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This work was devoted to a study of the composition of protein concentrates from amaranth grain (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) of variety Voronezh. Amaranth protein concentrates were obtained by alkaline extraction of proteins and neutralization of the solution followed by ultrafiltration, by separating the starch fraction with amylolytic enzymes, and by alkaline extraction of proteins and their precipitation at pH 4.5. Conditions for the extraction of proteins followed by chromatography–mass spectrometric analysis and identification were selected. It was found that proteins from amaranth grain were more effectively extracted with a buffer with urea at protein concentrations of 1.7, 1.9, and 2.9 mg/cm3 in solution, respectively, while a buffer with detergents was more effective for the extraction of low-molecular-weight proteins at protein concentrations of 4.9, 2.9, and 9.0 mg/cm3 in solution, respectively. As a result of HPLC–MS/MS analysis followed by identification and search in the UNIPROT database, it was established that the main protein of amaranth grain is 11S-globulin, which acts as a reserve protein of amaranth seeds. In amaranth concentrates, 14 unique proteins belonging only to A. hipochondriacus L. were identified, and also proteins that did not belong to this species were reliably identified. Based on the results of semiquantitative analysis of the peptide profile of amaranth grain protein concentrates, a high frequency of occurrence of the main 11S-globulin proteins was established in all samples. The frequency of occurrence of other proteins in samples obtained by different methods differed significantly due to the peculiarities of protein isolation from amaranth grain. The results obtained can be used to prepare plant protein concentrates with a given protein composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general expression is derived for the Laplace transform of the time dependent transient electrophoretic mobility of spherical colloidal particles in a multi-particle suspension when a step external electric field is suddenly applied to the colloidal suspension. From the general mobility expression, we obtain a simple closed form expression for the Laplace transform of the time-dependent transient electrophoretic mobility of weakly charged spherical colloidal particles in an electrolyte solution. The obtained Laplace transform of the transient electrophoretic mobility of particles does not involve numerical integrations so that its inverse Laplace transform is easily obtained using calculation software. Time-dependent transient Henry function for spherical colloidal particles in a multi-particle suspension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looking at the development status of Nigeria and other developing nations, most low-income and rural households often use coal as a source of energy which necessitates its trade very close to the communities. Moreover, the effects of exposure to coal mining activities are rarely explored or yet to be studied, not to mention the numerous street coal vendors in Nigeria. This study investigated the oxidative stress levels in serum and urine through the biomarker 8-OHdG and DNA damage via single cell gel electrophoresis (alkaline comet assay). Blood and urine levels of 8-OHdG from 130 coal vendors and 130 population-based controls were determined by ELISA. Alkaline comet assay was also performed on white blood cells for DNA damage. The average values of 8-OHdG in serum and urine of coal vendors were 22.82 and 16.03 ng/ml respectively, which were significantly greater than those detected in controls (p < 0.001; 15.46 and 10.40 ng/ml of 8-OHdG in serum and urine respectively). The average tail length, % DNA in tail and olive tail moment were 25.06 μm, 18.71% and 4.42 respectively for coal vendors. However, for controls, the average values were 4.72 μm, 3.63% and 1.50 for tail length, % DNA in tail and olive tail moment respectively which were much lower than coal vendors (p < 0.001). Therefore, prolonged exposure to coal dusts could lead to higher serum and urinary 8-OHdG and significant DNA damage in coal vendors observed in tail length, % DNA in tail, and olive tail moment by single cell gel electrophoresis. It is therefore established that coal vendors exhibit a huge risk from oxidative stress and assessment of 8-OHdG with single cell gel electrophoresis has proven to be a feasible tool as biomarkers of DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Transient hypercalcaemia due to teriparatide occurs in up to 11% of patients though delayed hypercalcaemia (> 24 h post injection) is rare. We report the case of a female who developed significant delayed hypercalcaemia after teriparatide treatment for osteoporosis and review other cases in the literature to date. Case report: A 72-year-old female on teriparatide for the treatment of osteoporosis was found to have hypercalcaemia (3.30 mmol/l) on routine testing approximately 3 months after starting therapy. Serum calcium pretreatment was normal at 2.39 mmol/l. She was admitted to the hospital for investigations which identified a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D of 94 nmol/l, a low parathyroid hormone of 6.0 pg/ml, and normal test results for 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (115 pmol/l), parathyroid hormone-related peptide (< 1.4 pmol/ml), serum electrophoresis and angiotensin-converting enzyme (39 IU/l). CT abdomen, pelvis, and thorax revealed no evidence of malignancy and an isotope bone scan ruled out skeletal metastases. Serum calcium normalised (2.34 mmol/l) several days after stopping teriparatide and calcium supplements and administering intravenous fluid. On restarting teriparatide, delayed hypercalcaemia reoccurred and treatment was switched to denosumab. Discussion: Delayed moderate to severe hypercalcaemia (serum calcium > 3.0 mmol/l) due to teriparatide is rare but may lead to therapy withdrawal. The underlying predisposing risk factors remain unclear and highlight the importance of a routine serum calcium assessment on therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chirality is a fundamental and ubiquitous property of nature involved in multiple fields of science. In particular, the possible resolution of the enantiomeric forms of a molecule is crucial in the pharmaceutical, food, and agrochemical industries. The search for efficient, broad-spectrum, and yet simple methods for obtaining enantiomerically pure substances is a current challenge. Enantioselective resolution methods rely on an asymmetric environment that allows the two antipodes of a chiral molecule to be distinguished. In addition to enantiomeric separation techniques, such as chromatography and electrophoresis, new promising approaches involving out-of-the-scheme synergistic effects between chiral selectors (CS) and external stimuli are emerging. This Trends article discusses different enantioselective mechanisms triggered by unconventional physicochemical stimuli for the design of avant-garde approaches that could offer novel perspectives in the field of chiral resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of dietary supplements is far less regulated than pharmaceuticals, leading to potential quality issues. Considering their positive effect, many athletes consume supplements containing l-histidine and β-alanine. A new microfluidic method for the determination of l-histidine and β-alanine in dietary supplement formulations has been developed. For the first time, capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection was employed for the microchip electrophoresis of amino acids in real samples. A linear relationship between detector response and concentration was observed in the range of 10–100 µmol L–1 for l-histidine (R2 = 0.9968) and β-alanine (R2 = 0.9954), while achieved limits of detection (3 × S/N ratio) were 4.2 µmol L–1 and 5.2 µmol L–1, respectively. The accuracy of the method was confirmed using recovery experiments as well as CE-UV-VIS and HPLC-UV-VIS techniques. The developed method allows unambiguous identification of amino acids in native form without chemical derivatization and with the possibility of simultaneous analysis of amino acids with metal cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal diseases are crucial factors in reducing chickpea production. Ascochyta Blight is caused by the necrotrophic fungi Didymella rabiei and is one of the most destructive diseases in most world areas. Therefore, a completely randomized factorial design with five replications was applied to evaluate the effects of Ascochyta Blight disease fungi on the chickpea plant. The chlorophyll index, the activities of superoxide dismutase isoforms, and evolutionary analyses were performed to get further insights. Also, 2D electrophoresis of chickpea leaf proteins, gene ontology, and protein-protein interactions analysis was performed. The results did not show any significant effect of A. rabiei infection on the wet weight of chickpea seedlings. Chlorophyll index levels significantly decreased with A. rabiei infection in both chickpea lines. Electrophoretic analysis of superoxide dismutase on 8% polyacrylamide gel revealed three isoforms. The activities of superoxide