Abstract: In this paper we conduct a model free analysis of the expansion of the universe using stellar luminosity data that is available for redshifts, z< 1.8. Our results lead to an expansion velocity of 6.87  0.36 × 106 ms-1, and Hubble constant of 70.9  3.7 km/s/Mpc consistent with other theories. This analysis leads us to a new theory to explain the expansion of the universe that augments general relativity to create a container within which quantum effects can be explained by treating time as an artefact of a fourth, expanding, spatial dimension. We show that the theory can be applied to not only explain mass creation, the speed of light limit, gravity, black holes without singularities and other macroscopic effects, but also to interpret physical effects at the subatomic level such as wave particle duality and electron spin. It provides a solution to the double slit conundrum and can explain how quantum entangled partners can behave in a quantum way and pass seemingly time-defying information. The theory also provides a quantitative link to the fine structure constant from the expansion velocity.

Abstract: The default mode network (DMN) is a large brain network that is most active when we are at rest or thinking about ourselves. It plays a key role in shaping our sense of self through memory, understanding others, and imagining the future. Recent research shows that problems with the DMN has a major role in anxiety disorders. People with anxiety often show a mix of DMN underconnectivity during rest, which disrupts their internal narrative, and overactivity when facing threats or focusing on tasks. These issues are made worse by poor coordination with the brain’s salience network and executive control networks, creating an imbalance that leads to symptoms like constant rumination, negative memory bias, and unhelpful self-focus. We look at these patterns in generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and show how a disrupted self-narrative and increased self-other monitoring contribute to symptoms. We also discuss how treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and new medications can help rebalance the DMN and reduce anxiety. While current research has some limitations, focusing on the DMN may help guide the development of better treatments for anxiety disorders.

Abstract:

Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) plays an important ecological role in Mesoamerican forests as a browser and seed disperser, earning it the nickname of “gardener of the forest”. However, knowledge of its diet composition remains scattered. We reviewed and analyzed the available literature of diet composition of Baird’s tapir throughout its geographic distribution. We compiled evidence from 25 studies related to these topics. Baird’s tapir was found to consume 511 plant taxa belonging to 407 genera and 122 families. Five types of dietary components have been identified: fibre (stems), leaf, fruit, bark and flowers. The influence of seasonality on the tapir’s diet is unclear due to the underestimation of some components (fruit). We identified limitations in the techniques used to determine diet components and study designs. Future research should focus on develop novel techniques to improve the quantification of dietary components. Additionally, the direct and indirect effects of Baird’s tapir’s diet and plant consumption on ecosystem dynamics should be investigated to clearly understand the functional role of this species.

Abstract:

Background/Objectives: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) affects 44-75% of cancer survivors, significantly impacting quality of life. While cognitive rehabilitation is recommended as a first-line intervention, implementation remains challenging, with high attrition rates. Acceptability is critical for implementation success yet remains understudied. This study developed and validated the Acceptability of Cognitive Rehabilitation Interventions Survey - Cancer Survivors (ACRIS-CS) and examined prospective acceptability among Portuguese cancer survivors. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 154 non-central nervous system (non-CNS) cancer survivors (94.8% female; 72.7% breast cancer; mean age 47.28 years, SD = 8.96). Acceptability was assessed using the newly developed 11-item ACRIS-CS, grounded in the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Psychometric properties were evaluated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and internal consistency. Multiple regression analyses explored factors associated with acceptability. Results: EFA identified three factors explaining 68.70% of the variance: (1) affective attitude and perceived effectiveness, (2) perceived benefits and self-efficacy, and (3) perceived burden. Internal consistency was acceptable (α = 0.85). Survivors reported high prospective acceptability (mean = 67.36/100), with 21.4% scoring above 75. Affective attitude/effectiveness showed the highest ratings (mean = 75.43), whereas perceived burden was moderate (mean = 49.35). Being in active treatment and having prior knowledge of CRCI predicted higher acceptability (R² adjusted = 0.113). Conclusions: The ACRIS-CS is a valid and reliable measure of prospective acceptability for cognitive rehabilitation among cancer survivors. High acceptability indicates strong receptivity, while concerns about burden highlight the need for flexible delivery formats. By identifying survivors who may be less receptive before treatment begins, the ACRIS-CS can support the integration of cognitive rehabilitation into survivorship care and inform tailored strategies—such as targeted psychoeducation—to enhance adherence and improve clinical outcomes.

