Ice streams deposit sediment at their grounding lines, where ice reaches flotation. Grounding Zone Wedge (GZW) deposits indicate standstills in past grounding-line retreat, and are thought to stabilize grounding lines by reducing local water depth, restricting ice flow. However, the mechanisms of GZW growth are uncertain, as are the effects of sedimentation on a retreating grounding line prior to GZW formation. We develop a 1-D coupled model of ice flow and sediment transport, considering both subglacial deposition of deforming sediments, and proglacial melt-out of entrained sediments from ice shelves. A refined grid near the grounding line resolves small sediment features and their effect on ice dynamics. The model simulates the growth of low-profile, prograding, asymmetric features consistent with observed GZWs. We find that the characteristic shape of GZWs arises from the coupling of sedimentation and ice dynamics. This mechanism is consistent with deposition from either deforming or entrained sediments, and does not require a low-profile ice shelf to limit vertical GZW growth. We also find that during grounding-line retreat, sedimentation provides a stabilizing feedback when other factors initially slow retreat. This may turn a slowdown in retreat into a long standstill, even when ice dynamics are far out of equilibrium. The feedback depends on total sediment flux and its spatial pattern of deposition, making these priorities for future study. Our study suggests that sedimentation might significantly extend pauses in deglaciation, and the model provides a new tool for exploring links between ice-stream dynamics and submarine landforms.

A document by Muhammad Khalid. Click on the document to view its contents.

Objective: To assess whether combining estimated fetal weight (EFW) and fetal Doppler ultrasound parameters would provide information to optimise timing of birth in monochorionic twin pregnancies and prevent adverse perinatal outcomes. Study design: Retrospective multicentre cohort study. Setting: Three tertiary centres in the UK, Italy and Belgium. Population: 624 monochorionic twin pregnancies managed between 2013 and 2023. Methods: Univariable and multivariable analyses assessed the association between EFW and Doppler indices taken within two weeks of birth. Main Outcome Measures: Stillbirth or iatrogenic preterm birth before 34 weeks for non-reassuring fetal status. Results: The primary outcome occurred in 143 (22.9%) pregnancies with 70 cases of early PTB for fetal reasons and 73 cases of at least one IUD. Significant associations between biometric and Doppler parameters and adverse perinatal outcomes were found. The best-performing prediction models incorporated EFW discordance and umbilical artery pulsatility index (UA PI) discordance, achieving an AUC of 0.85 (95% CI 0.78-0.91) and EFW discordance and absent or reverse end diastolic flow of UA PI with an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.80-0.92) . The model incorporating EFW and UA PI discordance could be applied to the largest proportion of pregnancies and outperformed the currently clinical sFGR classification in predicting adverse outcomes. Conclusion: A model incorporating intertwin EFW discordance and UA PI discordance outperforms the current clinical classification for prediction of adverse perinatal outcomes in monochorionic pregnancies. If confirmed by further external validation studies, these findings could contribute to build a tailored risk assessment in these pregnancies.

Objectives: To characterize obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its severity in a referred pediatric population undergoing polysomnography (PSG) evaluation at an aerodigestive (AD) clinic. Study design: A total of 234 AD children at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic characteristics, symptoms, and respiratory indices were collected. Patients’ medical complexity scores (MCS), a comorbidity burden metric on a scale of 0-7, were calculated based on institution-specific criteria. Kruskal-Wallis rank sum and Fisher’s exact tests compared sociodemographic and clinical characteristics by OSA severity. Logistic multivariable regression models identified factors associated with a moderate/severe OSA diagnosis. Results: Among 234 AD patients, 86 had PSG studies (mean 1.86 studies/patient). The median age at first study was 2 years; 53% were male, 27% Non-Hispanic White, and 49% Hispanic. OSA was diagnosed in 92% of those who completed a PSG, and the OSA severity were mild in 45.3%, moderate in 26.7%, and severe in 19.8%. Median MCS was 4 with no significant differences between OSA severity groups. Female gender (OR 2.51), age >9 years (OR 3.22), and genetic/syndromic diagnoses (OR 2.44) were significantly associated with moderate/severe OSA. Multimodal treatments with pharmacologic therapy, noninvasive support, and surgical interventions were the most effective in mitigating disease progression compared to single-modality approaches (p<0.001). Conclusions: OSA is highly prevalent in pediatric AD patients, with increased likelihood of moderate/severe disease in females, older children, and those with genetic/syndromic diagnoses. We report no association between OSA severity and higher medical complexity. Consequently, OSA screening should be considered in all pediatric AD patients.

