North America Research Articles

Children's and adults' beliefs about the impact of emotional intensity on cognitive performance.

In popular culture, positive emotions are often portrayed as performance enhancing (e.g., "happy students learn better"). However, the relationship between emotions and performance is not always straightforward. For instance, when positive emotions become too intense, they can harm cognitive performance. Do people's lay theories of emotions capture this complex relationship between emotions and performance? If so, how early in development do children grasp this nuanced relationship? In three preregistered experiments, we explored children's and adults' beliefs about the impact of different emotional states on attention in school. In Study 1a, we found that 5- to 7-year-old Canadian children (N = 90) and North American adults (N = 55) strongly predicted that happy characters would be better at paying attention in school compared to sad characters, but only adults predicted better attention for a mildly happy character compared to a very happy one. Study 1b (N = 60) shows that adults' intuitions about intense positive emotions as suboptimal for attentional tasks apply equally to child and adult characters. In Study 2, we found that children (N = 80) perceive that the effect of intensity depends on the emotion's valence-it compounds the adverse effects of sadness and amplifies the benefits of happiness. Conversely, adults (N = 80) believe strong emotions, regardless of their valence, are not ideal for paying attention in school. Together, our findings show a developing appreciation of the impact of emotional intensity on cognitive performance-an important aspect of children's emotion understanding with likely implications for self-regulated learning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Transition to Piscivory Seen Through Brain Transcriptomics in a Juvenile Percid Fish: Complex Interplay of Differential Gene Transcription, Alternative Splicing, and ncRNA Activity.

Pikeperch (Sander Lucioperca) belongs to main predatory fish species in freshwater bodies throughout Europe playing the key role by reducing planktivorous fish abundance. Two size classes of the young-of-the-year (YOY) pikeperch are known in Europe and North America. Our long-term fish survey elucidates late-summer size distribution of YOY pikeperch in the Lipno Reservoir (Czechia) and recognizes two distinct subcohorts: smaller pelagic planktivores heavily outnumber larger demersal piscivores. To explore molecular mechanisms accompanying the switch from planktivory to piscivory, we compared brain transcriptomes of both subcohorts and identified 148 differentially transcribed genes. The pathway enrichment analyses identified the piscivorous phase to be associated with genes involved in collagen and extracellular matrix generation with numerous Gene Ontology (GO), while the planktivorous phase was associated with genes for non-muscle-myosins (NMM) with less GO terms. Transcripts further upregulated in planktivores from the periphery of the NMM network were Pmchl, Pomcl, and Pyyb, all involved also in appetite control and producing (an)orexigenic neuropeptides. Noncoding RNAs were upregulated in transcriptomes of planktivores including three transcripts of snoRNA U85. Thirty genes mostly functionally unrelated to those differentially transcribed were alternatively spliced between the subcohorts. Our results indicate planktivores as potentially driven by voracity to initiate the switch to piscivory, while piscivores undergo a dynamic brain development. We propose a spatiotemporal spreading of juvenile development over a longer period and larger spatial scales through developmental plasticity as an adaptation to exploiting all types of resources and decreasing the intraspecific competition.

Effectiveness of neuro-feedback on Alzheimer's rehabilitation: a bibliometric analysis.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with limited treatment options. Neurofeedback, a technique that trains brainwaves, has shown promise in addressing cognitive impairments. To conduct a bibliometric analysis to explore the current research on neurofeedback as a treatment for AD. A systematic literature review was performed based on PRISMA guidelines on 142 papers. Different bibliometric parameters like the author's country, author names, keywords, journal names, and country of citations were analyzed, and a network visualization chart was generated to understand the correlation of Alzheimer-related search terms to neurofeedback. Research is concentrated in Europe and North America, with a significant gap in Asian countries. A growing body of evidence supports the potential benefits of neurofeedback for AD. A strong correlation has been found between neurofeedback and AD-related terms. Clinical trials suggest positive outcomes for neurofeedback in improving cognitive impairments and working memory. Neurofeedback shows promise as a potential treatment for AD. Further research and clinical studies are needed to explore the full potential of neurofeedback for enhancing the quality of life for individuals with AD.

