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Extending homeostasis to thought dynamics for a comprehensive explanation of mind-wandering
Earliest evidence for systematic use of ultrahigh carbon steel in the ancient Aegean in the Archaic Milesia
This study presents the results of archaeometallurgical investigation of iron objects from the Sanctuary of Apollo in ancient Didyma, dating to the Archaic period (7th to the early 5th centuries BCE). The analysed precision work tools and semi-formed objects exhibit distinct material characteristics that differentiate them from other iron-steel artefacts of both small and large formats (weapons, implements, and architectural fittings) so far investigated in the Aegean. They were made of medium, high, and ultra-high carbon steel. Three objects belonging to this latter category consist of remarkably clean, homogeneous, and high-quality steel. After presenting the analytical results, this article discusses various explanatory models for the production of these objects and attempts to answer questions about the motivations for this innovation, highlighting their functional characteristics and context of production and consumption.
Spatially dependent Raman gain by vortex beam in a four-level N-typed atomic system
Abstract An efficient scheme for controlling the spatial Raman gain is proposed in a cold atomic ensemble with a four-level N -typed configuration. The cold atoms are driven by the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) vortex beams. Considering the control and driving fields are vortex beams and using experimentally achievable parameters, we identify the condition under which the topological charges (TCs) allows us to manipulate the radial distribution of the Raman gain spectra. It is found that the spatial Raman gain can be effectively controlled via adjusting the relevant optical parameters. Furthermore, we show interesting optical properties of vortex-induced transparency(VIT) and vortex-induced gain (VIG) via controlling the spatial Raman-gain spectrum. Finally we show that the azimuthal modulation of the Raman gain profiles can be realized and controlled when the control field consists of a travelling-wave (TW) field and two optical vortex fields. Our scheme may provide a feasible approach for constructing novel vortex beams based on cold atomic ensemble.
Are microplastics bad for your health? More rigorous science is needed
Association of red and processed meat consumption with cancer incidence and mortality: An umbrella review protocol
Background Many meta-analyses have reported the associations between red and processed meat consumption and cancer outcomes, but few have assessed the credibility of the evidence. In addition, the results of dose-effect analyses of the association between red and processed meat consumption and cancer outcomes were inconsistently reported in different articles. Here we propose a protocol for an umbrella review (UR) that be designed to assess these associations and explore the potential dose-response relationships. Methods We will independently search five electronic databases and two registers from inception to July 2024 for systematic reviews with meta-analysis concerning the associations of red and processed meat consumption with cancer incidence and mortality. We will conduct the statistical analysis between August 2024 and December 2024. Also, an up-to-date search for additional primary studies of cancer outcomes that were not included in previously published meta-analyses will be conducted. The main outcomes will include the incidence and mortality of any cancer related to red and processed meat exposure. A series of unique associations will be created based on the cancer outcome, exposure, and clinical or population setting. For each association, we will update the meta-analysis by combining studies included in prior meta-analyses and new studies that were not included in prior meta-analyses, and re-perform the meta-analysis using the random-effects models. According to the credibility of the evidence assessment, all associations with a P value of ≤ 0.05 will be categorized as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, or weak evidence. All analyses will be performed in R (version 4.2.3). Results The results of this UR are planned to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion The main aim of protocol publication is to get feed back from the reviewers to develop a standard protocol before its publication and after publication, it should guide this protocol to take up similar research by any researcher(s) by following meticulously this standard protocol. Registration PROSPERO CRD42023414550.
An enhanced protection scheme for power transformers integrating alpha plane analysis
Association of the TTN, PDK4, and RNF207 mutations with dilated cardiomyopathy in Dobermanns from the United Kingdom
A missense mutation in the titin gene (TTN) and a splice-site mutation in the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 gene (PDK4) have been associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Dobermanns from the United States. Additionally, a missense mutation in the gene RNF207 has been reported in association with DCM from a European Dobermann cohort. Based on this we examined the association of these variants with DCM in United Kingdom (UK) Dobermanns. We hypothesized that the TTN and PDK4 gene variants would not be associated with DCM in UK Dobermanns and that there would be an association between the RNF207 mutation and DCM. We included 74 client owned dogs (30 control dogs and 44 dogs with DCM) in the study. Allele frequencies for each variant were calculated. Chi-square testing was used to assess for differences in allele frequencies and genotype proportions between groups. Overall allele frequency in this cohort was 35% for the TTN variant, 18% for the PDK4 variant, and 37% for the RNF207 variant. There was no difference in allele or genotype frequencies between control and DCM dogs for TTN or PDK4 (p = 0.79 for both allele frequencies, p = 0.91 for TTN and p = 0.78 for PDK4 genotype frequencies). There was a significant difference in the allele frequencies of the RNF207 variant between DCM cases and controls (OR 2.4 (95% CI 1.07 – 5.15), p = 0.03) and genotype frequencies for RNF207, with a homozygous genotype found almost exclusively in DCM dogs (p = 0.034). We conclude that the previously reported RNF207 variant appears associated with DCM in UK Dobermanns, but there was no association with the previously reported TTN or PDK4 mutations. This is important when considering selective breeding in different populations of Dobermanns. However, the small sample size may impact the generalizability of the results.
