Analysis of AV merging behavior in mixed traffic using large-scale AV driving datasets.

These days, facial keypoint detection is a hot issue with many people drawn to its applications, which include the services like how old are you on Snapchat? Finding the facial key points in a particular face is the goal of facial keypoint detection, which is extremely difficult because every person has a completely diverse set of facial traits. Deep learning concepts, such as neural networks and cascaded neural networks, have been used to this issue. Furthermore, these structures produce much superior outcomes than cutting-edge techniques like dimension reduction algorithms and feature extraction. It's challenging to address the problem of facial keypoint recognition. Individual variations in facial traits can be observed due to factors such as 3D posture, size, location, viewing angle, and lighting conditions, and even within a single person. Although there has been significant progress in addressing these problems, there are still many areas where computer vision research may be strengthened. In our research, we want to use deep architectures to find the key points in each image to reduce losses for the task of detection and speed up training and testing for practical uses. As baselines, we have built two fundamental neural network architectures: a convolutional neural network and a hidden layer neural network. Additionally, we have suggested a method that uses factors other than raw input to determine the coordinates of face key points more accurately. The study's findings demonstrate the value of deep structures for face key point detection tasks, and employing the convolutional neural network model has marginally enhanced detection performance over baseline techniques

Risk appetite refers to investors propensity to take risks and is directly affected by changes in macroeconomic conditions. Risk appetite is expected to decrease as financial difficulties increase during periods of economic recession and contraction, whereas it is expected to increase during favorable economic conditions. This study analyzes the impact of the gold volatility index (GVZ), crude oil volatility index (OVX), and Chicago Futures Exchange Volatility Index (VIX) (also known as global risk appetite), as well as local economic factors such as inflation (CPI) and interest rates, on the REKS index (known as the Turkish investor risk appetite indicator), which reflects the risk tendencies of domestic (REKS Domestic) and foreign (REKS Foreign) investors in Turkey for the period April 2010-November 2024, using the VAR method. The study's findings show that the REKS Foreign Index is significantly sensitive to global risk and volatility indicators, particularly OVX and VIX. In contrast, the impact of CPI on this index is relatively limited compared to other global indicators. The REKS Domestic Index, on the other hand, is more strongly influenced by domestic macroeconomic variables such as CPI and interest rates, compared to OVX. These results indicate that domestic risk appetite is primarily dependent on domestic economic conditions, while the REKS Foreign Index is more sensitive to global risk perception and volatility dynamics.

Aim To assess the predictive value of serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] for contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Consecutive T2DM patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between January 2019 and December 2021 were enrolled. Baseline Lp(a) was measured before the operation. CIN was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of more than 25% or 44 μmol within 72 h of contrast administration. The relationship between Lp(a) and CIN risk was analyzed. Results A total of 928 T2DM patients were included. CIN developed in 11.1% (103/928) of patients. The Lp(a) level was significantly higher in patients with CIN than in non-CIN patients (311.12 ± 278.66 vs. 254.19 ± 274.56 mg/L, P = 0.048). Patients were divided into three groups based on Lp(a) levels: <150 mg/L ( n = 428), 150 mg/L–300 mg/L ( n = 266), and ≥300 mg/L ( n = 234). Each group stratified by increasing Lp(a) concentrations had incrementally greater risks of CIN (7.2% vs. 12% vs. 17.1%, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients with Lp(a) ≥300 mg/L had a 2.41-fold higher risk of CIN than those with Lp(a)< 150 mg/L (OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.38–4.21, P = 0.002). Additionally, for each increase of 1 logarithmic unit in Lp(a), the risk of CIN increased by 1.27 times (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.01–1.64, P = 0.045). Conclusions A higher serum Lp(a) level indicates an increased risk of CIN in T2DM patients undergoing CAG or PCI and can serve as an independent predictor of CIN in this population. This study's findings will aid in the clinical prevention and treatment of contrast agent-induced kidney disease.

