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This work presents a unique approach to the design, fabrication, and characterization of paper-based origami robotic systems consisting of stackable pneumatic actuators. These paper-based actuators (PBAs) use materials with high elastic modulus-to-mass ratios, accordion-like structures, and direct coupling with pneumatic pressure for extension and bending. The study contributes to the scientific and engineering understanding of foldable components under applied pneumatic pressure by constructing stretchable and flexible structures with intrinsically nonstretchable materials. Experiments showed that a PBA possesses a power-to-mass ratio greater than 80 W/kg, which is more than four times that of human muscle. This work also illustrates the stackability and functionality of PBAs by two prototypes: a parallel manipulator and a legged locomotor. The manipulator consisting of an array of PBAs can bend in a specific direction with the corresponding actuator inflated. In addition, the stacked actuators in the manipulator can rotate in opposite directions to compensate for relative rotation at the ends of each actuator to work in parallel and manipulate the platform. The locomotor rotates the PBAs to apply and release contact between the feet and the ground. Furthermore, a numerical model developed in this work predicts the mechanical performance of these inflatable actuators as a function of dimensional specifications and folding patterns. Overall, we use stacked origami actuators to implement functionalities of manipulation, gripping, and locomotion as conventional robotic systems. Future origami robots made of paper-like materials may be suitable for single use in contaminated or unstructured environments or low-cost educational materials.

Paper sheets represent one of the infection risk sources inside educational and administrative institutions under biological pandemics. So, the present study aimed to validate the efficiency of gamma radiation or dry heat techniques to sterilize contaminated paper sheets with different indicator pathogens while retaining their structure. The results showed that gamma radiation at 6, 12, or 24 kGy can successfully kill Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi, and fungi such as Candida albicans. Moreover, dry heating at 100 °C for 60 min, 150 °C for 30 min, or 200 °C for 15 min can be successful in paper decontamination of all tested species. Surprisingly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs proved that gamma radiation at 6 kGy, dry heat at 100 °C for 60 min or 150 °C for 30 min or 200 °C for 15 min, is suitable for paper sheet sterilization while maintaining their structure. Ultimately, dry heat is a simple, effective, fast, safe, and inexpensive technique for paper sterilization. It may be used as a precautionary step inside educational institutions, especially during written examination periods, to ensure a safe life for academic members during biological pandemics such as COVID-19.

Intra-operative ultrasound has become a relevant imaging modality in neurosurgical procedures. While B-mode, with its intrinsic limitations, is still considered the primary ultrasound modality, intra-operative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (ioCEUS) has more recently emerged as a powerful tool in neurosurgery. Though still not used on a large scale, ioCEUS has proven its utility in defining tumor boundaries, identifying lesion vascular supply and mapping neurovascular architecture. Here we propose a step-by-step procedure for performing ioCEUS analysis of the brain, highlighting its neurosurgical applications. Moreover, we provide practical advice on the use of ultrasound contrast agents and review technical ultrasound parameters influencing ioCEUS imaging.

The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) is addressing the issue of incidental findings (IFs) with a series of publications entitled "Incidental Imaging Findings-The Role of Medical Ultrasound." IFs are less commonly encountered in the spleen than in many other abdominal organs but remain a frequent dilemma in clinical practice. A histological diagnosis is rarely necessary for patient management. Many IFs, such as secondary spleens and splenic cysts, are harmless and do not require any further investigation. The diagnosis of many other focal splenic lesions is, however, often problematic. The following overview is intended to illustrate a variety of incidentally detected spleen pathologies such as size variants, shape variants, secondary spleens, focal splenic lesions and splenic calcifications. It should aid the examiner in establishing the diagnosis. Moreover, it should help the ultrasound practitioner decide which pathologies need no further investigation, those requiring interval imaging and cases in which immediate further diagnostic procedures are required.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging linear-accelerator (MRI-linac) equipment has recently been introduced to multiple centres in Australia and New Zealand. MRI equipment creates hazards for staff, patients and others in the MR environment; these hazards must be well understood, and risks managed by a system of environmental controls, written procedures and a trained workforce. While MRI-linac hazards are similar to the diagnostic paradigm, the equipment, workforce and environment are sufficiently different that additional safety guidance is warranted. In 2019 the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) formed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Linear-Accelerator Working Group (MRILWG) to support the safe clinical introduction and optimal use of MR-guided radiation therapy treatment units. This Position Paper is intended to provide safety guidance and education for Medical Physicists and others planning for and working with MRI-linac technology. This document summarises MRI-linac hazards and describes particular effects which arise from the combination of strong magnetic fields with an external radiation treatment beam. This document also provides guidance on safety governance and training, and recommends a system of hazard management tailored to the MRI-linac environment, ancillary equipment, and workforce.

Herein, combined with a pervasive smartphone installed with a color recognition app, dual-responsive CDs@Eu/GMP ICPs were designed as a red-to-blue paper-based colorimetric sensor for the point-of-use analysis of cerebral acetylcholinesterase (AChE) upon Cd2+ exposure. Blue-emitting CDs with multi-functional groups as guests were encapsulated into the network of Eu/GMP ICPs to obtain CDs@Eu/GMP ICPs with the sensitized red fluorescence of Eu3+. With the presence of thiocholine (TCh), derived from acetylthiocholine (ATCh) hydrolyzed by AChE, the coordination environment of the CDs@Eu/GMP ICPs was interrupted, leading to the collapse of the CDs@Eu/GMP ICP network and the corresponding release of guest CDs into the surrounding environment. Consequently, the sensitized red fluorescence of Eu3+ decreased and the blue fluorescence of the CDs increased. This obvious red-to-blue fluorescent color changes of CDs@Eu/GMP ICPs on test paper could then be integrated with the smartphone for point-of-use analysis of cerebral AChE upon Cd2+ exposure, which not only offers a new analytical platform for a better understanding of the environmental risk of Alzheimer's Dementia (AD), but also holds great potential in the early diagnosis of AD even at the asymptomatic stage with the decrease in CSF AChE as an early biomarker.

