bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The problem of academic freedom in Africa
Authors: Arowosegbe Jeremiah O.
Published: February 2025

I am grateful to all the authors who contributed thoughtful reflections on my 2016 and 2023 articles; and to the editors of Africa for calling on me to have the last word and write back in a compelling conversation on knowledge production and the crisis of public universities in Africa. It is time to pull the strings together. As I seek to do this, my aim is less to answer – collectively or individually – the authors and their contributions to my articles. Rather, I endeavour to put on record further thoughts on issues about which I have been silent in earlier publications. In pursuit of a longstanding interest in (1) how knowledge is produced on non-metropolitan societies, (2) the future directions of postcolonial universities, and (3) the relations of knowledge and power in Africa, I ask further questions and examine new archives and bodies of evidence. I appreciate the difficulty of ignoring the economic determinants of Africa’s material base – built as it is on dependent and disarticulated capitalist economies. In recounting my lived experience as an eyewitness to university life in Africa, and in shedding more light on the historical problems that I grapple with, I acknowledge change and continuity in historical explanations and the historiographies of my universe. In the present as in the past, the sense of sight shapes experience. I admit, with Ludmilla Jordanova (2012: 3), that vision has a history and that objects necessarily play a central role within it.1 As Peter Burke (2008) has shown, looking at alternative evidence and records enables one to examine historical problems and subjects in a different and hopefully renewed way. Historians therefore ask different and new questions. Such questions are informed by the changing nature of the environments and universes of analysis, historiography and historical scholarship. These activities demand continuous examination of existing arguments and conclusions against the backdrop of changing evidence and facts. Understood as the best intellectual imagery of modern society, I turn to the postcolonial universities in Africa. Ultimately, this effort, together with my other works, should illuminate what one might safely conjecture about the future of the universities in Africa.
Factors affecting test-day milk composition in dairy ewes, and relationships amongst various milk components
Authors: OTHMANE M. HOUCINE , CARRIEDO J. ANTONIO , DE LA FUENTE L. FERNANDO , PRIMITIVIO FERMÍN SAN
Published: July 2002

A total of 7492 test-day observations for mean contents of fat, protein, casein, serum protein and lactose and individual laboratory cheese yield (ILCY) were obtained, at approximately monthly intervals, from 1119 ewes belonging to eight Churra dairy flocks. The effect of various factors on these variables was examined and phenotypic correlations among all traits were estimated. Least squares analyses showed significant effects of flock test-date, stage of lactation, age of ewe, and number of lambs weaned on almost all variables. Protein content and composition were not affected by the number of lambs weaned. ILCY had an unadjusted mean (26·55 kg cheese/100 l milk) close to those reported for real cheese yield in dairy ewes and was affected similarly to the main milk components. Fat, protein, casein, and serum protein contents, and ILCY, showed a generally increasing trend as lactation progressed. These components reached a minimum at 1 month into lactation, when milk yield was highest, and increased for the remainder of the lactation. ILCY depended mainly on fat, protein and casein contents. Protein and casein contents were closely related and equally correlated with ILCY. An increase in somatic cell count (SCC) was associated with decreased milk yield and decreased lactose content.
First report of Oscheius insectivorus (Körner, 1954) Andrássy, 1976 (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) from Iran with its efficacy against Chrysomela populi L. (Col.: Chrysomelidae) and Galleria mellonella L. (Lep.: Pyralidae)
Authors: Amiri Bonab M. , Atighi M.R. , Gholami Ghavamabad R. , Pedram M.
Published: February 2025

A population of Oscheius insectivorus was recovered from inside the body of a live scarab beetle collected from natural forests of Jafar Abad village, Golestan province, and was reported from Iran for the first time. The Iranian isolate of the species is characterized by 1103–1942 μm long females with their vulva at 46.9–57.4% of the body, tail 75–118 μm long, males with spicules 60.0–74.5 μm long, gubernaculum 23.7–32.2 μm long, and infective juveniles measuring 790–985 μm long. Females and males of the recovered population had shorter body when compared with the type population. Molecular identification of the recovered population was performed using the SSU and D2-D3 expansion segments of LSU rDNA, and corresponding phylogenetic trees were reconstructed and discussed. The pathogenicity of the Iranian isolate was evaluated on the larvae and adults of the poplar leaf beetle, Chrysomela populi, and the larvae of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella, under laboratory conditions. A suspension of 200 infective juveniles per ml (IJs/ml) of the nematode was most effective against third instar larvae of C. populi, causing 75% mortality 72 hours post-exposure. In adults, mortality reached 70% at the same concentration and exposure time. For G. mellonella larvae, O. insectivorus caused 50% mortality at 200 IJs/ml within 72 hours post-exposure. The lethal concentration 50 (LC50) values of the nematode were 77.71 and 94.06 IJs/ml for third instar larvae and adults of C. populi, respectively, and 217.04 IJs/ml for fifth instar larvae of G. mellonella 72 hours post-exposure at 25°C and 60% relative humidity.
Songs of Tamil plantation women of Malaya: Contesting memories and histories
Authors: Saxena Vandana , Saigaran Nithiya Guna
Published: February 2025

