Human Body Research Articles

Benefits of Testosterone Hormone in the Human Body: A Systematic Review

Benefits of Testosterone Hormone in the Human Body: A Systematic Review

الأبعاد المفاهيمية لمشاهد الصراع وتمثلاته في الفن السومري

The current research dealt with (the conceptual dimensions of conflict scenes and their representations in Sumerian art), through studying the religious, political, environmental, ideological and social dimensions from which the conflict scene emerged, which was represented in the aesthetic structure of cylindrical seals, obelisks, stone tablets and statues, during the Sumerian era. Therefore, the researcher sought in the first chapter to clarify the problem of the research, its importance and the need for it, in addition to the aim of the research, which was represented by the following: "Identifying the conceptual dimensions of conflict scenes and their representations in Sumerian art." Then the researchers concluded the aforementioned chapter by defining the terms that are directly related to the title of the research and its objectives. As for the second chapter, it included a presentation of the theoretical framework and previous studies, and it consisted of two sections. The first section established the conflict conceptually. The second section dealt with the conflict: an approach in ancient Sumerian art. The third chapter was devoted to monitoring the research community and the tool that included collecting information, so samples were adopted from it in an intentional manner, and they amounted to (3) sculptural works that covered the limits of the research by adopting the descriptive analytical method for the purpose of analyzing them according to the axes of the analysis tool that the researcher adopted. As for the fourth chapter, it included the results of the research, which included: 1. The scenes of the conflict were evident in the ability of the Sumerian artist to adopt the realistic style in embodying human bodies with political dimensions that escalated their desired essential connotations, and religious thought is one of the most important pressing dominants in the structure of Sumerian art, and this is what appeared in all samples. 2. The Sumerian embodied and prominent art expressed the artistic feelings formed in the thought of the Sumerian artist through the diversity of topics, which carry religious and political dimensions that represent the social structure of the Sumerians. Then the conclusions that emerged from it the possibility of achieving the research objectives through the tool designed by the researcher, including: • Sumerian art in its various forms embodied religious thought and political dimension, by referring them to pictorial systems with aesthetic value full of symbolism directed towards the absolute and invisible powers. • The intellectual contemplations of the Sumerian sculptor contributed to the diversity of conflict scenes at the level of (sculptural or bas-relief), and the technical and directing treatments varied, as an attempt to depict and represent these intellectual contemplations and refer them to a symbolic meaning that has a tangible material existence. I also made an effort to mention a number of recommendations and suggestions followed by sources and appendices.

Systematic review: e-cigarettes vs. conventional cigarettes

Introduction Electronic cigarettes have gained widespread popularity by being marketed as a safer alternative to traditional smoking. Possibility of inhaling vapor created by heating nicotine liquid instead of combusting tobacco leaves revolutionized tobacco market, bringing a lot of questions about harmfulness or advantages of e-cigarettes. Their popularity is increasing and many aspects about their influence on health are still unclear. At the same time, better social acceptance than tobacco cigarettes brings out questions if they are a step to smoking cessation or if they encourage more people to start using nicotine. Aim of the review This systematic review provide an analysis of the existing literature on the influence of e-cigarettes on the human body with their economic and behavioral aspects. By examining a wide range of studies, we aim to elucidate the potential risks and benefits associated with e-cigarette use and provide a comparison of both electronic and conventional forms of nicotine consumption. Methods A systematic search was conducted using electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords included "e-cigarettes", "vaping", "health effects", "conventional cigarettes", "tobacco", "respiratory system", "cardiovascular system", "immune system", "oral health", and "cellular effects". The search was limited to studies published up to December 2023. Both observational and experimental studies were included. Conclusion While e-cigarettes are often promoted as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes, the evidence suggests that they are not without significant health risks. It is important to remember that they are a new form of substance use, and many aspects related to them are still unknown. E-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes present distinct usage patterns and cost profiles. Years of research on larger sample sizes are needed to determine their impact on humans.

