Neurocontrol for fixed-length trajectories in environments with soft barriers.

In this paper we present three neurocontrol problems where the analytic policy gradient via back-propagation through time is used to train a simulated agent to maximise a polynomial reward function in a simulated environment. If the environment includes terminal barriers (e.g.

The parkour tic-tac action versus the drop jump as part of complex training within the strength and conditioning programme of highly-trained youth basketball players.

This study aimed to examine the effects of two different complex training protocols on physical performance in highly-trained youth basketball players. Fourteen adolescent players participated in twice-weekly sessions over eight weeks, following either the Drop Jump protocol (n = 7) or the Tic-tac protocol (n = 7), performing 1-3 sets of 8-9 exercises. Physical performance was assessed before and after the intervention using jumping tests (CMJ, squat, 10-5 hop jumps), change-of-direction speed (5-10-5), sprinting (0-20 meters), and muscular strength (isometric midthigh pull) tests.

An investigation into the relationships between technical collision behaviours and physical characteristics in world-class, international female rugby players.

This study first investigated how the probability of winning collision events is affected by technical characteristics among world-class, international female rugby union players, and second, whether enhanced performance of these technical characteristics was related to physical attributes. Carry and tackle events from 16 international matches played by a top-two world ranking team were coded according to technical characteristics and performance outcomes. Binary classification tree models revealed that carry performance was successfully predicted ( < 0.

Hybrid bagging and boosting with SHAP based feature selection for enhanced predictive modeling in intrusion detection systems.

The novelty and growing sophistication of cyber threats mean that high accuracy and interpretable machine learning models are needed more than ever before for Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems. This study aims to solve this challenge by applying Explainable AI techniques, including Shapley Additive explanations feature selection, to improve model performance, robustness, and transparency. The method systematically employs different classifiers and proposes a new hybrid method called Hybrid Bagging-Boosting and Boosting on Residuals.

Haptic-Based Real-Time Platform for Microswarm Steering in a Multi-Bifurcation Vascular Network.

The use of electromagnetic fields to control a collection of magnetic nanoparticles, known as a microswarm, has many promising applications. Current research often makes use of accurate but time-consuming simulations lacking real-time human input. On the contrary, human interaction is possible with a real-time simulator, allowing the collection of valuable user interaction data.

First contact physiotherapists: are they able to reduce the burden on rheumatology services? A critical review of the evidence base.

First contact practitioners have emerged over recent years in response to growing pressures within the National Health Service (NHS) and are now central to primary care musculoskeletal (MSK) services. Within the MSK field, these allied health professionals can be from a range of disciplines, including physiotherapy, podiatry and osteopathy. Early referral to rheumatology is key to successful long-term management of many inflammatory MSK conditions, but presents challenges to overburdened services.

Relational Neuroscience: insights from hyperscanning research.

Humans are highly social, typically without this ability requiring noticeable efforts. Yet, such social fluency poses challenges both for the human brain to compute and for scientists to study. Over the last few decades, neuroscientific research in human sociality has witnessed a shift in focus from single-brain analysis to complex dynamics occurring across several brains, posing questions about what these dynamics mean and how they relate to multifaceted behavioural models.

Sex-based differences in shot put, javelin throw, and long jump in 8-and-under and 9-10-year-old athletes.

There is an ongoing debate regarding the necessity for sex-segregated sports particularly in youth. However, there has been minimal evaluation of prepubertal sex-based differences in the events of shot put, javelin throw, and long jump. Therefore, the top eight performances from the USA Track and Field National Youth Outdoor Championships and National Junior Olympic Championships during the years 2016-2023 for shot put, javelin throw, and long jump in the 8-and-under and 9-10-year-old age groups were analyzed for sex-based differences.

TMS-evoked potential propagation reflects effective brain connectivity.

Objective Cognition is achieved through communication between brain regions. Consequently, there is considerable interest in measuring effective connectivity. A promising effective connectivity metric is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) evoked potentials (TEPs), an inflection in amplitude of the electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded from one brain region as a result of TMS applied to another region.

What motivates start-up entrepreneurs? Exploring the role of human values in success.

This study explores how entrepreneurs perceive success, the influence of their values on this perception, and the association between values and success. We surveyed 96 Irish entrepreneurs to capture their definitions of success, their own values, their perceptions of a successful entrepreneur's values, and various success metrics. We coded the qualitative responses regarding what success means to them using Schwartz's (1992) model of human values.

Breast cancer in Bulgaria prior implementation of a national breast cancer screening program and certified breast centers.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) survival has improved globally in the past years. Eastern Europe is a region with lack of epidemiological data and traditionally lower BC overall survival (OS). We aimed to investigate the epidemiology of BC in Bulgaria between 2012 and 2022 and the readiness of the state for implementing population based organized screening program.

