Objective: The purpose of this study was to discover whether performing a routine prior-to discharge ultrasound after manual exploration of the uterine cavity identified findings that led to interventions and reduced postpartum complications. Design: Retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted between 2013 and 2019. Setting: Tzafon medical center and Emek medical center, Israel Population or Sample: Among 1780 women, who underwent manual exploration of the uterine cavity, 784 belonged to the routine ultrasound group and 996 belonged to the clinically indicated ultrasound group. Methods: A comparison was made between two medical center’s protocols according to which all women underwent a routine ultrasound after manual exploration of the uterus prior-to discharge (Tzafon medical center protocol) versus performing ultrasound only if clinically indicated (Emek medical center protocol). Main outcome Measures: The primary outcome included a composite of late post-partum hemorrhage, endometritis, uterine curettage and hysteroscopy to remove products of conception. Results: In comparison between the routine ultrasound group and the clinically indicated ultrasound group, more women had abnormal sonographic findings ((74 (9%) versus 20 (2%), respectively; P=0.0001), more interventions, particularly uterotonics administration (34 (4%) versus 6 (0.6%), respectively; P=0.0001) without a different in the composite outcome (27 (3%) versus 41 (4%), respectively; P=0.46). Conclusion: Conducting prior-to discharge ultrasound scan routinely after manual exploration of the uterine cavity led to more interventions without benefit regarding long-term outcomes. Therefore, this study supports conducting an ultrasound after manual exploration of the uterus only if clinically indicated.

Introduction : The dentigerous cyst is a well-known congenital malformation usually found in the temporal region. This is the first case report of a large maxillary sinus cyst with ectopic teeth in an adult horse. Methods: A 14-year-old warmblood gelding was presented for evaluation of chronic right nasal discharge. After imaging exploration, surgery was performed on the standing horse with a conchofrontal sinus trephination and a large maxillary bone (MB) sinutomy. Results : The examinations revealed a sinusal mass in the right maxillary sinus covered by sinusal mucosa and around the infraorbital canal. The mass contained three ectopic tooth structures. The dental table was complete and normal. Both approaches (right frontal trephination, and maxillary sinutomy) showed adhesion between the dental structures, the infraorbital canal and the MB. The two simultaneous approaches allowed extraction with preservation of all sinus and nerve structures. Conclusions: The loss of integrity in the MB and the attachment to the infraorbital canal suggests that there could have been subsequent damage to the infraorbital canal, seen at the time of the examination and the surgery, leading to neurological symptoms in the future. The extraction of these completed structures in the standing horse has not been described and the use of both approaches allowed good visualization and preservation of the integrity of the sinus structures whilst allowing complete removal of the mass.

Biodiversity loss is accelerating due to human actions and decision-making for conservation needs to be streamlined. The ex-situ biodiversity modelling and monitoring based on satellite time series data could be an affordable and cost-efficient tool for improving the prioritization of conservation areas. Here, we provide a set of dynamic indicators for conservation prioritization by applying a habitat suitability trend analysis of six flagship species over 19 years (2001 – 2019) derived from ecological niche models (MaxEnt) and time series of the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in Andalucía (Spain, Southern Europe). Based on the annual HSI models of all species and using the spatial conservation prioritization tool Marxan, we derived inter-annual dynamic indicators for conservation prioritization as cost-effectiveness, adequacy, stability and conservation legacy. Overall, models showed a high performance (AUCmean = 0.92±0.07, Boyce index = 0.84±0.15 and Null models AUCmean= 0.63 ± 0.08), predicting 31% of negative trends and only 19% of positive trends for the habitat availability across all species, showing a generalized habitat regression. The most contributing predictors were related to vegetation composition and structure (land cover), climate (land surface temperature), and energy balance (evapotranspiration), matching with the species ecology. Marxan identified interannual dynamics for the priority areas, both outside and inside protected areas. Our results suggested that (1) additional areas than those currently protected need to be prioritized, and (2) areas recently degraded could be restored considering the past importance for the conservation of the target species. In summary, this model-based system supported by a well-established conservation planning software provides a new set of dynamic priority-area indicators informing about the adequacy and effectiveness of conservation areas to meet long-term conservation goals at a regional scale, and being applicable to other species, ecosystems and socio-economic contexts across scales.

