bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of mandibular advancement on pharyngeal airway space in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma: A monocentric prospective study with computed tomography
Authors: Ritschl Lucas M. , Zink Jakob K. , Unterhuber Tobias , Weitz Jochen , Hofauer Benedikt , Wolff Klaus-Dietrich , Fichter Andreas M. , Behr Alexandra V.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

The presented study aimed to evaluate the effect of mandibular protrusion with a temporarily applied mandibular advancement device (MAD) on the posterior airway space and to determine a reliable metric constant based on a three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) evaluation.

Materials and methods

The study population consisted of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma who were treated at least six months prior to the follow-up CT in supine position. Each patient received an individually adjusted MAD that was temporarily applied with three different protrusion distances (P0 = 0 mm, P4 = 4 mm, and P8 = 8 mm) during follow-up CT. The open-source software Slicer was used to calculate three parameters: minimum cross-sectional area (minCSA), mean cross-sectional area (meanCSA), and volume.

Results

The results showed a significant increase for all three parameters. The minCSA increased as follows: P0 = 236.4 mm2 ± 192.2; P4 = 309.2 mm2 ± 235.4; and P8 = 430.6 mm2 ± 265.3. The meanCSA increased significantly (p < 0.001) in all protrusion steps and all parts of the pharynx. The volume changed as follows: P0 = 24.0 cm3 ± 5.0; P4 = 29.6 cm3 ± 18.1; and P8 = 33.6 cm3 ± 19.0. The minCSA increased by 24.9 mm2 ± 13.0 per millimeter mandibular protrusion.

Conclusion and clinical relevance

The results are interesting for both conservative and surgical therapy and could find future application in dental, orthodontic, and combined oral surgical therapy. With the results of this study, surgeons and dentists may better predict the change of PAS parameter in order to better prepare for orthognathic surgery. They also could ensure the right protrusion distance for mandibular advancement devices in the case of obstructive sleep apnea.
Tolerance and intraguild commensalism: the case of the European badger and the Iberian lynx
Authors: Pérez-Vigo Isabel , Ferreras Pablo , Finat Rafael , Villafuerte Rafael
Published: January 2025

As a top predator, the Iberian Lynx plays a critical role in regulating mesocarnivore communities across the Iberian Peninsula. While species such as the red fox, the Egyptian mongoose, or the European wildcat develop spatial or temporal avoidance behaviours to minimise potentially lethal encounters with the lynx, the relationship between the Eurasian badger and the lynx has been described as one of peaceful coexistence. However, this has not been empirically demonstrated. For the first time, we document close encounters observed between Iberian lynxes and European badgers and shed light on their behavioural interactions. Using camera traps in Montes de Toledo, Spain—an area with a high-density lynx population – we observed that lynxes stayed attentive to the badgers’ activities without showing any signs of alertness, rejection or aggression, between them. These observations challenge traditional assumptions about interspecies interactions among mesocarnivores and provide new insights into the complex dynamics of predator communities in Mediterranean ecosystems.
A comparative study of the genetically improved Abbassa Nile tilapia strain (GIANT-G9) and a commercial strain in Egypt: growth vs. stress response
Authors: Bedir Eman Ahmed , Said Mohamed Mohamed , Al Wakeel Rasha A. , Nasr-Allah Ahmed M. , Abo-Al-Ela Haitham G.
Published: January 2025

Selective breeding is a potent method for developing strains with enhanced traits. This study compared the growth performance and stress responses of the genetically improved Abbassa Nile tilapia strain (G9; GIANT-G9) with a local commercial strain over 12 weeks, followed by exposure to stressors including high ammonia (10 mg TAN/L), elevated temperature (37 °C), and both for three days. The GIANT-G9 showed superior growth, including greater weight gain, final weight, length gain, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio, as well as a lower feed conversion ratio and condition factor compared to the commercial strain. The expression of growth hormone in the brain of the GIANT‐G9 increased significantly after 6 weeks, although it slightly decreased after 12 weeks. Growth hormone receptor 1 expression also increased significantly after 6 weeks. Muscle insulin-like growth factors (igf1 and igf2) levels up-regulated significantly only after 12 weeks in the GIANT‐G9. Under stress, serum enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) were significantly higher in the GIANT‐G9, while the commercial strain had lower levels. No significant changes were observed in liver ALP activity among stressed strains. Under stress, the GIANT‐G9 exhibited marked upregulation of splenic Toll-like receptors (tlr2, tlr9, tlr21), myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (myd88), nuclear factor kappa B (nf-κB), interleukin (il) 1β, and il6. Notably, il6 expression was higher than il1β in the spleen, with the opposite pattern in the head kidney. In response to immune stimulation, globulin levels significantly increased in the GIANT‐G9 but with similar values to the stressed commercial strain. Myostatin expression increased in the spleen of the stressed GIANT‐G9. The commercial strain exhibited the best liver catalase and superoxide dismutase activities under stress, while the GIANT‐G9 showed increased liver glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity after exposure to ammonia and temperature stress. Serum lysozyme activity increased in the stressed commercial strain and under temperature stress in the GIANT‐G9 but decreased under other stress conditions. Overall, the stressed commercial strain demonstrated higher survivability than the stressed GIANT‐G9. The study revealed significant interactions between strains and stress factors. The GIANT‐G9 exhibited higher growth rates but lower antioxidant and immune capacities compared to the commercial strain at the juvenile stage of life and production cycle.
Performance of a Wild Sesame (Sesamum Spp) Phytochemical Extract for Water Disinfection
Authors: Adeeyo Adeyemi Ojutalayo , Oyetade Joshua Akinropo , Msagati Titus Alfred , Colile Nkosi , Makungo Rachel
Published: January 2025

