Search Results (334)

Brassica napus L. is a globally important crop and its productivity is constrained by multiple abiotic stresses (salinity, drought, and heat). Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) act as calcium sensors and play key roles in regulating ion homeostasis and stress-responsive signaling pathways, thereby contributing to plant adaptation under unfavorable environmental conditions. Here, through detailed bioinformatics analyses, the BnCBL gene family has been identified along with its role in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. The identified 17 BnCBLs comprised four groups, as in Arabidopsis thaliana. The predicted molecular weights of the CBL proteins ranged from approximately 24.35 kDa (BnCBL3 and -9) to 29.7 kDa (BnCBL5), with protein lengths spanning 213 (BnCBL3, -9, -10, -12 and -15) to 260 amino acids (BnCBL5). Sequence, promoter, and structural analyses showed that BnCBL proteins harbor palmitoylation and myristoylation motifs in their EF-hand domains, contain hormone- and stress-responsive cis-elements, and exhibit characteristic post-translational modification sites and tertiary structures. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR expression analyses showed that several BnCBL genes (BnCBL2, -6, -9, -10, and -15) exhibit differential expression (3~6-fold) under NaCl, drought, and heat stresses, as well as in response to phytohormones (IAA, GA₃, ABA, and JA). In addition, BnCBL2, -3, -6, -8, -9, -11, -12 and -16 showed significant expression (around 7-fold) against biotic stresses (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary and Plasmodiophora brassicae (Woronin, 1877), indicating their roles in both biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and potential utility in biotechnological breeding of stress-enduring B. napus cultivars. Full article

Manganese (Mn) is essential for plants, but its fluctuating soil availability—deficiency in alkaline soils and toxicity in acidic soils—challenges crop productivity. Breakthroughs in Arabidopsis have uncovered Ca²⁺ signaling as a key integrator of Mn status. This review synthesizes these discoveries into an emerging Arabidopsis-centered framework. Under Mn deficiency, sustained Ca²⁺ oscillations activate CPK21/23, which phosphorylate the importer NRAMP1 at Thr498 to enhance Mn uptake. Under Mn excess, a rapid Ca²⁺ transient triggers a multi-layered cascade: CPK4/5/6/11 activates MTP8 (Ser31/32) for vacuolar sequestration, while CBL2/3–CIPK3/9/26 sequentially suppresses MTP8 (Ser35, peak 24 h) and MTP11 (Ser194/201, peak 36 h)—a multi-tiered “brake” system. Concurrently, CBL1/9–CIPK23 induces NRAMP1 endocytosis (Ser20/22) to limit Mn uptake. The IRT1 transporter directly binds cytoplasmic Mn²⁺ and triggers its own degradation via CIPK23, thereby converging with Ca²⁺ signaling. The BRI1–CNGC12 module generates Mn-induced Ca²⁺ signals. By organizing current knowledge into a hierarchical framework, this review provides a working model for future research and outlines translational opportunities for engineering Mn-resilient crops. Full article

How can we best leverage higher education to address the pressing issues we face? While the SDGs reflect a global landscape dominated by complex, interconnected ‘wicked’ problems, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remain largely tethered to siloed, decontextualized instructional models. The inability of HEIs to shift practices to foster transversal, 21st-century skills necessary to navigate uncertain futures is a critical competency gap. This paper highlights the transformative potential of challenge-based learning (CBL) and place-based learning (PBL), high-impact experiential pedagogies, as critical tools for sustainability transformations. The Consortium for Adaptive Futures, an interdisciplinary and transnational community of practice, was launched in early 2025 to promote co-learning among faculty from North America and Europe for these practices. Drawing on insights from an inaugural symposium in Dublin, we identify three critical elements to HEI transformations that support sustainability and 21st-century skills to address grand challenges. These are: the importance of real-world relevance in education; the need for pedagogical shifts and faculty development to support these new roles; and the essential role of supportive institutional structures and resources to enable sustained engagement. In doing so, we issue a call to arms to HEIs and forward a reimagining of undergraduate education. Full article

