Search Results (8,296)

The Basel Accords refer to a series of international banking regulatory frameworks developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to strengthen the stability and resilience of the global banking system. Introduced as Basel I, Basel II, and Basel III, these accords establish minimum capital requirements, risk management standards, and supervisory principles for internationally active banks. Their primary purpose is to reduce the risk of bank failure, promote financial stability, and enhance consistency in banking regulation across jurisdictions. The Basel III framework and its 2017 Final Reforms represent the most advanced stage of this regulatory evolution, addressing weaknesses revealed by the global financial crisis and subsequent regulatory experience. Banking institutions play a central role in economic development, making their stability essential. The global financial crisis that began in 2007 exposed significant weaknesses in existing regulatory frameworks and led to the failure of several major banks, despite the earlier establishment of Basel I and Basel II by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. These shortcomings prompted the development of the Basel III framework as a direct response to the crisis. However, early criticisms of the initial Basel III Accord, particularly regarding variability in risk-weighted assets, reliance on internal models, and opportunities for regulatory arbitrage, led the Basel Committee to issue the Basel III Final Reforms in 2017, which represented a substantial upgrade to the post-crisis regulatory architecture. This study reviews the evolution of the Basel Accords; examines the key components of Basel I, Basel II, and Basel III; and analyses the enhancements introduced through the Basel III Final Reforms. It also considers the major arguments and criticisms surrounding these accords, highlighting the persistent challenges of achieving global regulatory consistency. Given the inability of earlier Basel frameworks to prevent bank failures and the fact that many jurisdictions have yet to fully implement the 2017 reforms, the paper underscores the need for ongoing evaluation of international banking regulation as national authorities adapt and refine their supervisory approaches to strengthen financial stability. Full article

Intracerebral hemorrhage induces severe secondary brain injury characterized by excessive neuroinflammation and inefficient hematoma clearance, processes largely governed by microglial polarization and phagocytic activity. The immunoproteasome, an inducible proteasome isoform involved in immune regulation, has been implicated in inflammatory neurological disorders, but its role in microglial responses after ICH remains unclear. In this study, rat models of common hemorrhage, severe hemorrhage, and severe hemorrhage with hematoma aspiration were used to represent graded injury severity and post-evacuation recovery. Transcriptomic profiling at day 3 post-injury identified immunoproteasome-associated gene networks, while expression of the catalytic subunits LMP2 and LMP7, microglial polarization markers, and phagocytic receptors was analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Severe hemorrhage markedly induced LMP2 and LMP7 expression, predominantly in Iba1⁺ microglia, accompanied by enhanced ER stress, NF-κB signaling, and M1-like polarization and reduced phagocytic marker expression. Hematoma aspiration attenuated immunoproteasome expression and restored M2-associated and phagocytic signatures. Consistently, pharmacological inhibition of immunoproteasomes in primary microglia enhanced erythrophagocytosis and promoted a reparative phenotype in vitro. These findings indicate that immunoproteasome activation links hemorrhagic severity to maladaptive microglial polarization and impaired hematoma clearance after ICH, and that reducing immunoproteasome expression may help rebalance inflammatory and phagocytic microglial functions. Full article

Produced at a point of significant change in literary representations of what was called “the black experience,” the comic book series Panther’s Rage and The Black Panther Takes on the Klan each represent an ambitious collaboration between Don McGregor, the white writer of the series, and Billy Graham, the black series artist. As a revision of “black experience” novels published by Holloway House during the early 1970s, this comic book series significantly alters the ways in which mourning, memory, and mental fortitude are represented in a world of almost entirely black characters. Fighting villains who create phantasmic illusions that evoke self-doubt, The Black Panther, one of three black superheroes introduced by Marvel comics during the 1960s and 1970s, brings to light and then revises traumatic historical memories. The hero’s journey around the provinces of Wakanda, a black kingdom in Western Africa, requires the Panther to defeat a variety of villains and their proxies and to posit an alternative to revolutionary self-hatred. We learn from this journey that tradition and modernity can coexist and that traumatic memories need not repeat themselves endlessly. Instead, they can be revised and incorporated into narratives that celebrate the power of the disciplined imagination to imagine a better future. Full article