Exome sequencing shows same pattern of clonal tumor mutational burden, intratumor heterogenicity and clonal neoantigen between autologous tumor and Vigil product
Determinants of oral health-related quality of life in orthodontic aligner wearers: A cross-sectional analysis
Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a critical measure for assessing the impact of orthodontic treatments, including aligners. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with OHRQoL among orthodontic aligner wearers. This cross-sectional study included 34 participants. OHRQoL was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), and malocclusion severity was measure with the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Data on sex, age, family income, and treatment duration were collected. Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine associations between independent variables and OHRQoL. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated to indicate the magnitude of associations, categorized as small, moderate, or large. Poisson regression was performed to identify factors associated with OHRQoL, reporting beta coefficients (Coef.) and standard errors (SE). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The mean age of participants was 33.8 years. In the psychological discomfort subscale, males reported higher scores, with a moderate ES. Family income showed moderate-to-large ES, with individuals from families earning < 5 wages reporting higher scores. Higher DAI scores were significantly associated with poorer OHRQoL across the following subscales: functional limitation (p = 0.002), physical pain (p = 0.001), physical disability (p = 0.005), psychological disability (p = 0.003), social disability (p = 0.001), handicap (p = 0.037), and the total score (p = 0.001). Younger individuals also reported significantly higher scores on the handicap subscale (p = 0.007). Younger individuals and those with more severe malocclusion experienced poorer OHRQoL during treatment with orthodontic aligners. Sex and family income also significantly influenced OHRQoL outcomes.
Clinically available predictors of obstructive sleep apnoea requiring treatment in type 2 diabetes patients in primary care
Abstract Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common yet frequently underdiagnosed condition in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly in primary care. Early detection is important, as untreated sleep apnoea may contribute to worsened metabolic control and increased cardiovascular risk. This study evaluated 164 patients with type 2 diabetes and found that 75% had obstructive sleep apnoea, with 31% requiring treatment for moderate to severe cases. Predicting obstructive sleep apnoea for which medical treatment is indicated (i.e., moderate to severe OSA) proved challenging, as typical clinical symptoms and most other readily available clinical parameters proved to be unreliable indicators. However, central fat distribution, indicated by a higher waist-to-hip ratio (odds ratio 3.31, 95% confidence interval 1.91–6.25, p = 0.0032), and the presence of albuminuria (odds ratio 7.46, 95% confidence interval 1.99–27.89, p = 0.0244), emerged as significant predictors, with albuminuria representing a novel finding. Screening tools such as the STOP-Bang questionnaire had limited predictive accuracy. These findings highlight the importance of targeted screening in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly those with central fat distribution or albuminuria, to reduce underdiagnosis and potentially improve treatment outcomes.
The ‘quantum’ principle that says why atoms are as they are
An improved ViT model for music genre classification based on mel spectrogram
Automating the task of music genre classification offers opportunities to enhance user experiences, streamline music management processes, and unlock insights into the rich and diverse world of music. In this paper, an improved ViT model is proposed to extract more comprehensive music genre features from Mel spectrograms by leveraging the strengths of both convolutional neural networks and Transformers. Also, the paper incorporates a channel attention mechanism by amplifying differences between channels within the Mel spectrograms of individual music genres, thereby facilitating more precise classification. Experimental results on the GTZAN dataset show that the proposed model achieves an accuracy of 86.8%, paving the way for more accurate and efficient music genre classification methods compared to earlier approaches.