Exact Trajectory Similarity Search With N-tree: An Efficient Metric Index for kNN and Range Queries

Similarity search is the problem of finding in a collection of objects those that are similar to a given query object. It is a fundamental problem in modern applications and the objects considered may be as diverse as locations in space, text documents, images, twitter messages, or trajectories of moving objects. In this paper we are motivated by the latter application. Trajectories are recorded movements of mobile objects such as vehicles, animals, public transportation, or parts of the human body. We propose a novel distance function called DistanceAvg to capture the similarity of such movements. To be practical, it is necessary to provide indexing for this distance measure. Fortunately we do not need to start from scratch. A generic and unifying approach is metric space, which organizes the set of objects solely by a distance (similarity) function with certain natural properties. Our function DistanceAvg is a metric. Although metric indexes have been studied for decades and many such structures are available, they do not offer the best performance with trajectories. In this paper we propose a new design, which outperforms the best existing indexes for kNN queries and is equally good for range queries. It is especially suitable for expensive distance functions as they occur in trajectory similarity search. In many applications, kNN queries are more practical than range queries as it may be difficult to determine an appropriate search radius. Our index provides exact result sets for the given distance function.

MYH9 promotes malignant progression of glioma cells through regulating β-catenin stability via epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling pathway

Epithelial‒mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which polar epithelial cells transform into active mesenchymal cells and acquire invasion and migration capabilities (Cano CE, Motoo Y, Iovanna JL in Sci World J 10, 2010). EMT is involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes in the human body. The occurrence of EMT involves many signal transduction pathways and complex molecular mechanisms related to calnexin, growth factors, transcription factors, and the microenvironment. EMT is closely related to the invasion and metastasis of tumour cells. The MYH9 gene is closely associated with tumour progression. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of MYH9 in tumour occurrence and development remain unclear. Herein, we revealed for the first time that the migration, invasion, and metastatic abilities of glioma cells decreased significantly after MYH9 expression was downregulated. Moreover, our results suggested that MYH9 regulated the epithelial‒mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in glioma cells via β-catenin. In this mechanism, MYH9 was shown to bind to β-catenin and to increase its protein level by recruiting the deubiquitinase USP2 to form a complex. This complex suppressed β-catenin protein degradation, ultimately enhancing EMT signal transduction. This MYH9/β-catenin/EMT pathway represents a new molecular mechanism involved in the invasion promotion in gliomas. Our findings also demonstrated that MYH9 was crucial for inducing glioma cell migration. In summary, we suggest that MYH9 is a potential molecular marker for predicting tumour progression and prognosis and highlight its role in a new molecular mechanism of tumour metastasis.

Ultrastructural changes in the common carotid artery in terms of age and gender-related in Rat model

Sex-related differences were investigated in ultrastructural modifications that occur with ageing in the rat carotid artery in the study. As ageing impacts every system and organ within the human body, it also impacts the circulatory system. The circulatory system serves various functions in the body such as nourishing organs and tissues, oxygenating and eliminating toxic substances. A condition like atherosclerosis or thrombosis in the circulatory system results in permanent harm to structures like the central nervous system, heart and even fatality. Although the pathologies observed in the vessels are commonly attributed to the generation of atheromas, it has been recognised in recent years that changes in the tunica intima and tunica media lead to impaired vascular function without the formation of atheromas. Despite the long-standing belief that women have a advantage in age-related cardiovascular diseases, there has been no ultrastructural examination to support this theory. We explored the sex-related discrepancies in the ultrastructural modifications produced by aging in the carotid artery. A total of 28 Sprague-Dawley rats, 14 males and 14 females, were planned to be used in the study. Of these 28 rats, 4 females and 4 males was constitute the control group. The rats in the control group was approximately 10 weeks old, and the rats in the experimental group, which was represent the aged group, was 19 weeks old. All animals in the study were anaesthetised and then sacrificed by removal of the heart. The right and left common carotid arteries were removed from the sacrificed animals. Collected vessels prepared for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) examination. For each animal, at least four TEM images were taken from four different sections from the same block. As a result, the impact of vascular ageing manifested as apoptosis and age-related dysfunction in endothelial cells, thickening of the subendothelial layer, elastin deterioration, collagen deposition in the matrix, and degradation of the internal elastic lamina. Notably, vascular degeneration is more severe in men than in women. It is clear that the endothelium is subject to accumulated damage with age. We believe that the dissimilarity between males and females is attributed to the estrogen’s proliferative and anti-inflammatory impact.