dismutase isoforms significantly increased with A. rabiei disease. Identification of proteins was performed according to their isoelectric points and approximate molecular weights. Leaf proteome analysis of chickpea lines showed that the expression of eight reproducible spots changed significantly under A. rabiei disease condition. Candidate proteins were components of defense and regulation systems. High expression of Dual specificity protein, Peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase B2, and chloroplastic phosphatase 1B (the proteins involved in the defense system) reveals their essential functions under A. rabiei infection. Increased activities of superoxide dismutase enzymes and proteins involved in the defense system can reduce A. rabiei infection effects on chickpea seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sitophilus oryzae and Sitophilus zeamais are among the main pests of stored grains worldwide, they are very similar species and have great destructive potential, causing numerous damages to grain production. The control of these insects occurs, in general, through chemical insecticides such as the agrochemicals pirimiphos-methyl, an organophosphate, and bifenthrin, a pyrethroid, which are widely used to prevent infestation. Four strains of these two species were exposed to the two classes of agrochemicals mentioned. The polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique was used to identify the esterase patterns of the species and eight esterases were identified for S. zeamais, of which four cholinesterases, two carboxylesterases, one acetylesterase, and one arylesterase; and seven esterases for S. oryzae, being four cholinesterases, two carboxylesterases, and one acetylesterase. After exposure to agrochemicals, through dose-response bioassays, the LC50 was determined for each strain, with the SoB strain of S. oryzae being the most resistant to bifenthrin, the SzB strain of S. zeamais being the most resistant to pirimiphos-methyl and the SoA strain of S. oryzae was the most sensitive to both compounds. Analysis of the esterase patterns of insects exposed to these agrochemicals revealed the inhibition and probable involvement of carboxylesterases and cholinesterases in the detoxification processes of organophosphates and pyrethroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article deals with the theoretical development of the electrophoresis of core-shell structured soft particles in which the inner rigid core is decorated with a fluid and ion-permeable polymeric shell layer. Note that such a particle resembles several biocolloids (e.g., bacteria, virus, humic acid), functionalized nanoparticles, and environmental entities, to name a few. For such a structured particle, the conventional ζ -potential concept loses its meaning, and an extensive theory is required to analyze the electrohydrodynamics of the particle considering the penetration of ionized liquid across the shell layer. Note that the dielectric permittivity of the shell layer is often lower than that of the bulk aqueous medium, which induces the ion partitioning effect. Besides, in several practical situations, the hydrodynamic slipping may occur along the slipping plane. In addition, the slipping plane may not always be located along the surface of the inner core due to grafting of a polymeric shell layer along its surface, and thus, it may be assumed to be located somewhere within the surface polymeric layer. The slipping plane separates two regions with different Brinkman parameters. The region outside the slipping plane the Brinkmann screening length takes a finite value, which allows fluid flow across this region. In the region inside the slipping plane, the Brinkman parameter may practically be equal to infinity, but electrolyte ions still can penetrate this region. Considering all the physical aspects indicated above, we have proposed a simple model to study the electrophoresis of soft particles within the flat-plate regime. Based on the weak charge limit, we adopt the Debye-Hückel linearization to simplify the governing equations, and the explicit form of electrophoretic mobility is derived. Several closed-form analytic expressions are further deduced from the general mobility expressions valid under various limiting situations. We have illustrated our findings graphically to highlight the impact of pertinent parameters on the electrophoretic mobility of such a particle. In addition, we have further provided an estimate of the parametric range in which the particle may attain a zero mobility. Overall, the analytical results presented in this study will be helpful to the experimentalists to analyze their findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an essential analytical technique in the scientific domains of chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy, medicine, and many others. The technique is centrally implicated in the quality control of pharmaceuticals, foods, atmospheric and forensic analytes, polymers and the structure elucidation of unknown compounds. Foods are an intricate combination of carbohydrates, oils, vitamins, amino acids, polyphenols and nutrients that give a wide range of flavours and aromas. MS therefore due to its great selectivity and specificity has proven to be a very effective method for characterising and estimating food components. The main employment of MS in food-related applications was probably gas chromatography mass spectrometry which enables derivatized polar isolates and natural volatiles to be easily examined even if the mixtures should contain over 100 ingredients. The technique due to its capabilities and the ease with which it interacts with widely used chromatographic techniques is particularly useful for the analysis of food as regards nutritional content and adulterations. This review intends to present an overview of some recent applications of MS and its associated techniques in the analysis of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical desalination is an effective method for recovering salts from reverse osmosis (RO) brine. However, traditional technologies like bipolar membrane technology often face challenges related to membrane blockage. To overcome this issue, a preparative vertical-flow electrophoresis (PVFE) system was used for the first time to treat RO brine of petrochemical wastewater. In order to optimize the PVFE operation and maximize acids and bases production while minimizing energy consumption, the response surface method was employed. The independent variables selected were the electric field intensity (E) and flow rate (v), while the dependent variables were the acid–base concentration and energy consumption (EC) for acid–base production. Using the central composite design methodology, the operation parameters were optimized to be E = 154.311 V/m and v = 0.83 mL/min. Under these conditions, the base concentrations of the produced bases and acids reached 3183.06 and 2231.63 mg/L, respectively. The corresponding base EC and acid EC were calculated to be 12.57 and 11.62 kW·h/kg. In terms of the acid–base concentration and energy consumption during the PVFE process, the electric field intensity was found to have a greater influence than the flow rate. These findings provide a practical and targeted solution for recycling waste salt resources from RO brine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper-doped ZnO nanoparticles with the formula Zn1−x(Cu)O, where x = 0.0, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.07 were produced using the co-precipitation process. Physical, chemical, and structural properties were properly examined. Powdered X-ray diffraction (P-XRD) patterns revealed the formation of hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure in all samples, through atomic substitutional incorporation in the Cu-doped ZnO lattice. The presence of Cu ions and their dissolution in the host ZnO crystal structure was supported by FT-IR spectra. HR-TEM images were used to assess the average size, morphology, and shape regularity of the synthesized samples. The form and homogeneity of the ZnO changed when Cu ions were substituted, as evidenced by FE-SEM/EDX analysis. The presence of copper signals in the Cu-doped samples indicates that the doping was successful. The decrease in zeta potential with an increased copper doping percentage designates that the nanoparticles (NPs) are more stable, which could be attributed to an increase in the ionic strength of the aqueous solution. The synthesized NPs were evaluated for their substantial in vitro antioxidant properties. In addition, the antimicrobial efficacy of the materials was tested against pathogenic microorganisms. Regarding the anti-diabetic activity, the 7Cu ZnO sample showed the highest inhibitory effect on the α-amylase enzyme. No variations were observed in the activities of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) and proteinase enzymes with ZnO and samples doped with different concentrations of Cu. Therefore, further studies are recommended to reveal the in-vitro anti-diabetic activity of the studied doped samples. Finally, molecular docking provided valuable insights into the potential binding interactions of Cu-doped ZnO with α-amylase, FabH of E. coli, and Penicillin-binding proteins of S. aureus. These