Abstract: U.S. H-1B policy changed sharply in 2025–2026 through a payment on certain new petitions, wage-weighted cap selection, and a proposed rise in prevailing wages. I assemble 3.03 million certified Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) from FY2021 to June 2026, de-duplicate cases, allocate them across listed worksites, and normalize by local QCEW employment. Employers obtained about 525,000 LCAs a year, 3.5 per 1,000 jobs. The ten largest metro markets hold 55% of LCAs but 25% of jobs. San Jose leads, but technology hubs, IT-services hubs and small institutional labor markets have different job structures and policy exposures. Matching FY2025 requests to May 2025 OEWS employment in the same occupation sharpens this distinction: software developers account for 102.5 LCAs per 1,000 software jobs nationally, while general classroom teachers account for 1.8 per 1,000 teaching jobs; Alaska's teacher rate is about twelve times the national rate. Cap-season new-employment filings shift toward higher wage levels in FY2026, a pattern consistent with weighted selection but not an estimate of its causal effect or of changes in selection probabilities. A next-level wage scenario identifies 59% of eligible offers below substitute thresholds; this is not a lower bound on effects of the proposed rule. These indicators measure annual application flows relative to jobs, not the share of workers holding H-1B status.

Abstract: We study structural constraints on finite-time singularities of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations, motivated by the recently announced construction of blow-up with a smooth, compactly supported force, which addresses alternatives (C) and (D) of the Clay Millennium formulation. First, we prove an angular-momentum budget for the azimuthal mean of an arbitrary smooth solution: the supremum of the mean circulation ru‾_θ is bounded by its initial value, by the time integral of the azimuthal moment of the force and by the time integral of a flux produced by non-axisymmetric fluctuations. Consequently, a Type II singularity whose mean swirl satisfies |u‾_θ |≳(T-t)^-1/2-h at distance ≃(T-t)^1/2 from the axis, as in the announced leading profile, is incompatible with axial symmetry near the singular time for any force satisfying the Clay decay conditions, and it requires fluctuations that deliver a divergent angular-momentum flux; a scaling argument further indicates that these fluctuations remain comparable to the mean swirl. Second, we derive necessary exponent windows for singular structures of amplitude (T-t)^-a concentrated on the length scale (T-t)^b, and we show that the exponents of the announced profile lie in the range in which the energy equality persists through the singular time, so that the singularity carries no anomalous dissipation provided that the full solution obeys the same scaling. Third, we use the dyadic model of Katz–Pavlović and Cheskidov as a laboratory: we compute the inviscid blow-up time and the front-propagation law, prove that a prescribed self-similar front requires a force that is time-integrable but unbounded unless its residual cancels at leading order in every shell, and report numerical evidence on the interval of dissipation exponents between the known blow-up and regularity thresholds. Finally, we assess the published objections to the forced construction and list the requirements that any construction for the unforced problem must satisfy. No claim is made concerning the unforced problem.

Abstract: The genus Zea comprises maize and its wild relatives, commonly known as teosintes, whose complex genomic histories reflect ancient whole-genome duplication and subsequent genome restructuring. Molecular cytogenetic analyses provide complementary evidence of genomic affinities and repetitive DNA differentiation among these taxa. Here, we integrate genomic in situ hybridisation (GISH), fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH), and DAPI banding to evaluate genomic affinities among maize and representative annual and perennial Zea taxa, and to assess the consistency of the observed patterns with a previously proposed evolutionary model. GISH using total genomic DNA from the teosintes Z. mays subsp. parviglumis and Z. mays subsp. mexicana as probes on mitotic maize chromosomes produced strong and widespread hybridisation signals. In contrast, Z. mays subsp. huehuetenanguensis, Z. luxurians, Z. diploperennis, and Z. perennis showed weaker or more heterogeneous patterns, particularly across chromosome arms and knob-bearing regions. DAPI banding revealed marked differences in the distribution of heterochromatic knobs, including conspicuous terminal bands in Z. luxurians and no detectable DAPI-positive bands in Z. perennis. In Z. mays subsp. parviglumis, FISH with the 180-bp knob repeat produced signals at subtelomeric regions corresponding to DAPI-positive bands. Furthermore, GISH of Z. luxurians chromosomes using labelled Z. luxurians genomic DNA and unlabelled Z. perennis DNA as blocking DNA revealed strong hybridisation signals predominantly at knob regions. Overall, these findings provide complementary molecular cytogenetic evidence of differential sequence conservation and repetitive DNA differentiation among Zea taxa. Considered alongside previous meiotic and genomic evidence, the results are consistent with a model of unequal ancestral subgenome evolution and genome restructuring during polyploidisation and subsequent diploidisation.

