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Dehydration has always been a confusing problem for a hydrogel exposed to air, which restricts its application in practical detection. While an ionogel with unique properties can lock water molecules efficiently due to its low vapor pressure, the design and development of an ionogel with excellent water-locking properties and stability to achieve satisfactory detection are thus highly desirable. In this work, a pH-sensitive, stretchable, antibacterial, and stable ionogel artificial tongue was fabricated through dual cross-linking. The artificial tongue consisted of MXene as a cross-linking agent, phenol red as an indicator, gelatin, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) acrylamide, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride as the three-dimensional polymer network. A small quantity of MXene was used as a cross-linker the first time to promote the initiator in the system to generate free radicals, accelerating the reaction process and the multilevel linkage among the polymers. Meanwhile, the indicator phenol red was introduced into the ionogel successfully for the first time, showing great stability in 5 weeks. After evaluation by the Brand-Altman analysis, it was found that the method of pH measurement using ionogels had good consistency with the pH meter measurement method. Additionally, the prepared ionogel presented excellent water retention, mechanical stretchability, antibacterial property, and stability, as well as good test results in the test of artificial simulated saliva, demonstrating great potential in clinical applications.

A novel fabrication of magnetite (Fe

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Zusanli" (ST36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) and "Liangmen" (ST21) on gastrointestinal motility, blood glucose content and expression of autophagy-related proteins 1 light chain 3 (LC3), p62, phosphatidyli-nositol-3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), p-Akt and mammalian target protein of rapamycin (mTOR) of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the cultured gastric antrum cells in diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) rats, so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of DGP.A total of 45 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, EA, medication (3-methyladenine, 3-MA) and EA+3-MA groups, with 9 rats in each group. The DGP model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 2% streptozotocin (STZ) combined with high-fat and high sugar diet for 8 weeks. The gastric emptying rate was measured by using gavage of phenol red (to measure the propelling length of the phenol red/total length of small intestine ×100%). The symptom score (mental state, coat color and luster, behavior and activity, stool traits) of rats was observed every week and the blood glucose content was measured by using a glucometer. EA (20 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA) was applied to unilateral ST36, SP6 and ST21 alternatively for 15 min, once daily, 5 days a week for 3 weeks. Rats of the 3-MA and 3-MA+EA groups received intraperitoneal injection of 3-MA (30 mg·kgCompared with the blank control group, the symptom score, blood glucose, and the expression levels of p62, class Ⅰ PI3K, Akt, p-Akt and mTOR proteins were increased significantly (EA can improve the gastrointestinal motility and symptoms in DGP rats, which may be related to its functions in downregulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling to promote autophagy level of ICC.

This study aims to explore the effect of Sini Decoction on Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) signaling pathway in the mice with allergic asthma(AA). Forty-eight SPF-grade BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into a blank control group, a model group, a dexamethasone group, and high-, medium-, and low-dose Sini Decoction groups, with 8 mice in each group. The sensitization solution made of ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide powder was injected intraperitoneally in other groups except the blank control group which was injected with an equal volume of normal saline. The solution(or normal saline) was injected three times in total with an interval of 7 days. At the same time of sensitization, external cold stimulation and ice water were administered in a 4 ℃ climate box for 20 min every day. After modeling, the mice in each group were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage for 3 weeks. At the end of administration, pentobarbital sodium(30 mg·kg~(-1)) was used for anesthesia, and then the samples were collected for the determination of various indexes. The phenol red test was conducted to evaluate tracheal excretion function. The histopathological changes of lung tissue were observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. Masson staining was employed to reveal the deposition of blue collagen fibers around bronchi in lung tissue and the area occupied by blue collagen fibers was calculated. Immunofluorescence method was used to measure the expression of bronchial type Ⅰ collagen(Col-Ⅰ) and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA). The protein and mRNA levels of TLR4, NF-κB, cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1(caspase-1), and interleukin-13(IL-13) were determined by Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(real-time PCR), respectively. Compared with the model group, Sini Decoction significantly increased the phenol red excretion from trachea, lowered the lung inflammation score, reduced subepithelial collagen deposition, and decreased Col-Ⅰ and α-SMA levels. Furthermore, the decoction down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of TLR4, NF-κB, caspase-1, and IL-13 in mouse lung tissue. In conclusion, Sini Decoction can improve air remodeling by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Cannabis sativa is a millenary medicinal plant. However, contrary to worldwide paradigm-shifting, countries like Brazil still prohibit C. sativa cultivation and its medicinal use, even though many populations use aerial parts and roots of this plant for healthcare. As such, the objective of this work was to identify substances in the samples of the C. sativa roots, tracing a correlation with antitussive and expectorant effects. Therefore, samples of C. sativa roots were donated by the Polícia Federal Brasileira, and its aqueous extract (AECsR) was prepared with subsequent lyophilization, to maintain the material stability. After that, the material was analyzed by LC-MS to observe its chemical profile. Four samples (AECsR-A, B, C, and D) were tested in animal models of citric acid-induced cough (0.4 M) and phenol red expectoration (500 mg/kg). Using LC-MS it was possible to identify 5 molecules in C. sativa roots: p-coumaroyltyramine, tetrahydrocannabinol-C4, feruoiltyramine, anhydrocanabisativine, and cannabisativine. In experimental protocols, male mice (Mus musculus) were treated with samples of AECsR at doses of 12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg regardless of the pharmacological test. In these tests, all samples showed the potential to treat cough and promote fluid expectoration, differing only in the dose at which these effects were observed. Therefore, the data showed that the C. sativa roots of the Brazilian Northeast showed antitussive and expectorant effects, even with intense secondary metabolitesʼ variation, which alters its potency, but not its effect. This highlights the importance of this medicinal plant for future therapy and corroborates to traditional use.

