Search Results (258)

This paper reveals a counterintuitive, non-monotonic dependence of terahertz coded-aperture imaging (TCAI) performance on the imaging range. This phenomenon stems from phase-induced spatiotemporal correlations in the reference-signal matrix (RSM), governed by the wavefront phase interactions between the coded-aperture elements and scatterers on the imaging plane. Image quality deteriorates noticeably when a specific dimensionless criterion, which is defined mathematically and physically in this work, precisely reaches integer values. Under such conditions, the relative phase difference concentrates or clusters into discrete values determined by the imaging range, leading to strong column and row correlations in RSM that compromise the spatiotemporal independence essential for high-quality reconstruction. For imaging ranges exceeding the critical threshold determined by the number of grid points along one dimension of the imaging plane, two degradation mechanisms emerge: increased correlation between RSM columns mapping to directly adjacent scatterers and phase coverage reduction in wavefront encoding. Both effects intensify as the imaging range increases, resulting in a monotonic deterioration of imaging performance. Crucially, reconstruction fails primarily when strong correlations involve dominant scatterers, whereas correlations among non-dominant (dummy) scatterers have a negligible impact. The Two-step Iterative Shrinkage/Thresholding (TwIST) algorithm demonstrates superior robustness under these challenging conditions compared to some other conventional methods. These insights provide practical guidance for optimizing TCAI system design and operational range selection to avoid performance degradation zones. Full article

Background/Objectives: Patients with inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) exhibit complex clinical profiles due to autonomic dysfunction. While sinus node sparing (SNS) hybrid ablation is emerging as a promising therapy, there are no established guidelines worldwide for post-procedure patient management and care is mainly based on telemonitoring. In contrast, our hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (HCR) program integrates inpatient care and home-based telerehabilitation. We aim to evaluate the implementation of the HCR program, patient acceptance and adherence, and the effectiveness of the Malmö POTS scoring system in monitoring disease progression and rehabilitation outcomes. Methods: Patients underwent a personalized HCR program after SNS. The program included early mobilization, psychological support, respiratory therapy, and structured exercise. Clinical outcomes were assessed using symptom burden (Malmö POTS score), ECG parameters, exercise duration, perceived exertion, and rehabilitation adherence. Results: All patients completed the inpatient phase, and 87% completed the home-based phase. In the early postoperative period, pericarditis, anemia, and benign rhythm disturbances were mild and self-limiting. The Malmö POTS score decreased from 65.3 to 25.7. Lower perceived exertion early in the program correlated with clinical improvement. At the 2-month follow-up, 81% of patients no longer met the clinical criteria for IST/POTS without the use of medications. The program was evaluated as safe, feasible, and well-tolerated, with high patient satisfaction. Conclusions: A well-organized hybrid cardiac rehabilitation program after SNS is feasible, safe, and well-tolerated in IST/POTS patients. The Malmö POTS score may support outcome monitoring. The integration of individualized training and telemedicine represents a promising development for patients post-SNS ablation. While this study demonstrates feasibility and potential benefits, further controlled studies are needed to evaluate its impact on long-term recovery and symptom control. Full article

Cancer and infectious diseases are major causes of global morbidity and mortality stressing the need to find novel drugs with promising dual anticancer and antimicrobial efficacy. Gold complexes have been studied for the past years due to their anticancer properties, with a few of them displaying antimicrobial properties, which support their pharmacological interest. Within this scope, we investigated six gold bisdithiolate complexes [Au (bdt)₂]⁻ (1), [Au (dcbdt)₂]⁻ (2), [Au (3-cbdt)₂]⁻ (3), [Au (4-cbdt)₂]⁻ (4), [Au (pdt)₂]⁻ (5) and [Au (dcdmp)₂]⁻ (6), and) against the ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and A2780cisR, the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus Newman, the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC25922 and Burkholderia contaminans IST408, and the pathogenic yeasts Candida glabrata CBS138 and Candida albicans SC5134. Complexes 2 and 6, with ligands containing aromatic pyrazine or phenyl rings, substituted with two cyanonitrile groups, showed after 24 h of incubation high anticancer activities against A2780 ovarian cancer cells (IC₅₀~5 µM), being also able to overcome cisplatin resistance in A2780cisR cells. Both complexes induced the formation of ROS, activated caspase-3/7, and induced necrosis (LDH release) in a dose-dependent way, in a greater extent in the case of 6. Among the bacterial and fungal strains tested, only complex 6 presented antimicrobial activity against S. aureus Newman, indicating that this complex is a potential novel anticancer and antibacterial agent. These results delve into the structure-activity relationship of the complexes, considering molecular alterations such as replacing a phenyl group for a pyrazine group, and the inclusion of one or two cyanonitrile appendage groups, and their effects on biological activity. Overall, both complexes were found to be promising leads for the development of future anticancer drugs against low sensitive or cisplatin resistant tumors. Full article