Association Between Heavy Metals Mixtures and Life's Essential 8 Score in General US Adults.

Heavy metals were toxic environmental pollutants capable of entering the human body, posing significant risks to human health. Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score is a new comprehensive index constructed for quantifying cardiovascular health (CVH). However, the association between heavy metals mixtures and LE8 appears ambiguous. To investigated the association between heavy metals and cardiovascular health in US population. Urinary heavy metals concentrations (barium, cadmium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, lead, antimony, strontium, thallium, tin, tungsten, uranium, cesium) were Ln-transformed and LE8 was consisted of eight metrics. Single and multivariate linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression models (BKMR) were utilized to assess the association between single and mixed exposure of thirteen heavy metals concentrations and LE8. In 4339 participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018, single urinary heavy metals barium, cadmium, cobalt, lead, antimony, strontium, tin, tungsten, uranium and cesium showed a significant negative association with LE8. WQS models showed heavy metals mixture was negatively associated with LE8 (β = - 2.720, 95% CI - 3.660, - 1.790). BKMR analysis also demonstrated a downward trend of heavy metals mixture and LE8. Both WQS analyzed weights and the conditional posterior inclusion probabilities (condPIP) of BKMR showed that cadmium (37.78%, condPIP = 1.000), barium (24.56%, condPIP = 0.537) and uranium (14.71%, condPIP = 0.646) contributed most for these negative associations. Single and mixed heavy metals, especially cadmium, barium and uranium were negatively associated with LE8 score, a new comprehensive CVH index, predicting an increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Description of Weight-Related Content and Recommended Dietary Behaviors for Weight Loss Frequently Reposted on X (Twitter) in English and Japanese: Content Analysis.

Both obesity and underweight are matters of global concern. Weight-related content frequently shared on social media can reflect public recognition and affect users' behaviors and perceptions. Although X (Twitter) is a popular social media platform, few studies have revealed the content of weight-related posts or details of dietary behaviors for weight loss shared on X. This study aims to describe body weight-related content frequently reposted on X, with a particular focus on dietary behaviors for weight loss, in English and Japanese. We collected English and Japanese X posts related to human body weight having over 100 reposts in July 2023 using an application programming interface tool. Two independent researchers categorized the contents of the posts into 7 main categories and then summarized recommended weight loss strategies. We analyzed 815 English and 1213 Japanese posts. The most popular main category of the content was "how to change weight" in both languages. The Japanese posts were more likely to mention "how to change weight" (n=571, 47.1%) and "recipes to change weight" (n=114, 9.4%) than the English posts (n=195, 23.9% and n=10, 1.2%, respectively), whereas the English posts were more likely to mention "will or experience to change weight" (n=167, 20.5%), "attitudes toward weight status" (n=78, 9.6%), and "public health situation" (n=44, 5.4%) than Japanese posts. Among 146 English and 541 Japanese posts about weight loss strategies, the predominant strategies were diet (n=76, 52.1% in English and n=170, 31.4% in Japanese) and physical activities (n=56, 38.4% and n=295, 54.5%, respectively). The proportion of posts mentioning both diet and physical activity was smaller in Japanese (n=62, 11.5%) than in English (n=31, 21.2%). Among 76 English and 170 Japanese posts about dietary behaviors for weight loss, more than 60% of posts recommended increasing intakes of specific nutrients or food groups in both languages. The most popular dietary component recommended to increase was vegetables in both English (n=31, 40.8%) and Japanese (n=48, 28.2%), followed by protein and fruits in English and grains or potatoes and legumes in Japanese. Japanese posts were less likely to mention reducing energy intake; meal timing or eating frequency; or reducing intakes of specific nutrients or food groups than the English posts. The most popular dietary component recommended to decrease was alcohol in English and confectioneries in Japanese. This study characterized user interest in weight management and suggested the potential of X as an information source for weight management. Although weight loss strategies related to diet and physical activity were popular in both English and Japanese, some differences in the details of the strategies were present, indicating that X users are exposed to different information in English and Japanese.

