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Discovering the form and function of dual DNA- and RNA- binding proteins ILF3 and ILF2 in Xenopus tropicalis
No full textInterleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3) is a multifunctional RNA- and DNA-binding protein that plays a central role in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. ILF3 binds to specific DNA structures within promoter regions and exerts its regulatory functions through interactions with RNA molecules, influencing processes such as RNA splicing, stabilisation, and nuclear export. The evolutionary conservation of ILF3 homologues across eukaryotic species highlights its functional significance. ILF3 typically forms a heterodimer with Interleukin enhancer-binding factor 2 (ILF2), a structurally related RNA-binding protein, and together they interact with double-stranded RNA and A-form DNA. Notably, ILF3 has been identified as an upstream regulator of the GATA2 gene, a key factor implicated in the development of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukaemia. However, the precise molecular structure and mechanism of action of the ILF3–ILF2 complex remain incompletely characterised.This study employed X-ray crystallography to elucidate the structural properties of ILF3 and ILF2 from Xenopus tropicalis. Additionally, the CRISPR-Cas9 system was utilised to generate ILF3 gene knockouts during early embryogenesis. The absence of ILF3 resulted in deleterious developmental outcomes, with CRISPR-injected embryos displaying arrested or delayed progression. To further investigate the functional targets of ILF3–ILF2, binding analyses with DNA and RNA substrates were conducted. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the structural and functional roles of ILF3 and ILF2 in vertebrate development and gene regulation and contribute to a broader understanding of their conserved biological functions.</p
Transmission loss of a labyrinthine acoustic metamaterial augmented with multichannel feedforward active noise control
No full textAcoustic metamaterials and active noise control are two advanced noise control treatments that can typically offer performance that exceeds that of conventional passive noise control treatments. Acoustic metamaterials utilize sub-wavelength structures to realize sound field control, whilst active noise control treatments achieve control via the introduction of additional acoustic sources driven to generate a secondary sound field that interferes in a controlled way with the original, primary sound field. This paper presents an investigation into combining these two noise control techniques to achieve enhanced noise control over a spatial region using a “hybrid” device. In particular, conventional feedforward active noise control is combined with a labyrinthine metasurface and the increase in performance offered by the hybrid solution is demonstrated.</p
Lexical variation and change: integrating lexis into variationist sociolinguistics
No full textIn this paper, we advocate for the analysis of lexical variation being central to variationist sociolinguistics. We demonstrate that lexical variation is systematic and suggest that this systematicity must be accounted for by a comprehensive variationist theory that explains the general causes and mechanisms of language variation and change. We present three empirical studies, which focus on lexical variation in Anglo-Cornish, British Sign Language, and online American English. These studies differ greatly in terms of their methods and results, but each reaffirms that lexis can be studied rigorously and informatively within the variationist paradigm, extending our understanding of language variation and change.</p
Fourteen years of the ‘parental alienation act’ in Brazil: negative impacts on the child custody decision-making process, children’s best interests, and women’s rights
No full textBrazil was, and remains, the first country to legally recognise and penalise acts classified as “parental alienation”. The enactment and application of this Act have been widely criticised in Brazil due to its adverse effects on the decision-making process and its potential risks to children’s best interests and women’s rights. This article explores how “parental alienation” became a legal concept in Brazil and examines its impact on the family justice system, as well as on the rights of children and women. Additionally, we present findings from a decision-making experiment conducted with 45 legal professionals – including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, psychologists, and social workers – in Brazil and England. The results reveal that legal actors influenced by “parental alienation” assumptions tended to overlook the inherent uncertainty and complexity of cases, ultimately impairing the decision-making process and compromising the best interests of children.</p
