Journals
2026 EN
Nys Charlie · Rober Peter
ABSTRACT The history of the mental health sciences includes numerous instances where parents were unjustly blamed for their children's psychological distress. From its inception, family therapy moved away from linear causal, intrapsychic explanations to emphasise complex family dynamics. However, systemic perspectives may still have unintentionally sustained a culture of blame. In contemporary Western society, high expectations around ‘good parenting’ place considerable pressure on parents to create ideal conditions for their children's development, often leaving them feeling insecure and inadequate. While guilt can motivate reparative actions, it becomes counterproductive when internalised as a fixed parental identity. This article explores how transgenerational family scripts provide a contextual lens for reflecting on difficult family interactions, while aiming to minimise the reinforcement of negative self‐perceptions. It highlights the importance of acknowledging societal pressures in therapy to help parents navigate personal and social expectations. A case study illustrates the ongoing relevance of family scripts in systemic practice.
Journals
2026 EN
Liu Xueping · Song Ying · Duan Yihang
+1 more
ABSTRACT Polypropylene (PP) has shown considerable promise as a recyclable alternative to crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) in high‐voltage cable insulation applications. However, its widespread adoption has been hindered by inadequate breakdown strength and mechanical toughness. This study investigates the influence of thermal history‐controlled crystalline morphology on the dielectric and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP). By tailoring cooling rates and annealing temperatures, we demonstrate that iPP with nodular crystalline structures, obtained via rapid quenching and annealing, possesses a superior breakdown strength of up to 580.0 kV/mm and enhanced toughness compared to conventional spherulitic iPP. Multi‐scale characterization reveals that, despite its lower crystallinity and smaller crystallite sizes, the nodular morphology suppresses spherulitic boundary defects and enhances charge trapping at nanoscale interfaces. Conversely, the dielectric strength of melt‐crystallized iPP, though also influenced by lamellar thickness, is consistently limited by spherulite‐related defects and fails to surpass that of the nodular morphology. These findings establish a clear correlation between the insulating properties of iPP and its microstructure, particularly crystalline morphology, and may provide theoretical guidance for developing iPP‐based capacitor films or cable insulation layers.
Journals
2026 EN
Colak Ozgen · Bakbak Okan
ABSTRACT Compressive loading–unloading and oligo cyclic tests were performed on neat epoxy and GO‐epoxy nanocomposites containing 0.1 and 0.5 wt% graphene oxide (GO) to investigate the effects of GO content and strain rate on modulus evolution and damage development. The tests targeted the elastic, yield, and viscoplastic regimes while minimizing low‐cycle fatigue. The strain rate sensitivity factor and damage parameter, which are defined considering the initial elasticity modulus and modulus during unloading, were calculated for neat epoxy and GO‐epoxy nanocomposites. Rate‐dependent compression experiments indicate that the GO‐epoxy nanocomposite with 0.1 wt% GO exhibits approximately 2.5 times higher strain rate sensitivity in this range compared to the nanocomposite containing 0.5 wt% GO. The results indicate that in neat epoxy, the modulus decreases at the second cycle but recovers in later cycles due to cyclic hardening and polymer chain alignment. In contrast, GO‐reinforced nanocomposites consistently show higher unloading modulus than neat epoxy. During oligo cyclic loading, neat epoxy and GO‐epoxy nanocomposites exhibit linear loading and nonlinear unloading behavior. Stress–strain responses are nearly identical between monotonic and oligo cyclic tests, except for slightly higher stress in the final cycle of cyclic loading, indicating minimal influence of short‐term loading history on mechanical behavior.
Journals
2026 EN
Hyde Ciaran A. · Kyne Peter M. · Pierce Simon J.
+4 more
ABSTRACT Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a widely used tool in the conservation and protection of threatened marine species. When MPAs include the key habitat of species into their design, they can provide refuge and opportunity for recovery from exploitative pressures. This is crucial for elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) that are facing global declines from overexploitation and habitat loss. Using visual observational transects (VOT) and baited remote underwater videos (BRUV), we identified key habitats for subtropical shallow‐water rays within a long‐standing MPA in eastern Australia (Moreton Bay Marine Park), based on species richness, relative abundance and community composition. We made 1195 observations of rays from 13 species across intertidal mangrove, diverse sand, seagrass and inshore reef habitats. High species richness and relative abundance were recorded at central eastern bay locations where intertidal mangrove and diverse sand habitats occurred extensively and appeared ecologically interconnected. There was minimal overlap of ‘no‐take’ areas with important ray habitats within Moreton Bay Marine Park, signifying a limitation of no‐take zones to contribute to ray conservation. Aligning the Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) Criteria determined that a high diversity of rays, including threatened species, use these sites for vital life history functions including reproduction, feeding and/or resting. This study underscores the need for incorporation of a range of habitat types into MPA design to maximise their value to rays.
