Tubulin targeting agents and their implications in non-cancer disease management

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Microtubules act as molecular ‘‘tracks’’ for intracellular transport of accessory proteins to enable them to assemble into various larger structures, such as spindle fibers formed during the cell cycle. Microtubules provide an organizational framework for healthy functioning of various cellular processes which work through the process of dynamic instability, driven by hydrolysis of GTP. In their role, tubulin proteins undergo various modifications and in doing so modulate various healthy or pathogenic functioning of physiological processes within cells. In this review, we provide a detailed update of small molecule chemical agents which interact with tubulin, along with their implications, specifically in non-cancer disease management

A GRA-based heterogeneous multi-attribute group decision-making method with attribute interactions

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.In the era of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity), multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems face the challenges of heterogeneous uncertainty in decision information and complex interactions between attributes, which greatly affect the reliability of decision-making outcomes. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel heterogeneous MAGDM method based on grey relational analysis (GRA) that considers attribute interactions. First, the heterogeneous information is integrated, including crisp numbers, generalized grey numbers, intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, hesitant fuzzy numbers, and probabilistic linguistic term sets. Then, by incorporating the 2-additive Choquet integral into GRA, we establish a heterogeneous grey interactive relational model and explore its properties. Subsequently, a heterogeneous grey relational Mahalanobis-Taguchi System is designed to estimate the Shapley values of attributes. Additionally, a two-stage resolution mechanism, comprising a consensus reaching process followed by a grey relational multi-objective programming model, is devised to determine the interaction indices. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through a case study from China’s aviation manufacturing industry, along with sensitivity analysis and comparison analyses

Maternal B12 deficiency during pregnancy dysregulates fatty acid metabolism and induces inflammation in human adipose tissue

open access articleBackground Adipose tissue (AT) responds to excess calorie intake; however, the deficit in micronutrients accompanied by the modern lifestyle is often overlooked. Micronutrient deficiency in pregnancy, particularly vitamin B12 (B12), is commonly associated with higher adiposity, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies have demonstrated that dyslipidemia can trigger pro-inflammatory status. However, the release of the pro-inflammatory factors in a tissue-specific micronutrient deficient environment is unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the role of B12 deficiency on lipid metabolism and inflammatory mediators in both in vitro and ex vivo models including human pre-adipocytes, primary adipocytes, mature human white AT (WAT), and its association with metabolic risk. Methods Paired abdominal subcutaneous and omental WAT (ScWAT and OmWAT) were chosen based on serum B12 (< 150 pM) from 115 Caucasian pregnant women. Human primary Sc adipocytes from women with different BMI (lean, overweight, obese, morbidly obese) and pre-adipocyte cell line (Chub-S7) were differentiated in various concentrations of B12. Serum B12, folate, lipids, cytokines, biochemical parameters, gene expression, intracellular triglyceride (TG), and mitochondrial function were assessed. Results In pregnant women with low B12 levels, BMI and serum TG were significantly higher, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was lower (p < 0.05). B12 deficiency in both depots of AT correlated with higher expression of genes in fatty acid (FA) synthesis, elongation, desaturation, TG synthesis, and reduced fatty acid oxidation (FAO) (p < 0.05). In vitro adipocytes with low B12 demonstrated that TG synthesis utilizing radiolabeled FA was higher and mitochondrial function was impaired. We also found that the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in AT was increased, and circulatory cytokines inversely associated with serum B12 (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our novel data highlights that B12 deficiency dysregulates lipids and induces inflammation in AT and circulation, which could contribute to adipocyte dysfunction exacerbating cardiometabolic risk during pregnancy

From food emergency to poverty prevention: The changing function of food banks in Leicester.

Policy BriefThis independent policy brief explores the evolving social function of food banks in Leicester. From our academic perspective, the intention is to support the city’s food bank network, the Leicester Food Partnership, the development of a Food Health Needs Assessment in the city, and the wider network of stakeholders constituting the Feeding Leicester Steering Group. While food banks continue to support people with the provision of emergency food parcels, they increasingly support the prevention of poverty in different ways. Poverty prevention refers to the wide range of functions that food banks are undertaking in relation to social welfare, including employability and financial management support. The increased need that the city has experienced recently, in particular after the Covid19 pandemic, led to the development of the Leicester Food Partnership (LFP), an informal arrangement between 22 food banks. This policy brief focuses on the LFP and its poverty prevention work in local communities

Rapport-building in suspect interviews: A survey of Lithuanian investigators

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.In criminal investigation interviewing settings, establishing rapport with interviewees has been successively found as paramount in successfully resolving a case. In the present exploratory study, we examined for the first time (to our knowledge) perceptions of Lithuanian police interviewers about what they actually do to obtain rapport when they conduct interviews with suspects. Sixty-one crime investigators took part in a survey where they were requested to answer both open-ended and close-ended questions relating to this subject. Respondents reported their employing a variety of rapport-building techniques. Lithuanian interviewers emphasized relationship-based rapport techniques (e.g., displaying empathy, friendliness, or humor) more so than procedural ones (e.g., when explaining to suspects their rights, or interview purpose) when describing what they did when interviewing suspects. Additionally, behaviors not found in the literature as ones relating to rapport, or those considered as counterproductive techniques, were occasionally reported as rapport-building approaches, especially when they dealt with uncooperative suspects. Also, it was found that respondents paid greater emphasis to the importance of rapport-building at the start of the interview but less so as interviews developed. Overall, Lithuanian criminal investigators appreciated the value of the rapport in interviews with suspects, nevertheless, challenges still remain

