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Most heavy metal ions are carcinogenic and non-biodegradable, posing threats to ecological balance and human health in trace amount. Therefore, there is a pressing demand for rapid and dependable detection technologies. Electrochemical sensing technology distinguishes itself with its ease of use and swiftness, rendering it perfect for the expeditious detection of heavy metal elements. This review examines various electrochemical detection techniques for on-site real-time monitoring of heavy metal ions. Advanced methods using innovative electrochemical sensor technologies are explored, highlighting the importance of sensing strategies for the quick and easy monitoring of metal levels in different environments. Additionally, the role of nanotechnology and electrochemical techniques in enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of sensors for better detection of heavy metals is discussed. Finally, the future direction of sensor development is addressed, focusing on integrating new materials and technologies to improve the performance of sensor in environmental monitoring, food safety and public health. more...

Abstract It is imperative to develop practicable pathogenic bacteria detection methods. We devised a biosensor for the ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhi), termed as SCOUT‐dCas9 (ultrasensitive, cross‐validating, on‐site, and dUal‐mode test using CRISPR/dCas9). Simply, the species‐specific invA gene of S. typhi was amplified using loop‐mediated isothermal amplification with a biotinylated primer, which can be specifically “pulled down” by “antibody‐like” dCas9‐single guide RNA to form a ternary complex. SYBR Green I and streptavidin‐modified alkaline phosphatase were used to functionalize them to generate fluorescent and colorimetric signals, respectively. With this strategy, the target could be dexterously converted into bimodal signals that were cross‐validated to afford more reliable results. For both modes, SCOUT‐dCas9 was able to detect as low as 1 CFU/mL with a dynamic range from 1 to 109 CFU/mL. Lastly, SCOUT‐dCas9 had satisfactory selectivity and was capable of detecting S. typhi‐contaminated real food samples. SCOUT‐dCas9 provides a robust platform for bacterial detection. more...

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has a huge impact on the global economy. SARS-CoV-2 could possibly and potentially be transmitted to humans through cold-chain foods and packaging (namely good-to-human), although it mainly depends on a human-to-human route. It is imperative to develop countermeasures to cope with the spread of viruses and fulfil effective surveillance of cold-chain foods and packaging. This review outlined SARS-CoV-2-related cold-chain food incidents and current methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2. Then the needs, challenges and practicable countermeasures for SARS-CoV-2 detection, specifically for cold-chain foods and packaging, were underlined. In fact, currently established detection methods for SARS-CoV-2 are mostly used for humans; thus, these may not be ideally applied to cold-chain foods directly. Therefore, it creates a need to develop novel methods and low-cost, automatic, mini-sized devices specifically for cold-chain foods and packaging. The review intended to draw people’s attention to the possible spread of SARS-CoV-2 with cold-chain foods and proposed perspectives for futuristic cold-chain foods monitoring during the pandemic. more...

Abstract Background Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is a major physical and psychological problem in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), and gut dysbiosis is commonly occurs in SCI. Here, we document neurogenic bowel management of male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI in our centre and perform comparative analysis of the gut microbiota between our patients and healthy males. Methods A total of 43 male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI (20 with quadriplegia and 23 with paraplegia) and 23 healthy male adults were enrolled. Clinical data and fresh stool specimens were collected from all participants. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to survey the neurogenic bowel management of 43 patients with SCI. Gut microbiomes were analysed by sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results NBD was common in adult male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI. Patients with quadriplegia exhibited a longer time to defecate than did those with paraplegia and had higher NBD scores and heavier neurogenic bowel symptoms. The diversity of the gut microbiota in the SCI group was reduced, and the structural composition was different from that of the healthy adult male group. The abundance of Veillonellaceae and Prevotellaceae increased, while Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides decreased in the SCI group. The abundance of Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides in the quadriplegia group and Acidaminococcaceae, Blautia, Porphyromonadaceae, and Lachnoclostridium in the paraplegia group were significantly higher than those in the healthy male group. Serum biomarkers (GLU, HDL, CR, and CRP), NBD defecation time and COURSE had significant correlations with microbial community structure. Microbial community structure was significantly associated with serum biomarkers (GLU, HDL, CR, and CRP), NBD defecation time, and COURSE. Conclusions This study presents a comprehensive landscape of the gut microbiota in adult male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI and documents their neurogenic bowel management. Gut microbiota dysbiosis in SCI patients was correlated with serum biomarkers and NBD symptoms. more...