Objective: To characterize the profiles of resistance mutations to HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors in Gabon. Design: Cross-sectional study conducted over 37 months, from October 2019 to October 2022, at the IST/HIV/AIDS Reference Laboratory, a reference center for the biological monitoring of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PWHIV) in Gabon. Methods: Plasma from 666 PWHIV receiving antiretroviral treatment was collected, followed by RNA extraction, amplification, and reverse transcriptase gene sequencing. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata^® 14.0 software (USA). Results: Six hundred and sixty-six (666) PWHIV plasma collected from 252 male and 414 female patients were analyzed and 1654 mutations were detected in 388 patients, including 849 (51.3%) associated with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and 805 (48.7%) with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Three of the most prescribed treatment regimens were associated to the appearance of both NRTIs and NNRTIs resistance mutations: TDF + 3TC + EFV (24.02%; 160/666); TDF + FTC + EFV) (17.2%; 114/666) and AZT + 3TC + EFV (14.6%; 97/666). Additionally, stage 3 of CD4 T-lymphocyte deficiency, the higher viral load, and treatment duration are risk factors influencing the appearance of virus mutations. Also, treatment containing TDF-3TC + DTG is more protective against mutations. Conclusions: Drug resistance mutations are common in Gabon and compromise the efficacy of ART. Further study must search for other causes of therapeutic failure in Gabon in PWHIV. Full article

Background. The STING protein is activated by the second messenger cGAMP to promote the innate immune response against infections. Beyond this role, a chronically overactive STING signaling has been described in several disorders. Patients with severe COVID-19 exhibit a hyper-inflammatory response (the cytokine storm) that is in part mediated by the cGAS-STING pathway. Several STING inhibitors may protect from severe COVID-19 by down-regulating several inflammatory cytokines. This pathway has been implicated in the establishment of an optimal antiviral vaccine response. STING agonists as adjuvants improved the IgG titers against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein vaccines. Methods. We investigated the association between two common functional STING1/TMEM173 polymorphisms (rs78233829 C>G/p.Gly230Ala and rs1131769C>T/p.His232Arg) and severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. A total of 801 non-vaccinated and 105 fully vaccinated (mRNA vaccine) patients, as well as 300 population controls, were genotyped. Frequencies between the groups were statistically compared. Results. There were no differences for the STING1 variant frequencies between non-vaccinated patients and controls. Vaccinated patients showed a significantly higher frequency of rs78233829 C (230Gly) compared to non-vaccinated patients (CC vs. CG + GG; p = 0.003; OR = 2.13; 1.29–3.50). The two STING1 variants were in strong linkage disequilibrium, with the rs78233829 C haplotypes being significantly more common in the vaccinated (p = 0.02; OR = 1.66; 95%CI = 1.01–2.55). We also studied the LTZFL1 rs67959919 G/A polymorphism that was significantly associated with severe COVID-19 (p < 0.001; OR = 1.83; 95%CI = 1.28–2.63). However, there were no differences between the non-vaccinated and vaccinated patients for this polymorphism. Conclusions. We report a significant association between common functional STING1 polymorphisms and the risk of developing severe COVID-19 among fully vaccinated patients. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species are pathogens commonly associated with urogenital infections in sexually active individuals. Despite their clinical relevance, these organisms are less frequently studied than other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), leading to limited data on their antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance profiles. This study aimed to characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance patterns of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp. among individuals in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, and to identify the potential associated risk factors. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study during 2022–2024 using secondary data obtained from the SMARTLab^® diagnostic system. Sociodemographic and epidemiological data, along with results from IST2 and IST3 diagnostic tests, were analyzed. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated by sex, age group, and antimicrobial susceptibility profile. Results: Our results revealed a predominance of M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp. infection among women (98.5%), and in individuals aged 38 to 47 years. Ureaplasma spp. accounted for the majority of positive cases. High rates of resistance were observed in the IST2 test, with 75.0% of M. hominis and 84.1% of Ureaplasma urealyticum resistant to ciprofloxacin. In the IST3 test, Ureaplasma spp. demonstrated a 7.3% resistance rate to levofloxacin, which increased to 22.2% in cases of co-infection. Conclusions: These findings underscore the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species and highlight the need for targeted public health strategies and diagnostic tools to manage infections caused by these organisms, particularly in high-risk populations. Full article

