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Early life adversity (ELA) characterized by threat (e.g., abuse, witnessing violence) impacts neural and physiologic systems involved in emotion reactivity; however, research on how threat exposure impacts the interplay between these systems is limited. This study investigates ELA characterized by threat as a potential moderator of the association between (a) neural activity during a negative image processing fMRI task and (b) cortisol production following a modified Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The sample is comprised of 117 young adolescent females (Mage = 11.90 years, SD = 1.69) at elevated risk for internalizing problems. Whole-brain analyses revealed a positive association between cortisol production and increased right lateral orbitofrontal cortex activity during the emotion reactivity task. In moderation models, threat exposure interacted with bilateral amygdala activation (b = -3.34, p = 0.021) and bilateral hippocampal activation (b = -4.14, p = 0.047) to predict cortisol response to the TSST. Specifically, participants with low, but not high, levels of threat exposure demonstrated a positive association between cortisol production and neural activity in these regions, while no significant association emerged for participants with high threat exposure. Findings contribute to the growing field of research connecting physiological and neural emotion processing and response systems, suggesting that dimensions of ELA may uniquely disrupt associations between neural activation and cortisol production.

A unique population of ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons co-transmits glutamate and GABA. However, the circuit inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons are unknown, limiting our understanding of their functional capabilities. By coupling monosynaptic rabies tracing with intersectional genetic targeting in male and female mice, we found that VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons received diverse brainwide inputs. The largest numbers of monosynaptic inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons were from superior colliculus (SC), lateral hypothalamus (LH), midbrain reticular nucleus, and periaqueductal gray, whereas the densest inputs relative to brain region volume were from the dorsal raphe nucleus, lateral habenula, and VTA. Based on these and prior data, we hypothesized that LH and SC inputs were from glutamatergic neurons. Optical activation of glutamatergic LH neurons activated VTA VGluT2 +VGaT+ neurons regardless of stimulation frequency and resulted in flee-like ambulatory behavior. In contrast, optical activation of glutamatergic SC neurons activated VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons for a brief period of time at high frequency and resulted in head rotation and arrested ambulatory behavior (freezing). Stimulation of glutamatergic LH neurons, but not glutamatergic SC neurons, was associated with VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ footshock-induced activity and inhibition of LH glutamatergic neurons disrupted VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ tailshock-induced activity. We interpret these results such that inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons may integrate diverse signals related to the detection and processing of motivationally salient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is indicated that an important feature of the injured person, which allows to distinguish him from other persons, is related to the infliction of damage. The etymological and semantic analysis of the term «victim» shows that damage is an integral feature of a victim. The article examines the possibility and expediency of recognizing a person as a victim in the criminal law field in the event of a threat to cause harm to him. Provisions of the current Criminal Code of Ukraine, the project of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine, national judicial practice are taken into account. It is argued that in context of the injured person, term damage is understood in two meanings: 1) narrowly (includes only real damage); 2) in a broad sense (includes both damage and the danger/threat of causing it, as well as the threat). At the same time, attributing the threat as an independent action to a type of harm, as suggested by authors of the draft Criminal Code of Ukraine, seems debatable, because in such a case the term «threat» will denote both an action and a consequence. It is also worth paying attention to whether there is a need to use both the term «threat» and the term «danger» in the draft Criminal Code of Ukraine. It has been established that the term «threat» in the context of the definition of the victim means both actual moral or other types of harm to him, as well as the thre at/danger of his task. It has been proven that victim in a certain composition of a criminal offense can be characterized not only by harm in its narrow sense, but also by threat or danger of its occurrence, that is, harm in the broad sense, as well as the threat of harm. The threat in the context of the criminal-legal understanding of victim is important, first of all, if there is no implementation. In case of the implementation of a threat, which is provided as an independent crime and is a stage of a single criminal activity, united by a single intention and aimed at causing damage to the same object, qualification under the article providing for responsibility for the threat is not required, and therefore and there is no need to establish the victim of the threat. If a threat is a way of committing an act, then the victim is determined in the context of act in general, taking into account the threat as a way of committi ng it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to one of the ways of committing a criminal offense under Article 206 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine "Counteraction to legitimate economic activity". In particular, the author examines the concept of threats of violence against the victim or persons close to the victim in the course of counteracting legitimate economic activity. It is determined that the method of committing a criminal offense in the form of a threat of violence against the victim or persons close to him/her is present both in Article 206 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine "Counteraction to Legitimate Economic Activity" and in some other corpus delicti of criminal offenses. The author establishes that in the Criminal Code of Ukraine "threat of violence" appears either as a separate criminal offense or as a method of committing a criminal offense. The study reveals the content of the terms "threat" and "threat of violence" used in the disposition of Article 206 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Based on the results of the analysis, the author suggests that a threat of violence should be understood as actions of a person aimed at intimidation without physical contact with the victim, which are intended to influence the psycho-emotional state of the victim with a view to achieving the desired criminal result. For the purpose of recognizing a threat as a method of counteracting legitimate business activity, it does not matter whether the perpetrator actually intended and was actually able to carry out the threat. From the moment the demand combined with the threat is made, this criminal offense is complete. It has been determined that, within the meaning of Article 206 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, close persons are understood to mean close relatives - parents (foster parents), children (foster children), grandparents and grandchildren. Family members are parents (foster parents), children (foster children), brothers, sisters and their spouses who live together, as well as a spouse who lives together but is not married, and the spouses' parents. The closeness of persons who are family members is based primarily on marriage (husband, wife) and consanguinity (children, parents, other relatives), and may also arise on other grounds (friendship, love, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We use a survey experiment to study what explains white "not in my backyard" opposition (NIMBYism) to dense and affordable housing—racial threat, material self‐interest, or both. Methods: In a survey experiment on white U.S. respondents, we vary the presence of a racial prime about black and Latinx community organizations and the proximity of the housing development to the subject's home. We then measure levels of support for a proposed hypothetical housing development, willingness to take political action in support of or opposition to the development, and support for a number of housing‐related and redistributive policies. Results: We find that a racial threat, a material self‐interest threat, and a combined racial and material self‐interest threat decrease support for a proposed housing development. These effects are moderated by racial resentment, ideology, and partisanship such that the effects of the treatments are primarily driven by Republicans, conservatives, and the highly racially resentful. These groups are more