bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teacher Shortage in Sweden—School Authorities’ Perception of the Shortage and Possible Solutions
Authors: Boström Lena
Published: February 2025

The lack of educated teachers has long been an accelerating problem in Sweden. The difference between access and demand for teachers will increase until 2035, and the imbalance will continue for many years. Currently, Sweden has about a 30% shortage of trained teachers. National politicians are trying to address this problem through several reforms (Håkansson et al., 2022). The question, however, is what opinions school authorities (According to the Education Act (Skollagen, 2010, p. 800), the school authority in a school system can be a municipality, county council, state, or individual that is responsible for the school’s activities. In this text, the most responsible head of a municipality responded to the survey.)—those who are most responsible for teacher recruitment and, to some extent, are closest to the problem—have about the situation. Therefore, this paper presents empirical data from a Web survey answered by 55 schools and analysed by content analysis. The results show that they take this major shortcoming seriously and that both the short- and long-term solutions include improving the profession’s reputation, salaries, and working environment. Fast tracks for teacher training and effective validation for existing skills were called for. The results also pointed to the need for a national gathering on the issue.
Addressing the Problem of Teacher Shortage in the Australian Educational Context
Authors: Dawborn-Gundlach Merryn
Published: February 2025

In the 21st Century, teacher shortages have become a serious challenge for education systems in countries across the globe. Some factors that compound the problem of teacher shortage in Australia include an aging workforce, lower salaries compared to other careers requiring similar levels of education and experience, a high workload demanded of teachers, especially when curriculum, compliance and administrative concerns are considered, and the low esteem with which the teaching profession is regarded. The workforce shortages facing Australian schools are exacerbated by declining enrolments in initial teacher education programs, increased numbers of students not completing their teacher qualifications and increasing numbers of students in primary and secondary schools. One approach that addresses the problem of teacher shortage is to offer alternative pathways to teaching qualifications, including employment-based pathways. These pathways require strong partnerships between initial teacher education providers and schools. A second approach, that is gathering momentum in Australia, is to encourage professionals from other careers to consider teaching as a possible career choice. Targeting ‘change of career’ teachers through aggressive marketing campaigns has increased markedly in recent years. Offering courses for career changers to ‘earn as they learn’ and which do not require a return to full-time on-campus studying has provided a flexibility of delivery not seen in traditional initial teacher education programs.
Bayesian monitoring of machining processes using non-intrusive sensing and on-machine comparator measurement
Authors: Papananias Moschos
Published: February 2025

Machining processes are largely reliant on manual intervention and non-value-added processes, such as post-process inspection, to achieve end-product conformance. However, the ever-increasing demand for high manufacturing productivity combined with low costs and high product quality requires online monitoring systems to provide real-time insights into the cutting process and minimize the volume of non-value-added processes. Most of the published work on machining process monitoring focuses on intrusive measurement equipment, such as dynamometers, to predict the dimensional quality of machined parts, preventing industrial exploitation due to practical limitations. The main focus of this work is to address this issue by developing a new product health monitoring method for machining processes using non-intrusive and low-cost instrumentation and data acquisition (DAQ) hardware. The sensing setup in this work includes an acoustic emission (AE) sensor and two accelerometers in the work holding. The proposed monitoring system is applied to milling experiments using Gaussian process regression (GPR) for probabilistic nonlinear in-process product condition monitoring. Validation results show the effectiveness of the GPR model to provide accurate probabilistic predictions of product health metric deviations with reasonable uncertainty estimates considering the large variability of the data. In addition, a Bayesian inference methodology is derived to dynamically incorporate subsequent information from on-machine probing (OMP) with a comparator method, improving the accuracy and robustness of the proposed solution. Specifically, it is demonstrated that a precision-weighted combination of prior information from the posterior predictive distribution for a future observation and new metrological information from on-machine comparator measurement (OMCM) can clearly improve posterior inferences about the end product condition.
Convergence analysis for a fully-discrete finite element approximation of the unsteady $$p(\cdot ,\cdot )$$-Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Berselli Luigi C. , Kaltenbach Alex
Published: February 2025

In the present paper, we establish the well-posedness, stability, and (weak) convergence of a fully-discrete approximation of the unsteady

$$p(\cdot ,\cdot )$$

p
(
·
,
·
)

-Navier–Stokes equations employing an implicit Euler step in time and a discretely inf-sup-stable finite element approximation in space. Moreover, numerical experiments are carried out that supplement the theoretical findings.
East Central Europe’s exposure to China: ephemeral sources of susceptibility
Authors: Valiyeva Kamala
Published: February 2025