The framework convention for the protection of national minorities and the Northern Ireland peace process
No full textThis chapter examines the shift in the role of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) over the last three decades in the context of the Northern Ireland peace process, demonstrating the ongoing politicisation of language, culture and identity rights to the present day. The chapter specifically addresses the recent recognition of Ulster Scots as a national minority in the UK, utilising a longitudinal perspective to analyse changes in the role and perceptions of the FCNM over time in the context of the Northern Ireland peace process. The chapter provides illustrations of the continued significance and adaptability of the FCNM, as well as discussing the ongoing politicisation over its application in a very specific historical and geopolitical context. This chapter illustrates the power of minority rights to continue to evolve through particularisation, as well as the need for caution against over-simplification and conflation of issues and identities in the process.</p
A blockchain-based reputation-enhanced vehicle selection (REVS) for computation offloading
No full textSecure and trustworthy computation offloading is essential in vehicular edge computing to ensure reliability and efficiency. Existing algorithms often emphasize efficiency over security, leaving systems exposed to malicious providers. This paper presents the Reputation-Enhanced Vehicle Selection (REVS) framework, which combines social trust-based initialization, direction alignment, and a weighted trust score based on provider reputation and stay time. To enhance provider selection reliability, REVS employs a lightweight consortium blockchain for decentralized and distributed reputation management, with a smart contract deployed at the edge RSU to automate the selection process. Simulations show that REVS improves task success rates by up to 40.85%, avoids 40.70% more malicious providers, and reduces latency by 20%, outperforming fixed-reputation and random selection methods that ignore trust.</p
Evaluating structural uncertainty in accelerated MRI: are voxelwise measures useful surrogates?
No full textIntroducing accelerated reconstruction algorithms into clinical settings requires measures of uncertainty quantification that accurately assess the relevant uncertainty introduced by the reconstruction algorithm. Many currently deployed approaches quantifying uncertainty by focusing on measuring the variability in voxelwise intensity variation. Although these provide interpretable maps, they lack a structural interpretation and do not show a clear relationship to how the data will be analysed subsequently. In this work we show that voxel level uncertainty does not provide insight into morphological uncertainty. To do so, we use segmentation as a clinically-relevant downstream task and deploy ensembles of reconstruction modes to measure uncertainty in the reconstructions. We show that variability and bias in the morphological structures are present and within-ensemble variability cannot be predicted well with uncertainty measured only by voxel intensity variations</p
Research data for Predation via motion parallax in one of two gleaning insects
No full textThese datasheets relate to: Rossoni, S., Sumner, M.E., Stavenga, D.G., Fabian, S.T., Supple, J.A., Gonzalez-Bellido, P.T. (2026). Predation via motion parallax in one of two gleaning insects. J. Exp. Biol.AbstractA predator’s survival is highly dependent on correctly deciding whether to attack potential prey. Pursuit predators, for example, can estimate the size of a moving target from the ratio between its angular speed and size. Such heuristic rules are not available, however, when ambushing stationary prey. Here, we investigate how pixie robber flies (Psilonyx annulatus) and damselflies (Ischnura posita) hunt stationary prey using different sensory strategies, relating to their marked differences in eye morphology. We show that pixie robber flies assess prey using whole-body translational movements. During this assessment, the prey is outside of the pixie robber fly’s stereopsis range, yet attacks are launched from a distance dictated by absolute, not angular, prey size. These findings suggest that pixie robber flies use motion parallax to infer three-dimensional cues, such as prey distance and/or size, before attacking. Motion parallax may be particularly suitable for pixie robber flies as they hunt in cluttered, low-lighting conditions and have a small size, making it difficult for potential prey to detect their movement, even in close proximity. Damselflies likely rely on alternative processes to assess prey, as translational movements are absent in the assessment phase.Description of the data and file structureThese spreadsheets contain the data used in the