Search Results (699)

Background: Literature suggests that both the Stroop task and visual short-term memory (VSTM) binding tasks can differentiate individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) from cognitively normal older adults. These cognitive processes have rarely been examined together. This study investigated how Stroop-like color-word incongruency and directional incongruency between arrow orientation and motion affect memory accuracy and reaction time (RT) measures during a VSTM binding task in cognitively normal adults and individuals screening positive for MCI. Methods: A total of 115 adults participated: 34 healthy young adults (mean age = 24.7 ± 3.0 years), 61 cognitively normal older adults (mean age = 70.5 ± 6.3 years), and 20 older adults screening positive for MCI (mean age = 73.9 ± 5.9 years), i.e., MCI-indicatives. Participants completed two non-speeded VSTM binding tasks under low (two items) and high (four items) memory load conditions. Experiment 1 used color words displayed in congruent or incongruent ink colors, while Experiment 2 used arrows whose orientation and motion directions were congruent or incongruent. Results: In Experiment 1, overall % memory accuracy was significantly lower in the MCI-indicative group than in the cognitively normal older group and the young healthy group (p < 0.001); the difference between the young and cognitively normal older group was, however, not significant. In Experiment 2, % memory accuracy in the cognitively normal older group was significantly lower than in the young group but better than in the MCI-indicative group (p < 0.01). Across both experiments, the MCI-indicative group showed slower RTs overall. Incongruency did not affect accuracy but significantly increased RTs in older adults and the MCI group in Experiment 1 (p < 0.001), with no significant effect in young adults. Conclusions: The MCI-indicative group showed significantly decreased overall accuracy and longer RTs during VSTM tasks involving Stroop-like colored word-location and directional binding. While Stroop-like incongruency and directional incongruency did not affect memory accuracy, they selectively increased RT in older and MCI-indicative groups, suggesting that executive processing demands may uncover subtle cognitive changes associated with normal aging and early MCI. Full article

Blastus Lour. is a taxonomically complex genus of Sonerileae (Melastomataceae), with unresolved infrageneric relationships and controversial boundaries among several species and varieties. In this study, we integrated morphological evidence with a broadly sampled internal transcribed spacer (ITS) dataset, an expanded nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) dataset, plastome data, and genomic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships and classification within Blastus. The broadly sampled ITS and expanded nrDNA analyses supported the monophyly of the sampled Blastus accessions but provided limited resolution of relationships among closely related taxa. The plastome analysis did not recover the sampled Blastus accessions as monophyletic and revealed marked cytonuclear phylogenetic incongruence. The genomic SNP analysis strongly supported the monophyly of the sampled Blastus accessions and recovered the sampled members of the terminal inflorescence group as a monophyletic clade. However, the sampled members of the traditional axillary inflorescence group were not monophyletic because Blastus borneensis was recovered as sister to the terminal inflorescence clade. Within the terminal inflorescence clade, the sampled members of the B. pauciflorus and B. cavaleriei groups formed two strongly supported sister lineages. Morphological comparisons showed that inflorescence position and architecture, the distribution of yellow glands on the abaxial leaf surfaces, and calyx lobe morphology generally corresponded to the principal lineages recovered in the SNP tree, whereas indumentum characters varied considerably among individuals and populations. We therefore recommend retaining the axillary and terminal inflorescence groups as descriptive morphological categories and treating the B. pauciflorus and B. cavaleriei groups as two informal working subdivisions within the terminal inflorescence group. The broad circumscription of B. pauciflorus adopted in the Flora of China requires reassessment, whereas the boundaries of B. longiflorus var. apricus and B. dunnianus require broader population sampling before formal taxonomic changes are proposed. Full article

