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Alternative Splicing in a Coral During Heat Stress Acclimation and Recovery
No full textClimate change has caused drastic declines in corals. As sessile organisms, corals acclimate to environmental shifts through genome-wide changes in gene expression, epigenetic modifications, and alterations in microbiome composition. However, alternative splicing (AS), a conserved mechanism of stress response in many organisms, has been under-explored in corals. Using short-term acute thermal stress assays, we investigated patterns of AS in the scleractinian coral Acropora cervicornis during response to low (33°C), medium (35°C), and high (37°C) heat stress and subsequent overnight recovery. Our findings demonstrate reproducible dynamic shifts in AS of at least 40 percent of all genes during response to heat treatment and the recovery phase. The relative proportion of AS increased in response to heat stress and was primarily dominated by intron retention in specific classes of transcripts, including those related to splicing regulation itself. While AS returned to baseline levels post-exposure to low heat, AS persisted even after reprieve from higher levels of heat stress, which was associated with irreversible loss of photosynthetic efficiency of the symbiont. Our findings demonstrate that, although animals, corals are more plant-like in their likely usage of AS for regulating thermal stress response and recovery
AI in the End Zone: Scoring Big for Accessibility
No full textThis research investigates the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The study begins by examining the multifaceted barriers faced by individuals with disabilities across digital, physical, and social domains. Building upon this foundation, the research delves into the application of AI-powered tools such as screen readers, voice recognition, and automated translation in breaking down these barriers.
The research analyzes real-world case studies and success stories demonstrating the impact of AI on inclusivity, with a particular focus on educational settings. Furthermore, the study critically examines the ethical considerations and potential biases inherent in AI-driven accessibility solutions, emphasizing the importance of equitable access for all users.
The research methodology includes a combination of literature review, case study analysis, and hands-on experimentation with AI tools and platforms. The findings of this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of AI in advancing accessibility and provide valuable insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers in developing and implementing inclusive solutions.
This research aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on AI and accessibility, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for al
Adaptive Task Scheduling in Urban Vehicular Cloud Networks
No full textVehicular cloud computing in urban environments requires a flexible and adaptive approach to resource allocation due to the dynamic nature of vehicle availability. The Flexible Time Datacenter (FTDC) framework extends beyond smart parking lots, utilizing C-V2X communication to integrate both moving and stationary vehicles into a computational network. This research work introduces FTDC, which employs a truthful reverse auction mechanism to efficiently allocate computational resources among vehicles and tasks. By dynamically matching tasks with available vehicles, the framework optimizes resource utilization while accounting for disruptions such as vehicles entering maintenance mode or unexpectedly leaving the network. To address these challenges, FTDC includes a task mitigation strategy that swiftly reallocates or re-auctions interrupted tasks, ensuring deadline adherence and service continuity. The system also incorporates incentives for reliable participation and penalties for early withdrawals to maintain operational efficiency. Through extensive simulations, the FTDC framework is evaluated for its effectiveness in handling task allocation, optimizing resource use, and ensuring system reliability. The results demonstrate its adaptability to the complexities of urban vehicular networks while minimizing delays and maximizing performance
An Analytical Review of Preprocessing Techniques in Bengali Natural Language Processing
No full textResearch in Bengali Natural Language Processing (BNLP) is rapidly expanding. Despite being one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, BNLP research remains insufficient, particularly in Bengali speech recognition. The languages rich morphology, agglutinative structure, and diverse dialects make text and speech processing especially challenging. However, these challenges can be addressed with effective preprocessing techniques. Various organizations in Bangladesh and West Bengal are integrating Natural Language Processing (NLP) into their services, but without a thorough understanding of preprocessing, these implementations remain incomplete. Applying proper preprocessing techniques to the Bengali language will serve as a foundation for developing robust NLP applications. This paper presents a comprehensive review of preprocessing techniques in BNLP based on state-of-the-art research. It covers key areas such as sentiment analysis, Named Entity Recognition, speech recognition, text categorization, and summarization. First, the paper provides an in-depth discussion of Bengali language characteristics and research areas in BNLP. It then explores the challenges faced by researchers in processing Bengali text and speech. Additionally, it details various preprocessing techniques, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the paper examines future directions for BNLP, emphasizing the role of effective preprocessing in advancing the field
