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Reassessing the Effectiveness of the European People’s Party
No full textIn this analytical chapter, political scientist Karl Magnus Johansson evaluates the European People’s Party’s (EPP’s) capacity to shape European integration through treaty reform and political coordination. Drawing on three decades of research and case studies, he argues that Europarties such as the EPP can exert real influence—but only under demanding conditions: numerical strength, internal cohesion and the ability to mobilise networks of party leaders. Johansson traces how the EPP played a decisive role in the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty but struggled during the Amsterdam Treaty negotiations due to internal divisions and weakened Council presence. He concludes that while the EPP has shaped the EU’s constitutional architecture, its effectiveness depends on unity, strategic mobilisation and clarity of purpose—lessons that remain vital as the party navigates today’s fragmented landscape
Structural, functional and biochemical characterisation of apolipoprotein(a)-containing low-density lipoproteins
No full textAtherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and remains a global health challenge. Low-density lipoproteins are crucial in atherogenesis, with plasma levels as significant independent predictors of the condition. Lipoprotein(a), Lp(a), is an LDL variant considered a stand-alone atherosclerosis predictor. Although structurally similar in composition to LDL, Lp(a) contains an additional protein, apolipoprotein(a), covalently linked to apolipoprotein-B100 via a disulfide bond. This distinguishing protein is believed to confer Lp(a) its distinctive properties, including marked heterogeneity. While many studies have structurally characterised LDL particles, Lp(a) remains understudied. In this study, we isolated LDL particles from serum of normolipidemic, healthy individuals with either low or high Lp(a) levels. Our study provides biochemical, structural and functional characterisation of low and high Lp(a)-total LDL fractions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that high Lp(a) LDL exhibited a reduced ability to remove lipids from model membranes compared to low Lp(a) LDL. However, this functional difference could not be sufficiently associated with structural differences in total LDL fractions, as determined by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), except for a significant difference in the particles' core-to-shell scattering mass (SM) ratio. Western blot analysis further revealed a higher abundance of Lp(a) in a small-dense subfraction, LDL6, leading us to hypothesise that structural differences might be more evident in these subfractions than in total fractions. Supporting this hypothesis, SAXS measurements on LDL6 subfractions from two subjects, with low and high Lp(a), revealed an increased protein shell thickness in high Lp(a) LDL6, a feature not directly observed in total fractions. Our data thus suggests a key role of LDL6 in LDL dysfunction
Applying a conflict typology to ecologies of intermediation: the case of a transitions intermediary in Spain
No full textWithin ecologies of intermediation, multiple intermediaries and their initiatives operate with overlapping remits and associated conflicts. To understand these, we propose a typology of conflict sources, applying this to the case of a university-based sustainability intermediary in Spain (itdUPM). itdUPM acts as an umbrella organisation for initiatives that connect stakeholders in pursuit of sustainability objectives. Analysing the case with its embedded sub-units, we distinguish between: (1) value conflicts connected to actors’ identities and ideologies; (2) socio-cognitive conflicts related to the need to hold consistent and socially validated cognitions; (3) conflicts of interests, which emerge when actors’ interests in terms of resource allocation, including power, are misaligned. We highlight the importance of a nuanced understanding of conflict types as part of intermediation processes, including those arising from the dynamic interactions between specific intermediation initiatives and their broader contexts. We also propose conflict management strategies to assist in this in practice.QC 20251124</p
Enhancing carob flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.) for by-product utilization in food industries : Carob syrup production, functional profiling and application
No full textThe focus on by-product valorization in the food industry, particularly from the carob pod, underscores a commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. This fruit, sourced from the leguminous evergreen carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.), is renowned for its adaptable flavour and nutritional value, in Mediterranean regions such as Portugal. Its production yields significant by-products, presenting environmental challenges when not managed efficiently. Innovative approaches, including integral carob flour production, aim to optimize utilization while minimizing waste and energy consumption. This study repurposed carob waste to produce novel, value-added ingredients like carob syrup, by thermal hydrolysis of integral carob flour using water at 1:3 solid-to-liquid ratio - obtaining up to 50 % solubility yield. The resulting syrup exhibited 72 % °Brix, a melting temperature (Tm) of approximately 130 °C and predominantly viscous behavior with minimal elastic (solid-like) response. Lastly, the syrup was incorporated into a carob-based brigadeiro, replacing conventional glucose-fructose syrup. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion revealed enhanced bioaccessibility of sugars and phenolics, and increased antioxidant activity during the intestinal phase. Despite sugar availability, the prebiotic activity of the syrup decreased when embedded in the brigadeiro matrix, potentially due to interactions with polyphenols or organic acids. Cytotoxicity and permeability assays confirmed safety at ≤0.5 % (w/v) and supported intestinal barrier integrity. These findings support the use of integral carob flour for producing multifunctional ingredients, contributing to circular economy models while meeting consumer demands for healthier, sustainable food products.
