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Objective: To assess the frequency and different factors leading to parental refusal of lumbar puncture in children with febrile convulsions. Study Design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: Pediatric Ward of Children Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad for one year from 1st January, 2017 to 1st January, 2018. Methodology: Parents of children of both genders with first episode of febrile convulsion from 1 month to 12 years age and planned for lumber puncture were interviewed for their response to lumbar puncture. If parents refused lumbar puncture, then close ended questions were asked regarding fear of paralysis, backache, walking problems, spasticity and death. In addition, parents' demographic details to assess the correlation with different factors responsible for refusal were also assessed. Results: Among a total ninety-five children admitted and planned for lumber puncture, 41% parents refused the procedure. The most frequent reason was fear of paralysis (36%) followed by fear of pain (26%), fear of subsequent walking problem (18%), fear of death (15%) and fear of spasticity (5%). Rate of refusal was significantly higher in parents with lower level of education and who had previous knowledge about the procedure (P<0.05). Conclusion: Poor knowledge of parents about importance of lumbar puncture procedure and its complications lead them to its refusal especially in those who have lower level of education and previous knowledge of this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and highly sensitive time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)-based aptasensor for simultaneous recognition of mycotoxins ochratoxin A (OTA) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) was developed using multi-color, Ln3+-doped time-resolved fluorescence nanoparticles (TRF-NPs) (NaYF4: Ce, Tb and NH2-Eu/DPA@SiO2 NPs) coupled with complementary strand DNA (cDNA) as luminescence probe and aptamers-conjugated amine-functionalized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) act as a capture probe. Under the optimized conditions, the time-resolved fluorescence intensities at 544 and 618 nm corresponded with Tb3+ and Eu3+, respectively, were used to measure FB1 (Y = 19,177.1 + (− 12,054.4)x, R2 = 0.9917) and OTA (Y = 4138.8 + (− 11,182.6)x, R2 = 0.9924), respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) for FB1 and OTA were 0.019 pg mL−1 and 0.015 pg mL−1, respectively, which were much lower than previously described methods for simultaneous recognition of mycotoxins OTA and FB1 while detection range varied from 0.0001–0.5 ng mL−1. This aptasensor was effectively applied to quantity FB1 and OTA in maize samples and results were compared with ELISA method. This is the first reported time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)-based aptasensor to detect two agriculturally important toxins in the maize. The developed aptasensor has potential to be used for detection of toxins in food safety fields. Graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A novel label free aptasensor for selective and sensitive fluorescent detection of T-2 toxin. • The mechanism was supposed to be based on FRET from NC-T5-apt AgNCs to MoS 2. • LOD (0.93 pg mL−1) of proposed bioassay was much lower than previous works. • Present linear correlation between proposed bioassay and standard ELISA method. • This strategy may broaden potential ways to detect other toxins. Abstract T-2 is a trichthecenes mycotoxin responsible for severe food poisoning and toxic influences in humans and animals. Therefore, a rapid and sensitive detection of T-2 is an urgent need to protect the public health mainly caused by the consumption of contaminated agricultural products. Herein, we have prepared one pot synthesis of aptamer functionalized silver nanoclusters (apt-AgNCs) for fluorescent detection of T-2 that relies on novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Apt-AgNCs, act as energy donor, were applied as fluorescent sensing probe whose fluorescence was quenched by MoS 2 employed as fluorescent acceptor. Introduction of target in proposed bioassay leads to desorption of Apt-AgNCs from MoS 2 , and recovery of fluorescence in a toxin concentration dependent-manner. A dynamic quantification range was 0.005–500 ng mL−1 while the LOD was 0.93 pg mL−1. Spiking analysis reveals the efficiency and robustness of the developed assembly, with recovery percentages ranged from 89.46% to 102.08% and 90.41% to 107.75% in maize and wheat samples, respectively. The results were cross-verified using standard commercial T-2 EISA kit. In conclusion, developed bioassay may find good utility in testing for risk assessment of T-2 toxin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A "turn on" time-resolved fluorometric aptasensor is described for the simultaneous detection of zearalenone (ZEN), trichothecenes A (T-2), and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Multicolor-emissive nanoparticles doped with lanthanide ions (Dy3+, Tb3+, Eu3+) were functionalized with respective aptamers and applied as a bioprobe, and tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets are used as a quencher of time-resolved fluorescence. The assay exploits the quenching efficiency of WS2 and the interactions between WS2 and the respective DNA aptamers. The simultaneous recognition of the three