Given the adverse effects of organic dyes from aqueous solutions on human physiology and the ecological system, establishing an effective system for their elimination is imperative. This study employs the in situ thermal (IST) method to synthesize nanocomposites comprising zeolitic imidazole frameworks, specifically Fe-ZIF-8 and Fe-ZIF-67. The investigation offers a comprehensive evaluation of the properties of these nano-adsorbents for the removal of malachite green (MG). The results indicate a significantly increased adsorption capacity of up to 495 and 552 mg g⁻¹ for Fe-ZIF-8 and Fe-ZIF-67, respectively. Furthermore, they demonstrate removal efficiencies of up to 90% and 95% for MG, respectively. Parameters associated with the adsorption process are derived from isotherms and removal kinetics, specifically the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, respectively. The enhanced adsorption capacity observed in Fe-ZIF-8 and Fe-ZIF-67 can be attributed to π–π stacking interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic attraction. After undergoing three cycles, both adsorbents consistently exhibit a high removal efficiency of approximately 85%, indicating notable structural integrity and outstanding potential for repeated use. The examined adsorbents display exceptional efficacy, favorable stability, and substantial specific surface area, underscoring their remarkable adsorption capabilities. The nanocomposites comprising Fe-ZIF-8 and Fe-ZIF-67 demonstrate considerable potential as highly favorable options for the elimination of MG and other cationic organic dyes from aqueous environments. Full article

Background: Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and dynapenia (loss of strength) are prevalent in older adults aged 70 years and over. Both have an impact on their functional ability and quality of life, with type II muscle fibres being particularly affected. Although traditional resistance training (TRT) is effective, it presents technical difficulties and an increased risk of injury among this vulnerable population. Isometric strength training (IST) is a potentially safer, more accessible and more effective alternative. Objective: To describe the protocol of a single-arm, pre-post intervention trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and applicability of a 16-week IST programme on muscle strength, skeletal muscle mass, quality of life and applicability (safety, acceptability, perceived difficulty) in 18 older adults aged 70 years and above with a diagnosis of sarcopenia and dynapenia. The influence of genetic and environmental factors on the variability of response to IST will also be explored. Methodology: The participants, who have all been diagnosed with sarcopenia according to EWGSOP2 (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2) criteria, will perform two IST sessions per week for 16 weeks. Each 30-min session will consist of one progressive set (total duration 45 s to 90 s) for each of the eight major muscle groups. This series will include phases at 20% and 40% of individual Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC), culminating in 100% Maximal Effort (ME), using the CIEX SYSTEM machine with visual feedback. The primary outcome variables will be: change in knee extensor MVIC and change in Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (ASMMI). Secondary variables will be measured (other components of sarcopenia, quality of life by EQ-5D-5L, use of Likert scales, posture and physiological variables), and saliva samples will be collected for exploratory genetic analyses. The main statistical analyses will be performed with t-tests for related samples or their non-parametric analogues. Discussion: This protocol details a specific IST intervention and a comprehensive evaluation plan. The results are expected to provide evidence on the feasibility and effects of IST among older adults with sarcopenia and dynapenia. Understanding individual variability in response, including genetic influence, could inform the design of more personalised and effective exercise strategies for this population in the future. Full article

