Self-stratification and phase separation in drying binary colloidal films.

Hypothesis: Films that develop compositional heterogeneity during drying offer a promising approach for achieving tailored functionalities. These functionalities can be realized by strategically directing different components during the drying process. One approach to achieve this is through spontaneous size segregation of colloidal particles.

Standardizing designed and emergent quantitative features in microphysiological systems.

Microphysiological systems (MPSs) are cellular models that replicate aspects of organ and tissue functions in vitro. In contrast with conventional cell cultures, MPSs often provide physiological mechanical cues to cells, include fluid flow and can be interlinked (hence, they are often referred to as microfluidic tissue chips or organs-on-chips). Here, by means of examples of MPSs of the vascular system, intestine, brain and heart, we advocate for the development of standards that allow for comparisons of quantitative physiological features in MPSs and humans.

[ChatGPT in mental health care].

Background: ChatGPT is increasingly used in various sectors, from lawyers to copywriters. However, its implementation in Mental Health Care (MHC) is still largely uncharted territory, both administratively and therapeutically.

Aim: This essay provides an informed view on the practical implementation of ChatGPT in MHC, paying special attention to both administrative and therapeutic applications, as well as identifying some challenges.

Self-Controlled Video Feedback Facilitates the Learning of Tactical Skills in Tennis.

This study aimed to examine the effect of self-controlled video feedback on the learning of tactical motor skills in tennis, and additionally, whether this was affected by learners' self-efficacy and self-regulative skills. Twenty-three intermediately skilled tennis players were assigned to either a self-controlled group that was provided video feedback on request or a yoked group that received an identical, externally controlled video feedback schedule. In three training sessions participants practiced serve and volley play.

Effect of thermal annealing on an emissive layer containing a blend of a small molecule and polymer as host for application in OLEDs.

In order to improve the performance of OLEDs, a host-guest mixture was used as an emissive layer. To have better host properties, a mixture of different materials with suitable properties can also be used as a host. In this study, we used a mixture of a polymer and a small molecule as the host and studied the effect of thermal annealing on the emissive layer properties by using Ir(ppy) as the emitter.

Heart and kidney organoids maintain organ-specific function in a microfluidic system.

Heart and kidney communicate with one another in an interdependent relationship and they influence each other's behavior reciprocally, as pathological changes in one organ can damage the other. Although independent human models for heart and kidney exist, they do not capture their dynamic crosstalk. We have developed a microfluidic system which can be used to study heart and kidney interaction .

Miniaturized engineered heart tissues from hiPSC-derived triple cell type co-cultures to study human cardiac function.

Human heart tissues grown as three-dimensional spheroids and consisting of different cardiac cell types derived from pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) recapitulate aspects of human physiology better than standard two-dimensional models in vitro. They typically consist of less than 5000 cells and are used to measure contraction kinetics although not contraction force. By contrast, engineered heart tissues (EHTs) formed around two flexible pillars, can measure contraction force but conventional EHTs often require between 0.

Vascularized hiPSC-derived 3D cardiac microtissue on chip.

Functional vasculature is essential for delivering nutrients, oxygen, and cells to the heart and removing waste products. Here, we developed an in vitro vascularized human cardiac microtissue (MT) model based on human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in a microfluidic organ-on-chip by coculturing hiPSC-derived, pre-vascularized, cardiac MTs with vascular cells within a fibrin hydrogel. We showed that vascular networks spontaneously formed in and around these MTs and were lumenized and interconnected through anastomosis.

Characterization and Optimization of Fluorescent Organosilica Colloids for 3D Confocal Microscopy Prepared Under "Zero-Flow" Conditions.

We optimize and characterize the preparation of 3-trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate (TPM) colloidal suspensions for three-dimensional confocal microscopy. We revisit a simple synthesis of TPM microspheres by nucleation of droplets from prehydrolyzed TPM oil in a "zero-flow" regime and demonstrate how precise and reproducible control of particle size may be achieved via single-step nucleation with a focus on how the reagents are mixed. We also revamp the conventional dyeing method for TPM particles to achieve uniform transfer of a fluorophore to the organosilica droplets, improving particle identification.

Cryogenic storage increases the longevity of butternut (Juglans cinerea, L.) seed embryogenic axes.

Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.), a species listed as endangered, is currently undergoing rapid decline due to habitat loss and the introduction of Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum, a non-native pathogen causing butternut canker. The decline of butternut has led to the development of cryobiological methods for the ex-situ conservation of the species since viability is not maintained using conventional methods.

Risk factors for knee osteoarthritis after traumatic knee injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and cohort studies for the OPTIKNEE Consensus.

Objective: To identify and quantify potential risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA) following traumatic knee injury.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analyses that estimated the odds of OA for individual risk factors assessed in more than four studies using random-effects models. Remaining risk factors underwent semiquantitative synthesis.

On-chip analysis of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Recent advances in microfluidic engineering allow the creation of microenvironments in which human cells can be cultured under (patho-)physiological conditions with greater reality than standard plastic tissue culture plates. Microfluidic devices, also called Organs-on-Chip (OoC), allow complex engineering of the cellular compartment, yielding designs in which microfluidic flow can be precisely controlled. However, it is important that cellular physiology is not only controlled but can also be monitored in these devices.

OPTIKNEE 2022: consensus recommendations to optimise knee health after traumatic knee injury to prevent osteoarthritis.