Target enrichment data reveal rapid divergence with reticulate evolution of Maianthemum (Asparagaceae: Convallarioideae) in the Himalayan‐Hengduan Mountains and eastern Asia

AbstractUnderstanding plant diversity and the phylogenetic divergences in the Northern Hemisphere is essential for in‐depth evolutionary studies and conservation efforts. Maianthemum is an ideal example to explore plant diversification processes in the Northern Hemisphere, with more than 35 species widely distributed in forests in North to Central America, Europe and eastern Asia. Yet the phylogenetic relationships within Maianthemum remain elusive. In this study, we reconstructed a well‐supported phylogenetic framework of Maianthemum and explored possible gene introgressions and reticulate evolution using nuclear and chloroplast genomes based on the target enrichment Hyb‐Seq approach. Both nuclear and chloroplast phylogenetic results supported three clusters corresponding to their biogeographic distribution of the New World, the Himalayan‐Hengduan Mountains, and the north temperate zone, respectively. The genus was inferred to be most likely originated in North America with migrations into Central America and eastern Asia in the late Miocene. Our results suggested that both incomplete lineage sorting and hybridizations/introgressions along with geographic isolation have contributed to the rapid divergence of Maianthemum in eastern Asia, which may represent a complex model for the evolutionary radiation of plants in eastern Asia and even the Northern Hemisphere.

Analysis of the structure and dynamics of epidemiological indicators of renal cell carcinoma in the world and Ukraine

Aim. To analyze the structure and dynamics of epidemiological indicators of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) worldwide and in Ukraine. Materials and methods. The study materials were publications in scientific journals, statistical reports of international and national health organizations, including data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) and European Association of Urology databases, as well as data from the Ukrainian National Cancer Registry Bulletin and official statistics from various regions of Ukraine. The methods of content analysis, comparative, logical, analytical, mathematical, graphical methods, and generalization of information were used in the study. Results. According to the results of the analysis, it has been found that the incidence of RCC varies considerably around the world, with the highest rates in North America, Eastern and Northern Europe and the lowest in Africa and South Asia. In the United States, about 79,000 new cases of RCC are registered annually, while in Europe, 145,000 cases were reported in 2022. In Ukraine, 3,544 people fell ill with RCC in 2022, of whom 1,238 died. The highest number of cases of RCC was observed in men (2126 cases versus 1418 among women). Among the new cases of RCC in 2022, 20.3 % of patients did not live more than one year. It has been determined that there is heterogeneity in the incidence of RCC in different regions of Ukraine. Thus, the largest number of reported cases of RCC (absolute value) in 2022 was observed in Dnipro (344 cases), Lviv (313 cases) regions and the city of Kyiv (234 cases). The lowest number of new cases of renal malignancies was recorded in the temporarily occupied areas from the active hostilities zone (Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson regions), as well as in Mykolaiv (39 cases) and Chernivtsi (68 cases) regions. The regional differences identified in the morbidity and mortality of patients with RCC may be due to various factors, including, first of all, epidemiological, socio-demographic, and medical factors. Conclusions. It has been determined that RCC occupies a significant position in the structure of morbidity and mortality among different age and gender groups of the population both in Ukraine and in the world. In general, there is an increase in the number of cases of RCC among both men and women in the world with a significant predominance among men. It has been found that the dynamics of morbidity in Ukraine has a heterogeneous trend with an increase in the number of cases in 2019 compared to 2018; at the same time, a significant decrease in 2020 and 2022 compared to previous years. The study of the data on epidemiological indicators of RCC will further expand the possibilities for evaluating medical technologies and, accordingly, forming directions for improving existing approaches to pharmacotherapy for this group of patients in Ukraine.

South-central Laurentide Ice Sheet dynamics and the formation of proglacial Lake Vita during MIS 3

Abstract An understanding of the growth and demise of ice sheets over North America is essential to inform future climate models. One poorly studied subject is the glacial dynamics during interstadial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (57–29 ka). To better constrain the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during this time period, we re-examined a stratigraphic sequence in southeast Manitoba, Canada, and provide robust evidence for advance and retreat of ice. Around 46.6 ± 5.1 ka (1σ error), fluvial sands were deposited under similar precipitation and significantly cooler summer temperatures than present-day. Ice then advanced south over the area, before retreating once again and a return to boreal forest and grassland conditions. The area was then covered by proglacial Lake Vita, dammed by ice to the north. Geochronology constraints indicate Lake Vita existed from ca. 44.3 ± 3.6 to 30.4 ± 2.3 ka (1σ error), although gaps in the optical and finite radiocarbon ages suggest either a lack of data or plausible temporary ice-margin advances during this time period. Ice covering most of Manitoba during MIS 3 is in line with global δ18O records, and glacially influenced sediment deposition in the Mississippi River basin.