threatened than others by either Latinx and black people moving in, the development being in their own neighborhood, or both. Conclusion: These findings indicate that racial and material perceived threats play important and interlocking roles in white Americans' resistance to multifamily housing being built. In a context where local political institutions empower an unrepresentative group of disproportionately white, economically privileged neighbors to mount opposition to dense housing, it is important to understand how white opposition to new dense housing is shaped by racial and financial concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Police officers' use of force (UoF) has traditionally been understood vis-à-vis subject resistance, but researchers have recently argued for a greater emphasis on subject threat. We examine the role of static and dynamic threat measures, consisting of indicators for ability, opportunity, and intent, in police UoF while accounting for subject resistance. Data and Methods: We use data from a large multiagency sample of coded police force narratives and a series of multilevel models that nest temporally ordered force sequences (dyadic exchanges between officers and subjects) within their respective UoF incidents. Results: Our results suggest that (1) police force incidents are dynamic with levels of force and resistance often fluctuating throughout the incident, (2) each element of subject threat significantly predicts force, net of resistance and other variables, and (3) the elements of threat interact with one another to explain force, but not completely as expected. Conclusions: Our results suggest that subject threat, in addition to resistance, provides important insights for understanding when officers either use or escalate force. We conclude with suggestions for those interested in further exploring the intersection of threat, resistance, and police UoF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vultures are essentially scavengers but their population decline is exacerbated by competition with stray dogs for carcasses. Our study, using camera traps to monitor carcass visitation, revealed dietary overlap and competition intensity are linked more to carcass size than habitat type. Addressing dog presence is critical for vulture survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks hinder abilities to interpret facial expressions. Yet, they can also reduce the appearance of characteristics that are used to categorize individuals into racial groups, such as Afrocentric features. The color of a face mask might also promote associations with certain types of behavior and professional occupations (e.g., blue surgical mask connoting physician stereotypes; black masks potentially being associated with criminality). This study assessed whether the presence and color of a face mask impacted perceptions of a target male of varying race. White participants (N = 250) were presented with an African American or White male adult face from the Chicago Face Database (of equal age and attractiveness) wearing a blue or black surgical mask, or no mask (Photoshopped onto the face) and rated the man on emotions (happy, sad, angry) as well as how trustworthy, threatening, and attractive the target appeared. Targets wearing a blue surgical mask were judged as more trustworthy and attractive than those wearing no mask (perhaps due to association with medical professions), but these judgements were not qualified by race, despite the African American target's selection based on Afrocentric features. The color black on a face mask did not exacerbate negative perceptions of targets, perhaps suggesting a decline effect in previously demonstrated associations between this color and criminal actions. Unlike previous research performed at the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic on cloth masks shown to potentially exacerbate racial biases, surgical masks (pleated and made of polymeric materials), appear to lessen potential stereotyping of Black relative to White men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Featured Application: We have validated two clinical virtual reality environments, both with varying levels of threat, for use in future health research. There is an increasing need for virtual reality (VR) health applications. In the field of pain, VR has been used mainly as a distraction, with minimal use of VR to answer basic clinical questions. Pain is multifactorial and inherently threatening. Our lab recently designed two VR clinical environments with varying threat values; the present study sought to validate these environments. Subjects were randomly allocated into either the threatening or non-threatening VR consultation room and both subjective (threat questionnaire) and physiological (salivary cortisol) measurements were taken. As hypothesised, subjects in the threat condition recorded a higher threat score (p < 0.001; effect size = 0.76). There was a cortisol change across time in the threat condition (χ2(2) = 13.83, p < 0.001), but there were unexpected decreases at both 20 (p = 0.001) and 26 min (p = 0.03) following VR. While the physiological findings need further clarification, this study provides some validation of the threat value of our VR clinical tools. As such, these VR environments can potentially be used in pain experiments to help better our understanding of basic pain mechanisms. It is only with such understanding that we might offer new avenues for pain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions The mechanisms linking early‐life adversity with psychopathology over the life‐course are complex. In this prospective study, we collectively examined cognitive, affective, and developmental mediators previously found to individually link childhood threat and deprivation experiences to adolescent psychopathology to identify the most potent mechanisms.Data came from a community sample of 227 children (mean child age 11.5 ± 0.5 years, 48.5% female) from the Seattle metro area with recruitment designed to reflect diversity in family income. Candidate mechanisms included self‐rated pubertal development and task‐measured attention bias to threat, emotion regulation, theory of mind, fear learning, inhibitory control, language ability, reasoning, and reward sensitivity. Using a high‐dimensional mediation approach, we determined which mediating pathways linking threat and deprivation to psychopathology persisted after controlling for all candidate mechanisms associated with psychopathology. Models additionally controlled for the child's age, sex, early‐childhood emotional and behavioral symptoms, poverty, and maternal depression.Blunted reward sensitivity mediated the prospective relationship between threat and internalizing psychopathology, explaining 17.25% (95% CI 1.08%, 69.96%) of this association. Advanced pubertal development was associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms (standardized associations of 0.16 (95% CI 0.03, 0.29) and 0.17 (95% CI 0.05, 0.29), respectively), but not with adversity. Although deprivation was strongly related to psychopathology, no mechanisms were empirically identified.In a well‐characterized community sample, we isolated reward sensitivity as a robust mediator of the prospective association between early‐life threat and adolescent internalizing psychopathology. Interventions aimed at bolstering reward sensitivity may mitigate the impact of early‐life threat experiences on internalizing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May 2016, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis 2016–2021, calling for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Using the 2015 data as the baseline, the main targets are to reduce annual new infections and deaths by 90% and 65%, respectively, and to increase the diagnosis rate and the treatment rate of eligible people to 90% and 80%, respectively. However, the definitions and calculations of the above targets are not standardized, and there are inconsistencies between different literatures, affecting the accuracy and consistency of the results. The targets mainly focus on chronic HBV and HCV infections. According to the relevant literatures, it is speculated that the base number for new cases of chronic HBV and HCV infections in 2015 should be 3.5 to 5.15 million, rather than 6 to 10 million, with new HBV and HCV infections being 1.7 to 3.4 million and 1.75 million, respectively. From the perspectives of intuition, simplicity, and habit, the diagnosis rate and treatment rate are suitable for being expressed as "rate", but annual new infections (rate) and deaths (rate) should be expressed as "number" or "case". The method of calculating the treatment rate also needs to be unified. Different countries/regions have different treatment indications, and different authors have different understandings, which affects the comparability of treatment rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper summarizes data from 7 studies that used Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to guide climate messaging with the goal of increasing climate-mitigating behavioral intentions. Together, the studies address 5 research questions. 