ABSTRACT The rapid digitalization of the Indian retail sector has significantly transformed grocery consumption patterns. The rise of quick commerce delivery apps like Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket—which guarantee lightning-fast delivery in 10 to 30 minutes—is one of the most noteworthy trends. With particular reference to Lucknow, this study investigates how consumer brand perception in the grocery industry is affected by quick commerce delivery services. The study looks into how brand impression, brand experimentation, and brand switching behavior are impacted by platform-related characteristics, such as discounts, delivery speed, product availability, digital interface, and platform trust. The research design used was both descriptive and analytical. A structured questionnaire with 10 closed- ended questions was used to gather primary data from 50 respondents in Lucknow. Percentage analysis and interpretative appraisal were used to analyze the data. The theoretical framework was established through the use of secondary sources, including academic literature and industry reports. The results show that consumer brand impression is greatly influenced by rapid commerce platforms. Delivery speed was found to be the second most important element influencing brand rating, behind discounts and promotional offers. Customers believe that freshness and better quality are associated with faster delivery. A steady decline in the number of people visiting conventional kirana shops was noted, as well as a transfer of trust from platform to brand. According to the study's findings, rapid commerce platforms serve as digital brand mediators in Lucknow's dynamic urban retail ecosystem. Keywords: Quick Commerce, Brand Perception, Grocery Retail, Consumer Behavior, Digital Retail, Lucknow, Brand Switching

As the world becomes increasingly globalized, higher education institutions are expected by ‎society to embrace new and more intricate social responsibilities that go beyond their ‎traditional academic functions, emphasizing commitments to economic development and ‎sustainability. In this respect, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become crucial for ‎higher education as it boosts social impact, improves community ties, and aligns ‎institutional objectives with global development goals. ‎The sample size for this research consists of 367 academic staff members, selected through ‎simple random sampling. The study's findings indicated that the components of Corporate ‎Social Responsibility (CSR), namely discretionary/philanthropic, legal, and ethical ‎responsibilities, had a significant impact on organizational commitment. ‎Furthermore, perceived organizational support positively moderated the link between CSR ‎and commitment. This study's results illuminate how the adoption of suitable CSR practices ‎can affect employees' attitudes and behaviours toward their organization.‎

This study examines the relationship between team performance and subjective well-being in multicultural organizational contexts, and the mediating role of cultural integration in these relationships. Existing research highlights that understanding well-being is essential in enhancing team outcomes, yet limited studies have explored this link across diverse work settings. These findings support using well-being as a significant predictor when evaluating performance, helping identify how subjective well-being contributes to improved team performance through cultural integration. This study produced 400 valid responses using a quantitative survey. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and mediation analysis were used to test the hypotheses and validate direct and indirect interactions between the variables. The well-being framework, rooted in capabilities approaches and examined by international experts, was used in this study to understand subjective well-being. The study's findings reveal that the well-being variables Life Satisfaction, Flourishing, and Domain Evaluation significantly affected Team Performance. The mediation analysis results indicated that cultural integration mediates the relationships among all four constructs of well-being and team performance. Overall, the findings confirm that team performance is strengthened when employees experience high levels of subjective well-being and cultural integration is effectively fostered within the team. This study adds to the knowledge corpus by offering suggestions for predicting the effectiveness of a multicultural workforce by providing empirical evidence supporting the integration of well-being and cultural diversity in organisational performance models.

Warm compresses, exercise, Mozart therapy, and relaxation are non-pharmacological methods for relieving menstrual cramps, which typically occur in the lower abdomen but can also radiate to the lower back, waist, pelvis, upper thighs, and calves. Turmeric and palm sugar drink is a popular herbal remedy and has long been known to relieve menstrual cramps. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of herbal remedies for menstrual cramps made from palm sugar and turmeric in relieving symptoms experienced by female students at SMPN 31 Seimarang. With a total of 32 participants and data collected using a validated and reliable NRS (numerical rating scale) questionnaire, this study used a quantitative methodology with a pre-experimental approach and a single-group pretest-posttest design. The Wilcoxon test was used to analyze the data and analyze how the independent and dependent variables are related to each other. With a p-value of 0.000 (p <0.05), the study's negative findings indicate a decrease in pain levels after the intervention. Female students at SMPN 31 Semarang reported less menstrual pain after consuming a herbal concoction containing turmeric, tamarind, and palm sugar. This indicates that the intervention successfully reduced pain, and the difference was statistically significant. To reduce the use of harmful drugs and increase the use of safe, non-pharmacological alternatives, it is crucial for schools to play an active role in educating students about reproductive health, particularly regarding non-pharmacological treatments for menstrual pain.

