Whilst it is well-known that research funding significantly shapes research landscapes, there is too little known about the processes that sit behind the funding opportunities — and specifically the publicly-shared funding call texts. The aim of this paper is therefore to investigate the processes experienced by EU funding professionals in authoring and operationalising funding call texts, to surface the different ways in which interdisciplinarity is understood. In seeing these texts as artefacts of situated practices, we conducted a case study on the European Union (EU) Cluster 5 Work Programmes (on climate, energy, mobility) as part of Horizon Europe, including its predecessor calls in Horizon2020. From our analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews, we identified 10 roles that funding professionals adopt, across three stages of a funding call text lifetime: within the Call Creation stage (led by European Commission Policy Officers), there was Steering, Feedback Integration, Quality Control, and Disruption; the Call Dissemination stage (led by EU National Contact Points) involved Awareness-raising, Matchmaking, and Gap-spotting; and the Proposal Selection stage (led by Commission Project Officers overseeing evaluations) involved Expertise Cultivation, Consensus-building, and being a Critical Friend. This study provides empirically-driven insights into the dynamic social processes and institutional interactions, through which funding calls are negotiated, interpreted and ultimately travel. As such, we also contribute to literature on interdisciplinarity, by examining the ways in which different forms of interdisciplinarity are imagined, designed-in, rewarded and excluded by funders. We make clear how integrating Social Sciences and Humanities, and doing interdisciplinarity, consistently represents hard work by funding professionals. • How funding professionals produce and use funding call texts affects research landscapes. • Horizon Europe Pillar 2 funding is especially complex as it is driven by EU policy priorities. • 10 professional roles directly shaped the forms of interdisciplinarity being funded. • Professionals must work hard to ensure opportunities for Social Sciences and Humanities. • Professionals demonstrate partial agency in steering funding processes.

Crystallized intelligence (gc) is typically defined as the breadth and depth of a person's knowledge and skills within a culture. Contemporary assessments of gc in adults often focus on school-based knowledge acquired through formal education. To broaden this scope, we developed a gc measure that captures life knowledge acquired through biographical experiences outside formal schooling. A sample of 348 adults completed items assessing school knowledge and newly developed items targeting life knowledge, tailored to specific biographical experiences, covering five areas: humanities, natural sciences, life sciences, arts, and social sciences. Besides the knowledge items, participants also answered questions about the associated biographical experiences. Latent factors for both knowledge item sets correlated perfectly with each other. Nonetheless, correlations between biographical experiences and corresponding life knowledge items were slightly stronger than correlations between biographical items and non-corresponding life or school knowledge items. We discuss the often-neglected relevance of the source of knowledge acquisition and biographical learning opportunities, and consider their implications for the psychometric modeling of gc. • Assessment of Crystallized Intelligence (gc) can be broadened beyond traditional school-based knowledge by compiling items that capture life knowledge which can be acquired through biographical experiences. • Latent factors for the life knowledge and school knowledge correlated perfectly, supporting a unified concept of gc regardless of the acquisition context. • Correlations between self-reported biographical experiences and their corresponding life knowledge items were stronger than with non-corresponding knowledge items when controlling for general knowledge, suggesting biographical experiences are an important source of knowledge acquisition.

Understanding the emergence and stability of cooperation in public goods games is important due to its applications in fields such as biology, economics, and social science. However, a gap remains in comprehending how mutations, both additive and multiplicative, as well as institutional incentives, influence these dynamics. In this paper, we study the replicator-mutator dynamics, with combined additive and multiplicative mutations, for public goods games both in the absence or presence of institutional incentives. For each model, we identify the possible number of (stable) equilibria, demonstrate their attainability, as well as analyse their stability properties. We also characterise the dependence of these equilibria on the model's parameters via bifurcation analysis and asymptotic behaviour. Our results offer rigorous and quantitative insights into the role of institutional incentives and the effect of combined additive and multiplicative mutations on the evolution of cooperation in the context of public goods games.

