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Friendships are more group‐oriented in the United Kingdom than in Japan
No full textFriendship is a common and complex social bond. Among friendship practices yet to be fully understood are group- versus dyadic-oriented friendship styles, or whether people socialize with one versus multiple friends at a time. We report two studies comparing friendship styles and relational mobility among 1674 young adults (18-35 years old) in Japan and the United Kingdom. Respondents from both countries completed the Friendship Habits Questionnaire, a new measure of dyadic- versus group-oriented friendship styles. Participants also estimated their friendship group size and time spent in friendship groups versus dyads, and completed a scale of relational mobility. Participants’ group-oriented friendship style, assessed with the Friendship Habits Questionnaire, was associated with larger friendship groups and more time spent in groups, rather than dyads of friends. Compared to Japanese, participants from the UK had more group-oriented friendship styles and were more relationally mobile. Moreover, group-oriented friendship styles were associated with higher relational mobility. These findings provide insights into models of friendship and social relationships promoted across diverse cultural settings
Antipsychotic drug use during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textPurposeThe use of antipsychotics during pregnancy has increased over the past two decades, primarily driven by an increase in the use of second-generation antipsychotic drugs. However, knowledge regarding the reproductive safety of antipsychotic drugs remains limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the associations between in utero antipsychotic drug exposure and congenital malformations and other neonatal outcomes.MethodsA systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycInfo was conducted from database inception to February 2024 for cohort and case-control (English language) studies that examined maternal antipsychotic exposure and reported risk estimates for one or more of the following outcomes: congenital malformation, preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, or neonatal intensive care unit admission. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and reporting was guided by the PRISMA statement and MOOSE guidelines. Pooled estimates were calculated using a random-effects model.ResultsTwelve studies (comprising over 10 million pregnancies across 12 countries) met the inclusion criteria. A pooled meta-analysis of eight studies indicated borderline evidence of an association between the risk of congenital malformations and in utero antipsychotic drug exposure, with moderate heterogeneity (odds ratio [OR] 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.996–1.624, p = 0.0535; I2 = 53%). No association was observed when limited to second-generation antipsychotics (OR 1.16; 95% CI 0.78–1.72, p = 0.47). Regarding the outcome of preterm birth, antipsychotic exposure was associated with an increase in risk (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.13–1.62, p < 0.01), though there was moderate to high heterogeneity (I2 = 70%). There was insufficient data to perform a meta-analysis for the other outcomes.ConclusionMeta-analyses did not indicate strong evidence that in utero antipsychotic exposure is a major teratogen; and although an association was observed between maternal antipsychotic use and preterm birth, there was significant heterogeneity across studies. The decision to continue antipsychotic use during pregnancy involves a complex balancing of risks and benefits for women and their healthcare professionals. Any potential risks to the developing foetus must be weighed against the risks of discontinuing treatment, including the possibility of relapse in women with severe mental illness, which can have serious consequences for a woman and her infant. Finally, there is a need for further robustly designed studies.<br/
Beyond the spotlight: unveiling self-presentation strategies of elite Turkish female athletes on Instagram
No full textThis study aims to reveal the self-presentation strategies of elite Turkish female athletes on Instagram. Drawing on Goffman’s self-presentation theory, the research also explores how gender typing across different sports may shape athletes’ self-presentation strategies. By examining the use of social media by 44 elite Turkish female athletes in 15 different sports, this study provides clear evidence that elite athletes utilise Instagram for both front-stage and back-stage presentations by employing six self-presentation strategies (information-sharing, match or competition-related information-sharing, behind-the-scenes, interaction, self-promotion, and opinion-sharing) when sharing content on the platform to convey these different aspects of their athletic lives. The research findings also reveal that, in ‘masculine’ sports, female athletes tend to share more back-stage performance footage, whereas within ‘feminine’ branches of athletics, there appears to be a notable inclination towards higher utilisation of the front-stage category.<br/
Changes in cardiac function in patients receiving radiation therapy for lung cancer