outcomes suggest that the prepared materials may have an inhibitory effect on enzymes and hold promise in the battle against microbial infections and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-dependent electrophoresis of an infinitely cylindrical particle in an electrolyte solution, saturated in a charged porous medium after the sudden application of a transverse or tangential step electric field, is investigated semi-theoretically with an arbitrary double-layer thickness in an arbitrary direction relative to the cylinder. The time-dependent modified Brinkman equation with an electric force term, which governs the fluid flow field, is used to model the porous medium and is solved by using the Laplace transform technique. Explicit formulas, for the time-dependent electrophoretic velocity of the cylindrical particle in Laplace's transform domain, have been derived for both axially and transversely when the uniform electric fields are imposed. They can also be linearly superimposed for an arbitrarily oriented relative to the electric field. Semi-analytical results for the electrophoretic velocities are presented as functions of the dimensionless elapsed time, the ratio of the particle radius to the Debye length, the particle-to-medium density ratio, and the permeability parameter of the porous medium. The results demonstrate, in general, that the growth of the electrophoretic velocities with the time scale are more slower for high permeability, and the effect of the relaxation time for unsteady electrophoresis is found to be negligible, regardless of the thickness of the double layer, the relative mass density or the permeability of the medium. The normalized transient electrophoretic velocities exhibit a consistent upward trend as the ratio of the particle radius to the Debye screening length increases. Conversely, they display a consistent downward trend as the particle-to-fluid density ratio increases, while all other parameters remain constant. The effect of the relaxation time for the transient electrophoresis is much more important for a cylindrical particle than for a spherical particle due to its smaller specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of serum monoclonal components has been associated with poor outcomes in various hematological malignancies. The current study focused on exploring its prognostic role in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Our study represented 314 patients with information on serum immunofixation electrophoresis at diagnosis that were available with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. IFE was positive in 61 patients (19%). Baseline features were comparable between pairs of groups, poor ECOG PS, B symptoms, advanced stage, and high-risk IPI score were significantly more frequent in the + IFE group. Shorter PFS and OS of B-NHL patients were observed in patients who presented at diagnosis with a + IFE, and IFE was the independent predictor of PFS and OS in multivariate analysis. Moreover, integrating IFE into the IPI-M1, IPI-M2, and IPI-M3 models improved the area under the curve for more accurate survival prediction and prognosis. Serum monoclonal proteins are significant prognostic indicators for newly diagnosed B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that can early identify patients with poor prognosis and guide clinical treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a powerful and sensitive tool for speciation analysis when combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS); however, the performance of this technique can be limited by the nature of pneumatic nebulizers. This study compares two commercially available pneumatic nebulizers to a newly introduced vibrating capillary nebulizer (VCN) for on-line coupling of CE with ICP-MS. The VCN is a low-cost, non-pneumatic nebulizer that is based on the design of capillary vibrating sharp-edge spray ionization. As a piezoelectrically driven nebulization source, the VCN creates an aerosol independent of gas flows and does not produce a low-pressure region at the nebulizer orifice. To compare the systems, we performed replicate analyses of sulfate in river water with each nebulizer and the same CE and ICP-MS instruments and determined the figures of merit of each setup. With the CE-VCN-ICP-MS setup, we achieved around 2–4 times lower sensitivity compared to the commercial setups. However, the VCN-based setup provided lower noise levels and better linear correlation from the analysis of calibration standards, which resulted in indistinguishable LOD and LOQ values from the in-house-built VCN-based and commercial setups for CE-ICP-MS analysis. The VCN is found to have the highest baseline stability with a standard deviation of 3500 cts s−1, corresponding to an RSD of 2.7%. High reproducibility is found with the VCN with a peak area RSD of 4.1% between 3 replicate measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of biocompatible gels, based on type I collagen is studied. To improve the mechanical properties, 10–30% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) was added to the collagen gel. It is shown that with an increase in the CMC content up to 30%, the stability of composite gels increases. With the help of scanning electron microscopy it is shown, that the ability of collagen to form native fibrils decreases with the addition of CMC. It was also shown by electrophoresis that the presence of CMC increases the rate of degradation of the composite collagen gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gel electrophoresis, a transport technology, is one of the most widely used experimental methods in biochemical and pharmaceutical research and development. Transport technologies are used to determine hydrodynamic or electrophoretic properties of macromolecules. Gel electrophoresis is a zone technology, where a small volume of sample is applied to a large separation gel matrix. In contrast, a seldom-used electrophoresis technology is moving boundary electrophoresis, where the sample is present throughout the separation phase or gel matrix. While the zone method gives peaks of separating macromolecular solutes, the moving boundary method gives a boundary between solute-free and solute-containing phases. We will review electrophoresis as a transport technology of zone and moving boundary methods and describe its principles and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrophoresis facilitated cancer treatment has demonstrated experimental efficacy in enhancing drug delivery within vascularised tumours. However, the lack of realistic mathematical models with direct measurements in the context of electrochemotherapy poses a challenge. We investigate the impact of an applied electric potential on the flow of Darcian-type fluid occurring in two distinct phases: the tumour and healthy regions. We employ the asymptotic homogenisation technique, assuming that the macroscale of the tumour domain is larger than the microscale characterised by vessel heterogeneities. We retain information about the microstructure by encoding information in the homogenised coefficients. We take into account both vascularisation and the microscale variations of the leading order and fine scale electric potential. The resulting effective differential problem reads as a Darcy-type system of PDEs, where the flow is driven by an effective source. The novel model can be used to predict the effect of an applied electric field on cancerous biological tissues, paving a new way of improving current electrochemotherapy protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid mass transfer in solid-solid reactions is crucial for catalysis. Although phoretic nanoparticles offer potential for increased collision efficiency between solids, their implementation is hindered by limited interaction ranges. Here, we present a self-driven long-range electrophoresis of organic nanocrystals facilitated by a rationally designed photogenerated outer electric field (OEF) on their surface. Employing perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) molecular nanocrystals as a model, we demonstrate that a directional OEF with an intensity of 13.6-0.4 kV m−1 across a range of 25–200 μm. This OEF-driven targeted electrophoresis of PTCDA nanocrystals onto the microplastic surface enhances the activity for subsequent decomposition of microplastics (196.8 mg h−1) into CO2 by solid-solid catalysis. As supported by operando characterizations and theoretical calculations, the OEF surrounds PTCDA nanocrystals initially, directing from the electron-rich (0 1 1) to the hole-rich (11 2 ¯) surface. Upon surface charge modulation, the direction of OEF changes toward the solid substrate. The OEF-driven electrophoretic effect in organic nanocrystals with anisotropic charge enrichment characteristics indicates potential advancements in realizing effective solid-solid photocatalysis. Charge accumulation in organic photocatalysts leads to an overlooked macroscopic particle migration, crucial for heterogeneous photocatalytic kinetics. Authors demonstrate self-driven electrophoresis of organic nanocrystals via rationally designed photogenerated outer electric field (OEF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phaeocystis globosa is an important unicellular eukaryotic alga that