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Subcutaneous administration of an endocrine-mimetic, slow-release protein material reduces the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Get PDFSlow-antigen release vaccination systems aim to replicate the prolonged antigen exposure occurring during natural viral infections, which usually last for days or weeks. We have developed a Zn-assisted, self-organizing protein material at the microscale, inspired by the granular depots for protein hormones, that slowly disassembles into functional building block polypeptides under physiological conditions. This endocrine-like platform acts as a dynamic protein depot for prolonged protein release. Having been validated in oncology, regenerative medicine, and in antimicrobial peptide delivery, it also shows promise for immune stimulation. Here, we evaluate, for the first time, whether such artificial secretory granules incorporating the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) can elicit a protective immune response against viral challenge in golden Syrian hamsters. The antigen, formulated as secretory granules, was administered in varying doses via intranasal or subcutaneous routes. While the formulations did not prevent infection, they enhanced viral clearance and mitigated body weight loss, particularly with subcutaneous administration. These effects, through the subcutaneous route, were achieved even in the absence of an adjuvant. Additionally, the granules triggered both antigen-specific humoral immunity and antigen-independent immunomodulatory effects, potentially linked to their amyloid-like structure. These findings demonstrate the dual mechanism of this platform, activating both adaptive and innate immune pathways, and its potential as a versatile, adjuvant-free system for enhancing immune responses against infectious diseases.The project was mainly funded by AGAUR (grant number 2020PANDE00003) and CIBER-Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- (grant number CB06/01/0014), through the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, within the intramural project NANOSARS (to E.P.). We also gratefully acknowledge the support from AEI for the development of multimeric recombinant drugs (grant numbers PID2019-105416RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and PDC2022-133858-I00 to E.V., PID2019-107298RB-C22/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 to N.F.-M., PID2020-116174RB-I00 to A.V. and PID2022-1368450 OB-10/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 to A.V. and E.V.). Our team also received support from AGAUR for our activities in drug design (grant number 2021SGR00092 to A.V.). Protein production was partially performed by the ICTS “NANBIOSIS”, more specifically by the Protein Production Platform of CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials & Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN)/IBB, at the UAB (http://www.nanbiosis.es/portfolio/u1-protein-production-platform-ppp). IRTA is supported by CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. The authors also acknowledge the invaluable assistance of the animal caretakers at the BSL3 facility at IRTA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Legume and nut flours from the Mediterranean area: proximate compositions, techno-functionalities, and spectroscopy patterns as a function of species, origin, and treatment
No full textThis study systematically evaluates proximate composition, color, techno-functionalities, and spectroscopy patterns of 19 legume and 16 nut commercial flours of the Mediterranean area. Effect of species, origin, and treatment were analyzed using a Generalized Linear Model. Except for legume proteins, species and origin significantly (p ≤ 0.001) affected flour composition, while heat treatment only had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on nuts. A large variability was observed in fats (0.6–69 g/100g) and proteins (3.7–36 g/100g), and the FT-IR spectra reflected the 35-flours composition. Principal component model clearly distinguished flours based on their carbohydrate, fat, and protein contents. For legumes, color indices, bulk density, and emulsifying properties were significantly affected by species, origin, and treatment, while foaming properties were influenced only by species. For nuts, oil absorption capacity, emulsion properties, and foaming properties were significantly affected by species, origin, and treatment. The origin had a significant effect on water retention capacity (40–433 %) of nuts. The study findings contribute to a better knowledge of Mediterranean legume and nut flours, clarifying their distinct properties for a higher awareness in their use for the design of food products with tailored features.This study was funded by the LOCALNUTLEG project (Developing innovative plant-based added-value food products through the promotion of LOCAL Mediterranean NUT and LEGUME crops; project number 2033), financed by PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area). PRIMA is an Art. 185 initiative supported and funded under Horizon 2020, the European Union's Framework Programme for Research, and Innovation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Digital quantification of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2)-infected cells in lymph nodes of pigs with natural PCV-2 systemic disease shows strong association with manual scoring and quantitative PCR
