Scientists develop finger sweat test to detect antipsychotic drugs in patients

New finger sweat test for antipsychotic drugs offers patients a less invasive and uncomfortable monitoring option

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FRONTIERS

Antipsychotic drugs treat incredibly vulnerable patients. Maintaining a treatment regimen is difficult for many patients, but not taking the medication is associated with a higher risk of poor health outcomes. These drugs are also very powerful with strong side-effects, and blood tests are often used to calibrate a patient’s dosage and confirm that they are taking the recommended dose. 

However, blood tests are invasive and potentially uncomfortable. Scientists have now discovered a way to test the levels of common antipsychotic drugs in the sweat from patients’ fingerprints, offering a quicker, more comfortable, and more convenient alternative to blood draws for patient monitoring.  

“Our test offers patients a quick and dignified way of showing commitment to antipsychotic treatment,” said Katherine Longman of the University of Surrey, first author of the study in Frontiers in Chemistry. “This non-invasive approach can also be adapted to fit other therapeutic regimes.”

A test at your fingertips

The scientists already knew that some drugs could be detected in the sweat from a fingertip, without the requirement for specialist personnel and with easier storage and transportation. Finger sweat samples, unlike blood, can be transported at ambient temperature. 

To test whether antipsychotic drugs could also be detected in sweat, they recruited 60 patients receiving clozapine, quetiapine, or olanzapine, as well as 30 negative controls. 11 patients taking clozapine also agreed to supply blood samples so that the correlation between finger sweat indicators and blood indicators could be tested. Patients were asked to report their dosage and the most recent dose they had taken.

The researchers collected samples both before and after handwashing, as hands that have been washed are considered to give a better picture of the eccrine sweat that comes from fingertips. Patients pressed their fingertips against porous paper for 30 seconds. These samples were then collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. 

Corresponding author Prof Melanie Bailey, based at the University of Surrey, and the team also asked six people who did not take the drugs to handle whole and crushed pills and then give fingerprints. This control checked whether the test could be compromised by patients touching the medication. The scientists were able to confirm the reliability of the method and to distinguish between the presence of the drugs in patients’ sweat and the presence of the drug on patients’ hands. 

Fingerprinting medication

The test detected the presence of antipsychotic drugs accurately in every patient taking them. It was most effective for clozapine, where a pilot analysis of a sub-group of patients found that the levels of clozapine metabolites in finger sweat correlated with the levels found in blood. This, the researchers said, raises the exciting possibility that the test will eventually be able to quantify the levels of clozapine in a patient’s sweat instead of just detecting them. 

The test also consistently detected quetiapine, although this was a small group of patients. The signal for olanzapine was less strong, but all patients who took olanzapine tested positive on at least one fingerprint provided before washing their hands. They were also taking lower doses than patients on the other drugs. 

Although the test as used in the study included samples taken after washing hands, which adds time and facilities needed for the test, the efficacy of the tests on fingerprints taken from unwashed hands suggested this wasn’t necessary. Removing this step would make it even quicker and easier for laypeople to carry out the tests. 

“We are currently exploring methods to quantify the level of drug in a fingerprint and the optimum sampling time,” added Bailey. “We are also very interested to see whether fingerprints can be used to diagnose disease - for example from the metabolites that are deposited in a fingerprint sample.”

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JOURNAL

Frontiers in Chemistry

DOI

10.3389/fchem.2023.1245089 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Noninvasive drug adherence monitoring of antipsychotic patients via finger sweat testing

Children’s books are still Whiter, and more male, than US society

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS USA

A new paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, published by Oxford University Press, finds that children’s books in the United States continue to underrepresent ethnic minorities. In addition, it finds that male characters are overrepresented in such stories and children are often presented with lighter skin tones for no apparent editorial reason.

Education teaches children about the world, its people, and their place in it. Much of this happens through the books society presents to children in school and at home. These books transmit messages about identity in part by providing examples of what is normal in society and children’s places within it. Beginning in the middle of the last century many educators and parents became concerned about the absence of Black and Brown—in addition to disabled, queer, or even divorced—characters in most children’s books and urged writers, publishers, and librarians to remedy this situation.