A highly sensitive electrochemical methodology for end-point detection of loop-mediated isothermal nucleic acid amplification reactions was developed. It is based on the oxidation process of phenol red (PR), commonly used as a visual indicator. The dependence of its redox process on pH, which changes during amplification, allows performing quantitative measurements. Thus, the change in the oxidation potential of PR during the amplification is used, for the first time, as the analytical signal that correlates with the number of initial DNA copies. As a proof-of-concept, the amplification of the pneumolysin gene from

The discharge of large amounts of effluents contaminated with gentian violet (GV) and phenol red (PR) threatens aquatic flora and fauna as well as human health, which is why these effluents must be treated before being discarded. This study seeks the removal of dyes, using water lily (

The management of wound infection remains the major challenges in real-time diagnosis, effective bacterial elimination and rapid wound healing. Herein, we developed injectable theranostic hydrogels to achieve long-term visual imaging of infected wounds and possible infection recurrence and to launch an on-demand bactericidal effect without using any antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptide ε-polylysine (ePL)-derived hydrogels were prepared through the copolymerization of methacrylated ePL (mPL) and the conjugates with tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (mPL-TCPP) and phenol red (mPL-Pr). Light illumination of mPL-TCPP produces reactive oxidative species (ROS) to initiate free radical crosslinking into PL@Pr-TCPP hydrogels without using any additional photoinitiators and concurrently exhibits antibacterial photodynamic therapy (PDT). PL@Pr-TCPP hydrogels experience quick color changes from yellow to orange and finally to red when pH values change from 5.0 to 9.0. The actual pH and related bacterial levels in the wounds could be read from G/B signal ratios of hydrogel colors captured by a smart phone. The conjugation of phenol red and TCPP into hydrogels affords a robust bacterial infection diagnosis and persistent bactericidal effect after cycled light illumination. The bacterial capture by ePL hydrogels strengthens PDT effect through alleviating the short lifetime and action distance of ROS. On a Staphylococcus aureus-infected abscess model, light illumination of the pregel solutions achieves in situ formation of hydrogel dressings. The synergistic bactericidal performance significantly relieves inflammatory status, accelerates collagen deposition, and promotes neovascularization, leading to full recovery of the infected wounds with regeneration of skin accessories. PL@Pr-TCPP hydrogels on the wound bed show color changes upon the recurrence of bacterial infection, which could also be totally eliminated after light illumination. Therefore, this study demonstrates a feasible strategy to develop theranostic hydrogel dressings for life-cycle diagnosis and on-demand treatment of wound infections. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Over 30% of skin and soft tissue infections become chronic even after appropriate antibacterial treatment, and recurrent infections are commonly reported after initial infection. Challenges remain in the development of theranostic wound dressings having the capability of point-of-care diagnosis, life-cycle monitoring and on-demand elimination of bacterial infection. Herein, light-triggered gelation is used to develop theranostic hydrogels for reversible naked-eye diagnosis and on-demand photodynamic therapy of wound infections. Light illumination plays a "one-stone-two-birds" role, i.e., photodynamically produced reactive oxidative species enable bactericidal effect without using any antibiotics, and the generated free radicals initiate crosslinking of hydrogels without using any additional photoinitiators. Bacterial infection-activated color changes of hydrogels could be captured with a smart phone for on-site and persistent monitoring of bacterial infection and wound healing process.

This study observed the pharmacological effects of Feilike Mixture(FLKM) in stopping cough, eliminating phlegm, and relieving asthma through animal experiments, and explored its mechanism using network pharmacology. The antitussive effect was detected by citric acid-induced guinea pig cough model, the expectorant effect by mouse phenol red excretion experiment and lipopolysaccharide-induced mucus hypersecretion rat model, and the antiasthmatic effect by histamine phosphate-induced guinea pig asthma model. The chemical components of FLKM were collected by TCMSP, TCMID, TCMIP, and BATMAN-TCM databases and literature search, and the potential active components were screened through ADMETlab 2.0. The targets of FLKM were obtained by STITCH, SwissTargetPrediction, and TCMSP, and the symptom targets of cough, phlegm, and asthma were acquired through SymMap database. After taking the intersection of FLKM targets and symptom targets, this study used the OECloud tool to perform Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis. RESULTS:: demonstrated that FLKM 0.43-1.74 g·kg~(-1) reduced the number of coughs in guinea pigs within 3 min(Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01), and FLKM 6-12 g·kg~(-1) increased the tracheal phenol red excretion in mice(Plt;0.01). Moreover, FLKM 2-8 g·kg~(-1) inhibited the number of goblet cells(Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01), and FLKM 7-11.2 g·kg~(-1) prolonged the incubation period of asthma(Plt;0.05). A total of 115 potential active components and 910 targets of FLKM were obtained through network pharmacological analysis. FLKM had 27, 12, and 7 targets for stopping cough, eliminating phlegm, and relieving asthma, respectively. The GO and KEGG enrichment analysis found that there were commonalities and characteristics, among which cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and infectious disease-related signaling pathway were shared. FLKM has a good effect of stopping cough, eliminating phlegm, and relieving asthma through animal experiments and network pharmacology.

This work presents a colorimetric dye-based array for naked-eye detection of chicken meat spoilage. The array is obtained by fixing five acid-base indicators, m-cresol purple (1), o-cresol red (2), bromothymol blue (3), thymol blue (4), and chlorophenol red (5), and a sensing molecule specific for thiols, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrodibenzoic acid), called Ellman's reagent (6), on a cellulose-based support. The dyes, being permanently charged, are fixed on the support via ion-exchange. The entire degradation process of beast poultry meat, at ambient temperature and in a domestic fridge, is followed by the change of the color of the array, placed in the headspace over the meat samples. The device is set after selection of the most suitable starting form, which could be the acidic or the basic color of indicators, being the proper dye concentration and the dimension of the spots already established. Basing on sensors colors, we identified three levels of the degradation process of chicken meat, named SAFE, WARNING, and HAZARD. By instrumental analysis, we demonstrated that sensors response was correlated to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) composition in the headspace and, thus, to meat spoilage progress. We demonstrated that biogenic amines (BAs), commonly considered a critical spoilage marker, are indeed produced into the samples but never present in the headspace, even in traces, during the investigated time-lapse. The VOC evolution nevertheless allows one to assign the sample as WARNING and further HAZARD. Some indicators turned out to be more informative than others, and the best candidates for a future industrial application resulted in a bromothymol blue (3)-, chlorophenol red (5)-, and Ellman's reagent (6)-based array.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a versatile technique for detection of target DNA and RNA, enabling rapid molecular diagnostic assays with minimal equipment. The global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has presented an urgent need for new and better diagnostic methods, with colorimetric LAMP utilized in numerous studies for SARS-CoV-2 detection. However, the sensitivity of colorimetric LAMP in early reports has been below that of the standard RT-qPCR tests, and we sought to improve performance. Here we report the use of guanidine hydrochloride and combined primer sets to increase speed and sensitivity in colorimetric LAMP, bringing this simple method up to the standards of sophisticated techniques and enabling accurate, high-throughput diagnostics.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as a diagnostic tool is rapidly gaining recognition and maturity. Among various advantages over traditional polymerase chain reaction, the ability to visually detect amplification by the incorporation of colorimetric indicators is one of its most unique features. There is an overwhelming variety of LAMP indicators in the literature, yet a comprehensive comparative study is lacking. This study evaluates the use of hydroxynaphthol blue, phenol red, calcein, leuco crystal violet, malachite green, and a fluorescent dye for visual detection. A method for objective quantitative analysis using ImageJ is described that is readily implemented in standard and microfluidic workflows. The work here also includes the largest inter-reader variability study involving 24 participants to evaluate these indicators. We found inaccuracies in visual assessment as bias and/or individual-based perception can exist, solidifying the need for objective analysis. There was not a "universal" indicator, although considerations in sample preparation, storage, and applicability are discussed in length.

