bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Implications and Immune Infiltration in the Nod-like receptor signaling pathway: A Comprehensive Analysis across Pan-cancer
Authors: Meng Qiuxia , Que Tengcheng , Yan Tengyue , Liu Zengjing , Wei Huilin , Xie Bo , Liang Boying , Li Wen , Zhang Die , Jiang Nili , Wang Huifeng , Liu Wenjian , Hu Yanling
Published: February 2025

Purpose
Nucleotide-binding oligosaccharide-like receptors (NOD) are pivotal molecules with crucial roles in the regulation of inflammation, tumor transformation, angiogenesis, tumor stem cells, and chemoresistance. This study aimed to assess the prognostic implications of NOD signaling in diverse cancer types and its relationship with immune infiltration.
Methods
Gene expression data from TCGA related to the NOD signaling pathway were integrated with clinical data. Prognostically relevant NOD pathway genes were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The accuracy of our prediction model was validated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Single-cell analysis of genes associated with reduced survival in patients, and single-sample immunoinfiltration analysis revealed cell-level differences between different groups.
Results
Univariate Cox regression analysis, multivariate cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to identify prognostic genes in NOD pathway. TRAF5 is an important prognostic gene in multiple cancer types, and mutation analysis showed that patients with TRAF5 mutations had reduced survival. Immune infiltration analysis revealed differences in effector memory CD8 T cells and immature B cells between high- and low-risk groups, suggesting potential druggable targets. Single-cell analysis highlighted that reduced survival was associated with overexpression of TXN in both primary and metastatic tissues.
Examining the Use of Simultaneous Interpreting Skills in Court Interpreting: A Comparative Study of Student and Experienced Interpreters
Authors: Zhao
Published: February 2025

Simultaneous interpreting is a complex cognitive task that requires interpreters to translate spoken language in real-time, posing significant challenges, especially in high-stakes environments such as courtrooms. This paper examines the use of simultaneous interpreting skills among student interpreters and experienced professionals, focusing on their performance, strategies employed, and training methodologies. Through a mixed-methods approach that includes performance assessments and qualitative interviews, the study investigates the differences in cognitive load management, accuracy, and fluency between the two groups. The findings reveal that experienced interpreters exhibit superior cognitive strategies, such as chunking and prosodic awareness, which enhance their performance under pressure. In contrast, student interpreters often struggle with cognitive overload and reliance on note-taking methods that hinder their engagement with speakers. The implications for interpreter training are significant; tailored programs incorporating technology and realistic simulations can better equip students for the demands of court interpreting. This study contributes to the understanding of simultaneous interpreting in legal contexts and highlights the need for ongoing research into effective training practices.
Bisphenols and breast cancer
Authors: Palmer-Quinn Kerri , Wexler Margaret
Published: February 2025

Bisphenols are a group of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) used mainly in the production of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and increasingly, flame retardants. Low levels of bisphenols are widespread in the environment and in human tissues and body fluids, including breast milk. Bisphenols have been linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer; this is thought to be associated with their ability to mimic the natural hormone oestradiol. Animal and in vitro (breast cell culture) studies have shown bisphenol A (BPA) can increase breast cancer growth and development and potentially contribute to breast cancer onset. BPA is now restricted for many uses, resulting in its replacement with other, structurally similar bisphenols. These bisphenol substitutes are currently unregulated. Studies suggest they have similar properties to BPA and constitute “regrettable substitution”. Bisphenols may also have adverse effects on babies in the womb, which could potentially lead to breast cancer during adulthood. This should be investigated further as a matter of urgency.
Phthalates and breast cancer
Authors: Di Pasquale Alice , Moody Hannah
Published: February 2025

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases in 2022. Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) has been proposed to be a risk factor that may contribute to the risk of developing breast cancer. Phthalates are a class of EDCs used in many consumer products, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and cosmetics. They are considered to have strong anti-androgenic activity and weaker oestrogenic effects. Phthalates were observed to induce proliferation of breast cancer cells and affect the mammary gland in animals. In humans, exposure to some phthalates may increase breast cancer risk, thus justifying a precautionary approach. Exposure to phthalates can be reduced by using EDC-free products, eating fresh organic food and avoiding pre-packaged food. The harmful effects of some phthalates have also been recognised by the EU and UK, which has led to some restrictions. However, many phthalates are still unregulated and used in many products. Breast Cancer UK is calling for a progressive phasing out of EDCs in consumer and non-essential products.
Bidrager online studiestartsforløb til social og faglig integration i overgangen til universitetet?
Authors: Felby Laura Cordes , Elving Pernille Risør
Published: February 2025

