respondents participated. To meet the objective of the paper, we formulated 2 research questions, which were validated through selected tests of correlation analysis and inductive statistics in R. The analysis highlights the complexity of perceptions of sustainability in the context of tourism, with particular attention to generational differences between groups Y and Z. While both generations are interested in environmentally responsible forms of travel, their motivations, expectations and attitudes differ significantly. These findings also highlight the need for a personalized approach in communication and the implementation of sustainable practices in tourism that consider not only ecological but also psychographic and generational specifics of target groups. At the same time, the ambiguous understanding of the term 'sustainability' is proving to be a significant barrier factor for both consumers and service providers. Without clearly defined standards that are trustworthy, communicated comprehensibly, and accessible to the public, there is space for information distortion, distrust, and so-called greenwashing. From both theoretical and practical perspectives, it is therefore essential not only to better understand the value and behavioral patterns of individual generations, but especially to create conditions for a more systematic and understandable communication of sustainability. Future research should focus particularly on finding ways to unify sustainability standards in tourism while effectively responding to the specifics of individual target groups.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Gamification on Word Recognition Skills of pupils with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Calabar Municipality. To achieve this purpose, two research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study employed the quasi-experimental research design using pre-test-post-test non-randomized control group design. The population of the study comprised 104 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity primary one pupils in the 23 public schools in Calabar Municipality. A sample size of 47 ADHD pupils in three intact classes were used in the study. Three public primary schools in Calabar Municipality were randomly sampled using Cap and Draw method and all the ADHD pupils in the three schools participated in the study. Adapted Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnostic checklist, Pupils performance test on Word Recognition Activity Test (WRAT) and Instructional (treatment) package on Go-Fish Game were the instruments used for data collection. The instruments was subjected to face and content validation by three specialists and yielded a reliability Co-efficient of .86. Mean and standard deviation were used for answering research questions while Analysis of Co-Variance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The results of the analysis revealed significant difference in academic performance of ADHD pupils taught picture clues with the help of Go-Fish Game. The reading game was found to be more effective in improving ADHD pupils’ word recognition skills. There was no significant difference in word recognition skills given their cognitive ability levels. Some recommendations were made to include that teachers should embrace the 21st century skills by effectively using diverse instructional language games to stimulate the desire to learn among pupils with ADHD so as to conquer their academic deficiencies and challenges.

This research assesses theme parks as ideal micro-cities, identifying some of their admirable characteristics relevant to modern urban planning. It argues that theme parks, such as EPCOT and Disneyland, depict controlled aspects of urban design aimed towards a specific goal: human enjoyment. This human-oriented spatial architecture is missing in modern cities such as Los Angeles. Some of the urban challenges identified include car dependency and poor public space. The research New Urbanism and Theme Park Urbanism theoretical frameworks to criticize LA’s Euclidean zoning approach and assess the immersive, narrative-steered settings, respectively. The key research questions are summarized into the lessons modern city planners can pick from theme parks’ regulated spatial aspect and how LA can use these lessons to enhance city experience. The recommended methodology for this study should assess EPCOT and Disneyland theme parks via visitors’ views on these parks. One of the expected outcomes is to derive a framework of design strategies from theme parks that can be adapted to urban settings.

Ang II-mediated effects on BBB integrity in psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Digitization has revolutionized the process of teaching and learning worldwide and in the post-pandemic world. The incorporation of technological applications like Learning Management Systems (LMS), virtual classrooms, and multimedia materials, and artificial intelligence has revolutionized the pedagogical practice greatly. The current research question focuses on exploring how student engagement and academic performance at secondary level is affected by digitalization. The method of a descriptive survey was chosen. The 400 students of secondary education institutions were used to collect the data on the basis of a structured questionnaire and academic records. Such statistical methods were employed as mean, standard deviation, t-test, and correlation analysis. The results indicate that online instructional practices are majorly more effective in engagement, motivation, and performance among students as compared to the conventional one. But there exist challenges of digital divide, poor infrastructure as well as gaps in teacher training. The research concludes that digitalization when wisely used can make a significant contribution to the learning results and equip students with the skills of the future.

