Abstract: Background/Objectives: Nutritional status and the gut microbiome play key roles in supporting treatment tolerance and recovery among patients with colon cancer receiving chemotherapy. This pilot study examined (1) changes in diet quality and fecal microbiome profiles during 6-month chemotherapy and (2) associations between diet quality and microbiome diversity and composition over time. Methods: A longitudinal study of 48 adults with stage II–III colon cancer receiving 5-Fluouracil (FU)–based chemotherapy assessed diet quality and the gut microbiome at baseline and 6 months post-chemotherapy initiation. Diet quality was measured using 3-day dietary recalls to compute Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores. Stool samples collected at both timepoints underwent 16S rRNA sequencing to quantify Shannon diversity and taxonomic composition. Pre–post differences were examined using paired tests, and associations between HEI and microbiome indicators were evaluated with multivariable linear regressions adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. Results: Diet quality declined during chemotherapy (HEI 62.4→54.2, p=0.015). Shannon diversity also decreased (1.20→1.05, p=0.011). Microbiome composition shifted, with declines in Short-Chain Fatty Acids (the result of fiber fermentation)-producing taxa (Agathobacter, Bifidobacterium, and Prevotella), and increases in Bacteroides and Proteobacteria. Higher baseline HEI was linked to greater microbial diversity, higher levels of beneficial Firmicutes, and lower Proteobacteria. Changes in HEI were significantly aligned with changes in fecal microbiome profiles. Conclusions: Chemotherapy worsens diet quality and gut microbial health. Higher baseline diet quality appeared protective against microbial disruption, supporting a bidirectional diet–microbiome relationship. Early nutritional and microbiome-supportive strategies may help preserve gut resilience during chemotherapy.

Abstract:

Sexual health is a fundamental component of quality of life that is frequently compromised in cancer patients. In melanoma care, these issues remain under addressed despite increasing survivorship. This scoping review aimed to map the current literature on sexual health concerns in melanoma patients. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, five databases were searched (2010–2025). Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, including cross-sectional, qualitative, and systematic reviews. Sexual dysfunction affected up to 52% of melanoma patients, with higher prevalence in men (68.9%) than women (41.3%). Contributing factors included visible scarring, hormonal imbalances (e.g., testosterone deficiency in 69% of men receiving immunotherapy), body image concerns, anxiety, and depression. Women were more affected by body image and recurrence anxiety, while men experienced higher rates of treatment-induced hypogonadism. Sexual health concerns are highly prevalent yet systematically overlooked in melanoma care. Gaps remain in longitudinal data, cultural considerations, and evidence-based interventions. Routine screening and integrated psychosocial support are critical to improving patient-centered survivorship care.

Abstract:

Zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) ceramics are widely used in thermal barrier coatings and high temperature structural parts due to their excellent high temperature performance and thermal insulation characteristics. However, its high temperature phase transition, thermal expansion coefficient mismatch and thermal conductivity increase limit its further application. In order to improve the comprehensive properties of ZrO₂ ceramics, the effects of different CeO₂ doping levels (0-20 wt.%) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, tribological behavior and thermophysical properties of ZrO₂ ceramics were systematically investigated. The sample was prepared by a simple and efficient method of ball milling combined with pressure-free sintering, which has simple process and low cost, and was conducive to achieving the uniformity of composition and controllable microstructure. The results showed that 15 wt.% CeO₂ was the optimal doping concentration. At this time, the density of the material was the highest, and the hardness was 310 HV₁, which was 27.64% higher than that of the undoped sample. The friction coefficient and wear rate were reduced to 0.205 and 1.81×10⁻³ mm³/N·m, respectively, showing the optimal wear resistance. At 1200 °C, the thermal expansion coefficient decreased by 72.21%, and the thermal conductivity decreased to 0.612 W/(m·K). The improved performance was mainly attributed to the solid solution enhancement of Ce⁴⁺, grain refinement and phonon scattering effect of enhanced oxygen vacancy. This study provided an important basis for optimizing the comprehensive properties of ZrO₂ ceramics by component design.

