Journal Nature Research Articles

Botanists voted to remove offensive names; will zoologists follow?

The Nomenclature Section of the XX International Botanical Congress (IBC) was held from 15 to 19 July 2024, with 173 registered delegates in Madrid plus 219 additional attendees participating online (Gostel et al. 2014). It deliberated 433 proposals to amend the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Turland et al. 2018, the Shenzhen Code). Among the decisions, one received significant media attention and was featured in top journals Science (Ortega & Stokstad 2024) and Nature (Callaway 2024): the removal of the letter c and the second f (if applicable) from 301 racially offensive names that include caf[e]r- and caff[e]r- (Smith & Figueiredo 2021). This proposal, along with others on offensive names (e.g., Hammer & Thiele 2021), received heated debates in Megataxa (Pethiyagoda 2023; Smith & Figueiredo 2023) and other journals (e.g., Jiménez-Mejías et al. 2024, with summaries of debates prior to this paper).

Bibliometric and visual analysis of single-cell multiomics in neurodegenerative disease arrest studies.

Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive disorders that severely diminish the quality of life of patients. However, research on neurodegenerative diseases needs to be refined and deepened. Single-cell polyomics is a technique for obtaining transcriptomic, proteomic, and other information from a single cell. In recent years, the heat of single-cell multiomics as an emerging research tool for brain science has gradually increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the current status and trends of studies related to the application of single-cell multiomics in neurodegenerative diseases through bibliometrics. A total of 596 publications were included in the bibliometric analysis. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of publications increased annually, with the total number of citations increasing significantly, exhibiting the fastest rate of growth between 2019 and 2022. The country/region collaboration map shows that the United States has the most publications and cumulative citations, and that China and the United States have the most collaborations. The institutions that produced the greatest number of articles were Harvard Medical School, Skupin, Alexander, and Wiendl. Among the authors, Heinz had the highest output. Mathys, H accumulated the most citations and was the authoritative author in the field. The journal Nature Communications has published the most literature in this field. A keyword analysis reveals that neurodegenerative diseases and lesions (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, amyloid beta) are the core and foundation of the field. Conversely, single-cell multiomics related research (e.g., single-cell RNA sequencing, bioinformatics) and brain nerve cells (e.g., microglia, astrocytes, neural stem cells) are the hot frontiers of this specialty. Among the references, the article "Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of Alzheimer's disease" is the most frequently cited (1,146 citations), and the article "Cell types in the mouse cortex and hippocampus revealed by single-cell RNA-seq" was the most cited article in the field. The objective of this study is to employ bibliometric methods to visualize studies related to single-cell multiomics in neurodegenerative diseases. This will enable us to summarize the current state of research and to reveal key trends and emerging hotspots in the field.

Interdisciplinary nature journaling improves mood and helps build connection in middle school students

Amidst increasing concerns about children’s mental health, this paper explores the integration of interdisciplinary nature journaling within a middle school English Language Arts classroom as a method to enhance student well-being and environmental literacy. 61 5th-7th students in Garrison, NY engaged in a 75-minute nature journaling activity. We analyzed the activity’s impact on student mood, stress levels, and connections to self, others, and nature. Results indicated a positive shift in moods, reduced stress, and enhanced feelings of self-valuation and connection to the natural world. The activity fits into New York State English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math, and Art standards, emphasizing the feasibility and adaptability of environmental education activities across disciplines. The findings highlight the potential of such activities to benefit student well-being and help students foster a deeper understanding of environmental awareness, offering insights for educators seeking innovative and accessible ways to integrate environmental education into mainstream curricula.

Oxidative N-N Bond Formation Versus the Curtius Rearrangement.

The oxidative formation of N-N bonds from primary amides has been recently reported and then retracted in the journal Nature Communications by Kathiravan, Nicholls, and co-authors, utilizing a hypervalent iodane reagent. Unfortunately, the authors failed to recognize the Curtius reaction taking place under the described reaction conditions. Thus, the claimed N-N coupling products were not formed. Instead, the Curtius rearrangement urea coupling products were obtained. We demonstrate this herein by means of NMR and x-ray analysis, as well as with the support of an alternative synthetic route.

