Controversial Research Articles

Confronting Core Issues: A Critical Assessment of Attitude Polarization Using Tailored Experiments

A long-standing debate in political psychology considers whether individuals update their beliefs and attitudes in the direction of evidence or grow more confident in their convictions when confronted with counter-attitudinal arguments. Though recent studies have shown that instances of the latter tendency, which scholars have termed attitude polarization and “belief backfire,” are rarely observed in settings involving hot-button issues or viral misinformation, we know surprisingly little about how participants respond to information targeting deeply held attitudes, a key condition for triggering attitude polarization. We develop a tailored experimental design that measures participants’ core issue positions and exposes them to personalized counter-attitudinal information using the large language model GPT-3. We find credible evidence of attitude polarization, but only when arguments are contentious and vitriolic. For lower valence counter-attitudinal arguments, attitude polarization is not detected. We conclude by discussing implications for the study of political cognition and the measurement of attitudes.

On Swami Vivekananda and Caste Prejudice: Ethical Implications of the Experience of Non-Duality

The well-known modern Hindu reformer and pioneer of Vedānta in the West, Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902), based his ethical vision on mysticism: specifically, on the direct experience of non-duality and the ultimate unity and organic interconnectedness of all beings. This paper will explore the implications of this experientially based ethos for caste prejudice. Caste remains a hot-button issue in India to the present day and was no less so in the time of Swami Vivekananda. This system of social organization is rightly criticized by social justice advocates for the inequities it enshrines and enforces in Indian society. Because it has historically been justified by reference to Hindu textual sources—specifically such Dharma Śāstras as the Manusmṛti—prejudice based on caste, or casteism, has frequently been depicted, especially by critics of Hinduism, as essential or inherent to Hindu traditions. The implication of this identification of caste with Hinduism, and caste with social injustice, is that Hinduism is an intrinsically wicked and unjust religion. Such simplistic equations fail to consider the extent to which caste prejudice has been condemned by authoritative Hindu teachers, not least, by Swami Vivekananda himself. It is thus important to rearticulate Swami Vivekananda’s rejection of caste prejudice—and indeed, of all prejudice—based on Advaita Vedānta both to make the case against such prejudice in today’s world and to address criticisms of Hinduism as inherently or essentially casteist. Finally, it will be noted that Vivekananda’s criticisms of caste anticipate those of a contemporary anti-casteist voice from the Advaita tradition: that of Hindu theologian Anantanand Rambachan, who has also argued against prejudices of various kinds, including caste prejudice, based on Advaita Vedānta.

Noneffectiveness of cryostorage duration on clinical and neonatal outcomes after single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers

BackgroundIn the current era of assisted reproductive technology, the strategy of single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer (SVBT) is acknowledged for positively impacting clinical outcomes and preventing the risk of multiple conceptions. Previous studies have indicated that blastocyst grade and the day of blastocyst positively correlate with outcomes. Moreover, storage duration has no significant effect on survival rates, clinical outcomes, and neonatal outcomes. However, some researchers express controversial opinions on cryostorage duration, and their findings suggest a negative impact on clinical outcomes. These results remain subject to controversy, and limited studies exist regarding the outcomes after SVBT. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the impact of the day of blastocyst, blastocyst grade, and blastocyst cryostorage duration on clinical and neonatal outcomes following SVBT in patients who underwent clomiphene-citrate-based minimal stimulation.Material and methodsIn this study, retrospective cohort study data collected from June 2015 to April 2023 included 2107 patients with first SVBT cycles who underwent a clomiphene-based minimal ovarian stimulation protocol or a drug-free natural protocol at the Ojinmed IVF Center. Patients were categorized into four groups based on blastocyst cryostorage duration: group 1 (< 2 months, n = 882), group 2 (3–6 months, n = 794), group 3 (7–12 months, n = 187), group 4 (13–24 months, n = 126), and group 5 (25–81 months, n = 118). The patient’s clinical and neonatal outcomes were compared with cryostorage duration after the propensity score matched.ResultMultivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that prolonged cryostorage duration insignificantly correlated with clinical outcomes. Additionally, neonatal outcomes are not correlated with cryostorage duration.ConclusionsThe patient must consider several parameters when selecting embryos for transfer, including the duration of cryostorage. Our study results show that for the first single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer of patients who underwent clomiphene citrate-based minimal stimulation, cryostorage duration does not affect outcomes.

