After seeing the ballet Nocturne (1909) in 1952, Ai Qing (1910-1996), one of the pioneers of Chinese modern poetry, wrote a poem praising the celebrated Soviet ballerina Galina Ulanova for her performance in Les Sylphides (1909).1 His depiction of Ulanova as “cloud,” “wind,” “moonlight,” and “goddess” visualizes the ethereal and exalted feminine ballet body, reflecting Chinese intellectuals’ early admiration for the art of ballet in the nascent People’s Republic of China (PRC). During China’s Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), however, representations of femininity onstage shifted. Female soldier characters who are short-haired, dressed in navy military uniforms, and armed with rifles dominated the dance stage of China in revolutionary ballet. Since the 1980s, the delicate, fairy-like ballerina clad in a tutu has returned to the Chinese stage as the mainstream ballet ideal, aligning with the state’s economic reforms and its strategy of political globalization in postsocialist China.2 With the increasing cultural exchange between Chinese and European/American dancers and choreographers, dance practitioners in China see ballet as a universal, homogenous language. Classical ballet training is often framed as a “scientific and practical course” that conveys a “common, unified, monistic” aesthetic (Meng 2004, 2).

Positive human–wildlife coexistence, especially in contexts of rewilding and the reintroduction of large carnivores, partially depends on communication between stakeholders. The media, and in particular local journalism, can play a crucial role in determining people’s knowledge of and attitudes towards wildlife. In this article, we analyse the online coverage of bears produced by the most widely circulated local newspaper in Trentino (Italy), where bears have been reintroduced thanks to a rewilding project funded by the European Union. Employing quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 375 articles, we look into the main features of the media coverage of bears over one year (2024). We find that articles tend to focus on controversial and uncommon events, such as culls and interactions. The most prevalent sources of quotations in the articles are politicians and activists, while experts, local residents, and individuals in the farming sector are less often quoted. The majority of articles are framed through the lens of the socio-political struggle generated by bear presence. Micro-dynamics of the online media coverage include high polarisation, fragmentation of narratives, and the marginalisation of relevant stakeholders (i.e., local communities, experts, European institutions).

Recent research has shown that 6-month-olds relate novel words suffixed with -s, like babs, that are embedded in passages, with just the stem bab, demonstrating an early sensitivity to morphological relatedness. This study builds on these findings by investigating the role of allomorphy in early morphological acquisition. We tested whether infants relate novel words suffixed with [-z] and [-s] allomorphs of the -s suffix and their stems. We find that English-learning 6-month-olds relate novel words suffixed with the [-z], but not [-s], allomorph with stems, providing evidence for an acquisition trajectory where infants discover morphemes one allomorph at a time.

Punctuated equilibria (PE) was presented 50 years ago as an alternative to the widespread assumption that most evolution proceeds by gradual phyletic change within lineages. Unfortunately, PE has been widely misunderstood, misrepresented, and unfairly dismissed since this first publication. We argue that much of this misunderstanding centers around a misinterpretation of the meaning of “mode” in evolution, and its significance, properly understood, for how we understand macroevolutionary processes. PE proposed that most morphospecies do not show significant anagenetic trends through their stratigraphic ranges, and that most new morphospecies that are recognized arise via cladogenesis. To the degree that this is true, most exploration of disparity space must be associated with cladogenesis.

We surveyed a sample of the recent paleontological literature to assess the frequency with which new morphospecies appear in the fossil record via anagenesis versus cladogenesis using a persistence of ancestor criterion and found the overwhelmingly dominant mode of species origin to be cladogenesis. This is a valuable but underutilized approach to this problem, which could be exploited with more studies of species-level phylogenies of fossil taxa. Combined with the conclusions of other studies that stasis or nondirectional change is common, this finding of the dominance of cladogenesis affirms that PE is very much alive and of substantial significance for understanding macroevolutionary patterns.

This article poses a synthetic analytical approach to casing migratory projects that set out to effectuate a redistribution of power and resources: migration as contentious politics. Contentious migration is presented as an attempt by a collective to mobilize adequate political leverage to advance claims in the location of immigration through spatial relocation and demographic change. To demonstrate the analytical leverage of this approach, this article then conducts a case study of the under-examined Hechalutz settlement movement active in North America between 1905 and 1953, which facilitated the settler migration of American youth to rural agricultural colonies on the colonial frontiers of late-Ottoman and British Mandatory Palestine. It draws on extensive, original findings in colony and national archives, examining official movement publications, correspondences, emissary notes, meeting minutes and daily records from the training farms across North America, diaries, and obituaries. Through eventful analysis, the article explicates three salient mechanisms of the mobilization for contentious migration: (1) environmental (attributing political opportunity and threat); (2) relational (forging networks, as a proxy for diffusion and organizational cohesion); and (3) cognitive (devising resonant diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational framings).

