Search

Purpose: Cochlear implants (CI) are the most successful bioprosthesis in medicine probably due to the tonotopic anatomy of the auditory pathway and of course the brain plasticity. Correct placement of the CI arrays, respecting the inner ear anatomy are therefore important. The ideal trajectory to insert a cochlear implant array is defined by an entrance through the round window membrane and continues as long as possible parallel to the basal turn of the cochlea. Image-guided surgery can directly drill with a robotic arm through the mastoid and execute an exact drilling of this precalculated most ideal trajectory. Here, we aim to identify critical anatomical structures determining the safest keyhole drilling trajectory by comparing easy and difficult CI surgeries performed with the HEARO Procedure: a robotic tool for image-guided surgery., Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography images of patients who underwent robot-assisted cochlear implantation surgery (RACIS) were included. Three of 25 cases had to be converted to conventional surgery because of the current safety mitigations based on anatomical distance. Radiological images in DICOM format were transferred to dedicated software (OTOPLAN® Cascination GMHB Bern Switzerland) for analyses. Surgical segmentation and previously planned trajectories were analyzed for these 25 cases by comparing cochlear sizes, facial recess sizes, round window sizes, and trajectory angles. In addition, facial recess angle, and cochlear orientation angles were measured with RadiAnt DICOM Viewer (Medixant, Pozan, Poland)., Results: Facial recess size, facial recess angle, and distance between the facial nerve and safe trajectory were smaller in patient who converted from robotic surgery to conventional. A significant positive correlation existed between basal turn angle and in-plane angle (p = 0.001, r = 0.859). In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between the basal turn length and the last electrode insertion depth degree (p = 0.007, r = 0.545)., Conclusion: In our robotic surgery cases, we demonstrate that the limiting factors of anatomical relationships are constituted by the dimensions of the facial recess and the cochlear orientation. The findings of this study are considered to be a reference for future studies in achieving collision-free trajectory planning in robotic-assisted cochlear implant surgery., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: Ethical approval was obtained from Medical Ethics Committee UZ Brussel Hospital with number 1432022000187. This study was presented as orally on the 7th World Congress of Cochlear Implantation in Emerging Nations in Istanbul, Turkey between 14 and 16 September 2023. This study was produced from the PhD thesis of Saliha Seda ADANIR (National Thesis Center ( https://tez.yok.gov.tr/ ), thesis id: 842389). Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

It is estimated that approximately 66% of Kazakhstan's territory is susceptible to desertification. One of the most significantly affected regions in terms of land degradation is the Ile-Balkhash Basin, where environmental pressures have intensified due to factors such as water scarcity, soil erosion and unsustainable land use practices. This study aims to evaluate the dynamics and risk rates of desertification, as well as its severity, in the Ile-Balkhash region. To achieve the set goal of objectives, a variety of methods were employed, including desertification divided index (DDI) for the identification of desertification dynamics, correlation analysis for the detection of relationships between different indicators, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for the modelling of the desertification risk rate in the study area. The spatial distribution of desertification degrees (severe, high, medium, low, and non-desertification) was identified using DDI methodologies. The results indicate that the area of severe desertification in the dry region exhibited a decline by 2020, followed by an increase. The area of high desertification and non-desertification regions has increased, while medium and low desertification areas remained relatively unchanged. The northern part of the region is experiencing the most rapid increase in DDI due to human agricultural activities and landscape features. The results of the correlation analysis indicate that precipitation is the primary factor influencing the spatial distribution of desertification. In addition, the results of the PCA model based on spectral indices indicate that the northern part of the region, where land use for pasture is prevalent, is the most vulnerable to desertification. The potential for further land degradation is heightened by the current mismanagement of land and the failure to adequately address shifting climate conditions. Factors such as temperature fluctuations, overgrazing, and specific landscape features serve to exacerbate the process of desertification. This comprehensive examination of land desertification can facilitate the formulation of effective policy strategies for the implementation of land rehabilitation plans in the Ile-Balkhash region and arid areas of southern Kazakhstan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive set of regionally relevant indicators and metrics is crucial for tracking progress in transforming food systems to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Household food security, foundational to sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems, aligns with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). Policymakers require accurate data to guide decisions, yet a major challenge is developing scientifically sound, participatory, and reproducible approaches for sub-national food system indicators and metrics. This study addresses this need by using the Delphi research method to create a multi-indicator system of both stand-alone and complementary food security metrics specific to Hawaiʻi. Engaging 24 food security experts in Hawaiʻi, with a 58% response rate in the second round, consensus was achieved on 55 of 71 metrics (78%). The U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) received the highest rating among stand-alone metrics (3.5, SD = 0.8). Complementary metrics were organized within a framework encompassing the four dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability. Access metrics received top ratings, including the 'rate of households below the ALICE threshold' (4.4, SD = 0.7). ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed, and refers to households that earn enough to be ineligible for many public assistance programs but not enough to afford basic necessities. Results highlight the need to clarify terminology, address food (in)security misconceptions, develop new metrics for data gaps, and prioritize initiatives like the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that address Hawaiʻi's high living costs and enhance food access. The participatory, multidimensional metrics model presented here is adaptable to other regions, extending its impact beyond Hawaiʻi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone-mediated scaling of agricultural technologies (MPSATs) attracts attention as an effective approach for promoting agricultural development and sustainability. Despite the growing interest, a comprehensive understanding of drivers of MPSAT at the farm level and the evidence base of their impacts remains limited. To fill this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of 18 relevant empirical studies covering 10,757 farmers across 12 countries. Meta-analyses reveal that farmers' innovativeness and full-time farming increase the odds of adopting agricultural technologies. Age, gender, digital skills, mobile phone device ownership, and membership in farmer groups also influence MPSAT but display heterogeneity. Moderation analysis reveals that the development status of countries plays a moderating role in variables such as asset ownership and farm size. Moreover, the results show that using mobile phones as a standalone method increases the odds of adopting agricultural technologies by 2%. In combination with traditional extension methods, this figure rises significantly to 17%. Additionally, MPSAT increases yields by 2%, and profits by 5%, and contributes to a 3% improvement in farmers' learning outcomes. This study sheds light on the potential and multifaceted nature of MPSAT, providing insights for policymakers and practitioners promoting sustainable agriculture through digital technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many countries worldwide face the problem of underdeveloped fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children. Active play (AP) holds significant potential for enhancing children's FMS based on its free-choice and unstructured nature, as well as its ease of implementation and dissemination. Therefore, the primary objective of this systematic review was to determine the effects of AP interventions on FMS in typically developing children. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in six electronic databases, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wan Fang Data, from database inception to May 30, 2024. The main inclusion criteria for literature screening included the intervention modality being AP, the outcome indicator as FMS, and the intervention being for typically developing children. Information on countries and regions, study types, experimental designs, sample characteristics, measurement methods, and intervention effects of the included literature were extracted for the included literature. To assess the risk of bias in the literature, the RoB2.0 tool was used for RCTs, while the ROBINS-I 2.0 tool was applied to non-RCTs. Result: Of the 3,672 articles retrieved, 9 studies were ultimately included in this review. The risk of bias assessment identified 3 studies as having a low risk of bias and 6 as having a moderate risk. The AP interventions in these 9 studies exhibited varying characteristics, with individual intervention durations ranging from 45 to 60 min, intervention frequencies ranging from once a week to four times per week, and intervention periods spanning from 4 weeks to 6 months. FMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2), the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Peabody Development Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2), and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). Regarding the effects of AP interventions on children's FMS, seven studies reported a significant effect, while two others reported no significant effect. Conclusion: Although the results of the included studies are inconsistent, AP interventions generally demonstrate a positive effect on FMS in typically developing children. To better understand the potential of AP in developing FMS in children, high-quality