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Pupil dilation reveals the intensity of touch
Antonia Francisca  Ten Brink
Iris Heiner

Antonia Francisca Ten Brink

and 3 more

March 08, 2024
Touch is important for many aspects of our daily activities. One of the most important tactile characteristics is its perceived intensity. However, quantifying the intensity of perceived tactile stimulation beyond subjective self-reports remains challenging. Here, we show that pupil responses can objectively index the intensity of tactile stimulation in the absence of overt participant responses. In Experiment 1 (n=32), we stimulated three reportedly differentially sensitive body locations (finger, forearm, calf) with a single tap of a tactor while tracking pupil responses. Tactile stimulation resulted in greater pupil dilation than a baseline without stimulation. Furthermore, pupils dilated more for the more sensitive location (finger) than for the less sensitive locations (forearm, calf). In Experiment 2 (n=20) we extended these findings by manipulating the intensity of the stimulation with three different intensities, here a short vibration, always at the little finger. Again, pupils dilated more when being stimulated at higher intensities as compared to lower intensities. In summary, pupils dilated more for more sensitive parts of the body at constant stimulation intensity and for more intense stimulation at constant location. Taken together, the results show that the intensity of perceived tactile stimulation can be objectively measured with pupil responses – and that such responses are a versatile marker for touch research. Our findings may pave the way for previously impossible objective tests of tactile sensitivity, for example in minimally conscious state patients.
Cognitive and academic outcomes of large-for-gestational-age babies born at early-ter...
Dieter Wolke
Xuan ZHAO

Dieter Wolke

and 4 more

March 08, 2024
ABSTRACT (250 words) Background: Early induction of labour (38 +0-38 +4 weeks) in large-for-gestational-age (LGA) babies may reduce risks such as shoulder dystocia but may increase another risk of reduced cognitive abilities in offspring. Objectives: To evaluate the cognitive and academic outcomes of LGA children born at early-term (combined exposures or independently) in the light of existing research. Search Strategy: 5 databases were searched from inception to March 2023 without language restrictions. Selection Criteria: Studies reporting on cognitive or academic outcomes either focusing on children born at early-term or LGA. Data Collection and Analysis: Besides narrative synthesis, we conducted meta-analyses where possible. Main Results: Out of 1592 identified articles, no study investigated the effect of early-term delivery in LGA babies on cognitive or academic outcomes. 68 articles investigated the cognitive effects of early-term delivery and LGA independently. Children born at 37 weeks (SMD, -0.13; 95% CI, -0.21 – -0.05) but not at 38 weeks (SMD, -0.04; 95% CI, -0.08 – 0.002) have lower cognitive scores than at 40 weeks. LGA children had slightly higher cognitive scores than AGA children (SMD, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01 – 0.11). Syntheses results using cognitive impairment or academic performance as outcomes were similar. Conclusions: There is no existing study that investigated early-term delivery in LGA babies and their cognitive scores. Early-term delivery has a small detrimental effect on cognitive scores, whereas LGA may have a small benefit. Evidence from RCTs or observation studies is needed. Fundings: University of Warwick; UKRI (EP/X023206/1) Keywords: cognitive, intelligence, academic performance, early-term delivery, large-for-gestational-age, macrosomia, meta-analysis, systematic review
Interoception as a function of hypnotizability during rest and a heartbeat counting t...
Gioia Giusti
Žan  Zelič

Gioia Giusti

and 4 more

March 08, 2024
Interoception is mainly related to morpho-functional characteristics of the insula, which shows hypnotizability-related differences in grey matter volume. Interoceptive accuracy (IA, measured by the heartbeat counting task and by HEP, heartbeat evoked cortical potential) is lower in high (highs) than in low hypnotizables (lows). The aim of the present study was to investigate IA in highs, lows, and medium hypnotizables (mediums), who represent most of the population (according to the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale (SHSS), Form A), during a session including a simple relaxation (Part 1) and three trials of consecutive open eyes, closed eyes, heartbeat counting and post-counting conditions (Part 2). ECG and EEG were recorded in 14 highs, 14 mediums and 18 lows. HEP were extracted throughout the entire session and IA index was obtained for the heartbeat counting task. In Part 1, significant hypnotizability-related differences were observed in the right central region in both early and late HEP components, with lows showing positive and highs/mediums negative HEP amplitudes. In Part 2, the same group differences were limited to the early HEP component. Moreover, in the left frontal regions, only mediums modified their HEP during the counting task with respect to the open/closed eyes conditions, whereas highs displayed HEP differences between counting and post-counting rest. In conclusion, highs and mediums seem to be more similar than mediums and lows regarding HEP, despite the absence of differences in the counting task. Nonetheless, a negative correlation between SHSS scores and HEP amplitudes was observed in the regions showing group differences.
OCL-Based Test Case Optimisation with Modified APFD Metric
Kunxiang Jin
Kevin Lano

