Ecologists have long sought recurring and predictable patterns in nature, not contingent on habitat type, local conditions or taxa involved, indicative of universal processes creating some order in natural systems. Are there such general laws in parasite ecology? Here, I propose 16 frequently reported patterns, manifesting across all host and parasite taxa, that I consider to represent general laws applying to the ecology of metazoan parasites. I also discuss briefly pseudo-laws, i.e., patterns that lack the strength or generality to qualify as laws. The proposed laws characterise repeatable patterns in the abundance, biomass, distribution, diversity and/or other basic traits of parasites, and the processes underpinning them, whether or not these are known. The different laws span several scales, from the patterns applying among host individuals at a local scale, to those observed globally across species or geographical areas. Each proposed law is subjectively categorised based on the quantity and quality of published empirical evidence supporting it, reflecting its strength and universality. Relationships between different laws are emphasised, to highlight the connections between their underlying mechanistic bases, as are the parallels with broader ecological laws documented for free-living organisms. Close examination suggests that many laws of parasite ecology are essentially manifestations of ecological laws applying to all organisms. Nevertheless, identifying regular, repeatable and nearly universal patterns in parasite ecology provides us with a powerful heuristic tool to forecast future host-parasite interactions in the fast-changing Anthropocene.
Albeit rarely recognized as such in existing legislation, violent child discipline is a clear form of domestic violence (DV) with enduring consequences for child well-being. This study merges household survey data from 27 sub-Saharan African countries with World Bank data on law implementation to investigate whether broad DV legislation introduced since the mid-2000s has curbed violent parenting practices. Using a quasi-experimental approach to compare childrearing practices and attitudes between countries with and without anti-DV laws, before and after law implementation, we document a robust increase in violent child discipline-mainly driven by emotional punishment-and a higher endorsement of harsh parenting practices following the introduction of these laws. These adverse effects are attenuated in countries with higher income inequality, where the laws appear to play more of a "protective" role. Our findings underscore the unintended consequences when anti-DV legislation is enacted without a specific target for child protection.
Taking prefabricated coal briquettes as fracture test units, a similar physical simulation experimental platform equipped with a flexible loading device was established to investigate the dynamic evolution mechanism of transverse fractures in the upper protected coal seam. In-situ-like CT scanning three-dimensional imaging technology was employed to extract the internal transverse fractures of coal samples and their distribution patterns, while the evolution law of transverse fractures was analyzed using fractal dimension and fracture angle. The ABAQUS finite element software was utilized to establish a transverse fracture evolution model, aiming to study the variation laws of stress, displacement, and subsidence displacement of overlying strata after mining. The subsidence characteristics of overlying strata in the coal seam were obtained, and the dynamic evolution of overlying strata was divided into three stages: roof separation failure, fracture and collapse stage, overlying strata destruction stage, and destruction stabilization stage. This study provides key theoretical basis and data support for the accurate characterization of dynamic evolution of transverse fractures during the mining of upper protected coal seams, the analysis of evolution laws of gas migration channels, and the scientific formulation of targeted gas extraction schemes.
The mean pairwise velocity of massive halos reflects the gravitational force law on cosmic scales. We combine cosmic microwave background intensity maps from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and a galaxy catalog from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to estimate the mean pairwise velocity using the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect. On scales from 30 to 230 megaparsecs, we constrain the gravitational acceleration between pairs of halos at separation r to be g∝1/r^{n} with n=2.1±0.3, which is consistent with Newtonian gravity in an expanding spacetime (i.e., the standard ΛCDM model). This constraint shows agreement with an inverse quadratic radial dependence over the large distances separating galaxy halos, as expected in standard cosmology. Upcoming surveys have the potential to rule out n=1 at 10σ significance. Our results establish the kSZ effect as a powerful tool for testing gravity on cosmological scales.