mycotoxins can be performed in a single solution. In the absence of targets, WS2 is easily adsorbed by the mixed bioprobes via van der Waals forces between nucleobases and the WS2 basal plane. This brings the bioprobe and WS2 into close proximity and results in quenched fluorescence. In the presence of targets, the fluorescence of the bioprobes is restored because the analytes react with DNA probe and modify their molecular conformation to weaken the interaction between the DNAs and WS2. Under the optimum conditions and at an excitation wavelength of 273 nm, the time-resolved fluorescence intensities (peaking at 488, 544 and 618 nm and corresponding to emissions of Dy3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+) were used to quantify ZEN, T-2 and AFB1, respectively, with detection limits of 0.51, 0.33 and 0.40 pg mL−1 and a linear range from 0.001 to 100 ng mL−1. The three mycotoxins can be detected simultaneously without mutual interference. The assay was applied to the quantification of ZEN, T-2 and AFB1 in (spiked) maize samples. This homogeneous aptamer based assay can be performed within 1 h. Conceivably, it can become an alternative to other heterogeneous methods such as the respective enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the status of bacterial pathogens in thalassemia major patients presenting with fever in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at –removed for blind review---from November 2020 to October 2021 in which 102 patients of thalassemia major who presented with fever and were suspicious of having septicemia were enrolled. Their demographic characteristics and pathological findings were noted in this study. A standardized approach was followed for blood withdrawal and sample collection required for performing blood cultures. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 21. Results: Females were in majority. A total of 57 (56.0%) patients had positive blood cultures. The most frequent bacterial pathogen was Klebsiella pneumonia 13 (12.7%), followed by E-coli 11 (10.7%), staphylococcus aureus 7 (6.8%), pseudomonas 8 (7.8%) and streptococcus type pathogens 6 (5.8%). Conclusion: Positive culture findings were high in the thalassemia major patients who presented with fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the recent antibiotic resistance patterns of Salmonella species in children in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics of Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, Bhara Kahu, from 18th March 2020 to 31st January 2021. A total of one hundred and seventy-eight (n=178) patients of either gender having age between 1 month to 12 years who had signs and symptoms of enteric fever and positive blood culture report of Salmonella species were enrolled in this study through non-probability, consecutive sampling. The demographic characteristics of patients along with the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the Salmonella species were recorded on the predesigned proforma and analyzed through SPSS version 25. Results: Out of the total of 178 patients, reports of blood cultures of 164(92.1%) patients showed Salmonella Typhi while those of 14(7.9%) patients showed Salmonella Paratyphi. Out of the total of 178 Salmonella cases, 11(6.2%) were extensively drugresistant and 58(32.6%) were multidrug-resistant. All XDR cases were of Salmonella Typhi. Out of 14 Salmonella Paratyphi, 2(14%) were MDR but no XDR Salmonella Paratyphi was found. Nalidixic acid had the highest resistance (96.4%) followed by sulphamethoxazole (65.5%). Azithromycin had the least resistance (0%) followed by imipenem (1.8%), piperacillintazobactam (1.9%), and meropenem (2%). Resistance of ceftriaxone was 20.8% and that of ciprofloxacin was 28.2%. Conclusion: No resistance of Salmonella species against azithromycin was found in our study. The presence of XDR typhoid fever cases and the rising resistance of Salmonella species to ceftriaxone and carbapenems are very alarming. To prevent this resistance, we should reserve carbapenems for complicated cases of resistant typhoid fever only. Minocycline and piperacillin-tazobactam are two other good cost-effective drugs in resistant typhoid fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and fluorescence dual-signal aptasensor has been developed for aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) detection. Fluorescence signal source CdTe quantum dots were decorated on the outer of silica nanoparticles and further functionalized with AFB 1 aptamer. Raman reporter molecules DTNB were decorated on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) together with the aptamer complementary chains. The two parts of nanomaterials were combined by the base complementary pairing principle, to form satellite nanostructures with high SERS and low fluorescence signals following LSPR and FRET effect. The addition of AFB 1 led to the shedding of AuNPs due to the higher sensitivity of the aptamer towards the target and resulting in recovered fluorescence and decreased SERS signals. The developed method showed a linear relationship in the range of 10−4-103 ng/mL, with detection limit of 0.094 pg/mL. This technology had strong application prospects due to simplicity of operation and high accuracy. • The dual-signal aptasensor of AFB 1 was realized by combining LSPR and FRET effect. • The signals were amplified by aggregating the nanomaterials around the silica. • T