This study explored the association between serotonin transporter gene (5HTTLPR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) polymorphisms with mental health disorders in a Chilean primary care population using latent class analysis. The sample included 789 adults genotyped for 5HTTLPR and BDNF, who were assessed for psychiatric diagnoses using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Two distinct mental health profiles emerged: a high psychiatric comorbidity group, marked by a high prevalence of anxiety and stress-related disorders, and a low comorbidity group. The study found that the L’/L’ polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene was associated with a reduced risk of belonging to the high-comorbidity group, particularly when paired with the GG polymorphism of the BDNF gene. These findings suggest a synergistic interaction between these genes that influences susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. This research underscores the importance of considering genetic interactions in mental health studies and highlights the utility of latent class analysis in identifying clinically relevant diagnostic profiles, which could enhance early detection and intervention strategies in primary care.

In 2022, a Tunisian citizen was arrested in Oslo when he tried to sell 30 Carthaginian bronze coins to a local antiques dealer. The dealer had previously alerted the police after receiving an email inquiry asking him whether he was interested in buying a ‘large number’ of Punic coins from an alleged underwater find, presumably a hoard, off the coast of Tunisia. The University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History, which cooperates with law-enforcement agencies and the authorities in cases involving illicit cultural artefacts, assisted with the identification of the coins. Eventually, the latter were returned to Tunisia, and Norwegian prosecutors dropped the charges against the Tunisian national. This article discusses the relevant legal framework of the case and the process that unfolded from the time when an attempt was made to sell the coins until they were returned to their country of origin. The broader numismatic implications of this find are also examined.

This single-center retrospective analysis evaluated the yield of blood cultures in patients with febrile neutropenia during a supply shortage. The detection rate of true bacteremia was observed to increase with the number of sets obtained, although this increase was not statistically significant. Findings support limiting repeat cultures within 48 hours.

For decades, party politics literature has argued that populist radical right (PRR) parties must distance themselves from their countries’ authoritarian pasts to achieve electoral relevance in a Sartorian sense. Yet, we now observe the growing success and influence of PRR parties that not only embrace nostalgia for this past but also maintain ties to it. The use of what we term ‘authoritarian nostalgia’ is not only becoming more widespread across politics but it has proven effective across diverse segments of the electorate. This study examines the extent to which (populist radical) right supporters approve of their countries’ authoritarian histories and view these past regimes favourably. Using original survey data fielded in Spain and Portugal and a novel set of survey items measuring authoritarian nostalgia, we find that supporters of VOX and Chega are more likely to express a broad sense of collective nostalgia, particularly through a longing for their country’s ‘old, glorious days’, but demonstrate strong nostalgia for Franco and Salazar’s authoritarian regimes more specifically. Furthermore, we observe similar affinities for the authoritarian past amongst traditional right-wing supporters, primarily among Partido Popular (PP) supporters in Spain, with weaker evidence for PPD/PSD supporters in Portugal. Our findings suggest that, rather than hindering electoral performance, authoritarian nostalgia can, in fact, stimulate (populist radical) right-wing electorates.

The adoption of corpus technology in school classroom settings remains limited, largely due to insufficient technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) training for pedagogical corpus use. To address this gap, we investigated how teacher education in corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP), a subdomain of TPACK for corpus technology tailored to language teachers, influenced student TESOL teachers’ self-efficacy for independent language learning and teaching. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including a CBLP training intervention (n = 120), survey data (n = 96), and interviews (n = 8) with student teachers at a university in Hong Kong SAR, China, the research validates a theoretical model through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Results demonstrate that corpus literacy (CL) is foundational for effective CBLP implementation and development of independent learning self-efficacy, which in turn fosters innovative, resource-rich instructional strategies. CBLP also enhances teachers’ self-efficacy for student engagement, fostering more interactive and motivating classrooms. These findings emphasise the value of embedding CL and CBLP within TESOL teacher-education programmes to prepare future language teachers for self-efficacy within dynamic, technology-enhanced classrooms.

The young, urban, and highly educated professionals who comprise the knowledge economy class are often portrayed as the champions of progressive politics in Europe. However, the coexistence of socially progressive attitudes and more conservative economic tendencies within this class deserves more scrutiny among political scientists because such tendencies, I argue, may reveal differences of consequence for electoral and policy outcomes. I point to two analytical blind spots in research on progressive politics: (1) the separation of sociocultural from economic issues, which can conceal critical policy preferences within the knowledge economy class, and (2) the prevailing dichotomy of knowledge economy “winners” and “losers,” which can lead scholars to underestimate status concerns in the knowledge economy class. To illustrate why addressing both blind spots matters for research on electoral outcomes and progressive policy agendas, I apply my claims to the issue of immigration. I show how the interaction of sociocultural progress and economic change—manifesting in this case as status gains among ethnoracial minorities—can underpin a politics of status preservation among “winners” that calls for as much attention as that dedicated to the politics of status loss among “losers.” Using cross-national survey data, I show that members of the knowledge economy class adopt a politics of status preservation in contexts in which ethnoracial minorities, although not on a par with advantaged white majorities, are better represented in high-status positions. I conclude by considering the implications for research on progressive politics in Europe.

