Flower-like 3D MoS2 microsphere/2D C3N4 nanosheet composite for highly sensitive electrochemical sensing of nitrite.

Nitrite pollution poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. In this study, a reliable and selective electrochemical (EC) sensor was developed for the quantitative determination of nitrite by combining flower-like three-dimensional (3D) MoS2 microspheres with two-dimensional (2D) C3N4 nanosheets. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of MoS2 and C3N4, the 3D MoS2/2D C3N4 nanocomposite displayed numerous active sites, a 3D mesoporous structure, high conductivity and excellent catalytic activity. The 3D MoS2/2D C3N4-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibited a superior electrocatalytic activity toward nitrite oxidation, with a wider linear detection range (0.1-1100 µM), a lower detection limit (LOD) (0.065 µM, S/N = 3), outstanding stability, remarkable reproducibility and strong selectivity. Furthermore, the nitrite EC sensor was successfully applied to detect actual food and environmental samples involving sausage, pickled vegetables, river water and tap water, thus demonstrating the potential of the prepared 3D MoS2/2D C3N4/GCE for food analysis and environmental monitoring.

Preparation of room-temperature phosphorescence-ratiometric fluorescence magnetic mesoporous imprinted microspheres and its application in detection of malachite green and tartrazine in multimatrix.

The photoluminescent properties of Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots were fully exploited, and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP)-ratiometric fluorescence (RF) magnetic mesoporous molecularly imprinted polymers (PFMM-MIPs) were prepared by integrating molecular imprinting technology. RTP was used to detect malachite green (MG). The fluorescence at 420 nm and the peak at 590 nm in the fluorescence mode were used as the response reference signals respectively to detect tartrazine (TZ). The linear responsive range and detection limit of MG were 0.01-150 µM and 4.3 nM, and these of TZ were 0.05-80 µM and 23.7 nM. RTP, which can avoid the interference of background fluorescence, and RF with self-calibration ability can both largely weaken the matrix effect. This work enables single-probe-type MIPs to achieve dual-target analysis via RTP and RF. This method provides excellent sensitivity, specificity, recovery and recyclability, and is expected to be prospectively applied in the fields of food, environment and biological analyses.

Efficacy and safety of CalliSpheres® Microsphere transcatheter-arterial chemoembolization versus conventional TACE in treating renal angiomyolipoma patients.

Objective: Transcatheter-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a well-established interventional technique for various tumor treatments, whereas its application in renal angiomyolipoma (RAML) is seldom reported. Conventional TACE (cTACE) with bleomycin-lipiodol emulsion is effective and tolerable for RAML treatment. In this study, we aimed to further explore the efficacy and safety between bleomycin-loaded CalliSpheres® microsphere TACE (CSM-TACE) and cTACE in treating RAML patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 54 RAML patients treated by CSM-TACE (n = 17) or cTACE (n = 37). Data on tumor size, tumor volume reduction ratio, patient percentage with tumor size reduction, white blood cells (WBCs), creatinine (Cre) after treatment, complications, and adverse events were retrieved. Results: Tumor size (88.66 vs. 81.19 cm3, P = 0.970), patient percentage with tumor size reduction (12 [70.59%] vs. 30 [81.08%], P = 0.486) after treatment, WBCs (P = 0.114), Cre (P = 0.659), and change in Cre after treatment (P = 0.947) were not significantly different between groups, whereas tumor volume reduction ratio was slightly lower in the CSM-TACE group than in the cTACE group (12 ± 34% vs. 32 ± 31%, P = 0.047). The most common postoperative complication was a post-embolization syndrome, including fever, nausea, and abdominal pain, which occurred in 9 (52.94%) and 14 (37.84%) patients from the CSM-TACE and cTACE groups, respectively (P = 0.347). Conclusion: CSM-TACE is effective in and well tolerated by RAML patients, implying its potential as an alternative therapy.

[Progress in preparation and application of sodium alginate microspheres].

Sodium alginate (SA) is a kind of natural polymer material extracted from kelp, which has excellent biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability and abundant storage capacity. The formation condition of sodium alginate gel is mild, effectively avoiding the inactivation of active substances. After a variety of preparation methods, sodium alginate microspheres are widely used in the fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering. This paper reviewed the common methods of preparing alginate microspheres, including extrusion, emulsification, electrostatic spraying, spray drying and coaxial airflow, and discussed their applications in biomedical fields such as bone repair, hemostasis and drug delivery.

Immobilization of Multivalent Titanium Cations on Magnetic Composite Microspheres for Highly Efficient DNA Extraction and Amplification.