In this manuscript, we investigate the problem of prescribed-time bearing-based formation tracking for multi-agent systems. The proposed control law employs a two-stage strategy to achieve formation tracking within a prescribed time. For multi-agent systems with time-varying leader velocities, follower agents estimate the leaders' inputs through a prescribed-time bearing-based observer. The second stage of the control law is a prescribed-time bearing-based formation tracking controller. Relying solely on the measurement and communication of bearing-related information between neighboring agents, the controller drives the followers to achieve the desired bearing-constrained formation in a prescribed time for first-order systems and enables the agents to achieve velocity coordination with the leaders for second-order systems. The prescribed times for the two stages of the control law can be assigned independently by the user, and convergence is proved using Lyapunov analysis. In addition, to demonstrate the effectiveness and practical feasibility of the proposed control law, simulations and a UAV swarm experiment are conducted.
The advancement of ecological civilization depends on striking a balance between environmental protection and economic expansion. It is also essential for long-term national development and governance. According to the theoretical framework provided by the Porter hypothesis, environmental regulations have the potential to improve economic efficiency and increase corporate competitiveness. This research uses A-share listed companies to analyze the effects of environmental regulations on the new quality productive forces in heavily polluting enterprises from 2011 to 2022. The new Environmental Protection Law, passed in 2015, serves as the framework for the research. Empirical findings indicate that environmental regulations facilitate the new quality productive forces in heavily polluting enterprises, supported by robustness tests. The main ways that environmental regulations drive the new quality productive forces are through increased investment in technological innovation and wider access to financing. The analysis shows that new environmental law, especially in non-state-owned businesses and those with sufficient cash flow, successfully encourage the smooth integration of environmental preservation and new quality productive forces. The ramifications highlight how crucial it is to keep improving the recently passed Environmental Protection Law, developing green technology policies, and opening up new funding sources in order to promote ecological civilization and sustainable economic growth.
Herein, Ni²⁺-Al³⁺ co-doped Co0.6-xZn0.4-xNixAlxFe2O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.08) nanoferrites were synthesized via a co-precipitation route to elucidate the role of defect engineering and cation redistribution in tuning optical magneto-structural properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed single-phase cubic spinel formation with slight lattice expansion (8.3667-8.374 Å) accompanied by crystallite size reduction (16.27-11.33 nm). HRTEM and SAED analyses revealed spherical/cubic nanoparticles with high crystallinity and lattice coherence, consistent with XRD results. The increase in microstrain and dislocation density indicates enhanced lattice distortion induced by substitution. XPS analysis revealed mixed Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ states distributed over tetrahedral and octahedral sites, enabling quantitative cation distribution modeling. The pronounced enhancement of the Raman A1g mode confirms progressive tetrahedral distortion and cation rearrangement. The nanoferrites exhibit soft magnetic behavior with high saturation magnetization (51-58 emu/g) and low coercivity (20-79 Oe). The law of approach to saturation (LAS) analysis reveals a marked decrease in the anisotropy constant, primarily attributed to the dilution of octahedral Co²⁺ ions, reinforced by Al³⁺-induced A-B exchange weakening and nanoscale spin canting. These findings demonstrate that controlled multi-cation substitution provides an effective strategy for tailoring magnetic softness and anisotropy, making the materials promising for spintronics, high-frequency electronics, magnetic sensing, and electromagnetic interference shielding applications.
Sweden's new Biobank Act (2023:38) introduces a more coordinated and robust legal framework for research using biosamples. This article presents the major changes introduced by the Act, as well as insights from regional biobank coordinators who ensure coordination, compliance, and access to biosamples for research and key stakeholders in the research infrastructure. The article highlights both the law's potential and the practical challenges of its rollout in a decentralized health care system, particularly regarding information technology systems, patient information and consent, and procedural harmonization. We discuss how diverging legal frameworks across European Union (EU) member states and internationally can both enable and hinder collaboration, particularly in the context of biobank responsibility and consent structures. The experiences from implementing the new Biobank Act in Sweden underscore the need for timely planning and coordination among stakeholders to enable research on biosamples, improve digital tools, and achieve legal clarity-elements that are equally relevant across the EU and beyond. Ultimately, enabling seamless collaboration requires a shared commitment to harmonization, not only in policy but also in practice.