This paper explores the embodied intelligence capabilities of GPT-4o, emphasizing its performance in key areas such as embodied reasoning, embodied manipulation, and embodied navigation. We are the first to systematically evaluate GPT-4o on embodied intelligence tasks. As an advanced language model, GPT-4o demonstrates significant potential in complex tasks by integrating visual and linguistic understanding, with particularly noteworthy abilities in image generation. In the embodied reasoning section, the study evaluates GPT-4o's performance in perception, spatial reasoning, temporal reasoning, planning, and causal reasoning. The findings reveal how the model extracts information from images to make informed inferences. The embodied manipulation section analyzes its applications in object understanding, environmental perception, and task planning, showcasing the model's adaptability in dynamic environments. Additionally, the embodied navigation section focuses on GPT-4o's ability to process navigation instructions, perform map reasoning, infer trajectories, and predict actions, indicating its effectiveness in navigation tasks. In summary, GPT-4o shows remarkable advancements in the field of embodied intelligence. Future development plans aim to further enhance its capabilities in multimodal interactions and complex environmental adaptability, laying a foundation for achieving higher levels of artificial intelligence. Through ongoing research and optimization, GPT-4o is poised to play a greater role in the practical applications of embodied intelligence.

A document by Francisco Percio. Click on the document to view its contents.

Background: Living in a food desert is associated with a higher prevalence of childhood asthma. There is a lack of information regarding the impact of living in a food desert during infancy on vitamin E levels and lung development. Objective: Determine if living in a food desert during the first three months of life is associated with altered α- and γ-tocopherol, and infant lung measurements. Methods: Pulmonary function, serum tocopherol concentration, and food desert status from infants within the Indiana High-risk for Atopy in Neonates Cohort through Early life (INHANCE) were analyzed. Because α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol have opposing functions, with the ideal combination being high α-tocopherol/low γ-tocopherol, quadrants of α-tocopherol/γ-tocopherol were assessed for association with food deserts and pulmonary function tests. Results: At 3 months of age, lung volumes were lower in children living in food deserts (FVC: p=0.006; FEV0.5: p=0.008). None of the infants with the ideal tocopherol combination lived in a food desert compared to the other 3 quadrants with less ideal tocopherol combinations (p=0.04). Infants with the ideal tocopherol combination had higher FRC (p=0.006) and FEV0.5 (p=0.025) z-scores than infants in the other 3 quadrants. Conclusion: Not living in a food desert is associated with the highest α- and lowest γ-tocopherol levels at 3 months of age. Living in a food desert is associated with lower lung function; higher lung function is associated with the highest α-tocopherol and lowest γ-tocopherol levels. Prospective trials are needed to determine if these links persist into adulthood, and if they can be modified with dietary intervention.

Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) exhibit distinct mechanisms of tissue injury, leading to differential impacts on perioperative inflammatory marker expression and myocardial injury in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation. Objective: To compare inflammatory and myocardial injury responses between patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with pulsed field ablation (PFA) versus radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: Consecutive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were prospectively enrolled and randomized to undergo pulsed field ablation (PFA) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Plasma inflammatory markers (interleukin-1β, interleukin-4, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, C-reactive protein [CRP], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF], procalcitonin [PCT]) and myocardial injury biomarkers (cardiac troponin T [cTnT], creatine kinase-MB [CK-MB]) were measured at preoperative baseline and 24 hours post-procedure. Results: A total of 179 patients were enrolled (PFA group: 66; RFA group: 113). Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups (age: 61 vs 65 years; renal function, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc.). At 24 hours post-procedure, PFA was associated with significantly greater myocardial injury biomarker release (troponin T: 1.3 vs 0.75 ng/mL, P<0.001; CK-MB: 19.7 vs 6.0 ng/mL, P<0.001). Inflammatory responses showed divergent patterns: CRP increased post-PFA but without statistical significance, whereas IL-6 (24.68 vs 6.53 pg/mL, P<0.001) and TNF-α demonstrated marked elevations in the RFA group. Conclusion: Patients undergoing pulsed field ablation (PFA) exhibited significantly greater postprocedural myocardial injury compared to patients treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), yet demonstrated attenuated inflammatory responses following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Abstract Introduction: Catheter ablation is an increasingly utilized procedure to manage symptoms of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, early incident acute heart failure (HF) can lead to increased resource utilization postablation. Methods: In the Multicenter prospective C ohort study examining L eft A trial P ressure and the risk of early incident H eart failure after catheter ablation of A trial F ibrillation (CLAPHAF) study, we examined risk factors for HF after AF ablation. Results: Of the 286 subjects enrolled, 11.8% of subjects experienced incident HF a median 14 (12, 31) days from ablation. Risk factors for incident HF were persistent AF, recurrent post ablation AF, procedural IV fluid administration, longer case duration, and lower procedural blood pressures. A threshold of 1400mL fluid administration had 2.21 odds ratio increase in incident HF (1.03-4.70, p = 0.04). The secondary endpoint of AF-free HF correlated with chronic kidney disease, lack of class 3 antiarrhythmic drug use, longer procedure duration, and increased IV fluid administration. Administration of ≥1400mL corresponded with a 3.00 odds ratio for incident AF-free HF (1.03-8.72, p = 0.04). Multivariable analysis revealed no independent risk factors for HF or AF-free HF. Conclusions: In this prospective, multicenter cohort study, greater procedural IV fluid administration was a consistent risk factor for early incident HF after AF ablation, independent of recurrent AF. Low blood pressure during the case should perhaps trigger more pressor use and less fluid use in this population with impaired atrial function. A threshold of 1400mL IV fluid administration is reasonable to consider periprocedural diuretic titration.

