Centromeres are chromosomal loci essential for the correct segregation of genetic material during cell division. Defects in centromere function can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. During early embryonic development in mammals, prior to the first cell division, male and female genomes are separated in pronuclei located at the centre of the zygote. Parental chromatin clusters at the interface between the two pronuclei and this clustering step is critical to avoid aneuploidy in human and bovine zygotes. Yet, despite their essential function in chromosome segregation, the position and spatial organization of centromeres during the first cell cycle in mammals is mostly unknown. Previous studies conducted in bovine embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF) showed that cell cycle progression impacts on the success rate of blastocyst formation. Specifically, embryos that entered earliest into S-phase or the earliest cleaving embryos were more likely to develop into blastocysts. To determine the precise timing of these events we performed a detailed characterization of key phases of the first cell cycle in bovine zygotes derived from IVF. In parallel we examined the spatial positioning of centromeres. We identify 20 h post insemination (hpi) as the timepoint when male and female pronuclei are juxtaposed and are completing S-phase. At this timepoint, we show that centromeres are positioned distal to the pronuclear interface and use super resolution microscopy to demonstrate extensive centromere clustering into chromocentres. Our results identify distinct nuclear features observed at 20 hpi, which may serve as cell cycle markers in determining successful bovine IVF.

The traditional ant colony optimisation (ACO) algorithm, when applied to mobile robot path planning, faces several challenges: slow convergence, susceptibility to local optima, and the generation of paths with excessive turning points, all of which reduce the robot’s operational efficiency. To overcome these shortcomings, this paper proposes a targeted set of improvements designed to enhance algorithm performance and increase the practicality and efficiency of path planning. First, we introduce an initial pheromone enhancement mechanism based on the Bresenham algorithm. By augmenting pheromone concentration along the approximate straight-line path from the start to the goal, ants are guided to explore in the optimal direction, thereby significantly accelerating convergence. Second, we integrate a directional continuity factor into the path selection probability: by using vector dot products to strengthen the bias toward consistent directions and by coupling this with a curvature-based pheromone reward that favours straighter segments, we ensure smoother, more direct paths. Finally, we apply a spring-model-based smoothing strategy as a post-processing step to the paths generated by the ant colony, reducing path complexity and the number of turns to guarantee efficient and reliable robot motion. To validate the performance of the improved algorithm, we conduct comparative experiments on a MATLAB platform against other enhanced ACO variants reported in the literature. The results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm significantly outperforms these existing methods across all performance metrics, exhibiting superior path planning capabilities.

Superstitions are unproven beliefs that shape decision-making. While many studies have examined their influence on corporate financial decisions, few have addressed their impact on corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this study, we focus on the superstition associated with the Chinese zodiac year – a belief linked to bad luck – and investigate its effect on firms’ charitable donations. Drawing on literature concerning stress appraisal, resource building, and corporate philanthropy, and using data from Chinese listed firms from 2008 to 2020, we find a positive association between a CEO’s zodiac year and corporate donations. Furthermore, this effect is weakened by CEO’s overconfidence and amplified by increased negative media coverage of CEOs during zodiac years. This study contributes to the literature on the outcomes of superstitions in management, the antecedents of corporate philanthropy, the boundary conditions of stress appraisal, and the agency motivations of corporate philanthropy. Managerial implications are also discussed.

Wang Yuanlu 王圓籙—the individual who accidentally stumbled upon the ‘library cave’ or Cave 17 at the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang in June 1900—is behind one of the world’s most significant discoveries. Yet, in the years that followed, he was also responsible for the scattering of the cave’s contents and selling large chunks to Marc Aurel Stein in 1907 and to Paul Pelliot in 1908. How could the self-appointed guardian of this major Buddhist complex part with one of what is often described as its crowning jewels? This article delves into Wang Yuanlu’s motivations and highlights his agency, demonstrating that he was instrumental in shaping the now so-called Stein collection. One of the key sources for this investigation are the published writings of Marc Aurel Stein, which provide the most detailed descriptions of Wang and his activities during the period of the dispersal of the contents of Cave 17. These are supplemented by information drawn from the relevant parts of Stein’s diaries, Paul Pelliot’s writings, and primary sources and recent scholarship in Chinese that shed a different light on Wang’s doings. The article starts by studying Wang’s relationship with the Mogao Caves and their wider ecosystem. It then looks at the subsequent dispersal of the newly found hoard through his transactions with Stein in 1907 and 1914, which are contrasted with his dealings with Pelliot.