A point-of-care (POC) device is reported for highly sensitive and selective detection of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (Pf-LDH), a biomarker of malaria infection, based on a single-step magneto-immunoassay, a single-use microfluidic paper device and a customized hand-held fluorescence reader. The single-step magneto-immunoassay consists in a single 5-min incubation of immuno-modified magnetic particles (c-MAb-MPs), biotinylated detection antibody (bd-MAb), and an enzymatic signal amplifier (Poly-HRP). After on-chip MP concentration and washing, signal generation is achieved by adding a fluorescent enzymatic substrate (QuantaRed). Fluorescence signal is measured using a low-cost customized, portable, and sensible fluorescent detector. The POC affords quantitative Pf-LDH detection in, This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and the European Regional Development Fund (grants CPII18/00025, IFI18/00020 and QUPID EuroNanoMed AC21_2/00021). KAA is supported by an InPHINIT fellowship from “La Caixa” Foundation (LCF/BQ/DI18/11660061). ASM is supported by a Juan Rodés postdoctoral fellowship from ISCIII (JR18/00022). Diagnostic Nanotools is an AGAUR Consolidated Group (2017 SGR 240).

Herein, we describe the development of a paper-based device to detect nucleic acids of pathogens of interest in complex samples using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) by producing a colorimetric response visible to the human eye. To demonstrate the utility of this device in emerging public health emergencies, we developed and optimized our device to detect SARS-CoV-2 in human saliva without preprocessing. The resulting device was capable of detecting the virus within 60 min and had an analytical sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 100% with a limit of detection of 200 genomic copies/μL of patient saliva using image analysis. The device consists of a configurable number of reaction zones constructed of Grade 222 chromatography paper separated by 20 mil polystyrene spacers attached to a Melinex® backing via an ARclean® double-sided adhesive. The resulting device is easily configurable to detect multiple targets and has the potential to detect a variety of pathogens simply by changing the LAMP primer sets.

Consistency and clear guidelines on dosimetry are essential for accurate and precise dosimetry, to ensure the best patient outcomes and to allow direct dose comparison across different centres. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Linac (MRI-linac) systems have recently been introduced to Australasian clinics. This report provides recommendations on reference dosimetry measurements for MRI-linacs on behalf of the Australiasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) MRI-linac working group. There are two configurations considered for MRI-linacs, perpendicular and parallel, referring to the relative direction of the magnetic field and radiation beam, with different impacts on dose deposition in a medium. These recommendations focus on ion chambers which are most commonly used in the clinic for reference dosimetry. Water phantoms must be MR safe or conditional and practical limitations on phantom set-up must be considered. Solid phantoms are not advised for reference dosimetry. For reference dosimetry, IAEA TRS-398 recommendations cannot be followed completely due to physical differences between conventional linac and MRI-linac systems. Manufacturers’ advice on reference conditions should be followed. Beam quality specification of TPR20,10 is recommended. The configuration of the central axis of the ion chamber relative to the magnetic field and radiation beam impacts the chamber response and must be considered carefully. Recommended corrections to delivered dose are $${k}_{{Q}_{msr}{Q}_{0}}^{{f}_{msr}{f}_{ref}}$$ k Q msr Q 0 f msr f ref , a correction for beam quality and $${k}_{\overrightarrow{B},{Q}_{msr}}^{{f}_{msr}}$$ k B → , Q msr f msr , for the impact of the magnetic field on dosimeter response in the magnetic field. Literature based values for $${k}_{\overrightarrow{B},{Q}_{msr}}^{{f}_{msr}}$$ k B → , Q msr f msr are given. It is important to note that this is a developing field and these recommendations should be used together with a review of current literature.

Detecting microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers expression is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has achieved microRNA sensing for the diagnosis of primary liver cancers. In this work, we developed a SERS technology for the rapid detection of lung cancers-related miRNA (miR-196a) using bimetallic Au-Ag nanowire (AgNW@AuNPs) substrates coupled with the target hairpin DNA. The finite-difference time-domain simulation proved that a large number of “hot spots” were generated between the AgNW and AuNPs, which resulted in a huge enhancement of the signal of Raman reporters. Filter paper treated by hexadecenyl succinic anhydride hydrophobic and modified with AgNWs@AuNPs was used as capturing substrate. The detection limits of miR-196a in PBS and serum were as low as 96.58 aM and 130 aM, respectively. Studies on nonspecific sequence and single-base mismatch of miRNA demonstrated that SERS-based platform was highly selective, excellent uniform, and reproducible. Finally, the platform was used to show that the miR-196a expression in the serum of lung cancer patients was much higher than that in healthy people. The detection results indicated that the SERS platform had potential applications in cancer diagnosis and might be a viable alternative to the conventional miRNA detection method, the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technology.

