Search Results (1,135)

Biophysical observations in different brain regions have displayed synchronous firing in inhibitory neural networks. Although inhibition reduces the postsynaptic neuron’s activity, coordinated synchronous rhythms could be predicted provided that inhibition delay is incorporated into the biophysical models. In this article, we study the local dynamics of two mutually coupled neurons connected via inhibitory synapses. The key assumption in the model is that the neurotransmitter release activates some secondary synaptic processes that give additional time to the postsynaptic neuron before it feels the inhibition. Stability conditions for synchrony are derived for this simple inhibitory network. Numerical experiments are presented that justify theoretical conclusions. The geometric singular perturbation theory is used as well as a variational argument. Full article

Light is a fundamental ecological cue for insects, influencing physiological rhythms and behavior. We investigated how varying light intensities affect locomotion and foraging in H. axyridis color morphs, and examined the role of visual opsins. Three adult female morphs were assayed under white light at 1000, 5000, and 10,000 lx. Higher light intensity significantly elevated body temperature and locomotor activity across morphs, with the inherently dark f. conspicua morph exhibiting the greatest increases. Predation rates on pea aphids trended upward with intensity but differed significantly by morph: f. conspicua beetles consistently consumed more prey than f. succinea. RNAi knockdown of the UV-sensitive opsin HaUVSop-2 significantly reduced the crawling distance of satiated beetles under 5000 lux white light. Correspondingly, supplementation of white light with blue light (short wave) enhanced movement, whereas red supplementation increased aphid consumption. These results suggest that Short-wavelength light has the potential to stimulate the dispersal of ladybirds, whereas long-wavelength light may enhance predation on prey by increasing microenvironment temperature or improving prey recognition. We conclude that light intensity and spectrum jointly modulate H. axyridis behavior in a morph-dependent manner, mediated in part by visual opsins. Melanic morphs leverage thermal melanism to gain higher activity under bright light, implying an evolved trade-off between dispersal and stress tolerance. Our findings have practical implications: tailored lighting (e.g., blue-enhanced illumination to stimulate predation and dispersal of H. axyridis) could improve biological control efficacy in agroecosystems. Full article

Actigraphy quantifies human locomotor activity by measuring wrist acceleration via wearable devices at relatively high rates and converting it into lower-temporal-resolution activity values; however, the computational implementations of this data compression differ substantially across manufacturers. Building on our previous work comparing activity determination methods, we have investigated how they (e.g., digital filtering and data compression) influence nonparametric circadian rhythm analysis and sleep–wake scoring. In addition to our generalized actigraphic framework, we have also emulated the use of specific devices commonly employed in such sleep-related studies by applying their methods to raw actigraphic acceleration data we collected to demonstrate, through concrete real-life examples, how methodological choices may shape analytical outcomes. Additionally, we assessed whether nonparametric indicators could be derived directly from acceleration data without compressing them into activity values. Overall, our analysis revealed that all these analytical approaches to the sleep–wake cycle can be substantially affected by the manufacturer-dependent actigraphic methodology employed, with the observed effects traceable to distinct steps of the signal-processing pipeline, underscoring the necessity of cross-manufacturer harmonization from a clinically oriented perspective. Full article

Background: Industrial power time-series exhibit strong daily/weekly periodicities and nonstationary behaviors that challenge generic deep autoencoders. Methods: We take first differences of the signal, compute the FFT spectrum, and map top spectral peaks to a small set of modeling window sizes. For each window, a GELU-activated CNN–GRU autoencoder is trained under the Unsupervised Anomaly Detection (USAD) paradigm (one encoder, two decoders with an adversarial phase). Reconstruction errors are measured with Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) to mitigate phase jitter, and final anomaly decisions are obtained by fitting an Isolation Forest to the error distribution. On a three-year, single-site dataset (15 min sampling), the approach detects abrupt spikes/drops and slow drifts across sub-daily to daily rhythms; FFT-selected windows of 11, 16, 24, 32, and 96 time steps (15 min units) cover the dominant cycles. Conclusions: FFT-guided multi-window training and inference, combined with a USAD-based model, DTW-aware scoring, and Isolation Forest, yields a practical unsupervised detector for smart-factory monitoring and near-real-time deployment. Full article