1) Does PMT predict behavioral intentions in the context of climate change mitigation? 2) Does PMT work similarly for climate change deniers vs acknowledgers? 3) Are the effects of threat and efficacy additive or multiplicative? 4) Does adding measures of collective threat and efficacy improve the model accuracy for a collective problem like climate change? 5) Can threat and efficacy appraisals – and ultimately behavioral intentions – be shifted through climate messaging? Methods: Seven online experiments were conducted on US adults (N = 3,761) between 2020 and 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to a control condition or to one of several experimental conditions designed to influence threat, efficacy, or both. Participants indicated their belief in climate change, ethnicity, gender, and political orientation. They completed measures of personal threat and efficacy, collective threat and efficacy, and behavioral intentions. Results: Multiple regressions, ANCOVAs, and effect sizes were used to evaluate our research questions. Consistent with PMT, threat and efficacy appraisals predicted climate mitigation behavioral intentions, even among those who denied climate change. Different interactions emerged for climate deniers and acknowledgers, suggesting that in this context threat and efficacy are not just additive in their effects (but these effects were small). Including measures of collective threat and efficacy only modestly improved the model. Finally, evidence that threat and efficacy appraisals can be shifted was weak and inconsistent; mitigation behavioral intentions were not reliably influenced by the messages tested. Conclusions: PMT effectively predicts climate change mitigation behavioral intentions among US adults, whether they deny climate change or acknowledge it. Threat appraisals may be more impactful for deniers, while efficacy appraisals may be more impactful for acknowledgers. Including collective-level measures of threat and efficacy modestly improves model fit. Contrary to PMT research in other domains, threat and efficacy appraisals were not easily shifted under the conditions tested here, and increases did not reliably lead to increases in behavioral intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When faced with danger, human beings respond with a repertoire of defensive behaviors, including freezing and active avoidance. Previous research has revealed a pattern of physiological responses, characterized by heart rate bradycardia, reduced visual exploration, and heightened sympathetic arousal in reaction to avoidable threats, suggesting a state of attentive immobility in humans. However, the electrocortical underpinnings of these behaviors remain largely unexplored. To investigate the visuocortical components of attentive immobility, we recorded parieto-occipital alpha activity, along with eye movements and autonomic responses, while participants awaited either an avoidable, inevitable, or no threat. To test the robustness and generalizability of our findings, we collected data from a total of 101 participants (76 females, 25 males) at two laboratories. Across sites, we observed an enhanced suppression of parieto-occipital alpha activity during avoidable threats, in contrast to inevitable or no threat trials, particularly toward the end of the trial that prompted avoidance responses. This response pattern coincided with heart rate bradycardia, centralization of gaze, and increased sympathetic arousal. Furthermore, our findings expand on previous research by revealing that the amount of alpha suppression, along with centralization of gaze, and heart rate changes predict the speed of motor responses. Collectively, these findings indicate that when individuals encounter avoidable threats, they enter a state of attentive immobility, which enhances perceptual processing and facilitates action preparation. This state appears to reflect freezing-like behavior in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of global environmental change, empirical synthesis of biodiversity data across geographic scales and taxonomic groups is urgently required. Recently, with an upsurge in data synthesis, substantial progress has been made in making massive biodiversity data available on a global scale. However, most of these databases lack sufficient geographic coverage, particularly from biodiversity hotspot regions of developing countries. Here, we present a comprehensive and curated plant database of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) – home to two global biodiversity hotspots. The database, currently comprising 11,743 native plant species, has been collated from an extensive quantitative synthesis of 324 floristic studies published between 1872 and 2022. Based on this database, we investigate the patterns of species richness, distribution, life-history traits, endemic and threat status of the native flora of the IHR, and the results revealed that these patterns vary considerably among the 12 states of the IHR. Sikkim harbours the highest number of plant species (5090), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (4907). We found a total of 1123 species (ca. 10%) endemic to India and 157 threatened species occurring in the IHR. The life-history traits (growth form and lifespan) were unequally represented between the Himalaya and the Indo-Burma hotspots. We found herbs as the dominant growth form across the IHR. Also, maximum species similarity was found between Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh (Cs = 0.66), and minimum between the former and Meghalaya (Cs = 0.13). Overall, our study represents a significant step forward in filling the knowledge gaps from the global biodiversity hotspots in India, with immense management and policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vast range of neurophysiological, neuropsychological and behavioural results in monkeys and humans have shown that the immediate surroundings of the body, also known as peripersonal space (PPS), are processed in a unique way. Three roles have been ascribed to PPS mechanisms: to react to threats, to avoid obstacles and to act on objects. However, in many circumstances, one does not wait for objects or agents to enter PPS to plan these behaviours. Typically, one has more chances to survive if one starts running away from the lion when one sees it in the distance than if it is a few steps away. PPS makes sense in shortsighted creatures but we are not such creatures. The crucial question is thus twofold: (i) why are these adaptive processes triggered only at the last second or even milliseconds? And (ii) what is their exact contribution, especially for defensive and navigational behaviours? Here, we propose that PPS mechanisms correspond to a plan B, useful in unpredictable situations or when other anticipatory mechanisms have failed. Furthermore, we argue that there are energetic, cognitive and behavioural costs to PPS mechanisms, which explain why this plan B is triggered only at the last second. This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many birds use wetland habitats for all or part of their lives. This study was conducted to investigate the significance of wetlands and associated habitats for bird conservation in the central zone of Tigray, northern Ethiopia, from June 2022 to May 2023. The point count method was used to study the bird assemblage structure and diversity. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index and ANOVA were used to analyze the wetland bird community structure. A total of 4337 individual birds belonging to 120 species, 15 orders, and 41 families were recorded. Among the identified bird species, the Abyssinian catbird, white‐winged cliff chat, Abyssinian longclaw, wattled ibis, and black‐winged lovebird are endemic and near‐endemic species, which are found only in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Passeriformes order had the greatest number of species (n = 68), followed by the Columbiformes order (n = 9). The​ Mai‐Shigurti Wetland had the greatest abundance of birds (N = 2472), while the Hatsebo Wetland had the least (N = 936). A high abundance of birds was recorded during the wet season (N = 2805), and a low abundance was recorded during the dry season (N = 1532). A significant difference in the abundance of bird species was observed among wetlands and seasons (p < 0.05). The highest species diversity (H′ = 4.13) was recorded in Mai‐Shigurti during the wet season, whereas the lowest was recorded in Hatsebo during the dry season (H′ = 3.2). The highest species evenness was recorded in Hatsebo (E = 0.82) during the dry season, and the lowest was recorded in Mai‐Shigurti (E = 0.72) during the wet season. The results show that wetlands support a high diversity of birds; however, they are highly threatened by anthropogenic threats, including solid waste disposal, erosion, agricultural expansion, human settlement, livestock overgrazing, military camping, and eucalyptus cultivation. Therefore, community‐based conservation initiatives should be implemented to mitigate these threats. Moreover, wetland management policies should be established to safeguard wetlands and their biological resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying as a feminist and endorsing liberal