The goal of the OPTIKNEE consensus is to improve knee and overall health, to prevent osteoarthritis (OA) after a traumatic knee injury. The consensus followed a seven-step hybrid process. Expert groups conducted 7 systematic reviews to synthesise the current evidence and inform recommendations on the burden of knee injuries; risk factors for post-traumatic knee OA; rehabilitation to prevent post-traumatic knee OA; and patient-reported outcomes, muscle function and functional performance tests to monitor people at risk of post-traumatic knee OA.

STRAIGHT-IN enables high-throughput targeting of large DNA payloads in human pluripotent stem cells.

Inserting large DNA payloads (>10 kb) into specific genomic sites of mammalian cells remains challenging. Applications ranging from synthetic biology to evaluating the pathogenicity of disease-associated variants for precision medicine initiatives would greatly benefit from tools that facilitate this process. Here, we merge the strengths of different classes of site-specific recombinases and combine these with CRISPR-Cas9-mediated homologous recombination to develop a strategy for stringent site-specific replacement of genomic fragments at least 50 kb in size in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).

Software Tool for Automatic Quantification of Sarcomere Length and Organization in Fixed and Live 2D and 3D Muscle Cell Cultures In Vitro.

Sarcomeres are the structural units of the contractile apparatus in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells. Changes in sarcomere characteristics are indicative of changes in the sarcomeric proteins and function during development and disease. Assessment of sarcomere length, alignment, and organization provides insight into disease and drug responses in striated muscle cells and models, ranging from cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells to adult muscle cells isolated from animals or humans.

Bio-Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from and Their Potent Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities.

Nanotechnology is an emerging area of research that deals with the production, manipulation, and application of nanoscale materials. Bio-assisted synthesis is of particular interest nowadays, to overcome the limitations associated with the physical and chemical means. The aim of this study was to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) for the first time, utilizing the seed extract of The synthesized NPs were confirmed through various spectroscopy and imagining techniques, such as XRD, FTIR, HPLC, and SEM.

Toward Human Models of Cardiorenal Syndrome .

Heart and kidney diseases cause high morbidity and mortality. Heart and kidneys have vital functions in the human body and, interestingly, reciprocally influence each other's behavior: pathological changes in one organ can damage the other. Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is a group of disorders in which there is combined dysfunction of both heart and kidney, but its underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood.

Optogenetic Reporters Delivered as mRNA Facilitate Repeatable Action Potential and Calcium Handling Assessment in Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes.

Electrical activity and intracellular Ca2+ transients are key features of cardiomyocytes. They can be measured using organic voltage- and Ca2+-sensitive dyes but their photostability and phototoxicity mean they are unsuitable for long-term measurements. Here, we investigated whether genetically encoded voltage and Ca2+ indicators (GEVIs and GECIs) delivered as modified mRNA (modRNA) into human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) would be accurate alternatives allowing measurements over long periods.

Decision making in treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis: a survey study in Dutch heart centres.

Aim: To provide insight into the basic characteristics of decision making in the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (SSAS) in Dutch heart centres with specific emphasis on the evaluation of frailty, cognition, nutritional status and physical functioning/functionality in (instrumental) activities of daily living [(I)ADL].

Methods: A questionnaire was used that is based on the European and American guidelines for SSAS treatment. The survey was administered to physicians and non-physicians in Dutch heart centres involved in the decision-making pathway for SSAS treatment.

In-depth assessment of health-related quality of life after in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Introduction: Evidence on physical and psychological well-being of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survivors is scarce. The aim of this study is to describe long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL), functional independence and psychological distress 3 and 12 months post-IHCA.

Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study in 25 hospitals between January 2017 - May 2018.

Facilitating implementation of organs-on-chips by open platform technology.

Organ-on-chip (OoC) and multi-organs-on-chip (MOoC) systems have the potential to play an important role in drug discovery, disease modeling, and personalized medicine. However, most devices developed in academic labs remain at a proof-of-concept level and do not yet offer the ease-of-use, manufacturability, and throughput that are needed for widespread application. Commercially available OoC are easier to use but often lack the level of complexity of the latest devices in academia.

Copper oxide (CuO) and manganese oxide (MnO) nanoparticles induced biomass accumulation, antioxidants biosynthesis and abiotic elicitation of bioactive compounds in callus cultures of (Thai basil).

Nano-elicitation is one among the prioritised strategies considered globally for sustainable and uniform production of industrially important medicinal compounds. (Thai basil), a renowned medicinal species is a reservoir of commercially vital metabolites and proved for its health assuring effects in cancer, diabetes, microbial and cardiovascular diseases. However, its consumption and industrial demand raised intent to divert towards better alternates for ensuring sustainable production of medicinal compounds.

Orthobiologics and hyaluronic acid usage in the Netherlands: an electronic survey of 265 orthopaedic surgeons and sports physicians.

Purpose: "Biologic therapies" in the field of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine, so called orthobiologics, have been gaining significant interest from physicians and patients, with increasing usage over the recent years. The aim of this study is to (1) evaluate the usage of orthobiologics in the Netherlands, (2) to clarify the reasons for the use or non-use of orthobiologics, and (3) the most addressed disease for use of orthobiologics.

Methods: The authors created a 19-quenstion online survey comprised of both closed-ended and open-ended response questions in order to examine the use of and the indication for orthobiologics.