Abstract: The cooling benefit of green roofs in the extreme heat of northern Mexico has rarely been quantified with dynamic models that couple the envelope with a controlled air-conditioning system. This study develops such a model for a 4 m × 4 m × 3 m concrete mini-building in Mexicali, Mexico (hot-desert climate), and compares a bare 0.15 m concrete roof with the same slab covered by a green roof. The model couples one-dimensional conduction through the roof and four walls, orientation-specific solar irradiance, evapotranspiration and photosynthesis sinks, a dynamic indoor-air balance and an inverter air conditioner with a proportional–integral–derivative controller tuned by the Ziegler–Nichols method, whose electricity use follows a vapour-compression cycle. The numerical solution was verified against analytical solutions, an independent implicit solver and energy-closure checks. Driven by measured weather for 10–16 June 2025, the green roof reduced the weekly cooling electricity from 163.3 to 133.3 kWh (18.4%), the peak electric demand by 22% and the roof heat gain by 66%, and avoided the capacity saturation of the conventional building. The added thermal resistance of the green-roof layers accounted for 16.3 percentage points of the saving, evapotranspiration for 3.4 points and photosynthesis for 0.6 points, whereas the canopy optical properties cost 1.8 points. A global sensitivity analysis gave a 5–95% range of 15.1–23.2% for the saving; the green-layer conductivity model, the sky temperature, the crop coefficient and the set point were the most influential inputs. The green roof required 455 L of irrigation water per week.

Abstract: Delayed or refused help-seeking is a common and consequential feature of dementia. Families often report that a relative with suspected or diagnosed dementia declines assessment, treatment, or support, leaving caregivers uncertain how to act. Refusal is frequently interpreted as stubbornness or denial, which can strain relationships and delay care. This article focuses on the refusal of the person living with dementia to seek or accept help, whether that is a first assessment or later assistance with every day and personal care, and treats denial by relatives as a contributing influence rather than the central problem. This narrative review synthesises published literature on why people living with dementia may refuse or delay help and proposes a practical, ethically grounded framework to guide family members and informal caregivers in encouraging professional assessment and in responding to refusal of care. The review draws on published systematic reviews, a scoping review, a meta-ethnography, a realist synthesis and selected assessment and primary-care literature; it did not involve a new database search, and review-level figures are attributed to the reviews that reported them. Four interacting explanations recur in the literature: (1) anosognosia, a neurologically based lack of awareness that differs from psychological denial; (2) stigma, fear, and fear of losing independence; (3) relational, communication and contextual factors, including trust and safety, how and by whom help is offered, pain, and the care environment; and (4) system barriers such as delayed recognition and fragmented pathways. A further distinction runs through the paper: denial implies an interpretation of what a person understands or accepts, whereas refusal is an observable response whose meaning must be established. Evidence for interventions that reduce refusal is strongest for music during personal care and modified bathing methods, with some support for positive communication and person-centred approaches, though quality is generally low and few studies involve family caregivers in community settings. Help-refusal should be understood as a symptom and a relational challenge rather than a character flaw, and as something to understand rather than merely to manage. This article proposes a staged, non-coercive framework (Understand, Check, Frame, Partner, Plan, Escalate, Sustain) that keeps professional assessment central, protects dignity and autonomy, and supports caregiver well-being. The framework is a conceptual synthesis and has not been empirically tested. A plain-language guide for families is provided in Appendix A.