Introduction Existing studies have confirmed that unarmed Health Qigong exercise can effectively improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety level among older adults; however, research on the effects of equipment-based Health Qigong practice on sleep quality and anxiety level in older adults remains scarce. Thus, this research sought to examine how Taiji Stick training over 11 weeks affects sleep quality and anxiety in older individuals. Methods This study employed a 2 × 2 mixed randomized controlled design, 35 senior participants were randomly divided into an experimental group ( n = 17) and a control group ( n = 18). The experimental group underwent an intervention based on Taiji Stick practice with a 11-week duration, three sessions were conducted each week, with each session lasting 45 min, while the control group received no intervention and maintained their usual lifestyle habits. Sleep quality and anxiety level among older population in the both groups were measured using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before and after exercise intervention. Results In comparison to the pre-test findings within the experimental group, The post-test results showed a significant decline in the PSQI global score ( P < 0.001), and scores of the four components in the PSQI, including subjective sleep quality ( P < 0.05), sleep disturbances ( P < 0.01), use of sleeping medication ( P < 0.01), and daytime dysfunction ( P < 0.05), were all significantly reduced. Meanwhile, the experimental group demonstrated a marked decrease in their post-test SAS standard score ( P < 0.01). A notable rise was observed in the control group's post-test PSQI global score compared to the pre-test ( P < 0.01), and the sleep efficiency component score in PSQI also significantly increased ( P < 0.01). Additionally, the control group exhibited a marked increase in their post-test SAS standard score ( P < 0.001). Following the exercise intervention, significant reductions were observed on both the PSQI global score and SAS standard score of the experimental group compared with the control group (PSQI global score: P < 0.001; SAS standard score: P < 0.001). Conclusion This study's findings revealed that 11 weeks of Taiji Stick exercise notably enhanced sleep quality and reduced anxiety level in older individuals.

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs/P450s) play a key role in organisms' primary and secondary metabolism in species across all domains of life. Accurate annotation of P450 genes is crucial for identifying their functions, evolution, and, consequently, their biotechnological potential. In this study, we report the identification of an unprecedented one-nucleotide exon required for the correct assembly of CYP621A P450 genes from multiple Fusarium species. Through comparative genomic analysis of 20 orthologous CYP621A genes, supported by an intronless CYP621B1 gene from Aspergillus clavatus, we demonstrate that omission of this single-nucleotide exon disrupts exon phase compatibility and prevents reconstruction of a full-length, functional P450 protein. The micro-exon encodes the central nucleotide of the glycine codon in the highly conserved PKG motif, which is essential for maintaining the structural integrity between the EXXR and PERF motifs, a characteristic of P450 enzymes. Importantly, transcriptomic evidence from sequence read archive (SRA) data confirms accurate splicing of this one-nucleotide exon in Fusarium solani and F. acuminatum under multiple growth conditions. This work presents the second example of the smallest exon reported to date for a gene, and the first for a P450 gene or a fungal gene. The study's findings have broad implications for genome annotation pipelines, underscoring the need for careful manual curation and improved algorithms to detect ultra-small exons in functionally constrained regions of eukaryotic genes.

