Through individual and/or collective psychological states affected by demographic attributes, top managers shape the corporate culture and determine the overall strategic directions of an organization. Thus, top management attributes affect the adoption of critical company-wide practices. This opinion paper discusses the implications of, and urges academic attention to, the role psychological capital plays in the relationship between top manager attributes and the effectiveness of green accounting practices adoption in a public-private partnership (PPP) context. Theoretical and practical implications are elaborated upon. Researchers have applied analytic techniques to determine the value of demographic, social, and psychological attributes in top management regarding success in entrepreneurial ventures. Top management members are those who are responsible for making decisions for critical affairs, whether in public or private sectors. Psychological states have been used as an important variable in research to determine whether higher managers are viable for the critical decision-making procedures meant to steer the firm toward the operational objective . ManagerGreen accounting practices are one of the critical decisions of strategic adoption that top management might encounter in the new business age. For most firms, long-term success means that sustainable goals have to be incorporated as important strategies to meet the dynamics of environmental challenges, and improve public perception, which is the essence of competitive advantage. Thus, increasingly, the largest impacts of top management attributes have been evaluated with the effects these may have on broader social and environmental responsibility. Many companies have been focusing on improving proactive corporate and environmental responsibility as a competitive advantage, thus orienting their leadership structure to meet such expectations . CorporaIn addition to managerial attributes, sustainable and society-oriented business practices need to be implemented under the function of interorganizational collaborations. Public-private partnership (PPP), namely the cooperation between government and social capital, is such a project operation mode in public infrastructure . DiscussPPP is an important theme in the environmental protection industry. It optimizes the profitability and operation ability of listed companies from multiple aspects. Environmental PPP projects are favored by enterprises, governments, and social capital. The private sector can take advantage of adapting to the dynamic changes in environmental strategies to build a competitive edge. Such a proactive corporate role requires the organizations to harmonize internal and external resources so that the local community can meet the environmental expectations from the green practices of the business. For instance, the PPPs of energy sectors were developed with the intention of promoting energy-efficient technologies for housing, appliances, schools, commercial and public buildings, vehicles, and so on, for the development of advanced energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies and cost sharing . The useIn sum, in the PPP context, it is important to run new initiatives such as the green accounting practices, with the positive collective mind-set  of decision-makers from different sectors, which is formed through their personal attributes. The aforementioned requires psychological capital as a basis of the interaction of such cross-sector interactions and collective actions. Thus, we wish to offer an in-depth articulation of the interwoven relationships between top management attributes, psychological capital, and green accounting practices adoption, which is interesting and might stimulate future thinking of research and practices.For a model of personality dimensions, studies indicate various aspects of evaluating the factors and their correlating degree of impact on organizational success . As suchResearchers and strategists have been studying the effects of the top management attributes on organizational performance. Essentially, leaders influence organizational dynamics with their individual attributes such as personality e.g., .via projects that emphasize benefit-sharing, risk-sharing, and long-term collaboration  writing process. Y-TL conceptualized and validated the article and co-wrote in the R&R stage.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The last decade has witnessed an exponentially growing interest in integrating neuroscience into psychotherapy. While neuroscience addresses the mechanistic understanding of brain functions by framing specific questions, psychotherapy examines the richness of complex clinical and individual behavior and history. Understanding the biological bases of complex behavior, human brain-mind functions, as well as their maladaptive responses, and identifying scientific approaches to assess how psychotherapy can help psychopathologies would significantly transform the approaches to mental health and diseases.Psychotherapy is an individualized yet comprehensive biological treatment; it does not target one receptor, one or two neurotransmitters, or single modulators; it taps into all the biological regulations underlying complex brain responses. The end result of this type of intervention is a re-elaboration of the whole sense of self and others, through new learning and new experiences that encompass cognitive, emotional, and internal regulation processes. Successful therapies produce comprehensive, lasting, measurable physical changes in the brain.In the past few decades, the progress in neuroscience research has provided a much deeper understanding of the brain structures and functions; applying this understanding and neuroscientific methodology to psychopathologies and therapeutic interventions can be transformative for advancing mental health. Neuroscience research is now, in fact, able to identify the genetic, epigenetic, anatomical, circuitry, and functional bases of behavioral manifestations. Studies in non-human animal models have provided important knowledge for testing hypotheses in humans in both healthy conditions and diseases and have unraveled a number of mysteries of many diseases. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, offers years of clinical experience and a rich understanding of human behavior, but still lacks empirical assessments and methodologies. Therefore, integrating knowledge and methods of neuroscience and psychotherapy will exponentially advance the formulation of new hypotheses, and therefore the comprehension and treatments of mental states and diseases. Given the complexity and variety of human mental functions and diseases, both disciplines, but especially their integration, are still in their infancy, and will require a great amount of work and investment in order to advance relatively rapidly.One major question that can be readily investigated is whether, how and what types of changes are produced by psychotherapy. The answer to this question will inspire and promote the development of more effective, long-lasting, and integrated therapeutic methods.Neurobiological Models of Psychotherapy” brings together basic, clinical, and translational neuroscience research with psychotherapy theories, knowledge and clinical approaches to discuss evidence that psychotherapy changes the brain. The discussions in this research topic suggest new integrated knowledge to understand mental health and treat diseases.This Research Topic “Solms , discusses the neurobiological underpinning of the psychoanalytic theory, particularly focusing on the claims concerning innate emotional needs, learning from experience, and unconscious mental processing. On the basis of these claims, he also presents the neurobiological underpinnings of the mechanisms of psychoanalytic treatment, and, finally, he provides a review of the available empirical evidence of psychoanalytic therapeutic efficacy. Cabaniss  underlines the importance and impact of teaching neuroscience to psychotherapy trainees and presents the crucial contributions of five papers that she uses in her teaching of psychotherapy. Radulovic et al.  discuss the importance of clinical, cognitive, and neurobiological perspectives on memory research relevant to dissociative amnesia. Zilcha-Mano et al.  review the literature regarding the neurobiological underpinnings of therapeutic alliance and expectancy and emphasize the importance of neurobiological studies to understand these effects. Scult et al.  report evidence that Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT) change brain resting-state functional connectivity. Brockman  describes his personal experience as an example to critically discuss what he believes psychoanalysis is lacking, and suggests ideas about how psychoanalysis needs to be integrated with the evidence-based neuroscientific approach.Firstly, Stojek et al.  present the current knowledge on how prolonged exposure therapy impacts the neural circuits related to PTSD, and discuss neurobiological enhancements that have been or may be used in conjunction with prolonged exposure therapy to enhance its effectiveness. Watkins et al.  review and discuss the methodological guidelines indicated by the Veterans Health Administration and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) and the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2017 for PTSD treatment.Two articles discuss behavioral therapies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Javanbakht  proposes potential overlapping neurobiology of seemingly different therapies of these disorders including psychoanalysis, cognitive, and behavioral therapies.Finally, pointing at the robust overlaps of the phenomenology, neurobiology, and therapies of anxiety and trauma related disorders, All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Acute myocardial infarction refers to a sudden death of cardiomyocytes, which leads to a large mortality worldwide. To attenuate acute myocardial infarction, strategies should be made to increase cardiomyocyte survival, improve postinfarcted cardiac function, and reverse the process of cardiac remodeling. Autophagy, a pivotal cellular response, has been widely studied and is known to be involved in various kinds of diseases. In the recent few years, the role of autophagy in diseases has been drawn increasing attention to by researchers. Here in this review, we mainly focus on the discussion of the effect of autophagy on the pathogenesis and progression of acute myocardial infarction under ischemic and ischemia/reperfusion injuries. Furthermore, several popular therapeutic agents and strategies taking advantage of autophagy will be described. The mechanisms of myocardial injury under irreversible ischemic stress included increased cytosolic Ca2+ induced by the inhibition of Na+, K+-ATPase and disturbance of mitochondria, leading to the activation of various kinds of proteases, cleavage of anchoring cytoskeletal proteins, and progressive increases in cell membrane permeability  and “phagy” (eat), was initially created by Dr. Christian de Duve in 1960s, referring to a cellular catabolic process in which intracellular substances were degraded by itself . RecentlAutophagy process is an evolutionarily conserved process from yeast to mammals . So far,via protein kinase B (Akt) pathway, thus inhibiting the formation of the Atg1 complex , a kind of enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of aldehydes, could significantly promote autophagy process during ischemia genation . Those fSo far, an increasing number of fundamental and clinical studies have been conducted in the development of therapeutic strategies taking advantage of autophagy in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Fortunately, numerous promising autophagy inducers have been described, several of which will be