Water-Templated, Polysaccharide-rich Bioartificial 3D Microarchitectures as Extra-Cellular Matrix Bioautomatons.

This is the first report of exploiting the "quasi-spherical" shape of water molecules for recapitulating a true human extracellular matrix (ECM). Herein, water behaved as a quasi-spherical porogen, for engineering polysaccharide-rich and chemically defined 3D-microarchitecture, with semi-interpenetrating networks (S-IPNs). Furthermore, their viscoelastic behavior along with a heterogeneous, fibroporous morphology, facilitated instructive, self-remodeling of the bioartificial scaffolds, thence effectively permitting and promoting the growth of 3D tumor spheroids of divergent origins.

Microfluidic paper device for rapid detection of aflatoxin B1 using an aptamer based colorimetric assay.

Contamination of milk by mycotoxins is a serious problem worldwide. Herein, we focused on the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AflB1) using a paper microfluidic device fabricated with specific aptamers as biorecognition elements. The fabrication process resulted in the generation of a leak proof microfluidic device where two zones were designed: control and test.

Fabrication of microfluidic device for Aflatoxin M1 detection in milk samples with specific aptamers.

This study describes the colorimetric detection of aflatoxin M1 (Afl M1) in milk samples using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD). Fabrication of µPADs was done using a simple and quick approach. Each μPAD contained a detection zone and a sample zone interconnected by microchannels.

Contrasting Gene Expression Profiles of Monocytes and Lymphocytes From Peste-Des-Petits-Ruminants Virus Infected Goats.

In this study, transcriptome analysis of PPRV infected PBMC subsets-T helper cells, T cytotoxic cells, monocytes, and B lymphocytes was done to delineate their role in host response. PPRV was found to infect lymphocytes and not monocytes. The established receptor for PPRV-SLAM was found downregulated in lymphocytes and non-differentially expressed in monocytes.

Graphene nanosheets as an electric mediator for ultrafast sensing of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor-A biomarker of cancer.

Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrochemical immunosensor has been developed for rapid detection of urokinase type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) - a biomarker for cancer. uPAR is a GPI-anchored cell membrane receptor that shows increased expression in many types of human cancers which include breast, prostate, colorectal, and non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, a novel ultrasensitive FTO graphene nanosheets based electrode was used as a working probe to analyze the interaction between urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and monoclonal uPAR antibody (Ab).

Resistance to ETEC F4/F18-mediated piglet diarrhoea: opening the gene black box.

Diarrhoea, a significant problem in pig rearing industry affecting pre- and post-weaning piglets is caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The ETEC are classified as per the fimbriae types which are responsible for bacterial attachment with enterocytes and release of toxins causing diarrhoea. However, genetic difference exists for susceptibility to ETEC infection in piglets.

Recalibrating the Existence of New Neurons in Adult Brain.

New neurons were shown to born throughout adulthood, a process known as neurogenesis. Last year, the human hippocampal neurogenesis field was flipped on its head by a paper in Nature from Sorrells et al. questioning the presence of human hippocampal neurogenesis during adulthood ( Sorrells, S.

The Curious Case of Human Hippocampal Neurogenesis.

Neurogenesis in the human brain has been validated to occur throughout adulthood. Recently, the human hippocampal neurogenesis field has been shaken by two significant reports that have been published with opposite reports, and these path-breaking studies have flipped the bandwagon of the neurogenesis field upside down, by questioning the existence of human hippocampal neurogenesis. Here, we discuss the findings by these two prominent papers, dissecting the potential reasons for conflicting results, insisting on the need to understand new observations critically, and further highlighting in what way the existing knowledge of adult hippocampal neurogenesis relates to the human.

Microfluidic-based graphene field effect transistor for femtomolar detection of chlorpyrifos.

Chlorpyrifos is one of the most widely used pesticides that acts on the nervous system by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase. Prolonged use of chlorpyrifos causes severe neurological, autoimmune, and persistent developmental disorders in humans. Therefore, in this study, a highly sensitive and robust biosensor platform was devised by fabricating graphene field effect transistors (graFET) on Si/SiO substrate for the detection of chlorpyrifos in real samples.

Cell penetrating peptides in preclinical and clinical cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Delivery of imaging reagents and drugs to tumors is essential for cancer diagnosis and therapy. In addition to therapeutic and diagnostic functionalities, peptides have potential benefits such as biocompatibility, ease to synthesize, smaller size, by-passing off-target side effects, and achieving the beneficial effects with lower-administered dosages. A particular type of peptide known as cell penetrating peptides (CPP) have been predominantly studied during last twenty years as they are not only capable to translocate themselves across membranes but also allow carrier drugs to translocate across plasma membrane, by different mechanisms depending on the CPP.

A smart nanosensor for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus and associated cardiovascular and arthritis diseases using functionalized graphene-based transistors.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which isa worldwide public health issue, is commonly associated with cardiovascular disorders (CVDs) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A smart nanosensor was developed for the detection of HIV and its related diseases (CVDs and RA) using graphene-based field-effect transistors (FETs). In this study, amine-functionalized graphene (afG) was conjugated with antibodies [anti-p24 for HIV, anti-cardiac troponin 1 (anti-cTn1) for CVDs, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) for RA] to detect various biomarkers.

Dysregulated miRNAome and Proteome of PPRV Infected Goat PBMCs Reveal a Coordinated Immune Response.

In this study, the miRNAome and proteome of virulent Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) infected goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed. The identified differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were found to govern genes that modulate immune response based on the proteome data. The top 10 significantly enriched immune response processes were found to be governed by 98 genes.

Selection and validation of suitable reference genes for qPCR gene expression analysis in goats and sheep under Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), lineage IV infection.

Identification of suitable candidate reference genes is an important prerequisite for validating the gene expression data obtained from downstream analysis of RNA sequencing using quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Though existence of a universal reference gene is myth, commonly used reference genes can be assessed for expression stability to confer their suitability to be used as candidate reference genes in gene expression studies. In this study, we evaluated the expression stability of ten most commonly used reference genes (GAPDH, ACTB, HSP90, HMBS, 18S rRNA, B2M, POLR2A, HPRT1, ACAC, YWHAZ) in fourteen different Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) infected tissues of goats and sheep.