Abstract:

The avian immunosuppressive and neoplastic diseases are great threats to the poultry industry causing huge economic losses worldwide. Most recently, the emerging hypervirulent variants of Marek’s disease virus (HV-MDV), partially co-infected with avian leukosis virus (ALV) and/or reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), have been identified as the key driver of tumour outbreaks in vaccinated chicken flocks, but the role of chicken infectious anaemia virus (CIAV) remains unclear. Herein, we have investigated the prevalence and co-infection of CIAV in 72 clinical tumour-bearing flocks collected from central China during 2020-2023, which has shown a CIAV positivity rate of 59.7% (43/72). Notably, the incidence of CIAV mono-infection increased significantly from 0% (0/30) in 2020-2021 to 26.2% (11/42) in 2022-2023, whereas CIAV+MDV co-infection decreased from 66.7% (20/30) to 28.6% (12/42). A total of 20 viral genomes of epidemic CIAV isolates from diverse sources were obtained, and the phylogenetic analysis including 91 reference isolates were clustered into four major lineages (A–D), with a clade C further subdivided into subclades C1 and C2. Clade C1 consisted predominantly of Asian isolates, with 88.5% (46/52) of the isolates originated from mainland China. Among the 20 new isolates, 17 were clustered in subclade C1, two in C2, and one in B. The VP1 gene phylogeny showed a topology largely consistent with that of the whole-genome analysis. Moreover, all newly characterized isolates contained glutamine (Q) at VP1 residue 394, a molecular marker associated with high pathogenicity. Collectively, our data suggest that prevalent HV-MDV variants together with CIAV co-infections are the primary drivers of the ongoing tumour outbreaks in Chinese poultry flocks. Furthermore, the increased pathogenicity observed in CIAV mono-infections, likely resulting from an independently evolving lineage among circulating Chinese strains, will pose a significant challenge for future control of disease.

Abstract: Background: Climate change is a known risk factor for poor mental health outcomes. While there is a growing body of research on mental health in Uganda, there is still limited evidence on the relationship between mental health and climate change. Therefore, this study assessed the trends of mental disorders, and the relationship between mental disorders and climate factors among residents of Kampala district. Methods: Ecological and cross-sectional study designs were used, employing quantitative data collection approaches. The data was sourced from secondary sources; mental disorders data were extracted from patient registers/files at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, and that on climate (temperature, relative humidity and rainfall) from Uganda National Meteorological Authority. Descriptive analysis, Spearman correlation and time series analysis was performed. Results: The proportion of mental disorders ranged from 3.5% to 47.3%. Relative humidity showed a weak negative correlation with mental health disorders (rho = -0.3620 P = 0.00458). Conclusion: The study revealed a rising trend of mental disorders among residents of Kampala. However, meteorological factors do not sufficiently explain this. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore these complex inter-actions further. Policy and planning efforts should prioritize strengthening mental health services to accommodate the growing urban demand.

Abstract:

Background: There is wide use of antimicrobials in chicken production worldwide. However, little is known about the factors that motivate poultry farmers towards antimicrobial use (AMU), and awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and how such factors can lead to AMR in bacterial poultry pathogens, particularly those isolated from chicken meat. Objective: To evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices about the use of antimicrobials among chicken farmers in the Mzimba district, Malawi. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 89 chicken farmers in Mzimba to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to AMU and AMR. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 15, applying linear regression and Pearson correlations analysis for KAP scores. Results: Among the chicken farmers, 46.1%, 43.8%, and 42.7% demonstrated good knowledge, attitudes, and practices, respectively. Training on AMU and AMR was significantly associated with knowledge (p = 0.002) and practices (p = 0.02). There was a weak relationship among knowledge, attitudes, and practices scores with p-values of 0.2, 0.07, and -0.05. Gaps existed in coordination between veterinarians and farmers and all farmers (100%) were accessing antimicrobials from veterinary shops without consulting veterinarians. Farmers were not aware of policies related to AMR and AMU. Conclusion: chicken farmers exhibited low KAP levels on AMU and AMR. This situation constitutes an emergency of AMR and therefore underscores for policy development targeted enforce regulations, and improve KAP through trainings programs on AMU, AMR, and importance of consulting veterinarians in chicken production.