AP interventions and more in-depth studies across diverse populations, settings, and timeframes are needed. Additionally, greater clarity is needed regarding the components of AP interventions and their quantitative relationships with FMS efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this paper is to examine, both theoretically and empirically, two distinct approaches through which artistic research intersects with academia. This examination is undertaken to critically evaluate the paradigmatic tensions arising from the juxtaposition of unfettered artistic exploration and the escalating pressures for demonstrable outcomes, accountability, and process transparency inherent in managerial contexts. Consequently, the theoretical underpinnings of artistic interventions within organizational settings will be explicated, emphasizing the academic community's exploration and application of such modes of artistic inquiry. Conversely, the approach of art-based research will be delineated, emphasizing its utilization of artistic modalities to investigate phenomena through a scientific lens. Moreover, prominent theories positing academic research as constraining artistic experimentation will be outlined. Finally, drawing upon four case reports conducted within academic environments, a novel method will be proposed to mitigate the encroachment of increasingly institutionalized approaches towards the arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastoidectomy is critical in acoustic neuroma surgery, where precise planning of the bone milling area is essential for surgical navigation. The complexity of representing the irregular volumetric area and the presence of high-risk structures (e.g., blood vessels and nerves) complicate this task. In order to determine the bone area to mill using preoperative CT images automatically, we propose an automated planning method using evolutionary multi-objective optimization for safer and more efficient milling plans. High-resolution segmentation of the adjacent risk structures is performed on preoperative CT images with a template-based approach. The maximum milling area is defined based on constraints from the risk structures and tool dimensions. Deformation fields are used to simplify the volumetric area into limited continuous parameters suitable for optimization. Finally, a multi-objective optimization algorithm is used to achieve a Pareto-optimal design. Compared with manual planning on six volumes, our method reduced the potential damage to the scala vestibuli by 29.8%, improved the milling boundary smoothness by 78.3%, and increased target accessibility by 26.4%. Assessment by surgeons confirmed the clinical feasibility of the generated plans. In summary, this study presents a parameterization approach to irregular volumetric regions, enabling automated milling area planning through optimization techniques that ensure safety and feasibility. This method is also adaptable to various volumetric planning scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid advancement and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have raised significant concerns regarding privacy information disclosure. As AI-enabled IoT devices collect, process, and share vast amounts of personal data, it is crucial to understand the current state of research on this topic and identify areas for future investigation. This research systematically analyzed 38 peer-reviewed articles on privacy information disclosure in the AI-enabled IoT context. The analysis yielded pivotal themes pertinent to information disclosure in the IoT realm, encompassing facets such as consumer IoT adoption, personalized service, the commodification of information, external threats, vulnerability, innovation, regulation, behavioral patterns, trust, demographic considerations, user satisfaction, strategic marketing plans, and institutional reputation. This paper posits a combined summary research framework explaining user-centric information disclosure behavior in the IoT sphere in light of these disclosures. The insights presented cater to diverse stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and businesses, aiming for optimized AI-integrated IoT engagement while prioritizing privacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a great challenge for a safe surgery to localize the cutting tip during laminar grinding. To address this problem, we develop a framework of state estimation based on the CT image–force model. For the proposed framework, the pre-operative CT image and intra-operative milling force signal work as source inputs. In the framework, a bone milling force prediction model is built, and the surgical planned paths can be transformed into the prediction sequences of milling force. The intra-operative milling force signal is segmented by the tumbling window algorithm. Then, the similarity between the prediction sequences and the segmented milling signal is derived by the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm. The derived similarity indicates the position of the cutting tip. Finally, to overcome influences of some factors, we used the random sample consensus (RANSAC). The code of the functional simulations has be opened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, leading to a paradigm shift in the digital landscape. However, these technological strides have introduced new challenges, particularly in cybersecurity. IoT devices, inherently