he aptasensor s howed good accuracy in real samples and verified by HPLC. • The LOD of AFB 1 was as low as 0.094 pg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shigella Sonnei (S. sonnei) is a common foodborne pathogen causing intestinal diseases. In this study, a sandwich-structured colorimetric and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) dual methods adaptation sensor was prepared for the detection of S. sonnei. Firstly, two aptamers, SS4.1-2 (K d = 43.5 ± 2.78 nM) and SP1-2.2 (K d = 23.3 ± 3.01 nM) with good specificity and affinity were obtained by truncation strategy. Then, Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @Ag nanoparticles were utilized to capture bacteria, while Cu-TCPP (Fe)/AuNPs nanosheets were used as signal probes due to their oxidase activity and SERS signals. The detection limits of the aptasensor were as low as 37 CFU/mL for the colorimetric signal and 7 CFU/mL for SERS signal. Furthermore, the aptasensor was successfully applied to detect S. sonnei in real samples with 94.95–112.92% and 98.40–103.95% recoveries for colorimetric and SERS methods, respectively. A more rapid and accurate method to detect S. sonnei contamination in food was improved. • Two aptamers that specifically bind to S. sonnei were truncated and optimized to avoid the high cost and instability. • The Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @Ag nanoparticles were synthesized and used as capture probes with separation and enrichment properties. • The Cu-TCPP (Fe)/AuNPs nanosheets were successfully synthesized and used as detection probes with peroxidase properties and SERS signals. • Development of an aptamer sandwich dual signal sensor for S. sonnei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety has become the focus of social attention with the rapid development of economic society and the improvement of living standards. Food detection plays an important role in food safety. In recent years, efficient and rapid detection technology is one of the conventional means of food safety screening, effectively preventing the occurrence of food safety events. Because of the advantages of short detection time, simple operation, high sensitivity, and economy, lateral flow assay (LFA) provides an ideal platform for on-site detection. The key to developing a lateral-flow biosensor is to identify biorecognition molecules, design strategies, and labels according to the target. Aptamers have comparable specificity and affinity to antibodies, making them a viable alternative. Nanoparticles can not only be used as labels for qualitative and quantitative detection, but also their rigidity can stabilize the spatial structure of aptamers, ensuring maintenance of their affinity and specificity in complex matrices. A review of the field finds that the application of nanoparticles is mainly focused on GNPs. Aptamer-based dipstick detection still lags behind antibody-based dipstick detection in actual field detection. It is conceivable that the application of aptamer and nanoparticle combination in LFA has both challenges and opportunities. In this paper, the above content is briefly introduced and reviewed in order to provide help for the development of LFA based on aptamer-functionalized nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an enhanced green production of xanthan gum has been achieved by utilizing orange peels. Response surface methodology and kinetic modeling were adapted for the process optimization and its influence on scale up production respectively. Optimal conditions for the maximum xanthan production were 1.62% acid hydrolysis, 85% carbon source of orange peel hydrolysate and 30.4 °C temperature. Furthermore, the optimized treatment was conducted in the batch culture fermentor to observe the associated variations during scale up process. In bio-fermentor, to the first time ever, xanthan production along with reducing sugar conversion and utilization rates reached 30.19 g/L, 69.29% and 99.99%, respectively. Employed characterization techniques of FTIR, XRD and HPLC confirmed the fermented product as xanthan gum and obtained an average molecular weight of 1.01 × 10 6 g/mol. This work on account of optimized process parameters presented maximum xanthan production from a waste material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticide residues in agricultural products pose a significant threat to human health. Herein, a sensitive fluorescence method employing upconversion nanoparticles was developed for detecting organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) based on the principle of enzyme inhibition and copper-triggered o-phenylenediamine (OPD) oxidation. Copper ions (Cu 2+ ) oxidized the colorless OPD to a yellow 2,3-diaminophenazine (oxOPD). The yellow solution oxOPD quenched the fluorescence of upconversion nanoparticles due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The high affinity of Cu 2+ for thiocholine reduced the level of oxOPD, resulting in almost no fluorescence quenching. The addition of dimethoate led to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity and thus prevented the formation of thiocholine. Subsequently, Cu 2+ oxidized OPD to form oxOPD, which attenuated the fluorescence signal of the system. The detection system has a good linear range of 0.01 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.008 ng/mL, providing promising applications for rapid detection of