The global aging population poses an urgent challenge in ensuring the safety and well-being of elderly individuals. With the rapid development of technologies such as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), new avenues for digital healthcare services (DHS) offer promising solutions to support elder-care safety. Simultaneously, society stands at the threshold of a transformative era characterized by the immersive and interconnected 3D landscape of the Metaverse, reshaping how people live, work, and socialize. While fully realizing a comprehensive digital Metaverse landscape remains a vision with various challenges and open questions, a lightweight metaverse version is within reach. This paper proposes an innovative Fuzzy Neural Network (FNN) enhanced Image-based Action Recognition (FIAR) system in Microverse — an edge-scale IoMT Metaverse designed for DHS. Utilizing adaptive FNNs, FIAR enhances the adaptability of the multi-sensor fusion process to accommodate varying input modes and quantities of input sources to reduce decision uncertainty and learn fuzzy relationships among multiple data streams. An experimental study confirms the feasibility of the Microverse framework and FIAR’s capacity to deliver accurate and rapid responses, validating its effectiveness in safeguarding independently living elderly individuals.

A document by Cheng Zhong. Click on the document to view its contents.

Outdoor haze images are typically degraded by noise due to the external environment and imaging equipment. The existing haze image enhancement methods ignore the interrelation between haze and noise, which cannot suppress the noise and remove the haze simultaneously . To address these intractable problems, a dual-branch architecture that combines dehazing and denoising is proposed in this paper to restore clear images. First, we adopt dark channel prior and unsupervised networks in the image dehazing branch to remove the image blur. Then, the image denoising branch removes the image noise in parallel by constructing a mean/extreme sampler and a self-supervised network. Finally, a CNN fusion strategy is presented to fuse output images from the aforementioned two branches to generate the final qualified results. Extensive experiments reveal that the proposed haze image enhancement method outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in terms of PSNR and SSIM.

Signals of natural selection can be quickly eroded in high gene-flow systems, curtailing efforts to understand how and when genetic adaptation occurs in the ocean. This long-standing, unresolved topic in ecology and evolution has renewed importance because changing environmental conditions are driving range expansions that may necessitate rapid evolutionary responses. One example occurs in Kellet’s whelk (Kelletia kelletii), a common subtidal gastropod with a ~ 40-60 day pelagic larval duration that expanded their biogeographic range northward in the 1970s by over 300 kilometers. To test for genetic adaptation, we performed a series of experimental crosses with Kellet’s whelk adults collected from their historical (HxH) and recently expanded range (ExE), and conducted RNA-Seq on offspring that we reared in a common garden environment. We identified 2,770 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 54 offspring samples with either only historical-range (HxH offspring) or expanded-range (ExE offspring) ancestry. Using SNPs called directly from the DEGs, we assigned samples of known origin back to their range of origin with unprecedented accuracy for a marine species (92.6 and 94.5% for HxH and ExE offspring, respectively). The SNP with the highest predictive importance occurred on triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), an essential metabolic enzyme involved in cold stress response. TPI was significantly upregulated and contained a non-synonymous mutation in the expanded range. Our findings pave the way for accurately identifying patterns of dispersal, gene flow, and population connectivity in the ocean by demonstrating that experimental transcriptomics can reveal mechanisms for how marine organisms respond to changing environmental conditions.

Changing environments can alter plant functional traits in agricultural ecosystems, leading to shifts in plant resource utilization strategies. The plant trait network can integrate economic, hydraulic, and anatomical traits to reflect plants’ adaptation and responses to environmental changes from multiple perspectives. This study quantitatively analyzed the economic and hydraulic traits of leaves and roots in three cotton varieties under changing environments with different CO 2 concentrations and water or salt stress, exploring the impact of changing environments on plant functional traits and resource utilization strategies. The results showed that under water or salt stress, the leaf economic spectrum (LES) exhibited a conservative strategy, while the root economic spectrum (RES) displayed an acquisitive strategy. Under elevated CO 2 concentration, LES, RES, and hydraulic traits of both leaf and root showed conservative strategies. Additionally, under changing environments, the trade-off between LES and leaf hydraulic traits demonstrates a congruent resource utilization pattern, whereas the trade-off between RES and root hydraulic traits demonstrates an inverse pattern. We also found that changing environments altered the centrality of the plant traits network. Overall, the multi-faceted study of plant functional traits and their interrelationships provides a crucial basis for understanding the response of crops in agroecosystems to environmental changes.