Background: Gender dysphoria denotes the psychological distress experienced by individuals due to the incongruence between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is one of the treatment options available for people with gender dysphoria. This study aims to identify and analyze all ethical reasons both supporting and opposing GAS as a treatment option for gender dysphoria in adults. Methodology: A systematic review of reasons was conducted in accordance with the methodology proposed by Strech and Sofaer (2012) and the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was conducted in seven major online databases—PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Philosopher’s Index, ATLA Religion, and Index Theologicus—and in the Google Scholar search engine. Results: Twenty-nine articles published between 2003 and 2024 met the inclusion criteria. The ethical reasons identified in the included literature were grouped into five thematic categories: (1) the origin and nature of gender dysphoria, (2) reasons related to GAS as a treatment for gender dysphoria, (3) anthropological reasons, (4) reasons related to the effects of GAS, and (5) reasons stemming from traditional ethical principles. Discussion: The wide range of ethical reasons both supporting and opposing GAS as a treatment option for gender dysphoria in adults highlights the complexity of ethical deliberation in this area. This review provides a structured overview of the ethical reasons discussed in the literature, identifies important gaps, and suggests directions for future research. Full article

Background: Objective and subjective socioeconomic status capture distinct aspects of adolescents’ socioeconomic experience, but their joint associations with prosocial moral reasoning and self-acceptance remain unclear. This study examined objective–subjective socioeconomic status configurations in relation to prosocial moral reasoning and self-acceptance, and assessed statistical indirect associations through self-acceptance. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1888 Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Participants completed measures of objective socioeconomic status, subjective socioeconomic status, self-acceptance, and prosocial moral reasoning. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis were used, with indirect associations tested using 5000 bootstrap resamples. Results: The full polynomial regression model predicting prosocial moral reasoning was significant, but explained variance was small, and response surface parameters did not indicate significant direct congruence or incongruence effects. Socioeconomic status configurations were more clearly associated with self-acceptance. Self-acceptance was higher when objective and subjective socioeconomic status were both relatively high and when subjective socioeconomic status exceeded objective socioeconomic status. Self-acceptance was positively associated with prosocial moral reasoning, and bootstrap analyses showed significant but very small indirect associations through self-acceptance. Conclusions: Objective–subjective socioeconomic status configurations showed limited direct associations with overall prosocial moral reasoning but clearer associations with self-acceptance. Given the cross-sectional design and small effect sizes, the findings should be interpreted as modest statistical associations rather than evidence of causal mediation. Full article

The northern margin of the East Asian tropics harbors exceptional endemism, yet its freshwater fish fauna remains poorly characterized. Tachysurus virgatus, long considered a single widespread species in this region, exemplifies this taxonomic gap. Through integrative taxonomic analyses combining morphological and molecular evidence, we uncovered remarkable cryptic diversity within this species. Phylogenetic reconstructions reveal that true T. virgatus is restricted to the Wanquan River basin on Hainan Island, whereas nine additional lineages from other drainages represent previously unrecognized species described in this study. Together with two known congeners (T. spilotus and T. kyphus), these form the monophyletic T. virgatus species group for which we provide morphological diagnoses. Pronounced incongruence between morphological and molecular divergence characterizes this group, underscoring the necessity of integrative approaches for species delimitation in morphologically conserved lineages. Moreover, distinct habitat specialization patterns were identified within the group, with species exhibiting adaptations to three ecological niches: mainstem river, montane streams, and generalist habitats occupying both. Correlations between habitat preferences and functional morphology were preliminarily discussed. Using our revised taxonomic framework, we evaluated the conservation status of all species under IUCN Red List criteria, with several newly described taxa warranting threatened status due to extremely limited distributions. This study highlights the pervasive cryptic diversity of freshwater fishes in the north margin of East Asian tropics and emphasizes the critical importance of rigorous taxonomic resolution to guide effective conservation in this biogeographically complex region. Full article

Objective: This study examined the relationships between father-related attachment and parenting variables and peer bullying among adolescent girls. Secure and insecure attachment styles, paternal caregiving styles, paternal autonomy support, and paternal involvement were investigated in relation to bullying victimization and bullying perpetration. Method: The study employed a correlational design with 200 adolescent girls aged 16–18 years attending vocational high schools in Bursa, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Adult Attachment to Father Scale, the Father Caregiving and Attachment Styles Scale, the Father Perception Scale, and the Peer Bullying Identification Scale. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses, partial correlations, and Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) corrections were conducted. Results: Secure attachment, paternal warmth/responsiveness, paternal involvement, and paternal autonomy support were negatively associated with bullying victimization and perpetration. In contrast, cold/rejecting and inconsistent/incongruent paternal attitudes were positively associated with bullying variables. Most findings remained significant after controlling for demographic variables and applying robustness and FDR correction analyses. However, some associations involving the Fearful Attachment subdimension appeared less robust. Conclusions: The findings suggest that supportive father–daughter relationships are consistently associated with lower levels of bullying involvement against peer bullying among adolescent girls. Interventions aimed at strengthening secure attachment and supportive parenting practices may contribute to reducing bullying behaviors and victimization. Full article