Association between TyG related parameters and metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease among nondiabetic individuals

Metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a prevalent liver condition and presents a major clinical and public health problem worldwide. TyG index and its related parameters TyG-WHtR, TyG-WC and TyG-BMI have been proven to label insulin resistance reliably, which makes it an important parameter to reflect the composition and health status of human body. Recent studies in the general population have demonstrated that there exists a correlation between elevated TyG index and the development of MAFLD, but in the nondiabetic US population, this correlation remains unclear. We included 945 nondiabetic adult participants from NHANES 2017–2020 cycle in this cross-sectional study. To find the relationship that exists between TyG, TyG-WHtR, TyG-WC, TyG-BMI, HOMA-IR, QUICKI and the risk of MAFLD, we used four conventional multivariate adjusted logistic regression models, plotted the RCSs to conduct this study, analyzed the thresholds using a two-stage logistic model. We performed stratified and interaction analyses to identify whether the relationships were stable in different subgroups. Moreover, we assessed the predictive ability of these parameters for MAFLD by plotting ROCs. We found that there was a positive correlation between TyG index and the incidence of MAFLD as well as its related parameters in the nondiabetic population.

Instant variable stiffness in cardiovascular catheters based on fiber jamming.

Variable stiffness (VS) has revolutionized miniature surgical instruments, including cardiovascular catheters for minimally invasive surgeries (MISs), enabling advanced capabilities in stiffness modulation and multi-curvature bending. However, existing VS catheters with phase-changing materials are slow in softening and stiffening rates (≈90 s), which can lead to substantial increase in surgery duration. To address the slow stiffness change, we propose a VS catheter based on fiber jamming (FJ) that achieves instant stiffness changes (≤300 ms), enabling seamless catheter operations without delays. Moreover, our catheter, incorporating hundreds of ultrathin fibers into a slender 2.3-mm catheter body, achieves up to 6.5-fold stiffness changes. With adequate stiffness change, our two-segment catheter achieves complex bending profiles within seconds. In addition, the FJ-based design does not require electric currents or heating inside the human body, minimizing patient risks. This FJ-based VS catheter, with instantaneous response, adequate stiffness change, and enhanced safety, can potentially establish benchmarks in MIS, allowing medical practitioners to effectively address formidable diseases.

Acetylcholinesterase activity and hematological parameters in individuals exposed to pesticides in a Brazilian state: a cross-sectional study.

The use of pesticides has become a worldwide concern, and Brazil is one of the countries that release the most pesticides and is affected by them. These chemical substances, when in contact with the human body, can cause health problems such as nephrotoxicity, neurodegeneration, and even cancer. This study investigates how direct and indirect pesticide exposure interferes with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and hematological parameters. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Sergipe, Brazil, and included 378 participants. The impact of pesticides on AChE and hematological parameters in individuals exposed to these agents was evaluated. Triazine (TZ) and Organochlorine (OC) classes combination generated the lowest AChE. A lower mean for AChE for individuals directly exposed to pesticides (p < 0.05) was observed. Men and younger individuals tended to have lower levels of AChE, as did individuals who declared themselves black or yellow or did not declare any ethnicity. As for hematological alterations, micronuclei (MN) were detected in 12.2% of farmers and 8.7% of families and neighborhoods. We found that AChE values tended to increase with the number of platelets and red blood cells (RBC). Still, we did not detect any other relationships between AChE and the type of exposure with hematological parameters. These findings contribute to evaluating the impact of pesticide exposure on human health. Thus, it allows us to infer that individuals directly exposed to pesticides tend to have lower levels of AChE, demonstrating the need to monitor these clinical parameters in individuals exposed to these agents and seek to identify the profile of this population.