The study sampled wild Sesame from open field in South Africa. The samples were pretreated while the extracts were screened for phytochemical compositions and applied for water purification using standard procedures. The physicochemical properties of sampled raw and purified water (pH, total dissolved solids, salinity turbidity and conductivity) were analyzed in situ before and after treatment in the lab, respectively. The plant’s phytochemical extract from the leaves and stem was prepared using selected solvents (methanol, cold water and warm water). The results revealed the presence of phytochemicals including tannins, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, anthraquinone, terpenoids, saponins, and phlobatannins in both the stem and leaf of the wild Sesame plant. The study shows effective percentage reduction of E. coli and total bacteria with extracts of leaf (98.5, 100.0 and 97.2%), (98.8, 100.0 and 95.0%) and stem (94.0, 95.4 and 99.0%), (99.4, 98.6 and 98.4%) using methanol, cold and warm water, respectively, at 5ml of the phytochemical extracts. This study explores the use of wild Sesame phytochemicals for disinfecting river and stream water samples, highlighting the potential for greener and sustainable water treatment. The physicochemical parameters of the treated water were within tolerable limits, especially salinity and the total dissolved solids. Thus, the extract is presented as a potential solution for water purification, aligning with SDG goals 6 (clean water), 9, and 12 (green innovations). It fills the knowledge and product gap in water treatment, causing minimal harm, consistent with the African Union's sustainable development agenda and the African Council on Water's goal for clean water. This innovation meets the criteria for technology readiness levels 2 and 3, making it ready for further development.
An experimental study on the effect of prosecutorial Brady violations on confidence in exonerating individuals wrongfully convicted of murder
Authors: Navarro John C. , Hansen Michael A.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

While several contributing factors can lead to wrongful convictions, it is unclear whether the public perceives these methods of exonerating convicted murderers differently.

Methods

We distributed an online survey to a nationally representative sample of 1193 individuals. After reading a prompt about the increased attention and production of digital media on wrongful convictions and exonerations, respondents were randomized into two conditions to evaluate their confidence in the exoneration of a convicted murderer across four contributing factors. The experimental condition contained the addition of prosecutorial misconduct in withholding evidence.

Results

Public confidence in wrongful conviction exonerations varied across the four contributing factors, with DNA evidence consistently held in the highest regard. Confidence then followed a descending order, beginning with police-induced forced confessions, false testimonies, and eyewitness statements, with all three showing increased confidence ratings when prosecutorial misconduct was involved.

Conclusions

The public distinguishes between contributing factors in murder exonerations. DNA is the most trusted evidence for murder exonerations regardless of misconduct, while confidence in the other contributing factors to exonerate murderers significantly increases when prosecutorial misconduct is present.
The Effect of Different Nanoparticles Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) Grating on Ge, Si, InP, and GaAs Photodetectors Performance
Authors: Marouf Hagar , Abdel-Salam Nariman , El-Rabaie El-Sayed M. , Rashed Ahmed Nabih Zaki , ElKhamisy Khalil M.
Published: January 2025

The photonics community is getting more involved in plasmonic detectors that detect light. Plasmonics permits lighting to be directed into microscopic areas in metal frameworks; this feature might imitate further advancements in the effectiveness of detectors that detect light. Plasmonic nanostructures may alter light at a subwavelength scale and have been seen as an effective way to improve photoresponsiveness in semiconductor components. A groove in a surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) catapult which encircles a novel germanium (Ge), silicon (Si), indium phosphide (InP), and gallium arsenide (GaAs) photodetectors can be applied to improve the detector’s photocurrent, responsivity, and internal quantum efficiency of the detector. In this study, we examine the effect of a gold (Au) and a silver (Ag) SPP on Ge, Si, InP, and GaAs photodetectors. Moreover, in this study, we demonstrated that the recombination of the gold SPP with the photodetector presents higher responsivity (R) and current density (J) than that with the silver SPP in all of the examined photodetectors. The maximum responsivity when using gold nanoparticles in Ge achieves 250 A W−1, 150 A W−1 in Si, 40 A W−1 in InP, and 25 A W−1 in GaAs. The results also achieve a high current density (J) of 25 mA cm−2 in Ge gold SPP, 15 mA cm−2 in Si gold SPP, 3.6 mA cm−2 in InP gold SPP, and 1.6 mA cm−2 in GaAs gold SPP. The results demonstrated that the Ge achieves the best performance of all examined photodetectors, and the gold SPP achieves better results than the silver SPP. We utilize a 3-D finite element method (FEM) COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1 simulation tool in all experiments results.
Social Vulnerability and Biological Aging in New York City: An Electronic Health Records-Based Study
Authors: Knobel Pablo , Colicino Elena , Kloog Itai , Litke Rachel , Lane Kevin , Federman Alex , Mobbs Charles , Yitshak Sade Maayan
Published: January 2025