This article is an outcome of a search for the Tamil plantation woman in Malaysia and her voice—her stories and memories, in her own words. Through the plantation songs of Tamil workers in Malaysia, first collated and published in the 1980s, we explore the experiences and memories of these women, singing about their lives and work in the Malayan plantations. As memory-work, these songs constitute an oral history that provides an uneasy counter to hegemonic discourses like that of the colonial planters who employed the women, or the nationalist historiography of India and Malaysia where they are sidelined and reduced to figures of abject victimhood in the clutches of colonial capitalism, or the post-colonial discourse where their memories and experiences constitute a shameful past that obstructs optimism for the future. Tamil plantation songs call for a comparative approach to history and memory—between the position of the woman and that of the man, or the labourer and the supervisor/planter, as well as more problematic and shifting positionalities like seducer and the seduced, or the victim and the perpetrator.
Health technology assessment capacity to support Zambia’s health benefits package reform policy
Authors: Simangolwa Warren Mukelabai , Govender Kaymarlin , Mbonigaba Josue
Published: February 2025

Background

The need for more local technical capacity in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a leading challenge to its use in low- and middle-income countries. Zambia has been considering using HTA to support its universal health coverage initiative, which includes health benefits package design and implementation. This study assesses the local HTA capacity for the steering committee tasked with supporting the design and implementation of the national health benefits package in Zambia.

Methods

The study applied a cross-sectional web-based survey design and the consensus-based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies. Data were collected from the steering committee of the benefits package working group, tasked with leading the design process of the health benefits package using the Instrument for the Assessment of Skills to Conduct a Health Technology Assessment tool.

Results

The majority of respondents had not served on a selection and reimbursement committee. Clinical effectiveness skills in structuring a search strategy, handling missing data, conducting qualitative evidence synthesis, and grading the certainty of evidence were low. Skills for leadership, networking, conflict management, and project coordination, public and patient involvement were mid-level to low. Most of the respondents were aware of ethical issues with health technologies. Health economics skills in economic evaluations and decision analytic modeling, equity and health system efficiency measurement, budget impact analysis, and quality of life were identified for capacity strengthening.

Conclusion

Available technical capacities to revise and implement the national benefits package were lower in health economics, synthesis for clinical effectiveness evidence, ethics, patient and public involvement, and soft skills, in that order.
Language-general and language-specific influences on children's acquisition of argument structure: a comparison of French and English
Authors: NAIGLES LETITIA R. , LEHRER NADINE
Published: July 2002

This research investigates language-general and language-specific properties of the acquisition of argument structure. Ten French preschoolers enacted forty sentences containing motion verbs; sixteen sentences were ungrammatical in that the syntactic frame was incompatible with the standard argument structure for the verb (e.g. *Le tigre va le lion = *The tiger goes the lion). Previous work (Naigles, Fowler & Helm; Naigles, Gleitman & Gleitman indicated that English-speaking two-year-olds faced with such ungrammatical sentences consistently altered the usual meaning of the verb to fit the syntactic frame (FRAME COMPLIANCE) whereas adults faced with the same sentences altered the syntax to fit the meaning of the verb (VERB COMPLIANCE). The age at which children began to perform Verb Compliantly varied by frame and by verb. The current study finds that the level of Verb Compliance in French five-year-olds largely mirrors that of English-speaking five-year-olds. The sole exception is the intransitive frame with an added prepositional phrase (e.g. *Le tigre amène près de la passerelle = *The tiger brings next to the ramp), which elicits a higher level of Verb Compliance among French kindergarteners than among their English learning peers. This effect may be due to the unambiguous interpretation of French spatial prepositions (i.e. next to has both locative and directional interpretations whereas près de supports only the locative interpretation). These data support the conclusion that the acquisition of argument structure is influenced by both language-general mechanisms (e.g. uniqueness, entrenchment) and language-specific properties (e.g. prepositional ambiguity).
Precipitation analysis using the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit in support of nowcasting applications
Authors: Bennartz Ralf , Thoss Anke , Dybbroe Adam , Michelson Daniel B
Published: July 2002

We describe a method to remotely sense precipitation and classify its intensity over water, coasts and land surfaces. This method is intended to be used in an operational nowcasting environment. It is based on data obtained from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) onboard NOAA‐15. Each observation is assigned a probability of belonging to four classes: precipitation‐free, risk of precipitation, precipitation between 0.5 and 5 mm/h, and precipitation higher than 5 mm/h. Since the method is designed to work over different surface types, it relies mainly on the scattering signal of precipitation‐sized ice particles received at high frequencies. For the calibration and validation of the method we use an eight‐month dataset of combined weather radar and AMSU data obtained over the Baltic area. We compare results for the AMSU‐B channels at 89 GHz and 150 GHz and find that the high frequency channel at 150 GHz allows for a much better discrimination of different types of precipitation than the 89 GHz channel. While precipitation‐free areas, as well as heavily precipitating areas (>5 mm/h), can be identified to high accuracy, the intermediate classes are more ambiguous. This stems from the ambiguity of the passive microwave observations as well as from the non‐perfect matching of the different data sources and sub‐optimal radar adjustment. In addition to a statistical assessment of the method's accuracy, we present case studies to demonstrate its capabilities to classify different types of precipitation and to work over highly structured, inhomogeneous surfaces. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society
Stirling's finale: the two roads to Melsungen
Authors: Spens Michael
Published: July 2002