First Measurement of Near-Threshold and Subthreshold J/ѱ Photoproduction Off Nuclei
No full textWe report on the first measurement of J/ψ photoproduction from nuclei in the photon energy range of 7 to 10.8 GeV, extending above and below the photoproduction threshold in the free proton of ∼8.2 GeV. The experiment used a tagged photon beam incident on deuterium, helium, and carbon, and the GlueX detector at Jefferson Lab to measure the semi-inclusive A(γ,e+e-p) reaction with a dilepton invariant mass M(e+e-)∼mJ/ψ=3.1 GeV. The incoherent J/ψ photoproduction cross sections in the measured nuclei are extracted as a function of the incident photon energy, momentum transfer, and proton-reconstructed missing light-cone momentum fraction. Comparisons with theoretical predictions assuming a dipole form factor allow for extracting a gluonic radius for bound protons of «r2» = 0.85±0.14 fm. The data also suggest an excess of the measured cross section for subthreshold production and for interactions with high missing light-cone momentum fraction protons. The measured enhancement can be explained by modified gluon structure for high-virtuality bound protons
Active Learning Strategies in Adapted Physical Education Courses in Higher Education
No full textIntroduction: Adapted Physical Education (APE) courses are essential for training professionals in inclusive physical activity. While course content is well-studied, little is known about the pedagogical strategies used, especially active learning methods tailored to today’s students. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of studies that compare international approaches to this subject, which could yield valuable insights about the contrast between different educational systems, policies, legislation, and cultural context. This study explores how active learning is understood and applied in APE courses in Brazil and the US, highlighting approaches to educate the new generation, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal of quality education.
Methodology: We conducted a qualitative study through an interpretivist paradigm, including the analysis of data from 10 teachers of APE courses in higher education from Brazil (40 to 49 years of age, 8 to 23 years of higher education experience) and the US (32 to 37 years of age, 1.5 to 16 years of higher education experiences), five of each country. Data collection included online semi structured interviews, supplemented by a demographic questionnaire. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed using the six step process of reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021).
Results: Three themes were created: (a) ‘They are leading the story’: Understanding active learning, (b) ‘It couldn\u27t be just lecture, lecture, lecture’: Implementing active learning, and (c) ‘I pretend to teach, and you pretend to learn’: Criticisms and challenges of active learning.
Conclusions: Our findings reveal that active learning in APE courses emphasize student-centered approaches, fostering engagement and critical thinking. While it enhances inclusivity and experiential learning, challenges such as time constraints and the pervasive influence of technology remain. Addressing these challenges is crucial for aligning educational practices in higher education with sustainable development and human rights
The Continuing, Resistance Popularity of Critical Race Theory- Informed Pedagogy
No full textThe article focuses on the ongoing commitment of educators to incorporate critical race theory (CRT)–informed pedagogy in English classrooms despite legislative efforts to suppress it. Topics include the historical and political context of anti-CRT policies, the personal and professional responses of educators to these restrictions, and student-centered strategies used to navigate and resist such limitations in meaningful and legally cautious ways
Gold Nanoparticle-Enhanced Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Electrode for Non-Enzymatic Lactate Sensing