Immunoglobulins as Tools for Passive Immunization in Preventive Healthcare

Immunoglobulins have emerged as an important tool in passive immunization for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Immunoglobulins are the proteins produced by B cells that bind to specific pathogens, neutralize them, and facilitate their removal by the immune system. In preventive healthcare, immunoglobulins are used for primordial, primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary prevention of infectious diseases. This work was designed to carry out an extensive literature search to provide useful information on immunoglobulins as the tools of passive immunization in preventive healthcare. Relevant and accurate literatures were sourced from the World Health Organization. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Disease Control, PubMed, Scopus, PLoS One, and NATURE journals: Primordial prevention aims to prevent the emergence and spread of risk factors for infectious diseases. Immunoglobulins can be used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by targeting the pathogens that cause them. The primary prevention aims to prevent the initial infection of individuals at risk of acquiring infectious diseases. Immunoglobulins can be used as prophylaxis to prevent the onset of infection in high-risk individuals. The secondary prevention aims to reduce the severity and duration of infectious diseases. Immunoglobulins can be used to treat infectious diseases and prevent complications. The tertiary prevention aims to prevent the recurrence and complications of infectious diseases. Immunoglobulins can be used to prevent the recurrence of infections in individuals who have already been infected. Quaternary prevention aims to prevent the overuse, misuse, and abuse of medical interventions. Immunoglobulins can be used to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance by reducing the use of antibiotics. However, the use of immunoglobulins in preventive healthcare is not without challenges. The cost-effectiveness of immunoglobulin therapy, long-term safety, and the potential for cross-infection are some of the challenges that need to be addressed. Further research is needed to optimize the use of immunoglobulins in preventive health-care delivery. Immunoglobulins are valuable tools in passive immunization for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in preventive healthcare. Their use can help reduce the burden of infectious diseases and improve public health outcomes. Keywords: Immunoglobulins, passive immunization, preventive healthcare.

Comparison of Authorial Stance Between Professional and Amateur Writers in Scientific Correspondence Writing

Writing argumentative correspondences is an art requiring linguistic and rhetorical skills to bring forth the ultimate effect of persuading the audience. However, instruction of this critical language art has been underrepresented in Thai tertiary educational contexts. This study is based on an interventional experiment of teaching an ESP-Science course to 40 students majoring in science, with a strong emphasis on linguistic devices for academic interaction, consisting of stance and engagement marking, as elaborated in Hyland (2005a, 2005b). The interventional experiment made use of the 240 correspondences taken from the scientific journal Nature with the duration of 30 hours over a 10-week period. This study reports the findings from a comparison of the students’ writing before and after the intervention and a comparison of the students’ post-experiment writing and the experts’ writing. The analysis is based on content analysis, inter-rater assessment, and descriptive statistics, and shows that a meaningful level of progress has been obtained as a result of the intervention. The progress is evident in not only that students’ post-experiment writing exceeds in quality their pre-experiment writing, but also that students’ post-experiment writing has become similar to the expert writing to a great extent, with respect, in particular, to the strategic patterns of stance and engagement marking. The success of a relatively short intervention, i.e., 10 weeks, calls for implementation of courses using authentic correspondences in ESP-Science classes, or more broadly, in ESP courses in diverse disciplines (237/250).

