Sensory textile-bacterial hybrids: textile-bacteria fusion to impart forest-associated scents

This research paper presents a study on the development of living textile-bacterial hybrids, focusing on the scent produced by Streptomyces violaceruber, a bacterial species, throughout its growth phase. The objective of this study was to observe scent profiles of S. violaceruber on two different fibres, cotton, and linen, and analyse the potential impact of fibre properties on scent profile, intensity, and duration. In doing so the research suggests potential opportunities to curate living scent through textiles and the generation of sensory textile-bacterial hybrids. Interdisciplinary methods were applied to compare changes in the volatile compounds present and identify fibres and fabrication processes most suitable to create a living textile. The paper reports on the development of textile samples that are infused with S. violaceruber and observed for their subjective scent as well as the volatile compounds, which were analysed via gas chromatography. The findings of this study confirmed the presence and development of bacterial scents on textiles during bacterial growth. The scents identified included earthy, soil-like, floral, jasmine, and fruity notes, offering potential for further exploration in fibre and yarn selection, as well as the structural design of the textile. This research contributes to the field of biotextiles by examining the influence of textile fibres and knitted textiles on bacterial volatile compounds. It establishes a platform for investigating how different fibres and structural factors influence the bacterial scent profile and provides valuable insights for the future development of living sensory textiles and their integration into various applications

Age-related changes in human cervical, thoracal and lumbar intervertebral disc exhibit a strong intra-individual correlation

Introduction: Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is characterized as a multifactorial disease, in which the hereditary background is thought to be of high importance. Accordingly, one would expect all spinal levels (lumbar/cervical/thoracal) to be affected by above-average disc degeneration in genetically predisposed individuals. The aim of this study, therefore, was to analyze the amount of degenerative changes in different spine levels in humans from different ages. Materials and methods: In detail, the presence, localization and abundance of histomorphological changes in the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) in the cervical (C5/C6), thoracic (T2/T3) and lumbar (L2/L3) spine were investigated in complete autopsy IVD specimens (47 individuals) covering a complete age range (0-95years). Results: Results indicate that the highest degree of histo-degenerative changes were observed in the NP in all spine levels and showed an age-related expression pattern. With regard to the different spine levels, lumbar disc specimen showed significantly more degenerative changes compared to cervical and thoracic discs, whereas no statistical difference was observed between cervical and thoracic discs. In summary, highest grades of degeneration were observed in lumbar discs (especially in the NP). Intra-individual correlations between the degeneration score in the different levels showed a significant individual concordance. Conclusions: The intra-individual correlation of degenerative changes in all three examined spine regions further supports the notion that individual, i.e. genetic factors are strong predisposing factor for the development of age-related disc alteration

Towards Utility-Based Prioritization of Requirements in Open Source Environments

Peer reviewe

Triptolide exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-catabolic as well as anabolic effects and suppresses TLR expression and MAPK activity in IL-1β treated human intervertebral disc cells

Introduction: Increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines seem to play a pivotal role in the development of back pain in a subpopulation of patients with degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD) disease. As current treatment options are mostly limited to surgical interventions or conservative treatment, anti-inflammatory substances might offer a novel, more target-orientated therapeutic approach. Triptolide (TPL), a natural substance found in the Chinese medicinal herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook, has been demonstrated to possess anti-inflammatory effects in various cells, but no studies exist so far for the IVD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of TPL on human IVD cells by analyzing changes in gene expression and underlying molecular mechanisms. Materials and methods: In order to investigate the anti-inflammatory, anabolic and anti-catabolic effect of TPL, dose-dependency experiments (n=5) and time course experiments (n=5) were performed on IL-1β prestimulated human IVD cells and changes in gene expression of IL-6/-8, TNF-α, PGE2S, MMP1/2/3/13, aggrecan and collagen-I/-II were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. The molecular mechanisms underlying the effects observed upon TPL treatment were investigated by analyzing involvement of Toll-like receptors TLR2/4 (real-time RT-PCR, n=5), NF-κB, MAP kinases p38, ERK and JNK (immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, n=4) as well as RNA polymerase II (immunoblotting, n=3). Results: Results showed that 50nM TPL exhibited an anti-inflammatory, anti-catabolic and anabolic effect on the mRNA level for IL-6/-8, PGE2S, MMP1/2/3/13, aggrecan, collagen-II and TLR2/4, with most pronounced changes after 18h for proinflammatory cytokines and MMPs or 30h for TLRs and matrix proteins. However, we also observed an up-regulation of TNF-α at higher concentrations. The effects of TPL did not seem to be mediated via an inhibition of NF-κB or a decrease of RNA polymerase II levels, but TPL influenced activity of MAP kinases p38 and ERK (but not JNK) and expression of TLR2/4. Conclusions: In conclusion, TPL may possess promising potential for the treatment of inflammation-related discogenic back pain in vitro, but its analgetic effect will need to be confirmed in an appropriate in vivo animal mode