Accurate determination of cobalamin vitamers in foods remains analytically challenging because conventional cyanidation-based methods convert native cobalamins into cyanocobalamin (CNCbl) and may distort their original distribution. In this study, a cyanide-free UHPLC-MS/MS workflow was developed for the analysis of major cobalamin vitamers in foods, with particular emphasis on preserving native forms during sample preparation. Light, temperature, and cleanup procedures were systematically evaluated. Methylcobalamin (MeCbl) and adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) showed pronounced light sensitivity, whereas red-light handling better preserved vitamer integrity during pre-analytical operations. A tandem cleanup procedure combining immunoaffinity and Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction improved extract cleanliness in complex food matrices. The workflow showed good chromatographic separation and excellent linearity (R² > 0.999). The validated limits of detection were 0.5 μg/kg for CNCbl, 1.0 μg/kg for AdoCbl, and 0.75 μg/kg for MeCbl. Application to food samples showed no detectable target cobalamins in the tested plant-derived foods, whereas animal liver and oyster samples showed comparatively high levels of the target cobalamin vitamers, with AdoCbl predominating in liver. The proposed workflow may serve as a practical cyanide-free option for exploratory or comparative native-vitamer analysis of CNCbl, AdoCbl, and MeCbl in foods within the current validation scope, particularly when full sets of matched isotope-labeled standards are not readily available. Full article

This research-to-practice study presents a design-oriented framework that integrates challenge-based learning (CBL), experiential learning (EL), and authentic assessment (AA) to support competency development in higher education. The framework aligns the stages of CBL (i.e., engagement, investigation, and solution) with Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and core AA principles, including realism, cognitive challenge, and evaluative judgement. Learning activities are structured around real-world challenges that reflect professional practice, enabling a coherent progression from experience to reflection, conceptualisation, and evaluation, and supporting the systematic development and assessment of student competencies. A single case study illustrates the application of the framework in industrial engineering education, implemented across six interdisciplinary modules at a private university in Mexico. Students engaged in process improvement projects within six small and medium-sized enterprises, fostering problem solving, decision making, and evaluative judgement in authentic contexts. The findings indicate that the framework supports the development of problem-solving and communication competencies, demonstrating its design coherence and practical feasibility. The framework provides structured guidance for educators to align learning objectives, activities, and assessments within CBL environments. However, limitations related to pedagogical integration and the single-case design constrain the generalisability of the findings. Future research should explore cross-disciplinary applications, longitudinal competency development, and adaptation to emerging educational contexts. Full article

Developing students’ systems thinking is important but challenging in middle-school ecology. This quasi-experimental study examined whether an instructional package combining case-based learning and concept mapping, as implemented under routine classroom conditions, was associated with different patterns of growth across levels of the Systems Thinking Hierarchy. A total of 177 eighth-grade students from six intact classes completed parallel pre- and post-assessments during an ecosystems unit. Student-level repeated-measures analyses showed no clear differential pattern at the level of identifying components and processes. Larger observed gains appeared in understanding relationships, organization, and matter-energy cycles, and a smaller pattern in the same direction appeared in generalization, temporal reasoning, and hidden dimensions. However, because students were nested within only six classes, each condition was taught by a different teacher, and the experimental teacher received targeted preparation, the findings should be interpreted cautiously as associations linked to an instructional package rather than as teacher-independent causal effects. The results suggest that classroom enactments combining cases and concept mapping may help students move beyond isolated ecological facts toward more relational explanations, while higher-order systems thinking remains difficult and likely requires longer-term scaffolding in routine middle-school biology lessons over a short instructional unit. Full article