Policy Points The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) may impose the largest coverage losses in US history, causing the number uninsured to rise by 55% in the coming decade. We examined four prior coverage contractions-Reagan-era Medicaid cuts, the 2005 TennCare disenrollment, 2019 Arkansas work requirements, and the Medicaid Unwinding-to shed light on the OBBBA's impacts. These suggest that most who lose Medicaid do not find alternative coverage, and that states are unlikely to compensate for federal cuts, findings that run counter to some assumptions adopted by the Congressional Budget Office in predicting the impacts of Medicaid cuts. Studies of coverage contractions complement data from coverage expansions in predicting worse health care access, household finances, and health for needy individuals due to the OBBBA. Studies also suggest that the magnitude of harms from contractions may exceed that suggested by expansions. The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025 will cut $1 trillion from federal health care programs over the coming decade and cause 10 million individuals to become uninsured according to the Congressional Budget Office. Most analyses of the bill's impacts have assumed they would be the inverse of those documented from previous coverage expansions. An examination of past coverage cuts might yield additional insights into the probable impacts of this legislation on the medical care and health of the needy. We reviewed studies of four prior large scale coverage contractions: Reagan-era Medicaid cuts, the 2005 Tenncare Disenrollment, the 2019 implementation of work requirements in Arkansas, and the postpandemic "Unwinding" of Medicaid. The experience of these prior coverage contractions complements evidence from analyses of coverage expansions in predicting that widespread insurance loss will lead to a reduction in care utilization, an increase in household financial strain, and worsened physical and mental health for low-income individuals. These coverage contractions additionally suggest that most who lose Medicaid coverage will not find alternative coverage; that work requirements will impose burdensome administrative costs on states; that states are unlikely to offset reductions in federal Medicaid funding with internal funds; and that the second-order effects of coverage losses may, in some instances, be greater (in magnitude) than the benefits seen after coverage expansions. Cuts to federal health care programs will produce sharp contractions in public coverage that will worsen existing problems in US health care such as insurance churn, degrading care, and worsening health inequality. While states may take some steps to mitigate harmful impacts, better protection of the medically needy would require repeal of the legislation, while full protection would require universal, seamless coverage.
In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), hypertrophy often disproportionately affects the interventricular septum, especially in the obstructive form (oHCM). The reasons for this septal predilection remain debated. Here, we review emerging evidence that septal hypertrophy in HCM represents a localised, load-driven remodelling response, an adaptive "retrofitting" of the heart's wall to withstand abnormal stress. Congenital differences in septal fibre architecture and chronic sarcomeric hypercontractility create a focal mechanical burden that predisposes the septum to near-isometric contraction (low septal mobility) and drives early hypertrophic remodelling. When present, systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve and left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) further amplify this load, increase wall stress, and accelerate this process. Analogous to earthquake engineering, where rigid buildings are retrofitted with dampers to absorb shocks, the septum adapts by accumulating viscoelastic elements (e.g., microtubules, titin, collagen) that thicken and stiffen the wall. This structural adaptation protects against further damage by limiting myocardial shortening and reducing wall tension (according to Laplace's law), albeit at the cost of diastolic dysfunction and energetic inefficiency. We integrate haemodynamic studies and new patient-specific computational modelling data to confirm this load-centric model. When LVOTO develops, the added external load activates the afterload-dependent compensation (Anrep effect), characterised by increased LV end-systolic pressure, enhanced contractility, prolonged ejection, and elevated myocardial work. Septal reduction (surgery/ablation) relieves the external load imposed by LVOTO, whereas myosin inhibition (mavacamten) reduces the internal load from sarcomere-level hypercontractility and can secondarily lessen dynamic obstruction. Both approaches therefore reduce septal stress (although not equally), but myosin inhibition acts earlier in the disease sequence. Computational models further demonstrate that removing the septal load yields a more homogeneous stress distribution and improves mechano-energetic efficiency in the ventricle. Thus, septal hypertrophy in HCM is best understood as a targeted, load-driven remodelling analogous to structural retrofitting. Reducing sarcomere-level hypercontractility and, when present, the added load from LVOTO addresses the key mechanical drivers of disease, halting the maladaptive cycle and potentially allowing reverse remodelling. This unifying framework, now corroborated by computational modelling, positions ventricular unloading as a central therapeutic strategy in HCM.