can also form colonies. P. globosa can cause massive harmful algal blooms and plays an important role in the global carbon or sulfur cycling. Thus far, the ecophysiology of P. globosa has been investigated by numerous studies. However, the proteomic response of P. globosa to nitrogen depletion remains largely unknown. We compared four protein preparation methods of P. globosa for two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) (Urea/Triton X-100 with trichloroacetic acid (TCA)/acetone precipitation; TCA/acetone precipitation; Radio Immuno Precipitation Assay (RIPA) with TCA/acetone precipitation; and Tris buffer). Results show that the combination of RIPA with TCA/acetone precipitation had a clear gel background and showed the best protein spot separation effect, based on which the proteomic response to nitrogen depletion was studied using 2-DE. In addition, we identified six differentially expressed proteins whose relative abundance increased or decreased more than 1.5-fold (P<0.05). Most proteins could not be identified, which might be attributed to the lack of genomic sequences of P. globosa. Under nitrogen limitation, replication protein-like, RNA ligase, and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were reduced, which may decrease the DNA replication level and ATP production in P. globosa cells. The increase of endonuclease III and transcriptional regulator enzyme may affect the metabolic and antioxidant function of P. globosa cells and induce cell apoptosis. These findings provide a basis for further proteomic study of P. globosa and the optimization of protein preparation methods of marine microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether monotropein has an anticancer effect and explore its potential mechanisms against colorectal cancer (CRC) through network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with experimental verification. Methods: Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict potential targets of monotropein against CRC. Cell counting kit assay, plate monoclonal assay and microscopic observation were used to investigate the antiproliferative effects of monotropein on CRC cells HCT116, HT29 and LoVo. Flow cytometry and scratch assay were used to analyze apoptosis and cell cycle, as well as cell migration, respectively in HCT116, HT29, and LoVo cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of proteins related to apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell migration, and the expression of proteins key to the Akt pathway. Results: The Gene Ontology and Reactome enrichment analyses indicated that the anticancer potential of monotropein against CRC might be involved in multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. Among these pathways, RAC-beta serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt1, Akt2), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cell division control protein 42 homolog (CDC42) were shown as the potential anticancer targets of monotropein against CRC. Molecular docking suggested that monotropein may interact with the 6 targets (Akt1, Akt2, CDK6, MMP9, EGFR, CDC42). Subsequently, cell activity of HCT116, HT29 and LoVo cell lines were significantly suppressed by monotropein (P<0.05). Furthermore, our research revealed that monotropein induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 and increasing Bax, induced G1–S cycle arrest in colorectal cancer by decreasing the expressions of CyclinD1, CDK4 and CDK6, inhibited cell migration by suppressing the expressions of CDC42 and MMP9 (P<0.05), and might play an anticancer role through Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion: Monotropein exerts its antitumor effects primarily by arresting the cell cycle, causing cell apoptosis, and inhibiting cell migration. This indicates a high potential for developing novel medication for treating CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between calculated globulin (CG, total protein level minus albumin level) and the gamma globulin fraction (Gamma), obtained from serum protein electrophoresis with serum IgG levels in adults (≥ 18 years). Methods: Using linear regression models, analyses of CG and Gamma levels correlation with IgG levels in adults were performed. Receiver-operator curves were created to determine cutoff values and the respective sensitivity and specificity measures. Results: A total of 886 samples were analyzed. CG and Gamma were positively and statistically correlated with IgG levels (r2 = 0.4628 for CG, and = 0.7941 for Gamma, p < 0.0001 for both analyses). For the detection of hypogammaglobulinemia, i.e., IgG level below the reference value (6 g/L), a CG cutoff value of 24 g/L showed a sensitivity of 86.2% (95% CI 69.4–94.5) and a specificity of 92% (90.0–93.6). A Gamma cutoff value of 7.15 g/L yielded a sensitivity of 100% (88.3–100) and a specificity of 96.8 (95.3–97.8). Conclusion: Both CG and Gamma levels determined by protein electrophoresis analysis may be used to screen for antibody deficiencies in adults, enabling earlier diagnosis of antibody deficiencies in a routine clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second-order electrokinetic flow around colloidal particles caused by concentration polarization electro-osmosis (CPEO) can result in a phoretic motion of asymmetric particle dimers in a homogeneous AC electrical field, which we refer to as concentration polarization electro-phoresis (CPEP). To demonstrate this actuation mechanism, we created particle dimers from micron-sized silica spheres with sizes 1.0 μm and 2.1 μm by connecting them with DNA linker molecules. The dimers can be steered along arbitrarily chosen paths within a 2D plane by controlling the orientation of the AC electric field in a fluidic chamber with the joystick of a gamepad. Further utilizing induced dipole-dipole interactions, we demonstrate that particle dimers can be used to controllably pick up monomeric particles and release them at any desired position, and also to assemble several particles into groups. Systematic experiments exploring the dependence of the dimer migration speed on the electric field strength, frequency, and buffer composition align with the theoretical framework of CPEO and provide parameter ranges for the operation of our microrobots. Furthermore, experiments with a variety of asymmetric particles, such as fragmented ceramic, borosilicate glass, acrylic glass, agarose gel, and ground coffee particles, as well as yeast cells, demonstrate that CPEP is a generic phenomenon that can be expected for all charged dielectric particles. Concentration polarization electroosmosis (CPEO) has recently been found to produce similar flow patterns around spheres in an AC electric field as induced charge electroosmosis. Katzmeier and Simmel study the flow around the asymmetric particle dimers caused by CPEO and design a microrobot that can be steered with a joystick and facilitates the transport of cargo particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms of polypeptide from Moschus (PPM) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice. Methods: The polypeptide was extracted from Moschus and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Subsequently, LPS was used to induce inflammation in THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice. In LPS-treated or untreated THP-1 macrophages, cell viability was observed by cell counting kit 8 and lactate dehydrogenase release assays; the proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, respectively; and protein and mRNA levels were measured by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), respectively. In LPS-induced BALB/c mice, the proinflammatory cytokines were measured, and lung histology and cytokines were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, respectively. Results: The SDS-PAGE results suggested that the molecular weight of purified PPM was in the range of 10–26 kD. In vitro, PPM reduced the production of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-18, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-6 and ROS in LPS-induced THP-1 macrophages (P<0.01). Western blot analysis demonstrated that PPM inhibited LPS-induced nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway and thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway by reducing protein expression of phospho-NF-κB p65, phospho-inhibitors of NF-κB (Iκ Bs) kinase α/β (IKKα/β), TXNIP, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and pro-caspase-1 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, qRT-PCR revealed the inhibitory effects of PPM on the mRNA levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, in LPS-induced BALB/c mice, PPM reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels in serum (P<0.05 or P<0.01), decreased IL-1β and IL-18 levels in the lungs (P<0.01) and alleviated pathological injury to the lungs. Conclusion: PPM could attenuate LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB-ROS/NLRP3 pathway, and may be a novel potential candidate drug for treating inflammation and inflammation-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reasons for the failure of the first attempts at countercurrent electrophoretic separation of isotopic lithium ions are analyzed. It is concluded that the separation of these