As the tenth anniversary of the death of Sir James Stirling
approaches, Michael Spens considers the relative significance of
aspects of his work, both in terms of a sequence of key designs and in
the light of contemporaneous critiques. What emerges is a
confirmation of the architect's underlying extension of a
progressive, enriching modernity. The best work is seen as a rare
consummation of the Sublime, as opposed to the Picturesque,
within the general continuity of Modernism.
The stability and instability of the language control network: A longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Li Zilong , Liu Cong , Pan Xin , Ding Guosheng , Wang Ruiming
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the stability and instability of the language control network in bilinguals using longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data. We compared the language control network of Chinese university students majoring in English with those not, using three other functional networks as controls. Results indicate that the English major group exhibits reduced stability and increased instability in the language control network compared with the non-English major group. This suggests that second language (L2) learning experience may induce adaptive neural changes. Moreover, the coexistence of stability and instability in the language control network appears less modular in the English major group, implying a more integrated response to language experience. Notably, these results were not observed in the control networks. Overall, these findings enhance the understanding of bilingual language control and the impact of L2 learning on neural plasticity.
Equitable Approaches for Public Health Data Collection Among Diverse Populations: Findings from a National Evaluation of Fruit and Vegetable Incentives
Authors: Shanks Carmen Byker , Izumi Betty , Eastman Jenna , Alvord Teala W. , Yaroch Amy L.
Published: February 2025

Objective:

Public health approaches for addressing diet-related health in the United States (US) include nutrition incentive (NI) and produce prescription (PPR) projects. These projects, funded through the US Department of Agriculture Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), aim to support intake of fruits and vegetables through healthy food incentives. Measuring GusNIP impact is vital to assessing the ability of incentives to improve public health nutrition outcomes across populations. Shared measures used across GusNIP projects assess fruit and vegetable intake, food security, demographics, among other variables, through a participant survey. This study explored challenges and opportunities to support evaluation across GusNIP.

Design:

This qualitative study used a sociodemographic survey, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize survey data and applied thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in interview and focus group data.

Setting:

Data collection occurred in the United States virtually using Qualtrics and Zoom, fall 2021 to fall 2022.

Participants:

18 GusNIP PPR and NI data collectors, 24 external evaluators, and 11 GusNIP Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center’s (NTAE) staff participated.

Results:

Opportunities to improve evaluation among GusNIP’s participants include tailoring surveys to specific subpopulations, translations, culturally appropriate food examples, avoiding stigmatizing language, using mixed methods, and intentional strategies to enhance representation.

Conclusion:

To increase applicability, evaluation tools must reflect the experiences across populations. This study provides insights that can guide future NI and PPR evaluations, helping to more effectively measure and understand outcomes of all communities.
Barriers and facilitators influencing midwives’ implementation of South Africa’s maternal care guidelines in postnatal health: a scoping review
Authors: Okeke Ngozichika , Ngunyulu Roinah
Published: February 2025

Introduction:

The implementation of South Africa’s maternal care guidelines is still subpar, especially during the postnatal periods, despite midwives playing a key part in postnatal care for women and their newborns. This article aimed to pinpoint the obstacles to and enablers of midwives’ roles in putting South Africa’s maternal care recommendations for postnatal health into practice.

Method:

A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley method. Systematic searches were conducted using the PsycINFO, Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), PubMed, EBSCOhost web, and Google Scholar. The screening was guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using the Braun and Clarke method for thematic content analysis and included 22 articles. The quality of included studies was determined by Mixed Method Appraisal Tool and these were reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis for Scoping Review.

Results:

There is a gap between inadequate postnatal care services provision and suboptimal implementation of maternal recommendations. Owing to a lack of basic knowledge about the guidelines, an absence of midwives in the maternity units, inadequate facilities and resources, a lack of drive and support, inadequate training of midwives in critical competencies, and poor information sharing and communication. Maintaining qualified midwives in the maternity units and providing them with training to increase their capacity, knowledge, and competencies on the guidelines’ critical information for managing postnatal complications and providing high-quality care to women and their babies is necessary to effectively implement the recommendations.