Kunxiang Jin

and 1 more

March 08, 2024
Testing is one of the most time-consuming and unpredictable processes within the software development life cycle. As a result, many Test Case Optimisation (TCO) techniques have been proposed to make this process more scalable. Object Constraint Language (OCL) was initially introduced as a constraint language to provide additional details to UML models. However, as OCL continues to evolve, an increasing number of systems are being expressed by this language. Despite this growth, a noticeable research gap exists for the testing of systems whose specifications are expressed in OCL. In our previous work, we verified the effectiveness and efficiency of performing the Test Case Prioritisation (TCP) process for these systems. In this study, we extend our previous work by integrating the Test Case Minimisation (TCM) process to determine whether TCM can also benefit the testing process under the context of OCL. The evaluation of TCO approaches often relies on well-established metrics such as the Average Percentage of Fault Detection (APFD). However, the suitability of APFD for Model-Based Testing (MBT) is not ideal. This paper addresses this limitation by proposing a modification to the APFD metric to enhance its viability for MBT scenarios. We conducted four case studies to evaluate the feasibility of integrating the TCM and TCP processes in our proposed approach. In these studies, we applied the multi-objective optimisation algorithm NSGA-II and the genetic algorithm independently to the TCM and TCP processes. The objective was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of combining TCM and TCP in enhancing the testing phase. Through experimental analysis, the results highlight the benefits of integrating TCM and TCP in the context of OCL-based testing, providing valuable insights for practitioners and researchers aiming to optimise their testing efforts. Specifically, the main contributions of this work include: 1). We introduce the integration of the TCM process into the TCO process for systems expressed by OCL. This integration benefits the testing process further by reducing redundant test cases while ensuring sufficient coverage. 2). We comprehensively analyse the limitations associated with the commonly used metric, APFD, and then a modified version of the APFD metric has been proposed to overcome these weaknesses. 3). We systematically evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of OCL-based TCO processes on four real-world case studies with different complexities.
Integrating Protein Structure Prediction and Bayesian Optimization for Peptide Design
Negin Manshour

Negin Manshour

and 3 more

March 15, 2024
Peptide design, with the goal of identifying peptides possessing unique biological properties, stands as a crucial challenge in peptide-based drug discovery. While traditional and computational methods have made significant strides, they often encounter hurdles due to the complexities and costs of laboratory experiments. Recent advancements in deep learning and Bayesian Optimization have paved the way for innovative research in this domain. In this context, our study presents a novel approach that effectively combines protein structure prediction with Bayesian Optimization for peptide design. By applying carefully designed objective functions, we guide and enhance the optimization trajectory for new peptide sequences. Benchmarked against multiple native structures, our methodology is tailored to generate new peptides to their optimal potential biological properties.
Development and validation of a geographic search filter for MEDLINE (PubMed) to iden...
Alexander Pachanov

Alexander Pachanov

and 3 more

March 15, 2024
A document by Alexander Pachanov. Click on the document to view its contents.
Battery Peak Power Assessment under Various Operational Scenarios: A Comparative Stud...
Ruohan Guo

Ruohan Guo

and 2 more

March 14, 2024
A document by Ruohan Guo. Click on the document to view its contents.
95 GHz Indoor Propagation Measurement and Statistically Enhanced 3GPP Channel Model f...
Yusuke Koda

Yusuke Koda

and 3 more

August 06, 2024
This study presents a 95 GHz indoor channel measurement campaign for a short-range communication scenario and proposes an improved intra-cluster stochastic channel generation procedure compatible with the well-known 3GPP stochastic channel model (SCM). The current 3GPP SCM casts itself to apply to the frequency range up to 100 GHz; however, there is no measurement-based validation for this upper limit because of the lack of measurement campaign for 90 GHz–100 GHz. Moreover, the 3GPP SCM generates the characteristics of intra-cluster subpath parameters equally to all clusters in terms of the number of clusters and per-cluster delay spread, falling short of capturing real channel characteristics, particularly for the usage of large bandwidth. Motivated by the first limitation, we holistically derive the statistical parameters of the 95 GHz channel propagation characteristics in a simple conference room scenario and compare these parameters with our 60 GHz channel measurement results in a similar environment. This investigation confirms the feasibility of the 60 GHz statistical parameters generalized for the 95 GHz band at least in the measured scenario. Moreover, to solve the second issue, we propose an unequal intra-cluster subpath generation procedure, serving as a 3GPPcompatible amendment for accurate channel generation. Numerical evaluation reveals the feasibility of generating channel impulse responses capturing more accurate intra-cluster subpath characteristics than the current 3GPP SCM.
Comparison of Accuracy of Gradient Boosted Trees in Fake News Detection

Fedor Kurochkin

March 26, 2024
Due to the rapid expansion of the internet, more fake news are appearing every minute which is a great issue that can cause damage to society. There were many papers before that focused on the possibility of detection of fake news using different algorithms. The gradient boosted models stood out in the accuracies because of how they were able to perform well on different datasets. This paper instead highlights the differences between gradient boosted models involving XGBoost, CatBoost and lightGBM. Each of the models was tested with different hyperparameters that were fitted using grid search in order to maximise accuracy of each algorithm. The models were used on the same preprocessed dataset with extracted features to see the difference in accuracies to determine which one is the best. All of the models in the end came out with similar results but XGBoost was able to outperform the other models.
Interrelación de mapas geológicos del SGN con inventarios de pozos para uso en la pro...
Gabriel Barinas

Gabriel Barinas

and 1 more

March 14, 2024
A document by Gabriel Barinas. Click on the document to view its contents.
Comparison of Integrated and External Arterial Filters in Patients Undergoing Pediatr...
Dr. Vishal V. Bhende

Dr. Vishal Vinayak Bhende

and 8 more

March 15, 2024
A document by Dr. Vishal V. Bhende. Click on the document to view its contents.
Artificial Intelligence in Combat Decision-making: Weapon Target Assignment via Reinf...
Oh Seung Heon

Seung Heon Oh

and 4 more

March 04, 2025
Selecting a threat to attack is one of the most important decisions on the battlefield. The decision problem is represented as a Weapon-Target Assignment problem (WTA) problem. In the previous studies, dynamic programming, linear programming, metaheuristics, and heuristic methods have been applied to solve this problem. However, previous studies have been limited by oversimplified-model, computational burden, lack of adaptability to disruptive events, and recalculation when the problem size changes. To overcome these limitations, this study aims to solve WTA by using reinforcement learning and graph neural networks. The proposed method has high practicality by reflecting the real-world decision-making framework, OODA-loop (Observe-Orient-Decide). Experiments are conducted in various environments, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by comparing it with existing heuristic and meta-heuristic methodologies. The proposed method introduces a groundbreaking methodology for intelligent decision-making in tactical command and control traditionally considered exclusive to human-expert.
Carcinoid Heart Disease: A Comprehensive Review and Update on Pathophysiology, Diagno...
Muhammad Hamza Shah