Chronological age is not an accurate predictor of morbidity and mortality risk, as individuals’ aging processes are diverse. Phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel) is a validated biological age measure incorporating chronological age and biomarkers from blood samples commonly used in clinical practice that can better reflect aging-related morbidity and mortality risk. The heterogeneity of age-related decline is not random, as environmental exposures can promote or impede healthy aging. Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) is a composite index accounting for different facets of the social, economic, and demographic environment grouped into four themes: socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and language, and housing and transportation. We aim to assess the concurrent and combined associations of the four SVI themes on PhenoAgeAccel and the differential effects on disadvantaged groups. We use electronic health records data from 31,913 patients from the Mount Sinai Health System (116,952 person-years) and calculate PhenoAge for years with available laboratory results (2011–2022). PhenoAge is calculated as a weighted linear combination of lab results, and PhenoAgeAccel is the differential between PhenoAge and chronological age. A decile increase in the mixture of SVI dimensions was associated with an increase of 0.23 years (95% CI 0.21, 0.25) in PhenoAgeAccel. The socioeconomic status dimension was the main driver of the association, accounting for 61% of the weight. Interaction models revealed a more substantial detrimental association for women and racial and ethnic minorities with differences in leading SVI themes. These findings suggest that neighborhood-level social vulnerability increases the biological age of its residents, increasing morbidity and mortality risks. Socioeconomic status has the larger detrimental role among the different facets of social environment.
„Sterben braucht ganz viele Ausnahmen“. Eine qualitative Studie zur hospizlich-palliativen Versorgung im Strafvollzug
Authors: Fleckinger Susanne , Schmidt-Semisch Henning
Published: January 2025

Hintergrund

Die Zahl älterer Gefangener nimmt u.a. aufgrund des demografischen Wandels europaweit zu. In Deutschland sind 16% der Gefangenen älter als 50 Jahre. Dies führt dazu, dass Gefangene in Haft schwer erkranken, pflegebedürftig werden und auch sterben. Bislang gibt es keine Studie zur hospizlich-palliativen Versorgung dieser Personengruppe. Die vorliegende Studie fragt aus einer pflegewissenschaftlich-hospizlichen Perspektive, welche Möglichkeiten sich im Strafvollzug für eine der Situation in Freiheit äquivalente, hospizlich-palliative Versorgung bieten.

Methode

Im Rahmen dieser qualitativen Studie wurden 14 leitfadengestützte Expert:inneninterviews mit Mitarbeitenden in ambulanten Hospizdiensten geführt sowie mit Personen, die in unterschiedlichen Funktionen mit dem Thema Sterben in einer Justizvollzugsanstalt konfrontiert sind. Die Auswertung erfolgte mit der inhaltlich strukturierenden, qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse. Die Befragten wurden über den Deutschen Hospiz- und PalliativVerband sowie via Schneeballsystem rekrutiert.

Ergebnisse und Diskussion

Die Rahmenbedingungen des Strafvollzugs bestimmen wesentlich die Möglichkeiten der hospizlich-palliativen Versorgung. Pflegefachpersonen müssen dabei mit den unterschiedlichen Anforderungen an die Gewährleistung von Sicherheit einerseits und die empathische Pflege andererseits umgehen. Ehrenamtlichen Hospizbegleiter:innen wird im Strafvollzug ambivalent begegnet: Einerseits werden sie als Störung der Vollzugsroutine wahrgenommen, andererseits aber auch als Entlastung im vollzuglichen Pflegealltag. In einzelnen Anstalten ist ein Wandel im Umgang mit Sterben, Tod und Trauer wahrnehmbar.
Gender inequality and cultural values in explaining gender differences in positive and negative emotions: A comparison of 24 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wollast Robin , Lüders Adrian , Nugier Armelle , Guimond Serge , Phillips Joseph B. , Sutton Robbie M. , Douglas Karen M. , Sengupta Nikhil K. , Lemay Edward P. , Zand Somayeh , Van Lissa Caspar J. , Bélanger Jocelyn J. , Abakoumkin Georgios , Khaiyom Jamilah Hanum Abdul , Agostini Maximilian , Ahmedi Vjollca , Almenara Carlos A. , Atta Mohsin , Bagci Sabahat C. , Bernardo Allan B. I. , Choi Hoon-Seok , Cristea Mioara , Danyliuk Ivan , Enea Violeta , Fisher Alexandra N. , Gómez Angel , Greiff Samuel , Gützkow Ben , Hamaidia Ali , Han Qing , Hudiyana Joevarian , Jeronimus Bertus F. , Jiang Ding-Yu , Jovanović Veljko , Kende Anna , Keng Shian-Ling , Koc Yasin , Kovyazina Kamila , Kreienkamp Jannis , Kurapov Anton , Lantos Nora Anna , Jaya Lesmana Cokorda Bagus , Malik Najma I. , Martinez Anton P. , McCabe Kira O. , Milla Mirra N. , Molinario Erica , Moyano Manuel , Muhammad Hayat , Mula Silvana , Myroniuk Solomiia , Nisa Claudia , Nyúl Boglárka , O’Keefe Paul A. , Osuna Jose Javier Olivas , Osin Evgeny N. , Park Joonha , Pierro Antonio , Rees Jonas , Reitsema Anne Margit , Rullo Marika , Ryan Michelle K. , Samekin Adil , Schumpe Birga M. , Selim Heyla A. , Stanton Michael V. , Tseliou Eleftheria , vanDellen Michelle , Vázquez Alexandra , Weaving Morgan , Yahiiaiev Illia , Yeung Victoria W. L. , Zheng Bang , Zúñiga Claudia , Leander N. Pontus
Published: January 2025