Challenge-based learning (CBL) is a student-centered approach engaging learners in complex, open-ended problems. While such openness can foster deeper learning and creativity, it also demands high self-direction. Teachers must therefore provide sufficient scaffolding without undermining CBL’s authenticity. This study examines how secondary education teachers design and enact scaffolding in sustainability-oriented CBL projects, and how students experience this support. A multiple-case study of three projects distinguished soft scaffolding (adaptive, just-in-time support) from hard scaffolding (predefined tools and structures). Data included teacher interviews (n = 3), student focus groups (n = 18), and classroom observations. Findings showed the scaffolding type and function depended on project open-endedness, teacher readiness, and alignment with project focus. In the most open-ended project, the teacher mainly used soft scaffolding to guide thinking and decision-making, whereas more structured projects relied on hard scaffolds for procedural support. Students’ experiences varied: some thrived under autonomy, developing ownership and engagement, while others needed more explicit guidance. These results suggest that scaffolds should align with project goals, be explicit in their contribution to progress, match students’ readiness for self-directed learning, be enacted by teachers comfortable in a coaching role, and include affective support to help students manage frustration and uncertainty. Full article

Background/Objectives: Coronary bifurcation lesions (CBLs) are common, and the treatments remain nuanced. Side branch (SB) patency is a key determinant of clinical success in CBL intervention. In this paper, data exploring the routine use of drug-coated balloons (DCBs) in the SB is presented as an alternative to standard plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA). Methods: A meta-analysis was performed comparing DCBs in the SB to POBA after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in the main vessel (MV) of a true CBL. Outcomes including myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularisation (TLR), cardiac death, and late lumen loss (LLL) up to 1 year post-procedure are reported. Results: Six studies comprising of 1982 patients were included in the analyses. Patients were predominantly male, and the mean age was >60 years. Four studies included patients with acute coronary syndrome. The primary outcomes were a statistically significant reduction in MI rate (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.19–0.76, p = 0.006), and in the TLR rate (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23–0.87, p = 0.02) in the DCB group compared to the control. There was no significant difference in cardiac death. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in SB LLL in the DCB group (Mean difference −0.22mm, 95% CI −0.33–−0.11mm, p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Following DES implantation in the MV of a true CBL, this analysis demonstrated that DCBs in the SB is superior to POBA in reducing MI, TLR, and LLL of the SB. Large, randomized trials are required to consolidate the role of DCB in the treatment of CBL. Full article

Background: The Calcineurin B-like (CBL) and CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK) system constitute critical signaling modules mediating plant responses to abiotic stress. Although these families have been studied across various species, their evolutionary dynamics across grasses and the functional plasticity of specific isoforms remain elusive. Methods: A genome-wide analysis of CBL and CIPK families was conducted across five major Poaceae species (Oryza sativa, Triticum aestivum, Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, and Saccharum spontaneum). Phylogenetic and synteny analyses were analyzed to family expansion and evolution. Cis-regulatory elements analysis in gene promoter regions were examined to predict potential stress-responsive features. Expression profiles of OsCBL and OsCIPK gene families were examined by qRT-PCR under conditions involving PEG-induced osmotic stress, pathogen strain P6 inoculation, and exogenous application of the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Protein–protein interactions between selected CBL (OsCBL4) and CIPK pairs were assessed via Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) and Luciferase Complementation Imaging assays (LCI). Results: Phylogenetic and synteny analyses indicated that segmental duplications have contributed substantially to the expansion of these gene families. Promoter analysis revealed that the majority of CBL and CIPK family members, exemplified by OsCBL4, traditionally characterized as a salt sensor, possesses a cis-element architecture (rich in ABREs and MBS) heavily biased towards dehydration responsiveness. Expression profiling showed that OsCBL4 is significantly hyper-induced by direct osmotic stress (PEG) but exhibits almost no response to exogenous ABA. A subset of kinases genes (e.g., OsCIPK2, 9, 18) displayed PEG-induced expression patterns resembling those of OsCBL4, whereas OsCIPK30 remained transcriptionally unresponsive under the same conditions. Protein interaction assays demonstrated that OsCBL4 physically interacts exclusively with PEG-responsive transcriptionally activated kinases such as OsCIPK9, but failed to interact with the non-responsive OsCIPK30. Conclusions: Our study provides a genomic characterization of CBL and CIPK families across five major Poaceae species. The combined expression and interaction data reveal that OsCBL4-assembles with specific CIPKs into signaling modules during osmotic stress responses in rice, pointing to roles that go beyond salt stress responses. The findings establish a foundation for further functional dissection of CBL-CIPK pathway diversification in abiotic stress adaptation. Full article