Abstract: Synaptic plasticity relies on precise spatial and temporal compartmentalization of signaling within dendritic spines, presynaptic terminals, and axonal domains. This compartmentalization is progressively reinforced by experience through activity-dependent remodeling of spine geometry, cytoskeletal scaffolds, calcium handling, and local protein synthesis, allowing plasticity signals to remain localized and terminate appropriately. Here, a unifying framework is proposed in which neurodegenerative diseases emerge when the capacity to maintain and renew these compartments declines. In this state, plasticity induction remains largely preserved, but signaling becomes spatially diffuse and temporally prolonged, imposing chronic structural and energetic stress on synapses and axons. Proteins such as tau and α-synuclein, which normally support cytoskeletal organization and dynamic phase-separated assemblies, become destabilized under these conditions leading to pathological aggregation. This framework provides an explanation for early synaptic dysfunction, selective neuronal vulnerability, long presymptomatic phases, network-level disease propagation, the protective effects of education and cognitive engagement, and the limited efficacy of proteinopathy centric therapeutic strategies. Neurodegeneration is thus best conceptualized as a failure of experience-built synaptic compartmentalization, with protein aggregation arising downstream of this primary vulnerability.

Abstract: The Supra-Omega Resonance Theory (SORT) is presented as a closed structural architecture that unifies multiple scientific domains under an invariant mathematical core. The framework is constructed around a finite and closed set of 22 idempotent resonance operators, a global consistency projector, and a calibrated projection kernel. Together, these elements define a mathematically frozen architecture that admits no arbitrary extensions and precedes empirical integration by design. Version 6 of SORT establishes architectural completion. The operator algebra is closed under composition, global consistency is enforced via a light-balance condition, and validation bounds are defined as invariant thresholds. The same mathematical core is realized across distinct domains, including cosmology, artificial intelligence systems, quantum systems, and complex systems, each interpreting the invariant structure through domain-specific semantics while preserving algebraic identity. Empirical confrontation is positioned as a subsequent phase rather than a present objective. The decision to complete the architecture prior to data integration is methodological, ensuring that future empirical validation is reproducible, unambiguous, and structurally grounded. The MOCK v4 environment enforces deterministic execution, cryptographic reproducibility, and layered consistency verification as architectural features rather than auxiliary tooling. This article constitutes a programmatic statement for the SORT research program. It documents a structurally complete theory architecture prepared for empirical validation while remaining independent of any specific phenomenological application.

Abstract:

Background & Objectives: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cardiovascular complication in cancer patients and leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence, timing, clinical predictors, and management of VTE in patients with breast cancer (BC), undergoing oncological therapy, and to propose a risk-adapted strategy for thrombosis monitoring and prevention. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, 116 women with histologically confirmed BC (stages I–IV) treated between 2021 and 2024 were included. Patients were divided according to the occurrence of objectively confirmed VTE. Clinical characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, cancer-related factors, and treatment modalities were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of VTE. Results: VTE occurred in 25 patients (21.6%), predominantly within the first 12 months after cancer diagnosis. Patients who developed VTE were significantly older and more frequently had hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, anemia, and leukocytosis. Multivariate analysis identified age≥55 years, poor performance status (ECOG ≥3), and elevated glucose level as independent predictors of VTE. Deep vein thrombosis of the lower and upper extremities was the most common manifestation (52%), while pulmonary embolism was present in 24% of cases, either alone or in combination (20%). Direct oral anticoagulants were the most frequently used long-term anticoagulant therapy. Conclusions: VTE is a clinically relevant and relatively frequent complication in patients with BC, particularly during the early period of anticancer treatment. Patient-related and metabolic factors play a key role in thrombosis risk, underscoring the need for individualized, risk-adapted approaches to VTE prevention and monitoring in these populations.

