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Talanta Jun 2024A novel "double chemical bonding" electrochemical peptide biosensor 2FcP-GA-GDY(Fe)@NMIL-B was developed for highly selective, ultrasensitive, and ultrastable...
A novel "double chemical bonding" electrochemical peptide biosensor 2FcP-GA-GDY(Fe)@NMIL-B was developed for highly selective, ultrasensitive, and ultrastable identification of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The C-Fe-O chemical bond linking Fe-Graphdiyne (Fe-GDY) with NH-MIL88B(Fe) (NMIL88B) as the first chemical bonding of electrode carrier Fe-GDY@NH-MIL88B(Fe) (GDY(Fe)@NMIL) significantly accelerates electron transport. With glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinking agent, the Schiff-base -NC- formed by GDY(Fe)@NMIL nanocomposites links the two Fc molecules labeled peptides (2FcP) as the second chemical bonding, facilitating high-density attachment of peptides to the electrode carrier in a firm manner. When the PSA analyte is introduced to identify and cleave the specific peptide, the release of ferrocene from its head leads to a decrease in the electrical signal, enabling sensitive detection. The prepared sensing platform exhibits exceptional analytical performance for PSA with an extended linear response range from 10 fg mL to 50 ng mL. Additionally, the detection limit has been significantly reduced to an ultra-low level of only 0.94 fg mL, surpassing those reported in most literature by several orders of magnitude. Moreover, the 2FcP-GA-GDY(Fe)@NMIL-B sensor has excellent selectivity and stability while also showcasing great potential for practical application of PSA detection in human serum using the standard addition method.
PubMed: 38941809
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126459 -
Journal of Chromatography. A Jun 2024To increase understanding of the interactions and effects of the diastereoisomeric character of phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotides on chromatographic retention,...
To increase understanding of the interactions and effects of the diastereoisomeric character of phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotides on chromatographic retention, three chromatographic methods [in-series reversed phase-strong anion exchange (RP-SAX), ion pair-reversed phase and metal ion complexation chromatography (MICC)] were applied to the characterization of stereo-enriched compounds. Chromatographic systems are widely available, amenable to routine applications, and simple to deploy in comparison to more advanced instrumentation (e.g., P NMR) and procedures (e.g., enzymatic digestion). Analogous diastereoisomeric distribution profiles were obtained by RP-SAX and IP-RP based on their common mechanism of separation involving the combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Similar linear relationships between retention time (tR) and the numbers of stereo random, Rp, and Sp PS linkages were obtained with both methods. Sp-enriched diastereoisomers were retained longer than stereo random and Rp-enriched diastereoisomers. MICC produced much broader diastereoisomeric peak distributions than the other two methods due to its more complicated nature of interaction. Average mass spectra showed a smaller number of Ag ions (1-7) complex with early eluting diastereoisomers than with later eluting diastereoisomers (which complex between 6-12 Ag ions). A higher late-to-early peak UV area ratio was obtained for a sample containing 10 Sp linkages vs one containing 10 Rp linkages pointing to the tendency of the Sp diastereoisomers for increased interactions which could be explained by structures with more open or stretched configurations. Consideration of the peak shapes of the MICC distributions led to comparable hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) classification to that produced by the IP-RP method, indicating a good orthogonality between the two methods. Preliminary analysis of the data using partial least squares showed that it should be possible to determine the diastereoisomeric composition of PS oligonucleotides from chromatographic data following appropriate data training.
PubMed: 38941798
DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465108 -
Bioorganic Chemistry Jun 2024Molecular hybridization between structural fragments from the structures of curcumin (1) and resveratrol (2) was used as a designing tool to generate a new...
