FORCED OSCILLATION FOR A CLASS OF FRACTIONAL PARABOLIC PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

We investigate the oscillation of class of time fractional partial dierential equationof the formfor (x; t) 2 R+ = G; R+ = [0;1); where is a bounded domain in RN with a piecewisesmooth boundary @ ; 2 (0; 1) is a constant, D +;t is the Riemann-Liouville fractional derivativeof order of u with respect to t and is the Laplacian operator in the Euclidean N- space RNsubject to the Neumann boundary conditionWe will obtain sucient conditions for the oscillation of class of fractional partial dierentialequations by utilizing generalized Riccatti transformation technique and the integral averagingmethod. We illustrate the main results through examples

Forced oscillation of conformable fractional partial delay differential equations with impulses

In this paper, we establish some interval oscillation criteria for impulsive conformable fractional partial delay differential equations with a forced term. The main results will be obtained by employing Riccati technique. Our results extend and improve some results reported in the literature for the classical differential equations without impulses. An example is provided to illustrate the relevance of the new theorems

Oscillation criteria for fractional impulsive hybrid partial differential equations

In this paper, we study the oscillatory behavior of the solutions of fractional-order nonlinear impulsive hybrid partial differential equations with the mixed boundary condition. By using the integral averaging method and the Riccati technique, we have obtained the oscillation criteria of all the solutions of the given system. An example is given to illustrate our main results

Existence theory of fractional order three-dimensional differential system at resonance

This paper deals with three-dimensional differential system of nonlinear fractional order problem \begin{align*} D^{\alpha}_{0^{+}}\upsilon(\varrho) = f(\varrho,\omega(\varrho),\omega^{\prime}(\varrho),\omega^{\prime\prime}(\varrho),...,\omega^{(n-1)}(\varrho)), \; \varrho \in (0,1),\\ D^{\beta}_{0^{+}}\nu(\varrho) = g(\varrho, \upsilon(\varrho),\upsilon^{\prime}(\varrho),\upsilon^{\prime\prime}(\varrho),...,\upsilon^{(n-1)}(\varrho)), \; \varrho \in (0,1),\\ D^{\gamma}_{0^{+}}\omega(\varrho) = h(\varrho,\nu(\varrho),\nu^{\prime}(\varrho),\nu^{\prime\prime}(\varrho),...,\nu^{(n-1)}(\varrho)), \; \varrho \in (0,1), \end{align*} with the boundary conditions, \begin{align*} \upsilon(0) = \upsilon^{\prime}(0) = ... = \upsilon^{(n-2)}(0) = 0,\; \upsilon^{(n-1)}(0) = \upsilon^{(n-1)}(1),\\ \nu(0) = \nu^{\prime}(0) = ... = \nu^{(n-2)}(0) = 0,\; \nu^{(n-1)}(0) = \nu^{(n-1)}(1),\\ \omega(0) = \omega^{\prime}(0) = ... = \omega^{(n-2)}(0) = 0,\; \omega^{(n-1)}(0) = \omega^{(n-1)}(1), \end{align*} where $D^{\alpha}_{0^{+}}, D^{\beta}_{0^{+}}, D^{\gamma}_{0^{+}}$ are the standard Caputo fractional derivative, n-1 < \alpha, \beta, \gamma \leq n, \; n \geq 2 and we derive sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions to the fraction order three-dimensional differential system with boundary value problems via Mawhin's coincidence degree theory, and some new existence results are obtained. Finally, an illustrative example is presented.</p

Inner Engineering Practices and Advanced 4-day Isha Yoga Retreat Are Associated with Cannabimimetic Effects with Increased Endocannabinoids and Short-Term and Sustained Improvement in Mental Health: A Prospective Observational Study of Meditators

