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References to unbiased sources increase the helpfulness of community fact-checks
(2025) Solovev, Kirill; Pröllochs, Nicolas
Community-based fact-checking is a promising approach to address misinformation on social media at scale. However, an understanding of what makes community-created fact-checks helpful to users is still in its infancy. In this paper, we analyze the determinants of the helpfulness of community-created fact-checks. For this purpose, we draw upon a unique dataset of real-world community-created fact-checks and helpfulness ratings from X’s (formerly Twitter) Community Notes platform. Our empirical analysis implies that the key determinant of helpfulness in community-based fact-checking is whether users provide links to external sources to underpin their assertions. On average, the odds for community-created fact-checks to be perceived as helpful are 2.33 times higher if they provide links to external sources. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the helpfulness of community-created fact-checks varies depending on their level of political bias. Here, we find that community-created fact-checks linking to high-bias sources (of either political side) are perceived as significantly less helpful. This suggests that the rating mechanism on the Community Notes platform successfully penalizes one-sidedness and politically motivated reasoning. These findings have important implications for social media platforms, which can utilize our results to optimize their community-based fact-checking systems.
The paradox of endometriosis in Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome : applying three criteria to discriminate between retrograde menstruation/implantation and coelomic metaplasia/embryonic cell rests theories
(2026) Konrad, Lutz; Riaz, Muhammad Assad; Zeppernick, Felix; Zeppernick, Magdalena; Meinhold-Heerlein, Ivo; Salmeri, Noemi; Viganò, Paola; Somigliana, Edgardo; Vercellini, Paolo
Background/Objectives: The scientific community is still divided between supporters of the implantation theory and researchers who advocate the theory of coelomic metaplasia/embryonic cell remnants to explain the initiation of endometriosis. A frequently cited argument in favor of the coelomic metaplasia/embryonic cell remnants theory is the occurrence of endometriosis in the Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome, since retrograde menstruation is not possible without endometrium. However, nearly all women with uterovaginal agenesis have uterine remnants that harbour islets of endometrium. Methods: To verify the validity of the coelomic metaplasia/embryonic cell rests theory, we analysed all reports of endometriosis in patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome without endometrium, published between 1980 and 2025. Three criteria had to be met in order to clearly demonstrate the absence of endometrium and the presence of endometriosis: (i) preoperative imaging, (ii) surgical visualization, and (iii) histological examination. Results: None of the nine reports fully met all three criteria, and the presence of endometrium could never be ruled out. In addition, we used ten characteristics to assess the ‘goodness’ of a theory: testability, logical coherence, conceptual clarity and comprehensibility, external consistency, empirical validity, predictive power, parsimony, broad applicability, practical utility, and heuristic value. Conclusions: Overall, the implantation theory appears to fully satisfy all criteria to explain the onset of endometriosis in Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome. In contrast, the coelomic metaplasia/embryonic cell rests theory satisfies eight criteria only partly and does not satisfy two of them. Therefore, the null hypothesis that endometriosis can be present in the absence of endometrium in patients with utero-vaginal agenesis can be reasonably rejected.
Engagement with political videos on TikTok during the 2025 German federal election
(2026) Solovev, Kirill; Drolsbach, Chiara; Demirel, Emma; Pröllochs, Nicolas
Short-form video platforms like TikTok reshape how politicians communicate and have become important tools for electoral campaigning. Yet it remains unclear what kinds of political messages gain traction in these fast-paced, algorithmically curated environments, which are particularly popular among younger audiences. In this study, we use computational content analysis to analyze a comprehensive dataset of N= 25,292 TikTok videos posted by German politicians in the run-up to the 2025 German federal election. Our empirical analysis shows that videos expressing negative emotions (e.g., anger, disgust) and outgroup animosity were significantly more likely to generate engagement than those emphasizing positive emotion, relatability, or identity. Furthermore, ideologically extreme parties (on both sides of the political spectrum) were both more likely to post this type of content and more successful in generating engagement than centrist parties. Taken together, these findings suggest that divisive political communication tends to receive higher engagement than unifying messages on TikTok, thereby potentially benefiting extreme actors who are more inclined to capitalize on this logic.
NORG - Nitrogen ORGanizer : a novel web-based system for cryopreservation and freezer management
(2026) Keller, Marvin; Przybilla, Maximilian; Sehring, Jannik; Schmid, Kai; Kauer, Thomas; Dörmer, Felix; Ritschel, Nadja; May, Annika; Schlierbach, Hannah; Schmidt, Gudrun; Leib, Kerstin; Stephan, Chiana; Jenike, Elena; Selignow, Carmen; Frank, Angelina; Umathum, Vincent; Schänzer, Anne; Németh, Attila; Sohrabi, Keywan; Acker, Till; Heller, Nick; Dohmen, Hildegard; Amsel, Daniel
The preservation of samples, whether they are from humans, cell lines, animals, plants, or other resources, usually follows a similar process. They are packaged in appropriate containers, whether tubes for cryogenic containers or boxes in freezers or other systems. For this biological sample database to be and remain useful, the samples must be appropriately cataloged and consecutively maintained in a document. After all, only when it is clear where which sample is located, the biological database has a value. In many cases this documentation is done in local spreadsheets and saved in e.g. CSV or XLSX format. In some cases, there are even handwritten records to comprehend where which sample is located. The intention behind a biological database is mainly the collection of rare material, but also the withdrawal of this material from the storage for further analysis, partly in-house but presumably also with external cooperation partners. If a sample is now taken from a container that has already been completely filled and stored, this empty space can only be re-allocated with a sample with great administrative effort, since new samples would otherwise be stored in the container that is currently active. With NORG we address this problem. NORG offers a stand-alone software solution via webservices to catalog e.g. nitrogen tanks and store the contents digitally with a color-coding for the filling level of the storages. In addition, NORG can trace who sent which sample to whom and when, for example to have it analyzed by a cooperation partner.
Predictors of treatment failure, second-line therapy outcomes, and patient satisfaction after prostatic artery embolization : a retrospective study in benign prostatic hyperplasia
(2026) Alghueiri, Khaled; Engert, Philipp C.; Alhabib, Mohamed; Schott, Peter; Arafat, Waseem; Soave, Armin; Friedrich, Martin G.
Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), focusing on identifying the predictors of treatment failure and assessing patient satisfaction and second-line therapies for patients who undergo reoperation. Methods: We conducted a monocentric, retrospective study involving 344 patients who underwent PAE from 2017 to 2022. The minimum follow-up time was 12 months. Baseline data were retrospectively collected. A single follow-up questionnaire was administered at the time of the study. Included patients were ≥50 years, with a prostate volume ≥40 mL, an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥8 and were unresponsive to medical therapy. Results: Among 156 participants, the reoperation rate at 5 years was 28.2%. Baseline IPSS and post-void residual volumes (PVR) were significant predictors of therapy failure. Higher satisfaction was associated with younger age (p = 0.01), larger prostate volume (p = 0.02), and lower PVR (p = 0.03). Patients with higher satisfaction had better reoperation-free rates at 60 months (p = 0.002). Conclusions: PAE is effective in reducing symptoms in patients with BPH; however, the reoperation rate emphasizes the importance of careful patient selection. Study limitations include potential selection bias, missing data, the single-center setting, and the use of a single follow-up questionnaire.