Negative emotion and perceived food deliciousness are important factors contributing to unhealthy food choices, but their interaction during food decision-making remains unclear. This study examined how negative emotion and deliciousness congruency influence high-calorie food choices and related event-related potential (ERP) responses in overweight individuals (OWs) and normal-weight individuals (NWs). Fifty female college students, including 24 OWs and 26 NWs, completed a binary food choice task before and after negative and neutral emotion induction. Participants chose high-calorie foods more frequently and responded faster in the deliciousness-incongruent condition than in the deliciousness-congruent condition. Negative emotion increased high-calorie food choices among OWs but not among NWs. The deliciousness-incongruent condition elicited less negative N1 amplitudes and marginally less negative N2 amplitudes. P3 amplitudes were modulated by emotion, group, and deliciousness congruency, with negative emotion reducing P3 amplitudes in NWs but not in OWs. High-calorie food choices are jointly shaped by negative emotion, deliciousness congruency, and weight status. Deliciousness advantage facilitates high-calorie food choices, whereas negative emotion selectively increases such choices among OWs. ERP results suggest that these effects involve both early attentional processing and later evaluative processing. Full article

The ionic conductivity of EuCl₂ was investigated at high temperatures, including the melting point. Measurements were performed on polycrystalline specimens obtained by the solidification of the corresponding melt. The behavior of the conductivity and the apparent Arrhenius activation energy was characterized. It is suggested that the conductivity behavior results from anion sublattice disordering within the crystals up to the melting point. The variation in transport properties correlates well with the crystal structure of EuCl₂. The phase diagram of the LiCl–EuCl₂ binary system was constructed based on DSC measurements. This system was found to be a simple eutectic type featuring the incongruently melting compound LiEu₃Cl₇. The CALPHAD method was employed for thermodynamic modeling, incorporating both experimental and literature data for the LiCl–EuCl₂ system. Full article

Background/Objectives: Prediction is a fundamental mechanism of language comprehension, enabling readers to generate expectations about upcoming words during sentence processing. Event-related potentials (ERPs), particularly the N400 and P300, provide sensitive electrophysiological markers of semantic integration and expectancy-related processing. However, the contributions of individual sentence elements to semantic prediction and the influence of sex differences on these processes remain poorly understood. Methods: Forty-six healthy right-handed young adults (23 females) performed a semantic decision task with six-word Spanish sentences ending in congruent or incongruent final words while EEG activity was recorded. ERP components associated with anticipatory and integrative stages of sentence processing were analyzed during the sequential presentation of sentence words. Behavioral performance and sex-related ERP differences were assessed using repeated-measures ANOVAs and correlational analyses. Results: Behavioral findings showed that males committed significantly more errors in detecting semantic incongruities, although overall performance exceeded 92%. Congruent sentence endings elicited a centro-parietal P300, whereas incongruent endings produced a robust N400 followed by a late positive component (LPC). Sex differences emerged, beginning at the third word of the sentence. Males exhibited greater P2 amplitudes and a larger anticipatory P300-like positivity preceding the final word, whereas females showed enhanced N2 and N400 negativities associated with contextual processing and semantic incongruity. Correlations between anticipatory ERP activity and later semantic components supported functional continuity between predictive and integrative stages of language processing. Despite earlier differences, males and females exhibited comparable LPC amplitudes, suggesting convergence during later elaborative processing stages. Conclusions: These findings support predictive models of language comprehension by demonstrating that semantic expectations are progressively constructed throughout sentence processing. Sex-related ERP differences were observed across anticipatory, attentional, and semantic integration stages, indicating quantitative and stage-specific neurophysiological variations rather than qualitatively distinct language-processing strategies. Full article

