Evaluation of serum and tissue biochemical assays of Rattus norvegicus after sub-acute oral administration of ethyl acetate sub-fraction of Spilanthes filicaulis

© The Author(s) 2025.Background: Plants medicinal potential is well established, yet unregulated use can lead to health risks without proper toxicological assessments. This study aimed to evaluate the sub-acute toxicity of the ethyl acetate sub-fraction of Spilanthes filicaulis (ESSF) in Rattus norvegicus. Methods: Seventy-two male Wistar rats (148 ± 8.0 g) were randomly divided into groups. Group I (control) received 0.5 ml of distilled water, and Groups II–VI were administered ESSF orally at 62.5, 125, 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Serum along with tissue (liver, kidney, and brain) biochemical assays were analysed after 14 and 28 days. Results: The results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in total protein, albumin, serum electrolytes, creatinine, urea, or total and conjugated bilirubin between treatment and control groups. However, minor elevations were noted in some biomarkers at specific doses after 14 and 28 days of treatment, though these remained within normal physiological ranges. A significant increase in serum glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) was observed after 14 days in treated groups compared to controls (p < 0.05), but this were normalised by day 28, suggesting a reversible effect. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), GDH, and creatinine kinase (CK) activities in tissues showed no significant differences between treated and control groups after 28 days of treatment, indicating no long-term tissue damage. Conclusions: These findings suggest that sub-acute oral administration of ESSF does not induce significant biochemical abnormalities. This implies that ESSF is relatively safe at the tested doses and supports its potential for therapeutic development. However, further long-term studies are necessary to establish its safety profile fully.Unfunde

The Physical Behaviour Intensity Spectrum and Body Mass Index in school-aged youth: A compositional analysis of pooled individual participant data

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.We examined the compositional associations between the intensity spectrum derived from incremental acceleration intensity bands and the body mass index (BMI) z-score in youth, and investigated the estimated differences in BMI z-score following time reallocations between intensity bands. School-aged youth from 63 schools wore wrist accelerometers, and data of 1453 participants (57.5% girls) were analysed. Nine acceleration intensity bands (range: 0−50 mg to ≥700 mg) were used to generate time-use compositions. Multivariate regression assessed the associations between intensity band compositions and BMI z-scores. Compositional isotemporal substitution estimated the differences in BMI z-score following time reallocations between intensity bands. The ≥700 mg intensity bandwas strongly and inversely associated with BMI z-score (p < 0.001). The estimated differences in BMI z-score when 5 min were reallocated to and from the ≥700 mg band and reallocated equally among the remaining bands were −0.28 and 0.44, respectively (boys), and −0.39 and 1.06, respectively (girls). The time in the ≥700 mg intensity band was significantly associated with BMI z-score, irrespective of sex. When even modest durations of time in this band were reallocated, the asymmetrical estimated differences in BMI z-score were clinically meaningful. The findings highlight the utility of the full physical activity intensity spectrum over a priori-determined absolute intensity cut-point approaches.Funding for the selected contributing studies was provided by the Waterloo Foundation (#1669/3509), West Lancashire Sport Partnership, West Lancashire Leisure Trust, Edge Hill University, and Wigan Council. Alex Rowlands is supported by the Lifestyle Theme of the Leicester NHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre and NIHR Applied Research Collaborations East Midlands (ARC-EM). Dorothea Dumuid is supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship APP1162166 and by the Centre of Research Excellence in Driving Global Investment in Adolescent Health funded by NHMRC APP1171981

‘Excuse me, I have a delivery’ The [re] construction of interview ‘space' in the Covid-19 pandemic