Absence of effects of widespread badger culling on tuberculosis in cattle

Government policy in England aims for the elimination of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). This policy includes culling of European badger (Meles meles) to reduce cattle TB incidence. The rationale is based on a field trial, the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) 1998–2005, which reported a substantial decrease in bTB herd incidence where badger culling had been implemented, in comparison to untreated control areas. The RBCT was undertaken because previous studies of reductions in badgers by culling, reported a possible association between bTB in badger and cattle, but none could directly show causation. The effect of intensive widespread (proactive) culling in the RBCT was reported in 2006 in the journal Nature. Analysis of an extensive badger removal programme in England since 2013 has raised concerns that culling has not reduced bTB herd incidence. The present study re-examined RBCT data using a range of statistical models. Most analytical options showed no evidence to support an effect of badger culling on bTB herd incidence ‘confirmed’ by visible lesions and/or bacterial culture post mortem following a comparative intradermal skin test (SICCT). However, the statistical model chosen by the RBCT study was one of the few models that showed an effect. Various criteria suggest that this was not an optimal model, compared to other analytical options available. The most likely explanation is that the RBCT proactive cull analysis over-fitted the data with a non-standard method to control for exposure giving it a poor predictive value. Fresh appraisal shows that there was insufficient evidence to conclude RBCT proactive badger culling affected bTB breakdown incidence. The RBCT found no evidence of an effect of culling on ‘total’ herd incidence rates. Total herd incidences include those confirmed as bTB at necropsy and those herds where there was at least one animal animal positive to the comparative intradermal skin test, the standard diagnostic test used for routine surveillance, but not confirmed at necropsy. This was also the case using the more suitable statistical models. Use only of ‘confirmed’ herd incidence data, together with a more recent (2013) published perception that RBCT data presented ‘a strong evidence base….with appropriate detailed statistical or other quantitative analysis’ should be reconsidered. The results of the present report are consistent with other analyses that were unable to detect any disease control benefits from badger culling in England (2013–2019). This study demonstrates one form of potential driver to the reproducibility crisis, in this case with disease control management in an increasingly intensified livestock industry.

Assessing Science Learning Objectives with Nature Journals

Nature journals are an easy way to get your students outside and to practice making observations of the real-world around them. Teachers can formatively assess their student's understanding of learning objectives with nature journal prompts.

Vocabulary profile, lexical density and speech rate of science podcasts: How adequate are they for EAP and ESP listening?

One potential source of authentic input for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Science and Technology (EST) listening could be science podcasts. In this study, we examine the vocabulary level of this genre, as well as the amount of the common specialized, i.e. academic and scientific vocabulary it contains. Additionally, we study its lexical density and speech rate. These properties are examined on a corpus of 126 science podcasts produced by the journal Nature, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the magazine Scientific American. These are compared against those determined for a corpus of lectures in general (the MICASE lectures) and a corpus of science lectures in particular (the MICASE’s science-lecture subsection). On the one hand, science podcasts were found to contain a good amount of both academic and scientific vocabulary, as well as to have a very similar lexical density to that of lectures. On the other hand, their vocabulary level and speech rate were somewhat higher than those of lectures. Based on the analysis, we recommend the use of science podcasts for both EAP and EST listening for advanced learners. For learners with lower proficiencies, vocabulary support and/or adjusting the speed of the science podcasts is advised.

Volunteer researchers in modern science: analysing “Nature” publications

The article presents a scientometric analysis of publications on citizen science, i.e., conducted with the participation of non-professional scientists, posted on the portal of the journal Nature, in order to identify the main directions and thematic trends in the field of citizen science over the last 5 years. The article identifies the key thematic clusters to which the reviewed publications belong, and analyses the thematic trends in each of the presented clusters. The search was carried out in English among the publications posted on the portal in the period from 2019 to 2023. The result is presented using computer visualisation and a table of key topics of the reviewed publications; in the future it is planned to expand the study and build a thematic map and scheme of key trends both abroad and in Russia. The analysis shows that the key topics in which volunteer researchers have been involved over the last 5 years have been environmental protection and conservation, publications on biodiversity and climate change, and data analysis in ecology. The authors note a widespread and growing interest in finding scientific volunteers to conduct research, as well as the growing role of volunteer researchers. The participation of non-professional scientists encourages a shift towards interdisciplinary research and promotes the use of different research methodologies. There are trends in the transformation of the role of volunteer researchers from the status of ordinary field researchers to full-fledged participants in research work.