Overgangen til universitetet kan være udfordrende for mange studerende. For at imødekomme disse udfordringer mødes de studerende oftest af en række af sociale og faglige arrangementer i løbet af studiestarten. I denne artikel præsenteres erfaringer fra det online studiestartsforløb Study@AU fra Aarhus Universitet. Med udgangspunkt i forskningslitteraturen om ”den gode” overgang undersøges det i artiklen, på hvilken måde et online studiestartsforløb kan støtte stude-rendes overgang til universitetet i relation til deres faglige og sociale integration. Artiklen trækker på data fra 829 surveybesvarelser fra studerende samt data om de studerendes interaktion med forløbet fra Brightspace.
Resultaterne fra undersøgelsen viser, at der generelt er stor tilfredshed med forløbet. I artiklen dis-kuteres potentielle tiltag, der kan forbedre Study@AU, på baggrund af data fra forløbet og de studerendes evaluering af forløbet. Her præsenteres blandt andet overvejelser om at gøre forløbet obligatorisk.
Tværfaglig tænkning i universitetsundervisning
Authors: Nielsen Line , Jensen Christina Juul , Vangkilde Signe Allerup , Meilstrup Charlotte Bjerre , Nelausen Malene Kubstrup
Published: February 2025

Tværfaglighed i universitetsundervisning fremhæves ofte som relevant, men der mangler konkrete vejledninger til at integrere tværfaglighed i undervisningen. Formålet med nærværende udviklingsprojekt var at udvikle og evaluere undervisningselementer, der kunne fremme studerendes tværfaglige tænkning på et nyt tværfagligt valgfag. Projektet tog afsæt i en teoretisk model for tværfaglig tænkning med fire underliggende kompetencer (refleksion, samarbejde, kritisk tænkning og håndtering af usikkerhed). Der blev indsamlet empiri via motivationsskriv, logbog, spørgeskemaundersøgelse og midtvejsevaluering. Erfaringerne viste, at de studerende oplevede, at flere af de afprøvede undervisningselementer gjorde det tværfaglige fokus håndgribeligt og tydeligt samt at deres færdigheder inden for tværfaglig tænkning blev styrket. Dog var der også udfordringer forbundet med at forstå og forholde sig til, hvad tværfaglighed egentlig indebærer. Udviklingsprojektet har ført til en række overvejelser om, hvordan tværfagligheden kan styrkes særligt i universitetssettings, der har tradition for en mere enkeltfaglig tilgang.
Affektive felter
Authors: Svendsen Maiken Westen Hom , Svabo Connie , Aamand Andersen Liv
Published: February 2025

Dette casestudie udforsker den affektive påvirkning af studerende i deres første år på matematikstudiet baseret på Schindler og Bakkers affektive felt (2022). Fokus ligger på overgangen fra gymnasiet til universitetet, og hvordan både 1.- og 3.-semesterstuderende håndterer denne overgang i forhold til deres affektive forbindelse til matematik. Metodemæssigt anvendes kvalitative tilgange, såsom visuelle repræsentationer og fokusgruppeinterviews. Resultaterne indikerer, at opfattelsen af matematik ændres fra værktøj til videnskab hos de studerende i case-studiet, hvilket påvirker deres selvtillid i matematik efter et års studie. Studiet danner grundlag for anbefalinger til undervisere og institutionsledere om at støtte studerende i overgangen mellem gymnasiet og universitetet.
Podcasts som refleksionsrum
Authors: Høyen Marianne
Published: February 2025

I denne artikel beskrives, hvorledes podcasts kan anvendes studiestøttende ved at tilbyde et lydbaseret ’rum’, hvori nye kandidatstuderende kan leve sig ind og reflektere over egne erfaringer. Gennem fokuserede, biografiske interviews fortæller tidligere studerende i en podcastserie først om deres vej gennem uddannelsessystemet, og frem til specialeskrivningen skal påbegynde, dernæst om den individuelle specialeskrivning. De studerende beretter om resonans fra tidligere skole- og uddannelseserfaringer, som påvirker både deres arbejde med specialeskrivningen og forestillinger om fremtiden. På denne måde er det muligt at formidle et indblik i konkrete studerendes dannelses- og socialiseringsproces på universitetet. Dermed argumenterer artiklen for, at podcasts kan anvendes studiestøttende. Universitetsområdet har gennem flere år været udsat for besparelser, samtidig med at studentermassen bliver mere divers, hvilket har resulteret i fremkomsten af akademiske støttefunktioner.
Kohärenzbildung in KI-generierten Texten. Implikationen für die Textproduktion von Schreibenden
Authors: Schuttkowski Caroline , Lemke Ilka
Published: February 2025

Einen kohärenten Text zu produzieren, stellt für Schreibende im Schreibprozess eine zentrale Aufgabe dar, bei der sie inzwischen durch KI-Systeme wie ChatGPT entlastet werden können. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, worin diese Unterstützungsleistung besteht. Präsentiert werden die Ergebnisse einer Pilotstudie zur Frage nach der Kohärenzbildung in durch KI-Systeme generierten Texten am Beispiel der Textsorten Instruktion, Zusammenfassung, Rezension und Kommentar. Ausgehend von basalen Schreibaufträgen wurden generierte Texte im Hinblick darauf untersucht, inwiefern sie in der Lage sind, Textkohärenzpfade und textgrammatische Standardmuster anzulegen bzw. umzusetzen, und durch welche Kohäsionsmarker sie sprachlich ausgestaltet werden. Dabei wird reflektiert, worin die spezifische Unterstützungsleistung digitaler Werkzeuge in Planungs-, Formulierungs- und Überarbeitungsprozessen besteht und wie in diesem Zusammenhang auch die unterschiedlichen Rollen Schreibender im komplexen Schreibprozess diskutiert werden können.
Rollenveränderungen bei der studentischen Textproduktion mit KI. Ergebnisse einer bundesweiten Studierendenbefragung
Authors: Hoffmann Nora , Grünebaum Helena , Schmidt Sarah
Published: February 2025

