National foodborne outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease often require rapid case–control investigations to identify the source. Online market panels offer a potential alternative to traditional control recruitment. We compared market panel controls to traditional controls in case–control recruitment during a 2024 UK outbreak of STEC O145. Two case–control studies were conducted for two different control groups (a) Salmonella cases as case–controls and (b) online market panel members. Timeliness, cost, and resources were compared, and a logistic regression compared findings in a control–control analysis. In total, 43 cases of STEC O145, 63 Salmonella case–controls, and 93 panel controls were recruited. Neither control group reached the recruitment target for the younger adult age group. Salmonella case–controls had a ninefold greater staff time to recruit and cost five times more than panel controls (£25.82 vs. £4.99 per control), partially due to interviewer-administered questionnaires compared with self-completion by panel controls. Both analytical approaches identified the same outbreak source, with no significant differences in exposures between the control groups. The cost and resource savings associated with panel controls justify their use as a standard procedure in outbreak investigations. We recommend exploring engagement with age groups that are difficult to recruit and assessing alternative strategies to reach them.

In this commentary on Pfadt et al. (2026, Psychometrika , 1–35), I first make the case for implementing psychometric methods, such as the conditional standard error of measurement (CSEM), in software that is user-friendly from a practitioner’s perspective. Furthermore, I argue that bias and variance in CSEM estimates are still poorly understood and I report a small simulation study comparing the coverage rates of the CSEM estimate recommended by Pfadt et al. with those of the estimated (unconditional) standard error of measurement. The results point to possible directions for future research on CSEM estimation.

Pfadt et al. present accessible methods for estimating conditional standard errors of measurement (CSEMs) and implement them in the open-source software JASP. Their emphasis on individual-level precision represents an important contribution to applied measurement practice. This commentary discusses several conceptual issues that clarify and extend the authors’ treatment of dimensionality, error definition, and score interpretation. The aim is to strengthen alignment between CSEM estimation and the interpretive purposes for which test scores are used.

Contaminated surfaces in long-term care facility resident rooms may contribute to transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. We demonstrated that a far ultraviolet-C light technology operated for 2 to 4 hours during periods when residents were out of the room was effective in reducing contamination of surfaces and personal items.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) agents into payment systems signals a profound shift in the architecture of financial transactions. Building on advances in large language models and autonomous systems, “agentic payments” refer to transactions initiated and completed by AI agents without direct human intervention. This article provides a conceptual and technical analysis of agent-enabled payment systems, examining their operational logic, defining features and emerging use cases across retail, e-commerce and decentralised finance. It distinguishes agentic payments from traditional automated systems by emphasising autonomy, contextual reasoning and adaptability. The article further identifies and categorises a range of technical, legal and societal risks, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities, liability gaps, regulatory non-compliance, and potential economic disruption. Through case studies and architectural illustrations, it highlights both the innovation potential and governance challenges posed by agentic systems. It argues that current regulatory frameworks – designed for human-intermediated payments – are ill-equipped to address the dynamic and decentralised nature of agent-led transactions. The article concludes by proposing a multi-layered governance framework combining core regulatory requirements with supporting ecosystem measures to ensure accountability, security, and transparency in the age of autonomous financial agency.

This article explores the reinterpretation of Ming porcelain inscribed with ‘Great Ming’ (大明) in Chosŏn Korea following the Imjin War and the collapse of the Ming dynasty. Utilising archaeological findings, writings from Chosŏn literati and contemporary fieldwork, it argues that these objects transformed significantly – from luxury goods exchanged through tribute and wartime interactions to ritual vessels laden with ideological significance. As formal diplomatic relations weakened and Qing forces exerted political and cultural pressure on Chosŏn, Ming-marked ceramics emerged as powerful symbols of commemoration, moral sentiment and anti-Qing loyalty. Employed in westward-facing rituals honouring Ming emperors, they allowed Chosŏn elites to assert their claims to Ming cultural heritage and articulate a distinct Confucian identity in early modern East Asia. This study demonstrates how imported objects can acquire new meanings, highlighting the role of material culture in shaping Chosŏn’s self-identity as the guardian of a fallen civilisation.

