77823 research outputs found
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Genipin-crosslinked double PLL membranes overcome the strength-diffusion trade-off in cell encapsulation without compromising biocompatibility
No full textCell microencapsulation technologies allow non-autologous implantation of therapeutic cells for sustained drug delivery purposes. The perm-selective membrane of these systems provides resistance to rupture, stablishes the upper molecular weight limit in bidirectional diffusion of molecules, and affects biocompatibility. Thus, despite being a decisive factor to succeed in terms of biosafety and therapeutic efficacy, little progress has been made in its optimization so far. Here we show that, compared to other usually used coating designs, genipin-crosslinked double poly-L-lysine (GDP) membranes are able to simultaneously improve mechanical and mass-transport properties of the microcapsules, without causing any significant increase in the foreign body response when implanted in vivo. In particular, we show that GDP membranes confer capsular integrity under high pressures, both internal and external. Furthermore, this membrane design allows for more efficient bidirectional diffusion of molecules in the 20–40 kDa range while preserving the molecular weight cut-off required for exerting an effective immunobarrier. These findings may also be useful for optimizing the membrane characteristics of multiple drug delivery systems
White paper and roadmap for quantum gravity phenomenology in the multi-messenger era
Full text linkThe unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity has long been elusive. Only recently have empirical predictions of various possible theories of quantum gravity been put to test, where a clear signal of quantum properties of gravity is still missing. The dawn of multi-messenger high-energy astrophysics has been tremendously beneficial, as it allows us to study particles with much higher energies and travelling much longer distances than possible in terrestrial experiments, but more progress is needed on several fronts. A thorough appraisal of current strategies and experimental frameworks, regarding quantum gravity phenomenology, is provided here. Our aim is twofold: a description of tentative multimessenger explorations, plus a focus on future detection experiments. As the outlook of the network of researchers that formed through the COST Action CA18108 ‘Quantum gravity phenomenology in the multi-messenger approach (QG-MM)’, in this work we give an overview of the desiderata that future theoretical frameworks, observational facilities, and data-sharing policies should satisfy in order to advance the cause of quantum gravity phenomenology
Family of dual topological materials XSb4Te4 (X = Ge, Sn, Pb)
No full textUsing density functional theory, we characterize crystal and electronic structures as well as the topology of the Sb4Te4 family of materials ( =Ge, Sn, Pb) that are composed of the Sb2Te4 septuple layers interleaved by Sb bilayers. We first demonstrate that all these compounds are dynamically stable by means of phonon spectra calculations. Then, our electronic structure calculations, performed within the modified Becke-Johnson potential approximation, predict GeSb4Te4 and SnSb4Te4 to be semimetals, while PbSb4Te4 to be an insulator with a narrow gap of about 50 meV. Further, we find all Sb4Te4 to show both the strong ℤ2 topology and the crystalline topology provided by the time-reversal and mirror reflection symmetries, respectively. We demonstrate the stability of this dual topological nature with respect to a considerable −Sb intermixing previously found experimentally
Shaping current European mitochondrial haplogroup frequency in response to infection: the case of SARS-CoV-2 severity
Full text linkThe frequency of mitochondrial DNA haplogroups (mtDNA-HG) in humans is known to be shaped by migration and repopulation. Mounting evidence indicates that mtDNA-HG are not phenotypically neutral, and selection may contribute to its distribution. Haplogroup H, the most abundant in Europe, improved survival in sepsis. Here we developed a random forest trained model for mitochondrial haplogroup calling using data procured from GWAS arrays. Our results reveal that in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, HV branch were found to represent protective factors against the development of critical SARS-CoV-2 in an analysis of 14,349 patients. These results highlight the role of mtDNA in the response to infectious diseases and support the proposal that its expansion and population proportion has been influenced by selection through successive pandemics
Transition of clinical biomarker status from childhood into adolescence–A prospective study in children from eight European countries
No full textPurpose: Understanding factors influencing clinical biomarkers is important for the prevention of chronic disease. This study aimed to estimate transitions of biomarker status from childhood to adolescence and to identify determinants of biomarker status in early life in a prospective children cohort.
Subjects and methods: Our sample comprised 1295 children participating in the baseline (2007/08) and second follow-up examination (2013/14) of the multi-center IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS)/I.Family study. Clinical blood biomarkers including glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), triglycerides, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6, ferritin, leptin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were repeatedly measured in 2007/2008 (age range: 3.0 to <10.0 years) and in 2013/2014. Latent transition analysis was used to estimate biomarker statuses and transition probabilities; determinants of biomarker status were estimated using mixed-effects models.
Results: Four distinct biomarker statuses were identified: (1) “normal” (all biomarkers low/medium; except HDL-cholesterol; reference), (2) “low leptin/IGF-1/HbA1c”, (3) “dyslipidemia/high leptin” and (4) “inflammation”. Children classified as “low leptin/IGF-1/HbA1c” at baseline were most likely to stay in this status (89.8%) or to change to the “normal” status (10%) during follow-up. Compared to “normal” children, children classified as “low leptin/IGF-1/HbA1c” were less likely to have a family history of diabetes (0.26 [0.08;0.86]; odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval) or hypertension (0.53 [0.29;0.99]) and the children (0.32 [0.27;0.38]) as well as their mothers (0.93 [0.88;0.98]) had a lower BMI. Children from families with low/medium education had a 55% [9%-119%] higher risk of being in the “dyslipidemia/high leptin” and 49% [1%-121%] higher risk of being in the “inflammation” status as compared to children in the “normal” status. Membership in a sports club reduced the latter risks by 28% [2%-47%] and 40% [17%-56%], respectively.