Compressive sensing in the ambiguity domain facilitates high-performance reconstruction of time-frequency distributions (TFDs) for non-stationary signals. However, identifying the optimal regularization parameter in the absence of prior knowledge remains a significant challenge. The Rényi entropy-based two-step iterative shrinkage/thresholding (RTwIST) algorithm addresses this issue by incorporating local component estimates to guide adaptive thresholding, thereby improving interpretability and robustness. Nevertheless, RTwIST may struggle to accurately isolate components in cases of significant amplitude variations or component intersections. In this work, an enhanced RTwIST framework is proposed, integrating the random sample consensus (RANSAC)-based refinement stage that iteratively extracts individual components and fits smooth trajectories to their peaks. The best-fitting curves are selected by minimizing a dedicated objective function that balances amplitude consistency and trajectory smoothness. Experimental validation on both synthetic and real-world electroencephalogram (EEG) signals demonstrates that the proposed method achieves superior reconstruction accuracy, enhanced auto-term continuity, and improved robustness compared to the original RTwIST and several state-of-the-art algorithms. Full article

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) reshapes society, digital leadership in education becomes crucial. This study explores teachers’ perspectives on high school principals’ digital leadership competencies in Oyo State, Nigeria, a region grappling with the digital divide. This offers a counterpoint to research in high-income countries. Using a quantitative, descriptive research design, 381 teachers across three senatorial districts were selected via multi-stage sampling. The study addressed one research question and tested two hypotheses. Data were collected using the High Schools’ Digital Leadership Standards Questionnaire (HSDLSQ). The reliability coefficients ranged from α = 0.85 to 0.91 across five domains: visionary leadership, digital learning culture, professional development, systemic improvement, and digital citizenship. Descriptive statistics (percentages, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent t-test) were used for analysis at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that high school leaders possess the skills to meet the ISTE-A digital leadership standards set by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Female leaders exhibited slightly higher digital skills than males, though gender was insignificant in meeting the ISTE-A standards overall. The study underscores the importance of digital leadership in school management, offering practical implications for leadership practices, policy decisions, and future research. Although the ISTE-A standards are met, the emphasis on systemic improvement highlights how Nigerian principals adapt strategies to local resource constraints, differing from high-tech education systems. Recommendations include promoting the ISTE-A standards among school leaders, investing in digital leadership training, fostering digital literacy, and supporting adaptability to technological changes to advance digital transformation in education. Full article

Background: The significance of cell population data (CPD) and leukocyte scattergrams in COVID-19 has not been fully established, partly due to the absence of serial leukocyte monitoring before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study first examined changes in these parameters in non-immunosuppressed subjects over the course of infection. Subsequently, these findings were compared with those observed in patients who were immunosuppressed to assess the impact of immunosuppression. Methods: In total, 48 patients with COVID-19 were analyzed. Complete blood count (CBC) results and CPD were assessed using a Sysmex XN-9000 hematological analyzer. Results: The control and IST groups had similar clinical characteristics regarding COVID-19 severity and baseline CBC and CPD. WBC and neutrophil counts showed no significant changes immediately post onset; however, they decreased in the control group and increased in the IST group. Platelet counts decreased transiently on days 3–5 in both groups. The control group’s lymphocyte counts significantly dropped, but their lymphocyte-related CPD remained unchanged. The IST group experienced delayed lymphocyte recovery and showed reduced DNA/RNA content and cell size diversity. Scattergrams immediately after onset showed an increase in lymphocyte clusters, particularly juvenile lymphocytes, in the control group, while they decreased in the IST group. In the control group, mature neutrophils decreased while immature neutrophils increased. Conversely, the percentage of mature neutrophils increased in the IST group. Both groups showed minimal plasmacytoid lymphocyte clusters after onset. Conclusions: Immunosuppression impairs juvenile cell mobilization, which may increase susceptibility to viral impacts and potentially worsen prognosis by increasing the risk of infection. Full article