The researchers here worked to assess the success of these efforts. They developed and applied tools from the fields of computer vision and natural language processing to measure the representation of skin color, race, gender, and age in the images and text of influential children’s books that are likely to appear in classrooms, libraries, and at home over the past century. These artificial intelligence tools allow for more scalable and systematic measurement than what would be possible using the traditional approach to content analysis, which historically has been done primarily by hand using human coders. The data comprise children’s books recognized by awards featured by the Association for Library Service to Children starting in the 1920s.

The paper finds underrepresentation of Black and Latinx people in the most influential books, relative to their population shares, though the representation of Black individuals increases over time. The study finds that in the mainstream collection of children’s books published between 1923 and 2019, only 2% of characters pictured were Black (despite constituting 13.6 percent of the U.S. population) and only 4% were Latinx (19% of the U.S. population). The researchers note that there are more female characters in children’s books today than in the past, but they appear less often in text than in images, suggesting greater symbolic inclusion in pictures than substantive inclusion in stories. Children’s books also depict children with lighter skin color than adults on average, despite there not being a biological foundation for any systematic difference.

The researchers also note that mainstream books, those that receive recognition for their literary or artistic value without explicit intention to highlight an identity group (i.e., the Newbery and Caldecott awards) are on average slightly cheaper than books that received recognition for highlighting a specific identity group. The mainstream books sold for an average $7.66. The diversity books cost an average $9.34.

“The process of education transmits not only the values of society, but also whose space it is,” said Anjali Adukia, the paper’s lead author. “The optimal level of representation is a philosophical question, but representation can be measured and improved upon based on the goals of the curator in question. Computational tools can increase understanding of the messages being sent in the images and text of the books we give our children, which can then help efforts to systematically address structural inequities.”

The paper, “What we teach about race and gender: Representation in images and text of children’s books,” is available (at midnight on Aug 31st ) at: https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/qje/qjad028.

To request a copy of the study, please contact:
Calla Veazie
calla.veazie@oup.com

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JOURNAL

The Quarterly Journal of Economics

DOI

10.1093/qje/qjad028 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Content analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

What we teach about race and gender: Representation in images and text of children’s books

 

Stoichiometric mismatch between phytoplankton and zooplankton under climate warming and eutrophication

Peer-Reviewed Publication

KEAI COMMUNICATIONS CO., LTD.

Climate warming and eutrophication have emerged as prominent drivers of global change, posing threats to aquatic ecosystems. Under these ongoing environmental changes, phytoplankton and zooplankton may exhibit divergent responses and result in stoichiometric mismatches between phytoplankton and zooplankton. This imbalance, as a result, constrains the upward flow of energy within trophic hierarchies. The extent to which climate warming, eutrophication or their interplay intensify these imbalanced elemental ratios between phytoplankton and zooplankton, however, remains unclear.

To investigate this, a team of researchers in China conducted a mesocosm experiment to simulate natural shallow lakes. In a full factorial design, they introduced controlled factors of climate warming (with a consistent temperature rise of 3.5 °C accompanied by heat waves) and eutrophication (via nutrient enrichment).

They observed a growing trend in the stoichiometric mismatch when climate warming or eutrophication acted individually, which was mediated by an increase in nutrient demand by zooplankton for growth. However, when these stressors acted jointly, the mismatch was reversed.

"This phenomenon might be attributed to the tandem influence of climate warming and eutrophication altering the composition of zooplankton species, consequently reshaping the overall stoichiometric configuration within the community,” shared lead author of the study, Konghao Zhu.

The researchers emphasized that previous studies have primarily focused on the stoichiometric mismatch from a unilateral perspective of phytoplankton or zooplankton, but this mismatch is caused by a combination of changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton.