Abstract: Reviews of Curcuma essential oils catalogue many biological activities of turmerones, and a recent review states that adding turmeric oil increases curcumin bioavailability 6.93- to 8.2-fold. This review appraises the human evidence behind that claim. Six human pharmacokinetic studies of curcumin formulations containing turmeric oil or turmerones were identified. Every study favoured the product of its sponsor. The study sponsored by the oil-formulation manufacturer reported a 6.93-fold increase, whereas two randomised, double-blind crossover studies analysed by mass spectrometry found 1.1- to 1.3-fold increases after dose normalisation, and two further studies ranked oil formulations below competing products. The two manufacturer studies reported curcumin peaks of 1.2 to 1.8 µM without separating conjugated from unconjugated curcumin, roughly 600 to 900 times higher than independent measurements of unconjugated curcumin. The 8.2-fold figure traces to an unpublished document. After a 360 mg dose, plasma ar-turmerone peaked at 3.38 ng/mL, 650 to 1540 times below the concentrations at which it acts in vitro. Current evidence does not support the claim that turmeric oil substantially enhances curcumin bioavailability. Product claims should be withdrawn or tested in independent, factorial trials that measure unconjugated curcumin.

Abstract: This article develops duality principles and numerical results for a large class of non-convex variational models. The main results are based on fundamental tools of convex analysis, duality theory and calculus of variations. More specifically the approach is established for a class of non-convex functionals similar as those found in some models in phase transition. Moreover, we develop a general duality principle for quasi-convex relaxed formulations for some models in the vectorial calculus of variations. Concerning applications of such results are presented for a non-linear model of plates and for nonlinear elasticity. Finally, in some sections we present concerning numerical examples and the respective softwares.

Abstract: Nigeria's progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends not only on the volume of resources committed to health, education, gender equality, infrastructure and peace, but on the administrative systems that convert policy into delivered services. This preprint presents an integrative review and conceptual framework that positions public administration as an enabling architecture for the SDGs. It synthesises a body of sixteen recent Nigerian studies on administrative efficiency, accountability, digital governance, social-sector delivery, peace and justice institutions, and infrastructure and urban development, and situates them within wider scholarship on governance capacity and accountability. The paper proposes the Governance-SDG Enabling Architecture (GSEA), in which four enablers (capable administration, accountable institutions, digital and e-governance systems, and inclusive policy) operate through four transmission channels to influence five SDG clusters. Six propositions and a sequenced reform pathway are advanced. The argument is conceptual and does not report new primary data; it is intended to structure future empirical testing and to inform reform sequencing in Nigerian public institutions.

Abstract: On 21 October 2026 the PHP project released emergency fixes for two critical flaws in the PHP interpreter, collectively known as PHP2Shell. Both carry a CVSS v4.0 score of 9.2 and can allow unauthenticated remote code execution on servers that handle web requests. Details leaked before coordinated disclosure, exploitation was observed before the patch, and governments across Europe took public websites offline as a precaution. This technical note synthesises the public advisories and vendor research into a single reference. It explains the two root causes, quantifies exposure using published telemetry, and organises vendor guidance into a five-stage framework: inventory, patching, interim mitigation, compromise assessment and long-term hardening. It closes by discussing the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in both the discovery of these flaws and the speed of their exploitation, and proposes an anomaly-detection approach for identifying exploitation attempts from server telemetry as future work.

Abstract: The deployment of large language models (LLMs) in production environments faces significant challenges related to computational efficiency, resource utilization, and operational costs. Existing serving systems often struggle with dynamic workload patterns, resulting in either resource over-provisioning or performance degradation. We present ElasticLLM, an adaptive infrastructure framework that dynamically optimizes resource allocation for LLM serving through intelligent scheduling, cost-aware optimization, and adaptive batching strategies. Our system monitors real-time performance metrics and automatically adjusts computational resources to maintain service quality while minimizing costs. Experimental evaluations on multiple LLM architectures demonstrate that ElasticLLM achieves up to 1.48× improvement in throughput, 33% reduction in P95 latency, and 38% cost savings compared to static allocation approaches, while maintaining consistent service quality under varying workload conditions.

Abstract: A valid credential can allow a compromised application to sustain harmful control actions after zero-trust admission. We develop stateful capability leases that account for command amplitude and duration, preserve consumed authority across renewals, and transfer control to a protected fallback at expiration. The analysis bounds cumulative command exposure and stale authority, relates review capacity to authorization freshness, and provides a conditional physical-invariance result. Nonlinear four-region feeder experiments examine an in-memory ledger with an affine physical filter. Over twelve pairs of six-hour campaigns, the local and matched central ledgers contained all unauthorized-power goals given at a budget chosen; risk-adaptive and short-lease approaches contained only three. Median aligned direction attack minus clean energy expenditure dropped from 2.3965 to 0.1231 kWh as compared with role-based access. The ledger containment range is [0.608, 1] at 95% confidence level. Local placement modestly improved partition service, while regional withdrawal restricted benign service. Higher budgets made possible successful attacks despite proper accounting and nonlinear stresses demonstrated remaining shared-power contract violations. In a discrete-event authorization experiment, synchronization increased the p99 reauthentication delay from 0.249 to 3.645 s under equivalent light cost hypothesis.

Abstract: The emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) and autonomous AI agents has brought about significant progress in the field of intelligent systems that can reason, plan, and use tools. Yet, current agentic frameworks are mostly autonomous task pipelines that are poorly coordinated, have poor memory and have suboptimal execution strategies. In this paper, the authors present an Agentic AI Operating System (AAIOS), which is an operating-system inspired orchestration to support autonomy of multi-agent workflows. The design includes a dynamic agent scheduling component, persistent memory management, inter-agent communication, and task monitoring, all encapsulated as a unified design to coordinate specialized agents capable of complex tasks. The architecture of AAIOS is modular; it includes a Planner Agent, execution agents specific to the different tasks, a two-level memory subsystem, and a dependency-aware scheduling layer. The system uses FastAPI, LangGraph for scalable, autonomous execution, Redis for communication, and vector memory storage. Experimental results in three different task domains show that the proposed multi-agent architecture provides a Task Completion Rate of 91.4% against the single-agent baseline of 74.2% and a Memory Utilization Efficiency of 0.67 and a close linear scaling with throughput of 8 concurrent task streams.

Abstract: Multi-threshold image segmentation is an important but complex step in image processing. Although existing optimization algorithms have made significant progress in solving this problem, they still face challenges in terms of the robustness of segmentation results and the ability of jumping out of the local optimal solutions. To solve these problems, this study designs an improved golden jackal optimization with a sine cosine algorithm(SCGJO) based on reinforcement learning(RLSCGJO) for multi-level thresholding. To evaluate the optimization capability and robustness of RLSCGJO, we use Shannon entropy as a metric and compare it with other classical and advanced optimization algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), marine predators algorithm (MPA), sine cosine algorithm (SCA), gold rush optimizer (GRO), and SCGJO. The Berkeley Segmentation Dataset (BSDS0500) and several classical images are tested. The experimental results show that the proposed RLSCGJO has better performance than its competitors at different threshold levels, demonstrating its strong robustness, excellent optimization capabilities, and friendly resource consuming, which provides potential applications for multi-level thresholding in a more general scope of images.

Abstract: Salt stress restricts tea production by causing Na⁺ accumulation in leaves, disrupting K⁺ homeostasis, and elevating ROS levels. In Camellia, the CHX genes that may counteract these effects remain poorly defined. Using a 14-genome panel, we identified 436 CHX genes and grouped them into 26 orthologous gene groups (OGGs), including 18 core, 2 soft-core, and 6 shell. A tea-only reference captured only part of this structure; three OGGs present in 7-12 genomes were absent from tea. At the family level, dispersed and tandem duplications were the most frequent duplication classes, whereas soft-core and shell genes showed distinct duplication profiles. Among 377 high-confidence gene pairs, 98.4% had Ka/Ks values below 1, indicating that purifying selection predominates across the family. Unexpectedly, core pairs had higher Ka/Ks values than dispensable pairs. Expression analysis showed that most CHX genes were expressed at low levels across tissues. Salt treatment induced six low-abundance genes, and qRT-PCR highlighted CsCHX.CR008, CsCHX.CR012, CsCHX.SH006, and CsCHX.CR017 as priority candidates for salt-tolerance studies. Collectively, this pan-genome-scale study establishes an evolutionary framework for the CHX family in the genus Camellia, showing that duplication, presence–absence variation, copy-number variation, and conservation class are associated with distinct salt-responsive expression patterns. These findings provide genomic resources and valuable insights for dissecting CHX function and supporting future breeding efforts toward improved salt tolerance in Camellia.

