Ball (France)

Bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP) possesses an atypical headgroup structure, and its naturally occurring 2,2′-isomer rapidly rearranges to the more stable 3,3′-form in aqueous buffers. Because the BMP is a major component of endosomal and lysosomal membranes, understanding its intrinsic physicochemical behavior is broadly relevant to the organization of acidic intracellular interfaces. To quantify how acidity modulates the physicochemical organization of 3,3′-BMP membranes, we characterized model bilayers across a controlled pH range by using electrophoretic mobility, fluorescence spectroscopy, optical microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Below pH 5, BMP vesicles show a marked decrease in surface charge, a reduction in area per lipid, and diminished hydration at the polar–apolar interface. Simulations reveal that protonation enables transient flipping of the phosphate group toward the hydrophobic core, generating a pH-dependent coexistence of headgroup orientations absent in the deprotonated state. Experimentally, these changes manifest as reduced vesicle sizes and the emergence of multilamellar protrusions and locally folded membrane regions. The combined results demonstrate how small variations in the BMP charge state generate amplified structural responses at the bilayer level, establishing a molecular mechanism by which protonation governs packing, hydration, and curvature in BMP-rich membranes.

The rapid acceleration and advancement of information technology have significantly impacted the education sector, including higher education institutions. However, the implementation of existing systems has also introduced new challenges that are not yet addressed within the digitalization of information systems. One such issue is the absence of a dedicated platform for Student Online Complaint Services. This includes the lack of digital records as evidence and archives of complaints and issues raised by students, and the establishment of task forces such as the PPKS (Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence). Despite these efforts, there is no digital-based platform to facilitate online complaints. The objective of this research is to develop a requirement model and user interface design to support the design of a web-based system that serves as a platform for students to easily report issues encountered during their studies. It also aims to assist campus stakeholders in capturing all student complaints as documentation for internal evaluation. The methodology used includes Agile Development Requirements Engineering with the Scrum model and the User-Centered Design (UCD) method to address the identified issues and research objectives. The research outcomes include the development stages of the website, system requirements, requirement model processes, requirement specification, and user interface design. furthermore, the research tested the user interface design on a website prototype, achieving a score of 87.5, classified as Excellent under the Adjective Rating system.

Bovine milk fat contains ∼400 different fatty acids, with their relative concentration being highly variable and influenced by (or associated with) intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as diet, breed, and lactation stage. Using predicted fatty acids from milk mid-infrared spectra, the objectives of the present study were to (1) quantify the association between cow parity, lactation stage, breed, heterosis, and recombination loss with milk fatty acid composition, and (2) quantify the association between parental average genetic merit for both milk fat concentration and yield with a series of different fatty acids. The dataset used included 644,752 milk test-day records from 303,089 cows across 2,406 commercial dairy farms. The concentration of 16 individual fatty acids as well as 16 fatty acid indices were predicted from spectral analyses of milk samples. Factors associated with all the investigated traits were individually explored using linear mixed models. The fixed effects considered in all models were the interaction between parity and stage of lactation, the calendar month of test, breed composition, heterosis, and recombination; the random effects were contemporary group and a within-lactation repeated effect. In a separate series of analyses, cow genetic merit for fat yield and fat percentage were separately included in the model as linear covariates. The concentration of the different fatty acids changed throughout lactation and across calendar months, coinciding with the seasonal profile in pasture quality, especially during the summer months. Multiparous cows were characterized by milk with a higher concentration of saturated and short-chain fatty acids, along with a lower concentration of unsaturated, medium-chain, and long-chain fatty acids. Jersey bloodline was associated with a higher concentration of milk saturated and short-chain fatty acids, along with a lower concentration of unsaturated, medium-chain, and long-chain fatty acids compared with Holstein-Friesians. Genetic merit for fat yield or fat percentage was associated with a higher concentration of saturated fatty acids and a lower concentration of unsaturated fatty acids.

It is important to provide the necessary sleep for the growth of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 3-stair positioning pillows (TSPPs) developed for preterm infants with postnatal age 28 to 35weeks on physiologic parameters and sleep-wakefulness status. This research was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study. The CONSORT flowchart was used in the implementation of the randomized controlled trial. The preterm infants in the experimental group were placed in the prone position with TSPPs, whereas the preterm infants in the control group were followed in the routine prone position given in the neonatal intensive care unit. Preterm infants were followed for a total of 3hours. The sample of the study consisted of 60 preterm infants (experiment group=30; control group=30) who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit and met the selection criteria. Compared with the infants in the control group, the preterm infants in the experimental group were determined to have significantly lower heart rates, higher oxygen saturations, lower respiratory rates, longer sleep durations, and shorter wakefulness times ( P <.001). It was found that positioning preterm infants using TSPP had positive effects on physiological parameters (heart rate, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate) and sleep-wakefulness status in favor of the experimental group. It is recommended to use a TSPP that supports the prone position to improve the physiologic parameters and sleep-wakefulness status of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Larger studies need to be conducted utilizing longer follow-up protocols. Examining the effectiveness of TSPPs with different positioning materials in preterm infants is needed.

The paper explores the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as an active learning strategy in Nepal, examining its impact on student engagement, skill development, and long-term learning outcomes within the country’s diverse educational contexts. Employing a qualitative approach, the study engaged 20 teachers from urban and rural public schools, covering disciplines such as English as a Foreign Language, Information and Communication Technology, and science. Qualitative data from teacher interviews and document review re­vealed challenges, including lack of teacher training, resource shortages, sociocultural barriers like gender and caste discrimination, and high costs, alongside facilitators such as teacher motivation, curriculum flexibility, and community involvement. Proposed solutions include professional development workshops, cost-effective project models, parental engagement, and curriculum reforms. The study concludes that PBL holds transfor­mative potential for Nepal, fostering 21st-century skills and aligning with global standards, with recommenda­tions for systemic support to ensure sustainable, inclusive implementation.

Background Increasing yield will have major implications for vaccine manufacturers. Internal bacterial contamination of specific pathogen-free (SPF) eggs results in batches of vaccines being rejected and may negatively impact vaccine yield. Objective The objectives of this study were to analyze Germ-Free (GF) eggs microbiologically and evaluate the yield of H1N1 when compared with SPF eggs from 2 different suppliers. Methods The contents of GF eggs were analyzed using three different methods (sterility test, total viable count, and bioluminescence). Eggs from each source were inoculated with H1N1 virus. Chick Embryo Fibroblast (CEF) cell cultures were generated from GF and SPF eggs from both suppliers and infected with H1N1. The supernatant was titrated for viral Haemagglutinin activity and virus infectivity while cellular RNA extracts were assayed for Interferon (α and β) gene expression by RT-qPCR using gene-specific primers. Results The analysis of GF eggs confirmed that the contents were sterile. The batch yield of GF eggs was ~1.2-fold and ~1.8-fold higher than SPF supplier 1 and SPF supplier 2 virus yields, respectively. Replication of H1N1 was 2-fold higher in CEF derived from GF eggs than CEF derived from SPF supplier 1 or SPF supplier 2. IFN-β antiviral response of GF-derived CEF cells was 2-fold lower than SPF supplier 1-derived and ~3-fold lower than SPF supplier 2-derived CEF cells. Conclusion The content of GF eggs was sterile. The yield of H1N1 was higher in GF eggs than in SPF eggs, and the higher yield was associated with a significant reduction in interferon Beta levels.