פרסומים

Effectively shaping human and animal behavior is of great practical and theoretical importance. Here we ask whether quantitative models of choice can be used to achieve this goal more effectively than qualitative psychological principles. We term this approach, which is motivated by the effectiveness of engineering in the natural sciences, ‘choice engineering’. To address this question, we launched an academic competition, in which teams of academic competitors used either quantitative models or qualitative principles to design reward schedules that would maximally bias the choices of experimental participants in a repeated, two-alternative task. We found that a choice engineering approach is the most successful method for shaping behavior in our task. This is a proof of concept that quantitative models are ripe to be used in order to engineer behavior. Finally, we show that choice engineering can be effectively used to compare models in the cognitive sciences, thus providing an alternative to the standard statistical methods of model comparison that are based on likelihood or explained variance.

Hatchability rates in broilers pose a significant challenge in the poultry industry. Despite advancements in breeding and incubation technology, hatch rates remain suboptimal due to factors like genetics, egg management, environmental stress, nutrition, and breeder age. Understanding the mechanisms behind compromised hatchability is crucial for improving broiler production. Since the embryonic phase accounts for ∼40% of a broiler's lifespan, poor embryonic development significantly contributes to malformations and mortality, adversely affecting both hatching and post-hatching performance. The foundations for proper embryogenesis are established within the first days of incubation during the formation of the three-germ layers and onset of organogenesis. These early days are critical, as malformations acquired during this period may severely affect growth and development of both the embryo and the hatchling chick. However, understanding of the types and prevalence of early embryonic malformations in broiler eggs remains incomplete. Here we present a novel tool for categorizing abnormalities in 3-day-old broiler embryos through a standardized classification system. Systematic mapping of malformation types and severities was conducted using light microscopy combined with High-Resolution Episcopic Microscopy (HREM), resulting in a new 'malformation atlas.' This detailed atlas identified various abnormalities, including lethal defects, axis duplications, neural tube and cardiovascular malformations, growth retardation, and head malposition, many of which are difficult to detect in young stages with traditional methods. To validate this classification tool, we next analyzed the impact of various egg management practices, such as storage and incubation conditions, on malformation types and prevalence in embryos from young and old breeding flocks. The atlas revealed significant variations in the types and occurrences of malformations, influenced by flock age and egg managements. Our findings highlight the value of implementing a novel malformation categorization tool for systematic understanding of poultry embryology. This knowledge could help reduce malformations, enhancing hatchability and improving broiler production efficiency.

This article discusses the changing understanding and practice of autofiction in the broader cultural context of the transformations of lived reality, the media landscape, and ways of writing and reading life stories. Originally defined as an autobiographical narrative breaking the conventions of classical autobiography, autofiction and its meaning change as notions of autobiography and the autobiographical loosen. The article suggests that a signaled autofictional intent and deliberate ambiguity of framing are important markers of contemporary autofiction. The second part of the article analyzes the strategies of such signaling in Czech writer Jan Němec’s Ways of Writing about Love (2019). It demonstrates how this work underlines the performative nature of self-representation by commenting on the process of self-narration and self-invention as well as by enacting a patchwork identity through inserting other texts and playful touches into the narrative. By allowing new media to influence the form of the book and by transcending the boundaries of the text to continue his self-performance in other media, Němec probes the possibilities not just of “writing about love” but also of performing the self. The work thus exemplifies autofiction’s tendency to respond to sociocultural developments, including changing patterns of life storytelling.

 

December 2024: Zuzana Fonioková is Assistant Professor in the Department of Czech Literature, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Her research interests include narrative theory, life writing, autofiction, and autobiographical comics. She is author of Kazuo Ishiguro and Max Frisch: Bending Facts in Unreliable and Unnatural Narration (2015) and Od autobiografie k autofikci: Narativní strategie vyprávění o vlastním životě (From autobiography to autofiction: Narrative strategies of life narratives, 2024). She is co-editor of Narrative Inquiry special issue “Life Storytelling across Media and Contexts” (2025).