СПОСОБ ПОЛУЧЕНИЯ БЕЗГЛЮТЕНОВОЙ ЛЬНЯНОЙ МУКИ

The purpose of the study is to improve the technology for producing gluten-free flaxseed flour and study its chemical composition. Objectives: to develop a technological scheme for producing gluten-free flaxseed flour; to determine the effect of extrusion processing on the chemical composition of gluten-free flaxseed flour, in particular on the protein complex; to determine the moisture-binding ability of flour. Flax seeds are a promising raw material for producing gluten-free flour for the purpose of modeling recipes for bakery and flour confectionery products. Flaxseed flour can be used as a stand-alone product or as an additive to a flour mixture. The developed technology includes additional extrusion processing of flaxseed cake. Due to short-term exposure to high temperature (140 °C), the availability of nutrients and the digestibility of proteins increase, as the native structure of the protein molecule changes. The resulting gluten-free flour is characterized not only by the absence of gluten, but also has a high-quality protein complex containing 17 amino acids, 8 of which are essential and cannot be synthesized by the human body, but enter it only with food. The study found such essential amino acids as lysine (0.72 %), phenylalanine (1.06 %), leucine and isoleucine (1.08 %), methionine (0.43 %), valine (0.97 %). ), threonine (0.89 %) and tryptophan (0.05 %). The total proportion of essential amino acids is 5.20 %. The addition of flax flour to premium wheat flour increases the moisture-binding properties of the flour mixture, which has a positive effect on the quality of the dough, which acquires optimal rheological characteristics, is easily kneaded and shaped.

Factors associated with caffeine intake among undergraduates: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

BackgroundCaffeine is one of the world’s most frequently consumed central nervous system stimulants. Moderate caffeine intake has beneficial health effects, while increased caffeine intake may have harmful effects in the human body. Existing literature indicated that undergraduates consume caffeine excessively. Till this date, little is known about the consumption pattern of caffeine among Palestinian undergraduates. Therefore, the current study aimed to estimate the percentage of caffeine consumption among Palestinian undergraduates, to assess their caffeine daily intake, and to identify factors associated with unsafe caffeine consumption.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Palestine between March and May 2022. Undergraduates were recruited by random sampling after a personal invitation. Undergraduates aged between 18 and 25 were included in the study, while those who were taking medications, had medical conditions affecting the data collection process, and had incomplete responses were excluded from the study. Caffeine consumption was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) developed by the research team. The content validity of the FFQ was done by three reviewers. Also, a questionnaire was used to collect data related to sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, lifestyle habits, sleeping quality, physical activity, and psychological status. Data were analyzed through the descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test).ResultsThe final analysis included 486 undergraduates with a mean age of 20.1 ± 1.48 years. The majority of the undergraduates were female (65.0%) and single (89.5%). The sample was distributed almost equally between the first (26.3%), second (23.0%), third (22.8%), and fourth (18.7%) academic years, and only 44 undergraduates (9.1%) were in their fifth year. The vast majority of university students (96.5%) consumed caffeinated products, with coffee ranking first place. Nearly half of the participants (32.7%) exceeded the safe levels of caffeine consumption. Males, smokers, poor physical activity, higher Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) scores, and greater anxiety, stress, and depression scores had significantly higher rates of unsafe caffeine intake than their peers (p < 0.05). The total caffeine consumption was significantly associated with gender, low household income, smoking status, physical activity level, SHI score, as well as anxiety (p < 0.05).ConclusionCaffeine consumption in the studied sample was significantly high and exceeded the safe levels. The current study revealed that unsafe caffeine consumption was more common among males, smokers, and physically active individuals. Caffeine intake was also linked to poor-quality sleep and higher psychological concerns. Therefore, educational programs are recommended to increase awareness of the adverse effects of high caffeine intake.