Brainwave entrainment (BWE) through Binaural Beats (BBs) has been proposed as a non-invasive method to modulate cortical activity by enhancing oscillatory power at specific frequencies. Despite growing interest, empirical evidence regarding the efficacy of BBs remains inconsistent. This study aimed to assess long-term effects of BBs stimulation using a personalized protocol. Eleven healthy university students (7 males, 4 females; mean age 24.8 ± 1.6 years) participated in three EEG acquisition sessions over two weeks, each including Baseline, Stimulation, and Post-Stimulation phases. Personalized audio tracks were created based on each participant’s Individual Alpha Frequency (IAF) and applied daily during a 10-day training period. EEG signals were analysed in time and frequency domains using linear and complexity-based metrics. Multivariate processing combining Principal Component Analysis and K-means clustering revealed high classification accuracy distinguishing Baseline from Stimulation (>81%) and Baseline from Post-Stimulation (>89%) phases, with consistent results across sessions and in pooled data. Statistical significance was confirmed via non-parametric permutation testing. Alpha rhythm analysis showed significant frontal effects (F3, F4), including increased spindle incidence, reduced duration, decreased alpha power, and lowered $\alpha$ exponent via Detrended Fluctuation Analysis. Although the dataset was relatively small, these findings suggest that BBs may modulate brain activity, with sustained effects observable post-stimulation, particularly in frontal regions. Full article

Background: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is widely used in post-stroke rehabilitation to restore motor activity and improve walking. However, the immediate effects of a single FES session on gait biomechanics and muscle activity remain insufficiently studied. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the direct neuromotor effects of a single multichannel FES session during walking in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. Methods: Eight patients with hemiparesis in the early or late recovery period after ischemic stroke underwent gait biomechanics and electromyography (EMG) assessment before and immediately after a single 30 min FES session. FES was applied to the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, quadriceps femoris, and hamstring muscles of the paretic limb during walking, synchronized with gait phases. Spatial-temporal, kinematic, and EMG parameters were recorded using an inertial system. Pre- and post-intervention data were compared using paired tests (a paired t-test or the Wilcoxon signed rank test, p < 0.05), while the standardized effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated for all pre-post comparisons. Results: A significant decrease was observed in the single support phase of the paretic limb after FES (p < 0.05). Knee joint movement amplitude increased significantly in the nonparetic limb. Surface EMG amplitudes decreased in the tibialis anterior of the nonparetic limb and in the hamstring and gastrocnemius of the paretic limb (p < 0.05). No significant changes were detected in overall gait speed, rhythm, or phases of muscle activity peaks. Conclusions: A single session of multichannel FES induces neuromotor changes reflected by redistribution of muscle activity and compensatory adjustments in gait biomechanics without immediate improvement in global kinematic parameters. The direct biomechanical changes in the gait function can be interpreted as evidence of the onset of fatigue. The procedure demonstrated good tolerability and safety, confirming its feasibility for early post-stroke rehabilitation. Full article

This paper introduces an innovative EEG sensor-based computational framework that establishes a pioneering nexus between personality trait quantification and neural dynamics, leveraging biosignal processing of brainwave activity to elucidate their intrinsic influence on cognitive health and oscillatory brain rhythms. By employing electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 21 participants undergoing the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), we propose a machine learning (ML)-driven methodology to decode the Big Five personality traits—Extraversion (Ex), Agreeableness (A), Neuroticism (N), Conscientiousness (C), and Openness (O)—using classification algorithms such as support vector machine (SVM) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) applied to 64-electrode EEG sensor data. A novel multiphase neurocognitive analysis across the TSST stages (baseline, mental arithmetic, job interview, and recovery) systematically evaluates the bidirectional relationship between personality traits and stress-induced neural responses. The proposed framework reveals significant negative correlations between frontal–temporal theta–beta ratio (TBR) and self-reported Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Openness, indicating faster stress recovery and higher cognitive resilience in individuals with elevated trait scores. The binary classification model achieves high accuracy (88.1% Ex, 94.7% A, 84.2% N, 81.5% C, and 93.4% O), surpassing the current benchmarks in personality neuroscience. These findings empirically validate the close alignment between personality constructs and neural oscillatory patterns, highlighting the potential of EEG-based sensing and machine-learning analytics for personalized mental-health monitoring and human-centric AI systems attuned to individual neurocognitive profiles. Full article

