Protopalpares lindgrenae new genus new species (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) is described from the Fossil Butte Member of the early Eocene Green River Formation (Wyoming, USA). This is the first Neuroptera species from the Fossil Butte Member, and the first fossil Palparinae. It is assigned to this subfamily based on the synapomorphy proposed here that the forewing posterior branch of RP1 and the stem of MP+CuA1 curve toward each other and are connected by two aligned crossveins at their closest. The venation of Protopalpares is most similar within the family to that of the Early Cretaceous Palaeonleontidae, indicating that Palparinae and Palaeonleontidae are likely closely related.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/fc4c124c-eb4b-432e-833c-cde7e595f653

The first Eodichromatidae (Odonata, Cephalozygoptera) specimens from the Ypresian Allenby Formation near Princeton, British Columbia, Canada, are described. They belong to the genus Labandeiraia Petrulevičius et al. (Eodichromatinae) based on the distinctive distal undulate curvature of the long veins and numerous intercalary veins, as seen in L. americaborealis Petrulevičius et al. from the coeval Green River Formation of Colorado, United States of America. Labandeiraia burlingameae n. sp. is described based on an almost complete hyaline forewing. It is distinct from L. americaborealis by its colouration and number of postnodal crossveins. A darkly infuscate forewing preserved in close proximity is similar but lacks its basal portion and has poorly preserved crossveins. Its preserved portions agree with both L. burlingameae and L. americaborealis. If this wing belongs to L. burlingameae, its colour difference might result from sexual dimorphism or polyphenism, which are not known in any eodichromatid. If the wing belongs to L. americaborealis, it has a forewing/hind wing colour difference, also not known in any Labandeiraia species, and would be its first known forewing. The specimen might also belong to a third, closely related, undescribed species. These possibilities cannot be distinguished, and we treat the species as Labandeiraia sp. A.

We evaluate the systematic position of Shundeagrion cheni Huang, Lia, and Nel, 2024 and transfer it to the odonate suborder Cephalozygoptera and family Dysagrionidae.

Paleontologists Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould introduced punctuated equilibria (PE) to the scientific community in 1972 (Eldredge and Gould 1972). Since then, the concept has been debated and tested, misunderstood and clarified, applied, extended, and integrated into evolutionary thought. To celebrate PE’s semicentennial, we and Paleobiology’s editors have produced this special issue. Our goal has been to bring together paleontologists, evolutionary biologists, and historians of science to reflect on the concept of PE, how it has been tested, the underlying mechanisms for stasis and punctuated change, and the broader impacts of PE for paleontology, biology, and macroevolution. In this introduction, we highlight the key components and implications of PE, briefly review the history surrounding its emergence and reception, and outline how PE expands evolutionary theory. We explain the organization of the papers included in this special issue, providing brief summaries to guide the interested reader. Finally, we conclude with a call for paleobiologists to “rediscover” PE and consider how the concept and its implications can be applied to their own work. In this endeavor, we are aware that a great many authors have contributed significant data, insight, and perspective to these issues over the years. As our purpose in this introduction is not to provide a comprehensive review, we do not cite and recognize them all individually, but we applaud all of those who have weighed in on this important topic.

Regular physical activity for adults is associated with optimal appetite regulation, though little work has been performed in adolescents. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a study examining appetite across a range of physical activity and adiposity levels in adolescent males. Healthy males (n 46, 14–18 years old) were recruited across four body weight and activity categories: normal weight/high active (n 11), normal weight/low active (n 13), overweight, obese/high active (n 14), overweight and obese/low active (n 8). Participants from each group completed a 6-h appetite assessment session on Day 0, followed immediately by a 14-day free-living physical activity and dietary assessment period on Days 1–14, and a fitness test session occurring between Days 15–18. Subjective and objective assessment of appetite, resting energy expenditure, body composition using dual energy absorptiometry and thermic effect of feeding (TEF) was conducted on Day 0. Physiological variables in the normal weight low active group that were different than their peers included lower fat-free mass, cardiorespiratory fitness, glucose/fullness response to a standardised meal, TEF in response to a standardised meal, lower self-rated fullness and satiety and higher self-rated hunger to a standardised meal. Conversely, the overweight, obese high active group displayed better subjective appetite responses, but higher insulin responses to a standardised meal. Taken together, these results suggest that physical inactivity during adolescence has a negative impact on metabolic health and appetite control, which may contribute to future weight gain.