Abstract: On the basis of the isomorphic algebraic structures of the field of complex numbers ℂ and the 2-dimensional Euclidean field of real vectors V₂, in terms of identical geometric products of elements, this paper brings integral identities for scalar and vector fields in V₂, which are vector analogues of the well-known integral identities of complex analysis. Consequently, in this paper, Theorem 1., which is a generalized fundamental theorem of integral calculus in the field V₂, is the vector analogue of the Cauchy theorem of complex analysis. Therefore, special attention is paid to the vector analogue of Cauchy's calculus of residues in the field V₂. Finally, at the very end of the paper, the algebraic structure of the 3D field of vectors V₃ is presented, as well as the corresponding fundamental integral identities.

Abstract: High-fidelity telepresence requires the reconstruction of photorealistic 3D avatars in real-time to facilitate immersive interaction. Current solutions face a dichotomy: they are either computationally expensive multi-view systems (e.g., Codec Avatars) or lightweight mesh-based approximations that suffer from the "uncanny valley" effect due to a lack of high-frequency detail. In this paper, we propose Mono-Splat, a novel framework for reconstructing high-fidelity, animatable human avatars from a single monocular webcam video stream. Our method leverages 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) combined with a lightweight deformation field driven by standard 2D facial landmarks. Unlike Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs), which typically suffer from slow inference speeds due to volumetric ray-marching, our explicit Gaussian representation enables rendering at >45 FPS on consumer hardware. We further introduce a landmark-guided initialization strategy to mitigate the depth ambiguity inherent in monocular footage. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing NeRF-based and mesh-based methods in both rendering quality (PSNR/SSIM) and inference speed, presenting a viable, accessible pathway for next-generation VR telepresence.

Abstract: Diminished Reality (DR)—the ability to visually remove real-world objects from a live Augmented Reality (AR) feed—is essential for reducing cognitive load and decluttering workspaces. However, existing techniques face a critical challenge: removing an object creates a visual void ("hole") that must be filled with a plausible background. Traditional 2D inpainting methods lack temporal consistency, causing the background to flicker or slide as the user moves. In this paper, we propose Clean-Splat, a novel framework for real-time, multi-view consistent object removal. We leverage 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) for scene representation and integrate a View-Consistent Diffusion Prior to hallucinate occluded background geometry and texture. Unlike previous NeRF-based inpainting which is prohibitively slow, our method updates the 3D scene representation in near real-time, enabling rendering at >30 FPS on consumer hardware. Extensive experiments on real-world cluttered scenes demonstrate that Clean-Splat achieves state-of-the-art perceptual quality (LPIPS) and temporal stability compared to existing video inpainting approaches.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is the exploration of the catalytic performance of ZSM-5 zeolite produced from iron rich fly-ash without further addition of iron sites, in the removal of paracetamol through heterogenous Fenton reaction. The structural and textural characterization by powder X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption isotherms showed that pure ZSM-5 phase was synthesized, but lower crystallinity and textural parameters were obtained when confronting with commercial ZSM-5. The XPS analysis revealed the presence of significant amounts of iron as well as yttrium, which increased the electronic properties of the samples surface, when compared with iron impregnated commercial ZSM-5. The catalytic reaction was followed through UV-spectroscopy and kinetic models were applied to the data, with the best fit obtained for pseudo-first-order model. All fly ash-based zeolites present enhanced paracetamol removal when compared with commercial iron loaded ZSM-5 which may be attributed to the more disorganized structure, able to accommodate large paracetamol species (dimers). On the other hand, the effect of yttrium on the electronic properties of iron sites may increase the formation of ●OH radicals, thus increasing the removal rate of paracetamol.