paper. The first spreadsheet contains the data comparison between predatory attacks of fragile forktail damselflies and ringed pixie robber flies to real D. melanogaster. The second spreadsheet contains data related to the predatory attacks of ringed pixie robber flies to images of D. melanogaster of different lengths, all in colour and on blank backgrounds. Each row on both spreadsheets represents an individual attack sequence.Files & VariablesFile: Rossonietal2026_JEB_Robberfly_damselfly.csvDescription: spreadsheets containing data from the attacks of either pixie robber flies or damselflies to real D. melanogaster.Variables:- fly: which predator performed the hunt (damselfly or pixie robber fly)- assessment_onset_distance_mm: distance between predator and prey (in mm) at assessment onset- assessment_duration_ms: duration of the assessment (in ms)- assessment_mean_speed_m/s: average flight speed during the assessment (in m/s)- assessment_straightness_index: straightness index of the assessment- attack_onset_distance_mm: distance between predator and prey (in mm) at attack onset- attack_duration_ms: duration of the attack (in ms)- attack_max_speed_m/s: maximum flight speed during the attack (in m/s)- attack_straightness_index: straightness index of the attackFile: Rossonietal2026_JEB_Preyimage_sizes.csvDescription: spreadsheets containing data from the attacks of pixie robber flies to images of D. melanogaster of different length.Variables:- prey_length_mm: length of prey image shown (in mm)- assessment_centroid_angsize_deg: angular size of the prey image from the centroid of the assessment (in degrees)- assessment_mean_speed_m/s: average flight speed during the assessment (in m/s)- assessment_duration_ms: duration of the assessment (in ms)- assessment_straightness_index: straightness index of the assessment- assessment_movement_range_mm: movement range of the assessment (in mm)- attack_onset_distance_mm: distance between predator and prey (in mm) at attack onset- attack_onset_angsize_deg: angular size of the prey image at attack onset (in degrees)Code/softwareFiles are uploaded as comma separated value (csv) format. Files have been viewed and analysed by the authors using Microsoft Excel, MATLAB (version R2024a), and R studio (version 2024.04.2).</p
Heidegger, Kunst und wir
No full textThis essay discusses Heidegger’s thesis that art sets truth to work by setting up a world and setting forth the earth. Heidegger’s claim is investigated against Lévinas’s criticism of such an idea, and with a view towards contemporary art. The first section explores Lévinas’s scepticism against art, showing some nuances of his view which can best be captured under the heading of an ambiguity of art. The second section explores Heidegger’s idea of world against this criticism, showing the role of others for historical worlds. In the third section, earth is explained by way of elements, allowing us to see connections between earth and embodiment. These thoughts are then brought to bear on Louise Bourgeois’s installation 'Precious Liquids' which opens up connections to Heidegger’s 'Zollikon Seminars' as well as ‘Art and Space’. The discussion shows the potential of Heidegger’s philosophy of art for interpreting contemporary art and tackling issues of our times such as embodiment.</p
WONDER: HIV in Women bOne miNeral Density fracturE and Frailty: a qualitatitve evaluation of the knowledge and attitudes of bone health in women living with HIV
No full textWith the advent of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), people living with HIV (PLWH) are living longer, leading to increased prevalence of age-related comorbidities such as low bone mineral density (BMD). Women living with HIV (WLWH) are disproportionately affected due to intersecting risk factors, including menopause and long-term cART use. To explore this issue, a qualitative study was conducted in Sussex, England, involving focus groups and interviews with 16 cis-gendered WLWH (median age: 56; range: 35–72). Participants were ethnically represented: Black African (50%), White British (31.2%), and mixed backgrounds (12.5%). Discussions were co-facilitated by a researcher and a woman with lived experience of HIV, using a topic guide. Recruitment was supported by community organisations in May–June 2024. Thematic analysis revealed key themes: sources of information, perceived symptoms, menopause, HIV and comorbidities, healthcare experiences, stigma, support, ownership of care, and barriers to bone health and polypharmacy. Findings showed limited awareness among WLWH about BMD risk factors and management strategies. Participants voiced a strong need for tailored resources and educational materials to support bone health. The study highlights the importance of inclusive, community-based approaches to improve health literacy and empower WLWH in managing age-related comorbidities.</p