Explore the vast range of titles available.

Recent proposals in quantum gravity have suggested that unknown systems can mediate entanglement between two known quantum systems, if the mediator itself is non-classical. This approach may be applicable to the brain, where speculations about quantum operations in consciousness and cognition have a long history. Proton spins of bulk water, which most likely interfere with any brain function, can act as the known quantum systems. If an unknown mediator exists, then NMR methods based on multiple quantum coherence (MQC) can act as an entanglement witness. However, there are doubts that today’s NMR signals can contain quantum correlations in general, and specifically in the brain environment. Here, we used a witness protocol based on zero quantum coherence (ZQC) where we minimized the classical signals to circumvent the NMR detection limits for quantum correlation. For short repetitive periods, we found evoked signals in most parts of the brain, whereby the temporal appearance resembled heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEPs). We found that those signals had no correlates with any classical NMR contrast. Similar to HEPs, the evoked signal depended on conscious awareness. Consciousness-related or electrophysiological signals are unknown in NMR. Remarkably, these signals only appeared if the local properties of the magnetization were reduced. Our findings suggest that we may have witnessed entanglement mediated by consciousness-related brain functions. Those brain functions must then operate non-classically, which would mean that consciousness is non-classical.

Individuals who have the disposition to identify with all humanity declare feeling close to people all over the world, caring about them, and perceiving them as an ingroup. However, never before were such declarations verified by measures of intergroup attitudes less direct than questionnaires, such as approach/avoidance tendencies or dynamical systems methods. Since individuals with higher dispositional identification with all humanity (IWAH) perceive people all over the world as ingroup members, we expected differences in the dynamic of inter-ethnic interactions (spatial distance, coordination, coupling, and leading), depending on a participant’s level of IWAH. 227 participants fulfilled the IWAH scale, and those with the highest and lowest scores took part in a laboratory study, performing a task in inter-ethnic dyads. For the first time, an approach that combines a state-of-the-art tracking algorithm with a dynamical systems method was applied in such a context. Our results showed that those higher in IWAH kept a smaller distance from a partner, took a more leading role, and showed better coordination than those lower in IWAH. We found a similar trend for coupling. The results demonstrated the importance of IWAH for inter-ethnic relations and how it may shape non-verbal behaviors. Limitations are discussed.

This paper presents a study to analyze the use of augmented reality (AR) for delivering multimedia content to support the teaching and learning process of the digestive and circulatory systems at the primary school level, and its impact on knowledge retention. Our AR application combines oral explanations and 3D models and animations of anatomical structures. A validation study was conducted with fourth grade students in order to evaluate the effect of our tool on knowledge retention. In this study, we attempt to verify whether students using the AR application retained more concepts that those learning the topic in a traditional setting. Results show an increased knowledge retention on students using AR multimedia contents as opposed to those following a traditional course, which validates AR technology as a promising tool to improve students motivation and interest, and to support the learning and teaching process in educational contexts.

Infants’ limb movements evolve from disorganized to more selectively coordinated during the first year of life as they learn to navigate and interact with an ever-changing environment more efficiently. However, how these coordination patterns change during the first year of life and across different contexts is unknown. Here, we used wearable motion trackers to study the developmental changes in the complexity of limb movements (arms and legs) at 4, 6, 9 and 12 months of age in two different tasks: rhythmic rattle-shaking and free play. We applied Multidimensional Recurrence Quantification Analysis (MdRQA) to capture the nonlinear changes in infants’ limb complexity. We show that the MdRQA parameters (entropy, recurrence rate and mean line) are task-dependent only at 9 and 12 months of age, with higher values in rattle-shaking than free play. Since rattle-shaking elicits more stable and repetitive limb movements than the free exploration of multiple objects, we interpret our data as reflecting an increase in infants’ motor control that allows for stable body positioning and easier execution of limb movements. Infants’ motor system becomes more stable and flexible with age, allowing for flexible adaptation of behaviors to task demands.

