Once a focus of political science, interest group studies lost prominence before a resurgence over the past 25 years. Today, scholars around the globe are paying more attention to interest groups, and studies of interest group politics in the American states are leading the way due to uniquely transparent disclosure regulations for lobbyists and institutional variation across state governments. This review charts the theoretical and methodological contributions that fueled this evolution and highlights lessons to be gleaned from contemporary American state scholarship. Findings include how structural power is a source of leverage for lobbyists, how interest groups venue shop within a state government from the legislature to bureaucracy and even elected agencies, and how sometimes the enactment of legislation is only the beginning of group influence.

Since the early centuries of Christianity, the pope has had help in governing the universal church. Throughout history, the power of the Roman Curia has been centralized in a curia of cardinals—at the expense of diminishing the role of the college of bishops. The Second Vatican Council’s contributions to the episcopate and the role of the laity inspired, if only in part, the reforms of Paul V and John Paul II. Praedicate Evangelium, the apostolic constitution authored by Pope Francis, emphasizes the pastoral dimension of the curia, the participation of the bishops, and the co-responsibility of all the faithful. It recognizes, for the first time in church history, the possibility that lay people can, in some cases, direct dicasteries. This historic statement is, however, a starting point for reform. Synodality and decentralization may require further changes both in the Roman Curia and at the diocesan level. In addition, there is an urgent need for the institutions and individuals involved in the central governance of the Catholic Church to ensure respect for the law, transparency, accountability, and anything that could constitute an abuse of power.

NHS Talking Therapies (TT) is England’s main service for treating people with common mental disorders. Prior research has shown that a high proportion of people receiving TT ‘high intensity’ treatment have concurrent personality difficulties and that these are associated with poorer TT treatment outcomes. We developed a training workshop to enhance the skills, knowledge, and confidence of TT therapists in the treatment of this population and conducted a mixed methods evaluation to investigate whether the training was acceptable to staff and whether it had any impact on client outcomes. A quantitative survey (n=46) and qualitative interviews (n=6) were undertaken with staff and in parallel, we analysed the anonymised health outcomes of two client cohorts, treated pre-training (n=2434) and post-training (n=2358). Multi-level, difference-in-differences analyses revealed statistically significant cohort differences between the last and first scores on the domains of depression (–2.53, 95% CI: –3.02, –2.04), anxiety (–2.70, 95% CI: –3.15, –2.20), social functioning (–2.17, 95% CI: –2.88, –1.47), and phobia (–1.19; 95% CI: –0.29, –0.17). Therapists reported finding the training helpful, particularly in managing therapeutic alliances and enhancing the interpersonal effectiveness of their clients. Furthermore, the survey revealed a positive change in therapist attitudes to, skills related to, and knowledge of personality difficulties post-training. However, staff also suggested that broader structural changes and more resources are needed for TT services to better support clients with personality difficulties. Training initiatives such as this appear to be feasible and helpful for therapists, and may help to optimise client outcomes.

Key learning aims

1. (1) To understand the potential utility of online training for therapists, in their management of clients with concurrent personality difficulties.

2. (2) To understand high intensity therapist perspectives on attending a workshop to support tailoring treatments for depression and anxiety in the context of personality difficulties.

3. (3) To reflect on enhancing treatment for clients with personality difficulties via training workshops.

The genus Populus (poplar) plays a major ecological role and is one of the fastest-growing woody species worldwide. Consequently, it serves as a model for genetic studies in woody plants. Identifying superior clones requires assessing genetic diversity, for which cytogenetic and karyotypic studies are essential. This study investigated 40 clones from 10 species. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were observed among clones for most chromosomal traits, indicating considerable karyotypic diversity. The base chromosome number was x = 19, with both diploid (2n = 2x = 38) and triploid (2n = 3x = 57) ploidy levels present. The clones P. euramericana var. vernirubensis (P. canadensis var. vernirubensis): 1(16) and P. nigra var. 63/135: 20(5) exhibited the most symmetric and most asymmetric karyotypes, respectively. The clones P. canadensis var. vernirubensis: 1(16) and P. caspica: (35) possessed the largest and smallest chromosomes, respectively. Quantitative analysis revealed that while individual chromosome volume was similar between ploidy levels (0.56–0.65 µm3 in triploids vs. 0.52–0.81 µm3 in diploids), the total chromosomal volume per cell was significantly greater in triploids (31.92–37.05 µm3) than in diploids (19.76–30.80 µm3). This ∼1.4-fold increase closely matched the theoretical 1.5-fold expectation based on chromosome number, indicating strict genomic additivity. Principal component analysis identified four main components: intra-chromosomal symmetry, chromosome length, inter-chromosomal symmetry and ploidy level. Cluster analysis grouped the 40 clones into 19 distinct classes, with different clones from the same species often classified separately, highlighting extensive intra-specific karyotypic diversity. The study demonstrates that triploid clones maintain diploid-scale chromosome dimensions, suggesting their possible phenotypic superiority stems from stable genome duplication rather than structural change, making them predictable candidates for breeding.

