M. Brandt

Survey of white-footed mice in Connecticut, USA reveals low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and infection with divergent betacoronaviruses

The study surveys white-footed mice in Connecticut, finding low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and identifying two divergent betacoronaviruses.

CFM: Confinement Force Microscopy-a dynamic, precise and stable microconfiner for traction force microscopy in spatial confinement

This paper introduces CFM, a method to dynamically control and measure traction forces in confined environments, revealing two phases of cellular response to confinement.

Culture substrate stiffness impacts human myoblast contractility-dependent proliferation and nuclear envelope wrinkling

This study shows that fibronectin promotes stronger stiffness-dependent responses in human myoblasts compared to laminin and collagen, with softer substrates increasing nuclear wrinkling linked to proliferation.

Dystrophin is a mechanical tension modulator

This study shows that dystrophin modulates baseline homeostatic tension in skeletal muscle, linking increased tissue tension to DMD pathogenesis.

Simulated green turtle grazing reduces seagrass productivity and alters benthic community structure while triggering further disturbance by feeding stingrays

Human endothelial cells display a rapid and fluid flow dependent tensional stress increase in response to tumor necrosis factor-α

This study shows that TNF-α rapidly increases mechanical tension in human endothelial cells within 4 minutes, which can be reversed by shear flow.

2.5D Tractions in monocytes reveal mesoscale mechanics of podosomes during substrate indenting cell protrusion

This study examines mesoscale mechanical forces in podosome clusters of monocytes, revealing that collective behavior arises from network contraction and buckling, not just individual podosome mechanics.

Pressure drives rapid burst-like collective migration from 3D cancer aggregates

The paper demonstrates that pressure differences inside 3D cancer aggregates drive rapid burst-like collective migration in HeLa cells, independent of ECM pulling forces.

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease biomarker bacteria identified in corals and overlying waters using a rapid field-based sequencing approach

The paper identifies SCTLD biomarker bacteria in corals and near-coral seawater using a rapid sequencing approach, revealing 25 ASVs enriched in diseased tissue and four exact matches to previously known SCTLD-associated microbes.

Microchip based microrheology via Acoustic Force Spectroscopy shows that endothelial cell mechanics follows a fractional viscoelastic model

This paper introduces a microchip-based acoustic force spectroscopy method to measure cell mechanics, finding that endothelial cells exhibit fractional viscoelastic behavior under various conditions.

Abundance and diversity of the fecal resistome in slaughter pigs and broilers in nine European countries

The paper quantifies and compares the resistomes of slaughter pigs and broilers across nine European countries, finding differences in AMR gene abundance and diversity linked to country-specific antimicrobial usage.