No full textIntroductionThe cardiovascular toxicity of radiation therapy (RT) remains incompletely understood in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our objective was to define changes in echocardiographic parameters of structure and function with RT and their associations with cardiac dose-volume metrics.MethodsThis multi-center, longitudinal prospective cohort study included participants with NSCLC who received standard, curative-intent thoracic RT. Dose-volume metrics were extracted from centrally contoured cardiac substructures. Echocardiograms at baseline, end of RT, six months post-RT, and 12 months post-RT were core lab-quantified. Repeated-measures multivariable linear regression via generalized estimating equations estimated changes in echocardiographic measures and associations with dose-volume metrics.ResultsAcross 125 participants, there was a modest worsening in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p=0.019), global longitudinal strain (p<0.001), circumferential strain (p<0.001), and Ea/Ees (p=0.011) post-RT that largely recovered by 12 months. Cardiac dysfunction, defined as LVEF declines of ≥10% to <50%, occurred in 7.2% of participants at a median of 1.7 months after RT initiation. Mean heart dose (MHD) was associated with LVEF declines (-1.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-2.2,0.0] per interquartile range (IQR) increase, p=0.044), as was whole heart V30 (-1.4%, 95%CI[-2.5,-0.3] per IQR increase, p=0.015); with multiple comparisons adjustment, whole heart V30 remained significant (p=0.030).ConclusionsOn average, there were modest changes in cardiac function immediately after RT in patients with NSCLC, with a subset experiencing clinically relevant cardiac dysfunction. While whole heart V30 was associated with LVEF declines, suggesting its relevance in RT planning, there is also a need for newer dose-volume measure
Cholinesterase inhibitors for patients with dementia: Patterns of prescribing and disparities in treatment
No full textBackgroundCholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) are cornerstones of the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and are also prescribed for vascular dementia (VaD). Despite their widespread use, patterns of ChEI prescribing are unclear.ObjectiveOur objective was to examine the prevalence, timing, and types of ChEI prescriptions before and after dementia diagnosis.MethodsWe analyzed electronic health record and claims data for patients diagnosed with AD, DLB, or VaD between October 2015 and August 2022 from a large U.S. healthcare system. ChEI claims (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) were identified in the ±3 years surrounding dementia diagnosis. Repeated measures logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of ChEI fills by time-period, dementia type, and time x dementia type interaction to determine if change in prescription patterns significantly differed by diagnosis.ResultsAmong 3166 eligible patients, DLB had the highest prevalence of ChEIs both pre-and post-diagnosis compared to patients with AD and VaD. Post-diagnosis, donepezil was the most common, while galantamine use was sparse. After adjusting for demographics, patients with VaD had lower rates of ChEIs relative to AD (OR: 0.34, 95% CI 0.26–0.45). In the fully adjusted model, females (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.71–0.91) and patients from ethnoracially minoritized populations (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.62–0.88) were less likely to fill ChEI prescriptions.ConclusionsDonepezil was the most frequently filled ChEI across dementias. Patients with DLB had the highest prevalence of ChEIs pre- and post-diagnosis. The potential disparities in treatment we identified should be investigated further
Bifunctional peptides generated by optimising the antimicrobial activity of a novel trypsin-inhibitory peptide from Odorrana schmackeri
No full textDrug-resistant bacteria cause millions of global infections each year, and the development of alternative antimicrobial drugs has become a serious undertaking. Currently, peptides with antimicrobial activity represent potential candidates for new antibiotic discovery as they are less likely to cause drug resistance in bacteria. In this study, bifunctional peptides with potent trypsin-inhibitory activity and antimicrobial activity were obtained by rational computation-based structural modifications to a novel Bowman–Birk-type inhibitor (BBI) peptide. The analogues not only displayed potent bacterial killing ability against two drug-resistant bacteria strains of E. coli but also an excellent safety profile, as assessed by low haemolytic activity and low anti-proliferation activity on HaCaT cells. Throughout the molecular dynamics simulations, the peptides exhibited stable adsorption onto the mixed POPE/POPG membrane; most amino acid residues of the AMPs remained bound to the membrane surface, with a few amino acid residues partially penetrating the membrane interior. This showed that the electrostatic interactions were the dominant driving force mediating the peptide–membrane associations. In addition, the tested peptides displayed a degree of stability in the presence of salt ions, serum, and trypsin. These modified peptides thus possess potential as clinical antibacterial agents, and the strategies used in structural modification may also provide a different path to developing new antimicrobial peptides
Cohesive zone modelling of mesoscale thin ply bridging in CFRP composites