Cotton is cheap, easily available and widely used as surgical material. Therefore, cotton would be good raw material to design a scaffold for tissue engineering applications. In this work, the gelatin-coated microfibrous paper scaffold was fabricated successfully by a papermaking process. Microfibers-based scaffold could overcome the limitations of nanofibrous material-based scaffold for tissue engineering application. The physicochemical and mechanical properties of the scaffolds were characterized. The results revealed that the gelatin contributed to the enhanced cell attachment and proliferation over the scaffolds, whereas cellulose as a strong backbone in the scaffold to support it for keeping its appearance. Their tensile strength and water absorption capacity were improved, but pore size and porosity were decreased after incorporation of gelatin. Hence, results suggested that fabricated scaffolds have huge prospective as a bioactive, well-designed and economical scaffold stand for tissue engineering application.

BACKGROUND: External focus isometric exercises using a paper balloon can change trunk muscle activation in the chest squeeze; however, it is unknown whether this method affects muscle activities in conventional exercises. OBJECTIVE: To check variations of trunk muscle activity during front plank (static task) and shoulder press (dynamic task) both with and without instruction to avoid crushing an object. METHODS: Twenty-six healthy adult males aged 19–49 were recruited. Ten trunk muscle activities were measured using surface electromyography during a front plank and dynamic shoulder press exercises, both with and without external-focus instruction. RESULTS: Adding the external-focus using the paper balloon to the front plank significantly activated 8 out of the 10 muscles. In the downward shoulder press, 5 out of 10 muscles with 50% 1 RM, 2 out of 10 muscles with 100% 1 RM were significantly activated. CONCLUSIONS: Adding external-focus instruction using paper balloon increases trunk muscles in front plank and shoulder press while possibly improving trunk stability. Novel exercises using paper balloon may efficiently activate specific muscles without external loading thus possibly reducing the stress on the involved joints during exercise.

Detection and characterization of DNA damage plays a critical role in genotoxicity testing, drug screening, and environmental health. We developed a fully integrated origami paper-based analytical device (oPAD) for measuring DNA damage. This simple device allows on-paper cell lysis, DNA extraction, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) reaction and signal readout with simple operation steps, enabling rapid (within 30 min) and high throughput assessment of multiple DNA damages induced by exogenous chemical agents.

The present study delineates the preparation, characterization, and application of (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES)/Caprine liver-derived extracellular matrix (CLECM) coated paper matrix for cell delivery. Here, we exploited positively charged surface of the paper matrix (as imparted by APTES derivatization) to improve the biological responses of the cells. Our results demonstrated that the functionalized paper matrixes favored the adhesion, growth, and proliferation of multiple cell types including normal, transformed, cancerous, and stem cells as compared to the pristine paper matrix. Upon implantation into the mice model, the developed paper matrix supported infiltration of the host cells and vasculature without showing any evidence of significant systemic toxicity. Moreover, the cells cultured on the paper matrix, when delivered to the CAM and mouse models, showed an enhanced vascular network around the substrate, thereby confirming its potential to deliver the cells in vivo. Together, the study confirms that the reported paper-based platform is easy to fabricate, cheap, portable and could efficiently be applied to cell delivery applications for either tissue repair or the development of humanized animal model.

In the present study, cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanosheets were applied for establishing a dual fluorometric and smartphone-paper-based colorimetric method to detect isoniazid. CoOOH nanosheets quenched the fluorescence emission of sulfur and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots (S,N-CDs) due to inner filter effect (IFE). The quenched fluorescence intensity of S,N-CDs restored in the presence of isoniazid due to destroying CoOOH nanosheets by this drug. Moreover, with adding isoniazid the solution color of CoOOH nanosheets altered from brownish yellow to pale yellow. We exploited these facts to design a turn off-on fluorometric and paper-based colorimetric sensor for isoniazid measurement at the range 0.5-5 and 5-100 μM with detection limits of 0.28 μM and 4.0 μM, respectively. The introduced dual sensor was used for pharmaceutical, environmental and biological analysis of isoniazid with satisfactory results. The paper-based colorimetric sensor can be applied for isoniazid portable monitoring using a smartphone as a detector or even the naked eye.

Paper-based cultures are an emerging platform for preparing three-dimensional (3D), tissue- and tumor-like structures. The ability to stack individual sheets of cell-containing paper affords a modular means of assembling structures with defined cellular compositions and microenvironments. These layered stacks are easily separated at the end of an experiment, providing spatially resolved populations of live cells for further analysis. Here we describe a workflow in which cell viability, drug penetration, and drug metabolism can be quantified in a spatially resolved manner. Specifically, we mapped the distribution of the drug irinotecan and its bioactive metabolite SN38 in a colorectal cancer cells-containing stacked structure with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This paper provides the first example of a 3D culture platform that quantifies viability and drug metabolism in a spatially resolved manner. Our data show that this stacked structure mimics observations in solid tumors. Cells at the bottom of the stack are more drug-resistant than layers in contact with the culture medium, similar to cells in the nutrient-poor center of a proliferating tumor being more drug-resistant than rapidly dividing cells at a tumor's periphery. The powerful combination of quantitative viability and drug metabolism measurements will enable future studies to determine the exact mechanism(s) of drug resistance in different regions of a tumor.