Journals
2026 EN
Fernandes Izaias Médice · Silva Hugmar Pains · Carmassi Giulianna Rondineli
+4 more
ABSTRACT Dams and deforestation are key drivers of freshwater biodiversity loss in the Amazon, as they alter river connectivity, water quality and habitat structure. This study investigates how connectivity (Reach Connectivity Index—RCI), elevation and natural land cover influence the diversity and composition of fish assemblages in a highly fragmented Amazonian river network. Based on their distinct life‐history traits, we analysed migratory and non‐migratory species separately, hypothesizing differential responses to these environmental gradients. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to evaluate the effects of RCI, elevation and land cover on species richness (alpha diversity) and the Local Contribution to Beta Diversity (LCBD, a measure of community uniqueness). Additionally, we examined the influence of these variables on community composition using distance‐based RDA and hierarchical partitioning. We found that species richness for both groups was higher at lower elevations. However, only non‐migratory species richness increased with greater connectivity (RCI), whereas migratory species richness was unaffected by RCI. For community uniqueness (LCBD), values for migratory species were higher in areas with more conserved land cover. In contrast, non‐migratory species had higher LCBD at less connected sites. Community composition analysis revealed that non‐migratory species were strongly influenced by elevation, while migratory species composition showed no significant relationship with the environmental variables analysed. Our results confirm distinct ecological responses between migratory and non‐migratory species to fragmentation, supporting our initial hypothesis. These findings underscore the critical importance of considering species' life‐history traits when planning conservation strategies and river connectivity restoration in the Amazon.
Journals
2026 EN
Woodruff D. Cary · Ackermans Nicole L.
Abstract Headbutting is a combative behavior most popularly portrayed and exemplified in the extant bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ). When behaviorally proposed in extinct taxa, these organisms are oft depicted Ovis ‐like as having used modified cranial structures to combatively slam into one another. The combative behavioral hypothesis of headbutting has a long and rich history in the vertebrate fossil literature (not just within Dinosauria), but the core of this behavioral hypothesis in fossil terrestrial vertebrates is associated with an enlarged osseous cranial dome—an osteological structure with essentially no current counterpart. One confounding issue found in the literature is that while the term “headbutting” sounds simplistic enough, little terminology has been used to describe this hypothesized behavior. And pertinent to this special issue, potential brain trauma and the merits of such proposed pugilism have been assessed largely from the potential deformation of the overlying osseous structure; despite the fact that extant taxa readily show that brain damage can and does occur without osteological compromise. Additionally, the extant taxa serving as the behavioral counterpart for comparison are critical, not only because of the combative behaviors and morphologies they display, but also the way they engage in such behavior. Sheep ( Ovis ), warthogs ( Phacochoerus ), and bison ( Bison ) all engage in various forms of “headbutting”, but the cranial morphologies and the way each engages in combat is markedly different. To hypothesize that an extinct organism engaged in headbutting like an extant counterpart in theory implies specific striking:contacting surfaces, speed, velocity, and overall how that action was executed. This review examines the history and usage of the headbutting behavioral hypothesis in these dome‐headed fossil taxa, their respective extant behavioral counterparts, and proposes a protocol for specific behavioral terms relating to headbutting to stem future confusion. We also discuss the disparate morphology of combative cranial structures in the fossil record, and the implications of headbutting‐induced brain injury in extinct taxa. Finally, we conclude with some potential implications for artistic reconstructions of fossil taxa regarding this behavioral repertoire.
Journals
2026 EN
Smoliga James M.
Abstract The biomechanics of woodpeckers have captivated researchers for decades. These birds' unique ability to withstand repeated impacts, seemingly without apparent harm, has piqued the interests of scientists and clinicians across multiple disciplines. Historical and recent studies have dissected the anatomical and physiological underpinnings of woodpeckers' protective mechanisms and sparked interest in the development of woodpecker‐inspired safety equipment. Despite the intuitive appeal of translating woodpecker adaptations into strategies for human traumatic brain injury (TBI) prevention, significant challenges hinder such innovation. Critical examinations reveal a lack of direct applicability of these findings to human TBI prevention, attributed to fundamental biological and mechanical dissimilarities between humans and woodpeckers. Additionally, some commercial endeavors attempting to capitalize on our fascination with woodpeckers are rooted in unsubstantiated claims about these birds. This paper explores the narrative surrounding woodpecker biomimicry, including its origins and history, and highlights the challenges of translating findings from unconventional animal models of TBI into effective human medical interventions.