Internal security has been a governance priority under Xi Jinping. How does China’s budget reflect this prioritization? This research report presents updated data on China’s internal security spending, 1992–2022, revealing a mix of continuity and change. Domestic security expenditure continues to rise, more than doubling from 2012 to 2022, but has risen mostly in proportion to the People’s Republic of China’s overall expenditure. The balance between central and local expenditure has shifted further towards local spending, which, in the context of rising local fiscal constraint, may increase pressure on local public security bureaus. The Ministry of Public Security continues to receive the largest share of domestic security spending, while the proportion of internal security spending allocated to the People’s Armed Police (PAP) has decreased, probably reflecting the reorganization of the PAP in 2017–2018. Spending per capita and relative to GDP continues to be higher in locations that are politically sensitive, including Beijing, Tibet and Xinjiang.

The planetary health diet (PHD) is a mostly plant-based diet that aims to optimise human health while minimising the environmental impact of food production. Limited data exist on whether the PHD fulfils key nutritional requirements during pregnancy. This research aimed to examine the PHD in early pregnancy and how it aligns with daily nutrient intake and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) dietary guidelines. Pregnant women (n 678) from two Irish cohorts (ROLO and MicrobeMom) were analysed, and PHD index (PHDI) scores were assigned based on data from 3-d food diaries. Women were dichotomised by the median score to create a ‘High PHDI’ (> 88·99) and a ‘Low PHDI’ group (≤ 88·99). Differences in nutrient intakes and adherence to dietary guidelines between ‘High’ and ‘Low’ PHDI groups were explored. Compared with those with a ‘Low’ score, those with a ‘High’ PHDI score reported higher intakes of dietary fibre (g/d) (17·32 (13·39, 21·08) v. 21·74 (18·28, 25·88), P < 0·001), Fe (mg/d) (10·48 (8·48, 12·82) v. 12·06 (9·48, 14·60), P < 0·001), folate (µg dietary folate equivalent per d) (250·73 (193·88, 312·45) v. 279·57 (219·43, 356·81), P < 0·001) and Ca (mg/d) (837·75 (695·36, 1056·72) v. 956·57 (751·84, 1155·03), P < 0·001). A greater proportion of women in the ‘High PHDI’ group met EFSA recommendations for dietary fibre intake (10·3 % v. 28·9 %, P < 0·001). The PHD may support maternal nutritional adequacy in pregnancy while promoting environmental sustainability. Our findings provide valuable insights that can inform future dietary recommendations for pregnancy, contributing to both maternal health and planetary well-being.

This Forum focuses on the many and diverse smaller polities in a region spanning lands from Bengal and Assam in the west to Yunnan in the east, and from the eastern Himalayas in the north to Thailand in the south. From the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, these polities underwent dramatic transformations when they faced the impact of Chinese and European encroachments. The ambition of this Forum is to reconnect academic research across the region. Even though this may be a new field of study for contemporary scholars, it is one that the smaller polities actively shaped long before the imperial onslaught. It is diverse, yet tied together by a multitude of interconnections, mobility, and integration through kinship, exchange, shared experiences, and warfare. Scholars of this region, who still work mostly from separate area-studies perspectives, face a challenge. The task ahead is to reconnect their conversations.