Dorzolamide (DZD), a Carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitor clinically used to lower intraocular pressure, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects owing to the drug’s ability to inhibit the TIR domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP)-mediated signaling in macrophages. Here, we investigated whether DZD intermediates also demonstrate any anti-inflammatory property like DZD but with a reduced inhibition of CA. We found that several intermediates of DZD show increased binding to TIRAP at the common interface of kinases, such as Protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ) and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). Such binding results in a decreased activity of TIRAP, p38 (Mitogen-activating protein kinases) MAPK, and p65, which are essential for major inflammatory signaling pathways. Remarkably, the DZD intermediates were more potent than DZD in decreasing the mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The DZD intermediates also exhibit a reduced binding energy to CA II and CA IV, highlighting their improved specificity as anti-inflammatory compounds with decreased unwanted biological effects. Furthermore, we validated the anti-inflammatory effect of the most potent DZD intermediate, DRZ V, in a model of mouse sepsis. DRZ V-treated septic mice exhibited improved survival compared to DZD-treated septic mice. Our data indicate that the tested DZD intermediates are more potent in dampening TIRAP-mediated inflammatory signaling as compared to DZD. Thus, DZD intermediates may be a promising option for developing novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics.

This work investigates a sample of [45] 8 CFRP beam that was usedfabricated to and record the initialization and progress of the lateral damage of the sample inreal time,including matrix crack,delamination,yarn fracture,etc.The damage mode has a certain effect on the strength of the composite.Three types of impact energies,5J,15J and 20J are used in the impact test.Under the low-velocity impact response of the composite beam was studied,the purpose is to reveal the damage process of CFRP beam and understand the relationship between complex failure modes.A high-speed camera was used to record the initialization and progress of the lateral damage of the sample in real time,including matrix crack,delamination,yarn fracture etc. and the improved algorithm was used to obtain the front image of the sample damage.Compared with the test results,it was found that the crack damage perpendicular to the yarn direction was significantly more than that parallel to the yarn direction by the binary image.The force,contact load,time and other factors recorded during the test were used to characterize the damage of the CFRP beam sample under low-velocity impact.In addition,the damage progression of CFRP beam can be visualized by the data.

Background: Beta-blockers are frequently used anti-hypertensive agents. It has been proposed that beta-blocker usage can potentially impact outcomes among cancer patients. While there is existing literature on the matter, studies have yielded conflicting results. The aim of this systemic review and meta-analysis is to further investigate the effect of beta-blockers on survival and recurrence among those diagnosed with cancer. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library for relevant studies published until October 16 th, 2023. Hazard ratios (HR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were extracted from the studies. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to investigate heterogeneity and make results more reliable. Results: Data from fifty-four studies was included in this meta-analysis. A subgroup analysis was conducted based on the type of beta blockers and the type of cancer to assess the overall survival (OS) outcome. It was found that beta-blockers had no significant impact on overall survival, based on the type of cancer (HR=0.99; 95% CI: 0.94-1.04; P=0.70), and the type of beta-blockers (HR=0.99; 95% CI: 0.91-1.04; P=0.23). However, statistically significant results were observed for the outcome of cancer recurrence, favoring the beta-blocker group over the control group. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on both the outcomes to assess the heterogeneity in the results, reducing it considerably. Conclusion: According to our results, it can be concluded that the usage of beta-blockers generally has no significant impact on survival outcomes, however, a positive impact on recurrence was observed. There was a downward, yet non-significant, trend in pancreatic and ovarian cancer, indicating that further studies should investigate this.

In the surgery room, disagreements between surgeons and anaesthesiologists, regarding the conditions and methods of surgery are not uncommon. This is particularly true for surgeries involving head and neck, where anatomical and physiological complexities can significantly impact on both anesthetic and surgical management. Bleeding may also complicate basic otorhinolaryngological procedures. This literature review enables young anaesthesiologists to facilitate the selection of the type of anesthetic to be used and allows surgeons to critically evaluate their experiences in light of the anesthesia used.