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.

Two new species of giant lacewings (Neuroptera: Polystoechotidae) are described from Ypresian Okanagan Highlands localities in western North America: Palaeopsychops goodwini sp. nov. and Palaeopsychops barthae sp. nov., both from Republic, Washington, United States of America, and a less well-preserved specimen is treated as Palaeopsychops sp. indet., the first occurrence of the family at McAbee, British Columbia, Canada. These share distinctive wing colouration – dark with a single pale, broad fascia mid-wing.

Over the interval 2008–2023 a large number of studies have been published testing various aspects of punctuated equilibria, including the prevalence of stasis, and also the extent to which most evolutionary change is concentrated at cladogenesis. In the vast majority of studies, punctuated equilibria continued to be strongly validated, as widespread evidence for stasis accumulated, with only some rare incidences of gradual change found. Support for the importance of cladogenetic change has increased, and new analytical approaches to study punctuated equilibria have been developed. Over this time period, there has also been an increase in the number of studies that have concentrated on extant taxa to test for punctuated equilibria, and these have also corroborated its widespread presence. In this respect, punctuated equilibria has served as an important bridge between neontological and paleontological approaches to evolutionary biology. From 2008 to 2023, there has also been some drift in how stasis is defined, such that, in certain studies, the definition diverged from the original 1972 definition in important respects. Notably, it is the few studies that have most changed the definition of what stasis constitutes that have most challenged the validity of punctuated equilibria, indicating it is morphing interpretations and definitions rather than the discovery of data compatible with phyletic gradualism that are most responsible for divergent results.

Indirect calorimetry (IC) is regarded as the benchmark for measuring resting energy expenditure (REE)(1) but validity and reliability in adults with overweight or obesity have not been systematically appraised(2). The aim of our research was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of IC for REE in adults with overweight or obesity. A rapid systematic review was conducted. PubMed and Web of Science were searched to December 2023. Eligible studies measured REE by IC in adults with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 or mean BMI > 30 kg/m2) reporting validity and/or reliability. Studies were selected using Covidence and critically appraised using the CASP diagnostic study checklist. From n = 4022 records, n = 21 studies utilising n = 13 different IC devices were included (n = 10 reported concurrent validity, n = 7 reported predictive validity, n = 7 reported reliability). A hand-held IC had poor validity and inconsistent reliability (n = 6 studies). Standard desktop-based ICs (n = 9 devices) were examined by across n = 18 studies; most demonstrated high validity, predictive ability, and good to excellent reliability. An IC accelerometer showed weak validity (n = 1 study); a body composition-based IC showed strong validity (n = 1 study); and a whole-room IC demonstrated excellent reliability (n = 1 study). Standard desktop-based IC demonstrated the most consistent validity, predictive ability, and reliability for REE in adults with overweight or obesity. Hand-held IC may have limited validity and reliability. Accelerometer, body composition-based, and whole-room IC devices require further evaluation. Inconsistent findings are attributed to differing methodologies and reference standards. Further research is needed to examine the diagnostic accuracy of IC in adults with overweight and obesity.

We describe Swauka ypresiana n. gen. n. sp., the second fossil gossamerwing damselfly (Odonata, Zygoptera, Epallagidae, Epallaginae) and its oldest occurrence. It is the first fossil insect reported from the Swauk Formation of central Washington State, U.S.A. It was recovered from the “Sandstone facies of Swauk Pass,” a fluvial unit, immediately below the Silver Pass Volcanic Member of the Swauk Formation, which has a U–Pb zircon CA-ID-TIMS age of 51.364 ± 0.029 Ma. The host deposits probably represent mud-dominated floodplain lake or oxbow lake environments.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/20167852-bcbc-4f8b-b372-dffa591abd6a

Selig Harrison originally visited North Korea in 1972, when he and Harrison Salisbury were the first independent or non-communist American journalists to visit since the Korean War. Mr. Harrison was also one of the first American experts to understand the strong grip of nationalism in North Korea, which he elucidated in his excellent 1978 book, The Widening Gulf: Asian Nationalism and American Policy. He now has more than 20 visits to Pyongyang under his belt, and his most recent book, Korean Endgame is a provocative call for American disengagement with Korea.