Contributions of interspecific hybrids to genetic variability in Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. glabra
High resolution descriptors for UAV mapping in biodiversity conservation – A case study of sandy steppe habitat renewal
Due to the large-scale disappearance of grasslands there is an urgent need for revitalization. It calls for consistent and accessible monitoring and mapping plans, and an integrated management approach. However, revitalization efforts often focus solely on the vegetation component, and skip the link to other animal species that perform vital functions as ecosystem engineers and umbrella species. In this study, we combine an in-situ standard phytocoenological survey with an UAV-based technology in the effort to improve the monitoring and mapping of the sandy steppe habitat of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus; EGS), undergoing revitalization in the northern Serbia. It is a model organism of an animal species that enables identifying habitat quality and quantity indicators to understand the broader implications of the ecosystem revitalization efforts on the wildlife populations. The proposed approach tested whether the commercially available RGB sensor and a relatively high flight height of the UAV have discriminative capacity to aid site managers by mapping identified steppe development stages (specific plant assemblages, reflecting different habitat types). Thus, a novel set of high-resolution image descriptors that are capable of discriminating plant mixtures corresponding to Fallow land, Forest steppe and shrubs, Young steppe I and II, was proposed. Despite high resolution imaging, the method solves a challenging problem of UAV vegetation mapping in the case of limited spectral and spatial information in the image (by using only RGB camera and multitemporal approach). Although the lack of visual information that would allow identification of individual plant parts and shapes prevented the use of usual object-based image analysis, proposed pixel-based descriptors and feature selection were able to provide the extent of the targeted areas and their compositional carriers. Presented holistic approach enables implementation of effective management strategies that support the entire ecological community.
The association between aldosterone and lipid profiles in patients with primary aldosteronism
Shortcoming of ypStage staging system: Lack of differentiation for preoperative treatment
The eighth edition of the AJCC staging manual initially proposed the ypTNM staging system, which was specifically designed to assess the staging and predict the prognosis of cancer patients undergoing preoperative treatment. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether this staging system is an accurate predictor of outcomes for cancer patients undergoing different preoperative treatments. The clinical and pathological data of gastric cancer patients who received preoperative treatment and subsequent curved tented gastrostomy were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. A comparison of survival rates was conducted between patients with the same ypStage staging who received preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, using the Kaplan-Meier method. Additionally, a Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the factors influencing survival following preoperative treatment. A total of 202 patients were included in the study. The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in survival between patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy and those who received preoperative chemotherapy in ypStage II or III patients.Cox regression analysis revealed that ypT, ypN and ypStage were associated with OS, but were not independent prognostic factors following gastrectomy. The survival of gastric cancer patients who are classified in the same ypStage stage but who receive disparate preoperative treatments is not analogous. The eighth edition staging system remains in need of further refinement to ensure accurate prediction of prognosis following diverse preoperative therapeutic regimens.
Roles of C-reactive protein and LOX-1 on cancer and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the progression of uterine cervical cancer
Who’s likely to wake up from a coma? Brainwaves provide a clue
Exploring prehabilitation interventions for patients with gynaecological cancer undergoing radiotherapy: A scoping review
Purpose Radiotherapy imposes a significant physiological and psychological burden on gynaecological cancer patients. Prehabilitation is being increasingly used to prepare individuals for cancer treatment and improve their well-being and resilience. Whilst prehabilitation has demonstrated benefit for individuals undergoing cancer surgery, the structure, role and implementation of prehabilitation prior to radiotherapy are poorly defined and relatively unexplored. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current literature regarding prehabilitation interventions for individuals with gynaecological cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Methods This review was conducted following the gold-standard Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews. Literature searches were completed in October 2024 across: the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database; British Nursing Index; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; Cochrane library (Controlled trials and systematic reviews); Embase; Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online; and the Psychological Information Database. Grey literature searches were conducted via Google Scholar, Overton.io, and Trip Pro Medical Database. Results Ninety records met the inclusion criteria, pertaining to 56 studies. Cervical cancer was the most represented gynaecological cancer type across studies. A small number of multimodal prehabilitation studies were identified (n = 4). Studies evaluating unimodal interventions were more common, with nutritional interventions (n = 24) being the most frequent, followed by psychological (n = 22) and physical exercise (n = 6) interventions. There was considerable variation across studies in respect to intervention initiation, duration, delivery and outcome measures. Conclusions The physiological and psychological impacts of cancer diagnosis and treatment are closely entwined. Further development of multimodal prehabilitation to cohesively address these is an important area for future research. Studies evaluating exercise interventions are relatively unexplored in this patient population and the potential barriers to engagement must be considered. Future research should focus on complete and transparent reporting of interventions, with input from those with lived experience, and adopting a standardised set of outcome measures reported across all trials.