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria needs rapid identification and efficient destruction routes. This study proposes testing paper derived from electrospun fibrous mats and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probes for trace sensing and simultaneous destruction of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. Aptamers are conjugated on fibers for selective capture of E. coli, and the capture capability can be regenerated via rinsing with salt solution. Hydroxyl tetraphenylethene (TPE) is linked with two cephalosporin molecules to construct TPE-Cep probes, and the fluorescence emission is turned on specifically in the presence of β-lactamase, which is a critical marker for screening resistant bacteria. Fibrous mats are lit up only in the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the fluorescence intensity changes could be statistically fitted into an equation for quantitative analysis. Fibrous strips display apparent color changes from blue to green for a visual readout of bacterial levels, and the limit of detection (LOD) is much lower than those of previous paper substrates. In addition, the TPE-Cep probes could produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under room light illumination to kill the captured bacteria. Thus, the integration of aptamer-grafted electrospun fibers and functional AIE probes provides potential for selective capture, trace imaging and photodynamic destruction of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Early and precise diagnosis of cancer is critical for a better prognosis. Here, we describe a simple and cost-effective plasmonic paper as a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate in combination with magnetic separation for cancer screening. The plasmonic paper was fabricated by immersing plain filter paper into gold nanorod solution and the SERS property of the paper was evaluated using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) and rhodamine 6 G (R6 G), which showed an enhancement factor (EF) in the range of 106–108. HT-29, a colorectal cancer cell line that highly expresses epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), served as the target cells; non-EpCAM-expressing cells, namely fibroblasts and red blood cells (RBCs), were used as negative controls. Intrinsic SERS spectra of the target and control cells showed distinctive patterns on the plasmonic paper due to differences in their structure and components. A combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and k-nearest-neighbor algorithm (k-NN) was employed to analyze and distinguish the acquired HT-29 and fibroblast SERS spectra, demonstrating a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 84.8% and 82.6%, respectively, whereas the differentiation between HT-29 and RBCs SERS spectra showed a sensitivity and specificity of 96.4% and 100%, respectively. The magnetic separation was applied to capture the target cells from cell mixtures followed by PCA and k-NN analysis. The identification of the captured cells as cancerous cells from the HT-29 and fibroblast mixture indicated an accuracy of 83.7%, while that from a mixture of HT-29 and RBCs was 98.2%. Thus, the simple paper-based SERS substrate with the assistance of magnetic enrichment and multivariate analysis offers a potent new platform for cancer cell detection and screening.

The synthesis and employment of volatile toxic compounds as chemical weapons with a large-scale destructive power has introduced a new insidious threat over the last century. In this framework, the development of wearable sensing tools represents a critical point within the security field, in order to provide early alarm systems. Herein, a novel wearable electrochemical biosensor was developed for the rapid and on-site detection of mustard agents. Since a chemical attack is typically carried out by spraying these volatile agents into air, the sensor was designed in order to be able to measure mustard agents directly in the aerosol phase, further than in the liquid phase. The electrodes were screen-printed onto a filter paper support, which allowed to harness the porosity of paper to pre-load all the needed reagents into the cellulose network, and hence to realise an origami-like and reagent-free device. Mustard agent detection was carried out by monitoring their inhibitory effects toward the choline oxidase enzyme, through the amperometric measurement of the enzymatic by-product hydrogen peroxide. A carbon black/Prussian blue nanocomposite was used as a bulk-modifier of the conductive graphite ink constituting the working electrode, allowing for the electrocatalysis of the hydrogen peroxide reduction. After having verified the detecting capability toward a mustard agent simulant, the applicability of the resulting origami-like biosensor was demonstrated for the rapid and real-time detection of real sulfur mustard, obtaining limits of detection equal to 1 mM and 0.019 g·min/m3 for liquid and aerosol phase, respectively.

An exceptionally bright fluorescent biomatter was discovered when exploring, with UV-A light, the nests of several oriental paper wasp species of the genusPolistes, a genus of diurnal social insects. Fluorescence spectra of the cocoon cap membranes revealed narrow emission bands in the green range of the visible spectrum. Large Stokes shifts of around 160 nm and high fluorescence quantum yields of up to 35% were measured. Transmission spectra were recorded in order to estimate the contribution of the fluorescence to the visible light transmitted through the cocoon cap membrane. The nest fluorescence of the Vietnamese wasps was compared with a European and an American species. Potential biological functions of these interesting fluorescence properties of the studied biomaterial are discussed. The discovery of this striking example of a fluorescent terrestrial biomaterial may contribute to the debate on adaptive biological functions of natural fluorescence and falls in line with the growing interest in biodiversity and bio-inspiration.

Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2) has recently been reported to be associated with anaphylaxis. Detection of MRGPRX2 levels in human peripheral blood might serve as a powerful tool for predicting the predisposition of patients to anaphylactic reactions. For rapid measurement of MRGPRX2, we established a paper-based double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using mouse monoclonal antibody and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labelled rabbit polyclonal antibody as capture antibody and detection antibody, respectively. We avoided chemical functionalization of the cellulose paper by introducing bovine serum albumin (BSA) to provide COOH and NH2 groups for covalent immobilization of the capture antibody. Through amide condensation, a two-layer immobilization strategy was applied with BSA-BSA and BSA-capture antibody networks as the first and second layers, respectively. This strategy improved the quantity, activity and stability of the immobilized antibody. We then established a paper-based ELISA to detect MRGPRX2 in human peripheral blood. Our method is less laborious, easier to implement, and more cost-effective than conventional ELISA, while offering similar sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Therefore, it could serve as an innovative clinical point-of-care diagnostic tool, especially in areas that lack advanced clinical equipment.

In this work, we developed a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for the on-line isolation of proteins and the electrochemical detection of lead ions (Pb(II)) in urine samples. The patterned filter paper was prepared through the direct printing of microchannel patterns on filter paper using an office laser printer. The paper was modified with protein precipitant and was then coupled with a detachable three-electrode system. Experimental parameters, namely, modification reagents, microchannel length and width, deposition potential, and deposition time, were optimized. Then, the maximum protein concentration under which the device can function was obtained as 300 mg L−1. The linear range was 10–500 μg L−1 with a detection limit of 9 μg L−1. The effectiveness of this device was demonstrated through the quantification of Pb(II) in urine samples and the results agreed with those of atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS).

Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) leaf is known to have a number of bioactive properties being antioxidant, antihypertensive, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial. In this study, the immunomodulatory roles of Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) leaf against oxidative damage caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated. In the study, four groups were formed; namely, (i) Control Group: Yeast only planted group; (ii) CCl4 Group: Group given CCl4 (15 mM); (iii) Olive Tree Leaf Group: The group given olive tree leaf (10%); and (iv) Olive Tree Leaf + CCl4 Group: Olive tree leaf (10%) + CCl4 (15 mM) given group. Cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were grown at 30 °C for 1, 3, 5, and 24 hours. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione levels (GSH), cell growth and catalase (CAT) activity measurements were determined by spectrophotometer. Total protein concentrations were determined by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and the Bradford protein method. According to the results obtained; compared to the CCl4 group, cell growth (1, 3, 5 and 24 hours), total protein synthesis, and GSH and CAT activities (24 hours) increased in olive tree leaf groups, while MDA level (24 hours) decreased. Thanks to its strong bioactive properties, olive tree leaf has been found to increase cell growth and total protein synthesis by decreasing CCl4 induced oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture. It has been concluded that if the olive tree leaf is used regularly, it will be beneficial in eliminating many health problems.

Phytohormones play a vital role in regulating plant developmental processes and signaling for defense, but little is known of the specific functions of phytohormones in Pyropia haitanensis. In this study, paper-based electroanalytical devices for sensitive, in situ detection of free 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA) and salicylic acid (SA) based on their electrocatalytic oxidation under differential pulse voltammetry in P. haitanensis thallus were built. Then, this method was used to detect free IAA and SA in P. haitanensis thallus under different environmental stresses, including high temperature, high irradiance, desiccation, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The concentrations of SA increased after the different environmental stresses were imposed, while the concentrations of IAA significantly decreased after desiccation, exposure to ultraviolet radiation and high light. During exposure to high temperature, the concentrations of IAA increased in the first hour after treatment, and then returned to the normal level for the following 5 h. All of the electrocatalytic measurements were supported by measuring expression levels of IAA and SA synthesis-related genes in P. haitanensis. These results help to systematically clarify that IAA acts as a negative regulatory factor in regulating plant resistance to environmental stresses except for high temperature, while SA plays the opposite role.

A paper-based electrochemical immunosensor was developed for the detection of cancer antigen 125 (CA125) by screen-printing technique. The reduced graphene oxide/thionine/gold nanoparticles (rGO/Thi/AuNPs) nanocomposites were compounded and coated onto the working electrode of immunosensor for CA125 antibody (anti-CA125) immobilization and detection signal amplification. The detection principle was based on the fact that the immunocomplex formed by specify binding of CA125 antibody and antigen could reduce the current response of thionine, which was proportional to the corresponding concentration of CA125 antigen. The immunoassay results showed that the linear range of CA125 was from 0.1 U mL-1 to 200 U mL-1 with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 U mL-1 at signal to noise of 3. Quality control serum samples measured by our proposed immunosensor showed acceptable agreement with traditional ELISA method with the relative error less than 8.05%. The immunosensor exhibited good electrochemical performance with high reproducibility, reliability, stability and accuracy. The proposed immunosensor could be used for the determination of CA125 and had the potential for point-of-care testing (POCT) of other tumor marker.

Coptisine (COP), one of the bioactive components in Rhizoma Coptidis, has many pharmacological effects. Meanwhile, the determination of COP is essential in pharmacological and clinical applications. Herein, we prepared carbon quantum dots (CQDs) by one-step oil-thermal method using paper mill sludge (PMS) as precursor, and developed a ratiometric fluorescence method for the determination of COP. The structural and optical properties of PMS-CQDs were evaluated through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), fluorescence, zeta potential and fluorescence lifetime experiments. Fluorescence intensity ratio at 550 nm and 425 nm (I

Here, a simple and portable paper-based analytical device (PAD) based on the inherent capability of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to serve as a great emitter for the bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate (TCPO)-hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) chemiluminescence (CL) reaction is introduced for the detection of harmful mercury ions (Hg

Replacing synthetic polymers with renewable alternatives is a critical challenge for the packaging industry. This research investigated the use of leaf-based proteins as a sustainable co-binder in the coating formulations for paper-based packaging and other applications. Protein isolates from tobacco leaf and alfalfa concentrates were characterized using the Pierce protein assay, Kjeldahl nitrogen, and gel electrophoresis. The proteins were tested as co-binders in a typical latex-based paper coating formulation. The rheology and water retention properties of the wet coating and the surface, optical, structural, and strength properties of coated papers were measured. The coating performance was affected by the purity, solubility, and molecular weight of the tobacco protein and exhibited a shear-thinning behavior with lower water retention than soy protein. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy and time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy on the dried coating layer containing tobacco protein showed enhanced porosity (advantageous for package glueability) relative to the control latex coating. The tobacco protein offers adequate coverage and coating pigment distribution, indicating that this protein can be a suitable option in coatings for packaging applications.