Poultry disease outbreaks are frequently multifactorial, involving complex interactions between infectious agents and environmental stressors. This report describes a case of avian influenza (AI) co-infection in a commercial broiler farm located in Majalengka, West Java, Indonesia, where a total of 11,000 birds exhibited increased mortality during the grow-out period. Diagnostic investigations included pathological examination, serological testing—such as hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays for AI H5 and H9, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for infectious bronchitis, and rapid testing for Mycoplasma gallisepticum—Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis, fecal flotation for coccidiosis, and an environmental assessment measuring ammonia levels, humidity, and heat stress index. Pathological findings revealed tracheitis, airsacculitis, thymitis, bursitis, perihepatitis, ascites, petechial hemorrhages, nephromegaly, and enteritis, indicating a complex disease process. Serological results demonstrated exposure to AI H9 and H5, with differing infection dynamics, while the uneven distribution of infectious bronchitis antibodies suggested field challenges. Additionally, partial exposure to Mycoplasma gallisepticum was observed. PCR results were negative at the time of sampling, consistent with post-infection phases. Environmental evaluation revealed elevated ammonia levels, excessive humidity, and a high heat stress index. In conclusion, the increased mortality was associated with avian influenza co-infection, complicated by secondary infections and adverse environmental conditions. Full article

Background: Uterus transplantation (UTx) is an emerging treatment for absolute uterine factor infertility. However, the use of deceased donors is limited, and donation after circulatory death (DCD) has not yet been utilized. Ischemic injury remains a major barrier, particularly compared with living donor procedures. Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE), which has shown protective effects in heart, liver, and kidney transplantation, may offer similar benefits for uterine grafts. Methods: We report the first series applying HOPE to human uteri to improve preservation and enable metabolic injury assessment during perfusion. Six uteri (3 DBD, 3 DCD; median donor age 53 years) underwent 8 h of HOPE following procurement, while paired tissue controls were preserved using static cold storage (SCS). Perfusion was delivered using a pressure-controlled system (15 mmHg, 10 ± 1 °C, VitaSmart^®). Perfusate and tissue samples were analyzed for mitochondrial injury, inflammation, and transcriptional responses. Results: HOPE maintained stable flows (70–150 mL/min), delivered high oxygen levels (pO₂ ≈ 1000 hPa), and increased tissue ATP levels. Stratification based on perfusate flavin mononucleotide (FMN) release identified grafts with greater Complex I/II injury. HOPE was associated with lower levels of mitochondrial injury markers and inflammatory signals, preserved tissue architecture, and promoted gene expression patterns consistent with metabolic recovery compared with paired SCS tissue controls. Conclusions: These findings suggest that HOPE may serve as a preservation approach that enables metabolic and ischemic injury assessment and may facilitate broader use of deceased donor uteri for transplantation. Full article

Substance use disorder (SUD) undermines social connection, identity, and well-being. While art therapy is formally incorporated into clinical treatment, far less is known about how informal, group-based creative activities contribute to recovery. This qualitative study examines whether and how participation in a creative arts group fosters social support and human flourishing among individuals with SUD. We conducted semi-structured, individual interviews of eight adults enrolled in SUD outpatient treatment at the Johns Hopkins Broadway Center for Addiction who voluntarily participated in a creative arts class. Recordings were transcribed and analyzed using an iterative, thematic approach. Analysis revealed four themes: (1) Social connectedness and support—artmaking fostered camaraderie, accountability, and peer encouragement; (2) Holistic and supportive environment—the group offered a safe, nonjudgmental space that affirmed participants beyond their addiction; (3) Emotional renewal through art—creative engagement reduced anxiety, promoted joy, and provided a constructive outlet for emotions; and (4) Reclaiming agency through artistic expression—participants experienced autonomy, skill development, and identity building, which fostered hope and personal growth. Overall, participants viewed artmaking as a catalyst for relational and personal transformation. These exploratory findings generate hypotheses for future research on the role of informal creative arts groups within recovery-oriented care settings. Full article

