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Biofilms, formed by foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus, present significant challenges due to their resistance to conventional antimicrobial treatments. In this study, we evaluated the biofilm eradication efficiency of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized through green and traditional methods. Green AgNPs were produced using eco- friendly plant extracts, while traditional AgNPs utilized chemical reduction with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). The results demonstrated that traditional AgNPs achieved higher biofilm eradication rates at lower concentrations. For example, S. Typhimurium biofilms exhibited an 82.54% eradication rate at 0.5 mM, while green AgNPs required a higher concentration of 5 mM to achieve a comparable 81.95% eradication rate. Similarly, for Escherichia coli, traditional AgNPs at 0.5 mM achieved 82.

Dear josha-journal readers, A warm welcome back to the latest edition of JOSHA, September 2025. We once again have a wealth of exciting contributions!

JOSHA presents a synthesis of recent research from the Collaborative Research Institute Intelligent Oncology (CRIION), highlighting advances in AI explainability, immune profiling, and cancer therapy resistance. The first study introduces Salvage, a Shapley-distribution–based method that improves interpretability in Vision Transformers through guided sampling. The second explores TRBC1/TRBC2 oligoclonality in T-cell lymphomas, revealing how tumor heterogeneity can drive primary resistance to TRBC-directed CAR T cell therapies. The third examines adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency, uncovering skewed T- and B-cell receptor repertoires that enable accurate patient identification via machine learning. Collectively, these works decode complexity across disciplines, offering new strategies to interpret AI models, map immune landscapes, and address therapeutic challenges, thereby advancing both research insight and clinical application in intelligent oncology and immunology.

With this publication, the JOSHA editorial team brings back its Spotlight series—curated thematic groupings of relevant articles that delve into today’s most pressing academic and societal challenges. This Spotlight focuses on the shifting landscape of academia, research, and policy, particularly under the growing influence of political agendas. From immigration crackdowns affecting legal scholars and students, to sweeping NIH policy changes that cut off international collaborations, the articles reveal how science and education are being reshaped by nationalism and fear. They also expose the halting of critical global disease surveillance efforts, threatening decades of public health progress. We highlight the vulnerability of science under political pressure and the urgent need to reaffirm academia’s role in society. As the U.S. retreats from its leadership role, Germany is called upon to offer new possibilities for displaced international scholarship and innovation.

This systematic review takes a close look at how effective behavioural and psychosocial interventions are for mental health disorders, pulling together evidence from studies published between 2020 and 2025. It primarily centralises on three specific groups—adolescents dealing with anxiety disorders, adults coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and individuals facing schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The review combines insights from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, and top-notch observational research. Technology-assisted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which includes computerized and app-based options, showed effectiveness on par with traditional face-to-face CBT for adolescent anxiety, plus it offers extra benefits in terms of accessibility and engagement.

Writing, a highly specialised motor activity integrally linked to language, is an intrinsic activity of our species and has played a huge part in the progression of civilisation. Being unable to read and write in today’s world is a huge liability. In this review, we look at issues related to writing including handedness, agraphia, hypergraphia, mirror writing, the role of pathology, psychiatric illness and artistic talent. Case studies include the prophet Ezekiel, Arthur Inman, Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh. The study of writing is important and deserves further attention.

The Demetrios Award, organized by the Journal of Science, Humanities, and Arts (JOSHA) in collaboration with The International Academy of Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (IASHA e.V.), and supported by the BioThera-Roland Mertelsmann Foundation, honors academic excellence by recognizing outstanding research contributions across disciplines. This award celebrates the power of scholarly work to foster innovation and generate lasting societal impact. It aims to acknowledge the dedication of emerging scholars and to showcase their groundbreaking research on a global stage. Eligible applicants include recent graduates who have completed a Bachelor, Master, or Doctoral thesis within the last three years. All submissions to the Demetrios Award are simultaneously considered for publication in the Journal of Science, Humanities, and Arts.

This paper introduces melodic graphs—directed graphs with vertices representing individual notes and paths representing sequences of notes—to model note transitions in a context-specific and phrase-driven way. The generative capacity of melodic graphs is demonstrated here through the Carnatic raga Haṃsadhvani. A melodic graph was created by representing 16 short phrases in the raga as a connected graph with directed edges. A sample of 10 phrases generated using the melodic graph and 10 random sequences were evaluated by 8 musicians trained in Carnatic music. The phrases were rated on a scale of 1-10, with 1 representing no fit, and 10 representing a good fit of the phrase within the raga. The generated phrases received a significantly higher average rating than the random sequences (average rating of graph-generated sequences: 8.2/10; vs. random sequences: 3.6/10; p << 0.01). Thus, the melodic graph models Haṃsadhvani effectively.

This article analyzes the 2025 Budapest Pride through the lens of Guglielmo Ferrero’s theory of power and legitimacy. Ferrero argued that illegitimate regimes rely on fear to maintain control, a concept used here to examine the Hungarian government's attempt to ban the Pride event. Despite legal threats and institutional repression, the parade was held peacefully, demonstrating a significant act of civil resistance. The article argues that the regime's intense response revealed its awareness of its own fragility and lack of legitimacy. Ultimately, the mass participation in the Pride demonstrated the power of citizens who recognize their own legitimacy over that of a coercive political system.

Dear josha-journal readers, A warm welcome back to the latest edition of Josha, July 2025. We once again have a wealth of exciting contributions