Journals
2026 EN
Miyamae Juri A. · Benoit Julien · Ruf Irina
+2 more
Abstract The trigeminus nerve (cranial nerve V) is a large and significant conduit of sensory information from the face to the brain, with its three branches extending over the head to innervate a wide variety of integumentary sensory receptors, primarily tactile. The paths of the maxillary (V 2 ) and mandibular (V 3 ) divisions of the trigeminus frequently transit through dedicated canals within the bones of the upper and lower jaws, thus allowing this neuroanatomy to be captured in the fossil record and be available to interpretations of sensory ability in extinct taxa. Here, we use microCT and synchrotron scans from 38 extant and fossil species spanning a wide phylogenetic sample across tetrapods to investigate whether maxillary and mandibular canal morphology can be informative of sensory biology in the synapsid lineage. We found that in comparison to an amphibian and sauropsid outgroup, synapsids demonstrate a distinctive evolutionary pattern of change from canals that are highly ramified near the rostral tip of the jaws to canals with increasingly simplified morphology. This pattern is especially evident in the maxillary canal, which came to feature a shortened infraorbital canal terminating in a single large infraorbital foramen that serves as the outlet for branches of V 2 that then enter the soft tissues of the face. A comparison with modern analogues supports the hypothesis that this morphological change correlates to an evolutionary history of synapsid‐specific innovations in facial touch. We interpret the highly ramified transitional form found in early nonmammalian synapsids as indicative of enhanced tactile sensitivity of the rostrum via direct or proximal contact, similar to tactile specialists such as probing shorebirds and alligators that possess similar proliferative ramifications of the maxillary and mandibular canals. The transition toward a simplified derived form that emerged among Mid‐Triassic prozostrodont cynodonts and is retained among modern mammals is a unique configuration correlated with an equally unique and novel tactile sensory apparatus: mobile mystacial whiskers. Our survey of maxillary and mandibular canals across a phylogenetic and ecological variety of tetrapods highlights the morphological diversity of these structures, but also the need to establish robust form‐function relationships for future interpretations of osteological correlates for sensory biology.
Journals
2026 EN
Baldo María Belén · Buezas Guido · Antenucci Daniel
Abstract Nasal turbinals are key osseous structures for air conditioning and olfaction in mammals, with their morphology reflecting both ecological adaptations and evolutionary history. This study evaluates how climatic gradients and locomotor strategy (subterranean or surface dwelling species) influence turbinal complexity in caviomorph rodents. Using microCT imaging, we quantified respiratory (RZ) and olfactory (OZ) turbinal morphology across eight caviomorph rodents and two outgroups from xeric, mesic, and generalist habitats, including subterranean and surface‐dwelling species. Our results revealed that xeric‐adapted subterranean species exhibited significantly expanded RZ surface areas and greater structural complexity, consistent with enhanced water retention demands in arid environments. While surface‐dwelling species showed larger absolute OZ areas compared to subterranean taxa, this difference became non‐significant after accounting for body size, suggesting olfactory structures are less influenced by locomotor strategy than by allometric or phylogenetic factors. Respiratory turbinals appeared more variable across habitats, whereas olfactory turbinals showed comparatively conserved morphology among ecological groups. This pattern could reflect differing evolutionary pressures acting on thermoregulatory versus sensory systems in rodents. The observed trade‐off between respiratory efficiency and olfactory capacity suggests how multiple selective forces may shape anatomical specialization in response to environmental challenges. These findings provide new insights into functional constraints governing nasal evolution, proposing a framework for interpreting ecological adaptations in caviomorphs. Our study illustrates how integrating quantitative morphometrics with ecological data can elucidate complex structure–function relationships in mammalian anatomy.
Journals
2026 EN
Bishop P. J. · Pierce S. E.
Abstract Locomotor evolution in synapsids involved numerous functional shifts associated with the transition from sprawled to erect limb postures on the line to therian mammals. Given that bone structure frequently reflects functional requirements, this study investigated evolutionary changes in synapsid humerus and femur proportions as a lens to evaluate functional shifts through time. A total of 936 bones were measured, representing 330 species across the full 320+ million years of synapsid history. This dataset was used to test whether transformations in stylopod proportions are consistent with inferred changes in bone loading mechanics, alignment of joint and muscle forces, muscular control of the shoulder and hip, and differential support of body weight by the fore‐ and hindlimbs. As variation in bone dimensions may also correlate with bone or body size, this study first developed a novel approach for calculating species‐specific, size‐corrected measures of bone proportions. By disentangling the effect of body size from functional signals recorded in bone geometry, this then enabled a node‐to‐node appraisal of how bone allometry itself evolved through time. Ancestral state reconstruction of size‐corrected stylopod proportions reveals trends that broadly support many hypothesized shifts in locomotor biomechanics along the therian stem lineage. However, patterns of transformation are frequently complex, suggesting functional mosaicism, and stylopod proportions that typify therians as a whole are often not achieved until crown Theria itself. Several instances of temporary trend reversal are also inferred, particularly within non‐mammalian cynodonts, indicating greater functional or ecological diversification in this group.