Abstract: Climate fluctuations are expected to drive a decline in the growth of many conifer and broadleaf species, especially in the Mediterranean region, where these species grow at or very near the southern limits of their distribution. Such trends have important im-plications not only for forest productivity but also for plant diversity, as shifts in spe-cies performance may alter competitive interactions and long-term community com-position. Using tree-ring data sourced from two Abies cephalonica stands with different elevation in Mount Parnassus in Central Greece, we evaluate the growth responses of the species to climatic variability employing a dendroecological approach. We hy-pothesize that radial growth at higher elevations is more strongly influenced by cli-mate variability than at lower elevations. Despite the moderate to relatively good common signal indicated by the expressed population signal (EPS: 0.645 for the high-altitude stand and 0.782 for the low-altitude stand), the chronologies for both sites preserve crucial stand-level growth patterns, providing an important basis for ecological insights. The calculation of the Average Tree-Ring Width Index (ARWI) for both sites revealed that fir in both altitudes exhibited a decline in growth rates from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, followed by a general recovery and increase throughout the late 1990s. They also both experienced a significant decline in growth between approximately 2018 and 2022. The best-fit model for annual ring-width vari-ation at lower elevations was a simple autoregressive model of order one (AR1), where growth was driven exclusively by the previous year’s growth (p < 0.001). At the higher elevation, a more complex model emerged: while previous year’s growth remained significant (p < 0.001), other variables such as maximum growing season temperature (p = 0.041), annual temperature (inverse effect, p = 0.039), annual precipitation (p = 0.017), and evapotranspiration (p = 0.039) also had a statistically significant impact on tree growth. Our results emphasize the prominent role of carry-over effects in shaping their annual growth patterns.

Abstract: Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) may require nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding when oral intake is insufficient. Evidence on psychological impact and prognostic correlates of NGT use in adolescents affected with AN is limited.Methods: fifty-seven adolescent inpatients (96.5% female; age range 12–18 years; mean age 15.0± 1.51 years) affected with AN admitted in a child psychiatry ward and treated with NGT renutrition in addition to oral nutrition were included in the study. A 21‑item VAS questionnaire was administered at intake (T0), after NGT introduction (T1), after one week of NGT use (T2) and after NGT dismissal (T3) to assess physical and psychological effects. Participants were also assessed with psychometric measures including personality (TCI), eating psychopathology (EDI‑2), general psychopathology (BDI‑II, SCL‑90‑R, TAS), and family functioning (FAD). The measures were compared between each timepoint with paired t‑tests and ANOVA for repeated measures. Pearson correlations were performed between the VAS scores and psychometric measures.Results: From admission to discharge, weight increased by +3.2 kg and BMI by +1.2 kg/m². Items 1, 3, 4, 6, 15, 18, 20 of the VAS questionnaire items showed significant improvement over time. TCI personality traits, EDI-2 eating and BDI, SCL-90 and TAS general psychopathology, and FAD family functioning were related to NGT perception by the AN adolescents. Conclusions: NGT was helpful in the weight progression during inpatients treatment. It was generally well tolerated, with progressive improvement in psychological and physical discomfort during treatment. The meaningful associations with specific psychometric features suggest the possibility to tailor the NGT use based on adolescent characteristics. Multidisciplinary care and tailored psychoeducation may enhance acceptance.