“This sutdy offered a dual perspective of phytoplankton and zooplankton on the stoichiometric mismatch and revealed the changes in stoichiometric mismatch between phytoplankton and zooplankton under climate warming and eutrophication,” added Zhu.

Another challenge came to light during the study. While cross-trophic level stoichiometry enhances comprehension of trophic relationships, it falls short in elucidating the underlying causes of stoichiometric mismatch changes. This limitation arises from the fact that environmental stressors frequently trigger modifications in species composition, consequently introducing complexities to community-level stoichiometry.

“Therefore, understanding the effects of global change on trophic relationships through stoichiometric mismatch requires consideration not only of cross-trophic levels, but also of compositional changes within communities,” concluded Zhu.

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JOURNAL

Water Biology and Security

DOI

10.1016/j.watbs.2023.100205 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Interactive effects of warming and eutrophication on zooplankton could reverse the stoichiometric mismatch with phytoplankton

 

Newly discovered fungus helps destroy a harmful food toxin

Scientists identify a fungal strain that transforms patulin, a dangerous mycotoxin sometimes found in fruits, into less toxic byproducts

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE

 

IMAGE: PATULIN, A MYCOTOXIN, IS PRODUCED BY FUNGI THAT TYPICALLY GROW IN DAMAGED OR DECAYING FRUITS, ESPECIALLY APPLES AND APPLE-BASED PRODUCTS. SINCE THE TOXIN IS HEAT-RESISTANT, IT CAN LINGER ON FOOD PRODUCTS FOR A LONG TIME, CAUSING A VARIETY OF HEALTH HAZARDS, INCLUDING GASTROINTESTINAL AND IMMUNE PROBLEMS, AS WELL AS INCREASING CANCER RISK. view more 

CREDIT: RAWPIXEL LTD ON FLICKR IMAGE SOURCE LINK: HTTPS://FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/BYRAWPIXEL/45739251042/IN/PHOTOLIST-BBSYEP-2CFPBNA-P5R2IH-IFJKY-GJBEPV-6ZHT7M-KRXPQD-85MG53-8LN4EZ-PDSEQZ-GPHRAZ-NNY81F-BRW3QP-NKHZJA-FE8S1-2HPXA5U-MQERAU-9KF14S-2JPTC4D-QHKJIH-7DWVHH-GTMXUB-8HQVMB-8KZUP9-XY3M9Z-3WZRAW-QPI7GF-PA5CKW-4PJYUR-2JTQEWV-OPNF3Y-726VN6-BT2XJG-JD4UT-9M65N6-Z5P3HG-8KALVX-JCFZE-AM5UT4-AJPWSQ-2BJEYAU-7GSFVE-6ZHSAS-7KPEXP-PBQJAU-GKHRVC-QIUR3W-PDQGSG-DFSBEE-P8E2SD

Patulin (C7H6O4), a mycotoxin produced by several types of fungi, is toxic to a variety of life forms, including humans, mammals, plants, and microorganisms. In particular, environments lacking proper hygienic measures during food production are susceptible to patulin contamination as many of these fungi species tend to grow on damaged or decaying fruits, specifically apples, and even contaminate apple products, such as apple sauce, apple juice, jams, and ciders.

Responsible for a wide variety of health hazards, including nausea, lung congestion, ulcers, intestinal hemorrhages, and even more serious outcomes, such as DNA damage, immunosuppression, and increased cancer risk, patulin toxicity is a serious concern worldwide. As a result, many countries have imposed restrictions on the permitted levels of patulin in food products, especially baby foods as infants are more vulnerable to the effects of patulin.

Treatment of patulin toxicity include oxygen therapy, immunotherapy, detoxification therapy, and nutrient therapy. However, as prevention is often better than cure, scientists have been on the lookout for efficient ways to mitigate patulin toxicity in food products. To this end, a research team including Associate Professor Toshiki Furuya from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan, recently screened for soil microorganisms that can potentially help keep patulin toxicity in check. Their study, published online in Volume 12, Issue 4 of MicrobiologyOpen on 11 August 2023, was co-authored by Ms. Megumi Mita, Ms. Rina Sato, and Ms. Miho Kakinuma, all from TUS.