China’s presence in ECE is characterized by its fragmented structure and continued divergences between societal perceptions and political stances toward Beijing, thereby rendering the exposure to its influence ephemeral. The ECE-China engagements transcend the conventional framework of material-economic considerations, veering into the domain of ideational influences, wherein it predominantly manifests through elite-level identity dynamics and the intricacies of rhetorical politics. Within this premise, the paper employs analytical eclecticism to operationalize theories on normative power and symbolic domination in synthesis with the concepts of liminality and elite capture to explain ECE’s exposure to China. With an emphasis on the historical ideational paradigms and institutional-political dynamics, the paper delineates two pivotal factors that were instrumental in elucidating the contours of regional vulnerability. First, it foregrounds the historical geopolitical liminality of ECE, dissecting its contemporary expression in the strategic rivalry between the development models propagated by the EU and China. This juxtaposition is starkly characterized by a cleavage between Beijing’s pragmatic-driven framework embodied in the 16/14 + 1 platform and ECE’s existence within a values-based paradigm upheld by Brussels. Within this dichotomy of fundamentally divergent development paradigms, ECE nations undergoing an illiberal turn or lacking in resilient state capacity yet striving to assert their geopolitical subjectivity have increasingly displayed an eastward pivot in their foreign relations. Secondly, the paper addresses the interplay between post-communist institutional development and elite formation and their correlation with susceptibility to China’s influence, emphasizing the elite capture phenomenon, predominantly evident among the more authoritarian-leaning countries of the region.
Retinal displacement using optical coherence tomography angiography and metamorphopsia in eyes undergoing macular hole surgery
Authors: Tsukahara Shun , Takeyama Asuka , Ishida Masahiro
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between metamorphopsia and retinal structural changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images before and after macular hole (MH) surgery.

Study design

Retrospective, consecutive, case series.

Methods

Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients undergoing MH surgery with internal limiting membrane peeling were studied. M-CHARTS (MC) was used to evaluate metamorphopsia. Retinal distances were measured between two sets of retinal vessel bifurcations that cross the macula vertically and horizontally near and distal to the macula using OCTA 3x3 mm en face images. The rate of change in retinal distance was defined as retinal displacement%. Basal and minimum MH diameters and retinal thicknesses were measured using Spectralis.

Results

The vertical and horizontal MC scores improved postoperatively (P<0.001). The retinal distance decreased in all periods (P<0.001), and retinal displacements% was greater near than distal to the center of the macula (P<0.001). Retinal displacement% was correlated with basal MH diameter (rs=−0.419 to −0.280, P<0.001 to 0.045). The horizontal MH diameter was a significant factor related to vertical MC score at baseline and 6 months postoperatively (P value range: P=0.002–0.004). The rates of change in outer retinal thickness and retinal displacement% near the center of the macula were significant factors related to horizontal MC scores at 6 months (P<0.001).

Conclusion

Retinal displacement near the macular region contributes to MH closure after surgery. The larger the MH diameter, the greater the retinal displacement near the macula and the degree of residual postoperative metamorphopsia.
Transient Lymphatic Remodeling Follows Sub-Ablative High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation Therapy in a 4T1 Murine Model
Authors: Esparza Savieay , Jacobs Edward , Hammel Jennifer H. , Michelhaugh Sharon K. , Alinezhadbalalami Nastaran , Nagai-Singer Margaret , Imran Khan Mohammad , Davalos Rafael V. , Allen Irving C. , Verbridge Scott S. , Munson Jennifer M.
Published: February 2025

High-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) is a minimally invasive local ablation therapy known to activate the adaptive immune system and reprogram the tumor microenvironment. Its predecessor, irreversible electroporation (IRE), transiently increases microvascular density and immune cell infiltration within the surviving non-ablated and non-necrotic tumor region, also known as the viable tumor region. However, the impact of pulse electric field therapies on lymphatic vessels, crucial for T-cell fate and maturation, remains unclear. This study investigates how sub-ablative H-FIRE (SA-HFIRE) affects lymphatic and blood microvascular remodeling in the 4T1 mammary mouse model. We conducted a temporal and spatial analysis to evaluate vascular changes in the viable tumor, peritumoral fat pad, and tumor-draining lymph node post-treatment. Histological examination showed a transient increase in blood vessel density on Day 1 post-treatment, followed by a spike in lymphatic vessel density in the viable tumor region on Day 3 post-treatment, increased lymphatic vessel density in the peripheral fat pad, and minimal remodeling of the tumor-draining lymph node within 3 days following treatment. Gene expression analysis indicated elevated levels of CCL21 and CXCL2 on Day 1 post-treatment, while VEGFA and VEGFC did not appear to contribute to vascular remodeling. Likewise, CCL21 protein content in tumor-draining axillary lymph nodes correlated with gene expression data from the viable tumor region. These findings suggest a dynamic shift in lymphatic and blood microvascular structures post-SA-HFIRE, potentially enhancing the adaptive immune response through CCL21-mediated lymphatic homing and subsequent lymph node microvascular remodeling. Future work will assess the immune and transport function of the microvasculature to inform experiments aimed at the application of adjuvant therapies during scenarios of tumor partial ablation.
CAPIO-CL: The CAPIO Coordination Language
Authors: Santimaria Marco Edoardo , Martinelli Alberto Riccardo , Colonnelli Iacopo , Cantalupo Barbara , Torquati Massimo , Aldinucci Marco
Published: February 2025

