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Abstract: The increasing and rapid development in technologies, infrastructures, computational power, data availability and information flow has enabled rapid scientific advances. These entail transdisciplinary collaborations that maximize sharing of data and knowledge and, consequently, results, and possible technology transfer. However, in emerging scientific fields it is sometimes difficult to provide all necessary expertise within existing collaborative circles. This is especially true for marine biotechnology that directly addresses global societal challenges. This article describes the creation of a platform dedicated to facilitating the formation of short or mid-term collaborative networks in marine biotechnology. This online platform (https://www.ocean4biotech.eu/map/) enables experts (researchers and members of the marine biotechnology community in general) to have the possibility to showcase their expertise with the aim of being integrated into new collaborations/consortia on the one hand, or to use it as a search tool to complement the expertise in planned/running collaborations, on the other. The platform was created within the Ocean4Biotech (European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology) Action, funded under the framework of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). To build the platform, an inquiry was developed to identify experts in marine biotechnology and its adjunct fields, to define their expertise, to highlight their infrastructures and facilities and to pinpoint the main bottlenecks in this field. The inquiry was open to all experts in the broad field of marine biotechnology, including non-members of the consortium. The inquiry (https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/single/UKVsBNtD) remains open for insertion of additional expertise and the resulting interactive map can be used as a display and search tool for establishing new collaborations.
Published in DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Views: 295; Downloads: 193
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Abstract: Insights into the dynamics of immune responses in immune-privileged tissues such as the central nervous system (CNS) are critical to understanding the etiology of autoimmune diseases. Essential in this field is understanding the ways immune cells access and traffic across different types of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and how the therapeutics alter these processes (see excellent review by Mapunda et al.). The current Research Topic brought into attention a diverse panel of original research papers and two reviews on the immune cells involved in CNS pathophysiology, including dendritic cells (DC), mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, neutrophils, and pathogenic Th17 cells, as well as a different aspects of that pathophysiology, including molecular signaling pathways (PP2Cδ) and the role of signaling complexes, known as supramolecular organizing centers (SMOCs), therapeutic interventions (STAT3-specific nanobody, treatment of rheumatoid meningitis with intravenous immunoglobulin - IVIg), possible new forms of autoantigens (neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus - NPSLE), and assessment of correlation between inflammatory markers and severity of autoimmune encephalitis (AE).
Keywords: CNS pathophysiology, dendritic cells, mucosal-associated invariant T cells, STAT3, Th17 cells, PP2Cδ, supramolecular organizing centers (SMOCs), neutrophil extracellular traps, cytology
Published in DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Views: 263; Downloads: 113
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Abstract: Shallow environments and transitional habitats are among the world’s most productive ecosystems (Odum, 1983; Cloern et al., 2014) where light penetration to the bottom and nutrient availability fuel multiple primary producers including phytoplankton, benthic microalgae, macroalgae and seagrasses (Kirk, 2000; Sundbäck et al., 2000; Sala et al., 2012; Papathanasiou et al., 2015; Orfanidis et al., 2021) that sustain higher trophic levels and provide important ecosystem services (Barbier et al., 2011; Queirós et al., 2019). In these ecosystems, pelagos and benthos have been classically studied as distinct domains of the marine environment, although they cannot be considered as separate entities (Boero et al., 1996; Marcus & Boero, 1998). The compartmentalization of these ecosystems into their benthic and pelagic components in experimental studies and models often limits our understanding of the scope and strength of interactions between these habitats, their role in maintaining the ecosystem function, and their sensitivity to future change (Griffiths et al., 2017). The benthic–pelagic coupling involves all those processes that connect the bottom and water column habitats through the exchange of mass, energy, and nutrients. Matter and energy flow between the two domains in both directions, along food webs, involving the movement of planktonic and benthic organisms at different life stages (Kiljunen et al., 2020). Indeed, many physical, chemical and biological processes bind these two domains, where benthic-pelagic coupling concurs to maintain high rates of primary production and decomposition (Kennish et al., 2014). While primary producers compete for the same resources (light and nutrients), benthic filter feeders are well adapted to efficiently filter bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton, dissolved organic matter (Hughes et al., 2005; Karuza et al., 2016), as well as pollutants from the water column (Giandomenico et al., 2016). An in-depth knowledge of the life cycles of meroplanktonic species is an indispensable prerequisite for understanding the functioning of the ecosystem in shallow areas. Besides this, benthic primary producers and invertebrates provide several ecosystem services and drive important processes such as nutrient cycling, bio-irrigation and organic matter decomposition in coastal areas (Bremner et al., 2006; Olsgard et al., 2008).