Controlling Relative miRNA level as Target Therapy of the BRCA Mutation and Its Challenges

In the past few decades, the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of BRCA1/2-related cancer, especially breast cancer and ovarian cancer, have been a topic of great concern to scientists and the public. People with mutated BRCA genes are more likely to develop breast and ovarian cancer, and such causes of these types of cancer are inherited. Till now, there is no perfect solution for this gene defect. microRNAs (miRNAs), as important gene expression regulation molecules in humans, are considered to have the potential to be a tool for early diagnosis of such gene defects. In this review, the literature on miRNA closely related to BRCA gene regulation is reviewed, and the mechanism of miRNA causing BRCA gene variation is discussed. The online databases used in this research are PubMed, Nature Journals, ScienceDirect, The European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), and Google Scholar. The search terms are “BRCA gene mutation”, “BRCA gene function”, “PARP inhibitor”, “miRNA for BRCA regulation”, “Target therapy for BRCA gene mutation”, “Drug resistance”, and “Target specificity”. This paper aims to discuss the possibility of reducing the incidence of BRCA gene mutation by controlling the content of relative miRNAs – reducing miRNAs that inhibit BRCA gene expression and increasing miRNAs that promote BRCA gene expression– and how to restore the function of the mutated BRCA gene by this means. The population that develops breast and ovarian cancer has been on the rise for decades, and the age of patients is getting younger. If miRNA can be developed as an early diagnostic tool, it will enhance the power of current cancer screening techniques and provide a more stable basis for early prevention and subsequent treatment.

Unlocking Creative Writing Through In4D-Indigenous CIY Nature Journaling: The Indigenous Voice

This study examined the perceptions of the participants on the In4dIndigenous CIY nature journaling, their challenges in writing and how the journaling has influenced their creative writing in English Language learning. The methodology adopted for this study was an exploratory study. The instrument employed were document analysis of the In4d-Indigenous CIY Nature Journaling and focus group interview. The participants for this study were 29 Indigenous undergraduates (N=6 male,23= female) pursuing the Bachelor of Education in Iban Studies. The data from nature journaling amplified that the participants expressed their ideas in writing with elements of creative skills, critical thinking skills and emergence of character in articulating ideas for the journal. The data of focus group interview revealed that the In4D-Indigenous CIY nature journaling was a driver that connected technology-aided meaningful outdoor learning with nature, and how the environment was an inspirational teacher. On a positive note, the challenges were expressed as opportunity for improvement rather than threats. The In4d-Indigenous nature journaling indicated an encouraging and constructive influence pertaining to creative writing with six emerging themes: learner autonomy, shift attitude towards language learning, risk-taking, constructors of knowledge, technology exploration and creative-aesthetic value. This study has navigated direction for adopting an Inspired by Nature for the Indigenous CIY nature journaling, yet aspects of new pedagogies for deep learning and 21st Century Skills could be interwoven with nature for a more transformative eco-literacy research.

School garden and instructional interventions foster children's interest in nature

Abstract Children's interest in nature is crucial for their understanding and appreciation of the natural environment, as well as for their mental health and biodiversity conservation efforts. To foster this interest, it is important to establish a theoretical framework and explore practical applications. Given the current trend of children spending more time with screens and less time in nature, school gardens offer potential solutions. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a 4‐month teaching programme conducted in a school garden to promote children's individual interest in nature. 24 Grade‐4 students participated in weekly 40‐min activities, which were divided into three treatments: natural observation with assigned tasks, natural observation with open‐ended tasks and inquiry‐based activities. Participants maintained individual portfolios consisting of questionnaires, nature journals, observation descriptions and interviews. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed to categorize children into three types: those with initiated interest, those with enhanced interest and those with no significant change. Thematic analysis was used to identify factors influencing children's interest in nature based on qualitative data. The results showed that 17 out of 24 children were classified as either ‘interest‐initiated’ or ‘interest‐enhanced’, indicating a generally positive outcome. The school garden provided a novel and safe environment that empowered children to learn and explore autonomously. Teacher scaffolding further supported their curiosity towards the garden's organisms, potentially leading to the development of their individual interests in nature. This study emphasizes the positive impact of involving children in garden‐based activities in primary schools. Implementing a diverse school garden with informative labels and explanation boards, along with teacher support, represents a promising approach to cultivating children's interest in nature. We recommend implementing mini botanical gardens and club activities in schools to bridge formal and informal education. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