Examining the Impact of Multilevel Courtyards in Hot-Dry and Humid Climates

open access articleUrbanisation has significantly transformed human settlements, presenting sustainability challenges, particularly in hot-dry and humid climates. The urban heat island effect and increased energy consumption exacerbate reliance on mechanical cooling and fossil fuels. As climate change escalates, developing sustainable architectural solutions that improve thermal performance and energy efficiency becomes crucial. This study examines the effects of various multilevel courtyard designs on building performance in Abuja, Nigeria, highlighting gaps in applying traditional principles to these models. A mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques, assesses user perceptions, thermal performance, energy efficiency, and daylighting in multilevel courtyards. Findings indicate that optimised multilevel courtyard configurations yield a 2.15 °C reduction in temperature, enhancing indoor thermal comfort and improving natural ventilation. Users favour multilevel courtyard housing; however, challenges include inadequate daylighting on lower levels and the need for shading solutions. Compressed earth blocks exhibit better thermal performance, reducing peak temperatures by 1.19 °C compared to hollow concrete blocks. Guidelines for architects and urban planners are provided, as well as recommendations for future research on policy incentives to promote multilevel courtyard models

Do we measure what should be measured? Towards a research and theoretical agenda for STI measurement in Africa

open access articleA persistent critique of standard science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators is that they remain reliant on concepts and theories transposed from the literature on STI in high-income countries. It is widely recognized that their relevance for African countries is limited, so we may not be measuring what we should be measuring, to promote development goals. To inform a shift from critique to building meaningful alternatives, the paper conducts a systematic review of the literature on STI measurement in Africa. The analysis highlights that STI measurement in Africa is under-researched, but the knowledge base is growing. The strongest trends relate to the adoption and extension of traditional standard STI indicators. More recent is a focus on environmental sustainability, digitalization and the informal sector, with most scholars based in South Africa and Nigeria. The main contribution is a research agenda to facilitate theory building as a foundation for designing contextually relevant STI indicators

Smart Farming Solutions: A User-Friendly GUI for Maize Tassel Estimation Using YOLO With Dynamic and Fixed Labelling, Featuring Video Support

open access articleThe integration of Autonomous Aerial Vehicles (AAVs) has significantly advanced image processing and remote sensing, particularly in precision agriculture. These technologies enhance data collection and agricultural yield estimation, benefiting banks, insurance companies, and government agencies in decision-making for budget allocation and quality assessments. This study addresses the challenge of accurately quantifying corn production by developing an enhanced YOLO-v8-based deep learning model, incorporating dynamic and fixed labeling techniques, tested on 810 images and video data for real-time detection. The research utilized two primary datasets totaling 570 images. The evaluation process comprised four distinct tests: Test 1, conducted on Dataset 1 with 200 images, assessed seven attention mechanisms (SE, CBAM, GA, LKA, CA, SA, and TA) using deep learning metrics (Precision, Recall, mAP50, mAP50-95, F1-score) and statistical methods (Duncan’s test). Test 2 validated model performance on 370 images from external sources, where YOLO.SA achieved 97.48% accuracy, outperforming YOLO.LKA (95.13%). Test 3, comparing with the MTDC benchmark dataset, confirmed YOLO.SA’s accuracy at 95.93%, exceeding previous reports, while YOLO.LKA achieved 95.71%. Finally, Test 4, utilizing video-based evaluation via a developed GUI, demonstrated YOLO.SA’s superiority (95.77%) over YOLO.LKA (95.48%) and YOLO-v5 (95.72%), significantly outperforming the standard YOLO model (72.79%). This study advances computer vision in agriculture, offering a scalable, high-accuracy model for corn yield estimation, with broad applications in farming optimization, financial planning, and policy-making

The value of expert judgments in Decision Support Systems

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.It is a challenge to improve a decision support system (DSS) based on expert judgments; the literature proposes to improve accuracy and performance by increasing the sophistication and complexity of the DSS, but at what cost? This study presents a model for encoding a DSS based on expert judgments and evaluating its efficiency, establishing a three-part analysis structure: information requirements (number of judgments), quality requirements (quality assurance mechanisms), and algorithmic complexity. With a focus on the cost of judgments, a systematic and quantitative coding of the performance and cost in each part of the DSS is established. A “break-even point” efficiency measure, defined as the maximum percentage of the optimal performance that can be paid per unit of resources, is proposed to ensure that the use of the DSS remains profitable. Counterintuitively, the results of a case study show that the efficiency of DSSs does not necessarily increase with respect to the informativeness level of DSSs. Overall, this study provides a new method for evaluating the efficiency of DSSs

Current Issues: Is the workplace about to get better or worse for disabled people in the United Kingdom?

open access articleIn the United Kingdom, the new labour government has recently unveiled two new bills, the Employment Rights Bill and Equality Race and Disability Bill, that seem to strengthen the 2010 Equality Act. However, it is not clear how these bills will address the disability employment gap. The government’s policy to Make Work Pay has many good points like more transparency in terms of race, gender and disability pay gaps but it also raises questions about what devolvement to local authorities to get more disabled and chronically ill people into work will look like? This seems to target disabled and chronically ill people and does not think about how to create more enabling workplace environments following the social model