Magnetic-assisted DNA testing technology has attracted much attention in genetics, clinical diagnostics, environmental microbiology, and molecular biology. However, achieving satisfying DNA adsorption and desorption efficiency in real samples is still a big challenge. In this paper, a new kind of high-quality magnetic composite microsphere of MM@PGMA-PA-Ti4+ was designed and prepared for DNA extraction and detection based on the strong interaction of Ti4+ and phosphate groups. By taking the advantages of high magnetic susceptibility and high Ti4+ content, the MM@PGMA-PA-Ti4+ microspheres possessed remarkable extraction capacity for mimic biological samples (salmon sperm specimens) with saturated loadings up to 533.0 mg/g. When the DNA feeding amount was 100 µg and the MM@PGMA-PA-Ti4+ dosage was 1 mg, the adsorption and desorption efficiencies were 80 and 90%, respectively. The kinetic and equilibrium extraction data were found to fit well with the pseudo-second-order model and Freundlich isotherm model. Furthermore, the MM@PGMA-PA-Ti4+ microspheres were successfully employed for DNA extraction from mouse epithelial-like fibroblasts. The extraction ability (84 ± 4 µg/mg) and DNA purity were superior to the comparative commercial spin kits, as evaluated by electrophoresis assays and qPCR analysis. The experimental results suggest that the MM@PGMA-PA-Ti4+ microspheres possess great potential as an adsorbent for DNA purification from complex biological samples.

Light induced spiking of proteinoids.

Proteinoids, or thermal proteins, are produced by heating amino acids to their melting point and initiating polymerisation to produce polymeric chains. In aqueous solutions proteinoids swell into hollow microspheres. These microspheres produce endogenous burst of electrical potential spikes and change patterns of their electrical activity in response to illumination. We report results on a detailed investigation on the effects of white cold light on the spiking of proteinoids. We study how different types and intensities of light determine proteinoids' spiking amplitude, period, and pattern. The results of this study will be utilised to evaluate proteinoids for their potential as optical sensors and their application in unconventional computing.

Starch-entrapped microspheres enhance gut microbiome-mediated anti-obesity effects of resistant starch in high-fat diet induced obese C57BL/6J mice.

The prevalence of obesity is growing worldwide and has been extensively linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. In addition to exercise and physical activity, fiber-rich foods may be a first-line prophylactic to manage obesity. This study investigated in vivo dietary intervention with high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) and starch-entrapped microspheres (MS) to treat high-fat diet induced metabolic disorder and gut microbiome dysbiosis in mice. MS more efficiently controlled body weight as well as adipose tissue mass compared to HAMS. Furthermore, MS significantly reduced blood glucose, insulin, lipid and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels compared to the high-fat diet, while the effects of HAMS were less pronounced. The MS-altered gut microbiota composition favoring Streptococcaceae, Bacilli, Firmicutes and unclassified Clostridiales was predicted to promote fatty acid, pantothenate and Coenzyme A biosynthesis. In line with this, elevated fecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA), in particular, propionate concentration was observed in MS-fed mice. Our study provides novel insights into the mechanistic action of MS on intestinal homeostasis, providing a basis for future dietary therapeutic applications.

Optimizing Skin Regenerative Response to Calcium Hydroxylapatite Microspheres Via Poly-Micronutrient Priming.

Regenerative aesthetics aims to restore the structure and function of aging skin. Two products, Radiesse (CaHA) and NCTF 135 HA (micronutrient mesotherapy) have been established as minimally invasive treatments that restore the structure and function of various skin components. It has been anecdotally observed by the authors, however, that some patients respond suboptimally to regenerative treatments without a clear indication as to why. It was hypothesized that micronutrient deficiencies in some patients may contribute to their lack of responsiveness and that a concurrent delivery of amino acids and co-enzymes may create a nutritional reservoir necessary for optimal protein synthesis. Noting that CaHA is known to drive the regeneration of extracellular matrix proteins, the aim of this case series was to investigate if “priming” the skin with NCTF 135 HA could lead to enhanced clinical effects of CaHA. The combination treatment resulted in improvements in panfacial aesthetics, skin laxity, wrinkle severity, skin luminosity, hyperpigmentation, and in skin and subcutis thicknesses in 100% of patients following a single treatment. This study is the first to introduce skin priming via diluting a regenerative biostimulator treatment with an amino acid-based diluent.  Citation: Theodorakopoulou  E, McCarthy A, Perico V, et al. Optimizing skin regenerative response to calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres via poly-micronutrient priming. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(9):925-934. doi:10.36849/JDD.7405.