The future of innovation and economic growth depends on our ability to nurture the next generation of scientists. The global shortage of qualified STEM (Science, Technology, engineering, Mathematics) teachers has led many countries to expedite the transition of subject-matter experts from industry and academia into teaching roles. These second-career science student teachers typically participate in accelerated training programs designed to address urgent shortages. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding effective pedagogical interventions for career-changing professionals in STEM fields, focusing on the experience and transformation of second-career science student teachers. This qualitative case study explores how a Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) course fosters the development of pedagogical competences via developing an instructional unit collaboratively, among five second-career science student teachers enrolled in an accelerated teacher education program. Drawing on data collected through instructors’ field notes, iterative work-in-progress lesson drafts, and reflective final papers, the study employs qualitative content analysis to trace changes in participants’ instructional approaches and professional identity. Findings reveal that engagement with the CBL framework promoted a significant shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered instruction, as participants increasingly integrated collaborative learning, inquiry-based activities, and reflective practices into their lesson planning and classroom teaching. The iterative nature of CBL, which emphasizes real-world problem-solving and structured opportunities for reflection and peer feedback, was instrumental in supporting participants’ adaptive expertise and confidence as novice teachers. Moreover, the course experience contributed to the emergence of a professional teaching identity, with participants reporting greater self-efficacy, a stronger sense of belonging to the teaching community, and increased motivation to persist in the profession. The results underscore the potential of integrating CBL and learning sciences principles into accelerated teacher preparation programs to enhance both cognitive and affective dimensions of teacher development. Full article

The disadvantaged position of racialised minorities in accessing the UK’s social housing sector has been extensively documented in previous research, with evidence dating back to the 1960s. However, the specific challenges encountered by migrants remain under-researched. Further, attention has focused on the agency of migrants rather than the reflexivity which underpins the actions they can take. These gaps limit understanding of the extent to which the impacts of migration on individuals seeking to access the social rented sector can be disentangled from the challenges associated with racial disadvantage. They also limit understanding of the nature of migrant reflexivity. To address these omissions, we employed a critical realist framework informed by a literature review to analyse qualitative data generated from a subset of fifteen individuals from a wider sample of a hundred racialised minorities living in the UK. Fieldwork was undertaken across four case study areas with high concentrations of racialised minorities: Tower Hamlets (London), Bradford, Manchester, and Glasgow. By exploring participants’ experiences of engaging with the digital allocation system of Choice-Based Lettings (CBL), we highlight the role of migration-related factors in determining access to social housing through online systems, including country of origin, age at migration, length of stay and education in the UK, employment trajectories, proficiency in English and familiarity with digital systems. We also reveal three components of migrant reflexivity: emotional, communal and strategic. We conclude that attention to reflexivity increases understanding of the distinctive engagement of migrants with CBL systems compared to other racialised minorities. Full article

Objective: This study was intended to evaluate the effects of the case-based learning (CBL) and Sandwich teaching methods in clinical practice of prosthodontics. Methods: 82 fifth-year students who were undertaking clinical practice of prosthodontics in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology (PKUSS) were included in this study. The CBL–Sandwich courses using typical esthetic cases were applied in the experimental group (40 students), while the control group (42 students) used a traditional teaching method during clinical practice. No significant differences were observed in the responses in age or pre-internship theoretical scores between the two groups (p > 0.05). After 10 months of training, clinical skills assessment and anonymous questionnaires were conducted. Results: The scores of clinical skills in the experimental group were all significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.01). The former also showed significantly higher scores (p < 0.01) in three questionnaire items, while study burden was nearly the same between the two groups. Conclusions: The CBL–Sandwich teaching method can improve students’ clinical skills during prosthodontic internship and enhance their interest in learning. Full article

