Limited genomic signatures of population collapse in the critically endangered black abalone ().

The black abalone, , is a large, long-lived marine mollusc that inhabits rocky intertidal habitats along the coast of California and Mexico. In 1985, populations were impacted by a bacterial disease known as withering syndrome (WS) that wiped out >90% of individuals, leading to the species' designation as critically endangered. Current conservation strategies include restoring diminished populations by translocating healthy individuals.

Sodium bicarbonate as a local adjunctive agent for limiting platelet activation, aggregation, and adhesion within cardiovascular therapeutic devices.

Cardiovascular therapeutic devices (CTDs) remain limited by thrombotic adverse events. Current antithrombotic agents limit thrombosis partially, often adding to bleeding. The Impella® blood pump utilizes heparin in 5% dextrose (D5W) as an internal purge to limit thrombosis.

Shear-Mediated Platelet Microparticles Demonstrate Phenotypic Heterogeneity as to Morphology, Receptor Distribution, and Hemostatic Function.

Implantable Cardiovascular Therapeutic Devices (CTD), while lifesaving, impart supraphysiologic shear stress to platelets, resulting in thrombotic and bleeding coagulopathy. We previously demonstrated that shear-mediated platelet dysfunction is associated with downregulation of platelet GPIb-IX-V and αIIbβ3 receptors via generation of Platelet-Derived MicroParticles (PDMPs). Here, we test the hypothesis that sheared PDMPs manifest phenotypical heterogeneity of morphology and receptor surface expression and modulate platelet hemostatic function.

Shear-Mediated Platelet Microparticles Demonstrate Phenotypic Heterogeneity as to Morphology, Receptor Distribution, and Hemostatic Function.

Objective: Implantable cardiovascular therapeutic devices (CTD) including stents, percutaneous heart valves and ventricular assist devices, while lifesaving, impart supraphysiologic shear stress to platelets resulting in thrombotic and bleeding device-related coagulopathy. We previously demonstrated that shear-mediated platelet dysfunction is associated with downregulation of platelet GPIb-IX-V and αIIbβ3 receptors via generation of platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs). Here, we test the hypothesis that shear-generated PDMPs manifest phenotypical heterogeneity of their morphology and surface expression of platelet receptors, and modulate platelet hemostatic function.

Sodium bicarbonate alters protein stability and blood coagulability in a simulated Impella purge gap model.

Background: The Impella® microaxial blood pumps utilize purge fluid containing heparin to prevent biofouling of internal surfaces. Purge fluid interfaces with blood or blood components at two notable internal locations: (1) 5-8 μm radial gap ("Radial Gap" or "Gap 1") between the motor shaft and bearing, a site accessible by blood proteins or small molecules; and (2) 100 μm axial gap ("Axial Gap" or "Gap 2") between the impeller rotor and bearing, the site of mixing with larger circulating blood components. Despite its efficacy, heparin in the purge fluid complicates overall patient anticoagulation management.

Patterned Electrospinning: A Method of Generating Defined Fibrous Constructs Influencing Cell Adhesion and Retention.

A critical component of tissue engineering is the ability to functionally replace native tissue stroma. Electrospinning is a technique capable of forming fibrous constructs with a high surface area for increased cell-material interaction and enhanced biocompatibility. However, physical and biological properties of electrospun scaffolds are limited by design controllability on a macroscale.

Shear-mediated platelet activation in the free flow II: Evolving mechanobiological mechanisms reveal an identifiable signature of activation and a bi-directional platelet dyscrasia with thrombotic and bleeding features.

Shear-mediated platelet activation (SMPA) in the "free flow" is the net result of a range of cell mechanobiological mechanisms. Previously, we outlined three main groups of mechanisms including: 1) mechano-destruction - i.e.

Radiotherapy for thymic epithelial tumours: a review.

Thymic epithelial tumours (TETs) represent a rare disease, yet they are the most common tumours of the anterior mediastinum. Due to the rare occurrence of TETs, evidence on optimal treatment is limited. Surgery is the treatment of choice in the management of TETs, while the role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) remains unresolved.

Latitudinal variation in long-term stability of North American rocky intertidal communities.

Although long-term ecological stability is often discussed as a community attribute, it is typically investigated at the species level (e.g. density, biomass), or as a univariate metric (e.

Characterization of the competing role of surface-contact and shear stress on platelet activation in the setting of blood contacting devices.

Supraphysiological shear stress and surface-contact are recognized as driving mechanisms of platelet activation (PA) in blood contacting devices (BCDs). However, the competing role of these mechanisms in triggering thrombogenic events is poorly understood. Here, we characterized the dynamics of PA in response to the combined effect of shear stress and material exposure.

Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell galvanotactic response and differential migratory behavior.

Chronic disease or injury of the vasculature impairs the functionality of vascular wall cells particularly in their ability to migrate and repair vascular surfaces. Under pathologic conditions, vascular endothelial cells (ECs) lose their non-thrombogenic properties and decrease their motility. Alternatively, vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) may increase motility and proliferation, leading to blood vessel luminal invasion.

The Influence of Polymer Processing Methods on Polymer Film Physical Properties and Vascular Cell Responsiveness.

Implantable vascular devices typically interface with blood and vascular tissues. Physical properties of device materials and coatings, independent of chemical composition, can significantly influence cell responses and implant success. Here, we analyzed the effect of various polymer processing regimes, using a single implant polymer - poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), on vascular endothelial cell (EC), smooth muscle cell (SMC), and platelet response.

Human motion component and envelope characterization via wireless wearable sensors.