AI and modern experimental biology: A historical perspective

AI and modern experimental biology: A historical perspective Ute Deichmann, Director of the Jacques Loeb Centre for the History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, discusses the adoption and limitations of Artificial Intelligence within modern experimental biology. ‘How generative AI could disrupt scientific publishing.’ ‘ChatGPT use shows that the grant-application system is broken.’ ‘Companies say the technology will lead to faster drug development. Independent verification and clinical trials will determine whether the claim holds up.’ ‘AlphaFold touted as next big thing for drug discovery — but is it?’ These recent headlines from the journal Nature not only indicate the enormous impact of artificial intelligence (AI), the intelligence of machines or software, on research across various scientific disciplines but also point to challenges regarding AI reliability. What does intelligence here mean? The Cambridge Dictionary defines intelligence as ‘the ability to learn, understand, and make judgments or have opinions based on reason.’

The psychological well-being of schoolteachers in South Africa: A critical review

Teaching is a stressful occupation associated with various challenges that may adversely affect schoolteachers’ psychological well-being (PWB) and the provision of quality basic education. The nature and effects of teacher PWB may depend on their work context. This critical review aimed to synthesise and evaluate the evidence from available scientific literature on schoolteacher PWB within the South African context. We searched the following databases: African Journals, NWU-IR, Academic Search Complete, Africa-Wide Information, APA PsycInfo, OAlster, Directory of Open Access Journals, Library Catalogue, SciELO, SocINDEX with Full Text, MEDLINE, ERIC, CINAHL with Full Text, Springer Nature Journals, Teacher Reference Center, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, and Business Source Complete. For rigour of the search and analysis process, we employed the Search, AppraisaL, Synthesis, and Analysis (SALSA) method. This critical review research study included a final sample of 12 studies. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and the following themes were identified: teaching as a stressful occupation; intrapersonal factors that affect teachers’ PWB; contextual factors that influence teachers’ PWB; differences in levels of teacher PWB; and the consequences of high or low levels of teacher PWB. To work towards the provision of quality basic education, it is vital to first acknowledge the importance of schoolteachers’ PWB in South Africa. With a clear and comprehensive understanding of teacher PWB, it is possible to implement interventions to promote and enhance teachers’ PWB in schools in South Africa.

Values of humanitarian security concerning institutional and public support

The study of humanitarian security’s value orientations is based on the results of a content analysis of the content of national documents and current publications of Ukrainian and European researchers. It was determined that the values of humanitari-an security are correlated with the general humanistic values of strategic develop-ment – intellectual freedom, justice, tolerance, people-centeredness. In the condi-tions of war, one of the key values is "security" (informational, national, personal). From the point of view of national security, the importance of the Strategy’s imple-mentation for Popularization of the Ukrainian Language until 2030 "A Strong Lan-guage – a Successful State" and the Strategy for the Development of Reading for the period until 2032 "Reading as a Life Strategy" was noted. The formation, devel-opment and ability to practically apply critical thinking and media literacy were noted as influential factors for ensuring the humanitarian security of the individual as a result of the civic education development. Special attention is paid to the spectrum of existential problems of humanitarian security, which the author highlights in the context of the study "Psychological well-being in Europe after the outbreak of war in Ukraine", carried out by a research group from many European universities. The re-sults of this study were published in the journal Nature Communications in early 2024.

Bibliometric analysis of hot literature on neural circuit research.