Background: Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a prevalent genetic disorder in sub-Saharan Africa, characterised by frequent vaso-occlusive crises and other complications. Hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea) has proven effective in managing SCA but is underutilised in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to cost and monitoring challenges. This study aims to ascertain the impact of a fixed low-dose hydroxycarbamide regimen on emergency room visits and treatment adherence for paediatric SCA patients in a resource-limited setting. Methods: An observational study was conducted over two years (January 2022 to December 2023) in a tertiary hospital in South East Nigeria. One hundred children aged 1 to 18 years with confirmed SCA (HbSS genotype) were administered a fixed low-dose hydroxycarbamide regimen (20 mg/kg/day, capped at 500 mg/day). The primary outcome was the number of emergency room visits due to SCA-related crises. Secondary outcomes included treatment adherence and factors influencing adherence. Patients experiencing breakthrough crises had their doses increased to 25 mg/kg/day or from 500 mg to 750 mg. Results: Over the study period, only one patient (0.01%) on the fixed low-dose regimen presented to the clinical emergency room with a vaso-occlusive crisis, necessitating a dose increase. Treatment adherence was high, with 84.2% of patients reporting consistent adherence throughout the study period. Younger patients were more likely to adhere to treatment (mean age of compliant patients: 8.49 ± 5.28 years vs. non-compliant: 11.62 ± 4.21 years, p=0.027). Father’s age was also associated with adherence, with non-compliant patients having older fathers (median age 49.0 vs. 44.0 years, p=0.02). No significant clinical side effects were observed. Conclusion: The fixed low-dose hydroxycarbamide regimen significantly reduced emergency room visits and demonstrated high adherence rates among paediatric SCA patients in a resource-limited setting. This approach appears to be a safe, effective, and feasible treatment strategy for managing SCA in LMICs, potentially improving accessibility and sustainability of care.

A document by Xuefan Zhao. Click on the document to view its contents.

s: In riverine, marsh, coastal, and other environments, vegetation communities are widely distributed and interact with the flow system to produce more complicated flow structures. Four sets of indoor flume vegetation flow experiments were conducted using a typical Beach trough structure in the lower sections of the Yangtze River as an example. The compound channel was divided into the main channel zone, side slope zone, and side beach zone, and simulated vegetation such as reed, sedge, and dwarf grass was used. The emphasis was on the hydrodynamic properties under semi-covered submerged rigid vegetation and semi-covered non-submerged rigid vegetation. This research focuses on the Shiono and Knight equations (SKM model) to clarify the distribution characteristics of cross-section flow velocity and the ”equivalent diameter D” of gradual vegetation in water. We also propose a new secondary flow model using a genetic algorithm and investigate the relationship between the parameters of the vegetation the flow structure and the distribution pattern of the secondary flow coefficient values. Finally, it employs the Taylor method to demonstrate that the proposed ”equivalent diameter D” of the vegetation has some value within a reasonable threshold range. Eventually, the depth-averaged velocity of the compound channel was accurately predicted by combining the experimental data with the novel SKM model. The proposed model can provide technical support for river flooding.

Drought is an important abiotic factor constricting crop production globally. Although the role of JAZ proteins in regulating jasmonic acid signaling and plant responses to environmental stress is well documented, their specific functions and underlying mechanisms in plants remains little known. In this study, JAZ proteins in barley were thoroughly analyzed, revealing a total of 11 members classified into three phylogenetic subgroups. HvJAZ2, based on its distinct expression patterns, is considered as a key candidate gene for regulating drought tolerance in barley. Using the HvJAZ2 knockout mutants, we revealed that the gene negatively regulates drought tolerance by inhibiting barley root growth. Notably, the jaz2 mutants up-regulated expression of root development genes, including SHR1, PLT1, PLT2, and PLT6. plt2 and plt1/plt2 mutants exhibited suppressed root development and reduced drought tolerance. Analysis of interactions between HvJAZ2 and other proteins showed that HvJAZ2 is not directly interacted with HvPLT1/2/6, but interacts with some other proteins. BIFC and LCA assays further confirmed the nuclear interaction between HvJAZ2 and HvMYC2. Y1H and Dual-Luciferase experiments demonstrated that HvMYC2 can bind to and activates the HvPLT2 promoter. In summary, HvJAZ2 negatively regulates root development and drought tolerance in barley by suppressing HvPLT2 expression through interacting with HvMYC2.

An AVL tree is a binary search tree that guarantees O ( log n ) search. The guarantee is obtained at the cost of rebalancing the AVL tree, potentially after every insertion or deletion. This article proposes a deletion algorithm that decreases the rebalancing required after deletion compared to the rebalancing required after deletion by a previously reported algorithm.