© University of LeedsCovid-19 has transformed the qualitative interview process, as remote video methods have become mainstream, challenging the domination of face-to-face interviews. In the pandemic churn, researchers’ focus was on ensuring participants’ safety and care in the virtual interview environment. There was more limited consideration of what this ‘new normal’ meant for the researcher. This reflection draws on two qualitative research projects conducted during the 2020/2021 pandemic period in the UK. We propose that assumptions of ‘space’ in the qualitative interview process have been (re)constructed in remote interviews during Covid19. To be present virtually creates geographic freedoms of participant access, but subjective risks from interviewing in the virtual space. Context can no longer be understood through the shared experience of an interview space. There is a delineation of what is ‘public’ or ‘private’ as participants and researchers share their domestic spheres. Using ethnographic reflections, we explore the changing notions of geographic, public and private space in the Covid-19 interview.Unfunde

A new age of leadership in academia: Need for change and innovation during COVID-19

© The Author(s) 2025.The aim of this study is to explore the role of academic leadership and adaptive leadership on organizational readiness for change. During times of pandemic, adaptive leadership has emerged as a vital leadership discipline along with academic leadership due to uncertainty and sensitivity of situation. In addition, demand of innovative behavior has also increased over the years particularly during Covid-19. The study has been carried out in Higher Education Institutions of Pakistan where the data was collected from deans, directors and head of departments in two phases. Quantitative research strategy was opted for the study. Survey research design was followed to respond objectives of the study. The purpose behind the selection of senior academicians is to draw empirical results from the perspective of all the heads of their relevant departments. The data was collected from seven public sector universities across Pakistan. About 251 responses were found valid. Covariance based SEM was used to analyze the data. Analysis reveals a positive and direct relationship between academic and adaptive leadership and organizational readiness for change and similar results were found by placing innovative behavior as a mediator leading to the acceptance of all developed hypotheses. This study is unique in nature and has implications for leaders in academia in terms of unleashing the potential toward uncertain situation in higher education institutions. Study’s major limitation include less representation of the Pakistan as whole country as it included Punjab province only for data collection.Unfunde

Book Review: Comrades Betrayed: Jewish World War I Veterans Under Hitler

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in [German History] following peer review. The version of record [Grady, T. (2021). [Review of the book Comrades Betrayed: Jewish World War I Veterans Under Hitler by M. Geheran]. German History, 39(3), 478–479] is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/gh/article/39/3/478/6308748Book review of Comrades Betrayed: Jewish World War I Veterans Under HitlerUnfundedAAM out of embargo 24/06/2023, output uploaded to CR 30/01/202

Perceptions of social care

The initial findings of a study evaluating the perspectives of learners and educators in higher education institutions (HEIs) in England.Unfunde

Space-time estimation of built-up landscape of Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Papers in Applied Geography on 21/03/2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/23754931.2025.2480101This paper assesses the spatiotemporal dynamics of the built-up environment in Ilorin, Nigeria, and appraises the landscape changes between 1986 and 2020. The study used information from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) with remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as major analyses instruments. Employing the Markov model and artificial neural networks (ANN), particularly multilayer perceptron (MLP) models, the study predicts future land loss surrendered to urbanization processes. The study employed Landsat 4–5, 7, and 8 images of Ilorin administrative areas for five epochs: 1986, 1996, 2006, 2016, and 2020 for land cover monitoring. The Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI) and ArcGIS software were utilized for image classification, enhancement, processing, analysis, and land use map production. Calculations of land consumption rate (LCR) and land absorption coefficient (LAC) revealed increased land consumption from 3757.23 ha in 1986 to 15,925.17 ha in 2020, with a fluctuating LAC influenced by historical events and specific government policies measured by different regimes. The land development index (LDI) indicated urban expansion trends, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach encompassing environmental, social, economic, and institutional dimensions for sustainable development in Ilorin.Unfunde

Long-term stability of chimpanzee personality: comparing trait ratings and behaviour codings over a quarter of a century