Of the various chrono-stratigraphic entities of the Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant, the Middle Chalcolithic period (ca. 5300–4700 BCE) is the most poorly defined, with most of the relevant data coming from Tel Tsaf. While excavations at Tel Tsaf in the last two decades provide valuable information concerning the site’s upper occupational levels, the earlier strata and their material culture are still unknown. Past excavations focused on the later stage of the site’s occupation, leaving unanswered questions concerning the transition from the Early to the Middle Chalcolithic period. In order to shed new light on this topic, the current paper presents the results of the renewed research project, which focuses on the earliest occupational levels at Tel Tsaf, coinciding with the onset of the Middle Chalcolithic period. To start defining the characteristics of this episode, we present the archaeological layers, features, and finds uncovered just above the Lisan bedrock. We discuss the results’ implications and their contribution to an improved understanding of the Chalcolithic period’s broader temporal framework in the southern Levant.

This paper explores the application of Chavruta from Jewish education to Korean education. It examines, in particular, the discussion culture under King Sejong the Great in the Chosun Dynasty. It begins by describing Jewish education and Chavruta which stemmed from the multiple Jewish identity, assessing the impact of Chavruta and its reception in Korea. The discussion shifts to the present status of Korean education and traces back to its past influences from the Japanese colonial era through the U.S. military government period to the Korean War. Then, it focuses on the educational context conducted by King Sejong in the Chosun Dynasty, which is closely associated with the essence of Chavruta. Finally, it proposes to set the vision to practice of Korean Chavruta, emphasizing the potential to foster the integration of it into Korean education.

This paper explores the application of Chavruta from Jewish education to Korean education. It examines, in particular, the discussion culture under King Sejong the Great in the Chosun Dynasty. It begins by describing Jewish education and Chavruta which stemmed from the multiple Jewish identity, assessing the impact of Chavruta and its reception in Korea. The discussion shifts to the present status of Korean education and traces back to its past influences from the Japanese colonial era through the U.S. military government period to the Korean War. Then, it focuses on the educational context conducted by King Sejong in the Chosun Dynasty, which is closely associated with the essence of Chavruta. Finally, it proposes to set the vision to practice of Korean Chavruta, emphasizing the potential to foster the integration of it into Korean education.

An especially critical task is to raise awareness of the effects of war on children, in general, and with reference to specific children whose circumstances might enhance their vulnerability. Starting points, from which we begin our discussion, are the abduction and separation of 3-year-old identical twins during the Hamas attacks on the South of Israel, on October 7, 2023. Emphasis is given to these twins’ circumstances and to all children’s heightened vulnerability to the detrimental effects of war-related trauma, including mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Specific attention is given to the profound bond between identical twins and the devastating consequences of separation on their immediate and long-term emotional well-being. Drawing on research findings surrounding children at war and on historical evidence for the effects of twin separation on individuals exposed to war, our commentary underscores the urgent need for awareness and condemnation of the direct targeting of children. We advocate the preservation of family ties as essential for fostering children’s resilience and emotional support. We also call upon professional organizations and the international community to prioritize the reunification of children with their families as a moral imperative in safeguarding the well-being and future of innocent children exposed to terrorism and conflict in war-torn regions.

Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease afflict millions of individuals globally and are significant sources of disease mortality. While the molecular mechanisms underlying such diseases are unclear, environmental and social factors, such as cigarette smoke and obesity, increase the risk of disease development. Yet, not all smokers or obese individuals will develop chronic respiratory diseases. The mitogen-activated protein kinase p38α is abnormally active in such maladies, but its contribution, if any, to disease etiology is unknown. To assess whether p38α activation per se in the lung could impose disease symptoms, we generated a transgenic mouse model allowing controllable expression of an intrinsically active variant, p38α(D176A+F327S), specifically in lung alveolar type 2 pneumocytes. Sustained expression of p38α(D176A+F327S) did not appear to induce obvious pathological outcomes or to exacerbate inflammatory outcomes in mice challenged with common respiratory disease triggers. However, mice expressing p38α(D176A+F327S) in alveolar type 2 cells and fed with a high-fat diet exhibited increased numbers of airway eosinophils and lymphocytes, upregulated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines including interleukin-1β and eotaxin, as well as a reduction in levels of leptin and adiponectin within the lung. Neither high-fat diet nor p38α(D176A+F327S) alone induced such outcomes. Perhaps in obese individuals with associated respiratory diseases, elevated p38α activity which happens to occur is the factor that promotes their development.