Web-based surveys are widely used in the social sciences, including psychology. However, such surveys often include inattentive respondents-individuals who answer without carefully reading the questions-which can distort analytical results. Although various detection methods have been proposed, many rely on Likert-scale items. Because some surveys do not include Likert scales-and because such items may introduce directive or unnatural content-there is a need to develop alternative detection methods that do not depend on Likert formats. This study examined inattentive-respondent detection across multiple-choice, free-response, and ranking formats while preserving natural survey content. Study I demonstrated that the proposed detection methods were ineffective for free-response and ranking formats; therefore, subsequent analyses focused exclusively on multiple-choice items. Within multiple-choice items, however, a "choose X from N" format showed promising detection performance but identified an excessively large proportion of respondents as inattentive. In Study II, the items were refined into behavior/fact-based questions, resulting in a method that maintained strong detection performance without over-identification. Thus, the primary contribution of this study is the development and validation of a detection method suitable for multiple-choice surveys that do not rely on Likert scales. The results further indicate that applying the proposed method improves the validity of psychological measures, such as the Big Five scale. Future research should examine its applicability in broader psychological survey contexts.

In the dynamic landscape of contemporary society, the popularity of ideas, opinions, and interests fluctuates rapidly. Traditional dynamical models in social sciences often fail to capture this inherent volatility, attributing changes to exogenous shocks rather than intrinsic features of the system. This paper introduces a novel, tractable model that simulates the natural rise and fall of ideas’ popularity, offering a more accurate representation of real-world dynamics. Building upon the SIRS (Susceptible, Infectious, Recovered, Susceptible) epidemiological model, we incorporate a feedback mechanism that allows the recovery rate to vary dynamically based on the current state of the system. This modification reflects the cyclical nature of idea adoption and abandonment, driven by social saturation and renewed interest. Our model successfully captures the rapid and recurrent shifts in popularity, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms behind these fluctuations. This approach offers a robust framework for studying the diffusion dynamics of popular ideas, with potential applications across various fields such as marketing, technology adoption, and political movements.

This paper offers a critical reassessment of claims that scientific progress is best understood through the disruptiveness of new research. Park, Leahey and Funk in Nature (2023) have re-opened the debate by presenting results using the citation-based ‘CD index’ to assess the extent to which individual academic publications are consolidating or disruptive. Analyzing Park et al. as a focal point of these claims, we challenge the adequacy of this approach to capture both genuine scientific disruption and scientific progress, particularly within the social sciences. Drawing on philosophy and sociology of science, we show that scientific progress is predominantly cumulative rather than disruptive, and that papers’ high disruptiveness scores may often reflect phenomena such as pseudo-novelty or fragmentation rather than true epistemic breakthroughs. Our analysis demonstrates that in fields marked by intellectual pluralism and weak paradigmatic consensus, apparent disruptiveness may be an artifact of scholarly practices rather than an indication of substantive innovation. Hence, measures of disruptiveness appear ill-suited as a marker of scientific progress – as used in individual and collective research evaluations. Instead, we advance a constructive agenda by proposing that scientific progress is best conceptualized not as a dichotomy between cumulation and disruptiveness, but as a multi-dimensional process embracing elements of both disruption and consolidation within an overarching cumulative trajectory, whereby established knowledge is iteratively refined, rejected, or recombined in the light of new evidence or insight. By rethinking how scientific advancement is measured and cultivated, and suggesting ways to foster cumulative scientific progress, this article contributes to the theory and practice of research evaluation. • Citation metrics misrepresent progress in fragmented social science fields. • Disruption scores may often reflect novelty theatre, not real breakthroughs. • Social science progress is largely cumulative, seldom driven by disruption. • Scientific progress is multi-dimensional, covering both disruption and cumulation. • Research policy should reward cumulative knowledge-building, not only novelty.

