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Kv1.1 channels in cardiorespiratory regulation and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: insights from mouse models
No full textThis scientific commentary refers to 'Seizures and premature death in mice with targeted Kv1.1 deficiency in corticolimbic circuits', by Paulhus and Glasscock (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcae444)
Sustaining a translanguaging community of practice: a narrative inquiry by teacher educators
No full textAs linguistic and cultural diversity increases globally, teachers need to develop translanguaging pedagogies that leverage students’ full linguistic repertoires. Enacting such pedagogies can be challenging due to policy, ideology, and knowledge constraints. This study explores the processes and factors that allow Translanguaging Communities of Practice (TCoPs) to form and evolve equitably. Through narrative inquiry, the authors examine critical incidents that enabled them to create and sustain their TCoP. Findings reveal key elements: an initiating leader, accepting invitations for legitimate peripheral participation, attending to affective dimensions, valuing reciprocity, enabling identity transformations, making impact, and extending invitations.The authors argue that such communities empower scholars to broaden pedagogical practices in linguistically diverse contexts. The study highlights TCoPs’ potential in meeting the challenge of enacting translanguaging design and fostering inclusive approaches to language teaching and learning. Despite constraints, collaboration within a TCoP allowed members to develop pedagogies that leverage students’ full linguistic repertoires
Multistakeholder sustainability assessment of housing estate regeneration schemes: Analysis of a mixed methods survey
No full textEngaging with different stakeholders in decision making over the regeneration of housing estates is a legislative requirement in many countries. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) methodology and in general, Sustainability Assessment Frameworks (SAFs) are suitable tools to allow for a holistic comparison of different regeneration scenarios and their impacts. Understanding the priorities and meeting the expectations of different stakeholder groups and recognising the disablers and values of a participatory SAF are the main challenges in conducting a multistakeholder holistic sustainability assessment. Towards identifying a suitable stakeholder-driven SAF for decision-making on housing estate regeneration schemes (HERS), this paper has four aims to: 1) explore the perception of different stakeholders on their priorities concerning estate regeneration; 2) identify the barriers to participation; 3) identify the values of a holistic SAF; and 4) evaluate the effectiveness of the available SAFs. These aims have been explored through an extensive review of literature followed by a mixed-methods survey design, employing deductive and inductive approaches with stakeholders of HERS in the UK. The criteria for each section of the survey have been identified through review of literature. The inductive approach involves identifying the perceived importance of the pre-identified criteria through quantitative scoring, and the deductive approach involves qualitative analysis of open-ended questions to identify emerging new codes and themes. Thematic Analysis (TA), coding, Content Analysis (CA), and descriptive statistics were used for analysing the results. Triangulation and consolidation of the analyses reveal the importance of goal and scope definition and relevance of sustainability indicators for a participatory SAF due to the varying priorities of different stakeholder groups. Lack of meaningful engagement, transparent communication, a clear framework, and client interest are identified as the main barriers to a participatory SAF, while inclusivity, transparency, and knowledge advocacy are noted among the highest values. The findings highlighted the importance of ethical considerations and institutional barriers for stakeholder-driven decision-making for HERS, and potential of integrating participatory approaches into assessment frameworks. The participants' low perception of the current SAFs reiterates the necessity of this novel research. We recommend future research to explore these findings outside of the study sample, and further study how the identified implementation gaps can be addressed
A basic framework to explain splice-site choice in eukaryotes
No full textChanges in splicing can mediate phenotypic variation, ranging from flowering time differences in plants to genetic diseases in humans. Splicing changes occur due to differences in splice-site strength, often influenced by genetic variation and the environment. How genetic variation influences splice-site strength remains poorly understood, largely because splice-site usage across transcriptomes has not been empirically quantified. Here, we quantify the use of individual splice-sites in Arabidopsis, Drosophila and humans and treat these measurements as molecular phenotypes to map variation in splice-site usage through GWAS. We carry out more than 130,000 GWAS with splice-site usage phenotypes, cataloguing genetic variation associated with changes in the usage of individual splice-sites across transcriptomes. We find that most of the common, genetically controlled variation in splicing is cis and there are no major trans hotspots in the three species analyzed. We group splice-sites based on GT[N]4 or [N]4AG sequence, quantify their average use, develop a ranking and show that these hexamer rankings provide a simple and comparable feature across species to explain most of the splice-site choice. Transcriptome analyses in several species suggest that hexamer rankings offer a rule that helps explain splice-site choices, forming a basis for a shared splicing logic in eukaryotes.10.1038/s41467-025-63622-
Circulating miRNAome of avian influenza-infected ruddy turnstones Arenaria interpres
No full textMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Circulating miRNAs – miRNAs that have been released from cells and circulate in the bloodstream – are relatively stable and interesting molecules for wildlife research, where they may form a proxy for gene expression as a function of the animal's state under a variety of environmental challenges. Aiming at providing initial baseline data on the circulating miRNAome in avian wildlife, we assessed the miRNA profiles of wild ruddy turnstones Arenaria interpres on their Australian non-breeding grounds. The ruddy turnstone is a long-distant migrant and a significant reservoir species for low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV). We therefore investigated both LPAIV-infected and uninfected individuals for their specific miRNA profiles to potentially elucidate the species' molecular mechanisms underlying its response to LPAIV infection. De novo miRNA characterisation in the ruddy turnstone genome identified 161 conserved and two novel, bird-specific miRNAs, with liver-enriched miRNA-122 being the most abundant. Z chromosome-linked miR-2954-3p was significantly more abundant in serum from males (ZZ) than from females (ZW). Furthermore, we found a sex- and age-associated effect of LPAIV infection on miRNA abundance in serum samples, including one novel miRNA. This circulating miRNA signature may reflect sex- and age-specific differences in the host response, indicating that circulating miRNAs could serve as a valuable non-destructive analytical tool for enhancing our understanding of avian infections in a wildlife context and should be explored further
Implications of successive blood feeding on Wolbachia-mediated dengue virus inhibition in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
No full textWolbachia is a promising strategy to inhibit dengue virus (DENV) transmission by Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Laboratory studies assessing DENV inhibition by Wolbachia typically have not considered natural frequent mosquito blood feeding behavior. Here, we determine the impact of successive feeding on DENV-2 transmission by Ae. aegypti in the presence or absence of Wolbachia (wAlbB and wMelM strains). We show that successive feeding shortens the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) in wildtype (WT; without Wolbachia) and wAlbB mosquitoes through enhanced dissemination. Feeding empirical data into models showed that successive feeding increases the probability of WT and wAlbB mosquitoes surviving beyond the EIP. Importantly, the more epidemiologically relevant comparison of the odds of wAlbB mosquitoes surviving beyond the EIP relative to WT, reveals a larger impact of successive feeding on WT than wAlbB. This indicates a strong inhibitory effect of Wolbachia even in the context of natural frequent mosquito blood feeding behavior.10.1038/s41467-025-62352-
Cytometric Evaluation of Cytokine Factors in Serum and Vitreous from Endophthalmitis Patients: Correlated Elevation in Neutrophil Markers
No full textBackground: Endophthalmitis is a rare, sight-threatening condition resulting from infection inside the eye. This study more accurately characterises the cytokines upregulated in human endophthalmitis, and for the first time demonstrates a correlation with cytokine elevation in the serum. Methods: We recruited 39 patients, 17 with endophthalmitis and 22 controls. We compared cytokine expression quantified through cytometric bead assays for both vitreous and serum. Conclusions: The cytokine profile in the vitreous of patients with infectious endophthalmitis was suggestive of a highly inflammatory environment, as 23/26 cytokines examined were significantly elevated. In the patient sera, MMP-9, MPO, Calprotectin, NGAL, SAA (HVIP1), and MCP-1 (HIP1) were all significantly elevated in endophthalmitis samples, which was unexpected as pathology was thought to be localised with minimal systemic effects. Overall, many of the observed cytokines in endophthalmitis are associated with neutrophil responses, and we believe that this deserves further investigation with a view to developing immunomodulatory therapies to prevent endophthalmitis or improve clinical outcomes. Furthermore, our novel demonstration that cytokine elevation associated with endophthalmitis can be demonstrated in serum may allow for novel and rapid interventions
MOTL: enhancing multi-omics matrix factorization with transfer learning
No full textJoint matrix factorization is popular for extracting lower dimensional representations of multi-omics data but loses effectiveness with limited samples. Addressing this limitation, we introduce MOTL (Multi-Omics Transfer Learning), a framework that enhances MOFA (Multi-Omics Factor Analysis) by inferring latent factors for small multi-omics target datasets with respect to those inferred from a large heterogeneous learning dataset. We evaluate MOTL by designing simulated and real data protocols and demonstrate that MOTL improves the factorization of limited-sample multi-omics datasets when compared to factorization without transfer learning. When applied to actual glioblastoma samples, MOTL enhances delineation of cancer status and subtype
Exploring the experiences and perceptions of young people’s recreational nitrous oxide use
No full textPurpose
This exploratory pilot study investigated the experiences and perceptions of young people who use N2O recreationally. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first qualitative research conducted in Australia with young people investigating this topic in detail. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore young people’s perceptions, motives and experiences of N2O use by exploring the positive and negative effects of N2O, motives for use, practices and methods and suggested advice to help define targeted harm reduction messages.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants were recruited via hard copy posters, social media advertisements and snowball sampling. Seven in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people aged between 18 and 25 years who had used N2O on at least ten occasions. The interview transcripts were analysed thematically. The study was completed in accordance with COREQ for qualitative research.
Findings
The findings identified four overarching themes about N2O use: the nature of N2O use; the appeal of N2O; influences on N2O use; and perception of risk and harms of N2O use.
Originality/value
Young people in the study described their experiences as being largely pleasurable. However, several identified negative impacts, although harms, were primarily disregarded. Exploration of N2O effects alongside other substance use highlighted how N2O is a unique substance and should be considered as such when developing harm reduction strategies