Cancer caregiving is increasingly recognized as a major psychosocial challenge, yet the mental health needs of caregivers remain insufficiently addressed in oncology research and practice. This narrative review examines the experiences of cancer caregivers within the context of rising cancer incidence and prolonged survival, conditions frequently accompanied by sustained psychological burden and anticipatory grief, with particular attention to depressive symptoms. Relevant qualitative and quantitative studies were identified through targeted searches of major databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar), including studies published up to January 2026. Study selection was guided by conceptual relevance and applied significance to the intersection between religiosity, spirituality, caregiving, and mental health outcomes. The reviewed literature highlights substantial psychological burden among caregivers, with depression affecting approximately 20–40% of cancer caregivers and identifies religiosity and spirituality as potentially supportive resources. Across studies, recurrent themes include meaning-making, hope maintenance, emotional regulation, moral orientation, and perceived social support as mechanisms through which these dimensions are associated with lower levels of depression and improved psychological adjustment. Evidence suggests that both religiosity, understood as the lived engagement with religious values, and spirituality, defined as a broader existential orientation toward meaning and purpose, contribute to coping in caregiving contexts; however, findings remain heterogeneous and largely based on cross-sectional analyses. Notable gaps persist, including limited caregiver-specific research, conceptual imprecision, and a lack of longitudinal designs. By integrating conceptual clarification with empirical synthesis, this review outlines potential psychological pathways linking religiosity and spirituality to caregiver mental health outcomes. In summary, religiosity and spirituality are considered adjunctive, non-exclusive resources that complement conventional psychological and psychiatric care within comprehensive models of caregiver support. Full article

Background/Objective: Sex-based disparities in cancer outcomes have gained increasing attention in women’s health research. We examined the relationship between sex and overall survival (OS) among patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with particular emphasis on the survival advantage observed in women across different clinical stages and treatment settings. Sex-related differences in cancer outcomes have become an important focus in oncology and women’s health research. This study aimed to investigate the association between sex and overall survival (OS) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with particular attention to the observed survival advantage in women across clinical stages and treatment contexts. Methods: A total of 129,864 patients diagnosed with NSCLC were identified, including 78,460 men and 51,404 women. Demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, tumor features, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were compared between sexes. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses and stage-stratified Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate overall survival differences between female and male patients. Results: Women demonstrated significantly superior OS compared with men across all stages of NSCLC (all p < 0.001). This survival advantage persisted regardless of receipt of chemotherapy. Among patients receiving chemotherapy, survival improvements were observed in both sexes; however, women consistently exhibited longer median OS at each stage. From stage IB to IV, median OS in women was 52.0, 30.0, 13.0, and 5.0 months, respectively, compared with 33.0, 23.0, 11.0, and 4.0 months in men. Notably, the magnitude of sex-related survival differences was more pronounced in earlier stages (IB/II) than in advanced stages (III/IV), suggesting potential biological or treatment response differences favoring women. Age-stratified analyses further demonstrated that women older than 45 years experienced a consistent survival advantage across all stages. Multivariable Cox regression confirmed that female sex was independently associated with reduced mortality risk at every stage (HRs ranging from 0.766 to 0.857; all p < 0.001). Conclusions: Women with NSCLC exhibit a significant and independent survival advantage over men across clinical stages, regardless of chemotherapy status, particularly among patients older than 45 years. These findings highlight the importance of considering sex in prognostic assessment and support further investigation into factors contributing to survival differences in NSCLC. Full article

