Articles

<b>Background:</b> Adolescent girls living in disaster-prone coastal regions of Bangladesh face heightened nutritional vulnerability due to limited food access, poor dietary diversity, and environmental stressors. Despite growing concerns about adolescent malnutrition, few studies have examined the combined influence of food security, dietary diversity, and age on nutritional outcomes in these settings. <b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to assess the association between dietary diversity, food security, and age with the nutritional status of adolescent girls in coastal Bangladesh. <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 345 adolescent girls aged 10–19 in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar. Data on dietary intake were collected using a 24-hour dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire. Household food security was assessed using a validated scale. Nutritional status was determined using BMI-for-age classifications. Bivariate and multivariate analyses explored associations between dietary diversity, food security, age, and nutritional status. <b>Results:</b> Among participants, 10.14% were underweight, and 29.85% were either overweight or obese. While 17.39% demonstrated high dietary diversity (≥7 food groups), the majority had moderate diversity (5 or 6 food groups) (59.42%). Food-insecure households were significantly more likely to have overweight or obese adolescents (p < 0.05). Although dietary diversity was associated with BMI in bivariate analysis, it was not a significant predictor in the multivariate model. Age showed a significant relationship with both dietary diversity and nutritional status. <b>Conclusion:</b> The findings emphasize the importance of addressing household food security and age-related nutritional vulnerabilities in coastal areas. Interventions should prioritize age-sensitive, culturally appropriate strategies to improve dietary quality and prevent the double burden of malnutrition among adolescent girls.

This exploratory review article synthesizes existing literature on the evolution and increasing significance of women's soccer, particularly in the United States. While acknowledging the sport's progress and the achievements of the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT), it critically examines two key challenges that impede further advancement: the alarmingly high incidence of knee injuries among female players and the persistent underrepresentation of Black women. The review highlights the biomechanical factors contributing to these issues, emphasizing the need for footwear designed to accommodate the specific anatomical and functional requirements of female athletes. Furthermore, it explores the systemic barriers that contribute to the lack of diversity within the sport, advocating for equitable opportunities and support for Black women. This review concludes by underscoring the necessity for innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to ensure the continued growth and well-being of all participants in women's soccer, and identifies critical areas for future research in kinesiology and related fields.

<b>Background:</b> Food security and dietary diversity are essential determinants of maternal health, particularly among pregnant women in refugee populations who face heightened vulnerabilities due to displacement and inadequate living conditions. This study examines the impact of food security on dietary diversity and nutritional intake among pregnant Rohingya women residing in the makeshift camps of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. <b>Methods:</b> A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 96 pregnant Rohingya women from June to September 2022. Data were collected using structured questionnaires assessing socio-demographic characteristics, food security, and dietary diversity. Food security was evaluated using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), while dietary diversity was assessed through a 24-hour dietary recall and a 7-day food frequency questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 26) and Stata (Version 13), employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to examine associations. <b>Results:</b> Most participants (57.3%) were food secure, and 85.4% demonstrated high dietary diversity, consuming seven or more food groups. However, 21.9% of households experienced severe food insecurity, highlighting ongoing challenges in food access. The highest consumption was observed for starch, flesh foods, dark green leafy vegetables, and vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables (99.0%), while dairy products (69.8%) and organ meat (34.4%) were consumed less frequently. Despite high dietary diversity, severe food insecurity persists, indicating gaps in food assistance programs. <b>Conclusions:</b> While food support programs appear to contribute to high dietary diversity among pregnant Rohingya women, severe food insecurity remains a significant concern. Strengthening food security interventions, improving access to diverse nutrient-rich foods, and integrating sustainable food assistance models are essential to addressing these challenges. Future research should explore long-term strategies to enhance food security and assess the impact of targeted nutritional interventions on maternal health outcomes in refugee settings.

<b>Background: </b>Most neuroscience research has predominantly focused on White, middle-class populations, leading to gaps in understanding how socioeconomic status (SES) influences brain development and health behaviors in racially diverse groups. Tobacco use, a major public health concern, is influenced by both family and neighborhood SES, with early initiation during adolescence predicting long-term health outcomes. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study provides a unique opportunity to examine racial disparities in the pathways from SES to brain development and behavior, especially through the lens of Marginalization-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs), where the effects of SES are attenuated for minority groups. <b>Objective: </b>This study investigates racial variation in the associations between SES, cerebral cortical volume, and tobacco use initiation, comparing Black and White youth over 4-6 years of follow-up. <b>Methods: </b>Data from the ABCD study were analyzed to assess pathways from family income to adolescents’ cortical volume via the needs-to-income ratio, and from cortical volume to tobacco use initiation. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate these pathways, stratified by race, with a focus on comparing Black and White participants. Covariates included family and neighborhood SES, demographic factors, and baseline behavioral measures. <b>Results: </b>We found that the positive association between income (via the needs-to-income ratio) and total cortical volume was significantly weaker for Black youth compared to White youth. Additionally, the link between larger total cortical volume and reduced risk of tobacco initiation was also weaker in Black adolescents. These findings were consistent over 4-6 years of follow-up, suggesting that Black youth experience diminished returns from higher SES in terms of brain development and behavioral outcomes. <b>Conclusions: </b>Our findings highlight significant racial disparities in the pathways from SES to brain development and tobacco use initiation, supporting the Marginalization-Related Diminished Returns (MDRs) framework. While higher SES is associated with larger cortical volumes and lower tobacco use risk in White youth, these associations are attenuated in Black adolescents.

