Abstract: Transition to higher education represents a critical period marked by academic, emotional, and social challenges that can affect students’ well-being. Although social and emotional competence (SEC) and self-care practices have been identified as protective factors of well-being, there is a gap in understanding how these concepts intersect within higher education. In a two-phase mixed-methods study, we began by exploring the main challenges perceived by higher education students in adapting to university and which SEC and self-care practices they perceived as most relevant to promoting their personal and academic well-being. Building on these insights, we then investigated the mediating role of self-care practices in the relationship between students’ SEC and their well-being. In the first stage of the study, 16 higher education students (81.3% female, M = 22.19 years) participated in semi-structured interviews; additionally, 204 higher education students (77.9% female, M = 22.10 years) responded to an online survey. Qualitative findings suggested that the most significant challenges in the adaptation to university were of a social and emotional nature, related to emotional challenges, interpersonal relationships, and personal organization. To overcome these, students primarily valued intrapersonal competencies such as self-awareness and self-regulation. Participants predominantly described using personal self-care practices, focusing on psychological and emotional care. Generalized linear model-based mediation analysis sustained that both personal and academic self-care practices mediated SEC effects on students’ personal well-being. However, only academic self-care practices mediated SEC effects on their academic well-being. Self-regulation competencies had the strongest effect on students’ personal and academic well-being. This research contributes to a strengthened theoretical understanding of the interplay between higher education students’ SEC, self-care practices, and well-being, offering new empirical evidence on how these relate.

Abstract: Canine periodontal disease is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory condition with a multifactorial etiology, influenced by host factors and complex subgingival bacterial communities; however, evidence from populations in underrepresented regions remains limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between host factors (age, diet, and cranial morphology) and the presence and severity of periodontal disease, as well as to characterize the subgingival bacterial profile using culture-based methods in an urban clinical population in Ecuador. A cross-sectional, analytical, observational study was conducted on 100 dogs treated at veterinary clinics in Loja. Periodontal status was classified according to AVDC criteria, defining the outcomes as the presence of periodontal disease (stages 1–4 vs. 0) and advanced periodontitis (stages 2–4 vs. 0–1). Subgingival samples were collected using sterile paper points and processed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, with analyses performed individually. Periodontal disease was present in 68.0% of dogs, with 37.0% in advanced stages. Age was the only factor independently associated with both the presence (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.02–1.36; p = 0.021) and severity (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.05–1.41; p = 0.009), while diet, sex, and cranial morphology showed no significant associations (p > 0.05). The bacterial profile was polymicrobial (3.86 positive isolates per individual), and no taxon showed a significant association after FDR correction. Taken together, these results support a multifactorial and polymicrobial model, highlighting age as the main associated factor and emphasizing the need for molecular approaches in future studies.

Abstract: Questioning is widely recognised as a key dimension of learning in science education, yet learner questioning has often been treated as a secondary aspect of classroom participation rather than as a central pedagogical and epistemic practice. This article offers a conceptual examination of questioning in relation to science education for sustainability, informed by a critical interpretive engagement with literature on questioning, participation, classroom dialogue, engagement, and science education. It argues that science education for sustainability requires more than the transmission of scientific knowledge, calling instead for pedagogical spaces in which learners can engage with complexity, uncertainty, interpretation, and the ethical and social dimensions of socio-scientific issues. The article’s main contribution lies in repositioning learner questioning as a central condition of science education for sustainability and in showing that questioning is shaped not only by knowledge and motivation, but also by participation, hesitation, silence, and broader dynamics of voice, legitimacy, and power. In this perspective, fostering questioning becomes essential to more inclusive, dialogic, reflexive, and transformative approaches to science education for sustainability. The article further argues that fostering questioning in this way contributes directly to the educational ambitions embedded in SDG 4, SDG 13, and SDG 16 - making questioning-centred pedagogy not merely a methodological choice, but a condition for more democratic, just, and transformative science education for sustainable development.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Obesity and inflammatory conditions, including steatotic liver disease are known to impact the hematopoietic niche and immune surveillance. Therefore, assessing the impact of steatotic liver disease on recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) with bone marrow origin neoplasms is clinically relevant and an underexplored area of investigation. Methods: We evaluated steatotic liver disease prevalence in allo-HSCT recipients and report post-transplant outcomes in this cohort. Results: Of 306 allo-HSCT recipients from 2014 to 2020 at our center, 18 (5.8%) had steatotic liver disease detected on non-contrast CT imaging pre-transplant. With a minimum of 5 years follow-up for all, eight patients experienced post-transplant relapses (44%). Relapses (78%) followed by infections (55%) were the major contributors of mortality in this cohort. Pre-transplant transaminases were normal (AST median 28, ALT median 37) in all, while most patients (89%; 16/18) developed abnormal transaminases in the first-year post-transplantation without evidence of permanent liver injury. None experienced veno-occlusive disease of the liver. The cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was 33% (6/18), with 55% (10/18) experiencing chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Conclusions: Our study highlights that radiologically detected steatotic liver disease is not a contraindication to proceeding with allogeneic stem cell transplant, and its association with transaminitis, relapse, immune complications, and post-transplant metabolic health requires future mechanistic studies.

