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A cross-country analysis of feasible income equality using the sigmoid function and the Boltzmann distribution
This study uses the sigmoid function in combination with the Boltzmann distribution, originally developed by Park and Kim (2021), in order to calculate the optimal income distribution that represents feasible income equality and maximizes total social welfare. Feasible income equality refers to optimal income distribution that is realistically attainable. By employing the data on quintile income shares and the Gini index of 71 countries in 2021 from the World Bank, the results indicate that the optimal income distributions representing feasible income equality, the corresponding values of the Gini index, and the respective shapes of the Lorenz curves of 71 countries are somewhat similar to each other. These results confirm Park and Kim (2021)’s conjecture in that the universal feasible equality line, as depicted by the Lorenz curve, can be identified and applied across multiple countries, potentially serving as a quantitative benchmark. In addition, this study finds that the correlations between the quality of economic and political institutions and the difference between actual and optimal income distributions are negative, suggesting that the better the quality of economic and political institutions is, the closer the gap between actual and optimal income distributions representing feasible income equality. Furthermore, this study estimates the relationship between actual quintile income shares and optimal quintile income shares representing feasible income equality of 71 countries which can be conveniently used to find any approximate level of feasible income share for a particular level of actual income share. Given that high income inequality is associated with health, social, economic, and environmental problems, the overall findings from this study could be useful for designing income redistributive policies and measures.
Extraction and characterization of natural fibers from Muntingia calabura twigs for sustainable applications
In vitro study of probiotic Lactobacillus helveticus: Antibacterial effects on Porphyromonas gingivalis
Probiotics are gaining attention for their benefits as a supplement to improve oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus helveticus against Porphyromonas gingivalis, a significant pathogen in periodontal diseases. Antibacterial susceptibility was assessed using the well diffusion assay, with 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) served as the positive control. Biofilm biomass was evaluated using crystal violet staining. Cell viability in P. gingivalis treated with L. helveticus was determined using the LIVE/DEAD Baclight bacterial assay via fluorescence microscopy. Ultra-morphological alterations in these cells were further examined using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. The results indicated that L. helveticus significantly reduced the growth of P. gingivalis. The highest concentration of 109 cells/mL achieved the most substantial inhibition in the well diffusion assay, followed by concentrations of 108 cells/mL and 107 cells/mL, which demonstrated a clear dose-dependent response. Furthermore, biofilms of P. gingivalis treated with L. helveticus exhibited a notable biomass reduction of up to 85% at the highest concentrations. LIVE/DEAD staining confirmed a decreased in cell viability among the treated populations, while FESEM analysis revealed morphological disruptions in P. gingivalis cells treated with L. helveticus. These findings suggest that L. helveticus has a potent antibacterial effect against P. gingivalis, highlighting the need for further research to identify the optimal probiotic strategies that could enhance periodontal health.
Securing and optimizing optical transmission in quantum wells using OAM and advanced modulation techniques
Gradual reputation dynamics evolve and sustain cooperation in indirect reciprocity
Humans have achieved widespread cooperation, largely sustained by mechanisms such as indirect reciprocity, which relies on reputation and social norms. People are highly motivated to maintain a good reputation, and social norms play a critical role in reputation systems by defining acceptable behavior, helping prevent exploitation by free-riders. However, there is a gap between theory and experiment in handling reputation information, with experiments often failing to capture the complexity that theoretical models propose. Here, we address two key issues: what kind of information is needed to define reputation as a social norm and the appropriate level of granularity required for reputation information to function effectively. This paper combines scenario-based experiments and evolutionary game theory to investigate the social norms individuals adopt in real-world settings, aiming to uncover the stability of these norms. Our results show that reputations should be categorized into three levels good, neutral, and bad. Results suggest gradual reputation dynamics that increase and decrease gradually due to cooperation or defection. However, a person’s reputation remains unchanged only when they defect against a bad reputation. Our experimental and theoretical results support critical insights into the dynamics of reputation and social norms within indirect reciprocity, challenging traditional binary reputational evaluations. The gradual nature of reputation updating and the use of nuanced evaluations provide a more realistic model of reputation dynamics.