Schuldenbremse und öffentliche Investitionen: Erwiderung auf Mühlenweg et al. (2024)

Abstract The political debate regarding the consequences of the German “debt brake” continues. The arguments against its current design are similar to the arguments brought forward in 2009, when the rule was first introduced. One hot-button issue has always been whether the German debt brake constrains public investment. A recent study by Feld et al. (2024) applies the synthetic control method to address this question. Mühlenweg et al. (2024) criticise their approach, building on well-known arguments against the German debt brake. This article counters their arguments.

Men's attitudes toward third party casual sex

AbstractThe reproductive self-interest model of morality (RSIMM) is a framework for understanding moral judgments associated with sexual behavior. This model posits that individual differences in sexual strategies, mediated by one's religiosity and political orientation, casually influence people's moral judgments toward social hot-button issues. Previous work on the RSIMM has explained individual differences in attitudes toward abortion, prostitution, and contraception. Individuals more interested in long-term mating judged these behaviors as morally wrong. In this preregistered study, we proposed the RSIMM would account for individual differences in rape myth acceptance (RMA). RMA is the phenomenon of endorsing beliefs or stereotypes about rape that diminish the severity of assaults or shift blame from perpetrators to victims. We examined the relationship between political orientation, attitudes toward third-party casual sex, and RMA in a convenience sample of 308 participants (137 women). We predicted that more negative attitudes toward third parties' casual sex would correlate with increased RMA. Our hypothesis was supported for men but not women: Men who condemned others' casual sex, had more unrestricted attitudes about their own casual sex, and desired more casual sex were statistically more likely to accept more rape myths. In the discussion, we speculate that sex differences in the relationship between attitudes towards casual sex and RMA may be due to the costs of rape incurred by women but not men.

From Confrontation To Coexistence: An Appeal Opt-Out Arrangement As An Inclusive Approach To Revive The WTO Dispute Settlement System?

Resolving the crisis in the dispute settlement system is a priority issue for the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and Members have made sustained efforts in this regard. Since the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12), discussions on the dispute settlement system have entered a new phase, focusing on facilitator-organized meetings and proposals from Members. The reform negotiations have made some progress, but still face a number of significant challenges, in particular with regard to the appellate procedures. It is highly uncertain whether a comprehensive solution can be reached by 2024 as mandated by the MC12. Taking into account the different positions of Members and the imminent approach of the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference (MC13), this paper recommends that Members show more pragmatism and flexibility, puts forward a compromise proposal to establish a multilateral arrangement that would allow Members to opt out of the appellate review process under the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes ( DSU), and argues that this could be conducive to restoring a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system. WTO, Appellate Body Crisis, Dispute Settlement Reform, Opt-out Arrangement

WTO Dispute Settlement and Trade Sanctions as Permissible Third-Party Countermeasures under Customary International Law

Abstract The requirements for invoking WTO security exceptions as expounded in recent WTO dispute settlement cases are notably stricter than previously thought by WTO members. Consequently, not all WTO members who have imposed trade sanctions against Russia will be able to invoke these exceptions to justify their actions when accused by Russia of violations of their WTO obligations. This article considers whether WTO members who may be unsuccessful in invoking security exceptions may nonetheless be able to justify their measures within the context of WTO dispute settlement under the customary international law on third-party countermeasures. It does so by exploring the scope of the relevant provisions within the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU) as well as competence of WTO adjudicative bodies (i.e., WTO panels and the Appellate Body) to look beyond the four corners of the WTO covered agreements.