Xylanases are widely used enzymes in the food, textile, and paper industries. Most efficient xylanases have been identified from lignocellulose-degrading microbiota, such as the microbiota of the cow rumen and the termite hindgut. Xylanase genes from efficient pulp and paper wastewater treatment (PPWT) microbiota have been previously recovered by metagenomics, assigning most of the xylanase genes to the GH10 family. In this study, a total of 40 GH10 family xylanase genes derived from a certain PPWT microbiota were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Among these xylanase genes, 14 showed xylanase activity on beechwood substrate. Two of these, PW-xyl9 and PW-xyl37, showed high activities, and were purified to evaluate their xylanase properties. Values of optimal pH and temperature for PW-xyl9 were pH 7 and 60 ℃, respectively, while those for PW-xyl37 were pH 7 and 55 ℃, respectively; their specific xylanase activities under optimal conditions were 470.1 U/mg protein and 113.7 U/mg protein, respectively. Furthermore, the Km values of PW-xyl9 and PW-xyl37 were determined as 8.02 and 18.8 g/L, respectively. The characterization of these two xylanases paves the way for potential application in future pulp and paper production and other industries, indicating that PPWT microbiota has been an undiscovered reservoir of efficient lignocellulase genes. This study demonstrates that a metagenomic approach has the potential to screen efficient xylanases of uncultured microorganisms from lignocellulose-degrading microbiota. In a similar way, other efficient lignocellulase genes might be identified from PPWT treatment microbiota in the future.

Paper-based devices have a wide range of applications in point-of-care diagnostics, environmental analysis, and food monitoring. Paper-based devices can be deployed to resource-limited countries and remote settings in developed countries. Paper-based point-of-care devices can provide access to diagnostic assays without significant user training to perform the tests accurately and timely. The market penetration of paper-based assays requires decreased device fabrication costs, including larger packing density of assays (i.e., closely packed features) and minimization of assay reagents. In this review, we discuss fabrication methods that allow for increasing packing density and generating closely packed features in paper-based devices. To ensure that the paper-based device is low-cost, advanced fabrication methods have been developed for the mass production of closely packed assays. These emerging methods will enable minimizing the volume of required samples (e.g., liquid biopsies) and reagents in paper-based microfluidic devices.

Pancreatic hormones such as insulin play the crucial life-supporting role of glucose metabolism. Due to rapidly growing diabetic disorders and associated health complications globally, combined with the pathogenic viral infections severely affecting people with pre-existing conditions, new user-friendly, affordable molecular diagnostic approaches that offer simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and an ultra-sensitive detection in human biofluids are necessary to improve the global health. In this regard, a low-cost paper device that enables easy monitoring of fasting blood-relevant ultra-low picomolar insulin levels is innovative, giving broader applications to any other similar critical molecular targets. The essential contribution of this lab-on-paper is the combination of label-free electrochemical insulin aptasensing with a paper electrode device as a simpler, cheaper, and reliable molecular diagnostic approach for complex serum samples with supporting independent validation methods for confirming scientific rigor and fit-for-purpose of the presented approach. Our aptasensor features a carboxylated graphene-aptamer surface design offering a clinically relevant quantitative detection of picomolar insulin present in a 10-fold diluted neat serum based on interfacial capacitance changes in proportion to the serum insulin concentration (dynamic range 5–500 pM and limit of detection 1.5 pM). Application for undiluted serum samples is demonstrated. Furthermore, analysis of an actual diabetes patient serum sample and correlation of the capacitance sensor results with peroxidase antibody label-based insulin assay approaches are presented (amperometric detection and a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are used as validation methods).

For in-situ disease markers detection, point-of-care (POC) diagnosis has great advantages in speed and cost compared with traditional techniques. The rapid diagnosis, prognosis, and surveillance of diseases can significantly reduce disease-related mortality and trauma. Therefore, increasing attention has been paid to the POC diagnosis devices due to their excellent diagnosis speed and portability. Over the past ten years, paper-based microfluidic aptasensors have emerged as a class of critical POC diagnosis devices and various aptasensors have been proposed to detect various disease markers. However, most aptasensors need further improvement before they can actually enter the market and be widely used. There is thus an urgent need to sort out the key points of preparing the aptasensors and the direction that needs to be invested in. This review summarizes the representative articles in the development of paper-based microfluidic aptasensors. These works can be divided into paper-based optical aptasensors and paper-based electrochemical aptasensors according to their output signals. Significant focus is applied to these works according to the following three parts: (1) The ingenious design of device structure; (2) Application and synthesis of nanomaterial; (3) The detection principle of the proposed aptasensor. This is a detailed and comprehensive review of paper-based microfluidic aptasensors. The accomplishments and shortcomings of the current aptasensors are outlined, the development direction and the future prospective are given. It is hoped that the research in this review can provide a reference for further development of more advanced, more effective paper-based microfluidic aptasensors for POC disease markers diagnosis.

Flexible sensing devices have drawn tremendous attention in the past decades due to their potential applications in future hand-held, potable consumer, and wearable electronics. Here, we firstly developed an ultrasensitive wireless potentiometric aptasensor based on flexible freestanding graphene paper for kanamycin detection. Flexible graphene paper made from a simple vacuum filtration method was used as a biocompatible platform for effective immobilization of aptamer. A nuclease-assisted amplification strategy was introduced into this potentiometric biosensing system in order to significantly improve the detection sensitivity through a classic catalytic recycling reaction of target induced by the nuclease (DNase I). As expected, an ultra-low detection limit of 30.0 fg/mL for kanamycin was achieved. Furthermore, the developed potentiometric enzymatic aptasensor exhibits high selectivity, favorable flexibility, excellent stability and reproducibility, which holds great promising for its routine sensing application.

