Advanced materials comprising multiple metal alloys have made their way into the market. Trimetal-based nanomaterials (TNMs) are an example of advanced materials which have gained significant... Show moreAdvanced materials comprising multiple metal alloys have made their way into the market. Trimetal-based nanomaterials (TNMs) are an example of advanced materials which have gained significant traction and are now employed in a wide array of products. It is essential to raise the question if the toxicity of advanced nanomaterials like TNMs differs from the joint effects as manifested by exposure to the single component nanoparticles (NPs). To answer this question, a trimetal-based nanomaterial: bismuth cobalt zinc oxide (BiCoZnO) was tested. This TNM had a mass ratio of 90 % ZnO NPs, 7 % Bi2O3 NPs and 3 % Co3O4 NPs. Nanoparticle-exposed lettuce seedlings (Lactuca sativa L.) showed decreases in relative root elongation (RRE) and biomass production after 21 days of exposure. The 50 % of maximal effective concentration (EC50) value of the TNMs for biomass production was 1.2 mg L− 1 when the exposure period was 240 h. This is of the same magnitude as the EC50 values found for ZnO NPs (EC50 = 1.5 mg L− 1 ) and for the mixture of components NPs (MCNPs) which jointly form the TNMs (EC50 = 3.7 mg L− 1 ) after 10 d of exposure. The inhibition of plant root elongation by the TNMs was partially (65 %) attributed to the release of Zn ions, with the actual concentration of released Zn ions being lower in TNMs compared to the actual concentration of Zn ions in case of ZnO NPs. It is therefore to be concluded that the concentration of Zn ions cannot be used as a direct measure to compare the toxicity between traditional and advanced Zn-related nanomaterials. The EC50 values could be assessed within a factor of two; which is helpful when developing advanced alloy nanomaterials and assessing prospective the effects of trimetal-based nanomaterials. Show less
Witte, J.A.; Birnie, E.; Braunstahl, G.J.; Akker, E. van den; Litsenburg, W.J.M. van; Chavannes, N.H.; ... ; In't Veen, J.C.C.M. 2023
ObjectiveTo evaluate the implementation of a guideline-based, integrated, standardised, personal approach in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Asthma in a real-life... Show moreObjectiveTo evaluate the implementation of a guideline-based, integrated, standardised, personal approach in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Asthma in a real-life situation.MethodsPatients at the outpatient clinic of the department of pulmonary disease were included in a controlled cohort study, comparing the use of diagnostic items and ‘Personalised care plans' (PCPs) in patients with obstructive lung disease before (2013) and after (2015) implementation of a personalised diagnostic pathway. Results were compared with reference data (2016) from two control hospitals that used the same guidelines but did not implement this pathway.Results100 patients were selected for all three cohorts. After implementing the diagnostic pathway in 2015, 35 % of patients visited attended all pre-planned appointments, whereas 65 % of patients did not: they were diagnosed using usual care. Factors contributing to patients not attending the diagnostic care pathway were: the logistical complexity and intensity of the 2-day pathway, patients willingness to participate in a personalised pathway, and low social economic status or low literacy. After the implementation of the pathway, a significant improvement was seen in the number of PCPs (P < 0.001) and the number of diagnostic items registered recorded in the patients' electronic medical records (P < 0.001).ConclusionImplementing a standardised diagnostic pathway in a real-life population significantly improved the number of personalised care plans, demonstrating that the implementation of holistic care planning is feasible in this population. Nevertheless, the pathway needs further improvements to maximize the number of patients benefitting from it, including logistical streamlining, removing unnecessary diagnostic tools, and increasing the focus on low literacy. Additionally, we found that implementing existing guidelines in a real life context is complex. Therefore, it is required to prioritize the translation of current guidelines into every-day practice, before expanding existing guidelines and protocols. Show less
Ermolayeva, A.; Birukou, A.; Matyushenko, S.; Kochetkov, D. 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing field of research that attracts significant funding from both the state and industry players. Such interest is driven by a wide range of AI... Show moreArtificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing field of research that attracts significant funding from both the state and industry players. Such interest is driven by a wide range of AI technology applications in many fields. Since many AI research topics relate to computer science, where a significant share of research results are published in conference proceedings, the same applies to AI. The world leaders in artificial intelligence research are China and the United States. The authors conducted a comparative analysis of the bibliometric indicators of AI conference papers from these two countries based on Scopus data. The analysis aimed to identify conferences that receive above-average citation rates and suggest publication strategies for authors from these countries to participate in conferences that are likely to provide better dissemination of their research results. The results showed that, although Chinese researchers publish more AI papers than those from the United States, US conference papers are cited more frequently. The authors also conducted a correlation analysis of the MNCS index, which revealed no high correlation between MNCS USA vs. MNCS China, MNCS China/MNCS USA vs. MSAR, and MNCS China/MNCS USA vs. CORE ranking indicators. Show less
Sammut, F.; Suda, D.; Caruana, M.A.; Bogolyubova, O. 2023
This study was conducted to determine the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination attitudes across multiple waves in seven countries geographically spread across the European continent, using data from... Show moreThis study was conducted to determine the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination attitudes across multiple waves in seven countries geographically spread across the European continent, using data from a COVID-19 survey provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology COVID-19. Facebook users from across the globe participated in this survey which collected information on their knowledge of COVID-19, attitudes towards risk and available information, and their willingness or lack thereof to take the vaccine. In this secondary data analysis study, neural networks were used with special attention given to the importance of the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination attitudes. Perception of social norms regarding COVID-19 vaccination was found to be the most important predictor of vaccine acceptance. Country of residence and wave of data collection were among the important predictors, with different patterns for each country emerging across different waves. Other strong predictors included attitudes towards masks and mask wearing; attitudes towards the influenza vaccine; distrust in government health authorities and scientists; and level of knowledge of existing treatments for COVID-19. The results of this study can inform effective public health prevention and intervention efforts against infectious diseases. Show less