Muhammad Hamza Shah

and 9 more

March 14, 2024
Muhammad Hamza Shah1,2, Eleni Flari1,2, Brandon S H Low3, Subham Roy4, Arjun Ahluwalia1, Aditya Gaur5, John Hanna1, Ashna Arif1, Marco David Bokobza De la Rosa6, Amer Harky71 School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK2 Centre for Anatomy, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK3 College of Medical & Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK4 Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK5 School of Medicine, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK6 School of Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK7 Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UKCorresponding Author: Muhammad Hamza Shah, mshah03@qub.ac.ukSchool of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, UK BT9 7BL
Wideband SIW Based Frequency Selective Surface using Exponential Tapering Technique

March 06, 2024
In this paper, a new design approach is proposed for a frequency selective surface (FSS) based on surface integrated waveguide (SIW) technique using exponential tapering. Here, the unit cell of the FSS is an exponentially tapered cross-slot structure designed on either side of a low-loss substrate. The FSS exhibits good angular stability for TE and TM polarizations up to 30 0. The FSS element shows ≈ 34% wide bandpass response in the X-band region i.e., −3 dB transmission bandwidth from 8.69 GHz to 12.07 GHz, with low insertion loss of 0.1 dB and sharp roll-off characteristics. Extensive studies on various design parameters such as exponential tapering factor and via dimensions are performed using HFSS full-wave EM solver. To validate the proposed FSS design, a low-cost FR4 substrate is used for fabrication, and the measured results are compared to the corresponding simulation results.
Advanced theory of consciousness - Copia
Carlo Roselli

Carlo Roselli

March 14, 2024
The topic of this article is consciousness and, in it, I will theorize what consciousness is like and where it arises from. The work began to emerge and develop over time starting from my belief that consciousness is a physical self-referential phenomenon; thus, my attention was focused on the research for a self-referential process. I was confident that I could satisfy my curiosity through the reductionist method adopted by science. Unfortunately, neuroscientists and philosophers of mind realized that the attempts to explain consciousness with this method have all proved inconclusive. For this reason, they are now trying to address the problem of consciousness with non reductionist methods. As for me, I have always remained faithful to reductionism, but with the conviction that quantum mechanics, even though capable of making predictions with an extraordinary degree of accuracy, is a theory founded on wrong concepts. Thus, surprisingly, I have found a solution to the mystery of consciousness, perceiving a way to explain what it is like at its fundamental level in the field of quantum mechanics and, particularly, in one of its counterintuitive and generally less debated aspects among physicists today, but which aroused great interest in me: I am referring to the spin of the electron that will be described in this paper as a self-interacting process. This paper will also offer a rational explanation of the results obtainable in all experiments for measuring the spin of electrons through Stern-Gerlach magnets. In addition, my theory of consciousness is susceptible to experimental control. Keywords: consciousness connected to the electron spin, consciousness and quantum mechanics, physical self-interacting systems, elementary quanta of consciousness, what is consciousness like, pan-experientialism, the only way to solve the mystery of consciousness.
Cost-Utility Analysis of Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Cardiac Diseases using Deep...

Ginsberg Gm

and 3 more

March 14, 2024
A document by Mayer Brezis. Click on the document to view its contents.
Introducing the Deenz Agitated Depression Scale (DADS-22): A  Brief Measure of Agitat...
Deen Mohd Dar

Deen Mohd Dar

March 05, 2024
Deenz Agitated Depression Scale (DADS) is a 22-item assessment developed to measure tendencies towards agitated depression symptoms among college students. This study conducted among a non-clinical population of 43 college students, comprising 10 from commerce, 13 from medical, and 20 from arts streams, aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and validity of the scale. Results indicated a strong coefficient of 0.87, signifying internal consistency, while test-retest reliability affirmed its stability over time. Content validity analysis demonstrated the scale's efficacy in measuring inclinations towards agitated depression symptoms, alongside capturing depressive symptoms. The DADS serves as a comprehensive tool for assessing mental health concerns among college students, providing valuable insights for intervention and support services.
Deenz Multidimensional Schizoid Personality Scale (DMSPS-28): Measuring Multiple Face...
Deen Mohd Dar

Deen Mohd Dar

April 23, 2024
This research paper examines the effectiveness of the Deenz Multidimensional Schizoid Personality Scale (DMSPS-28) in assessing various dimensions of schizoid personality among graduate students. The study involved a sample of 103 participants, comprising 67 males and 36 females. The DMSPS-28, designed to evaluate five key facets of schizoid personality—social detachment, anhedonia, blunted affect, solitude, and friendlessness—was employed as the primary assessment instrument.Utilizing factor analysis, the study scrutinized the data to determine the reliability and validity of the DMSPS-28. Results indicated discernible gender differences in schizoid traits, with males exhibiting heightened tendencies towards social detachment and solitude, while females displayed elevated levels of anhedonia and blunted affect. The DMSPS-28 demonstrated a robust level of reliability, with a coefficient of 0.91, attesting to its consistency in measuring schizoid personality dimensions.These findings hold significance for advancing our comprehension of schizoid personality and affirm the utility of the DMSPS-28 as an effective tool for assessment.
Development and Validation of the Dissociative Identity Inventory (DII-28): Assessing...
Deen Mohd Dar