ions in the potentiostatic version of the countercurrent process scheme used by the authors is futile. As an alternative for the preparative separation of isotopic and other ions with similar chemical properties, a galvanostatic mode of countercurrent electrophoretic separation is proposed. Using examples of the separation of alkali metal ions and isotopic lithium and rubidium ions, it is shown that in this case the system enters a stationary self-regulating regime and significantly higher separation factors are achieved compared to the potentiostatic version of the process. It has been determined that a high separation efficiency is achieved with a minimum length of the separation space. For significant effects of the separation of isotopic lithium ions, a separating column 4 mm in height filled with quartz sand is sufficient. Additionally, to address the analytical challenges of electrophoretic separation of isotopic ions of light elements, such as lithium and boron, the required efficiency is also achieved under the potentiostatic conditions of the traditional scheme of capillary zone electrophoresis, as demonstrated in the examples of determining the isotopic composition of the aforementioned elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese medicine (CM) is an important resource for human life understanding and discovery of drugs. However, due to the unclear pharmacological mechanism caused by unclear target, research and international promotion of many active components have made little progress in the past decades of years. CM is mainly composed of multi-ingredients with multi-targets. The identification of targets of multiple active components and the weight analysis of multiple targets in a specific pathological environment, that is, the determination of the most important target is the main obstacle to the mechanism clarification and thus hinders its internationalization. In this review, the main approach to target identification and network pharmacology were summarized. And BIBm (Bayesian inference modeling), a powerful method for drug target identification and key pathway determination was introduced. We aim to provide a new scientific basis and ideas for the development and international promotion of new drugs based on CM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein composition of the incubation medium and extracts of different species of cestodes inhabiting the intestines of freshwater fish has been studied. Proteins with an apparent molecular weight of 10–312.5 kDa have been found in both biological media of worms. In most of the studied worms, 64 to 82% of protein bands in the incubation medium and extract have an apparent molecular weight of <50 kDa. The importance of these proteins in the vital activity of helminths and the need for further studies of this proteome component are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing of laboratories on a chip or μ TAS (micro-total analysis systems) is a great challenge of the modern microfluidics. With the help of such devices, it will be possible to conduct many chemical analyses of human liquids for the preliminary diagnosis of various diseases. Despite the great importance of this task and certain successes in the field of experimental study of the behavior of the electrolyte in micro-devices, there are many undescribed effects, which opens up the possibility for a theoretical study of these processes. Usually, the flat geometry of devices is used in design of laboratories on a chip, which is explained by the simplicity of manufacturing, but our research shows that using the spherical geometry of the device allows to design a universal device that can work as a micro-pump, micromixer and micro-concentrator. The paper presents a theoretical analysis of the concentration effects of ions in a micro-device with presence of the pressure driven flow. The device presents a spherical chamber in the center of which an ion-selective microgranule is placed. This device is built into a circular channel through which the electrolyte flows due to the electroosmotic flow caused by the difference in electrical potentials. Depending on the orientation of the inlet channel relative to gravity, there is an additional pressure of the water column in the inlet or outlet channel. As a result of selection of a suitable external electric field, it is possible to achieve a significant concentration of ions near the ion-selective microgranule. The enriched region can be carried away by the convective flow far into the outlet channel and then this device can be used to separate the flow into enriched and depleted, as happens with electrodialysis. The efficiency of the device increases with an increase in the intensity of the external field, however, starting from a certain critical value of the electric field strength, the steady state flow loses stability and an electroconvection is formed, which interferes with the concentration process. Due to the additional pressure, both the stability of the flow and the degree of concentration can be adjusted. The paper shows that by varying the values of the field strength and pressure gradient, it is possible to achieve maximum efficiency of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutation breeding is a significant means of increasing breeding efficiency and accelerating breeding process. In present study, we explored a new method for mutations inducing in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by using direct current electrophoresis bath (DCEB). The results showed that 20 mM NaCl solution is the optimal buffer, and the mortality of rice seeds followed an upward trend with increasing voltage and processing time of DCEB. By exploring the mutagenic effects of γ-irradiation and DCEB on seed vigor and physiological damages, we found that the physiological damages induced by DCEB on seed vigor were significant compared with that by γ-irradiation. We screened two mutants with low filled grain percentage and one mutant with abnormal hull from the M2 generations. These three mutants were confirmed to be authentic mutants based on 48 SSR markers followed by the protocol NY/T 1433–2014. Whole-genome resequencing detected a total of 503 and 537 polymorphisms in the two mutants, respectively, and the DCEB mutagenesis induced mainly InDel variants, while the exon region of mutant genes occupied a large proportion, especially the SNP variants, which occupied about 20% of the mutation sites in the exon region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmotically active proteins (OAP) in the anodic blood serum fraction of the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua were identified using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and MALDI mass-spectrometry. A total of 17 OAPs were found. According to the Gene Ontology annotations of candidate genes, 13 OAPs were classified as extracellular and 4 as intracellular proteins. Cod serum OAPs accounted for ~50% of the total protein content. Extracellular apolipoproteins (ApoA, within high-density lipoproteins) and hemopexin dominated in the OAP pool, with ApoA-I accounting for ~25% of total serum proteins. Of the intracellular proteins, low molecular weight fragments of the myosin heavy chain dominated on the proteomic map. The obtained results are consistent with the "albumin-free" capillary exchange hypothesis, which considers multiple extracellular and intracellular proteins of different functional classes as osmotically active plasma proteins in albumin-free teleosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 16 (IL-16), has been shown to be secreted in low levels in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between IL-16 polymorphisms and the risk of KOA in the Egyptian population, as well as the clinical and radiographic severity of KOA. Results: IL16 rs11556218 thymidine triphosphate (T) T G (guanosine triphosphate), GG, TG + GG genotypes, and G allele (odd ratio (OR) = 0.315; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.191–0.518; P < 0.001; OR = 0.363; 95% CI = 0.162–0.815, P = 0.014; OR = 0.323; 95% CI = 0.202–0.519, P < 0.001; OR = 0.480; 95% CI = 0.338–0.683, P < 0.001 respectively); rs4778889 cytidine triphosphate (C) T,CC, TC + CC genotypes, and C allele (OR = 0.519, 95% CI = 0.319–0.844, P = 0.008; OR = 0.309, 95% CI = 0.105–0.916, P = 0.034; OR = 0.485, 95% CI = 0.304–0.775, P = 0.002; OR = 0.537, 95% CI = 0.365–0.791, P = 0.001 respectively); and rs4072111 CT, TT, CT + TT genotypes, and T allele (OR = 0.537, 95% CI = 0.323–0.893, P = 0.017, OR = 0.316, 95% CI = 0.096–0.843, P = 0.049, OR = 0.502, 95% CI = 0.309–0.816, P = 0.005; OR = 0.534, 95% CI = 0.353–0.809, P = 0.004 respectively) were associated with a decreased KOA risk, and they were significantly associated with decreased the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) scores. Neither IL-16 serum levels nor IL-16 polymorphisms were associated with the susceptibility to KOA. Low KOA risk was associated with the haplotypes GTC and TCT. Conclusion: There was no correlation between serum IL-16 levels and KOA susceptibility or IL-16 polymorphisms. GTC and TCT haplotypes were associated with low KOA risk. The variant alleles rs11556218GG, TG + GG; rs4778889 CC, TC + CC; and rs4072111 TT, CT + TT were associated with a reduced