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Steroid-Nitroxide Hybrid Compound Protects the Retina in a Model of CNV
No full textNitroxide-based drugs have proven effective in modulating radical-induced oxidative stress by modulating antioxidant enzymes and genes that control distinct immune and anti-inflammatory responses. Due to their reasonable chemical stability and ability to shuttle between oxidized and reduced forms at physiologically relevant redox potentials, nitroxide-based radicals have also proven effective as biological probes of redox status. Herein, we investigated the potential of a unique nitroxide-based antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to protect the retina from experimentally induced degeneration. An established rat model of retinal degeneration was used viz. laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) to study the effects of the hybrid steroidal anti-inflammatory-antioxidant prednisolone 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) nitroxide compound. Vascular endothelial cell distribution at the CNV lesion site was investigated using isolectin B4 fluorescence histology, and the inflammatory response of microglia was investigated using IBA-1 immunohistochemistry. The prednisolone-TEMPO (Pred-TEMPO) hybrid reduced the laser-induced CNV lesion area compared to untreated control rats. These findings demonstrate that nitroxide-based compounds are potential therapeutics for retinal degenerative diseases involving inflammatory and oxidative stress-mediated components, including age-related macular degeneration
Quadriceps versus hamstring and patellar tendon autografts for ACL reconstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Full text linkAim: To compare quadriceps tendon (QT) autografts with hamstring tendon (HT) and bone patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autografts for primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Databases were searched for RCTs comparing QT with HT, and BPTB autografts in primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Study selection followed the PRISMA guidelines, with methodological quality assessed via the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the GRADE for certainty of evidence. Outcomes included graft failure, donor site morbidity, complications, clinical measures, functional outcomes, and PROMs. Meta-analysis determined pooled effects on eligible outcomes. Results: Twelve RCTs (636 patients) showed no differences in graft failure rates (RR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.97 to 1.04]; p = 0.83). QT demonstrated lower donor site morbidity compared to HT and BPTB autografts (RR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.24 to 1.70]; p < 0.001). For strength outcomes, QT showed superior hamstring strength and hamstring: quadriceps ratio, while HT demonstrated greater quadriceps strength. Joint laxity and most PROMs were comparable between groups, with the exception of KOOS at 12 months, which favoured HT and BPTB autografts. Conclusions: QT autografts demonstrate equivalent graft failure, laxity, and most PROMs compared to HT and BPTB autografts, while offering significantly lower donor site morbidity and better hamstring strength preservation in primary ACLR. Key practice points: • All three autograft types (QT, HT, BPTB) yield comparable ACLR outcomes despite specific complications and strength differences. • Standardised reporting of graft failure and post-operative complications is needed in future research. • Patient-specific factors and rehabilitation goals should guide individualised graft selection
Future Medical Doctors Are Not Learning About Overweight and Obesity in Children: Curriculum Analysis at Five Australian Medical Schools
Full text linkThis short communication evaluates the inclusion of content about overweight and obesity in children within the curricula of five Australian medical schools. Despite the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and its significant health impacts, the analysis reveals substantial gaps in the coverage of obesity-related topics, particularly those focused on children. The findings highlight the need for a more consistent and structured approach to obesity education in medical training. Enhancing curricula to include comprehensive obesity education, especially related to childhood, is crucial for preparing future doctors to address this growing public health issue effectively and sensitively
Artificial intelligence in clinical risk prediction: promise, performance and the path forward?
Full text linkArtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are reshaping clinical risk prediction and patient monitoring.1 Two studies show this transformation, highlighting both promise and challenges. Yoshihara et al investigate deep learning for hypertension detection from pharyngeal images in Japanese primary care settings,2 while Watson et al assess transformer-based models for predicting patient deterioration in emergency admissions, comparing them to the widely used National Early Warning Score (NEWS).3 Together, these studies show AI’s expanding diagnostic capabilities, document improvements over traditional methods and reveal hurdles for widespread clinical adoption
The Application of Visual Arts (AVA) in Teaching English as an Additional Language: an Interdisciplinary Pedagogy
No full textThis paper proposes the Application of the Visual Arts (AVA) as an effective interdisciplinary pedagogy for teaching English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) and other subjects. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of global education systems and emphasized the need for flexible, resilient teaching models. AVA integrates the visual arts to support language development, vocabulary, communication skills, and broader curriculum integration. It also fosters critical literacy, improves academic outcomes, and promotes inclusive learning environments. Systematic planning and teacher training can support its implementation. The paper strongly advocates for AVA’s inclusion in language teaching and teacher education programs
Narcissism Is Associated With Blunted Error-Related Brain Activity
