Abstract: Background/Objectives: Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a benign fibro-osseous disorder charac-terized by the replacement of normal bone with fibrous tissue and immature woven bone, most commonly involving the craniofacial skeleton. It typically presents as an intraosse-ous lesion in children and young adults. Gingival presentation without prominent in-traosseous expansion is exceedingly rare. This report describes an unusual case of FD presenting predominantly as an exophytic gingival mass in the anterior maxilla of a mid-dle-aged patient. Methods: A middle-aged patient presented with a slowly enlarging gingival mass extend-ing from the right canine to the left central incisor region. After being lost to follow-up for approximately 4.5 years, the patient returned with increased swelling, pain, spacing of the anterior teeth, and functional impairment affecting mastication and speech. Clinical, ra-diographic, surgical, and histopathologic findings were evaluated. Surgical management included excision of the lesion, extraction of non-restorable teeth, and bone grafting under general anesthesia. Results: Radiographic examination demonstrated minimal osseous involvement without a clearly defined intraosseous expansile lesion. Histopathologic analysis revealed irregular curvilinear trabeculae of woven bone within a fibrous stroma containing bland spin-dle-cell proliferation, consistent with FD. At the six-month follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic without complications and was undergoing prosthetic rehabilitation with plans for future implant placement. Conclusions: FD may rarely present as a predominantly gingival lesion with minimal ra-diographic evidence of bone involvement, posing a diagnostic challenge. Recognition of this atypical presentation is important to avoid misdiagnosis and to facilitate appropriate management through comprehensive clinicoradiologic and histopathologic correlation.

Abstract: Language comprehension theories can model prediction, processing cost, and interpretive outcome, but they do not yet formalize access: the point at which linguistic structure becomes retrievable to a bounded observer. This paper develops Observer-Dependent Entropy Retrieval in Linguistic Comprehension, the linguistic-domain formulation of ODER, as a bounded-access theory of semantic timing, reanalysis, and collapse. The framework separates availability, prediction, retrieval, and comprehension as distinct operations. Meaning becomes available when linguistic structure is retrieved and stabilized under finite attention, working memory, contextual familiarity, and interference constraints, not when a signal is merely present or statistically predictable. The framework constructs an observable linguistic retrieval manifold, defined by task-defined retrievable structure S_obs(τ) over observer-indexed retrieval time, and imposes reconstructibility: a law of access must be identifiable from the observable retrieval trajectory. S_obs(τ) does not denote total linguistic meaning, but the structure made retrievable under a specified task, observer, and measurement operator. Reconstructibility restricts admissible access laws to first-order, observable-only dynamics. Bounded access further forces gap form, where retrieval depends on the remaining stabilizable structure, S_max−S_obs(τ). Within the spectrally admissible smooth-access regime, the hyperbolic tangent is selected as the conditional extremal baseline, not as a universal empirical fit. Linguistic ODER derives a ranked measurement family for observer-indexed timing, retrieval rate divergence, temporal localization, reanalysis pressure, ambiguity interference, compression thresholds, and aggregation loss. Controlled linguistic and synthetic trace testbeds instantiate these dynamics under known structural conditions and identify the boundary of the constant rate smooth-access baseline. Prior constant-rate convergence results are treated here as benchmarked evidence for a smooth-access subset, not as a ceiling on the theory’s scope. ERP and reading-time analyses provide natural measurement surfaces for the theory’s access-layer timing predictions, while full saturation-specific validation of the tanh-regulated smooth-access law remains a separate empirical target. The framework supplies language processing with a formal access variable and a disciplined program for studying when meaning becomes available to bounded observers.

Abstract: Fallen pedestrians—those lying prone, supine, or crouching on roadways—represent a critical and largely unaddressed vulnerability in contemporary Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Standard pedestrian detection systems achieve only 21.4% true positive rate (TPR) at night for non-upright subjects, compared with 98.2% for upright pedestrians, creating a 76.8 percentage-point detection gap with direct fatality consequences. This article synthesises three complementary peer-reviewed contributions into a unified closed-loop safety architecture: (1) real-time multi-modal detection via the Advanced Fallen Object Detection System (AFODS); (2) physics-grounded post-collision kinematic reconstruction; and (3) injury-risk quantification translating detection latency into Head Injury Criterion (HIC) and AIS-grade fatality probability. The integrated framework, which forms the technical basis of Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-167440 (PCT deadline: October 3, 2026), demonstrates that fatal head injury probability is reducible from 66.2% (no detection baseline at 50 km/h) to 0.7% under worst-case AFODS detection. A five-stage empirical validation roadmap is presented, culminating in regulatory conformance assessment to ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), and Euro NCAP 2026 Post-Crash Safety protocols. The article identifies critical open challenges and defines the trajectory toward prototype deployment, real-world forensic validation, and commercialisation.

