Bioactive Hydrogel Marbles

Liquid marbles represented a signifcant advance in the manipulation of fuids as they used particle flms to confne liquid drops, creating a robust and durable soft solid. We exploit this technology to engineering a bioactive hydrogel marble (BHM). Specifcally, pristine bioactive glass nanoparticles were chemically tuned to produce biocompatible hydrophobic bioactive glass nanoparticles (H-BGNPs) that shielded a gelatin-based bead. The designed BHM shell promoted the growth of a bone-like apatite layer upon immersion in a physiological environment. The fabrication process allowed the efcient incorporation of drugs and cells into the engineered structure. The BHM provided a simultaneously controlled release of distinct encapsulated therapeutic model molecules. Moreover, the BHM sustained cell encapsulation in a 3D environment as demonstrated by an excellent in vitro stability and cytocompatibility. The engineered structures also showed potential to regulate a pre-osteoblastic cell line into osteogenic commitment. Overall, these hierarchical nanostructured and functional marbles revealed a high potential for future applications in bone tissue engineering.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology − FCT (Grant Nos SFRH/BD/73174/2010 and SFRH/BD/73172/2010, respectively), from the program POPH/FSE from QREN. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the European Research Council grant agreement ERC-2014-ADG-669858 for project ATLASinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Novel insights into the genomic basis of citrus canker based on the genome sequences of two strains of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii

Background: Citrus canker is a disease that has severe economic impact on the citrus industry worldwide. There are three types of canker, called A, B, and C. The three types have different phenotypes and affect different citrus species. The causative agent for type A is Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, whose genome sequence was made available in 2002. Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain B causes canker B and Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain C causes canker C. Results: We have sequenced the genomes of strains B and C to draft status. We have compared their genomic content to X. citri subsp. citri and to other Xanthomonas genomes, with special emphasis on type III secreted effector repertoires. In addition to pthA, already known to be present in all three citrus canker strains, two additional effector genes, xopE3 and xopAI, are also present in all three strains and are both located on the same putative genomic island. These two effector genes, along with one other effector-like gene in the same region, are thus good candidates for being pathogenicity factors on citrus. Numerous gene content differences also exist between the three cankers strains, which can be correlated with their different virulence and host range. Particular attention was placed on the analysis of genes involved in biofilm formation and quorum sensing, type IV secretion, flagellum synthesis and motility, lipopolysacharide synthesis, and on the gene xacPNP, which codes for a natriuretic protein. Conclusion: We have uncovered numerous commonalities and differences in gene content between the genomes of the pathogenic agents causing citrus canker A, B, and C and other Xanthomonas genomes. Molecular genetics can now be employed to determine the role of these genes in plant-microbe interactions. The gained knowledge will be instrumental for improving citrus canker control.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientIfico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Coordenacao para Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (CAPES)Fundo de Defesa da Citricultura (FUNDECITRUS

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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