feminist values are associated with positive attitudes toward trans* people and their rights. However, since the late 1970s, one branch of radical feminism has argued for a biological essentialist definition of binary gender categories. More recently gender-critical feminism has appealed to radical feminism when describing trans* rights as a threat to biologically-defined women's politics and safety. To understand debates around the evolution of trans* rights, three studies (N = 502), examined the associations between diverse feminist perspectives and identifications, gender binary beliefs, and attitudes toward trans* people and their rights. Study 1 updated an existing measure of different feminist perspectives. Study 2 showed that endorsements of intersectional, and radical feminist perspectives were associated with positive attitudes toward trans* people and their rights. Study 3 revealed that both intersectional and radical feminist identifications were also associated with positive attitudes, whilst endorsing gender binary beliefs was associated with negative attitudes. These results challenge the assumption that support for trans* rights is inconsistent with either general feminist or specifically radical feminist positions and inform both debates around the evolution of trans* rights and existing tensions within feminist movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to flexibly transition between defensive states is crucial for adaptive responding in life‐threatening situations. Potentially threatening situations typically induce a sustained feeling of apprehension in association with hypervigilance, while acute threat is usually characterized by an intense and transient response to cope with the imminent danger. While potential and acute threat states have traditionally been viewed as mutually exclusive, this distinction is being challenged by a growing body of evidence suggesting a more complex interplay during simultaneous activation of these states. However, the interaction between potential and acute threat on a psychophysiological level remains elusive. To fill this gap, 94 healthy individuals participated in one of two contextual fear‐conditioning paradigms. In both paradigms, a differential fear‐learning phase was conducted, followed by a test phase in which the conditioned stimuli were presented in front of either conditioned or inherently aversive contextual images compared to neutral contexts. To capture defensive responses, we recorded subjective (threat and expectancy ratings) and physiological (electrodermal and cardiovascular) activity to the conditioned stimuli as a function of contextual threat. Besides indices of successful fear conditioning, our results revealed stronger threat and unconditioned stimulus expectancy ratings, cardiac deceleration, and skin conductance responses for threat and safety cues presented in inherently aversive compared to neutral contexts. Conditioned contexts had less impact on physiological responses to threat and safety cues than inherently aversive contexts. These findings provide new insights into the additive nature of defensive responses to fear cues and situations of contextual threat. Recent research challenges the idea that defensive states induced by potential and acute threat are mutually exclusive. In this study, we observed enhanced defensive responses to acute threat stimuli during aversive contexts as indexed by heart rate and skin conductance responses, indicating an interplay between potential and acute threat states that is influenced by contextual threat levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the historical and current contexts of threat assessment and violence risk in higher education, highlighting the evolving roles of college counseling centers in the threat assessment process for students displaying signs of concerning behaviors. Given research showing many college mental health professionals feel under-prepared for this work, we build foundational knowledge about the differing purposes of psychological evaluations and threat assessments, and provide recommendations for ways to continue to build and demonstrate understanding, competency and proficiency with threat assessments... Our review shares recent updates in the field regarding high-risk groups and the use of AI in assessment, and highlights the need for more attention to be given to training community members as well as counseling center staff and other members of campus teams involved in decision-making about students who threaten violence. We recommend the deliberate practice model of skill building to better prepare college mental health professionals when needing to respond under stress and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public policy addressing biodiversity loss is most likely to be effective when it is informed by appropriate evidence and considers potential unintended consequences. We evaluate key evidence relating to the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill that was discussed in the UK Parliament between 2022 and 2024. We characterize the UK's role in international hunting trophy trade by analyzing CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) trade data for 2000–2021 and 2015–2021. For CITES‐listed species imported to/exported from the UK as hunting trophies in these periods we use data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species to determine whether hunting designated as "trophy hunting" is (i) likely a major threat contributing to species being of elevated conservation concern, (ii) likely or possibly causing localized declines, or (iii) not a threat. We then use the Red List to determine whether such hunting provides, or potentially provides, benefits for species and/or people. Finally, we evaluate the UK Government's impact assessment of the bill. In 2000–2021 an estimated 3494 hunting trophies from 73 CITES‐listed species and subspecies were exported to the UK involving an estimated 2549 whole organism equivalents (WOEs), that is, individual animals. Imports involved 158.86 ± 66.53 (mean ± SD) trophies/year (115.83 ± 32.27 WOEs/year). In 2015–2021, 79% of imports were from countries where populations of the hunted species are stable, increasing, or abundant. Legal hunting for trophies is not a major threat to any of the species or subspecies imported to the UK, but likely or possibly represents a local threat to some populations of eight species. This hunting does, or could potentially, benefit 20 species and subspecies, and people. Among other concerns, the impact assessment failed to adequately consider the costs and benefits to local communities in countries where such hunting occurs. Informed by these analyses we discuss alternative regulatory options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased openness and tolerance have marked the twenty‐first century, yet recent years witnessed a decline marked by nationalist movements and reduced support for diversity. We explore the potential link between these two societal changes by examining the association between the perception of universalism values in society and the endorsement of conservation values, right‐wing political attitudes, and nationalism in Poland. Across six correlational studies (total N = 2644), perception of the prevalence of universalism values in fellow citizens was positively linked to one's endorsement of conservation values, right‐wing political attitudes, and nationalism. These links were (a) stronger when participants believed that a considerable part of society still supported conservation values and (b) underlined by a greater perception of the threat posed by universalism values to the traditional way of living. The experimental results (N = 307) did not support causal link between these links but only the underlying role of perceiving a threat from universalism to society, particularly when participants perceived high universalism and conservation values in others. However, this effect was observed only when controlling for one's endorsement of conservation values and the perception of threat from conservation values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extends the diffusion of innovations theory by considering the threat of technology and examining the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace over time from a dynamic, differential-effects perspective. Findings from a three-wave survey study reveal an association between the threat of AI (i.e., job security concerns) and increasingly negative attitudes toward AI adoption among employees over time. Relative advantage, compatibility, and observability correlated with more positive attitudes, whereas ease of use and trialability showed no significant association. In testing the differential effects on attitudes toward AI adoption among different groups of potential adopters, we found that trialability positively influenced attitudes only among employees who held a positive attitude previously. Observability and the threat of AI, however, were more influential among employees who held a negative attitude previously. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety prepares us to deal with unpredictable threats, such as the approaching of an unknown person. Studies have shown our innate tendency to see approaching motion in ambiguous walkers in what was termed facing-the-viewer (FTV) bias. Here we investigated if anxiety states further contributed to this bias, hypothesizing that such states would increase overall FTV biases. Throughout three Experiments, we asked participants to judge the motion direction of ambiguous point-light walkers and measured their respective FTV biases under safe and anxiety-related conditions induced via imagery (Experiment 1), screaming sounds (Experiment 2), and threat of shock (Experiment 3). Across all experiments, we showed that anxiety does not affect our tendency to perceive an approaching behavior in ambiguous walkers. Based on our findings, and the discrepancies found in the literature, we emphasize the need for future studies to paint a clearer picture on the nature and aspects capable of affecting this bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that curiosity plays a crucial role in human performance and well-being. Based on multi-dimensional models of curiosity, we examined potential underlying mechanisms for this relationship. Extending prior research, we expected state and trait variants of curiosity to predict more challenge and less threat appraisals for novel tasks (i.e., joyous exploration dimension), stronger dissatisfaction when denied opportunities to do something interesting (i.e., deprivation sensitivity dimension), and persist longer under stress states (i.e., stress tolerance). We asked 123 participants to prepare and deliver a speech titled "Why are you a good friend?" After preparation, participants were informed that they were randomly selected not to perform the task. Throughout the experiment, we recorded heart rate reactivity as a physiological indicator of task engagement. We found that individuals curious about the upcoming task felt more challenged, less threatened, and presented longer physiological engagement than less curious individuals. Curious individuals expressed more disappointment about the missed opportunity to deliver the speech. In summary, this study revealed theoretically derived mechanisms that partially account for associations between curiosity and positive life outcomes while also indicating adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Judgements of trustworthiness based on facial features have mainly been investigated by presenting faces in isolation. However, real-life situations often involve contextual cues. Here, we review our work showing that judgements of trustworthiness from faces are influenced by contextual threat. Individuals are judged as less trustworthy when their faces are surrounded by threatening, as opposed to neutral or merely negative, contexts. Delving into the mechanisms underlying face-context integration, our work reveals that the bond between trustworthiness and threat goes beyond mere stimuli congruency, suggesting that threatening contexts alter person evaluation by conveying information of adaptive significance. We propose an inferential approach to face-context integration, where faces and contexts are encoded relationally: modifying this relational encoding, via verbal or emotional cues, results in changes in face-context integration. We conclude by outlining the significance of embracing the impact of contextual cues in shaping impressions from faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beginning of the twenty-first century is marked by the rapid development of information technologies in all areas of scientific development. At the same time, information is increasingly becoming a strategic resource, a productive force, and an expensive commodity. Computer systems and network technologies are developing very rapidly. Accordingly, new methods for protecting information are also emerging rapidly. The problem of information protection and reliable provision of its security is one of the most important problems of our time. Therefore, the topic is very relevant. The unification of computer systems leads to the creation of global networks and expansion of access to information resources. The increase in the complexity of software leads to a decrease in their reliability and an increase in the number of vulnerabilities. Computer networks, due to their specific nature, simply cannot function and develop normally without ignoring information security issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals living and working in dangerous settings (e.g., first responders and military personnel) make complex decisions amidst serious threats. However, controlled studies on decision-making under threat are limited given obvious ethical concerns. Here, we embed a complex decision-making task within a threatening, immersive virtual environment. Based on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a paradigm widely used to study complex decision-making, the task requires participants to make a series of choices to escape a collapsing building. In Study 1 we demonstrate that, as with the traditional IGT, participants learn to make advantageous decisions over time and that their behavioural data can be described by reinforcement-learning based computational models. In Study 2 we created threatening and neutral versions of the environment. In the threat condition, participants performed worse, taking longer to improve from baseline and scoring lower through the final trials. Computational modelling further revealed that participants in the threat condition were more responsive to short term rewards and less likely to perseverate on a given choice. These findings suggest that when threat is integral to decision-making, individuals make more erratic choices and focus on short term gains. They furthermore demonstrate the utility of virtual environments for making threat integral to cognitive tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stalking can escalate into violent acts such as threatening and inflicting physical harm, posing a serious threat to personal safety. To prevent exacerbating stalking victimization, victims must seek help and report incidents to the police or relevant authorities. However, victims, in general, underreport these incidents to public institutions. Moreover, there is insufficient understanding of why victims of stalking, especially men, refrain from seeking help. Therefore, this study used text mining to explore the reasons victims of stalking in Japan do not seek help while considering the severity of victimization and analyzing data separately for men and women. Methods: Among 908 Japanese individuals who reported experiencing repeated stalking behavior from a former intimate partner in the past five years, 253 men and 321 women who did not consult public authorities were included in this study. Participants provided their experiences of being stalked by former romantic partners and were classified into stalking-only, threatened, and physical aggression victim groups based on their self-reported experiences in an online survey. Reasons for not seeking help were collected through open-ended questions and analyzed using text mining. Results: A co-occurrence network analysis revealed that among men in the threatened victim group, the reason for not seeking help was the belief that their complaints would not be taken seriously. The physical aggression victim group did not seek help due to the perception that a female perpetrator does not pose a danger. Among women in the physical aggression victim group, concerns about provoking the perpetrator or worsening the situation by seeking help, as well as feelings of embarrassment, were reasons for not seeking assistance. Conclusions: The identification of gender stereotype-related reasons among male victims was a valuable insight that could only be obtained through comparison with female victims. However, the study was limited to addressing the individual characteristics of the cases, thus providing only hypothetical insights into general trends. In future research, it will be necessary to generate hypotheses from the findings of this study and accumulate hypothesis-testing research to develop effective strategies for promoting help-seeking behavior among stalking victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, early-life adversity (ELA) is linked to an increased risk of developing depression in adulthood; however, only a few studies have examined the specific effects of various types of ELA on depression in children and adolescents. This meta-analysis explores the association between the subtypes of ELA and the risk for youth-onset depression. Methods: We searched three electronic databases for reporting types of ELA, namely, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, family conflict/violence, divorce, low socioeconomic status, and left-behind experience, associated with depression before the age of 18 years. Our meta-analysis utilized the odds ratio (OR) and relied on a random effects model. Large heterogeneous effects were detected. Some factors moderated the association between ELA and depression in youths. The homogeneity of variance test and meta-regression analysis were used to detect these relationships. Results: A total of 87 studies with 213,006 participants were ultimately identified via several strategies in this meta-analysis. Individuals who experienced ELA were more likely to develop depression before the age of 18 years old than those without a history of ELA (OR=2.14; 95% CI [1.93, 2.37]). The results of the subgroup analysis revealed a strong association between ELA and depression in youth, both in terms of specific types and dimensions. Specifically, emotional abuse (OR = 4.25, 95% CI [3.04, 5.94]) was more strongly related to depression in children and adolescents than other forms of ELA were. For both dimensions, threat (OR = 2.60, 95% CI [2.23, 3.02]) was more closely related to depression than deprivation was (OR = 1.76, 95% CI [1.55, 1.99]). Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that the adverse effects of a broader consideration of ELA on the risk of youth-onset depression vary according to the subtypes of ELA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of threats and violence against ambulance clinicians is a critical issue that has not been adequately studied. These incidents pose significant challenges to the provision of prehospital emergency care, affecting both the safety and well-being of the clinicians involved. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Swedish ambulance clinicians when encountering threats and violence during their work. A qualitative approach was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 11 ambulance clinicians from various regions of Sweden. The participants were selected to ensure diversity in gender, age, and educational background. The data were collected over three weeks in 2021 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed three key categories related to the challenges faced by ambulance clinicians: Police cooperation challenges, Strategies for a safe care environment, and Impact during and relief after stressful events. These categories highlight the complexities of managing threats and violence in the field. This study sheds light on the multifaceted challenges that ambulance clinicians face due to threats and violence. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive training, effective communication, and clear role allocation in complex situations. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of organized support systems to help clinicians cope with the aftermath of stressful events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIntroductionMethodsResultsDiscussionConditioned pain modulation (CPM) allows to investigate endogenous pain modulation and its clinical outcomes. Although co-activation of emotions has been shown to affect CPM, the impact of ‘threat,’ which may accompany CPM stimulation itself, has been mostly neglected. A critical factor for the threat level of the conditioning stimulus (CS) may be its predictability.38 healthy participants (18 female) took part in a CPM study with pressure stimulation on the leg (blood-pressure cuff) serving as CS and heat stimulation on the forearm (contact thermode; CHEPS) serving as test stimulus (TS). While CS varied in intensity and –as operationalisation of threat– in temporary predictability, TS was kept constant. CPM effects were studied by EEG parameters (N2P2) and pain ratings.We found a significant CPM effect when considering N2P2, with low CS predictability augmenting CPM inhibition; in contrast, a surprisingly facilitatory CPM effect occurred in pain ratings (in the high CS predictability condition). The threat manipulation was only partially successful because CS intensity increased the threat ratings but not -as intended- CS predictability. Correlations between subjective and psychophysiological CPM responses were low.The differing CPM effects in subjective and psychophysiological responses, with both inhibitory and facilitatory effects, is puzzling but has already been observed earlier. The consideration of the CPM stimulation as major threat that is emotionally active is theoretically clearly justifiable but the operationalisation by means of different levels of CS predictability as in the present study might not have been ideal. Thus, further attempts of experimental verification are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines a cohort of persons aged 14 to 25 years referred to a threat assessment centre in Australia due to concerns regarding their potential for extremist or other grievance-fuelled violence. It examines the demographic features, clinical comorbidities and threat profile of this cohort and compares cases with and without a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The findings suggest that young people with ASD are significantly overrepresented, compared to the population rate, with late diagnosis and complex, unmet needs. The services required to mitigate risk were predominantly mainstream disability and mental health programs, not specialised forensic interventions. These exploratory findings have broader implications for improved provision of autism-specific services to prevent this vulnerable group entering the justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatozoonosis has been reported in many species around the world. Few incidences have been reported in various species of wild felids. Tigers are endangered large cats and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under Schedule I. The study was carried out to estimate the positivity rate of hepatozoonosis in tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. Methods: Blood (n = 21) or tissue samples (n = 5) were collected from 26 wild captured / zoo-born or dead tigers during the quarantine period/post-mortem examination. Blood smear examination along with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) studies were conducted for the detection of hepatozoonosis. All the amplicons from the positive samples were purified and sequenced, and the sequences were subjected to nBLAST analysis to detect the species of Hepatozoon. The sequences were deposited into public domain database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and accession numbers were allotted. A phylogenetic study was undertaken to understand the evolutionary lineage of the pathogen. Tissue distribution studies were carried out on tissue samples received during post mortem. A clinical case in a tiger cub was managed and sub-clinical cases were monitored for relapse. Age-wise, sex-wise, region-wise and captive time-wise positivity rate was estimated. The data was analyzed using statistical tools. Results: A total of 12 tigers were found positive for H. felis during the screening. A clinical case was diagnosed and successfully treated. The age group of 0–3 years reported a positivity rate of 66.66%, and all the cases found positive were reported between the age group of 0–7 years. Males reported a positivity rate of 58.33 per cent, while females reported 35.71%. Taboba and Andhari Tiger Reserve of the state had a positivity rate of 52.94 per cent. However, the statistical analysis for blood parameters and positivity rate by 't' test and Chi-squared test were found to be non-significant. Conclusions: An overall positivity rate of 46.15% indicates the wide distribution of hepatozoonosis among wild tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India, which is strategically important considering the gene flow and migration of tigers. Hepatozoonosis can progress to clinical outcomes in young animals and require veterinary intervention. Molecular tools and phylogenetic studies can supplement important data on circulating species of Hepatozoon in the field. Further studies on the clinical management and epidemiology of the infection in wild felids will comprehend the cause of wildlife conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duress, which in principle can invalidate a contract, is recognized in both civil and common law systems. In Rwanda, while duress is addressed under the law on contracts, the Rwandan law lacks a precise definition of it, leading to potential inconsistencies in its application. This paper explores the conceptual ambiguities in Rwandan contract law regarding duress, specifically whether it must be physical or not, whether it must necessarily arise from an illegitimate act, and whether it can be exerted by or to third parties. Through a normative approach, the paper focusses exclusively on contractual duress and seeks to illuminate these grey areas by examining Rwandan legal texts, judicial precedents, and insights from other jurisdictions. The goal is to provide a clearer framework for understanding and applying the concept of duress in Rwandan contract law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having a strong attachment to Europe might be crucial in understanding support for policies affecting ethnic minorities and migrants arriving in Europe. However, research examining this link is limited. In 4 out of 5 studies (N = 1,469), including correlational and experimental data, we found that greater European attachment was associated with support for restrictive policies such as border closures or increased security. These relationships were consistently explained by higher perceptions of realistic threat. European attachment did not show a significant association with support for inclusive policies such as