Profiling signaling mediators for cell-cell interactions and communications with microfluidics-based single-cell analysis tools.

Cell-cell interactions and communication represent the fundamental cornerstone of cells' collaborative efforts in executing diverse biological processes. A profound understanding of how cells interface through various mediators is pivotal across a spectrum of biological systems. Recent strides in microfluidic technologies have significantly bolstered the precision and prowess in capturing and manipulating cells with exceptional spatial and temporal resolution.

A bibliometric and visualization analysis of electrochemical biosensors for early diagnosis of eye diseases.

Electrochemical biosensors can provide an economical, accurate and rapid method for early screening of disease biomarkers in clinical medicine due to their high sensitivity, selectivity, portability, low cost and easy manufacturing, and multiplexing capability. Tear, a fluid naturally secreted by the human body, is not only easily accessible but also contains a great deal of biological information. However, no bibliometric studies focus on applying electrochemical sensors in tear/eye diseases.

Nationwide multi-centric prospective study for the identification of biomarkers to predict the treatment responses of nivolumab through comprehensive analyses of pretreatment plasma exosome mRNAs from head and neck cancer patients (BIONEXT study).

Background: Nivolumab paved a new way in the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic (RM) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM-HNSCC). However, the limited rates of long-term survivors (< 20%) demand a robust prognostic biomarker. This nationwide multi-centric prospective study aimed to identify a plasma exosome (PEX) mRNA signature, which serves as a companion diagnostic of nivolumab and provides a biological clue to develop effective therapies for a majority of non-survivors.

Associations between degree of food processing and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a multicentre prospective cohort analysis in 9 European countries.

Background: Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has been linked with higher risk of mortality. This multi-centre study investigated associations between food intake by degree of processing, using the Nova classification, and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

Spatial-Temporal Variation of Grain Magnesium, Calcium and Their Response to Phosphorus Nutrition in Sweet Corn.

Sweet corn ( L. ) is gaining global popularity as a staple crop and a vegetable due to its high nutritional value. However, information on grain magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) status and their response to phosphorus (P) fertilization in sweet corn is still insufficient.

Awareness of Peri-Implantitis Among General Dental Practitioners in Southern Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim And Background: The success of dental implants is contingent upon various biological conditions, and any lapse in meeting these criteria can lead to complications such as peri-implantitis or implant failure. The objective of this research is to evaluate the level of understanding regarding peri-implant among general dentists practicing in Saudi Arabia.

Materials And Methods: A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing an online questionnaire distributed to general dental practitioners (GDPs) in Saudi Arabia.

Effects of biological and abiotic factors on dark septate endophytes distribution and heavy metal resistance in different environments.

Introduction: Exploring the interactions between dark septate endophytes (DSE) in plant roots across diverse heavy metal habitats-considering host plants, site characteristics, and microbial communities-provides insights into the distribution patterns of DSE in metal-rich environments and their mechanisms for developing heavy metal resistance.

Methods: This study collected samples of three common plant species (, PA, , SV, and , AA) and their corresponding soil samples from three heavy metal-contaminated sites: Baiyang Lake, BY, Fengfeng mining area, FF, and Huangdao, HD. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing and physicochemical analysis methods, the biological and abiotic factors affecting DSE colonization and distribution in the roots were investigated.

Therapeutic functions of medical implants from various material categories with integrated biomacromolecular systems.

Medical implants are designed to replace missing parts or improve body functions and must be capable of providing structural support or therapeutic intervention for a medical condition. Advances in materials science have enabled the development of devices made from metals, polymers, bioceramics, and composites, each with its specific advantages and limitations. This review analyzes the incorporation of biopolymers, proteins, and other biomacromolecules into implants, focusing on their role in biological integration and therapeutic functions.

Exploring mosquito virome dynamics within São Paulo Zoo: insights into mosquito-virus-environment interactions.