Get PDFThe diagnosis of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) systemic disease is based on clinical signs, microscopic lesions, and semiquantitative PCV-2 assessment by in situ visualization of immunohistochemistry (IHC) or in situ hybridization labeling within lymphoid tissue lesions. We aimed to digitally quantify IHC-labeled PCV-2-infected cells in porcine lymph nodes with natural PCV-2 systemic disease (n = 53) and to compare these quantitative results with the subjective manual method, and also with the viral DNA copy numbers of the corresponding formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. In total, 47 of 54 (87%) cases had the same manual score by 2 independent observers. Infected cell counts increased with manual score severity, and their count could be matched to the manual method. Infected cell odds showed a significant strong positive correlation with the viral copy numbers (ρ = 0.8461, P < .001). Digital image analysis is efficient for PCV-2 IHC signal quantification and can make case assessment more objective and reproducible.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Grupo Operativo Welfarecun: Estudios para el bienestar animal en el transporte de conejos de engorde
Get PDFActualmente, en la Unión Europea (UE), el espacio disponible utilizado comercialmente para el transporte de conejos de engorde suele situarse entre 167 y 111 cm2/kg, y más comúnmente de 143 cm2/kg, lo que equivale a una densidad de carga de 60 a 90 kg/m2, con alturas de contenedor variables entre 20 y 30 cm. Esta heterogeneidad se debe a la falta de especificaciones en la normativa europea vigente, que no establece requisitos mínimos para estas variables en el transporte por carretera de conejos en la UE.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Impact of Organic and Conventional Agricultural Management on Subsurface Soil Microbiota in Mediterranean Vineyards
Get PDFThe impact of long-term organic (ECO) versus conventional (CON) agricultural management on subsurface soil microbiota diversity and soil physicochemical properties remains unclear in Mediterranean vineyards. This study evaluated long-term ECO and CON effects in the Alt Penedès terroir (Spain), focusing on subsurface soil microbial diversity and soil characteristics. ECO increased the fungal-to-bacterial ratio and ammonium-oxidizing bacteria but reduced total subsurface soil bacterial populations and soil organic carbon. While ECO did not enhance annual yield production in the vineyard, fungal abundance, and ammonium-oxidizing archaea, it slightly increased the overall alpha diversity (Shannon and Inverse Simpson indexes) and significantly altered taxa composition in subsurface soil with a more robust and modular community. Crop management, soil texture, training system, and rootstock, but not vine variety, significantly influenced beta diversity in subsurface soil. The Mantel test revealed subsurface soil texture, Ca2+/Mg2+ ratio, and salinity as the main key soil drivers shifting the microbial community (beta diversity), while C/N and topsoil organic matter significantly correlated with bacterial abundance; NH4+ correlated with fungal abundance; and N-Kjeldahl, pH, and Mg2+/K+ correlated with alpha diversity. Integrating soil microbiota and physicochemical monitoring allowed us to confirm the positive effect of long-term agroecological practices on subsurface soil health and to identify the critical factors shaping their microbial communities in Mediterranean vineyards.This work was financially supported by the MA4SURE project Mediterranean Agroecosystems for Sustainability and Resilience under Climate Change, funded by the European Commission (PRIMA-PCI2021-121943); the AGROECOLAND project Agroecological landscapes and food systems: past, present, and future transitions, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2021-123129NB-C41-C43); and the Climate Fund of the Catalan Government in the AgriRegenCat and AgriCarboniCat project (Catalan Government). IRTA’s authors (MV, MG, YL, and MC) contributing to this study belongs to in the CERCA Programme and the Consolidated Research Group of Sustainability in Biosystems, funded by the AGAUR (Generalitat de Catalunya; ref. 2021 SGR 01568).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Determination of carbohydrate and lignin content in feedstuffs for monogastric animals using near-infrared spectroscopy
Get PDFCarbohydrates (CHO) are the principal constituents of the diets given to monogastric animals around the world.