Molecular hybridization between structural fragments from the structures of curcumin (1) and resveratrol (2) was used as a designing tool to generate a new N-acyl-cinnamoyl-hydrazone hybrid molecular architecture. Twenty-eight new compounds were synthesized and evaluated for multifunctional activities related to Parkinson's disease (PD), including neuroprotection, antioxidant, metal chelating ability, and Keap1/Nrf2 pathway activation. Compounds 3b (PQM-161) and 3e (PQM-164) were highlighted for their significant antioxidant profile, acting directly as induced free radical stabilizers by DPPH and indirectly by modulating intracellular inhibition of t-BOOH-induced ROS formation in neuronal cells. The mechanism of action was determined as a result of Keap1/Nrf2 pathway activation by both compounds and confirmed by different experiments. Furthermore, compound 3e (PQM-164) exhibited a significant effect on the accumulation of α-synuclein and anti-inflammatory activity, leading to an expressive decrease in gene expression of iNOS, IL-1β, and TNF-α. Overall, these results highlighted compound 3e as a promising and innovative multifunctional drug prototype candidate for PD treatment.
PubMed: 38941700
DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107587 -
Biosensors & Bioelectronics Jun 2024Lab-on-Chip electrochemical sensors, such as Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistors (ISFETs), are being developed for use in point-of-care diagnostics, such as pH...
Lab-on-Chip electrochemical sensors, such as Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistors (ISFETs), are being developed for use in point-of-care diagnostics, such as pH detection of tumour microenvironments, due to their integration with standard Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. With this approach, the passivation of the CMOS process is used as a sensing layer to minimise post-processing, and Silicon Nitride (SiN) is the most common material at the microchip surface. ISFETs have the potential to be used for cell-based assays however, there is a poor understanding of the biocompatibility of microchip surfaces. Here, we quantitatively evaluated cell adhesion, morphogenesis, proliferation and mechano-responsiveness of both normal and cancer cells cultured on a SiN, sensor surface. We demonstrate that both normal and cancer cell adhesion decreased on SiN. Activation of the mechano-responsive transcription regulators, YAP/TAZ, are significantly decreased in cancer cells on SiN in comparison to standard cell culture plastic, whilst proliferation marker, Ki67, expression markedly increased. Non-tumorigenic cells on chip showed less sensitivity to culture on SiN than cancer cells. Treatment with extracellular matrix components increased cell adhesion in normal and cancer cell cultures, surpassing the adhesiveness of plastic alone. Moreover, poly-l-ornithine and laminin treatment restored YAP/TAZ levels in both non-tumorigenic and cancer cells to levels comparable to those observed on plastic. Thus, engineering the electrochemical sensor surface with treatments will provide a more physiologically relevant environment for future cell-based assay development on chip.
PubMed: 38941688
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116513 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jun 2024Efficient catalysts play a pivotal role in advancing eco-friendly water treatment strategies, particularly in the removal of diverse organic contaminants found in...
Efficient catalysts play a pivotal role in advancing eco-friendly water treatment strategies, particularly in the removal of diverse organic contaminants found in water-petroleum sources. This study addresses the multifaceted challenges posed by contaminants, encompassing a spectrum of heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and Zn alongside pollutants like oily water (OIW), total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dyes, and pharmaceuticals, posing threats to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Herein, we present the synthesis of biogenically derived Mn@NiO nanocomposite (NC) photocatalysts, a sustainable methodology employing an aqueous Rosmarinus officinalis L. extract, yielding particles with a size of 36.7 nm. The catalyst demonstrates exceptional efficacy in removing heavy metals, achieving rates exceeding 99-100% within 30 min, alongside notable removal efficiencies for OIW (98%), TSS (87%), and COD (98%). Furthermore, our photodegradation experiments showed remarkable efficiencies, with 94% degradation for Rose Bengal (RB) and 96% for methylene blue (MB) within 120 min. The degradation kinetics adhere to pseudo-first-order behavior, with rate constants of 0.0227 min for RB and 0.0370 min for MB. Additionally, the NC exhibits significant antibiotic degradation rates of 97% for cephalexin (CEX) and 96% for amoxicillin (AMOX). The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the synergistic interplay between the Mn and NiO nanostructures, augmenting responsiveness to sunlight while mitigating electron-hole pair recombination. Notably, the catalyst demonstrates outstanding stability and reusability across multiple cycles, maintaining its stable nanostructure without compromise.