briefly described below together with their pharmacological mechanisms , a secreted glycoprotein that regulated tissue and cell homeostasis, was reported to attenuate cardiac fibrosis after ischemia/reperfusion injury through the inhibition of apoptosis and enhancement of autophagy via regulation of lysosomal protein transfer, indicating a potential protective effect of CREG in myocardial infarction -PI3K-Akt signaling-mediated autophagy, indicating that targeting microRNA-122 might be a potential therapeutic strategy in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Another microRNA, microRNA-30a, was also reported to be detrimental in the induction of the protective autophagy in cardiomyocytes under hypoxia, transferred through the secretion of exosomes in the serum of acute myocardial infarction patients, suggesting the therapeutic role of inhibiting microRNA-30a in acute myocardial infarction (MicroRNAs refer to small non-coding RNA molecules functioning in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression . In acutfarction .Besides those two classifications described above, several other autophagy inducers have opened up in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. It has been reported that metformin, a biguanide often used in the treatment of diabetes, produced a favorable effect on left ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction regardless of glycemic control . This caFurthermore, rapamycin, a classic autophagy inducer, was also reported to contribute to the attenuation of cardiac remodeling and dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction through the suppression of the overactivated NF-κB-mediated inflammatory cascade, since the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction was reported to contribute to the overwhelming induction of inflammatory reaction . This caBesides those autophagy inducing agents, it is interesting to prove that taking exercise contributed to the attenuation of acute myocardial infarction through the improvement of cardiac autophagy flux . This prThe past decade has witnessed the increasing understanding of the biology of autophagy and its roles in various kinds of disorders. Here, we reviewed both the protective and detrimental effects of autophagy in the pathogenesis and progression of acute myocardial infarction under ischemic or ischemia/reperfusion injuries (illustrated in DW and KZ analyzed concerned literatures and wrote the manuscript. PH revised the manuscript. All the authors agreed to be accountable for the content of the work.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Percutaneous breast biopsies guided by imaging-stereotaxis, ultrasound and magneticresonance-perhaps represent one of the greatest achievements of breast imagingspecialists, just as the breast-conserving surgery introduced by Umberto Veronesi was tosurgeons. The use of such biopsies allows physicians to diagnose breast cancer and toplan, in consultation with the patient, the surgery to be performed. In addition, itgives the affected woman time to assimilate a cancer diagnosis, thus providing animportant emotional benefit. Percutaneous biopsy also has the advantages of reducing thenumber of unnecessary surgical procedures and increasing the chance of earlydiagnosis.. In 1990, Steve Parker published the firstarticle comparing core biopsy and surgical biopsy, demonstrating that the former is asafe, reproducible procedure. In 1995, Parker introduced vacuum-assisted biopsy, inorder to obtain a greater amount of tissue, thus improving the correlation betweenimaging and histopathology(2-4). These techniques have been evaluated and compared.Studies correlating percutaneous biopsy and surgical histologic findings have taught uswhich percutaneous diagnoses are less reliable and warrant surgical excision and whichare safe to follow(1-4).Until recently, the gold standard for evaluating non-palpable abnormalities found onimaging examinations was preoperative imaging-guided needle localization, followed bysurgery. Nevertheless, studies in the literature show that, in some cases, the lesionwas not removed during surgery, for a variety of reasons(3).Cost analyses have also shown that percutaneous biopsy is more affordable than issurgical biopsy. The use of percutaneous biopsy also reduces hospitalization rates, aswell as scarring and deformities of the breast.In various studies of breast lesions, percutaneous biopsy has been shown to have lowfalse-negative rates. Although it is a safe procedure, it requires protocols to optimizethe choice of method for different lesions; the correlation between imaging andhistopathological diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions; and the follow-up ofpatients with benign lesions(5).Perhaps the greatest problem related to percutaneous biopsy is not the safety of themethod but rather its indication. Many erroneous interpretations of imaging findings,especially ultrasound findings, lead to an increase in the number of inappropriatebiopsy indications. On ultrasound, the positive predictive value of percutaneous biopsyranges from 9% to 12%. However, a study carried out in the American State of Connecticutafter the introduction of the breast density notification law showed that with greaterexperience and confidence in the method, it was possible to increase the positivepredictive value from 6.5% to 25%(6), carried out at a private clinic, discusses all of therequirements for this type of biopsy: a generally appropriate indication, the authorsreporting a malignancy rate of 21%; use of the ideal method (vacuum-assisted biopsy),given that the lesions in their sample were seen only on magnetic resonance imaging,vacuum-assisted biopsy being the appropriate approach in such cases; and experience withthe method. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided biopsy is not readily available in Brazil,mainly because of its cost. This was an important study, because it brings thisprocedure closer to our reality, with results comparable to those of the literature, andshows that it can be successfully reproduced. In their study, Carneiro etal.(6) alsoevaluated the correct use of the BI-RADS classification in magnetic resonance imaging,showing once again the importance of image analysis for its classification and for theindication of further investigation.The study published in this issue of Radiologia Brasileira, entitled “Magnetic resonanceimaging-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy: experience and preliminary results of 205procedures”It is important to monitor patients diagnosed with benign lesions. As we mentioned at theoutset, percutaneous biopsy has revolutionized the specialty of breast imaging. However,it requires commitment on the part of the radiologist and a multidisciplinary approachinvolving the pathologist and the surgeon.


Chikungunya is caused by an arbovirus RNA of the genus alphavirus (CHIKV) of Togaviridae family . SymptomThese findings were published at least 4 years before the virus hit the island of Saint Martin in September 2013. Yet the American and Caribbean preparedness and response to the introduction of CHIKV was precarious; as of 2017, only Canada, Cuba, and Chile did not observe autochthonous cases in the region, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported 631 chikungunya deaths among 2.5 million cases . This nuCritical reasons for death underreporting include incipient epidemiological surveillance systems, the scarcity of human and laboratory resources, and limited health network infrastructure . In addihttps://saude.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/infosaude-menu/81-boletim-de-saude-de-fortaleza) with accumulated cases from 2016 until epidemiological week 52 of 2017  that had a chikungunya epidemic in 2016–2017 , recording the highest number of chikungunya-related deaths in the Americas (169 deaths), with a median age of death of 78 years. The Epidemiological Bulletin released by the Fortaleza Health Secretariat  was created by the state to review all dengue-suspected deaths, later expanded to include other arboviruses-suspected deaths. Therefore, all reported chikungunya-related deaths in Fortaleza were thoroughly analyzed by the committee; about 85% of the deaths have met case definition  with at least one positive laboratory test for recent infection in vivo (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] and/or immunoglobulin M [IgM]) and/or postmortem confirmation (immunohistochemistry); the other 15% had clinical records and data from epidemiological investigation. In addition, the committee described the clinical course of patients in a timeline format between the onset of chikungunya symptoms and the death in order to try to establish an association between CHIKV infection and the recorded cause of death of each patient. The committee’s work supported by postmortem diagnosis substantially reduced the underreporting of deaths due to dengue, Zika virus, and chikungunya in Fortaleza . UnfortuDespite the need for further studies to establish a definite causal link between CHIKV and mortality, current evidence suggest that chikungunya may be the vector-borne disease associated with the highest number of deaths in the shortest time in the Americas. Nevertheless, until now, neither the World Health Organization nor PAHO have issued an alert for the lethality of the disease. Currently, most clinical protocols to manage chikungunya cases are focused on acute or chronic joint pain relief. Treatment of severe or atypical cases mainly recommend hospitalization in intensive care units for symptomatic treatment and compensation of altered vital functions. While relieving painful symptoms is critical to the quality of life of most patients, intermittent symptomatic treatment, without adequate individual follow-up, does not appear to have an effect on mortality reduction. Moreover, deaths can happen in very few days following onset of symptoms.It is imperative that international agencies formally recognize the high lethality of chikungunya in specific groups in order to reorient disease surveillance. Although usually a benign disease, chikungunya does not always have a self-limited clinical course. CHIKV infection and its complications can be the underlying cause of death or trigger a decompensation of preexisting medical conditions leading to a fatal outcome. Current chikungunya clinical protocols should be reviewed with the ultimate aim to prevent deaths , 16. So Considering the complexity of the clinical course of chikungunya, and in the absence of antivirals, efforts should be undertaken to make continuous treatment, specific for each stage of the disease , in order to prevent deaths. Protocols must be regularly updated as new knowledge is produced so that treatment follows the most current evidence. In addition, it is important to create a patient mortality risk classification based on the available knowledge. While we acknowledge that scant histopathological data and knowledge gaps in the pathophysiology of chikungunya limit the comprehensiveness of the risk classification, available knowledge already offers a unique opportunity to mitigate mortality, particularly among elderly patients with specific comorbidities.Currently, CHIKV transmission in the Americas is very low. Yet it is expected that new outbreaks will emerge as the virus spreads to new areas (in the Americas and other regions) and as the susceptible population in previously affected areas builds up. In anticipation of new epidemics, it is critical that new protocols of chikungunya management be devised, with a particular attention to mortality prevention, especially among well-known high-risk groups. Failure to do so will result, once again, in an unacceptable number of chikungunya-related deaths. While most of these deaths may not get reported, as recently happened, all will be foretold. Time will tell.