Abstract: Background: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during cognitive tasks contains slow haemodynamic oscillations from neurovascular, superficial systemic and cardiorespiratory sources. We investigated whether output-only modal analysis can provide dynamic systems descriptors during a cognitive task in type 2 diabetes with cognitive impairment versus healthy controls. New method: Total haemoglobin (HbT) from our previously published Mini-Cog exercise-intervention dataset in older adults with type 2 diabetes and healthy controls was re-analysed using a harmonized modal phenotyping framework. Trigger-bounded INIT/LAST segments were processed by three estimators – multiverse Koopman dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), residual-validated Koopman DMD, and numerical algorithms for subspace state-space system identification/operational modal analysis (N4SID/OMA). Brain modes were classified using spatial, haemodynamic and short-separation evidence, cardiorespiratory modes were labelled by physiological bands and evaluated with internal automatic multiscale peak detection support. Results: The DMD-family estimators revealed a reproducible INIT to LAST increase in brain modal frequency and spatial structure across all groups. Multiverse DMD showed false discovery rate (FDR)-significant effects for all four primary brain metrics in all groups with Hedges’ (d_z=0.61-2.00), and residual-validated DMD reproduced the pattern. N4SID was conservative, yielding one sensitivity supported primary cell. Mixed models showed no FDR-significant univariate Group x Phase interaction. External fNIRS–ECG–respiration validation showed N4SID/OMA was most accurate for cardiac rate with mean absolute error 2.04–2.38 beats/min and (r=0.98) whereas respiration from prefrontal HbT was unreliable. Conclusions: Output only modal phenotyping provides a transferable, claim tiered approach for fNIRS dynamics. The data support a shared within-task brain-state transition, not a diabetes- or exercise-specific intervention effect.

Abstract: The progressive failure of pancreatic beta-cells under chronic glucolipotoxicity drives the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This metabolic stress overwhelms the folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), hyperactivates the unfolded protein response (UPR), engages terminal pro-apoptotic signaling (CHOP), and promotes beta-cell dedifferentiation. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261370436), we evaluated the preclinical efficacy of the low-molecular-weight chemical chaperones tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) in preserving beta-cell exocytotic identity and mitigating ER stress. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2016–May 2026) identified four eligible experimental studies. Preclinical models (INS-1 and βTC-6 cell lines, Wistar rats, and C57BL/6 mice) exposed to high-fat or high-fat/high-fructose diets, cholesterol loading, or protein restriction followed by high-fat feeding showed impaired or dysregulated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and upregulated ER stress markers. Co-administration of TUDCA or 4-PBA consistently reversed these defects, restoring the GSIS stimulation index and reducing pro-apoptotic markers. A hierarchical Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis estimated a robust pooled restoration ratio of 1.87 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 1.39 to 2.46), with the entire credible mass above the null (posterior probability of benefit > 0.99) and modest between-study heterogeneity. In conclusion, TUDCA and 4-PBA act as structural ER scaffolds that prevent terminal UPR activation and preserve the beta-cell exocytotic machinery, positioning them as candidate disease-modifying agents that merit confirmatory clinical evaluation.

Abstract: Severe windthrow events can create highly favorable conditions for bark beetle outbreaks by generating large quantities of weakened breeding material. This study investigated the population response of the Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus Wollaston, following a microburst windstorm that struck Marjan Forest Park, an urban Mediterranean Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) forest in Split, Croatia, in July 2025. Approximately 2,000 m3 of damaged timber remained in the forest until February 2026, enabling assessment of colonization dynamics and outbreak development. Field inspections, laboratory analyses, and pheromone trap monitoring were conducted between July 2025 and April 2026. Colonization of windthrown material began within two weeks after the disturbance, and infestation rates reached 94% of examined logs by December 2025. Most infested logs (86%) already contained emergence holes, indicating successful completion of beetle development. Pheromone traps captured a total of 131,588 individuals, with more than 88% recorded during spring 2026 and a pronounced peak occurring on 8 April 2026. The appearance of newly attacked standing trees in spring 2026 confirmed rapid population expansion from fallen material to living hosts. Results demonstrate the exceptional outbreak potential of O. erosus following extreme climatic disturbances and emphasize the importance of rapid sanitation measures and continuous monitoring in Mediterranean pine forests under climate change conditions. Delayed salvage logging after severe windthrow can rapidly trigger outbreak development of O. erosus.

