Pathways towards Legal Migration into the EU: Reappraising concepts, trajectories and policies. CEPS Paperback, September 2017

On 27 January 2017, the Justice and Home Affairs Section of CEPS and the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) of the European Commission co-organised a policy workshop in Brussels entitled “Reappraising the EU legal migration acquis: Legal pathways for a new model of economic migration, and the role of social science research”. The event brought together leading academics, practitioners and European Commission representatives to assess and discuss the state of play in the (internal and external) EU legal migration acquis, and its role in developing legal pathways towards economic migration. Held under the Chatham House Rule, the policy workshop’s roundtable discussions allowed participants to identify and address some of the key challenges, inconsistencies and gaps in the standing EU policies and legislation in the area of legal and economic migration. Scholars involved in EU and nationally funded, collaborative research projects on social science and humanities (SSH) had the opportunity to exchange interdisciplinary knowledge with European Commission officials representing the different services working on legal migration policies. The role and potential of independent academic research in the framework of EU migration policymaking were also discussed. The full programme of the policy workshop is reproduced in the annex of this book

Histidine-Rich Glycoprotein Protects from Systemic Candida Infection

Fungi, such as Candida spp., are commonly found on the skin and at mucosal surfaces. Yet, they rarely cause invasive infections in immunocompetent individuals, an observation reflecting the ability of our innate immune system to control potentially invasive microbes found at biological boundaries. Antimicrobial proteins and peptides are becoming increasingly recognized as important effectors of innate immunity. This is illustrated further by the present investigation, demonstrating a novel antifungal role of histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), an abundant and multimodular plasma protein. HRG bound to Candida cells, and induced breaks in the cell walls of the organisms. Correspondingly, HRG preferentially lysed ergosterol-containing liposomes but not cholesterol-containing ones, indicating a specificity for fungal versus other types of eukaryotic membranes. Both antifungal and membrane-rupturing activities of HRG were enhanced at low pH, and mapped to the histidine-rich region of the protein. Ex vivo, HRG-containing plasma as well as fibrin clots exerted antifungal effects. In vivo, Hrg−/− mice were susceptible to infection by C. albicans, in contrast to wild-type mice, which were highly resistant to infection. The results demonstrate a key and previously unknown antifungal role of HRG in innate immunity

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Trends in in ovo sexing technologies: insights and interpretation from papers and patents

Abstract Numerous researchers and institutions have been developing in ovo sexing technologies to improve animal welfare by identifying male embryos in an early embryonic stage and disposing of them before pain perception. This review gives a complete overview of the technological approaches reported in papers and patents by performing a thorough search using Web of Science and Patstat/Espacenet databases for papers and patents, respectively. Based on a total of 49 papers and 115 patent families reported until May 2023 worldwide, 11 technology categories were defined: 6 non-optical and 5 optical techniques. Every category was described for its characteristics while assessing its potential for application. Next, the dynamics of the publications of in ovo sexing techniques in both paper and patent fields were described through growth curves, and the interest or actual status was visualized using the number of paper citations and the actual legal status of the patents. When comparing the reported technologies in papers to those in patents, scientific gaps were observed, as some of the patented technologies were not reported in the scientific literature, e.g., ion mobility and mass spectrometry approaches. Generally, more diverse approaches in all categories were found in patents, although they do require more scientific evidence through papers or industrial adoption to prove their robustness. Moreover, although there is a recent trend for non-invasive techniques, invasive methods like analyzing DNA through PCR or hormones through immunosensing are still being reported (and might continue to be) in papers and patents. It was also observed that none of the technologies complies with all the industry requirements, although 5 companies already entered the market. On the one hand, more research and harmony between consumers, industry, and governments is necessary. On the other hand, close monitoring of the market performance of the currently available techniques will offer valuable insights into the potential and expectations of in ovo sexing techniques in the poultry industry

Non-Invasive Assessment of Chicken Egg Fertility during Incubation using HSSE-GC-MS VOC Profiling

