Background/Objectives: Previous studies have linked chronic conditions and multimorbidity to lower physical activity, but evidence across individual movement behaviours remains limited. We examined associations between the number of self-reported chronic diseases and conditions and transport-related walking, leisure time physical activity, muscle-strengthening activity and sedentary behaviour among people aged ≥15 years in Serbia. Methods: Nationally representative 2019 Serbian National Health Survey data were analysed (n = 13,076 with complete information on 17 conditions). Complex sample logistic regression models were sequentially adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, functional mobility and self-rated health. Additional analyses assessed linear trends and departures from linearity using all covariates except self-rated health. Results: Overall, 51.4% reported no condition, 18.0% one and 30.6% two or more. All outcomes were associated with condition status before adjustment, but most associations were attenuated after including functional mobility. After full adjustment, an overall association remained only for muscle-strengthening activity on <2 days/week (Wald F = 5.13; p = 0.006). Compared with no condition, one condition was associated with higher odds (aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.18–2.16), but two or more were not. Each additional condition was associated with 4.5% higher odds of sitting or reclining for ≥6 h/day (aOR 1.045, 95% CI 1.006–1.087; p = 0.025). No other linear trends were identified; muscle-strengthening activity showed a departure from linearity (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Associations differed across movement behaviour domains and were attenuated particularly after including functional mobility. The number of conditions alone only partially accounted for observed differences in movement behaviours.

The accelerating use of algorithmic systems in public administration exposes a standardization gap between technical AI assurance and institutional accountability. This article develops a tiered accountability and reporting standards framework for decisions made under public authority. A qualitative design science method combines comparative institutional analysis, structured absence analysis, and standards architecture design. The empirical basis comprises international standards, the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)–Treasury access episode as an institutional control precursor, Australia’s Robodebt scheme as an automated-decision failure, and public sector governance arrangements in Estonia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and the United States. A replicable coding protocol traces documented accountability gaps to five auditable primitives: provenance tracking, decision logging, role attribution, contestability, and post-deployment audit. The primitives are organized into minimum, heightened, and systemic/constitutional tiers according to material influence, rights and essential service effects, civil service integrity, institutional independence, and substitutive capacity. The article also specifies a Public Sector Algorithmic Accountability Statement (PAAS), crosswalks its ten disclosure fields to GRI 1, GRI 2, and GRI 3, and demonstrates its operation through a fully worked hypothetical benefits eligibility application. A tier assignment decision aid, an assurance cycle, and a cost–feasibility model support implementation, including in small institutions. The framework’s novelty lies not in claiming new lifecycle controls, but in consolidating those controls around the public decision configuration, escalating them according to public authority consequences, and joining internal evidence to comparable public reporting. The proposal shifts standardization from AI system certification alone toward auditable institutional answerability, governance sustainability, and constitutional integrity.

In this article, we unpack what we believe to be a discriminatory and discrediting label afforded to growing populations of Australians — Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD). This term is used to describe everyone who is not Aboriginal or Torres Islander or Anglo-Saxon/Anglo-Celtic. Through qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth ethnographic interviews and thematic analysis, including some abductive analysis, we aimed to investigate how those labelled CaLD experienced this term, including their feelings about being constructed as CaLD, and how they believed they were impacted by this label. Using both labelling theory ( Durkheim, 1938 ) and linguistic racism theory ( Tankosić & Dovchin, 2023 ), we argue that while the term CaLD was originally intended as ‘inclusionary othering,’ the category perpetuates monolithic othering on the basis of language and culture, masking a broad range of ethnic identities common to Australia and upholding systemic practices of subjugation such as linguistic racism as mechanisms for continued ideological, political, and social dominance. Individuals to whom this label is applied continually walk the tightrope between the access and affordances it may offer and its capacity to both highlight and erase difference. The study’s implications indicate there needs to be greater consultation with the communities involved about terms used to label and set them apart.

