Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can be cured with pan-genotypic direct-acting antiviral agents. However, identifying individuals with current hepatitis C remains a major challenge, especially in resource-limited settings where access to or availability of molecular tests is still limited. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a molecular assay for the rapid detection of HCV RNA in resource-limited settings. It is based on a combination of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) with the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 12a (CRISPR-Cas12a) cleavage assay that allows the recognition of specific HCV nucleic acid sequences. Amplified products after the cleavage reactions can be visualized on lateral flow strips or measured with a fluorescence detector. When tested on clinical samples from individuals infected with HCV, HIV, or HBV, or from healthy donors, the RT-LAMP-coupled CRISPR-Cas12 assay yielded 96% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 97% agreement as compared to the reference method (Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HCV Test). This assay could detect HCV RNA concentrations as low as 10 ng/µL (an estimated 2.38 Log IU/mL). Therefore, this sensitive and specific assay may represent an affordable and reliable point-of-care test for the identification of individuals with active hepatitis C in low-resource settings.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12071524 | DOI Listing |
Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom
March 2025
Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Rationale: Wildlife scientists are quantifying steroid hormones in a growing number of tissues and employing novel methods that must undergo validation before application. This study tested the accuracy and precision of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods for use on blubber samples from short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). We expanded upon a method for corticosteroid quantification by adding analytes and optimizing internal standard (IS) application.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai, India.
The growing number of connected devices in smart home environments has amplified security risks, particularly from Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks. These attacks allow cybercriminals to intercept and manipulate communication streams between devices, often remaining undetected. Traditional rule-based methods struggle to cope with the complexity of these attacks, creating a need for more advanced, adaptive intrusion detection systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biol Chem
January 2025
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 76798-7348, USA. Electronic address:
Coupling interactions between the alpha (α) subunit of the polymerase III core (α-Pol III core) and the tau (τ) subunit of the clamp loader complex (τ-CLC) are vital for efficient and rapid DNA replication in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Specific and targeted mutations in the C-terminal τ-interaction region of the Pol III α-subunit disrupted efficient coupled rolling circle DNA synthesis in vitro and caused significant genomic defects in CRISPR-Cas9 dnaE edited cell strains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
January 2025
School of Opto-Electronic and Communication Engineering, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen, China. Electronic address:
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is gaining popularity in cancer detection studies because it offers a non-invasive and rapid approach. Label-free SERS detection techniques often needs machine learning, which depends on adequate data for training. The scarcity of blood serum samples from cancer patients, due to challenges in collection linked to confidentiality concerns and other restrictions, can result in model overfitting and poor generalization ability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
January 2025
School of Science, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039 PR China. Electronic address:
Beta - stimulant, that is, β - adrenergic stimulant, also known as β - agonists, is bioactive catecholamine compounds naturally produced in animals' adrenal medulla glands that induce relaxation in asthmatic airway smooth muscles upon inhalation while also temporarily boosting athletic alertness and alleviating fatigue. However, their potential for dependency poses health risks including unnoticed exacerbation leading to severe illness or fatality prompting their inclusion on WADA's prohibited substances list. Surface - enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) offers a rapid, sensitive, and label - free means for identifying characteristic peaks associated with β - agonist compounds.
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