Explore the vast range of titles available.

Groundwater is the most ubiquitous source of liquid freshwater globally, yet its role in supporting diverse ecosystems is rarely acknowledged 1 , 2 . However, the location and extent of groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are unknown in many geographies, and protection measures are lacking 1 , 3 . Here, we map GDEs at high-resolution (roughly 30 m) and find them present on more than one-third of global drylands analysed, including important global biodiversity hotspots 4 . GDEs are more extensive and contiguous in landscapes dominated by pastoralism with lower rates of groundwater depletion, suggesting that many GDEs are likely to have already been lost due to water and land use practices. Nevertheless, 53% of GDEs exist within regions showing declining groundwater trends, which highlights the urgent need to protect GDEs from the threat of groundwater depletion. However, we found that only 21% of GDEs exist on protected lands or in jurisdictions with sustainable groundwater management policies, invoking a call to action to protect these vital ecosystems. Furthermore, we examine the linkage of GDEs with cultural and socio-economic factors in the Greater Sahel region, where GDEs play an essential role in supporting biodiversity and rural livelihoods, to explore other means for protection of GDEs in politically unstable regions. Our GDE map provides critical information for prioritizing and developing policies and protection mechanisms across various local, regional or international scales to safeguard these important ecosystems and the societies dependent on them. Mapping of groundwater-dependent ecosystems, which support biodiversity and rural livelihoods, shows they occur on more than one-third of global drylands analysed, but lack protections to safeguard these critical ecosystems and the societies dependent upon them from groundwater depletion.

Sleep has been demonstrated to produce off-line improvements in motor learning in young adults. Evidence of sleep-dependent off-line motor learning has been demonstrated across a wide variety of simple motor tasks that have limited implications in rehabilitation. It remains unclear whether a functional motor task that is clinically-relevant will benefit from sleep to produce off-line motor skill enhancement. Addressing this question was the purpose of this dissertation. A novel walking task was used to assess the role of sleep in learning a functional motor task in young adults. Twenty-four young individuals were randomly assigned to either the sleep or the no-sleep group. Results indicate that young participants who slept after practicing the novel walking task demonstrated a significant off-line improvement in performance on the functional task, while those participants who stayed awake failed to demonstrate off-line learning. Only a few recent studies have investigated sleep-dependent off-line motor learning in older adults, and the findings of these studies offer mixed conclusions. Only one study has examined the role of sleep in motor learning in middle-aged adults. These studies all used simple motor tasks. Therefore, we examined sleep-dependent off-line learning of the novel walking task in 20 middle-aged and 20 older adults. Only the middle-aged and older adults in the sleep condition demonstrated significant off-line improvement in performance on the novel walking task. However, when compared with the magnitude of off-line learning in young adults, the results indicate that the magnitude of off-line improvement was less for middle-aged and older adults groups. In summary, this body of work indicates that sleep enhances learning a functional motor task that is clinically-relevant in young, middle-aged, and older adults. Clinicians should consider sleep as an important factor when structuring rehabilitation interventions. Emphasis should be placed on addressing sleep disorders and ensuring adequate sleep for individuals who undergo rehabilitation.

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming health profession education (HPE) through personalized learning technologies. HPE students must also learn about AI to understand its impact on healthcare delivery. We examined HPE students’ AI-related knowledge and attitudes, and perceived challenges in integrating AI in HPE. Methods This cross-sectional included medical, nursing, physiotherapy, and clinical nutrition students from four public universities in Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt. Data were collected between February and October 2023 via an online survey that covered five main domains: benefits of AI in healthcare, negative impact on patient trust, negative impact on the future of healthcare professionals, inclusion of AI in HPE curricula, and challenges hindering integration of AI in HPE. Results Of 642 participants, 66.4% reported low AI knowledge levels. The UAE had the largest proportion of students with low knowledge (72.7%). The majority (54.4%) of participants had learned about AI outside their curriculum, mainly through social media (66%). Overall, 51.2% expressed positive attitudes toward AI, with Egypt showing the largest proportion of positive attitudes (59.1%). Although most participants viewed AI in healthcare positively (91%), significant variations were observed in other domains. The majority (77.6%) supported integrating AI in HPE, especially in Egypt (82.3%). A perceived negative impact of AI on patient trust was expressed by 43.5% of participants, particularly in Egypt (54.7%). Only 18.1% of participants were concerned about the impact of AI on future healthcare professionals, with the largest proportion from Egypt (33.0%). Some participants (34.4%) perceived AI integration as challenging, notably in the UAE (47.6%). Common barriers included lack of expert training (53%), awareness (50%), and interest in AI (41%). Conclusion This study clarified key considerations when integrating AI in HPE. Enhancing students’ awareness and fostering innovation in an AI-driven medical landscape are crucial for effectively incorporating AI in HPE curricula.