Full text linkOBJECTIVE: Narcissism is associated with self-enhancement and social antagonism, yet its neural underpinnings, particularly in error processing, remain underexplored. Competing theoretical models, such as the mask model and the metacognitive model, offer conflicting hypotheses regarding how narcissism influences early neural responses to errors. We examine whether grandiose agentic narcissism relates to an elevated or blunted error-related negativity, a neural marker of cognitive control and performance monitoring.METHOD: In Study 1 (N = 144), participants completed the Eriksen Flanker Task while we recorded their neural responses to errors using electroencephalography. In Study 2 (N = 50), participants completed a modified version of the Flanker Task that included an explicit trial-by-trial feedback. Participants then completed the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire to assess admiration and rivalry narcissism.RESULTS: Higher admiration and rivalry narcissism were associated with a blunted (less negative) error-related negativity. These associations held when controlling for the number of errors and were confirmed by an internal meta-analysis, which showed moderate effect sizes across analytic approaches.CONCLUSION: The results are consistent with the metacognitive model of narcissism, showing that grandiose narcissists exhibit reduced neural sensitivity to errors. These findings highlight a potential mechanism through which narcissists resist self-corrective learning, bolstering their positive self-views. Blunted error processing may influence decision-making and behavior across contexts
Core leadership competencies of project managers for enhancing project success in today’s fast-evolving world: a systematic literature review
Full text linkPurpose:In today’s complex and rapidly evolving project environments, leadership competencies are increasingly recognised as a critical factor in achieving project success. This paper explores the core leadership competencies project managers need and examines the enablers that support as well as the barriers that limit, their effective application.Design/methodology/approach:Following PRISMA 2020, 43 peer-reviewed studies published between 2005 and 2025 were identified through systematic searches of leading academic databases. Studies were assessed for relevance, quality and alignment with project leadership and success criteria.Findings:The findings show that emotional intelligence, communication skills, strategic thinking, adaptability and empowerment consistently contribute to project success across sectors. These competencies enhance collaboration, stakeholder engagement and decision-making in uncertain contexts. Enablers such as supportive organisational cultures, effective communication and empowering leadership behaviours strengthen their application, while barriers including an overemphasis on technical skills, rigid cultures and limited use of competency-based frameworks continue to undermine effectiveness.Research limitations/implications:The results emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to project leadership that develops behavioural, emotional and strategic capabilities alongside technical expertise. They also underline the need for deeper investigation into how leadership competencies shape success across diverse project types and contexts.Practical implications:Organisations are encouraged to institutionalize leadership development practices and adopt adaptive frameworks to enhance leadership impact in real-world project environments.Originality/value:Insights from 43 practical studies are consolidated, offering a comprehensive understanding of both enablers and barriers of project leadership competencies. The study provides actionable directions for organisations and future research on how leadership competencies drive project success
Stakeholder Engagement and Shared Vision for Social Performance
No full textA statement of corporate purpose signifying that corporations are responsible for providing economic benefits to all stakeholders (not just shareholders) was signed by CEOs of more than 180 largest firms of US in 2019. Although stakeholder and Institutional theories explain that continuous participation from internal and external stakeholder and Stakeholder Pressure effect firm’s sustainability, the marketing literature primarily focuses on customer engagement and shareholder’ involvement. This study explores how Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Pressure, and a shared organizational vision influence the Social Performance of the FMCG sector. Data was collected from marketing managers, corporate social responsibility managers, and sustainability directors by using random sampling, representing a sample size of 210 respondents. The findings reveal that actively engaging stakeholders significantly boosts firms’ ability to deliver positive social outcomes. However, the study also shows that excessive pressure from stakeholders can reduce this positive effect, as it may shift the organization’s focus from long-term social impact. Having a shared sustainable vision is an integral enabler to bring Social Performance with the right Stakeholder Engagement. These findings highlight the importance of strategic stakeholder management and offer practical guidance for decision makers and policymakers of the FMCG sector
Choose Your Path Quickly: The Many Crossroads of the Interactive Movie
Full text linkThis paper explores the interactive movie with full-motion video (FMV) as an artifact of the attempts to merge two media: videogames and cinema. As a hybrid struggling to combine gameplay with narrative, the interactive movie perhaps unsurprisingly did not garner much scholarly attention in the early years – and turf wars – of game studies. Nonetheless, FMV games in general were an important game form across the 1980s and 1990s, well deserving of deeper consideration, and interactive movies represent a key subcategory of this form. The present paper summarizes the discourse on FMV games, the core makeup and structure of the interactive movie, before zooming in to focus on three titles, Dragon’s Lair (1983), Mad Dog McCree (1990), and Night Trap (1992). The authors analyze how these games leveraged, experimented with, and simultaneously were constrained by, then-new optical disc technology, and how the combination of FMV and CD-ROM shaped their gameplay mechanics. The paper concludes by situating these titles and their technologies in the evolutionary maze of the videogame and their continuing influence in the medium
Ageing society and elder law in China
Full text linkPopulation ageing, an increasingly global phenomenon, is a changein societal composition that necessitates policies and measures totackle the consequential challenges. In 2020, persons who wereaged 65 and above constituted 14.25% of China’s totalpopulation, which placed China on the verge of becoming an‘aged’ society. Accordingly, this study investigates how China hasresponded, and will respond, to the ageing of its population andwhether the current regulatory framework is on track tomaterialize its underlying policy objectives in the care, protection,and continued participation of older persons. Toward this aim,this study traces the evolution of China’s policies and practiceson the care and protection of older persons, outlines China’sregulatory framework and concomitant measures to tackleageing-related issues, and discusses elder law in action andchallenges in practice. In doing so, this study attempts toillustrate how demographic changes have interacted with elder law in China