Recent years have seen the progressive expansion of Integrative Medicine (IM) as a self-proclaimed movement of medical professionals aiming to radically re-orient medicine's reductionist focus on disease and treatment towards a new approach centred on health and healing. Despite its increasing mainstream visibility, IM remains under-theorised in the social sciences and is often dismissed as a repackaged version of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). As a result, little scholarly attention has been paid to the kinds of questions that IM poses to conventional medicine, or, indeed, why it appears to capture the imagination of an ever-growing number of medical practitioners discontent with the status quo. Based on a pilot study with leading IM doctors in the UK conducted in 2023-24, this paper argues that their engagement with IM reflects a deep disconcertment with the conceptual and practical limitations of conventional medical practice. Rather than a coherent field of theory and practice, IM emerges as a heterogenous space for problematising medicine's perceived limitations and for experimenting with new modes of 'response-ability'; that is, new ways of engaging with the situated demands of therapeutic encounters. While questions remain about IM's ability to unsettle some of the problematic conceptual assumptions that inform current medical orthodoxies, I argue that it offers not just a compelling object for social scientific inquiry but also a potential site from within which to reimagine what a different medicine might look like.

Scientific uncertainty is inherent to the research process and to the production of new knowledge. In this paper, we present a large-scale analysis of how scientific uncertainty is expressed in research articles. To perform this study, we analyze the Const-L dataset, which consists in 31,849 research articles across 16 disciplines published over more than two decades. To identify and categorize uncertainty expressions, we employ the UnScientify annotation system, a linguistically informed, rule-based approach. We examine the distribution of uncertainty across disciplines, over time, and within the structure of articles, and we analyze its contexts and objects. The results show that the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) tend to have a higher frequency of uncertainty expressions than other fields. Overall, uncertainty tends to decrease over time, though this trend varies across disciplines. Moreover, correlations can be observed between the uncertainty expressions and both article structure and length. Finally, our findings provide new insights into scientific communication, by indicating distinctive disciplinary patterns in the ways uncertainty is expressed, as well as shared and field-specific research objects associated with uncertainty. • We identify sentences that express scientific uncertainty in articles, using a rule-based approach called UnScientify. • We analyze the disciplinary and temporal distributions of scientific uncertainty in publications. • We process the Const-L dataset, which contains the full text content of 31,849 articles published between 2000 and 2021 across 16 different disciplines. • Linguistic analysis of uncertainty-related nouns reveals research objects associated with uncertainty in different disciplines, providing insights into scientific communication practices.

Influences on recruitment and retention to mental health randomized controlled trials from the perspective of trial staff: a qualitative evidence synthesis.

Violence is preventable, and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals set out violence prevention as a global priority-calling for countries to halve their violent death rates by 2030. Despite action since then, there has been limited progress in reducing violence globally. In this essay, we argue that current violence prevention efforts are being heavily shaped by reductionism-the now-dominant research paradigm across the sciences. We make the case that this reductionist philosophy has prematurely misguided violence research away from studying populations as a whole. We further argue that the mainstream statistical methods in violence research are reinforcing this reductionist bias by oversimplifying cause-effect relationships. After revisiting foundational principles in sociology and public health, and drawing on advances in social epidemiology and complexity science, we suggest that violence-at any level-is better understood as an emergent property of a complex system. We call on the field of violence research to return to a holistic lens to maximize gains in explanatory theory and better position the evidence to directly inform effective intervention strategies for reducing violence at scale. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(5):722-731. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308366).