dimethoate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Alternansucrase (ASR), classified in GH70, produces unique α-glucans with alternating α-1,3 and α-1,6 glycosidic linkages in the backbone chain from renewable sucrose which is easily obtained from nature with low cost. ASR has synthesized many products with valuable functionalities that hold enormous commercial interest and promising applications. The influence of biocatalysis and fermentation parameters on the yields, and properties of products are critical for the propositions made to promote the enzyme application. Investigations on ASR have been compiled in the review to provide information on the enzyme, products and parameters. This review summarizes studies on the characteristics, conversion mechanism, products, and beneficial applications of ASR and exhibits structure-based technologies to improve enzyme activity, specificity, and thermostability for industrial applications. Finally, prospects for further development are also proposed for various ASR applications in food and other fields., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Food analysis plays a critical role in assessing human health risks and monitoring food quality and safety. Currently, there is a pressing need for a reliable, portable, and quick recognition element for point-of-care testing (POCT) to better serve the demands of on-site food analysis. Aptamer-modified paper-based analytical devices (Apt-PADs) have excellent characteristics of high portability, high sensitivity, high specificity, and on-site detection, which have been widely used and concerned in the field of food safety. The article reviews the basic components and working principles of Apt-PADs, and introduces their representative applications detecting food hazards. Finally, the advantages, challenges, and future directions of Apt-PADs-based sensing performance are discussed, to provide new directions and insights for researchers to select appropriate Apt-PADs according to specific applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Co-contamination of multiple mycotoxins produces synergistic toxic effects, leading to more serious hazards. Therefore, the simple, rapid and accurate simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins is crucial. Herein, a three-channel aptamer-based lateral flow assay (Apt-LFA) was established for the detection of aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ), aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) and ochratoxin A (OTA). The multi-channel Apt-LFA utilized gold‑iridium nanozyme to catalyze the chromogenic substrate, which effectively achieved signal amplification. Moreover, the positions and lengths of the complementary sequences were screened by changes in fluorescence intensity. After grayscale analysis, the semi-quantitative results showed that the detection limits of AFM 1 , AFB 1 and OTA were 0.39 ng/mL, 0.36 ng/mL and 0.82 ng/mL. The recoveries of the multiplexed competitive sensors in complex matrices of real samples were 93.33%-97.01%, 95.72%-102.67%, and 106.88%-109.33%, respectively. In conclusion, the assembly principle of the three-channel Apt-LFA is simple, which can provide a new idea for the simultaneous detection of small molecule targets., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Patulin (PAT) is a mycotoxin-produced secondary metabolite that can contaminate foods, causing toxic effects on animal and human health. Therefore, for the first time, we have constructed a "turn-on" dual-mode aptamer sensor for PAT using oleic acid-coated upconversion nanomaterials (OA-UCNPs) and G-Quadruplex-hemin DNAzyme (G4-DNAzyme) as fluorescent and colorimetry probes. The sensor employs aptamers binding to PAT as recognition elements for specific molecule detection. Mxene-Au can be used as a biological inducer to assist OA-UCNPs in controlling fluorescence intensity. In addition, colorimetric signal amplification was performed using the trivalent G4-DNAzyme to increase detection sensitivity and reduce false positives. Under optimal conditions, the dual-mode aptasensor has a detection limit of 5.3 pg mL -1 in fluorescence and 2.4 pg mL -1 in colorimetric methods, respectively, with the wider linear range and limit of detection (LOD) of the colorimetric assay. The combination aptasensor can detect PAT with high sensitivity and high specificity and has broad application prospects in the field of food safety detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In recent years, the conventional preparation of silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) has attracted much attention due to their ultra-small size, tunable fluorescence, easy-to-engineer, as well as biocompatible material. Moreover, its great affinity towards cytosine bases on single-stranded DNA has led to the construction of biosensors, especially aptamers, for a broad variety of applications in food safety and environmental protection. In past years, numerous researchers paid attention to the construction of AgNCs aptasensor. Therefore, this review will be an effort to summarize the synthetic strategy along with the influences of factors on synthesis, categorize the sensing mechanism of aptamer-functionalized AgNCs biosensors, as well as their specific applications in food safety detection including heavy metal, toxin, and foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, a brief conclusion and outlook regarding the prospects and challenges of their applications in food safety were drawn in line with the developments in DNA-AgNCs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Geraniol (Ger) is an essential oil molecule with excellent biological activity. High hydrophobicity and volatility limit its practical application. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are water-soluble cyclic oligosaccharides with hydrophobic cavities. Physical encapsulation of CDs to improve the solubility and stability of essential oil molecules is not satisfactory. Therefore, this study synthesized the γ-CD derivative (γ-CD-Ger) by grafting Ger onto γ-CD using a bromide-mediated method. Compared to the inclusion complexes (γ-CD/Ger) formed by both, the derivatives exhibit better solubility and thermal stability. The derivative has better antibacterial activity when the ratio of γ-CD to Ger was 1:2. In addition, the derivatives did not exhibit cytotoxic and hemolytic properties. These results indicate that this research provides a water-soluble antibacterial agent with a wide range of promising applications and offers new ideas for the application of alcohol hydrophobic molecules in aqueous systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

After optimizing the original aptamer sequence by truncation strategy, a magnetic separation-assisted DNAzyme-driven 3D DNA walker fluorescent aptasensor was developed for detecting the food-borne pathogen Cronobacter species. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) modified with a hybrid of truncated aptamer probe and DNAzyme strand (AP-E1) denoted as MNPs@AP-E1, were employed as capture probes. Simultaneously, a DNAzyme-driven 3D-DNA walker was utilized as the signal amplification element. The substrate strand (Sub) was conjugated with the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), resulting in the formation of AuNPs@Sub, which served as a 3D walking track. In the presence of the target bacteria and Mg 2+ , E1-DNAzyme was activated and moved along AuNPs@Sub, continuously releasing the signal probe. Under optimized conditions, a strong linear correlation was observed for Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii) in the concentration range 10 1 to 10 6 CFU mL -1 , with a low detection limit of 2 CFU mL -1 . The fluorescence signal responses for different Cronobacter species exhibited insignificant differences, with a relative standard deviation of 3.6%. Moreover, the aptasensor was successfully applied to determine  C. sakazakii in real samples with recoveries of 92.86%-108.33%. Therefore, the novel method could be a good candidate for ultra-sensitive and selective detection of Cronobacter species without complex manipulation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

DNA nanostructures, with their fascinating luminescent and detecting capabilities, provide a basis that can accommodate a wide range of applications. The unique electronic configurations, and physical and chemical properties of aptamer-assembled gold nanoclusters (apt-AuNCs) as a novel type of fluorophore have gradually piqued the interest of the scientific community. Bending DNA sequences and other templates/legends as a stabilizing agent with Au metal has produced an abundance of biosensors, along with catalytic and imaging properties. This review article summarizes the synthesis, conjugation tactics, advantages, and sensing mechanisms of AuNCs aptasensor after providing a brief introduction to the topic. Moreover, the application of DNA/aptamer functionalization has been briefly discussed in the fields of food safety and quality, catalysis, clinical diagnosis, cancer cell bioimaging, detection of cancer cell indicators, and therapy. We also concluded the current obstacles and made recommendations about the future prospects of AuNCs for fundamental research and applications in line with the developments in DNA/aptamer-AuNCs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotic contamination is becoming a prominent global issue. Therefore, sensitive, specific and simple technology is desirable the demand for antibiotics detection. Biosensors based on split aptamer has gradually attracted extensive attention for antibiotic detection due to its higher sensitivity, lower cost, false positive/negative avoidance and flexibility in sensor design. Although many of the reported split aptamers are antibiotics aptamers, the acquisition and mechanism of splitting is still unknow. In this review, six reported split aptamers in antibiotics are outlined, including Enrofloxacin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, Tobramycin, Neomycin, Streptomycin, which have contributed to promote interest, awareness and thoughts into this emerging research field. The study introduced the pros and cons of split aptamers, summarized the assembly principle of split aptamer and discussed the intermolecular binding of antibiotic-aptamer complexes. In addition, the recent application of split aptamers in antibiotic detection are introduced. Split aptamers have a promising future in the design and development of biosensors for antibiotic detection in food and other field. The development of the antibiotic split aptamer meets many challenges including mechanism discovery, stability improvement and new biosensor development. It is believed that split aptamer could be a powerful molecular probe and plays an important role in aptamer biosensor.

