Initial Formulation Research Articles

Categorical and latent profile approaches to temperamental infant reactivity and early trajectories of socioemotional adjustment.

This article examines the patterns, and consequences, of infant temperamental reactivity to novel sensory input in a large (N = 357; 271 in current analysis) and diverse longitudinal sample through two approaches. First, we examined profiles of reactivity in 4-month-old infants using the traditional theory-driven analytic approach laid out by Jerome Kagan and colleagues, and derived groups characterized by extreme patterns of negative reactivity and positive reactivity. We then used a theory-neutral, data-driven approach to create latent profiles of reactivity from the same infants. Despite differences in sample characteristics and recruitment strategy, we noted similar reactivity groups relative to prior cohorts. The current data-driven approach found four profiles: high positive, high negative, high motor, and low reactive. Follow-up analyses found differential predictions of internalizing, externalizing, dysregulation, and competence trajectories across 12, 18, and 24 months of life based on 4-month reactivity profiles. Findings are discussed in light of the initial formulation of early reactivity by Kagan and the four decades of research that has followed to refine, bolster, and expand on this approach to child-centered individual differences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Ginger essential oil-loaded hydrogels: preparation, characterization, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to develop ginger essential oil hydrogel formulations, using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na CMC), Carbopol, and xanthan gum for dental and oromucosal infections. The physicochemical properties of the hydrogels were evaluated, and their bioadhesive characteristics were determined. Antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory activities of the essential oil and its formulations were investigated, respectively. The major components of ginger essential oil were confirmed as α-zingiberene (39.0%) and ar-curcumene (23.7%) by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The initial results showed that none of the tested gel formulations selected for the application were non-cytotoxic. According to antimicrobial and LOX enzyme activity studies, the essential oil-loaded xanthan gum gel (X3) was more effective compared to the essential oil itself. The initial formulation and biological evaluation studies concluded that ginger essential oil hydrogels (X3, C3) can be further developed for oral and dental health by providing a long residence time due to their bioadhesive properties.

Status Of Teacher Training Institutions In Assam – A Contemporary Study

Contemporary study investigates the current status of teacher training institutions in Assam, aiming to provide a holistic understanding of the operational dynamics. This study basically studied the availability teacher training institutions in Assam since independence to till today. In this study phase wise analyzed the teacher training institution, within ten years how many teacher training institutions setup by central and state government in Assam. Teacher training institutions trained the teacher for enhancing the quality education. Faculty expertise emerges as a pivotal factor, with differences noted in qualifications and pedagogical approaches. The study identifies the alignment of teacher training programs with modern educational methodologies as an area requiring attention, shedding light on potential gaps in the preparation of educators for evolving classroom demands. The research underscores the significance of addressing these disparities to enhance the effectiveness of teacher training in Assam. It serves as a valuable resource for educational policymakers, administrators, and stakeholders, offering insights that can inform targeted interventions. As Assam navigates the complexities of contemporary education, the study provides a nuanced understanding of the strengths and challenges within teacher training institutions, aiding in the formulation of strategic initiatives aimed at improving the overall quality of education in the state. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on education reform, offering a foundation for evidence-based decision-making. By pinpointing specific areas for improvement, it provides a roadmap for enhancing the capacity of teacher training institutions to produce educators equipped to meet the diverse and dynamic needs of Assam's educational landscape.

Caputo-Hadamard fractional boundary-value problems in $ {\mathfrak{L}}^\mathfrak{p} $-spaces

<abstract><p>The focal point of this investigation is the exploration of solutions for Caputo-Hadamard fractional differential equations with boundary conditions, and it follows the initial formulation of a model that is intended to address practical problems. The research emphasizes resolving the challenges associated with determining precise solutions across diverse scenarios. The application of the Burton-Kirk fixed-point theorem and the Kolmogorov compactness criterion in $ {\mathfrak{L}}^\mathfrak{p} $-spaces ensures the existence of the solution to our problem. Banach's theory is crucial for the establishment of solution uniqueness, and it is complemented by utilizing the Hölder inequality in integral analysis. Stability analyses from the Ulam-Hyers perspective provide key insights into the system's reliability. We have included practical examples, tables, and figures, thereby furnishing a comprehensive and multifaceted examination of the outcomes.</p></abstract>

