This research examines the interconnection between energy consumption and economic expansion in Central Africa, utilizing advanced econometric methods to guarantee accurate and dependable outcomes. The findings reveal that energy usage and carbon emissions positively impact economic growth, whereas alternative nuclear energy sources have an adverse effect. In contrast, renewable electricity production and agricultural employment showed no significant impact. Notably, a 1% increase in energy consumption yields a 0.4169% rise in economic growth, and a 1% increase in CO2 emissions results in a 0.0669% growth. Cointegration analysis confirmed a long-term equilibrium relationship among these variables at a 1 % significance level, indicating that all the variables are cointegrated. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion on energy consumption, economic growth, and environmental policies, offering robust evidence of their dynamic interplay. The results align with existing research, providing fresh insights and informing policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders about the intricate relationships between energy use, growth, and environmental sustainability in Central Africa.

• Book : 15(2)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.164-170
• Keyword :

ABSTRACTSeparase is a well conserved endopeptidase that facilitates sister chromatid separation at the metaphase-anaphase transition by cleaving cohesins. Beyond its role in chromosome segregation, Separase also participates in various biological processes, including chromatin organization and replication, centrosome disengagement and duplication, cytokinesis, and telomere capping. Here, we report that the loss ofDrosophilaseparase (Sse) function induces significant changes in global protein expression and affects the protein levels of both A/C-type lamin C (LamC) and B-type lamin Dm0 (Dm0). We further demonstrate that SSE physically interacts with lamins and colocalizes with them at the nuclear envelope during interphase. Additionally, loss of SSE activity disrupts nuclear organization in larval muscles and impairs locomotion in adult flies. Notably, similar to SSE in flies, depletion of human separase (ESPL1) in SV40 fibroblasts leads to misshapen nuclei and increased levels of lamin A. Moreover, we show that ESPL1 interacts with lamin A in human fibroblasts, suggesting that the functional interaction between Separase and lamins is evolutionarily conserved across different organisms.

• Book : ()
• Pub. Date : 2025
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AbstractDeveloping robust methods for amplifying and analysing highly-polymorphic nuclear genetic markers from environmental samples could assist in the reliable and scalable long-term monitoring of elusive, threatened or invasive species that are otherwise challenging to observe. In this study, we used zebrafish in controlled aquaria to apply forensic science approaches and demonstrate that microhaplotypes, which are short segments of nuclear DNA (100–300bp) containing two or more single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), can be amplified from trace DNA in water samples to accurately estimate population genetic diversity and species abundance. We successfully amplified a panel of 17 microhaplotypes that comprised 69 SNPs which could reliably estimate population-level allele frequencies and genetic diversity estimates from water DNA. The panel of microhaplotypes amplified from water samples from replicate tanks strongly matched allele frequency estimates from corresponding tissue samples, and could also be used for estimating number of contributors from multi-individual samples. Our research demonstrates the effectiveness and potential of amplifying microhaplotype panels from eDNA as a non-invasive and scalable tool for population genetic studies of aquatic species.

• Book : ()
• Pub. Date : 2025
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This work presents results on nanosecond laser ablation of a titanium (Ti) plate immersed in a liquid medium using the fundamental wavelength (1064 nm) of a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser system. The laser radiation was focused on the target surface as scanning was accomplished by an XY translation stage. The laser processing of the Ti targets took place in two organic liquids—liquid paraffin and diesel oil. The morphology of the structured surfaces and the structure and phase composition of the samples were studied; their dependences on the processing parameters are discussed. With both liquid media used, crack formation on the surface of the laser-treated Ti target was observed. Formation of a titanium carbide (TiC) phase was found whose properties could be tuned by varying the laser irradiation parameters. Raman measurements were utilized to analyze the carbon structure formed in the resulting coatings. The results of surface electron microscopy reveal that the thickness of the resulting coatings reached 20 µm. Some of the obtained coatings demonstrated about three times higher hardness compared to the native Ti sample. The technique proposed can be used in surface modification of materials in view of improving their mechanical properties.

• Book : 18(3)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.598-598
• Keyword :

AbstractHedgehog (Hh) proteins elicit dose-dependent transcriptional responses by binding Patched receptors to activate transmembrane Smoothened (Smo) proteins. Activated Smo inhibits Ci/Gli transcription factor phosphorylation by Protein Kinase A (PKA) and consequent proteolytic processing to repressor forms; it also promotes nuclear transport and activity of full-length Ci/Gli proteins to induce Hh target genes. Smo-activated Fused (Fu) kinase drives Ci activation in Drosophila, while Suppressor of Fused (Su(fu)) counters full-length Ci/Gli activity and stabilizes full-length Ci/Gli by direct binding to at least three surfaces. Here, we used CRISPR-generated designercialleles to investigate alterations to Fu phosphorylation sites and to regions around Ci-Su(fu) interfaces under physiological conditions in Drosophila imaginal wing discs. Surprisingly, we identified alterations that activate Ci without significant loss of stabilization by Su(fu) and contributions of multiple Fu target sites to Ci activation in the absence of Su(fu), suggesting that the affected sites mediate Ci activation by regulating Ci-Ci, rather than Ci-Su(fu) interactions. We propose that those interactions maintain full-length Ci in a closed conformation that also facilitates, and is stabilized by, cooperative Ci-Su(fu) binding. Access to binding partners necessary for Ci activation is promoted through phosphorylation of at least four Fu sites on Ci, likely by directly disrupting Ci-Ci contacts and one Ci-Su(fu) interface without substantial Ci-Su(fu) dissociation, contrary to previous proposals. We also found that the Ci binding partner, Costal 2 (Cos2), which silences Ci in the absence of Hh, can facilitate Ci activation by Fu kinase.