Recently, paper has gained traction in the biotechnology research field due to its ability to be a substrate for 3D cell culture. In this work, we demonstrate the application of paper-based 3D cell culture for rapid and easy screening of the effect of natural compounds on melanin production. Whatman No. 1 filter paper was used as the substrate for B16F10 melanoma cell culture. The use of paper is beneficial for supporting the 3D structure of cells, which makes the result more reliable due to the similarity to in vivo conditions. Furthermore, paper is beneficial for melanin observation due to melanin's black color, which is easily in situ visualized after it is cultured on white paper. Matrigel was used to encapsulate cells before being pipetted onto the paper to prevent the passing of cells through paper pores. The intensity of melanin can then be observed with the naked eye and analyzed by scanning the paper. The analysis process took only 20 minutes, which is faster than that of the conventional absorbance spectroscopy, owing to the elimination of centrifugation, melanin solubilization, and the absorbance measurement step. The color intensity on the paper showed a direct proportion with increased α-MSH concentrations, confirming that the color on the paper was melanin. The 3D structure of cells was confirmed by using a scanning electron microscope. To demonstrate the application of the paper-based scaffold, paper-based 3D cell culture was used for screening the effects of Kojic acid and Arbutin on melanin production, which showed increased anti-melanogenesis effects with increased concentrations of natural compounds. High cell viability was observed over 120 hours. In conclusion, the developed paper-based scaffold can be used for screening the effect of natural compounds on melanin production, as a rapid and simple method with low cost.

Applications of electrochemical detection methods in microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) has revolutionized the area of point-of-care (POC) testing towards highly sensitive and selective quantification of various (bio)chemical analytes in a miniaturized, low-coat, rapid, and user-friendly manner. Shortly after the initiation, these relatively new modulations of μPADs, named as electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs), gained widespread popularity within the POC research community thanks to the inherent advantages of both electrochemical sensing and usage of paper as a suitable substrate for POC testing platforms. Even though general aspects of ePADs such as applications and fabrication techniques, have already been reviewed multiple times in the literature, herein, we intend to provide a critical engineering insight into the area of ePADs by focusing particularly on the practical strategies utilized to enhance their analytical performance (i.e. sensitivity), while maintaining the desired simplicity and efficiency intact. Basically, the discussed strategies are driven by considering the parameters potentially affecting the generated electrochemical signal in the ePADs. Some of these parameters include the type of filter paper, electrode fabrication methods, electrode materials, fluid flow patterns, etc. Besides, the limitations and challenges associated with the development of ePADs are discussed, and further insights and directions for future research in this field are proposed.

In this study, levels of inflammatory protein biomarkers in venous plasma, plasma derived from capillary blood from the earlobe, and capillary plasma stored as dried plasma spots (DPS) were compared. Samples from 12 male individuals were assessed with a panel of 92 inflammation-related proteins using multiplex proximity extension assay. Correlations between sample types varied greatly between analytes. A high correlation of rho > 0.8 was observed between capillary plasma and DPS for 32 analytes. At this level of correlation, 13 analytes correlated between venous and capillary plasma and 5 analytes in the comparison of venous blood with DPS.

In vitro diagnostics (IVD) are essential in healthcare systems for detection of diseases, conditions, or infections. Affordable and sensitive methods remain a challenge in the development of IVD. In this article, we give an overview of paper-based fluorogenic devices, an emerging cost-effective analytical method for IVD applications. The paper-based devices are inexpensive, sensitive, selective, user-friendly and equipment-free. Furthermore, the fluorescent detection on paper-based devices has recently attracted enormous attentions due to its high sensitivity and selectivity. We summarize and compare various fluorescent materials that are used in the paper-based fluorogenic devices, including fluorescent dyes, quantum dots, metal nanoclusters, upconversion nanoparticles, and carbon dots. We review a wide range of IVD applications of the paper-based fluorogenic devices, e.g., detection of nucleic acids, proteins, cells, and so on. It may open an avenue to improve the global healthcare systems in the developing countries at point of care settings and in emergency situations.

This is the version of the repository sent out for review, along with the accompanying pyglotaran v0.7.0 release paper. What's Changed ✨ Add case studies by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/1 🚇 Add pipeline to create PDFs from notebooks by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/3 ♻️ Refactor with project API by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/4 ✨ Create guides for r1-r4 with pyglotaran by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/6 ✨ Pre process raw data by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/7 👌 Use LaTeX equations in a markdown cell instead of an image by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/8 👌Improve 4TT case study notebook by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/9 🩹 Fix rc part3 case study after changing to pyglotaran guides by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/11 👌 Rename 'kinetic' parameters group to 'rates' for consistency and clarity by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/10 📚 Updated README with basics getting started instructions 👌 by @jsnel in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/12 📚🩹 Fix conda env creation instructions by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/13 ⬆️ Adapt to the release of pyglotaran v0.7.0 and pyglotaran-extras v0.7.0 by @jsnel in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/14 👌 Improve zenodo config by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/2 🧹 Remove deprecated figure_only argument in pyglotaran-extras plot functions by @s-weigand in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/15 New Contributors @s-weigand made their first contribution in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/1 @jsnel made their first contribution in https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/pull/12 Full Changelog: https://github.com/glotaran/pyglotaran-release-paper-supplementary-information/compare/obtain-doi...ready-for-review