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) carry crucial information on chicken egg fertility. Assessing fertility before incubation holds immense potential for poultry industry efficiency. Our study used headspace sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze egg VOCs before and during the initial 12 incubation days. A total of 162 VOCs were identified. Hexanal was significantly higher in unfertilized eggs, whereas compounds such as propan-2-ol, propan-2-one, and carboxylic acids were higher in fertilized eggs. Furthermore, the obtained multiple logistic regression model outperformed the PLS-DA model, demonstrating lower complexity and superior performance. Fertile eggs were accurately identified in the validation set in 68% to 75% of the cases during the initial 4 days, to 85% and 100% on days 6 and 8. Finally, hierarchical cluster analysis revealed novel insights into the emission dynamics of fertilized eggs, providing additional support for comprehending biological information encoded in VOCs and their connection to biochemical processes in developing embryos

Non-destructive egg breed separation using advanced VOC analytical techniques HSSE-GC-MS, PTR-TOF-MS, and SIFT-MS: assessment of performance and systems’ complementarity

Over the past decade, advanced analytical techniques have been utilized to examine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in eggs. These VOCs offer valuable insights into factors such as freshness, fertility, the presence of cracks, embryo sex, and breed. In our study, we assessed three mass spectrometry-based systems (headspace sorptive extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; HSSE-GC-MS, proton transfer reaction time-of-flight-mass spectrometry; PTR-TOF-MS; and selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry; SIFT-MS) to analyze and identify VOCs present in intact hatching eggs from three distinct breeds (Dekalb white layer, Shaver brown layer, and Ross 308 broiler). The eggs were sampled on incubation days 2 and 8, to identify VOCs that distinguish breeds irrespective of incubation day. VOC measurements were conducted on 15 eggs per breed by placing them together with PDMS-coated stir bars inside inert Teflon® air sampling bags. After an accumulation period of 2 hours, the headspace was analyzed using PTR-TOF-MS and SIFT-MS, while the VOCs adsorbed onto the stir bars were analyzed using GC-MS for additional compound identification. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were constructed for breed differentiation, and variable selection was performed. As a result, 111 VOCs were identified using HSSE-GC-MS, with alcohols and esters being the most abundant. The PLS-DA models demonstrated the efficacy of breed discrimination, with the HSSE-GC-MS and the PTR-TOF-MS exhibiting the highest balanced accuracy of 95.5% using a reduced set of 11 VOCs and 5 product ion masses, respectively. The SIFT-MS model had a balanced accuracy of 92.8% with a reduced set of 11 product ion masses. Furthermore, complementarity was observed between HSSE-GC-MS, which primarily selected higher molecular weight VOCs, and PTR-TOF-MS and SIFT-MS. A higher correlation was found for compound abundances between the HSSE-GC-MS and the PTR-TOF-MS relative to the SIFT-MS, indicating that the PTR-TOF-MS was better suited to quantify specific compounds identified by the HSSE-GC-MS. Finally, the findings support the presence of VOCs originating from both synthetic and natural sources, highlighting the ability of the VOC analysis systems to non-destructively perform quality control and reveal differences in management practices or biological information encoded in eggs

Non-destructive egg breed separation using advanced VOC analytical techniques HSSE-GC-MS, PTR-TOF-MS, and SIFT-MS : assessment of performance and systems' complementarity

Abstract: Over the past decade, advanced analytical techniques have been utilized to examine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in eggs. These VOCs offer valuable insights into factors such as freshness, fertility, the presence of cracks, embryo sex, and breed. In our study, we assessed three mass spectrometry-based systems (headspace sorptive extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; HSSE-GC-MS, proton transfer reaction time-of-flight-mass spectrometry; PTR-TOF-MS; and selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry; SIFT-MS) to analyze and identify VOCs present in intact hatching eggs from three distinct breeds (Dekalb white layer, Shaver brown layer, and Ross 308 broiler). The eggs were sampled on incubation days 2 and 8, to identify VOCs that distinguish breeds irrespective of incubation day. VOC measurements were conducted on 15 eggs per breed by placing them together with PDMS-coated stir bars inside inert Teflon (R) air sampling bags. After an accumulation period of 2 h, the headspace was analyzed using PTR-TOF-MS and SIFT-MS, while the VOCs adsorbed onto the stir bars were analyzed using GC-MS for additional compound identification. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were constructed for breed differentiation, and variable selection was performed. As a result, 111 VOCs were identified using HSSE-GC-MS, with alcohols and esters being the most abundant. The PLS-DA models demonstrated the efficacy of breed discrimination, with the HSSE-GC-MS and the PTR-TOF-MS exhibiting the highest balanced accuracy of 95.5 % using a reduced set of 11 VOCs and 5 product ions, respectively. The SIFT-MS model had a balanced accuracy of 92.8 % with a reduced set of 11 product ions. Furthermore, comple-mentarity was observed between HSSE-GC-MS, which primarily selected higher molecular weight VOCs, and PTR-TOF-MS and SIFT-MS. A higher correlation was found for compound abundances between the HSSE-GC-MS and the PTR-TOF-MS relative to the SIFT-MS, indicating that the PTR-TOF-MS was better suited to quantify specific compounds identified by the HSSE-GC-MS. Finally, the findings support the presence of VOCs originating from both synthetic and natural sources, highlighting the ability of the VOC analysis systems to non-destructively perform quality control and reveal differences in management practices or biological information encoded in eggs

