Search Results (1,158)

Background/Objectives: Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s Wort) is extensively utilized in ethnopharmacology due to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. However, its effects on the interaction between innate immunity and oxidative homeostasis remain incompletely characterized, particularly in alternative invertebrate models. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of H. perforatum extract on oxidative homeostasis and protein metabolism using the Galleria mellonella model, a 3R-compliant and ethically sustainable platform for preliminary immunological and redox-related screening. Methods: Last instar G. mellonella larvae were administered increasing concentrations of H. perforatum extract (0.001–20 mg mL⁻¹) by intrahemocoelic injection. After 24 h, hemolymph samples were analyzed for total protein (TP), total hemocyte count (THC), encapsulation and melanization responses, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The phytochemical profile of the extract was additionally evaluated using GC–MS analysis. Results: Significant group-dependent alterations were observed in TP levels and THC values, with the HP-2 group demonstrating the highest hemocyte counts and enhanced strong encapsulation responses. Higher extract concentrations, particularly HP-4, were associated with increased weak encapsulation profiles, suggesting altered cellular immune organization. Melanization responses became significantly elevated at 24 h following treatment. In contrast, SOD activity, CAT activity, and MDA levels did not differ significantly among groups, indicating preservation of oxidative homeostasis under the tested conditions. Conclusions: H. perforatum extract induced dose-dependent modulation of cellular and humoral immune responses in G. mellonella without evidence of detectable oxidative disruption during acute exposure. These findings support the utility of the G. mellonella model for preliminary evaluation of botanical immunomodulators and suggest that H. perforatum may influence immunophysiological pathways independently of overt oxidative toxicity. Full article

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into education across all sectors has prompted a proliferating body of scholarship addressing the ethical, social, and environmental implications of these technologies. This narrative literature review synthesises international empirical, conceptual, and policy literature published between 2022 and 2026 to trace the evolving story of ethical concerns surrounding GenAI in education. Drawing on the moral philosophy of consequentialism, particularly the utilitarian ethics of John Stuart Mill, the review analyses six interconnected domains of ethical concern: environmental sustainability and the carbon footprint of AI infrastructure; algorithmic bias, ideological encoding, and the reproduction of misinformation; user dependency and the erosion of learner agency; the displacement of critical and creative thinking; data privacy and surveillance; and the orientation of major GenAI platforms toward profit-driven and capitalistic outcomes. Unlike systematic reviews that privilege methodological replicability, this narrative review foregrounds interpretive synthesis, tracing how the ethical discourse has shifted from early alarm and prohibition toward more nuanced frameworks for responsible integration. The review identifies a consequentialist tension at the heart of the debate: while GenAI offers measurable benefits in personalisation, accessibility, and efficiency, these gains must be weighed against distributed harms that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, the natural environment, and the epistemic foundations of education itself. The review concludes with a set of guidelines for the ethical use of GenAI in educational contexts, grounded in the literature synthesised in the article. Full article

The biblical commentaries of Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444) represent a major contribution to the development of patristic exegesis. His Commentary on the Gospel of John demonstrates the close interaction between Christological theology, allegorical interpretation, and ecclesial polemic within late antique biblical interpretation. While Cyril’s exegesis has often been praised for its theological sophistication, modern scholarship increasingly recognizes that his interpretive framework also contains a pronounced anti-Judaic dimension. This study examines several key passages from Cyril’s Commentary on the Gospel of John in order to analyse how typology, supersessionist theology, and polemical rhetoric function together in his interpretation. Particular attention is given to Cyril’s portrayal of Jewish ignorance, his attribution of responsibility for the death of Christ, and his typological reinterpretation of Jewish law and history. The analysis demonstrates that Cyril integrates anti-Jewish rhetoric into a broader theological system in which the Mosaic law is presented as a provisional anticipation fulfilled in Christ and realized in the Christian Church. Full article

This study investigates physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal effects of St. John’s wort (JW) oil on gelatin-based films for potential biomedical applications as there is limited research on gelatin biomaterials containing JW oil as sole bioactive component. Transparent films were fabricated at gelatin:JW oil ratios of 20:0, 20:1, 20:5 (w/w) designated as JW-0, JW-1, JW-2, respectively, via solution casting. Gas chromatography revealed that JW oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, predominantly linoleic and oleic acids, while FTIR confirmed their successful integration into the gelatin matrix through the fatty acid peak at 1743 cm⁻¹. Oil droplets, increasing with oil content was shown by SEM. JW oil improved water durability by reducing water aging by up to 8%. JW oil acted as a plasticizer, raising elongation at break (EAB) from 188% in JW-0 to 231% and 209% in JW-1 and JW-2, respectively. DSC indicated a higher T_max in JW-1 (116 °C) compared to JW-2 (110 °C), evidencing better thermal stability. In conclusion, JW oil can be effectively incorporated into gelatin as a single active component. Specifically, JW-1 formulation achieved an optimal balance between mechanical and structural integrity, flexibility, and thermal stability, underscoring its potential as a cost-effective, bioactive wound dressing material. Full article

