Search Results (226)

This literature-based review draws on studies of thirty-four fish species; most are from northern temperate regions. Fish have flexible and indeterminate growth, and often they do not reach their growth and size potential. They may become stunted with impaired growth and early maturity, chiefly as a phenotypically plastic reaction. The main causes of stunted growth are negatively density-dependent food availability and keen intraspecific competition leading to environmental stress. Typically, their growth levels off early in life as energy consumptions approach energy costs of maintenance. Females typically attain maturity soon after the energy surplus from feeding starts to decrease. Males are often more variable in size at maturity owing to alternative mating strategies, and their size at maturity depends on both species-specific mating behaviours and environmental opportunities. In polyphenic/polymorphic populations, one phenotype may be stunted and the other phenotype non-stunted; stunted individuals do not perform the required ontogenetic niche shift needed to grow larger. The adult morphology of stunted fish is typically like the morphology of juveniles. Their secondary sexual characters are less pronounced, and they phenotypically retain adaptation to their early feeding niche, which is different from that of large-growing individuals. There are open questions regarding to what extent genetics and epigenetics regulate the life histories of stunted phenotypes. Full article

The Western genre has traditionally been associated with American identity and male-dominated narratives. However, recent decades have seen increasing attention to female protagonists, particularly the European woman as a cultural mediator within the frontier context. This study aims to identify the archetypes of the European woman in the Western genre through a diachronic and comparative analysis of the visual language found in European painting from the late 17th to early 19th centuries and in 20th–21st century cinema. The research methodology combines narrative, visual, and semiotic analysis, with a focus on intermedial and intertextual parallels between visual art and film. The study identifies nine archetypal models corresponding to goddesses of the Greek pantheon and traces their transformation across different aesthetic systems. These archetypes, rooted in artistic traditions such as Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism, and others, reappear in Western films through compositional, symbolic, and iconographic strategies, demonstrating their persistence and ability to transcend temporal, medial, and geographical boundaries. The findings suggest that the woman in the Western genre is not merely a central character, but a visual sign that activates cultural memory and engages with deep archetypal structures embedded in the collective unconscious. Full article

Geometric morphometrics is performed on different species in different contexts. Here, the aim was to investigate morphological differences in the head of the Sanmartinero Creole bovine to examine head shape variations between sexes using geometric morphometric methods. A sample of cranial pictures of 43 animals (13 males and 30 females) was obtained, and form (size + shape) was studied by means of geometric morphometric techniques using a set of 14 landmarks. This approach eliminated potential dietary effects, ensuring that the observed shape variations were primarily due to intrinsic morphological differences. Sexual dimorphism was found in form (for both size and shape) of the head of the Sanmartinero Creole bovine breed. Males had significantly larger heads based on centroid size (U = 714, p = 0.0004), confirming true sexual size differences, and Principal Component Analysis revealed overlapping head shapes with sexual dimorphism concentrated at midline sagittal landmarks (between the most rostral and caudal orbit points) and paired lateral points, indicating that males have broader and longer heads. The two evaluated characters (head size and shape) are of special interest for the conservation of the breed, especially in those cases whose objectives are to maintain the uniqueness, distinctiveness, and uniformity of the populations. This study analyzed animals subjected to the same feeding program, ensuring the elimination of additional variables. Full article

This article examines the intersecting forces of gender, class, and education in early twentieth-century Britain through a feminist reading of Pip Williams’ historical novel The Bookbinder of Jericho. Centering on the fictional character Peggy Jones—a working-class young woman employed in the Oxford University Press bindery—the study explores how women’s intellectual ambitions were constrained by economic hardship, institutional gatekeeping, and patriarchal social norms. By integrating close literary analysis with historical research on women bookbinders, educational reform, and the impact of World War I, the paper reveals how the novel functions as both a narrative of personal development and a broader critique of systemic exclusion. Drawing on the genre of the female Bildungsroman, the article argues that Peggy’s journey—from bindery worker to aspiring scholar—mirrors the real struggles of working-class women who sought education and recognition in a male-dominated society. It also highlights the significance of female solidarity, especially among those who served as volunteers, caregivers, and community organizers during wartime. Through the symbolic geography of Oxford and its working-class district of Jericho, the novel foregrounds the spatial and social divides that shaped women’s lives and labor. Ultimately, this study shows how The Bookbinder of Jericho offers not only a fictional portrait of one woman’s aspirations but also a feminist intervention that recovers and reinterprets the overlooked histories of British women workers. The novel becomes a literary space for reclaiming agency, articulating resistance, and criticizing the gendered boundaries of knowledge, work, and belonging. Full article