Background: Emotional prosody refers to the variations in pitch, pause, melody, rhythm, and stress of pronunciation conveying emotional meaning during speech. Although several studies demonstrated that the cerebellum is involved in the network subserving recognition of emotional facial expressions, there is only preliminary evidence suggesting its possible contribution to recognising emotional prosody by modulating the activity of cerebello-prefrontal circuits. The present study aims to further explore the role of the left and right cerebellum in the recognition of emotional prosody in a sample of healthy individuals who were required to identify emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, surprise, disgust, and neutral) from vocal stimuli selected from a validated database (EMOVO corpus). Methods: Anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) was used in offline mode to modulate cerebellar activity before the emotional prosody recognition task, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to monitor stimulation-related changes in oxy- and deoxy- haemoglobin (O2HB and HHB) in prefrontal areas (PFC). Results: Right cerebellar stimulation reduced reaction times in the recognition of all emotions (except neutral and disgust) as compared to both the sham and left cerebellar stimulation, while accuracy was not affected by the stimulation. Haemodynamic data revealed that right cerebellar stimulation reduced O2HB and increased HHB in the PFC bilaterally relative to the other stimulation conditions. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with the involvement of the right cerebellum in modulating emotional processing and in regulating cerebello-prefrontal circuits. Full article

This paper investigates the spatiotemporal patterns and accessibility implications of shared e-scooter use in Tel Aviv, drawing on a complete year (2024) of trip-level data from all licensed providers. Shared micromobility services are often promoted as tools for reducing car dependency and improving urban accessibility, yet their actual usage patterns and equity outcomes remain underexplored, especially outside North America and Western Europe. This study aims to address this gap by integrating over 9 million reconstructed scooter trips with public transport accessibility data, local weather records, and institutional calendar effects. Multivariate regression was applied to quantify temporal and environmental determinants of demand, seasonal-trend decomposition to reveal cyclical usage patterns, and spatial analysis to assess whether scooters extend or reinforce existing mobility hierarchies. Findings indicate that scooter use in Tel Aviv is highly structured, peaking during afternoon hours, dropping during holidays and rain, and reflecting the weekly rhythms of the workweek in Tel Aviv. However, spatial patterns show a strong concentration of usage within already well-connected central areas, with limited activity in low-accessibility zones. These results suggest that shared e-scooters are not currently fulfilling their potential as first- or last-mile connectors; instead, they primarily serve as short-range, intra-core alternatives to walking. Full article

The brain and muscle ARNT-like 1 protein, also known as BMAL1 or ARNTL1, is one of the key transcriptional regulators of circadian rhythms that controls the diurnal dynamics of a wide range of behavioral, hormonal, and biochemical factors in most living creatures around the Earth. This protein also regulates many physiological processes, and its disruption leads to pathological conditions in organisms, including nervous system disorders. The high evolutionary conservativity of BMAL1 allows for the construction of in vitro and in vivo models using experimental animals and the investigation of BMAL1-dependent molecular mechanisms of these diseases. In this review, we have collected data from human and animal studies concerning the roles of BMAL1 in processes such as neuroinflammation, trauma and neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment and myelinization, mood disorders, addictions, cognitive functions, and neurosignaling. Additionally, we provide information about the biochemical regulation of BMAL1 and pharmacological approaches to change its activity. Here, we conclude that BMAL1 functions in the nervous system go far beyond circadian rhythm regulation in most cell types, including neurons, glial cells, and microglial cells. Under pathological conditions, lack or overexpression of this protein can exert both protective and destructive effects. Thus, proper therapeutic modulation of BMAL1 activity is a promising approach for improving nervous system disorders. Full article