The coronavirus pandemic posed a major challenge to mental health. Existing evidence shows that COVID-19 is related to poor emotional well-being, particularly among women. However, most work on the subject uses single-country samples, limiting the ability to generalize the disparity or explain it as a function of societal variables. The present study investigates the expression of positive and negative emotions during the pandemic as a function of gender and across 24 countries (N = 49,637). Strong gender differences emerged across countries, with women reporting more negative emotions (anxious, depressed, nervous, exhausted) and less positive emotions (calm, content, relaxed, energetic) than men. The gender gap in positive emotions was significantly wider in countries higher in individualism and narrower in countries higher in power distance. For instance, differences in emotions were larger in Western countries high in individualism, such as the USA, the UK, Italy, and France, and smaller in countries with higher collectivism and power distance, such as China, Malaysia, and South Korea, with a few exceptions like Japan and Brazil. These gender differences across countries were not explained by country-level gender inequalities indicators (GGGI and GII). Interestingly, the national severity of the pandemic, an epidemiological factor, reduced gender differences in positive emotions. These results underscore the importance of considering cultural and national factors when assessing gender differences in well-being.
Highlights on gastroesophageal tumors: the comeback of FLOT
Authors: Ilhan-Mutlu Aysegul
Published: January 2025

This article aims to summarize the highlights of the two largest global congresses of 2024 with respect to gastroesophageal tumors. The triplet chemotherapy combination known as FLOT (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, docetaxel), used as perioperative chemotherapy, was demonstrated to improve overall and disease-free survival in resectable gastroesophageal cancer patients some time ago. Despite being standard for this patient population, many questions for different scenarios remain open: Is FLOT also efficacious in patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma when compared to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy? Is FLOT a feasible chemotherapy option for oligometastatic patients, thereby contributing to the overall survival as “neoadjuvant” treatment before palliative resection? Can the efficacy of FLOT be strengthened by applying additional radiation treatment to patients with gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma? Is FLOT really necessary in the adjuvant setting for all patients, or can the adjuvant treatment be guided based on pathological response rates? These questions were answered to some extent in the ESOPEC and RENAISSANCE trials at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting and the TOPGEAR and SPACE-FLOT trials at European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting. Many other FLOT-related studies for resectable as well as metastatic gastroesophageal cancer patients are yet to come.
Managing courts in competitive authoritarian regimes
Authors: Hanelt Etienne , Vincze Attila
Published: January 2025

More than a decade of democratic backsliding has turned Hungary into a competitive authoritarian state. The government has initiated many judicial reforms to exert control over the judiciary, yet needed to maintain plausible deniability due to formal international and constitutional standards of judicial independence. Based on interviews with Hungarian judges and experts for the judicial system, we explore techniques of managing the courts. In particular we study mechanisms of co-optation and soft repression and explain why the resistance of judges was weak. We find that a complex web of informal patronal politics undermines judicial independence in practice. Moreover, the regime fosters competition between three clients who are entrusted to manage and control the judiciary: the heads of the Supreme Court (Kúria), the National Judicial Office, and the Constitutional Court. Their resources and power ebb and flow with their reliability and performance. We conclude that competitive authoritarian regimes can maintain formally independent judicial institutions by delegating and incentivizing control over the judiciary. They thereby escape measurement, maintain plausible deniability, and evade international pressure.
Numerical analysis on heat transfer enhancement of Al2O3 and CuO-water nanofluids in annular curved tubes
Authors: Abdelmagied Mahmoud
Published: January 2025

The present investigation presents numerically the thermo-hydraulic performance of annular curved tubes in the turbulent flow region. The three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed by using a commercial ANSYS 14.5 package to get additional insights on the thermo-hydraulic performance on a level of detail that is not always available in experiment results. The turbulent k-ε realize model was employed to examine the effect of Al2O3-water and CuO-water nanofluids on the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics at different key design parameters. Three coil geometry shapes (including helical, spiral, and conical), five annular cross-section shapes (including circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, and triangular), and three cross-section areas were also investigated in this study. The numerical simulations were carried out at Reynolds numbers of 4700 to 26,700 and nanofluid volume concentrations, φ of 1%, 3%, and 5%, with constant wall temperature (CWT) heat transfer boundary conditions. The result showed that the addition of Al2O3 (45 nm) and CuO (29 nm) nanoparticles to water improves the heat transfer coefficient by 48.8%, 25.7%, and 8.4% and 37.1%, 20%, and 8.7%, respectively, at φ of 5%, 3%, and 1%, while the penalty of pressure drop is approximately negligible. The heat transfer rate per unit pumping power for helical design achieved 21.6% and 5.34% higher than conical and spiral designs, respectively, for the same curvature ratio, cross-section area, and coil length. Also, the circular shape achieved a higher heat transfer enhancement than elliptical, square, rectangular, and triangular shapes by 4%, 14.6%, 17.8%, and 30.1%, respectively. The maximum thermo-hydraulic performance index reached 1.68 and 1.58 for both Al2O3-water and CuO-water nanofluids, respectively, at φ of 5%.
Ibn Khaldūn: Political Thought
Authors: Ibn Khaldun
Published: January 2025