This article analyses samples of unexplored photographic series produced by US photographer Alan Fisher (1913–88) in Brazil between 1950 and 1953. These images are part of visual reports produced for the United States Information Service (USIS) documenting the screening of newsreels, short films and cartoons in factories and rural communities in Brazil. The article repositions Fisher as a key figure for understanding US information warfare in mid-century Brazil. It theorises these screenings as political-performative events and develops an approach that accounts for the persuasive (and deceptive) dimension of these campaigns while acknowledging the audience’s agency and strategic complicity.

Cardio-facial-cutaneous syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that typically presents with a combination of CHDs, distinctive facial features, and cutaneous abnormalities. Cardio-facial-cutaneous syndrome is usually caused by a genetic change in the BRAF gene but can also be due to genetic change in the MAP2K1, MAP2K2, or KRAS genes. It is an autosomal dominant condition, but most cases are not inherited, due to new genetic change that occurs in the formation of the egg or sperm or shortly after fertilisation. It has been seen previously in the literature where the patient required a mitral valve replacement because of insufficiency. In this case report, we describe a patient with cardio-facial-cutaneous syndrome who also presented with mitral valve prolapse. This rare association expands the spectrum of cardiovascular manifestations in cardio-facial-cutaneous syndrome and highlights the importance of comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation in these patients.

When people die in the context of armed conflicts, international humanitarian law (IHL) provides important legal protection for the dead and their families. Overall, it seeks to ensure that the dead are respected and recovered no matter who they were, and that information on them is collected with a view to identification. A key aim of these IHL rules is to uphold the right of families to know the fate of their relatives. Recognizing the inherent difficulties of accounting for those who have gone missing or died, these rules continue to apply even after the end of conflict. This article provides an overview of the IHL obligations protecting the dead in international and non-international armed conflicts, complemented by other bodies of international law. It then focuses on key legal questions arising in contemporary wars and practical implications for warring parties on processes to account for the dead, respect for the deceased and their graves, and the return of human remains to their families. Finally, the article explores issues of practice and key recommendations to drive forward action by States and parties to armed conflict in order to effectively integrate and apply obligations on the ground.

Antenatal corticosteroids are given to pregnant people at risk of preterm birth to reduce newborn morbidity, including respiratory distress syndrome. However, there has been concern surrounding potential adverse effects on subsequent generations. Animal studies have demonstrated endocrine and metabolic changes in those exposed to corticosteroids in utero (F1) and in the second generation (F2). We aimed to assess the effects of parental antenatal corticosteroid exposure on health of the second generation (F2) of Auckland Steroid Trial (AST) participants. In the AST, women (F0) expected to birth between 24 and 36 weeks’ gestation were randomised to betamethasone or placebo. When their children (F1) were 50 years old, they and their children (F2) were followed up with a self-report questionnaire and data linkage. The primary outcome for this analysis was body mass index (BMI) z-score in the F2 generation. Secondary outcomes included respiratory, cardiovascular, neurodevelopmental, mental and general health, and social outcomes. Of the 213 F2 participants, 144 had BMI data available. There was no difference in BMI z-score between participants whose parent was exposed to betamethasone versus placebo (mean (SD) 0.63 (1.45), N = 77 vs 0.41 (1.28), N = 67, adjusted mean difference (95% confidence interval) = 0.16 (-0.37, 0.69)). There was no evidence of a difference in rates of overweight, diabetes, respiratory disease, cardiometabolic risk factors, neurodevelopmental difficulties, mental health difficulties and social outcomes between parental betamethasone versus placebo exposure groups, but confidence intervals were wide. These findings are reassuring regarding the intergenerational safety of antenatal corticosteroids.

From 1912 to 1949, the Republic of China (ROC) underwent a profound period of transformation and revitalization. Following the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, the ROC era was characterized by significant social changes, including the emergence of new social classes, the expansion of modern education, and widespread political mobilization (Fairbank and Goldman 2006). Among these changes, the status of Chinese women saw remarkable progress. Because Chinese women were no longer confined to being merely the product and property of their families (Fairbank and Goldman 2006), they began to experience newfound freedoms. This included greater participation in the workforce, increased access to education, and enhanced autonomy in choosing their life partners. As traditional norms were challenged and new opportunities for social and economic participation emerged, these shifts marked a pivotal moment in the modernization of Chinese society. As Diana Lary highlights, this era represented a crucial shift towards gender equality and the broader renaissance of China within its society (Lary 2007). A key moment in this transformation was the May Fourth Movement of 1919, which called for the rejection of traditional Confucian values in favor of modernization, alongside political, social, and cultural reforms, including the advancement of women’s rights. A prominent platform for these ideals was New Youth (新青年), a journal founded by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, which championed Marxism, science, democracy, and women’s emancipation. Influential female political figures, such as Soong Ching-ling, the wife of Sun Yat-sen, utilized their power to advocate for gender equality and women’s education. These cultural and political shifts gave rise to the figure of the “New Woman” (新女性), symbolizing empowerment, independence, and modernity.