Abstract: The main objective of this study is to obtain the average parameters of gas-discharge plasma when controlling the steady position of the bow shock wave (BSW) using the combined action of a gas discharge initiated by a current from an external source and a magnetic field near the frontal surface of the model. The studies were carried out using both experimental and numerical methods in xenon and air. A comparison of the numerical and experimental dependences of the relative distance of the steady BSW from the model on the discharge power showed good agreement. Based on the conducted flow modeling, taking into account the dependence of the adiabatic index on the degree of ionization and the degree of nonequilibrium, and using the Burm's theory, gas-discharge plasma characteristics were obtained, such as the degree of ionization and the degree of nonequilibrium, the electron density and the electron temperature in the absence and presence of a magnetic field. By this way an integrated experimental-computational system was formed in which the measured characteristics of the discharge and BSW, as well as the numerically obtained averaged plasma parameters in the impact zone, are combined with the Burm's theory to clarify the thermodynamic state of the medium and determine the corresponding characteristics of the gas-discharge plasma. The obtained results can be used to develop control systems for high-speed flows that take into account the influence of plasma parameters and the electric and magnetic fields.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Finerenone improves cardiovascular and renal outcomes in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but hyperkalemia remains a key safety concern. Patients with elevated baseline potassium levels (≥ 4.9 mEq/L) are largely excluded from clinical trials, and real-world data in this population are scarce. Methods: In this retrospective multicenter cohort study derived from the FINE-TURK cohort, adults with DKD who initiated finerenone with baseline serum potassium ≥ 4.9 mEq/L were included. The primary outcome was clinically significant hyperkalemia (CSH) (≥ 5.5 mEq/L) within three months. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify associated factors, with multiple sensitivity analyses performed. Results: 166 patients were included, of whom 47 (28.3%) had baseline potassium levels between 5.1 to 5.5 mEq/L. Of the 166 patients, 35 (21.1%) developed CSH, and 10 (6%) patients had follow-up potassium ≥ 6.0 mEq/L. 126 (76.8%) patients required no intervention, 24 (14.6%) were initiated on potassium binders, and finerenone was discontinued only in 12 (7.3%) patients. Baseline eGFR, baseline urinary albumin, loop diuretic use and 20mg finerenone dose were associated with CSH. In contrast, baseline serum potassium was not associated with CSH. Conclusions: In patients with DKD and elevated baseline potassium levels, finerenone initiation was associated with manageable rates of hyperkalemia. Our findings support the cautious use of finerenone in selected patients under close monitoring, as well as highlight the need for a multidimensional approach to hyperkalemia risk assessment.

Abstract: Artificial intelligence increasingly mediates diagnosis, prognosis, triage, prescribing and escalation of care, yet its ethical evaluation remains fragmented. We mapped scientific, bioethical and normative literature on patient autonomy, algorithmic justice, professional and institutional responsibility, and human dignity, using an author-curated corpus with traceable expansion. Of 119 full-text records, 108 were retained after deduplication and screening. The synthesis identified a recurrent imbalance: governance, fairness and accountability were more operationalized than relational autonomy and dignity. Two exploratory mini-meta-analytic lanes were feasible. Mortality-related surveillance effects were favorable under a conventional random-effects model but non-confirmatory with modified Hartung-Knapp inference. Downstream clinical-action effects suggested increased clinician activation, with substantial heterogeneity and no direct equivalence to patient benefit. Artificial intelligence should therefore be evaluated as a sociotechnical intervention whose legitimacy depends on contestability, equitable performance, accountable institutions and preservation of meaningful human deliberation.