Conclusion:

The relative success in implementing maternal care guidelines in South Africa lies in the contextual consideration of these factors for the development of intersectoral healthcare packages, strengthening health system collaborations, and stakeholder partnerships to ameliorate maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality.
The impact of primary care funding on health inequalities: an umbrella review
Authors: Holdroyd Ian , McCann Lucy , Berger Maya , Fisher Rebecca , Ford John
Published: February 2025

Background:

The funding of primary care is subject to intense debate internationally. Three main funding models predominate: capitation, pay-for-performance, and fee-for-service. A number of systematic reviews regarding the effect of primary care funding structures have been published, but not synthesized through an equity lens. Given the urgent need for evaluating funding models and addressing inequalities, a reliable, synthesized evidence base concerning the effects of funding on inequalities is imperative.

Aims:

This umbrella review aims to systematically evaluate all systematic reviews available on the effect of different primary care funding models in high-income countries on inequalities in funding, access, outcomes, or experience from inception until 2024.

Methods:

Three databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane) and a machine learning living evidence map were searched. Abstracts and titles were double screened, before two authors independently screened full texts, extracted data, and performed quality assessments utilizing the AMSTAR2 tool.

Findings:

The search identified 2480 unique articles, of which 14 were included in the final review. Only one review compared reimbursement systems; capitation systems were more equitable between ethnic groups compared to pay-for-performance in terms of primary care access, continuity, and quality. Twelve reviews reviewed the impact of the introduction of pay-for-performance models, predominantly focusing on the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) in the UK. Synthesized findings suggest that QOF’s introduction coincided with reduced socioeconomic health inequalities in the UK overall, but not in Scotland. Overall, inequalities in age narrowed, but inequalities measured by sex widened. One review found evidence that targeting funding for minority groups, with poorer health, was effective. A further review found that introducing privately provided general practices in Sweden and allowing patients to choose these over public-owned options generally benefitted those with higher income and lower health needs. We identify a range of gaps in the literature, which should inform future research.
Filial cannibalism in teleost fish
Authors: MANICA ANDREA
Published: July 2002

This review summarizes information on filial cannibalism (the act of eating one's own offspring) in teleost fish. Cannibalistic parents can either consume their whole brood (total filial cannibalism), or eat only some of the eggs in the nest (partial filial cannibalism). Offspring consumption has been argued to be adaptive under the assumption that offspring survival is traded against feeding, and that offspring can act as an alternative food source for the parents. The evidence supporting the basic predictions formulated under these assumptions is summarized for both total and partial filial cannibalism. These two forms of cannibalism differ significantly since the former represents an investment only in future reproductive success, whereas the latter can affect both present and future reproductive success. Despite a few inconsistencies in the data from laboratory and field studies, the energy‐based explanation appears valid for both forms of cannibalism. Alternative non‐energy‐based explanations are considered, but they are unable to account for the wide distribution of this behaviour in teleosts. The intersexual conflict arising from attempts of the non‐cannibal sex to minimize the cost of filial cannibalism is also discussed, together with the potential effect of this behaviour on the operational sex ratio at a population level.
Guiding Away from Google: Finding Ways to Engage Law Students with Academic Databases
Authors: Parkin Catherine , Sehgal Aarti
Published: February 2025

Catherine Parkin is a librarian at Leeds Beckett University (LBU), while Aarti Sehgal is a librarian at the University of Sheffield (TUoS). These institutions both have around 1200 students registered on a taught Law course. Against the background of an increased need to prove academic libraries are obtaining ‘value for money’ from subscription resources, alongside the desire for law students to be effective and critical users of information, this article explores database engagement activities carried out at the authors’ institutions. It considers the impact of teaching and online tutorials created to engage students with resources, and discusses tools used to check resource usage.
Brain Science, Early Intervention and ‘At Risk’ Families: Implications for Parents, Professionals and Social Policy
Authors: Wilson Helen
Published: July 2002

In recent years neuroscience has increasingly been drawn on to focus attention on the significance of early childhood years for healthy brain development. However an examination of the literature suggests that brain science has little specific to offer parents. In spite of this, a belief that these first years are a critical period for child development has provided the impetus for the introduction of early intervention programmes targeting groups who are considered to be ‘at risk’. The literature indicates that the assumptions underpinning this notion are problematic and may have implications for the success of such interventions. The factors impacting on childhood outcomes are complex and cannot be reduced solely to biomedical explanations. A more effective way to tackle child health and welfare problems would involve a multidimensional approach and include the elimination of poverty and the scrutiny of all public policy.
Families’ experiences of end-of-life care in an acute private hospital: A qualitative study
Authors: Saunders Rosemary , Alexander Susan , Andrew Julie , Wilkinson Anne , Gullick Karen , Davray Ashwini , Ghosh Manonita , Seaman Karla , Gay Michelle
Published: February 2025

Objectives

This study explored bereaved relatives’ experiences of end-of-life care (EoL care) in the last 3 days in an acute private hospital in Australia.