In Ovo Sexing of Chickens through VOCs: Assessment of System, Setup, and Day-to-Day Performance using HSSE-GC-MS, PTR-TOF-MS, and SIFT-MS

In ovo sexing involves identifying chicken embryo sex before or during incubation to avoid euthanizing male chicks after hatching, enhancing animal welfare in the laying hen industry. Recently, researchers demonstrated the potential for non-invasive and early in ovo sexing through the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by eggs. However, a knowledge gap persists in comprehending the robustness of prediction models, the efficacy of faster acquisition techniques, and the day-to-day performance variations. In our study, we performed two experiments to fill these gaps. In Experiment 1, passive VOC extractions were performed on 110 eggs on incubation day 10 using sampling bags employing headspace sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HSSE-GC-MS), proton transfer reaction-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS), and selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). Prediction models were built using partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and variable selection methods. As a result, prediction accuracies ranged from 57.6 % to 61.4 %, indicating no significant difference between the devices and highlighting the need for further optimizations. In Experiment 2, passive VOC samplings were performed on 42 eggs in glass jars during the initial 12 days of incubation using HSSE-GC-MS. Consequently, the optimized setup yielded higher accuracies ranging from 63.1 % to 71.4 %, revealing VOCs consistently elevated in relative abundance for a specific sex, and overall VOC abundance was higher in male embryos. Suggestions for future experiments to increase the accuracy of VOC in ovo sexing include active sampling with inert materials, expanding sample sets, and targeting consistent compounds

Increasing the robustness of SIFT-MS volatilome fingerprinting by introducing notional analyte concentrations

Selected-ion-flow-tube-mass-spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is an analytical technique for volatile detection and quantification. SIFT-MS can be applied in a ‘white box’ approach, measuring concentrations of target compounds, or as a ‘black box’ fingerprinting technique, scanning all product ions during a full scan. Combining SIFT-MS full scan data acquired from multi-batches or large-scale experiments remains problematic due to signal fluctuation over time. The standard approach of normalizing full scan data to total signal intensity was insufficient. This study proposes a new approach to correct SIFT-MS fingerprinting data. In this concept, all the product ions from a full scan are considered individual compounds for which notional concentrations can be calculated. Converting ion count rates into notional analyte concentrations accounts for any changes in instrument parameters. The benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated on three years of data from both multi-batches and long-term experiments showing a significant reduction of system-induced fluctuations providing a better focus on the changes of interest

Noninvasive Assessment of Chicken Egg Fertility during Incubation Using HSSE–GC–MS VOC Profiling

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) carry crucial information about chicken egg fertility. Assessing the fertility before incubation holds immense potential for poultry industry efficiency. Our study used headspace sorptive extraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to analyze egg VOCs before and during the initial 12 incubation days. A total of 162 VOCs were identified. Hexanal was significantly higher in unfertilized eggs, whereas compounds such as propan-2-ol, propan-2-one, and carboxylic acids were higher in fertilized eggs. Furthermore, the obtained multiple logistic regression model outperformed the partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model, demonstrating lower complexity and superior performance. Fertile eggs were accurately identified in the validation set in 68–75% of the cases during the initial 4 days, to 85 and 100% on days 6 and 8. Finally, hierarchical cluster analysis in fertilized eggs revealed the clustering of VOCs of the same chemical class, indicative of their shared biochemical origin. This suggests a promising direction for future research aimed at understanding the biological information embedded in VOCs and their relationship to biochemical processes during embryo development