Literature has identified disparities in reaching patterns between children with cerebral palsy and typically developing children. However, determining the spatiotemporal parameters that effectively quantify upper limb motor performance and examining the relationship between these parameters and spasticity level remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the level of spasticity and the spatiotemporal parameters and detect which parameter is the most influenced by spasticity level. Fifty children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy participated and were asked to reach forward, at a self-selected pace, toward one target at a normalized distance under one level of accuracy. An optoelectronic system captured three-dimensional spatiotemporal parameters quantifying the movement time, velocity, strategy and smoothness of forward reaching. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to investigate the strength of the relationship between the level of spasticity and the spatiotemporal parameters (P˂0.05). Regression analysis was used to model the relationship between the studied variables and to investigate the impact of spasticity on the studied kinematic parameters. The level of spasticity was significantly correlated with normalized jerk score (NJS), number of movement units and peak velocity respectively ( r  = .0.7–0.8). The regression model was statistically significant ( p  < .001), and explained a significant proportion of the variances of the studied parameters especially NJS (R 2  = 0.972) and NMU (R 2  = 0.953). NJS is the most influenced parameter by the level of spasticity; therefore, it can be used as an index to quantify the impact of spasticity on reaching performance and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment strategies on motor recovery.

Background Taking notes during lectures plays a vital role in enhancing learning outcomes. With technological advancements, digital note-taking has gained popularity among university students in recent years due to its convenience, ease of storage, sharing, and searching. Different versions of digital note-taking have been introduced, including the use of styluses on tablets, which offer a blend of traditional handwriting and digital advantages. However, the use of digital devices may introduce distractions, such as access to social media, potentially disrupting focus and impacting learning effectiveness. Therefore, their impact on learning and cognition remains a topic of ongoing exploration. This study aimed to investigate the differences in cognitive functions between university students practicing either longhand or styluses digital note-taking methods in the United Arab Emirates. Methods One hundred students participated in this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic information, including age, sex, nationality, and study year were obtained. Participants reported the note-taking method they use (longhand vs. digital note-taking with styluses). A battery of cognitive tests was used in this study to assess different cognitive functions, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R), and the Stroop Color and word test. The Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess differences in different cognitive domains between participants following longhand and styluses digital note-taking. Results Students that used longhand note-taking demonstrated significantly higher overall cognitive scores (MoCA, p  = 0.005), along with superior information processing speed, working memory (SDMT, p  = 0.045), and better visual memory (BVMT-R, p  = 0.01), compared to those who used styluses digital note-taking. However, students using styluses digital note-taking exhibited better inhibitory cognitive control (Stroop test, p  = 0.020). Conclusions Although using styluses offers a hybrid experience by combining the tactile benefits of handwriting with the digital advantages of electronic devices, students who employed longhand note-taking demonstrated significantly higher cognitive scores across several domains compared to their peers using stylus-based digital methods. However, while these differences were statistically significant, the effect size was small. Longitudinal cohort studies are needed to further examine the predictive, mediating, and confounding factors related to note-taking methods and cognitive abilities in students.

