Browse Articles

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in sediments from the urban section of Yihe River, Linyi City, China

The Yihe River is the largest mountain torrent river in Shandong Province, which plays an important role in flood control, irrigation and climate regulation. Due to the impacts of the upstream and urban domestic sewage, as well as industrial and agricultural wastewater, the Linyi City section of the Yihe River is expected to have a high risk of metal pollution. Sediments are the main reservoir and potential release source of metals (metalloid) in river systems. Assessment of metals in sediments can identify anthropogenic pollution. In this study, 25 sediment samples were collected from the Linyi City section of the Yihe River and its tributaries, and the concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the concentration of Hg was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). The pollution levels were evaluated by determining the contamination factor, pollution load index, geoaccumulation index, potential ecological risk assessment and toxicity risk index. Correlation analysis and absolute principal component-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) were used to conduct source apportionment. Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd, As, and Hg were detected in all sediment samples. Overall, the concentration of metals (metalloid) in the sediments of the main stream of the Yihe River is mostly within the environmental background value, and the overall state is from no pollution to slightly polluted, while the tributaries of the Yihe River are in a slightly polluted state. Hg and Cd are the two main metal pollutants in the surface sediments of the study area, with the average content of 1.65 and 1.11 times the background value, respectively. Most areas of the main stream of the Yihe River are free of metal pollution, with low ecological risk and no toxicity risk. The ecological risks in the tributaries (Suhe River, Benghe River, Liuqinghe River) and the river center island (Yihe River North Island) are high and assessed as presenting low toxicity. Source analysis showed that Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and As mainly come from natural sources and agricultural activities, while Cd, Pb, and Hg are mainly the result of transportation and industry. The results help us understand the distribution and pollution of metals (metalloid) in the river sediments, and also provide management support to local environmental management departments and relevant national departments.

Complex rearrangements fuel ER+ and HER2+ breast tumours

Prevalence and causes of blindness and vision impairment among people 50 years and older in Nepal: A national Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness survey

Purpose To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and vision impairment among people 50 years and older in Nepal. Methods We conducted seven provincial-level Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) cross-sectional, population-based surveys between 2018–2021. Provincial prevalence estimates were weighted to give nationally representative estimates. Sampling, enumeration, and examination of the population 50 years and older were done at the province level following standard RAAB protocol. Results Across seven surveys, we enrolled 33,228 individuals, of whom 32,565 were examined (response rate 98%). Females (n = 17,935) made up 55% of the sample. The age-sex-province weighted national prevalence of blindness (better eye presenting visual acuity <3/60) was 1.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–1.2%), and any vision impairment <6/12 was 20.7% (95% CI 19.9–21.5%). The prevalence of blindness was higher in women than men (1.3% [95% CI 1.1–1.5%] vs 0.9% [95% CI 0.7–1.0%]). Age-sex weighted blindness prevalence was highest in Lumbini Province (1.8% [95% CI 1.3–2.2%]) and lowest in Bagmati Province (0.7% [95% CI 0.4–0.9%]) and Sudurpaschim Province (0.7% [95% CI 0.4–0.9%]). Cataract (65.2%) was the leading cause of blindness in our sample, followed by corneal opacity (6.4%), glaucoma (5.8%) and age-related macular degeneration (5.3%). Other posterior segment diseases accounted for 8.4% of cases. Cataract was also the leading cause of severe vision impairment (83.9%) and moderate vision impairment (66.8%), while refractive error was the leading cause of mild vision impairment (66.5%). Conclusion The prevalence of blindness was higher among women than men and varied by province. The Lumbini and Madesh Provinces in the Terai (plains) region had higher prevalence of blindness than elsewhere. Cataract was the leading cause of blindness, severe vision impairment and moderate vision impairment while refractive error was the leading cause of mild vision impairment.