Abstract: Under the generalized-cμ rule with quadratic delay costs, which is an accumulating-priority rule with relative slope κ=c2μ2/(c1μ1), a server facing two saturated classes alternates between runs of class 1 and runs of class 2. On an integer lattice we show that a class-1 run is a ruin problem for a random walk with moving boundary and a class-2 run is a first-excess problem for a positive-increment walk; the deficit of the first is the starting level of the second, and the overshoot of the second is the starting level of the first. For rational interarrival transforms (geometric, Erlang, hyperexponential) the Wiener–Hopf factorisation gives both laws in closed form from the roots of a Lundberg polynomial. Wald’s identities and the stationary law of the run-start chain then give the long-run switching frequency. The construction covers random service times and class-dependent setup times, which enter as a modified first step of each run. The frequencies agree with an exact lattice computation to three or four digits in all cases tested, for several slopes and arrival shares, and a simulation of the finite queue confirms that the saturated chain is exact when the load including setups is at least one. We also give closed-form undershoot weights, which complete the Gerber–Shiu factorisation of the moving-boundary ruin theory, and for more than two classes we prove a share law (with a correction for starved classes) while no closed form for the switching frequency is available.

Abstract: Alloying titanium with small amounts of copper not only increases its strength and corrosion resistance but also imparts antibacterial properties, which are beneficial for implant transplant operations. In this study, two binary Ti–Cu alloys containing 5 and 10 weight percent Cu were produced using an arc-melting process under a controlled inert atmosphere. The cast ingots were annealed at 900 and 1050 ℃ for 2h, followed by furnace cooling. Characterization using XRD and SEM-EDX techniques revealed a pronounced presence of the α-Ti(Cu) phase, which formed below the eutectoid point, along with the hypereutectoid intermetallic phases. Phase analysis, microstructural characterization, and electrochemical testing showed that increasing the Cu content and annealing temperature in Ti–Cu alloys increased the amount and size of the intermetallic phase(s), resulting in significantly improved corrosion performance. This study demonstrates correlation between phase, morphology and corrosion resistance in binary Ti–Cu alloys.

Abstract: Ultrasound has become a pioneering, efficient, and economical technology for nanomaterial fabrication, revolutionizing materials nanoscience. Ultrasound enhances mass and heat transfer through acoustic cavitation and mechanical vibrations, enabling shorter synthesis times and diverse structures. As a nonthermal method, ultrasound preserves the physical and chemical properties of materials, making it a greener alternative to conventional processing. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has broad potential for environmental, materials, food, and biomedical analysis. SERS is highly sensitive and provides unique molecular fingerprints, enabling miniaturized, integrated, high-throughput sample control. Ultrasonication-assisted fabrication of gold- and/or silver-based hybrid SERS substrates leverages the self-assembly of plasmonic noble metals (Au and Ag), generating numerous "hot spots" in structural substrates; these channels are promising for enhancing detection sensitivity. Environmental pollutants (e.g., pesticides, micro- or nano-plastics) harm ecosystems and threaten human and wildlife health and life, so monitoring these hazardous chemicals is essential. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest updates on well-established Au- and/or Ag-based hybrid SERS substrates for monitoring hazardous chemicals and key progress in their development under ultrasonication-assisted synthesis. It also describes the challenges encountered and future directions for development. This detailed overview is designed to support scholars and professionals working toward breakthroughs in ultrasound-assisted SERS monitoring for environmental protection.