ABSTRACT Research question This study extends research on place attachment and fan identification, which primarily rely on qualitative methods and unidimensional conceptualisations. It examines the multidimensional nature of place attachment, drawing on environmental psychology and social identity theory, to explore how these dimensions relate to fanship, fandom, and loyalty among local sport fans. Research methods The study uses a sample of 404 local fans from a mid-level sport team, combining structural equation modelling with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to explore the antecedents of fanship, fandom, and loyalty. Results and Findings The findings focus on the interplay between fanship, fandom, place attachment, and loyalty. Results reveal that two dimensions of place attachment, social bonds and place dependence, are positively associated with fanship and fandom. In turn, fanship positively relates to attitudinal and behavioural loyalty, and fandom only to behavioural loyalty. Implications Our results suggest that mid-level teams should leverage different dimensions of place attachment to cultivate fanship and fandom. Marketing efforts should thus foster emotional connections and create spaces for social bonding in physical and online spaces. This may be salient for teams with poor performance, where fostering community and fan identity is essential for sustained engagement.

ABSTRACT Creative thinking is a primary driver of innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), allowing students and practitioners to generate novel hypotheses, flexibly connect information from diverse sources, and solve ill-defined problems. To foster creativity in STEM education, there is a crucial need for assessment tools for measuring STEM creativity that educators and researchers can apply to test how different teaching approaches impact scientific creativity in undergraduate education. In this work, we introduce the Scientific Creative Thinking Test (SCTT). The SCTT includes three subtests that assess cognitive skills important for STEM creativity: generating hypotheses, research questions, and experimental designs. In five studies with young adults, we demonstrate the reliability and validity of the SCTT – including test-retest reliability and convergent validity with measures of creativity and academic achievement – as well as measurement invariance across race/ethnicity and gender. In addition, we present a method for automatically scoring SCTT responses, training the large language model Llama 2 to produce originality scores that closely align with human ratings – demonstrating STEM-specific, automated creativity assessment for the first time. The full SCTT, along with the code to automatically score it, are available on a repository in the Open Science Framework.

Long COVID is an infection-associated chronic condition with uncertain evolution, leading to ambiguity in case definitions and various hypotheses about its pathophysiology. Despite this diversity, causal models may offer a unified understanding of post-acute COVID-19 mechanisms. This study aimed to examine whether dynamic Bayesian networks could facilitate inferences on long COVID. Using a causal engineering approach, we developed directed acyclic graphs and qualitatively parametrised them as Bayesian networks to depict the hypothesised mechanisms of long COVID in a theory-agnostic manner. Based on the literature and expert knowledge, we created a general modelling framework summarising biological pathways from mild or severe COVID-19 to the development of respiratory symptoms and fatigue over four key periods (t1 to t4). We used qualitative parametrisation for design and validation, and tested the framework against four scenarios: A) mild COVID-19 at t1 (start of acute infection); B) severe acute COVID-19 at t1; C) symptoms reported at t1 (acute COVID-19 disease); and D) symptoms reported at t1 and t3 (e.g., 3-to-6 months post-acute infection), indicating long COVID. Here we show that, in scenario A, the probability of progressing to severe disease and developing persistent organ dysfunction 1-to-2 years post-acute COVID-19 was lower than in scenario C. Those reporting symptoms at t1 and t3 have the highest probability of developing persistent organ dysfunction beyond the acute infection period. Our findings lay the foundations for a better understanding of the progression of long COVID syndromes. Illustrative simulations support the use of causal models to help address both diagnostic and prognostic questions in long COVID research.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Individuals with lower income or experiencing financial hardship face a significantly higher risk of developing CVD. However, there is a lack of in-depth insight into their experiences with CVD, and specific attention to women is essential. The In a Heartbeat study aims to understand the relationship between CVD and financial hardship and enable earlier recognition and prevention of CVD among both women and men. In this study protocol, we describe our citizen science study, in which we unravel the mechanisms and contexts through which financial problems lead to the development and late recognition of CVD. The main data for this study are collected by citizen scientists through qualitative lifeline interviews. All citizen scientists have experience with financial hardship, and some also have experience with CVD. We hold weekly project team meetings with citizen scientists and professional scientists in which we use methods such as photo elicitation, critical-creative hermeneutic analysis, design thinking, a dynamic learning agenda, and regular individual and group evaluations of the citizen science process. The study was funded in October 2024 and started in January 2025. Data collection started in November 2025 and is expected to end halfway through 2026. Four qualitative lifeline interviews had been conducted as of December 6, 2025. Data analyses are planned for 2026. Manuscripts reporting findings on the central research question and the process evaluations will be submitted for publication in 2027. Toward the end of the study in 2027, we will develop and disseminate concrete recommendations for various stakeholders to prevent CVD and recognize CVD earlier among people with financial hardship. In all our analyses and recommendations, we will consider sex and gender differences. Our study could contribute to a reduction in health inequalities.