Royal Society will meet amid campaign to revoke Elon Musk’s fellowship

Does psychological support, training and guidance for probation practitioners lead to improved outcomes for service users and staff? A systematic review of Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway community delivery

This review examines the evidence on outcomes for probation staff and the individuals under their supervision resulting from psychological training and support provided to staff. To be included, papers were required to evaluate impact on the outcomes of workforce development, wellbeing, risk and reconviction, or relationships. This review focussed on the frontline community delivery of a psychologically-informed programme designed for high risk of harm individuals presenting with complex needs; the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. Papers addressing impact of OPD interventions beyond core community delivery, or which addressed unrelated outcomes, were excluded from the review. The databases Scopus and EBSCO were searched on 19th October 2022 and titles were screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Quality of evidence was assessed by the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Due to the heterogenous nature of studies included, only narrative knowledge synthesis was possible and this was organised according to area of outcome explored and participant group. Twenty papers were included, comprising ten quantitative, two mixed, and eight qualitative methodologies (including three case studies). Workforce outcomes were the most frequently explored, with impacts noted in relation to self-reported confidence and competence. Impacts regarding risk and reconviction were limited both in relation to the number of studies addressing these outcomes and to the implications that could be drawn from these. Positive relational outcomes were reported as a result of OPD delivery, with consultation and formulation processes leading to better staff-offender relationships. The overall quality of evidence produced in the included studies was of a low to medium standard. Small sample sizes, high attrition rates, bespoke measures, and occasionally questionable analyses were some of the limitations noted. However, taking quality into account, findings were generally indicative of positive impacts of OPD community delivery, although regional differences in delivery model made generalisability of individual findings difficult.

Structure and diversity of intestinal methanogens in black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and water samples

The present research investigation aims to examine the community features of methanogens in the intestinal tract of black and grass carp, as well as their association with methanogens in water samples. Samples of black carp, grass carp and water in a pond were gathered in Spring 2021. Using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 high-throughput sequencing platform, the metagenomic mcrA gene sequences of black carp, grass carp and cultured water specimens were determined and analyzed. The outcomes indicate that the richness and diversity of methanogens in the intestinal tract of black and carp grass carp were highly correlated with the cultured water. Five bacterial genera were found in the three sets of samples, Methanosarcina, Methanocorpusculum, Methanospirillum, Methanobacterium and Methanofollis, in which Methanosarcina and Methanocorpusculum were the dominant genera. In addition, Methanosarcina had the greatest amount in grass carp and Methanocorpusculum had the greatest quantity in black carp. In conclusion, Methanosarcina and Methanocorpusculum were the main methanogens in the digestive tract of black and grass carp and culture water, and hydrolytic fermentative bacteria were its main metabolic substrate, hydrotrophic was its main metabolic pathway. The results will provide a reference for the relationship between intestinal methanogens and aquaculture and the greenhouse effect.

Meriones unguiculatus serves as a spontaneous primary aldosteronism rodent model

Background Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common form of endocrine hypertension. The available animal models of PA rely on gene manipulation, thus fail to duplicate the general pathological process of PA in humans. Meriones unguiculatus (MU) has been reported to possess a large size of adrenal gland and an elevated ability to save water. In this study, we aimed to confirm whether MU can serve as an ideal animal model of PA. Methods Sprague Dawley rats of the same body weight (SD1) or age (SD2) as MU were used as control groups. Blood pressure and serum aldosterone, renin and electrolyte levels were measured, and the oral salt loading test was used as confirmatory test to compare the inhibition level of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) among the three groups. The expression and distribution of CYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase) were evaluated in the adrenal gland of each group. Results MU exhibited typical clinical manifestations of PA, including hypertension, hyperaldosteronism, low renin levels and strong sodium retention and potassium excretion abilities. Compared with control groups, the inhibitory effect of a high-sodium diet on the RAAS was milder in MU, accompanied by significant cardiac dysfunction. The protein expression level and distribution area of CYP11B2 were significantly increased in the adrenal gland of MU. Conclusion The current study reveals that MU could serve as an ideal spontaneous PA model. The increased expression and distribution of CYP11B2 stimulate the excessive aldosterone production in a renin-independent manner, leading to a significant increase in blood pressure in MU.

