Search Results (6,123)

The formation of strategies and tactics of destructive impact (DI) at the stages of complex computer attacks (CCAs) largely depends on the content of intelligence data obtained by the intruder about the attacked elements of distributed information systems (DISs). This study analyzes scientific papers, methodologies and standards in the field of assessing the indicators of awareness of the intruder about the objects of DI and symmetrical indicators of intelligence security of the elements of the DIS. It was revealed that the aspects of changing the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of intelligence data (ID) at the stages of CCA, as well as their impact on the possibilities of using certain types of simple computer attacks (SKAs), are poorly studied and insufficiently systematized. This paper uses technologies for modeling the process of an intruder obtaining ID based on the application of the methodology of black, grey and white boxes and the theory of fuzzy sets. This allowed us to identify the relationship between certain arrays of ID and the possibilities of applying certain types of SCA end-structure arrays of ID according to the levels of identifying objects of DI, and to create a scale of intruder awareness symmetrical to the scale of intelligence protection of the elements of the DIS. Experiments were conducted to verify the practical applicability of the developed models and techniques, showing positive results that make it possible to identify vulnerable objects, tactics and techniques of the intruder in advance. The result of this study is the development of an intruder awareness scale, which includes five levels of his knowledge about the attacked system, estimated by numerical intervals and characterized by linguistic terms. Each awareness level corresponds to one CCA stage: primary ID collection, penetration and legalization, privilege escalation, distribution and DI. Awareness levels have corresponding typical ID lists that can be potentially available after conducting the corresponding type of SCA. Typical ID lists are classified according to the following DI levels: network, hardware, system, application and user level. For each awareness level, the method of obtaining the ID by the intruder is specified. These research results represent a scientific contribution. The practical contribution is the application of the developed scale for information security (IS) incident management. It allows for a proactive assessment of DIS security against CCAs—modeling the real DIS structure and various CCA scenarios. During an incident, upon detection of a certain CCA stage, it allows for identifying data on DIS elements potentially known by the intruder and eliminating further development of the incident. The results of this study can also be used for training IS specialists in network security, risk assessment and IS incident management. Full article

Sleep posture has received limited attention in studies of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity during sleep, particularly in clinical populations. We analyzed data from 130,885 individuals (56.1% female) in the Allostatic State Mapping by Ambulatory ECG Repository (ALLSTAR), a nationwide Japanese database of 24 h Holter ECG recordings obtained for clinical purposes. Sleep posture was classified as supine, right lateral, left lateral, or prone using triaxial accelerometer data. Heart rate variability (HRV) indices—including heart rate (HR), standard deviation of RR intervals (SDRR), high-frequency (HF), low-frequency (LF), very low-frequency (VLF) components, cyclic variation in heart rate (CVHR), and HF spectral power concentration index (Hsi)—were calculated for each posture and stratified by age and sex. HR was consistently lowest in the left lateral posture and highest in the right lateral posture across most age groups. Other HRV indices also showed consistent laterality, although the effect sizes were generally small. Posture distribution differed slightly by estimated sleep apnea severity, but the effect size was negligible (η² = 0.0013). These findings highlight sleep posture as a statistically significant and independent factor influencing ANS activity during sleep, though the magnitude of differences should be interpreted in the context of their clinical relevance. Full article

A Bayesian approach for constructing ARMA probability density estimators is proposed. Such estimators are ratios of trigonometric polynomials and have a number of advantages over Fourier series estimators, including parsimony and greater efficiency under common conditions. The Bayesian approach is carried out via MCMC, the output of which can be used to obtain probability intervals for unknown parameters and the underlying density. Finite sample efficiency and methods for choosing the estimator’s smoothing parameter are considered in a simulation study, and the ideas are illustrated with data on a wine attribute. Full article