Advances in Preparation and Properties of Regenerated Silk Fibroin.

Over the years, silk fibroin (SF) has gained significant attention in various fields, such as biomedicine, tissue engineering, food processing, photochemistry, and biosensing, owing to its remarkable biocompatibility, machinability, and chemical modifiability. The process of obtaining regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) involves degumming, dissolving, dialysis, and centrifugation. RSF can be further fabricated into films, sponges, microspheres, gels, nanofibers, and other forms. It is now understood that the dissolution method selected greatly impacts the molecular weight distribution and structure of RSF, consequently influencing its subsequent processing and application. This study comprehensively explores and summarizes different dissolution methods of SF while examining their effects on the structure and performance of RSF. The findings presented herein aim to provide valuable insights and references for researchers and practitioners interested in utilizing RSF in diverse fields.

Development of a sensitive immunochromatographic method using lanthanide fluorescent microsphere for rapid test for PPRV antibody.

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) causes a very devastating disease in sheep and goats. Rapid diagnosis and immunisation have been identified as key strategies for successful prevention of the disease. Therefore, a sensitive fluorescent microsphere immunochromatography test strips (FM-ICTS) was developed for rapid detection of special antibodies of PPRV in goats and sheep serum. The FM-ICTS were successfully prepared by fluorescent microspheres (FM) as tracer, which were covalently coupled to PPRV nucleocapsid protein (NP). The NP and monoclonal antibody of NP were separately dispensed onto a nitrocellulose membrane as test and quality control lines, respectively. The critical threshold for determining negative or positive through the ratio of the fluorescent signal of the test line and the control line (T/C) is 0.050. The repeatability of the FM-ICTS was excellent, with an overall average CV of 3.17 %. The detection limit of this assay was 1:5120. Additionally, the FM-ICTS no cross reaction with the sera of other related diseases was observed, only reacting with anti-PPRV serum. 70 serum samples were tested by FM-ICTS and commercial ELISA kit, and the results showed good agreement. Overall, a promising pen-side diagnostic tool was developed for the rapid qualitatively/semi-quantitatively detection of PPRV antibodies within 15 min.

Designing a microbial fermentation-functionalized alginate microsphere for targeted release of 5-ASA using nano dietary fiber carrier for inflammatory bowel disease treatment.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) always suffer from severe abdominal pain and appear to be at high risk for colorectal cancer. Recently, the co-delivery of targeted drugs and gut microbiota has developed into an attractive strategy. A new strategy using gut microbiota fermentation to overcome the interspace diffuse resistance from the mucus layer to control drug release in inflammatory bowel sites (IBS sites) has not yet been available. Here, we designed an alginate hydrogel microsphere encapsulating bifidobacterium (Bac) and drug-modified nanoscale dietary fibers (NDFs). The hydrogel microsphere is responsible for protecting drugs from acidic and multi-enzymatic environments and delivering drugs to the colorectum. Subsequently, the fermentation of Bac by digesting NDFs and proteins as carbon and nitrogen sources can promote drug release and play a probiotic role in the gut microbiota. In vitro evidence indicated that small-sized NDF (NDF-1) could significantly promote short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) expression. Notably, NDF-1 hydrogel microspheres showed a boost release of 5-ASA in the IBS sites, resulting in the amelioration of gut inflammation and remodeling of gut microbiota in chronic colitis mice. This study developed a controlled release system based on microbial fermentation for the treatment of IBD.

Computer vision-assisted smartphone microscope imaging digital immunosensor based on click chemistry-mediated microsphere counting technology for the detection of aflatoxin B1 in peanuts.

Aflatoxin B1 is a carcinogenic contaminant in food or feed, and it poses a serious health risk to humans. Herein, a computer vision-assisted smartphone microscope imaging digital (SMID) immunosensor based on the click chemistry-mediated microsphere counting technology was designed for the detection of aflatoxin B1 in peanuts. In this SMID immunosensor, the modified polystyrene (PS) microspheres were used as the signal probes and were recorded by a smartphone microscopic imaging system after immunoreaction and click chemistry reaction. The number of PS probes is adjusted by aflatoxin B1. The customized computer vision procedure was used to efficiently identify and count the obtained PS probes. This SMID immunosensor enables sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 with a linear range from 0.001 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL, providing a simple, sensitive, and portable tool for food safety supervision.

Photonic Crystal Sensor Evaluating the Effectiveness of Medical Products under Different Storage Conditions.