This paper aims to navigate the complexity inherent in the concept of place by defining and highlighting the role of place-informed education across different international contexts: the periphery in Northern Israel, coastal areas of England, and rural Montana in the United States. Using a thematic analytic framework, we conducted a cross-context comparison of three case studies in order to identify each locale’s unique definitions and meanings of place, producing a portrait of the similarities and differences among the three international contexts. Following the ‘Simplicity–Accuracy Paradox’ and recognizing the ‘cost of oversimplification’, we explored complexity as a basis for action, which enables the creation of a process in which the strengths and limitations of the place both have an important role to play in any intervention or action to mitigate and/or enhance the consequences of distance from urban centers. The proposed strategies presented in the paper are based on embracing the complexity of place for place-informed education, and include context-responsive policy design, targeted workforce strategies, international learning exchanges, and policy and classification reform. These processes may serve as a guide for action among educators, policymakers and researchers, supporting a mindset of place-informed education where complexity is embraced and where challenges of place may also offer solutions. Full article

The ambition of policymakers to ‘raise aspirations’ among young people from disadvantaged backgrounds as a means for improving social mobility in Britain has been a mainstay of political rhetoric for the last three decades. Reports such as Higher Education in the Learning Society in 1997, Unleashing Aspiration in 2009, and Success as a Knowledge Economy in 2016 are all underpinned by an ideology of neoliberal meritocracy that has transcended political parties and governments since the Thatcher administration. Even those who lean more to the left of the Labour Party within contemporary Britain have perpetuated this narrative by reframing it as ‘working-class ambition’. This paper advances an alternative view which reconceptualises the way in which young people from non-privileged backgrounds experience and perceive the world, and their place within it. Drawing upon our work on Connected Belonging in 2025 and our research on the From the Centre to the Periphery project in 2025, we suggest that ‘hopeful optimism’ offers a more realistic lens through which to understand what is needed to address the ‘personal troubles and public issues’ that young people face. Unlike aspiration, which has an inherently individualistic and future-orientated framing, with value systems directed by dominant hegemonic notions of ‘success’ that are commonly positioned in economic terms, we recognise optimism as being a holistic and relational process that resides in the present as well as looks to the future. Optimism, grounded within principles of hope, allows young people the freedom to be and to dream; by celebrating who they are and their interconnectedness, it protects them from fears of failure; by reimaging what success might mean, it liberates them as creators. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss, coupled with the configurations of hearing devices, adds to the complexity of understanding the subjective and personal implications of losing musical fidelity. Hearing music through assistive listening devices significantly impacts music perception and enjoyment, yet research examining music-related quality of life for late-deafened adults is limited. This study aimed to capture late-deafened adults’ experiences related to music and quality of life. Methods: The study administered a cross-sectional survey designed around three established questionnaires: Cochlear Implant Quality of Life, Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index, and Music Related Quality of Life. It was completed by 116 late-deafened adults (mean age 65.4 years, with an average of 23.1 years of hearing loss). It was hypothesised that the use of different hearing devices would impact music importance, engagement, enjoyment, and related quality of life in disparate ways. To determine if and how quality of life differed between hearing device users, statistical analyses were stratified across a subgroup of 75 participants with bilateral hearing aids (n = 33; musicians n = 18, and non-musicians n = 15), bilateral cochlear implants (n = 21; musicians n = 5, and non-musicians n = 16), and bimodal configurations (n = 21) musicians n = 8, and non-musicians n = 13). Results: Music remained important for most participants (n = 55, 73%) despite hearing loss. However, regardless of music being valued, only 36 (48%) participants enjoyed music “Always” or “Most of the Time”, while 17 (23%) “Rarely” or “Never” enjoyed it. Bilateral hearing aid users reported the highest, and bilateral cochlear implant users the lowest quality-of-life scores. These effects extended to participation in real-world musical activities: hearing aid users attended more live music events, while bilateral cochlear implant users experienced the greatest reduction in musical activities compared to other hearing device users. Conclusions: Musical quality of life is fundamentally about music enjoyment and engagement and how late-deafened adults integrate music into their everyday life. Hearing loss and hearing devices create a profound disconnect between the capacity to enjoy and engage with music. Musicianship did not guarantee better musical enjoyment or engagement. However, musicians demonstrated greater perseverance when enjoyment was limited, in the hope of improvement. Understanding this allows clinicians to develop effective rehabilitation strategies tailored to different hearing devices and musicianship abilities and set realistic expectations. Full article