The legal profession faces mounting pressures, including case backlogs and limited access to legal services. Large language models (LLMs), such as OpenAI's GPT series, have been touted as potential solutions, promising to streamline tasks such as legal drafting, summarisation, analysis, and advice. Proponents argue these models can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and access to justice. However, significant risks remain. LLMs are prone to bias, factual hallucinations, and opaque reasoning processes, which can have severe consequences in high-stakes legal contexts. For responsible use in law, legal use cases must be accurately operationalised into LLM tasks that are sensitive to legal settings, as do the evaluation metrics used to evaluate LLMs performing those tasks. This paper presents a rapid literature review of LLM research in legal contexts since ChatGPT-4's release in March 2023. We examine how legal tasks are operationalised for LLMs and what evaluation metrics are used, with a focus on how these align-or fail to align-with real-world legal practice. We argue that existing studies often overlook the institutional, organisational, and professional contexts in which these tools would be deployed. This oversight limits the practical relevance of current evaluations and proposes directions for more contextually grounded research and responsible deployment strategies. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00146-025-02741-9.
Arkansas has significant health disparities for maternal and infant outcomes, including high rates of low birth weight, preterm birth, severe maternal morbidity, and both maternal and infant mortality. Multiple studies have identified advantages of including doulas in maternal care teams. The purpose of this article was to describe the evolution of doulas in Arkansas. Leaders began training the workforce with only a hope of reimbursement, and doula organizations continued to evolve from informal dispersed networks into a formal statewide organization, the Doula Alliance of Arkansas. Collaborative efforts were key in driving policy change for doula reimbursement. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and stakeholders throughout Arkansas have collaborated to expand doula workforce capacity. In 2025, Arkansas legislators passed two bills focused on Medicaid reimbursements for doulas, which Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law (HB 1252/Act 965 and HB 1427/Act 124). The article documents the results of persistent stakeholder collaboration focused on improving maternal health through expanded access to doula care. This article can serve to inform other states' policies and practices by documenting Arkansas's relatively rapid progression from establishing its first doula organization to expanding the doula workforce and ultimately passing legislation for Medicaid coverage.
In forensic genetics, the allele and haplotype frequencies of relevant populations are required to determine the weight of evidence for DNA matches. In recent years, ethical concerns have been raised about population studies published in forensic journals and compiled in Forensic Genetics Frequency Databases (FGFDs), particularly regarding consent procedures for sample collection, the overrepresentation of vulnerable groups, and the risk of donor re-identification. A comprehensive review of ethical practices in forensic population genetics research on identity DNA polymorphisms and ancestry informative markers was conducted, focusing on papers published in Forensic Science International: Genetics and indexed in MEDLINE (2007-2025) and Forensic Science International: Reports (2019-2025). A decline in the number of published forensic population genetics papers was observed following the adoption of dedicated ethical guidelines in 2020. However, increased attention to ethical issues, such as the need for informed consent (IC) of sample donors and approval by pertinent ethical review boards (ERB), predates 2020, with a linear increase over time in the proportion of papers reporting IC and ERB approval. Among the included papers, 48.7% were conducted by or in collaboration with law enforcement laboratories, 39.1% involved minority populations, and 14.3% used forensic casework samples, all of which represent potential sources of ethical concern. In most studies conducted by multinational teams, researchers from the countries of the sampled populations were involved, with the notable exception of Africa, with 31.0% of studies having no African-affiliated authors. Furthermore, even after 2020, a substantial proportion of studies (11.8%) reported complete genotypes of DNA markers associated with a high risk of re-identification. The most common form of non-compliance with the 2020 ethical guidelines was the failure to report written informed consent (40.0%). Overall, the proportion of studies classified as ethically "low risk" according to the Forensic Database Advisory Board increased significantly after 2020, reaching 78.5% of the papers published in that period. Notably, during the preceding period (2010-2020), the proportion of low risk studies was significantly higher for DNA markers for which editorial guidelines required quality control by an FGFD (42.1%) than for other markers (30.3%). To support editors and peer reviewers, suggestions are proposed to improve ethical guidelines for the publication of forensic population genetics data, with particular attention to ERB approval documentation, secondary use of biological samples, and recognition of the role of researchers from the country of population samples collection in multinational studies.
