Understanding the association between sleep, shift work and COVID-19 vaccine immune response efficacy: protocol of the S-CORE study

This protocol describes an innovative study to investigate the relationship between sleep, shift work and the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) vaccination. As the COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis with devastating health, social and economic impacts, there is a pressing need for effective vaccination programmes. Previous influenza and hepatitis vaccination studies suggest that lack of sleep can negatively alter immune responsiveness, while circadian misalignment most likely may also play an important role in the immune response to vaccination. Our present study will be the first to address this question in actual shift workers and in relation to COVID-19 vaccination. We hypothesise that the occurrence of recent night shifts and diminished sleep will negatively alter the immune response to vaccination in shift workers compared to dayworkers. We aim to recruit 50 shift workers and 50 dayworkers. Participants will receive an mRNA-based vaccination, through the Dutch vaccination programme. To assess immune responsiveness, blood will be drawn at baseline (before first vaccination), 10 days after first vaccination, the day prior to the second vaccination; and 28 days, 6 and 12 months after the second vaccination. Actigraphy and daily sleep e-diaries will be implemented for 7 days around each vaccination to assess sleep. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index will be used to monitor sleep in the long term. Optimising the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines is of outmost importance and results of this study could provide insights to develop sleep and circadian-based interventions to enhance vaccination immunity, and thereby improve global health.Paroxysmal Cerebral Disorder

Apomixis conferred by expression of SERK interacting proteins

The present invention relates to a method for increasing the probability of vegetative reproduction of a new plant generation by transgenic expression of a gene encoding a protein acting in the signal transduction cascade triggered by the Somatic Embryogenesis Receptor Kinase (SERK). Apomictic seeds resulting therefrom, plants and progeny obtained through germination of such seeds, and genes encoding proteins acting in the signal transduction cascade triggered by SERK constitute further subject matters of the invention

Apomixis conferred by expression of SERK interacting proteins

The present invention relates to a method for increasing the probability of vegetative reproduction of a new plant generation by transgenic expression of a gene encoding a protein acting in the signal transduction cascade triggered by the Somatic Embryogenesis Receptor Kinase (SERK). Apomictic seeds resulting therefrom, plants and progeny obtained through germination of such seeds, and genes encoding proteins acting in the signal transduction cascade triggered by SERK constitute further subject matters of the invention

Aberrant Food Choices after Satiation in Human Orexin-Deficient Narcolepsy Type 1

Contains fulltext : 166339.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)STUDY OBJECTIVES: Besides influencing vigilance, orexin neurotransmission serves a variety of functions, including reward, motivation, and appetite regulation. As obesity is an important symptom in orexin-deficient narcolepsy, we explored the effects of satiety on food-related choices and spontaneous snack intake in patients with narcolepsy type 1 (n = 24) compared with healthy matched controls (n = 19). In additional analyses, we also included patients with idiopathic hypersomnia (n = 14) to assess sleepiness-related influences. METHODS: Participants were first trained on a choice task to earn salty and sweet snacks. Next, one of the snack outcomes was devalued by having participants consume it until satiation (i.e., sensory-specific satiety). We then measured the selective reduction in choices for the devalued snack outcome. Finally, we assessed the number of calories that participants consumed spontaneously from ad libitum available snacks afterwards. RESULTS: After satiety, all participants reported reduced hunger and less wanting for the devalued snack. However, while controls and idiopathic hypersomnia patients chose the devalued snack less often in the choice task, patients with narcolepsy still chose the devalued snack as often as before satiety. Subsequently, narcolepsy patients spontaneously consumed almost 4 times more calories during ad libitum snack intake. CONCLUSIONS: We show that the manipulation of food-specific satiety has reduced effects on food choices and caloric intake in narcolepsy type 1 patients. These mechanisms may contribute to their obesity, and suggest an important functional role for orexin in human eating behavior. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: Study registered at Netherlands Trial Register. URL: www.trialregister.nl. Trial ID: NTR4508

Detecção e quantificação de organismos geneticamente modificados em alimentos e ingredientes alimentares Detection and quantification of genetically modified organisms in food and food ingredients

O cumprimento da legislação que regulamenta a comercialização de alimentos e ingredientes contendo Organismos Geneticamente Modificados (OGMs) é totalmente dependente da sensibilidade e confiabilidade dos métodos de detecção e quantificação de OGMs. Na presente revisão, foram discutidos os métodos mais relevantes para tais fins, especialmente aqueles que se baseiam na detecção da proteína ou do DNA recombinante, destacando as suas principais propriedades, limitações e vantagens. A regulamentação e algumas sugestões de métodos alternativos para a detecção de OGMs também são abordadas.<br>The enforcement of legislation that regulates the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and food ingredients is totally dependent on the sensitivity and reliability of the GMO testing methods. In this review, the most relevant methods such as recombinant proteins or DNA-based methods were discussed, emphasizing their main properties, limitations and advantages. The regulamentation and some suggestions of alternative methods for the detection of GMOs were also discussed