The association of demographic, psychological, social and activity factors with foot health in people with plantar heel pain.

Background: Plantar Heel Pain (PHP) can be a debilitating musculoskeletal condition from which only 50% recover within a year due to poor understanding of the mechanisms explaining severity and predicting outcomes specific to PHP.

Objective: To explore associations between biopsychosocial variables and the severity of people with PHP. Secondly, to determine what combination of self-reported factors distinguishes people with PHP from other foot pain (OFP).

Research Priorities for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: An Interdisciplinary Delphi Study.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a multisensory experience most often associated with feelings of relaxation and altered consciousness, elicited by stimuli which include whispering, repetitive movements, and close personal attention. Since 2015, ASMR research has grown rapidly, spanning disciplines from neuroscience to media studies but lacking a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. To build a cohesive and connected structure for ASMR research moving forwards, a modified Delphi study was conducted with ASMR experts, practitioners, community members, and researchers from various disciplines.

A novel deep neural network structure for software fault prediction.

Software fault prediction is crucial to compute the potential occurrence of faults within the software components, before code testing or execution. Machine learning, especially deep learning, has been applied to predict faults, but both encounter challenges such as insufficient accuracy, imbalanced data, overfitting, and complex structure. Moreover, deep learning yields superior predictions when working with large datasets.

Does sleep help children to generalise features like adults?

Children and adults have been shown to benefit from sleep with regard to the consolidation of declarative memories. Especially during childhood, the generalisation of information from social and non-social contexts is important for adaptable behaviour in new situations and might show specific features in children. Here, we investigated whether adults (n = 18) and children (n = 19) differ in their generalisation of features assessed in wake and sleep conditions.

Lived experience consultants to a child sexual abuse inquiry: Survivor epistemology as a counterweight to legal and administrative proceduralism.

Background: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales was the first major child abuse inquiry internationally to appoint survivors to a formal role. The appointment of the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP) reflects growing recognition of the value of lived experience expertise and a broader shift in the policy domain towards public involvement and co-design.

Objective: This article draws on research that sought to understand both the experiences of a group of victims and survivors with related professional expertise consulting to a public inquiry, and the impact they had on the operation of the inquiry.

Explaining reproductive health inequalities among people with intellectual disabilities: a meta-narrative review protocol.

Introduction: People with intellectual disabilities experience health inequalities at a greater level than their non-disabled peers. Notably, while general health status is starting to receive some attention, the reproductive health and rights of people with intellectual disabilities continue to be understudied from a policy and research perspective. The objective of this review is to elucidate the complex interplay between individual, social and structural factors that influence reproductive health outcomes for this population.

Sex-based differences in swimming performance in 10-years-old-and-under athletes in short course national competition.

The need for sex-segregated youth swimming is debated. A previous report indicates that male swimmers aged 10-and-under are 1%-2% faster than females in long course freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, and individual medley (IM), but not breaststroke events. Another report indicates that at age 10 males are 1%-2.

Caregiver or Playmate? Fathers' and mothers' brain responses to ball-play with children.

Parents and children often engage in joint play-a domain where mothers and fathers are thought to exhibit disparate behaviors and impact child development via distinct mechanisms. However, little is known about the neural substrates of mother-child and father-child play. In this fMRI study, we sampled the brain activation of parents of preschoolers (N = 88) during a novel event-related adaptation of the virtual ball-tossing game "Cyberball.

A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025.

We discuss the outcomes of our 16th horizon scan of issues that are novel or represent a considerable step-change and have the potential to substantially affect conservation of biological diversity in the coming decade. From an initial 96 topics, our international panel of 32 scientists and practitioners prioritised 15 issues. Technological advances are prominent, including metal and non-metal organic frameworks, deriving rare earth elements from macroalgae, synthetic gene drives in plants, and low-emission cement.

The effect of target scarcity on visual foraging.

Previous studies have investigated the effect of target prevalence in combination with the effect of explicit target value on human visual foraging strategies, though the conclusions have been mixed. Some find that individuals have a bias towards high-value targets even when these targets are scarcer, while other studies find that this bias disappears when those targets are scarcer. In this study, we tested for a bias for scarce targets using standard feature versus conjunction visual foraging tasks, without an explicit value being given.

"I don't care about my mental health because I have a physical disability": A qualitative study on the mental healthcare-seeking behaviours of people with disabilities in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, people living with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups, as they receive little or no assistance. They face numerous challenges regarding financial, social, and access to basic education and healthcare, which contribute to experiences of distress and mental health issues. However, there is limited research on the mental health needs of people with disabilities and the accessibility of mental health services in Bangladesh.