One of the most public episodes of gatekeeping in modern science was the case of so-called 'cold fusion'. At a news conference in 1989 the electrochemists Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons announced that they had found evidence of nuclear fusion in palladium electrodes loaded with deuterium. There was worldwide interest. Many groups sought to reproduce the results, most unsuccessfully. Within months, the prevailing view became strongly negative. The claims of Fleischmann and Pons came to be regarded as disreputable, as well as false. As the Caltech physicist David Goldstein put it, cold fusion became 'a pariah field, cast out by the scientific establishment' (Goldstein 1994). The case would already be interesting for students of gatekeeping if the story had ended at that point. Even more interestingly, however, the field survived and persisted. It has been enjoying a modest renaissance, with recent government funding both in the US and the EU. This piece offers an opinionated introduction to cold fusion as a case study of scientific gatekeeping, discussing both its early and recent history
Sentences like "She will go to France or Spain, or perhaps to Germany or France." appear formally redundant, yet become acceptable in contexts such as "Mary will go to a philosophy program in France or Spain, or a mathematics program in Germany or France." While this phenomenon has typically been analyzed using symbolic formal representations, we aim to provide a complementary account grounded in artificial neural mechanisms. We first present new behavioral evidence from humans and large language models demonstrating the robustness of this apparent non-redundancy across contexts. We then show that, in language models, redundancy avoidance arises from two interacting mechanisms: models learn to bind contextually relevant information to repeated lexical items, and Transformer induction heads selectively attend to these context-licensed representations. We argue that this neural explanation sheds light on the mechanisms underlying context-sensitive semantic interpretation, and that it complements existing symbolic analyses.
Ehsan Amiri Ardekani, Mohammad Mahdi Parvizi, Roghaye Zare
et al.
Background: Trigonella foenum-graecum, commonly known as fenugreek, is used both as a spice and a medicinal herb. While numerous studies investigated its therapeutic effects, this scoping review aimed to explore the reported adverse effects associated with fenugreek consumption in humans. Methods: A systematic search of several scientific databases was conducted, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed/PMC-MEDLINE, Scopus, and Science Direct, from January 1990 to September 2024. The search utilized keywords such as “Fenugreek”, “Adverse Effects”, “Clinical Trial”, and “Case Report”, or “Case Series”. References of retrieved articles were also screened.Results: The review included 60 articles. Of these, 14 clinical trials reported adverse effects, 23 reported none, and 13 did not provide information on adverse effects. Additionally, 10 case reports or case series (reported in eight articles) detailed allergic reactions or hypersensitivity signs and symptoms. The most common adverse effect was mild gastrointestinal discomfort following oral consumption. Other reported effects included hypoglycemia, potential hypokalemia, allergic reactions, a maple syrup odor in the urine, sweat, or skin of infants and mothers, and interactions with certain medications. Conclusion: Fenugreek is generally considered safe, with most reported side effects being mild and self-limiting. No fatalities have been attributed to its use. This evidence might be valuable for both the general public and healthcare professionals.
Using administrative data from Germany, this study provides first evidence on the wage effects of collective bargaining compliance laws. These laws require establishments receiving public contracts to pay wages set by a representative collective agreement, even if they are not formally bound by one. Leveraging variation in the timing of law implementation across federal states, and focusing on the public transport sector -- where regulation is uniform and demand is driven solely by state-level needs -- I estimate dynamic treatment effects using event-study designs. The results indicate that within five years of the law's implementation, wage increases were on average 2.9\% to 4.6\% higher in federal states with such a law compared to those without one -- but only in East Germany. These findings highlight the potential for securing collectively agreed wages in times of declining collective bargaining coverage.
Luca Schiavon, Thomas Desvignes, Fabrizia Ronco
et al.