The team cultured microorganisms from 510 soil samples in a patulin-rich environment, looking for those that would thrive in presence of the toxin. Next, in a second screening experiment, they used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine the survivors that were most effective in degrading patulin into other less harmful chemical substances. Accordingly, they identified a filamentous fungal (mold) strain, Acremonium sp. or “TUS-MM1,” belonging to the genera Acremonium, that fit the bill.

The team then performed various experiments to shed light on the mechanisms by which TUS-MM1 degraded patulin. This involved incubating the mold strain in a patulin-rich solution and focusing on the substances that gradually appeared both inside and outside its cells in response to patulin over time.

One important finding was that TUS-MM1 cells transformed any absorbed patulin into desoxypatulinic acid, a compound much less toxic than patulin, by adding hydrogen atoms to it. “When we started this research, only one other filamentous fungal strain had been reported to degrade patulin,” comments Dr. Furuya. “However, prior to the present study, no degradation products had ever been identified. In this regard, to our knowledge, TUS-MM1 is the first filamentous fungus shown to be capable of degrading patulin into desoxypatulinic acid.”

Moreover, the team found that some of the compounds secreted by TUS-MM1 cells can also transform patulin into other molecules. By mixing patulin with the extracellular secretions of TUS-MM1 cells and using HPLC, they observed various degradation products generated from patulin. Encouragingly, experiments on E. coli bacterium cells revealed that these products are significantly less toxic than patulin itself. Through further chemical analyses, the team showed that the main agent responsible for patulin transformation outside the cells was a thermally stable but highly reactive compound with a low molecular weight.

Overall, the findings of this study take us a step closer toward efficient solutions for controlling the levels of patulin in food. Dr. Furuya speculates: “Elucidating the pathways via which microorganisms can degrade patulin would be helpful not only for increasing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in nature but also for facilitating the application of these organisms in biocontrol efforts.”

Let us hope that these efforts will pave the way for safer fruit-based foods and beverages!

Patulin toxicity is a serious food safety hazard, and scientists are looking for ways to control it. Now, researchers from TUS, Japan, have identified, for the first time, a mold strain that can convert patulin into desoxypatulinic acid and other less toxic substances, with potential applications for patulin biocontrol.

CREDIT

The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Image Source Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mbo3.1373)

Reference                    

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.1373

 

About The Tokyo University of Science

Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a well-known and respected university, and the largest science-specialized private research university in Japan, with four campuses in central Tokyo and its suburbs and in Hokkaido. Established in 1881, the university has continually contributed to Japan's development in science through inculcating the love for science in researchers, technicians, and educators.

With a mission of “Creating science and technology for the harmonious development of nature, human beings, and society,” TUS has undertaken a wide range of research from basic to applied science. TUS has embraced a multidisciplinary approach to research and undertaken intensive study in some of today's most vital fields. TUS is a meritocracy where the best in science is recognized and nurtured. It is the only private university in Japan that has produced a Nobel Prize winner and the only private university in Asia to produce Nobel Prize winners within the natural sciences field.

Website: https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/

 

About Associate Professor Toshiki Furuya from Tokyo University of Science

Dr. Toshiki Furuya is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Department of Applied Biological Science at TUS. He completed his graduation and post-graduation from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. He has won many awards, including the 24th Excellent Paper Award by Society of Biotechnology in 2016. His areas of research include applied biochemistry, microbial metabolism, enzyme catalysis, bioproduction, and bioremediation.

https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/fac/p/index.php?6d15

 

Funding information

There is no funding to declare.