Background/Objectives: Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) are major determinants of successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Their alleles are closely linked to outcomes, even in HLA-identical sibling donor (ISD) HSCT. This retrospective study analyzed the impact of HLA alleles on HLA-ISD HSCT outcomes in Omani patients. Methods: Data were collected for a heterogenous cohort of patients registered at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), who underwent HLA-ISD HSCT from 2012 to 2022 (n = 153). HSCT outcomes, namely acute GVHD (aGVHD), chronic GVHD (cGVHD), chimerism status (complete or mixed) at 6 to 12 months after HSCT, neutrophil and platelet engraftment time, and patient five-year overall survival, were included. Low-resolution HLA-typing records were collected for five HLA loci: HLA-A, B, C, DRB1 and DQB1. GVHD and chimerism were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Platelet and neutrophil engraftment times were assessed by Mann–Whitney tests. Patient overall survival was evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier model and Log-rank testing. At a 95% confidence interval, the p-value threshold was corrected using Bonferroni correction. Results: The incidence rates of aGVHD and cGVHD from all grades were 16% and 15%, respectively. Although no association between HLA alleles or any of the investigated outcomes was identified, survival curve analyses indicated a significant protective effect of HLA-DQB1*05 (p = 0.01). Patients carrying this allele had a better-estimated 5-year overall survival (90%) than did DQB1*05 negative patients (68%). Conclusions: This study suggests that HLA-DQB1*05 in the Omani population could have an impact on overall survival and might be a predictive biomarker. Further studies on a larger scale in other regional populations are needed to validate our findings and explore the underlying mechanism. Full article

Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation can generate aerosols, potentially exposing healthcare workers (HCWs) to infection. Bag valve ventilation (BV) is widely used but is prone to aerosol dispersion, whereas chest compression-synchronized ventilation (CCSV) maintains a closed respiratory circuit. In this study, we compared aerosol generation between CCSV and BV during chest compressions following endotracheal intubation in a simulated resuscitation setting. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 12 sessions each of CCSV and BV were conducted on an intubated manikin undergoing mechanical chest compressions for 10 min. Aerosols with ≤5-μm diameter were generated using a saline nebulizer and measured every minute with a particle counter positioned 50 cm from the chest compression site. Bayesian linear regression of minute-by-minute log-transformed aerosol particle counts was used to estimate group differences, yielding posterior means, 95% credible intervals, and posterior probabilities. Results: The aerosol particle counts increased during the initial 3 min with the use of both methods. Thereafter, the aerosol particle counts with CCSV stabilized, whereas those with BV continued to increase. From 4 to 10 min, the posterior probability that CCSV generated fewer particles exceeded 0.98, peaking at 9 min. Both peak and time-averaged log-transformed aerosol particle counts were significantly lower with CCSV than with BV (p = 0.010 and p = 0.020, respectively). Conclusions: In this simulation, CCSV generated significantly fewer aerosols than BV did during chest compressions, with differences emerging after 4 min and persisting thereafter. Thus, CCSV may reduce aerosol exposure of HCWs, supporting its early implementation during resuscitation in infectious disease settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-attributable cancers are a major public health problem worldwide. However, HPV vaccination rates vary significantly and are often not optimal. This study aimed to assess the effects of multilevel interventions on improving HPV vaccination. Methods: A systematic literature review and a meta-analysis were carried out, taking into account randomized controlled trials. Outcomes of interest were HPV vaccination initiation and completion. A random-effect meta-analysis using the generic inverse variance method was carried out, with a risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) as the pooled effect estimate. Results: A literature search identified 15 relevant studies, all conducted in high-income countries. Multilevel interventions significantly improved HPV vaccination coverage and initiation (RR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.16–1.38, p < 0.00001 and RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.04–1.24, p = 0.004, respectively) compared to usual care. Sensitivity analyses showed that the results remained relatively robust. Subgroup analysis by targeted levels of intervention indicated that multilevel interventions had an effect across all comparisons and outcomes except for HPV vaccination completion for interventions that targeted four levels of influence. Conclusions: Based on evidence from high-income settings, multilevel interventions are effective in improving HPV vaccination rates. Future studies should expand the focus to areas with limited resources too and aim to provide more detailed data, avoid registering outcomes via self-report, and create sustainable strategies that can persist beyond a study’s duration and possibly become part of policies for improving HPV vaccination coverage. Full article

Objectives: Sub-second motor timing is critical for skilled performance in domains such as sport, music, and safety-critical multitasking; however, its robustness under cognitive load remains unresolved. Dual-task paradigms offer a method to test whether attentional demands selectively disrupt temporal precision. This study intended to investigate the effects of cognitive load on rhythmic finger tapping at a sub-second interval. Methods: A sample of 103 college students (19–25 years) performed a synchronization–continuation tapping task at 500 ms intervals under single- and dual-task conditions across five trials. The dual-task condition included a distracting letter-span task imposing working memory load. Inter-response intervals (IRIs), their variability (IRI SD), and accuracy (AI) were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Results: Tapping intervals were consistently shorter than the 500 ms target by approximately 70 ms in both conditions, showing anticipatory mechanisms that remained stable under cognitive load. Mean accuracy did not vary between single- and dual-task conditions. By contrast, temporal variability was significantly higher in the dual-task condition, reflecting diminished trial-to-trial consistency. These effects continued throughout trials and were supported by model estimates, which indicated robust between-subject variability but selective disruption of consistency rather than mean performance. Conclusions: Dual-tasking selectively hinders temporal stability in sub-second motor timing while ensuring that the reproduction and accuracy of the mean interval remain unchanged. This pattern supports dual-process accounts of timing, suggesting distinct roles for predictive control and attentional allocation. The results have applied relevance for situations requiring precise rhythmic performance under cognitive load, including sports, ensemble music, and safety-critical tasks. Full article

Thermal imaging is a non-contact method for monitoring respiration activity during sleep. In this study, we evaluated its clinical application during overnight recordings in a sleep clinic. Five thermal cameras were used to detect breaths, the estimated respiration rate (RR), and inter-breath intervals (IBIs) in seven adults undergoing diagnostic polysomnography (PSG). Forty-five minutes of recordings were selected, consisting of 12 motionless and event-free segments. The thermal videos were processed using an adapted pre-existing thermal video processing algorithm. The respiration signals generated with the thermal cameras were validated against simultaneously recorded signals from the PSG system, the current gold standard for monitoring sleep. The results show a mean absolute error (MAE) ranging between 0.64 and 0.91 breaths per minute for the RR. Breath detection showed a sensitivity of 96.3%, and a precision of 94.1%. The MAE obtained between IBIs was 0.48 s, and the mean IBI variability difference recorded was 3.9 percentage points. In addition, the results from this clinical study show that the use of all five cameras and a single camera revealed no statistically significant differences, demonstrating the work towards a robust system. This first study of thermal cameras for the assessment of respiration in a clinical setting shows us the potential application of thermal imaging in clinical practice for respiration monitoring and establishes a foundation for further implementation in assessing sleep-disordered breathing. Full article

Background/Objectives: Children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often experience deficits in executive functioning and emotional regulation, which impact their academic, social, and behavioral development. While physical activity is increasingly recognized as a promising non-pharmacological intervention, the specific effects on cognitive and emotional domains remain heterogeneous. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of physical–motor interventions in improving executive functions and emotional regulation in youths with NDDs. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search of five databases was conducted (2010–2024) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of structured physical activity programs on executive and emotional outcomes in children and adolescents diagnosed with NDDs. A total of 22 RCTs were included in the qualitative synthesis, while 16 were included in the quantitative analysis. Effect sizes were calculated using a random effects model, while heterogeneity was assessed with the Q, I², Tau², and Egger’s tests. Results: Physical activity interventions demonstrated a non-significant effect on executive functioning (g = 0.492; p = 0.215; 95% CI: −0.286 to 1.269). Although the point estimate suggested a small-to-moderate effect, the wide confidence interval and lack of statistical significance prevent firm conclusions. In contrast, a large and significant effect was observed on emotional regulation outcomes (g = −1.204; p < 0.001; 95% CI: −1.688 to −0.655), despite moderate heterogeneity (I² = 72.3%). Several studies also reported specific improvements in working memory, cognitive flexibility, and emotional control. Conclusions: Structured physical activity may be an effective complementary intervention for improving emotional regulation in youth with NDDs, with less consistent evidence for executive functioning. Future research should clarify optimal protocols and target populations to enhance intervention effectiveness. Full article