risk of KOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of LiCoO2 nanosized particles synthesized in LiCl–CoCl2 melts on the surface of nickel foil, copper, chrome–cobalt alloy, and platinum mesh in aqueous solutions of lithium chloride at the room temperature as well as on the surface of the electron-conducting La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 oxide ceramics in chloride melt at temperature of ca. 700°C is studied. The methods of vibrational spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and scanning electron microscopy have revealed the features of the chemical composition, structure, and morphology of the precipitates obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraquat at a concentration of 0.01 mol/L induces intense luminescence of E. coli pSoxS-lux and E. coli pKatG-lux biosensors, which indicates the formation of the superoxide radical anion (О2–) and hydrogen peroxide (Н2О2), respectively, in bacterial cells. At a paraquat concentration of 0.1 mol/L, the luminescence intensity of biosensors decreases, as does bacteria viability from 4 × 107 colony-forming units (CFU) in the control to 1 × 105 CFU in the experiment. When recalculating the luminescence intensity index per 1000 CFU, the expression of the superoxide dismutase gene increases sharply from 0.13 in the control to 4.36 and 119 conventional units at paraquat concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 mol/L, respectively. The antioxidants (glutathione and N-acetylcysteine) reduce the concentration of free radicals generated by paraquat in cells and increase the bacterial viability. The method of gel electrophoresis reveals the DNA-damaging ability of paraquat at a concentration of 0.1 mol/L, reduced by antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods have been developed for obtaining polyfunctional preparations of various degree of purification from rhopilema jellyfish in the form of collagen and proteoglycane complexes, and their safety for the external application has been assessed. We used HPLC, SDS-PAGE, and IR spectroscopy for our study. The composition (proteins, including collagen, amino acids, and carbohydrates) and the properties of the obtained preparations were determined. The structure of collagen as a part of the isolated complexes was analyzed and the degree of preservation of its tertiary structure was shown. Changes in the molecular weight distribution of protein fractions were established for different methods of isolation of compounds. The safety of external use of the obtained preparations was analyzed in test animals in terms of acute toxicity, as well as skin irritation and sensitizing effects in accordance with the requirements for the toxicological characteristics of ingredients of cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is a growing demand for miniaturized power supplies, including planar supercapacitors, whose principle of operation is based on fast redox reactions. This circumstance stimulates investigations of composite structures made of high-surface-area carbon-based materials and transition-metal compounds. In this paper, we report the results of studying coatings based on few-layer graphite nanoflakes FLGN/Ni(OH)2 and their oxidized form OFLGN/Ni(OH)2, obtained by repeated electrophoretic deposition. These coatings are used in prototype parallel-plate (3D) and planar supercapacitors. A processing route using a 450-nm laser for pattern scribing is developed for the latter. It is shown that, by regulating the nickel-ion-source proportion in the suspension from 0.04 to 0.64 g/L, one can control the physical properties of the composite at the deposition stage. The composite's physical properties are studied by cyclic voltammetry, scanning microscopy, and elemental analysis. The peak capacity values are obtained for samples with the minimum concentration (0.04 g/L); they turn out to be 1.51 and 1.31 F/g for the FLGN-containing samples and 1.86 and 1.29 F/g for the OFLGN-containing samples of bulk and planar supercapacitors, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is a growing demand for miniaturized power supplies, including planar supercapacitors, whose principle of operation is based on fast redox reactions. This circumstance stimulates investigations of composite structures made of high-surface-area carbon-based materials and transition-metal compounds. In this paper, we report the results of studying coatings based on few-layer graphite nanoflakes FLGN/Ni(OH)2 and their oxidized form OFLGN/Ni(OH)2, obtained by repeated electrophoretic deposition. These coatings are used in prototype parallel-plate (3D) and planar supercapacitors. A processing route using a 450-nm laser for pattern scribing is developed for the latter. It is shown that, by regulating the nickel-ion-source proportion in the suspension from 0.04 to 0.64 g/L, one can control the physical properties of the composite at the deposition stage. The composite's physical properties are studied by cyclic voltammetry, scanning microscopy, and elemental analysis. The peak capacity values are obtained for samples with the minimum concentration (0.04 g/L); they turn out to be 1.51 and 1.31 F/g for the FLGN-containing samples and 1.86 and 1.29 F/g for the OFLGN-containing samples of bulk and planar supercapacitors, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theory is developed on the time-dependent transient electrophoresis of a spherical soft particle (i.e., a spherical polyelectrolyte-coated particle) when a step electric field is applied. The general expression is derived for the Laplace transform of the time-dependent transient electrophoretic mobility (with respect to time) of the particle. A simple approximate analytic mobility expression is derived which is applicable for the practically important case where the electrolyte is symmetrical, the particle core radius and the polyelectrolyte layer thickness are both much larger than the Debye length and the Brinkman screening length, and the polyelectrolyte layer is much thinner than the particle core radius (a thin polyelectrolyte layer). The other limiting case of a thick polyelectrolyte layer is also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the electrophoresis of a charged hydrophobic spherical rigid colloid in the extent of general electrolyte. To show the impact of electrolyte ions of the background aqueous medium on the overall electrophoretic transport of hydrophobic colloids, we have considered various electrolyte solutions, including 1:1, 2:2, 3:3, 2:1, 3:1, 1:2 and 1:3 electrolytes as well as a mixed solution of 1:1 and 2:1 electrolytes. The surface ζ -potential is varied from low to sufficiently high. Considering the impact of relaxation effect, a general expression for electrophoretic mobility of the undertaken hydrophobic rigid colloid is derived, which is applicable for any value of the surface potential and at large κ a ( κ a ≥ ca. 30), where κ - 1 is the Debye layer thickness and a is the radius of the particle. We have further deduced various simple and useful approximate analytic mobility expressions for each type of the background aqueous solutions considering several electrostatic and hydrodynamic conditions. We have further illustrated the computational results to show the impact of hydrodynamic slip and choices of background electrolyte on the electrophoretic mobility, occurrence of maximum mobility at the critical choice of surface potential and the limiting mobility of sufficiently charged rigid colloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile-based microfluidics offer new opportunities for developing low-cost, open surface-assessable analytical systems for the electrophoretic analysis of complex chemical and biological matrixes. In contrast to electrophoretic fluidic transport in typical chip-based enclosed capillaries where direct access to the sample zone during analysis is a real challenge. Herein, we demonstrate that electrophoretic selectivity could be easily manipulated on these inverted low-cost bespoke textile substrates via a simple surface-functionalization to manipulate, redirect, extract, and characterize charged analytes. This simple approach enables significant improvement in the electrophoretic separation and isotachophoretic (ITP) preconcentration of charged solutes at the surface of open surface-accessible 3D textile constructs. In this work, polyester 3D braided structures have been developed using the conventional braiding technique and used as the electrophoretic substrates, which were modified by dip-coating with polycationic polymers such as chitosan and polyethyleneimine (PEIn). The surface functionalization resulted in the modulation of the electroosmotic flow (EOF) and electrophoretic mobilities of the charged solutes with respect to the unmodified substrates. Chitosan outperformed PEIn in terms of efficient electrophoretic separation and isotachophoretic stacking of an anionic solute. However, PEIn modification resulted in significant suppression of the EOF over a broad range of pH values from 3 to 9 and exhibited fast EOF at acidic pH compared to controlled polyester, which could be promising for the analysis of basic proteins. These findings suggest a great potential for the development of affordable surface-accessible textile-based analytical