Deen Mohd Dar

March 05, 2024
This study presents the development and validation of the Dissociative Identity Inventory (DII-28), a novel self-report instrument designed to assess dissociative experiences and measure inclinations toward pathological traits. Drawing from existing literature, the inventory comprises 28 items carefully crafted to capture a broad spectrum of dissociative phenomena and pathological tendencies. A sample of 90 university students (53 male, 37 female) participated in the validation process. Rigorous validation procedures, including exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing, were conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the DII-28. Results revealed a robust three-factor structure, comprising Dissociative Experiences, Pathological Traits, and Identity Disturbances, collectively explaining a significant proportion of the variance. Internal consistency reliability analysis demonstrated high reliability across all factors, indicating the stability and coherence of the inventory. The findings suggest that the DII-28 is a promising tool for researchers and clinicians to assess dissociative phenomena and pathological traits comprehensively. However, limitations, such as the relatively small sample size and the use of convenience sampling, underscore the need for further research to validate the instrument in larger and more diverse populations. Overall, the development and validation of the DII-28 represent a significant step toward advancing our understanding and assessment of dissociative experiences and pathological traits.
Saturation in forcing efficiency and temperature response of large volcanic eruptions
Eirik Rolland Enger
Rune Graversen

Eirik Rolland Enger

and 2 more

June 09, 2025
We investigate the climatic effects of volcanic eruptions spanning from Mt.\ Pinatubo-sized events to super-volcanoes. The study is based on ensemble simulations in the Community Earth System Model Version 2 (CESM2) climate model using the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Version 6 (WACCM6) atmosphere model. Our analysis focuses on the impact of different \ce{SO2}-amount injections on stratospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD), effective radiative forcing (RF), and global temperature anomalies. Unlike the traditional linear models used for smaller eruptions, our results reveal a non-linear relationship between RF and AOD for larger eruptions. We also uncover a notable time-dependent decrease in aerosol forcing efficiency across all eruption magnitudes during the first post-eruption year. In addition, the study reveals that larger as compared to medium-sized eruption events produce a delayed and sharper peak in AOD, and a longer-lasting temperature response while the time evolution of RF remains similar between the two eruption types. When including the results of previous studies, we find that relating \ce{SO2} to any other parameter is inconsistent across models compared to the relationships between AOD, RF, and temperature anomaly. Thus, we expect the largest uncertainty in model codes to relate to the chemistry and physics of \ce{SO2} evolution. Finally, we find that the peak RF approaches a limiting value, and that the peak temperature response follows linearly, effectively bounding the temperature anomaly to at most \(\sim\SI{-12}{\kelvin}\).
KELEA Restoring of Nature's Allostasis as a Low-Cost Alternative to Using Chemicals i...
W John Martin