This paper develops a systems theoretical account of democracy as an emergent equilibrium ecosystem within complex evolutionary adaptive systems rather than a purely institutional or normative construct. Drawing on general systems and complexity theories, it argues that democratic stability depends on maintaining balance across economic, security, and informational domains. The Industrial Revolution illustrates how technological and economic transformations simultaneously enabled democratic expansion and generated instability. This paper’s central contribution is to conceptualize the technological revolutions (e.g., Industrial and AI) as an entropic force that accelerates systemic instability through inequality, amplifications (e.g., mass and algorithmic media), and informational fragmentation (e.g., polarization and radicalization). In response, democratic resilience is reframed as integration (economic, governance/security, and informational/social) and harm reduction, both of which serve as adaptive mechanisms within complex evolutionary systems. Democracy is thus understood not as a fixed institutional form but as a dynamic, fragile, evolutionary equilibrium continuously shaped by technological and entropic systemic pressures. Full article

The Gospel of John’s engagement with the Book of Exodus has been interpreted primarily through Moses–Christ typology: Jesus as the new Moses who surpasses his predecessor. This study proposes a different reading. The governing principle of John’s Exodus hermeneutics is not Moses–Christ correspondence but YHWH–Christ identification: in each major Exodus correspondence, Jesus occupies the structural position Exodus assigns to YHWH, not Moses. The study proposes the term mnemosynic identification for this hermeneutical move, derived from μνημόσυνον (Exod 12:14 LXX), the word designating the Passover as Israel’s perpetual memorial. John does not cite Exodus as a prophetic text pointing forward to Jesus; within the community’s living re-enactment of Exodus, he discloses the identity of the divine protagonist at its centre. This identification is ontological, grounded in the pre-existence established by the Prologue, but its disclosure is sequential, enacted across the ministry and reaching its fulfilment in the glorification. Correspondences are established by three criteria: narrative position, role distribution, and lexical precision. They run from the Prologue to the resurrection commission, encompassing the Passover framework, wilderness episodes, and Sinai covenant. Throughout, Moses appears as mediator and witness but never as the figure whose position Jesus assumes. That position belongs to God. Full article

Objective: Electrocorticography can serve as an intraoperative research tool during deep brain stimulation procedure, when patients are awake to participate in behavioral tasks or to allow recordings while awake but at rest. This report aims to describe the electrocorticography methods used in awake patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery at a single center and to describe the feasibility, safety, and usefulness of high-density electrocorticography for capturing high-resolution neurophysiological data during deep brain stimulation surgery. We hypothesize that the use of high-density electrocorticography and multi-subject integration of cortical data enables improved spatial resolution and data analysis compared to prior studies employing lower-density electrodes and primarily single-subject analyses. Methods: Data were obtained from patients undergoing awake deep brain stimulation surgery for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor at Johns Hopkins Hospital between March 2022 and September 2024. Electrophysiological and anatomical data were analyzed, with localization in the anterior commissure and posterior commissure and Montreal Neurological Institute coordinate systems. Surgical complications were monitored for at least six months postoperatively. Results: Thirty-six patients (26 with Parkinson’s disease, 10 with essential tremor) were enrolled in the study. In one case, anatomical placement was inadequate for neurophysiological analysis. Postoperative complications included three infections (8.3%) and one chronic subdural hematoma (2.8%), with no permanent neurological deficits. Observed complication rates were within the range reported in the literature for standard deep brain stimulation surgeries without electrocorticography. Anatomical and neurophysiological analysis demonstrated high-resolution cortical mapping. Multiple-subject level analysis using high-density electrocorticography yielded over 1300 electrode positions. Conclusions: Electrocorticography during deep brain stimulation is a valuable research method for movement disorders and, based on a moderate sized consecutive clinic sample, appears safe with risks no greater than those associated with DBS surgery itself. Full article