Ibn Khaldūn is one of the outstanding thinkers about the nature of society and politics in the pre-modern Arab world. This volume presents the political writings of the fourteenth-century philosopher, stressing their enduring relevance. Arnold Toynbee used to say that Ibn Khaldūn's work was the most impressive endeavour to build a theory out of history ever undertaken before the nineteenth century. However, translators and historians discovered Ibn Khaldūn at the time when new revolutionary economic and political conditions were dismissive of his philosophy. In this edition, Gabriel Martinez-Gros brings Ibn Khaldūn's political thought to the forefront, exploring his theories in the context of his era, but also emphasizing their profound resonances with modern society. Far from the caricature of Ibn Khaldūn as a 'tribal philosopher', Martinez-Gros shows that Ibn Khaldūn's thought is about creating wealth in an agrarian society, concerned with economic concepts, demography, war and violence.
From Collusion to Autonomy: Patterns of Hybrid Repression and Human Rights Activism
Authors: Meier Larissa , Peña Alejandro M. , Nah Alice M.
Published: January 2025

This article elaborates the notion of hybrid repression, understanding by this modalities of dissidence suppression that involve state and non-state actors interacting in various ways, from fully autonomous to close cooperation. It does so by proposing a framework to scrutinize repressive configurations on the basis of three analytical dimensions – the perpetrator of repression, the tactics used and the threats perpetrators respond to – and using this framework to perform a systematic qualitative analysis of 160 in-depth interviews with human rights activists in four different countries (Colombia, Egypt, Mexico and Kenya). On this basis, the article analytically distinguishes and empirically elaborates four different patterns of hybrid repression, namely: state rogue, corporate, communitarian and non-state armed repression. Our argument challenges the state-centric approach to political repression that still dominates much of the literature on contentious politics and comparative regime analysis, and it invites further research on how hybrid forms of repression manifest and operate in different types of social and political contexts, and in relation to different areas of activism.
Gender and Singing in Pahlavi Soundscape: Modern Feminine Culture and Masculine Politics in the Age of Popular Culture, Vision, and Rumors; A Discussion of Sensory History in Modern Iran
Authors: Nekouei Pouya
Published: January 2025

Focusing on the cultural history of vocal music in Pahlavi Iran, this article examines the senses in modern Iranian history. As the article shows, the performance of Iranian vocal music became subject to a gendered male and female dichotomy. While this dichotomy did not exist in early Pahlavi Iran, in the early 1950s, a gendered consciousness and language emerged among male musicophilias, eventually separating genres of vocal performance across gender lines. Hence, vocal music known as āvāz became increasingly associated with male performers, while tarāneh and tasnif were increasingly associated with female performers. As the article attempts to show, this gender dichotomy should be contextualized in the broader tension between the sense of vision and sight and disciplined notions of aurality and the body. While the “modern woman's” body permeated the visual domain in the public sphere, the cultural ideals of disciplined aurality and body docility informed the male musicophilias countercultural claims in Pahlavi Iran. Eventually, the latter attempted to challenge the female agency in the public music sphere.
The Rationality of Emotions Across Time
Authors: Moller Dan
Published: January 2025

Philosophers have struggled to explain the mismatch of emotions and their objects across time, as when we stop grieving or feeling angry despite the persistence of the underlying cause. I argue for a sceptical approach that says that these emotional changes often lack rational fit. The key observation is that our emotions must periodically reset for purely functional reasons that have nothing to do with fit. I compare this account to David Hume’s sceptical approach in matters of belief, and conclude that resistance to it rests on a confusion similar to one that he identifies.
Trauma exposure, contextual stressors, and PTSD symptoms: patterns in racially and ethnically diverse, low-income postpartum women
Authors: Kofman Yasmin B. , Brown Joni , Dunkel Schetter Christine , Sumner Jennifer A.
Published: January 2025

Background

Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities persist in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are partly attributed to minoritized women being trauma-exposed, while also contending with harmful contextual stressors. However, few have used analytic strategies that capture the interplay of these experiences and their relation to PTSD. The current study used a person-centered statistical approach to examine heterogeneity in trauma and contextual stress exposure, and their associations with PTSD and underlying symptom dimensions, in a diverse sample of low-income postpartum women.

Methods

Using a community-based sample of Black, Hispanic/Latina, and White postpartum women recruited from five U.S. regions (n = 1577), a latent class analysis generated profiles of past-year exposure to traumatic events and contextual stress at one month postpartum. Regression analyses then examined associations between class membership and PTSD symptom severity at six months postpartum as a function of race/ethnicity.

Results

A four-class solution best fit the data, yielding High Contextual Stress, Injury/Illness, Violence Exposure, and Low Trauma/Contextual Stress classes. Compared to the Low Trauma/Contextual Stress class, membership in any of the other classes was associated with greater symptom severity across nearly all PTSD symptom dimensions (all ps < 0.05). Additionally, constellations of exposures were differentially linked to total PTSD symptom severity, reexperiencing, and numbing PTSD symptoms across racial/ethnic groups (ps < 0.05).