Managing heat transfer effectiveness in a Darcy medium with a vertically non-linear stretching surface through the flow of an electrically conductive non-Newtonian nanofluid

<abstract><p>This study encapsulated the research methodology utilized in the flow behaviors of Williamson nanofluid and analyzed the associated mass heat transfer. The study concentrated on examining the magnetohydrodynamic behavior of nanofluids in the presence of heat generation effects and the inclusion of dissipative energy on a vertical nonlinear stretching surface submerged within a Darcy porous medium. The rationale for including variable viscosity and variable conductivity in this research was to precisely evaluate the mechanisms of heat and mass transfer, particularly with regard to the fluctuations in fluid properties. The objective was to enhance the understanding of how these varying properties impact the overall heat and mass transfer processes. The initial formulation of the phenomenon, initially presented as partial differential equations, was transformed into ordinary differential equations by employing appropriate dimensionless variables. The ultimate streamlined version of the model was then numerically solved utilizing the shooting method. By employing the numerical shooting method, we portrayed nanofluid patterns in velocity, temperature, and concentration fields, alongside essential parameters such as skin friction coefficient, Sherwood number, and Nusselt number. The significant key findings highlighted that both the porous parameter and the magnetic number increasingly affected temperature and concentration distributions. Additionally, increasing the thermophoresis parameter resulted in higher concentration and corresponding temperature levels. Graphical presentation and physical explanations were used for analysis, and the study's outcomes were compared to existing literature, affirming a strong agreement that validated the solutions.</p></abstract>

Medical and molecular biophysical techniques as substantial tools in the era of mRNA-based vaccine technology.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the advancement of vaccine technology using mRNA delivery into the host cells. Consequently, mRNA-based vaccines have emerged as a practical approach against SARS-CoV-2 owing to their inherent properties, such as cost-effectiveness, rapid manufacturing, and preservation. These features are vital, especially in resource-constrained regions. Nevertheless, the design of mRNA-based vaccines is intricately intertwined with the refinement of biophysical technologies, thereby establishing their high potential. The preparation of mRNA-based vaccines involves a sequence of phases combining medical and molecular biophysical technologies. Furthermore, their efficiency depends on the capability to optimize their positive attributes, thus paving the way for their subsequent preclinical and clinical evaluations. Using biophysical techniques, the characterization of nucleic acids extends from their initial formulation to their cellular internalization abilities and encapsulation in biomolecule complexes, such as lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), for designing mRNA-based LNPs. Furthermore, nanoparticles are subjected to a series of careful screening steps to assess their physical and chemical characteristics before achieving an optimum formulation suitable for preclinical and clinical studies. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental role of biophysical techniques in the complex development of mRNA-based vaccines and their role in the recent success during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Distributions of zeros and masses of entire and subharmonic functions with restrictions on their growth along the strip

Let $\mathrm Z$ and $\mathrm W$ be distributions of points on the complex plane $\mathbb C$. The following problem dates back to F. Carlson, T. Carleman, L. Schwartz, A. F. Leont'ev, B. Ya. Levin, J.-P. Kahane, and others. For which $\mathrm Z$ and $\mathrm W$, for an entire function $g\neq 0$ of exponential type which vanishes on $\mathrm W$, there exists an entire function $f\neq 0$ of exponential type that vanishes on $\mathrm Z$ and is such that $|f|\leqslant |g|$ on the imaginary axis? The classical Malliavin-Rubel theorem of the early 1960s completely solves this problem for "positive" $\mathrm Z$ and $\mathrm W$ (which lie only on the positive semiaxis). Several generalizations of this criterion were established by the author of the present paper in the late 1980s for "complex" $\mathrm Z \subset \mathbb C$ and $\mathrm W\subset \mathbb C$ separated by angles from the imaginary axis, with some advances in the 2020s. In this paper, we solve more involved problems in a more general subharmonic framework for distributions of masses on $\mathbb C$. All the previously mentioned results can be obtained from the main results of this paper in a much stronger form (even for the initial formulation for distributions of points $\mathrm Z$ and $\mathrm W$ and entire functions $f$ and $g$ of exponential type). Some results of the present paper are closely related to the famous Beurling-Malliavin theorems on the radius of completeness and a multiplier.