The paper examines how geometric design parameters affect crankshaft fracture due to fatigue using the finite element method. It explores the influence of the fillet radius on the crankpin journal, the shape of the grooves on the splined shaft, and their interaction on the crankshaft’s fatigue behavior. Using established material traits and operating load magnitudes, a finite element analysis (FEA) computational model of the crankshaft was created, and stress simulation was performed. Following the obtained results, critical points on the crankshaft were identified, followed by fatigue analysis and lifespan evaluation. Numerical simulations showed that increasing the fillet radius on the crankpin journal significantly reduces stress concentration and boosts the crankshaft’s fatigue life. Altering the geometry of the grooves on the splined shaft redistributes stress and moderately extends its lifespan. The best results came from combining both geometric changes, demonstrating the synergistic effect of optimizing design parameters. The findings provide numerical insight into the relationship between geometric features and fatigue behaviour of crankshafts and may support further research on geometry-based design optimization.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS This observational study investigated whether patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in Europe are achieving the standards set by prevention and rehabilitation guidelines. Variability was studied: (i) between countries; (ii) between geographical risk regions; and (iii) attendance at cardiac rehabilitation (CR) with outcomes. METHODS Observational study between September 2024- February 2026 in 160 hospitals across 27 countries. Geographical risk regions were defined as high, moderate or low based on WHO cardiovascular mortality data. RESULTS Among 8590 patients with CHD (23.7% female), 17.1% were current smokers, 32.0% were obese and 33.5% reported low physical activity. 59.8% were above blood pressure target (systolic ≥ 130 and/or diastolic ≥ 80 mmHg), 82.7% were above LDL-C target (≥ 1.4 mmol/l), 32.8% had known diabetes of whom 42.2% had HbA1c ≥ 7% and 30.6% had chronic kidney disease. Prevalences of these risk factors were all highest in countries from high risk regions. 29.1% of patients attended at least one CR session, with country variability ranging from 0% to 79%, and differing by risk region (55.9% low risk, 29.7% moderate risk and 10.2% high risk; p < 0.001). Attendance at CR programme was associated with significantly better lifestyles, risk factor control and use of cardioprotective drugs. CONCLUSIONS Most European patients are not achieving targets set by prevention guidelines. There is marked variability in CR attendance, evidence of inverse care with lowest attendance in highest risk regions, despite better outcomes for CR. These results inform the challenges for implementation of the first ESC guideline on CR.

A nonionic type V deep eutectic solvent (DES) combining hydrophobic (−)-menthol and hydrophilic resorcinol was prepared and investigated as a solvent for amphiphilic caffeine. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were first used to determine the eutectic composition and characterize its thermal behavior. The menthol-to-resorcinol molar ratio of 2:1 was subsequently selected for physicochemical investigation. Clear homogeneous solutions containing up to 0.701 mol·kg−1 caffeine were prepared, corresponding to 136 g of caffeine per kilogram of DES. Density, speed of sound, and viscosity were measured over the temperature range from 293.15 to 313.15 K. These data were used to evaluate the thermal expansion, volumetric and acoustic properties, intermolecular free length, and concentration and temperature dependences of viscous flow. The viscosity results were further analyzed using the Arrhenius, Jones–Dole, and Eyring–Feakins approaches and compared with the behavior of caffeine in water, ethylene glycol, and methyl salicylate. DFT calculations and molecular electrostatic potential surfaces were used to examine the local organization of the DES and the possible incorporation of caffeine through interactions with both its polar and less-polar regions. The combined experimental and computational approach provides a molecular and thermodynamic basis for evaluating this DES as a caffeine-solubilizing and delivery medium.

Chronological age dominates cardiovascular (CVD) risk prediction, but glycan-based measures may better reflect biological ageing. In this secondary analysis of a six-month randomized controlled trial in Slovenia, we examined whether IgG glycosylation–derived biological age (GlycanAge) tracked short-term changes in estimated CVD risk. Adults without diagnosed CVD but with at least one risk factor (119 enrolled; 101 completed the final assessment) received digital risk visualization, continuous glucose monitoring, their combination, or usual care. SCORE2 showed small numerical changes in some intervention groups, but GlycanAge remained largely stable, with only modest and inconsistent change across groups, and no association between change in SCORE2 and change in the GlycanAge–chronological age gap was detectable. Over this short timeframe, GlycanAge did not behave as a surrogate of conventional risk modification; whether it instead reflects slower immune-inflammatory ageing processes complementary to established CVD risk algorithms will require longer studies to establish.

Effectively managing the rising health risks of climate change requires consideration of plausible adaptation pathways under a range of scenarios of changes in greenhouse gas emissions and socioeconomic development to systematically explore the solution space for climate-resilient health systems. Incorporating adaptation pathways approaches into health planning can facilitate understanding of adaptation opportunities, barriers, and limits by different degrees of warming (based on Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) and levels of socioeconomic development (e.g., Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP)). This understanding supports prioritization of policies and measures to reduce current and near-term risks, leading to more robust and timely health decisions. We explore how health adaptation pathways can be operationalized under the SSP framework to inform health system planning by: (i) identifying limits to adaptation (e.g., tipping dynamics where strategies are no longer feasible); (ii) illustrating timing and implementation delays, showing how deployment of health interventions may vary across development pathways; and (iii) exploring how multiple climate-sensitive health-related risks may stress health system capacity. Health decision makers can use the adaptation pathways approach in key activities such as vulnerability and adaptation assessments, developing health adaptation plans, and communication with interest holders, thereby strengthening preparedness and resilience for climate change.