Since the release of ChatGPT, generative AI has significantly changed student academic writing and students’ role in the writing process. This article presents the results of a survey conducted in August/September 2023, including 3,997 evaluated questionnaires. The survey aimed at recording students’ use of text-generating AI tools for academic writing, specifically frequency of use, reasons for and against AI use, purposes of use, and attitudes towards AI use, as well as their wants and needs for support provided by university stakeholders. Based on the hypothesis that students’ existing writing competence influences their AI use, they were also asked to self-assess their writing competence, which was then correlated to other questions.
Key findings are that the majority of students tend to use AI writing tools on a rather regular and reflected basis, with a stronger awareness of weaknesses in content rather than regarding data protection, copyright, and ethical aspects. A minority of students do not use the tools at all or in an unreflected manner, such as generating complete texts. Students express a great need for clear regulations and information on how to use AI in academic writing. Correlations between writing competence and AI use and assessment can be observed consistently, but to a very limited extent, indicating that students with higher writing competence use AI in a slightly more reflected and targeted manner. The results can assist universities in developing support for students to learn a reflective approach to AI writing tools in academic writing.
THE VOLATILITY SPILLOVER EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON INVESTOR SENTIMENT IN JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE
Authors: Matlhaku Kago , Ferreira-Schenk Sune
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the volatility spillover effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on investor sentiment for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The study analyses how new cases and deaths affected the sentiment of participants in the stock market during the pandemic. It uses the South African Volatility Index (SAVI) as the main measure of market sentiment and the returns of the JSE main index. Daily data on the pandemic from 03/01/2020 to 19/03/2023 was obtained from the World Health Organisation (WHO) while the rest of the financial data was obtained from Yahoo Finance. The methods used are the Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner (BEKK) and dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) multivariate GARCH with the mean equations as a Vector Auto-Regressive (VAR) system. The results show that the pandemic had a spillover effect on investor sentiment. This spillover was asymmetric implying that negative news had more effect than positive news. Furthermore, new cases had more spillover effects on investor sentiment than new deaths recorded. The study recommends that investors should trade cautiously during pandemics considering the increased volatility and that policymakers need to minimise contagion effect from the virus to financial markets by calming down the markets or even halting trading temporarily.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN THE ALGERIAN ECONOMY: AN ENTROPY INDEX APPROACH
Authors: Khellil Khaled , Loucif Kamilia
Published: February 2025

The role of small and medium enterprises in the economic development of nations cannot be overstated. These businesses, ranging from small family-owned bakeries to medium-sized manufacturing plants, play a vital role in job creation, innovation, and overall economic growth. Numerous studies have established the crucial significance of SMEs to economic success and the development of regions. Our research aims to investigate the extent to which SMEs in Algeria contribute to the country’s economic development and diversification. Considering the economic status of Algeria as a developing nation heavily reliant on oil revenues, it presents a unique case for study. To achieve our research objectives, over 120 official government reports published between 2001 and 2022 are analysed. Descriptive data analysis was conducted, and the Entropy index was calculated to address the problematics and verify the hypotheses. The results reveal that SMEs in Algeria make considerable contributions to employment rates and GDP values. However, their numbers in export operations are very low. The study found that SMEs in Algeria are potent locally, but their performance in global markets is very poor.
MEASURING TRUST IN SHARING ECONOMY AND EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF TRUST ON SHARING INTENTION ACROSS TWO CULTURES
Authors: Akdemir Ruşen , Fırat Aytekin
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the trust of product/service providers in sharing economy platforms on renting intention, the potential mediating effect of consumer trust, and the moderating role of culture on renting intention. The authors collected survey data from 823 respondents in total, including 416 Turkish and 407 Russian individuals. To test the relationships among study variables, the authors analyzed the data using structural equation modeling. The results of the analyses showed that the perceived personal safety system and perceived review system have an effect on trust in the sharing platform, but the perceived property security system has no effect on trust in the sharing platform. In addition, the trust in the sharing platform mediated the effect of perceived personal safety system and perceived online review system on trust in consumers, but it did not mediate the effect of perceived property safety system on trust in consumers. The results indicated that trust in the sharing platform affects renting intention, but trust in consumers does not affect sharing intention. Finally, the results revealed that culture does not have a moderating role in the relationship between trust in the sharing platform and trust in consumers. Platform operators should improve their trust mechanisms. Marketers should consider trust as one of the main issues when determining their strategies as it can provide competitive advantage. In addition, policymakers should also produce policies that incentivize platforms in activities that increase trust. The article provides important theoretical and practical insights into understanding and improving the trust affecting the renting intention in the context of the sharing economy.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AS A PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY: BIOMASS ENERGY POTENTIAL IN AGRICULTURE
Authors: Bilas Vlatka , Franc Sanja , Bošnjak Mile
Published: February 2025