No full textWe are reporting the development of a high-performance, non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor for selective lactate detection, integrating laser-induced graphene (LIG), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) synthesized from poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). The LIG electrode offers a highly porous, conductive scaffold, while electrodeposited AuNPs enhance catalytic activity and signal amplification. The PEDOT-based MIP layer, electropolymerized via cyclic voltammetry, imparts molecular specificity by creating lactate-specific binding sites. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed successful molecular imprinting and enhanced interfacial electron transfer. The resulting LIG/AuNPs/MIP biosensor demonstrated a wide linear detection range from 0.1 µM to 2500 µM, with a sensitivity of 22.42 µA/log(µM) and a low limit of detection (0.035 µM). The sensor showed excellent selectivity against common electroactive interferents such as glucose and uric acid, long-term stability, and accurate recovery in artificial saliva (\u3e95.7%), indicating strong potential for practical application. This enzyme-free platform offers a robust and scalable strategy for continuous lactate monitoring, particularly suited for wearable devices in sports performance monitoring and critical care diagnostics
A Century of Sediment Metal Contamination of Mar Menor, Europe\u27s Largest Saltwater Lagoon
No full textCoastal enclosed ecosystems, such as lagoons, are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts because they favor the accumulation of contaminants from the surrounding watersheds, particularly in their sediments. Europe\u27s largest saltwater lagoon, the Mar Menor (SE, Iberian Peninsula), is a highly impacted ecosystem and the first in the continent to be granted personhood rights. Based on a high-resolution spatial and temporal dataset, we present the historical reconstruction of metal contamination in this ecosystem during the last century. Our results highlight that sediment metal contamination has been mainly driven by the development of the mining industry in the nearby Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La Unión in the late 19th and until the mid-20th century when premeditated mining spills were forbidden. Runoff from former mining areas still transported metals to the lagoon even after mining ceased in the 1990s. The southern sector of the lagoon, closest to mining-affected ephemeral streams, is the most impacted by metal contamination and holds the highest metal stocks. Stocks since 1900 for the entire lagoon reached values of 9200, 1.6, 450, 270, 10,000, and 12 tons of Pb, Hg, As, Cu, Zn, and Ag, respectively.
Maxima concentrations were reached in the mid-20th century, with values of 3400, 0.53, 100, 50, 3700, and 5.5 mg·kg-1 for Pb, Hg, As, Cu, Zn, and Ag. Afterward, while some metals\u27 concentrations declined, others were still supplied to the sediments through runoff from former mining areas and sources related to urban expansion. Metal concentrations reported in this study surpass sediment quality guidelines and are generally higher than those found in similar ecosystems globally. Current surface metal concentrations are lower than during most of the 20th century, and sediments seem to retain metal stocks effectively. However, climate change and eutrophication could increase the risk of metal remobilization, further impacting this already vulnerable ecosystem. This study emphasizes the need for attention to managing coastal enclosed ecosystems, where global change impacts can exacerbate the impact of legacy contamination
Hierarchies of Violence, Victimhood, and Remedy in the Pursuit of Women\u27s Rights After War
No full textRecent postwar recovery efforts have paved the way for reforms that advance women\u27s participation in politics, inclusion in the economy, and access to justice. In this article, we show how a singular emphasis on gender reforms after war that are inattentive to other societal cleavages can leave various forms of marginalization in the shadows. Subnational interviews on the reverberations of gender reforms in five postwar countries expose three hierarchies that structure access to rights for war-affected communities. We reveal which violence is privileged, whose violence is privileged, and which responses are privileged from the perspectives of differently situated war-affected women, showing how patterns of access to new rights can reinforce exclusionary dynamics. Importantly, because international and domestic actors tend to privilege top-down, state-based responses to wartime violence (what we term hierarchies of remedy), hierarchies of violence and victimhood frequently also reflect state actors’ priorities. Speaking to debates on legal and policy reform, we acknowledge that attention to women\u27s rights after war offers an urgently needed corrective to earlier gender inequalities. Yet, a singular focus on gender reforms that ignores other conflict-related cleavages, particularly those that are amplified by the distribution of political power within the state apparatus, can risk obstructing access for marginalized women, sometimes reproducing grievances that contributed to violence in the first place. For policymakers, we suggest that striving for more equal access to new rights after war will help foster a more inclusive—and therefore more stable and durable—peace.