Atrial dilated cardiomyopathy with progression to atrial standstill is an ultrarare arrhythmogenic disorder characterized by complete loss of atrial electrical and mechanical activity. This condition, which may occur sporadically or in familial clusters, is associated with a markedly increased thromboembolic risk. The electrocardiographic hallmark is the absence of P waves combined with a bradycardic junctional escape rhythm. Biatrial enlargement gradually evolves into giant atria with preserved biventricular systolic function, while supraventricular arrhythmias and progressive atrial inexcitability dominate the clinical course. Valvular regurgitation frequently worsens in parallel with atrial remodelling, and patients often require permanent pacemaker implantation as well as lifelong anticoagulation. Among the few genetic determinants identified, the homozygous c.449G>A (p.Arg150Gln) mutation in the Natriuretic Peptide A gene represents one of the best characterized mechanisms. Disertori et al. first reported this pathogenic variant in 13 affected individuals from Italian families, establishing a recessive inheritance pattern. More recently, Silva et al. and Forleo et al. described additional cases, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of NPPA-related atrial cardiomyopathy. These findings confirm that homozygous carriers develop a severe atrial phenotype, whereas heterozygous relatives typically remain asymptomatic, underlining the importance of genetic testing in young patients with unexplained atrial fibrillation or standstill. Recognition of atrial cardiomyopathy as a distinct clinical entity is crucial, since early diagnosis may guide timely anticoagulation, arrhythmia management, and tailored follow-up. Broader adoption of genetic screening in patients with isolated atrial dysfunction could support precision medicine approaches, improve risk stratification, and ultimately prevent adverse outcomes in this ultrarare but highly morbid condition. Full article

Manual wheelchair propulsion is a frequent activity among people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and is linked to upper limb loading and shoulder pain. We compared propulsion strategies at cadences of 30 and 50 bpm. Kinematics and surface electromyography (EMG) were recorded across the propulsion cycle, push/recovery phases, and events. Ranges of motion for shoulder flexion/extension, adduction/abduction, and elbow flexion/extension did not differ significantly, although ROM tended to be smaller at 50 bpm; push angle was larger at 50 bpm but not significant. Propulsion cycle duration was shorter at 50 bpm (p < 0.001). Push duration was similar, but its proportion of the cycle increased at 50 bpm (p < 0.001). Recovery duration was shorter at 50 bpm (p < 0.001), yet its cycle proportion increased (p < 0.01). EMG showed cadence-specific redistribution: higher activity at 50 bpm at preparation (anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, biceps brachii, upper trapezius; p < 0.01) and at contact (posterior deltoid; p < 0.05); higher biceps brachii at release and higher anterior deltoid at end-range extension at 30 bpm (both p < 0.05). Cadence manipulation reorganized timing and muscle demands without large ROM changes, supporting rhythm-based training and propulsion design to mitigate shoulder loading. Full article

Background/Objectives: Excessive smartphone use may negatively affect cognitive functions, including attention. While sensorimotor rhythm, beta, and theta waves have been linked to concentration, the electroencephalography (EEG) frequency band that most reliably serves as a neurophysiological marker of concentration is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of glucose tablet candy ingestion on attention following smartphone use in healthy adults. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted in 16 healthy adults aged 18–39 years. Participants performed a 30 min smartphone-based information search task. Attention was assessed before and after the task using the Cognitrax test battery, and participants ingested either a glucose tablet candy (containing 26 g of glucose) or a placebo (no glucose) between tests. EEG was performed during attention tests using a patch-type device. Subjective sensations, including attention, fatigue, and mental clarity (clear-headedness), were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). The primary outcome was attention test scores, and secondary outcomes included EEG power and VAS ratings. Results: Glucose tablet candy ingestion after smartphone use significantly improved mean correct response time and error response scores in part 2 of the four-part continuous performance test, a subtest within Cognitrax, compared to that with the placebo. Additionally, glucose intake significantly attenuated the decrease in right prefrontal beta EEG power observed with the placebo. Improvements were also observed in self-reported physical fatigue and mental clarity on the VAS following glucose ingestion. Conclusions: The ingestion of the glucose (26 g) tablet candy improved sustained attention after smartphone use in healthy adults aged 18–39 years and was associated with changes in brain activity. These results suggest that the glucose tablet candy may help counteract the decline in concentration following cognitively demanding smartphone use. Full article