Summer atmospheric drying could contribute more to soil moisture change than spring vegetation greening

Widespread spring vegetation greening (inferred by LAI) in the Northern Hemisphere leads to additional summer soil moisture (SM) deficits through increasing transpiration. Meanwhile, vapor pressure deficit (VPD) has also been rising, which can increase atmospheric evaporative demand. However, the extent and magnitude of influence of these two factors on SM changes have not been elucidated. Here, based on the state-of-the-art reanalysis and remote sensing data, we use three statistical methods to quantify the contributions of spring LAI and summer VPD to summer SM deficit. The results show that summer VPD contributes more to SM change than spring LAI in the southwestern and northern regions of North America, northeastern Europe, and central and southeastern Asia, covering 13.4% of the vegetated areas despite of the certain influence of spring vegetation greening on summer soil drying. The results are of great significance for climate change adaptation and the enhancement of surface water management.

No paleoclimatic anomalies are associated with the late Eocene extraterrestrial impact events

Two distinct extraterrestrial impacts events struck the Earth less than 25,000 years apart in the late Eocene, approximately 35.65 million years ago. These resulted in the Popigai (northern Siberia) and Chesapeake Bay (eastern North America) impacts structures, the largest of the Cenozoic era. To examine the paleoclimatic consequences attributed to the late Eocene Chesapeake and Popigai extraterrestrial impact events, we present multispecies planktonic and benthic foraminiferal oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) isotope records. Here we generate data from the Gulf of Mexico, Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 94 covering 35.85 to 35.49 million years ago. No isotopic anomalies or excursions were recorded across the impact horizons. However, ~100,000 years before the impacts, a negative 0.75‰ δ18O shift occurs in planktonic foraminifera, coincident with a 0.25‰ positive change in benthic foraminifera. We interpret this as a warming of ~2 °C in the surface ocean, accompanied by 1 °C deep water cooling, but these modifications are before and not coeval with the impact horizons. Despite the close succession of two or more large extraterrestrial impact events within a short space of time (less than 25,000 years), our study from the Gulf of Mexico indicates no detectable paleoclimatic response.

Best Practices for Delivering Neoadjuvant Therapy in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Neoadjuvant therapy (NT) is an increasingly used treatment strategy for patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Little research has been conducted on cancer care delivery during NT, and the standards for optimal delivery of NT have not been defined. To develop consensus best practices for delivering NT to patients with localized PDAC. This study used a modified Delphi approach consisting of 2 rounds of voting, and a series of virtual conferences (from October to December 2023) to reach expert consensus on candidate best practice statements generated from a systematic review of the literature and expert opinion. An interdisciplinary panel was formed including 47 North American experts from surgical, medical, and radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, gastroenterology, integrative oncology, anesthesia, pharmacy, nursing, cancer care delivery research, and nutrition as well as patient and caregiver stakeholders. Statements that reached 75% agreement or greater were included in final consensus statements. Of the 47 participating panel members, 27 (57.64%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 47.6 (8.2) years. Physicians reported completing training a mean (SD) 14.6 (8.6) years prior and seeing a mean (SD) 110.6 (38.4) patients with PDAC annually; 35 (77.7%) were in academic practice. Final consensus was reached on 82 best practices for delivering NT. Of these, 38 statements focused on pre-NT practices, including diagnosis and staging (n = 15), evaluation and optimization (n = 20), and decision-making (n = 3); 29 statements defined best practices during NT, including initiation (n = 3), delivery of therapy (n = 8), restaging practices (n = 12), and management of complications during NT (n = 6); and 15 best practices were identified to guide treatment post-NT, focusing on surgery (n = 7), pathology (n = 4), and follow-up (n = 3). Using a modified Delphi consensus technique, best practice guidelines were developed focusing on the optimal standards for delivering NT to patients with localized PDAC. Given the prognostic importance of completing multimodality therapy, efforts to standardize and optimize the delivery of NT represent an immediate opportunity to decrease care variation and improve outcomes for patients with PDAC. Future research should focus on validating and implementing best practice standards into clinical practice.