Background: The characterization of limb biomechanics has broad implications for analyzing and managing motion in aging, sports, and disease. Motion capture videography and on-body wearable sensors are powerful tools for characterizing linear and angular motions of the body, though are often cumbersome, limited in detection, and largely non-portable. Here we examine the feasibility of utilizing an advanced wearable sensor, fabricated with stretchable electronics, to characterize linear and angular movements of the human arm for clinical feedback.

Platelet Activation via Shear Stress Exposure Induces a Differing Pattern of Biomarkers of Activation versus Biochemical Agonists.

Background:  Implantable cardiovascular therapeutic devices, while hemodynamically effective, remain limited by thrombosis. A driver of device-associated thrombosis is shear-mediated platelet activation (SMPA). Underlying mechanisms of SMPA, as well as useful biomarkers able to detect and discriminate mechanical versus biochemical platelet activation, are poorly defined.

Prothrombotic activity of cytokine-activated endothelial cells and shear-activated platelets in the setting of ventricular assist device support.

Background: We systematically analyzed the synergistic effect of: (i) cytokine-mediated inflammatory activation of endothelial cells (ECs) with and (ii) shear-mediated platelet activation (SMPA) as a potential contributory mechanism to intraventricular thrombus formation in the setting of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support.

Methods: Intact and shear-activated human platelets were exposed to non-activated and cytokine-activated ECs. To modulate the level of LVAD-related shear activation, platelets were exposed to shear stress patterns of varying magnitude (30, 50, and 70 dynes/cm, 10 minutes) via a hemodynamic shearing device.

Migration versus proliferation as contributor to in vitro wound healing of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells.

Wound closure, as a result of collective cell growth, is an essential biological response to injury. In the field of vascular biology, the response of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) to injury and substrate surface is important in therapeutic clinical treatment interventions such as angioplasty and atherectomy. Specifically, the mechanism by which cells close wounds (i.

Comments on two recent publications on GM maize and Roundup.

Two -omics studies on genetically modified maize and Roundup-fed rats, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, contain serious flaws in the experimental design, methodology and interpretation of results, which we point out here. The use of -omics technologies are of increasing importance in research, however we argue for a cautious approach to the potential application in food safety assessments as these exceptionally sensitive and complex methods require a thorough and detailed evaluation of the biological significance of obtained results. Arising from: Mesnage et al.

Stretchable Electronic Wearable Motion Sensors Delineate Signatures of Human Motion Tasks.

Digital tracking of human motion offers the potential to monitor a wide range of activities detecting normal versus abnormal performance of tasks. We examined the ability of a wearable, conformal sensor system, fabricated from stretchable electronics with contained accelerometers and gyroscopes, to specifically detect, monitor, and define motion signals and "signatures," associated with tasks of daily living activities. The sensor system was affixed to the dominant hand of healthy volunteers (n = 4) who then completed four tasks.

A Plea for the Renewal of the ISBR.

The recent meeting of the International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) focused on so-called genetically modified organisms. For decades, in most regulatory frameworks, recombinant DNA-modified organisms have been the wrong focus of unbalanced agri-food regulations. The ISBR should instead adopt a scientifically defensible and truly risk-based perspective, abandoning a misleading pseudo-category.

Snowbeds are more affected than other subalpine-alpine plant communities by climate change in the Swiss Alps.

While the upward shift of plant species has been observed on many alpine and nival summits, the reaction of the subalpine and lower alpine plant communities to the current warming and lower snow precipitation has been little investigated so far. To this aim, 63 old, exhaustive plant inventories, distributed along a subalpine-alpine elevation gradient of the Swiss Alps and covering different plant community types (acidic and calcareous grasslands; windy ridges; snowbeds), were revisited after 25-50 years. Old and recent inventories were compared in terms of species diversity with Simpson diversity and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity indices, and in terms of community composition with principal component analysis.

New GMO regulations for old: Determining a new future for EU crop biotechnology.

In this review, current EU GMO regulations are subjected to a point-by point analysis to determine their suitability for agriculture in modern Europe. Our analysis concerns present GMO regulations as well as suggestions for possible new regulations for genome editing and New Breeding Techniques (for which no regulations presently exist). Firstly, the present GMO regulations stem from the early days of recombinant DNA and are not adapted to current scientific understanding on this subject.

Epidermal mechano-acoustic sensing electronics for cardiovascular diagnostics and human-machine interfaces.

Physiological mechano-acoustic signals, often with frequencies and intensities that are beyond those associated with the audible range, provide information of great clinical utility. Stethoscopes and digital accelerometers in conventional packages can capture some relevant data, but neither is suitable for use in a continuous, wearable mode, and both have shortcomings associated with mechanical transduction of signals through the skin. We report a soft, conformal class of device configured specifically for mechano-acoustic recording from the skin, capable of being used on nearly any part of the body, in forms that maximize detectable signals and allow for multimodal operation, such as electrophysiological recording.

A soft, wearable microfluidic device for the capture, storage, and colorimetric sensing of sweat.

Capabilities in health monitoring enabled by capture and quantitative chemical analysis of sweat could complement, or potentially obviate the need for, approaches based on sporadic assessment of blood samples. Established sweat monitoring technologies use simple fabric swatches and are limited to basic analysis in controlled laboratory or hospital settings. We present a collection of materials and device designs for soft, flexible, and stretchable microfluidic systems, including embodiments that integrate wireless communication electronics, which can intimately and robustly bond to the surface of the skin without chemical and mechanical irritation.

Editing EU legislation to fit plant genome editing: The use of genome editing technologies in plant breeding requires a novel regulatory approach for new plant varieties that involves farmers.

New genome editing techniques require a novel approach to regulating genetically modified organisms. This article proposes a product‐based regulatory framework that puts more emphasis on farmers and public acceptance. [Image: see text]