N-hydroxysuccinimide reactions, and physisorption. In the literature, several detection methods are employed; however, the most common is electrochemical. The main reason for researchers to use this detection approach is because this method is simple, rapid and presents good sensitivity. These biosensors can be particularly useful in life sciences and medicine since in clinical practice, biosensors with high sensitivity and specificity can significantly enhance patient care, early diagnosis of diseases and pathogen detection. In this review, we will present the research conducted with antibodies, DNA molecules and, enzymes to develop biosensors that use graphene and its derivatives as scaffolds to produce effective biosensors able to detect and identify a variety of diseases, pathogens, and biomolecules linked to diseases.Graphene’s unique physical structure, as well as its chemical and electrical properties, make it ideal for use in sensor technologies. In the past years, novel sensing platforms have been proposed with pristine and modified graphene with nanoparticles and polymers. Several of these platforms were used to immobilize biomolecules, such as antibodies, DNA, and enzymes to create highly sensitive and selective biosensors. Strategies to attach these biomolecules onto the surface of graphene have been employed based on its chemical composition. These methods include covalent bonding, such as the coupling of the biomolecules via the 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride and  Conventional sensing methods, such as lateral flow immunoassay, fluorescent microarray and electrochemical methods, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods, DNA microarrays, DNA sequencing technology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), among others –6 requirSensors in medicine and life sciences have been used to monitor vitals, diagnose patients, and improve the critical care of patients –10. Due Among the nanomaterials used for nano-sensor fabrication, graphene and graphene-based nanomaterials have been showing the most promise since they present an enhanced signal response in a variety of sensing applications –13. FurtIn general terms, sensors consist of two elements: a receptor and a transducer see Fig. . The recGraphene has been employed in the design of different biosensors of various transduction modes because of its large surface area, electrical conductivity, high electron transfer rate and capacity to immobilize different molecules . For insWhen using graphene nanomaterials for designing sensors, some aspects of the graphene properties affecting the detection limit of the target molecules need to be taken into consideration. For instance, different synthesis batches of graphene and derivatives, as well as different synthetic methods can lead to different properties and functionalities of the graphene-based nanomaterials in the biosensors. The orientation between the G, GO or rGO sheets and the bioreceptor can also directly affect the selectivity and sensitivity of the biosensors. Additionally, the number of layers, the functional groups and oxidation states of graphene and derivatives will cause differences in the sensing performance among the sensors and even impact the bonding between the transducer and bioreceptor. The amount of functional groups on the nanomaterials can also affect the interactions and the detection limit of the target molecule. In this context, it is often necessary to block any nonspecific adsorption sites on the nanomaterial to prevent unspecific binding of biomolecules instead of the target molecules. This can be accomplished by coating with blocking reagents such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) , casein,In this mini-review, we will briefly summarize recent developments on biosensor technology with graphene and graphene-based nanomaterials. More specifically, we will focus on antibody, DNA and enzyme-based biosensors with applications in life sciences as well as in clinical settings. We aim to present conceptual advances that have been made in the synthesis and applications of biosensors for clinical diagnosis and real-time molecular detection.2) groups that bind to the target molecule with high affinity [The analytical detection platforms that measure the specific conjugation reaction between antibody and antigen are called immunosensors. The biocompatibility and high-affinity binding of antibodies to antigens make this molecule attractive for use in several fields, particularly in diagnostics. The antibody (Ab) structure is made of four polypeptide chains with a characteristic “Y” shape Fig. . The chaaffinity , 27. ThiN-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) (EDC/NHS) chemistry reaction, electrostatic bonding, or via 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester (PASE) linker. The functionalization via EDC/NHS chemistry is the most popular and versatile method for producing biochemical conjugations. EDC is a water-soluble cross-linker agent, which allows direct bioconjugation between carboxyl and amine groups. In this reaction, the nucleophilic attack from the primary amine group from the antibody forms an amide bond with the carboxyl groups on the GO surface. This process can form conjugates between two different molecules with an amide group [The versatility of functional groups of the GO surface allows different strategies for Ab attachment. The Ab functionalization can be summarized in Table de group .Table 1OThe detection of the target molecules can be achieved through different methods . An overall comparison among all currently available sensing platforms indicates that the functionalization of graphene or graphene oxide with silver, gold or other metal nanoparticles and the antibody attachment via covalent bond, typically allows the lowest detection limits.Graphene-based nanomaterials on antibody biosensors offer a broad versatility regarding pathogen detection. Recently, several graphene-antibody biosensors with clinical applications have been developed for early detection of diseases Table . AntibodE. coli , 32 and E. coli . GO, on E. coli , rotavirE. coli  and cardE. coli . rGO has samples  but with samples , 32 and  samples . More adhimurium  and hepahimurium . Gold nahimurium  and for himurium , 43. Thehimurium  and alsohimurium . More cohimurium , polymerhimurium , 48 or chimurium  have beeThe early detection of these diseases with such sensors can aid in diagnosis, prevention, and management of the disease in ‘high-risk’ individuals, which in turn would contribute to better management and survival of patients. Many biosensors based on graphene nanomaterials have been proposed in the last few years for the diagnosis and real-time monitoring of the health status of patients. While the limitations of these types of sensors (binding affinity and irreversible antigen–antibody binding) are not fully rectified, the proposed biosensors exhibit very low detection limits (see Table Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has a broad range of physical, chemical, and biological properties making this biomolecule highly suitable for biosensor technologies. Among the most critical properties of DNA for a biosensor is its flexibility, easy synthesis, facile chemistry to attach to diverse platforms, simple regeneration and high specificity due to unique sequences of nucleotides , 56. HowThe electrochemical sensor is based on measurements of the change in voltage, current, or impedance that can result from changes in electrochemical factors, such as electron loss, conductivity or capacitance changes, which are caused by the hybridization of DNA or the oxidation of adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G) of the DNA. The electrochemical signals produced by these biosensors can be detected using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) or electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) , 63. In The fluorescentDNA nanosensor is based on the hybridization of two single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). One ssDNA is labeled with a fluorescent dye, and the other is the complementary DNA corresponding to the target DNA. This method requires optical detection; therefore it takes advantage of the optical quenching property of graphene-based materials to enhance the visualization and detection of the target ssDNA . The immOne example of fluorescence biosensors that has been developed is the GO-based sensor. This sensor has been produced with multicolor DNA probes for detecting different sequence-specific DNA. This multiplex GO-based DNA sensor presents low background fluorescence and excellent emission signal from specific targets when the hybridization occurs . AnotherIn summary, the two methods seem efficient and present low detection limits. However, each technique has its advantages and disadvantages, which depends mainly on the ability of immobilization of the DNA in the graphene-based nanomaterials and the method of measurement. The electrochemical detection method takes into account the large surface area and conductivity of the nanomaterials. The detection is based on the types and numbers of bases present in the DNA, which would cause the changes in electrical potential for the measurement. Therefore, homogenous deposition of the probe on the graphene material is essential for accurate measurements. Also, the electrostatic potential and DNA length could affect the efficiency of the sensor. On the other hand, fluorescence detection can be performed in ssDNA or dsDNA regardless of the length of the DNA. This method is based on the quenching and optical ability of graphene-based nanomaterials. One of the main disadvantages of this method is that it can overestimate the fluorescence signal due to the high background fluorescence signal in some complex samples, such as serum samples. On the other hand, the fluorescent-labeled probe can lose its intensity (photobleach) over time. Results of graphene-based DNA biosensor studies have shown that there is still need for further investigations related to the mechanisms of interactions between the DNA probe or modified DNA probe and the graphene-based transducer to provide more reliable and accurate measurements. Such studies could overcome the current disadvantages of the method by lowering the detection limit of the current sensors.Enzymes deserve particular attention in biosensor design because they can be easily manipulated and have high stability. Furthermore, these molecules are involved in the metabolism of all organisms; they are reusable and highly selective catalysts that can discriminate between L and R enantiomers in different molecules. Enzymes can catalyze a large number of reactions with high specificity, efficiency, and selectivity, which are essential parameters in sensor design . HoweverAdvancements in enzyme-based biosensor research have resulted in improved stability while reducing enzymatic loss and enzyme response time . It has Several approaches have been developed to immobilize enzymes onto graphene surfaces to create enzyme-based biosensors. Some of the most common methods are sonication, mixing, ultrasound, and cyclic voltammetry. These methods allow the attachment of the enzymes via adsorption, covalent bonding, or physical entrapment. To date, the nonspecific binding of the enzyme to graphene via physical adsorption is the most common one , and the other is based on enzyme activity inhibition/moderation . Each of3O4 based substrate [Different molecules have been detected with enzyme-based nanosensors. The most commonly used model enzymes utilized for the development of these sensors are laccase and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) . These eubstrate . This hyWhile HRP and laccase have been vital in enzyme biosensor studies, other enzymes can be immobilized to create highly specific biosensors. For example, bilirubin oxidase was immobilized on GO-based surfaces , 116. SuIn this mini-review, we have reported recent studies describing graphene and graphene-related biosensors with possible applications in clinical settings and life sciences. We have shown results of the reported analytical performance of each sensor and indicated their use in the life sciences and medical fields. DNA, antibody, and enzyme-based biosensors have been presented in this study since each has its advantages and disadvantages. Overall, the type of sensor selected will depend on the type of application. For example, use of DNA in biosensing technology can be a cost-effective method for the rapid detection of microbes, viruses, or cancer markers. However, due to the vast variety of molecules present in the body, use of antibodies or enzymes in biosensors can be more effective in the detection or monitoring of certain diseases. For instance, antibodies can be used for the specific detection of viruses, such as the Zika virus, HIV, Influenza A virus, among others. Enzymes, on the other hand, have shown to be promising in detecting glucose levels with only small amounts of sample. Overall, the incorporation of graphene and graphene-based nanomaterials in biosensor technologies have shown great promise due to its high surface area, electrical conductivity, electron transfer rate, and its capacity to immobilize a variety of different biomolecules. The development of biosensors that are sensitive, stable, and specific to their target molecule and that can be processed rapidly are promising for use in clinical settings. However, to achieve uniform and reliable results and produce biosensors capable of being used in the medical field, many more studies need to be conducted examining the safety and reliability of the sensors.Although graphene is an excellent electrode material for sensing applications in the medical field, novel methods for well-controlled synthesis and processing of graphene need more attention and should be investigated in future studies. The current chemical strategies to modify the surface of graphene with biomolecules are effective in targeting specific analytes. Nevertheless, the sensing platform may be further refined to avoid the adsorption of unwanted molecules on graphene and improve the orientation of biomolecules on graphene platforms. Hence, a better understanding of the physics and chemistry at the surface of graphene and the interactions with biomolecules at the interface will play an important role in graphene-based nanosensors.Additionally, miniaturization and production of compact biosensors for diagnostic purposes is an emergent need in sensor technology since it requires development of reliable, reproducible, and cost-effective sensors with high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Lowering the cost of some of these sensors is necessary to increase usability in remote areas for emergency uses. Furthermore, miniaturization of the sensors can allow rapid detection of virus and bacterial pathogens, as well as use in self-monitoring biological implants to detect serious health conditions. The aforementioned applications in the life sciences will serve to protect lives and improve people’s health. However, considerable work must still be done to ensure, guarantee, and corroborate the biocompatibility and non-toxicity of graphene-based nanomaterials such that their long-term use does not pose any health risk.


Traumatic scarring is one of the most common complications after soft tissue injury caused by burns and trauma, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide every year. Traumatic scars diminish the quality of life due to disfigurement, symptoms of pain and itch, and restricted motion. The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of traumatic scar remain elusive. The management for traumatic scars is comprised of surgical and non-surgical interventions such as pressure therapy, silicone, corticosteroid, and radiotherapy, which are chosen by clinicians based on the physical examinations of scars. Recently, great progress in treating traumatic scars has been achieved by the development of novel technologies including laser, intense pulsed light (IPL), radiofrequency, and ultrasound. The aim of this review article was to summarize the advances of these technologies for traumatic scars intervention. Tens of millions of individuals acquire traumatic scars every year caused by burns and other traumatic injuries worldwide. Scarring is regarded as one of the inevitable consequences of trauma. The prevalence of hypertrophic scar, the most common type of traumatic scars, is reported as high as 70% after burn injury . The traAlthough the complete pathogenesis of traumatic scars needs further elucidated, the formation of pathological scars is regarded as a result of dysregulation in the process of wound healing which characterizes by an inflammatory phase, a proliferative phase, and a remodeling phase –6. The iMany treatment options have been developed for the management of traumatic scars, which are divided into surgical and non-surgical approaches –13. SurgAs traumatic scars are difficult to treat with high recurrence rate, the prevention and treatment of traumatic scars are very challenging for plastic surgeons and dermatologists. Therefore, it is very urgent to develop and explore new treatment options such as laser and light for traumatic scars and optimize the treatment protocols. In recent years, with the rapid development of laser, light, radiofrequency, and ultrasound technologies, clinicians have seen the cosmetic, symptomatic, and functional improvements for the treatment of traumatic scars by these technologies . These nTraumatic scars are often classified into hypertrophic scar, atrophic scar, flat  scar, and keloid by clinicians to facilitate clinical management according to their histological and morphological characteristics . They arLaser and IPL interact with tissue based on the propagation of light through the tissue and the subsequent absorption of photons with conversion to heat, pressure (photoacoustic effect), and photochemical and photobiological reactions. In 1983, Dr. Rox Anderson et al.  from HarFor the treatment of traumatic scars, pulsed dye laser (PDL), ablative and non-ablative fractional lasers, and IPL are most commonly used laser and light modalities. PDL (585 nm or 595 nm), 532-nm potassium titanyl phosphate laser, and IPL  target hemoglobin in red blood cells within vessels selectively and achieve the goal to close the local vessels and reduce the blood supply for the growth of scar tissue . To succ2 were compared for the treatment of keloidal and hypertrophic median sternotomy scars. The pulse width of 0.45 ms was proven to be more effective than 40 ms in terms of decreasing scar size and improving scar pliability [PDL and IPL can improve color, texture, and pliability of scars by reducing the pigmentation, vascularity, and bulk of scar tissue . In a cliability . PDL treiability . Less quiability . The lasiability  believesiability .By applying a new concept of skin treatment called fractional photothermolysis, fractional laser creates numerous microscopic thermal injury zones of controlled width (less than 500 μm), depth, and density that are surrounded by a reservoir of spared epidermal and dermal tissue, allowing for rapid repair of laser-induced thermal injury , 34. ThiCurrently, a variety of ablative fractional and non-ablative fractional lasers have been developed and they are widely used for the treatment of traumatic scars to improve the appearance and minimize the associated pain and pruritus , 41, 42.Compared with full-field lasers, fractional laser therapy for traumatic scars is associated with a relatively low rate of complications . Common Micro-plasma radiofrequency was developed as a minimally ablative technology. It utilizes the radiofrequency energy to provoke the nitrogen in the air to form a grid of high-energy foci called plasma sparks, which release heat as they return to the steady state and induce mild ablation of the epidermis and the formation of micro-channels of the dermis on scar tissue –53.In recent years, combined with the fractional technology, micro-plasma radiofrequency has achieved good outcomes for the treatment of traumatic scars as well as acne scars , 54. ComIt is important to note that, although micro-plasma radiofrequency is believed to be a safe technology for traumatic scars therapy with minimal complications, it is critical to apply local cooling immediately post procedures as it is accompanied with local heat accumulation in treated tissues.l-lactic acid, and other medications or substances are often applied topically in the immediate postoperative period after fractional laser or micro-plasma treatment as the combination therapies for both hypertrophic and atrophic traumatic scars for better clinical outcomes [Global efforts have been put, reported in a myriad of studies, to clarify the mechanisms responsible for scar formation and emerging evidence has pointed to drug delivery of targeting molecule signaling as a promising avenue for scar therapy. An article has been published in which the relative studies on drug delivery for scar management were thoroughly reviewed and discussed . Moreoveoutcomes , 46.Recently, ultrasound technology has been incorporated to further facilitate the penetration of anti-scarring drugs into dermis through the micro-channels produced by micro-plasma radiofrequency. Ultrasound improves the delivery of therapeutic medications through mechanical (acoustic) pressure and torques by propagation of the ultrasound wave via the sonotrode to the distal horn and the creation of a “hammering” effect . The comLaser, IPL, radiofrequency, and ultrasound-assisted medication delivery technologies alone or combined, have been proved to effectively and safely improve the appearance of the traumatic scars , decrease pain and itch, alleviate the contracture and improve function, and reduce the need for surgical excision. Both fractional lasers and radiofrequency devices can be applied solely for the treatment of both hypertrophic and atrophic traumatic scars. Vascular targeted devices PDL and IPL are solely or combined with fractional laser indicated for erythematous traumatic scars. Ultrasound is utilized as an adjuvant therapy with radiofrequency or fractional laser mainly for hypertrophic traumatic scars. Nevertheless, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the repairing and remodeling response to microscopic thermal injury introduced by fractional laser and radiofrequency therapies are elusive. Furthermore, treatment of traumatic scars with these technologies has not been optimized, and the efficacy and long-term outcome of these technologies have yet been compared until now. Therefore, both basic research to explore thoroughly the mechanisms, as well as randomized controlled clinical trials to explore the optimal treatment protocols, should be completed. The better understanding of these technologies will promote the appropriate implementation of these technologies in clinical practice for traumatic scars treatment.


C- and O-derivatives including orientin, isoorientin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside and others. It provides a systematic overview of chromatographic analytical techniques including thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), liquid chromatography (LC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC) and counter-current chromatography (CCC), as well as the conditions used in the determination of luteolin and its derivatives in plant material.Luteolin is a flavonoid often found in various medicinal plants that exhibits multiple biological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity. Commercially available medicinal plants and their preparations containing luteolin are often used in the treatment of hypertension, inflammatory diseases, and even cancer. However, to establish the quality of such preparations, appropriate analytical methods should be used. Therefore, the present paper provides the first comprehensive review of the current analytical methods that were developed and validated for the quantitative determination of luteolin and its  M. M165]. ecessary .2O. Upon separation, structure determination by NMR is often necessary [Lippia origanoides [Counter-current chromatography (CCC) is a variation of liquid chromatography in which both the stationary and mobile phases are liquid. The separation of the constituents of the mixture is carried out in a system of immiscible liquids that are in equilibrium with each other. The method is simple and rapid, offering the possibility of introducing the raw sample to the column without need for previous clean-up . Counterecessary ,177. Howganoides .The presented comparison of chromatographic methods currently used to determine luteolin and its derivatives provides a systematic summary of the available knowledge. Without a doubt, chromatographic analysis may be successfully employed as an efficient method for both qualitative assessment (fingerprinting) and quantitative determination of luteolin derivatives. In tedious and time-consuming determinations of multi-ingredient plant extracts, including those that contain the most prevalent luteolin derivatives, combinations of large-scale chromatographic techniques with serially aligned detection modalities such as LC-MS/MS or LC/NMR/MS were found to be particularly useful. Such beneficial coupling of chromatography with other analytic techniques expands analytical capabilities while additionally improving the accuracy, sensitivity, and precision of assays. Despite the dominant position of LC in the analysis of natural compounds and the dynamic development of novel chromatographic methods, the TLC/HPTLC has not lost its important place in the phytochemical analysis of luteolin derivatives. The technique is relatively simple and inexpensive while facilitating rapid qualitative and quantitative analysis of test compounds. In addition, it facilitates large quantities of diluted samples being deposited in the stationary phase, allowing for a wider choice of mobile phase carriers. The technique is subject to continuous improvements and its range of applicability is expanding.Effective chromatographic analysis in the determination of luteolin derivatives requires appropriately selected chromatographic separation conditions. The appropriate choice of stationary phase sorbent may significantly improve test conditions. Most TLC analyses of luteolin derivatives are carried out in normal phase systems featuring a polar (hydrophilic) sorbent phase. In HPLC, separation conditions can be chosen more arbitrarily as the technique allows for the use of stationary phases of varying polarity which is particularly advantageous in the analysis of compounds that are either insoluble or poorly soluble in water. In order to additionally improve the sensitivity of HPLC analyses, one should focus on the column parameters responsible for appropriate separation. Quite often, the fairly successful analyses are used as starting points for further modifications, including the development of preparative-scale analyses.Of all chromatographic techniques, GC is the least applicable in the analysis of plant extracts, including those that contain luteolin derivatives. Despite its high sensitivity and efficiency when coupled with various detection techniques , the chromatographic separation process involves high temperatures and derivatization of analytes. Due to this important aspect, GC-MS is less frequently used in the analysis of polyphenolic compounds.The complexity of plant matrices is unquestionably a significant problem in the chromatographic analysis of plant extracts. It has a negative impact on the efficacy of analyses and prevents complete identification of all components of the plant extract. However, chromatography remains the primary and most effective analytical technique available in the current state of the art for the determination of compounds of natural origin.


General anesthesia reversibly alters consciousness, without shutting down the brain globally. Depending on the anesthetic agent and dose, it may produce different consciousness states including a complete absence of subjective experience (unconsciousness), a conscious experience without perception of the environment , or episodes of oriented consciousness with awareness of the environment (connected consciousness). Each consciousness state may potentially be followed by explicit or implicit memories after the procedure. In this respect, anesthesia can be considered as a proxy to explore consciousness. During the recent years, progress in the exploration of brain function has allowed a better understanding of the neural correlates of consciousness, and of their alterations during anesthesia. Several changes in functional and effective between-region brain connectivity, consciousness network topology, and spatio-temporal dynamics of between-region interactions have been evidenced during anesthesia. Despite a set of effects that are common to many anesthetic agents, it is still uneasy to draw a comprehensive picture of the precise cascades during general anesthesia. Several questions remain unsolved, including the exact identification of the neural substrate of consciousness and its components, the detection of specific consciousness states in unresponsive patients and their associated memory processes, the processing of sensory information during anesthesia, the pharmacodynamic interactions between anesthetic agents, the direction-dependent hysteresis phenomenon during the transitions between consciousness states, the mechanisms of cognitive alterations that follow an anesthetic procedure, the identification of an eventual unitary mechanism of anesthesia-induced alteration of consciousness, the relationship between network effects and the biochemical or sleep-wake cycle targets of anesthetic agents, as well as the vast between-studies variations in dose and administration mode, leading to difficulties in between-studies comparisons. In this narrative review, we draw the picture of the current state of knowledge in anesthesia-induced unconsciousness, from insights gathered on propofol, halogenated vapors, ketamine, dexmedetomidine, benzodiazepines and xenon. We also describe how anesthesia can help understanding consciousness, we develop the above-mentioned unresolved questions, and propose tracks for future research. General anesthesia aims at providing patients with a state where they can tolerate unpleasant and/or noxious interventions, usually during a surgical procedure. Routinely, this involves a cocktail of medications ensuring an alteration of consciousness  with absence of awareness of the surrounding environment, explicit recall of undercurrent events, a limitation of the stress response to nociception (anti-nociception), as well as immobility (muscle relaxation). General anesthesia does not shut down the brain globally and does not always produce a complete absence of consciousness. Similarly to disorders of consciousness in patients suffering from a severe brain insult  indexes of the depth of anesthesia such as the Bispectral Index are not sensitive and specific enough to distinguish between the possible consciousness states of anesthesia  or not, and functional brain imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The EEG signal corresponds to the underlying neuronal activities, and the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal of fMRI (or the emitted gamma-ray energy in PET) corresponds to changes in regional cerebral blood flow in response to changes in activity. In addition to classical time and frequency domain analyses of the EEG  activity with a predefined seed region , at sensory processing, at memory processes, and at less frequent consciousness states (such as connected consciousness without memorization) are still scarce. A summary of the currently available information follows for each commonly used anesthetic agent .Thanks to its safety and ease of use, the γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission promoting agent propofol has been the most widely studied anesthetic agent with respect to brain mechanisms in primates and healthy humans. Years after the pioneering works of Fiset and Alkire, who were the first to demonstrate region-specific and dose-dependent effect of propofol on brain activity  glutamate receptor antagonist ketamine produces a dissociative state with disconnected consciousness, through an isolation of the individual from the environment, and the emergence of intense dreaming with hallucinations and distorted self-perceptions. Ketamine increases functional connectivity globally  may be encountered in patients beneficiating from surgery. The taxonomy of perioperative NCD’s has recently been redefined by a group of experts  and pharmacokinetic properties of the anesthetic agent, may introduce confounders. For example, a single intravenous bolus produces a continuously evolving alteration of consciousness, while a computer-controlled target infusion allows steady-state conditions of recording. Looking at steady-state anesthetic conditions does not provide the same information as looking at transitions from one state to the other. As mentioned above, the direction of the transition is also important. Precisely measuring or estimating the attained plasma or effect-site concentration of the anesthetic agent at the moment of recording is not always possible or not always performed. Indeed, due to inter-individual variability, the same anesthetic agent concentration may produce a different effect from one subject to the other, and some authors prefer defining the studied anesthetic state behaviorally rather than in terms of attained concentration. As a consequence, and given the high variability in study protocols regarding dose, mode of administration, and achieved anesthetic states, it is not easy to have a clear idea of the exact dose-response relationships, either in terms of brain function modifications and correspondences with phenomenological observations. A continuum in the observed effects from light to very deep sedation is not necessarily a reality, these relationships may be different from one anesthetic agent to the other, and not all possible levels of sedation have been studied for all anesthetic agents. All types of knowledge derived from the published studies are informative, but caution should be paid to not drawing erroneous conclusions when comparing them.The published studies in the domain of anesthetic drug effects on brain function considerably vary in their design, sometimes rendering the comparison between attained sedation level (when comparing different anesthetic agents), anesthetic doses, and studied anesthetic states hazardous. The phenomenological assessment of behavioral changes can sometimes be uneasy to perform (like during disconnected consciousness) or must be made through The relationship between general anesthesia, brain function, and consciousness mechanisms is complex. As a matter of fact, anesthetic agents do not blunt out brain function globally but exert specific and dose-dependent effects on brain systems that sustain internal consciousness and perception of the environment. Each agent has its own mechanism of action, and dose-dependently induces distinct phenomenological altered consciousness states. Answering the questions that have recently emerged following recent discoveries on anesthetic brain effects will probably permit new insights into the specific diagnoses of anesthesia-induced altered states of consciousness, and into the understanding of the different aspects of consciousness itself. In that respect, general anesthesia can be considered as a flexible probe to explore consciousness.VB and OG wrote the first draft of this article, the other authors equally participated in the revision and editing of the manuscript.During the past 5 years, VB has received research grant from Orion Pharma and honoraria for consultancy from Medtronic. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Electrospinning has emerged as one of the potential techniques for producing nanofibers. The use of electrospun nanofibers in drug delivery has increased rapidly over recent years due to their valuable properties, which include a large surface area, high porosity, small pore size, superior mechanical properties, and ease of surface modification. A drug loaded nanofiber membrane can be prepared via electrospinning using a model drug and polymer solution; however, the release of the drug from the nanofiber membrane in a safe and controlled way is challenging as a result of the initial burst release. Employing a core-sheath design provides a promising solution for controlling the initial burst release. Numerous studies have reported on the preparation of core-sheath nanofibers by coaxial electrospinning for drug delivery applications. This paper summarizes the physical phenomena, the effects of various parameters in coaxial electrospinning, and the usefulness of core-sheath nanofibers in drug delivery. Furthermore, this report also highlights the future challenges involved in utilizing core-sheath nanofibers for drug delivery applications. To date, several approaches, such as phase separation, self-assembly, drawing, template synthesis, and electrospinning, have been put forward for the fabrication of one-dimensional 1D) fibrous structures from various polymers D fibrous,3,4,5,6.The standard electrospinning setup consists of four main components: a capillary tube containing a polymer solution (or melt), a spinneret or nozzle, a collector, and a high voltage source ,11. The In the electrospinning process, there are several factors that contribute to the fiber morphology ,12. ThesA wide range of polymers have been electrospun to prepare nanofibers. So far, more than 200 polymers have been reported to have been made into nanofiber structures with the electrospinning technique . ElectroElectrospun nanofibers have already been proposed for various biomedical applications. The structure and chemical composition of the electrospun nanofibers resemble the natural fibrillary extracellular matrix (ECM) ,23. The Among the various applications in the biomedical field, electrospun nanofibers use is potentially very promising in drug delivery applications. The electrospun nanofibers have been used in drug delivery applications for treating various diseases and gained popularity in the field of pharmaceutics ,30,31,32(i)It is possible to prepare nanofibers from unspinnable solutions via coaxial spinning;(ii)It is helpful to prevent the burst release;(iii)It enables a sustained release for a longer time;(iv)The release kinetics of the bioactive molecules can be controlled by changing the composition or feed rate;(v)More than one drug can be loaded in the same nanofibers and the drug release rate can be regulated;(vi)Encapsulating the unstable bioactive molecules in mild conditions and protecting the biological activity of these molecules;(vii)The sheath layer protects the inner ingredients, governing the release kinetics of the core which contains molecules;(viii)It provides a better therapeutic effect and reduced toxicity;(ix)This process eliminates the potential harm that can be caused by the post-treatment process.The main objective of the drug delivery system is to deliver a required amount of a certain drug for a defined period of time depending on the medical condition. A drug loaded nanofiber membrane can be prepared via electrospinning by using a model drug and polymer solution; however, the initial burst release is unavoidable in such a type of blend membrane, and this is not ideal for a sustained drug release. In order to eliminate the burst release, post-treatment of the membranes such as cross-linking or chemical modifications are required. These types of post-treatment may lead to toxicity and a reduction in biocompatibility. The incorporation of the bioactive molecules or drugs into the thin fiber structure remains challenging since it should not adversely affect either the scaffold’s properties or the drug’s activity. The drug release rate can be tailored by tuning fiber diameter, porosity, and the drug-binding mechanism ,41,42,43Coaxial or triaxial electrospinning is considered to be an effective strategy to achieve sustained drug release from electrospun core-sheath nanofibers. It involves a simultaneous flow of a core and sheath solution from separate capillaries to form a fiber . CoaxialThe general setup and the fiber manufacturing process is conceptually similar to that of conventional electrospinning as mentioned in Like in ordinary electrospinning, the fiber morphology is governed by several factors. Therefore, the selection of appropriate solution parameters and processing conditions is very important for the steady generation of the core-sheath structure in coaxial electrospinning.A good spinnability and sufficient viscosity of the sheath solution are required to produce enough viscous traction for the core solution. High viscosity can overcome the interfacial tension and form a stable Taylor cone. The core solution can have a lower viscosity (a minimum viscosity) to keep it intact and continuous inside the sheath fluid ,58,59.The concentration of polymer solution is a key factor in electrospinning. If the polymer concentration is increased, the viscosity also increases. An increase in the concentrations of both core and sheath solutions results in a higher core-sheath fiber diameter. The diameters of the core or sheath fibers can be tuned by controlling the concentration of the core or sheath solutions .In coaxial electrospinning, the sheath solution should be conductive whereas the core solution does not need to be conductive. By increasing the conductivity of the sheath solution, thinner fibers can be generated. Conversely, a highly conductive core solution can cause breakages due to the higher pulling rate in the core as compared to the sheath. A highly conductive sheath solution may affect the uniformity of the coaxial fibers due to the strong bending instability by abundant surface charges . Hence, The interaction between the inner and outer solvents determines the miscibility of the two solutions; therefore, the choice of the solvents is very important in coaxial electrospinning . The solFor a solution, there is a small range of voltage within which a stable Taylor cone can be formed. If the applied voltage is too low, it may cause dripping of the two solutions forming a pendant drop at the exit of the nozzle. If the applied voltage is too high, it pulls the fluid jet inside the capillary and may form a clog ,55. TherThe flow rates regulate the amount of solution which exists in the concentric tip for electrospinning. An optimal flow rate ratio for the part of polymers is required. As compared to the flow rate of the sheath solution, the flow rate of the core solution plays an important role in preparing core-sheath nanofibers in coaxial electrospinning. At a very low flow rate of the core solution, the core phase became discontinuous which leads to the breakup of the core. On the other hand, a too high flow rate can cause pendent droplets to form. Generally, the flow rate of the core solution is lower than that of the sheath solution .The solvent evaporation in coaxial electrospinning affects the Taylor cone formation and propagation and elongation of the jets. Rapid evaporation of solvents makes the solution dry at the nozzle tip before Taylor cone formation, whereas too slow evaporation causes the formation of drops . The evaThe tip to collector distance is also one of the important parameters in electrospinning. TCD is directly related to the flight time of the fluid jet . If the Since the nozzle geometry controls the flow rate, miscibility, and compatibility of the solutions, it has an influence on coaxial electrospinning. The diameter of the inner and outer nozzles and their geometry  may also influence the fiber morphology .In addition to the above parameters, coaxial electrospinning is also affected by atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity, etc.; however, these parameters have shown less influence (than the aforementioned parameters) on the formation and the uniformity of the coaxial fibers.(i)The sheath solution must be electrospinnable;(ii)The viscosity of sheath solution should be relatively high compared to the core solution;(iii)The viscosity of the core solution is required to be above the critical value, but should not be as high as the sheath solution;(iv)A low surface tension of core solution;(v)Sheath solution should be conductive;(vi)In modified coaxial electrospinning, unspinnable sheath solutions can be used; however, the sheath flow must be adjusted well to match with the flow of the core fluid.In summary, in order to prepare uniform and steady core-sheath nanofibers, optimal solution parameters should be determined. It can be seen that the parameters affecting the coaxial electrospinning are almost the same as in traditional single-fluid electrospinning, except the nozzle geometry and core-sheath fluid flow rates and ratio. Traditional coaxial electrospinning demands spinnable sheath fluid; however, modified coaxial electrospinning can generate core-sheath fibers by using unspinnable sheath fluids such as organic solvents ,62. In mThe advancement of materials in drug delivery should be first attributed to the biocompatibility, which is a prerequisite for biomaterials ,22,52. IWater-soluble polymers offer additional advantages in electrospinning by eliminating the possible toxicity caused by solvents and represent a significant step towards clean and safe electrospinning. Among the various water-soluble polymers, poly (PVA), a synthetic polymer, is of great interest due to its desirable properties, such as its biocompatibility, adhesiveness, strength, swelling properties, non-carcinogenicity, film or fiber forming ability, etc. . RecentlTiwari et al.  evaluateYan et al.  used twoPCL is a biocompatible and biodegradable synthetic polymer approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has been widely used in drug delivery systems due to its broad range of molecular weight , solubility in varieties of solvents such as acetic acid, chloroform, methanol, benzene, dichloromethane, and its non-enzymatic degradation. PCL has been extensively explored in coaxial electrospinning for drug delivery applications.Jing et al.  employedHe et al.  reportedAs a result of the solubility of hydrophilic drugs in the aqueous medium, it is challenging to maintain their prolonged release with a minimum release at the initial stage. Producing nanofibers from the blending solution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers along with the drugs can reduce the burst release of hydrophilic drugs; however, the incompatibility between the drugs and hydrophilic polymers may cause the drug to migrate towards the surface of the nanofibers. In this regard, coaxial electrospinning can provide a better approach by encapsulating the drugs into the core portion of the nanofibers. The core-sheath nanofibers can be prepared by incorporating hydrophilic drugs with the polymer in the core and hydrophobic polymer as a sheath layer. Esmaeili and Haseli  preparedRecently, stimuli-responsive materials  have gained extensive interest in controlled drug delivery applications. Various external stimuli such as light, temperature, magnetism, sound, etc., can bring change in the physical or chemical status of the smart materials. Li et al.  preparedPVP is a water-soluble polymer with an amphiphilic character. As a result of its excellent properties, such as its solubility, film or fiber forming ability, adhesion and bonding, and biocompatibility, it has been extensively investigated for various applications in the biomedical field, including drug release. Core-sheath PVP/PCL nanofibers were developed by coaxial electrospinning in which graphene oxide (GO) sheets were blended into the core (PVP) solution to adjust the release behavior of vancomycin hydrochloride (VAN) . The addYu et al.  preparedCellulose is the primary structural component of the cell walls of green plants. It has been a material of choice in nanotechnology due to its advantageous properties including its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and regenerative properties ,77. DespYu et al.  applied Zein, a mixture of proteins with different molecular weights in corn gluten meal, is widely known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, antioxidant activity, and electrospinnability ,82. In rJiang et al.  preparedIn recent years, electrospinning technology has made a significant contribution in drug delivery applications. Optimization of the various parameters is important to design fibers with the desired morphology and function. Coaxial electrospinning ensures a homogeneous encapsulation of wide varieties of drugs into the core-sheath structured nanofiber along with a sustained release. Apart from drugs, several biomolecules have also been loaded into the core-sheath nanofibers via coaxial electrospinning. Additionally, some nonspinnable materials can be formed into a fiber structure due to the protection and guidance of the electrospinnable sheath layer. Easy loading of the drugs, mitigation of burst release, controlled sustained release, resemblance with the ECM, promotion of cell adhesion, and migration and proliferation are exciting features of core-sheath nanofibers which make them a suitable candidate in drug delivery applications.It is evident from previous studies that core-sheath nanofibers are superior in terms of preserving the bioactivity of the biomolecules/drugs loaded in the fiber body and release behavior; however, there are several issues that must be addressed in order to obtain better results in drug delivery applications. To obtain the desired form of core-sheath nanofibers with satisfactory results, many experimental trails with different parameters are needed and this is complicated compared to conventional methods. The selection of core and sheath fluids is also important. The sheath layer may prevent rapid evaporation of the solvent during coaxial spinning; however, there is a chance that organic solvents will remain. To date, most reports of core-sheath fibers regarding drug delivery have focused on in vitro studies; therefore, in vivo studies with relevant preclinical studies are required for practical applications. Overall, coaxial electrospinning is an effective strategy for drug encapsulation and controlled release from nanofibers. Proper adjustment of parameters and a correct choice of core and sheath fluids are suggested to obtain good results, and further investigations and modifications are required to overcome the challenges in coaxial electrospinning.Core-sheath devices should be further studied and advanced, in time making them more attractive for large-scale production. Furthermore, new strategies such as coaxial and tri-axial electrospinning combined with electrospraying can be adopted to prepare core-sheath fibers from spinnable and nonspinnable solutions ,119. In


Lichen symbioses develop long-living thallus structures even in the harshest environments on Earth. These structures are also habitats for many other microscopic organisms, including other fungi, which vary in their specificity and interaction with the whole symbiotic system. This contribution reviews the recent progress regarding the understanding of the lichen-inhabiting fungi that are achieved by multiphasic approaches . The lichen mycobiome comprises a more or less specific pool of species that can develop symptoms on their hosts, a generalist environmental pool, and a pool of transient species. Typically, the fungal classes Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Tremellomycetes predominate the associated fungal communities. While symptomatic lichenicolous fungi belong to lichen-forming lineages, many of the other fungi that are found have close relatives that are known from different ecological niches, including both plant and animal pathogens, and rock colonizers. A significant fraction of yet unnamed melanized (‘black’) fungi belong to the classes Chaethothyriomycetes and Dothideomycetes. These lineages tolerate the stressful conditions and harsh environments that affect their hosts, and therefore are interpreted as extremotolerant fungi. Some of these taxa can also form lichen-like associations with the algae of the lichen system when they are enforced to symbiosis by co-culturing assays. Xanthoria parietina [Tephromela atra [Lichens are long-living, self-sustaining, symbiotic systems that derive from mutualistic associations between biotrophic fungi (the mycobionts) and photosynthetic microorganisms . Lichens represent one of the oldest known and recognizable examples of symbioses. They are commonly characterized by their dual nature, that is, composed of one mycobiont and a population of photobionts , which iarietina ,21,22 anela atra .Only few lichenicolous fungi aggressively destroy their host and may cause the death of the thalli. These are usually unrelated to lichen-forming fungal lineages . The majority of the lichenicolous fungi instead form local infections or live together with their hosts as commensals, and they are usually closely related to the lichen-forming fungal lineages ,25,26. MLichenicolous fungi and the mostly asymptomatic endolichenic fungi form the lichen mycobiome. The lichen mycobiome comprise stable and transient guilds, which, to some extent, correlate with the ecological conditions of the lichen habitats. Lichens from humid, temperate, and boreal environments mainly host fungi representing the classes Sordariomycetes and Leotiomycetes; these lineages are close relatives of plant endophytes ,13. RockHere, we review the knowledge about these lichen-associated fungi, as well as the traditional and most recent approaches that are used to study the diversity of lichen mycobiomes, including phylogenetics, community sequencing, microscopy, chemical analyses, and culture experiments. We also draw attention to some taxa, which have the capacity to form in vitro lichen-like associations with the algae of the lichen system when they are enforced to symbiosis by co-culture.Initially, the culture-independent community fingerprint analyses helped to uncover the dimension of the lichen-associated mycobiome ,14. In tMetabarcoding studies  of lichen mycobiomes have previously relied on the 454 pyrosequencing platform and used specific primers to target the nuclear internal transcribe spacer region (ITS) ,34,35. THypogymnia hypotrypa in China. The authors identified 50 MOTUs comprising 28 Ascomycota, 11 Basidiomycota, 4 Zygomycota, 3 Chytridiomycota, and 4 unknown fungi. Fernández-Mendoza et al. [In their study on the mycobiome in mosses and lichens, U’Ren et al.  recoverea et al.  focused As these studies report a significant fraction of unknown fungi or uncultured fungi, further investigations and the improvement of reference sequence databases for more precise identification of fungi are still necessary. These MOTUs, indeed, could represent further and interesting extremotolerant species, which might be studied for their biological roles. It still remains questionable whether these taxa may represent obligatory lichen-associated fungi, as claimed by Peršoh and Rambold , or whetThe observation of the diverse fungi with melanized cell walls in lichens had motivated research about their systematic relations. There were no doubts that melanized fungi did not form a single monophyletic lineage. However, the lack of teleomorphic states and the phenotypic variation of the mycelial characters hampered studies of systematics and diversity of these fungi. Taxonomic works classified numerous lichenicolous anamorphic species ,48. For Cystocoleus and Racodium were also found [Cladophialophora, Exophiala, Fonsecaea, Phialophora, and Rhinocladiella. Interestingly, Cladophialophora and Rhinocladiella were also isolated from the lichens [Multiple parallel lineages in the classes Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes gave rise to more specialized animal and plant pathogens  Figure . Their aso found . Within so found . The famso found . The mai lichens . Other C lichens ,65.Cladonia and Stereocaulon species) were only washed using sterile tap water. It could therefore not be guaranteed whether the fungi that were isolated from the lichens were residing inside the thalli or whether they just represented surface-attached spores [Parmelia taractica and Peltigera praetextata). Later, the reagents Tween20 and Tween80 were introduced in the isolation protocol of the lichen mycobionts and photobionts so as to wash away the bacterial and fungal contaminants from the thallus surface [2O2, ethanol, and NaOCl), the most reliable surface sterilization procedure was washing in 70% ethanol. When applying the sterilization procedures using only water and H2O2, the authors recorded a high rate of Aspergillus and Penicillium species, which they considered as epithalline, unspecific, and ubiquitous contaminants. When the surface sterilization was followed by washing the steps with ethanol and NaOCl, a broad spectrum of fungi were isolated, which indicated that the method eliminated the surface borne fungi (such as Aspergillus and Penicillium) and facilitated the growth of the asymptomatic, intrathalline, culturable fungi [Cyphobasidium, which seemed to be confined to the fungal upper cortex layer of the lichen [While the cultivation of the primary fungal symbiont was achieved soon after the discovery of the symbiotic nature of lichens in the second half of the 19th century, the presence of other fungi occurring asymptomatically in lichen thalli only received attention much later. The reason for the delayed research on the culurable mycobiome was certainly the erroneous interpretation of these fungi as contaminations of the culturing approach. Early studies of the asymptomatic lichen-associated mycobiota were provided by Petrini et al.  and Girld spores . Girlandd spores  treated  surface . This st surface , who evale fungi . In addile fungi  applied e lichen .2, sodium, and peptone seemed to be important for the growth of Sordariomycetes. In addition, the abundant presence of metal ions in the medium seemed to favor the growth of the melanized strains belonging to the classes Eurotiomycetes and Dothideomycetes, which were easily cultivable on a malt yeast medium as well [The success of isolating fungi from the lichen thalli could be steered by the use of the different growth media on which the first inocula were placed . It was  as well ,65.The eurotiomycetous and dothideomycetous, melanized strains from the lichens in many cases either corresponded or were phylogenetically closely related to the extremotolerant rock-inhabiting fungi ,27,77. HMuggia, pers. comm.). Reliably identified isolates of symptomatic lichenicolous fungi were only available in culture collections since a few years ago [Capronia peltigerae was correlated with its saprobic life style on the lichen host, and it was suggested that the other members of the genus would be easily cultured as well, if the recently collected and well dried material would be selected [In contrast to the symptomless fungi, the symptom-causing lichenicolous fungi were very recalcitrant to grow axenically in culture and they needed to be isolated from spores, produced either in the sexual or asexual structures that were built on the host thallus. An isolation success was rather a rare event and it was usually reported after several attempts and a very long incubation time  or not ium sp., ,87). Thisidiales ,35,88. T lichens . In some lichens .In the pioneering works, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was applied to directly detect the compounds that possibly originated from the symptomatic lichenicolous fungi  and shedLichenothelia. Lichenothelia was chosen because, since the time of its description [Lichenothelia species. Ametrano et al. [Lichenothelia fungi would be enhanced by the photobiont presence when no organic carbon sources were provided in the medium, and whether the fungal–algal co-growth would have stimulated the formation of the lichen-like structures. The fungal growth rates were statistically evaluated and the structures of the mixed cultures were analyzed by the light and scanning electron microscopy. So far, the results showed that, in the Lichenothelia-photobiont system, the presence of the algae did neither influence the growth rate of the fungi nor the formation of any lichen-like structure [Arnold et al.  noticed cription ,101, it o et al.  studied tructure .Muellerella atricola (isolated from the host lichen Tephromela atra) with two strains of the lichen photobiont genus Trebouxia. They noticed that the algal cells and fungal hyphae were arranged in a compact, layer-like structure and that the algal clumps were tightly bound by the hyphae. Nonetheless, no haustoria- or appressoria-type contacts between the hyphae and algae could be observed. Interestingly, the fungus produced asexual spores (conidia) in co-cultures was always adjacent and above the algal colonies, which was interpreted as the result of interacting signaling processes. This work represented a case of ‘enforced symbiosis’, where microorganisms that were not naturally occurring in this manner, needed to interact. Although the resulting phenotypes of enforced symbioses might not have been predicted, they represented interesting strategies for the extended screening programs in the search of novel bioactive compounds.Muggia et al.  developeThe number of studies focusing on lichen-associated fungi has increased rapidly in the past decades and has helped to uncover their diversity and potentials toward extremotolerance and interactions with algae. Both the culture-based and culture-independent methods have been developed and ad hoc improved in order to explain the chemical and genetic variation, as well as some of the evolutionary processes, which has led to the diversification of the symptomatic and asymptomatic lichenicolous fungi. There is still a lot work ahead in order to understand the specificity and biology of these fungi, as the number of strains that have been isolated in culture and fully characterized is still low. Preliminary experiments have showed that numerous fungi have a potential to build sustained interactions with algae or to modulate the chemical traits of the lichen holobiome. It will therefore be of general interest to characterize the metabolome and the interactome of these taxa. Furthermore, the lichen-associated fungi may be seen as unexplored hotspots for the discovery of new chemical compounds. Perspectives for exploring the world of the lichen-associated fungi more deeply are promising because of the advancements in high throughput sequencing techniques and in the setups for co-culture experiments. As the extremotolerant members of the lichen mycobiome seem to cope well with the poikilohydric conditions of their lichen hosts, it will be important to study their activities in the symbiotic holobiont under different hydration regimes.