The main purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss challenges and opportunities of using biomass in agriculture. The importance of biomass supply chain is thus emphasized. The main objective is to identify all the challenges of assessing the potential of biomass as well as the challenges in collection and storage of biomass residuals in agriculture on the example of Croatia. Methodology framework for determining potential locations for collection and logistics centers and establishment of the value chain is proposed and is based on the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and concentration rates by counties. The scientific contribution of the paper is seen in filling the research gap on biomass potential and organization of the biomass supply chain. Research results and policy recommendations can be informative for government decision making as well as for designing and implementing national bioeconomy strategy, but they can also be useful for analyzing the biomass supply chain and designing new business models with the purpose of efficiently using biomass potential.
ФИНГИРАЊЕ ПОЗИТИВНОГ УПРАВНОГ АКТА КАО САНКЦИЈА ЗА НЕЕФИКАСНУ УПРАВУ
Authors: Томић Немања В.
Published: February 2025

Пред читаоцем се налази рад који се бави проблематиком законодавчевог поимања института ћутања управе. Циљ рада је да се с научноправног аспекта укаже на потенцијалне недостатке у оквиру постојеће законске регулативе, те да се de lege ferenda пружи могуће законодавно рјешење, нарочито имајући у виду околност да се управно процесно право свих земаља тзв. Западног Балкана ријетко мијења. Уједно, намјера аутора је да укаже на значај фингирања позитивног управног акта као средства санкционисања неефикасне администрације, и као средства којим се може адекватно балансирати између државног (јавног) и појединачног (приватног) интереса. Јавни и приватни интерес нису супротстављене категорије, с тим да прекорачење приватног може представљати штету за јавни. Рад такође представља и манифестацију истраживачке знатижеље аутора на предметну тему, те као такав је плод промишљања које за сврху има да подстакне стручну и научну јавност, али и поједине државне органе на креативност и истраживање. Овим радом се настоји указати и на постојање правних празнина у институту ћутања управе, те могућност промјене приступа приликом његовог ревидирања, уз отклањање уочених недостатака, а све у намјери стварања функционалнијег и ефикаснијег управног процесног законодавства.
THE SYSTEM OF SANCTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL OFFENSES
Authors: Simović Miodrag N. , Simović Vladimir M.
Published: February 2025

International criminal law as a supranational, universal set of legal regulations determines the concept and elements of international criminal offenses that violate and infringe international law, thereby violating or jeopardizing universal values, goods and interests protected by international law, and criminal sanctions as measures of social reaction against perpetrators of these offenses. For the application of criminal sanctions against the perpetrators of international criminal offenses, the competent judicial authorities (at the level of the international community) determine the basis of their criminal responsibility in the procedure they conduct. In the system of sanctions, which should fulfill both preventive and repressive role, there are penalties whose application is linked to prescribed requirements. These international sanctions have primacy in relation to criminal sanctions prescribed for similar/identical international criminal offenses by individual national criminal legislations, including the legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The paper discusses the concept, elements, content, purpose, characteristics and types of criminal sanctions for international criminal offenses.
ПРОГАЊАЊЕ – КРИВИЧНОПРАВНИ АСПЕКТИ
Authors: Соломун Марко
Published: February 2025

Прогањање је ново кривично дјело кривичном законодавству Републике Српске, прописано у Кривичном законику Републике Српске из 2017. године, након усклађивања кривичног законодавства Републике Српске са Конвенцијом о спречавању и борби против насиља над женама и насиља у породици (Истанбулска конвенција), коју је ратификовала Босна и Херцеговина. Прогањање је нови термин за друштвено неприхватљиво понашање које је старо колико и човјечанство. У раду су обрађени појам прогањања и законска обиљежја бића кривичног дјела. У раду је приказано и кривично дјело прогањање, како је оно инкриминисано у Кривичном законику Републике Србије.
ПРАКСА УСТАВНОГ СУДА БОСНЕ И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНЕ
Authors: Симовић Владимир М.
Published: February 2025

НАДЛЕЖНОСТ УСТАВНОГ СУДА БИХ У ПИТАЊИМА КОЈА МУ ЈЕ ПРОСЛИЈЕДИО БИЛО КОЈИ СУД У БОСНИ И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНИ У ПОГЛЕДУ ТОГА ДА ЛИ ЈЕ ЗАКОН, О ЧИЈЕМ ВАЖЕЊУ ЊЕГОВА ОДЛУКА ЗАВИСИ, КОМПАТИБИЛАН СА УСТАВОМ БИХ, СА ЕВРОПСКОМ КОНВЕНЦИЈОМ ЗА ЗАШТИТУ ЉУДСКИХ ПРАВА И ОСНОВНИХ СЛОБОДА И ЊЕНИМ ПРОТОКОЛИМА ИЛИ СА ЗАКОНИМА БОСНЕ И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНЕ ИЛИ У ПОГЛЕДУ ПОСТОЈАЊА ИЛИ ДОМАШАЈА НЕКОГ ОПШТЕГ ПРАВИЛА МЕЂУНАРОДНОГ ЈАВНОГ ПРАВА КОЈЕ ЈЕ БИТНО ЗА ОДЛУКУ СУДА (ЧЛАН VI/3.Ц) УСТАВА БОСНЕ И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНЕ)
Phyto Therapeutic Impact of Medicinal Plants; a Review
Authors: Said Fahad , Akram Muhammad , Zainab Rida , Laila Umme , Talha Khalil Muhammad , Iftikhar Momina , Shahid Ersha , Fikry Elbossaty Walaa , Nešković Markić Dragana
Published: February 2025