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JOURNAL

MicrobiologyOpen

DOI

10.1002/mbo3.1373 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Cells

ARTICLE TITLE

Isolation and characterization of filamentous fungi capable of degrading the mycotoxin patulin

 

Laws of God and nature, social norms and customs: Leopoldina Annual Assembly is dedicated to rules and laws

Meeting Announcement

LEOPOLDINA

While laws govern coexistence in society, they also manifest in social norms and customs, are unalterable as laws of nature, or categorical in a religious context. This broad spectrum of laws of God and nature, rules and regularities is at the heart of this year’s Annual Assembly of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, which will be held in Halle (Saale)/Germany on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September and online. We cordially invite you to this event and would appreciate an announcement of this date in your medium.

Leopoldina Annual Assembly 2023
“Law(s) Rules of Reality – Rules for Reality”
Thursday 28 September and Friday 29 September 2023
Leopoldina Main Building
Jägerberg 1, 06108 Halle (Saale)/Germany and online

Dr Reiner Haseloff, Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt, and Professor Dr Sabine Döring, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, will give welcome speeches to open the assembly on Thursday. In the opening panel, Leopoldina Member Professor Dr Lorraine Daston, science historian, and philosopher Professor Dr Michael Hampe will discuss laws of nature. The evening presentation will be given by musicologist Professor Dr Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen on “The exception as the rule. Beethoven and the legalities of musical freedom.”

During the opening of the assembly, the Cothenius Medal 2023 will be awarded to Leopoldina Member Professor Dr Jürgen Troe for his lifetime of scientific achievement. The physician made a significant contribution to understanding the molecular foundation of reaction processes with his analysis of chemical reactions and description of large reaction systems such as combustion processes and reactions in the atmosphere.

On Friday, the Annual Assembly’s four specialist sessions will look at various aspects of rules and regularities in the natural, human and social sciences. Speakers include Leopoldina Member Professor Dr Magnus Striet, a fundamental theologian exploring various religious laws, and the mathematician Professor Dr Hélène Esnault who will talk about the concept of “right” and “wrong” in mathematics. The interaction of laws and conventions in everyday life are the focus of the speech by Professor Dr Ursula Rao, ethnologist. In her presentation “Observations on legal gender order”, the legal scholar Professor Dr Anna Katharina Mangold looks at the connection between nature and the law.

The scientific coordination of the Annual Assembly 2023 has been taken over by the Romance scholar Professor Dr Andreas Kablitz, Senator of the Section Cultural Sciences, the physicist Professor Dr Konrad Samwer, and the legal scholar and former President of the German Federal Constitutional Court Professor Dr Andreas Voßkuhle.

The event is open to all interested parties and is free. The link for mandatory registration by 5 September and the programme can be found here: https://www.leopoldina.org/en/events/event/event/3035/.

The event will also be broadcast live via the Leopoldina YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/NationaleAkademiederWissenschaftenLeopoldina.

The Leopoldina on X: www.twitter.com/leopoldina

About the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
As the German National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina provides independent science-based policy advice on matters relevant to society. To this end, the Academy develops interdisciplinary statements based on scientific findings. In these publications, options for action are outlined; making decisions, however, is the responsibility of democratically legitimized politicians. The experts who prepare the statements work in a voluntary and unbiased manner. The Leopoldina represents the German scientific community in the international academy dialogue. This includes advising the annual summits of Heads of State and Government of the G7 and G20 countries. With around 1,700 members from more than 30 countries, the Leopoldina combines expertise from almost all research areas. Founded in 1652, it was appointed the National Academy of Sciences of Germany in 2008. The Leopoldina is committed to the common good.

 

Burning candles and fumes from cooking is harmful for people with mild asthma

A new study from Aarhus University shows that young individuals with even mild asthma should remember to turn ventilation all the way up when cooking or burning candles. The fumes can cause irritation and inflammation in the body.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AARHUS UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: A SIZZLING STEAK IN THE PAN AND THE LIT CANDLES DOES NOT ONLY CREATE A COSY ATMOSPHERE. A NEW STUDY FROM AARHUS UNIVERSITY SHOWS THAT THE FUMES ARE HARMFUL TO INDIVIDUALS WITH EVEN MILD ASTHMA. POSTDOC KARIN ROSENKILDE LAURSEN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS BEHIND THE STUDY. view more 