The performance bottleneck in file-based workflows remains a pressing issue in the realm of I/O-based workflows. To address this challenge, a novel annotation language has been developed. CAPIO-CL is positioned as an innovative I/O coordination language, enabling users to annotate data dependencies within file-based workflows with synchronization semantics pertinent to the involved files and directories. Through the information provided by the language, optimization opportunities arise in streaming and preemptive data movement. This paper serves to illustrate the semantics and syntax enabling CAPIO-CL to enhance the performance of in situ workflows without necessitating the rewriting or modification of the original workflow application steps. Finally, an analysis of CAPIO-CL is provided, taking into consideration both language expressiveness and application performance enhancement.
Fungal alkaloids mediate defense against bruchid beetles in field populations of an arborescent ipomoea
Authors: Prado Alberto , Pineda-Solis Susana , Garibay-Orijel Roberto , Windsor Donald , Boevé Jean-Luc
Published: February 2025

Several Convolvulaceae species harbor heritable fungal endophytes from which alkaloids are translocated to reproductive tissues of the plant host. Evidence for the distribution and ecological role of these fungal alkaloids, however, is lacking or incomplete for many host species and growth forms. Here we report on the identity of the fungal endophytes and quantities of alkaloids present in the leaves and seeds of the arborescent morning glory, Ipomoea murucoides (Convolvulaceae). Young folded leaf samples taken from the wild, harbored mycelium of one of two fungal taxa wrapped around the leaves’ glandular trichomes. Most trees harbored the swainsonine producing Ceramothyrium (Chaetothyriales) fungi while a few trees were found to harbor a Truncatella (Xylariales) species, suggesting endophyte replacement. Seeds had higher concentrations of the indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine than leaves. Additionally, seeds from trees harboring Ceramothyrium fungi exhibited less bruchid damage and had higher concentrations of swainsonine than seeds from trees harboring Truncatella fungi. Five sesquiterpenes were detected in the leaf trichomes in both Ceramothyrium and Truncatella colonized trees. The seed content of the tropane alkaloids, tropine and tropinone, did not differ significantly among the two fungal symbionts. It is likely that the host allocates the defensive chemicals from leaves to seeds, protecting them from seed predators such as bruchid beetles. Overall, our field data show that Ipomoea species provides an interesting opportunity to study vertical and horizontal fungal symbiont transmissions.
What stereoblindness teaches us about visual reality
Authors: Ferretti Gabriele
Published: February 2025

Our experience seems to be populated by mind-independent objects. These very same objects are also experienced as offering the possibility of motor interactability. Thus, one may be tempted, prima facie, to consider these two experiences as always related. In this paper, I propose that this idea is not tenable, by invoking evidence from vision science and ophthalmology about a special case of blindness, stereoblindness. Stereoblind subjects cannot rely on stereopsis. Stereopsis is the visual mechanisms responsible for the experience of motor interactability with objects. Nonetheless, as I argue, stereoblind subjects can experience objects as mind-independent (notwithstanding the diminished quality of the experience of their spatial features for action). This claim is crucial for the literature. First, it explicitly suggests that the visual experience of motor interactability and the experience of mind-independence do not always correlate, and can be disjointed, though they may be usually considered two simultaneous aspects of our experience of objects. Second, it offers a novel philosophical discussion, showing the significance, for the first time, of this visual impairment, i.e., stereoblindness, for the literature on philosophy of perception.
AI, robots and innovation in European SMEs
Authors: Segarra-Blasco Agustí , Tomàs-Porres Josep , Teruel Mercedes
Published: February 2025

There is increasing interest in the impact of advanced digital technologies on SMEs, but the determinants of their adoption and their association with multiple innovation outcomes remain unexplored. Based on the Flash Eurobarometer 486, this paper analyses how the adoption of artificial intelligence and robots is related to European SMEs carrying out product, process, organizational and marketing innovations. Our results establish scale-ups and start-ups as the most likely adopters of these technologies and the most innovative firms. Furthermore, internal characteristics, such as internationalization and firm size, and external factors, such as the availability of digital skills and infrastructure, are significant drivers of digitalization at the firm level. In a two-stage approach, we find that the adoption of artificial intelligence and robots is associated with all innovation types, although these technologies serve more specialised objectives in manufacturing rather than in service sectors. Our results confirm a significant variability in the adoption of artificial intelligence and robots, as well as heterogeneous associations with innovation outcomes.
Agilität in der Studiengangsentwicklung an deutschen Hochschulorganisationen – Eine Bestandsaufnahme
Authors: Härer Florian , Herzwurm Georg , Schmidt Ralf
Published: February 2025

In diesem Beitrag wird die Anwendung von Agilität in Hochschuleinrichtungen als Reaktion zu steigenden Herausforderungen im Hochschulumfeld untersucht. Ziel ist es, öffentlich kommunizierte Informationen zur Studiengangsentwicklung zu bewerten, um zu verstehen, wie Agilität in der Hochschulpraxis eingesetzt wird und um Unterschiede in der Anwendung an verschiedenen Hochschultypen zu ermitteln. In der empirischen Untersuchung werden zunächst nützliche Dokumente von Hochschulwebsiten identifiziert und anschließend mit einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse auf das Vorhandensein von Agilität geprüft. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass von den 423 analysierten Hochschulorganisationen 77 den praktischen Einsatz von Agilität in der Studiengangsentwicklung demonstrieren. Eine anschließend vergleichende Analyse zwischen Hochschultypen zeigt Verbesserungspotential von Agilität in der Hochschulpraxis auf.
Qualitative research in cardiac surgery: importance, challenges, and opportunities
Authors: Narayan Eka , Cheah Ramsah
Published: February 2025