Alterations in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function may underlie the relation between childhood maltreatment and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors. This study examined how co-occurring patterns of maltreatment types influenced adolescent NSSI behaviors and the mediating role of diurnal cortisol, using a longitudinal design. The sample included 295 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 10.79 years, SD = 0.84 years; 67.1% boys). The study employed latent profile analysis to identify childhood maltreatment patterns and conducted path analysis to examine the mediating mechanism. Four maltreatment patterns were identified: Low Maltreatment (67.8%), High Neglect (15.6%), Moderate Maltreatment (10.2%), and High Abuse with Moderate Neglect (6.4%). Furthermore, compared to the Low Maltreatment profile, adolescents in the High Neglect profile were at increased risk for later NSSI behaviors through higher waking cortisol levels, while those in the High Abuse with Moderate Neglect profile were at increased risk through a steeper diurnal slope. Disturbances in diurnal cortisol rhythm serve as a pathway through which childhood maltreatment “gets under the skin” to lead to adolescent NSSI behaviors. These findings offer promise for identifying maltreated youth at risk for NSSI behaviors and informing targeted prevention strategies.

Understanding what happened after the collapse of and dating the different reoccupations of Teotihuacan can be challenging due to different factors, including the reuse of building materials and looting during Postclassic and modern times, which resulted in altered archaeological contexts or significant inbuilt ages for the samples. A Bayesian approach integrating radiocarbon ages and detailed archaeological information can help to overcome these difficulties. In this contribution we present the process of building a high-resolution chronology for the tunnels located to the east of the Pyramid of the Sun (excavated by Linda R. Manzanilla from 1993 to 1996) by the integration of 20 radiocarbon ages from Cueva del Pirul and Cueva de las Varillas with detailed archaeological information on the context for each dated sample, including ceramic style. With the resulting chronology it is possible to distinguish the moment of the different occupations during the Epiclassic and Postclassic times, helping to refine chronologies based on ceramic styles and to understand the population dynamics in the area.

This study explores the soundscapes of the Greek National Schism (1915–1922), focusing on the Venizelist victory celebrations of 14–15 September 1920. It examines how curated soundscapes were employed as political tools to reinforce national unity and suppress dissent, while counter-soundscapes offered avenues for resistance. Using press narratives as “earwitness” accounts, the research reconstructs auditory practices that shaped political narratives and collective memory. Bridging ethnomusicology, historical sound studies, and political history, this analysis highlights the performative nature of soundscapes in mediating power dynamics, especially amidst civil conflicts and calls for further cross-cultural studies into music’s role in societal transformation.

Strongyloides stercoralis infection affects approximately 600 million individuals worldwide. This parasite has the ability to exacerbate infection through internal autoinfection, which can lead to hyperinfection and/or dissemination, conditions associated with high morbidity and mortality, particularly in immunocompromised patients such as those with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the prevalence and risk of having S. stercoralis infection among individuals with AUD. Searches were performed in the PubMed, Embase, and LILACS databases to identify studies investigating the prevalence of S. stercoralis infection in individuals with AUD, with or without comparison to non-alcoholic groups. The pooled prevalence was calculated using the Probit Logit (PLOGIT) transformation, and the odds ratio (OR) was used for risk comparison. The initial search yielded 154 studies, of which seven were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The combined prevalence of S. stercoralis infection among patients with AUD was 16.9%. Risk analysis based on four studies showed that individuals with AUD had a 6.08-fold higher risk of infection compared with non-alcoholic individuals. These findings highlight chronic alcoholism as a significant risk factor for strongyloidiasis, likely due to a combination of environmental, physiological, and immunological factors. This meta-analysis underscores the critical need for routine screening for S. stercoralis infection in patients with AUD, even in the absence of clinical symptoms, to ensure early detection and timely intervention.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people show different trajectories after gender transition. While some continue to transition, others detransition (DT), that is, stop or reverse the process. Both populations experience poor mental health, but no study has compared whether they have different psychological profiles and needs. This exploratory study compared TGD and DT participants in terms of psychopathological symptoms, personality variables, and the possible presence of eating disorders (ED) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A total of 29 TGD participants (M age = 28.28, 72.4% female at birth) and 21 DT participants (M age = 29.19, 66.7% female at birth) completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), the Sick-Control-One stone-Fat-Food (SCOFF), and the 10-item Autism Quotient (AQ-10). Of these, 28% screened positive for ED and 28% for ASD, and the percentage for ASD was higher in the DT group. TGD participants had elevated scores on borderline features and mania, whereas DT participants had elevated scores on anxiety-related disorders. The TGD group showed significantly higher scores on antisocial features, alcohol problems, and dominance, and significantly higher rates of self-harm; the DT group had significantly higher scores on phobias and significantly higher rates of social detachment. Both groups exhibited elevated scores on suicidal ideation, stress, and nonsupport. The results suggest that TGD and DT participants may have different psychological profiles, with TGD participants exhibiting more externalizing symptoms and DT participants reporting more neurodiversity and internalizing symptoms. The findings highlight common and distinct vulnerabilities and needs that should be considered in clinical practice.

