Direct Color Observation of Light-Driven Molecular Conformation-Induced Stress.

Although usually complex to handle, nanomechanical sensors are exceptional, label-free tools for monitoring molecular conformational changes, which makes them of paramount importance in understanding biomolecular interactions. Herein, a simple and inexpensive mechanical imaging approach based on low-stiffness cantilevers with structural coloration (mechanochromic cantilevers (MMC)) is demonstrated, able to monitor and quantify molecular conformational changes with similar sensitivity to the classical optical beam detection method of cantilever-based sensors (≈4.6 × 10  N m ).

Gut-on-a-chip: Mimicking and monitoring the human intestine.

Over the last few years, the intestine has been extensively studied using in vitro microfluidic systems, commonly known as gut-on-a-chip (GOC) devices. This interest has been due not only to the importance of the intestine's proper functions but also to the relationship that this organ and the microbiota that inhabits it has with the rest of the body's organs. The increased complexity of these in vitro systems, together with the need to improve our understanding of intestinal physiology interdependencies, has led to greater focus on the integration of biosensors within these devices.

Nanoplasmonic Paper-Based Platform for General Screening of Biomacromolecules.

Hygiene assessment in industrial and clinical environments is crucial in the prevention of health risks. Current technologies for routine cleanliness evaluation rely on the detection of specific biomolecules, thus requiring more than one test for broad-range screening. Herein, the modulation of the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by biomacromolecules was employed to develop a nanoplasmonic platform for general hygiene screening.

Fast fabrication of reusable polyethersulfone microbial biosensors through biocompatible phase separation.

In biosensors fabrication, entrapment in polymeric matrices allows efficient immobilization of the biorecognition elements without compromising their structure and activity. When considering living cells, the biocompatibility of both the matrix and the polymerization procedure are additional critical factors. Bio-polymeric gels (e.

Electro-addressable conductive alginate hydrogel for bacterial trapping and general toxicity determination.

In biosensors development, alginate hydrogels are a first choice for enabling stable biomolecules entrapment in biocompatible membranes obtained under soft physiological conditions. Although widely exploited, most alginate membranes are isolating and poorly repetitive, which limit their application in biosensing. Significant steps forward on improving repeatability and conductivity have been performed, but to date there is no single protocol for controlled deposition of live cells in replicable conductive alginate layers.

Bioelectrochromic hydrogel for fast antibiotic-susceptibility testing.

Materials science offers new perspectives in the clinical analysis of antimicrobial sensitivity. However, a biomaterial with the capacity to respond to living bacteria has not been developed to date. We present an electrochromic iron(III)-complexed alginate hydrogel sensitive to bacterial metabolism, here applied to fast antibiotic-susceptibility determination.

Paper-based chromatic toxicity bioassay by analysis of bacterial ferricyanide reduction.

Water quality assessment requires a continuous and strict analysis of samples to guarantee compliance with established standards. Nowadays, the increasing number of pollutants and their synergistic effects lead to the development general toxicity bioassays capable to analyse water pollution as a whole. Current general toxicity methods, e.

Microbial trench-based optofluidic system for reagentless determination of phenolic compounds.

Phenolic compounds are one of the main contaminants of soil and water due to their toxicity and persistence in the natural environment. Their presence is commonly determined with bulky and expensive instrumentation (e.g.

Fast and sensitive optical toxicity bioassay based on dual wavelength analysis of bacterial ferricyanide reduction kinetics.

Global urban and industrial growth, with the associated environmental contamination, is promoting the development of rapid and inexpensive general toxicity methods. Current microbial methodologies for general toxicity determination rely on either bioluminescent bacteria and specific medium solution (i.e.