Qualitative research in cardiac surgery remains underutilised despite its crucial role in understanding patient experiences and improving care delivery. Cardiac surgery has traditionally been dominated by quantitative research and despite its clear value, qualitative research remains underutilised in cardiac surgery. This narrative review highlights key qualitative findings in valve replacement procedures, including patient autonomy in decision-making, post-operative challenges, and financial burdens. Mixed-methods research combining quantitative and qualitative approaches offers a comprehensive framework for addressing complex healthcare challenges. We propose strategic areas for future qualitative research and recommend increased integration of qualitative methodologies in cardiac surgical practice.
Dynamical behavior of a stochastic epidemiological model: stationary distribution and extinction of a SIRS model with stochastic perturbations
Authors: Zinihi Achraf , Sidi Ammi Moulay Rchid , Ehrhardt Matthias
Published: February 2025

This paper deals with a new epidemiological model of SIRS with stochastic perturbations. The primary objective is to establish the existence of a unique non-negative nonlocal solution. Using the basic reproduction number

$$\mathscr {R}_0$$

R
0

derived from the associated deterministic model, we demonstrate the existence of a stationary distribution in the stochastic model. In addition, we study the fluctuation of the unique solution of the deterministic problem around the disease-free equilibrium under certain conditions. In particular, we reveal scenarios where random effects induce disease extinction, contrary to the persistence predicted by the deterministic model. The theoretical insights are complemented by numerical simulations, which provide further validation of our findings.
Small-weight codewords of algebraic geometry codes
Authors: Ravagnani Alberto
Published: February 2025

We present a general method for characterizing the supports of small-weight codewords of algebraic geometry codes. We apply the method to investigate the weight distributions of error-correcting codes constructed from the Hermitian curve and from norm-trace curves, providing closed formulas for several parameter sets. The results presented in this paper draw on E. Ballico’s contributions to the connection between coding theory and algebraic geometry.
Insecurity and Safety Complications in Nigeria: A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Study of Human Security Threat in Nigerian Newspaper Reports
Authors: Osisanwo Ayo
Published: February 2025

Security challenges, as continuously reported by different media outlets, have been on the upward scale in Nigeria today. This paper examines English-medium news reports published by selected Nigerian newspapers from 2020 to 2022, to uncover how they represent (in)security challenges within the Nigerian state. Adopting a corpus-based approach to critical discourse analysis, this paper deploys the Sketch Engine and Wmatrix corpus tools, focusing on the keyword slant and semantic domains to unearth thematic focus, while Reisigl and Wodak (in: Wodak and Michael (eds) Methods of critical discourse analysis, Sage, London, 2009) discourse approach to critical discourse analysis is deployed to identify a series of discourses through which (in)security and related issues are represented. Data revealed that the news reports are characterised by different constructions on security challenges in Nigeria. The discussion of security threats is consistent in Nigerian newspapers using different discourse strategies, especially nomination and predication to evaluate insecurity negatively. The negative othering of insecurity and the failure of the state to eradicate insecurity in Nigeria accentuates the general perception of insecurity within the Nigerian space using communication in Nigerian newspapers as a case in point. The complication of safety in Nigeria is a function of political unwillingness.
Genetic characterization of the AHAS mutant line K4 with resistance to AHAS-inhibitor herbicides in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Zhang Yani , Huang Qianxin , Wang Shengnan , Gao Lianliang , Qu Gaoping , Guo Yuan , Hu Zhaoxin , Hu Shengwu
Published: February 2025

It remains a great challenge to control weeds in rapeseed fields in China. Breeding herbicide-resistant rapeseed varieties and using corresponding herbicide formulations has become the most economical and effective way to control weeds in rapeseed field. Characterization of more herbicide-resistant genetic resources will provide opportunities for breeders to develop rapeseed herbicide-resistant varieties with good agronomic performance. Previously, we obtained the tribenuron methyl (TBM)-resistant mutant K4 from ZS9 (Brassica napus L.) through ethyl methyl sulfonate mutagenesis and TBM foliar-spray screening. In this study, the inheritance and molecular characterization of the mutant K4 are carried out. Genetic investigation indicated that the herbicide-resistance of the K4 was controlled by one dominant allele at a single nuclear gene locus. Molecular characterization showed that a single point substitution at position 535 from C to T in BnAHAS3 (BnAHAS3