Methods

An interpretative qualitative study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews with 8 bereaved relatives whose family member had died at an acute private hospital shared their experiences of the EoL care during the last 3 days of life. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Bereaved family members had mixed experiences, and their primary concerns related to the need for improvements in support for the family; communication; and clinicians partnering with families. The need for family support encompassed care for the person dying and the bereaved relatives, before and during the last days of life, and after death. Bereaved relatives perceived that hospital based EoL care could be positive when the care was collaborative with health professionals, patients, and relatives and there was effective communication.

Significance of results

A patient- and family-centered approach to EoL care should be provided in hospitals, and it requires understanding of the needs of both patients and family members, including informational requirements, communication approaches, and care delivery. Health-care organizations have a responsibility to care for families and this must be considered as part of organizational readiness and ongoing assessment to determine if the standards for EoL care are met. The findings serve as a guide for evidence-informed practice and may contribute to the development of resources and guidelines for delivery of quality EoL care.
Exploring palliative and end-of-life care perspectives and lived experiences among generations of African migrants residing outside the continent: A scoping review
Authors: Ngezi Salatiel , Butler Ashleigh E. , Spelten Evelien
Published: February 2025

Objectives

This review aimed to chart existing literature and identify gaps in the evidence base concerning palliative and end-of-life care perspectives and experiences among different generations of African migrants residing outside the continent.

Methods

This review adhered to a predefined protocol, utilizing the Arksey and O’Malley 5-stage framework, as refined by Danielle Levac and colleagues. A systematic search of 5 bibliographic databases (from inception to December 2022) yielded 79 published studies. After title, abstract, and full-text screening using Covidence®, 7 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction was guided by a conceptual framework tailored to the research topic and questions, with results presented in the narrative form.

Results

Cultural and religious beliefs and practices significantly shaped African migrants’ perspectives on end-of-life care. A nuanced boundary between palliative and curative care emerged, with the former often stigmatized and stereotypically associated with death and dying. Common barriers to accessing end-of-life care included limited awareness, low literacy, and perceived inadequacy of culturally sensitive care, resulting in disparities in both access and outcomes. Additionally, reluctance to discuss death and dying, along with mistrust of Western healthcare systems, constituted significant obstacles. The studies underscored the necessity of enhancing provider–patient communication by engaging with migrants to raise awareness of services and fostering inclusive healthcare environments for improved care outcomes.

Significance of results

Existing research on racial and ethnic disparities underscores the unequal quality and outcomes of end-of-life care across various racial groups. However, there is still insufficient understanding of these diverse end-of-life care needs, particularly in host countries. Bridging this knowledge gap is crucial for reducing health disparities and enhancing the delivery of culturally sensitive care within Western healthcare systems.
An approximate analytical solution for non‐Darcy flow toward a well in fractured media
Authors: Wu Yu‐Shu
Published: July 2002

This paper presents an approximate analytical solution for non‐Darcy flow of a slightly compressible fluid through a fractured reservoir. The analytical solution is obtained using the traditional Warren‐Root solution superposed on a dimensionless non‐Darcy flow coefficient. The model formulation incorporates the Forchheimer equation into the Warren‐Root model for describing non‐Darcy flow through fractured media. The approximate analytical solution, verified for its accuracy by comparison with numerical solutions, provides a useful tool in analyzing non‐Darcy flow in fractured reservoirs for practical applications.
Brain inspired iontronic fluidic memristive and memcapacitive device for self-powered electronics
Authors: Khan Muhammad Umair , Hassan Bilal , Alazzam Anas , Eissa Shimaa , Mohammad Baker
Published: February 2025

Ionic fluidic devices are gaining interest due to their role in enabling self-powered neuromorphic computing systems. In this study, we present an approach that integrates an iontronic fluidic memristive (IFM) device with low input impedance and a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on ferrofluid (FF), which has high input impedance. By incorporating contact separation electromagnetic (EMG) signals with low input impedance into our FF TENG device, we enhance the FF TENG’s performance by increasing energy harvesting, thereby enabling the autonomous powering of IFM devices for self-powered computing. Further, replicating neuronal activities using artificial iontronic fluidic systems is key to advancing neuromorphic computing. These fluidic devices, composed of soft-matter materials, dynamically adjust their conductance by altering the solution interface. We developed voltage-controlled memristor and memcapacitor memory in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) structures, utilising a fluidic interface of FF and polyacrylic acid partial sodium salt (PAA Na+). The confined ion interactions in this system induce hysteresis in ion transport across various frequencies, resulting in significant ion memory effects. Our IFM successfully replicates diverse electric pulse patterns, making it highly suitable for neuromorphic computing. Furthermore, our system demonstrates synapse-like learning functions, storing and retrieving short-term (STM) and long-term memory (LTM). The fluidic memristor exhibits dynamic synapse-like features, making it a promising candidate for the hardware implementation of neural networks. FF TENG/EMG device adaptability and seamless integration with biological systems enable the development of advanced neuromorphic devices using iontronic fluidic materials, further enhanced by intricate chemical designs for self-powered electronics.
IL-1β drives SARS-CoV-2-induced disease independently of the inflammasome and pyroptosis signalling
Authors: M. Bader Stefanie , Scherer Lena , Schaefer Jan , Cooney James P. , Mackiewicz Liana , Dayton Merle , Georgy Smitha Rose , Davidson Kathryn C. , Allison Cody C. , Herold Marco J. , Strasser Andreas , Pellegrini Marc , Doerflinger Marcel
Published: February 2025

