Provocation and Motivation: A Response to Dr. Brian Patrick Green, “Emerging Technologies as Provocations for Theology and Ethics”

The provocations of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies demand earnest reflection not only on how humans should ethically respond to these provocations but also demands earnest reflection on the nature of these provocations themselves. What is provocation? Do the provocations of artificial intelligence and emerging technology differ from other kinds of provocations? This response considers these questions in light of St. Edith Stein’s philosophy of motivation. By connecting the idea of technological provocation to motivation, it ultimately suggests that the lawfulness of meaning provokes or motivates the soul to freely respond to the inherent meaning and value of what is encountered in experience. The very fact of provocation directs us toward the inherent lawfulness and meaningful structures of reality but individual provocations can always work against this lawfulness and directs to act against the meaningful structures of reality or worse impel us to not be provoked but what we encounter at all.

No Atom Rendered Void: The Aerial and Alchemical Enchantment of Wuthering Heights

This article maps how elemental and meteorological metaphysics function in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847), arguing that the novel’s complex recursive structure is facilitated through an alchemical process by which the collision of air and materiality—the transcendent elements embodied by Catherine and Heathcliff—activates psychic, spatial, mortal and temporal ‘wandering’. These points of elemental friction, defined here as ‘portals of enchantment’, connect their subjects with past and future iterations of themselves and others. Additionally, it explores how the novel’s elemental ‘portals’ extend beyond spatial thresholds into aerial and avian touchstones, allowing Brontë to infuse the novel with folkloric subtext.

Mitigating valuation bias in defence investment portfolio decisions: recommendations from a multidisciplinary review

The critical nature of national defence capabilities and the large sums of money involved underpin the high importance of defence investment portfolio planning (DIPP) decisions. Valuing investment options for DIPP is a multifaceted challenge, further complicated by the varying scale of military investments; the inherent uncertainty in predicting future needs; and the involvement of humans. Valuation processes aim to support effective decisions by estimating the value to be delivered by each option. However, valuation processes are prone to multiple sources of bias, which can skew DIPP decisions. This paper explores the wide range of human biases that can affect valuation processes and presents key findings on mitigating valuation bias through a review of literature from diverse disciplines. Recommendations to enhance valuation are distilled from the literature, ranging from advice for selecting and training decision-makers and managing group processes, to guidance on tailoring decision-making processes and ensuring appropriate information availability.

Accuracy of preinduction transvaginal sonography (TVS) and bishop scores in predicting successful labor induction: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

Labor induction is a common obstetric procedure, with success depending on accurate cervical assessment. The Bishop score, used traditionally, is subjective and limited, while transvaginal sonography (TVS) offers objective cervical length measurement. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the accuracy of preinduction TVS and Bishop Score in predicting successful labor induction. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Lens.org for articles from January 2015 to October 2024 for observational studies comparing TVS and Bishop Score in term pregnancies (≥37 weeks). Eligible studies reported diagnostic accuracy metrics for successful vaginal delivery. Data were extracted using a standardized form, and study quality was assessed with QUADAS-2. A random-effects meta-analysis calculated pooled log odds ratios (ORs), with heterogeneity assessed via I 2 and publication bias via fail-safe N, Kendall’s tau, and Egger’s regression. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Ten studies ( n  = 1,612 patients) were included from diverse regions (India, Iran, Türkiye). The pooled OR was 2.1726 (95% CI: 0.9493–4.9706, p  = 0.0662), suggesting TVS has 2.17 times higher odds of predicting successful induction than Bishop score, though not statistically significant. TVS achieved a 60.2% success rate versus 48.7% for Bishop score (absolute difference: 11.5%). High heterogeneity (I 2 = 73.12%, p  < 0.001) was observed, with TVS performing better in primigravida and prostaglandin induction settings. No publication bias was detected (Fail-Safe N  = 35, Egger’s p  = 0.944). TVS shows a moderate, non-significant advantage over Bishop score in predicting successful labor induction. High heterogeneity suggests context-specific performance. Further research should explore whether a combined TVS-Bishop score approach could optimize clinical decision-making. Further research is needed to standardize protocols and assess cost-effectiveness across diverse settings.

