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Frontiers in Chemistry 2024Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. It represents a public health problem that must be addressed through the early detection of... (Review)
Review
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. It represents a public health problem that must be addressed through the early detection of specific biomarkers and effective treatment. To address this critical issue, it is imperative to implement effective methodologies for specific biomarker detection of lung cancer in real clinical samples. Electrochemical methods, including microfluidic devices and biosensors, can obtain robust results that reduce time, cost, and assay complexity. This comprehensive review will explore specific studies, methodologies, and detection limits and contribute to the depth of the discussion, making it a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians interested in lung cancer diagnosis.
PubMed: 38764920
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1390050 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Dec 2020The human blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a complex multi-dimensional reticular barrier system composed of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes...
The human blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a complex multi-dimensional reticular barrier system composed of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes and a variety of neurons. The conventional in vitro cell culture model fails to truly present the dynamic hemodynamics of BBB and the interaction between neurons. And it is even more impossible to explore brain-related multi-organ diseases, which brings huge obstacles to explore diseases of the central nervous system and the interaction between brain-related multi-organs, and evaluate drug efficacy. Miniaturized microfluidics based BBB chips are being commonly used to co-culture a variety of cells on a small-sized chip to construct a three-dimensional (3D) BBB or BBB-related organ disease models. By combining with other electrophysiological, biochemical sensors or equipment and imaging systems, it can in real time and quickly screen disease-related markers and evaluate drug efficacy. This review systematically summarized the research progress of in vitro BBB and BBB-related organ chips, and analyzed the obstacles of BBB models in depth. Parallelly combined with the current research trends and hot spots, we give the further improvement measures of microfluidic BBB chips.
Topics: Animals; Blood-Brain Barrier; Cell Culture Techniques; Coculture Techniques; Drug Development; Humans; Microfluidics; Neurons
PubMed: 33059264
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110822 -
Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics Aug 2018Digital microfluidics (DMF) is an emerging technology with the appropriate metrics for application to newborn and high-risk screening for inherited metabolic disease and...
Digital microfluidics (DMF) is an emerging technology with the appropriate metrics for application to newborn and high-risk screening for inherited metabolic disease and other conditions that benefit from early treatment. Areas covered: This review traces the development of electrowetting-based DMF technology toward the fulfillment of its promise to provide an inexpensive platform to conduct enzymatic assays and targeted biomarker assays at the bedside. The high-throughput DMF platform, referred to as SEEKER®, was recently authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration to screen newborns for four lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) and is deployed in newborn screening programs in the United States. The development of reagents and methods for LSD screening and results from screening centers are reviewed. Preliminary results from a more compact DMF device, to perform disease-specific test panels from small volumes of blood, are also reviewed. Literature for this review was sourced using principal author and subject searches in PubMed. Expert commentary: Newborn screening is a vital and highly successful public health program. DMF technology adds value to the current testing platforms that will benefit apparently healthy newborns with underlying genetic disorders and infants at-risk for conditions that present with symptoms in the newborn period.
Topics: Electrowetting; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; High-Throughput Screening Assays; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Neonatal Screening; Point-of-Care Testing
PubMed: 30004274
DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2018.1495076 -
Journal of Cellular Physiology Aug 2019Human T-lymphotropic virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that is endemic in some regions of the world. It is known to cause several diseases like adult T-cell leukemia...
BACKGROUND
Human T-lymphotropic virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that is endemic in some regions of the world. It is known to cause several diseases like adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Serology and molecular methods have been used to detect this virus. Of these, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is used as a primary screening method and this is usually followed by western blotting (WB) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods as confirmatory tests. We conducted a systematic review of the different techniques used in the diagnosis of HTLV-1 infection.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Our search was limited to original papers in the English language from 2010 to 2018 using several databases including Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Iranmedex, and Scientific Information Database. A manual search of references provided in the included papers was also performed.
RESULTS
Of 101 electronically searched citations, 43 met the inclusion criteria. ELISA is commonly used for qualitative and screening detection, and WB and PCR techniques are used to confirm infection.
CONCLUSION
Among all the reported methods for detection of HTLV-1, only serological and molecular tests are used as the most common technical assays for HTLV-1. The ELISA assay, without a confirmatory test, has several limitations and affect the accuracy of the results. Owing to the prevalence of HTLV-1 and limitations of the current detection methods, further evaluation of the accuracy of these methods is needed. There are new opportunities for applying novel technological advances in microfluidics, biosensors, and lab-on-a-chip systems to perform HTLV-1 diagnostics.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Blotting, Western; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Humans; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic; Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 30633358
DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28087 -
BMJ Global Health 2018Poor quality medicines have devastating consequences. A plethora of innovative portable devices to screen for poor quality medicines has become available, leading to...