connected to the internet, are susceptible to various forms of attacks. Moreover, IoT services often handle sensitive user data, which could be exploited by malicious actors or unauthorized service providers. As IoT ecosystems expand, the convergence of traditional and cloud-based systems presents unique security threats in the absence of uniform regulations. Cloud-based IoT systems, enabled by Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) models, offer flexibility and scalability but also pose additional security risks. The intricate interaction between these systems and traditional IoT devices demands comprehensive strategies to protect data integrity and user privacy. This paper highlights the pressing security concerns associated with the widespread adoption of IoT devices and services. We propose viable solutions to bridge the existing security gaps while anticipating and preparing for future challenges. This paper provides a detailed survey of the key security challenges that IoT services are currently facing. We also suggest proactive strategies to mitigate these risks, thereby strengthening the overall security of IoT devices and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to systematically review the measurement properties of the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) using the COSMIN methodology. A search of four databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL) identified 23 relevant studies. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the COSMIN risk of bias checklist; the measurement properties of the TGMD-3 were evaluated by the COSMIN quality criteria; and the quality of the evidence was rated using a modified GRADE approach. The findings indicated that the test–retest, inter-rater, and intra-rater reliability, as well as measurement invariance and part content validity (relevance and comprehensibility), were sufficient, supported by high-quality evidence. The bifactor structure was found to be a more appropriate model for the TGMD-3, with structural validity and internal consistency rated as sufficient, though based on moderate-quality evidence. However, hypothesis testing for construct validity produced inconsistent results, also supported by moderate-quality evidence. Responsiveness was rated as inconsistent, based on low-quality evidence. Overall, the TGMD-3 is graded as "B", meaning it has the potential to be recommended, but further research is needed to fully establish its measurement properties. Future studies should focus on verifying the comprehensiveness of items of the TGMD-3 to optimise its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the value of teaching walking within the context of PE. It delves into the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective aspects of walking instruction, highlighting its multifaceted benefits for individuals across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teamwork is a core competence for all health care professionals and quality of care is a vital outcome. The pandemic backdrop of 2020-2022 led to initial chaos and adaptation of the nurses' roles and responsibilities in the intensive care unit. Therefore, the purpose was to describe the intensive care nurses' experiences of working in teams during the Covid-19 pandemic and discussing the results through the lens of transitiontheory., Methods: Individual and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 intensive care nurses. The interview transcripts were analysed using Braun & Clarke's six-step inductive thematic analysis., Results: The intensive and critical care nurses' experiences during the first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic captured chronological and conceptual commonalities, which were represented in three themes, "Losing the security of the ICU team", "Having time to adapt and finding structure for collaborative work", and "Gaining professional growth through adapting collaborative work to contextual challenges"., Conclusion: Losing the security of the intensive care unit team, having to adapt to constant changes, and the need to provide care to an increased number of critically ill patients led to a sense of being left to manage on their own. The intensive care unit nurses missed the interprofessional collaboration that had previously been a core part of their professional role. The adaptability and willingness to find solutions helped nurses regain control, manage the challenges they faced and find new ways to collaborate., Clinical Trial Number: Not applicable., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethics approval and consent to participate The national Swedish Ethical Review Authority in Gothenburg approved the study (DNR 2020–05961,) and follows the principles outlined in the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments, the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki, 2013. The head of the ICU departments gave informed written consent, and each respondent gave informed written consent before they were interviewed. Respondents were informed that results would be kept confidential and reported anonymously, and that they could withdraw from the study at any time without giving any reason or explanation. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