535T
), which resulted in a mutation at point 179 in BnAHAS3. The K4 showed a certain degree of resistance to TBM, bensulfuron methyl, and monosulfon sodium, which were 50, 30, and 5 times that of ZS9, respectively. AHAS enzyme assay, structural analysis of AHAS proteins, affinity detection between TBM and BnAHAS3 by surface plasmon resonance analysis, and the transgenic experiment in Arabidopsis using BnAHAS3

535T
confirmed that BnAHAS3

535T
endow the K4 with herbicides resistance. In addition, an allele-specific marker was developed to quickly distinguish the heterozygous and homozygous mutated alleles BnAHAS3

535T
. In conclusion, our research identified and characterized one novel mutative AHAS allele in B. napus and enriched genetic resource for developing herbicide-resistant rapeseed cultivars.
Evidential Pluralism and accounts of establishing
Authors: Wilde Michael
Published: February 2025

In Evi
dential Pluralism in the Social Sciences, Yafeng Shan and Jon Williamson do a great job of clarifying, motivating, and defending the commitments of Evidential Pluralism. In this commentary, I will show that one of their clarifications commits Evidential Pluralism to a particular account of establishing. And I will argue that a non-committal account of establishing would better promote the main message of the book.
When forecasting and foresight meet data and innovation: toward a taxonomy of anticipatory methods for migration policy
Authors: Marcucci Sara , Verhulst Stefaan , Cervantes María Esther
Published: February 2025

The various global refugee and migration events of the last few years underscore the need for advancing anticipatory strategies in migration policy. The struggle to manage large inflows (or outflows) highlights the demand for proactive measures based on a sense of the future. Anticipatory methods, ranging from predictive models to foresight techniques, emerge as valuable tools for policymakers. These methods, now bolstered by advancements in technology and leveraging nontraditional data sources, can offer a pathway to develop more precise, responsive, and forward-thinking policies.

This paper seeks to map out the rapidly evolving domain of anticipatory methods in the realm of migration policy, capturing the trend toward integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies and harnessing novel tools and data. It introduces a new taxonomy designed to organize these methods into three core categories: Experience-based, Exploration-based, and Expertise-based. This classification aims to guide policymakers in selecting the most suitable methods for specific contexts or questions, thereby enhancing migration policies.
Screening Rites
Authors: MERA MIGUEL
Published: February 2025

How does the process of screening orchestral music direct and focus audience attention? Visualization strategies can have a profound impact on how we appreciate music and can guide us to listen in very specific ways. Just as particular conductors and orchestras have interpretative identities, so do multi-camera directors. There has, however, been scant research on the influence of strategies and methods used in the visualization of orchestral concert music. Nicholas Cook suggested that musical enjoyment is spoiled by the ‘monstrous close-up’1 and Keith Negus explained that broadcasters believe that viewers will direct their attention to whatever instrument is most noticeable to the ear, ‘as if music audiences are similar to those following the ball in a tennis or football match’.2 The close-up is not solely about chasing action, though; it is also central to the continuity editing system, which is designed to maintain a continuous and clear narrative across time and space.3 Edits are not just about faithfully following or capturing action; they also have dramatic and psychological implications.
Diploicia edulis (Caliciaceae) and Physcia ornamentalis (Physciaceae), two new species associated with invertebrates from the tropical dry forest of Mexico
Authors: Miranda-González Ricardo , Campos-Cerda Felipe , Herrera-Campos María de los Angeles
Published: February 2025

Two new species in the genera Diploicia and Physcia are described from the tropical dry forest of Mexico. Both species are supported by morphological, chemical and molecular evidence. Diploicia edulis, a species heavily consumed by invertebrates, is characterized by lecanorine apothecia, a dull brown epihymenium not diffused by a green pigment (K−), a subhymenium conspicuously inspersed with oil droplets, and the diploicin chemosyndrome. We provide the first molecular evidence to support the inclusion of species with lecanorine apothecia in the genus Diploicia. Physcia ornamentalis, previously reported under the name Physcia undulata s. lat. as one of the main construction materials for the bags of a moth caterpillar species (Psychidae), is characterized by a frosted-pruinose thallus, soralia originating in the lobe sinuses, and by lacking soralia in the thalline margin of the apothecia.
Popular music studies behind the Iron Curtain: the constitution of popular music research in East-Central Europe before 1989
Authors: Wicke Peter
Published: February 2025

The study of popular music in the Soviet-controlled East-Central European region has yet to receive the attention it merits. The objective of this study was to fill this gap by investigating the genealogy of popular music research in East Central Europe prior to 1989. It provides a comprehensive account of the evolution of popular music research in socialist East-Central Europe, with a particular focus on Czechoslovakia, Hungary and East Germany. It delineates the challenges encountered by researchers in reconciling their work with the complex cultural and political conditions of the era. Furthermore, it considers the influence of Marxist ideology on musicology and sociology, and how this may have shaped research. It offers new perspectives on the history of popular music studies in this domain, which has been lightly explored until now. It seeks to shed light on the intricate relationship between music, politics and ideology behind the Iron Curtain.
Student Choice in Assessment: Is There a Subject-Specific Case for Using Assessment Optionality in Political Science Education?
Authors: Moulton Jeremy F. G.
Published: February 2025

