In the Amazon, Chagas disease (CD) transmission is associated with the consumption of contaminated foods -most notably açaí-and constitutes an important public health concern. In Brazil, the state of Amazonas ranks third in acute-phase notifications among states in the region, with 25% of municipalities having already reported acute CD cases, predominantly in outbreaks in rural areas. This study describes the current overview of knowledge on CD in Amazonas, bringing together research findings from the Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), developed in partnership with the graduate program in Tropical Medicine at the Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA). The findings show that, in addition to oral transmission, accidental contact with the traditional vector (Triatominae) has been reported. The predominant transmission pattern represents an important shift in the dynamics of the disease and reinforces the need for surveillance strategies focused on controlling foodborne transmission. Among the main challenges are logistical difficulties for post-treatment clinical follow-up, especially in remote areas, and the absence of a structured and specialized network for continuous case monitoring and detection of new outbreaks. Added to this is the lack of systematic CD screening in women of childbearing age during prenatal care, which hinders surveillance of vertical transmission. These issues highlight the urgency of strengthening surveillance and preventing new incidences.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a versatile class of porous nanomaterials with exceptional surface area, tunable pore architectures, and customizable chemical functionalities, creating new opportunities for advanced food applications. Increasing demand for functional foods, precision fermentation, and sustainable bioprocessing has stimulated interest in MOFs as multifunctional platforms for microbial encapsulation, biocatalyst stabilization, and resource recovery. This review examines recent advances in the design and application of MOFs for probiotic delivery, precision fermentation, and circular food systems. The relationships between MOF structure, physicochemical properties, and functional performance are discussed in the context of probiotic encapsulation, protection against environmental and gastrointestinal stress, and controlled release within the intestinal tract. Emerging applications in precision fermentation are evaluated, including microbial immobilization, enzyme stabilization, metabolite separation, and bioprocess intensification. The potential of MOFs to enable circular food systems through the valorization of fermentation by-products, nutrient recovery, and waste-to-value strategies is also assessed. Despite significant progress, challenges related to biocompatibility, food-grade synthesis, scalability, regulatory approval, and long-term safety continue to limit industrial implementation. Future research directions include the development of sustainable and biodegradable MOFs, data-driven material design, and standardized evaluation frameworks to accelerate the translation of MOF-enabled technologies from laboratory research to commercial food applications.
Van der Waals indium selenide is a promising material for next-generation optoelectronics due to its thickness-dependent band structure and high carrier mobility. Here, we investigate the optical properties of size-selected liquid-phase exfoliated γ-InSe nanosheets. The dispersions, composed of flakes with lateral dimensions below 100 nm, exhibit pronounced structural disorder and size-dependent optical behavior. Absorbance spectroscopy reveals systematic changes across size-selected fractions, enabling the extraction of quantitative metrics for estimating nanosheet lateral size and layers number. In addition, stability studies demonstrate significant degradation under ambient conditions, which is accelerated at elevated temperatures. Photoluminescence measurements on nanosheets exfoliated under inert conditions show broad, asymmetric emission with a clear blue-shift for smaller flakes, reflecting quantum confinement and dielectric screening effects. The emission characteristics further indicate a dominant contribution from localized states associated with disorder. These findings provide insight into the structure-property relationships in liquid-phase exfoliated γ-InSe and highlight its potential for solution-processed optoelectronic applications.
Intracellular delivery of bioactive cargoes remains a major bottleneck in engineering therapeutic cellular responses. Here we report LED-modulated plasmoporation driven by the plasmonic photothermal effect of large-area gold nanoislands (AuNIs) for highly efficient cargo delivery into suspension cells. Plasmoporation operates through a sequential microfluidic network with AuNIs and a white LED module. LED-modulated mild photothermal cycling induces transient membrane phase transition and poration, followed by thermal relaxation for membrane recovery. Precisely controlled LED modulation shows intracellular delivery of propidium iodide into Jurkat cells with 80% delivery efficiency and 93% cell viability. Arrhenius-model-based analysis of LED-modulated temperature pulse-trains identifies an optimal cumulative cellular thermal damage (Ω) range of 0.11-0.15, yielding ≥70% delivery efficiency while maintaining high cell viability. Plasmoporation further demonstrates intracellular delivery of macromolecules up to 2000 kDa with delivery efficiencies exceeding 50%. This low-power, scalable plasmoporation offers a new approach for high-throughput immune cell engineering and therapeutic intracellular delivery.