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of hesperidin supplementation on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in human adults. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to 4 January 2025 to identify eligible randomised controlled trials. Ten randomised controlled trials with a total of 532 participants were included. The results indicated that hesperidin supplementation significantly reduced the serum levels of C-reactive protein or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (SMD: –0·43; 95 % CI –0·71, –0·15; P = 0·002) and TNF-α (SMD: –0·51; 95 % CI –0·95, –0·07; P = 0·02) in adults, while no significant beneficial effect of hesperidin on IL-6 was observed (SMD: –0·25; 95 % CI –0·52, 0·01; P = 0·06). In addition, hesperidin intake showed a beneficial impact on the IL-6 level in patients with diseases (type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction) (SMD: –0·38; 95 % CI –0·72, –0·04; P = 0·03) yet not in healthy adults without diagnosed diseases. Our findings demonstrated that hesperidin supplementation could lower the serum levels of C-reactive protein or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and TNF-α in adults.

Clonality plays an important role in the proliferation of invasive species and, when coupled with loss of seed viability, can facilitate invasive success by reducing reliance on sexual reproduction and promoting spread of genetically identical individuals. Clonal invasions are advantageous for biological control strategies, as biological control agents may have a uniformed, damaging response to invasive populations with low genetic diversity. Agents sourced in the native range that are locally adapted to the same plant genotype that is invasive, may cause this response. Understanding the population genetics and invasion history of a species in the novel range is paramount to ensure effective biological control agents are introduced. Here we investigated the population genetics of pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata L.), a tristylous invasive macrophyte native to North and South America causing detrimental impacts in South Africa (SA). SA populations all have only one of three tristylous forms and produce no seeds. Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) of P. cordata leaf samples from SA and from parts of the native range in the United States of America (USA) were used to determine population structure and potential source populations. Pontederia cordata has low genetic diversity within and amongst invasive populations in SA compared to native populations. This suggests no sexual reproduction and limited gene flow in SA, and only one introductory event. Invasive populations shared the closest genetic similarity with native samples from Virginia, USA, and although large parts of the indigenous distribution were not sampled, this close match suggests that the site may be a suitable area to source potential biological control agents. However, genetic sampling in other native areas should also be considered to confidently determine the origin of SA populations. This study corroborates other global findings of highly successful invasive species utilizing clonality, and consequently, resulting in invasive genotypes with low diversity.

This article examines the kidnapping and forced marriages of women under the Peshwas, investigating whether the state prioritized justice for victims or its Brahmanical credentials, given that the annulment of fully performed marriages was prohibited under the Shastras. Far from passively upholding the inherited order, the Peshwa regime actively leveraged intersectional dynamics of gender, caste, and religion to transform that order into a consolidated patriarchal Brahmanical system, reinforcing and totalizing caste-based customs, hierarchies, and governance through judicial and administrative interventions. The article also reveals a binary governance model, highlighting distinctive modes of justice between the capital city of Pune and the countryside. The article interrogates the ambiguity and fluidity of categories used to denote abduction, as well as the associated normative frameworks and penalties, showing how the discursive deployment of familial, communal, caste, ritual, pride, and political dynamics denied women’s agency and subsumed alternative narratives, such as elopement and/or consensual cohabitation. It demonstrates how coercion against women as well as women’s agency were viewed and conceptualized. Moreover, the government’s adherence to patriarchal Brahmanical ideology, derived from the Shastras, not only shaped legal responses but also actively contributed to the ongoing perpetuation of abductions and forced marriages.

Animal models are essential in preclinical research and widely used in drug development, yet their legitimacy has long been debated. These debates intertwine epistemic, pragmatic, social, and ethical considerations. A key criterion for the legitimacy of an animal model is its validity, which assesses how well it serves as a proxy for human disorders and contributes to treatment development. The forced swim test (FST) is a particularly contested case, as criticism regarding its validity has fuelled controversy over its legitimacy. This article examines how validity arguments and non-epistemic factors have been intertwined to shape the legitimacy of the FST as an animal model in depression research. Although public actors have emphasized non-epistemic concerns, including pragmatic, social, and ethical considerations, such as animal welfare, the article shows how they have also utilized the academic controversy about FST’s validity to argue against its legitimacy for measuring the efficacy of drugs for human depression.

The fossil record is subject to multiple biases that can distort macroevolutionary and paleoecological inferences. Although temporal and spatial sampling biases have received substantial attention, other sources of fossil sampling heterogeneity remain less well quantified. Using the Triton database of planktonic foraminifera, we assess the influence of geographic, ecological, morphological, and methodological factors on fossil recovery rates. We first apply a temporal subsampling method to standardize fossil occurrences over geologic time, validating this approach against an expert-curated lineage-through-time trajectory. After subsampling, the occurrences remain unevenly distributed throughout species’ lifetimes and inhomogeneously distributed across species, reflecting biological signal and/or persistent sampling biases.