The BioValCat (Enhanced Biomass Valorization by Engineering of Polyoxometalate Catalysts) project aims at developing homogeneously catalysed, selective biomass transformation technologies ultimately leading to an industrial viable biomass valorisation process. Herein, investigations of the conversion pathways for selected model substrates is one of the major tasks. Besides the catalyst-solvent interactions, the substrate-solvent interactions also play an important role. In this study, we aimed at answering the fundamental research question: what are the key mechanisms in aqueous-alcoholic solutions preventing decarboxylation and where are the limits with respect to process conditions and solvent composition? Therefore, a special focus was placed on the influence of the functional groups in different reaction intermediates from HPA-2 (H5PV2Mo10O40) catalysed xylose oxidation on the way to formic acid. We found that the protection of reactive functional groups of the model carbohydrates depends on the formation and stability of several reaction intermediates, which are formed via acetalization or esterification. This is strongly dependent on solvent composition and reaction conditions. The present findings were supported by DFT-calculations explaining the different effects of the solvent composition on both substrate and catalyst, emphasising the catalyst-solvent interactions are of superior importance for catalysis.

This article describes a new and expanding field in the health humanities: injury studies. Following a recent international conference sponsored by the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities, the members of the Injury Studies Network have stitched together disciplines across the humanities, social sciences, medicine, and the creative arts to examine how we live with and make meaning out of injuries. This article explains how this research program extends beyond conventional injury prevention, which tends to define injuries as measurable and theoretically controllable public health outcomes. Drawing on the critical medical humanities, we retheorize injuries as pivotal events for individuals and communities and as powerful lenses for interpreting physical and mental trauma, sociocultural experiences of risk and safety, and the body. Injuries, we contend, are complex events that disrupt the lives of their casualties and fuel broader social and creative processes. These processes extend outward from the moment of injury, reshaping the presents, remembered pasts, and possible futures of injured and uninjured people. This article critically reviews five themes from the literature on injuries and analyzes a series of case studies to lay out this framework for current and future investigators. We also offer a set of cross-cutting research questions on the perception, control, representation, and experience of injuries. Overall, we make the case for injury studies as a site for innovative medical humanities research with the potential to bring together siloed work on injuries, accidents, safety, trauma, risk, recovery, and disability; to enhance graduate and undergraduate education; and to inform interdisciplinary approaches to public health, clinical medicine, and health policy.

Mental disorders tend to cluster within families, yet the majority of research focuses on one child per family. There is a paucity of research examining the impact of a child's mental disorder on siblings. This scoping review addresses the following questions: (i) How do mental disorders in children impact the mental health of their sibling(s)? (ii) Which resources exist that address the needs of siblings of children with mental disorders? We searched eight databases for empirical studies and screened for those published since 2011. n = 27 studies were included; n = 21 studies addressed research question one and n = 6 addressed research question two. Pertaining to research question one, quantitative studies found that siblings of children with mental disorders are at risk for developing mental health problems or psychopathology themselves and experience a wide range of symptoms across many diagnostic categories. Qualitative studies reported siblings' negative emotions and experiences (e.g., confusion about child's disorder, fearful of violence from the child). Pertaining to research question two, we found a paucity of research (n = 6 studies) that assessed resources or interventions for siblings, indicating that there is likely a lack of interventions available for siblings. Future research should look to use more robust quantitative study designs (e.g., longitudinal, mixed-methods) in diverse samples and qualitative methodologies that can investigate particularly concerning instances. While we did identify that sibling interventions exist, those created with sibling and family voices may be better positioned to address sibling's needs.