Optimising test intervals for individuals with type 2 diabetes: A machine learning approach

Background Chronic disease monitoring programs often adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that does not consider variation in need, potentially leading to excessive or insufficient support for patients at different risk levels. Machine learning (ML) developments offer new opportunities for personalised medicine in clinical practice. Objective To demonstrate the potential of ML to guide resource allocation and tailored disease management, this study aims to predict the optimal testing interval for monitoring blood glucose (HbA1c) for patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). We examine fairness across income and education levels and evaluate the risk of false-positives and false-negatives. Data Danish administrative registers are linked with national clinical databases. Our population consists of all T2D patients from 2015-2018, a sample of more than 57,000. Data contains patient-level clinical measures, healthcare utilisation, medicine, and socio-demographics. Methods We classify HbA1c test intervals into four categories (3, 6, 9, and 12 months) using three classification algorithms: logistic regression, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Feature importance is assessed with SHAP model explanations on the best-performing model, which was XGBoost. A training set comprising 80% of the data is used to predict optimal test intervals, with 20% reserved for testing. Cross-validation is employed to enhance the model’s reliability and reduce overfitting. Model performance is evaluated using ROC-AUC, and optimal intervals are determined based on a “time-to-next-positive-test” concept, with different durations associated with specific intervals. Results The model exhibits varying predictive accuracy, with AUC scores ranging from 0.53 to 0.89 across different test intervals. We find significant potential to free resources by prolonging the test interval for well-controlled patients. The fairness metric suggests models perform well in terms of equality. There is a sizeable risk of false negatives (predicting longer intervals than optimal), which requires attention. Conclusions We demonstrate the potential to use ML in personalised diabetes management by assisting physicians in categorising patients by testing frequencies. Clinical validation on diverse patient populations is needed to assess the model’s performance in real-world settings.

Author Correction: Synthetic GPCRs for programmable sensing and control of cell behaviour

Functional evaluation and clinical classification of BRCA2 variants

Characterizing plasma and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers relevant to neurodegeneration in captive olive baboons (Papio anubis)

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) present a significant global disease burden that is only expected to grow in the future. As such, there is a need to develop and investigate biomarkers that identify individuals at risk of developing ADRD with the goal of providing early interventions and treatments. Non-human primate (NHP) models of neurodegeneration present opportunities to examine such biomarkers in a preclinical model with the ability to control several confounding factors present in research with humans. Baboons naturally develop several ADRD-related neuropathologies that humans also exhibit, including age-related tau and amyloid deposition. However, to our knowledge, there are no data characterizing fluid biomarkers relevant to neurodegeneration or ADRD in baboons. We collected plasma (N = 139) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, N = 44) from captive baboons ranging in age from 3–19 years old. We characterized biomarkers as a function of age, sex, and rearing status in baboons using a bead-based bioplex human assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Neuroscience 18-Plex Human ProcartaPlex™ Panel). Fluid biomarkers were more detectable in CSF compared to plasma. Additionally, while sex and rearing did not significantly predict biomarkers in baboons, age significantly predicted levels of eight of the 12 biomarkers detected in the assay. Linear regressions showed that CSF levels of total tau, pTau181, NGF-beta, GFAP, NF-H, and S100B were higher in older baboons, as were plasma levels of NGF-beta. Lastly, older baboons showed a higher incidence of co-occurrence of multiple biomarkers as measured in CSF, but not in plasma. These data show that baboons exhibit age-dependent changes in biomarkers used in humans for clinical screening, diagnosis, and prognosis of ADRD, thereby further demonstrating the value of baboons as a model of aging and, possibly, ADRD.

Multifunctional molecular hybrid for targeted colorectal cancer cells: Integrating doxorubicin, AS1411 aptamer, and T9/U4 ASO