We then investigate this residual sampling heterogeneity with a generalized additive model incorporating relevant predictors from Triton. Our results reveal that, after correcting for temporal biases, geographic predictors (paleolatitude, paleolongitude, longitudinal spread) explain nearly a third of sampling variation. Species-specific ecological and morphological attributes contribute an additional fraction, among which mean relative abundance emerges as the main factor. Additional predictors of fossil sampling rates include age-calculation methods and biostratigraphic sampling biases. Despite accounting for multiple sources of variation, 37% of the deviance remains unexplained, suggesting unmodeled biological, stratigraphic, diagenetic, or taxonomic drivers of sampling heterogeneity.

Overall, observed recovery rates question the validity of the homogeneous-sampling assumption used in most diversification models, and this heterogeneity cannot be reduced to a single dominant factor. This conclusion reinforces the need for integrated subsampling approaches and process-based models that explicitly account for heterogeneous fossilization rates to improve the reliability of macroevolutionary analyses.

Vitamin D has been associated with depression, potentially via anti-inflammatory mechanisms, yet data is scarce, particularly in adolescence. We investigated (1) whether lower vitamin D status is associated with greater depression severity and (2) whether this association is statistically moderated by inflammation in patients of a child and adolescent psychiatry department. At admission fasting morning venous blood was drawn. Serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed in all participants [n=465 (64.7%♀; 11.3-18.9 years)]. In a subsample [n=177], we additionally measured tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma and interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10. Depression severity was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) [n=450], the Diagnostic System for Mental Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence via self-assessment (DISYPS Self) [n=441], and parent-assessment (DISYPS Proxy) [n=422]. Overall, 43.2% [n=201] were at risk for vitamin D deficiency (<30nmol/L), and 73.5%-83.2% –depending on assessment tool– showed at least mild depression. Linear regression revealed an inverse association between 25(OH)D and BDI-II in both crude and CRP-adjusted full-sample models. Logistic regressions showed a robust inverse association between 25(OH)D and DISYPS Proxy, but not for DISYPS Self. Although 25(OH)D was inversely correlated with some pro-inflammatory markers, neither their inclusion in regression models nor formal mediation analyses supported inflammation as a mediator of the vitamin D–depression association. Overall, our results suggest that vitamin D relates modestly to both depression and inflammation in adolescence. However, based on the measured parameters, we cannot confirm that anti-inflammatory effects are the link between vitamin D and depression.

In this article, we extend the discussion of Arab name discrimination from the social and economic arena to the electoral arena. We ask the following question: Do candidates with Arab and Turkish-sounding names face electoral disadvantages? We answer this question using a random sample of 100 German municipal elections comprising more than 6,400 candidates. We find that councilors with Arab/Turkish-sounding names make up less than 0.2% of all councilors. We further discover that this underrepresentation stems largely, but not solely, from a lack of supply of Arab/Turkish candidates. There is also some electoral discrimination in that candidates with Arab/Turkish-sounding name get relegated to less beneficial list positions. However, voters seem not to further discriminate against Arab/Turkish-sounding names.

Schistosomiasis mansoni, caused by the trematode Schistosoma mansoni, is a major public health issue in Northeastern Brazil. This study compares the diagnostic performance of Kato-Katz (KK) and spontaneous sedimentation (Lutz) techniques in detecting S. mansoni infections in three areas of Sergipe, Northeastern Brazil, each with varying degrees of schistosomiasis endemicity. We compared the performance of Kato-Katz (KK) and spontaneous sedimentation (SSM) in three localities of Sergipe and Alagoas with different endemicity levels. Stool samples were examined by both methods, and individuals were considered positive if at least one test was positive. KK showed higher sensitivity across all sites (88.5%–100%), while SSM performed better in moderately endemic areas (up to 61.5%). These complementary performance profiles suggest that using both methods in combination could yield a measurable increase in case detection – potentially improving prevalence estimates, guiding more accurate treatment interventions, and strengthening surveillance strategies in areas with heterogeneous transmission intensities.