The Xzistor Mathematical Model of Mind is a cognitive architecture that uses a functional model of emotions, based on biological homeostatic and allostatic control loops, to explain how an artificial agent can systematically learn to navigate to a reward source. The model also explains how subtasks required for the agent to access reward sources can be learnt through reinforcement learning. Simple virtual and physical agent implementations of the model have demonstrated how agents successfully learn to navigate to reward sources from anywhere in their environments. These implementations also showed how agents become motivated to perform subtasks to gain access to the reward sources. This paper describes how this demonstrated learning ability in agents, provided by the Xzistor brain model, could be used as a theoretical basis for implementing a human-like language learning skill in agents. This goes beyond Large Language Model approaches by incorporating computational equivalents of many human brain functions, including sensing, recognition, inference, and emotions. The study concludes that this cognitive architecture could provide a proof-of-concept implementation in agents of the principles of verbal behavior identified by B.F. Skinner (Skinner, 1957). A multi-stage project is proposed to demonstrate how an artificial Xzistor agent could systematically develop basic language skills using artificial emotions and reinforcement learning and, over time, refine this skill towards improved syntax and grammar use. The paper includes sections on the mathematical principles underpinning the Xzistor brain model and how it could potentially unify behaviorist and structuralist language theories.

Recent developments in microscopic and molecular tools have opened new avenues for assessing parasitic infections in wildlife populations. This is particularly important for the noninvasive detection and quantification of endoparasites in live animals. Here, we combined copromicroscopic (Mini-FLOTAC) and molecular (qPCR) techniques to detect the infection of the macroparasite Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda, Pseudophyllidea) in fresh droppings of Gull-billed Terns Gelochelidon nilotica (Charadriiformes, Laridae) breeding in southwestern Spain. Additionally, we sequenced the cytochrome b gene in parasite isolates from Gull-billed Terns (definitive host) and Common Bleak Alburnus alburnus (second intermediate host) sampled around tern colonies to explore potential genetic differences between the isolates. The qPCR test showed a higher prevalence (18%; in 13/73 samples) than Mini-FLOTAC (8%; in 7/87 samples), indicating that qPCR is more sensitive for diagnostic purposes than fecal flotation alone. Although the agreement between both techniques was substantial (84.2%) mainly due to the large number of uninfected samples, only Mini-FLOTAC allowed us to quantify parasite loads. When combining techniques, prevalence of infection did not differ between adults and chicks, suggesting frequent trophic transmission from parents to their offspring via food provisioning. Phylogenetic analyses identified four haplotypes in the isolates from Gull-billed Terns and Bleak, all of which were placed within a European clade composed of tapeworms recovered exclusively from phylogenetically derived cyprinid fish. This, combined with the short lifespan of mature tapeworms, suggests that Gull-billed Terns became infected after consuming infected fish around their breeding colonies rather than on their West African wintering grounds. Altogether, our results represent the first record of L. intestinalis in Gull-billed Terns and the first molecular characterization of the parasite for the Iberian Peninsula. This integrative copro-diagnostic protocol can be applied to other host–parasite systems, allowing researchers to study helminth infections in wild populations in a noninvasive manner.

Pleistocene glaciation events had a dramatic impact on temperate taxa by displacing animal and plant populations south of ice sheets into glacial refugia. Genetic variation often reflects these histories of isolation within glacial refugia and subsequent recolonization. The highly speciose rodent genus Peromyscus, in particular, is well known for its rapid diversification during the Pleistocene. Peromyscus are also significant reservoirs for a myriad of zoonoses, and many cosmopolitan species are undergoing range expansions due to human land use and climate change. This study focused on the range-wide phylogeography of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), a common species found in eastern North America that is one the primary reservoirs for Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi). We used two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b and control region, to identify evolutionary lineages of white-footed mice and characterize patterns of expansion of each lineage across their geographic range. Overall, we found evidence for four evolutionary lineages with a Southwest lineage largely restricted to grassland and desert habitats. Time since recent common ancestors placed all lineages diverging within the Last Glacial Maximum (~19-25k years ago). All lineages exhibited signatures of expansion, particularly the two northern lineages known to host Lyme Disease. Overall, white-footed mice underwent rapid diversification similar to other Peromyscus species and potentially exhibit habitat-based divergence within the Southwest lineage. Signatures of expansion also indicate that white-footed mice will continue to facilitate increased spread of zoonoses like Lyme Disease, but further study is needed to clarify how these evolutionary dynamics interact with other factors associated with human disease incidence.