CREDIT: TORBEN SIGSGAARD

A cosy set table, a nice steak in the pan, and romantic candlelight may sound like the start of a lovely evening. However, a new study from the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University suggests that you should be cautious about inhaling too much of the cosy atmosphere. Karin Rosenkilde Laursen, a postdoc at the department and co-author of the study, says:

"Our study shows that indoor air pollution caused by fumes from cooking and burning candles can lead to adverse health effects such as irritation and inflammation in young individuals with mild asthma. Among other things, we’ve found indications of DNA damage and signs of inflammation in the blood."

When we turn on the oven, place a pan on the hob, or light candles, ultrafine particles and gases are produced, which we then inhale. Previous studies have shown that these particles and gases can be detrimental to health. What sets this study apart is that the researchers have focused on the effects on young individuals with mild asthma, aged between 18 and 25, says Karin Rosenkilde Laursen:

"In the study, we observed that even very young individuals with mild asthma can experience discomfort and adverse effects if the room is not adequately ventilated during cooking or when burning candles. Young people are generally fitter and more resilient than older and middle-aged individuals. Therefore, it is concerning that we observed a significant impact from the particles on this particularly young age group."

But not only people diagnosed with asthma need to keep an eye on the indoor climate, she says.

"Even though the study focused on young asthmatics, its findings are interesting and relevant for all of us. Winter is approaching, a time when we tend to light many candles and perhaps are less likely to open doors and windows while cooking. By prioritising a healthier indoor climate, even when we're cosying up indoors, we may be able to help reduce the incidence of serious lung and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer."

Karin Rosenkilde Laursen plans to follow up this study with another examining how emissions from cooking and candles affect healthy adults.

The research results - more information 

• Studytype: The study is a randomised controlled double-blind exposure study in which 36 young asthmatics were exposed to three different exposures in the climate chambers at Aarhus University. They were exposed to emissions from cooking, emissions from burning candles and finally clean air. Each time, the participants were exposed for five hours under highly controlled conditions. During the exposures, we measured particles and gases, and participants reported symptoms related to irritation and general well-being. Biomarkers in relation to airway and systemic inflammatory changes were assessed before exposure, immediately after exposure and again the next morning.
• Partners: The Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University. The Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, The Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Aarhus University Hospital.
• Funding: The study is financed by Realdania Research grant of DKK 2.8 million. 
• Read more in the scientific article

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JOURNAL

Particle and Fibre Toxicology

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Airway and systemic biomarkers of health effects after short-term exposure to indoor ultrafine particles from cooking and candles – A randomized controlled double-blind crossover study among mild asthmatic subjects 

 

Using digital systems to reduce cable clutter for on-board networks in vehicles

Research project at FAPS at FAU wants to return manufacturing to Germany

Grant and Award Announcement

FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITÄT ERLANGEN-NÜRNBERG

Vehicle on-board networks have played a central role ever since the introduction of electric cars. The cable clutter in each car represents the increase in electrification of vehicles which will one day enable autonomous driving with safety-critical functions. This will finally transform on-board networks into the nervous system of mobility. Currently, manufacturing processes for these wiring harnesses require large numbers of personnel and are not highly automated.

As part of the “Next2OEM” project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economics Affairs and Climate Action, researchers at FAU now want to examine, digitalize and automate the entire value chain. This will eliminate both the “clutter” of steps in the process and in the responsibilities involved. At the end of the project carried out by the Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems (FAPS), a prototype will be produced that will ensure on-board networks are “Made in Germany” once again. The Next2OEM project has an overall volume of over 24 million euros and is scheduled for completion in January 2026.

Complex nerve pathways in on-board networks

For drivers, on-board networks are a type of black box as they are practically invisible. However, these customer-specific wiring harnesses form a complex “nerve system” in a vehicle. Even a medium-sized passenger car contains an average of around 3000 individual cables that, along with other components in the on-board network, come to a total weight of 55 kilos.