Abnormal keratinocyte differentiation is fundamental to pathologies such as skin cancer and mucosal inflammatory diseases. The ability to grow keratinocytes in vitro allows the study of differentiation however any translational value is limited if keratinocytes get altered by the culture method. Although serum lipids (SLPs) and phenol red (PR) are ubiquitous components of culture media their effect on differentiation is largely unknown. We show for the first time that PR and SLP themselves suppress expression of differentiation-specific keratins K1, K10 and K2 in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) and two important cell lines, HaCaT and N/TERT-1. Removal of SLP increased expression of K1, K10 and K2 in 2D and 3D cultures, which was further enhanced in the absence of PR. The effect was reversed for K1 and K10 by adding all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) but increased for K2 in the absence of PR. Furthermore, retinoid regulation of differentiation-specific keratins involves post-transcriptional mechanisms as we show KRT2 mRNA is stabilised whilst KRT1 and KRT10 mRNAs are destabilised in the presence of ATRA. Taken together, our results indicate that the presence of PR and SLP in cell culture media may significantly impact in vitro studies of keratinocyte differentiation.

Phenol red and PEG-4000, the usual non-absorbable indicators, have non-negligible absorption problems in measuring water flux. mPEG-PR, combined phenol red with mPEG-4000, was first synthesized and could decrease absorption. However, its application has not been confirmed. The purpose of this study was to explore the applicability of mPEG-PR as a novel non-absorption indicator in the in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) experiment. Six model drugs (atenolol ranitidine, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, antipyrine, hydrochlorothiazide) were used to compare the accuracy of four measuring methods including phenol red, mPEG-PR, gravimetric, and non-corrected methods of correcting intestinal fluid transport. Moreover, we evaluated the correlations between the effective permeability coefficients (P

2-Monoacylglycerol (2-MAG) is one of the digestion products of dietary lipids. We recently demonstrated that a 2-MAG, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) potently stimulated cholecystokinin (CCK) secretion via cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in a murine CCK-producing cell line, STC-1. CCK plays a crucial role in suppressing postprandial gastric emptying. To examine the effect of 2-AG on gastric emptying, we performed acetaminophen and phenol red recovery tests under oral or intraperitoneal administration of 2-AG in mice. Orally administered 2-AG (25 mg/kg) suppressed the gastric emptying rate in mice, as determined by the acetaminophen absorption test and phenol red recovery test. Intraperitoneal administration of a cholecystokinin A receptor antagonist (0.5 mg/kg) attenuated the gastric inhibitory emptying effect. In addition, both oral (10 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal (0.5 mg/kg) administration of a CB1 antagonist counteracted the 2-AG-induced gastric inhibitory effect. Furthermore, intraperitoneal 2-AG (25 mg/kg) suppressed gastric emptying. These results indicate that 2-AG exhibits an inhibitory effect on gastric emptying in mice, possibly mediated by stimulating both CCK secretion via CB1 expressed in CCK-producing cells and acting on CB1 expressed in the peripheral nerves. Our findings provide novel insights into the 2-MAG-sensing mechanism in enteroendocrine cells and the physiological role of 2-MAG.

The aim of this study was to determine, in the diet-induced obesity model in rats, the potential of Guanabenz to reduce body weight and ameliorate some metabolic disturbances. Obesity was induced in rats by a high-fat diet. After 10 weeks, rats were treated intraperitoneally with Guanabenz at the two doses: 2 or 5 mg/kg b.w./day, once daily for 25 days. The spontaneous activity of rats was measured for 24 h on the 1st and 24th day of the Guanabenz treatment with a special radio-frequency identification system. Gastric emptying was measured in intragastric phenol red-treated mice by measuring the color of the stomach homogenate 30 min after phenol red administration. Intraperitoneal administration of Guanabenz for 25 days to obese rats resulted in a significant decrease in body weight compared to the baseline values (about 11% at a dose of 5 mg/kg). Both body weight and the amount of adipose tissue in the groups receiving Guanabenz decreased to the levels observed in the control rats fed only standard feed. The anorectic effect occurred in parallel with a reduction in plasma triglyceride levels. We also confirmed the beneficial effect of Guanabenz on plasma glucose level. The present study demonstrates that the administration of Guanabenz strongly inhibits gastric emptying (about 80% at a dose of 5 mg/kg). Guanabenz can successfully and simultaneously attenuate all the disorders and risk factors of metabolic syndrome: hypertension, hyperglycemia, obesity, and dyslipidemia. However, the exact cellular mechanisms of its action require further research.

Peripartum dairy cows experience negative energy balance, characterized by high concentrations of blood free fatty acids (FFA) and immune dysfunction. Palmitic acid (PA), the most abundant saturated fatty acid in cow blood, is not only an energy precursor, but causes cellular dysfunction when in excess. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) are one of the arsenals of weapons neutrophils use to fight invading pathogens. However, given the marked increase in circulating PA during the peripartum period, it remains to be determined what effect (if any) PA has on NET release. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PA on NET release and the underlying mechanism in vitro. Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA; 100 ng/mL, 3 h) was used to induce the release of NET in vitro. We isolated neutrophils from the peripheral blood of 5 healthy postpartum dairy cows with similar parity (median = 3, range = 2-4), milk yield (median = 27.84 kg/d per cow, range = 25.79-31.43 kg/d per cow), days in milk (median = 7 d, range = 4-10 d), and serum FFA0.25 mM, β-hydroxybutyric acid0.6 mM, and glucose3.5 mM. Inhibition of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) level, a marker of NET release, in response to PA was used to determine an optimal incubation time and concentration for in vitro experiments. Cells were maintained in RPMI-1640 basic medium without phenol red, treated with 600 μM PA for different times (4, 5, 6, and 7 h) in the presence or absence of PMA. There was a decrease for dsDNA level in the supernatant due to increased duration of PA treatment, with a peak response at 6 h. Thus, 6 h was selected as the challenge time. Then, cells were treated with different concentrations of PA (100, 200, 400, and 600 μM) for 6 h in the presence or absence of PMA. There was a decrease for dsDNA level in the supernatant due to increased dose of PA, with a peak response at 400 μM. Finally, 400 μM PA for 6 h was selected as the treatment for subsequent experiments. Protein abundance of citrullinated histone in the presence or absence of PMA was markedly lower in response to incubation with PA. Morphological observations by laser confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that the ratio of NET-releasing cells decreased in response to incubation with PA. Autophagy is a potential key intermediate process in the regulation of NET by PA. To investigate the effect of PA on autophagy, we used chloroquine to block lysosomal degradation. Exogenous PA led to accumulation of sequestosome-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II, and no further accumulation in the presence of chloroquine, all of which suggested an impairment of autophagic flux. To verify the role of autophagy in NET, we used rapamycin to promote autophagic flux; 100 nM rapamycin attenuated the suppressive effect of PA on NET release indicated by greater dsDNA levels, accumulation of citrullinated histone, and ratio of NET-releasing neutrophils. Overall, these data demonstrate PA inhibits NET release by suppressing autophagic flux, which provides information for understanding the immune dysfunction in postpartum cows.

