Optimisation of an human cardiovascular model on-a-chip for toxicological assessment of nicotine delivery products.

Background: Smoking cigarettes is a cause of serious diseases in smokers, including cardiovascular disease. Through a pathway of endothelial dysfunction, lipid infiltration, macrophage recruitment and vascular remodeling, atherosclerosis is fundamental in the development of most cardiovascular diseases. There is an increasing number of next-generation products (NGP) which provide potentially reduced harm forms of nicotine delivery to adult smokers.

Use of quantitative to extrapolation (QIVIVE) for the assessment of non-combustible next-generation product aerosols.

With the use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) for the assessment of non-combustible next-generation nicotine delivery products, new extrapolation methods will also be required to interpret and contextualize the physiological relevance of these results. Quantitative to extrapolation (QIVIVE) can translate concentrations into in-life exposures with physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling and provide estimates of the likelihood of harmful effects from expected exposures. A major challenge for evaluating inhalation toxicology is an accurate assessment of the delivered dose to the surface of the cells and the internalized dose.

Twenty-eight day repeated exposure of human 3D bronchial epithelial model to heated tobacco aerosols indicates decreased toxicological responses compared to cigarette smoke.

Tobacco harm reduction (THR) involves providing adult smokers with potentially reduced harm modes of nicotine delivery as alternatives to smoking combustible cigarettes. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) form a category with THR potential due to their ability to deliver nicotine and flavours through heating, not burning, tobacco. By eliminating burning, heated tobacco does not produce smoke but an aerosol which contains fewer and lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarette smoke.

Characterisation of a smoke/ aerosol exposure in vitro system (SAEIVS) for delivery of complex mixtures directly to cells at the air-liquid interface.

In vitro testing is important to characterise biological effects of consumer products, including nicotine delivery products such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Users' cells are exposed to these products' aerosols, of variant chemical compositions, as they move along the respiratory tract. In vitro exposure systems are available to model such exposures, including delivery of whole aerosols to cells, and at the air-liquid interface.

Unraveling metabolic patterns and molecular mechanisms underlying storability in sugar beet.

Background: Sugar beet is an important crop for sugar production. Sugar beet roots are stored up to several weeks post-harvest waiting for processing in the sugar factories. During this time, sucrose loss and invert sugar accumulation decreases the final yield and processing quality.

Correction to: Integrative transcriptomics reveals genotypic impact on sugar beet storability.

In the above mentioned publication, part of Fig. 6B was distorted (extra diagonal lines appeared). The original article has been corrected and the proper version of Fig.

Integrative transcriptomics reveals genotypic impact on sugar beet storability.

An integrative comparative transcriptomic approach on six sugar beet varieties showing different amount of sucrose loss during storage revealed genotype-specific main driver genes and pathways characterizing storability. Sugar beet is next to sugar cane one of the most important sugar crops accounting for about 15% of the sucrose produced worldwide. Since its processing is increasingly centralized, storage of beet roots over an extended time has become necessary.

Effector gene based DGGE fingerprinting to assess variation within and among populations.

Populations of beet cyst nematodes vary in aggressiveness and virulence toward sugar beet varieties, but also in traits like host range, or decline rate in the field. Diversity of their essential pathogenicity gene is shaped by diversifying selection and gene flow. The authors developed a technique to study inter-population variation and intra-population diversity and dynamics of based on the gene .