Excessive inflammation and cytokine release are hallmarks of severe COVID-19. Certain programmed cell death processes can drive inflammation, however, their role in the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 is unclear. Pyroptosis is a pro-inflammatory form of regulated cell death initiated by inflammasomes and executed by the pore-forming protein gasdermin D (GSDMD). Using an established mouse adapted SARS-CoV-2 virus and a panel of gene-targeted mice we found that deletion of the inflammasome (NLRP1/3 and the adaptor ASC) and pore forming proteins involved in pyroptosis (GSDMA/C/D/E) only marginally reduced IL-1β levels and did not impact disease outcome or viral loads. Furthermore, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection did not trigger GSDMD activation in mouse lungs. Finally, we did not observe any difference between WT animals and mice with compound deficiencies in the pro-inflammatory initiator caspases (C1/11/12

−/−
). This indicates that the classical canonical and non-canonical pro-inflammatory caspases known to process and activate pro-IL-1β, pro-IL-18 and GSDMD do not substantially contribute to SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. However, the loss of IL-1β, but not the absence of IL-18, ameliorated disease and enhanced survival in SARS-CoV-2 infected animals compared to wildtype mice. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that IL-1β is an important factor contributing to severe SARS-CoV-2 disease, but its release was largely independent of inflammasome and pyroptotic pathways.
Unraveling the molecular basis of substrate specificity and halogen activation in vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases
Authors: Zeides P. , Bellmann-Sickert K. , Zhang Ru , Seel C. J. , Most V. , Schoeder C. T. , Groll M. , Gulder T.
Published: February 2025

Vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases (VHPOs) are biotechnologically valuable and operationally versatile biocatalysts. VHPOs share remarkable active-site structural similarities yet display variable reactivity and selectivity. The factors dictating substrate specificity and, thus, a general understanding of VHPO reaction control still need to be discovered. This work’s strategic single-point mutation in the cyanobacterial bromoperoxidase AmVHPO facilitates a selectivity switch to allow aryl chlorination. This mutation induces loop formation that interacts with the neighboring protein monomer, creating a tunnel to the active sites. Structural analysis of the substrate-R425S-mutant complex reveals a substrate-binding site at the interface of two adjacent units. There, residues Glu139 and Phe401 interact with arenes, extending the substrate residence time close to the vanadate cofactor and stabilizing intermediates. Our findings validate the long-debated existence of direct substrate binding and provide a detailed VHPO mechanistic understanding. This work will pave the way for a broader application of VHPOs in diverse chemical processes.
Nuclear retention of unspliced HIV-1 RNA as a reversible post-transcriptional block in latency
Authors: Dorman Agnieszka , Bendoumou Maryam , Valaitienė Aurelija , Wadas Jakub , Ali Haider , Dutilleul Antoine , Maiuri Paolo , Nestola Lorena , Bociaga-Jasik Monika , Mchantaf Gilbert , Necsoi Coca , De Wit Stéphane , Avettand-Fenoël Véronique , Marcello Alessandro , Pyrc Krzysztof , Pasternak Alexander O. , Van Lint Carine , Kula-Pacurar Anna
Published: February 2025

HIV-1 latency is mainly characterized at transcriptional level, and little is known about post-transcriptional mechanisms and their contribution to reactivation. The viral protein Rev controls the nucleocytoplasmic export of unspliced and singly-spliced RNA that is central to proviral replication-competence and is therefore a prerequisite for efficient viral reactivation during the “shock-and-kill” cure therapy. Here we show that during infection and reactivation, unspliced HIV-1 RNA is a subject to complex and dynamic regulation by the Rev cofactor MATR3 and the MTR4 cofactor of the nuclear exosome. MATR3 and MTR4 coexist in the same ribonucleoprotein complex functioning to either maintain or degrade the RNA, respectively, with Rev orchestrating this regulatory switch. Moreover, we provide evidence of nuclear retention of unspliced HIV-1 RNA in ex vivo cultures from 22 ART-treated people with HIV, highlighting a reversible post-transcriptional block to viral RNA nucleocytoplasmic export that is relevant to the design of curative interventions.
Towards a World Wide Web powered by generative AI
Authors: AlDahoul Nouar , Hong Joseph , Varvello Matteo , Zaki Yasir
Published: February 2025