Design, Optimization and In vitro Evaluation of Mesalazine 400 mg Delayed Release Tablet for Colon Specific Delivery

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, and patients would get benefit more if the drug is given directly to the colon. Mesalazine is intended to deliver to the colon for treating ulcerative colitis. Here, we aimed to design and optimize mesalazine 400 mg delayed release tablet for colon-specific delivery using a quality by design (QbD) approach. The tablet was first formulated as an optimized core tablet and then coated with Eudragit S 12.5 for ensuring colonic delivery. The experimental design for the core tablet was constructed using a 32 full factorial design, where the percentages of sodium starch glycolate (SSG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30) were independent variables and the tablet hardness (kg/cm2) and cumulative percentage of drug release at pH 7.2 phosphate buffer after 1.5 hours were treated as responses. Responses obtained from the initial exploratory formulations were evaluated to develop an optimized formulation to have a hardness value of 7-8 kg/cm2 and the maximum amount of drug release at pH 7.2 buffer. The optimized formulation involved the use of SSG and PVP K-30 at 3.05% and 1.69%, respectively. Hardness and cumulative percent of drug release obtained for the optimized core tablet were 7.8 kg/cm2 and 91.76%, respectively. The compatibility of drug and excipients was studied utilizing XRD, FTIR and TGA. The optimized core tablet was then coated with Eudragit S 12.5 to deliver the drug selectively to the colon and further assessed for its in vitro dissolution. Dissolution studies indicated that coated tablets with a weight gain of 7.4% exhibited the maximum cumulative percent of drug release (91.19 ± 0.11%), with a zero-order drug release profile (R2 = 0.943). A stability study performed according to ICH Q1A (R2) guidelines at accelerated storage conditions identified that there was no significant change in drug content over the storage period, indicating the stability of the formulated tablet batches. Together, these data suggest that the mesalazine tablet developed through the QbD approach offers excellent physical properties and drug release profile and, therefore, could be recommended for commercial manufacturing. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 22(2): 189-201, 2023 (December)

The Impact of Everyday ICT Use on Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in China: A Subjective Social Status Perspective.

While numerous studies have highlighted the positive effects of everyday information and communication technology (EICT) use among older adults, emerging evidence signals potential detriments to mental health, particularly among younger demographics. This study aims to examine the effect of EICT on depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults. We hypothesize that EICT use among older adults will contribute to higher amounts of depressive symptoms, mediated by a decline in subjective social status. We conducted a longitudinal mediation analysis with data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a nationally representative survey. A total of 3,234 older adults aged 60 years and older were selected from Wave 2016 (T1), Wave 2018 (T2), and Wave 2020 (T3) of the CFPS. Structural equation modeling was used to construct complete longitudinal path model. EICT use at T1 predicted a decline in subjective social status at T2 (β = -0.215, p = .001), which in turn predicted higher depressive symptoms at T3 (β = -0.375, p = .005). The mediating effect of subjective social status was statistically supported (indirect effect 0.081, p = .042). We reveal the potential negative impact of EICT use among older adults and its underlying mechanism. It lays the groundwork for the formulation of relevant public health initiatives, critical for stemming and mitigating the burgeoning incidence of depressive symptoms within China's aging population.

Gender Disparities in E-commerce Adoption Barriers among Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka

This research study investigates the gender-based differences in e-commerce adoption barriers among entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Employing a quantitative research approach, a sample of 460 entrepreneurs from the Hambantota District was selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. Primary data was collected through a validated questionnaire, and data analysis involved statistical techniques such as regression analysis. The findings highlight substantial disparities in the perception of e-commerce adoption barriers between male and female entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Female entrepreneurs encounter unique challenges in the realm of e-commerce adoption, underscoring the significant influence of gender on shaping adoption patterns. While both genders identify Lack of awareness and knowledge of e-commerce, Lack of qualified personnel to develop and support e-commerce, and Lack of popularity for online shopping as substantial and persistent barriers, Fear and reluctance to change and Inadequate delivery networks emerge as particularly noteworthy obstacles for female entrepreneurs. These research findings hold implications for the formulation of more effective government policies and strategic initiatives aimed at fostering a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly to empower female entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Efficacy of Neem Leaves Extract and Aloe Vera as Antimicrobial in Hand Sanitizer