Medicinal plants play a major role in the development of human cultures. Medicinal plants are a rich source of phytochemical compounds, which have proven therapeutic efficacy throughout the ages. The therapeutic efficacy is attributed to those secondary biologically active compounds. Plants have provided the human being with all his needs of food, drink, and clothing. In addition they are an important source for the treatment of many diseases being the basis of the science of alternative medicine, In recent times, the area cultivated for these medicinal plants has increased, and scientific research has tended to study the effectiveness of these plants in treating many diseases. Most plants have an effective effect as an antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidemia, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive as well as for cardiovascular diseases and strokes. The study aims to provide important data on the extent to which some medicinal plants are used in the treatment of various diseases.
Neurogenetic Studies on the Role of DIAP1 in Neuronal Programmed Cell Death in Drosophila
Authors: Creekmore Faith
Published: February 2025

The ventral Corazonin (vCrz) neurons provide a model system to study neuronal programmed cell death (PCD) in Drosophila, as they undergo caspase-dependent PCD during early metamorphosis between 1 and 7 hours after puparium formation (APF). DIAP1 (Drosophila inhibitor of apoptosis) is a key survival factor, preventing accidental cell death at the wrong stage. In response to death signals, caspase activation resulting from DIAP1 degradation is a primary cause of the PCD in many tissues. However, transgenic over-expression of the wild type diap1 gene in vCrz neurons failed to block PCD completely. This previous result suggested its role as a survival factor in the vCrz neurons. To gain definitive evidence for diap1's roles as a survival factor, two P-elements, UAS-diap1(6-3s) and UAS-diap1ΔRF, were constructed and injected into Drosophila embryos. Transgenic lines were established and crossed to a Crz-gal4 line for targeted over-expression. The result showed that this type of transgenic manipulations blocked vCrz neuronal PCD significantly, supporting the critical role of diap1 in the prevention of premature vCrz death.
Putting Their Eggs in India’s Basket: What Vertical Integration, Church’s Chicken, and Globalization Mean to Increasing Chicken Consumption in India
Authors: Basford Scott
Published: February 2025

India has the second largest population in the world and a rapidly growing economy, yet it lags far behind the world average in chicken meat consumption. Nonetheless, rates are increasing briskly and are expected to double within five years. Understanding the factors that contribute to this rise can provide broader insight into political, economic and social developments in Indian society. This paper reviews current and projected levels of chicken consumption across India through an investigation of current literatures which assert that a cultural dietary aversion to red meat, rising incomes, increased urbanization, lower consumer cost, and, most importantly, vertically integrated production systems have contributed to Indian growth in the chicken industry. These indicators are then synthesized with a case study of the expansion of Atlanta-based Church's Chicken into India, with special emphasis placed on those measures most central in both the literature and the company's business plans. I argue the strength of chicken consumption and Church's Chicken's expansion into the country is part of a larger process of globalization--a manifestation of the exportation of foreign technological and economic constructs to Indian society--and represents a forthright proxy measure of the rate of globalization taking hold in India.
Expression of a single inhibitory member of the Ly49 receptor family is sufficient to license NK cells for effector functions
Authors: Piersma Sytse J , Li Shasha , Wong Pamela , Bern Michael D , Poursine-Laurent Jennifer , Yang Liping , Beckman Diana L , Parikh Bijal A , Yokoyama Wayne M
Published: February 2025

Natural killer (NK) cells recognize target cells through germline-encoded activation and inhibitory receptors enabling effective immunity against viruses and cancer. The Ly49 receptor family in the mouse and killer immunoglobin-like receptor family in humans play a central role in NK cell immunity through recognition of MHC class I and related molecules. Functionally, these receptor families are involved in licensing and rejection of MHC-I-deficient cells through missing-self. The Ly49 family is highly polymorphic, making it challenging to detail the contributions of individual Ly49 receptors to NK cell function. Herein, we showed mice lacking expression of all Ly49s were unable to reject missing-self target cells
in vivo
, were defective in NK cell licensing, and displayed lower KLRG1 on the surface of NK cells. Expression of Ly49A alone on a H-2D
d
background restored missing-self target cell rejection, NK cell licensing, and NK cell KLRG1 expression. Thus, a single inhibitory Ly49 receptor is sufficient to license NK cells and mediate missing-self
in vivo
.
The Mycobacterium ulcerans toxin mycolactone causes destructive Sec61-dependent loss of the endothelial glycocalyx and vessel basement membrane to drive skin necrosis
Authors: Hsieh Louise Tzung-Harn , Hall Belinda S , Newcombe Jane , Mendum Tom A , Varela Sonia Santana , Umrania Yagnesh , Deery Michael J , Shi Wei Q , Diaz-Delgado Josué , Salguero Francisco J , Simmonds Rachel E
Published: February 2025