Giving students choice in how they are assessed, known as assessment optionality, is an innovation in assessment that has gained attention in recent years for its potential for improving inclusivity and engagement in teaching and learning. However, although assessment innovations can be beneficial, the process of changing long-established norms can be difficult. Political science is a field in which the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning literature has long noted that there is limited pedagogical innovation. This resistance to innovation creates a challenge for those working in the field—stronger and specific arguments must be developed to justify changes to curricula. This article presents the results of participatory research with political science students to explore whether a subject-specific case can be made for the use of assessment optionality in the discipline. The study explores political science students’ understandings of costs and benefits of assessment optionality and shares co-created recommendations for the potential application of the practice.
A Paradox of Pleasure: Black Joy during “the Nadir,” 1875‒1905
Authors: Purkiss Ava
Published: February 2025

This article revisits Rayford Logan’s thesis in The Negro in American Life and Thought: The Nadir, 1877‒1901 to chart how African Americans experienced joy during a racial low point—“the Nadir” of race relations. Using Logan’s claims as a conceptual framework, the article examines W. E. B. Du Bois’s position on amusement and everyday Black people’s joyful acts during the post-Reconstruction period to understand “a paradox of pleasure”—feeling jovial during dark times. With the Nadir as a case study, this essay argues that historians may develop Black joy as a historical analytic by asking research questions about Black affect, employing the tools of historical imagination, and concentrating on the small delights of daily life. This essay seeks to inspire curiosity about how exploring Black life from the angle of elation, not sorrow, can produce complex histories of Black subjectivity and feeling. It proposes Black joy as an inchoate analytic in hopes of it becoming a formal mode of historical inquiry.
“The Old Order Changeth”: A Favorite Servant Contest and the Debate about Domestic Work in Washington, D.C.
Authors: Alms Hannah
Published: February 2025

The Progressive Era was characterized by debates about the future of the United States and the role of individuals, households, and organizations in shaping that future. These debates included those about domestic work, sometimes specifically referred to as the “servant question” or the “servant problem.” This discourse considered not only paid household labor, but also the nature of race, gender, and American life after slavery. This article reviews the servant question in Washington, D.C., and reveals how commentators engaged with modernity and nostalgia to understand the contradiction between their sense of white and African American women’s failures and their belief that both groups of women belonged in white households. The servant question is key cultural context for a 1917 “favorite servant contest.” The second half of the article examines the clubwomen who organized the contest and the experiences of an elderly, formerly enslaved woman named Theresa Harper. The organizers responded to the D.C. servant question with an effort to carry racial hierarchies into the twentieth century, a vision of the future of household labor very different from that of Black domestic workers.
On Patrons and Shoppers: Representations of Consumer Culture in the Black Press from 1890 to 1920
Authors: Regev Ronny
Published: February 2025

This article traces the early origins of Black consumer culture as it was portrayed in the Black press from the late 1800s to the early 1920s. It argues that Black newspapers were important agents in shaping how African Americans conceived of and interacted with the evolving commercial sphere around the turn of the century. Papers such as the Pittsburgh Courier, the Broad Ax, the Tulsa Star, and many others celebrated participation in the consumer arena as a respectable and desired practice. They also distinguished between shopping, as a social feminine pursuit, and patronizing Black-owned businesses, which was perceived as a gender-neutral, or even manly, racial duty. Espousing African American elite ideologies such as racial uplift and self-help, Black editors presented any purchasing of goods as an upright activity, which adorned its performer with affluence, respect, and power. Such portrayal encouraged the participation of African Americans in the consumer sphere and implied that it was an arena of similarity rather than difference.
Comparison of recognition of symptom burden in MPN between patient- and physician-reported assessment – an intraindividual analysis by the German Study Group for MPN (GSG-MPN)
Authors: Manz Kirsi , Heidel Florian H. , Koschmieder Steffen , Schlag Rudolf , Lipke Jörg , Stegelmann Frank , Griesshammer Martin , Klausmann Martine , Crodel Carl , Hochhaus Andreas , Schulz Holger , Göthert Joachim R. , Al-Ali Haifa , Becker Heiko , Reiter Andreas , Beutel Gernot , Kricheldorf Kim , Brümmendorf Tim H. , Hoffmann Wolfgang , Döhner Konstanze , Isfort Susanne ,   On behalf of the German Study Group for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (GSG-MPN)
Published: February 2025

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are associated with a variety of symptoms that severely impact patients’ quality of life and ability to perform daily activities. Recent studies showed differences in the perception of physician- versus patient-reported symptom burden. However, studies directly comparing patient- and physician-reported ratings are lacking. Here, a retrospective analysis on symptom burden of 3979 MPN patients of the Bioregistry of the German Study Group for MPN was conducted to intra-individually compare physician and patient reports collected at the same time. Cohen’s kappa was calculated to assess the degree of agreement between patient and physician reports. Factors influencing baseline symptom severity were identified using linear regression and adjusted Cox models were calculated to investigate the effect of symptom burden on survival. MPN patients had a high symptom burden, which neither decreased over time nor upon cytoreductive therapy. All symptoms were more frequently reported by patients compared to physicians. Agreement remained low and only slightly improved when considering a higher threshold for patient symptom severity. Patients with severe symptom burden had inferior survival compared to patients with less severe symptoms. Assessment of symptom burden in MPN is therefore insufficient and patient-reported outcome tools need to be implemented into clinical routine.
NFIX suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation by delaying mitosis through downregulation of CDK1 expression
Authors: Ma Hai-Yan , Sun Rui , Tian Tian , Zhou Xue-Jie , Chen Zhao-Hui , Cao Xu-Chen , Yu Yue , Wang Xin
Published: February 2025

