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Objectives. To evaluate associations between oil and gas development (OGD) and mental health using cross-sectional data from a preconception cohort study, Pregnancy Study Online. Methods. We analyzed baseline data from a prospective cohort of US and Canadian women aged 21 to 45 years who were attempting conception without fertility treatment (2013–2023). We developed residential proximity measures for active OGD during preconception, including distance from nearest site. At baseline, participants completed validated scales for perceived stress (10-item Perceived Stress Scale, PSS) and depressive symptoms (Major Depression Inventory, MDI) and reported psychotropic medication use. We used log-binomial regression and restricted cubic splines to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. Among 5725 participants across 37 states and provinces, residence at 2 km versus 20 to 50 km of active OGD was associated with moderate to high perceived stress (PSS ≥ 20 vs < 20: PR = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.18), moderate to severe depressive symptoms (MDI ≥ 20 vs < 20: PR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.45), and psychotropic medication use (PR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.97, 1.28). Conclusions. Among North American pregnancy planners, closer proximity to OGD was associated with adverse preconception mental health symptomatology. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(9):923–934. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307730) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconstruction of the Early Paleozoic collision metamorphism of the Khan-Khukhei Block (Northern Mongolia) based on 3D modeling of thermal state of the crust and isotope dating is presented. The age of garnet–biotite schist from a metamorphic complex of the Khan-Khukhei Block of 517.4 ± 7.4 Ma is determined for the first time. 3D modeling was conducted to compare this age of metamorphism with the available age determinations of (post-) collision granite formation in the range of 513‒505 Ma. The model considers radiogenic heating at an elevated heat production of rocks of the thickened crust of the Khan-Khukhei block as the cause of the migmatization and granitoid melts formation. 3D modeling was conducted for the first time for thermal-dome type of metamorphism. The results provide a realistic conception of magma generation in typical collision settings in the absence of mantle magmatic heat sources. The time interval between metamorphism and the stage of anatectic magma formation is 5–12 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores preservice classroom teachers' perceived importance, self-efficacy beliefs, participation frequencies and conceptions related to new literacies. The research is framed using a dual-level theory of new literacies. The participants of the study consisted of 364 preservice teachers studying in the department of primary education at two state universities in Turkey. The findings revealed that (i) while preservice teachers displayed high participation in new literacies requiring the consumption of information, they displayed low participation in information production activities; (ii) the importance preservice teachers attached to online or digital literacy activities and their self-efficacy beliefs significantly predicted their participation in these activities; (iii) preservice teachers' conceptual understandings with regard to new literacies were compatible with their participation frequencies and perceived importance with regard to online or digital literacy activities. Some suggestions for preservice teachers' skills, strategies, dispositions and practices related to new literacies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ovarian reserve is one of the most important factors that influences the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Recently, the role of anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) in ART has been investigated as a marker for the prediction of ovarian response. We aim to examine this relationship within a large Iranian population. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we obtained data from 1000 infertile couples who referred to the Research and Clinical Centre of Yazd Infertility Clinic for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Serum AMH levels, oocyte count, numbers of fertilised oocytes, endometrial thickness, and percentage of mature oocytes were measured. The relationship between AMH serum levels and the number and quality of oocytes and embryos in ART cycles was analysed. Results: In the linear regression model, the log of the variables total dose of gonadotropin, two pronuclei (2PN), log oestradiol, total embryos, duration of stimulation, number of embryos transferred, protocol, and cause of infertility were significant predictors of log AMH. Conclusion: There appears to be a relationship between serum AMH levels in the early follicular phase and ovarian reserve. Higher serum AMH levels were also associated with shorter ART cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surge in scholarship on minoritised gender and sexual identities has supported the advancement of LGBTQ+ family rights in many developed countries internationally. However, further work is needed to ensure LGBTQ+ families are fully included within integrated care systems. This article presents a subset of empirical findings from a narrative inquiry conducted in the United Kingdom. Eight LGBTQ+ participants were interviewed about their experiences and perspectives on adoption, fostering and birth children. Findings indicate that social work has a key role in addressing the cisgenderism prevalent in services, to enhance inclusivity within integrated care systems that support LGBTQ+ family life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How we live our lives depends on how we relate to our past, present and future. The article focusses on the relation to our future. The target of my critique is a "planning conception" that imagines the future as a realm that we can rationally plan and form in light of our ends. In the first section I present an outline of the planning conception, building on Bratman's planning theory and Rawls' idea of a life plan. The second section highlights the attractions of the planning conception. I argue that this conception offers a prima facie intriguing view of the temporality of human life. It promises a life in which we can control the passage of time. The third section reveals severe limitations of the planning conception. I question the claim that plans are central to our self-understanding and to a good life. The planning conception tends to distort the temporality of human life with respect to past, present and future. Given this diagnosis, I sketch an alternative in the last section of the paper. I explore the temporal specifics of ways of understanding oneself as a person and argue that both the formation and the very form of these 'ways of being' do not follow the logic of planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the necessity requirement in defensive actions involving multiple agents, examining how permissions to inflict harm are determined by minimizing overall harm. Topics include the comparison between agent-centered and target-centered conceptions of necessity, the impact of multiple agents' options on permissible harm, and how uncertainty affects the application of necessity in real-world situations.