This study explores the formation of diaspora worship among the English-speaking exile community in Geneva during the mid-sixteenth century and its decisive role in shaping the theological and political identity of the Second Reformation. By examining the leadership of John Knox and the compilation of The Forme of Prayers (1556), the research investigates how the experience of displacement facilitated a radical departure from the liturgical compromises of the Church of England. The study begins by analyzing the “troubles” at Frankfurt (1554–1555), where the conflict between the “Prayer Book party” and the “Geneva faction” catalyzed the adoption of the Regulative Principle of Worship as a defensive mechanism for faith. It then evaluates the socio-ecclesiastical institutionalization of the community in Geneva, as evidenced by the Livre des Anglois, and the theological framework of their resulting liturgy. Key elements (including covenantal confession based on the “remnant” identity, the sacraments as “visible Word,” and the pedagogical function of metrical psalmody) are analyzed as paradigms for religious identity construction within a refugee context. Furthermore, the paper traces the intellectual output of this diaspora, such as the Geneva Bible and radical resistance theory, which provided the theological blueprint for the “Genevanization” of Scotland and the emergence of Elizabethan Puritanism. Ultimately, this research presents the Genevan exile experience as a sophisticated model of “diaspora faith,” demonstrating how marginalized religious communities utilize theological innovation, institutional autonomy, and media technology to transform from the periphery into a central force of historical and political change. Full article

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a promising alternative fuel for compression ignition (CI) engines due to its potential to simultaneously reduce nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and particulate matter (PM) emissions while maintaining diesel-equivalent power. However, its combustion behavior under varying injection timing and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) conditions remains insufficiently characterized for practical calibration. This study investigates the combustion, emissions, and performance of DME relative to diesel using a fully instrumented John Deere 6068CI550 single-cylinder research engine modified for high-pressure common-rail DME operation. Baseline tests were conducted at three ISO 8178 C1 steady-state modes with matched combustion phasing, load, and EGR to isolate fuel property effects. Injection timing and EGR sweeps were then performed at 1600 rpm and 50% load. Results show that DME produces 10–35% lower NO_x and orders-of-magnitude lower PM than diesel while maintaining comparable thermal efficiency. DME exhibits a single-stage premixed heat release structure with reduced peak apparent heat release rates and 4–5° shorter combustion durations than diesel. Stable combustion was sustained up to 55% EGR, beyond which incomplete combustion increased carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (THC), and fuel consumption. Optimal low-emission operation occurred near CA50 ≈ 16° ATDC and EGR levels of 30–40%. These findings demonstrate DME’s ability to mitigate the traditional diesel NO_x–PM tradeoff and support its viability as a low-emission CI fuel. Full article

Over the last forty years British Methodism has moved increasingly toward becoming an inclusive Church. Indeed, today, the concept of inclusion may accurately be described as a hallmark of British Methodism. However, while the Methodist Conference has formally identified principles governing its practice in this area there has been limited discussion as to how far these developments cohere with the church’s doctrinal standards which are officially related to John Wesley’s writings. This paper explores the continuity and discontinuity between Wesley’s theology and the commitment to inclusion characteristic of his spiritual descendants. In particular, it probes Wesley’s actual practice in relation to the admission and expulsion of members and evaluates whether or not his conception of holiness really serves as a warrant for the conception of inclusion, practically operative in contemporary British Methodism. In exploring these questions the paper explores whether or not John Wesley really was as Inclusive as contemporary British Methodists imagine. Full article

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with altered membrane lipids, but the causal species remain uncertain. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) on lipidomic GWAS data and the latest MDD meta-analysis (~400,000 cases; 1.5 million controls), we identified 49 lipid species linked to MDD risk, notably enriched for phosphatidylcholines. Protective lipids were enriched for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (20:3–20:5), whereas shorter-chain or less unsaturated species, particularly 18:2-containing lipids, increased risk. These associations were also observed in a subset of clinically assessed MDD cases. Colocalization supported shared causal variants between many lipid traits and MDD, prominently at the FADS1/2 locus and additional loci, suggesting multiple entry points into lipid metabolism that differ partly from bipolar disorder. MR-implicated lipid shifts overlapped with cortisol-induced changes in a human cell stress model and were often reversed by co-treatment with St. John’s wort extract (Ze 117). Cholesteryl ester 20:3 emerged as a robust candidate marker, showing protective MR effects in two cohorts, colocalizing genetic support, normalization by Ze 117, and an inverse correlation with depressive symptom severity in a non-clinical sample. Together, these results define a depression-associated lipidomic signature centered on polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism with biomarker and therapeutic potential. Full article