Abstract: The rapid growth of electric mobility, renewable energy storage, and portable electronics has sharply increased global lithium demand, highlighting the environmental and socio economic drawbacks of conventional extraction methods such as hard rock mining and brine evaporation. These processes are land intensive, slow, water consumptive, and carbon intensive, underscoring the need for next generation materials that enable selective, circular and sustainable lithium recovery. Zeolite based adsorbents have emerged as strong candidates, due to their crystalline frameworks, tunable pore architectures, ion exchange functionality, and exceptional thermal and chemical stability. This review covers recent advances in natural and synthetic zeolites, and zeolite-based composites for lithium capture, with emphasis on guiding design principles governing Li⁺ adsorption capacity and selectivity, transport behavior, and adsorption mechanisms across diverse feedstocks such as brines, geothermal fluids, seawaters, and battery recycling leachates. Lastly, we discuss current challenges and emerging opportunities that will guide future research aimed at advancing zeolite-based adsorbents toward sustainable, next-generation lithium recovery technologies.

Abstract: Dynamic risk prediction is an important statistical technique for detecting temporal changes in risk and provides quantitative support for early risk identification in clinical decision-making, industrial process monitoring, and financial anomaly detection. This study proposes a Temporal Convolutional Network Deep Cox Mixtures model (TCN-DCM) for longitudinal survival data by integrating a Temporal Convolutional Network, which learns temporal patterns from longitudinal covariates, with a Deep Cox Mixture framework that relaxes the conventional proportional hazards assumption. Simulation studies were conducted to compare the proposed model with existing deep learning-based methods, including Recurrent Deep Survival Machines and Dynamic-DeepHit, as well as the traditional joint model. The results showed that, when the proportional hazards assumption held, TCN-DCM outperformed the existing deep learning-based models. When the proportional hazards assumption was violated, TCN-DCM achieved predictive performance comparable to that of Recurrent Deep Survival Machines and yielded superior results for some evaluation metrics. The proposed model was further applied to a primary biliary cholangitis dataset, where it achieved the best overall predictive performance and illustrated dynamic individualized survival risk prediction. These findings indicate that TCN-DCM provides a flexible and broadly applicable approach for dynamic risk prediction in longitudinal survival analysis.

Abstract:

Abies koreana Wilson (Korean fir) and Abies nephrolepis (Trautv. Ex Maxim.) Maxim. (Khingan fir) are ecologically and economically significant coniferous species in East Asia. However, morphological similarities and hybridization complicate species identification, affecting conservation, forestry management, and commercial activities. Here, we developed a species-specific DNA marker using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the mitochondrial nad5 intron 1 region to discriminate between A. koreana and A. nephrolepis. In particular, PCR amplification and sequencing analyses of candidate drought and heat stress-responsive genes as well as mitochondrial nad5 intron 1 and nad5 intron 4 revealed a species-specific T-to-G substitution in nad5 intron 1. Allele-specific primers were designed, and competitive allele-specific labeled light emission technology was employed for SNP detection. The primers were validated using real-time PCR, achieving high specificity and reliability. Overall, the molecular diagnostic tool offers a practical solution for accurate species identification, aiding conservation efforts and sustainable resource management.

Abstract: This article examines the effects on internal auditing on consequence management within the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (KZNPG), focusing on provincial departments and municipalities. This study is motivated by ongoing concerns about governance failures and accountability in the public sector. Despite a robust legislative framework and skilled personnel, high levels of irregular expenditure persist, particularly in key departments and local government institutions, prompting an exploration of the factors undermining effective consequence management. The study employs a qualitative methodology, analyzing internal audit processes and external audit findings from the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA), alongside existing literature on public sector auditing and accountability. Key findings reveal a significant gap between audit identification of governance failures and the subsequent enforcement of corrective actions. Systematic weaknesses, such as inadequate political will and ineffective enforcement mechanisms, consistently hinder the translation of audit recommendations into substantive changes in practice. In conclusion, the study underscores that while internal auditing has the potential to enhance accountability, its effectiveness is contingent upon political support and a conducive organizational culture. Recommendations include establishing stronger frameworks for accountability, reinforcing internal audit independence and fostering a culture of transparency within provincial departments and municipalities. The implication for the KZNPG are significant; implementing these recommendations could facilitate more effective consequence management, ultimately enhancing public trust and service delivery. By addressing the identified weaknesses, the government can mitigate irregular expenditures and improve governance outcomes in the region.