The drivers of tissue necrosis in Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer disease) have historically been ascribed solely to the directly cytotoxic action of the diffusible exotoxin, mycolactone. However, its role in the clinically evident vascular component of disease aetiology remains poorly explained. We have now dissected mycolactone’s effects on human primary vascular endothelial cells in vitro. We show that mycolactone-induced changes in endothelial morphology, adhesion, migration, and permeability are dependent on its action at the Sec61 translocon. Unbiased quantitative proteomics identified a profound effect on proteoglycans, driven by rapid loss of type II transmembrane proteins of the Golgi, including enzymes required for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis, combined with a reduction in the core proteins themselves. Loss of the glycocalyx is likely to be of particular mechanistic importance, since knockdown of galactosyltransferase II (beta-1,3-galactotransferase 6; B3GALT6), the GAG linker-building enzyme, phenocopied the permeability and phenotypic changes induced by mycolactone. Additionally, mycolactone depleted many secreted basement membrane components and microvascular basement membranes were disrupted in vivo during M. ulcerans infection in the mouse model. Remarkably, exogenous addition of laminin-511 reduced endothelial cell rounding, restored cell attachment and reversed the defective migration caused by mycolactone. Hence supplementing mycolactone-depleted extracellular matrix may be a future therapeutic avenue, to improve wound healing rates.
Akkermansia muciniphila identified as key strain to alleviate gut barrier injury through Wnt signaling pathway
Authors: Ma Xin , Li Meng , Zhang Yuanyuan , Xu Tingting , Zhou Xinchen , Qian Mengqi , Yang Zhiren , Han Xinyan
Published: February 2025

As the largest mucosal surface, the gut has built a physical, chemical, microbial, and immune barrier to protect the body against pathogen invasion. The disturbance of gut microbiota aggravates pathogenic bacteria invasion and gut barrier injury. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising treatment for microbiome-related disorders, where beneficial strain engraftment is a significant factor influencing FMT outcomes. The aim of this research was to explore the effect of FMT on antibiotic-induced microbiome-disordered (AIMD) models infected with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). We used piglet, mouse, and intestinal organoid models to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of FMT on ETEC infection. The results showed that FMT regulated gut microbiota and enhanced the protection of AIMD piglets against ETEC K88 challenge, as demonstrated by reduced intestinal pathogen colonization and alleviated gut barrier injury. Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) and Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis) were identified as two strains that may play key roles in FMT. We further investigated the alleviatory effects of these two strains on ETEC infection in the AIMD mice model, which revealed that A. muciniphila and B. fragilis relieved ETEC-induced intestinal inflammation by maintaining the proportion of Treg/Th17 cells and epithelial damage by moderately activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, while the effect of A. muciniphila was better than B. fragilis. We, therefore, identified whether A. muciniphila protected against ETEC infection using basal-out and apical-out intestinal organoid models. A. muciniphila did protect the intestinal stem cells and stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelium, and the protective effects of A. muciniphila were reversed by Wnt inhibitor. FMT alleviated ETEC-induced gut barrier injury and intestinal inflammation in the AIMD model. A. muciniphila was identified as a key strain in FMT to promote the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells by mediating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
The role of GPT in promoting inclusive higher education for people with various learning disabilities: a review
Authors: Gadekallu Thippa Reddy , Yenduri Gokul , Kaluri Rajesh , Rajput Dharmendra Singh , Lakshmanna Kuruva , Fang Kai , Chen Junxin , Wang Wei
Published: February 2025

The generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) is a notable breakthrough in the field of artificial intelligence, as it empowers machines to effectively comprehend and engage in interactions with humans. The GPT exhibits the capacity to enhance inclusivity and accessibility for students with learning disabilities in the context of higher education, hence potentially facilitating substantial advancements in the field. GPT can provide personalized and diverse solutions that successfully cater to the distinct requirements of students with learning disabilities. This motivated us to conduct an extensive review to assess the effectiveness of GPT in enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in higher education for students with learning disabilities. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the GPT and its significance for enhancing inclusivity in the field of higher education. In this research, we also examined the possible challenges and constraints associated with the integration of GPT into inclusive higher education, along with potential solutions. Overall, this review is intended for educators, students with and without learning disabilities, policymakers, higher education institutes, researchers, and educational technology developers. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of GPT in promoting inclusive higher education for people with various learning disabilities, its impacts on inclusive higher education, emerging challenges, and potential solutions.
Women and Magic in Medieval Romance
Authors: Bonsall Jane Elizabeth
Published: February 2025

Explores the conventions and contradictions inherent in archetypes of magical femininity - from loathly ladies to monstrous mothers - in a range of popular late medieval English romances.

The female characters in Middle English romances with particular power and agency are often portrayed as supernatural, possessing either magical abilities or identities. This book argues that a genre-focused reading of these supernatural women reveals romance's strategies for working through and articulating anxieties about the changing world of the late medieval period, as well as exposing their contemporary audiences' unexpectedly flexible attitudes toward feminine authority and moral ambiguity.