ABSTRACT Understanding population connectivity in the marine realm is crucial for conserving biodiversity, managing fisheries, and predicting species responses to environmental change. This is particularly important in Antarctic waters, where unique evolutionary histories and extreme conditions shape marine biodiversity. The longfin icedevil Aethotaxis mitopteryx is an elusive notothenioid fish endemic to Antarctic waters. To explore population connectivity in A. mitopteryx, we used RAD‐seq to investigate the genetic differentiation of two populations, one from the Eastern Weddell Sea and the other from the Eastern Antarctic Peninsula, two regions of ecological relevance greatly impacted by climate change. Despite spatial separation, analyses revealed no significant genetic differentiation between the two populations, suggesting extensive gene flow. A pronounced genetic distinction was, however, observed between males and females. This differentiation was largely localized to a specific chromosome, implying a genetic sex determination system with males being the heterogametic sex. These findings contribute novel insights into the genetic structure of A. mitopteryx populations and expand our understanding of genetic mechanisms in Antarctic fish. This study provides a foundation for further investigations into the evolutionary and ecological implications of sex chromosome differentiation in extreme environments.
Anna-Henrikje Seidlein, Annette Riedel, Thomas Heidenreich
et al.
Euthanasia and medically assisted suicide (E/MAS) are (healthcare-)practices intended to cause a patient’s death according to their wish and will. This article addresses the specific ethical questions that arise in the context of E/MAS regarding older adults in need of long-term care (LTC) from a nursing ethics perspective. Older people in need of LTC are particularly vulnerable due to a combination of health-related, social, and economic factors. Multiple chronic diseases, age-related frailty and the subsequent need for LTC, for example, may contribute to an increased risk of social isolation, loneliness and hopelessness. The boundaries between “normal” age-related changes and changes that are deemed to be pathological also become blurred. The complex interplay of these factors results in the particular needs of older adults who rely on nursing care. Consequently, specific ethical issues arise that are unique in terms of their quality and quantity – also regarding E/MAS. We present a common scenario: a fall with a subsequent fracture, as a turning point in the LTC arrangement. The consequences of such an adverse event (limited mobility, risk of further falls) compromise the security of care at home, raising the (potential) need for transfer to a LTC facility. This (potential) move represents a major disruption, is experienced as a crisis, and marks a transition for the older adult in need of LTC. We highlight the complex interplay between aging, health-care dependency, personal values and the resulting wish/request for E/MAS. We discuss how the professional self-perception and ethical values of the nursing profession in the home care setting determine the treatment pathway for older peoples’ request for E/MAS.
Janek Lenz,1,* Isabel Richter,1,* Sven Meister1,2 1Health Care Informatics, Faculty of Health/School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany; 2Department Healthcare, Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering, Dortmund, Germany*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Janek Lenz, Health Care Informatics, Faculty of Health/School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Strasse 50, Witten, 58455, Germany, Email Janek.Lenz@uni-wh.deAim: As the volume and complexity of electronic health record (EHR) data continue to grow, clinicians face increasing cognitive burden when retrieving and interpreting patient data. This is particularly problematic in high-pressure environments such as emergency care, where time-critical decisions must be made based on rapidly accessible, relevant information. Across the included studies and in consistency with findings in the broader literature poor EHR usability and unfiltered data presentation contribute to inefficiencies, errors, and clinician burnout. Patient-centered dashboards and tools that automatically extract and visually organize relevant clinical data offer a promising strategy to mitigate these challenges.Purpose: This scoping review aims to map the current literature on the automated extraction and visualization of patient-centered information from EHRs for emergency settings. It investigates 1) how clinically relevant data is selected and filtered, 2) which design strategies are used in dashboard development, and 3) what information is considered essential for overview displays in acute care and comparable contexts.Methods: The review follows the PRISMA-ScR framework. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, IEEE Xplore) for studies published from 2010 onwards. Studies were included if they examined automated data filtering, visualization, or dashboard design using EHR data.Results: Included studies demonstrate a range of approaches to data filtering, from rule-based systems to Artificial Intelligence-driven models. They emphasize the importance of aligning visualizations with clinicians’ cognitive workflows. Relevant parameters frequently included medications, allergies, vital signs, past medical history, and care directives. Design processes often incorporated user-centered and iterative methods, though evaluation rigor varied widely. Several studies report improvements in decision-making efficiency, treatment, and cognitive load reduction.Conclusion: Automated, patient-centered dashboards can improve EHR usability and support safer, faster decision-making in acute care. However, further research is needed to evaluate clinical impact, ensure interoperability, and define core data elements across settings.Keywords: Electronic health record, information filtering, artificial intelligence, clinical dashboard, emergency medicine, information filtering, scoping review
This article explores social transformation through pedagogy, historical consciousness, social science, and neuroscience. Modern educational systems perpetuate social hierarchies. The meritocratic narrative of neoliberalism is a new form of social Darwinism. Behind this illusion lie the mechanisms of accumulated history, social reproduction, and the inheritance of economic, social, cultural, and symbolic capitals. Collective memory is one of these capitals, cultivated by the elites. In contrast, the memory of the vanquished fades into oblivion. Therefore, democratic pedagogy aims to build collective memory and a historical consciousness of equality, inequality, and human rights. This project requires cognitive and methodological tools for both teachers and students. Our proposal is both theoretical and practical. Theoretically, we aim to build a historical awareness and resilience capacities to address the algorithmic colonization. Cooperative pedagogy and neuroscience bring constructive tools. This approach fosters a new rationalism and complex thinking that unifies natural, social, and human sciences into a cohesive pedagogical praxis. We propose to build collective memory and historical awareness among students, pedagogical team, and families. This involves teacher training, an emotional and prosocial climate, cooperative skills, historical research teams, collecting of family memories, and collective synthesis. The project fosters social bonds and skills for democratic sovereignty. Methodologically, the research employs a critical bibliographical review and content analysis from CAIRN, OpenEdition, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, ERICH+, EBSCO, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The selected bibliography includes authors from Canada, Chile, England, France, Germany, India, Switzerland, the Philippines, and the United States.
Muhammad Ali Rathore, Amna Kanwal, Ejaz Ghani
et al.
Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in females of childbearing age.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Virology Department, tertiary care hospital, Rawalpindi, from August 2022 to December 2022.
Materials and Methods: A total of 200 females, aged 15-49 years, were included in the study. Data of the participants regarding age, socioeconomic status, marital status, and previous history of VZV infection was collected by a predesigned questionnaire. Blood samples were tested for the detection of VZV IgG by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) of Ratio Diagnostic, Germany. SPSS version 25 was used to analyze the data.
Results: Out of total 200 samples, 163 (81.5%) were positive for VZV IgG and 37 (18.5%) were negative. The positivity of VZV IgG was highest in age group 2 (20-29 years) with 87 (43.5%) positive cases, followed by 54 (27%) in age group 3 (30-39 years) and 11 (5.5%) in both age group 1 (< 20 years) and age group 4 (40-49 years). Out of 200 participants, 158 (79.0%) were married and 42 (21.0%) were unmarried. Among total, 107 (53.5%) had history of previous VZV infection while 93 (46.5%) had no significant history.
Conclusions: This study showed significant exposure of VZV in females of childbearing age and subsequent development of immunity. However, a substantial proportion of females were susceptible to VZV infection. This susceptibility in females could potentially pose a future risk of infection during pregnancy, resulting in severe complications and congenital abnormalities.