The report of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group No. 132 published in 2017 reviewed rigid image registration and deformable image registration (DIR) approaches and solutions to provide recommendations for quality assurance and quality control of clinical image registration and fusion techniques in radiotherapy. However, that report did not include the use of DIR for advanced applications such as dose warping or warping of other matrices of interest. Considering that DIR warping tools are now readily available, discussions were hosted by the Medical Image Registration Special Interest Group (MIRSIG) of the Australasian College of Physical Scientists & Engineers in Medicine in 2018 to form a consensus on best practice guidelines. This position statement authored by MIRSIG endorses the recommendations of the report of AAPM task group 132 and expands on the best practice advice from the ‘Deforming to Best Practice’ MIRSIG publication to provide guidelines on the use of DIR for advanced applications.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) produced by soil bacterium Clostridium botulinum are cause of botulism and listed as biohazard agents, thus rapid screening assays are needed for taking the correct countermeasures in a timely fashion. The gold standard method relies on the mouse lethality assay with a lengthy analysis time, i.e., 2–5 days, hindering the prompt management of food safety and medical diagnosis. Herein, we propose the first paper-based antibody-free sensor for reliable and rapid detection of BoNT/A and BoNT/C, exploiting their cleavage capability toward a synthetic peptide able to mimic the natural substrate SNAP-25. The peptide is labelled with the electroactive molecule methylene blue and immobilized on the paper-based electrode modified with gold nanoparticles. Because BoNT/A and BoNT/C can cleave the peptide with the removal of methylene blue from electrode surface, the presence of these neurotoxins in the sample leads to a signal decrease proportional to BoNT amount. The biosensor developed with the selected peptide and combined with smartphone assisted potentiostat is able to detect both BoNT/A and BoNT/C with a linearity up to 1 nM and a detection limit equal to 10 pM. The applicability of this biosensor was evaluated with spiked samples of orange juice, obtaining recovery values equal to 104 ± 6% and 98 ± 9% for 1 nM and 0.5 nM of BoNT/A, respectively.

Mercury contamination in the environment has reached alarming levels. Due to its persistence and bioaccumulation, mercury is one of the most widespread toxic heavy metals found in air, water and food. Thus, it is mandatory to monitor mercury and its compounds, and the availability of sensitive and rapid biosensors is highly valuable.We developed a low-cost biosensor for orthogonal detection of mercury(II) integrating three different biorecognition principles on a three-leaf paper: i) a mercury-specific bioluminescent Escherichia coli bioreporter strain expressing NanoLuc luciferase as reporter protein, ii) a purified β-galactosidase (β-gal) enzyme which is irreversibly inhibited by mercury and other metal ions, and iii) an Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescent strain which is used to quantitatively assess sample toxicity and correct the analytical signal accordingly.Both sensory elements and substrates, Furimazine for the bioluminescent reporter strain and chlorophenol red-β-D-galactopyranoside for colorimetric detection of β-gal, were integrated in the paper sensor to provide a stable all-in-one disposable cartridge which can be easily snapped into a smartphone with a clover-shaped 3D printed housing. This is the first integration of bioluminescence and colorimetric detection on a smartphone-paper sensor, providing a readout within 15 and 60 min for the colorimetric and bioluminescent detection respectively. The biosensor was applied to water samples spiked with different concentrations of mercury, interferents and toxic chemicals providing a limit of detection for Hg(II) at the ppb levels.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recognized as a global pandemic outbreak, opening the most severe socio-economic crisis since World War II. Different scientific activities have been emerged in this global scenario, including the development of innovative analytical tools to measure nucleic acid, antibodies, and antigens in the nasopharyngeal swab, serum, and saliva for prompt identification of COVID-19 patients and to evaluate the immune response to the vaccine. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva remains a challenge for the lack of sufficient sensitivity. To address this issue, we developed a novel paper-based immunoassay using magnetic beads to support the immunological chain and 96-well wax-printed paper plate as a platform for color visualization by using a smartphone combined with Spotxel free-charge app. To assess the reliability of the measurement of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva, untreated saliva was used as a specimen and the calibration curve demonstrated a dynamic range up to 10 μg/mL, with a detection limit equal to 0.1 μg/mL. The effectiveness of this sustainable analytical tool in saliva was evaluated by comparing the data with the nasopharyngeal swab specimens sampled by the same patients and tested with Real-Time PCR reference method, founding 100% of agreement, even in the case of high Cycle Threshold (CT) numbers (low viral load). Furthermore, the positive saliva samples were characterized by the next-generation sequencing method, demonstrating the capability to detect the Delta variant, which is actually (July 2021) the most relevant variant of concern.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is emerging as a global pandemic outbreak. To date, approximately one million deaths and over 32 million cases have been reported. This ongoing pandemic urgently requires an accurate testing device that can be used in the field in a fast manner. Serological assays to detect antibodies have been proven to be a great complement to the standard method of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), particularly after the second week of infection. We have developed a specific and sensitive immunosensor for immunoglobulin detection produced against SARS-CoV-2. Unlike other lateral flow-based assays (LFAs) involving the utilization of multiple antibodies, we have reported a label-free paper-based electrochemical platform targeting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies without the specific requirement of an antibody. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies will interrupt the redox conversion of the redox indicator, resulting in a decreased current response. This electrochemical sensor was proven effective in real clinical sera from patients with satisfactory results. In addition, the proposed format was also extended to antigen detection (the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2), which presents new possibilities for diagnosing COVID-19., Highlights • Electrochemical sensor for COVID-19 diagnostic. • Serological assay for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was demonstrated. • Sensitivity enhancement compared to the traditional LFA devices. • Applicable to real clinical sera with satisfactory results.