Abstract: This paper presents Sem4EDA, an ontology-driven and rule-based framework for automated fault diagnosis and energy-aware optimization in Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and Internet of Things (IoT) environments. The escalating complexity of modern hardware systems, particularly within IoT and embedded domains, presents formidable challenges for traditional EDA methodologies. While EDA tools excel at design and simulation, they often operate as siloed applications, lacking the semantic context necessary for intelligent fault diagnosis and system-level optimization. Sem4EDA addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive ontological framework developed in OWL 2, creating a unified, machine-interpretable model of hardware components, EDA design processes, fault modalities, and IoT operational contexts. We present a rule-based reasoning system implemented through SPARQL queries, which operates atop this knowledge base to automate the detection of complex faults such as timing violations, power inefficiencies, and thermal issues. A detailed case study, conducted via a large-scale trace-driven co-simulation of a smart city environment, demonstrates the framework’s practical efficacy: by analyzing simulated temperature sensor telemetry and Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) configurations, Sem4EDA identified specific energy inefficiencies and overheating risks, leading to actionable optimization strategies that resulted in a 23.7% reduction in power consumption and 15.6% decrease in operating temperature for the modeled sensor cluster. This work establishes a foundational step towards more autonomous, resilient, and semantically-aware hardware design and management systems.

Abstract: Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation poses a significant challenge to achieving high-accuracy ultra-wideband (UWB) indoor positioning. To address this issue, this study investigates solutions from two complementary perspectives: NLOS identification and error mitigation. First, an NLOS signal classification model is proposed based on multidimensional statistics of the channel impulse response (CIR). The model incorporates an attention mechanism and an improved snake optimization (ISO) algorithm, achieving significantly enhanced classification accuracy and robustness. Building on this foundation, a UKF–BiLSTM dual-directional mutual calibration framework is proposed to compensate for NLOS errors dynamically. The framework embeds the constant turn rate and velocity (CTRV) motion model within an unscented Kalman filter (UKF) to enhance trajectory modeling. It establishes a bidirectional correction loop with a bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) network. Through the synergy of physical constraints and data-driven learning, the framework adaptively suppresses NLOS errors. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed classification model and positioning framework significantly outperform state-of-the-art methods, thereby providing a systematic solution for high-precision and robust UWB positioning in complex indoor environments.

Abstract: Gender incongruence significantly impacts the family system, yet the subjective experiences of caregivers remain relatively underexplored. This narrative review synthesizes contemporary evidence regarding psychological distress, emotional burden, and quality of life among caregivers of transgender and gender-diverse individuals. A targeted literature search of PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar (2015-2025) was conducted, identifying 16 studies for thematic synthesis. Results indicate that caregivers consistently report elevated emotional distress, characterized by chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, and ambiguous loss. This burden is primarily driven by prolonged exposure to uncertainty, the weight of complex medical decision-making - particularly regarding fertility and hormone therapy - and vicarious minority stress stemming from social stigma and systemic barriers. Notably, distress is often intensified by sociopolitical climates rather than the transition process itself. Conversely, access to peer support networks, healthcare relationships, and engagement in advocacy emerged as vital protective factors facilitating resilience and adaptive meaning-making. We can conclude that caregiver well-being is a multifaceted process deeply embedded in social and institutional contexts. These findings underscore the necessity of integrated, family-centered medical-psychological models that explicitly support caregivers to ensure more equitable and effective gender-affirming care pathways.

Abstract: The growing demand for high-protein dairy products, driven by the expanding markets for infant formula and nutritional supplements, has led to a higher incorporation of milk protein ingredients like milk protein concentrate (MPC) and whey protein isolate (WPI) in dairy formulations. However, the effects of these protein additives on the thermal stability and sensory attributes of dairy products remain insufficiently studied. This research examines the influence of thermal processing (80 °C for 30 min) and protein fortification (MPC, WPI, and their combination) on the denaturation of whey proteins, the formation of volatile compounds, and the sensory characteristics of milk. Specifically, whole milk was fortified with MPC, WPI, and their combination at concentrations of 4% MPC, 4% WPI, and 2% MPC + 2% WPI, respectively, to evaluate the impact of different protein fortifications on these properties. Our findings reveal that heat treatment significantly promoted the denaturation of β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin, with protein fortification playing a role in modulating these changes. Notably, lactoferrin exhibited matrix-dependent antioxidant behavior, meaning its antioxidant activity varied based on the protein composition and structure of the milk matrix, influencing its stability and function under different fortification conditions. Volatile profiling indicated that MPC enhanced the formation of sulfur-containing compounds and aldehydes, whereas WPI favored ketones and Maillard-derived volatiles. Sensory analysis revealed that heated WPI fortified samples exhibited stronger cooked and dairy fat aromas, while unfortified milk retained milky and grassy notes. Correlation analysis highlighted the mechanistic links between protein denaturation and lipid-derived compounds. These results emphasize that protein type and composition play crucial roles in flavor development. The strategic blending of MPC and WPI offers a practical approach to balancing volatile profiles and mitigating off-flavors, providing insights for the formulation of thermally stable, protein-fortified dairy products with optimized sensory quality.