The prostaglandin (PG) transporter SLCO2A1 regulates PGE

The treatment of textile wastewater comprising many dyes as contaminants endures an essential task for environmental remediation. In addition, combating antifungal multidrug resistance (MDR) is an intimidating task, specifically owing to the limited options of alternative drugs with multitarget drug mechanisms. Incorporating natural polymeric biomaterials for drug delivery provides desirable properties for drug molecules, effectively eradicating MDR fungal growth. The current study fabricated the bipolymeric drug delivery system using chitosan-gum arabic-coated liposome 5ID nanoparticles (CS-GA-5ID-LP-NPs). This study focused on improving the solubility and sustained release profile of 5I-1

Emerging evidence indicates that exosomes can be used as a potential biomarker for monitoring diseases, including cancer. However, enhancing the sensing performance in terms of convenience and sensitivity remains an urgent demand for exosomes detection. In this study, a pH-sensitive colorimetric biosensing strategy was developed for exosomes detection by integrating stimuli-responsive DNA microcapsules and acetylcholinesterase to produce acetic acid. The constructed DNA microcapsules consisted of DNA shells crosslinked by anti-CD63 aptamers and loaded with acetylcholinesterase. With exosomes addition, an energetically stabilized aptamer-CD63 compound was produced and microcapsules dissociated due to the reaction of surface protein CD63 of exosomes and aptamer of CD63, resulting in the release of encapsulated AChE. Through a simple centrifugation separation, unreacted DNA microcapsules were removed and the supernatant containing released acetylcholinesterase collected, which was then used for colorimetric exosomes detection through the ability of acetylcholinesterase to hydrolyze acetylcholine to release acetic acid. The resulting decreased solution pH was detected with phenol red indicator, with the sharp color transition conveniently by naked eye. Exosomes quantification was also achieved using the solution's absorption intensity ratio of 558 vs. 432 nm. The linear range was from 2.0 × 10

Resin hemoperfusion is a life-saving treatment for drug intoxication or hepatic failure of patients. However, current resin adsorbents exhibit a limited hemocompatibility or low adsorption efficiency, representing a major roadblock to successful clinical applications. In this work, we developed a hemocompatible and effective hemoadsorbent based on polystyrene resin (H103) microparticles encapsulated in anti-biofouling zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine) (PCB) hydrogels. Apart from a strong mechanical stability, this PCB-based adsorbent (PCB-H103) exhibited excellent hemocompatibility (hemolysis ratio was ∼0.64%), which was attributed to the anti-biofouling property of PCB hydrogel. In addition, it can efficiently adsorb both small and middle molecular weight molecules in phosphate-buffered saline, and the efficiencies were significantly higher than poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate-based and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-based adsorbent counterparts, indicating the favorable permeability of PCB hydrogel coating. More importantly, PCB-H103 could effectively remove protein-bound toxins including phenol red and bilirubin in bovine serum albumin solution or even in 100% fetal bovine serum (FBS). In 100% FBS, the adsorption capacity of PCB-H103 towards bilirubin was 8.3 times higher than that of pristine clinical-scale resin beads. Findings in this work may provide a new strategy for the development of modern resin hemoperfusion technology.

The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between the color changes of phenol red and the growth of cancer cells, i.e., HeLa and DU145 cells, over a specific period of time. Normal mouse skin fibroblasts (L929 cells) were used as a reference. In this research, the color changes of phenol red due to the acidification of the cell culture medium from the growth of the cells over a period of nine hours showed potential colorimetric characteristics of cancer cells. The color changes of phenol red were observed using visible absorbance spectroscopy. The transformation of the absorbance spectra into coefficients of determination against the examined range of wavelengths created a distinctive spectral signature that signifies phenol red discoloration in cancer and normal cell culture lines.

The aim of the present study was to develop a new marker for correcting water flux in the in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) model. The new marker was designed and synthesized based on the application of both polyethylene glycol-4000 (PEG-4000) and phenol red as non-absorbable markers. The new marker mPEG-PR was obtained by combining phenol red with polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether-4000 (mPEG-4000) and verified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultraviolet (UV) spectra, gel permeability chromatograph (GPC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). mPEG-PR fully took the advantages of phenol red and PEG including the low permeability and the simple measuring method which were assessed by the in vitro and the in situ models. In the everted gut sac (EGS) studies, the permeability of mPEG-PR was significantly reduced by nearly 4 times compared with phenol red, and the absorptive percentage of mPEG-PR was0.1% in 105 min. In addition, the solution with verapamil or without Ca

Purpose Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a face mask has become an essential measure to reduce the rate of virus spreading. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of wearing a surgical face mask for a short period on the tear film parameters in subjects with a high body mass index (BMI). Methods Twenty-five females with a high BMI (31.4 ± 5.5 kg/m2) aged 18–35 years (22.7 ± 4.6 years) participated in the study. In addition, a control group consisting of 25 females (23.0 ± 6.7 years) with a high BMI (29.9 ± 4.1 kg/m2) participated in the study in which no mask was worn. The standardized patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) questionnaire was completed first, followed by the phenol red thread (PRT) and tear ferning (TF) tests, before wearing the face mask. The subjects wore the face mask for 1 hour, and the measurements were performed again immediately after its removal. For the control group, the measurements were performed twice with one hour gap. Results Significant (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05) differences were found between the SPEED scores (p = 0.035) and the PRT measurement (p = 0.042), before and after wearing the surgical face mask. The PRT scores have improved after wearing the surgical face mask, while the dry eye symptoms detected by the SPEED questionnaire have increased. On the other hand, no significant (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.201) differences were found between the TF grades before and after wearing a surgical face mask. For the control group, no significant (Wilcoxon test, p > 0.05) differences were found between the two scores from the SPEED questionnaire and the PRT, and TF tests. Conclusions Wearing a surgical face mask for a short duration leads to a change in volume and quality of tears as well as dry eye symptoms in women with a high BMI.