Abstract: Noise linked to industrialization has emerged as a pervasive yet often underestimated en-vironmental stressor affecting both ecological systems and human health. A large body of literature and peer-reviewed work links prolonged noise exposure to biodiversity disrup-tion, cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbance, psychological distress, impaired cognitive performance, and premature mortality. Despite these impacts, comparatively little research has sought to estimate the economic magnitude of the burden of environmental noise within a planetary health framework. This evaluation presents an economic assessment of noise-attributable mortality, using published epidemiological evidence and established economic valuation methods. A hazard-ratio-based framework was applied to estimate mortality attributable to chronic environmental noise exposure among populations ex-posed to 60- and 70-dB noise levels. Both tangible costs, representing forgone economic productivity, and intangible costs, representing societal welfare losses estimated through the Value of a Statistical Life framework, were examined. Under baseline assumptions, en-vironmental noise was associated with approximately 27,692 annual noise-attributable deaths and an estimated annual economic burden of US$361.19 billion, including US$7.28 billion in tangible costs and US$353.91 billion in intangible costs. Sensitivity analyses produced estimates ranging from roughly US$39.22 billion to US$1.20 trillion annually. The results highlight that environmental noise warrants consideration beyond its tradi-tional characterization as a nuisance as a consequential planetary health stressor with implication for biodiversity, public health, economic productivity, and societal well-being. Policies aimed at reducing environmental noise exposure, including technological, regu-latory, and urban-planning interventions, may subsequently produce substantial pub-lic-health and economic benefits while contributing to healthier, more sustainable and productive communities.

Abstract: Atherosclerosis is the slow accumulation of oxidized lipids in the artery walls, eventually leading to heart attacks and stroke. It is the leading cause of death, worldwide. Despite much study, the underlying pathology remains poorly understood. This paper proposes a theory that atherosclerosis develops as a consequence of defective methylation pathways, and that the accumulation of lipids is a process to ameliorate the problem of deuterium overload in mitochondria, systemically. We show the critical role that gut microbes play in supplying deuterium depleted nutrients to the mitochondria, in large part through the supply of methyl groups as a source of 1H protons. Deuterium (2H) is a natural, pervasive element, which however is highly damaging to the ATPase nanomotors that produce ATP. Gut microbes exploit hydrogen gas recycling as a means to deplete deuterium in derived metabolites. Gut dysbiosis impairs this process. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have a unique feature as a property of their bis-allylic carbon atoms, that allows them both to produce deuterium depleted water through the lipid peroxidation cascade, and to trap and sequester deuterium. A defective methylation system, reflected in high plasma trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), leads, through complex signaling processes, to the trapping of lipids in the artery wall and the induction of an inflammatory response to promote lipid peroxidation cascades. Deficiencies in aldehyde dehydrogenases lead to increased exposure to formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and malondialdehyde, causing mitochondrial damage. Eventually, deuterium loading at the bis-allylic carbon atoms quenches the cascade, stabilizing the plaque. This theory can explain most of the markers associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including low-density lipoprotein (LDL), trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), homocysteine, psychological and emotional stress, dimethylglycine, and deficiencies in glutathione, zinc and B vitamins.

