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The African Early Pleistocene is a time of evolutionary change and techno-behavioral innovation in human prehistory that sees the advent of our own genus, Homo, from earlier australopithecine ancestors by 2.8-2.3 million years ago. This was followed by the origin and dispersal of Homo erectus sensu lato across Africa and Eurasia between ~ 2.0 and 1.1 Ma and the emergence of both large-brained (e.g., Bodo, Kabwe) and small-brained (e.g., H. naledi) lineages in the Middle Pleistocene of Africa. Here we present a newly reconstructed face of the DAN5/P1 cranium from Gona, Ethiopia (1.6-1.5 Ma) that, in conjunction with the cranial vault, is a mostly complete Early Pleistocene Homo cranium from the Horn of Africa. Morphometric analyses demonstrate a combination of H. erectus-like cranial traits and basal Homo-like facial and dental features combined with a small brain size in DAN5/P1. The presence of such a morphological mosaic contemporaneous with or postdating the emergence of the indisputable H. erectus craniodental complex around 1.6 Ma implies an intricate evolutionary transition from early Homo to H. erectus. This finding also supports a long persistence of small-brained, plesiomorphic Homo group(s) alongside other Homo groups that experienced continued encephalization through the Early to Middle Pleistocene of Africa. © The Author(s) 2025.

There has been a decline in the age at which girls experience menarche worldwide. Research suggests that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals is linked to negative health consequences, including early onset of menarche. This systematic review examined the association between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and the early onset of menarche. Comprehensive searches of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were conducted to find relevant studies published from inception to November 2024. Exposure to certain EDCs, such as particulate matter and phthalates, showed significant associations with earlier menarche onset, while exposure to other EDCs (e.g., pyrethroids) was linked to delayed menarche timing. Overall, there were mixed findings in the relationships between various EDC exposures and menarche onset. Few studies investigated how exposure to EDCs and early menarche differed by race and ethnicity. This underscores the need for more studies that examine the relationship between early menarche onset and exposure to endocrine-disrupting substances. Education and policy approaches are also warranted to address this issue. © 2025 by the authors.

Purpose – Equally male/female-owned businesses have been a part of the United States (US) economy and provide a platform for female entrepreneurs, yet these businesses have been understudied in today’s literature. This study examines trends in the performance of equally male/female-owned firms and compares them to female-owned and male-owned businesses. In addition, through social role theory, factors beyond gender are discussed to explain the potential differences in firm performance among various firm ownership groups. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses eight years of US Census data to analyze annual trends and average firm performance for equally male/female-owned, female-owned, and male-owned firms. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to compare the means of the firm performance variables by each ownership group, followed by Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference (HSD) test to assess the significance of differences. Findings – The findings reveal that equally male/female-owned firms perform similarly to female-owned firms, both of which significantly underperform in sales, productivity, and pay when compared to male-owned businesses. This interesting outcome indicates that the presence of a male co-owner does not automatically translate to an increased firm performance and that factors beyond gender influence the trajectory of these businesses. Additionally, the large presence of family-owned firms within the sample of equally male/female-owned firms sheds new insight into family business literature and helps explain the comparable performance patterns with those of female-owned firms. More specifically, both ownership groups, equally male/female-owned and female-owned firms, likely prioritize nonfinancial goals, such as family and work-life integration, potentially at the expense of firm performance. Originality/value – This study is one of few to date that investigates a third firm ownership category in the US market, the equally male/female-owned firms, and compares them based on average performance to two previously studied groups, male-owned and female-owned firms. This article contributes to the body of knowledge by providing insight into the performance of equally male/female-owned businesses through the underpinnings of social role theory, as well as important implications for gender, female entrepreneurship, equal ownership, and family business policy and practice. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited

Background: While maximum isometric pressure (MIP) is widely used in clinical and research settings, reduced lingual swallow pressure (LSP) has been observed in patients with dysphagia and in older healthy adults. However, limited evidence exists on the test–retest reliability of LSP across different bolus consistencies. Objective: This study assessed the test–retest reliability of LSP measurements in both younger and older adults with healthy swallowing function to identify factors influencing oral swallowing pressure. Methods: Participants 18–40 years (younger) and 60+ years (older) were assessed across four separate sessions. Bolus types included trials of saliva, thin, mildly thick and extremely thick water, randomised across study visits. Two-way mixed effects models with absolute agreement were used to calculate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and evaluate test–retest reliability of LSP for each swallow type (regular or effortful) and bolus type. Linear mixed effects regression modelling was used to examine the factors influencing LSP. Results: A total of 51 participants were included. Test–retest reliability for LSP ranged from good to excellent across both groups (ICC = 0.79–0.98). Reliability was non-significantly higher in the older group (ICC = 0.96) and during effortful swallows (ICC = 0.94). Effort level significantly influenced LSP estimates, with effortful swallows producing about 1.83 times more lingual pressure than regular swallows. There were no significant effects of age, sex, or bolus type on LSP. Conclusion: These findings suggest that LSP measurements are reliable across measurement time points in nondysphagic participants, regardless of age, effort level, or bolus type. Only swallow effort level significantly influenced LSP estimates. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The rapid growth of technology has brought about many advantages, but has also made networks more susceptible to security threats. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) play a vital role in protecting computer networks against malicious activities. Given the dynamic and constantly evolving nature of cyber threats, these systems must continuously adapt to maintain their effectiveness. Machine Learning (ML) methods have gained prominence as effective tools for constructing IDS that offer both high accuracy and efficiency. This study conducts a performance assessment of several machine learning classifiers, including Random Forests (RF), Decision Trees (DT), and Support Vector Machines (SVM), in addressing multiclass intrusion detection as a means to counter cybersecurity threats. The NSL-KDD dataset, which includes various network attacks, served as the basis for our experimental evaluation. The research explores two classification scenarios: a five-class and a three-class model, analyzing their impact on detection performance. The results demonstrate that RF consistently achieves the highest accuracy (85.42%) on the three-class scenario testing set, highlighting its effectiveness in handling patterns and non-linear relationships within the intrusion data. Furthermore, reducing the classification complexity (three classes vs. five classes) significantly improves model generalization, as evidenced by the reduced performance gap between training and testing data. Friedman’s rank test and Holm’s post-hoc analysis were applied to ensure statistical rigor, confirming that RF outperforms DT and SVM in all evaluation metrics. These findings establish RF as the most robust classifier for intrusion detection and underscore the importance of simplifying classification tasks for improved IDS performance. © (2025), (Science Publications). All rights reserved.

In a Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), the fundamental building blocks of matter, quarks and gluons, are under extreme conditions of temperature and density. A QGP could exist in the early stages of the Universe, and in various objects and events in the cosmos. The thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties of the QGP are described by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and can be studied in heavy-ion collisions. Despite being a key thermodynamic parameter, the QGP temperature is still poorly known. Thermal lepton pairs (e+e− and μ+μ−) are ideal penetrating probes of the true temperature of the emitting source, since their invariant-mass spectra suffer neither from strong final-state interactions nor from blue-shift effects due to rapid expansion. Here we measure the QGP temperature using thermal e+e− production at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The average temperature from the low-mass region (in-medium ρ0 vector-meson dominant) is (2.01 ± 0.23) × 1012 K, consistent with the chemical freeze-out temperature from statistical models and the phase transition temperature from Lattice QCD. The average temperature from the intermediate mass region (above the ρ0 mass, QGP dominant) is significantly higher at (3.25 ± 0.60) × 1012 K. This work provides essential experimental thermodynamic measurements to map out the QCD phase diagram and understand the properties of matter under extreme conditions. © The Author(s) 2025.

Purpose: In young women with obesity, we sought to explore their: (1) psychosocial health; (2) perceptions of their and engagement in current health behaviors; (2) motivation to change their health behaviors; and (3) desired characteristics of a health behavior intervention. Approach: Convergent-parallel mixed methods study. Setting: Focus groups were conducted over zoom. Participants: 34 young women with obesity (M ± SD; age = 23.79 ± 4.22 years; BMI = 35.66 ± 5.56 kg/m2 ; 41.2% non-Hispanic White). Method: Quantitative data were collected via Qualtrics prior to focus groups. We conducted 8 semi-structured focus groups (2-7 participants per group; 32-93 minutes) to address the pre-specified objectives. Results: Participants reported poor psychosocial health, with 100% meeting the cut-point indicative of significant depressive symptoms and 79.4% for clinically meaningful anxiety. Participants expressed the interconnectedness of their physical and mental health and desire to improve consistency in their eating and physical activity behaviors. However, participants did not want to emphasize weight loss as the primary focus of a health behavior intervention. Preferences for the characteristics of a health behavior intervention were in support of a hybrid format, with in-person meetings focusing on active engagement (e.g., cooking classes). Conclusions: Our findings support shifting the focus from a weight-normative to a weight inclusive approach to health behavior interventions to meet the needs and preferences of young women with obesity. © The Author(s) 2025