Keywords: coastal areas, new perspectives, benthic-pelagic coupling, editorial
Published in DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Views: 268; Downloads: 162
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Abstract: Komentarji spletnih novic so z razmahom spletnih komunikacijskih okolij, med katere spadajo družabna omrežja, postali način izmenjave mnenj med različnimi uporabniki. Spletni časopisi delijo svoje novice na svojih Facebook profilih in s tem omogočajo komentiranje. Komentarji so večinoma zapisani, jezik teh besedil pa odstopa od jezikovne norme, saj komunikacija pogosto poteka v neknjižnem jeziku. Vloga spletnih komunikacijskih okolij je povezovalna oz. praktičnosporazumevalna, komunikacija med uporabniki pa vsebuje elemente spontanega govora. Komentarji novic, ki jih uporabniki družabnih omrežij, kot je Facebook, zapišejo pod novico, poleg zapisa po izgovoru, leksike različnih socialnih zvrsti, rabe emotikonov in gif-ov, vsebujejo tudi sredstva besedilne semantike (deikte, diskurzne označevalce), ki so pogostejša v govorjenem diskurzu, in posebno skladnjo, značilnejšo za govorjeni diskurz. V zapisanih komentarjih spletnih novic lahko tako opazujemo značilnosti govorjenega jezika, v prispevku pa bodo prikazani predvsem primeri besedilne semantike in skladnje govorjenega jezika.
Keywords: komentarji spletnih novic, govorjeni jezik, spletni diskurz, besedilna semantika, skladnja
Published in DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Views: 288; Downloads: 158
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Abstract: The ocean, including its coastal areas and covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, has always represented an important environmental and economic resource. Indeed, almost 40% of the global population lives in coastal communities (United Nations, 2017). With its ecosystem services, the ocean represents a pivotal role in human society (Rayner et al., 2019). Undeniably, the ocean provides food, regulates the climate, provides oxygen and ensures economic resources through its shipping routes and tourism opportunities. Additionally, the ocean is home to organisms that have for centuries sparked the scientific interest of many research groups to uncover the biodiversity and functions of these fascinating marine ecosystems. Through their biological and chemical diversity, marine organisms synthesize unique secondary metabolites, biopolymers and enzymes produced in response to environmental stimuli. Secondary metabolites play important biological roles in improving competitiveness, providing chemical defence against predators or competitors and facilitating reproductive processes (Rotter et al.). Screening of these natural products and their producer organisms, coupled with the search of their unique biological activities that could be used in various industries, is tackled within marine (blue) biotechnology. Marine organisms and microorganisms can be investigated, and their primary and secondary metabolites, biopolymers and enzymes can be used as lead agents for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries to improve processes (e.g., in drug delivery) and as a source of bio-inspired materials for numerous biotechnological applications. Although this field has been appearing since the 1960s and 1970s, it is still considered an emerging field and marine biotechnology is still in its infancy (Rayner et al., 2019; Rotter et al.). This is because many marine environments are extreme ones that are either hardly accessible for sampling and harvesting and/or are home to organisms that cannot be cultured or grown in laboratory conditions. Consequently, a lot of advancement in the field of marine biotechnology was hampered until recent advances in science were achieved, including sampling methods, high-throughput methods and transdisciplinary collaborations.
Keywords: blue biotechnology, marine biotechnology, ocean bioprospecting, marine organisms
Published in DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Views: 254; Downloads: 142
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