M_LK 2.0: Leveraging Digital Technologies for Planternative Ecosystems

The agri-food industry is one of the largest contributors to our climate crisis by emitting one third of the world’s greenhouse gases. However, the industry also brings great potential to reverse climate change. For example, a plant-based diet might be the single most efficient action to combat climate change. This paper explores the plant-based dairy industry and the utilization of digital technologies. We analyze how the plant-based industry is leveraging digital technologies to revolutionize traditional market configurations. The findings show that digital technologies enable systemic change and facilitate the emergence of digital ecosystems. In particular, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can be seen as a digital disruptor. For example, in the plant based dairy industry, AI calculates combinations for plant-based products that mimic the flavor and texture of animal products

Altered m6A RNA methylation contributes to hippocampal memory deficits in Huntington's disease mice.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulates many aspects of RNA metabolism and is involved in learning and memory processes. Yet, the impact of a dysregulation of post-transcriptional m6A editing on synaptic impairments in neurodegenerative disorders remains unknown. Here we investigated the m6A methylation pattern in the hippocampus of Huntington's disease (HD) mice and the potential role of the m6A RNA modification in HD cognitive symptomatology. m6A modifications were evaluated in HD mice subjected to a hippocampal cognitive training task through m6A immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and the relative levels of m6A-modifying proteins (FTO and METTL14) by subcellular fractionation and Western blot analysis. Stereotaxic CA1 hippocampal delivery of AAV-shFTO was performed to investigate the effect of RNA m6A dysregulation in HD memory deficits. Our results reveal a m6A hypermethylation in relevant HD and synaptic related genes in the hippocampal transcriptome of Hdh+/Q111 mice. Conversely, m6A is aberrantly regulated in an experience-dependent manner in the HD hippocampus leading to demethylation of important components of synapse organization. Notably, the levels of RNA demethylase (FTO) and methyltransferase (METTL14) were modulated after training in the hippocampus of WT mice but not in Hdh+/Q111 mice. Finally, inhibition of FTO expression in the hippocampal CA1 region restored memory disturbances in symptomatic Hdh+/Q111 mice. Altogether, our results suggest that a differential RNA methylation landscape contributes to HD cognitive symptoms and uncover a role of m6A as a novel hallmark of HD

A broadly cross-reactive monoclonal antibody against hepatitis E virus capsid antigen

To generate a hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 (HEV-3)–specific monoclonal antibody (mAb), the Escherichia coli–expressed carboxy-terminal part of its capsid protein was used to immunise BALB/c mice. The immunisation resulted in the induction of HEV-specific antibodies of high titre. The mAb G117-AA4 of IgG1 isotype was obtained showing a strong reactivity with the homologous E. coli, but also yeast-expressed capsid protein of HEV-3. The mAb strongly cross-reacted with ratHEV capsid protein derivatives produced in both expression systems and weaker with an E. coli–expressed batHEV capsid protein fragment. In addition, the mAb reacted with capsid protein derivatives of genotypes HEV-2 and HEV-4 and common vole hepatitis E virus (cvHEV), produced by the cell-free synthesis in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf21) cell lysates. Western blot and line blot reactivity of the mAb with capsid protein derivatives of HEV-1 to HEV-4, cvHEV, ratHEV and batHEV suggested a linear epitope. Use of truncated derivatives of ratHEV capsid protein in ELISA, Western blot, and a Pepscan analysis allowed to map the epitope within a partially surface-exposed region with the amino acid sequence LYTSV. The mAb was also shown to bind to human patient–derived HEV-3 from infected cell culture and to hare HEV-3 and camel HEV-7 capsid proteins from transfected cells by immunofluorescence assay. The novel mAb may serve as a useful tool for further investigations on the pathogenesis of HEV infections and might be used for diagnostic purposes. Key points • The antibody showed cross-reactivity with capsid proteins of different hepeviruses. • The linear epitope of the antibody was mapped in a partially surface-exposed region. • The antibody detected native HEV-3 antigen in infected mammalian cells

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Deep Learning Approach to Classify Parkinson’s Disease from MRI Samples

Perkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disorder that comes from a recognized clinical parkinsonian syndrome. The manifestations of Parkinson’s disease include both motor and nonmotor symptoms identified as tremor, bradykinesia (slowed movements), rigidity, and postural instability. PD is marked as one of the most prevalent disorders from various researches and surveys because it has been observed in 90% of people out of 100. It is imperative to design CAD to develop an advanced model for the determination of this disease with accuracy since up to date there is no accurate clinical intervention for the diagnosis of PD. In contrast to conventional methods. Deep learning convolutional neural network tools are implied for the faster and accurate identification of PD through MRI. The purpose of this research is to contribute to the development of an accurate PD detection method. To conduct the research a public dataset NTU (National Technical University of Athens) is used. The data samples are categorized into three sets (Training, Test, and Validation). A DenseNet integrated with LSTM is applied to the MRI data samples. DenseNet is used to strengthen the feature selection ability, as each layer selects features depending on the temporal closeness of the image. The output is then fed into the LSTM layer, for discovering the significant dependencies in temporal features. The performance of the proposed DenseNet-LSTM is compared to other CNN state-of-the-art models. The proposed model outputs a training accuracy of 93.75%, testing accuracy of 90%, and validation accuracy of 93.8% respectively. ISBN för värdpublikation:  978-3-030-86992-2; 978-3-030-86993-9</p

Dye Tool Box for a Fluorescence Enhancement Immunoassay

Immunochemical analytical methods are very successful in clinical diagnostics and are nowadays also emerging in the control of food as well as monitoring of environmental issues. Among the different immunoassays, luminescence based formats are characterized by their outstanding sensitivity making this format especially attractive for future applications. The need for multiparameter detection capabilities calls for a tool box of dye labels in order to transduce the biochemical reaction into an optically detectable signal. Here, in a multiparameter approach each analyte may be detected by a different dye with a unique emission color (covering the blue to red spectral range) or a unique luminescence decay kinetics. In the case of a competitive immunoassay format for each of the different dye labels an individual antibody would be needed. In the present paper a slightly modified approach is presented using a 7-aminocoumarin unit as the basic antigen against which highly specific antibodies were generated. Leaving the epitope region in the dyes unchanged but introducing a side group in positon 3 of the coumarin system allowed us to tune the optical properties of the coumarin dyes without the necessity of new antibody generation. Upon modification of the parent coumarin unit the full spectral range from blue to deep red was accessed. In the manuscript the photophysical characterization of the coumarin derivatives and their corresponding immunocomplexes with two highly specific antibodies is presented. The coumarin dyes and their immunocomplexes were characterized by steady-state and time-resolved absorption as well as emission spectroscopy. Moreover, fluorescence depolarization measurements were carried out to complement the data stressing the different binding modes of the two antibodies. The binding modes were evaluated using the photophysics of 7-aminocoumarins and how it was affected in the respective immunocomplexes, namely, the formation of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) as well as the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT). In contrast to other antibody–dye pairs reported a distinct fluorescence enhancement upon formation of the antibody–dye complex up to a factor of 50 was found. Because of the easy emission color tuning by tailoring the coumarin substitution for the antigen binding in nonrelevant position 3 of the parent molecule, a dye tool box is on hand which can be used in the construction of competitive multiparameter fluorescence enhancement immunoassays (FenIA)

Nog nu, politiker – ta klimatkrisen på allvar

1 944 svenska forskare och anställda i forskarvärlden: Vad är det ni inte förstår

Textiles

Ce numéro de Perspective, conçu en partenariat avec le Mobilier national et les Manufactures des Gobelins, de Beauvais et de la Savonnerie, est consacré aux textiles à différentes époques et en différents lieux de production et d’usage, comme à la notion de textilité : les avatars conceptuels, métaphoriques et matériels de l’ornement, du tissage ou encore de l’étoffe. Les articles offrent un éclairage sur les recherches récentes en archéologie, sur les textiles islamiques médiévaux, et en ce qui concerne l’architecture des XIXe et XXe siècles et le renouveau de la tapisserie à la même époque. Une Tribune, un Entretien et des débats sur la place du musée dans l’histoire du textile, la circulation des motifs et des savoir-faire à l’époque moderne ou encore la dimension textile de l’art conceptuel dans les années 1970, complètent ce numéro en phase avec le dynamisme et l’éclectisme de la recherche dans ce domaine si stimulant. Des notes plus brèves font état de recherches singulières sur les voiles ou les drapés… et, plus généralement, sur les textiles du Moyen Âge, les vêtements en Chine et au Pérou, ou encore les estampes habillées des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles européens. Ce numéro est en vente sur le site du Comptoir des presses d'universités. Comité de rédaction du volume Marc Bayard, Marion Boudon-Machuel, Catherine Breniquet, Pascale Charron, Rossella Froissart, Charlotte Guichard, Rémi Labrusse, Philippe Malgouyres, Sara Martinetti, Nicole Pellegrin, Katie Scott, Philippe Sénéchal, Merel van Tilburg, Tristan Weddige