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Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of turbulent fronts spreading into an irrotational flow region are used to analyse the turbulent entrainment mechanism for viscoelastic fluids. The simulations use the FENE-P fluid model and are initiated from DNS of isotropic turbulence with Weissenberg and turbulence Reynolds numbers varying in the ranges $1.30 \\le Wi \\le 3.46$ and $206 \\le Re_{\\lambda }^{0} \\le 404$, respectively. The enstrophy dynamics near the turbulent/non-turbulent interface (TNTI) layer, that separates regions of turbulent and irrotational flow, includes a new mechanism – the viscoelastic production – caused by the interaction between the vorticity field and the polymer stresses. This term can be a sink or a source of enstrophy in the turbulent core region of the flow, depending on the Weissenberg number, and contributes to the initial growth of the enstrophy in the viscous superlayer, together with the viscous diffusion, which is the only mechanism present for Newtonian fluids. For low and moderate Weissenberg numbers the scaling of the TNTI layer is similar to the scaling of TNTI layers for Newtonian fluids, but this is no longer the case at high Weissenberg numbers where the enstrophy tends to be concentrated into thin vortex sheets instead of vortex tubes. Finally, it is shown that the substantial decrease of the entrainment rates observed in turbulent flows of viscoelastic fluids, compared with Newtonian fluids, is caused by a reduction of the surface area and fractal dimension of the irrotational boundary, originated by the depletion of ‘active’ scales of motion in the fluid solvent caused by the viscoelasticity.

Road transport is one of the main contributors to increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, consequently aggravating global warming, but it is also one of the sectors that most suffer from climate change, which causes extreme weather events. Thus, strategies, also called adaptation measures, have been discussed to minimize the impacts of climate change on transport systems and their infrastructure; however, a knowledge gap is evident in the literature. Therefore, this article develops a systematic review with a bibliometric approach, still scarce in the literature, in renowned databases, focusing on studies developed on adaptation measures for road infrastructure. The results show that, since the development of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an increasing amount of studies on the theme have been published in recognized journals such as Science of the Total Environment, Energy and Buildings and Urban Climate, analyzing climate threats such as intense precipitations and high temperatures that have led to biophysical impacts such as flooding and urban heat island. In addition, for each type of adverse weather condition, many impacts on road infrastructure can be listed, as well as ways to detect these impacts, and adaptation measures that can be used to minimize these problems.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by systemic inflammation and joint damage. Emerging evidence highlights the role of gut and oral microbiota in RA pathogenesis, with microbial dysbiosis potentially exacerbating inflammation and immune dysregulation. Although probiotics have shown potential in modulating the oral and gut microbiota and improving RA symptoms, a promising cell-free substitute is provided by postbiotics, including probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). These bioactive nanoparticles transport functional metabolites capable of modulating immune responses, reducing inflammation, and restoring gut barrier integrity. Probiotic-derived EVs are, for instance, able to promote M2 macrophage polarization and suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus highlighting their therapeutic potential. Nonetheless, challenges remain in standardizing EVs production, optimizing administration routes, and ensuring clinical safety. The targeting and effectiveness of probiotic EVs may be improved by developments in omics sciences and biotechnology techniques, making them the next breakthrough in postbiotics for the treatment of RA. This review examines how probiotic-derived EVs interact with the host, focusing on their crosstalk with immune cells and subsequent immune modulation. We highlight their potential for RA treatment, discuss clinical challenges, and explore their use in personalized medicine.

The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, is beneficial, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Olive oil is mostly composed of the monounsaturated fatty acid omega-9. We showed omega-9 protects septic mice modulating lipid metabolism. Sepsis is initiated by the host response to infection with organ damage, increased plasma free fatty acids, high levels of cortisol, massive cytokine production, leukocyte activation, and endothelial dysfunction. We aimed to analyze the effect of omega-9 supplementation on corticosteroid unbalance, inflammation, bacterial elimination, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma expression, an omega-9 receptor and inflammatory modulator. We treated mice for 14 days with omega-9 and induced sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We measured systemic corticosterone levels, cytokine production, leukocyte and bacterial counts in the peritoneum, and the expression of PPAR gamma in both liver and adipose tissues during experimental sepsis. We further studied omega-9 effects on leukocyte rolling in mouse cremaster muscle-inflamed postcapillary venules and in the cerebral microcirculation of septic mice. Here, we demonstrate that omega-9 treatment is associated with increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and decreased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in peritoneal lavage fluid of mice with sepsis. Omega-9 treatment also decreased systemic corticosterone levels. Neutrophil migration from circulation to the peritoneal cavity and leukocyte rolling on the endothelium were decreased by omega-9 treatment. Omega-9 also decreased bacterial load in the peritoneal lavage and restored liver and adipose tissue PPAR gamma expression in septic animals. Our data suggest a beneficial anti-inflammatory role of omega-9 in sepsis, mitigating leukocyte rolling and leukocyte influx, balancing cytokine production, and controlling bacterial growth possibly through a PPAR gamma expression-dependent mechanism. The significant reduction of inflammation detected after omega-9 enteral injection can further contribute to the already known beneficial properties facilitated by unsaturated fatty acid-enriched diets.