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder that seriously affects quality of life and is associated with multiple secondary complications. Barley leaves (BLs) have been suggested as potential functional foods for constipation prevention. Here, we investigated the preventive effects of common barley leaves (CBLs) and hulless barley leaves (HBLs) in a loperamide-induced constipation model in C57BL/6 mice. Both BLs improved stool parameters and gastrointestinal transit. Notably, high-dose HBLs increased stool weight to 263.84 ± 66.70 mg and stool amount to 250.20 ± 66.88 pellets, which were 12.7 and 11.1 times higher than those in the model group, respectively. BLs also modulated gut motility-related hormones (MTL, SP, Gas, SS, and VIP) and normalized colonic AQP3, AQP4, and 5-HT₄R expression levels. Furthermore, BLs enhanced SCFAs production and modulated gut microbiota by increasing Bacteroides abundance and decreasing Akkermansia abundance. CBLs and HBLs also exhibited distinct mechanisms. High-dose CBLs affected SERT expression, whereas HBLs uniquely decreased Alistipes abundance and increased SCFA production. These findings suggest that BLs may help prevent loperamide-induced constipation in mice by modulating the gut barrier and microbiota. Future studies should identify key active components and validate efficacy in longer-term and clinical studies. Full article

Mutations in the transcriptional co-factor HCFC1 cause methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinemia, cblX type (cblX) (MIM#309541), non-syndromic X-linked intellectual disability (XLID), and focal epilepsy. Zebrafish studies have revealed increased activation of the Akt/mTor signaling pathway after mutation of hcfc1a, one ortholog of HCFC1. mTOR hyperactivation is linked to seizures, and its inhibition alleviates epilepsy in other preclinical models. We hypothesized that mTor overactivity in hcfc1a mutant zebrafish increases seizure susceptibility and/or severity. We employed a two-concentration model of the seizure-inducing agent, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), with or without pretreatment of the mTor inhibitor, torin1. Mutation of hcfc1a did not alter the response to PTZ at sub-optimal concentrations, and the pharmaceutical inhibition of mTor using the compound Torin1 reduced response to 1 µM PTZ, but only in a dose-dependent manner. Higher doses of mTor inhibition did not reduce the seizure response in mutant larvae but were effective in wildtype siblings. These data suggest that inhibition of mTor in an hcfc1a-deficient background leads to a reaction that differs from the traditional response observed in wildtype siblings. Collectively, we present a model that can be used to test dose–response and the development of combinatorial treatment approaches in a high-throughput manner. Full article

In today’s fast-paced world, the escalating workloads faced by individuals have rendered fatigue a pressing concern that cannot be overlooked. Fatigue not only signals the need for individuals to take a break but also has far-reaching implications for both individuals and society across various domains, including health, safety, productivity, and the economy. While numerous prior studies have explored fatigue monitoring, many of them have been conducted within controlled experimental settings. These experiments typically require subjects to engage in specific tasks over extended periods to induce profound fatigue. However, there has been a limited focus on assessing daily fatigue in natural, real-world environments. To address this gap, this study introduces a daily fatigue monitoring system. We have developed a wearable device capable of capturing subjects’ ECG signals in their everyday lives. We recruited 12 subjects to participate in a 14-day fatigue monitoring experiment. Leveraging the acquired ECG data, we propose machine learning models based on manually extracted features as well as a deep learning model called C-BL to classify subjects’ fatigue levels into three categories: normal, slight fatigue, and fatigued. Our results demonstrate that the proposed end-to-end deep learning model outperforms other approaches with an accuracy rate of 83.3%, establishing its reliability for daily fatigue monitoring. Full article