Minimizing Blood Loss in Laparotomic Myomectomy through the Tourniquet Use: Insights from Our Clinical Experience and Literature Review

The uterine tourniquet is often not used to reduce intraoperative blood loss due to controversial opinions in the literature. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of this procedure in laparotomic myomectomy. This is a retrospective, monocentric case-control study, including patients who underwent laparotomic myomectomy and were categorized into the Tourniquet Group (A) and No Tourniquet Group (B). The blood loss outcomes were compared. Intra-operative blood loss in Group A was 275 ± 200 mL, while in Group B was 410 ± 390 mL (p = 0.11). Notably, five patients in the No Tourniquet Group lost more than 1000 mL of blood and required blood transfusion, while no such cases were reported in the Tourniquet Group. Furthermore, the decrease in hemoglobin post-procedure was statistically significant, favoring Group A with a decrease of 1.9 ± 0.7 g/dL compared to Group B’s 2.8 ± 2.2 g/dL (p = 0.04). The use of the Foley catheter as a tourniquet during laparotomic myomectomy may represent a remarkable tool that profoundly impacts the surgical process by substantially reducing blood loss. Its use may play a role in significantly diminishing the likelihood of requiring blood transfusions, enhancing patient safety and outcomes, and should be systematically adopted.

The Fundamental Concept of Death-Controversies and Clinical Relevance: The UDDA Revision Series.

When the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) was recently in the process of revising the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA), Neurology® ran a series of debates over certain controversial issues being deliberated. Omitted was a debate over the fundamental concept underlying brain death. In his introductory article, Bernat offered reasons for this omission: "It is not directly relevant to practicing neurologists who largely accept brain death, do not question its conceptual basis, …." In this article I argue the opposite: the fundamental concept of death is highly relevant to the clinical criteria and tests used to diagnose it. Moreover, most neurologists in fact disagree with the conceptual basis articulated by Bernat. Basically, there are 3 competing concepts of death: (1) biological: cessation of the integrative unity of the organism as a whole (endorsed by Bernat and the 1981 President's Commission), (2) psychological: cessation of the person, equated with a self-conscious mind (endorsed by half of neurologists), and (3) the vital work concept proposed by the 2008 President's Council on Bioethics. The first actually corresponds to a circulatory, not a neurologic, criterion. The second corresponds to a "higher brain" criterion. The third corresponds loosely to the UK's "brainstem death" criterion. In terms of the biological concept, current diagnostic guidelines entail a high rate of false-positive declarations of death, whereas in terms of the psychological concept, the same guidelines entail a high rate of false-negative declarations. Brainstem reflexes have nothing to do with any death concept (their role is putatively to guarantee irreversibility). By shining a spotlight on the deficiencies of the UDDA through attempting to revise it, the ULC may have unwittingly opened a Pandora's box of fresh scrutiny of the concept of death underlying the neurologic criterion-particularly on the part of state legislatures with irreconcilably opposed worldviews.

Animal studies on glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and related polyagonists in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent metabolic liver disease closely associated with the epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but without licensed pharmacological treatment to date. As glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are approved anti-diabetic and anti-obesity medications, they were also considered a potential therapeutic option for NAFLD. Preclinical studies suggest that GLP-1RAs have a beneficial effect on major NAFLD histological outcomes, i.e., hepatic steatosis and inflammation, through multiple intrahepatic mechanisms, including increased fatty acid β-oxidation, activation of autophagy, suppression of inflammation, and oxidative stress. Data on hepatic fibrosis are limited or inconclusive, although some studies reported improvement in indices of fibrosis or prevention of fibrosis initiation or reduction of collagen deposition. Whether the positive impact of GLP-1RAs on hepatic histology is indirect, i.e., through their action on extrahepatic tissues, or whether their action is direct, i.e., through activating GLP-1R on the hepatocytes, is still a controversial issue. Alongside GLP-1RAs, newly emerging peptide polyagonists (i.e., synthetic molecules that combine the amino acid sequences of more than one peptide, thus having the ability to bind more than one receptor) are now being investigated in NAFLD with high expectations. This review summarizes the existing knowledge derived from animal studies on the effects of GLP-1RAs and GLP-1RA related peptide polyagonists on NAFLD in an attempt to illuminate areas of uncertainty and provide the groundwork for future animal and clinical research in the field.