PubMed: 38943002
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34012-3 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index (SII) is a novel indicator of inflammation. However, no studies have reported the effect of SII on the association between metals and...
Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index (SII) is a novel indicator of inflammation. However, no studies have reported the effect of SII on the association between metals and total fat (TOFAT). We aim to investigate the mediated effect of SII on the relationship between urinary metals and TOFAT in a US adult population. This cross-sectional study was conducted among adults with complete information on SII, urine metal concentrations, and TOFAT from the 2011-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multifactorial logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were used to explore the association between urine metal levels and TOFAT. Furthermore, serial mediation analyses were used to investigate the mediating effect of SII on metals and TOFAT. A total of 3324 subjects were included in this study. After adjusting for confounders, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), cesium (Cs), inorganic mercury (Hg), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), and thallium(Tl) had negative decreased trends of odds ratios for TOFAT (all P for trend < 0.05). In the total population, we found that Cd, Co, and Tu were positively associated with SII (β = 29.70, 79.37, and 31.08), whereas As and Hg had a negative association with SII. The mediation analysis showed that SII mediated the association of Co with TOFAT, with the β of the mediating effect being 0.9% (95%CI: 0.3%, 1.6%). Our findings suggested that exposure to As, Cd, and Hg would directly decrease the level of TOFAT. However, Co would increase TOFAT, completely mediated by SII, mainly exerted in females rather than males.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Adult; Nutrition Surveys; Inflammation; Middle Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Metals
PubMed: 38942999
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65925-1 -
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Jun 2024Solar Fenton is an important and extensively used advanced oxidation process (AOP) to degrade pharmaceutical pollutants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the...
Solar Fenton is an important and extensively used advanced oxidation process (AOP) to degrade pharmaceutical pollutants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of simultaneous degradation of the mixed pollutants (amoxicillin, acetaminophen, and ciprofloxacin) for an aqueous solution using the solar Fenton process. Operating parameters such as pH, iron doses, HO doses, pollutant concentrations, and time were studied. From the experimental results, the ideal conditions were obtained for the removal of mixed pollutants such as pH 3, Fe 0.04 mM, HO 4 mM, the concentration of the mixed pollutants 5 mg/L, solar radiation 400 W/m, and time 10 min, respectively. The pseudo-first-order kinetics were utilized to investigate the degradation efficacy of the mixed pollutants. The result of the study indicates that the degradation efficiency was > 99% for the mixed pollutants. A maximum of 63% mineralization was observed, and hydroxyl radical scavenger effects were studied. The best optimal conditions were applied to assess the spiked wastewater (municipal wastewater (MWW) and hospital wastewater (HWW)). The highest elimination rates for AMX, ACET, and CIP were observed as 65%, 89%, and 85% for MWW and 76%, 92%, and 80% for HWW, respectively. The degraded by-products were detected by LC-ESI-MS in the water matrix (aqueous solution and spiked wastewater), and ECOSAR analysis was performed for the transformed products. The study concluded that the solar Fenton technique is promising and effective for the removal of mixed pollutants from the water matrix.
Topics: Water Pollutants, Chemical; Hydrogen Peroxide; Kinetics; Iron; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Sunlight; Wastewater; Oxidation-Reduction; Ciprofloxacin; Acetaminophen; Amoxicillin
PubMed: 38942963
DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12837-2 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024The increasing water contamination by toxic heavy metals, particularly hexavalent chromium, has become a significant environmental concern. This study explores the...
The increasing water contamination by toxic heavy metals, particularly hexavalent chromium, has become a significant environmental concern. This study explores the pyrolysis of termite-processed biomass, specifically Pinus elliottii particleboard and its termite droppings (TDs), to produce biochar and its application for chromium (VI) adsorption. Termite droppings, rich in lignin, and particleboard, rich in cellulose, were pyrolyzed at various temperatures to assess the effect of biomass composition on biochar properties. The study found that lignin-rich termite droppings produced biochar with higher fixed carbon content and specific surface area than cellulose-rich particleboard biochar. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy revealed significant molecular structure changes during pyrolysis, which influenced the adsorption capabilities of the biochar. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that TD biochar exhibited significantly higher chromium (VI) adsorption capacity, attributed to its distinct chemical composition and enhanced surface properties due to higher lignin content. These findings underscore the crucial role of lignin in producing efficient biochar for heavy metal adsorption, highlighting the practical applicability of termite-processed biomass in water purification technologies.