Early in life, infants exhibit motor overflow, which can be defined as the generation of involuntary movements accompanying purposeful actions. We present the results of a quantitative study exploring motor overflow in 4-month-old infants. This is the first study quantifying motor overflow with high accuracy and precision provided by Inertial Motion Units. The study aimed to investigate the motor activity across the non-acting limbs during goal-directed action. To this end, we used wearable motion trackers to measure infant motor activity during a baby-gym task designed to capture overflow during reaching movements. The analysis was conducted on the subsample of participants (n = 20), who performed at least four reaches during the task. A series of Granger causality tests revealed that the activity differed depending on the non-acting limb and the type of the reaching movement. Importantly, on average, the non-acting arm preceded the activation of the acting arm. In contrast, the activity of the acting arm was followed by the activation of the legs. This may be caused by their distinct purposes in supporting postural stability and efficiency of movement execution. Finally, our findings demonstrate the utility of wearable motion trackers for precise measurement of infant movement dynamics.

We have recently suggested a proposal to explore non-classicality in the brain, for which we developed an entanglement witness protocol using MRI. The witness protocol intended to find spin interactions which could not be explained by classical interactions, based on intermolecular multiple quantum coherence (iMQC). As for Warren’s comments, we show in more detail that this was indeed the case; our observations were certainly not generated by interactions based on the iMQC model. Further, we discuss some additional details not present in the original paper.

On a real hypersurface in complex projective space, we can define two tensor fields of type (1, 2), and , associated with the shape operator of the real hypersurface, for any nonnull real number . Following Tachibana [ , Tohoku Math. J. (1960), 208–221], we study the purity and hybridness of such tensors with respect to

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is commonly conceived as the extreme end of a continuum. Research suggests that autistic individuals outperform typically developing controls in visual search. Thus, enhanced visual search may represent an adaptive trait associated with ASD. Here, using a large general population sample (N = 608, aged 9–14 years), we tested if higher levels of autistic traits are associated with enhanced visual search. Visual search was evaluated using both manual responses and eye movements, and autistic traits were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale. Contrary to our hypothesis, no significant relation between autistic traits and visual search were observed. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

This study evaluates the integration of reused PV modules within an agrivoltaic system designed for sustainable horticultural production, focusing on energy performance and agricultural outcomes. The experimental setup included both new and partially repaired PV modules, installed over tomato crops under real operating conditions. The results demonstrate that reused PV modules exhibit a strong and consistent energy performance, achieving correlations between irradiance and energy output comparable to new panels. Despite slightly lower performance ratios, reused modules maintained stable efficiency and operational viability, emphasizing their potential for sustainable applications. On the agricultural side, shading provided by PV panels protects the crop yield. This study highlights the environmental and economic advantages of incorporating reused PV modules into agrivoltaic systems, including reductions in raw material extraction, electronic waste generation, and overall environmental impact. By leveraging the circular economy principles, agrivoltaics with reused PV modules provide a sustainable pathway to balance energy production and food security while optimizing land use efficiency. These findings establish the potential of agrivoltaics as a key technology in advancing the sustainable energy transition.

Background In many tumors, the tumor suppressor TP53 is not mutated, but functionally inactivated. However, mechanisms underlying p53 functional inactivation remain poorly understood. SETD8 is the sole enzyme known to mono-methylate p53 on lysine 382 (p53 K382me1 ), resulting in the inhibition of its pro-apoptotic and growth-arresting functions. Methods We analyzed SETD8 and p53 K382me1 expression in clinical colorectal cancer (CRC) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) samples. Histopathological examinations, RNA sequencing, ChIP assay and preclinical in vivo CRC models, were used to assess the functional role of p53 inactivation in tumor cells and immune cell infiltration. Results By integrating bulk RNAseq and scRNAseq approaches in CRC patients, SETD8-mediated p53 regulation resulted the most significantly enriched pathway. p53 K382me1 expression was confined to colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs) and C1Q + TPP1 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in CRC patient tissues, with high levels predicting decreased survival probability. TAMs promote p53 functional inactivation in CR-CSCs through IL-6 and MCP-1 secretion and increased levels of CEBPD, which directly binds SETD8 promoter thus enhancing its transcription. The direct binding of C1Q present on macrophages and C1Q receptor (C1QR) present on cancer stem cells mediates the cross-talk between the two cell compartments. As monotherapy, SETD8 genetic and pharmacological (UNC0379) inhibition affects the tumor growth and metastasis formation in CRC mouse avatars, with enhanced effects observed when combined with IL-6 receptor targeting. Conclusions These findings suggest that p53 K382me1 may be an early step in tumor initiation, especially in inflammation-induced CRC, and could serve as a functional biomarker and therapeutic target in adjuvant setting for advanced CRCs. Graphical Abstract