Objective: Disordered eating is common in pregnancy and associated with adverse health outcomes. Weight suppression (WS), the discrepancy between highest lifetime and current weight, is a robust predictor of loss of control (LOC) and binge eating and weight gain trajectories in clinical populations. This study explored the role of preconception WS as a predictor of disordered eating and weight gain in pregnancy. Method: Pregnant individuals (n = 137) reported their highest, preconception, and current weights to calculate preconception WS, actual gestational weight gain (GWG), and deviations from recommended weight gain trajectories in pregnancy. Participants also completed the Prenatal Eating Behaviours Screening (PEBS) tool, a validated measure of disordered eating specifically in pregnancy. Results: Preconception WS was a significant predictor of PEBS total scores [F(5, 122) = 2.70, p = 0.02, R2 = 0.10] and significantly and positively correlated with individual item scores quantifying restrictive eating behaviours. Preconception WS was not predictive of deviations from recommended GWG trajectories or LOC or binge eating frequency and did not interact with pre‐pregnancy body mass index or GWG to predict eating disorder symptom severity. Conclusions: Preconception WS was predictive of disordered eating, and specifically restrictive eating behaviours in pregnancy, and should be assessed as part of screening for eating disorder risk in pregnant individuals. Highlights: Disordered eating is common in pregnancy and associated with adverse health outcomes.Weight suppression (WS) is predictive of loss of control and binge eating in clinical populations.Preconception WS was found to be predictive of restrictive eating behaviours in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how pre-service geography teachers conceptualize "nature" using photovoice. The researcher analyzed the participants' data to extract six themes: primary nature, secondary nature, nature as the law of things, nature as a relational geography, nature as a threatened place, and nature as a necessity for human well-being. The participants said that their conceptualizations of nature helped confirm their experiences and the level of their conceptualization of nature acquired through school education. This study has also helped the instructor understand students' levels of conceptualization of nature and is significant as a guide to planning and practicing follow-up classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous investigations of time-to-pregnancy recognition have analysed data from national surveys and clinics, but this has not been investigated in the context of digital fertility applications. Timely pregnancy recognition can help individuals in health and pregnancy management, reducing maternal and foetal risk and costs, whilst increasing treatment options, availability, and cost. Methods: This dataset contained 23,728 pregnancies (conceived between June 2018 and December 2022) from 20,429 participants using a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared fertility app in the United States. Most participants (with non-missing information) identified as Non-Hispanic White, and one-third reported obtaining a university degree. We used two-tailed Welch's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and two-tailed Z-tests to compare time to pregnancy recognition between those using the app to conceive or contracept. Results: Participants using an app to conceive recognised pregnancy on average at 31.3 days from last menstrual period (LMP) compared to 35.9 days among those using the app to prevent pregnancy. Conclusion: Generalisability is limited, as all participants were using a fertility app and had relatively homogenous sociodemographic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safer Conception Services (SCS) refers to the provision of a package of care for individuals of reproductive age who are affected with HIV to have safe and healthy pregnancies. South Africa has one of the highest HIV burdens in the world, yet limited availability of SCS. Therefore, this study investigated healthcare managers' response to an implementation project piloting SCS integration into primary healthcare services in Johannesburg. As part of the implementation study, data was collected from six facility healthcare managers using In-Depth interviews between November 2017 - September 2018. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The following four (4) themes emerged: positive response to the implementation of SCS, capacity building, the impact of SCS, and the need to scale up SCS. The results suggested that providers engaged saw value in the implementation of SCS. The results further suggest that there was an openness, willingness, cheerful outlook, and support to make SCS more widely available; however, streamlined processes are important to ensure feasibility. Continuous training is necessary to routinize implementation and ensure adequate coverage of services. Available guidelines should be translated into training programs and more initiative-taking policies to support the scale-up of this essential service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reciprocal IVF is a route to parenthood that, for the first time, allows cis two-mother families (and other couples in which both partners have a uterus and egg stores) to 'share' biological parenthood. This family form offers a valuable opportunity for researchers to examine experiences of gestational and genetic motherhood within the same family, and this article is the first to take a sociological approach to exploring kinship within this emerging family form. Drawing upon interview data with 14 two-mother families (28 mothers) who have conceived via reciprocal IVF, we show that mothers hold complex, creative and sometimes contradictory understandings of the 'multiple motherhoods' within their family (i.e. genetic, epigenetic and gestational motherhood). Overall, mothers took an active and strategic approach to constructing kinship within their family, and these findings have theoretical, empirical and clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the association between neonatal birthweight (NBW) discordance and preeclampsia (PE) in twin pregnancy. Methods: This was a single‐center retrospective cohort study. Women with two live births in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen University from January 2011 to June 2020 were eligible. They were classified into four groups based on the quartiles of NBW discordance in monochorionic (MC) and dichorionic (DC) twin pregnancy. The relationship between NBW discordance and the risk of PE was assessed by logistic regression, subgroup analyses was further analyzed. Results: A total of 1566 women were eligible for the final analysis, there were 445 MC cases and 1121 DC cases. No matter in monochorionic or dichorionic pregnancy, higher NBW discordance quartiles were associated with increased risks of PE. Compared with women in the lowest NBW discordance quartile, women in the highest NBW discordance quartile had approximately 3.6 and 6.0 times risk of PE in monochorionic and dichorionic pregnancy respectively. The association between quartiles of NBW discordance and the risk of PE were higher in dichorionic pregnancy than in monochorionic pregnancy. No matter in MC or DC pregnancy, no significant interaction effects were identified for maternal age, pregnancy body mass index, mode of conception and whether complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: The increased NBW discordance quartile was related to an increased risk of PE. Assessing estimated fetal weight discordance by using ultrasound in clinical practice to predict PE remained to be further researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Social Sciences Studies is the property of Social Sciences Studies 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.)