Spatiotemporal niche differentiation plays a critical role in facilitating mutual adaptation and sustaining coexistence among sympatric species. We investigated these patterns in sympatric ungulates through an infrared camera trap survey conducted in the Kazila Mountain region of southwestern China from July 2023 to May 2025. A total of seven species were recorded across 54 camera sites, with tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) being the most frequently detected, while forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) were the least. Nocturnality indices (β > 0.54 indicating nocturnal, β < 0.54 indicating diurnal, and β = 0.54 indicating no distinct diel preference) revealed significant differences in activity patterns among the five species. Tufted deer (β = 0.415), alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) (β = 0.438), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) (β = 0.234) were predominantly diurnal. In contrast, sambar (Rusa unicolor) (β = 0.571) was nocturnal, while the Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsii) (β = 0.534) showed no strong diel preference. Nine of ten species pairs exhibited significant diel rhythm differences, with the exception of sambar-Chinese serow, and these rhythms showed marked seasonal variation, particularly in tufted deer, Chinese serow, and sambar. Temporal overlap was generally higher in the cold season for seven species pairs, suggesting that such overlap may be related to resource availability and increased interspecific competition under harsher conditions. Pianka’s overlap index (Oik) (ranging from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates no overlap and 1 indicates complete overlap) was used to assess spatial niche overlap, with values ranging from 0.16 (alpine musk deer–wild boar) to 0.86 (tufted deer–wild boar). Spatial autocorrelation and clustering analysis showed that tufted deer exhibited significant positive spatial autocorrelation, indicating a clustered high-value distribution, while the other species were randomly distributed. Spatial hotspot analysis revealed substantial overlap between tufted deer and wild boar, while the remaining species showed higher levels of spatial segregation. Collectively, these results suggest that seasonal variation in activity patterns, coupled with spatial segregation, mitigates interspecific competition and supports the stable sympatric coexistence of ungulates in this montane ecosystem. Full article

Vitamin B12 (B12) is a strong antioxidant and a cofactor for methionine synthase supporting DNA/RNA/protein methylation. We previously demonstrated that oral high-dose B12 supplement mitigates diabetic cardiomyopathy in Akita diabetic mice expressing twice the normal levels of Elmo1 (Engulfment and cell motility 1). To assess how B12 prevents early kidney damage, we treated Elmo1^HH mice and diabetic Elmo1^HH Ins2^Akita/+ mice with or without B12 in drinking water starting at 8 weeks of age. At 16 weeks, markedly reduced mesangial expansion was detected in the B12-treated diabetic kidneys (22% of glomeruli affected vs. 70% in the untreated diabetic kidneys). RNAseq analysis of the kidneys revealed that B12 suppressed expression of genes for adaptive immune response, while it upregulated those for solute carrier transporters and antioxidant genes. Strikingly, B12 treatment suppressed activators of circadian rhythm, Clock and Bmal1, and upregulated repressors like Cry1/2, Per1-3 and Dbp, suggesting a shift in their rhythmicity. B12 also upregulated linker histone H1 variants, and enhanced chromatin stability and cell cycle regulation. In BU.MPT proximal tubular cells in culture, B12 shifted forward the circadian expression phase of Bmal1 and Per1. Taken together, B12 supplement effectively mitigates early development of diabetic nephropathy in diabetic mice, potentially involving regulation of circadian rhythm. Full article