Background: Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is an uncommon life-threatening disorder characterized by hypocellular bone marrow and pancytopenia. It is typically associated with immune-mediated mechanisms, requiring immunosuppressive therapy (IST) or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Infections, especially invasive fungal infections such as mucormycosis and aspergillosis, constitute principal causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with SAA. Genetic predispositions, including perforin (PRF1) polymorphisms, may further complicate disease outcomes by impairing immune function. Case report: We describe a case of a 36-year-old female patient diagnosed with SAA, for whom IST was considered, due to the unavailability of a matched sibling donor for HSCT. The patient presented with a feverish condition and deep neck space abscesses were revealed by imaging, caused by invasive aspergillosis. To prioritize infection control, IST was postponed and antifungal therapy with abscess drainage was initiated. However, aspergillosis progressed, despite aggressive and prompt treatment, and ultimately resulted in sepsis, multiorgan failure, and death. In addition, mucormycosis was confirmed post-mortem. Two heterozygous PRF1 polymorphisms (c.272C>T and c.900C>T), were identified by genetic testing, which may have contributed to immune dysregulation and fungal dissemination. Conclusions: The complex interplay between managing SAA and addressing invasive fungal infections, which remain a leading cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients, is highlighted in this case. The latter emphasizes the importance of prompt diagnosis and targeted treatment to alleviate infection-related complications while maintaining care continuity for the hematologic disorder. The detection of PRF1 polymorphisms raises questions about their implication in immune regulation and disease trajectory, emphasizing the need for further research in this field. Full article

This paper captures a qualitative review of the regulatory prescribed stress tests for UK financial services designed by the Bank of England and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)/Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after the Global Financial Crisis. It presents a critical analysis of the use of stress testing as part of supervisory practices for UK banking institutions and insurance undertakings, commenting on their qualitative characteristics, after looking at the regulatory prescribed stress tests from three key categories: the macroeconomic scenarios for banks, denoted as the bank stress tests (BST), the insurance stress tests (IST), and the biennial exploratory scenarios (BES). In this study, five trends describing regulatory prescribed stress are identified: (1) the regulatory collaboration, (2) cross-industry stress tests, (3) exploratory scenarios, (4) reporting and disclosure requirements, and (5) the underlying modelling capabilities and tools. The associated challenges of (A) governance, (B) frequency, (C) individual disclosures, (D) data and modelling, and (E) capabilities and skillset from participating institutions underpinning these stresses are highlighted, shaping the policy recommendations for future exercises. These address the gaps identified from existing stress tests towards the effective prudential supervision of UK financial services, based on each scenario category, for improvements and advances to practices. Full article

In 1802, Friedrich Hölderlin experienced his first mental breakdown, which was followed by a second one in 1805. On 15th September 1806, he was admitted to the clinic of Johann Heinrich Ferdinand von Autenrieth in Tübingen who addressed Hölderlin’s illness as “madness” (“Wahnsinn”). On 3rd May 1807, the poet was discharged as “incurable” (“unheilbar”). Until his death on 7th June 1843, he was cared for by the carpenter Ernst Zimmer. From the period between 1807 and 1843, 50 poems by Hölderlin have been preserved, in German studies known as the “Turmdichtung” (“tower poetry”). These poems have long been relegated to the margins of scholarly research. In my essay, I will discuss the modern and contemporary diagnoses, as well as Hölderlin’s literary (self-) therapy of his illness. I am suggesting that Hölderlin’s tower poetry contains a thera-peutic–poetic concept that is intended to serve the treatment of his illness. Full article

Significant new progress has been made in nonlinear integrable systems with Riesz fractional-order derivative, and it is impressive that such nonlocal fractional-order integrable systems exhibit inverse scattering integrability. The focus of this article is on extending this progress to nonlocal fractional-order Schrödinger-type equations with variable coefficients. Specifically, based on the analysis of anomalous dispersion relation (ADR), a novel variable-coefficient Riesz fractional-order generalized NLS (vcRfgNLS) equation is derived. By utilizing the relevant matrix spectral problems (MSPs), the vcRfgNLS equation is solved through the inverse scattering transform (IST), and analytical solutions including n-soliton solution as a special case are obtained. In addition, an explicit form of the vcRfgNLS equation depending on the completeness of squared eigenfunctions (SEFs) is presented. In particular, the 1-soliton solution and 2-soliton solution are taken as examples to simulate their spatial structures and analyze their structural properties by selecting different variable coefficients and fractional orders. It turns out that both the variable coefficients and fractional order can influence the velocity of soliton propagation, but there is no energy dissipation throughout the entire motion process. Such soliton solutions may not only have important value for studying the super-dispersion transport of nonlinear waves in non-uniform media, but also for realizing a new generation of ultra-high-speed optical communication engineering. Full article