While often described as a unified process imposed by external actors on weak, conflict-ridden countries, international state building increasingly comprises a variety of actors involved in different ways in (re)building a diverse set of institutions. Civilian preferences are often excluded from this fragmented environment. We identify and explicate three dimensions along which postconflict state building meaningfully varies: the actor involved, the type of institution targeted, and the form of involvement. We then examine how variation along each dimension impacts civilians’ state-building preferences with two rounds of original survey experiments fielded in Liberia. We find that Liberians largely prefer state-building processes overseen by a subset of international actors; that they prefer state building focused on security-oriented institutions over non-security-oriented institutions; and that different forms of involvement in the process meaningfully influence their preferences. We also find that these preferences depend on civilians’ characteristics. Ultimately, we provide an initial, conceptual mapping of the diversified landscape of international state building, as well as an empirical “unpacking” of the conditions that may shape civilians’ preferences toward the process.

Probiotics represent a promising alternative to antibiotics in livestock production. This study investigated the effects of compound probiotic fermentation (FAM, comprising Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis) on nitrogen utilization and nutrient digestibility in weaned piglets. A total of 180 piglets (28 days old; initial weight: 8.21 ± 0.67 kg) were allocated to three groups: control (basal diet), FAM (basal diet + 0.1% FAM), and antibiotic (basal diet + 55 mg/kg kitasamycin + 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline). After a 30-day trial, FAM supplementation significantly increased apparent nutrient digestibility of crude protein and ether extract, enhanced duodenal and jejunal digestive enzyme activities, and reduced fecal nitrogen excretion and serum urea nitrogen levels (p < 0.05). Serum metabolomics revealed that FAM upregulated metabolites linked to energy metabolism (e.g., creatine, L-carnosine), which are metabolites of amino acid metabolism, and enriched pathways such as amino acid biosynthesis and protein digestion. These findings demonstrate that FAM improves nitrogen utilization efficiency and gut health in piglets via biosynthesis and metabolism of amino acids, offering a viable alternative to antibiotics.

Maternal mental health represents a significant global health burden, not only in terms of maternal wellbeing, but also for the impact it has on child development. The relationship between maternal mental health and deleterious environmental exposures to the fetus is one mechanism of risk transmission. This study utilizes network analysis to a) explore how maternal mental health is associated with a wide array of fetal exposures, and b) examine how these exposures cluster together. A total of 485 pregnant women were recruited from the Mercy Hospital for Women in Melbourne, Australia between 2011–2017, as part of the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS). The MPEWS includes measures of mental health diagnosis and symptoms, psychotropic medication, smoking, alcohol, substance use, and a wide range of lifestyle factors in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Regularized Partial Correlation Modelling was used to examine the network of relationships between maternal mental health and fetal exposures due to environmental factors, lifestyle and medications. For women diagnosed with mental health disorders there are relatively higher rates of exposure to smoking, anxiety and depression symptoms, psychotropic medications, pregnancy health conditions and less than optimal lifestyle factors. Factors such as physical exercise and folate supplementation show strong patterns of partial correlation. Trait anxiety emerged as the central variable in the network with the highest strength of relationship to all other exposure variables. The current study shows the value of approaching fetal exposures as a complex network of associated aspects of maternal lifestyle, mental health and environment. Viewing exposures together may assist clinical and public health interventions to target multiple associated risk factors, rather than the current focus on individual exposures. The preconception and perinatal periods offer important opportunities for the prevention of teratogenic fetal exposures and the promotion of a healthy start to life.

Since the 1990s, there has been a proliferation of cultural festivals across West Africa. In this article, we argue that border festivals are distinctive. They take on the work of cultural codification in a context where borders often magnify differences between partitioned communities. They also help to shape border governance, because, as moments of exception, they provide a platform on which it is possible to variously criticize and lobby politicians. The article compares two festivals on the Ghana–Togo border – Agbamevoza in partitioned Agotime and Godigbeza in Aflao – and reveals contrasting dynamics. In Agotime, festival organizers (who largely reside in Accra) have managed to involve the border agencies. In a context where crossings have been relatively unhindered, demands have focused on external support to develop the kente weaving industry. In Aflao, by contrast, harassment by border officials, extended closures of the border and decisions to re-route traffic away from the border crossing with Lomé have created friction. In 2022, there were explicit demands for freedom of movement and for recognition of Aflao as a transnational community that embodied the spirit of regional integration.