This study investigates how reading proficiency in an orthographically opaque foreign language (L2 English) modulates word recognition and decoding strategies of Italian adolescents with and without developmental dyslexia (DD), whose native language orthography is highly transparent. The size of the visual and phonological units that are processed while reading is modulated by the orthographic depth of the language being read. In the case of early biliterate readers, reading strategies are characterized by cross-linguistic transfer. It is an open question whether this is also the case for late biliterate bilinguals, and whether such cross-linguistic modulations are also discernible in the presence of dyslexia-related impairments, such as phonological and visual attentional span deficits. By means of eye-tracking, this study shows that cross-linguistic interactions in the reading system also emerge in late biliterates, though this effect is limited in individuals with DD.

Immanuel Kant maintains that lying is always impermissible, since moral norms are categorical imperatives that admit of no exceptions. Yet this strict position conflicts with a widely shared intuition that lying may be permissible in certain exceptional cases. This article develops a revisionary Kantian proposal that accommodates this intuition while preserving the categorical character of moral norms. Central to this proposal is a default-and-exemption account of moral responsibility: The prohibition on lying applies universally, making agents morally responsible by default. This default condition, however, may be overridden if justifiable reasons for exemption exist.

Considering the welfare of animals used in research is crucial for both the validity of the results obtained and for the social acceptance of animal research. In Europe, the majority of the 5,784 primates currently used for scientific purposes are macaques (Macaca fascicularis and M. mulatta). Inadequate housing conditions can lead to various physiological and behavioural alterations that indicate poor welfare and can impact upon the quality of the data collected. Although there are a number of documents that summarise scientific knowledge on welfare issues and describe the basic needs of macaques, a specific and comprehensive welfare evaluation tool is lacking for the two aforementioned species when housed in a research context. The objective of the Primate Welfare INdicators (PWIN) project is to develop a welfare assessment tool for macaques used in scientific research, through the adaptation of the existing AWIN protocol for farm animals. PWIN aims to provide an objective lifelong assessment of macaque welfare, with repeated evaluations taking place not only during studies but also before and after experimental procedures. The tool comprises an evaluation of macaque housing, nutrition, health and behaviour, complemented by behavioural observations using 10-min continuous focal sampling. PWIN will support ethical research practices, facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements, and enhance information transparency during inspections and project authorisation processes. Beyond tool development, this research seeks to encourage laboratory teams, including researchers, caretakers, and veterinarians, to regularly monitor macaque welfare at the individual level. The imperative to enhance animal welfare considerations in scientific research aligns with European legislation and the 3Rs principle. By establishing a versatile, species-specific method, this research aims to improve existing practices and support ethical, sustainable primate research.

This article discusses the accessibility of sensory experience in archaeological research by proposing an approach that articulates the role imagination plays in the investigation of empirical data from the distant past. Building on interdisciplinary work in sensory studies, this article argues that sensory experiences are both culturally constructed and biologically mediated, emphasizing how the dynamic interplay between perception and materiality reveals the values embedded in ancient sensory-based desires. The author concludes by applying the theoretical and methodological approaches discussed throughout to a case study on ancient Egyptian head cones, demonstrating how archaeology can uncover the complex and consequential nature of ancient sensory experience. Sensory archaeology may advance not only by developing new ways to answer questions, but by reconsidering how we ask them.

The Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of illegal hunting, trafficking and habitat loss across its range. Although previously reported from many parts of Nepal, its presence in Sunsari district has remained unverified. We documented the first photographic evidence of the Chinese pangolin in Sunsari district through a short-term camera-trap survey in Panchakanya forest, a sacred but highly disturbed community forest in the Siwalik foothills. Two camera traps were rotated over 14 nights at selected trails and burrows in January 2025. After 7 nights, a male Chinese pangolin was recorded, confirming the species’ presence for the first time in this district. Field observations indicated abundant foraging signs linked to soft, moist soils supporting ant and termite colonies, aligning with the pangolin’s specialized diet and burrowing habits. This confirmed record increases the number of districts in which the Chinese pangolin has been documented in Nepal to 28. The presence of the Chinese pangolin in a fragmented, disturbed sacred forest highlights both the adaptability of this pangolin and the conservation value of culturally protected community forests outside protected areas.