Abstract: Background: As diets shift towards more plant-based patterns, nutrients mainly supplied by animal-sourced foods are under increased scrutiny, including sulphur-containing amino acids (SCAAs) such as taurine (TAU), methionine (MET) and cysteine (CYS), which support neuroprotection, antioxidant defences and cellular signalling and may therefore be relevant for cognitive health. Method: This systematic review examined the relationship between SCAA supplementation and cognitive function in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO were searched in July–August 2024 and updated in September 2025 (PROSPERO: CRD42024574453) for RCTs assessing SCAA supplementation or depletion and cognitive or psychological outcomes. Data were narratively synthesised with explicit consideration of contextual factors (e.g., co-ingested ingredients, exercise state, testing conditions). Results: Eight RCTs (N = 244) were included; all investigated TAU, with no MET or CYS trials. All used acute single-dose interventions, mostly in crossover designs, assessing core cognitive domains and mood. Across trials, acute TAU doses (typically 1–3 g; up to ~50 mg/kg) produced at best small, isolated cognitive benefits, with most outcomes unchanged. Combinations of TAU with caffeine more consistently improved performance but did not clarify TAU’s independent contribution, and effects on mood and wellbeing were generally small, inconsistent and only apparent under specific conditions (e.g., co-ingestion with caffeine, exercise or sleep loss. No trial characterised habitual diet or baseline SCAA status or recruited participants with low animal-source food intake, so cognitive vulnerability under reduced SCAA intake remains untested. Conclusion: Acute TAU trials provide limited evidence of short-term cognitive or mood benefits and do not clarify whether lower SCAA intake in plant-based diets affects cognition or mood. Longer-term, well-powered studies that characterise habitual diet and SCAA status, include MET and CYS, and assess cognition and mood in populations with lower animal-source food intake are needed to determine whether SCAAs should form part of strategies to support brain health as diets shift towards plant-based eating.

Abstract: Inspired by the idea in Ref. [16], which introduced a viscosity coefficient into the ΛCDM model to describe the expansion of universe, driven by curiosity, we also attempt to introduce such a positive viscosity coefficient into the rotational motion equation describing the disk galaxies, despite the physical spatial scale of the two objects of study are different, and then study what will happen. Coincidentally and surprisingly, we found that this equation can derive all the formulas assumed in MOND, especially the concrete interpolation function between the centripetal acceleration and the Newtonian acceleration, which however is empirical in MOND. But at the same time, something different from MOND was also obtained, that is, the critical acceleration, a0 in MOND, does not need to be a constant, but increases with the mass of the galaxy increases, and with the action of viscosity coefficient, the rotational galaxies will gradually expand radially over time at an extreme small expansion rate, just like the expansion of universe. However, unlike MOND, the model in this paper cannot rule out the existence of dark matter assumed in ΛCDM (in fact, we tend to consider the idea of this paper to be a further optimization of ΛCDM rather than an alternative to ΛCDM). Instead, the mass of dark matter can be used to help to adjust the value of A0 (here it just to distinguish from a0 in MOND, and A0 and a0 in the equation have the same meaning), thereby helping to better fit the radial acceleration relation (RAR) curve of galaxies. However, unlike ΛCDM, even if dark matter exists, it does not need to be carefully adjusted to meet the asymptotically flat rotational velocity curve of disk galaxies, which is considered to be unnatural by Milgrom and leading to the proposal of MOND. And the rotational curve of disk galaxies with this characteristic can be also achieved naturally under the viscous dynamics of the galaxy itself.

Abstract: Growing concerns over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have positioned hydrogen fuel cell buses (HFCBs) as a promising alternative for sustainable urban mobility. By elimi-nating tailpipe emissions and enabling significant reductions in well-to-wheel GHG in-tensities when hydrogen is sourced from renewables, HFCBs can contribute to im-proved urban air quality, energy diversification, and alignment with climate goals. De-spite these benefits, large-scale adoption faces challenges related to production costs, hy-drogen infra-structure, and efficiency improvements across the supply chain. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides a valuable framework to assess these trade-offs holistically, capturing en-vironmental, economic, and social dimensions of HFCB deployment. How-ever, incon-sistencies in system boundaries, functional units, and impact categories high-light the need for more standardized and comprehensive methodologies. This paper ex-amines the potential of hydrogen buses by synthesizing evidence from peer-reviewed studies and identifying opportunities for integration into urban fleets. Findings suggest that when combined with robust LCA approaches, hydrogen buses offer a pathway to-ward decar-bonized, cleaner, and more resilient public transport systems. Strategic adop-tion could not only enhance environmental performance but also foster innovation, infra-structure de-velopment, and long-term economic viability, positioning HFCBs as a corner-stone of sus-tainable urban transportation transitions.