• Book : ()
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page :
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Quarkonia production in heavy-ion collisions is an important experimental probe that sheds light on the heavy quark interaction with the nuclear medium. The bound quarkonium states undergo dissociation and recombination in PbPb collisions, where they can also experience the initial and final state effects such as shadowing and co-mover breakup. With the large datasets of pp and pPb collisions, and excellent vertexing capabilities allowing separation of the prompt and b-decay components, LHCb performs precise measurements of J/ψ, ψ(2S ) and, for the first time at the LHC, χc production and modification in small collision systems. This contribution will discuss these results, along with the first measurement of the nuclear modification factor of the exotic χc1(3872).

• Book : 316()
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.04010-04010
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이 연구에서는 김정은 시대 북한의 핵 관련 법에 나타난 핵전략과 핵태세를 분석하였다. 북한은 미국의 대북 적대시 정책에 대한 대응으로 핵을 개발하였다고 주장하였으나, 김정은 시대 북한은 핵 관련 법을 제정하고 핵을 무기화하였으며 핵능력을 고도화하였으며 당 제8차 대회 이후에는 전술핵능력까지 구비하였다. 연구를 통해 북한이 핵을 군사적으로 사용할 능력을 구비하고 고도화하면서 핵전략과 핵태세가 공세적으로 변화하였음을 확인할 수 있었다. 북한의 핵능력이 고도화되면서 핵전략은 선언적 수준의 최소억지전략에서 대남 제한억지전략과 대미 최소억지전략으로 발전하였고, 핵태세 또한 현재는 가장 공세적인 비대칭확장태세 유형을 보여주고 있다. 북한의 핵·미사일 능력 고도화는 계속될 것이다. 북한의 핵능력증가에 따른 대응 방안 마련이 제한되는 우리로서는 궁극적으로 북한의 핵 위협이 증가하지 않도록 하는 것이 중요하다.

• Book : 7(1)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.1057-1091
• Keyword :

Axion-like particles (ALPs) are hypothetical pseudoscalar bosons, natural in extensions of the Standard Model. Their interactions with ordinary matter and radiation are suppressed, making it challenging to detect them in laboratory experiments. However, these particles, produced within stellar interiors, can provide an additional mechanism for energy loss, potentially influencing stellar evolution. Prominent methods for searching for such effects involve measuring the properties of red giants and helium-burning stars in globular clusters (GCs). Here we use published catalogs of stars selected as members of seven GCs on the basis of parallaxes and proper motions measured by Gaia (Data Release 3). Making use of previously derived theoretical relations and the new data, we find the upper limit on the ALP-electron coupling, g ae < 5.2 × 10–14 (95% CL), and an indication (3.3σ) to nonzero ALP-photon coupling, g aγ = $$(6.5_{{ - 1.3}}^{{ + 1.1}})$$ × 10–11 GeV–1. Given the precision of contemporary observational data, it is imperative to refine ALP constraints through more sophisticated analyses, which will be explored in detail elsewhere.

• Book : ()
• Pub. Date : 2025
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Background: The pathogenesis of deterministic radiation damage is not clearly understood, but it has been reported that fibroinflammatory pathways are up-regulated. We hypothesized that the number of adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) decline after radiotherapies, preventing normalization of fibrosis and angiogenesis, resulting in chronic radiation damages that progress over time. Methods: Dorsal skin of 8-week-old male BALB/cfC3H mice was irradiated with 10 Gy weekly for 4 weeks. At 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after radiotherapy (n = 5, 5, 5, 5, and 4), tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation, and time until epithelialization were evaluated. Skin biopsies were measured for thickness and CD34+/isolectin− stem/stromal cell count. Nonirradiated (NRT) controls were evaluated at each time point as well (n = 5 each). Results: Compared with NRT controls, time until epithelialization was significantly longer at 1 month (28 ± 3, P < 0.01); not statistically different at 3 months (16 ± 2, P = 0.32); and lengthened over time at 6 months (20 ± 2, P = 0.21), 9 months (28 ± 2, P < 0.01), and 12 months (26 ± 3, P < 0.01), as did tissue oxygen saturation. The number of CD34+/isolectin– ASCs decreased over time, at 1 month (5.3 ± 1.3, P = 0.01), 3 months (6.0 ± 1.4, P = 0.03), 6 months (4.0 ± 0.8, P < 0.01), 9 months (1.7 ± 0.5, P < 0.01), and 12 months (0.3 ± 0.5, P < 0.01). The subcutaneous fatty layer was significantly thinner at 3 months (116 ± 33, P < 0.01), 6 months (147 ± 22, P = 0.02), 9 months (52 ± 12, P = 0.04), and 12 months (89 ± 19, P = 0.04), but not at 1 month (141 ± 18, P = 0.43). Conclusions: After 6 months postirradiation, the number of ASCs continued to decline over time, accompanied by irreversible progression of fibrosis, atrophy, and ischemia, which resulted in impaired wound healing.

• Book : 13(1)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.e6419-e6419
• Keyword :

• Book : ()
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page :
• Keyword :