It explores five distinct types of magical femininity: the Tristan tradition's marvelously gifted healers; the Muslim princess in Bevis of Hampton; the endlessly wealthy fairy imagined by Sir Launfal and Partonope of Blois; the monster-mother Melusine; and Morgan le Fay, the prototypical witch. By tracking the way each type first establishes then complicates generic patterns, this study highlights the tension between romance's persistent fascination with feminine power, and its simultaneous reiteration of the social and generic bounds on women's agency and authority. Interrogating generic expectations from an intersectional feminist perspective, it makes a case for a recuperative re-reading of romance, one that asks us to revise our assumptions about the potentialities of women's power in the medieval imaginary.
Making Books in Fifteenth-Century Cambridge
Authors: Nichols Ann Eljenholm
Published: February 2025

Richly illustrated venture into book production in Cambridge.

William Dyngley (Peterhouse, 1393-1441), known for his personal library of at least 29 manuscripts, was primarily an editor. In the second decade of the fifteenth century, he began a major patristic project that ultimately comprised eight volumes of Augustine of Hippo, anthologies of Origin, Ambrose and Jerome, and a patristic miscellany. Dyngley also constructed thirty-five indexes for Augustine's works, which he copied in tandem with his primary text writer, the so called "Fish Scribe".

This richly illustrated monograph considers the people who made the books, the network of Cambridge scribes who copied the texts, the limners who decorated them and the remarkable man behind the project. Dyngley, placed here in the context of contemporary life in a Cambridge college, is shown to be in charge at every stage of production, acquiring exemplars, correcting scribal errors, storing incomplete quires, reassigning texts from one volume, copying and revising tables of content and tallying expenses. The volume also examines the constituent features of the manuscripts themselves, non-verbal cues as well as content. Overall, it sheds considerable new light on manuscript production in the period more generally.
Work and its Representations in Early Medieval Saints' Lives
Authors: Heckman Christina M
Published: February 2025

Explores the dynamics of saints' work as represented by their hagiographers.

The lives of many early medieval saints show them working with their hands. Radegund cooks in the kitchen, carries firewood, and cleans privies; Fiacre cultivates a garden; Brigid milks cows and makes cheese; Dunstan shapes metal and constructs buildings. Other saints raise crops, herd cattle, write books, or weave cloth. Equally at home in garden, workshop, and scriptorium, these saints work alongside other people, interacting regularly with livestock, materials, and the land: miracles and other supernatural events are embedded in the habitual, everyday routines of the saints' own communities. Saints exemplify the balance between productive, creative work and the toil or effort required to accompany it, sometimes aligned with penitential labour. But more often, the saints celebrate work as a rewarding result of divine gift, human ingenuity and communal cooperation.

This book examines the representation of work - from arable and pastoral agriculture to textile arts and caretaking - in the vitae of saints who lived in Ireland, Britain, and France between the fifth and twelfth centuries. Bringing together close readings of these texts, evidence from archaeology, and anthropological approaches to material culture, it argues that through such work, saints showed others how to survive, thrive, and build a world that promised both physical security and spiritual rewards.
A importância da reciclagem dos resíduos de construção civil: uma revisão sistemática
Authors: Almeida Yury Tibério Nunes , Jesus Gabriel Santos de , Vasconcelos Filho Antonio Fernando , Sousa Joao Filipe Alves de , Soares Italo Jose Dias , Santos Naedna Medeiros dos
Published: February 2025

A construção civil é um setor de grande importância para a economia, mas também causa diversos impactos ao meio ambiente devido à intensa geração de resíduos sólidos. Este trabalho tem como objetivo mapear a produção acadêmica recente sobre a economia circular e o desenvolvimento sustentável no setor de construção civil, com foco na reciclagem de resíduos. Por meio de uma revisão bibliográfica sistemática, identificaram-se os principais desafios e oportunidades para a implementação de práticas de reciclagem, considerando tanto o contexto nacional quanto internacional. Constatou-se que a reciclagem desses resíduos não apenas reduz os impactos ambientais, mas também promove a reutilização de materiais como insumos para novos produtos, alinhando-se às diretrizes da economia circular e às políticas de sustentabilidade.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Concurrent Section Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: A Case Report of Diagnostic Challenges and Management Approaches
Authors: Gaddam Sonu Rahul Tej , Katta Manideep , Simarla Sumana , Kukunoor Pruthvi Raj , Katta Manichandana
Published: February 2025