Since the coronavirus disease pandemic of 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading quickly around the world, 99% alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) is utilized to minimize disease transmission. During the COVID-19 outbreak, isopropyl supply becomes limited. Herbal based hand sanitizers were used as an alternative way during pandemic to reduce the spreading of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of neem leaves extract and aloe vera as antimicrobials for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria which can readily be found on the hands. Moreover, 30% isopropyl alcohol, citrus lemon oil, essential oil and vitamin E oil were also added in the formulations. Four different hand sanitizers were formulated which labelled as A1, A2, A3 and A4. The initial formulation, A1, is said to be the most effective because it contains the highest amount of neem leaf extract and aloe vera, and it is followed by A2, which contains less neem leaf extract and aloe vera. A3 does not contain neem leaf extract, while A4 does not contain aloe vera. All formulations contained the same amount of isopropyl alcohol, essential oil, vitamin E oil, and citrus lemon. Streaking methods on Tryptic Soy Agar plate and nutrient agar plate were used to evaluate the effectiveness of hand sanitizer against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. The total colony forming unit (CFU) and percentage of effectiveness were calculated to compare the antimicrobial activity of all the formulations. The results revealed that a significant reduction in total bacterial colony counts of microbes after treatment with the formulations. Besides, pH value for A1, A2, A3 and A4 were also evaluated, and the results were 5.2, 5.3, 4.8, and 5.5 respectively. Among all four formulations, A1 showed the highest efficiency of microbial disinfectant for both S. aureus and E. coli bacteria by showing the reduction of microbes for 94.55% and 97.27% respectively since A1 contains the highest amount of neem leaves extract and aloe vera. It also has a skin-friendly pH value of 5.2 which is slightly acidic to control the bacterial infection and applicable since it is within the pH range of 4.5 to 6.5 found in human skin.

The challenges to develop antibody-conjugated nanomedicine products

Nanomedicine becomes a key player especially as next generation medicine. Antibody-conjugated nanomedicine could significantly upgrade the treatment and expand application areas. However, there are extensive challenges of manufacturing those formulations as a final drug product. Here we provided the general technical guidance from the initial formulation construction including antibody conjugation to the downstream formulation development. We hope this technical note can help accelerate the translation of productizing the antibody-conjugated nanomedicines.

Characterization of critical parameters using an air-liquid interface model with RPMI 2650 cells for permeability studies of small molecules.

The field of nasal drug delivery gained enormously on interest over the past decade. Performing nasal in vivo studies is expensive and time-consuming, but also unfeasible for an initial high-throughput compound and formulation screening. Therefore, the development of fast and high-throughput in vitro models to screen compounds for their permeability through the nasal epithelium and mucosa is constantly expanding. Yet, the protocols used for nasal in vitro permeability studies are varying, which limits the comparability and reproducibility of generated data. This project aimed to elucidate the influence of different culture and assay parameters of RPMI 2650 cells grown under air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and apparent permeability (Papp) values of five selected reference compounds, covering the range of low to moderate to high permeability. The influence of the passage number, seeding density, and timepoint of airlift was minimal in our approach, while the substrate pore density had a significant influence on the Papp values of carbamazepine, propranolol, and metoprolol, classified as highly permeable compounds, but not on atenolol and aciclovir. Elevation of the experimental concentration of carbamazepine, propranolol, and metoprolol in the donor compartment had an increasing effect on the Papp values, while prolonging the assay time did not have a significant influence. Based on the results reported here, RPMI 2650 cells cultured under ALI conditions offer the possibility of a standardized high-throughput screening model for small molecules and their formulations for in vitro drug permeation studies to predict and select optimal conditions for their nasal delivery.

Measuring the level of rurality in the Southwestern region of Bangladesh

This research intends to measure and characterize the level of rurality in the southwestern region of Bangladesh using an indexing approach from functional perspective. The findings of the study can be conducive for efficient decision making related to rural development policies and planning. Besides, operational delineation of administrative units, such as Unions and Wards, is essential for the formulation and effective implementation of evidence-based development initiatives. The study has utilized the latest available population census data published by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). The results reveal that Satkhira district exhibits a higher degree of rurality (RI = 4.23) compared to Khulna (RI = 3.58) and Bagerhat (RI = 4.14) districts. This variation among the three districts is ascribed to existing rural–urban disparities. The study underscores the primary influence of socio-economic factors on the rural–urban disparities, with a secondary role for demographic and infrastructural aspects. However, education's impact was notably limited in this context. Insights on intra-district disparities infer that Khulna district exhibits significantly greater rural–urban disparities than the other two. The study also highlights the clustering of non-rural areas along major rivers. This research will assist rural planners and policy makers in understanding the specific rural dynamics of the study area, essential for tailoring fit-to-context development strategies. Moreover, the study provides a basis for classifying the region into clusters to streamline development priorities and resource allocation. Furthermore, the article presents a transferable methodology for evaluating rurality and delineating rural regions in different contexts.