Abstract Background To compare the rate of fractional change for multiple corneal tomographic factors in progressive keratoconus (KC). Methods In this retrospective case series, 40 eyes (40 patients) with progressive KC (increase in central keratometry of 1.00 D or maximum keratometry of 1.50 D on two visits at least six months apart) were included. Cases with previous history of ocular surgery, poor scans, corneal scars, severe dry eyes, post-excimer ectasia, pellucid marginal degeneration were excluded. Medical records, corneal tomography and anterior corneal wavefront (8 mm) (Scheimpflug tomography, Pentacam, Oculus, Germany) were analyzed. Rate of fractional change (Rx = (x1 − x0)/(|x0|tm)); where, x1 = value at follow-up, x0 = value at initial visit and tm = time in months, was measured. Results The mean age of the patients was 30.0 ± 8.4 years. The mean follow-up duration was 8.9 ± 4.2 months. Coma (0.076 ± 1.4) had the largest rate of fractional change (P = 1.7 × 10−14, Kruskal–Wallis test). The rate of fractional change was higher for aberrometric parameters (anterior corneal higher-order aberrations root mean square and anterior coma) compared to pachymetric and keratometric parameters (P values ranging from 1.4 × 10−4 to 7.4 × 10−10, Mann–Whitney test, effect size ranging from 0.4–0.7). The rate of fractional change was comparable between pachymetric and keratometric factors (P > 0.05 for all comparisons, Mann–Whitney test). Conclusions Anterior corneal wavefront, especially anterior coma, were noted to have higher rate of fractional change compared to single point keratometric and pachymetric indices in progressive KC. This information can be used for decision-making when monitoring patients with KC.
Kyivan Rus’ had extensive political, economic and cultural connections with other European states. Knowledge of foreign languages, the Latin language in particular, was in demand to maintain these connections. The article outlines the context in which the Latin literature in medieval Kyiv emerged and also the spheres where the Latin language was used. The history of one ruling family, Prince Iziaslav of Kyiv, Princess Gertruda of Kyiv, their son Prince Yaropolk and daughter-in-law Cunigunda, is preserved in texts and artefacts. Primary and secondary sources as well as the sphragistic data, related to international contacts of the family with Pope Gregory VII, the Papal legates, Duke Bolesław II the Bold of Poland and King of Germany Heinrich IV, provide facts of usage of Latin by the Kyivan royals. The article analyses usage of Latin in foreign relations of Kyiv and in literature of the second half of the 11th century. The Latin language was used in Kyivan Rus’ in the second half of the 11th century in literature (prayers, religious poetry and chants), votive inscriptions, in administration (seals) and ecclesiastic and foreign correspondence.
Discourse analysis, Computational linguistics. Natural language processing
In this work, I explore the concept of quantization as a mapping from classical phase space functions to quantum operators. I discuss the early history of this notion of quantization with emphasis on the works of Schrödinger and Dirac, and how quantization fit into their overall understanding of quantum theory in the 1920's. Dirac, in particular, proposed a quantization map which should satisfy certain properties, including the property that quantum commutators should be related to classical Poisson brackets in a particular way. However, in 1946, Groenewold proved that Dirac's mapping was inconsistent, making the problem of defining a rigorous quantization map more elusive than originally expected. This result, known as the Groenewold-Van Hove theorem, is not often discussed in physics texts, but here I will give an account of the theorem and what it means for potential "corrections" to Dirac's scheme. Other proposals for quantization have arisen over the years, the first major one being that of Weyl in 1927, which was later developed by many, including Groenewold, and which has since become known as Weyl Quantization in the mathematical literature. Another, known as Geometric Quantization, formulates quantization in differential-geometric terms by appealing to the character of classical phase spaces as symplectic manifolds; this approach began with the work of Souriau, Kostant, and Kirillov in the 1960's. I will describe these proposals for quantization and comment on their relation to Dirac's original program. Along the way, the problem of operator ordering and of quantizing in curvilinear coordinates will be described, since these are natural questions that immediately present themselves when thinking about quantization.
The ionization losses -- the losses of energy by fast charged particles traveling through a matter -- have been under study for more than 100 years. The theoretical explanation of this process spans similar period. About 75 years ago, Lev Landau published a theoretical paper on the ionization losses, which drastically leveled up the research and still remains amongst the most cited in the field. The present note digests the history of theoretical development and attempts to clarify Landau's method of research and the function named after him.