Microsatellite instability (MSI) testing is frequently used to screen patients for the early detection of Lynch syndrome, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome. MSI testing compares microsatellite repeat lengths in tumor DNA with those in matched normal tissue from the same patient. Therefore, precise sample identification is critical for obtaining reliable test results. The Penta-C and Penta-D pentanucleotide markers are widely used for sample identification in MSI testing. We investigated instability, defined as allelic mismatches or shifts, discordant fragment sizes, or the appearance of alleles in tumor DNA that were absent in the corresponding normal DNA, in the Penta-C and Penta-D loci across 2609 paired colorectal tumor and matched normal tissue or blood DNA samples. The allele sizes of both markers did not match in 0.3% of microsatellite-stable (MSS) and 12.3% of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) patients (p < 0.001, difference in proportions, 12.0% (95% CI, 8.9–15.1%)). Non-matching allele sizes in 12.3% of the MSI-H tumors suggest that other repeat markers may also be unstable and not suitable for sample identification in these tumors. Full article

People with HIV experience a disproportionate burden of myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction that is not fully explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factors or systemic inflammation. Emerging evidence suggests that HIV-associated cardiomyopathy originates from persistent disturbances in cardiomyocyte homeostasis driven by chronic immune-metabolic stress. Metabolic dysregulation, antiretroviral-related toxicity, and residual inflammatory signaling converge at the cardiomyocyte organelle level, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and impaired autophagy. These interrelated processes precede overt structural heart disease and promote progressive myocardial stiffening, despite effective viral suppression. Framing myocardial remodeling as a consequence of unresolved organelle stress highlights opportunities for earlier intervention, including aggressive management of metabolic risk factors, the use of established cardioprotective therapies with antifibrotic effects, and emerging strategies targeting mitochondrial and proteostatic pathways. This organelle-centered perspective supports prevention-focused approaches that combine accessible imaging modalities and circulating biomarkers to mitigate the long-term cardiovascular risk in people with HIV, particularly in resource-limited settings. Full article

Methionine (Met), an essential amino acid involved in antioxidant defense and immune regulation in all vertebrates, may play a critical role in modulating acute immune stress responses; however, whether methionine reduction or supplementation in broilers is more beneficial during acute immune challenge remains unclear. To address this gap, this study compared the effects of dietary methionine reduction and supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, immune responses, and methionine metabolism in broilers subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. In total, 504 one-day-old male broilers were assigned to four treatment groups: control (CON, 0.55%, marked as 100%Met), lipopolysaccharide-challenged (LPS, 0.55%, marked as 100%Met), methionine-restricted with LPS challenge (MR + LPS, 0.35%, marked as 60%Met), and methionine-supplemented with LPS challenge (MS + LPS, 0.75%, marked as 140%Met) groups. The experiment lasted for 21 days. On days 17, 19, and 21, broilers in the LPS-stimulated groups received intraperitoneal injections of LPS at 1 mg/kg body weight. Methionine restriction increased the feed conversion ratio before challenge, whereas average daily gain decreased in both LPS and MS + LPS groups during the challenge. Serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, LPS, corticosterone, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and hepatic malondialdehyde levels were reduced in the MR + LPS group compared with the LPS group (p < 0.05), whereas interleukin-10, antioxidant enzyme activities, total antioxidant capacity, and hepatic expression of antioxidant- and sulfur-metabolism-related genes were increased (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that moderate methionine restriction during acute immune stress enhances antioxidant capacity, alleviates hepatic burden, and supports metabolic stability in broilers. Full article