Random genetic drift sets an upper limit on mRNA splicing accuracy in metazoans

Most eukaryotic genes undergo alternative splicing (AS), but the overall functional significance of this process remains a controversial issue. It has been noticed that the complexity of organisms (assayed by the number of distinct cell types) correlates positively with their genome-wide AS rate. This has been interpreted as evidence that AS plays an important role in adaptive evolution by increasing the functional repertoires of genomes. However, this observation also fits with a totally opposite interpretation: given that ‘complex’ organisms tend to have small effective population sizes (Ne), they are expected to be more affected by genetic drift, and hence more prone to accumulate deleterious mutations that decrease splicing accuracy. Thus, according to this ‘drift barrier’ theory, the elevated AS rate in complex organisms might simply result from a higher splicing error rate. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed 3496 transcriptome sequencing samples to quantify AS in 53 metazoan species spanning a wide range of Ne values. Our results show a negative correlation between Ne proxies and the genome-wide AS rates among species, consistent with the drift barrier hypothesis. This pattern is dominated by low abundance isoforms, which represent the vast majority of the splice variant repertoire. We show that these low abundance isoforms are depleted in functional AS events, and most likely correspond to errors. Conversely, the AS rate of abundant isoforms, which are relatively enriched in functional AS events, tends to be lower in more complex species. All these observations are consistent with the hypothesis that variation in AS rates across metazoans reflects the limits set by drift on the capacity of selection to prevent gene expression errors.

Random genetic drift sets an upper limit on mRNA splicing accuracy in metazoans.

Most eukaryotic genes undergo alternative splicing (AS), but the overall functional significance of this process remains a controversial issue. It has been noticed that the complexity of organisms (assayed by the number of distinct cell types) correlates positively with their genome-wide AS rate. This has been interpreted as evidence that AS plays an important role in adaptive evolution by increasing the functional repertoires of genomes. However, this observation also fits with a totally opposite interpretation: given that 'complex' organisms tend to have small effective population sizes (Ne), they are expected to be more affected by genetic drift, and hence more prone to accumulate deleterious mutations that decrease splicing accuracy. Thus, according to this 'drift barrier' theory, the elevated AS rate in complex organisms might simply result from a higher splicing error rate. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed 3496 transcriptome sequencing samples to quantify AS in 53 metazoan species spanning a wide range of Ne values. Our results show a negative correlation between Ne proxies and the genome-wide AS rates among species, consistent with the drift barrier hypothesis. This pattern is dominated by low abundance isoforms, which represent the vast majority of the splice variant repertoire. We show that these low abundance isoforms are depleted in functional AS events, and most likely correspond to errors. Conversely, the AS rate of abundant isoforms, which are relatively enriched in functional AS events, tends to be lower in more complex species. All these observations are consistent with the hypothesis that variation in AS rates across metazoans reflects the limits set by drift on the capacity of selection to prevent gene expression errors.