Background: Ununited anconeal process (UAP) is one of the four primary causes of elbow dysplasia (ED). Radiography (X-ray) and computed tomography (CT) are commonly employed imaging techniques for the diagnosis of elbow dysplasia. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the frequency and distribution of UAP in dogs referred for elbow imaging and to analyze the coexistence of this disorder with other primary causes of ED, such as medial coronoid process disease (MCPD), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and joint incongruity (IC). Methods: The study population comprised 108 dogs of both sexes, aged between 3 and 15 months, of breeds predisposed to ED: 69 German Shepherds, 23 Labrador Retrievers, and 16 Golden Retrievers. All dogs underwent both radiographic and CT examinations of the elbow joints. Categorical data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test to evaluate breed-related findings and lesion coexistence, with significance set at 5%. Inter-method reliability was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficient (ĸ). Results: Based on radiographic and CT findings, elbow dysplasia was diagnosed in 53 dogs and 58 dogs, respectively. UAP was identified in 9 cases and only in German Shepherds. Among the 9 UAP-positive dogs, coexistence with other ED lesions (most commonly medial coronoid process disease and joint incongruity) was observed in 8 cases. For specific UAP detection, both imaging modalities demonstrated perfect diagnostic agreement (ĸ = 1.0). Conclusions: UAP was the rarest diagnosed primary etiology of elbow dysplasia in the study population. This disorder has been found only in German Shepherds; however, this observation should be interpreted with reservation due to the unequal breed distribution within the study population. Radiography and computed tomography demonstrated equivalent diagnostic agreement for UAP identification; this result should also be interpreted cautiously due to the limitation of the small number of identified cases of this disorder. Furthermore, UAP occurred more frequently as a concomitant lesion—most commonly in association with medial coronoid process disease and joint incongruity—rather than as a solitary finding. Full article

Herein we reply to the commentary of Cowman et al. on our Review of Coral Taxonomy, Evolution, and Diversity. We demonstrate that many of their central criticisms are mischaracterisations, contain factual errors, or extend beyond the evidentiary scope of available molecular datasets. Our Review did not dismiss the legitimacy or importance of molecular approaches, nor the value of integrative taxonomy. Rather, it emphasised the evidentiary thresholds required for formal species-level revision in morphologically variable and geographically widespread coral taxa. Genetic differentiation should not, without comprehensive sampling and contextualisation, be treated as sufficient grounds for immediate species-level restructuring. We reiterate that the concept of reticulate evolution in corals is supported by a growing body of molecular and other evidence. Furthermore, the “biological entities” discussed in our Review are not subjective impressions or non-reproducible opinions but are empirically documented, repeatedly recognisable, and diagnosable, characterised by coherent suites of morphological, ecological and geographic traits. These constitute structured, testable species hypotheses within an integrative framework. Our Reply addresses issues of field variability, type specimens, sampling design, molecular and morphological incongruence, and the taxonomic and conservation implications of premature rank assignment. Where multiple, independent lines of evidence converge, taxonomic revision is warranted; where sampling remains limited, geographically restricted, or analytically unstable, and where different lines of evidence conflict, nomenclatural stability and biological coherence are better served by restraint. Full article

This work concerns the harmonization of geospatial data to improve linkages between place-based characteristics and health outcomes. Such data are typically available as geographic layers, each representing a distinct attribute (e.g., income or distance to a clinic). Since layers are typically constructed independently, their boundaries tend to be spatially incongruent, which can create inconsistencies and introduce bias. This motivates developing algorithmic approaches for aligning such layers while aiming to preserve spatial integrity. This paper formalizes the problem of aligning k collections of m spatial supports over n spatial units in a d-dimensional Euclidean space such that maximum distortion to any collection is minimized. In the above setting, k is the number of layers; n is an indivisible population unit (e.g., census tract); m denotes supports, which are larger regions aggregating a set of contiguous units in order to capture broader regional patterns or enhance statistical stability; and $d=2$. It is shown that: (1) the one-dimensional case is solvable in time polynomial in k, m, and n; (2) the two-dimensional case is NP-hard for two collections of two supports each; and (3) a heuristic can be provided for aligning a set of collections in the two-dimensional case, which is of practical importance. Full article