Recent field investigations, performed across some of the less floristically known sectors of Calabria, have led to the discovery of <i>Salsola tragus</i> and <i>Thymelaea gussonei</i>, two new species for the regional vascular flora. By providing crucial biogeographical and taxonomic remarks, this work aims to contribute to the improvement of the knowledge of the rich, diversified and still poorly known native flora of Calabria. The biogeographical value of these new findings underlines the decisive role of field survey in the enhancement of the information on regional biodiversity, the essential basis for every further ecological study and conservation effort.

Biodiversity is related to a global problem: its destruction, a fact supported by scientific authorities. It is not trivial that educational dimension has been contemplated as one of the strategies for its conservation. Since 1992 global initiatives such as the Convention on Biological Diversity postulates concepts that linked education and nature conservation. The main objective of this research work is to test the level of assimilation of extracurricular scientific knowledge by primary school pupils. The method chosen for the content was, on the one hand, a master class intervention with an interactive presentation on a digital whiteboard. Third cases were chosen. Each case consisted of a presentation of the current status of a species of fauna present in Spain. On the second part, students were asked to write an essay and to illustrate the experience during the presentation. Regarding the essays, students showed that they were more attracted to the first species that was presented (Iberian lynx) in a proportion of over 45% of cases. The “Endangered species” concept appeared in more than 77% of the texts reviewed. In terms of drawings, almost 55% of the responses seem to devote more attention to the second species described (<i>Testudo graeca</i>). An attempt was made to offer rigorous, structured information related to different aspects of natural reality in order to contemplate the broadest possible vision. The example of an instructional intervention presented here aims to be an alternative to other transmissive teaching models. Likewise, the linking of abstract concepts with socio-cultural reality proved to be a successful strategy to reinforce knowledge about natural biodiversity, endangered species or threat factors.

A spherical shape ultra-wideband antenna is a microstrip patch antenna whose emitted signal bandwidth exceeds the lesser of 500 MHz. One of the major issues hindering the ultra-wideband antennas is poor diversity factors, poor voltage standing wave ratio and poor power efficiency to transmit the required signals. In this research work, the method of approach is the design and analysis of a spherical shape ultra-wideband antenna with the use of computer simulation technology (CST). This antenna is working under the resonant frequency of 6 GHz on a frequency bandwidth of 4-9 GHz. However, this research work has made an intensive review of related works. A spherical shape microstrip antenna with a diameter of 13mm and a radius of 6.5mm was designed, after which a simulation was carried out using the computer simulation technology software. The result from the radiated power shows how high the radiative efficiency is and from the results we were able to observe that the ultra-wideband antenna uses a very low amount of power but can transmit a better outgoing power from the 0.5 watts stimulated power. In this research work, an evaluation process on the envelope correlation coefficient of the antenna s-parameters was carried out, with a good result was obtained. Most importantly the diversity gain of the antenna proves to be good and efficient due to the effectiveness of the antenna radiation efficiency. The results of this antenna produce a very good voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), the voltage standing wave ratio of this spherical ultra-wideband antenna is less than 2% with a very low return loss reflection. In conclusion, the spherical shape antenna is good for ultra-wideband purposes because of its robustness in delivering high-quality signals with a very low return loss. So, it stands the chance of recommendations in the communication industries due to its high radiation efficiency rate and good VSWR.

This article provides an overview of the opportunities and risks of Diversity Management. It also attempts to close the research gap that results from the interrelationship between Diversity Man-agement and the War of Talents. The thesis is that the full benefits of Diversity Management in the War of Talents can only be real-ized if an appropriate diversity strategy has been established and communicated. Through teleological and historical perspectives as well as causal research of the topics and inter-faces, research questions will be answered and research gaps will be closed. The article thus pre-sents the essential theories on the significance of Diversity Management in the War of Talents. Mutual dependencies can thus be identified in order to assess the impact of Diversity Manage-ment. The bottom line is that diversity efforts must be concentrated and qualitative. A solid strategy forms the basis for this. However, external, non-operational influences are also of decisive im-portance for successful Diversity Management.