Conclusions

A person-centered approach to trauma and contextual stress exposure can capture heterogeneity of experiences in diverse, low-income women. Moreover, racially/ethnically patterned links between traumatic or stressful exposures and PTSD symptom dimensions have implications for screening and intervention in the perinatal period.
All that glitters is not gold: The false-symbol problem in archaeology
Authors: Tennie Claudio , Planer Ronald J.
Published: January 2025

Stibbard-Hawkes forcefully alerts us to the pitfall of false-negative reasoning in symbolic archaeology. We highlight the twin problem of false-positive reasoning in what we call the “false-symbol problem.” False symbols are intuitively special entities that, owing to their non-utilitarian nature, invite symbolic interpretation. But they are not symbolic. We link the false-symbol problem to work in comparative primate cognition, taking “primate art” as our main example.
Material culture both reflects and causes human cognitive evolution
Authors: Di Paolo Laura Desirèe , White Ben , Guénin–Carlut Avel , Constant Axel , Clark Andy
Published: January 2025

Our commentary suggests that different materialities (fragile, enduring, and mixed) may influence cognitive evolution. Building on Stibbard-Hawkes, we propose that predictive brains minimise errors and seek information, actively structuring environments for epistemic benefits. This perspective complements Stibbard-Hawkes' view.
Behavioural modernity is dead: Long live behavioural modernity
Authors: Blessing Matthias A.
Published: January 2025

Using Neanderthal symbolism, I extend on Stibbard-Hawkes to show that reconsidering the link between cognitive capacity and material culture extends beyond matters of preservation. A reconceptualization of behavioural modernity inclusive of both extant and extinct populations must begin with an honest theoretical separation of biological and behavioural modernity, which requires to critically engage with how we frame the underlying questions.
Don't ignore cognitive evolution during the three million years that preceded the archaeological record of material culture!
Authors: Falk Dean
Published: January 2025

The target article rightly questions whether the archaeological record is useful for identifying sea changes in hominin cognitive abilities. This commentary suggests an alternative approach of synthesizing findings from primatology, evolutionary developmental biology, and paleoanthropology to formulate hypotheses about cognitive evolution in hominins that lived during the three million years that preceded the record of material culture (the Botanic Age).
Sports, team games, and physical skill competitions as an important source of symbolic material culture with low preservation probability
Authors: Gallup Andrew C. , Eldakar Omar Tonsi
Published: January 2025

Sports, team games, and physical skill competitions appear to be a human universal and may have been prevalent throughout the hominin lineage. These activities are cognitively complex and can be associated with a distinctive and symbolic material culture. Yet, many of the artifacts used by foraging groups for sports, team games, and athletic competitions often have a low preservation probability.
The Mbuti people still reproduce a 75,000 years old recursive pattern
Authors: Barceló-Coblijn Lluís
Published: January 2025

Modern humans don't always leave cultural or technological evidence. Yet, Mbuti artifacts, like net-hunting tools and patterns, reveal their modern cognitive capacity. They create geometric and musical structures requiring specific working memory seen in modern Homo sapiens. Evidence from Blombos Cave suggests these skills existed 75,000 years ago, underscoring shared cognitive abilities among all modern human populations.
Populism and Democracy: Mapping the Field
Authors: Rovira Kaltwasser Cristóbal , Taggart Paul
Published: January 2025

The rise of populism as a global phenomenon has captured the attention of scholars and raised concerns about its impact on democracy. Thanks to a growing academic consensus around an ideational definition of populism, one can observe the generation of important cumulative knowledge on the relationship between populism and democracy. Political science has been at the forefront of this development, and this symposium seeks to both offer state-of-the art information on this topic and discuss blind spots that future studies should try to address.
Advance care planning readiness, barriers, and facilitators among seriously ill Black older adults and their surrogates: A mixed methods study
Authors: Howe Rebecca , Kumar Shreya , Slattery Laura , Milton Stephanie , Tonkikh Orly , Ogugu Everlyne G. , Bidwell Julie T. , Bell Janice , Amadi Grace , Agnoli Alicia
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Advance care planning (ACP) supports communication and medical decision-making and is best conceptualized as part of the care planning continuum. Black older adults have lower ACP engagement and poorer quality of care in serious illness. Surrogates are essential to effective ACP but are rarely integrated in care planning. Our objective was to describe readiness, barriers, and facilitators of ACP among seriously ill Black older adults and their surrogates.

Methods

We used an explanatory sequential mixed methods study design. The setting was 2 ambulatory specialty clinics of an academic medical center and 1 community church in Northern California, USA. Participants included older adults and surrogates. Older adults were aged 60+, self-identified as Black, and had received care at 1 of the 2 clinics or were a member of the church congregation. Surrogates were aged 18+ and could potentially make medical decisions for the older adult. The validated ACP engagement survey was used to assess confidence and readiness for ACP. What “matters most” and barriers and facilitators to ACP employed questions from established ACP materials and trials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after surveys to further explain survey results.

Results

Older adults (N = 30) and surrogates (N = 12) were confident that they could engage in ACP (4.1 and 4.7 out of 5), but many were not ready for these conversations (3.1 and 3.9 out of 5). A framework with 4 themes – illness experience, social connections, interaction with health providers, burden – supports identification of barriers and facilitators to ACP engagement.