Physical Characteristics of Swedish Female Professional Ice Hockey Players Allowed Body Checking.

Lahti, A, Grundberg, A, Stenman, E, and Sundquist, K. Physical characteristics of Swedish female professional ice hockey players allowed body checking. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-In ice hockey, physical characteristics impact sporting performance. This study aims to describe body height, body mass, and body mass index (BMI) in professional female ice hockey players in the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL), which is unique as it is (so far) the only women's league in the world that allows body checking. This study also compares physical characteristics by players' position and the players in SDHL with the nonchecking female North American Elite League (PWHL). In addition, attitudes toward body checking are examined. All 225 players registered in SDHL 2023/2024 were invited to participate. Data from 159 included players (71%) aged (mean ± SD) 23.6 ± 4.5 years were analyzed. Body height, body mass, BMI, and attitudes toward body checking were assessed through a self-reported questionnaire. The mean body height was 169.1 ± 5.5 cm, body mass 68.4 ± 6.7 kg, and BMI 23.9 ± 1.9 kg·m-2. No significant differences were found by player position or between the players in SDHL and PWHL. In total, 88% believed that it was good to introduce body checking in women's ice hockey and 64% did not believe that introducing body checking would increase the number of injuries. The observed characteristics may represent baseline reference values of physical characteristics in female ice hockey players allowed body checking. There is currently no difference in physical characteristics by players' positions or between checking and nonchecking leagues although such differences may occur in the future. Most players were positive toward body checking in women's ice hockey and did not believe that the number of injuries would increase by introducing it.

Queer Eye and grief

ABSTRACT Loss and grief are common occurrences. However, North American society is often considered as denying grief, with expressions of grief being hidden or misunderstood. Grief literacy is a movement which aims to increase understanding of grief. Mainstream media is one avenue by which public understandings of grief both are reflected and shaped. In this paper, we focus on the Netflix series Queer Eye to explore how it represents grief. A framework analysis was applied to 57 episodes, focusing on the ways in which the topic of grief is engaged, the narratives of grief are presented as well as demonstrations addressing grief literacy. Missed opportunities for engaging with grief are also detailed. The Queer Eye series challenges myths about grief and contributes to furthering grief literacy.

Seasons of Kawasaki Disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The incidence of Kawasaki Disease has a peak in the winter months with a trough in late summer/early fall. Environmental/exposure factors have been associated with a time-varying incidence. These factors were altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was performed through the International Kawasaki Disease Registry. Data from patients diagnosed with acute Kawasaki Disease and Multiple Inflammatory Syndrome-Children were obtained. Guideline case definitions were used to confirm site diagnosis. Enrollment was from 1/2020 to 7/2023. The number of patients was plotted over time. The patients/month were tabulated for the anticipated peak Kawasaki Disease season (December-April) and non-peak season (May-November). Data were available for 1975 patients from 11 large North American sites with verified complete data and uninterrupted site reporting. The diagnosis criteria were met for 531 Kawasaki Disease and 907 Multiple Inflammatory Syndrome-Children patients. For Multiple Inflammatory Syndrome-Children there were peaks in January of 2021 and 2022. For Kawasaki Disease, 2020 began (January-March) with a seasonal peak (peak 26, mean 21) with a subsequent fall in the number of cases/month (mean 11). After the onset of the pandemic (April 2020), there was no clear seasonal Kawasaki Disease variation (December-April mean 12 cases/month and May-November mean 10 cases/month). During the pandemic, the prevalence of Kawasaki Disease decreased and the usual seasonality was abolished. This may represent the impact of pandemic public health measures in altering environmental/exposure aetiologic factors contributing to the incidence of Kawasaki Disease.