The effectiveness of time- and temperature-sensitive medical products (TTSMPs) (vaccines, medicines, and biological agents) is generally evaluated by sporadically checking the storage conditions recorded in electronic thermometers. However, electronic thermometers do not achieve all-time and all-regional record, resulting in the wrong evaluation of a single TTSMP and seriously endangering public health. Herein, we report a photonic crystal sensor for evaluating the effectiveness of a single TTSMP processing storage environment. The photonic crystal sensor assembled by colloidal microspheres (WO3-x nanospheres were added into the microsphere gap) generates a fascinating composite color of angle-dependent structural color (maximum reflectivity = 45%) and durative color (WO3-x coloration). Effectiveness evaluation principle reveals that the pattern on the sensor, which was printed by the composite color, fades sensitively to time and temperature, thus having different visible periods (0-21 days affected by temperature). The visible periods of the patterns can be used to evaluate a single TTSMP's effectiveness stored under different temperatures. Furthermore, the photonic crystal sensor shows outstanding flexibility and slight adhesion, offering a promising application toward the effectiveness evaluation of TTSMPs throughout storage, transportation, and sales processes.

Logical gates in ensembles of proteinoid microspheres.

Proteinoids are thermal proteins which swell into microspheres in aqueous solution. Ensembles of proteinoids produce electrical spiking activity similar to that of neurons. We introduce a novel method for implementing logical gates in the ensembles of proteinoid microspheres using chronoamperometry. Chronoamperometry is a technique that involves applying a voltage pulse to proteinoid microspheres and measuring their current response. We have observed that proteinoids exhibit distinct current patterns that align with various logical outputs. We identify four types of logical gates: AND, OR, XOR, and NAND. These gates are determined by the current response of proteinoid microspheres. Additionally, we demonstrate that proteinoid microspheres have the ability to modify their current response over time, which is influenced by their previous exposure to voltage. This indicates that they possess a capacity for learning and are capable of adapting to their environment. Our research showcases the ability of proteinoid microspheres to perform logical operations and computations through their inherent electrical properties.

Multiple miRNA Detection through a Suspended Microbead Array Encoded by Triple-Color Upconversion Luminescent Nanotags via Bi-Beam Splitter Hybrid-Multitrap Optical Tweezers.

In recent years, optical tweezers have become a novel tool for biodetection, and to improve the inefficiency of a single trap, the development of multitraps is required. Herein, we constructed a set of hybrid multitrap optical tweezers with the balance of stability and flexibility by the combination of two different beam splitters, a diffraction optical element (DOE) and galvano mirrors (GMs), to capture polystyrene (PS) microbeads in aqueous solutions to create an 18-trap suspended array. A sandwich hybridization strategy of DNA-miRNA-DNA was adopted to detect three kinds of target miRNAs associated with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), in which different upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with red, green, and blue emissions were applied as luminescent tags to encode the carrier PS microbeads to further indicate the levels of the targets. With encoded luminescent microbeads imaged by a three-channel microscopic system, the biodetection displayed high sensitivity with low limits of detection (LODs) of 0.27, 0.32, and 0.33 fM and exceptional linear ranges of 0.5 fM to 1 nM, 0.7 fM to 1 nM, and 1 fM to 1 nM for miR-343-3p, miR-155, and miR-199a-5p, respectively. In addition, this bead-based assay method was demonstrated to have the potential for being applied in patients' serum by satisfactory standard addition recovery experiment results.

Mesenchymal stem cells differentiate to retinal ganglion-like cells in rat glaucoma model induced by polystyrene microspheres.

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the differentiation ability of intravitreally injected rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs) to retinal ganglion-like cells in a polystyrene microsphere induced rat glaucoma model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The glaucoma rat model was generated via intracameral injection of 7 microliter polystyrene microspheres. Green fluorescence protein-labeled (GFP) rBM-MSCs were transplanted intravitreally at or after induction of ocular hypertension (OHT), depending on the groups. By the end of the fourth week, flat-mount retinal dissection was performed, and labeled against Brn3a, CD90, GFAP, CD11b, Vimentin, and localization of GFP positive rBM-MSCs was used for evaluation through immunofluorescence staining and to count differentiated retinal cells by flow cytometry. From 34 male Wistar albino rats, 56 eyes were investigated. RESULTS: Flow cytometry revealed significantly increased CD90 and Brn3a positive cells in glaucoma induced and with rBM-MSC injected groups compared to control(P = 0.006 and P = 0.003 respectively), sham-operated (P = 0.007 and P < 0.001 respectively), and only rBM-MSCs injected groups (P = 0.002 and P = 0.009 respectively). Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed differentiation of GFP labeled stem cells to various retinal cells, including ganglion-like cells. rBM-MSCs were observable in ganglion cells, inner and outer nuclear retinal layers in rBM-MSCs injected eyes. CONCLUSION: Intravitreally transplanted rBM-MSCs differentiated into retinal cells, including ganglion-like cells, which successfully created a glaucoma model damaged with polystyrene microspheres. Promisingly, MSCs may have a role in neuro-protection and neuro-regeneration treatment of glaucoma in the future.