Abstract: Heart failure (HF) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome in which abnormalities of myocardial relaxation, contractile performance, and neurohormonal activation contribute variably across disease phenotypes and stages. While advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is dominated by impaired systolic function and low cardiac output, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and earlier disease stages are primarily characterized by diastolic dysfunction, increased myocardial stiffness, and elevated filling pressures. These distinctions have important therapeutic implications, particularly with respect to lusitropic versus inotropic strategies.β₃-adrenergic receptors (β₃-ARs) exhibit signaling properties distinct from classical β₁- and β₂-receptors and are increasingly recognized as modulators of cardiovascular function under pathological conditions. β₃-AR activation preferentially engages nitric oxide–cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathways, promoting vasodilation, reducing oxidative stress, and enhancing myocardial relaxation, albeit with mild context-dependent negative inotropy. Experimental and early clinical data suggest that β₃-AR agonism may be beneficial in clinical settings dominated by impaired relaxation and elevated filling pressures, including HFpEF and pulmonary hypertension.Conversely, sustained β₃-AR signaling in advanced systolic HF may contribute to contractile depression, mitochondrial dysfunction, and energetic inefficiency. Preclinical and translational studies indicate that selective β₃-AR antagonism can improve systolic performance and myocardial energetics without increasing heart rate or adrenergic drive, positioning β₃ blockade as a potential “smart inotropic” strategy.This review proposes a physiology-guided, stage-dependent framework for β₃-adrenergic modulation in HF, in which agonism and antagonism represent complementary therapeutic approaches tailored to dominant pathophysiology rather than opposing strategies.

Abstract: Article 136 of the newly revised Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Public Order Violations establishes a ‘system for sealing public order violation records,’ with the provision that ‘records of public order violations such as drug use may be sealed’ provoking significant public debate. Against this backdrop, Professor Yin Bo of China University of Political Science and Law has repeatedly engaged with media interviews to offer a systematic theoretical defence of the sealing system. He emphasises its alignment with principles such as proportionality, protection of personal dignity, and the integration of punishment with education, positioning it as a preliminary exploration of a ‘criminal record expungement system’. This article, after comprehensively reviewing Yin Bo's principal arguments and the new legal provisions, introduces a Marxist legal analysis framework, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and the overall national security outlook, alongside formal logic and argumentation theory, to conduct a systematic critical analysis of his reasoning. The article contends: Firstly, from the perspective of class analysis and social structure, abstracting the sealing system as ‘universal rights protection’ risks obscuring its asymmetrical benefits within existing power structures. This may objectively reinforce ‘secondary protection’ for privileged classes while exacerbating relative insecurity among ordinary workers. Second, from the perspective of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and key discourses on drug control, the fundamental stance of ‘putting people at the centre’ and ‘zero tolerance for drugs’ demands a higher degree of preventive prudence in balancing rights protection and public security. Yet Yinbo's argumentation significantly underestimates the external risks associated with high-risk behaviours such as drug use. Third, logically, the argument confuses categories (‘minor offences—general offences—high-risk offences’), commits the fallacy of ‘generalising from the particular’ by extrapolating systemic overreach from individual injustices, and deliberately blurs the conceptual distinction between ‘record sealing’ and ‘expungement of criminal records’. This paper ultimately advocates: while upholding the positive role of the sealing system in ‘correcting labelling discrimination,’ it is imperative to strictly differentiate between types of conduct and occupational risks. A systemic combination of ‘tiered sealing + meticulous review + rigid accountability’ should be established to genuinely achieve an institutional equilibrium that both aligns with the direction of building a China governed by law and does not undermine the overall defence of the people's war on drugs and national security in the new era.