Background Anxiety and depression are common in the modern world, and there is growing demand for alternative therapies such as meditation. Meditation can decrease perceived stress and increase general well-being, although the physiological mechanism is not well-characterized. Endocannabinoids (eCBs), lipid mediators associated with enhanced mood and reduced anxiety/depression, have not been previously studied as biomarkers of meditation effects. Our aim was to assess biomarkers (eCBs and brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) and psychological parameters after a meditation retreat. Methods This was an observational pilot study of adults before and after the 4-day Isha Yoga Bhava Spandana Program retreat. Participants completed online surveys (before and after retreat, and 1 month later) to assess anxiety, depression, focus, well-being, and happiness through validated psychological scales. Voluntary blood sampling for biomarker studies was done before and within a day after the retreat. The biomarkers anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), 1-arachidonoylglycerol (1-AG), docosatetraenoylethanolamide (DEA), oleoylethanolamide (OLA), and BDNF were evaluated. Primary outcomes were changes in psychological scales, as well as changes in eCBs and BDNF. Results Depression and anxiety scores decreased while focus, happiness, and positive well-being scores increased immediately after retreat from their baseline values (P 70% (P < 0.001). Increases of ≥20% in anandamide, 2-AG, 1-AG, and total AG levels after meditation from the baseline had weak correlations with changes in happiness and well-being. Conclusions A short meditation experience improved focus, happiness, and positive well-being and reduced depression and anxiety in participants for at least 1 month. Participants had increased blood eCBs and BDNF, suggesting a role for these biomarkers in the underlying mechanism of meditation. Meditation is a simple, organic, and effective way to improve well-being and reduce depression and anxiety

Isha Yoga Practices and Participation in Samyama Program are Associated with Reduced HbA1C and Systemic Inflammation, Improved Lipid Profile, and Short-Term and Sustained Improvement in Mental Health: A Prospective Observational Study of Meditators

Background: Meditation is gaining recognition as a tool to impact health and well-being. Samyama is an 8-day intensive residential meditation experience conducted by Isha Foundation requiring several months of extensive preparation and vegan diet. The health effects of Samyama have not been previously studied. The objective was to assess physical and emotional well-being before and after Samyama participation by evaluating psychological surveys and objective health biomarkers. Methods: This was an observational study of 632 adults before and after the Isha Samyama retreat. All participants were invited to complete surveys. Controls included household significant others. Surveys were completed at baseline (T1), just before Samyama (T2), immediately after Samyama (T3), and 3 months later (T4) to assess anxiety, depression, mindfulness, joy, vitality, and resilience through validated psychometric scales. Voluntary blood sampling for biomarker analysis was done to assess hemoglobin (Hb), HbA1c, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Primary outcomes were changes in psychometric scores, body weight, and blood biomarkers. Results: Depression and anxiety scores decreased from T1 to T3, with the effect most pronounced in participants with baseline depression or anxiety. Scores at T4 remained below baseline for those with pre-existing depression or anxiety. Vitality, resilience, joy, and mindfulness increased from T1 to T3 (sustained at T4). Body weight decreased by 3% from T1 to T3. Triglycerides (TG) were lower from T2 to T3. Participants had lower HbA1c and HDL at T2, and lower CRP at all timepoints compared with controls. Conclusions: Participation in the Isha Samyama program led to multiple benefits. The 2-month preparation reduced anxiety, and participants maintained lower anxiety levels at 3 months post-retreat. Physical health improved over the course of the program as evidenced by weight loss and improved HbA1C and lipid profile. Practices associated with the Samyama preparation phase and the retreat may serve as an effective way to improve physical and mental health. Future studies may examine their use as an alternative therapy in patients with depression and/or anxiety

Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

Variation in postoperative outcomes of patients with intracranial tumors: insights from a prospective international cohort study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: This study assessed the international variation in surgical neuro-oncology practice and 30-day outcomes of patients who had surgery for an intracranial tumor during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We prospectively included adults aged ≥18 years who underwent surgery for a malignant or benign intracranial tumor across 55 international hospitals from 26 countries. Each participating hospital recorded cases for 3 consecutive months from the start of the pandemic. We categorized patients’ location by World Bank income groups (high [HIC], upper-middle [UMIC], and low- and lower-middle [LLMIC]). Main outcomes were a change from routine management, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 30-day mortality. We used a Bayesian multilevel logistic regression stratified by hospitals and adjusted for key confounders to estimate the association between income groups and mortality. Results: Among 1016 patients, the number of patients in each income group was 765 (75.3%) in HIC, 142 (14.0%) in UMIC, and 109 (10.7%) in LLMIC. The management of 200 (19.8%) patients changed from usual care, most commonly delayed surgery. Within 30 days after surgery, 14 (1.4%) patients had a COVID-19 diagnosis and 39 (3.8%) patients died. In the multivariable model, LLMIC was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio 2.83, 95% credible interval 1.37–5.74) compared to HIC. Conclusions: The first wave of the pandemic had a significant impact on surgical decision-making. While the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection within 30 days after surgery was low, there was a disparity in mortality between countries and this warrants further examination to identify any modifiable factors