W John Martin

March 05, 2024
W John Martin MD, PhD.Institute of Progressive MedicineSouth Pasadena CA 91030Running Title: KELEA Restoring of Nature’s AllostasisAuthor Mailing Address: 1634 Spruce Street, South Pasadena CA 91030E-Mail: wjohnmartin@ccid.orgPhone: 01-626-616-2868Author ORCID Number: 0000-0002-9947-4374Conflicts of Interests: NoneWord Count w/o References, Acknowledgement, Key Words: 3,213Key Words: Nature’s allostasis, KELEA, fertilizers, pesticides, water pollution, tipping points, ecosystems, organic farming, electroculture, Kiko pellets, enerceuticalsAbbreviations: ACE – Alternative Cellular Energy, KELEA – Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction, KARNA -KELEA Assisted Restoration of Nature’s Allostasis,AbstractSynthetic chemicals are widely used in agriculture mainly as fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals were initially considered highly beneficial for crops and relatively harmless to humans and the environment. Experience, however, has shown that many have time-limited effectiveness, yet cause persisting biological disruptions. They are also an added cost amounting to approximately $130 billion annually. Nature has a limited capacity to adapt to changed conditions, including the cultivation of large monocultures and the presence of unnatural chemicals. These adaptations are referred to as Nature’s allostasis. In addition to requiring time, allostasis depends on there being sufficient life force energy. KELEA is an acronym for Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction. It functions as a major life force energy, which can be conveyed in KELEA activated water. Various means are available to increase the KELEA level of groundwater and in turn that of growing crops. A low-cost approach to KELEA activation of water is provided by using pellets of volcanic rock materials that have been pulverized and heated before pelleting. Relatively few commercially available pellets, marketed as Kiko Technology, greatly increase the production of rice. Further, when used in conjunction with biochar, the pellets markedly reduce the levels of pollution in water, some of which would normally flow into land used for agriculture. The effects are attributed to KELEA Assisted Restoration of Nature’s Allostasis (KARNA). Without apparent adverse effects, increasing the KELEA levels in the water and soils can provide a low-cost alternative to the use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.IntroductionFood is essential for the survival of life. Yet, it is wrongly assumed that calories derived from food metabolism are the sole source of the energy expended in daily human activities. This and other reasoning support the existence of the alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway [1-2]. Further research led to the proposal that the ACE pathway is supported by a fundamental force designated as KELEA, an acronym for Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction [1,3].Agricultural research is primarily focused on ways of increasing crop yields, including minimizing losses due to competing weeds, insects, rodents, and infectious pathogens. This research has led to the continuing development of synthetic chemicals. Some of these chemicals are directly used to enhance the growth of plants, while others provide a competitive advantage for the plants over other forms of life. The former chemicals are called fertilizers, and the latter are pesticides. The major fertilizers provide various combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and are referred to as NPK.Worldwide Use of Synthetic Fertilizers and PesticidesOne premise for the annual world’s usage of almost 200 million tons (4) of NPK fertilizers is that the yearly harvesting of crops creates a net loss of these minerals from the soil. If this were correct, one would seemingly need to replenish the additional minerals and other components incorporated into crops. Support for the continuing use of NPK fertilizers is also based on the dramatic fall in productivity in circumstances in which they are not available. This observation could, however, be explained if the external administration of the fertilizer markedly suppressed the intrinsic production of organic forms of these minerals by beneficial soil microbes. Coupled with these considerations is evidence of progressive environmental damage caused by the toxicity of excess fertilizers entering the world’s waterways [5]. It can also have deleterious effects on the functioning of other life forms in the soil that could otherwise contribute to the quality and vitality of plant life.Nitrogen-containing compounds are extensively used in munitions. The ending of World War II hostilities would have led to excess manufacturing capacity of organic nitrogen compounds if the producers did not promote the use of fertilizers. Without giving time for the soils to adapt, it was relatively easy to show that nitrogen compounds could increase the productivity of monocultures of crops with relatively high nitrogen content. Once the practice of using NPK fertilizers was established, it allowed for a steady increase in pricing and presumably profitability. The current approximate local cost of NPK fertilizers is $350 per ton with export prices nearing $1,000 per ton (6). Even at the lower level, the annual cost of 200 tons of NPK fertilizers amounts to $70 billion.Pesticides comprise another major grouping of agrochemicals that are being increasingly utilized in industrial agriculture. Indeed, the World’s annual financial outlay on pesticides is around $60 billion (7). The term pests include weeds, insects, rodents, and infectious pathogens. One approach has been to genetically modify the crops such that they can tolerate exposure to pesticides that are lethal to the competing weeds and other forms of life. This implies, however, that the pesticide will likely be present in consumable crops. Through natural selection, weed and other life form variants will arise, which have lost their susceptibility to the applied pesticide. This then entails additional research and development of newer pesticides, which require additional genetic modification of the crops and risks of toxic exposure to those handling and consuming the crops [8-9].Genetic engineering can also be used to render crops resistant to certain pathogens. If not, then both the crops and pathogens are being exposed to chemicals, which typically have only a marginal degree of greater selectivity for the killing of the pathogens. Not only can the crops be partially damaged by the pesticides, but so too can those who consume the contaminated crops. As with the exposure of other competing life forms, pathogens can become resistant to each successive type of pesticide used.The combined annual costs of both fertilizers and pesticides are $130 billion. Yet, with a more insightful view of Nature’s allostasis and how it can be easily assisted, neither type of agrochemical product may be necessary. Before addressing this topic, it is worthwhile to consider other efforts to reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture. These are mainly occurring in smaller operations, primarily considered as horticulture.Efforts to Avoid the Use of Synthetic Fertilizers and Pesticides in FarmingOrganic farming allows for the use of compounds that occur naturally at other locations but are locally deficient. Prominent examples of added components include sea salts, humic and fulvic acids, zeolites, trace minerals, biochar, and animal manure. Microbes can be harvested from highly performing soils and greatly amplified by fermentation before being transferred to the organic farm locations. Complex mixtures of natural products are commonly used in place of synthetic pesticides to suppress the growth of microbial pathogens or to repel insects, rodents, or other crop-damaging animals. Various supply companies specialize in the marketing of products to organic farmers along with educational programs purporting the products’ advantages over the uses of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Approximately 1% of US farmlands and 1.6 % of worldwide farmlands are in organic production (10)Regenerative farming is even less prevalent. It tries to further minimize the need for external inputs by rotating or simultaneously cultivating mutually supportive crops that are of nutritional benefit to one another. There is also the reciprocal culturing of the desired crops with the planting of ground-cover plants that sustain and even enrich the growth-supporting and water-retaining qualities of the soil. Similarly, tilling of the soil is discouraged so that its water-containing properties are better preserved. More importantly, tilling can be disruptive to the balanced growth of beneficial life forms, including bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. Animal grazing and composting are also encouraged. The primary goal of regenerative farming is to establish a sustainable, diverse, and productive ecosystem that is less dependent than regular organic farming upon seasonal weather changes.Biodynamic