Woosuk University

Pregnancy-related mental health disorders are an increasingly important global public health concern. Exercise interventions have gained attention as safe, non-pharmacological strategies for improving maternal psychological and neurophysiological well-being. However, comparative evidence regarding different exercise modalities and intensities remains limited. This study aimed to systematically evaluate and rank the effects of different prenatal exercise modalities and compare moderate- versus low-intensity exercise protocols on maternal mental health and neurophysiological outcomes during pregnancy. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA-NMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central, and PsycINFO were systematically searched. Thirty-six randomized controlled trials involving 4,577 pregnant participants were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Treatment effects were ranked using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve method. Moderate-intensity aerobic training showed the strongest effect on reducing prenatal depression, with a SUCRA value of 0.89. Yoga-based interventions were particularly effective for anxiety reduction, with a SUCRA value of 0.76, and ranked second in the overall outcome evaluation, with a SUCRA value of 0.82. Neurophysiological findings indicated that yoga showed the greatest benefit for cortisol regulation, whereas aquatic exercise demonstrated distinctive anti-inflammatory effects. Subgroup analyses suggested that moderate-intensity exercise tended to produce greater reductions in depression, while low-intensity exercise showed comparable or superior effects on anxiety and cortisol modulation. Meta-regression further indicated that interventions conducted three times per week and lasting more than 12 weeks were associated with larger effect sizes. The certainty of evidence ranged from moderate to high across primary comparisons. This network meta-analysis provides a preliminary evidence hierarchy for prenatal exercise interventions. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may be most beneficial for reducing prenatal depression, while yoga appears particularly suitable for anxiety and cortisol regulation. These findings offer clinicians a reference framework for individualized prenatal exercise recommendations and support the integration of exercise into maternal mental healthcare.

Background:The Bacillus Calmette-Gu & eacute;rin (BCG) vaccine has been considered a potential preventive measure against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, no systematic review or meta-analysis has specifically evaluated its effects on COVID-19 outcomes in older adults. Therefore, our study examined the impact of BCG vaccination on the severity and mortality of COVID-19 in this population.Methods:A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted for studies published up to December 31, 2024. Among 458 studies identified, 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria.Results:All 5 studies were placebo-controlled RCTs conducted in Europe and published between 2022 and 2024, involving a total of 12,128 participants. There were no significant differences in documented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.91-1.22), COVID-19-related hospitalization (RR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.21-1.93), COVID-19-related intensive care unit admission (RR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.04-1.39), COVID-19-related mortality (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.35-2.74), all-cause hospitalization (RR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.82-1.2), or all-cause mortality (RR: 1, 95% CI: 0.39-2.55) between the BCG vaccination and placebo groups.Conclusions:Current evidence from RCTs in older adults does not demonstrate a clinically meaningful protective effect of BCG vaccination against outcomes related to COVID-19; however, our certainty is limited by imprecision and variability in the context. More research is needed to examine the potential benefits of BCG vaccination in vulnerable groups, such as older adults.

This paper presents a surface-morphology modification strategy designed to enhance the energy density of supercapacitors by broadening the operational potential window. A freestanding supercapacitor electrode is synthesized by electrospinning a Ni salt, zeolitic imidazolate framework, polyacrylonitrile, and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a sacrificial template. The resulting PMMA-modified Co/carbon nanofibers have a high density of electrochemically active sites and good ion-transfer kinetics. The thermal decomposition of PMMA results in the growth of Ni-Co/CoOx-embedded carbon nanotubes, accompanied by an increase in the electrochemically active surface area from 158 to 233 m(2).g(-1). The optimized electrode, prepared with 1.6 wt% PMMA, has an operational potential window of 1.5 V, energy density of 283.4 mu Wh.cm(-2), areal capacitance of 906.9 mF.cm(-2) at a current density of 1 mA.cm(-2), and capacitance retention of 98.9% after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles. The energy-storage mechanism of the fabricated system encompasses double-layer capacitance with significant pseudocapacitive contributions. Furthermore, flexible pouch-like supercapacitors assembled using the optimal electrode maintain similar to 83.8% of the original capacitance upon 90 degrees bending.

IntroductionThis study empirically examined the role of perceived parental autonomy support in promoting moral behavior among student-athletes through the Trans-Contextual Model (TCM).MethodsUsing data from 355 Korean high school athletes across 16 sports, we investigated the effects of autonomy support on autonomous and controlled motivations in everyday and sport contexts, and their subsequent influence on moral attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and prosocial and antisocial behaviors.ResultsStructural equation modeling revealed that parental autonomy support positively influenced both autonomous and controlled motivations in daily life, which then transferred to sport contexts. Autonomous motivation significantly predicted moral beliefs and intentions, leading to increased prosocial and decreased antisocial behaviors. Interestingly, controlled motivations also positively impacted subjective norms, suggesting complex motivational processes underlying moral conduct.ConclusionThese findings extend previous research by integrating Self-Determination Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, highlighting the importance of motivational quality and contextual transfer in shaping athletes’ moral actions. Practical implications for coaching, parental education, and athlete development programs are discussed, along with directions for future longitudinal and cross-cultural research.

Background: Deep gluteal syndrome (DGS) has traditionally been attributed to sciatic nerve entrapment within the deep gluteal space. However, increasing evidence suggests that enthesopathy and soft tissue pathology of the short external rotators may also contribute to its pathogenesis. Conventional ultrasound-guided interventions primarily target the sciatic nerve through perineural hydrodissection (HD), which may not address enthesis-related pathology. However, the anatomical feasibility of delivering injectate along the deep gluteal fascial plane has not yet been investigated in cadaveric studies. Methods: This cadaveric anatomical demonstration evaluated whether an ultrasound-guided fascial plane injection within the deep gluteal space could simultaneously reach the enthesis of the short external rotators and the region of the sciatic nerve. Ultrasound scanning protocols were first demonstrated in a healthy volunteer to establish anatomical orientation for the injection pathway. Injection experiments were then performed in a fresh-frozen cadaver (83-year-old male) using a cranial-to-caudal in-plane approach. Ten milliliters of methylene blue dye was injected along the fascial plane overlying the short external rotator enthesis, followed by layer-by-layer cadaveric dissection to assess dye distribution. Results: Cadaveric dissection demonstrated that methylene blue injected along the deep gluteal fascial plane extended to the enthesis of the short external rotators and spread toward the surface of the sciatic nerve. Comparable distribution patterns were observed in both hips. These findings suggest that a single ultrasound-guided fascial plane injection trajectory may anatomically access both the enthesis region and the adjacent sciatic nerve within the deep gluteal space. Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided fascial plane HD in the deep gluteal space provides an anatomical pathway that can simultaneously access the enthesis of the short external rotators and the region of the sciatic nerve. This approach may represent a potential anatomical basis for a fascial plane-based intervention strategy in DGS. Further studies are required to evaluate in vivo behavior and clinical effectiveness.