Background: High mortality among premature and very low birth weight (VLBW) babies necessitates the need to formulate and use scoring systems like CRIB score to predict the mortality in this vulnerable group. Objective of the study was to determine the strength of Clinical Risk Index For Babies (CRIB) score in detecting neonatal mortality in babies presenting with very low birth weight so that timely intervention can be done. It was a cross-sectional study, conducted at NICU, Children Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad (PIMS) in nine months starting from First July 2017., Methods: A total of two hundred and fifty-four (n=254) new-borns with birth weight of between 500-1500 grams and gestational age lesser than 35 weeks were included in the study. CRIB score was calculated in all neonates and its association was assessed with mortality during NICU stay. Recorded data was analysed for demographic variables. Means and standard deviation was calculated for numeric variables. Chi-square test was applied to find p-value for the correlation between the main variables., Results: 54.3% (n=138) patients were males and 45.7% (n=116) were females. Mean gestational age was 33.3 weeks±1.04 SD and mean birth weight of study population was 1129.9 grams±210.6 SD. Mean CRIB score among the study population was 6.3±3.1SD and overall mortality was found to be 54.7% (n=139). Mean CRIB score was found to be 8.27±2.1 SD among mortality group and it was 3.87±3.4 SD among newborns who were discharged (p<0.05). Mortality was present in 4.3% (n=4) of neonates with CRIB score between 1 to 5, 87.1% (n=121) who had CRIB score between 6 to 10 and 100% (n=14) of neonates who had CRIB score level 11-15 (p<0.05), so a significantly higher percentage mortality was noted among neonates with higher CRIB scores., Conclusions: According to our study mean CRIB score is a significant predictor of neonatal mortality.

Mycotoxins posit serious threats to human and animal health, and numerous efforts have been performed to detect the multiple toxins by a single diagnostic approach. To best of our knowledge, for the first time, we synthesized an aptamer induced "turn on" fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor using dual-color gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), l-proline, and BSA synthesized AuNCs (Lp-AuNCs and BSA-AuNCs), with WS 2 nanosheet for simultaneous recognition of aflatoxinB 1 (AFB 1 ) and zearalenone (ZEN) by single excitation. Here, AFB 1 aptamer stabilized blue-emitting AuNCs (AFB 1 -apt-Lp-AuNCs) (at 442 nm) and ZEN aptamer functionalized with red-colored AuNCs (ZEN-apt-BSA-AuNCs) (at 650 nm) were employed as an energy donor and WS 2 nanosheet as a fluorescence quencher. With the addition of AFB 1 and ZEN, the change in fluorescence intensity (F.I) was recorded at 442 and 650 nm and can be used for simultaneous recognition with a detection limit of 0.34 pg mL -1 ( R 2 = 0.9931) and 0.53 pg mL -1 ( R 2 = 0.9934), respectively. Most importantly, the semiquantitative determination of AFB 1 and ZEN can also be realized through photovisualization. The current approach paves a new way to develop sensitive, selective, and convenient metal nanocluster-based fluorescent "switch-on" probes with potential applications in multipurpose biosensing.