The genus Tegonotus Nalepa (Acariformes: Eriophyidae: Phyllocoptinae) is recorded for the first time from Saudi Arabia with the description of a new species, T. saudiensis sp. nov., collected from the inner fronds of Phoenix dactylifera L. (Arecaceae), described and illustrated based on females. The individuals of the new species were vagrant on the abaxial leaf surface, causing no apparent damage to the host plant. The taxonomic status of the genus and its species was thoroughly assessed through the literature-based analysis of morphological characters. Consequently, the diagnosis of the genus Tegonotus is updated, and a key to 47 valid species is provided. Eight Tegonotus species are suggested to be transferred to three different genera within the tribe. A brief discussion on the taxonomic status of these species is provided. The position of scapular tubercles and setae (sc), and shape of the dorsal pedipalp genu seta (d), were found to be significant for the generic designation. Full article

Affective–sexual education programs (ASEPs) are effective in combating gender violence (GV). Most previous studies have focused on the short-term effect these programs have on explicit sexist attitudes. The objective of this study was to analyze the short- and medium-term effect of an ASEP regarding sexist attitudes. An educational intervention study was carried out on 561 high school students in Tenerife (Spain). The 15 h intervention used a participatory methodology with debates, working groups, and game dynamics. Explicit attitudes were measured with the scale of sexist, violent, and stereotyped attitudes (SVSAs) and the gender role attitudes scale (GRAS), and implicit attitudes were measured with the assessment of the behavior of the characters of a brief tailored story, in which an interaction between two young people with an ambiguous component of gender violence is described. Four measurements were made: pre-intervention, post-intervention, 6 months, and 12 months. After the intervention, in the experimental group, scale scores decreased (SVSA from 28.7 ± 7.7 to 21.8 ± 2.1, p < 0.0001; GRAS from 30.6 ± 7.8 to 22.3 ± 2.8, p < 0.0001), and the level of approval of the behavior of the female character of the story improved (from 5.4 ± 2.6 to 7.6 ± 2.1, p < 0.0001). The effect of the intervention on sexist attitudes was maintained until the end of the 12-month follow-up period. Full article

The objective of this essay is to demonstrate the fictional nature of the character Mosca in Xenia I and Xenia II, the first two sections of Eugenio Montale’s collection Satura (1971), and to illustrate the strategies through which the author makes this possible. Although Mosca is inspired by the historical figure of Drusilla Tanzi, the poet employs a series of macrotextual, thematic, linguistic, and rhetorical devices to elevate the female figure to that of a poetic character. The study briefly addresses these various devices and seeks to refute the hypothesis of a diary-like memorial structure in Xenia, advocating instead for a “narrative–novelistic” structure, which leverages the typical mechanisms of narrative fiction. The contribution demonstrates how the combination of these strategies significantly influences the character of Mosca, ultimately leading to her absorption within the fictional world of narrative poetry. Full article

Meme studies that evaluate specific media characters are growing in popularity, and with the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Mummy (1999) in 2024, the scholarly gap involving memes related to The Mummy narratives became apparent. This article, therefore, focuses on memes depicting the character of Evelyn “Evie” Carnahan, who has been played by Rachel Weisz and Maria Bello. Through the analysis, which takes librarianship and gender perspectives due to Evie’s character, four meme categories emerge: (1) general librarian stereotypes, (2) the ‘dangerous/harmful book’ trope, (3) gender issues, and (4) the choosing of the ’real’ (better) Evie. This study finds that the professional and personal issues experienced by Evie in the films—and in the memes—are the same ones that remain problematic for women, librarians, and female librarians in the contemporary world. Moreover, rather than trying to choose between Evies, it is more useful to interpret Weisz’s and Bello’s renderings as critical parts of a whole—a complete woman, librarian, scholar, and adventurer—especially since both iterations of the character face stereotypes involving gender, maternal status, and career aspects. Full article