Accurate malaria diagnosis is crucial for effective case management, strong surveillance, and progress toward elimination. However, in highland regions, diagnostic tools are underutilized or yield suboptimal performance. While hematological alterations are frequently observed in malaria, their role remains largely supportive rather than diagnostic. This study aimed to evaluate diagnostic challenges by comparing the performance of HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests, microscopy, and PCR at Bichena Primary Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, with hematological profiles examined as supportive indicators to help contextualize diagnostic performance. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between 31/12/2024 to 28/02/2025, with 274 participants enrolled through consecutive sampling. Socio-demographic data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The diagnostic evaluation used nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (from dried blood spots), microscopy (capillary and venous blood), histidine rich protein 2 (HRP2)-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and hematological profiling. Data analysis was carried out with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0, assessing diagnostic accuracy through sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), while inter-test agreement was measured using Cohen's Kappa coefficient. Results were summarized in text, figures, and tables. Higher prevalence of Plasmodium infections was detected in 23.4% of participants by PCR, 20.1% by microscopy and 19% by HRP2-antigen-based RDT. The HRP2-antigen based RDT showed lower sensitivity (79.1%), NPV (94.1%), and test accuracy (94.9%) compared to PCR. Similarly, microscopy exhibited high specificity and PPV (100%); however, the sensitivity was 85.9%, indicating that some true positives are missed compared to PCR. Moderate test agreement was observed between PCR and microscopy (κ=0.904; P=0.00) but weak agreement between PCR and RDTs (κ=0.847). Hematological analysis revealed a significantly lower platelet count among PCR-confirmed malaria cases (P<0.05), suggesting a supportive association rather than diagnostic utility. Both HRP2-antigen based RDTs and microscopy demonstrated lower sensitivity compared to PCR. RDTs showed the lowest diagnostic potential for P. falciparum, mixed and even P. vivax infections, this may be due to low parasitemia and possible pfhrp2 deletions. Hematological parameters, particularly platelet count, may serve as complementary indicators to support clinical suspicion but should not replace parasitological or molecular diagnosis. Further investigation of pfhrp2/pfhrp3 deletions is critical to inform the selection of appropriate diagnostic tools in the area.

Where do uninsured patients go? The paradox of collaborative network dynamics in interhospital transfers.

Introduction: Acute Meningoencephalitis (AME) is a lifethreatening condition in young children, particularly in lowresource settings, with overlapping features of meningitis and encephalitis. Despite advances in diagnostics and vaccination, evolving pathogens like dengue virus and Orientia tsutsugamushi contribute to high morbidity and mortality due to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Aim: To assess short-term outcomes, and predictors of mortality of AME in children under five years of age. Materials and Methods: The present prospective observational study was conducted at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh, India, from January 2020 to September 2021. Total 101 children aged between 1 month to 5 years with AME were enrolled in this study after taking a written informed consent from their parents. Detailed clinical history (fever, seizures and its type, altered sensorium, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, bleeding, swelling, rash) and demographic details were recorded. Outcomes were classified as complete recovery, recovery with neurological sequelae, or mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 for Windows. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. Results: Total 101 children were enrolled with AME, with a mean age of 37.92±18.32 months, with 66 (65.3%) of the cases being male and a male-to-female ratio of 1.9:1. Out of 101 cases 69 (68.3%) were successfully treated and discharged. Among the 69 children who were discharged, 39 ( 56.5%) cases were fully conscious and recovered completely. However, 30 (43.5%) cases had some degree of altered sensorium at discharge. Of these, three children (4.3%) required nasogastric (RT) feeding, and two children (2.8%) were discharged with both tracheostomy and RT feeds in place. Persistent neurological sequelae were noted in several cases: seizures in five children (7.2%), visual and hearing impairments in five children (2.8%) each, and focal neurological deficits in two children (2.8%). The overall mortality rate was 9.9%, with factors such as immunisation status, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, renal dysfunction, and the need for mechanical ventilation associated with worse outcomes. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study key predictors of mortality in children with AME included severe GCS scores, renal dysfunction, and the need for mechanical ventilation. Early diagnosis, immunisation, and prompt treatment are crucial for improving outcomes.

Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions; however, recent global trends indicate a reversal in routine immunisation coverage alongside resurgent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. This review synthesises current evidence on declining immunisation coverage, the re-emergence of diseases such as measles and poliomyelitis, and the growing influence of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation on vaccine uptake. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and WHO/UNICEF databases was conducted using terms including 'vaccine hesitancy', 'immunisation coverage', 'vaccine-preventable diseases', 'misinformation', and 'vaccine policy', covering literature published between 2000 and 2024. We examine how pandemic-related disruptions, structural inequities, and evolving information ecosystems have collectively weakened immunisation system resilience across diverse settings. Beyond epidemiological consequences, declining coverage reflects broader challenges related to trust, governance, and equity in vaccine delivery. The review highlights the limitations of reactive, outbreak-driven approaches and emphasises the central role of strong routine immunisation systems embedded within primary healthcare. We discuss policy implications for integrating behavioural and social science insights, strengthening risk communication, and advancing equity-oriented immunisation governance. We conclude that sustaining and extending global immunisation gains will depend on aligning scientific innovation with public trust and system resilience. Addressing vaccine confidence as a core component of immunisation performance is essential to safeguarding global health security in the coming decade.

Introduction: The Posterior Condylar Canal (PCC) is the largest emissary foramen that transmits the Posterior Condylar Vein (PCV). Emissary veins connect extracranial veins with intracranial veins. This anatomical channel also provides a potential route for the spread of infection. Aim: To determine the prevalence of the PCC in adult human skulls. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional osteological study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India from March 2020 to March 2022. A total of 150 dry adult skulls of Indian origin, with unknown age and gender were collected from the medical and dental students. Fully ossified skulls with intact occipital bone and preserved condylar region were included in the study. The base of skulls was observed for the presence and absence of PCC on both sides. The laterality of the PCC (unilateral or bilateral) was also noted. The presence and absence of the posterior condylar foramen were recorded in percentage. Chi-square test was used to compare the presence and absence of PCC between the right and left sides using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 22.0. Results: The PCC was present in 201/300 (67%), out of which 98 (65.3%) were present on the left side and 103 (68.7%) were on the right side. The presence of PCC on the right and left was compared using the Chi-square test, which was not statistically significant; the p-value was 0.539. Out of 201 posterior condylar foramina, 165 (82.1%) were patent. The patent foramen openings were of two types: intrasinus type 102 (61.8%) and retrosinus openings 63 (38.2%). Conclusion: Detailed analysis of PCC will help in the planning of surgical intervention involving the skull base. This study will be useful for the anatomist, neurosurgeons and radiologists.

Introduction: Formalin is a widely used tissue fixative in histopathology. Maintaining a precise formalin concentration in fixing solutions is essential, as both over-fixation and underfixation can compromise tissue quality and pose health risks to laboratory personnel and Pathologists. Existing techniques such as gas chromatography and spectrophotometry are accurate but expensive and impractical for routine use. Hence, a simple, affordable, and reliable method for monitoring formalin concentrations in routine laboratory procedures is required. Aim: The present study aimed to develop a method to detect and quantify formalin concentration using Schiff’s reagent and to further validate it using a colour palette. Materials and Methods: The present in-vitro study was conducted in the Department of Oral Pathology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from July 2024 to November 2024. Formalin solutions with concentrations of 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% were prepared. Schiff’s reagent was added to each solution, and the resulting colour changes were recorded. A colour palette was generated based on this gradient, covering the full spectrum of formalin concentrations from 2 to 100%. This colour palette was patented and published in the Official Journal of The Patent Office (202541045779). Fifty filter paper strips (10 for each concentration) soaked in Schiff’s reagent were immersed in the different formalin solutions. Two Oral Pathologists independently assessed all 50 strips and compared them with the colour palette to confirm concentration-dependent colour changes. Kappa statistics were calculated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23 to assess interrater reliability. Results: A gradient of purple colour intensity corresponding to formalin concentration was observed, confirming the specificity of Schiff’s reagent for formalin detection. Higher concentrations of formalin produced a more intense dark violet, while lower concentrations resulted in lighter shades. Kappa statistics demonstrated excellent inter-rater agreement, with a κ value of 0.92. Conclusion: According to the present study findings, Schiff’s reagent reliably detects formalin concentrations, providing an accessible, cost-effective colourimetric method for the safe and effective use of formalin in routine laboratory practice.