This research communication hypothesizes that superstimulation with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) would not impact behavior and performance of Holstein cows. The objectives were to investigate the effect of FSH superstimulation on follicular dynamics, animal behaviour, body surface temperature and milk yield of Holstein cows. Cows were blocked by parity and body condition score (BCS), and within a block, they were assigned randomly to receive either normal saline (CON = 7) or 500 IU of FSH (n = 8). The estrous cycle of cows was synchronized by using two injections of prostaglandin F2-alpha (PG), 11 days apart. The dominant follicle was ablated at the time of the second PG injection, and an intra-vaginal controlled internal drug release (CIDR) was inserted (day 0). Two days later, FSH treatment was initiated and continued for 3 days in six equal doses of 83.33 IU after 12 h. Follicles were counted and their sizes were measured from day-0 to day-5. Behavior, including activity and feeding time, was recorded using SmartTag Neck from day 0 to 6. The surface temperatures of the eye, shoulder, flank, and vulva were measured by using infrared thermal imaging every 12 h from day-2 to day-5. Milk was recorded from day-0 to day-6. Mixed effects models were used to analyse the data using SAS statistical software. The number of small and medium follicles did not differ between treatments. However, FSH-treated cows had a more (P = 0.01) large and total follicles compared with CON cows. FSH treatment did not affect activity, feeding time, body surface temperature, or milk yield. In conclusion, FSH superstimulation increased the number of large follicles but did not influence behaviour, body surface temperature, or performance in dairy cows.

Metabolomics of faecal samples offers a non-invasive method to monitor gastrointestinal (GI) development and microbial activity in dairy heifers during key physiological transitions. In this longitudinal study, faecal metabolites from 10 Holstein heifers were analyzed from birth to first calving using targeted metabolomics. Faecal samples were collected at 12 h post-birth, week 6 (pre-weaning), week 14 (weaning), 8 months (post-weaning), and at first calving (26 ± 2.3 months). Calves were fed 3.8 L of colostrum within 2 h of birth, followed by 6 L of maternal transition milk for 5 days, then 6 L of milk replacer twice daily. Group housing began at 14 days. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) showed distinct temporal clustering of faecal metabolites. Heatmap analysis revealed significant metabolite alterations, particularly between pre- and post-weaning stages. A linear mixed-effects model identified significant stage effects for all 17 amino acids. Of the 55 biogenic amines and amino acid-related metabolites, 48 significantly differed across stages. Elevated amino acids and polyamines early in life reflected colostrum intake and immature digestion, decreasing post-weaning, indicating improved nutrient absorption and rumen functionality. Increased microbiota-derived compounds, including β-alanine, serotonin, and indole derivatives, reflected microbial colonization and co-regulation with the host. Elevated dopamine, homocysteine, and phenylethylamine in late gestation indicated neuroactive and redox adaptations. Overall, faecal metabolite profiles provide insights into metabolic remodelling related to nutrition, GI maturation, and reproductive development, highlighting faecal metabolomics as a useful non-invasive tool for monitoring heifer development.

The site of Stublina, first excavated in 1956 by Milutin Garašanin of the Institute of Archaeology and Radoslav Galović of the National Museum Belgrade is located at the southeast outskirts of the Supska village near the town of Ćurpija, in Central Serbia. Its location on the edge of the flood plain of the Central Balkans’ major waterway, the Velika Morava River, places it on a major corridor extending south to north, linking southern Europe and the Aegean with the Pannonian plains in the north. Based on material finds, the site predominantly belongs to the Late Neolithic and is attributable to the so-called Vinča culture complex; however, sporadic finds of Early Neolithic Starčevo type pottery and Late Medieval burials were also reported. The results of the excavation were published in a single monograph in 1979, containing information on roughly half of the excavated area. However, radiocarbon dating was never performed on the site. The site of Stublina, containing evidence for the life span of the so-called Vinča culture complex in the Velika Morava River basin, one of the most important corridors during the entire Neolithic period of Southeast Europe, is a valuable chronological beacon based on its vast material record of pottery fragments, traditionally used to construct relative chronological sequences in the past. In this paper, we present the results of contextual radiocarbon dating using Bayesian chronological modeling with 28 new AMS 14C radiocarbon dates, selected from the material archive located in the depos of the National Museum of Serbia in Belgrade. The samples were chosen from stratigraphically well-defined contexts published in the 1979 Garašanin and Garašanin volume on Supska. These contexts provide secure chronological order of layers and features, representing the entire life span of the site in the Late Neolithic period. Our results provide strong validation for archival records originating from old archaeological excavations and breathe new life into their potential for contemporary archaeological research, using techniques and methods unavailable at the time of their creation.