High-quality bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] forage production is a vital component of southeastern U.S. agriculture. Previous research indicates that environmental stresses like elevated CO2 may significantly affect crop productivity, weed competitiveness, and ecological shifts. Although the effects of elevated CO2 on C4 plants like bermudagrass could be marginal, the growth, vigor, and herbicide tolerance of C3 weeds can be affected profoundly. In the final 2 yr of a 7-yr study investigating the effects of management practices and elevated CO2 levels on bermudagrass forage production, we aimed to evaluate how these treatments impacted weed competition and diversity. From 2018 to 2025, bermudagrass was grown in a coarse-textured soil bin at the USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, AL. Open-top chambers delivered either ambient or elevated CO2 (+ 200 mg kg−1), and plots were either managed annually with fertilizer and herbicide or left unmanaged. In the final 2 yr, elevated CO2 had no significant effect on total biomass production (bermudagrass + weeds), but in unmanaged plots, elevated CO2 resulted in a significantly greater proportion of weeds. While some C4 grasses and sedges were observed in this experiment, most weed species were C3. Consequently, C3 species dominance was generally high, especially in managed plots exposed to elevated CO2. Weeds were observed and identified in all plots, but those managed with fertilizer and herbicide had a greater proportion of bermudagrass plants to weeds, as well as lower weed densities. Species diversity indices yielded significantly greater species richness under elevated CO2 conditions. Moreover, we observed greater weed diversity with elevated CO2, which was exacerbated without proper nutrient and weed management. This provides compelling evidence that substantial shifts in weed diversity could occur due to environmental change factors like elevated CO2 and the lack of a proper crop management program.

This study examines the role of families in preserving cultural identity and moral values amid globalisation, employing a mixed-methods approach, the research highlights how cultural identity and moral values can instil environmental responsibility and help generations to embrace the principle of sustainability. A survey with 208 respondents and 13 in-depth interviews were conducted in the community of the UAE Higher Education, in the United Arab Emirates. The key findings reveal that families remain the cornerstone of preserving values and cultural identity by promoting environmental responsibility. However, globalisation, particularly through social media and globalised education, threatens familial cohesion. Furthermore, the study highlights the duality of globalisation as both a disruptor and a potential enabler of hybrid cultural frameworks, calling for policy interventions to regulate digital content and promote sustainability, environmental responsibility and cultural awareness, while emphasising collaborative efforts across families, educators and policymakers. Through bridging the empirical gaps, this research offers actionable insights for sustaining cultural resilience in an interconnected world.

Mathematical modeling projects consequences of disasters based on algorithms and parameters, with explicit assumptions that can be varied to explore potential variation in outcomes. Modeling of mechanical trauma, thermal burn, and ionizing radiation injuries due to nuclear detonations has been used at the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (HHS/ASPR) to inform needs assessments for medical countermeasures. Physiological modeling for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) projects outcomes of injury from ionizing radiation combined with mechanical trauma and/or thermal burns including effects on physical capabilities, which are used to evaluate the population consequences of nuclear detonations. Public health response modeling explores the effects of variation in operational practices such as triage and allocation of resources for treatment, which informs decisions and practices toward improvement in planning for response to nuclear detonations. Research can inform assumptions and algorithms of modeling, and strategic use of modeling can further inform planning for such topics as shielding, survival, and survivor behavior like sheltering and evacuation.

The settlement imposed by Titus Quinctius Flamininus in 196 after the Second Macedonian War effectively restricted Macedonia to its ancient boundaries. However, Philip V rebuilt Macedonian power and influence relatively quickly. His success in doing so naturally provoked fear and apprehension among his neighbours, particularly those states which had been rivals of the Macedonian kings in central Greece for centuries. These fears resulted in concerted diplomatic efforts in the mid-180s when a series of embassies from the central Greek states, as well as Pergamum and the Thracian cities of Aenus and Maronea, arrived in Rome to lodge complaints against the Macedonian king; Philip, of course, sent his own envoys to explain and justify his activities. Both ancient sources and modern scholarship take Rome’s response to these embassies – the dispatch of a series of commissions and ultimately declarations that Philip should vacate the cities which he had occupied – as indicative of a desire to limit and even humiliate Philip V and Macedonia. In this article, I examine Rome’s responses to the Greek embassies to show that they were not motivated so much by a desire to weaken Macedonia as by a desire to maintain post-war settlements.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination access is complicated by insurance coverage limitations. This two-week study showed that at least 75% of eligible older adults were covered by Medicare Part D, which restricts vaccine administration to retail pharmacies. This increases complexity of care coordination, may decrease vaccination rates, and highlights the need for expanded vaccine coverage.