Education in Indonesia faces significant challenges related to disparities in quality, particularly the lack of access to educational technology essential for implementing data-driven education. Suara Muhammadiyah, as a leading mass media outlet, plays a crucial role in educating the public about data-driven education and influencing public attitudes. This study aims to answer the following research questions: How does Suara Muhammadiyah’s communication strategy support the implementation of data-driven education in Indonesia? What are the measurable impacts of these communication strategies on educational stakeholders and the public? This study explores the role of Suara Muhammadiyah in shaping public understanding and influencing education policy discussions on data-driven education in Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach with a case study methodology, data were collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews, and Focus Group Discussions with informants from Suara Muhammadiyah and the Muhammadiyah central board. Content and thematic analyses were employed to identify communication patterns. The study finds that Suara Muhammadiyah successfully raises awareness about data-driven education and simplifies complex data for a broad audience. Challenges include limited reach beyond the Muhammadiyah community and the need for more in-depth data analysis. Despite these challenges, the audience’s high engagement and strong collaborations with government and educational institutions highlight the positive impact. The study contributes to the understanding of how media outlets can influence education policy and improve public understanding through strategic communication.

Purpose This study aims to define the scope of sport in smart cities and synthesizes how smart infrastructures reshape sport practice, consumption and governance. We summarize what is known, point out the main gaps and limits of current research and set clear questions to guide future, comparative and real-world research for cities, sport organizations and researchers. Design/methodology/approach We conduct a comprehensive literature review across sport management, urban studies and information science. We screen academic and policy sources and map technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, geospatial analytics and sensor networks to actors, data flows and outcomes and organize the evidence into an integrative thematic map and agenda across all proposed domains. Findings The review consolidates seven domains of sport in smart cities: technological innovations, sport participation, sport spectatorship, sport tourism, sport retailing, sport education and training and governance and ethics. Across these domains, digitally mediated infrastructures are reshaping practice, consumption and management. However, scenario-driven and conceptual work still outpaces comparative, longitudinal evaluation and the evidence base clusters in data-rich settings. Recurring issues include weak interoperability and evaluation capacity, privacy and consent risks and digital exclusion. The synthesis points to methodological and implementation pathways using systems-oriented indicators, geospatial and sensor data, and participatory governance to move from pilots to cumulative, equitable practice. Originality/value This paper provides a comprehensive review that organizes dispersed work on the interdiscipline of sport and smart cities and distills clear directions for subsequent research and implementation.

Purpose Although existing literature has advanced the understanding of information security policy (ISP) management, it has not examined how artificial intelligence (AI) can support ISP activities across management phases. Moreover, no study has yet mapped the empirical domains studied. The purpose of this paper is to systematically map existing ISP management research to assess to what extent AI has been addressed or used. Design/methodology/approach This study follows the five-step scoping review framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005): identifying the research questions, finding relevant studies, selecting studies, charting the data and reporting the results. Findings The review reveals that very few ISP management papers address or use AI. These few papers focused mostly on operational ISPs and addressed different ISP phases and empirical domains. Most existing work focuses on construction or compliance, while no studies have addressed the technical level. Research methods dominated by experiments, with a notable absence of organizational fieldwork. Research on ethical aspects such as fairness, transparency, accountability and data sensitivity is rare in this area. Research limitations/implications Given the limited research in this area, there are significant opportunities to explore AI in ISP management and to use AI in studying ISP management. The authors suggest a research agenda divided into three-time horizons: short, medium and long term. Originality/value This paper provides the first scoping review of AI in ISP management research, offering a systematic mapping of ISP management phases, ISP levels, research methods and empirical domains. It identifies research gaps, thereby guiding future research.