One of the fundamental biological characteristics of malignant tumors is their uncontrolled growth and multiplication, which is a major reason why breast cancer remains incurable. The significance of NFIX in the development of various cancers has been demonstrated by an increasing number of studies in recent years. However, the role of NFIX in breast cancer has received less attention. This study investigates its expression in breast cancer and its function in inhibiting cell cycle progression. NFIX is downregulated in breast cancer compared to normal breast tissue, which impacts prognosis. In vitro and in vivo Experiments have shown that the overexpression of NIFX leads to a delay in the G2/M phase, which inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation. It thus plays a role as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer development. In terms of mechanism, upregulating NFIX causes CDK1 to be more susceptible to ubiquitination-mediated degradation. NFIX also competitively represses CDK1 transcription via YBX1. Moreover, NFIX expression in breast cancer is associated with methylation of its promoter region. Our study demonstrated that NFIX plays a critical role in CDK1-regulated cell cycle transitions and determined that NFIX inhibits cell proliferation in breast cancer.
A column-like organization for ocular dominance in mouse visual cortex
Authors: Goltstein Pieter M. , Laubender David , Bonhoeffer Tobias , Hübener Mark
Published: February 2025

The columnar organization of response properties is a fundamental feature of the mammalian visual cortex. However, columns have not been observed universally across all mammalian species. Here, we report the discovery of clusters of ipsilateral eye preferring neurons in layer 4 of the mouse primary visual cortex. These clusters extend into layer 2/3 and upper layer 5, forming a column-like pattern for ocular dominance. Our observation of such structures in this minute cortical area sets a new boundary condition for models explaining the emergence of functional organizations in the neocortex.
Dual functional POGases from bacteria encompassing broader O-glycanase and adhesin activities
Authors: Zhou Linjiao , Ortega-Rodriguez Uriel , Flores Matthew J. , Matsumoto Yasuyuki , Bettinger John Q. , Wu Wells W. , Zhang Yaqin , Kim Su-Ryun , Biel Thomas G. , Pritts Jordan D. , Shen Rong-Fong , Rao V. Ashutosh , Ju Tongzhong
Published: February 2025

Mucin-type O-glycans on glycoproteins are pivotal for biology and impact the quality of biotherapeutics. Furthermore, glycans on host cells serve as ligands for lectins/adhesins on bacteria for bacterium-host interactions in the colonization or attachment/invasion of bacteria. Defining the structure-function relationship of O-glycans is hindered by a lack of enzyme(s) to release sialylated O-glycans from glycoproteins. Here we show identification of endo-α-N-acetylgalactosaminidases (O-glycanases, GH101) with broad substrate specificities, termed Peptide:O-Glycosidase (POGase). In 5 POGase orthologs identified, we characterize one that releases sialylated O-glycans from glycopeptides, glycoproteins and biotherapeutics. Three peptide motifs differentiate the POGase existing in phylum Actinomycetota from known O-glycanases in other bacteria. While the GH101 domain classifies POGases, other domains confer the efficient enzyme activity and binding to major glycans decorating epithelial cells. The dual functional POGases encompassing broader O-glycanase and adhesin activities will facilitate the study of O-glycomics, quality assessment of biotherapeutics, and development of microbiology and medicine.
KAT6B overexpression rescues embryonic lethality in homozygous null KAT6A mice restoring vitality and normal lifespan
Authors: Bergamasco Maria. I. , Yang Yuqing , Garnham Alexandra L. , Sheikh Bilal N. , Smyth Gordon K. , Voss Anne. K. , Thomas Tim
Published: February 2025

Closely related genes typically display common essential functions but also functional diversification, ensuring retention of both genes throughout evolution. The histone lysine acetyltransferases KAT6A (MOZ) and KAT6B (QKF/MORF), sharing identical protein domain structure, are mutually exclusive catalytic subunits of a multiprotein complex. Mutations in either KAT6A or KAT6B result in congenital intellectual disability disorders in human patients. In mice, loss of function of either gene results in distinct, severe phenotypic consequences. Here we show that, surprisingly, 4-fold overexpression of Kat6b rescues all previously described developmental defects in Kat6a mutant mice, including rescuing the absence of hematopoietic stem cells. Kat6b restores acetylation at histone H3 lysines 9 and 23 and reverses critical gene expression anomalies in Kat6a mutant mice. Our data suggest that the target gene specificity of KAT6A can be substituted by the related paralogue KAT6B, despite differences in amino acid sequence, if KAT6B is expressed at sufficiently high levels.
Structural basis for lipid-mediated activation of G protein-coupled receptor GPR55
Authors: Claff Tobias , Ebenhoch Rebecca , Kley Jörg T. , Magarkar Aniket , Nar Herbert , Weichert Dietmar
Published: February 2025