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a global health challenge, with current treatments often harming both cancerous and normal cells. To improve efficacy, a multifunctional drug delivery platform has been developed, integrating bioactive materials, anticancer agents, and targeted recognition ligands into a single molecule. This study aimed to create a molecular hybrid (MH) containing doxorubicin, AS1411 aptamer, and T9/U4 ASO to regulate SW480 cell proliferation. The AS1411 aptamer targets nucleolin, overexpressed on cancer cell membranes, while T9/U4 ASO inhibits human telomerase RNA activity, further hindering cancer cell proliferation. AS-T9/U4_MH was synthesized via oligonucleotide hybridization, followed by doxorubicin loading and evaluation of its impact on cell proliferation. Binding capability of this MH was verified using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, demonstrating specific recognition of SW480 cells due to nucleolin availability on the cell surface. These findings were corroborated by both microscopy and flow cytometry. AS-T9/U4_MH exhibited anti-proliferative effects, with the doxorubicin-loaded system demonstrating encapsulation and reduced toxicity. Moreover, the presence of Dox within AS-T9/U4_MH led to a notable reduction in hTERT and vimentin expression in SW480 cells. Additionally, examination of apoptotic pathways unveiled a marked decrease in Bcl-2 expression and a simultaneous increase in Bax expression in SW480 cells treated with Dox-loaded AS-T9/U4_MH, indicating its impact on promoting apoptosis. This molecular hybrid shows promise as a platform for integrating chemotherapeutic drugs with bioactive materials for cancer therapy.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological treatments to improve sleep quality in university students

Objective This paper reviews the literature evaluating psychological treatments to improve sleep quality in young adult university students. Method Participants (N = 6179) were young adult (aged 18–30 years) university students. Databases (PubMed, PsychInfo, EMBASE and Medline) were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating psychological treatments for sleep disturbance in university students. The search date was 20 September 2024. Results 22 original trials met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that psychological interventions outperformed control groups (n = 14) on improving sleep quality (g = 0.50, 95%CI:0.26–0.73). There were significantly different effect sizes found between studies that evaluated cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia (CBT-I; n = 6, g = 0.72, CI: 0.43–1.02) versus studies that evaluated mindfulness interventions (n = 5, g = 0.16, 95% CI: -0.18–0.51). Conclusions Psychological treatments improve sleep quality for young adult university students. While CBT-I showed larger effect sizes than interventions focused on mindfulness, further research is needed to verify if this reflects a true difference in the efficacy of the interventions.

Sex and age differences in cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle in patients recently diagnosed with diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study in Spanish primary health care

Aims To describe the main characteristics of patients recently diagnosed with DM regarding cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes-related complications, compare possible differences according to sex and age group, and examine healthy lifestyle behaviors such as adherence to the Mediterranean diet and physical activity and their associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional, multicenter, observational study of 681 patients aged >30 years diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in the previous 4 years was performed. The patients were treated in primary care centers in Madrid (Spain). The variables were obtained from their electronic medical records, physical examination, complete analysis, and lifestyle questionnaires. Results The main comorbidities were: hypercholesterolemia (64.4%; 95% CI, 60.6–68.2), hypertension (55.2%; 95% CI, 51.3–59.1), obesity (58.9%; 95% CI, 55.2–62.6), metabolic syndrome (58.5%; 95% CI, 54.6–62.5); and hypertriglyceridemia (25.3%; 95% CI, 21.9–28.7). Despite being newly diagnosed, 7.6% (95% CI, 5.4–9.8) had microalbuminuria, and 10.3% (95% CI, 8.0–12.6) cardiovascular disease. The main unhealthy lifestyles were: low physical activity (52%; 95% CI, 48.1–55.9), alcohol consumption (47.7%; 95% CI, 44.0–51.5) and smoking (19.2%; 95% CI, 16.2–22.3). Compared with men, women had more morbid obesity (9.7% vs 4.6%, p = .014), worse lipid profile (total cholesterol: 184 (IQR, 158–207) vs. 165 (IQR, 144–192), p < .01), less treatment with metformin (74.8% vs. 84.4%, p < .01) and antiplatelet agents (8.1% vs.18.6%, p < .01), but women had fewer comorbidities. Patients with a high educational level (OR = 1.90, 95% CI, 1.28–2.81)) and those >60 years (OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.01–2.21) were more adherent to the Mediterranean diet, and the older ones did less intense exercise (OR = 0.34, 95% CI, 0.16–0.75). Normal blood pressure was associated with Mediterranean diet (OR = 1.52; 95% CI, 1.05–2.21) and high physical activity (OR = 4.03; 95% CI, 1.69–9.61); and body mass index was inversely associated with physical activity (OR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.85–0.99). Conclusions Patients newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus may also have crucial cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities at the onset of the disease. However, patients with a healthy lifestyle were more likely to have a normal blood pressure and a lower body mass index.