This research uncovers a groundbreaking link between electron spin and proton transport in biological environment, using lysozyme as a model system. Proton transfer, vital in many life processes, is shown to couple with electron spin polarization, a discovery aligned with the Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS) effect. Specifically, we show that proton conduction through the lysozyme crystal is selective to the polarization of injected electrons, highlighting a synergy between spin polarization and information transfer in life. This mechanism provides insights into proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes, emphasizing the role of chirality in biological processes. These findings bridge quantum physics with biochemistry enabling better understanding and opening the possibility of controlled information transfer in biological environments. Proton transport plays a fundamental role in many biological and chemical systems. In life, proton transport is crucial for biochemical and physiological functions. It is usually accepted that the main mechanism of proton transfer is a result of hopping between neighboring water molecules and amino acid side chains. It was recently suggested that the proton transfer can be simultaneously coupled with electron transfer. As life is homochiral, proton transfer in biology is occurring in a chiral environment. In this environment, the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect relating to electron transfer and chirality is expected to occur. The present work establishes that the proton transfer is coupled to a specific electron spin polarization in lysozyme crystals, associating proton transfer to electron movement and polarization. To preserve total angular momentum, this motion may be coupled to chiral phonons that propagate in the crystal. Our work shows that the interaction of the electrons' spin and phonons is very significant in proton transfer through lysosome crystals. Injecting the opposite electron spin into the lysosome crystal results in a significant change in proton transfer impedance. This study presents the support for the proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism and indicates the importance of spin polarization in the process.This research uncovers a groundbreaking link between electron spin and proton transport in biological environment, using lysozyme as a model system. Proton transfer, vital in many life processes, is shown to couple with electron spin polarization, a discovery aligned with the Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS) effect. Specifically, we show that proton conduction through the lysozyme crystal is selective to the polarization of injected electrons, highlighting a synergy between spin polarization and information transfer in life. This mechanism provides insights into proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes, emphasizing the role of chirality in biological processes. These findings bridge quantum physics with biochemistry enabling better understanding and opening the possibility of controlled information transfer in biological environments. Proton transport plays a fundamental role in many biological and chemical systems. In life, proton transport is crucial for biochemical and physiological functions. It is usually accepted that the main mechanism of proton transfer is a result of hopping between neighboring water molecules and amino acid side chains. It was recently suggested that the proton transfer can be simultaneously coupled with electron transfer. As life is homochiral, proton transfer in biology is occurring in a chiral environment. In this environment, the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect relating to electron transfer and chirality is expected to occur. The present work establishes that the proton transfer is coupled to a specific electron spin polarization in lysozyme crystals, associating proton transfer to electron movement and polarization. To preserve total angular momentum, this motion may be coupled to chiral phonons that propagate in the crystal. Our work shows that the interaction of the electrons' spin and phonons is very significant in proton transfer through lysosome crystals. Injecting the opposite electron spin into the lysosome crystal results in a significant change in proton transfer impedance. This study presents the support for the proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism and indicates the importance of spin polarization in the process.

This essay examines poems about cremation written by adherents of both 19^th-century German bourgeois initiatives to reintroduce cremation and the early 20^th-century German proletarian freethought movement. Supporters of these currents held secularist views. Cremation poems can be considered a laboratory of secularism in which certain secularist truths and beliefs could be formulated and expressed in compelling ways. Notably, these poems fleshed out secularism by paying particular attention to its emotional aspects. The poems discussed point to the existence of a secularist, cremationist emotional community across class and temporal boundaries. The essay contributes to the study of secularist mentalities and convictions in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, probing the role of poetry in establishing secularist themes and positions.