BACKGROUND
Poor quality medicines have devastating consequences. A plethora of innovative portable devices to screen for poor quality medicines has become available, leading to hope that they could empower medicine inspectors and enhance surveillance. However, information comparing these new technologies is woefully scarce.
METHODS
We undertook a systematic review of Embase, PubMed, Web of Science and SciFinder databases up to 30 April 2018. Scientific studies evaluating the performances/abilities of portable devices to assess any aspect of the quality of pharmaceutical products were included.
RESULTS
Forty-one devices, from small benchtop spectrometers to 'lab-on-a-chip' single-use devices, with prices ranging from
US$20 000, were included. Only six devices had been field-tested (GPHF-Minilab, CD3/CD3+, TruScan RM, lateral flow dipstick immunoassay, CBEx and Speedy Breedy). The median (range) number of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) assessed per device was only 2 (1-20). The majority of devices showed promise to distinguish genuine from falsified medicines. Devices with the potential to assay API (semi)-quantitatively required consumables and were destructive (GPHF-Minilab, PharmaChk, aPADs, lateral flow immunoassay dipsticks, paper-based microfluidic strip and capillary electrophoresis), except for spectroscopic devices. However, the 10 spectroscopic devices tested for their abilities to quantitate APIs required processing complex API-specific calibration models. Scientific evidence of the ability of the devices to accurately test liquid, capsule or topical formulations, or to distinguish between chiral molecules, was limited. There was no comment on cost-effectiveness and little information on where in the pharmaceutical supply chain these devices could be best deployed. CONCLUSION
Although a diverse range of portable field detection devices for medicines quality screening is available, there is a vitally important lack of independent evaluation of the majority of devices, particularly in field settings. Intensive research is needed in order to inform national medicines regulatory authorities of the optimal choice of device(s) to combat poor quality medicines.
PubMed: 30233826
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000725 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2019Use of sonication for designing and fabricating reactors, especially the deposition of catalysts inside a microreactor, is a modern approach. There are many reports that...
Use of sonication for designing and fabricating reactors, especially the deposition of catalysts inside a microreactor, is a modern approach. There are many reports that prove that a microreactor is a better setup compared with batch reactors for carrying out catalytic reactions. Microreactors have better energy efficiency, reaction rate, safety, a much finer degree of process control, better molecular diffusion, and heat-transfer properties compared with the conventional batch reactor. The use of microreactors for photocatalytic reactions is also being considered to be the appropriate reactor configuration because of its improved irradiation profile, better light penetration through the entire reactor depth, and higher spatial illumination homogeneity. Ultrasound has been used efficiently for the synthesis of materials, degradation of organic compounds, and fuel production, among other applications. The recent increase in energy demands, as well as the stringent environmental stress due to pollution, have resulted in the need to develop green chemistry-based processes to generate and remove contaminants in a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner. It is possible to carry out the synthesis and deposition of catalysts inside the reactor using the ultrasound-promoted method in the microfluidic system. In addition, the synergistic effect generated by photocatalysis and sonochemistry in a microreactor can be used for the production of different chemicals, which have high value in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The current review highlights the use of both photocatalysis and sonochemistry for developing microreactors and their applications.
Topics: Catalysis; Equipment Design; Microfluidics; Nanoparticles; Photochemistry; Sonication; Ultrasonics
PubMed: 31547232
DOI: 10.3390/molecules24183315 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Feb 2023Dietary methyl donors might influence DNA methylation during carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, whether the influence of methyl donor intake is modified...
BACKGROUND
Dietary methyl donors might influence DNA methylation during carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, whether the influence of methyl donor intake is modified by polymorphisms in such epigenetic regulators is still unclear.
AIM
To improve the current understanding of the molecular basis of CRC
METHODS
A literature search in the Medline database, (https:// www.referencecitationanalysis.com/), and manual reference screening were performed to identify observational studies published from inception to May 2022.
RESULTS
A total of fourteen case-control studies and five cohort studies were identified. These studies included information on dietary methyl donors, dietary components that potentially modulate the bioavailability of methyl groups, genetic variants of methyl metabolizing enzymes, and/or markers of CpG island methylator phenotype and/or microsatellite instability, and their possible interactions on CRC risk.
CONCLUSION
Several studies have suggested interactions between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms, methyl donor nutrients (such as folate) and alcohol on CRC risk. Moreover, vitamin B, niacin, and alcohol may affect CRC risk through not only genetic but also epigenetic regulation. Identification of specific mechanisms in these interactions associated with CRC may assist in developing targeted prevention strategies for individuals at the highest risk of developing CRC.
Topics: Humans; Epigenesis, Genetic; Colorectal Neoplasms; Folic Acid; DNA Methylation; Microsatellite Instability; Nutrients; CpG Islands
PubMed: 36926668
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i7.1219