Fluorescent immunochromatographic test strip for therapeutic drug monitoring of methotrexate with high sensitivity and wide dynamic range.

As a front-line chemotherapeutic drug for maintenance and consolidation therapy, methotrexate (MTX) has widely been applied to treat various tumors and some inflammatory diseases. However, because of its severe toxicity ascribed to low selectivity, it is necessary to monitor therapeutic drugs in high-dose MTX therapeutic regimens to ensure treatment safety. In this work, we developed a fluorescent immunochromatographic test strip (FITS) for monitoring MTX by employing time-resolved fluorescent microspheres as signal probes. With a competitive immunoassay mode, the FITS for MTX shows a super-wide dynamic range of 10 pM-10 µM, covering the entire clinical therapeutic concentration range of MTX. Therapeutic drug monitoring of MTX can be achieved within 7 min with high specificity, facilitating the timely rescue of drug poisoning led by high-dose MTX treatment. The method was employed for monitoring MTX in the spiked human serum, urine, and milk, showing acceptable recoveries ranging from 94.0 to 110.0%. The established FITS has been applied to MTX detection in serum obtained from high-dose MTX treatment. The results from FITS and enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique showed no significant difference, suggesting its reliability for usage in real biological samples. The device shows promise in point-of-care therapeutic drug monitoring for resource-limited countries and institutes, which significantly facilitates overcoming the lag time between sampling and results.

A Mechanical Assay for the Quantification of Anti-RBD IgG Levels in Finger-Prick Whole Blood.

A large portion of the global population has been vaccinated with various vaccines or infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The resulting IgG antibodies that target the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 play a vital role in reducing infection rates and severe disease outcomes. Different immune histories result in the production of anti-RBD IgG antibodies with different binding affinities to RBDs of different variants, and the levels of these antibodies decrease over time. Therefore, it is important to have a low-cost, rapid method for quantifying the levels of anti-RBD IgG in decentralized testing for large populations. In this study, we describe a 30 min assay that allows for the quantification of anti-RBD IgG levels in a single drop of finger-prick whole blood. This assay uses force-dependent dissociation of nonspecifically absorbed RBD-coated superparamagnetic microbeads to determine the density of specifically linked microbeads to a protein A-coated transparent surface through anti-RBD IgGs, which can be measured using a simple light microscope and a low-magnification lens. The titer of serially diluted anti-RBD IgGs can be determined without any additional sample processing steps. The limit of detection for this assay is 0.7 ± 0.1 ng/mL referenced to the CR3022 anti-RBD IgG. The limits of the technology and its potential to be further developed to meet the need for point-of-care monitoring of immune protection status are discussed.

Dose finding study for unilobar radioembolization using holmium-166 microspheres to improve resectability in patients with HCC: the RALLY protocol.

BACKGROUND: High dose unilobar radioembolization (also termed 'radiation lobectomy')-the transarterial unilobar infusion of radioactive microspheres as a means of controlling tumour growth while concomitantly inducing future liver remnant hypertrophy-has recently gained interest as induction strategy for surgical resection. Prospective studies on the safety and efficacy of the unilobar radioembolization-surgery treatment algorithm are lacking. The RALLY study aims to assess the safety and toxicity profile of holmium-166 unilobar radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma ineligible for surgery due to insufficiency of the future liver remnant. METHODS: The RALLY study is a multicenter, interventional, non-randomized, open-label, non-comparative safety study. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who are considered ineligible for surgery due to insufficiency of the future liver remnant (< 2.7%/min/m2 on hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan will be included. A classical 3 + 3 dose escalation model will be used, enrolling three to six patients in each cohort. The primary objective is to determine the maximum tolerated treated non-tumourous liver-absorbed dose (cohorts of 50, 60, 70 and 80 Gy). Secondary objectives are to evaluate dose-response relationships, to establish the safety and feasibility of surgical resection following unilobar radioembolization, to assess quality of life, and to generate a biobank. DISCUSSION: This will be the first clinical study to assess the unilobar radioembolization-surgery treatment algorithm and may serve as a stepping stone towards its implementation in routine clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register NL8902 , registered on 2020-09-15.