 

September 2024: Carolin Kosuch is a historian with research interests in Jewish history, secularism, anarchism and intellectual history. After holding positions at Leipzig’s Simon Dubnow Institute for Jewish History and Culture and the German Historical Institute in Rome, she completed her habilitation project on secularism and death in Western modernities at the chair of Rebekka Habermas, University of Göttingen, in summer 2023. She teaches courses in 19^th and 20^th century transnational history, the history of gender, technology and Jewish history. Her work was funded by the German Research Foundation. Since winter term 2023/24, she represents the chair of Rebekka Habermas (December 2023) at the University of Göttingen.

Innovations, such as symbolic artifacts, are a product of cognitive abilities but also of cultural context. Factors that may determine the emergence and retention of an innovation include the population's pre-existing cultural repertoire, exposure to relevant ways of thinking, and the invention's utility. Thus, we suggest that the production of symbolic artifacts is not guaranteed even in cognitively advanced societies.

The electoral success of right-wing populist parties is often attributed to disaffection among certain voters. But while economic explanations for this disaffection are theoretically clear and quantifiable, explanations centered on cultural factors offer vaguer accounts that are harder to evaluate empirically. We address this problem by theoretically distinguishing between five different “storylines” about the cultural origins of populism, and then test them using extensive data from Europe and the United States. Our analysis indicates that concerns about ethno-cultural change induced by immigration are central to understanding the populist vote; so, but to a lesser extent, is rural resentment and status anxiety. In contrast, explanations centered on communal disintegration or an intergenerational values divide are pertinent in only specific cases. The analysis helps disentangle the cultural forces associated with the rise of populism and highlights the heterogeneous coalitions that form the populist base across different countries.

Cathepsin K (CTSK), a proteolytic enzyme that degrades the extracellular matrix, is recognized as a significant therapeutic target for osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Due to adverse effects, no clinically approved drugs exist for CTSK. In order to develop safer therapeutics, highly selective CTSK inhibitors are required to elucidate the origins of side effects. Here, we developed various hybrid inhibitors by combining peptide sequences with small organic molecules. An acyloxymethyl ketone electrophile was incorporated as a bioisostere of the glycine–glycine cleavage site and inverse peptide sequences to enhance prime site interactions, as seen in the crystal structure. Additionally, a diphenyl group was incorporated to improve nonprime site interactions, culminating in highly selective and potent irreversible CTSK inhibitors with negligible off-target binding by closely related cathepsins. These novel inhibitors were also designed to attach to targeting moieties, further reducing off-target effects in vivo. Our findings demonstrate that these highly selective inhibitors are nontoxic, effectively inhibit bone resorption by human osteoclasts, block CTSK activity in cells and their nuclei, and inhibit activity in human lung cancer tissue. This study highlights significant advancements in designing CTSK inhibitors with potential clinical applications for lung cancer and osteoclast-related conditions.

Background

Academically productive dialogue activities in classrooms aspire to be inclusive, such that students of all capabilities participate meaningfully and equally in discussions.

Aim

We empirically examine the extent to which this aspiration is achieved regarding students of different prior achievement levels.

Sample

Low- (N = 33), mid- (N = 90), and high-achieving (N = 22) upper elementary students participated in whole-classroom discussions around texts, facilitated by six highly motivated, trained teachers.

Method

Based on a quantitative ethnography approach, we coded 5975 separate speech turns and compared aggregated differences across the three subgroups using Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA).

Results

Whereas no differences were found in amount of speech turns, statistically significant differences were found in the quality of participation: Low-achievers' discussion participation was characterized by recitation-style talk, reduced network connectivity, and repetitive loops, compared to higher connectivity and more complex argumentative reasoning in their high-achieving classmates' network model. A follow-up qualitative analysis uncovered some of the social dynamics behind this inferior participation pattern, and highlighted the potentially stymieing behavior of peers.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the need for more empirical research that takes into account differences in quality of student participation in dialogic activities and the reasons behind it.