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. It is a serious disease caused by a disruption of blood flow in the brain resulting from either blockage of blood flow to the brain (ischemic stroke) or sudden bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Stroke survivors experience more sleep disorders than the general population. Sleep disorders could also increase the risk of stroke even in individuals who have no history of stroke. Obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia are the most common sleep disorders associated with increased risk of stroke. Long sleep duration (≥9 h/day) and circadian rhythm changes have also been linked to an increased risk of stroke. This chapter summarizes the current evidence on the relationship between sleep disorders and stroke. © 2025 Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

In early 2024, news coverage of squatter occupations in the borough of Queens led to amending the legal definition of ‘tenant’ in New York. Those media reports suggest that the practice of squatting is a growing menace and that those most threatened are the housed. I argue that the coverage documents and contributes to what political theorist Isabell Lorey terms ‘precarization’, a neoliberal process that produces insecurity as ‘a central preoccupation of the subject’, and that the materiality and affective centrality of the house amplify that preoccupation with insecurity. The alleged threat is credible in part because squatting has a history of disrupting housing as a market phenomenon in New York City. This essay examines two graphic narratives from an earlier era of cultural panic about squatters. Both Seth Tobocman’s War in the Neighborhood (2000) and Fly’s CHRON!IC!RIOTS!PA!SM! (1998) represent the practice of ‘staying put’ as a rejection of the security promised by finance capital, thus depicting squatting as a compelling form of unhousing. Both texts call out the false promises of security and locate potential in and for what Stefano Harney and Fred Moten call ‘bad debt’. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

We report measurements of ϒ(1S), ϒ(2S) and ϒ(3S) production in p + p collisions at √s = 500 GeV ffiffi by the STAR experiment in year 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity Lint = 13 pb−1. The results provide precise cross sections, transverse momentum (pT) and rapidity (y) spectra, as well as cross section ratios for pT < 10 GeV=c and |y| < 1. The dependence of the ϒ yield on charged particle multiplicity has also been measured, offering new insights into the mechanisms of quarkonium production. The data are compared to various theoretical models: the color evaporation model (CEM) accurately describes the ϒ(1S) production, while the color glass condensate + nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics (CGC + NRQCD) model overestimates the data, particularly at low pT. Conversely, the color singlet model (CSM) underestimates the rapidity dependence. These discrepancies highlight the need for further development in understanding the production dynamics of heavy quarkonia in high-energy hadronic collisions. The trend in the multiplicity dependence is consistent with CGC/saturation and string percolation models or ϒ production happening in multiple parton interactions modeled by PYTHIA8. © 2025 American Physical Society

The Restorative Masculine Integration Theory (RMIT) introduces a strengths-based, systems-oriented framework for promoting healthy masculinity through healing, leadership, and relational engagement. Developed in response to the adverse effects of masculine suppression, such as emotional disengagement, burnout, and polarity collapse, RMIT outlines a five-phase Cycle of Masculine Restoration: reclaimed masculinity, emotional safety and trust, grounded leadership, rebalanced gender polarity, and healing with cultural renewal. These stages are underpinned by core concepts including psychological safety, peer mentorship, emotional literacy, and authentic masculinity. Drawing from interdisciplinary foundations in gender studies, emotional intelligence, trauma-informed practice, polarity theory, and servant leadership, RMIT offers an adaptable framework for use across clinical, educational, organizational, and policy settings. Its alignment with the MANifest Health Theory further strengthens its applicability in men’s health promotion. This manuscript elaborates the theory’s conceptual development, visual model, and practical implications, while identifying future directions for empirical validation and inclusive application. RMIT advances a timely and restorative model for transforming masculine identity into a source of individual and collective resilience © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