There is a lack of research examining whether trait ratings and behaviour codings yield similar measures of personality in nonhuman animals, and whether these measures are stable over the long term. Here, we compare personality assessments in the same group of zoo-housed chimpanzees over a 25 year period, offering a rare opportunity for the analysis of long-term temporal stability of personality in this species. We attempt to disentangle the effects of time and measure through an analysis of similarities and differences at a group and individual level. The first wave of the study rated 59 chimpanzees’ personality traits on an adapted version of the Madingley Questionnaire. The trait principal component analysis (PCA) revealed five components: Submissiveness, Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness and Openness. A separate PCA identified five components based on behavioural codings: Grooming, Play, Sociability, Aggression and Responsibility. The second wave, with 19 individuals, identified three components arising from behavioural codings: Popularity, Sociability and Influence. When comparing across time for the 11 chimpanzees common to both waves, our primary hypothesis, that trait ratings from the first wave would not correlate with behaviour codings from the second because they are measuring different axes, was largely supported. Our second hypothesis, that the behaviour codings carried out during the two waves would correlate because they were measuring the same thing, was supported, both at the component level and the individual behaviour level, thus providing evidence of stability of behaviour codings over time, particularly those reflecting sociability measures. Personality trait ratings were different to behavioural codings and included aspects not captured through those codings, including intelligence, apprehension, excitability and gentleness; thus, we argue that they represent a more comprehensive characterisation of individuality.Partially funded by SERCAAM removed and archived and VoR uploaded to CR 23/09/202

Finding faithfulness: how might telling stories of faithfulness generate practices of faithfulness?

This thesis is a response to recognition of implicit ethnic values in my multiethnic context, and the challenges they make for flourishing communal relations, especially across our ethnic divides. I develop and test a facilitation model to encourage communication that honours the other/Other in their difference in a church congregation. Finding faithfulness describes this journey towards relational community. It is a practical theology research project in an urban multiethnic congregation in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. It connects scripturally themed questions, an appreciative stance and world café’s hospitality-based facilitative form to create WisdomCafé. Its contribution to the field of practical theology is a methodological framework where substantial engagement with scripture is woven through qualitative empirical research in a unique way. WisdomCafé facilitates discipleship and spiritual growth in multiethnic communities through storytelling and reflection. This search for faithfulness engaged with the judgment parables (Mt. 24:36-25:46),1 stories where all are called to give account to Christ on his return as Judge, found faithful or unfaithful, and invited into or excluded from more responsibility and relationship. From my hermeneutic of relational faithfulness, I identify themes of relational and ethical accountability, which I develop into the questions, stories and reflections for WisdomCafé conversations. These in turn connect with the quest for relational flourishing within and beyond the borders of congregations in multiethnic communities. Results from this small yet rich database saw laypeople taking surprising initiatives to engage in their communities from the ground up. In its mix of scripture, structure, story and reflection, WisdomCafé offers a practical response to questions of relationality, power, creativity, identity and voice. Through its indirect communication style, it bypasses defences to share power and validate voice, renewing personal, communal and cultural dynamics as it encourages recognition of the sacred in one another and in daily practices of life. The original communication model that this thesis describes is of interest to those working to strengthen relationships across boundaries, particularly ethnic and generational, in conversation with experience and scripture. Its framework is applicable to other passages of scripture and methods of interpretation. It offers insight from the margins of cultures into the challenge of welcoming minority voices to speak and provoking the majority/colonial culture to listen

Developing an Equality Impact Assessment Framework for the HE sector: Summary report

This research project applies an evidence-based approach to understanding obstacles to effective use of Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs) across the higher education (HE) sector. It explores the benefits of co-production with staff and students to inform the development of an impact assessment framework underpinned by the staff/student voice. The project's principal aim was to review existing higher education institution practice and collate stakeholder perceived obstacles in relation to EqIAs to support the development of an evidence-based, holistic, context-driven framework for EqIAs. This aim is underpinned by principles of co-production across the HE sector. The current UK legislative framework is considered a floor not a ceiling, therefore there is the potential for the framework to be used around the world. This project, by the University of Chester alongside the University of Hertfordshire, was funded by the 2024-25 round of the Advance HE Collaborative Development Fund.Developing a Framework for Meaningful Equality Impact Assessments Underpinned by Co-Production Principles for Holistic Use Across the HE Sector | Funder: Advance H