Overexpression of the ATP binding cassette gene ABCA1 determines resistance to Curcumin in M14 melanoma cells

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Genome editing: the dynamics of continuity, convergence and change in the engineering of life

Genome editing enables very accurate alterations to DNA. It promises profound and potentially disruptive changes in healthcare, agriculture, industry and the environment. This paper presents a multidisciplinary analysis of the contemporary development of genome editing and the tension between continuity and change. It draws on the idea that actors involved in innovation are guided by “sociotechnical regimes” composed of practices, institutions, norms and cultural beliefs. Analysis focuses on how genome editing is emerging in different domains and whether this marks continuity or disruption of the established biotechnology regime. In conclusion, it will be argued that genome editing is best understood as a technology platform that is being powerfully shaped by this existing regime but is starting to disrupt the governance of biotechnology. In the longer term is it set to converge with other powerful technology platforms, which together will fundamentally transform the capacity to engineer life

Reconstructing the Life of an Unknown (ca. 500 Years-Old South American Inca) Mummy - Multidisciplinary Study of a Peruvian Inca Mummy Suggests Severe Chagas Disease and Ritual Homicide

The paleopathological, paleoradiological, histological, molecular and forensic investigation of a female mummy (radiocarbon dated 1451-1642 AD) provides circumstantial evidence for massive skull trauma affecting a young adult female individual shortly before death along with chronic infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease). The mummy (initially assumed to be a German bog body) was localized by stable isotope analysis to South America at/near the Peruvian/Northern Chilean coast line. This is further supported by New World camelid fibers attached to her plaits, typical Inca-type skull deformation and the type of Wormian bone at her occiput. Despite an only small transverse wound of the supraorbital region computed tomography scans show an almost complete destruction of face and frontal skull bones with terrace-like margins, but without evidence for tissue reaction. The type of destruction indicates massive blunt force applied to the center of the face. Stable isotope analysis indicates South American origin: Nitrogen and hydrogen isotope patterns indicate an extraordinarily high marine diet along with C4-plant alimentation which fits best to the coastal area of Pacific South America. A hair strand over the last ten months of her life indicates a shift to a more "terrestric" nutrition pattern suggesting either a move from the coast or a change in her nutrition. Paleoradiology further shows extensive hypertrophy of the heart muscle and a distended large bowel/rectum. Histologically, in the rectum wall massive fibrosis alternates with residual smooth muscle. The latter contains multiple inclusions of small intracellular parasites as confirmed by immunohistochemical and molecular ancient DNA analysis to represent a chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. This case shows a unique paleopathological setting with massive blunt force trauma to the skull nurturing the hypothesis of a ritual homicide as previously described in South American mummies in an individual that suffered from severe chronic Chagas disease

Immunohistochemical localization of fibronectin as a tool for the age determination of human skin wounds

We analyzed the distribution of fibronectin in routinely embedded tissue specimens from 53 skin wounds and 6 postmortem wounds. In postmortem wounds a faint but focal positive staining was exclusively found at the margin of the specimens which dit not extend into the adjacent stroma. Vital wounds were classified into 3 groups. The first comprising lesions with wound ages ranging from a few seconds to 30 min, the second comprising those with wound ages upt to 3 weeks, and the third group with lesions more than 3 weeks old. Ten out of 17 lesions with a wound age up to 30 min showed a clear positive reaction within the wound area. Three specimens in this group were completely negative, while in 4 additional cases the result was not significantly different from postmortem lesions. These 7 cases were characterized by acute death with extremely short survival times (only seconds). In wounds up to 3 weeks old fibronectin formed a distinct network containing an increasing number of inflammatory cells corresponding to the wound age. In 2 cases with a survival time of 17 days and in all wounds older than 3 weeks fibronectin was restricted to the surface of fibroblasts and to parallel arranged fibers in the granulation tissue without any network structures. We present evidence that fibronectin is a useful marker for vital wounds with a survival time of more than a few minutes. Fibronectin appears before neutrophilic granulocytes migrate into the wound area. Since a faint positive fibronectin staining is seen in postmortem lesions and bleedings, we propose that only those wounds which show strong positive fibronectin staining also extending into the adjacent stroma should be regarded as vital