Selling French Sex: Prostitution, Trafficking, and Global Migrations by Elisa Camiscioli, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2024, 306 pp., £70 (Hardcover), ISBN 9781009418379, £29.99 (Softcover), ISBN 9781009418409

Engagement Versus Therapeutic Alliance: Large Language Models in AI Psychotherapy

COVID-19-related impacts on mental health among Indigenous peoples: “I’m scared every day”

Indigenous peoples of the United States (U.S.) are among the most vulnerable populations to mental health symptoms, including psychological stress and poor emotional health, primarily stemming from historical oppression and trauma. This qualitative inquiry explored the lived experiences of 31 U.S. Native American women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from a community-based critical ethnography approach identified the following themes: worry and anxiety, depression and isolation, the connection between physical and mental health, and resiliency. Results indicated that despite the increase in mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, Native American women demonstrated mental health resiliency through problem solving and self-coping.

Evidence Base Update of Psychosocial Treatments for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors in Youth: 2018–2024

This evidence base update investigates the empirical support of psychosocial interventions for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) in youth, focusing on the period since the prior review. Two major scientific databases (PsycInfo and PubMed) were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published or in press between June 1, 2018 and May 31, 2024. The search yielded 11 RCTs new to this update and 1 new SITB outcome to an RCT included in the prior review. Since the prior review, Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) was reclassified as Level 1: Well-established intervention for reducing adolescent suicide attempts, and Family Therapy was reclassified as Level 2: Probably efficacious for reducing youth suicide ideation (SI). Cognitive behavioral therapy-individual + family was reclassified as Level 4: Experimental for reducing youth suicide attempts. Four new RCTs examining adjunctive skills or boosters for brief interventions were rated as Level 2: Probably Efficacious for reducing SI (adjunctive mindfulness skills + Psychodynamic therapy, adjunctive skills – emotion regulation) or Level 3: Possibly Efficacious for reducing SITBs (adjunctive safety planning interventions). DBT-A remains the sole well-established intervention for reducing SITBs, with replication by multiple independent research teams. Half the RCTs identified in this review aimed to replicate or extend prior interventions. Several newly identified trials in this review were primarily adjunctive or brief, demonstrating greater efforts to enhance the availability of interventions for SITBs in youth. Further replication of these adjunctive treatments is needed to clarify their effectiveness and potential for widespread implementation.

Control of DNA double-strand break repair by the KDM8 histone demethylase

KDM8 is a histone demethylase initially characterized for its activity on H3K36me2, although its function is now more widely recognized as a hydroxylase. Through a high-throughput screening on histone demethylases, we identified KDM8 as a regulator of the γH2AX response following ionizing radiation. Experiments using specific reporter substrates revealed that KDM8 depletion increases homologous recombination (HR), while its overexpression reduces HR. This shift is counterbalanced by a concomitant decrease in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), an effect partly independent of its demethylase activity and unrelated to cell cycle alterations. Despite this imbalance, cellular sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents – such as ionizing radiation, mitomycin C, and camptothecin – remains unchanged. FRET experiments in living cells demonstrated an interaction between KDM8 and Rad51 after DNA damage induced by camptothecin. These findings identify KDM8 as a key player in DSB repair, specifically influencing HR.

Filtering facepiece respirator use among farm youth in the US: A review

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical need for protective equipment, such as filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), particularly for youth. This systematic review addresses the significant gap in evidence-based guidance for FFR use among US farm youth, a group potentially exposed to diverse respiratory hazards. Current FFR designs and protocols for FFR use are largely adult-centric. Adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a multidisciplinary panel reviewed 31 publications published between 1990 and 2023. An independent working group of agricultural safety professionals also contributed by reviewing procedures and publications to check for bias during the review process. Key findings show that while FFRs appear physiologically tolerable by youth study subjects. Subjective discomfort and poor fit of adult-sized respirators remain major barriers to effective use and compliance. Studies highlight the critical need for youth-specific FFR designs based on detailed facial anthropometrics and the development of standardized fit-testing protocols tailored for growing youth. Furthermore, evidence-based guidance on ethical pediatric medical evaluations for respirator use and targeted respiratory health education are urgently needed. This review emphasizes that a concerted effort from manufacturers, researchers, and regulatory bodies is essential to ensure youth on farms can safely use respiratory protection.