Background: Mosquito-borne diseases have a significant public health threat worldwide, with arboviruses accounting for a high proportion of infectious diseases and mortality annually. Brazil, in particular, has been suffering outbreaks of diseases transmitted by mosquito viruses, notably those of the genus, such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Against this background, the São Paulo Zoo is an intriguing ecological niche to explore the virome of mosquitoes, potentially shedding light on the dynamics of arbovirus transmission within a confined setting.

Research on transition metals for the multicomponent synthesis of benzo-fused γ-lactams.

Benzo-fused γ-lactams are fundamental in medicinal chemistry, acting as essential elements for various therapeutic agents due to their structural adaptability and capability to enhance biological activity. In their synthesis, transition metals play a pivotal role as catalysts, offering more efficient alternatives to traditional methods by facilitating C-N bond formation through mechanisms like intramolecular coupling. Recent advances have especially spotlighted transition-metal-catalyzed C-H amination reactions for directly converting C(sp)-H to C(sp)-N bonds, streamlining the creation of these compounds.

iRGD-Targeted Biosynthetic Nanobubbles for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Osteosarcoma.

Purpose: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of the bone. However, there is a lack of effective means for early diagnosis due to the heterogeneity of tumors and the complexity of tumor microenvironment. αvβ3 integrin, a crucial role in the growth and spread of tumors, is not only an effective biomarker for cancer angiogenesis, but also highly expressed in many tumor cells.

Vertical flow immunoassay for multiplex mycotoxins based on photonic nitrocellulose and SERS nanotags.

Here, we report a SERS based VFA using PNC as a sensing substrate for highly sensitive multiplex mycotoxins detection. The PNC was fabricated by filtration-based self-assembled monodisperse SiO NPs on a filter membrane as a template, and the obtained PNC had an ordered complementary inverse opal structure. In parallel, three kinds of Raman dyes encoding Au@Ag, Au@Ag and Au@Ag SERS nanotags were synthesized for the detection of OTA, AFB1 and ZON.

Serum metabolomic signatures of patients with rare neurogenetic diseases: an insight into potential biomarkers and treatment targets.

Introduction: To further advance our understanding of Muscular Dystrophies (MDs) and Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs), it is necessary to identify the biological patterns associated with disease pathology. Although progress has been made in the fields of genetics and transcriptomics, there is a need for proteomics and metabolomics studies. The present study aimed to be the first to document serum metabolic signatures of MDs (DMD, BMD, and LGMD 2A) SCAs (SCA 1-3), from a South Asian perspective.

Serum Vitamin D Level Correlates Significantly With Leptin and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha in Overweight Postmenopausal Women With Hypertension.

Background: Association of serum vitamin D (vitD) with leptin (Lep) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is not precisely known in overweight hypertensive (OW-HT) postmenopausal (PMP) women. Hence, the present study was carried out to investigate the body mass index (BMI)-based correlation of serum vitD with Lep and TNF-α in OW-HT PMP women.

Methods: Women subjects in their early PMP (n = 346, age: 51 - 60 years) categorized into three groups had main inclusion criteria of specified range of age, BMI and blood pressure (BP).

Caspase-4 Has Potential Utility as a Colorectal Tissue Biomarker for Dysplasia and Early-Stage Cancer.

Background And Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most deadly cancer globally. The rapidly rising incidence rate of CRC, coupled with increased diagnoses in individuals <50 years, indicates that early detection of CRC, and those at an increased risk of CRC development, is paramount to improve the survival rates of these patients. Here, we profile caspase-4 expression across 2 distinct CRC development pathways, sporadic CRC (sCRC) and inflammatory bowel disease-associated CRC (IBD-CRC), to examine its utility as a novel biomarker for CRC risk and diagnosis.

Computationally Assisted Noncanonical Amino Acid Incorporation.

Genetic encoding of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) with desired functionalities is an invaluable tool for the study of biological processes and the development of therapeutic drugs. However, existing ncAA incorporation strategies are rather time-consuming and have relatively low success rates. Here, we develop a virtual ncAA screener based on the analysis and modeling of the chemical properties of all reported ncAA substrates to virtually determine the recognition potential of candidate ncAAs.