Background/Objectives: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a leading cause of pediatric kidney disease. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), governed by SNAI1 and TGF-β, and a vascular–mesenchymal program marked by PECAM1 and VIM are central to nephrogenesis, but whether these programs are transcriptionally activated in human CAKUT is unknown. We assessed their expression and spatial organization in human fetal kidneys. Methods: We reanalyzed public transcriptomic datasets for six transcripts (SNAI1, TGFB1–3, PECAM1, VIM) and performed quantitative double immunofluorescence for four gene products (SNAIL, TGF-β1, CD31, vimentin) on formalin-fixed human fetal kidneys (20 controls, 19 CAKUT), with colocalization quantified by Pearson’s coefficient. Results: No statistically significant difference in transcript or protein abundance was detected between control and CAKUT kidneys, in either the cortex or the medulla, and abundance did not change across developmental phases. In contrast, spatial colocalization of SNAIL–TGF-β and of CD31–vimentin was increased in CAKUT kidneys. Conclusions: These findings may suggest that, in human fetal CAKUT, EMT and vascular–mesenchymal programs are not quantitatively upregulated but instead show altered spatial organization of otherwise unchanged gene products. As colocalization reflects spatial proximity rather than molecular interaction, these observations are correlative and warrant functional validation.

This study investigated the influence of cultivar and rootstock on the fruit cracking index and harvest date of sweet cherry under the agro-ecological conditions of Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Four Italian sweet cherry cultivars (Marysa, Sweet Gabriel, Sweet Valina, and Sweet Stephany) grafted onto two vegetative rootstocks (Gisela 5 and Gisela 6) were evaluated during the 2025 growing season. The results showed statistically significant differences among combinations cultivar/rootstock in both harvest date and fruit cracking index. The lowest cracking index was recorded for Sweet Stephany grafted onto Gisela 6, while the highest susceptibilitywas observed for Marysa grafted onto the same rootstock. Overall, cultivars grafted onto Gisela 6 exhibited higher cracking susceptibility compared to those grafted onto Gisela 5. A strong and highly significant negative correlation (r = −0.91**) was established between harvest date and fruit cracking index, indicating that earlier-ripening cultivars were more prone to cracking. The findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate cultivars and rootstocks in reducing the risk of fruit cracking. However, in order to provide more valuable information for the introduction of new sweet cherry cultivars and the establishment of sustainable orchards under similar agroecological conditions, it is necessary to extend the study over two or even three years, as only in this way can reliable and relevant data be obtained.

Ancestral environmental stress can influence descendant phenotypes, yet the physiological traits underlying such effects remain poorly understood, particularly in response to heterologous stress. We investigated whether chronic chromium (Cr) exposure in the parental generation is associated with persistent physiological differences in Arabidopsis thaliana F2 descendants. Wild-type plants were exposed to 2.5 μM hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] supplied as potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) from the seedling stage until seed set. The resulting F2 lineage derived from chromium-exposed ancestors (2.5F2) was subsequently grown under control conditions or challenged with salinity (25 mM NaCl) or cadmium stress (25 μM Cd). Growth traits, biomass allocation, antioxidant enzyme activities, total soluble proteins, and elemental composition were assessed at the flowering stage. Significant lineage × treatment interactions were observed for root growth, APX activity, and cadmium partitioning. Under cadmium stress, 2.5F2 plants maintained longer roots and higher shoot biomass than wild-type plants. The most pronounced lineage-specific difference was observed for ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity: whereas wild-type plants exhibited strong stress-induced APX activation, the 2.5F2 lineage maintained elevated APX activity across all treatments in both shoots and roots. Elemental analysis further revealed altered metal homeostasis, with 2.5F2 plants accumulating less cadmium in roots but more in shoots, resulting in a higher shoot-to-root cadmium ratio, while root iron concentrations remained consistently higher across treatments. These findings indicate that descendants of chromium-exposed ancestors exhibit persistent physiological differences characterized by elevated antioxidant activity, altered cadmium partitioning, and improved maintenance of root growth under cadmium stress.

Unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) is a rare congenital malformation with severe clinical consequences, and its genetic background remains poorly defined. We present an exploratory genomic resource for UAV, generated from whole-exome sequencing (WES) of nine families (including probands and 19 unaffected relatives) and integrated with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from human embryonic hearts. The scRNA-seq dataset enabled the identification of genes expressed in valve-forming cell populations during development, providing a biologically informed filter for candidate variant prioritisation. Further prioritisation identified 81 candidate variants across 68 genes with enrichment in extracellular matrix (ECM) organisation and developmental signalling pathways, particularly transforming growth factor-β-mediated signalling. Complementary exome-wide family segregation analysis further supported this pattern, again highlighting ECM organisation and developmental signalling as recurrently enriched biological themes. By establishing a preliminary genomic dataset, this study provides a resource for further validation, expansion to larger cohorts, and exploration of the molecular architecture underlying this rare disorder.