The investigation of the relationship between autophagy and Huntington disease: A protocol optimization for Beclin 1 an important protein in autophagy and a Huntingtin interaction partner
No full textCough plates as a non-invasive alternative for pathogen detection in paediatric community-acquired pneumonia
No full textAim: To evaluate diagnostic performance of cough plates compared to sputum samples in children with suspected pneumonia. Methods: Microbiological samples were collected after saline inhalation from 53 children. Results: Pathogens were recovered in similar rates with partial concordance. Conclusions: Cough plates may represent a promising alternative to sputum samples
Numerical solution of quantum Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation
No full textThe classical Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation has long served as a cornerstone for modeling magnetization dynamics in magnetic systems, yet its classical nature limits its applicability to inherently quantum phenomena such as entanglement and nonlocal correlations. Inspired by the need to incorporate quantum effects into spin dynamics, recently a quantum generalization of the LLG equation is proposed [Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 266704 (2024)] which captures essential quantum behavior in many-body systems. In this work, we develop a robust numerical methodology tailored to this quantum LLG framework that not only handles the complexity of quantum many-body systems but also preserves the intrinsic mathematical structures and physical properties dictated by the equation. We apply the proposed method to a class of quantum systems with a moderate number of spins that host host topological states of matter, and demonstrate rich quantum behavior, including the emergence of long-time entangled states. This approach opens a pathway toward reliable simulations of quantum magnetism beyond classical approximations, potentially leading to new discoveries.The authors contributed equally to this work</p
Needs assessment of training midwifery, nursing, and medical students in sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities in Tanzania
No full textBackground: Tanzania has a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) crisis, a particularly vulnerable population of people with disabilities (PWD), and a need for healthcare providers trained in PWD-focused SRH care. However, SRH services are limited, and the inclusion of PWD in SRH efforts is rare in Tanzania. The current study examined the feasibility and acceptability of addressing this critical gap by training future healthcare professionals in SRH for PWD. Objective: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of a PWD-focused SRH training to be delivered to healthcare students attending Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: A mixed methods design via a survey taken by 409 medical, nursing, and midwifery student participants was employed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a new curriculum focused on the SRH needs of PWD. Data were assessed using descriptive statistics and reflexive content analysis. Results: Data indicate that 83.6% and 97.6% of medical, nursing, and midwifery students believe that an SRH training centered on the needs of PWD is feasible and acceptable, respectively. Moreover, findings indicated that 50.4% of medical, nursing, and midwifery students at MUHAS receive little to no training in SRH for PWD. Participants’ qualitative responses indicated that the training would improve the quality of life for PWD, address their vulnerability and healthcare neglect, and benefit society. Conclusion: MUHAS students find a PWD-focused SRH training to be feasible, acceptable, and needed, presenting an opportunity for great impact
Target tracking using robust sensor motion control
No full textWe consider the problem of tracking moving targets using mobile wireless sensors (of possibly different types). This is a joint estimation and control problem in which a tracking system must take into account both target and sensor dynamics. We make minimal assumptions about the target dynamics, namely only that their accelerations are bounded. We develop a control law that determines the sensor motion control signals so as to maximize target resolvability as the target dynamics evolve. The method is given a tractable formulation that is amenable to an efficient search method and is evaluated in a series of experiments involving both round-trip time based ranging and Doppler frequency shift measurements
Hybrid Threats and the Intelligence Community : Priming for a Volatile Age
No full textA specific set of challenges facing the intelligence community in a contemporary environment is characterized by composite and dynamic hybrid threats. An understanding of the reciprocal interaction is required between the intelligence actors responsible for intelligence analysis and dissemination, and key societal actors responsible for crafting responses to hybrid threats and building societal resilience. Three processes are identified as critical for the intelligence community’s ability to proactively counter hybrid threats: intelligence analysis; aggregation and communication of intelligence; and reception and absorption of intelligence among key societal actors. The interconnections between these areas are visualized in the Intelligence Analysis Interaction Model, intending to provide a framework for understanding the dynamics of hybrid threats and their evolution over time, and the intelligence community’s interactive engagement with societal actors aiming to counter hybrid threats and build resilience. The framework contributes to improved tools for identifying and analyzing the nexus between threats and vulnerabilities, building resilience, and devising whole-of-society responses to hybrid threats