Finis Terrae University

• Median nerve variants within the carpal tunnel have a pooled prevalence of 12%. • Bifid median nerve is the most frequently reported morphological variant. • No consistent association was found between anatomical variants and carpal tunnel syndrome. • Coexisting vascular or muscular anomalies may influence surgical complexity. • Preoperative imaging may aid anatomical identification, although clinical benefit remains uncertain. Anatomical variants of the median nerve (MN) within the carpal tunnel are clinically relevant due to their potential impact on the development, diagnosis, and surgical management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Reported prevalence estimates vary considerably across populations and study designs. To systematically review the literature and estimate the pooled prevalence of morphological variants of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel, and to assess their laterality, geographic distribution, and reported clinical implications. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and LILACS were searched from inception to November 2024. Google Scholar was used for supplementary screening of gray literature. Observational studies reporting the prevalence of MN variants identified through imaging, surgical exploration, or anatomical dissection were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Anatomical Quality Assessment (AQUA) tool. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using a random-effects model (DerSimonian–Laird) with Freeman–Tukey double arcsine transformation. Sixty-three studies met eligibility criteria for qualitative synthesis, and 19 studies (n = 9,045 subjects) were included in the primary meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of MN variants within the carpal tunnel was 12% (95% CI: 9–15%), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 87%). Subgroup analysis showed similar prevalence in imaging-based studies (12%, 95% CI: 9–15%; I² = 87.8%). No clear laterality predominance was observed (right: 46%, 95% CI: 40–52%; I² = 0.0%; left: 53%, 95% CI: 48–59%; I² = 0.0%), whereas bilateral presentation demonstrated greater variability (21%, 95% CI: 6–36%; I² = 90.6%). Geographic subgroup analysis showed pooled prevalence estimates of 22% in Asia (95% CI: 13–31%; I² = 92.6%), 20% in Europe (95% CI: 14–27%; I² = 79.2%), and 18% in America (95% CI: 16–20%; I² = 19.4%). Morphological variants of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel are relatively common anatomical findings. Current evidence does not support their role as independent risk factors for CTS; however, their coexistence with vascular or muscular anomalies may influence local anatomical relationships and surgical complexity. Preoperative imaging may facilitate anatomical identification and surgical planning, although its impact on clinical outcomes and intraoperative complications remains uncertain and requires further prospective investigation.

Abstract The growing presence of digital systems in higher education has reshaped how students engage with academic technologies, exposing them to new forms of technology‑related strain. In this study, we examine technostress among university students in Costa Rica and validate a refined three‑factor structure of the Technostress Scale for University Students (TS4US). A total of 279 students participated in a cross sectional survey, and the 19 item scale was analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using polychoric correlations and robust estimation methods. The resulting model demonstrated solid psychometric properties and achieved robust goodness‑of‑fit indicators. Its three dimensions, Perceived Technological Overload and Complexity, Lack of Social Support for the Use of Information Technologies, and Insufficient Institutional Support and Digital Culture, capture the multidimensional nature of technostress in digitally mediated learning environments. Sociodemographic analyses indicated that contextual and organizational variables, particularly educational journey and employment status, were more strongly associated with technostress than individual demographic characteristics. The results underscore that technostress is shaped by broader organizational conditions and emphasize the role of institutional practices in fostering healthier digital learning environments. The study expands regional evidence on the TS4US and underscores the need to integrate human centered strategies into sustainable digital transformation processes in higher education.

On behalf of all coauthors, we sincerely thank the authors for their interest and thoughtful comments. We appreciate this opportunity to further clarify the intent and interpretation of our findings [5]. The purpose of our study was not to position high tibial osteotomy (HTO) as a sport-restoring procedure, but rather to characterise outcomes across pain, function and sport domains in patients within the AKUMA grey zone—a subgroup defined by borderline osteoarthritis (OA) severity and alignment features in whom treatment indication and expectations are often unclear. HTO has been shown to allow return to sport in selected patients [2]. However, in the context of medial OA and joint-preserving surgery, the primary indication for HTO remains pain relief and functional improvement, while sport recovery is typically considered a secondary outcome [1, 3, 4]. In our retrospective cohort, the primary surgical intent and preoperative sport level were not systematically available. These limitations should be acknowledged when interpreting sport-related outcomes, but they do not invalidate the observed results, which provide a pragmatic estimate of sport performance in a heterogeneous grey-zone population with established OA and long-term follow-up. In this context, we intentionally selected a Tegner score ≥5 to reflect regular recreational sport participation rather than minimal activity. While alternative definitions could yield higher apparent success rates, lowering the threshold would not alter the central message of our study. The authors appropriately highlight the potential role of psychological factors in return to sport. We agree that these variables are clinically relevant and may contribute to the variability observed in sport-related outcomes. Although psychological factors were not assessed in our study, their systematic evaluation would be of interest in future prospective investigations, particularly in grey-zone populations. With regard to body mass index (BMI), although BMI was recorded in our cohort, we found no association between BMI and pain-, function- or sport-related outcomes. Consequently, additional stratified analyses were not warranted. We therefore do not consider BMI, in isolation, to be a determining factor for sport performance or surgical indication in this specific population. In summary, we believe that the points raised support rather than contradict our conclusions. HTO provides consistent pain relief and functional improvement in AKUMA grey-zone knees, fulfilling its primary goal of joint preservation. While sport recovery is multifactorial and often limited in this setting, our findings offer clinically meaningful guidance regarding expected outcomes. Future studies integrating additional determinants may further enhance individualised decision-making. Tomas Pineda: Writing—review and editing. Matthieu Ollivier: Writing—review and editing. The authors have no funding to report. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors have nothing to report.