Significance of results

We identified barriers and facilitators and present a framework to support ACP engagement. Future research can assess the impact of this framework on communication and decision-making.
Race, Voice, and Authority in Discussion Groups
Authors: Elder Elizabeth Mitchell , Karpowitz Christopher F. , Mendelberg Tali
Published: January 2025

Few studies examine how often people of color voice their views or shape the discussion in civic or political decision-making groups. Existing studies do not link participants’ private preferences to what they say and lack data on racial inequalities in individuals’ public speech. We analyze a large sample of citizens randomized to groups tasked with deciding on punishment for corporate malfeasance, an issue of consequence for communities of color. We develop systematic measures of racial inequality in voice and uptake during discussion. We find that members of color speak less and are less likely to mention their own preferences. These effects are not explained by racial differences in preferences or by being the lone racial minority. Race also shapes the uptake of preferences during discussion. A seat at the table does not suffice for equal voice.
Impact of the EuroPsy
Authors: McElvaney Rosaleen , McDonnell-Murray Rachael , Marinovic Ivana
Published: January 2025

Abstract: Introduction: The EuroPsy is a set of standards for education and training in psychology, overseen by the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) since 2010 and currently implemented in 28 countries across Europe. This paper examines how the EuroPsy certification process has impacted psychology in Europe. Methods: We reviewed data from individual countries, including annual reports, approval and reapproval applications, and minutes of annual meetings over the 13-year period from 2010 to 2023. We conducted a small number of interviews online where clarification was needed. Results: Three key areas have been impacted by the EuroPsy process: University psychology programmes across Europe have been revised in line with the EuroPsy curriculum; supervised practice has now been accepted as a core component of training; and many countries have revised their legislation on licensing in psychology to be consistent with the minimum standards outlined in the EuroPsy regulations. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, the impact of the EuroPsy is reflected less in the number of certificates issued and more in the recognition of the certificate as a hallmark of quality, representing a benchmark that has influenced education, training, and legislation at a systemic level in European countries.
Effectiveness of positive allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 (mGluR2/3) in animal models of schizophrenia
Authors: Olivares-Berjaga David , Martínez-Pinteño Albert , Rodríguez Natalia , Mas Sergi , Morén Constanza , Parellada Eduard , Gassó Patricia
Published: January 2025

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a deleterious brain disorder characterised by its heterogeneity and complex symptomatology consisting of positive, negative and cognitive deficits. Current antipsychotic drugs ameliorate the positive symptomatology, but are inefficient in treating the negative symptomatology and cognitive deficits. The neurodevelopmental glutamate hypothesis of SZ has opened new avenues in the development of drugs targeting the glutamatergic system. One of these new therapies involves the positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of metabotropic glutamate receptors, mainly types 2/3 (mGluR2/3). mGluR2/3 PAMs are selective for the receptor, present high tolerability and can modulate the activity of the receptor for long periods. There is not much research in clinical trials regarding mGluR2/3 PAMs. However, several lines of evidence from animal models have indicated the efficiency of mGluR2/3 PAMs. In this review, focusing on in vivo animal studies, we will specifically discuss the utilization of SZ animal models and the various methods employed to assess animal behaviour before summarising the evidence obtained to date in the field of mGluR2/3 PAMs. By doing so, we aim to deepen our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the potential efficiency of mGluR2/3 PAMs in treating SZ. Overall, mGluR2/3 PAMs have demonstrated efficiency in attenuating SZ-like behavioural and molecular deficits in animal models and could be useful for the early management of the disorder or to treat specific subsets of patients.
Deep neural networks have an inbuilt Occam’s razor
Authors: Mingard Chris , Rees Henry , Valle-Pérez Guillermo , Louis Ard A.
Published: January 2025

The remarkable performance of overparameterized deep neural networks (DNNs) must arise from an interplay between network architecture, training algorithms, and structure in the data. To disentangle these three components for supervised learning, we apply a Bayesian picture based on the functions expressed by a DNN. The prior over functions is determined by the network architecture, which we vary by exploiting a transition between ordered and chaotic regimes. For Boolean function classification, we approximate the likelihood using the error spectrum of functions on data. Combining this with the prior yields an accurate prediction for the posterior, measured for DNNs trained with stochastic gradient descent. This analysis shows that structured data, together with a specific Occam’s razor-like inductive bias towards (Kolmogorov) simple functions that exactly counteracts the exponential growth of the number of functions with complexity, is a key to the success of DNNs.
Metagenome-guided culturomics for the targeted enrichment of gut microbes
Authors: Armetta Jeremy , Li Simone S. , Vaaben Troels Holger , Vazquez-Uribe Ruben , Sommer Morten O. A.
Published: January 2025