Ethiopia's highlands face a serious degradation and soil erosion driven by unstable land use, climate variability, and rapid population growth. In response, the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program has implemented various techniques, such as afforestation and assisted natural regeneration interventions in Ethiopia; however, the effectiveness of these practices has not been assessed yet. This study aimed to analyze the effects of afforestation and assisted natural regeneration practice on soil erosion dynamics, specifically in the Kembata Tembaro district. The study utilized high-resolution satellite imagery (4.77m) from Norway's International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI), SRTM DEM (30m resolution), and WorldClim. The land use and land cover change analysis was conducted in Google Earth Engine (GEE) utilizing a Random Forest (RF) classifier. In addition, the soil loss estimation was analyzed for six pilot sites (three afforestation and three-assisted natural regeneration) for two periods in 2015 and 2024 utilizing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model, integrating rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, cover management, soil management practices, and topographic impacts. The study revealed that the forest cover notably increased across both sites, increasing from 1.9% to 22.18% in the assisted natural regeneration and from 8.5% to 34.92% for afforestation and reforestation sample sites. Consequently, the 2015 annual soil loss, which was 13.19 t/ha/y, declined to 9.49 t/ha/y in 2024 over the three ANR sites. In addition, the 2015 estimated annual soil loss for all AR sites, 43.37 t/ha/y, declined to 31.29 t/ha/y in 2024. The accuracy of the RUSLE-based soil erosion model, as calculated by the ROC curve analysis, demonstrated strong predictive performance with an AUC of 0.823. The key finding of the study revealed that both interventions have a critical role in preserving forest cover, mitigating erosion, and enhancing ecosystem resilience. Overall, the study's findings provide evidence for scaling up interventions to achieve Ethiopia's climate-resilient green economy goals.

The aim was to examine the engagement and acceptability of Telehealth in MND (TiM) as part of usual care within two specialist centers. Fifty people with MND (pwMND) completed questionnaires. Eight pwMND and carers participated in interviews. In Shefield, 163 pwMND were invited to TiM with 52% registering and 85% engagement. In Dublin, 98 pwMND were invited to TiM, with 63% registering, and 95% engagement.High levels of acceptability were reported, with users rating TiM as very low in burden. Similar findings were demonstrated within the interviews, with ease of use a strength. However, participants discussed a need for more regular feedback from TiM. Future opportunities relating to integrating TiM with community services were discussed. TiM is feasible and acceptable to pwMND. The high engagement can generate a wealth of data facilitating solution-focused clinical appointments. The study's findings support the further implementation of TiM in other MND services.

River water pollution and the subsequent degradation of water quality for irrigation and drinking are reported worldwide, especially in tropical regions with excess population pressure. The present study intends to investigate irrigation and drinking water quality and assess their suitability in the subtropical Damodar River in India using hydrochemical indices during pre-monsoon (PRM), monsoon (MON), and post-monsoon (POM) periods. The water quality index (WQI) results reveal that the river's water is unsuitable for drinking, as 68.92% (52.95% in PRM, 86.54% in MON, and 66.88% in POM) of samples are found to be unfit for consumption in the temporal dimension. However, in the spatial dimension, the percentage of unsuitable water samples is primarily high near the village of Mujher Mana station, with 97.20% of samples (97.87% in PRM, 97.91% in MON, and 95.83% in POM) deemed unfit for drinking. This suggests the Damodar River water in MON and near the village of Mujher Mana needs treatment before drinking. The study's findings from the irrigation hazards indices and the local farmers' feedback indicate that the river water is suitable for irrigation use. Moreover, SAR, %Na, KR, and PS are high at Mujher Mana village, RSC at Raniganj downstream (Ds), PI at Barakar, and MAR at Durgapur upstream (Us) in terms of spatial extent. The ANOVA test indicates a significant variation in river water quality across different spatio-temporal dimensions in the study area. Water pollution is mainly attributed to the discharge of untreated industrial and urban effluents directly into rivers, without undergoing water treatment. Therefore, it is imperative to address the issue promptly to reinstate the river water quality.