[Los recientes esfuerzos de recuperación que tuvieron lugar en la posguerra han allanado el camino para llevar a cabo reformas que promueven la participación de las mujeres en la política, su inclusión en la economía y el acceso a la justicia. En este artículo, demostramos cómo un énfasis singular sobre aquellas reformas de género después de la guerra que no prestan atención a otras divisiones sociales puede dejar en la sombra diversas formas de marginación. Llevamos a cabo entrevistas subnacionales sobre las reverberaciones de las reformas de género en cinco países de posguerra, las cuales exponen tres jerarquías que estructuran el acceso a los derechos para las comunidades afectadas por la guerra. Revelamos qué violencia resulta privilegiada, quien instiga esta violencia privilegiada y qué respuestas son privilegiadas desde las perspectivas de mujeres afectadas por la guerra en diferentes situaciones, mostrando cómo los patrones de acceso a nuevos derechos pueden reforzar las dinámicas excluyentes. Es importante destacar que, debido a que los actores internacionales y nacionales tienden a privilegiar las respuestas de arriba hacia abajo, basadas en el Estado, a la violencia en tiempos de guerra (lo que denominamos jerarquías de remedio), las jerarquías de la violencia y del victimismo también reflejan, con frecuencia, las prioridades de los actores estatales. Intervenimos en los debates sobre la reforma jurídica y política y, de esta forma, reconocemos que la atención prestada a los derechos de las mujeres después de la guerra ofrece un correctivo que se necesitaba de forma urgente frente a las desigualdades de género anteriores. Sin embargo, un enfoque singular sobre las reformas de género que ignore otras divisiones relacionadas con los conflictos, en particular las que se amplifican por la distribución del poder político dentro del aparato estatal, puede correr el riesgo de obstruir el acceso de las mujeres marginadas y de reproducir, a veces, agravios que contribuyeron a la violencia en primer lugar. Sugerimos a los responsables de la formulación de políticas que los esfuerzos por lograr un acceso más igualitario a nuevos derechos después de la guerra ayudarán a fomentar una paz más inclusiva y, por lo tanto, más estable y duradera.]
[Récemment, les efforts en vue d\u27une reprise économique après une guerre ont ouvert la voie à des réformes pour faire progresser la participation des femmes en politique, leur inclusion dans l’économie et leur accès à la justice. Dans cet article, nous montrons que le seul accent sur les réformes portant sur le genre après une guerre, en ignorant d\u27autres divisions sociétales, est susceptible de laisser de côté différentes formes de marginalisation. Des entretiens infranationaux sur les répercussions des réformes portant sur le genre dans cinq pays après une guerre révèlent trois hiérarchies qui structurent l\u27accès aux droits pour des communautés touchées par une guerre. Nous dévoilons les types de violence, les auteurs et les réponses privilégiés du point de vue de femmes touchées par la guerre mais à la situation différente. Nous montrons ainsi que des schémas d\u27accès à de nouveaux droits peuvent renforcer des dynamiques d\u27exclusion. Fait important, comme les acteurs internationaux et nationaux ont tendance à privilégier les réponses descendantes et fondées sur l’État à la violence en temps de guerre (les « hiérarchies de recours »), les hiérarchies de violence et de victimisation reflètent aussi souvent les priorités des acteurs étatiques. S\u27agissant des débats sur la réforme juridique et politique, nous admettons que l\u27attention aux droits des femmes après une guerre constitue une mesure corrective très attendue aux inégalités antérieures entre les genres. Pourtant, en se concentrant uniquement sur les réformes portant sur le genre et en ignorant d\u27autres divisions relatives au conflit, notamment celles qui sont amplifiées par la répartition du pouvoir politique au sein de l\u27appareil politique, on risque d\u27entraver l\u27accès des femmes marginalisées et parfois donc, de reproduire les injustices qui ont en premier lieu contribué à l\u27avènement de la violence. Pour les législateurs, nous suggérons que s\u27efforcer d\u27améliorer l’équité de l\u27accès à de nouveaux droits après une guerre renforce l\u27inclusivité de la paix, et donc sa stabilité et sa durabilité.