Drug checking services (DCS) promote drug supply awareness among people who use drugs (PWUD) by detecting adulterants such as fentanyl and xylazine that are associated with overdose morbidity and mortality. However, there is limited research on DCS implementation in Latin America (LA). We conducted a survey of 38 DCS across LA (n=10) and the US (n=28) and compared program characteristics and barriers between these two regions. We also conducted a focus group discussion (FGD) with staff representing six organizations implementing DCS in LA. FGD themes were mapped to constructs quantitatively assessed in the survey. Compared to US DCS, LA DCS more frequently reported funding gaps as a major implementation barrier (80% vs. 54%), law enforcement confiscating DCS supplies (38% vs. 11%), as well as offering supervised drug consumption (30% vs. 4%) and mental health/counseling (40% vs. 18%), but less frequently reported that DCS equipment was legal (44% vs. 75%). DCS on the Mexico-US border focused on people who inject drugs and offered syringe services, supervised consumption, and rapid sexually transmitted infection testing. DCS in central Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile primarily provided DCS for the nightlife community (e.g., attendees of concerts/raves). Barriers to DCS implementation cited by FGD discussants included inadequate funding, DCS legal ambiguities, lack of government support, and cartel violence. DCS in LA would benefit from increased funding, government support, and a more permissive legal environment, thereby strengthening harm reduction efforts and improving safety for PWUD.
Algorithmic management-the delegation of managerial functions to algorithmic systems has become a defining feature of work in the global gig and platform economy. This article presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of 103 scholarly sources, complemented by a targeted critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine how algorithmic management operates across diverse regions and is discursively framed. While gig work engages millions of workers worldwide, scholarly attention has centered disproportionately on Western contexts. I develop an interdisciplinary research framework that integrates sociology, labor studies, digital economy, and law to analyze the implications of algorithmic management for labor practices, worker autonomy, and regulation. The study asks: (1) what dominant themes and findings emerge in the literature across regions and contexts; (2) how these themes are discursively framed in scholarly and policy texts; and (3) what research gaps and policy implications emerge from this synthesis. The SLR reveals several prevalent themes: the tension between promised flexibility and algorithmic control, worker resistance and agency, biases and fairness in algorithmic systems, and the influence of local institutional contexts, while the CDA uncovers how academic narratives often oscillate between portraying algorithmic management as an extension of digital Taylorism and a catalyst for novel forms of worker autonomy. This review offers contributions by mapping the state of knowledge, highlighting a critical gap in global and comparative analysis, and proposing an agenda for future research and policymaking.
This paper proposes an integral sliding mode based adaptive robust backstepping control scheme to improve the trajectory tracking and hovering performance of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under large-scale time-varying disturbances. It also considers the impact of variations in the payload mass of the UAV, such as in tasks such as power line maintenance or rescue operations. The proposed scheme effectively mitigates the influence of disturbances on the flight process when the upper bound of the time-varying disturbance is unknown, and estimates the potentially uncertain parameters of the system in real time. Using Lyapunov stability theory, it was proven that the designed controller ensured the asymptotic convergence of the tracking error to zero. Furthermore, this paper integrates adaptive control with the concept of integral sliding mode, combining their respective technical characteristics in a complementary manner. The proposed adaptive law, incorporating a σ-modification term, effectively suppresses the chattering inherent in sliding mode control, ensuring system stability. The integration of the sliding mode surface further accelerates the error convergence to zero. The simulation results validate the performance of the proposed control scheme in various scenarios, including continuous weak disturbances, changes in payload mass, and sudden large-scale time-varying disturbances. The results demonstrate that the proposed control scheme has strong robust stabilization and wide applicability, outperforming the traditional adaptive robust control methods and classical PID methods.