GPR55 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and represents a promising drug target for cancer, inflammation, and metabolic diseases. The endogenous activation of lipid GPCRs can be solely mediated by membrane components and different lipids have been proposed as endogenous activators of GPR55, such as cannabinoids and lysophosphatidylinositols. Here, we determine high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of the activated GPR55 in complex with heterotrimeric G13 and two structurally diverse ligands: the putative endogenous agonist 1-palmitoyl-2-lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) and the synthetic agonist ML184. These results reveal insights into ligand recognition at GPR55, G protein coupling and receptor activation. Notably, an orthosteric binding site opening towards the membrane is observed in both structures, enabling direct interaction of the agonists with membrane lipids. The structural observations are supported by mutagenesis and functional experiments employing G protein dissociation assays. These findings will be of importance for the structure-based development of drugs targeting GPR55.
Discrimination of inherent characteristics of susceptible and resistant strains of Anopheles gambiae by explainable artificial intelligence analysis of flight trajectories
Authors: Qureshi Yasser M. , Voloshin Vitaly , Gleave Katherine , Ranson Hilary , McCall Philip J. , Covington James A. , Towers Catherine E. , Towers David P.
Published: February 2025

Understanding mosquito behaviours is vital for the development of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), which have been successfully deployed in sub-Saharan Africa to reduce disease transmission, particularly malaria. However, rising insecticide resistance (IR) among mosquito populations, owing to genetic and behavioural changes, poses a significant challenge. We present a machine learning pipeline that successfully distinguishes between innate IR and insecticide-susceptible (IS) mosquito flight behaviours independent of insecticidal exposure by analysing trajectory data. Data-driven methods are introduced to accommodate common tracking system shortcomings that occur due to mosquito positions being occluded by the bednet or other objects. Trajectories, obtained from room-scale tracking of two IR and two IS strains around a human-baited, untreated bednet, were analysed using features such as velocity, acceleration, and geometric descriptors. Using these features, an XGBoost model achieved a balanced accuracy of 0.743 and a ROC AUC of 0.813 in classifying IR from IS mosquitoes. SHAP analysis helped decipher that IR mosquitoes tend to fly slower with more directed flight paths and lower variability than IS—traits that are likely a fitness advantage by enhancing their ability to respond more quickly to bloodmeal cues. This approach provides valuable insights based on flight behaviour that can reveal the action of interventions and insecticides on mosquito physiology.
Acute effects of high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training on executive functions in healthy older adults
Authors: Ahmadi Shirko , Bélanger Mathieu , O’Brien Myles W. , Registe Pierre Philippe Wilson , Dupuy Olivier , Mekari Said
Published: February 2025

Numerous studies have demonstrated that executive functions benefit from high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). However, the immediate effects of HIIT and MICT on these functions in older adults have not been compared. This study aimed to examine the acute impact of HIIT and MICT on executive function components in this demographic. Twenty-five healthy community-dwelling older adults (15 females; average age 67.1 ± 4.5 years) participated. The study involved three sessions: an initial session with cognitive assessments (Stroop Task: Naming, Inhibition, and Switching) and a maximal continuous graded exercise test, followed by two sessions involving HIIT (15s at 100% peak power output, 15s rest, 2 × 20 min) or MICT (34 min at 60% peak power output) training protocols in random order. Cognitive tests were administered immediately after and 45 min post-training. The results showed a significant difference in Switching reaction times between MICT and HIIT, with HIIT showing a greater reduction in Switching times after 45 min (p = 0.019). In conclusion, our study indicates that HIIT’s beneficial effects on executive functions demonstrated a larger effect size than those of MICT. This suggests that brief, high-intensity exercise could be more effective in enhancing executive functions among older adults.
Halogen Bond-catalyzed Pictet-Spengler Reaction
Authors: Damrath Mattis , Doering Alessandra , Nachtsheim Boris Johannes
Published: February 2025

We report an efficient halogen bond-catalyzed Pictet-Spengler reaction using diaryliodonium salts as catalysts as a metal-free alternative to traditional acid catalysis. Through systematic optimization, exceptional catalytic activity was achieved with...
A novel type of heteroleptic Cu(I) complexes featuring nitrogen-rich tetrazine ligands: Syntheses, Crystal Structures, Spectral properties, Cyclic Voltammetry, and Theoretical Calculations
Authors: Sztula Adam , Antal Peter , Nemec Ivan , Kubala Martin , Herchel Radovan
Published: February 2025

Heteroleptic copper(I) complexes with the general formula [Cu(N^N)(P^P)]X constitute one of the most studied categories of 3d metal photosensitizers. Here, we examine using 1,2,4,5-tetrazine-based ligands to synthesize photoactive Cu(I) complexes....