The genesis and significance of epsilon waves still remains an enigma. In this case report, we document occurrence of epsilon waves in a neonate with left ventricular diverticulum and its disappearance after the surgical division of the diverticulum. We postulate that the presence of myocardial cells in the diverticulum was the cause for epsilon waves.

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.

This research article addresses the hypothesis that vehicles used for cattle transport are contaminated with Escherichia coli, a potential foodborne pathogen, despite current regulations on sanitation practices. Dairy cattle and calves are regularly transported to auction markets, calf rearers and slaughterhouses. UK Government guidelines require livestock transport vehicles to be cleaned and disinfected within 24 hours of use or before re-use within that period. It is feasible, however, that if cleaning fails to eradicate bacteria, then transport vehicles can act as a fomite in the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pathogens. In this study, 13 trailer-loads (TLs) of calves were transported for 40–60 minutes. Trailers were then cleaned and disinfected within 20 minutes of unloading. Five sites within the trailer were swabbed after pressure washing and again 30 minutes after application of disinfectant. A bacterial count for E. coli was performed through growth on selective agar, and species identification was confirmed by MALDI-TOF. A subset of 30 isolates was selected for antibiotic susceptibility screening to a panel of veterinary and human antibiotics. E. coli were recovered from all TLs and sites; however, not all sites were contaminated in each TL. E. coli count was significantly reduced, but not eliminated, following application of disinfectant. Furthermore, high prevalence of resistance to sulphonamides, first-generation cephalosporins, and tetracyclines was observed. Forty percent of screened isolates were also classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR) (i.e. resistant to at least one antibiotic from three or more antibiotic classes). Application of disinfectant did not increase the risk of recovering an MDR isolate. This study demonstrates that livestock trailers can harbour potential zoonotic pathogens with AMR properties. Disinfection in accordance with current guidelines is an important step in reducing, but not eradicating, bacterial populations in these vehicles. Improved cleaning and/or disinfection policies are required to mitigate the potential for AMR transmission.

Slim et al.’s paper provided an insight into the differences between repaired tetralogy of Fallot and isolated pulmonary regurgitation in their strain. Repaired tetralogy of Fallot had higher right ventricular circumferential strain, while isolated pulmonary regurgitation relied on longitudinal strain more. This allowed the authors to infer that repaired tetralogy of Fallot can withstand more chronic regurgitation before valve replacement is necessary. We highlighted new findings relevant to this paper. Arrhythmia in repaired tetralogy of Fallot is associated with a reduced global circumferential strain of the right ventricle. Specifically, a value of below -14% was associated with a 6.3 times increase in the risk for an arrhythmic event. We believe this would be beneficial for patients when considered for valve replacements, suggesting modification of current valve replacement guidelines to include strain thresholds alongside current volumetric thresholds. However, the data for isolated pulmonary regurgitation remains scarce. Further investigation is needed to provide clearer timelines for valve replacement. We emphasised the importance of exploring the underlying architecture of repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients’ hearts and why they could generate more global circumferential strain. We acknowledged the broader effect of this paper and its specific benefit in our country, Egypt. This paper provided insights useful for broader global health impact, especially in low-income countries.

Recent years have seen growing interest in applying the Evolutionary Transitions in Individuality (ETI) framework to human sociocultural evolution. Proponents argue that human societies exhibit features—such as multilevel organisation, cooperation, and division of labour—sufficiently analogous to biological ETIs to warrant theoretical extension. This paper critically assesses such claims and argues that they rest on a fundamental misapplication of the ETI framework. Drawing on recent work in cultural evolution, I show that sociocultural systems typically lack the core conditions required for an ETI, including autonomous reproduction at the group level and the operation of natural selection in the reproductive mode. Attempts to relax these criteria risk undermining the coherence of the framework itself. I conclude that while the broader MET framework may still have value for understanding sociocultural change, the specific explanatory structure of ETI theory does not transfer.

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.

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.

Rapid deforestation in the tropics reduces the global carbon sequestration and storage capacity of forests. However, abandoned lands can recover naturally through secondary succession. While soil organic carbon (SOC) represents the largest carbon pool in young secondary forests, its drivers remain poorly understood. Here, we assessed the roles of environmental conditions (macro- and microclimate) and forest attributes (biomass and litter nutrients) in determining three key ecosystem processes (litter production, decomposition, and soil respiration) that influence SOC dynamics in secondary forests. We collected data from young secondary tropical dry and wet forests (2.3–3.6 years old) in Ghana. Wet forests had higher aboveground biomass, soil temperature and moisture, and litter production, whereas dry forests had higher litter nutrient concentrations and faster decomposition rates. SOC and soil respiration rates were similar between forest types. Structural equation modelling showed that (1) litter decomposition increased with litter production, litter nitrogen concentration, and soil temperature (rather than soil moisture), and (2) decomposition was the only significant driver of SOC. These findings highlight the central role of litter decomposition in building SOC during early forest succession and the indirect influence of climate on belowground carbon dynamics through its effects on litter quantity and quality and microclimate.

The contemporary LGBTQ+ history of Northern Ireland has emerged relatively recently. This article examines two negative models that fed into understandings of male homosexuality between the early 1960s and the end of the 1980s, and some of the discourses that emanated from them. Using contemporary comment, theological and medical writings, and oral history testimonies, this article charts the fortunes of models of ‘sickness’ and ‘sinfulness’. A campaign to secure law reform in the 1970s forced churches to confront the ‘problem’ of homosexuality. I demonstrate the complexity of responses from two major Protestant churches, the tentative emergence of a challenge from radical Christians and how this landscape has been obscured by the notoriety of an infamous fundamentalist campaign. As was the case in England, the notion of homosexuality as a pathology gained traction in Northern Ireland only in the 1950s and 1960s, leading to medical conversion practices, such as aversion therapy, which attempted to ‘cure’ men of same-sex desire. However, discourses conflicted, with regional social conditions resulting in ‘sickness’ co-existing uneasily with ‘sin’. And although it was opposed by a strain of evangelical thought, social conditions fostered by conservative religiosity enabled pathologisation to linger on through the 1980s.

Deliberation is routinely considered an essential component of a jury trial, contributing to the quality of fact-finding and confidence in jury verdicts. Unlike all other countries that use juries, Brazilian jurors do not deliberate. Instead, under the Brazilian jury system’s “incommunicability rule,” they submit their votes individually, without discussing the case with one another. How jurors approach the task of individual decision making and how they view and experience this notable absence of deliberation are unknown. The aim of this article, which is part of a broader research project on jurors’ decision making in femicide trials in Brazil, is to understand these experiences and views of Brazilian jurors, especially regarding the incommunicability rule. The research used qualitative methods, including ethnographic observations of trials and semi-structured interviews of jurors. The majority of jurors voiced support for the current practice, explaining that refraining from deliberation would ensure their impartiality. However, 41 percent of the jurors said that they would have liked to deliberate with others to exchange and debate views. Interviews also shed light on how the absence of deliberation affected the decision process and jurors’ satisfaction with the overall jury experience. This research contributes to an ongoing debate in Brazil over the incommunicability rule.