Replication stress, caused by Rev1 deficiency, is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic stress. However, the overall metabolic alterations and possible interventions to rescue... Show moreReplication stress, caused by Rev1 deficiency, is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic stress. However, the overall metabolic alterations and possible interventions to rescue the deficits due to Rev1 loss remain unclear. Here, we report that loss of Rev1 leads to intense changes in metabolites and that this can be manipulated by NAD + supplementation. Autophagy decreases in Rev1-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and can be restored by supplementing the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR). The abnormal mitochondrial morphology in Rev1-/-MEFs can be partially reversed by NR supplementation, which also protects the mito-chondrial cristae from rotenone-induced degeneration. In nematodes rev-1 deficiency causes sensitivity to oxidative stress but this cannot be rescued by NR supplementation. In conclusion, Rev1 deficiency leads to metabolic dysregulation of especially lipid and nucleotide metabolism, impaired autophagy, and mitochondrial anomalies, and all of these phenotypes can be improved by NR replenishment in MEFs. Show less
In this systematic review, the antimicrobial effect of ion-substituted calcium phosphate biomaterials was quantitatively assessed.The literature was systematically searched up to the 6th of... Show moreIn this systematic review, the antimicrobial effect of ion-substituted calcium phosphate biomaterials was quantitatively assessed.The literature was systematically searched up to the 6th of December 2021. Study selection and data extraction was performed in duplo by two independent reviewers with a modified version of the OHAT tool for risk of bias assessment. Any differences were resolved by consensus or by a referee. A mixed effects model was used to investigate the relation between the degree of ionic substitution and bacterial reduction.Of 1016 identified studies, 108 were included in the analysis. The methodological quality of included studies ranged from 6 to 16 out of 18 (average 11.4). Selenite, copper, zinc, rubidium, gadolinium, silver and samarium had a clear antimicrobial effect, with a log reduction in bacteria count of 0.23, 1.8, 2.1, 3.6, 5.8, 7.4 and 10 per atomic% of substitution, respectively. There was considerable between-study variation, which could partially be explained by differences in material formulation, study quality and microbial strain. Future research should focus on clinically relevant scenarios in vitro and the translation to in vivo prevention of PJI. Show less
Gart, E.; Duyvenvoorde, W. van; Snabel, J.M.; Ruiter, C. de; Attema, J.; Caspers, M.P.M.; ... ; Morrison, M.C. 2023
BackgroundNAFLD progression, from steatosis to inflammation and fibrosis, results from an interplay of intra- and extrahepatic mechanisms. Disease drivers likely include signals from white adipose... Show moreBackgroundNAFLD progression, from steatosis to inflammation and fibrosis, results from an interplay of intra- and extrahepatic mechanisms. Disease drivers likely include signals from white adipose tissue (WAT) and gut. However, the temporal dynamics of disease development remain poorly understood.MethodsHigh-fat-diet (HFD)-fed Ldlr−/−.Leiden mice were compared to chow-fed controls. At t = 0, 8, 16, 28 and 38w mice were euthanized, and liver, WAT depots and gut were analyzed biochemically, histologically and by lipidomics and transcriptomics together with circulating factors to investigate the sequence of pathogenic events and organ cross-talk during NAFLD development.ResultsHFD-induced obesity was associated with an increase in visceral fat, plasma lipids and hyperinsulinemia at t = 8w, along with increased liver steatosis and circulating liver damage biomarkers. In parallel, upstream regulator analysis predicted that lipid catabolism regulators were deactivated and lipid synthesis regulators were activated. Subsequently, hepatocyte hypertrophy, oxidative stress and hepatic inflammation developed. Hepatic collagen accumulated from t = 16 w and became pronounced at t = 28–38 w. Epididymal WAT was maximally hypertrophic from t = 8 w, which coincided with inflammation development. Mesenteric and subcutaneous WAT hypertrophy developed slower and did not appear to reach a maximum, with minimal inflammation. In gut, HFD significantly increased permeability, induced a shift in microbiota composition from t = 8 w and changed circulating gut-derived metabolites.ConclusionHFD-fed Ldlr−/−.Leiden mice develop obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, essentially as observed in obese NAFLD patients, underlining their translational value. We demonstrate that marked epididymal-WAT inflammation, and gut permeability and dysbiosis precede the development of NAFLD stressing the importance of a multiple-organ approach in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Show less
Lorents. A.L.; Ruitenberg, M.F.L.; Schomaker, J. 2023
Novel information potentially signals danger or reward and behavioral and psychophysiological studies have suggested that the brain prioritizes its processing. Some effects of novelty even go... Show moreNovel information potentially signals danger or reward and behavioral and psychophysiological studies have suggested that the brain prioritizes its processing. Some effects of novelty even go beyond the stimulus itself. Studies in animals have robustly shown that exposure to novel stimulation can promote memory for information presented before or after this exposure. Research regarding effects of novelty on memory in humans is lagging, but in the last few years, several studies have emerged that suggest that memory-facilitating effects of novelty also exist in humans. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of these studies. We identified several factors that have been shown to influence whether novelty promotes memory or not, including the timing between the novel experience and the learning events, the involvement with the novel material, and population characteristics (such as clinical diagnosis or age). Finally, we link the behavioral findings to potential neurobiological mechanisms and discuss the relevance of specific findings in light of potential clinical and educational applications that could leverage novelty to improve memory. Show less