devices for controlling the specific migration, direction, analysis time, and separation and preconcentration of charged analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of zonal electrophoresis of a two-component mixture with spatially periodic initial distribution of the mixture components. Two methods of solution are proposed: analytical (hodograph method) and numerical (method of finite volumes). A comparative analysis of the results obtained is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lunasin is a soybean peptide with promising therapeutic applications in cancer and other diseases. It is described as an intrinsically disordered peptide, monomeric, and that can form an intramolecular disulfide bond between Cys10 and Cys22. In this study, we tested a new approach to obtain recombinant lunasin by Escherichia coli expression and performed its structural characterization. We expressed a lunasin sequence with an N-terminal 6× His-tag, B1 domain of Streptococcal protein G (GB1), and Tobacco etch virus (TEV) cleavage site (His6-GB1-lunasin), using pET-25b(+) vector. His6-GB1-lunasin purification using immobilized metal affinity chromatography achieved high recovery. We obtained a final yield of 12.0 (± 0.39) mg/L of recombinant lunasin with high purity. The molecular mass and conformation were as expected, as verified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), electrospray ionization–ion mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (ESI–IMS–MS), electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (ESI–MS), size-exclusion chromatography, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and one-dimensional 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. Additionally, the identity of lunasin and its complete amino acid sequence was confirmed by LC–MS/MS. Recombinant lunasin also showed antioxidant activity (2.92 ± 0.16 µmol of trolox equivalents/µmol lunasin) by oxygen radical absorbance capacity and inhibited cell migration of MDA-MB-231 cell line. On the other hand, for the first time, LC–MS, ESI–IMS–MS and ESI–MS analyses revealed, in addition to the reduced and oxidized monomeric forms, the presence of small populations of disulfide cross-linked dimeric species of lunasin. Overall, our data demonstrate the effectiveness of the GB1-tagging system to obtain lunasin, that lunasin can form disulfide cross-linked dimers, and that LC–MS, ESI–IMS–MS and ESI–MS are efficient analytical chemistry techniques to assess reduced and oxidized (monomer and dimer) species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was focused on the preparation and deposition of zeolite/bioglass nanocomposites on 316 stainless steel substrates by the electrophoretic technique. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out to evaluate the size, shape, and structure of the prepared nanocomposites. The formation of apatite in the simulated body fluid on the coated substrates was studied for 21 days. The morphology of the coating samples was examined before and after the immersion via scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that by increasing the bioglass content, the apatite formation on the coatings was enhanced. The biocorrosion tests of Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were employed to evaluate the protective properties and biocorrosion resistance of the coatings. The biocorrosion resistance of the samples coated with zeolite/bioglass nanocomposites was superior to the uncoated ones, which was significantly improved by increasing the bioglass content. Moreover, it was also found that the biocompatible coatings reduced the release of metallic ions and promoted the osseointegration property. Highlights: Uniform zeolite nanoparticles are synthesized by facile sol-gel method. EPD is a rapid and low-cost technique for applying defectless ZBN coatings with high interface strength. Formation of a uniform adhering hydroxyapatite layer after 21 days confirms the bioavailability of the ZBN coatings. Corrosion-resistant zeolite/30% bioglass coating is obtained by optimization of voltage and heat treatment temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for photosensitized polymerization of polyacrylamide gels was proposed. Photopolymerization of acrylamide/N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (AM/Bis) was assisted with combination of catalyst ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt dihydrate (EDTA) and photoinitiator riboflavin (RF). The prepared cross-linked AM/Bis + EDTA/RF gels were tested in electrophoretic SDS–PAGE system at high concentration of AM (20 wt%). The efficiency of these systems for electrophoretic separation of histones of human blood lymphocytes was demonstrated. In principle, such gels with small pores in the separation zone can offer advantages for resolution of proteins. The advantages of proposed method also include simple technique and possibility of gel preparation in a timely manner (for 10–15 min). However, in microporous gel systems some limitations in electroblotting technique could occur, which is particularly crucial for hydrophobic proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of remineralization of hard dental tissues using electrophoresis with a BV preparation that provides the formation of a precipitate of calcium phosphate (brushite) upon the interaction of its components is studied by physicochemical methods including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and optical and scanning probe microscopy with microanalysis. It is shown in the in vitro experiments that the electrical resistance of a tooth can serve as a criterion of the efficiency of blocking of the dentin canaliculi by the formed precipitate of brushite. The depth of the zone of remineralization is assessed in the case of the treatment with a BV preparation by the method of applications and using electrophoresis. It is found that the latter method possesses a higher efficiency with respect to both the degree of blocking of the canaliculi and depth of penetration into the hard dental tissues. A method of therapy of teeth with the vital pulp is developed based on these studies that shows a high efficiency in the patients from the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cell-free DNA analysis (cfDNA) holds promise for residual disease or tumor burden quantification in colorectal cancer, with reduced costs and diagnostic equipment compared to gold standard-specific tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis. Methods: This prospective case–control study included 46 colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls to perform cfDNA quantification by fluorometry using Quantus Fluorometer (Promega, Madison, WI) and using cell-free DNA ScreenTape assay (Agilent) and 4200 TapeStation instrument (Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA). cfDNA quantification results were correlated with stage, clinical and histopathological features. Results: 33 localized (8 stage I, 12 stage II, and 13 stage III) and 13 advanced colorectal cancer patients were included. No differences in cfDNA quantification by fluorometry were demonstrated depending on stage or histopathological features in localized disease patients. Differences in cfDNA quantification by fluorometry could be demonstrated in patients with advanced disease depending on the presence of liver metastases and synchronous or metachronous metastatic disease. Differences in cfDNA quantification by fluorometry could be demonstrated between advanced colorectal cancer patients and both localized disease patients and healthy controls. Secondary cfDNA analysis by electrophoresis, although showing more specificity to measure ctDNA in cfDNA values, could not improve the capacity to detect differences between analyzed a groups beyond previously achieved with fluorometry. Conclusion: This exploratory analysis of cfDNA based on fluorometry and electrophoresis methods showed promising results discriminating colorectal cancer and non-cancer patients, as well as different colorectal cancer stages and disease profiles. Further studies are needed to increase our knowledge and to help to overcome barriers to broader implementation and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrophoretic technology was used to prepare carbon cloth loaded with LiFePO4 integrated cathodes to be used in Li-ion batteries. Carbon cloth served as the negative plate in the electrophoresis tank on which LiFePO4 powder was dispersed in the electrophoresis solution deposited under a direct current electric field. Button batteries were assembled using LiFePO4-loaded carbon cloth as the cathode and their electrochemical performance was tested. When the electrophoresis solution was at pH 4 and the electrophoresis duration was 5 min, the areal loading of LiFePO4 on the carbon cloth reached 9.7 mg cm–2 and the charge-discharge specific capacity reached 120 mAh g–1. LiFePO4 could not be deposited on the carbon cloth if the pH value of the electrophoresis solution was too high or too low. The specific capacity of the battery decreased if the electrophoresis time was more than 5 min. For comparison, carbon cloth loaded with LiNiCoAlO2 and elemental sulphur was also tested. This confirmed that enhancing the conductivity of the powdered active material deposited