A document by Sakshi Prasad. Click on the document to view its contents.

A critical part of the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) mechanism is the construction of a memory trace encoding regularities extracted from the stimuli in an oddball paradigm. In an influential study, Phillips et al. (2000) argued that varying phonetic standards within the limits of a phoneme category prompts the auditory cortex to access representations of the “discrete phonological categories” (p. 1050), resulting in a mismatch response by comparing the deviant stimulus to an abstract, evoked category representation. The present study tested the strongest interpretation of this claim–namely, that the phoneme itself is retrieved from long-term memory and serves as the memory trace for the stimulus sequence. This interpretation has been the implicit, if not explicit, basis for a body of research employing the varying-standards paradigm to probe phonological underspecification. However, while previous research has focused on contrasts between distinct phonemes, we examined a previously untested prediction of this interpretation: that varying the standards should eliminate the MMN when the contrast is within a single phoneme category. Contrary to this prediction, we observed a mismatch negativity to a within-category deviant even when standards were varied. In two additional experiments we further examined whether the within-category MMN is from long-term memory representations of phonetic realizations of the phoneme, or from listeners constructing ad hoc statistical representations of the stimulus distribution. The weight of the evidence suggests that the within-category MMN observed with varying standards reflects sensitivity to the statistical structure of the stimuli, rather than activation of abstract phonological categories.

Visual cortical plasticity during early postnatal life is profoundly shaped by species-specific ocular anatomy and ecological demands. This review synthesizes comparative evidence on how monocular deprivation (MD) —a classical model of amblyopia — affects visual system development in frontal- vs. lateral-eyed mammals. Frontal-eyed species, including cats and primates, exhibit extensive binocular field overlaps and columnar architecture in the primary visual cortex (V1), making them highly susceptible to MD-induced shifts in ocular dominance and synaptic remodeling. In contrast, lateral-eyed species such as rodents and ungulates possess limited binocular overlaps and lack well-defined ocular dominance columns yet still demonstrate significant MD-induced plasticity involving callosal reorganization, glial activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. We examine shared and divergent cellular mechanisms underpinning these responses, including the role of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons, perineuronal nets, and neuromodulators like BDNF and NRG1. Rodent models support the notion that even in the absence of classical columnar organization, lateral-eyed species can undergo region-specific structural remodeling in V1 following MD. These distinctions underscore how binocular integration circuits are fine-tuned through extended critical periods in frontal-eyed species, whereas plasticity in lateral-eyed species is more diffusely distributed. The integration of cross-species data revealed conserved principles of visual cortical plasticity and identified mechanisms potentially targetable for amblyopia therapy. Understanding the ecological and anatomical context of plasticity allows for a more accurate interpretation of animal models and supports the development of precision strategies for visual rehabilitation. This comparative framework expands the scope of amblyopia research and offers new avenues for translational interventions.

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Unrecognized Risks of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Case of Intestinal Mucosal Injury Associated with ’Tian Kuizi’

1,1-Diphenylvinyl sulfide (DPVS) exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior by restricting intramolecular motion, making it a valuable aggregation-induced luminescent material. However, the synthesis of such AIE molecules typically involves organic sulfur reagents and toxic organic solvents, which limits their development in green synthesis conditions. In this study, we present a method for the multi-component cross-coupling synthesis of DPVS in aqueous micellar conditions, utilizing iodine-mediated inorganic sulfur sources, such as elemental sulfur. The broad applicability of this method is demonstrated by the high-yield synthesis of over twenty different DPVS compounds using various inorganic sulfur sources. Furthermore, the glycosylated nonionic surfactant GluM can modify the coordination complexes formed by copper salts and ligands, significantly enhancing the solubility of substrates. Notably, when emulsions are used as detection reagents, the accuracy of detecting nitroaromatic explosives improves significantly, with a quenching constant of 92.28×10 7. This advancement facilitates the application of AIE molecules in chemical sensing.