Between the late-nineteenth and the early-twentieth centuries, Beatrice and Laura, as literary characters and beloved women of Dante and Petrarch, were at the centre of a vigorous scholarly debate, which gained traction in Romagna’s literary circles. Offering a comparative analysis of two key case studies—La vita di Beatrice Portinari (1904) by Giovanni Federzoni, and Laura’s biographical profile from Femminismo storico (1901) by Sfinge (Eugenia Codronchi Argeli)—this article reconstructs the popularising turn of this debate and its effect on medieval female characters’ reception as poetic inspirers. While Federzoni is motivated by didactic aims, seeking to facilitate readers’ access to the Commedia by deconstructing Beatrice’s abstraction, Sfinge elevates Laura as a model for contemporary women. Through an accessible structure and a hybrid methodology blending historical inquiry with literary imagination, both authors challenge allegorical readings and reclaim Beatrice and Laura as historically grounded figures. Full article

My essay aims at considering the mythological figure of Melusina and her literary development, starting from the Middle Ages up to the Romantic period. The main purpose is to determine how this fictional entity, originally regarded as the symbol of nature and its fecundity, has changed over the time in relation to the historical and cultural complex and how this has reverberated in terms of interpretation of the identity of the literary character. I will consider the medieval versions of Jean D’Arras (1392), with some consequent references to Coudrette (1401–1405) and von Ringoltingen (1456), and the German romantic fairytale rewriting of Ludwig Tieck (1800). If the thematic nucleus remains the same, the configuration of the female character changes by reflecting the new Romantic poetics in terms of interest towards femininity, subjectivity and the study of the morphology of the Earth. In particular, Melusina is no longer seen as a mere and passive object, but as a subject who for the first time, hiding in an emblematic cave, reveals to the reader her own interiority and her own truth, totally assimilating herself to the external environment. The conclusion will show how the cultural subtext modifies the interpretation of this atavistic character. Full article

Background/Objectives: Recently, interest in studying food addiction (FA) in the context of behavioral addictions (BAs) has increased. However, research remains limited to determine the FA prevalence among various BAs. The current study aimed to investigate FA in a clinical sample of patients seeking treatment for gaming disorder, compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD), compulsive sexual behavior disorder, and the comorbid presence of multiple BAs, as well as to determine the sociodemographic characteristics, personality traits, and general psychopathology of this clinical population. In addition, we analyzed whether FA is linked to a higher mean body mass index (BMI). Methods: The sample included 209 patients (135 men and 74 women) attending a specialized behavioral addiction unit. The assessment included a semi-structured clinical interview for the diagnosis of the abovementioned BAs, in addition to self-reported psychometric assessments for FA (using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2. 0, YFAS-2), CBSD (using the Pathological Buying Screener, PBS), general psychopathology (using the Symptom Checklist-Revised, SCL-90-R), personality traits (using the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised, TCI-R), emotional regulation (using Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies, DERS), and impulsivity (using Impulsive Behavior Scale, UPPS-P). The comparison between the groups for the clinical profile was performed using logistic regression (categorical variables) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusted based on the patients’ gender. The sociodemographic profile was based on chi-square tests for categorical variables and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for quantitative measures. Results: The prevalence of FA in the total sample was 22.49%. The highest prevalence of FA was observed in CBSD (31.3%), followed by gaming disorder (24.7%), and the comorbid presence of multiple BAs (14.3%). No group differences (FA+/−) were found in relation to sociodemographic variables, but the comorbidity between FA and any BA was associated more with females as well as having greater general psychopathology, greater emotional dysregulation, higher levels of impulsivity, and a higher mean BMI. Conclusions: The comorbidity between FA and BA is high compared to previous studies (22.49%), and it is also associated with greater severity and dysfunctionality. Emotional distress levels were high, which suggests that the group with this comorbidity may be employing FA behaviors to cope with psychological distress. However, a better understanding of the latent mechanisms that contribute to the progression of this multifaceted comorbid clinical disorder is needed. One aspect that future studies could consider is to explore the existence of FA symptoms early and routinely in patients with BAs. Full article

People are naturally drawn to symmetrical faces, as symmetry is often associated with attractiveness. In contrast to human faces, animated characters often emphasize certain geometric features, exaggerating them while maintaining symmetry and enhancing their visual appeal. This study investigated the impact of geometric parameters of facial features on fixation duration and explored 60 facial samples across two races (American, Japanese) and two conditions (animated, real). Relevant length, angle, and area parameters were extracted from the eyebrows, eyes, ears, nose, and chin regions of the facial samples. Using an eye-tracking experiment design, fixation duration (FD) and fixation count (FC) were extracted from 10 s gaze stimuli. Sixty participants (32 males and 28 females) took part. The results showed that, compared to Japanese animation, American animation typically induced a longer FD and higher FC on features like the eyes (p < 0.001), nose (p < 0.001), ears (p < 0.01), and chin (p < 0.01). Compared to real faces, animated characters typically attracted a longer FD and higher FC on areas such as the eyebrows (p < 0.001), eyes (p < 0.001), and ears (p < 0.001), while the nose (p < 0.001) and chin (p < 0.001) attracted a shorter FD and lower FC. Additionally, a correlation analysis between FD and geometric features showed a high positive correlation in the geometric features of the eyes, nose, and chin for both American and Japanese animated faces. The geometric features of the nose in real American and Japanese faces showed a high negative correlation coefficient. These findings highlight notable differences in FD and FC across different races and facial conditions, suggesting that facial geometric features may play a role in shaping gaze patterns and contributing to the objective quantitative assessment of FD. These insights are critical for optimizing animated character design and enhancing engagement in cross-cultural media and digital interfaces. Full article

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney depicts a love story between Frances, a Dublin college student, and Nick, a married, middle-class actor. The author creatively integrates film narrative and digital media narrative into the novel, thus employing different media for expression. When the novel was successfully adapted into a TV series in 2022, fan participation, media interviews, and actors’ interpretations fleshed out the characters, extending the process of cross-media remediation. Frances gradually accomplishes self-construal in the process of cross-media narrative, searching for the individual self, relational self, and collective self. In this article, Frances’ individual, collective, and relational selves are analyzed by exploring the effects of film and digital media narrative and cross-media remediation. We develop new perspectives on the interaction of multiple media and the intersection of narrative techniques. In breaking down the barriers between the text and the real world, millennials’ breakups, adherence to communist ideals, and awakening of female consciousness are well depicted. Due to Rooney’s cross-media narrative, the novel’s features could also bring the readers a film-like experience, thus making it suitable for visual adaptation. Full article

This study analyzes 194,151 tweets from the 2021 German federal election using sentiment analysis and statistical techniques to examine social media’s role in shaping group emotions, voters’ emotional expression and derogatory speech toward candidates, and the relationship between sentiment intensity and tweet spread. The findings show that negative emotions dominated social media discussions. Additionally, voter perceptions towards candidates on social media also follow a pattern of negativity, often characterized by derogatory speech. This takes four main forms: intelligence-based attacks, animal metaphors, character insults, and gender-based discrimination, with female candidates disproportionately affected. Moreover, the study finds that negative emotions exhibit significantly greater diffusion and reach compared to positive and neutral sentiments on social media. This study further examines election fairness and political dialog openness through the lens of equity, inclusion, diversity, and access (IDEA). These findings emphasize individual and collective emotional dynamics in the social media environment, highlighting the need for governance strategies that promote equity, inclusivity, and diversity in digital political discussions. Full article

Reproductive interactions between species could have negative effects on the fitness of the species involved, which can have important ecological and evolutionary consequences, such as population declines (including local extinction) or character divergence. Here, we report the courtship and attempted mating between two congeneric species of fireflies endemic to Mexico. The interactions involved males of the synchronous firefly Photinus palaciosi and females of the much larger, non-synchronous P. extensus. In the study site, the population density of P. palaciosi is much higher than that of P. extensus. Observations of marked P. extensus females throughout most of the mating season showed that 37.8% of their interactions with males were with P. palaciosi males. Although interspecific interactions were usually of shorter length, they frequently consumed a significant portion of the nightly mate-locating/courting period. These interspecific interactions are probably facilitated by the similarities in the mate location and courtship behavior of both species, which also share female brachyptery (elytra and wing reduction that makes females unable to fly). The simplest hypothesis to explain our behavioral observations is that P. palaciosi males mistakenly courted P. extensus females. The available evidence suggests that the operational sex ratio (OSR) of P. palaciosi is male-biased, as it seems to be the case in all synchronous fireflies studied to date. We hypothesize that the intense male competition for mates resulting from a male-biased OSR explains, at least in part, the “indiscriminate” sexual responses of P. palaciosi males. Another still not studied factor that could contribute to the frequent interspecific sexual interactions observed is the degree of similitude of the mating signals. The relatively high frequency of interspecific interactions and the significant amount of time invested in many of them (relative to the duration of the nightly mating period) indicate that the study of the potential fitness costs (and benefits?) of these interactions is a promising line of research. Full article