Numerous brain diseases have been attributed to abnormalities in the connections of neural circuits. Exploration of neural circuits may give enlightenment in treating some intractable brain diseases. Here, we screened all publications on neural circuits in the Web of Science database from 2007 to 2022 and analyzed the research trends through VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Microsoft Excel 2019, and Origin. The findings revealed a consistent upward trend in research on neural circuits during this period. The United States emerged as the leading contributor, followed by China and Japan. Among the top 10 institutions with the largest number of publications, both the United States and China have a strong presence. Notably, the Chinese Academy of Sciences demonstrated the highest publication output, closely followed by Stanford University. In terms of influential authors, Karl Deisseroth stood out as one of the most prominent investigators. During this period, the majority of publications and citations on neural circuit research were found in highly influential journals including NEURON, NATURE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, and so forth. Keyword clustering analysis highlighted the increasing focus on neural circuits and photogenetics in neuroscience research, and the reconstruction of neural circuits has emerged as a crucial research direction in brain science. In conclusion, over the past 15 years, the increasing high-quality publications have facilitated research development of neural circuits, indicating a promising prospect for investigations on neurological and psychiatric diseases.

The scholarly journal as puzzle: On time, collaboration and closure

As the Journal of Urban Cultural Studies (JUCS) closes its tenth year of publication, this second instalment of a two-part editorial turns towards questions regarding the nature of scholarly journals. Building from Part 1’s exploration of comics artist Chris Ware’s tactile puzzle Building Stories: Vortex of Anamnesis, the central metaphor of journal as an intellectual puzzle is considered. Specific aspects of time and collaboration are addressed as fundamental concerns for the puzzle of journal editing. After considering, in passing, challenges to editing in the twenty-first century, final comments address the notion of closure, drawn from comics theory.

A reflection on Springer Nature’s current editorial policies related to “predatory” journals and references

Despite its prominent position as one of the leading for-profit scholarly publishers of subscription and open access (OA) journals, and its membership of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), Springer Nature can be criticized for taking a vague approach in its editorial policies pertaining to “predatory” publishing. While cautioning authors and/or editors about the citation of papers that are published in “predatory” journals, the advice presented in the policies itself is flawed due its limitation to OA journals – thus apparently excluding the possibility that subscription journals might also be “predatory” and failing to specify precisely which journals authors and editors should be careful of, i.e., no source for the “predatory” definition of OA journals is indicated. Moreover, this vague set of policies does not have a publication date, nor is any authorship specified. The opacity of these aspects of these editorial policies limits their usefulness and weakens their objectives, namely in ostensibly offering scholarly advice to protect editors and authors. I argue that the Springer Nature policies pertaining to “predatory” publishing as they currently stand are not useful, and if left unchanged, can be a source of confusion or error for authors and editors of Springer Nature journals. In this connection, the identified risk is that if the poor advice indicated in those policies is heeded, it may encourage abuse, insults and/or indiscriminate profiling of academics, including those associated with Springer Nature journals. While assuming Springer Nature’s genuine intention to alert editors and authors against citing papers published in suspect scholarly venues, I argue that this editorial set of policies should either be rewritten to rely on clearer parameters, including a definitive list of journals for which “predatory” criteria have been defined, or abandoned as they are overly broad. The criticism is aimed at stimulating a discussion among other editors and publishers, especially COPE members.

Viscoelastic inorganic glass as solid-state electrolyte for batteries

A most recent exciting research result in the area of solid-state batteries that has been accepted for publication by the journal Nature Energy is highlighted. The research designed a new type of inorganic solid electrolyte named “viscoelastic inorganic glass (VIGLAS)” electrolyte with the compositions of LiAlCl2.5O0.75 and NaAlCl2.5O0.75. The newly developed solid electrolyte material showcases an exceptional degree of deformability at room temperature, high ionic conductivity (>1 mS/cm at room temperature) and high oxidation stability (up to 4.3 V vs. Li+/Li or Na+/Na). Using it as a catholyte enables a facile fabrication and a stable operation under practical stack pressure (＜0.1 MPa) of all-solid-state batteries. VIGLAS represents a new path in the design of promising solid electrolytes for realizing high performance all-solid-state batteries.