Background Identification of α0-thalassemia (SEA and THAI deletions) is essential in preventing and controlling of severe thalassemia diseases. We have developed the LAMP colorimetric assays for the detection of these two thalassemia defects and validated them in population screening and prenatal diagnosis. Methods Three LAMP colorimetric assays specific for α0-thalassemia (SEA deletion), α0-thalassemia (THAI deletion) and normal DNA sequence were developed. These assays were validated on 341 subjects who had initial thalassemia screening positive and various thalassemia genotypes. Prenatal diagnosis of α0-thalassemia (SEA deletion) was done on 33 fetuses at risk of having Hb Bart’s hydrops fetalis syndrome. Results The LAMP colorimetric assays for α0-thalassemia (SEA and THAI deletions) could be clearly interpreted by naked eyes. The assay for α0-thalassemia (SEA deletion) showed a 100% (62/62 x 100) sensitivity and 98.2% (274/279 x 100) specificity whereas, that of the α0-thalassemia (THAI deletion) showed 100% (1/1 x 100) sensitivity and 99.7% (339/340 x 100) specificity. We obtained a 100% concordant prenatal diagnosis results using LAMP assays of α0-thalassemia (SEA deletion) in 33 fetuses as compared to the conventional PCR analysis. Conclusions The LAMP colorimetric assays developed are simple, rapid, and do not require sophisticated equipment. Inclusion of the LAMP tests in the existing screening protocol significantly reduce the screening cost and the molecular analysis workload, which should prove useful in the prevention and control program of hemoglobinopathies in the region.

Tear samples are considered in recent publications as easily, noninvasively collectible information sources for precision medicine. Their complex composition may serve the identification of biomarkers and monitoring the effectiveness of treatments in eye and systematic diseases. Sample collection and processing are key steps in any analytical method, especially if subtle personal differences need to be detected. In this work, we evaluate the usability of a novel sample collection technique for human tear samples using phenol red threads (cotton thread treated with the pH indicator phenol red), which are efficiently used to measure tear volume in clinical diagnosis. The low invasiveness and discomfort to the patients have already been demonstrated, but their applicability for proteomic sample collection was not yet compared to other methods. We have shown using various statistical approaches, the qualitative and quantitative differences in proteomic samples collected with this novel and two traditional methods using either glass capillaries or Schirmer’s paper strips. In all parameters studied, the phenol red threads proved to be equally or even more suitable than traditional methods. Based on detectability using different sampling methods, we have classified proteins in tear samples. Data Independent Analysis (DIA) LC-MS experiments were perfomed on tear samples collected using different methods. A combined spectral library was created from Gas Phase Fractionation (GPF) DIA measurements of pool samples using DIA-NN 1.8. The spectral library is uploaded in TSV format. Quantitative data matrices exported by DIA-NN at proteingroup (pg) and precursor (pr) levelare also uploaded from the analysis of tearsamples from both eyes of 10 healthy individuals collected by the three sample collection methods.

We demonstrate a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect and amplify SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequences using a set of in-house designed initiators that target regions encoding the N protein. We were able to detect and amplify SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids in the range of 62 to 2 × 105 DNA copies by this straightforward method. Using synthetic SARS-CoV-2 samples and RNA extracts from patients, we demonstrate that colorimetric LAMP is a quantitative method comparable in diagnostic performance to RT-qPCR (i.e., sensitivity of 92.85% and specificity of 81.25% in a set of 44 RNA extracts from patients analyzed in a hospital setting).

Phenol red (PR) is a widely used marker for water flux correction in studies of in situ perfusion, in which intestinal absorption usually leads to the underestimation of results. In this paper, we propose a novel marker polyethylene glycol (PEG)-PR (i.e., PR modified by PEGylation) with less permeability and evaluate its application in an in situ perfusion model in rats. PEG-PR was synthesized by the chemical conjunction of polyethylene glycol-4k/5k (PEG-4k/5k) and PR. The synthesized PEG-PR was then characterized using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, ultraviolet (UV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses. The low permeability of PEG-PR was assessed using everted gut sac (EGS) methods. The apparent permeability coefficients (Papp, 3&ndash, 8 &times, 10&minus, 7 cm/s) of PEG4k/5k-PR exhibited a nearly 15-fold reduction compared to that of PR. The different concentrations of PEG4k/5k-PR did not contribute to the Papp value or cumulative permeable percentage (about 0.02&ndash, 0.06%). Furthermore, the larger molecular weight due to PEGylation (PEG5k-PR) enhanced the nonabsorbable effect. To evaluate the potential application of the novel marker, atenolol, ketoprofen, and metoprolol, which represent various biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) classes, were selected as model drugs for the recirculation perfusion method. The water flux corrected by PEG4k/5k-PR reflected the accuracy due to the nonabsorbable effect, while the effective intestinal membrane permeability (Peff) of atenolol corrected by PEG4k/5k-PR showed a statistically significant increase (p &lt, 0.05) in different intestinal segments. In conclusion, PEG-PR is a promising marker for the permeability estimation when using the in situ perfusion model in rats.

pH-sensitive polymeric dyes were fabricated by grafting phenol red (PR) and rosolic acid (RA) onto chitosan (CS) by a facile method. Successful grafting was confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR, UV–vis, XRD, and elemental analysis. The polymeric dyes exhibited no cell toxicity. The colorimetric pH-sensing films were fabricated by blending the polymeric dyes with CS to establish their pH-dependent color properties. The film color changed in the pH range 4–10, which may indicate food spoilage or wound status. Covalently grafting of polymeric dyes in the films led to excellent color stability, leaching resistance, and reversibility. Hence, the synthesized polymeric dyes had potential as pH-indicative colorants for food and biomedical fields.

The single tumor antigen does not have enough specificity and sensitivity to meet the accurate diagnostic criteria, and single antigen measurement is often prone to false negative and false positive perceptions. Therefore, simultaneous monitoring of multiple tumor antigens related to precise tumors in serum samples has become an interesting and encouraging analytical method. In this work, we demonstrated an electrochemical biosensor based on multiple signal amplification methods, and simultaneously detect two lung cancer markers, cytokeratin 19 fragment 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Large number of gold nanoparticles distributed on the surface of three-dimensional graphene (3D-G), poly-thionine (pThi) and poly-m-Cresol purple (pMCP) not only provide large number of binding sites for antigen and antibody, but also enhance the electrochemical signal of biosensor and greatly improves the sensitivity of the biosensor. The detection linear range extends from 0.5 to 200 ng/mL, with low detection limits (LOD) of 0.18 ng/mL and 0.31 ng/mL for CYFRA21-1 and CEA, respectively. Overall, this kind of immune-biosensor provides great potential for the simultaneous detection of multiple targets in early clinical diagnosis.