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathy in which decreased activity of the von Willebrand Factor (vWF) multimer-cleaving protease ADAMTS13 leads to microvascular thrombosis. This condition can manifest as a pentad of symptoms that includes fever, thrombocytopenia, Microangiopathic Haemolytic Anemia (MAHA), renal disease and neurological disease. Authors hereby, detail the case of a 29-year-old female with a rare combination of TTP and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), which presents challenges in diagnosis, clinical progression and therapeutic response. The patient had an unusual presentation of a ruptured ovarian cyst with haemoperitoneum, which was surgically treated with emergency laparotomy. This patient also presented with a malar rash, confusion, thrombocytopenia and haematuria, raising suspicion for SLE, which was confirmed with positive autoantibodies. Continued neurological deterioration led to subdural haemorrhage with generalised tonic-clonic seizures and refractory severe thrombocytopenia, treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone, suggesting an underlying haematological condition. Clinical findings, including schistocytes on peripheral smear, elevated lactate dehydrogenase and indirect bilirubin, prompted investigation for ADAMTS13 activity
Analysis of the Quality of the Coastal Substrate of Awarange Beach, Barru Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Idris Andi Puspa Sari
Published: February 2025

The study aims to determine the quality of the coastal substrate of Awarange Beach, Barru Regency, Indonesia. The research was conducted from July to August 2024 on the coast of Awarange Beach, Soppeng Riaja District, Barru Regency, Indonesia. Soil sample analysis was carried out in the Chemistry and Water Laboratory of the Pangkep State Agricultural Polytechnic. This study uses a substrate quality survey method on the Awarange coast of Barru Regency. Determination of substrate quality refers to the chemical and physical properties of each location. Data analysis used in this study to see pH, nitrite concentration (NO2), ammonia, total nitrogen and substrate texture. After obtaining the measurement results, the next step is descriptive analysis. The results of the study by measuring the quality of the substrate at three research locations, namely ST 1, La Sonrai recreation beach, Barru Regency; ST 2, which is the location around the Awarange shipyard, Barru Regency; and ST 3, which is the location near the Barru Regency Port, showed that the pH value, nitrogen, organic matter, ammonia (NH₃), and nitrite (NO₃) were all in good condition and were not classified as polluted. Furthermore, all research locations had a sandy substrate texture.
Comparative Analyses of the Poisson-Exponential-Gamma to Selected Discrete Distributions with Applications
Authors: Lawal Bayo H.
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we compare results arising from implementing the new Poisson-Exponential-Gamma distribution (PEG) to other competing two-parameter distributions such as the generalized Poisson Lindley (GPL), the Poisson generalized Lindley (PGL), the Negative binomial (NB) and several others to several frequency data sets exhibiting different characteristics and data with covariates exhibiting over-or-under dispersion. In all, we show that the PEG does not perform better than most existing distributions. We also demonstrate the equivalence of the GPL and the PGL (the latter being a re-parameterized version of the former). We further show that the New Poisson generalized Lindley (NGPL) distribution is also equivalent to the two-parameter discrete Lindley (TDL) distribution and that in some cases, these two degenerate to the one-parameter geometric distribution (GD). Our results here indicate the limitations of the PEG especially to under-dispersed data. For very strong over-dispersed data, the NB, the New logarithmic distribution (NLD), the New Geometric Discrete Pareto Distribution (NGDP) or the discreteWeibull(DW) perform much better. SAS PROC NLMIXED is employed in our estimation. Adjusted group X2 as well as Wald’s test statistics were computed using estimated theoretical means and variances.
Modelling Seasonal Migration Patterns of Wildebeest under Climate-Driven Changes: A Predator-Prey Model with De Angelis Functional Response
Authors: Kisoma Linus Nyarusanda
Published: February 2025

This study models the dynamics of a predator-prey system influenced by seasonal resource availability and prey migration. A two-dimensional spatial model simulates prey and predator populations, where prey growth is driven by seasonal resource fluctuations, and migration is guided by the spatial distribution of resources. The results show that higher resources during the wet season leads to increased prey density and migration, while lower resources in the dry season reduce prey growth and movement. Predator populations follow prey density changes, with a delayed increase in response to prey population peaks. Overall, the model highlights the critical role of seasonal resource variability in shaping predator-prey interactions and migration patterns.
Variation in the Rate of Infection of Cattle by Trypanosoma spp. in the Sub-Humid Zone of Mali
Authors: Traoré Astan , Bass Boubacar , Ly Bintou , Diawara Mamadou Oumar , Diarra Rabiatou A. , Koné Ousmane Ibrahim , Yaro Alpha Seydou , Diarra Boucader
Published: February 2025

In sub-Saharan Africa, livestock farming in general, and cattle farming in particular, is a source of income for many people. This activity tends to intensify in urban and peri-urban areas. Like many other livestock-raising countries, Mali faces several constraints, including African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT), which affects herd productivity and thus threatens food security. Several factors can influence the transmission of this disease, including the host-parasite-vector relationship, animal phenotypes, and climate. In Mali, the susceptibility of cattle breeds to trypanosome infection has been poorly documented. This study was aimed to determine the factors influencing the transmission of AAT in the sub-humid zone of Mali. Bi-seasonal sampling was carried out in 2011 on 720 cattle taken in a stratified and random fashion. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein and the WOO diagnostic technique was used. Factors such as phenotype, season, prophylactic treatment, and infection rate were considered. The results showed that among these variance factors, phenotype, prophylactic treatment, and haematocrit level were positively correlated with the infection rate of cattle (P<0.05%). The variation in the infection rate recorded during the different seasons was not significant (P>0.05%).