In the past, the value chain simply grew with the product and process structures without rethinking it. For example, priority was given to cost efficiency which led to excessive logistics. Due to the cheaper costs involved, North Africa and Ukraine have become established manufacturing locations. In some cases, this can mean that cables and smaller components are shipped back and forth across the globe before ending up in Germany for final assembly at an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The Russian invasion of Ukraine made the lack of resilience of these supply chains obvious and, during the coronavirus pandemic in particular, the fragility of procurement processes became apparent.

FAPS and project partners examine entire value chain

To enable reshoring of wiring harness manufacturing to Germany in future, FAPS and the Next2OEM partners are developing something known as a graph-based information model. This model is based on digital data and how they are exchanged for each product and every manufacturing and transport process. This digital ecosystem facilitates the newly-developed manufacturing processes in Next2OEM. The aim is to implement automated wiring harness manufacturing and installation at OEMs. The Next2OEM project will result in a demonstration system for highly-automated wiring harness manufacturing in a vehicle.

This will include, for example, solutions to manage the handling of components and cables with unstable forms. In addition, it will ensure traceability back to the component and process level for the first time. Furthermore, in terms of the impact on the environment, it will shorten logistics routes and thus reduce the CO2 footprint. Data will become available about which components were installed and checked when and where and the size of a product’s CO2 footprint virtually at the touch of a button.

All partners at one table

The consortium comprises partners from the entire value chain including everything from plug-in connector manufacturing and cable assembly, shaping, cable protection, testing and logistics to the assembly of the wiring harness into the car body. Consortium leader AUDI AG is responsible for testing and validating the feasibility of the prototype of the entire system.

The project partners are TE Connectivity and KOSTAL Kontakt Systeme as connector manufacturers, semantic PDM for the development of the graph-based information model, and Kromberg and Schubert as wiring harness manufacturers. Other important partners in automation include Komax Taping, Komax Testing, Stefani Maschinenbau, BÄR Automation and ArtiMinds Robotics.

Using artificial methods for growing crops could help solve global food security

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

Artificial methods of growing lettuce produce twice the amount of the crop as traditional field-based methods, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. The meta-analysis also found that it was quicker to grow lettuce using artificial methods, with production rates 50% faster in summer periods and up to 300% faster in winter. 

Researchers reviewed over 120 published papers to try to understand the impact of using controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) systems to grow lettuce – a high-value crop commonly grown in these systems.  

The study found that, on average, CEA methods produce double the yields compared to field-based agriculture (3.68 kg m−2 vs 1.88 kg m−2). The team also found that the cultivation time of CEA yields was, on average, 40 days. This was shorter than the average field-based cultivation time of 60–120 days. 

Interestingly, the team also found that using CEA methods for vertical farming (where crops are grown in stacked layers) yielded significantly higher results (6.88 kg m−2) than field-based agriculture.  

Dr Zoe M Harris, co-author of the study from the University of Surrey, said: 

"The climate emergency presents a frightening number of challenges for us all, including global food security. Controlled-environment agriculture could allow cultivation of crops in harsh environments, or in changing climates. Being able to quantify the benefits CEA can have on yield and growth rate is essential to advancing our understanding of where and when this technology can bring the most value to society.  

"We hope that our findings underscore the importance of understanding CEA growth factors and emphasise the need for ongoing research in the area of controlled-environment agriculture." 

The study has been published in the journal Plants. 

The University of Surrey is a leading research institution that focuses on sustainability to deliver impacts that benefit society and help deal with the many challenges of climate change. Surrey is also committed to improving its own resource efficiency on its campuses in Guildford and aspires to be a sector leader. It has set a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030. In April, it was ranked 55th in the world by the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings, which assesses more than 1,400 universities' performance against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).      

### 

Notes to editors 

• Dr Zoe M Harris is available for interview upon request.  