Safety and immunogenicity of three dose levels of an investigational, highly purified Vero cell rabies vaccine: A randomized, controlled, observer-blinded, Phase II study with a simulated post-exposure regimen in healthy adults

ABSTRACT A serum-free, highly purified rabies vaccine produced in Vero cells is under development. The initial formulation, PVRV-NG, was evaluated in five Phase II studies and subsequently reformulated (PVRV-NG2). This multicenter, observer-blinded Phase II study investigated the safety and immune response of three different doses (antigen content) of PVRV-NG2 versus a licensed human diploid cell rabies vaccine (HDCV; Imovax rabies®). Healthy adults (N = 320) were randomized to receive PVRV-NG2 (low, medium, or high dose), PVRV-NG, or HDCV (2:2:2:1:1 ratio), according to a five-dose Essen simulated post-exposure regimen (Days [D] 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28). All participants received human rabies immunoglobulin intramuscularly on D0. Immunogenicity was assessed at D0, 14, 28, 42, and 6 months after the final injection using the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. Seroconversion rates were calculated as the percentage of participants achieving rabies virus neutralizing antibody titers ≥0.5 IU/mL. All analyses were descriptive. At each timepoint, geometric mean titers (GMTs) increased with antigen content (measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). High-dose PVRV-NG2 GMTs were the highest at all timepoints, medium-dose PVRV-NG2 GMTs were similar to those with HDCV, and low-dose PVRV-NG2 GMTs were similar to PVRV-NG. The safety profile of PVRV-NG2 was comparable to PVRV-NG; however, fewer injection site reactions were reported with PVRV-NG2 or PVRV-NG (range 36.7–47.5%) than with HDCV (61.5%). This study demonstrated a dose–effect of antigen content at all timepoints. As post-exposure prophylaxis, the safety and immunogenicity profiles of the high-dose PVRV-NG2 group compared favorably with HDCV. Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT03145766.

Towards fast relaxation rates and creep resistance in disulfide vitrimer-like materials

Reaching a delicate balance between polymer flow for reprocessing and mechanical robustness at service temperatures remains a challenge in designing dynamic polymer networks. The demand for creep-resistant materials with fast relaxation rates at relatively low temperatures is a crucial research topic in the academic world. In this study, we present the preparation of a series of disulfide vitrimeric materials by curing two commercially available aromatic and aliphatic epoxy resins and cystamine. Through careful variation of the proportions between the epoxy resins, the properties of the final materials can be properly tailored. The completion of the curing was confirmed using FTIR spectrometry, and the thermal stability of all materials was evaluated by TGA. The thermomechanical properties were investigated using DMA analysis, obtaining glass transition temperatures (Tgs) above 60 °C and high rigidity in the glassy state depending on the proportion of the aromatic resin.Extensive stress relaxation tests unveiled remarkable vitrimeric behavior, with all materials capable of relaxing 63% of the initial stress in less than 2 min at 140 °C. The in-depth creep experiments not only allowed for determining material viscosity at high temperatures and the topology freezing temperatures (Tvs) but also offered control over dynamic stability at room temperature, depending on the initial formulation composition. Dilatometry and tensile tests provided further insights into the materials' characteristics.The self-healing and self-welding behavior enabled by the disulfide metathesis exchange reactions were also evaluated, revealing a total self-healing recovery process with short times and comparable tensile modulus in the welded samples. The facile preparation, commercial availability of monomers, and excellent thermosetting and vitrimeric properties highlight the immense potential of this series of materials.