Sophorolipids (SLs) are microbial glycolipid biosurfactants with potential applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, petroleum, and food industries. Yeast extracts (YEs) and peptones (PPs) are commonly used nitrogen sources for SL production, but their brand- and process-dependent compositions can affect productivity. Here, six YEs (YE1 to YE6) and six PPs (PP1 to PP6) were profiled by GC-MS, LC-MS, ion chromatography, ICP-MS, and post-column detection HPLC, and their effects on SL production by Starmerella bombicola NBRC 10243 were examined. Forty-nine of 103 target components were quantified. SL titers varied from 9.6 g/L with YE6 to 36.3 g/L with PP1. Partial least squares regression predicted SL production with high accuracy (R2 = 0.96, Q2 = 0.90) and suggested amino acids, cytosine, pantothenic acid, and nitrate as candidate contributors. Supplementation experiments showed that lysine, serine, methionine, ornithine, and cytosine improved SL production, especially in combination.
Obesity is associated with frequent relapse after weight loss and increased obesity risk in offspring of mothers with obesity, but the mechanisms underlying this persistence remain incompletely understood. We find that obesity-elevated cytokine TGF-β1 activates fibrillin-1 (Fbn1) transcription in adipocytes, increasing production of the appetite-stimulating hormone asprosin. Transient exposure to elevated TGF-β1 remodels chromatin at the Fbn1 locus, generating a durable transcriptional state associated with sustained Fbn1 expression and plasma asprosin elevation after weight loss and normalization of TGF-β1. In mouse models, this persistent asprosin elevation increases food intake, promoting weight regain. In parallel, maternal TGF-β1 exposure during gestation programs offspring adipose tissue, leading to persistent Fbn1 expression, elevated plasma asprosin, and increased susceptibility to diet-induced obesity. Finally, genetic or pharmacologic disruption of the Fbn1-asprosin-Ptprd axis prevents both phenomena. These findings identify an adipose TGF-β1-asprosin pathway that constitutes a memory of prior obesity and promotes obesity relapse and intergenerational obesity susceptibility.
On January 19, 2024, the FDA granted traditional approval to erdafitinib for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) with susceptible FGFR3 genetic alterations, as determined by an FDA-approved companion diagnostic test, whose disease has progressed on or after at least one line of prior systemic therapy. Substantial evidence of effectiveness was obtained from BLC3001 (THOR, NCT03390504) Cohort 1, which was an open-label trial in which 266 patients with FGFR3-altered la/mUC were randomized 1:1 to receive erdafitinib (8 mg once daily with potential up-titration to 9 mg) versus chemotherapy (docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks or vinflunine 320 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Statistically significant improvements in OS, progression-free survival, and objective response rate were demonstrated for erdafitinib compared with chemotherapy. Median OS was 12.1 months (95% CI: 10.3, 16.4) in the erdafitinib arm and 7.8 months (95% CI: 6.5, 11.1) in the chemotherapy arm (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.88; p=0.0050). Based on BLC3001 Cohort 2 results showing no OS benefit of erdafitinib versus pembrolizumab (HR 1.18, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.51), the approval includes a limitation of use: erdafitinib is not recommended for the treatment of patients who are eligible for and have not received prior PD-(L)1 inhibitor therapy. This article summarizes the data and the FDA thought process supporting traditional approval of erdafitinib, including the rationale for not requiring specific types of prior systemic therapy in the indication statement.
As a typical climacteric fruit, the apple (Malus domestica) ripening is predominantly regulated by ethylene. Light-emitting diode (LED) white light, an energy-efficient and widely promoted light source, can significantly inhibit ethylene biosynthesis during apple ripening, however, its underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear. This study demonstrates that LED white light inhibits ethylene production by enhancing spermidine (Spd) production, which competes with ethylene for the common precursor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Mechanistically, LED white light induces the transcription factor ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 LONG (MdHY5L) to enhance the transcription of Spd biosynthetic genes, thereby redirecting SAM flux toward Spd accumulation. Consistently, exogenous Spd application also inhibits ethylene biosynthesis, indicating that the light-induced Spd exerts a sustained inhibitory effect on ethylene production. Furthermore, MdHY5L functions upstream of light signaling component LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (MdLHY) to active its transcription. MdLHY directly binds to the promoter of ethylene biosynthesis gene MdACS1 to repress its transcription. Collectively, our findings reveal that LED white light suppresses apple fruit ripening by activating the MdHY5L-MdLHY transcriptional cascade, which precisely modulates polyamine-mediated ethylene biosynthesis. This study provides an effective strategy for prolonging the storage life of apple fruit.
Increasing food production often comes at the cost of habitat loss, which contributes to declining biodiversity. Consequently, balancing global food production with biodiversity conservation is a growing challenge, particularly as agricultural production expands and intensifies to meet the needs of a growing human population. The land sharing-land sparing (LSLS) framework presents two contrasting strategies for managing the trade-off between food production and biodiversity conservation. Land sharing involves low-intensity agriculture being interspersed within heterogeneous landscapes that retain natural habitats, whereas land sparing concentrates high-yield agriculture in some areas to allow separate areas to remain undisturbed as natural habitat designated for conservation. While LSLS has been studied extensively in terrestrial ecosystems, its relevance for freshwater ecosystems, despite their exceptional biodiversity and vulnerability, remains largely unexplored. Here, we evaluate how aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity is influenced by LSLS land use configurations in agricultural landscapes of Pennsylvania, USA. We compared macroinvertebrate community metrics (taxa richness, evenness, total abundance), and community composition between paired stream reaches-one flowing through a land sharing landscape configuration and the other through a land sparing configuration. The paired study design ensured streams were matched for physical habitat characteristics and most water quality variables known to influence macroinvertebrates, thus allowing us to isolate any potential impacts of land configuration per se. We found no significant differences in analyzed macroinvertebrate community metrics or composition between paired streams flowing through land sharing versus land sparing configurations. The only differences identified were small changes in the abundance of collector-filterers that are likely to be biologically insignificant. As one of the first empirical tests of the LSLS framework in aquatic ecosystems, these findings suggest that the spatial configuration of agricultural land use, whether integrated with or spatially separated from natural habitat, may have limited influence on macroinvertebrate diversity in streams, cautioning against overgeneralizing terrestrial conservation strategies for use in freshwater ecosystems.
CPPU treatment increased the supply of carbohydrates in the fruiting branches, and the upregulation of genes related to lignin synthesis improved the tensile strength of the AZ, thereby inhibiting fruitlet abscission in A. catechu. Forchlorfenuron (CPPU) is a synthetic plant growth regulator with cytokinin activity that effectively promotes cell division and expansion, thereby enhancing fruit set rate and improving fruit quality. In this study, CPPU has been verified to effectively suppress fruitlet abscission in A. catechu. The CPPU treatment resulted in a notable increase in the levels of total sugar, starch, sucrose, glucose, and lignin in the abscission zones (AZs) of A. catechu fruitlets. Concurrently, the levels of ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) and ABA (abscisic acid) significantly decreased, while the levels of ZR (zeatin riboside) and GA3 (gibberellic acid) significantly increased. Furthermore, totally 1,503 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the AZs treated by CPPU and control have been identified through RNA-Seq, including 778 upregulated and 725 downregulated genes. Within the phytohormone signaling pathways, two genes involved in GA3 signaling transduction, AcCXE and AcGAST, were significantly upregulated, while AcABI, a gene related to ABA signaling, was significantly downregulated. Additionally, genes involved in sucrose and starch metabolism pathways, such as AcSUS4 and AcFRK, and genes associated with lignin biosynthesis, including AcPAL, AcC4H, AcOMT, and AcF5H, were significantly upregulated. These results suggest that CPPU may accelerate the transport of carbohydrates in the leaves and increasing the carbohydrate supply in fruit-bearing branches, and the elevated lignin content improves the tensile strength of the AZ, thereby suppressing fruitlet abscission. These results not only provide preliminary insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying the suppression of CPPU on fruitlet abscission, but also offer a practical strategy for improving the management of A. catechu industrial.