Abstract: This study investigated the kinetics of aptamer-cardiac troponin I (cTnI) interaction to establish a new dynamic quantitative indicator for the rapid, highly sensitive detection of cTnI, a critical myocardial infarction biomarker. The goal was to overcome the limitations of conventional diagnosis based on saturated binding amounts, which takes excessive time for point-of-care testing (POCT). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was performed on a gold electrode immobilized with double-stranded aptamers, and the interaction kinetics were rigorously analyzed across cTnI concentrations from 10 pg/mL to 90 pg/mL. The adsorption process, quantified by changes in charge amount, was found to follow a similar first-order interaction model. The most significant findings were the establishment of a robust power function (R2=0.9515) relating the cTnI concentration to the derived interaction rate constant. This high explanatory power confirms the predictable and quantitative relationship between concentration and reaction speed. In conclusion, the interaction rate constant is proposed as a novel dynamic indicator for predicting cTnI concentration, providing a crucial technological foundation for developing next-generation, high-speed, high- sensitivity aptamer-based biosensors essential for time-critical POCT applications.

Abstract: Background: Transferrin receptor-targeting monoclonal antibodies (TfRMAbs) enhance brain drug delivery by facilitating TfR-mediated transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Data suggest that chronic TfRMAb dosing reduces their plasma exposure in a dose- and fusion partner-dependent manner; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) extends IgG half-life via recycling, but its saturation after repeated doses may alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) of IgG-fusion proteins. This study evaluated the role of the FcRn on PK and biodistribution of TfRMAb fusion proteins. Methods: We examined TfRMAb alone and TfRMAb fused to erythropoietin (TfRMAb-EPO) or TNFα receptor (TfRMAb-TNFR) in wild-type (WT) and FcRn knockout (KO) mice following acute (single dose) or chronic (3× weekly for 4 weeks) subcutaneous administration at 3 mg/kg. Plasma levels, tissue biodistribution, and FcRn binding were measured using immunoassays. Results: Our results show that fusion partners influenced FcRn-mediated recycling and PK of TfRMAb-fusion proteins. After acute dosing, TfRMAb-TNFR exhibited the greatest reduction in plasma exposure in FcRn KO versus WT mice, compared to TfRMAb and TfRMAb-EPO. Chronic dosing reduced the plasma persistence of all fusion proteins in WT mice. In FcRn KO mice, plasma exposure of TfRMAb and TfRMAb-EPO decreased with chronic dosing, whereas TfRMAb-TNFR showed no further reduction. Differences in FcRn binding affinity likely explain these patterns. Tissue distribution largely mirrored plasma concentrations. Conclusion: FcRn regulates plasma concentrations of TfRMAb-fusion proteins in a fusion partner-dependent manner. While FcRn-mediated protection regulates plasma exposure with acute dosing, additional mechanisms beyond FcRn saturation appear to regulate plasma exposure during chronic dosing.

Abstract: The conventional formulation of quantum mechanics explains the Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) experiments with “spooky action at a distance" and wavefunction collapse. A time-symmetric and retrocausal formulation of quantum mechanics explains the same experiments without spooky action at a distance or wavefunction collapse. An experiment that can distinguish between the conventional and time-symmetric formulations is described.