Abstract: Nanoscale conductors and interfaces frequently exhibit anomalous AC transport behavior and enhanced superconducting critical temperatures that are not fully captured by conventional electron-phonon descriptions. In this exploratory work, we consider a complementary mechanism based on the possible inertial response of a Z₃-graded vacuum sector to time-varying electromagnetic fields. Within this speculative phenomenological framework, surface criticality is tentatively proposed as a mechanism that may drive high-energy vacuum modes toward low-energy collective excitations at surfaces and interfaces, giving rise to an approximate coherence length ξ_vac∼70 nm. This geometric length scale, if physically meaningful, could influence effective conductivity in the non-local regime and might contribute to observed features such as high-frequency skin depth saturation and interface-driven T_c enhancement. Preliminary evaluations based on the algebraic structure suggest qualitative consistency with certain experimental observations in high-purity metals and nanowire systems, although we emphasize that these consistencies may be coincidental. The framework is offered as a tentative, exploratory perspective on mesoscopic anomalies, with the aim of stimulating further discussion and investigation into possible connections between algebraic high-energy structures and low-energy quantum materials phenomena.

Abstract: Optical imaging is among the safest and most highly impactful biomedical imaging modalities. Aberration in the optical imaging systems leads to distorted images. This distortion is almost nonlinear and hence affects the relative size, intensity and appearance of image details. Image aberration has many types with some or all of them can be imposed on the image based on the quality of the imaging system and/or surrounding conditions. Many approaches have been introduced to remove or minimize aberration from optical images. If the transfer function of an imaging system and the function of the noise added during the imaging process are known, then an ideal image can be obtained from the image produced by this system. The point spread function (PSF) of the optical imaging system is the image it produces for a point object. PSF is the observable form of the transfer function. The transfer function itself is the exit pupil function or typically the system aberration. The nonlinearity and multiplicity of the aberration imposed on the image together with the added noise makes it difficult to obtain the transfer function from the degraded images. In this work, optimization and global search techniques are utilized in an iterative image restoration algorithm. The proposed technique updates an initially suggested solution of transfer function by optimizing the aberration coefficients. The final solution of the transfer function and hence the PSF is reached when the optimum restored image is obtained. The proposed algorithm is validated by a testing image and then its performance is assessed by a set of aberrated images with different degradation. The results obtained in this work showed 100% success rate to obtain the PSF.