Psychometric validation of the French Multidimensional Chronic Asthenia Scale (MCAS) in a sample of 621 patients with chronic fatigue

BackgroundPsychometric validation of the Multidimensional Chronic Asthenia Scale (MCAS) was conducted in order to provide an effective tool for assessing the health-related quality of life of French-speaking patients with chronic asthenia (CA).MethodsItems resulting from the initial formulation of the self-reported MCAS (along with other materials) were completed by French-speaking volunteers with inactive or active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-I vs. IBD-A) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Responses from 621 participants (180 patients with IBD-A, 172 with IBD-I, 269 with CFS) collected in a single online survey were divided into three subsamples to test the construct validity of the MCAS (Step 1, N = 240), to confirm its factorial structure (Step 2, N = 204) and to explore its convergent-discriminant validity with the Fatigue Symptoms Inventory (FSI) and revised Piper Fatigue Scale (r-PFS, Step 3, N = 177).ResultsSteps 1 and 2 showed that, as expected, MCAS has four dimensions: feeling of constraint (FoC), physical (PC), life (LC) and interpersonal consequences (IC), which are also related to the duration of CA (i.e., the longer it lasts, the more the dimensions are impacted). The results further showed that the MCAS is sensitive enough to capture between-group differences, with the CFS group being the most impaired, followed by IBD-A and IBD-I. While convergent-discriminant validity between the 4 factors of MCAS and FSI and r-PFS, respectively, was satisfactory overall, Step 3 also pointed to some limitations that call for future research (e.g., shared variances between the PC and IC dimensions of MCAS and behavioral dimension of r-PFS).ConclusionDespite these limitations, the MCAS clearly constitutes a promising tool for measuring quantitative differences (i.e., severity/intensity) in CA associated with various diseases, but also, and importantly, the clinically important differences in domains of its expression (i.e., qualitative differences).

Interdependent security games in a unidirectional network.

We consider directed tree networks with a single source, where there exists a positive probability of a disruptive event at any node. Such networks model security considerations in pipelines as well as in unidirectional digital networks. If a disruptive event occurs at a certain node, that node and its downstream nodes incur economic losses. Users thus have an incentive to invest in upstream locations as well as their own sites to reduce the probability of a disruptive event. The initial model we develop to reduce the expected investment plus disruption costs is a multiplicative model for which closed-form solutions cannot be obtained in general. We overcome this problem with an additive model that we show closely approximates the initial formulation. This model reduces the security problem to a public goods setting where we minimize the total expected cost at each node. The users then need to share these costs in an equitable fashion, which gives rise to a set of cooperative games. For the case where disutilities to all users are identical, the Shapley value can be computed efficiently, along the lines of an Airport Game. We also treat the case where risk reduction and disutility vary across the network. Finally, we prove that the cooperative game is concave in this general case, which guarantees that the core of the game is nonempty and that the Shapley value is an element of the core.

Folk horror: An introduction

Our introduction to this Special Issue is premised on the fact that the rich critical work on folk horror has far from exhausted what can be (and needs to be) said about folk horror. There is a particular need for scholarship that extends its reach beyond Britain and for that which self-consciously interrogates, expands and complicates initial theoretical formulations of folk horror. There is a need, in short, for a ‘second wave’ of folk horror criticism that develops the first – that attends more specifically, for instance, to modes within folk horror (and folk horror as a mode), to the ways in which folk horror productions are rooted in particular places and regional lore, and to the ways in which those productions deploy literary, narrative, aesthetic, visual and acoustic strategies. There is also a need to identify and interrogate (in specific contexts) the key (defining) concepts of folk horror, especially the ‘folk’, folklore and horror – all three of which this introduction explores before it introduces the six essays in this Special Issue.

The Role of Epistemic Trust in Mentalization-Based Treatment of Borderline Psychopathology

Building on the notion of epistemic trust as facilitating social learning, in this article we clarify how interventions from mentalization-based treatment (MBT) for borderline personality disorder generate this process. We suggest first that being mentalized is a critical cue in interactions to establish epistemic trust and second that epistemic mistrust may represent a final common pathway through which aversive relational experiences in the past may exert their influence on treatments—both as a disposition of the patient and as a characteristic of the therapist-patient encounter. By charting MBT interventions from the initial assessment and formulation, through individual and group therapy sessions, to re-engaging with the wider social environment, we examine how each of these can establish a “we-mode,” an interpersonal experience associated with being mentalized that unlocks the barrier posed by epistemic vigilance. In addition, implications for relational mentalizing and rupture and repair within the therapeutic relationship are discussed.