Abstract:

Despite significant advances in bank regulation and the widespread adoption of macroprudential frameworks, emerging market economies remain persistently vulnerable to global financial shocks. Episodes such as the Global Financial Crisis, the COVID-19 market turmoil, and recent monetary tightening cycles reveal that financial stress originating in core markets continues to transmit rapidly and forcefully to emerging economies. This paper argues that such vulnerability reflects structural features of contemporary financial systems rather than deficiencies in domestic banking regulation alone. Adopting a conceptual and analytical approach, the article develops an integrated framework of macro-financial blind spots that links global financial cycles, non-bank financial intermediation, and regulatory fragmentation. The analysis highlights how funding liquidity, collateral valuation, margin dynamics, and market-based leverage amplify global shocks through channels that lie largely outside traditional, bank-centric macroprudential frameworks. As market-based finance expands, systemic risk increasingly originates in activities rather than institutions, limiting the effectiveness of entity-based regulation and reinforcing emerging markets’ role as price-takers in global portfolios. The paper contributes to the literature by synthesizing insights from macroprudential policy, market liquidity, and non-bank finance to explain the persistence of emerging market vulnerability in an era of globalized funding. It further derives policy implications for macro-financial governance, emphasizing the need for system-wide, activity-based approaches, improved data and transparency, and stronger domestic and international regulatory coordination. These findings are relevant for policymakers seeking to reconcile financial integration with systemic resilience in emerging markets.

Abstract: Reversible thermochromic materials change color in response to temperature variations and hold significant potential in smart textiles. Their reversible color-changing property not only offers temperature indication and enhances textile performance, but also pro-motes smart textile development. This is achieved by improving the intelligence, mul-tifunctionality, and environmental adaptability of textiles. This review summarizes the characteristics and recent advancements of reversible thermochromic materials, including organic, liquid crystal (LC), inorganic, and photonic crystal (PC) types. It emphasizes recent progress in integrating these materials into textiles through techniques such as microencapsulation, printing and dyeing, and fiber fabrication. Furthermore, the review systematically examines applications of reversible thermochromic materials in smart textiles, covering areas such as anti-counterfeiting, temperature-sensitive regulation, and aesthetic enhancement. Current challenges, including limited stability, inadequate wash durability, and low color sensitivity, are also addressed, alongside potential development directions. The aim of this review is to provide a theoretical foundation and technical guidance for designing and developing reversible thermochromic smart textiles.

Abstract: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) remains treatment-resistant in 40–60 % of patients despite optimised serotonin-reuptake inhibitor therapy and antipsychotic augmentation. Emerging evidence points to glutamatergic dysregulation in cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuits as a core driver of rigid, maladaptive synaptic patterns. The Cheung Glutamatergic Regimen (CGR)—a fully oral, low-cost combination of dextromethorphan (NMDA antagonism), a CYP2D6 inhibitor (to prolong DXM exposure), piracetam (AMPA positive allosteric modulation), and optional L-glutamine (glutamate replenishment)—aims to replicate the rapid neuroplastic cascade triggered by intravenous ketamine. Naturalistic case series and individual reports from routine practice describe rapid reductions in obsessive intensity and ritual frequency, often within days to weeks, particularly when CYP2D6 inhibition is sustained and piracetam is added. Most side effects are mild, like temporary tremors, fast heartbeats, and trouble sleeping. However, serotonin toxicity and hypomanic activation need close monitoring. The evidence is uncontrolled and only based on one clinician's experience, though it is promising.