This study analyzes nationwide micro-survey data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2018 to assess the impact of home care and medical insurance on the health of older people in China, using factors that influence healthcare utilization. Applying the Andersen model, the findings reveal: (1) Home care and medical service use are complementary, increasing inpatient service utilization and total medical costs. (2) The effect varies by insurance type. Under the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme, home care raises inpatient service use and costs. Under Urban Employee/Resident Medical Insurance, home care has no statistically significant impact. Under Public Medical Care for Civil Servants, home care reduces inpatient service use, suggesting substitution. (3) Age-related patterns differ across programs, with the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme showing declining utilization, the Urban Employee/Resident Medical Insurance exhibiting a diminishing increase, and the Public Medical Care for Civil Servants indicating potential overuse. The Chinese government should consider restructuring its national medical insurance programs and promoting the substitutive effect of home care to enhance the well-being and social security of the aging population. © International Atlantic Economic Society 2025.

Nasopharyngoscopy is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure that allows visual observation and analysis of the velopharyngeal mechanism during speech. It can be used to assess both anatomic and physiologic abnormalities of the velopharyngeal valve. In cases of suspected velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), nasopharyngoscopy is particularly useful in determining the size, location, and cause of the velopharyngeal opening. This information is very important for surgical planning. Nasopharyngoscopy is also useful in the assessment of secondary surgery that was done for VPI. It can help determine the need for revision and the type of revision surgery that is most likely to be successful. The purpose of the chapter is to explain how nasopharyngoscopy is used in the evaluation of velopharyngeal function. This chapter includes specific tips for achieving a successful examination in children as young as age 3. Finally, important observations from nasopharyngoscopy are described. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

This qualitative study compares the perspectives of educators on students with refugee experiences across school contexts in Germany and the United States. Drawing from qualitative data, including teacher interviews and focus group discussions, the paper contextualizes educators’ perspectives within each nation’s unique sociopolitical and educational landscapes. The findings include the impact of Germany’s tracked education system on educator perspectives and reliance on traditional practices that hinder upward mobility for refugees, while the educators’ perspectives in the U.S. are often constrained by standardized curricula and lack of cohesive federal policies. In light of the study’s findings, we call for systemic reforms, including diversifying the teacher workforce and developing a unified global refugee education framework to ensure equitable education for refugees globally. © Copyright © 2025 by the National Association for Multicultural Education.

This research project was an exploratory mixed method study that explored risk and protective factors associated with Black women’s experiences with perinatal suicidal ideations. The sample included adult women who identified as Black and had experienced suicidal thoughts during pregnancy or postpartum (n = 9). Participants completed an electronic survey consisting of 54 total questions and the 30-item Racial Trauma Scale (RTS). Through their responses, most respondents reported being worried about a loved one’s safety and feeling that the world is unsafe. The respondents also felt that healthcare neglects the needs of Black women. The implications of these findings for clinical social work are that racism and discrimination create chronic stress upon Black pregnant women and their providers, resulting in poor health outcomes and stressful service delivery interactions. Therefore, improved screening and communication between providers and patients will have a positive impact on perinatal mental health in the Black community. © W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute 2025.

As mobile technology becomes integral to everyday life, libraries rework their services to meet the needs of their users. Advancing library services for mobile users requires seamless, intuitive experiences that support research, learning, and engagement. From mobile-friendly catalogs and e-book pla...

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading global cause of death, making early detection essential. While coronary angiography is the diagnostic gold standard, its invasive nature poses risks, and non-invasive symptom-based methods often lack accuracy. Machine learning-powered computer-aided diagnostic systems can effectively address challenges in clinical decisionmaking. This work presents an Evolutionary Strategy-optimized Support Vector Machine (ES-SVM) model for classifying CHD based on non-invasive test results and patient characteristics. Using the Coronary Heart Disease dataset, the proposed ESSVM demonstrated significant precision and F1-scores, as well as the accuracy of the proposed model. The results indicate that SVM performance can be significantly enhanced through evolutionary hyperparameter tuning, resulting in a reliable, noninvasive diagnostic tool for initial CAD screening and supporting early intervention techniques. © 2025 IEEE.