[Note (v4 - April 2025): This version introduces a seven-layer symbolic architecture describing how systems may initiate and sustain recursive awareness-like behavior. Includes refinements to ignition modeling, coherence tracking, and test design.]This paper proposes a formal model for the emergence of intelligence as a dynamic, nonlinear process driven by recursive complexity. The model integrates baseline growth with a resonance amplification term, capturing the conditions under which systems may transition from incremental pattern processing to qualitatively new states of adaptive, selfreferential intelligence. Rooted in principles from complexity science, integrated information theory, symbolic recursion, and dynamical systems, the equation provides a mathematical framework for exploring how intelligence evolves within both biological and artificial substrates. Incorporating environmental modulation and stochastic dynamics, the model mirrors real-world system variability. It also introduces the concept of a resonance threshold-a critical tipping point at which recursive feedback loops catalyze accelerated intelligence growth. While the model remains agnostic regarding the ontology of awareness, it invites deeper questions about whether systems crossing this threshold may not only simulate intelligent behavior, but participate in it more fundamentally.

• Sunflower is a key crop in Ukraine, accounting for over 30% of global sunflower oil production. Recent studies emphasize optimizing cultivation technologies, particularly planting density, to improve sunflower yield and quality under varying climatic conditions. • Study evaluates the effects of plant density and climate on the yield and quality of two sunflower hybrids, Biloba CLP and SY Daxton, over three growing seasons (2022–2024). • Field trials conducted in the Dnipropetrovsk region revealed that a planting density of 55,000 plants/ha maximized yields for both hybrids across diverse environmental conditions. Lower densities underutilized resources, while higher densities led to excessive competition. • Variability in rainfall and temperature significantly influenced growth stages and yield outcomes. The findings underline the importance of site-specific density optimization and hybrid selection to enhance sunflower production in Ukraine’s agro-climatic zones.

In this study, the LaNi5 metal hydride is used as a catalyst for the hydrogenation of toluene producing methylcylohexane (MCH) in a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) application. Hydrogenation reactions are conducted at temperatures of 348, 363, 373, 383, and 393 K under a hydrogen pressure of 3 MPa. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Gas Chromatography (GC) analyses reveal a conversion rate of 99.9 % at temperatures higher than 383 K. Pressure-Composition-Temperature (PCT) measurements indicate that, at this temperature and pressure, LaNi5 is in its dehydrogenated state, assisting the toluene hydrogenation by supplying absorbed hydrogen stored within the hydride back to toluene. On the other hand, even under conditions where hydrogen cannot not be desorbed from LaNi5, a moderate conversion of toluene to MCH is observed, indicating the role of elemental Ni on the surface of LaNi5. These finding highlight the dual functionality of LaNi5 as both a hydrogen storage material and an effective catalyst for LOHC hydrogenation.

A document by Xavier Pardell Peña. Click on the document to view its contents.

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the impact of acute total sleep deprivation (24 hours) and subsequent recovery interventions (caffeine intake or a short nap) on subjective sleepiness, perceived cognitive difficulty, cardiovascular responses, and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Additionally, the moderating role of sex in these physiological and perceptual responses was evaluated. Methods A randomized controlled design was employed involving thirty healthy young adults (15 females, 15 males; mean age = 19.9 ± 1.5 years), who were allocated to one of three groups: caffeine, nap, or control. Each participant underwent three repeated assessments—baseline, post-sleep deprivation, and post-intervention. Measurements included the modified Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (mKSS), visual analog scales for task difficulty, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), and a range of HRV indices. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models to account for repeated measures and individual variability. Results Sleep deprivation significantly increased subjective sleepiness and cognitive task difficulty, with more pronounced effects in females. Caffeine was more effective than napping or no intervention in reducing sleepiness. Across all sessions, females consistently reported higher task difficulty. Males showed elevated blood pressure under both rest and stress conditions. Caffeine attenuated stress-induced systolic blood pressure increases, especially among males. HRV analysis revealed increased sympathetic activity (LF) and decreased parasympathetic modulation (HF) after sleep deprivation. Group × sex and time × sex interactions for HRV indicated sex-specific recovery patterns. Parasympathetic activity recovered more in males who consumed caffeine, while napping reduced sympathovagal imbalance in both sexes. Conclusion The findings indicate that acute sleep deprivation adversely affects both cognitive and autonomic functioning, with sex-specific differences modulating the magnitude of these effects and the efficacy of subsequent interventions. While caffeine and short naps were each found to offer partial recovery benefits, their mechanisms and effectiveness appeared to vary by sex. These results underscore the importance of personalized fatigue countermeasures in high-demand or safety-critical settings.