Variations in coat morphology are well-documented among felids and are theorised to aid in camouflage during stalk and ambush hunting. A diverse array of coat types has arisen in Felis silvestris catus (feral cats) through domestication and subsequent selective breeding. This species has successfully spread across Australia over the past 200 years, raising the question of whether any specific coat types offer an adaptive advantage. We used 24 657 camera-trap images of feral cats in Tasmania, Australia, and assigned each cat observation a coat colour and pattern. We analysed these data to examine how different spatial features affect the presence or absence of coat types. We also tested if cats with differing coat types were active on different days in response to temporal features, including moon luminosity (full or new). Elevation was positively associated with the presence of orange (odds ratio= 1.74, 97.5% confidence interval= 1.25, 2.4) and tortoiseshell (odds ratio= 1.93, CI= 1.32, 2.83) cats, while blotched brown cats were negatively associated with elevation (odds ratio= 0.74, CI= 0.59, 0.93), relative to black cats. All coat types were 1.2 to 2 times more likely to be active on nights with a new moon, except for orange cats who were equally active regardless of moon luminosity (odds ratio= 0.94, CI= 0.62, 1.42). Our results indicate that coat types are equally successful across Tasmania, perhaps owing to naïve prey or limited predator competition. The high activity of orange cats irrespective of moon phase may be reflective of the male cat’s tendency to patrol territory, as opposed to favouring dark nights for hunting. Future studies should consider comparing the coat types found in feral cats to adjacent domestic populations, and against a wider array of habitat types to further investigate the potential for selective pressure on feral cat coat types in Australia.

Mucosal associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells) are a group of evolutionarily conserved and unconventional innate-like T cell subsets. Since first defined in 2003, it has been found to be involved in physiological and pathological process. The study is aimed to explore the research content, present hotspots and future trends of MAIT cells through bibliometric approach. The publication was searched using Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC). The bibliometrix package in R was used for data extraction and quantitative analysis of bibliometrics and scientometrics. A cloud plot was generated to display the hotspots of WoSCC keywords in MAIT cell researches. Thematic analysis and trend topics map were conducted to appraise the maturity and development trend of topics in MAIT cell studies. The collaboration network, including author collaboration and affiliation collaboration, were visualized by using VOSviewer. A total of 1041 related publications obtained from WoSCC were analyzed. It is found that nearly 10 years researches on MAIT cells surging with the US being the major producer. The groups of James McCluskey and Jamie Rossjohn contributed most to the research of MAIT cells. “Frontiers in Immunology” and “Journal of Immunology” were the most prolific. Activation and function are the hotspots of the researches of MAIT cells. Applying advanced sequencing technology to explore the interaction of MAIT cells with microbiota in diseases may be the research trend.The bibliometric analysis provides novel and useful data for the MAIT research scientific community, which was conducive to elucidating MAIT cells more effectively and intuitively.

A data center (DC) is supposed to efficiently distribute the bandwidth of the network to provide high-quality traffic transmission. However, the load imbalance issue can easily occur due to the complex topology and traffic features. Equal-Cost Multi-Path(ECMP) distributes traffic on different paths but doesn’t consider network congestion. Although HULA solved some of ECMP’s problems, it can easily congest the best path. RPS randomly distributes packets on paths, which can easily lead to packet disorder in some scenarios. This paper presents DHLB, a distributed hop-by-hop load balancing archetucture based on in-band network telemetry. With active In-band network telemetry, DHLB collects the necessary load information and stores it in the load information table. DHLB distributes traffic proportionally on different paths based on their load degree. We build a fat tree topology on mininet to verify the performance of our design. From experimental results, DHLB performs better than other schemes in terms of average flow complete time(FCT). It also performs better on additional overhead than another probe-based scheme.

This study examines ESP32-based static and dynamic load-balancing algorithms to enhance defence networks’ Wi-Fi range and traffic control. Real-time Wi-Fi scanning assessed the performance of these algorithms, covering response time, throughput, network latency, jitter, and packet loss. The static algorithm demonstrated a 5% lower average response time and 3% higher throughput than the dynamic algorithm, leading to significant improvements in jitter (from 1.01 ms to 0.80 ms) and packet loss rate (from 1.50% to 0.88%). On the other hand, dynamic load balancing reduced Access Points (APs) overload by 20% during peak periods, enhancing network stability and resource utilisation, which is crucial for defence operations. These findings highlight the contribution of ESP32-based load balancing, offering a practical solution to optimise defence network performance by enhancing throughput scalability and AP resource efficiency. The study provides essential insights into managing signal variability, congestion, and disruptions, offering valuable guidance for defence and security professionals in optimising wireless network infrastructure.