This study examined the reversal error phenomenon in Chinese students’ algebra word problem-solving, focusing on how sentence structures influence performance and problem representation strategies across educational levels. Using a person-centered Bayesian classification approach, this study analyzed individual differences in problem-solving strategies across different grade levels. Results confirmed the presence of reversal errors among Chinese students, with sentence structures significantly affecting error rates. Students demonstrated superior performance on congruent problems compared to incongruent problems, showing both fewer errors and faster response times across all grade levels. The study revealed that students processed congruent problems and incongruent problems using fundamentally different strategies. The analysis identified five distinct strategy profiles across grade levels, revealing grade-related differences in strategy use: younger students predominantly relied on direct translation, whereas older students more frequently employed analytic strategies. These findings advance our understanding of cognitive processes in algebra problem-solving and suggest targeted interventions for addressing the reversal error. Full article

Introduction: Medical care for transgender minors is understudied, largely because these forms of care are relatively recent. The primary objective of this work was to describe the cohort of transgender adolescents who initiated follow-up at the Strasbourg University Hospital before the age of 18, whether or not they began hormone therapy prior to reaching adulthood. Method: This was an observational, retrospective, single-center, descriptive study conducted among adolescents who had attended at least one consultation in our center before the age of 18 between January 2017 and March 2024. Results: Our population consisted of 115 patients predominantly made up of transmasculine (AFAB) adolescents (68%). Compared with the general population, we observed significantly higher rates of psychiatric co-occurrences, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Only 46.1% initiated gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) in our cohort, and just 34.8% before age 18. A total of 6% of adolescents received puberty blockers as monotherapy. The mean age at GAHT initiation was 16.99 years. Transition pathways appear to differ according to the adolescent’s type of schooling. The rate of retransition/treatment interruption in our sample ranged from 0% to 6.1%, depending on the criteria applied. We did not identify any adolescent who retransitioned to their sex assigned at birth after starting GAHT by the end of the data collection. Discussion: The high prevalence of psychiatric co-occurrences raises important questions regarding how to improve care for these adolescents. The predominance of AFAB adolescents similarly prompts reflection on the barriers that transfeminine adolescents may face when seeking to transition before adulthood. In addition, the substantial number of adolescents presenting with ASD or ADHD underscores the need for particular vigilance regarding their specific needs and overall well-being. Finally, the variability in retransition rates depending on the criteria applied highlights the absence of a consensual definition, which limits the comparability and validity of existing studies. Conclusions: Long-term prospective studies are needed to objectively demonstrate the effectiveness of current transition pathways. Academic research in this field should be strengthened, along with the development of larger prospective datasets, to improve the overall health of this population. Full article

Handball requires athletes to sustain intermittent high-intensity effort while maintaining rapid cognitive processing and technical skills. Caffeine is widely used as an ergogenic aid, yet its dose-dependent effects across physical, cognitive, and technical performance outcomes remain unclear in female handball players. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study examined the acute effects of low-dose caffeine (LCAF; 3 mg/kg), moderate-dose caffeine (MCAF; 6 mg/kg), and placebo (PLA) in trained female handball players. Participants (n = 20) completed three experimental sessions separated by 72 h. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Simplified Eriksen Flanker Test, throwing performance was evaluated through maximal ball velocity, and intermittent running capacity was measured with the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1. Both LCAF and MCAF significantly improved Yo-Yo performance compared with PLA (η²p = 0.415, representing improvements of approximately ~23.5% and 29.0%), with no difference between caffeine doses. MCAF significantly reduced overall Flanker response time (η²p = 0.486, ~18.5%) and congruent and incongruent trial response time compared with PLA and LCAF. No significant effects were observed for throwing velocity, Flanker accuracy and interference scores. These findings suggest that acute caffeine intake has performance-specific effects in female handball players: intermittent running performance responded to both doses, whereas cognitive enhancement was limited to response time, with no improvements in inhibitory control or accuracy. Full article