Heme promotes venetoclax resistance in multiple myeloma through MEK-ERK signaling and purine biosynthesis

Abstract We previously demonstrated that reduced intrinsic electron transport chain (ETC) activity predicts and promotes sensitivity to the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) antagonist, venetoclax (Ven), in multiple myeloma (MM). Heme, an iron-containing prosthetic group and metabolite, is fundamental to maintaining ETC activity. Interrogation of the cyclin D1 group 2 subgroup of MM from the Relating Clinical Outcomes in MM to Personal Assessment of Genetic Profile (CoMMpass) trial (NCT01454297), which can be used as a proxy for Ven-sensitive MM (VS MM), shows reduced expression of the conserved heme biosynthesis pathway gene signature. Consistent with this, we identified that VS MM exhibits reduced heme biosynthesis and curiously elevated hemin (oxidized heme) uptake. Supplementation with hemin or protoporphyrin IX (heme lacking iron) promotes Ven resistance, whereas targeting ferrochetalase, the penultimate enzyme involved in heme biosynthesis, increases Ven sensitivity in cell lines and primary MM cells. Mechanistically, heme-mediated activation of prosurvival rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma-rat sarcoma virus–mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) signaling and metabolic rewiring, increasing de novo purine synthesis, were found to contribute to heme-induced Ven resistance. Cotargeting BCL-2 and myeloid cell leukemia-1 suppresses heme-induced Ven resistance. Interrogation of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation CoMMpass study of patients shows increased purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis to corelate with poor progression-free survival and overall survival. Elevated heme and purine biosynthesis gene signatures were also observed in matched relapse refractory MM, underscoring the relevance of heme metabolism in therapy-refractory MM. Overall, our findings reveal, for the first time, a role for extrinsic heme, a physiologically relevant metabolite, in modulating proximity to the apoptotic threshold with translational implications for BCL-2 antagonism in MM therapy.

Image captioning in Bengali language using visual attention

Automatically generating image captions poses one of the most challenging applications within artificial intelligence due to its integration of computer vision and natural language processing algorithms. This task becomes notably more formidable when dealing with a language as intricate as Bengali and the overall scarcity of Bengali-captioned image databases. In this investigation, a meticulously human-annotated dataset of Bengali captions has been curated specifically for the encompassing collection of pictures. Simultaneously, an innovative end-to-end architecture has been introduced to craft pertinent image descriptions in the Bengali language, leveraging an attention-driven decoder. Initially, the amalgamation of images’ spatial and temporal attributes is facilitated by Gated Recurrent Units, constituting the input features. These features are subsequently fed into the attention layer alongside embedded caption features. The attention mechanism scrutinizes the interrelation between visual and linguistic representations, encompassing both categories of representations. Later, a comprehensive recursive unit comprising two layers employs the amalgamated attention traits to construct coherent sentences. Utilizing our furnished dataset, this model undergoes training, culminating in achievements of a 43% BLEU-4 score, a 39% METEOR score, and a 47% ROUGE score. Compared to all preceding endeavors in Bengali image captioning, these outcomes signify the pinnacle of current attainable standards.

Acute erythroid leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia with mutated <i>TP53</i>? The battle of phenotype versus genotype