Effortless 3D radio maps generation for fingerprinting-based indoor positioning system
Daraxonrasib, a pan-RAS inhibitor, selectively inhibits osteosarcomas with activated KRAS by halting AKT signaling and matrix metalloprotease activity
KRAS mutations, which induce proliferative signaling driving many human cancers, are detectable in a small subset of osteosarcoma patients. The recently developed pan-KRAS inhibitor daraxonrasib, also known as RMC-6236, is capable of targeting a wide array of KRAS mutations and shows promise against pancreatic and lung cancers. However, the efficacy and mechanisms of action of daraxonrasib in osteosarcoma (OS) remain unclear. We evaluated the effects of daraxonrasib on the viability, proliferation, and metastatic potential of wild-type and KRAS mutant OS cells. We assayed the effects of treatment on downstream targets using qPCR, immunoblotting, and activity assays to explore the underlying mechanism by which daraxonrasib selectively suppresses the metastatic potential of KRAS mutant osteosarcoma. Finally, we investigated how the increased prevalence of GTP-bound KRAS enhanced the sensitivity of KRAS wild-type osteosarcoma cells to daraxonrasib using siRNA targeting RASA1. Daraxonrasib selectively attenuated the proliferation and migratory ability of KRAS mutant HOS-143B cells without affecting KRAS wild-type controls. Additionally, daraxonrasib suppressed the expression of the matrix metalloproteases MMP9 and MMP1, which promote cell motility and metastasis. Daraxonrasib selectively inhibited the AKT/ETS1 pathway in HOS-143B cells, whereas no such effect was observed in HOS cells. HOS cells were sensitized to daraxonrasib by knocking down the GTPase-activating protein RASA1. In osteosarcoma, KRAS inhibition decreased MMP1, MMP9, and AKT/ETS1 signaling. Daraxonrasib is a promising agent for treating osteosarcoma with KRAS mutations.
Centroid growth selective clustering method for surface defect detection in silicon nitride ceramic bearing rollers
Correction: High mean corpuscular volume as a predictor of esophageal cancer: A cohort study based on the Japanese Shizuoka Kokuho Database
Community acceptance of Ivermectin mass drug administration for malaria in Southern Thailand
Abstract Thailand’s goal to eliminate malaria by 2030 faces significant challenges, in part due to inadequate vector control measures. Innovative strategies, such as mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin, have shown promise in improving vector control efforts. This study aims to assess the factors influencing the acceptance of ivermectin MDA among residents in southern Thailand. In 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts of Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand, where an ivermectin MDA program was planned. Quantitative data were collected through structured surveys administered to randomly selected household heads using a standardized questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models were employed to identify factors associated with the reported acceptance of ivermectin MDA. A total of 391 participants were surveyed, with the majority (96.4%) expressing acceptance of the planned ivermectin MDA. Forest-related workers (aOR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.1–16.1) and those who believed malaria could be eliminated from their villages (aOR: 9.1, 95% CI: 2.8–29.9) were more likely to exhibit higher levels of acceptance. However, according to programmatic records, only 59.0% of the 3,137 eligible individuals completed all three rounds of ivermectin MDA. Key barriers to participation included absence from the village for unspecified reasons and reluctance to take the drug, particularly in later rounds. There was a noticeable gap between reported acceptance and actual participation in the ivermectin MDA. Targeted efforts to engage forest-related workers are crucial to maintain high participation rates. Strengthening community engagement by emphasizing the risks and benefits of ivermectin, outlining safety measures, and raising awareness about malaria prevention and control are crucial for improving MDA uptake.