A liquid drop resting on a soft substrate is numerically simulated as an energy minimization problem. The elastic substrate is modeled as a cubic lattice of mass-springs, to which an energy term controlling the change of volume is associated. The interfacial energy between three phases of solid, liquid, and vapor is also introduced. Under the constant volume constraint of the liquid drop, the total energy of the system is subjected to a numerical minimization process by which profiles of both substrate and drop are obtained. The numerical simulation enables the modeling of the wetting setup with various parameters associated with solid and liquid phases, including the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of the solid, the surface tension of the three phases, and geometrical parameters such as the contact radius or thickness of the solid. The direct outputs of the minimization process are the displacements of the solid lattice and boundary points of the liquid, by which the behavior of all relevant quantities, such as contact angles in the three phases, as well as the effective surface tension of the solid, can be quantitatively studied. The resulting displacements of the solid are compared with the exact solution of the elasticity equation under the assumption of no tangential traction, and a quite satisfactory agreement is observed. However, at larger Young's modulus or lower Poisson's ratios the agreement between the numerical results and the analytical solutions is lost in the vicinity of the contact points. Interestingly, a non-zero tangential traction in the vicinity of contact points is calculated by the numerical outputs, indicating that the assumption of zero tangential traction is not valid generally around the contact points. The effective surface tension at the contact points is calculated for an incompressible solid substrate, showing a linear increase with respect to the Young's modulus of the solid, as δ γ = c E ., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, SIF and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Current methods for proteomimetic engineering rely on structure-based design. Here we describe a design strategy that allows the construction of proteomimetics against challenging targets without a priori characterization of the target surface. Our approach employs (i) a 100-membered photoreactive foldamer library, the members of which act as local surface mimetics, and (ii) the subsequent affinity maturation of the primary hits using systems chemistry. Two surface-oriented proteinogenic side chains drove the interactions between the short helical foldamer fragments and the proteins. Diazirine-based photo-crosslinking was applied to sensitively detect and localize binding even to shallow and dynamic patches on representatively difficult targets. Photo-foldamers identified functionally relevant protein interfaces, allosteric and previously unexplored targetable regions on the surface of STAT3 and an oncogenic K-Ras variant. Target-templated dynamic linking of foldamer hits resulted in two orders of magnitude affinity improvement in a single step. The dimeric K-Ras ligand mimicked protein-like catalytic functions. The photo-foldamer approach thus enables the highly efficient mapping of protein-protein interaction sites and provides a viable starting point for proteomimetic ligand development without a priori structural hypotheses., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Pharmaceuticals, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (IBU) and naproxen (NPX), are widely used for medical purposes but have also become prevalent environmental contaminants. However, there is limited understanding of their effects on aquatic organisms, especially regarding multigenerational and mixture exposures. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicological impacts of ibuprofen and naproxen, individually and in combination, on three generations of Daphnia carinata, a freshwater organism. Daphnids were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of ibuprofen and naproxen (0.1, 0.5, 2.5 µg/L and 0.1 + 0.1, 0.1 + 0.5, 2.5 + 2.5 µg/L) throughout multiple generations. The endpoints assessed were reproduction, body size, reproduction recovery, and behaviour. The results revealed that ibuprofen and naproxen negatively impacted reproduction, reducing reproduction output across generations. Additionally, daphnids exhibited changes in body size, with significant alterations observed in the F2 and F3 generations. Male individuals and ephippium were also present at all concentrations throughout all generations. Although reproduction recovery could not be observed in daphnids after one generation in clean water, the average number of neonates was higher in a few treatments in generation F4 compared to generation F3. In addition, binary mixtures of the drugs showed synergistic effects on daphnids' reproduction for most generations. The multigenerational approach provided valuable insights into the long-term effects of these NSAIDs on reproduction success and population dynamics. This study contributes to understanding the ecotoxicity of ibuprofen and naproxen in aquatic organisms, particularly in a multigenerational context and in the presence of mixture exposures., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standards. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Preserving the cochlear structures and thus hearing preservation, has become a prominent topic of discussion in cochlear implant (CI) surgery. Various approaches and soft surgical techniques have been described when approaching the inner ear. Robot-assisted cochlear implant surgery (RACIS) reaches the round window in a minimally invasive manner by following a trajectory of minimal trauma. This involves the drilling of a keyhole trajectory to the round window, through the facial recess, with no need for a complete mastoidectomy. It involves less drilling, less drilling time and less structural damage. A lot of attention has been paid to the structural traumatic causes of hearing loss but acoustic trauma during the exposure of the inner ear appears to be neglected topic., Aim: The aim was to measure the noise exposure of the inner ear during the robotic drilling of the mastoid and bony overhang of the round window. The results were compared with the milling in conventional cochlear implantation surgery., Intervention: RACIS on fresh frozen human cadavers., Outcome Measurements: The equivalent frequency-weighted and time-averaged sound pressure level L AF in dB and the noise dose in % derived from a noise damage model, both obtained during RACIS., Materials and Methods: The robotic drilling of 6 trajectories towards the inner ear were performed, including 4 trajectories through round window access and 2 trajectories through cochleostomy. The results were compared with the data of 7 cases of conventional CI surgery that have been described in literature. The induced equivalent sound pressure level L AF was determined via an accelleration sensor at the zygomatic arch and a calibration according to bone conduction audiometry. A noise dose for the whole procedure was calculated from the equivalent sound pressure level L AF and the exposure time using a noise damage model. A noise dose of 100% is considered a critical exposure limit and values above are considered potentially harmful, with the risk of hearing impairment., Results: The maximum L AF was 82 dB during fiducial screw placement; 87 dB during middle ear access; 95 dB for the accesses through the round window and 88 dB for the accesses through cochleostomy. The noise dose due to the HEARO ® -procedure was always far below the critical value of 100%. There was no acoustic trauma of the inner ear in all cases with the noise dose being smaller than 0.1% in five out of the six cases. The maximum L AF in the seven cases of conventional CI surgery was 118 dB with a maximum cumulative noise dose of 172.6%. The critical exposure limit of 100% was exceeded in three cases of conventional CI surgery., Conclusion: RACIS provokes significantly less acoustic trauma than conventional mastoid surgery in our findings. There were no observable differences in noise exposure levels between a cochleostomy or a round window approach where the bony overhang needed to be drilled., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Given recent declines in North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) reproductive output and calf survival, there is additional urgency to better understand how mother-calf pairs allocate energy resources across their migratory cycle. Here, unoccupied aerial system (UAS; or drone) photogrammetry was used to quantify the body size and condition (BC) of humpback whales on their Hawai'i (HI) breeding and Southeast Alaska (SEAK) feeding grounds. Between 2018 and 2022, we collected 2410 measurements of 1659 individuals. Rates of change in body volume (BV) and length (BL) were quantified using 803 repeat measurements of 275 individuals. On average, HI mothers lost 0.106 m 3 or 96.84 kg day -1 while fasting, equivalent to 2641 MJ day -1 or 830 kg of krill and 424 kg of Pacific herring daily. HI calf BV and BL increased by 0.035 m 3 and 2.6 cm day -1 , respectively. In SEAK, maternal BV increased by 0.015 m 3 or 14.54 kg day -1 (367 MJ day -1 ), while calf BV and BL increased by 0.039 m 3 and 0.93 cm day -1 , respectively. Maternal investment in calf growth correlated with both female BL and BC, with larger females producing larger, faster-growing calves. Finally, using 330 measurements from 156 females, we quantified differences in BC increase over four feeding seasons. Lactating females exhibited an average BC increase of 6.10%, half that of unclassified females (13.51%) and six times lower than pregnant females (37%). These findings represent novel insights into the life history of humpback whales across their migratory cycle, providing key baseline data for bioenergetic models elucidating the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and rapidly changing ocean ecosystems. KEY POINTS: On average, Hawai'i (HI) mothers lost 0.106 m 3 or 96.84 kg day -1 , equivalent to 2641 MJ day -1 . Over a 60 day period, this corresponded to an estimated mean energetic cost of 158 GJ, or ≈50 tons of krill or ≈25 tons of Pacific herring, surpassing the total energetic cost of gestation estimated for humpback whales of similar length. In Southeast Alaska (SEAK), maternal body volume (BV) increased by just 0.015 m 3 or 14.54 kg day -1 (367 MJ day -1 ). Further, SEAK lactating females showed the slowest rates of growth in body width and condition over a 150 day period compared to non-lactating females. Maternal investment in calf growth correlated with both maternal length and body condition, with larger females producing larger, faster-growing calves. In HI, however, the ratio between maternal BV lost and calf BV gained (conversion efficiency) was relatively low compared to other mammals., (© 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2024 The Physiological Society.)