The gut microbiome significantly impacts human health, yet cultivation challenges hinder its exploration. Here, we combine deep whole-metagenome sequencing with culturomics to selectively enrich for taxa and functional capabilities of interest. Using a modified commercial base medium, 50 growth modifications were evaluated, spanning antibiotics, physico-chemical conditions, and bioactive compounds. Whole-metagenome sequencing identified medium additives, like caffeine, that enhance taxa often associated with healthier subjects (e.g., Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae). We also explore the impact of modifications on the composition of cultured communities and establish a link between medium preference and microbial phylogeny. Leveraging these insights, we demonstrate that combinations of media modifications can further enhance the targeted enrichment of taxa and metabolic functions, such as Collinsella aerofaciens, or strains harboring biochemical pathways involved in dopamine metabolism. This streamlined, scalable approach unlocks the potential for selective enrichment, advancing microbiome research by understanding the impact of different cultivation parameters on gut microbes.
In vivo base editing extends lifespan of a humanized mouse model of prion disease
Authors: An Meirui , Davis Jessie R. , Levy Jonathan M. , Serack Fiona E. , Harvey John W. , Brauer Pamela P. , Pirtle Catherine P. , Berríos Kiara N. , Newby Gregory A. , Yeh Wei-Hsi , Kamath Nikita , Mortberg Meredith , Lian Yuan , Howard Michael , DeSouza-Lenz Kendrick , Guzman Kenia , Thai Aaron , Graffam Samantha , Laversenne Vanessa , Coffey Alissa A. , Frei Jeannine , Pierce Sarah E. , Safar Jiri G. , Deverman Benjamin E. , Minikel Eric Vallabh , Vallabh Sonia M. , Liu David R.
Published: January 2025

Prion disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by the misfolding of prion protein (PrP) encoded by the PRNP gene. While there is currently no cure for the disease, depleting PrP in the brain is an established strategy to prevent or stall templated misfolding of PrP. Here we developed in vivo cytosine and adenine base strategies delivered by adeno-associated viruses to permanently modify the PRNP locus to achieve PrP knockdown in the mouse brain. Systemic injection of dual-adeno-associated virus PHP.eB encoding BE3.9max and single guide RNA installing PRNP R37X resulted in 37% average installation of the desired edit, 50% reduction of PrP in the mouse brain and 52% extension of lifespan in transgenic human PRNP mice inoculated with pathogenic human prion isolates representing the most common sporadic and genetic subtypes of prion disease. We further engineered base editing systems to achieve improved in vivo potency and reduced base editor expression in nontargeting tissues, resulting in 63% average PrP reduction in the mouse brain from a 6.7-fold lower viral dose, with no detected off-target editing of anticipated clinical significance observed in either human cells or mouse tissues. These findings support the potential of in vivo base editing as one-time treatment for prion disease.
Systematic review of machine learning applications using nonoptical motion tracking in surgery
Authors: Carciumaru Teona Z. , Tang Cadey M. , Farsi Mohsen , Bramer Wichor M. , Dankelman Jenny , Raman Chirag , Dirven Clemens M. F. , Gholinejad Maryam , Vasilic Dalibor
Published: January 2025

This systematic review explores machine learning (ML) applications in surgical motion analysis using non-optical motion tracking systems (NOMTS), alone or with optical methods. It investigates objectives, experimental designs, model effectiveness, and future research directions. From 3632 records, 84 studies were included, with Artificial Neural Networks (38%) and Support Vector Machines (11%) being the most common ML models. Skill assessment was the primary objective (38%). NOMTS used included internal device kinematics (56%), electromagnetic (17%), inertial (15%), mechanical (11%), and electromyography (1%) sensors. Surgical settings were robotic (60%), laparoscopic (18%), open (16%), and others (6%). Procedures focused on bench-top tasks (67%), clinical models (17%), clinical simulations (9%), and non-clinical simulations (7%). Over 90% accuracy was achieved in 36% of studies. Literature shows NOMTS and ML can enhance surgical precision, assessment, and training. Future research should advance ML in surgical environments, ensure model interpretability and reproducibility, and use larger datasets for accurate evaluation.
Formic acid dehydrogenation catalysed by a novel amino-di(N-heterocyclic carbene) based Ru-CNC pincer complex
Authors: Aufricht Patricia , Nori Valeria , Rabell Brenda , Piccirilli Luca , Koranchalil Sakhitha , W. Larsen René , Nielsen Mathias T. , Nielsen Martin
Published: January 2025

A new Ru(ii)-complex with an amino-di(NHC) CNC pincer ligand was developed and characterised. In combination with an ionic liquid, it efficiently catalyses formic acid dehydrogenation under mild, additive-free conditions, producing H2 and CO2.
Unraveling the conversion mechanism toward spinel sulfides as cathode materials for Mg-ion batteries
Authors: Pan Jinming , Gao Danmei , Qiao Jianxian , Liu Yuping , Xu Jing , Shang Bo , Chen Changguo , Huang Guangsheng , Zhang Dingfei , Pan Fusheng
Published: January 2025

Rechargeable Mg batteries are promising candidates for achieving considerable high-energy-density.
A review of the design and strategies for photoassisted rechargeable metal-ion batteries
Authors: Soundarya Mary A. , Mahendra Ganesh , Roy Rahuldeb , Ganesha Mukhesh K. , Singh Ashutosh K.
Published: January 2025

This review highlights the design and strategies to optimize energy conversion and storage of photo-assisted rechargeable batteries (PARBs). PARB combines solar energy harvesting and storage into a single efficient system.
Highly salt-resistant and efficient dynamic Janus absorber based on thermo-responsive hydroxypropyl cellulose
Authors: Gu Jianfeng , Luan Zhaohui , Zhang Xinmin , Wang Huihui , Cai Xu , Zhan Weiqing , Ji Xinyi , Liang Jiajie
Published: January 2025

We present a Janus hydrogel-based absorber featuring a surface modified with thermo-responsive hydroxypropyl cellulose and a hydrogel matrix containing photothermal conversion units, MXene, specifically designed for long-term seawater desalination.