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology. Administration of indomethacin (Indo) to rats induces acute mucosal lesions similar to those observed in Crohn's disease patients, but the damage can be prevented by feeding the animals an elemental diet (ED). In this study, we examined changes in intestinal macroscopic appearance, permeability, and immunoglobulin production after administration of Indo to male Sprague-Dawley rats fed normal lab chow or an ED. Intestinal damage was induced by subcutaneous injection of Indo on two successive days. Mucosal permeability, as measured by urinary excretion of phenolsulfonphthalein, peaked on day 2 after Indo injection, whereas the most severe intestinal damage, as scored by macroscopic inflammatory changes, was observed on day 3. Flow cytometric analysis of mesenteric lymph node cells revealed that the proportion of CD45RA+ cells was increased after Indo treatment. Furthermore, in vitro-cultured mesenteric lymph node and spleen lymphocytes from Indo-treated rats produced higher levels of IgA and IgG than did cells from vehicle-treated rats. In contrast, IgG and albumin concentrations in plasma were significantly decreased by Indo administration. Notably, none of the Indo-induced changes was observed in ED-fed rats. These findings suggest that an ED may prevent the appearance of Indo-induced mucosal lesions, at least in part, by modulating intestinal permeability and antibody production.

Relieving Sore Throat Formula (RSTF) is a formula approved by the China Food and Drug Administration and has been used for the treatment of pharyngitis in clinic for many years. However, the potential pharmacological mechanism still remains unknown. We combined multiple methods including bioinformatics data digging, network pharmacology analysis, and pathway analysis to predict the potential target of RSTF. We verified our in silico prediction results with an in vivo/vitro antibacterial effect test, mouse phagocytic index test, proliferation, transformation, and migration of mouse spleen lymphocytes. Alteration of NF-κB pathway was determined by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and PCR. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that the RSTF could significantly relieve the symptoms of pharyngitis. A rat saliva secretion test showed that RSTF can effectively relieve the xerostomia symptom. A phenol red excretion test showed that RSTF has an eliminating phlegm effect. A hot plate method and granuloma experiment proved that RSTF also have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. In silico prediction demonstrates that 70 active compounds of RSTF were filtered out through ADME screening and 84 putative targets correlated with different diseases. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the candidate targets were mostly related to the response to bacteria and immunity signalling pathways, which are known contributors to pharyngitis. Experimental results confirmed that RSTF exerted therapeutic effects on pharyngitis mainly by antibacterial effect and downregulation of NF-κB activities. It is demonstrated both in silico and in vivo/vitro that RSTF exerted therapeutic effects on pharyngitis mainly through an antibiotic effect and downregulation of NF-κB signalling pathway.

Theileria annulata the causative agent of bovine tropical theileriosis (BTT) is globally distributed. Rapid and accurate detection of the parasite is essential for the implementation and evaluation of mass drug administration and planned vaccination programs for controlling BTT. Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) amplifies targeted nucleic acid with a high efficacy, sensitivity and rapidity under isothermal conditions. In the present study, the internal transcriber space (ITS) gene of T. annulata was targeted for the development of a LAMP assay using pH-sensitive dye (phenol red) for enhanced visual detection of amplification. This method employed a set of specially designed four primers that recognized six distinct regions on the targeted gene. No amplification was detected with the DNA of other tested haemoprotozoans. Positive LAMP products were identified by a colour change from pink to yellow, and then rechecked by specific ladder pattern upon agarose gel electrophoresis. LAMP was able to detect infection in 63 out of 85 animals compared with blood microscopy, simple PCR and nested PCR which detected infection in 40, 49 and 64 animals, respectively. No difference in detection was seen in the colorimetric assay and the classical UV based LAMP assay.

Several soil isolates from 1 g of soil sample were isolated and screened for the production of L-asparaginase. Primary screening was performed using rapid plate assay; dye indicator studies were conducted, and phenol red with 0.005% concentration was found to be optimum. The secondary screening was carried out using the Nesslerization method. The bacteria screened for L-asparaginase production with no glutaminase activity was identified as

The methods of the quantitative assay of the antiviral activity of interferons (IFNs) (type I, II or III) are very important during carrying out of the research of them, since they were found. Here a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) (VSV/GFP) and MDBK cells were used to develop an antiviral assay (AVA) for IFNs. This method was carried out on a 96-well cell culture plate, and the half reduction of virus replication was quantified by assaying GFP. To quantify GFP, cell lysis buffer was directly added to the wells infected with VSV/GFP to lyse cells, the VSV/GFP was then inactivated, and relative fluorescence unit (RFU) of GFP was measured and used to calculate the antiviral activity. This method needed only one step instead of three steps in the staining method with naphthol blue black, medium with phenol red can be used, and it had good reproducibility. The GFP-containing samples could be stored at 4°C in a wet box for at least 1 week without affecting the assay results. In addition, the results obtained with this method were similar to those obtained with the staining method. In conclusion, a safe, rapid, convenient and low-cost AVA of IFN based on recombinant VSV/GFP was established.

Licorice has been used as an antitussive and expectorant herbal medicine for a long history. This work evaluated the activities of 14 major compounds and crude extracts of licorice, using the classical ammonia-induced cough model and phenol red secretion model in mice. Liquiritin apioside (1), liquiritin (2), and liquiritigenin (3) at 50 mg/kg (i.g.) could significantly decrease cough frequency by 30-78% (p .01). The antitussive effects could be partially antagonized by the pretreatment of methysergide or glibenclamide, but not naloxone. Moreover, compounds 1-3 showed potent expectorant activities after 3 days treatment (p .05). The water and ethanol extracts of licorice, which contain abundant 1 and 2, could decrease cough frequency at 200 mg/kg by 25-59% (p .05), and enhance the phenol red secretion (p .05), while the ethyl acetate extract showed little effect. These results indicate liquiritin apioside and liquiritin are the major antitussive and expectorant compounds of licorice. Their antitussive effects depend on both peripheral and central mechanisms.

Screening for the detection of carbapenemase-producing bacteria still encounters issues related to workflow, limit of detection, or qualitative interpretation. We developed a spectrophotometry-based version of the Carba NP phenol red assay (Nordmann et al., 2012) in a microtiter plate format, compatible with low bacterial cell counts. We were able to detect highly active carbapenemases such as KPC and IMP in 30min. A wider range of carbapenemases including OXA-48 were detected using higher inocula, still being competitive compared with currently available phenol red assays. Validation experiments of our test with a panel of 81 Enterobacteriaceae showed good performance with 93% of sensitivity and 92% of specificity. The compatibility of our routine-friendly protocol with automation offers great perspectives for high throughput screening in outbreak situations and/or in big laboratories.