Research on strokes using genetics and neurobiobanking has highlighted some ethical, legal and social implications. Blood donation, brain donation, blood storage, re-use and sample sharing, data sharing, return of individual results, disclosure of incidental findings, pattern and causes of preference for informed consent, governance and regulation, and biorights are some of the legal problems presented. This study, therefore, explores this aspect in Sub-Saharan Africa using Nigeria and Ghana as case studies. In exploring this aspect, a qualitative method was adopted. In addition, the general jurisprudence of law and society was adopted as the theoretical framework and applied to the findings made. It was found that the law to a high level mirrors people’s expectations and that there was an existing social order to which the law was a contributor. It is therefore argued that any need for the intervention of the law must take cognizance of these findings.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), found primarily in red blood cells, plays a key role in regulating hemoglobin’s (Hb) affinity for oxygen. Increased 2,3-DPG levels shift the oxygen dissociation curve to the right, reducing Hb’s oxygen affinity and enhancing oxygen delivery to tissues—particularly important in conditions like anemia and high-altitude adaptation. Despite its physiological significance, research on 2,3-DPG is outdated and limited. This review aims to summarize current knowledge and identify research gaps. Measuring 2,3-DPG is challenging due to its instability and the need for careful sample handling. Chromatography and enzymatic methods are commonly used. Several factors influence 2,3-DPG levels, including diet, physiological state, and disease. Dietary phosphorus, for example, can acutely affect 2,3-DPG levels, though the impact of different meal compositions remains unexplored. Age, pregnancy, and physical activity also modulate 2,3-DPG, yet little is known about its role in infants and children. While changes in 2,3-DPG levels under various pathological conditions have been described, the molecular mechanisms behind these alterations remain poorly understood and warrant further investigation.

Clinical data science, like the broader discipline of all data science, has quickly grown from obscurity only a few decades ago to one of the fastest growing specialties in biomedical research today. Yet, the education and training of the workforce has not kept pace with the growth of the field, the complexity of science, or the needs of the profession. The purpose of this paper is to provide a template for an intensive short course on fundamentals of clinical data science that meets the needs of working professionals in academic, industry, and government research settings. Care will be taken to introduce students to essential roles, responsibilities, and practice patterns within the field, the foundational components from which they come, and many of the soft skills needed for professional practice and advancement in the field today. The course is designed as an evidence-based, immersive learning experience taught over a 5-day period on a university campus, taught using principles of best educational practice and multiple modalities, to assure optimal interaction and engagement throughout the week. This template may be reproduced by any institution interested in and capable of offering such a program.

This article examines some recent trends within the scholarship on ancient Greek women. The field of gender and women’s studies is vast, and so this review is necessarily selective; it is also historical in focus, though I have deliberately tried to include works that cover a broad chronological and geographical range, and those that draw on different kinds of source material. It is divided into three parts: part 1 examines questions concerning ‘real’ women, part 2 is on agency and part 3 draws some observations on the difficulties of, and opportunities for, writing histories of women.

Obesity has significant implications regarding the welfare of companion animals. Data regarding obesity in exotic companion mammals (ECM) are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate obesity in pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), and rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Estonia, and to survey husbandry practices and owner awareness. Husbandry data were collected from patients visiting the Estonian University of Life Sciences’ small animal clinic via anonymous questionnaires over an eleven-month period. Three hundred and fifty-one questionnaire responses and body condition score (BCS) data for 177 patients (71 rabbits, 73 guinea pigs, 33 rats) were collected. Twenty-eight percent of rabbits, 23% of guinea pigs and 28% of rats were overweight (BCS > 3/5). Male rats were more likely to be overweight than females and there was a negative correlation between age and body condition. There was an increased likelihood of male guinea pigs being underweight. Owner questionnaires revealed that 20% of rabbit owners, 14% of guinea pig owners and 11% of rat owners believed their pets to be overweight while 58% of owners had not received husbandry advice from a veterinarian. Obesity is a significant welfare issue in the Estonian ECM population and several detrimental husbandry practices were identified, including inappropriate feeding, insufficient physical activity, individual housing. Further studies might investigate veterinarian awareness of the issues at hand and tendencies for other species.