Abstract: This study presents a reduced-order dynamic model for three degree-of-freedom AUV maneuvering. The proposed model identifies linear operators that map physically selected, polynomially expanded kinematic subspaces to hydrodynamic forces and moments using free-running zigzag-test data obtained from computational fluid dynamics simulations. To improve prediction stability and physical interpretability, the CFD-resolved force and moment contributions from individual components, including the hull, rudders, and propeller, are extracted and modeled separately. This component-wise formulation allows each hydrodynamic contribution to be reconstructed from a corresponding physically informed kinematic subspace. The identified operators are first evaluated through forecasting validation under the training maneuver and are then applied to an untrained turning-circle maneuver. The results show that component-level hydrodynamic forces and moments can be approximated by linear operator mappings constructed from free-running CFD data. The identified relationships retain predictive capability in the untrained maneuvering scenario, indicating that the proposed framework can serve as a practical reduced-order model for CFD-based maneuvering prediction.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: According to current concepts, neuroinflammation is one of the putative causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) development. However, the role of neutrophils in neuroinflammation remains insufficiently studied. The study was aimed to determine the role of neutrophils in the neuroinflammatory mechanism of ASD development based on a comparative analysis of physiological and behavioral disturbances and the inflammatory response to early postnatal administration of valproic acid (VPA) to Wistar rats. Methods: The study was performed on 38 rat pups, half of which were injected intraperitoneally with aqueous solution of VPA at a dose of 150 mg/kg from 6 to 12 postnatal days (PND), control rats received water. Standard physiological and behavioral tests were used: weight monitoring, pain sensitivity (“hot plate” test) on 25 PND, and social behavior (sib/non-sib test) on 55 PND. Neutrophil elastase (NE) and alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI) activity in serum and cerebellum homogenate was measured spectrophotometrically. Complement system (CS) activity was analyzed by the death rate of Tetrahymena pyriformis ciliates in the presence of rat serum. Results: Early postnatal administration of VPA to Wistar rats induces physiological and behavioral changes characteristic of ASD, confirming the validity of the experimental model used. These changes are accompanied by increased activity of inflammatory factors (CS, α1-PI, NE) in the rat serum, indicating an inflammation development. VPA treatment increased NE activity in the cerebellum, which may indicate neutrophil infiltration of the brain and neuroinflammation development. Conclusions: The data obtained indicate the role of neutrophils in neuroinflammatory mechanisms of ASD development.

Abstract: A generalized canonical representation of the Hilbert-Einstein action is obtained within the De Donder-Weyl formalism, preserving the equality of space-time coordinates. Unlike the conventional canonical formalism with a distinguished time parameter, the generalized Hamiltonian function does not reduce to a linear combination of constraints, and the energy of a closed universe is non-zero. Its distribution is a 4D scalar density. The contribution of the Yang-Mills field to the scalar energy density of the universe is found. To quantize the theory in generalized canonical form, a quantum principle of least action is proposed, in which the action integral is an operator on the space of wave functionals depending on the world history of the universe in the region under consideration. The secular equation for the action operator is considered as the fundamental dynamic equation on the space of wave functionals. As a consequence, a local wave equation is obtained that functions as a non-stationary Schr\"{o}dinger equation for the components of the wave functional. The role of the time derivative in this equation is played by the covariant 4D divergence operator, and its source is the non-zero 4D scalar energy density of the universe.

Abstract: Professional networking platforms provide opportunities for career development but may also encourage career-related social comparison. This study examined whether the relationship be-tween LinkedIn use and career goal revision is explained by career-related social comparison and perceived career goal discrepancy. Data from 188 LinkedIn users were analyzed using cor-relation and serial mediation analysis. More intensive LinkedIn use was associated with more frequent career-related social comparison, which was related to greater perceived career goal discrepancy and, in turn, stronger career goal revision. The proposed serial mediation model was supported. Post-hoc analyses revealed differences between upward and downward career goal revision. Whereas the serial mediation pathway explained downward goal revision, upward goal revision was directly associated with LinkedIn use and was not explained by the proposed mediators. Career centrality was positively associated with career-related social comparison but did not influence the proposed relationships. The findings highlight LinkedIn as a context for career-related self-evaluation and goal regulation.

Abstract: Extensive networks of irrigation canals and drainage collectors have been established across much of the Syr Darya River basin, substantially modifying natural freshwater habitats. We examined the diversity of macroinvertebrates and fish in two types of ditches and adjacent river sections in relation to eight abiotic environmental variables and dominant algal groups, with particular emphasis on blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) and fish as ecologically and socioeconomically important taxa in the region. Drainage ditches were characterized by low summer water temperatures and reduced turbidity compared with adjacent river habitats. These conditions likely contributed to the formation of a distinct faunal assemblage. Of the 46 animal species recorded, 11 were restricted to ditches, indicating the development of a specific ditches-associated community. Both kind of the ditches provided favourable conditions for Simuliidae larvae and played an important role in supporting local blackfly populations. Fish assemblages in drainage ditches and collectors were dominated by non-native species, indicating strong anthropogenic influence. In the Syr Darya and Arys rivers, blackfly larvae serve as a food resource for at least ten fish species; however, despite their abundance in ditches, they were not a primary prey item for fish inhabiting these habitats. Overall, collectors and drainage ditches represent important secondary aquatic habitats that significantly contribute to regional biodiversity patterns and influence the distribution and ecological interactions of key aquatic taxa in the Syr Darya River basin.