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a cutting-edge technology capable of producing text, images, and various media content leveraging generative models and user prompts. Between 2022 and 2023, generative AI surged in popularity with a plethora of applications spanning from AI-powered movies to chatbots. This paper investigates the potential of generative AI within the realm of the World Wide Web, specifically focusing on image generation. Web developers already harness generative AI to help craft text and images, while Web browsers might use it in the future to locally generate images for tasks such as repairing broken webpages, conserving bandwidth, and enhancing privacy. To explore this research area, this paper developed WebDiffusion, a tool that allows to simulate a Web powered by stable diffusion, a popular text-to-image model, from both a client and server perspective. Such a tool is the first of its kind, paving the way towards a futuristic world wide web where web images can be created using generative AI. WebDiffusion further supports crowdsourcing of user opinions, which is used to evaluate the quality and accuracy of 409 AI-generated images sourced from 60 webpages. Our findings suggest that generative AI is already capable of producing pertinent and high-quality Web images, even without requiring Web designers to manually input prompts, just by leveraging contextual information available within the webpages. However, direct in-browser image generation remains a challenge, as only highly powerful GPUs, such as the A40 and A100, can (partially) compete with classic image downloads. Nevertheless, this approach could be valuable for a subset of the images, for example, when fixing broken webpages or handling highly private content.
Comparative analysis of the mitochondrial genomes of the soft-shelled turtles Palea steindachneri and Pelodiscus axenaria and phylogenetic implications for Trionychia
Authors: Chen Chen , Ji Liqin , Huang Guiyun , Liu Xiaoli , Chen Haigang , Wang Yakun , Yu Lingyun , Liu Yihui , Hong Xiaoyou , Wei Chengqing , Wu Congcong , Luo Laifu , Zhu Xinping , Li Wei
Published: February 2025

Soft-shelled turtles, or Trionychia, are an enigmatic and fascinating group due to their specific morphological features and ecological adaptations. Based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and/or nuclear markers, previous studies showed the incongruent phylogenetic topologies within Trionychia (e.g., the Palea and its closely related species). In order to resolve the equivocal relationships and obtain some “genome-level” common evolutionary characters of soft-shelled turtles, in this study, we assembled and annotated the complete mitochondrial genomes of Palea steindachneri and Pelodiscus axenaria, both naturally distributed in Asia. The sizes of the two mitochondrial genomes were 16,811 bp and 17,143 bp, respectively. Typical vertebrate animal mtDNA features were observed, such as the usual gene components and arrangements (37 genes with a non-coding control region) and the A + T biased nucleotide compositions on the light strand (61.5% and 62.7%, respectively). All conserved blocks common to the vertebrates control region except for the extended terminal associated sequences (ETAS2) were found in the two soft-shelled turtles. The ω ratio averaged over all sites of each protein-coding gene (PCG) was below 1, which indicated purifying selection at the gene-wide level. However, a positive selection site at the 350-codon position in the cytb gene was detected, as estimated by Bayes empirical Bayes (BEB) analysis. Compared with the gene subsets, the mitogenomes provided the most robust phylogenetic resolution. The monophyly of the clades Amydona, Gigantaesuarochelys, and Apalonia was well supported. Topology discrepancies were observed among different datasets (e.g., the positions of Lissemys and Palea), reflecting the heterogeneous phylogenetic signals in the soft-shelled turtle mitogenomes. Precise date estimation based on Bayesian relaxed clock analyses indicated that the crown group age of extant Trionychia was approximately 115.84 Ma (95% HPD: 91.33–142.18 Ma). Paleoclimate changes, especially the Eocene − Oligocene transition, could be responsible for the speciation in these groups. Our results reiterated the necessity and effectiveness of incorporating entire mitochondrial genomes to delineate phylogenetic relationships in chelonian phylogeny studies.
Spatial distribution and functional integration of displaced retinal ganglion cells
Authors: Duda Sabrina , Block Christoph T. , Pradhan Dipti R. , Arzhangnia Yousef , Klaiber Alina , Greschner Martin , Puller Christian
Published: February 2025

The retina contains distinct types of ganglion cells, which form mosaics with cells of each type at each position of the visual field. Displaced retinal ganglion cells (dRGCs) occur with cell bodies in the inner nuclear layer (INL), and regularly placed RGCs with cell bodies in the ganglion cell layer. An example of mammalian dRGCs are M1-type intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells (ipRGCs). Little is known, however, about their relationship with regularly placed ipRGCs. We identified mouse ipRGC types M1, M2, and M4/sONɑ by immunohistochemistry and light microscopy. Reconstruction of immunolabeled mosaics from M1 and sONɑ RGCs indicated that dRGCs tiled the retina with their regular RGC partners. Multi-electrode array recordings revealed conventional receptive fields of displaced sONɑ RGCs which fit into the mosaic of their regular counterparts. An RGC distribution analysis showed type-specific dRGC patterns which followed neither the global density distribution of all RGCs nor the local densities of corresponding cell types. The displacement of RGC bodies into the INL occurs in a type-dependent manner, where dRGCs are positioned to form complete mosaics with their regular partners. Our data suggest that dRGCs and regular RGCs serve the same functional role within their corresponding population of RGCs.
Acute and chronic gene expression activation following medial forebrain bundle DBS and selective dopamine pathway stimulation
Authors: Duan Zhuo , Zhao Wen , Tong Yixin , Coenen Volker A. , Döbrössy Máté D.
Published: February 2025