This article analyses the official Catholic Religious Education (CRES) programmes in Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica and Colombia from the perspective of complexity sciences, using the concept of self-organisation as a central analytical axis. Given Latin American contexts marked by religious pluralism, cultural transformation, institutional crisis and youth subjectivities, it is proposed that the adequacy of CRES does not depend solely on content or methodologies, but also on the systemic architecture that articulates students, classrooms and institutions in relation to their environment. Methodologically, the study develops a framework of three thresholds of educational self-organisation—reactive, reflective, and ecological—and applies it comparatively to the four national programmes, examining how they distribute agency, learning capacity, and openness to context at the student, classroom, and school-environment levels. The analysis reveals that, although all programmes activate relevant forms of reactive and reflective self-organisation, only some partially enable thresholds of ecological self-organisation capable of sustainably integrating contemporary sociocultural and religious complexity. The results allow us to identify structural tensions between current curriculum designs and the demands of increasingly complex environments.

Neste artigo, examinamos as anáforas e catáforas a partir da perspectiva do holismo semântico moderado, com o objetivo de analisar como se constroem as referências na linguagem natural, especialmente em casos em que os métodos locais de interpretação se mostram insuficientes. A partir de alguns exemplos em cinco idiomas, argumentamos que a referência pronominal não é uma operação isolada, mas um processo que depende do discurso, do contexto e das crenças compartilhadas entre os falantes. Em contraste com os modelos clássicos de composição do significado, como os de Heim, Kamp e Partee – que estabilizam a interpretação por meio de coindexação ou escopo –, propomos uma alternativa mais flexível: o holismo semântico moderado desenvolvido por Jackman. Essa versão do holismo semântico sustenta que o significado não está fixado na própria oração, mas se constrói ao longo do discurso, por meio de redes dinâmicas de sentido e expectativas racionais. Nessa perspectiva, as anáforas e catáforas não apenas geram conexões gramaticais, mas também dependem de processos inferenciais distribuídos. Nossa análise conclui com uma reflexão filosófica que convida a ampliar a noção de significado em direção a modelos sensíveis ao uso real da linguagem, à cooperação comunicativa e às práticas linguísticas compartilhadas.

The ascending sensory projections from the dorsal thalamus to the pallium are one of the most distinctive features of the amniote brain. In mammals, these projections can be broadly classified into two main types: (1) those arising from "core" neurons, mostly located in the central region of sensory nuclei, which relay topographic inputs to the intermediate layers of primary sensory cortices, forming a reciprocal circuit with the reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN); and (2) those originating from "matrix" neurons, located in the periphery of sensory nuclei, which project to superficial layers of primary and higher order cortices. To date, both the reciprocal core-RTN circuitry and the matrix projections have only been described in mammals. In this study, we re-examined the organization of thalamic projections to the visual dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR) in pigeons using neural tracing techniques. In addition to the well-known projection from the thalamic nucleus rotundus (Rt) to the ventral layer of the visual DVR (entopallium), we described a reciprocal projection pattern between the Rt and the RTN. Moreover, we identified a second ascending thalamopallial projection, arising from neurons surrounding the Rt and terminating primarily in the intermediate layer of the visual DVR. These neurons form a continuous "matrix" of cells within the dorsal thalamus, which as a group also give rise to axons targeting several associative pallial areas. Furthermore, we found that this "matrix" region receives descending inputs from the motor arcopallium. Collectively, these findings indicate that the avian thalamopallial system is more complex than previously recognized and thus more comparable to its mammalian counterpart.

This article critically examines the conceptual boundaries and applications of the terms biocultural and ecocultural in interdisciplinary research addressing biodiversity threats in rural communities. The aim is to clarify their meanings and propose recommendations for their use in sustainability science. We conducted an integrative conceptual review combining a narrative literature analysis and corpus linguistics methods on 54 documents across four disciplinary areas: Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, Economics and Heritage, Ecocriticism and Literature, and Sociocultural Discourses. The narrative synthesis explores theoretical interpretations, while the corpus analysis quantifies term frequency and collocations to identify patterns of use. The results reveal that biocultural perspectives emphasise species-focused interactions, traditional knowledge, rights, ecoethics, and governance, whereas ecocultural approaches foreground discourse, communication, identity, education, and long-term ecological processes. Both frameworks converge in their concern for sustainability and cultural–ecological interdependence but differ in scope and temporal depth. This study contributes scientifically by offering a situated, interdisciplinary analysis of these concepts, and socially by underscoring the need for dialogical frameworks that respect local knowledge and expand applications beyond rural contexts to urban, educational, and policy domains. Recommendations are provided to guide interdisciplinary teams in adopting context-specific conceptualizations for research and action.

Resumen Los estudios de trayectorias que decantan en procesos de identidad profesional docente al interior de la formación inicial son escasos. El artículo comparte hallazgos de una cohorte que cursó estudios en un programa de prosecución de Pedagogía Media. Los tránsitos identitarios que se presentan fueron extraídos en tres momentos del trayecto, tras los cuales se asumieron como docentes en ejercicio. Para dicho fin se asumió un enfoque de investigación cualitativo longitudinal. Los resultados sugieren que el contexto nacional y escolar impactan en las creencias, emociones y actitudes, así como la relevancia que asumen los procesos reflexivos para desinstalar o reforzar nociones y el impacto que asume el rol de profesor jefe en las nuevas comprensiones de ser docente.