Vulvovaginal atrophy: modern approaches to diagnostics and management

The aim of the review is to analyze the latest data on the current state of diagnosis and management of a common benign vulvar and vaginal disease in postmenopausal women – atrophic vulvovaginitis. The paper presents an analysis of national and foreign scientific publications on the diagnosis and management of vulvovaginal atrophy and also focuses on the modern nomenclature and terminology of this pathology. Vulvovaginal atrophy is a common and progressive condition affecting on average more than 50 % of postmenopausal women, and its development and severity depend mainly on the duration of hypoestrogenism. Such a hormonal imbalance with a gradually increasing estrogen deficiency leads to atrophic changes in the tissues of the female genital organs and thinning of the vaginal epithelium. Degenerative alterations are accompanied by inflammatory phenomena and disturbances in the vaginal microflora. Atrophic lesions in the genitourinary system induce urinary incontinence aggravation, dysuria, increased micturition frequency, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Vulvovaginal atrophy is diagnosed based on appropriate clinical assessments as well as with the involvement of validated questionnaires. Differential diagnosis of the vulvovaginal atrophy should include all pathological conditions imitating the clinical symptoms and signs. Experts of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health and the North American Society of Menopause have proposed a new nomenclature, namely, the terms “vulvovaginal atrophy” and “atrophic vaginitis” have been supplanted by “genitourinary menopausal syndrome”. First-line therapy for mild symptoms is non-hormonal vulvar and vaginal lubricants, vaginal moisturizers used on a regular basis. Hormonal therapy (both transdermal and oral) remains the most effective choice for the treatment of clinical manifestations, but contraindications to its use should be considered. In women with contraindications to systemic hormonal therapy, it is possible to prescribe estrogens in the form of vaginal suppositories or vaginal cream. 5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy can be one of the promising methods in the treatment of this women’s clinical group. Given the serious consequences of vulvovaginal atrophy for the patients’ health and quality of life, timely diagnosis of the disease in accordance with its specificity and possible complications is of primary importance for the successful treatment and management of this pathology. Conclusions. Vulvovaginal atrophy has been shown to be a common disease, especially among women in the postmenopausal period, based on the analysis of national and foreign scientific publications. The pathogenesis of vulvovaginal atrophy is associated with hypoestrogeny which results in structural and functional abnormalities of the genital organs such as mucus thinning, loss of elasticity, changes in microbiota and increased pH. Given the new nomenclature and terminology, it is appropriate to use the term “genitourinary menopausal syndrome” (GMS or GUMS) in lieu of “vulvovaginal atrophy”.

A global Data Assimilation of Moisture Patterns from 21 000–0 BP (DAMP-21ka) using lake level proxy records

Abstract. Global hydroclimate significantly differed from modern climate during the mid-Holocene (6 ka) and Last Glacial Maximum (21 ka). Consequently, both periods have been described as either a partial or reverse analogue for current climate change. To reconstruct past hydroclimate, an offline paleoclimate data assimilation methodology is applied to a dataset of 216 lake status records which provide relative estimates of water level change. The proxy observations are integrated with the climate dynamics of two transient simulations (TraCE-21ka and HadCM3) using a multivariate proxy system model (PSM) which estimates relative lake status from available climate simulation variables. The resulting DAMP-21ka (Data Assimilation of Moisture Patterns 21 000–0 BP) reanalysis reconstructs annual lake status and precipitation values at 500-year resolution and represents the first application of the methodology to global hydroclimate on timescales spanning the Holocene and longer. Validation using Pearson's correlation coefficients indicates that the reconstruction (0.24) is more skillful, on average, than model simulations (0.09), particularly in portions of North America and east Africa, where data density is high and proxy–model disagreement is prominent during the Holocene. Results of the PSM and assimilation are used to evaluate climatic controls on lake status, spatiotemporal patterns of moisture variability, and proxy–model disagreement. During the mid-Holocene, wetter conditions are reconstructed for northern and eastern Africa, Asia, and southern Australia, but in contrast to the model prior, negative anomalies are observed in North America, resulting in drier-than-modern conditions throughout the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes. Proxy–model disagreement in western North America may reflect a bias in model simulations to stronger sea level pressure gradients in the North Pacific during the mid-Holocene. The data assimilation framework is able to reconcile these differences by integrating the constraints of proxy observations with the dynamics of the model prior to produce a more robust estimation of hydroclimate variability during the past 21 000 years.

Are the Culex pipiens biotypes pipiens, molestus and their hybrids competent vectors of avian Plasmodium?