They supply the largest part of the energy to the animal, despite the fact only monosaccharides, disaccharides
and starch can be enzymatically broken down in the small intestine into monosaccharides that are readily
absorbed. In contrast, oligosaccharides (OS), resistant starch, non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and lignin resist
enzymatic digestion and thus cannot be absorbed directly. They compose the so-called dietary fiber. The soluble
fraction of fiber is almost completely fermentable and causes benefits to the gastrointestinal tract while the
insoluble fibre is less degraded and therefore lead to a decrease in nutrient and energy digestibility. The CHO
fraction and its composition is highly variable among feed ingredients but also amongst the different varieties of
the same ingredient. To improve the nutrient utilization and to formulate animal diets that are more efficient it is
necessary to characterize the CHO fraction of the ingredients. In addition, with the growing use of supplementary
enzymes, such as xylanase, β-glucanase or mannanase to mitigate the anti-nutritive effect of fiber the determination of the CHO components is essential. To make a full account of the CHO and lignin constituents, several
wet chemical enzymatic, chromatographic and gravimetric methods need to be employed, which are expensive
and time-consuming. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) overcomes these limitations because it is a rapid, nondestructive, multi-parametric technique and requires minimal sample preparation. In this work, around 300
samples of animal feedstuffs, consisting of cereals, cereal co-products, protein-rich and fiber-rich feedstuffs were
used to develop and validate near-infrared (NIR) partial least square regression (PLSR) models. Spectral pretreatment optimization, sample selection and outlier detection were considered for each model. Robust predictions (R2 P>0.90) were obtained for digestible carbohydrates (sugars and starch) and for most of the total or
insoluble components of dietary fiber (lignin, NSP, cellulose, β-glucan, non-cellulosic polysaccharides (NCP),
arabinose, xylose, galactose, rhamnose and uronic acids). The OS, fructans were well predicted in cereals
(R2 P=0.94) and linearity (R2 CV>0.70) was also found for α-galactosides (raffinose, stachyose and verbascose) in
protein-rich feedstuffs. The obtained results were in general very satisfactory and demonstrate that NIRS is a
reliable tool to characterize the carbohydrate fraction of a variety of feedstuffs.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101004770. A. Cruz-Conesa acknowledges Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona, Spain) and the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (Constantí, Spain) for providing a Marti Franqués Research Fellowship (2019PMF-PIPF-62) and the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Aarhus University (Foulum, Denmark) for providing the dataset used in this study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Com avaluar la qualitat dels olis: l’exemple del concurs internacional OliveJapan25 a Tòquio
Get PDFLa normativa oficial defineix un seguit d’anàlisis químiques, i també d’anàlisi sensorial mitjançant panell
de tastinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Leveraging Earth Observation Data to Monitor Boat-Based Recreational Fishing
Get PDFRecreational fishing is widespread in coastal zones and exerts significant ecological, fisheries-related and socio-economic pressures. Unlike commercial fishing, small-scale recreational fleets are challenging to monitor because they lack enforced use of vessel tracking systems such as the Automatic Identification System (AIS). Recently, remote sensing technologies have emerged as promising alternatives for monitoring marine activities. Here, we assess the potential of high spatio-temporal resolution satellite imagery to monitor daily changes in recreational fishing boats during a temporal fishing ban within a marine protected area. By comparing satellite-derived boat detections with AIS records, we demonstrate that satellite data can reliably capture daily changes in recreational fishing activity missed by AIS, including a marked increase immediately following the end of the ban. These findings confirm that satellite observations can consistently detect small fishing boats and reveal their fine-scale spatio-temporal patterns. When complemented with local knowledge, this approach enhances our capacity to contribute to the spatial planning and ecosystem-based management of recreational fisheries.The study was supported by Generalitat Valenciana through the “Pla GenT” program (CIDEGENT/2021/058). Mara Segovia acknowledges support from the TECMAR project (Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales [3002/2023]).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Microbiome-based surveillance of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens from urban wild boars in Barcelona, 2022–2023