Sub‐estrus buffaloes do not exhibit estrus signs despite being cyclic contributing to extended service periods and inter‐calving intervals causing significant economic loss. The present study described the effect of synthetic prostaglandin (PGF2α) on estrus behaviour, follicular and luteal morphometry, and serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) profile in sub‐estrus buffaloes during the non‐breeding season. The incidence of sub‐estrus was 38.4% during the non‐breeding season. The sub‐estrus buffaloes (n = 33) were divided into two groups, viz., Control (n = 16) and PGF2α treatment (Inj. Cloprostenol 500 μg, i.m., n = 17). Estrus induction response was significantly greater in the treatment (100 vs. 18.75%, p <.001), and a relatively greater proportion of animals conceived in the treatment group (29.41 vs. 6.25%, p =.08). The time elapsed to induction of estrus and insemination following treatment was significantly lower in the treatment group than control. A significant increment in the follicle diameter (9.72 ± 0.45 vs. 13.00 ± 0.45 mm, P <.0001) and serum estradiol (E2) concentration (66.01 ± 11.92 vs. 104.9 ± 13.21 pg/mL, p =.003) observed at the post‐treatment period in the PGF2α treatment group. At the same time, CL diameter was reduced significantly at a higher regression rate in the PGF2α treated buffaloes than those of control. Of the responded buffaloes, only 30% showed high‐intensity estrus attributed to the expulsion of cervico‐vaginal mucus (CVM), uterine tonicity, micturition, and mounting response by a teaser bull. From this study, it can be concluded that the administration of PGF2α could induce estrus in the sub‐estrus buffaloes during the non‐breeding season. Behavioural changes, along with sonographic observation of POF, regressing CL, and serum E2 and P4 concentration would be useful to determine the right time of insemination in sub‐estrus buffaloes during non‐breeding season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between spiritual well-being, prenatal stress and attachment level of Turkish women conceiving spontaneously or with assisted reproductive techniques (ART). The comparative descriptive study type was conducted between November 2021 and June 2022 with 202 pregnant women, including 87 women conceiving with ART and 115 women conceiving spontaneously, who applied for routine prenatal care checkup in a state hospital in the west of Turkey. Both groups have a high level of spiritual well-being. Pregnant women in the ART group experience higher prenatal distress (9.6% for spontaneous, 12.6% for ART, p = 0.487) and low level of attachment (69.72 ± 7.98 for spontaneous, 66.24 ± 8.88 for ART, p = 0.006) compared to the other group. Additionally, as insufficient partner involvement in the prenatal process increases in pregnant women in both groups, prenatal attachment decreases. It is extremely important that midwives and nurses evaluate the spiritual well-being of pregnant women and provide holistic care in line with their spiritual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis, affecting approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women globally, poses significant challenges, including chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and infertility. In low- and middle-income countries like India, accessibility to affordable infertility care remains a concern. This multicenter prospective cohort study, conducted across six tertiary care hospitals in India from 2017 to 2022, aims to explore the natural progression of conception and pregnancy outcomes in women with endometriosis. Of the 257 participants, 19.1% conceived during the study, revealing significant geographic and income-based variations (p < 0.001, p = 0.01). Dysmenorrhea (p < 0.001) and dyspareunia (p=0.027) were correlated with conception, while no such associations were found with chronic pelvic pain or menstrual factors. Lesion type, number, and severity showed no conclusive link with conception. Natural conception occurred in 70% of cases, with an average post-surgery conception time of 282.1 days. Live birth rate was 85.7%, while complications included placenta previa (16.4%), preeclampsia (4.1%), and preterm births (4.1%). This study, one of the first in India on endometriosis-related fertility progression, emphasizes the need for comprehensive understanding and management of conception and pregnancy outcomes. Considering India's substantial endometriosis burden, the study recommends prioritizing larger multicenter investigations for a better understanding and effective strategies for infertility management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this essay is to present and analyse the basic assumptions of Leszek Nowak's conception of the unity of science. According to Nowak, the unity of science is manifested in the common application of the method of idealisation in scientific research. In accordance with his conception, regardless of the discipline they represent, researchers go through the same stages in building a theory. Two key ones among them are: introducing idealising assumptions into the representation and then their concretisation. In this view, idealisation is the basis of the scientific method, while other cognitive procedures complement it. Nowak's conception has particular relevance in the context of the dispute between naturalism and anti-naturalism and in the context of the continuing rift between social scientists and natural scientists. It calls into question the anti-naturalist thesis of the ontological uniqueness of social sciences and the resulting methodological consequences. I argue that Nowak's conception is a cognitively valuable contribution to the contemporary epistemology of science, but it also has weaknesses, mainly due to the limitations of applying the idealisation-concretisation scheme in research practice. For it turns out, as I point out in this essay, that many idealising assumptions are not subject to concretisation and that concretisations do not always condition an increase in the explanatory and/or predictive power of the representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction in which a gamete (ovum or sperm) develops without being fertilized. Tomer Jordi Chaffer uses parthenogenesis to challenge Don Marquis' future‐like‐ours (FLO) argument against abortion. According to Marquis, (1) what makes it morally wrong to kill us is that it would deprive us of a possible future that we might come to value—a future "like ours" (FLO) and (2) human fetuses are numerically identical to any adult human organism they may develop into, and thus have a FLO. Chaffer contends that if human ova are capable of parthenogenesis, then they would have a FLO, which contraception may deprive them of, but contends this is absurd. Bruce P. Blackshaw challenges Chaffer, contending sexually fertilized embryos are not identical to unfertilized ovum, but this would yield a more absurd implication, that fertilization deprives an ovum of a FLO! Here I show Marquis' account of identity rules out both Chaffer's and Blackshaw's accounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infertility affects 15% of the population in developed countries, and its prevalence is increasing. Fertility can be influenced by different factors. Although key factors like maternal age cannot be changed, there is growing evidence that other modifiable factors, such as diet, can have an impact on fertility. Diet has become increasingly important in recent years for a number of reasons: the new trend toward a healthy lifestyle, the higher prevalence of certain digestive disorders, a lack of time that leads people to consume more prepared and processed food, and personal choice to not eat meat, among others. To meet these needs, several diets have recently become popular, such as the Mediterranean diet, known as the gold standard of health; the DASH diet, known for preventing hypertension; the Western diet, characterized by processed food; the ketogenic diet, characterized by low carbohydrate intake; and the vegetarian diet, which is the choice for people who do not eat meat or animal by-products. Diets present a unique composition characterized by the presence or absence of specific nutrients, which have also been associated with male and female fertility individually. This review assesses the impact of these diets and of macro- and micronutrients on both female and male fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study aimed to identify the changes in a prospective' conceptions about the nature of mathematical tasks and pedagogy in video cases and to investigate the characteristics of the prospective' professional knowledge and views during task design/modification. The study used the mathematical task demand engagement process, which includes task-sorting activity, selecting tasks, reflecting on illustrative cases, and teaching and reflecting on tasks as enacted. The findings regarding one prospective, Kar, were reported. Focus group interviews, individual interviews, and two recorded lessons were used as data sources. The content analysis method was employed for the in-depth analysis of the data. The findings suggested a change in Kar's ideas about the nature of mathematical tasks, particularly about what characteristics low and high-level tasks possess and the efficiency of the Task Analysis Guide. Kar also generated detailed ideas on the pedagogy of high and low tasks and realized the role of teachers as facilitators while enacting high-level tasks. Another finding is that Kar's decisions regarding task adaptation and her reasons catalyze both situated and global knowledge and views. Our findings suggest that providing an opportunity for prospective to reflect on and discuss the nature of mathematical tasks as planned, implemented, and revisited in a professional context is beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco 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.)