• For more information, please contact the University of Surrey's press office via mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk 

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JOURNAL

Plants

DOI

10.3390/plants12142623 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE

Pulmonary embolism deaths, disparities high despite advancements in care

The condition affects around 900,000 Americans each year.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

MICHIGAN MEDICINE - UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Over the last 20 years, treatments for pulmonary embolism advanced greatly. Several new therapies were developed alongside widespread adoption of emergency response teams for the condition, which is marked by a blockage of the arteries in the lungs often caused by a blood clot.

Despite these innovations, a Michigan Medicine study finds that the death rate for pulmonary embolism remains high and unchanged in recent years – more often killing men, Black patients and those from rural areas.

The results are published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

“These findings are surprising and counterintuitive to the advancement in care for patients with pulmonary embolism over the last decade, as well as other studies suggesting a downward trajectory in mortality from other major causes of cardiovascular death,” said lead author Mohamed Zghouzi, M.D., who was a vascular medicine fellow at the University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center at the time the work was done.

Researchers analyzed over 100,000 deaths related to pulmonary embolism between 2006 and 2019 using national data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They found that the death rate due to pulmonary embolism did not change significantly from 2.8 deaths per 100,000 people over the course of the decade. However, the mortality rate increased significantly among men, as well Black patients, who were nearly two times more likely to die from the condition compared to white patients.

In rural areas, 4 patients per 100,000 died of pulmonary embolism, which is nearly double that of large metropolitan areas.

“Seeing a higher incidence of blood clots, including pulmonary embolism, in Black populations, patients in rural areas and those with lower socioeconomic status suggests that social determinants of health play a role in the incidence and outcomes of venous thromboembolism,” said Geoffrey Barnes, M.D., M.Sc., co-author and associate professor of cardiology-internal medicine at U-M Medical School.

Pulmonary embolism is most often caused by a blood blot in the legs, called deep vein thrombosis, that travels through the body up to the lungs. It affects around 900,000 people in the U.S. each year, with 10-30% of people dying within one month of diagnosis, according to the American Lung Association.

“These findings highlight a need for both increased funding for research focused on the underlying causes of these mortality rates and disparities, as well as targeted interventions and programs aimed at improving outcomes for pulmonary embolism in all patients,” Barnes said.

Additional authors include Hunter Mwansa, M.D., Supriya Shore, M.D., Syed Nabeel Hyder, M.D., Neil Kamdar, Victor M. Moles, M.D., James Froehlich, M.D., Vallerie V. McLaughlin, M.D., Brahmajee Nallamothu, M.D., and Vikas Aggarwal, M.D., all of Michigan Medicine at the time of the work, Timir K. Paul, M.D., Ph.D., of University of Tennessee at Nashville, Kenneth Rosenfield, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, and Jay Giri, M.D., of University of Pennsylvania.

Funding: GDB – consulting for Abbott Vascular, Boston Scientific. JG has served on advisory boards and received research funds to the institution from Abiomed, Boston  Scientific, Abbott  Vascular,  Inari  Medical. KR: Consultant/Scientific  Advisory Board, Abbott Vascular, Althea Medical,  Angiodynamics, Boston Scientific, Penumbra. Board Member and Founder: National PERT Consortium. All other authors have no relevant relationships to disclose.

Paper cited: “Gender, Racial, and Geographic Disparities in Pulmonary Embolism-related Mortality Nationwide,” Annals of the American Thoracic Society. DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202302-091O

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JOURNAL

Annals of the American Thoracic Society

DOI

10.1513/AnnalsATS.202302-091OC 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Gender, Racial, and Geographic Disparities in Pulmonary Embolism-related Mortality Nationwide

COI STATEMENT

GDB – consulting for Abbott Vascular, Boston Scientific. JG has served on advisory boards and received research funds to the institution from Abiomed, Boston Scientific, Abbott Vascular, Inari Medical. KR: Consultant/Scientific Advisory Board, Abbott Vascular, Althea Medical, Angiodynamics, Boston Scientific, Penumbra. Board Member and Founder: National PERT Consortium. All other authors have no relevant relationships to disclose.