Diagnosis and Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome During Pregnancy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) represents a constellation of symptoms that can occur as a result of compression of the median nerve as it traverses through a constrained space at the level of the wrist. It is the most common compressive mononeuropathy in the human body. Patients frequently present with similar history and physical examination findings, most commonly consisting of numbness of the hand that is worse at nighttime. Although CTS is one of the more common conditions seen by hand, orthopedic, or plastic surgeons, patients often first report symptoms to their primary or obstetric care clinician. In this review, we describe the pathophysiology of CTS in pregnant patients, summarize the best methods for diagnosing this condition, and review the recommended treatment options. This review provides a practical strategy that can be used by both primary care and obstetric care clinicians in diagnosing and treating pregnant patients with CTS.

Web Analytics to Objectively Measure the Success of Educational Resources in Human Anatomy

Web Analytics to Objectively Measure the Success of Educational Resources in Human Anatomy

Introducing 3D printed models of fractures in osteology learning improves clinical reasoning skills among first-year medical students: a pilot study

BackgroundThe human bone anatomy is commonly taught using normal adult bones. However, students often face difficulties comprehending the clinical correlations related to fractures, as they only rely on text content or diagrams without three-dimensional visual aids. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using 3D-printed models of limb bone fractures in routine osteology classes to enhance the clinical reasoning skills of first-year medical undergraduate students.MethodologyIn this experimental study, 105 first-year medical undergraduate students were divided into intervention and control groups based on their pre-assigned serial numbers. The control group was taught using dry adult human bones, with the teacher explaining clinical correlations verbally. Meanwhile, in two sessions, the intervention group was taught using 3D-printed models of fractures in addition to real bones. At the end of the second session, students were evaluated for their clinical reasoning ability using a case-based MCQ test (maximum score 5). The scores were compared between the two groups using an unpaired t-test. Students of the intervention group were asked to rate their learning experience using a 10-point Likert Scale questionnaire.ResultsThe intervention group scored significantly higher (2.54 ± 1.15) than the control group (2.04 ± 0.94) (p = 0.015). The maximum score for both groups was five, and the minimum was one. Most students agreed that the 3D-printed models helped them understand the fractures’ clinical relevance and provided better orientation to the bones, joints, and structures involved in fractures (92%, n = 46). The students expressed a desire for more similar types of sessions.ConclusionIncorporating 3D-printed models of fractures was a novel approach to help students comprehend the clinical correlations. This strategy improved students’ clinical reasoning skills in the intervention group, as evidenced by their higher scores and feedback. Therefore, 3D-printed models are a valuable addition to the traditional teaching methods of learning osteology.

Strain-Insensitive Supercapacitors for Self-Powered Sensing Textiles.

Yarn-based supercapacitors and sensors can be easily integrated into textiles to form flexible and lightweight self-powered wearable electronic devices, which enable stable and continuous signal detection without an external power source. However, most current supercapacitors for self-powered systems lack the stretchability to adapt to complex human body deformations, which restricts their application as a stable wearable power source. This study presents a high-performance strain-insensitive yarn supercapacitor via prestretching in situ polymerization strategy, which can be integrated into self-powered wearable sensing textiles. The supercapacitor delivers a high specific capacitance of 20.79 mF cm-1 (116.94 F g-1), a power density of 37.54 μW cm-1 (211.22 W kg-1), and an energy density of 1.85 μWh cm-1 (10.39 Wh kg-1). The strain-insensitive ability is demonstrated with nearly unchanged performance at a high static strain of 200%, dynamic strain rates of 10% s-1, and retains 96.46% of its capacitance after 3500 cycles under 50% strain. The pressure sensor, featuring a striped coating structure, shows a high sensitivity of 0.67 kPa-1 and a short response time of 100 ms. The strain-insensitive yarn supercapacitors with superior reliability serve as an energy source to power pressure sensors that efficiently recognize Morse code, showing great potential in truly wearable health monitoring and rehabilitation training applications.