The first solar neutrino experiment led by Raymond Davis Jr. showed a deficit of neutrinos relative to the solar model prediction, referred to as the "solar neutrino problem" since the 1970s. The Kamiokande experiment led by Masatoshi Koshiba successfully observed solar neutrinos, as first reported in 1989. The observed flux of solar neutrinos was almost half the prediction and confirmed the solar neutrino problem. This problem was not resolved for some time due to possible uncertainties in the solar model. In 2001, it was discovered that the solar neutrino problem is due to neutrino oscillations by comparing the Super-Kamiokande and Sudbury Neutrino Observatory results, which was the first model-independent comparison. Detailed studies of solar neutrino oscillations have since been performed, and the results of solar neutrino experiments are consistent with solar model predictions when the effect of neutrino oscillations are taken into account. In this article, the history of solar neutrino observations is reviewed with the contributions of Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande detailed.
Architectural criticism currently encompasses a range of diverse concepts and meanings, indicating uncertainties and difficulties in this field. Despite the wide range of existing literature, one can spot many overlaps and ambiguities that leave the question of architectural criticism unclear. Architectural criticism is not a constant and timeless concept. It changes during history, and these historical changes are neglected in most research. Furthermore, the concepts have emerged from a variety of cultures, schools, and languages with various goals, which renders further inquiries and detailed investigations all the more necessary. In order to show transformations and differences, and based on the secondary sources, this research investigates the history of architectural criticism from its emergence in the 18th century until now, which can be divided into three periods: the emergence of architectural criticism in the 18th century in Jacques- Francois Blondel’s publications and the first architectural magazines in Germany, France, and England; its development in the 19th when first architectural critics, as distinct from art critics, historians, or journalists, appeared gradually professionalising architectural criticism through; and its flourishing and decline in the 20th century in which architectural criticism was expanded and diversified and faced a crisis attributed to the gap between diverse types of architectural criticism, with its death being annpunced.It is clarified here that the function of architectural criticism has fundamentally changed over its history. Its primary function is descriptive, based on a single, personal and subjective critique that was influenced by art criticism in France referring to an edifice. By connecting journalism and criticism, public architectural criticism also grew and flourished and opened a dialogue between architecture and the public. So, the social function prevailed in criticism in this period. With the development of the idea of formalism and design critique in architecture, evaluation of form and design process based on objective criteria was suggested and discussed. Finally, the academic architectural criticism connected to the architectural theory and history departments of American universities has fundamentally changed criticism’s function. This new architectural criticism as a speculative discourse does not endeavour to comment on a singular work. But it is intent on separating architectural criticism from the profession and tends to cover theories of the humanities and social sciences, critical theory, and critical history of architecture.
Traci N. Billings, Traci N. Billings, Barbara Cerasetti
et al.
Southern Central Asia witnessed widespread expansion in urbanism and exchange, between roughly 2200 and 1500 B.C., fostering a new cultural florescence, sometimes referred to as the Greater Khorasan Civilization. Decades of detailed archeological investigation have focused on the development of urban settlements, political systems, and inter-regional exchange within and across the broader region, but little is known about the agricultural systems that supported these cultural changes. In this paper, we present the archaeobotanical results of material recovered from Togolok 1, a proto-urban settlement along the Murghab River alluvial fan located in southeastern Turkmenistan. This macrobotanical assemblage dates to the late 3rd - early 2nd millennia B.C., a time associated with important cultural transformations in southern Central Asia. We demonstrate that people at the site were cultivating and consuming a diverse range of crops including, barley, wheat, legumes, grapes, and possibly plums and apples or pears. This, together with the associated material culture and zooarchaeological evidence, suggest a regionally adapted mixed agropastoral economy. The findings at Togolok 1 contribute to the ongoing discussion of dietary choices, human/landscape interactions, and the adaptation of crops to diverse ecosystems in prehistoric Central Asia.