Ion-permselective nanochannel-based sample preconcentration or electropreconcentration has been demonstrated as an effective technique for concentrating charged analytes at the interface between a micro- and nanochannel. The anion-selective electropreconcentration involves extraction of hydroxide in the preconcentrated sample plug, resulting in pH decrease. We investigated the pH change in a microchannel using charged pH indicators with different conditions including running buffer pH, sample channel electric field, and salt concentration. The anion-selective preconcentration showed pH decrease from 11 to under 7 in the preconcentrated sample plug. Therefore, careful design and interpretation are required with pH-dependent experiments such as analyzing enzyme or antibody characteristics. The pH change could be mitigated by reducing the sample channel electric field and/or increasing salt concentration in the buffer.

We describe an electrochemical measurement technique that enables bioelectronic measurements of reporter proteins in living cells as an alternative to traditional optical fluorescence. Using electronically programmable microfluidics, the measurement is in turn used to control the concentration of an inducer input that regulates production of the protein from a genetic promoter. The resulting bioelectronic and microfluidic negative-feedback loop then serves to regulate the concentration of the protein in the cell. We show measurements wherein a user-programmable set-point precisely alters the protein concentration in the cell with feedback-loop parameters affecting the dynamics of the closed-loop response in a predictable fashion. Our work does not require expensive optical fluorescence measurement techniques that are prone to toxicity in chronic settings, sophisticated time-lapse microscopy, or bulky/expensive chemo-stat instrumentation for dynamic measurement and control of biomolecules in cells. Therefore, it may be useful in creating a: cheap, portable, chronic, dynamic, and precise all-electronic alternative for measurement and control of molecules in living cells.

d-Malate inhibits a Krebs cycle enzyme and the tubular transport of α-ketoglutarate, an intermediate of the Krebs cycle and the driving force for rat organic anion transporter 1 (rOAT1) and rOAT3 in the kidney. This study examined the effects of d-malate on the rat organic anion transport system. The uptake of 6-carboxyfluorescein by HEK293 cells expressing rOAT1 or rOAT3 was not affected by d-malate and l-malate. Up to 60 min after the intravenous injection of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP), a typical substrate of the renal organic anion transporters, as a bolus to rats, 47.1% of the dose was recovered in the urine, and its renal clearance was estimated to be 8.60 ml/min/kg. d-Malate but not l-malate interfered with its renal excretion, resulting in the delayed elimination of PSP from plasma. No effect of d-malate was recognized on creatinine clearance or the expression level of rOAT3 in the kidney cortex. d-Malate increased the plasma concentration of α-ketoglutarate. In addition, the compound greatly stimulated the renal excretion of α-ketoglutarate, implying that d-malate inhibited its reabsorption. The content of α-ketoglutarate was significantly decreased in the kidney cortex of rats administered d-malate. Collectively, this study shows that d-malate abrogates the tubular secretion of PSP, and the reduction of the renal content of α-ketoglutarate was proposed to be one of the mechanisms. A relationship between the reabsorption of α-ketoglutarate and the basolateral uptake of organic anion in the kidney is suggested.

This work was carried out in the field of water treatment using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), especially photolysis of carboxylic acid that leads to the formation in situ of hydroxyl radical (·OH). Cresol red (CR) degradation induced by organic acids/UV system was investigated in aqueous solution. The preliminary study of CR-organic acid mixture in the dark and at room temperature allowed confirming the absence of interaction under our experimental conditions. However, upon irradiation at 365 nm, the proportion of elimination of CR was 89% after 5 h of irradiation. Indeed, the CR degradation efficiency depends on the acid concentration and the pH of the medium. The concentration of acid is optimized to the 5 × 10

Thermochromic materials exhibit a color change in response to a change in temperature. Creating nontoxic microcapsules containing thermochromic materials for applications in ink and film materials is historically challenging. In this study, we develop a nontoxic chlorophenol red (CPR)–water thermochromic system and its microcapsules with silicone shells via a reaction between water and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) at the interface of a w/o emulsion. The obtained microcapsules exhibit a clear color change with full reversibility and are successfully used as inks by screen printing and as additives in films. Nontoxicity of both microcapsules and films is demonstrated through cell cytotoxicity assays. These features make these novel materials applicable to the next generation of intelligent sensors, coating, and food packaging materials.

Purpose Noninvasive analyses of tear fluid from humans and animal models in clinical and research settings most commonly use absorbent material for collection and processing. Still, the impact of these analytical techniques on tear chemical analyses remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to quantify the impacts of phenol red thread fiber-based tear sample collection and processing on the primary amine content. Methods Human tears were collected by placing the folded end of phenol red thread on the palpebral conjunctiva of the right eye for 20 seconds. The wetted thread was then processed using elution or extraction, and capillary electrophoresis with light-emitting diode-induced fluorescence detection was used for analysis and quantitation. Results Distinct processing methods impacted tear analysis differently. Primary amines adsorbed onto the thread partitioned in a chromatographic manner and thus any single portion of the wetted thread might not be representative of the whole sample. Quantitative assessment of five small molecule standards after on-thread processing showed significant overestimation of the actual concentration, with increased accuracy for larger volume samples. Yet collection of larger tear volumes introduced error in volume determination owing to evaporation and reduced small molecule separation resolution. Conclusions These results indicated that absorption-based tear fluid collection and processing significantly alter chemical content analysis, suggesting that the impacts of methods used should be regularly evaluated to standardize results drawn from different studies. Translational relevance This study identifies potential inconsistencies and inaccuracies in tear analyses that are widespread across the published literature and clinical care.

KAYNAK, Mustafa Sinan/0000-0003-2917-2407, WOS: 000534281500009, PubMed: 32416593, One of the most common techniques for assessing the intestinal absorption characteristics of drugs is single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) method. Metoprolol tartrate (MT, reference standard) and phenol red (PR, zero permeability marker) are the compounds that are normally used in SPIP studies. the aim of this study was to develop a reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method combined with UV-detection for the simultaneous determination of MT and PR in the perfusion medium used in SPIP experiments. Elution was performed using a Restek Raptor C18 column (5 mu m, 4.6 mm x 250) at a temperature of 25 degrees C. the mixture of the mobile phase consisted of (MeOH):(Phosphate buffer solution, PBS), (20 mM, pH 3.0 adjusted with ortho-phosphoric acid),(55:45, v/v). Flow rate and column temperature were set at 1.2 mL min(-1) and 25 degrees C, respectively. MT and PR were injected as 20 mu L into the HPLC system. UV detection was performed at 227 nm. the obtained retention times were reported as 2.89 and 3.80 min for MT and PR, respectively. the developed RP-HPLC method was validated according to Q2(R1) guideline of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). the method was linear within the range of 2-50 mu g(-1) for PR and 10-75 mu g(-1) for MT. the developed RP-HPLC method was successfully applied on determination of MT and PR in perfusion medium. the developed method could be helpful for researchers working on in-situ rat intestinal permeability studies and it could be easily modified on further studies.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to evaluate a group of young commercially available Skinny pigs, to gain information regarding ocular findings in this breed of guinea pig. Comparisons of ocular findings are to be made between Skinny pigs and haired guinea pigs. ANIMAL STUDIED Ten haired guinea pigs and ten Skinny pigs were examined. PROCEDURE A complete ophthalmic examination including Schirmer tear test-II (STT-II), phenol red thread test (PRTT), rebound tonometry with TonoVet PLUS, Fluorescein and Rose Bengal stain was performed. Microbiology swabs for aerobic bacterial growth were collected from conjunctiva of both eyes prior to the ophthalmic examination. RESULTS The ophthalmic examination revealed seven abnormal ocular findings: trichiasis, mucopurulent discharge, hyperemia/chemosis of the conjunctiva, corneal fibrosis, corneal vascularization, and foreign body on the cornea or conjunctiva. Skinny pigs had a significantly higher amount of mucopurulent discharge (P = .0133) and a significantly higher STT-II (P

Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly present in plastics used for food storage and preservation. The release of BPA from these products results in a permanent human exposition to BPA; however, the quality and quantity of BPA adverse effects remain a matter of controversy. The common presence of BPA in the human environment and the controversies concerning the relations of human exposition to BPA and cancer incidence justify the research on the interactions between BPA and pro-metastatic signaling in cancer cells. Here, we describe a novel BPA-reactive signaling axis that induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. BPA exerted negligible effects on their properties in a wide range of concentrations (10 nM - 100 nM), whereas it considerably induced A549 invasiveness at high concentrations (10 μM). The BPA-induced EMT was illustrated by morphologic changes, E/N-cadherin switch and vimentin/Snail-1/connexin(Cx)43 up-regulation in A549 populations. It was followed by enhancement of A549 drug-resistance. Corresponding effects of BPA were observed in prostate cancer cell populations. Concomitantly, we observed increased levels and perinuclear accumulation of estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) in BPA-treated cells, its interactions with Cx43/Snail-1, and the corresponding effects of phenol red on A549 cells. Collectively, these data identify a novel, pro-metastatic Snail-1/Cx43/ERRγ signaling pathway. Its reactivity to BPA underlies the induction of cancer cells' invasiveness in the presence of high BPA concentrations in vitro. Thus, the chronic exposition of cancer cells to extrinsic and intrinsic BPA should be considered as a potential obstacle in a cancer therapy.

Using the advantages of phenol red, a signal enhancer, and bovine serum albumin (BSA), a stabilizer of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), added in HRP enzyme reaction of Amplex Red and H2O2, highly sensitive 1,1′-oxalyldiimidazole chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (ODI-CLEIA) was developed to rapidly quantify trace levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in human serum. Phenol red acts as an enhancer in ODI-CLEIA while BSA supported rapid and stable activation of HRP. The CL emission of resorufin formed from the HRP enzyme reaction in the presence of BSA and phenol red was about 70-fold brighter than that in the absence of both materials. ODI-CLEIA in the presence of BSA (1.5 mg/ml).and phenol red (1 mM) was able to rapidly analyze CEA in human serum with the wide linear calibration curve (2.5–100 ng/ml). The limit of detection (LOD = 3σ/slope) of ODI-CLEIA was as low as 0.19 ng/ml. Additionally, it was confirmed that the accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of ODI-CLEIA in the presence of BSA and phenol red were good with the statistically acceptable error range.

A non-contact real time pH measurement using fully modular optical parts is described for phenol-red medium cell cultures. The modular parts can be sterilized, and once the measurement is started at the beginning of culture, no recalibration or maintenance is needed till the end of the culture. Measurements can be carried out without any special manual attention. The modular assembly of LED and sensor cassettes is unique, robust, reusable and reproducible. pH is measured in an intact closed flow system, without wasting any culture medium. A special pump encapsulation enables the system to be effortlessly functional in extremely humid incubator environments. This avoids lengthy sample tubings in and out of the incubator, associated large temperature changes and CO 2 buffering issues. A new correction model to compensate errors caused e.g. by biolayers in spectrometric pH measurement is put-forward, which improves the accuracy of pH estimation significantly. The method provides resolution down to 0.1 pH unit in physiological pH range with mean absolute error 0.02.

The collection of tears for chemical composition analysis is complicated by both the difficulty in sampling the tear film and the relatively low microliter volumes available for analysis. The experiments in this study are focused on the demonstration of a method for determining amino acids from tear samples. Phenol red thread was used to absorptively collect tear fluid for qualitative and quantitative analyses of amino acids in basal, reflex, and emotional tears. The thread is also used as a support for sample preparation followed by elution with a buffer. The phenol red indicator on the thread turns from yellow to red with 15-s tear absorption and allows accurate volume measurement from 100 nL to over 1 μL. Derivatization of amino acids was performed directly on the thread with primary amine reactive fluorescamine for fluorescence detection. Analyte elution was performed via centrifugation with the thread in a pipet tip suspended in a centrifuge tube. Collected tear eluate was analyzed via capillary electrophoresis with LED-induced fluorescence. Glycine, glutamate, and aspartate were baseline resolved and used for method characterization. Recoveries were at 50 % for a single derivation and elution step but average recoveries near 90 % were found with two-step processing. Glutamate and aspartate are shown to be stable stored on thread for 3 days. Basal, reflex, and emotional tears were analyzed from three subjects showing distinct amino acid profiles for each tear type. The demonstration of this method may facilitate the development of routine tear compositional analysis to assess ocular health. Graphical Abstract Schematic drawing of thread-based tear collection and quantitative analysis.

In spite of numerous advantages, transdermal drug delivery systems are unfeasible for most drugs because of the barrier effect of the stratum corneum. Ionic liquids were recently used to enhance transdermal drug delivery by improving drug solubility. In the present study, safe and effective ionic liquids for transdermal absorption were obtained as salts generated by a neutralization reaction between highly biocompatible aliphatic carboxylic acids (octanoic acid or isostearic acid) and aliphatic amines (diisopropanolamine or triisopropanolamine) (Medrx Co., Ltd., 2009). The mechanism of skin permeability enhancement by ionic liquids was investigated by hydrophilic phenol red and hydrophobic tulobuterol. Further, the skin permeation enhancing effect was remarkably superior in the acid excess state rather than the neutralization state. Infrared absorption spectrum analysis confirmed that ionic liquids/aliphatic carboxylic acid/aliphatic amine are coexisting at all mixing states. In the acid excess state, ionic liquids interact with aliphatic carboxylic acids via hydrogen bonds. Thus, the skin permeation enhancing effect is not caused by the ionic liquid alone. The "liquid salt mixture," referred to as a complex of ingredients coexisting with ionic liquids, forms a molecular assembly incorporating hydrophilic drug. This molecular assembly was considered an effective and safety enhancer of transdermal drug permeation.