It also contains perhaps the best informed treatment that we have of the issues that have animated the confrontation between Washington and Pyongyang over the latter's nuclear program. With that stymied conflict now in its eighteenth year, it is no wonder that Mr. Harrison returned from his most recent visit with a suggestion that “benign neglect” of the nuclear issue might be the best among a narrowing list of American options.

Most species exhibit morphological stasis following speciation, and this is a key feature of the concept of punctuated equilibria. Stasis results in species often having long durations on geological timescales. Durational data are fundamental to many types of paleobiological analyses and are ideally based on occurrence data represented by specimens in museum collections. Often, however, durational data are presented without supporting information about voucher specimens that document stratigraphic ranges, including first and last appearances. We use the iconic Devonian trilobite Eldredgeops rana to demonstrate that durational data can be challenging to determine at multiple taxonomic levels. Further, we show that different datasets—including Sepkoski’s published databases, the Paleobiology Database, and iDigBio—give discordant results concerning first and last occurrences. We argue that paleontologists should adopt two general best practices to help address these problems. First, systematists should clearly identify voucher specimens that represent stratigraphic occurrences of species. Second, we recommend that high-quality photographs of occurrence vouchers be placed in open access websites and be assigned public domain licensing before being paywalled by journals. Such voucher images also have a role to play in training artificial intelligence (AI) systems that will be applied to future paleobiological questions.

We measured brain activity using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm and conducted a whole-brain analysis while healthy adult Democrats and Republicans made non-hypothetical food choices. While the food purchase decisions were not significantly different, we found that brain activation during decision-making differs according to the participant’s party affiliation. Models of partisanship based on left insula, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, precuneus, superior frontal gyrus, or premotor/supplementary motor area activations achieve better than expected accuracy. Understanding the differential function of neural systems that lead to indistinguishable choices may provide leverage in explaining the broader mechanisms of partisanship.

The recent expansion of cross-cultural research in the social sciences has led to increased discourse on methodological issues involved when studying culturally diverse populations. However, discussions have largely overlooked the challenges of construct validity – ensuring instruments are measuring what they are intended to – in diverse cultural contexts, particularly in developmental research. We contend that cross-cultural developmental research poses distinct problems for ensuring high construct validity owing to the nuances of working with children, and that the standard approach of transporting protocols designed and validated in one population to another risks low construct validity. Drawing upon our own and others’ work, we highlight several challenges to construct validity in the field of cross-cultural developmental research, including (1) lack of cultural and contextual knowledge, (2) dissociating developmental and cultural theory and methods, (3) lack of causal frameworks, (4) superficial and short-term partnerships and collaborations, and (5) culturally inappropriate tools and tests. We provide guidelines for addressing these challenges, including (1) using ethnographic and observational approaches, (2) developing evidence-based causal frameworks, (3) conducting community-engaged and collaborative research, and (4) the application of culture-specific refinements and training. We discuss the need to balance methodological consistency with culture-specific refinements to improve construct validity in cross-cultural developmental research.

This paper presents an analysis, based on simulation, of the stability of principal components. Stability is measured by the expectation of the absolute inner product of the sample principal component with the corresponding population component. A multiple regression model to predict stability is devised, calibrated, and tested using simulated Normal data. Results show that the model can provide useful predictions of individual principal component stability when working with correlation matrices. Further, the predictive validity of the model is tested against data simulated from three non-Normal distributions. The model predicted very well even when the data departed from normality, thus giving robustness to the proposed measure. Used in conjunction with other existing rules this measure will help the user in determining interpretability of principal components.