farming further emphasizes the self-contained interactions between plants, soil, farm animals, and the climate. There are added spiritual and respectful components to these complex biological interactions. Biodynamic farming also involves the use of various homeopathic formulations and the inclusion of animal-derived flesh and bone materials in composting. Each farm is considered different such that a better understanding of its unique characteristics can lead to more effective management.Electroculture and Magnetoculture TechnologiesAnother approach to reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is by replicating certain historical farming practices that involve the use of devices that presumptively respond to electrical and/or magnetic impulses (11). Although yet to be introduced into industrial agriculture, small gardeners commonly report better growth of plants using various antennas. Typically used are i) vertical antennas that extend from within the soil to above the ground, and ii) north-south aligned within-the-ground antennas. The above-the-ground antennas are often coiled with some controversy as to the best direction of the coiling in the northern and southern hemispheres. The within-the-ground antennas are often magnetized in the direction of the earth’s major magnetic field. Beneficial effects on the growth of plants have also been observed using precisely angled pyramids, and both full and partially opened circles of single or multiply wrapped wires. Large-scale studies on these devices have generally provided inconclusive results. As discussed later, this uncertainty will likely change in future studies in which correlations will be sought between efficacy and to capacity to activate groundwater.KELEA Activated WaterSome farmers prize their locations as being naturally endowed with such excellent water and/or soils as not to require any synthetic or organic additives. Conversely, polluted water and soils can have deleterious effects on the growth and vitality of plants. Examples of beneficial locations are sites in which the land and water are rich in volcanic deposits. Such deposits are generally considered excellent sources of beneficial minerals. As next discussed in this article, a more likely, although still hypothetical, explanation exists for why certain sources of water have superior soil penetrating and plant growth-supporting activities.Electrical charges are viewed as attracting a fundamental force that is required to prevent the fusion and annihilation of electrostatically attracted opposing electrical charges. As noted above it is termed KELEA as an acronym for Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction (1-3). KELEA is perceived as a radiating repulsive force that can also slightly limit the strength of distant electrostatic attractions. In polar fluids such as water, it can, therefore, lead to a slight loosening of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the water molecules (3). It is further proposed that KELEA is utilized as a life-force energy, which is distinct from the conventional view that all biological energy arises from sunlight via photosynthesis or from the catabolism of food.Certain dipolar compounds, probably with flexibility in the separation of their electrical charged regions, can attract and then transfer added KELEA into water [12]. The compounds, referred to as enerceuticals, can be soluble or insoluble and can either be placed into the water or positioned near the water. Examples include certain herbal products (tinctures), crystals, various mineral oxides, perovskite chemicals, such as barium titanate, and unevenly mixed alloys. Pulverized volcanic rock materials that are heated to their partial melting temperatures (850o – 1,200o Celsius for 15-25 hours) followed by slow cooling and pelleting comprise another form of KELEA activating insoluble material [13]. One such pelleted product is marketed as Kiko Technology. Water placed in the vicinity of devices with fluctuating electrical charges can also become KELEA activated [14-15]. If sufficiently activated, the loosened water molecules can function as a continuing source of KELEA for nearby water such that the water activation process can spread both horizontally and vertically. Closed containers of KELEA activated water and other fluids can similarly initiate the activation of much larger volumes of water. As noted above, life forms can directly benefit from KELEA radiating from activated water.Nature’s AllostasisLife has been maintained on Earth for several billion years and is adaptable to changed conditions. The capacity to maintain life functions under changed conditions is referred to as Nature’s allostasis. This contrasts with homeostasis, which implies a single optimal mode of operation. While successful adaptation to changed conditions can require time and energy, the outcome is likely far preferable than trying to chemically intervene within the complex workings of Nature. Thus, it cannot be assumed that chemical interventions will not have major deleterious consequences. In any event, their effects can be short-lived because of Nature’s adaptive responses. This argument applies to the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Indeed, over time the accumulated toxicity of agrochemicals has pushed Nature beyond its energy-dependent allostatic capacity to restore aspects of normal functioning. Their use should be rapidly withdrawn in favor of efforts to support Nature’s allostasis. Such efforts are proving successful as reported in the following recent studies.Enhanced Rice Production Using Kiko PelletsIn a recently reported study conducted in Vietnam, a comparison was made between rice growing in fields pretreated with thirty (30) Kiko pellets per hectare and rice growing in control fields. The benefits of the Kiko pretreatment included more effective weed and rodent control, more efficient germination, deeper roots, greener color, and more abundant tillers, panicles, and rice grains. These benefits resulted in a remarkable 29% increase in total harvested rice and nearly 40% increase in the amount of milled rice [16]. Such differences have not been reported in efficacy assessments of any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Moreover, the benefits are expected to extend into future years with the continuing transfer of KELEA into the groundwater and beneficial soil microbes.Reinvigorating Polluted Water EcosystemsA few Kiko pellets mixed with small amounts of biochar were immersed in a channel of water contaminated with toxic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). The channel connected the water from the Spirit Lake in Iowa to one of its many tidal basins, referred to as sloughs. Over the next several days, the amount of algae contamination was significantly reduced at and beyond the treated area. A person revisited the site six weeks later. To his astonishment, a beaver had constructed a dam at the site of treatment. Before this, the person had not seen beaver activity in the region for several decades. There were also indications of other, rarely recently seen wildlife, including muskrats, and bullfrogs [17]. Additional areas of the lake were treated with similar transformations. Moreover, the return of aquatic, land, and flying wildlife has continued to progress beyond six months [18]. Adding to the apparent stepwise restoration of Spirit Lake is the die-off of zebra mussels, an invasive species [19]. Unlike the usual washed-on-shore shells, those that are now appearing in markedly increased numbers are partially disintegrated. Several other sites of heavily polluted waterways in the US have also been restored to where they now support far more wildlife. These sites include water that is directly being used in agriculture.Increased Resistance to Infectious Diseases, Insects, and RodentsThe ACE pathway was originally characterized in humans as a non-immunological defense mechanism against stealth adapted viruses [1,20]. These viruses evade recognition by the cellular immune system. Additional clinical data support the role of the ACE pathway in the defense against human infections with conventional viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Plants growing on land treated with Kiko pellets also show heightened resistance to infections. Specific examples include infection of rice with rice tungro bacilliform virus  (RTBV ) and infection of sugarcane with Downy mildew (Peronosclerospora sacchari ) [21]. Pink rot disease in Palm trees caused by Nalanthamala  vermoeseni  fungus also responded to treatment with activated water that was developed using a tincture of a species of yucca plants. This treatment gave an initial boost to the number of aerobic bacteria. These bacteria continued to proliferate as they overcame the fungal organisms. Their numbers then returned to levels found in normal Palm trees.Reduced insects and rodent infestations are also commonly reported changes in crops exposed to what can be considered as KELEA activated water. Indeed, it was once stated that rows of plants sprayed with humic acid were