on the carbon cloth was the key to improving the comprehensive performance of the battery.At pH > 4, nearly all hydrogen ions were attached to the LiFePO4 particles and higher amounts of charged LiFePO4 were deposited on the carbon cloth. At pH 4, the deposition amount of LiFePO4 reached its highest at 15 mg and the areal loading reached 9.7 mg cm–2.Graphical abstract: The electrophoretic technology was used to prepare carbon cloth loaded with LiFePO4 integrated cathodes to be used in Li-ion batteries. Carbon cloth served as the negative plate in the electrophoresis tank on which LiFePO4 powder was dispersed in the electrophoresis solution deposited under a direct current electric field. Button batteries were assembled using LiFePO4-loaded carbon cloth as the cathode and their electrochemical performance was tested. When the electrophoresis solution was at pH 4 and the electrophoresis duration was 5 min, the areal loading of LiFePO4 on the carbon cloth reached 9.7 mg cm–2 and the charge-discharge specific capacity reached 120 mAh g–1. LiFePO4 could not be deposited on the carbon cloth if the pH value of the electrophoresis solution was too high or too low. The specific capacity of the battery decreased if the electrophoresis time was more than 5 min. For comparison, carbon cloth loaded with LiNiCoAlO2 and elemental sulphur was also tested. This confirmed that enhancing the conductivity of the powdered active material deposited on the carbon cloth was the key to improving the comprehensive performance of the battery.At pH > 4, nearly all hydrogen ions were attached to the LiFePO4 particles and higher amounts of charged LiFePO4 were deposited on the carbon cloth. At pH 4, the deposition amount of LiFePO4 reached its highest at 15 mg and the areal loading reached 9.7 mg cm–2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injection molding is one of the most promising technologies for the large-scale production and application of polymeric microfluidic chips. The multi-objective optimization of injection molding process for substrate and cover plate on protein electrophoresis microfluidic chip is performed to solve the problem that the forming precision is difficult to coordinate because of the cross-scale structure characteristics for chip in this paper. The innovation for this research is that an optimization approach and a detailed fuzzy rule determination method are proposed in multi-objective optimization for protein electrophoresis microfluidic chip. In more detail, firstly, according to the number and level of process parameters, the orthogonal experimental design is carried out. Then, the experiments are performed. Secondly, the grey relational analysis (GRA) approach is employed to process the response data to gain the grey relational coefficient (GRC). Thirdly, the grey fuzzy decision making method which combines triangular membership function and gaussian membership function is adopted to obtain the grey fuzzy grade (GFG). After that, the optimal scheme of process parameters was predicted by the grey fuzzy grade analysis. Finally, the superiority of Taguchi grey fuzzy decision making method are verified by comparing the results of original scheme, optimal scheme and prediction scheme. As a result, compared with the original design, the residual stress of substrate plate (RSS), residual stress of cover plate (RSC), warpage of substrate plate (WS), warpage of cover plate (WC) and replication fidelity of microchannel for substrate plate (RFM) on the prediction scheme for Taguchi grey fuzzy decision making method were reduced by 32.816%, 29.977%, 88.571%, 74.390% and 46.453%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical retention of charged dispersed contaminants on an electrofilter loaded with electrically conductive and non-conductive dispersed particles (ion-exchange resin KU-2-8 and clinoptilolite) was experimentally studied. The used model dispersed contaminant was an anion-exchange resin, whose surface charge sign was opposite to the load charge. The studies were performed in the potentiostatic regime at an interelectrode voltage ranged from 5 to 90 V. At the same time, the current–time dependence was measured at different loads and electrolyte concentrations. The character of dependence between the water purification degree and the electrical field intensity, the water or electrolyte flow rate through the electrofilter, and the concentration of used electrolyte solutions was analyzed. Clinoptilolite was shown to provide the same degree of water purification from dispersed contaminants as for the cation-exchange resin, but at a slightly lower current and a voltage higher by several times. Hence, the purification of water from dispersed impurities on an electrofilter loaded with ion-exchange resin particles was more profitable from the viewpoint of energy consumption as compared to clinoptilolite. The dependence of the electrical field distribution in the electrofilter on the electrical conductivity of a load and its effect on the electrophoresis and dipolophoresis of load particles at different charge values was theoretically analyzed. The replacement of the electrically conductive load by the non-conductive one was shown to have an effect on the conditions for the transport of contaminant particles to the load surface and the location of a sediment with respect to the hydrodynamic flow and, thereby, on the character and efficiency of their electrical retention on the electrofilter. Taking into account these factors, the load of electrically conductive particles was concluded to have a higher efficiency in good agreement with experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programmed cell death is considered a key player in a variety of cellular processes that helps to regulate tissue growth, embryogenesis, cell turnover, immune response, and other biological processes. Among different types of cell death, apoptosis has been studied widely, especially in the field of cancer research to understand and analyse cellular mechanisms, and signaling pathways that control cell cycle arrest. Hallmarks of different types of cell death have been identified by following the patterns and events through microscopy. Identified biomarkers have also supported drug development to induce cell death in cancerous cells. There are various serological and microscopic techniques with advantages and limitations, that are available and are being utilized to detect and study the mechanism of cell death. The complexity of the mechanism and difficulties in distinguishing among different types of programmed cell death make it challenging to carry out the interventions and delay its progression. In this review, mechanisms of different forms of programmed cell death along with their conventional and unconventional methods of detection of have been critically reviewed systematically and categorized on the basis of morphological hallmarks and biomarkers to understand the principle, mechanism, application, advantages and disadvantages of each method. Furthermore, a very comprehensive comparative analysis has been drawn to highlight the most efficient and effective methods of detection of programmed cell death, helping researchers to make a reliable and prudent selection among the available methods of cell death assay. Conclusively, how programmed cell death detection methods can be improved and can provide information about distinctive stages of cell death detection have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of elegant and numerous microfluidic manipulations has enabled significant advances in the processing of small volume samples and the detection of minute amounts of biomaterials. Effective isolation of single cells in a defined volume as well as manipulations of complex bioparticle or biomolecule mixtures allows for the utilization of information-rich detection methods including mass spectrometry, electron microscopy imaging, and amplification/sequencing. The art and science of translating biosamples from microfluidic platforms to highly advanced, information-rich detection system is the focus of this review, where we term the translation between the microfluidics elements to the external world "off-chipping." When presented with the challenge of presenting sub-nanoliter volumes of manipulated sample to a detection scheme, several delivery techniques have been developed for effective analysis. These techniques include spraying (electrospray, nano-electrospray, pneumatic), meniscus-defined volumes (droplets, plugs), constrained volumes (narrow channels, containers), and phase changes (deposition, freezing). Each technique has been proven effective in delivering highly defined samples from microfluidic systems to the detection elements. This review organizes and presents selective publications that illustrate the advancements of these delivery techniques with respect to the type of sample analyzed, while introducing each strategy and providing historical perspective. The publications highlighted in this review were chosen due to their significance and relevance in the development of their respective off-chip technique. This review highlights advancements of delivery methods off a microfluidic chip for additional information rich detection schemes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]