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has been used not only to avoid genetic diseases and increase conception success rates but also to perform non‐medical sex selection, particularly in the surging cross‐border reproductive care (CBRC). In the context of commercialised biomedicine, assisted reproductive technologies, such as lifestyle sex selection, have been tailored to meet intended parents' preferences. However, there is a lack of analysis on how individuals' reproductive decisions on PGD‐assisted sex selection were shaped within the sociocultural norms and CBRC. This article explores Taiwanese gay fathers' navigations on sex selection while seeking third‐party reproduction overseas because of local legal constraints. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with 53 gay fathers (to‐be), I analysed how 'individual preferences' were dynamically shaped by local sociocultural norms and embedded within transnational settings of routinising PGD in chosen repro‐destinations. The findings showed that gay fathers mobilised strategic discourses on non‐medical sex selection from both the local and the global to negotiate their decisions in coherence with their LGBTQ+ identity and their role as sons carrying familial responsibility to procreate male heirs. This article proposed a nuanced understanding of gay fathers' reproductive practices of 'gendering the beginning of life' through PGD‐assisted sex selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a review of scientific publications that consider the impact of micronutrients on a woman’s reproductive health, fertility, pregnancy, and modern principles of vitamin and nutrient deficiency prevention. In the modern world, and especially in countries with a developing economy, the problem of the deficiency of certain micronutrients is particularly acute. According to the WHO, the number of people in the world who have encountered it in one form or another reaches 2 billion. Chronic deficiency of certain micronutrients has a significant negative impact on health, at the same time has no specific clinical manifestations, diagnosis is expensive for mass implementation, and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from micronutrient deficiency requires a significant amount of resources. That is why the development of optimal programs and recommendations for the prevention or correction of micronutrient deficiencies is the focus of attention of WHO and leading scientists [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sub‐estrus is a condition when buffaloes do not display behavioural estrus signs, despite being in estrus and causes a delay in conception and increases the service period. The present study describes the effect of synthetic prostaglandin (PGF2α) alone and in combination with trace minerals on the follicular and corpus luteum (CL) dynamics, serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentration correlating estrus response and pregnancy outcome in sub‐estrus buffaloes during the breeding season. A total of 50 sub‐estrus buffaloes, identified through ultrasonography (USG) examination, were randomly allocated into three groups, viz. T1 (Synthetic PGF2α, Inj. Cloprostenol 500 μg, i.m, n = 17), T2 (Synthetic PGF2α + Trace mineral supplementation, Inj. Stimvet 1 mL/100 kg body weight, i.m., n = 17) and control (untreated; n = 16). Following treatment, 100% of sub‐estrus buffaloes were induced estrus in the T1 and T2 groups, while only 18.75% were induced in the control. The CL diameter and serum P4 concentration were significantly lower at post‐treatment, whereas the pre‐ovulatory follicle (POF) size and serum E2 concentration were significantly higher in the T1 and T2 groups as compared to the control (p <.05). The buffaloes of the T2 group had a greater proportion of moderate intensities estrus than those of T1. Moreover, the proportion of buffaloes conceived in the T1 and T2 were 41.2% and 52.95%, respectively. The larger POF diameter and higher serum E2 concentration were associated with intense intensity estrus and higher conception rate (66.7%) in sub‐estrus buffaloes. Similarly, CL regression rate, POF size and serum E2 concentration were relatively higher in the buffaloes conceived as compared to those not conceived. It is concluded that synthetic PGF2α in combination with trace minerals induces moderate to intense intensities estrus in a greater proportion of sub‐estrus buffaloes and increases the conception rate during the breeding season. Moreover, behavioural estrus attributes correlating follicle and luteal morphometry, serum E2 and P4 concentration could be used to optimise the breeding time for augmenting the conception rate in sub‐estrus buffaloes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Zeitschrift für Pädagogik is the property of Julius Beltz GmbH & Co. KG Beltz Juventa 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.)