SUD rehabilitation outcome studies have been carried out for decades. But no large study has been reported from Egypt or the Arab region. Freedom Drugs and HIV Programme is a large drug rehabilitation program operating since 1989. A cohort sample of 2503 clients admitted to 28 SUD Rehabilitation centers in 2019 in Egypt was followed up in 2022. Staff member reports were validated through a randomized sample of family members feedback, and urine tests that were administered to 5% of participants (101 individuals). During the Year 3 follow-up, 82% of clients (2052 individuals) were successfully reached 51% of the participants were abstinent in Year 3. 43% of participants experienced no relapses during the study period. Abstinence was clearly associated with positive outcomes like employment, education, better health, improved well-being, and stronger family relationships. However, while 67%, 77% and 76% of the abstinent population improved or strongly improved on family relationships, physical and mental health respectively, unexpectedly around 10% of the abstinent population deteriorated or strongly deteriorated on all three outcome measures. Family dynamics, undiagnosed, masked or chronic physical illnesses, and the nature of recovery stages may explain these reported deteriorations. The results call for further study. The results also suggest the importance of improving post-discharge services. On the other hand, 32%, 31%, and 41% of the non-abstinent population reported improvement or strong improvement on family, physical, and mental health measures, which may indicate a harm-reduction component of residential programs even in non-abstinent clients. Finally, there was no difference in legal problems between the abstinent and non-abstinent populations, which may suggest unresolved legal problems from the time of drug use or a lack of law-abiding attitudes even in abstinent clients. Further studies are called for to clarify this unexpected result as well. The current study results suggest that the studied program achieves outcomes comparable to similar programs in other parts of the world. It also throws some light on the improvements in various outcome aspects as related to abstinence and suggests possible harm-reduction outcome aspects even among non-abstinent clients.
The right of patients to decline information about their health, prognosis, and available treatment options is a salient principle in both domestic law and international declarations and conventions. This right may be considered either unnegotiable or subject to certain terms and conditions. While respecting this right may seem straightforward, doing so in clinical practice can be challenging. This article uses a realistic hypothetical scenario to examine the epistemic, moral, and practical challenges that can arise, particularly with patients nearing the end of life. These challenges include how and when to honor the right and its potential conflict with moral values such as self-determination, authenticity, and avoiding harm to oneself and others. The end of life exacerbates these issues because of the irretrievability of decisions and the successive reduction of possible courses of action, as well as potentially changing preferences. These potential conflicts of values deserve further attention and must be considered when deciding whether to honor a patient's wish not to know.
Forensic epigenetics is emerging as a powerful extension of traditional forensic genetics, offering the capacity to infer age, lifestyle, and environmental exposures from epigenetic marks. Yet its promise is shadowed by significant ethical, legal, and social questions. This article analyzes the scientific foundations and practical applications of forensic epigenetic techniques while interrogating their implications for privacy, discrimination, and human rights. It argues that the promise of enhanced investigative capability must be balanced against risks of misuse, stigmatization, and function creep. Drawing on comparative perspectives in law and bioethics, the authors emphasize the importance of proportional governance frameworks that uphold transparency, accountability, and respect for persons. Suggestions are made for the responsible integration of epigenetic data in forensic contexts, if and when, it meets sufficiently rigorous standards.
Understanding how activation energies and entropies vary with electrode potential is central to interpreting electrocatalytic kinetics, yet temperature-dependent analyses often yield apparent "compensation effects" whose physical origin remains debated. Here, we model the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) through both Volmer-Heyrovsky and Volmer-Tafel mechanisms to determine under which conditions compensation effects emerge-even when the entropic contribution to the activation barriers of the individual reaction steps is, by assumption, potential-independent. By simulating steady state currents across realistic potential and temperature ranges and extracting apparent Arrhenius parameters, we identify two general origins of compensation-like behavior: (i) shifts in the effective rate law arising from changes in coverage or in the rate-determining step, and (ii) the presence of multiple active sites with different equilibrium potentials of reaction steps. Both phenomena generate non-constant Tafel slopes and curvature in Arrhenius plots, producing Constable-plot (log10 Aappvs. Eapp) relations that mimic intrinsic entropy-enthalpy compensation. Our results demonstrate that compensation effects in electrocatalysis can arise purely from kinetic coupling and site heterogeneity rather than from fundamental thermodynamic scaling, underscoring the need for caution when interpreting temperature-dependent kinetic data. We propose that meaningful mechanistic insight requires measurements on well-defined single-crystal electrodes within potential regions where Tafel slopes remain constant.