Get PDFIncursions of wild animals into urban areas amplify the potential risks of zoonotic disease transmission by increasing contact between humans and animal reservoirs. Monitoring the presence of pathogens in these animals is crucial for assessing zoonotic risks but remains challenging due to the vast array of known and unknown pathogens harboured by animals. Microbiome-based approaches provide an efficient and comprehensive alternative for monitoring microbial communities and scanning the whole spectrum of bacterial pathogens. In this study, we applied this innovative conceptual framework to implement a sentinel monitoring system for investigating zoonotic tick-borne bacteria in three tick species sampled from wild boars in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (MAB). Using Nanopore sequencing of the full length 16 s rRNA gene, we demonstrated a fast and cost-effective approach for microbiome analysis. Our findings revealed the presence of two pathogenic genera widely documented in ticks, encompassing five species: Rickettsia massiliae and R. slovaca, both previously detected in the area, and for the first time, Francisella tularensis —the causative agent of tularemia— as well as F. hispaniensis and Diplorickettsia massiliensis, potentially emerging patogens. Finally, our results showed distinct bacterial compositions across the tick species examined. This study highlights the sensitivity and comprehensiveness of microbiome-based surveillance of tick-borne pathogens, enabling the early detection of emerging and low-abundance bacterial species that might otherwise go unnoticed with less sensitive techniques. Such proactive detection efforts are crucial for facilitating early identification and implementing prevention strategies to mitigate zoonotic risks.Laura Carrera-Faja was funded through the 2022 FI Scholarship, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (FI_B 00723). The present study was funded by the Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya. Projectes de recerca per a la mitigació i adaptació al canvi climàtic: 2023CLIMA00103. The present study was funded by the Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Gobierno de España. Proyectos de generación de conocimiento: 2021-2023PID2021-126996OA-I00.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Research note: Individual variability in early-life play and social behaviors of broiler chicks
Get PDFPlay and social behaviors are important in behavioral development as they support neurodevelopment, social bonding, and skills development. The individual differences in performance of these behaviors in poultry are currently unknown. This study assessed individual variability of play and social behaviors in broiler chicks across the first week of life. Seventy-five chicks (25 birds/pen) were randomly placed in three pens. Continuous focal sampling of nine birds (3 chicks/pen; labeled A-I) was performed from D 1-7. The play behaviors assessed were sparring, frolicking, and worm-running, and allopreening was used to assess social behavior. Play initiation was calculated as the number of times a chick initiated play divided by its total play frequency. The duration Bird A performed sparring was greater than Birds B, E, F, and H. Bird C performed a greater amount of frolicking than Bird E. Birds D and I spent more time performing worm-running than Bird G. For play duration tertiles, top-ranked birds for sparring were A, C, and I while bottom-ranked birds were B, E, and H. For frolicking, Birds C, D, and I were top-ranked and Birds B, E, and H were bottom. For the duration of worm-running, top ranks included Birds B, D, and I and the bottom ranks were Birds A, E, and H. For allopreening, Birds A, F, and H were ranked top and Birds B, E, and G were ranked bottom for duration. Bird C had significantly higher odds to initiate play (Odds = 4.06; P = 0.034), and Bird I tended to initiate play behaviors more often (Odds = 3.25; P = 0.07). The duration of sparring strongly positively correlated with frolicking (r = 0.78; P < 0.01) and worm-running (r = 0.83; P < 0.01) and frolicking strongly positively correlated with worm-running (r = 0.80; P < 0.01). Overall, individual differences in play behaviors performance were found in the first week of life. Chicks engaging in one type of play not only performed more play behaviors overall but also showed greater propensity to initiate play.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio