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An increasing demand for bioelectronics that interface with living systems has driven the development of materials to resolve mismatches between electronic devices and biological tissues. So far, a variety of different polymers have been used as substrates for bioelectronics. Especially, biopolymers have been investigated as next-generation materials for bioelectronics because they possess interesting characteristics such as high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and sustainability. However, their range of applications has been restricted due to the limited compatibility of classical fabrication methods with such biopolymers. Here, we introduce a fabrication process for thin and large-area films of chitosan nanofibers (CSNFs) integrated with conductive materials. To this end, we pattern carbon nanotubes (CNTs), silver nanowires, and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) by a facile filtration process that uses polyimide masks fabricated via laser ablation. This method yields feedlines of conductive material on nanofiber paper and demonstrates compatibility with conjugated and high-aspect-ratio materials. Furthermore, we fabricate a CNT neural interface electrode by taking advantage of this fabrication process and demonstrate peripheral nerve stimulation to the rapid extensor nerve of a live locust. The presented method might pave the way for future bioelectronic devices based on biopolymer nanofibers.

Activity of an innervated tissue can be modulated based on an acquired biomarker through feedback loops. How to convert this biomarker into a meaningful stimulation pattern is still a topic of intensive research. In this article, we present a simple closed-loop mechanism to control the mean angle of a locust’s leg in real time by modulating the frequency of the stimulation on its extensor motor nerve. The nerve is interfaced with a custom-designed cuff electrode and the feedback loop is implemented online with a proportional control algorithm, which runs solely on a microcontroller without the need of an external computer. The results show that the system can be controlled with a single-input, single-output feedback loop. The model described in this article can serve as a primer for young researchers to learn about neural control in biological systems before applying these concepts in advanced systems. We expect that the approach can be advanced to achieve control over more complex movements by increasing the number of recorded biomarkers and selective stimulation units.

Peripheral nerve interfacing (PNI) has a high clinical potential for treating various diseases, like obesity or diabetes. However, currently existing electrodes present challenges to the interfacing procedure, which limits their clinical application, in particular, when targeting small peripheral nerves (200 μm). To improve the electrode handling and implantation, we fabricate a nerve interface that can fold itself to a cuff around a small nerve, triggered by the body moisture during insertion. We achieve this folding by printing a bilayer of a flexible polyurethane printing resin and a highly swelling sodium acrylate hydrogel using photopolymerization. When immersed in an aqueous liquid, the hydrogel swells and folds the electrode softly around the nerve. Furthermore, the electrodes are robust, can be stretched (20%), and bend to facilitate the implantation due to the use of soft and stretchable printing resins as substrates and a microcracked gold film as conductive layer. We demonstrate the straightforward implantation and extraction of the electrode as well as stimulation and recording capabilities on a small peripheral nerve in vivo. We believe that such simple and robust to use self-folding electrodes will pave the way for bringing PNI to a broader clinical application. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Human iPSC line IISHDOi001-A was generated from fibroblasts of a patient with McArdle disease harbouring the mutation, c.148C > T; p.Arg50Ter, in the PYGM gene. Reprogramming factors Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc were delivered using Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from: 1) the “Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, Instituto de Salud Carlos III”: PI10/0703, PI13/00556 and PI16/00789 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG cofunded by FEDER, 2) from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER): grants 13-717/132.05 and ER16P3AC717 to RG and 3) “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to RG). MDCOC receives grant support from CIBERER and FZD from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU13/00544). MEG is supported by a “Miguel Servet contract” (CP16/00046) from ISCIII-MINECO-Spain/FEDER-EU.

Mitochondrial disorders (MDs) arise as a result of a respiratory chain dysfunction. While some MDs can affect a single organ, many involve several organs, the brain being the most affected, followed by heart and/or muscle. Many of these diseases are associated with heteroplasmic mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The proportion of mutated mtDNA must exceed a critical threshold to produce disease. Therefore, understanding how embryonic development determines the heteroplasmy level in each tissue could explain the organ susceptibility and the clinical heterogeneity observed in these patients. In this report, the dynamics of heteroplasmy and the influence in cardiac commitment of the mutational load of the m.13513G>A mutation has been analyzed. This mutation has been reported as a frequent cause of Leigh syndrome (LS) and is commonly associated with cardiac problems. In this report, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSc) technology has been used to delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac disease in LS. When mutation m.13513G>A is above a threshold, iPSc‐derived cardiomyocytes (iPSc‐CMs) could not be obtained due to an inefficient epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. Surprisingly, these cells are redirected toward neuroectodermal lineages that would give rise to the brain. However, when mutation is below that threshold, dysfunctional CM are generated in a mutant‐load dependent way. We suggest that distribution of the m.13513G>A mutation during cardiac differentiation is not at random. We propose a possible explanation of why neuropathology is a frequent feature of MD, but cardiac involvement is not always present., The authors are very grateful to Dr. Munell for kindly providing them the patient's fibroblasts. Contract grant sponsor: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria and Regional Development Fund [ERDF/FEDER]); contract grant numbers: PI10/00703, PI13/00556, and PI16/00489 to R. G. and PI15/00484 and PI18/00151 to M. E. G. Contract grant sponsor: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER); contract grant numbers: (13–717/132.05 and ER16P3AC717 to R. G.). Contract grant sponsor: Miguel Servet Program from ISCIII; contract grant number: CP16/00046 to M. E. G.

Human iPSC line N44SV.5 was generated from primary normal human dermal fibroblasts belonging to the European mitochondrial haplogroup U. For this purpose, reprogramming factors Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and cMyc were delivered using a non-integrative methodology that involves the use of Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades raras” (CIBERER) (grant 13-717/132.05 to RG), the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria and Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) funds PI10/0703 and PI13/00556 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG], “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to R.G); T.G. receives grant support from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, FPI-UAM and F.Z.D. from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, grant number FPU13/00544. M.E.G. is staff scientist at the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER).

A human iPSC line, IISHDOi004-A, from fibroblasts obtained from a patient with Usher syndrome, harboring a homozygous mutation in the USH2A gene (c.2276G>T; p.Cys759Phe) has been generated. Reprogramming factors Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc were delivered using Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from: 1) the “Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, Instituto de Salud Carlos III cofunded by FEDER Funds”: PI10/0703, PI13/00556 and PI16/00789 to RG, PI15/00484 to MEG and PI16/0425 to CA. 2) “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER): grants 13-717/132.05 and ER16P3AC717 to RG. 3) “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to RG) and 4) FUNDALUCE 2015 to CA. MdC.O-C and F.Z-D receive grant support from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU13/00544 and FPU16/03895). MEG is supported by a “Miguel Servet” contract (CP16/00046) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III and FEDER Funds. LG is supported by a “Rio Hortega” contract (16/00126) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III and FEDER Funds.

Human iPSC line L749.1 was generated from fibroblasts of a patient with Leigh syndrome associated with a heteroplasmic mutation in the MT-ATP6 gene. Reprogramming factors OCT4, SOX2, CMYC and KLF4 were delivered using retroviruses., This work was supported by grants from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades raras” (CIBERER) (Grant 13-717/132.05 to RG), the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” (FIS PI10/0703 and PI13/00556 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG cofunded by FEDER), “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to R.G); T.G-M. receives grant support from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, FPI-UAM and F.Z-D. from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, grant number FPU13/00544. M.E.G. is senior staff scientist at the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER).

Human iPSC line Oex2054SV.4 was generated from fibroblasts of a patient with an optic atrophy 'plus' phenotype associated with a heterozygous mutation in the OPA1 gene. Reprogramming factors OCT3/4, SOX2, CMYC and KLF4 were delivered using a non-integrative methodology that involves the use of Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades raras” (CIBERER) (Grant 13-717/132.05 to RG), the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) funds PI10/0703 and PI13/00556 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG], “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to R.G); T.G-M. receives grant support from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, FPI-UAM and F.Z-D from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, grant number FPU13/00544. M.E.G. is staff scientist at the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER).