Immunogenic cell death (ICD)-based whole-cell personalized cancer immunotherapies present full tumor antigens but suffer from poor immunogenicity, early clearance, and a glutathione (GSH)-rich immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we report a TME-responsive immunotherapeutic platform, DTBEI@CS@MnO2, which integrates immunogenicity-enhanced dead tumor cell bodies (DTBEI) with Mn2 +-potentiated innate immunity. Tumor cells preloaded with indocyanine green (ICG) are sequentially functionalized with a chitosan (CS) interlayer followed by MnO2 adsorption (CS@MnO2) via electrostatic interactions. Upon near-infrared laser irradiation, ICG-mediated photodynamic/photothermal effect induces potent ICD, generating DTBEI. Within the acidic and GSH-enriched TME, the CS@MnO2 coating disassembles to release DTBEI and MnO2. DTBEI provides endogenous antigens and ICD-associated danger signals, while MnO2 is reduced by GSH to Mn2 +. The resulting Mn2 + amplifies DTBEI- and tumor-derived deoxyribonucleic acid-triggered cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) activation and downstream immune-stimulatory effects, thereby synergistically promoting dendritic cell maturation, antigen cross-presentation, and tumor-specific T-cell priming. Consequently, DTBEI@CS@MnO2 elicits durable anti-tumor immunity, effectively inhibiting tumor growth and suppressing recurrence and metastasis, while establishing T-cell memory responses. Importantly, this strategy shows broad applicability in multiple tumor models, including CT26 colon cancer, 4T1 breast cancer, and B16F10 melanoma, while maintaining favorable biocompatibility. Overall, these findings highlight a materials-based approach for personalized cancer immunotherapy.
In recent years, multifunctional composite nanoparticles have garnered substantial attention across multiple fields, from medicine to environmental science and the food industry, owing to their superior physicochemical properties. The synching of Ni nanoparticles by chemical reduction with nickel chloride as the source, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles by the co-precipitation method, with Fe2+ and Fe3+ as salts, is the focus of this study. Silane was used for the surface modification of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, while sulfuric acid was used to modify the SMCNT. A composite in PVDF based on the blend of Ni and modified Fe3O4/single-walled carbon tube (SWCNT) was used as an additive. Moreover, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was hot-pressed over the film to improve flexibility. To examine and characterize the nanoparticles and composite films, we used X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results verified that the films and nanoparticles were well formed. For a deeper characterization, UV-visible spectroscopy and EMI shielding experiments were conducted for the composite films. The composite films exhibited excellent UV-blocking performance (99.9%) and a total shielding effectiveness (SET) of 13.78 dB in the Ku-band (12-18 GHz) for a thickness of 1 mm. The reflection and absorption mechanisms yield shielding performance through the synergy between conducting (Ni, SWCNT) and magnetic (Fe3O4) components. These results reveal that the TPU-coated composite film is a promising candidate for multifunctional UV and electromagnetic shielding.
Flying Drosophila critically depend on high-contrast visual surroundings to localize odor sources in still air, yet the neural mechanisms of visual integration for active odor tracking are unknown. We demonstrate that Ellipsoid body-Protocerebral bridge-Gall (E-PG) neurons-head direction cells in the central complex-work in concert with self-generated visual motion signals to maintain a stable heading metric during olfactory navigation in flight. Using a magnetic tether system and a digital "visual clamp," we show that removing the visual feedback generated by a fly's own turns (reafference) causes the animal to lose its heading within an odor plume. Thus, olfactory and mechanosensory signals alone are insufficient for plume stabilization. E-PG neurons have been shown to store visual changes in heading during flight. Genetically hyperpolarizing E-PG neurons significantly compromised the flies' ability to both acquire and maintain heading toward a food odor. Notably, silencing these neurons did not disrupt basic visual reflexes, such as optomotor gaze stabilization or object tracking, indicating a specific role in odor-directed visual navigation rather than visual flight control. While odor was found to modulate the frequency and amplitude of turns independently, E-PG neurons are essential for directing the orientation of corrective saccades toward the plume center. These results establish that visual reafference engages the internal visual compass and associated control circuits to sustain a spatial working memory of heading changes between saccades, allowing flies to maintain a straight course and navigate effectively toward an invisible odor source in flight in still air.
With consumers' growing demand for products labeled as having been produced without practices or substances, agricultural producers are given the chance to distinguish their products through eco-labels and other claims. During the last few decades, a number of food labels have been developed to communicate sustainability information, with consumers interested in the carbon footprint and practices of agriculture in recent years. This study investigates the retail premiums for such sustainability labels as greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-reducing practices and other potentially relevant sustainability labels on meat products, including organic, grass-fed, gluten-free, and whether genetically modified organisms were used in production. Prices and labeling information about beef, pork, and chicken products in selected stores from 48 states were collected via web-scraping and investigated for sustainability labels. Market-observed premiums for such labels as reduced-GHG and sustainable practices were investigated alongside impacts of geography on product prices. Our results showed significant premiums for almost all sustainability claims investigated. Among the claims studied, Organic and Grass-fed labels consistently carried positive premiums across all three meat types, with pork products generally exhibiting the highest premiums and chicken products the lowest.
While candidate biomarkers have been proposed for several cereals and pseudocereals, no validated biomarkers have been established for whole grain (WG) corn. As an initial step toward biomarker development, this study investigated the biotransformation of N1,N10-di-p-coumaroyl spermidine (diCouSpd), a major corn phenolamide, using an integrated approach combining chemical synthesis, LC-MS- and NMR-based structural elucidation, in vitro human fecal fermentation, and in vivo mouse studies. Three previously unreported hydrogenated metabolites were identified: N1-dihydro-p-coumaroyl-N10-p-coumaroyl-spermidine (1), N1-p-coumaroyl-N10-dihydro-p-coumaroyl-spermidine (2), and N1,N10-bis(dihydro-p-coumaroyl)-spermidine (3). Fecal and urine analyses from mice administrated diCouSpd or corn extracts prepared from two or four servings of WG corn confirmed the formation of these reduced metabolites. Human fecal fermentation revealed a putative stepwise hydrogenation pathway involving sequential reduction of p-coumaroyl moieties in diCouSpd. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the reductive metabolism of corn phenolamides and support diCouSpd and its metabolites as potential exposure biomarkers of WG corn intake.
Nilotinib has been shown to be highly effective for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and advancing patients to treatment-free remission (TFR). However, its efficacy and safety may be compromised by nonadherence due to its twice-daily fasting requirement. A reduced-dose nilotinib tablet may address these limitations. Nonsystematic PubMed search (1966 to July, 2026) for papers related to the pathology, etiology, and treatment of CML, pivotal clinical trials and real-world studies for tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) focusing on nilotinib, and recent pharmacokinetic and adherence research, including data on the nilotinib tablet. Nilotinib achieves more rapid deep molecular responses and TFR rates vs imatinib. Nilotinib also offers efficacy comparable to dasatinib, bosutinib, and asciminib. Twice-daily administration with fasting requirements for nilotinib contribute to real-world nonadherence, which often remains undetected by healthcare professionals, undermines TFR goals, and may increase the risk of cardiovascular adverse events. The nilotinib tablet provides bioequivalent exposure to nilotinib capsules under overnight fasted conditions at a reduced dose without a food effect on absorption. It offers a solution to the complex dosing regimen for nilotinib capsules, potentially supporting better adherence and outcomes with reduced concern about food-related inconvenience.
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between self-perceived oral health and food consumption indicators in adult and older adult Brazilians, with data from the 2013 (n=57,962) and 2019 (n=86,510) National Health Survey (NHS). Self-perceived oral health (exposure) was categorized as very good/good, fair and poor/very poor. Regular weekly consumption of healthy (beans, raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, milk and chicken) and unhealthy (red meat, soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets and replacing main meals with snacks) food items were the outcomes. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated using adjusted Poisson regression models. In both editions, individuals rating their oral health as poor/very poor had a lower prevalence of regular vegetables (PR 0.83, 95%CI 0.78-0.88), fruit (PR 0.82, 95%CI 0.76-0.88) and milk consumption (PR 0.87, 95%CI 0.82-0.93). Poor/very poor oral health self-perception was linked to higher regular consumption of unhealthy indicators in 2019 (soft drinks: PR 1.13, 95%CI 1.02-1.24; sweets: PR 1.15, 95%CI 1.03-1.29; meal replacements: PR 1.18, 95%CI 1.06-1.32). Our findings indicate that a poorer self-perception of oral health is associated with unhealthier indicators of food consumption.