Conclusions
European children showed distinct phenotypes for the investigated biomarkers. Especially parental characteristics like a family history of diabetes or hypertension, a high maternal BMI, or low/medium education were associated with unfavorable biomarker status in children
Folding and Functionalizing DNA Origami: A Versatile Approach Using a Reactive Polyamine
Full text linkDNA nanotechnology is a powerful synthetic approach to crafting diverse nanostructures through self-assembly. Chemical decoration of such nanostructures is often required to tailor their properties for specific applications. In this Letter, we introduce a pioneering method to direct the assembly and enable the functionalization of DNA nanostructures using an azide-bearing functional polyamine. We first demonstrate the successful polyamine-assisted folding of a scaffolded DNA origami nanostructure equipped with reactive azide groups. Leveraging this reactivity, we next showcase the decoration of the DNA origami via strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition with dibenzocyclooctyne-containing functional molecules. Specifically, we incorporate a fluorophore (Cy5), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and a hydrophobic phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) tag to tailor the properties of our DNA origami nanostructures. Our approach is expected to streamline and reduce the cost of chemical customization of intricate DNA nanostructures, paving the way for enhanced versatility and applicability
The rise of curated newsletters in media: a case study of the New York Times
Full text linkNowadays, newsletters play a crucial role in digital media. This study aims to investigate the content curation strategies utilized in The New York Times newsletters, assessing curation techniques, sources, the temporal spans of the curated content, or the relationship between curation characteristics and newsletter models. The findings reveal a dominant utilization of summarization and commentary techniques, emphasizing informative journalistic styles. The research also contrasts the quality of newsletters from the NYT with those from other sources. In summary, this study illuminates the dynamic terrain of curated newsletters and their influence on reader engagement and retention
Assessing the microbiome of a poultry burger processing line: A combined approach using culturing techniques and metabarcoding
Full text linkCulture-dependent techniques have been traditionally employed to characterize the microbiota of food products and processing environments. However, culture-independent techniques, such as metabarcoding, are increasingly used as they provide a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the microbial communities. This study integrated culturing techniques and metabarcoding to provide complementary insights into the microbiome of a poultry burger processing line. Samples included chicken thighs, burgers, expired burgers, and different work surfaces. Metabarcoding indicated that the predominant genera were Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Brochothrix, Acinetobacter, Carnobacterium and Lactobacillus. This was consistent with culturing results, which showed Pseudomonadaceae as the predominant family, followed by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Metabarcoding revealed a significant shift in the microbial composition of burger samples after the shelf-life period, characterized by an increase in the relative abundance of LAB, a change missed by culturing techniques. Food-contact surfaces showed a different microbiome composition compared to poultry products and were not considered a source of food contamination. Notably, metabarcoding highlighted the significant influence of seasonality (winter vs. summer) on the microbiome composition. The insights provided by metabarcoding underscore the importance of incorporating culture-independent methods into the microbiome characterization of food products and food processing environments
Developing machine learning models from multisourced real-world datasets to enhance smart-farming practices
No full textSmart farming technologies empower farmers to achieve sustainability by enabling data-driven decision-making. For instance, smart farming can contribute to farm sustainability through optimized pest control. By utilizing pest risk prediction models, farmers can conserve resources and minimize environmental impact by avoiding unnecessary treatments. However, effective crop pest control relies on timely treatments at specific phenological stages. Therefore, the ability to accurately predict phenological development becomes a crucial factor in increasing farm sustainability.
This paper describes the design, development and evaluation of a set of Machine Learning models that predict the phenology of grapevines. The models were trained on multisourced data that combine 9 different datasets with different temporal and spatial resolutions. The authors evaluated and compared different machine learning algorithms to predict 9 different phenological stages of grapevines. The models that performed best also included data derived from Sentinel-2 images, which suggests that multispectral satellite images could be used to monitor and predict woody plant phenology. A key contribution of our proposal is the combination of multiple data sources and a fine-grained prediction aimed at distinguishing among 9 phenological states
Development and Validation of Healthy and Unhealthy Plant-Based Diet Propensity Scores in European Children, Adolescents and Adults From the I.Family Study
No full textIntroductionPlant‐based dietary patterns may reduce the risk of chronic diseases, but their benefits and risks in younger populations remain unclear due to variations in diet quality and nutrient adequacy. Robust tools to assess adherence to these patterns are essential. The aim of this study was to develop and validate three plant‐based diet propensity (PBDP) scores – overall, healthy and unhealthy – to capture plant‐based dietary patterns and assess their associations with nutrient intakes and health indicators in children, adolescents and adults.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study of children, adolescents and adults used data from the I.Family study (n = 15,780 participants) from eight European countries. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The overall PBDP score was constructed by categorising all plant‐based food groups as positive and animal‐based food groups as negative. The healthy PBDP emphasised healthy plant‐based food groups, whereas the unhealthy PBDP emphasised less healthy plant‐based food groups. Validity was assessed through correlations with nutrient intakes and comparison across demographic groups. Associations with health indicators were also analysed.ResultsPBDP scores showed expected associations with nutrient intakes. Higher overall and healthy PBDP scores were observed in females, adults, individuals with higher parental educational levels and those from Belgium and Spain. The healthy PBDP score was associated with higher HDL cholesterol, improved bone stiffness and lower triglycerides. The unhealthy PBDP score was associated with lower HDL cholesterol in adults, but not in children or adolescents.ConclusionPBDP scores describe plant‐based dietary patterns across demographic groups and are valid and reliable in adults. The findings highlight challenges in assessing dietary patterns in children and adolescents. Future research should address these challenges to enhance the validity of PBDP scores in younger populations and further explore their potential in guiding dietary recommendations across all age groups