Abstract: We present a unified, self-contained analytic treatment of the restricted weighted Goldbach representation function R_a,q(N) := ∑_{p₁ + p₂ = N, p₁ ≡ a (mod q)} (log p₁)(log p₂), q ≥ 1, (a,q) = 1,and its ternary analogue W_a,q(n) := ∑_{p₁ + p₂ + p₃ = n, p₁ ≡ a (mod q)} (log p₁)(log p₂)(log p₃). The binary theory is organized into three analytic levels: Level 1 (unconditional almost-all theorem with effective constants K ≤ 3.3624); Level 2 (valid for all sufficiently large N under a zero-density hypothesis); Level 3 (GRH-conditional pointwise asymptotic with explicit threshold N₀(4) ≈ 10^19.9). We incorporate four structural corrections over previous versions: (C1) replacement of an invalid pointwise Weyl–Pólya–Vinogradov bound by a rigorous appeal to Iwaniec–Kowalski; (C2) replacement of a misapplied hybrid large sieve by Parseval's identity; (C3) a parameter-compatibility lemma closing the gap in the arbitrary-A minor-arc saving; (C4) a corrected second-moment derivation for the restricted error R_a,q(N) – M_a,q(N) via the character decomposition. Beyond the corrections, we prove three new results: (N1) a Chen-type theorem giving N = p + P₂ with p ≡ a (mod q) for every sufficiently large even N; (N2) a short-interval theorem guaranteeing R_a,q(n) > 0 in every interval [N, N + N^0.525]; (N3) an analytic bridge from the explicit formula for Ψ*(x) deriving the precise reason why the Mellin transform of the residuals ε(p) detects the imaginary parts of the non-trivial zeros of ζ(s). We also present a rigorous three-level ternary hierarchy via prime anchoring and a completed ternary singular series analysis for q = 4. A complete table of effective constants with their epistemic status is provided, and the paper lists four precisely formulated open problems. Riemann Hypothesis, effective constants, Siegel zeros, ternary Goldbach, singular series, zero-density estimates, Mellin transform, spectral analysis, Riemann zeta function.

Abstract: A ketogenic diet (KD) is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat dietary approach. Beyond treating neurologic disorders, KD has attracted significant media attention for its potential to improve obesity and diabetes. The diet induces a metabolic shift from glucose toward fatty acid oxidation and ketone body production. This shift leads to ketosis, which may reduce hunger, cause weight loss, and improve glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity. In particular, the positive effects of KD lower insulin demand and may thereby improve β-cell function. However, the long-term efficacy, safety, and sustainability of KD, especially for diabetes, remain debated. This review offers current insights into the effects of ketogenesis and ketosis and the potential mechanisms underlying them. We examine the metabolic effects of KD in obesity and diabetes, drawing on preclinical and clinical studies, and suggest that combining KD with antidiabetic agents may provide synergistic benefits. We explore how KD alters the composition of the gut microbiota, thereby impacting host metabolism and systemic inflammation. We conclude by highlighting challenges and future directions for optimizing KD-based therapies through personalized nutrition and pharmacological combination treatments.

Abstract: The human temporomandibular joint requires stable kinematics for optimal function; however, structural anomalies such as the bifid mandibular condyle severely compromise this biomechanical harmony. This study aims to quantify the precise biomechanical behaviour and fracture susceptibility of the bifid condyle using patient-specific finite element analysis. A high-fidelity 3D computational model was constructed from the cone-beam computed tomography data of a patient presenting with a right bifid condyle and concurrent fracture. To establish a comparative baseline, a geometrically healthy control model was computationally derived. Both models were subjected to a simulated, physiological multiaxial masticatory load of 1000 N. The simulation revealed that while the healthy control safely dissipated forces (peak cortical von Mises stress of 62.49 MPa), the bifid morphology fundamentally disrupted load transfer. Extreme mechanical forces concentrated directly at the anomalous inter-condylar notch, generating peak equivalent von Mises stresses approaching 500 MPa and peak compressive stresses nearing 600 MPa. Furthermore, localised strain energy density at the notch peaked at 12 MPa. These internal stress magnitudes significantly exceed the ultimate yield strength of human cortical bone, providing a direct biomechanical rationale for the clinically observed fracture. This computational evidence establishes that the bifid condyle acts as a critical structural vulnerability and energy sink. Consequently, the identification of a bifid condyle warrants proactive clinical management, as even asymptomatic presentations are highly predisposed to structural fatigue and macroscopic failure.

Abstract: A relativistic stress-energy configuration is identified in which halo-like scaling in galaxies can arise from the rotational sector of matter without modifying the Einstein equations. In stationary axisymmetric systems, the mixed stress-energy components associated with vorticity define a conserved Killing current describing angular-momentum transport. The corresponding stream potential admits a multipole structure in which the dominant odd mode controls the radial flux and fixes its asymptotic amplitude. If this transport channel approaches a finite large-radius flux, the leading mode scales as r^-2. With the Alena Tensor closure, the same rotational sector that carries this transport mode contributes to the active weak-field source through the rotational part of the stress-energy tensor, giving an effective density with the same radial scaling and therefore approximately flat rotation curves. The baryonic Tully-Fisher relation is treated here as a constraint on the asymptotic transport amplitude, not as a first-principles derivation. The resulting framework gives testable predictions for disk-aligned lensing anisotropy, residual correlations with baryonic angular momentum, and suppressed halo-like scaling in systems without coherent rotation.

Abstract: Phytonutrient-enriched prebiotic mixtures (PEPs), composed of phytonutrients and prebiotics that serve as substrates for beneficial gut microbes, are widely recognized for their potential to promote gut health. However, despite this established role, direct evidence demonstrating their synergistic effects when co-administered with probiotics remains limited. To address this gap, we employed a three-phase design integrating ex vivo evaluation and clinical validation to assess how individual components influence microbial responses, how PEP interacts with probiotics, and whether these effects translate to humans. In ex vivo analyses, PEP components were associated with increased levels of acetate, butyrate, total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and lactate, with fiber-rich components showing the strongest effects. Co-treatment with probiotics further enhanced these metabolite levels compared to single treatments, particularly for butyrate and total SCFAs, along with elevated lactate levels. Notably, these effects became more pronounced with higher doses of co-administered probiotics, suggesting a dose-dependent enhancement of microbial metabolic activity and cross-feeding–mediated metabolic flux. In a randomized clinical study including PEP-only, probiotic-only, and combined PEP plus probiotic groups, all groups showed increases in fecal metabolites. However, the combined PEP and probiotic group exhibited the greatest increases in butyrate (~6 µmol/g) and total SCFAs (22.9 µmol/g). Across all groups, participants with constipation-type stool patterns shifted toward normal stool types, as assessed by the Bristol stool scale. These findings demonstrate that PEP modulates microbiome-derived metabolic activity, and that its combination with probiotics further enhances the production of butyrate and total SCFAs. Overall, this study provides both mechanistic and clinical evidence supporting synbiotic strategies and demonstrates the potential of PEP as an effective approach to improve gut microbial metabolism.

Abstract: Fenestration systems play a critical role in building thermal performance, particularly in cooling-dominated climates where envelope inefficiencies directly amplify electricity demand. In Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, cooling accounts for the majority of building energy consumption. Nevertheless, the façade and insulated glass industries are experiencing rapid market expansion. Despite this technological evolution, prevailing regulatory frameworks, including the Saudi Building Code (SBC), ASHRAE 90.1, and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), primarily rely on area-weighted U-values and solar heat gain coefficients (SHGC), without explicitly integrating multidimensional thermal bridge effects such as linear thermal transmittance (ψ). This paper investigates the structural omission of ψ within current energy compliance systems, evaluates its implications in cooling-dominated climates, and proposes a phased regulatory integration pathway aligned with sustainability objectives under Vision 2030. Literature synthesis indicates that thermal bridges may increase cooling loads by up to 25% and total building energy use by 5–30%, while remaining structurally omitted from compliance metrics. The findings highlight the need to transition from simplified prescriptive compliance toward physics-informed governance capable of addressing evolving façade complexity in hot-arid environments. The proposed framework offers a systematic pathway for integrating linear thermal transmittance requirements while supporting regional sustainability goals and the advancement of high-performance building technologies.

Abstract: The solution theory of Sylvester-type equations finds wide applications in control theory, robotics, and image processing. This paper systematically surveys, classifies and summarizes the existing research results of three classes of Sylvester-type equations: matrix equations, tensor equations, and operator equations. It extracts nine mainstream research methods and clarifies the internal correlations among these methods as well as their applicable equation types. This work establishes a complete framework for solving Sylvester-type equations and, together with four prior review articles, forms a comprehensive framework for linear equations. It not only provides a systematic theoretical foundation and a clear research thread for subsequent researchers, but also offers valuable methodological insights for further investigations in related fields.

Abstract: Securing electronic health records (EHRs) is critical in the modern healthcare landscape, where digital transformation enhances connectivity and data-driven decision-making. This paper introduces a secure framework that integrates voice-based authentication, blockchain technology, and machine learning to protect EHRs, particularly in IoT-enabled, high-frequency wireless communication environments. The new distributed system utilizes blockchain technology to improve the security and integrity of medical records. User verification is achieved through voice authentication, which adds a biometric element as well. A working model was designed to show the system’s feasibility along with a case study on heart health monitoring. Simulated results demonstrated better block creation time, transaction latency, and validation accuracy.

Abstract: Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate the in vitro activity and in vivo effica-cy of rezafungin, anidulafungin, caspofungin and micafungin against Candida auris iso-lates belonging to clade V. Methods: Five clinical isolates were evaluated (IFRC2087, IFRC4050, MRL40, TMML616 and TMML617). Echinocandin MICs and killing activities were determined in RPMI-1640. In the survival and fungal tissue burden experiments (heart, kidney and brain), neutro-penic mice were infected intravenously (107 CFU/mouse). Treatment was initiated 24 hours post-infection with intraperitoneal dosing of 20 mg/kg of rezafungin on days 1, 3 and 6 or once-daily dosing for 6 days with 3 mg/kg of caspofungin, 5 mg/kg of micafungin or 5 mg/kg of anidulafungin. Results: MIC ranges of rezafungin, anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin were 0.06-0.25, ≤0.03-0.12, 0.12-0.5 and ≤0.03-0.12 mg/L, respectively. The four echinocandins at ≥1 mg/L were fungicidal only against isolate MRL40. All echinocandin regimens im-proved the survival in mice infected with isolates MRL40 and IFRC4050 (P-values were ≤0.0002 and 0.0006, respectively), but only rezafungin was effective against isolate TML617 (P=0.0049). All four echinocandins induced more than 3 logs mean CFU/gram decreases in the kidneys and hearts of mice infected with the three isolates compared to control mice, some of which were not statistically significant. Fungal growth, regardless of the isolate tested, was poorly inhibited by echinocandins in the brain. Histopathology showed large aggregates of pseudohyphae in the hearts, kidneys and brains in control mice. In echinocandin treated mice only blastoconidia were found. Conclusions: In vitro activity and in vivo efficacy of the four echinocandins against the fifth clade of C. auris was echinocandin- and isolate-specific. Pseudohyphal production was common in controls, but not in echinocandin treated mice. Rezafungin activity was comparable to or better than the three previously approved echinocandins. Keywords: Candida auris, fifth clade, time-kill, neutropenic mouse model, pseudohypha production, rezafungin, echinocandins,

Abstract: This study examines the retail food environment surrounding public schools in Michigan using a multiscale, multidimensional framework. A cross-sectional spatial analysis integrates relative healthfulness (modified Retail Food Environment Index, mRFEI), availability (outlet density), and accessibility (network-based walking time) across school districts, census tracts, block groups, and school-centered buffers. The analysis includes 3,530 public schools, 7,680 fast food restaurants, and 2,065 convenience stores. Results show pronounced spatial heterogeneity and clustering of unhealthful outlets (Nearest Neighbor Index = 0.284, p < 0.001), with many located near schools. Approximately 34% of schools are within a 10-minute walk of a fast food restaurant, increasing to 65% within 20 minutes. Urban schools face significantly higher exposure—2.27–2.80 times more fast food outlets and shorter walking times than rural schools (p ≤ 0.002)—with consistent gradients across city, suburban, town, and rural contexts. Overall, school neighborhood food environments are highly structured, obesogenic, and inequitable. By integrating multiple spatial scales and dimensions, this study advances food environment research and provides policy-relevant evidence for targeted, place-based interventions to improve access to healthier food around schools.

Abstract: In this study, the effect of incorporating maltodextrin into films composed of thermoplastic starch and chitosan was evaluated with the aim of improving their physicomechanical properties. X-ray diffraction revealed greater organization in sample TPS-CH-M3 compared with TPS-CH-M0 and TPS-CH-M5, indicating a balanced semicrystalline structure. Thermal analyses showed an increase in the glass transition temperature from 63.0 °C to 72.6 °C and a shift of the main degradation step from 308 °C to 311 °C, reflecting enhanced thermal stability. The contact angle decreased from 89.5° to 74.0°, confirming increased hydrophilicity. SEM micrographs revealed a homogeneous surface in TPS-CH-M0 and controlled roughness in TPS-CH-M3. Mechanical tests recorded the highest tensile strength (12.5 MPa) and elongation at break (18%) for TPS-CH-M3. FTIR spectra showed physical interactions without new chemical bands, and colorimetric analysis indicated an increase in yellow tonality, which is suitable for packaging and coatings of light-sensitive foods.

Abstract: We construct electromagnetic Kantowski–Sachs (KS) solutions in covariant teleparallel F(T) gravity using the coframe/spin–connection (CSC) formalism. In the restricted branch considered here, the Maxwell conservation laws (CLs) impose strong restrictions on the anisotropic scale factors and lead to the scaling ρ_{em} A_3^{−4}. We derive the corresponding symmetric and antisymmetric field equations (SFEs and AFEs) and formulate a reconstruction scheme in which F(T) is determined from the KS dynamics rather than imposed a priori. Power-law (PL) and exponential (EXP) coframe ansätze generate distinct invariant reconstruction branches, including scaling cosmologies, teleparallel de Sitter (TdS) regimes, and KS black-hole-interior-like reconstruction branches. The resulting models are organized using the Coley–Landry invariant classification and analyzed through leading-order stability conditions F_T>0 and F_{TT}>0.

Abstract: The cap-binding protein eIF4E is a key protein for mRNA metabolism. The eIF4E biological role is defined by the specific protein it interacts with. The best characterized role of eIF4E is in promoting mRNA translation through its interaction with eIF4G. To seek for new interactors in the ascomycete Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we performed a genomic yeast two-hybrid screen using eIF4E as bait. In addition to the already reported p20 and Eap1, we identified Med9, a component of the RNA polymerase II Mediator complex. A physical interaction between eIF4E and Med9 was confirmed using recombinant proteins prepared in E. coli and further isolating the eIF4E―Med9 complex both by size-exclusion chromatography and by m7GTP-Sepharose pull-down experiments. Surprisingly, the eIF4E W75A mutation, which impairs the interaction with eIF4G, p20, and Eap1 only slightly affected the interaction with Med9 in the two-hybrid system. We further performed random mutagenesis to identify the Med9 amino acids involved in eIF4E interaction. Mutants F65A/I66A and F65A/I66A/H68N did not interact with eIF4E. We also demonstrated that the interaction eIF4E―Med9 depended on the carbon source for cell growth and that it might happen within the nucleus. Finally, we found that the eIF4E―Med9 interaction is conserved in the yeast Saccharomyces kudriavzevii.

Abstract: The growing prevalence of gaming disorder (GD) in adolescents is a global concern. Although parents should play a critical role in preventing GD, how parenting styles help prevent adolescent GD remains understudied. This study assessed the association of parenting styles with adolescent GD in junior high school boys in Tokyo, Japan. Data were collected in 2024 via web-based, self-administered questionnaires from 300 parents. Suspected adolescent GD was assessed using a validated parent report measure (i.e., the Gaming Disorder Scale for Parents). Parenting styles were measured using the Parenting Scale, comprising two dimensions: Overreactivity and Laxness. The mean factor scores of Overreactivity and Laxness were compared between the suspected and non-suspected GD groups by t-test. Logistic regression analysis assessed the association of Overreactivity and Laxness with suspected GD, controlling for covariates. The mean factor score of Overreactivity was significantly higher in the suspected GD than in the non-suspected group, whereas Laxness was not. Logistic regression analysis identified parental Overreactivity as an independent predictor of suspected GD (adjusted odds ratio: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.24 to 2.49). This study showed that overreactive parenting is independently and significantly associated with an increased risk of adolescent GD, suggesting the importance of psychological support for parents.