Cognitive load theory-informed curriculum design in health sciences education refers to the purposeful organisation of teaching strategies and learning materials based on the principles of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), a framework developed by John Sweller in the late 1980s. CLT is grounded in cognitive psychology and recognises that the working memory has a limited capacity for processing new information. It identifies three types of cognitive load: intrinsic load, which refers to the inherent complexity of the material being learned; extraneous load, which results from ineffective instructional design or irrelevant information; and germane load, which reflects the mental effort directed toward understanding, integrating, and organising information into long-term memory. In health sciences education, students frequently engage with tasks that require the simultaneous processing of multiple interacting elements, placing high demands on working memory at specific points in time. This includes foundational biomedical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology extending to applied clinical skills, diagnostic reasoning under uncertainty, health service management within complex systems, and ethically grounded decision-making. Without thoughtful instructional design, learners may be overwhelmed by excessive information and cognitive demands, which can hinder understanding, retention, and performance. Applying CLT-informed strategies, educators can reduce unnecessary cognitive burden, sequence learning activities to align with learners’ cognitive capacity, and promote deeper learning. This approach supports more effective knowledge acquisition and transfer and is particularly valuable in content dense academic environments such as medicine, nursing, allied health education, public health and health service management education. Therefore, integrating CLT-informed principles into curriculum design can help optimise learning experiences and support the development of competent health professionals. Full article

Background: Labial adhesion in adult women is a rare condition characterized by the complete or partial fusion of the labia minora. According to a 2024 literature review, only 112 cases have been documented over a 38-year period. Methods: We performed a retrospective study, analyzing the files of all patients admitted to the Plastic Surgery Department of “Saint John” Hospital in Bucharest, Romania, over the last 12 years for any cases of labial adhesion. From the medical files, we summarized demographic data, clinical presentation, risk factors, comorbidities, surgical findings, outcomes, follow-up and histopathology results. During the investigated period, we identified three patients admitted to our hospital with labial adhesion with ages between 67 and 79 years. All of them had complete labial fusion with symptomatic complications at the time of diagnosis, and all three required surgery. Tissue samples were collected from all selected patients and sent for histopathological examination, which highlighted several different types of changes. All three cases had a follow-up period of one year. Conclusions: Labial coalescence in adult women is a rare condition more commonly associated with the postmenopausal period. All patients presented with complete labial coalescence, making surgical intervention necessary as topical therapy was not an option. Histopathological examination was crucial to confirm the diagnosis. These results provide important clinical insights and contribute to the limited literature on this rare condition. Full article

This paper introduces a comparative analysis of urban housing conflicts across eight major Canadian cities, Toronto, Vancouver, Québec, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, St. John’s, and Halifax, over a 20-year period. Using Large Language Models (LLMs), we implement a structured workflow to extract, classify, and organize more than one thousand conflict instances from diverse textual sources, including municipal reports, media archives, and non-governmental organization publications. The methodological contribution lies in demonstrating how an LLM-assisted pipeline, combining schema-based extraction, prompt perturbation, and a two-phase calibration procedure, can generate structured, multi-city conflict datasets while addressing challenges such as output homogenization and sensitivity to prompt design. The findings highlight both shared national tendencies and city-specific configurations with post-2020 conflicts intensifying. Overall, the study proposes a transparent workflow for applying LLMs to conflict-related text analysis and offers an exploratory overview of the spatial, temporal, and semantic regularities of housing conflicts in Canadian cities. Full article

England’s population is living longer, a sign of progress and better health, but adult social care (ASC) services must adapt to support a growing number of older residents, who may need help to remain independent, safe, and well. Kent County Council (KCC), in South East England, projects a 28% and 53% increase in its residents aged 65+ and 85+, respectively, over the next decade. This study aimed to inform the development of KCC’s ASC Prevention Framework using a System Dynamics Modelling (SDM) approach to evaluate the impact of preventive interventions on ASC demand and expenditure. Using linked local health and social care data and the Johns Hopkins ACG® tool, the 1.3 million adult population was stratified into Patient Needs Groups. Analyses showed that higher ASC costs were associated with being older females, living alone, deprivation, and frailty-related indicators such as dementia, history of falls, etc. Around 28% of older adults aged 65+ accounted for 80% of ASC costs within that cohort, and related scenario testing projected a 48% rise in ASC costs over 10 years without interventions, moderated to 33% with targeted prevention. These findings demonstrate the value of integrated data and modelling to inform strategic, prevention-focused ASC planning. Full article