Abstract: The TCGS-SEQUENTION framework maps diverse ``dark'' anomalies---galactic rotation curves in physics and convergent evolutionary design in biology---to a single geometric origin: the extrinsic response of a 3-D shadow manifold $\Sigma$ embedded into a static 4-D counterspace $\mathcal{C}$ by a projection map $X$. In its present form, the framework treats the extrinsic constitutive law (the $\mu$-function) as an empirically constrained response that remains materially unspecified. Here we show that the recent theory of evolution by natural induction (NI) provides a concrete micro-physical mechanism: any high-dimensional network with slightly viscoelastic interactions and intermittent perturbations exhibits a second-order relaxation (creep of interaction parameters) that implements an associative inductive bias without natural selection. We formalize a dictionary between NI and TCGS and prove a regime correspondence between material state and projection permeability. Crucially, we argue that the ``low-gradient'' sectors---often misidentified as dynamical modifications---are actually the shadow of \textbf{elastic stiffness (the un-yielded state)} in the projection substrate, whereas standard Newtonian behavior emerges from \textbf{viscoelastic yielding} (plastic flow) at high gradients. Because NI is fundamentally a two-level relaxation, its reliance on ``timescales'' is reinterpreted in TCGS as geometric depth in $\mathcal{C}$, strictly preserving the axiom that time is a gauge artifact. This reframing resolves the ``ecosystem anomaly'' highlighted by NI---adaptive organization without reproduction---as a natural consequence of Whole Content on $\mathcal{C}$. Finally, we introduce two cartographic inquiries diagnostic of a viscoelastic micro-physics: (P6) a Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) signature in adaptation rates; and (P7) enriched convergent ``associative'' correlates beyond functional utility. Under this mapping, ``chance'' is not denied but recast as slice-level sampling of deterministic creep in the source geometry.

Abstract: Digital sustainable marketing is used by firms to communicate environmental efforts through social media and e-commerce platforms, yet its effectiveness in shaping green choices remains unclear in emerging markets like Saudi Arabia. This study investigates how digital sustainable marketing influences green consumer choices directly and indirectly through green perceived value and green skepticism. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 400 Saudi consumers who use digital channels and purchase offerings promoted as green or sustainable. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results show that digital sustainable marketing has a significant positive effect on green consumer choices and on green perceived value, while it reduces green skepticism. Green perceived value increases, and green skepticism decreases, green consumer choices. Both mediators partially transmit the impact of digital sustainable marketing on green consumer choices, revealing a value-enhancing path and a skepticism-reducing path operating in parallel. The study contributes by integrating positive and negative psychological mechanisms into a single dual-path model of digital sustainable marketing and by providing evidence from the Saudi market. The findings offer guidance for designing digital sustainability campaigns that enhance perceived value while limiting skepticism to accelerate green consumption.

Abstract: We propose a novel mathematical framework for understanding conscious experience based on the topology of 4-manifolds and the theory of Painlevé transcendents, with deep connections to quantum field theory and topological quantum field theory (TQFT). We conjecture that consciousness emerges through a \emph{two-stage quantum-to-classical transition}: pre-conscious processing corresponds to the $I_0^*$ fiber (dual graph $\tilde{D}_4$) of Painlevé VI (PVI); an intermediate quantum ``bipolar'' state corresponds to the $I_1^*$ ``fishtail'' fiber ($\tilde{D}_5$) of Painlevé V (PV), characterized by two bordered cusps representing coexisting quantum modes; and full classical consciousness corresponds to the $I_2^*$ fiber ($\tilde{D}_6$) of PVdeg (equivalent to $\text{PIII}^{D_6}$), with a single cusp representing unified percept. Each stage is modeled as a coalescence of punctures or cusp-removal on a Riemann sphere: symmetry-breaking transitions analogous to phase transitions in gauge theories on 4-manifolds. This topological structure is not arbitrary: 4-manifolds play a central role in quantum field theory, Painlevé equations arise naturally in quantum integrable systems, and the monodromy groups in our framework are mathematically identical to gauge holonomy in Yang-Mills theory. We demonstrate through WKB (semiclassical) analysis that the fishtail fiber ($I_1^*$) of PV naturally generates gamma-band oscillations (30-80 Hz) with temporal characteristics matching empirical observations of neural gamma bursts. The key insight is that gamma oscillations emerge at the \emph{quantum intermediate stage} (PV, fishtail): the PVI $\to$ PV transition initiates coherent oscillations, while the subsequent PV $\to$ PVdeg transition (cusp removal) represents the classical collapse from bipolar quantum superposition to unified classical percept. This provides a potential mathematical realization of Penrose-Hameroff Orch-OR theory while making testable predictions about observable neural activity. Our framework unifies concepts from Seiberg-Witten theory, topological quantum computation, and neuroscience, suggesting that consciousness may be fundamentally describable as a quantum-to-classical phase transition on a 4-dimensional spatiotemporal manifold with singularity structure governed by integrable systems.