Topics: Charcoal; Lignin; Chromium; Animals; Cellulose; Biomass; Adsorption; Isoptera; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Pyrolysis; Pinus; Water Purification; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
PubMed: 38942919
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65959-5 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024In honey bees, circulation of blood (hemolymph) is driven by the peristaltic contraction of the heart vessel located in the dorsal part of the abdomen....
In honey bees, circulation of blood (hemolymph) is driven by the peristaltic contraction of the heart vessel located in the dorsal part of the abdomen. Chlorantraniliprole (CHL) is an insecticide of the anthranilic diamide class which main mode of action is to alter the function of intracellular Ca release channels (known as RyRs, for ryanodine receptors). In the honey bee, it was recently found to be more toxic when applied on the dorsal part of the abdomen, suggesting a direct cardiotoxicity. In the present study, a short-term exposure of semi-isolated bee hearts to CHL (0.1-10 µM) induces alterations of cardiac contraction. These alterations range from a slow-down of systole and diastole kinetics, to bradycardia and cardiac arrest. The bees heart wall is made of a single layer of semi-circular cardiomyocytes arranged concentrically all along the long axis of tube lumen. Since the heart tube is suspended to the cuticle through long tubular muscles fibers (so-called alary muscle cells), the CHL effects in ex-vivo heart preparations could result from the modulation of RyRs present in these skeletal muscle fibers as well as cardiomyocytes RyRs themselves. In order to specifically assess effects of CHL on cardiomyocytes, for the first time, intact heart cells were enzymatically dissociated from bees. Exposure of cardiomyocytes to CHL induces an increase in cytoplasmic calcium, cell contraction at the highest concentrations and depletion of intracellular stores. Electrophysiological properties of isolated cardiomyocytes were described, with a focus on voltage-gated Ca channels responsible for the cardiac action potentials depolarization phase. Two types of Ca currents were measured under voltage-clamp. Exposure to CHL was accompanied by a decrease in voltage-activated Ca currents densities. Altogether, these results show that chlorantraniliprole can cause cardiac defects in honey bees.
Topics: Animals; Bees; ortho-Aminobenzoates; Myocytes, Cardiac; Insecticides; Cardiotoxicity; Calcium; Myocardial Contraction; Heart; Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; Diamide
PubMed: 38942905
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65007-2 -
Nature Communications Jun 2024The tunable properties of halide perovskite/two dimensional (2D) semiconductor mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures offer high flexibility for innovating...
The tunable properties of halide perovskite/two dimensional (2D) semiconductor mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures offer high flexibility for innovating optoelectronic and photonic devices. However, the general and robust growth of high-quality monocrystalline halide perovskite/2D semiconductor heterostructures with attractive optical properties has remained challenging. Here, we demonstrate a universal van der Waals heteroepitaxy strategy to synthesize a library of facet-specific single-crystalline halide perovskite/2D semiconductor (multi)heterostructures. The obtained heterostructures can be broadly tailored by selecting the coupling layer of interest, and can include perovskites varying from all-inorganic to organic-inorganic hybrid counterparts, individual transition metal dichalcogenides or 2D heterojunctions. The CsPbIBr/WSe heterostructures demonstrate ultrahigh optical gain coefficient, reduced gain threshold and prolonged gain lifetime, which are attributed to the reduced energetic disorder. Accordingly, the self-organized halide perovskite/2D semiconductor heterostructure lasers show highly reproducible single-mode lasing with largely reduced lasing threshold and improved stability. Our findings provide a high-quality and versatile material platform for probing unique optoelectronic and photonic physics and developing further electrically driven on-chip lasers, nanophotonic devices and electronic-photonic integrated systems.
PubMed: 38942769
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49364-0