Zinc Doped Akermanite: A Promising Biomaterial for Orthopedic Application with Enhanced Bioactivity, Mechanical Strength, and Bacterial Study.

Incorporating zinc into biocompatible materials has been identified as a potential strategy for promoting bone regeneration and osteogenic activity during hard tissue regeneration. This work aimed to investigate the impact of zinc doping on the structure of akermanite, which was synthesized using the sol-gel combustion method, with the goal of improving the biological response. Powder XRD and FT-IR analysis confirmed the phase purity and the respective functional groups associated with Zn-doped akermanite.

Phage Display-Mediated Immuno-Multiplex Quantitative PCR for the Simultaneous Quantification of IFN-γ and IL-6.

In phage display technology, exogenous DNA is inserted into the phage genome, which generates a fusion protein with the phage coat protein, facilitates expression and promotes biological activity. This approach is primarily used to screen antibody libraries owing to its high library capacity and fast technical cycle; additionally, various types of genetically altered antibodies can be easily produced. In this study, we fused the pIII structural protein of the M13K07 phage with a scFv created by connecting the VH and VL domains of an anti-IFN-γ antibody.

SSR marker-based genetic diversity and structure analyses of var. from different populations.

Background: var. is a variety in the section of the genus of the family Theaceae which is native to Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China. To date, the genetic diversity and structure of this variety remains to be understood.

Sympathetic innervation of interscapular brown adipose tissue is not a predominant mediator of Oxytocin (OT)-elicited reductions of body weight gain and adiposity in male diet-induced obese rats.

Recent studies indicate that central administration of oxytocin (OT) reduces body weight (BW) in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents by reducing energy intake and increasing energy expenditure (EE). Previous studies in our lab have shown that administration of OT into the fourth ventricle (4V; hindbrain) elicits weight loss and stimulates interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature (T) in DIO rats. We hypothesized that OT-elicited stimulation of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation of IBAT contributes to its ability to activate BAT and reduce BW in DIO rats.

Experimental adaptation to singular pathogen challenge reduces susceptibility to novel pathogens in .

Hosts often encounter and must respond to novel pathogens in the wild, that is pathogens that they have not encountered in recent evolutionary history, and therefore are not adapted to. How hosts respond to these novel pathogens and the outcome of such infections can be shaped by the host's evolutionary history, especially by how well adapted the host is to its native pathogens, that is pathogens they have evolved with. Host adaptation to one pathogen can either increase its susceptibility to a novel pathogen, due to specialization of immune defenses and trade-offs between different arms of the immune system, or can decrease susceptibility to novel pathogens by virtue of cross-resistance.

From contamination to detection: The growing threat of heavy metals.

Heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic are environmental pollutants that accumulate in ecosystems and pose significant health risks to humans and wildlife, primarily through food chain contamination where plants absorb heavy metals, affecting their growth and threatening consumer health. Cognitive and cardiovascular functions are particularly affected by exposure to heavy metals even at low concentrations through the induction of oxidative stress. Various analytical techniques are used in measuring heavy metals in different environmental and biological samples.

Risk assessment and photo-disinfection of antibiotic residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in water sources from Ede, Nigeria.

Environmental antibiotic residues (EARs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) are known to contribute to global antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study investigated EAR levels in selected wells, river, abattoir wastewater, bottled water and sachet water from Ede, Nigeria. Ecological risk quotient (RQ) and health risk (Hazard quotient) of the levels of these EARs, ARB and multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) with their antibiotic resistance were calculated.

Computational epitope-based vaccine design with bioinformatics approach; a review.

The significance of vaccine development has gained heightened importance in light of the pandemic. In such critical circumstances, global citizens anticipate researchers in this field to swiftly identify a vaccine candidate to combat the pandemic's root cause. It is widely recognized that the vaccine design process is traditionally both time-consuming and costly.