Alisols, a distinctive group of protostane-type triterpenoids predominantly found in the rhizomes of Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep., have attracted due to their broad pharmacological potential. This review first provides an integrated overview of alisol A (1), alisol A 23-acetate (2), alisol A 24-acetate (3), alisol B (4), alisol B 23-acetate (5), alisol C (6), and alisol C 23-acetate (7), focusing on their natural occurence, pharmacological activities, semisynthesis, pharmacokinetic and metabolic profiles. References were collected from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SciFinder using keywords alisols, protostane triterpenoids, Alisma orientale, semisynthesis, pharmacology, mechanisms, and pharmacokinetics. Original research articles from the 1970s reporting chemical characterization and pharmacology were included, while studies lacking relevance were excluded. Alisols 1-7 exhibited wide-ranging pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetes, antiallergic, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-obesity, and vasorelaxant activities. They also protect the neurons, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, bones, and skin. These activities are associated with apoptosis, autophagy, and cytokine and oxidative inhibitions, and the modulation of various signaling pathways, such as the AMPK, PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and FXR. Semisynthesis, particularly esterification, dehydration, and epoxidation, enhanced pharmacological values and revealed structure-activity relationships. Pharmacokinetic data indicated rapid biotransformation, pH-dependent interconversion, and gut microbiota-associated metabolism.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with cage-like narrow openings and large internal cavities have shown potential for addressing outstanding challenges such as water harvesting and purification. However, a fundamental understanding of water structure and dynamics within these MOFs is essential to achieving high water flux. Here, we take a computational approach to determine the effects of pore confinement and hydrophilicity on water density, hydrogen bonding, diffusivity, and permeability in 78 cage-like MOFs that are predicted by literature-trained machine learning models to be stable in humid/wet conditions, including under water submersion. Across this set, we observe significant variations in water density, hydrogen-bond network, dielectric environment, and diffusion driven by confinement and hydrophilicity of the MOFs. We show that confinement exerts a strong influence on water structure, diffusion, and intrinsic permeability with hydrophilicity exerting a secondary influence. Finally, we establish design principles to achieve exceptional water permeability within cage-like MOFs without compromising the ionic selectivity.
Loss of self-feeding ability due to severe bilateral upper extremity motor impairment (BUEMI) limits functional independence with a critical activity of daily living, increases medical risks, reduces social participation, and affects overall well-being. Robotic feeding devices are an emerging category of assistive technology. OObi3 is a third-generation, robotic feeding device, regulated in the United States as a Class I medical device and CE marked as a Class I device under the European Union Medical Device Regulation. The device is designed to enable people with BUEMI to independently select and safely consume food and liquid using accessible switches or interfaces while maintaining culturally normative dining practices. Although earlier Obi generations showed promise, comprehensive usability data across multiple stakeholder groups remains limited. This study evaluated the usability, safety, and clinical relevance of Obi3 in real-world use from the perspectives of people with BUEMI, caregivers, and rehabilitation providers. The findings were intended to generate evidence to inform clinical decision-making and determinations of medical necessity for potential DME coverage, consistent with the device's intended use and clinician-assessed implementation. A mixed methods usability study provided a 1-week home trial of Obi3. Quantitative measures included the System Usability Scale (SUS), survey items adapted from the Matching Person and Technology (MPT) framework, and self-feeding ratings based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health impairment scale. Paired-sample t tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and effect sizes (Cohen d) assessed changes in self-feeding scores. Qualitative data from open-ended survey responses and follow-up semistructured interviews were analyzed thematically to complement quantitative findings. A total of 50 participants were enrolled, of whom 42 completed follow-up surveys. Participants included 15 people with BUEMI (pediatric and adult), 14 caregivers, and 13 providers. Participants' mean self-feeding impairment scores decreased significantly from 3.80 (SD 0.41) at baseline to 0.60 (SD 0.74) post trial (n=15; t14=10.75; P<.001; Cohen d=3.40). All patient participants demonstrated improvement in functional self-feeding ability. Mean SUS scores exceeded the benchmark for acceptable usability (≥68) across stakeholder groups: 82.8 (SD 17.2) for people with BUEMI, 85.2 (SD 12.6) for caregivers, and 85.0 (SD 10.7) for providers. Responses to MPT items indicated strong alignment between user goals and device capabilities, perceived safety, and low complexity. Caregivers reported reduced feeding-related workload and stress, and providers endorsed ease of clinical integration. No adverse events or device malfunctions occurred. Obi3 demonstrated high usability, safety, and clinical use in restoring self-feeding independence among individuals with severe BUEMI. Findings across people with BUEMI, caregivers, and providers support Obi3 as an effective DME that may enhance user autonomy and reduce caregiver burden. Lengthier longitudinal studies are needed to establish long-term clinical efficacy and health outcomes.