Conventional thermospheric density models are limited in their ability to capture solar-geomagnetic coupling dynamics and lack probabilistic uncertainty estimates. We present MSIS-UN (NRLMSISE-00 with Uncertainty Quantification), an innovative framework integrating sparse principal component analysis (sPCA) with heteroscedastic neural networks. Our methodology leverages multi-satellite density measurements from the CHAMP, GRACE, and SWARM missions, coupled with MSIS-00-derived exospheric temperature (tinf) data. The technical approach features three key innovations: (1) spherical harmonic decomposition of T∞ using spatiotemporally orthogonal basis functions, (2) sPCA-based extraction of dominant modes from sparse orbital sampling data, and (3) neural network prediction of temporal coefficients with built-in uncertainty quantification. This integrated framework significantly enhances the temperature calculation module in MSIS-00 while providing probabilistic density estimates. Validation against SWARM-C measurements demonstrates superior performance, reducing mean absolute error (MAE) during quiet periods from MSIS-00’s 44.1% to 23.7%, with uncertainty bounds (1σ) achieving an MAE of 8.4%. The model’s dynamic confidence intervals enable rigorous probabilistic risk assessment for LEO satellite collision avoidance systems, representing a paradigm shift from deterministic to probabilistic modeling of thermospheric density. Full article

Background/Objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disorder that may share pathogenic pathways with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Although Western studies suggest a possible link between psoriasis and increased IBD risk, large-scale evidence from Asian populations remains limited and inconsistent. Using nationwide Korean cohort data, we aimed to investigate this association. Methods: In this retrospective, nested case–control study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort (2002–2019), incident IBD cases were matched 1:4 to controls by age, sex, income, region, and index date. Psoriasis history prior to the IBD index date was identified using diagnostic codes. Overlap propensity score weighting balanced covariates, and weighted multivariable logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Among 10,966 IBD patients and 43,864 controls, psoriasis was associated with higher IBD risk (aOR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.38–1.93). The association was stronger for UC (aOR 1.77; 95% CI, 1.44–2.18) than for CD (aOR 1.37; 95% CI, 1.01–1.84). UC risk was elevated across most subgroups, whereas CD risk reached significance only in individuals < 45 years. Conclusions: In this large, nationally representative Korean cohort, psoriasis was linked to an increased risk of subsequent IBD, particularly UC. Although causality cannot be inferred, these findings may underscore the importance of considering possible gastrointestinal comorbidity in patients with psoriasis. Full article

Background: Enterobiasis, caused by Enterobius vermicularis, is recognized as a common intestinal helminthiasis worldwide. Despite multiple surveys in Thailand, no pooled synthesis at the country level has been carried out to evaluate prevalence patterns, temporal trends, or vulnerable groups. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to provide an updated and comprehensive estimate of the prevalence of E. vermicularis in Thailand and to identify high-risk populations for targeted interventions. Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251053217). Studies reporting E. vermicularis infection in Thailand were systematically searched in international and Thai databases. Pooled prevalence and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed according to year, region, age, population type, and diagnostic method. Results: A total of 56 studies, including 52,765 participants, were analyzed. The overall pooled prevalence was estimated at 3.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1–5.9%), with a decline observed in the subgroup analysis by publication year, from 4.75% in 2000–2009 to 1.15% in 2020–2023. The highest prevalence was reported in Central Thailand (7.93%). High infection rates were found among immigrant children (25.2%), hilltribe children (19.9%), Karen students (15.5%), and children in orphanages (11.4%). A markedly higher prevalence was detected by the Scotch tape method compared with direct smear/concentration (12.9% vs. 0.33%). No significant difference in infection risk was observed between males and females (OR = 1.03, p = 0.65). Conclusions: The pooled prevalence of E. vermicularis in Thailand was estimated at 3.6%, but this figure should be interpreted with caution due to high heterogeneity across studies. More meaningful insights were identified in subgroup analyses, which revealed a temporal decline in prevalence, geographic clustering in Central Thailand, and disproportionately high infection rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged child populations. No statistically significant association was found between gender and risk of infection. These patterns underscore the need for targeted screening, deworming, and hygiene interventions, along with the standardized use of the Scotch tape technique for accurate surveillance and comparability of future studies. Full article

Vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) is a critical metric in transportation and environmental research. However, conventional VKT estimation approaches frequently fail to capture the complexity of route selection and spatiotemporal dynamics of individual road users. This study presents a framework for accurately estimating the total VKT using high-resolution trajectory data obtained from a commercial navigation system. To address the structural limitations of conventional origin destination matrix-based models, such as the modifiable areal unit problem, representative routes were identified based on cumulative travel distance coverage. A novel metric, coverage of estimated travel (CET), was introduced to quantify the explanatory capacity of these routes in approximating total travel distance. Representative routes were selected to maximize CET, and the resulting VKT estimates were validated against national statistical yearbook data. Robustness was further evaluated using mean absolute percentage error, correlation analysis, paired t-tests, and bootstrap-based confidence intervals. The results indicated that as few as five representative routes accounted for over 80% of the total estimated VKT, exhibiting strong agreement with the national statistics after temporal adjustment. These findings demonstrate that trajectory data can serve as a practical alternative to traditional methods, offering higher spatial resolution and enabling dynamic traffic analyses that support transportation policy and environmental planning. Full article

Background: Following vitamin D₃ oral administration, attained serum concentrations of its metabolite 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃) are variable among children. Methods: We developed physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling using annually measured serum 25(OH)D₃ concentrations in 77 Cape Town schoolchildren aged 6–11 years who received weekly oral doses of 10,000 IU vitamin D₃ for 3 years during a clinical trial (Δ25(OH)D = 32.2 nmol/L, 95% CI: [−3.2, 65.8] nmol/L). Simulations were performed to test the model on 463 other participants in the same trial, and in a cohort of 1756 Mongolian schoolchildren aged 6–11 years who received weekly oral doses of 14,000 IU vitamin D₃ for 3 years in another trial. Results: The best model attributed most of the variability in post-supplementation 25(OH)D₃ concentrations to hepatic clearance and covariates including weight (ΔAIC = −21) and ZBMI (body mass index Z-score, ΔAIC = −34). For 463 other children from the Cape Town trial (Δ25(OH)D = 25.8 nmol/L, 95% CI: [8.3, 47.2] nmol/L), mean estimation error was 5.3 nmol/L, and 76.7% of observations were within the 95% prediction intervals. Our simulation supported the previous proposal that serum 25(OH)D₃ should exceed 50 nmol/L among 97.5% of European children at 24.4 μg/day vitamin D₃ dosing. At a higher weekly dose (14,000 IU), the Mongolian children demonstrated a higher average increase in serum 25(OH)D₃ (40.6 [−2.9, 88.9] nmol/L) but were overestimated by the model. Conclusion: We developed the first PBPK model to successfully predict the long-term serum 25(OH)D₃ increases in healthy schoolchildren in Cape Town who received orally administered vitamin D₃ and exhibited higher relative increases than Mongolian children. Full article

Background/Objectives: Anterior open bite is a multifact orial malocclusion influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Variants in the Collagen type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1) gene, particularly rs1800012, have been implicated in bone quality, but their role in craniofacial anomalies remains unclear. Methods: A case–control study was conducted with 60 participants (30 anterior open bite cases; 30 matched controls). DNA was extracted from buccal swabs, and rs1800012 genotyping was performed using TaqMan assays. Genotype and allele distributions were compared with chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests; Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was assessed in controls. Results: Genotype (GG/GT/TT: 53.3/40.0/6.7% vs. 60.0/33.3/6.7%) and allele (T allele: 26.7% vs. 23.3%) frequencies did not differ significantly between cases and controls. No association was detected under additive, dominant, or recessive models (all p > 0.05). Wide confidence intervals indicated limited precision of effect estimates. Conclusions: This study provides no evidence of association between COL1A1 rs1800012 and anterior open bite in this Turkish cohort. The relatively small sample size, the rarity of the TT genotype, and the multifactorial nature of craniofacial development represent important limitations. Larger, multi-gene, and functionally integrated studies are required to clarify the genetic architecture of open bite malocclusion. Full article