The common house mosquito Culex pipiens s.l., widely distributed in Europe, Africa, and North America has two recognized biotypes, Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and Cx. pipiens biotype molestus, which hybridize. Despite their morphological similarities, these biotypes may exhibit ecological differences. This complex ecological mosaic may affect the interaction of Cx. pipiens with pathogens like avian Plasmodium, which is transmitted to wildlife. Although the vector competence for Cx. pipiens biotype molestus has been well studied, there is a lack of studies comparing the vector competence of Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and their hybrids for the transmission of avian Plasmodium. Here, we evaluated the vector competence of the Cx. pipiens biotypes pipiens, molestus and their hybrids for the transmission of two avian Plasmodium species. Mosquitoes were allowed to feed on blood of wild infected birds and the presence of DNA of Plasmodium in head-thorax and saliva of mosquitoes was molecularly evaluated at 13 day-post exposure. The transmission rates (i.e., the detection of parasite DNA in mosquito saliva) for Plasmodium cathemerium were similar for the two biotypes of Cx. pipiens and their hybrids while Plasmodium relictum DNA was only found in the saliva of Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens. In addition, P. cathemerium was significantly more prevalent than P. relictum in the saliva of Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens. Our results suggest that avian Plasmodium is transmitted by both Cx. pipiens biotypes and their hybrids although differences could be found depending of the parasite species studied. Differences in the abundance of each biotype and their hybrids within areas characterized by distinct environmental conditions, along with variations in their blood-feeding patterns and the parasites infecting birds, could ultimately determine differences in the relevance of each Cx. pipiens biotype in the transmission of avian Plasmodium.

The economic rise of China – an analysis of China’s growth drivers

The economic rise of China has changed the global economy. The authors explore China’s transformation from a low-cost manufacturing hub to an increasingly innovation- and service driven economy. Major growth drivers for the period 2010–2025 are analysed, including the paradigms of “Made in China” and the “Dual Circulation Strategy”. The export intensity of China’s economy is declining overall, with a tendency towards greater regional diversification and a gradual decoupling from North America and the European Union. At the same time, trade and investment activities are increasingly geared to the Belt and Road Initiative. Furthermore, labour and energy cost advantages for manufacturing operations in China are likely to diminish in the coming years, calling into question China’s attractiveness as a global manufacturing hub. In this regard, the further development of regional and industrial clusters is pivotal for China to enhance its global competitiveness and remain an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the medium term. On the other hand, high productivity in science and technology and rich deposits of critical minerals put China in a favourable position in advanced industries. Important challenges include the still wide development gap between rural and urban areas, the structural mismatch in the labour market, with persistently high youth unemployment, and the race to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Characteristics and risk factors for sibling incest.

Sibling sexual behaviour, despite historical and cross-cultural incest taboos and biologically driven incest avoidance, poses a persistent problem. We tested factors theorized to be associated with sibling incest in a cross-sectional online survey of 1,863 respondents with siblings mainly from North America and Germany. We found that 13% of participants reported engaging in sexual contact with a sibling, typically starting at the age of 10, and that step-siblings and half-siblings were more likely to engage in sibling incest than full siblings. Curiosity and games were the primary motivators; being coerced was more prevalent among female and younger participants. The study underscores both individual (e.g., impulsivity, concurrent childhood sexual behaviour problems) and family level factors (e.g., presence of step-sibling, positive attitudes toward nudity, sexual abuse by parent) influencing liability to engage in sexual behaviours with a sibling. Findings were robust across English- and German-speaking participants, suggesting our results are generalizable. Professionals addressing problematic child sexual behaviour should assess for concurrent sibling incest, and evaluate positive family attitudes towards nudity, sexual abuse by parents, and reduced disgust to sibling incest as potential risk factors for sibling incest. The findings stress the need for comprehensive sexual education in blended households, where age gaps and diminished genetic relatedness contribute to sibling sexual behaviour.

A new species of Myxobolus (Cnidaria: Myxosporea: Myxobolidae) from the gills of the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus (Perciformes: Centrarchidae), from the Ouachita River Drainage of Western Arkansas.