Formulation and evaluation of atorvastatin calcium trihydrate Form I tablets

Solid forms transformations and new crystal structures of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) can occur due to various manufacturing process conditions, especially if the drug substance is formulated as a hydrate. The conversion between hydrate and anhydrate forms caused by changes in temperature and humidity must be evaluated because of the risk of dehydration and phase transitions during the manufacturing process. Differences in physicochemical, mechanical, and rheological properties have been observed between solid forms of the same API that can cause manufacturing and product-related issues. Atorvastatin calcium trihydrate (ACT) is a synthetic lipid-lowering agent that was discovered during Lipitor® (its anhydrous form) Phase 3 clinical trials after passing Phase I and II. This case highlights the importance of routinely performing solid form screenings because of the probability of finding new solid forms during the development and scale-up process. Therefore, in this contribution, ACT tablet formulation was performed and evaluated starting from the compatibility of 1:1 proportions of drug and the excipients microcrystalline cellulose 101 (MCC 101), calcium carbonate, lactose monohydrate, croscarmellose sodium, hydroxypropyl cellulose, magnesium stearate, and polysorbate 80. Then, 40 mg ACT tablets were prepared on a small pilot scale, and manufacturing process assessment was conducted by sampling process stages selected as critically prone to solid forms formation or phase transition. Final product quality was evaluated regarding weight variation, hardness, disintegration, dissolution, and assay tests. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied to solid state evaluation. The starting raw material was confirmed to be ACT Form I. From the preformulation studies, PXRD, FT-IR and TGA analyses showed no interactions between ACT and excipients, while DSC results revealed a physical interaction with MCC 101, not considered an incompatibility. The effect of the tablet manufacturing process was achieved by amorphization, while some ACT long-range crystalline structure remained, as confirmed by PXRD, FT-IR and DSC. However, the tablets’ quality parameters were found to be within the acceptable range of both the pharmacopeia guidelines and manufacturer parameters regarding weight variation, hardness, disintegration, dissolution, and assay tests.

Introduction to a review series on mantle cell lymphoma: sands shifting in the darkness

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma that defies cures in most patients. Over the last decade, significant advances have been made in our understanding of the biology of the disease, patient risk stratification, and novel therapies. Associate Editor Philippe Armand presents a series of reviews that provide advice on management of patients, illuminate current understanding of the molecular landscape associated with the disease, and how that may shape future research and care. Ryan et al review the current frontline management of MCL in a rapidly evolving field, underscoring ongoing phase 3 trials; Silkenstedt and Dreyling highlight the emerging treatments for relapsed and refractory MCL; Jain and Wang tackle the critical issue of risk assignment based on clinical and molecular features; and Sarkozy and colleagues explore in depth the biology of MCL with an emphasis not only on intrinsic vulnerabilities but also on the tumor microenvironment.

You can’t see what you don’t measure! A scoping review of measurements of gender-based violence, its determinants and consequences in academia

Introduction Assessing the problem of gender-based violence in academia internationally is challenging due to a lack of empirical evidence and differences in how it is measured. The contribution of this article is to reflect on survey measurements and to propose new avenues for future quantitative measurements of gender-based violence, its determinants, and consequences in an academic context. For this purpose, we present the results of a scoping review of ten national and cross-national prevalence studies on gender-based violence. We examined the studies’ quantitative operationalisation of (1) sex and gender, (2) prevalence of gender-based violence, (3) socio-demographic determinants from an intersectional perspective, individual and contextual factors, (4) and consequences. Materials and methods Prevalence studies were identified through a comprehensive search of electronic databases and specialised data repositories. The selection criteria included studies with a focus on gender-based violence, the use of closed-ended survey questions, i.e., in a questionnaire, the potential for applicability in different national contexts, and the specific context of higher education. Eligible sources also described the quantitative operationalisation of the survey measurements. Results Our work critically reviews previous efforts to measure gender-based violence, its determinants, and consequences in academic contexts. The findings of our assessment show, first, that quantitative gender-related measurements tend to conflate the concepts of sex and gender, and hence their operationalisation in quantitative surveys. Second, there is a strong emphasis on sexual harassment and sexual violence to the detriment of other relevant forms of violence, as well as a rooting of measurement concepts in locally valid but diverse legal definitions of gender-based violence. Third, there is a lack of socio-demographic determinants to provide an intersectional lens, as well as a focus on measurement frameworks that individualise the experiences of gender-based violence. This prevents a conceptualisation of harassment and abuse as a structural problem in the academic sector and ignores that violence is both as a cause and a consequence of unbalanced gendered power relations and inequalities in institutional and societal contexts. Fourth, there is generally a retrospective approach to measuring the consequences of gender-based violence, which may represent a source of potential bias. We reflect on how future survey instruments could address these issues in academic environments. Discussion Overall, our paper demonstrates how the evidence generated by different conceptualisations and operationalisations of gender-based violence in academia, as well as its determinants and consequences, shapes how we think and talk about the problem. In doing so, this article contributes to the ongoing methodological discussion on the measurement of gender-based violence and provides a rationale for improving its measurement framework in academic environments by taking a feminist-theory informed approach to collecting these data.