The 3rd International Meeting on Bone Marrow Adiposity (BMA) was held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on August 31st and September 1st, 2017. This brief monograph summarizes the scientific contents of the meeting and highlights the birth of the International Bone Marrow Adiposity Society (BMAS). The meeting was co-organized by Olaia Naveiras, Alessandro Corsi, and Mara Riminucci with the active collaboration of Biagio Palmisano and Josefine Tratwal, as a joint effort between their laboratories at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Sapienza University of Rome. This meeting was dedicated to the memory of the excellent scientist and expert in bone and bone marrow (BM) physiopathology, Paolo Bianco, anatomical pathologist at the Sapienza University of Rome who passed away in 2015 (A two-day meeting on Bone Marrow Adiposity (BMA) was held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on August 31st and September 1st, 2017  as detailed below.Through recent years, the increasing focus of sessions and symposia on BMA together with the invitation of BMA experts to congresses organized by international societies across different fields  underlines the important implications of BMA in metabolic homeostasis, pathologic conditions , and aging. Based on this broad and impactful relevance, documented also by the growing number of scientific articles published on this topic in recent years , the neeThe meeting focused on varying aspects of BMA, from the developmental origin, functional properties, and endocrine and paracrine regulation of BM adipocytes to the relationship between BM adipocytes in hematopoiesis and with bone tissue. It also included novel technologies and engineering approaches for assessing BMA and the role of BMA in disease. Sixty-six delegates from 14 different countries traveled from as far as China, South Africa, the USA, and across Europe to attend the two-day meeting. The seven invited speakers came from France, Denmark, the USA, and China, bringing fresh aspects of their research fields to the multidisciplinary BMA community.EL Scheller, and the top junior presentation, “Biomimetic engineering of a functional ex vivo human hematopoietic niche” by T Klein. Further echoing the high scientific content of BMA 2017, the contents of many of the oral and poster presentations have been published immediately before or after the meeting  with an equally prominent moderator (M Kassem) was also organized. The heterogeneity of BM adipocytes and the methodological difficulties in tracing their origin were uncovered through the distinct perspectives that emerged during the discussion. A consensus was reached at the meeting that BMA is indeed heterogeneous depending on skeletal location, with regionalization based on genetic tracers pinpointing to specific differences in limbs and tail BM adipocytes as compared to the axial skeleton, and that different stimuli induce apparent variations in BMA, though the progenitor/BM adipocyte hierarchy and the relationship to skeletal stem cells remains to be illuminated.A debate session on the origin of BM adipocytes among three community leaders  niche changes since HSC maintenance and hematopoietic regeneration are promoted by BM adipocytes at different stages of commitment and BM stromal cells (BMSCs)  to visualize and quantify mouse BMA and underlined the importance of linear tracing experiments to assess the ontogeny of BM adipocytes  . K Liu santation . AJ van n Wijnen , 32 and M Kassem , 25 explipocytes . DB Choureatment .CS Craft, using adiponectin-CreDTA+/− and Uncoupling-Protein-1(UCP1)-CreDTA+/−, provided critical insights into the region-specific properties of BM adipocytes, particularly regarding the expression of adiponectin and the capacity of some BMAT depots to induce beiging. Data on Tyrosine Kinase Substrate with four SH3 domains (Tks4), inorganic Phosphate Transporter-2 (PiT2), and adiponectin receptor-1 (AR-1) deficient mice were the subjects of the presentations by V Vas, S Beck-Cormier, and A Sowman, respectively. Tks4, a scaffold protein involved in podosome formation, Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling, and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, was shown to be necessary for both the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs  mouse model, C Chauveau suggested that corticosterone is involved in the BMA regulation of SBA mice and demonstrated the impact of the differentiation of BMSCs toward the adipocyte lineages as well as of the stimulated bone resorption on the reduced bone mass. Data on the potential role of the Methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MeCP-2) and its related microRNAs in BMSC-derived adipogenesis were presented by MR Rippo. Finally, with her study on BMSCs isolated from BM aspirates obtained from lean, overweight, and obese men, M Tencerova, reported that BMSCs from obese men maintained insulin responsiveness and suggested that the enhanced adipogenic differentiation potential of BMSCs may lead to their exhaustion, contributing to the impaired bone formation and bone fragility observed in obesity.Other selected presentations explored the relationship between BMA and diverse pathologic conditions. K Beekman); the use of digital holographic microscopy for quantifying lipid content during adipocyte differentiation in vitro in a non-perturbing manner ; the long-term effect of ovariectomy on mandibular bone microarchitecture and BMA in a comparison of the tibia of adult rats (WF Ferris); the phenotypic characterization of mice with targeted expression of GαsR201C in mature adipocytes (R Labella); the molecular characterization of new potential markers of BM adipocytes (G Maurizi); and the association of increased BMA with chronic kidney disease  pathway in the accumulation of BMA in an ovariectomy mouse model  has also been created. From its beginning on September 1st, 2017 in Lausanne, where the BMAS headquarters are located, the society seeks to advance the knowledge of BMA by facilitating interdisciplinary exchanges, developing research strategies, and promoting the emergence of new ideas and concepts eventually aimed to improve understanding and treatment of the numerous diseases in which BMA is involved.The creation of a scientific society dedicated to BMA was envisioned as early as 2015 when a first group of physicians and scientists was formed  with a shared need for an international society that focused on BMA. This group was funded by the French Research Agency with the goal of building a European network and applying to international funding calls. The need for the creation of a society was repeatedly posed during the 1st  and 2ndnf.org/; ] and in Over the past 5–10 years, new research has massively advanced our understanding of BMA development and functions. BMA has been recognized as an active tissue involved in diverse biological processes , clinical conditions , and in aging. However, many biological and physiopathological questions regarding BMA remain unaddressed. For example: Which is the true identity of BM Adipocyte progenitors? Is there only one BM Adipocyte progenitor? How do different BM adipocyte progenitor change upon skeletal maturation and aging? What is the role of BMA in BM homeostasis? How do BM Adipocytes metabolically interact with their neighboring cells? How do BM Adipocytes and their immediate progenitors contribute to regulation of hematopoiesis and the HSC niche? How is BMA involved in osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis? Which factors  do BM Adipocytes produce? Can we develop tools to address clear cause-effect relationships between BMA and disease beyond the now abundant correlative studies? Can BM adipocytes serve as an energy source for HSCs and BMSCs? Why (and how) BMA volume changes do occur in different clinical conditions ? What is the role of BM Adipocytes in the context of whole-body energy balance? What is the role of BM Adipocytes in the development of BM metastasis?BMA 2017 has been a success both for the fruitful discussions resulting from the scientific program and collaborative spirit of the attendees, and for the creation of an international scientific society, the International Bone Marrow Adiposity Society (BMAS). In the short term, BMAS has set itself the ambitious task of establishing a common, consensual nomenclature, of identifying the technical challenges specific to the study of BMA and of working toward the harmonization of methodologies and biobanking approaches to encourage data sharing and collaboration. The Authors' perspective is that the BMAS will hold the community together, ensuring its continuity, and will inevitably contribute to the in-depth biological and functional characterization of BMAT, also catching the interest of young physicians, scientists, engineers and the public at large.All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.