Forty-two species of myxozoans, including 31 species of Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882, have been described from centrarchid fishes. One species, the green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), has been reported to host at least three species of Myxobolus. Between March 2023 and June 2024, 42 L. cyanellus were collected from watersheds in Montgomery and Polk counties, Arkansas, and their gills, gallbladders, urinary bladders, fins, integument, other major organs, and musculature were examined for myxozoans. Two (5%) L. cyanellus from Polk County were found to harbor a new species of Myxobolus infecting the gill lamellae. A qualitative and quantitative morphological description was based on formalin-fixed preserved plasmodia and myxospores. Plasmodia of Myxobolus polkensis n. sp. are 133 µm long × 123 µm wide, and myxospores are 19.8 µm long × 6.5 µm wide, with two narrowly pyriform unequal polar capsules, one usually longer (9.2 µm) than the other (8.5 µm). Molecular data consisted of a 2,025 base pair sequence of the partial small subunit rRNA gene (SSU). Variably sized, polysporic plasmodia were randomly distributed throughout the gill lamellae in intralamellar locations. Large plasmodia displaced adjacent lamellae inducing mild epithelial proliferation but minimal inflammatory changes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that M. polkensis n. sp. is a member of a clade of myxozoan species that predominately infect centrarchids from North America. This is the fourth report of a Myxobolus from L. cyanellus but the first report of a species infecting the gill lamellae. This article was registered in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) as urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E9BA08E0-0A7E-487B-80AE-C5C723DBB661.

Leadership and Climate Change Mitigation: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review (SLR) explores leadership and climate change mitigation in cities. In doing so, it investigates explicit meanings of leadership, enablers of leadership, and leadership similarities and differences across regions. The review utilized three databases on 8 March 2024—Scopus, ProQuest, and Web of Science—curating an initial 496 results, resulting in 30 studies in the final analysis, using a two-reviewer screening process to limit bias and ensure consistency of approach. Inclusion criteria included English-language peer-reviewed articles over a ten-year period. The timeframe used was limited to January 2014 to December 2023 (10 years) to focus on the lead up to and post-implementation of the Paris Agreement. Further, empirical and conceptual studies were included to provide readers of this review with a thorough understanding of leadership work completed since 2014. Exclusion criteria included any studies that focus on adaptation measures and forms of leadership where the focus is on the private business, state, or national level, including leadership and climate change mitigation outside the influence of the local government. The study highlights five distinct meanings of leadership using the Braun and Clarke method of thematic analysis. It found leadership themes related to people (e.g., mayors), policy (e.g., ambitious climate plans), ideas (e.g., new concepts), collective action (e.g., motivating others), and mobilizing power (e.g., through regulations). The enablers of leadership included polycentricity, social capital influences, co-creational and mayor leadership, climate governance, and multi-actor coordination. This review segments the studies based on the findings from the literature, which focus on three continents (North America, Europe, and Asia) with a distinct difference in the meaning and enablers of leadership based on region. The 30 articles shared similarities in content, such as strong mayoral influence, but also had some distinct differences, such as how leadership is enacted based on leveraging market mechanisms, policy, and horizontal and vertical coordination. Finally, research gaps were identified, such as the scant focus on leadership and climate change mitigation in the Global South, to enable future research. Limitations of this study include the utilization of three databases, a focus on only English-language peer-reviewed articles, and a strong climate change mitigation focus.

A systematic review and meta-analysis: prevalence and clinical implications of anatomical variants of the hepatic portal vein

The hepatic portal vein is the main vascular route responsible for collecting blood from the liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach, gallbladder, and intestines. Its key function is to metabolize the components acquired from the blood. The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of HPV variants and understand the possible clinical considerations that arise with them. The databases Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences were researched until January 2024. Tree authors independently performed the search, study selection and data extraction. Methodological quality was evaluated with an assurance tool for anatomical studies. Pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. A total of 31 studies met the established selection criteria. In this study, 21 articles were included for the meta-analysis with a total of 51,244 subjects. Of these 21 articles, the topics studied came mainly from Europe and Asia, with three (n = 554; 1.08%) and 11 articles (n = 50,090; 97.75%) respectively, also having six articles from North America (n = 442; 0.86%) and one from Africa (n = 158; 0.31%), discarding the articles from Oceania and South America. For the HPV trifurcation variant, it was 8% (CI = 7-10%). Apropos the right posterior portal vein variant, as the primary tributary from the main HPV, it was 7% (CI = 4-11%). About the right anterior portal vein variant originating from the left portal vein, it was 4% (CI = 1-6%). Finally, the prevalence of the isolated variants was 2% (CI = 1-3%). The knowledge of HPV and its anatomical variants is of utmost importance for both medical professionals and anatomists, as it is one of the vessels that collects blood from many important viscera found in the abdominal cavity, any structural alteration could be crucial in diagnosis and surgical procedures.