those promoting the integration of cultural diversity or granting rights to minorities, in 4 out of 5 studies. However, meta-analytical integration of the data revealed a significant averaged indirect relationship: European attachment was associated with less support for inclusive policies via increased realistic threat. We discuss these findings while considering the sociopolitical context and the practical implications for Europe's commitment to human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative attitudes/beliefs surrounding osteoarthritis, pain, and activity contribute to reduced physical activity in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). These attitudes/beliefs are assessed using self-report questionnaires, relying on information one is consciously aware of and willing to disclose. Automatic (ie, implicit) assessment of attitudes does not rely on conscious reflection and may identify features unique from self-report. We developed an implicit association test that explored associations between images of a person moving/twisting their knee (activity) or sitting/standing (rest), and perceived threat (safe vs dangerous). We hypothesised that people with KOA would have greater implicit threat-activity associations (vs pain-free and non-knee pain controls), with implicit attitudes only weakly correlating with self-reported measures (pain knowledge, osteoarthritis/pain/activity beliefs, fear of movement). Participants (n = 558) completed an online survey: 223 had painful KOA(n = 157 female, 64.5 ± 8.9 years); 207 were pain free (n = 157 female, 49.3 ± 15.3 years); and 99 had non-KOA lower limb pain (n = 74 female, 47.5 ± 15.04 years). An implicit association between "danger" and "activity" was present in those with and without limb pain (KOA: 0.36,95% CI 0.28-0.44; pain free: 0.13,95% CI 0.04-0.22; non-KOA lower limb pain 0.11, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.24) but was significantly greater in the KOA group than in the pain free (P < 0.001) and non-KOA lower limb pain (P = 0.004) groups. Correlations between implicit and self-reported measures were nonsignificant or weak (rho = -0.29 to 0.19, P < 0.001 to P = 0.767). People with painful KOA hold heightened implicit threat-activity associations, capturing information unique to that from self-report questionnaires. Evaluating links between implicit threat-activity associations and real-world behaviour, including physical activity levels, is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1993, the British Journal of Clinical Psychology published my paper titled 'Defence and safety: Their function in social behaviour and psychopathology'. The paper highlights that to understand people's sensitivity to threat, we also need to understand their ability to identify what is safe. This paper offers an update on these concepts, highlighting distinctions that were implicit but not clearly defined at the time. Hence, the paper seeks to clarify distinctions between: (i) threat detection and response, (ii) safety and safety seeking, (iii) safeness and (iv) their social and non‐social functions and forms. Threat detection and response are to prevent or minimize harm (e.g., run from a predator or fire). Safety checking relates to monitoring for the absence and avoidance of threat, while safety seeking links to the destination of the defensive behaviour (e.g., running home). Safety seeking also relates to maintaining vigilance to the appearance of potential harms and doing things believed to avoid harm. Threat‐defending and safety checking and seeking are regulated primarily through evolved threat processing systems that monitor the nature, presence, controllability and/or absence of threat (e.g., amygdala and sympathetic nervous system). Safeness uses different monitoring systems via different psychophysiological systems (e.g., prefrontal cortex, parasympathetic system) for the presence of internal and external resources that support threat‐coping, risk‐taking, resource exploration. Creating brain states that recruit safeness processing can impact how standard evidence‐based therapies (e.g., exposure, distress tolerance and reappraisal) are experienced and produce long‐term change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Sport for All & Recreation / Herkes Için Spor ve Rekreasyon is the property of Journal of Sport for All & Recreation / Herkes icin Spor ve Rekreasyon Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose. To justify the need to apply the “principle of adequacy of probabilities” as a measure to improve the risk management methodology, to prevent (counteract) existing and emerging risks (threats) to the security of complex systems. Methodology. The well-known methodological principle called “Ockam’s Razor” was used. In the course of the research, a complex method was used, which included formal and logical analysis of normative and scientific and technical literature, analysis of statistical data, synthesis, abstraction, experiment, observation, generalization of data, description. Findings. In the course of the research, one of the threats (danger, risk) was identified, which simultaneously affects the existence of such a system due to traffic safety of rolling stock of rail transport enterprises, and the full implementation of the system’s capabilities due to axle loads, mass and speed movement of rolling stock, level of operating costs, passenger flow, regularity of transportation, etc. Experimental application of the lubricant “Mariol NT” in SPP 12-5, GS-3 lubrication systems showed a decrease in wear intensity by 240 %. Due to the use of a new lubricating material applied to the friction surface of wheel rims as part of the paint coating, the wear intensity of flanges of twin-wheel rims is reduced by 2.2 times, and that of locomotives by 2.4 times. Originality. It was determined that the “principle of adequacy of probabilities” as a measure of improvement of the risk management methodology, prevention (counteraction) of existing and prospective risks (threats, dangers) during the safety assessment of complex systems is currently not applied, but its consideration helps to prevent (countermeasures) to existing and emerging risks (threats) to the safety of complex systems. Practical value. The use of the “principle of adequacy of probabilities” allows for the theoretical and experimental determination of the numerical value of the ratio between the probability of an event occurring, caused by the action of an identified threat that negatively affects the state (level) of safety and operability of system elements at all stages of its existence, and the probability of a positively compensatory effect of the developed countermeasure to the identified threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This paper summarizes data from 7 studies that used Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to guide climate messaging with the goal of increasing climate-mitigating behavioral intentions. Together, the studies address 5 research questions. 1) Does PMT predict behavioral intentions in the context of climate change mitigation? 2) Does PMT work similarly for climate change deniers vs acknowledgers? 3) Are the effects of threat and efficacy additive or multiplicative? 4) Does adding measures of collective threat and efficacy improve the model accuracy for a collective problem like climate change? 5) Can threat and efficacy appraisals – and ultimately behavioral intentions – be shifted through climate messaging? Methods Seven online experiments were conducted on US adults (N = 3,761) between 2020 and 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to a control condition or to one of several experimental conditions designed to influence threat, efficacy, or both. Participants indicated their belief in climate change, ethnicity, gender, and political orientation. They completed measures of personal threat and efficacy, collective threat and efficacy, and behavioral intentions. Results Multiple regressions, ANCOVAs, and effect sizes were used to evaluate our research questions. Consistent with PMT, threat and efficacy appraisals predicted climate mitigation behavioral intentions, even among those who denied climate change. Different interactions emerged for climate deniers and acknowledgers, suggesting that in this context threat and efficacy are not just additive in their effects (but these effects were small). Including measures of collective threat and efficacy only modestly improved the model. Finally, evidence that threat and efficacy appraisals can be shifted was weak and inconsistent; mitigation behavioral intentions were not reliably influenced by the messages tested. Conclusions PMT effectively predicts climate change mitigation behavioral intentions among US adults, whether they deny climate change or acknowledge it. Threat appraisals may be more impactful for deniers, while efficacy appraisals may be more impactful for acknowledgers. Including collective-level measures of threat and efficacy modestly improves model fit. Contrary to PMT research in other domains, threat and efficacy appraisals were not easily shifted under the conditions tested here, and increases did not reliably lead to increases in behavioral intentions.