Engaging the many-hands problem of generative-AI outputs: a framework for attributing credit

AbstractThe recent wave of generative AI (GenAI) systems like Stable Diffusion or ChatGPT that can produce images, text and code from human prompts raises controversial issues about creatorship, originality, creativity and copyright. This paper focuses on creatorship: who creates and should be credited with the outputs made with the help of GenAI? There is currently significant moral, legal and regulatory uncertainty around these questions. We develop a novel framework, called CCC (collective-centered creation), that helps resolve this uncertainty. According to CCC, GenAI outputs are created by collectives in the first instance. Claims to creatorship come in degrees and depend on the nature and significance of individual contributions made by the various agents and entities involved, including users, GenAI systems, developers, producers of training data and others. We demonstrate how CCC can help navigate a range of ongoing controversies around the responsible development and deployment of GenAI technologies and help more accurately attribute credit where it is due.

Legitimacy, issue management, and gun debate

This study examined how two opposing advocacy organizations, National Rifle Association and Moms Demand Action, legitimize issues related to gun violence. Through topic modeling and social network analysis of tweets from both organizations, this study analyzed how advocacy organizations dealing with controversial issues use communication to achieve certain types of legitimacy. With the consistent outbreak of school mass shootings, this study also explored the communication strategies employed by advocacy organizations to manage issues and enhance legitimacy to garner policy initiatives. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings were discussed.

Does a tragic event affect different aspects of attitudes toward immigration?

Abstract Dramatic events can evoke feelings of compassion, fear, or threat, and can affect public opinion regarding controversial issues. Such an event was the drowning of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, a Syrian boy whose body washed up on a Turkish shore, and was photographed, producing an iconic image that was seen worldwide. The image evoked empathy and compassion that neuroscience and psychological research associate with a motivation to help. This article examines the impact of this event on four different aspects of attitudes toward immigration. The timing of the European Social Survey in Portugal allowed us to use this tragic event as a natural experiment. Our results suggest that Kurdi’s drowning had a significant effect on only two sentiments, but no such impact was detected on other attitudes. The results show that the event did not change the respondents’ opinion regarding the possible negative consequences of immigration on the host country’s economy, crime level, or culture, nor did it change their perception of the skills required by immigrants. On the other hand, the empathy induced by the tragic event increased their willingness to have a less restrictive immigration policy and their openness to having close social relationships with immigrants, although these changes were short-lived.

Geological structure of the Malyshevka Formation of the northeastern regions of Western Siberia according to the complex of geological and geophysical data

Data on the geological structure of the Malyshevka Formation in the northeastern regions of Western Siberia in the Gydan and western parts of the Yenisei–Khatanga oil and gas regions are presented. Based on the results of dissection of the Middle Jurassic deposits, three main types of section of the Malyshevka Formation were identified. Zoning of the suite by section type is proposed. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the wave pattern of the Jurassic section on a series of temporal seismic profiles, well geophysical data, and faunal determinations, a detailed correlation of Middle Jurassic sediments was performed. Based on the results of the work, a seismogeological model of the Malyshevka Formation of the northeastern regions of Western Siberia was built, which made it possible to resolve controversial issues regarding its volumes in the southern part of the Gydan Peninsula.

THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION, HETEROGENEOUS TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS ON MUNICIPAL INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER DISCHARGES: EVIDENCE FROM YANGTZE RIVER ECONOMIC BELT IN CHINA

The large amount of industrial wastewater discharges has significantly limited the sustainable development of China’s resources and posed hazards to human health. In order to contain industrial wastewater discharges, the government has formulated a series of environmental control policies, but the effectiveness of these policies remains a controversial issue. With the rapid development of science and technology, how likely can China rely on technological progress to achieve a win-win outcome for both economic growth and environmental protection? This paper uses data from 105 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt over the period 2005–2020 to investigate the effects of environmental regulation and heterogeneous technological progress on industrial wastewater discharges. The results show that environmental regulation and technology introduction effectively reduce industrial wastewater discharges, and independent innovation aggravates industrial wastewater pollution. The interaction analysis reveals that under the influence of environmental regulation, independent innovation will significantly alleviate industrial wastewater discharges in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. In addition, this study also reveals spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the effects of environmental regulations and different types of technological advances on industrial wastewater discharges.