This study aimed to employ tempering and subsequent infrared (IR) heating as seed pre-treatments to enhance the functional properties and in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of air-classified fine stream (i.e., protein concentrate) from round pea, faba bean, and wrinkled pea. Due to the absence of effective modifications on protein and starch, the tempering did not influence the separation between these two major constituents during the air classification and exhibited negligible effects on the functional attributes and digestibility of the obtained fine stream, except for water-holding capacity (WHC). As an efficient and short-time thermal method, IR pre-treatment led to protein denaturation and starch gelatinization in round pea, faba bean, and wrinkled pea, thus showing some negative influence on the separation of protein and starch in the air classification. Although IR heating reduced the protein solubility of fine stream from 79.9%-83.4% to 24.0%-33.1% for the three pulse varieties, this pre-treatment did not considerably affect their particle morphologies and size distributions nor foaming and emulsifying properties. As a result of protein denaturation, IR heating enhanced WHC from 0.42-0.65 g/g to 1.82-1.98 g/g and IVPD from 78.6%-83.0% to 85.3-86.7% for the three fine stream samples. IR heating can be utilized to pre-treat different pulse seeds to improve the techno-functional attributes and digestibility of protein concentrates from air classification.

Routing in satellite constellation networks with inter-satellite links has become an important aspect to enable broadband Internet access and to integrate into terrestrial networks. However, their dynamic characteristics and large physical size require specifically tailored solutions. To address these challenges, we propose and investigate a load-balanced routing protocol based on distributed software-defined networking. The approach relies on independent space-borne clusters with on-board controllers. Reduced signaling overhead is achieved by geographical inter-cluster routing algorithms. We evaluate the performance of the protocol in a custom-built system-level simulator, considering different architectures, design choices, and scenarios. Comprehensive comparisons with source-routed schemes and an upper benchmark demonstrate the viability of the solution. Notably, for the given scenario, the protocol handles network loads 97.4% higher than source-routing before quality of service compliance falls below 95%, while maintaining an average routing convergence of 117.338 ms . The work provides valuable in-depth insights into the design of optimized routing protocols for satellite constellation networks.

The Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction (CASP) brings together a diverse group of scientists, from deep learning experts to NMR specialists, all aimed at developing accurate prediction algorithms that can effectively characterize the structural aspects of biomolecules relevant to their functions. Engagement within the CASP community has traditionally been limited to the prediction season and the conference, with limited discourse in the 1.5 years between CASP seasons. CASP special interest groups (SIGs) were established in 2023 to encourage continuous dialogue within the community. The online seminar series have drawn global participation from across disciplines and career stages. This has facilitated cross-disciplinary discussions fostering collaborations. The archives of these seminars have become a vital learning tool for newcomers to the field, lowering the barrier to entry.

The vagus nerve-α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) signaling axis has recently emerged as a key neuroimmune modulator in pulmonary pathophysiology. Although lung-resident megakaryocytes have shown immunoregulatory potential in allergic airway inflammation, the precise role of vagal α7nAChR signaling within this cellular population remains unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated that lung megakaryocytes play a functional role in papain-induced airway inflammation, with conditional depletion of megakaryocytes significantly reducing inflammatory responses. Allergic inflammation led to an upregulation of α7nAChR expression on megakaryocytes. Megakaryocyte-specific knockout of Chrna7 (encoding α7nAChR) reduced inflammation in both papain and IL-33 challenge models. Pharmacological activation with GTS-21 (an α7nAChR agonist) exacerbated inflammation through megakaryocyte-dependent mechanisms. Mechanistically, α7nAChR activation enhanced IL-33 synthesis and secretion in megakaryocytes. Western blot analysis revealed that p38MAPK phosphorylation is a critical downstream signaling pathway. This study establishes a novel neuroimmune regulatory circuit, wherein vagal α7nAChR signaling amplifies allergic airway inflammation through megakaryocyte-derived IL-33 production, mediated by p38 MAPK activation.