The establishment and maintenance of a pregnancy requires proper interaction between the endocrine and immune systems in the uterus. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how changes in endometrial cytokine levels facilitate reproduction. This study aimed to investigate how representative cytokines sequentially changed in the endometrium and whether conception could be attributed to these changes. In this study, artificial insemination was performed twice in 160 sows and ovulation was examined every 3 h using transrectal ultrasonography. Uterine endometrial tissues were obtained via repeated biopsies at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 20 h after ovulation and interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 expression was examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The conception rate was 91.9%. The IL-2 levels showed no differences in conception or time. The expression peaks of IL-4 and IL-6 were delayed in sows that failed to conceive within 4-6 h and 2 h, respectively, compared to those that did conceive. In sows that conceived, IL-8 was highest after 2 h, and no difference was observed at other time point, regardless of conception. In sows that failed to conceive, the increase in IL-8 levels might have been cancelled or terminated before the first sampling time. These results highlight the importance of timely increases and subsequent declines in the levels of some cytokines for the establishment of pregnancy. Differences in uterine capacity start just after ovulation; detection and correction of these deviations can improve the reproductive efficiency of sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the most important population challenges during the last three decades has been the significant decrease in the fertility rate worldwide. Since the validity and reliability of the Male and Female Fertility Knowledge Inventories (MFKI and FFKI) have not been determined in Iran, we conducted this study to assess psychometric characteristics of the MFKI and FFKI in couples in Tabriz and Urmia, Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, as the first part (quantitative phase) of a sequential explanatory mixed-method study. The current study was done on 1200 participants (600 women with their husbands) living in the northwestern region of Iran, between January 2023 and September 2023. The psychometric properties of the Persian version of the tool (MFKI and FFKI) were performed in 5 stages, including translation process, content validity, face validity, construct validity and reliability assesment. Results: In this study, the CVI, CVR, and impact scores of the MFKI tool were equal to 0.90, 0.88, 3.26 and CVI, CVR, and Impact scores of the FFKI tool were respectively equal to 0.95, 0.91 and 3.59, that it indicated a satisfactory level of content and face validity. Then, to check the construct validity, the results of the exploratory factor analysis of the MFKI tool on 13 items led to the identification of 3 factors, including Environment and reproductive health (ERH), Lifestyle factors (LSF) and Sperm quality (SQ), which explained 66% of the cumulative variance. The results of the exploratory factor analysis of the FFKI tool on 15 items led to the identification of 4 factors, including Reproductive health (RH), Lifestyle factors (LSF), Chance of conception (CHC) and Ovarian reserve and preservation (ORP), which explained 68% of the cumulative variance. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicated that the Persian version of MFKI and FFKI has acceptable psychometric properties to measure the awareness of Iranian couples regarding fertility, which can be used as a screening tool for fertility knowledge by health care professionals and also as a reliable tool in research. Plain English summary: The right to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is considered one of the basic rights of couples all over the world. Increasing childbearing age is a global social issue. In spite of the policies of having children in the previous decade, fertility reduction and involuntary childlessness are still the foremost global health problems. The fertility rate in Iran has reduced significantly in the last thirty years. This reduction can be attributed not only to economic difficulties but also to the postponement of marriage and having children, as well as infertility issues, which, by increasing the awareness of couples about fertility, seems to be able to overcome this problem to some extent. Consequently, we decided to conduct this study with the aim of determining the psychometric properties of the Male and Female Fertility Knowledge Inventories (MFKI and FFKI) in Iranian couples. The results of the current study revealed that this questionnaire, having acceptable psychometric properties to evaluate the state of awareness of Iranian couples regarding fertility, can be used as a valid and reliable tool in Iranian couples. It appears that it is essential for health care providers to play an active role in advising couples about the appropriate age of fertility, the problems of delay in having children, overcoming the value of having few children in society. Accordingly, health policymakers should recommend the use of valid screening tools to identify the knowledge of women and men about fertility in health centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The teaching and learning of statistical thinking begins at a young age in Australia, with a focus on data representation and interpretation from Foundation Year (age 5), and the collection, sorting and categorising of items from the natural environment starting even earlier. The intangible concept of data, as part of statistical literacy, can be complex for children to grasp, especially when applying the notion of data to the everyday world or when data are explored in isolation to an investigation process. Authentic data modelling experiences present meaningful opportunities to apply statistical thinking although expert STEM knowledge is not always accessible to primary classroom teachers, nor is it always obvious how to implement such authentic problems within a classroom context. In this exploratory case study, we present data from a Year 4 classroom (age 9) statistical investigation addressing, 'How big is a leaf?' linking data to the real-life STEM context they represented. The authors were interested in how the teacher's communication processes supported her students' emerging understandings about data. Wit's (2018) cognitive tuning framework offered a way to capture how the communication processes in a group build to a commonly shared frame of reference. Findings revealed a pattern of communication between the teacher and students, supporting students' changing conceptions of data and related statistical thinking processes, throughout the investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this article, I explore the compatibility of inference to the best explanation (IBE) with several influential models and accounts of scientific explanation. First, I explore the different conceptions of IBE and limit my discussion to two: the heuristic conception and the objective Bayesian conception. Next, I discuss five models of scientific explanation with regard to each model's compatibility with IBE. I argue that Kitcher's unificationist account supports IBE; Railton's deductive–nomological–probabilistic model, Salmon's statistical-relevance model, and van Fraassen's erotetic account are incompatible with IBE; and Salmon's causal–mechanical model is merely consistent with IBE. In short, many influential models of scientific explanation do not support IBE. I end by outlining three possible conclusions to draw: (1) either philosophers of science or defenders of IBE have seriously misconstrued the concept of explanation, (2) philosophers of science and defenders of IBE do not use the term 'explanation' univocally, and (3) the ampliative conception of IBE, which is compatible with any model of scientific explanation, deserves a closer look. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this case study, informed by a Lakatosian perspective, is to identify how an alternative conception that originates in present learning but is related directly to subsequent learning contexts can be constructed. Before the study, one of the authors found by accident that a student who had learned about Avogadro's principle and chemical reaction in South Korea constructed an alternative conception related to the volume of gas. Later, we identified seven Korean high school students with the alternative conception through a test and analyzed their underlying understandings qualitatively through interviews. The results show that they had a scientific conception—core conception—and intuitive assumptions about implicit information of external representations—implicit assumptions—in common. The students' implicit assumptions could be divided into three types again: core assumption, auxiliary assumption, and context‐inducing assumption. The core assumption, like the core conception, played a significant role in constructing the alternative conception (hard core), while the auxiliary assumptions were incomplete implicit assumptions to protect the alternative conception (protective belt). The context‐inducing assumption was an implicit assumption bringing the context of the subsequent curriculum, and the core conception and the core assumption could be interpreted in this induced context. At the end of the study, the implications related to learning progressions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Wilcox (JGPS 51: 65–87, 2020) argued against the so-called wide interval view and in favor of the principle of indifference as the correct response to unspecific evidence. Embedded in a formal model of the beliefs of an agent, the former presupposes imprecise probabilities and the latter numerically precise degrees of belief. His argument is illustrated by a thought experiment that comes with a fundamental intuition. According to Wilcox, the wide interval view is incompatible with this intuition and, thus, undermined. In contrast, I show that the intuition behind the thought experiment is, in fact, compatible with the wide interval view if it is embedded into a specific conception of imprecise probabilities as model of belief. This conception is an extension of a framework which I call modified supervaluationism (MSV) and which I recently presented elsewhere (Karge 2021, 175–191). To accommodate the thought experiment's fundamental intuition, it introduces a notion of second-order beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the changes of cardiac morphology and function in fetuses conceived through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) by speckle tracking echocardiography. A retrospective study was conducted in 101 spontaneously conceived (SC) fetuses and 99 ART-conceived ones. Fetal echocardiography was performed, fetal cardiac morphology and function were analyzed using two-dimensional speckle tracking software, including global sphericity index (GSI), global longitudinal strain (GLS), fractional area change (FAC) of the left and right ventricles, as well as segmental sphericity index (SI), end-diastolic diameter (ED), and fractional shortening (FS) in 24 segments. Compared to the SC fetuses, the ART-conceived fetuses exhibited decreased GSI (median [interquartile range], 1.22 [1.16–1.27] vs. 1.18 [1.11–1.24], p=0.007), decreased right ventricular GLS (24.9 [21.5–27.6] vs. 23.2 [20.4–26.8], p=0.026), and decreased right ventricular FAC (mean ± standard deviation, 39.7 ± 6.4 vs. 37.2 ± 7.1, p=0.003). Analysis of the 24 segments showed that ART-conceived fetuses had reduced SI in the apical segments of right ventricle and increased ED in several segments of the right ventricle. Fetuses conceived through ART had a more spherical shape of the global heart and predominantly right-sided cardiac remodeling and systolic function impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe characteristics and outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles performed in 2019 in Turkey. Material and Methods: One-hundred and sixty-five ART centers in Turkey were invited to submit data. The survey was sent to center directors via e-mail with anonymous links by Qualtrics™. The survey involved questions about their patient characteristics, clinical practices, and outcomes. Results: Forty-one (24.8%) centers responded to e-mails, and data gathered from 25 centers was included in the analyses. In 25 centers, 18,127 fresh or frozen transfers were carried out during the study period, of which 7796 (43.0%) were fresh and the rest were either frozen (45.2%) or embryo transfers (ET) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) (11.8%). The live birth rate per ET was as 30.6%, 40.1%, and 50.7% in fresh, frozen and PGT cycles, respectively. A single embryo was transferred in 65.3% of all transfers and singleton live births comprised 86.1% of all deliveries. For cycles with intrauterine insemination, 1407 were started in 2019, and 195 clinical pregnancies, 150 live births with 19 multiple pregnancies occurred. A total of 1513 ART cycles were initiated for foreign patients. Russia (29.6%), Germany (7.4%), Iraq (4.6%), Uzbekistan (3.1%), and Syria (1.4%) were the top five countries with most patients coming to Turkey for ART. Conclusion: The survey results are in parallel with the reports of international institutions and organizations. With repeated editions, the data collected with annual surveys can be used to inform ART practices in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Double trisomies are rare findings among products of conception and are often lethal to the developing embryo or fetus. Methods Here we describe a double trisomy case with symptoms of threatened miscarriage at 9 weeks gestation. Ultrasound revealed an anembryonic pregnancy. Pregnancy was terminated by dilation and curettage at gestational age 11 weeks and 6 days. Histologic examination and chromosome microarray were performed on a formalin-fixed product of conception (POC) sample to identify the cause of the anembryonic pregnancy. Results Chromosome microarray analysis revealed a female chromosome complement with double trisomies 10 and 20, arr(10,20)x3, consistent with a karyotype of 48,XX,+10,+20. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of double trisomy 10 and 20 in a POC. Due to nonspecific histopathological findings, chromosomal microarray is a powerful tool in identifying and differentiating chromosomal aneuploidies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women of reproductive age. This study sought to explore the postcancer conception and pregnancy experience of young BC survivors to inform counseling. Methods: In the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study (NCT01468246), a multicenter, prospective cohort, participants diagnosed at age ≤40 years with stage 0‐III BC who reported ≥1 postdiagnosis live birth were sent an investigator‐developed survey. Results: Of 119 eligible women, 94 (79%) completed the survey. Median age at diagnosis was 32 years (range, 17–40) and at first postdiagnosis delivery was 38 years (range, 29–47). Most had stage I or II (77%) and HR+ (78%) BC; 51% were nulligravida at diagnosis. After BC treatment, most (62%) conceived naturally, though 38% used assisted reproductive technology, 74% of whom first attempted natural conception for a median of 9 months (range, 2–48). Among women with a known inherited pathogenic variant (n = 20), two underwent preimplantation genetic testing. Of 59 women on endocrine therapy before pregnancy, 26% did not resume treatment. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (20%) was the most common obstetrical condition. Nine percent of newborns required neonatal intensive care unit admission and 9% had low birth weight. Conclusion: Among women with live births after BC treatment, most conceived naturally and having a history of BC did not appear to negatively impact pregnancy complications, though the high rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy warrants further investigation. The prolonged period of attempting natural conception for some survivors suggests the potential need for improved understanding and counseling surrounding family planning goals after BC. In a cohort of 94 women surveyed with one or more live birth(s) after breast cancer treatment, although most conceived naturally, observations suggest potential gaps in counseling related to use of artificial reproductive technology and future childbearing when planning endocrine therapy. History of breast cancer did not appear to negatively impact pregnancy complications, though a higher rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was observed compared with prior studies of breast cancer survivors, requiring further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is framed in Education for Sustainability, aimed at promoting the inclusion of the principles and values of Sustainability in education from a holistic perspective. The study focuses on finding out the concerns and knowledge of secondary school students from Valencia (Spain), who were surveyed during the academic years 2019–2020, 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 about Sustainability and Climate Change. Examining their conceptions, initial ideas, possible shortcomings, and conceptual errors is necessary to build a teaching itinerary with the purpose of adapting and reorienting educational practice to changing situations and different social contexts. The analysis, which is part of a broader research project, focuses on studying what secondary school students know (or rather, what they do not know or are unaware of) about Sustainability and Climate Change, examining their interests and concerns. Our experimental design is based on a wide-ranging questionnaire addressed to students that also promotes initial reflections. The results show that the participating students are concerned about socio-environmental problems, particularly about Climate Change. Nevertheless, they show a limited knowledge of Sustainability. This situation must encourage the involvement of the whole educational community to achieve a greater understanding of the planetary crisis through Education for Sustainability with the final goal of ensuring an effective involvement of the younger generations who are beginning to make their own decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking to improve strategies and practices turned to education for sustainability, this research aimed to identify how the process of building sustainability conceptions in elementary school students takes place in a Brazilian institution. The present qualitative research complies with interpretive paradigm assumptions, and its main research method is the phenomenography analysis using drawings. The educational institution investigated in the study was the Pessoense Institute of Integrated Education (IPEI), in which students from the second, third, and fifth grades of elementary school participated in the research. As for the results, the students identified five different ways to understand sustainability, going from more external or superficial to broader. We were also able to notice that the process of creating these conceptions over elementary school years works progressively, that is, these conceptions expand along the school years. The findings in the research cooperate to improving practices of education for sustainability that is aimed at the teaching level studied for, when explaining the dynamics in the process of creating these sustainability conceptions from the students investigated, it supports a bolder choice of educational strategies, models and methods for such audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Raising offspring imposes energetic costs, especially for female mammals. Consequently, seasons favoring high energy intake and sustained positive energy balance often result in a conception peak. Factors that may weaken this coordinated effect include premature offspring loss and adolescent subfertility. Furthermore, seasonal ingestion of phytochemicals may facilitate conception peaks. We examined these factors and potential benefits of a conception peak (infant survival and interbirth interval) in Phayre's leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus). Materials and Methods: Data were collected at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand (78 conceptions). We estimated periods of high energy intake based on fruit and young leaf feeding and via monthly energy intake rates. Phytochemical intake was based on fecal progestin. We examined seasonality (circular statistics and cox proportional hazard models) and compared consequences of timing (infant survival and interbirth intervals, t‐test, and Fisher exact test). Results: Conceptions occurred in all months but peaked from May to August. This peak coincided with high fecal progestin rather than presumed positive energy balance. Primipara conceived significantly later than multipara. Neither infant survival nor interbirth intervals were related to the timing of conception. Discussion: Periods of high energy intake may not exist and would not explain the conception peak in this population. However, the presumed high intake of phytochemicals was tightly linked to the conception peak. Timing conceptions to the peak season did not provide benefits, suggesting that the clustering of conceptions may be a mere by‐product of phytochemical intake. To confirm this conclusion, seasonal changes in phytochemical intake and hormone levels need to be studied more directly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key content: Medical management of endometriosis is often contraceptive. In contrast, surgical treatment may improve the chance of spontaneous conception. There is conflicting evidence as to whether surgery improves outcomes with assisted conception, and this should be discussed with a specialist in reproductive medicine.Surgery, particularly for ovarian endometriosis, can cause a decreased ovarian reserve and fertility preservation should be considered.There is no standard approach to managing endometriosis in the fertility setting. It is important to take a holistic approach to diagnosis and management of the subfertile couple where endometriosis may be a contributing factor. Learning objectives: To understand the mechanisms by which endometriosis can contribute to subfertility.To understand the importance of a comprehensive assessment of the subfertile couple and the important factors that will inform an individualised management plan.To develop a framework for managing endometriosis in the context of subfertility including fertility preservation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We integrated safer conception care into a Ugandan HIV clinic. People with HIV (PWH), or partnered with a PWH, and desiring children were eligible for the Healthy Families Clinic Program. Clients completed quarterly safer conception counselling visits and questionnaires to provide information around method preferences and outcomes (partner pregnancy, partner seroconversion). We used clinic level data to evaluate longitudinal viral suppression among PWH. Between November 2016 and January 2020, 361 clients (53% men) accessed services. 75% were PWH (51% women, 96% men): 99% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and most reported HIV-sero-different partnerships (97%). Frequently selected safer conception methods included ART (86%), timed condomless sex (74%), and PrEP (40%) with important differences by HIV-serostatus and gender. 