Mitochondrial disorders, although individually are rare, taken together constitute a big group of diseases that share a defect in the oxidative phosphorylation system. Up to now, the development of therapies for these diseases is very slow and ineffective due in part to the lack of appropriate disease models. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the discovery of new therapeutic interventions. Regarding this, the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has opened new expectations in the regenerative medicine field. However, special cares and considerations must be taken into account previous to a replacement therapy., Contract grant sponsor: Centro de Investigacion Biomédica en Red en enfermedades raras (CIBERER); Contract grant number: 13-717/132.05. Contract grant sponsor: Instituto de Salud Carlos III cofunded by FEDER; Contract grant numbers: FIS PI10/0703, PI13/00556, PI15/00484. Contract grant sponsor: “Comunidad Autonoma de Madrid”; Contract grant number: S2010/BMD-2402. Contract grant sponsor: Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Contract grant sponsor: Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte; Contract grant number: FPU13/00544.

Human iPSC line GFM1SV.25 was generated from fibroblasts of a child with a severe mitochondrial encephalopathy associated with mutations in the GFM1 gene, encoding the mitochondrial translation elongation factor G1. Reprogramming factors OCT3/4, SOX2, CMYC and KLF4 were delivered using a non integrative methodology that involves the use of Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades raras” (CIBERER) (Grant 13-717/132.05 to RG), the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria and Regional development fund (ERDF/FEDER) funds PI10/0703 and PI13/00556 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG], “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (Grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to RG); TG receives grant support from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (FPI-UAM) and FZD from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Grant FPU13/00544). MEG is staff scientist at the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER).

Human iPSC line LND554SV.3 was generated from heteroplasmic fibroblasts of a patient with Leigh syndrome carrying a mutation in the MT-ND5 gene (m.13513G. >. A; p.D393N). Reprogramming factors Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and cMyc were delivered using a non-integrative methodology that involves the use of Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER) (grant 13-717/132.05 to RG), the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria and Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) funds PI10/0703 and PI13/00556 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG], “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to RG); TG receives grant support from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (FPI-UAM) and FZD from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU13/00544). MEG is a staff scientist at the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER).

Human iPSC line PG64SV.2 was generated from fibroblasts of a patient with a defect of intergenomic communication. This patient harbored a homozygous mutation (c.2243G>C; p.Trp748Ser) in the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma gene (POLG). Reprogramming factors Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and cMyc were delivered using a non integrative methodology that involves the use of Sendai virus., This work was supported by grants from the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en enfermedades raras” (CIBERER) (Grant 13-717/132.05 to RG), the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria and Regional development fund (ERDF/FEDER) funds PI10/0703 and PI13/00556 to RG and PI15/00484 to MEG], “Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid” (Grant number S2010/BMD-2402 to RG); TG receives grant support from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (FPI-UAM) and FZD from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Grant FPU13/00544). MEG is staff scientist at the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras” (CIBERER).

An increasing number of organisations are beginning to operate in a standardised business process environment suggesting that there is benefit in a standardised business messaging infrastructure.Novozymes A/S is the first known industrial biotech organisation in Denmark to apply the GS1 and the Consumer Goods Forum's global upstream standards initiative (GUSI) in a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) scenario. The combination of applying a standardised VMI business process using the aforementioned integration standards for electronic business messaging and pre-agreed standardised message choreography has been proven by Novozymes to add significant business benefit to their organisation.This case study methodology outlines the results of Novozymes' application of GUSI standards over three separate implementations replenishing 25 customers' factories and describes the resultant reduction in internal IT effort. The implementation data were collected from a total of twenty five factories (sites) which Novozymes, today, replenish using GUSI VMI. The 'ex post' results were then compared and interpreted against a Novozymes internal benchmarking analysis which was used an 'ex ante' base line.The findings strongly suggest that the GUSI VMI application provides not only reduced integration effort, but also is a foundational basis for higher rent generating processes and improved demand transparency management.