No full textFibre bridging is a phenomenon which resists crack propagation during Mode I fracture toughness (GIC) tests of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite materials, causing an increased demand for energy with increasing crack extension. Ply bridging, where the entire ply locally bridges the propagating crack, has not been studied for its toughening effects. A thin Spread Tow (ST) Uni-directional (UD) tape (32 g/m2) is applied to the mid-plane of a Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite laminate to induce ply bridging. This stochastic generation of ply bridging increased the Mode I fracture toughness at initiation and propagation by 118.8 % and 126 % respectively, compared to the control, which is a non-ST UD interface, with an areal weight of 150 g/m2. Both interfaces were modelled using a bi-linear softening law embedded in the cohesive elements during cohesive zone modelling. Excellent agreement in terms of force–displacement behaviour, peak force, crack front shapes taken from micro-CT (micro-Computed Tomography) evaluation and also crack extensions were observed. This study highlights the possibility of this phenomenon to greatly increase the fracture toughness of CFRP composites by splitting the matrix-rich interlaminar region into two smaller planes surrounding the thin ply interleaf.<br/
Philosophical perspectives on authentic assessment in mathematics
No full textTraditional tests and examinations have been linked to negative student attitudes towards mathematics and reduced uptake of higher education courses and careers that require high levels of mathematical competence. Authentic assessments predicated on open-ended tasks that feature in typical real-world applications of mathematics have been proposed as a potential means of ameliorating the harmful consequences of conventional approaches to testing students’ mathematical knowledge and skills. In this paper, I advance a philosophical rationale for the difficulties associated with using rubrics to reliably assess the type of open-ended tasks that feature in authentic assessments of mathematical learning. I also argue that the seemingly intractable problems associated with reliably assessing such open-ended tasks can be circumvented by using the method of comparative judgement
Understanding and implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights
No full textThe UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) emerged in response to recognition of the need for corporate accountability in an increasingly globalized economy. They represent a fundamental framework for addressing the responsibility of businesses to uphold human rights, advocating for the state duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, and the need for effective remedy for victims of corporate human rights abuse.The UNGPs go beyond voluntary corporate social responsibility efforts, emphasizing enforceable standards and proactive engagement with human rights issues. Legal professionals play a pivotal role in helping companies align with these principles, ensuring compliance, managing risks, and preparing for emerging litigation trends. As the global push for corporate accountability intensifies, the UNGPs form a central part of sustainable business practices and are integral when advising clients in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. With many countries, particularly in Europe, enacting mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence laws inspired by the UNGPs, companies are now facing binding requirements to prevent and address human rights abuses within their operations and supply chains.The UNGPs’ impact on the legal profession is likely to grow, making this article a timely snapshot of current developments. It begins by briefly outlining the historical context and evolution of the business and human rights movement, leading to the development of the UNGPs. It then explores each of the UNGPs’ three pillars—the state duty to protect, corporate responsibility to respect, and access to remedy—along with their application and implications for legal practice, concluding with emerging trends and challenges in business and human rights regulation and litigation
Breathing life into AI – querying AI through tactile imprints using breath and sound
No full textThis chapter challenges the perception of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a disembodied, mechanistic force that replaces human labour and creativity. It reframes AI as an entangled, co-creative system, shaped by human embodiment and sensory experiences. Drawing on perspectives from Suchman (2007), Berger (2005), Chrisley (2003), and Rocktäschel (2024), the chapter critiques reductionist views of AI and highlights its reciprocal relationship with human creative practices. A case study examines how traces of human presence are imprinted in sound recordings, Neural Audio Synthesis (NAS) outputs, and real-time embodied interactions with AI through RAVE (Caillon & Esling, 2021), considering whether AI preserves or statistically flattens human presence. A practice research project in musical improvisation with NAS is presented, focusing on the duo of Franziska Schroeder (saxophone) and Federico Reuben (laptop improvisation/live coding). The project is discussed through a proposed dual-aspect model of embodied AI, comprising two interrelated concepts: embodied data and embodying data. This model provides a framework for understanding AI’s role in preserving human embodiment across creative domains. The chapter considers ethical, cultural, and economic challenges, advocating for an approach to AI that foregrounds embodiment and co-creativity to enhance rather than diminish human sensory experience