Malaria, urogenital schistosomiasis and co-infection and nutritional status of school children in Ondo state
Parasitic infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, with malaria and schistosomiasis having the highest burden. This study investigated the prevalence of malaria, urogenital schistosomiasis, and co-infections and their impact on the nutritional status of schoolchildren in two communities in Ondo State. A total of 185 participants from Ipogun and Oke Igbo were screened for malaria and schistosomiasis infection using the ParaHit malaria rapid diagnostic test kit and urine microscopy. Anthropometric measurements were used to assess the nutritional status of the participants. In this study, a higher prevalence of malaria was recorded in Oke Igbo, with 36 individuals (57.1%), compared to 60 individuals (49.2%) in Ipogun. Urogenital schistosomiasis was also more prevalent in Oke Igbo, affecting 18 individuals (28.6%), while only 5 individuals (4.1%) were affected in Ipogun. Co-infection with both diseases was more common in Oke Igbo, with 13 cases (20.6%), compared to 4 cases (3.3%) in Ipogun. However, malnutrition rates were similar between the two communities, with 60 cases (77.9%) in Ipogun and 28 cases (75.5%) in Oke Igbo. Notably, participants with either malaria or urogenital schistosomiasis, as well as those co-infected, exhibited a higher frequency of chronic malnutrition. The likelihood of co-infection was significantly associated with gender and locality, with individuals in Oke Igbo being 0.78 times less likely to be co-infected (P = 0.00; CI = 0.09–0.49), while males were 2.19 times more likely to have co-infections (P = 0.02; CI = 1.13–4.28). This study emphasised the significant health burden posed by malaria and urogenital schistosomiasis co-infections among schoolchildren in Ondo State, highlighting the need for comprehensive health and nutritional interventions to address the challenges associated with these parasitic diseases.
Genome-wide identification of selection signatures across altitudinal gradients in dairy sheep breeds
Racial/Ethnic differences in emergency department triage assignment among visits for substance use
Background The opioid/substance use disorder (SUD) epidemic in the United States has become a public health crisis. Stigma by health care workers towards patients with SUD has been identified as a barrier to treatment. Additionally, racial inequities in wait times and service provision have been found in Emergency Departments (EDs). Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the racial/ethnic differences in severity of ED triage assignment among visits for SUD. Methods This retrospective study utilized pooled data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) from 2016−20. The dependent variable was the recorded triage level for patients with SUD. The independent variable was patient race/ethnicity. Analyses controlled for variables such as age, sex, and arrival by ambulance. Differences in triage level by race/ethnicity among visits by patients with SUD was assessed via multivariable logistic regression models. Results Of the reported 788 SUD-specific ED visits from patients with SUD, 56.0% were non-Hispanic White, 28.6% were non-Hispanic Black, 12.9% were Hispanic, and 2.5% were of another race. Visits by Black patients with SUD had 53% lower odds of being assigned to an immediate/emergent triage level compared to visits by White patients with SUD (OR=0.47, p = .025). Conclusion We found that visits by Black patients with SUD were associated with lower odds of receiving an immediate/emergent triage assignment compared to visits by White patients with SUD, after adjusting for confounding variables. Our results suggest potential dual stigma in ED care of being Black and having a substance use disorder.
Sustainable packaging using Aloe vera infused mango starch–wool keratin biocomposite films to extend the shelf life of mango
Preoperative assessment using a scoring system after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil for locally advanced esophageal cancer: Who can avoid surgery?
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) is highly effective for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and patients with a good response sometimes desire to avoid surgery. The aim of this single-center, retrospective study was to predict the probability of residual tumors using a newly devised scoring system and identify conditions that may obviate the need for surgery. Between January 2017 and March 2024, 106 patients received NAC with DCF, followed by radical resection at our institution. After NAC, patients underwent multimodal assessments to correlate the evaluation parameters with residual tumors. A scoring system was developed by incorporating the parameters that exhibited significant differences. After calculating the scores for all patients, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to determine the optimal cutoff value for predicting residual tumors. Eighteen patients achieved a pathological complete response, of whom 12 showed complete tumor disappearance, including lymph node metastases. The scoring system included the following seven parameters: endoscopic irregularity, elevation, and pink-color sign after iodine staining; identification of the main tumor, regional lymph nodes ≥5 mm in long diameter, presence of positive lymph node findings on computed tomography; and positive 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography. The area under the ROC curve was 0.957, with a cutoff value of 3 for residual tumors. All patients with a score of 0 showed complete tumor disappearance. Our scoring system suggests that surgery might be safely omitted in patients with a score of 0. Comprehensive and flexible clinical decision-making is essential.