Purpose Sustainable housing encompasses residential development that balances environmental responsibility, economic efficiency and social well-being. In practice, sustainable housing goes beyond reducing the environmental footprint of buildings to address human welfare and community cohesion. Despite its significance, sustainable housing faces multiple challenges that hinder its widespread adoption, particularly in developing countries. Thus, this study therefore seeks to explore the barriers that constrain the provision of sustainable housing for low-income communities in Nigeria and to propose viable strategies for overcoming them. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was employed, with data gathered through structured, closed-ended questionnaires distributed to housing professionals in Nigeria, and subsequently analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including Kruskal–Wallis test and Kendall's coefficient of concordance. Findings The results from the study identified six top most barriers to sustainable housing provision in low-income communities in Nigeria to include weak economic conditions, poor urban planning and land-use policies, rising urban population and overcrowding, high land costs, limited access to housing finance options, and poor enforcement of housing policies and regulations. Originality/value The study's findings contributed to more effective sustainable housing studies by highlighting barriers to sustainable housing provision in low-income communities. This study advances both theory and practice by articulating actionable pathways for inclusive urban development, emphasising the integration of affordability, sustainability and equity as core principles for housing-sector stakeholders. By bridging conceptual insights with practical strategies, it provides a framework that can guide policymakers, practitioners and researchers in fostering more equitable and sustainable housing systems.

Health economic models can be used to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of public health policies for gambling. To develop such a model, we must understand how gambling behaviour is associated with risk of experiencing gambling-related harms. This study aimed to: (1) assess the strength of association between gambling frequency and the risk of gambling-related harm and to examine how these associations differ when lottery-only players are excluded; (2) apply the study's findings in a hypothetical policy model aimed at reducing gambling frequency. Observational study using six waves of cross-sectional data from the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey. Survey conducted in England in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and Scotland in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The sample included 16 648 adults (aged 18 and over) who reported gambling in the past year, generally representative of the populations of England and Scotland. Gambling frequency was measured using 6 categories which indicated frequency in the past 12 months: (a) 2 or more times a week; (b) once a week; (c) less than once a week, more than once a month; (d) once a month; (e) every 2-3months; (f) once or twice a year. Risk of gambling-related harm was assessed using Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score (0-27) and its four categories: no-risk (0), low-risk (1-2), moderate-risk (3-7) and high-risk (≥8). Control variables included age, sex, deprivation, social grade, presence of mental disorder and frequency of drinking alcohol. Using multinomial logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial models we found that gambling at least twice weekly was associated with a statistically significantly higher PGSI score than gambling once or twice a year (incidence rate ratio = 3.528, 95% confidence interval = 2.040-6.103, P value < 0.001). Reducing gambling to guideline levels for people gambling at least twice weekly moved 10% of the sub-sample from higher PGSI categories (low, medium and high risk) to the no-risk category and shifted the distribution of PGSI scores down. There appears to be a statistically significant association between gambling frequency and risk of gambling-related harm. Data derived from this and similar analyses can be used to model gambling policies which impact gambling frequency.

A strong sense of coherence is essential for adolescent psychological health, as it fosters hope and enhances subjective vitality. Accordingly, the current study aimed to examine the longitudinal mediating role of hope between sense of coherence and subjective vitality. Participants comprised 308 adolescents aged 13 to 19. The data were gathered in two waves, four months apart. Data were gathered through self-report questionnaires and analysed with cross-lagged panel model for a half-longitudinal design. The present study's findings demonstrated a positive association between sense of coherence and hope, and between hope and subjective vitality, as well as the mediating role of hope in the relationship between sense of coherence and subjective vitality. The results indicated that a sense of coherence fosters hope, which subsequently enhances subjective vitality. This study contributes to the literature by elucidating the mechanism linking the sense of coherence and subjective vitality through hope. It suggests that strategies grounded in sense of coherence may promote adolescents’ subjective vitality by fostering hope.