Introduction: Endometrial carcinoma is the most common invasive cancer of the female genital tract. Serous carcinoma of endometrium is highly aggressive and has a predilection for deep myometrial and lymphovascular invasion, peritoneal and distant metastatic spread. HER2/neu is an important prognostic protein in high-grade and higher-stage endometrial serous carcinomas Aim: To study the expression of HER2/neu in relation to tumour grade in endometrial carcinoma. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Government medical college, Thrissur, Kerala, India, over a period of 18 months from 1st January 2018 to 30th June 2019. A total of 63 cases of both hysterectomy specimens and endometrial biopsies whose histopathologic diagnosis was endometrial adenocarcinoma were included. Four micrometer thick sections were obtained for Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&amp;E) and immunohistochemical staining with rabbit monoclonal HER2 antibody following antigen retrieval was done. H&amp;E staining was done to assess the tumour grade. HER2/neu staining was evaluated using regular light microscope at the magnification of 40x. The Immunohistochemistry (IHC) score was determined by evaluating subcellular localisation, circumferential versus incomplete staining, intensity and the percentage of cells positive. Intensity of HER2 expression was graded according to the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologist (ASCO/CAP) guidelines for HER2 reporting. Data thus obtained was analysed using software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The statistical test used is the Fisher’s-exact test and p-value&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Most of the patients were in the age group of 51-60 years (23 out of 63 patients, 36.50%). Among the 63 patients seven were nulliparous and 56 were post menopausal women. Most of the patients presented with complaints of post menopausal bleeding which was noted in 85.71% of patients (54 out of 63). More than half of myometrial invasion was noted in 33 cases of hysterectomy specimens. HER2 positivity (score 2 and score 3) was observed in 7 (11.11%) cases. None of the grade 1 endometrial carcinoma showed HER2 positivity. Grade 2 endometrial carcinoma showed HER2 positivity in 1 (6.67%) case. Grade 3 tumours showed HER2 positivity in 6 (28.57%) cases. Compared to grade 1 and grade 2 endometrial carcinoma, grade 3 endometrial carcinoma showed increased HER2 expresssion. A statisticaly significant association between HER2 expression and tumour grade was obtained (p-value=0.004). Conclusion: As tumour grade in endometrial adenocarcinoma increases expression of HER2/neu also increases. A statistically significant association between HER2 expression and tumour grade was obtained (p-value=0.004). The study suggests that endometrial carcinoma shows HER2/neu expression in significant proportion of cases and its expression is more in highgrade endometrial carcinoma. Patients with HER2/neu positive endometrial carcinoma may benefit from adjuvant HER2/neu targeted therapies like trastuzumab. Further clinical studies are necessary to establish the prognostic and therapeutic significance of HER2/neu in endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Propofol is commonly used intravenous induction agent which are frequently complicated by peri-induction hypotension. Reduced Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) during anaesthesia contributes to significant postoperative morbidity, including renal and myocardial injury. Preventive strategies aimed at maintaining haemodynamic stability during this critical period are of clinical value. Phenylephrine offers a simple, rapid option for counteracting propofol-induced vasodilatation. Aim: To assess effectiveness of i.v. phenylephrine in preventing propofol-induced hypotension during induction of general anaesthesia. Materials and Methods: This randomised clinical trial was conducted from October 2024-December 2025 at Department of Anaesthesiology, Shri BM Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, BLDE DU, Vijayapura, Karnataka, India. The study included 130 American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) I–II patients (18–65 years) undergoing elective general anaesthesia and were randomised (1:1) to receive i.v. phenylephrine 100 µg or saline before propofol induction. Primary outcome was hypotension (≥20% MAP fall). Secondary outcomes included Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), MAP, and Heart Rate (HR) at 5, 10, and 15 minutes. Analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0, normally distributed continuous variables (Shapiro-Wilk test) were expressed as mean±SD and evaluated via independent student’s t-tests. Results: The control group’s average age was 37.76±15.69 years (50.8% female, 49.2% male), the study group averaged 34.38±14.30 years (49.2% female, 50.8% male). Postinduction hypotension was lower in the study group (32.3%, n=21 vs 73.8%, n=48; p-value &lt;0.001). At 5, 10, and 15 minutes, Group A maintained higher MAP, SBP, and DBP than Group B (all p-value &lt;0.001), Group A vs Group B MAP was 87.88±8.694 vs 79.45±9.384 (p-value &lt;0.001), 86.51±9.045 vs 74.86±9.890 (p-value &lt;0.001), and 87.60±9.375 vs 77.55±8.816 mmHg (p-value &lt;0.001); SBP was 117.80±10.145 vs 107.48±11.172 (p-value &lt;0.001), 116.46±10.827 vs 102.37±11.870 (p-value &lt;0.001), and 117.43±11.243 vs 105.25±10.070 mmHg (p-value &lt;0.001); DBP was 71.45±9.038 vs 65.18±9.084 (p-value &lt;0.001), 70.20±9.00 vs 60.98±8.977 (p-value &lt;0.001), and 71.32±9.059 vs 63.45±8.646 mmHg (p-value &lt;0.001). Group A HR was lower at 10 minutes (88.60±11.900 vs 93.29±14.021 bpm, p-value=0.009) and 15 minutes (85.18±11.144 vs 91.75±12.668 bpm, p-value=0.001). Conclusion: A single 100 µg bolus of phenylephrine administered immediately before induction with propofol effectively attenuated peri-induction hypotension and maintained stable haemodynamic. This simple intervention improves perioperative safety in patients at risk of hypotension.