distinguishable at a distance from non-sprayed plants by the absence of clouds of hovering insects. Similarly, supportive observations have been made in Kiko pellets treated sugarcane fields in referring to the markedly reduced capture of rodents and the absence of rat bites on the sugarcane.Working HypothesisAs mentioned above, Nature’s allostasis refers to Nature’s ability to adjust to changing conditions to restore optimal performance. It can choose different ways of doing so depending upon the components and processes that are available. In a time and energy-dependent manner, it can work toward replacing those components and processes that are lacking and/or working around or removing those components and processes that are impairing normal function. Beneficial bacteria are considered as the primary elements in an ecosystem, possibly regulated to some extent by bacteriophages. For various theoretical reasons and supported by some data, beneficial bacteria seemingly have a survival advantage over their pathogenic counterpart when exposed to KELEA activated water. The reemerging beneficial bacteria can then create conditions for the next line of beneficial life forms to enter and thrive within the improving ecosystem. These beneficial life forms can in turn progressively allow for added diversity. As the needs arise, certain life forms may temporally dominate to remove any harmful excesses. Man’s efforts to chemically intervene within complex ecosystems can be disruptive of Nature’s ability to retain its optimal functioning. Moreover, if the interventions are too extreme, Nature may not have sufficient available energy to fully repair the disruptions. This concept is depicted in Figure 1.Providing a malfunctioning ecosystem with additional KELEA is a relatively easy process that does not require an understanding of the complexity of the ecosystems. The benefits may take time for the various levels of adjustments to occur. It is also wise to minimize further disruptions, especially with the continuing use of toxic chemicals.The transition from chemically intervening within natural processes to KARNA (KELEA Assisted Restoration of Nature’s Allostatsis) has many additional potential applications [22]. It can begin immediately by improving the quality of the world’s waterways. Large industrial farmlands should also be treated with anticipated improvements in subsequent crop yields. A centralized reporting system would help to document progress and optimize protocols. Refinements can also be made in methods for the delivery of KELEA for agricultural and other applications.ConclusionIndustrial agriculture has become dependent upon the continuing use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Yet, the proposed agricultural benefits of these expensive and potentially toxic chemicals can be equally if not better achieved by utilizing a life force energy referred to as KELEA. This is an acronym for Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction. The growing of crops comprises a complex ecosystem. Water with increased levels of KELEA can significantly enhance the quality and quantity of crops. It can do so by restoring the capacity of a disrupted agricultural ecosystem to undergo stepwise adjustments to maximize its intended functional activity. These stepwise adjustments are described as Nature’s allostasis. Nature’s allostasis requires energy, which if not sufficiently available, can prevent the restoration of agricultural land to allow for the optimal growth of the cultivated crops. The disrupted ecosystem is then said to have gone back from beyond its tipping point. Numerous means are available to increase the levels of KELEA in water for agricultural use. None has been as extensively field-tested or as inexpensively manufactured as Kiko pellets. Small, closed containers of previously activated water also hold promise for widespread use as do adaptations of electroculture and magnetoculture technologies. Examples are cited of the beneficial use of Kiko pellets in the cultivation of rice and the return of wildlife to regions of previously contaminated water.Acknowledgment. Mr. James Osugi Chairman of Kiko Technology Limited, registered in Hong Kong SAR, provided data on the manufacturing and uses of Kiko pellets. Mr. Steve Gruhn assisted with studies documenting improvements in the water and wildlife in treated regions of Spirit Lake, Iowa. Research on KELEA and the ACE Pathway is supported by MI Hope Inc., a non-profit public charity. One of the missions of MI Hope Inc. is to help in the compiling and reporting of data relating to clinical, agricultural, and industrial applications of KELEA. Information on KELEA is available in the cited references.ReferencesMartin WJ (2014) Stealth Adapted Viruses; Alternative Cellular Energy (ACE) & KELEA Activated Water. Author House, Bloomington, IN. pp 321.Martin WJ (2017) The many biological functions of the alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway. Int. J Complement. Alt. Med . 7(5): 00237.Martin WJ (2015) KELEA: A natural energy that seemingly reduces intermolecular hydrogen bonding in water and other liquids. Open J. Biophysics 5(3): 69-79.https://www.perkinelmer.com/library/fertilizer-mining-to-markets-and-beyond.htmlLenka S, Rajendiran S, Vannasda Coumar M, Donaniya ML, Saha JK (2016) Impacts of fertilizers use on environmental quality. in Society for Fertilizer and Environment in One Day Seminar on Environmental Concern for Fertilizer Use in Future. Society for Fertilizer and Environment , Kolkata, India 19-26https://www.indexbox.io/search/npk-fertilizer-price-the-united-states/#:~:text=Average,NPK%20Fertilizer%20Price%20in%20the%20United%20States%20(FOB)%20%2D%202022,21%25%20against%20the%20previous%20year.https://meche.mit.edu/news-media/farmers-use-60-billion-pesticides-each-year-2-mit-scientists-have-developed-newNieder R, Benbi DK (2021) Reactive nitrogen compounds and their influence on human health: an overview. Rev. Environ. Health37(2): 229-246.Alengebawy A, Abdelkhalek ST, Qureshi SR, Wang MQ (2021) Heavy metals and pesticides toxicity in agricultural soil and plants: Ecological risks and human health implications. Toxics 9(3): 42.https://www.globalagriculture.org/whats-new/news/en/34731.html#:~:text=In%2020%20countries%2C%2010%25%20or,%25)%20and%20Sweden%20(20.2%20%25).van Doome J (2023) Electroculture growing practical guide: A practical guide to passive electroculture techniques and their applications. Isidorus Publishers, Ranrupt, France. pp 236.Martin WJ (2016) Insufficiency of cellular energy (ICE). The basis for many illnesses potentially correctable using KELEA activated water.Int. J. Complement. Alt. Med. 4(1): 00106.https://patents.google.com/patent/US6004588A/enMartin WJ (2015) Interacting light paths attract KELEA (kinetic energy limiting electrostatic attraction) and can lead to the activation of water. Open J. Biophysics 5(4): 115-121.Martin WJ (2015) Interacting electric fields attract KELEA (kinetic energy limiting electrostatic attraction) and can lead to the activation of water. Int. J. Complement. & Alt. Med. 1(6): 00034.Martin WJ (2024) A low-cost practical approach to markedly improving rice cultivation using Kiko volcanic rock derived pellets to enhance the plants’ alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway via KELEA activation of groundwater. Mod. Concep. Dev. Agrono. 13(5): 1320-1323.Martin WJ (2024) Reinvigorating polluted water ecosystems with KELEA (Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction) in combination with biochar and water supplement. Environ. Anal. Eco. Stud. 000774. 11(5): 1353-1356.Martin WJ (2024) KELEA (Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction) stimulated alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway can restore allostasis in heavily polluted collections of water with secondary benefits to birds and land animals. MOJ Eco. Environ. Sci. 9(1): 18-22Martin WJ (2024) KELEA assisted restoration of Nature’s allostasis (KARNA) Environ. Anal. Eco. Stud . 000775 11(5) 1357-1361.Martin WJ (2003) Stealth virus culture pigments: A potential source of cellular energy. Exp. Mol. Path. 74: 210-223.Martin WJ (2014) KELEA activated water leading to improved quantity & quality of agricultural crops. Adv. Plants & Agriculture Res.2(1):00033Martin WJ (2024) KARNA – KELEA assisted restoration of Nature’s allostasis. Authorea Feb. 23. doi: 10.2254/au.170869819.90148640/v1Legend to Figure 1. An illustration of the limited extent to which Nature by itself can respond to changed environmental conditions using energy-dependent allosteric adaptations. Additional sources of energy are required to bring a discorded, energy-insufficient, environment back past the tipping points ( ) into the zone of self-correcting allostasis. KELEA can potentially provide this energy, especially through its water-activating actions. Only minimal amounts of KELEA, as indicated by the arrows, may be required to initiate the self-healing process. Copied from reference (17).
Improved Understanding of Multicentury Greenland Ice Sheet Response to Strong Warming...
Ziqi Yin
aherring