22.5% reported pregnancy. Most (97%) PWH were virally suppressed at enrolment and 81% of non-virally suppressed PWH were virally suppressed at 15 months. Two HIV-negative clients (2%) had HIV seroconversion. There is demand for safer conception care in a public sector HIV-clinic in Uganda. Men and women have unique safer conception care preferences. The majority of clients engaged in safer conception care had viral suppression at follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A valuable framework for promoting sensemaking includes the convergence of two independent ideas: (1) the focus of modern education on teaching for understanding and transfer and (2) a purposeful sequence of instruction with those ends in mind. The sensemaking framework intends to help educators identify the big ideas we want students to understand at a deep level to transfer their learning to new situations. This conception is perfectly aligned with the NGSS emphasis on teaching science through the conceptual lenses of Core Ideas (DCIs, SEPs, and CCs) rather than fixating on factual information only. This view aligns with NSTA's four critical attributes that include phenomena, science and engineering practices, student ideas, and science ideas. The explore-before-explain instruction sequence helps teachers prioritize students constructing evidence-based claims in the sensemaking framework. What follows is a description of the four key planning considerations for sensemaking and how explore-before-explain teaching plays out in practice for teaching middle school students about thermal energy transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies highlight researchers' concerns about how science should be taught today. It is recognised that teachers have difficulty involving and motivating students to learn about different complex topics, such as geology. Schools must promote skills development to develop citizens who can be active and informed in society. One way of undertaking this is to use active methodologies such as educational games, in which students play an essential role in developing activities. Games encourage changes in conceptions regarding the relevance of this scientific topic that is often undervalued by students. Games have gained space in recent years in several disciplines, and it is essential that this tool is thought out and planned within a consistent pedagogical proposal. This educational resource is used to increase motivation for learning, as well as enhance and strengthen the effects of learning. An intervention plan can be framed within game-based teaching. Teachers have been underrepresented in the game-based learning literature, with more emphasis on games' effects. However, the pedagogical issue of games has been particularly relevant in recent decades. The current investigation used a survey given to geology teachers (n = 112) from public and private middle and secondary schools in Portugal. Its purpose was to assess teachers' perceptions regarding game-based teaching and its potential to promote active learning. Our sample ages ranged from 24 to 64 years (average of 48.9 years old); 81.3% were women and 18.8% were men. The analysis of the results seems to confirm that although they do not always use games to promote learning in geology, most teachers still recognise their potential to motivate, enhance, and reinforce the learning of geological content, with digital games being the preferred option. They emphasise the importance of teacher training in this area and the inclusion of game applications in school textbooks to approach different geology-related themes. Our results seem to indicate some lack of consistency in teachers' opinions on the impact of games on student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study's primary aim was to examine the relationship between paternal age and perinatal outcomes. This study used data from two hospital birth registries to examine the association between paternal age and adverse perinatal outcomes. The sample included all live singleton births between 2010 and 2022. The primary exposure was paternal age, and the following perinatal outcomes were considered: mode of conception, mode of delivery, pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes. A total of 15,232 pregnant women were considered. Maternal and paternal ages were 31.9 ± 5.3 and 36.5 ± 6.5 years, respectively. Independent of maternal, paternal age was associated with lower odds of spontaneous conceptions (OR 0.930, 95 % CI 0.968/0.993; p=0.003) and higher odds of intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (OR 1.054, 95 % CI 1.045/1.062; p=0.0001), respectively. In contrast to maternal age, paternal age decreased the odds of any (OR 0.922, 95 % CI 0.985/0.999; p=0.032) and urgent/emergent (OR 0.984, 95 % CI 0.975/0.993; p=0.0001) cesarean delivery. Paternal age did not affect the gestation length, placental or neonatal weight, blood loss during delivery, and neonatal 5th-minute Apgar score. Paternal age is associated with perinatal outcomes. These findings suggest that advanced paternal age may have implications for reproductive counseling and prenatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children conceived with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) or after a long waiting time have a higher prevalence of congenital malformations, but few studies have examined the contribution of type of infertility. Objectives: To quantify the association between causes of infertility and prevalence of malformations. Methods: We compared the prevalence at birth of all and severe malformations diagnosed up to age 2 between 6656 children born in 1996–2017 to parents who had previously been assessed for infertility a an academic fertility clinic ("exposed") and 10,382 children born in the same period to parents with no recent medical history of infertility ("reference"). We estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and prevalence differences (PD), by infertility status, type of treatment (non‐ART, ART), and infertility diagnosis, in all children and among singletons. Results: Compared with children of parents with no infertility, children of parents with infertility had a higher prevalence of malformations (both definitions), particularly following ART conceptions. After accounting for treatment, ovulatory disorders were associated with a higher prevalence of both all (PR 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15, 1.93; PD 3.8, 95% CI 1.0, 6.6) and severe (PR 1.53, 95% CI 1.02, 2.29; PD 1.8, 95% CI −0.2, 3.7) malformations (the estimates refer to exposed children conceived without treatment). Unexplained and male factor infertility were associated with all and severe malformations, respectively. Estimates among singletons were similar. A diagnosis of ovulatory disorders was associated with all malformations also in analyses restricted to exposed children, regardless of treatment (we did not examine severe malformations, due to limited power). Conclusions: In this study, ovulatory disorders were consistently associated with a higher prevalence of congenital malformations (including severe malformations) among live births, regardless of mode of conception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anonymous «Discorso se il forastiero…», published in the Discorsi morali, politici e militari (Ferrara, 1590), has been considered by critics as a text arbitrarily inserted among a selection of chapters from Montaigne’s Essais translated by Girolamo Naselli. In fact, this text, adapted from an apology for the Italians in the entourage of Henri III written on the occasion of the États Généraux (1577), was itself translated from French. As such, it properly completes the collection as a whole, helping to shed light on the translator’s choice and his conception of the Essais as a courtly book, illustrating the «cose di Francia» and the «cose grandi» to be used by the Italian élites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]