Abstract:

Tau protein is a nonspecific marker of neurodegeneration, and its phosphorylated form, ptau-181, is specifically associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Calculating the ratio of the phosphorylated form to total tau protein can help distinguish AD from other tauopathies or neurodegeneration, as well as reduce the impact of individual differences in total tau protein levels. This also allows for monitoring and comparing the dynamics of changes within the same patient. For this purpose, two SPRi biosensors were constructed, sensitive to the proteins described: total tau and ptau-181 for plasma determinations. The use of these biosensors requires prior sensor validation, during which specific parameters of the analytical method are established. A study of the optimal concentration of the receptor layer in which particular antibodies were immobilized found that the optimal concentration for total tau protein determinations was 1000 ng/mL. For ptau-181, it was 90 ng/mL. Biosensor layer formation was confirmed by analysis over a wide angle range, which enabled the generation of SPR curves. The dynamic range of the sensors is 1–50 pg/mL for total tau and 1–100 pg/mL for ptau-181. The limits of detection are 0.18 pg/mL and 0.037 pg/mL, respectively. Low standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) values indicate good precision and accuracy of the results obtained using the SPRi biosensors. Specificity testing confirmed that no interferents influenced the assay. The method is therefore suitable for researching biological materials, such as blood plasma. Proteins were thus measured in the blood plasma of AD patients and controls. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the concentrations of tau and ptau-181 protein in both groups. The calculated ptau/total tau ratio for both sample groups also demonstrated high statistical significance. This suggests that a high ratio may be characteristic of AD. However, more extensive analysis is needed to obtain cutoff values. The ROC curves indicate that both biosensors have good diagnostic utility, with lower specificity for total tau.

Abstract: Muscle regeneration following injury reveals a striking paradox: the same phenomenon, fiber branching, can serve as both a beneficial adaptation in healthy muscle and a pathological hallmark in disease. In healthy muscle, branched fibers emerge as an adaptive response to extreme mechanical loading, redistributing stress, enhancing hypertrophy, and protecting against injury. Conversely, in conditions such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, excessive and complex branching contributes to mechanical weakness, increased susceptibility to damage, and progressive functional decline. This review explores the dichotomy of fiber branching in muscle physiology, synthesizing current research on its molecular and cellular mechanisms. By understanding the paradoxical nature of fiber branching, we aim to uncover new perspectives for therapeutic strategies that balance its adaptive and pathological roles to improve outcomes for muscle diseases.

Abstract:

Rapid phylogenomic analysis is essential for outbreak surveillance and large-scale viral comparative genomics, yet conventional alignment-based workflows remain computationally intensive and difficult to deploy at scale. Covary is a computational framework designed for large-scale biological sequence analysis. It is a translation-aware, alignment-free machine learning framework that encodes genomic information into biologically informed vector representations, enabling efficient genome-scale comparison without multiple sequence alignment (MSA). Here, Covary was applied to thousands-scale analysis of outbreak-causing viral genomes to assess its scalability and biological resolution. A total of 4,000 complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus, measles virus, and alphainfluenza virus were retrieved from the NCBI Viral Genomes Resource, of which 3,831 passed quality filtering and were analyzed using Covary. Results showed that Covary rapidly processed all genomes and consistently grouped sequences according to expected taxonomic assignments and known ingroup structure, including SARS-CoV-2 Pango lineages, dengue virus subtypes, measles virus geographic origin, and alphainfluenza virus clades. Covary completed the analysis in 45 minutes on free-tier Google Colab, inferring genome-wide relationships using modest computational resources. These results demonstrate that Covary enables rapid, alignment-free phylogenomic analysis of thousands of outbreak-causing viral genomes without requiring advanced computational infrastructure. In conclusion, Covary represents a scalable, deploy-ready machine learning pipeline for genome-informed outbreak surveillance and monitoring systems.