Biopolitics at the Nexus of Chronic and Infectious Diseases.

Non-communicable (chronic) and communicable (infectious) diseases constitute the leading causes of death worldwide. They appear to impact populations in developed and developing nations differently with changing trends in the landscape of human conditions. Greater understanding of changing disease burdens should influence the planning of health programmes, the implementation of related interventions, and policymaking efforts on a national and global scale. However, the knowledge of disease burdens does not reflect how states and global health organizations prioritize their efforts in addressing them. This work aims to address the discrepancy in public health priority setting by improving our understanding of how the two disease categories impact the human condition. It reviews two case studies, COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes, as representative cases of an infectious and a chronic disease, respectively, to answer the following question. How does biopolitics, as the governance of human bodies, at the nexus of infectious and chronic disease, impact national and global public health priorities? This work contextualizes and reframes the relationship towards disease categories by focusing on three primary themes: risk, current public health interventions, and funding priorities for each case study analysed. It argues that the politics over life at the nexus of chronic and infectious diseases, best conceived as future-oriented economic optimization, directs the efforts of prioritization in healthcare based on risk and responsibility-based relationship between multiple stakeholders.

Release Characteristics of Fenugreek Polysaccharide‐Lemon Essential Oil Inclusion Compound and Its Application in Cigarette Flavouring

ABSTRACTEmbedding is an effective method to overcome the poor thermal stability and release properties of lemon essential oil (LEO). This research focused on the fabrication of inclusion complexes through co‐precipitation and response surface optimization, employing Fenugreek polysaccharide (FP15) as the wall material. The complexes were assessed through thermal analysis and in vitro slow‐release investigations. XRD, FTIR and SEM analysis proved that LEO formed supramolecular structure with FP15 through hydrogen bonding and van der Waals force, and was successfully embedded with packaging efficiency of 57.33%. Thermal behaviour analysis showed that FP15 as a wall material significantly improved the thermal stability of LEO. The analysis based on the KAS and Coats‐Redfern methods showed that the apparent activation energy of inclusion compounds increased with the increase of conversion rate, and the secondary reaction model (F2) could better describe the pyrolysis reaction mechanism of inclusion compounds. In vitro release experiments showed that the release of LEO from the inclusion at 37°C (human body temperature) and 65°C (food processing temperature) followed a first‐order kinetic model, with LEO being released from the carrier by non‐Fickian diffusion. The analysis of pyrolysis products showed that the inclusion compound pyrolyzed at 300°C, 600°C and 900°C to produce a large number of aldehydes, esters and non‐/semi‐volatile organic acids. The production of these flavour substances improves the quality, concentration of aroma, rich‐ness and harmony of the cigarette during smoking. In summary, FP15 as a wall material slowed down the release of LEO, enhanced its stability and improved the sensory quality of cigarettes.

Deep meditation as a valid “scientific” method: A flawed argument

An interventional neurologist recently responded to my two-year-old article suggesting that Ayurveda should be approached in a qualia-centric manner. He questions the fundamental assumptions of what he calls “Western” science yet tries to use the same to claim that ancient Ayurveda and Yoga masters gained the knowledge of the functioning of human body through deep meditation. He appears to consider deep meditation as a valid scientific method, despite it lacking external validity. At the same time, he advocates for external validity to test Ayurveda therapeutics. I draw attention to this contradiction in his argument.