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the medial forebrain bundle (mfb) demonstrated anti-depressant effects both clinically and experimentally. Modulation of mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic (DA) activity could contribute—in part—to the therapeutic effects. By comparing selective and pathway specific midbrain DA optogenetic stimulation with the global, non-pathway specific mfb-DBS, the study explored changes in gene-expression of key biomarkers associated with neurocircuitry of depression. Rats received either optogenetic DAergic or mfb-DBS, delivered as acute/single or chronic/repeated stimulation. Micro-dissected regions were prepared for in situ hybridization targeting biomarkers of GABAergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic systems. Mfb-DBS mediated DA independent pathway increased GABAergic biomarkers (GABAA, GAD1) in frontal and accumbal regions, not in midbrain. The combinations of low frequency/high pulse width and high frequency/low pulse width stimulation generally increased biomarker expression similarly, but chronic/repetitive stimulation had no accumulative effect. Interestingly, unilateral stimulation had bilateral effects, but stimulation modalities had little impact on DAT and Vglut2 expression. In conclusion, both low and high frequency, acute/single and chronic/repetitive mfb-DBS—but not selective optogenetic stimulation -activated gene expression of biomarkers associated with GABAergic transmission. The increased expression was transitory and less chronic than predicted. Importantly, the study provides evidence that the anti-depressant therapeutic effects of clinical medial forebrain bundle DBS occurs—in part—be via modulation of GABAergic signalling which in turn could regulate the release of dopamine in frontal and accumbal regions. In addition, clinical implication of the data is that unilateral stimulation had bilateral consequences on the gene expression, although the physiological and functional sequelae of this are yet unknown.
Feasibility and efficacy of the forced oscillation technique in patients with lysosomal storage diseases
Authors: Alblooshi Afaf , Zaabi Nuha Al , Albadi Ghaya , Al-Jasmi Fatma A.
Published: February 2025

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are a diverse group of inborn errors of metabolism, which involves the storage of macromolecules within the lysosome due to the absence of or deficiency in lysosomal enzymes. In this condition, respiratory dysfunction is the common cause of morbidity and mortality. Thus, an objective measurement examination of pulmonary function, such as spirometry, is essential for the diagnosis and management of respiratory conditions. However, spirometry requires active patient involvement. Meanwhile, the forced oscillation technique (FOT) is performed during tidal breathing and is feasible in patients who cannot perform spirometry. Thus, the current study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of FOT in assessing respiratory function among patients with LSD. This study was conducted at the outpatient department of Tawam Hospital, Al-Ain, the United Arab Emirates. Patients with confirmed LSD were included in the analysis. Information on respiratory history was obtained using a standardized respiratory questionnaire, and lung function was assessed using FOT. The main outcomes were respiratory resistance (Rrs5), reactance at 5 Hz (Xrs5), and area under the reactance curve (AX). In total, 35 patients with LSD were assessed. FOT was used to evaluate 16 (47%) patients. Of the patients who were successfully assessed using FOT, 10 presented with abnormal outcomes. Hence, there was an association between lung function assessed using FOT and spirometry results in these patients. FOT can help obtain lung function measurements in patients with LSD. In this study, the patients commonly presented with abnormal FOT outcomes.
Chemometric-assisted electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of neonicotinoids imidacloprid and thiamethoxam in honey samples
Authors: Cardenas Matias Alberto , Vignati Macarena , Pierini Gastón D , Robledo Sebastián Noel , Moressi Marcela , D'Eramo Fabiana
Published: February 2025

Neonicotinoid are systemic insecticides used in agriculture. In particularly, imidacloprid (IM) and thiamethoxam (TM) have a selective toxicity to insects, and they have been implicated in the steep decline of...
Structural Insights of Mechanochemically Amorphised MIL-125-NH2
Authors: Shaw Emily , Castillo Blas Celia , Lambden Timothy , de Santos Beatriz , Turner Bethan , Lampronti Giulio Isacco , Laulainen Joonatan , Robertson Georgina , Chester Ashleigh M , Ye Chumei , Guan Shaoliang , Karlsson Joshua , Martinez Valentina , Brekalo Ivana , Karadeniz Bahar , Cabrera Silvia , McHugh Lauren Nicole , Užarević Krunoslav , Aleman Jose , Fraile Alberto , Evans Rachel C , Midgley Paul , Keen David A. , Moya Xavier , Bennett Thomas Douglas
Published: February 2025

In this work, we investigated the response of the metal-organic framework MIL-125-NH2 to ball-milling. Both localised and bulk analyses revealed that prolongued ball-milling results in a complete loss of long-range...
Overcoming (some) rules in synthesis design
Authors: Hoffmann Reinhard W.
Published: February 2025

“Thinking Outside the Box” is the most important tool to advance science. The walls of the “box” are the rules created by the previous generations of scientists. To overcome such rules requires the courage to challenge the stability of these walls.