The leucite group structures are tetrahedrally coordinated silicate framework structures with some of the silicate framework cations partially replaced by divalent or trivalent cations. These structures have general formulae A2BSi5O12 and ACSi2O6, where A is a monovalent alkali metal cation, B is a divalent cation, and C is a trivalent cation. These leucites can have crystal structures in several different space groups, dependent on stoichiometry, synthesis conditions, and temperature. Phase transitions are known for temperature changes. This paper reports a high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction study on RbGaSi2O6, which shows a phase transition from I41/a tetragonal to Ia-3d bar on top of 3 cubic on heating from room temperature to 733 K. On cooling to room temperature, the crystal structure reverts to I41/a tetragonal.

Since Foucault’s seminal work in the 1960s on the consequences of eighteenth-century discursive shifts in medicine, the establishment of hospitals during this period has often been interpreted as a progressive innovation driven primarily by medical scientists. However, less attention has been given to the ways in which the founding of hospitals was intertwined with domestic traditions and the practical challenges inherent in their implementation. By examining the establishment of the Seraphim Hospital in Stockholm, along with subsequent hospital foundations in Sweden, the practical difficulties involved become evident. Some of these challenges, particularly those related to funding difficulties, bear a striking resemblance to contemporary discussions on enhancing the efficiency of healthcare, despite the differing historical contexts. In the Swedish eighteenth-century context, ecclesiastical authority in medical matters persisted and played a role in the establishment process, while the military character of the kingdom also influenced hospital development. The conclusion drawn is that both national and local conditions shaped how medical reforms were conceived and practised. The historiographical emphasis on novelty and change may, at times, obscure the continuity of past practices, which undeniably played a crucial role in shaping the new. The concept of path dependency is thus employed not only to trace these historical connections but also to explore the ways in which they influenced the Swedish context, ultimately shaping the trajectory of hospital development in the country.

Developments such as the opening of the first psychiatric outpatient clinic, the emergence of psychiatric social work, the surge of interest in psychology and psychiatry, and the tightening of notions about sexual hygiene, intersected with the rise of the mental hygiene movement in India from 1930s. There exists little to no discussion on how mental hygiene developed in the colonies. This study is the first to shed light on the lesser-known chapter of psychiatry in India. The dynamics of family, childhood, and nation-state when merged with ideas about racism, caste, and communalism were critical in the making of new nation-states like India. Moreover, the trajectory of India’s participation in international health movements, such as psychoanalysis and mental hygiene, allowed for exchange and participation. India’s participation in the mental hygiene movement allowed the growth of psy-disciplines in innumerable ways. This paper fills in a major lacuna in historical writing by providing an outline of the number of interconnected developments in the colonies, which are often sidelined. The international visibility of India also permitted India to take centre stage in many significant studies that were conducted by the World Health Organization after the Second World War.

What economic system does a Kantian ideal of freedom entail? In Living with the Invisible Hand, Waheed Hussain argues it entails intermediated capitalism. Here, I investigate these arguments within the framework of a Kantian theory of right. I sketch a Kantian theory of equal democratic government where we have the right to make together through equal democratic processes decisions that structure our rightful relationships with one another. I argue that any plausible Kantian view of the natural determinacy of property rights justifies extensive government intervention in the economy, creating space to argue for alternative economic systems such as intermediated capitalism.