Introduction: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of kidney function that frequently leads to anaemia, primarily due to erythropoietin deficiency. Anaemia in CKD exacerbates cardiovascular risk, reduces quality of life, and accelerates disease progression, particularly in advanced stages. Regular monitoring of Red Blood Cell (RBC) parameters is essential for accurate anaemia classification and management. Aim: To analyse RBC parameters and the serum iron profiles in patients at different stages of CKD and to determine their associations with renal function markers. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective crosssectional study was conducted at Yenepoya Medical College and Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Data from 113 CKD patients aged ≥18 years, collected between May 2024 and May 2025, were analysed. Parameters assessed included RBC count, haemoglobin, haematocrit, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), serum iron profile (serum iron, Total Iron-Binding Capacity [TIBC], and serum ferritin), peripheral smear findings, blood urea, and serum creatinine. The relationships between RBC parameters, iron profile parameters, serum creatinine, and blood urea were analysed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. A p-value &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 27. Results: Among the 113 patients, 79 (69.91%) were male, and 84 (74.34%) were in stage 5 CKD. Moderate anaemia was the most common severity, observed in 79 patients (69.91%). The severity of anaemia increased with advancing CKD stage. The mean haemoglobin level was 8.21 g/dL. Serum creatinine showed moderate, statistically significant negative correlations with RBC count, haemoglobin, and packed cell volume (r=-0.31 to -0.33, p&lt;0.001). Blood urea also demonstrated moderate negative correlations with these parameters (r=-0.24 to -0.28, p &lt;0.01). Serum iron exhibited a weak positive correlation with serum creatinine (r=0.26, p=0.006). Normocytic normochromic anaemia (91%) was the predominant peripheral smear pattern. Conclusion: Anaemia is a common and progressive complication of CKD, with severity increasing as renal function declines. Monitoring RBC parameters and iron profiles is essential for accurate anaemia classification, optimising treatment strategies, and preventing unnecessary iron supplementation, particularly in advanced stages of CKD.

Teaching against torture: Evidence based abolitionist pedagogies in an era of intensified bordering.