Ziqi Yin

and 5 more

March 05, 2024
The simulation of ice sheet-climate interaction such as surface mass balance fluxes are sensitive to model grid resolution. Here we simulate the multicentury evolution of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and its interaction with the climate using the Community Earth System Model version 2.2 (CESM2.2) including an interactive GrIS component (the Community Ice Sheet Model v2.1 [CISM2.1]) under an idealized warming scenario (atmospheric CO2 increases by 1% yr−1 until quadrupling the pre-industrial level and then is held fixed). A variable-resolution (VR) grid with 1/4◦ regional refinement over broader Arctic and 1◦ resolution elsewhere is applied to the atmosphere and land components, and the results are compared to conventional 1◦ lat-lon grid simulations to investigate the impact of grid refinement. An acceleration of GrIS mass loss is found at around year 110, caused by rapidly increasing surface melt as the ablation area expands with associated albedo feedback and increased turbulent fluxes. Compared to the 1◦ runs, the VR run features slower melt increase, especially over Western and Northern Greenland, which slope gently towards the peripheries. This difference pattern originates primarily from the weaker albedo feedback in the VR run, complemented by its smaller cloud longwave radiation. The steeper VR Greenland surface topography favors slower ablation zone expansion, thus leading to its weaker albedo feedback. The sea level rise contribution from the GrIS in the VR run is 53 mm by year 150 and 831 mm by year 350, approximately 40% and 20% smaller than the 1◦ runs, respectively.
Postprocessing East African rainfall forecasts using a generative machine learning mo...
Bobby Antonio
Andrew T T McRae

Bobby Antonio

and 7 more

March 05, 2024
Existing weather models are known to have poor skill at forecasting rainfall over East Africa, where there are regular threats of drought and floods. Improved forecasts could reduce the effects of these extreme weather events and provide significant socioeconomic benefits to the region. We present a novel machine learning-based method to improve precipitation forecasts in East Africa, using postprocessing based on a conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN). This addresses the challenge of realistically representing tropical rainfall, where convection dominates and is poorly simulated in conventional global forecast models. We postprocess hourly forecasts made by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Integrated Forecast System at 6-18h lead times, at $0.1^{\circ}$ resolution. We combine the cGAN predictions with a novel neighbourhood version of quantile mapping, to integrate the strengths of machine learning and conventional postprocessing. Our results indicate that the cGAN substantially improves the diurnal cycle of rainfall, and improves predictions up to the $99.9^{\text{th}}$ percentile ($\sim 10 \text{mm}/\text{hr}$). This improvement extends to the 2018 March–May season, which had extremely high rainfall, indicating that the approach has some ability to generalise to more extreme conditions. We explore the potential for the cGAN to produce probabilistic forecasts and find that the spread of this ensemble broadly reflects the predictability of the observations, but is also characterised by a mixture of under- and over-dispersion. Overall our results demonstrate how the strengths of machine learning and conventional postprocessing methods can be combined, and illuminate what benefits machine learning approaches can bring to this region.
The Atlantic sibling: a reconciling vision on the nature of El Niño’s ‘Little Brother...
Gian Luca Eusebi Borzelli
Sandro Carniel

Gian Luca Eusebi Borzelli

and 3 more

March 26, 2024
The Atlantic Niño is an important source of the year-to-year variability of the tropical Atlantic, consisting in an irregular oscillation of the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the eastern tropical Atlantic. The physical mechanism underlying this oscillation is topic of debate. Some theories, known as dynamical, suggest that the Atlantic Niño is driven by internal wave dynamics. Other theories, termed thermodynamic, propose that the eastern tropical Atlantic SST variability is caused by thermodynamic processes associated with heat fluxes at the ocean surface and/or heat transport by oceanic currents. Here, we examine the SST variability from 1940 to 2022 and find that it can be described in terms of two spatial modes: one in the central and the other in eastern tropical Atlantic. However, focusing on the period from 1993 to 2022, these patterns behave differently. In 1993-2009 they concur in determining the eastern tropical Atlantic SST variability, while in 2010-2022 they act in opposite direction. Therefore, we use Sea Surface Height data and heat fluxes advected by oceanic currents to explore the relative contribution of wave dynamics and heat advection to the eastern tropical Atlantic SST fluctuation. We show that, between 1993 and 2010, the eastern tropical Atlantic SST variability is mainly determined by heat advected from the south by horizontal currents, while between 2010-2022 it can be explained in terms of wave dynamics. This finding suggests that the two spatial patterns determining the eastern tropical Atlantic SST variability, are two distinct physical phenomena forced by different physical mechanisms.
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