IGF-1R promotes pain-like behavior in rats with myofascial pain syndrome via the PI3K/AKT pathway
Oak-YOLO: A high-performance detection model for automated Oak seed defect identification
Oak seeds are highly susceptible to pest infestations due to their elevated starch content, which significantly impairs germination and subsequent growth. To address this challenge, we developed a high-resolution imaging system and proposed an improved YOLO-based model named Oak-YOLO for efficient and accurate defect detection in oak seeds. The proposed model enhances the YOLOv8 architecture by incorporating EfficientViT as the backbone to improve global feature extraction, and integrates a Ghost-DynamicConv detection head to enhance the representation of small and irregular defects such as insect holes and cracks. Additionally, the WIoUv3 loss function is introduced to optimize bounding box regression for complex target shapes and overlapping instances.Extensive experiments were conducted on both single-object and multi-object datasets. Oak-YOLO achieved a mAP50 of 94.5%, an F1-score of 95.3%, and a precision of 94.% on the oak-intensive dataset, with an inference speed of 132.2 FPS. Cross-device validation using mobile-captured images further demonstrated the model’s robustness, achieving mAP50 scores of 94.7% and 93.8% on different smartphone test sets. Comparative evaluations show that Oak-YOLO outperforms existing YOLO models, including YOLOv9 to YOLOv12, by delivering a favorable trade-off between detection accuracy and computational efficiency. These results highlight the potential of Oak-YOLO as a practical solution for real-time seed quality inspection in forestry applications.
First quantitative evidence of territorial behavior in squid near spawning substrates
Abstract In loliginid squids, solitary large males have been observed near the spawning grounds in several species, but little is known about their reproductive behavior. Here we describe the behavior of spear squid Heterololigo bleekeri in a 300 m3 tank near spawning substrates. Observations were recorded on their proximity to the spawning substrates, agonistic behavior, and mating behavior. In both of two rearing experiments, individual males were observed to remain near the spawning substrates and display more frequent agonistic behavior than the other males, suggesting they formed territories near the substrates. The territorial males did not monopolize the females themselves or mating opportunities, suggesting that the benefits of territorial tactics are related to the complex fertilization patterns of this species. To our knowledge, this is the first report of territorial behavior in a squid using quantitative data.
Determinants of dental caries in deciduous teeth among Iranian school children: Evidence from a developing country
Background Understanding the social determinants of oral health is essential for addressing oral health disparities and facilitating the implementation of effective oral health policies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the primary dentition caries status among 7-year-old children and to explore individual- and family-level associated factors. Methods As part of a longitudinal study, this cross-sectional study was conducted between April 10 and May 8, 2024, in elementary schools in Isfahan, Iran. A valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 551 parents, including questions on demographic, socioeconomic, and psychological characteristics; oral health and dietary behaviors of their child; and some questions about the family status. Clinical examinations of the children were performed on-site at the schools. Based on the ICDAS II classification, six indices—including d₁–₂, d₃–₆, filled surfaces, missing surfaces, d₃–₆mfs, and d₁–₆mfs—were calculated. The correlation between factors was analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients. The multivariable associations of determinants were assessed using linear and logistic regression models (α = 0.05). Results Finally, 417 children were examined. More than 90% of the children had dental lesions. Based on the multiple linear regression analyses, the mean d₁–₆mfs score was significantly higher in boys (B = 6.9; 95% CI: 2.8–11.2, P = 0.01) and children attending public schools (B = 11.35; 95% CI: 6.3–16.4, P < 0.01), and lower in children with a housewife caregiver (B = –6.33; 95% CI: –11.7 to –0.95, P = 0.021) and those with a healthier diet (B = –0.25; 95% CI: –0.48 to –0.02, P = 0.029). The mean d₃–₆mfs score was also significantly lower in children with a healthier diet (B = –0.29; 95% CI: –0.5 to –0.08, P = 0.006). Based on logistic regression analysis, the odds of having a filled tooth were significantly greater in girls (OR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.51–3.59, P < 0.001), children attending private schools (OR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.17–3.11, P = 0.01), and children whose caregivers possessed a high school diploma (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.07–3.5, P = 0.048) or a university degree (OR = 2.47; 95% CI: 1.28–4.74, P = 0.007). Conclusion The prevalence of tooth decay was high among children and was associated with demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status of the family, biological and behavioral traits of the child, and the knowledge and mental and emotional condition of the caregiver.