The sense of security constitutes one of the fundamental human needs. Due to the crucial role that security plays in the contemporary world and its impact on states, societies, and individuals, it is often a subject of analysis in scientific literature. The article focuses on the definition of security and its evolution in the context of the individual and society. The security of modern humans is a complex, dynamic phenomenon that goes beyond traditional areas of threats, requiring redefinition in the context of changing social and technological realities. Within this research, the views of representatives from various scientific disciplines are presented, and a new definition of the concept of security is proposed. The author suggests their own definition of security as a state of mind, dependent on the satisfaction of needs in various dimensions (material and immaterial) and in relation to the individual or collective. The dynamic nature of security and its connection to the individual's perception of threats and situations is emphasized.

Abstract Individuals living and working in dangerous settings (e.g., first responders and military personnel) make complex decisions amidst serious threats. However, controlled studies on decision-making under threat are limited given obvious ethical concerns. Here, we embed a complex decision-making task within a threatening, immersive virtual environment. Based on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a paradigm widely used to study complex decision-making, the task requires participants to make a series of choices to escape a collapsing building. In Study 1 we demonstrate that, as with the traditional IGT, participants learn to make advantageous decisions over time and that their behavioural data can be described by reinforcement-learning based computational models. In Study 2 we created threatening and neutral versions of the environment. In the threat condition, participants performed worse, taking longer to improve from baseline and scoring lower through the final trials. Computational modelling further revealed that participants in the threat condition were more responsive to short term rewards and less likely to perseverate on a given choice. These findings suggest that when threat is integral to decision-making, individuals make more erratic choices and focus on short term gains. They furthermore demonstrate the utility of virtual environments for making threat integral to cognitive tasks.

Abstract The increasing prevalence of threats and violence against ambulance clinicians is a critical issue that has not been adequately studied. These incidents pose significant challenges to the provision of prehospital emergency care, affecting both the safety and well-being of the clinicians involved. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Swedish ambulance clinicians when encountering threats and violence during their work. A qualitative approach was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 11 ambulance clinicians from various regions of Sweden. The participants were selected to ensure diversity in gender, age, and educational background. The data were collected over three weeks in 2021 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed three key categories related to the challenges faced by ambulance clinicians: Police cooperation challenges, Strategies for a safe care environment, and Impact during and relief after stressful events. These categories highlight the complexities of managing threats and violence in the field. This study sheds light on the multifaceted challenges that ambulance clinicians face due to threats and violence. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive training, effective communication, and clear role allocation in complex situations. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of organized support systems to help clinicians cope with the aftermath of stressful events.

Abstract Background Stalking can escalate into violent acts such as threatening and inflicting physical harm, posing a serious threat to personal safety. To prevent exacerbating stalking victimization, victims must seek help and report incidents to the police or relevant authorities. However, victims, in general, underreport these incidents to public institutions. Moreover, there is insufficient understanding of why victims of stalking, especially men, refrain from seeking help. Therefore, this study used text mining to explore the reasons victims of stalking in Japan do not seek help while considering the severity of victimization and analyzing data separately for men and women. Methods Among 908 Japanese individuals who reported experiencing repeated stalking behavior from a former intimate partner in the past five years, 253 men and 321 women who did not consult public authorities were included in this study. Participants provided their experiences of being stalked by former romantic partners and were classified into stalking-only, threatened, and physical aggression victim groups based on their self-reported experiences in an online survey. Reasons for not seeking help were collected through open-ended questions and analyzed using text mining. Results A co-occurrence network analysis revealed that among men in the threatened victim group, the reason for not seeking help was the belief that their complaints would not be taken seriously. The physical aggression victim group did not seek help due to the perception that a female perpetrator does not pose a danger. Among women in the physical aggression victim group, concerns about provoking the perpetrator or worsening the situation by seeking help, as well as feelings of embarrassment, were reasons for not seeking assistance. Conclusions The identification of gender stereotype-related reasons among male victims was a valuable insight that could only be obtained through comparison with female victims. However, the study was limited to addressing the individual characteristics of the cases, thus providing only hypothetical insights into general trends. In future research, it will be necessary to generate hypotheses from the findings of this study and accumulate hypothesis-testing research to develop effective strategies for promoting help-seeking behavior among stalking victims.

Abstract Background Hepatozoonosis has been reported in many species around the world. Few incidences have been reported in various species of wild felids. Tigers are endangered large cats and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under Schedule I. The study was carried out to estimate the positivity rate of hepatozoonosis in tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. Methods Blood (n = 21) or tissue samples (n = 5) were collected from 26 wild captured / zoo-born or dead tigers during the quarantine period/post-mortem examination. Blood smear examination along with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) studies were conducted for the detection of hepatozoonosis. All the amplicons from the positive samples were purified and sequenced, and the sequences were subjected to nBLAST analysis to detect the species of Hepatozoon. The sequences were deposited into public domain database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and accession numbers were allotted. A phylogenetic study was undertaken to understand the evolutionary lineage of the pathogen. Tissue distribution studies were carried out on tissue samples received during post mortem. A clinical case in a tiger cub was managed and sub-clinical cases were monitored for relapse. Age-wise, sex-wise, region-wise and captive time-wise positivity rate was estimated. The data was analyzed using statistical tools. Results A total of 12 tigers were found positive for H. felis during the screening. A clinical case was diagnosed and successfully treated. The age group of 0–3 years reported a positivity rate of 66.66%, and all the cases found positive were reported between the age group of 0–7 years. Males reported a positivity rate of 58.33 per cent, while females reported 35.71%. Taboba and Andhari Tiger Reserve of the state had a positivity rate of 52.94 per cent. However, the statistical analysis for blood parameters and positivity rate by ‘t’ test and Chi-squared test were found to be non-significant. Conclusions An overall positivity rate of 46.15% indicates the wide distribution of hepatozoonosis among wild tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India, which is strategically important considering the gene flow and migration of tigers. Hepatozoonosis can progress to clinical outcomes in young animals and require veterinary intervention. Molecular tools and phylogenetic studies can supplement important data on circulating species of Hepatozoon in the field. Further studies on the clinical management and epidemiology of the infection in wild felids will comprehend the cause of wildlife conservation.