The LISA optical bench is at the heart of the LISA instrument mounted between the telescope and the Gravitational Reference Sensors at each end of the 2.5 million km laser interferometer arms. In order to detect gravitational waves, LISA must be sensitive to relative displacements of picometres per Hz . We will describe the interferometric function of the optical bench – a 450 mm diameter, 80 mm thick disk of ultra-stable Zerodur populated with optics, and opto- and electro-mechanical units on both sides - and update on the status of the key technologies. With a total of six optical benches required for space flight, and several more for the engineering and qualification phases of the mission, a major effort led by ESA is being undertaken by the UK Optical Bench team, and across Europe and the United States to develop all required technologies and their assembly and integration procedures. We will present highlights of the current optical bench design and how it addresses the many optical, engineering and integration challenges.

Background: Infection prevention and control education for hospital-based health care personnel has differed across organizations because of a lack of identified practice competencies. This gap also has resulted in variation of the educational curriculum in the academic setting and a lack of consistent preparation for emergency responses. The purpose of this study was to develop a list of competencies and measurable activities, or terminal objectives, for hospital-based health care personnel applicable for use during routine patient care activities as well as during natural and man-made disasters.Methods: Competencies and terminal objectives related to infection prevention and control were developed using an evidencebased approach comprising the following steps: (a) review of the literature, (b) review of existing competencies and published curricula/training objectives, (c) synthesis of new competencies and terminal objectives, (d) expert panel review and competency refinement using the Delphi survey process, and (e) delineation of competencies by occupation. The 8 disciplines addressed were nurses (RNs and LPNs), nursing assistants, physicians, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists, environmental services, laboratory professionals, and ancillary staff.Results: An initial list of competency statements and terminal objectives were compiled and then vetted by a Delphi panel of experts in infection prevention and control until > agreement was achieved on all competency statements and terminal objectives.Conclusion: The final matrix of competencies and terminal objectives developed through this process may be used as a content framework for educational curricula and training materials for hospital-based health care personnel. The process also may be of use in determining the core competencies and terminal objectives regarding infection prevention and control for health care personnel in other settings. Validation of these results is an important next step. (Am J Infect Control

The intrinsically disordered N-ter domain (NTD) of p53 encompasses approximately hundred amino acids that contain a transactivation domain (1-73) and a proline-rich domain (64-92) and is responsible for transactivation function and apoptosis. It also possesses an auto-inhibitory function as its removal results in remarkable reduction in dissociation of p53 from DNA. In this report, we have discovered that p53-NTD spanning amino acid residues 1-125 (NTD125) interacted with WT p53 and stabilized its wild type conformation under physiological and elevated temperatures, both in vitro and in cellular systems. NTD125 prevented irreversible thermal aggregation of heat denatured p53, enhanced p21-5'-DBS binding and further restored DBS binding activity of heat-denatured p53, in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo ELISA and immunoprecipitation analysis of NTD125-transfected cells revealed that NTD125 shifted equilibrium from p53 mutant to wild type under heat stress conditions. Further, NTD125 initiated nuclear translocation of cytoplasmic p53 in transcriptionally active state in order to activate p53 downstream genes such as p21, Bax, PUMA, Noxa and SUMO. Here, we showed that a novel chaperone-like activity resides in p53-N-ter region. This study might have significance in understanding the role of p53-NTD in p53 stabilization, conformational activation and apoptosis under heat-stress conditions.

Humanoid robots, with their human-like form, are uniquely suited for interacting in environments built for people. However, enabling humanoids to reason, plan, and act in complex open-world settings remains a challenge. World models, models that predict the future outcome of a given action, can support these capabilities by serving as a dynamics model in long-horizon planning and generating synthetic data for policy learning. We introduce Humanoid World Models (HWM), a family of lightweight, open-source models that forecast future egocentric video conditioned on humanoid control tokens. We train two types of generative models, Masked Transformers and Flow-Matching, on 100 hours of humanoid demonstrations. Additionally, we explore architectural variants with different attention mechanisms and parameter-sharing strategies. Our parameter-sharing techniques reduce model size by 33-53% with minimal impact on performance or visual fidelity. HWMs are designed to be trained and deployed in practical academic and small-lab settings, such as 1-2 GPUs.