Indicators of cerebral venous drainage with non-thrombotic disorders in extracranial veins

The growing number of studies on cerebral venous circulation disorders associated with extrinsic stenosis of the internal jugular veins, as well as attempts to surgically influence the restoration of blood flow, are an indicator of the importance of this problem. Studies show that extracranial outflow disorders are associated with a wide range of neurological clinical manifestations and may contribute to the development of congestive intracranial hypertension. Anatomical variants of the development of the extracranial venous system, constitutional insufficiency and stenosis often play similar roles in the development of disorders of the cerebral venous outflow, but differ parametrically. There are no standard diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis, normal and pathological parameters are contradictory, and the diagnosis largely depends on the combined use of imaging techniques. The history of attempts to study disorders of the cerebral venous circulation is quite long, associated with the technical innovations in every period of time. The most non-invasive, accessible and safe tools for diagnosing non-thrombotic lesions and anomalies of the internal jugular veins are currently recognized as ultrasound scanning and MR venography in tandem. Researchers note both local hemodynamic disturbances at the level of stenosis and changes in the overall picture of the venous vascular network of the neck with certain patterns of its remodeling. The pathological significance of the compensatory expansion of nonjugular outflow tracts (vertebral, paraspinal collateral, spinal epidural veins, etc.) is still a controversial issue. MRI and ultrasound combined show a high degree of agreement between the results, which should stimulate further research into the pathophysiology and differentiation of various causes and severity of non-thrombotic lesions of the jugular veins.

The Impact of Environmental Regulation on Collaborative Innovation Efficiency: Is the Porter Hypothesis Valid in Chengdu–Chongqing Urban Agglomeration?

Under the advocacy of sustainable and innovation-driven development, the potential impact of environmental regulation on collaborative innovation has become a controversial issue. This article uses panel data from 16 cities in the Chengdu–Chongqing urban agglomeration from 2011 to 2021 to analyze the impact of environmental regulation on collaborative innovation efficiency. First, this study uses the two-stage DEA model to analyze each city’s industry–university–research collaborative innovation efficiency. Then, the impact of environmental regulation on collaborative innovation is analyzed using the Tobit model. The results show that in the temporal dimension, the collaborative innovation efficiency of each city shows an upward trend. This demonstrates the outstanding effectiveness of transforming knowledge into technology for economic development. In the spatial dimension, the collaborative innovation efficiency of this urban agglomeration shows a “high in the center and low in the surroundings” pattern. The Tobit regression model shows that environmental regulation significantly impacts collaborative innovation in the Chengdu–Chongqing urban agglomeration. Command-and-control environmental regulation policies have a threshold effect on collaborative innovation, verifying the Porter hypothesis that appropriate environmental regulation promotes innovative activities. The results provide an initial basis for formulating regional environmental policies to achieve a win–win situation for innovation and sustainability in underdeveloped regions.

Tilting‐Axis Anisotropic Tomography and Subduction Dynamics of the Java‐Banda Arc

AbstractThe 180° curvature of the Banda arc at the eastern end of the Java‐Banda subduction zone reflects complicated geodynamic processes. A detailed investigation of its anisotropic structure would reveal its subduction dynamics, further resolving the controversial issue on how the highly arcuate Banda arc formed. We apply tilting‐axis anisotropic tomography to obtain a high‐resolution 3‐D anisotropic model beneath the Java‐Banda region. Our results show significant differences between Java and Banda in the pattern of anisotropy in both the subducting slab and its surrounding mantle, which reflect two distinctly different deformation modes in the two domains. Our results support the single‐slab subduction model for the Banda region. In addition, trench‐normal and upright fast‐velocity‐planes appear in the deep upper mantle, which may indicate material migrations in the big mantle wedge. Fast‐velocity‐planes in the shallow mantle exhibit a toroidal distribution, reflecting past counter‐clockwise rotation and asthenospheric material extrusion.