This second Biomedicines Special Issue-\"30 Years of osteopontin (OPN) Milestones and Future Avenues 2 [...].This second Biomedicines Special Issue-\"30 Years of osteopontin (OPN) Milestones and Future Avenues 2 [...].

The first vaccines ever made were based on live-attenuated or inactivated pathogens, either whole cells or fragments. Although these vaccines required the co-administration of antigens with adjuvants to induce a strong humoral response, they could only elicit a poor CD8+ T-cell response. In contrast, next-generation nano/microparticle-based vaccines offer several advantages over traditional ones because they can induce a more potent CD8+ T-cell response and, at the same time, are ideal carriers for proteins, adjuvants, and nucleic acids. The fact that these nanocarriers can be loaded with molecules able to modulate the immune response by inducing different effector functions and regulatory activities makes them ideal tools for inverse vaccination, whose goal is to shut down the immune response in autoimmune diseases. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and liposomes are biocompatible materials approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use and are, therefore, suitable for nanoparticle-based vaccines. Recently, another candidate platform for innovative vaccines based on extracellular vesicles (EVs) has been shown to efficiently co-deliver antigens and adjuvants. This review will discuss the potential use of PLGA-NPs, liposomes, and EVs as carriers of peptides, adjuvants, mRNA, and DNA for the development of next-generation vaccines against endemic and emerging viruses in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

The transport sector is responsible for several environmental impacts, including contributions to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions and depleting natural resources. A strategy to reduce these issues goes towards the application of a circular economy, a concept that offers a response to increasing concerns about resource scarcity and the associated impacts from their use. Thus, this paper aims to fill a gap in the literature that consists of the scarcity of studies that consider the circular economy application on a micro, meso, and macro level in road transport, including all stages as well as the 7 Rs of the reverse cycle. Therefore, an approach is presented to meet road transport needs, highlighting best practices obtained through a literature review, to promote climate change mitigation and resource depletion. Qualitative data were presented for each circular economy stage with 46 best practices identified, providing invaluable guidance to transport decision-makers. Thus, public policies focusing on all of the CE stages should be taken into consideration, not only those responsible for closing the cycle, such as waste and recycling or disposal and treatment.

Organ-on-chip (OoC) technology aims to replicate key physiological functions of one or more tissues within sophisticated three-dimensional microfluidic platforms. Beyond their engineering advances, OoC systems are increasingly recognized for their potential to bring preclinical research closer to clinical reality, especially when incorporating patient-derived cells. This autologous dimension represents a new frontier, as it enables the faithful modeling of individual immune processes in a physiologically relevant and truly personalized context. Importantly, if the immune system itself is to be incorporated on-chip, the requirement for autologous integration extends to all tissues involved, ensuring consistency and fidelity of patient-specific responses. Academic and industrial efforts have progressively advanced from single-tissue to multi-tissue and multi-organ OoC systems, converging toward autologous OoC (aOoC) platforms that can (i) capture patient-specific immunopathophysiology with higher fidelity, (ii) potentially complement and, in specific contexts, reduce reliance on animal models, and (iii) directly inform immunotherapy development and therapeutic decision-making within precision medicine. In this review, we first summarize the principles and fabrication strategies underlying OoC technology, then trace their evolution toward autologous systems capable of modeling autoimmune diseases and assessing drug efficacy and safety in a translationally relevant manner. Finally, we discuss the current limitations of these platforms and outline the major challenges that must be addressed to advance their translational potential.

Graphical Abstract This study independently confirms increased levels of osteopontin in COVID‐19 patients but also suggests that osteopontin cannot be used as a biomarker of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, as elevated levels of circulating osteopontin are found in inflammatory lung disease regardless of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

For decades, immunology has followed a clear paradigm: immunological memory resides only within the adaptive immunity, as a unique property of lymphocytes giving the host the ability to recognize specific antigens and offer long-term protection. However, this raises an important question: how valid is this belief in light of new evidence? The discovery of trained immunity shows that innate immune cells can also develop lasting functional changes. This finding prompts a profound reconsideration of the traditional framework. Trained immunity is a functional reprogramming of the innate immune cells driven by long-term epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming, resulting in enhanced responses upon subsequent exposure to the same pathogen or even to unrelated stimuli. The presence of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on innate immune cells already suggested a certain level of specificity in this compartment thanks to the engagement of a PRR by a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) inducing memory-like properties in the responding cell. While such partial specificity can enhance protection, it may also amplify aberrant inflammatory circuits, thereby contributing to the initiation or worsening of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. This dual nature of trained immunity raises important questions for the field: is trained immunity ultimately harmful or beneficial in autoimmunity, and can its mechanisms be harnessed therapeutically rather than pathologically? The present Perspective will address these issues by examining recent findings that reveal the specificity, pathogenic potential, and translational opportunities in given examples of autoimmune diseases (ADs).