This study assessed the gamma-ray shielding potential and exposure build up factor of Gypsum, kaolin, limestone and granite commonly used as a building material in Northeastern, Nigeria. The elemental composition of the rocks was obtained through Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) which examines the microstructural and localized area elemental analyses of the four rock samples. Phy-X software was used to determine and evaluate the radiation shielding parameters at energy range of from 0.015 MeV to 15 MeV originating from 137Cs and 60Co sources. The MAC and LAC showed a decreasing pattern as photon energy increased. In the energy interval of 0.1–0.8 MeV, the MAC and LAC values of all studied materials converged, suggesting comparable attenuation characteristics. A significant drop at lower photon energies was also observed, primarily due to the strong inverse relationship between the photoelectric effect and photon energy. Among all materials, kaolin exhibited higher MAC and LAC values, which can be explained by its higher density and the presence of heavy elements like Ba, Ti, and Fe. The study's findings showed that the natural rocks examined had strong cap abilities to block gamma rays indicating their potential use in radiation protection.

The subject of the present study is the incorporation of European standards of fair competition into Ukraine's public administration through administrative procedures that govern access to public resources. The research focuses on the applied interaction between fair competition and good governance as procedural benchmarks for legality, predictability, and equal contestability in public decision-making. It pays particular attention to public procurement reform via Prozorro and to broader resource-allocation regimes under conditions of martial law and European integration. Methodology. The methodological framework underpinning this study combines comparative legal analysis and systemic institutional analysis, complemented by case-oriented examination of data-enabled governance instruments in Ukraine, including Prozorro and electronic auction mechanisms, as well as the EU-derived logic of narrow and reasoned exceptions, transparency, and reviewability. The objective of the present study is to conceptualise European standards of fair competition as an element of good governance in Ukraine's public administration. In addition, the study will assess how procedural safeguards and digital transparency mechanisms shape equal access to public resources across procurement and related allocation regimes under conditions of European integration and martial law. The study's findings indicate that competition within the public sector is predominantly influenced by procedural design. Mechanisms such as transparency, non-discrimination, proportionality, adequate reasoning, the right to be heard, conflict-of-interest controls, and effective remedies function as safeguards, constraining selective advantages and systematically embedding equal access. Although digitalisation strengthens these safeguards by making decision criteria and patterns observable on a large scale, it does not guarantee fair competition where procedures still permit discriminatory specifications, fragmentation, formalistic exclusions or the abuse of exceptions. Evidence from wartime procurement dynamics confirms that competitive outcomes are sensitive to the scope of non-competitive regimes and the controllability of derogations. Conclusion. European standards of fair competition in Ukraine should be regarded as a governance architecture that integrates good administration, digital transparency, and competitive neutrality into a unified procedural discipline for the allocation of public resources across procurement, state support measures, and public asset management.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate how the determinants of corporate sustainable development (CSD) can be effectively unlocked through the integration of green corporate social responsibility (GCSR), environmental strategy (ES), green innovation (GI), and green intrapreneurial spirit (GIS) in the digital era. The research further evaluates the moderating roles of digital transformation (DT) and employee green performance (EGP) in shaping these relationships. For data collection, the survey instrument is adopted to assess the impact of these elements on organizational sustainability practices. A stratified random sampling technique ensured representation across firm sizes and provinces. Primary data were collected from 418 managers in Pakistan's manufacturing sector. The study's results reveal that GCSR significantly drives CSD and ES, whereas ES fully mediates the GCSR–CSD link. GIS and GI partially mediate the relationship, and EGP amplifies the GIS–CSD link. This study broadens the scope of this topic by encouraging worldwide academia to investigate these variables in future projects. The study contributes to the environmental management literature by incorporating crucial determinants of CSD under one framework and provides practical insights for stakeholders, policymakers, and industry professionals. The study's findings provide evidence‐based insights to the stakeholders that encourage corporate sustainability practices.

Digital financial inclusion is challenging to achieve, particularly among marginalised groups. SHGs, mostly known as Kudumbashree units in Kerala, play a vital role in empowering women and low-income communities through microfinance and entrepreneurial activities. Digital financial tools have transformed financial transactions, offering convenience, security, and accessibility. This paper explores awareness and adoption of digital financial tools and identifies the benefits and challenges of their use among members of Kudumbashree SHGs. The study's findings offer recommendations for capacity-building initiatives to enhance digital financial inclusion among SHG members, fostering economic empowerment and financial stability.