Abstract: [Objective] Many comparative studies in recommender systems are evaluated on a single dataset and lack statistical validation against published baselines. This study asks whether model rankings and the contribution of content features transfer across domains.[Methods] We implement six recommenders of increasing complexity (UserCF, ItemCF, SVD, NeuMF, LightGCN and MultiModalNCF), reproduce two published baselines (BPR-MF and VBPR) under the same leave-last-5-out protocol, and evaluate them on MovieLens 100K and an Amazon Video_Games slice. Neural models are reported as five-seed mean±standard deviation, together with modality-ablation and cold-start studies.[Results] The ladder ordering (UserCF < ItemCF < SVD) and the neural band's lead over SVD hold on both domains; MultiModalNCF is statistically tied with VBPR. Removing all content costs about one seed standard deviation on MovieLens and nothing measurable on Amazon, whereas in the cold-start study the content model clearly outranks the content-blind model.[Limitations] Conclusions rest on a single data split without formal significance testing, epoch budgets are not equalised across models, and the Amazon slice covers heavy users only.[Conclusions] A simple concatenation-based multi-modal extension of NeuMF is competitive with a published content-aware baseline, and content features matter mainly for cold-start rather than for overall ranking quality. The full codebase and evaluation scripts are released for reproduction.

Abstract: The escalating global population underscores the increasing demand for medicines, leading to a surge in pharmaceutical waste (PW) from various sources. Improper disposal leads to significant environmental and health risks, resulting from inadequate awareness, particularly in developing countries. This research focuses on evaluating the knowledge and practices of unused medicine storage and disposal among undergraduate students at the University of Peradeniya. This study was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study where the sample was undergraduate students studying at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (N = 407). Participants were classified into medical and non-medical groups, where the latter had a greater representation. Responses were summarized using de-scriptive statistics and analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Most participants reported having 1 to 5 types of unused medications stored in their homes, hostel rooms, or boarding rooms. The main reason for discontinuing medication use was improvement in medical conditions, along with factors such as therapy changes and medication expiration. While students were generally compliant with prescribed treatments, they also relied on over-the-counter sources. Despite being aware of the potential harm caused by improper disposal, many lacked information on proper disposal practices. Storage practices varied, with only 31.0% consistently using a medication box. The levels of knowledge showed a breakdown of 6.6% 'Very low', 27.5% 'Low', 44.7% 'Moderate' and 21.1% 'Good'. Most students had an awareness of the harmful effects of incorrect disposal practices. Males showed higher knowledge than females regarding correct storage and disposal practices. Therefore, this shows a lack of knowledge, and incorrect practices followed by the students which should be addressed to reduce harmful effects caused by incorrect practices.

Abstract: Education 6.0 has emerged as a conceptual orientation through which scholars explore the future of education in contexts shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), adaptive learning, human–machine collaboration, epistemic pluralism, and complex societal transformation. Yet the growing use of the label raises important questions concerning its intellectual genealogy, conceptual coherence, and relationship to earlier educational paradigms. This critical review examines selected publications from 2023 to 2026 to reconstruct the documented development of Education 6.0, distinguish its principal conceptual strands, and identify directions for theoretical and empirical research. Particular attention is given to Pitshou Moleka’s 2023 publications, including Dispelling the Limitations of Education 5.0 and Outlining the Vision of Education 6.0 and Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Education 6.0: Enhancing Personalized Learning and Adaptive Pedagogy. The review also considers subsequent contributions addressing AI-enabled personalization, human-centred educational technology, interdisciplinary learning, cultural knowledge, and ethical governance. It argues that Education 6.0 should not be treated as a universally standardized model but as an emerging and internally differentiated conceptual field. The review proposes a five-dimensional analytical framework encompassing pedagogical adaptability, human agency, ethical governance, epistemic pluralism, and systemic sustainability. This framework offers a basis for comparing competing formulations and designing empirical studies. The review identifies Moleka’s 2023 publications as documented early contributions to the conceptual development of Education 6.0, while recognizing that establishing exclusive intellectual priority would require a broader and reproducible examination of antecedent literature.